Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Fake Madness, Real Madness
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Those crazy fanatics seemed so insane I just slaughtered them like mad dogs
But turns out they were friendly forces lol
You killed the Bearers and became the victors
I'm just proud of you lol
Innocent fanatics my ass
How the fuck is that even possible
But the shit they do is pure fanatic behavior
If you just look at their code of conduct, it's legit a true religion—no other comes close
Following the saint's will and bearing the sins and pains of the wicked? For real
In-game, they actually help sometimes
They just give off creepy fanatic vibes occasionally
Guy asking for spoiler-free spoilers
Guy spoiling without warning
If you had to pick one gf, who?
No but seriously
If those were such innocent folks, why'd they cut off Dwen sis's arm? Such a waste for real
That heart-gripping hand abomination fused with her arm
Even Saint Ebi couldn't fix it in that state, so they had to amputate the whole arm lol
Leaving it would let the corruption spread全身 and turn her into a demon
That's why Dwen forced it from them
Some Bearer kids blindly became believers following their parents
And those kids inherited the role of managing that heart-gripping hand from their parents
To seal that abomination, you have to keep performing rituals
And the Bearers' ritual method is 'self-harm' lol
Dwen couldn't stand watching kids her disciples' age torture themselves, so she took it to bear it herself
And Dwen took not just that, but all the sins and pain those kids were supposed to bear—ruined her life for real
Even after amputating the arm, she barely filled 1/10 of the pain pouch. Legendary
Nucleus of pain?
OP: Yeah that
It's not just about mindlessly chipping HP
You need to inflict status ailments
Yeah, amount filled depends on status ailment tier
It's proportional to the level of pain a Bearer feels
Roughly 10 A-rank+ ailments fills it up lol
10 A-rank+ status ailments? You're full of shit
My char's late 60s and one A- rank half-cripples it and slaps on debuffs
Nah, she goes to the Bearers for the bearing ritual
70%+ and the kid goes insane
Under that, cripple at worst—happy ending lol
These guys been playing this shit game too long?
Good swordmaster turning cripple is clean lol bs
Bearing the sins and pains in place of the Bearers.
How noble an act.
Yet, also arrogant.
Hella, the Bearer.
She respected Dwen's judgment, yet harbored doubts at the same time.
As the name Iron Sword proved, she was an unparalleled great swordmaster.
Hella held no doubts about that.
However.
Hella knew.
The power possessed by Iron Sword.
It was different from the power sought by the Bearers.
In Hella's eyes, she lacked the strength to bear the sins and pains in their stead.
Thus, the strength to govern all those sins and pains.
She would crumble from that noble choice.
Watching a righteous person like Dwen crumble was a heartbreaking affair.
But what could be done?
It was her own choice, her self-inflicted path.
Iron Sword was noble, and also arrogant.
She had presumptuously taken on the Bearers' duty, and now it was time to pay the price.
The predestined failure of Iron Sword.
Through it, the pride of the Bearers would solidify further.
Hella firmly believed so.
"..."
But now.
Hella's eyes, which had been forming a gentle smile, trembled faintly.
What she saw was the saint's remains, bleached pure white.
A holy relic that should have turned black upon contact with the abomination, instead bleached white.
Hella knew exactly what that meant.
"This cannot be..."
Thus, she could not easily accept the fact.
An abomination that demanded immense cost and sacrifice just to seal its energy.
'Such an abomination...'
Holding purer energy than the Bearing Saint?
It denied the foundation of the Bearers.
No.
It denied the very principles of this world.
An abomination is an abomination.
Born and sustained by impure power, it could never escape its essence.
Does fire holding chill become cold fire?
No. It merely extinguishes.
Same with abominations.
Purification of impure energy meant destruction, not the birth of a new holy relic.
Even the great authority of the Bearing Saint could not achieve it, yet it happened unbeknownst to the Bearers—Hella felt extreme confusion.
"A trick..."
She murmured blankly.
Soon, that hazy suspicion turned to conviction, directed at the other party.
"This cannot be! Iron Sword! You are deceiving us!"
"..."
Dwen could not reply.
And rightly so, for she was just as flustered.
"Your words have suddenly changed."
Rishir stepped forward in her place.
"Surely you said it yourself. Whether Dwen's hand is fine or not is for heaven to judge, not us."
"...!"
Hella's eyes, drawing a gentle line, snapped wide at Rishir's point.
"What have I done..."
Her trembling pupils filled with self-loathing.
The destruction of the righteous one willingly acting nobly was postponed.
Another massive sin crushing the wicked vanished.
It was cause for joy.
Yet—
"Blinded by the stubbornness called pride, ignoring the essence..."
Soon, Hella looked at Rishir and formed a gentle smile.
"You are right. Thank you for correcting my misguided actions."
As Rishir moved to respond.
"Foyen."
Hella quietly called.
Then, a woman stepped forward from the group guarding her back and stood beside her.
Hella, now tidied in her attire, wore special priestly robes exposing her back fully.
"Begin."
Begin what?
Before Rishir could voice his doubt.
Whoosh!
And smack.
The sound of tearing wind followed by ripping flesh rang out.
The woman named Foyen swung a short multi-tailed whip at Hella's exposed back.
It was punishment and atonement for misguided actions.
The whipping repeated several times.
Hella's body twitched accordingly.
Matching the brutal sounds, pain colored Hella's expression.
Cold sweat beaded on her pale skin.
And atop that expression, a certain ecstasy arose.
"Hoo."
The punishment ended.
Hella steadied her breath and readjusted her attire.
