Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Chapter 11: The End of Jealousy
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The night was dark. Thick clouds wrapped around the moon and refused to let go.
The place where I was confined was the second floor of the Blue Lion Palace, the most remote among the nine detached palaces in the imperial palace.
As I looked out the window, I could see the Imperial Guard patrolling the surroundings with torches in hand. I waved cheerfully, but the guy didn't react at all and quietly moved on in his direction.
"You're working hard in the middle of the night...."
Of course, their real role wasn't patrolling—it was surveillance.
If I wanted to, I could use Stealth and slip out secretly. But that would only put me at a disadvantage, so I was just biding my time quietly.
Hm? What's the loss if I escape?
Out of the past nine regressions, this was the sixth time I'd gone down the mad prince route like this.
Each time, Jess had confined me to the Blue Lion Palace. And on the third night of confinement, he always sent an assassin in exactly the same way.
The assassins weren't always the same, though.
Three times, he sent Tolari, the Arch Wizard who was a traitor like himself. Twice, he sent his direct bodyguard knight, Phiren. And the last time, he mobilized the entire elite of the Crown Knight Order, the Emperor's personal guard.
The knight order was an exception, though—back then, my reputation was close to villainous, and I'd just roughed up Talisman Count, making it possible.
So in a situation like now, where I'd built up my reputation sufficiently, he couldn't recklessly mobilize the knight order. He had to hide his involvement and act in secret.
Alright, so which assassin would our traitor second brother send tonight?
Tolari? Phiren?
Or maybe Griscal, another Arch Wizard traitor?
"...Hm?"
Suddenly, the lights and presence outside the window vanished.
At some point, all the Imperial Guards who had been patrolling the area were gone. Looks like it's here. With light excitement, I stepped out into the corridor of the detached palace.
"It's completely empty?"
The bodyguard knights and servants inside the palace had vanished too. Thanks to that, I could head out to the wide open space outside without any interference.
Yeah. I like how the mad prince route progresses automatically up to this point.
Tolari or Phiren—either way, they're guys I have to kill. No need to deal with them separately, so it saves me the trouble.
Especially Tolari, the Arch Wizard... he's a tricky opponent.
So it's convenient to take him out here for the future. If possible, I'd prefer Tolari over Phiren.
"But fighting Tolari would turn the whole area into a mess, which is a pain.... Hm?"
As I muttered to myself, I spotted a man approaching from the dark path in the distance.
Tch, so not Tolari then.
But looking at the silhouette.... Not Phiren either?
Phiren always wears custom magic armor that only a Knight Master can handle. With shoulders twice as wide as a normal person's, he's instantly recognizable.
But the man approaching from afar had a slender build.
He was tall, but his gait alone showed he wasn't a trained knight.
His face was covered with a mask, but as he got closer, I identified him at a glance despite the mask.
"...Jess?"
"You've got some guts, Claude. Calling me by name like that."
Jess removed his mask and smiled.
It was a relieved yet satisfied expression. This was a bit surprising? I didn't know Jess was the type to smile like that.
"What brings you here in the middle of the night, brother?"
"And what brings you out of the palace in defiance of your confinement?"
"...."
"Now I know for sure. You're a cunning one. Let's skip the pointless talk."
No, please, for the love of—won't you just explain something?
I have no idea why you're here!
If you're going to send someone, send an assassin—why come yourself? You have zero talent for fighting directly!
"Yeah. I should have done this from the start. Why did I drag it out so pathetically, trying to make you suffer? I should have just killed you cleanly."
"...Brother?"
"With this power, my view of the world has changed completely. I did things even Father and my eldest brother couldn't forgive. After I kill you, I'll send those two off cleanly too."
Listen to him talk.
What the hell does this guy have to be so confident? By now, rumors must be spreading that I can use elemental magic at Arch Wizard level.
Even without that, he has to know I'm a master of holy magic. Meanwhile, he's just a regular guy with nothing but his prince bloodline and regent status. What gives him the nerve to act so boldly?
"Wait...."
Feeling a faint sense of unease, I used Appraisal Eye on Jess's body.
Race: Variant.
What?
Current Strength: C
Potential Strength: S
What?
Current Variant Power: C
Potential Variant Power: S
What's this?
"...."
There were too many shocking things; I couldn't even speak properly.
To start with, his race isn't human but Variant? What's a Variant?
And potential strength S? S-rank is at least Knight Master level, right?
And what's Variant Power? Someone explain!
"I'm pretty strong in this state too... but you're no pushover. So let me show you the real thing I've gained."
Jess threw off the cloak he was wearing. Then he crouched and began to swell up.
No, hey, wait—what are you doing?
How can a human swell up like popcorn?
3 meters, 5 meters, 7 meters....
He was already bigger than an ogre could compare to. His body literally inflated and grew explosively.
And at that exact moment, the clouds parted in the night sky, and bright moonlight poured down on Jess.
It was a monster.
Its elongated lower body sprouted eight spider-like legs that supported its entire frame.
Meanwhile, its thick upper body resembled a blunt cactus covered in spines.
It was a form impossible to believe was a normal creature. And I even knew that each of those spines could extend and move freely.
Yeah. I knew what that monster was.
