Chapter 41

Chapter 41

***

Nameless walked. To Lindveil, to his hometown. To the place where he was born, raised, and loved.

With every step, terrible memories came to mind. Memories he didn't know if he wanted to forget or if he could never forget. Memories he branded on his body so he wouldn't forget them himself.

Trapped in the burning temple with the villagers, he looked outside through a crack. His wife was already brutally murdered, and his young son, caught in the hands of the bandits, was being dragged away.

'Dad!'

That voice calling desperately like a lamb. He pounded on the wall until his fists broke, and cried out loud like a beast, but in the end, his son died miserably.

The temple burned and one wall collapsed, and Nameless could barely escape, but the tragedy had already happened.

Holding his son's corpse, he cried until his throat was hoarse, until he even forgot how to speak in the end, to the point where he couldn't even feel the pain of the burns covering his entire face.

Nameless squeezed his eyes shut. And when he opened them again, his eyes were burning with vengeance.

Far away, under the gloomy gray sky, a ruined secluded village was visible. A village with a majestic mountain range topped with perpetual snow to the north. A village that was once more peaceful than anywhere else.

Nameless's body was a mess anyway, and his equipment was tattered from fighting the Necromancer. It was full of scratches and claw marks from the undead.

But why did two boys shimmer in front of his eyes at this time? Nameless shook his head violently to force them away.

How many years had he lived holding onto only burning vengeance? The time had finally come. I will definitely kill them and I will die too.

Whether strengthening his resolve or whipping himself, Nameless walked to the temple. To burn the last flame.

One side of the brick temple had collapsed, and traces of being completely burnt black were evident.

Standing at the entrance without doors, he saw three people sitting or standing inside talking. Among the Ehrenberg 5, Iron Wall Hannet, Ghost Sword Ghost, and Mad Dog Steiner.

"Who? How did you come here?"

Steiner asked. What answer is needed? Instead of answering, Nameless pulled out a throwing axe.

His body wasn't sound as if he would die soon anyway, his equipment was almost all destroyed, and the opponents were three, each one a famous powerhouse in the entire Empire.

But what could he do? It was a time he lived burning his whole body with the flame called vengeance alone. How could he back down when he lived for this moment?

Not courage, nor madness, just revenge. Only that one thing.

Whish whish whish whish whish whish! Clang!

Whish whish whish whish whish whish! Kang!

Nameless threw throwing axes continuously, but Steiner watched the flying axes accurately and dodged them slightly. And picking up a throwing axe fallen on the floor, he threw it back.

Whish whish whish whish whish! Clang!

Nameless also dodged by lowering his upper body slightly, but suddenly someone's voice was heard from behind.

"Where are you looking?"

Nameless turned his body hurriedly, but his side burned. However, Steiner shouted urgently. Because of the instinctive warning that one shouldn't approach carelessly.

"Ghost! No!"

Nameless was already burning himself, so getting stabbed in the side couldn't extinguish that flame. Pain? So what?

Nameless turned his body with his side stabbed, grabbed Ghost abruptly, and bit off his neck.

There was cloth covering the face attached to the helmet, but since he bit so hard, it didn't matter. A chunk of flesh was torn off.

"Aaaaaah!"

But it wasn't the end. Nameless tilted his head back wearing the helmet and delivered a headbutt with all his might.

Thud!

It was natural that the face was crushed, and that itself wasn't the cause of death. The cause of death was the broken neck.

Ghost died instantly with his face smashed and neck twisted crookedly.

As Nameless pulled out the sword stuck in his side, blood flowed down. Nevertheless, standing firmly without wavering, he burned the flame called vengeance furiously. Sword in one hand, axe in one hand.

"Y-you..."

As Ghost died futilely and miserably, Hannet was shocked, his eyes went wide, and he stammered.

And losing his reason, he rushed at Nameless without even lifting the shield like a barrier. Since his body was so huge, every step boomed thump thump.

Nameless dodged outside for now. Because he intended to fight using the narrow entrance. In that gap, Steiner rushed urgently and examined Ghost's condition.

It was to save him somehow using a potion if he was still breathing. However, he was already dead.

In the meantime, Hannet, who chased Nameless, swung his fist of tremendous size.

