Chapter 99

99. Trials

“Argh!”

It was a terrible scream, in a voice that seemed more appropriate to come out of an animal’s mouth. When the beads of light began to come out of Ko Byeong-gap, the glowering Dorma also paused. As a shaman, he noticed at once. It was the essence of the Lord. It didn’t take very long for the essence to come out. It took less time for the extracted essence to reach the sarcophagus on the platform.

As the essence of the Goblin Lord permeated the sarcophagus, light flashed in all directions. The glare covered Dorma and Marilyn’s eyes. The world turned white as if lightning had struck. A few seconds later, Dorma looked at the situation, opening his eyes that had been closed tightly.

Ko Byeong-gap laid like a corpse in the middle of the pillars. Marilyn sat down and looked up at the coffin with a tearful face.

“Let go!”

He shook Marilyn’s hand away roughly, and he ran to Ko Byeong-gap’s side.

“Lord, are you alright? Lord…. Lo…. Lord….?”

Dorma stopped in front of Ko Byeong-gap. His head told him to hurry up and help Ko Byeong-gap and look after him, but his mind and body didn’t follow. The man in front of him, Ko Byeong-gap, was no longer their Lord. It was just a human man. Dorma felt an automatic rejection. Deep in the DNA of the Goblins, the ‘innate hostility towards other races’ was wriggling.

So he couldn’t bring himself to touch him.

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“Ugh….”

Ko Byeong-gap made a face as if he were about to die. His skin was pale as a corpse, and cold sweat flowed like rain down him. He tried to get himself up but soon lost his balance and collapsed.

“…”

What should he do? Dorma couldn’t do anything but stamp his feet. It was then he felt great energy that made his spine ache, emanating from the sarcophagus.

Hiss!

The lid of the coffin slowly pushed back. A big hand popped out of the gap and opened it completely. A short time later, a man raised his upper body out of it. He was a muscular man with long black hair. As soon as he saw him, Dorma hardened. No, he was frozen. Overwhelming power, overwhelming fear, and overwhelming majesty exploded from him like a volcano even though the man was just standing still!

“My king!”

Marilyn shouted. King? Dorma was able to identify the man with that word. His mouth opened wide. Then, the man was…

“Ki… King… King Landriol?”

The man was said to be the strongest Lord of all time and the last Lord before Ashvilam’s collapse. Dorma was witnessing the legend with his own eyes.

***

Ko Byeong-gap couldn’t pull his senses together. Just a simple ‘Oh? Oh?’ caused him terrible pain. No word in the world could define the pain. To paraphrase it, it felt like his blood was being sucked out of him, and his bones were being ripped open. After the fainting pain went away, it grew even worse. He felt as if his chest had been ripped open. There wasn’t a hole in his chest, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness.

What was it that disappeared from inside him? Did his organs melt away? Did his heart just come out? Or had his groin been crushed?

“Halavshita!”

Suddenly, Marylin shouted. But something was wrong. It was the language of the Goblins, but he couldn’t understand it. After a while, Dorma spoke.

“Ha, ha, Halav Landriol?”

This time, he could only understand Landriol. Ko Byeong-gap couldn’t figure out what was going on, but he wanted to be helped first. So he opened his mouth.

“Dorma… huh?”

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He couldn’t speak. To be exact, he couldn’t speak the Goblin language. It was a language he had used fluently as a mother tongue until a while ago, but now it was impossible to even ask for simple regards. Only then did Ko Byeong-gap realize what he had lost.

‘Uh… No. Even the gate and the ancient shop are gone.’

After being robbed of the essence of the Goblin Lord, he could no longer feel the two powers that became parts of his body, like his hands and feet. Even his language skills had vanished. The back of his head cooled with no time to savor the terrible deprivation. Ko Byeong-gap quickly turned around and collapsed again. He barely lifted his stiff head and looked up to see someone walking out of the large sarcophagus.

‘…What?’

At first, he thought it was a woman when he saw the long black hair. However, their height was easily over two meters tall, and the coppery-colored muscular body belonged to a man from any angle. Looking at his pointed ears that drooped down, one could guess that the man was a Sarahon. His impression was cold, and his features were as straight as a sculpture.

Ko Byeong-gap recalled what Dorma said earlier: Landriol. So, did that mean the man was Landriol? The king who died 1,500 years ago? The man believed to be Landriol frowned as he looked down from the podium. He glanced at Ko Byeong-gap, Dorma, and Marilyn in turn.

Then he spoke, staring at Marilyn.

“Etogarse Harvey Sakiosa, Marilyn. Davede Royvanir Beote?”

***

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“You woke me up like I said, Marilyn. But what are these little things?”

“This one had the essence, and this is his henchman.”

