Chapter 175

Chapter 175
Chapter 175: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Lion gazed at the pitch-black environment, letting out a silent, internal exhale.

Entering Story Mode was, all things considered, a positive turn of events.

Truthfully, ever since he had managed to collect even a small portion of the Hero’s scattered relics, he had been hoping for Story Mode to trigger at least once.

It was bound to contain entirely different content compared to what he experienced when he first acquired the Ability Nullification Accessory Set.

He figured it was likely displaying the final memory associated with the artifact.

Specifically, the moment it changed hands from its original owner to someone else.

If that held true, vital and closely guarded secrets would undoubtedly surface during this sequence.

The Fragment of the Spirit Sword.

‘That was exclusively wielded by the Main Character.’

Even without having witnessed this specific Story Mode yet, that single fact had solidified.

The Hero in this era was undeniably the very same Main Character Lion had poured an immense amount of time and effort into cultivating.

That realization alone was enough to untangle one deeply knotted question.

…And yet, minor loose ends still persisted.

‘What became of the Sub Characters?’

It was certain they operated within the exact same timeline as the Main Character.

The most compelling proof of this was Nature alongside the Evil Beast’s Egg.

In particular, Nature, who functioned as a Spirit bound to a Druid.

And more importantly, the fact that she recognized him.

‘At the very beginning, I even wondered if an alternate world might be involved…’

That hypothesis had already been disproven.

After all, his grandfather was well acquainted with Nature.

Which could only mean one thing.

‘…It genuinely existed right here.’

The Main Character and the Sub Characters undoubtedly shared the same reality.

Deducing that much meant he had already secured a massive advantage.

Doesn’t this mean he could now systematically piece together information concerning both the Hero and his supporters?

However…

‘The timing of all this… it’s disastrous.’

Of all moments! He was currently moving in disguise to keep his identity hidden, standing right in the presence of the Second Prince.

If Story Mode was projecting these historical events as a dreamlike state, it meant he would acquire the Fragment of the Spirit Sword and then abruptly lose consciousness.

‘My disguise will almost certainly fail as well.’

That directly implied his true identity would be exposed.

He could already visualize with painful clarity how the situation would unravel from that point onward.

Once the Second Prince discovered who he was, he would instantly summon Rikschel, and word would spread.

He had passed out!

If that happened, news would inevitably reach his grandfather too…

‘I could be stuck recovering for months.’

Imagine hearing that your grandchild, who had been perfectly fine, suddenly collapsed out of nowhere.

And to make matters worse, he collapsed directly in front of the Second Prince?

‘That’s bound to raise suspicion.’

The Second Prince, not him!

Even if it was entirely accidental, the Second Prince would likely face severe repercussions.

Rikschel had explicitly warned that if any complications arose regarding this matter, he would withdraw his support from the Second Prince entirely.

‘Sip.’

I really don’t want things to spiral out of control because of me…

‘Best to stay calm for now.’

It’s water under the bridge.

There was no way to reverse it, no matter how desperately he tried to scoop up the spilled water.

So, what course of action should he take?

‘I need to salvage whatever else I can.’

Any clues regarding the Hero or the Demon Race would suffice.

Yet…

‘It’s entirely silent.’

Previously, the sequence had begun before Lion could even fully regain his senses.

He recalled feeling quite frustrated back then because his vision and hearing were impaired.

Right now, however, the exact opposite was happening.

Nothing had initiated.

Everything remained pitch-black, as though a system error had crashed the loading screen.

Even Lion, who typically maintained his composure under pressure, couldn’t help wondering if something had gone wrong.

Finally, the seemingly endless abyss parted ways, and the external world drifted into focus.

Or rather, the vessel inhabited by Lion blinked open its eyes.

The ceiling of a dimly lit room came into view, and as he turned his head, a coarse bedsheet filled the edge of his peripheral vision.

Lion pushed aside his curiosity about the identity of the person whose body he was occupying, choosing instead to concentrate on reading the momentum of the environment.

Just beyond the bedsheet, two figures knelt on a single knee; one was a remarkably swaggering youth, while the other was…

‘…The Second Prince.’

He laid eyes on the Second Prince, who appeared significantly younger than he did in the present day.

