Chapter 36
"Callius? You, are you Callius?"
While I was wandering around a bit more looking for demonic beasts to test Roas's performance,
I heard some footsteps, and when I looked, knights with black hair and gray eyes were approaching me.
'Who are they.'
As I was wondering what was going on, the one leading the knights burst into laughter and approached.
"I never expected to meet you here. Callius. Do you not remember me? It's me, Jornik. You're not going to tell me you don't remember Jornik of Monstrous Strength?"
Jornik.
Hearing the name, I remembered.
Callius's memories instantly fluttered through my mind.
Jornik von Zerban.
A knight of Zerban who made a name for himself with his innate monstrous strength since birth.
Callius's cousin.
A character who becomes a named mob in most of the multiple routes.
'The bastard who strangled Callius to death.'
Jornik was three years older than Callius, but having grown up together since childhood, he was someone who had a lot of dissatisfaction with the distinction between the collateral and main lineages.
So, without realizing it, he often pretended to be close to Callius while frequently insulting or disparaging him.
He even had a history of breaking Callius's arm under the pretext of a sparring match, so their relationship could be described as the worst.
However, since their reputations were polar opposites, Callius had always suffered humiliation at Jornik's hands every time.
'It's not my memory, but it pisses me off.'
Perhaps because he was like a trauma to Callius, my own mind became complicated as well.
My eyes kept casting down, and my heart pounded wildly.
Regardless of my will, I kept making these gestures.
It was the combined product of Callius's instinctive rejection and fear.
"It's been a while. You have no idea how disappointed I was when you left the family."
"……."
Ignoring the handshake Jornik offered, I rested my left hand on the hilt of Lucen.
Behind him, the knights of Zerban who followed him were lined up.
About ten of them.
Seeing that they weren't riding horses and we ran into them in the forest, it seemed they were carrying out a separate mission.
"What's the matter."
"Haha, so prickly. I came on the Lord's orders. Hey, hey, there's no need to be so wary. Between you and me."
'Uncomfortable.'
Is it because I'm in Callius's body?
Jornik feels exceptionally unpleasant.
His faux-friendly way of speaking and relaxed behavior really didn't sit well with me.
I wanted to draw Roas right then and slice him to pieces.
And I felt like breaking his arm right away and throwing him into a cesspit.
"Tsk."
However, war is just around the corner.
There's nothing to gain from killing him.
Jornik is still lacking, but given a little more time, he would become a strong knight who cares for the North and Karpe.
Looking far ahead, it was more beneficial not to kill him.
"It's nothing special. As you know, the situation isn't good, so the Lord ordered us to find Sir Bernard as quickly as possible."
"Bernard?"
Were the Lord and Bernard that close? This is the first time I've heard of this.
I had never even heard of a route where the Lord and Bernard got close; it seems this world doesn't flow exactly like a game.
"You know where Sir Bernard is."
"Follow me."
He must be planning to take Bernard to Jaybarsh.
If so, there was no reason to hide it.
Dealing with Jornik was quite unpleasant, but since I didn't know what dangers lay ahead until Jaybarsh, traveling together was safer.
"Wow, that's a relief. We managed to find Sir Bernard's trail and came here, but it ended in these mountains. But to think I'd run into you here..."
Stroking his chin, I felt him scanning me with a strange look in his eyes.
His gaze swept up and down, from my head to my toes.
It gave me the creeps for some reason.
"I heard you became a Pilgrim... but your divine power hasn't changed much from when you were young."
'It's because of the artifact.'
It seemed the bracelet was absorbing most of the divine power that had risen to the 3rd tier.
Otherwise, he would have felt it immediately.
But there were thorns in his words.
It meant that even though he had become a Pilgrim, his level was no different from when he was young.
What knights could easily use as a measure of their opponent's strength was their aura.
In other words, the size of their divine power.
Therefore, what he meant was—
'He's looking down on me.'
That's what it meant.
