Eight times. That was the number of times I had to shake off the trackers before finding a place to rest. It was a naturally occurring cave. The previous owner seemed to be away.
I checked all the sides and there was an easy path to escape.
I set Oswen down against a wall. It had been three days, but Oswen still hadn’t regained consciousness.
‘I will rest for a bit.’
I was reaching my limits. My body was in a difficult state thanks to the trackers.
A trap was placed at the entrance so that I would know if anyone came. Pebbles, vines and other materials that would make noises if moved were placed.
It was just a basic trap, but it was better than nothing. It could be the subtle difference between life and death. I had managed to survive a few times in my previous life thanks to it.
I closed my eyes.
I immediately fell asleep.
It was the fifth day.
We were no longer being pursued. But I stayed alert.
I scouted around and figured out a little bit of the geography. Once I finished patrolling and returned to the cave, Oswen was twisting his body.
"Kuooh...
Was he feeling pain?
By default, the undead were numb. It wasn’t completely removed but their senses were very dull. It was the same in regards to pain.
“J-Jellim...Jellim...”
Oswen weakly opened his eyes. Then he stretched out a hand towards me.
His body trembled like he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. In order to maintain their bodies in this world, the undead needed Jellim. But there was none around. It was impossible to obtain any Jellim.
“Southern Commander Oswen. Have you regained your spirit?”
"I...commander of the south...kuaack!”
"His mind is coming and going.”
I watched with one hand on Wrath. Oswen had a seizure before losing consciousness again.
Since then, Oswen woke up several times only to faint again.
However, he wasn’t in a normal state. He was delirious most of the time. Sometimes he was a child, other times the southern commander...he also became the twilight blacksmith.
"The Seven Sins shouldn’t exist in this world. Get rid of them right now!
“h.e.l.l Monarch! D-don’t try to control me!”
In this way, Oswen unintentionally showed me a few possibilities.
"Schizophrenia. Or maybe multiple personalities.’
There were a variety of personalities inside Oswen. The ego of the southern commander was the most intense but multiple egos emerged.
The medium that caused it...
‘The gloves.’
Every time the personality changed, the magic power changed as well. It was clear that there was a close relationship.
I couldn’t hold a conversation with them. He repeatedly woke up and then fainted. All the evidence returned to my heart.
There was no time to observe the developments.
The most important thing was to leave the Underground World and determine the situation regarding my dungeons. I was going to become the devil. The master of the Underground World? I had the Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch so I was already the master.
"His arms...two should be enough.”
Six arms.
Three of them were already cut off. It wouldn’t be a problem if one more was gone.
I raised Wrath.
I wanted to see if any changes would happen after getting rid of a gloved arm.
Chwahak!
There was no hesitation. I cut off one arm.
At the same time.
“Kuaaack!”
The stunned Oswen started screaming.
Oswen panicked and rose from his seat. He looked at his arm and breathed roughly for at least five minutes.
"The gloves...are mine!”
The gloves were his top priority. The reaction was far from normal.
Kwarung!
Crazy. He started attacking randomly.
It wasn’t clear which ego was in control. It could be the southern commander or the twilight blacksmith.
There was also a chance it was a new personality.
‘What to do?’
I worried about it for a short moment.
I had no choice. I either had to kill him or knock him out.
My mind was inclined to the former.
Oswen’s gaze was fixed on the fallen arm that was still wearing the glove. It was reasonable to think that the gloves would fall off if the owner was killed.
"It can"t be helped.’
I hoped to get some things from the southern commander. It didn’t matter if his words were mixed. I had wanted to find information, but there would be no answers in this state.
I held both Wrath and the Emperor’s Sword.
And at that moment.
His crazy eyes vanished.
"That sword...?”
He noticed it immediately.
The personality in control knew the Emperor’s Sword. The enemy was gone.
‘It is like the time with Maxium.’
There was no other way.
The blood of the thunderbird wiped away traces of the heart. I asked.
“Who are you?”
“h.e.l.l Monarch! H-have you forgotten me? Didn’t you contaminate Oswen’s spirit by placing me directly inside him?”
“I don’t remember.”
“T-that is okay. Great h.e.l.l Monarch! You finally returned. The true G.o.d...!”
Flop!
Oswen fell to his knees.
"Now the Underground World will become stable. The Creator will lead us!”
Oswen’s ego knew some of the work of the h.e.l.l Monarch. In addition, there seemed to be very juicy information.
“Where is the real spirit of Oswen?”
"I tore apart his spirit like h.e.l.l Monarch-nim commanded. The true Oswen is nothing now. Although this body is a mess, I will recover quickly to faithfully serve h.e.l.l Monarch-nim.”
No. Oswen’s spirit still remained. I had heard his cries.
"This ego doesn’t know about it.’
In addition, his spirit seemed to be been split apart. After the body was weakened, they were able to slip through the crack to temporarily regain control. The ego had no idea this had happened.
There was no strict adherence to one personality.
"Is there any way for Oswen’s original spirit to be restored?”
"Why...ah, you must have a reason. Yes. There is a way. The curse on the gloves are suppressing the other egos. Oswen’s ego will surface if that is gone.”
This person believed that I was the h.e.l.l Monarch. He revealed the truth to me so there was no need to clear up the misunderstanding.
"The method to get rid of the curse?”
“Are you thinking of removing the curse? The curse is so old that this is already as one with the body.”
He was saying that it wouldn’t be easy.
I touched my jaw.
‘The curse is the primary cause so I need to remove it.’
I figured out the main point.
I stared straight into Oswen’s eyes and said.
"How long will you be in that guise? It isn’t suitable. Reveal your original appearance.”
"Ah...ahh! P-please wait. I won’t show such a disgraceful appearance!”
Oswen subsequently lay on the floor. Then smoke emerged from Oswen’s head.
The shape that the smoke took...was a shade. It was approximately three times larger than a normal shade.
“Is that your real state?”
"Yes, My Monarch!”
“Your name?”
“I am Oduto.”
"Oduto, good work.”
Chwack!
Even though the shade had a spirit body, it was possible to deal a blow with concentrated magic power.
My magic power wasn’t fully recovered but I could successfully use the magic power of the moonlight.
I struck with the Emperor’s Sword.
“Why...?”
Oduto looked down at his chest and said in a shocked, little voice.
I had dealt a critical hit so he gradually faded away. Soon he would be completely destroyed.
I put the sword away and said.
“I am not the h.e.l.l Monarch. I am Randalph Brigsiel.”
It might be his heart but I was my own person. The demon called Randalph Brigsiel. I wouldn’t be split apart like Oswen.
My cold eyes turned towards Oduto.
In the near future, Oduto would be completely destroyed.
Duk!
The gloves fell from the hands. It was evidence that the curse was gone.
"This is...Pride.’
I instinctively knew it after I put on the gloves.
One of the Seven Sins.
Pride.
I had gathered four of the sins.
Wrath, Sloth, Greed and Pride.
I immediately felt stronger after putting on the gloves.
“T-this place? Where is this place?”
At this time, Oswen opened his eyes.
“Randalph? The battle? Why am I in a place like this? Makdalli...yes, where is Makdalli?”
The fact that he recognized me meant that the ego of the southern commander was in control.
‘I need to suppress this ego.’
It was simple. If the southern commander was gravely injured then another ego would emerge.
Similarly, if that ego continued to be suppressed then Oswen’s real self would eventually wake up.
Surung!
“Randalph? Southern hero. Why is your sword...kuaack!”