Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Searching for a New Weapon
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The familiar ceiling he'd seen so often lately came into view.
It was the ceiling of the place the Blue Sea Knights were using as their base in Halgram.
Krash stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before slowly pushing himself upright.
His body ached all over.
It was the aftermath of the World Incineration Erosion.
This was the price he'd paid for his greed at the end, so he had no room to complain about ending up like this.
'I wanted to know how far it could go against the Ten Heavenly Powers.'
Still, there had been results.
No matter that Adolf had been holding back, Krash had managed to leave a mark on him directly.
And not just any mark—he'd burned the master of flame magic.
Krash clenched his fist tight.
He could clearly feel the capabilities of the Moon Shadow Physique he'd gained this time.
However, he now faced another problem.
It was his sword.
'The sword couldn't withstand the World Incineration Erosion.'
The intense heat and power of the World Incineration Erosion had been too much for the blade.
This was a serious issue.
No matter how strong he became, he couldn't fight without a weapon.
'I'll need a new sword. Something with high durability.'
Krash crossed his arms and sank into thought.
Then, something suddenly occurred to him.
'Thunder Rain Prosperity.'
One of the world's top ten heavenly swords, said to contain the power of thunder showers.
Krash remembered that sword clearly.
And it might just be the perfect blade for his current situation.
'The problem is who holds it.'
Krash's expression turned ambiguous as he pondered.
The owner of Thunder Rain Prosperity was still alive at this point in time.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
At that moment, Crimson Garden hopped onto the bed in crow form.
Krash set aside the sword issue for now and asked about something else first.
"Crim, what about Aslan?"
"I checked on him roughly. He's finished talking with Yeomju. Looks like he mentioned the Moon Shadow Physique to her too. Yeomju seems supportive of the kid's actions, probably because she's got her own mess to atone for."
That was some good news, at least.
"Speaking of which, is Aslan aiming to become a spiritist now too?"
"I already told you what happens to spirits that contract with humans."
The Chaos Spirit born from the first spiritist.
Krash, who knew all about it, turned to look at Crimson Garden.
"This time, I've got you."
With himself now bearing her immortality, he could handle it, Krash said.
Crimson Garden stared at him with half-lidded eyes before letting out a faint scoff.
"You think that level of growth lets you surpass me? From what I see, you won't manage it even after your lifespan runs out."
It was a biting retort.
But Krash knew it wasn't pure mockery.
His bond with Crimson Garden was deepening bit by bit.
So when the end came someday, she might unwittingly wish that her curse of immortality hadn't passed to him.
She was the affectionate type, after all.
"Crim, we're in a contract."
So Krash made it clear.
"You gave me your immortality, and in exchange for taking it from you, I get strong. It's a simple deal."
Neither of them could forget that.
"Who said otherwise?"
Crimson Garden grumbled as she hopped down from the bed.
It meant she knew full well.
Krash gave a wry smile and decided to ask about something else while they were at it.
"Any leads on Abella's disappearance?"
"She vanished suddenly while living in the Red Tower. Apparently, that's why the Flame King left the Igret family—to search for her."
Adolf had returned empty-handed from his search for Abella.
He clearly hadn't found her.
'What the hell is that girl up to?'
Krash felt a headache coming on.
But he shook it off soon enough.
Unlike Mary or Sigrin, mages advanced through pure magical knowledge alone.
'To be honest.'
Krash saw Abella as the greatest potential threat.
Among the regressors, she was the one who could grow the fastest.
'I don't know where she is or what she's doing, but she's not a fire I can poke at right now. Better if we never cross paths. No good can come from her learning about me.'
He had no intention of revealing his regression to any of the three anytime soon.
For now, he'd just gather info on Abella.
With that, Krash got up from his seat.
He planned to grab a meal, pick up one item available in the magic city of Halgram, and then head out.
It'd cost a pretty penny, but no issue.
He could just bill the Valheim family.
