[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 6
‘This is my first time being here.’
Having finally entered the Garden, I looked around at the various flowers and trees in bloom. Although I had visited this place many times in the game, this was my first time here in this world.
"I’d love to take a few of these plants, but... it would complicate things."
The quantity and types of ingredients in the Garden were strictly controlled. If even one was missing, a thorough investigation would be launched. I had to avoid getting caught red-handed.
"Besides, that’s not my main goal."
Taking my eyes off the precious magical ingredients scattered around me, I walked towards the center of the garden. A faint light began to emerge from the depths of the shadowy garden.
"It's been a while since I've seen you... the Sacred Tree."
A small, human-sized tree stood tall in the center of the garden, emitting a soft white light.
As the gentle light enveloped me, a message appeared before my eyes. It was a familiar message.
[The Sacred Tree’s energy is rapidly restoring your Entropy.]
[Your current ENP level has decreased from 20/180 to 0/180.]
Entropy, or ENP as it was commonly called, was the most important unit in the world of "Military Chronicle." Unlike other games where health and mana were separate stats, this game used ENP as a unified measure.
What was unique was that ENP didn't represent energy itself, but rather the consumption of energy.
"So, the more you use your abilities, the higher your ENP goes."
Every character in "Military Chronicle" had a maximum ENP limit. Whenever you used abilities, cast spells, took damage, or exerted yourself, your ENP would gradually increase from 0 until it reached the maximum.
And when it reached the maximum...
The character would become incapacitated.
"But that won't happen near the Sacred Tree."
The Sacred Tree was a mysterious tree in the world of "Military Chronicle" known for rapidly restoring ENP. That's why, in battlefields, securing the location of a Sacred Tree was a crucial strategic objective.
"And on a night like tonight, when the moon's magic is at its peak..."
On full moon nights, the Sacred Tree was even more potent. Especially on nights like tonight, the Lunar New Year, when the atmosphere was saturated with lunar energy, the Sacred Tree would produce leaves and fruit from its branches.
"...It's a shame I can't take any."
I gazed at the fruit that was slowly ripening on the Sacred Tree's branches.
The fruit of the Sacred Tree, which only ripened once a year, had miraculous properties, but few people knew about it. It wasn't just because it only bore fruit once a year.
The main reason people were unaware of its existence was...
"...They're here."
While hiding in the bushes and watching the Sacred Tree, I saw something emerge from the void.
"Kyaa!"
"Kya-a-a!"
Naked figures with leafy hair appeared.
They were spirits. The forest spirits would quickly pick the fruit from the Sacred Tree and eat it.
Crunch, crunch-
The sound of the spirits eating the fruit echoed through the quiet garden. This was why people didn't know about the fruit.
The spirits loved the fruit.
As soon as the fruit ripened once a year, the spirits would eat them all, leaving nothing for humans.
"I only found out about this by chance."
I had discovered this fact while barely escaping death at the hands of the military. I had been hiding near the Sacred Tree and witnessed the spirits eating the fruit. Since then, I had been visiting the Sacred Tree every Lunar New Year.
Was it because I wanted the fruit?
No, although the fruit was a valuable item, I was more interested in something else.
"Yelp?!"
I crept up behind one of the spirits that was greedily eating the fruit and grabbed it by the neck. It let out a piercing scream, and the other spirits fled back into the spirit realm.
"Keeek, kee..."
I looked into the terrified eyes of the spirit and sank my teeth into its neck.
[Casting the Blood-Sucking spell.]
[The blood you've sucked contains the essence of a tree spirit.]
[You have gained 7% of the Tree Spirit's Essence!]
[A new option, "Tree Spirit," has been added to your Polymorph spell list.]
"Keeek..."
The spirit whimpered as I drained its blood. As with when I had sucked Do Jin-hak's blood, several messages appeared, but the blood of a spirit was on a completely different level.
As the life force of the spirit flowed into me, dopamine surged through my brain.
I feared that she might attack again, backed by the 7 Heroes, especially after my recent loss of Nachal. I needed to quickly find a replacement for my right-hand man.
However, Jeokho, instead of grieving, saw this as an opportunity.
"I've heard that Baldosinyeong's forces are celebrating their victory over Nachal."
"It's the perfect time for a surprise attack."
"I'll lead the villains. Give me your permission."
"No. You and Baldosinyeong don't mix well. In fact, you're practically opposites."
"But... if we let the person who killed Nachal go unpunished, the Blood Demon's name will be ridiculed. And I'm sure Nachal wouldn't want that."
Jeokho used this excuse, but I could see the burning desire for revenge in his eyes.
I couldn't allow it. I couldn't afford to lose Jeokho as well, not after losing Nachal.
But despite my orders, Jeokho launched a surprise attack.
Little did he know, it would be his last.
Jeokho was captured and beheaded. I heard that his head was mounted on a pike as a trophy to boost the morale of the military. I was furious.
I later learned that Seo Su-gyeong had planned the attack on Nachal and Jeokho from the beginning. She had realized that by cutting off my right and left arms, she could attack me directly.
"Everyone should thank me. If I hadn't dealt with Nachal and Jeokho, how would you have been able to meet the famous Blood Demon so easily?"
Seo Su-gyeong had appeared with the 7 Heroes and said those words with a sinister smile. She had cut off my left arm and right hand and played with them as if they were toys.
That was my last memory of the 137th playthrough.
* * *
"Are you alright, Professor? Do you feel unwell?"
Seo Su-gyeong leaned in and stared at me.
She was exactly the same.
That same calm demeanor.
Those scornful eyes.
That disgusting voice...
Except she was a bit younger.
Other than that, she was no different from the Sword God who had slaughtered me countless times.
"...No, she must be at the Sword Saint level now."
Seo Su-gyeong would later be known as the Sword God. Her swordsmanship would reach divine levels.
But that would happen after she joined the 7 Heroes and underwent Professor D's training. The current Seo Su-gyeong hadn't reached that level yet.
'So... could I kill her now?'
I had just leveled up my characteristics and acquired new spells.
Now was my chance.
Now, while she was so unguarded.
I might finally succeed in assassinating Seo Su-gyeong, something I had failed to do countless times before.
"Hey, I think I heard something outside."
Just as I was about to cast a spell, I heard footsteps approaching from outside the garden.
"Must be the guards."
The guards had probably finished their patrol and were coming back.
I felt my energy draining. If the guards joined Seo Su-gyeong, I would have no chance of survival.
"...There are guards coming."
Seo Su-gyeong glanced outside and looked back at me. Then, she placed her hand on her sword.
And in the blink of an eye, a flash of light.
I closed my eyes.
‘I guess this is it. I didn't expect to die so quickly.’
I had anticipated this playthrough to be more difficult than the others, but I hadn't expected such an unexpected variable.
I had no idea where I went wrong.
I was about to hear the game over message...
"What are you doing? Help me!"
Instead, I heard Seo Su-gyeong's urgent voice.
I opened my eyes and saw her struggling to move a corpse into a deep hole she had created.
'Did she just attack me to create this hole?'
I couldn't comprehend her sudden actions.
Seo Su-gyeong lowered her voice and said urgently, "We should bury the spirit here. No one will find it. Help me, quickly!"
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]