Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: Aftermath (2)
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When his first attack failed and he took the Immortal King's counterattack.
Gios was certain he was dead.
The sharp thorns burrowing into his body, destroying his heart and organs, and the horrific energy spreading through him like poison— no living being could withstand that.
Yet the life force transferred to the blood-red aura kept him from dying instantly, even as his fleshly vessel shattered.
And the saintess's timely baptism of holy power was enough to hold onto his life, if only for a moment.
Riesta the saintess blocked the onslaught from the bone dragon and the Immortal King, maintained her blessings on the party members, and poured every ounce of her remaining strength into healing Gios.
'If she wastes more energy on me here, the others will be in danger.'
Knowing it was like pouring water into a bottomless jar, he pushed away the saintess's protests to the end and forcibly rose to his feet...
Watching Heinrich's fierce clash with the Immortal King, he unwittingly let out a gasp.
'Ah.'
Even from this considerable distance, the reckless challenge and iron will driving it through felt vividly clear.
His body tore, shattered, and exploded, yet he never stopped.
With unyielding determination to reach that seemingly impossible goal, no matter what.
Gios watched for a moment, then raised his spear and offered a solemn prayer.
'Lord God, I know I cannot be the protagonist here...'
Burning the last of his remaining life to aid that hero's step forward.
It would be a fitting end for a man named Gios Kalkin—nothing less than magnificent.
'Please let this lowly life be of even small help on his path.'
Gathering every last thread of energy sustaining him, he unleashed his final strike.
Despair hit when the Immortal King effortlessly shattered it.
Right after, as if answering his prayer, dawn light pierced the darkness, descending upon Heinrich's body. He shuddered at the sight.
And when the hero's holy sword pierced the heart of the absolute evil—the Immortal King—that no one thought could be touched.
Suddenly, he realized something.
'Ah, I see.'
That this was the fate ordained for this world.
Even if they couldn't defeat the Immortal King here and now, the final outcome wouldn't differ much.
In a distant, hazy feeling.
He was certain of that inevitable end.
"Sir Gios! Pull yourself together!"
"Gios!"
"Saint, over here quickly...!"
Lost in those thoughts.
He only realized he'd passed out and collapsed when he heard the commotion right beside him.
Was that revelation just a dream?
He couldn't tell now.
"Sir Gios."
He struggled to open his eyes at the low voice calling him, meeting the hero's worried gaze.
The hope of this world, the savior who would bring light to the continent—Saint Heinrich.
"Urgh, bro. I brought you a gift."
Soon, Hari appeared, dragging a lump in his hand.
His already skimpy gear even more tattered and revealing.
"Ah! This guy's the leader of the Abyss Gate crew...!"
Too exhausted to even speak, Gios just stared as Hari proudly boasted.
It was certainly a gift that made his eyes widen in satisfaction.
But in his current state, unable to lift a finger, all he could do was watch it get dealt with before him.
...No, to be brutally honest.
Revenge didn't matter anymore.
Whether from hunting black magicians across the continent until he was sick of it, or from that recent revelation, he didn't know.
'I can leave the rest to these people. They're far greater than someone like me.'
Right now, he just wanted to rest.
For some reason, Riesta, Isea, and Lydia's voices echoed faintly from afar.
As his mind grew hazy and he sank into an endless abyss.
"Sleep well, Sir Gios. Sweet dreams."
That unusually clear, warm voice was the last thing he heard.
A small smile on his lips, he soon fell into deep slumber.
Just as those words said.
Hoping to dream of his longed-for family.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Creak—
Opening the window let in a refreshing breeze that tickled my face.
Savoring it for a moment, I leaned on the sill and blankly gazed outside.
In the chill air heralding winter, the inner courtyard came into view, harmonizing with its surroundings while brimming with vitality.
The garden I'd tended using High Elf Harris's power via "Entity Projection."
Thanks to that, the front yard boasted a natural beauty surpassing any professional gardener's work.
"Ha!"
Admiring the scenery, I suddenly let out a hollow laugh.
A comrade I'd spent so much time with had just died because of me, and here I was appreciating a garden.
How absurd was that?
'I'm really broken.'
I closed my eyes quietly against the wave of self-loathing.
'Gios...'
Truth be told, I'd known from the start.
As much as he sought revenge... or perhaps more, he desired his own death.
For him, the hero party—infamous for its abysmal survival rate—was probably ideal.
Of course, I'd never intended to let anyone die, planning to aid his revenge indirectly while slowly helping him find peace...
'Who would've thought it'd turn out like this.'
