Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Valkeros (2)
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A cool breeze flipped up my bangs.
Above my head, there was nothing but the vast blue sky.
Before the corpse of Silien, who had met her eternal rest.
At the summit of the Steel Tower, where the battle had ended, the reckoning of this arduous journey began.
Having overcome total hardship, Tenacity of the Weed activates!
All basic stat growth rates greatly increase!
Telekinesis and metal magic damage resistance growth rates greatly increase!
The first was, of course, Tenacity of the Weed.
I'd expected as much up to here.
Taking down Silien after she'd even unleashed her desperation pattern with this spec was nothing short of a miracle.
On top of that, not only had all my party members survived, but the hostages too.
If it hadn't given at least this much, I'd have felt a bit cheated.
"Greatly increase..."
Of course, it felt great.
It was the first time I'd seen "greatly" since possessing this body.
Magic damage resistance was a rare stat too, but what really caught my eye was the basic stats.
Strength, agility, stamina, mental strength, and so on.
The growth rate of the stats I'd rely on until the very endgame had greatly increased—it was cause for cartwheels and fanfare.
'In terms of growth rate alone, it's at least double that of other characters now.'
Strength was over three times, mental strength over five times, probably.
The Nameless Hero's unique trait was finally shining through.
The weed wilting in the corner was finally getting some sunlight.
Of course, in a game where most characters were born superior, the road was still long, but what mattered was that I'd end up stronger in the end.
You have achieved victory against an overwhelmingly powerful foe!
All basic stats greatly increase.
The second reward was a lump sum of stat points.
The so-called all-stats boost.
It seemed modest, but it was an excellent reward.
No sooner had the alert vanished than I felt the change.
'Whoa. Feels like at least a year's worth.'
Unlike the growth rate, this was an immediate response.
My muscles tightened, my heart beating larger and slower.
The lingering mental strain from wearing cursed gear subsided in an instant.
Perhaps the most tangible reward of all.
As Bran savored his satisfaction, the next message appeared before his eyes.
Conditions met. You acquire a new skill!
The third: acquiring a new skill.
You have overcome successive brushes with death.
You have confronted the incomprehensible terror of the outer sea to the very end.
Having displayed a brilliantly blazing will to fight, you possess sufficient qualifications.
This could be called today's highlight.
It was all the more special because it was a skill unobtainable through normal means.
No alerts about repeated actions or reaching a proficiency threshold—that was the proof.
Fwaaah!
A golden glow accompanied the new alert.
You have acquired the new achievement skill 'Indomitable'!
Bran's breath caught for a moment.
The word "Indomitable" burned especially bright.
Blinking, he slowly wiped his face.
"...Ha."
No joke, tears nearly welled up.
If he hadn't used the Freud's Ring trick, he might've fainted on the spot.
'Got it.'
An achievement skill, one of the Return Load elements.
Unlike regular skills acquired through repetition or training, these required accomplishing extraordinary feats.
Indomitable's acquisition condition: defeating an enemy overwhelmingly stronger than yourself and your party!
True to its name, it was a skill like a tribute to the player's indomitable will.
The following effects are acquired permanently!
And a common trait of achievement skills was that most came bundled with multiple effects.
Its performance was top-tier, rivaling even hidden pieces.
At that moment. The conference room.
"Ugh!"
Kael pitched forward.
His prayer cut off. His staff slipped from his hand, clanging against the floor.
Leodorn, who had been pacing with hands behind his back, spun around in alarm.
"A-Are you alright?!"
"Haa, ha...!"
He didn't look alright at all.
Kael curled up like he'd been shot in the gut, gasping for breath.
Leodorn hurriedly supported him.
"What happened all of a sudden? Did something go wrong?"
"...The sanctuary vanished."
"The, the sanctuary?"
Leodorn flinched.
He now had a rough idea of what was happening at the Steel Tower.
Bran's party versus Silien—a showdown deciding Valkeros's fate.
Kael continued in a trembling voice.
"I don't know why... ugh, but the evil aura seems to have faded too."
Headache and chills made it hard to grasp the rooftop situation properly.
His divine power, even mana, suddenly wouldn't manifest right.
It wasn't just because the sanctuary had been dispelled by corrupt energy.
This was pain he'd never felt before.
His body throbbed like he'd spiked a sudden fever.
"I... I think I need to go to Bran..."
Kael said, teeth chattering.
He couldn't relax until witnessing victory.
He had to do something.
Bran losing to Silien just because his support vanished? Absolutely not.
After a few deep breaths, Kael pushed off the floor to stand.
"Go? Do you even know what's happening up there?"
Leodorn tried to stop him.
The Steel Tower, battleground of Bran and Silien, was plagued by unprecedented anomalies.
Lightning strong enough to turn the view outside golden had struck.
Just moments ago, some of the tower's rebar had ripped free like tree roots.
Now it was eerily quiet again, which only fueled the unease.
"Besides, what can you do in that state? You're half-dead already!"
"I can still... whoo, do it."
So saying, Kael pulled a glass vial from his pocket.
A liquid emitting a soft glow sloshed inside.
A secret weapon he'd prepared for the showdown with Silien.
One he absolutely couldn't use here.
"I have to go."
"...Alright. I understand."
Seeing the resolute glint in his eyes, Leodorn nodded heavily.
It was a moment of profound shame for him.
This mere boy was mustering courage to save his friend, while he cowered like a dog scared of thunder.
"I'll help. Time to show the might of a Liancheol District native."
"Wh-What are you planning?"
"The guards outside are tight, right? I'll draw their eyes, so you slip out. Like when we came in."
The fake lord and his soldiers still infested the waiting room.
No guarantee it'd work with their heavy guard, but it was the only way to get Kael out now.
