I Refused To Be Reincarnated

As Adam approached, he heard Julius curiously ask, "What's a Dullahan?"

An icy shiver ran down Morgane and the Banshee's spines. Just thinking about it was terrifying already.

Her lips trembling, the Banshee explained, "It is an immortal ghost riding his dead horse. Nothing escapes his eyes, and he is skilled in using evil energy, dark magic, and curses."

"Troublesome," Adam muttered, frowning upon hearing her description. 'Against a ranged enemy, it'll be tricky to make him walk on Morgane's circle,' he thought, his fingers tucked around his chin.

Drawn by his words, the trio turned and nodded at him before the girl continued the Banshee's description, "He carries his head around and is also skilled in close combat."

"Great! Let's head back, then," Adam replied, his brows twitching. The guardian seemed too well-balanced with no apparent weakness to exploit. And that was without considering his horse.

"Don't be so pessimistic. If you swear again to free me, I'll draw him to little sister's magic circle," the Banshee said, a sly grin tugging at her lips. After seventy years of guarding this passage, she was weary and felt her sanity gradually crumble after each passing season. Worse, her duty would only end in another hundred and thirty years.

Unfortunately, to free herself, her master imposed a condition he knew she would never meet: come back with a sane ghost and marry him. That's why she tried so hard to sway Adam, using advice from the only banshee who had achieved that in the past.

"If we defeat the guardian, I promise to use his essence with Morgane to free you," Adam answered, his voice decisive before adding. "Now that we are in the same boat, what's your name?"

However, instead of responding, the Banshee fell silent, her silver eyes dimming. Her slaver didn't even trouble himself to name her, only throwing her here a few days after her arrival.

After a brief silence, her voice trembled. "I don't have one. Just call me Banshee number six," she said, turning her head to the side.

As her words lingered in the damp air, Julius felt a pang of sadness strike his heart. Everyone deserves to have a name. With a knowing smile, he gazed at his big brother and said, "Let us fix that. Isn't my name cool? Big bro who chose it for me. I'm sure he'll find a fantastic one for you too," he said, his voice echoing excitedly, as Adam facepalmed.

'I'm just giving names according to months. Stop your false advertising!' He screamed inwardly, his lips twitching.

However, the Banshee turned, gazing at him fervently as her lips curled into a radiant smile. "Please name me!" She said, her excitement carried by her voice.

"..."

As everyone turned at him with glinting eyes, Adam fell silent momentarily, thinking, 'Don't blame me if you don't like it!'

Unfortunately, he failed to find a decent name related to November. So, he changed his tactic.

"I name you Nova, take it or leave it," he said after a minute, cutting the word in half and adding an 'a'.

"Nova..." The Banshee muttered, her mind echoing with the name for a few seconds until her smile broadened. "I like it! Thank you," she said, holding her chest in gratitude and joy while Julius nodded, approving the name.

"Glad you like it. Let's get back on the topic now. How do you plan to attract the guardian?" Adam asked, wearing his poker face not to laugh.

"I have an idea, but you'll have to fight him here for it to work," she started, reviewing her plan before continuing. "He most likely saw you defeat the two fakers from his position but can't see us that far. My idea is for little sister to draw her magic circle in this passage. Once she is done, I'll scramble to him and say you are blocking the way and promised to kill any sane ghost showing up."

"Would that be enough to draw him?" Julius asked, frowning. From Nova's earlier words, sane ghosts reaching this place were few, the last male being sixty years ago.

"He'll move. He did so sixty years ago to stop the cheeky human after he defeated everyone, even if he lost before my eyes in the end," she answered, revealing something shocking.

"It wasn't a ghost?!" Julius asked, his eyes wide open. How did a regular human reach that place alone, and how was the guardian alive if he lost?

Adam gazed at the Banshee as confused as the boy, awaiting her explanation.

"He was a weird youth, around fourteen or fifteen? I remember how his light green hair fluttered in the mist as he defeated the old Doppelgänger and the guardian barehanded." She said, reminiscing in her memories briefly before continuing. "His strange magic and strong physic left overwhelmed them. Yet, in the end, he spared them and left after learning what lay beyond the canyon."

"What a strange man!" Julius exclaimed, a pensive frown forming between his brows. His curiosity piqued, he asked, wanting to learn more about him. "What's his name?"

However, his question caused Nova to narrow her eyes for ten seconds, sweat dripping from her forehead as she searched her memories.

"I don't remember. But I'm sure it was a unique name starting with L." She finally said before adding, "And don't ask about the canyon. I can't reveal anything."

Simultaneously, Adam shrugged and said, "He is probably dead or old now, anyway. Knowing about him won't help us defeat the guardian."

However, deep down, he admired the man. 'How did he defeat them all without weapons?' He pondered, understanding the mysterious "L" was more than an ordinary mage.

"True, he should be well past his eighties by now." Nova answered with a nod before continuing, "The guardian is a sucker for rules and was tasked with guiding any sane soul. So, even without mentioning that event, I know he'll come."

"Alright. We'll go with your plan," Adam said, convinced by her words. Then, he turned to Morgane and added, "You can start with the circle. I'll be resting to recover my mana a few meters away." Discover hidden tales at mvl