Five Time Regressor Walks the King’s Path - Chapter 21
Chapter 21
[Dungeon Growth (Blackie)]
Lv. 102
Current Bellicosity Amount: 108,781
Growth Power: Stage 3
Difficulty: Hard (S)
Special Note
1. Current monsters. (Since there are currently over ten monsters, only names will be displayed.)
[Skeleton / Hofura of the Wind (Legendary Dragon) / Death Knight / Dullahan / Undead Warrior / Demon Wing / High Skeleton / Mug Dog / Mummy / Ghoul / Banshee / Bone Dragon / Skeleton Knight / Skeleton Warrior / Skeleton Wizard / Skeleton Archer /……]
Feed more monster bodies or bring monsters to the dungeon. (Monsters eaten by the dungeon continue to be created in the dungeon.)
2. Geographic Changes
The geography inside the dungeon can be changed by ten meters per 500 bellicosity.
3. Owned Treasures.
Gold Coin: Consumes 5 bellicosity when summoning a box.
Silver Coin: Consumes 3 bellicosity when summoning a box.
Magic Sword Terrius: Consumes 500 bellicosity when summoned.
Yuria’s Holy Necklace: Consumes 300 bellicosity when summoned.
I looked at Blackie’s status window in satisfaction.
Level 102.
Stage 3.
Already grown this much.
“I’m here.”
After preparing a new sword, Cynthia waved her hand.
With her appearance, I recognized Cynthia’s reputation anew as the adventurers entering the dungeon whispered amongst each other.
Well, most of the adventurers were coming here thanks to Cynthia’s advertising.
“I’m going to win today.”
“I think you’re aiming too high.”
She didn’t bat an eye to the number of times I’d won during the period of four months where I was her opponent. Even so, her eyes were bright and shining.
“I’ve been feeling something different these days. I feel like my sword has been changing. I think I’ll reach a new domain soon.”
“Please, do grow up. It was about time. You’ve remained stagnated for long enough.”
“Can’t you ever spare a word of encouragement?”
Before I knew it, Cynthia and I became friends.
Maybe it was because we were together for four months, but it seemed like we’d grown on each other.
‘Though this relationship will disappear.’
I turned away, feeling a little bitter that I was the only one who knew of this fact.
It was something I’d been through countless times.
But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
‘Well, I guess this was one of the things the Constellation was aiming for.’
A mastermind that hoped to forever trap me on this Floor, preventing me from leaving.
Knowing that, I tried not to grow attached to Cynthia.
Just like that, two more months passed by.
The sixth month.
Cynthia stopped coming.
* * *
At the House of Havelia, renowned for their swordsmanship.
A woman who received a letter was hurriedly running
Turning 22 this year, the woman was Nostraju Havelia, the youngest child.
Receiving the family head’s summons, she was heading for the appointed room.
Knock Knock.
She breathed heavily and when she knocked on the head’s room twice, she heard a ‘come in.’
She pushed open the door and saw Chen Havelia, the family head, standing there with his hands clasped behind his back. He’d recently risen to the peak of Grand Sword Master.
“I greet the family head.”
Nostraju greeted him and a shiver traveled down her spine.
Although she had the blessed physique of the House of Havelia and rose to the top of the Sword Expert rank, she couldn’t compare to the family head.
“…Nostraju, I received a message from Ivlgeria.”
“Ivlgeria?”
Nostraju’s eyes went wide.
It was because there had been no news from the demon king, Ivlgeria, since the incident with the previous heir.
“He wishes to build a relationship with us.”
“That means…”
With that, Nostraju was at a loss for words.
She understood the reason why the head had called her over.
“M-my Lord.”
“It’s what you think.”
Nostraju screamed in horror. In her mind, of course.
The family head had decided to marry her, the youngest child, to the demon king Ivlgeria.
Ridiculous.
Ivlgeria was known for his horrid treatment of women. She was sure to break if she was married off to him.
And despite knowing that, the family head had made his decision.
However, Nostraju knew that even the head of the family couldn’t disobey Ivlgeria.
Ivlgeria was in a much higher domain than the family head who had reached the level of a Grand Sword Master.
Her heart thumped loudly.
She bit her lip in anxiety.
Nostraju was convinced she would only be Ivlgeria’s plaything at this rate.
So she desperately racked her brain for a way to escape this tragic fate.
After much thought, she came to remember her sister, who had been banished from the family a long time ago.
“My Lord.”
A faint smile painted Nostraju’s face.
Without thinking of the consequences that would follow her words.
* * *
[Father.]
A feminine voice sounded.
Behind a grotesquely masked face, tears were dripping down.
However, facing such a girl, the man’s expression was cold.
[To be cursed by the demon king, what a disgrace to the family.]
The man’s own daughter.
Her eyes welled up with tears hearing the relentless words uttered to his own daughter, Cynthia Havelia.
How could a father say such a thing?
[Leave. Until that mask is gone, you are no member of Havelia.]
[Does that mean I can return if I remove the mask?]
No response.
However, a fire burned in the depth of Cynthia’s eyes.
If she defeated Ivlgeria fair and square, someone rumored to be stronger than her father, he would accept her again.
Despite knowing it was an impossible feat, Cynthia left the house full of determination.
* * *
Slash.
The sound of a monster being sliced apart.
She walked out from the pitch-black demon world.
A new monster appeared to attack her.
A single monster. She wasn’t even at the level where she could handle just one.
Nevertheless, she desperately fought the monster and continued on.
[Please, save me. I don’t wish to become Ivlgeria’s plaything.]
From the family that abandoned her, her fourth younger sibling visited a week ago while crying.
Cynthia raised her sword, spurred on by the words of her sibling whom she had never seen since she was a child.
