Chapter 188: 173

The magician spoke in a voice that sounded old.

「There was once a king on this land. He was the forgotten king, the【Faceless King】. In order to oppose Elysium, no………to combat their ancient curse, he was studying a certain power. And what was born out of his research was a way to use the limitless power that comes from the dungeon to strengthen living things.

It was the precursor to the Horns.

It was a success. As long as his test subjects were in the vicinity of the dungeon, their wounds would regenerate instantly, and they could surpass their physical limits without limit. They were truly an immortal army.

However, there was a problem.

Each time they regenerated, they lost a bit of their intelligence and reason. It was as if they were gradually being replaced by an entirely different creature. The cause was immediately found. It was the horns that grew out when they regenerated. The skulls of living creatures would mutate, causing horns to grow. These horns turned out to be receptors that received "the will of something".

As a result, their personalities were overwritten, their humanity was lost, and they were transformed into a completely different kind of creature with nothing but the viciousness of beasts and the wickedness of humans.

It's ironic.

What the king had created out of fear of the beasts was but another type of beast.

Garving tried to work around this problem by giving them horns in advance.

There was a problem with this too.

First of all, this regeneration used the life-force within the user and a minute amount of magic power instead, so it was far from limitless. Also, the ability to surpass the limits of the user's body could only be used for a short time.

But strangely enough, this regeneration also worked in the other dungeons. For that reason, it became an indispensable piece of magic for those who explored dungeons, who were known as【Explorers】.

This was the birth of Houma, the magic that you call the regeneration point.

In later iterations, the horns were cunningly disguised by making them into the containers you now carry on your person.

And so, with Duin at the helm, the adventures of Vindoobunikuru began.

They left on a journey to cleanse the curse of the beasts.

However, the true purpose of their quest was concealed, and all people saw was a glorious tale of adventure. The miracles that they created together and the truth behind the regeneration point, these were all obscured by the glare of glory.

Time passed, and【Explorers】started to be called【Adventurers】.

The age of adventurers had come.

It was an era when many gods and goddesses performed countless miracles.

It was a time of peace that hid the shadow of the curse.

Even after the country had changed its name to Beliale, the Faceless King continued his research.

The Horns were enhanced and strengthened, evolved and brought under control. Generation after generation, life after life. After trampling on wisdom, after transcending sanity, after distilling madness, he finally created the Horns that could wipe out the beasts.

He called them Tenma.

Tenma【Abaddon】.[1]

Because they're incomplete as individuals, they're rabid monstrosities that specialize in taking over, seizing control, and dominating others.

They’re monsters that can even debase the curse of abominable blood.

But Lars, the king at the time, sealed them away.

It was a very wise decision.

Something that could wipe out the beasts could just as easily destroy the world. It was foolish to research this, but what lay waiting at the end of the line was a wise decision.

And what lay waiting for that wise king was annihilation.

Beliale was destroyed by the beasts.

In the midst of the destruction, it's said that the people had this on their lips.

『We were not destroyed by the beasts. We were destroyed by our own foolishness』

Yes, the foolishness of the king that they themselves had chosen.

Those were words of resentment against a king who had the means to fight back but chose not to use them.

The people who only knew their everyday lives understood not the ways of the wise. The wisdom of the isolated king was disparaged as foolishness.

That was the fall of Beliale.

And the precursor to this floor.

On the orders of the Wise King Lars, Wagreas and I sealed the【Abaddon】in the depths of the dungeon.

However, that was a miscalculation.

One day, the dungeon's portals, which hadn't worked for thousands of years, suddenly sprang to life.

As a result, the adventurers' explorations reached floors that were previously thought to be unreachable. We hurriedly moved the【Abaddon】to a deeper floor to hide them.

You remember the great skeleton floors that make up the 30th to 34th floors?

That's the left-over husk of what the【Abaddon】had devoured.

In short, the ability of the【Abaddon】to eat into others worked even on the floors of the dungeon.

The activation of the portals was probably triggered by the【Abaddon】eating "something" inside the dungeon.

The urban landscape on this floor is one of Wagreas' bright ideas. By making the【Abaddon】think that they’re outside the dungeon, he was able to stop their encroachment of the dungeon.

Taking advantage of their instinct to creep out into the upper parts of the city in an attempt to invade it, we used our own Horns to fend them off.

We used the best adventurers from Lemuria and beyond as a base for our Horns. They’re Horns that cannot be taken over by the【Abaddon】. And by using the magic warhorn, they become an obedient and powerful army.

They’re the ones you fought and defeated. But they were in a dormant state then, so they weren't able to show their true strength.

………………That’s right.

This is nothing more than a way to stall for time. Until a way to exterminate the【Abaddon】 is found, that is.

In the past, Lemuria also saw the【Abaddon】as a threat and tried to eliminate them.

I lent him my strength, but we failed, with Verxina sustaining serious injuries.

