chapter 11
to change the future (1)
There are two main ways to grow power.
The first is to literally grow the potential of the body.
And the other is to melt the power you have through actual combat experience.
None of them are unimportant, but if that was my story, the words were different.
‘At least for me, actual experience won’t be important.’
How many bodies of enemy soldiers were trampled over?
In order for the tiny country in the north to confront the empire, the king himself had to raise his sword.
It was said that he could grow his strength through actual combat, but it was safe to say that he had already perfected the swordsmanship of the ‘King of Swords’ with countless combat experiences.
If so, there is only one way left.
It was only training to satisfy the lack of strength and aura.
‘But that’s not enough.’
Slow training will never prepare you for the upcoming future.
The time given to me was short, and the enemies did not wait.
Especially now, when the forces that oppose me are gradually increasing.
I needed overwhelming strength enough to easily trample on the scum that dared to question my steps.
… … one’s powerlessness.
The overwhelming power of the time when he was called the Sword King.
“De, it’s a really spooky place, as you’ve heard.”
I let out a small sigh at the sight of Baron Vidor asking in a trembling voice.
“It’s not too late now, so you can go back to the palace.”
“Eh, leaving Her Highness alone in a place like this… … Absolutely not!”
“Tsk.”
“But would you really mind coming without an escort? I’m afraid that harm will go to Your Highness’s jade body.”
This time, my head is shaking.
It’s nice to think of me, but it’s not persuasive to say that with a terrified look.
“noisy. If you’re going to follow me, follow me quietly.”
“Well, in that case, I’d rather take the lead.”
“as you please.”
Shrug your shoulders and twist your body slightly.
The thick darkness and the hazy fog obscuring the vision.
Seeing the old tombstones glimpsed between them, it was only natural that the baron’s breath would stop.
I smiled at the baron who was in the middle of pathetic and proud.
“If that’s the case, why don’t you come in after me?”
“That, like that!”
“You don’t have to take the lead and become a laughing stock.”
“… … .”
I patted the baron on the shoulder and moved on.
The goal is beyond that endless fog.
“I miss you… … is it.”
Azran Cemetery, also called the resting place of the soul, is covered in mysterious fog throughout the year.
This was the first time he had come to this place, but the eerieness that flowed from the boundary between life and death was very similar to that of the battlefield.
‘It’s a fun atmosphere.’
Is that why? The atmosphere, which would have been creepy to the baron, gave me a comfortable feeling like home.
“Must be a monster… … No, it feels like a corpse is about to jump out.”
“Maybe.”
“yes? hahahaha, even the jokes are very mischievous.”
I deliberately didn’t answer the question and continued through the fog.
It was close to a kind of consideration.
Transformation of negative emotions from people who have suffered the death of a family member or acquaintance.
Originally, a cemetery is a place where mana from the negative dimension is concentrated enough to be considered a sacred place for black magicians.
This was also a really natural common sense for the people of the continent.
Why do cemeteries continue to be created?
It was for a simple reason indeed.
‘Even if the mana of the negative dimension is condensed, the corpse will not move alive.’
Even if the movement of mana flowing in the air becomes excessive, the magic will not be activated.
Likewise, if the black magician’s magic wasn’t activated, there was no problem with the mana of the negative dimension increasing.
This, too, was common sense to people.
However, human history often breaks common sense.
What if it wasn’t just the condensation of negative dimension mana in an ordinary cemetery?
What if you’re really unlucky, and the place where the cemetery was built wasn’t an ordinary place?
I grinned as I looked around at the destination I had reached before I knew it.
“It is arrival.”
The center of the cemetery, where you can even feel the dreary feeling that grips your heart.
No wonder, this place was ‘forbidden’, famous for rumors that corpses were alive and moving.
Although the truth of the rumors will be revealed after five years have passed.
‘Am I good at noticing or not.’
To the baron who followed without knowing anything… … I was feeling pretty sorry.
So, who threatened to come along?
If there is one thing that is fortunate among the misfortunes, it is that it has not yet emitted a demonic energy that is visible to the naked eye like it was heard before returning.
“here is… … I can’t see anything.”
“hmm.”
Certainly, the place we are standing now has only the characteristics of being the center of a cemetery where well-paved roads are gathered together.
Rather, it would have stood out if the tombs listed around it were noticeable, but at first glance, they were nothing but ordinary street corners.