"You look like you need a weapon now."
Just then, Crimson Garden spread her wings wide and spoke boastfully.
Her perceptiveness was as sharp as ever.
"I've got one lined up for you."
But Krash blinked.
"I know a guy who's pretty skilled at making weapons. I'll snag something good from him."
"Uh, Crim."
It was touching that Crimson Garden wanted to get him a weapon, but Krash already had a plan and gave an awkward smile.
"I've already got a place in mind to get a sword."
Crimson Garden froze.
Then she slowly folded her wings, still in the same pose, and glared at him.
"Fine, whatever. Who said you had to use one sword forever? Geez."
Crimson Garden flapped off toward the window pettily.
Watching her go, Krash couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
He felt bad for her.
But it was the thought that counted.
'Next stop, then—the Demonic Palace.'
Even he had to admit he never got a break, always on the move.
With that thought, Krash rose to his feet.
There was no time for rest.
He could only press onward.
It was then.
Clunk!
The door swung open, revealing Bianca standing there.
And for some reason, she held a large basket in her hands.
Bianca's eyes were unusually serious.
"...Bianca?"
As Krash called her cautiously, she walked straight over and set the basket on the table.
"Food."
Krash's eyes widened.
"Eat."
Krash rose silently from his seat.
Opening the basket revealed various dishes, just as she'd said.
Under Bianca's watchful gaze, Krash unpacked the food and pulled up a chair.
It was still warm—clearly freshly made.
As he scooped a bite with his spoon, a faint sweetness spread in his mouth.
It was less pronounced than before, but Krash recognized it as Bianca's cooking.
"You won't be eating anywhere else from now on."
Krash paused.
That day, Bianca had met him with Lilina.
No doubt about it.
She must have heard everything about what he'd been up to with Lilina from the girl herself.
"Bianca, that's..."
Krash started to make excuses, but he met her expressionless eyes and just began eating instead.
He had no idea why he felt so guilty, but it seemed best to play along right now.
Sometimes, staying quiet was the way to defuse a crisis.
* * *
Inside the jostling carriage.
It was early summer now, and lush green meadows flashed by outside.
Krash had bid farewell to the Blue Sea vice-captain he'd stayed with and boarded the carriage right away.
He hadn't bothered seeing Aslan or Lilina again.
They'd already exchanged goodbyes at the end, and they'd meet again at the academy anyway.
The farewells had been sufficient.
So Krash was dozing in the carriage as usual.
In the midst of that, he felt someone fidgeting beside him.
Cracking his eyes open slightly, he saw Bianca leaning on his shoulder, doing something.
She was unfolding her fingers one by one from her fisted hand.
Curious what she was up to, Krash watched quietly.
Once his hand was fully open, Bianca slipped her small hand between his fingers and looked satisfied.
Bored, huh?
Krash suddenly gripped her hand tight.
Bianca jolted in surprise against his shoulder.
But she showed no sign of pulling away and stayed put.
"Don't you get bored riding in a carriage every day?"
Krash asked, and Bianca just glanced up at him from his shoulder.
"It's fine. You're here, Master Krash."
"...We'll hit a village soon. Let's buy some new books there."
The constant travel must be tough on a 13-year-old like Bianca, but he admired how well she kept up.
"You're going to Raheln Academy next year, right, Master Krash?"
Then came her question.
"Yeah. Got a lot to do there."
Nothing worth learning from classes, of course—just planning to steal skills from the useless lot.
"What about me?"
Krash and Bianca were only a year apart.
Raheln Academy required students to be at least 15, so she couldn't enroll when he did.
She'd picked up on that and seemed troubled lately.
"Do whatever you want."
Krash had no intention of binding her.
"Should I learn something too? I want to go to the academy with you, Master Krash."
"With your brains, you could get into literature right now no problem."
She was always glued to a book.
She excelled there, no question.
But Bianca shook her head.
"You always go to dangerous places, Master Krash."