What if the opponent who had been tormenting him since childhood became a Pilgrim, and upon meeting by chance, there wasn't much of a difference?
Naturally, he would consider him beneath him and treat him casually.
"How have you been all this time? You used to call me 'Brother, Brother' when you were young, why have you become so stiff?"
Tap, tap. He lightly struck my shoulder with his fist.
But there is a slight difference between being casual and being disrespectful.
I felt that I should not take this lightly.
So I snapped his wrist.
"Hey, hey. Callius. It hurts, you bastard."
Jornik was speaking with a smiling face, but the aura he exuded was completely different.
His eyes were murderous, as if he would draw his sword at any moment, and his momentum was as sharp as a needle.
The steps of Jornik and I, who were walking down the forest path, came to a halt. At the same time, the faces of the knights following him and Brans became much more serious.
The knights following Jornik put their hands on their sword hilts, and Brans also gripped his dagger, looking around vigilantly.
'I'm not sure if it's Callius's influence or the influence of the Trait.'
But whatever it was, I was incredibly angry right now.
Callius's memories. His emotions were making my head boil over.
For the first time in a very long time.
It felt like returning to being a lout.
Therefore, I did not hold back.
Kieeeing.
The vibration scraping against the scabbard.
The flow of the atmosphere.
Jornik's pulse.
Time flowed slowly, as if it had stopped.
My body thrust the sword along the optimal trajectory, aiming for his neck.
The minimum destination was the carotid artery.
The maximum destination was his neck.
During that fleeting moment, the Manhwa Bongyuk in my dantian multiplied my strength, and the pure divine power created a sword aura on Roas.
A bizarre sword aura that looked like flower petals stuck closely together.
However, it was a Silver Wave Sword Aura, possessing a sharpness that couldn't be seen unless looked at closely, and a destructive power that could even shatter the opponent's sword aura.
"Die."
Chaaeng-!
The tingling sensation flowing through my fingertips curved Callius's lips deeply.
Around him, the fragments of the sword aura fluttered like flower petals.
The sword was blocked.
But it wasn't Jornik's sword.
Unlike the red blade, it was a sword where blue lightning raged like a beast.
Lightning Sword - Rakhan. It was Bernard's sword.
"Callius. Stop playing around. How old are you now, still acting like this?"
Even though I drew my sword like lightning.
Callius's Roas was stopped by Bernard right in front of Jornik's neck.
Tsk. Clicking his tongue loudly, Callius spat out a lame excuse.
"...I just wanted to test my skills for a moment."
How did this old man know and arrive just in time?
Rattle, clack.
Sheathing Roas, Callius headed to the dining area where the smell of roasting meat was ripening, as if he had lost interest.
"You all come too, for now. It'll be enough for a bite to eat. Hehehe."
Bernard couldn't help but chuckle as he saw the single drop of sweat rolling down Jornik's face.
* * *
Near the cabin, the knights were excitedly roasting meat and making soup.
Carving wood to make bowls and spoons, everyone was moving busily without exception.
"Sir Callius! Are you here?"
"Sir Callius's meal has been roasted in advance! Please sit here!"
"Callius! Where did you go! Why did you go somewhere without telling me!"
"Hmm, Brans."
"Here you are, my lord."
"Don't ignore me!"
Pushing aside Emily, who was pouring out nagging complaints, Callius received a knife and fork and ate the horse meat gracefully.
"Not bad."
Callius, ignoring Emily who was chattering endlessly. And there was a man watching him with a strange look in his eyes.
It was none other than Jornik of Zerban.
Jornik von Zerban.
'The aura I sense is clearly no different from before...'
The image of Callius drawing his sword explosively in that fleeting moment was impressive enough to leave a vivid mark in his mind.
Jornik held the soup he received in one hand and touched his own neck.
'If Sir Bernard hadn't blocked it...'
Gulp.
His hair still stood on end, refusing to settle down.
