Chapter 144:
To say the least, it was rather an odd situation.
The so-called companions are the ones alerting the Tracking Blindfold?
For a second, I wondered if I should attempt to have a conversation after beating them all down first.
After all,
It was not like all the powers and techniques I’ve acquired disappeared despite my stats being locked.
Even if the method of using the skills and powers could be altered, it was not like I couldn’t defeat a few enemies.
But….
“……Neal, Make sure to get plenty of rest for tonight, after today, you won’t be able to get rest even if you wanted to.”
To conclude, I decided to observe the situation rather than causing a battle.
It was due to the condition of this trial.
‘The message said that I need to make a decision that I will not regret, but I can’t take it as face value.’
By needing to make an unregrettable decision, that meant that the time to make a choice was nigh.
Thus I planned to act according to the role I was given in this story.
And luckily, a part of the role fit me perfectly too.
「Administrator ‘Hero of a Fallen World’ is staring at you.」
……at least, I will not be at a disadvantage if I continued on in this manner.
After I felt the presence of the three companions disappear, I quickly got up.
Then I sat cross legged to disperse my mana to my surroundings for surveillance.
‘……there’s nothing odd in the tent, and all my other skills are activating as it should.’
Despite the hostility detected by the Tracking Blindfold, there was nothing to be determined as a trap.
Well, even if traps existed, nothing would change.
My stats might be locked, but my divine powers remained on top of my skills and powers.
Judging by the level of the companions, I’d say that it will take me no less than a few minutes to kill them all.
So there was no need to worry.
‘I have a lot of time, so I’ll get to know my situation eventually.’
I could take the lead of the situation whenever I wanted to.
»————- ★ ————-«
Once the morning came, I had to listen to numerous explanations.
“Neal, what I’m about to tell you is important, so you need to listen well.”
The speaker was a woman companion who introduced herself as Daisy.
She was the one who explained things on the first day, and it seems like she was stuck with the role now.
However, everything she spoke was nothing more than a husk.
Things like how we are on our way to the demonic realm where the demon lord resides, or how my lost memories can be slowly recovered through the protection of the holy sword….
Apologies to the Hero of a Fallen World, but to be honest, everything was just an array of useless settings.
‘Does it really matter whether I know these settings??’
I was unsure why this process was necessary, but I assumed that it’s there for a reason so I chose to listen through all the explanations.
And to briefly sum up all the important facts,
Firstly, the only one who can kill the demon lord in this world was the hero with the blessings of the god, and that’s why I still had to be in this party despite losing my memories.
So despite the memory loss, they had no choice but to drag me to the demonic realms.
‘Well, this much I understand.’
Secondly, I as the hero and the apostle of the dragon lord, could acquire large amounts of power by sacrificing my precious things to the god through the holy sword.
Perhaps the reason for losing the memories was because of that.
However, Daisy thankfully noted that among the sacrifices to the holy sword without an actual form will eventually return.
‘But can the memory that i’ve never lost in the first place return back to me?’
Until the third time of facing the demon lord, I will have to face countless enemies while regaining my strength.
This was the most absurd.
I’ve never lost my strength so what strength do I even recover…?
They’ve even attempted to re-teach me martial techniques, but I got out of that by saying that my body remembered.
‘No matter how low my stats are, I’m in no way in a position to learn from someone else.’
I had no plans of going along with this setting unless I’ve actually lost my memories..
“……that carefree attitude of yours is still the same despite losing your memory, it seems like.”
Of course Daisy seemed disbelieving of what I said, but I should be able to prove myself in a battle.
And after hearing more different things, Daisy spoke as if she said plenty.
“I’ve said everything important, so I’ll talk about the rest while we continue on.”
Once I left the tent following Daisy, I could see a stereotypical medieval style carriage.
Other than the horses clad in armor, nothing would demonstrate that this was a carriage for entering the enemy territory…..
But through my Mana Circuit’s detection ability, I could see that it did have some mana equipment installed on it.
‘I suppose it’d be odd to have nothing on the carriage.’
A man of large stature with scars all over his body approached me.
He was one of the companions of the hero that I saw last night.
He stared at me while sighing, then spoke while scratching the back of his head.
“Damn it, Fuck……. Neal, you lost your memories? You can’t even remember my name?”
“……Yes. The aftereffects of the battle must’ve been great. I don’t know who you are.”
“Sigh. The name is Allen Nix. Call me Allen. And feel free to treat me casually.”
“Understood, Allen. But I’d rather treat you politely.”
“……Fine. Do whatever you want, you’re still the same Neal even after losing memories, I suppose.”
An old man approached laughing while Allen was murmuring.
With a typical attire of a magician, I’ve seen this old man last night as well.
“You seem to be doing better than I thought, Neal.”
“Ah, You are…….”
“Zerva Denir. You can call me Zerva. At my old age, I don’t care what people refer to me as anymore.”
“Understood.”
“……you’ve become more calm after losing your memories. Let’s get on the carriage first, we need to get to the demonic realm as soon as possible.”
“……Yes.”
