Chapter 738: Chapter 738: Changed Fate (1)

I often find myself lost in thought.

Most of the time, I imagine the worst-case scenarios, but that doesn’t mean I never have ordinary thoughts.

No need for examples—this time was just like that.

“...Ugh, uh...”

This guy writhing on the floor like someone having a seizure.

Suddenly, I became curious about his story and started imagining possibilities.

What if I listened and felt some sympathy, or for some other reason, ended up having to save him?

Countless scenarios flashed through my mind.

Still, since his skills were decent, maybe I’d impose restrictions and use him like a slave.

Or maybe he’d completely reform and gradually earn our trust.

‘...What the hell, this is just like Auyen.’

A raider-turned-sailor suddenly came to mind, but whatever.

I even pictured a crucial moment when the mercy I showed today would save me like the flap of a butterfly’s wings.

But in the end, it was a pointless fantasy.

[...Of course! No one’s ever asked me my real name before!]

Surprisingly, the guy had a somewhat endearing side.

[Because someone tried to rape me in the labyrinth.]

His fall from grace carried some degree of sympathy.

[...It’s a world too harsh to live honestly. Oh! Of course, that doesn’t apply to strong people like you. Pish.]

Even if the theory that his ruin was to protect his own mind was true—

So what?

“...Uh, ah... huh?”

He didn’t apologize in the end.

To those who lost precious people because of your childish delusions.

“Apologize.”

If only he had done that, I might have reconsidered a bit.

[Well, maybe dying gloriously is the only goal I have.]

Spouting nonsense like that, I had no doubt.

“...Don’t. Just die like trash. That’s the truest apology.”

With those words, I watched the naked, filthy figure with more than half his head crushed slowly dying.

“Uh, ah...”

His hoarse groans faded, and the blood he coughed up lessened in frequency.

Of course, his body wasn’t healing.

If anything, the opposite.

“......”

Finally, his trembling slowed and his gaze turned to empty air.

Was he seeing something?

“Uh... ah...”

He barely moved his lips, muttering something.

I leaned in to listen and caught the gist.

His speech was so slurred it was hard to be sure.

“Uh... ma...”

Funny how everyone says the same last word.

“Um... ma...”

That didn’t make me feel sorry.

Hans A, who tried to kill me, had family too.

I clenched my teeth.

If I let this break me, I couldn’t survive this world.

“Huh...”

I slowly lifted my head and looked at the sky.

[Goooooo...]

Three moons writhed, formed from corpses.

If there was a hell, maybe it was there.

As I thought this, the ground shook violently.

Rumble rumble rumble—!

I lowered my head and looked toward the horizon.

In the distance, the green world began collapsing.

What this meant was very simple.

「A character possessing a symbol has died.」

Yeah, he’s dead.

No wonder I hadn’t heard a sound for a while.

“......”

It was the same as when I killed the Dragon Slayer before.

I felt strangely indifferent.

No intense emotions, no satisfaction.

Nor was there emptiness.

So what the hell was I feeling?

Instead of pondering, I drew a line in my mind.

Corpse Collector, Abet Nekrapeto.

Another name erased from the hit list, but many names remained.

‘There’s a long way to go.’

Well, one by one, I’d deal with them somehow.

「The character moves to Rapdonia.」

When I opened my eyes after returning from the underworld, the first thing I saw was fire.

Flare flare flare—!

Left, right, front, back.

Fire everywhere, thick hot smoke searing my lungs with every breath.

「Activated the Orb of Fire.」

「Reduces all derived fire damage within 15 meters by 50%.」

Phew, at least this makes it a bit bearable.

‘Enemies...’

I quickly scanned the surroundings but felt no presence.

‘None.’

Well, the entire area was on fire, so that made sense.

Better than being surrounded by enemies as soon as I stepped out.

The problem was, I had no idea where my comrades were.

‘What happened?’

I needed to quickly assess the situation.

Until I went into the underworld, we had been fighting Noark forces.

‘I was inside for maybe two hours...’

But when I came out, the streets were ablaze and no one was in sight.

One thing was certain.

This wasn’t the worst case.

If Noark had won, they’d be waiting here in siege formation.

Holding Astarotta’s and Raven’s heads as trophies.

‘If I read it the other way, that means those two might still be alive.’

Yeah, so...

Flare flare flare—!

Phew, first things first, I need to get out of here.

Though the smoke and fire obscured my view, I could easily find the way.

