The Warrior’s Ballad
Chapter 96

Translator: Willia

Sometimes, there were moments when you felt certain that you wouldn’t get hurt even if you acted recklessly. There was no way to explain it. It just felt that way.

Whether there were traps lying in wait ahead, or whether they had already passed through the danger zone, there was no way to be sure. They could die, but it didn’t matter. That’s how it felt.

It was similar to exhilaration. The group of thirty-some adventurers felt as though they had become one, their emotions heightened to the point where they had no regrets even if they died right now.

So darkness couldn’t dare to threaten them. Come out, demon. I’ll stab you to death.

Several of them ran while holding torches. The sounds of thirty pairs of feet pounding against the stone floor rang chaotically through the corridor.

A large door appeared in front of Ricardt, who was running at the front. Without slowing down, Ricardt instead accelerated and slammed into the door with his shoulder.

Bang!

Flash!

The large door creaked open, and light streamed through. Ricardt closed his eyes tightly and, nearly losing his balance, staggered and then finally fell. He felt the texture of the dirt floor beneath him.

Ricardt jumped up and placed a hand on his forehead, frowning as he slowly opened his eyes. His first impression was that he had arrived in a garden.

It was a structure with an outdoor garden inside a building. He had heard that the Salaman people built in this architectural style, but it didn’t seem like someone had deliberately imitated them.

Those who arrived afterward also frowned momentarily before slowly adjusting to the sunlight.

Looking around, the space was rectangular, with an open sky above and colonnades surrounding its perimeter.

Beyond the colonnades, doors extended to the north, south, east, and west. The door Ricardt had just come through was to the east.

"Where is this?"

"More than where, it’s like… what is this place supposed to be?"

Marie, who had arrived second, said as she looked around. In the center stood a tree that looked like an oak, and various plants were planted around it.

It was autumn, so the leaves were turning yellow and red. Fallen leaves already formed a thin layer on the ground. Interestingly, there was a small fountain, and the water looked very clear.

"Can we drink this?"

Now that the retreat path was blocked, many hadn’t managed to bring food or water. Ricardt was no exception.

"I’ll try drinking it."

One of the adventurers stepped forward boldly. Before anyone could stop him, he, clearly parched, drank deeply from the fountain.

Everyone looked at him. At least outwardly, he seemed fine. Still, there was no way to know whether something might happen later.

"Let’s avoid drinking it if we can."

"It seems fine? I’m going to drink it."

"Me too."

Despite Ricardt’s advice, those who wanted to drink just went ahead and did so.

"It’s the ‘Garden of Meditation’. Since the water is drawn from underground, there’s no point in poisoning it. It should be safe to drink."

Ice said. It seemed he had been here during his time in the Order.

The moment he finished speaking, even Ricardt and the others rushed in and began drinking enthusiastically. They drank until they were slightly full. What were they going to do when they needed to pee later?

Volka wiped his mouth and asked,

"Where do we go from here?"

"If we go south, there are training rooms and lodging. To the north is the punishment chamber, and west should be the way to the temple where the Holy Sword is kept."

"What do you want to do?"

Volka asked Ricardt. That was because Ricardt’s judgment in real-life situations was second to none.

Ricardt thought quietly for a moment and then said,

"Heading south seems safest. We might link up with those coming up from the south, and Ice knows the terrain well."

"Didn’t you say we were going to finish this?"

"That was to build momentum because the situation was urgent. We need to respond flexibly to changes in the situation."

"Yeah? But… I really want to see this through to the end. Anyone else got a different opinion?"

The adventurers, who had just quenched their thirst and were catching their breath in various spots, didn’t raise any objections. It was clear they wanted to keep this sense of exhilaration going.

But when you gain some breathing room, that’s precisely when you need to judge carefully and rationally. Ricardt tried to adjust the pace accordingly.

“Marie, give me some agarwood.”

“Oh, just a sec.”

Marie took out a small pouch from her bosom and sprinkled a suitable amount of agarwood into a tube with a groove at the end. Fortunately, there were some people carrying torches, so they lit it and held it close to Ricardt’s nose.

Now familiar with it, Ricardt inhaled the smoke deeply. Before long, the throbbing pain in his lungs subsided.

But Daisy was quietly watching him do so. Did she follow all the way here too? He thought it was a bit much. Or maybe she was that desperate.

Still, now was the time to focus on the situation.

“Lie down the injured first, and use potions if you have any. For now, let’s check our gear. Anyone without a weapon?”

The injured were those who had been struck by arrows earlier, and there weren’t many of them. A few people raised their hands because their weapons had been broken or dropped during the charge.

Strangely enough, there were no fatalities.

“Let’s do it this way. I’ll go in first. I’ll clear the path, and if there are no problems, the next person will follow. If I die due to a trap or a sudden ambush, watch from behind and figure out the reason for my death, then Boribori will take over. Then Ice, then Marie. Let’s go in that order. That way, we’ll make it to the end.”

“......”

When Ricardt casually said he would take the lead, even considering the possibility of his own death, silence fell. Then, all at once, voices erupted.

