Chapter 579
This Actually Works? (2)
Kaor had acted without consulting anyone, and Gillian strode toward him with firm steps.
“What do you think you’re doing? I won’t tolerate reckless behavior. Finish this up quickly and move out.”
“Don’t interfere, old man. I’m going to surpass my limits now.”
“With that kind of mindset, you won’t.”
A transcendent must build their own world. But Kaor had always been reckless, without even a small guiding belief.
With such an attitude, it would be hard for him to find confidence in himself.
“Once the war is over, sit down and meditate. That will be more helpful.”
Kaor had grown stronger, but it was all thanks to Ghislain’s forceful training. The only reason he’d come this far was because Ghislain had literally beaten him into shape.
So there was no way he could break through his limits now. He needed more discipline and self-control.
But Kaor growled at Gillian’s words.
“Don’t look down on me. Even you and the head steward became transcendents in the end. Why should I be any different? I will become a transcendent this time.”
Gillian frowned and raised his hand. He was prepared to stop Kaor by force if necessary.
At such a crucial moment, what was this foolishness?
But then, an unexpected person took Kaor’s side.
“If he wants to give it a shot that badly, let him. We can at least give him that chance, can’t we?”
“Princess.”
The one supporting Kaor was none other than Elena. The nervous, trembling girl from before was gone.
Now, she stood confidently, her entire body stained with the enemy’s blood.
With a calm expression, Elena continued speaking.
“Sir Kaor has been with us for a long time and has achieved many merits. If we don’t believe in him, who will?”
At her words, Gillian felt a twinge of guilt.
He had always dismissed Kaor as nothing more than a troublemaker. But no matter what anyone said, Kaor was one of the greatest contributors to the domain.
He had grumbled and resisted at times, but in the end, he had always carried out his duties even if it took force to make him do it.
For someone like that, granting him a single duel was hardly unreasonable.
‘The princess is better than me.’
He had always thought of her as young and inexperienced, but he had been wrong. Like her father and brother, she possessed the qualities of a great ruler.
Gillian slightly bowed his head to Elena.
“Understood. We will do as the princess wishes.”
With both Elena and Gillian allowing it, the others could only smack their lips in frustration, unable to object further.
Elena, standing firm, suddenly glanced around before quickly retreating backward. To an outsider, it might have looked like she was embarrassed about speaking up and had hurried away.
But in reality, she subtly moved toward a group of knights who had gathered nearby.
Then, in a hushed voice, she spoke.
“All right, it’s settled. The duel is happening. Who are you betting on?”
“Kuh, as expected of the princess. I’m betting on the priest.”
“Same here. I’m going with the priest too.”
“No matter how much of a half-baked transcendent Kaor is, it’ll still be tough for him to win.”
The knights had started placing bets. Elena had only helped Kaor because she wanted to participate in the gamble.
She was truly her brother’s sister.
The dream of becoming a refined noblewoman was slipping further and further away, but Elena remained blissfully unaware.
In any case, the majority of the knights placed their bets on the priest. After a moment of contemplation, Elena made up her mind.
“I’ll bet on Kaor.”
“Huh? Seriously? No take-backs.”
“I have a good instinct for these things. Back when my brother fought Kane, I bet on the right outcome. Isn’t that right, Skovan?”
Skovan scratched his head and said,
"Ah, well… I guess so."
At that time, Elena had already witnessed Ghislain’s skills, which was why they had won the bet. But regardless, she believed in Kaor’s potential.
Following Elena’s lead, Skovan and Ricardo also placed a small wager on Kaor.
Arel couldn't bring himself to stop the princess from participating in the bet and could only fidget anxiously on the side.
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated. Since things had come to this, everyone decided they might as well enjoy the spectacle.
Piote stood by, waiting near Kaor, while Gillian and Belinda were ready to jump in at any moment.
He might be a fool, but they couldn't just let him die.
With even Elena taking his side, Kaor puffed up with confidence and spoke to the priest.
"Alright, there are no more obstacles. Now, let's settle this between the two of us."
"Y-You dare…!"
The priest gritted his teeth in humiliation. Just how much was this man underestimating him to suddenly suggest a one-on-one duel?
