TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 123
Tap, clatter—
A dark floor so dim that light was barely visible.
The sound of a falling stone echoed through the space.
How far had that sound spread?
Haring, who had lost consciousness, slowly began to regain her senses.
[Haring, how long do you plan to sleep? Your food’s getting cold.]
A faint memory from her past flickered through Haring’s mind.
It was something her older brother used to say tenderly while stroking her hair.
Her brother, who was significantly older, had always been so kind.
And even in his final moments, he was endlessly kind.
That day had started like any other—chatting over breakfast with her brother and heading off to training.
Haring still remembers that day vividly.
Under the sunlight, the roof of the Ragren Family’s estate sparkled.
A man with long, blood-red hair gleamed with crimson eyes as he casually waved at her.
As Haring stared blankly, wondering who he was, the man raised his hand toward the sky.
And then, the sky turned a sickly yellow.
Erosion Species surged upward, transforming the Ragren Family’s territory into a scene of World Erosion.
The erupting Erosion Species attacked the Ragren Family’s members, and the family’s knights and many others fought desperately against them.
If the Poison King and the family’s knight order had been there, they might have managed, but they were away on an expedition for some reason.
The Ragren Family was, in every sense, at its most vulnerable to external attacks.
At that moment, young Haring stood frozen in shock at the unfolding chaos.
[Haring!]
Her brother, spotting her, grabbed Haring and ran.
Her brother was desperate to protect her.
Born weak of body, her brother had never been able to achieve great martial prowess.
However, when it came to poison, he had shown a genius-level talent.
And so, to evade the Erosion Species, he intended to hide Haring in a Poison Room, where the stench of poison was so strong it was almost unbearable.
He believed that even the Erosion Species would abhor the place and avoid it.
But it was then that Haring made a crucial mistake.
[Eek?!]
On the way to the Poison Room, she accidentally let out a scream after witnessing an Erosion Species devouring a servant’s head nearby.
That scream was enough to draw the attention of the Erosion Species.
Her brother immediately shoved Haring into the depths of the Poison Room and hurled poison at the Erosion Species.
[Grrieeek!]
The enraged Erosion Species let out a furious cry as its head partially melted.
Watching the creature, her brother locked the door to the Poison Room from the outside.
[Brother!]
[Haring, remember how we used to play hide-and-seek and count numbers for fun?]
He said those words as he pulled out the remaining poison from his belt.
[Just keep counting. Count as high as you can. Until then, no matter who calls you, don’t come out. Understand?]
[Brother, brother! No, Aring! Brother, no!]
At that moment, the Erosion Species lunged toward him.
Haring trembled uncontrollably at the horrific sounds coming from outside.
She was only seven years old at the time.
A child that young could do nothing but obey her brother’s words.
[One, two, three…]
And so, she kept counting.
Haring, who was good at hide-and-seek, remembered that Aring had once told her to keep counting and only come out when she had counted all the way to her limit.
Tears dripped from her wide, frightened eyes.
She was scared and terrified, but she held back her sobs and kept counting as her brother had instructed.
And after counting and counting some more—
The noises outside gradually died down and eventually faded away entirely.
By the time she realized it, she had already counted all the numbers she knew.
Haring approached the door that had been locked from the outside.
And then, a faint voice reached her ears.
[Ha-ring.]
The moment she heard his broken, faltering voice, Haring immediately tried to open the door.
But outside, her brother was holding the locked door tightly shut.
[I wasn’t trying to save you. I just didn’t want to die alone. So you did nothing wrong. Do you understand?]
Even in the end, her gentle brother spouted nonsensical words.
Although it was clearly her mistake, he said those things to ensure Haring wouldn’t feel guilty.
All Haring could do was sob helplessly in front of the door.
After that, Haring collapsed on the spot, fainting from exhaustion.
It was a long time later that she was finally found.
Aring’s body had been torn apart, his upper and lower halves separated.
He had been ripped to shreds by the claws of the Erosion Species.
And the Poison Blood Tome, the Ragren Family’s treasured artifact, was missing.