To kill her mortal enemy, Ivlgeria.
Regardless, she would kill him one day.
The only difference was her resolute will. Nothing had changed
Demon world, Alexandra.
The place where Ivlgeria created the final form of the dungeon.
And standing there was Cynthia, eyes blazing viciously.
“I’ve arrived.”
Continuing forward, Cynthia reached a castle that stood tall in the center of Alexandra.
A speck of blood seeped out from around her forehead. It grew bigger and bigger until it slowly dripped down her face.
The fault was her own. She narrowly managed to avoid a monster attack earlier, and it resulted in the area above her eyebrow being torn.
Even with her helmet on, she couldn’t block the monster’s attack without suffering an injury.
It wasn’t just that.
From head to toe, Cynthia was covered in wounds.
That was the sort of place the demon world was. A place prohibited for even S-class adventurers.
But interestingly enough, she was full of energy and spirit.
As if she rose one step higher.
In the darkness, her aura shone extraordinarily.
Slash. Clank.
With a single sword stroke, the door enchanted with a magic barrier broke.
Cynthia, with her glowing aura, slowly walked forward only to come face to face with an old man.
“Welcome to Alexandra. Ms. Cynthia Havelia.”
“…Where is Ivlgeria?”
“He is waiting inside. I will lead you to him.”
With small words of greeting, he turned around and led the way.
As if whether or not Cynthia swung her sword was unimportant to him.
The old man didn’t feel like her enemy, so Cynthia followed without a word.
She only wished to meet with and rid herself of Ivlgeria.
And, Ha Chun-Sung. She wanted to wield her sword and show him how much she’d grown by breaking through the demon world.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
The door opened with a squeak and light poured through the crevice. Further in was a throne made of bones.
Seated upon it was a black-haired man. He smirked at the sight of her, and she raised her sword without a word.
“Long time no see, Cynthia Havelia. I hope you still have that pretty face of yours under that mask.”
No response.
Seemingly, her only response was the aura that burned ever fiercer.
Hatred. A strand of fire burned in Cynthia’s chest.
Her face was cursed as a consequence of the disgraceful act of trying to touch him during her childhood.
Cynthia had crazily swung her sword to forget the sensation of bugs crawling on her face every night.
All in order to kill the very man sitting before her.
“Keke. I asked that family head of yours to send a bride, but I didn’t expect to receive an assassin. Seems like it’s about time things end for the House of Havelia.”
Ivlgeria sneered, rising from his seat. In his hand was a sword formed of pure aura.
The heart sword that could only be made by people of the Grand Sword Master rank.
Ivlgeria overwhelmed Cynthia in terms of power with just that.
Seeing the sword, her heart wavered for a moment, but she came to terms with it.
However, Ivlgeria wasn’t done.
With his other hand, he drew a magic circle.
Ivlgeria was a magic swordsman.
And a naturally gifted one, at that.
“Let’s see how much our Cynthia has improved.”
“Who are you calling ‘our Cynthia’?”
Cynthia ground her teeth and took a step forward.
Due to her mana-infused foot, she moved at a high speed, swinging her sword horizontally.
However, Ivlgeria repelled her sword like it was nothing.
Cynthia knew.
That her attack wouldn’t work.
So Cynthia straightened herself up, and immediately fired off a series of attacks.
‘I learned how to fight against the strong from Ha Chun-Sung.’
She knew because she had been with him, sword against sword, for months.
It was then she learned how to fight against someone stronger than herself.
She swung her sword tenaciously.
She attacked and attacked, again and again, to find a moment of weakness.
“It looks like you did grow stronger.”
At that moment, Ivlgeria suddenly disappeared.
Cynthia was startled, but she focused her ears and turned her head in the direction of a sound. However, the heart sword was already upon her.
Blood splashed from her chest.
Cynthia staggered back two steps.
Whoosh.
Soon enough, from her sliced chest, a fire was lit.
‘Blink and fire magic.’
The pain was immeasurable. The fire burning her flesh was hot enough to evaporate even blood, yet Cynthia kept her ground despite the pain.
Slowly, she raised her sword, the aura aimed at Ivlgeria burning once more.
She swung.
The House of Havelia’s secret weapon would not work against Ivlgeria anyway.
Therefore, she steadfastly held her standard sword and swung without a break.
She hit. Again and again.
And little by little. Little by little, her body broke.
Wounds covered her body.
Blood pooled on the floor.
The sound of bones breaking echoed inside her brain.
Even so, Cynthia held her sword tightly.
Wielding it against the figure she despised.
‘Ha Chun-Sung.’
She recalled that man.
The danger of a powerful person she saw countless times while confronting him.
In comparison to his danger, Ivlgeria’s was small.
Teeny tiny.
Her sword shattered, unable to continue on.
Cynthia’s eyes slowly closed, and her aura flared even further.
Like a sheep following the herd, she moved without a thought.
[Don’t swing like an idiot. If your sword breaks, that’s it. You lose everything. Handle your sword with more care than your own life.]
Ha Chun-Sung’s advice came to mind.
Cynthia gradually opened her eyes.
In her hands, an aura embodiment instead of a sword.
She had finally reached the level of the heart sword.
Her face was brightened by an excited smile.
She hadn’t felt this good since the time she’d reached the stage of Sword Master.
Unfortunately, her bones were so broken she could no longer hold a sword.
But she swung.
Again.
And again.
Until she couldn’t.
[Get up.]
The voice of Ha Chun-Sung stuck around.
Through her blurred vision, something pierced her chest.
Blood sputtered out from her mouth.
Cynthia trembled lightly, and that day…
Just like that, behind her mask, she closed her eyes.
