Chapter 25
Can I really not do it perfectly like the real Poison King?
It’s dangerous.
But not too late yet. As long as I don’t push it further, I’ll be fine. I just need to keep this state for a few more hours.
So… for now, it’s a success.
My body feels powerful. I didn’t even do anything, but I feel full of energy. I feel like I could run over mountains and hills right now.
There’s a heat I’ve never felt before.
This must be real strength.
This is power and speed that can’t be reached with swordsmanship alone.
I feel like I can do anything.
Do people who use aura always feel like this?
I’m jealous.
I’ve always been jealous, but now I’m even more jealous.
I have to swell up and look disgusting just to use this power, while those guys use it elegantly without side effects.
Just because they were born with high sensitivity to energy lines?
That’s just…
Wrong.
I feel anger inside. I want to destroy everything. I want to break those who decided the world’s rules with their natural powers.
“One danger of Poison Arts is falling into madness.”
“The more you rely on poison, the more you’ll be controlled by it. If the poison reaches your brain, there’s no turning back. You’ll try to destroy everything you see.”
You were right, professor. I think I’m entering that state now.
But I haven’t lost myself yet. This is more like a trance, like those who obsess over Poison Arts fall into.
Still…
It’s pathetic.
Madness? Destruction?
I only felt that way a little. It’s not like I’m being controlled.
This is nothing.
Especially for me, it really is nothing. Even in that poisonous cave where everyone went crazy, I stayed sane. Not because I wanted to—just because that’s how it happened.
Is this worse than that time?
No way.
So… am I proud of myself?
Sigh…
Even though I’m full of power, I feel miserable. I ended up diving into poison madness before even handling aura properly or experiencing an aura trance.
Seriously…
Am I really worthy to protect the 8th family of the Sword King House?
Well, even if I’m not, what can I do…
Anyway, I just hope I can return to normal after this. That’s why I chose tonight—because tomorrow is a holiday.
Maybe after resting for a day, I’ll be okay. With that thought, I jumped toward the hill of Graveyard Mountain.
Boom!
I can’t believe I can jump this high and far.
At this rate, it’s faster to run over mountains than take the road. And it’s a straight path too.
I ran up steep slopes and through thick bushes like it was nothing.
How fast am I going?
I’m already at the downhill path, with the city in sight.
Hoo…
I’m barely out of breath.
In the distance, I can see the 8th Street of Bryce shining in the dark.
Many stores still have their lights on. The streets are dangerous. I covered myself in a big robe, but if I get stopped for a night inspection, they’ll notice right away.
They’ll see how terrible and hideous I look now.
From now on, my family needs to help me. I looked up at the dark sky and said,
“Everyone, you know what to do, right? If anyone suspicious comes near me—guards, soldiers, whatever—give me a signal. I’ll be watching. Got it?”
Woooong!
The red spheres flying next to me shook in the air. I smiled and nodded.
“Thanks, everyone. I knew I could count on my family.”
Weeee!
“Huh? What are you saying? Tiver, you’re family too! You thought I’d forget you? Haha… Hmm.”
I suddenly wondered what I look like when I laugh now. Probably scary. I’m just glad no one screamed yet.
I dropped down to 8th Street and jumped up to the roof of a nearby store.
Whoosh.
So light.
Tap.
And my landing was even lighter. I ran silently across rooftops, heading to the slum alley behind the marketplace.
“Hey, remember this, Tiver?”
I whispered too softly. Maybe he didn’t hear.
It’s been less than a year, but it feels nostalgic. I remember sneaking out at night with Tiver to play. We even got caught once while making a campfire.
“That was fun…”
I could now see the slums.
Normally it would take over two hours to get here. But today it only took 30 minutes. The rooftops looked different—it was easy to tell they were part of the slums.
So old and broken.
If I run like this, I might fall through one.
But I didn’t.
Shff. Shff shff.
I focused on my toes, running lightly across the rooftops.
That way, there’s barely any shock to the ground. Well, the roof in this case. Somehow, I was using a new stepping technique without realizing it.
Is this also from the Poison King’s memories?
