NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 226
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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A hideaway in the great forest.
“Why…”
The faces of those asking for reasons kept changing.
At first, it was Dorempa, but from the middle, it changed to old colleagues and people whose names he didn’t know.
“Why…”
Why was it?
Often, people in recurring nightmares always asked him for reasons.
And it always ended with…
“Why!”
It was the leader.
As the thunderous shout echoed in his ears, Ivar suddenly sat up in bed.
“Cough, cough.”
Looking around with a sweaty face, he realized it was already night.
Unlike the dream, the hideout was anything but quiet.
‘Darn it, a restless night’s sleep.’
Scratching—
Ivar mechanically took some herbs and lay back down.
After encountering the Hero in the laboratory.
He focused solely on recovering in the hideout without stepping out.
The Hero’s pursuit was faster than he had anticipated.
They would meet soon.
‘Leader…’
The face that screamed in the dream and the face he saw in the laboratory during the day intersected in the darkness.
Ivar clenched his fist.
…Gradually, the end of their enduring bond was becoming visible.
‘It’s been years already.’
His first encounter with the Hero was when the Dawn Knights were just starting out and gaining fame.
Theo ordered him to infiltrate the Dawn Knights as his comrade, and Ivar faithfully followed.
Thus, sometimes living as a hero, sometimes as a pawn.
Memories of leading the charge against demons.
Memories of secretly harming humans from behind.
The two intertwined.
Since when?
Ivar no longer thought about the consequences of his actions.
But does that mean he truly doesn’t understand?
Countless heroes died because of the information he passed on, the traps he set.
And their absence brought about even more death.
“Someday, you will pay for your sins!”
Long ago, the nameless man who shouted at him as if spitting blood came to mind.
‘Pay for the sins…’
Ivar gritted his teeth at this.
‘Sins, huh… fucking right. I couldn’t help it either.’
If anyone were in his position, they would have chosen betrayal just like him.
He had something to protect.
More precious than comrades or nameless individuals.
Who could throw stones at him?
Ivar, who had been frowning, suddenly smiled bitterly.
‘…Well, except for one person.’
Ted Redymer was an incomprehensible human.
A person who mechanically pursued justice.
If he had to sacrifice himself, even his family-like comrades, to save people he didn’t even know, he would.
Ivar could never understand his judgment.
‘Somewhere, he’s broken.’
The leader was wrong.
He really didn’t know what was truly important.
‘A hypocrite.’
Scratching—
It was the moment Ivar was about to resume his recovery exercises.
‘Huh?’
As he took a deep breath, there was something oddly disturbing.
The fresh air flowing into the hideout.
…Yes, it was clear and clean night air.
“!”
Ivar suddenly stood up and spread his mana around.
‘…Gone?’
Ivar’s face froze like a statue.
The numerous curses installed by Theo’s subordinates had disappeared.
Some remained, but even those were greatly weakened.
‘How?’
No matter how deeply he slept, who could deceive his sensitive senses and dispel the curses?
But Ivar didn’t have time to leisurely deduce the culprit.
He had to leave first.
It was the moment Ivar hurriedly headed towards the entrance of the cave.
“……”
He froze in place, unable to take a few steps.
A familiar silhouette was waiting for him at the entrance of the cave.
Ivar’s lips slowly curled.
“…You’ve come?”
The Hero didn’t respond.
Just raising the Black Hope, pointing it at Ivar.
A faint glimmer gathered at the tip of the sword.
Ivar spread his hands out and looked at it.
Ssshaaaack!
The condensed sword energy in the shape of a small sphere flew, illuminating the dark cave like a shooting star.
Concentration · Halo.
It was a technique he had grown tired of seeing on the battlefield.
…It was also a technique he had expected would one day turn against him.
Kwaaaaaang!
The cave collapsed violently, shaking fiercely from the explosion caused by Halo.
Ivar raised his head.
Though it seemed unlikely, amidst the rumbling of the collapse, the Hero’s ominous voice seemed to penetrate.
“…It’s time to pay for your sins.”
Ivar’s face contorted like a demon right after that.
“Sorry, leader.”
Wuuuuung-
A “tempest” rose through his body.
