Chapter 7 : Winter Castle Kreutz (2)

If all the ■■■ Fragments were collected, one might be able to return to Earth.

Although it was merely a speculative post by a single individual, its impact was evident in the comments.

-Anonymous99 : Seems like a decent speculative post for a change?

-KnightCommander : Hmm.

-Gusada : But it's too much of a personal theory. All that's been confirmed so far is that it raises the bulletin board level.

└SpeculativeHeadcanon3 : In a way, I think that means we're getting closer to reality.

└Anonymous99875 : That sounds plausible?

-Anonymous8 : I'm off to collect ■■■ Fragments.

In a way, it was to be expected.

For those who were suddenly dragged into this world, any means of returning home was bound to attract interest.

-LooksLikeIGotFired : Maybe that's why the newbie hunter is going around catching newbies? To take their fragments.

└Anonymous55 : Then it seems pretty obvious that Newdeulbak is the newbie hunter, isn't it?

└Anonymous111 : fr lol

└Newdeulbak77 : [This is a secret comment.]

└Anonymous55 : [This is a secret comment.]

└Anonymous111 : At it again with the secret comments. If you're gonna be like that, why don't you two just get a room~~

-Anonymous12 : Anyone wanna try giving me a ■■■ Fragment to test it out?

└Hakim : Me. Where should we meet?

└Anonymous12 : sry changed my mind.

└Anonymous111 : lmfao that's hilarious.

After reading Newdeulbak77's post and the comments, my suspicion finally turned into certainty.

Just as I thought, the ■■■ Fragment they were talking about was definitely the Ascension Stone Fragment.

Then why was the name 'Ascension Stone', which was clearly visible to me, not visible to them?

‘Don't tell me, it's because I was the one who used the Ascension Stone?’

It was a plausible hypothesis.

After all, I was the one who had single-handedly hunted the Destruction Dragon, which no one else had been able to hunt, and used the Ascension Stone.

‘Of course, I don't know if the fragments they have now are from the Ascension Stone I used…… but circumstantially, it's clear there's some connection.’

I came to this world after hunting the Destruction Dragon Tiamat and using the Ascension Stone that dropped from it.

From that perspective, it was understandable that the name of the Ascension Stone Fragment was visible only to me.

‘Ascension Stone…….’

After thoroughly combing through Newdeulbak77's post and its comments, I searched the bulletin board for more information on the Ascension Stone and the ■■■ Fragment.

[Title Search : Ascension Stone]

[Title Search : ■■■]

[Title Search : Fragment]

Unfortunately, however, this was the limit of the information I could get about the Ascension Stone Fragment from the anonymous bulletin board for now.

Even when I searched for other posts, there was no particularly new information beyond what Newdeulbak77 had already mentioned.

-Anonymous23 : What's this ■■■ Fragment? Where do I get it?

-Anonymous99 : (Speculative post) Regarding the ■■■ Fragment...

-BuyingAndSellingA : Selling ■■■ Fragments. Only accepting Imperial gold coins. Inquire for price.

At best, the various speculative posts written by users were interesting, if you could call them that.

‘For now, I should stop here for today.’

As I was engrossed in the anonymous bulletin board, about an hour had passed before I knew it.

Considering I had to face the harsh daily life of Winter Castle starting tomorrow, I needed to manage my condition to some extent.

This was a place where one wrong step could genuinely lead to death.

As soon as I turned off the bulletin board and closed my eyes, the demon of sleep welcomed me.

My body and mind were so tired that falling asleep wasn't very difficult.

And so, another day passed.

***

“Look at these guys. Living the easy life, huh? Still sleeping? Get up, now!”

What woke me from my sweet, early morning slumber wasn't my usual alarm, but the shout of a Winter Castle soldier.

Normally, I should have had a restless night due to nervousness, but perhaps thanks to the Postponer of Ruin trait, I felt quite refreshed in the morning.

‘A trait related to mentality is definitely a good thing.’

Generally, traits related to mentality are the kind that show their true value more towards the late game rather than the early game, where you're fighting with your bare body.

That was because as the game progressed towards the end, enemies that intervened with or affected one's mind tended to increase.

However, the Postponer of Ruin trait, befitting an EX-grade trait, was showing a very effective side even from the beginning.

‘As expected of an EX-grade trait.’

Unfortunately, my admiration didn't last long.

The soldier who had shouted irritably opened the cell door roughly and dragged me out.

“Move it, move it!”

As I was rushed out of the prison, my eyes met with the prisoners coming out of the other rooms.

They were the prisoners who had been in the transport carriage with me.

The white-haired, skinny man.

The scarred, muscular man.

The woman in the robe.

Although I didn't know their names, their features were so distinct that they were not easily forgotten.

