Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Hidden Piece (3)

#12

“······Ah.”

Bran opened his eyes.

It was still on the back of the Dementia Serpent.

Except for the hand gripping the blade there was no sensation.

“This is···.”

It seemed he had fainted for a moment.

There was no memory up to coming out to the surface.

Familiar scenery was filling the surroundings.

It was the central management office that controlled everything of the Bottom Farm.

“Huaaaak!”

“D-don’t come!”

However, there was a considerable difference from when he first saw it.

【Kirereek!】

The Serpent of Dementia was destroying everything.

The bandits who had looked lofty had fallen to existences worse than scared children.

Puhak! Puhak! Puhak!

Tentacles fired in succession pierced three bandits at the same time.

“···Of all places here.”

Bran sighed.

He had thought that as long as he left the trunk it would be fine, but he had not known he would come out to such an unconventional place.

The plan he had made had been reduced to a scrap of tissue that even a goat would not eat.

“Please return to where you came from!”

Then, an unpleasant honorific rang out from somewhere.

Staggering and raising his head, Bran frowned.

A man with black lipstick applied was running this way.

“Homo bastard···!”

It was Delgato.

A giant war hammer was gripped in his hand. Delgato’s main armament.

The forearm muscles revealed under the shirt were swollen as if they would burst.

“Hup!”

The Serpent of Dementia charged but he did not dodge.

Rather Delgato who charged head-on swung the hammer.

Boooom-!

The hammer that scraped the floor and surged smashed the serpent’s head.

【Kiririk···!】

As the serpent’s head was thrown back silver bodily fluid burst out.

It was brief but the entire large body floated. Two of the remaining three eyeballs were crushed at once.

The impact swept the serpent’s entire body, and Bran stuck to the serpent was no exception.

Thud!

The blade he had embedded deep in the flesh broke and Bran was bounced out.

“Kuek!”

After flying for a long time Bran buried his face in a blood puddle.

It was still hot. Human and Otherworld blood were mixed.

Blood water mixed with silver and red was seeping into his mouth.

Desperate shouts were heard from various places.

“Surround and attack! We must buy time until my older sister comes!”

“U-understood!”

“Remember! You must absolutely not kill it!”

Delgato was not even noticing Bran’s existence.

He was doing his utmost to capture the serpent alive while commanding the bandits.

A natural reaction.

Because the moment that monster dies Blackstone Fortress is finished.

However the Serpent of Dementia was not an easy opponent.

Slash!

One tentacle that rushed like an arrow tore Delgato’s side and passed.

“Keup!”

“C-Captain!”

Delgato staggered while clutching the wound.

The Serpent of Dementia was also making its final struggle.

The tentacles that had become even rougher were running wild and slaughtering the bandits.

“Heh. Serves you right.”

Bran smiled.

The more the serpent reduced the number of bandits the easier the escape became.

However that was also a self-mockery directed at himself.

His body would not move.

“Kuek. Gack.”

He had thought breathing fresh air would make it a bit better, but it seemed he had reached his physical limit.

Wounds he had not seen came into view.

Quite serious.

Bruises, abrasions, and even deep cuts.

White bone was revealed through the gaps in the torn thigh.

『Warning! Stamina is very low!』

『Physical abilities decrease!』

『You are falling into the status abnormality “Exhaustion”!』

Red messages were rising one after another.

The behavior of chattering obvious content was extremely annoying.

I already know I’m fucked too?

Michael Jackson’s song was no longer heard either.

‘Is this as far as it goes?’

The surrounding sounds were gradually getting smaller.

The blood was still hot but taste and smell were not felt.

Loss of the five senses.

Bran knew better than anyone what that meant.

Death was trying to kiss him.

“Just a little··· more and it would be fine···.”

Bran mumbled.

The world was darkening like a stage where the curtain had fallen.

“Damn···.”

In fact even coming this far was a miracle.

If he had been an ordinary person he would have become a cold corpse long ago.

At least a serious injury of 20 weeks recovery period. To hope that a guy who showered in Harmeno’s extreme poison lives.