But he had no choice. His allies had already been wiped out, and the enemy had completely surrounded him.
If he fought them all, he would die. There was no escape. The only way to survive was to win the duel.
"Are you really saying you'll let me go if I win?"
"Ah, I told you already. Have you been deceived your whole life? Haha."
Kaor took off his helmet and tossed it aside. He even removed all his armor and threw it to the side.
He had no intention of relying on the strength of his armor he wanted to fight purely with his own skill.
Seeing this, the priest gathered his energy.
Woooooong…
A dark aura surged around him. He was exhausted, but he was still a superhuman.
With eyes filled with killing intent, he spoke.
"You will regret this."
Boom!
The priest's hand shot forward, striking at Kaor in an instant. Kaor barely managed to block it, but he was forced backward, struggling to hold his ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Urgh!"
Kaor gritted his teeth. Now that it was a one-on-one fight, the difference in power was undeniable. For every two attacks he blocked, he had to take at least one hit in return.
Fortunately, thanks to his experience in real combat, he managed to avoid any fatal injuries.
The spectators sighed and clicked their tongues.
"As expected, he can't do it."
"A superhuman is still a superhuman."
"How long can he hold out?"
Kaor was an annoying guy, but he was still on their side. Watching him get pushed back repeatedly didn’t sit well with them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Kaor clenched his teeth and swung his sword. His wild attacks occasionally sent chills down the priest’s spine.
But they were never enough to pose a real threat. To the priest, Kaor was nothing more than a weakened beast.
No, at this point, he wasn’t even a beast just an ill-tempered mutt.
Though the priest was also exhausted, his strength still vastly outmatched Kaor's.
Boom!
“Gaaah…!”
Kaor took a hit to the stomach and was sent rolling backward.
The priest had deliberately held back. If he killed Kaor, the others might not honor their promise and could turn on him instead.
“The fight is over. Stop attacking. As promised, I will leave now.”
"Uh, where do you think you're going…? It’s not over yet."
Kaor clenched his teeth and stood up.
Getting beaten like this in front of everyone it was humiliating and infuriating. Why couldn't he be like Gillian?
Unable to watch any longer, Piote stepped forward, spreading divine power into the surroundings.
—Sizzle!
Kaor’s wounds slowly began to heal, and the priest's aura started to be suppressed.
The priest frowned and spoke.
"Are you breaking your promise? If you were going to gang up on me anyway, why did you suggest a one-on-one duel?"
At his mocking tone, Kaor's face twisted in rage as he shouted.
"Stop! Stay out of this! I'm doing this alone!"
"…Hing."
Piote hesitated awkwardly before withdrawing his divine power. With Kaor insisting so firmly, there was no way to intervene.
Even so, in that brief moment, Kaor had recovered slightly and once again pointed his sword forward.
"Come at me again. It’s not over yet."
The priest narrowed his eyes. To him, this wasn't determination.
A non-superhuman challenging a superhuman was arrogance in itself. Kaor kept shouting about overcoming the wall, but it was nothing more than pointless stubbornness.
The priest slowly opened his mouth.
"Before becoming an Inquisitor, I was in charge of training priests within the church."
"So what?"
"I’ve seen many like you. Those whose goals far exceeded their abilities. In the end, they were consumed by their own inferiority complex and made reckless choices."
"Hah! What the hell are you babbling about? I don’t have any inferiority complex!"
"Just step back. In your current state, you cannot defeat me. Considering your age, your level is already quite impressive. Be grateful for that."
The priest's words were a sincere warning to Kaor. Though they were enemies, if Kaor retreated now, it would give the priest a chance to escape safely as well.
But if Kaor were the type to heed advice, he wouldn’t have earned the reputation of being a hard-headed fool.
"Shut up! I will take you down no matter what."
Kaor lunged at the priest again.
—Clang! Clang! Clang!
As the fight dragged on, both of them grew more exhausted. But for Kaor, the situation was far worse.
Trying to keep up with the superhuman's strength and speed meant he had to constantly push himself beyond his limits.
—Thud!
"Urgh!"
