NOVEL NEXT Chapter 98
As soon as I acquired the trait, I checked the information.
────
[Death Resistance] [P]
It’s extremely rare for someone with a unique quality to experience death repeatedly. The soul’s engraved experiences of continuous death have transformed into a trait due to the strength of the hybrid dragon’s heart.
─If death occurs, a 5-second grace period is granted without fail.
─If recovery is achieved by any means within those 5 seconds, the state of death is escaped.
────
With this trait, I can definitely do it!
I drew up a blueprint in my mind to finish the trial.
As the threads of my concept gradually took shape, time slipped by in an instant.
Swish!
“Aren-nim!!!”
[The trait ‘Death Resistance’ activates.]
[A grace period of 5 seconds is granted.]
“That guy’s sword is coated with a powerful paralysis poison. If you get cut even once, victory will be a distant dream—”
Argh. If I talk too fast, I won’t remember it, and it’ll turn to bubbles. But if I explain too much, 5 seconds is way too short.
‘If it’s insufficient, I’ll just keep going until it is. Will my sanity break first before I finish giving all my advice, or will Veronica kill Kuzran first? Let’s see.’
Huff!
Rustle.
Crack.
⋯
So I died and died, reaching the 49th time.
Boom!
“AAAH!!!”
[The trait ‘Death Resistance’ activates.]
[A grace period of 5 seconds is granted.]
“Veronica, the one you serve is not me but the 4th Princess! Remember! Anais von Yukrasia—!”
“⋯!”
‘This is the last time. There’s nothing more I can squeeze out. Now it’s up to her will.’
More than anything, after dying 49 times, I felt like I’d reached my limit.
The words I just conveyed to her were my final, ultimate advice.
This time, it has to be different…
*
“Wow, it seems like you knew I would come? Was a rat hiding among your fingers?”
As expected, Veronica arrived in the room first, and Kuzran followed afterward—the plot unfolded the same way.
‘Each time, this was where the differences became apparent. Now, let’s see how this time will unfold.’
Please, please let there be a huge change like I predicted!
Veronica, don’t just stand still; say something!
Since I was hiding in a corner, all I could tell was that she was bowing her head.
“Aren-nim. No, Aren. I’m sorry for being out of control and rampaging.”
Whoosh!
Veronica threw off the uniform hat she had been wearing.
“There will no longer be a concept of death in our time together. I guarantee it.”
‘Her tone and accent have completely changed. Could it be?’
[Resistance successful. Anger accumulated as the trait ‘Rage Challenger’ is released, unlocking all traits.]
[All of Veronica’s physical stats increase by three levels.]
The halo that had disappeared without a trace above Veronica’s head reappeared.
Vroom—
A bright blue orb, filled with the sky, began to swirl fiercely, messing up her sky-blue hair.
────
[Veronica]
[Strength: C+] [Agility: C-] [Durability: B-]
[Stamina: B-] [Mana: B-] [Luck: C-]
[Traits] (Collapse)
Armis Shield Swordsmanship
Protective Sword
Solid Body─Armis
Duel Request
Echo of Circulation
Celestia Halo
Rage Challenger
Time Extended
────
Censorship disappeared, and all traits were unlocked!
Kuzran, frowning, complained in a perplexed tone.
“What? This is completely different from the info on the request!”
“I thought about it while dying dozens of times.”
Swish!
Veronica shifted her sword to her left hand.
Fully regaining her senses, she wrapped the magical energy that formed into a shield shape around her right arm.
“You’re just a trash that barely survives by accepting murder contracts from back alleys, jabbering too much.”
“⋯What did you just say?”
“Just like a loser rummaging through trash cans in an alley. Can’t even comprehend such simple words because you’re so out of your depth?”
With one corner of her mouth twisted up in a smirk, Veronica incited Kuzran’s rage.
“How dare you! I don’t know how you know my past, but my mindset is changed. Before dealing with my target, I’ll make sure to kill you first in a miserable way!”
‘You bastard. Of course, you know since you’ve been taunting me every round.’
I felt nauseous watching arrogant pricks like you.
What do you think it feels like for a supposedly elite knight to die at the hands of someone who was scavenging in alleys and picking up crumbs? Blah blah blah.
