I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 722

Before the great doors of the hall, Gelud stood with his arms crossed, staring at the sealed entrance in silence. Behind him, the soldiers lined up in rigid formation exchanged uneasy glances.

Nearly an hour had passed.

The demigod had neither emerged nor given any signal. No sound, no movement—only an oppressive stillness.

"Perhaps..."

One soldier whispered to the man beside him, then snapped his mouth shut.

General Gelud had turned.

As several senior soldiers shot sharp looks at the hesitant man, Gelud spoke evenly. "It’s fine. Speak."

Swallowing dryly, the soldier glanced around before answering in a cautious voice. "I was thinking... perhaps we should check inside."

"I was thinking the same." Gelud gave a slow nod.

The soldiers’ attention shifted fully to him. He pressed his lips together beneath his neatly trimmed beard and fell into thought, then looked back at the tightly shut doors.

"However, His Excellency ordered us not to enter unless something clearly amiss occurs..." Gelud trailed off.

For a brief instant, a flicker of violet light shimmered beneath the narrow gap of the doors.

Gelud’s eyes twitched.

Rumble...

A heavy sound reverberated from deep within the hall. The echo rolled strangely, likely because the rear of the chamber stood flush against the fortress wall. The violet glow beneath the door intensified at once.

The soldiers inhaled sharply, eyes widening. Their gazes snapped toward Gelud.

He clenched his jaw, hesitant for a heartbeat.

Crkkk—

Another dreadful sound rippled from within.

Gelud stepped forward. "We’re going in."

"We’ll accompany you."

Several quick-witted soldiers rushed ahead of him. Two seized the door handles while the others placed their hands upon the hilts of their swords.

Rumble...

Gelud met their eyes and gave a single nod.

The soldiers heaved the doors open. With a heavy groan, they swung wide, and the violet light beyond flared vividly.

Gelud halted mid-step.

The soldiers behind him froze as well, eyes flung wide.

From the beds scattered throughout the chamber, countless violet trails stretched across the air like veins or roots, converging toward a single point.

Crunch!

The jagged, bramble-like tendrils had wrapped themselves tightly around one figure.

Bound utterly within their grasp and slowly rising into the air was Ian Hope, the Golden Demigod.

"Lu Solar, have mercy...."

"How could—"

Stunned murmurs slipped from the soldiers’ lips, as though they were witnessing a nightmare.

The violet tendrils binding Ian Hope coiled tighter around him, burrowing inward as though devouring him.

Gelud saw it no differently.

Did he try to save them all... and—

Gelud let out a low groan as he turned his gaze to the patients convulsing while emitting those trails. Not all of them had produced the ominous strands. At most, there were barely a dozen.

The others lay motionless, as if already dead.

Crackle!

As the trails were completely drawn out, the convulsing soldiers went limp like puppets with their strings severed. The strands that had stretched through the air wound around Ian more tightly, layer upon layer, like chains.

"General! W-What do we do?"

"If the Demigod were to...."

Several soldiers asked in trembling voices. Gelud ground his teeth, torn with indecision, his fist clenched so tightly it seemed it might shatter.

Rumble...

A heavy resonance spread from Ian. For an instant, it appeared a golden light flickered across him.

Crack—

Immediately after, the trails binding him writhed. Countless fractures spread across their surfaces in an instant.

The wavering violet light flashed brilliantly.

Shatter!

Ian arched back, and the strands wrapped around him exploded apart as though crushed by an unseen force. They burst into thick vapor midair and surged outward, racing toward Gelud and the soldiers.

Whoosh—

Gelud and the soldiers held their breath and instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces. The remnants of the explosion swept over them like a gale before dissipating as though evaporating.

Gelud slowly lowered his arm and opened his eyes.

Beyond the thinning haze, Ian’s back came into view as he landed on one knee. It was impossible to miss.

Swoosh—

A violet haze slowly spread over him as he staggered to his feet. Immediately afterward, Ian raised one hand and began brushing off his shoulder, as though shaking off dust. The gesture carried a faint note of irritation. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

It was not far from the truth.

That scared the hell out of me...

