Chapter 144: The Great Inheritance (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: The Great Inheritance (1)
Thump!
Regal Vagos opened his eyes to the sound of his heart pounding in his head. It was dark all around. His body wouldn't move, and he could feel sticky slime on his skin, as if he had been curled up in amniotic fluid.
Did I end up using this ability too?
It didn't feel like a waste, though. If it had been his head and not his heart that had been stabbed, no matter who he was, he would definitely have died. He just had one question: how had things reached this point? It reminded him of a conversation he'd once had with an old teammate, before he had abandoned the heavenly principles and put a terrible curse on his body.
"Want to know why you lose money every time? You only bet and raise as much as you need each round. Even during moments when you need a big win."
Of course, card games and battles were different. It would be absurd to apply the words themselves to his current situation, but the context was similar. Until all five cards were gathered in a complete set, the winner was still up in the air.
Thump!
To put it simply, it was a lack of decisiveness on his part. He managed to get this far by giving things up one at a time. He gave up nearly a year looking for the item he needed, and he gave in and used Dragon Speech. Still, these persistent bastards didn't give up. He swung the Dragon Slayer Sword several times, even if it meant having to recuperate for at least a year, but they persevered. Now he had even used Second Heart.
Thump!
Vagos finally admitted it to himself. Because he had underestimated the enemy, and because he did not put everything on the line to face them as worthy opponents, things had gotten this far.
Thump, thump, thump.
The beat of his regenerated heart quickened, and light returned to his eyes. He wiped off the mucus that clung to his body and stood up.
There was a barbarian across the passageway. He was already walking toward him with a hole in his lungs and red blood dripping from his mouth, without even getting support from the dwarf warrior next to him.
Trudge, trudge.
He was walking desperately with only one goal in mind: to kill his enemy.
Slide.
Vagos released his grip on the dagger at his waist and reconsidered his plan. The curse on his heart from using Dragon Speech had healed to some extent. The remnants of the curse remained intact, but his physical ability had returned to a certain level, and he could use the power again, too. This wouldn't have been the case if it had not been for the distinct feature of the dragon people: that their source of power was located in the heart. This was an unexpected turn of events for him, as this was his first time using Second Heart. He could perhaps say this was a happy accident. Thanks to that, his odds of winning were much higher.
Trudge.
Of course, his opponents seemed to have recovered from their Soul Exhaustion, too, but that changed nothing. All he had to do was defeat the dwarf warrior. Even that barbarian wouldn't be able to stop him by himself with an injured body like that. Or so he thought, at least until he met his eyes.
It's like looking at some kind of immortal god.
Instead of a dagger, Vagos grabbed the arc longsword. Because of the remnants of the curse left in his heart, as soon as he gripped it, excruciating pain overtook him. He instinctively sensed that using this here may mean he could never use this arm again. No, he was certain of it.
But if I want to kill that persistent bastard, I'll have to risk it.
Give up an arm to kill an enemy so that he can survive.
"Come, barbarian." He was determined to put it all on the line.
***
I took staggering steps forward. Hikurod was beside me and behind us was Missha, who insisted on fighting by herself.
"Good choice."
The dwarf said that like he was concerned for Missha, but that wasn't the only reason. Rotmiller hadn't gotten up yet. If he woke up from his sleep, someone had to take the potion out of Treasure Vault and throw it to us from behind.
"So that man killed Dwalkie..."
"Hikurod, keep your cool. If you die, we are all finished."
"...I will." The dwarf tried to swallow back his burning anger. He must have been well aware how important his role right now was.
Trudge.
We took more steps and closed the distance between us and our opponent. It wasn't long before we were able to see each other's facial expressions. There was no need for a lengthy exchange.
"Come, barbarian." Vagos stared at us with the arc longsword in hand again, apparently not sick of this yet. Damn it all, what the hell did it mean that he could take it out and use it whenever he needed it? Curses filled my throat, but there was no time to spit them out.
Dash.
The bastard ran toward us when we didn't move. But what was this? It wasn't comparable to our first encounter, but he was moving faster than the last time I saw him. In other words, his body had recovered quite a bit. How, though? I was certain his injuries weren't short-term. Unexpected surprises were popping up from the start.
Slice!
Hikurod's shield was cut through like tofu as he stood in front of me. I stabbed Vagos with the mace that had turned into a spear and drove him away, then handed the lithinum shield over to Hikurod without any regrets. "Use this." My shield wasn't in perfect condition, either, but I judged it to be better than a steel buckler.
Kak kak kak!
Vagos's subsequent attacks penetrated deep into the shield. It was immediately repaired through Emergency Restoration, but Hikurod wouldn't be able to use the ability again and again as Soul Exhaustion had just been lifted.
Nothing is going according to plan.