Still he could not give up.

“I will··· live···.”

I am a weed.

The only specialty is growing again even if cut and trampled.

Bran endlessly repeated such words while grasping the string of fading consciousness.

Of course there was no particular effect.

At best it would only delay death from seconds to minutes.

The damage soaked into the body was too deep to overcome with words and will alone.

Then what meaning does this action have?

He doesn’t know.

However he did not want to die while resigning.

He did not want to stain the end of life with words like he had done enough or he lost but fought well.

Desperately until the end.

Believing in the existence of a miracle, he wanted to struggle until the very last and die.

Like the Nameless Hero uncle had done.

“Live··· a···.”

Now even his voice was not coming out well.

Complete darkness was covering the world.

Even the low recitation was finally about to cut off, then.

.

.

.

『The faint light of morning blesses you!』

Along with a translucent message, his vision brightened greatly.

“What?”

Bran raised an eyebrow.

The darkness had retreated without a trace.

A dusky radiance like the sunrise on a cloudy day was wavering over his skin.

『A small amount of stamina is recovered.』

『You temporarily acquire resistance to toxins.』

『Physical abilities are temporarily greatly enhanced!』

Messages rose one after another.

Bran slowly raised his body.

The smell of blood stabs the nose. The mucus flowing along his ankles was unpleasant.

The lost senses were returning one by one.

“The thing is tired too! Endure!”

“Do not enter the range of the tentacles!”

【Kirururururu!】

The sounds of the Serpent of Dementia and the bandits fighting began to be heard again.

It was still a melee. Blood and flesh pieces were fluttering like flower petals.

Again a new message.

『While the blessing lasts, you can grant the radiance of morning to physical attacks.』

Reading the explanation, Bran froze as is.

“This is···!”

He had a memory of seeing this text.

The performance was incomparably crude but the essence was the same.

The unique skill of Holy Knight of Radiance Astraea, Morning’s Blessing.

The only person who could use this in the entire Blackstone Fortress was one.

“B-Bran! You woke up!”

Suddenly a voice mixed with crying rang out from the management office side.

Bran hurriedly raised his head.

It was the fifth-floor control room.

Beyond the broken window a blond boy was standing.

The appearance of vigorously waving both arms and jumping was extremely lively.

“I-I thought you were dead! You kept not moving···!”

“Kale.”

“Hurry and run! If you’re caught we’ll all die!”

“How are you···.”

Bran’s eyes widened.

It was unmistakably Kale.

Why is the guy who should be on the surface doing that here?

There were more than one or two things he was curious about, but what was important now was not that.

“You did it.”

Bran raised the corner of his mouth.

Kale’s hair was shedding a dusky light.

Evidence that Divine Power had bloomed.

Rawiena’s grace was wrapping the body.

Moreover, that was not the end.

『You returned from the brink of death! By overcoming hardship Weed’s Tenacity activates!』

『Mental Power, Strength, and Endurance greatly increase.』

As the Nameless Hero’s unique trait activated the major stats rose by a large margin.

Since it was no different from dying and coming back to life it was natural to be treated as hardship.

Perhaps because it was a large rise the change was immediately felt.

Vitality returned to Bran’s eyes.

Slapping both cheeks with his palms, he picked up a longsword lying on the floor.

“Good.”

It was the relic of an unnamed bandit.

Although the immediate crisis was overcome the time-limited status did not change.

To truly survive he had to take care of the serpent and Delgato first.

“A sword.”

It was the first time handling such a long sword but he was not particularly worried.

Having just died and come back to life, what is there to be afraid of?

Turning the sword once, Bran spat a short kiai.

“Hup!”

And he kicked the ground and ran out.

Boom!

The distance narrowed in an instant.

Even considering the stats had risen it was excessively fast. It was thanks to receiving Morning’s Blessing.

Even though it was a ridiculously weakened blessing, it was the difference between heaven and earth from when he had not received it.

“Fuck, what is that kid?!”

“What? Kid?”