No one taught me, but I can use it naturally. I should be careful—if I use this in public, inspectors might show up fast.
I had just gone deep into the alley when—
“….”
I smelled something.
Even in the stinky slum, something stood out.
The scent of poison.
And I recognized it. Maybe I got more sensitive after becoming a poison user?
Still, I couldn’t pinpoint the exact location.
I crouched on a roof and controlled my breathing.
Hoo…
Then I felt a signal from the sky. One of the red orbs trembled.
– South.
– A few minutes away.
– Someone’s in danger!
Not exactly words, but that’s what it felt like.
South from here…?
Wait…
The Diki Orphanage?
Before I could think, my body moved. As I ran, the poison smell grew stronger.
Found it.
A muddy alley near the orphanage.
A man in a mask was holding a small girl against the wall, covering her mouth.
“….”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
The man raised a knife and whispered,
“Shhh. Don’t cry. This is a noble sacrifice.”
I approached silently. He kept muttering in a fake raspy voice.
“It’s all for the world ruled by the One. Oh Poison King, our savior for the unchosen…”
I’ve heard this kind of talk before.
“He jumped into the energy lines to cleanse the world and now, after 250 years, has returned to us.”
This guy—he’s from the Poison King Cult.
“The great mission is about to begin. We’ll wipe away all injustice and—huh?”
He flinched and turned.
Oops. I slipped.
He must have seen the formless sword flying at his back. His creepy words were too much—I cast a ghost sword without thinking.
Our eyes met.
Too bad. I wanted to end this quietly with a sneak attack. Now it’s going to get noisy.
But then the guy dropped to one knee and bowed.
“For the Poison King.”
“…?”
“Why are you here, Honored Protector?”
Huh? Protector?
“I heard the church finally sent a protector to this corrupted city. But I didn’t expect someone this powerful…”
“…?”
“You’re using poison and not even making a sound… You must have gone through extreme training. Are you a Grand Protector?”
“…?”
“And that silent poison energy… Is that the Formless Poison? Are you one of the highest?”
What’s Formless Poison?
Whatever. He’s totally mistaken.
Makes sense, though. I look like a poison user right now.
And not just any poison user—one who’s still sane.
“Did the Deputy Leader send you directly?”
“….”
“So it’s time at last. Long live the Poison King.”
He drew a symbol in the air and bowed again.
This is kind of fun.
I haven’t said a word and he’s spilling everything.
But then I felt another signal from the red orb above.
– West.
– A few minutes away.
– Guards? Patrols?
“Not much time…”
I muttered without thinking—and froze.
Was that… my voice?
It sounded awful. Creepy.
Will I ever go back to normal?
“Protector? What do you mean?”
“…This is what I mean.”
One red orb swooped down and swallowed the man’s upper body.
Fwoosh!
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
He struggled a bit, then went limp. But the orb kept shaking violently.
“Shhh… easy. Don’t kill him yet. I still have questions.”
I calmed the orb and sent it back into the sky.
It could carry a person easily. I had already tested that with a dead body on a past night mission.
Anyway, tonight’s mission was a success. I turned around to go back…
“….”
And saw the girl still pressed against the wall, staring at me.
“….”
Ah. I forgot about her.
She looked about twelve. She hadn’t even blinked—completely frozen.
At least when facing the spy, she had struggled and fought.
Am I really that scary?
“….”
Ouch. That kind of hurt.
For a second, I thought about letting the orb eat her too.
What’s wrong with me?
I sighed and walked toward her.
“Uh… uhh…”
“Quiet. I won’t hurt you.”
I spoke softly.
“Do you live at Diki Orphanage?”
“…?”
“Shh. Don’t answer. Just nod.”
But she didn’t move. She was probably staying quiet to protect the other kids.
Smart girl.
She’s not blood-related to Phil, but she’s just like a little sister.
Without saying more, I raised a finger to my lips.
“Shh.”
“….”
“Shh.”
The girl copied me and nodded.
“…Shh.”
Good enough.
Leaving the silent girl behind, I jumped up to a nearby roof.
I had to get back to the dorm fast—before the spy melted.
I needed to get some answers.