As our eyes met, the white-haired man and the scarred man glared at me as if they were going to eat me alive.

If the soldiers weren't here, they looked ready to pounce at any moment.

“Where are we going?”

At my question, the soldier answered.

“To go through the official enlistment procedures.”

“After the official enlistment procedures, do we become soldiers of Winter Castle?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Thank you for telling me.”

“……You're not like the mages I've heard about.”

Whether it was because we were about to become comrades-in-arms or because he was the type to respond kindly to kind words, the soldier answered my question quite nicely.

The place the soldier took me and the other prisoners to was a training ground within Winter Castle.

It seemed this was where the enlistment procedures took place.

Despite Winter Castle constantly recruiting soldiers due to a perpetual shortage of manpower, the only ones enlisting this time were me and the other three prisoners who had just arrived.

“I've brought them.”

“Right. Good work. Then, let's start with you right away.”

Unintentionally, I became the first to go through the enlistment process.

Whether this was also the escort captain's consideration or just a coincidence, I wasn't too thrilled about being the first.

‘On top of that…… at a glance, he's at least level 3 or higher.’

Considering my own pathetic level right now, he was a relatively formidable powerhouse.

The average level in Winter Castle was so high that someone like him was working a mere administrative job for enlistment instead of standing on the battlefield himself.

“Let's see…… Name: Vell Blackwood, 22 years old, orphan. The charge is…… huh? What is this.”

The enlistment officer read the documents related to me with a somewhat serious expression, then quickly returned to a blank face.

“Is there a problem?”

“No…… Nothing to worry about.”

I wanted to ask more, but since I knew nothing about this person named Vell Blackwood, I didn't know what to ask.

“Your unit, starting today, is the 4th Special Task Force. Next!”

The enlistment process was surprisingly concise and swift.

It was the same for the other prisoners.

“4th Special Task Force. Next!”

“Next!”

“You're the last one? 4th Special Task Force.”

Did the 4th Special Task Force have a massive number of vacancies?

All the prisoners who came with me were assigned to the same 4th Special Task Force as me.

For a coincidence, it was quite remarkable.

“This is great. I was hoping to teach you a lesson sometime.”

“I agree.”

The prisoners who became my squad mates looked at me and smirked.

In the past, I would have been unable to hide my nervousness, but for some reason, my mind was incredibly calm.

‘Hmm…… but isn't it bad to be calm even in a situation like this? It feels like a side effect of the trait.’

As I was having such useless thoughts.

“Ah, you've arrived.”

“Are these the ones?”

The enlistment officer stood up from his seat to greet a newly arrived soldier.

At a glance, he looked like an ordinary middle-aged man you could find anywhere, but the aura he exuded was anything but ordinary.

“I heard there was a pretty useful mage, is that right?”

“Yes. That's what I heard as well.”

“Hmm, it's worth checking out.”

I could feel it.

A dangerous atmosphere that only the strong could exude.

‘At least level 6.’

Even in Winter Castle, known as the shield of the Empire, a powerhouse of level 6 or higher would be rare.

“Nice to meet you. I'm Edric, and starting today, I'll be the captain of the 4th Special Task Force.”

Captain Edric of the 4th Special Task Force.

No wonder his aura felt unusual; it seemed he was to be my direct superior starting today.

“I have a lot to say, but we're short on time, so we'll proceed with the test immediately. The number is just right, four of you.”

Edric said.

“From now on, split into two groups and fight each other. The losing side will fast for two days.”

Before Edric's words could even finish, the white-haired, skinny man approached me.

“I was already looking forward to this, and such a good opportunity has come.”

Naturally, the scarred man's opponent became the woman in the robe.

“Are you telling me to fight a woman now?”

“Hold it, big guy. I want to take care of this bastard with my own hands.”

“Are you confident?”

“Do you want to test it yourself?”

Was it because of the strange aura flowing from the white-haired man?

The scarred man soon shook his head.

“No. It's fine. No need to waste my strength unnecessarily.”

“Good thinking.”

The white-haired man's gaze turned back to me.

“Shall we play then? I'll go easy on you and just break a few bones, so don't worry too much.”

Regardless of what he said, I raised my hand, looked at Edric, and spoke.

“Can I kill him?”

At those words, the corners of the white-haired man's mouth twisted into a bitter smile and trembled.

It seemed my words were getting on his nerves.

As if my question was unexpected, Edric spoke with an amused look on his face.

“Winter Castle has no need for incompetent trash, but if you kill a comrade, you won't even be considered trash. Permission denied.”

The expected answer.

In that case, my own answer was also as good as decided.

“Then I forfeit.”

“……What?”

The white-haired man's expression crumpled mercilessly.