Chapter 71 : To the Very End of Death

Cold. Painful. Exhausting.

Actually, that’s putting it lightly.

It’s fucking cold, fucking painful, and fucking exhausting.

Goddamn it.

“Huff… huff…”

Whoooosh!

I forced my way through the raging blizzard, dragging one foot after another.

Behind me, a trail of blood stretched long and unbroken.

I clenched my teeth.

‘Those damned fiends.’

Killing them once had been satisfying enough, but to kill the same bastards again after they came back to life—it left a filthy taste in my mouth.

For some reason, they were stronger here than they had been before, and every fight had been harder.

But it didn’t matter.

I’d slaughtered them all, and the summit of this frozen mountain was close.

I didn’t know why I had to reach the peak—but I knew I had to.

Dragging my feet, I climbed higher… until I spotted a spot just below the summit, like a final resting point.

A campfire flickered there, as though waiting for me.

The wind howled fiercely, yet somehow the air around the fire was completely still.

It made no sense.

But if the dead could return to life, then a fire immune to the wind was hardly worth questioning.

I staggered closer, legs dragging.

“Hoo…”

My breath spilled out in a white mist as I collapsed by the fire.

Crackle, crackle.

I stretched my hands toward the flames.

Warmth. Real warmth.

I tilted my head.

‘So this isn’t a dream?’

If so…

‘Does that mean I really died, and this is the afterlife?’

“You’re here?”

A voice came from across the fire. My head snapped up.

A moment ago, the fire had been burning alone. Now, someone sat opposite me, basking in its glow.

I stared blankly at him.

He said, “What are you staring at, you bastard? Say something.”

My voice trembled as I asked, “Captain… did you die too?”

The captain only curved his lips in the faintest of smirks.

It was as if I’d been struck in the head with a hammer. Words refused to form.

Who the hell had killed this monster of a man?

“W-who did you lose to? Did a neighboring kingdom march in with a million soldiers?”

“Idiot. I’d beat a million soldiers.”

“Bullshit.”

The captain grinned, poking the fire with a stick.

“Don’t go killing me off on your own. I’m not dead.”

“…Then why are you here? This feels like the doorstep to the afterlife.”

“That, I don’t know either.”

“….”

“Then why are you here?”

“Me? I…”

The words caught in my throat.

Why was I here? Was I really dead? Who had killed me?

Questions spiraled in my head—until suddenly the memories of that battle against the frost knight slammed back into me.

“Ah!”

I clutched my head and stared at the captain in shock.

He snorted.

“What is it, dumbass? Spit it out.”

“Captain! I died!”

The captain burst out laughing.

“What a brag, you idiot.”

“…You’re laughing?”

“Funny, isn’t it? I actually feel like laughing.”

“I’m serious, damn it. I really died!”

The captain studied me silently.

“Who killed you?”

“Captain… you know the Eight Swordmasters?”

“Never heard of them.”

“What? How could you not know? Pay some attention to the world, will you?”

“Like you’re one to talk.”

“Anyway, they’re some of the strongest bastards on the continent. I fought one of them—the Knight of Frost.”

The captain nodded slowly.

“Mm. Way out of your league. No wonder you died. That’s a decent way to go.”

“Right? But get this—he wasn’t just a knight. He fought like a sorcerer too.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I’m telling you, he was like a magic knight. He wielded one of the Nine Great Swords of Ophosis—Frostblade, the Blue Blade. I don’t know if it was him or the sword, but he was absurdly strong. Listen to how he fought—”

I rambled on, describing every detail.

“He stabbed the blade into the ground, and in the blink of an eye, walls of ice shot up three, four meters high! I swear!”

“That doesn’t sound real.”

“It’s frustrating, I can’t show you. Anyway, I hurt my left arm in the fight. Cold seeped straight into my bones—I couldn’t even use it anymore.”

“Pathetic cripple.”

“But that’s when it happened! That damn wall finally cracked, and I broke through into the Realm of Moonlight. Turning crisis into opportunity—that’s what a real man does. Fighting as a cripple, yet growing stronger. That’s me, ha!”

“….”

“Of course, even with Moonlight, he was still overwhelming. So I used my ultimate technique. I summoned the Blood Moon! Bet you didn’t see that coming, hah!”

The captain just looked at me with tired eyes.

“Then why are you here?”

“Because the bastard still didn’t die! I swear I stabbed him in the heart, but he was fine. Can you believe that shit?”

“Idiot. You probably missed.”

“No, I felt it! The stab was clean!”

“Sure, sure. And what’s this nonsense about moonlight and starlight?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? It’s a martial art I learned from Master Heavenly Demon—”

And just like that, I started pouring everything out.

How I’d fallen from a cliff and survived, met the Heavenly Demon, killed a baron, met Shushruta, ended up a Saint of Blindness, been hunted by fiends, and more.

The captain listened, sometimes cursing, sometimes nodding, sometimes mocking me, but always listening.

Until suddenly, he asked something out of nowhere.

“Why do you want to get stronger so badly?”

The question hit me like a bucket of cold water.

I blinked.

“…Why do I want to get stronger?”

He rested his chin on his hand, staring at me.

“You’ve gone through a ridiculous amount of shit to reach this point. But what for? Why push yourself that far?”

I just stared at him, dumbfounded.

“You’re seriously asking that?”

“Strength is relative, sure. But being a Silver-Rank mercenary isn’t weak. Do you know how many at your rank can’t even use mana at all? Most stay stuck there forever.”

That was true.

I’d clawed my way up through sheer desperation, swinging my sword like a lunatic every night, and that’s how I’d reached Silver Rank. Most others could use at least a bit of mana by then.