“I’ll go with you.”

“If Ricky dies, who’s going to give the orders?”

“Shouldn’t it be at least two people per team?”

“We’ve come this far. Do we really need to split up now?”

Nobody seemed to want Ricardt to take the risk alone. He appreciated the sentiment, but Ricardt hadn’t said he’d go first for no reason. He had the best eye and instincts among them.

Still, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Then let’s space ourselves out a bit. Marie, Bori, Ice, and I will go together.”

Though everyone still seemed reluctant, it wouldn’t do any good to keep arguing with the leader’s decision. If they spaced out, it should be fine. It could minimize the damage and they could help each other if something went wrong.

“You can’t go, Ricky...”

Daisy spoke. Everyone turned to look at her. Their expressions said, “Who is she to come all the way here and throw a fit?”

She was from the Order, which made her unpopular, but by that logic, Ice was from there too, so the adventurers only glared without saying anything aloud.

But to Daisy, Ricardt was the only one left in the world. Her parents were dead, the Order’s fate was uncertain, and she had nowhere to go.

Marie didn’t look at Daisy, but her expression was subtly conflicted. She sympathized with her while also disliking her. Human emotions often allowed conflicting feelings to coexist.

After finishing the smoke, Ricardt looked at Daisy while still sitting and spoke.

“Why do you keep trying to force me to run away?”

“God will resurrect. Then everyone’s going to die. How can I just let you die, Ricky?”

“Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that we do it your way. We escape successfully and live peacefully in some quiet place. Then that’s not me anymore. The Ricky you so desperately want won’t exist. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Daisy couldn’t understand. For her, the prophecy was absolute and bound to happen. How could she understand walking willingly toward certain death?

Daisy’s heart ached, and she began to cry, though she tried hard to hold it back. But it was obvious.

“...Then I’ll come with you too...”

“Hey, that’s...”

“Ricky, wait a minute.”

Unexpectedly, Marie stepped in. She was tough with strong people like Ricardt but soft with the weak. Especially since she could relate to how Daisy felt, she couldn’t bring herself to be harsh.

“You can come along. I don’t know if you’ll be able to handle it, but I understand how you feel. Still, know this. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

This was the limit. This was the maximum extent of kindness Marie could offer.

Whether it was because she felt humiliated at being shown sympathy by a romantic rival, because of her pitiful situation, or because she was still only worried about Ricardt, Daisy kept her head lowered as tears streamed down her face.

Ricardt, not exactly feeling at ease either, deliberately turned his head and rose to his feet.

Even taking a deep breath, he felt no pain. He wanted to finish things before the effect of the medicine wore off, if possible.

He passed through the colonnade and kicked the western gate hard. With a bang! the door opened wide and cleanly.

What lay beyond was a narrow passage made entirely of brick, ceiling, floor, and walls. It was the kind of place that looked like it would be riddled with traps.

Ricardt heightened his focus, bringing his senses to their peak, and stepped forward. Marie, Ice, and Boribori followed behind at slight intervals.

Daisy also followed all the way to the end. Was she planning to die with him if Ricardt were to die?

Anyway, Ricardt brushed his hand along the wall as he walked, not too slowly, not too quickly. Then he spotted a person standing ahead. Without saying a word, the person drew their sword, and a beam of light burst from it.

“Ricky, switch places with me.”

Marie called out from behind.

“No. I can handle it.”

Ricardt drew the sword at his waist and walked toward his opponent. It was a tight space, making evasion difficult. Could Ricardt, who wasn’t a Sword Master, withstand the opponent’s blade?

Surprisingly, Ricardt struck first. In response, the opponent swung their sword to clash with Ricardt’s, as though intending to cleave him in half.

But Ricardt had already abandoned his sword. He let it get cut and twisted his body to rush the opponent. He was confident that he would win if it came to a grapple.

Changkang!

Ricardt’s sword broke. At the same time, his left hand seized the opponent’s forearm.

At this close range, the opponent should’ve abandoned their sword and gone into a wrestling match, but oddly enough, the Sword Masters from the Order lacked comprehensive combat skills and adaptability outside of swordplay.

It was a trait typical of someone who had only trained in a dojo and lacked real combat experience.

Becoming a Sword Master through some shady or bizarre method meant they were nothing but hollow shells. Of course, even achieving that was no easy feat, but still.

Ricardt yanked the opponent’s arm hard and headbutted him, shattering his nasal bone. At the same time, he seized his throat with his right hand and squeezed tightly.

Crunch.

In an instant, he killed the opponent, then snatched his sword and made it his own. If my sword breaks, I’ll just use yours. Since it had belonged to a Sword Master, the quality was quite good.

Stepping over the corpse, he moved forward and spotted his next enemy. Ricardt gripped the longsword with one hand and extended his bare hand forward as though measuring distance.

To the opponent’s eyes, Ricardt looked bizarre.

His sword style, learned only on the battlefield and in live combat, changed each time, lacked consistency, and appeared full of weaknesses and without foundation to those unfamiliar with it.

