I Became An Eldritch Horror-Chapter 18: Journey Into A New Life After Ten Thousand Years (1)

Chapter 18: Journey Into A New Life After Ten Thousand Years (1)

I am racist.

However...

There was a man from the race I hated whom I respected.

"Haah..."

Yes, that man was the one whose blade had just pierced my heart.

"So this is the end, huh."

The baritone voice of a man rang in my ear. My entire bloodied form leaning on his shoulder as he spoke.

"Seems so," I replied with what seemed to be a laugh, though it sounded more like a squeak to me.

I was once from Earth, perhaps a hundred years ago; I can’t remember.

Back then, we all knew the most generic story: a normal boy reincarnated as a hero or a villain.

Well, I became the protagonist of that very plot.

Reincarnated as the son of the captain of the Holy Knights, I was soon chosen by the goddess to be her warrior, her knight.

But my story was a little different from the generic plot. In this world there was no good or bad, just two goddesses fighting for control.

And Leon, the one who held me, he was the hero of the other goddess.

We had fought more times than I could count, so much so that I couldn’t even name what we were to each other.

"Hey, Leon."

The young man lowered his silver‑grey eyes to meet my blue ones. "Yeah?"

Look at this bastard—smug because after a thousand failures, he finally won.

I almost laughed at my current state and the fact that the last thing I would see was his face.

"Can you do me a favour," I continued as I felt my vision blur and my consciousness teeter on the edge.

Leon just nodded, waiting for me to finish.

"I don’t want to be lying down when everyone gets back."

My comrades, my teachers, my parents, my friends.

I couldn’t help but smile.

"You know I’ll look pathetic, right?"

Leon’s expression darkened ever so slightly. Seeing him react to the words of the person he’d killed was quite funny—at least it meant he wouldn’t throw away my words.

With an exhausted breath, I continued, "You know I always liked standing like a knight. That’s where I looked best."

He just stared at me without saying a word.

My life was slipping away—I could feel it. My aura dispersing slowly. And my consciousness returning to the arms of the Evernight Goddess.

"Leon..." My voice trailed off. "Can you do something else for me? Not as a hero or a rival, just as a fellow Earthling."

"What’s that?"

I let a tired smile form through my broken lips as I tasted the blood at their edge. "Remember me..."

Leon’s body twitched at my words, my body slowly slipping from his grip.

"Please... remember me. Remember me forever Leon."

Before he could respond, I closed my eyes, the sound of flames crackling around us and horses approaching ringing in my ears.

I felt someone’s hand support me to stand up and the hilt of my blade in my hand.

I was standing proud, like a true knight.

This was what the goddess wanted, right? A true hero. A man who wouldn’t fall even in the face of death.

"If there is a next life, I hope yours will be peaceful."

I opened my eyes to see Leon standing in front of me with a wide smile. A smile I had never seen on his face before.

Maybe if things were a bit different we might have been best friends.

I took in a deep breath, my last slow breath in this world.

From a distance I could see those who were close to me riding on horses at full force.

’So this is the end?’

What shall I call my story?

A name befitting my greatness.

The tale of the Evernight Goddess’ last hero. Or maybe something less grand like; the story of a man who became a knight.

A small smile formed on my bloodied face as I closed my eyes.

Perhaps my next life might be more peaceful than this one...

I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding as my consciousness vanished.

But as they say, fate isn’t always on everyone’s side...

---

[One thousand years later]

"Hey, do you know why the boss wants us to take this statue inside a cell?"

The rough voice of an elderly man echoed through the prison corridors. Dirt clung to the ground, and petrol dripped from the ceiling.

"I don’t know," replied a younger, burly man, tattoos snaking across his arms. "That ’witch’ said he could make a perfect soldier from it."

The older man let out a long, hoarse laugh as they dragged the human‑shaped statue further into the cell.

"Pftt... wasn’t this the statue of that other hero? Was he called the Knight of the Evernight Goddess or something?"

The old man nearly slipped on the part of the floor wet with petrol and dirt. Holding onto the statue of the man who had died standing tall, he sighed. "Why does the boss even listen to that witch? She just tells him to do random things. Now she even wants him to pick up a side character. I bet if this guy were alive, I could take him with my eyes closed."

"HAHAHA, I doubt that. You know you’re weak as hell, old pops," the younger man muttered with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever makes you sleep at night, kid. Let’s just drop this creepy thing and get a drink."

When the statue finally rested against the far wall, the two men left, leaving the cell in silence.

Moments passed. Then, almost imperceptibly, a small crack appeared across the salt‑like surface of the statue. It widened with each passing second, until...

Crack! Thud!

The statue’s shell crumbled to the ground, piece by piece.

Ding!

[Welcome to your new world, Master.]