“Well, you’ll see if there’s really nothing there.”
After examining the floor carefully, I nodded and summoned the baron.
Then Baron Vidor came to my side with a bewildered expression.
“Baron Vidor.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please tell me.”
“Now take out the things you prepared.”
“thing? ah! Are you talking about this?”
The baron took a small object out of his pocket and held it up.
It was a pale purple jewel, the lowest level magic crystal.
“Bring it here.”
“All right.”
The baron politely bowed his head and handed over the magic stone.
Even though he obediently obeyed the order, he had an expression that he couldn’t really understand.
anyway.
“Since I stopped by the house, I must have knocked.”
I raised the aura in my body and began to lightly send it towards the magic crystal.
From cracks to tiny grooves, super-high-level techniques like overlaying blades on weapons.
And the reaction didn’t take long.
“Oh oh!”
As the lowest-grade spirit stone, which was just an ornament with little commercial value, lit up in red light, it began to look quite plausible.
Rather, the figure wrapped in hell fire left a stronger impression than any other magic stone.
Of course, that wasn’t the end.
Wow!
“Huh! Such a strong mana response!”
Soon, a group of red flags exploded and embroidered the air.
Would it be like this when you play with fireworks on a night under the Milky Way? The procession of eerie fog was gradually fading away, pushed by the splendid light.
The baron’s eyes were wet with ecstasy.
and… … .
Koo Goo Goo!
The ground cries.
Even the baron, who knew nothing about it, was vaguely aware that it was not an earthquake.
Because new characters appeared through the disappearing fog at the graveside… … .
Finally, when the group of red lights embroidered in the air disappeared, the baron opened his mouth wide open.
“… … uh huh?”
A group of corpses stand up, revealing their rotting flesh.
Even if you catch enough, it was a number of more than ten.
The strong smell of black magic felt inside made me smile.
“Looks like you like Knock.”
“Poem, the body moves. majesty! what the hell is that… … .”
“As you can see, it’s a ghoul hiding in a tomb.”
“Gu, ghouls? Huh! Unbelievable!”
It will be the first time you have seen the monster itself.
How much more has he ever seen a corpse come to life?
“Poetry, my God!”
So it was not unreasonable to be so surprised.
I pointed the tip of my drawn sword at them and muttered a low voice.
“come.”
“yes!? Are you sure you want to fight? That’s a lot of numbers… … .”
“Don’t talk, let’s get away from each other a bit. If you stay close, you won’t see anything good.”
Then, without hearing a reply, he kicked the ground.
Because they’re already at close range.
Keek!
“Where?”
The muscles that had been tense all along explosively moved and swung towards the ghoul at the forefront.
Then, before he had time to react, the thrusting sword slashed through his upper body.
But unfortunately that was all.
kyaaak!
‘Aren’t they all cut?’
It is because of lack of power.
I swung my sword once more and cut off the upper body before the Undead’s unique regenerative ability was activated.
I didn’t like the result very much, but a smile bloomed on my face.
“I really like your hospitality.”
It wasn’t empty talk.
Since returning to the past.
The satisfaction and fighting spirit of having endured a period of self-reflection that was not short and facing an enemy for the first time was providing greater pleasure than ever before.
Two this time.
I immediately swung my sword in search of the next prey.
The target was their weak point, the head.
Awesome!
The sensation of the sword cutting through flesh and bone is transmitted to the head through the arm.
If there’s a problem… … It was true that his body felt better than before, but the lack of strength was still there.
Kiek!
Even after aiming for the thinnest neck, only one died.
The surviving ghouls were running at it, supporting their dangling heads.
I had no choice but to swing my sword again to finish it off.
Because of the repulsive force, the muscles that were forced to move stiffened momentarily, but I didn’t care at all.
That moment.
kyaaak!
“Huh!”
The baron’s breathless screams came from behind.
An arm that had rotted from the ground came out and grabbed the baron’s ankle.
I couldn’t help but frown at the appearance of the baron, who was now almost fainting.
“Tsk.”
I thought I had accurately grasped the number of them with my senses, so I was concentrating only on the enemy in front of me.
Seeing what I couldn’t even catch on to my senses, it was probably a ghoul that had just been born.
A mistake that I would never have made if it were me in the past.
In any case, it is inexcusable carelessness.
“You’ve become complacent.”
