《Surviving as a Barbarian in a Fantasy World》 Chapter 0 – Prologue Chapter 0 ¨C Prologue [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 0 ¨C Prologue Lee Jin-sung loved fantasy. His passion for it surpassed the level of mere enjoyment, bordering on obsession. His interest and fascination with fantasy extended beyond simple fantasy novels to include copies of history and mythology that he would spend his entire paycheck on. As a result, he always wished. He wanted to go to a fantasy world, a world of wonder and magic. Lee Jin-sung didn¡¯t just stop at dreaming. He quit his job and set off on a journey. For years, he sought out the mysterious wonders of the world, venturing into remote ces where no one else dared to go. He conquered the tallest mountains in the world and even ventured to the southernmost reaches of the Earth. He went to the very center of the Earth. But naturally, nothing ever came of it. Reality was the furthest thing from fantasy. By that point, he was tempted to give up, but Lee Jin-sung couldn¡¯t bring himself to. Every night, he prayed. To every god on Earth, and even to those beyond. He prayed that when he woke up the next morning, he would find himself in the midst of a fantasy world. And then one day, his prayers were answered. Just not in the way he had hoped for. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t what I wished for.¡± A sigh escaped him. His breath froze and fell to the ground. He lifted his head with a despondent expression. Before him stretched out an endless expanse of bitter cold. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 1 – The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (1) Chapter 1 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (1) [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 1 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (1) The man gazed at the horizon with a sullen expression. Despite the biting chill of the merciless blizzard, he stood there d only in a light leather vest, his eyes fixed on the distant expanse. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A voice came from behind him. A gray-haired woman, simrly dressed in thin clothes, tilted her head in confusion. The man opened his mouth. ¡°Admiring the scenery.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To calm my mind.¡± ¡°Why calm your mind?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m tired. You ignorant barbarian. Stop asking questions.¡± ¡°Your mind is tired?¡± The woman seemed to not understand his words, her head cocking repeatedly. ¡°Why is your mind tired, not your body? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°Enough. Idiot.¡± The man sighed. ¡°I told you I¡¯d handle the perimeter. Why are you here? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Five tribesmen ate the ck scorpions.¡± The man¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Again? I clearly told them not to eat them because they¡¯ll make you sick. It hasn¡¯t even been a week, and five of them have already eaten them?¡± ¡°It was a glorious challenge. I was proud of them.¡± The womanughed brightly. ¡°Ughh, fuck.¡± The man exhaled a heavy sigh. ¡°Go back and clean up the bodies. And don¡¯t eat them again while you¡¯re at it. I¡¯ll kill you if you do.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The woman hesitated. The man clicked his tongue. ¡°If you eat them, you¡¯ll die by my hand.¡± ¡°Ah, I understand. I¡¯ll never eat them.¡± The woman shivered and scurried away. The man watched her retreating figure and sighed again. ¡°Ignorant barbarians.¡± Of course, they¡¯re scared of his threats because they¡¯ll die if they eat them anyway. Ignorant, stupid fools. The man kicked the snow gloomily. His figure disappeared into the snowfield. * * * Snowfall. A world of pure white, as if made entirely of snow. Several carriages were moving through thisndscape. Creak. Creak. ¡°Ugh. gue. It¡¯s freezing cold.¡± The man escorting the carriage pulled his fur hat down tightly. The breath he exhaled instantly turned to frost and fell to the ground. His eyebrows were also frozen, ready to fall off if he touched them. ¡°Wrap yourselves in your furs even tighter. Otherwise, you¡¯ll freeze to death.¡± The man who seemed to be the leader spoke in a low voice. The people pulled the cors of their coats even tighter. ¡°Y-yes, we are.¡± ¡°Ugh. It¡¯s cold.¡± Slowly, they moved forward. The tracks of the carriage wheels and footprints were left on the white snowfield, and they were instantly covered in white and disappeared. A man watching the scene with weary eyes opened his mouth. ¡°Captain, no matter how good the reward is, this is just crazy.¡± The man raised his head. Front, back, left, right. All he could see was white. There was no creature with color here except for them. ¡°Crossing the White Snowfield? Isn¡¯t that really crazy?¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± A harsh voice rang out. ¡°You all agreed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Then be quiet. We¡¯re getting close to the border.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± With a small curse, he closed his mouth again. In fact, they didn¡¯t have much time to talk. The moment they opened their mouths, the cold air would prate their lungs. In the silence, they moved forward again. And in the carriage they were escorting, an old man clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk.¡± The old man had a long white beard and was dressed in a fancy suit. He asked with a worried face. ¡°Are you alright, youngdy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The young woman nodded. Her blue hair swayed. Her ck eyes met the old man¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°What is this really?¡± The old man sighed deeply, seemingly in despair. ¡°There was no need for you to take this arduous journey yourself, youngdy¡­¡± ¡°No. I have to go.¡± The young woman shook her head. ¡°That was the condition of my contract with my father.¡± ¡°Oh, old man. You don¡¯t appreciate the youngdy¡¯s efforts to save the family and¡­¡± ¡°Hey. I¡¯m going to freeze to death.¡± The old man¡¯s words ofment were cut off by a grumble. The old man¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Those disrespectful creatures.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on them. They¡¯re the only ones who agreed to escort us through this White Snowfield.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, can¡¯t we bring them inside now? They look so cold.¡± Crash. Crash. The carriage screamed in the cold. Even though it was protected by magic, it was hard to ignore the extreme cold. It was hard to imagine how cold those outside must be. The young woman spoke with concern, but the old man firmly refused. ¡°No. You don¡¯t understand what exists in this White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Monsters¡­ is that right?¡± Monsters lived in the White Snowfield. Horrifying creatures beyond imagination lurked outside. ¡°The probability of encountering them is low, but we must be careful. That¡¯s why we have escorts.¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± The young woman looked out the window. All she could see was white. No other colors were visible. ¡°Can people really live here?¡± [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°That¡¯s just a legend. There¡¯s no way humans could survive in this environment.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a credible legend.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± Even the old man didn¡¯tpletely deny it. Long, long ago. An empire that once ruled the world. That empire had incorporated everything from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sea within its territory. Except for the White Snowfield. The White Snowfield, which upied more than half the world,y at the very center of the world. It was a hellish realm from which no one had ever returned alive. But the emperor, who wanted to grasp the world itself in his hands, desired to rule the White Snowfield. And so, he led all the strong and soldiers, and even entered the White Snowfield himself. And several yearster. Around the time the empire, having lost its master, had fallen and been forgotten by all. The emperor returned. Having lost countless strong men and soldiers, he returned with only his body. Looking decades older, he spoke like a madman. That monster lived in the White Snowfield. White snakes that devoured icebergs. White bears that caused earthquakes. Ugly rats that polluted the oceans. And he said. That the most dangerous thing in the White Snowfield was not monsters. But humans. ¡°Did he say ash-colored barbarians with scars on their chests?¡± There were barbarians here. ¡°It¡¯s just a legend, right?¡± ¡°But the emperor¡¯s words are credible. Most of the monsters he saw have been discovered.¡± After the emperor¡¯s death, all kinds of strong men and expeditions entered the White Snowfield. Most of them never returned, but a very small number survived to tell their tales of adventure. Their adventures included stories that matched the emperor¡¯s. ¡°But there are no stories of seeing barbarians, are there?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± Even in those countless adventures, there was no information about barbarians. ¡°It was probably the emperor¡¯s mistake. It¡¯s not something we should worry about.¡± The young woman closed her mouth at the old man¡¯s dismissal. As the old man said, it was not something they should worry about. Just then, there was a knock on the door. ¡°We are approaching the border.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tension appeared on the faces of the old man and the young woman. The White Snowfield was not all dangerous. Through the sacrifices of countless explorers, the areas where monsters appeared had been somewhat cleared. The moment they entered there, there was a possibility of encountering monsters. The faces of the mercenaries hardened. Even though they had been quiet, their footsteps were now so quiet that they were almost inaudible. ¡°Not everyone who enters the border encounters monsters.¡± The leader of the mercenaries spoke softly to ease the tension. ¡°If you move carefully, you can move without encountering them. And even if you do encounter them, you can probably defeat most of them.¡± ¡°And what about the monsters we can¡¯t defeat? Don¡¯t we all die?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that¡­ but I mean there¡¯s a good chance we can. Move slowly.¡± Creak. Creak. The sound of the wheels turning echoed softly. They swallowed their saliva and slowly moved forward, their muscles tensed all over their bodies. They prayed that no color other than their own would be visible in this white world. But reality mercilessly trampled on their prayers. ¡°¡­Everyone stop.¡± The leader who had been walking ahead stopped. ¡°There¡¯s something there.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see it very well.¡± The blizzard was too fierce. They could only see a hazy figure, and they couldn¡¯t even tell what kind of creature it was. The leader narrowed his eyes. ¡°I have good news and bad news.¡± ¡°Damn it. Tell me quickly.¡± ¡°The good news is that it¡¯s small.¡± There were countless monsters here, and some of them were as big as mountains. If it was about the size of a human, they might be able to defeat it. ¡°The bad news is that it¡¯sing towards us.¡± There was no escape from the battle. Curses and the sound of metal rang out. One by one, they prepared for battle. In the carriage, the old man and the young woman clenched their fists tightly. In the tense atmosphere, the opponent gradually approached. And finally, its figure was revealed in the blizzard. The leader, who was about to charge with his sword drawn, stopped in his tracks. ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The eyes of the young woman, who had been anxiously looking out the window with worried eyes, widened. The creature that appeared was not a monster. ¡°¡­A human?¡± Ash-colored hair, as if it had been eaten by dust, swayed in the white. Muscles as perfect as a statue. And an impressive scar on his chest that looked like a burst. A light leather vest that looked as if he didn¡¯t care about the cold. ¡°¡­A barbarian?¡± Someone muttered. The barbarian, who had been silently looking at them, opened his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go back, so I went out for a walk, but I didn¡¯t expect to be so lucky.¡± For a moment, they doubted their own ears. From the mouth of a being that was the epitome of savagery, very fluentmon tongue flowed out. Ash-colored eyes met theirs. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 2 – The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (2) Chapter 2 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (2) [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 2 -The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (2) The fluent, dialect-free, and surprisingly neatmon tongue struck their ears. They were so flustered that they couldn¡¯t answer. The barbarian nced behind them. There were a considerable number of carriages. Eight in total. ¡°Merchants?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking a dangerous route by crossing the snowfield on purpose.¡± A deep voice rang out. The mercenaries hesitated with their swords drawn. They had thought it was a monster, but what appeared was a barbarian they had only heard of in legends. It was already hard to wrap their heads around, but he was also having a very fluent conversation. The barbarian looked at the mercenaries¡¯ uniforms and opened his mouth again. ¡°You seem to be mercenaries protecting merchants.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Merchant and mercenary. Concepts that anyone living a normal life would know. But the other was a barbarian. A legendary being who lived in this snowfield. And that being understood those concepts. ¡°I rmend you go back, but I guess you don¡¯t have that in mind.¡± The barbarian stroked his chin. A tense silence hangs in the air. And then, as if he had made up his mind, the barbarian raises his finger. ¡°You must have your employer in that carriage, right?¡± The tip of his finger pointed towards a neat yellow carriage. ¡°I¡¯d like to be hired too.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Is it hard to understand? I mean I¡¯ll help you cross the snowfield.¡± ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± The legendary barbarian, speaking fluently, suddenly makes a request. It was hard to keep up with the situation. The leader of the mercenaries barely managed toe to his senses. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t mean to be hostile, do you?¡± ¡°If I did, I would have killed you all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The leader nodded at thenguid words. He approached the carriage and knocked on the door. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A calm voice rang out. Inside the carriage, the old man was fumbling around with a white face. ¡°W-what is this¡­¡± ¡°He over there wants to hire himself out to you. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The young woman closes her eyes for a moment and asks. ¡°If we fight, what do you think will happen?¡± ¡°¡­Personally, I wouldn¡¯t rmend it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The young woman opened her eyes. ¡°Tell him we ept.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The leader stepped forward. ¡°Your request has been approved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± The barbarian smiled satisfactorily and approached them. The mercenaries flinched back in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You¡¯re just employees. Can¡¯t I talk to my employer face to face?¡± ¡°¡­What if you do something strange?¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± The barbarian replied leisurely and passed the leader. The mercenaries btedly approached and whispered. ¡°Captain. Is it okay to let him meet her like this?¡± ¡°The employer has agreed.¡± ¡°Even so, we are mercenaries. How can we stop him¡­¡± ¡°Stop him?¡± The leader chuckled bitterly. ¡°That thing? You¡¯re joking, right?¡± The barbarian approached closer and closer. Inside the carriage, the old man¡¯s face was so white that he looked like he was about to faint. ¡°Oh, oh, youngdy! What is this¡­¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Tap. Tap. A knock sounded. A polite knock that didn¡¯t seem to fit the barbarian. It was a very strange sensation. ¡°May Ie in?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Come in.¡± Creak. The door opens. The young woman was instantly overwhelmed. He wasn¡¯t that big in itself. Only about two heads taller than a strong man. But it wasn¡¯t his body. He was wearing only a leather vest, so his skin was bare. Every muscle twitched. His muscles were more like a statue than a living creature. A monster in human form. That was the impression the young woman had. ¡°Ugh.¡± The carriage was filled. The old man retreated as far as he could. ¡°I hope you will calm down. I have no intention of hurting you.¡± ¡°¡­Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± The barbarian smiled. His ck eyes met the young woman¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s quite warm in here. Even indoors, it must be difficult to maintain this level of warmth in this snowfield.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s treated with magic.¡± At that moment, a strange light shed in the barbarian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Magic. Your mysterious power, right? I understand that concept.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± The woman was perplexed. Her counterpart was a barbarian. He possessed a physique that was nothing short of a symbol of savagery. However, his vocabry and speech were remarkably fluent and sophisticated. It felt like dealing with a noble who had received a high education. ¡°I understand, but this ce is dangerous. The chance of safely passing through with those mercenaries is very slim. So, I¡¯ll protect your lives.¡± ¡°¡­What do you want in return?¡± The woman¡¯s mind raced. Most likely, what the other party wanted was food with a high probability. Alternatively, the likelihood of wanting cold weapons was high. Then, how much could she afford to pay? She quickly pondered, but the words that came out of the barbarian¡¯s mouth exceeded her expectations. ¡°It¡¯s nothing remarkable. Quite simple, actually.¡± The barbarian said lightly. ¡°Knowledge.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Knowledge beyond the snow. The information you possess. That¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°Knowledge and information¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. There shouldn¡¯t be any loss.¡± Having said that, the barbarian chuckled. At that moment, the woman almost wet herself without realizing it. Even though it was a simpleughter, it felt like being thrown naked in front of a predator. She pretended to be calm and slowly nodded her head. ¡°Alright, understood.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The barbarian smiled satisfactorily. ¡°Then what is your name?¡± ¡°¡­I am Milena. Milena of the Akasha family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ketal. Nice to meet you.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®This time, the conversation seems to flow.¡¯ Ketal sighed with relief inwardly. It had been a while since he had a conversational partner. Most humans who saw him mostly panicked and thrust their des. He had tried to calm them down and engage in conversation, but most of them were halfway gone in madness and babbled evil, making it impossible to have a proper conversation. This time, his counterpart¡¯s calm demeanor pleased him greatly. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to go back, so I came to take a look around, but what luck.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand why people willingly entered such cursed ces, but asionally, people dide from outside. As he couldn¡¯t escape from this cursed wilderness, the information he obtained from those who came from outside was incredibly valuable. Above all else. ¡®It¡¯s like feeling healed when conversing with civilized people after dealing with ignorant barbarians.¡¯ Ketal asked Milena many questions. About the situation outside. About the rtionships between nations. About the state of the world. The more questions he asked, the more confused Milena became as she answered. These were not the kind of questions one would expect from a barbarian who was only known from legends in the snowfields. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded in response to Milena¡¯s answer. ¡°So the outside world isn¡¯t exactly peaceful either.¡± ¡°Yes. The Empire and the Kingdom are at war.¡± The current world was in a state of war. A powerful empire and thergest kingdom were fighting a war for the survival of their nations. ¡°The Empire is slowly pushing forward with its overwhelming numbers and naval power, but the Kingdom is not giving up easily. The Swordmaster and the Hero are defending the border.¡± ¡°Hero? Swordmaster?¡± Interest lit up in Ketal¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are they strong?¡± ¡°They are strong. Beyond humanprehension.¡± ¡°Some of them have even in dragons.¡± ¡°Dragons, you say.¡± Ketal muttered softly. A Swordmaster and dragons. How fantastical a name that was. What would a real dragon look like? An Eastern dragon or a Western dragon? Would it be serpentine or reptilian? ¡°I would like to meet them.¡± Fantasy existed beyond the snowfields. How long had he been trapped here? He couldn¡¯t even remember anymore. He had only been desperate to survive. All he knew was that this was a snowfield in the middle of a fantasy world, and that he couldn¡¯t escape. Outside. A fantasy world. He really wanted to go out. And then Milena felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®¡­Surely not.¡¯ Could this barbarian be nning to attack the outside world? Was he asking about the strong and the information outside in order to do so? That was her delusional thought. Milena asked cautiously. ¡°You are¡­ a barbarian, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I suppose you could say that. From your expressions, it seems you know of my existence.¡± ¡°Yes. There are legends.¡± ¡°Legends?¡± Milena told him about the legends she knew. Ketal chuckled when he heard the story. ¡°So that¡¯s how the story goes. The emperor. Was that madman the emperor?¡± ¡®I thought he was just a lunatic.¡¯ ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No. No.¡± Ketal shook his head. ¡°Your legends are probably right. There have been others like that before.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± She received the answer that the legend was true from the legendary being himself. Awe filled Milena¡¯s eyes. She was talking to a legend right now. Surprised by that fact, she missed one thing in Ketal¡¯s words. He spoke as if he had experienced the stories of ancient legends firsthand. As the conversation progressed, Milena¡¯s guard against Ketal gradually diminished. She began to ask questions little by little. ¡°You¡­ seem to know ournguage and knowledge.¡± ¡°Many people passed through here a long time ago. They were all dying, buried in the snow. I learned in exchange for protecting them. I¡¯m not sure if they made it back safely.¡± ¡°They probably didn¡¯t.¡± If they had returned, news about the barbarians would have spread. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± That alone didn¡¯t exin the barbarian¡¯s fluent vocabry and knowledge. His knowledge seemed exceptional to the point where it couldn¡¯t be reached without making an effort. After a moment of silence, Ketal asked. ¡°Are you transporting weapons?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. How did you¡­?¡± ¡°I hear the sound of sharp iron from the carriages. It¡¯s unmistakable.¡± ¡°I-Is that so.¡± This was a white wilderness. The cold was so intense that it was difficult to have a proper conversation. Moreover, the carriages werepletely sealed, so there was no way the sound could be heard outside. ¡°There seem to be quite a few carriages. Is there a reason to pass through this wilderness?¡± ¡°We need a lot of money.¡± Milena bit her lip tightly. Her family had been engaged inmerce for generations. However, due to recent interference and machinations from the surroundings, they had incurred considerable debt. The family itself was in a precarious situation. It was a peddling venture to resolve that debt. Ketal understood her words. ¡°Are you nning to sell weapons to the kingdom at war with the empire?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Milena¡¯s pupils dted. She hadn¡¯t mentioned the destination. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°There are only two countries that would want that many weapons.¡± Ketal said solemnly. ¡°The empire, or the kingdom. But the empire has already been mentioned as a buyer in bulk. It means there¡¯s no problem with the supply of weapons. That leaves only one kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When demand exceeds supply, prices rise. I don¡¯t know the value outside, but with the amount like this, it wouldn¡¯t be insignificant. Seems like a worthwhile investment.¡± Milena blinked rapidly. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to pass through the white wilderness, it seems like there¡¯s no other way to reach the kingdom, right? Is it because the empire shares a border with it?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± It was a perfect answer. ¡°Even so, trying to pass through here is a risky choice.¡± Milena was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t be more surprised. ¡°Who are you?¡± Are you really a barbarian? Just as she was about to ask that question, the carriage stopped. Outside, the sound of a monster echoed. ¡°Uninvited guests have arrived.¡± Ketal said quietly. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 3 – The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (3) Chapter 3 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (3) [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 3 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (3) [Grumble] A strange sound is heard. The mercenaries¡¯ faces hardened. They drew their weapons and tensed their bodies. ¡°Stop.¡± The leader who was walking ahead raised his hand and stopped the mercenaries. Through the frigid cold, the monster appeared. A ck mass of slime emerged. ¡°ck slime¡­¡± Milena groaned. ¡°Is that its name?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a monster that exists in the records.¡± There are many strong people who challenge the white snowfield. And there are a few who have survived, but they definitely exist. They recorded the monsters they saw in the literature, and the ck slime was the most recorded monster. ¡°Do you know about it too, Ketal?¡± ¡°I know it or not. They¡¯re quite edible if they¡¯re chewy. They¡¯re good for a snack.¡± ¡°¡­You eat them?¡± Milena thought she might have heard wrong for a moment, but Ketal had a very serious expression. ¡°Do you want to try them? Then I¡¯ll have them catch one for you.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Milena shook her head hastily. [Grumble] The ck slime slowly approached. The mercenaries tensed up, sensing the clear hostility. ¡°Ketal.¡± Milena looked at Ketal. But Ketal was leaning against the carriage, leisurely looking out the window. Milena was confused by his posture that showed no intention of moving. ¡°Ketal?¡± ¡°I made a contract with you. I promised to protect your lives. I don¡¯t intend to move when it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for them.¡± Ketal muttered softly. ¡°More than anything, I need to check the level outside as well.¡± * * * [Grumble!] The ck slime rushed in. The captain shouted. ¡°Shields!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A mercenary with a shield in both hands stepped forward roughly. He put strength in his legs and waist and tried to hold his ground. The ck slime bounced its body and charged. Zzzzaaang! ¡°Keugh!¡± The shieldbearer was knocked back. The sturdy man rolled on the ground. Another mercenary swung his sword down at the ck slime. Kwaaaang! ¡°Keugh!¡± The sword was knocked back along with the recoil. The mercenary, who staggered and regained his stance, looked at his sword with a bewildered expression. The part that had hit the ck slime was chipped. ¡°What the hell?¡± [Grumble] The ck slime bounced its body again. The mercenaries scrambled to dodge. The captain shouted loudly. ¡°ck slimes can only move in straight lines! Respond by rotating!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t respond head-on! Flow with it!¡± The mercenaries move quickly under the captain¡¯s orders. They form a formation around the ck slime. Zzzaaang! ¡°Keugh!¡± The shieldbearer was pushed back, but he didn¡¯t fall. He twists his body and throws off his bnce of power. ¡°Simple attacks won¡¯t work! Aim for the core somewhere outside!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries fought the ck slime with all their might. And so, thirty minutester. ¡°Heup!¡± The captain thrust his sword. The sword smoothly sunk into a tiny hole in the ck slime. [Kuuu¡­] The ck slime instantly melted into slime and flowed down. They had won. The mercenaries erupted in cheers at the fact. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°We won!¡± They rejoiced. Milena inside the carriage also clenched her fist. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± They had defeated a powerful monster of the White Snowfield with their own strength. They couldn¡¯t help but be happy. However, Ketal watched the battle with an unchanged expression. ¡°I have one question.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How strong are those mercenaries?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ They are quite strong.¡± In the first ce, it was impossible to ept a request to enter the White Snowfield unless they had enough confidence. ¡°They are quite famous on the continent.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes slowly sunk. After that, they continued on their way, and monsters asionally appeared to block their path. The mercenaries fought with all their might to defeat the monsters. Whether they were lucky or well-documented, all the monsters that appeared were known monsters. Since they knew their weaknesses, they were able to defeat them more easily than they thought. ¡°Hey! The White Snowfield isn¡¯t so bad!¡± The mercenaries¡¯ tension gradually eased and their confidence began to build. It was natural since they were advancing without a single casualty. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Captain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be careless. We¡¯re not even halfway there yet.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve been doing fine so far, haven¡¯t we? Maybe the danger of the White Snowfield was exaggerated in the first ce?¡± A mercenary said doubtfully. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a proper expedition since the Emperor¡¯s Legend. Most of them are just a bunch of riffraff.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. The Emperor¡¯s Legend was very famous and widely known, and those who were in power didn¡¯t want to stir up the ho¡¯s nest unnecessarily. The White Snowfield is dangerous. There¡¯s no denying that. But it¡¯s also been greatly exaggerated. They should be able to conquer it just fine. That realization began to sink into the mercenaries¡¯ minds. And naturally, their gaze towards the barbarian gradually changed. From a monster that existed only in legends, to an ordinary barbarian. ¡°He¡¯s kind of annoying.¡± Someone muttered. They had to sleep outside for security, shivering in the cold. If it weren¡¯t for their magically treated cloaks, they would have frozen to death long ago. But the barbarian is restingfortably in a warm carriage. When he sleeps, he borrows an extra carriage and sleeps veryfortably. He also never participates in battles and just watches from thefort of the carriage. After all, the barbarian is also a mercenary who has taken on the same request as them. It was inevitable that they would be resentful of the preferential treatment he was receiving. ¡°Is he really that strong?¡± Their doubts grew stronger. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that strong. Even if he¡¯s a barbarian or a monster, it¡¯s still the Emperor¡¯s Legend, isn¡¯t it? He¡¯s at the bottom of the food chain in the White Snowfield, isn¡¯t he just clinging to us?¡± Their doubts became more and more certain. ¡°Quiet.¡± The captain said curtly. ¡°It¡¯s the client¡¯s orders. It¡¯s not our ce to question it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the client is being deceived?¡± The mercenary narrowed his eyes. ¡°At least shouldn¡¯t we confirm his strength?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± The captain dismissed it, but the mercenaries¡¯ dissatisfaction didn¡¯t easily subside. And whether they did or not, Barbarian Ketal was chewing on an apple with a satisfied expression on his face. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Delicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± ¡°It seems like it would be difficult to keep fresh fruit on a long journey. Is this preserved by magic as well?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± ¡°Magic can really do anything.¡± Ketal popped the apple, seeds and all, into his mouth. With a slurping sound, the apple disappears without a trace. The old man looks at him with a weary face. Ketal licked the fruit juice on his fingers with a satisfied expression. How long has it been since he¡¯s eaten fresh fruit? Eating fruit after chewing on monster meat every day felt like it was refreshing his mouth. His desire to leave the snowfield grew stronger and stronger. Ketal seemed toe up with something and asked. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Judging by your attire, posture, and speech, you don¡¯t seem to be a mere representative of a family.¡± Milena¡¯s attire was simple, but upon closer inspection, one could tell that the material was of considerable luxury. Milena nodded in affirmation. ¡°I am the daughter of a concubine of Lord Kasak Akasha. I am the first daughter of Lady Beliaka.¡± ¡°Concubine? You mean a second mother?¡± ¡°Yes. My poor mother came as a political marriage tool but was used and abandoned, unable to hold any real power.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal nodded indifferently. Milena, who had been watching him for a while, opened her mouth without realizing it. ¡°My mother and I¡­ are only family in name, not in reality. We are treated like servants.¡± She had not intended to say this much. But Ketal¡¯s seemingly indifferent attitude made Milena gradually start talking about herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the family is on the verge of copse?¡± ¡°Yes. We are losing our customers one by one due to the aggressivepetition from other merchant houses. If this continues, we will go bankrupt soon.¡± Despite this, the head of the family, her father, was terrified. He had to find a way out, but in his desire to avoidpetition, he ended up conceding everything, and the copse of the family was imminent. ¡°So to speak, this peddling trip is the one that will decide the rise and fall of the family.¡± If they sell this much weaponry to a kingdom at war, they will gain enough capital to revive the family and have more to spare. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal muttered as if he understood. ¡°But I have a question. Even if you don¡¯t have any real power, you are still blood rted, so why did you have to go on this peddling trip yourself?¡± ¡°This was my idea.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± ¡°Yes. A life-threatening peddling trip. Someone has to¡­ set an example.¡± ¡°Lady.¡± The old man looked at Milena with a face full of admiration. It was indeed an action worthy of a paragon of noblesse oblige. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°You¡¯re quite clever.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°And you have great ambition. You¡¯re greedy.¡± ¡°Hey, you bastard. What are you talking about?¡± The old man didn¡¯t understand Ketal¡¯s words. But Milena¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°¡­You?¡± The moment she was about to say something. Knock, knock. A knock on the door echoed. The old man got up clumsily and opened the door. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have something to tell thedy.¡± The mercenaries were standing outside the door. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 4 – The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (4) Chapter 4 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (4) [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 4 ¨C The Barbarian of the White Snowfield (4) ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°First, I need to confirm one thing. We are mercenaries. We have a contract with the youngdy and are officially carrying out amission. Is that correct?¡± Milena nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m always grateful that you epted themission.¡± Amission to traverse the White Snowfield. All other mercenaries had fled in terror as soon as they heard the details of themission. If it weren¡¯t for them, she wouldn¡¯t have even attempted it. ¡°We are risking our lives to carry out themission. It¡¯s only natural since we have a contract.¡± The mercenary narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I don¡¯t like this one bit. That barbarian.¡± His eyes turned to Ketal. ¡°That barbarian also received the samemission, so why is he getting special treatment?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Milena finally understood the mercenaries¡¯ grievances. The mercenaries and Ketal had received the samemission. So, to put it simply, they were on equal footing. However, the barbarian was restingfortably inside the carriage while the mercenaries were braving the cold and fighting monsters in the snowfield. It was a situation that was bound to build resentment. Milena bowed her head apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t been paying much attention to you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault, miss. Of course, I understand that the barbarian is a legendary figure and deserves special treatment, but¡­ I need to be sure.¡± ¡°Sure¡­?¡± ¡°That barbarian. Has he ever been in a real battle?¡± Milena¡¯s face hardened. ¡°So you want to confirm it?¡± ¡°We are faithfully carrying out themission we received. It¡¯s because we have the skills to do so. But how can we know if the barbarian has the skills?¡± Isn¡¯t he just shivering at the bottom of the food chain, trying to survive in this White Snowfield? Can he really defeat the monsters? That was the implication of the question. Ketal grinned. ¡°So you want to see my skills. How do you n to confirm them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The mercenary pounded his chest. He was a strong warrior, even among the mercenaries. After discussing it with the others, they decided that he would step forward. ¡°Um¡­¡± Milena looked at the mercenary captain. The captain shook his head nervously. ¡°I tried to stop him, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. And he¡¯s not really wrong either.¡± Confirming his skills. It was necessary in itself. All that was left was one thing. Ketal¡¯s answer. Ketal chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but¡­ it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°What?¡± The mercenary¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Are you trying to run away like a coward?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not running away. It¡¯s just the way things are.¡± ¡°Screw the situation.¡± The mercenary was convinced. The barbarian was weak. He was nothing more than a weakling who barely survived at the bottom of the food chain in this White Snowfield. Milena was also confused. If Ketal was not really weak, there was no reason to refuse. ¡°You tricked us well. You weakling. Come out here.¡± The mercenary grabbed Ketal¡¯s shoulder. He was trying to drag him out by force. But the mercenary¡¯s face hardened as he exerted force on the hand that was holding his shoulder. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t move. It wasn¡¯t that he was simply resisting or that it was heavy. It felt like he was rooted to the spot, like an ancient tree that had stood in the mountains for hundreds of years. Ketal slowly stepped out of the carriage. The current situation evoked no emotional change in him. No human¡¯s emotions would change just because ants were crawling around at his feet. The mercenaries hesitantly stepped back. ¡°We have an unwee guest.¡± ¡°W-what nonsense¡­¡± The mercenary tried to say something. [Mortal weaklings from outside havee.] A massive voice echoed through the snowfield. Their bodies froze at once. Slowly but surely, the huge sound got closer. It didn¡¯t sound like a mere living creature. It was something bigger than that. It sounded like nature itself was moving. [I¡¯m going to have a treat for a change.] Augh was heard. A sharp sound pierced their ears. Their heads slowly turned. The snowfield storm parted, and it revealed itself. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was a snake. A white snake. With ck stripes, it was looking at them with its forked tongue out. On the outside, it looked like an ordinary snake. There was nothing special about it at all. But it was different in size. Its eyes were big enough to fit all of them inside. Its body stretched out of sight towards the far end of the snowfield. It was more than just huge. It was big enough to wrap around mountains, connect the ends of the ocean, and reach the sky. ¡°White¡­ snake¡­¡± The white snake that devoured icebergs in the Emperor¡¯s records. Their bodies froze solid. Like mice exposed to a predator, their very bodies stiffened and they coudn¡¯t move. ¡°Ah.¡± The mercenary¡¯s lower body became wet. His limbs lost strength and he was forced to urinate. [Bark, mortal beings.] The snake mocked them. [Spill your filthy fluids and beg for your lives. Squirm at my feet. Struggle as much as you can. It will all be my seasoning.] Kuku-kukuku¡­ The earth trembled. An earthquake urred. Nature shook simply because it moved. They are going to die. There is no escape. The absolute truth fell upon them. Just as they were all about to give up on life and let go of their minds. ¡°Stop.¡± A slow voice echoed. A calm voice, as if he had just gone for a walk. ¡°These are my guests.¡± The barbarian slowly stepped forward. ¡°Go away. Snake.¡± [¡­] The white snake¡¯s voice was shaken. A creature that seemed no different from the incarnation of nature was shaken by the sight of the barbarian Ketal. [How did you get here¡­] ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Step by step. The barbarian calmly walked forward. The huge white snake flinched and pulled its head back. ¡°I have a request from them.¡± The content of the request was to protect their lives. ¡°So get lost. Snake.¡± [¡­] [Have you forgotten the rules of the snowfield? Once you leave your tribe¡¯s territory¡­] ¡°That¡¯s none of your business either.¡± Ketal scowls. The white snake licks its tongue and lowers its posture. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± That huge snake was scared of the barbarian, who was no bigger than a bugpared to it. It was an obvious expression of emotion that even ordinary humans could notice. [¡­] [Don¡¯tugh!] The snake roared. It raised its head roughly as if it didn¡¯t want to admit that it¡¯s scared. [I am a ¡®snake¡¯! Barbarian! How dare you, a mere mortal, give orders to me, who is promised immutability!] The snake charged forward. Shaking its body, it opened its mouth wide and rushed towards them. The frozen earth screamed and a storm broke out. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaa!¡± Literally, the pressure of a mountain rushing towards them. The pressure was like a mountain rushing towards them. The mercenaries cowered. They closed their eyes in anticipation of the impending collision. And Ketal calmly clenched his fist. ¡°Then let¡¯s meet.¡± He stomps his foot. He twisted his waist and swung his arm. A tiny fist was swung towards the charging snake. And a shockwave exploded. The mercenaries covered their ears, unable to even scream. It was a powerful sound that felt like their eardrums were going to burst. The shockwave tried to blow their bodies away. The mercenaries¡¯ bodies were thrown to the ground. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Lady!¡± The carriage was not safe either. The carriage shook violently from the shockwave. Milena barely hung on by grabbing the wall. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As the shockwave finally subsided, They slowly opened their eyes. And their pupils dted. An endless blizzard had always raged in the White Snowfield. It was so fierce that they could barely see even the tip of their noses. But now, that blizzard haspletely disappeared. As if after a rainy day, everything was clear and they could see all the way to the horizon of the White Snowfield. And one more thing. The head of the snake was floating in the air. It was flying around, wobbling as if it had been hit by something powerful. Not long after, the snake fell to the ground with a crash. Kuuuuuuuuuuuung¡­ A huge roar echoed. ¡°I guess you have to be hit to listen.¡± Ketal turned his hand. He was still there, unchanged. ¡°K-Ketal.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like you to wait a moment. Please organize yourselves ande. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Ketal kicked the ground. The earth split open. In an instant, he became a dot and charged towards the snake. Kuuuuuuuuuuuung! A collision spread. A sound that literally sounded like the world was tearing apart. They watched the scene in silence, speechless. * * * After that, the mercenaries didn¡¯t say a word. On the contrary, whenever Ketal approached, they shook their pupils violently and kept Ketal away from themselves. ¡°S-sorry!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s natural not to trust strangers easily. I understand.¡± ¡°I deserve to die! Please spare my life!¡± No matter what Ketal said, they just kept repeating their apologies. The conversation was impossible to continue, so Ketal backed away hesitantly. They silently defeated the monsters that appeared and moved forward. After finishing his work, Ketal rxed in the carriage, and the old man volunteered to go outside. And finally. They reached the end of the snowfield. ¡°Oh, oh oh¡­¡± ¡°Grass¡­¡± Green vegetation could be seen beyond the white. The mercenaries cheered. They sessfully crossed the White Snowfield. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Ketal said casually. Milena bowed carefully. ¡°Thank you, Ketal.¡± ¡°What will you do when you return?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to go through the empire.¡± ¡°Aha. Since you¡¯ve sold your weapons, you¡¯ll be empty-handed. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to cross the border.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± He had even seen through that in an instant. Milena looked at Ketal with strange eyes. After thinking for a while, she opened her mouth. ¡°Ketal, you told me I was smart and ambitious, didn¡¯t you?¡± The mercenary had blocked her off and she couldn¡¯t hear the full meaning. ¡°What did you mean by that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I mean. You¡¯re smart. And you¡¯re ambitious.¡± Ketalzily chewed on a tangerine, skin and all. ¡°Your family was once prestigious, but now it¡¯s teetering on the brink of copse due tock of capital. Naturally, your family¡¯s retainers¡¯ faith in the family is also wavering.¡± A merchant family is a family built on capital. If the capital disappears, the value of the family naturally disappears as well. ¡°On the brink of extinction. The one who just sits there and waits for extinction in that state? Or the one takes action and tries to find a way out? Who will the people below trust and follow?¡± There was no need to think about it. Ketal put the tangerine in his mouth whole. ¡°You said you were a concubine¡¯s daughter. That means you have the right to lead the family. On the contrary, the people below will feel closer to you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any real power¡­¡± ¡°Real poweres from whether the people below trust and follow you. If you save your family with this trip, you¡¯ll be the hero who saved your family.¡± If they sell these weapons, they will get enough money to revive the family and still have some left over. ¡°The servants will support you, not your father. From there, things will go so far that your father and brothers won¡¯t be able to say anything. Wrong?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± It was the perfect answer. Milena¡¯s hair stood on end. It felt like he was looking into her head. No one had ever understood her psychology as well as the barbarian. What on earth does this barbarian see? What is going on in this barbarian¡¯s head? She couldn¡¯t even guess. And Ketal felt a sense of satisfaction inside. ¡®That¡¯s the right answer.¡¯ It has always been the case in any era that someone who is not in a position of session takes on a dangerous challenge to inherit the family. Moreover, he had read many books on history, mythology, and rted subjects. There were countless cases like Milena¡¯s among them. As the scene unfolded before his eyes, Ketal felt as if he had stepped directly into history. A smile of joy spread across his face as he spoke. ¡°Even so, choosing a challenge that risks your life is a worthy endeavor. It is a testament to your abilities and the challenges you have ovee. You have every right to be proud.¡± Milena narrowed her eyes. Ketal was intelligent. Extraordinarily so. There was noparison to the shallow, self-proimed intellectuals who unted their education. And his strength. The power that had allowed him to repel the white serpent without a scratch. Milena was a merchant¡¯s daughter. Her eyes gleamed with greed. ¡°Perhaps¡­ Do you have any ns to leave the snowfields? I¡¯ve heard that you are quite curious about the outside world.¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± Ketal asked Milena many questions about the outside world. His curiosity was intense and profound, far beyond mere inquisitiveness. ¡°Then would you like to join me?¡± Milena was a merchant. A merchant must never miss an opportunity. ¡°I can teach you a lot. I can give you anything you desire. I can show you all the pleasures of the outside world.¡± ¡°Those are indeed tempting words.¡± They were truly tempting. He longed to escape this ce immediately. He yearned to leave the snowfields filled with nothing but white and monsters and experience the wonders of a normal fantasy world. Dragons and elves, swords and magic. A world where they lived and breathed. The magic he had always craved was right in front of him. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s impossible. I still have work to do here.¡± ¡°Work¡­ is it?¡± ¡°Yes. Until that is finished, it will be difficult for me to leave.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Milena reached into her neck. A ne appeared in her hand. She held it tightly and broke the chain. ¡°Please ept this as a gift.¡± It was a wooden carving. ¡°If you ever¡­ decide to leave the snowfields and seek out the Akasha family, please show them this carving.¡± ¡°I will dly ept a gift.¡± Ketal did not refuse. Milena bowed politely. ¡°Thank you so much, Ketal. I pray that we meet again someday.¡± The carriage rode out of the snowfields. Ketal watched in silence as it disappeared into the distance. After some time, Milena turned to look back. The barbarian¡¯s figure had already vanished, swallowed up by the snow-covered expanse. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 5 – The Elf (1) Chapter 5 ¨C The Elf (1) [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 5 ¨C The Elf (1) He still had no idea what had happened. When he woke up, he found himself in a snowy wastnd, transformed into a barbarian. There was no time to figure out why. The biting cold turned his breath into frost. It was impossible to even warm his body up, let alone farm. Even when he lit a fire, it would go out in an instant. The bitter cold that froze everything was the very embodiment of harshness. That wasn¡¯t all. All that existed here were endlessly powerful and terrifying monsters. Things out of nightmares lunged at him, trying to kill and devour him. The only thing that mattered was survival. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to care about anything else. He fought desperately to survive. He killed monsters, skinned them, and wrapped their hides around his body. He gulped down their warm blood before it froze. He led his tribe and wandered all over the ce. Only when a certain degree of stability was achieved did he finally have the time to look around. Humans who asionally came from outside informed him of the existence of a world beyond the snowfield. And then he realized. He had arrived in the fantasy world he had always longed for. That the outside of this terrible snowfield was a world of fantasy. He wanted to run out there right away. But he couldn¡¯t. This damn snowfield had a powerful constraint. He couldn¡¯t leave the snowfield until he solved that constraint. So, he did his best. The fantasy he had always longed for was just beyond that. He had enough motivation. He went beyond mere survival and began to move in earnest. He trampled on monsters and solved the constraints one by one. In the process, time passed that easily surpassed his original life. In the midst of life and struggle, the past was not important at all. For an ordinary person, it would have been time to forget their memories of their previous life and live as a barbarian of the snowfield. But Ketal was different. He focused on his one goal: to travel the fantasy world. Even though time had passed enough for him to forget himself, he never lost sight of that goal. And finally, just then. After oveing all those trials and tribtions. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The barbarian Ketal set foot on the green grass. * * * How long has it been since he¡¯s seen grass? He felt like he was going to cry with emotion. Ketal took a deep breath. ¡°Phew!¡± The smell of a radius of several kilometers filled his lungs and lungs. The fragrant smell of grass. The smell of animals. The smell of the river. All things that he couldn¡¯t smell in the snowfield. Ketal chuckled. ¡°Good. Very good.¡± Ketal reached out and touched a nearby leaf. The rough texture of the leaves felt good on his hands. ¡°Haha.¡± He was so happy he thought he might go crazy. Ketal grabbed a handful of grass that was carelessly spread nearby and stuffed it into his mouth. Themon sense that most wild grasses were poisonous crossed his mind, but he didn¡¯t care. Even the spiders contaminating the millennium ice couldn¡¯t poison him. The defense mechanisms of ordinary nts couldn¡¯t affect his body. Ketal chewed on the grass. Bitter. It tasted terribly bad. But he was delighted. ¡°Hehehehe.¡± He continued tough while digging the dirt beneath the tree. With every movement of his hand, the soil flowed out like sand. Ketal continued to chew on the tree roots. If someone saw him, he would look like a madman, but he didn¡¯t care. Ketal chuckled to himself. ¡°Good. Very good.¡± He had finally escaped this damned wilderness. He always wanted to get out. But the damned system blocked his path. ¡°This cursed window.¡± Ketal looked at the empty space with a disgusted face. There, a system window appeared. [784th questpleted.] [Reward distributionpleted.] [Conditions fulfilled.] [You can leave the wilderness.] Because of that damned quest, he couldn¡¯t leave the wilderness. Whenever he tried, some strange force blocked him. But that was over now. He had cleared all the conditions. He had seeded in escaping the wilderness. ¡°What a damned ce! Let¡¯s never see each other again!¡± Ketal energetically raised his middle finger towards the snowy mountain. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Theughter didn¡¯t stop. He knew from sporadic conversations with outsiders looking for the wilderness. This was a fantasy world. It was the fantasy world he had dreamed of, but thought he would never reach. Thanks to that fact, he could find the motivation to keep going. Now, despite being far from a boy, he felt excited like one. Even though the starting point was seriously messed up, he had survived somehow. Now, he would enjoy this world. There were countless things he wanted to do. Swords and magic. Dragons and elves. He would enjoy the essence of fantasy. If it weren¡¯t for that desire, he would have died a long time ago. That inner self was a hell that couldn¡¯t survive on mere survival instincts. Ketal leisurely moved his steps. He could explore forests like this in an instant, but this extraordinarily enjoyable walk was pleasant. And he kept walking. But even after a long walk, the forest didn¡¯t end. ¡°How far do I have to go?