6 Relic [2]
I looked Betal in the eyes and said, "Betal, do you remember what the last person you killed said?"
Betal gazed at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"You truly are an unusual individual," he remarked.
"How could someone from your time know about that? But that's not my concern. As for your question, I do recall the last words, but only the beginning makes sense to me. Are you suggesting that the key to freedom lies within those words?"
I nodded, affirming his suspicions.
"That's correct. Let me assist you in deciphering the meaning behind those words."
I conveyed, "These words, {In shadows I dwell, a tale to tell,
Bound by your hand, in a cursed spell.
No peace in sight, no joy to find,
In this tree of fate, our fates entwined,}
speak of how you caused someone's demise and they're now cursed to this tree. I assume you're already aware of this."
Betal grew impatient, his irritation evident. "Cut to the chase, skip the rest," he snapped, his agitation clear.
I responded with a hint of amusement, "If you're in such a hurry, then let's skip ahead."
It was amusing to see him react with frustration, the same expression he wore when he showed me disrespect now mirrored in his agitation.
I explained, "The hidden message was {Two paths lie ahead, fate's decree,
To end your torment, to set you free.
One by a heart pure and true,
Or the same fate as mine, for you to rue.}
implies that there are only two ways to end your suffering: either someone with a pure and genuine heart must kill you, or you'll suffer the same fate as the cursed soul in the tree. But I doubt anyone truly has a pure heart; everyone has their flaws."
'Except for our protagonist, who possesses such a pure heart that he could possibly defeat this immortal freak.'
Betal interrupted, expressing doubt, "I don't believe you have a pure heart either. Your sole desire is to obtain the relic, and it seems you already know everything."
I responded frankly, "That's correct. I'm here solely for the relic. But are you willing to kill me, your only chance for freedom from this place?"
Betal shook his head adamantly, "No, I won't kill you. I have no desire left in me to do so."
I continued, " And the only other way is to die the same way the innocent dwarf died. Getting tied by the rope in the tree and stabbed by the fire sword in your mouth.
If you aren't killed by the same method no matter how many pieces you get yourself cut into you will regenerate."
Betal spoke, "Let me tell you if this isn't going to work I will eat you whole."
I calmly responded, "Sure, but first you need to deactivate your skill so I can bind you to the tree."
With a snap of his fingers, the dark place we were in vanished instantly, and we found ourselves back in the forest near the dead tree.
He asked, "Where will we get the rope and sword?"
I smiled, revealing that I had already prepared everything. I showed him the rope in my bag and the sword on my left side.
I began to tie him against the tree. He seemed unfazed as if it was nothing new to him. It was evident that he was torturing himself by searching for different ways to end his own life.
Everything went smoothly. It was a scenario of a person with a broken mind who wanted to die and a person who tried to kill him.
He was now tied to the tree doing nothing waiting for his death, resigned to his fate.
I drew my sword from its sheath.
This sword wasn't just any ordinary blade; it was a relic I had found in the apartment I was in. A common rank relic, it possessed the ability to emit fire.
It was precisely what I needed for this task.
As soon as I unsheathed it the sword started to emit fire. I could feel its heat.
Without any delay stabbed it in the mouth like Betal did to that dwarf.
As soon as I unsheathed the sword, flames burst forth from its blade, engulfing it in a fiery glow. I could feel the intense heat radiating from it.
Without hesitation, I drove the sword into Betal's mouth, just as he had done to the dwarf.
Initially, Betal seemed to think he was going to meet an easy end, believing he couldn't feel pain after hundreds of years. But he was mistaken.
He had forgotten the curse's conditions. He needed to die the same way the dwarf had. He needed to experience the same agony he had inflicted upon him.
As the flames consumed him, Betal's body contorted in pain, his skin blackening with red lines. His cries echoed throughout the forest, a symphony of suffering.
