24 Hearts

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Chapter 3-1. ‘Black Tree’ Tribe

Last time he had his left arm cut off, and now it was his right arm. Blood fell from his open wound, and Kain shook his body as if he had escaped Yakal’s influence. But he was still staring through the faceplates of his helmet.

Hrrrr!

The thirteenth fragment, Yakal, had begun to cry roughly. It seemed as if the Yalal, who had lost its master, was calling for Kain. Each time the sword burst into tears, Kain staggered with a headache. He looked like he was trying to resist the call of the sword. Judah stared blankly at him.

“…”

Despite the apparent chance to kill Kain, he didn’t move. With blood dripping from Kain’s shoulders, Judah only kept staring at Kain. A red haze rose from Kain’s staggering body. It looked like a blazing fire.

“Aaah!”

His groaning and shaking seemed like a sign of his reason returning, but Kain screamed like a monster, whether he could not overcome Yakal’s control in the end. Looking at him, Judah was shocked as if a blunt force had hit him to the head. With eyes wide open, he watched Kain with his cluttering helmet and armor. He didn’t know what kind of expression he was making. However, despite the spear in his left arm, he moved his left hand to his arm to grab and pull it out.

“I wasn’t thinking of you like this, Kain.”

He was a hero. He was a boy who helped others without hesitation and ran alone to help those in danger. But that boy was now nowhere to be found.

It was a pity. He may have heard Judah mutter bitterly, but Kain had no answer. No, it was because of Yakal taking over his reason that made him unable to reply. Bad ending. That was Kain’s last word.

On the one hand, he thought of helping him somehow to wake her up, but it was because of her compassion. Still, his intention to kill the guy from Serenia Castle remained unchanged. Judah took his position as he watched Kain screaming and scream, holding the spear awkwardly from his left hand.

He then summoned Altemia and stopped him from the front.

Caaang!

In some cases, Altemia’s sharpness could cut him, but Kain rebelled. He did not wholly lose Yakal’s power yet, but it felt quite heavy. As his body staggered despite his sword striking the intended place, Kain believed in his armor and pushed on with his shoulders head-on.

Seeing his bull-like posture, Judah turned his to the left. The hem of his coat fluttered like a bullfighter’s red cloth. Upon seeing Kain’s back, Judah threw Altemia. Frrrk ─ the bloody blade soared with a sound pierced Kain’s body. In slow motion, Kain was stitched by his daggers.

Judah restrained Altemia from sucking up Kain’s blood and life and then took Kain’s hand, still holding the handle of the Yakal, just to throw it into the grass.

Tshhhh!

Judah’s scathed palm recovered quickly. Even Yakal, who cried without rest after Kain, became quiet as if it knew that its owner was dying.

“Hmm.”

The moment he grabbed the handle of Yakal, strange magic came from the sword. The magical power forced into his body through his fingertips caused discomfort. At the same time, a red curtain appeared in front of his eyes, staining his view.

The world had turned red. The figure of Kain pierced right in front of him and the figures of Jeanne and Arhil. In a blink, they turned into terrible monsters. Judah frowned at their appearance, disgusted just by the sight of them.

‘What?’

It was Yakal’s job. As soon as he decided to let go, the curtain was torn apart. Their form, which turned into monsters, also returned to their original state.

“What was that…?”

He sighed and looked down at the heavy sword. Judah fought against its magic power, and the blade trembled as if it panicked, but it sent out a magic power again. However, unlike the beginning, the red veil tried to cover his field of view but continued to disappear. Judah ignored it again and walked toward Kain.

Either he was unfortunate or fortunate, but Kain had not yet died. He was calm as he groaned and vomited blood. Judah didn’t know what to say, seeing the blood dripping from the inside of his helmet. He put the Yakal on her floor, reached out his hand, grabbed the top of his helmet, and lifted it.

Sweaty blond hair, tired gold eyes with heavy dark circles, and blood flowing down the corner of his mouth was the sight that faced him.

Kain was right ─ it can’t be. As Judah dropped his helmet on the floor, the sound of his voice echoed.

He looked down at Kain with a melancholy gaze. Judah focused on his eyes, faintly reddish. His mouth opened as to say something, but no sound came, just a trickle of blood.

“Ju…”

As his name seemed to come out of Kain’s mouth, which had been coughing for a long time, Judah hesitated, reaching out his left hand to stop him from speaking. The warm blood and the texture of his lips grazed Judah’s fingertips, but he did not take his hand off. Judah apologized to Kain.

“I’m sorry, Kain. I don’t want to hear what you want to say… I don’t dare to hear it, to be exact.”

What to say? This was his last minutes, but what was he to say?

What was the meaning of those shaking eyes?

Curse?

Anger?

If not… Confessions of what happened?

Perhaps he wanted to share his story. There must be something he wanted his companions to know.

