Chapter. 18. Railed (23)
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BGM (recommended): Solemnis / Bruno Sanfilippo
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Whiuuuu –
A dry wind blew non-stop on the soft land without a single tree.
Tongue. Tongue. Tongue.
A small bag on your back. A boy carrying luggage wrapped in cloth in his arms climbed the stairs of a half-wrecked train.
Teeook-
Stumble!
There were too many things to trip on for a boy carrying a heavy load to walk.
“…Gary.”
The dwarf, who was afraid of dark places, entered the combustion section of a burning engine headfirst, holding a shovel in his hand.
“Blackfoot.”
The dwarf engineer, who was Gary’s friend, was hanging from a mounted machine gun. Only half of the gunners were on it, which turned its muzzle toward the train, and the other half had disappeared along with a long trail of blood.
Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk.
The further we went inside, the more people who stumbled and their traces became apparent. A train driver holding a broken gun. A crushed beast with its claws raised. Train drivers whose smiling faces remain in my memory even though I have not been properly introduced to them yet.
And only at the end of the long trail of blood were we able to meet the last two people.
“You’re late.”
Voltaeus, whose hair had turned white, and
“…it was too late to do his duty.”
Naelda is sleeping on his lap.
Despite his calm tone, his body looked like something from a nightmare. Except for the head and parts of the body, almost no human parts remain.
“It’s gotten ugly.”
“In words….
Instead of recovering, all of his life and strength were burned away, and the fragments did not even have the power to run wild, so he came to his senses.
The Shard Knight, who came to his senses at the last moment, had to face all the horrors he had caused.
The life of a Shard Knight was like a rock rolling on a snowy mountain.
Endless downhill. In order not to break, you have to stretch your body even more.
When it reaches the end, it hits someone innocent and shatters them to pieces.
The origin of Shard Knight is soul art, and the origin of soul magic is black magic.
Black magic is activated by paying a price.
Therefore, every Shardknight pays a price.
“It’s fleeting and foolish.”
Everyone knows this, and yet Shard Knights are created endlessly. Because I was able to come this far after endless tumbling. If I had stopped because I was afraid of destruction, I would have ended my life helpless without being able to wander through the frozen world.
So it’s fleeting. After working so hard to get this far, I destroyed everything in my arms with my own hands.
So it’s foolish. Because I gave up even my last shining memory to console myself in return.
Crispy crispy!
Volteus covered Naelda with his collapsing body.
The cool muzzle of the gun touched his forehead. Volteus faced the boy with blurry eyes.
‘You fell. You too.’
The boy’s eyes were filled with regret, like a quagmire, that was felt by everyone on the fragmented continent.
“Are you helping me even after seeing this? The one who tried to give you the same words as me.”
“It’s easier to do something than to do nothing.”
For some reason, this boy seems strangely familiar with this kind of thing. Voltaeus saw something different from them in the boy’s eyes.
What brilliance. Or some flame.
A sunken flame, like the inner core of a planet, condensed in the very depths of a murky swamp.
It is not a decision to brighten the world, but a solid decision to lock yourself in.
‘You’re welcome. Even after seeing this, paying all the price with my own hands… I am willing.’
I think I’ll accept it.
A smile of unknown meaning appeared on the face of Volteus as he was fading away.
“It’s foolish….”
How can the world become like this? Even after seeing everything, do
these fools throw themselves away for no reason?
Voltaeus
closed his eyes at the slight vibration he felt on his forehead.
“If you do, don’t leave any regrets until the very end.”
“…Thank you, Voltaeus.”
Paaaang-
Jeok Jeok Jeok!
Coooooo!
A place to stay too. Pro-India. After erasing even the most precious memories with my own hands, I collapse on my own.
The sight, like a waterfall made of a thousand jewels, gave a feeling of majesty even in this place stained with blood.
What Shard Knight can leave behind in the world are only a few still lifes with his traces on them.
The boy picked up the last traces of him.
Chag rock.
“….a piece of dawn.”
Thumb-sized colored fragments.
And Volteus’ exclusive firearm, which is larger than his nine-year-old body.
He compromised by putting the fragments in his arms and barely leaning the weapon against the audience seat.
The rest were also sorted out one by one.
One seat per person. Gary, who is inside the brazier, takes the sunny window seat. His friend Blackfoot took the seat next to him.
It wasn’t easy to move people around in the body of a young boy, but
“…because I said I would stay on the rail ship. “It can’t be helped that the youngest is the best.”
As the last driver, I decided to take in the passengers who participated in the final run of the rail ship.
