Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 125: [Core Dungeon] [12]

Lyselle’s breath hitched in her throat.

She stumbled backward, barely able to keep her footing. "No... No, this... this can’t be real..."

None of them moved completely in shock.

Even Viros, who usually had something to say, stood completely frozen.

The man lying in front of them was Duke Vareon Polama, one of the strongest nobles now looked like he hadn’t seen sunlight in weeks.

His face was pale, sweat clinging to his brow but that wasn’t what held their eyes.

It was the clear bulge beneath his armor. It was swollen, round and completely unnatural.

"Is... Is that real?" Luca finally muttered, eyes wide with disbelief. "Am I high or is a grown-ass man about to give birth?"

"I-I don’t..." Zaina started but couldn’t find the words.

Akamir took a step forward, keeping his hand on his sword. "Vareon, can you hear me?"

The duke’s eyes fluttered again. "Asher... is that you...?"

"Yeah," Akamir said, walking closer. "What happened to you?"

Vareon’s face twisted in pain.

"The... the obelisk, something came out of it and infected everybody." He said, looking at them expectantly. "H..help me."

"Infected?" Viros asked, his voice hoarse.

Vareon gave a faint nod, "yes...now help me."

Lyselle took a step forward, her eyes wide with tears. "Father...?"

Vareon’s eyes flicked toward her, glassy and unfocused.

For a second, it didn’t seem like he recognized her.

Then, slowly, his expression softened. "Lyselle... my little girl... you’re safe..."

A trembling breath escaped her lips.

She fell to her knees beside him, grabbing his cold, sweaty hand.

Akamir had his hand on the hilt of his sword as he kept staring at him.

"My little girl." Vareon said, his voice trembling. "Help...me, my child."

"Lyselle," Akamir called her. "Step back."

"What?" Her head snapped back at him. "Can’t you see!? He is alive!?"

Vareon tried to speak, but a pained groan escaped instead.

His hand clutched at the bulge on his stomach, which shifted just slightly but enough to make everyone flinch.

Something was alive inside.

"Back away," Akamir said quickly, his eyes sharp as he drew his sword.

"No!" Lyselle snapped, shielding her father. "He’s still alive!"

"For now," Zaina said, her voice tense. "But something’s growing inside him and it’s not human, his life force—."

"Shut up!" Lyselle yelled. "He is fine. If..if only we can cure him."

Luca was already a few steps back, face pale. "That thing moved, I swear it moved."

"It did," Viros said, placing a hand on his own chest as if trying to keep himself steady.

"I saw it too. This isn’t some infection, whatever that is... it’s trying to be born."

"I’m... still me..." Vareon said weakly, tightening his grip on Lyselle’s hand. "I held it back... as long as I could..."

Zaina stepped forward, holding her staff tightly. "Duke Vareon, if we don’t remove it now... it’ll kill you and then use your body to grow stronger."

Luca quickly added. "We gotta kill him, now!"

"No!" Lyselle shouted, her voice cracking. "There has to be another way!"

"He is fucking pregnant Lyselle!" Viros yelled. "The fuck you want? A congratulations!? Just end his miserable life."

"Shut up, you damn commoner!?" Lyselle snapped at him. "You don’t know anything! He’s my father!"

"Call him mother—."

"Shut up!"

Lyselle turned towards her father. "You will be fine... Please, I will help you."

"Lyselle—."

"I can help." Vareon suddenly said looking at Akamir. "I can help you guys out of the dungeon."

Akamir tilted his head as he stared back at him.

’...He is probably lying.’

Even if he can, Akamir didn’t plan to let him live with that thing inside him.

But....

He still glanced at Nayomi who said nothing.

’...Well, I do know how things will go from here.’

Akamir exhaled slowly as he stepped a little closer.

"You can help us escape?" he asked, not lowering his sword.

Vareon gave a slow nod, his eyes fluttering again. "The map. There’s... a gate that will lead back to the upper floor. I memorized the path."

Lyselle turned quickly, clutching her father’s hand tighter. "See!? He can help us! We just need to treat him, slow down the infection—"

"Lyselle," Akamir interrupted, voice steady. "He’s not going to make it."

"You don’t know that," she snapped. "You’re just giving up!"

"I don’t want you to save me." Vareon said, looking at Akamir. "Just bring my daughter and my will out of here."

"..."

Akamir didn’t say a word as he looked at the man.

He finally let out a sigh. "Fine...show us the way."

Vareon nodded as he stood up with the help of his daughter.

He groaned as he pointed towards West. "It’s this way."

