Record of a Thousand Lives

Chapter 88

Kartheon gasped for air and turned back time as his vision started to blur.?‘I will survive this time,’?he?thought.

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

Kartheon drew his sword and immediately turned around.?However, just as?he was about to strike down Shaneth, who was disguised as a mummy,?Henrick’s combat dolls?attacked him. The ancient king destroyed five?combat?dolls and called for his mummies to protect him, but Iris lunged at him and smashed him to pieces.

[You have?turned back time?by 40 seconds.]

[You have used some of your?temporal power.]

[You have turned back time fifty-six times in a short period of time.]

[Your body has received a significant amount of damage.]

***

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

Kartheon hurriedly ran away, but he was blocked by the barrier that he himself had cast. The barrier that was supposed to protect him ended up stopping him from running away.

“Damn it!” the ancient king screamed.?He?knew there was no escape?for him, but he still punched the barrier in frustration. Henrick was the one to approach him this time and stab him through?the?heart.

[You have?turned back time?by 40 seconds.]

[You have used some of your?temporal power.]

[You have turned?back time?94?times in a short period of time.]

[Your skin has started to break apart.]

***

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

There was no way Kartheon would be troubled by insignificant weaklings like them if he?had been?at his original level. The barrier would remain for half an hour even if all of the mummies in it were killed. The ancient king could delay his death by commanding the mummies to block the assailants, but it would not change the outcome of his?dying to them.

‘There must be a way…?There must be…’?Kartheon was racking?his brains when Iris smashed his jaw with an uppercut.

[You have?turned back time?by 40 seconds.]

[You have used some of your?temporal power.]

[You have turned?back time 178?times in a short period of time.]

[You will start experiencing severe migraines.]

***

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

Kartheon gnashed his teeth, thinking, ‘I cannot escape no matter what I do!’

The same?event?repeated?over the course?of 40 seconds.

The same situation.

The same enemy.

The same death.

Kartheon?was about to go crazy, as?the same situation had occurred over a hundred times. An?arrow?fired by?one of Henrick’s?combat?dolls pierced through the ancient king’s heart.

[You have?turned back time?by 40 seconds.]

[You have used some of your?temporal power.]

[You have turned?back time 217?times in a short period of time.]

[Your sense of taste has disappeared.]

***

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

“Bleurghhh!”?Kartheon fell?to?his knees and vomited.?The ancient king looked so pitiful and disgraceful that the title ‘king’ did not seem to suit him anymore.

He had heard the same thing over and over again, every time he turned back time.

You will die.

You will die.

You will die.

You will die.

It was an endless cycle he could not escape from.?He experienced a?hellish regression?and a?repeating nightmare.

“Damn it!” Kartheon cursed and screamed.?He felt?as if he would?go insane if he?could?not at least scream out his frustrations.

Shaneth was surprised?to see the ancient king looking so defeated, but she nevertheless?raised her scythe and walked toward him. The sight of Shaneth walking toward Kartheon made him feel?as if he were?looking at the Grim Reaper himself.

“Kuheok!”

The scythe slashed across the ancient king’s body and cut him in half.

[You have?turned back time?by 40 seconds.]

[You have used some of your?temporal power.]

[You have turned back time 349 times in a short period of time.]

[Your sense of smell has disappeared.]

***

Kang Yoon-Soo said, “You will die.”

Kartheon?fell to?his knees. He was?completely?exhausted. He had?used about 10,000?units of temporal power?by now going through the same situation?over and over. Turning back time had?taken such a great toll on his body?that?it was no longer possible for him to?do so anymore.

The ancient king spoke with a trembling voice, seemingly having?lost all his will to fight.?“I… I have lost…”

[The Time Resurrection has been?canceled.]

[The?temporal power?will not be refunded.]

The onlookers were?confused?about?what was going on. It?appeared to them that the ancient king had suddenly lost all will to fight, mere moments after?confidently laughing as if he had?already won the war.

Kang Yoon-Soo asked?coldly, “How many times did you regress?”

“…349 times,” Kartheon answered.

“That’s not much,” Kang Yoon-Soo?remarked.

“…” Kartheon was speechless.

The coalition forces let out a victory cry, rejoicing in their success.

“Whooooooo!”

Shaneth, Henrick, and Iris all approached Kartheon and bound him up.

The mummies all returned to dust after their king lost the war, and the barrier that?had been?up for half an hour?finally dissipated.

Kang Yoon-Soo approached Kartheon, who was bound by his hands and feet. The ancient king asked?him, “You…?How?long did you live before regressing?”

“20 years,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied in a?voice so low?that nobody else would be able to hear him.

Kartheon was at a loss for words. He had almost?gone?insane, going?back in time by a mere 40 seconds 349 times, but this man had?regressed 999 times and lived a period of 20 years each time?

