The Berserker’s Second Playthrough Novel - Chapter 79

Chapter 79
### Chapter 79: Followers of the Forgotten God (1)

—

At that very moment, a different kind of tension was rising in Galentana, the massive urban center where the demonic tide had reached all the way to the outer walls.

“…To put it plainly, the ‘primary demon’ has been eliminated, which effectively signals the conclusion of the invasion, doesn’t it?”

“That is the reality…”

“And during the battle, ‘Agon’s Furious Horn’ and the tribal combatants he commanded played a decisive role?”

“…That is indeed how it unfolded.”

“Hah…”

“Good grief…”

Disappointed sighs and frustrated groans echoed from a group of elderly men in polished suits. They were gathered in a secluded chamber hidden by heavy curtains. These were the high-ranking members of the Galentana University council, often referred to as the ‘University faction.’

The city had come dangerously close to complete annihilation during the demon surge, so the revelation that the threat had been neutralized should have been met with relief. However, there wasn’t a hint of happiness on the faces of these councilors, no matter how hard one looked.

The reason was simple politics. The individuals responsible for bringing Agon’s Furious Horn and his group under the authority of the Galentana Senate were the rising stars from Agon—the so-called ‘Agon faction.’ The University elders had fought them every step of the way. Now that the warriors sponsored by their rivals had saved the city, it was clear that their own influence within the Senate was about to plummet.

“Tch, what was my advice? I warned you we should have found some middle ground with those Agon faction fools. But no, you were all too busy trying to tear each other’s throats out…”

“Hah, weren’t you the very one who claimed you couldn’t stand the thought of sitting at a table with those Agon peasants in the assembly? Now you’re trying to distance yourself from the mess…”

“The blunder was allowing those men to be funded by Agon’s merchant lords. Without that capital, they’d be nothing but loud-mouthed ornaments…”

“Doesn’t the current Agon council coordinator happen to be a former student of Councilor Valerío? What were you doing while those Agon upstarts were making their moves?”

As was typical when a crisis hit, the councilors turned on one another, shifting the burden of failure. But since they were all sinking in the same ship, arguing over who was more responsible was a waste of breath.

“That’s enough. Can we shift to a more productive line of thought? At this rate, we aren’t just losing our positions—we’ll be hunted down by the Agon faction’s attack dogs any day now.”

A thin, harsh-faced man made the interjection. This was Vittorio, a powerful figure within the University faction and formerly a top contender for the council chairmanship. The other members fell silent, finally focusing their minds.

“…What if we shift the blame to the Magic Tower? Those sorcerers were remarkably lazy in their defense efforts; we have plenty of ammunition to criticize them…”

“A decent suggestion, but it’s not a permanent fix. We aren’t looking to start a literal war with the Magic Tower itself, and once the public anger cools, the scrutiny will return to us.”

“What about poisoning the public’s view of the barbarians? We could hire some low-lifes to cause trouble and frame them. Make the citizens believe they are a threat to public safety.”

“Hmm… Given they just saved the city, I’m not sure the public will buy it. If the Agon faction discovers we’re behind the riots, the blowback would be catastrophic…”

Proposals were tossed around, but none of them carried any weight. As the unproductive argument dragged on, one voice spoke up with absolute certainty.

“We require one of our own—a superhuman.”

The room went quiet as they looked toward the speaker. The councilor didn’t waver.

“The Senate’s regular soldiers or street thugs are irrelevant now. Remember Kivon? In that tiny settlement past the 7th Gate, nearly a hundred of our men died trying to take down a single demon. And we still don’t know if they actually killed it—the creature’s body was never found…”

“…”

“The Empire possesses the Holy Knights, the northern territories have their relic soldiers, Vesta has its masters of magic, and Agon has its tribal warriors. We need ‘specialized assets’ that go beyond standard military might—we need our own superhumans.”

“…”

No one there could argue with the logic. Some remained skeptical, while others saw it as a path forward.

“And where exactly are we supposed to find a superhuman just sitting around?”

“…I don’t have a name. But surely you’ve all caught wind of the stories regarding the ‘Demon Slayer’? The fact that such a figure appeared out of nowhere proves there are still powerful individuals who aren’t tied to any specific group, doesn’t it?”

The councilors exchanged looks of caution.

