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IBHJ Chapter 535
🕑 Added 2023-10-22 23:45:44 +0000 UTCWatching the homunculi work, Spartacus wore a gentle smile and looked eager to help, but Shirou stopped him.
"What's happening? Can't just stand here, doing nothing," Spartacus said, looking confused.
Shirou met his gaze and smiled, "Don't worry, just wait a moment. There's something I need to give back to you."
"You no oppressor, didn't take from me. What's there to give back?"
"Ah, but there is something," Shirou replied. "Your sanity."
With that, he outstretched his palm toward Spartacus. The [Heroic Mortal] targeted him, activating instantaneously and bestowing upon him a new skill.
—[Indomitable Will]!
As the skill took hold, Spartacus's face contorted in pain. The wild look in his eyes, previously driven by raw instinct, now glinted with a faint hint of clarity.
[Indomitable Will] is a unique skill that Shirou replicated from the records of Eternal King. It massively boosts endurance, helps avoid fatal blows, and, most importantly, increases resistance to mental manipulation.
This was the perfect counter to the [Mad Enhancement] that accompanies the Berserker class—a form of mental manipulation that [Indomitable Will] was designed to negate.
This is what Shirou wanted to give back to Spartacus.
—Sanity!
"Ah—"
Spartacus gripped his head and let out a gut-wrenching scream, clearly in agony.
"What's wrong with Spartacus?"
"Is something wrong with him?"
The homunculi, alarmed by Spartacus's scream, immediately dropped their tools and rushed over, eyes filled with concern.
"I'm okay... I'm okay, everyone," Spartacus assured them, still clutching his head.
Shirou addressed the gathered homunculi, "Get back to work, everyone."
The homunculi nodded in agreement and resumed their duties.
Spartacus covered his face with his hands, peeking at Shirou through his fingers.
His eyes had lost their frenzied look, now sharp and clear, tinged with a hint of scrutiny.
"It seems you've regained your sanity, Spartacus."
"Yes," Spartacus sighed, "As a Berserker, I never thought I'd find myself doing so many foolish things."
Shirou raised an eyebrow. "So, you regret what you've done?"
"No," Spartacus shook his head. "When I lacked reason, I was just a slave to my instincts, acting without thinking. My goal was to liberate them, to free their souls, but I had no strategy. Without your intervention, my actions could have doomed us all. Even if I had succeeded, it would have been a hollow victory, leading us all down a destructive path in the name of some ideal."
Shirou nodded in understanding.
Now in possession of his sanity once again, Spartacus didn't regret his actions per se. His concern was more about the impulsive and haphazard nature of his previous conduct.
Fortunately, the Berserker version of Spartacus had benefited from Shirou's intervention, preventing any significant catastrophes.
However...
"I've got to ask," Spartacus said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at him. "It's clear you're a king, but why help me, especially when I was running on pure instinct without any rational thought?"
Shirou gestured toward the homunculi, saying, "Aren't they human, just like us?"
Spartacus paused, then nodded. "You truly are a benevolent king."
"You're giving me too much credit; it's not a big deal," Shirou dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"The hardest part is the mindset," Spartacus mused, shaking his head. "In my experience, monarchs rarely see their people as people. More often, they're seen as slaves or tools to be exploited. Your outlook is rare among kings. What's your true name? I'd like to know who I should be singing praises for."
"No need for that. In this life, I'm just an assassin. And, we have shared goals; that's enough for us to work together," Shirou dismissed, waving his hand.
"You truly are a magnanimous king," Spartacus admired.
Shirou felt a twinge of frustration.
Isn't this just basic decency?
What's the big deal?
After all, he restored Spartacus's sanity not for the praises but because it was the right thing to do.
"Okay, enough talk. Let's give them a hand," he said, getting to his feet.
Spartacus nodded in agreement.
With their help, the already swift pace of the construction ramped up considerably.
Shirou was in charge of directing and planning, while Spartacus took care of the heavy lifting.
It had to be said that Spartacus was incredibly strong; he could effortlessly lift a massive tree that would normally require three people just to move.
The homunculi watched in awe.
As time passed, their combined efforts led to the swift completion of the housing cluster.
Under Shirou's expert planning, the houses took shape in a meticulously arranged pattern that evoked the feel of an old village. However, it should be noted that these homunculi, bred for the brutal efficiency of war, were impressively fast in their construction.
This was without a doubt a fresh start for the homunculi who had escaped to freedom.
As the first rays of a fiery red sun broke over the distant mountain range, the earth was bathed in its vibrant glow.
Celebrating in front of their newly-built village, the homunculi danced and sang, while Spartacus watched, grinning from ear to ear. It felt as if Moses had led his people out to a promised land.
A total of thirty-six homunculi had made their escape alongside Spartacus.
While the housing dilemma for these thirty-six had been resolved, there was a shortage of food.
So, Shirou took A-11072 with him, planning a supply run to the city to stock up on food and other daily necessities.
In fact, Spartacus wanted to go with him, but he was turned down.
That's because his towering presence was hard to ignore.
He had sustained significant injuries from his battle with Heracles on the first night. Even though he had channeled some of that damage into magical energy, his size still remained around ten feet, making him far too conspicuous for a casual trip into the city.
Shirou and A-11072 set out for Vâlcea City to do some shopping.
Along the way, A-11072 spoke up, a hint of sheepishness in the voice. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Assassin. You've already saved us, and now you're going to the trouble of taking care of us too."
"Don't worry about it. Honestly, this feels like a bit of a vacation for me. No need to be so formal," Shirou replied with a smile.
A-11072 was taken aback by his nonchalant attitude.
Upon entering Vâlcea City, Shirou's brow immediately furrowed.
As they made their way through the city, they found themselves the subjects of the townspeople's stares.
At first, it didn't seem to be a big deal.
However, after about ten minutes, several townspeople were still sizing them up with predatory gazes, making him feel that something was off.
"Mr. Assassin, why are they staring at us?" A-11072 asked, visibly confused.
"Just ignore it. Let's get our shopping done and get out of here."
"I understand," A-11072 nodded, instinctively moving closer to Shirou as he spoke.
Truth be told, he was getting worried.
There was something off about the townspeople, who looked at them as though sizing them up for their next meal. This had A-11072 feeling more than a little uneasy.
In fact, Shirou felt the same way.
He also thought there was something odd about this city.
After activating his [Intuition] skill, an immediate sense of unease washed over him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
It was a nebulous feeling of dread, too intangible to identify yet too real to ignore.
Shirou furrowed his brows.
He came to a supermarket with A-11072, picking up quite a few daily necessities and even renting a small truck.
As they approached the checkout counter, the store owner looked them over and said, "You folks aren't from around here, are you?"
Shirou arched an eyebrow, "What gave us away?"
"When you're in business, you develop an eye for these things. Some stuff you can tell just by looking," said the supermarket owner with a smile. He then continued, "Let me give you a piece of friendly advice: you'd better leave this city as soon as possible."
A-11072 asked curiously, "Why?"
The owner's tone hardened. "Don't ask questions. Just go."
Just then, a bell ringing echoed from outside the store with a 'ding-ding-ding' sound.
The owner's face changed dramatically; he clasped his hands together in front of his chest, adopting a devout expression as if in prayer.
Shirou's eyebrow arched even higher.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in a business suit walked through the entrance.
Comments
JeanMartin Freites
This is certainly eerie.
Duck
Uh oh. El Melloi II? Gray? I wonder…
KuraiSomnium
Nooo I’m caught up 😔
