Chapter 151: Atonement
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Atonement
[ Little is known about Jang Ye Ri, the human from the East who was said to have a close relationship with the honorable Chieftain Blood Dagger. However, given that she appears without fail in the stories of the many Green Skins who followed Blood Dagger... [...] It would be no exaggeration to say that even now, after so much time has passed, most things about her remain shrouded in mystery.
Her traces could not be found even in a few ancient texts, and investigations have concluded that there is a high probability the records were intentionally destroyed by someone. However, the few books that still remain suggest that she was not, in fact, human, but... [...] Furthermore, the great and wise Warcry Queen Kim Yoora, regarding the human of the East, Jang Ye Ri... about... - Excerpt from a very old book, Footsteps of the Great Chieftains. ]
‘Mate?’
Her timing was incredible, like she’d just thrown a fastball of a confession right at me. Thinking there must have been some mistake, I had no choice but to contact her again.
[ Mate? ]
[ ........................ ]
[ Best friend. In the human tongue, it means a very close friend. ]
[ Hmm... ]
[ Ahem... I misspoke. I have urgent business, so I must end the communication now. I will contact you again later. Rest well. ]
When I questioned her sudden remark, Jang Ye Ri cut off the communication in a great hurry. Her voice sounded incredibly flustered, unlike her usual self, though it was quite impressive that she didn't stutter despite it all.
As I let out a small smile, Park Han Cheol looked at me with a somewhat bewildered expression and spoke.
“I will show you to your quarters.”
- My thanks.
The room he led me to felt quite luxurious. It seemed to be a room that wasn't used often, probably reserved for guests or for when Jang Ye Ri occasionally visited.
“A meal will be brought in a little later. Rest easy.”
I nodded at his words. The last bit of suspicion in my heart vanished. I felt like I could truly rest comfortably here. It was because I felt that these were people I could trust.
After roughly lying down on the bed, I slowly began to think about Jang Ye Ri. Even after seeing it with my own eyes today, it was still hard to believe.
‘Rebellion.’
I hadn't confirmed the exact details of how she planned to start the rebellion or when it would happen, but considering the timing, it felt a little early.
In my past life, the Witch’s great massacre happened a bit later than this. It was highly likely that my presence as a military asset had given her the confidence to act.
“Hmm...”
The Witch grows stronger. It’s impossible to judge precisely, but she becomes strong enough to surpass the level of the Sword Saint and the Queen of the North. However, that doesn't mean she is exceptionally strong right now. Of course, she is still stronger than me at present. But compared to Jang Gi Young, who currently rules the East, she would naturally have to be rated lower.
That would still be the case even if she could fully wield the Reaper's Scythe. I had little information on Jang Gi Young, but I knew for a fact that he was strong. My appearance, which had moved the timeline forward, could actually end up disrupting things.
In other words, my very existence could ruin the future that was supposed to unfold.
The most crucial key to this operation was, as expected...
‘Just how strong am I?’
I needed to confirm how strong I had become. I was completely different from before. To be honest, I had grown so much stronger it was almost embarrassing to make a comparison.
However, I didn't think I had become strong enough to be compared to the Sword Saint or the Queen of the North from my past. I had grown as much as I could, but perhaps because the image I had of them in my head was so immense, I still felt lacking for some reason. I slowly began to examine myself, to organize what I had gained today.
[ Weapon Specialist ]
[ Gladiators who fought to survive wielded a variety of weapons. For the entertainment of others, they swung a sword in one situation, an axe in another, and a spear in yet another. It was only natural for those who survived to master all weapons. As time passed, people began to call the last surviving gladiators Weapon Specialists.
Long after the gladiators completely disappeared, the term Weapon Specialist came to refer to anyone who had mastered all weapons. They push themselves to the brink, training and growing stronger in their own way. For those who use different weapons, there is no single right way to fight. Proficiency with all wielded weapons is greatly increased. The probability of landing a critical hit with any weapon is slightly increased. ]
Good.
Incredibly good. The origin of the class didn't matter, but the fact that my proficiency with all weapons would be greatly increased was truly not bad at all. I felt like clapping and shouting for joy.
What I liked even more was that the class effect itself increased my critical hit chance. I already had a decent critical hit chance thanks to the effect of Weapon Switch. On top of those two, the Ring of Critical Hit on my hand also raised the probability.