The ‘Demon Slayer.’ There wasn’t a soul in the room who hadn’t heard the tales of the lone wanderer carving through demons on the Golden Highway. Just a few days prior, he had been a more popular topic than even Agon’s Furious Horn.

However, the reports seemed too fantastical to be believed, and the University faction had been hesitant to engage with someone so unpredictable.

“Isn’t he allied with Agon’s Furious Horn? I was told he was part of the group led by his subordinates…”

“I doubt that. The intelligence from the 9th Gate indicates he had no prior history with that unit. It seems he might actually have a connection to the Delutana Senate.”

“Delutana? If that’s the case, haven’t they already secured his loyalty?”

“…Think for a moment. If he belonged to them, he’d be stationed in Delutana—he wouldn’t have traveled all the way here.”

The debate continued without reaching a firm conclusion. Eventually, unable to settle on a strategy, the councilors agreed to look into the matter further and meet again later.

The room emptied until only Vittorio remained. As the host of the meeting, he stayed in his chair, fingers interlaced, lost in contemplation.

The silence in the room was a stark contrast to the shouting from moments before.

“…”

He hadn’t stayed behind for no reason. The elderly man, looking as fragile as a withered branch, turned his gaze toward a shadowed corner of the room.

There was a visitor present who hadn’t been invited.

“You didn’t run, so you weren’t just spying… You didn’t strike, so you aren’t an assassin… What is your business with me?”

Golden eyes shimmered in the gloom. The intruder walked forward, her footsteps silent and graceful.

“I happened to hear that you were in the market for someone with exceptional abilities, Councilor Vittorio. I believe I can assist you with that.”

Vittorio looked up. He saw a woman with flowing dark hair, eyes that looked like jewels, and a smile that seemed almost divine.

She was remarkably beautiful. He recognized her from a previous event held at Galentana University.

“You… You’re a researcher from the university, aren’t you? Your name was…”

“Ilenia. Though that isn’t my true name, so feel free to use it or not.”

“…Very well, Scholar Ilenia. It is a ‘coincidence’ to see you again. But aren’t you a bit young to be involving yourself in these matters…?”

“I have no interest in your politics. You and your colleagues are welcome to that. As I said, I’m simply here to provide a solution to your problem.”

Vittorio looked into her eyes.

There was a shift since their last meeting. There was a strange, non-human quality in those golden pupils that made his skin crawl. Feeling a mix of dread and interest, the old man spoke.

“I assume this isn’t a gesture of goodwill… What is your price?”

The woman’s smile widened at his bluntness. She leaned in closer, her voice a soft murmur.

“The life of the ‘Demon Slayer’.”

“…”

“And… the ‘items’ you have tucked away, Councilor.”

*Ting! Tingrrrrr…*

A bright silver object spun across the table. Vittorio reached out and took it. It was a silver coin, but instead of a face or value, it bore ancient, cryptic symbols.

He knew exactly what it was. It was a relic he had spent a lifetime acquiring in secret, hoping it might prove useful one day.

It was a sacred token belonging to the followers of a forgotten god—a group that had been wiped out long ago by the Church of Elga.

Vittorio looked back at the woman, his hands trembling slightly.

“…”

“…”

A dangerous weapon, one that could easily turn on its owner, had been placed directly into his hands.

—

Meanwhile, on the path leading back from Soltana to the 9th Gate defense perimeter.

Kadim paused once more at Silmont, the settlement that had been filled with the bodies of the elderly.

“…”

The person he was looking for was gone. The barricades of furniture had been moved to create a path, and the houses were deserted. The bodies in the road had been partially cleared away, indicating that others had passed through.

Duncan looked around and asked.

“Are you searching for something, sir? This place was just a graveyard when I came through…”

“…No, let’s keep moving.”

Kadim turned away, hoping the old woman had returned to herself and found safety.

Peace had returned to the Golden Highway. While the road itself was still damaged, the constant threat of demons and monsters had vanished. The death of the central demon had caused the lesser creatures to flee.

Besides, even if a monster did appear, the sight of Duncan’s cart would likely scare it off.

*Clunk, clunk, clunk—*

“…Are you doing alright, Duncan?”

“Huff, huff, of course, sir! After standing my ground against Agon’s Furious Horn and winning, a little manual labor is nothing! Huff, I’m not… I’m not tired at all!”

“…”

Like a proud laborer showing off his work, Duncan pulled the cart with a wide grin. Every time the cart hit a bump, the pile of demon heads shifted precariously. Kadim smiled to himself and gave the cart a push from the back every now and then.