“We sold out all the cabins, so there are no seats left. Is the head space okay? Naelda.”
Ji-Ik- Ji-
Ik- Shake.
“Katrea. “You’d be better off sitting next to me.”
Slurring knock.
“Bedar, since you… um… have committed a crime, I’ll be satisfied with giving you a ride.”
It took about three hours to organize everything.
“…Is this a professional spirit? “They destroyed everything, but the important organs are still intact.”
I only learned it by eye while traveling from Fardau to this station, but since the train was involved in an accident while it was already ready for departure, I was able to make basic preparations with the skills of a half-baked engineer.
20% of the water left in the honeycomb was. The body of the car suffered damage to most of the roof and some walls. Fuel is full. No engine problems.
This was enough. At most, it’s less than a day’s drive away.
It took another two hours to change the station’s complicated tracks and prepare and run the train.
I ran around the empty station with a sweet taste in my mouth.
The boy’s small shoe-shaped blood stains were left all over the station.
“…Is this how you pull it?”
Chwiik- Shush-
『Puuuu-! Puuuuu-!』
.
.
.
.
“Then let’s get started.”
As I pulled it with great effort, as if I was hanging a heavy lever, the sturdy train began to move effortlessly even with my completely disfigured body.
The direction is towards the place they left,
the fortress city of Fardau.
****
Jik crackle- Jik-
[Communication- crackle! ….The distance to rock…. straight! I’m back-]
“Ah, are you a soul mage? Was your name long? Right?”
[The plan is… crackle! Report from the station… crackle!]
“Ah, I’ll explain everything. Is the head of the family next to you? “I have something to say.”
Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwa!
On a dark morning, a strong wind blew through the open ceiling. The red-hot engine was revealed between the fallen walls. From a distance, it looked like a comet speeding along the tracks, leaving behind a long tail.
[What a strange thing.]
“It’s been three days, matriarch.”
[The guards said they saw the smoke of a magic train on the edge of the horizon. Is it back with railships? What happened to the rest of your collaborators and the guards you assigned?]
“Horizon? Ah, I see it. Are you working hard at the factory in the morning? “Can you see the chimney smoke clearly from afar?”
[….Did you hurt your head?]
You hurt your head, then. I feel like I got hit really hard.
[Let Saddam arrive. Have you secured the fragments of Volteus?]
Fragments. It’s a fragment of Volteus.
“Yes. He’s very clearly with me.”
….Crackling-
[I had a hard time. You did an excellent job.]
“Oh well. “That’s not it again.”
[….What are you talking about?]
“What are you talking about?”
Crackling –
I glanced at my throbbing left shoulder and grinned at the sight of the fortress city that was slowly beginning to appear.
Perhaps half a day was not enough, as the fragments that had not yet settled properly were repeating growth and disappearance like living creatures.
“What would happen if you gave a nine-year-old an object that could turn into a wonderful Shard Knight?” ‘Waaah! ‘I want to do it too!’ And swallow it whole.”
[….I thought he was a brilliant guy, but he brought trouble upon himself.]
“How come you don’t look sad?”
[As reported, it seems to be true that you have great talent. Wouldn’t it be better to absorb the other fragments left in the territory and recover them as more valuable fragments?]
…. That’s right. You would think so.
“…Can you handle it?”
[what. Like you?]
“Not me now, but me after you throw it into the pile of debris like that. “What if I absorb everything that’s there?”
Talent. Shard Knight’s talent is not only extraordinary, but at an extraordinary level.
I realized this the moment I accepted the fragment of Volteus. Why do I have a talent that wasn’t given to me? Do the fragments of Volteus, the fragments of Katrea, and other small colorless fragments all respond to me?
“The legacy left by that hard work. “Instead of a world with green rivers and mountains and a splendid growth, this is all that was left behind.”
Data Souls steeped in error have extremely aggressive and evil tendencies. You could compare it to someone who is at the peak of paranoia, depression, or paranoia.
The ‘curse’ of the fragment is the price paid for carelessly contacting such a data soul. They were exposed to evil.
And the ‘suitable’ target is an acquaintance. Or, it could be seen as an entity that has some kind of connection with the fragmented Data Soul.
Not in this world, but I have lived as countless other people in countless worlds, going on adventures, living together, or breaking up.
The fragments only reach out to other data souls with whom they have a good relationship in such accumulated memories. Conversely, if you come in contact with a data soul that has a grudge against you, you will unleash all the aggression you can. That’s probably why some of the curses of the fragments cause mild fever and others cause instant death.
then. It was also obvious why all the fragments reacted to me.
