Chapter 84
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Ruby's Soul (5)
She wanted revenge.
She would definitely claim retribution for her mother's blood. She would smash that trash's flesh and bones to pieces. The hatred ingrained in her from a young age became kindling. And kindling set one's own body ablaze.
Naturally, there was no room for her own well-being in any of that. Ruby gritted her teeth and worked desperately to grow stronger. The reason she chose a hammer as her weapon was probably tied to it all.
As cruelly as possible. Just like hammering iron, which that trash loved so much. She would pound him the exact same way and kill him. It was likely something she'd chosen unconsciously, driven by her dwarven instincts.
For a girl like her, the Royal Knights had been the perfect opportunity. The Royal Knights—the first multi-species united order. And every single member was a knight who could be called the strongest.
Even if Balak was trash. He was still the head of one of the four jewels upholding the Dwarven Principality. Naturally, she never thought she could beat him with nothing to her name.
So Ruby joined the Royal Knights. To grow even stronger than she was now. And to take revenge on that trash. At first, it was all annoying. Starting with the clingy kid who was always hanging around her side.
And the veterans who treated her like some brat and just drilled her in training. She didn't have time for any of that crap. But as time passed, bit by bit... ever so slightly... her hatred began to fade.
She hadn't forgiven that trash. How could she ever forgive the bastard who'd swung violence at her and her mother from childhood... and eventually killed her mother?
"I-I figured you had some motive of your own..."
"......"
"I-I won't ask what it is, b-but... don't just cut ties with your comrades like that. W-We fight together, staking our lives...!"
"......Isn't it kinda funny to say that after I've already laid you flat?"
Ruby's senior and direct mentor had been Bayard. At first, she'd thought he was just some timid idiot. But who would've guessed? When push came to shove, he turned out to be a knight with absurd strength.
But it wasn't just his power that made Ruby follow Bayard. He always stuck by her side, even when she kept everyone at arm's length, and tried his best to look after her.
Thanks to Bayard's efforts, Ruby slowly began to open up to the Royal Knights. Her goal of killing Balak would never change. But her mindset shifted a little.
From the dangerous notion that she'd gladly sacrifice her life if it meant killing Balak... to the idea that once it was all over, wouldn't it be nice to have somewhere to return to?
"The Royal Knights really are fun. Everyone's so strong!"
"Quit yapping and kill it. This is an all-out battle where our fates are on the line."
"For something so serious, it feels awfully dirty and cowardly, don't you think?"
"For victory? I'd do anything."
But even that place to return to was gone now. She'd lost her mother, and the first taste of warm camaraderie she'd ever felt had turned to ashes. If not for everyone's sacrifices, they all would've died too.
Precious things should be kept close at hand.
Why was it surfacing now? The lesson her mother had taught her. They hadn't died—they'd survived. The terror and memories from that hell wouldn't stop assaulting her.
To shake off even a sliver of the anxiety, Ruby and Clara clashed weapons every day. If they didn't, the nightmares from back then kept resurfacing. And that's when she met that man.
The Royal Knights' captain, recommended by the human kingdom. A figurehead meant to keep the wiped-out Royal Knights going in name only. Just a human shield, she'd thought before meeting him.
"But that wasn't it."
Ruby forced herself to her feet. Blood poured endlessly from the countless wounds on her body. She'd landed plenty of hits on her foe, but when she snapped back to reality...
For some reason, she had even more wounds. Despite being able to fly, it wasn't. That long, torn maw seemed to mock her.
Her hated enemy stood before her eyes. An enemy she'd gladly tear apart right then and there. But she couldn't win with her current strength. Should she retreat? Or fight to the death?
"......Ha."
Ruby laughed. Her body and spirit on the verge of breaking, an image of that man flashed in her mind. The sight of some idiot throwing himself in harm's way for a total stranger.
He always fussed over others. He'd call her in under the pretense of counseling and ask all sorts of questions. Sometimes he'd bark strict orders. The guy was a mystery.
Still, it never felt bad. If anything, his clumsy efforts came off as endearing. But Ruby already knew. That was what a captain looked like.
A captain wasn't just some smooth-talking fool. For reasons unknown, he picked actions that made people hate him. But when his comrades were in danger, he'd throw away his life without hesitation. Why? She'd pondered it.
"Why does the captain always pick things that make people hate him?"
"And he does them so clumsily that everyone's onto him."
"W-Well..."
"Maybe the captain has some backstory that's making him act that way?"
"Backstory?"
Cluna had said there must be some circumstance behind it. Like maybe the captain had lost comrades before too... and was trying not to get attached to his new ones—us.
"Then why risk his life to help us?"
"That's just who the captain is."
"......I think he's someone who fears losing comrades again... but can't just stand by when someone's in danger right in front of him."
In truth, the captain had never ignored anyone in peril so far. AWOL and rampaging Bayard, brainwashed Yuren, the Dwarven Principality and its twelve clans, even the elves' forest.
Honestly, it was the kind of danger where having ten lives wouldn't cut it. Yet the captain had saved everyone as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. So his words carried weight.
Before she knew it, she'd started following in his footsteps without realizing. And it was the same now. What he'd said earlier while slapping her cheek still echoed in her ears.
"Say it again."
"......"
"Whose life did you say has no meaning?"
"......I'm sorry, Captain."
She'd lived this long for revenge. But after all those ordeals... when she'd completely crumbled and lost all hope, the captain had reached out a hand. He'd shown her another path.
Now she had a new goal. To follow the captain's path to the very end. She couldn't let herself get tripped up in a place like this. She would win, no matter what.
As if responding to her resolve, blazing flames suddenly erupted around the hammer in Ruby's grip. The inferno devoured everything nearby—even the monstrous Balak.
"Cool the red-hot iron."
"Pound the anvil and forge the sword."
"For the flames are my soul."
⟨ Flames of the Soul ⟩
The scorching blaze scorched the ground. Leaving blackened trails, Ruby slid forward like molten metal toward Balak. He reacted with veteran skill... but the outcome was vastly different.
Enveloped in those fierce flames, both of Balak's wings burned clean off. Only then did he realize something was wrong. But it was too late. His wings were gone.
What did I become this monster for? It was all for the clan. For the supreme art, the ultimate sword! That's all it was. How dare you...!
But that thought couldn't continue. Ruby's flame-wreathed hammer crashed down on Balak's head in an instant. His faint presence meant nothing against the blaze.
KWAA-JJJEOK!!!
Ruby's massive, flame-shrouded hammer utterly pulverized Balak's head. If it were the old Ruby, she'd have dragged out the pain before killing him. But for some reason, she didn't.
"Satisfied?"
Ruby looked up. There stood her younger self. Was it an illusion? Or something else? Either way, she'd heard the question. Time to answer. Ruby smiled.
"Yeah. I'm satisfied."
The girl from her childhood—who'd thought she'd gladly trade her life for revenge—was gone. In her place was a Ruby who wanted to follow someone.
"Oh my, it's been ages since I've seen that power."
"Legend has it the dwarf who adventured with the first hero wielded the power of flames."
"Yes. He could wield fire freely. But no one since..."
"It must have resonated with her blazing soul."
From a distance, Cluna and Yuren watched Ruby return triumphantly, raising the victory cry, as they chatted. Having lived so long, they knew it all.
But they didn't explain in detail. They figured the captain knew a fair bit already. So what was he thinking right now?
'What the heck is that? No clue. Scary as hell.'
Correct.
The power wasn't in the game or its lore. It straight-up spooked him.
Ding-dong-daeng-dong~♪