1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“By the way, Lord Linos… How is Matokal doing?” Layfence spoke. Outside the barrier, the infighting was still ongoing, and the seasoned general, while gazing at the scene with bewilderment, weakly addressed Linos.
“She hasn’t regained consciousness, but it seems there are no life-threatening injuries. I left her in Mei’s care, so I believe she’ll be alright,” Linos replied.
Hearing these words, the old general nodded slowly.
“King Agarta…”
A voice from behind called Linos. Turning in the direction of the voice, Linos saw Vielle standing alone.
“What brings you here? As you can see, outside the barrier, there’s a gruesome fight happening. It’s not something a young lady like you should witness. Stay inside the barrier.”
“I don’t mind. However, I have a request,” Vielle said with a resolute expression. “Please release me from here.”
“Vielle, take a good look at the scene before you. Soldiers who have consumed some unknown potion are joyfully fighting each other. If you step outside the barrier, despite being the Pope’s granddaughter, they will undoubtedly kill you.”
“Even so, it doesn’t matter. Those soldiers likely drank a potion that the Holy Kingdom has been keeping secret… a potion that turns humans into berserkers. My grandfather, Pope Juvansel Cane, worked on it for a long time. If you drink it, you feel no pain and fight with joy until death. I never expected Cassel to use it… that boy used it,” Vielle explained.
“I see. So that’s the secret of the Holy Kingdom’s strength. Most armies wouldn’t stand a chance against soldiers like those who have been created over many years. Creating something like that is beyond the actions of a sane person. Are you Crimeana people really that corrupt?”
Vielle met Linos’s gaze, filled with hatred, in silence and then spoke again.
“The soldiers outside the barrier will eventually meet their end. I want to save them, even if I can. I want to do what I can,” Vielle said firmly.
“Save dying soldiers? Those who are fighting each other?” Linos questioned.
“Yes. I don’t know if I can, but I want to do what I can,” Vielle replied.
“…I see. Do as you please. I won’t care if you die,” Linos said, moving aside to let her pass. He noticed that behind Linos and Vielle, many Crimean believers had gathered. They were all watching in silence. Glancing at them briefly, Vielle bowed to Linos and slowly stepped outside the barrier.
As soon as she left the barrier, she found a man lying on the ground, his body covered in wounds. However, he was still breathing and continued to wield his sword weakly, wearing an ecstatic expression. With a voice that couldn’t be described as laughter or joy, the man looked at Vielle and continued to laugh, waving his sword feebly.
“Heeheeheehee, heeheeheehee, heehee, heehee, heehee.”
Without hesitation, Vielle approached him. She gently grabbed the arm that was waving the sword aimlessly and held him close.
“Heeheeheehee, heeheeheehee, heehee, heehee, heehee.”
It seemed the man’s life was already fading. Gradually, his laughter grew softer. Despite her clothes being stained with his spattered blood, Vielle continued to embrace him.
“It must have been difficult for you. You’re safe now. You did well. You did well…”
“Heeheeheehee… heeheehee… Mo… ther…”
With these words, the man slumped down. Vielle gently laid him on the ground and then tenderly stroked his face.
“Gyahahaha… Ahahahaheehee. Ahahahaheeheeheehee.”
Once again, there were strange cries from outside the barrier. When Vielle looked, she saw several men limping towards her. She slowly turned to the source of the noise. It became apparent that these men had swords in their hands and were clearly intent on killing her. However, these men never got close to Vielle. Linos’s wind magic swiftly severed their heads.
“General… Can you send the Crimean soldiers outside the barrier to the afterlife?” Linos asked.
“You’re right. Killing them is an act of mercy,” Layfence muttered, and he led the soldiers outside the barrier. In exchange, Vielle returned. Her appearance was macabre, not just her body but also her cheeks and arms were splattered with blood, but her face remained composed.
“King Agarta, thank you,” she said, bowing respectfully to Linos. He nodded in response and spoke to the surrounding soldiers.
“Someone! Guard Vielle and the others! Don’t let your guard down until I return!”
With those words, Linos spurred his horse, Ilymo, and swiftly left the barrier village.
——–
“Pant, pant, pant. Everyone… everyone… die! You’re all going to die!”