After that, as the newest Horns, she blew the magic warhorn and continues to fight against the【Abaddon】even to this day.

Her fight is a never-ending hell where she can only wait and hope for an end to come」

「I see」

At the conclusion of the long story, I gave him a short reply

「You're just foisting the messes that the old have made on the young」

It's a problem caused by the older generation.

One bad enough to destroy the world.

「Isn't there something similar in your country as well? Like the thing with the pensions?」

「It's not a serious enough problem that people from other worlds would need to worry about it」

He's not wrong, but that has nothing to do with the current situation.

I heard a flurry of footsteps.

Rana, who was carrying Shuna on her back, Bel, Nanassy, and Arcane had arrived.

「Now, before we continue…… Apprentice hero, you didn't come to this floor using one of the portals managed by the Guild. That's beyond foolish. As such, you’ve not earned the right to hear this story. Leave at once」

The old man thumped his staff on the ground, and Nanassy and Arcane were enveloped by light and then disappeared.

He had probably teleported them somewhere else.

「Dear, who is this person?」

「Sorry, Rana. I'll fill you in on the details later」

Rana has every right to ask that, but there's something I need this guy to answer first.

「So, what do you mean by “it’s as I thought”?」

I repeated my question.

「I sensed numerous powers within you. The stench of the abominable curse. Elven charm magic. The martial prowess of dragon hunters. The nostalgic immortality of vampires. A fragment of a nightmare. The wisdom of a strange foreign land. The ferocity of a berserker. The same presence as my nemesis, the First Hero. And for some unknown reason, the fragrance of the abyss. A multitude of powers capable of exterminating the【Abaddon】, destroying Elysium, and changing the world forever」

You're talking me up far too much.

Wait, aren't almost all of them powers that Misuranika-sama has neutralized?

「That’s it. That's the one! The power to cleanse curses and turn them into your strength! That's the reason why you didn’t lose your reason entirely even after turning into a Horns! You're the perfect person to blow the【Magic Warhorn】! ………………But it's all for naught now, I suppose」

「That's right」

This old man had gotten stabbed in the back by Verxina-san. I suppose there must be a reason why he’s no match for her, even if he claims to be a great magician.

Well, he did come out of it unscathed though.

「Verxina has the blood of one of the heroes of Elysium in her veins. It's the blood of the natural enemy of us magicians. Because she's a beastkin, the abominable blood doesn't manifest itself, but her blood makes her impossible to control even with my magic. And even with that kind of blood, she can only retain her reason for a very short time………How about that? Have you finally realized what a rarity you are?」

「I see. I refuse」

I've already decided that I'm going to say no to everything this guy proposes.

「Hey, Souya. The conversation's jumping all over the place. I can't quite follow it」

Otou-san, who I hadn't realized had woken up, complained.

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「I'll explain later」

「At the very least, I should probably punch Lemuria in the face later, right?」

「That’s right」

I see him in a slightly better light now. It's just like Otou-san, and it gives him one more reason to crack that bald head open. Old people should fight each other all they want. I don't give a damn.

「After that……」

It’s the first question I had asked.

「Are you the real deal?」

Once again, I unleashed an iai-draw. Midway through the swing, I flipped the blade over and used the back of the blade to knock the old man's hat off his head.

「Oh-ho………so you've noticed」

I knew it.

The old man had a horn on his forehead.

「As you thought, I'm not Garving. The real deal is not as soft as I am」

The old man pulled out a top hat from somewhere and placed it over his head to cover the horn. It was my top hat.

For an instant, a shadow fell over him. The robe and the white beard disappeared.

His wrinkled and aged face transformed into a mask with one eye. He was wearing an old-fashioned suit with a black overcoat over it. For some reason, he tossed me his magician's staff.

「You're the 18th person to discover my true identity」

That's quite a lot, isn't it?

「So, who are you?」

「I am no one. Hence I’m called the【Faceless King】」

It’s the root of all evil.

「How rude. I created the Horns out of concern for a world ruled by beasts, you know?」

「You simply did something unnecessary」

「I'll admit that I botched the training of the newcomers. I did indeed tell them to do it, but I didn't expect them to actually get that far. It's precisely because I feel responsible that I'm serving as the guardian of this floor, you know?」

「As I thought, you're just a no-good guy」

「Dear!」

Rana stopped me.

「If this person is really the【Faceless King】, that makes him the master of the three great magicians. Please watch your words. You never know what he'll do to you if you offend him」

Just a little while ago, I was almost used as a subject for a nasty experiment.

「Ohh, you've got a good wife. More and more, my interest is piqued」

「If you so much as lay a finger on Rana, I will wreak havoc on this floor and set free all the Abaddon, Kabe-don[2], or whatever don they are, and let the world know of your folly, got it?」

「………………Forgive me. I'll forget all about it」

Are you really going to forget about it? I'll believe it when I see it.

