Chapter 136


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    The Lost One (3)


    Someone yanked on Najin’s arm from between the gaps in the massive boulders. Almost simultaneously as he was pulled into the cave…


    Kuuung—!


    A giant’s hand mmed onto the ground.


    The earth shook. The giant repeatedly pounded its palm into the ground and only seemed satisfied after a while, departing soon after.


    Dust rose into the air as Najin turned back.


    There, a man sat atop a boulder, resting with one knee propped upward. “There’s no need to bother dealing with giants. Sure, the myths call them Giants [巨人], but honestly, I don’t know if they deserve the character for Human [人] at all, considering how dumb they are.”


    Even sitting down, he wasn’t much shorter than Najin was standing up. The man was enormous, and his voice echoed sharply through the cave—though perhaps that was partly because he was wearing a helmet.


    His deep voice bounced against the helmet once and reverberated again off the cave walls. “If you encounter a giant, just hide. There’s no point wasting your energy trying to match strength with those oversized oafs.”


    The man was draped in broken armor and rags. The decorations on his helmet were shattered, and scars, as if from des, covered it. No, not just the helmet… his armor, rags, and the exposed skin between the cracks of his damaged armor were all scarred.


    Around his waist, a sword wrapped in chains hung at his side, and in one hand, he held an enormousnce.


    He looked like a statue worn down by time, the kind of statue erected in a hall to honor heroes.


    “Hey.” He pointed a finger at Najin’s chest. “Do something about that starlight first. I can’t keep my eyes open because it’s so damn bright.”


    “What?” Najin asked.


    “Oh,e on. Don’t tell me you don’t even know how to control your starlight?” He sounded exasperated. “You’re practically screaming to the Crows, ‘Come get me! My star shines so bright!’ I thought you’d lost your mind, but maybe not.”


    Najin nced at Merlin.


    – Take a deep breath. Your excitement is making the starlight brighter. Dim it down.


    Najin took a deep breath, and the man finally lowered his finger.


    “Follow me.” He didn’t say much else. Rising slowly, he pointed toward the other side of the cave. “Aren’t you being chased by Crows? I know ces where you can hide.”


    He didn’t wait for Najin’s answer. Turning his back, he began walking. His posture seemed unguarded.


    Najin stood still for a moment, watching the man’s back.


    There was no reason to trust the man. Even if he had helped, it could still be a trap. Though he hadn’t been in the Ound for long, he had already grasped what kind ofnd it was: trust was a luxury. Nothing there could be trusted.


    ‘What happens if I ignore his offer?’


    He nced back. The outside of the cave was chaotic with the sound of the giant’s stomps and the ruckus of raiders searching through the forest.


    He only had two choices: follow the man or head back outside and get chased again.


    “…” A moment of silence ensued. The decision was quick.


    Najin followed the man. Without looking back, the man led him deeper into the cave. Inside, the clinking noise of armor echoed through the darkness.


    The cave stretched all the way to the edge of the forest.


    As soon as Najin emerged from the cave, the vastnd of the Ound spread before him. Vast… there was no other word to describe it.


    It was too immense to fully take in.


    Somends were barren, others were lush; snow fell in one ce, while rain poured in another. Various climates andndscapes swirled together like paints on a palette.


    Stars burning in a kaleidoscope of colors filled the night sky above, and massive structures on the ground glowed under their starlight.


    Those enormous structures marked the territories of the constetions—a colossal sword, ance, towers that seemed to touch the heavens, decrepit castles, moving fortresses, and nted crosses. They were so far away it was impossible to gauge the distance, yet they defied perspective, proudly disying their majesty.


    “…” Najin’s gaze drifted upward.


    In that lofty sky, unknown creatures floated—living beings shaped like ships docked in a harbor. Enormous beasts swam through the sky.


    – That’s a Sky Whale.


    ‘What?’


    – Or sometimes called a Star Devourer. Normally, they eat the starlight scattered across the sky, but when a star grows weak enough, they swallow it whole.


    ‘What kind of ridiculous creature is that…?’