A bitter smile and sigh escaped.
At that moment, Hans had truly meant to kill all his comrades there.
Without Gios's efforts, Heinrich might not have transcended in time, the main body would have awakened later, and the entire party could have been slaughtered.
Heinrich hadn't anticipated Hans's rage turning murderous toward Gios.
'...At least that's a relief, I guess.'
Relieved by the result of a comrade's sacrifice?
I knew it was a rotten sentiment, but it beat the worst-case scenario.
'...Yeah, I'll handle the revenge properly instead.'
With Valteon down, most tied to that incident were dealt with.
Southern remnants remained, but the oppressed tribes would rise and clean them up.
'To be safe, leave Hari until it's done. The real issue is the revolutionary, the final mastermind.'
I'd pressed Siana, an Oath of Reverse Heaven executive, for info, but he'd hidden his tracks too well—nothing useful.
From clues, he aimed to release something sealed in the Abyss back into the world.
'Not sure what yet.'
No need to guess it was worse than death or madness.
Maybe a demon god bent on world destruction.
'No, demon gods are under the demon realm's jurisdiction, Siana's home.'
Keep thwarting his plans, and he'd have to show himself—that'd be the perfect chance to end him.
I opened my eyes and gazed blankly at the garden again.
Thoughts somewhat sorted, but my head still ached, chest tight.
...Truthfully, Hans's rash final outburst stemmed largely from mental corruption, but his prior aggression wasn't just that.
'I'd been tempted too.'
Slightly loosening ethics and conscience would make karma farming easier and more efficient.
But I'd ignored it with trained humanity, refusing to cross that last line...
Then this damn Hans went and screwed up.
The ego lacking my moral brakes finally acted out.
'At least I halted the Immortal forces southbound before they left the mountains.'
But the undead army's damage to the continent was immense.
And deep down, I was rationalizing: 'What's done is done; I didn't mean for it.'
"Ha, haha..."
Another self-mocking laugh leaked out.
I'm hopeless.
But that selfish thinking eased my tangled heart.
It shifted focus to the gains from crossing lines I'd upheld.
Major events had piled up in this short time—exciting, really.
"Huh?"
And that excitement far exceeded expectations.
Earth time: barely two days asleep.
Outerica time: just over 20 days.
⚔ KARMA SHOP ⚔ Unique Skill Enhancement (1,200,000) Status Enhancement – View Details Held Karma: 9,999,627 A point total beyond anything I'd seen.
Right there.
"...Wow."
The absurd figure drew a mindless exclamation.
'Ten million's within reach.'
Points poured into Unique Skill Enhancement so far: 6.3 million.
Add Status Enhancement spending, and it'd be about even.
In short, as much karma as I'd ever used, now in hand.
'How much was left before I passed out? Not much.'
Karma floods in post-major events, plus delayed inflows from ripples.
This overwhelming sum was probably lucky timing.
'Even so, ten million...'
Society, barely holding after the monster madness, crumbled under Hans's all-out invasion.
Domains entered wartime regardless of monster fronts, prepping for unpredictable undead assaults. Hans's infamy soared.
'Plus blocking Riley's assassination in Jeron was huge.'
Princess Riley, backed by the imperial family, led a massive purge.
Her relentless probe revealed the culprit: House Hermanhart, crown princess's maternal family and only four great houses in the empire.
'No big announcement yet, but clash is imminent.'
With humanity's survival at stake, they treaded carefully—could spark civil war.
Hesferon's daily visits spilled this top-secret intel.
'Biggest was wiping lycanthropes in Enamel continent, saving the World Tree.'
Harris was half-plant post-event, so details scarce.
But safeguarding a god's incarnation and averting continental sinking was achievement enough.
'And this time... cleaning southern agitators and defeating the Immortal King.'
Plus Hari, Harris, and Heinrich all reaching transcendence.
Listing them, the karma made sense.
'What can I even do with this much?'
The massive reward evaporated prior turmoil.
My mind fixated solely on how to spend it!
Even amid bubbling anticipation, karma kept rising fast.
Time lag helped; the near-ten-million filled instantly.
Finally— the leading digit changed.
And that moment.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Achievement Unlocked! Unused Karma Points have exceeded 10 million. The trials and tribulations that failed to kill you will make you even stronger. As a reward, you are granted the perk "Karma Shop Ver.2 Update." Achievement unlocked. Karma increased further. Unexpected text filled my vision.
'...Shop update now?'
The Akasha System apparently wanted me to spend karma freely, not hoard it.