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chapter 64
“Isn’t it amazing?”
Even though a voice spoke from behind him, Agarat neither responded nor even glanced back.
It was clearly directed at him, yet Agarat did not want to acknowledge it.
His gaze remained fixed on Eldmir, who was in the middle of the duel arena, locked in combat with Erkes.
“You’re being too harsh. Even if he is an old fool now, he was once your idol. And yet, you treat him like cold leftovers.”
“…Why did you do this?”
Finally, Agarat spoke, but his tone was sharp and far from gentle.
“Why did you commit such an act?”
The voice responded calmly, as if the question was trivial.
“You didn’t say it yourself? That child realized there’s a traitor in this forest.”
“What does that possibly have to do with all this?”
Turning his gaze from Eldmir at last, Agarat addressed Igras in a tense voice.
“That child is my nephew. My brother’s blood, the only family I have left. And you—of all people—should never have done this to him!”
Unlike usual, Agarat’s voice was filled with passion. Igras responded calmly.
“I needed confirmation.”
“Confirmation? What confirmation? That the child is not the traitor? Or that Elder Sam would surely kill my nephew?”
Agarat, unable to hide his anger, snapped harshly.
“Because of your incomprehensible, arrogant mindset, my nephew was put in a situation where he could die! Confirmation? What kind of grand confirmation required you to push a child toward death?!”
“The confirmation that the child would fulfill what I desire.”
“What do you possibly desire?”
“My death.”
“…What?”
Agarat was so shocked he forgot his manners.
Seeing his stunned expression, Igras placed a hand lightly on his shoulder and smiled calmly.
“Don’t worry about your nephew, Elder O. Can’t you see? That’s your nephew—he can fight on equal terms with Elder Sam. He won’t die easily.”
“How can you be so sure…? No, more importantly, what did you just mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Igras shrugged, removing his hand from Agarat’s shoulder.
“That kid won’t lose to Erkes. He has enough power for that.”
At that confident statement, a glimmer of hope appeared in Agarat’s eyes.
“Assuming, of course, he knows how to control his power.”
The hope immediately wilted into despair.
“From the looks of it, he doesn’t even understand how to handle his power. Pathetic. With such skill in elemental magic, all he does is try to burn the opponent’s arrows, erect a barrier, or even attempt to burn the enemy directly… Haha, so that’s what they meant by ‘pearls before swine.’ El Lerdarel…”
“…Are you cursing him or blessing him?”
At Agarat’s blunt question, Igras laughed again, lightly tapping his shoulder.
“My time to die has long passed, Agarat. Long, long past.”
This year, he turned exactly 2,009 years old. Even among long-lived elves, and especially the high-born who live three times longer than ordinary elves, such a lifespan was abnormally long.
“Originally, I would have laid down this heavy burden of being the High Elder long ago and returned to El Lerdarel’s embrace. But I couldn’t.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I mean, I couldn’t just die away in some back room, fading into old age.”
Agarat couldn’t comprehend his words. Seeing his confused expression, Igras smiled bitterly.
“My real lifespan ended about a hundred years ago.”
“…What?”
Agarat’s face went blank at such a calm but shocking confession.
“Shirase… If not for that child’s power, my life would have already ended, returning to nature long ago.”
“You… you mean you’re living now by drawing life from the Spirit King?”
Igras, relying on the power of the spirit he contracted with, was barely extending a life that had already ended. In other words, he was parasitizing the spirit’s power.
“Why go to such lengths…?”
“You’d understand, Agarat. You’d know what would happen to this forest if I died that way.”
Agarat closed his mouth, realizing the weight behind those words.
“Just means I cannot die away in some back room.”
As a high elder of El Rel, he knew exactly what that meant.
“You are…”
After a pause, Agarat struggled to ask,
“What exactly are you expecting from Eldmir?”
“I already said.”
Igras’ gaze shifted back to Eldmir, who was desperately drawing his bowstring, exchanging blows with Erkes.
Red and silver traces filled the air, destroying the surrounding area. It was an overwhelming scene, barely resembling a duel between bows.
“Peace for the forest.”
Erkes Grakain.
Unique Technique.
Flying Arrow.