¡± He could move leisurely now that he had gained freedom, but his desire to meet people quickly was strong. Eventually, he gave up his leisurely walk and expanded his senses. Many things begin to be felt. The rustling of leaves. Living, breathing wild animals. Fish flicking their fins in the stream. And the sounds of countless human-sized footsteps. ¡°Oh.¡± There was a ce where the footsteps were gathering. It must be the vige. Ketal¡¯s face flushed with excitement. ¡°Can I finally see a civilized vige?¡± Hispanions were ignorant brutes who made do with sleeping in the snow without proper shelter. When he talked about the need for shelter, they just blinked their eyes and didn¡¯t understand. That¡¯s how much he longed for a systematically designed human vige. What would be a good first greeting? Should he say hello? Or should he ask what kind of world this is, in the traditional way? Whatever it was, he would treat them with respect. He walked forward with anticipation. * * * [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Whoosh! A hemispherical tent was formed in the blue forest. The elves lowered their hands with relieved faces as the tent was tightly closed without a single gap. ¡°It¡¯s done, Elder.¡± ¡°Yes, good work.¡± The wrinkled elf smiled with satisfaction and shouted. ¡°Everyone! This is our new home!¡± ¡°Waaaaah!¡± Numerous elves cheered. Some were even shedding tears of joy. After fleeing and evading the ve hunters, they had finally arrived here. To the extreme wilderness untouched by human hands. ¡°Everyone, unpack your belongings and make your homes!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The elves moved briskly. They started building houses by weaving branches together. The Elder watched the scene with satisfaction. Then a young elf approached and asked cautiously. ¡°Um¡­ Elder.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is this really safe?¡± ¡°It is safe.¡± The Elder said with a confident face. ¡°This is the extreme wilderness. Humans cannote here. Haven¡¯t I checked many times that there are no signs of humans?¡± ¡°Yes, I know that too. But¡­¡± The wilderness where humans do not go. There was a reason for that. ¡°Isn¡¯t the snowfield nearby?¡± The Elder realized what the young elf was worried about and chuckled. ¡°Are you worried that the monsters of the snowfield mighte out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s close, it¡¯s too close.¡± The white snowfield. A ce in the center of the continent where all the terrible and powerful things in the world gather. Their new home was only a few hours¡¯ walk from the snowfield. The young elf was afraid of that. But the Elder just shook his head as if to say not to worry. ¡°No problem. There have been no stories of anythinging out of the wilderness for thousands of years. Besides, didn¡¯t we put up the tents just in case?¡± The tents that obscured their presence and made them look like an ordinary forest. After several months of designing with the ancient elf¡¯s magic they had barely found, they finally made them. As long as these tents were there, outsiders couldn¡¯t approach them. ¡°And even if the monsters from the wildernesse, there¡¯s no problem. We have the queen with us.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Finally, relief dawned on the young elf¡¯s face. Their rightful queen, who had appeared after hundreds of years. A formidable figure engraved in elven history. ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s protecting us.¡± ¡°Yes. Even the monsters from the wilderness won¡¯t be able to reach our queen. So don¡¯t worry.¡± The elder spoke with confidence. * * * Ketal tilted his head. ¡°It feels like I tore something.¡± Did he touch something? He wasn¡¯t sure. It felt like something had touched him, though. If his senses were confused by it, he didn¡¯t need to worry about it. Ketal casually switched his focus. Moving towards where he felt a presence, Ketal soon saw a figure. Instinctively, Ketal suppressed his presence. Concealing one¡¯s presence when encountering something. It was a behavior close to instinct that had been ingrained in him since the wilderness. Ketal¡¯s pupils widened as he confirmed the figure. ¡®An elf?¡¯ The pointed ears caught Ketal¡¯s eyes first. The presence resembled a human, but it wasn¡¯t human. Pointed ears. Distinct features sharp enough to be called beautiful even for a child. Lightly dressed in cloth. It was an elf. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Unknowingly, Ketal let out a sigh. One of the first races that came to mind in a fantasy world. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter an elf so soon. The elf child, whether lost or not, was wandering through the forest with a fearful expression. His pointed ears perked up like a rabbit¡¯s. ¡°Oh, wow¡­¡± A real elf. Not something seen in books or illustrations, but a real elf. He felt like he might cry with emotion. No, tears actually welled up in his eyes. ¡°I did well to survive¡­¡± Just this one encounter felt like a reward for all the hardship he had endured. The elf continued to move, unaware of him, and Ketal gradually approached. ¡°Huh?¡± When they were within reach, the elf seemed to sense something strange and looked around with his ears perked up. Then, his gaze fell on Ketal. Unknowingly, Ketal tensed. The first meeting. He cautiously raised his hand. ¡°¡­Hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The elf stared nkly at him, looking up at him as if his neck would break. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Then, his eyes rolled back. ¡°Heh.¡± Ketal instinctively caught the copsing elf child. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal scratched his cheek. He was quiterge in stature. The child could only reach his knees at best. Such a presence suddenly looking down at him would surely astonish the child to the point of fainting. ¡°What a shame.¡± It was their first meeting, yet they couldn¡¯t have a proper conversation. Ketal embraced the child. Since it hade to this, he decided to take the child to the vige. It might not be a bad idea after all. He could be seen as a benefactor for bringing the unconscious child. Although it varied in myths, elves were generally known as a peaceful race corresponding to order. Unless they showed hostile behavior first, they were treated with kindness. So, perhaps they might receive hospitality. Elven hospitality. What would that feel like? He was very much looking forward to it. With cheerful steps, Ketal headed towards where he felt several signs of life. [Trantor ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 6 – The Elf (2) Chapter 6 ¨C The Elf (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 6 ¨C The Elf (2) It didn¡¯t take long for Ketal to arrive at the elves¡¯ vige. And the reception he received was theplete opposite of what he expected. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Could it be a human here too!¡± ¡°No way! My child!¡± Countless shocked and hostile gazes turned towards Ketal. With a troubled expression, he looked back at them. ¡®¡­This is different from what I expected.¡¯ The elves were undoubtedly incredibly beautiful. Each and every one of them was more beautiful than anything Ketal had ever seen, and even the aged ones had wless appearances. Under ordinary circumstances, he might have been filled with admiration and awe, but the situation wasn¡¯t ordinary. The elves were hostile towards him. ¡°My child!¡± The mother of the child in Ketal¡¯s arms cried out with despair on her face. It was then that Ketal realized they saw him as an outsider who kidnapped a child. The elder looked at the child in Ketal¡¯s arms with a stern face. ¡°This is uneptable!¡± This ce was undoubtedly a remote area untouched by humans, so how could a human be here? Despite being oddlyrge in stature, the opponent was clearly human. ¡°There must be a barrier! How!¡± ¡°Elder! There¡¯s a rift in the barrier¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so!¡± Their location had been discovered. The elder frowned. The barrier was made by ancient elf magic. It was impossible to approach it with a clumsy method. The fact that it was broken meant that the humans hade prepared. ¡°When did they start tracking us!¡± No. There was no time to think about that. The elder asked urgently, ¡°Where is the queen! The humans will arrive soon!¡± ¡°The queen is currently away for reconnaissance in the vicinity!¡± ¡°Of all times!¡± Disaster upon disaster. As Ketal listened to their conversation, he scratched his cheek. The distance was quite far, but he could hear as if they were chatting right next to him. ¡®Kidnapper.¡¯ Thinking rationally, there was nothing strange about it. They were elves, and he was a human. It was quite a famous story for humans enamored with the beauty of elves to kidnap them. With an elf child in his arms, even more so. At least, that¡¯s what they would think first. First, he needed to clear up this misunderstanding. ¡°I am not your enemy. I am¡­¡± ¡°You bastard! If you don¡¯t return the child, I¡¯ll chase you to death!¡± Ketal¡¯s words were cut off mercilessly. There was no sign of believing whatever he said. Then, actions had to speak louder than words. The child, who had suddenly awakened, was trembling in Ketal¡¯s arms. Carefully, Ketal put the child down. ¡°Go. Return to your kin.¡± Click. Ketal forced a bright smile as much as possible. The child, upon seeing his face, couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. ¡°Waaaaah!¡± The child ran towards the vige, crying. Ketal felt deeply saddened. ¡®¡­Am I really that scary?¡¯ Anyway, the child was returned. Ketal stood up and raised his hands. ¡°Elves. As you can see, I am not your¡­¡± ¡°The hostage is released!¡± ¡°Everyone, attack!¡± The elves, as if they had been waiting, tightly pulled their bowstrings. Sharp arrows flew towards Ketal. Thunk! The arrow collided with Ketal¡¯s body and bounced off. The elves did not hesitate and continued to draw their bows. ¡°He¡¯s wearing a protective artifact! There must be a limit! Keep attacking!¡± Now, not only arrows but also des made of mes and water flew towards him. Ketal shook his head with a mncholic expression. ¡®¡­Elves are more savage than I imagined.¡¯ They loved nature, yearned for peace, and were a race of gentle order, or so he thought. But they weren¡¯t. In reality, elves were more wild and savage than that. His fantasies and illusions were shattered. ¡®¡­Is this what reality is like?¡¯ Well, elves were a race that lived in nature. And nature was a world of survival of the fittest. Peace was far from their reach. So, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they were savage. Of course, in reality, they weren¡¯t. Elves were not a savage race. They were, in fact, gentle and peace-loving beings. If Ketal were a typical human, they might have been startled but would have been grateful for returning the child and would have shown gratitude in return. But the problem was that Ketal was Ketal. Ketal was a barbarian of the White Snow ins. He was a presence of terror. The intense aura emanating from him was overwhelming the elves. For them, it felt like when a herbivore was exposed to a carnivore. Elves, being beings of nature, were extremely sensitive to such sensations. The instinctual fear was paralyzing the elves¡¯ rationality. It was like when a lion intrudes into a rabbit hole and stares at them intently. That was the situation for the elves. Desperately trying to drive away the lion was a natural act from the rabbit¡¯s perspective. But from Ketal¡¯s perspective, who didn¡¯t know that, he could only think of the elves as savage. ¡®Alright!¡¯ Let¡¯s ept without prejudice. Because this was the fantasy world he had been yearning for! It was also somewhat enjoyable to find differences from the books. As he organized his thoughts, he found something to watch. Swish! He caught the flying arrows. Examining the arrows closely, he noticed a faint whirlwind rotating sharply at the arrowheads. ¡®Elemental magic?¡¯ des made of mes and water were also flying towards him. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparked with interest. Strange forces like that were quitemon in the snow ins. But thinking of it as elf elemental magic or sorcery made it seem somewhat different. As Ketal watched their attacks with fascination, the elves were shocked. ¡°Why does he have such an artifact!¡± There was a limit to the damage even a defensive artifact could withstand. But even though they all attacked with full force, the artifact showed no signs of breaking. ¡°Hmm.¡± While it was somewhat amusing to watch, he wanted to start a proper conversation soon. But no matter what he said, they showed no signs of listening. ¡®I guess I have to calm them down.¡¯ Ketal raised both arms. Thinking it was an attack, the elves cast protective magic. The two arms collided like pping. And a shockwave spread. Kwaaaaang! ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The protective magic shattered like ss. Trees roots were uprooted, branches swirled and fluttered far away. The elves who couldn¡¯t withstand it tumbled on the ground. With just one p. That was enough to end the battle. ¡°What¡­what is this?¡± The elves were astonished. That p wasn¡¯t some magical attack; it was pure physical force. The shockwave created by the p had overturned everything. ¡°Oh my.¡± But Ketal was also bewildered. ¡®Is this too much power?¡¯ Perhaps because he had always faced either monstrous foes or disgustingly weak ones, he couldn¡¯t grasp how much force to use. Still, he had reached a state of temporary calm by force. Ketal cleared his throat and began speaking again. ¡°I am not your enemy. Elves¡­¡± As his words continued, the sound of wind echoed. With a sharp sound, a translucent arrow flew towards Ketal. A very beautiful trajectory. Ketal stared nkly at the arrow. Kwaaaaang! The arrow collided with Ketal¡¯s body, and an explosion erupted. mes roared and engulfed Ketal. One elfnded in the middle of the battlefield. Blonde hair swayed, and blue eyes shone sharply from a sharp face. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the queen!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The queen asked calmly. The elder rushed over in a panic. ¡°Humans have attacked!¡± ¡°¡­I expected as much.¡± The queen¡¯s gaze sank. ¡°Is nowhere safe?¡± ¡°That man is only a vanguard! The main force will arrive soon.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The queen¡¯s expression was puzzled. ¡°I scouted the entire area, but there was no sign of humans.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ¡°So.¡± A voice echoed from within the mes. The elves recoiled in terror. Soon, a hand emerged and swept away the mes. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll listen to the story.¡± Ketal was still in the same position as before. ¡°T-this can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°How can he withstand the queen¡¯s blow without a scratch!¡± ¡°What kind of artifact does he have!¡± ¡°Artifact?¡± The queen¡¯s eyes narrowed. Ketal¡¯s attire was very light. A hatchet hanging at his waist. A ne made of wood. And a leather pouch hanging from his leather belt was all there was. If it was an artifact to block her blow, it should have had enough power, but there was none of that. It meant that Ketal had ovee it purely with his own strength. ¡°Is even a strongman like you targeting us? Humans are truly despicable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡ª¡± ¡°In that case, prepare to regret your choice.¡± The queen drew her bow. ¡°I am the queen of the Brown Tinged Leaf tribe. Human, dare you face the consequences of daring to covet us.¡± *** [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®¡­Can¡¯t wemunicate?¡¯ For a moment, the conversation didn¡¯t flow to the point where such doubt arose. But he was speaking the samenguage as the elves. It was understandable, so it seemed like they were ignoring Ketal¡¯s words as if they weren¡¯t worth listening to. ¡®Isn¡¯t the rtionship between humans and elves good?¡¯ He said he was not an elf hunter. Even if they were a race that kidnapped his child as a ve, he shouldn¡¯t think well of them. Ketal became very gloomy. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ One of themon senses he learned in the snow ins. If you hit, they listen. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t resort to violence. Hitting elves? It was an unthinkable option for him. ¡®Just make them listen to me.¡¯ Ketal came to a conclusion, and the queen drew her bow. A translucent arrow hung from the bowstring. The bow was released, and the arrow was shot. It was truly swift. A speed that surpassed the speed of sound, impossible to follow with the eyes. As the arrow was about to collide with Ketal¡¯s body, Ketal¡¯s hand moved. He caught the flying arrow. Naturally, it exploded. mes rose fiercely and tried to engulf Ketal. ¡°Hmm.¡± And Ketal responded very simply. He just clenched his fist. With a soft sound, the mes vanished. The pupils of the elves dted. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The queen was astonished. Her arrows were not just ordinary arrows. They were arrows imbued with the spirits of nature, with mes¡¯ spirits imbued in each arrow. Even if he was a superhuman, it was impossible to stop it without a scratch, yet he simply clenched his fist. ¡®Then!¡¯ She drew the arrow sharply. ¡°Burn.¡± Whoosh. The bow itself was tinged with mes. Controlled to the extreme, the mes distorted the space wildly. ¡°Go and shoot him dead!¡± With a rough shout, she let go. The thing made of mes rushed forward at a dizzying speed. As it rushed, it gradually took on a form. A phoenix with dazzling wings. ¡°Ohhh!¡± The elves eximed in admiration. It was the queen¡¯s ultimate technique. An arrow of a phoenix that would never extinguish until it turned the opponent into ashes, the ultimate technique that had never been blocked. But the queen could only be bewildered. Even though she had disyed her strongest technique, the barbarian¡¯s face remained incredibly calm. ¡°Amazing!¡± Ketal eximed. An arrow of a phoenix. Truly a fantastical technique. Moved by it, he simply clenched his fist. And heunched his fist towards the phoenix. Kwaaaaang! Everything in the trajectory of the fist exploded. Branches snapped and created a vacant space in the dense thicket in an instant. Forced the mes that wouldn¡¯t extinguish to go out. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The pressure didn¡¯t stop and overwhelmed the Elf Queen. The queen rolled on the ground with a face full of injuries. Ketal clicked his tongue with a face of realization. ¡°I should have adjusted the power more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Elf Queen¡¯s face, full of injuries as she rolled on the ground, stiffened. Through this encounter, she realized. The opponent was a strong one. And it was iparable to her. ¡®Superhuman or higher.¡¯ A strong person like that was here! The queen gritted her teeth at this. She was confident in her own strength. But there was another wall beyond the wall. Her opponent had reached a level she could never reach. She seemed determined and shouted loudly. ¡°Everyone! Get away from here right away!¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Now!¡± ¡°¡­I understand!¡± The elder, realizing what the queen was about to do, gritted his teeth and shouted. ¡°Everyone, run away!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The elves fled in a hurry. The queen stumbles to her feet. ¡°Human¡­ I acknowledge your strength. But you will never achieve your goal!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ketal looked at the queen with a trembling heart. ¡®It¡¯s not working.¡¯ He was getting a little annoyed. If it were him in the snowfield, he would have smashed all their heads and forced them to listen. As they continued not to understand, he felt like slowly raising his fist. ¡®No.¡¯ But Ketal suppressed himself like that. This was the fantasy world he had so longed for. He wanted to be rxed and act calmly. Ketal calmed his mind. And while Ketal was doing that, the queen put her hands together. The mes began to gather and take shape. ¡°I call upon you! The one who holds the pure origin! I call upon you! The one who burns the dark darkness!¡± It was a spell. Ketal forgot about the situation and was impressed. Of course, if it was magic, there had to be a spell. He felt his heart pounding as he watched real magic. He was d he had taken it easy. ¡°Oh,e! The one with horns that hold the pure me. Piego!¡± The shape made of mes bes a door, and a beast jumps out of the door. A ming bull. ¡°Oh!¡± Ketal let out a cheer. The reason was simple. The bull that appeared was so cool. Red mes gleamed all over his body. The mere existence of it raised the temperature of the forest itself. The most distinctive feature was the horns that rose above its head. The bull itself was very powerful, but the horns were of a different order. It was a difference that even Ketal, who was seeing a spirit for the first time, could tell. ¡®That¡¯s a spirit, and this is fantasy!¡¯ The things in the snowfield were very gruesome and alien. They were closer to nightmares than fantasy creatures. There were cute ones like ck slimes and somewhat fantasy-like ones like snakes, but they were in the extreme minority. The vast majority were things that even looked bad. On the other hand, what about the bull in front of him? A bull with horns that burned with mes. It was a creature full of romance. While Ketal was moved, the bull exhaled with a rough face. [Hmm. Did you call me?] Piego scratched the ground with his foot in an annoyed tone. [I have to help you ording to the king¡¯s orders, but it¡¯s still not worth the contract. It¡¯s full of annoying things.] ¡°Shut up.¡± The queen said gruffly. Piego. The highest elemental spirit of fire. A being with unparalleled power. And as such, he did not easily follow the orders of the contractor. Just as a trainer cannot perfectly control a carnivore, so too were the spirits. The stronger the spirit, the older it was, and thus the stronger its pride. And there, too, the highest elemental spirit of fire. Piego was a being with horns that held the pure me, the very concept of fire itself. Originally, it was a spirit that was even difficult for the queen to call. She had barely managed to contract it with the help of another tribe. ¡°Fulfill the contract. Piego.¡± [It¡¯s annoying, but that¡¯s the contract. So this contract is to kill the human in front of me?] Piego exhaled and looked at the human in front of him. The human, who was strangely moved and looking at him, made him doubt his eyes. [¡­Is that a human?] It was a body so perfect that it made him doubt. If it wasn¡¯t for the thorax moving with his breath, he would have thought it was a statue. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 7 – The Elf (3) Chapter 7 ¨C The Elf (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 7 ¨C The Elf (3) The queen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a human. They¡¯ve invaded our territory.¡± [Hmph. To think they¡¯d dare to meddle with the beings of nature over such petty matters. It¡¯s decided. Let¡¯s incinerate them without leaving a trace.] As soon as the words ended, Piego spun on his heel. And a storm of mes descended. Starting from his horns, the storm engulfed Ketal in an instant. It was pure me. A concept that burned away all darkness and brought a bright red light to the world. Kwaaaang! In an instant, Ketal¡¯s body was consumed by mes. [It¡¯s over.] Piego said calmly. But the queen shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not over.¡± [¡­What?] ¡°Hmm.¡± A hand emerged from the mes. It moved roughly to extinguish the mes. Ketal was still there, in the same position as before. ¡°It¡¯s quite hot.¡± Despite the words, his expression was incredibly calm. P iego¡¯s fiery form trembled more roughly. [How¡­] What he wielded was pure me. It was something close to the essence of nature. Even the strongest would inevitably suffer damage if struck head-on by such pure Spirit power. Yet here he was, seemingly unscathed. [¡­I see. You possess the power to wield the beings of nature. But that¡¯s all.] The horns burned even more fiercely. Piego bent his front legs. He exerted force with his hind legs. mes exploded backward like jet engines. [Die by my horn.] Kuuuuuuwoong! The bull charged. He thrust his rough horns forward to impale Ketal. And Ketal, lightly extended his hand. Kwaaaang! An explosion urred. Spirits were beings of nature. Inherently, they didn¡¯t affect nature itself. But the grass, the trees, ignited with mes. It was a concept overwhelmingly covering other aspects of nature with fire. The queen hurriedly enveloped herself in mes. The power of a supreme Spirit was unmatched. Even those nearby would struggle if they weren¡¯t as powerful as her. It was inconceivable that someone hit by such a blow would be unscathed. But¡­ [This can¡¯t be!] Astonishment erupted from Piego¡¯s mouth. His horn was blocked by Ketal¡¯s palm. The horn, imbued with pure me, couldn¡¯t prate simple human flesh. Piego hastily exerted even more force. Ketal¡¯s body waspletely engulfed in mes. But nothing changed. Even the primordial me couldn¡¯t burn human flesh. Ketal calmly clenched his fist. ¡°It¡¯sforting to have the form of a beast.¡± His fist rose slowly. Piego, sensing danger, tried to withdraw, but the head held by Ketal¡¯s hand didn¡¯t move. ¡°There¡¯s no reluctance to strike you down.¡± The fist collided with the horn. Quaddduk! [Aaargh!] The horn, the unyielding horn imbued with pure me, shattered against the human fist. Piego¡¯s entire body exploded and scattered. In a single blow, Piego was banished back to the Spirit realm. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± A being of iprehensible strength. The queen gave up. If even Piego was banished, there was nothing more she could do. She quietly closed her eyes. May her tribe be safe against the hands of the barbarians. Thud. Thud. Footsteps echoed. The queen flinched, but didn¡¯t flee. The barbarian arrived before her. ¡°Please¡­ show mercy to my people.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± At the quiet plea, Ketal ced his hand on her head. A very gentle, and warm touch. In astonishment, the queen opened her eyes. The barbarian spoke softly. ¡°I am not your enemy, elf.¡± * * * After a long story, the queen reluctantly epted. That Ketal was not their enemy. ¡°I, I apologize. Human. We judged too hastily.¡± The queen bowed politely. How rude they were to mistake the one who brought the child to them as an enemy! The queen felt ashamed of herself. Ketal tilted his head at her gesture. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I heard you were driven here by humans. Still¡­ it¡¯s a bit sad that you never listened to my story.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± The queen nced at Ketal. Ashen hair that looked like it had eaten dust. He was taller than an average person by at least two heads. It was only by raising her head to the limit that she could barely look at him. And what about his physique? Covered from head to toe in densely packed muscles without a single ounce of waste, he looked more like a sculpture than a human being. And above all, there was an aura of intimidation. It was a sensation akin to being naked before a predator, one that couldn¡¯t be expressed in words but was instinctual. Elves were a race close to nature. Their senses were even more acute than those of humans. When herbivores see carnivores, they instinctively recoil, just as prey automatically identifies predators. Upon hearing the story, Ketal wore a troubled expression. ¡°¡­Is that so. I didn¡¯t know because such a thing had never happened before.¡± ¡°Are you really not the humans who chased us?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an existence like elves before. Besides, there are no elves in the White Snow ins to begin with.¡± ¡°What?¡± The queen¡¯s pupils dted. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°The White White Snow ins?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­The ashen barbarian of the White Snow ins?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the humans from outside often refer to me.¡± ¡°Considering that, your speech is too fluent.¡± ¡°I learned from the humans who asionallye.¡± The queen muttered in disbelief. ¡°I thought humans couldn¡¯t survive there¡­.¡± The legend of the Emperor was widely known not only to humans but also to other races. The terrible monsters of the White Snow ins. And the most dangerous ashen barbarian there. The existence from that legend stood before her eyes. But if he really was such a being, his strength could be understood. To withstand Piego¡¯s blow with his bare body. At least among humans, it was unbelievable that such a being existed. ¡°Well. I wouldn¡¯t believe it if such a being came to mynd either. Your suspicions were reasonable.¡± As the conversation started to flow somewhat, Ketal finally looked at her calmly. ¡®Beautiful.¡¯ The structure of her features was perfect. It was so wless that one couldn¡¯t find a more perfect beauty. Ketal sighed with pure admiration. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± The queen nced away subtly at his gaze. She had received such looks many times before, but this one was a little different. Rather than containing human desires, it was more like looking at a work of art. ¡°By the way, is that summon alright? It was split in half.¡± ¡°¡­That summon attacked you.¡± Worrying about the being that attacked him. The queen shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. Spirits are beings of nature. They¡¯ll just be banished back to the Spirit realm.¡± After that, they exchanged misceneous stories. Ketal asked about the elves, and the queen answered cautiously. The more they talked, the more the queen couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Ketal was very intelligent and gentle. He was sensible, polite, and considerate of others. He was closer to an intellectual than a barbarian. ¡°Are all the barbarians in the snowfields like you?¡± ¡°No. I must be special.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± It would have been even more surprising if all the barbarians in the snowfields were like that. Then there was one thing to worry about. ¡°The fact that you came from the snowfields means that other beings can alsoe out of the snowfields?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that would happen like this.¡± There is order in the snowfields. Even powerful beings like that snake could not break that order. Ketal had escaped it in the form of a quest. ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± The queen was sincerely relieved. Their territory was not far from the snowfields. If someone had the same power as Ketal but was hostile to them, she didn¡¯t know how to respond. After some more misceneous talk, Ketal stood up. ¡°I should be going soon.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°You also need to tidy up your territory. Having me around will only be a hindrance.¡± A hesitant gaze could be felt. Although the elves had gotten somewhat closer, they still kept their distance as if they were afraid. Having him around would only be a hindrance. The queen bowed her head, seemingly genuinely sorry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s a shame, but I can alwayse backter.¡± ¡°Be sure to visit whenever you like, you¡¯ll always be wee.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± The queen looked at Ketal with a strange look in her eyes. It was only natural. An eye for an eye. It was the natural order of the world. Even if it was a misunderstanding, she had tried to kill Ketal. She had to pay the price for it. But Ketal didn¡¯t show much of a reaction as if the misunderstanding had been resolved. To be so kind to someone who had tried to kill him. If such adults existed, would they be like him? The queen¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Apology is necessary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not at ease. Is there anything you desire? If there is, I¡¯ll grant it for you.¡± Even if Ketal wished for anything. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled at the offer, filled with determination. ¡°In that case, is something like a contract with a Spirit possible?¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± The queen was taken aback by the unexpected request. Ketal¡¯s eyes were shining like those of a child. After staring at Ketal for a moment, the queen lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ it seems impossible. Of course, among humans, those closer to nature can make contracts with Spirits, but¡­¡± ¡°Is it difficult for me?¡± ¡°Even the elves are intimidated by you, so the beings of nature would be even more so.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Contracting with Spirits is impossible. Ketal¡¯s face darkened. Watching his expression, the queen hesitated for a moment before making a decision. ¡°If you truly wish to contract with a Spirit, go to the Elfo Sagrado.¡± ¡°Elfo Sagrado?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where our elven god resides. The holynd of all elves. There¡­ it might be possible. I¡¯ll give you the location, but keep it to yourself.¡± ¡°The holynd of the elves. Can I, a human, go there?¡± ¡°Originally, it would be impossible, but with my introduction, it should be possible.¡± The holynd of the elves. Elfo Sagrado. It was a dream location for all who studied elves. But no elf would ever reveal that location to another race, no matter how much they were tortured or tempted. It was a ce more precious than life itself to the elves and they maintained their silence no matter what. But she made up her mind. She reached out her hand into the air. Kiiing. A jewel of me materialized. It fell into Ketal¡¯s hand. ¡°You can take this with you. Of course, even if you¡¯re nearby, our god will probably test you¡­ But if it¡¯s you, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gratefully ept it.¡± It was time to leave. Ketal stood up to leave the forest. The queen bowed cautiously. ¡°I am Marsilia Hasianne Calusia, Queen of the Brown Tinged Leaf tribe. What is your name?¡± ¡°I am Ketal. Just Ketal.¡± ¡°Alright, Ketal. I will never forget this debt. Make sure toe backter.¡± ¡°I will do so.¡± With a chuckle, Ketal turned around. Marselia watched him quietly until he disappeared. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 8 – First Encounter (1) Chapter 8 ¨C First Encounter (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 8 ¨C First Encounter (1) The first meeting after leaving the snowy wilderness. The counterpart was an elf. There were various problems, but it wasn¡¯t bad. Through conversations with the Elven Queen, he learned various things about the elves. He wished to stay longer, but he had to leave since the elves feared him, but still, he was satisfied enough. ¡°I also received this.¡± A red gem shook in his hand. Inside, mes were flickering. The Elven Sanctuary. Elfo Sagrado. He could go there. The Elven Sanctuary. Where their god resided. What kind of ce would it be? How many elves would be there? Would the spirits of nature be roaming around? Scenes from various fantasies he had seen came to mind. Just imagining it made his heart flutter. He wanted to run to Elfo Sagrado right now if he could. But he restrained himself. In a fantasy world like this, there was nothing to stop him anymore. He could enjoy it leisurely and at ease. ¡°But first, I need to meet people.¡± He heard of a ce close to the Elven Queen¡¯s domain. If he left the forest and went west, there was a fairlyrge territory. People. A realm of fantasy. His heart was pounding. His restless body couldn¡¯t wait. ¡°I should go a little faster.¡± Ketal tapped his foot. The ground cracked, and trees overturned. Ketal¡¯s body turned into a dot and disappeared in an instant. * * * ¡°Haam.¡± The guard at the outer gate yawned long. He looked straight ahead with sleepy eyes. There was no one as far as the eye could see in the empty wastnd. ¡°Youngest.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The guard with a stern bearing replied. ¡°Can¡¯t I go to sleep?¡± ¡°Oh, no, you can¡¯t. It¡¯s working hours.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s working hours, so what. No one ising anyway.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°But whatever. Just keep quiet, and you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m going to sleep, so if you tell anyone, you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Uh, um.¡± The youngest stuttered. Just as the guard was about to stretch and go to his own shelter. ¡°You can sleep. If you want to get fired.¡± The guard froze at the voiceing from behind. He awkwardly turned his head, forcing augh. ¡°Le, Leader. Are you here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother the youngest for no reason and do your job.¡± The guard leader pped the guard¡¯s head. The guard rubbed his sore head and muttered. ¡°There¡¯s only the snowy wilderness in the direction of the east gate. No one hase today. Is there any meaning in guarding here?¡± ¡°Keep quiet and do your guard duty properly. I¡¯m considering giving you special training because I heard that the lord is not satisfied with your work.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The guard¡¯s face quickly fell. The guard leader said solemnly. ¡°Events don¡¯t happen ording to our convenience, you know? We don¡¯t know when dungeons or monsterirs might appear, so guard properly.¡± ¡°What are the chances of that happening¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your job to check the possibility of that happening. Focus. Besides, there are already ominous rumors going around, and they¡¯re quite bothersome.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, is that true? That demons and monsters are showing up in the world again.¡± A long time ago, after the demon king was defeated by the heroes, demons and monsters were no longer able to interfere in the mortal realm. After hiding their traces for thousands of years, they were revealing themselves again. ¡°There are rumors that the kingdom has fallen, but there¡¯s no way to know here. Anyway, do your job first. The demon army might suddenly appear from beyond.¡± ¡°What are the chances of that happening¡­.¡± The guard grumbled but straightened up. He didn¡¯t want to be hit again. He looked beyond the horizon. Nothing could be seen or heard. It was peacefulness itself. Even if the world was noisy and chaotic, this ce was a territory at the edge of the wilderness. It was endlessly peaceful. The guard started his watch, yawning. After several tens of minutes passed. The youngest frowned. ¡°¡­Do you hear something strange?¡± ¡°Something strange? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s faint. But¡­ it seems to be getting closer.¡± The guard focused his ears at the youngest¡¯s words. Then, even he could hear it. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A massive vibration, as if the world itself was trembling. Thud¡­. ¡­. ¡­. Whoooom¡­. It was getting closer. The guard¡¯s face paled as he realized that something huge was rushing toward the territory. ¡°Hold! Wait a moment!¡± Whoooom! The sound grew until everyone could hear it. The guard captain, who was inside the territory to handle affairs, dashed out in rm. ¡°What¡¯s going on! What¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know! Something is approaching!¡± Whoooom! The sound grew louder. Something dangerous, though unknown, was getting closer. The guard captain shouted urgently. ¡°Ring the bell! Gather all the guards!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Where is the knight?¡± ¡°T, the knight is not currently in the territory! He¡¯s apanying thedy to the castle¡­.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± The guard captain cursed. The guards were quickly mobilized. They formed ranks and waited. Whoooom! The sound was getting closer. The sound spread throughout the entire territory, causing the citizens to cower in fear. Whoooom! The sound reached the vicinity. Whoooom! The dust piled up on the walls burst, covering everything around. Whoooom! The guards¡¯ bodies were slightly lifted off the ground. Kwaaaaaah!!! A massive vibration struck their bodies. ¡°Ah, uh¡­.¡± The guards¡¯ faces turned white. They staggered, trying to flee. ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡± The guard captain shouted fiercely. ¡°We are the guards of the Varkan territory! Sacrifice your lives to protect your family and friends!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± They shouted with determination. The guards hesitated about their impending death. The reverberations became so close that they couldn¡¯t be any closer. And then, it stopped. The deafening noise, which had been approaching at regr intervals, was no longer audible. The guards were perplexed. ¡°Ca, captain?¡± ¡°¡­Wait for now.¡± The guard captain swallowed his saliva and gave the order. Time passed in silence. And then, beyond, someone¡¯s figure appeared. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± The hands gripping the spears tightened. The figure gradually approached them. The guard captain was momentarily bewildered. ¡®Smaller.¡¯ Although the distance was still considerable, so they couldn¡¯t be sure, the size was not much different from theirs. It was a size that didn¡¯t seem to belong to the owner of the immense roar. The figure approached slowly. The guards held their breath. The guard captain forced his trembling body to calm down and stepped forward. Thud. Thud. Footsteps could be heard. The figure¡¯s appearance began toe into view. The guard captain¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°¡­Barbarian?¡± The ashen-haired barbarian was there. Fluentmonnguage could be heard. ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 9 – First Encounter (2) Chapter 9 ¨C First Encounter (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 9 ¨C First Encounter (2) The territory that came into Ketal¡¯s view was quiterge. The outer walls surrounding the territory. And within, a castle of decent size. Fundamentally, it resembled the architecture of the medieval era. But being a fantasy setting, it looked somewhat different. ¡°Satisfactory.¡± What about the interior? Ketal was quite curious. Ketal strolled leisurely. The tips of the spears held by the guards trembled. The captain of the guard red at Ketal, gritting his teeth. ¡®¡­Big.¡¯ The captain of the guard had never looked up to someone before, and now, for the first time, he found himself doing so. And that someone had a head that was gigantic. Not just tall, but the physique was also massive. Yet, it didn¡¯t feel bulky. It was like a perfect sculpture. Leather vest. And the scar on the chest. ¡®¡­Ashen Barbarian?¡¯ A legendary figure shed by the captain of the guard¡¯s mind. ¡°D-Don¡¯te any closer!¡± One of the trembling guards shouted. It was an outcry that came out unintentionally, fueled by fear. Ketal¡¯s gaze turned towards him, and the guard¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. ¡®He¡¯s going to kill me!¡¯ But contrary to expectations, Ketal stopped in his tracks. ¡°I am not your enemy.¡± ¡°Y-You speak?¡± ¡°I have no intention of being hostile to you, so there¡¯s no need to worry. Rx.¡± ¡°A-Are you civilized?¡± The guards mumbled foolishly. Ketal grimaced. ¡°¡­Is itmon for the barbarians of this world not to speak?¡± ¡°No. Not really, but¡­¡± The captain of the guard muttered unintentionally. Barbarians were not exclusive to the snowy ins. There were several tribes on the continent. It¡¯s just that the ashen barbarian was special. Interest sparked in Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°Are there other barbarians?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± The tips of the spears still showed no sign of lowering. Ketal calmly spoke again. ¡°I am not your enemy.¡± Most of those who encountered him were afraid and panicked. In fact, there were more than a few outsiders who panicked and attacked him on the White Snow ins. Now, he was ustomed to it, feeling nothing much. Ketal calmly continued to try to talk, and it had an effect. The trembling of the spears gradually subsided. It reached a level where conversation was possible, so Ketal looked at the captain of the guard. ¡°You must be their leader.¡± ¡°H-How did you¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious from your attire that you¡¯re the leader. I don¡¯t mean to be blunt, but I have no intention of being hostile to you.¡± ¡°¡­What do you want from us?¡± ¡°My purpose is simple.¡± Ketal raised a finger. The guards flinched, but Ketal paid no attention and pointed to the territory behind them. ¡°I want to visit your territory.¡± * * * Guided to the checkpoint, Ketal sat down and the chair creaked and screamed as he settled in. ¡°¡­It hasn¡¯t been long since it was built.¡± The captain of the guard, who looked at the chair with an anxious face, slowly spoke up. ¡°You mentioned you wanted to visit the territory. Is passing through your goal?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to stay a little if possible. I¡¯m not sure how long.¡± ¡°A stay?¡± The captain of the guard groaned. The barbarian wanted to stay in their territory. The captain of the guard was conflicted. Should he refuse here, or ept? There was nopelling reason to refuse. There were manuals for such situations. But the captain of the guard was afraid of the barbarian before him. It was a fear driven by the instinct that naturallyes with life. He didn¡¯t want such a creature to exist in their territory. As the captain of the guard pondered, Ketal spoke. ¡°I am not your enemy.¡± The quiet yet powerful words calmed the captain of the guard¡¯s mind. ¡°I am a visitor to the territory. And you are the captain of the guard managing the visitors. That¡¯s all. You just need to do your job.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± Only then did the captain of the guarde to his senses. Upon reflection, there had been a few asions when barbarians were allowed to stay in their territory. There was hardly any difference now. ¡°I-I apologize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal showed no particr reaction. He was already ustomed to it, feeling nothing much. The captain of the guard regained hisposure and began to do his duty. His duty was to ascertain the status of the outsider and assess the danger. He asked cautiously. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I am Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal. There¡­ I have something to ask about themotion.¡± ¡°Commotion?¡± ¡°When you approached here, there was amotion that increased at regr intervals. Do you know anything about that?¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I simply ran here.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± The captain of the guard swallowed hard. If themotion happened because of the sprinting, then¡­ ¡®No. No way.¡¯ The captain of the guard separated his consciousness. If it wasn¡¯t rted to the barbarian, there was no need to worry. They could send scoutster. And even if it was rted to him, there was no need to worry. It was something beyond what he could handle. ¡°Then, do you have anyone to confirm your identity or any identification?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡± Ketal suddenly grabbed a ne as if remembering. ¡°Does this not suffice for confirmation?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the emblem of the Akasha family. I received it from one of their family.¡± The captain of the guard cautiously took the ne. A merchant family that visited the White Snow ins a few years ago. They had pleasant conversations, and he remembered them well. He received the emblem from her. ¡°If it¡¯s the Akasha family¡­ are they a merchant family from the Kingdom of Denian?¡± ¡°Do you know of them?¡± ¡°They have been gaining prominence recently. Since the change of the head of the family a few years ago, they have been rapidly expanding their influence.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It seemed the bluff was sessful. The captain of the guard muttered as he examined the emblem. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look fake, but¡­ it¡¯s difficult to confirm.¡± ¡°Is this not the right kingdom?¡± ¡°This is the Kingdom of Gahentra.¡± The captain of the guard handed back the ne. ¡°It cannot be confirmed, but¡­ it¡¯s still helpful.¡± This barbarian didn¡¯t seem dangerous. Even if the emblem was a well-made fake, it didn¡¯t matter. At least it meant he had some intellect to attempt deception. So, he wasn¡¯t an uncontroble element. What was truly frightening were beasts without intellect. Those with intellect could be bound byws and rules. The captain of the guard believed this without doubt. ¡°Alright. You cane in. But there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal chuckled. The moment he saw that chuckle, the captain of the guard felt his trust crumbling like dominoes. ¡®¡­Can he really be controlled?¡¯ A beast with intellect, after all isn¡¯t that more dangerous? Wasn¡¯t that more dangerous? Ketal was merelyughing out of joy, but a myriad of arrogant thoughts passed through the captain of the guard¡¯s mind. ¡°What is the condition?¡± ¡°¡­Confirmation is necessary.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°A party?¡± Ketal murmured as he listened to the captain of the guard¡¯s exnation. The captain of the guard¡¯s words were simple. There were three others besides Ketal who were trying to enter the territory without clear identification. The condition was to clear the dungeon near the territory together with them. ¡°Just to let you know, if you don¡¯t ept this condition, you cannot enter. This is the minimum requirement.¡± The captain of the guard spoke like a yer making a move. Most barbarians disliked and avoidedplicated matters. And they abhorred fighting alongside warriors they didn¡¯t acknowledge. For a barbarian to form a party and conquer a dungeon with someone else. Many would rather go in alone, raging. But Ketal simply nodded obediently. ¡°Alright. I ept.¡± ¡°I-Is that okay?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the rule? Then I¡¯ll follow it.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The captain of the guard was slightly moved. Following rules that were troublesome and disliked. It was the first time he had seen such behavior from a barbarian during all his encounters. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the reason for Ketal¡¯s behavior. Outwardly dumb, he was actually quite excited. A party! Dungeon! Conquest! Wasn¡¯t it one of the romances of fantasy! Being able to do it in reality, not as a game. He couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. It already felt like all the hardships he had endured were being fulfilled. Ketal chuckled, and the captain of the guard forcibly calmed his trembling body. ¡°¡­Another condition is that you have to report what happened during the dungeon clearing process afterward. Any incidents or anomalies. If you pass that, then you can enter the territory.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal nodded his head. ¡°Are we supposed to watch each other?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we? For those whose identities aren¡¯t certain, confirmation about their true selves is necessary. But it¡¯s not easy to trust each other¡¯s words blindly.¡± There¡¯s nothing as untrustworthy as the words of an untrustworthy person. They carry no weight whatsoever. ¡°But if it¡¯s the word of someone who cleared the dungeon with you, then the story changes.¡± Though he didn¡¯t know much about dungeons, they wouldn¡¯t be easy. He would have to use his strength to the fullest. Moreover, party y. Having to coordinate with strangers he had never seen before. Those who couldn¡¯t adapt to groups would stand out immediately. Those whose identities weren¡¯t certain would be forced to watch each other. In the process, troublemakers would be weeded out. There were limitations and many problems, but it served as a sieve adequately. ¡°Not bad. You used your head quite well. Did youe up with this?¡± ¡°¡­No, not me.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ The captain of the guard was astonished. Unless it was a noble or a monk, there was no way to verify the births of children. There were plenty of individuals with uncertain identities, and among them, the number of troublemakers was not small. Yet, it wasn¡¯t feasible to reject them all. There were too many. To solve this problem, the kingdom¡¯s excellent administrators had struggled for days and eventually devised the verification procedure. Those with weak strength were simply let in, while those with enough power to cause trouble were forced into parties and made to clear dungeons. At first, the captain of the guard doubted the usefulness of this method, but when it was implemented, it proved to be excellent. Vicious mercenaries and rogues with ck hearts were automatically filtered out when forced to cooperate with each other. There were cases where they died in the dungeons themselves, but it didn¡¯t matter. Deaths of unknown individuals were quitemon in this world. Only those who didn¡¯t cause trouble and could consider others would be allowed into the territory. After implementing this procedure, the problems caused by outsiders in the territory had significantly decreased. So, this was why they ate up those expensive taxes! The captain of the guard marveled. It was a method no one would have thought of easily. Indeed, even the captain of the guard hadn¡¯t realized its significance until a few weeks ago. Most of the guards still didn¡¯t fully understand it. Upon hearing this solution, Ketal understood it perfectly. ¡°¡­Are you really a barbarian?¡± ¡°I am. Unfortunately.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first barbarian like you I¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°Seems like there are barbarians even here.¡± ¡°Indeed. They¡¯re troublesome.¡± The captain of the guard shook his head and stood up. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Including you, we can start right away.¡± The captain of the guard stood up from his seat. Ketal followed with a smile. ¡°You should speak first. You have to conquer the dungeon with three others. Be careful, as it might be difficult to stay if someone dies or gets injured.¡± ¡°Who am I going with?¡± ¡°First¡­ a thief.¡± A thief. Ketal was satisfied. It was only natural for a party to have at least one thief. ¡°And someone who ims to be a warrior.¡± ¡°ims?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin. You¡¯ll understand when you meet him.¡± A warrior. That was also satisfying. There should be at least one person to stand shoulder to shoulder with in the front lines. ¡°And a priest.¡± A priest. That was good too. There should be at least one healer in a party. It was a perfectbination. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. But there was one thing he regretted. ¡°Is there no Magic?¡± ¡°Magics are valuable assets. All of them are managed in the Magic Tower. Those who aren¡¯t managed by the Magic Tower are dealt with there.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Magic Tower. That was also an attractive word. His heart raced. But then there was one thing that puzzled him. ¡°Are you unsure of the priest¡¯s identity?¡± Believers. Priests. Usually, the god they believe in itself serves as proof of their identity. The captain of the guard said with a vague expression. ¡°Most priests are like that, but¡­ her case is a bit different. Now that we¡¯re here, we should check for ourselves.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± It was time to meet the party members who would conquer the dungeon together. The captain of the guard opened the door. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 10 – Dungeon Strategy (1) Chapter 10 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 10 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (1) Three people were gathered in the waiting room. A nimble-looking man in light leather armor, chuckling softly. A thief. A middle-aged man in ragged armor, with a clear stubbornness evident in his demeanor. A warrior. And a sly-faced, ck-haired priest with an ambiguous smile. ¡°Ugh.¡± The warrior sighed, his face filled with deep disdain and self-reproach. ¡°I understand that we have no choice, but to venture into the dungeon like a bunch of rats sniffing around people¡¯s belts. It¡¯s a pathetic story.¡± ¡°Why are you starting an argument again, old man?¡± The thief chuckled. ¡°Were you that offended by what I said earlier?¡± ¡°I have no intention of talking to mice like you.¡± The warrior said roughly. But if he had taken the other person¡¯s words at face value, he would not have been called a thief. The thief chuckled. ¡°No. I¡¯m asking if I said something wrong. Are you venting your anger on me because you were scammed by a thief and lost all your fortune, old man?