Berserker.
From the otherworld invasion nine years in the future.
Specifically, an enemy unit added starting from the third wave.
Insanely strong, disgustingly tough, and rampages like a madman.
It was so strong that my first encounter left a trauma just from its existence. And its appearance was horrifying.
I never imagined I'd face one this early—not in the final war, but in the first year right after regression.
"...."
Wow. This is insane.
Am I dreaming right now? What the hell is happening in front of me?
* * *
At that moment, spines erupted from the Berserker's body like tentacles.
Shwick!
One tentacle was as thick as my torso. I dodged urgently with flight magic, but over ten more tentacles flew in instantly, blocking my path.
"Urgh...."
In that brief instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind at tremendous speed.
No!
This isn't a dream!
Snap out of it! It's not like you've never fought a Berserker before! If your head isn't working, just follow the manual you made!
Berserker Counter Protocol 1. When facing one alone, you need a spirit with strong power.
"Lukkar!"
Kuooh!
The summoned Lukkar roared and snatched the swarm of tentacles pouring from the advance path, tucking them under his armpit and spinning his body.
Crunch!
The tentacles were ripped out root and all, spraying transparent liquid everywhere.
But if this level of damage took it down, it wouldn't be called a Berserker. It sprouted over twenty new tentacles and wrapped around Lukkar's entire body like bandages.
Crack!
The sound of rocks crumbling echoed from inside the tentacles.
Meanwhile, I prepared two Tempests in each hand and hurled them at the Berserker and Lukkar.
Whoosh!
The one thrown at Lukkar was a Flame Tempest with power minimized.
The scorching flames burned the wrapped tentacles black. Thanks to that, the rock spirit tore free of the bindings with brute force, kicked off the ground in an instant, and charged at the enemy.
By then, the maximum-power Frost Tempest I'd thrown earlier had frozen the Berserker's body brittle like icicles.
Lukkar leaped in and slammed a massive fist into the frozen body.
Kwachik!
With that blow, the ice encasing the enemy shattered and scattered everywhere.
But only the Berserker's outer shell broke.
Huge holes opened across its body, blue flames flickering within.
"Dodge!"
It was artillery fire.
With an explosive blast, the rock spirit's body was flung backward.
"Ah...."
The power was so immense that Lukkar's arm was torn off up to the shoulder.
At least one arm remained—lucky. I hurled the swirling lightning orb I'd prepared at the enemy.
Named Lightning of Tempest.
Even a Berserker would take fatal damage from a direct hit.
But a Berserker never allows a direct hit from this spell.
Zzzzap!
The moment the lightning scorched, it instantly swelled its body to create a new outer shell.
Bio-Armor.
The ability to generate the most efficient defensive armor on its shell tailored to external attacks.
This was why the imperial army collapsed helplessly in their first fight against a Berserker.
The instant the lightning's power faded, the Berserker cracked open a fissure in the center of its head and unleashed a deafening roar.
"Kekekekekekik!"
It was laughter. What the hell. This Berserker can laugh despite being a monster?
"As expected, the best! This power! Do whatever you want, Claude! This body handles everything automatically without me worrying!"
Ah, right—this is Jess.
He seemed delighted with his new body, shaking his massive frame like a child and sprouting fresh tentacles.
"Try dodging this too!"
Dozens of tentacles scattered chaotically, filling my vision. Right before they could wrap around me, I shot up with flight magic to evade.
"I knew it!"
At the same time, it opened holes across its body and began firing.
Bio-Shells.
It absorbs the attribute blocked by its bio-armor and fires shells of the same attribute.
Zzzzap!
Naturally, lightning attribute this time.
I took a direct hit but survived thanks to activating Protection Magic.
A brilliant light enveloped my body, blocking the scorching lightning. In that interval, I hurled a maximum-power flame at its torso.
It laughed mockingly.
"That won't work!"
Really?
Whoosh!
The scorching flame storm wrapped around its bio-armor, burning it pitch-black in an instant.
"Urk! What? Why did it pierce so easily this time!"
Jess writhed in pain from the residual heat on his body and swelled up again with new armor.
But waiting for its new shell was the Ice Tempest I followed up with.
Ice of Tempest.
Crack!
In an instant, the Berserker's body froze solid like a giant statue.
"Lukkar! Charge!"
The rock spirit, having lost one arm, kicked off the ground and rushed the enemy.
-Contractor. You have about 110 seconds left to command me.
Even as he swung his fist at the enemy, Lukkar calmly informed me of the remaining time.
Kwachik!
But visually, the power was clearly less than the first attack.
Maybe because his arm was gone, or just fatigue—I'm not sure.
But it was enough. The frozen bio-armor shattered like thin frost and scattered.
"Kraaaaaaaaagh!"
Jess screamed and wildly flailed newly extended tentacles.
But Lukkar was a learning spirit.
He'd anticipated the counterattack with his punch and had already swiftly pulled back.
"Urgh! What the hell is this rock lump! Never mind—all of you! You, you! Claude! Uwaaaagh!"
The shattered ice shards dug into its relatively soft flesh, splattering transparent blood. Jess thrashed in agony and suddenly rocketed toward me.
"If I just kill you!"