Record of a Thousand Lives-Chapter 78

Thud!

A large Fire Giant fell to the ground.There had just beenalarge-scalebattle where the Fire Giantclashed witha thousand mummies, but only a measly twenty-one mummieshad beenkilled. It was an overwhelming victory.

“I-it’s amazing…!” Katz exclaimed,astounded by what he had just seen.

Hehad beenbeside Kartheon at all times, ever since heawokethe sleeping ancient king—to be precise, he could not escape.

‘Even though he’san ancient king, to think hecould so easily take down a Fire Giant…!’Katz thought to himself.

A Fire Giantwasa rare monster in the Desert of Death that only appearedonce in a while, during the seventh mirage of the month. It was as tall as a mountain, and the flames engulfing its body could burn everything nearit.Kartheon had successfully hunted down a creature that was no different from a calamity.

‘I guess an ancient king is an ancient king after all,’Katz thought.

Kartheonhadstayed in the rearforthe whole battle, but hehad been givingout commands to his army. His legion of mummies had fully obeyed his commands during the entire battle,making themall the more ferocious.

[You have defeated Elkana, the Fire Giant of Disaster.]

[You have obtained 147 units oftemporal power.]

[Youramiabilitywith the Ice Giants has increased.]

“Still a long way to go,” Kartheon muttered with a boredexpression.

Katz hesitated for a moment beforeasking, “Uhmm… May I askwhat thelevel of yourmajesty is?”

“Level 13 until I defeated the Fire Giant,” Kartheon replied.

“What?” Katz was shockedand juststood there, blinking.Hehadthought that Kartheon would at least be Level 40.

Kartheon seemed to have found the human’s reaction amusing, as the cornersof his dried, withered lipsturned up slightly. He explained, “My body has deteriorated becausemy resurrection took placeafter a long time. I used to be Level 527 in the past, butthat isall gone now. I can absorb life force thanks to the trinket I was buried with, but I am nowhere as strong as I used to be in the past. I sacrificed a lot of things just to be resurrected.”

“I-it’s amazing. It must be hardto havelost all of your levels. No, no, I don’t mean to offend your majesty,” Katzreplied, trembling.

“ThatiswhyI amtrying to regress to the past,” Kartheon said. He kicked the sides of the bandage-wrapped camelhe was riding on.The camel quickly ran forward, and Katz hurriedly followed after it.

Kartheon spoke once again when Katz finally caught up with the camel.“Katz, my body has deteriorated, but I will gather temporal powerby killing everythingon this continent. I will go back in time and killSirian, and I will make Sharshyanon flourish.”

Katz looked at Kartheon.The ancient king was a strange man inhiseyes.Kartheonhad the commanding presence of a king and he was strict, but at the same time, he was warmer than anyone else. He was aking who commandedfear and respect, but there were timeswhenhe felt like an older brother or a friend.Had he notjust openly exposed his weakness justthen?

‘It’s impossible for me to kill Kartheon.Wouldn’t he juststop or turn back time and kill me instead?’Katz thought.

Rustle… Rustle…

Thousands of mummies trailed behind the two men, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the vast desert.The sunsetbathedthe desertina red hue. It was a sight that could only be seen once a day when the sun set in the Desert of Death.

“Do you think regression is the only answer?” Katz asked.He would normallyhavebeen scared to speak out like that, but he felt strangely comfortable for some reason.

Kartheon raised his nonexistent eyebrows and asked, “What other answers are there?”

“Your majesty has to kill everyone in the continent to regress,” Katz said.Perhaps it was because of the sunset hue shiningon his head, but his brain was working quitequickly at thatmoment. He continued,“This world will disappear if your majesty regresses to the past. This wonderful desert and I will not exist if that happens. Will you not feel troubled if you are the only personwhocan remember this world?”

Kartheon scoffed at his words and responded, “Katz, one cannot be a king with such a weak willas yours.”

“But your majesty is a human too, right?” Katz asked.

“It seems to me that you donotwant me to destroy this world,” Kartheon said.Katz immediately shut his mouth.Kartheoncontinuedcoldly, “I will kill everythingon this continent, and you are noexception.”

“Well, I’m nothing but a measly graverobber, and I was also nothing but a thief back in my world, so your majesty doesn’t have to be mindful of someone like me. I’m nothing but a criminal.But…” Katztrailed offas he stared at the blazing sunset, before continuing tearfully, “It’sa bit sad to think that such a beautiful sight will be gone forever.”

“This place was a lush forest,and it looked much better in ancient times,” Kartheon said.