The bastard woke up earlier than expected. And besides the heart, other parts of him had been healed as well. He was even using skills he hadn't been able to before.
[Regal Vagos has cast High-Rank Acceleration.]
As if ignoring the laws of physics, his blade seemed to slice through time itself. The dwarf chose to avoid the hit rather than block it, but he wouldn't be able to clear the distance. Therefore, I sacrificed my left arm, which had no shield anyway.
Flesh Burst.
My outstretched hand exploded into dozens of chunks of flesh, but Vagos didn't back down.
Chhhhhh!
Covered in acid blood and groaning, Vagos followed through on his swing, his sword cutting deep into Hikurod's thigh.
Smack!
The dwarf hit him in the jaw with his battle hammer despite that. Vagos stiffened, indicating that the blow did do some damage. I immediately jumped forward, grabbed his shoulder, and rolled.
But if I want to kill that persistent bastard, I'll have to risk it.
Give up an arm to kill an enemy so that he can survive.
"Come, barbarian." He was determined to put it all on the line.
***
I took staggering steps forward. Hikurod was beside me and behind us was Missha, who insisted on fighting by herself.
"Good choice."
The dwarf said that like he was concerned for Missha, but that wasn't the only reason. Rotmiller hadn't gotten up yet. If he woke up from his sleep, someone had to take the potion out of Treasure Vault and throw it to us from behind.
"So that man killed Dwalkie..."
"Hikurod, keep your cool. If you die, we are all finished."
"...I will." The dwarf tried to swallow back his burning anger. He must have been well aware how important his role right now was.
Trudge.
We took more steps and closed the distance between us and our opponent. It wasn't long before we were able to see each other's facial expressions. There was no need for a lengthy exchange.
"Come, barbarian." Vagos stared at us with the arc longsword in hand again, apparently not sick of this yet. Damn it all, what the hell did it mean that he could take it out and use it whenever he needed it? Curses filled my throat, but there was no time to spit them out.
Dash.
The bastard ran toward us when we didn't move. But what was this? It wasn't comparable to our first encounter, but he was moving faster than the last time I saw him. In other words, his body had recovered quite a bit. How, though? I was certain his injuries weren't short-term. Unexpected surprises were popping up from the start.
Slice!
Hikurod's shield was cut through like tofu as he stood in front of me. I stabbed Vagos with the mace that had turned into a spear and drove him away, then handed the lithinum shield over to Hikurod without any regrets. "Use this." My shield wasn't in perfect condition, either, but I judged it to be better than a steel buckler.
Kak kak kak!
Vagos's subsequent attacks penetrated deep into the shield. It was immediately repaired through Emergency Restoration, but Hikurod wouldn't be able to use the ability again and again as Soul Exhaustion had just been lifted.
Nothing is going according to plan.
The bastard woke up earlier than expected. And besides the heart, other parts of him had been healed as well. He was even using skills he hadn't been able to before.
[Regal Vagos has cast High-Rank Acceleration.]
As if ignoring the laws of physics, his blade seemed to slice through time itself. The dwarf chose to avoid the hit rather than block it, but he wouldn't be able to clear the distance. Therefore, I sacrificed my left arm, which had no shield anyway.
Flesh Burst.
My outstretched hand exploded into dozens of chunks of flesh, but Vagos didn't back down.
Chhhhhh!
Covered in acid blood and groaning, Vagos followed through on his swing, his sword cutting deep into Hikurod's thigh.
Smack!
The dwarf hit him in the jaw with his battle hammer despite that. Vagos stiffened, indicating that the blow did do some damage. I immediately jumped forward, grabbed his shoulder, and rolled.
Flesh Burst.
I thrust my left arm, which had already become useless, into his gaping mouth and exploded it.
"Aaagh!" He screamed and pushed me away, and at the same time, stabbed the sword right into my neck.
Shatter!
A glass bottle hit the back of my head and broke, spilling out its contents.
[Your body is rapidly regenerating due to the effect of Recovery (Advanced).]
This pain was that of an advanced potion. Wait, this meant Rotmiller had survived. I stepped back, brushing off these fleeting thoughts.
Stab!
The sword that pierced my neck came out, leaving me dizzy. This son of a bitch did not allow a moment's rest. "Dieee!" The sword pierced my stomach and ripped through my intestines in an instant.
Taking a page out of the dwarf's book, I took a step forward and thrust the short spear at him.
Tap.
Vagos hurriedly pulled his sword out and widened the distance, and I used Giantization without hesitation.
Where the fuck do you think you're going?
I stabbed Vagos in the shoulder and spewed out a fountain of blood. However, it seemed this bastard had also come prepared for a sudden-death round. He took a step forward and swung his sword again.
It was already too late to avoid it. I grabbed the sword with my ragged arm. Fleshless fingers were taken off, and the sword came to a halt as it got caught in my wrist bone.
