I Became the Only Reptile in the Community

Chapter 60

—–CROW—– 

*Whoosh.*

-Kyaaaaaack!!

A scream unlike any I had heard before from the Wraith echoed through the cemetery.

The flames I had unleashed, though small, had touched it, instantly spreading and engulfing it.

The fire I used was the purest, closest to the essence of fire qi.

Naturally, it was extremely effective against a Wraith, born from a coalescence of grudges.

[Answer me. Then I will extinguish the flames.]

-Kyaaaaa!

-Um, El? Can it even answer while it’s burning?

[That mercilessness… reminds me of Black Despair-nim when he faced us.]

“That’s El for you! So cool and relentless!”

*Ahem.*

[I want to know one thing. Where are the humans? If you tell me, I will end your suffering.]

-Huh. Why are you looking for humans?

[That’s none of your business, Lakea.]

Yes, I couldn’t reveal why I was looking for humans.

Even Silphy and Cheong couldn’t know this secret.

How could I tell them that I was originally human and wanted to see how humans lived?

‘I originally intended to resolve the Wraith’s grudge peacefully…’

But its target bothered me.

Judging by the atmosphere, to gain the Wraith’s cooperation, I would have to either break Lakea or help the Wraith resolve its anger.

But sacrificing Lakea like this bothered me.

‘Even if it’s just the same name, it’s strangely unsettling.’

Outwardly, it didn’t resemble the holy sword Lakea at all… but my gamer’s intuition told me I shouldn’t let this go.

[So, change of plans. Wraith, if you don’t want to be annihilated, cooperate with me.]

-Wow, a villain! You’re worse than my previous contractor!

This guy.  Did it really just say that to the Imugi who was helping it?

-Keeeee.

[I think you can talk now.]

As I suppressed the flames burning the Wraith, smoke billowed from its body, and it turned its attention fully towards me.

It glared at me silently, seemingly displeased with my actions.

*Tsssss.*

[Hmm?]

-I… want… revenge… death… destruction…

[Is your target Lakea?]

-Yes… cursed sword… death… sacrifice…

So, if I interpreted the fragmented words correctly, the grudges that formed the Wraith were those sacrificed as offerings to Lakea?

[Just how many people have you killed?]

-Huh? I don’t know. I spent every day covered in blood. How would I know?

Well, it wouldn’t have such dense death qi otherwise.

It was so potent that I wanted to cut off the tail holding it right then and there.

It felt like I was touching something I shouldn’t be, draining me both physically and mentally.

[Breaking Lakea is difficult right now.]

-Right now? So you mean it’s okay later?

Of course.

If this cursed sword Lakea had nothing to do with the holy sword Lakea, there would be no reason to keep such a dangerous weapon around.

‘But there’s no need to tell it that.’

I was already exhausted dealing with the Wraith; adding Lakea to the mix would be too much.

[Now, Wraith. Speak. Where are the humans?]

-…River… north… beyond the waterfall…

[Good. It’s so much better when you’re cooperative.]

-Revenge…

[Don’t worry. If Lakea isn’t what I think it is, I’ll erase it from this world myself.]

-Hey?! What do you mean, erase me, you snake head!

Did it realize I was serious?

The Wraith, with a strangely relieved air, slowly descended and lay on the ground.

As if a person had entered eternal rest in a coffin.

-…Please…

[Yes. I’ll keep my promise.]

-Keep it?! Don’t keep it! Even if my body is in this half-assed state, I don’t want to die!

Ignoring Lakea’s noisy protests, I breathed even hotter flames than before onto the motionless Wraith.

Hot enough to incinerate it completely without giving it time to feel pain.

*Whoosh.*

-Wh-What kind of fire is this hot?!

[Now, it’s your turn.]

-W-Wait! Even so, I don’t want to die yet!

“It’s suddenly speaking formally to El?”

-It’s probably scared to death. Literally.

[Thanks to Black Despair-nim, the ghost disturbance will finally be settled.]

I confirmed that the Wraith had been completely annihilated by my flames.

