Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 156: A telepathic conversation with a curse

I kicked the mangled head of Zahhi, now pinned beneath the roots that had grown, several times. I did it not out of vengeance for the torment he’d put us through, but because I still harbored a faint glimmer of hope that he might yet be alive.

Though my intuition told me he was long dead, my rational mind couldn’t completely let go of the possibility. After all, no matter how many times we’d struck him or subjected him to spiritual arts, he would be swiftly healed, and he continued to resist even as the tree sprouted from his chest. With such tenacious vitality, it was only natural to remain doubtful, wasn’t it?

After making sure that my kicks elicited no response from him, I noticed Master was breathing a sigh of relief as well. It seemed he shared my sentiments. Perhaps Jude, who still lay prone nearby, would have shown the same reaction if he were conscious.

“Speaking of which, Master, is Jude okay?”

“Yeah! The lad’s just lost consciousness from overexertion after boosting his blood flow to staunch the bleeding! You can’t expect any less from a tough mercenary like him! Gahahaha!”

When Master checked, it appeared that Jude had not met his end. We were all battered and bruised, but we had emerged victorious against that overwhelmingly powerful monstrosity. Because he was so strong, I felt more relief than joy, and I couldn’t quite muster the enthusiasm to celebrate our victory.

Moreover, we couldn’t wholeheartedly revel in our victory because we couldn’t claim it as a win solely achieved by our own strength. In reality, it was the mysterious tree that sprouted from Zahhi’s chest that essentially cornered him and delivered the final blow.

However, I’m devoid of the vanity associated with a warrior’s pride. Hence, I felt no shame in crediting the victory to the tree and its roots. Rather, I offered my heartfelt gratitude to this tree, which could be called my savior.

[I shall thank you too.]

“!?”

Immediately after I internally expressed my gratitude, I heard a voice directly in my head. I understood it because I could use it. It was telepathy. I wouldn’t have been surprised by this alone, but the issue was the source of the telepathy. I had a hunch that it came from the tree that sprouted from Zahhi’s body.

Telepathy seemed to have reached Master as well, as he stared wide-eyed at the tree. I timidly attempted telepathy towards the tree right in front of me.

[Who are you…?]

[I am a curse. The lingering obsession of one who once existed, or perhaps just the remnants.]

A female voice, serene yet devoid of inflection, responded to my question with an ethereal quality that made it hard for me to believe it belonged to a “curse”. While I had posed the question, it appeared that the telepathy was reaching Master as well; his already wide eyes seemed to widen further. It was to the extent that I worried his eyeballs might roll right out of their sockets if he opened them any wider.

Setting aside Master’s reaction, upon hearing the word “curse”, I finally recalled Asumi’s story. It was about a curse that caused trees to sprout from within the gods’ bodies, leading to the demise of the gods of the Khan race.

[Are you a god from another continent, then?]

[No, that is not the case. I am merely a curse. I do not know the identity or name of the one who left this curse behind.]

According to Asumi’s account, the Khan race’s gods had perished due to a curse left by a god they had destroyed. Given that we were engaging in a seemingly ordinary conversation, I assumed the “curse” must have been some form of lingering spirit….but, it appeared to be a potent and sophisticated form of spiritual technique, one so formidable that it retained its power even beyond death and allowed for coherent communication.

[All I possess is the awareness of being this curse and the obligation to eliminate its target. I am grateful to you for aiding me in fulfilling that duty.]

[No, we also had our reasons to confront that man for our own sake. In fact, you saved us. Had you not attacked from within, I would have been crushed underfoot. Thank you once again for your help.]

Even though I was being offered gratitude, it was thanks to this curse that I am alive, so I felt like I should be the one expressing gratitude, and being thanked in return left me somewhat uncomfortable.

Crack, crack…

Just after I conveyed my gratitude once more, I heard a sound resembling the cracking of something dry within the cursed tree. To my astonishment, hairline fractures appeared across the entirety of the tree.

Furthermore, these cracks were expanding rapidly, and the pitch-black leaves were losing their color and turning pure white as they fell off. What on earth was happening?

[I’ll say it once more; I am but a curse. Naturally, once one part of its purpose has been fulfilled, I shall cease to exist.]

[That means…huh?]

She, or whatever she could be called, had a singular purpose: to bring about the downfall of Zahhi. It was only natural that the curse’s effect would dissipate once its purpose had been accomplished. It was only natural that she would disappear.

As I watched my grateful benefactor slowly fade away, I found myself at a loss for words. I wasn’t sure what to say, but there was one thing in her words that piqued my curiosity.

[One part, you say?]

[Yes. I will fulfill the other part from now on.]

No sooner had she spoken than a new transformation occurred within the tree. The bark was withering, and amidst the falling leaves, there was one branch that retained its vitality. On that branch, a single white and lovely flower bloomed… only to wither instantly.

But it didn’t end there. A fruit grew where the flower had withered. The fruit grew rapidly, and within seconds, it turned a pale peach color and emitted a captivatingly sweet and fragrant aroma.

[To destroy the gods, and in the process, use the stolen power to grow a seed. That is the purpose of the curse, which is me.]

[In order to be reborn as a new life?]

