Genius Corpse-Collecting Warrior - Chapter 45

Jeongsan (3)

There are four witches on the continent.

The Witch of Fire, the Witch of Ashes, the Witch of Bones and the Witch of Feathers.

Although their appearance was not much different from ordinary people, there was only one reason why they were called witches.

‘A special ability inherited from birth and inherited through bloodline.’

Even without any training or effort, the magnitude of their innate abilities was equivalent to or greater than that of a considerable archmage.

And those who gain great power through talent alone are treated as angular stones in any world.

At the same time, it is also a law that applies in any world that an angular stone hits a target.

Because of this, witches have been oppressed and hunted for over a thousand years.

The fact that they are witches is the only reason they are persecuted.

The persecution was so severe that the witches who were initially of the fourteen lineage were left with only four lineages left at the time.

‘That’s why witches’ evil deeds have continued throughout history.’

It is natural for an earthworm to squirm when stepped on.

There was no way witches, who had the power to burn down the city on their own, would remain silent amidst unfair persecution.

Hundreds of years ago, witches who could not endure persecution ended up drawing revenge on people.

Dozens of cities burned down and disappeared due to that powerful force.

People’s hatred toward witches finally found a reason after that incident.

After that, it was as obvious as seeing fire.

People hunted witches as dangerous beings, and the witches burned their hatred even more and sharpened their swords for revenge.

The hundreds of years of history between witches and humanity has always been filled with hatred and violence, except in a few special cases.

And in this endless vicious cycle.

There were two particularly infamous witch lineages.

‘The Witch of Bones and the Witch of Ashes.’

Among them, the Ash Witch of the time was one of the beings who drove the continent to destruction using the most cunning methods.

And this event, where a new demon is born through the proliferation of mandrakes, means that she enters into a contract with the evil god Enaxagus and begins to work in earnest.

‘Originally, this would have to take a few more years to happen. It’s never a normal flow.’

Dallen tapped his glass.

What variables have arisen? What made the witch break her seclusion so early?

He pondered the reason, using Volkmar’s drunkenness as background music, and soon shook his head.

And then he chuckled.

‘No, it’s not the reason that’s important.’

The exact reason why it happened so many years early was unknown.

However, it is even stranger to not know what the decisive variable is unless you are an idiot.

Variables that have never been experienced beyond the monitor that have never existed during hundreds of rounds of play.

Because the variable was nothing else but Dallon himself, who continued to grow and move abnormally.

“I will go with you.”

Dallen said, pushing his empty glass forward. Naturally, I poured myself another glass of bourbon.

The bottle of brown liquid was already half empty and dripping.

“Huh? together?”

“Weren’t you saying you were going to Lvivbach to get a share?”

“That’s right! Now that the upper branches of this city have stabilized, they are about to leave in search of new business!”

“So, I will go with you.”

“……?”

Volkmar, who was in a state of intoxication, was a little late in understanding Dallen’s words and shouted in surprise.

“Unbelievable! Are you really saying that you will accompany me on my journey? This is my greatest honor! “Dallen, the hero who saved the Bronze Zone, the great warrior who tore a goblin to death with his bare hands!”

“…I can’t survive.”

Volkma suddenly shouts loud enough to make the bar tremble.

Sienna, who was startled by the incredible amount of anger, immediately shook her head.

Dallen chuckled. This guy got drunk and the fuss got worse.

He rolled up the corners of his mouth and drank his drink in one go.

A hot energy with a spicy scent flows down the esophagus, waking up my already troubled brain.

‘okay. ‘There is no need to think complicatedly.’

This is a living world.

A world where beings who think for themselves live and breathe, not a computer game made up of 0s and 1s.

The world is still constantly deriving complex processes and results due to the huge variable called Dallon.

But that doesn’t mean Dallen himself had to keep up with the complexity.

‘It was simple from the beginning.’

Dallon thought quietly.

The countless piles of paper I scribbled in my inn room after I first arrived in this city.

The plan at the time was to retrieve the body, make money, increase Ilsin’s power, and block the possibility of the end in advance.

All of his unconventional moves over the past few weeks were steps that started from the plans and decisions of that inn.

And it was also true that the best efforts we made at all those moments had already borne numerous fruits.

It was obvious to anyone that the foundation stones of the apocalypse that had been broken by his hands were scattered here and there in his footsteps.

‘Nothing has changed.’

Even though countless inflection points had already occurred, there was not a single thing that needed to be changed in the initial decision itself.

Recover the body and increase the abilities of the original body.

And based on that ability, the possibilities of the end are eliminated one by one.

There was no need to be afraid even if the future he knew was constantly distorted in the process.

In the first place, all these inflection points were created by himself.

The right decision was to move more proactively rather than hesitate in the changing future.

‘From that perspective, it’s actually nice to see them making moves like this.’

Dallen has already blocked several crossroads leading to the end.

If the instigators of the apocalypse do not react to this situation, isn’t that something that needs to be seriously considered?

In other words, the fact that their reaction became more intense was like proof that Dallon was a clear threat to the apocalypse.

‘Nothing has changed.’

Dallen repeated it to himself as if he was making a promise.

