Chapter 35: Battle of Academy (2)

Musah had a truly sorrowful past.

His younger brother had sacrificed himself for Musah, his entire family was wiped out, and his beloved had died in agony.

These memories, which he thought would never fade away, gradually became a part of his past as he continued living.

And even now, Musah hoped that those memories would remain as a single past, to be remembered and cherished.

.

.

.

In the village of Setima, inhabited by the Setima tribe, kindness and nonviolence were valued above all else.

They were helpful to outsiders, detested causing harm to others, and absolutely rejected murder, making them a kind-hearted tribe without a proper defense force.

Musah, too, had naturally assimilated into their kindness and had been with them for a long time.

Unfortunately, even in such a Setima, crisis struck.

The army of the Griffin Kingdom, seeking to expand its territory, invaded the land of Setima. They labeled the goddess worshipped by the Setima tribe as a heretic and aimed to completely subjugate the tribe.

In the face of this threat, the people of Setima made a decision—to seek refuge in the only large cave in the village, nestled amidst a thick forest. The entrance area was blocked with heaps of stones, leaving only one real entrance.

Taking his position at the entrance, Musah crossed his arms and waited, feeling the breeze on his face.

"Grandma! I want to eat candy!"

He heard the voice of a child. Musah, who had taken his position beforehand, opened his eyes.

"You have to wait a little."

He pretended to be intimidating as he spoke to the child who clung to their grandmother, begging for candy. However, the child giggled and smiled.

"Hehe! Mister, you're pretending to be scary, but I'm not scared at all!"

"Huh."

Musah scratched the back of his head, wearing a perplexed expression. Grandma looked at him and bowed deeply, expressing her gratitude.

"You've been through so much trouble because of us. Thank you."

"No, it's what I should do."

Musah smiled and ushered Grandma and her grandchild inside.

"Grandma! Are there really no candies? You used to give me one every day!"

"Oh, you rascal. Wait a moment. Let me find one for you."

Grandma and her grandchild entered the cave, rummaging through their belongings in search of the promised treat.

As Musah's gaze followed their path, other residents of Setima began arriving in earnest.

"Hyung, I'm truly sorry."

"Please take care of us."

A drinking buddy and his wife bowed their heads, seeking Musah's guidance and protection.

"Hey, kids, gather here. Ah, don't let go of your friends' hands. Come here! I said come here?!"

He soon heard the frustrated voice of the person in charge of Setima's orphanage, who appeared to be rough, but in fact, was kind-hearted.

"How can you run like this? Like this!"

"No, my leg still hurts!"

The children jumped in place and laughed, finding it fun.

"Please take care of us."

Even the priest of Setima bowed deeply as he passed by.

Musah stood with his arms crossed and greeted everyone. If he could hold on for just a little longer, support would come from the other tribes they had been allied with for so long.

He only had to block this entrance for that short moment.

"Uncle!"

"Hmm?"

A girl approached him, smiling brightly. She was the daughter of the priest, and Musah had often played with her.

"Why are you here? You should be with your father."

"Look at this! I made it myself!"

The girl held out a doll. Although it wasn't made perfectly, it was filled with sincerity.

"What did you make? A general?"

"Yes?!"

He thought he got it right, but the girl pouted her lips and exclaimed.

"It's an angel! An angel! The angel will protect us all!"

"Oh, oh! Right! So it's an angel!"

"Yes! After everything is over, the angel will make us all laugh and happy!"

The girl giggled confidently and shouted with excitement. Musah's tension eased a bit thanks to her, and he gently stroked her head.

Then the girl proudly extended the doll and explained, "Look at this. I cut my hair and attached it, so it feels like it's really alive!"

Musah laughed when he saw the black hair attached to the doll, mistaking it for a beard. "Yes, the angel will surely protect us because of your sincerity."

"Right?! Right! Hehehe! Don't worry, Uncle! The angel will solve everything for us!"

Saying that the girl went inside. Musah smiled as he watched her retreating figure.

"Yes, the angel will protect us."

The ground suddenly trembled, indicating the approaching cavalry soldiers.

"They've already arrived."

Taking a slow deep breath, Musah placed his hand on the sword hanging at his waist.

A long and arduous battle awaited him, but he was prepared to fight until the end.

---

"Huff! Huff!"

Covered in sticky blood, Musah's body felt heavy. He couldn't open his eyes properly, and when he tried to wipe his face with his hands, it only smeared the blood already on his hands.

In front of a bloody puddle illuminated by the reddened crescent moon, Musah knelt, gasping for breath.

The enemy had already retreated.

They would probably return tomorrow, but for today, he had held on.

Although taking even a single step was difficult due to his grievous injuries, Musah forced his heavy lips into a smile.

"You endured."

Tomorrow, support would come from nearby tribal villages. They could launch a major counterattack.

It was regrettable that he, who should be in the vanguard, was exhausted, but Musah had confidence that they would succeed if he used his remaining energy efficiently.

He subtly turned his gaze backward.

Behind the dark passage, not a single voice of the villagers could be heard. But since none of the kingdom's soldiers had passed through, they were probably safe.

"I'm hungry."

Although he wanted to fill his empty stomach, his legs refused to move.

He waited, hoping someone would bring food from inside.

He waited and waited, but no one came.

The sun rose.

The kingdom's soldiers pushed forward just like yesterday.

Once again, Musah repelled them - Truly an astonishing feat.

Although he lost one hand in the middle of the battle and was feeling intense hunger, he gritted his teeth and persevered, emerging victorious once more.

"I'm so hungry."

More than the pain and wounds, the intense hunger that followed the fierce battle became the main problem. Without proper replenishment, he no longer had the strength to even hold his sword.