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡­¡± The warrior¡¯s brow twitched. The thief cut him off. ¡°Unfortunately, the person who got duped is the idiot himself. Why take it out on others?¡± ¡°You!¡± The warrior rose angrily. ¡°How dare you insult me, a Holy Knight! I am Alexandro Tyrannus!¡± ¡°A Holy Knight, huh? Holy Knights these days don¡¯t seem to wear such armor, do they?¡± The thief didn¡¯t stop taunting. The warrior wore a suit of te armor, but it was riddled with holes and rusted, making it appear ineffective in its role as armor. ¡°In the first ce, if you were a real Holy Knight, you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± A Holy Knight is a noble warrior who believes in a deity. They¡¯re high-ranking individuals, and their very presence confirms their status. ¡°You¡¯re just a wandering warrior pretending to be a Holy Knight, like me, just another scoundrel. Tiranus? What kind of ridiculous name is that?¡± ¡°¡­You!¡± Unable to contain his anger, the warrior drew his sword. The thief didn¡¯t back down either. ¡°Wanna try?¡± The thief drew a dagger from his belt. The de was stained with green slime. ¡°Do you think that ragged armor of yours can protect you?¡± ¡°Please, could you both stop¡­?¡± A timid voice echoed, but neither the thief nor the warrior paid attention. The priest let out a deep sigh. For hours, the thief and the warrior continued to snarl at each other. Initially, the priest tried to mediate, but now she gave up. They had to conquer the dungeon together. The future looked grim. ¡°There¡¯s one more personing¡­¡± The minimum number of people for the dungeon was four. If thest person was like them¡­ ¡°We might end up meeting an untimely demise in the dungeon.¡± It wasn¡¯t an impossible scenario. The priest felt very sad. In the heat of the moment, the door suddenly opened. The thief and the warrior hastily sheathed their weapons, but they were all in in sight. The guard captain who entered frowned. ¡°Understand that you¡¯re being evaluated.¡± ¡°Well, I understand, but I don¡¯t think that guy pretending to be a Holy Knight does.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Is that all you can say, old man?¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± The guard captain didn¡¯t care. It wouldn¡¯t matter if they all died in the dungeon. ¡°Thest person has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, this time, I hope they¡¯re somewhat normal.¡± ¡°Judge for yourself. This way.¡± And he entered. Barbarian. Ketal. For a moment, the heads of the thief, the warrior, and the priest all turned. He was a colossal figure. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You guys are my party members. Nice to meet you.¡± Ketal smiled and raised his hand. * * * The room was filled. Despite the waiting room being spacious enough for ten people, it felt crowded in an instant. The barbarian in front of them had that presence. Cross him and you¡¯ll die. Instinctively, they all shut their mouths and became as innocent asmbs. The guard captain seemed to have expected this and left the room. ¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m the Barbarian, Ketal.¡± Though Ketal opened his mouth, no one responded. ¡®I thought it would be more lively.¡¯ It was quieter than he expected. Ketal felt slightly disappointed. ¡®They are very shy people.¡¯ Then he would have to lead the conversation. Ketal smiled wryly. He needed to make them feelfortable around him, without them being intimidated. They didn¡¯t cower and instead felt a sense of friendliness towards him. ¡°Hii!¡± The moment she saw that smile, the priest almost wet herself. Ketal¡¯s gaze fell upon the thief. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I-I am¡­¡± The thief forced the words out with a dry tongue. He had encountered barbarians before, and most of them were easy targets. Stupid, vicious, yet with strong pride. There had been numerous asions where he had deceived and robbed such barbarians without much effort. To the thief, a barbarian was just a foolish target, nothing more or less. But this time, he didn¡¯t feel that way at all. Make a wrong move, and your head could be split open. In that fear, the thief stammered, ¡°I-I am Kasan Hawk. A thief.¡± ¡°A thief, huh? And what about you?¡± Ketal¡¯s gaze turned to the warrior. The warrior closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. ¡°¡­I am a Holy Knight. Alexandro Tyrannus.¡± Upon hearing this, the thief couldn¡¯t help but admire him. How could he confidently im to be a Holy Knight in front of this barbarian? It was trulymendable. Ketal chuckled. ¡°Are you using divine powers as a Holy Knight?¡± ¡°Well, normally I would, but I¡¯m a bit of a special case. I can¡¯t use them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t say anything more. This time, his gaze shifted to the ck-haired girl. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°¡­I am a priestess of the god of deception and trickery, Kalosia. My name is Heize.¡± The priest spoke with a trembling voice, looking at the barbarian with fearful eyes. Barbarian. Savage beings who deny and mock the gods. The conflict between priests and barbarians was so well-known that it wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning. Moreover, she had heard countless stories about barbarians from her seniors in the church. There was even a barbarian who attacked suddenly, shouting, ¡®Priestess? Then try praying to your god to protect you from the barbarian in front of you!¡¯ Some even attacked recklessly with axes. The priest tensed up, and Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°A priestess! Nice to meet you!¡± A world where gods exist. Priests who wield their powers by believing in them. It was truly one of the flowers of fantasy. Ketal was very pleased to meet the priest. And the priest was taken aback. She had expected hostility, but it felt like she was meeting someone from the same congregation. It was apletely unexpected reaction. The door opened. The guard captain entered. ¡°Is the conversation roughly over?¡± ¡°The rough evaluation is done.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s get going. Follow me.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] They followed the guard captain towards the open ins outside the territory. Meanwhile, Ketal continued to be intrigued by the priest. ¡°Is your status as a priestess uncertain?¡± ¡°W-Well, the god I serve is the god of deception and trickery, Kalosia¡­¡± The priest hesitated to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but many of the followers of my god don¡¯t have a good reputation, so¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Not all gods are benevolent just because they¡¯re gods. Kalosia was called the god of deception and trickery. Perhaps she felt a sense of rejection from the territory due to causing trouble. She carefully nodded her head. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯m just a low-ranking priestess, so I can¡¯t do anything impressive.¡± ¡°Hmm. What can you do?¡± ¡°Deceive with dice rolls, or perhaps enchant opponents¡­¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Not highly regarded, I suppose.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡®What¡­ what is it?¡¯ The priest forced a smile. The barbarian was treating her so kindly. It was incredibly confusing. ¡®¡­Is he considering joining the church?¡¯ Was the barbarian, who denied the gods, realizing the greatness of the gods and nning to dedicate himself to Kalosia? If so, as a priest, she would naturally have to ept him. Her journey was for her personal training but also for guidance. But it was scary. Personally, she hoped he would do it to someone else. She harbored thoughts as a priest that she shouldn¡¯t be having. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± The guard captain who led the way stopped. In front of them was a cave. ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. There it was, the dungeon. ¡®That¡¯s the dungeon.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon with a total of three floors. Undead monsters appear. If youbine your strengths¡­¡± The guard captain trailed off and looked at Ketal. ¡°¡­ Anyway, you should be able to clear it. When you do, make sure toe back with the proof.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for the exnation.¡± ¡°¡­Good luck.¡± With gratitude from the barbarian, the guard captain left with aplex expression on his face. They stood before the dungeon. Ketal apuded. The bodies of the other three trembled simultaneously. ¡°Well then, I¡¯d like to start the strategy, but how should we do it? This kind of party y is new to me, so I¡¯d appreciate an exnation.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The thief nced at Ketal. ¡°Has anyone here cleared a dungeon before?¡± No one raised their hand. The thief spoke cautiously. ¡°I have some experience, so I¡¯ll take the lead. Since it¡¯s a standard dungeon, shall we proceed conventionally?¡± ¡°What does conventional mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­ with Mr. Ketal and¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to use ¡®mister.¡¯ We¡¯rerades, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± The thief chuckled dryly. ¡°Ketal¡­ and that. The warrior will take the lead, and I¡¯ll check for traps. Then the priest will support us with various abilities from behind. That¡¯s the basic structure.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal stepped forward. He tapped the warrior¡¯s shoulder. The armor creaked. ¡°Let¡¯s stand back to back and support each other.¡± ¡°Ah, got it.¡± The warrior nodded frantically. Ketal smiled and entered the dungeon. The rest followed him with worried expressions. * * * The air in the dungeon was damp and musty. The thief cautiously surveyed the dungeon and advanced, with the others following behind. After some distance, the thief raised his hand. ¡°Stop. It¡¯s a monster.¡± ¡°Even though we can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°Do you see the scattered bone fragments on the floor over there? It¡¯s a skeleton. It¡¯ll rise and attack us if we get too close.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ketal chuckled. A skeleton, huh? That was a very typical fantasy monster. He wondered what form it would take. But interpreting thatughter differently, the thief shivered. This barbarian was thirsty for battle. He forced himself to calm down and spoke calmly. ¡°Skeletons are quite powerful monsters. We need to prepare properly.¡± Even if they¡¯re wounded, they¡¯ll still move and try to kill their enemies. Being made of bones, they also had considerable defense. ¡®¡­The dungeon difficulty is higher than I thought.¡¯ A dungeon with skeletons appearing as well. The thief had cleared dungeons like this several times before, but this level was a first. And the reason became apparent. He nced at Ketal. With this barbarian, they could clear dungeons of this caliber. But they still had to be cautious. ¡°priest, prepare your abilities. Warrior, raise your shield. Ketal, I¡¯ll ask for your preparation too. I¡¯ll aim for the gaps in battle.¡± ¡°How do we defeat skeletons?¡± ¡°You have to sever their necks. Other parts of their bodies will still move even if destroyed, so you must aim for their necks. They¡¯re quite tough, so you¡¯ll need to strike their necks several times.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After all preparations were made, Ketal and the warrior approached. The skeleton, sensing enemies, rose with the sound of bones shing. ¡°Battle!¡± The thief shouted. The warrior raised his shield, and the priest prayed for her abilities. The thief hid in the shadows, aiming for gaps. Tensions rose as the battle began. Thud. The risen skeleton brandished its sword. Ketal swung his palm. Crack. The skeleton¡¯s head turned to dust and disappeared. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 11 – Dungeon Strategy (2) Chapter 11 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 11 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (2) Bone dust scattered on the floor like sand. Skeletons without heads turned back into bone fragments and fell to the ground. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The tension in the muscles, which had been heightened for battle, rxed. They looked at the decapitated skeletons and the pile of bones with dumbfounded expressions. ¡°Oh.¡± With a satisfied look on his face, Ketal observed the motionless skeletons. ¡°Kasan, you were right. Without their heads, they can¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Heh, haha.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not exactly what I meant.¡¯ It was about decapitating them, not turning their heads into dust. The thief swallowed nervously as he looked at the headless skeletons lying on the ground. Skeletons were creatures made of bones. And bones were incredibly tough material in themselves. Unless one was skilled in handling ores, it was nearly impossible to chop bones into pieces. Moreover, skeletons were enhanced by the dungeon¡¯s mana, making them much tougher than ordinary bones. Therefore, the most effective way to deal with skeletons was to keep striking at their necks. Target the joints between bones, repeatedly chop with a sword to weaken the neck bone. It was akin to chopping down a tree, requiring considerable time and mental effort. However, Ketal went beyond merely shattering the neck bones; he turned the heads into dust. ¡®¡­Is he even human?¡¯ He knew Ketal was strong from the moment he saw him, but he didn¡¯t expect this level of strength. Turning a skeleton¡¯s head into dust with just a flick of his hand. If anyone told him that, he¡¯dugh it off, but now he had to swallow his saliva at the sight of Ketal¡¯s palm. The gaze of the others turned towards Ketal¡¯s hand. If that hand were to move towards their heads¡­ A shiver ran down his spine. He hadn¡¯t just imagined such a thing. Both the warrior and the priest trembled involuntarily. Only Ketal spoke cheerfully. ¡°Well, let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Understood.¡± The thief¡¯s tone became even more polite. Once again, led by the thief, they moved forward. How far had they gone? The thief raised his hand. ¡°Is it a monster?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Ketal asked with shining eyes, and the thief quickly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a trap. I¡¯ll disarm it and we can pass.¡± ¡°A trap!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes shone even brighter. The thief found his gaze terrifying. ¡°What kind of trap is it?¡± ¡°If you look over there, you¡¯ll see a notch in the wall.¡± The thief pointed his finger at a spot on the dungeon wall. Indeed, there was a round notch. ¡°It works by detecting the weight of the dungeon floor. From the looks of it, a spear will likely shoot out. I¡¯ll disarm it.¡± The thief took out a thin wire and inserted it into the notch. With a few twists and turns, there was a click, followed by a clunking sound. ¡°It¡¯s done. We can pass now.¡± ¡°Is that how you disarm it?¡± ¡°Most dungeon traps are mechanical, so disabling them by triggering or damaging the mechanism usually does the trick.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal chuckled to himself. Defeating monsters, checking and disarming traps ¡ª that was the epitome of dungeon strategy. He was living the dream he had wished for. He felt incredibly happy. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡± They walked a little further, and once again, they found scattered bone fragments on the floor. Skeletons. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. He politely addressed his party members. ¡°I have one request for you.¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°Would you mind if I faced those skeletons alone? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to check.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Ketal looked at the priest and the warrior. Both vigorously nodded their heads. Ketal was touched by his party members¡¯ consideration. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing. Please, go ahead and do as you wish.¡± He had no intention of opposing the man who pulverized the skeleton¡¯s head. Ketal walked briskly, and the bone fragments began to rise and take shape. The thief watched in a daze. ¡°What is he trying to do?¡± He had a hunch. The barbarians didn¡¯t like teaming up with others. Perhaps he wanted to fight alone. He would turn their heads into dust in one blow, and they would pass without any problems. That was the thief¡¯s expectation. ¡°Fascinating. What a peculiar structure.¡± Ketal looked at the skeleton with an interested expression. Despitecking muscles to move flesh, the skeletons moved surprisingly fast. Skeletons. The quintessential monster of fantasy, consisting of nothing but bone fragments. He read hundreds of writings and documents about them, and in the process, he imagined countless scenarios involving skeletons. And now, the real thing was right in front of him. So, it didn¡¯t have to end with imagination, did it? The skeleton swung its sword, and Ketal¡¯s hand moved. Crunch. The de of the sword caught Ketal¡¯s finger. He squeezed his finger. The sword shattered into pieces. ¡°Now, what will you do?¡± Half of the sword¡¯s hilt remained. The skeleton took another step forward and swung its sword. Ketal dodged it easily andughed. ¡°Changing the attack range ording to the shortened hilt? Quite intelligent. Or is it the dungeon¡¯s mana that makes it so?¡± Ketal reached out his palm and grabbed the hand wielding the sword. ¡°What will you do now?¡± Crack. The skeleton¡¯s hand turned into dust. The broken sword fell to the ground. The skeleton bent down, picked up the broken sword with its remaining hand, and Ketal marveled. ¡°Changing hands as well! What will you do if that hand gets crushed too?¡± Crack. Both of the skeleton¡¯s hands were shattered. It no longer had a hand to hold a weapon. Then the skeleton swung its arm. The broken arm was sharp enough to tear flesh. ¡°Remarkable. Its intelligence is quite high.¡± Ketal continued to observe with a grin. Ketal was satisfying his curiosity. How does the skeleton move? How does the skeleton attack without weapons? Can the skeleton still move when its limbs are shattered? Having the fantasy creature he had longed for right in front of him, it was only natural that he wanted to know everything about it. To him, it was an entirely natural behavior. But to those watching him, it didn¡¯t seem natural at all. ¡°Uh, ah.¡± The priest stepped back with a pale face. The warrior inadvertently tightened his grip on the sword. The thief swallowed nervously. Breaking the skeleton¡¯s sword with a single blow, shattering both arms, he was ying with them like toys. And that wide smile on his face. Ketal was fulfilling his dream, but to the thief, it seemed like something entirely different. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®That¡¯s a true barbarian.¡¯ ying with even the weakest for the sake of satisfying his fighting spirit. The thief was genuinely afraid of the barbarian in front of him. How much time had passed like that? Eventually, only the head of the skeleton remained. Thunk, thunk. ¡°Can it still move with just its head? The head seems to y a controlling role. Fascinating.¡± Ketal muttered as he lifted his foot. The head was crushed under his foot. ¡°Excellent.¡± Ketal barely suppressed his burstingughter. He had learned so much about the truly moving skeleton. He felt like he was going to die of happiness. ¡®I want to at least take a note.¡¯ He will have to buy something like a notebookter. He nned to write down everything he learned there. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine! You can do as you please!¡± The thief shouted stiffly. Though his attitude was strange, Ketal didn¡¯t pay it any mind. He was too satisfied. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The resolute shout of the thief echoed through the dungeon. * * * And so, the first floor ended without any issues, and they saw the stairs. It was the beginning of the second floor. ¡°The second floor.¡± As they descended the stairs, they saw a vast space before them. ¡°Umm¡­ Would it be alright to take a short rest?¡± The thief cautiously asked Ketal. Since Ketal had done most of the fighting, there was no physical fatigue for him, but there was considerable mental fatigue. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes, taking a break would be a good idea.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The thief bowed deeply. They sat down and took a rest. There was a strange distance between them and Ketal. The barbarian, who had been staring nkly at the ceiling, spoke up. ¡°Kasan, I have a question.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, what is it? What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What is a dungeon?¡± Kasan¡¯s pupils dted slightly. ¡°Do you not know?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, my learning iscking.¡± The barbarian spoke about learning. If it had been another barbarian, they might have ridiculed him, saying, ¡®What learning does a head-bashing brute like you need?¡¯ But Kasan just shook his head. ¡°No! Having a desire to learn is amendable attitude! But¡­ unfortunately, I am not very knowledgeable about dungeons either.¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know either.¡± The warrior hastily added. Their gaze turned to the priest. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it part of a priest¡¯s basic education?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Then, may I ask you some questions?¡± ¡°¡­Of course. Refusing someone who seeks knowledge goes against the will of Kalosia.¡± ¡®Hing.¡¯ The priest forced a smile with a slight pout. ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°This dungeon is quite close to the territory. Is there no problem with that?¡± ¡°Generally, dungeon monsters don¡¯te outside. Of course, there are exceptions¡­ but we usually check and deal with them beforehand.¡± ¡°Hmm. Even so, something feels strange. Why does this dungeon still exist?¡± Ketal ran his fingers along the wall. There were signs of weathering on the walls. ¡°If it¡¯s been this long, someone must have dealt with it.¡± ¡°Oh. This dungeon probably appeared less than a week ago.¡± ¡°Less than a week?¡± Ketal was surprised. The priest nodded. ¡°Dungeons ur naturally. Sometimes they are caves, sometimes towers. Most often, they appear near ces where many people gather.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why.¡± This ce was very close to the territory. ¡°When a dungeon appears, we check its danger level from within the territory, and then outsiders like us, mercenaries, and guards handle it.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t appear within the territory?¡± ¡°No. Dungeons usually appear at a certain distance away.¡± ¡°Has there never been even one?¡± ¡°As far as I know¡­ there hasn¡¯t been any.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Interest lit up on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°If a dungeon is conquered, there must be rewards, right?¡± ¡°Yes? Usually, there¡¯s a boss on thest floor. Defeating the boss yields various rewards. For a dungeon of this level¡­ the rewards should be quite good.¡± The priest had never conquered a dungeon herself, but she knew through education. Skeletons appearing meant it wasn¡¯t a low-level dungeon. Ketal muttered to himself. ¡°Sounds like a game.¡± ¡°A game?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself. Hm. Then I have one more question.¡± ¡°P-Please, go ahead.¡± ¡°Who creates these dungeons?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The priest blinked. ¡°Dungeons ur naturally. They aren¡¯t created by anyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say, but there are too many oddities. They appear near ces where people gather densely, almost like they¡¯re saying, ¡®You need to check out this dungeon.¡¯ Or like tempting people with sweet fruit inside.¡± They appear near ces where many people gather, and entice people with rewards. ¡°Naturally urring dungeons are too artificially suggestive.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that so?¡± The priest giggled awkwardly. Dungeons naturally ur near ces where people gather. It was as natural as birds flying in the sky or fish swimming in the sea. That¡¯s why she had never approached its essence. And it wasn¡¯t just her; others were the same. In fact, the warrior couldn¡¯t understand what Ketal was talking about and just rolled his eyes. Seeing their reaction, a smile crept onto Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°Fascinating. Have you all rested enough?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s continue.¡± Ketal stood up cheerfully. The others also got up from their seats, somewhat hesitantly. They continued through the dungeon, and around halfway, they found it. A treasure chest. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 12 – Dungeon Strategy (3) Chapter 12 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 12 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (3) ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. The thief nced at the treasure chest and replied. ¡°It¡¯s a treasure chest. One of the rewards in thebyrinth. Once unlocked, we can take it.¡± The thief didn¡¯t pay much attention to the treasure chest. It was just one of the rewards that couldn¡¯t be helped without a proper party. But Ketal was different. ¡°Oh, really? In that case, Kasan, handle it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The thief stopped in his tracks. Ketal spoke as if it were obvious. ¡°That¡¯s a treasure chest, and you¡¯re a thief.¡± ¡°Yes. Treasure chests are usually handled by thiefs, but¡­¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you should be able to unlock it, right? I¡¯m asking you.¡± Ketal said with keen interest. Picking locks was a major skill in the fantasy world. Ketal didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to witness it. ¡°Um¡­¡± The thief was at a loss for words. The treasure chest was indeed the thief¡¯s responsibility. Ketal¡¯s words were not wrong. But there was a problem. ¡®If I could do that, then I wouldn¡¯t be stuck here!¡¯ Dungeon treasure chests were securely locked. Releasing them required excellent lock-picking skills. And such skills were possessed only by seasoned thiefs, those who were certified by the thief guild. In other words, having lock-picking skills meant being recognized officially. Thus, one could undertake quests in foreign territories without having to join parties with unfamiliar individuals. Kasan was a thief of a level that even the thief guild didn¡¯t certify. Naturally, he didn¡¯t possess lock-picking skills. But he couldn¡¯t say that. The barbarian was looking at him with a look of great anticipation. If he said it was impossible, that face would instantly turn into disappointment. [As a thief, you can¡¯t even do that. You are useless.] He imagined his head bing like the pulverized skeleton. ¡°Ha, haha. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Kasan forced a smile and approached the lock on the treasure chest. He took out the tools he carried to pick locks in empty houses, not for treasure chests. ¡°Oh, is lock-picking done with such equipment? Interesting.¡± The barbarian behind him peered over his shoulder. Kasan felt like his heart would stop from the pressure. Suppressing his trembling hand, he slowly reached for the lock. ¡®Remember! Remember!¡¯ The techniques demonstrated by the thiefs who boasted to him in his childhood. Mimic the skills they showed while he worked as a porter. Risking his life, Kasan moved his hand. A miracle happened. Click. It was the sound of the treasure chest unlocking. Kasan almost copsed unknowingly. ¡°I, I did it.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Really? Amazing!¡± Even the priest who had been watching was astonished. Unlike Ketal, she knew that unlocking a treasure chest was a task only skilled individuals could do. And Kasan himself was bewildered. ¡®How did I do that?¡¯ He seeded by following what he had seen with his own eyes. It was truly miraculous. ¡°So this is it. Impressive, Kasan!¡± Ketal also praised Kasan readily. Kasan barely regained hisposure and opened the treasure chest with trembling legs. Inside were a few silver coins and some rusty but ornate trinkets. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s quite a bit!¡± The priest¡¯s eyes sparkled. As Ketal inspected the trinkets, he asked, ¡°Roughly how much value do these hold?¡± ¡°Um¡­ It¡¯s enough for a robust adult to live luxuriously for about a week.¡± ¡°Is that so? Excellent.¡± Ketal chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the distribution of rewards to you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The thief pocketed the rewards. The thought of stealing crossed his mind briefly but he quickly dismissed it. He didn¡¯t want to end up as a headless corpse. And so, they continued on and reached the end of the second floor. There were several pieces of bone scattered around. ¡°Looks like there were four skeletons¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take three. I¡¯ll leave one for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± There was no refusal. As they approached, the skeletons rose, and the thief skillfully lured one away. And Ketal could witness the party¡¯s battle. ¡°Hup!¡± Kaang! The warrior raised his shield to block the skeleton¡¯s attack, and the thief seized the opportunity to stab the skeleton¡¯s neck with his dagger. The skeleton tried to turn and attack the thief, but the thief had already backed away. In that moment, the warrior striked with his sword, aiming for the neck. The priest was not idle either. ¡°Shadow of Beguilement!¡± With her cry, the warrior¡¯s movements momentarily distorted. The confused skeleton staggered, and both the warrior and the thief thrustes their des simultaneously. Ketal, watching the battle, trembled with emotion. The warrior stands at the forefront, the thief aims for the back, and the priest provides support. It¡¯s the textbook formation for a party! Just watching fills him with happiness. Of course, things wouldn¡¯t normally fit together so perfectly. They were strangers at first, and their rtionship wasn¡¯t good. Normally, they would have barely managed to clear the dungeon with much grumbling. But under the clear gaze of the barbarian behind them¡­ ¡®The barbarian is testing us! If we show weakness, we die!¡¯ Beneath that shared thought, they could perfectly synchronize their actions. Before long, they manage to defeat the skeleton. Ketal watched, silently observing their actions. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ take a short break.¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± The warrior and the thief breathe heavily as if exhausted. Ketal assessed their approximate strength based on their appearance. ¡®The guys who came to the snowy field were quite strong.¡¯ Now, he could roughly estimate the power bnce outside. After a short rest, they continued descending into the dungeon. The monsters on the third floor were also skeletons. Their numbers had increased, but with Ketal leading, they could advance without much difficulty. Finally, they arrived at the heart of the dungeon. In the spacious room, there was a skeleton d in armor. Unlike before, this skeleton is not scattered bone fragments. ¡°Skeleton Knight¡­¡± The priest let out a groan. ¡°This can¡¯t be. Why is something like this here¡­?¡± ¡°Is this skeleton different from the ones we¡¯ve faced before?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s strong. Very much so.¡± The priest nodded with a tense expression. The Skeleton Knight. A monster so powerful that it cannot be faced without the level of a knight. It is a monstrously strong monster that can freely wield a longsword and shield, and cannot be dealt with unless you are at knight level. It wasn¡¯t a monster for them to face. ¡°If we judge that we can¡¯t clear it and decide to retreat, what happens?¡± ¡°In that case, an investigation will also be conducted by the territory. If it¡¯s confirmed to be a reasonable decision, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonable.¡± With that said, Ketal stepped forward. They had no time to hesitate. As soon as the skeleton confirmed its target, it advanced with a tter. Ketal raised his palm. Sure enough, the Skeleton Knight, like a powerful monster, raised its shield to block Ketal¡¯s attack. Crunch. The shield crumpled like Styrofoam. Ketal¡¯s palm connected directly with the skeleton¡¯s head, and its skull, along with the helmet, turned to dust. ¡°¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Is that it?¡± Ketal casually shook his hand. ¡°Yes, y-yes¡­¡± The priest responded with a horrified expression. With the boss defeated, there were no more monsters to face. Before them lied the treasure chest guarded by the Skeleton Knight. Ketal smiled. ¡°Kasan.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s impossible.¡± Kasan hurriedly shook his head. The treasure chest, unlike before, was emitting a red light. ¡°It¡¯s locked with a high-level lock. I can¡¯t unlock it with my skills.¡± There was not even a single possibility. Ketal murmured with a tone of disappointment. ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, we¡¯ll have to give up on the chest¡­¡± Crack. Ketal delivered a swift punch. The treasure chest shattered into pieces. Silver coins and ornaments spilled out from inside. Ketal nodded satisfactorily. ¡°The rewards are indeed greater. Kasan, please handle it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Kasan walked forward hesitantly. To smash a treasure chest with brute force. It was an unheard-of story. ¡®¡­But if you could smash it, why did you ask me to unlock it?¡¯ He felt somewhat unjust, but he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to voice it aloud. Afterpleting all the checks, they exited the dungeon. As they did, the entrance to the dungeon began to close with a rumble. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°When youpletely clear a dungeon, it disappears. I guess there was no such thing as a secret room here?¡± ¡°Secret rooms! Are there really such things?¡± ¡°Yes, there are. Although they¡¯re not verymon.¡± ¡°That sounds interesting too.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. At thatughter, the party members shivered for a moment. They were genuinely relieved to know that there were no secret rooms in the dungeon they had entered. They soon returned to the castle wall. The guard captain who was waiting stood up. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°It was very satisfying. I feel fortunate to be alive.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The guard captain hesitated for a moment and then cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll proceed with the verification process. Follow me one by one.¡± Clearing the dungeon wasn¡¯t the end. It was necessary to confirm what happened during the process and whether there were any suspicious individuals. Usually, during this process, there would be gossip and insults exchanged about the other party members. Since they were forced to form a party with strangers to conquer the dungeon, there was no room for niceties. But this time was different. ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be any major issues.¡± From the priest to the thief, and even the warrior, everyone gave vague, generalizedments about the others. They all seemed very worn out. The guard captain asked them. ¡°What about the barbarian?¡± ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t he be fine?¡± They vaguely trailed off in their response. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to cause trouble¡­¡± The barbarian had the strength of a monster, but he hadn¡¯t harmed them. No, now that he thought about it, he was quite gentlemanly. They had simply been intimidated by him; he was very different from the typical barbarian. And Ketal passionately praised the excellence of his party members. ¡°Kasan was excellent. He removed traps as a thief and even unlocked the treasure chest. Alexandro stood firm as a warrior on the front lines. And Heize did the same. She supported our battles with numerous prayers.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The guard captain pondered over the unexpectedments. And he made a decision. He granted permission for all four of them to enter. ¡°Permission is granted, but if any problems arise, you may be expelled. Be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The guard captain handed them something. ¡°And this. It¡¯s the reward for clearing the dungeon. Distribute it among yourselves.¡± Often, the rewards for clearing dungeons were taken by the guard. But this time, it didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± The barbarian readily epted the reward. ¡°Now, let¡¯s divide this fairly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s fine.¡± They tried to protest and refuse, but Ketal shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re all in this party together. Rewards should be distributed fairly. Don¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡± ¡°Now then! Shall we have a drink to celebrate? Shall we find a tavern nearby?¡± ¡°Uh, sure?¡± They wanted to get away from the barbarian as soon as possible. But they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to refuse theughing barbarian¡¯s invitation. In the end, they were dragged along by the barbarian. Watching them, the guard captain sighed. ¡®¡­Is he the barbarian who defeated the Skeleton Knight with a single blow?¡¯ He¡¯s strong. Monstrously strong. It meant he was at least on the level of a knight. ¡®But¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t a typical barbarian. He had manners, knew how to consider others, and possessed considerable intelligence. ¡®¡­A barbarian of legend.¡¯ An alien existence. After a long deliberation, the head of the guards made a decision. ¡°I don¡¯t need more guards.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The head of the guards walked away. His steps were directed towards the castle of the territory. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 13 – Barkan Territory (1) Chapter 13 ¨C Barkan Territory (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 13 ¨C Barkan Territory (1) The chief guard knocked on the neat yet luxurious door cautiously. A voice from inside beckoned him to enter. The chief guard opened the door and entered, respectfully bowing. ¡°I greet the lord.¡± A middle-aged man sat at the study desk. He must have been processing documents, and there were hundreds of papers scattered on his desk. The man with sparse gray hair opened his mouth. ¡°Yeah. What is it?¡± ¡°Four outsiders have entered the territories.¡± ¡°Is that worth reporting? Is there anything unusual?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The chief guard nodded. ¡°There was a barbarian.¡± The lord¡¯s face wrinkled. Barbarians. Beings who were simple, ignorant, and sought to solve everything with brute force. The problems they caused were countless. Hence, most territories avoided receiving barbarians. ¡°Did you permit it?¡± ¡°I judged it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem.¡± ¡°If you, as the chief guard, judged so, it must be. Then what¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s strong.¡± The chief guard swallowed. ¡°He¡¯s strong enough to be a problem.¡± ¡°¡­How strong?¡± ¡°From what¡¯s confirmed, he felled a Skeleton Knight in one blow.¡± The lord¡¯s pupils dted. Skeleton Knight. A monster unbeatable unless one was at knight level. And they felled such a monster in one blow? ¡°Is he first-ss?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility He¡¯s even stronger?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny it.¡± The lord smiled bitterly. That level of strength. And he¡¯s a barbarian. Beings who consider strength as order, making it even more troublesome. As the lord rubbed his forehead, the chief guard spoke up. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s virtue.¡± ¡°Virtue?¡± ¡°Yes. If I may say, courtesy. Etiquette. He disyed such elegance.¡± ¡°Elegance? That doesn¡¯t suit barbarians.¡± ¡°Yes. I thought it best to mention.¡± The chief guard looked at the lord. The Barkan Territory was originally very poor. Located at the kingdom¡¯s edge, with snow-covered ins, it had no merit in the eyes of outsiders. The one who developed it to this extent was the lord before him. Luke Barkan. As the lord pondered for a moment, he tapped the desk. ¡°Summon him.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Having such a strong individual wandering within the territory is unsettling in itself. It¡¯s more reassuring to see with my own eyes.¡± ¡°It could be dangerous.¡± ¡°I have my knight.¡± The lord said confidently. Only then did the chief guard recall. Beside the lord was an exceptionally skilled knight, personally trained by a great Swordmaster. ¡°What do you think?¡± The lord asked. The knight lurking in the shadows raised a hand to his sword hilt. ¡°He seems powerful, but¡­ still a barbarian. Theyck intelligence, mere beings of brute strength. Faced with my swordsmanship, honed over thousands of years, he can only fall.¡± With his confident words, the lord nodded. ¡°Summon the barbarian. I¡¯ll speak with him myself.¡± * * * Ketal stuffed a chicken leg into his mouth. After a few chews, there was nothing left. His party members made disgusted faces at the sight of him chewing on the bone. Ketal grinned with satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. A good ce. I like the quiet.¡± Of course, a tavern wasn¡¯t quiet. It was just that Ketal¡¯s overwhelming presence silenced the patrons. ¡°Drink freely, it¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Dryughter echoed. Ketal was thoroughly enjoying himself. He asked his party members various questions. ¡°You said you¡¯re a Pdin.¡± [TL/N: The warrior is a pdin, he yed the role of a warrior.] ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then do you believe in a god too?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe in gods.¡± The warrior who called himself a Pdin shook his head. Ketal was puzzled by that. ¡°Don¡¯t Pdins use divine powers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But if so, how can you not believe in gods?¡± ¡°The concept of divine power is slightly different.¡± The priest spoke quietly. ¡°Those like me wield the power of miracles and prayers through faith in a god. But Pdins wield their own divine power through their own belief. Those who wield power by believing in themselves are Pdins.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Is there such a difference?¡± Interest sparked in Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°In that case, Alexandro, what¡¯s your divine power? I haven¡¯t seen it in action during our dungeon conquests.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m still in the training stage. My divine power hasn¡¯t awakened yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± Divine power, a force wielded through self-belief. Could he use it too? A pleasant thought shed through Ketal¡¯s mind. He then turned to the priest. ¡°You mentioned your deity¡¯s name is Kalosia. Is there a temple or church here? I¡¯d like to offer a prayer.¡± ¡°Oh, no. There probably isn¡¯t. Kalosia isn¡¯t generally weed¡­ ¡± A false and deceitful god, Kalosia. A deity rejected and shunned by the masses. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a temple for another deity?¡± ¡°Oh. What deity?¡± ¡°Well, um¡­¡± It was disrespectful for a servant of one god to speak another¡¯s name. The priest avoided answering. The barbarian apologized, sensing her difort. ¡°Oh. Sorry. Asking such questions is rude.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s¡­ ¡± The ufortable atmosphere persisted in their gathering. They continued to drink. It was necessary, as they couldn¡¯t stay sober in such an ufortable situation. As a result, the confidence they thought wouldn¡¯te started to rise slowly, and the thief could be a bit bolder. ¡°Uh¡­ Ketal¡­ sir.¡± ¡°Yeah. What is it?¡± ¡°How strong are you, Ketal?¡± The question snapped the party members, who were half lost in thought, back to attention. Ketal¡¯s strength was clearly beyond theirprehension. How strong was he? They were very curious. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s a question for me to ask. I¡¯m not familiar with the standards of strength in this world.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± They realized the being in front of them was a barbarian. He wasn¡¯t someone well-versed in the knowledge of this world¡¯s standards. They had forgotten that fact amid the fluency of themonnguage. ¡°Are there standards for strength?¡± ¡°Yes. Roughly.¡± The thief swallowed and began to exin. ¡°There are various criteria, but generally, it¡¯s categorized into third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, superhuman, and hero. These five ssifications.¡± ¡°At what level are you guys?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not even third-rate trash. But even being third-rate doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re weak.¡± The fact that their strength could be quantified and given names meant it wasn¡¯t something easily attainable. Even being third-rate was enough to be a formidable force in a small territory. Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°What about that Skeleton Knight?¡± ¡°You¡¯d need to be at least second-rate to stand a chance. Probably first-rate to take it down like you did.¡± ¡°Is that level first-rate?¡± It was a story that didn¡¯t resonate with Ketal. That¡¯s why he asked the most interesting part. ¡°What about those called superhumans and heroes? Are they strong?¡± ¡°They are.¡± The thief replied promptly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them myself, but even if only one-tenth of the rumors are true, they¡¯re beyond ourprehension.¡± Splitting the sky, splitting the earth. Cutting the sea in half and shattering mountains. Beings from legends. They were superhumans and heroes. ¡°I assume warriors or Swordmasters are at that level.¡± ¡°Hero, Swordmasters.¡± Ketalughed. Those names brought him great joy. And the thief interpreted thatughter in a different light. ¡®Could this barbarian be nning to fight them?¡¯ Was thatughter anticipation for battle? The thief trembled with fear. So, Ketal continued to inquire, and the drinking session of them answeringsted until it was time for the tavern to close. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal rose from his seat, seeming disappointed. ¡°Is this it? Do you all have ns ahead?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I do!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m very busy!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. Then, I bid you farewell here.¡± Ketal waved as he left. ¡°Farewell,rades! Until next time!¡± They tried to smile and wave back, but their thoughts were more along the lines of ¡®Let¡¯s never see him again!¡¯ * * * ¡°Phew. This is nice.¡± Ketal stretched out on the bed. He had found lodging in a nearby inn. The owner was trembling, but he could stay without any major issues. A bed filled with straw. Compared to modern beds filled with cotton, it was closer to a stable. But even this was more than enough. There were no lodgings for barbarians in the snowfields. They simply dug holes in the snow and slept there. Compared to that, this was heaven. ¡°Very nice.¡± He was now in civilization. Now, what should he do? There were plenty of things he could do. Many things he wanted to do. There were so many that it was hard to organize his thoughts. One thing Ketal had realized while surviving in the snow. First, he needed to set a major goal. Having a sense of purpose for all his actions. That was important. After some thought, Ketal made a decision. ¡°I want to¡­ go on adventures.¡± He wanted to travel, experience many things. He wanted to go to the Magic Tower and the Elven Sanctum. He wanted to visit the Royal Pce. He wanted to explore ces no one else had been to. He wanted to meet the Swordmasters and Hero. He wanted to fully enjoy the fantasy world. ¡°Let¡¯s start slowly, enjoying what we can.¡± There was plenty of time. It would be a waste to rush through this rare fantasy world. It would be better to move leisurely. Ketal fell asleep leisurely. And the next day. Ketal woke up. He realized he had fallen asleep under a ceiling and smiled with satisfaction. His first morning in civilization. It was very enjoyable. Ketal yawned and got up to go outside. Knock, knock. A knocking sound echoed. Ketal slowly got up and opened the door. There stood the head of the guard. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°The head of the guard? What¡¯s the matter? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± The head of the guard took a moment to catch his breath before speaking. ¡°The lord wishes to see you.¡± ¡°The lord?¡± The lord of the territory. Thendowner. After a brief moment of thought, Ketal nodded immediately. ¡°Understood.¡± In a world with social distinctions, meeting the one who ruled over vastnds alone was interesting. Although the head of the guard was momentarily taken aback by Ketal¡¯s immediate eptance, he soon stepped aside. ¡°Then, follow me.¡± ¡°Is it okay like this? If I¡¯m meeting the lord, should I pay more attention to my attire?¡± Meeting nobility wearing only a family vest was incredibly rude ording to Ketal¡¯smon sense. ¡°Th-that¡¯s not necessary. The lord has already given permission, so you cane as you are.¡± The head of the guard was flustered. Ketal¡¯s words were correct. It was incredibly rude to meet nobility wearing only a leather vest, but no one, including himself, thought the barbarian would care. And the lord hadn¡¯t said anything either. ¡°I see. That¡¯s fortunate. It would be difficult to find clothes that fit me.¡± Ketal grinned and scratched his chin. ¡°Then, lead the way. I¡¯ll follow.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± The head of the guard led Ketal to the lord¡¯s castle. Ketal leisurely looked around as he walked. When he first entered the territory, it was nighttime, so he only briefly checked the surroundings. But now, taking his time to explore the territory proved to be quite interesting. ¡®It¡¯s cleaner than I thought.¡¯ Ketal¡¯s first impression of the Middle Ages was that it was dirty. There was a saying that umbres and shoes with arches were made to avoid stepping on or being hit by things on the ground. As hygiene wasn¡¯t developed in that era, it was inevitable. But this ce was different. The streets were clean, and there wasn¡¯t a single piece of garbage on the ground. ¡®Could it be the existence of magic and gods that makes the difference?¡¯ Ketal looked around with interest, and the head of the guard found his behavior strange. At first, he thought Ketal was amazed by seeing a city for the first time, but upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®¡­He seems more like he¡¯s investigating.¡¯ Like a schr with a strong thirst for knowledge, he carefully examined his surroundings. After a brief moment of thought, the head of the guard blocked out his thoughts. Anyway, it was something the lord would decide. He didn¡¯t need to worry about it. How far had they gone? They arrived at the lord¡¯s castle. ¡°It¡¯s the lord¡¯s summons. Make way.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The guards of the inner keep were startled to see Ketal and pushed their spears forward, then looked back at the head of the guard and hastily corrected their posture. Ketal entered the castle. The maids and servants who saw him screamed and backed away, but he paid them no mind. He was too busy enjoying the sight of the castle interior. As he progressed through the castle, the head of the guard stopped in front of the audience chamber and knocked. At that moment, the head of the guard turned to Ketal. ¡°Sorry, but this is the lord¡¯s presence. You can¡¯t enter armed.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal obediently handed over his axe. Though it had been weathered by time, the axe, which hadn¡¯t lost its edge, passed into the hands of the head of the guard. The sight caused the head of the guard¡¯s face to undergo a strange transformation. ¡®¡­A barbarian is giving up his weapon so easily.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve brought him. My lord.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened. There stood a middle-aged man with scattered gray hair. He was the owner of this territory. Ketal felt a slight sense of emotion. In the past, there was a saying among nobles that they had blue blood. Because they didn¡¯t do physicalbor, their skin didn¡¯t tan, and their blood vessels were visible, but at that time, nobles were considered a different species frommoners. Now he was meeting a true noble in the truest sense. The man approached and extended his hand. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Barbarian. I am Luke Barkan, the owner of this territory.¡± At that moment, a piece of information shed through Ketal¡¯s mind. He had studied myths and fantasies extensively in the modern world, and history was no different. Among the customs practiced when meeting medieval nobles was one of protocol. Ketal took the lord¡¯s hand. With proper posture, he observed the protocol and greeted him respectfully. ¡°I am Barbarian Ketal. Pleasure to meet you, Lord of Barkan Estate. Luke Barkan.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 14 – Barkan Territory (2) Chapter 14 ¨C Barkan Territory (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 14 ¨C Barkan Territory (2) Ketal politely observed the etiquette and bowed deeply. The fact that he, a barbarian, adhered to the formalities surprised the lord. Barbarians never bow to those they do not acknowledge, especially if they are nobles. To them, power was everything. Nobles who held power only through lineage were objects of contempt. Therefore, the lord didn¡¯t expect Ketal to observe the proper etiquette. No matter how dignified he appeared, he was still a barbarian. However, Ketal¡¯s demeanor was more refined and perfect than most nobles. At the moment when the lord was surprised, Ketal was inwardly cheering. ¡®I greeted him! A real noble!¡¯ He was a true noble, acknowledged despite his lineage. Of course, there were still countries where the feudal system existed, but it was a distant tale in South Korea. Meeting a noble, shaking his hand, and observing the manners he learned, Ketal found the situation itself enjoyable. Unable to contain hisughter, it leaked out on his face. The lord, who was gazing at him with a grim expression, spoke. ¡°¡­Please, have a seat.¡± Responding would almost make him burst intoughter. Ketal silently nodded and sat on the sofa in the reception room. The sofa, which could amodate four people, was already full. The lord sitting across from him ordered a servant. ¡°Go and fetch some tea.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The servant hurriedly left. Ketal remembered and spoke up. ¡°Oh, would you like me to use honorifics?¡± ¡°No. Forget it. You¡¯re not one of my people.¡± ¡°Still, I am your guest. And your lord¡¯s guest. It¡¯s proper to show that level of respect to the host.¡± ¡°¡­No. Just use casual speech. I find it ufortable.¡± Barbarian honorifics. Just imagining it made his body cringe. Casual speech was morefortable, after all. ¡°Then I won¡¯t insist.¡± Ketal leaned back against the sofa¡¯s backrest leisurely and surveyed his surroundings. Ornate medieval decorations. But they were subtly different from what he knew. This was not the medieval era but a fantasy world, so there were bound to be some differences. Examining those subtle differences was also fun. As Ketal looked around, he noticed a knight behind the lord. The knight was gripping the hilt of his sword and sending hostile nces towards Ketal. At least he wasn¡¯t a friendly opponent. But Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®A knight!¡¯ The knight was d in neat but luxurious armor. The suit of armor made of te enveloped his chest. A real knight! A human-shaped monster wielding a sword and roaming the battlefield! Ketal¡¯s passionate gaze focused on the knight. Unknowingly, the knight tightened his grip on the sword handle. ¡®He¡¯s threatening me!¡¯ That seemed to be the knight¡¯s judgment as he was about to unexpectedly lunge forward. The lord spoke up, ¡°You¡¯ve learned the etiquette.¡± What Ketal had shown to the lord was clearly the etiquette of someone educated. And it was quite sophisticated. ¡°Because I learned it from someone.¡± ¡°¡­Which kingdom¡¯s etiquette is this?¡± It was slightly different from here. Ketal shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I learned it when the opportunity arose.