Landriol stared at Ko Byeong-gap, who was lying across the shaman circle. He couldn’t feel any emotion in his eyes.

“Are you saying the person that carried the spirit of the king was a human being?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s not a big deal. A chicken or a duck, as long as you keep your eggs in your arms.”

Landriol replied in a tone of indifference and turned his head slightly. He looked at Dorma this time. Dorma, who made eye contact with Landriol, flinched. He wanted to sit down right away because his legs were shaking.

“What are you? You look so ugly and terrible. I do not remember anything that looks like you.”

“I… I….”

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“He’s also Sarahon, my Lord.”

“What?”

Emotions crossed Landriol’s face.

“Explain.”

“A lot seems to have happened to us Sarahons since Ashvilam’s national power waned… I don’t think it’s appropriate to tell you everything this way, so why don’t we refine your body first?”

“That would be great. Where are the Sarahons currently stationed?”

“Valtadren.”

“Valtadren… you.”

“Yes, yes!”

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Dorma replied in surprise.

“Open the way to the Valtadren.”

“…What?”

“What are you waiting for? Aren’t you a shaman? You smell like magic.”

“Well, that’s right, but… I don’t know how to use magic to open the way.”

“You don’t know? You’re useless!”

When Landriol growled, Dorma felt like biting his tongue. As his hands and feet trembled, he averted his eyes and glanced at Ko Byeong-gap. Ko Byeong-gap was lying on his stomach, staring intently at Landriol. Dorma suffered from his sense of duty as if he had to take care of him.

Landriol walked down the platform. But suddenly, he hesitated.

“Wait, what’s this?”

He tilted his head and opened the door. It was a door that connected Ashvilam to Earth. Through the hemispherical portal, Ko Byeong-gap’s house was displayed. Landriol spat out his words as if it was absurd.

“What is this? What the hell is that… Hmm?!”

His eyes grew bigger as he hurriedly closed the door.

“Madmut’s energy? How…? Ah, that’s a good thing. It saves me the trouble.”

He came completely down the platform. Around that time, Ko Byeong-gap managed to raise himself with his sword as a cane. Landriol reacted with clear interest.

“You didn’t die even when the essence was pulled out? That’s a reasonable life force for a human being. But why do I feel Madmut’s energy from you? Although it is insignificantly weak.”

“…”

Ko Byeong-gap just bit his lip. He wanted to talk a lot, but he couldn’t say a word because he lost the ability to speak their language. He didn’t even understand what he said. Landriol tilted his head.

“What? Are you mute? Well… what if you’re mute or deaf? You’re going to die anyway.”

Landriol’s hand-gathered a terrifying aura. Ko Byeong-gap suddenly came to his senses and took a fighting position. But sadly, he could only stand.

“My lord!”

At that time, Marilyn ran to stand between Ko Byeong-gap and Landriol.

“My king, are you going to kill him?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Well, don’t do that. No, please don’t do that. I sincerely beg you!”

Landriol looked sullen and turned his hand. The direction of the hand changed from Ko Byeong-gap to Marilyn. And soon…

“Ah? Huh?”

Marilyn was dragged toward Landriol by an invisible force. She groaned, caught by her throat at once.

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“Marilyn, you’ve become bold since I last saw you. Very well, list the reasons why I shouldn’t kill him.”

“Gasp… Gasp. Well, the man has devoted himself to the Sarahons. He cooperated with the king’s resurrection with all his might. So please show mercy.”

Landriol did not speak. Marilyn spoke without hesitation.

“The place the king just saw was his residence. This is it.”

“That world?”

“Yes… yes. It seems to be a world where humans live together. Well, it has nothing to do with our world. Please, with a good heart, let him return to his home.”

“Hey, that’s right, my Lord! That’s our… oh, no, he is a benefactor of the Sarahons—”

“Argh!”

Dorma knelt to his knees and bowed his head, pleading. But in an instant, Landriol threw Marilyn away. She flew in a precise trajectory to hit Dorma, and the two fell to the floor, entangled. Regardless, Landriol showed interest in Ko Byeong-gap.

“Are you saying that you are from another world? It’s strange. It doesn’t make much difference to have a human being from a different world.”

Ko Byeong-gap noticed that the man was talking to him. Of course, he didn’t understand.

“…I don’t understand you.”

“What did you just say? Is that the language of your world? You can’t speak like us?”

“What the fuck are you saying?”

“Well, I guess you can’t.”

Landriol smacked his lips. Soon after, his gaze changed.

“Then you won’t be of any use. I’m going to kill you all anyway.”

Suddenly, Landriol moved like lightning. He made a dagger with his finger and stabbed at Ko Byeong-gap. Dorma and Marilyn screamed.

