Chapter 120 : The Knight & The Princess (Part 2)
This is a story of a noble young girl...
[I was called...the Villainess in my kingdom]
Who wished for freedom...
[The name stuck to me when I was an immature child who didn't understand how the world works].
...From this hellish curse.
[And that name started from my first life in this world].
[Recalling back, it was an unpleasant and dark history, you could say it was when I thought that the world goes by my desires because I'm the child of a Duke].
[Although, it had been a very long time ago…but I used to have a dream, a very childish dream].
[The dream was about a princess who was saved by someone, I don't remember who is this someone in that story, but I would love to be saved just like that princess].
[After my mother died from some sort of bad illness, my father and brother would dote on me to the point that I became a spoiled child].
[And because of that, I couldn't face reality].
[The prince was known to be handsome, strong and brave, who's also kind to everyone, especially me].
[Because of that foolish dream of mine, I became delusional and thought that the prince was this someone who would save me from any sort of danger in this world].
[But...the reality…the world...was never fair to me].
[The prince rejected me and chose a commoner girl to be his partner].
["I was the one who was destined to be with his highness!" I said that to the girl].
[After trying to deny reality...my face was burned with a horrible scar that couldn't be healed for the punishment of trying to harm this commoner girl].
[And...I was executed by the prince whom I loved].
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[Then the second life, when I woke up I regressed back to when I was still young].
[I was confused and thinking it was a bad dream, the way I died, the way my neck was cut off from my head].
[It was a horrible experience of my first death].
[In that life, I had started to realize that my actions in the past were foolish].
[So I decided to change my way of life and thought that this might be a second chance given by the Gods for someone like me]
[So, my stupid past self chose to chase after the prince who killed me in the previous life and tried to get along with this commoner girl].
[Yet, the prince didn't notice me, and he thought I was nothing but an annoying fly around the commoner girl].
[My face was burned again, and I was killed by him in that second life].
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[On the third life, I woke up again at the same age I was before the first time I woke up].
[I didn't understand how I came back to this time again, and thinking maybe this is a blessing for me, that I could turn back to the past upon my death].
[In this life, I regretted chasing the prince, and decided to start changing my way of life again]
[That is not to love someone else anymore].
[And walking the path that was given for me as a "Magic Swordsman"]
[But since I don't have a talent for magic, I walked the path to become a Swordsman].
[I left the house and became an Adventurer to polish my Swordsmanship, even though I could learn from the best of the best at home, learning from my travels also wasn't that bad at all because it gave me freedom].
[But again...another reality check, I don't have that much talent in Swordsmanship and because I was too focused on my life to become a Swordsman…]
[My family was ruined, and I was deemed to be a traitor by the Kingdom].
[I, who don't know what happened in the kingdom's affair, was captured without reason and locked in the deepest dungeon in the kingdom].
[And then died on my third life from hunger].
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[I regressed and woke up again for the fourth time].
[I felt another regret and I tried to change my way of life yet again, to prevent my death].
[This time I learned about politics. I tried to learn everything to become a scholar that would make my family proud].
[Even though my mother died again, I will save this family no matter what].
[But again...the world itself was not kind to me]
[After becoming a scholar, I had learned many things].
[And that was...the cause of my mother's death].
[She was not ill but was poisoned by someone and when I was about to reveal the truth].
[I died by the hand of an assassin].
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[Then it came to my fifth life, I woke up again].
[This time I regretted that I didn't learned how to wield a sword and let my body grow weak to fight against this assassin]
[So, I am going to hold my sword again and will unfold the truth of my mother's death].
[And that was the time, I had awakened a magic within me].
[But the magic was a Dark Element which was a perfect fit to the alias that was given to me on my first life, "The Villainess"]
["Dark Element" consisted of both destruction and mystery that couldn't be unfold that easily]
[Though I know this magic element could be dangerous, but I had decided to embrace it and used it to save my mother].
[I learned both magic and sword from the best, and became the strongest of all at a young age].
[Then...as usual, the world rejected my determination].
[My mother died again, I couldn't prevent the killer who poisoned her].
[I had desperately searched for anything to solve her death, yet...her life always slipped away from my hand]
[I became even more desperate knowing I couldn't save my mother].