After four days of travel, they finally reached the military camp. Duncan was nearly collapsing from the effort, but he kept smiling. Kadim wondered if the merchant had always been this resilient.

The camp immediately fell into chaos.

“Wait, stop! What… No… What in the world is that…”

“Look at that! Are those… actual demon heads?”

“By Remillion… How many did he kill?”

“Ah, the ‘Demon Slayer’… The ‘Demon Slayer’ has returned!”

Soldiers on guard, those preparing for their shifts, returning scouts, and various camp staff all rushed to see the ‘Demon Slayer’ and the mountain of trophies he had brought back. Every person there stared with wide eyes and open mouths.

Among them were men who had served in the subjugation force. They cheered when they saw Kadim and ran toward him.

“Commander! Commander! You made it back!”

“Unbelievable! You hunted even more of them after we separated!”

“Don’t just stand there! Give him a salute! Honor to Atala! Honor to the commander who struck down the darkness!”

“Honor to Atala! Honor to the commander who struck down the darkness!”

A few of the soldiers mimicked the Atalan custom of striking their chests, though they did so clumsily.

“…”

Kadim looked at them as if they were losing their minds, ignored the noise, and went to find the commanding officer.

Guard Captain Yulitan heard the commotion and came out to investigate. Just like his men, he was stunned. His hand shook as he pointed at the pile of heads.

“You… you did this by yourself?”

“Yes, and this isn’t the total count.”

“What do you mean, there’s more?”

“About five high-ranking demons. I can’t prove those, though. They turned back into lesser forms once the primary demon was killed.”

Yulitan was at a loss for words.

Kadim wasn’t joking. The sheer number of heads in the cart was proof enough that he wasn’t exaggerating. Yulitan had thought that surviving because of Agon’s Furious Horn was the biggest shock of his career, but this was even more overwhelming.

However, Yulitan’s shock soon turned to financial worry. He had to pay for these kills. Sensing the captain’s distress, Kadim spoke calmly.

“I won’t ask for payment for the ones I can’t prove. But you need to pay the agreed price for the ones I brought. That was the contract.”

“…”

Yulitan pulled himself together and began the count.

There were 35 lesser demons and 24 mid-tier horned demons. The bonus pay alone came to 1.55 million Luden, plus the standard 50k fee—a total of 1.6 million Luden.

The number was staggering. It was nearly twenty years of a soldier’s pay. It was enough to buy a palace in the city.

No outpost kept that much gold on hand. After draining the reward fund and the emergency reserves, they could only gather 146,000 Luden.

Yulitan nervously stacked the bags of coins.

“Th-this is every coin we have… It’s still a significant amount, so take this as a down payment and…”

*Bam!*

An axe blade slammed into the wood, nearly splitting the table. Coins rattled and spilled.

Kadim gestured for him to keep talking. Yulitan flinched, then dropped his head to the table in a deep bow.

*Thud!*

“I am truly sorry! But this is all the physical currency we have! I will write you a formal mission completion certificate so you can collect the remainder in Galentana! The contract was backed by their Senate—they won’t be able to refuse you!”

“…Is that so? And what happens if they give me trouble or refuse to pay?”

“Uh, well…”

“Should I come back here and split your head open?”

“…”

Yulitan turned pale and couldn’t find the words to respond. Kadim sighed and looked at Duncan.

“Duncan, how much time will it add to go to Agon by way of Galentana?”

“Hmm… Likely an extra four or five days. Both are to the north, but Galentana is to the west and Agon is to the east.”

“…”

The hunt had already slowed them down. A detour was now mandatory. The delay was annoying, but…

He couldn’t walk away from that much money. His gear was falling apart after so many fights, and his supplies were low. He needed to restock. A major city would have better equipment than the small villages he had passed.

“Map out a path to Agon through Galentana, Duncan. Find the quickest way, regardless of the terrain.”

“Yes, sir!”

Duncan began working on the maps immediately. Yulitan, looking like a man who had been granted a pardon, hurried to write the certificate.

Kadim cut his relief short.

“Don’t bother with that. You’re coming to Galentana with us.”

“…Excuse me?”

“A living witness is better than a piece of paper. And it’ll be easier to find you if the payment doesn’t go through.”

Yulitan dropped his pen, the color draining from his face once again.