A few items, the kind Wraiths dropped in “Save Earth Hero,” were scattered on the ground, and I lifted them with the wind.

‘Traces of the Deceased and Tattered Cloth Scraps.’

The Traces of the Deceased looked like broken mirror shards, and the Tattered Cloth Scraps were, as the name suggested, pieces of tattered cloth.

‘Completely useless items.’

As I examined the items, commonly considered junk, I casually created a flame to burn them, but just then…

-W-Wait!

Lakea suddenly stopped me.

-That broken mirror shard thing. Can you give it to me?

[This?]

-Y-Yes! That! You were about to burn it with that cloth, right? It looks useless, so give it to me!

Lakea boldly asked me for the Traces of the Deceased.

To me, they were just useless junk, but if someone needed them, that was a different story.

[Then what will you give me in return?]

-But you were going to get rid of it anyway?

[But you want it, don’t you? You weren’t planning on getting it for free, were you?]

Even if it was useless to me, if it held value for someone else, I couldn’t just give it away.

It might have seemed like a merchant’s mindset, but I also wanted something from Lakea, so I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

-So, what do you want?

[First, tell me what you plan to do with it.]

-I was going to repair my body.

[With this?]

What? The Traces of the Deceased I knew had no effect on repairing weapons.

They were just remnants of the deceased’s memories, with no other effect.

That’s why I called them junk.

‘But Lakea plans to repair its body with this?’

How?

-Judging by your face, you’re curious how I can fix my body with this.

[Yes, I am. So explain.]

-You said that Wraith had a grudge against me, right?

I nodded.

That’s why the Wraith lingered around Lakea, radiating hostility.

-That means they’re the ones who died by my hand when they were alive.  I can recover by absorbing the fear of those who feel terror towards me.

[A truly cursed sword-like ability.]

-Well, I am a cursed sword.

So it planned to recover by absorbing the fear contained within the Traces of the Deceased, the fear directed towards Lakea.

“I object!”

-I object too. Restoring such a dangerous weapon… there’s no need to create trouble.

[I also think helping that cursed sword is a bad idea.]

The trio, having heard my conversation with Lakea, unanimously rejected its request.

The reason was, of course, Lakea’s nature as a cursed sword.

Its death qi was already terrifyingly dense; who knew what would happen if it recovered?

“I’d rather get rid of that sword right now.”

-Me too.

[I agree.]

Now they were even suggesting destroying Lakea.

I relayed their responses to Lakea.

-W-What?! Why destroy me?! What did I do wrong?!

[Didn’t you say you killed people?]

-What does that have to do with you?! You’d kill humans too if you met them!

Lakea shouted, raising its voice in desperation.

Only the wolf divine beast flinched at its words.

“Why are you trembling?”

-Are you perhaps…

[N-No! I’ve never killed a human! Please believe me!]

-If you didn’t, you didn’t. Why react so strongly? You look suspicious.

At Silphy’s words, the wolf divine beast lowered its head and averted its gaze.

Did it have something to hide?

[Then, Lakea, I have a question for you.]

-Y-Yes! Ask me anything!

[Do you know Raine?]

-Raine? Isn’t that the Goddess’s name?

Yes, Raine was the name of a Goddess.

But that wasn’t the answer I was looking for.

[Do you have some kind of connection to Raine?]

-No… I’m a cursed sword? Logically, I shouldn’t be connected to a Goddess, right?

But the holy sword Lakea was a weapon imbued with a fragment of the Goddess Raine.

Combined with its characteristic as an Ego Weapon, it was one of the most special swords among the holy swords.

‘So it really has no connection to Raine?’

It didn’t feel like it was lying.

Seeing it genuinely puzzled by the association with a Goddess only deepened my thoughts.

‘How can I find a connection to Lakea?’

Even if I couldn’t find a connection, how could I obtain definitive proof to refute my current theory?

‘As always… when I don’t know, I have to ask here.’

[Anyone know about the holy sword Lakea’s lore?]

-Author: DragonSnack

Heroes of the gallery, lend me your aid once more!

—–CROW—– 

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