[No, it’s not that. The existence that left the curse behind has already perished and returned to this world. When this seed grows, there’s no possibility of the original existence behind the curse coming back to life. It’s not rebirth; it’s simply fulfilling the innate desire engraved in the curse’s purpose—to leave behind a seed.]

It seemed like an act dictated by the instincts of plants—to leave behind a seed. This explanation felt more intuitively acceptable than the idea of resurrection.

However, there was something even more intriguing than that. It was, of course, the fruit emitting a sweet aroma that tantalized my appetite beyond measure.

Though bearing fruit to create a seed might be merely a byproduct of the tree in front of me, I couldn’t deny the strong urge I felt to sink my teeth into it right away. For someone like me, who could easily be described as having a penchant for all sweet things, it was exceptionally enticing.

[…I fear I may soon lose the ability to converse. Is there anything else you would like to know?]

[Well, it may sound somewhat rude, but… Would it be okay to eat that fruit?]

[That’s acceptable, but you must not eat the seed. If you do, you will fall under the curse.]

Eating the flesh of the fruit was fine, but I would be cursed if I ate the seed. It would be wise to assume that breaking this prohibition would lead to a fate similar to Zahhi’s. I absolutely didn’t want to experience the torment of that hellish ordeal or face certain death. I decided to take out the seed first.

After leaving behind that message, no telepathic words were sent from the tree again. Even the branch bearing the only remaining glossy fruit developed cracks and seemed on the verge of splitting.

“Oh, careful…!”

Just then, the ripe fruit made a soft popping sound as it detached from the branch. I hurriedly caught it, preventing it from hitting the ground.

I gazed at the fruit in my hand with deep interest. It was nearly perfectly spherical in shape, with a surface covered in a short, soft fuzz of a pale peach color. It fit snugly in my hand, but it felt considerably heavier than it looked; it felt almost like a metal ball.

The weight surprised me, but what struck me even more profoundly was the incredible fragrance that enveloped me the moment it landed in my hand. Inhaling the sweet yet refreshing aroma, it felt as though a blade had pierced my brain; this was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

I knew it was dangerous; it was sort of similar to an appetite-enhancing drug. Even though I could create deadly poisons myself, my defenses seemed useless as my mouth was inexplicably drawn towards the fruit. My mouth had already started salivating. Yet my inner rationality reminded me that this was a battlefield, so I hadn’t yet given in to temptation.

“Gahahaha! Why hold back when your favorite treat is right in front of you? Just eat it without any reservations!”

“But…”

“It’s unusual for you not to notice your surroundings! As soon as that golden-armored figure died, the enemy fled from that fortress! Look at the fortress!”

Master pointed, and on the broken outer walls, soldiers from the coalition army were hoisting their respective flags. Just as Master had said, a group of armored soldiers and self-propelled artillery were seen retreating northward.

The descendant of the gods was powerful, especially since the emergence of his “other self”. His power reached a different realm of strength, and considering the consistent dominance he had displayed, it seemed entirely possible that he could have annihilated this entire army single-handedly had he truly unleashed his full might.

However, the golden-armored soldier’s defeat shattered the enemy’s morale. While I could understand the urge to flee, doing so in disarray was a grave mistake. It left your vulnerable rear exposed and led to isolation.

Even now, those who had become isolated were being overrun by the cavalry who had set out in pursuit. Some were stabbed in their vital spots from behind, while others had their heads severed by swords. The pursuing cavalrymen showed no mercy whatsoever; this was likely a consequence of the atrocities committed by the Republican Army in the previous battles.

There was a limit to the pursuit, so it was impossible to eliminate them all. However, it was clear that many armored soldiers would be slain before it was all over. What percentage of them would manage to escape?

“We’re heading to the fortress too! Finish eating before then!”

“Master, aren’t you going to eat it?”

“No need! I’ve decided that my first meal after the battle will be a drink! Gahahahahaha!”

Master shook his head while laughing heartily. Alcohol… I would faint after just one sip, so I couldn’t appreciate the taste, let alone the pleasure of it. This was the one aspect where Master and I disagreed.

If he wasn’t going to eat, I wouldn’t hold back. After swallowing a gulp of saliva, I sank my teeth greedily into the juicy fruit, giving in to my desire. Huh, this is…!?

“…Huh, it doesn’t taste like anything?”

The aroma was so enticing that I could hardly think of anything else, but when the fruit touched my tongue, it barely had any flavor. The fragrance lingering in my mouth was still exquisite, and the flesh was rich in moisture, quenching my thirst.

However, the crucial taste was almost nonexistent. It had a faint sweetness, but it fell far short of the expectations I had. My disappointment was big.

With mixed feelings, I gathered the scattered shards of the white sword and slid them into the scabbard, and just in case, I put the sword that Zahhi had created on my waist. Then, carrying Jude, who was still asleep and unwilling to waste any of the fruit, I munched on it while heading towards the fortress alongside Master.

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TN: for those who forgot, Asumi told our mc how the Khan gods attacked the “Divine Tree of the Spiritual Mountain” to gain control of the great forest; they killed a lot of individuals on the great forest before they reached the sacred peak. The tree is the one responsible for such curse.

TN: there are still a lot of mysteries btw; like how did Zahhi resurrect in his descendant’s body?