[Your HP is below 20 percent. All Resistance stats have increased due to the passive skill, Heroic Path.]
This was the synergistic effect of Ironskin and Heroic Path. I lifted the short spear stuck in his shoulder and twisted it around, but he persevered as well, applying more strength to his sword thrust. A power struggle began. Unfortunately, he was the winner.
[Regal Vagos has cast Divine Blade.]
His sword, which began to glow with white light, cut diagonally to my elbow.
Boom.
My arm fell to the ground, still giantized, and I angled the cut side so it spurted acid blood into his face.
Chhhhhh!
"Aaah!"
Oh, you bastard with no pain tolerance. How dare you hold out?
[Your Soul Power is insufficient. Giantization has ended.]
Due to a lack of Soul Power, my body shrank back to its original state in less than a few seconds. As a result, his feet, which had risen into the air, also touched the ground.
Dash.
Had I underestimated this guy's determination? Instead of stepping back, Vagos thrust his sword again.
Damn it all.
Did a ninth-floor adventurer have no fear? Why was he so good at dogfighting? I was going to get stabbed in the head at this rate, so I quickly twisted out of the way and stepped back. I lost the skewer, the short spear that used to be a mace, as a result. To make matters worse, I stopped healing.
We're fucked.
Even an advanced potion had its limits. And I hadn't even gotten to drink it—it had been poured onto me. With my arm blown off and my organs shredded, even just maintaining my current state was a struggle.
"My... win!" Vagos ran toward me. It really was hopeless. I could already picture the worst in my head: an inevitable death.
But, so what? I had no intention of giving up and just accepting that. I stared at his sword with my eyes wide open until the end. As soon as he approached, I rolled to the side. Regardless of whether I would be defenseless against the attack that followed, it was my best option right now.
Boom.
Rolling on the floor, I used the recoil to get back on my feet—just in time to see his arc longsword fill my line of sight as it swung toward me. But then, as if an invisible force had yanked him back by the collar, he fell backward.
How the hell did that happen? When I looked up for an answer, I saw the old man in black priestly robes standing in the distance.
"Old man! What are you doing?!" Vagos shouted.
***
Ludwig closed his eyes and ears. But regardless, from the sounds he could hear, it was clear just how desperately they were fighting.
"So, you won't run away."
"Protect Dwalkie!"
At first, it had been painful to watch. He thought that putting up meaningless resistance would only lead to even greater despair and suffering.
"Why on earth do they...?" As their desperate fight continued, Ludwig found himself constantly asking questions.
"This thing's ours."
Why don't they surrender?
"Noooo! Dwalkie! Don't die! Please, hmm?"
Because they rejected the inevitable and naïvely held out hope? No, even so, why?
"Can you... win?"
"Don't worry. We will definitely return home alive."
Why can they still keep burning so brightly?
The answer was simple—they were strong, unlike him, who didn't have the courage to shoulder sacrifice.
Ludwig knew, too, that no matter how much he waited, the day he hoped for would never come. Returning to the city with his grandson... that bright future had never existed in the first place. He just hadn't had the courage to accept it.
"May the blessing of the twilight star guide me." Ludwig made a short sign of the cross. His eyes were open and no longer trembled with fear. He just stared straight ahead, more certain than ever. "I will follow your will."
Of the three gods, the Goddess of the Stars, Reatlas, presided over adventures and fate. As someone who had once served and followed her, how could he dismiss this as a coincidence? In front of a man who had given up on courage, these adventurers who embraced such a brilliant light had appeared. It was the final blessing given to this lost sheep.
"Even if I may not be held in your embrace..." The old man looked into the void and shouted, "Karui, I offer myself."
At his words, the capricious god laughed gleefully, as if this was the moment he had been waiting for. There was no way he didn't know what Ludwig was trying to do. "What do you wish for?"
"Send me there."
"Your grandson will not be saved."
His heart flinched at those words, but at the same time, they alleviated some of his weakness. He abandoned the thought of compromise. It was too late to turn back the clock. "It doesn't matter."
After all, he had learned from a young wizard he met in a maze that one could always be heroic and noble, if one only wished to be.
Flesh Burst.
I thrust my left arm, which had already become useless, into his gaping mouth and exploded it.
"Aaagh!" He screamed and pushed me away, and at the same time, stabbed the sword right into my neck.
Shatter!
A glass bottle hit the back of my head and broke, spilling out its contents.
[Your body is rapidly regenerating due to the effect of Recovery (Advanced).]
This pain was that of an advanced potion. Wait, this meant Rotmiller had survived. I stepped back, brushing off these fleeting thoughts.
Stab!
