HBWnovel Chapter 146
Chapter 146
Chapter 146
After the dust had settled, the Black Knight had completely vanished.
‘Where... Where did he go?!’
Everyone instinctively knew that the Black Knight was on his last legs. All that remained was to land one final blow on him.
But then, someone began to shout while looking at the sky.
“He’s...”
“Up there! Over there! Look at how battered he is...”
“He’s going up over there!”
“Flagellant!”
The massive Black Knight had returned to his original size and was scaling the clock tower nearby, the tallest point in the western district of Illia.
“Why...”
“The wall! He’s doing that... to climb over the wall!” shouted Filia in shock.
The clock tower wasn’t too far from the walls dividing the city’s districts.
Any average individual would consider that distance far, but to a monster like the Black Knight, it could even be considered close.
‘If he climbs to the top of the clock tower and leaps toward the walls...’
The western district lockdown would have been for nothing, and he would be able to slaughter as many innocent civilians as he wants.
Agony, the being controlling the Black Knight, had already climbed halfway up the tower.
[We have to run! Run away! They’re way too tough to eat! Let’s eat the humans beyond the walls!]
Seol wasn’t sure whether Agony had no intention of concealing his own intent or if he was simply pushed into a corner, but Agony's voice reverberated throughout the entirety of Illia.
The citizens beyond the wall trembled at the sound of Agony’s frightening voice.
Seol quickly realized that following the Black Knight up the clock tower would be too slow. He wouldn’t make it there to stop him before the Black Knight made it to the top.
‘I need to stop him... But how...’
Seol caught Karuna looking up at the clock tower.
Karuna then looked at himself, before meeting Seol's eyes. Two resolute gazes locked onto each other.
“Karuna.”
“...Please send me there.”
“...Yeah, I think we’re thinking the same thing.”
Woosh!
Seol leaped onto the roof of a three-story building before stretching his right arm.
“What is he...”
Crack... Snap... Crackkkk!
“Wh-what the...”
“How does that... make any sense?”
“His arm is...”
Seol's arm gigantified in an instant as he got into a stance to throw Karuna.
Grab!
“Go!”
Fwoooooosh!
Ffffffft!
[Your mana is currently below 5%]
[You have mana deficiency.]
[Your mana recovery rate is reduced by 50% for 5 minutes.]
[You have overused your mana all at once.]
[You are afflicted by Abnormal Status: Dizziness for a day.]
[The cooldowns for your skills are increased by 10%.]
Seol launched Karuna with all his strength, aiming for the clock tower’s bell.
However, he was slightly short.
“Ahhhh!”
“Urgh...”
In an instant, Karen's deep shade of red lightened, while Karuna's blue grew as deep as Karen's had become lighter.
[Twin Knights' Equilibrium collapses.]
[The summed stats heavily favor one side.]
Karuna swiftly took two steps after landing on the clock tower's wall, propelling himself to its peak.
As he soared upward, he pulled back his arms, preparing his attack.
Sensing Karuna's presence, the Black Knight turned back around.
[No! Don’t!]
Agony cried out.
With determination, Karuna poured every last ounce of his strength into his sword for his next attack.
FWOOOOSH!
Karuna hurled Breath, piercing perfectly through the Black Knight's heart.
“Krgh...”
Thud.
The Black Knight was sent flying, Breath lodged in his chest, until he collided with the clock tower's bell.
The impact caused the bell to ring, filling the district with its sounds.
Ring... Riiiing...
“K-Krgh...”
“...It’s over.”
Agony’s blade was dulled and broken. The damage it endured while materializing into the Black Knight's body seemed to have caused this.
Even after reverting back into a sword, Agony continued to cry.
[You idiot! We have to run! Run! Now!]
“Shut... up...” said the Black Knight, lying on the ground.
His pierced chest gurgled with blue and black energy. It was likely not only his powers, but also his memories.
“Haah... Krgh... C-Could I... ask you something?”
“......”
“The fragments I’ve killed... All had different anomalies...”
“What?”
The Black Knight continued.
“There were those who didn’t remember Montra... and even one who forgot Karen. And it was for those reasons... that each and every one of us sought a different future... so... krgh... what... what do you think? Once you receive this power... what will you...”
“I plan to...”
“......”
“...show Karen the sea.”
Karuna looked down at the Black Knight with unattached eyes, the moon behind his back.
“That is what I’ll live for in this life.”
A modest ambition for such prideful eyes. However, the Black Knight was visibly moved by this.
“Ha... Haha... Hahaha... the sea... How... Why...”
“What is it?”
The Black Knight took off his helmet.
The helmet must have felt increasingly suffocating as death grew closer.
He slowly revealed his face, wet with tears.
