The Academy’s Doomed Young Lord Dies Ten Thousand Times

Chapter 43 - Judgement for Judgement (4)

Splash, splash.

I was walking through the sewers late at night. Just as I had done twelve times before.

‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.’

‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.’

My gaze was fixed on the right wall of the sewer. As always, it was to count the pattern of the bricks.

At first, I would forget the brick count or get lost, but now I was getting proficient.

And-.

‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.’

‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…….’

After a little while, I was able to find it.

Judgment’s hideout.

As always, I drew my pistol and aimed it at the wall.

And, I fired.

KABOOM-!

A roar that was unbelievable for a pistol echoed through the sewers. The wall exploded and shattered, sending up clouds of dust and dirt.

And.

“……Ah, foolish ones. So slow, so very slow to notice…….”

A familiar line flowed from the wall. It was a voice that sounded like scratching metal, or perhaps boiling.

And not long after, I could spot Judgment.

The skin that writhed like maggots, the lizard-like head, and the vaguely remaining human body always induced a sense of disgust.

……Because of that, I might have felt a little sadness.

***

In fact, the boss known as Judgment, as I mentioned before, was not a boss with a straightforward story. His story only existed in the background; it wasn't delivered to players through scripts.

But Judgment’s storytelling had a certain poignancy to it. The method of deducing the past of a boss who could no longer speak human language through a journal from his sane days… that kind of method.

Judgment was a boss to whom that storytelling method was well applied, and so, as I fought him, various thoughts about his past came to mind.

And through twelve regressions—and through the special situation I was in—I might have come to sympathize with Judgment a little more.

“Revenge…… Judgment……”

Judgment’s first opening pattern, Shared Chains, was cast.

《 Stats 》

[ Strength : D- > B ]

[ Agility : C+ > B ]

[ Stamina : D- > B ]

[ Intellect : B ]

[ Mana : F+ > B ]

[ Dexterity : B+ ]

As I mentioned before, his backstory was that he was framed and unjustly exiled. And that setting somehow resembled my current situation.

Of course, the severity couldn't even be compared. But in terms of the direction of the heart, or something like that.

“Judgment… is my right……”

As Judgment’s second opening pattern—Judgment Space—was cast, the surroundings shimmered with indigo flames.

I raised 『Spellbinder』 to counter him.

『Spellbinder』

-Grade : Epic (Unique)

-Durability : 500/500

-Attack Power : 75

Unique Ability, [ Spellbinding ] : Consumes 3 durability to reflect an enemy’s magic.

: A sword that allowed an old knight to stand against mages, who were called the natural enemies of knights. It is very well-maintained.

“Knights…… die……!”

As he swung his writhing left arm, the mass of mana in his left hand flew towards me.

But-.

Fwoosh-!

As I swung my sword, precisely matching the trajectory of the incoming mana mass, the mana mass was deflected and flew back towards Judgment.

Fwoosh-.

“Kyaaauuuuuggh-!”

An unpleasant scream, as if from somewhere between a human and a monster, echoed.

But I couldn't hesitate here. I quickly approached the struggling Judgment.

“Knights… Knights, Knights-!!”

Judgment shouted. He showed an absolute hatred for knights. Even though he was once a noble knight himself.

Slice-!

I swung my sword and cut through Judgment’s skin. I felt a sensation like cutting through a pile of maggots.

“Aaaaaaaargh!!”

I had landed two effective hits in a row, but I couldn't let my guard down. There was a vicious pattern he used when I got close.

Judgment flinched from the attack and crouched down, but I didn't press for more attacks. And the reason for that was-.

Swoosh-!

The crouching Judgment flew at me without any warning. There was no preparatory motion whatsoever.

This was Judgment’s infamous charge pattern. A hellish pattern with no time to react.

But.

Thud-!

I threw myself to the side a beat faster and extended my sword to where I had been.

Kagagagagak-.

As a result, Judgment, who had charged to where I was, ended up rushing towards the blade. Having run into the sword at such a high speed, he looked to have taken considerable damage.

“Ahhh, ahh. Ahh, ahh!! By my side, why is there no one-!!”

According to Judgment’s journal, which could be seen in , when Judgment was framed and fell from grace, no one defended him.

Even his comrades-in-arms, with whom he had shared life and death and believed to be true friends, were no exception.

‘That’s probably why that noble knight fell so miserably and became a murderer.’

When I read Judgment’s journal, there was a passage I still remember.

[Hardship was not frightening. But when I realized that those I believed without a doubt would share that hardship with me were the hardship itself, I was so very afraid.]

Thud-!

I leaped once more and plunged my sword into Judgment, who was embedded in the wall.

The target was the large wound he had sustained from leaping at me earlier.

Slice-!

Judgment’s maggot-like wounds had the characteristic of healing if left alone. Because of this, if a wound was created, I had to focus my attacks on that part to widen the wound so it wouldn't heal.