“…How are you still sane after all that?” Kartheon asked in surprise.

“I’ve already gone insane,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Kartheon looked at the man, feeling even more thoroughly demoralized. He?felt completely sick of the man?as he said, “Are you telling me you are insane right now?”

“I’ve gone insane?peacefully,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“…I?suppose?that makes sense,” Kartheon said, sounding defeated.

Kang Yoon-Soo placed one ice sword?on the ancient king’s neck.

Ignus?impatiently roared, “Hurry! Kill Kartheon and bring my child back to life!”

Kartheon bitterly laughed and murmured, “Katz was right.?I should?not even?have?dreamed of regressing.”

Regression…?Kartheon had only?realized its?futility?after regressing multiple times. He thought, ‘It was a foolish idea.’

The power to turn back time,?returning?to the past to right wrongs and make oneself immensely successful, sounded impressive and yet?petty at the same time.

‘Regression is just an act of abandoning one’s world and stealing someone else’s accomplishments,’?Kartheon thought.

To live through the same experience?over and over.

To steal someone else’s accomplishments and punish those?one?disliked.

There was no thrill or?excitement in such?a?life; the only thing one might feel was a sense of futility.

Kartheon finally admitted?out loud, “Regression is not an opportunity, in?the end.”

Kang Yoon-Soo prepared to deal the?final?blow and cut off the ancient king’s?head. However,?he first said, “It might not sound that way?to others, but it’s different for?those of us who have?experienced it.”

Kartheon reminisced about the life he had lived as he said,?“Living life?all over again is nothing but obtaining?second-hand?satisfaction from the accomplishments of others.”

Kang Yoon-Soo nodded. Those were words only those?who had?regressed until they were sick of it would sympathize with.

“Now, kill me,” Kartheon said as he closed his eyes.?Kang Yoon-Soo lifted his ice sword?and prepared to strike Kartheon.

Suddenly,?a voice shouted from the crowd,?“Wait a minute! P-please! Just give me a minute!”?A?man?pushed?his way through the crowd and stood in front of Kartheon.?It was Katz.

“Katz…? But why…?” Kartheon was flabbergasted?by?Katz’s sudden appearance.

Katz?breathed deeply before exclaiming loudly, “Don’t kill him! Please don’t kill Kartheon!”

The trolls and the elves?protested the man’s request loudly.

“What the hell are you saying?!”

“Do you know how many elves he killed?! Can you still say that after all this?!”

Katz bit his lips. He could not understand why he had suddenly done?what he did, but he did not back down regardless of the reason.?He shouted loudly once more, “Kartheon can resurrect the dead elves with his ability!”

The eyes of the trolls and elves?trembled,?but they seemed skeptical?about?the idea.?However, the?bloodied?Ignus Dragon?lowered?her?battered head to the ground and asked while staring at Katz, “Tell me, what are you thinking of?”

“K-Kartheon can turn?back time! He can only?go back 40 seconds right now?because his body hasn’t fully recovered, but he can certainly do a lot more if he recovers his strength!” Katz?exclaimed, forcing the words out?as he continued, “We?should?let Kartheon live until he recovers. Then, Kartheon can turn back time days, no, months to the?point?before the massacre occurred! The deaths of the elves will?never have?happened in the first place!”

The trolls and the elves in the crowd murmured?when they heard Katz’s argument.?However,?Ignus?scoffed and roared, “What a foolish attempt! Do you really think?he?will repent for?his sins and change his ways?! He is nothing but an evil creature. He will turn back time and meticulously prepare for this war once again, and attempt to annihilate the entire continent!”

Katz was speechless.?However,?Kartheon suddenly spoke up and said, “No, I will not turn back time even if I manage to recover my strength.”

Katz?looked toward Kartheon?in surprise and hurriedly said, “How can you say something like that right now?! You have to tell them you will?right?your wrongs!”

“Were you not the one?telling me about?the futility of?reversing?time, Katz?” Kartheon?replied.?Katz felt flabbergasted, looking dumbfounded by the ancient king’s words.

Kartheon no longer wanted to turn back time; no,?rather, it was more proper to say that he?had?lost all his will to live.?He said,?“I should not exist at this point in time.?Indeed,?I wish to embrace death once again and go back to a peaceful slumber this time.”

“B-but…!” Katz tried to retort.

“Enough! You have stalled enough!”?Ignus?roared in annoyance. She continued, “Kill Kartheon and bring my child to life before?he?decides to pull a trick using time!”

The dragon lifted?her?claw and swiped at Kartheon. However,?Katz remained steadfast, staying in front of the ancient king with his eyes closed?as he prepared?for his demise. In moments, he would be?split in half by the dragon’s claw.