¡± As he tried to gauge the truth of those words, the door opened. A maid entered pushing a cart. ¡°I-I¡¯ll serve tea now¡­¡± She trembled as she approached. She served the lord tea first and then approached Ketal. Her face turned even whiter against her already paleplexion. And Ketal felt a slight thrill. Receiving tea from a real maid. This, too, was meaningful to him. But the maid seemed too nervous. As a gesture to ease her tension, Ketal smiled lightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The moment she saw his smile, the tension drained from the maid¡¯s body. The teapot she was holding slipped from her grasp. Hot tea spilled over Ketal. ¡°Ah!¡± The maid¡¯s face couldn¡¯t get any paler. If this continued, the barbarian¡¯s attire would get soaked with tea. And then the enraged barbarian would surely break her neck. A sh of horror passed through her mind. Ketal picked up a teacup. He gently moved his arm holding the cup. The cup caught all the spilled tea. He then reached out with his other hand to grab the teapot. Plink. A very slight clinking sound echoed. The lord was astonished, and the knight¡¯s pupils dted. Ketal poured all the spilled tea into the cup and even held the teapot. ¡°Nicely done.¡± Smelling the fragrance of the tea, Ketal smiled satisfactorily. ¡°Oh, ohhh¡­¡± The maid, who had been wide-eyed in amazement at the miraculous feat, barely managed to regain herposure. She quickly stood up and bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! Please! Please forgive me just this once!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You only spilled some tea. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°Or perhaps you seek forgiveness from your master?¡± ¡°¡­No. Her rudeness was directed towards you. If you forgive her, that settles it.¡± The lord was surprised not only by Ketal¡¯s miraculous feat but also by his attitude. It was clear that the maid had been rude to Ketal. While he had managed to prevent the tea from spilling with his miraculous movement, it was still a clear act of rudeness. It wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if the enraged barbarian had snapped the maid¡¯s neck right then and there. No. Not just the barbarian, but most nobles and knights would have likely reacted the same way. Angered by the maid¡¯s behavior that had tarnished their dignity, they would have sought to punish her. But the barbarian forgave the maid with a nonchnt attitude. ¡®Indeed, he¡¯s different.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t your typical barbarian. The lord dismissed the maid and got to the point. ¡°I called you here to assess you as a person.¡± ¡°Have you assessed me enough?¡± ¡°Enough, I suppose. So now, I have a few questions.¡± The lord¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Where do youe from?¡± ¡°From the coldest ce in this world. From a world painted white.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The lord let out a small groan. The barbarian before him was iming to havee from a snow-white wilderness. ¡®The legendary barbarian.¡¯ Such a being was now standing before him. ¡°You speak of things that are hard to ept.¡± ¡°It was indeed a grim ce. But whether you ept it or not is your choice.¡± ¡°¡­Then let me change the question.¡± Ketal¡¯s origin as a barbarian wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was how much power he possessed. ¡°How strong are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wrong question. I don¡¯t know the standards outside.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The lord nced briefly. The knight nodded. ¡°In that case, how about sparring with my knight? I¡¯ll provide adequatepensation for it.¡± ¡°A spar, you say.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, it won¡¯t be a fight to the death. I believe you can maintain a proper line.¡± ¡°A spar with a knight¡­.¡± Ketal chuckled lightly. ¡°That sounds good.¡± At thatughter, the lord instinctively clenched his armrest. It was a moment of heart-wrenching sensation. ¡®¡­Indeed, a barbarian is a barbarian.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A barbarian who seeks battle and dedicates his life to it. No matter how dignified and courteous, that fact remains unchanged. Of course, Ketal wasn¡¯t there for that reason. A spar with a true knight. Moreover, a knight of fantasy who use mysterious powers and aura. A being who wields mystical powers and represents true chivalry. It was an excellent opportunity to confront such a being, not to be missed. * * * They moved to the training grounds. After clearing out the soldiers practicing there, Ketal received his axe again. On the opposite side, the knight eyed him with a sword in hand. Ketal stretched his body lightly. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin. Hopefully, there won¡¯t be any bloodshed.¡± After the lord¡¯s words, the knight slowly approached. He revealed his intent as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°Consider it an honor to witness my swordsmanship as a barbarian.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Ketal smiled sardonically. Though sincere, Ketal¡¯s smile seemed to be taken as an insult by the knight. ¡°Hmph!¡± The knight stomped his foot. His body charged towards Ketal at a rapid pace. Now, how will this turn out? Ketal calmly held his axe and watched the knight. And in that moment, the knight¡¯s sword moved. Ketal thought for a moment that the tip of the sword was shaking. But it wasn¡¯t the tip of the sword. The sword was splitting apart. Ketal¡¯s pupils dted. The sword split into three branches. Head, left, right, the three swords swung towards Ketal. ¡®An illusion?¡¯ No. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. Astonishingly, all three split swords had substance. ¡®Is this swordsmanship?¡¯ Ketal looked in awe at the trajectory of the swords. The knight chuckled in delight. Indeed, a barbarian. He was enthralled by his noble swordsmanship. As the knight, filled with superiority, was about to stop swinging his sword. As expected, the lord¡¯s attention was captivated by the barbarian¡¯s noble swordsmanship. Just as the knight was about to stop his sword in a moment of superiority, Ketal¡¯s hand moved. *Ting!* The swords that had swung in three directions simultaneously were all deflected by the light movement of Ketal¡¯s fingers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± What? What just happened? As the knight tried to grasp the situation, Ketal¡¯s fingers struck his chest. *Thunk!* With a tearing sound, the breastte warped. ¡°Kuk!¡± The knight¡¯s body flew backward. He was pushed back and fell to the ground. ¡°What, what!¡± The lord, who had been watching quietly, rushed over to the knight in rm. Seeing him trembling, it seemed that his life wasn¡¯t in danger. ¡°Fascinating.¡± Ketal lightly felt moved as he recalled a memory. The sword truly split apart. Was this swordsmanship? Curiosity surged within him. And the lord was in shock. ¡®¡­A single blow.¡¯ His knight was definitely not weak. He had his feet on the threshold of the first ss. To defeat such a person in a single blow¡­ Ketal said calmly. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The lord nodded reluctantly. * * * Afterward, Ketal received permission from the lord not to interfere with his actions, took the gold coins, and left the estate. Meanwhile, the lord sat in his study, pondering. The barbarian who felled his knight in a single blow. It was a monstrous strength. ¡®At least superhuman.¡¯ That was the minimum. The extent of that power couldn¡¯t be fathomed. A barbarian with such power could influence the bnce of the world. ¡®He said he¡¯d be here soon.¡¯ A figure passed through the lord¡¯s mind. The mentor of the fallen knight. A swordsman with the title of Swordmaster, given to only a dozen or so in the vast world. ¡°¡­Interested, aren¡¯t you?¡± Someone with great interest in strong individuals would surely show interest. The lord felt a slight headache. ¡°I need to prepare.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± The lord stood up hastily. Even his maid, who usually helped him organize his thoughts, was not here. No one could be in the room. But suddenly, at the open window, stood an old man. He grinned mischievously as he looked at the lord. Rxing upon confirming his identity, the lord sighed. ¡°Your hobby never changes.¡± ¡°As I grow older, teasing young people bes more enjoyable. So you were having quite interesting thoughts.¡± The old man asked with a face full ofughter. The lord sighed. This headache was going to worsen. Calmly, he bowed respectfully. ¡°I greet the esteemed Swordmaster, Master Cain.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 15 – Barkan Territory (3) Chapter 15 ¨C Barkan Territory (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 15 ¨C Barkan Territory (3) ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The knight groaned in pain as hey there. His expression twisted in agony, clearly suffering. At that moment, the door opened, and the lord entered. ¡°Is your body alright?¡± ¡°I-I should be fine in a few days. I apologize, my lord.¡± ¡°You should be apologizing to me. Losing to a barbarian who knows nothing.¡± Behind the lord, an old man appeared. The knight¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°M-Master!¡± He tried to rise to bow but only exacerbated his pain with the sudden movement. The old man seemed to understand. Cain waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You probably can¡¯t even get up.¡± Cain looked the knight over with interest. The knight felt as if his whole body was being scrutinized. ¡°Your insides are damaged. Not too severe. You¡¯ll heal in a few days. Take off your clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± The knight clumsily removed his clothes. Beneath it, his skin was smooth without a single scratch. ¡°No wounds at all.¡± Cain muttered with interest. Before he came here, he saw the armorpletely shattered, as if it had been hit by a ballista. Looking at the condition of the armor, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if the knight had died. But the knight¡¯s body had not a scratch on it. His injuries were superficial and would heal in a few days. ¡°Not just some ignorant barbarian. He can control his strength, and quite precisely.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°And he seems to have consideration.¡± ¡°Consideration¡­ what do you mean?¡± ¡°Yes. You said it was a duel. Even if he could have spoken rudely, he chose not to.¡± They had agreed not to inflict wounds upon each other, but there was no guarantee that agreement would be kept. That was the nature of a duel. However, the barbarian managed to control his strength to the point where he only dented the armor and inflicted no wounds, injuries that would heal in a few days. ¡°A barbarian¡¯s consideration. Remarkable.¡± And to be able to show consideration surpassing the knight¡¯s level of skill meant something. ¡°At least first-rate, perhaps even surpassing that.¡± His foolish disciple was still first-rate. There was a significant gap between them even at the same level, but he wasn¡¯t at the level where he could easily be defeated. The lord swallowed and asked cautiously. ¡°Forgive my impertinence, but with Cain, is it¡­?¡± ¡°He seems quite formidable, but¡­ I am a Swordmaster.¡± One who has reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, creating and mastering their own style. ¡°Even if he can handle the strength of a first-rate, he cannot reach me.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± The lord breathed a sigh of relief. If they could control this uncertain factor, it was something to be grateful for. ¡°But it seems he hasn¡¯t used aura. To wield such power without it¡­ It¡¯s impossible by conventional means. Is this the power of a barbarian from the White Snow Field?¡± Cain knew about the fact that Ketal hailed from the White Snowfields. At first, he thought it was a lie, but seeing these traces made him think otherwise. ¡°Hmm.¡± Cain seemed troubled as he shook his head. It was as if the existence of the White Snowfields itself was the problem. ¡°Why so?¡± The lord couldn¡¯t understand. The White Snowfields were practically a disregarded ce. Apart from adventurers willing to risk their lives, no one paid any attention to it. There were asional reports of people entering anding back alive, but they never brought back any substantial information. Milena had seeded in trading during her travels, but she had to keep it secret because she sold weapons to a country at war. In other words, at the current moment, the White Snowfields were excluded from human society. But Cain spoke as if the existence of the White Snowfields was a problem. Cain pped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s a story for another time. Even the Emperor seems to be interested. He wants strange things. But for now, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°Is he here on this territory?¡± ¡°He¡¯s said to be staying here temporarily.¡± ¡°¡­It might be worth confirming.¡± With those words, Cain disappeared from his spot. * * * Having received his reward, Ketal exited the lord¡¯s castle. It had been an enjoyable time. Meeting nobles, being treated by servants, and even fighting with knights. He had even witnessed some fascinating swordsmanship. And on top of it all, she had received gold coins, so it had been a very satisfying time. ¡°Now, what to do next?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin in response to the head of guard¡¯s question. ¡°There¡¯s nothing specific in mind, but¡­ I¡¯d like to establish my status. I don¡¯t n to leave anytime soon, but it might be problematic to enter dungeons every time I go to a new territory without proper identification.¡± He was someone whose status was uncertain. If that was the case, there must be a way to confirm his status. The head of guards replied, ¡°There are several ways¡­ but the simplest is to find a patron. If someone of high status acknowledges you, that serves as proof of your status.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Alternatively, you could pay a significant amount of money. The mostmon option is bing a mercenary. By umting achievements as a mercenary and gaining recognition from guilds, it¡¯s possible.¡± However, mercenaries were typically individuals with no backing. They were highly inconvenient and gained no recognition from anyone. Unless they reached a certain level, they were nothing more than errand runners. For someone like Ketal with his strength, finding a patron was the most conventional method. That¡¯s why the head of guard had intended to ask if being acknowledged as a patron by the lord would be eptable. ¡°Mercenary!¡± But Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?!¡± Mercenaries. The epitome of fantasy, taking onmissions and defeating monsters. It was a lump of romance itself. ¡°Can we hire mercenaries here?¡± ¡°Uh, uh. There¡¯s a guild hall, but¡­¡± ¡°Then please guide me there!¡± Kettal said with a wide grin. The head of the guards nodded absentmindedly. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Mercenaries. Individuals who traveled the worldpleting missions. Some people saw romance in them, traveling the world and exploring its mysteries. In fact, there were often cases of naive nobles idolizing mercenaries and running away from home. But mercenaries weren¡¯t actually such figures. They were not about romance but rather the lowest rungs of society. Those who didn¡¯t have stable jobs and were unrecognized by anyone were at the very bottom. They were errand runners doing all sorts of dirty work. Even those with a certain level of strength often died attempting to conquer uncharted dungeons. It was natural. There was no way to send guards with confirmed status into such risky endeavors. Mercenaries became sacrificialmbs in such cases. Only a tiny minority at the top received recognition, and they were rewarded ordingly, but that was only a very small number. In other words, mercenaries were the dregs of society, and as such, they were lowly, dirty, and noisy. The gathering ce for mercenaries. It was incredibly noisy. People drank heavily during the day, and those already drunk staggered around. Broken tables and chairs were scattered everywhere. Someone bumped into another while staggering. The offended party got up with an angry expression and swung a punch. ¡°How dare you touch me!¡± ¡°Want to try me?!¡± The one who was punched also got up without backing down. The onlookers who either joined the fight or watched with snacks in hand. A brawl broke out in an instant. And the receptionists were organizing documents as if they were familiar with it. ¡°Rosa, how are the new recruits this time?¡± ¡°They¡¯re screwed.¡± The receptionist named Rosa shook her head. Her blonde hair swayed. ¡°Strength aside, there are only weirdos here. A lunatic who calls himself a holy knight, and even a thief. The priestdy seems alright, but¡­ since she serves someone like that, she¡¯s not trusted.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a shame.¡± But the speaker didn¡¯t seem too hopeful. After all, a perfectly fine mercenary was as alien a concept as a kind demon. At that moment, a mercenary approached with hesitant steps. After a moment of contemtion, he took a deep breath and approached Rosa. He revealed his yellowed teeth and smiled. He seemed to be trying to produce a charming smile, but it came off as rather creepy. ¡°Rosa. If you have time tonight, how about¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Rosa rejected him with a sly smile. The mercenary deted his shoulders and backed away with a disappointed expression. A nearby receptionist chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the fifth time already. Rosa, why don¡¯t you at least have a meal with him once? Poor guy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Those mercenaries are all ignorant.¡± Rosa shook her head as if she were fed up. She disliked mercenaries. They were rude,cked manners, and didn¡¯t umte knowledge. They just engaged in pointless fights and didn¡¯t think about the future. In fact, Rosa had been in danger several times because of their fights. Rosa twirled her hair. Oh, wouldn¡¯t it be nice if a prince on a white horse appeared? A handsome prince appearing one day and whisking her away from this receptionist job. She dreamed. Of course, it was a frivolous dream she knew all too well. But without dreaming like that, it was hard to endure reality. The fights were escting gradually. The faces of the receptionists grew more serious. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we intervene soon? Should I call the guards?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± Just as Rosa was about to call the guards. Creak. With a small sound, the door opened. And there he appeared. The barbarian with a massive physique. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 16 – Barkan Territory (4) Chapter 16 ¨C Barkan Territory (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 16 ¨C Barkan Territory (4) ¡°This is the guild hall.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you for bringing me here.¡± The head of guard nced at him briefly before stepping back. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you from here. You can ask the receptionists directly for the rest.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The head of guard continued, addressing Ketal. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to earn the lord¡¯s approval than to be a mere mercenary?¡± But Ketal was determined. He said he would be a mercenary. It seemed as though he had a romanticized view of the title ¡°mercenary¡±. But he wasn¡¯t some naive nobleman, and this wasn¡¯t some fantasy tale. Eventually, the head of guard quietly withdrew. ¡°Hmm.¡± Creak. Ketal entered the guild hall. The already unstable floor creaked under his weight as if it were about to give way. Thud. Thud. His steps echoed forward. The overheated atmosphere of battle was suddenly cooled by an eerie silence. Mercenaries are simple and ignorant. But this much can be certain. That barbarian, if provoked, could literally crush heads. The once noisy guild hall was now filled with an unfamiliar silence. Ketal found it strange. His image of mercenaries was that they were noisy. ¡®Mercenaries can be quiet too.¡¯ Can¡¯t mercenaries be as quiet as gentlemen? Isn¡¯t being loud and uncouth the image associated with mercenaries? He decided to ept everything about fantasy without prejudice. Mercenaries can be quiet and polite. He imnted that information into his mind. He walked forward, approaching a mercenary. The mercenary¡¯s eyes were shaking as if possessed. ¡°Sorry to bother you, but can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Please, go ahead!¡± ¡°Where are the receptionists?¡± ¡°They¡¯re over there!¡± The mercenary hastily pointed with his finger to where the receptionists were sitting. Ketal grinned. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡± The mercenary nodded vigorously with a pale face. Thud. Ketal walked towards the desk. The receptionists hesitantly pushed their chairs back, but soon hit the wall. Then they prayed. May the barbarian note to me. May he go to another receptionist. Thud. And the barbarian arrived at the desk. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rosa¡¯s face, chosen by the barbarian, turned pale. *** Why her of all people? Rosa felt like screaming. Was it wrong to dream of a prince on a white horse? Dreams cane true, right! But instead of a prince on a white horse, there was a barbarian who seemed twice her size. The barbarian sat quietly on the chair, which seemed to scream in protest. ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± Ketal greeted with a smile. Rosa closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Um, hello¡­.¡± Ketal realized from her attitude that Rosa was scared. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but his appearance seemed to intimidate people. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to cause any trouble. You can rx.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Of course¡­.¡± Rosa calmed down a bit at his calm words. Yeah. She¡¯s a receptionist. A recognized citizen of the territory. If he messes with her, the barbarian will be an enemy of the territory. So he can¡¯t touch her. Because then he would be a criminal! So she¡¯s safe! She hypnotized herself with those thoughts. Rosa regained herposure with rational thinking, and Ketal thought his words had an effect. ¡°I¡¯m a mercenary at heart.¡± ¡°Um, a mercenary¡­do you happen to have any form of identification?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Rosa swallowed her saliva and began to proceed with the procedure. ¡°May I ask what your purpose is in wanting to be a mercenary?¡± ¡°There are several reasons, but¡­ first and foremost, it¡¯s about confirming my status. I¡¯ve heard that by working as a mercenary, one can gain recognition of their status. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. However, it requires quite a few aplishments to achieve that. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Ketal nodded. After some misceneous questions, Rosa spoke up. ¡°Verification isplete. Now, for the mercenary registration fee, you¡¯ll need five gold coins.¡± Ketal took out the coins. He had plenty of money from clearing dungeons and dueling knights. ¡°What¡¯s your name and age?¡± ¡°Ketal. Just in Ketal. As for my age¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just write down something reasonable.¡± Rosa finished the registration. ¡°Your mercenary registration is nowplete. Take this badge. It¡¯s a symbol of being a mercenary, so make sure not to lose it.¡± Ketal received a wooden ne. He put it around his neck and smiled satisfactorily. ¡°Nice.¡± With this, he became a mercenary. And as a mercenary, there was work to be done. ¡°What missions are avable? I¡¯m eager to get started.¡± ¡°Missions¡­ you say.¡± As Rosa handed him a familiar form, she realized something. Her face stiffened. Ketal waited with anticipation. What missions would there be? What adventures awaited him? He felt excited beyond measure. Rosa closed her eyes tightly. ¡°You said you could read, right¡­ Ketal, the missions currently avable for you to handle are listed here.¡± ¡°Ah, I see, I see.¡± With a joyful expression, he received the mission form. As he briefly read the contents, Ketal raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm? Is this all there is?¡± The missions listed on the form were simple. Gather herbs outside. Clean the basement. Clear the sewers. Just menial tasks, almost like errands. Rosa hesitated as she spoke. ¡°That, that¡¯s not all, but¡­ the missions avable for you, Ketal, are¡­ because you¡¯re currently ranked as an F-grade mercenary¡­¡± It was to be expected. Anyone could be a mercenary. But to truly be recognized as one, it took time. Starting with simple missions,pleting dozens of them, gradually building up aplishments, and raising one¡¯s rank to take on more difficult missions. Even the current Mercenary King went through that process. No mercenary could take a shortcut. So, the missions given to the barbarian before her were barely above errands. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Seeing Rosa¡¯s awkward eptance of his reaction, he closed his eyes. [You dare give me tasks like this! Do you think of me as a mere errand boy?] There were countless times when such outbursts urred. Each time, the guards came and subdued the rampaging individuals. But could the guards really subdue the barbarian in front of her? Even though his arm was thicker than her waist? The barbarian, who revered strength, couldn¡¯t just sit still with such missions. Trembling, she pressed her body as far back as possible. And as Ketal looked at the mission form, he raised a finger. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rosa opened her eyes. At the tip of his finger was a mission to gather herbs. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mission that needs to be done, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so.¡± ¡°I know. Right now, I¡¯m not trusted by you guys.¡± She couldn¡¯t entrust important missions to the suddenly appeared barbarian. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll gradually earn your trust by taking small steps. Isn¡¯t that justmon sense?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Of course¡­¡± Rosa blinked. It was a rational and sensible, indeed,mon sense statement. Buting from the barbarian, it felt incredibly awkward. ¡°Where can I find these herbs?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. If you go outside the vige, you¡¯ll find them. They look like this.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Confirming the sample, Ketal stood up from his seat. He left the guild hall. With the closing of the door, the tension that had been taut rxed. Mercenaries exhaled and slumped down. * * * The outer gate guards saw Ketal and stepped back in shock. Ketal casually took out his mercenary badge. ¡°I¡¯ve received a mission to gather herbs. There aren¡¯t any within the territory, so I need to go out for a bit. Is that okay?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s okay.¡± The guard hastily opened the gate. Ketal felt a slight pang of hurt at the attitude that seemed to say they didn¡¯t want to be even slightly associated with the barbarian. ¡°I hope you realize I don¡¯t intend to cause any trouble.¡± ¡°C-clear, sir¡­¡± The guard let out a groan. Ketal stepped outside. The vibrant green and brown earth greeted him. A smile crept onto Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°Nice. Very nice.¡± He made his way to the location where the herbs grew. There, several herbs resembling the sample were growing. ¡°Are these herbs for healing wounds? They look fascinating.¡± Although he wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about botany, they looked quite different from the nts on Earth. Ketal squatted down incongruously and carefully plucked the herbs. Carefully plucking herbs. It was a rather tedious task of simple repetition. But Ketal enjoyed it. To harvest herbs with mystical effects from a fantasy world with his own hands was just too enjoyable in itself. After about an hour of harvesting, Ketal returned. The bustling assembly area quieted down once again. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot¡­¡± With a surprised expression, Rosa checked the pouch of herbs that Ketal offered. It was five times more than she had expected. After examining each one, Rosa was astonished once again. ¡°They¡¯re in very good condition.¡± Harvesting herbs wasn¡¯t simply about grabbing the roots and pulling them out. It required delicate work to ensure the roots weren¡¯t injured while digging into the soil and the leaves weren¡¯t scratched while being handled. That¡¯s why most mercenaries¡¯ harvested herbs were of significantly lower value. They just dug them out roughly without much care. So Rosa hadn¡¯t held high expectations for the herbs Ketal would bring. Ketal was a barbarian. He had somemon sense, but he was fundamentally a wild being who worshipped strength. She didn¡¯t think such a being would carefully harvest herbs. But she was wrong. Among the many herbs he brought, it was hard to find ones with damaged roots or leaves. It was as if he were a skilled herbalist. ¡°I have confidence in my delicate hands.¡± Ketal proudly remarked. ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± Rosa, flustered as she checked the herbs hurriedly, soon brought the reward for the mission. ¡°Here you go.¡± A silver coin was ced in Ketal¡¯s hand. A silver coin. If he remembered correctly, it was barely enough to cover a day¡¯s meal at the cheapest restaurant. Considering the fact that he had brought back significantly more herbs than the average mercenary, it was really just a small amount of money. But Ketal smiled satisfactorily. Completing a mercenary mission and receiving a reward appropriate for it gave him a sense of satisfaction separate from clearing dungeons. ¡°Nice. So, what¡¯s the next mission?¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re taking another one?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s still midday. There¡¯s plenty to do.¡± As Ketal looked at the mission form, he raised a finger. At the tip of it was a task to clean the warehouse. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Please do¡­¡± ¡®¡­Does he like cleaning?¡¯ Rosa nodded with a tired face. * * * Cleaning the warehouse was simple. Moving heavy objects wasn¡¯t a problem for Ketal. Except for the warehouse keeper who, upon seeing him, panicked and begged for his life while swinging a club, the mission was resolved without any issues. Next was street cleaning. He swept the ground with a broom. Aside from initially misjudging his strength and causing a dust storm that engulfed people, the task waspleted without major problems. And then, onto the next mission. He continued to receive andplete new tasks. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Meanwhile, from atop a roof, Cain, who had been secretly observing, couldn¡¯t help but feel perplexed. The barbarian was seamlessly integrating into the territory. Despite the initial shock from the residents due to his appearance and size, he wasn¡¯t causing any significant issues. Nevertheless, it felt unsettling. ¡°Why is he doing this?¡± Considering his disciple¡¯s current state, he was at least a superhuman-tier powerhouse. With the right mindset, he could influence entire kingdoms with his strength alone. In other words, if he were to showcase his power, he could be weed anywhere. Moreover, considering he was facing a barbarian, known for their logic of power exining everything, Cain had experienced enough of them to be fed up. Yet, here was the barbarian, cleaning warehouses or picking up trash¡ªmundane tasks anyone could do. And he wasn¡¯t just doing them haphazardly. He was doing them with utmost seriousness and dedication. ¡°Why is he doing this?¡± Cain couldn¡¯t understand. There was no need for such mundane and meaningless tasks. He could simply disy his strength. That alone would garner worship from everyone, granting him power and fame. But Ketal, with a cheerful expression, continued to clean the floor as if he found joy in it. And on that day, Ketalpleted fifteen tasks, received a few silver coins as rewards, and returned to his lodging seemingly satisfied. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 17 – Barkan Territory (5) Chapter 17 ¨C Barkan Territory (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 17 ¨C Barkan Territory (5) The next day. It was the second day in Civilization. Ketal woke up with energy. ¡°Shall we give it a try today?¡± A pleasant mercenary job. Just thinking about it made his heart race. But there was something to do before that. This was Barkan Territory. It was quite arge territory. Ketal hadn¡¯t had a proper look around the territory yet. So, before heading to the guild hall, he nned to take a tour of the territory. It was a kind of sightseeing. Ketal left the inn and walked through the territory. Just walking itself was the goal, so there was no destination in his steps. The residents who saw him hurriedly hid their children and walked in the opposite direction, but he didn¡¯t pay any mind. Perhaps they suddenly got busy. He thought as he walked, and then a food cart caught his eye. Delicious skewers were being grilled there. ¡°Oh.¡± His appetite and curiosity pulled him towards the food cart. The owner of the food cart turned pale. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°T-Two gold coins¡­¡± Two gold coins. It was quite expensive. The meat was heavily seasoned with spices. ¡°Just one, please.¡± Ketal handed over one gold coin. The owner of the food cart recoiled as if he thought it would disintegrate if touched. Ketal smiled satisfactorily as he ate the meat. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± The spices were unusual. It was a taste he had never experienced before, strangely refreshing and slightly sweet. Ketal looked around the territory as he ate the skewer. He also bought a notebook. Fantasy was very different from what he knew. The elves were savage, and the dungeons were special. He needed to organize that information. He nned to organize the facts he learned in the notebook from now on. Satisfied, Ketal left the shop and nced up at the roof. ¡®By the way, who¡¯s that gentleman?¡¯ Since yesterday, he had felt someone watching him. He hadn¡¯t paid much attention, thinking it was the lord¡¯s surveince, but it was annoying to feel the gaze from the roof continuously. Well, he didn¡¯t care much. What mattered to him now was enjoying himself. He walked leisurely. He absorbed the scenery and sounds of the territory with his eyes and ears. It was enjoyable in itself. As Ketal walked, a building caught his eye. ¡®¡­A library?¡¯ The outer wall of the building clearly said ¡°library¡±. A ce where books were piled up. He became very interested. Ketal entered the library. ¡°Wee¡­¡± The woman who seemed to be a librarian nced up from her book and looked at Ketal. After a moment of silence, she let out a startled scream. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± There were quite a few people who were frightened by him. Ketal tried to calm them down as usual in a calm tone. ¡°I¡¯m a mercenary.¡± Ketal showed his mercenary badge. ¡°May I read books? I have no intention to harm. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t damage the books either.¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± The librarian nodded hesitantly, her voice trembling. Satisfied that his persuasion worked, Ketal walked towards the bookshelves with a content expression. ¡®There are so many.¡¯ Interesting titles caught Ketal¡¯s eye. He skimmed through each one. It was the movement of someone who clearly read and understood the titles. Cain, who was watching from outside the library, frowned. Although he couldn¡¯t see from his point of view, with the sensory perception of a swordsman, he could know everything Ketal was doing inside the library. So Cain couldn¡¯t help but doubt his own senses. ¡®Can a barbarian read?¡¯ Reading and understanding letters required a considerable education. Unlike in ancient times, education was somewhat widespread now, and even a moderately wealthymoner raised in a proper territory could learn letters. But still, there were clear barriers. It was a rare sight for a barbarian like Ketal to read letters. However, Ketal smoothly took out a book, sat down on a chair, and opened the book. His movements were so natural. ¡®¡­Has he read books before?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a couple of times handling a book. It seemed like he had done it hundreds, if not thousands of times, very familiar with it. His demeanor made him look like someone with a wealth of knowledge and refinement. But Ketal was a barbarian. Moreover, he was from the White Snowfield. ording to the lord¡¯s story, he had just arrived in the human world. Is that gentleman special? Or are all barbarians from the ins like that? Swordmaster Cain¡¯s head spun. And whether he was dizzy or not, Ketal checked the books. He touched the covers and flipped through the pages. Sara, with an anxious expression, watched in case the barbarian might tear the books apart. ¡®The quality is good.¡¯ It was the same with the meat sold at the food cart earlier. The quality of the meat itself wasn¡¯t bad. Perhaps it was just this territory, but the economy seemed better than he expected. At least it wasn¡¯t like the old Ennd where people filled their stomachs with just potatoes and coffee. After a quick check, Ketal focused on the contents of the book. The book he brought was a history book of the continent, summarizing the history up to the present. As Ketal skimmed through the contents, his eyes widened. ¡®So, the Empire won after all.¡¯ Milena went to sell weapons to the kingdom that was at war with the Empire. The result of that war was ultimately the Empire¡¯s victory. As he quietly read through the contents, it became apparent that the Empire was extremely powerful at the moment. The kingdom to which Barkan Territory belonged was currently under imperial rule, a kind of vassal state. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The Empire was devouring half of the human world and advancing more aggressively. As if trying to swallow the entire world. ¡®World conquest, huh.¡¯ It was something countless conquerors had desired since ancient times. It didn¡¯t seem too different in this fantasy world. Ultimately, it wasn¡¯t his concern as a human issue. What truly interested him was something else. Books that documented things beyond human expectations. Ketal eagerly opened one of them. He read every word meticulously, as if not wanting to miss a single one, and the content of the book fulfilled his expectations. Mithril. Adamantadium. Remnants of meteorites. The world¡¯s greatest cave overflowing with all kinds of rare ores. Dwarven caves. Mantamia. The mythical town where all the world¡¯s mysteries exist. Fairy viges. Pysaraphia. The floating ind soaring through the high skies and exploring the world. The aerial city of the Celestials. Lagemeria. In addition, there were numerous cities and capitals of various races listed. Ketal couldn¡¯t help butugh. He had read books written in a simr manner before. But they were all nothing more than imaginary constructs. But not here. The fantasies written in this book actually existed here. That fact delighted him to the point of losing his mind. Continuing to read through the text, Ketal¡¯s eyes caught another piece of information. The Sanctuary of All Elves. A mysterious sanctuary where no one, including other races, can approach or even draw. The Elven Sanctuary. Elfo Sagrado. No one knows its location. Powerful figures tried all means to find out but eventually gave up. But Ketal had obtained the qualification to visit the Elven Sanctuary. ¡®I should visit someday.¡¯ Ignoring favors wasn¡¯t good etiquette. But there were too many things to enjoy in this world right now. And Ketal had the habit of saving delicious things forter. Suppressing the urge to rush out immediately, he continued to read the book. As he joyfully scanned through each letter, Ketal realized something. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ketal tilted his head curiously. ¡°Are there more ces like the White Snow ins?¡± The book described something called the ¡°Forbidden Lands.¡± ces that didn¡¯t allow human ess, filled with strange and distorted things. The silent forest where everything quiets down. The abyss where everything in the world disappears. The underwater sea where the fairies live and breathe. ces where nothing exists. Deep holes. And the White Snow ins. There were also numerous other Forbidden Lands listed. ces unknown to humans. That too was a staple of fantasy, but Ketal looked grim. ¡°ces like the White Snow ins.¡± He had suffered greatly in the White Snow ins alone. If it weren¡¯t for his desire for fantasy, he would have died a long time ago. He didn¡¯t n to visit other Forbidden Lands, even if they were at the same level as the White Snow ins. But with that thought, another one naturally came to mind. ¡®How big is this world?¡¯ Just the White Snow ins alone were enormous. It had taken a very long time for him to confirm everything about the White Snow ins. And there were not just one but many such ces. Moreover, they were divided into the human world and the territories of other races. ¡®It¡¯s bigger than Earth.¡¯ That much was certain. But he couldn¡¯t know how big exactly. This world had not yet measured the circumference of the world. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough for now.¡± Since the library itself wasn¡¯trge, there wasn¡¯t more information than that. Satisfied enough, Ketal stood up from his seat. ¡°I¡¯ve checked enough. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The librarian stood up to bid farewell. She felt relieved only when she realized that Ketal was leaving. But her relief turned into worry at his following words. ¡°I¡¯lle often if I can. Count on it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± * * * And Ketal arrived at the guild hall. The guild hall was quiet as it was yesterday. Ketal leisurely walked towards Rosa. She greeted Ketal with a tense face. ¡°Oh, you came.¡± ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s the request for today?¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± Rosa handed him the request form. Ketal epted it with a smile. Rosa rxed a bit. After quietly conversing for a while, she realized that despite his appearance as a barbarian, he was actually quite sensible. There was instinctual fear, but there was no need to be overly frightened. After briefly looking at the request form, Ketal raised his finger. ¡°Let¡¯s go with this one today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for herb supply. Understood. The samples are here.¡± Ketal checked the samples and went outside. Just like yesterday, he gathered herbs and returned. Hepleted the request and received a new one. They were all trivial tasks that anyone could do. Watching him like that, Cain was bursting with frustration. ¡®Why does he do such things?¡¯ Ketal was strong. Even just a glimpse of his strength would gain him instant recognition. There was no reason for him to do such trivial tasks. That¡¯s why Cain couldn¡¯t stand the frustration. It felt like seeing precious gems being casually handled in children¡¯s y. But Ketal himself seemed to enjoy such tasks immensely. ¡®¡­He¡¯s really peculiar.¡¯ He was strange in many ways. Cain couldn¡¯t grasp anything about this person. After some thought, Cain made a decision. ¡®I should meet him.¡¯ He was a peculiar being in many ways. Just observing him wouldn¡¯t yield much useful information. Swordmaster Cain decided to meet Barbarian Ketal face to face. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 18 – Swordmaster Cain (1) Chapter 18 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 18 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (1) Late at night. The only light illuminating the area was the moonlight. Ketal, satisfied afterpleting the nighttime patrol mission, was walking towards his lodging with a contented expression. He had resolved ten tasks today. Even the minor tasks felt quite fulfilling. And as he speeds up like this, the time it takes for him to be recognized as a true mercenary will be even shorter. It was a very fulfilling time. Ketal leisurely made his way to his quarters. And then, he saw it. An old man blocking his path. The old man was there, half-hidden in the darkness. There was nothing but darkness illuminated by the moonlight. It¡¯s a well-known fact that it¡¯s dangerous to wander around at such times, even a three-year-old child knows that. So, there were only two individuals on the street at the moment: a barbarian and an old man. Ketal spoke up. ¡°The one who¡¯s been following me all day. What¡¯s your business?¡± To that, the old man. Swordmaster Cain couldn¡¯t immediately respond. He was very surprised. ¡®He noticed?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t just observing from afar. Even though Ketal couldn¡¯t use aura, he was a strong one. Therefore, he concealed his aura. Even if his senses were sharp, it would be impossible to detect his aura. But Ketal¡¯s tone clearly indicated that he was aware of being followed. With no response from the silent old man, Ketal frowned. ¡°Could you be a bandit?¡± Ketal put the silver coins into his pocket. The vignt gaze made Cain puzzled. ¡®Calling this old man a bandit.¡¯ Even bandits would quietly retreat upon seeing Cain. But Ketal had a serious expression. ¡°It seems like there are bandits around even though the security seems fine.¡± ¡°No. I¡­¡± Cain tried to deny it, but he kept his mouth shut. Trying to talk about his own identity was also ambiguous. Even if he said he was a Swordmaster, no one would believe him. Especially when the other party was a barbarian. Without any specific knowledge, he couldn¡¯t decide how to introduce himself. There was no denial twice. Ketal was convinced. The old man in front of him was a bandit. ¡°Even with that old body, do you have to resort to banditry? It seems like the economy isn¡¯t doing well. It¡¯s sad.¡± Saying that, Ketalughed. Hisughter made Cain feel uneasy. ¡®¡­Whyugh when being robbed?¡¯ Could it be that the barbarian is driven by bloodlust, wanting to kill someone? Of course not. Banditry is something everyone experiences in fantasy at least once. It was just simple enjoyment. ¡°It would count as an achievement if I subdue you and take you away.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Cain tried to say something, but he closed his mouth. Upon reflection, it might have been a good opportunity. He hadn¡¯te here to enjoy a banquet with the barbarian. He had shown himself to find out about his identity and strength. Since he was mistaken for a bandit, directly confronting him might be another way. Thinking so, Cain tensed his muscles. The Swordmaster and the Barbarian were in a standoff. The first to move was the Barbarian. Ketal stomped his foot. At that moment, Cain thought so. When the image of Ketal reappeared, he was right in front of Cain. ¡°What!¡± Cain was startled. If he stayed like this, his neck would be caught by the barbarian. He moved ording to the instinct that had kept him alive on countless battlefields. He summoned aura. The mysterious, miraculous power contained within his body was activated. It circted throughout his body in an instant, giving him a transcendent power of perception. Cain rolled his foot. Kwong! The smoothly paved stone floor shattered. His body recoiled backward in an instant. Ketal¡¯s hand sliced through the air. ¡°Ho?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°You¡¯re quite fast.¡± Ketal admired. And Cain swallowed his saliva. He had almost been caught. If his reflexes had been a little slower, he would have been caught for real. ¡®It¡¯s unbelievable.¡¯ He had easily passed through Ketal¡¯s detection area. It was amazing in itself, but what was even more shocking was: ¡®I didn¡¯t sense the flow of aura from him.¡¯ He¡¯s a Swordmaster. Naturally, he should have been able to sense the movement of mana wielded by the opponent. But he didn¡¯t feel it from the barbarian. Nor did he sense mana. The meaning was clear. ¡®¡­ Did he move that fast with just a pure human body?¡¯ Before properly being astonished by this fact, Ketal looked at Cain with an interested face. ¡°Interesting.¡± He murmured like that. Cain felt a chill down his spine for a moment. ¡®With full power!¡¯ It¡¯s not a test or anything. He can sense even the slightest movement of a fly sharpening his senses. And then, Ketal¡¯s foot moved again, and his body disappeared. He expanded his senses to the extreme. This time, he couldn¡¯t miss Ketal¡¯s movements. So, Cain quickly realized that his arm was caught by him. ¡®What!¡¯ He expanded his senses! He knew he was going to grab his arm! How could he not react! Ketal broke his arm as it was. It wasn¡¯t just the sensation of being caught. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was as if his arm was stuck in a rock, and it was forcibly dragged along as the rock rolled. It was an absurd force. ¡°Ugh!¡± Cain hastily focused mana on his arm. He felt a monstrous power that surpassed the realm of humans. He tried to exert force to escape. But it was impossible. No matter how much a human tries, just like a flood that cannot be stopped, the hand that grabbed Cain¡¯s arm was unaffected. ¡®Wha, what power!¡¯ The power struggle itself was futile. Cain gritted his teeth. Crack! The mana within his body began to manifest in the world. A blue light emanated from Cain¡¯s arm held by him. It emitted a mysterious light that could be recognized even in the darkness like pitch ck. Ketal¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Ho?¡± Crack! And that blue energy, like slippery oil, allowed Cain¡¯s hand to be pulled out of Ketal¡¯s grip. ¡°Pant, pant.¡± Cain breathed heavily. He widened the distance and expanded his senses even more. Ketal, who had been looking at his hand for a moment, nodded. ¡°These days, bandits have all sorts of skills.¡± ¡®What bandit nonsense!¡¯ Cain felt like screaming. What he had just done was manifestation of mana. He wrapped it around his body. It was a state that only the top ranks of the first ss could achieve. Why would someone at such a level do something like banditry? But Ketal sincerely believed in bandit skills. Cain looked at Ketal¡¯s arm that had grabbed him with amazement. Reflexively, he manifested mana. The manifested mana tore even hard steel to shreds. For a human body to be so shattered upon contact was normal. But Ketal¡¯s arm was perfectly fine. There was not a single scratch. That made Cain even more bewildered. ¡®What kind of body is this?¡¯ Even the manifested mana couldn¡¯t withstand it. He couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. ¡°It¡¯s interesting, but not that impressive. I think it¡¯s time to finish this.¡± Ketal dered so. He intended to keep his word. He moved his body again. He arrived near Cain at a speed even Cain couldn¡¯t grasp. Cain reflexively grabbed his sword. The mindset of not using the sword because it¡¯s a test had disappeared. Only the thought that he¡¯d be in trouble if he didn¡¯t draw it dominated his mind. But that judgment was too slow. He should have drawn the sword as soon as he saw Ketal. Thud. Ketal¡¯s hand lightly pressed on Phomel. Just that made it impossible to draw the sword. ¡°Ugh!¡± Cain tried to resist somehow, but his consciousness was finally severed as Ketal¡¯s hand approached his head. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal held the fallen Cain and was quietly impressed. ¡®Is this what bandits in the fantasy world are like?¡¯ A mere bandit using such strange skills. Indeed, it¡¯s fantasy. If you can¡¯t do that much, you can¡¯t survive in this world as a bandit. ¡®He seems stronger than that knight.¡¯ This is the ss of bandits in fantasy! Ketal was satisfied. It might have seemed strange in a rational sense, but he had an attitude of epting everything in fantasy. Ketal lifted the fallen Cain. He had seeded in controlling his strength, so he had only made him unconscious. ¡°Well then.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll wake him tomorrow.¡¯ He dragged him into the lodging without dy. And the next day. The head of guard, who came to work as always, doubted his eyes. ¡°¡­Barbarian. What¡¯s this?¡± Ketal confidently raised his hand. In that hand, an old man¡¯s neck was held, dangling limply. The old man had a very humiliated and embarrassed expression, bowing his head. It was a ridiculous sight, but as the head of guard who knew the old man¡¯s identity, he couldn¡¯t possiblyugh. What on earth happened? Why is Cain here? No, the Lord, said he would being soon. Then did the barbarian attack Swordmaster Cain? No. The other way around? Swordmaster Cain became interested in the barbarian. So, did he attack him? But then he lost? In that case, is the barbarian stronger than Swordmaster Cain? No. That couldn¡¯t be. He must have let his guard down. Then what happened? Will the barbarian be hostile to us? Countless possibilities shed through his mind in an instant. And Ketal calmly shattered those possibilities. ¡°I caught a bandit.¡± ¡°A, bandit?¡± It was apletely unexpected word. Ketal repeated it as if he had heard it correctly. ¡°A bandit. I¡¯ll hand him over to the guard. This will also be a mercenary achievement, right?¡± Ketal said with an expectant face. The head of guard looked at him with a bewildered expression. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 19 – Swordmaster Cain (2) Chapter 19 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 19 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (2) What is this scene? The head of guard seemed to be dreaming. A great Swordmaster, a rare figure in the world. A person who has reached the pinnacle of greatness. Swordmaster Cain. He was being held by a barbarian. And not just held, but in a humiliating position, dangling in mid-air with his neck caught. And the barbarian was calling the Swordmaster a robber. He couldn¡¯t even begin toprehend what to say. The head of guard forced his closed mouth open. ¡°That¡­ he, he is not a robber.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed confusion. ¡°Are you acquainted? He looks like a criminal with a face. If not a robber, then a pickpocket?¡± ¡°That¡­ no. Never mind.¡± The head of guard gave up on exining. And he assumed the posture he should have taken originally. A respectful posture, bowing his body. It was respect and courtesy towards someone who transcended the boundaries of humanity. ¡°The only Swordmaster of the Kingdom of Gehentra. We are honored to meet Swordmaster Cain, who has reached the end of the great sword.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± At those words, the expressions of both the barbarian and the Swordmaster changed. Cain¡¯s face contorted even more disgracefully. Seeing this, the head of guard realized that Cain had not revealed himself as a Swordmaster. ¡°A Swordmaster.¡± Ketal was equally taken aback. A Swordmaster. Was this grand figure really a robber? ¡°That¡¯s impossible. This man is a robber. He attacked me to steal my silver.¡± ¡°No. He is a Swordmaster. I remember he made a promise toe here.¡± ¡°¡­Could he be a magician disguising his face?¡± ¡°A magic that perfectly disguises even the physique. If that¡¯s the case, such a high-level magician would already be a figure respected like a Swordmaster.¡± ¡°¡­The possibility that Swordmaster is just another term for a robber.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was then that Ketal realized. ¡°A real Swordmaster.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He released his hand with a face that seemed to understand and yet be puzzled. Thended Swordmaster straightened his clothes. Like a scene from a dream. The head of guard, who was staring nkly at the scene, hastily snapped out of it. This was not a problem he could solve. ¡°¡­I will inform the lord. Please wait a moment.¡± The head of guard ran out. His movements were swift, as if he didn¡¯t want to stay in that ce any longer. Thunk. A headache struck the head of guard as he ran towards the lord¡¯s castle. He had a grim premonition that as long as that barbarian was around, this headache would continue. * * * The lord, upon hearing the story from the panting head of guard, also jumped up in shock. He hurriedly ran over, saw the barbarian and the Swordmaster, and made a puzzled expression. Then he brought the two to the reception room and desperately exined the situation to the still perplexed barbarian. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Finally, Ketal also became convinced that Cain was a Swordmaster. He said cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have listened to the whole story.¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s my fault for not speaking up¡­.¡± The barbarian and the Swordmaster exchanged awkward words. Watching them, the lord¡¯s head throbbed. ¡®¡­Did Cain lose?