Chapter 54: The Book of the Dead Hero
After eliminating the headless monster, the oppressive feeling that lingered in the underground space seemed to have greatly diminished.
Having collected some parts, Elus did not linger there, but instead led Lonis by the chain attached to her collar, walking upwards step by step.
Pushing open the door, the vast night sky came into view… It seemed the heavy rain that had lasted for several days had finally stopped, and Lonis’s trip to the underground world had taken up more than half a day.
Old Hu collapsed on a nearby stone stump. Seeing the girls emerge, he struggled to sit up and said:
“Is… Is it you, the curse, is it lifted?”
“Unfortunately, not yet.”
“What?”
“To be precise, it’s half done… You guy, you were just hit by something crystalline, weren’t you?”
Elus looked around, seemingly searching for something.
“Ah, y-yes, I think so! I felt a light from the passage and thought you had come out, but then I was hit.”
“Hmph, just as I thought~”
Elus snorted coldly, without much explanation: “Follow me. You’re involved in this, so you deserve to know the truth of what happened.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ll know if you follow me.”
…
…
Thus, Lonis and Old Hu followed Elus, unsure of what the black-haired girl was planning.
Was she going to stop the crystal head from harming the villagers?
But her pace was too slow… Elus walked leisurely, her expression betraying no hint of nervousness.
Moreover, this path was not leading to the village.
The surroundings were dense woods, with occasional sounds of insects. Lonis didn’t recognize where Elus was going, but Old Hu’s expression became unusually surprised.
He slightly widened his mouth, as if wanting to ask Elus something, but in the end, he was too shocked to even speak.
(What is going on?)
Though filled with questions, Lonis, as a maid, dared not ask more. She simply followed Elus to the destination…
And the scene that greeted her made her stunned.
This was the small wooden hut that had already been burned to ashes, and the crystal head that had escaped from the underground ruins was floating in the air for no reason.
However, it was emitting a faint blue radiance, and under the illumination of the radiance, a figure seemed to be gradually approaching it.
…
…
“Sorry, Suna, I didn’t expect things to turn out like this…”
“No, this is my problem. I was too hasty, wanting your power.”
…
The phantom gradually became clearer, coalescing into the appearance of a girl.
…
“No matter what, it’s my fault. It was my power that hurt you, turning you into what you are now.”
“Hero, it doesn’t matter anymore at this point… Are you here to bring me release?”
…
The girl held her hands towards the crystal head, as if wanting to lift it.
However, she was merely a ghost. No matter how she touched it, all she could grasp was air.
…
“No, I’m here to end the regret of seven years ago.”
“Hero, what are you talking about?”
“I should have died long ago, and you shouldn’t be like this. This is my final power, use it well and fulfill our promise.”
“No, you absolutely cannot do something like this!”
…
The ghostly girl seemed to understand what the crystal head intended to do.
She wanted to stop it, she wanted to resist it, but the power from the crystal head was so immense that she couldn’t break free at all.
“Suna!”
Seeing this scene, Old Hu instinctively wanted to rush forward and stop it.
However, Elus extended her arm and stopped him.
“Old Hu, you can’t stop this.”
“Huh…”
“Because this was decided seven years ago.”
In front of everyone, the crystal head emitted an unparalleled radiance.
And Suna’s soul was completely absorbed into it.
…
…
——————–
This is
My salvation as a fallen hero.
Seven years ago, immersed in the underground world, I felt a plea from the outside for the first time.
“Please help me, save my hometown! It has been occupied by undead creatures, and everyone is living in unbearable suffering.”
I didn’t know what I could do.
But I knew I couldn’t ignore any plea.
So, I responded to her voice.
…
“Who are you, and how can I help you?”
“My name is Suna, and you are a heroic spirit that has survived from the ancient world. I know you possess immense power.”
…
This was the beginning, and the source of the tragedy.
Having been dormant for a long time, I no longer knew what my body had become.
And Suna, firmly believed that I could overcome all difficulties… As long as we worked together, everything could be saved.
But,
We both underestimated the malice of the Trickster Demon. The evil from the darkness had bewitched the villagers and completely imprisoned Suna, who had returned to the village for supplies.
The ritual was not completed, and everything failed.
Suna failed to complete her self-sacrifice and was cruelly killed by the priest.
And I, myself, was blinded by anger and despair. To kill those lustful villagers… but the corrupted power spread, also affecting the innocent villagers.
Not only did everyone become monsters infested by Puppet Worms, but I also completely became a fallen hero.
So shameful,
Is this what you, as a hero, have accomplished?
Letting the pleading girl die in despair.
Corrupting the villagers into monsters.
Unable to live or die, like a walking corpse, continuously spreading despair to this world.
Ha, haha…
I knew this was the Trickster Demon’s plan, he wanted me to despair, to become his pawn.
But,
Even in despair, even knowing that I am irrevocably damned.
I firmly believe,
That in this world, there must be a new possibility.
This possibility will carry the flames of revenge from the Fiery Abyss,
This possibility will carry the brave heart from the past,
She will incinerate all darkness in this world,
She will exterminate all evil in this world,
She will carry the wish I couldn’t fulfill…
To let out a scream, to unleash immense power, and to rewrite all the imperfect endings in this world!
Only,
It’s a pity…
I will not see this day.
So, Suna.
Please use the last trace of my body, the last bit of my strength.
To witness,
That future bathed in sunlight?
Under the blue light, Suna’s soul poured into the head,
And the hero’s soul, thus, bid farewell to the world.
