Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Rise and Fall (3)
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'Hmm.'
I furrowed my brow.
It was an unfamiliar sensation I hadn't felt in a long time.
Like I'd become a ghost.
More precisely, I had consciousness but no physical form.
"Heh heh. How's it feel, disciple?"
Floating beside my consciousness was the Elder, arms crossed.
Was it because the Thousand-Technique Elder was my skill itself?
Even here, he followed along effortlessly.
"Do you get a sense of this master's feelings now? That's the true form of your spirit."
'The form of the spirit...'
"No body, so it feels a bit hazy, right? Not exactly pleasant, is it? Heh heh. That's why you should always be grateful for life while you're alive. Got it?"
The old man smiled with a bitter expression.
The face of a dead soul envying the living.
An emotion I couldn't yet comprehend.
"Tch, I said something unnecessary. You're making a weird face. Ahem, let's see."
Shaking off the bitterness, the old man looked around.
"Where's this? The imperial audience chamber?"
'Yeah, seems like it.'
The audience chamber was spacious but not luxurious.
Places that should have been adorned with gold or jewels were all worn out.
Time had passed; cobwebs hung in every corner.
Some spots were corroded, even moss growing.
Like touring the ruins of a fallen nation...
"Look, those two over there. Let's get closer."
'Yes, Elder.'
We passed over the threadbare carpet to the far end of the chamber.
There.
"Heh heh, how much sacrifice went into toppling this throne... And now it looks so shabby and worthless..."
A bearded old man stood with hands behind his back, eyes empty.
Behind him.
"Kaden, Elder. You're not well; please go inside. It's chilly."
Someone who seemed like a subordinate gazed at the old man respectfully.
"Huh?"
The old man muttered absentmindedly.
"Why's there an old Bone Master this time?"
He spoke my exact thoughts.
"Well, damn... So that's how it was? That was before he became the Absolute. No wonder... He looked like such a green kid..."
'Right.'
I agreed with the old man.
'Definitely exudes the Absolute's aura now. Totally different from his Revolutionary Commander days...'
"Heh heh, memory recreation, huh? Gone to the future?"
'Hmm, the skill activated, so it's the dead one's memory. Bone Master's already bones.'
Whether as Revolutionary Commander.
Or the old man before us now.
Both were fragments of Bone Master's memories.
Meaning, both from the past.
"Let's keep listening. Seems like he's about to say something."
'Yes.'
We fell silent.
Watching old Kaden sigh as if lost in reminiscence.
"Heh heh, not well? An old man on death's door. What's the point of living longer? Peace has come. I'm no use anymore."
"How can you say that!"
The subordinate cried out in disbelief.
"You're the idol and hero of every commoner in the old empire. You gave us freedom and peace from starvation and forced labor, and even after, you stopped countless villains threatening the world!"
"Yeah. There was a time like that..."
"Do you know how many kids take up shields following you, Elder? The Defense Master's shield arts, said to block even a legendary dragon's breath—they're still talked about among warriors. So don't say that. If you go, the whole nation will grieve."
"Heh heh... Listen."
But despite the subordinate's words.
Kaden just shook his head.
"Truth is, I have one regret."
He stared blankly at his open palm.
"I succeeded in the revolution and gave freedom to those who believed in me and fought. That's good. But."
"..."
"These hands killed too many people. For my ideals."
"But...!"
"I know. Wanting freedom without a brutal war is greedy... But it's still a regret."
A sigh of lament escaped Kaden's lips.
Was it the skill's effect?
I could instinctively feel his emotions.
The agony over so many citizens.
Emperor's soldiers.
Misled by agitation.
Or faulty education.
Dying to his army.
"Those with full bellies were the privileged. Why die for their greed..."
Ignorance.
If not knowing was a sin, it was.
If they'd tasted freedom once.
Experienced that life even a little.
Would they fight for the Emperor?
In famine, for family, barely scavenged rice stolen away—could they wield swords for such people?
"If I could go back... I'd persuade more... Fight smarter..."
"Kaden, Elder..."
"Just a selfish thought. If someone erased my memories, wiped or changed these horrors... Wouldn't that be nice? So yeah, dying might bring peace."
"What are you..."
Kaden was full of regret.
He'd built a peaceful nation on the fallen empire.
Become a great hero.
Sadly.
He tormented himself endlessly, gnawing at his mind.
Tremble.
Staring at his faintly shaking hand, Kaden muttered to himself.
"..."
The subordinate could say nothing, watching him.
"..."
"..."
The old man and I silently watched his reverie.
Until the recollection ended and the message appeared.
[The skill 'Memory Recreation' (S-Grade) has ended.]
* * *
"Hmm."
"..."
Opening my eyes, back on the original battlefield, the old man and I stared at each other in silence for a while.
Then.
The old man spoke first.
"If what we just saw was Bone Master's past life, what an idiot."
He clicked his tongue.
"Pathetic, truly pathetic. Wasting life regretting what's long past..."