Every round, you’d run your mouth and laugh like a lunatic while killing me and Veronica.
Now, the time has come for him to pay the price for such behavior.
Crack.
The moment Veronica gripped her sword, she lost herself in reverie.
*
With outstanding talent, strict restraint, and finally, relentless conviction.
Though she was a commoner, Veronica managed to reach the position of a knight in the Knight Order under the captain’s eye.
But that’s where it ended.
The prince, impressed by her beauty and talent, wanted to use her as his personal pawn rather than as a member of the royal guard.
Veronica, ready to risk her life, strongly opposed.
Eventually, despite the captain’s defense, she fell out of favor with the higher-ups, and the repercussions were severe.
“Starting today, you will be in charge of guarding the 4th Princess, not the palace guard. Don’t harbor any other intentions, and be dedicated to your duties.”
“Yes. I will bear that in mind.”
Having no clear backer as a commoner, Veronica was reluctantly assigned to guard the 4th Princess, who everyone avoided.
The sickly genius 4th Princess Anais von Yukrasia.
Just being pushed like that, the moment she laid eyes on the rumored 4th princess, Veronica felt something fateful—a moment that would be a turning point for her.
With undeniable elegance and a mysterious air that couldn’t hide her frail condition, she instinctively thought something was different upon seeing her.
“Are you my new escort knight?”
At first, it was just a duty.
“I’m sorry for being the cause of any unkind stares…”
“It’s not your fault, Princess, so please don’t say that.”
Gradually, her human kindness and the sympathy she felt began to intertwine.
“By the way, Ronnie. I often have such dreams.”
“What dreams?”
“Hehe. Dreams of becoming a bird with large wings, flying in the sky without a worry in the world.”
“⋯.”
“I want to escape this cramped cage and fly freely and happily in a world that belongs only to me. Lately, I’ve been having such childish dreams. Well, it’s all futile with this body!”
At some point, it wasn’t just a forced duty. She really thought she wanted to serve this person.
Then came the day Anais’s condition worsened.
During a banquet where everyone had gathered, Anais coughed up blood, shattering everything from that point.
Whether it was a simple chronic illness she had from birth.
Or whether it was the 1st prince, who had envied her genius since childhood, using poison in her food while deceiving her inept father and other royalty…
Yet for an ordinary knight like Veronica, it was impossible to know.
After that, under the guise of protection and recovery, Anais’s quarters were moved to a secondary palace, and additional personnel were allocated, slowly poisoning Anais with silent malice.
Then, that day of the grand banquet under the pretext of the nation’s founding festival approached.
“Ah, so you’re attending again today…”
On that day, unable to protect Anais from an assassin’s dagger, Veronica was plunged into despair and sorrow.
Boom!
“Kill the Princess, the thorn in my eye, and let that arrogant knight live with the despair of not being able to protect her for the rest of her life. That’s the request from the client.”
“You!!!”
“Tsk tsk. If only you had just flattered me casually. Why did you end up rubbing me the wrong way? You’re the one whose failure cost the Princess her life. Keep that deep in your heart.”
Fwoosh.
The assassin, self-proclaimed as the fourth finger of the assassination group, vanished like smoke in an instant.
What remained in his place was a wounded Veronica and Anais, impaled by a poisoned dagger.
“No, please!”
“Ronnie.”
“Potion! Priest! Anything, please!!”
“Veronica!!!”
Veronica was startled by Anais’s cry, who had never raised her voice during her escort duties.
With an expression Veronica had never seen before, Anais, looking both sorrowful yet piercingly clear, asked calmly.
“Ronnie. Do you remember the words I said about having dreams?”
“⋯Yes. I remember clearly.”
“In the end, my life comes to this… but I hope you’re not bound by anything, and you can achieve whatever dream you desire.”
Veronica bit her lips as emotions welled up.
Anais, with immense effort, lifted her hand and stroked Veronica’s tear-streaked face.
“Even if you become a better knight someday or someone’s lover, that’s fine. I’ll always watch over you from the sky, so please promise me that.”
Sniff, sob. “Yes! I swear on my honor!”