He was curious, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the courage to listen. Kain drooped his head, understanding Judah’s words. Because of his hand’s obstruction, the blood that Kain vomited out trickled slowly and eventually ceased. He still had his arm cut off, and Judah’s spear was still in him.

Given the amount of blood he had shed so far, there was nothing unusual about his death, and Judah decided to relieve Kain’s pain. He would show Kain mercy this way, which would be the last.

“Grandpa will receive your memento. I don’t know when it will be… but I don’t know if I’m entitled to deliver your remembrance to him.”

Judah, who had created a new Altemia in his right hand, put it exactly in Kain’s heart. After a while, Kain’s body fell, and there was no further reaction. When he summoned Altemia again back to his hand, Kain’s body fell on Judah with no support. He gladly accepted his dead body.

Judah, carefully laying his body on the floor, closed his eyes, and looked down at the dead Kain. He killed Kain. It was a lot worse than she thought. He didn’t think of their memories, but he remembered his time with Kain.

‘That’s why I don’t want to be friends.’

He closed his eyes with regret. When he closed his eyes, it all flashed into his mind. The first time Kain went through Judah’s house window and challenged him into a battle, then Riel took up a wooden sword against them. They were all scolded by Kaseun Sabrak together… Then they were taught together… Then he watched him receive Gabriel’s protection in the temple… There was the time he felt self-loathing when Kain saved another person during the Black Wolf subjugation… He said he was going to kill Kain after… And after his coming-of-age ceremony, he even encountered him on his way to find Jeanne in her battle with the Flying Fighter.

‘Hah. I remember everything, even the useless details.”

Judah laughed in vain. Eventually, recalling that Kain died with his own hands, Judah opened his eyes. The last look on Kain’s face was heavy. It was truly a bad ending.

‘Sometimes I remember more…’

Judah spoke silently to Kain, who had struggled to die with a troubled heart. Arhil and Jeanne approached Judah in vain. They just watched without saying anything.

Kwakakakak!

“Ah.”

At that time, he turned his head at a sound coming from a place not far away and saw that several trees fell down at the same time, causing a tremendous amount of dust. Were Isabel and Quake still fighting?

‘…Shall I give Quake a try and strike the last blow?’

He could learn any swordsmanship or master of any sword skill at level 50.

It was a privilege only available to players regardless of their talent.

‘Let’s see… Now, I’m level 36. No. 37.’

His level had risen after defeating Kain. And there was also a system message as if he got a stat bonus. He didn’t really want to read it, but he couldn’t pass it over, so he checked.

[Kain Sabrak, who was chosen as an apostle, was defeated. Although Gabriel protected him, he couldn’t overcome the trials of Yakal, and he couldn’t exert any abilities he had as the wielder of -Gabriel’s Sword-, but the matter of the fact is that you defeated the apostle who was meant to become your future enemy. The lowest and second-lowest stats increased by 3 points each, and the third-highest stat increased by 3 points.]

[Charisma, knowledge, and magic resistance have increased by 3 each.]

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「Status Window」

[Name: Judah Arche]

[Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)]

[Level: 38]

[Job: Black Claw _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)]

[Number of resurrections: 2]

[Strength: 50(C) / Potential A]

[Health: 46(C) / Potential S]

[Agility: 60(B) / Potential SS]

[Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B]

[Magic resistance: 57(C) / Potential S]

[Charisma: 11(F) / Potential A]

[Knowledge: 20(D) / Potential B] ◀ Special

[Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ◀ Special

[Remaining points: 2]

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After reading the message’s contents roughly and confirming that his stats had risen, Judah rejoiced as he checked his skill window. He was checking his conditions for becoming the Wielder of the Sword, not the reward he got from defeating Kain. He thought it was better to focus on it.

[Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship]-Rank: A / Workmanship: 7/10

His swordsmanship was at level 7. Judah sighed. He picked up Kain’s helmet, which he dropped on the floor earlier, and put it in his -Bag- before standing up. When he pulled out the Yakal he rested on the floor, a message he could see whenever he acquired a fragment appeared as if it recognized him as the owner.

[Saves the resurrection time based on the current location and current time.]

‘If I can’t kill Quake, I’ll at least get 3 levels up.’

Quake was a Wielder of the Sword. The amount of experience he could get would be enormous. Depending on his contribution, there may be a slight difference in the amount that he might receive. Still, Isabel was now his temporary companion, so he would be able to gain experience nonetheless.

“Now, shall we go?”

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Tip 22. One is not called the Wielder of the Sword because they handled the sword well. Spear, bow, sword, dagger, or any weapon, can be referred to as that for those who could take a weapon beyond a particular area. These are people beyond humanity. How do you become such a person?

It’s simple.

You can do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 10km runs every day, as well as any kind of swordsmanship, archery, or spear. Anyone can become a spirit sword owner if they master the proficiency level and score 50 levels. Hahaha.

Of course, assuming you are the player.