Judging by the lingering baby fat on his face, he looked even younger than Rikschel was currently…

‘Come to think of it, my vision is exceptionally sharp.’

Lion picked up on a distinct detail.

The scenario was unfolding with far greater vividness than the previous Story Mode.

The world remained drained of color, rendered in monochromatic tones like an aging photograph, yet it wasn’t so obscured that he failed to recognize faces.

Furthermore…

“Life is something you live once, magnificently, and then it’s over.”

The voice of an old man, clearly possessed of immense spirit in his prime, rang out clearly.

At the exact same moment, Lion’s perspective shifted once again.

It appeared the body had pulled itself into a sitting posture.

Judging by how unstable the vision grew with every intake of breath, the original owner of this shell was likely running out of borrowed time.

Fortunately, physical pain was absent, but even the simple act of breathing laid bare how exhausted and heavy this body had become.

Additionally, the two individuals standing before him struggled to mask their deep unease.

Their trembling gazes soon carried an expression of grim resignation, with one of them quickly turning away as though unable to stomach the sight.

‘…Ah.’

Lion successfully pieced together a logical deduction.

Someone tied to the Hero, connected to the Second Prince, and belonging to this generation.

Jack.

He was a veteran member of the Hero’s party who had fought side by side with Grandfather against the Demon Race, notorious for constantly bickering with Grandfather Petrick due to his abrasive temperament.

…Yet, as if testifying to the cruelty of time, Jack’s hands, resting within his line of sight, were covered in deep wrinkles and weathered scars.

“Did you commit a sin?”

Despite that, the words escaping his lips carried a different tone entirely.

As though it were nothing out of the ordinary.

The two men wore dark, solemn expressions as they stared at him strangely, letting out a harsh breath before chuckling bitterly.

“Don’t just stand way over there, come closer.”

Even so, it was merely a beckoning gesture, and his physical form remained entirely stationary.

Fortunately, the two complied without offering any resistance.

“Kyle.”

Jack addressed the Second Prince—far younger now than in their current era—and fished an object out of his pocket to hand over.

It was an item Lion instantly recognized.

The Fragment of the Spirit Sword, which the Second Prince had ultimately passed down to him.

“Listen closely to what I’m about to say.”

Jack began briefing Kyle regarding the Fragment of the Spirit Sword.

He offered no elaborate explanations. It matched the exact phrasing Kyle had once used when explaining it to Lion.

He followed up with a few pieces of advice delivered in a harsh, unyielding tone.

The Imperial Palace was bound to be a viper’s nest of entirely different political intrigues than their current surroundings…

“Not a single person will be on your side, and there won’t be anyone left for you to trust. So survive by applying everything I’ve taught you up to this point.”

These were remarkably cruel sentiments to hurl at a child who still retained the rounded features of youth.

Perhaps he spoke with such deliberate coldness simply to prevent forming emotional attachments.

“…And if.”

Jack paused, his mouth clamping shut as though swallowing down a bitter pill, before forcing himself to continue.

“If the day comes when you are forced to live your life without this artifact… then, hand it over as a bounty to whoever manages to save your life. Do you understand?”

It appeared Jack’s dying wish was the sole reason he had so readily surrendered the Fragment of the Spirit Sword to Lion in the future.

‘If that’s the case, was it purely a coincidence?’

It suddenly made logical sense that a chain of improbable coincidences had allowed the Fragment of the Spirit Sword to land in Lion’s possession by pure chance.

In this context, this vision was merely offering a window into the Second Prince’s past.

While fascinating, it held no immediate practical use for Lion.

‘…I’ll watch a little longer.’

Since the Story Mode showed no indication of concluding, Lion pushed aside his lingering questions and stared fixedly ahead, much like an audience member watching a screen.

“…I understand.”

“Hmph. Don’t go getting all sentimental on me, it doesn’t suit your style. Go fetch that fellow.”

Why on earth would an old man who had spent his entire life pushing people off metaphorical cliffs suddenly display such tenderness?

It felt entirely out of character for an old man whose specialty was tossing people into perilous situations to show pity.

Tch. Beneath his prickly, eccentric facade, a distinct hint of melancholy lingered at the tail end of his sentence.

That sentiment only intensified when another figure stepped forward.