Whether it was taken by the World Erosion Being or destroyed by the Erosion Species remained a mystery.
At the time, the Emperor had personally dispatched the Imperial Knight Order to aid the Ragren Family, preventing their annihilation.
The incident had nearly uprooted the Ragren Family entirely.
To repay their debt to the Empire, the Poison King swore allegiance to the Emperor.
Until then, the Ragren Family had remained neutral between the Royal Family and the Noble Faction, but this event solidified their allegiance to the Royal Family.
This was the debt the Ragren Family owed to the Royal Family.
[Brother.]
Haring squeezed her eyes shut, then slowly opened them.
The resurfacing memories had left her eyes moist with tears.
Even now, the memory of that day was still vivid in her mind.
Haring’s objectives were twofold.
One was to ensure that no one else would suffer a meaningless death like her brother’s due to World Erosion.
The other was to find and exact revenge on the World Erosion Being that killed her brother and destroyed the Ragren Family.
For that reason, she entered Rahelrn Academy, which claimed to train heroes to prevent World Erosion.
However, the students at Rahelrn Academy seemed different from her.
Even from a brief observation, the incoming students appeared more focused on their own power struggles than on stopping World Erosion.
She grew weary of them after just one day.
She had no desire to converse with them.
After all, she was determined to ensure her brother’s death wasn’t in vain.
But there was one exception.
The boy who had joined her group for the field training mission was different.
[I didn’t come here for some petty power games.]
That was what Kraush said as he looked at Karandis and Mary.
[World Erosion has been increasing rapidly over the past few years. I came to Rahelrn Academy to learn and prepare for the worst-case scenario.]
Hearing those words, Haring’s gaze shifted toward Kraush.
Valheim Kraush.
A direct descendant of the renowned Balheim Family.
As expected of a noble lineage.
His mindset was exceptional.
While silently admiring him,
Haring and Kraush inadvertently ended up in the same team.
Kraush was strong.
He had defeated a creature imbued with the Power of the Night God, and his commands were precise and swift.
Moreover, he appeared relaxed on the surface while revealing his vulnerabilities, yet,
inwardly, he was meticulous and induced his opponent’s complacency.
In World Erosion, a single mistake can cost one’s life.
He seemed to have experienced World Erosion numerous times.
A part of me felt a slight admiration.
I was secretly relieved to know there was someone my age who took World Erosion as seriously as I did.
And then, to him,
I let my guard down, causing him to be kidnapped by an Erosion Species.
Recalling that moment still sent shivers down Haring’s spine.
She hated the carelessness and complacency that had ultimately led to her brother’s death within World Erosion.
Perhaps that’s why.
She found herself unconsciously superimposing Kraush onto her brother.
Though they were the same age, there was something about him that made him seem not quite like a peer.
“Ugh.”
Haring clutched her stomach in pain.
Only then did she recall what had happened earlier.
After forcibly removing the limit her brain had set to maintain normal bodily function by taking the White Blue Pill,
she had plunged a dagger into Decarabia’s jaw.
After that, she had been unable to dodge Decarabia’s strike and lost consciousness.
As her thoughts reached that point, she looked around.
Wondering where she was now.
Her gaze then stopped at one spot.
There, someone was sitting with their back to her.
A faint memory flashed through her mind at the last moment.
Of him holding her as they fell, during the brief moment her consciousness had returned.
Although her memory was hazy due to her consciousness breaking again immediately, the recollection made her eyes widen.
Kraush had saved her from falling.
Confused, she felt her strength drain away and slowly approached him.
A sense of foreboding filled her.
Kraush had overexerted himself so much.
If he had caught her from such a height and fallen, there was no way he could be unscathed.
“Kraush.”
As she reached to touch his shoulder while calling out to him,
“Ugh!”
She thought her hand was burning the moment it touched him.
When she turned to look at Kraush in surprise, his eyes were faintly open.
“You’re awake, huh.”
A hoarse voice came out.
Seeing his face, red as if it had been boiled, her eyes began to tremble slowly.
His pained expression as he breathed looked extremely agonizing.
Kraush had overexerted himself even while suffering the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill.