“…It’s a familiar face. Please save me, right? huh? “Our brothers.”
Memories of salvation. The memory of the moment when I overcame it and finally saved them among the endlessly repeating worlds.
The only salvation in the endlessly accumulating memories of destruction.
The only person the world considers to be prepared for all of this.
‘help me.’
‘Save me. please.’
‘Just one more time.’
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
It was the desperation of those who had already lost their sense. All I could hear among the fragments that were gnawing at my memories like bugs was the endless desire for help.
A being who implanted memories of salvation in all data souls in World 3.
My memory that they all long for.
Reasons suitable for all fragments.
“…Matriarch. Do you like talking about Professor Seongja? “A great hero from 200 years ago.”
[Such nonsense-]
“I like it. I really like it. Among them, there is one story I want to tell. I feel like I want to tell you the story from beginning to end…”
Kwagwagwagwagwagwa!!!!
“…Can you hear it? Since there is no time left, I will just tell you one thing.”
Dedddddddddddd!
Rattle, rattle!
The magic train exceeded its maximum speed and was shaking wildly.
An old priest I met at a temple a long time ago.
These were the words of a priest who said he would write my story.
=========
It’s okay now. Although there is no staff to guide the bright future, isn’t there a stick to stop us if we go down the wrong path, even if it means breaking our legs?
Saint.
=========
“….I’m sorry it’s not a cane.”
[Has he turned around?]
“Now I’m finally standing in front of you.”
Voltaeus said that the life of a Shard Knight is an endless downhill slope. A steep downhill slope that ultimately leads to destruction for everyone who comes down with it.
‘….No, Voltaeus. ‘It’s not just the Shard Knight.’
It is the world that is tilted.
Why did I forget it? Data souls were not just simple NPC data, but each one was like a small manager that made up this world called GG.
If numerous data souls have one belief, it is born as a god, and if everyone believes that the sun rises in the west, the sun rises in the west. The world in which their beliefs and thoughts were intertwined was the world of GG.
‘The corruption of Data Soul is not simply an increase in evildoers. The world itself becomes malicious.’
Everyone in this world was on an endless, vicious downward slope.
Voltaeus. Naelda. George. Bedar. And Katrea.
They all had a small light in their hearts, a small good that was the only hope in this terrible world, and to protect it, they were willing to kill people and jump into the abyss of evil deeds.
Good intentions.
Malice too.
Any meaningless actions.
Everything was just heading towards a terrible conclusion on the vicious downward slope called April.
Just as a pendulum on a scale cannot tilt a downward scale no matter how much you reach upward.
All people who exist in this world commit unwanted evil, become evildoers, and fall into despair just by living.
….so. This is a world that has already gone astray.
“I’ll stop.”
So that you no longer commit evil deeds that you do not want to do. No matter what you do, don’t let yourself get further distracted in a life that only leads to tragedy.
I will break that tilted balance. I will gladly throw myself towards that downhill slope.
for me. For you guys.
For the end of this whole damn thing.
“I’ll stop here.”
[….You seem to be in severe shock.]
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. Because I have no intention of being recognized. “It’s not something to be praised for.”
Rather, it would be a terrible thing. If I were called a saint in March World, it would be different this time.
Slayer.
maniac.
madman.
….monster.
‘Is it ultimately the essence?’
The system said. In any case, the character follows the player’s essence. Only then can you evaluate the object as a true completer.
If so, then the image that has been with me in this world all this time would be my essence.
Wizard. A person who makes impossible things possible and sees and solves problems from a different perspective than others.
saint. A person with a good spirit who cannot ignore those left behind.
The body that encompasses everything is a monster.
The essence of being unable to endure one’s own helplessness and trying to be reborn as something different from what one is now. An immortal monster that throws everything away for the purpose of not caring about its appearance or horror.
….So it will be okay this time too.
Because he is that kind of person.
That’s because it’s nature.
“Tch-cha.”
As soon as I could see people on the wall with my naked eyes, I got up.
Wow.
I tied the backpack that Katrea gave me tightly inside my cloak.
Crash.
Voltaeus’s stylish gun was somehow slanted at a diagonal angle.
It was fortunate that Volteus absorbed enough fragments related to strength. Because it was a waste of time to leave behind.
“It will be fine. I am.”
I said to myself on the train rushing madly toward the city.
It will be okay. It won’t be okay though.
Even if everything I do from now on will eat away at me.
『Puu! “Puuuuuuuuu-!”
“….I’ve never even thought about going back.”
After looking back at the rail ship one last time, I kicked it and jumped off without any hesitation.
