Chapter 83: Buried Memory Shard (2/88) - Steel Silver Sword House Conditions Fulfilled

It felt just like a door locked inside my mind swinging open, with pure white light pouring through the crack.

"……."

I read the alert that appeared before my eyes and thought back. Sensory amplification had triggered twice so far. The first time was when I met Aishira, and the second was during my encounter with the Spirit Devourer. Both memory shards had been tied to a single event, so Aishira's first shard, "Night Hunt," had evolved into "Dragon Hunt" thanks to the White Dragon.

'But these two are definitely different.'

The first sensory amplification had let me glimpse Aishira's memory. The second had used that shard as a key to link my memories to the game.

And now, the third.

My memory had become the key, reflecting a future that shouldn't have happened into the game. The three instances of sensory amplification were linking up like dominoes, one door opening after another, forging new chains of cause and effect.

The result? I was now witnessing a player's memory—neither an NPC's nor my own.

Clank—

The figure lightly bent its hinged legs, gripped the blade parallel to the ground, and drew the sword's hilt toward its cheek. The sword energy slicing the air quivered faintly, but the tip remained perfectly steady.

I recognized that familiar sword form instantly.

'Silver Sword 1st Form.'

A secret technique from my memories: Saien Kartinin, the last knight of the Kartinin family and one of Glory's 9.

But the person assuming that form right now was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠someone entirely different.

"……Rerto Karen?"

I couldn't help but jolt at the sudden, vivid sound of my own voice bursting out, and he turned his head.

"Why?"

"……Huh?"

"It's almost time for that thing to show up. Save your breath for the fight. We need every ounce of strength."

Unable to respond, I just stared as he shot me a cold glare. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He was as obnoxious as ever, but what shocked me more wasn't his attitude—it was how perfectly I had synced into this scene.

During the first sensory amplification, only Aishira had existed; I was just a bystander.

In the second, I was there, but technically, it was Kal Hendrick and the present me watching him—similar yet distinct objects, completely separated.

'But this third time is totally different.'

The moment the alert rang and the screen shifted, I was right there in this landscape. Not as a voyeur peeking into someone else's memory, not as a virtual NPC construct, but as the real, flesh-and-blood me from reality.

"……."

I scanned my surroundings. The blackened earth and crimson sky told me I was standing in the heart of a brutal battlefield.

'A sky like spilled blood…….'

Cloudless and pristinely clear, it felt unnaturally alien, as if someone had poured red paint across the heavens.

'That sky…… I've definitely seen it somewhere…….'

That's when it happened.

"It's coming."

Rerto Karen murmured in a low voice, his face grim as he gripped his sword.

Kurrrrrrr……!!!

The blood-red sky warped, a massive vortex tearing open like a hole punched through it, and a gigantic magic circle materialized within.

Thump—thump—thump—

The instant I saw it, my heart started pounding.

Fwaaah……!!!

From the cleanly ripped hole in the sky emerged a single knight astride a blazing red horse. His face burned like it was cloaked in flames—no flesh visible, just a bare skull grinding its jaws with a crack-crack.

"νωκ υχϪφγ st……!!"

Flames flickered with every twitch of the burning skull. As he swept his arms over his scarlet armor, his massive greatsword unleashed a ferocious gust.

One of the four lieutenants who followed the Calamity.

"The Red Knight of war……."

I muttered without thinking as I stared at him.

Whenever he appeared, the sky turned blood-red like this. And wherever he trod upon the earth, rivers of blood as crimson as the heavens would flow.

Why was it only now, seeing his face, that I noticed the horrific stench of blood enveloping me?

"Battle stations!!"

Rerto Karen bellowed at the Red Knight.

Waaaaaaaaah---!!

Waaaaah--!

His shout ignited war cries echoing from all around.

I hurriedly looked around, but perhaps because the connector's level was too low? Everyone except Rerto Karen appeared blurry, like mosaics.

'This is Rerto Karen's future vision through my memory of the Silver Sword form. That's why only he is clear—everyone else is obscured.'

Even unseen, I could feel their terror toward the Red Knight crystal clear.

"……."

Grind—

I glared at the bastard, gnashing my teeth.