Cassel muttered under his breath as he rode through the dim forest. The soldiers who had consumed the Holy Kingdom’s secret potion were likely transformed into berserkers. Imagining the scene of warriors finding joy only in killing, even the thought was exhilarating. Surely by now, they were slaughtering detestable Agartan soldiers and killing the traitors, including Vielle.
Amidst his reverie, Cassel was suddenly thrown off his horse.
“Damn it! What’s wrong, you useless horse!”
Before he could utter another word, he was left speechless by the sight before him.
In front of him, several massive wolves had attacked the horses they were riding. One wolf was savagely tearing at the hind legs of a horse, another had sunk its teeth into the horse’s belly, and a third was clamped onto the horse’s neck. The horse had ceased its cries, its eyes devoid of life.
“Grrrrrrr…”
An eerie sound echoed from behind. Just as he attempted to turn around, Cassel felt a searing pain in his left shoulder.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
A desperate scream reverberated through the forest. He realized he couldn’t breathe due to the shocking scene before him.
In front of his eyes, a gigantic wolf, seemingly the same kind as the ones attacking the horses, had clamped onto Cassel’s left shoulder. The wolf showed no mercy, biting down harder with its jaws, tearing away Cassel’s left shoulder.
“Iyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaah!”
The intense pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. The wolf in front of him chewed and savored the piece it had torn from him with relish. His left arm had been devoured.
“I can’t die! I won’t die! I’m going to become Pope! I won’t die in a place like this!”
“Uwaaaaaaaah! Someone! Anyone! Help! Help! Help! Someone! Someone! Mother! Mother! Mother!”
Cassel was screaming desperately, but his voice fell on deaf ears. The wolf began to approach him slowly once again.
“No, no, no! Stop! Please, stop!”
He wanted to run, but his body wouldn’t respond. Tears streamed down Cassel’s face as he desperately squeezed out his pleas. Whether his cries had an effect or not, the wolf’s advance halted. Then, with a shudder and a turn on its heel, it began to growl menacingly in a direction where no one was present.
Cassel, still trembling, stared fixedly at the bushes that the wolf was glaring at. After a while, someone unexpected emerged from that thicket – Agarta’s King, Linos.
“It’s quite an interesting situation, isn’t it, kid?”
Sitting atop a stunningly beautiful white horse, Linos addressed Cassel. Cassel couldn’t grasp the reality of the situation. What had happened to the berserkers? Where was his sister? How had Linos managed to catch up to him? These thoughts spun in his head.
“Still all alone, huh?” Linos continued with a mocking tone. “Your mind must really be rotting, kid. A child venturing alone into the woods is practically a suicide mission. Oh, and if you were trying to commit suicide, I’ve interrupted your plans.”
Cassel still couldn’t comprehend the reality unfolding before him. However, he could feel intense pain emanating from his missing left arm. Whether it was due to blood loss or fear, he had already lost sensation in his left side. His mouth was involuntarily chattering, producing a clicking sound. Observing this, Linos wore a wicked smile.
Linos’s right hand briefly emitted a radiant glow. With that, the wound on Cassel’s left arm began to heal, and the bleeding stopped.
“When your life is in danger, I’ve placed a barrier that provides the bare minimum of healing. No matter how severe your injuries, it will return you to your current state at the very least. Consider it a special service for your bleeding left arm. However, until you suffer a mortal wound, you’ll continue to feel pain and agony as usual. Wander on the brink of death repeatedly while you continue living.”
Cassel screamed, “What… what is your intention? Kill me! Do you claim this is the will of the Divine? Wicked deity! Kill me!”
“Your words change quickly now begging for help, don’t they? Well, never mind. This is just my whim. Probably, your beloved Crimeana religion and the Holy Kingdom will soon be visited by great calamity. Watch it all unfold without interfering. Learn what was right and what was wrong. In the midst of hell, try to find your own answers. Well, do your best. I hope you’ll lead a meaningful life from now on. Oh, by the way, I’m not a wicked deity. I’m… just a pretend Demon King. Don’t get it wrong.”
With those final words, Linos wore a smug smile, turned on his heel, and disappeared into the forest with the speed of the wind. Meanwhile, the wolf that had been threatening Cassel once again turned its attention toward him, slowly inching closer.
Cassel continued to tremble and plead, “No… don’t come… stop… don’t come any closer!”
And so, Cassel’s journey into a living hell was about to begin.