It was all a matter of probability, but since the effect was stacked three times, it was likely that almost all of my attacks would now register as critical hits. I had already felt how effective this seemingly trivial function was while hunting the demonic beasts of the East. In a manner of speaking, my attack power alone could be considered on par with the ‘exceptional.’ It was limited to just attack power, but it wasn't bad. I sat up and this time reached for Dainsleif.
The Reaper's Scythe wasn't my weapon, but this one was entirely mine.
It was a lovely weapon gifted to me by that idiot as a one-plus-one deal. The fact that it was a magic sword was a bit unsettling, but I wasn't too concerned. I began to examine its information in detail.
[ Dainsleif - Legacy of the Magic Sword Dain ]
[ A cursed magic sword said to drive its owner to their death, a magic sword that cannot be sheathed until it has drawn blood. Contrary to rumor, it does not drive its user to death, nor is it impossible to sheathe before drawing blood. In reality, when the master of the Legacy of Dain activates the sword, it is also called the Blood Sword due to its appearance of constantly dripping blood. By consuming a large amount of magic, the wielder can gain control for a short time over the blood that drips from the Legacy of Dain or the blood shed by it.
It carries a penalty: if the blood shed by the Legacy of Dain is not replenished, its master will also take damage.
Summoning and unsummoning are possible only for those recognized as its master by the Legacy of Dain. ]
[ Magic +4, Agility +3, Strength +2 ]
“Hmm...”
Good. Very good. Without a doubt, a top-tier item. Although it would consume a lot of magic, the ability to control spilled blood was an incredibly good function. Simply put, with this sword, I could solidify dripping blood and use it for attacks. Moreover, if I could gain control over the blood of those I cut, I figured it could be used in various ways.
The problem was the penalty. It seemed to be a magic sword through and through, as the penalty was quite severe. I didn't know how much blood Dainsleif would shed or how much damage its master would take, but it seemed like a rather troublesome penalty.
Contrary to the earlier description, a situation could truly arise where it would drive its owner to death or couldn't be sheathed until it drew blood.
The ability to summon and unsummon it was fine, but it was literally a double-edged sword. A weapon truly befitting a magic sword. Just as I was thinking it would be unsettling to use it outside of a critical moment, the sword began to vibrate faintly.
Vwoooom.
It felt like it was protesting, as if to say that wasn't true, that I would change my mind once I tried it. Perhaps it was because it was a sword that performed a master-recognition ritual, but it seemed to have a rough idea of my thoughts.
Vwooom.
It was quite amusing. I had never imagined I would suddenly become the master of such a weapon, but if it was a sword that could feel emotions like this, I wondered if it had hastily accepted me as its master simply because it hated being touched by that idiot. It was afraid I might abandon it. Afraid of falling into that idiot's hands once more, it had quickly offered itself to me.
Vwoooooooooooooooooooooom.
It seemed I was perfectly correct. This sword, which possessed its own will, appeared to greatly dislike being touched by someone unworthy. That was one more thing to thank that fool for. The sword itself didn't look bad. Its appearance and function were a bit different from the greatsword I usually used or the Ancient Flame.
If the greatsword's characteristic was its brutish size and the Ancient Flame's was its blazing, flame-shaped blade, this sword's characteristic was how snugly it fit in my hand. It was slightly longer than the Ancient Flame. The blade was a bit thinner. The guard connecting the blade and the hilt was adorned with a bizarre, red decoration. It looked high-class and expensive, but it didn't have a clean design like the Holy Sword. But that was precisely what made it more attractive.
A sword that suited me well.
Vwoom.
A sword that truly felt like a magic sword.
I thought its function would activate if I infused it with magic, so I slowly began to swing it. The blade was thin but had a satisfying weight to it. It seemed to perform its function as a sword well, in addition to its special abilities. It was the best-looking sword I had seen in a long time.
It had a penalty, but it was, of course, a tremendous asset. If the special reinforcement I gained from this incident and the other weapon Jang Ye Ri promised to hand over showed this level of efficiency, I thought I would become even stronger than I was now.
To be honest, no matter what weapon I received, I was more drawn to the Reaper's Scythe, which was versatile and even capable of long-range attacks, but I wasn't its master anyway. I had touched it briefly, but there was no response. I could only feel a faint sense of displeasure from it. Just like Park Han Cheol. This weapon, too, was completely devoted to its master.
But my current state wasn't bad.