[And that was when I thought that I can turn back time if I killed myself]
[But I did not know if it was possible at that time].
[So...in this fifth life of mine, I killed myself...to prevent the death of my mother].
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[Tenth life, I woke up again and still failed to save my mother].
[Even with the knowledge that I gained in my past lives, it still wasn't enough to prevent her death].
[From stopping her from drinking the poison, making the antidote for it, and even try to search a cure for it, but...it's not enough].
[I gave up and let fate decide it. The world took my mother's life and mine once again].
[I turned back into this hellish moment as if I was destined to experience it over and over again].
[I was in disarray and started to become more desperate, wondering when this blessing(curse) was going to end].
[I tried to live in seclusion in my fifteenth life, and I died from an illness].
[As I continued to live on, I tried many ways to change my path and many things happened].
[I lived as a villain who seek revenge to the kingdom who make the traitor, a hero who saved the kingdom, and sometimes became a normal girl].
[I even work with the one who killed my mother, Minerva].
[Yet, I still died because the kingdom branded me as evil because of my magic and the title that stuck on me].
[And so on...I continued to die, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again...]
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[....and again].
[Until I grow bored of it].
[In my 156th life, I came into this world again].
[At the age of sixteen, I got into the academy, as usual].
[Meeting the commoner girl, seeing the same events that would always happen before my eyes and watching the love between the two of them bloomed].
[I had no idea what to do except seeing the same scene over and over again until I felt sick of it, especially since I have memorized every lecture from my previous life so I do not worried about my academic life].
[I secluded myself once again just to make sure I wouldn't make the same mistake my past selves did towards the prince].
[And let the commoner girl take the spot].
[As I was wondering through the academy…]
[...I stumbled upon a workshop within the academy].
[For the first time after what felt like forever, seeing the same scenes played out over and over again like a broken record, I never went to this place or was interested in it].
[Plus, I didn't feel it's necessary for me to visit the workshop since I could have an order made weapon and item from the most famous smithy in the kingdom with my status].
[But somehow…when I walked into the shop, I felt like my body was getting sucked in].
[Then I was greeted by a young man, he had brown hair and golden eyes which would make people wonder if he was a noble].
[The young man smiled at me, who was a stranger to him, and welcomed me with such a warm smile which hid a deep wound underneath it].
[I was stunned by his appearance, but what made me more surprised is that...when I heard the young man asked me...]
[..."Are you lost?"]
[That question caught me off guard and I was flustered].
[Is this person insane or genuinely asking? Is what I thought].
[Since I am more than 100 years old(in mind) because of the previous life I have encountered. So I have lived in this academy, no–this kingdom for so long].
[And that made me laugh].
[Not a crazy Villainess-like laugh, but a joyful laugh because I find it funny being asked this kind of question by someone].
[For some reason I didn't feel offended, instead, I felt like having a fresh new start again].
[The young man smiled, always helped her to listen some problems of her, and sometimes joke around like a "friend"]
[And this might be the first time...]
[I felt so warm, just like when I was around my mother].
[And that was meeting you in this life].
[It felt like I had forgotten my curse and wished the time I had spent with you would remain forever].
[But the world wasn't that kind to me...as my ill fate was waiting for me at the end of it].
*******
Back to the present time, Iris and Rei charged themselves at Kajia who blocked their way home just because he wanted to challenge Rei.
"Kill me?"
Kajia smiled in front of them.
"How are you gonna do that?~"
*TING*
Suddenly, he used his right forearm and blocked their blade with his skin.
Rei, who swung his sword, and Iris, who thrust her rapier, was stopped by his skin and couldn't even scratch or penetrate it.
"Ugh—!!"
'What the hell is this hardness? Compared to Jormungand...this is much worse!' Rei thought of it, 'Then I have no choice! [Corrosion]!'
His black sword was suddenly enveloped with a dark aura, but somehow it didn't affect anything or cause any change based on Kajia's expression.
"It's useless~ [Corrosion] won't affect me."
"What?!"
"Because this body of mine has been perfected to resist many kinds of things. Burning, illness, and even something that would corrode my skin~"
Kajia explained, "And also..."