Kaor spat out blood as he was knocked to the ground.
—Thud! Thud! Thud!
With his strength drained, Kaor could do nothing but get beaten down each time he charged in. His body was now drenched in blood, yet he still staggered back to his feet.
"Haa… You really are one stubborn bastard."
The priest scowled. He, too, was badly wounded and growing weary. His opponent should have surrendered by now, yet there was no sign of that happening.
He considered knocking Kaor unconscious, but his own fatigue made that easier said than done.
"Grgh…"
Kaor coughed up blood-tinged foam and stumbled toward the priest once more. The priest used his remaining strength to throw a punch.
—Thud!
—Boom!
Kaor spewed a long trail of blood before collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.
Watching Kaor twitch feebly on the ground, the priest spoke.
"As promised, I will be leaving now."
Belinda crossed her arms and bit her lips, chewing on them. Anyone could see she was debating whether to kill him or not.
Gillian’s expression wasn’t pleasant either. Their opponent was a superhuman. If he survived and joined another legion, he would become a powerful weapon against them.
Some looked at Kaor with pity in their eyes. Others gazed at him with contempt, as if saying, I knew this would happen.
“Ugh….”
Kaor, bearing the weight of all those stares, stood up once more. Though he staggered, he tried his best to steady himself.
He was frustrated. It was humiliating too humiliating.
“Why… can’t I become a superhuman…?”
Was this really his limit?
With his face swollen and bruised, Kaor looked around.
Belinda, Gillian, Piote, Alfoi picking his nose, Claude yawning…
He saw so many people.
Am I really just some pathetic fool with delusions of grandeur, just like they think?
He had reached the highest rank just below superhuman. The difference was merely a single wall. Was it really too much to desire to break through it?
The world…
He didn’t know.
What was that world, anyway?
Why couldn’t he create one of his own?
Old man…
Gillian had unwavering loyalty, swearing to stay by Ghislain’s side.
Head Steward…
Belinda had finally cast off the anxiety that had long shackled her. By trusting Ghislain, she had freed herself from the weight in her heart.
Vanessa…
A mage sought truth. With her exceptional intellect, Vanessa was gradually uncovering the principles of the world.
The one-armed man…
Tennant had shed his arrogance, choosing instead to repent and seek redemption for his sins.
They were all different so vastly different.
Comparing himself to them wouldn’t reveal the path to becoming a superhuman.
It wouldn’t help him at all.
But there was a difference between Kaor and them.
And at last, Kaor realized it.
“…I don’t have anything like that.”
The world of a superhuman began with a firm conviction about the kind of life one wanted to lead.
Without that conviction, without absolute faith in oneself, one could never create their own world.
Kaor had no goal, no belief, nothing tying him down nothing to atone for.
He hadn’t reached any profound understanding of the world, either.
He just wanted to have fun every day, get into fights from time to time, and enjoy life.
Yet he had dared to aim for superhuman status without any real direction in life.
“…Was I wrong?”
Kaor lowered his head and muttered to himself.
Had he truly been wrong?
Did he have to set a goal like everyone else? Did he have to build a belief, struggle, and live so desperately?
“For what…? What’s the point…? Just surviving day by day is already a battle…”
His eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Even after reaching this level, he was still treated like a useless troublemaker in his own territory. That inferiority he couldn’t endure it any longer.
He had actually tried. In his own way, he had taken things seriously and put in effort.
No one knew, but in secret, when no one was watching, he had trained diligently.
And yet, he still couldn’t break past that wall.
“…Was I just a pathetic fool all along?”
Kaor knew the truth.
Even his current level wasn’t something he had reached solely through his own talent and effort.
Ghislain had supported him completely, taught him, and even pushed him to the brink of death, forcing him to surpass his limits.
But no one could create a world for him.
“So this… is my limit.”
Blood trickled down from the corner of his lips as Kaor, having given up, lowered his head.
In times like this, he always thought of his grandmother, who had passed away long ago.
Grandma… what should I do? Am I really just an idiot?
And yet, at that very moment, he suddenly remembered the omelet she used to make for him.
Ah, that was delicious… I want to eat it again.
