Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Hero of Liberation - 4
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Offense regained his shadow magic as payment for drinking the filth.
But his face looked even worse than when it had been taken from him.
We decided to leave him alone for the time being.
As Agril descended from the highlands, the cheers of the territory's residents reached our ears.
“Hero! Hero!”
“The hero got rid of the green smoke!”
“Aaaah. We're saved now. We're finally free!”
“Waaah. Thank you so much.”
“We were so selfish... sob sob.”
It seemed the residents had been watching the battle on the now-vanished mountain behind.
Joy, cheers, happiness, and roars all mingled together.
A perfect opportunity.
I stood atop Agril and raised my hand.
“Everyone. The nightmare is over!”
“Woooaaah!”
“The green smoke that tormented you all is de...”
Not defeated.
“gone. Those miserable days are finally at an end. Rest easy!”
“Thank you so much, Hero.”
“Maide is the true hero, not that Kaild guy!”
“Please forgive us.”
“That arm in the sky earlier was the Demon King, right? Please slay that damned thing too.”
I basked in their cheers for a moment.
That was when it happened.
[Ding! You have gained 12,000 Fame Points.]
[Fame Points needed for next level: 135,760/500,000]
[Your name will echo throughout Atrium Territory from now on.]
[Total Fame Points to be acquired from this incident: 13,000]
[Your name is echoing in Drucker Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Quelk Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Rior Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Avis Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Raynus Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Tetra Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in the capital. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Hasfil Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Your name is echoing in Dronor Territory. (All points recovered!)]
[Neril Slaine thinks of you as 'a man stronger than the Demon King.']
[Jenia Side thinks of you as 'a literal lifesaver.']
[Offense Dyke thinks of you as 'someone I can open up to about everything.']
[Adwin Ain thinks of you as 'someone I desperately want to emulate.']
[Risel Vaint thinks of you as 'a leader I can unconditionally trust and follow.']
[Serein Magnus thinks of you as 'someone I wish I'd met sooner.']
My fame had risen again.
How was Kaild faring? Time for a comparison.
‘Map!’
[It knew you'd ask.]
A continental map appeared on the screen.
[Maide Mohan Cumulative Fame: 135,760]
[Kaild Wake Cumulative Fame: 31,170]
Thanks to this incident, Kaild's fame had taken a hit even in Atrium.
Now, not just in numbers but in territory coverage, I was pulling far ahead.
[At this rate, even a divine oracle couldn't turn things around, right?]
‘Far from it. We're still miles away.’
A divine oracle was a cheat event that could overturn everything.
I waved to the residents and shouted.
“We must be off now. Please don't hold us back this time. Haha.”
“S-sorry...”
“No, that's not what I meant. I understand how you feel.”
This was sincere.
They hadn't grabbed at our ankles out of joy or desire.
“But please remember one thing.”
“Yes?”
“That your help was crucial in defeating the green smoke this time.”
“Wh-what?”
“Without your borrowed power, we never could have done it.”
“...”
“The Demon King is strong. His minions are strong too. But not as strong as humanity's hopes and expectations for a better tomorrow!”
Everyone's eyes wavered.
“The Demon King of Lies and Deceit, Idria! Never yield to that cursed being. Don't lose heart or fall into despair.”
“Hero.”
“Rise with me. And together, let's slay the Demon King!”
My shout ignited passion and energy in their hearts.
They cried out in unison.
“We will!”
“We'll do everything we can.”
“Thank you so much. Truly.”
“Please take care, Hero!”
Good, perfect.
I turned around with a satisfied smile.
But Neril was looking at me with an awkward smile.
“What's up?”
“Hmm. Not sure if this fits the mood.”
“What?”
“This.”
She showed me the Withering Jewel.
“What about it?”
“I used up too much energy deleting that mountain just now.”
“...”
“Thinking ahead, we should recharge it... If it's awkward for you to ask, want me to do it?”
I stayed silent for a moment, then slowly turned back around.
The still-excited residents shouted again.
“Ooh, the hero has more to say!”
“Ah, everyone.”
“Yes! Anything!”
I scratched my reddening face.
“Could you lend us your power just one more time?”
“...”
“For the fight against the Demon King... ahem. We need your strength. Ahem.”
Ah, what a sight I must make.
Idria decided to 'preserve' Sabak, who was on the brink of death, for now.
He needed treatment immediately, but with the oracle preparations underway, she couldn't afford to waste more strength.
She opened a spatial rift and said to Sabak.
“I'm sorry. I can't heal you right away.”
Sabak smiled through his ragged breaths.
“What are you saying? I'm grateful just for removing the poison from my body.”
“...”
“You need to prepare the oracle, right? That's why you haven't regenerated your severed arm either.”
“Hmm.”
“How could a subordinate complain? I am merely...”
A single tear streamed from Sabak's eye.
“Merely grateful that you saved this lowly one. Truly.”
“Enough. Go inside.”
“Yes. See you after the oracle.”
Idria pushed Sabak into the space.
Then she sat on a rock with a sigh.
She gazed quietly at her arm.
As Hyren had said, the arm severed by Maide's sword hadn't regenerated yet.
But Hyren had gotten one thing wrong.
‘My body doesn't need extra power to regenerate.’
The lies rampant in the world regenerated Idria effortlessly, without special effort.
As long as she wasn't obliterated from head to toe at once, Idria wouldn't die.
Regeneration was as natural to her as breathing.
But the arm hadn't grown back.
That was when Kaild, who had been watching silently, spoke.
“You okay?”
“Asking if someone whose arm was cut off is okay seems pretty stupid, doesn't it?”
“...”