All of sudden, Rei and Iris shivered when they saw Kajia's expression.
He was smiling while his body was enveloped in a dark yellow aura.
"I haven't even used 10% of my strength."
With his other free arm, he clenched his fist and swung it at them but he stopped it just right before it hit them.
*BAM*
In that short moment, Rei and Iris' bodies were flown away by the shockwave created from his fist.
"Ugh—!!"
Rei and Iris widened their eyes when they realized that their bodies were up in the air.
"So tell me how you would kill me—!!" Kajia shouted but stopped himself as he widened his eyes.
Rei suddenly took out a bow and an arrow enveloped with his aura, while Iris pointed her rapier at him.
"Hah~!" His mouth stretched out even wider with excitement, creating a wide grin which showed his full set of sharp teeth.
'[Artillery Strike]!'
'[Nemesis]!'
Rei fired his arrow and Iris shot out a condensed light and darkness energy into a straight line towards Kajia.
*BOOM*
Causing another explosion as they landed on the ground.
But that was far from over, the two of them immediately casted their buff on themselves.
'[Beast Will], [Power Muscle], [Sprint].'
'[Enchant: Strength], [Enchant: Shield], [Enchant: Speed].'
Their body glowed a bit due to the effect of their casted buff. Rei and Iris looked at each other.
Rei put his bow away and took his shield and sword again.
"Iris, I will be the vanguard, so...strike him as much as you can." Rei suggested, Iris just nodded her head.
"Kukuku..." Then a sudden laugh could be heard, "KUHAHAHA!!!" Kajia swept away the smoke with his right arm as he laughed at them, "How fun!!~"
"Show me more!~" Kajia declared.
'Tsk...his laugh is just like that bastard.' Rei reminded of Banzana who laughed when he first fought him.
'Kiritsuka! He's coming!' Ray warned him.
Kajia immediately stomped his foot on the ground, leaving a crack and dashed at him at such blinding speed.
Rei responded to the speed and raised his shield, while Kajia swung his right fist at him.
*THUNG*
As his fist met his shield, his body was pushed back despite him trying to hold his ground this time.
'Ughh—!! What the hell is this strength!!—'
Iris then appeared from behind Rei and jumped to strike him from above.
Her rapier was enveloped with the same light and dark magic burst again, then thrust her rapier at him.
*SWOOSH*
An impossible feat was made again by Kajia who suddenly swung his left leg upwards and flipped his body in mid-air.
*TING*
Canceling Iris' attack from above and spun his body around to swing his leg to kick at Iris' face.
*BAM*
Iris created a barrier around her body, but she was still sent flying away.
"Kya—!"
"Iris!—" Rei shouted, but Kajia was not over yet. He swung his arm downwards at him in the mid-air.
Rei noticed that and when he was about to raise his shield, his body stopped for a moment.
'Don't!' Ray warned him this time.
Rei made a new decision during that brief interruption by taking a step back.
*BOOM*
And Kajia's hand crashed down to the ground, creating a large explosion and cracks, which shocked Rei.
'Dodge it!' Ray gave another warning, but it was too late.
"Huh?—"
*BAM*
Just right after Kajia swung his hand to smash the ground, he used his right leg and swung it to Rei's side, kicking him on his left abdomen.
*SWOOSH*
And sent him flying away from where he stood then crashed against several trees from the forest.
Iris, who just recovered herself in mid-air and landed on the ground, saw what happened to Rei.
"Crimson!" Iris called his name, 'This damned monster...how the hell is he this strong!!'
'This might be a bit harder than I thought...even though my skills have been boosted to the max of [Possession] skill, it lacks variety.'
'I need more skill to turn the table around, but what is it...' as Iris is in deep thought, she soon remembered something.
'Oh right! the [Reward]!'
While Iris was thinking, Kajia took a step forward.
"Is it over already?~"
*SWOOSH*
As soon as he uttered that question, he was greeted by Rei who jumped out from the forest.
'Skill...'
Rei swung his sword downward from above then swung his sword on a horizontal line as it was enveloped with fire, creating a cross.