    – Who knows? Thisnd is already messed up enough. If you go deeper into the Ound, you’ll see even worse things. There are plenty of cursed things that leaked from Cann, too.


    ‘Then what’s that thing?’ Najin pointed toward thergest whale. The massive creature was carrying a fortress on its back.


    – Ah.


    Merlin let out a short sigh.


    – Don’t look at it for too long.


    “Don’t stare at it.” Merlin’s voice and the man’s voice echoed out almost simultaneously.


    The man turned to look at Najin and spoke. “That’s the sanctuary of the Heaven-Wandering Star. The constetion is infamous for its foul temper. Don’t look at it unless you want trouble.”


    Najin averted his gaze. A constetion that went berserk just because someone stared? As he lowered his gaze, he nced toward the horizon.


    Far, far away, at the edge of the world—beyond the Ound—something gleamed. Looking closely, they were stars. Tiny dots in the distance, but there they were. The starlight they shed ignored the thousands, tens of thousands of kilometers between them and lit up his eyes.


    ‘Why are those stars shining so brightly?’


    – Hm? Oh, those? Heh.


    Merlin chuckled, herugh eerie and unsettling.


    – Why don’t you ask the man in front of you?


    Najin did exactly that. “What are the stars gleaming at the edge of the horizon?”


    “What else? The most famous stars.”


    “The most famous stars?”


    “The stars of the Round Table—the star of the Great Hero, Arthur; the star of the Archmage, Merlin; and the stars of the knights who followed them.”


    Pointing at the stars, the man spoke. “They’re the great stars standing guard to ensure Cann’s cursed ones don’t breach the Ound. Among countless fakes, they are the handful of genuine constetions.”


    Merlin chuckled ominously. Wrapping her arms around Najin’s neck, she poked his cheek repeatedly.


    – You hear that? You heard, right?


    Her touch had no sensation, but it still managed to annoy him.


    “Hey. How long have you been in the Ound?” the man asked.


    “Today’s my first time.”


    “Figured as much. Anyone acting like you wouldn’t have survived here long.”


    The two continued walking, their conversation meandering with simple questions.


    Najin answered the man’s questions and threw some of his own. “May I ask your name?”


    “Hey. Asking for someone’s name in the Ound is about as rude as it gets. You could ask for a title, though.”


    “Then, what’s your title?”


    “Even asking me for a title is rude.”


    What was he supposed to do, then?


    The man shrugged. “A name, huh?” Murmuring as if recalling a distant memory, the man muttered, “Ah, that’ll do.” He knocked on his helmet with his fist, his gauntlet striking the helmet with a thud.


    “Call me ‘Helmet Knight.’”


    “Are you a knight?”


    “For now.” It was a vague answer.


    “My name is…”


    “Do I need to know it?”


    “It’smon courtesy to introduce yourself after hearing someone’s name. Just listen.”


    “I didn’t even give you my real name. I’ll just call you ‘Boy.’ That’s easier.”


    “Why ‘Boy,’ of all things?”


    “Because you look like a kid.” Helmet Knight smirked. “Your body isn’t exactly at its peak. You’re just a brat at the age you appear to be. Tell me I’m wrong.”


    “…”


    “Silence means agreement. You’re just a rookie, kid.”


    While walking alongside Helmet Knight, Najin learned a few things.


    In the Ound, there weren’t just twisted beasts or monsters. Many others wandered aimlessly there as well. Their eyes were hollow, arms hanging limply at their sides, walking without any purpose.


    When he saw them, what he felt was an eerie sense of wrongness.


    They wore human skin, but they weren’t human.


    They weren’t all that different from the monsters and beasts scattered across thend. To him, they seemed like walking corpses—there wasn’t a shred of intelligence in them. The only thing that separated them from corpses was…


    Skaaak!


    Their movements were too precise.


    When a monster lunged toward him, one of those hollow men suddenly moved. Their posture transformed with stunning precision—wless footwork, perfect form—and in a single stroke, their de shed the monster cleanly in half.


    They had no will, no minds, but their bodies retained their instincts. It was as if the experiences carved into their flesh remained intact.


    Watching them reminded him of something.