It was faster than Rapid Shot and stronger than Piercing Arrow.
The deflected arrows sliced through the air.
No, calling it “slicing the air” didn’t do it justice.
It was as if the wind itself yielded to the arrow, allowing Eldmir’s arrow to carve a path through reality, directed straight at his heart with overwhelming force.
“…!”
Eldmir’s eyes followed the flash without missing a moment. Unlike before, when he couldn’t keep up and his whole body was pierced, this time he could fully observe the arrow flying toward his heart.
This was a kind of miracle, born from his instinctive awareness of death. Observing the object’s immense speed didn’t mean he could avoid it. He could only watch the overwhelming force approach.
Rotation, flash.
A beautiful trajectory.
A gleaming trail of light stretching behind the arrow.
Following its ideal path, the arrow moved straight for his heart.
“…Cough.”
Eldmir took a step back.
One step became two, two steps became his limit, and his legs gave out completely.
He raised his trembling hand, moving against his will.
Finally reaching the intended spot, his hand touched the gaping hole near his heart.
“…Ah.”
Blood poured from his mouth.
It wasn’t the first time he’d felt his heart pierced. Memories of the Dark Elf princess piercing his heart with a fragment of El Luer came to mind.
Yet, experience didn’t lessen the pain.
Otherworldly agony and weakness consumed him.
“Eldmir!!”
A scream echoed.
His consciousness was too clouded to realize it was Agarat shouting.
“You said he wouldn’t lose!”
“No, I only assumed he could fully use his power…”
“You call that an excuse…!”
Sounds of battle rang around him. Ridiculous. While he was dying, others argued.
‘Am I really dying?’
Outrageous. Eldmir recalled the strike as his consciousness dulled.
‘A beautiful trajectory.’
Even facing death, his thoughts dwelled on such trivial observations, prompting a bitter laugh.
“Still smiling while dying.”
Erkes’ voice.
This time, Eldmir clearly heard it and slowly raised his head.
“You’re still alive, huh. Just die already, pathetic creature.”
‘Am I dying?’
The thought shattered like fragments.
‘…Why?’
Into the unconsciousness it scattered.
Flare!
A sudden phenomenon occurred.
At the hole in his heart, a flame ignited.
The faint red glow gathered more sparks, growing steadily.
The small flame rapidly expanded, threatening to engulf his entire chest.
―What are you doing, kid?
At that moment.
―Do you think I’d make a contract just to die in a place like this?
“Artir…?”
―Wake up, now.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind.
“You’re still struggling to survive? You really are relentless.”
A piercing sound cut through the air.
Eldmir reached toward it.
Flare!
The scream-like sound dispersed the arrows.
Erkes frowned at the arrows disappearing mid-air.
“How… still alive after your heart is pierced?”
Doubt lingered in his voice, but he didn’t hesitate to draw his bow.
The fact he needed to kill Eldmir didn’t change.
“…Artir.”
Arrows approaching Eldmir within a certain distance vanished at that boundary. They weren’t shielded by fire, yet they disappeared instantly.
“Some reflection technique? Doesn’t matter! You still won’t survive!”
Even with the spirit flames, a pierced heart should be fatal.
Yet Eldmir could not accept that he was dying.
‘I will not die.’
Not yet. Not now. No reason to die.
His thoughts scattered like shards, disorderly, recalling past lives.
‘I… I remember now.’
Memories of past lives flooded him: human, werewolf, dwarf, orc.
A knight’s memories, a barbarian’s, a legendary wolf, a dwarf craftsman, a warlike orc. Battles, duels, wars—all overwhelming experiences converged.
‘Why these memories…?’
Though they seemed like just game memories, they felt real, as if he had lived all those lives.
Struggling against the flood, Eldmir gritted his teeth.
“I am… Eldmir Arhitea.”
[Skill ??? activated.]
[Skill ??? proficiency increased. Partial description unlocked.]
[Select an avatar to use. Available avatars: Human (Zeroth Alturas), Human (Belik), Werewolf (Pruk Mart), Dwarf (Torf Allen), Orc (Karach Kergas).]
[Warning! Low skill proficiency. Available abilities limited.]
Eldmir Arhitea rose to his feet.