Returning to pure white garb, she formed a gentle smile.
"..."
Ew.
Rishir began seeing that gentle smile differently.
'Fanatics...'
The word floated up in his mind.
Then, Hella spoke to Dwen.
"Iron Sword. You have truly perfectly controlled that abomination. In a way no one could imagine. How you did it... hardly matters. You wouldn't have touched impure methods."
She expressed respect.
Hella bowed her head politely.
"Thanks to you, a massive sin the wicked had to bear is gone."
Rishir's expression brightened hearing this beside them.
He didn't know details, but the issue between them seemed resolved, flowing positively.
"So, is that it? All done?"
Rishir asked brightly.
Hella turned to Dwen.
"How fares your bearing?"
"..."
Dwen pulled a leather pouch from her bosom with her right hand.
With her bloodied left, she carefully extracted its contents.
A transparent orb.
It was the nucleus of pain.
The proof of pain Dwen bore in place of two young believers.
Dwen had to fill the nucleus of pain within the set period. With her own suffered pain, nothing else.
Inside the nucleus swirled a wine-like rust-red liquid.
Less than a tenth full.
That was the pain Dwen had accumulated since obtaining it.
The deadline for this period loomed.
"As expected."
Hella nodded knowingly.
Her gesture held the Bearers' twisted pride and tolerance toward the other.
The pain the Bearers bore.
Even Iron Sword could not endure it.
This fact elevated the Bearers' pride.
"It's fine, Iron Sword. No need for shame. Pain is naturally unfamiliar. Even to a great swordmaster like you. Perhaps especially so, being such a great swordmaster."
"..."
Dwen silently gazed at the nucleus of pain.
She had strived endlessly to fill it.
Grueling training to torment herself, battles with beasts or villains pushing her to extremes—
Every act within her common sense mobilized.
The less-than-tenth nucleus was the result.
What was the problem?
The answer was set.
Failing to escape common sense's frame.
Dwen recalled Hella's recent 'punishment'.
Performed like a swordmaster's light training, it vividly showed the Bearers' twisted standards.
The nucleus of pain Dwen bore was considered excessive even among Bearers.
How to fill such a nucleus?
The answer was set.
Bearer Hella.
With a gentle smile, she extended her hand to Dwen.
"Iron Sword. Come with us. We Bearers will help you fulfill your promise and uphold your pride."
"No...!"
Time had been delayed in many ways.
The two heroes, now recovered.
Dwen's disciples staggered forward, blocking her path.
"Master! You can't go with them!"
"Please, say you'll refuse! Don't just knock us out again!"
The two disciples earnestly pleaded with their master.
However.
Dwen's gaze moved silently once more.
It turned to the empty nucleus of pain.
Dwen thought.
Could she truly fill this nucleus of pain with her own power?
"We'll help!"
-Jane!?
Jane's unhesitant shout made her holy sword Elisiya panic.
-Felix! Don't get weird ideas!
Next, Pochena, Felix's holy sword, also restrained him.
-The One Who Bears... the pain he bore. Touch it lightly and you won't know the price.
-That's what I'm saying! Why'd your master make that call!?
"Elisiya!"
Chaos erupted in an instant.
Hella's expression watching was complex.
Pity for the wicked and Bearer self-pride coexisted.
Soon, Hella spoke.
"The abomination is stabilized. Giving us leeway."
One week.
She raised a finger.
"One week from now, stay in Bondalles. We'll await your decision, Iron Sword."
Then, Hella pulled a pouch from her bosom and handed it to Dwen.
Various sizes of empty nuclei of pain.
"May these aid your decision."
Before Dwen could speak, Jane and Felix snatched them.
Iron Sword and two heroes.
As subtle tension flowed between master and disciples.
"May I ask one favor too?"
Rishir took one nucleus of pain and looked.
***
A dark room lit by candlelight.
Thick blood scent fogged like mist.
In that ominous space, nude figures lay scattered.
The source: their bodies.
Their bodies covered in gruesome wounds.
Torn, broken, bruised, burst, split—
Torture traces inflicting unbearable pain.
"Ahh..."
And that pain became ecstasy.
The wounded writhed in rapture.
Among them, the most severely wounded woman.
Hella rose shakily and headed somewhere.
The nucleus of pain.
Empty before the 'ritual', now nearly 20% full.
Hella gazed at it ecstatically for a moment.
"Iron Sword..."
She murmured the name tremblingly.
Simultaneously thinking.
That great swordmaster would inevitably crave their help.
***
After parting with the Bearers.
Rishir's group arrived at Jane's mansion as planned, held banquet—
Of course, awkwardly ending quickly.
Back in the room Jane provided, Rishir.
He stared at the empty nucleus of pain, thinking.
'What the hell do I do with this.'
First thought: the Bearers self-punishing.
Rishir briefly imagined himself in their place.
"Ugh."
He shuddered instinctively.
He desperately wanted to help Dwen, but—
'Self-harm.'
Reaching that unknown act wasn't easy.
How long had he rolled on the bed glaring at the innocent nucleus?
Frustrated, Rishir escaped the room.
In the mansion's backyard, he trained to end the day.
The sensation honed sparring Dwen—
Practicing 'demon sword arts' meanwhile.
As training ended, a sudden thought.
'Does training count as pain? I went super hard today, maybe it's half full or something?'
With half-joking brazen hope, Rishir checked the nucleus.
Disbelief crossed his face.
"No way. It actually works?"
The nucleus of pain.
About 30% full.
Perplexed, Rishir.
Blood trickled from his orifices.
Effect of mild(?) overload.