Forgotten Heroes
A moment later.
Thud!
Something crashed to the ground with a resounding impact, but there was no time to look back.
‘Ah…’
My vision blurred. The dizziness I had anticipated was beginning to consume my entire body.
It felt as if my consciousness was plummeting into an abyss, and I struggled desperately to hold onto it. I hadn’t yet confirmed the dragon’s demise, nor did I know how the spirits would react afterward.
However, my body was already tilting against my will. My eyelids felt as if they were weighted down, threatening to close.
Then, just as darkness began to creep into my mind and my vision turned completely white—
Just as I thought I was about to lose consciousness again, a soft whisper reached my ears.
At the same time, a flickering yellow light appeared before my eyes. For a moment, I thought it was an elixir being offered, but it wasn’t. The gentle, glowing light simply swayed back and forth in front of me.
Soon, a warm sensation spread across my left chest, slowly moving to the right as if caressing me.
At that moment, a tugging sensation near my navel took over my entire body. It was a strange feeling, one that defied description.
What could I call this? The sensation of being forcibly pulled in one direction? Like winding a clock spring backward?
No, it was unfamiliar, but I had experienced something similar before.
Yes, time reversal.
This felt just like the sensation I had when I activated the Zero Code at the end of the first cycle.
As that thought crossed my mind, a voice echoed from within.
‘Temp… what?’
I paused to think, then gasped as I grasped the meaning of the words.
Come to think of it, although it was slow, the dizziness was subsiding, and my vision was gradually clearing. My physical condition was noticeably improving. It wasn’t so much a recovery as it was, as the voice said, a return to the state before I used my power.
‘Is that… even possible?’
The voice’s words carried a lot of weight. The fact that it was described as a high-level spell already indicated its significance.
I finally understood the identity of the yellow light. It seemed that one of the saved spirits had cast a mythic-era spell upon seeing me collapse.
I thought I was going to pass out for sure, but my body was recovering in an unexpected way. The fact that a spirit used such a spell also indicated that they didn’t see us as enemies. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
‘That’s a relief.’
’…Why are you angry?’
…Almost died.
Honestly, I hadn’t thought I would die. But I did feel it, to some extent. At first, I thought I could somehow manage, but when I first confronted that overwhelming power, I was nearly crushed.
‘Vessel?’
‘Forcibly expanded my vessel?’
The voice’s cryptic words left me feeling bewildered.
A moment of silence passed.
Perhaps feeling a bit guilty for raising its voice, the voice spoke again, slightly subdued. Although the constant use of “you” was a bit grating, I closed my eyes to indicate I was listening.
I understood immediately.
The vessel was a metaphor for my limits. The power I was allowed to use was equivalent to a stamina level of about 90. But this time, I had used power that exceeded that limit.
Fortunately, because I had accepted the Asura’s power before, I could withstand it to some extent, but the vessel itself was on the verge of breaking.
’…I see. I really almost died.’
If things had gone slightly wrong earlier…
I might have been consumed or never opened my eyes again. Once a vessel is broken, restoring it is nearly impossible. The thought sent shivers down my spine.
Having said all it needed to, the voice fell silent. I tried speaking to it several times, but there was no response.
I quietly raised my hand to gently touch my face.
The voice was right. It was a matter of life and death. There was no arguing with that. I had thought I could continue fighting more easily by using its power, but it was a flawed plan from the start.
“Clan Lord!”
“Brother! Brother!”
Voices calling out to me suddenly broke through.
Feeling that my condition had stabilized considerably, I opened my eyes. Right in front of me, I saw a spirit watching me.
The spirit, with a gentle glow enveloping her, had a serene and kind appearance. Her hair was a bright golden yellow, likely the source of the flickering light I had seen earlier.
She smiled warmly at me and slowly stood up. As she moved away, I realized I had been lying on the ground.
The surroundings were quiet. Apart from the clan members shouting in my ear, the dragon’s roar that had shaken the air and the crackling of flames were no longer audible. Only the warm sunlight bathed the fortress, casting a gentle glow over everything.
I carefully placed my hand on the ground to steady myself.
“The dragon…?”
As I quietly spoke and lifted my upper body, I felt several hands supporting me.
