Albert is now one step away from going outside the Sacred Forest.
Carrying his wooden spear in his right hand, he didn't notice that the system had already alarmed him because he was wearing it.
The text appeared on his back:
[Dangerous Soul Bearers Are Nearby!]
Before he could take a single step outside, a big arrow was already approaching him.
"What?"
He was shocked. He tried to dodge, but it was already too close.
He was struck by it.
"Gahhhh!!"
The arrow pierced his chest and pinned him to a tree. His spear fell to the ground.
He couldn't move. Blood flowed freely from his mouth and nose. His body felt so hot, as if he had been tossed into a pit of fire.
He tried to pull the arrow out, but it was buried deeply in the tree.
He couldn't regenerate because of it.
"W-What is h-happening?
Is it the villagers?
No, they don't have this kind of weapon.
Ahhh, the pain is too much!!
I might die any moment.
I need to escape."
He struggled to speak, his words unclear.
And from afar, he saw a crowd of armored people approaching.
And giant weapons.
"Did that doctor call for them?
But how?"
He panicked as they got closer, shouting and trying to pull himself free.
His feet kicked, blood splashing from his mouth as he screamed.
"Ahhhh!!
Let me!!!
Kill!!!"
His mind began to blur. He no longer felt like himself.
[Last System Rule]
[The Holder's State is Beyond Unstable]
[Final Rule for the Holder's Safety is Activated]
[Possess]
The text burned into the back of his clothes.
They arrived, and his head dropped as if lifeless.
The soldiers were massive in number, over ten battalions stood before him.
Each battalion had fifty men.
From the crowd, a man appeared, wearing golden clothes. His face was as white and clear as glass.
As he stepped forward, all the soldiers shouted in rhythm,
"All grace is for the Prince!!"
"Mercy will come for those who dwell with the Prince!!"
Their voices vibrated and echoed everywhere.
The Prince gestured to one soldier to come closer, then gave him a scroll to read.
The soldier read aloud:
"A message from the Prince to this murderer, whose crimes are unforgivable and cannot be forgiven.
I, the Prince, have come myself to this faraway village.
I have heard that the twin sister and father of my beloved wife have been murdered.
I cannot turn a blind eye to such a crime. It saddens my heart as I look upon her crying face.
Thus, I have decided to kill you with my own hands. After investigating, I discovered that when you gained an artifact granting you immortality, you murdered the Chief and his daughter.
This is my final wish for your soul, murderer!
Die, and may your soul never find peaceful rest!!"
As the soldier finished reading, the Prince pulled a sword from his waist.
Two soldiers wearing different armor followed him as he walked closer to Albert.
Meanwhile, Albert's mind spoke to the Guardian—the being beloved by the hero Victor.
"What do you want?
Do you see how much has changed since you scattered your parts across the world?
Are you really a Guardian who maintains and manages the natural order?"
He asked, his voice echoing in the infinite void.
The Guardian, whose body shone white and sparkling, answered in his mind.
"Please… hear this last word of mine.
Let my lost soul be of use to you."
She begged.
"Huh?
You mean, I can have your soul?
Then…
Then I have no reason to decline.
Even though you didn't answer my questions, I understand that you are very tired."
He answered, his voice low.
"A soul, huh?
What is she again?"
He asked himself, but afterward he didn't care.
But he forgot something.
The Prince used his knife to wound Albert's face.
The wound healed instantly.
"So, he really is immortal," the Prince whispered gently.
He sheathed his sword.
The soldier to his right asked, puzzled,
"My Prince, why didn't you cut off his head?"
The Prince answered,
"I have confirmed that he is immortal.
Have you forgotten?
I am a Wielder too."
The soldier apologized,
"I am sorry for questioning your actions, my Prince!"
He bowed low.
The Prince gestured for him to raise his head.
Even though Albert was unconscious, his body began to move on its own.
His hands grasped the giant arrow.
When the soldiers noticed, they stepped back and formed a shield around the Prince.
Albert's body, now possessed by the system, pulled itself forward, trying to free from the giant arrow.
As they watched, one soldier rushed, drew his sword, and sliced Albert's head.
Albert's body was almost free. His head flew to the ground and rolled, blood spraying through the air.
Yet his body stood, headless.
"Our Prince!! Looks like he is completely dead," the soldier who cut his head reported.
But a minute later, Albert's neck began regenerating.
They didn't notice.
They talked and celebrated, shouting and stomping their feet.
But the Prince still doubted.
From the forest, another person appeared. The soldiers were shocked as they saw his face.
"What?
Doesn't he look familiar?"
"Yeah, he looks just like the statue of the first hero in the capital!"
"That's impossible!!
He died a thousand years ago!"
The soldiers whispered among themselves.
The Prince stepped forward and asked,
"Are you the hero Victor Quasinto?"
Victor stopped with his hands in his pockets.
He smirked and answered,
"Heheh, so they didn't remove my statue, even after all I've done?"
The Prince replied, calm and serious,
"Then I'll take that as a yes.
Now, hero, what is it that you want by showing yourself here?"
The soldiers were stunned. Their Prince truly believed this man was the hero who invented the greatest fighting technique capable of defeating a Wielder.
Victor pulled a sword from his back, his face darkening.
"From that moment, I promised myself I would kill all descendants of that scam king and that hypocrite hero."
He charged at the Prince. His speed left a crater in the ground as trees collapsed.
When they clashed, the Prince managed to block him.
Meanwhile, Albert's body fully regenerated.
His consciousness flickered back like a spark.
When he opened his eyes, he saw heads flying, blood staining the earth, and Victor slicing each soldier maniacally.
"What is he doing?"
Albert muttered.
He stood naked, walked slowly toward a corpse, and stole its clothes while Victor fought, laughing like a madman.
Albert then shouted,
"Soul System!!"
The clothes on his headless, old body materialized into a scroll and floated into his hands.
Far from him, Victor fought the last survivor the Prince, trembling with wounded legs.
All the battalions were wiped out as if they were children.
"Hahahahah!"
Victor laughed as he neared the Prince.
"If you weren't so stubborn, they might have returned to their families alive!"
He said.
The Prince struggled to speak and smiled.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you…
But I am not the Prince."
Victor froze.
"Huh?! Are you joking?"
He asked, confused.
The one who claimed to be the Prince stood, leaning on a sword.
"I said I am not the Prince!!!"
The voice suddenly changed into that of a woman.
Her hair grew long, her body slimmed, and the Prince's form turned into that of a weak woman.
"What!!!!
Hahahah!
So, you're a Wielder imitating the Prince to gain power?
Sorry, girl…
But I spare no soul…"
He raised his sword to strike her.
As the blade neared her neck, she closed her eyes, helpless.
From afar, Albert quickly cast his first spell. He shouted with determination:
"I will save those I want with this spark of deadly blaze!!!!!
Spell One!!!"
A shining black orb compressed in his hands, then burst straight toward where Victor stood.
"Uuuugghh!!!"
Victor screamed in pain.