Gelud and the watching soldiers could never have imagined it, but Ian had just witnessed a vision of the void.

He had even offered a quest called Propagator of Agony, to be the apostle of the ancient god Eternal Agony. He had refused it, of course, but it had hardly been a pleasant experience.

—It seems... it still harbors lingering attachment to you, my friend.

As Ian frowned at the throbbing pain in his temple, Yog’s whisper continued.

Though it had regained some strength by devouring chaos, its voice sounded as if it might fade again at any moment.

"What exactly was that?" Ian muttered, brushing the evaporating remnants from his clothes as though dust.

Yog slithered weakly up his leg.

—It must have sensed that you were absorbing the remnants of the power it left behind, so it reached out once more. Perhaps... to test you as a replacement for its disappointing apostle.

Gods, they’re all the same, whichever side they’re on.

Clicking his tongue, Ian bent down toward the soldier sprawled across the bed in front of him. He was the first to emit the trails of chaos and seize Ian.

"Phew."

Feeling the faint pulse beneath the nape of the man’s neck, Ian finally let out a sigh. At the very least, he had not lost his life. If anything, the chaos that had lingered throughout him had been completely cleansed.

All of it had been projected onto him. As he had seen before being dragged into the vision, the remaining chaos within the others had been drawn into him as well.

There isn’t much left, but I did get away with it without lifting a finger.

Ian straightened. He felt no regret that the chaos meant to be absorbed into his core had evaporated. He had already begun to worry that it might become dangerous.

After absorbing a significant portion of the chaos wielded by the Avatar of Agony, his core had grown heavy enough for him to sense its weight. The fact that it had been chaos of the same hue likely explained the unusually high absorption.

"My heavens... O Great Demigod..."

"Glory be..."

Large and small exclamations spread from far behind him. The sound of bodies dropping to their knees followed in succession.

—Well, it seems we weren’t alone....

Ian’s eyes twitched slightly as Yog, barely clinging to his arm, let out a faint chuckle. As the creature’s laughter faded like escaping air, Ian turned around.

"Glory be..."

Beyond the rows of beds, through the wide-open doorway, Gelud and the soldiers kneeled. Each pressed a fist to their chest, heads bowed in prayer.

The reason he had not immediately sensed their presence was likely because the remnants of chaos and the aftereffects of the vision had dulled his senses.

I told them not to come in....

In any case, it was more than enough to make Ian’s expression twist further. There was no need to wonder why they were acting that way. To them, it must have looked as though he had cast off the chaos that had been devouring him.

Regardless, he couldn’t leave them like that. Letting out a quiet sigh, Ian turned and began walking toward the entrance. Even as he moved, his gaze swept across the unconscious figures sprawled across the beds.

At least there are no additional casualties.

Each of them was breathing, however faintly. With the warmth of the sacred flame and proper nourishment, they would recover.

At last, Ian lifted his gaze toward the doorway, now only a few steps away.

"That’s enough. Rise," he said, looking at Gelud.

Gelud rose solemnly, and the soldiers followed one after another. They still held their fists before their chests, heads slightly bowed.

"I am ashamed. It was my fault for lacking faith. O Demigod," Gelud murmured, genuine self-reproach plain on his face.

Hard to punch a man when he looks like that.

"It couldn’t be helped. That’s enough."

Though his thoughts differed, Ian replied evenly as he stopped before him.

He then tilted his head slightly to the side and added, "As you saw, there was a minor incident, but the purification was completed successfully."

Gelud did not lift his head, but his eyes widened. "Then are they all safe now?"

"Except for the one who had already lost his life," Ian answered calmly with a small shrug. "In any case, his chaos has been purified as well, so there is no need to cremate him. You may bury him beside his comrades."

"My deepest gratitude!" Gelud struck his chest with his fist, a heavy thud echoing through the hall. The soldiers followed at once, fists striking their breastplates in unison.

"Thank you!"

Trembling voices rose from here and there.

What a fuss.

Ian continued, "This place is too dark and filthy. Move them all to clean rooms with proper ventilation, and bring the braziers back inside so they can receive enough warmth."