Only then did the bandits recognize Bran’s existence.

The idiots shouted something but Bran ignored them.

The Serpent of Dementia was coiled while enduring the offensive.

【Kiriririk! Kiririk!】

Fortunately the bandits were drawing its attention.

Seeing that it ignored the bloodshed that had occurred inside Harmeno’s trunk, a beast was a beast.

Bran’s goal was clear.

The one remaining eyeball was rolling on the upper part of the long body.

Crunch!

Transferring the sword hilt to both hands, Bran stepped on the serpent and leaped.

“Haaap!”

【Kiruk?!】

Faint light rose along the blade.

The moment the eyeball turned toward Bran the slash was drawn.

Slaaaash!

The blade that severed the eye came out the opposite side of the body.

【Kiririk···!】

“One for now.”

Bran landed.

The body that had been halved collapsed and a silver fountain surged.

The Serpent of Dementia can no longer survive now. It will only take time to die.

Just as he shook off the blood on the sword, a scream filled with shock burst out from the opposite side.

“Huuuk···! Wh-what is this!”

It was Delgato.

The guy who witnessed the halved serpent had fallen into a panic state.

Bran immediately charged at Delgato.

He had to finish before the blessing’s effect ran out. Fortunately he was weakened from being injured.

If he did not take care of that bastard too Kale’s blessing would be nothing but a flash in the pan.

Meeting Bran’s eyes, Delgato gasped.

“You are.”

He seemed to have recognized him.

Whether he did or not Bran increased his speed.

He could have been more flustered, but the skilled fighter Delgato immediately responded.

“Do you know what you’ve done right now!”

Delgato roared.

Finally the honorific concept broke.

Bang!

Delgato who charged forward swung the war hammer widely horizontally.

Familiar. A nasty pattern that squeezes tears from beginners.

If he responded clumsily he would be smashed along with the weapon as is.

Boooom!

The crow engraved on the hammer head rushed toward Bran.

“Hup!”

However Bran’s movement was outside Delgato’s expectations.

He does not cut.

He does not stab either.

Thud!

Like a high jump athlete he stabbed the longsword into the ground and leaped.

The swung hammer struck empty air.

A shadow was cast over Delgato’s face.

“What.”

Delgato’s eyes widened.

It was too late to counterattack. Having taken a hit to the side from the serpent his movement was not the same as before.

He urgently raised the hammer handle and went on the defensive.

“This guy!”

It was a good judgment.

The handle made of solid steel was hard enough to block most attacks.

However, Bran had no intention of doing it moderately.

The moment he strongly gripped the sword hilt, the light flowing along the blade became even stronger.

『The light of morning enhances Smash!』

It was time to pour everything.

Bran who activated Smash somersaulted forward in the air. Acceleration was added to the slash.

Swaaack!

The sword containing morning fell while trailing a golden tail.

“What···!”

Delgato was astonished.

He tried to shout something but Bran did not stop.

The blade that bisected the handle dug into his crown.

Boooom!

The sword that came out below Delgato’s crotch smashed the ground.

“C-Captain!”

The bandits were astonished.

The line that crossed Delgato longitudinally slowly opened.

Puhwaaak!

Blood and organs poured out. The corpse split in half collapsed to both sides.

Almost at the same time, the Serpent of Dementia stopped moving.

【Rururu······.】

It was the moment the last remaining tentacle collapsed.

『Amazing achievement! You overcame harsh hardship and accomplished a great feat!』

『You defeated a powerful enemy that cannot be won at the current level! Weed’s Tenacity activates!』

『The growth speed of all stats greatly increases!』

Translucent windows rose one after another before his eyes.

The essence was different from before.

Most of the text was shining with brilliant gold.

And.

『You defeated an Otherworld existence for the first time. Resistance to all attribute damage increases!』

『You defeated the Serpent of Dementia that gnaws the trunk.』

『The great tree Harmeno sincerely thanks you for your hard work!』

Finally.

『Acquired the hidden trait, “Heart of Harmeno”!』