The sword that pierced my neck came out, leaving me dizzy. This son of a bitch did not allow a moment's rest. "Dieee!" The sword pierced my stomach and ripped through my intestines in an instant.
Taking a page out of the dwarf's book, I took a step forward and thrust the short spear at him.
Tap.
Vagos hurriedly pulled his sword out and widened the distance, and I used Giantization without hesitation.
Where the fuck do you think you're going?
I stabbed Vagos in the shoulder and spewed out a fountain of blood. However, it seemed this bastard had also come prepared for a sudden-death round. He took a step forward and swung his sword again.
It was already too late to avoid it. I grabbed the sword with my ragged arm. Fleshless fingers were taken off, and the sword came to a halt as it got caught in my wrist bone.
[Your HP is below 20 percent. All Resistance stats have increased due to the passive skill, Heroic Path.]
This was the synergistic effect of Ironskin and Heroic Path. I lifted the short spear stuck in his shoulder and twisted it around, but he persevered as well, applying more strength to his sword thrust. A power struggle began. Unfortunately, he was the winner.
[Regal Vagos has cast Divine Blade.]
His sword, which began to glow with white light, cut diagonally to my elbow.
Boom.
My arm fell to the ground, still giantized, and I angled the cut side so it spurted acid blood into his face.
Chhhhhh!
"Aaah!"
Oh, you bastard with no pain tolerance. How dare you hold out?
[Your Soul Power is insufficient. Giantization has ended.]
Due to a lack of Soul Power, my body shrank back to its original state in less than a few seconds. As a result, his feet, which had risen into the air, also touched the ground.
Dash.
Had I underestimated this guy's determination? Instead of stepping back, Vagos thrust his sword again.
Damn it all.
Did a ninth-floor adventurer have no fear? Why was he so good at dogfighting? I was going to get stabbed in the head at this rate, so I quickly twisted out of the way and stepped back. I lost the skewer, the short spear that used to be a mace, as a result. To make matters worse, I stopped healing.
We're fucked.
Even an advanced potion had its limits. And I hadn't even gotten to drink it—it had been poured onto me. With my arm blown off and my organs shredded, even just maintaining my current state was a struggle.
"My... win!" Vagos ran toward me. It really was hopeless. I could already picture the worst in my head: an inevitable death.
But, so what? I had no intention of giving up and just accepting that. I stared at his sword with my eyes wide open until the end. As soon as he approached, I rolled to the side. Regardless of whether I would be defenseless against the attack that followed, it was my best option right now.
Boom.
Rolling on the floor, I used the recoil to get back on my feet—just in time to see his arc longsword fill my line of sight as it swung toward me. But then, as if an invisible force had yanked him back by the collar, he fell backward.
How the hell did that happen? When I looked up for an answer, I saw the old man in black priestly robes standing in the distance.
"Old man! What are you doing?!" Vagos shouted.
***
Ludwig closed his eyes and ears. But regardless, from the sounds he could hear, it was clear just how desperately they were fighting.
"So, you won't run away."
"Protect Dwalkie!"
At first, it had been painful to watch. He thought that putting up meaningless resistance would only lead to even greater despair and suffering.
"Why on earth do they...?" As their desperate fight continued, Ludwig found himself constantly asking questions.
"This thing's ours."
Why don't they surrender?
"Noooo! Dwalkie! Don't die! Please, hmm?"
Because they rejected the inevitable and naïvely held out hope? No, even so, why?
"Can you... win?"
"Don't worry. We will definitely return home alive."
Why can they still keep burning so brightly?
The answer was simple—they were strong, unlike him, who didn't have the courage to shoulder sacrifice.
Ludwig knew, too, that no matter how much he waited, the day he hoped for would never come. Returning to the city with his grandson... that bright future had never existed in the first place. He just hadn't had the courage to accept it.
"May the blessing of the twilight star guide me." Ludwig made a short sign of the cross. His eyes were open and no longer trembled with fear. He just stared straight ahead, more certain than ever. "I will follow your will."
Of the three gods, the Goddess of the Stars, Reatlas, presided over adventures and fate. As someone who had once served and followed her, how could he dismiss this as a coincidence? In front of a man who had given up on courage, these adventurers who embraced such a brilliant light had appeared. It was the final blessing given to this lost sheep.
"Even if I may not be held in your embrace..." The old man looked into the void and shouted, "Karui, I offer myself."
At his words, the capricious god laughed gleefully, as if this was the moment he had been waiting for. There was no way he didn't know what Ludwig was trying to do. "What do you wish for?"
"Send me there."
"Your grandson will not be saved."
His heart flinched at those words, but at the same time, they alleviated some of his weakness. He abandoned the thought of compromise. It was too late to turn back the clock. "It doesn't matter."
After all, he had learned from a young wizard he met in a maze that one could always be heroic and noble, if one only wished to be.