The Berserker’s Second Playthrough Novel - Chapter 70

Chapter 70
As the days and nights blurred together, Duncan realized something unexpected.

Agon’s Furious Horn was significantly more approachable than Kadim had been during their initial encounter. By carefully navigating the man’s moods and offering constant praise, Duncan managed to extract various tales from the legendary fighter as they traveled.

“……The previous Great Warrior vanished without a word. It is a tragedy that so few accounts of his triumphs remain for us today.”

“Ah, I see. But the fact that his reputation still lingers proves he must have been a peerless combatant!”

“……That is true.”

“But…… how did you come across these stories, my lord? You mentioned that nearly all records of the former Great Warrior had faded……”

“……”

While Agon’s Furious Horn was more talkative than Kadim, there were still many subjects that caused him to shut down. Whenever Duncan blundered into a sensitive topic, he had to pivot the conversation with frantic energy.

“……Once this campaign concludes, I shall grant the title ‘Indomitable Legion’ to the men who follow my lead. It is a name inspired by the mythic host said to have purged ancient evils in the service of Atala.”

“Is that so? Truly, it is a grand and powerful name……”

“Save your empty praise. However, it would be a great boon if your ally, that ‘Demon Slayer,’ were to join our ranks.”

“I-I believe so as well……”

Duncan licked his dry lips and quickly steered the dialogue elsewhere.

“By the way…… does that imply that all the soldiers under your command were originally pit fighters from Agon’s arena, just like yourself?”

“Indeed. There are few places in this world where men of such caliber can congregate without drawing unwanted attention. We sharpened our spirits behind iron bars, biding our time for a war worthy of our steel.”

“……”

“It may seem like a distant ambition, but we view this subjugation as our starting point. Eventually, the glory of Atala and the Indomitable Legion will be known across every corner of the continent.”

Had anyone else made such a claim, Duncan would have dismissed it as the rambling of a deluded egomaniac. But this warrior was different. His voice possessed a heavy, mystical weight that commanded belief. After all, Agon’s Furious Horn had achieved continental fame entirely on his own merit.

A cold shiver raced down Duncan’s spine. He sat there, mouth hanging open, struggling to find words.

‘It’s no wonder these men follow him so blindly……’

As they spoke, the army continued its steady march toward the city of Soltana.

Because the initial vanguard had already cleared the path, they met very little resistance from monsters. Any stray beast that crossed their path was instantly vaporized by the warriors, leaving nothing behind—not even a fragment of bone.

However, they soon encountered a group of familiar faces.

“……Perun?”

“Great Warrior?!”

A warrior with only one arm collapsed to his knees in shock, followed immediately by the other Atalan soldiers. The rest of the subjugation troops began to whisper fervently among themselves.

“Good heavens, is that really…… ‘Agon’s Furious Horn’?”

“There’s no mistake! Look at the horns on that helmet……”

“Unbelievable…… what brought a man of his stature all the way out here……”

They had stumbled upon the remnants of the vanguard force that had set out days prior.

The vanguard had been a smaller unit detached from the main body. Ideally, they would have finished the job, but the demonic surge had caused such devastation that the main legion had been forced to move out as support.

Agon’s Furious Horn narrowed his eyes, looking perplexed.

“Perun, why are you still in this area? How did you lose your limb? And where is Toondal?”

“Well, the truth is……”

Perun provided a concise summary of the vanguard’s ordeal. As the story unfolded, Agon’s Furious Horn’s expression darkened, and his gaze grew piercing.

“So, that man commanded you to retreat to the rear while he went off by himself to confront the ‘central demon’?”

“Yes, that is correct……”

“Why would you obey such a reckless command? Regardless of his prowess, no man can face a threat of that magnitude alone.”

Perun’s mouth twitched. He spoke of a reality he had witnessed but still struggled to rationalize.

“That man…… Brother Kadim…… has already brought down a high-rank demon single-handedly, without any assistance from us.”

“……”

“……And he did so without the aid of any ‘divine artifact’ like the ones we carry.”

The eyes visible beneath the horned helm widened.

