Chapter 782
Hwaaaah!
A young girl with brown hair appeared, accompanied by a small ember that flickered like a campfire.
Strangely enough, she clung tightly to an old wooden sword as if it were a precious treasure.
Raon swallowed dryly as he gazed at the floating child.
‘So that’s Sia….’
Since Sia must have been much younger when she donned the Green King’s helmet, it wasn’t surprising that her soul took the form of a young girl.
‘At least she doesn’t seem hurt.’
Perhaps thanks to Murka’s protection, there wasn’t even a single scratch on Sia’s soul.
Whoooosh!
Just as Raon let out a breath of relief and was about to approach Sia, the black ashes left behind by Murka’s soul swirled around her and himself.
‘This is….’
He hesitated, wondering if he should block it, but the warmth he had felt from Murka before emanated from the black ashes.
Believing there must be a reason behind Murka’s actions, he lowered his hand.
Hwaaah.
As Murka’s black ashes carefully seeped into Sia, a deep crimson aura flared up from her like a tangible force of energy.
“…Ah.”
Raon watched as the interweaving lights of Murka’s and Sia’s souls illuminated their encounter.
[Mom! Dad!]
In a world constructed solely from her mind, young Sia searched desperately for Sylvia and Edgar.
The small cottage behind her, the steaming food, the lush greenery, and the tall trees all signified the happiness she had once known as a child.
[Where are you?!]
Believing herself to still be in reality, Sia collapsed to her knees and cried out for Sylvia and Edgar. Of course, there was no answer.
At some point, the food had grown cold, the trees and bushes had withered and fallen, and a layer of gray snow had accumulated on the cottage. Her despair had seeped into the world of her consciousness.
[Hic….]
Realizing that crying was futile, Sia stopped her tears and stood up. She neither ate the food nor entered the cottage.
Instead, she reached out for the old wooden sword wedged between the firewood. Gripping the training sword, which seemed similar to the one Edgar had once used, she swung it weakly into the air.
[Dad….]
Her strike lacked power, speed, and proper form, but it was unmistakably Edgar’s Mystic Soul Sword technique.
It seemed she was trying to overcome her fear by imitating Edgar’s swordsmanship—an extraordinary feat for an ordinary child. It was at that moment Raon truly felt that she was Sylvia and Edgar’s daughter.
Rumble!
Just as Sia’s mind began to recover, allowing her world to regain its greenery…
A massive fissure tore through her realm of consciousness as another invaded it—Murka’s blackened, lifeless forest.
Kwaaaaaaah!
The collision between the two worlds sent out an immense shockwave, shattering Sia’s mental constructs—her cottage and forest disintegrated like brittle leaves.
The overwhelming disparity in the strength of their souls had caused this phenomenon.
Crackle!
Like an elephant against an ant—no, the difference was even greater—Sia’s mindscape was being pulled into Murka’s.
Whooooom!
Murka’s crimson eyes gleamed as he approached Sia. His breath, tinged with the scent of blood, carried the unfiltered despair and rage from the moment he had been betrayed and killed by humans.
[Aaah….]
Sia, paralyzed by his killing intent, collapsed in place, unable to even breathe properly.
[Human!]
Murka tightened his grip on his stone sword, as if recalling memories of Eshian’s childhood through Sia.
Sadness and despair flickered in his wavering gaze.
Rumble!
Murka raised his stone sword high. A simple downward slash would turn Sia into nothing more than a pool of blood, yet he hesitated, gritting his teeth as he looked at her.
[Krrgh….]
Before he knew it, his eyes no longer reflected his hatred toward Eshian, but rather his concern for the young members of his lost tribe.
In the end, Murka did not succumb to his rage. Instead, he slowly lowered his stone sword.
Rather than a brutal vengeance against humanity, he had chosen mercy.
[You too must be nothing more than another sacrifice for those demons.]
Murka bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, suppressing the despair and rage that threatened to consume him.
[If I were to kill you, I would be no different from those beasts.]
He forgave the malice of mankind and offered a prayer to the spirit of nature, hoping that the children of his tribe had survived.
[Haaah….]
Realizing that Murka’s killing intent had disappeared, Sia clutched her chest and exhaled heavily.
[What is your name?]
Murka knelt down to meet Sia’s gaze.
[S-Sia.]
Noticing the warmth in his eyes, Sia hesitantly spoke her name.
[How did you end up here?]
[I-I don’t know. I was with my dad, and then these people with strange helmets flew in, and then….]