“Why have you let yourself grow so frail? I can’t even put up a proper defense when you try picking my pockets.”

The conclusion of his calm statement trembled slightly.

Yet, the idiot immediately resumed spouting insults.

Perhaps this was simply their unique way of expressing affection.

“Jack.”

“……”

“From here on out, you are Jack. Do you grasp that?”

Perhaps this particular youth was destined to become the next underworld boss.

In other words, he was about to step into the role of the individual known as ‘Jack’.

“I’ve already hammered the necessary survival knowledge into your head, so I have no intention of repeating myself.”

The previous Jack, now stepping down as the predecessor, let out a dry chuckle as he retrieved another item from his pocket to hand over.

However…

‘…I can’t make it out.’

Oddly enough, that specific object was shrouded in visual static, rendering it impossible to observe clearly.

The most he could estimate was its compact size, small enough to be tucked neatly into a pocket.

“I lifted this from that same person’s pocket as well. Its actual function is…”

The audio cut out abruptly once more beneath a crackling burst of interference.

‘Stolen from the same pocket implies…’

It likely meant that item belonged to the Hero as well. In other words, the Main Character.

Securing that particular relic might very well trigger yet another Story Mode, unlocking entirely new historical truths.

“…So keep it safe. As for you… well, you’ll figure it out eventually. That’s all for today. You’re dismissed.”

The moment his instructions concluded, the predecessor gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

“I require sleep.”

True to his stubborn nature, he flopped back down onto the mattress without waiting for assistance.

This, without a doubt, marked the final act of the former Jack.

Lion’s perspective drifted back toward the dark ceiling, flickering sluggishly, fading by degrees.

Following that, heavy, profound silence reclaimed the space.

Presumably, the Story Mode had terminated simultaneously with Jack’s passing.

The emotional weight of it all… honestly felt quite bitter.

Witnessing someone’s demise was never a pleasant experience. Furthermore, it struck a deeper chord simply because it marked the end of Jack—a character he had grown genuinely fond of, even if it originated from a game setting.

‘No, I need to pull myself together.’

Ultimately, the previous Jack’s death belonged to a distant historical era.

Experiencing it firsthand through the medium of Story Mode had simply magnified his emotional response.

Lion drew a slow, stabilizing breath internally to整理 his thoughts.

Regrettably, he hadn’t uncovered any direct clues regarding the Hero himself, but he had walked away with a crucial piece of new intelligence.

‘Jack successfully pilfered two artifacts from the Hero’s inventory.’

One was the Fragment of the Spirit Sword, while the other remained an unidentified mystery.

Leveraging the Second Prince might provide a path to identifying that missing artifact, but that route required careful strategic planning.

Approaching the Second Prince to fish for details about Jack’s background under these current conditions carried considerable risk.

He might immediately shut him down, questioning whether that was his hidden agenda all along.

Therefore, maintaining his current disguise while quietly withdrawing was the optimal play.

Simply discovering the general whereabouts of the Main Character’s belongings constituted a massive victory.

There was no longer any need to blindly comb through the entire continent.

However…

‘…Why isn’t this waking up?’

By all accounts, it should have been time to snap back to reality, yet his vision remained stubbornly shrouded in blackness.

He initially assumed the Story Mode had concluded, but that clearly wasn’t the case.

Usually, an abrupt physical jolt signaled the transition back to consciousness.

‘That implies I am still…’

Trapped inside Jack’s consciousness.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, a faint acoustic vibration reached his ears.

What initially registered as white noise steadily amplified in volume.

Instinct informed Lion precisely what was occurring.

A residual resonance.

Fragments of memory flowing together in an unbroken continuity.

…This was bound to contain critical information.

Lion shut his eyes tightly, diving even deeper into the depths of that lingering awareness.

……

……

……

The sensation of suffocation suddenly gave way to effortless breathing.

The acoustic echoes of memory, previously faint and distant, washed over him fully.

“Now that the conflict has finally drawn to a close, why did you summon me here?”

The opening dialogue consisted of Jack’s characteristically gruff inquiry.

And the individual who responded to his prompt was none other than…

“I have a personal favor to ask of you.”

The Hero.

The very first character Lion had meticulously built from the ground up.