Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Atonement
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The moment Do-jae touched Salreuta's body, a black aura unfurled around them.
Even though they were in a secluded spot where gray elves didn't pass, the aura was so potent that even those far away could feel something was wrong.
"Why do I feel a chill?"
"I feel sick to my stomach... What's happening all of a sudden?"
Do-jae's Sealed Memory of the Right Hand vibrated violently, devouring Salreuta's mana.
Having already anticipated that something would happen if the Sealed Memory of the Right Hand came into contact with Salreuta, Do-jae let it drain his mana.
The aura of betrayal that had enveloped Salreuta gradually faded, and his expression grew calm.
However, the Sealed Memory of the Right Hand didn't stop there.
"Kuh..."
"Hup!"
Do-jae and Salreuta groaned in unison.
The Sealed Memory of the Right Hand began to consume Salreuta's original mana, while the overflowing mana of betrayal surged back, disrupting Do-jae's own.
"My hand... it won't let go..."
Do-jae's right hand gripped Salreuta's shoulder with increasing force.
He tried to pull away, but his right hand wouldn't obey.
Salreuta's mana was being drained to a dangerous degree, and Do-jae's body was breaking down as the two types of mana continuously flowed into him, tangling with his own.
Just then, the leaf tucked into Salreuta's hair ornament floated into the air.
*Whoooosh-.*
*Flash-!*
The Leaf of Arctria emitted a brilliant light, bright enough to engulf the entire alley.
*Flick-!*
Sensing that Salreuta's mana was no longer flowing into him, Do-jae instinctively let go.
He felt Arctria's energy envelop him, gradually calming the chaotic mana within his body.
*Drip-.*
When Do-jae finished composing his mana and looked up, he saw tears streaming down Salreuta's face.
All his memories and the wrongs he had committed had returned. They merged into an indescribable emotion, forcing tears from his eyes.
"What have I done...?"
"Did you remember something?"
Do-jae collapsed, drenched in a cold sweat.
Without Arctria's energy, he would have been unable to control his rampaging mana.
"I remember everything... I've done so many things I never should have..."
Salreuta also fell to his knees.
He lowered his head, trembling uncontrollably.
*Crack-.*
The Leaf of Arctria, which had fallen from his hair ornament, split in two.
Do-jae carefully picked up the pieces of the leaf and stored them in his Subspace.
"You can spend the rest of your life atoning... but isn't there someone you want to see first?"
"...Katania... I want to see her."
"Alright, let's go. But... can you help me up?"
Do-jae didn't even have the strength to stand.
Salreuta supported Do-jae by the waist and helped him to his feet.
"I don't care if you're human or something else. You are my savior."
***
"And that's what happened."
Do-jae finished his story as he drained his mug of beer.
"This... human has that kind of power?"
Katania asked, her expression one of utter shock.
Do-jae replied with a feigned, solemn expression.
"It's an ancient magic passed down only among humans. A spell that only a select few can use, and you were lucky it was me."
"Sob... sniff... Thank you, Lee Do-jae. How can I ever repay this debt? Name anything! I swear on the Vow of the Forest, I'll do it."
"Hmm... a Vow of the Forest, you say..."
A thousand thoughts raced through Do-jae's mind.
What could he possibly get from this gray elf?
In truth, his mana had increased noticeably after absorbing Salreuta's energy.
He was already satisfied with that alone, but her offer of something more filled him with anticipation.
"But what can you two even do? Aren't you wanderers?"
"Heh. You hit the nail on the head."
Thinking about it, Katania and Salreuta had nothing.
They weren't wealthy, nor did they hold any high positions.
It was hard to imagine that Salreuta, who had been lost to violence and destruction, and Katania, who had been cleaning up his messes, possessed anything of value.
"Then repay the debt later. Not to me, but to Sarieta here."
"Me?"
Sari pointed at herself with a puzzled look.
Do-jae patted her head and said.
"She's the chief of Nightingale Forest Village. Having powerful individuals like you indebted to Nightingale Forest would be a great help to Sari. What do you say? Help her village instead of me."
"It makes no difference to us. As long as we can repay our debt to you somehow."
"That's right, we'll do as you ask. But I never knew this little girl was the famous chief of Nightingale Forest."
"Ugh... Yes, I am Sarieta, the chief of Nightingale Forest Village."
Sari glared at Do-jae, her face flushed.
Do-jae gave them a bright smile and pulled up his hood.
"Oson! That's enough! Bring some more beer when you come back!"
***
The semifinals.
With Katania's withdrawal, Do-jae advanced directly to the finals, and the match between the perverted old man Tahul and Salreuta began.
*Ruuuumble-!* Tahul launched a fierce assault from the very start.
He was a mage who wielded lightning, possessing enough destructive power to call down thunderbolts from a clear sky.
Their arena was a volcanic field, and the combination of spewing, flowing magma and lightning striking from the heavens made it look like a scene from hell.
"Guhk..."
Salreuta struggled to get close to Tahul.
No matter how fast Salreuta was, how could he be faster than lightning?
The relentless lightning strikes pinned Salreuta down, his skin scorched black and peeling away to reveal the raw flesh beneath.