The train, which lost its brakes, did not stop even before reaching the city.
With the last passengers who have already passed away.
With combustible fuels packed so tightly that there was no room left.
Towards a city with not just a few warehouses, but dozens of coal and magicite warehouses.
Collect fragments. Collect data souls.
In the end, having more fragments means that the authority granted to the data soul called me in GG increases.
If only I could collect all data souls. So if I can have higher authority than that system.
Wouldn’t it be possible to leave this endless purgatory with them?
In reality, the data souls who have been abused for nearly eternity… go to rest.
“…Please wait. “Just until I get out of here with everyone.”
Please rest in peace until that day comes.
It’s a good thing-!!!!
The magic train derailed because it could not overcome the bombardment and speed coming from the castle walls.
The train, which could no longer be stopped, rushed towards the homes of countless people.
I fell off the train and was protected by the fragments of Volteus. I saw with my eyes the sight of thousands of lives disappearing.
He left his first mark on a world that is only heading downhill.
will save them
Even like this.
Even if I stop everyone with my own hands.
****
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Tiring-!
[Scenario update]
[Player enters ‘professor’ scenario 24E-4032]
[Checks 372 variables that are outside the error 20.04% scenario]
[Predictor variables are very high]
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.
.
[Calculate the following scenarios based on the player’s psychological analysis.]
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[Confidence 73%]
[Scenario ‘Return to Purity’ on hold]
Tiring-
Tiring-
Tiring-
Tiring-
[System top priority scenario added.]
[Start examining possibilities for scenario ‘My own World’]
****
*** *
Gorgeous city. Somewhere in the back alleys of the city’s underbelly.
“hey.”
Crack, thump, thump.
“Hey~ Newsboy! “I’ll give you money, so tell me about today’s news!”
Stop.
“If you go out onto the main road, they sell decent newspapers.”
“Does the paper cost a penny or two? So they’re not taking advantage of newsboys like you! “Stop talking nonsense and come here!”
“…Are you really going to give me money?”
The scruffy boy looked up and down at the thug who had called him out.
A cloak that looked as if it had been soaked in mud for three days.
With a grumpy attitude, what I picked up was the cheapest mushroom powder soup.
‘….hmm?’
And although it is faint, the luster of metal seeps out from inside the cloak.
‘A believer in chivalry?’
The armor worn by old knights is an item sold at a high price, regardless of preference. That’s because there’s that much iron in it right now. The only people who wore proper armor like that were Oranites and those who believed in chivalry, and neither of them had deep pockets.
‘It’s not full-body plate mail, so it’s not an Oranite belonging to the city. Seeing that he was dressed appropriately, as much as he could get it… he seems to be a believer in chivalry!’
The more I looked at it, the more appetizing it became. A true Auror Knight is strict about spending money, but chivalrous fools think that spending money profusely is effective in revealing their dignity!
The boy, thinking that this scoundrel had more money than he thought, rushed towards them.
“Hmm. We would like to sincerely thank our customers for using us today! As for me, as the morning newsboy for Big Mouth, a famous newspaper company, Yuu, who has been around since the days of the Teldrat Empire-” “
Forget the intro and start by reading up on the prices of fragments.”
“Ah yep!”
‘Umm alley scoundrel 1. Believer in chivalry – fragment hunter.’
The boy immediately cheered when he saw the thugs asking about the price of the fragments. A debris hunter was a very wealthy person, so I thought I might be able to get a tip if I looked good.
One by one, the boy began to tell the man the news he had memorized until early yesterday morning until it gave him a headache.
“…Are you sure you memorized it correctly? “The price of fragments has risen that much?”
“sure! According to my memorization, it is the highest level of accuracy, within three fingers, even at our Big Mouth-”
“Close. “Is there any related news?”
“Hehehe. “That…”
Of course there was, but the boy rubbed his fingertips while looking at the man’s gaze. Among the newsboys, some of the brightest ones could memorize days or even months worth of news, and telling relevant information among such a vast amount of information was a task that only a fairly skilled newsboy could do.
Isn’t it natural for high-end services to come with additional fees?
“Extra charge.”
“yep! “A crazy guy landed in the old Rodrik direction two months ago!”
The boy unlatched all the bars on his mouth with a large piece of silver that fell in his hand.
“Crazy guy?”
“yes! Crazy guy! “A crazy guy has landed in this neighborhood!”
The boy paused for a moment here. There is no better seasoning than silence to maximize the fun of a story.
“You are a fragment hunter, aren’t you?”
“Uh… right. for now.”
“Then have you heard about the monster that has become an urban legend among hunters and shard knights?”