"Worst case, I'll strip to grab attention. About the age where it wouldn't be too weird."
"That's...!"
"I'm resolved. The debt I owe you lot could never be repaid fully."
He could picture the headline: Baek Eunsong Executive Falls to Dementia. But it didn't matter.
Tomorrow was uncertain anyway, and these boys had saved his life multiple times.
As Leodorn strode to the door and gripped the handle—
"Wait. This area's off-limits... guk?!"
"E-Everyone, stay calm and respond!"
"R-Run!"
Sudden shrieks erupted beyond the door.
"What."
Indiscernible clamor followed.
Clanking weapons and armor mixed with mechanical whirs and screams.
Kwaaaang—!
The conference room door exploded inward as a man flew through.
"Eek."
"Wh-What in the...!"
Kael and Leodorn staggered back.
One of the fake lord's soldiers.
His helmet was off, eyes rolled back.
The center of his plate armor was deeply caved in.
Like it'd been hit by a sledgehammer.
The two looked up almost simultaneously.
"What."
"My god, golems?!"
They froze in unison.
Disarmed soldiers littered the floor.
Terrified nobles huddled in the waiting room corner, trembling.
Three construction magitech golems, just shy of 3 meters tall, prowled amid the fallen soldiers.
From the looks of it, these golems had taken them down.
"L-Lord...!"
"Kuhk. Kek. Guk."
An apocalyptic scene of machines in revolt.
Most striking: the lord, throat crushed by a golem, asphyxiating.
His legs dangled pathetically off the floor.
In their shock, they'd forgotten about heading to the roof.
"Everyone, that lord is a fake!"
Suddenly, a man's voice boomed from the elevator.
"These golems are here to help you, so rest easy. Unlike advanced models, they move solely by remote control."
"Y-You are...?"
All eyes, including Kael and Leodorn's, turned.
A man in a white coat stepped from the just-opened elevator.
Gaunt frame, patchy beard.
Remote control in hand.
A familiar face—Kael's eyes widened.
"Gasp. Mr. Rinheight?"
No mistake.
Rinheight, the researcher they'd rescued with Bran.
Recognizing Kael, Rinheight's face lit up.
"Kael! You're safe!"
"Heavens. What's going on here? And those golems...?"
"I wanted to lend my strength. I advised Bran to try using machines, and this way, even a weakling like me could help a little. Also, Silien's minions trying to destroy evidence? All subdued."
Too shocked to close his mouth.
He hadn't expected help from Rinheight like this.
And preventing evidence tampering too.
Bran and his party were cleared of false charges; no more hanging risk.
"Kuhk... Fake? Nonsense. Everyone...! That man's the fundamentalist I warned about!"
Just one problem: the fake.
To nobles ignorant of the truth, he appeared the innocent lord.
Unable to stomach the impudence, Leodorn grabbed his collar.
"Shut it, monster! Reveal your true self!"
"Heok! Even Director Leodorn's a fundamentalist?!"
"Wh-What are you doing, everyone... heek, deal with these insolent...!"
Amid the farce—
"What. Already caught him?"
A youthful voice cut through the waiting room din.
"......!"
Clear even amid the noise.
The babbling crowd fell silent, turning toward the sound.
A bloodied boy and dragonblood woman stood side by side.
"Wh-Who are they?"
The nobles froze.
Ragged appearances, but their aura was extraordinary.
Presence, perhaps.
The intimidation blooming over their shoulders rivaled renowned knights.
Ilrak's eyes widened at the sight of golems having subdued the soldiers.
"Whoa, what's all this?!"
"I-Ilrak, ma'am."
"Rinheight? Your doing?"
Rinheight nodded timidly.
He still remembered Ilrak putting a hole in the jailer's brain with her pinky.
"Killing them. And you beat us to it!"
"I-I wanted to help too. Gathered all the evidence too."
"Big help, Rinheight. You're the best."
Bran patted his shoulder.
Evidence was great, but neutralizing soldiers without casualties was even better.
It minimized potential loss of life.
Passing Rinheight, Bran stopped before Kael.
"Kael. You're the best."
"Br-Bran..."
"We won because of you. You did great."
Sincere.
As Bran's hand touched his head, tears welled in Kael's eyes.
They were both alive. And looked healthy.
Joy so intense it quelled his fever enveloped him.
Bran ruffled his hair gently.
"Wait just a bit. I'll wrap this up."
"Y-Yeah."
Kael nodded, sleeve over his eyes.
Passing Kael, Bran faced the fake lord.
"Pleased to meet you."
"Y-You lot...?"
The lord froze upon meeting Bran's gaze.
Too shocked to maintain his speech pattern.
Impossible. Even in nightmares.
But only one scenario allowed their return to the waiting room.
"No way."
Paler than when choked, he stammered on.
"You being here means... Silien..."
"Quiet."
"What."
"Won't say it twice. Answer well."
No mirth in his hardened expression.
Face inches away, Bran continued.
"Drop the disguise."
"......Yes, sir."
The lord nodded.
His survival secret, despite zero combat prowess: knowing how to grovel to the strong.
Sruruk.
The lord's appearance shifted rapidly.
First his features, then his build.
A grotesque sight like clay molding—some nobles screamed.
About a minute later, he was a completely different person.
"Hehe... Hello, sir."
"Kyaaaak!"
Fresh screams from the waiting room corner.
Like turning a rat into a human.
Short, buck teeth protruding.
Narrow, slanted eyes perfect for a spy.
Thud!
The rat-man prostrated, forehead to floor, in a servile whine.
"I'll spill everything I know, just spare my life. Shall I start with the real lord's location? Or Silien's hidden funds? Hehe, just say the word, and I'll tell all."
It was time to set everything straight.