Boom! Thud! Thump!

Whish! Thud!

Nameless barely dodged and chopped and slashed his forearm, but since the body was so huge, it wasn't fatal.

"You bastard!"

Hannet shouted loudly and raised two fists high. And, as Steiner also drew his sword attempting to join the fight, a young voice was heard from somewhere.

"Mister!"

"Misterrr!"

Rickart and Bori-bori were running from afar. At that, Nameless's eyes wavered and he hesitated. He felt the flame called vengeance dying out. No, no...

At that moment, Steiner turned his head quickly hwik hwik and looked alternately at Nameless and the two boys running here. And with a despicable and cunning thought, he ran toward the two boys.

In the urgent situation, Rickart realized while running out of breath, 'Ah, that guy running this way is Steiner'.

"I'll handle that guy. You go quickly to Mister."

"Ung!"

Rickart drew his sword, and Bori-bori avoided Steiner slightly and ran around.

However, Steiner drew a longsword from his waist, and crimson light started to spew out along the blade. So-called Sword Master.

Rickart felt momentarily, instinctively, that his sword would be cut if it clashed with that sword.

Two people running toward each other exchanged swords without reducing speed, switching positions.

Whish! Swish!

Two swords cut the air. Although it was just one exchange, Steiner also realized instinctively. He's not a simple brat. Goosebumps swept down his spine.

However, Steiner was also in a hurry right now. Ghost was already dead, and if he didn't join, even Hannet might be in danger. So he forcibly ignored the chilling incongruity.

Steiner stepped forward boldly, putting the sword of light at the front. Since it was a sword of light that cuts anything, which other swordsmen couldn't do, it was a movement only a Sword Master could do. Truly offense and defense in one.

The sword like a ray of light was striking down diagonally, but in a very short moment, he realized Rickart was empty-handed. He had let go of the sword.

The thought 'something is strange' grazed Steiner's mind. But he couldn't withdraw.

At the very point where the sword reached maximum speed and maximum power was loaded, Rickart snatched the blade face with two palms as if snatching lightning and bent it sideways hwik.

Then, Steiner's power attacking Rickart worked entirely in reverse. Like this, the wrist was bound to be broken. So he just let go of the sword.

It was truly amazing reflexes, but since the sword was already taken, it was meaningless.

Rickart held the blade where the light went out, threw it upward hwik, and caught the hilt chin. And aimed at Steiner.

Seeing that appearance, Steiner's heart sank.

"......You bastard are a wizard."

Getting hit by a method that didn't even make sense and he had never heard of, he could only think that way.

Originally, people tend to feel fear of what they don't know, and since even the sword was taken, Steiner just turned around and ran away alone. Throwing away colleagues like family he was with for a long time and everything.

He didn't know how he became a Sword Master, but he was a truly despicable and cowardly guy.

No matter how high the state of the sword, there was no way Rickart would lose to such a guy who forgot the essence of a swordsman.

Rickart raised the sword high until the blade came behind his back, gave strength to his abs firmly, and threw it with all his might. All movements were perfect.

The sword stretching out straight quickly pierced Steiner's back accurately.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Rickart quickly picked up his Meteor Iron Sword, chased, and swung the sword at him falling on the floor. Steiner looked back urgently and shouted.

"Wait!"

But Rickart struck his neck without a single hesitation.

Whish! Thud!

Steiner's headless corpse collapsed powerlessly thud. It was the death of a person who once wanted God's punishment so much, gave up in the middle, and rejected it in the end.

It was futile for a person who was one of the Empire's 9 Swords and notorious. Whether it was carelessness or difference in skill. Anyway, in a match risking life and death, nothing showed victory and defeat as clearly as the living and the dead.

The cause of Steiner's defeat might be because he lived despicably and acted despicably until the end. Even though he could have dealt with Nameless, didn't he run to the two boys? And he was a guy who ran away to live alone.

Since he lived like shit, his death was also like shit. A life just like that, and a death just like that.

Meanwhile, Nameless was cornered as his burning vengeance wavered. Not knowing what to do, his feet got tangled and he ended up getting hit in the head by Hannet's fist.