But that was actually the swordsmanship of the god they worshiped. They just couldn’t recognize it even when seeing it right in front of them.

This time, Ricardt feigned a grappling approach, then drew a dagger and slashed his opponent’s throat. Again, he took their sword and continued forward.

Then he met the third enemy. After witnessing the deaths of his comrades, this one suddenly pressed a brick embedded in the wall. Suddenly, both sides of the wall began slowly closing in.

Grrrrrr.........

“Huh?”

“Ricky?”

He heard his friends’ voices from behind. But the opponent, seemingly prepared to die, had no intention of stepping aside. His intent was clear: to die together.

Ricardt, now in a hurry, simply charged forward recklessly. No clever tricks, just a desperate, bone-seizing attack at the cost of his flesh.

The opponent’s sword flashed and stabbed Ricardt in the abdomen, but the protection of his cuirass was so strong that the blade didn’t penetrate entirely and was deflected sideways.

Kagak!

In that moment, Ricardt, holding his dagger in a reverse grip, drove it straight into his charging opponent’s face.

Then, he quickly shoved the enemy away and sprinted forward without looking back. The walls were still closing in. His side burned, but in his urgency, he didn’t even feel the pain.

Fortunately, the exit wasn’t far off, and as Ricardt escaped the passage, his friends followed one by one. Even Daisy, who turned out to be a faster runner than expected, made it out just as the two walls of the corridor slammed together.

The new space they entered was overwhelmingly massive, beyond comprehension. Enormous pillars stood in long rows on both sides.

Moreover, intricate carvings were etched into the pillars, each one depicting people in agony or horrifying scenes.

Ricardt checked his wound. The side of his armor had been sliced open, and blood was gushing out from the gap.

“Ricky!”

Marie, alarmed, rushed over and helped him sit. She removed his armor, tore some cloth, and poured potion over the wound. Then, as she tried to get him to drink the remaining potion, Ricardt turned his head and refused.

“If I drink it, I’ll get sleepy. Feels like we’re almost there.”

Honestly, his life wasn’t in danger. If he used the potion, he’d definitely survive. But given the situation, it was hard to decide what to do.

“Just drink it. We might be the first ones here. You can afford a short nap.”

Marie shoved the potion’s mouth toward Ricardt’s lips, so he had no choice but to drink it.

Leaning against one of the pillars, he caught his breath, and before long, drowsiness washed over him. As his eyes gently closed, a voice brushed past his ears.

Someone from across the grand corridor was speaking toward them. It was someone wearing a pointed hood like the one they had seen in the first trapped corridor.

The person was speaking to Ice.

“Traitor.”

Then the man removed his pointed hood, and Ice froze upon seeing his face. He was the priest who had trained Ice when he was young. He was also the one who had made Ice spit on his dead younger brother.

Ice, who had been feeling inexplicably uneasy, now had his trauma erupt in full force. He couldn’t think at all. His breathing was so heavy that even Ricardt with his lung disease had an easier time.

"Is this how I taught you?"

“Who the hell are you?”

Boribori spoke in a tone laced with warning.

But the man ignored Boribori and addressed Ice again like a ghost from the past.

“This is your last chance. His resurrection is imminent. Come to me. Then you and your brother will both be saved. If not, you will suffer in hell forever. Because of you, your brother will fall into hell too.”

“Don’t talk such nonsense!”

Marie, who had been quietly listening, became enraged and drew her sword, aiming to kill him. But just then,

Chaeng!

Ice drew his sword like lightning and struck away Marie’s blade. Shocked by the unexpected blow, Marie stumbled slightly.

She and Boribori both stared at Ice with expressions of disbelief.

With a dazed look in his eyes, Ice stood as though shielding the cult priest, his blade pointed toward his own friends. Hadn’t he been saved? Was he wavering now?

“Hey...”

Boribori called out to Ice with an almost devastated expression. His voice trembled as if this couldn't be happening.

From deep within his chest, feelings of disappointment and betrayal slowly crept upward. It felt like all their shared memories of friendship had been lies.

“Haa, haa, haa...”

Ice could only gasp for breath without saying anything.

“That’s right. Ice, kill those unbelievers. Even if you die fighting, it’s fine. It’s martyrdom, and you will go to heaven.”

But even now, Ice couldn’t bring himself to attack his friends. He appeared to be suffering immensely, torn by overwhelming internal conflict. Still, the tip of his sword remained pointed.

Boribori felt as if his heart was being torn apart. How could this be happening? Could a human even do such a thing? They had even accepted him even if he was a heretic. They had protected him when the Order was being hunted down.

Now anger started to boil inside him, so much so that he was nearly brought to tears.

“Marie, take Ricky and go. I’ll kill him.”

“Bori...”

Boribori spoke toward Ice.

“To be honest, I didn’t like you from the very beginning. Still, I was grateful for some things. But you know what, Ice...”

Boribori’s eyes turned red as he slowly drew his sword. Memories of the past flashed through his mind.

“You’re no match for me now.”

****

For more chapters, you can check out my Patreon here –> https://patreon.com/warriorsballad