The dead find the living's worries laughable.
Life itself is precious.
Yet wasting that precious time on useless thoughts is incomprehensible.
'People think differently, so ghosts must too.'
Like the Elder in the past.
Defense Master Kaden had his own 'grievance.'
And every intermediary dungeon I'd cleared.
Resolved by easing someone's 'grievance.'
So.
'We have the answer.'
I nodded.
The old man nodded back.
"So we just resolve that old fool's grievance?"
'Yes, exactly.'
I knew.
This battlefield was the moment he regretted most.
Revolutionary forces facing off before the imperial palace.
Emperor's soldiers opposing them.
Plus high nobles and royals huddled in the palace.
'The revolution wins, but it'll be horrific. Mutual brutality, killings, torture. Some lose parents, others send lovers away.'
"Isn't every war like that?"
'But Kaden wants a bloodless war.'
That moment, I understood why this dungeon was A-Grade.
'Thinking about it, it's insanely tough.'
A-Grade.
Same as 'Forest and Rock' I cleared with Eldrin and Demir.
"Yeah."
The old man nodded in agreement.
"Bloodless war? Easier said than done. Gotta persuade the enemy soldiers..."
"..."
Yeah.
I felt sweat beading on my forehead.
"Especially with your thick skull, impossible."
'Huh? My skull...'
Blindsided, I gaped at him.
The old man chuckled.
"Fool. You know peace from your world, but those are ignorant fools. Brainwashed ignorant fools. Scary, right?"
'I... know.'
I knew too well; wished I didn't.
Like proselytizing fanatics blindly faithful to their god: [Hey, wanna try another?]
I lacked the eloquence.
My only skill: swinging spears.
'Ugh, headache.'
I rubbed my temples.
What to do?
Head splitting from thought.
[Choose one faction.]
[1. Emperor's Side]
[2. Revolutionaries]
[Help that faction end the war.]
That damn system kept flashing.
"Fool."
The old man spoke then.
"Does it have to be that way?"
'Huh?'
"No need to persuade the Emperor's soldiers."
'Hm?'
"Look."
He grinned.
"This master has never resolved conflict without violence since birth."
'Huh?'
That fit his personality.
"What I'm saying: Why re-educate the brainwashed? Just kill the Emperor, nobles—whatever—with the poison arts you learned."
'Ah.'
"They're fighting to protect them. Kill what they protect? That's bloodless war."
'What about the Emperor's blood?'
"Fool, unavoidable. If Bone Master regrets even that, he's a true idiot. No need to resolve such a grievance."
'...'
Incredible.
Pure old-man solution.
Violence solves everything!
But.
My dungeon-tuned instincts didn't reject it.
'Sounds decent?'
Enemies weren't that strong.
Worth a shot.
'At least better odds than talking.'
"Then what're you waiting for?"
He grinned.
"Move already."
'Should I?'
Decision made, act fast.
Time was short.
More time, more casualties.
Farther from resolving Kaden's 'grievance.'
'First, Emperor's side.'
Swoosh!
I moved again.
* * *
The old man's plan was simple.
Kill anyone with rank privilege.
Spare grunts following orders; handle the rest solo.
'This'll be tough in its own way.'
"Shadow Shepherd, those mutts—tougher than that?"
'Psh, no way.'
Ah.
Right.
No wonder it felt easy.
I'd cleared the infamous 'Delilah's Trial' at extreme.
Like premier league MVP slumming it in local league.
[Elapsed Time – 20:10:00]
Over about 5 hours.
We roamed Emperor's forces.
Eavesdropping on soldiers, gathering intel.
Sometimes kidnapping.
Sometimes intercepting messenger birds.
'Survey says: Royals to kill, around 10. Nobles? Tons, about 200. And...'
"Grab and interrogate those zealots in front too."
Empire alliance: three parts.
Royals, nobles, church.
Most royals/nobles holed up in palace.
Clerics fighting frontline with soldiers...
"Whoa, hold up. Wait."
The old man halted me.
"Kid. That system kept demanding a faction choice?"
'Yeah, still is.'
"Did you... choose?"
'No, not yet.'
Normally I'd pick immediately.
But something felt off, so ignored.
Just resolve Kaden's 'grievance.'
Plus, my gut screamed no.
My 'intuition' batting 100%; couldn't ignore.
"Hmm. Good call, kid."
'Why?'
"Among those clerics."
Where I'd infiltrated.
He pointed.
"See that girl?"
'Yeah, the Saintess? Soldiers love her.'
I eyed the golden-haired woman far off.
Gently healing wounded soldiers.
Church's top healer.
'Hm?'
Wait.
Oddly familiar.
Before the feeling faded.
"Her..."
The old man spoke.
"Seems like Bone Beauty build."
'...Huh?'
I froze, stunned.
Bone Beauty?
The healer one?
My seventh skeleton?
'For real?'
What.
Multiple people with 'grievances'?