Inside the tunnel at the city gates of Stormveil, the four Dabasha lit the torch holders on the wall, making the tunnel much brighter and more convenient for conversation.
Nidhogg glanced at Slan and calmly said, "Since he is an Apostle, the death of an Apostle would leave behind his human remains. In this situation, that shouldn't happen. Nothing would be left."
"'Apostle'? 'Human remains'?" Slan frowned, even more puzzled.
The others were also confused about what "Apostle" meant.
Even Azan and Serpico, who had been following Nidhogg for several days, hadn't learned any information about this from him. Along the way, they hadn't encountered a single Apostle except for the Daredevil.
Everyone couldn't help but look at Nidhogg.
"It's a long story." Nidhogg sighed. Although he had already said this many times to Guts and the others before, it was still very heavy to repeat the information about the God Hand and the Apostles.
Slan heard the reluctance in Nidhogg's words. He hesitated for a moment, but still said:
"Actually, we are not ignorant of the strangeness of the Night Devil. It is worth saying that the Bakiraka clan has passed down terrifying rumors about him for generations, spanning hundreds of years."
When Azan and Serpico heard "hundreds of years," they couldn't help but be a little suspicious.
Did he mean that this person, known as the "Daredevil," has lived for hundreds of years? And there are also these so-called "Apostles"... What the hell is going on?
Nidhogg and Rogier showed little surprise. They had encountered beings that lived for hundreds of years; it was common.
Slan continued:
"His real name is 'Rakshas.' Hundreds of years ago, he was the most talented killer and assassin of the Bakiraka clan, but he became infamous for his murderous nature."
"'The assassin is the one who answers to death'—this is the creed of our Bakiraka clan. Rakshas deviated from this, viewing killing as a kind of hunting. But due to his past exploits, the Bakiraka did not punish him."
"After that, the Bakiraka was hired by a wise master, a member of the royal family of the Kushan Empire. If there were no accidents, as the heir, he would become the next emperor of the Kushan Empire."
"His wisdom, courage, and ambitions conquered the Bakiraka, so the Bakiraka worked entirely for him. Later, even the always unruly Rakshas was subdued by his personal charm."
"Therefore, under the direction of this prince, the Bakiraka gradually grew within the Kushan Empire and became his sharp blade in the darkness. Before the prince ascended the throne, he already used this to intimidate the leaders of the main tribes of the Kushan Empire. It was very prestigious."
"Rakshas also restrained his edge under his command. Although his killing methods were brutal, he never sought prey beyond the target the prince asked for."
"At that time, he was the most perfect assassin of the Bakiraka. With his flawless reputation, the prince thought highly of him. In the end, he even became one of his trusted subordinates. The infamous glory of the past seemed to have vanished."
"Moreover, Rakshas risked his life several times to prevent the assassination of the prince. Therefore, the relationship between the prince and Rakshas grew closer and closer, almost to the point of talking about everything."
"By this time, all obstacles in the Kushan Empire had been removed. When the time came, the prince would ascend the throne and then become the most exalted emperor of the Kushan Empire."
"However, an unexpected event occurred with everyone. Rakshas, at a time when the prince was unsuspecting and talking to him alone, suddenly killed the prince and then fled."
Hearing this twist, everyone except the four Dabasha was surprised.
Slan didn't stop and continued:
"The then-emperor of the Kushan Empire was shocked by the bad news. His most proud heir had died at the hands of his trusted subordinate. He flew into a rage and immediately asked the Bakiraka to clean up the portal."
"So, the Bakiraka declared that Rakshas would be exiled from the portal."
"Subsequently, they did not hesitate to set up a net, sacrificed countless elites, and even invited several people who were well acquainted with Rakshas to help—his mentor, family, and other disciples."
"Finally, the Bakiraka elite found Rakshas and brought him to the brink of death. At the same time, they asked him why he had killed the prince and who the main instigator was."
"Rakshas, who was seriously wounded and dying, only told the truth at the end. There was no mastermind behind him. It was all his own decision."
"It turned out that when he first met the prince, he was deeply attracted by his charm. Therefore, he regarded the prince as the target he most wanted to hunt, but at the same time, he was also the master he wanted to be loyal to."
"Over the years of service, Rakshas tortured himself in this contradictory mood. The closer he got to the prince, and the more the prince trusted him, the more he could barely control his habits."
"Finally, his patience reached its limit that day. Because the prince's trust in him had reached a level where he could dismiss all the guards, leaving only the two of them to talk. And the prince promised to let him rule the Bakiraka after his ascension."
"It's just that the prince never thought that the more he trusted and cared for Rakshas, the more Rakshas wanted to kill him and enjoy the pleasure he had suppressed for several years."
"He did it. He killed the prince in his disbelief, cut off his head, and experienced a peak of ecstasy he had never seen before."
"The Bakiraka assassins, who didn't understand Rakshas's twisted idea, decided to deliver the final blow to him. But at that moment, something strange happened."
"A sudden dark storm swept away almost all the Bakiraka assassins. Only a few people could escape because they were far from the center."
"After that, the storm vanished. The few surviving assassins only saw a strange figure in a black cloak standing in a pool of blood formed by the bodies of many Bakiraka assassins."
"This was the newly born Rakshas, who had transformed into this form by some unknown means. He instantly killed all the Bakiraka assassins who had been besieging him."
"However, he let those few survivors go. He allowed them to return the terror of that day to the Kushan Empire and spread it."
"After that, Rakshas became the Night Devil and committed incredible and brutal killings within the Kushan Empire and even in the wider region."
"Every time an assassin in the Bakiraka repeats it, it seems to me impossible to accomplish such a killing."
"The Great Emperor of the Kushan Empire was furious at the Bakiraka's incompetence in failing to catch the Daredevil, the murderer of his heir. So his dissatisfaction was vented on the Bakiraka clan."
"As a result, the Bakiraka was exiled by the Kushan Empire and forced to build a residence on a dangerous mountain far from human settlements, living a secluded life. Then, to survive, they could only work for employers in various countries."
"However, in the following hundreds of years, the legend of the Daredevil did not cease. His killings remained evil, terrifying, and brutal. The Bakiraka even had records of seeing him more than once."
"The Bakiraka doesn't know how the Daredevil survived and how he lived such a long life. Everything related to the Daredevil has become even more confusing."
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