‘If the apocalypse is about to come one step ahead.’

At that time, all you have to do is cut off the leg that came before you and throw it into the fire pit.

Unknowingly, with a fierce smile on his face, Dallon asked Volkmar again.

“When is the departure date?”

“Four days. “It will be in four days.”

“Four days.”

That was enough time to purchase new equipment.

Most of the armor and weapons received from Leberon after going through numerous battles in the labyrinth were damaged.

There was no trace of the axe after the last blow, and the armor was torn in several places, covered in blood and internal organs, and completely rusted.

He was wearing light cloth and the only thing he was holding was a sword that was almost broken.

Dallon got up from his seat, thinking about putting a spell in the mithril smelter.

“Then let’s meet in front of the upper building in four days.”

It was time to get busy again.

Dallen said hello to the three people and left the bar.

Then, after a while, he suddenly opened the door again and came in.

“Did you leave something behind?”

Sienna, who was wondering how to kick out the drunken merchant, tilted her head at his sudden return visit.

And her tilted head slowly returned to its original state when she saw the large object Dallen was carrying on his back.

“Do me a favor.”

“…What?”

“Please have an expert open this for me.”

Coo!

Because it was still before business hours, there were no customers and a huge safe was placed in a quiet hall.

The wooden plank floor trembled under that ignorant mass. For some reason, it seemed like I heard a small crackling sound.

Dallen slowly smiled and said to Sienna, whose expression was becoming increasingly hard.

“And sell the items inside and ask for cash within four days.”

“Four days later? I’m serious?”

“then.”

Dallen smiled playfully.

“I believe in your abilities. Instead, make sure to collect enough fees for this matter.”

“…….”

Leaving behind her tapping his forehead, Dallon quickly left the bar.

Expressing deep condolences to the unlucky, drunken merchant who will have to endure the wrath of the reputed Witch of the Nest.

***

After leaving the crow’s nest, Dallon stopped by the Mithril Smelter.

Even if she has just begun her activities, a witch can easily take on an army on her own.

There is no way to fight such a being wearing cloth clothes and a broken sword.

And if you were going to purchase equipment, it was right to leave it to a trusted blacksmith.

“Dallen! How long has it been since this?”

Dallon smiled as he watched LeVeron running out with his arms spread wide.

This somehow feels like something I saw a few weeks ago.

LeVeron was munching on a sandwich as if he was taking a break. Dallen unfastened the sword from his waist and handed it to him.

“I am sorry. “In the meantime, I destroyed all the things the old man made.”

“Haha! “I knew that!”

Dallen’s hand that was handing the sword stopped. You thought that would happen?

LeVeron burst into laughter at his reaction.

“Don’t you always make all the things you gave me unusable every time you come here? So I prepared everything before you came! “Come in!”

The blacksmith guided Dallen, shoving a sandwich into his mouth. He searched a corner of the store and immediately pulled out a large box like last time.

Inside the box was sturdy-looking armor, a shield sword, and a hatchet. LeVeron took out his armor first.

“The armor is made of strong cloth with silver iron chains and shell wolf skin. “The chest, back, shoulders, and arms were reinforced with black iron spread thinly.”

An enthusiastic explanation, pointing to each part of the armor. Dallen took off his jacket and immediately tried it on.

More comfortable fit and slightly heavier weight than before.

It seemed like it was made with less attention to weight considering his superhuman strength.

“I made the last sword almost like a rag, so I don’t think this sword will be that different. However, by wrapping the outside with silver iron and holding the core with black iron, it will last much longer than before.”

Dallen stroked his chin. Silver iron and black iron are precious metals, but they are also famous for being difficult to handle.

Although it was impossible for LeVeron to be able to handle such high-quality metal in the game, more than two years had passed since the tutorial ended.

“That’s amazing. “How do you improve your skills so much?”

“Isn’t it all thanks to you! They provided us with a blacksmith shop with perfect equipment in such a nice location and even arranged for a reliable supplier of materials. “If I can’t even do this, I have no self-esteem.”

LeVeron said with a chuckle.

‘Is he really a mithril refiner?’

I never thought that I would sneakily fill the deepest valley in my life and then climb to the top of the mountain in one go with the strength I had to overcome that valley.

The person who would become a legendary figure was, of course, unique from the start.

Empty!

Watching the blacksmith tapping the weapon he had made with a satisfied face, Dallen was confident once again.

That this path he chose after breaking the many crossroads he had walked so far was the right one.

A gloomy world heading towards destruction.

It is rather welcome when people’s fates are changed and the future that was planned is shaken.

Since Dallen himself is human, he can always be momentarily embarrassed by the rapidly changing future.

Nevertheless, his role is to further accelerate this change.

By doing this, even at this very moment, if we can delay the approaching apocalypse and ultimately overturn the fate of the world.

Sreung-

“It’s a good sword. Same with the ax and shield. “I will use it well.”

“I know! “I still owe you half of the gold coins, so you’ll pay the bill next time!”

“Thank you. “I’m busy with work today, so I’ll go right away.”

“I see. I also have a lot of overtime work today! “Euracha!”

I will hunt down the hounds of destruction even more aggressively than I do now and kill them.