“Ha ha. That’s enough of a promise. Ever remember this: the 4th Princess was simply Anais, a small friend who was by your side for just a while.”
Anais’s smile, squeezing her last remaining strength, was overwhelmingly beautiful.
The starlight seeping through the window seemed to fade in color against her smile today.
“Goodbye, my one and only friend. My wonderful… bluebird.”
Thud.
“AAAH!!!”
Veronica thought. In this damned kingdom without her, there was no longer any reason to pledge loyalty.
*
And now. I finally felt like I had grasped it.
Not a life adrift like a buoy in the vast ocean, merely entering the labyrinth to become stronger.
I could now slightly understand what I truly wanted to do.
‘Those eyes. After dying so many times, the light in those golden eyes won’t fade, reminding me of Anais’s last words and her final smile.’
I didn’t know how Aren got here.
What I did know was that he had died countless times in place of the deceased Anais as the 4th prince without giving up.
Moreover, he stubbornly endured to win alongside me.
Seeing Aren made me feel embarrassed.
Here I was, a supposed knight, consumed by the emotion of anger.
But on the other hand, I was grateful.
For the way he overcame death and the advice he gave me, for reminding me of Anais’s name.
‘When all this is over, let’s redefine this superficial relationship built on material gain.’
Lord or friend? That’s a title only Anais can hold, both in the past and the future.
But calling him an acquaintance feels too distant…
Yeah. A comrade. I wanted to remain Aren’s reliable comrade moving forward.
As I turned to look at Aren, the assassin Kuzran took his stance and spoke.
“Crazy girl, you were scratching me softly, and now you’re suddenly going for the big hit?”
“You’re the one who’s rambling too much. Come in.”
“So cocky. Yeah, I said I’d be killing you first!”
The battle commenced.
This time, I absolutely had to win.
—His sword is coated with a powerful paralysis poison. If you get cut even once, victory will drift away.
Clang! Clash! Thwack!
Light steps and a heavy sword.
—Against an opponent that may win even if emotions are suppressed, you’re being too hasty right now. You need to ease the impatience!
As the raging anger began to sink, my calm and collected sword tip surged toward him.
I was on a completely different level now compared to my past rank and times.
With my overall physical improvement that Aren had mentioned, alongside mana levels that were incomparable to my days as a knight.
It was natural for him to be flustered.
“Damn it! Didn’t they even cross-verify the info when accepting this request, you crazy bastards!!”
[Kuzran casts ‘Sandstorm’.]
[Weapons that touch the sword will corrode rapidly.]
[Kuzran casts ‘Wind Step’.]
[Temporarily reduces durability by two levels and increases all speed.]
A red energy infused with desert sand enveloped Kuzran’s sword.
Within moments, he struck over five times with frenzied slashes.
—When his mana turns red, don’t try to block it but evade. There’s a derivative technique called sandstorm that will corrode everything it touches.
‘Then I just have to block it with something that won’t corrode.’
I brought forth a magical barrier to meet the attacks.
Thud! Thud! Boom!
With swift movements and precise guards, I dodged twice and blocked three times.
“How could this be so easy?!”
You’re dead now. It’s time for you to pay for your reckless attacks.
—At the core of Kuzran’s mindset is the delusion that you’re weaker than him. So, don’t just rush in recklessly; look for opportunities when his attacks leave gaps!
I seized the opening created by his unbalanced stance.
[Veronica casts ‘Dazzling Flash’.]
In an instant, the optimal route for my sword to cut his torso appeared.
A shining white blade sliced through Kuzran as he retreated too late.
Swish!!
“Gahhh!!!”
‘It cut deep. Just a little more push, and I got him.’
“I won’t hold back any longer.”
Even while retreating, Kuzran gritted his teeth and prepared for a specific action.
[Kuzran casts ‘Black Veil’.]
—That’s an invisibility technique called Black Veil. He always sways his left hand in the air when casting it.
I was waiting for this moment.
I pointed my sword at Kuzran and shouted loudly.
“I challenge you to a duel!”
[Veronica casts ‘Duel Request’.]
[The ‘Seal of Duel’ appears above the target’s head.]
[Damage dealt between the two of us increases by 20%.]