“I can’t die here.”
He had to somehow survive and leave this place.
* * *
Kwa-ga-ga-gang!
Piles of rocks weighing over dozens of tons crushed Ivar.
But the Hero paid no heed and immediately prepared for the next technique.
▼
Infinite Style 1: Annihilation.
▲
Zzzzeeeerrrrr—
Dozens of ice arrows appeared in the air without any incantation or gesture.
Enriched with magic, they were so large that they could be called spears.
▼
Infinite Style 1: Annihilation.
▲
▼
Infinite Style 1: Annihilation.
▲
Arrows increasing in number.
Wuuuuung—
All aimed at the crumbling debris.
The Hero’s expression as he watched remained unchanged.
He knew that a collapsing cave would hardly hinder Ivar’s path.
During countless avatar duels, there was only one way to gain the upper hand against him.
Lead the battlefield to utilize that “ace in the hole.”
The Hero began calculating in his mind as he took a deep breath.
At that moment.
Kwaaaaaang—
Ivar burst out of the rubble into the air.
To no one’s surprise, there wasn’t even a scratch on his skin.
Wuuuuuuung—!
Thanks to the tempest enveloping his whole body, everything around was obliterated.
Crumbled rocks scattered everywhere.
Ivar’s black pupils turned towards the Hero.
“Leader!”
Ivar didn’t wait for a response.
Like he had wings, he twisted in the air and immediately rushed towards him.
He intended to narrow the distance quickly to reduce the effectiveness of the swordsmanship.
Close combat.
It was exactly as the Hero had anticipated…
He had to land a blow before Ivar could approach.
▼
Unique ability of Black Hope: Domain.
▲
Ssshaaaack—
Along with the powerful gravity pressing Ivar down, twenty ice arrows shot straight towards him.
Ssshaaaack—
With a time delay, another twenty arrows shot towards Ivar’s back.
A movement to find gaps in the rushing wind.
The remaining twenty arrows were still wriggling behind the Hero like snakes, aiming for prey.
For a moment, panic appeared on Ivar’s face.
“……!”
Ivar knew Ted’s combat style too well.
Therefore, he couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Neither magic nor martial arts… What is this?’
There was one thing for sure.
Its power was considerable.
Wuuuuung—
While dodging, Ivar expelled wind in all directions to push away the arrows.
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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Kwaang—!
But avoiding them was not enough.
The arrows passing by Ivar exploded one after another.
Thanks to the gravity of the field, the sharp fragments didn’t scatter but aimed straight at Ivar.
‘Annoying!’
Ultimately, Ivar found himself unable to do anything but fend them off one by one while suspended in mid-air.
Under normal circumstances, he would have simply ignored them, but it would have been dangerous to let the cold penetrate his body while he was still recovering from his injuries.
“……”
However, despite the failed approach, Ivar’s expression wasn’t particularly dark.
He looked down at the Hero beneath him with narrowed eyes.
‘It seems it’s true that he’s weakened.’
…More than he thought.
If it were the usual Ted, without resorting to such tricks, he would have pummeled Ivar from the beginning with “Horizon.”
Horizon was the most suitable salvation ritual against Ivar.
But there was no sign of his signature move, “Sword Sheath of the Empty Sky.”
‘What if the leader can’t even properly execute Style 5?’
Thud-
His heart pounded fiercely, but for a different reason than before.
If the Hero was truly weakened to that extent, it would be more than just fleeing; it would be a chance to gain the upper hand.
‘The Great Battle, a fight where losing one’s life wouldn’t be strange. There’s also a good chance of sustaining more serious injuries than expected.’
Ivar’s eyes flashed.
‘For now, I can only try.’
From then on, Ivar changed his attack strategy.
He darted around quickly, attacking only with wind within the range where the Hero’s sword couldn’t reach.
Hit and run.
Without Horizon, he couldn’t deliver a decisive blow.
As time passed, Ivar’s face brightened.
‘…Just as I thought!’
The Hero continued occasional attacks and defenses using Nova.
But he never fully unleashed Horizon.
He didn’t even use Stellar Lift.
There was only one reason.
‘Fearing mana consumption.’