It took about 1 second to reach the baron’s feet.
Kwajik!
I slammed the ground with my aura-covered foot toward the side where my arm had risen.
It was a ghoul that should have absorbed the impact because it was underground, but it was so strong that it did not move anymore.
It was literally an instant death.
When the ghoul’s grip on his ankle was released with the terrible sound of his rotten body being smashed, the baron didn’t think to shut up.
“A little further apart.”
“Go, thank you.”
It seemed like an emergency, so I stayed away, not wanting to get in the way.
The screams that followed were almost reflexive actions without awareness.
But what is it?
In front of his eyes, the undead were falling like autumn leaves, and the superior he served was swinging his sword happily.
A situation in which common sense does not make sense.
“this… … Are you saying it’s possible?”
As I stared at it, the situation was over before I knew it.
My superior, who had been swinging his sword for a while, was approaching him with his shoulder turned.
“Whoa, that’s a little stiff.”
Muscles I didn’t normally use were screaming and pulling.
No matter how good the sword he was holding, it was a very arduous task to split flesh and bone with brute force alone.
Especially now, when even the aura that strengthens the body unconsciously is lacking.
Sensing my lack of skill, I slowly pushed the sword into the scabbard.
“Move.”
“yes? yes. wherever… … ah!”
The baron, who seems to have not come to his senses yet.
Before he knew it, an underground passage leading to somewhere was revealed due to the reaction of the magic stone.
“It will disappear in a while, so follow me.”
I patted the baron on the shoulder as he blankly stared down the aisle and moved on.
He also reflexively followed me, not knowing where he was going.
Tumble- Tumble-
The lantern in my hand illuminates the underground passage that I can’t even see in front of me.
Only the sound of the heels of the baron chasing after them filled the desolate void.
How long has it been like that? The baron opened his mouth in a more comfortable voice than before.
“Has Your Highness been hiding your swordsmanship skills?”
“Why do you think so?”
“The small man doesn’t know much about martial arts, but his courtesy skills were certainly not at the level of your highness known to the public.”
“Right.”
I didn’t agree and continued walking.
After a moment of silence, the baron’s voice was heard again.
“There must have been a reason for coming to such a place that I could not guess. Just like you did at the auction house.”
“… … .”
“Likewise, it’s okay if you don’t bother telling me. I just decided to follow Your Highness’ wishes.”
There must have been many questions besides that.
That clear determination to believe and follow him was probably a word he uttered after thinking a lot.
It made me happy that it seemed to be the opposite of Asus.
‘I will never regret the decision to follow me.’
It was a kind of forging.
After killing Asus, that kind of resolution that will make me feel a little bit more comfortable.
In the meantime, before we knew it, we were faced with a huge door that appeared at the end of the passage.
The sight gave off a terrifying atmosphere, as if it were the mouth of an infernal beast.
“Is it arriving?”
An old mural that is now dimly visible through the light of the sparsely placed lights.
The baron, who was looking at this, narrowed his eyes and said.
“ruins? No, these appear to be traces of warlocks.”
“Hoo. You seem to know a little about runes.”
“It’s not a big deal, it’s just a simple read. Rather… … .”
A series of situations in which the corpse stands up. A mysterious passage located under the cemetery. And the traces you see when you reach the end.
Putting aside the incomprehensible situations in between, the answer was already out there.
“… … This is the hideout of the warlocks. A place that has already been abandoned.”
“That is correct. I found a trace in the forbidden book of the royal palace.”
“I see, that’s why you came here to investigate.”
“hmm.”
It was a lie to say that he found it in a forbidden book.
Of course, the fact that it was for the investigation was just an excuse to take advantage of a misunderstanding.
‘It’s not clear to deceive my people… … .’
Because I couldn’t tell you why I came here.
The baron, who had been looking at the wall for a long time, opened his mouth.
“You have to be careful. There may be some danger lurking.”
I replied with a small smile at the baron’s concern about swallowing dry saliva.
“How about it? If so, will you follow me?”
He asked even though he already knew the answer.
There was a basis.
“Your Highness is here, so there is no need to worry.”
“That is a good answer.”
As if to live up to the baron’s expectations, I opened the stone door.
I didn’t know in detail what was inside, but there was no hesitation.
“You’d better close your eyes.”
and that moment.
Woo woo woo-
With a roar reverberating in my head, my vision flickered.