‘And only at the end will I be able to choose the path back home with peace of mind.’

With that thought in mind, Dallon turned away from the stretching blacksmith and left the store.

The sun was already setting.

***

It was almost night when we arrived at the Holy Knights branch.

A unique style unique to the Holy Knights building, characterized by silver decorations that exquisitely intersect straight lines and curves.

As I was admiring the gorgeous style in the living room, which I had never seen in person for the first time, the door opened and two people walked in.

On one side is a man with wrinkles that straddle the border between old age and middle age.

And on the other side was Lucia Castachald, a paladin who would become renowned as a demon slayer in the future, with whom she had broken through the labyrinth over the past fortnight.

“Sorry I’m late Dallon. “Have you been waiting long?”

“no.”

Dallon responded to Lucia’s apology with a low smile.

“The building style was nice. “I lost track of time while appreciating it.”

“You have a deep sense of aesthetics. The silver decoration represents the light of God that cuts through the devil, and the curves and straight lines represent the softness of that light and the sharpness that splits bones.”

The man smiled and sat down in front of Dallon, his wrinkles softening.

“My name is Albus, the administrator of the Holy Knights who protect the cracks in the continent.”

“It’s Dallon.”

Dallen asked, holding the man’s outstretched hand.

“It looks like you’ve been holding the sword for a long time? “I heard that among the administrators of the Holy Knights, there are some who once performed their duties as knights.”

“Hehe, it’s been a while since I retired from the knighthood.”

I lost a leg in a battle with a monster. As the man said that, he gently rolled up his wide pants.

Instead of the hairy legs of a middle-aged man, there were smooth metal prosthetics.

Dallen looked at it and gently stroked his chin.

‘He is quite capable. At this level, I should be the general manager of the branch.’

The fact that there was no disruption in posture while using such prosthetic legs showed one thing.

This man named Albus was once a knight of great skill.

‘The Holy Knights value skill and experience above all else, so this is enough to oversee the branch of the Labyrinth City.’

And the prediction was not wrong. As soon as Albus finished saying hello, he immediately placed the small pouch on the table.

He said.

“Obviously, your contribution should be acknowledged directly by the leader, but although it inevitably falls short, I, as the representative of this branch, will express my gratitude on your behalf. “Please understand that the circumstances of the Holy Knights have been difficult recently.”

A pouch held out with a long thank-you note.

Albus bowed his head slightly to express his gratitude, and Dallon bowed his head in response.

Paladins never kneel except in front of God. Even the emperor of an empire was no exception.

Therefore, the Paladin’s bowing his head was an action with considerable meaning in itself.

If it were a nod from the administrator who was in charge of the branch of the Labyrinth City after retiring from the path of a Holy Knight, it would have tremendous meaning.

‘That means this incident has great significance from the Holy Knights’ perspective.’

Dallen raised his head and opened the pocket he received.

Glittering gold could be seen inside the entrance tied with silver thread.

It was a gold coin.

“It’s just thirty gold coins. And for the sacred tattoo you requested, I will personally write a letter of recommendation and send it to the organization. “You can receive it whenever you want by going to the headquarters.”

“Thank you.”

Dallen said with sincerity.

In fact, the value of the sacred tattoo alone easily exceeds hundreds of gold coins.

However, adding additional gold coins as the balance was clearly a great favor.

However, the settlement of the Holy Knights was not over.

Rattling.

Albus placed a small box on the table and opened his mouth again.

“And I hope you’ll accept this too.”

“What is this?”

“This is our sincerity.”

Sincerity.

I usually get anxious when I hear things like that.

When I opened the box, I found a purple chain wrapped well in silver cloth. Dallen frowned slightly.

“Isn’t this a corrupted holy object?”

“you’re right. This is Halman’s chain that the Knights lost four hundred years ago. “I heard that you and Sir Lucia brought it from the Devil’s Den.”

Albus said as he gently pushed the box containing the chain towards Dallon.

“Although it is still imbued with demonic energy, verification has shown that it does not invade the user’s mind at all, so it can be said to be a treasure of considerable quality.”

Dallen nodded.

In fact, Halman’s chain was a powerful item in the game.

An object that forces the chained subject to submit and unconditionally follow orders.

Regardless of whether it was corrupted or whether the corruption was washed away through some kind of method, the function itself remained the same.

The only difference is whether you imbue the target with demonic energy or rather purify it with divine power.

“It is against the law for the Holy Knights to use corrupted holy relics. Rather, I thought that a hero like you would use this treasure to save the world without being restricted by such restrictions.”

Albus said, calmly placing his hands on the table. Lucia next to him looked somewhat restless.

Dallen looked at the two people and smiled lowly.

A laugh that is different from usual and gives goosebumps to those who hear it.

He slowly leaned forward, watching the administrator’s hand on the table twitch involuntarily with tension.

And said.

“Administrator.”

widely.

Close the lid of the box with a loud sound. It was at the same time that Albus’ hand twitched.

“If you want something from me, say it in words. Instead of pulling out a plan that doesn’t work like this.”

Dallen continued with a slow smile.

“I’m good at obliging others, but I’m not good at incurring debt.”