I’m not just any barbarian—I’m an elite barbarian trained by Rotmiller as a guide.

‘There it is.’

Without hesitation, I used [Gigantify] and sprinted through the flames.

But what the hell?

One minute, two, three...

No sign of the flames ending.

‘...How far has this fire spread?’

I had no idea, but there was only one thing I could do.

Run toward District 7—my hometown.

Ten, twenty, thirty minutes...

Even this superhuman body quickly approached its limits.

Flare flare—!

The fire itself was fine.

With the Orb of Fire and my high stats, aside from slight burning skin, no real damage.

But the smoke was the problem.

‘Damn it.’

They say in fires, more people die of suffocation than burning.

I felt like I was going to die because I couldn’t breathe properly.

Though I had almost held my breath with superhuman lung capacity to get here...

Thump thump!

Running full speed and holding my breath was killing me.

Beeeeeep!

Like ringing in my ears signaling my limit approaching.

The heavy footsteps and roaring flames I’d heard before faded.

Beeeeeeep!

My vision blurred, and every second felt unbearably long.

My head spun like I was seasick...

‘...Fuck, I’m dying like this?’

They say a healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.

My body, pushed to the limit, kept summoning negative thoughts and tried to refuse moving, as if giving up would be easier.

But...

‘...No way.’

How the hell have I survived till now?

Not by sword wounds, not by monster’s jaws.

Just by lack of oxygen?

Beeeeeeep!

I couldn’t let it end like that.

Smack!

I struck my head to awaken my fading mind.

And...

Thump thump!

Kept pushing my legs forward.

Thump thump!

I lost track of how much time passed.

My sense of time blurred, and I couldn’t even tell if I was running straight ahead.

Then—

My legs gave out, and I leaned forward.

And—

Thump!

My body, off balance, hit something hard and I snapped awake.

“Ci...ty wall?”

A castle wall.

No idea how long it had taken to reach here.

“Ci...ty wall...”

Once I recognized what I hit, a sudden surge of energy filled me.

No time to find the gate.

Barbarians are a race specialized not in finding paths but making them.

I grabbed the cracks in the hot bricks and climbed the wall like a cockroach.

Finally reaching the top...

‘...I survived.’

My body relaxed as it acknowledged survival.

Breathing was still tough even atop the wall.

But to someone wandering the desert, a single drop of water feels like life itself.

“Hah... hah... hah...”

Despite coughing from the choking smoke, I breathed deeply.

After a while, my body recovered somewhat.

‘...Barely alive. Really.’

I stood up on the wall and looked around.

The wall was tall enough to see the entire city on a clear day.

Now, I could clearly see how much of the city was burning.

“This is insane...”

From above, the entire District 8 was ablaze, spewing massive smoke...

“...The fire spread to District 7, too.”

Similar for District 7.

From above, more than a third of it was engulfed.

‘Damn it.’

I thought of all the money I’d invested and felt a pang, but quickly cleared my mind.

Money can always be made.

In emergencies, priorities must be clear.

Right now, my top priority wasn’t money or what comes after, but to somehow survive this war safely.

‘Huh... what do I do now?’

Having survived an unexpected brush ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) with death, practical problems weighed on my mind again.

Astarotta and Raven missing.

Clan members hiding in the barbarian sanctuary.

Amelia and Auyen last heard fleeing from District 4...

‘I’m worried about Raven...’

Still, I set my first destination as the sanctuary.

Searching the vast fiery sea aimlessly would be inefficient.

Better to join the clan there and search together.

‘Astarotta’s there too, so no need to worry too much...’

No time to hesitate after deciding.

I quickly climbed down the wall and ran.

Going over the wall was shorter and safer than jumping into the burning city.

Thump thump!

Running recklessly on the wall toward the sanctuary.

“...?”

Tensing up, I stopped.

Through the black smoke obscuring my vision, a figure appeared.

No, more precisely...

“...You’ve come.”

He was waiting for me.

‘Black wolf mask...’

A design matching perfectly with the mask ‘Briat,’ Ibaekho’s former comrade, wore.

Thanks to that, I immediately recognized him.

Hirkmuta.

An ‘ancient’ group formed by followers of the last great sage, Diplun Groundel Gavrilius.

The wolf mask, presumed member of that group, shrugged at me.

“Long time no see, Bjorn Yandel.”

“......?”

“Oh, should I say Prince Lion? Hahaha!”

I quietly sighed.

‘Hah, I already have enough on my mind.’

What the hell does this bastard want now?