But it wasn’t just tears. He was also covered with snot and blood.
“I... can’t remember the sea... fuck... that was what I was missing...”
“......”
"Is the sea... more incredible than Montra... or our desire for revenge?"
Karuna gently described to the Black Knight the beauty of the sea, his words flowing like a fairy tale.
“How could the world be completely filled with water... haha... don’t lie to me...”
The Black Knight couldn’t stop crying.
“...Why are you crying?” asked Karuna.
“Because of regret...”
Karuna sensed an insidious energy from those eyes.
Bzzzt!
The Black Knight’s memories ended there.
The light faded as if someone had closed the curtains on him.
And then... a black light approached him.
It was the fragment of hatred.
“I think I... understand it now.”
“......”
“I understand why... they left behind their desires.”
The black light wavered.
"Karuna, do not forget Montra. Seek out our sister, flourish alongside her, and forge a benevolent world. These... were the wishes bestowed upon me by those who came before."
Karuna slowly responded to the dark light while staring into the horizon.
“...What about your wishes?”
The black light was stunned.
“......”
“What are your wishes?”
“How could someone like me...”
“Your. Wishes.”
The black light wavered.
It almost appeared as if it was crying.
As if it was regretful.
“...Do not make the same mistakes I made. Do not... hate the world...”
“That’s impossible. The world is still filled with so much evil.”
“...Hatred and anger are two different things.”
“Anger, huh...”
“Also, please... Please find happiness with our sister. That is my wish.”
Karuna nodded to the black light.
“I won’t forget them.”
Faaaaade...
After Karuna’s final words, the black light slowly seeped into Karuna’s chest.
* * *
Upon recovering the Black Knight's memories, the blue light emanating from Karuna's body intensified, marking yet another change.
Craaackle...
There was another change as well.
‘There’s a pattern... being engraved onto the sword.’
Breath, crafted from Karuna's Moonlight Sword, now bore a peculiar and enigmatic pattern.
Countless messages related to it continued to show up, obscuring his sight.
However, that wasn’t the end of the change.
Writhe...
As Karuna opened his eyes, a black energy thrashed in his eyes.
‘What is this now...’
Despite Seol's desire to investigate every detail of the situation, the circumstances did not permit it.
Seol quickly glanced at the small ball in his hands.
It was the remnants of Agony.
[Yeah! Yeah! You want power, right?]
“Of course.”
[That idiot only lost because he was dumb! I won’t lose!]
“Oh really?”
[I’ll fulfill any wish! What do you want?! To become king? Do you want to be king? Or is there something else that you want? I’ll fulfill whatever wish you desire!]
“Really? Then I want you to...”
Agony continued spewing sweet, candied words, tempting Seol with promises beyond belief.
Yet, with each uttered syllable, it also exuded a sinister, demonic energy.
All to taint Seol’s mind, so that he would be corrupted like his previous master.
Agony was confident.
Until Seol finally gave his answer.
“...shut up for me, alright?”
[...Huh?]
“That’s the only way you’ll live, so keep your mouth closed.”
“Hold—”
Plop.
Seol contained Agony, now a swirling mass of energy, within a bottle and sealed it shut with a cork. Even though Agony was capable of breaking the bottle whenever it pleased, it hesitated, recalling Seol’s words.
As that happened, Earl Brispin asked Seol a question from beyond the wall.
“What happened?!”
“Hm...”
“Hurry up and explain the situation!”
Seol paused for a second before ringing the bell next to him.
Ring...
Earl Brispin was confused after hearing the bell.
“What the...”
Riiiing...
As the bell rang once more, Earl Brisprin finally understood. It was Seol's answer to him.
“...Ah.”
The earl turned back to his subordinates.
“Ring every bell in Illia.”
“...What?”
“Quickly!”
A few minutes after the earl’s command, the bells of every clock tower in each district began to ring.
Riiing...
Riiiiing...
Riiiiiing...
Bells continued to echo across Illia as the nightmarish night drew to a close.
It was an unforgettable evening, one that would be etched into their memories for a lifetime.
[You have defeated the Black Knight.]
[The Black Knight’s Memento has been generated.]
[You have satisfied the Adventure Objective.]
[If the Remaining Time runs out or if you choose to take your reward, you may choose to finish your Adventure here.]
“Woahhhhhh!”
“The flagellant won!”
“Open the gates, you assholes!”
As the city erupted into celebration, Seol glanced at the chest that lay at his feet.
Since carrying it down the clock tower would be annoying, he decided to open the chest there.
Kick!
The chest opened after a light kick from Seol.
Creaaaak...
‘Please... Please be in there...’
[You open the Black Knight’s Memento.]
......