¡¯ He had a long-standing rtionship with Cain. He could roughly read his movements. He predicted that he would seek out the barbarian for a duel. But the fact that he would lose waspletely unexpected. Cain lost to the barbarian. He didn¡¯t know the details, but that was certain. In other words, that barbarian was stronger than the Swordmaster. Of course, there was a gap even at the pinnacle. Cain was a neer to being a Swordmaster. His level itself would be lower among the superhumans. But still, he was a Swordmaster. A person bestowed with the grand title of the owner of the sword. To think that such a Swordmaster could be defeated by that barbarian. Wasn¡¯t that a sign of an uncontroble existence? All calctions of every possibility were shattered. The lord couldn¡¯t bear it any longer due to his headache. ¡°¡­It seems there was a misunderstanding. I¡¯ll leave the two of you to talk for now.¡± The lord stood up from his seat. The barbarian and the Swordmaster didn¡¯t even try to stop him. The door of the reception room closed, leaving only the barbarian and the Swordmaster alone. The barbarian looked at Cain with a solemn face. ¡®A Swordmaster.¡¯ The owner of the sword. A person who had reached the end of the sword. A ssic fantasy figure, a symbol of strength. That¡¯s why he fantasized countless times in the White Snow ins. What do Swordmasters handle? How mysterious powers do they wield? And how strong are they? But this¡­ Something. Something¡­. Cain also realized that gaze. It was so humiliating, but he couldn¡¯t say anything more. Because he had lost. And it was a perfect defeat to the point where he couldn¡¯t say anything more. Beyond wounded pride, he became aplete wreck. ¡°¡­Anyway, let me properly introduce myself. I am Swordmaster Cain.¡± At his words, Ketal also suppressed his emotions and spoke. ¡°A lord who is a Swordmaster?¡± ¡°Once you reach the level of Swordmaster, human titles no longer have meaning.¡± It was a courtesy towards someone who transcended cognition. Respect for reaching a position where human lineage could no longer be tied. But what did it mean? He lost to the barbarian. Cain shook his head gloomily. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] On the contrary, Ketal was gradually regaining hisposure. A Swordmaster. A person who has reached the end of the sword. A person whose very essence changes to that of a Swordmaster. The being he so wanted to meet. Despite the strange process, being with such a person. ¡°¡­.¡± Curiosity, forgotten until now, sprouted again. Cain spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry once again.¡± ¡°No, no. As I said earlier, I didn¡¯t listen to the whole story either. But why did you do that?¡± ¡°¡­I heard stories about a barbarianing out of the White Snow ins.¡± ¡°Aah.¡± Ketal realized. The Swordmaster was testing him. ¡°So, are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Quite.¡± Cain gave a bitter smile. ¡°More than satisfied. Indeed, a presence from the Forbidden Lands. I thought I knew enough about it, but I waspletely mistaken.¡± Cain¡¯s words stimted another curiosity in Ketal. Cain said he knew about the forbiddennds. Probably about the alien ces he saw in the library. There was also the White Snow ins there. He wanted to ask about it, but Cain spoke first. ¡°What do you think of us?¡± Ketal understood the meaning of that question. He lowered his head. ¡°I have no opinion. I¡¯m just enjoying the journey. It may be hard to believe just by words, but I have no intention of lying.¡± ¡°No. I believe you. Just by not killing me, I can tell.¡± Killing would have been much easier, but he subdued and dragged him along. The tension between them somewhat eased. Before Ketal¡¯s eyes was a Swordmaster. But with it came a strong curiosity. ¡°Could what you showed me also be Swordmaster¡¯s technique?¡± ¡°You mean this?¡± Cain raised his arm. A bluish light appeared there and soonpletely enveloped his arm. ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal eximed. When he showed it before, he thought it was a robber¡¯s technique and didn¡¯t pay much attention. But now, thinking of it as a Swordmaster¡¯s technique, he became very curious. ¡°It¡¯s the embodiment of mystery. Also called Aura.¡± ¡°Aura!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Was that Aura!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Cain replied, bewildered by the sudden change in attitude. While during the battle, there wasn¡¯t much reaction to calling it a robber¡¯s technique, now he was shining his eyes like a child. ¡°How do you do that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Basically, it¡¯s controlling the mystery to manifest it.¡± ¡°Mystery! What is mystery? Is it like mana?¡± ¡°No. Mana belongs to wizards. Mystery is the basic unit of the world. The difference between a wizard and a swordsman is the direction in which they handle it, whether they handle it as Aura or as mana.¡± ¡°Oh! So basically, wizards and swordsmen both handle mystery!¡± With great joy, Ketal burst intoughter. The previous monstrous appearance of the barbarian was nowhere to be seen. The eyes of a child soaked in a dream gazed at Cain. Awkwardly, but continuously, he continued to exin. Listening to the story, Ketal became even more excited. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Can you teach me such techniques?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No. Embarrassingly, my knowledge is stillcking and I am in the process of umting it. And you are a great Swordmaster. A person who has reached the end of the sword. You must have experiences of teaching someone, right?¡± ¡°No. I do have them.¡± The knight who miserably defeated Ketal was his disciple. Ketal lowered his head with a serious expression. ¡°Please. Teach me.¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s not that great, so it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Of course, it was great. There were countless people who paid fortunes for Swordmaster¡¯s teachings. ¡°You are stronger than me. Do you have a reason to ask for teachings from me?¡± But the barbarian in front of him was much stronger than that. It was strange to ask for teachings from the weak. Ketal nodded. ¡°Sadly, I know nothing about the mystery or swordsmanship you mentioned. I¡¯m just ignorant, swinging my fists around.¡± ¡°I, is that so?¡± Cain¡¯s shattered pride began to recover little by little. Yes. He is a Swordmaster. Not just strong, but someone who has reached the pinnacle of the sword. Even if the barbarian is stronger, that fact remains unchanged. ¡®Yeah, right. I couldn¡¯t even draw my sword!¡¯ During the battle with the barbarian, he fainted while holding the sword¡¯s handle. Of course, it was a clear defeat, but it couldn¡¯t be called a disy of power. Teaching the barbarian the ways of the sword. Showing the greatness of swordsmanship with his own eyes. That would greatly help in restoring his shattered self-esteem. Cain made a decision. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Cain nodded. ¡°I am one who wields the sword. A Swordmaster. One who has reached the pinnacle of the sword. Without wielding the sword, I am nothing but a half-finished being.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s right! I said you were too weak! It was because you couldn¡¯t wield the sword!¡± ¡°Y, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well! You were ridiculously weak! To be called a Swordmaster with just that level of strength. It¡¯s weird! Then, if you handle the sword, you might have won!¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not that weak¡­¡± Cain stumbled, saying. Could he defeat this barbarian by wielding the sword? That wasn¡¯t his thought. But he couldn¡¯t strongly deny the barbarian who was shining with excitement. ¡®Is it really a way to restore self-esteem?¡¯ It might even get worse. Anxiety passed through Cain¡¯s mind. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 20 – Swordmaster Cain (3) Chapter 20 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 20 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (3) First, Cain went to the lord to exin. He would teach the barbarian about swords and aura. The lord¡¯s face became even more puzzled, but now with a small sigh, he nodded his head. And Cain and Ketal moved to the training ground. ¡°First, it¡¯s better to exin about my swordsmanship. I am Cain, the Swordmaster. I handle Cain¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Cain? Is that your style?¡± ¡°The swordsmanship I handle is one that I created. One cannot be called a Swordmaster if they reach the realm of another¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± A very matter-of-fact tone, just stating the facts. Ketal was even more excited by that attitude. It meant he was the founder of a style. He is now trying to learn the mysteries of this world. He had learned swordsmanship itself on Earth. But like most parents when they were young, it was for health purposes only. He didn¡¯t learn it properly. But this is real swordsmanship. Fantasy, mystical, strange swordsmanship that deals with auras. His heart fluttered like that of a child. It was hard to sit still with anticipation. Cain slowly drew his sword. ¡°The biggest feature of my swordsmanship is the materialization of illusion and reality. You understand that from facing my disciple.¡± ¡°Ah. That knight was your disciple?¡± ¡°Yes. You roughly know about the duel. What did you see there?¡± ¡°The sword strikes were divided into three. They were all actual attacks. It was amazing.¡± It would be difficult for an ordinary human to respond. Ketal understood exactly what Cain¡¯s swordsmanship was. ¡°In that sense, is it the materialization of illusion and reality? It¡¯s a swordsmanship closer to technique than strength.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± Cain nodded calmly. Ketal understood the characteristics of his swordsmanship right away. ¡®He¡¯s quick to understand.¡¯ And much faster than those with considerable knowledge or culture. Staring at the barbarian in front of him, Cain couldn¡¯t quite grasp what kind of being he was. Cain organized his thoughts and spoke. ¡°Swordsmanship is the maniption of swords and auras to handle mysteries. The one who reaches the end is the Swordmaster.¡± He emphasized that statement. Ketal looked at Cain with excitement. Whizz. With the sound of crackling mes, a blue light rose from Cain¡¯s sword. It was as if blue mes were engulfing the sword. ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t help but exim. Aura! A real aura surrounding the sword! It was the fantasy mystery he had longed for. Tears seemed to well up. Cain, on the other hand, was perplexed by his reaction. ¡°Why is he like that?¡± Wrapping a sword with aura is a very basic technique. It could be done with only first-ss skill. It was never enough to impress the barbarian who had easily subdued him. That barbarian was iprehensible. Cain, giving up on understanding, shook his sword. ¡°Since it¡¯s hard to understand the materialization of illusion and reality, I¡¯ll show you directly.¡± Cain gripped the sword with both hands and shed downward. A blue me cut through the air. And at that moment, the sword split. Two to the left. Two to the right. Five sword strikes were implemented simultaneously. They cut through the air sharply. They all struck at one point simultaneously. ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal was purely amazed. Five sword strikes were implemented simultaneously. It was clearly a mystery that was impossible with modern knowledge. Cain, enjoying his reaction, sheathed his sword. ¡°There are many techniques that create illusions using aura. But putting substance into them is a technique that only exists in my swordsmanship.¡± Manipting illusion and reality freely to confuse the senses. No one could easily respond to that. He achieved the title of Swordmaster with this technique. ¡°I¡¯ll exin the detailster.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Finally, he could learn real mysteries. Ketal was deeply moved, and Cain was very satisfied. Yes. He is a Swordmaster. Even if that barbarian is stronger than him, the realm he has reached is high and noble. No one can imitate it. Cain was very convinced. ¡°¡­Hm?¡± And Ketal¡¯s expression slowly became perplexed. He tilted his head. ¡°The technique you showed me.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s truly a mysterious technique! What do you think?¡± ¡°I think I can do it too.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Cain hesitated. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± A faint displeasure appeared on Cain¡¯s face. He had dedicated his entire life to the sword. He had exceptional talent and put in the appropriate effort. What he had achieved was his own swordsmanship. The thought that a barbarian could do such a thing was absolutely uneptable. ¡°It would be faster to show it directly.¡± Ketal grabbed the axe handle at his waist. It was only then that Cain realized Ketal was holding an axe. ¡°That¡­¡± Seeing the axe, Cain was surprised. At the end of the axe handle Ketal held, there was a jet-ck gem embedded, and both the handle and the de were ck. The handle was adorned with fancy carvings, making it quite valuable on its own. The ominously shining axe de created the illusion that it could cleave the whole world in two. And there was one pattern where the de and the handle connected. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ It seemed to be a symbol of something, but exactly what it was couldn¡¯t be determined. However, from its delicacy, it was clear it wasn¡¯t an ordinary axe. It was too civilized to be wielded by a barbarian, and it seemed quite valuable. ¡®It¡¯s like a legendary weapon.¡¯ Whatever impression he had of the axe, Ketal raised it. Then he put strength into his arm. Thunk. His muscles swelled. Ketal swung the axe downward. And Cain watched. Once to the front. Then twice to the left. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And twice to the right. A total of five axe swings were unleashed simultaneously. Thunk thunk thunk thunk thud! The pressure struck the ground roughly, raising dust and obscuring the view. Ketal slowly sheathed the axe. ¡°How about that?¡± ¡°Um, uh¡­¡± Cain couldn¡¯t speak. Ketal had indeed executed five attacks simultaneously, just as he had done. But there was a significant difference. ¡®That was just done with brute force!¡¯ Cain screamed inwardly. Ketal hadn¡¯t manipted aura to materialize illusion and reality. It was just pure strength. He simply swung the axe downward. Then quickly brought it back and swung twice to the left and twice to the right. It only appeared as if he had swung them simultaneously due to overwhelming speed. ¡®What a brute way!¡¯ To simultaneously execute five attacks with sheer strength and speed! It was unheard of. Cain desperately spoke up. ¡°What you did was just swinging. There was no technique!¡± ¡°But the result is simr, isn¡¯t it? Swordsmanship is not just for show, it¡¯s for realbat. So, isn¡¯t there not much difference?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t deny it. Ultimately, swordsmanship was about fighting and killing someone. From that perspective, the barbarian¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. But he didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that he had solved the mysteries he had umted with mere strength. ¡°What about this then?¡± Cain gripped his sword again. As if responding to his emotions, the aura rose rougher. Cain exerted all his power. He swung the sword forcefully as he advanced roughly. Afterimages were drawn. It wasn¡¯t just the sword separating. Cain¡¯s body itself split into seven. It was one yet not one. A miracle created by extreme control of the aura. Like a storm, the rough connection swept through as if multiple entities were coborating. Those facing him would feel as though they were facing seven simultaneously. ¡°Try to replicate this!¡± Cain shouted roughly, catching his breath. Ketal silently raised the axe. And the axe swung. A storm even more relentless than what Cain had done, to the point where even opening one¡¯s eyes was difficult, swept through. It was different from Cain¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t a technique that materialized afterimages into substance through delicate aura control. It was just simply fast. And that speed intensified to the point of creating afterimages. Cain watched. Ketal¡¯s body creating over eight afterimages simultaneously. Thud¡­ The storm subsided. Ketal sheathed the axe. ¡°How about that?¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± Cain was at a loss for words. * * * The skills he had umted throughout his life. The mysteries he had been proud of, thinking no one could match. Now, they were shattered in the most primitive and ignorant manner. Cain couldn¡¯t say anything. And Ketal had a mncholic expression of his own. ¡®I didn¡¯t want it to happen like this.¡¯ What is this? He simply swung the axe quickly and brutally. Yet, that alone achieved the mystery. But this wasn¡¯t a mystery at all. Ketal¡¯s emotions cooled down like a child who had seen the backside of a magic set. ¡®No. No way.¡¯ Ketal shook his head. He had suffered greatly. He had ovee death hundreds, thousands of times. He surpassed dozens of times the amount of time an average human spends in their lifetime. The strength he possessed was what he had achieved in the end. Just simple strength, without any aura, mana, or miracles, but because of that, it was simply strong. And the Swordmaster before him had shown such results using his own technique. He might be around 40 or 50 years old judging by his appearance. To achieve such results with just a modest investment of time was remarkable. The value of mysteries had increased even more. Above all, what he had seen was just one technique. There were still so many things he wanted to know. Magic, more swordsmanship, spirits, alchemy, miracles, divine power, prayers. He wanted to know and acquire all those things. Hadn¡¯t the Elven Queen dealt with mysteries that he could never touch? What¡¯s the difference between judging everything based on Cain¡¯s technique alone and being like a frog in a well? Ketal quickly recovered his emotions. And Cain was still unable to recover. ¡°Uh, um.¡± Words wouldn¡¯t follow. Cain nkly opened his mouth. ¡°Uh¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 21 – Swordmaster Cain (4) Chapter 21 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 21: Swordmaster Cain (4) ¡°Hey. Cain? Snap out of it.¡± Ketal waved a hand in front of Cain¡¯s eyes. But Cain didn¡¯t seem to being back to his senses. He was staring nkly, lost in his own world. There seems to be a single tear welling up, as if something very sad had happened. ¡®This¡­ can¡¯t be happening¡­.¡¯ How much time and effort did it take for him to reach this state. He gave up everything but the sword. The love of his parents, the love of his fianc¨¦e. He abandoned it all to dedicate his life to the sword. It was truly his own realm, one that no one else could reach, achieved through dedicating his entire life. But now, that skill¡­ Was shattered with a mere disy of brute force, without any special skill. ¡®I am¡­¡¯ The pleas of his family to please give up the sword and be with them. Thement and curses of his fianc¨¦e, saying he¡¯s nothing without even a single sword skill. All of it shed through his mind like antern. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡®Weaker mentally than I thought.¡¯ He thought that being a Swordmaster would mean having a strong mind, but apparently that wasn¡¯t the case. Of course, there was no guarantee that strength would necessarily corrte with mental fortitude. Even the strongest in a fantasy world could have weak minds. He made a mental note of that information. He would write it down in his journalter. Of course not. A true strongman at the level of a Swordmaster would also have a strong and sturdy mind. It was just that the existence of Ketal was so alien that it shattered that mental fortitude. Not knowing this fact, Ketal was trying to make Cain snap out of it. His mind waspletely shattered. It seemed difficult to snap out of it with just external stimuli. This state was not umon with him. The barbarians he had been with. Their direction might have been different, but they often behaved like this. They would throw their minds intobat, swinging their weapons wildly ording to instinct. They were very annoying creatures who wouldn¡¯te to their senses until they werepletely subdued. And there was a fast way to get them toe to their senses. Ketal looked silently at Cain. And he held one intention in his heart. I will kill you. That will was materialized and attacked Cain. Kwaaaang! An explosion urred. Cain drew his sword. He surrounded his whole body with a defensive stance and nted his feet firmly. In an instant, he moved dozens of steps away from Ketal. Cold sweat was running down his face. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Your mind seemed to be half gone, so I woke you up. It seems direct methods work best after all.¡± Ketal nodded as if satisfied. Cain¡¯s heart was beating fast. Just now, he felt death. Not metaphorically, but in the truest sense, death enveloped his throat. His shattered mind rose again in the face of the terror of death. It was an experience he didn¡¯t want to go through again. Ketal said calmly, ¡°Your swordsmanship is impressive.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°I just swung my axe quickly. That¡¯s all I did. That¡¯s the only thing. I can¡¯t even touch the skill you showed.¡± Ketal quickly swung his axe to create a phantom. It was just incredibly fast, not a true simultaneous attack. Above all, if the opponent blocks the first attack, no phantom is created. But Cain¡¯s swordsmanship¡­ truly attacked simultaneously. It was a skill that had to block attacks from all directions. Ketal healed Cain¡¯s mind like that. Light gradually returned to Cain¡¯s eyes. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it!¡¯ The value of his swordsmanship was by no means low. Materializing the essence of illusion and reality was a skill possible only by his technique in this world. Of course, even if that was the case, it was still half shattered¡­. Cain, who was bing depressed again, desperately regained hisposure. ¡®No!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a problem with his skill, it was that this barbarian was insane! Who on earth could move so fast without even using aura, to the point where phantoms be solid entities! It was hard to even consider him in the same category as a human anymore. Ketal was just too abnormal. Cain protected his mentality by making Ketal an exception. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s quite interesting. I¡¯m the one who should apologize for acting like a child.¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest again. As he said himself, it was simr but if you looked closely, the results werepletely different. If he were to handle Aura, he too could use such a skill. Truly attacking simultaneously. Cain cleared his throat and straightened his head. ¡°Well, let¡¯s continue the conversation. In any case, the important thing is to sense and be able to handle Aura.¡± ¡°Yeah. Mystery. That¡¯s it.¡± That¡¯s the most important mystery in this world. Ketal revealed it. Cain begins to exin slowly. ¡°Mystery is the fundamental unit that makes up the world. Without realizing mystery, no magician, swordsman, or witch can reach a high level. Only those who believe in the gods can do it.¡± ¡°Is divine power separate?¡± ¡°Their miracles are directly given by God. It has nothing to do with personal abilities.¡± ¡°What about pdins?¡± ¡°Their poweres from their belief in themselves. It¡¯s a difference in direction. Spirits are the same.¡± Courtesy aside, ultimately what matters is mystery. Handling it is the first step. ¡°I¡¯ll start by exining the basic concepts and levels, but if it gets boring, we can skip.¡± ¡°No. Please continue.¡± Ketal shook his head. There¡¯s no way an exnation about the mystery he was longing for would be boring. ¡°Then let¡¯s start with the exnation about mystery. Mystery, literally. It¡¯s the mysterious power you possess. How you handle it determines everything.¡± ¡°Wow. Wow.¡± Mystery is the basic unit of this world. To obtain fantasy powers such as handling Aura, gaining mana, or dealing with spirits, it starts with understanding this mystery. ¡°Let me tell you about the stages. There are a total of five stages: sensing mystery, controlling it, manifesting it, mastering it, and visualizing it.¡± Cain spoke. ¡°The most basic stage here is sensing mystery. It¡¯s a stage where you know, realize, and feel mystery. It¡¯s also a stage where you take the first step towards a high level without properly handling mystery.¡± ¡°Can anyone feel mystery?¡± ¡°Only those with talent can feel it. Those who can sense mystery are called third-rate.¡± You have to reach the level of sensing mystery to be considered third-rate. Ketal recalled the words the thief said in the first dungeon. [There are various criteria, but generally, they are divided into five categories: third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, transcendent, and Hero.] [What level are you guys?] [We are just beggars who couldn¡¯t even be third-rate. But being third-rate doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re weak at all.] They said they couldn¡¯t even be third-rate. It meant they couldn¡¯t feel mystery. ¡°And then, controlling mystery. It¡¯s a stage where you can control and utilize mystery. From this stage onwards, you can use various powers by utilizing mystery.¡± Cain swung his arm. The air burst roughly. The arm that was swung was clearly faster than cognition. ¡°Basically, you can strengthen your body like this.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°From this point on, you can call yourself second-rate. Those who have reached this level can never be defeated¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As Cain was saying that, he hesitated for a moment and Ketal looked at him. Ketal stared at him nkly. ¡°¡­ There are exceptions, but most can¡¯t be beaten.¡± Cain cautiously changed his words. ¡°Next is manifesting mystery. It¡¯s simple stuff like this.¡± Cain drew his sword. A bluish light flickered. Ketal let out a sigh of admiration. ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡®¡­Why does he look at it like it¡¯s so amazing?¡¯ It was simply manifestation. It was a remarkable level, but it wasn¡¯t so remarkable as to be admired like that. Cain awkwardly continued. ¡°The first-rate level. Manifesting mystery. From here, you can manifest mystery in forms such as Aura or mana. It¡¯s recognized as a knight or a mage. It¡¯s the level where you can manipte spirits.¡± Aura can tear through steel like cheese. Even a sturdy fortress can be easily severed. Magic can create massive mes and scatter des of ice. From the level where you can manifest it, humans be essentially human weapons. ¡°And then, mastering mystery.¡± Beyond controlling and manifesting mystery, it¡¯s perfectly mastering it and manipting it as one pleases. ¡°It¡¯s the transcendent level, and it¡¯s the level I¡¯ve reached.¡± ¡°Is being a Swordmaster in the realm of the transcendent?¡± ¡°There are exceptions, but most of them are.¡± If you be transcendent, you can gain the respect of everyone. Truly surpassing the level of a human, your status bes meaningless. ¡°Those who transcend human categories.¡± That¡¯s what the transcendent is. Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°So there are those even stronger than you.¡± There was still one more step left. Cain nodded. ¡°Visualizing mystery. Those who can influence the concept of the world beyond just mastering and controlling mystery. That¡¯s the Hero ss.¡± ¡°Are they stronger than you?¡± ¡°They are. Iparably so.¡± It was a prompt answer. It wasn¡¯t a shameful or disgraceful face. It was just a face that calmly stated facts. ¡°I¡¯m undoubtedly strong, but those at my level are countless. But Heroes are truly exceptional. They¡¯re¡­ monsters.¡± There was both respect and fear in his expression. ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal felt interested in these Heroes. Just how strong are they? And how amazing mystery can they handle? ¡®I¡¯d like to see them once.¡¯ An intense curiosity arose that couldn¡¯t be hidden. ¡®¡­Is this barbarian going to attack a Hero?¡¯ At that moment, a shiver ran down Cain¡¯s spine, and he quickly changed the subject. ¡°For now, let¡¯s make these distinctions, but keep in mind that they are convenient ssifications. There are significant gaps between each stage, and they aren¡¯t perfectly distinct. Just think of it as a conceptual framework.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± But that¡¯s a story for another time. What¡¯s important now is the mystery in front of him. Cain opened his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s begin. The first stage. Sensing mystery.¡± * * * Finally, he could embody the true mystery and the power of fantasy. Ketal was extremely excited. He felt like he wanted to shout for joy. But he was a sensible person, so he held back and pretended to roll his feet quietly. Kooooom¡­. The training ground shook. The vibration spread to the surroundings. People mistook it for an earthquake and screamed, huddling down. Cain was startled. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°Oh, no. I was just happy. I couldn¡¯t control my emotions for a moment. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I-is that so.¡± Just rolling his feet caused an earthquake-level disturbance. Cain looked at Ketal with a disgusted expression. ¡°By the way, if you master mystery, are you confined to one path? Can¡¯t a swordsman use magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible if you¡¯re using Aura and mana simultaneously.¡± Cain denied Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Mystery is the fundamental unit of the world. How you handle it is your own ability. In other words, it¡¯s also your limit. If you handle mystery as Aura, you¡¯ll handle it as Aura to the end.¡± ¡°Is that the concept?¡± Unfortunately, it seemed that the path was fixed. But that didn¡¯t diminish his interest. So, which direction should he take? Handling Aura? Handling mana? As a knight, it would be fun to strengthen his whole body and charge forward, but isn¡¯t magic the romance of fantasy? He also wanted to try using magic at least once. He was very excited about either direction. ¡°Well then, sitfortably.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ketal smiled and sat down in a cross-legged position. Seeing his posture, Cain cocked his head. ¡°What¡¯s that posture?¡± ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it. It¡¯s fascinating. It looks ufortable, are you okay?¡± They didn¡¯t know what a cross-legged position was. Come to think of it, the cross-legged position originated from Buddhism. It was strange that they didn¡¯t know. ¡°It¡¯s a posture for concentration. It¡¯s not ufortable, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Well then¡­ Close your eyes and concentrate.¡± Ketal closed his eyes. Sensing mana. It¡¯s finally beginning. He could learn real mystery. Suppressing his pounding heart, he began to concentrate. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 22 – Swordmaster Cain (5) Chapter 22 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 22 ¨C Swordmaster Cain (5) ¡°Feel everything.¡± Cain spoke calmly. ¡°To feel the mystery is to awaken senses you have never felt before. Expand your senses to the fullest.¡± Cain¡¯s words were followed. Ketal expanded his own senses. ¡°Feel the sensation of the passing wind.¡± The strength and angle of the wind. How it collided with Ketal¡¯s body, how its trajectory twisted, and how it moved. The wind touching his arms was slightly stronger. He sensed all the subtle movements of the gently swaying wind. ¡°Feel the touch of the earth.¡± The ground of the training field touching his hips and legs. The thousands of grains of sand there. He sensed the shape of each and every one of them. ¡°And feel the separate sensation within that.¡± Expanding the senses even further. Unfathomable information entered Ketal¡¯s mind. And Cain¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Hmm?¡± Cain involuntarily stepped back. He felt a sensation of something passing through his entire body for a moment. He realized why he felt that way. ¡®¡­Just by expanding the senses, is this the extent?¡¯ Cain was astonished. It wasn¡¯t using mystery to enhance the senses. He had simply expanded his own senses. Yet, the change that urred was enough for Cain to feel. ¡®He¡¯s a real monster.¡¯ How far could that barbarian sense? Perhaps beyond this territory, even reaching outside. Even with the senses of a swordmaster, Cain couldn¡¯t perceive everything. It was chilling to think he couldn¡¯t manipte mystery. After a moment, Ketal opened his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t feel it.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± Cain quickly regained hisposure and spoke. ¡°With your strength, I thought you would easily feel it¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a fixed rule, but someone strong would likely have a high chance of sensing mystery even without mana. But Ketal was an exception. ¡°Is it also a peculiarity of the White ins?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. No one around me has ever felt mystery.¡± ¡®¡­The barbarians of the White ins don¡¯t know mana.¡¯ Cain quickly stored that information in his mind and spoke. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that unusual. Feeling mystery from the beginning is not an easy task.¡± It was about feeling senses one had never felt before. Just as a wingless human couldn¡¯t know the sensation of flying in the sky, it was quite difficult. ¡°Then the next step is for the one who can feel mystery to send power directly and pave the way.¡± ¡°Oh, are you transmitting aura?¡± ¡°Something like that?¡± Ketal was lightly impressed. He loved fantasy very much. But his interest was not limited to fantasy alone; it epassed all the mysteries of the world. Naturally, he had read martial arts novels, and there were countless situations where masters directly transmitted energy to their disciples. That too was the essence of martial arts. Ketal was very satisfied. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s get started!¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± Overwhelmed by Ketal¡¯s enthusiasm, Cain approached hesitantly. ¡°This time, rx the power in your whole body and focus your senses on your own body. And feel the mana I send.¡± Ketal nodded silently. Cain slowly raised his hand behind Ketal¡¯s back. And he was amazed. ¡®What a body.¡¯ It was as hard as marble. The intensity and hardness were enough to shatter weapons made of iron upon impact. And it was heavy. Not metaphorically, but in the literal sense of the word. How many muscles werepressed inside? It was unimaginable. ¡®Is this really a human?¡¯ Could such a being be categorized as the same species as humans? ¡°Cain?¡± Cain, momentarily lost in thought, snapped back to reality at Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°S-Sorry. Let¡¯s begin then.¡± He started to send aura. Simply sending aura was meaningless. The important thing was to awaken the mystery dormant within Ketal¡¯s body. So, the most important thing was to find the way. That itself wasn¡¯t a difficult task. He was a swordmaster. He was capable enough to perceive the human body. That¡¯s why Cain couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t find the path of the mystery within Ketal¡¯s body. No. More precisely, he couldn¡¯t reach it. No matter how far he stretched out his aura, he couldn¡¯t touch or see anything. It was like trying to explore a vast ocean. ¡®No. It¡¯s more like¡­¡¯ Rather than a vast ocean, it felt like swimming in the deep and profound depths of the sea. Feeling like moving forward in a space where nothing was visible, feeling like being crushed by water pressure to the point of death. Cain let go of his hand. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Cain? I didn¡¯t feel anything special.¡± ¡°¡­Seems like it won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression changed. He looked at Cain with a face as if the world was copsing. ¡°It won¡¯t work. What does that mean? Does it mean I¡¯m untalented?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. Just¡­¡± Choosing his words carefully, Cain began to exin. ¡°Simply transmitting aura into your body isn¡¯t enough to awaken the mystery. Ultimately, to understand the mystery, you need to awaken the power dormant within you.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Transmitting aura was akin to blood transfusion. With transfusion, you had to find the veins inside the body and pass the blood through there. Sticking it anywhere wouldn¡¯t have any meaning. Aura was simr. It wasn¡¯t just about sending it; it was about finding the path of the mystery. Cain said with a puzzled expression. ¡°But I can¡¯t find the path of the mystery.¡± ¡°¡­Could it mean you can¡¯t even feel the mystery itself?¡± Ketal¡¯s face stiffened gravely. Just as terrible despair was about to set in, Cain shook his head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. I haven¡¯t even confirmed it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­Your body is peculiar.¡± Cain looked at Ketal with eyes seeing somethingpletely different. ¡°To find the path of the mystery, you need to deeply send aura into your body. But¡­ your body is deep and heavy. The aura can¡¯t even properly reach inside you.¡± This was the first time Cain encountered such a situation. Pure physical force was blocking the aura. ¡°So, does that mean it¡¯s impossible?¡± Cain also roughly understood the meaning. It was harder to find the veins of a fat person than a skinny one. Because the fat obstructed it. It seemed that it wasn¡¯t fat but rather the muscles of the body that were the problem, but it could be seen as an extreme case of that. ¡°At least for me, it seems impossible.¡± Even for a swordmaster. Ketal¡¯s face grew gloomy. ¡°Then am I unable to obtain the mystery?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to say that. Ultimately, since I haven¡¯t confirmed it.¡± As Cain, he also didn¡¯t know whether the path of the mystery existed or not. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In other words, if there were those who could know it, Ketal could also feel the mystery. ¡°Others might handle aura better than me. Other swordmasters, or maybe you could visit the towers. Or try to find a path through alchemy?¡± ¡°Alchemy? Is that possible too?¡± ¡°Some have be transcendent by artificially awakening the mystery with the power of alchemy. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± This world seemed to ce considerable value on alchemy too. Curiosity crept onto Ketal¡¯s face without him realizing. Cain shook his head. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s impossible for me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± It¡¯s not impossible. There¡¯s enough possibility. That¡¯s enough. After all, there¡¯s interest in the towers and alchemy. It could be left forter enjoyment. He had already had enough fun. This ce was the fantasy world he had longed for. The continent of mystery and fantasy. ¡°Hmm. Can I ask you for one thing then?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cain felt a little sorry for giving only expectations but speaking of impossibility. If he asked for money or something, he was willing toply. But what came out of Ketal¡¯s mouth waspletely unexpected. ¡°Could you exin how to use aura¡¯s movements or swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s possible, but it wouldn¡¯t have much meaning, would it? You still can¡¯t handle aura.¡± ¡°I just want to hear it. How the power is used.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Cain nodded reluctantly. * * * Cain didn¡¯t have big thoughts while exining. What he said was nothing more than a very simple theory. It was as uninteresting as a professor teaching history at an academy. Moreover, the listener was a barbarian who thought in terms of strength. Cain thought Ketal would quickly lose interest. But Ketal listened as if every word Cain said was very interesting. ¡°Oh, I see. Controlling aura in that way is the foundation. Interesting. I¡¯ll have to try itter.¡± Finding Ketal¡¯s reaction amusing, Cain continued to exin. And before they knew it, it was already night. A maid who heard about the lord¡¯s orders came to them cautiously. ¡°Uhm, Swordmaster, it¡¯s gettingte¡­¡± ¡°Ah, has it alreadye to that?¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°I originally came here for something. Unexpectedly, I took up a lot of time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Well then, this is farewell. A sense of regret crossed Ketal¡¯s face. Although some expectations were shattered, meeting the Swordmaster was still enjoyable enough. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve learned a lot. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call you my mentor.¡± About aura. About enlightenment. And about controlling it. He learned many things except swordsmanship. ¡°When someone asks who my mentor is, I¡¯ll mention your name. Cain, the Swordmaster.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no need for that¡­¡± This barbarian calling himself a mentor? A being stronger than himself, yet unable to use aura, calling him that? Cain liked to elevate his reputation, but he could be sure. If that barbarian were to call him a mentor and follow him, it would be a noose around his neck. ¡°I-I¡¯d appreciate it if you refrained from that. I haven¡¯t imparted teachings worthy of being called a mentor.¡± ¡°Well¡­ if you put it that way.¡± Don¡¯t respond unless someone asks who your mentor is. Ketal decided that. And seeing Ketal willingly ept it, Cain felt a strange emotion. The barbarians he had met so far were uncontroble. All they desired was alcohol, violence, and death. They refused to ept the concept of trade and obtained what they wanted through plunder. Even the considerable strong ones were no different. That¡¯s why barbarians were excluded from society. But this barbarian was different. This barbarian could be controlled. Such iparable strength in a barbarian like this. Desire gleamed in Cain¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you wish, do you have no intention of settling in this kingdom?¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly as I said. Swear allegiance to the kingdom and receive a position. With your power, you would receive a high position. I¡¯ll be your sponsor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also interesting, but¡­¡± Ketal shook his head. ¡°I decline. I have no desire to be bound by anything.¡± ¡°A position will give you many things. Wealth, women¡­¡± ¡°But I will be bound to the kingdom, right? Unable to act as I please, and have to follow orders. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Cain quickly interjected. If he could put this barbarian in the hands of the kingdom, they might be able to break away from the empire. It was a persuasion filled with such greed. ¡°Even so, you can obtain a noble status. Don¡¯t you find that attractive enough?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cain seemed unwilling to back down. Therefore, seeing him like that, Ketal smiled quietly. ¡°I will y my game.¡± Chilling. A moment of goosebumps. An irresistible will that wasn¡¯t a threat but was simply spoken. Cain slowly nodded. It was the best action he could take. ¡°¡­Is that so? Understood.¡± ¡°Anyway, thank you. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡± ¡°You can think of it as repaying the favor of not taking my life.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll see youter if I have the chance.¡± With a smile, Ketal bid farewell to Cain. Cain walked through the castle with the maid and thought. ¡®I had absurd thoughts.¡¯ Controlling that barbarian? That¡¯s impossible for anyone. That¡¯s a being that acts solely on their own will. They may consider the surroundings and be able to socialize, but that¡¯s it. Within them, there¡¯s only their own thoughts. Since it was impossible to read them, in a sense, they were more unsettling than other barbarians. ¡®The barbarian of the White ins¡­ is that what they are?¡¯ That¡¯s the existence of the Forbidden Lands. Cain sighed deeply. ¡°A conquest of the Forbidden Lands. What on earth is the Emperor thinking?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 23 – Uncharted Dungeon (1) Chapter 23 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 23 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (1) ¡°Well¡­.¡± The lord of Barkan Territory groaned at Cain¡¯s words. ¡°His Majesty wishes for the conquest of the Forbidden Lands¡­.¡± ¡°People are sacrificing their lives in vain under the guise of reconnaissance.¡± Cain flicked his tongue as if he was fed up. The lord asked seriously, ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°It is. To an unstoppable extent. Does His Majesty wish to be the reincarnation of the ancient emperor who once held this world in his hands?¡± Cain shook his head. The emperor who ultimately went to conquer the White Snow ins, only to be defeated and die. That legend was incredibly famous. ¡°The White Snow ins¡­.¡± The barbarian of that ce were here. Cain smiled bitterly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite a story. We haven¡¯t even conquered all the human territories yet. The White Snow ins are thergest and most unknown ce in the Forbidden Lands. There¡¯s still a long way to go. However¡­.¡± ¡°Someday it wille.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This ce is also part of the empire¡¯s territory, so it could be summoned. It¡¯s better to give advance notice.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The lord bowed. Cain leaned back on the couch, seeming troubled. ¡°The world is already strange enough, and the Emperor is half out of his mind. It¡¯s really giving me a headache.¡± ¡°Is the rumor true?¡± ¡°Yes. The movements of demons are starting to be visible one by one. And the cycle of dungeon urrences is unusual. There are rumors that the abnormalities of the Forbidden Lands are leaking out.¡± Something is happening. And it¡¯s not good for humans. Cain came to Barkan Territory to deliver that warning. This was his hometown. Suddenly, Cain smirked as if something had urred to him. ¡°Well, when you think about it, the most bizarre thing is already here.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± The barbarian of the White Snow ins. The human who appeared in the oldest andrgest area of ??the Forbidden Lands, Ketal. He was here. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± The lord spoke honestly. ¡°He¡¯s not a hostile presence to us. But beyond that, we can¡¯t know. What do you think, Cain?¡± ¡°I think simrly. He¡¯s a being who fundamentally knows how to consider others. If left alone, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. But¡­.¡± Cain swallowed his saliva. Theughter Ketal showed at the end still sent shivers down his spine. ¡®Is it amusement?¡¯ He may consider others and follow order, but he¡¯s not a being who will bend his will. ¡°¡­Untouched beasts don¡¯t rampage, do they.¡± Cain muttered. * * * The man, George, was a farmer. It was time to harvest the results of a year¡¯s work. But there was too much for him to do alone. So, he hired mercenaries. Every year, he called mercenaries to help with the harvest. They were noisy and rude, but they got the job done reliably. He never regretted his decision as their price was cheap. But this year, for the first time, George regretted that choice. ¡°Do I have to harvest potatoes?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± George stammered. Bicepsrger than his torso. Muscles that looked like pieces of a statue covered in leather armor. Ketal stood before him. ¡®Ah, a barbarian.¡¯ He had heard rumors. A ridiculouslyrge barbarian was in the territory. But he didn¡¯t think it would be rted to a simple farmer like himself, so he didn¡¯t pay attention. But to receive a request for harvesting, that was unexpected. George trembled as he shuffled his feet. ¡°This way, please.¡± George led Ketal to the potato field. Ketal murmured as he confirmed the size of the potato field. ¡°It¡¯s vast.¡± The area of ??the potato field was considerable. It was sorge that even if he worked all day, he couldn¡¯t dig it all up. George forced a smile and said, ¡°If, if you find it too difficult, you can take a break. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± So far, George had yelled at theining mercenaries to dig the potatoes immediately. It was good to treat the ignorant mercenaries like that. But he couldn¡¯t do that to Ketal. He felt like Ketal would snap his waist if he shouted. Ketal nodded. ¡°No. I¡¯ve been given a task. I should act ordingly.¡± ¡°But still, it¡¯s too vast to dig one by one. Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin as he looked at the potato field. As George watched him nervously, he heard Ketal¡¯s footsteps. Thunk! And then, it sounded like something hit the ground. A loud noise spread. George momentarily thought that an earthquake had urred. However, the range of that earthquake was limited to the potato field. Soil flew in all directions, and potato leaves scattered. George¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°W-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°There. The preparation is done. Now, we just need to harvest.¡± Ketal crouched down and started picking potatoes one by one. And in that sight, George realized. ¡°Huh, what?¡± Harvesting potatoes was quiteborious. As the potatoes were buried deep in the ground, one had to dig through the hard soil and find each potato seed. It was also physically taxing to dig through the tough soil, often causing backaches. But now, as if the potato field had been plowed, all the potatoes were overturned and scattered around. There was no need to dig the soil; just picking up the potatoes as they were would suffice. ¡®What, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ Did that barbarian do this with just a kick? A chill ran down his spine. Cold sweat trickled down his back. While George was harvesting potatoes, Ketal, who had caused this, chuckled. ¡°Are you alright? You don¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯ll help too!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the client, you can leave it to me.¡± ¡°No! No, I insist! I¡¯ll help!¡± George shouted desperately and hastily put the potatoes in the basket. The potato harvest ended at a much faster pace than usual. But George never thought of calling Ketal again. * * * ¡°The task isplete.¡± ¡°Yes. I received the message. You¡¯re still quite fast.¡± Rosa looked at Ketal with an amazed face. Harvesting the potato field usually takes at least two days. Ketal finished it in just two hours. It was still an astonishing speed. ¡°Here¡¯s yourpensation.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled and epted the silver coins. Looking at the task sheet, Rosa opened her mouth. ¡°Are you considering taking on more tasks? You seem to have plenty of time, so you can do as you please.¡± Rosa¡¯s attitude towards Ketal had somewhat be familiar. Ketal had beening to the guild hall every day for a week now. She was gradually getting used to Ketal. Not only her, but other mercenaries had also grown ustomed to this giant presence. Although the bustling guild hall quieted down whenever he appeared, it didn¡¯t fall silent like before. Quiet conversations still went on as long as they didn¡¯t disturb him. Normally, Ketal would have immediately requested another task. But Ketal was just staring quietly at the silver coins in his hand. Rosa was puzzled by his attitude. Soon, Ketal spoke up. ¡°The enemy.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rosa¡¯s heart stopped for a moment. It wasn¡¯t a metaphor; her heartbeat literally paused temporarily. Did this barbarian have some dissatisfaction? She stuttered with a pale face. ¡°Of course, Ketal is an incredibly skilled and remarkable mercenary, but thepensation for this task is set at that level. Of course, I also feel sorry, but even if you¡¯re Ketal, there should be fairness, so increasing the reward for the task¡­.¡± ¡°No. I know that. I¡¯m not saying that.¡± Ketal shook his head. Rosa barely managed to calm her racing heart. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I just need money.¡± ¡°Do you not have enough? I think there¡¯s plenty of flexibility.¡± Although thepensation for the task itself was minimal, Ketal handled an overwhelming number of tasks. At least, it wasn¡¯t enough to cause difort in his life. ¡°No. I have something I need to buy.¡± Ketal suddenly realized. How long should he continue wearing this leather vest? While the vest made from the skin of beasts he killed was undoubtedly excellent, it couldn¡¯t be considered civilized attire. Perhaps people were scared and terrified of him because he didn¡¯t wear proper clothes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Well, even in modern society, who would approach someone who only wore a leather vest? He regretted his foolishness. He had be too ustomed to the values ??of the barbarians after spending too much time with them. Deeply regretting it, he decided to correct his mistake now. He would buy clothes. Ketal moved immediately. He asked a passing citizen about a clothing store. The citizen kindly responded. Ketal expressed his gratitude and headed to the clothing store. Fantasy shopping. It was also a very enjoyable activity. Ketal opened the door to the store with joy. The shop owner shouted for guards with a pale face, but Ketal calmly exined the misunderstanding. Having cleared up the misunderstanding, Ketal looked around the store. It was his first time getting fitted for clothes in the fantasy world. He didn¡¯t want cheap ones. Fortunately, the clothing store was good enough to meet Ketal¡¯s expectations. But there was a problem. The clothes were too small. Ketal¡¯s body was muchrger than that of an average human. He needed custom-made clothes rather than those sold in the store. So, he asked the shop owner about the price. After checking Ketal¡¯s body for a moment, the shop owner cautiously said something. And when Ketal heard the price, he was surprised. He needed more money than he had imagined. With the money he had now, it was simply not enough. He asked if he was being ripped off, but judging by the way the shopkeeper trembled and and sat down, he concluded that wasn¡¯t the case. It simply cost a lot of money to prepare clothes of that size to fit his body. This was the medieval era. Unlike modern times where machines make clothes, custom-made clothes were inevitably expensive. And for someone asrge as Ketal, it would be even more so. Ketal epted this. In any case, the important thing was that he needed money. Listening to Ketal¡¯s exnation, Rosa nodded. ¡°I see¡­ It¡¯s indeed possible that you might be short on money in such cases.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m working hard toplete tasks, it¡¯s difficult to secure enough funds. Is there no other way?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rosa pondered. There was a way to get money. But could she say it? Or not? After some thought, Rosa made up her mind. This barbarian was very sensible and polite. It shouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°There is a way to take on more challenging tasks.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. You know how when you first entered the territory, you formed a party and cleared a dungeon. It¡¯s simr to that.¡± Ketal was still an F-rank mercenary. He couldn¡¯t take on tasks like dungeon exploration. But if it wasn¡¯t just him but a group, then it was a different story. ¡°A minimum of a 4-person party. If you meet that condition, you can receive higher-level tasks. Like dungeon explorations.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. When he first cleared the dungeon, even though it was divided among four people, a considerable amount of money came out of it. Moreover, the fact that he could do dungeon exploration again. Forming a party, performing their respective roles, and clearing unknown dungeons. One of the happiest moments sinceing here was within his reach. Ketal still cherished the happiness of that time. ¡°A 4-person party. I need to form a party.¡± Ketal turned his head. The mercenaries who had been listening quietly startled. They quickly exchanged nces, and then there was the sound of chairs being pushed as they hastily got up. ¡°Uh, sorry, busy. Busy!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to solve the task!¡± The mercenaries rushed out. In an instant, there was no one left in the guild hall except Ketal. Ketal muttered with a disappointed expression. ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s busy.¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± Although there were no mercenaries in the guild hall who were too busy spending the whole day drinking, Rosa didn¡¯t bother to mention it. Sometimes, it was better not to say anything in this world. One reason Rosa hadn¡¯t mentioned this method until now was also for this reason. There wouldn¡¯t be any significant mercenaries willing to form a party with this barbarian. ¡°Is it impossible without a party?