I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 328

Ian, Miguel, and Lucia all turned almost in unison, eyes wide. The crimson flash was gone as if it had never been, leaving behind an ominous, oppressive silence that seemed to weigh more heavily than before.

"Was that... a lightning strike?" Miguel muttered in a daze.

Ian didn’t respond. His gaze remained fixed on the surging, dark-red clouds that rippled ominously above.

Crash!

The sky brightened again, this time unmistakably. All of them saw it—a crimson bolt piercing the clouds and crashing down to the ground. It struck somewhere beyond the wall, deep within the heart of the autonomous region. The lightning flashed once more, then vanished without a trace. A deeper furrow appeared on Ian’s brow.

"So, it actually... hits the ground?" Miguel’s voice quivered, his body contorted awkwardly as he clung to his horse’s neck and craned his head to look behind him.

"I-I’ve seen nothing like this before either..." Lucia’s voice trembled, her lips parting in shock. "I thought the red thunder was just a phenomenon triggered by the Black Wall’s seizures... but it seems... I was wrong."

"If it’s not just a phenomenon, then what?" Miguel asked, loosening his hold on his horse just enough to glance at Lucia.

"I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps..." Lucia’s eyes met Ian’s as he turned to face forward again. Her amber eyes flickered with unease.

"... The wall is spewing madness," Ian finished the sentence.

Lucia nodded faintly while Miguel's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? Are you telling me that lightning is infused with the Black Wall’s madness?"

Lucia turned to him. "I’m not certain. It could just be a harmless, eerie bolt of lightning, and maybe nothing would happen—it hit unless someone. But if not..."

Before she could finish, a shadow suddenly fell over her hooded figure as another crimson flash burst ahead of them.

Rumble!

"Ahh! Holy shit!" Miguel’s scream followed immediately as his horse reared up, forelegs flailing before halting abruptly.

Had they not instinctively grabbed the reins and crouched down, they would have been flung off. The only one that remained calm was Nila, though it too had stopped abruptly, lowering its head and panting heavily.

"T-That nearly killed us! Damn it. It struck right in front of us!" Miguel spat out, trying to calm his panicked horse. Lucia continued to stroke her excited horse’s neck, eyes wide as she gazed at the darkened path ahead.

"We’ll just have to see for ourselves if it was just lightning or not." Ian’s calm voice cut through the tension.

Miguel’s head snapped toward him reflexively. "See for ourselves? What do you mean by... Where are you looking?"

"The spot where the lightning struck," Ian responded immediately, his gaze still locked on the forest beyond. Since he had been looking straight ahead, he could pinpoint the exact location.

"You saw it... during all this? No, wait. So," Miguel’s expression finally twisted as he stared at Ian, whose eyes now held a faint, determined glow. "You mean to head over there? Now? In person?"

"It’s not that far. And it doesn’t seem too off course from where we’re headed anyway," Ian said as he pulled on the reins. Nila, who had been catching its breath with its head lowered, obediently raised its head again, a puff of steam escaping its nostrils, as if ready.

"I wouldn’t think twice if I hadn’t seen it. But I can’t just ignore something strange happening in my territory."

"Well... I mean, you’re right, but... shouldn’t we stop by the village first, gather some warriors—" Miguel stammered, his brow furrowed.

Almost at the same moment, Lucia straightened in her saddle. "Let’s go check it out. It’s just a slight detour," she said, glancing at Miguel with eyes shimmering with divine light. "If something ominous is happening, giving it more time won’t do any good."

Miguel closed his eyes tightly and sighed. "Ah... Lu Entre, help us..."

"Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to fight," Ian said as he passed them and moved ahead. Slowly, he drew the Truesilver Steel Sword from his waist, the blade catching the lingering red gleam of the storm.

Rumble—

A deep thunder rolled as the sky darkened further. The crimson shimmer that laced the clouds began to thin and scatter. The Black Wall’s seizure seemed to subside.

"We’ll check it quickly. Stay close and keep up," Ian commanded, glancing back at Miguel before snapping the reins in his left hand. Nila took off without hesitation.