"We will carry out your orders!" Gelud answered at once.

After clicking his tongue lightly, Ian asked, "Is there anything else you need to request of me?"

"There is not, O Demigod."

"Then from tonight onward, focus solely on resting." Ian stepped forward and passed by Gelud, adding, "I want to reach Travelga as soon as possible."

Gelud, who had lifted his eyes in surprise, soon fixed his gaze on Ian’s back, resolve hardening his features.

"We will prepare to the best of our ability!"

...No. I said rest.

The area behind him quickly grew busy, yet he did not look back even once.

In any case, his orders were followed faithfully. Not only the Legion but even the garrisons focused on nothing but eating and sleeping.

It was three days later that he left Calbrook Fortress.

Of course, he did so together with his companions and the Crimson Legion, the Ember Priesthood, the defense force reorganized into a single legion, and even the surviving red mages.

**

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Moro, heavy saddlebags slung over its sides, continued forward without pause, following the procession along the main road.

Ian sat astride its saddle, leisurely sipping from a bottle.

Before long, his brow furrowed again.

Damn, they’re irritating.

The spellcasters walking some distance ahead kept glancing back at him. Even if he shifted to the opposite side of the column, they drifted over soon enough. There was no shaking them.

There were fewer than ten of them. They were not looking at Moro, but at Ian. They clearly wanted to learn firsthand the secret behind taming a demonic beast.

Yet the reason they did not dare approach was not merely fear of Ian.

Snort...

Moro rammed into anyone who came too close. Three of them had already been sent flying in Calbrook, left behind with serious injuries.

"Don’t kill them. I won’t stop you from knocking them around, but control your strength," Ian whispered as he lightly patted Moro’s neck. It was already snorting as though in agreement.

Moro answered with a long exhale.

"...Tsk."

Too many eyes around to simply walk over and knock their jaws loose.

Ian raised the bottle again before shifting his gaze to the long procession stretching ahead and behind.

Fwoosh...

The most eye-catching sight in the column was, of course, the sacred flames burning atop the brazier wagons traveling at the front and rear.

Nila pulled the wagon driven by Miguel. The other was drawn by the lone surviving warhorse and Mukapa’s pony.

"Huff... Huff."

"Sigh..."

Though only a single day had passed and the warmth of the sacred flames spread through the air, the soldiers’ breaths were already growing ragged as they marched. It was not merely because they had yet to fully recover their strength.

I told them to travel light. We’ll have to stop before they start collapsing.

Nearly all the horses had died. They had no choice but to leave most of the camp materials and supplies behind with the recovering soldiers.

"Ugh...."

"I heard the rumors, but... truly all day long...."

Essential supplies such as preserved rations and blankets had to be carried individually. Fully armed on top of that, it was only natural that the Crimson Legion’s relentless forced march, resting only when they slept, weighed heavily on them.

"They’re already like that—what are they going to do?"

"What do you mean, what? We help them when the time comes, idiot."

"That’s exactly what I’m saying, Captain."

The barbarian warriors, however, had energy to spare. They were accustomed to hellish marches, and most had wisely lightened their loads. Some had even begun carrying the burdens of mercenaries and priests.

In any case, there was no visible trace of grief for the many brothers they had lost.

Ian had led the funerals, and they believed without a doubt that their souls had joined Karha’s legion.

Better than having them bawling their eyes out.

Smacking his lips, Ian let his gaze pass over Mukapa, who carried a pack fit for three men; Mev, mounted on the new warhorse Nasser had revived; and finally the back of Nasser’s head as he sat in the driver’s seat of one of the few remaining supply wagons.

Then Ian’s eyebrow twitched.

Clank— clank—

Ahead, an Imperial knight strode against the flow of the procession, his fur cloak fluttering. Cutting straight through the cluster of unburdened spellcasters, Phaden approached Ian.

"Did the young lady summon me?" Ian asked first, lowering the bottle from his lips.

Beneath his thick hood, Phaden looked up at him with a meaningful gaze and nodded. "Yes. She has requested an audience."

"Let’s go." Ian tugged on Moro’s reins at once.

At last, news from the capital had arrived.