Chapter 43
As an avid reader of Three Lives Chronicle, I remembered the strong characters and the key figures from the original work.
This meant I had a better chance of recruiting good allies than those without any information.
It would be wise to find someone suited for the Wind Base we needed to capture.
“Let’s see…”
Among the avatars who wielded wind attributes, the most famous person was…
“Hmm, may I join this conversation, friends?”
While I was lost in thought, a deep voice snapped me back to attention.
“Huh?”
The owner of the voice was a middle-aged blind man leaning on a staff.
He had long scars around his eyes, and his solid, muscular build radiated strength.
With pale blonde hair and murky gray eyes, he had quite a distinctive appearance.
Somehow, his appearance felt familiar…
“Where have I seen him before?”
I wouldn’t forget such a distinctive-looking person.
As I hesitated to recall my memory, the middle-aged man spoke first.
“I saw your performance in the last trial… No, I didn’t see it, but I certainly sensed it.”
With a faint smile, he continued.
“The appeal you made for the weak to gather and protect each other… it made my heart race in a way I hadn’t felt in a while.”
He had been one of the spirits who sided with us back in the Forest of Spirits, agreeing with our stance.
Even in a situation where he couldn’t attack, he had shown remarkable swordsmanship.
Thanks to him, we had a much easier time fending off the rulers’ onslaught.
But why had such a powerful person sought us out?
“So, I’d like to side with you in this trial. Unlike last time, I can fight freely here, so I’ll be able to show my skills properly.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at us.
It seemed our actions in the Forest of Spirits had left quite an impression on him.
After all, if one had to choose a faction, it was only natural to pick the one that resonated more.
“Of course, if you’re willing to accept me. For some reason, I just don’t feel drawn to those flashy groups on the other side.”
Regardless, it was a welcome offer.
The more allies we had, the better.
For him to come to us directly, there was no reason to turn him down.
“Welcome aboard! You won’t regret it!”
It seemed like the first step in recruiting allies had gone smoothly.
This was a good start.
“Pleased to meet you.”
He gave a broad smile, extending his rough hand, and I shook it firmly.
“Call me Winfred.”
“Winfred!”
His introduction made me blurt out his name in surprise.
[Winfred has joined the Black Faction.]
[Winfred]
[Constellation: Blind Justice]
[Traits: Left-handed Swordmaster]
[Traits: Hyper-sensitivity]
[Stigma: Executor of Justice]
[Stigma: Unyielding Justice]
…
Information about Winfred scrolled across my vision.
But even without that, I already knew who he was.
‘Sword King Winfred!’
A top-tier swordsman in the Three Lives Chronicle universe, often competing for the title of the best with his swordsmanship.
He was known for his friendly and righteous personality, making him one of the most likable characters.
With his sense of loyalty, strong sense of justice, and exceptional abilities, he was the ideal ally.
His distinct feature as a blind swordsman should have made him instantly recognizable… how did I miss that?
It’s almost embarrassing to call myself a fan of Three Lives Chronicle after this.
“Do you know me?”
Winfred tilted his head, puzzled by my reaction to his name.
I couldn’t exactly say I was a fan or mention how cool he looked when he blocked a deadly move in the original story.
“No, I just had a feeling you’d be a great ally.”
Winfred let out a hearty laugh at my words, giving my hand a firm squeeze before letting go.
“I have a similar feeling. I’ll be counting on you, Captain.”
Although I hadn’t expected to become the leader, things were off to a great start for this trial.
—
As I had hoped, recruiting allies went smoothly.
Like Winfred, many sought to join our faction.
Even those we approached rarely turned down our offer.
It was only natural that no one would willingly choose the tough path of being unaffiliated.
Well, there were some oddballs, though.
For example, there was one like this:
“I’ve fallen for you! I’ll fight for you, so become my lover!”
A crazy person who walked right up and confessed out of the blue.
If I hadn’t stopped him, he might have ended up as skewered meat.
