Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Whole Story of the Incident
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Mid-level knight order Team 1 had been completely wiped out, and Belokin was dead. The news spread like wildfire through the Valheim main estate in no time.
This World Erosion incident had shown abnormal signs, causing the difficulty to spike all the way to 5-star level. In the end, Krash Valheim was the only survivor.
And where was that Krash right now?
He was none other than at the main estate.
'Who would've thought I'd end up back here for a reason like this.'
Krash had been given one of the estate's empty rooms and was currently resting there.
Afterward, the purification squad and additional knights found Krash half-dead from exhaustion, looking like a drowned rat.
Since the main estate was closer than Green Pine Pavilion, he'd been brought here first.
Thanks to that, he was finally getting some long-overdue rest at the main estate.
"Does this make any sense? How could Belokin be dead, and some half-baked Valheim like you survives alone?!"
"Watch your mouth. Krash is still direct Valheim lineage. You trying to get us in deep trouble?"
Right then, voices came from outside.
The owner of the voice was none other than Belokin's personal butler.
He apparently couldn't accept Belokin's death and had let it slip out without thinking.
'Meanwhile, some folks are out there praising Belokin as a hero.'
According to the purification squad's report, this World Erosion had jumped two whole levels to a full 5-star.
A 5-star World Erosion was something even an expert-level peak fighter would struggle with—only a master could take down the boss.
And yet, Belokin, who was merely advanced-level, had fought with everything he had and finally brought down the Thousand-Faced Ghost with Ignis, inflicting a massive wound.
It was a truly noble sacrifice.
Of course, the word "sacrifice" implied he couldn't avoid death.
He'd been hit by the Thousand-Faced Ghost's final curse attack.
Belokin had tried to pierce his face with the Ignis-infused sword for air, but his injuries and breathing were too messed up.
In the end, he stabbed his innocent body instead of his face and died from respiratory failure.
And who was it that testified to his heroic sacrifice?
None other than Krash.
'They seem to buy the whole story. Guess I don't need to worry about this anymore.'
Even though he was half-brother, Krash felt no real guilt over killing Belokin with his own hands.
Belokin had hated him consistently, right up to the bitter end.
'Belokin was fated to die by family hands anyway. Nothing new there.'
His death at Charlotte's hands was still fresh in Krash's mind.
Come to think of it, why had Charlotte killed Belokin?
Back then, successive curses and injuries from Belokin had left Krash's memories hazy.
He'd heard it was something like what Belokin had done to him—Belokin must've pulled something unforgivable on Charlotte too.
'She's probably...'
Off on a World Erosion expedition with one of Valheim's five advanced knight orders by now.
'Nothing to worry about there.'
In any case, the Valheim estate was busy preparing Belokin's funeral while launching a full investigation into the abnormal World Erosion incident.
And Krash knew he wouldn't be allowed back to Green Pine Pavilion until that investigation wrapped up.
'Speaking of which, I told that girl I'd be back soon.'
Thinking of Bianca, Krash scratched his head for a moment.
She was fine on her own, so no issue there.
She might even have forgotten him by now and buried herself in a book.
'Anyway.'
Krash sat on the edge of the bed and raised his hand.
Just like with Black Hood, he channeled power into it, and flames erupted over his palm.
This was none other than the Ignis he'd stolen from Belokin.
Gazing at it for a moment, Krash let out a hollow chuckle.
He could clearly feel that he'd stolen the skill he'd wanted so badly.
'Second time after Arthur's Regression.'
The conditions for the dial that activated when stealing Belokin's skill were three-fold.
First: Collapse of self-esteem.
It had been steadily building since dinner, and Krash's final awakening shattered it completely.
Second: The target willingly hands over part of Ignis.
To fight the Thousand-Faced Ghost, Krash had received the flames directly from Belokin.
That fulfilled the second condition.
Finally, the third.
The target recognizes that 'I' use Ignis better than they do.
The 'I' in the third condition was obviously Krash.
Seeing Krash's One Sword, Belokin had acknowledged—even in his last moments—that Krash handled Ignis far better.
And the instant all the dial's numbers aligned, Krash's Black Hood activated.
Belokin's Ignis transferred to Krash's hand in a flash, igniting flames on him.
This was the full story of how Krash stole Ignis.
He'd orchestrated every situation right up to the end to meet the conditions and succeeded—a true viper.
Thanks to that, Belokin's death passed as a noble sacrifice, and no one suspected Krash had stolen his skill.
'Still too early to let anyone know.'
No one could find out yet that he could steal skills.
Curses were one thing, but knowing he could take skills? Everyone would distance themselves in an instant.
'I've got way more to steal.'
Ignis was just the starting point.
That's why Krash framed Belokin's death as self-inflicted suicide.