It seemed impossible, yet the other survivors of the vanguard nodded in solemn confirmation. The warriors standing behind Agon’s Furious Horn shifted uncomfortably, trading looks of disbelief.

“Can you swear upon the name of Atala that there is no deception in what you say?”

“I swear it. Without hesitation, Great Warrior.”

“……”

Seeing Perun’s absolute certainty, Agon’s Furious Horn became deeply somber. The massive man ran a hand through his thick beard, lost in contemplation.

“……”

After a silence so long that the kneeling soldiers began to feel the strain in their legs, he finally spoke.

“In that case, I shall proceed alone.”

“……Sir?”

“I will ride ahead to Soltana. Even if he can slay high-rank demons, the ‘central demon’ is a different matter entirely. If I do not intervene, we risk losing a peerless talent.”

“……”

“I have left a garrison at the camp, so the rear is secure. Perun, how is your wound?”

“It is manageable, sir.”

“Then I am placing you in command. Gather these men and follow me to Soltana. We will see to your permanent healing once the battle is won.”

“……As you wish, Great Warrior.”

Perun suppressed his doubts and bowed.

Agon’s Furious Horn gripped the reins and took off like a bolt of lightning, his massive frame disappearing into the distance in mere moments. In the chaos, the newly minted commander forgot to ask two vital questions.

First, he never learned the identity of the small, scrawny man riding on the back of the Great Warrior’s horse.

“Wait! H-hold on, my lord! My looooord……”

“……”

Second, he never got to ask if the Great Warrior knew anything about the vision he had seen.

“……”

The image refused to fade. The memory of that vision burned brighter in his mind than the agony of his missing arm. Perun closed his eyes, seeing it clearly once more.

Standing amidst a shattered, desolate landscape, Kadim stood triumphant, holding the ‘Judgment of Atala’ toward the heavens.

In the heart of Soltana, beneath the ruins of the administrative offices, a dark tunnel led into a subterranean cavern.

A thick, viscous fog of demonic energy poured from the mouth of the cave, almost liquid in its density. It rose like smoke from a furnace, spilling out into the streets. The charcoal clouds blocking out the sun were clearly bleeding out from this very spot.

“……”

Kadim calmed his racing heart and entered the darkness.

The corruption was so intense that a normal human would have been blinded and suffocated instantly. The floor was littered with the bodies of those who had choked to death on the air itself. However, Kadim’s body, hardened by a lifetime of slaughter, endured the poison. His throat and lungs stung with every breath, but he pressed on.

The tunnel expanded as he descended. What began as a cramped passage grew wide enough for five men to walk abreast, and eventually, it became a hall large enough for a group of giants. The sound of his damp footsteps bounced off the stone walls.

Kadim’s brow furrowed.

This was far too elaborate to be a simple basement. It looked as though the demons had reshaped the earth to suit their needs. There were no natural rock formations here—only cold, chiseled stone.

He could sense more than just the central demon’s power. There were sentries nearby.

His instinct was proven right. As he reached the final chamber, he came face-to-face with the protectors of the inner sanctum.

To call them ‘gatekeepers’ felt like an understatement given their sheer presence.

“……”

Cruel eyes shimmered in the absolute dark, like stars of ill omen. Corrupt light pulsed through the thick air, casting sickly halos. A wave of concentrated malice washed over Kadim, sharp and cold.

As he focused, the forms of the sentries became clear.

* Krrrh…… he has finally arrived. The little stray dog who fancies himself a predator of the wastes……

A voice like grinding metal echoed through the room. It came from a wolf-headed beast clad in heavy plate armor, wielding a massive blade. Two horns rose from its head.

* Kyahahaha! He’s even smaller in person. This little thing is the one who slaughtered our kind? Even that tedious wooden post who couldn’t stop talking?

A ghostly woman in tattered, elegant finery giggled, her form flickering. She, too, bore a pair of horns.