‘No!’?Kartheon screamed inwardly, focusing?his remaining strength?into?his eyes.?It was at the very moment that Katz was about to be?sliced apart?that the ancient king’s heart was moved for the first time. He thought, ‘I cannot let him?die…!’

Suddenly,?everything stopped.

***

Time stopped.?Ignus’ ferocious claw strike, Katz trembling in fear, the eyes of the crowd watching the spectacle in horror… Everything?had?stopped.

The only ones still moving were?Kartheon—and?one other person.

Kartheon saw the human?who?was?moving?freely even while time was frozen, and he asked in surprise, “How are you moving?”

“No idea,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied as he looked around?leisurely.?He had been?aware that Kartheon could stop time, but this was the first time?he had?experienced it firsthand.

“It’s amazing,” Kang Yoon-Soo?said, swinging an ice sword lightly. The blade?broke into pieces like morning frost, its fragments?sparkled in the air.?In the place where time had stood still, everything seemed weaker.

“Please move Katz,” Kartheon pleaded.

Kang Yoon-Soo stared at Kartheon. The ancient king was pleading and not commanding for the first time in his life. He asked,?“Why should I?”

“I do?not know,” Kartheon replied.

Kang Yoon-Soo moved Katz into a position where the dragon’s claw would not be able to reach him. Meanwhile,?Kartheon started to slowly turn into dust starting from the tips of his feet. It was the?side effect of his?stopping time.

“You have?gone?against the laws of time. That?is?why you can still move while time is frozen,” Kartheon said.

“What are you talking about?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

However, Kartheon coughed up blood and said, “You will find out what I mean by yourself even if I do not?explain it to you.”?His?breathing turned laborious as he?continued, “You do?not?have the power to control time. How did you regress?”

“Demon Lord,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied in a low and deep voice. He continued, “I regressed because of the Demon Lord.”

Kartheon said?bitterly, “I think I know what happened to you. You poor thing.”

“What the hell?” Kang Yoon-Soo?exclaimed with a frown.

“Is something different from your previous lives?not happening?right now?” Kartheon?asked.?Kang Yoon-Soo’s eyes shot wide open and began trembling?when he heard?the ancient king’s words. Kartheon slowly continued, “This will be your last life…”

“I know,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“...and the Demon Lord will appear earlier this time,” Kartheon?finished.

It was?Kang Yoon-Soo’s?first time hearing that. He?could not hide his emotions, and?his eyes trembled uncontrollably again. He walked up to Kartheon and grabbed?the ancient king?by?the?neck, asking angrily, “What do you mean by that?!”

“It?is?just as I said.?Even though the Demon Lord appeared before you consistently?after?20 years, he will appear much earlier this time,” Kartheon replied.

“Tell me why,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“Hmm… I wonder why…?” Kartheon?replied?slowly,?as if he were?exacting?an act of petty revenge.

Kang Yoon-Soo gripped?Katz’s neck?and?said threateningly,?“I’ll kill this guy if you don’t tell me why.”

Only then?did the ancient king answer him, saying,?“I met with the Demon Lord once at the magic tower.”

“So what?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“I almost lost everything after I picked a fight with the Demon Lord. I barely managed to survive;?no, it?is?more fitting to say that the Demon Lord let me off,” Kartheon said as his lower body crumbled to dust. His upper body was beginning to turn into dust?as well?by the time?he continued, “I?learned?to control time after I survived against the Demon Lord.”

“Get to the point,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“Go to the magic tower where the Colossi?reside,” Kartheon said.

Kang Yoon-Soo frowned. The magic tower of the Colossi was one of the two forbidden places?on the continent, along with the lair of the Dragon of Destruction; they were places no one should even attempt visiting.

“Why should I go there?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“The one?who?killed me is in that magic tower. He will help solve your problems,” Kartheon said.

Kang Yoon-Soo could not understand what was going on,?but?he asked the ancient king, “Why did the change only occur?during?the thousandth?life?”

“Someone is getting in your way so you will not?be able to regress anymore. I cannot?say anything else other than that,” Kartheon said.

Kang Yoon-Soo glared at the ancient king before?grumbling, “I didn’t manage to get anything helpful out of you in the end.”

“What did you expect from the villain?” Kartheon?retorted?with?a laugh?as?he was slowly dying.?Kang Yoon-Soo grabbed?his head as he?was crumbling into dust,?but?Kartheon asked in an annoyed voice, “Can?you not?just let me die peacefully?”

“I have to get my rewards,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied before?crushing the ancient king’s head.

The stopped flow of time?started to?move?once again.

[The ancient king has been defeated.]

[You have brought peace to the Desert of Death.]