Amidst his torment, an eerie laughter filled the air, seemingly emanating from an unknown source. It was as if the spirits of the forest were mocking Betal, their laughter echoing the suffering he had caused.
At that moment, the situation had reversed. Betal, once the tormentor, was now tormented, while the spirit of the dwarf laughed on from the shadows, a silent witness to Betal's demise.
In my mind, I had anticipated a more challenging encounter, perhaps a battle of wits or a struggle of strength. Yet, to my surprise, it ended rather abruptly, without much ado.
Despite the simplicity of it all, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that I was about to obtain what I had come for.
The forest fell silent, the cries and laughter fading into nothingness as Betal met his end. It seemed the dwarf had finally exacted his revenge.
With Betal now gone, it was time to retrieve the relic.
The flames had died down, leaving behind only ashes where Betal once stood. Then, as if on cue, a sudden gust of wind swept through the forest, carrying away the remnants of Betal's existence.
As the ashes disappeared into the air, the relic revealed itself, nestled beneath where Betal had fallen. It took the form of an earring, glimmering softly in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
I reached down, picking up the earring and brushing off the dust and ash.
Holding it in my hand, I couldn't help but marvel at its beauty, knowing that it held untold power within its delicate form.
I smirked, imagining how stylish the earring would look adorning my handsome face. Slipping it on, I anticipated the satisfying click as it settled into place.
But before I could fully admire my new accessory, a blue screen materialized before me, distinct from my usual status screen.
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Relic : Unnanmed
Rank : Mythical
Category : Wearable -> Accessory
Ability / Skills :
Invisibility - The ability to render oneself unable to be seen. (More info.)Intangibility - The ability to phase through anything. (More info.)
- Consumes user mana.
Understanding - The ability to quickly analyze, learn and understand the complexity and exactness of organisms, objects, etc. (More info.)
- Consumes user mana.
Description :
A relic forged by Miniathern, one of the rare master relic smiths of the dwarf lineage, imbued with his essence—his blood, sweat, and tears woven into its very creation.
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I pondered over the information displayed on the screen. It seemed that I was able to see this screen due to the relic's [[Understanding]] skill, albeit at the cost of my mana.
It dawned on me that this relic was truly exceptional, with its invisibility and intangibility coupled with the ability to gain information about anything it offered.
As I continued to read, I recalled snippets of information from the novel describing this relic. While the protagonist never utilized it, its reputation as one of the finest relics was evident.
It was indeed a valuable asset, especially for someone like me who was just beginning their journey.
Curious to explore the full extent of the relic's abilities, I turned towards Betal's ashes and activated it.
The process of activation was surprisingly simple - just a mere thought was enough to trigger it.
As I activated the relic, another panel appeared before me, displaying information.
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Item : Betal's ash
Rank : None [ Item is too useless to be ranked.]
Description :
Ashes of greedy human named Betal.
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The sight of the item being labelled as "too useless to be ranked" brought a smile to my face. It seemed like the relic had a sense of humour, even if it was at the expense of poor Betal's ashes.
With a shrug, I decided it was time to move on. As the panel closed, I took a step forward, only to stumble and fall to the ground.
Instinctively, I caught myself with my knee, but I couldn't shake off the sudden wave of fatigue that washed over me.
Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to comprehend why I was feeling so drained. With a furrowed brow, I remembered that I could check for any debuffs or buffs using the status screen.
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Name : Owen Regulus
Age : 17
Race : Human
Rank : E+
Strength : 110
Defence : 96
Agility : 114
Stamina : 107
Intelligence : 354
Charm : 388
Mana Capacity : 260/960
Mana Quality : F+
Affinity : Fire, Lightning, Darkness
Profession : Swordsman Lvl. 1, Archer Lvl. 1,
Techniques :
• Sword Art
1. Luminous Edge [★★★★★] {Proficiency -> Low Novice}
Skills :
1. Sense Alteration {C-}
- Inborn Skill
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