"Keheheh. Incredible! To think you can still move after taking this many lightning strikes!"
Salreuta's physical prowess was truly astounding.
The ends of his hair were completely singed, and a faint white smoke was even rising from his body.
Yet, he still moved.
*Swish-!*
*Thud-.*
Salreuta threw his sword.
But it didn't hit Tahul.
It flew almost within arm's reach, but a bolt of lightning from Tahul's fingertips knocked Salreuta's sword out of the air.
However, that was Salreuta's plan.
*Crackle-!*
As another bolt struck, Salreuta quickly moved toward his sword.
The sword, embedded in the ground, acted as a lightning rod, absorbing the bolt and allowing Salreuta to advance on Tahul once more.
In this way, he dodged the lightning from the sky by throwing his sword and endured Tahul's direct lightning magic with his body, steadily closing the distance.
And when the distance between them was just under three meters.
Tahul smiled and raised both hands.
"Hohoho. I forfeit."
Tahul had suddenly declared his surrender.
From Do-jae's perspective, Tahul still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
Look at that relaxed gaze.
A mage capable of such powerful lightning magic had given up without using any other spells.
Of course, it was common knowledge that mages were at a significant disadvantage against physical fighters in a one-on-one fight, but Tahul had demonstrated incredible casting speed.
What if he had mixed in other spells, unleashing a barrage of magic?
In the end, the match between Salreuta and Tahul concluded with Salreuta's victory.
***
After Salreuta had about an hour to recover.
The long-awaited final match.
The match between Salreuta and Do-jae began.
"I'm coming at you with everything I've got."
Do-jae immediately activated his Golem Armor and summoned four golems.
It was the rock field that Shitah had drawn in the quarterfinals, an arena that was highly advantageous for Do-jae.
*Wooooah-.*
The crowd went wild at the sight of Do-jae.
His robe fluttered open to reveal a magnificent golem underneath, delivering a fresh shock to the audience.
"Sari, what is that? Wasn't Lee Do-jae human?"
"This is the first time I've seen him like that, too..."
Sari and Katania were also greatly surprised.
In other words, this was the Golem Armor's debut in this world.
And his opponent was Salreuta, a favorite to win the tournament.
*Craaaash-!*
The two engaged in a tremendous battle right from the start.
They exchanged blows with a sound like thunder, making one wonder if it was truly swords clashing.
Salreuta was indeed so skilled that it was as if he possessed the combined abilities of all the previous contestants.
From the destructive power of his superior strength to his keen eye for reading Do-jae's attacks and his flexible improvisation, everything he did showcased top-tier skill.
*Clang-!*
"Lee Do-jae, who taught you the sword?"
Salreuta asked while unleashing a barrage of attacks.
Do-jae blocked every attack precisely as he answered.
"I only started learning properly pretty recently. Before that, I just swung on instinct."
"I see. Your swordsmanship is still rough. If you found a better teacher, you could improve much more."
*Claaang-!*
*Screeeech-!*
"A teacher... Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever considered learning from someone. I never had the time."
"You should find a good one. I learned from my older brother. Salreuma... he was a truly exceptional teacher."
*Clink-!*
Do-jae retrieved his sword and distanced himself from Salreuta.
"What did you just say?"
"That my brother was a truly exceptional teacher?"
"No... who did you say he was?"
"Salreuma. Do you know my brother?"
"Hah..."
The sense of unease he'd felt from Salreuta.
It wasn't just because of the apostate's aura.
'No way.'
Do-jae recalled the name 'Salreuma' from his memories.
One of the gray elves he had killed in Gaeseong.
The gray elf who had kept trying to talk to him.
Do-jae was in an extremely awkward position.
'This is bad. Very bad.'
Should he tell Salreuta that he was the one who killed his brother?
He had a justification, of sorts.
They were monster and human.
But to Salreuta, it would all sound like excuses.
"What's wrong? You seem to have slowed down."
When Do-jae lowered his sword, Salreuta also stopped and asked.
'All I have to do is keep my mouth shut. Then he'll never know, not in a million years.'
But what about the guilt that kept nagging at him?
To alleviate that guilt, even just a little, Do-jae opened his mouth.
"I forfeit."
*Booooo-.*
Jeers rained down from the stands.
The tournament was already one match short due to Katania's withdrawal. And now, another forfeit in the middle of a match.
"What are you thinking all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. I got what I wanted."
He couldn't bring the dead brother back to life.
But those gray elves who had left for somewhere else were still alive.
If it was them, the ones who had saved him from the red orcs, they might have been freed.
Freed from their blind hostility toward humans.
'If so, they might have built a village somewhere and are living there.'
If, by some slim chance, he truly found a way to return them to their world, the village Salreuta rebuilt would be a great help to them.
Even if he hadn't known then, he knew now. He was forfeiting as a form of atonement.
"Still, this isn't right. I thought I could have a real fight with you."
"To be honest, I found the second-place prize more appealing. So there's no reason for me to fight you. Referee! I forfeit."
Do-jae turned and slowly descended from the arena.
And so, the winner of the fighting tournament was Salreuta.
Second place went to Do-jae.