With a sound of crunch!, the helmet came off, and his face full of burn scars was revealed.

Nameless's mind went distant due to the shock applied to the head and he collapsed on the floor. But hearing a young voice once again, he snapped to his senses.

"Dad!"

Dad. Dad. Dad...

To Bori-bori, it was a word he called half-jokingly, just out of friendliness, but this moment was sincere. Because he never received a father's interest and affection, Nameless was truly no different from a father.

That affectionate touch that took care of him as if indifferent. It was okay if he couldn't speak. Because he could feel everything from that touch.

Hannet saw Bori-bori and thought it went well. cruel thoughts immediately came to his mind, and he tried to catch Bori-bori running towards him leaving Nameless alone.

Seeing that appearance, Nameless felt something boiling deep in his chest, and the lost words burst out.

"Baby! Back off!"

However, as Bori-bori pulled up all his mana and punched hard, that huge extending hand was bent back sharply.

Wham!

Hannet was momentarily flustered being too surprised by the unexpected power, and in that gap, Nameless sliced Hannet's heel tendon with Ghost's sharp sword.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

A fatal weakness was revealed, and Bori-bori also joined in earnest trying to finish Hannet, but suddenly Nameless hugged Bori-bori abruptly and started running recklessly somewhere.

Throwing away vengeance and everything, he was running away to save Bori-bori. Even though he didn't have to, even though he could kill Hannet, Nameless could only act like this right now.

No, he had to. Unconditionally, unconditionally. No matter what happened, even if this body was torn and burned...

Perhaps since it was a meaningless action, the meaning might be clear instead.

Blood flowed down from his side, and wheezing sounds only came out whether blood passed into the throat or breath was passing over.

And in the midst of that, he kept muttering. The words buried deeper than that desperate vengeance.

"Forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me..."

Bori-bori received that father's desperate affection full of sorrow with his whole soul, and shed tears endlessly.

"D-Dad..."

"Forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me..."

Nameless didn't use the last remaining flame of life for the revenge he so desired, but burned it all to save Bori-bori. So he couldn't go far, knelt down thud, and collapsed on the floor.

Surprised Bori-bori took off his bag and took out a potion while trembling. And hurriedly took off tattered Nameless's equipment and tried to treat him, but his body condition was already miserable. It wasn't something that could be done with a potion.

"I, I forgive, I'll forgive you. So, so, please, please don't die..."

Bori-bori kept shedding tears, and his throat was choked so he couldn't even speak properly. He poured the potion on the wound while continuing to tremble his hands.

Hands didn't listen properly. So Bori-bori closed his mouth tight and swallowed holding back tears forcibly. Nevertheless, uncontrollable tears poured down.

Nameless, watching that appearance lying down, reached out his hand at the last moment, wiped Bori-bori's tears, and said with a gentle smile.

"Don't cry. Baby..."

And exhaling a long breath, his arm dropped tuk. The blue eyes that lost focus were directed beyond the gloomy sky.

Rickart, who finished Hannet before long and ran over, was watching all this holding the blood-stained sword. His eyes wavered.

However, even though it was certain Nameless was already dead, Bori-bori didn't stop the treatment. While continuing to say Dad, Dad.

Because his jaw trembled from crying, he couldn't chew the herb properly, so he chewed closing his jaw forcibly with his hand.

It felt like his chest was tearing apart at the uncontrollable sadness and unbearable pain.

As Rickart also closed his eyes, his eyelids trembled. Tears flowed wetting his eyelashes. As if the pent-up anger he once harbored toward the world was melting down.

Rickart thought. He must have been saved. It must be so, and I am certain of it...

The cruel yoke of fate placed on humans was that they are hurt by the same humans, and can only be saved by humans.

All tragedies and comedies started from humans and ended in humans. Therefore, humans are truly the saddest beasts caught in the trap called fate.

However, Nameless transcended fate by throwing away the vengeance that was so deep in his bones at the last moment.

Thus he became a father to Bori-bori, and a teacher of life to Rickart. He became the person the two boys desperately needed.

Truly a noble and great human being.

The wind is cold. But the winter he wished to end so much was now ending soon.

Chapter 8 – Ballad of a Nameless Beast. End.