'Isn't there some way?'

Shiver shiver…….

Even the tip of Rerto Karen's sword, so focused moments ago, began to tremble. At first I hadn't noticed, but up close, his face was a mess, his armor shattered in places. He'd clearly endured multiple grueling battles already.

The red puddle under his feet was congealed blood.

He didn't show it, but I understood his trembling all too well.

'I've been there.'

A bitter smile tugged at my lips unbidden. That terror, as shocking then as it was now, was an unforgettable memory.

But he needed to know. This Calamity before us was just a harbinger.

Compared to the true Destroyer behind him, this guy's flames were nothing more than a candle.

'The others are invisible.'

Their faces were obscured, identities unknown, but there were definitely people around me and Rerto. Whether due to low connector authority or because this was a future vision linked to Rerto, only he was identifiable.

A man absent from my memories.

"……At least it means one more person to fight alongside."

I gave a faint, bitter smile.

Could the head of one of the eight great clans, currently hell-bent on killing me, truly become a comrade I'd trust at my back?

Unbelievable.

"……."

I stared at Rerto Karen wordlessly.

Would this really happen? This scenario…….

'This is just some virtual construct from the system. It might not be a true future vision—just one of countless game events projecting our images onto it.'

This was still just the game, after all. Even the so-called Calamity, the Destroyer, might be nothing more than another raid boss to other players.

Maybe I was the only one taking it too seriously.

"Yeah, it's just the game……."

A place where I could finally face him, the one I'd longed for.

So…… if this is a game…….

"Hey."

I spoke to Rerto Karen right then.

"Don't chicken out."

Fwooooosh---!!!

The world flipped once more, and the spacetime that had sucked me in spat me back out into Parahum's laboratory. I opened my eyes to find myself at the entrance to Chamber 3.

"What are you doing, Kim Do-hyun?"

"……Huh?"

I whipped my head around. The acrid stench of the battlefield had been replaced by the temple's fishy chill.

"Scared now that you're actually here?"

"Crazy bastard."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Rerto's taunt, having just seen his sword tip tremble moments ago.

"One thing I wanna ask."

"What?"

"In all your large-scale dungeon raids so far, ever felt real fear at the sight of a boss monster?"

"Yeah. Etti of Sikan Plateau, the twin dragons of Tran Temple…… You, who only fought in arenas, might not get it, but there are horrors in this world I never want to remember."

"Failed any?"

"Obviously. Against the twin dragons, 120 raid members battled day and night for 17 straight days. Two wipes, countless deaths. Priests collapsed from mana drain after endless resurrections."

Even as he spoke, Rerto seemed oddly proud of that fight.

"Ever want to quit?"

"Never."

Was it his pride as head of Los Clan, or as a raider? He answered without hesitation.

"Confident you'll never?"

Rerto turned, eyeing me like why are you asking this?

"Of course."

"Hope so. Since you're here, don't just build up Los Clan—strengthen the whole Iron Kingdom. Forge a force that can hold against anything."

"None of your business."

"I'm asking you."

He scowled at my abrupt plea.

"Don't say shit that doesn't suit you."

"Heh, yeah. Too wordy."

Sching—!!

I raised my sword.

The Raider's Silver Sword had shown others besides Rerto. They could be players, or even Glory's 9. Meaning, someday they might fight alongside him and me—or Rerto might lead Glory's 9 in following me.

Thud—

I gave Rerto, now in stance, a light shove on the back.

"Let's go."

The moment his foot crossed the red line where the Undead Drake slept, a fierce murderous intent erupted in the hall.

Cold hellfire surged from the Undead Drake's eyes as its massive bones shifted and rose.

Kugrrrrrrr…….

Every movement of the colossal drake made the ground quake.

Fwoop—!

Rerto Karen cloaked himself in Glory's Protection and charged between its legs.

Kwaang—!

Kwaaaang---!!

The drake roared sharply, whipping its savage tail at Rerto.

Maybe because of the Red Knight encounter? The beast that had seemed so imposing moments ago now looked like mere prey.

Step—

I stepped past ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the red line myself and eyed it.

Conversation over.

Now, hunt.