At Gold Rank, aura users and skilled mana wielders started to mix in.

The captain went on.

“You’ve worked hard, and you’ve achieved plenty. Sure, with more talent you’d be further along, but what you’ve done is enough. So why torment yourself like this?”

I curled my lips into a bitter smile.

“…This is exactly why geniuses piss me off.”

“What the hell are you on about now?”

I glared at him.

“Don’t look down on me. You damn monster. You’ve never lost, have you? Do you even know what defeat tastes like?”

The captain sighed.

But I didn’t look away.

“Do you still see me as that wretched brat scrounging in the gutters? I’m not the pitiful kid trapped in your memories. Got it? I’m not.”

“….”

“Shut up. You don’t know a damn thing. All you know is stuffing your face. And why the hell do you keep cooking anyway? It doesn’t even taste good. You wanna die?”

“This cheeky bastard. Even when I’m worried about you—”

Thwack!

“Urk!”

The captain smacked me on the head.

My mind snapped clear.

I clutched my head with a groan.

Then suddenly I jerked upright.

“Damn, you scared me.”

Thwack!

Another smack landed on me.

“What the hell was that for?!”

“Ah, sorry. You startled me.”

“Ugh…”

I rubbed the sore spot, glaring at the captain.

“You asked why I want to get stronger? Because I can, you bastard. What other reason do I need?”

“….”

“‘Enough effort’? ‘Results to match’? Don’t give me that crap. It’s not enough. Not nearly enough. I can’t be satisfied with this. I’m not some small fry. Got it? I’m greedy too—just like a certain someone I know.”

“….”

“I found an opportunity, gained talent, and met a master. Nothing can stop me now. The carriage has already started rolling. Can’t you hear the clatter of its wheels, you son of a bitch?”

“….”

“What’s wrong? Scared? Worried your old disciple might finally beat the shit out of you? If you’re scared, just die already.”

The captain studied me quietly before asking,

“…Is this about that girl, Tina?”

My pupils widened.

My heart sank.

I glared at him with the intent to kill.

“Shut your mouth.”

“So I was right.”

“I said shut it.”

“Like I told you before, you don’t need to blame yourself for her death. You were just a kid. There was nothing you could’ve done.”

“…Say another word, and I really will kill you.”

The captain only shrugged.

“Just saying.”

“….”

We locked eyes in a silent standoff. He didn’t look away.

In the end, I was the one who dropped my gaze.

Because, no matter how much I hated to admit it, he had spoken with good intentions.

I let out a long sigh.

“What does it matter anyway? I’m already dead.”

I looked up at the mountain peak.

“Think if I stand there, I’ll finally pass over? Heaven’s out of the question—I’ve killed way too many people.”

“That’s true.”

The captain nodded in agreement.

“Then is that the entrance to hell? Doesn’t really match what I expected.”

He looked at me.

“Ashuban. You’re not dead.”

“What?”

“You’re not dead, dumbass.”

I just stared at him, dumbfounded, before replying,

“But you died fighting a million soldiers.”

“I told you, I didn’t die. I beat a million soldiers.”

My head tilted to one side.

“…Then how the hell am I alive?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“You always don’t know.”

“Better that than pretending I do.”

“Oh, listen to the great saint talk.”

I jerked my chin at the summit.

“Think I’ll find the answer up there?”

“Most likely.”

“…Then.”

I brushed myself off and stood.

Rest time was over.

Somehow, the limp in my leg was gone.

The captain sat, watching me.

“Ashuban.”

I answered with my eyes.

“You’re not someone who dies in a place like this.”

His tone grew solemn.

“I believe in you.”

“….”

I looked at him for a moment, then gave a single nod and turned toward the summit.

The moment I stepped away from the fire, the storm returned with a vengeance.

Whoooosh!

But I didn’t falter.

Nothing could stop me now.

Just before I reached the top, I turned back.

Through the swirling snow, I could still see the bonfire burning steadily.

The massive figure who had sat before it was gone.

“Hoo…”

My breath spilled out white and faded away, like the soul of someone passing on.

“….”

I stared at the mist of my breath, then turned back toward the peak.

I nodded once.

“Yeah. I’m not someone who dies here.”

I muttered to myself like it was a vow.

“I still have too much left to do.”

I opened my fingers one by one.

“I have treasure hunts to finish, a captain to beat down, mercenary bastards’ asses to kick, those damned beasts to exterminate… and I deserve to hold one of those so-called magic swords at least once, don’t I?”

I closed my hand into a fist, tightening it until my knuckles creaked.

“Damn right. I’m not leaving like this.”

I stepped forward.

And stood atop the peak of the snowy mountain.

The world lay before me, blanketed in white.

Facing the roaring blizzard, I shouted at the top of my lungs,

“You think I’m gonna die? You think I’m gonna die? No! I won’t die. Not ever!”

The thin air made my lungs burn.

I caught my breath, then bellowed again into the endless white world.

“Bastards! Don’t you dare expect me to give up! Forget about stealing my soul! I’ll fight you to the very end—to the edge of death itself!”

Who was I shouting at?

Even I didn’t know.

It felt like I was screaming at myself. And at the same time, like I was shouting at the whole world.

“Got it, you sons of bitches?!”

Whoooosh!

At that moment, the storm whipped violently behind me, driving me toward the cliff.

“Huh?”

I lost my balance and tumbled forward.

The next instant, I was falling.

Plummeting down the mountain.

I’d just sworn I wouldn’t die, and here I was, about to die.

“Son of a biiitch!”

And just before I hit the ground—

I opened my eyes.

(End of Chapter)

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