***

Clop-clop, clop-clop

Nila’s hooves thudded against the ground as they left the winding path and entered the snow-draped forest. Luckily, the terrain wasn’t yet too slippery, and the light reflected off the snow kept visibility from being completely lost. This was fortunate for Nila, even though Ian could see perfectly well in darker conditions.

There is definitely something out there.

With his Magic Detection activated, he could sense the unusual energy radiating from the distance. It was erratic and raw, more primal than corrupted magic, closer to chaos itself.

It’s calming down a bit, but...

Lucia’s theory likely held true. The Black Wall had spewed madness into the world, spreading destructive chaos in its wake. It wasn’t just the North that was affected. Similar occurrences must have happened in regions bordering the eastern and southern fronts.

Was it like this in the game, too...?

Guiding Nila’s reins toward the source of the fading ripples, Ian sifted through memories of the past. Before the corruption began, ‌ elite-level field bosses would sometimes appear unexpectedly, or one could stumble upon a demonic realm in surprising places.

These were mini dungeons of sorts, randomly generated and guarded by sub-boss-level elite monsters. Back then, they were simply considered gameplay elements for farming and grinding levels. But now, seeing it in reality, it seemed to hold a certain logic—just as many other things he’d witnessed did.

Ian’s eyes sharpened. Before the ripples completely dissipated, he pinpointed their origin. It was beyond a snow-covered ravine with jagged rocks jutting out. Although the gradual slope obscured the far side, he knew he would see the aftermath of the lightning strike once he reached it. His grip on the reins tightened, and Nila, sensing it, quickened its pace.

Clop-clop, clop-clop.

The surrounding trees thinned, giving way to scattered boulders and steep inclines that were common in the Northern rock ravines. Although snow covered the ground, Nila ran steadily without losing her balance. The faint glow of magic stones embedded in the cold weather gear shimmered softly.

Ian had no worries about Miguel and Lucia keeping up. Miguel was a seasoned Northern hunter. Tracking him through a snow-covered forest was child's play for him.

Groan... screech... screech...

A faint, eerie cry pierced the silence, catching Ian’s ear. His eyes narrowed.

It’s too soon for anything to be lured by the ripple.

Judging by the sound, it was snow ogres—young ones, by the high-pitched, grating noise they made. Unlike their bulk would suggest, these creatures made shrill, unpleasant sounds before reaching maturity—most likely so their calls could be easily heard by their mother.

Which meant the mother was probably nearby. Perhaps even with them already.

Clop-clop, clop-clop.

Nila continued running, undeterred. The sudden silence, as if someone had sliced away the noise, confirmed Ian's suspicion.

They heard the hoofbeats.

Ahead, two dark shapes emerged briefly from the gaps between snow-covered rocks. Pale, grotesque faces with foul features peered out before disappearing again behind the stones.

It wasn’t to retreat or hide. Within seconds, the two figures reappeared from the slopes on either side. Pale-skinned, with burly arms, they crept forward without making a sound. They were snow ogre younglings, crawling on all fours and camouflaging themselves as part of the snowy landscape. Their speed was deceptive; from afar, they might look like moving clumps of snow.

They hadn’t realized he’d already seen them. Nor did they seem aware of the red glow in their own eyes—so consumed by the frenzy they didn’t bother masking their presence.

Clop-clop, clop-clop.

It seemed Ian wasn’t the only one aware of the threat. Nila, without slowing down, lowered its neck slightly, adjusting its posture so Ian could draw his sword or dismount at any moment.

Smart creature... but still... Why are only the younglings here?

Sliding his foot out of the stirrup, Ian finely tuned his awareness to detect other movements around him. The mother ogre should have appeared by now, charging head-on.

Snow ogres were surprisingly adept hunters for their size. Their typical strategy involved the young dispersing to the flanks to encircle their prey while the mother drew attention from the front. Once the prey’s focus was on the mother, the young would block the escape route, completing the ambush.

But now, the two younglings weren’t trying to set up an ambush; they were charging directly at him in a straight line. It seemed urgent as if whatever was driving them forward was too pressing to bother concealing their footsteps as they neared.