As a result, his body was in complete disarray internally.
Yet, he overexerted himself again to save her from falling.
It was clear as day that he had squeezed out the last remnants of his strength to prevent a fatal fall.
As a consequence, his body now felt like it was on fire.
The aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill did not care whether his body weakened or not.
It only brought him the sensation of his insides being scorched by fire.
“Why, why did you save me? If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be like this…”
In her confusion, she asked, not knowing what to do.
Kraush looked at her briefly before closing his eyes.
“I didn’t do it to save you.”
Haring’s eyes trembled greatly.
Because Kraush had said the same words her deceased brother had once said.
“So, stay calm and wait.”
The moment she heard those words, Haring bit her lip tightly.
Meanwhile, as if relieved that Haring had woken up, Kraush bowed his head.
It was to endure the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill.
Haring slumped down behind Kraush.
All she could do now was wait for the effects of the Red Tiger Pill to completely disappear.
In his current state, any attempt to help him from the side could lead to even worse consequences.
Just like that day, all she could do was wait.
That fact made her feel utterly powerless.
“…”
She tightly hugged the Poison Pouch.
That Poison Pouch was a memento her brother Aring had used against the Erosion Species.
If it was waiting, she was confident.
She could wait time and time again.
‘…So please, don’t die.’
In her heart,
deeply engraving today,
Haring fervently hoped for Kraush to safely open his eyes.
If not, she felt she would truly be broken forever.
* * *
During the time the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill persisted,
Kraush kept his eyes closed, enduring the effects.
To be precise, Kraush was not significantly affected by the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill itself.
After all, he was someone who regularly burned his insides.
The burning sensation inside his body was nothing to him.
For Kraush, who regularly endured Annihilation Erosion to burn and churn his insides, it was no big deal.
Therefore, the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill was not a problem for Kraush.
Rather, Kraush was absorbing the remaining energy of the Red Tiger Pill.
The Red Tiger Pill is a poison created by the secret technique of the Ragren Family.
Aside from the burning pain, its effects were certainly worth absorbing.
Poison can be medicine if used correctly.
So, Kraush was seizing the opportunity to swallow the Red Tiger Pill.
[Crazy bastard, lunatic, not all there.]
Thanks to Crimson Garden constantly cursing, his concentration was breaking.
Nevertheless, Kraush continued to absorb the Red Tiger Pill.
As mentioned earlier, poison can be medicine if used correctly.
Kraush felt his body, which had been strained to the point of being barely functional, actually improving.
Although he would need to rest and receive treatment properly once he returned, it was still something.
After a while,
When he had completely absorbed the Red Tiger Pill, Kraush opened his eyes.
His whole body was drenched in sweat, and his face felt hot, but he felt fine.
Moreover, thanks to the Red Tiger Pill, the amount of his Aura had increased slightly more than before.
‘This is good.’
He hadn’t been particularly worried about the aftermath of the Red Tiger Pill, but he hadn’t expected such an effect.
If the opportunity arose next time, it might not be bad to get a few more from Haring.
“Haring.”
As soon as Kraush called her name, Haring looked at him in surprise.
Haring, who had been staring blankly at Kraush, soon made a face that looked like she was about to burst into tears, then hurriedly approached him.
“Are you okay? Your body? Any pain?”
She suddenly thrust her face close to his and asked.
Her face looked as if it might crumble at any moment, causing Kraush to be slightly taken aback.
Why is she acting like this?
“Should I help you walk, or should I carry you?”
This time, it seemed like she was serious.
Kraush belatedly realized that she was concerned about having saved him.
“As I said before, I didn’t end up like this trying to save you. Don’t worry about it.”
At the last moment, his body had moved on its own.
Haring’s Invisible and poison would definitely be necessary for future endeavors.
So Kraush had instinctively protected her as she was falling.
She had too many things to do in the future to die here.
But Kraush did not know.
That his words were digging deeper into Haring.
Haring bit her lip tightly before finally responding.
“Got it.”
However, her gaze was intensely burdensome compared to her response.