1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“By the way, Lord Linos… How is Matokal doing?” Layfence spoke. Outside the barrier, the infighting was still ongoing, and the seasoned general, while gazing at the scene with bewilderment, weakly addressed Linos.
“She hasn’t regained consciousness, but it seems there are no life-threatening injuries. I left her in Mei’s care, so I believe she’ll be alright,” Linos replied.
Hearing these words, the old general nodded slowly.
“King Agarta…”
A voice from behind called Linos. Turning in the direction of the voice, Linos saw Vielle standing alone.
“What brings you here? As you can see, outside the barrier, there’s a gruesome fight happening. It’s not something a young lady like you should witness. Stay inside the barrier.”
“I don’t mind. However, I have a request,” Vielle said with a resolute expression. “Please release me from here.”
“Vielle, take a good look at the scene before you. Soldiers who have consumed some unknown potion are joyfully fighting each other. If you step outside the barrier, despite being the Pope’s granddaughter, they will undoubtedly kill you.”
“Even so, it doesn’t matter. Those soldiers likely drank a potion that the Holy Kingdom has been keeping secret… a potion that turns humans into berserkers. My grandfather, Pope Juvansel Cane, worked on it for a long time. If you drink it, you feel no pain and fight with joy until death. I never expected Cassel to use it… that boy used it,” Vielle explained.
“I see. So that’s the secret of the Holy Kingdom’s strength. Most armies wouldn’t stand a chance against soldiers like those who have been created over many years. Creating something like that is beyond the actions of a sane person. Are you Crimeana people really that corrupt?”
Vielle met Linos’s gaze, filled with hatred, in silence and then spoke again.
“The soldiers outside the barrier will eventually meet their end. I want to save them, even if I can. I want to do what I can,” Vielle said firmly.
“Save dying soldiers? Those who are fighting each other?” Linos questioned.
“Yes. I don’t know if I can, but I want to do what I can,” Vielle replied.
“…I see. Do as you please. I won’t care if you die,” Linos said, moving aside to let her pass. He noticed that behind Linos and Vielle, many Crimean believers had gathered. They were all watching in silence. Glancing at them briefly, Vielle bowed to Linos and slowly stepped outside the barrier.
As soon as she left the barrier, she found a man lying on the ground, his body covered in wounds. However, he was still breathing and continued to wield his sword weakly, wearing an ecstatic expression. With a voice that couldn’t be described as laughter or joy, the man looked at Vielle and continued to laugh, waving his sword feebly.
“Heeheeheehee, heeheeheehee, heehee, heehee, heehee.”
Without hesitation, Vielle approached him. She gently grabbed the arm that was waving the sword aimlessly and held him close.
“Heeheeheehee, heeheeheehee, heehee, heehee, heehee.”
It seemed the man’s life was already fading. Gradually, his laughter grew softer. Despite her clothes being stained with his spattered blood, Vielle continued to embrace him.
“It must have been difficult for you. You’re safe now. You did well. You did well…”
“Heeheeheehee… heeheehee… Mo… ther…”
With these words, the man slumped down. Vielle gently laid him on the ground and then tenderly stroked his face.
“Gyahahaha… Ahahahaheehee. Ahahahaheeheeheehee.”
Once again, there were strange cries from outside the barrier. When Vielle looked, she saw several men limping towards her. She slowly turned to the source of the noise. It became apparent that these men had swords in their hands and were clearly intent on killing her. However, these men never got close to Vielle. Linos’s wind magic swiftly severed their heads.
“General… Can you send the Crimean soldiers outside the barrier to the afterlife?” Linos asked.
“You’re right. Killing them is an act of mercy,” Layfence muttered, and he led the soldiers outside the barrier. In exchange, Vielle returned. Her appearance was macabre, not just her body but also her cheeks and arms were splattered with blood, but her face remained composed.
“King Agarta, thank you,” she said, bowing respectfully to Linos. He nodded in response and spoke to the surrounding soldiers.
“Someone! Guard Vielle and the others! Don’t let your guard down until I return!”
With those words, Linos spurred his horse, Ilymo, and swiftly left the barrier village.
——–
“Pant, pant, pant. Everyone… everyone… die! You’re all going to die!”