I wondered just how wild this hero of the fallen world was.
Daisy never let it show, but Allen and Zerva flinched every time I spoke in a polite manner.
‘Just what kind of person were they to act like this?’
「Administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ is laughing in absurdity reminiscing in the past.」
「Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ is nodding as if they understand the old man.」
I was rather curious…….
「Administrator ‘Hero of a Fallen World’ is shouting to stop talking about useless things and shut up!」
But for the sake of the commissioner, I decided to drop this thought.
»————- ★ ————-«
Rattle, rattle.
The few days traveling in the carriage were uneventful.
With minor chatters and acquiring useless information, I had nothing to declare as a gain..
“Sigh, I really thought that I’d die in that battle. Neal, you chose to attack that big army just because ‘it looks fun’.”
“It really was like that back then. But it was how the apostle of the dragon lord should’ve acted like. Well, so in the end, you did manage to defeat that army of monsters.”
“……Neal tends to do the unexpected sometimes. Well, you don’t seem to do that after losing your memories, so that’s good. But sometimes I do miss those times.”
Other than that, the only gains were finding out how friendly the rest of the companions were.
「Multiple hostile enemies detected near the user.」
「Activating ‘Automatic Tracking’ the exclusive effect of Tracking Blindfold(B+).」
But, the moment I confirmed their hostility, their friendly demeanor turned untrustable.
‘I have no idea why they consider me as an enemy, but there’s no way that the Tracking Blindfold would make a mistake.’
And this trial being physically unchallenging convinced me even more so.
However, I acted friendly towards them to gain their trust.
As if I truly lost my memories and I was relying on them.
「Administrator ‘Hero of a Fallen World’ is astonished by your unexpected excellent acting skills.」
And after a few days of relaxing times, a new change was brought forth.
Neiggggh!
The horses pulling the carriage suddenly refused to continue onwards.
The situation became clear once we exited the carriage.
After all……..
「You’re exposed to demonic energy filled environment due to your proximity of Demonic Realm.」
「The more exposure to demonic energy, the more your mind will corrode.」
I felt an ominous energy surrounding the body.
Almost as if your body is absorbing a thick viscous liquid just from breathing alone.
It was certain that it was not a positive change.
「Activating the exclusive effect ‘Ecology Adaptation’ of the item ‘Adventurer’s Handmade Gloves(B+).」
But, the item that I bought before this trial managed to counter that negative change.
「Your mind will not corrode from demonic energy.」
「+2 stats on mana in environments with high concentration of demonic energy.」
On top of buffs that raise my mana stats by 2……
While I was noting the increase on my mana, Daisy, who followed me out the carriage spoke.
“From here on, we can’t travel by carriage. Neal, we can’t be considerate to you anymore.”
“That’s fine. It’d be impossible to travel with horses in this condition anyways.”
“……You’re still the odd one even without memories. I suppose that’s how you always have been. But, the situation is not all that negative.”
Daisy nodded and threw a sword that she took out from the carriage towards me.
It was a longsword engraved with a golden dragon, but it did not seem at all functional.
However, the Fire Dragon’s Eyes could see the real value of the sword.
「Dragon Lords Sword」
「Rank : S+」
「Cutting Force +40%」
「Charisma +40%」
「Mana Management +40%」
「A holy sword bestowed upon the hero by the Dragon Lord.」
「Only when judging the evil can you use the dragon lords sword to its full potential.」
「When administering divine powers, the exclusive effect ‘Starlight’ can be activated.」
「When ‘Starlight’ is activated, starlights containing the power of the dragon can be manifested through the sword.」
「’Desire’ can be activated through an earnest prayer.」
「When ‘Desire’ is activated, you can temporarily receive powers through offering sacrifices to the dragon god.」
「When the offerings for the ‘Desire’ is not a physical object, it will slowly return back to the user over time.」
「Exclusive effect ‘Punishment’ can be activated against monster type enemies.」
「When ‘Punishment’ is activated, +7 on all stats when facing the wrong.」
「When ‘Punishment’ is activated, the power of dragons can be used when facing the wrong.」
「When ‘Punishment’ is activated, mana will not deplete.」
「……However, the item will disappear once the challenger Han SungYeun leaves the 16th floor’s individual trial area, and it can not be possessed in any form other than its designated use.」
“This is…….”
What an insane stat.
A new voice flowed while I was thinking.
“It’s the holy sword.”
Zerva, who got out of the carriage, spoke while looking at me calmly.
“It’s the sword bestowed upon the apostle of the dragon lord, and a relic befitting the hero of salvation.”
At that, I realized after reading the information about the sword.
‘Perhaps I could get an inconceivable ability after this trial………’
Sword Sense.
The ability that can choose an item within the blade category to learn it as a form of a skill.
That an opportunity to use that exclusive effect would finally come in this trial.
And
“You mentioned that there should be a monster or a demon to properly use the holy sword, right?”
Which skill I’d have to absorb among the many abilities of the holy sword…….
“Where are they right now?”
I’ll get to know very soon.
[To be continued.]
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