Chapter 165 : Chapter 165

Chapter 165

I had a dream.

Before my eyes appeared a vast land.

It was a scene that replicated the landscape of a battlefield I had seen sometime before.

There, Edan Eurasia stood with a sword in hand, gazing at something.

His opponent was a complete Grotesquery that held hundreds of curses.

The creature radiated Radiance in the form of Agnil, and Edan’s sword, which parried the greatsword, looked heavy.

“Edan…!”

I cried out, but my voice did not reach him.

Gireureu. Gireureureu.

The perfected body of the knight helplessly crumbled under the curses poured out by the Grotesquery.

“Raise your mana and cut down the curse! You can do it!!”

I shouted, but Edan only showed signs of collapsing further under the curse.

I could not approach him, even as I heard my friend’s screams.

Thud.

It felt as if a corner of my heart had sunk.

Just then, the scenery captured by my two eyes changed.

A battlefield strewn with countless mages and knights.

In the middle of it, this time, stood Diana Cornelia.

The one she faced was the Emperor of the Empire, Pergius Heinrich.

The Emperor was smiling, and a cold madness lingered in his two eyes.

“Diana! Run away!!”

I shouted, but she seemed not to hear.

Behind Diana, the Violet Magic Tower was materialized.

A sea of mana surged forward as if it would sweep away the Emperor at any moment, but.

When the Emperor raised his hand, the flames of divine power evaporated the violet mana.

For a moment she was taken aback, and the Emperor, who had closed the distance with a speed comparable to Edan’s.

Slice.

Slashed Diana’s waist.

Grip.

The Emperor grabbed Diana by the neck and lifted her.

Psssssssss.

As the violet mana was absorbed, wrinkles began to form on her once-beautiful face.

Her hand, robbed of its vitality, fell limply.

In the blink of an eye, two of my dear friends had met their end.

‘This is… a nightmare….’

A sensation as if despair was swallowing everything whole.

At that moment.

“Hahk…!!”

Killian’s eyes shot open as he gasped for breath.

He sat up in bed.

His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was ragged.

When he placed a hand on his chest, his heart throbbed.

“The Curse of the Abyss… has it been imprinted on me.”

Even though Escardo had personally slain the Arch Lich, the creature's curse still seemed to squirm inside his body.

It must be the aftereffect of the clash between the Curse of Grotesquery, Silvana's divine power, and the evil energy and mana.

Killian turned his head and looked out the window.

The dark sky, not yet bright, seemed to hint at the coming war.

“In this state, I cannot perform my duties as the Annihilation Squad Leader.”

In the wars to come, he would have to assume he would be facing 8-star knights and mages.

“Another reason to reach 8-star has just been added.”

Muttering bitterly, Killian lay back down on the bed.

***

Loen was spending her time busily experimenting to mass-produce a new recovery potion.

On the table, dozens of already-made potions were arranged.

‘The success rate has gone up quite a bit.’

The recovery potion made using the properties of Nectar to cure Hazard's reflux.

Loen, who had succeeded in making it in time, not only saved the creature’s life but also discovered the new possibility of harmonizing divine power and mana in the process.

And the work she was now putting her effort into was not just for Hazard.

‘The Fourth Young Master's symptoms are more severe than Hazard's.’

She knew that Killian had also been exposed to divine power and the Curse of Grotesquery.

The divine power that only priests should handle, and the existence of the Grotesquery that had led Eurasia to ruin.

The clash of these two powers was not something that even a superhuman could withstand.

‘The Fourth Young Master has a body incomparable to mine… but he is still only human. If he pushes himself any further, his life cannot be guaranteed.’

Unlike her indifferent hands handling the medicinal preparations, Loen’s heart was filled with worry.

She picked up a needle and dropped a single drop of liquid into the faintly glowing medicinal preparation.

“Nectar.”

An item passed down like a legend among apothecaries who had reached the realm of superhumans.

The recovery potion made using Nectar seemed to have improved Killian’s condition to some extent, but in the end, it could not completely heal him.

“At this rate, he will not be able to perform his duties as the Annihilation Squad Leader in the war.”

The Annihilation Squad Leader was one of the most important positions in the current Eurasia Kingdom.

If the person holding that position were to fight a war in an unstable state, a crisis would befall the entire kingdom.

Loen sighed and looked at the medicinal ingredients spread out on the table.

“I have to heal the Fourth Young Master somehow… but there is a long way to go.”

She mobilized all the skills and experience she possessed.

But while she might have known what to do with a clash of divine power and mana like Hazard's, she had yet to find a way to overcome the side effects compounded by the Curse of Grotesquery.

Was that all?

“And now, even evil energy has been added… I cannot even get a feel for it.”

A while ago, she heard the news that Escardo had reached 8-star.

When he asked for the Heart Break Herba, he also confessed about his previous mission.

The one he had subjugated with Killian in the Oran Mountain Range was an Arch Lich named Johannes Schtenberg.

Naturally, she also came to hear about the curse he had used.

‘The Abyss. What an arrogant curse.’

Loen’s heart felt heavy at the thought that this curse was shackling Killian, who should be the pillar of the Eurasia Kingdom.

“The existence that brought about the downfall of Eurasia in the past… is being researched by the Empire.”

She muttered bitterly.

Eurasia had grown stronger, but the Empire had grown even stronger.

‘If I cannot create a recovery potion, the coming war will be no different from the one 200 years ago.’

A recovery potion that could heal a body damaged by the clash of four energy sources: divine power, the Curse of Grotesquery, evil energy, and mana.