Furthermore, the strength that snapped his wrist at first.
His brute strength was also completely different from before.
Had the guy who was raised only as a noble become a complete swordsman?
'Even so, if we fought properly, I would win.'
He was the one called Jornik of Monstrous Strength. Honestly, he was startled because he didn't expect him to draw his sword so suddenly. But if they clashed properly, would Callius really be able to handle his monstrous strength?
Jornik had overcome countless crises with his innate monstrous strength since birth.
He took pride in his monstrous strength. And born into the Zerban bloodline, he also had an extraordinary pride in his swordsmanship.
If they were to clash once again...
Jornik's eyes narrowed.
His sword, placed at the base of the tree, was a moderately sized longsword and greatsword.
The swords favored by Jornik, who was famous for his monstrous strength.
A longsword and greatsword used to crush most swords with powerful brute force.
Normally, he would have been proud of his swords, but...
'Callius's blade. The blade was definitely red with bizarre patterns on it.'
The sword itself had a strange shape, but the red blade was unmistakable.
A guy who had become a Pilgrim wouldn't carry such a sword around just for show.
'Spirit Sword...'
The red blade clearly implied that it was a sword where a spirit had awakened.
Greed filled Jornik's eyes.
***
"Old man."
"I told you to call me Master."
After finishing their meal, Callius and Bernard, who were making their way through the forest path, gossiped about Jornik who was walking ahead.
"That guy showed a look of greed after seeing my sword."
"I know. But anyone who wields a sword would do so. Didn't you also covet my Rakhan?"
"Rakhan is my sword, though."
"You crazy bastard..."
Bernard clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Well... it can't be helped. If it were before, I wouldn't know, but the situation has changed a lot now."
The journey to Jaybarsh would be very different from before.
A great army of orcs would be blocking the way, so if they weren't careful, they might get dragged around by them after being caught by the ankle.
Therefore, the more people, the better, and Jornik's mission to escort Bernard was given by the Lord.
Since it was the command of Count Zerban, they couldn't tell him to go back, nor was there a reason to send him away.
"And in the current situation, do you think he'd try to snatch your sword? He can't not know what's better for him, and you're the only one who swings a sword around like a slaughterer."
"Are you taking his side?"
"I mean your temper is filthy."
It was an infuriating remark, but Callius partially admitted it. As past memories naturally came to mind, it was hard to contain his anger.
'If we go to Jaybarsh, it won't end at just this level...'
Jaybarsh, where Callius's trauma itself was inherent. And if the traits of a lout and a noble mixed together, it would be worse than this, not less.
Since he would be influenced by his traits and trauma, he would truly become a lout.
Callius hated Jaybarsh.
"Old man."
"What, you brat."
"What do you think will happen if a lout is also strong?"
"Then he is no longer a lout."
If not a lout, then what?
"Then what is it?"
"He becomes an idol."
"Have you gone senile? How does a strong lout become an idol?"
"You brat! Think about it. If you cut down one or two people, you're a murderer, but if you cut down hundreds or thousands of lives with your sword, what would you become?"
"A slaughterer."
"No. People throw stones at a murderer, but they fear a slaughterer. Fear alone becomes a powerful force that will look up to you."
If it goes a little further like that, the slaughterer's name becomes a legend in itself.
"If that slaughterer's sword points at a common enemy, he will no longer be a slaughterer, but a hero. Heroes of war are usually like that."
Therefore.
"You too should become a hero if you can. If you do, even if you kill a few hundred knights similar to Jornik..."
No one will be able to say anything to you.
"Are you sure you're a master? It sounds like you're pressuring your disciple to kill people."
"You ungrateful pup, look at what you're saying after I gave you some advice..."
Callius, rarely satisfied, pulled up the corners of his mouth.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but whatever it is, do it after it's over."
The war in the North has just begun.
"Yes. I will."
And exactly four days later.
Callius severed Jornik's throat.