    ‘Even after driving a sword through his head, Graf still moved.’


    Graf, with blood pouring from his eyes, nose, and ears, had kept going. The experiences etched into his body had kept him alive, even after his consciousness had faded.


    “You’ve really pissed off the Crows, haven’t you? They’re chasing you all the way here.” Helmet Knight nced behind Najin.


    A group of raiders was watching from afar. They maintained the same distance, carefully keeping Najin in sight. However, they didn’t attack.


    Najin noticed them but ignored them, given their inaction.


    “I suppose they can’t afford to let you go after seeing that starlight.” Helmet Knight turned, facing the raiders. Though his helmet hid his eyes, Najin felt the weight of his gaze. It was the kind of pressure only the strong could exert.


    Helmet Knight didn’t say much—he simply threw them a challenge.


    “Come, if you dare.”


    The raiders hesitated, then turned away, retreating into the distance.


    Watching them flee, Helmet Knight scoffed before looking down at Najin. “I helped you. You can admit that, can’t you?”


    There was no denying it.


    Najin nodded reluctantly. The man had, indeed, helped him.


    “Now, if I give, I also expect to receive. Nothing is free. I want fair payment for my kindness.”


    “Do you want something from me?”


    “You don’t look like you own anything worth much, but there’s one thing you have that holds value…”


    He spoke. “Tell me about the outside world.”


    Helmet Knight imed he knew of a ce where they could talk and suggested they head there.


    While walking, Najin threw him a question. “Do you know someone named Graf?”


    “Of course I do. Graf of the Kurutan Knights. He’s quite famous in these parts.”


    “Is he really a knight?”


    Helmet Knight turned his head toward Najin. “What are you really asking?”


    “He called himself a knight, but he didn’t look like one. There’s a difference between the knights I know and the kind of knight he ims to be.”


    “What do you think a knight is?”


    “Someone who never loses their honor and pride, no matter the circumstances.”


    Helmet Knight stopped walking. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard that. Do you, perhaps, admire the Knights of Atanga?”


    “Yes.”


    “Well, from their perspective, most people in thisnd wouldn’t be worthy of the title of ‘knight.’” He paused for a moment before continuing. “Thisnd is where honor, pride, and ideals lose their value. To hold onto those things here, you must be strong. Only the strong can afford to keep them.”


    “That’s…”


    “Of course, even the weak can hold onto honor and pride, but you’ve already seen what happens to the weak, haven’t you?” Helmet Knight sneered and pointed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In the distance, Najin saw the hollow figures wandering aimlessly across thend—people who had been broken.


    “In thisnd, a normal death isn’t allowed. Here, death means bing a Forgotten One who’s lost everything and been utterly lost to memory. It’s a fate more humiliating and disgraceful than death itself. You can shout about honor all you want while alive, but if you end up like that…”


    Helmet Knight dragged his fingers roughly along the gap in his helmet.


    “It’s meaningless. Isn’t that so? The moment you fall into such a pitiful state, no matter how honorable and proud you were in life, it all bes worthless. You turn into something even worse than a beast. That’s why survival is valued above all else in thisnd.”


    On the continent, death could be honorable. Knights were allowed to die with dignity and pride. In the Ound, such a death was never permitted. That was what Helmet Knight was telling him.


    “Beforeing to thisnd, Graf was a knight of great pride and honor. He yed demons, he killed knights unworthy of the title, he stormed a warlock’s workshop alone to rescue children they’d kidnapped, and though he came out covered in wounds, he saved them all.”


    He continued. “Graf has lived in the Ound for 170 years. One hundred and seventy years. Can you imagine what he’s seen in that time? He’s seen deaths that are neither honorable nor dignified. He’s watched hisrades turn into Forgotten Ones. After witnessing all that, do you think he could still speak of honor and pride?”


    Helmet Knight ran his hand over his helmet. Its decorations were broken, its surface marred with dents and scratches. The helmet had lost much of its function, yet he still wore it.


    “Honor and pride are like a strong drink in thisnd. They intoxicate you, but when you sober up, all that’s left is pain.”