I had grown stronger today than I was yesterday. I felt I could now confidently say that I, too, was strong. Roughly estimating, my level was probably around that of Park Hyeri from the Spider Clan. Park Hyeri would have grown stronger as well, but if I could figure out a way to deal with her unique ability, I was sure I had a chance.
Of course, it wasn't without its problems.
If I were to assume I was raising a character right now, I had raised this character with incredible efficiency. I had climbed the path that normally talented people ascend through sheer luck.
If the synergy between Weapon Switch and my demonic nature hadn't aligned so perfectly, I would never have become this strong. You could say it was a state where the player couldn't handle the character.
I definitely had power, but I felt I hadn't properly grasped how to wield it.
The vessel has grown larger. It is filled with water. But the contents are poor. That was my current assessment of my state.
*
Jang Ye Ri stared into the mirror with an incredibly flustered expression.
‘Thank you. My mate.’
The foolish words she had spoken wouldn't leave her mind. She thought the problem was that she had gotten a little excited when he had called her cool and said he would be on her side. Her face flushed for no reason. As she continued to stare at the mirror, she could certainly see a version of herself she didn't recognize.
Her pale skin was flushed red as if she had been drinking. She had never had her face change like this, not even when she drank. Her mind felt hot and jumbled. Her breathing was ragged, and though there had been no battle, her eyes were bloodshot.
Even when she yanked hard at her hair, the strange feeling didn't disappear.
What she said after that was even more of a spectacle.
‘Best friend. In the human tongue, it means a very close friend.’
‘Ahem... I misspoke. I have urgent business, so I must end the communication now. I will contact you again later. Rest well.’
It was unnatural, no matter who saw it. Incredibly unnatural. She tried to take a deep breath, but this strange feeling wouldn't go away.
Then, the thought that she didn't want to lose this feeling suddenly struck her.
Her heart kept pounding, a feeling that didn't suit her at all, but she didn't want to lose it. She was certain that was what she was thinking.
She closed her eyes for a moment, basking in happiness, but it was fleeting.
Childhood memories that suddenly surfaced made her feel a little miserable.
The moment her beast-like brother's voice and the chilling touch crept up from the tips of her toes, Jang Ye Ri couldn't hold back and shattered the mirror with her magic. It was because the face of the man who had coveted her, grabbing her by the horns, had appeared in the mirror.
‘I'll show you what your mother is doing. You can follow me if you want.’
“CRASH!”
“My lady!”
At the loud noise, her nursemaid tried to rush into the room in surprise, but Jang Ye Ri spoke quietly.
“It's fine. You don't need to come in.”
“A-Are you really alright?”
“Just an old memory resurfaced. It will pass soon.”
I am not worthy. The thought came to her suddenly. He was a free person, like a wolf. She, who chose to enter a prison of her own making, who denied her demonic blood and cut off her own horns, had no right to stand by his side. Looking in the mirror, she saw her own reflection, wearing her wretchedly severed horns. She stomped on the mirror with a nervous foot, and blood began to flow from beneath it.
It didn't hurt. The red blood pooled on the floor, but she paid it no mind.
Only when the mirror had completely shattered, obscuring her face from view, did Jang Ye Ri let out another ragged breath.
“Haa... haa... haa...”
“M-My lady...”
Worried, the nursemaid entered the room, her face pale. She took trembling steps, likely due to the aftershock of the magic Jang Ye Ri had unleashed. Only then did Jang Ye Ri realize her mistake and hastily withdrew her magic.
“I'm sorry.”
“N-No... not at all, my lady.”
Jang Ye Ri slowly muttered the words her mother had told her in her heart.
‘Anai Totka.’
It was a phrase she repeated in her mind whenever her heart grew weak.
After cutting off her own horns, Jang Ye Ri had lived strictly as a human and had grown stronger with dogged determination. She had become strong enough to wring the life out of her beast-like brother if she set her mind to it, but she didn't commit such a foolish act out of past resentment.
Jang Ye Ri knew that killing him now would change nothing. He wasn't the only one who needed to die.
Her father, who had defiled her mother and thrown her into a den of beasts; the dog-like men who had coveted her mother with smiles on their faces; the ones who created the system and held their breath within it, reaping the benefits.
When she was young, the targets of her revenge were only her brother and father, but as she grew older, she realized there were far more people in this city who needed to die.
It wasn't just revenge. This was a kind of atonement.
Atonement for her own sin—for betraying her mother's heart and running away, leaving the slaves to die.
And with that, Jang Ye Ri closed her eyes.