“Don’t worry. The dragon is dead.”
Heo Jun-young’s calm voice reassured me. I waved my hand to indicate I didn’t need support. My condition was indeed fine.
“I’m okay… Just keep it down. My head’s ringing.”
As I stood up and looked around, the first thing I noticed was the worried gazes of my clan members. Among them, I spotted Shin Jae-ryong holding an elixir, and I felt relieved. I was worried it might have been used, but thankfully, the cap was still on.
‘Even in this situation… I really am something else.’
Even in such a dire situation, I found myself thinking about the elixir, and it made me chuckle bitterly.
I spoke with a wry smile.
“Dead…? How did it happen?”
“Your attack was decisive. The dragon, engulfed in flames, staggered in the air a few times before crashing down. With the help of the spirits, we were able to finish it off easily. It was practically a one-sided battle. You were the one who took it down.”
I followed Heo Jun-young’s gaze and saw the massive dragon, still emitting steam, lying on the ground.
Its size was impressive, and its appearance still retained a hint of its former ferocity. However, the third eye confirmed the dragon’s death.
The horns protruding from its skull caught my eye.
“Brother… Are you really okay?”
An Sol’s voice, trembling with emotion, broke through. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and her voice quivered as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
I placed my hand on her head without saying a word.
After confirming the dragon’s death once more, I slowly turned my gaze around. I realized that all the spirits were watching us from the central plaza where An Sol, the clan members, and I stood.
The spirits no longer appeared as grotesque skeletons. They had regained their former, pristine appearances, and the faint, ethereal glow surrounding them felt almost sacred. Their gazes toward us were filled with reverence and goodwill.
I gently patted Ansol’s head for a while before speaking softly.
“Ansol.”
“Sniff, yes?”
“It’s time for some explanations.”
“E-Explanations?”
“Yes. Who are they? What exactly happened? Why are they standing here now? And why did you do what you did? Tell me what you know.”
“Ah… well, you see…”
At that moment, Ansol stammered, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions.
As she blinked in confusion, a small commotion stirred among the spirits. When I turned to look at the source of the disturbance, I felt my eyes widen.
The tightly packed spirits parted to the sides, and through the gap, a single spirit walked calmly toward us.
Soon, the spirit stopped in front of me. He was a man with neatly arranged auburn hair and gentle features.
As I stared blankly, the man bowed politely.
”?”
”…Hmm. I have no idea what he’s saying.”
The same phrase echoed again, but its meaning eluded me. Hoping Vivienne might understand, I glanced at her, but she shook her head.
I tilted my head in confusion. When I gestured to indicate I couldn’t understand, the man smiled gently and nodded.
Then, he turned calmly to face the spirits.
Suddenly, he raised one hand high and shouted in a powerful voice.
By now, the mist that had filled the fortress had completely dissipated.
The man’s voice was no longer the low, unpleasant tone from before. It was clear and pure, resonating through the air and spreading like an echo along the sunlit ground.
And at that moment, the thousands of spirits who had been watching us…
…joined in a grand chorus, all kneeling in unison.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Boom-chick, boom-chick.
Ah, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the time for the grand reveal has arrived! I’m so excited. There’s so much to share that organizing it all is a task in itself. Hahaha. I bet some of you readers will be surprised. Actually, no, I won’t bet. There are too many eagle-eyed readers out there… but some of you might be surprised. -_-a
And it’s Lunar New Year! Some of you gentlemen must be having a tough time. Traffic jams, exhausting drives. ㅜ.ㅠ As I mentioned in a previous note, I’ve already visited my relatives for a cousin’s wedding, so tomorrow I just need to visit my maternal grandparents. ㅇㅅㅇ So, I should be able to continue updating regularly. :D
Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year! Enjoy lots of delicious food during the holiday!
PS. Ah, I’ll be updating the user information for the Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Yoo-hyun brothers soon, and then I’ll organize all the characters and update the settings. So please be patient. :D
PS. Thank you, BrokenFan, for the fan art! Kim Soo-hyun was amazing, but Go Yeon-ju… truly… Ah, I’m so grateful. (?) Please come and take a look at what BrokenFan has posted in my garden!