The man shook his head and the boy smiled broadly and rubbed his fingers again.
Squeak!
“Warlord! “The news is that the urban legend of the mysterious shard hunter walking around, of which only rumors are abound, has now descended near Old Rodrik!”
.
.
.
.
“….”
“….”
Sigh!
“Aya! “Why are you hitting me?”
“Hey dude! Even if you add seasoning, you have to use it in moderation! “What is a Warlord? A Warlord!”
“Ah, this came from a really trustworthy source!”
The boy cried out as if he was wronged, but in fact, even he wasn’t sure if this was real.
Who is the Warlord? Isn’t this a monster that is half treated as an urban legend or a rumor?
They say it’s a monster that not only roams the soft land like it’s its own home, but also hunts down tunnel bugs by pounding the ground with a large hammer.
It is also said that Nigmi, a wandering mutelord who devoured the dungeon alone and who had no dungeon and wasted all his power on his own strength, ran away to the other side of the continent as soon as he saw him.
Isn’t it said that he was responsible for the unprecedented event that took place on Polgrad Island 19 years ago, when three fortress cities were destroyed in one year?
‘Is it possible for humans to do that?’
Although it was not true according to the boy’s common sense, it was clear that it was a provocative and popular rumor. Some say that a secret society of soul magicians regards him as the ‘master of great unity’.
“anyway! The market froze at the news that a monster sweeping up debris was coming! The merchants hissed, fearing they might get swept away, and the atmosphere was suspicious, so the Shard Knight was anxious about being hunted, so he didn’t sell the fragments and tried to absorb at least one of them somehow. Thanks to this, I only played with soul mage who could appraise fragments. “I’m going to build a fortress with the fee.”
“hmm. Warlord… Is this just a rumor?”
“Well, if you really want to be specific, it’s a rumor, but it lacks some empirical evidence where there is a line between information and rumor-” “
Well, it wasn’t worth the money, but it was fun. “Go.”
“Yes! Always fast and accurate ~ Big Mouse! He was a newsboy!”
“….”
“Aren’t you going?”
“Oh, well… are you going to stay here for a long time?”
“maybe? “It arrived yesterday… so it will be there for three months, right?”
“Oh, then…”
The boy hesitated for a moment, but he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to meet Jaesin again, so he closed his eyes and said.
“Hey, wouldn’t you like to subscribe to our Big Mouth Newsboy?”
“….”
“Well…. If you pay a certain amount of money, a newsboy will come to your residence every morning and deliver the freshest news! Customers who have purchased a regular ticket will be provided with a little more valuable information, or we can tell them interesting stories or jokes like today to start their day refreshed…”
Seeing the other person not responding, the boy gave up halfway.
In fact, newsboys are sometimes treated like city spies. Subscribing to a subscription was tantamount to handing over the target’s residence and lifestyle to a group selling information, and in most cases, such requests were met with abusive language and even confiscation of the money given.
‘Why can’t the boss release such a stupid product…!’
Although the response was bad, the product was strongly recommended by the CEO of Big Mouth. If you didn’t want to get fired, you had to meet your quarterly quota.
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry! “I just didn’t hear it… huh?”
“I do. “It would be nice to be noisy every morning.”
“You idiot! thanks! thank you!”
The boy quickly took out the application form, wondering if this guy might change his mind.
“I’ll take care of writing down all the other annoying things! “It’s okay for me to come in the morning!”
“okay. “I like a guy who speaks well.”
“The residence is-”
“Union 3, 2nd floor, Wigen Station.”
“Ugh! You were a valued guest. “Then, finally, can you tell me your name?”
“Give it to me. “I’ll write it down.”
The man took the application form from the boy’s hand and then scribbled on a thin piece of wood.
widely. Crack. widely.
[HIDE]
“Uh… what does this read? Because I have limited knowledge….”
“Hyde. “Most people don’t know, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Hyde… It’s Mr. Hyde! Thank you! See you tomorrow morning!”
“I’ll tell the station staff, so come inside right away.”
“Hey, this is such a kind ho-hoin, sir!”
Hurry!
The boy grinned as to what was so good about him and ran out of the alley.
“I tell you again, you will never regret it, Mr. Hyde!”
Mr. Hyde-
Mr. Hyde-
Mr. Hyde-
Mr. Hyde—
At the boy’s booming voice, Hyde could only hold up a bowl of cheap soup.
“Warlord…”
Remembering the rumor the boy had just left behind, Hyde put down the empty soup bowl and headed out of the alley.
Let’s hope this time he’s the one he’s looking for.
****
