Chapter 16 (2/2)
'This isn't it either.'
The Silver Crusader's Hammer!
This weapon was used in the past by 'Silver Hammer Orsha'. It was especially effective when used against undead, and a swing of this monstrous hammer would even cause a mountain to yield. Normally I would have definitely went head over heels for it, however…
'If this is truly a place that's meant for bestowing a reward, then finding the reward you desire must be yet another trial.'
Trials made this world go round. Those who overcame the trials reaped sweet rewards, while those who suffered defeat would earn a horrifying end. While this place was called Odin's Treasury, items that weren't actual treasures were here also.
Daring to disgrace the name of a 'G.o.d', why would such items ama.s.sed here?
Because this was yet another place of a trial. To see through the potential of items and a.s.sess your own abilities in order to gain the best result.
60 hours had pa.s.sed and I was still searching. Weapons that once belonged to dozens of past heroes, skills that could only be found and learnt here, rare elixirs that accelerated development…
I had scoured through a third of the treasury but there was nothing that truly hooked my heart.
Was I expecting too much?
Had I lost sight of myself…as a result of looking too high up?
'Am I to abandon my greed and compromise?'
I clenched my jaws, because this kind of greed was indeed another one of my 'desires' that was part of me. But it wasn't too long ago that I swore to not give up my desires. Even if my greed lead me to find nothing in the end, then I would simply cope with that result. Only by moving forward with craving desire would I be able to take down 'Al Araxar' 5 years later, and not only that, if I were to reach the Colossus then I had to sever the 'moderation of desire'.
'Not yet. Not just yet.'
I would continue to search.
I raised my speed.
Tak! Tak! Tadadadak!
I just…sprinted.
My eyes darted around scanning through the mountains of treasures.
[Remaining time: 58 minutes.]
Even as I ran time continued to flow. It was time for me to soon make a choice between all the things I'd seen up until now. But I did not stop searching. Now I was almost delirious. My head was completely empty, and I merely followed my instinct in repeating the process of scanning and rejecting whatever I saw.
Tuk!
In that moment as I was running by, my hand had caught onto something as if drawn to it; like iron to a magnet. It was a figure in the shape of a snake.
Hiss! Hissss!
It was as if it were alive. I was probably just hearing things, even though I clearly heard it hissing. The snake finally slithered up my hand and wrapped around my shoulders, then once again returned to my right hand and coiled its own body around it.
I hadn't chosen it.
'I was chosen.'
I was chosen according to its will. This kind of phenomenon was hardly ever heard of. Weapons that chose their masters were generally known to the likes of holy swords set in lakes, and demon swords placed in locations steeped in darkness. And yet…a snake?
< jörmungandr=”” (value-???)=””>
? Int +5
? Mag +5
? Form change influenced by ego
? King of all snakes
? Infinitely growing snake(Lv1, Exp-0)
? The Contractor is free from all 'Curses of the night'.
『A mythological gigantic snake of Jörmungandr. It was once an existence large enough to coil itself around the world but due to an unknown it was weakened and locked away in 'Odin's Treasury'.』
Shaak!
It bit my neck, not even leaving any room for surprise.
In that instant.
[Contract with 'Jörmungandr' has been completed.]
My consciousness started rapidly fading away.
..
..
When I came to, I found myself laying down outside Odin's Treasury. Squinting towards the glaringly bright sky, I raised my upper body.
'Just what was that?'
My body felt heavy all over.
I hastily looked toward my right hand.
'Jörmungandr.'
A snake was wrapped around my arm. It seemed to be alive back then, but was I imagining it? Its silver scales felt hard to the touch, but it didn't move like before. Frowning, I tried shaking it and even smacking it with force, but it didn't budge an inch.
'For now…I should go back for now.'
My whole body felt swollen like cotton soaked in water while my head felt so hot, like it was on fire. I forced myself to stand, wobbling as I did so. I made my way towards the 'gate' I had come through and the gnolls followed after me.
..
..
I couldn't remember how I made it back home, but when I came to my senses I was definitely in front of my house. I felt like if I went to sleep now I wouldn't wake up until at least a week later. I came this far because I needed a safe 'place of my own'.
Opening the door to my home, I entered and immediately slumped into my bed.
Budilbudil
My body uncontrollably trembled. I growing cold all over as time pa.s.sed; my teeth chattered and I sweated cold bullets. Drawing up the blankets to the tip of my head, I close my eyes and was immediately overcome by sleep.
Slither.
At the same time, the snake that was coiled around my whole right arm began moving, wandering about my body.
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