That's why…

Approaching one of the scattered corpses, Musah lifted the severed arm of an enemy soldier and put it in his mouth.

His sharp teeth, like a sword, chew on the flesh forcefully. Blood filled his mouth like juice, unfortunately, unlike juice, it was accompanied by the stench of blood.

He knew how evil the act of consuming human flesh was.

Even the goddess of Setima might have turned away after seeing him.

But to protect, he had to become a demon.

Chomp, chomp.

For the countless residents of Setima who trust him and are praying inside.

Chomp, chomp.

For those who turned him back into a human despite being broken and destroyed in the tragedy of losing everything.

Chomp, chomp.

Musah forcibly filled his stomach with chunks of meat only to replenish his strength.

That's how he endured that day. And even another day.

The voices of the residents who went inside still could not be heard, and there was no sign of the other village tribes who promised to send reinforcements.

Yet, Musah didn’t show any signs of despair.

Unfortunately, the end still came. It was in the form of a blade piercing his back and coming out of his chest.

Thunk!

Gazing at the kingdom soldier's sword thrusting through his chest, Musah let out a hollow breath, although he could no longer feel anything other than the remnants of blood in his mouth.

His thick blood spurted out through his throat and splattered like vomit.

"Kuahak!"

How could someone come out from inside when not a single person was allowed in?

The man who stabbed Musah from behind, amidst such confusion, laughed and answered.

"Most of the people inside died on the first day. Didn't know they could move underground using magic, huh?"

"......!"

"The tribes you were expecting to come for support? They're all dead. You should've seen how they foolishly charged in and got themselves killed."

The man, whose face couldn't be seen, chuckled and smiled.

"Thank you anyway. Thanks to you, the rival family’s forces have been greatly depleted, and I will reap the merit."

Thud.

Musah's knees, which had never bent even in the face of any hardship, gave in.

"I've beheaded the enemy commander! I, the eldest son of the Zeronia family! Ger----!"

Now, he could barely see ahead. The sound, reaching his ears, became faint.

Musah realized that this was the end of his life.

Like everyone else, Musah had imagined his own demise.

He thought it would be a satisfying end.

A neat conclusion that left no lingering regrets.

He thought he would rejoice in escaping from all this tragedy.

He thought he would feel indifferent to his meaningless life.

But now, as the situation unfolded, the end was like a smudged inkblot, chaotic and meaningless.

‘Damn it.’

To be so powerless, so ravaged.

To have foolishly delivered himself in the clutches of the enemies.

To have failed to protect the villagers.

It was infuriating.

‘If there is such a thing as a god…’

Musah didn't believe in the goddess of Setima. That's why he resented and thought.

‘You should have protected them.’

...

............

....................

"So, this is your past."

Wham!

Musah regained his senses and swung his sword fiercely. He pushed away the Necromancer who had his hand on Musah’s heart.

He failed to protect.

However, whether it was a gift from a god or a devil's prank, he was given one more chance.

So this time...

[Kuaahh!]

He would protect them.

* * *

"What did you just do?!"

Finden Ai, who cleared the way, asked me in surprise.

Due to the joint efforts of Finden Ai and Gideon, there was an opening, making it possible for me to absorb magic power near Musah's heart and see a fragment of his memories.

"I woke him up."

Since I couldn't explain the situation in detail, I briefly explained it. Then, I turned to Musah.

"Now you must have regained your sanity."

It happened just as I said. Musah, who had been swinging his sword with fury, momentarily lowered his head as if catching his breath, and then looked in my direction.

[Why did you wake me up?]

Until just now, Musah had been captured by madness and obsession. Now, he had finally opened his eyes.

"Because I need you."

Naturally, Finden Ai and Gideon stepped aside, and Musah and I stood facing each other in a straight line.

However, it didn't mean that he became friendly to us just because we could have a conversation.

[Ridiculous. Dogs of the kingdom. Tonight, I will soothe the spirits of the children who were killed and died by taking your necks.]

"That's impossible."

I outright denied his firm declaration.

"No matter how cruelly you murder us, it's impossible to soothe their grudges."

[What do you know!]

"I know."

Flick!

I surrounded my right hand with blue flames, just like I had done for Emily.

It was the Necromancer’s flame used to confront souls.

"Because, while you were lost, just lingering here..."

[....]

"I was the one who comforted them."

In an instant, not only Musah but also the gazes of other people focused on me.

However, I continued to communicate with him.

"Musah, tell me."

Taking a step forward, I approached him.

Musah's fiery eyes flickered, revealing restlessness and unease.

"From whom are you protecting them?"

[I, I...]

"Musah, tell me."

Once again, as I took a step forward, Musah retreated a step back, as if fleeing.

"What did the residents of Setima truly desire?"

[...]

"What did the people of Setima do in the face of the kingdom's army, with spears and swords, and charging cavalry?"

[...]

"What was the wish of the girl who proudly showed you a doll and smiled?"

The tip of Musah's sword, held high, gracefully descended in an arc and gently touched the ground.

"Now. Who are the ones who bear the responsibility of representing them, yet are acting as they please?"

Unnamed malevolent spirits gathered in this crumbling academy, using thunderous words to fulfill their own desires, in the pretense of releasing Setima's grudges.

"Musah."

I reached Musah, who was standing there blankly, and slowly extended my hand.

Blue flames began to spread throughout his entire body.

"Musah, who became a protector without letting go of his sword, for the sake of others, for the sake of strangers."

[Ah...]

"You have the right to see the end of this story."

Musah's new form, gradually melting into the flames, distorted.

And soon, he transformed into a worn-out black sword with an abyss-like dark hue, falling into my hand.

"Let us give farewell to these unfortunate souls together."

--- End of The Chapter --

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