That meant she intended to follow him even into World Erosion.
"Well..."
Krash started to argue but stopped.
When World Erosion truly began, the world would be perilous for commoners and nobles alike.
He worried if Bianca could protect herself.
'She doesn't need to keep up with me, but she should at least be able to defend herself.'
Still, he wasn't too concerned about Bianca.
In his past life as the Hundred Ghosts, she'd been a monster who crushed even the Ten Heavenly Powers and the Poison King.
Though becoming a World Erosion vessel had played a big part, it proved her inherent talent.
'Maybe find her a proper master.'
As he pondered, his eyes fell on Crimson Garden, perched quietly on the opposite seat.
The immortal had accompanied countless kin and knew their techniques.
Krash himself had learned much thanks to her.
In the Hundred Ghosts era, Bianca wielded daggers and ice magic.
Crimson Garden could surely teach those two.
"Crim."
But she refused immediately.
She'd been sulky ever since the sword conversation.
He thought he'd gotten pretty strong, but apparently not by her standards.
Fair enough—he still had a long way to go.
'The key is reaching Master level before enrollment.'
That way, he could at least tangle with the Generation of the Sky kids.
"Doesn't have to be you."
Crimson Garden commanded countless kin.
Krash knew some strong enough to match Arthur.
"Your kin are plenty strong. I've seen it myself, so I know. At least consider it."
They could make fine teachers for Bianca.
Hearing her kin praised, Crimson Garden didn't seem displeased.
Crimson Garden glanced at Bianca.
Bianca adored her as usual.
Whenever the crow dozed off, she'd gently pick her up and set her on a soft pillow or blanket.
With how much Bianca doted on the crow, Crimson Garden had a soft spot for her too.
Unable to hold those expressionless eyes any longer, Crimson Garden flapped her wings and flew out.
What an honest-to-a-fault creature.
Thud—
In the meantime, the carriage began slowing.
Krash peered out the window to see a village perched as if clinging to a mountainside.
The lifelong masterpiece of a mad weapons engineer who devoted his life to creating a weapon rivaling World Erosion: the Demonic Palace.
And surrounding it, the city of Lavala, sustained by its byproducts.
This was the village Krash had come to for a weapon.
As they entered Lavala, armed figures were everywhere.
They were Demonic Palace raiders, living to delve inside, and the backbone of the city.
The Demonic Palace mined its own underground resources and assembled them internally to produce countless byproducts.
Raiders targeted those very byproducts.
The high-quality items from the palace fetched top prices.
Moreover, the deeper you went, the better the loot.
So raiders formed teams to push further down.
'That effort only lasts until the 8th floor, though.'
Of course, Krash had no interest in the byproducts.
The sword Belokin Valheim, the family's third son, had retrieved from the Demonic Palace long ago.
Thunder Rain Prosperity.
One of the heavenly swords, obtained by pure chance.
Obviously, its current owner wasn't Belokin.
A specter wandering the Demonic Palace held it now.
'Hilarious.'
Krash, who knew what Belokin had done after getting that sword, let out a hollow laugh.
Emboldened by Thunder Rain Prosperity, Belokin's recklessness and tyranny knew no bounds, ultimately turning the blade on Charlotte.
Unable to overcome his hubris, he'd followed her into the Forbidden Zone.
And that led to his death.
Krash didn't know the full details.
At the time, his face had been scorched by Ignis, leaving him unconscious until the saint arrived.
He'd only heard later that Belokin died in the Forbidden Zone and Charlotte brought back the body.
Eventually, Thunder Rain Prosperity left the dead Belokin's hands and went to Charlotte.
So Krash knew well the power it unleashed in her grip.
But this time, Thunder Rain Prosperity wouldn't reach Charlotte's hand.
'It's mine now.'
And to claim it, Krash had to kill its current owner.
In Demonic Palace history,
the human who killed the most people.
The specter of the Demonic Palace.
Fallen Heaven.