Eden had already taken out a spear made of pitch-black light.
As much as I didn’t want to accept such a strange person…
[Darwin]
[Constellation: The Oldest Hero]
[Stigma: Tyrant]
[Stigma: Slayer of Beasts]
[Stigma: Heroic Roar]
[Stigma: Will of the Undying]
…
Of course, he turned out to be a tremendously powerful character in the original story as well.
And with his current specs, he was far too strong to be dismissed.
‘He seems surprisingly simple-minded, so he shouldn’t be too hard to handle.’
After accepting him into our faction, Xenon seemed rather displeased for some reason, which was a bit concerning.
There was also an unexpected event.
“I wish to atone for the past and seek forgiveness. Would you give me a chance?”
Carl, who had been our enemy in the Forest of Spirits, came to us asking for forgiveness.
Even though he had lost his constellation, there was a newfound clarity in his eyes.
His plea was so earnest that it was hard to refuse, so I accepted him.
I held no lingering grudges against him.
He was merely a victim of misfortune, and I had no desire to seek revenge on him.
Even if he didn’t contribute much, there was nothing to lose.
After that, I successfully recruited Chrissy, who would later be known as the “Illusion Empress.”
‘You won’t regret this. Well then, I’m counting on you.’
[Chrissy]
[Constellation: Lady of the Bright Moon]
[Stigma: Transformation]
[Stigma: Metamorphosis]
[Stigma: House of Illusions]
…
[Chrissy has joined the Black Faction.]
With Chrissy now part of our team, I stretched my arms.
Winfred, Darwin, Chrissy, Carl…
Along with other avatars who could fill the gaps in our team.
This wasn’t a bad lineup at all.
I had managed to recruit quite a few strong characters who were well-known in the original story.
Just looking at the names of those who had joined our faction made my heart swell with pride.
Oh, and there was a particularly satisfying moment too.
“…I want to join your faction.”
“It seems the situation has changed since a few days ago?”
The protagonist’s party from the original story.
That is, Caltain Ilion’s group, who had ignored me during the first team selection, had come looking for us.
Just a few days ago, I was the one who had to plead to be accepted as a team member.
Now, the tables had turned completely.
“You felt it too, didn’t you? There’s something off about Agatha in the White Faction.”
Despite his hot-tempered nature, he had a good sense of what was beneficial.
With his keen eye for people, he must have sensed something was amiss and decided to come here.
And, of course, pride wouldn’t allow him to choose the unaffiliated path.
Seeing his displeased expression about his current situation was immensely satisfying.
This is why you should always watch what you say and do.
“Will you accept me or not? Just give me an answer.”
“Sure, I’ll accept you. Unlike some people, I don’t discriminate.”
Of course, there was no reason to reject someone as powerful as him.
I’ll make sure to use you to your fullest potential!
…With that, I managed to gather a decent lineup of allies.
However, the one person I was desperately searching for was still missing.
Based on the original story, he should be hiding somewhere, biding his time.
‘Surely, he hasn’t already been swayed to Agatha’s side, has he?’
As I pondered over this, I suddenly felt a gaze directed at me.
“Hmm?”
I could definitely feel eyes on me…
Looking around, my comrades were all busy conversing with the newly joined members.
Some were distracted, but no one seemed to be watching me directly.
‘That’s strange…’
Just as I decided it was my imagination and turned to leave—
Rustle
A suspicious sound came from the bushes.
I cautiously approached the source of the noise and pushed aside the foliage.
“Ah, ah, ah, hello…”
Inside, I found a small boy with curly white hair covering his eyes.
His hair, as fluffy as wool, and his red eyes peeking through were striking.
His skin was as pale as snow, and his fingers fidgeted nervously.
He matched the description of the person I had been searching for perfectly.
“Hello there?”
I offered him a friendly smile and reached out a hand toward the boy hiding in the bushes.
Putting on my most welcoming expression, I gently spoke.
“Did you come here to join our faction?”
—
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