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the rule¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a rule, then I¡¯ll follow it. It¡¯s regrettable.¡± Just as Ketal wasmenting and trying to find another way, the door opened. Ketal and Rosa¡¯s gaze turned towards it. ¡°What, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± And Ketal eximed. ¡°Kasan! It¡¯s been a long time!¡± ¡°Hehehe!¡± A thief. Kasan screamed in surprise. * * * Kasan. A thief who cleared the dungeon with him, and hisrade. Ketal strode forward. As he approached the barbarian who had be closer to him, Kasan¡¯s figure seemed even smaller. He patted Kasan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Long time no see! How have you been?¡± ¡°Oh, just¡­ managing, I guess¡­¡± Kasan replied, stumbling over his words. Ketal grinned and replied. ¡°Were you a mercenary too? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Well, Kasan deliberately avoided the time when Ketal would being. Rumors about the huge barbarian had spread throughout the territory, and it was impossible not to know who Ketal was. So Kasan avoided Ketal as much as possible. But eventually, they met like this. Kasan¡¯s face darkened. But his misfortune didn¡¯t end there. As if Ketal had a good idea, he pped his hands. ¡°Right! Perfect timing! Kasan. How about clearing a dungeon with me again?¡± ¡°Uh, me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to do it with someone experienced than someone new! It¡¯s a good idea when I think about it! Let¡¯s form a party together! And conquer the dungeon!¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Kasan tried to say something, but the words wouldn¡¯te out. Ketal grabbed Kasan¡¯s shoulders. Kasan felt momentarily overwhelmed. So, without even realizing it, he found himself nodding. Ketal grinned. ¡°Great! Rosa! We¡¯ve got one person. We just need two more!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s great.¡± Rosa forced a smile. Kasan looked at her with desperate eyes, as if asking for help. Rosa avoided his gaze. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 24 – Uncharted Dungeon (2) Chapter 24 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 24: Uncharted Dungeon (2) In the end, Kasan couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse. Thus, he once again became a member of Ketal¡¯s party. Rosa spoke up as if things were going well. ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, should we call the others who used to party with Ketal?¡± ¡°Oh? Is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re all mercenaries.¡± ¡°I see. I thought they found other jobs since I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡± Kasan vaguely guessed. They probably all avoided the barbarian. It was obvious what would happen if they met again. But their circumstances were none of Rosa¡¯s concern. Ketal was a capable and outstanding mercenary. Moreover, he was considerate and courteous towards her. There had been noints about their missions so far. Initially intimidating, he turned out to be a very likable person as she got to know him. Three F-grade mercenaries. Sacrificialmbs were eptable. Rosa got up from her seat. ¡°Then please wait a moment. I¡¯ll fetch them.¡± And not long after, two familiar faces to Ketal entered through the entrance. Ketal approached them with a bright smile. ¡°Oh oh oh! Alexander! Heize! It¡¯s good to see you again! Wee!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Startled by Ketal¡¯s sudden approach, the two jumped back outside. After a littlemotion, the four gathered in one ce. Ketal was smiling very satisfactorily. He had reunited with oldrades. And once again, they became a party. What more could one ask for in such a situation filled with romance! Ketal was ecstatically happy. And in contrast, the other three had gloomy faces, shaking their heads. Ketal, blinded by happiness, didn¡¯t notice this fact and asked with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How have you all been? I heard you¡¯ve been working as mercenaries, but how¡¯s life been?¡± ¡°¡­Just, solving quests and living modestly.¡± The priest¡¯s words were echoed by the other two. Ketal observed their faces and murmured. ¡°Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good. You seem thinner than when I first saw you.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯re not cut out for mercenary work.¡± The priest scratched her cheek with a sheepish face. Not just her, the others looked the same. They were all misfits, unwee in the group. They couldn¡¯t properly execute missions. They were barely scraping by. Ketal, noticing this, chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This mission will give us some leeway. Of course, the rewards will be distributed equally.¡± Continuing his words, Ketal suddenly remembered something and said calmly. ¡°Oh. Of course, if you have circumstances or don¡¯t feel like it, you can refuse. I won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°To refuse¡­¡± All three shook their heads. Ketal sighed with relief. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. It would¡¯ve been a bit awkward if you refused.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to refuse¡­¡± The priest, Heize, said calmly. It wasn¡¯t because they were afraid to refuse the barbarian¡¯s proposal. There really was no reason to refuse. Looking at it calmly, the barbarian wasn¡¯t violent or rude. He actually showed consideration and respect to them. It was hard to find someone as courteous among mercenaries. He wasn¡¯t someone who would cause trouble. Sure, there were some quirks, which were scary, but it didn¡¯t happen often. Moreover, aligning with a strongman who could defeat a Skeleton Knight in one blow was a stroke of luck. ¡®It¡¯s actually for the best.¡¯ Kasan thought inwardly. For some reason, Ketal held genuine favor toward them. So, it would be better to maintain friendly rtions rather than forcibly distance themselves as they did before. ¡°Great.¡± Ketal grinned satisfactorily. ¡°Then, Rosa. Please make the request.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rosa, as if she had expected this, took out a request form prepared in advance. ¡°There are various requests, but¡­ you¡¯re thinking of something rted to dungeons, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Exploring dungeons was a very enjoyable task. Rosa handed him the request form. ¡°Here. There are requests rted to dungeons. Take your time and choose.¡± ¡°Oho.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. Even at a nce, the request form was not small in quantity. ¡°Can I take a look first? With your permission¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Yes.¡± ¡°As you please¡­¡± Ketal chuckled as he examined the request form. Seeing him like that, the other three withdrew with slightly tired expressions. To like battles that much¡­ Indeed, a barbarian was a barbarian. Ketal carefully examined the requests. Various dungeons caught his eye. The Lizardman¡¯s Dungeon. Trap-focused dungeons. Undead dungeon. Goblin dungeon. They were all diverse and distinctive, and all looked fun. Theughter didn¡¯t stop. He continued to flip through the request form. And then he found something strange. ¡°Hmm? Rosa.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°From here on, the difficulty isn¡¯t indicated?¡± The dungeons were usually measured by difficulty like E-rank, D-rank dungeons, and so on. But the form Ketal was looking at now didn¡¯t have any difficulty levels. Rosa raised her head and made a sound as if she made a mistake. ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t include that. These are uncharted dungeons.¡± ¡°Uncharted dungeons?¡± ¡°Exactly as it sounds. Dungeons where the difficulty hasn¡¯t been confirmed.¡± Dungeons naturally ur near where humans live. Then guards or mercenaries explore the dungeons and roughly check their difficulty. Although they don¡¯t explore deep inside, it was enough to determine the difficulty of the dungeon. But there were dungeons where such measurements weren¡¯t made. There were several reasons for that. There might not be enough manpower to explore the dungeon, or it might be a dungeon that requires certain qualifications to enter. Or it could be a dungeon where you can¡¯t return until you clear it. ¡°Ho.¡± Ketal¡¯s mouth curved up. His party members sensed unease for a moment from his smile. Ketal leisurely examined the uncharted dungeons. Among them, there was a dungeon that caught his eye. ¡°Labyrinth of Infinity? What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Exactly as it sounds. The dungeon itself is a maze.¡± ¡°A maze! Is it really a maze?¡± Ketal was extremely excited. When ites to mazes, the most famous one is the Labyrinth of Minotaur. It was a story from Greek mythology that he had read with great interest. Not only in Greek mythology but also in most fantasy-rted literature, maze-rted content appeared at least once. Ketal also cleared several maze-rted games. Mazes that could only be cleared under certain conditions. Mazes with structures that continuously changed. Mazes where you had to solve riddles to escape. Very diverse and fun mazes. And naturally, he thought to himself. ¡®I want to experience a real maze.¡¯ And the opportunity has alreadye! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal decided right away. ¡°Shall we choose this?¡± ¡°Yes, yes? Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s okay! What¡¯s a maze? Is the dungeon itself implemented as a maze?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s said that when you enter, a being appears. And from that being, you can choose whether or not to take on the challenge of the maze. I don¡¯t know more than that.¡± ¡°No one who took the challenge returned.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°Great. I like this. What do you all think?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Kasan was startled. An uncharted dungeon. And one where no one returned! In essence, it was a suicidal act. Who would want to go to such a ce! Kasan wanted to refuse immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you, of course. We¡¯rerades. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll choose a different dungeon. But I want to go here.¡± Ketal said with sparkling eyes. ¡°Uh, um.¡± Ketal was considerate and courteous to them. As long as things didn¡¯t go wrong, it wasn¡¯t scary. But now things had gone wrong. ¡°Uh, so¡­¡± He wanted to refuse. He didn¡¯t want to go to an uncharted dungeon. But he didn¡¯t want to refuse. It wasn¡¯t scary, but he was afraid. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± In the end, Kasan said with clenched eyes. And prayed. Please let the others refuse. Deep in his heart, he prayed to a god he had never believed in. And a few minutester. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Ketal shouted energetically. The other three followed behind him with faces as if they were going to die. * * * Why couldn¡¯t they refuse? They know it in their heads. Even if they refuse, this barbarian wouldn¡¯t harm them. But even with such reasoning, an inevitable sense of pressure engulfed them. Regardless of the reason, once a choice was made, there was no turning back. Rosa also tried to stop them somehow, but ultimately failed. They had to conquer the maze, the uncharted dungeon, with the barbarian, whether they liked it or not. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± There was an entrance made of bricks a little away from the territory. In front of it, there was a signboard stuck in the ground. [Danger: Uncharted dungeon. No survivors.] ¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± They entered the dungeon with faces of impending doom. As Rosa said, there were no traps or monsters in the dungeon. And that made the party members, except for Ketal, even more uneasy. It seemed to imply that minor risks were unnecessary, as if true despair was waiting, and no one had ever returned. And after how long they walked, they saw it. A single monument. ¡°Is that it?¡± As Ketal approached the monument, a figure appeared. It was a translucent being like a ghost. Ketal felt a slight excitement at the sight. A ghost appeared from a monument. He had directly witnessed somethingmonly found in countless stories. [Are you challengers of the maze?] A low voice echoed. The ghost nced briefly at Ketal, who seemed excited, and then continued its duty silently. [I am the guardian and guide of this dungeon, challengers. Who among you will challenge the uncharted maze, or will you retreat like cowards?] The party members thought Ketal would immediately dere his challenge. That¡¯s how strong his interest in the maze seemed. But instead of nodding, Ketal asked. ¡°What form does the maze take?¡± [I cannot answer.] ¡°Howrge is the maze?¡± [I cannot answer.] ¡°Does the maze deform?¡± [I cannot answer. All answers can be found once you enter the maze.] ¡°Is there no information avable from outside?¡± Ketal stroked his chin. And then, as if making a decision, he nodded. The party members thought Ketal would finally dere his challenge and prepared themselves mentally. But Ketal turned around. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°What?¡± [Are you giving up? That¡¯s fine too.] The ghost said calmly as if it had expected that. Ketal grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, so wait for me.¡± Ketal left the dungeon. Kasan, bewildered, asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to challenge?¡± ¡°What are you talking about.¡± Rather, Ketal looked at Kasan with eyes that seemed to say he couldn¡¯t understand. With that look, Kasan felt a strange emotion. It was as if he looked like a fool. ¡°For now, I came to gather information. Since it¡¯s a maze, we need to prepare thoroughly.¡± ¡°P-prepare?¡± Ketal went straight to a grocery store when he returned to the territory. ¡°Can we buy dried food? It would be good if it couldst for at least a month.¡± ¡°And please give me some alcohol. Water may spoil, but alcohol doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh. And fresh fruit if you have it.¡± He purchased all sorts of groceries. Most of them were longsting preserved foods. He even bought a simple sleeping bag and a long rope. He bought everything he could prepare. Kasan, who was following him absent-mindedly, suddenly snapped out of it. ¡°W-what are you doing right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s preparation for conquering the maze.¡± Ketal said as if it were obvious. ¡°Since we don¡¯t know what form the maze is or howrge it is, the only thing certain is that no one has ever returned.¡± A maze of considerable difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s likely to take a considerable amount of time to clear. So, shouldn¡¯t we prepare for that?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Listening quietly, it seemed like the right thing to do. When challenging something with no information, thorough preparation was the answer. ¡®¡­But you¡¯re a barbarian!¡¯ He even received a lecture to prepare thoroughly from the barbarian. Kasan¡¯s head was spinning even more. ¡®No. Wait a minute, then.¡¯ Ketal wasn¡¯t simply fascinated by the idea of a maze and recklessly charging forward against their thoughts. He was aware that it was a dungeon with no information avable, with a high probability of never being able to return. ¡®¡­So you¡¯re challenging it at the risk of your life?¡¯ Isn¡¯t that even crazier? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 25 – Uncharted Dungeon (3) Chapter 25 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 25 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (3) Kasan revised his evaluation of the Barbarian. Despite his appearance, he was sensible, but in some aspects, he was just downright crazy. Ketal continued to prepare. He shopped for about an hour and even bought expensive ropes. ¡°It¡¯s expensive, but it¡¯s cheaper than the cost of our lives. This should suffice.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± The priest¡¯s face showed signs of exhaustion. After being dragged around for about an hour, it was understandable. Ketal picked up the purchased items. T he thing wasrger than a person¡¯s torso and felt as light as a balloon filled with air. ¡°All preparations areplete. Let¡¯s proceed.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± They returned to the dungeon. The ghost, appearing once again, spoke in a slightly bewildered tone. [You¡¯ve returned. ¡­And you¡¯ve prepared diligently.] ¡°No one has returned from the maze. It¡¯s not bad to be thorough in your preparations.¡± [Is that so?] That¡¯s not barbarian like The ghost¡¯s gaze held such emotions. The party silently empathized. [It doesn¡¯t matter. So, will you challenge the maze, or retreat once again?] ¡°We¡¯ll challenge it,¡± Ketal said. The other party members also quietly agreed. ¡°We ept.¡± ¡°Darn it. We¡¯ll challenge it.¡± ¡°We will challenge it.¡± [Very well.] Swish! The ghost waved its hand in approval. The dungeon began to emit strange sounds and started to warp. [Come forth. To the Finite Maze. If you seed in conquering the maze, you shall be rewarded with everything it holds.] ¡°Are those words true?¡± Ketal revealed his skepticism. For a moment, the ghost got shivers down his spine, but he chose to ignore it and continued with his task. ng! A loud noise erupted. The dungeon began to copse. No, it wasn¡¯t a copse; it was more like the illusionary facade was finally revealing its true form. Walls opened up, and the floor disappeared. The scene resembled the world crumbling down, sending the party into a panic. And Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Ho ho!¡± The dungeon transformed. Its structure melded and shifted with magic, turning into a fantastical scene. Ketal focused intently, not missing a single detail of the change. Everything crumbled. The party either covered their heads or hastily moved to ces that hadn¡¯t copsed yet. Only Ketal remained, standing alone. It was a sight seemingly detached from the world. The ghost stared nkly at the scene for a moment. And then, all the transformations ceased. In an instant, the world expanded, and they found themselves in the maze. ¡°This is it.¡± This was the maze. Ketalughed in satisfaction, while the party members, feeling the solid ground beneath them, sighed in relief. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I-I think I¡¯m feeling nauseous¡­¡± The world¡¯s transformation had caused the ground to shake momentarily, inducing nausea. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯ll feel better if I rest for a bit.¡± ¡°Rest. I¡¯ll scout the surroundings.¡± Ketal nced around. Smooth iron wallspletely enclosed them on both sides. The gap between the walls was approximately 5 meters, enough space to move without much trouble. The ceiling was about 10 meters high. Dim torches, barely illuminating the darkness, served asndmarks. ¡®A maze.¡¯ A typical maze. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. A maze. He had arrived at a maze. He struggled to contain hisughter. A maze, a maze¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Damn it. If the ground was going to copse, they should have warned us.¡± The party members checked their surroundings, their faces pale with despair and fear. The priest¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Oh, no¡­ That thing.¡± The faces of the other party members, as they followed her gaze, turned equally pale. There was a corpse there. How long had it been? It was a perfect skeleton with not a shred of flesh left. On the ground, there was a single word. {Abandon hope.} ¡°Ugh¡­¡± They felt as if it was showing them their future. The party members were terrified. But only Ketal approached the corpse with a nonchnt expression. After inspecting the corpse, he said. ¡°It¡¯s a fake.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If it had turned into a skeleton, it would mean the body has been there for at least a few months. If this ce is as sealed as it seems, it could have been here much longer. Has this dungeon been around that long? And where are the clothes?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did they realize. The skeleton was not wearing any clothes. The warrior cautiously opened its mouth. ¡°There¡¯s a possibility it stripped in despair at its final moments¡­¡± ¡°In that case, the clothes should be somewhere nearby. And since the floor here is made of iron, it must have had a weapon to scratch the message.¡± As Ketal continued to examine the corpse, he kept speaking. ¡°And the skeleton is too clean. There are no signs of broken bones or gold coating. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s a model.¡± The priest murmured as she realized what Ketal meant. ¡°¡­Is this some kind of device to scare us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s highly likely. Well, no need to worry. Nevertheless, if it really is a corpse, let¡¯s offer our condolences.¡± Ketal closed his eyes as if in prayer. At that moment, the party members realized once again what kind of person Ketal was. This Barbarian was strong, but not ignorant. He could calmly assess situations and see through things to their core. With him, they could escape even a maze. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Their despair began to slowly fade away. ¡°¡­Facing life-threatening situations has happened many times during our missions. There¡¯s nothing new about it now.¡± They were mercenaries, adventurers who roamed the world. As the warrior said, they had faced life-threatening situations many times before. ¡°Even if we get teleported into the abyss, we can survive as long as we keep our wits about us. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Is that amon saying here?¡± Ketal murmured as if it were funny. As the warrior began to slowly explore the maze, the priest eximed in panic. ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just move around recklessly!¡± ¡°Uh, huh?¡± The warrior abruptly stopped, turning around with a puzzled expression. ¡°This is a maze. Since we don¡¯t know what kind it is, we need to ascertain itsyout first!¡± ¡°R-right. My mistake.¡± The warrior returned hesitantly. Normally, the thief would have mocked him for his actions, but not now. If the warrior hadn¡¯t moved, the thief would have been the first to do so. The party members began to survey the area within their line of sight. Ketal also inspected the walls. ¡®Solid.¡¯ The iron walls were as sturdy as they appeared. As he tapped on them, a solid sound echoed, indicating their considerable thickness. Ketal closed his eyes and expanded his senses. Many pieces of information beyond his line of sight were felt by his senses. Despite expanding his senses considerably, he couldn¡¯t see an exit. ¡®It¡¯s vast.¡¯ He withdrew his extended senses. It would take quite some time to confirm it by walking normally. A space of this size, made within such a small dungeon. ¡®Is this also the power of magic?¡¯ What is a dungeon? What lies at its end? He felt a surge of curiosity. Amidst this, the party members discovered some writing on the wall. ¡°K-Ketal,e see this.¡± ¡°Oh? An exnation?¡± Ketal looked at the wall with interest. [1. This maze is finite.] [2. This ce is the center of the maze.] [3. This maze is in the shape of a square.] [4. This maze consists of one floor.] [5. The exit of this maze exists at the edge.] [6. There is no time limit.] [7. There are no riddles or special methods to escape the maze.] [8. This maze does not change.] [9. There are no elements in this maze that directly threaten adventurers.] ¡°R-really a maze.¡± They painstakingly deciphered each word in an attempt to gain some information. The priest muttered. ¡°S-so, this is the center of the maze, and the exit is at the edge? It¡¯s not a multi-story structure.¡± They racked their brains, trying to figure out any hints they could gather. But in the end, they gave up. The warrior spoke up. ¡°¡­This is too little information.¡± ¡°I wish there were more hints at least¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t this enough?¡± And amidst their murmurs, Ketal intervened. He looked at the party members with a puzzled expression. ¡°¡­Is this not enough?¡± ¡°Based on the writings here, this maze doesn¡¯t change, and there are no riddles or special methods. It means it¡¯s a very typical maze.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then, it means we just have to use conventional methods to conquer the maze. No need to overthink it.¡± ¡°Conventional¡­ methods?¡± What are conventional methods? They were just simple, ignorant mercenaries. They didn¡¯t know how to tackle a maze. But suddenly, the priest seemed to have a realization. ¡°I¡­ I know.¡± ¡°What? You do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned about this before.¡± She was a priest. A woman who had received education in the teachings of God. As she was about to embark on her mission, she received substantial education. Among them, there were stories about mazes. She hesitantly ced her hand on the iron wall. ¡°You just have to move along the maze walls like this.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the method? I don¡¯t understand.¡± The warrior and the thief had faces of iprehension. Merely cing a hand on the wall was the method? It didn¡¯t make sense to them logically. But Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°Left-hand rule and right-hand rule?¡± ¡°Oh, you know about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a very difficult concept.¡± No, it wasn¡¯t. When the priest first heard about it, she couldn¡¯t understand it properly and spent hours agonizing over it. Yet this Barbarian seemed to understand it perfectly. After a brief surprise, the priest cleared her throat and began to exin. ¡°Think about it. The shape of the maze is ultimately connected.¡± ¡°Connected¡­?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± It was hard to exin verbally, so the priest picked up a dagger. She was nning to draw the shape of the maze on the ground. But clink! ¡°Huh, what?¡± However, the iron floor didn¡¯t even scratch under the dagger. Despite several attempts, it remained intact. Watching quietly, Ketal picked up an axe. ¡°Let me try.¡± ¡°Oh, please. The shape¡­¡± The priest was about to say more, but Ketal started drawing on the floor with the axe. Unlike her dagger, where the axe met the ground, it started to split smoothly like y. ¡°I-I should exin how to draw it¡­¡± The priest¡¯s voice gradually faded. The shape of the maze was drawn from the end of Ketal¡¯s axe. It was a truly typical maze. There were no contradictions, and the structure was neat. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 26 – Uncharted Dungeon (4) Chapter 26 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 26 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (4) ¡®How¡­?¡¯ The priest was astounded. In a way, a typical maze was one of the most difficult things to create. Any form of maze could be made by even a three-year-old child. However, within ity all sorts of contradictions and distortions. The term ¡°canonical¡± implied a defined structure and rules. It had to be followed and understood to create, and toprehend those structures and rules, one needed sufficient education. Understanding the structure of the maze required studying space, which was a considerable higher education. It was something a barbarian couldn¡¯t possibly learn. But this was¡­ ¡°Have you ever received any education about mazes?¡± The barbarian probably hadn¡¯t received such an education. However, the situation made such a question necessary. Ketal shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t received such education explicitly.¡± What he knew about mazes was something he had discovered for himself rather than learned. Above all, it was somewhat ambiguous to exin since it was a matter of a different dimension. However, that question further astounded the priest. ¡°Um, well¡­.¡± ¡°Is drawing a maze such a remarkable feat?¡± The warrior had a puzzled expression. The thief¡¯s face wasn¡¯t much different. Drawing this ordinary maze seemed like something anyone could do at a nce. However, as someone who had studied the concept, the priest couldn¡¯t say such a thing. She knew how manyws were involved in such a simple thing. Until she and her sisters who were studying together had practiced, she hadn¡¯t been able to draw a maze properly. Yet this barbarian had grasped the concept perfectly with just listening and thinking. ¡®A genius?¡¯ Was this barbarian, beyond her realm ofmon sense, a genius? Barbarian and genius. The priest¡¯s head spun with the two words that seemed impossible to reconcile. But, that¡¯s not important right now. What¡¯s important is whether they can break through this maze or not. If the barbarian understands the concept, it would help with the escape. The priest quickly changed her thinking. ¡°Anyway, look at the form in front of you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The thief and the warrior looked at the maze drawn with an axe with serious eyes. The priest pointed her thin finger at the center of the maze. ¡°Let¡¯s assume we¡¯re here. And we move by touching this left wall.¡± At first, the thief and warrior watched uncertainly, but as the priest¡¯s finger moved, their astonishment grew. The finger touching the wall moved and moved, exploring the entire maze. ¡°This¡­!¡± ¡°All the walls of the maze are connected. If you keep touching either left or right, you¡¯ll eventually reach an end.¡± The thief and warrior were amazed. Such a simple solution existed! The priest quietly continued. ¡°This maze is said to be a typical form of a maze. So it shouldn¡¯t be much different from this maze. In other words¡­.¡± ¡°If we keep moving by touching one wall, we can escape someday?¡± ¡°The possibility is high. And Ketal has prepared plenty of provisions.¡± At least a month. If rationed properly, they could endure even longer. That was enough. Excitement appeared on the faces of the thief and the warrior. ¡°We can escape!¡± ¡°All right! I never imagined there would be such a way! It¡¯s beyond my wildest dreams!¡± They were jubnt. In their minds, they had already escaped. The priest wasn¡¯t much different. She wasn¡¯t afraid of a typical maze. But only Ketal wore a vague expression. ¡°I wonder if it will be that easy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. You have to try everything to know. So, it¡¯s best to move right away.¡± ¡°Yes. Since provisions are limited.¡± With the priest leading the way, they ced their hands on the wall and moved forward. It was somewhat ridiculous to see four people walking as if in a queue with their hands against the wall, but no oneughed. They applied strong pressure to the hands touching the wall, as if they would fall into an irretrievable hell if they let go. In the silence and stillness, they reached the first intersection. ¡°What, what should we do?¡± ¡°Nothing changes. Just keep going in the direction you¡¯re touching.¡± The priest said briefly. They continued on. Several more intersections appeared, but they never let go of the touching hands. As they continued on, Ketal muttered with interest. ¡°There are torches at each intersection.¡± ¡°What?¡± There were torches at regr intervals in the maze. Thinking they were for illuminating the darkness, the priest didn¡¯t pay much attention. However, Ketal was looking at the torches as if they were interesting. The reason intrigued her, but for now, moving forward was more important. They continued to advance. Losing track of time, they forgot how far they had gone. They felt like their breath would burst in tension. Eventually, they arrived at their destination: the initial location with the skeletal remains. ¡°Huh?¡± They had arrived back where they started. They had ced their hands on the wall and gone around in a circle. It was evident that something was wrong, even to the thief and the warrior who didn¡¯t properly understand the concept. ¡°Hey, Heize? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Um, uh, uh, uh?¡± But the priest was even more bewildered. Why! Surely, if they moved by touching the wall, they shouldn¡¯t return to the same ce! ¡°It seems it¡¯s not as simple as that.¡± Only Ketal had a face that expected such an oue. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. It¡¯s just that the structure of the maze is a bit different.¡± Ketal drew the maze on the ground again. The structure was simr to the one drawn before, but upon closer inspection, it was different. ¡°The maze I drew had all the walls connected. But what if there were inner walls that didn¡¯t connect to the outer wall?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The priest¡¯s face turned pale. Ketal raised a finger and moved along one wall of the maze. It endlessly circled, returning to the same spot. ¡°The method you mentioned for escape is undoubtedly possible, but it won¡¯t work in this case.¡± ¡°That¡­ I never imagined the existence of inner walls. It¡¯s not something I learned.¡± The faces of the thief and the warrior, who had realized that the escape method was useless, also turned pale. ¡°What should we do then?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know! This is the only thing I learned!¡± For a moment, there was confusion, but the conclusion was clear. The only escape method didn¡¯t work in this maze. They couldn¡¯t escape from the maze. Hope turned into despair. They sank down with nk faces. In the midst of despair and the terror of death, only Ketal had an interested face. ¡°Is this kind of maze. Well, if solving it with just left-hand or right-hand methods were possible, it would be too easy.¡± At those words, the priest felt a bit choked up. The barbarian was scary indeed, but their lives were already at stake. That¡¯s why she could be aggressive. ¡°Is it really okay to say it¡¯s that easy? The only escape route is blocked. We¡¯ll all die like this.¡± Of course, even if she became aggressive, objectively speaking, it was just a voice of despair, but still. ¡°Hmm? What are you talking about?¡± But Ketal¡¯s face was rather iprehensible. ¡°There is a way to escape.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Is that true?¡± The despairing thief quickly got up. Ketal nodded calmly. ¡°There is. It¡¯s a more reliable method than groping around.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us if such a thing existed?¡± Ketal replied lightly. ¡°It¡¯s my first time actually using the left-hand rule and the right-hand rule. I wanted to try it out. It was fun.¡± He had the information that he could escape the maze, but he had never used it in practice. There were no mazes in the modern world. So he wanted to try it out himself. He confirmed even that fact. It was very satisfying. ¡°¡­You went through all that trouble for fun?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. It was a very happy smile. The party, including the priest, was perplexed. But deep down in their hearts, they understood. This barbarian was someone who prioritized satisfying his curiosity. She had already realized that after two party ys. What was more important was knowing the escape method. ¡°What, what? I don¡¯t know about this situation¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm. Don¡¯t you know?¡± Ketal stroked his chin. He knew about the left-hand and right-hand methods, but not about this. After all, the era when he came up with it in theory was the 1800s. Although the maze had existed as a myth for a long time, many escape methods were rtively recent creations. Originally,ws and concepts seemed very simple, but it took a considerable amount of time for them to be formalized as theories. ¡°Well¡­ You can escape with that method, but it seems it will take quite a long time.¡± The maze was quiterge. It would take a significant amount of time with his method. It was possible, but there was no need to use such a method. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough fun. So, let¡¯s go with the fastest method.¡± Ketal raised his fist. They instinctively understood and fled. Crash! A deafening noise erupted. Broken fragments scattered in all directions. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The party members screamed, shielding their bodies. After a moment, as the dust settled, they looked up to see a shocking sight. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Despite being fired with a cannon, the thick walls, sturdy enough to withstand any shaking, had flown away, leaving no trace on the floor. Ketal said cheerfully. ¡°This is the fastest way.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I guess so¡­.¡± The priest said with a tired expression. * * * The exit of the maze. In that ce untouched by anyone, there was a ghost. Behind it, there was arge treasure chest. Judging by its size, it was clearly not a minor reward. But the fruit at a height unreachable by anyone was meaningless. Since this dungeon was created, no one had ever conquered the maze. The ghost sighed deeply. [I don¡¯t know who created me, but I wish they had ced me in a more suitable location.] The ghost didn¡¯t know where this was. Bound to the dungeon, it couldn¡¯t know whaty outside. But it could roughly gauge the level of those who visited the dungeon. Simple and foolish individuals. Only those whocked intelligence and reason, seeking instant wealth, came here. None of them had the qualifications to conquer this maze. Oh, how tragic. When would someone appear who could navigate this maze? The purpose of its existence was to praise and reward those who navigated it. That was its only purpose. When would that goal be achieved? It couldn¡¯t even guess. [¡­Recently, adventurers havee.] A barbarian, a thief, a priest, and a warrior. They were amonbination. They didn¡¯t seem to possess any special traits. But that barbarian was somewhat peculiar. What should it be called? They seemed different from the foolish ones who came here. But ultimately, they were still a barbarian. They probably didn¡¯t possess the intelligence to conquer this maze. The ghost gave up hope. Mmmm¡­ At that moment, a deafening noise rang out. It was very distant, but it was loud enough to be undeniable. Only then did the ghost realize that something was approaching. And that something was most likely the adventurers. ]Wait.] They hadn¡¯t been in the maze for long. Yet they had already found the exit? It couldn¡¯t be. It was impossible. It didn¡¯t make sense logically. Even if it were the detection magic of an Archmage or the sensing ability of a Swordmaster, detecting the exit was impossible. The maze was of a considerable size. No. It was possible. Hero sses could do it, right? Although bound to the dungeon, the ghost knew roughly about the world. It had known since it existed as a ghost. Hero sses were monsters. Even this vast maze could be fully detected by them. However, even hero sses couldn¡¯t possibly navigate the maze so soon. Detection and navigation were separate issues. But the growing noise had somehow reached the vicinity. And then, the ghost, finally realizing the nature of the noise, panicked. [What the hell!] It couldn¡¯t be! Even if it were a Hero ss! It was impossible! Because it was aw. It was the concept of the unbreakable world itself. So it couldn¡¯t be possible. Crash! That denial shattered in an instant. The door guarding the exit was smashed to pieces. Shards flew in all directions. Beyond the copsed door, white fangs were visible. ¡°Oh. We¡¯ve arrived.¡± The barbarian stepped out of the maze. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 27 – Uncharted Dungeon (5) Chapter 27 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 27 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (5) ¡°Nice to meet you again.¡± Ketal grinned slyly. The ghost couldn¡¯t say anything and just stared nkly at Ketal. Then, several footsteps could be heard. Soon, three figures appeared. ¡°Oh, oh, Ketal, you¡¯re too fast.¡± ¡°I moved slowly enough. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­.¡± The panting figures looked up. A spacious room. In the center, a ghost and a treasure chest. They realized that this was the end of the maze, and their faces turned pale. Ketal spoke slowly. ¡°This must be the end of the maze, right? We¡¯ve cleared the maze, ghost.¡± [¡­You.] Only then did the ghost speak. With a trembling tone that seemed unshaken by the shock, it asked. [What did you do?] He actually knew. But he had to ask anyway. Ketal replied lightly. ¡°I broke the walls. Knowing that the exit was on the edge, it was a one in four chance. I didn¡¯t expect to seed though.¡± Ketal proudly boasted with a smirk. ¡°The strategy for the maze. There are various methods, but the most rational one is simply breaking the walls.¡± The maze is a space consisting of square sections blocked by walls. So, if there are no answers, finding a way through the maze is very simple. Therefore, break the walls. Do not keep the maze in the form of a maze. ¡°It¡¯s a simple but surefire solution.¡± ¡°Oh wow¡­.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­.¡± The priest, the warrior, and the thief marveled. They thought it was a rational method and were amazed at the barbarian¡¯s excellent abilities and judgment. And the ghost wanted to scream in disbelief. ¡®That can¡¯t be possible!¡¯ Some adventurers had thought about breaking the walls of the maze. But they all failed. The reason is simple. Because the maze is not designed to allow such a strategy. [¡­You¡¯re saying something impossible. The walls of the maze cannot be broken. It¡¯s because it¡¯s governed byws.] ¡°Was that the intended meaning?¡± Ketal murmured as if guessing. The inscriptions containing information about the maze. There was one sentence there. [8. This maze does not change.] What is the standard for change? Does it mean that the shape of the maze does not change, or does it block external intervention as well? Judging by the ghost¡¯s words, it seemed to be thetter. ¡°It was too easy to leave traces on the floor of the maze, so I thought it wasn¡¯t true. But it seems to be correct. But the walls were broken. Aren¡¯t you mistaken?¡± [No. No. I don¡¯t make mistakes. The walls of the maze do not change.] ¡°But they were broken.¡± Ketal shrugged as if guessing. The ghost was speechless. It is aw and a concept. No one can escape it. But in reality, the barbarian broke the wall and came here. Ketal said lightly. ¡°So I broke thew. Originally, breaking the wall was supposed to be impossible. Well, I didn¡¯t know it would seed.¡± Ketalughed, and the ghost countered. [No. No. Breaking thew is impossible.] ¡°Why?¡± [Because that¡¯s thew of the dungeon. Even if one is strong, they cannot break it.] Ketal smiled intriguingly at the ghost¡¯s words. ¡°Thew of the dungeon cannot be broken. How can you be so sure?¡± [It¡¯s simple. Because it¡¯s thew.] ¡°I¡¯m not talking about knowledge, I¡¯m asking about experience. You¡¯re a ghost. Aren¡¯t you the one bound to this dungeon?¡± [¡­That¡¯s right.] The ghost is bound to this dungeon. He knows nothing about the outside world. ¡°In the end, what you know and have experienced is just about this small¡­ It¡¯s too much to say this whole dungeon. You don¡¯t know about other dungeons, and you don¡¯t know about the world¡¯s strongest ones. How can you be so sure?¡± Because it¡¯s thew. It¡¯s a concept that no one can break. But the barbarian wasn¡¯t asking about breaking that concept. It was a question of whether he had truly confirmed that the concept couldn¡¯t be broken. The ghost couldn¡¯t answer that either. He was just reciting the information that had been in his head since he was born. The outside world of the maze, he knows nothing about it. Can a truly strong person break thew? ¡­It¡¯s not known. Because all he knows is the information he received when the maze was created. Birds fly in the sky. Fish live in the water. The ghost knows that, but he has never seen it with his own eyes. [¡­I cannot be certain.] In the end, the ghost had no choice but to utter those words. Ketal, as if finding the ghost¡¯s agony interesting, stroked his chin. ¡°You¡¯re saying interesting things.¡± A ghost bound to a dungeon talked about the outside world. Although there was incorrect information that the maze couldn¡¯t be broken, it was a quite detailed story. It meant that someone had given the information to the ghost. Ketal¡¯s interest soared rapidly. The ghost, having finished organizing, spoke. [Fine. You sessfully broke through the maze and reached the exit. I¡¯ll admit that.] ¡°Oh wow!¡± [But I cannot provide a reward.] The party members, who were cheering, froze. The ghost said calmly. [Although you reached the exit, the method you used didn¡¯t follow the rules of the maze. I clearly said that if you seed in the strategy, I¡¯ll give you a reward.] It was impossible to im sess if they cleared it by unconventional means. So, there¡¯s no reward. Despair lingered on the faces of the party members. They almost died, but couldn¡¯t take anything with them? But only Ketal¡¯s face seemed to have expected that. ¡°So, if one knows the strategy ording to the rules, can they receive a reward?¡± [What?] ¡°In reality, it may not be feasible. Since the maze is already destroyed. But if, ording to your judgment, the strategy follows the rules of the maze, is it possible?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [¡­It is possible.] The ghost, who had been pondering the meaning of the words for a moment, replied. They had already reached the exit of the maze. If they could pass through the maze with the strategy they were talking about now, it could be considered a sessful strategy. But does the brute barbarian, who broke the wall, know the strategy of the maze? The ghost didn¡¯t believe it. He looked at Ketal as if asking him to say something. So when Ketal¡¯s mouth opened, the ghost paused. ¡°There were torches in the maze.¡± Torches were present at regr intervals. They helped navigate the dark maze. ¡°There were torches at regr intervals. But there was a ce where that rule was broken. It was at the junctions.¡± As if torches had to be present only at the junctions, there was one torch in every direction at each junction. ¡°So it¡¯s simple. Turn off the torches in the direction you came from and the direction you¡¯re going at the junction. That¡¯s the strategy.¡± [¡­¡­.] The ghost couldn¡¯t say anything. But it could clearly feel a sense of shock. Ironically, the priest, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head. ¡°Is that the strategy?¡± It didn¡¯t make sense. Just turning off torches was all there was to it. It was too simplepared to theplex and difficult strategies of the maze. Ketal replied. ¡°After all, a maze is about finding the one correct route among many routes.¡± If there are a hundred routes in the maze, only one of them is correct. The rest are all wrong. ¡°So it¡¯s simple. The moment I enter that route, I leave a trace that I entered it. If that route is wrong, the trace will soon be made by excluding the route.¡± ¡°Um, hhmmm?¡± The priest still didn¡¯t understand. Ketal shrugged lightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to think too hard about it. Just think of it as filling up a blocked path. That¡¯s what the torches are for. Instead of torches, it could be straw or breadcrumbs. But in that case, it would require quite a lot of resources.¡± ¡°Um, um.¡± The priest shook her head. The answer wasn¡¯ting easily, and she groaned in frustration for a while. And after a while, a slow amazement spread across her face. ¡°¡­It¡¯s possible.¡± If Ketal¡¯s method was followed, one could escape even a maze with inner walls. It was truly a simple yet astonishing idea. The priest stammered, ¡°H-how¡­¡± ¡°Out of interest.¡± Ketal said lightly, but the priest couldn¡¯t ept it like that. What Ketal had just said was establishing a theory for the countless attempts at conquering the maze. For a maze of this form, Ketal¡¯s method could conquer them all. It didn¡¯t require much investment. Just leaving a very small trace at the junctions was enough. It was incredibly simple, but it wasn¡¯t a theory that could be easily conceived. In fact, even after hearing it from Ketal, she realized it only after much contemtion. The thief and the warrior still seemed perplexed, not understanding. ¡®This barbarian¡­¡¯ Was a genius. With an ambiguous smile at that thought, Ketal guessed what the priest was thinking, but it was aplete misunderstanding. He wasn¡¯t a genius. He just knew and learned a lot. What he had just mentioned was the Tr¨¦maux algorithm. It was a theory of maze exploration established in 1800. Exploring the maze while dragging a thread. It was a theory that established maze conquering methods like dropping breadcrumbs. He only knew that fact. He knew many things they didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t because he was exceptional. It was because he was a modern person. He learned of the myriad of stories umted by millions of people. The countless conspiracies and stratagems hidden in thousands of years of history that might not have been known to people. The many concepts andws created by outstanding geniuses, and the rules that organized them so even ordinary people could understand. He knew and learned a lot. It was something he naturally knew as a modern person. The sharing of knowledge was rtively recent. But since he couldn¡¯t say that fact, Ketal just smiled. The ghost was deep in thought. Could the maze be conquered with Ketal¡¯s method? The answer came immediately. Yes, it could. It might take a considerable amount of time due to the maze¡¯s vastness, but they would eventually reach the correct answer. That¡¯s how the maze was designed. In the end, the ghost had to admit it. This barbarian could conquer the maze. [¡­Very well.] Positive words came from the ghost¡¯s mouth. Hope shone on their faces. [You spoke of a method to conquer the maze. And it¡¯s clearly possible. You have seeded in conquering the maze.] ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± [Challengers. You have excellently seeded in conquering this dreadful maze. You are the first andst challengers to conquer this ce.] The ghost dered. [Enjoy the reward worthy of that.] As those words ended, the treasure chest opened wide, frighteningly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 28 – Uncharted Dungeon (6) Chapter 28 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 28 ¨C Uncharted Dungeon (6) ¡°Oh, oh oh oh!¡± The party members screamed with excitement as they rushed forward. They examined the contents of the box closely, then screamed in disbelief. ¡°Unbelievable! Gold! Real gold!¡± Inside the box were significant amounts of gold coins, numerous silver coins, decorative items brimming with artistic value, and small gemstones. ¡°Haha, hoho!¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Even the priest, who shouldn¡¯t harbor greed for wealth, couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. It was a substantial amount. The thief added more. They rummaged through the wealth, which was difficult to calcte due to its sheer quantity. ¡°Ho.¡± Ketal also approached the box with an interested expression. He picked up one gold coin and flicked it. The gold coin, spinning through the air,nded in Ketal¡¯s hand. ¡°Kasan. How much is this amount worth?¡± ¡°I, I can¡¯t calcte it right away! Unbelievable! Such a reward!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Judging from their reactions, it seemed to be an overwhelming amount. Of course, the material reward was of interest, but there was something else they were more interested in. ¡°What should I call you?¡± [You can call me whatever you want. Administrator or ghost, as you wish.] ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you a ghost. Is this all the reward?¡± [For now, yes. Do you have something else you want?] ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. I just have a few questions.¡± [¡­Questions?] The ghost seemed a bit taken aback. An adventurer who cleared the dungeon wants something other than gold and treasures. However, after regainingposure, the ghost spoke calmly. [Clearing the maze grants everything in this ce as a reward. Ask any questions you want. I¡¯ll answer what I can.] ¡°That¡¯s a generous offer.¡± Ketal chuckled. ¡°When this maze is cleared, what happens to you?¡± [I disappear.] The ghost replied casually. [I am the administrator of the maze. Once the maze is conquered, my existence bes meaningless. I will vanish along with the maze. That¡¯s the end of it.] ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal stroked his chin, his thin eyes focused on the ghost. The ghost was intelligent. Not much different from a human. For such an intelligent being to be merely a tool for the maze was surprising. After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Ketal asked, ¡°Were you born with the dungeon?¡± [Yes.] ¡°As the administrator of the dungeon, you can¡¯t leave the dungeon.¡± [That¡¯s correct.] ¡°But that¡¯s strange. You said even if you were a hero, you couldn¡¯t break thews of the maze.¡± It was something that couldn¡¯t be said without knowing external information. The ghost exined calmly. [I know roughly about external information. I¡¯ve known since I existed as myself.] ¡°So, the one who made you knows the basic concepts and ideas of this world. You¡¯re aware of the information.¡± [That seems to be the case.] The ghost was momentarily surprised. It had never thought about the one who made it. Ketal looked at the ghost with interest. ¡°Who could be the one who made you?¡± The one who made such an intelligent being just a dungeon administrator. One who knows about external information. Perhaps that existence would be involved with all the dungeons in this world. ¡°I¡¯m full of curiosity.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. This world truly delighted him. Dungeon cleared. They returned to the guild hall with the rewards. Mercenaries and receptionists were astonished. Rumors spread quickly about Ketal¡¯s departure to the unidentified dungeon. Most of them thought they wouldn¡¯t see Ketal anymore. That was the weight contained in the word ¡°unidentified dungeon.¡± Especially since the unidentified dungeon Ketal aimed for was an unknown dungeon that had existed for over decades, where no one had returned from. But Ketal returned. With countless rewards announcing the dungeon clearance. Rosa stumbled as she examined the wealth before her. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s amazing. With this quantity and quality¡­.¡± It took considerable time just to confirm. During that time, Rosa learned about the unidentified dungeon from Ketal. The information about the unidentified dungeon itself was extremely valuable. Rosa, who heard the rough information about the dungeon from Ketal, nodded her head. ¡°Is that so¡­ From what you¡¯ve said, it seems like a conventional form. Then¡­ even reaching first-ss level should make clearing possible, right? It seems like an A-rank level dungeon.¡± ¡°Are there beings with self-awareness starting from A-rank?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare, but it¡¯s not unheard of. As you mentioned, they asionally appear in A-rank dungeons or higher. However, they¡¯re still very rare.¡± Listening to Ketal¡¯s words, it seemed like a very conventional form of dungeon. Top-tier individuals with extraordinary strength could use their skills to detect a wide range of areas and swiftly conquer the maze. The problemy in not providing information, but with enough preparation, it seemed possible to clear it at the top tier. But there was a problem. ¡°You said you could destroy the maze walls? That¡¯s a bit concerning¡­.¡± That part was ambiguous. If you could break the maze walls, even a top-tier dungeon would be possible to conquer. But if that was blocked, the difficulty would increase sharply. If the ghost¡¯s words were true, then maze transformation was impossible. Wall destruction was also included in that. But Ketal imed to have broken the walls and conquered them. ¡°There was no problem with wall destruction. Perhaps the ghost misunderstood something.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. I¡¯ve heard stories of beings with self-awareness deceiving mercenaries, so it could be a case like that.¡± She had never heard of dungeonws being broken. Maybe wall destruction isn¡¯t included in the transformation. Rosa organized her thoughts. Thus, the unidentified dungeon received an evaluation as an A-rank dungeon. And finally, the settlement of rewards came to an end. The amount was enough for an ordinary person to live on for several years. Ketal divided it equally and distributed it to hispanions. The thief shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Oh, no! We can¡¯t ept this! We didn¡¯t do anything!¡± From start to finish, Ketal had conquered everything. They couldn¡¯t be so shameless. But Ketal said generously, [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Aren¡¯t werades? Although you haven¡¯t done anything significant in this dungeon, we¡¯re still party members. I don¡¯t see a need to distinguish.