'[Grand Cross]!' Rei implanted the fire cross into his shield then charged at him with it.
"Wow!~" Kajia couldn't be more happy and excited about this. He used his left fist and swung it at him in return.
"Haha!~"
Rei anticipated that his fist would meet his shield again.
'[Shukuchi].'
He disappeared in thin air and reappeared behind Kajia.
"Wha—"
'Hmfh—!!' Rei swung his shield and strike his back with the fiery cross.
*BAM*
But as expected, it failed when Rei noticed that Kajia flexibly used his left leg and stopped the cross with his feet with a stomp.
"Heh~" Kajia snickered at him.
'Caught you.' Rei hadn't given up yet, '[Fiery Feast].'
[Skill "Fiery Feast" have been activated]
*RAWR*
The cross was turned into a large Ogre's head, and opened its mouth to swallow Kajia's body.
"Hah~!"
*CREAK*
When the ogre's mouth was about to close, it was stopped by Kajia with both of his hands on its upper and bottom mouth.
'Ughh—!!'
Kajia smiled and ripped off the Ogre's mouth, destroying it with just his bare hands.
"Done yet?~" Kajia asked and it flustered Rei.
He enveloped his sword with a flame again, '[Kagutsuchi no Ken]!' The sword created a bright light which came from the fire that had been perfectly condensed.
"Wonderful~" Kajia praised him.
Then Rei swung his flaming sword at such close distance.
"Such a perfect [Magic Sword] but...with that level, it won't reach me~" Kajia spoke and swiftly moved his body aside.
Letting his sword pass through, and creating a large fissure caused by that flame.
After that, Rei suddenly noticed that Kajia was in some sort of form, where he stood in position with both legs on the ground, then his right hand extended his finger to his abdomen.
'This is...'
Rei could see the calmness from Kajia, "[Martial Arts: One-inches Punch]."
Then when he clenched his fist in a snap, Rei felt something just hit him right on his abdomen.
Sending his body to fly in the air a bit and followed with a strong shockwave that burst out of his back, creating a hole on the armor of his abdomen.
The shockwave caused devastating damage to the trees behind him, which was blown away and turned into nothing but a rough empty landscape, and the ground cracked, creating a small hole just for the two of them.
*COUGH*
Rei coughed a lot of blood from that fist and his body fell to the ground.
'What...was that.' Rei couldn't get up from where he landed. 'I can't move...'
"It's useless, I used my Ki to attack your body, so your body is now receiving an internal damage that will be hard to heal~"
"Ughh..." Rei gritted his teeth as he tried to stand.
"I was hoping that you could put up more of a fight than this. That technique was good but it was still sloppy~"
"You really have so many tricks that could defeat many opponents, but in front of me..." Kajia clenched his fist again.
"It's useless~"
Then swung his fist at him. Rei accepted his fate this time since he couldn't move at all.
*THUNG*
Someone stopped his fist.
And that shocked the two of them.
******
Back before Rei was rendered immobile by Kajia.
Iris was deep in her thought, 'I haven't used this [reward] from that [quest] because it looked suspicious.'
'Since Crimson is stalling time for me...I must not hesitate!'
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[Quest : "Subjugate the Demon Spider"]
[The Demon God, Ars], giving player "Yomi" a quest, which is to subjugate a monster called [The Demon Spider, Arachne]. A monster that was evolved through the blessing from [The Demon God] himself, turned into a [Cursed] being–a [Demon].
[Requirements]
Target : [The Demon Spider, Arachne] [1/1]
Reward:
● Skill : [??????]
● Title : [??????????]
=======================================
The [Quest] board was opened.
'Even though this reward is for that girl...but I have no choice.'
'Open reward!'
Reward:
● Skill : [??????]
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V
● [Spear of Light] !!NEW!!
● [Necromancy] !!NEW!!
● [13th Guardian] !!NEW!!
Iris fixated her eyes on one of the skills, '[Necromancy].'
[This skill...is a skill that I was once learned in my 70th life].
'To think it would show up now...since I don't have [Death Aura] yet which allows me to use [Necromancy].'
'This system...how does it know that I have this skill from the start?'