“Be happy anyway. Kaild, I'm revising your evaluation upward a bit. From worm to maggot.”
Kaild wondered if that was really an improvement.
Idria continued.
“For managing to hold off a guy like Maide, even a little. Maybe I should praise you.”
“Heh. Thanks.”
“Has no one ever told you this?”
“What.”
“That your laugh is extremely grating.”
Kaild shut his mouth.
Idria spoke with a sigh.
“Last time my wrist was cut, it grew back right away. But not this time.”
“...”
“It'll probably recover fully in a day or so.”
“Then it's fine.”
“No. I am lies incarnate. If my regeneration is delayed, it means Maide can erase lies.”
She had intuited it last time already.
When she saw Maide slice through her authority, space itself.
He was beyond Bion Kunze, capable of doing what even Bion couldn't: 'erasing lies.'
‘Even so, experiencing it firsthand is shocking.’
Idria shook her head.
She couldn't afford to dwell on the shock; the road ahead was long, and time was short.
“He's probably racing toward the starting line like a shot. The timing is razor-thin.”
“Can you really summon a heavenly god at the starting line? And even if you do, will it grant an oracle right away?”
“Nothing is certain. Normally, I'd say there's absolutely no way...”
She chuckled and continued.
“But with Maide, who knows.”
Jenia shouted at the top of her lungs.
“Agril! Faster. Faster!”
“Groooowl.”
“Got it, holy power, right? Serein.”
Serein replied in dismay.
“No, how long has it even been since we switched?”
“Agril's going twice its normal speed. The holy power consumption is insane.”
“I feel like some kind of fortress lunchbox or something.”
“Ah! That sounds nice. A lunchbox.”
“That doesn't sound nice... to Jenia, I guess.”
Serein grumbled but steadily infused holy power.
Man, she regained her original holy power in less than half a day.
If the heavenly god is that generous to her, it'll grant me an oracle too.
That was when Neril spoke up.
“About that technique from when you 'again' severed Idria's wrist last time.”
“You're emphasizing 'again' pretty hard?”
“It felt refreshing. Like hitting the same spot twice.”
“Not sure if that's supposed to feel refreshing, but go on.”
“Up until then, your techniques stopped time, right? That's what Idria said.”
I scratched my head.
Seeing that as agreement, Adwin said admiringly.
“Hyung can do anything. Next time, try rewinding time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You stopped it, so maybe you can reverse it too.”
Trail chuckled.
[That kid's pretty sharp. Accidentally hitting the nail on the head.]
‘Right? Makes you wanna introduce yourself, huh?’
[No.]
‘Don't be so shy, big guy.’
[Anyway, I was curious too. What the hell was that technique?]
Right on cue, Neril asked the same.
“You mentioned it yourself, but to me, it clearly looked different from your previous 'Frozen Time' technique yesterday.”
“Frozen Time?”
“You never name your techniques, so I made one up.”
“...”
“Hehe. Like it?”
No.
Your naming sense is a real worry.
[I have a lot to say, but I won't.]
Ignoring him, I answered.
“Anyway, it's a different technique. Well... technically, yesterday's was incomplete.”
“What do you mean?”
“A real technique has to be fully ingrained in your body, ready to activate at a moment's notice. But yesterday's wouldn't come out again no matter what.”
Everyone tilted their heads.
Offense asked.
“So it was a lucky reflexive move?”
“Not even sure it was a technique.”
“Hmm.”
“I suddenly felt all my senses awaken because Jenia might be in danger. Time slowed, and my body moved on its own.”
“...”
“In conclusion, I couldn't use it again even if I tried. Better to think of it as non-existent.”
Risel murmured softly.
“Too bad. 'Neveral Taire' burdens the body too much; I thought yesterday's could replace it.”
“Neveral Taire?”
“It's elvish for 'Stopped World.' I secretly named it too.”
...
No way.
“You guys didn't name my other techniques too, did you?”
Everyone nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling as if to say, 'Wanna hear?'
I quietly looked away.
‘What do you think about telling them the real names?’
[You'd lose hero qualifications.]
Harsh.
I looked up at the sky.
“Night's deep. Time to sleep.”
“Huh? Oh, already that late.”
“We'll reach the starting line tomorrow. Who knows what'll happen, so stock up on stamina.”
“Yeah. No need for night watch on Agril, so let's rest easy.”
Then Serein's voice rang out.
“Everyone. You're not thinking of ignoring my suffering and sleeping soundly, are you?”
“If we preload holy power, it should hold for the night, right?”
“It's not flying at normal speed. Even alternating with Jenia, we'd need to wake up every two hours.”
Despite her pleading expression, Jenia said firmly.
“I'm fine. I ate a hearty dinner. Risel grills meat so well.”
“Only you can convert meat to holy power, Jenia!”
“It's not really converting for me.”
Hmm.
I rummaged in my pocket.
As I pulled out a bundle, Serein's voice came.
“I can't perform the miracle of turning meat into holy power. My under-eye bags are killing me from the stress...”
“Here.”
“Huh?”
I tossed her the bundle.
Serein untied it and peered inside.
There were at least thirty gold coins.
“Special bonus.”
“...”
“Can you do it?”
“Psh, of course. This is nothing.”
Serein tucked the coin pouch into her bosom.
So you're the type who converts gold to holy power.
That night.
I had a dream.
In the dream, I was wandering some unfamiliar place.
I'd somehow gotten lost.
Strange, since I'd never lost my way even during all my mercenary jobs.
‘Trail, where are we?’
But no answer came.
And with that, I realized this was a 'dream.'
That was when it happened.
[You're heading to the starting line.]