“What the hell is this?!”
As Kuzran turned invisible, I inscribed the glowing seal of duel.
Until one of us falls, the seal wouldn’t disappear and would follow us, instantly shattering his invisibility.
—He’s full of pride in his skills, so once he panics, it takes longer for him to recover. It’s better to unleash the offensive when you’ve seized the initiative!
I concentrated my mana onto my legs.
[Veronica casts ‘Surge’.]
Overcoming the significant gap in agility, I quickly closed in on Kuzran, who was glancing this way.
“Guh!”
The onslaught began for me to seize the victory.
Bam!
“Cough.”
First, I struck him in the face with my shield.
Even as he covered his face with his hands, I feigned a low jab and made a strike to his abdomen.
Thwack!
With a push, I closed the distance for a corner hit.
—No matter how skilled an assassin he is, a strike to the male’s weak point will carry a heavy blow. No matter how much training in pain tolerance you go through, that’s pushing it.
[Veronica casts ‘Soaring Hawk’.]
Following that, I kicked his stomach to create distance before slashing from his groin to his forehead in a straight line.
“Creakk!!!”
Kuzran’s eyes bulged red as he screamed and swiftly rolled on the ground to evade my follow-up attack.
“T-this is a mess! The one who comes out alive in the end will be me! Am I supposed to die over something this trivial!!!”
Crack.
[Kuzran permanently sacrifices his right-hand ring finger, fulfilling the condition for the trait ‘Fourth Finger’.]
[All injuries regenerate for 5 seconds while unable to move, and will take increased damage for 5 minutes.]
—This is his final pattern. By ripping off his ring finger on his right hand, all injuries will regenerate.
—You’ve fallen into situations where you’ve been caught off guard and died seven times already. Remember, regeneration ends in exactly 5 seconds.
For a right-handed swordsman, losing even one finger was a critical blow.
Once the regeneration was over, Kuzran would have no options left.
⋯Wait. That’s not right. Now that his feet are tied, this is the perfect opportunity.
‘Anais. I still don’t know what my dreams or my ultimate life goal truly are. But…’
I raised all the mana in my body.
‘What I desire at this moment is simply to repay for his countless deaths for my sake.’
The shield-shaped mana, along with all the mana I was absorbing from Aren, gathered together.
No more thinking of follow-up strikes; there was no meaning in that anymore.
Right now, I needed a speed that he wouldn’t be able to react to… just one final finishing blow to determine the outcome.
‘I will kill him and break free from the chains of my past.’
The mana turned into a sword-like shape, and the blade blazed bright blue.
The halo, tightly focused, began to radiate.
Vroom!
“Wha—what the hell?! That kid is using a sword aura?!”
[Kuzran casts ‘Wind Step’.]
[Temporarily reduces durability by two levels and increases all speed.]
As 5 seconds passed, Kuzran charged at me.
“It’s already too late.”
Just as my little friend had always wished.
I, Veronica, will become the bluebird flying through the vast sky for her.
Flourish!
[Veronica casts ‘Wide Benefit’.]
[Veronica casts ‘Surge’.]
At this very moment—
I was a bird flying in the night sky, a flash piercing through the enemy’s life.
Whoosh!!!
My sword cleaved through Kuzran.
Dividing him perfectly in half from top to bottom.
I swung my sword to flick off the blood, then quickly turned around.
I hadn’t laughed in a while due to the halo’s penalty.
But seeing the distorted face of the gritting bastard somehow made a smile escape from my lips.
“How does it feel to die at the hands of a young girl wielding a bright sword?”
“Damn it… cough.”
Though it was merely a past that returned due to transcendent power, the taste of revenge was incredibly sweet.
As if I was assured of winning, I met Aren’s shining eyes filled with trust.
Grin.
My lips involuntarily curled up.
“It’s all over.”
Boom!
As Kuzran’s breath completely ceased, the space began to slowly collapse.
Aren rushed over after confirming that my body was moving and hugged me tightly.
“Veronica, you’ve worked hard! Really!”
His embrace filled my heart with emotion.
“Aren too.”
In his firm embrace, I quietly controlled my breathing.
Until all traces of the past completely crumbled.