¡± ¡°K-Ketal¡­¡± Their faces were filled with emotion. However, even so, they weren¡¯t socking in conscience as to ept a quarter of the share. They somehow managed to refuse and only epted 10%. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay with taking it all¡­.¡± The warrior murmured softly, but closed his mouth when he saw the looks from the thief and the priest. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s meet again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± There was no longer any resistance towards the barbarian. This barbarian was truly a kind and good person. There might be those who call him naive. But they couldn¡¯t help but be moved. The priest, Heize, prepared herself. ¡°¡­If, by any chance, you be interested in our god, pleasee to our sanctuary.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes. As Priest Heize of Kalosia, I will permit Ketal¡¯s entry.¡± The sanctuary is a ce where only a very small number of clergy can enter. But Heize allowed Ketal¡¯s entry. It was the greatest reward she could offer. ¡°Take this.¡± The priest offered Ketal a piece of ornamentation. It was a piece intricately adorned in a strange shape. The priest smiled softly. ¡°With this, you should be allowed entry into the sanctuary. Even though Priest Kalosia may not be weed by many¡­ Still, if you¡¯re okay with it, we will wee Ketal.¡± ¡°To receive permission from those who serve a god. It¡¯s a valuable experience.¡± Ketal chuckled and bowed politely. He received the piece that certified entry into the sanctuary with appropriate courtesy. The priest¡¯s face was filled with emotion at the sight. The thief, Kasan, also seemed to hesitate for a moment before taking something out of his pocket. ¡°Ketal. Please ept this.¡± The thief also handed Ketal an ornament. It was aplex ornament in the shape of a dagger and mask. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the entry pass for the Thieves¡¯ Guild. With this, you can enter the guild¡¯s guild hall.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± The priest and the warrior were surprised at that statement. The Thieves¡¯ Guild was highly secretive. Not even the location of the guild¡¯s guild hall was known, and even if someone knew, they couldn¡¯t ess it without permission. It was unknown what they believed in or what they could do. They were literally an unknown group. There were many who used the name of the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but those truly affiliated with the guild were very few. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the fact that Kasan was really a member of the guild. The thief scratched his head coyly. ¡°I may not have the skills or status, but I was born and raised there. It¡¯s not as impressive as the rumors say. If you have a chance, pleasee and visitter. I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it gratefully.¡± Ketal readily epted the ornament. Then their gaze turned to the warrior this time. Sensing their gaze, the warrior hesitated. He spoke at a very rapid pace. ¡°I-I also want to give something, but unfortunately, I¡¯m currently in training and unable to offer anything to anyone. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s inevitable.¡± Ketal smiled as if he didn¡¯t mind. The warrior shook his head sadly. ¡°Well then, everyone, let¡¯s meet again next time. Hopefully soon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They parted with much happier faces than before. * * * Ketal went to get clothes tailored with the money he received first. After a while of taking measurements, an estimate finally came out. It required quite a lot of money, but there was no problem. The tailor said it would take some time for the clothes to be made once Ketal epted. Even waiting was a pleasure. Ketal happily made a reservation. Even then, there was still a considerable amount of money left. Ketal pondered how to spend it. He decided to save it for now. This was a fantasy world. There might be valuable items. It would be the right answer to save in case of a shortage of money, as there might be some valuable items. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s an underground market.¡± An underground market that sells all kinds of rare items. It¡¯s one of the conventions of fantasy. That might exist too. If he asked Cain or the lord, they¡¯dl probably answer. With joy, Ketal moved his feet. Rosa said they were discussing promotions for the dungeon clear, and today the results would be announced. Could he be promoted to Grade E? This world never made him bored for a single day. As Ketal moved with anticipation and joy, something caught his eye. ¡°Hmm?¡± He bent down and picked up what had fallen on the ground. He examined it with curious eyes. It was a small bead shining brightly in jet ck. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 29 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (1) Chapter 29 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 29 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (1) ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The surface of the bead was smooth. Upon closer inspection, it was a perfect spherical shape. This was a fantasy world. There were no machines here. It would require considerable skill just to carve beads into spherical shapes. Yet here they were, scattered on the ground. ¡®A jewel?¡¯ It was ambiguous to call it a jewel. Ketal stared at the bead intently. Something was swirling inside the bead. Something dark and deep seemed to lurk within. ¡°Hmm.¡± Examining the bead quietly, he tucked it into his pocket. As he made his way back to the guild hall, Rosa delivered joyful news. ¡°Congrattions, Ketal. You¡¯ve been promoted from F-rank mercenary to E-rank.¡± ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡± A flush of excitement spread across Ketal¡¯s face. Rosa smiled faintly at the easily recognizable emotion. ¡°Yes. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Now, what¡¯s different?¡± ¡°Allow me to exin. But first, ept your mercenary badge.¡± The badge Rosa handed over was adorned with even more delicate and neat decorations than before. With a serious expression, Rosa continued, ¡°As an E-rank, you¡¯ll have ess to a wider variety of missions. From now on, you can tackle dungeons up to a certain grade by yourself.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Finally, he could venture into dungeons alone. It was a satisfying thought. Rosa continued. ¡°With an E-rank mercenary badge, you can ess most ces. However, ces like the capital or churches are still off-limits¡­ At least major restrictions won¡¯t apply.¡± Being an E-rank mercenary meant that. It meant the mercenary guild vouched for Ketal. With a somewhat disappointed tone, Rosa said, ¡°In fact, considering you¡¯ve cleared an unverified dungeon, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for you to be promoted even higher¡­¡± Ketal had cleared an A-rank dungeon. From what she heard from his party members, he practically cleared it alone. So being promoted to A-rank wouldn¡¯t be strange. Ketal said matter-of-factly, ¡°That¡¯s more about trust than skill. Can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right.¡± While nodding, Rosa said with a look of wonder in her eyes. This barbarian is quite intelligent. Despite his appearance as a mere barbarian, he was more intellectual than anyone she had ever seen. ¡®Perhaps.¡¯ If this barbarian were to try, he might be the first A-rank mercenary in the guild. Such a thought urred to her, but it didn¡¯t necessarily seem appealing. A remarkable mercenary emerging was the achievement of the guildmaster, and she disliked being the guildmaster here. So she cautiously asked, ¡°What are your ns now? Bing an E-rank mercenary means you¡¯re no longer bound to this territory.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Now Ketal was free. With his mercenary badge, he could enter other territories without the hassle of procedures. Ketal pondered, stroking his chin. ¡°Hmm.¡± He knew only this territory. He also wanted to visit other territories. What kind of ce would it be, and how would it differ from here? But. ¡°For now, let¡¯s stay a bit longer. I haven¡¯t fully enjoyed this ce yet.¡± ¡°Is that so? Feel free to do as you please. Ketal, you¡¯re a free man.¡± ¡°Exactly. I am free.¡± Ketal said cheerfully. As the conversation came to an end, Ketal suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh. Can I ask something?¡± ¡°Ask anything.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Ketal took out the ck bead from his pocket. Rosa, who received it cautiously, examined the bead slowly. ¡°A jewel¡­ doesn¡¯t seem like it. It seems like someone¡¯s craftsmanship went into it, judging by its smooth surface. It has no name. It looks quite valuable¡­¡± Mumbling, Rosa¡¯s eyes gradually zed over. It was as if she was enchanted by the bead itself. Ketal flicked his finger lightly. It produced a loud noise, startling Rosa back to her senses. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rosa looked at Ketal with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°No. Never mind.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s hard to confirm with the bead. It feels like there¡¯s a strange energy emanating from it. Should I try to sense its energy?¡± The guild hall had the capability to verify unknown items, as they dealt with rewards from dungeons. However, Ketal shook his head. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll handle it myself. It¡¯s part of the fun.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Feel free to do as you please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to request a mission instead. I need toplete today¡¯s tasks. As an E-rank mercenary, there should be new missions avable, right?¡± Ketal¡¯s face was filled with anticipation. Rosa smiled as she handed him the mission sheet. * * * Ketalpleted the missions assigned to E-rank mercenaries. Each one was new and enjoyable, greatly satisfying him. Late at night, Ketal returned to his lodging after finishing the missions. The owner of the lodging greeted him with a familiar face by now. Once he returned to his room, he took out the bead from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± A ck, undting bead. It wasn¡¯t a jewel, and he didn¡¯t know who made it. Yet it seemed valuable, scattered on the ground like trash. ¡°Rosa seemed as if she was enchanted by this.¡± ¡®Does it have any functions?¡¯ Ketal fiddled with the bead alone. Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. [Come¡­.] ¡°Hmm?¡± [Come to me¡­.] It was a deep, resonating voice. Filled with a malevolent aura that shook the mind and beguiled people. Most people, like Rosa, would likely be enthralled by the bead¡¯s magic and act ording to its will. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Why am I hearing voices from the bead?¡± But it didn¡¯t affect Ketal. He just looked at the bead with a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Along with the voice, a location was vividly depicted in Ketal¡¯s mind. [Come to me¡­.] And the voice continued to beckon. ¡°Is it calling me to that ce?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest as he examined the bead. ¡°An artifact?¡± [Come to me¡­.] This bead kept telling him toe. And it kindly conveyed the location to him as well. ¡°Hmm.¡± He became intrigued. ¡°Should I go?¡± Muttering to himself, Ketal stood up. It was a dark night with only the moon and stars in the sky. Underneath, Ketal set off. Ketal stepped out of the territory. He knew the destination. The voice continued to convey a specific location to him. [Come to me¡­.] ¡°As I¡¯m going, please be quiet.¡± Ketal set forth. The earth was firm beneath his feet, and the wind whispered. In no time, Ketal arrived at his destination. ¡°Is this it?¡± On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary thicket, but Ketal could see what was hidden inside. ¡°Hmm.¡± He took a step forward. As he did, the hidden camouge was lifted, revealing an entrance. It was a cave. On the outside, it looked like an ordinary cave with nothing remarkable. If discovered while passing by, one would likely pay it no mind. Ketal¡¯s expression showed interest. ¡°Is this a hidden dungeon?¡± [Come to me¡­.] ¡°I¡¯m here, you.¡± Ketal pushed his way into the cave. * * * [Hm?] The presence in the cave detected someone¡¯s intrusion. And it chuckled. [Another sacrificialmb has entered.] Thud. The sound of its jaw clicking echoed. It was a beingposed solely of bones, with no flesh whatsoever. It wasn¡¯t a skeleton. Within its empty eye sockets, blue mes made of magic flickered. It was a being only a powerful high-level mage could reach. It was a lich. Through the blue mes, the entrance of the cave was visible. Inside, a massive barbarian was entering with a joyful expression. [A foolish barbarian. Judging by the size, you¡¯d make a good sacrifice.] The lich chuckled gleefully. mes in its eyes red up as if responding to emotions. [It¡¯s time, isn¡¯t it? Soon, soon. I can soon resurrect once again!] He was once notorious as a mage. Manipting mana and wielding intermediate magic, he dominated several kingdoms, manipting the minds of many kings and sparking wars. It was a time of wars where many kingdoms perished, with him lurking behind it all. His deeds of evil beyond measure eventually caught up with him, and he was defeated by the Hero. But he was a mage who had reached enlightenment. Knowing someday he would be caught, he prepared for his resurrection as a lich by creating a phctery in advance. However, the attacks from the Hero came faster than he anticipated. The mana core itself shattered before he could finish preparing, losing all the mana he had. Originally, he would have be an ordinary skeleton, unable to do anything and avoiding people¡¯s gazes. [If it weren¡¯t for this, it would have been a disaster.] On top of the staff the lich held, there was a translucent gray cube. It was an ancient relic obtained during the process of destroying kingdoms. An artifact that stored mana itself and assisted the user in casting magic. Among numerous artifacts, it was particrly unique and carefully guarded. Thanks to this, he managed to resurrect as a lich. Without it, he would have been no different from an ordinary skeleton. As he pondered how to recover the lost mana, he soon found the fastest solution. It was to sacrifice human lives to create a mana core. To do that, a considerable number of lives would be needed. Therefore, he settled near a remote ce, far from the public eye but with a fair number of people present. And he scattered beads that enchanted human emotions, gathering sacrificialmbs one by one. He captured them, absorbing their life and soul all at once. He made them all his own and regained mana. And with great power once again, he would conquer the world. His goal was gradually approaching sess. The lich clicked its jaw in satisfaction. [¡­But a barbarian. Why is he here?] This was a considerably remote territory. He had settled in a ce far from the public eye to quietly build his power. That¡¯s why the existence of a barbarian was quite unusual. [Creatures from the north havee far. Judging by his size, he would make an excellent sacrifice.] The lich chuckled contentedly as it watched the barbarian¡¯s movements. After observing him for a moment, the lich doubted its own eyes. [¡­His gait seems quite steady.] The lich had scattered beads that enchanted human minds in the vige. Those ensnared by the beads came to his dungeon secretly, avoiding public scrutiny. As a result, their movements were quite slow, and their expressions seemed absent-minded. But the barbarian¡¯s steps were remarkably neat. He even seemed to have a smile on his face. [Could he not have been enchanted?] The lich briefly entertained the thought before dismissing it immediately. He had ced a special effect on the beads. It prevented them from working on those who had achieved enlightenment. Those who entered here due to the beads were unaware of enlightenment. Ultimately, they were nothing more than ordinary a barbarian who didn¡¯t seem to be enchanted. The appearance of not being ensnared was simply a misconception. [Come. Barbarian.] The lich grinned. The evil lurking deep within beckoned the barbarian. [Be the cornerstone of my great resurrection.] A mocking voice echoed throughout the empty chamber. [TL/N: Fool] [PR/N: Another one bites the dust.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 30 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (2) Chapter 30 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 30 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (2) Ketal leisurely moved forward, sensing what seemed to be an exit ahead. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± Interest sparked again on Ketal¡¯s face. He applied force towards the obstructing door. With a creaking sound, the door opened, revealing the interior. It was a spacious pupil. There were grotesque things adorned with all sorts of bones, and in the center, there was a chair made of skulls. Seated on that chair was a skull with glowing blue pupils. In its hand were a grimoire and a staff. Just by that, one could tell what kind of being the skull was. Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Lich!¡± A real Lich! The epitome of what a wizard could achieve. Infuse the Life Vessel with a soul, bing an eternal being until it¡¯s shattered. A ssic viin of the fantasy world. Thoughtely, they often appear not only as antagonists but also in neutral or even assisting roles for the protagonist. Nevertheless, a Lich was undeniably a quintessential element of fantasy. Ketal trembled with excitement. He hade with mere curiosity, but could a Lich be waiting here! It felt like hitting the jackpot in an unexpected ce. Ketal was ecstatic. And the Lich was perplexed. [What are you, intruder?] Ketal looked at him with delight. He spoke and his eyes gleamed. It meant he wasn¡¯t under any illusion. The Lich spoke with a puzzled tone. [Intriguing. You¡¯re not beguiled by the bead?] ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how you¡¯ve been luring people here.¡± Ketal nodded knowingly. The Lich¡¯s pupils dted. ¡®What?¡¯ Ketal sensed the mana of the bead in his hand. He hade here through the bead. But he wasn¡¯t beguiled by it. Nor did he emanate any mystery. He was merely a barbarian, nothing more. It was inexplicable. After a moment of silence, the Lich spoke again. [You. You possess an artifact of mental protection.] And not just any artifact, but a superior one that he couldn¡¯t even sense. How a barbarian possessed it was beyond him, or else it was imusible. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s scheming.¡¯ So perhaps he stumbled upon the artifact by luck. Ketal grinned. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing like that.¡± [Do you think you can deceive me? Well, never mind. You were an anticipated variable.] The Lich waved his staff. The gray artifact glowed, and simultaneously, scattered bone fragments around them began to move. Being a mage, he could calcte and block variables. He had anticipated something like this happening. He was fully prepared for it. [If you had quietly sumbed to the enchantment, you could have left without any suffering. But now, I¡¯ll have to crush you with force. Go, my minions.] Swish, swish. The skeletons rushed towards Ketal. * * * ¡°I roughly understand what¡¯s going on.¡± This wasn¡¯t an ordinary dungeon. It was a dungeon hiding the sinister Lich. He probably used the bead to lure those with curiosity and sacrifice them. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just curiosity, but a bead that truly stirred and fascinated hearts, but Ketal couldn¡¯t know that. ¡°It¡¯s more interesting than I expected.¡± [Let¡¯s see if that tongue can still wag even if your limbs are severed. As long as you have your life, it¡¯s enough. Cut him up.] Swish, swish. Skeletons wielding rusty swords rushed at him. The skeletons created by the Lich were stronger than the ordinary dungeon skeletons. It wasn¡¯t a monster a barbarian, unaware of magic, should confront. Five such skeletons charged at Ketal. The Lich believed Ketal would soon scream in agony with his limbs severed. It was when he would mockinglyugh at the impending despair. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal clenched his fist. A skeleton approached with its sword raised. His fist moved. And the skeleton¡¯s head vanished. When its head disappeared, it turned back into bone fragments. [What?] The Lich paused. Ketal nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. If the head disappears, they die.¡± Swish, swish. Other skeletons rushed at him. Ketal deftly dodged and grabbed the arm of one. Snap. The arm snapped like a twig. Ketal swung the broken arm towards another skeleton¡¯s head. The head shattered. He approached directly, gathering the power in his fingers and flicked it. The skull of the skeleton hit with a thud, turning into powder. ¡°Oh my.¡± He dodged the sword swinging at his back. He grabbed it and swiftly severed the skeleton¡¯s neck. The skeleton fell. ¡°Indeed, even if the head is severed, they don¡¯t move.¡± Kasan was always right. Satisfied, Ketal waved his hand lightly. The remaining skeletons were shattered. [You, you!] The Lich eximed in astonishment. How could a barbarian, unaware of magic, do this! Ketal looked at the disappointed Lich. ¡°Is that all? I¡¯d appreciate it if you showed me some other monsters.¡± [¡­What are you.] The Lich spoke. He didn¡¯t sense any mystery from this barbarian. There was no mana flowing from him, indicating a power artifact. The Lich was baffled that his skeletons had fallen solely due to the strength of this barbarian. ¡®¡­Can he defeat a Skeleton Warrior with just physical strength?¡¯ Was such a thing possible? As a Lich who had lived for a long time, it was a sight he couldn¡¯tprehend. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [¡­You¡¯re exceptional.] The Lich¡¯s pupils burned. He rose from his seat. [Very well. I¡¯ll face you directly. Know it as an honor.] At that moment, darkness enveloped everything. Darkness rose instantly, surrounding them with dense space. ¡®Oh!¡¯ Ketal trembled at the sight, like a scene from a movie. [Are you afraid?] The Lich chuckled satisfactorily, thinking Ketal trembled out of fear. [Yes. Be afraid, barbarian. Daring to intrude into my sanctuary. You shall pay a fitting price for it.] ¡°No, I only came because the bead called me. And wasn¡¯t it you who scattered that bead?¡± [¡­Shut up! Barbarian!] The Lich shouted loudly, seemingly to forget his previous words, and Ketal looked at him with a troubled expression. The Lich rose roughly and waved his staff. [I am the great and mighty sorcerer. Once, I destroyed five kingdoms and faced Heroes! Karthos Branius Kesiensis! Be the cornerstone of my resurrection! You lowly barbarian!] * * * Karthos raised his staff. ck mes erupted from the cube of the staff, swirling and mesmerizing the gaze. It was a magic me that mesmerized the viewer. Ketal stared nkly at the me. And the magic that dominated emotions engulfed Ketal. It was magic that controlled human emotions. It invoked negative emotions, which led to even more negative emotions, ultimately captivating one in those emotions, rendering them unable to do anything, losing their minds. It was his proprietary magic, remarkably powerfulpared to the mana consumption. The Lich looked at Ketal, who stared nkly at him, and was convinced that the magic had seeded. [A barbarian who can¡¯t even handle mystery. Helpless against great magic.] The Lich chuckled satisfactorily and tapped his chin. [Now, how shall we proceed?] Normally, he would have been used as material to obtain mana. But this barbarian was different. ¡®¡­He doesn¡¯t seem to be wearing any special artifacts.¡¯ At first, he thought it was a mistake, but now he was sure. It was impossible not to sense anything from an artifact of such caliber. That meant only one thing. He had defeated the skeleton warrior with just brute physical strength. And in one blow. It was iprehensible. As Karthos pondered for a moment, one piece of information came to mind. [¡­Is that the vessel of a Hero?] In this world, there were strong individuals called Heroes. They were special from birth. Their talents were beyond people¡¯s understanding, and so was the power they wielded. Those who transcended understanding. They were Heroes. The Lich, immediately aware of the absurd power of Heroes, knew about it. In the past, when Heroes moved, he couldn¡¯t respond properly and was defeated. People called those who showed potential to be such Heroes ¡°vessels of Heroes.¡± That barbarian could be such a being. No. He would be. Otherwise, it would be impossible to defeat a skeleton warrior with sheer physical strength without even learning magic. [First, we¡¯ll take him back for research. Bring him along.] The Lich snapped his fingers. Nearby bone fragments rose and approached Ketal. Since he was already under control, he wouldn¡¯t move no matter how they touched him. And the moment the skeletons approached Ketal beyond a certain point. Crunch. Their heads turned into dust. The Lich, who had been contemting how to research the barbarian, was suddenly surprised. [What!] The barbarian was brushing off the bone powder from his hands. How! Surely, his emotions should have beenpletely dominated! But Ketal said with a disappointed expression. As if his magic didn¡¯t work at all. ¡°I was watching quietly, were you nning to capture me with skeletons like before? Boring.¡± [Damn! You!] The Lich swung his staff roughly. Once again, magic that stirred up negative emotions engulfed Ketal. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± But the barbarian just grinned. The Lich was perplexed by his too calm attitude. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 31 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (3) Chapter 31 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 31 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (3) Humans are beings driven by emotions. Even if they are adults, there are inevitably negative emotions deep within their hearts. Even a superhuman, when hit by his magic, could be shaken. The only response was to fortify the mind like a fortress with mystery. Barbarians who couldn¡¯tprehend mystery had to bepletely swallowed up as they couldn¡¯t even defend themselves. But Ketal remained unchanged. He only looked at the lich with a puzzled expression. ¡®That¡¯s impossible!¡¯ Of course, he wasn¡¯t in perfect condition either. Having been resurrected as a lich after defeat, his abilities were only a fraction of what they once were. He also relied on artifacts for mana. However, even so, a barbarian who couldn¡¯t handle mystery had to be easily dominated. Such was the norm. [What?!] With a mix of negativity, the magic manifested again. The invisible flow of mana stirred Ketal¡¯s mind. A magic that could shatter the mind and plunge one into despair, even if they were a skilled warrior. But Ketal just looked at the lich with disappointment creeping slowly on his face. ¡°What have you done?¡± Only then did Ketal realize that the lich wasn¡¯t just swinging his staff, but was casting something on him. But it didn¡¯t make sense. Since he couldn¡¯t feel anything, it just seemed like the lich was waving his staff aimlessly. Slowly, disappointment settled on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°I wish it were some easier magic. Like fireball or magic missile. Can¡¯t you use those?¡± [What, what?] Fireball? Magic missile? The lich felt an unbearable sense of insult. [How dare you! Compare my magic to such inferior spells!] He had developed magic specialized in emotions himself. He had devoted his whole life to the magic he created, and its structure was something only he could handle. Yet, now he waspared to spells even lower-level mages could use. The lich trembled with a mixture of humiliation and shame. He swung his staff again to cast the magic. ¡°You seem to have done something, but¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± But this time, nothing changed either. The lich burst intoughter, beyond disbelief. Even the hero who defeated him came prepared against his magic. A magic that could manipte emotions was so terrifying. But it had no effect on this barbarian. Such an opponent was unprecedented. [¡­] The blue mes of despair gradually subsided. Nevertheless, he was a mage. One who had reached the pinnacle with great magic. He began to calmly assess the situation. ¡®It doesn¡¯t work.¡¯ This barbarian couldn¡¯t handle mystery. That was certain. A mage¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t be avoided. But his magic didn¡¯t affect the barbarian¡¯s emotions. In that case¡­ His mind, which had been spinning rapidly, finally reached a conclusion. [¡­I see.] The lich clicked his tongue. [You knew about meing here.] ¡°Huh?¡± [Yes. That must be it. Hahaha! The Empire! Are they still afraid of me? Your ability to gather information is admirable! To find my location so quickly!] The lich shouted roughly. [But I will resurrect again. I will break the des for me and dominate the world once more!] ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± Ketal scratched his head. He had been thinking alone, and now he was babbling alone. The lich opened his mouth wide. He didn¡¯t look down on him anymore. This barbarian was an assassin sent by the Empire to kill him after his resurrection. He imed to have hidden himself, but the Empire¡¯s intelligencework was extensive and deep. It seemed impossible topletely evade them. Come to think of it, he had heard. Deep within the Empire, there was a human breeding ground, where many special individuals were raised. That barbarian was one such being raised there. A de trained solely to kill him. [Don¡¯t pity your life! Barbarian! You who have been raised by humans to be used as a de! Ridiculous! If you defeat me, your existence will also be extinguished! We can consider ourselvesrades!] ¡°But that¡¯s not what it is.¡± [Be that as it may! I am Karthos Branius Kesiensis!] The lich swung his staff violently. [I will kill you and overturn the Empire!] *** ¡°The beings in this world are not very good atmunicating.¡± Ketal muttered. He hade to a conclusion after thinking alone and spoke it out loud. Elves were like that, and so was this lich. ¡°But is it the Empire?¡± The lich believed that if it were the Empire, they could find him. In other words, it meant that the Empire had that much power. ¡°I¡¯d like to visit even as a tourist.¡± An inappropriate calm dialogue flowed out. [Come forth!] The lich raised his staff. Mana began to gather massively in the cube. Even if his resurrection was dyed by a hundred years with this blow, it didn¡¯t matter. The cube absorbed all the mana it had. It was an amount of mana that could be tangible in the world. A dark and dense energy began to gather at the tip of the staff. It shimmered in Ketal¡¯s eyes. It was the first time he saw visible magic. The lich swung his staff roughly at Ketal. [Gather! O waves! Be tangible but not material! Swirl the world and confuse the unseen!] And the dark and dense mass turned into waves. It filled the room and surged wildly. Though clearly tangible, the dark and dense waves were not material. They had no effect on this world. The only thing they influenced were intangible emotions. ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal eximed. The dark and dense waves rose as if to engulf the world. It was truly magnificent. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] This was real magic! Ketal stared nkly at the waves. Eventually, the ck waves swallowed him. [Ha, hahaha!] The lich burst intoughter. He had won! It seemed that this barbarian had some special effect on his mind. But ultimately, he couldn¡¯t handle mystery. So, if he simply crushed him with mana, it was over. He forcibly crushed and swirled the barbarian¡¯s mind. The lich was confident of victory. Soon, his body copsed roughly. [Huff, huff.] The blue mes of his pupils flickered as if about to go out. He couldn¡¯t use the magic avable to him now. Except for the mana to move his skeletal remains, he had used everything. But even so, he had defeated his de. He had outwitted the Empire¡¯s ace. The lich chuckled. The waves gradually subsided. And the ever-growing pupils stopped growing. Ketal remained there, unchanged. ¡°Impressive.¡± Pure admiration flowed out. ¡°But is this the end?¡± It was impressive, but there was still no feeling. At that voice, the lich felt a moment of fear. ¡®T-This doesn¡¯t work either?¡¯ ¡°If this is the end, then it¡¯s my turn now.¡± Ketal raised his axe. The lich screamed. [¡­What are you saying!] And then his body copsed. The lich¡¯s soul flew rapidly towards Ketal. He tried to invade Ketal¡¯s mind, devour his emotions, and make them his own. But as he rushed, the lich realized something. [¡­Huh?] Something was wrong. He had seen others¡¯ emotions plenty of times before, but he had never seen anything like this. [W-What is this?] It was a sight he had never seen before. It couldn¡¯t be expressed in words. Just by perceiving this ce, his mind was contaminated and on the verge of copse. ¡®T-The Empire.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the Empire. The Empire couldn¡¯t create such beings. [Uh, ah, ah.] The fortunate thing for the lich was that he was the one who dominated the mind. With his superior mental strength, he was able to hold out a little longer. And the unfortunate thing was that he was the one who dominated the mind. As much as he could hold out a little longer, he had to be more aware of it. [¡­Uh.] That was the lich¡¯s testament. His soul slowly dissipated within Ketal¡¯s body. And it had no effect on Ketal whatsoever. ¡°What?¡± Ketal frowned. There were shattered bone fragments in front of him. After doing something alone, it suddenly copsed. The dark and dense surge was somewhat impressive, but that was about it. It didn¡¯t seem significant. ¡°The liches in this world aren¡¯t that impressive.¡± The lich. He had very high expectations. Isn¡¯t it the ultimate form of a wizard? So, he was very much looking forward to what kind of magic it would use, but it didn¡¯t show anything particrly impressive. The deep disappointment he felt was as much as he had anticipated. ¡°I guess Goblin Dungeons were more fun after all.¡± Ketal took out a notebook from his pocket, ready to vent his frustration if the vanished lich could hear. He took out a pen and started writing slowly. [The lich. I thought it was the ultimate form of a wizard, but it doesn¡¯t seem like that remarkable of a being. It¡¯s strange to think that a being reduced to mere bone fragments is considered impressive. Perhaps those who failed to be wizards couldn¡¯t give up on their dream of bing one and became liches instead.] He wrote down what he had seen and felt step by step. It was aption of information he had seen and felt in the fantasy world. It was a notebook he had purchased for that purpose. He roughly noted down information about the lich and put the notebook back. Whatever the case, since he cleared it, he should take the rewards. There probably wouldn¡¯t be anything impressive, considering it was a dungeon of a lich, but he still should take what he can get. First, he picked up the staff the lich had been using. Upon examining the inside, he found a jar resembling a Life Vessel. ¡°Does this mean it can resurrect?¡± Although he thought about destroying it since it could potentially resurrect, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem at this level, so he took the Life Vessel as well. And there was something else to take. ¡°This glowed when magic was used.¡± On top of the staff that the lich had been handling, there was a translucent gray cube. Whenever the lich used magic, a strange light flowed from the cube. It seemed like the cube was assisting in casting magic. ¡®Does this help in using magic?¡¯ An artifact of magic? If so, could he also use magic with it? Ketal chuckled to himself as he took the artifact. And upon exploring its interior, he found a hidden room. Ketal tapped his finger, and the stone wall crumbled to dust. ¡°Huh.¡± And Ketal could see it. Nine people standing there absentmindedly. ¡°Hello?¡± Ketal said, but they didn¡¯t react. It seemed like they were out of it. ¡°What should I do?¡± The lich had sealed their minds with magic. Since the lich had vanished, they would regain their senses in a few hours, but Ketal didn¡¯t know that fact. ¡°Hmm.¡± For now, let¡¯s go back to the territory. Since the lich is gone anyway, if he exined the situation, they¡¯ll bring them back themselves. Ketal returned to the territory and exined. There was some lich or something named Kartoos or whatever next to the territory. And the territory was flipped upside down. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 32 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (4) Chapter 32 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 32 ¨C Evil Rising in the Darkness (4) Early morning. The receptionists at the guild hall were already at work, even though it was early. ¡°Why bothering in so early?¡± Rosa murmured with a sleepy tone, as if she hadn¡¯t fully woken up yet. The mercenaries¡¯ mornings were usuallyte. They would only start trickling into the guild hall once the sun was high in the sky. Until then, they often spent their time idly. ¡°Our guild leader can¡¯t stand idleness, you know that.¡± ¡°Ugh, the guild hall in the neighboring territory is much more rxed. It¡¯s such a hassle being stuck here.¡± As they chatted idly while preparing to receive the mercenaries, the door opened. Rosa, upon seeing who it was, was surprised. ¡°Oh? Ketal, you¡¯re here quite early today. The contracts aren¡¯t fully prepared yet.¡± Ketal had indeed arrived earlier than usual, but today he was even earlier than that. He replied casually, ¡°Had some business.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°Well, nothing extraordinary. It¡¯s about the gem I showed you yesterday.¡± The gem called out to him. So, when he went to investigate, he found a hidden dungeon. And there was a lich there. He spoke matter-of-factly, in a tone as if recounting a casual stroll around the neighborhood. Listening to his story, Rosa was momentarily stunned, then burst outughing. ¡°You must be joking.¡± ¡°Not joking.¡± ¡°Come on, a lich in these remote parts?¡± A lich. Among mages, only an extreme minority could reach that level. There were only five in the entire world. Each one held honor and prestige surpassing even a kingdom¡¯s monarch. But a lich near the territory? That was impossible. Rosa thought Ketal was joking bying early in the morning. She yed along. ¡°How did you confront the lich? They¡¯re said to possess powers capable of destroying kingdoms.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much. It ended up destroying itself while doing something foolish.¡± ¡°Destroyed itself?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all over now. No issues.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Oh, and I brought this orb that looks like a Life Vessel. Could it have sentimental value?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal showed the orb. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Rosa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Here, hold on.¡± She hurriedly took the orb. Even Rosa, an outsider, could sense the powerful energy contained within. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s this?¡± Something was off. ¡°Um, you were joking, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been saying it¡¯s not a joke since earlier.¡± Ketal wore a puzzled expression. Rosa fell silent. What was going on? What exactly had happened? Sleep was now out of the question. But there was no time for Rosa to sort out her thoughts. ¡°Oh, and there were a few people inside.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°About nine of them. I thought about bringing them, but their spirits seemed to be absent, so I left them for now. It would be good if the guild sent someone.¡± ¡°Nine?¡± Rosa was startled. Listening to the story, it didn¡¯t seem like a proper dungeon. In that case, the likelihood of them being ordinary citizens rather than mercenaries or adventurers was high. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The rumors of people disappearing near the territory asionally reached her ears. Several requests had been made to find them, but there was no news of sess. If it was due to a lich? ¡°And the lich¡¯s name is Karthos¡­ or something. Do you know?¡± ¡°Uh, no? I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She had no interest in history or such matters. So even if she heard the name Karthos, she wouldn¡¯t recognize it. ¡°Hmm, guess it was just bragging.¡± With that kind of power, there¡¯s no way it could have destroyed a kingdom or whatever. Ketal shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s all over, just leave the rescue to me. Oh, and can I get a reward for this orb if it¡¯s handled like a dungeon?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± No. A being like a lich shouldn¡¯t have its story end like this. Feeling dizzy for a moment, Rosa forced herself to speak up. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll call someone.¡± This wasn¡¯t something she could handle. She quickly left the guild hall. And not long after, the head of guard rushed in, looking utterly shocked. ¡°What¡¯s going on! A lich!?!¡± ¡°Oh. Hello there.¡± Ketal waved his hand calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. It¡¯s all over now.¡± ¡°No. What is¡­?¡± Ketal roughly exined to the head of guard as well. The head of guard¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing the name of the lich. ¡°Karthos Branius Kesiensis?¡± ¡°Oh. That was the name. Do you know it?¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± The head of guard eximed involuntarily. Karthos Branius Kesiensis. A sorcerer who turned the world upside down centuries ago. Creating magic that manipted emotions, causing all sorts of chaos. Turning trusted allies into traitors and wise kings into madmen. How many kingdoms had he destroyed before heroes finally defeated him? And such a being was right here, next to the territory? ¡°Is it really him?¡± ¡°Yeah. But it¡¯s nothing special. He destroyed himself while doing something foolish.¡± ¡°No. What on earth¡­¡± That a mage like Karthos would self-destruct was almost unbelievable. The head of guard restrained the urge to scream. ¡°¡­Could you exin a bit more? I really don¡¯t understand.¡± But Ketal seemed perplexed rather than willing to borate. ¡°Even if I exin further, there¡¯s nothing more to it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The head of guard felt a profound dizziness. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Clinging toposure, he opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Wait. Let me inform the Lord. ¡± ¡°To the Lord? But it doesn¡¯t seem like that big of a deal.¡± Right. Even though he wanted to argue, the head of guard held back and rushed out. * * * The Lord listened to the story and doubted his own ears. A lich was next to the territory. Moreover, it was Karthos Branius Kesiensis, the sorcerer who had upheaved the world centuries ago. At first, the Lordughed, thinking it was a joke. It was simply too iprehensible. But seeing the desperate expression on the head of guard¡¯s face, he realized it was no simple joke. To confirm, the Lord dispatched a search party. They headed towards the dungeon Barbarian mentioned. The abandoned dungeon was slowly copsing. Breaking through the maze-like walls, they reached their destination and found it. A single pupil adorned with numerous bones. And scattered bone fragments in the center. In the hidden chamber of the pupil were those who had disappeared. Among them were individuals with influence in the territory. And they realized. Next to the territory, something ominous had taken root. After bringing them all back, the Lord began to sort out the situation. ¡°What on earth is happening?¡± A lich next to the territory. As a Lord, it was a nightmare-like situation. The Lord spoke with a thread of hope. ¡°¡­What is the possibility that it is not a lich, but a simple skeleton mage, or some kind of deceptive monster?¡± Asking about the possibility of Barbarian¡¯s mistake. But the head of guard shook their head. ¡°Unfortunately, that possibility is low. Among those who regained consciousness, they all said the same thing.¡± [I am Karthos Branius Kesiensis. You are my sacrifices for resurrection.] That was thest thing they remembered him saying while wielding his staff. That was theirst memory. ¡°There are no inconsistencies. We also have an item to prove it.¡± ¡°The Life Vessel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When the head of guard asked for it, Ketal readily handed it over for confirmation. The Lord rubbed his forehead. ¡°Do you know if it¡¯s been checked? The Life Vessel is said to reveal its essence.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± The head of guardcked the knowledge to distinguish. He wasn¡¯t someone who could sense mystique to begin with. ¡°But¡­ it didn¡¯t seem like a fake.¡± Even the head of guard could feel the residual magical power within the Life Vessel. It was like a lingering fragrance, but even such an outsider could feel the power the original owner possessed. The Lord chuckled bitterly. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± It wasn¡¯t a small matter. Even if it was just an ordinary lich, it was a problem. To have a being like a lich secretly lurking near the territory was cause for immediate investigation by the kingdom. And if it was indeed Karthos Branius Kesiensis, it was even more troublesome. He was a sorcerer who had antagonized the empire. A being who alone had destroyed countless kingdoms and controlled the minds of several superhumans. If it was confirmed to be him, he might even move through the empire. No, he probably would. Elite forces from the empire would likely visit this small territory. He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the repercussions. His head throbbed. But he couldn¡¯t just sit idly by. This wasn¡¯t a problem the rural Lord could handle. ¡®Of all times, he¡¯s not here.¡¯ Swordmaster Cain. If he were here, things would proceed more smoothly in terms of verification and organization. But he had stayed here for a few days, enjoying his vacation, and left just two days ago. Why isn¡¯t he here when we need him? The Lord opened his mouth with a slight resentment. ¡°¡­Prepare to send people to the kingdom. Ensure strict control over the Life Vessel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The head of guard nodded. The Lord chuckled. ¡°Still, we¡¯re fortunate.¡± ¡°Yes. If the Barbarian hadn¡¯t discovered it, this territory would have been the first sacrifice.¡± ording to history books, when a sorcerer whomitted past atrocities is resurrected, the first territory sacrificed, more or less, won¡¯t be left unmarked. In that sense, Barbarian had done a great service indeed. ¡°¡­But if he truly brought him down alone, how strong is he exactly?¡± To single-handedly defeat a being that heroes should face, and return within a few hours. They knew he was powerful since he subdued the Swordmaster, but they didn¡¯t expect this level. Evaluating Barbarian became even more challenging. ¡°He said Karthos was brought down by a hero. He was probably preparing for resurrection as a lich. It might not have been a normal situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely. But regardless, it¡¯s a feat. We should give him appropriatepensation. I¡¯m not sure if we can provide it from this territory.¡± The Lord muttered thoughtfully. It waste at night. Since everyone was asleep, the Lord first sought rest. It was to cool their head as much as possible and think of better solutions. And so, time passed, and the next day arrived. The Lord heard a rough knocking sound on the door and woke up. ¡°My Lord! My Lord!¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake. Come in.¡± The Lord got up from bed with a displeased expression. S oon, the door opened, and a maid entered with a pale face. The moment the Lord saw her face, he sensed that a moreplicated problem had arisen. The maid spoke, and the Lord closed their eyes tightly. ¡°T-the Heretic Inquisitor of the Sun God, Lord Aquaz, has arrived at the territory!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 33 – The Sun God’s Inquisitor (1) Chapter 33 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 33 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (1) A reception room weing guests. There was a woman there. Her hair, shining like silver, flowed softly, and her eyes glittered brilliantly red. She was an extremely beautiful woman. Dressed simply in a priest¡¯s garb, her holiness almostpelled one to kneel unconsciously. The only w was her expressionless face, like that of a doll. She looked like a machine devoid of emotions. The lord sitting before her swallowed hard. ¡°¡­Wee, Inquisitor. I am Luke Barkan, the lord of Barkan territory.¡± ¡°Thank you. Despite the sudden visit, you have weed me warmly.¡± The woman bowed politely. ¡°I am Aquaz. Although I am unworthy, I hold the position of judging heresy for the Sun God.¡± Her posture was exceedingly polite, but the lord couldn¡¯t let his guard down. An inquisitor. Those who dealt with the enemies of the church. They held a significant position within the church. With their own judgment and will, they had the power to annihte an entire vige alone. Moreover, she was an inquisitor of the Sun God. Currently, the church of the Sun God was the most powerful on the continent. Even the empire was stepping back and yielding to them. An inquisitor from such a church wielded more power than the lord of a country. And Aquaz was someone the lord was familiar with. The youngest inquisitor. A person authorized to execute heretics alone. A genius among geniuses, predicted to be the chief inquisitor one day. She was the one who single-handedly decapitated seven ck magicians who had made a pact with demons and thwarted arge-scale ritual. ¡®Why on earth.¡¯ Why had such a persone to this small territory? The lord¡¯s lips grew dry. The fate of the territory could be decided by her mood. Aquaz¡¯s red lips slowly opened. ¡°The territory seems to be in turmoil. Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­Do you not know what happened?¡± ¡°After visiting the church in the territory, I came straight to you, so I don¡¯t know the details.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The lord looked at the inquisitor¡¯s face. It was expressionless, making it hard to read her emotions, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was lying. The lord, thinking hard, opened his mouth. ¡°There was a bit of a problem in the dungeon. It¡¯s been resolved now.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡± The inquisitor¡¯s expression was very calm. With that demeanor, the lord was convinced. ¡®She didn¡¯te because of the lich.¡¯ Thinking about it, the lord himself had only learned about the lich yesterday. There was no way she could havee to this remote territory within a day. Then there must be another issue. ¡°May I ask what brings you here¡­?¡± It meant she hade for another reason. For an inquisitor to visit a territory, it had to be a significant matter. As far as the lord knew, inquisitors didn¡¯t act unless they were certain. The lord¡¯s mind grew moreplex. The inquisitor remained silent. The lord grew uneasy in that silence. ¡°Is it rted to a divine oracle by any chance?¡± The inquisitor¡¯s lips did not open. The silent response was as good as a confirmation. The lord felt dizzy. A divine oracle? Here? This was no small matter. Depending on the oracle, the Sun God¡¯s forces coulde here. ¡®Why on earth.¡¯ Why is this happening to him? He¡¯s just the lord of this territory¡­. The inquisitor, perhaps sensing the emotion from the lord¡¯s expression, spoke. ¡°I can inform you about the content of the oracle. At least in that regard, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°I-Is that so.¡± The lord felt a bit relieved. There were two types of oracles. One that could not be told to anyone except the believers. And one that could be widely known to the world. If it was thetter, there was less likelihood of major trouble. The inquisitor continued speaking. ¡°Before I tell you the content of the oracle, could I first confirm what happened in the territory?¡± ¡°Is it possibly rted?¡± ¡°I cannot give you a definite assurance.¡± But there was a possibility. The lord hesitated. Should he tell the Sun God¡¯s emissary about the lich? The hesitation was brief. It was better to borrow the power of the divine. He detested the idea of imperial intervention. The Sun God¡¯s church held such power that even the empire could not ignore. If the inquisitor handled the matter, the empire would have no pretext to intervene. Having made up his mind, the lord exined the incident. The inquisitor¡¯s previously impassive eyes widened. ¡°¡­A lich?¡± ¡°Yes. It might even be Karthos Branius Kesiensis.¡± ¡°What? That being was here?¡± ¡°I understand that lich is rted to your church.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, indeed.¡± The inquisitor¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Karthos enjoyed toying with those of devout faith. There were quite a few priests who had fallen to his influence, thus tarnishing the church¡¯s honor, and among them were also followers of the Sun God. He was one of the enemies the Sun God¡¯s church had dered heretical and was pursuing. The lord shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a troublesome situation. It¡¯s too big a problem for a small rural lord like me to handle. It¡¯s distressing. If things go wrong, the Empire might intervene.¡± ¡°¡­Are you asking for help with this matter?¡± Indeed. She grasped his intentions immediately. The lord quickly continued. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it also help elevate the prestige of the Sun God?¡± An evil sorcerer who had caused chaos in the world long ago. If the Sun God¡¯s church intervened to prevent his resurrection, it would further elevate their prestige. ¡°That¡¯s not important. What matters is devout faith. That is the only thing.¡± The inquisitor¡¯s words were decisive. Realizing his mistake, the lord fell silent. After contemting for a moment, the inquisitor spoke. ¡°¡­Verification is needed.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°You mean confirming whether the lich is indeed Karthos.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± The lord shook a bell under the table with his hand. Soon, a trembling maid brought in the life vessel. The inquisitor¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing it. ¡°The life vessel¡­ is intact.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°A life vessel is the core of a lich. It holds their soul, and as long as it remains unbroken, the lich can continuously revive.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± The lord was horrified. Did that mean Karthos had not been destroyed? However, as the inquisitor examined the life vessel closely, she grimaced. ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t sense a soul. What on earth¡­?¡± The inquisitor¡¯s face grewplex, as if witnessing something impossible. After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she examined the life vessel carefully. And she came to a conclusion. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°This is indeed the life vessel of Karthos Branius Kesiensis. I heard a hero defeated him, but he must have hidden his soul to attempt resurrection as a lich.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The lord let out a sound unconsciously. It was truly Karthos. The evil sorcerer from the history books had been right next to their territory. ¡°Why in this remote territory?¡± ¡°He probably needed time to regain his strength. This¡­ is certainly a problem.¡± The inquisitor groaned. The sorcerer, believed to have been destroyed, was plotting his resurrection as a lich. This was no trivial matter and required a thorough investigation. ¡°We will handle this. The Empire will have no grounds to intervene.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± The immediate issue was resolved. The lord sighed in relief. However, the inquisitor¡¯s expression remainedplicated. After a moment of thought, she asked, ¡°¡­I understand this territory is the home of the Swordmaster. Was he by any chance present?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. He visited recently.¡± ¡°I see. If it was him, he might have been able to defeat Karthos.¡± Karthos was a sorcerer who had shaken the kingdom. His power was beyond superhuman. A single Swordmaster would not suffice. But Karthos had been defeated by a hero. Though he had hidden his soul in a life vessel to be a lich, he might not have been at full strength. If that were the case, Cain¡¯s power might have been sufficient to defeat him. ¡°But this¡­¡± The life vessel was intact. This meant that the lich¡¯s soul had been purely annihted. An impossible feat, even for a Swordmaster. ¡°Could I meet Cain? I¡¯m curious about how he dealt with it.