She trailed off, biting her lip, saying she couldn’t remember anything after that.
[Where are we? Where are my mom and dad?]
[This is hell.]
[T-Then does that mean I’ll never see my mom and dad again?]
Understanding the implications of “hell,” Sia clutched her hands together, eyes welling with tears.
[No, that’s not what I meant….]
Flustered by her tears, Murka stammered.
[Let me explain properly. This place is….]
Just as he was about to clarify—
Crack!
Sia’s realm of consciousness began to melt away like snow in spring. If the space completely collapsed, she would disappear along with it.
[So that was their plan.]
Murka furrowed his brows as he watched Sia’s world crumbling.
The helmeted fiends must have known he wouldn’t kill her. Instead, they had orchestrated a scenario where their two consciousnesses would collide, ensuring her death as a natural consequence.
[I won’t fall for your schemes.]
Murka struck his own chest forcefully, gripping his fists tightly as he reaffirmed his resolve not to direct his hatred toward an innocent child.
[Sia. What is the most precious thing to you?]
Murka let out a quiet breath as he held Sia’s increasingly fading hand.
[Th-this.]
Sia lifted the old wooden sword she was holding.
[It’s my dad’s sword.]
[It’s a fine sword.]
Murka nodded, saying it would do.
[Come with me.]
Taking Sia with him, he returned to his own realm of consciousness.
Thud!
Murka slammed his stone sword down, sending a powerful shockwave through his mental world.
Despite enduring excruciating pain that felt as if his very soul was being torn apart, he continued to destroy his own domain.
Kwaaaang!
After repeatedly striking with his stone sword, he finally managed to create an opening—just large enough for a small child to fit through.
[Go inside.]
He gestured toward the hole as he spoke, but blood gushed from his mouth. His soul was clearly suffering severe damage.
[A-are you okay, mister?]
[I’m fine.]
Murka wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth and smiled.
[You said you wanted to see your mother and father, right? I will make sure you meet them.]
As if to reassure her, he gently patted Sia’s head.
[Mister, what’s your name?]
Just as she was about to step through the hole, Sia stopped and looked up. Her gaze no longer wavered—she now saw Murka as a person, without fear.
[Murka.]
He wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and spoke his name.
[The most incompetent and foolish king in this world.]
[Wow, you’re a king?]
[Sleep now.]
As Murka ran his hand over her forehead, Sia’s body relaxed, and she fell into a deep slumber.
[There’s no time.]
Murka’s fingers trembled as he looked at the collapsing remnants of Sia’s world.
If he didn’t act now, she wouldn’t survive the destruction of her consciousness.
Puhwaaaak!
After sealing the hole Sia had entered, Murka flipped his stone sword and mercilessly stabbed it into his own abdomen.
Whoooom!
Spilling the blood of his soul, he made an unbreakable vow—until he remained in this place, Sia’s soul would be protected. And unless he allowed it, she would never wake from her slumber.
He did not think about revenge on Eshian or worry about his lost tribe. The only thing on his mind was saving the life before him.
In that moment, his soul ascended to a higher state.
[Haaah.]
Confirming that Sia’s soul had safely settled within his domain, Murka lowered his stone sword. He tamped down the ground to ensure she wouldn’t wake too soon and let out a weary laugh.
[This will be a long time….]
(T/N: Damnm Murka, you are the MVP of this arc. )
—
Raon bit his lip as he watched Murka’s soul encircle Sia’s.
‘Murka….’
Even having witnessed it firsthand, he could hardly believe that an orc who had lost his tribe due to human betrayal had chosen to trust and protect a human child once more.
Even as someone who had reincarnated, it was an astonishing sight.
“…Thank you for protecting my sister.”
Raon bowed deeply to Murka’s soul. It was a tribute, a gesture of respect from one person to another.
Woooooong!
Murka’s soul let out a quiet hum, as if acknowledging the gratitude, then wrapped itself around Sia.
Hwaaaaaah!
The black ashes left behind by Murka seeped into Sia, transforming her appearance.
From a small child, she matured into a bright, lively girl before finally returning to her present form.
It was as if Murka had used his own soul to help her grow, keeping his promise to protect her.
“Murka.”
Raon lowered his head toward Murka’s soul, which had now faded almost completely.
“If I ever get the chance, I’ll look for your descendants to see if they’re doing well.”
Whoosh.