It was when she was agonizing over the manufacturing formula that did not come to mind.

“Head Apothecary, Fourth Young Master Killian has come to visit.”

Haman, who had now become her personal disciple, politely informed her.

“You have come at an exquisite time.”

Loen said as she brought tea to Killian.

His expression was dark, as if he had had a sleepless night.

“I am feeling a little… unwell.”

“……”

If the person who said those words had not been the always confident Fourth Young Master, she would not have been surprised.

“I have not yet been able to make the recovery potion.”

“Is that so.”

“I apologize.”

“It cannot be helped.”

“……”

A face that seemed to know everything.

He had always been like that since his Great Awakening.

Whether Loen was hitting a wall or Simon Eurasia was suffering from the symptoms of Heart Break, Killian always acted as if he already knew all the answers.

And in reality, he knew much more than she did.

About swords, about mana, about medicinal preparations.

Perhaps even the answer to this predicament she was currently facing.

‘Will you give me the answer again?’

Loen quietly looked into Killian’s eyes.

It was a deeply shameful act for the Head Apothecary of a nation, but she was once again anticipating some solution to come from his mouth.

“I know the solution. Fortunately.”

Killian slowly opened his mouth.

“Tell me. What is it?”

She asked cautiously.

An unwavering voice followed, as if meeting her expectations.

“It is for me to reach 8-star.”

“……”

At the unexpected remark, she let out another sigh.

“That is quite a simple solution.”

“……”

She cleared her throat as she looked at Killian, who was making a peculiar expression.

It seemed she had unconsciously taken a negative view of the situation.

What was needed now was the possibility that the situation could get better.

“Would it not be possible with the help of His Majesty the King and Sir Escardo?”

Loen asked, hoping against hope.

Killian shook his head.

“Unfortunately, there is not enough time.”

“I suppose so.”

Even the two knights who had made the current Eurasia, Simon and Escardo, had needed a long time to reach 8-star.

‘Decades of training and combat experience.’

Although Loen had never wielded a sword, she could understand the meaning of the ‘insufficient time’ Killian was talking about.

‘This is Killian, who reached the level of a superhuman within a few years of creating his Mana Heart.’

The process of one who has crossed a wall crossing another.

Common sense dictated it was not something that could be achieved in a short period.

“I misspoke.”

“Not at all. If it were not for the Head Apothecary's help, I would not have made it this far.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Listening to Loen’s words, Killian smiled bitterly to himself.

‘Well, that is not the only reason.’

Escardo had reached 8-star only a short while ago and had not yet fully stabilized his level.

Just like Simon and Hegel, he too needed time.

‘His Majesty was helped by Sir Escardo and the Head Apothecary, and Sir Hegel was likely helped by Sir Celot and Sir Kiel.’

Escardo, too, would grow further with the help of Simon and Loen.

Furthermore.

‘His Majesty the King is aiming for 9-star.’

Although it had only been a few years since he had reached 8-star, he was already looking towards the next level.

‘He might become an even greater knight than Edan.’

Edan had been able to overcome walls at every moment through my advice, but Simon was different.

He had reached his current position purely through his own strength.

As a human, Killian respected him and did not want to interfere with his path of the sword.

“I will manage somehow.”

“……”

Loen quietly observed Killian’s expression for a moment.

A face that looked as if he already knew the answer.

She nodded her head.

“Do not overdo it. You are indispensable to the kingdom. I, too, will continue to search for a way.”

At Loen’s heartfelt words, Killian showed his characteristic harmless smile.

“Thank you.”

After leaving the Head Apothecary’s Office, he immediately returned to the Annihilation Squad Leader’s office.

He had drunk a few recovery potions that Loen had given him, but he knew well that they were only a temporary measure.

“There is no need to waste any more time.”

She might have thought it was a joke, but Killian’s thoughts were clear.

‘To reach 8-star, sparring with an 8-star superhuman is the most certain way.’

With Escardo and Simon excluded as sparring partners, there were not many options to consider.

‘Subjugating an 8-star monster has its limits right now.’

As for 8-star mages, Hegel Cornelia was the first to come to mind.

However, asking Hegel, the king of a nation, for a personal spar was an unreasonable request.

He needed to broaden his scope.

It was said that there were few 8-star superhumans on the continent.

“But it is not as if there are none at all.”

The journey to Elvenheim to obtain Nectar had been fruitful in many ways.

“Is there no reply yet?”

He thought he should visit the Silvana Temple in a hurry.

He was in the middle of packing a few things for the journey.

“Commander, it is Id.”

The voice of the half-elf was heard from outside the door.

He had a mission assigned to him.

“Come in.”

Id opened the door, came in, and showed his respect.

“I have just returned. I have brought the reply.”

Killian accepted the document he brought.

It was a short reply written in the Fairy Language.

“The Queen of the Fairies has permitted the Commander's visit.”

Killian showed a surprised reaction.

“She gave her formal permission?”

“Yes. Unlike the one-sided visit before, this time she has permitted a formal visit via the temple's Warp Gate.”

Id calmly explained.

“That is good.”

The Queen’s permission held great significance.

The relationship between Eurasia and Elvenheim was at a significant turning point.

“Also.”

Id paused for a moment and studied Killian’s expression.

“She said she would also accept the Commander's personal ‘request’.”

“I like that she is so magnanimous.”

Killian’s eyes, which had dark circles from being tormented by nightmares, shone a little brighter.

It was the eve of a storm, with no telling when the Empire that had declared war would advance.

“I will visit with Hazard.”

Killian chose the path to overcome another wall.