‘Come to think of it, the Ragren Family seemed to place great importance on gratitude.’
The Poison King had annihilated Hardenhartz on the orders of the Royal Family, all because of the debt he owed them.
‘Then Haring must feel the same way.’
At the same time, Kraush recalled Haring’s unusual behavior earlier.
She had been particularly fixated on saving him.
‘It seems she has a trauma about overly worrying about someone who sacrificed themselves for her.’
Given her adherence to family rules, it made sense that she would act this way.
Since things had come to this, Kraush decided to quickly clear the debt he owed her.
That would surely ease her mind.
“If you’re worried, help me with some research on poisons when we get back. That’s all I need.”
Kraush wanted to study the connection between curses and poisons.
At the mention of poison research, her eyes wavered once more.
But no matter how quick-witted Kraush was, he couldn’t understand her true feelings about it.
Haring soon clenched both fists tightly and nodded.
“Research, got it.”
Her eyes were filled with a determined will to do whatever it took, which was somewhat burdensome.
Still, it was better than having a bad relationship.
“More importantly, let’s head back now.”
Thanks to the Red Tiger Pill, his body had somewhat recovered its vitality.
Kraush stood up and looked up at the plaza above.
Having descended quite far down, the climb back up would not be easy.
But Kraush was not too worried.
Because his Sixth Sense was picking up on a presence.
Kraush looked up.
Then, a tree began to descend from the shadowy heights.
Soon, Kraush saw a figure approaching.
“Kraush, Haring!”
It was not Aniks, who had abandoned him long ago when he fell into a trap.
It was Aniks, who, despite reaching his limit in using Mokchendo, had come down to save them.
Kraush suppressed a short laugh.
Life is truly unpredictable.
It’s something you can never know.
* * *
By the time they completed their mission and exited the ruins,
the dawn in the sky had passed, and the sun was rising.
As a result, the ruins naturally concealed themselves with sand.
They would remain hidden until nightfall.
“Are you okay?”
When Haring asked, Kraush lightly swung his arm.
“I’m fine.”
[Bragging again.]
Though he heard Crimson Garden’s taunt, he paid it no mind.
As long as he could move, he considered himself fine; that was his philosophy.
Kraush’s gaze then met Aniks’.
Aniks, meeting Kraush’s eyes, smiled as usual.
That smile was one Kraush used to detest.
Kraush had always thought it was a fake smile.
‘Was it colored by my prejudice?’
Up until they found the ruins, Kraush had considered Aniks’ smile to be fake.
He thought Aniks considered the Twin Sprout member as his pawn and that he would eventually be betrayed.
But now, having glimpsed Aniks’ sincerity,
Kraush realized that his prejudice had completely fallen away.
“You did well. Thanks to you, I lived.”
Hearing Kraush’s casually thrown words, Aniks widened his eyes before smiling again.
“I never thought I’d hear that from Kraush.”
“I never thought I’d say it to you either.”
A part of his heart felt relieved.
Kraush looked up at the sky.
Through Pendal, he had learned not to judge people based on regression.
And now, through Aniks, he learned that people could completely change with just a small trigger.
And perhaps this lesson could hinder the path he was walking.
Because of the skills he was determined to seize, Kraush would constantly have to ponder.
But one thing he could say for sure.
‘If I could stop the destruction alone, Arthur could have done it too.’
When World Erosion spreads to its worst,
the world becomes a mess.
Arthur could stop one disaster but not two simultaneously.
And the same was true for Kraush.
That’s why Kraush had built various relationships up to this point.
‘I will correct the Skyborne Generation.’
A ray of light began to appear somewhere.
He saw the single path to stop the destruction.
‘I will stand at the forefront.’
Even if rain pours, sandstorms blow, and storms rage,
steadfastly standing at the very front is his role.
The Skyborne Generation will follow behind, soaring high into the sky to ultimately stop the destruction.
Kraush’s eyes shone brightly.
His eyes, running solely toward one goal, were as bright as stars.
Heavenly Pivot Star.
It was a thought befitting Kraush, perfectly suited for the role of guide as mentioned by Elphin.