'No...I don't have time to think anymore.' After that a notice appeared and proceeded to show her gaining the new skills.
[Notice]
[With Passive Skill "Necromancy" you acquired skill "Summon Undead" and "Raise Undead"!]
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[Necromancy]
Passive Skill
A skill that allows the user to use the power of death that was bestowed by the [The God of the Underworld, Hades] who watched you fight against these monsters at such a young age. With this power, you acquired the skill [Summon Undead] to summon your own undead soldier to fight against the odds and [Raise Undead] to create your own army of the dead to protect you.
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[With "13th Guardian" skill were added, you can put the summoned undead into one of the empty slots]
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[13th Guardian]
Active Skill
MP Cost: 0
Duration : 0 sec.
Cooldown : 0 sec.
A skill that allows the user to summon [Undead] monsters that act as the 13th Guardian to protect the user. you can summon them according to the list:
1. [ ]
2. [ ]
3. [ ]
....
13. [ ]
WARNING: This skill won't allow any change after the user put the name and set the command word.
Command word: [ ]
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[After the name of the undead you summon was put into the slots, you can summon them again without consuming the same amount of the required MP by using a command word].
Iris' vision then was filled with so many boards that showed up, she was given an explanation from the system.
'This is...a new skill, to think I could get this absurd skill from just defeating a mere demon.' Iris gulped after reading it. But her eyes were focused on the other skill instead.
'Since the skill [Possession] is still active…[Necromancy] skill has become max...which means.'
'[Summon Undead] will become LvMax as well.'
=======================================
[Summon Undead]
Active Skill
MP Cost: 1000-9000
Duration : 3600 sec.
Cooldown : 7200 Sec
A skill that allows the user to summon [Undead] monsters from grade 1st to 10th. The higher the grade, more MP is required.
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'Undead have a grade level which ranges from 1st to 10th, and each grade has their own uniqueness.'
In that moment, on the ground where she was standing, a black magic circle appeared underneath her.
"So I shall choose this as my first summon, [Inventory]!"
She then pulled out several bottles of mana potion, and immediately drank it.
*GULP* *GULP* *SHATTERS*
She threw those bottles away as she filled her MP.
'Using 2000 MP, skill [Summon Undead : Grade 6].'
The ground shook and something came out from the magic circle right in front of her.
"[Death Knight]!"
*ZWONGGG*
An armored black arm came out from the circle, followed by an armored body and helmet, and it's surrounded with black mist around its body.
*GRAAAA!!!*
[Notice!]
[You have summoned "Death Knight"]
After that, the armored monster knelt before her.
[Would you like to name it?]
"Yes."
[Please give it a name]
"Kaiser...you are [Death Knight, Kaiser]!"
[You have assigned Death Knight a name, "Kaiser"]
[Would you like to put "Kaiser" into skill "13th Guardian"]
[Yes/No]
"Yes."
1. [Death Knight, Kaiser]
2. [ ]
[Now set up your command words]
Iris was quiet for a moment but after a moment, she pointed her sword at Kaiser's shoulder.
"[Arise]...my Guardian!"
******
Coming back to the current time.
Rei was surprised to see the fist that was about to strike him was blocked by a giant black sword in front of him.
Kajia was the same until they saw this armored man, no...a monster that was surrounded with black mist. The slit of its helmet glowed purple which showed that this thing was alive.
"I, Kaiser, obeys my Master's will."
The monster spoke.
Kajia recognized what kind of monster in front of him, "Undead?~ What a suprise!" Kajia couldn't contain his excitement due to this absurd situation.
"To think you have awakened the power of the dead, Iris May Welford!" Kajia then focused his attention to the little girl who stood right behind him and pointed her rapier at his neck.
[Is this a chance for me to change my story?].
*SHATTERS*
She drank another bottle of mana potion and threw it away.
[Or will this be my demise for trying to change it?]
Followed by the notification from the system, she acquired another new skill.
[Notice!]
[You have acquired skill "Death Aura"]
Then her body was enveloped with a dark purplish aura.
[Well, who cares...since...]
"Kaiser, I order you...to fight alongside me and cleave the enemy in front of me!"
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[...I'm gonna defy this world once again].
To be continue…