For an instant, he felt ashamed of himself.
Even in such a serious moment, all he could think about was food.
He wanted to go back to his childhood, to the days when he lived with his grandmother, who had given him nothing but unconditional love.
Back then, he didn’t have to think about anything.
He didn’t need a goal or a belief.
He was too busy playing. He was just happy.
His grandmother had always told him—
"You don’t have to become someone great."
"It’s okay if you’re not good at studying. It’s okay if you’re not good at working."
"As long as you’re not hurt and happy every day, that’s enough."
Grandma…
Yeah, wasn’t Grandma right?
Isn’t it enough to just be happy, even if you’re a little lacking?
That’s not wrong. It’s just different.
As that thought crossed his mind, Kaor suddenly felt a lump rise in his throat. So he just shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Fuck! Does life really need some grand purpose?! Can’t we just live happily today?!”
“Can’t we just be happy today?! Why does everyone overthink everything?!”
“Leave today’s worries to tomorrow’s me! And tomorrow’s worries to the me of the day after that!”
People gaped at Kaor’s outburst. Only Alfoi nodded along in agreement.
Kaor’s voice, filled with pent-up frustration, rang out once more.
“Why the hell do you need a goal or conviction to become a transcendent?! Can’t you just become one?!”
“What’s so special about enlightenment?! If I’m happy today, that’s enlightenment for me!”
“Let’s be honest nobody actually likes working every day! Our territory is brutal as hell!”
This time, most of them ended up nodding. Especially Claude and Alfoi, who agreed fervently.
“Fuck, do we really have to achieve something?! How many people actually do that?! Everyone’s just living day by day! Living to be happy!”
Everyone listened to Kaor in a daze. Even the priest, who had been about to attack, stopped in his tracks.
As the force of his outburst faded, Kaor muttered under his breath.
“Fuck… You’re allowed to make mistakes and mess up in life… You’re allowed to want to have fun. But no, everyone’s so damn cool and perfect… Good for them. Fuck… Eat shit, all of you… Fuck…”
Belinda and Gillian had already become transcendents. Even Vanessa and Tennant, who had joined later than him, had ascended.
Knights like Lucas and Gordon were hot on his heels.
Ghislain’s disciple, Arel, was growing at an alarming rate. It was already common talk that he’d inevitably become a transcendent in just a few years.
That only made Kaor more anxious, his inferiority complex piling up.
But now, standing before everyone and finally saying everything he wanted, he felt completely liberated.
In the end, all he was saying was that he wanted to live without worries and play every day.
Everyone stood there, dumbfounded and speechless except for the priest, who suddenly burst into a reprimand.
“Y-You disgraceful wretch! I simply cannot stand idly by and listen any longer!”
“……”
“You cannot live like that!”
“……”
“To live in such a manner is to be a beast! A person must endure hardships, follow the will of the gods, constantly discipline themselves, and strive ever forward !”
The priest was quite old. A devout zealot. And to top it off, he was an instructor of the Salvation Church.
All of that combined into a man who would even lecture his enemies.
Kaor, listening, straightened his back and raised his sword.
“Enough. Why the hell are there so many nagging old bastards around me?”
He sounded completely unaware that he himself was the problem. And he had no intention of realizing it, either.
Because Kaor had decided he was done worrying. Thinking too much only gave him a headache.
“So what if I never become a transcendent?”
Killing this priest and drowning himself in booze and meat sounded like a much better plan.
Kaor had been secretly plagued by doubt for a long time.
Was it really okay to live like this?
That doubt had festered into an inferiority complex, eating away at him.
But now, he was sure.
This wasn’t wrong it was just different.
There was a life like this, and there was a life like that. As long as he wasn’t hurting anyone, that was enough.
“Transcendent or not, as long as I’m happy today, that’s all that matters!”
Kaor tightened his grip on his sword and took a step forward, ready to burn up every last ounce of his strength.
And if he died?
If he died fighting with joy, then that was enough.
He was certain.
This wasn’t a bad life at all.
At that moment—
Fwaaaah!
A brilliant blue light burst forth from Kaor’s sword.