「Well then, you adventurers……」

The Faceless King raised a single hand.

「You've touched on what is taboo and you've learned of what is forbidden, yes? But that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Don't forget. Seek the wisdom to exterminate the【Abaddon】.

Don't forget. That you've only scratched the surface of what is taboo.

Don't forget. Destruction will not come only to the dungeon. It will reach every corner of the world. Don't ever forget that.

The world is only protected through sacrifices. One choice, one mistake, can easily lead to destruction.

And so, you should continue on.

There are even more taboos waiting for you on the lower floors. I shall be forever waiting. Oh adventurers. I will be here, waiting for good news. Forever and ever, waiting for the smallest hint towards saving the world」

The king snapped his fingers.

Rana, Shuna, and Bel were engulfed by light and disappeared.

He snapped it once more, and this time, it was Otou-san.

「I want to be together with Onii-chan」

My sister showed herself and hugged me from behind.

「So, old man, are we done here?」

「I wanted to talk to you in private, but it can't be helped, I suppose. Beware. The "real" Garving has caught wind of your curses. And he's not the only one. The First Hero is likely on the move as well. The time of confrontation is near. If you wish to seek my wisdom, come to this floor again」

「I refuse」

I'll never rely on this guy.

「No, you'll come. Without a doubt you will. I'll be waiting for you」

The Faceless King picked up his pointed hat and placed it on my head.

「This hat is the real deal. Discover in your meditations the memories that your god has hidden from you」

He snapped his fingers.

I felt gravity disappear.

After a brief moment where it felt like I was floating, I landed on my feet.

I felt the presences of my party members around me. My sister was behind me, and Evetta-san was in my arms.

Not a single person was unaccounted for.

The atmosphere of the floor we had landed on was completely different from that of the city of ghosts.

A tranquil wind was blowing.

My party members and I lit our lanterns, but all we could see was a vast expanse of darkness that had no end in sight.

There were countless stars in the sky.

My sister went off to explore the surroundings in hopes of finding a portal.

Our belongings had fallen in a pile nearby. My other party members fished through them and checked their condition.

「Congratulations」

I heard Evetta-san say.

「I owe it all to you」

I grasped the weakly outstretched hand tightly.

「That magician must have foisted a lot of things on you. But pay him no mind. A person's life is not meant to be spent paying off someone else's debt. Live the way you wish to live, and accomplish what you wish to accomplish. That's how an adventurer should live」

「Understood」

It's as she says.

I also have no intention of obediently going along with what the old man said.

「When it comes time for the world to be destroyed, it'll be destroyed. When it’s not time, it won't. How absurd it is to expect a single adventurer to deal with such a thing. To live freely……yes, to be an adventurer is to live freely. Don't live in captivity like me………………」

「Got it. I'll bear that in mind」

「Good」

As if relieved, Evetta-san closed her eyes.

Quietly, as if she had fallen asleep.

It truly looked as if she was asleep.

[1] Tenma(天魔), written using the characters of “sky” and “demon” usually means an evil supernatural being, and that encompasses everything from spirits to devils. On the other hand, the name "Abaddon" has appeared in the Bible as both a place of destruction and an archangel of the abyss. You can see how “sky demon” can be a reference to that, I’m sure. The key reference though is to the Book of Revelation of the New Testament, where an angel called Abaddon is described as the king of an army of locusts. Do note this last fact, you may not get the reference right now, but you will eventually.

[2] Kabe-don(壁ドン, which is "wall" followed by "sound effect that indicates impact") refers to the action of slapping a wall forcefully, which produces the sound "don". One meaning is the action of slapping or hitting the wall, such as to protest when the neighbors are making too much noise. The much more well-known meaning is the oft-seen-in-manga/anime action where one character forces another against the wall with one hand or leans one hand against the wall to block another character’s way and makes the sound "don".(Pic courtesy of bondlingo.tv).

Evetta-sannnn!!!

By the way, I know that the author has revealed a ton of stuff about the Faceless King here, but you’ll find a VERY interesting reference to the Faceless King back in volume 4. So many things will make sense once you make the connection.

Other than that, lots and lots of interesting revelations, huh? And I think you’ve realized that what King Lemuria told the world about what happened here is complete bullshit.

Also, Souya now wears Western clothing, has a vampire’s cloak, bears a katana, longsword, and great-sword, and has a magician’s pointy hat. Talk about a mismatched look lol. It reminds me of MMORPGs where the gear you equip affects your avatar and how ridiculous players can look when they wear stuff to maximize stats in favor of having a coherent look. On that note though, the Faceless King is probably from Neomia given how he dresses, his nostalgia towards vampires, and his mention that “Souya has a connection to Neomia as well”(last chapter).

The long dungeon crawl is finally over, but what awaits them now? The Faceless King has left Souya with many ominous warnings, hasn’t he? The real Garving and the First Hero, huh? So many tantalizing hooks. Stay tuned!

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