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Chuck!

Contrary to expectations, he didn’t stab Ko Byeong-gap. He wasn’t willing to be taken lightly. Ko Byeong-gap gathered all his strength and threw out his sword. Soon, the blades came into contact, and a struggle ensued. Landriol raised his brow in surprise.

“You stopped it? With that body? This is a bit of a surprise!”

“Grr!”

When Landriol swung his arms wide, Ko Byeong-gap was pushed away. Landriol stabbed again in a relaxed manner. Ko Byeong-gap barely managed to stop the deluge of offensives, holding on with his mental strength.

‘If I don’t do this right, I’ll die!’

He could tell by intuition that the other person was playing with him. He could kill him any time if he set his mind to it.

‘One shot, one shot.’

But that was why it was paradoxical to look for opportunities. Only the strong could afford arrogance. If he aimed for a gap, he might have a chance. But it was impossible on his own. Someone had to draw attention for a moment.

‘Kill or be killed!’

Determined, he looked at Dorma and shouted.

“Dorma! Dormaaaaaaaa!”

He said with his eyes. ‘Help me!’ Dorma shuddered and looked at Ko Byeong-gap.

“Ah… Ah, Lord…!”

Dorma unknowingly condensed his power, creating dark projectiles to target Landriol. But in the end, he couldn’t shoot it. His innate instinct vehemently rejected it. Dorma murmured in dismay.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I can’t…….”

Dorma collected the dark projectiles and lowered his eyes. Ko Byeong-gap was devastated when he saw it.

“You managed to hold on. But I’m getting tired of this joke.”

In a moment, Landriol’s form blurred, and the dagger flew into his heart. He couldn’t avoid it or stop it.

“Ahhhhh!”

Ko Byeong-gap screamed and concentrated his aura. A tremendous power gathered to his sword swung. Landriol was astonished.

“Is that…”

“Let’s die together!”

Landriol’s dagger and Ko Byeong-gap’s sword crossed. It wasn’t long before they pierced each other.

Hick!

Ko Byeong-gap vomited blood. He glanced down and saw that his chest had been stabbed.

‘It’s okay… me too. I landed a hit too…….’

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He was stabbed, but his opponent shouldn’t be okay either. He looked at Landriol with a smirk, but something was wrong. His expression was still relaxed. His sword cleaved into his abdomen. So why did he look that way?

“It’s absurd to try and attack me with the Mandara Knights swordsmanship.”

“What nonsense…”

The sword pierced Landriol’s abdomen, but he completely offset the sword. The strong blow caused by Ko Byeong-gap became an ordinary stab. Landriol kicked Ko Byeong-gap, sending him flying into a wall. He dropped.

Landriol calmly pulled out the sword stuck in his abdomen. The wound healed in an instant. Dorma and Marilyn looked blankly at Ko Byeong-gap. He didn’t even move. When Dorma tried to run to Ko Byeong-gap, Landriol asked.

“Did you say Valtadren, Marilyn?”

“He, yes, he, uh… Hic…”

“Let’s go! There’s a lot of work to do.”

Landriol reached out his hands in the air. After a while, the space distorted, and a large portal opened. Beyond that, he could see the wall of Valtadren. Landriol crossed the portal without looking back. The two Sarahons left only looked at each other.

Then, a shout came from the portal. Marilyn stood.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Don’t ever forgive me.”

She crossed the portal, running away with her head down. Dorma looked at the wall where Ko Byeong-gap flew for a long moment before shedding tears. His fist trembled.

“I’m sorry, Lord.”

He also crossed the portal before it vanished. Deep inside the ruined court of Vervonia, Ko Byeong-gap was left alone.

“…”

‘I’m like a dog.’

Ko Byeong-gap felt his consciousness dim. His vision was turning red and hazy from the blood pouring from his chest.

‘What kind of monster is that….’

Unexpectedly, he felt calm. Was it because he was about to die? He didn’t know. A feeling of despair just enveloped his body. His trusted subordinates betrayed him, and he was still intact even after being attacked by his power.

‘This is it. I’m dying this time.’

The dangers of death had always been around him. But there was no way to survive this time. No longer did he have the power of the Goblin Lord. In other words, he couldn’t go over to Earth and ask for help.

Would his Ki-breathing help? No, not a chance. His heart was completely shattered. It was an injury that Ki-breathing couldn’t help. He didn’t even have the energy to try it in the first place. It had been a few minutes, but now Ko Byeong-gap felt his vision darken. He rolled his eyes and looked up, and there was something black standing in front of him.

‘Is he the grim reaper? That’s a fantastic visit.’

Slip. His body slipped. This was the end. It was over…

– You! You can’t die like this. Wake up, hey!

Whoosh….