Did something happen to the mother? Maybe she was struck by lightning.

If so, she was likely to be dead. A bolt infused with concentrated madness would be far too potent for an ordinary monster to withstand.

We’ll find out soon enough, Ian thought as he extended his Truesilver Steel Sword to the side.

Shoosh.

A golden glow rippled along the blade, illuminating the snow-covered path and revealing one of the young ogres creeping toward him. The creature, realizing it had been spotted, lifted its grotesque head. Its mouth split open, revealing shattered, glass-like teeth.

"Screech!"

The ear-splitting shriek tore through the air, designed to disorient and induce confusion. The second ogre echoed the call, their cries resounding in a cacophony that reverberated across the rocky slopes. For Ian, however, it was nothing more than noise. Nila, protected by its enchanted armor, was equally unfazed, its magic stones emitting a momentarily brighter glow in response.

Annoying creatures, Ian mused as he pushed off the saddle and launched himself into the air. His body cut an elegant arc, propelled by momentum, straight toward the young ogre.

"Roar—"

The creature reared up and flailed its arms, a reflexive action, but it was no match for the comet-like trail of yellow light that followed Ian’s blade.

Swish—

The blade's arc grazed the young ogre’s head as Ian’s momentum carried him forward. He landed at an angle and rolled across the snow, bouncing slightly before coming to a stop. A dull sensation coursed through his body as he felt the jagged stones beneath the snow.

Fuck, this sword is almost too sharp...

Ian gritted his teeth as he got to his feet. The ogre stumbled a few more steps before collapsing into the snow.

Thud—

Its head was severed cleanly, the top half sheared away to reveal a grotesque cross-section of bone and tissue. Blood sprayed upward, staining the pristine snow crimson. Farther back, where the other half of the head landed, grayish brain matter mixed with blood seeped into the snow, the scarlet gleam in the ogre’s eye fading into lifelessness.

"Screech!"

The other youngling screeched, charging with a rage that outweighed fear at the sight of its fallen sibling. It propelled itself forward on all fours like a gorilla, adding more force to its rush.

Ian rose fully as the creature hurtled toward him. The snow on his cloak scattered in a light spray as he moved.

Thud-thud-thud-thud.

He turned and spotted Nila circling in the distance, then faced the charging creature. Its distorted face and the glowing crimson streaks emanating from its eyes were clear. He had never seen such a glow in the ogres he’d encountered before in the North. This was an effect of the crimson lightning that had struck earlier.

So, the mother died from the lightning strike, and these young ones absorbed the madness left behind?

New novel chapters are published on freewёbn૦νeɭ.com.

If so, it explained why this youngling's charge was unnaturally fast and fierce for its age. Given more time, these creatures might have grown into powerful mutant ogres.

Of course, that future would never come to pass.

Swish!

Ian's bright yellow trajectory cut cleanly through the charging ogre's outstretched body. The blade, imbued with the power of a dragon, severed the hefty upper body cleanly from the lower half.

Thud.

The creature’s upper and lower halves fell in different directions, the sliced edges spewing blood and fragments of innards that steamed in the cold air. Despite its pale skin, the ogre’s blood was as red as a human's.

Hiss...

Ian, observing the scene with his Light Sword lowered, shifted his gaze and retracted the Platinum Claw. Nila was already making its way back toward him. Ian gave a small nod in acknowledgment, but only for a moment.

His head whipped around suddenly. Chaos energy rippled from the upper half of the bisected young ogre. The creature’s head, buried in the snow, glowed once more with a crimson light.

"Scree—"

Before Ian could react, a screech erupted from the creature’s gaping mouth. It was a wail that sounded mournful and desperate, even with its face still half-embedded in the ground. The sound was brief, and the crimson glow in its eyes faded completely soon after.

However, Ian was no longer paying attention to it. His focus had already shifted to the ravine from where the younglings had emerged earlier.

His grip on the sword's hilt tightened. "... So it wasn’t dead."

The previously faint ripples of energy were now surging forth again, ferocious and wild as if brimming with rage.