“…is that so, your majesty?” Katz replied. However, hesoon fell silentand bit his lower lip, thinking,‘It didn’t work. Damn it…’

***

Iris woke up early in the morning, and looked aroundatthosewhowere still sleeping. Two peoplewhoshouldhave beenasleep were not there.Iris tilted her head in confusion as she thought,‘Where did those two cute men go?’

Then, a voice she had not heard in a while answered. No, it was not a voice, but rather a message that popped up in her head.

On top of the sand dune to the northwest.

“Thank you,” Iris said as she slowly walked up the sand dune.

Henrickwas sleeping drunkenlywith his bodyhalf-buriedunder the sand, and Iris lightly jumped over him. She asked Kang Yoon-Soo, “You didn’t sleep?”

“Yeah,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.Hewas looking into the horizonasdawn finally came. Thecold desertgradually started to heat up again.

“It’s not good to stay up all night,” Iris said.

Kang Yoon-Soo nodded and stared at Iris beforeasking, “Why is this the last life?”

“I donotknow,” Iris replied.

“Ask,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

Iris put both hands on her chest and thought, ‘White Shadow, why is this Kang Yoon-Soo’s final life?’

Iris waited.

Kang Yoon-Soo waited.

Silence filled the area.

“Therewasno response,” Iris said.

Kang Yoon-Soo walked past Iris without a word,thengrabbed Henrick’s shoulder and shook him awake.He said,“Wake up.”

“I’ll give you the response every lazy persononthis continent says when someone tells them that. I don’t want to,” Henrick replied.

“Let’s have a drink again,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“Ack!You punk! Don’t your insides hurt?!” Henrickexclaimed in horror as he ran down the sand dune.

Iris walked upbehind Kang Yoon-Soo and called out,“Kang Yoon-Soo.”

“What?”Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“Would you still have considered me your comrade if the White Shadowhadnot been inside me?” Iris asked.

“No,”Kang Yoon-Sooreplied.Tears started welling upinIris’ eyes, andKang Yoon-Soo blinked silentlya few times beforesaying, “I’m sorry.”

“I still want to be with Kang Yoon-Soo,” Iris said.

“You are right now,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Iris shook her head and said, “I do not mean it that way.”

“I don’t like you that way,” Kang Yoon-Soo said, drawing a firmline.

“Oh my, I wasnottalking about love. I want to marry a man who can tell me fun stories all night long,” Iris said.

“Then what did you mean?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

Iris looked at the sand beneath her feet. Shebent down to pick up a handful of sand before throwing it in the air. The sandgrainsin the air reflected the sunlight, sparklinglike gold.

“Itis because Kang Yoon-Soo is a strange Traveler,” Iris said.

“What?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“Kang Yoon-Soo is emotionless and quiet, and you donot explain what you are going to do to other people. You donot tell your secrets to others, but you are fully aware of others’ secrets. You are a really boring man,” Iris said.

“I know,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“Then howwere we able totravel with you?” Iris asked.

Kang Yoon-Soofell silentand thought for a moment beforereplying, “I don’t know.”

Iris smiled brightly as the rising desert sun shone on her flowing hair. She remarked,“You are sacrificing yourself for the people precious to you,no?”

“Others aren’t aware of it,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“They know. They might not be aware of your numerous regressions, but they know that you care. Your kindness, your sacrifice, and even your loneliness,” Irissaid.

“How?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

Iris was about to reply when Kang Yoon-Soo suddenly drew his sword and swung at her.

Sukeok!

A sandwormshot up from the sand, jumping on Iris and tryingto swallow her whole, but Kang Yoon-Soo sliced its head in halfbeforenonchalantly sheathinghis sword.

Iris did not seem to be surprised at all. Instead, she was looking at Kang Yoon-Soo with a smile. She asked,“Do you understand now?”

Kang Yoon-Soo did not reply. Instead, he silentlywalkeddown the sand dune.Iris smiled as she followed right behind him.

***

“Are you awake?” Shanethaskedas she stretched and woke up.

The Fire Trolls also woke upandlazily got up from the ground.

“I don’t wanna get up! 10 more minutes!”

“No! The sandstorm will start raging once again if we’re late.”

Henricktried to gulpdown a bottle of water to quench his thirst, then angrily frowned and complained, “There’s no water!”

“What?! There’s no water?! How could this be?!” the Fire Trolls shouted in surprise.Even though they were used to the desert, it was still impossible for them to travel across the desert without water.

Kang Yoon-Soo suddenly said, “Let’s go to theelves' settlement.”

“But the elves live too far from here!”theFire Trollsprotested.

“I know a way,” Kang Yoon-Soo repliednonchalantlyas he brought out thesandworm’s long corpse.The monster that looked like a mix of a lizard and a worm wascovered in blood.