As Murka’s final fragment of soul seeped into Raon, it carried a warmth unmatched by any other.
Hwaaaaaah!
The moment Murka fully vanished, the blackened forest crumbled, and the world of Sia’s mind was restored.
The small cottage and lush green forest filled the once gray space.
Raon watched as Sia descended toward the cottage, then lost consciousness.
—
When Raon opened his eyes again, he saw Glenn and Merlin furrowing their brows.
“Grandfather! It’s my turn this time!”
Merlin lifted her chin at Glenn in defiance.
“What nonsense are you spewing! You carried him yesterday! And stop calling me grandfather!”
Glenn glared down at Merlin, deepening the furrow between his brows.
“What else should I call you if not grandfather?”
Merlin shook her head stubbornly, unwilling to back down.
“There’s no reasoning with you….”
“Ahem….”
Raon raised his hand toward the two.
“Why are you two fighting?”
“Huh? Raon? Why are you awake?”
Merlin patted his stomach gently, urging him to sleep more.
“…Ahem.”
Glenn also let out a long, regretful cough.
– “Those two… they were arguing over who should carry you.”
Wrath shook his head in exasperation.
– “They do this every day. It’s exhausting!”
He clicked his tongue, complaining about how troublesome humans were.
‘Ah….’
Raon let out a small chuckle. Now he understood what they had been fighting about.
“Rather than fighting over something so trivial… hmm?”
Just as he was about to stand up and intervene, he noticed something strange.
His body felt light.
‘What is this?’
Ever since Wrath’s descent, he had felt fatigued even after sleeping. But now, that exhaustion had vanished in an instant.
– “Now that I think about it, you….”
Wrath narrowed his eyes at Raon.
– “What did you eat on your own?!”
‘What are you talking about? I didn’t eat anything.’
– “Your soul’s wounds have completely healed! That’s impossible unless you consumed something!”
Wrath grabbed him by the collar, demanding an explanation.
“Raon, what happened inside your mindscape?”
Glenn’s sharp gaze bore into him, realizing that something about Raon had changed.
‘Wait… if I’ve changed, then….’
Raon looked at Sia, who lay on the bed.
She, too, seemed to have fully embraced Murka’s soul, radiating a serene and pure energy.
Gone was the despair and rage of the Green King that had once engulfed her. Instead, what remained was the innocence of the young Sia whom Murka had protected.
“Ah, the young lady’s soul is growing!”
Even Merlin sensed Sia’s soul evolving and swallowed dryly.
“What in the world…?”
Glenn turned swiftly toward Raon, demanding an answer.
“I’ll explain.”
Raon nodded with a soft smile.
“About the true king, Murka….”
—
At the back of the annex, near the lake, Raon practiced his swordsmanship, keenly aware of the changes within himself.
‘I’ve grown stronger.’
His physical abilities had greatly improved after accepting Wrath, and his mana circuits had expanded, allowing him to circulate aura more swiftly.
He had assumed that he would be stuck in a bottleneck upon reaching the peak of the Grandmaster level, but he hadn’t expected to break through in such an unexpected way.
– “Krrgh, this is infuriating.”
Wrath scowled at Raon, furrowing his brows.
– “My descent was cut off halfway, yet somehow you still managed to benefit from it! How is this even possible?!”
The demon ground his teeth, grumbling about how Raon always seemed to have ridiculous luck.
‘I have no idea either.’
Raon chuckled and shrugged. His previous life had been a disaster, so perhaps fate was finally being kinder to him in this one.
– “Hmph, rather than you, I’d rather see Murka, the truly unfortunate one. If I had known what kind of man he was, I would’ve taken him as one of my subordinates….” (T/N: We feel the same Wrath! I’m sure you two would have been best buds!)
Wrath clicked his tongue, regretful that he hadn’t had more time to converse with Murka.
‘I feel the same.’
Raon nodded, wishing he had been able to speak with Murka a little longer.
– “He wasn’t meant to be born an orc. No, actually, saying that might be an insult to him.”
Wrath, uncharacteristically respectful, gave a small nod.
‘That’s right.’
As Raon recalled Murka’s final moments and was about to resume his training—
“Young master!”
Helen came running, her skirt covered in dirt. She was so frantic that, despite walking the same path countless times, she nearly tripped over her own feet.
“What’s the rush? You can take your time—”
“There’s no time for that!”
Just as Raon gestured for her to slow down, Helen urgently blurted out:
“My lady has awakened! And so have the others!”