“Ah, aaaaaah-!! I hate, I will kill, I will judge-!!”

Through the series of events mentioned earlier, Judgment, who had despaired of humans and knights, encountered some divine being.

He bestowed upon Judgment a power that was no different from a curse, and it was described as amplifying his malice.

Thus, Judgment became a murderer. A murderer infinitely close to a monster.

Woooo-.

Cornered, Judgment once again created a dark indigo flame in his left hand and threw it as if in a last-ditch effort. But-.

Fwoosh-!

I once again swung my sword to match the trajectory of the incoming flame and-.

Fwoosh-!

The fireball flew into Judgment’s open wound, inflicting even greater damage.

“Ka… Ah, ahh…….”

His voice was fading. He looked like he was about to die, but his desperation pattern still remained. A pattern he uses when his health drops below 15%.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but I thought of Judgment as another possibility for myself.

A me who chose to kill people out of hatred.

A me who didn't have Serene around when I was being criticized for false rumors.

A me who didn't have Yuna around when I was being criticized for false rumors.

A me who didn't have Khan around when I was being criticized for false rumors.

A me who didn't have Arien around when I was being criticized for false rumors.

A me who didn't have Regina around when I was being criticized for false rumors.

……Regina’s case was a bit ambiguous, but anyway.

Not all of them actively took my side. Khan and Arien’s stance was that they didn’t care, and Regina’s approach was more business-like.

But just by not believing the rumors were true, they were a comfort to me. Of course, what happened with Yuna yesterday was… especially so.

On the other hand, judging by his journal’s descriptions, it seemed Judgment couldn't feel even that little bit of comfort.

Maggot-like things began to squirm inside his body. They glowed with a dark indigo light and began to prepare to release mana.

This was his desperation pattern. Piercing his own skin and exploding the mana inside.

During this pattern, Judgment, who usually moved frantically, becomes fixed in place.

And to break through this pattern, a way to quickly project firepower is required.

What does that mean?

I took out 『Outlaw』 from my pocket.

『Outlaw++』

Grade : Epic

Durability : 71/72 (Cannot be repaired)

Attack Power : 450

: A masterpiece firearm that offers top-tier single-shot firepower at the cost of durability, providing an overwhelming advantage in close- to mid-range combat.

I aimed at the one who was about to begin his last struggle.

Click.

It was true that through these recent events, I had come to sympathize with Judgment.

But that didn't mean I could let him live. That was that, and this was this.

Judgment had gone too far. He couldn't return to being human, and he had already killed too many people.

It was certainly sad that he had become a monster.

He was a monster deserving of judgment, just as his name—Judgment—implied.

Therefore, I fired the pistol.

KABOOOOM-!!

Just like the last time I fired, a deafening shot echoed through the sewer.

And, what was left in its place was-.

“Ah, ahh, ahh…….”

The sight of Judgment, moaning pitifully with a large hole in his torso.

***

In fact, it's unknown whether the tale of Judgment's suffering mentioned earlier is true. Since it was only written in his journal, it could have been just a string of self-excuses.

Perhaps he really did commit misdeeds and was just rationalizing his actions through the journal.

But I had no choice but to believe his words.

“……Can you… hear me… Judger……”

A lizard head with skin like a swarm of maggots, alive even with half its body blown away.

That head was speaking human language.

I slowly approached Judgment.

“Yes, I am listening.”

When I answered, Judgment spoke.

“……Thank you… Jud…ger…….”

“…….”

I could only bow my head at those words.

After a brief moment of silence.

“……Judger…… Please answer me……”

Judgment began to speak again.

“Are the…… knights of this era…… our descendants…… true……?”

He was asking at the last moment of his life. Whether the darkness he had experienced had been lifted in this era.

“Are they righteous knights…… who have not lost their justice…… and do not turn a blind eye to corruption……?”

I hesitated for a moment. Whether I should deny or affirm this question.

From the perspective of general morality, denial was correct. I didn't know much about knights, but weren't their very seedlings, the academy cadets, rotten to the core?

Conversely, if the approach was whether there were those who upheld the virtues of a knight, then affirmation was correct. There were still heroes like Serene, Yuna, and Khan who shone brightly upon the world.

“They are-.”

But.

“…….”

Judgment would never hear the answer to that question.

Because he had already passed away.

“……This is also just like the original.”

It was the same in the original . No matter which answer was chosen, Judgment would have already died by the time the player made a choice.

“…….”

I slowly bent my knees. And I closed Judgment’s still-open eyes.

“Predestined harmony, is that what this is.”

I muttered to myself.

Perhaps, this ending was the judgment passed down upon Judgment.

A judgment upon a knight who had lost himself and fallen into a monster. If you think of it that way, it was an ending befitting his name.

Faint moonlight seeping through a ventilation grate was shining down on Judgment.