Even handing over all the World Erosion contributions to him.
Confirming Ignis, Krash extinguished the flames.
He'd gained quite a few things from this incident.
From acquiring Ignis to being able to use Extreme Blood Poison Infusion.
And even figuring out a temporary workaround for it.
But what intrigued Krash most was how Ignis had ignited even the World Erosion power inside him.
Whoosh!
The moment Krash summoned Ignis again, what rose from his hand was pitch-black flame.
Black Flame
This was Ignis burning the World Erosion power that Extreme Blood Poison Infusion had embedded in his body.
The Black Flame gave off a far more dangerous vibe than regular aura flames.
Its intense blaze promised serious firepower.
He'd accidentally gained an ace up his sleeve.
All thanks to Belokin.
But one real problem remained.
The true issue keeping Krash pinned at the main estate.
'The abnormal escalation in World Erosion levels.'
This incident had even brought in specialists from the dedicated World Erosion investigation teams.
It was that big a deal.
'And they still won't find the reason.'
Krash, who knew it well, set his sword aside and sank into thought.
The cause of this abnormality was simple, really.
'Undying One.'
Its minions had stirred.
World Eroders.
Born from World Erosion, they resembled humans more than erosion beasts.
They carried World Erosion inside them, each one a master-level freak or worse.
And among them was the Undying One.
The one who commanded the most erosion species like extensions of its own hand.
'Was it around this time? That thing started deliberately jacking up World Erosion levels.'
It had been intentionally boosting nearby World Erosion levels by two stages or more.
The public still knew nothing about the Undying One.
'Of course not. Arthur was the one who revealed it.'
Arthur had shared the info on the Undying One through his regression memories.
Its level manipulations had repeatedly caused massive dangers.
So Arthur exposed it and killed it.
Ironically, Krash had ended up exploiting that same power.
But he couldn't just leave the Undying One alone.
"Lord Krash."
Krash quickly snuffed out the Black Flame at the knock on the door.
"Come in."
As Krash spoke, a woman opened the door and entered.
Seeing her, Krash tilted his head.
Her appearance was nothing like a regular maid.
She wore a white cloth hood emblazoned with the Valheim crest, a form-fitting outfit beneath, and a blue cloak draped over it all.
She was a Valkyrie knight, direct subordinate to the Valheim lady of the house.
Krash showed surprise at the arrival of a Valkyrie elite, all expert upper ranks.
"What business does a Valkyrie have with me?"
"Lady Aria Valheim summons you."
"Mother?"
Aria Valheim.
The woman who married into the family head after the previous lady passed, mother to both Charlotte and Krash.
And thanks to birthing a star like Charlotte, she wielded real influence second only to the family head.
Hearing her summons, Krash felt distinctly unenthused.
'I figured Sephira, the World Erosion specialists, would call first. Didn't expect Mother.'
Krash already had a rough idea why Aria wanted him.
He knew her personality better than anyone, being her son.
"Got it. Lead the way."
"Yes, sir."
The Valkyrie courteously escorted him.
Following behind her led through unfamiliar corridors.
Everywhere bore heavy Valheim traces, screaming "main estate."
And that fact made Krash shrink a bit inwardly.
No one was less connected to this place than him.
Knock knock.
"Lady Aria, Lord Krash has arrived."
Moments later, the Valkyrie stopped before a door and knocked.
As he glanced at what seemed a guest reception room, footsteps echoed from inside before a voice granting entry.
Clack!
The door swung open, wafting a thick scent of cosmetics.
There stood a woman with an inherently glamorous face, even sans heavy makeup, her subtle blue aura shimmering.
Despite her age, her striking beauty remained, and her eyes widened hugely at the sight of Krash.
"Krash!"
She rushed forward and hugged him tight.
"My son! I was so worried thinking you'd had a close call. Do you know how much your mother fretted?!"
Krash clicked his tongue, his reaction confirming his expectations as she fussed.
She was Aria Valheim, lady of the Valheim house.
Krash's mother.
"Mother, let's go inside first."
"Oh, right, what a fool this mother is being. Come in, come in."
Aria joyfully led Krash into the room.
Using a guest reception room like it was her own, not her personal quarters.
Watching her, Krash remained impassive.
As a child, he might've bawled seeing his mother again after being chased to Green Pine Pavilion.
But sadly, Krash had been through too much for that now.
And he knew exactly what kind of woman stood before him—Aria.
As the door closed, Aria hummed a tune while preparing tea.
Krash watched, not bothering to sit, and asked straight.
"Mother, what did you call me for?"
"Hm? To see my son's face after he came back from the brink of death, of course."
Hearing that, Krash couldn't help a scoff.
If any son returned from near-death, a mother should rush to him first and foremost.
Yet she hadn't—not until now, and with zero worry on her face.