Cassel muttered under his breath as he rode through the dim forest. The soldiers who had consumed the Holy Kingdom’s secret potion were likely transformed into berserkers. Imagining the scene of warriors finding joy only in killing, even the thought was exhilarating. Surely by now, they were slaughtering detestable Agartan soldiers and killing the traitors, including Vielle.
Amidst his reverie, Cassel was suddenly thrown off his horse.
“Damn it! What’s wrong, you useless horse!”
Before he could utter another word, he was left speechless by the sight before him.
In front of him, several massive wolves had attacked the horses they were riding. One wolf was savagely tearing at the hind legs of a horse, another had sunk its teeth into the horse’s belly, and a third was clamped onto the horse’s neck. The horse had ceased its cries, its eyes devoid of life.
“Grrrrrrr…”
An eerie sound echoed from behind. Just as he attempted to turn around, Cassel felt a searing pain in his left shoulder.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
A desperate scream reverberated through the forest. He realized he couldn’t breathe due to the shocking scene before him.
In front of his eyes, a gigantic wolf, seemingly the same kind as the ones attacking the horses, had clamped onto Cassel’s left shoulder. The wolf showed no mercy, biting down harder with its jaws, tearing away Cassel’s left shoulder.
“Iyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaah!”
The intense pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. The wolf in front of him chewed and savored the piece it had torn from him with relish. His left arm had been devoured.
“I can’t die! I won’t die! I’m going to become Pope! I won’t die in a place like this!”
“Uwaaaaaaaah! Someone! Anyone! Help! Help! Help! Someone! Someone! Mother! Mother! Mother!”
Cassel was screaming desperately, but his voice fell on deaf ears. The wolf began to approach him slowly once again.
“No, no, no! Stop! Please, stop!”
He wanted to run, but his body wouldn’t respond. Tears streamed down Cassel’s face as he desperately squeezed out his pleas. Whether his cries had an effect or not, the wolf’s advance halted. Then, with a shudder and a turn on its heel, it began to growl menacingly in a direction where no one was present.
Cassel, still trembling, stared fixedly at the bushes that the wolf was glaring at. After a while, someone unexpected emerged from that thicket – Agarta’s King, Linos.
“It’s quite an interesting situation, isn’t it, kid?”
Sitting atop a stunningly beautiful white horse, Linos addressed Cassel. Cassel couldn’t grasp the reality of the situation. What had happened to the berserkers? Where was his sister? How had Linos managed to catch up to him? These thoughts spun in his head.
“Still all alone, huh?” Linos continued with a mocking tone. “Your mind must really be rotting, kid. A child venturing alone into the woods is practically a suicide mission. Oh, and if you were trying to commit suicide, I’ve interrupted your plans.”
Cassel still couldn’t comprehend the reality unfolding before him. However, he could feel intense pain emanating from his missing left arm. Whether it was due to blood loss or fear, he had already lost sensation in his left side. His mouth was involuntarily chattering, producing a clicking sound. Observing this, Linos wore a wicked smile.
Linos’s right hand briefly emitted a radiant glow. With that, the wound on Cassel’s left arm began to heal, and the bleeding stopped.
“When your life is in danger, I’ve placed a barrier that provides the bare minimum of healing. No matter how severe your injuries, it will return you to your current state at the very least. Consider it a special service for your bleeding left arm. However, until you suffer a mortal wound, you’ll continue to feel pain and agony as usual. Wander on the brink of death repeatedly while you continue living.”
Cassel screamed, “What… what is your intention? Kill me! Do you claim this is the will of the Divine? Wicked deity! Kill me!”
“Your words change quickly now begging for help, don’t they? Well, never mind. This is just my whim. Probably, your beloved Crimeana religion and the Holy Kingdom will soon be visited by great calamity. Watch it all unfold without interfering. Learn what was right and what was wrong. In the midst of hell, try to find your own answers. Well, do your best. I hope you’ll lead a meaningful life from now on. Oh, by the way, I’m not a wicked deity. I’m… just a pretend Demon King. Don’t get it wrong.”
With those final words, Linos wore a smug smile, turned on his heel, and disappeared into the forest with the speed of the wind. Meanwhile, the wolf that had been threatening Cassel once again turned its attention toward him, slowly inching closer.
Cassel continued to tremble and plead, “No… don’t come… stop… don’t come any closer!”
And so, Cassel’s journey into a living hell was about to begin.