Even though it was hard to see it as a trick, the Hero was gradually being wounded by Ivar’s Tempest.
Although not fatal, there was considerable bleeding.
…That’s when it happened.
Wuuuuung-
A moment of fear flashed across Ivar’s face, which had been filled with triumphant joy.
It was because he noticed the mana forming in the air.
‘Sword Sheath!’
Ivar’s heart sank.
‘It’s Horizon!’
Ivar reflexively stopped flying.
Just before the learned fear overwhelmed Ivar,
‘…Huh?’
He realized something was wrong.
‘Is it incomplete?’
The ultimate swordsmanship, Horizon.
Normally, the terrifying judgment would have been unleashed with the appearance of Sword Sheath.
But the form of the sheath was still incomplete.
‘Was it forced?’
Ivar looked at the Hero.
Beads of sweat trickled down the Hero’s face.
Ivar tensed his body.
‘It’s my chance.’
The Hero seemed to be pouring almost all of his concentration into forming the sword.
The defensive magic he had layered on his body also weakened.
‘Would you like to give flesh and take the bone?’
Then so be it.
The calculation was swift.
With that imperfect Horizon, Ivar wouldn’t be killed instantly even if he was hit.
‘But if my attack strikes the leader in that state, it can be fatal.’
No matter how strong the Hero was, he couldn’t withstand Ivar’s Tempest with just his body.
The Hero was a mountain he couldn’t cross, but Ivar could bend it.
As a master of martial arts, Ivar couldn’t help but get excited.
His twisted ambition began to rise.
“Leader!”
Ivar flew towards the ground like a hawk catching its prey.
Anyway, it was close to impossible to visually perceive and react to Horizon.
After predicting the trajectory and taking evasive action, Ivar aimed his Tempest-enveloped fist at the silhouette of the approaching Hero.
Cshhh-
Thunk-
A well-crafted alloy enveloped the Hero’s body.
While most armor reflects light, the ‘Boeun’ seemed to absorb light instead.
The subtle shine of the armor fading into the darkness.
Ivar’s eyes shook violently.
‘What is that…?’
But it was too late to stop the attack and turn around.
“……!”
The Hero had already unleashed Horizon upon him.
Sharper than the fleeting blue glow in his sight was the intensity in his eyes.
Ivar felt a momentary sense of unease, but quickly threw a punch.
A deafening boom erupted.
Sssaaaak-
Kwaaaang-!
The intersecting Horizon and Tempest.
“Krrrugh!”
Ivar clutched his left shoulder and tumbled to the ground.
Hot blood spurted between his fingers.
“Huh, huh.”
Had he not anticipated the point of impact and twisted his body, his heart would have been pierced.
A deep gash remained from his left shoulder to his chest.
But Ivar’s face was filled with delight.
‘…It definitely hit!’
The Hero also tumbled in the same direction.
The fist had struck his heart precisely.
Even with armor, the shock would have reached his heart.
It surely would have been fatal.
Ivar staggered to his feet and looked at the fallen Hero with hopeful eyes.
But…
“…What?”
The Hero was already standing straight.
Even as blackened blood poured from his helmet, his body stood firm.
…This was absurd.
Unknowingly, Ivar took a step back.
A familiar voice echoed in his ears; it was then.
“What a relentless attack.”
If he hadn’t been a doppelganger, even with armor, he would have been killed instantly.
His heart was halfway shattered.
Even now, his mental strength was being drained as he healed his internal organs.
Yet, the armor wasn’t useless.
If he had been unarmored, his body would have been torn beyond recovery.
Thanks to the armor’s primary function of absorbing shock, he managed to maintain his form.
The Hero’s gaze shifted downward.
‘This new armor is unbelievable.’
The alloy, refined with Noubelmag’s utmost effort, was now in tatters like a rag.
The blade-like wind had shattered the upper part of the armor upon contact for a brief moment.
The armor resembled a scalp scratched mercilessly by fingernails.
But regardless…
‘The condition has been met.’
…The first condition for Hero’s victory against Ivar in battle.
Inflict near-fatal wounds on each other.
The Hero stood facing Ivar who had an astonished expression.
Now was the time to fulfill the second condition.
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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