Thud—!
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An even more dull noise followed.
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Every time their swords clashed, the space made of flesh shook, and fragments of the broken aura were sharply embedded on top of it.
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Albrecht’s entire body reddened further, and Hegrion’s mane became dyed in red accordingly.
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Hegrion swung his sword, forgetting everything else.
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If he was an ordinary person who could only hang in a vast world, he decided to accept it.
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He decided not to care.
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He chose to believe in the effort that brought him to this point in the first place.
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After all, his efforts were the only aspect where he didn’t fall short compared to that genius.
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Kwoong—!
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Training and perseverance were Hegrion’s forte.
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All he had known while growing up were those who constantly tested their limits and stood up again, and his world was one of enduring in front of unbeatable foes.
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Kwoong—!
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He decided to accept even his ugly jealousy as part of his nature.
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He knew that he could even sublimate that jealousy through effort.
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Kwoong—!
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If he was just hanging on, then that was enough.
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At least he wouldn’t fall.
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He could keep his place by hanging on like this forever.
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Clang—!
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A clear sound rang out.
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The two blades that had always created a dissonance finally began to face each other at the same height.
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For the first time, Hegrion stepped forward.
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From the feet firmly pressing the ground, through his thighs, waist, back, shoulders, and arms to the fingertips.
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He used every muscle in his body to bring down his claymore.
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Two things were reflected in his eyes.
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One was the flaws within himself that needed to be cut away, and the other was the flow that had awakened him to this.
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Saaak—!
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The sound was too modest for a sword strike.
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Then, Albrecht fell.
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Vera opened his eyes.
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[For true liberation! The end of false freedom!]
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Someone cried out.
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Along with that, he saw a large fire and a cross.
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Dozens of people had gathered in front of the cross.
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All of them wore black robes with inverted crosses hanging around their necks.
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‘Apostates.’
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They were apostates.
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Vera looked around.
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‘This place is...’
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What he saw all around were walls, and right in front of him was a huge castle and a tower that was too large to take in at a glance.
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It was a castle Vera knew well.
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There was no way he didn’t know it.
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How could he not?
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It was the same castle he had been staring at the past few days, and now he had entered it.
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Vera then realized.
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‘...The castle’s past. This is the history of the castle.’
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His eyes were keen.
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The world he was immersed in now was showing him a part of the history of the castle.
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‘What in the world...’
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Is the dagger trying to show me?
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More importantly, why had this ordinary-looking castle become like this in the present?
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Vera’s expression turned serious with those troubling thoughts.
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Feeling the need to find out something, his feet began to move on their own.
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‘...Inside the castle.’
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Vera decided to explore the place.
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He thought that it would be much easier to enter the depths of the castle if he could find out its structure or peculiarities, especially since he couldn’t collect any clues in the real world because it was covered in flesh.
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Suddenly…
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[Who is it?!]
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Someone’s voice called out to Vera.
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His body flinched, and he quickly turned towards the direction from which the voice came.
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What lay before his eyes was this.
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The dozens of figures who were burning the cross just before were now staring at him.
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Vera quickly understood the cause.
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Wooong—
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The ring of Terdan, which carried the power of binding, was wailing.
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‘...This place is not an illusion.’
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It would be correct to assume that the ring that had activated on its own and had sucked his soul into this world.
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Having had a similar experience during his fight with Gorgan, Vera’s bewilderment didn’t last long.
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‘If the flesh that makes up this place belonged to the people who lived in this castle.’
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Then this would be the world where their souls are imprisoned.
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Srrrrrrng—
✦ ✦ ✦
He unsheathed his Holy Sword.
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Then, Vera’s body glowed with a brilliant golden divinity.
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The bodies of the apostates shook greatly, and the one who seemed to be their leader growled.
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[A servant of heaven!]
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The apostates began to go berserk at this.
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“A servant of the false Lord!”
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“Tear and kill the evil one!”
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“Burn him! Burn him!”
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Kkududuk—
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Red arms sprang out from between their robes.
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Those who looked unmistakably human transformed into grotesque creatures with six red arms. The apostates charged at Vera with heavy thuds.
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And then…
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Fwaaaak—!
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Vera cut them all down in one move.
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‘Their power is not worth mentioning.’
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Vera made a rough estimate and tensed his muscles.
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He then launched himself towards the hesitating leader.
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Swish—.
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The apostate leader’s head cleanly rolled off.
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Vera frowned upon seeing the bare face revealed from under the robe.
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‘Eyes...’
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There were eyes in every hole on his face. Not just the eye sockets, but also the nostrils and the mouth. As well as where the hair should be, and right in the middle of his forehead were bulging, rolling eyes.
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Vera, openly disgusted, crushed the head under his foot.
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‘There’s definitely something inside that place.’
✦ ✦ ✦
He turned his gaze turned once again toward the castle.
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With sunken eyes and a vicious energy around him, Vera moved forward.