Akamir nodded and gestured to him. "After you."

Vareon stumbled forward, every step unsteady.

Lyselle stayed right beside him, arms wrapped around his back, whispering soft words he probably wasn’t even hearing.

The others followed in tense silence, eyes flicking between the duke and the dim corridor ahead.

"How long has he been like this?" Luca whispered, walking beside her.

"Hard to say," Zaina replied, voice quiet. "But if that thing grows any more... it’ll burst."

"Thanks," Viros muttered behind them, "that’s exactly what I needed to hear."

Akamir moved a little away from them as he glanced at Nayomi.

"How will things go from here?" Akamir asked, looking at her.

Nayomi looked at him then floated in front of his face.

"In the novel, he brought Zaina to the gate." She said, her voice soft.

"There she was ambushed by three creatures that were hatched before."

"..."

Akamir looked past her at Vareon’s back without any words.

"He did that so she can take the thing that’s growing inside her." Nayomi continued, facing him.

"Apparently that thing grows much better inside a female."

Akamir nodded once as he looked back at Nayomi. "His plan is still the same right?"

"....No." Nayomi whispered, looking at Lyselle. "I don’t think so."

Akamir caught up to her words.

’...This is going to be painful.’

He thought, sighing for what is to come.

***

’What the hell is happening!?’

Arthur screamed in his mind as he looked around the small cave-like place.

For the last eight hours, his group had been walking in the same damn path without any way to go out.

He stopped, breath heavy, sword drawn out of habit more than reason.

Sweat clung to his forehead, and frustration burned behind his eyes.

"We’ve already been here!" he snapped, turning to the others. "This is the same split path we passed twice!"

"No it’s not!" Marie, the pathfinder of the group, protested weakly. "It... it just looks similar—"

"It’s the same." Elric cut in, his voice tired. "The scratch marks I left are still there."

He pointed at a low stone where he had etched a crooked arrow earlier.

Arthur growled under his breath and kicked a rock aside.

"Alright," he muttered, pacing around. "We’ve been walking in circles. Which means either this place is cursed or someone is messing with us."

"Cursed," Elric replied flatly. "And why are you talking like it wasn’t you who brought us here?"

"Shut up," Arthur snapped. "It wasn’t my fault."

Mikel, his closest friend, sighed. "It’s your fault, Arthur. Just accept it."

Arthur glared at Mikel, then turned his back and ran a hand through his damp hair. "I didn’t know this would happen."

"Alright." Elric said, taking the command. "From now on, I will be the leader."

"What?" Arthur frowned. "Fuck you mean, you will be—."

"I agree with him." Marie said, raising her hand. "It’s for the best."

Mikel also raised his hand. "I agree with Elric."

Arthur stared at them, his mouth opening slightly, then closing again. "Seriously? You’re all turning on me now?"

"We’re not turning," Mikel said, adjusting the strap on his pack. "We’re just trying to survive."

"Now, follow me." Elric said, raising his hand. "Come on."

The rest of the group followed him, leaving Arthur behind.

The boy stood there, his eyes blank.

’Why?’

Anger spiked within him as he couldn’t understand.

’Why does this keep on happening to me!?’

Time and time again, Arthur has noticed how everything is taken away from him.

Whatever he does, whatever he chooses, things are always snatched away from him.

This led a deep scar on his already fragile ego.

’I will kill them all.’

Arthur thought but immediately calmed himself down. free𝑤ebnovel.com

’What am I thinking?’

He let out a sigh as he began to walk once again.

"Do you wish the power to win against all of them?"

A voice made him halt in his place as he looked around.

"Do you wish unimaginable power?"

Arthur turned as he looked at a half-bat and half-wolf staring at him.

He frowned. "What?"

The being smiled, his wisdom-filled eyes staring deep into his soul. "I can fix that."

Normally, Arthur would have walked away from such things.

But....

Right now, he wasn’t normal.

All the walking around in circles and the pressure he had before made him numb.

Arthur looked at the beast. "What do you mean?"

"I can help you achieve all your dreams." He said, his voice honey-filled.

"The girl you like, the places you want to go... The beings you want to kill, I can help you achieve all that."

Arthur frowned. "How?"

"We make a contract." The thing said. "You get my powers and I get to make your story mine."

Arthur fell into deep thought as he lowered his head.

’At this point, do I have the option to say no?’

He was sure if he didn’t take this opportunity, he will definitely lose everything.

Arthur finally looked up and asked. "What do I need to do?"

The thing finally smiled. "Tell me your story."

This chapt𝒆r is updated by free(w)ebnovel(.)com