* Fresh meat…… sweet, dripping meat……
* Do not be careless. He possesses an unusual strength. Our primary goal is to protect Lord Pebilatus. If the Lord falls, everything ends. Stay focused.
* Piercing, cutting, tearing……

Beside them stood a mute horror with tentacles for a face, a skeleton draped in a death mask holding a staff of bone, and a massive, winged eyeball. Every single one of them was marked with two horns.

Five guardians in total. Each one was a high-rank demon, equal in power to the Hydra or the forest-corrupting demon he had previously slain.

A sharp ache throbbed in Kadim’s head. He looked at them with a cold, mocking grin.

“I didn’t realize your kind was so easy to find. Is there a factory nearby churning out high-rank demons?”

The wolf-headed creature drew itself up to its full height, towering over Kadim.

* Krrrhahaha…… in a sense. Through the power of Pebilatus, even the weakest imps can grow horns in a single night. Though few have the ‘quality’ that we possess……
* Shut your mouth, wolf! Why are you explaining our Master’s gifts to the enemy?
* Be silent, bone-head. Don’t you want to watch this arrogant brat suffer once he realizes the futility of his journey?
* ……

The skeleton fell silent, though it looked irritated. The wolf-demon bared its teeth at Kadim.

* Krrrhahaha…… do you grasp the situation now? Pebilatus can forge an army in an instant. Currently, there are only six of us, including the one you killed. But by the time this city is leveled, there will be dozens more. This land will become an extension of the demon realm.

Kadim met the creature’s gaze with murderous intent. The demon simply smirked.

* Oh, those are fearsome eyes. So, are you going to try and stop us?

“……”

* Krrrh…… I truly want to tear you apart right now. But facing five of us at once is a death sentence you can’t even begin to fight. So…… I will offer you a unique mercy.

“……”

* Turn around and leave. Run as far as your legs will carry you. Struggle, fight the lesser demons, watch your people get slaughtered, and let despair take root in your soul. Don’t die too quickly. When your hopelessness is at its peak, I will come to find you and personally snap your neck……

The skeleton struck the floor with its staff in a fit of rage.

* What are you saying? Did you not hear me? We cannot leave any threat to Lord Pebilatus alive, yet you suggest letting him walk away?
* Ha, you dry old bone, how do you think this human got this far? If Pebilatus wanted him dead immediately, he would have ended him already……

The two demons began to argue loudly. The others looked on with indifference, treating Kadim as if he were already a ghost. To them, he was beneath notice.

Kadim clenched his jaw.

He had expected a challenge, but this was beyond reason. Five high-rank demons in one place? This was an encounter one would expect in the deepest abyss of the demonic territory, not under a government building.

Even with his inhuman strength, he couldn’t win a direct clash against all five. He might take two of them down, or maybe four if he were incredibly lucky, but he wouldn’t survive.

In truth, the wolf’s offer was the only logical choice. He could live today and return when he was stronger.

However.

Kadim had no intention of fleeing.

That wasn’t the way of a Great Warrior of Atala.

He remembered the truth: demons were not creatures of compromise. They were monsters to be annihilated—their flesh shredded, their spirits broken, and their blood consumed.

He didn’t want to die; he still had questions to answer and things to do. But if he turned tail now, everything he had done would lose its meaning.

Furthermore…… he didn’t believe victory was impossible.

While the demons were busy bickering, he had finished his preparations. Kadim spat out a mouthful of blood and focused his breathing. His voice was flat and cold as he gave his answer.

“No. I decline.”

* ……What?

“I can’t walk away when there’s so much high-quality blood standing right in front of me.”

The cavern fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

A moment later, the spectral woman shrieked with laughter. The tentacled beast and the winged eye shifted into aggressive stances. The skeleton’s eyes burned with a malicious light.

―――――― KWA-ANG!!!

The ground shook as the wolf-demon slammed its blade into the stone. It roared at Kadim, its eyes glowing like embers.

* I am aware that you consume our blood to fuel your strength. But this is pure madness. We are five. You are one.

“No. At the very least…… I’m not alone.”

* ……?

A flash of confusion crossed the wolf’s face.

Kadim wiped a smear of demon blood from his mouth and let out a low, predatory growl.

“……From this moment on, you will kill each other.”