Henrick asked with a curiousexpression, “You…What are you doing right now…?”

Kang Yoon-Soo dragged the corpse of the sandwormoverand started to slice it into pieces.He then sliced those further intosmaller pieces that were just the right size for thegroupto eat.

Shaneth jumped in surprise and immediately askedin surprise, “What are you doing?”

“You told me to make breakfast,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied as he lit the fire.

***

It was a very abundant breakfast.Kang Yoon-Soo had cookedthe sandworm meat well, turning it into a tasty meat dish that even thosewhohad beendisgusted and repulsed by the idea of eating sandworm meat also ate as well. The soup made fromitsthin skin and the meat skewers were quite good.

“It’s really tasty,” Shaneth said as she praisedKang Yoon-Soo’scooking.

“Don’t make me cook ever again,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

He had cooked an amount thatwould make anyone thinkhe made too much, but the Fire Trolls had wolfed down everything and there were no leftovers.

The Fire Trolls rubbed their full stomachs andexclaimed in satisfaction.

“Thank you! The groom of the goddess!”

“It was a delicious meal! Although I wish thereweremore!”

“That’s right! The goddess needed a groom whocouldcook!”

The party packed their things and prepared to walk across the desert once again, with Kang Yoon-Soo walkingatthe forefront and guiding them.Around two hoursaftertheydeparted,they found a small cave opening.

“Let’s go in,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“It’s too narrow! Our heads are grinding against the ceiling!” the Fire Trolls complained.

“Duck,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

The Fire Trolls hesitantly entered thedark and narrow cave, whichlit up thanks to the flames surrounding their bodies.The cave started tobecomewider as theypassed through.

“It’s the exit!”

Bright, warmsunlight greeted them as soon as they exited the cave. Numerous buildings that complemented the desert surroundingswere visibleover the horizon.

“It’s the elves’settlement!”

“It’s faster than going around the desert! Eventhose of us who havelived a long time in the desert didn’t know about this!”

It was at that moment, whenthe excited Fire Trolls were about to enter the elves’settlement,that Yanak suddenly shouted, “Stop! Something’s strange!”

“What is it?” the other Fire Trolls asked.

“Look closely! It’s too quiet, and there are no elves in sight!” Yanakreplied.

Now that they thought about it, he was right. There wouldnormallybe a few elvesat this timeof day, but it was too quiet. They saw a shadow suddenly move between the buildings, but the shadow quickly disappeared soon after.

“Maybe they’re all taking a nap?”a Fire Troll asked.

Yanak made a makeshiftspeaking trumpetand shouted, “Hello! Are you guys alright?!”

However, the only responsehegot was deafening silence.

It was at that moment that suddenly,in place of a reply,an arrow flew toward them.

Shhhkkk!

There was quite a distance between them, but they were certain that it was an arrowfiredby an elf, based on itsaccurate trajectorydespite the distance.

Yanak caught the arrowaimed athis head with his bare hands, crushing it. He exclaimed,“Something’s wrong! Let’s go check it out!”

“A kidnapping ring took over that village,” Kang Yoon-Soo saidnonchalantly.

The Fire Trolls jumped in surprise.

“Are you sure?!”

“How do you know?!”

“The goddess’ groom is on a different level!”

Yanak was now getting nervous and impatient, saying, “If they took over the village, we should immediately go and help them!”

“They might have taken the elves hostage, though,” Shanethcautioned, warning them to be mindful of any hostages.

The Fire Trolls glowed red as if to show that they were angry.One of them spoke up.“Then what should we do?! We can’t sit around here and just watch, right?!”

“No,” Kang Yoon-Soo said as he walked toward the village.He was alone, and of course, an arrow flew toward him.

Shhhheeeek!

Kang Yoon-Soo swung his sword and split the arrow in two. He continued to walk forward while cutting down all the arrows aimed at him.

“Goddess’ groom! You might die at thisrate!”

“Go try and stop him! Isn’t he your comrade?!” the Fire Trolls said.

Henrick seemed awfully calm in the eyes of the Fire Trolls as he said, “Based on my experience, that guy never dies whenpullingthosekindsof stunts alone. Of course,it’s a different storywhen it comes to someone he’skilling.”

Kang Yoon-Soo lookedaheadand said, “I’ll go and negotiate with them.”

Yanak seemed confused and skepticalashe replied, “A deal? We don’t have anything to trade with the elves!”

“Well…That guy’s style of negotiations is a little bit different from the negotiationsyou’re used to seeing,” Henrick said as he picked up a sand crystal andstarted carvingit with his sculpting knife.

Shaneth nodded in agreement and said,“It’s going to be anegotiationthat only benefitsKang Yoon-Soo.”