¡± ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t Cain who did it.¡± ¡°What?¡± The inquisitor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Then who defeated Karthos?¡± ¡°A barbarian.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A bewildered voice echoed. The mechanical tone of the inquisitor now carried emotion. The lord found it somewhat amusing. ¡°There¡¯s a barbarian in the territory?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long. A barbarian came to our territory and has been staying here recently.¡± ¡°No problems?¡± Barbarians were known for revering strength and disregarding order andw. The troubles they could cause were countless. The inquisitor¡¯s question was only natural. The lord nodded. ¡°Yes. Surprisingly, he is a very sensible barbarian.¡± ¡°Sensible? That¡¯s not a word one usually associates with a barbarian.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t, indeed.¡± The lord gave a wry smile. A barbarian who was courteous and sensible. Now that he had adapted to Ketal¡¯s presence, he could ept it, but in hindsight, it was a ridiculous notion. ¡°This barbarian defeated Karthos? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It is possible.¡± At least there was no need to doubt that part. ¡°Even Sir Cain was defeated by him.¡± The inquisitor¡¯s eyes widened further. ¡°¡­Which tribe does this barbarian belong to?¡± ¡°That, I do not know. He had no particr symbols or tattoos.¡± He imed to be from the White Snowfields, but without physical evidence, it was hard to believe. ¡°Do you know his name?¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± The inquisitor closed her eyes, probably searching her mind for information on barbarians. Soon, she opened her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard before. I know barbarians capable of defeating Sir Cain, but their names are different, and they have no reason to be here. This must be a new powerful warrior.¡± One strong enough to defeat a Swordmaster and annihte Karthos¡¯s soul. ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, the inquisitor¡¯s eyes turned sharp. The lord felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°¡­Is there a problem?¡± ¡°That barbarian might be the reason I came here.¡± ¡°What?¡± The lord was startled. The inquisitor spoke again. ¡°Could I possibly meet this barbarian in person?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The lord¡¯s eyes grew as wide as they could. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 34 – The Sun God’s Inquisitor (2) Chapter 34 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 34 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (2) ¡°What could this be?¡± Lying on the bed in his lodging, Ketal stared at the translucent gray cube. A strange light flickered inside it. It was clearly no ordinary item, likely a magical artifact. Ketal hadn¡¯t mentioned the cube when exining things to the lord. He figured it would be taken away if he did. This turned out to be a wise decision. Any artifact rted to Karthos was extremely dangerous and might not be returned to him if confiscated. ¡®How do you use it?¡¯ The cube had lit up whenever Karthos used magic, seemingly assisting with the spells. ¡®¡­Can I use magic with this too?¡¯ His heart raced at the thought. He decided to keep it for now and ask mages about its useter. ¡°Whoops, it¡¯s about time.¡± Ketal got up from his spot, a broad smile on his face. The joy on his face wasn¡¯t just from acquiring the artifact. Naturally, he was happy because he could finally visit the church in this fantasy world! After exining the situation and handing over the Life Vessel, the head of the guards came to see him the next day. He told Ketal that the inquisitor of the Sun God had arrived in the territory and wanted to meet him. Though he had met priests before, this was his first time meeting an inquisitor. The meeting ce was the church, and he had no reason to refuse. He readily epted. Seeing Ketal walking cheerfully, the guard captain spoke with a worried expression. ¡°Your counterpart is an inquisitor of the Sun God. Please, please don¡¯t be disrespectful. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Though his words were almost groveling, it was understandable from the captain¡¯s point of view. If Ketal were to be disrespectful, the entire territory could suffer. Ketalughed heartily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Have I ever been rude to anyone?¡± ¡°¡­Not really.¡± He had even been polite to the priest of the god of lies and deception. Since he cleared that dungeon without any issues, meeting an inquisitor of the Sun God shouldn¡¯t be a problem. This barbarian was certainly different from other barbarians. The guard captain closed his mouth and continued walking. They arrived at the church of the Sun God, located in a corner of the territory. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Oooooh.¡± In this world, gods existed. They bestowed power directly and sometimes descended in person. ces where their followers gathered were called churches. Ketal wondered how different a fantasy world¡¯s church would be. He knew there was a church of the Sun God here, and he had immediately rushed over upon learning of its existence. However, he hadn¡¯t been able to visit it. The reason was simple. Those who didn¡¯t serve the Sun God couldn¡¯t enter the church. In reality, permission was enough to gain entry, but the priests had adamantly opposed letting a barbarian in, so he hadn¡¯t been able to enter. But this time, Aquaz had requested to see Ketal in the church. Ketalughed joyfully. ¡°This is more than enough of a reward.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± ¡°I got it, I got it.¡± Ketal chuckled, knocking on the church door. Slowly, the door opened, and several women greeted him. ¡°W-Wee, Mr. Ketal.¡± The priests, trembling, greeted him. Ketal was deeply moved. Heize was also a servant of a god, but due to her travels, she wore simple, practical clothing. These women, however, were dressed in refined, elegant priestly clothes. Ketal liked that fact for some reason. He grinned widely. ¡°Thank you for the warm wee.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A priest stumbled at his smile, nearly copsing before another priest caught her just in time. ¡°Are you alright?¡± When Ketal tried to approach, they recoiled as if in a fit of convulsions, increasing the distance between them. ¡°N-No! I¡¯m fine! You don¡¯t need to help!¡± They fled in panic. Ketal was deeply hurt by their clear rejection. The priests, trembling, retreated further, as if afraid to remain in the same ce any longer. ¡°Aquaz is waiting inside. Pleasee in.¡± They hurried away. Left alone, Ketal stroked his chin. ¡®Should I not smile?¡¯ It seemed like things got worse every time he smiled. But he figured a stern face would probably be even scarier. Ketal felt sad about the priests¡¯ rejection but quickly brushed it off. He had experienced too much to let such things bother him now. For now, he decided to enjoy the moment. Ketal walked slowly through the interior of the church. There were pews for worshippers and a lectern where the priest likely gave sermons. The basicyout wasn¡¯t much different from churches on Earth, except there were no stained ss windows, likely because ss wasn¡¯t yetmonce. Behind the lectern stood a statue, a robust male figure holding a spear aloft and a round shield, exuding an aura of majesty. This was probably the Sun God. ¡°A god, huh.¡± A real deity who granted powers and issued revtions. Ketal felt a strange sense of reverence. Gazing at the statue, Ketal assumed a posture. He knelt and sped his hands together in prayer. Watching him quietly, Aquaz was surprised. Ketal¡¯s posture showed deep reverence,parable to that of a devout priest. It was astonishing to see such faith in the giant barbarian. Aquaz found herself watching in awe, his piety making it hard to interrupt. As she pondered what to do, Ketal stood up and turned, having been aware of her presence all along. Their eyes met¡ªhis gray, hers silver. ¡°Are you Aquaz?¡± ¡°¡­Nice to meet you.¡± Aquaz regained herposure and greeted him. ¡°I am Aquaz, the Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor.¡± ¡°I am Ketal the Barbarian. Pleased to meet you.¡± Ketal grinned widely. * * * Aquaz led Ketal to the church¡¯s reception room. Sitting across from each other, they observed one another quietly. The inquisitor, a beautiful woman, likely had blood on her hands. Ketal felt a strange emotion. Inquisitors had existed on Earth too, long ago when religious power was extraordinarily strong, judging heretics. Though they had vanished in modern times, they were historically documented. It was fascinating in a different way from wizards or swordmasters, like witnessing a piece of historye to life. Aquaz had her own conflicting thoughts. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Her original n was to pressure Ketal, to interrogate him and forcibly extract the truth. But seeing him pray with such sincerity had dispelled that thought. She had no choice but to ask, ¡°Do you¡­ believe in our god?¡± ¡°No, I do not believe in any specific god.¡± She wasn¡¯t surprised by his answer, but it did raise a question. ¡°Then why did you pray to our god?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in your god. But I was invited into your church.¡± Even if the invitation wasn¡¯t meant to wee him, an invitation was an invitation. ¡°Therefore, it is proper to show respect. Although I don¡¯t believe, showing inner reverence would be hypocritical and disrespectful. But at least I can show respect with my body.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t believe, he could still act respectfully. Aquaz was momentarily stunned by his calm words. The sudden silence made Ketal awkwardly ask, ¡°Is that also considered rude? If so, I apologize.¡± ¡°N-No, not at all. It¡¯s not rude at all.¡± Aquaz quickly shook her head. ¡°¡­Indeed, even without belief, one can show physical respect. As you said.¡± Aquaz¡¯s face showed deep emotion. Nothing was more disrespectful than a disbeliever¡¯s heart, so showing respect with one¡¯s body was touching. Aquaz had been quite weary. As an inquisitor, she always dealt with those who did not believe in her god. They hurled all kinds of insults at her, and though she made them pay for it, it was still exhausting. Yet here was a barbarian, the epitome of disbelief, saying something so moving. Her opinion of the barbarian in front of her rose significantly, warmth entering her once cold eyes. Ketal suddenly seemed to remember something, his expression turning unsure. ¡°¡­Should I be burned at the stake for saying something like this? It just urred to me that speaking of disbelief in front of a believer might be rude.¡± ¡°W-What? No, not at all. As long as you don¡¯t directly insult our god, we won¡¯t do anything over mere disbelief.¡± Aquaz shook her head quickly. Although there were times in the distant past when disbelief alone could be punished, in the current era, that would cause significant issues. Inquisitors only dealt with heretics who directly insulted the god or those tainted by evil. ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a relief.¡± It seemed that these were not as harsh times as during the religious wars. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point then. There must be a reason you called for me.¡± Ketal smiled quietly, a smile resembling that of a beast. ¡°It¡¯s about the recent dungeon, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Aquaz confirmed. ¡®He¡¯s definitely sharp.¡¯ There were many differences between him and a typical barbarian. Aquaz began to speak. ¡°The Karthos you im to have defeated was a lich whomitted great evil in the world. Many extraordinary individuals tried to defeat him, but none seeded.¡± In the end, a hero had to step in to resolve the situation. Ketal leaned back in his chair. ¡°Even if you say so, it doesn¡¯t really affect me much.¡± He had heard enough about this yesterday. To Ketal, Karthos was just a lich who self-destructed while struggling alone. ¡°You can¡¯t believe my words, and I can only believe what I¡¯ve seen. We¡¯re at an impasse.¡± ¡°Yes, but our god has the power to break such an impasse.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°I swear by the name of the god I serve, and you swear by yourself. Here, we will speak only the truth. Will you ept this rule?¡± ¡°By rule, you mean it has an element of coercion.¡± Ketal bared his teeth. ¡°Is this the power of the god?¡± ¡°Yes. The Sun God will personally oversee our conversation. You can refuse if you feel ufortable.¡± Aquaz narrowed her eyes. She didn¡¯t expect him to ept. Despite being different from typical barbarians, he was still a non-believer. He wouldn¡¯t like being exposed to the gaze of a god. Her aim was to understand Ketal. She prepared to gauge his reaction starting from his refusal. But contrary to her expectations, Ketal beamed brightly. ¡°Why would I refuse?¡± Divine power, the god¡¯s authority, the god¡¯s gaze¡ªthis was a chance to experience it firsthand. Ketal was excited. The lich had deeply disappointed him, but surely not the god. The god¡¯s power would undoubtedly impress him. ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s proceed immediately!¡± Aquaz was taken aback. The god would look down directly. No one who didn¡¯t serve the god would enjoy that. Yet Ketal seemed almost delighted, as if experiencing the god¡¯s power was his goal. ¡®What is this?¡¯ It felt like a reversal. Instead of her using the god¡¯s power to test Ketal, it seemed like Ketal was eager to test the power of the Sun God. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 35 – The Sun God’s Inquisitor (3) Chapter 35 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 35 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (3) ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you ufortable?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The god is watching you.¡± ¡°Why would that make me ufortable?¡± Ketal asked, puzzled. ¡°I am upright. I have nothing to be ashamed of.¡± Because he never lied. Even if bound by strict rules, he had nothing to lose. ¡®To put it simply, it¡¯s just like a lie detector, right?¡¯ There was no need to worry. On the contrary, he weed it. Unlike a lie detector in the real world, this one detected lies without error. It was only amusing. However, Aquaz¡¯s thoughts were different. The gaze of a god. Its significance in this world was immense. Exposed to a vast and lofty presence, everything wasid bare. It was akin to a confession. Anyone with the slightest shame in their life would naturally feel a visceral aversion. But the barbarian before him spoke confidently. He said he was upright. That he had nothing to be ashamed of. It meant that Ketal had lived a life he could be proud of, even when facing a god. How many could say that? Even devout believers felt fear under the gaze of a god. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was moving. Aquaz wondered if the being before him was truly a barbarian. His spirit seemed akin to that of a saint. ¡°You¡­ are remarkable.¡± Of course, Ketal didn¡¯t think so deeply. To him, the gaze of a god was simply like a lie detector, so Aquaz¡¯s emotional gaze was puzzling. ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s proceed.¡± Aquaz closed her eyes. She sped her hands together and began to pray. ¡°O my god. You who observe from the highest ce. You who contemte the sun with great brightness. Please, with your gaze, reveal the corruption here.¡± It was a prayer to the god. In response to the believer¡¯s prayer, the power of the god was invoked. Kiieeeeeng! A pir of light descended. Despite the church ceiling blocking the sky, the violent light pierced through as if nothing could obstruct it, descending upon them. The people in the territory were startled by the sudden appearance of the light and some kneeled at its sanctity. ¡°Ooooh!¡± Ketal was moved. It was as if the god had descended, and the pir of light surrounded him. Ketal looked beyond the pir of light. There was something beyond. The barbarian and the presence beyond sensed each other and faced each other. ¡°Oh-ho.¡± Ketal smiled. Vast. No, it couldn¡¯t even be described that way. It wasn¡¯t a being that could be expressed in humannguage. Ketal felt the presence beyond watching him. And he felt the emotion in that gaze. It was puzzlement. And bewilderment. Ketal clearly felt those emotions. Unaware that their gazes had met, Aquaz simply watched Ketal. ¡®There¡¯s no sign of falsehood.¡¯ Her eyes settled. She slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Then let us begin. In this pir, no lies are permitted.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aquaz asked Ketal about the dungeon clearing process once more. And Ketal¡¯s answers were the same as before. As he said, Ketal had never lied. Aquaz organized her thoughts. Karthos was in the process of revival. He probably wasn¡¯t in perfect condition. This barbarian was incredibly strong. It wouldn¡¯t have been easy to face him in such a state. He likely overexerted himself trying to defeat the barbarian and couldn¡¯t withstand his own mana, leading to his self-destruction. ¡®He was lucky.¡¯ If Karthos had been able to use his magic, this barbarian wouldn¡¯t be here. That magic, which controlled emotions, was indeed powerful. ¡°Are your doubts resolved?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Thank you. Please forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I enjoyed it as well.¡± Ketalughed. Although the matter was settled, the pir of light did not disappear. Aquaz continued to watch Ketal. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Is it not over?¡± ¡°¡­There are a few more things I need to confirm. These are personal questions. You may refuse to answer. The only thing that isn¡¯t allowed here is lying.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°Then let¡¯s make a deal.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°For every question you ask, I¡¯ll ask one in return. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. I¡¯ll answer anything I can.¡± Aquaz responded without much thought. ¡°Then the first question. Where do youe from?¡± ¡°From the coldest ce in the world. A ce untouched by human feet.¡± Ketal shrugged his shoulders. ¡°A ce you call the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You came from there?¡± Ketal nodded. The pir of light remained unchanged. It meant he was telling the truth. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn to ask.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Ketal asked about the myths, legends, and history recorded about the Sun God. Normally, Aquaz would have been puzzled by such detailed inquiries, as if someone were preparing to join their faith. But now, she was too absorbed in Ketal¡¯s words to think that far. A mysterious area at the center of the world. A ce beyond the gaze of the Sun God. The White Snowfield. A being from that ce. She hastily exined and then asked again. ¡°What, what is there?¡± Aquaz was excited. Though she was an Inquisitor, she was also a seeker of knowledge. Discovering the unknown brought her great pleasure. The White Snowfield. The answer to that mystery was right before her eyes. ¡°Do monsters really exist there? Are there other barbarians like you?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Ketal hesitated, trailing off. There was a look of reluctance on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but could I refuse? I don¡¯t want to recall that ce.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­.¡± Though it was disappointing, she couldn¡¯t force him. The look on Ketal¡¯s face showed strong aversion. Aquaz cautiously asked another question. ¡°Then, could I confirm just one thing? The legend of the Emperor.¡± Long ago, an emperor who ruled the world challenged the White Snowfield and was defeated. He spoke of terrible monsters there after barely escaping. ¡°Do those beings really exist?¡± The white snake that devours icebergs. The white bear that causes earthquakes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The vile rat that pollutes the ocean. Ketal nodded. ¡°They exist. I encountered them often.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­.¡± She had confirmed the legend. Aquaz was deeply moved. She wanted to ask more. How did he survive? How many barbarian tribes were there? But before she could, Ketal spoke. ¡°Then, my turn to ask. Why are you here in this domain?¡± ¡°Oh. I had business here. Personal business.¡± Aquaz gave a vague answer and was about to ask more about the White Snowfield. ¡°Is that business to confirm if I am an unclean being?¡± * * * Thud. Her heart stopped. The excitement she felt vanished as if it had been a lie. She barely managed to open her mouth. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hmm? Wasn¡¯t it? I thought it was a reasonable deduction.¡± Ketal leaned back leisurely on the sofa. ¡°You introduced yourself as an Inquisitor. I don¡¯t know much, but you¡¯re not an ordinary priest, are you? Someone like that came all the way to this remote domain.¡± At first, he thought her target was Karthos, but from their conversation, it didn¡¯t seem so. Aquaz showed little interest in Karthos. ¡°That means you came here with a separate purpose. And when you prayed, you asked not to reveal lies, but to reveal corruption.¡± It was a sort of wordy. But it changed the meaning significantly. ¡°And the gaze of the god. I don¡¯t know much, but it doesn¡¯t seem like something that happens easily. It¡¯s too much just to prevent lying. It must have been to uncover something deeper.¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I called here so you could confirm whether I am an unclean being?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her heart still hadn¡¯t resumed beating. She wanted to say no. But the god was watching. All corruption was forbidden here. In the end, she slowly opened her mouth. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Correct.¡± He whistled. It had been a deduction born of simple curiosity. He was pleased it was correct, feeling neither more nor less about it. But Aquaz felt entirely different. Her lips grew dry. She had believed she had sessfully deceived the barbarian. But it was the opposite. The barbarian had known her true intentions from the start. ¡®¡­What a foolish thing I¡¯ve done.¡¯ Offering a prayer for revealing corruption. Using the god¡¯s gaze simply to detect lies. How could she have not realized how strange it was with just a little thought? The reason she did it without much thought was simple. Because her opponent was a barbarian. A being who forgets ten things when taught ten things. Even though the lord had already told her he wasn¡¯t an ordinary barbarian, she had subconsciously clung to her preconceptions. As she regretted her actions, a thought came to her. Then this barbarian¡­ He epted everything knowing all this? ¡°Then I¡¯m curious. Was I your target from the beginning?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Aquaz shook her head. She couldn¡¯t lie, and denying it now would be pointless. All she could do was try not to provoke the barbarian further. ¡°That wasn¡¯t it. We received a divine oracle. We needed to confirm if you were the subject of that oracle. As you can see, you are not.¡± The barbarian was not the subject of the oracle. Aquaz bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I hid my intentions and deceived you.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Ketal became angry. Barbarians detested deceit most of all. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I enjoyed it in my own way.¡± But Ketal smiled. It wasn¡¯t forgiveness. It truly meant that Aquaz¡¯s actions had merely been enjoyable to him. There was something in that smile that transcended the mortal realm. Aquaz couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°¡­Are you truly human?¡± ¡°I am human.¡± Ketal answered. The pir of light surrounding them remained unchanged. ¡°Then, as a penance, if I may call it that, may I ask one more question? What is the content of the oracle?¡± Normally, she shouldn¡¯t tell a barbarian. The content of a divine oracle was only to be shared with trustworthy individuals. But she couldn¡¯t refuse. She had deceived the barbarian. ¡®Could he have anticipated this far?¡¯ Had he intended to make her indebted to him to hear the oracle¡¯s content? All sorts of suspicions filled her mind. Her head became a jumble. But slowly, she opened her mouth. She told Ketal the content of the oracle. Hearing it, a deep interest sparkled in Ketal¡¯s eyes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 36 – The Sun God’s Inquisitor (4) Chapter 36 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 36 ¨C The Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor (4) Aquaz leaned back against the sofa, staring nkly into space. She felt drained. How long had it been since shest felt this exhausted? Despite the countless curses, hatred, words of apostasy, and demonic whispers she had faced, her mind had never wavered. Yet, a conversationsting only a few minutes with the barbarian had pushed her to her limits. ¡®The Barbarian of the White Snowfield¡­ is it?¡¯ Just thinking about it made her head hurt. She even wished the barbarian had been a divine oracle instead. ¡°You seem troubled.¡± the lord remarked sitting opposite her, chuckling softly as he lifted his teacup. The lord was terrified of this inquisitor. The Inquisitor of the Sun God. Aquaz. A person of countless renown and achievements. Although she wasn¡¯t as individually powerful as Cain, her devotion to serving the deity made her unique. Moreover, she was an inquisitor. As a tool of the divine, she had killed and dealt with numerous heretics. To the lord, Aquaz appeared more like a transcendent being than a fellow human. However, seeing her react simrly to himself regarding the barbarian made him realize Aquaz was human too. Aquaz finally spoke. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He arrived in the territory recently and has been living here. He ims toe from the White Snowfield, but there¡¯s no evidence.¡± ¡°That has been confirmed. Although we couldn¡¯t obtain any information about the Snowfield¡¯s interior, he is indeed a Barbarian of the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The lord¡¯s eyes widened. Ketal had previously imed this, but the lord hadn¡¯t believed him. The Barbarian of the White Snowfield was something out of legend. But Aquaz had confirmed it. It truly meant the existence of the White Snowfield. ¡°If this gets out, it¡¯ll cause quite a stir.¡± Many seek to explore the White Snowfield. Especially the emperor, who desires to conquer the world, including the Forbidden Lands. If the emperor took action, what chaos might ensue? The mere thought gave him a headache. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about that. We will handle Karthos and ensure the barbarian remains unknown to the public.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°¡­Are all Snowfield barbarians like him?¡± ¡°Probably not. This one is likely unique. If they were all like him, they would¡¯ve left the Snowfield and conquered the world by now.¡± Though it sounded like a joke, it wasn¡¯t. There were many barbarians in the world. Their martial prowess was significant, cing them at the top tier collectively. But they were also foolish. Not foolish, exactly, but simple-minded, which was almost the same. It was an innate limitation of barbarians. The lord suddenly recalled something. ¡°By the way, they say the current king of the barbarians is different. That he possesses both strength and intelligence.¡± ¡°You mean the king of all barbarians. I¡¯ve met him once, and he certainly was unlike the typical barbarian.¡± ¡°Really? It would be interesting if the two met.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that.¡± Aquaz gave a wry smile. The rtionship between barbarians and the faithful was not good. The rise of barbarian power was not a matter Aquaz couldugh about. The lord took a light sip of his tea. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, but¡­ At least from what I¡¯ve observed, there¡¯s no problem. He is remarkably good-natured. Astonishingly so.¡± He resolves menial tasks no one else wants to handle with a smile and shares the rewards of unexplored dungeons with his party without hesitation. Ketal had never once caused harm to others. He was, in fact, kinder and more polite than anyone the lord had ever seen. ¡°Cain said, as long as we don¡¯t provoke a peaceful beast, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°If Cain said so, it must be true. But¡­¡± Aquaz bit her dry lips. From what she saw, the barbarian was intelligent and rational. He was considerate of others and did not cause trouble. But that was only because he had no personal issues. He was considerate because it had no negative impact on him. Even beasts don¡¯t hunt when they are full. But if something external tried to restrict his actions. Or if something piqued his interest. He would move. That barbarian was such an entity. A beast won¡¯t rampage if left alone. But what if the beast itself finds something interesting and starts moving? ¡®¡­Soon, many changes wille.¡¯ The chaos and aftermath he would bring were already giving her a headache. ¡°By the way, did you achieve your goal?¡± The lord asked, trying to change the atmosphere. Aquaz nodded. ¡°Yes. There was no issue regarding that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. What was in the oracle that required you to speak with him alone?¡± ¡°I needed confirmation.¡± ¡°Confirmation?¡± ¡°To see if he was a pure human or something pretending to be one.¡± ¡°¡­What did the oracle say, exactly?¡± A moment of silence fell. The lord swallowed nervously. Aquaz opened her mouth. The lord¡¯s eyes widened in shock. * * * The next day, Ketal visited the lord¡¯s castle. ¡°We meet again.¡± As Ketal entered the reception room, the lord was already waiting. Ketal smiled warmly and extended his hand. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Well enough. And you?¡± The lord asked vaguely, and Ketal smiled broadly. ¡°I¡¯ve been having delightful days. Thanks to you for creating such a wonderful domain.¡± ¡°¡­I appreciate that.¡± Ketal sat down on the sofa opposite the lord. ¡°So, what brings me here today?¡± The reason Ketal was meeting the lord this time was simple. The lord had summoned him personally. ¡°As the lord, there¡¯s something I must tell you.¡± The lord bowed his head slightly. ¡°I must thank you. You saved this domain.¡± Lich Karthos. If he had acted properly, this small domain would have copsed in an instant. The barbarian was nothing short of a benefactor. ¡°Is that so?¡± But Ketal himself looked puzzled. ¡°I heard from Aquaz as well, but honestly, I don¡¯t get it. My party members could have handled it without any problems.¡± ¡°¡­The warrior, the thief, and the priest of the god of lies and deceit?¡± ¡°Yes, they are all excellent individuals.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From what the lord knew, they were still wandering as F-rank mercenaries, dealing with misceneous tasks. The lord shook his head. It was pointless to take this barbarian¡¯s words seriously. ¡°Whatever the case, the fact that you saved the domain remains unchanged. As the lord, I must express my gratitude. And¡­ apologize.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°The fact that you defeated Karthos will not be made public.¡± The lord¡¯s face was filled with deep anxiety. Defeating Karthos was a remarkable feat. If this fact became known, Ketal¡¯s name would spread across the entire continent. But it must not be revealed. If it did, the emperor would move personally. Ultimately, it meant Ketal would not receive the honor he deserved. While key figures in the kingdom and the Church of the Sun God would know about Ketal, it would still be a significant disadvantage. ¡°Is that so? As long as I am not restricted, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Ketal spoke lightly. He wasn¡¯t particrly interested in honor. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, from the lord¡¯s perspective, it was as if he was taking away what Ketal deserved, so he had to offer a fitting reward. ¡°Though it¡¯s not much of an apology, you did save the domain. You deserve a reward for that.¡± The lord pulled out an item from his bosom. It was a luxurious leather pouch. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°A leather pouch?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary leather pouch. See for yourself.¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. He took the leather pouch. The material was quite luxurious. Upon closer inspection, it bore some strange patterns. ¡°¡­Could it be?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. The lord smiled and said, ¡°Check the inside.¡± Ketal opened the leather pouch. The inside was revealed, and it was beyond Ketal¡¯s imagination. The leather pouch wasn¡¯trge. It was only big enough to hold a few gold or silver coins. But the inside was incredibly spacious. A quick nce showed it could easily hold more than a single room¡¯s worth of items. Ketal looked at the lord with an excited face. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artifact. A rather high-quality one at that. It¡¯s a reward for saving the domain and keeping the secret. I hope you like it.¡± ¡°Like it? I love it!¡± An artifact. A genuine magical item. It was the first time he¡¯d seen one in person. The lord smiled and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any particrly amazing effects. Just a vast space. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough!¡± When entering the recent unexplored dungeon, carrying all the prepared gear had been quite a hassle. But with this, all those inconveniences could be resolved. ¡°The space inside is roughly the size of this reception room. Even if the item isrger than the pouch¡¯s opening, it will fit.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ketal picked up his axe as a test. The axe was quiterge and didn¡¯t look like it could fit into the pouch. But as soon as he tried to put the axe into the pouch, it was sucked in as if being pulled by some force. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened even more. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°To retrieve something, just reach in and think of the item.¡± Ketal put his hand into the leather pouch and thought of the axe. Immediately, as if pulled by a ma, the axe flew into his hand. As he withdrew his hand, the axe emerged from the pouch. ¡°Ooooooh!¡± Ketal was extremely excited. A real artifact. The kind of artifact frequently featured in fantasy novels. And of those, a pouch artifact! This was the first artifact that protagonists often obtained. To actually get his hands on one! He felt like his head was going to explode with joy. The lord smiled at his reaction. Even though it was a reward he had to give, seeing such happiness made him feel good too. ¡°It was very difficult to obtain, so I hope you¡¯re satisfied.¡± ¡°Satisfied? Absolutely!¡± In terms of practicality and personal satisfaction, it was a top-tier item. ¡°But I¡¯m curious. How did you get something like this? It doesn¡¯t seem like a cheap item. Did you perhaps purchase it from the Mage Tower?¡± ¡°No. Not from them.¡± The lord replied. ¡°I got it from a wandering merchant.¡± ¡°A wandering merchant?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know them? They are, literally, wandering merchants. They appear suddenly near people and sell all sorts of items. I bought it from them.¡± ¡°Are they human?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re always adorned with strange decorations, making it impossible to tell. They expect payment and give you the item once you pay the price. I got it from them.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes showed interest. ¡°You¡¯ll probably encounter them someday if you travel around. They appear very suddenly, so you¡¯ll have to rely on chance.¡± ¡°That sounds interesting.¡± Ketal grinned. After asking a bit more about the wandering merchants, Ketal soon left the lord¡¯s castle. Left alone, the lord leaned back on the sofa and pressed his fingers to his forehead. ¡®At least this issue is resolved.¡¯ He was relieved that Ketal had epted it so easily. Of course, the artifact was extremely valuable. Items from wandering merchants were inherently very rare. Additionally, their functionality was excellent, so they could fetch a high price if sold to the right person. It was an artifact that Swordmaster Cain had brought as a gift when he became lord. However, despite the artifact¡¯s rarity, the barbarian was someone who acted based on interest. He had considered the possibility of refusal, but fortunately, the worst-case scenario had been avoided. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. A bigger problem remained. ¡°A prophecy¡­ huh.¡± The lord smiled bitterly. ¡°What on earth is happening in this remote domain?¡± Lord Cain had said there was something happening in the world. He came to warn him about it. But if that was the case, he should have exined in more detail. The lord grumbled inwardly. The prophecy Aquaz mentioned came to mind. ¡®Evil will descend. A great evil. It will descend here and spread across the world.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 37 – Descent of Evil (1) Chapter 37 ¨C Descent of Evil (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 37 ¨C Descent of Evil (1) The territory of Barkan consisted of numerous viges surrounding the city. Traveling merchants would move between these viges, selling goods that were in short supply. Like most regions, it was an interconnected, organic structure. This meant that the viges regrlymunicated with each other. One day, however, contact with one of the viges was suddenly lost. At first, no one thought much of it. Sometimes, a merchant wouldn¡¯t show up, or coincidentally, no one from the vige woulde out, causing briefpses inmunication. But when several days passed without any word from the vige, people began to worry. To find out what was happening, people from nearby viges were sent to check on it. But they didn¡¯t return. Those who went to search for them also didn¡¯te back. Eventually, the vigers reported this to the lord. Upon hearing the situation, the lord sent a tax collector to investigate. However, the tax collector also failed to return. This prompted the lord to send a fully armed detachment of ten guards to check the vige, in case it was a situation where the vigers were refusing to pay taxes or were in some kind of rebellion. Such events were not umon. These ten guards, well-equipped and fully armed, were not people who could be easily dealt with by simple farmers. Yet they too did not return. Only then did the lord realize something was seriously wrong. * * * ¡°What tasks do we have today?¡± Ketal asked as he arrived early at the guild hall, just like any other day. However, instead of showing him the job board, Rosa spoke calmly. ¡°Today, we have an urgent request. It¡¯s from the lord.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to check on a vige that¡¯s lost contact.¡± Rosa exined the details of the request. A few days ago, contact with one of the viges was lost, and this task was to send someone to investigate. ¡°It¡¯s a simple dispatch, but the reward is quite substantial.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Ketal smiled intriguingly and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± Rosa smiled slightly, as if she had expected this response. Ketal then headed to the starting point, where a familiar face greeted him. Ketal approached with a pleased expression. ¡°Heize! You¡¯re here too.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Ketal. Hello.¡± Priest Heize, who served the god of deceit and deception, Kalosia, bowed her head. ¡°Did you ept the request as well, Mr. Ketal?¡± ¡°How could I refuse such an interesting task?¡± Heize smiled, knowing from experience that Ketal would never turn down such a request. Ketal looked around and noticed something. ¡°Are you alone? Where are your party members?¡± ¡°They must have declined the request. Thanks to you, Mr. Ketal, they have plenty of funds now.¡± They had cleared an uncharted dungeon recently. Even receiving only 10% of the reward was enough for them to avoid taking new requests for a while. They were probably idling in a nearby tavern. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you also be taking it easy?¡± ¡°I send money to the church. I can¡¯t afford to spend it frivolously like them.¡± Heize was supporting her church, dedicated to Kalosia, a god not widely epted, and thus her church was not well-off. She sent all her money, keeping only the minimum needed for herself. ¡°I see. That must be tough. Hang in there.¡± ¡°Yes. But thanks to you, I could send arge amount this time. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the same party, no need to mention it.¡± Ketal grinned. Heize no longer found his smile frightening. ¡°How have you been, Mr. Ketal?¡± ¡°Same as always. Handling various requests.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Heize did not know that Ketal had defeated Karthos. Aquaz and the lord had kept it secret, so only a few people in the territory knew about Karthos¡¯s existence. So, she simply nodded at Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°I also received this as a reward.¡± Ketal tapped a leather pouch hanging from his waist. Heize made an impressed sound. ¡°¡­It looks fancy. Must be quite valuable.¡± Heize did not realize the leather pouch was an artifact. Naturally, as artifacts were rare, usually found only in the capital and only essible to the nobility. Thus, she assumed it was just a luxurious leather pouch. She smiled. ¡°Congrattions. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Very much so. Thank you.¡± Ketal grinned broadly, genuinely pleased by her congrattions. Heize chuckled quietly. This barbarian had a childlike purity, reacting strongly and joyfully to small things. Initially, it had been truly frightening, but by now, she had gotten used to it and even found it endearing. As they spent time talking about trivial matters, the mercenaries who had taken the job began to gather one by one. Ketal stroked his chin as he observed their numbers. ¡°There are fewer than I expected.¡± The task was simple, and the reward was substantial. He had thought more people would gather, but the total was less than ten. Heize gave an awkward smile. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s a bit of a risky job.¡± ¡°Is that so? The task itself seems straightforward enough.¡± ¡°Yes, it is simple. But the reward is toorge.¡± The task was just to be dispatched to a vige, something anyone could do. But the reward was disproportionately highpared to the task. This suggested that it might not be a simple job after all. ¡°There are also rumors that the guards who were sent haven¡¯t returned. It¡¯s not as simple as it seems.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you okay with it? It could be dangerous.¡± ¡°The Lord will protect me.¡± Heize spoke calmly. ¡°I have no reason to be afraid.¡± It was the faith of a devout believer. Ketal nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Heize trailed off, ncing at Ketal. She knew he would ept this request. Considering their experience of solving tasks together, she didn¡¯t think there would be much danger. ¡°But even so, the number is too small. I thought there would be at least ten.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Despite the risk, the reward was significant. Ordinary mercenaries would normally ept such a job without hesitation. ¡°Haha¡­ There¡¯s another rumor going around.¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Heizeughed awkwardly and looked away. There stood a woman with silver hair. She was very beautiful, but unfortunately, her expression was perfectly nk. Though she drew attention, no one approached her. ¡°¡­Aquaz. The Inquisitor of the Sun God. Why is she here?¡± There were rumors that she was in the territory and would be joining this task. The thought of taking on a job alongside an Inquisitor of the Sun God was enough to deter most mercenaries. ¡°¡­She¡¯s not going to split my head open, is she?¡± Heize mumbled with a worried look. She was a priest of a different faith and could be considered heretical. Ketal shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. She¡¯s very polite and kind.¡± Heize¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ah, do you know Aquaz?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± A barbarian and an inquisitor being friends? Heize felt dizzy. Ketal walked over to Aquaz, as if to prove his point. ¡°Ke-Ketal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ketal approached Aquaz leisurely. ¡°Good to see you again.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t recall bing friends with you.¡± ¡°Did you hear that? Then we can be friends starting now, can¡¯t we?¡± Ketalughed heartily. Aquaz didn¡¯t respond. This barbarian was difficult to deal with in many ways. ¡°So, are you really going to split her head open?¡± ¡°We do not deny the existence of other gods. There was a time long ago during the holy wars when that happened, but no longer.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Is she a follower of another god?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a priestess of the God of Lies and Deceit. A good friend.¡± ¡°¡­You mean Kalosia?¡± ¡°Oh, you know.¡± ¡°I am aware of all the great ones that exist in this world.¡± Aquaz spoke calmly, a hint of curiosity on her face. ¡°She¡¯s a priestess of Kalosia?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­No. I was under the impression that the followers of Kalosia were currently in a period of rest. I thought only those of high rank could move.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I don¡¯t know everything about every church. I must have been mistaken.¡± Aquaz shook her head. After rubbing his chin for a moment, Ketal asked. ¡°So, does your involvement mean it¡¯s time?¡± ¡°That I cannot say. The Lord did not reveal the exact time. It might just be thatmunication with the vige is down.¡± Hence, the lord was preparing for all possibilities by assembling guards and calling in mercenaries to send a dispatch team. ¡°But there is a possibility, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aquaz did not deny it. Ketal¡¯s face showed deep interest. ¡®A great evil.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what such a presence might signify. Soon, the head of the guard arrived with his men. He looked around at the mercenaries and, upon seeing Ketal, spoke with a knowing expression. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Why would I refuse a job that looks this interesting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly fun¡­ but wee anyway.¡± The guard captain didn¡¯t seem overly concerned. Despite the peculiar situation, his expressioncked any significant fear. The reason was simple: the Inquisitor of the Sun God, Aquaz, was present. With the presence of the great inquisitor, he believed any problem could be resolved without issue. ¡°Then let¡¯s move out.¡± The guards and mercenaries began to gather. Ketal watched them with satisfaction. ¡°Good.¡± It wasn¡¯t his first time moving with a group. In the white snowfields, he had often killed monsters alongside his kin. But that was only within the white snowfields, a ce that could hardly be called fantasy. Moreover, the fearsome barbarians there could never truly form a cohesive group. But this was a real collective: mercenaries, a priest, guards, a barbarian, and an inquisitor. It felt like they were going on a raid. Ketal found the current situation very satisfying. The head of the guard, who had been looking at Ketal¡¯s pleased expression with some curiosity, finally spoke. ¡°Follow us. We also request your assistance, Aquaz.¡± Aquaz nodded. They began to move toward the troubled vige. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 38 – Descent of Evil (2) Chapter 38 ¨C Descent of Evil (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 38 ¨C Descent of Evil (2) They left the estate and began walking towards their destination. The distance wasn¡¯t exactly close; it would take them half a day even if they walked continuously. When they reached the halfway point, the guard captain suggested taking a break, and the guards began to remove their armor and rest. Ketal also sat down by a tree, closed his eyes, and leisurely enjoyed the scent of the grass and the breeze. At that moment, he sensed someone approaching. The presence hesitated, trembling as if contemting something, but eventually moved closer to him. It was an unfamiliar presence. It was the first time a stranger had approached him first. Ketal opened his eyes. ¡°Eek!¡± A startled cry escaped as the person realized Ketal was looking at him. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± The man had an intellectual look. He cautiously began to speak. ¡°Are you¡­ Mr. Ketal by any chance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oh, it really is you.¡± The man bowed respectfully. ¡°Thank you. You saved my life.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal tilted his head in confusion. The man spoke carefully. ¡°Um¡­ the recent dungeon incident.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ketal understood. Karthos had taken about nine hostages. The man in front of him must have been one of them. Now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing this face, though at the time, it had been too dazed for him to recognize immediately. ¡°So you were one of those captured. I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Haha, thanks to you.¡± The man scratched his head. ¡°You saved my life, Mr. Ketal, so I felt I had to thank you properly at least once. Thank you very much for saving me.¡± The man bowed deeply. If it weren¡¯t for Ketal, he would have died and be a ything for the lich. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say he owed his life to Ketal. Ketal felt pleased. It meant lives had been saved because of his actions. ¡°By the way, what should I call you?¡± ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet.¡± The man straightened his simple clothing and spoke. ¡°My name is Guraisan. I¡¯m a mage. Though I¡¯m still a temporary one without even the apprentice title.¡± ¡°A mage!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. The man flinched at his gaze. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ The rtionship between barbarians and mages wasn¡¯t great. Barbarians despised mages for relying on something they considered weak, while mages mocked barbarians as brutes. However, Ketal was the one who saved him. That¡¯s why Guraisan exined, but he began to regret it. Ketal leaned in with an intrigued expression. ¡°Does that mean you can use magic?¡± ¡°Uh, no. Not yet. I¡¯m still a temporary one.¡± ¡°Temporary?¡± Guraisan exined slowly. He was an ordinary vige youth. But a passing mage recognized his talent for handling mana and allowed him to walk the path of a mage. The mage had taken him as a temporary apprentice. ¡°Wow, does that happen often?¡± ¡°Rarely, but there are cases like mine. They say magical talent can appear quite unexpectedly.¡± ¡°So you already understood the mysteries from the beginning?¡± ¡°Not really, but the potential was there, ording to my master. They said the mystery was the path of magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite something.¡± It was impressive. It was also a ssic fantasy trope. But it made him feel a bit sad too. ¡®I couldn¡¯t even confirm that.¡¯ He quickly shook off the brief sadness. A vige youth recognized by a wandering genius and taken as an apprentice. It was like the case of a protagonist. It was time to satisfy his curiosity and interest. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°My master¡¯s firstmand was to reach the magic tower on my own.¡± ¡°The magic tower!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Among the information he¡¯d gathered from the library, there was some about the magic tower. The ce with the most mages in the world. Home to various schools of magic and great archmages conducting research. The magic tower. ¡°So you¡¯re on your way to the magic tower now.¡± ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, I got caught up in that mess. Karthos¡­ ugh.¡± Guraisan shuddered. It had been a terrifying experience. He now had something toin to his master about. ¡°The magic tower! I¡¯d like to visit it someday.¡± ¡°What?¡± Guraisan was a bit surprised. A barbarian and the magic tower were about as mismatched as anything could be. But Ketal¡¯s expression was very serious. So, Guraisan cautiously said, ¡°If you ever visit the magic tower, mention that you were introduced by Guraisan of the Shadow School. I¡¯m just an apprentice, so I don¡¯t have much influence, but¡­ I¡¯ll wee you as best as I can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Ketal said with a broad grin. Guraisan, however, didn¡¯t take it too seriously. It was unthinkable for a barbarian to visit the magic tower, like a fish trying to live out of water. ¡°So, is this mission to cover your travel expenses to the magic tower?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. The job is simple and the pay is good, so I had no reason to refuse.¡± ¡°There were some unlucky rumors about this job.¡± ¡°I heard them too, bute on, what are the chances?¡± Guraisan shook his head. ¡°The unluckiest thing in my life has already happened. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d get caught up in something like that again.¡± Ketal smiled silently. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A few hourster, they arrived at a vige. It was already early evening, and the sun was setting. As they entered the vige, their faces tensed, gripping their weapons tightly. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything,¡± Aquaz said quietly. The guard captain frowned. ¡°Then they might have just fled.¡± The guard captain gestured with his chin, and the guards quickly began searching the vige. ¡°Mercenaries, it¡¯s your turn. Find any traces.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal looked around the vige. It wasn¡¯trge. At most, about a hundred people could barely live there. But it wasn¡¯t a number that could disappear without a trace. So, the guard captain thought they would find some clues. However, the more they searched, the stranger things seemed. One guard approached with a puzzled expression. ¡°The food is still here.¡± ¡°They might have left it behind while fleeing.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s freshly cooked food still warm.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come and see.¡± The guard captain followed the guard into a small house. On the table were potatoes and coffee, still steaming as if they had been cooked just before they arrived. The guard captain¡¯s face showed his bewilderment. ¡°What is this?¡± The vige had lost contact several days ago. Since then, many people hade, but none had returned. The guard captain considered two possibilities: one, someone had taken over the vige and overpowered anyone who approached, or two, the evil Aquaz mentioned had descended. But now both possibilities seemed unlikely. If there was evil present, there wouldn¡¯t be freshly cooked food. However, if someone had taken over the vige, there would be people around, and there were none. ¡°What about traces?¡± ¡°None.¡± The guard shook his head, bewildered. ¡°There¡¯s no sign of anyone leaving or hiding. Not even a single footprint.¡± Thest possibility, that they had seen the grouping and fled, also seemed impossible now. ¡°Continue searching.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The others were also puzzled. There were clear signs of life, but no people, and no signs of escape. It was a very strange situation. The searchers felt a strong sense of unease. An hourter, they gathered in the vige center. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°Everywhere is the same. There¡¯s evidence that people were here recently, but no one is around, and there are no traces.¡± ¡°Aquaz, do you know anything?¡± ¡°¡­I have no idea.¡± Aquaz was also baffled. If the evil she anticipated had descended, thend would already be shrouded in darkness. But the ce waspletely normal, as if nothing had happened. Yet the vige¡¯s situation suggested otherwise. They were confused and murmuring among themselves. Aquaz couldn¡¯t find an answer either. The guard captain, biting his lip in thought, looked at Ketal. ¡°Do you have any idea?¡± Ketal was strong enough to defeat a Swordmaster. He might have found something. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any specific traces either. There are signs of life, but no evidence of anyone leaving the vige. I don¡¯t sense any presence either.¡± ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡± Even with two superhumanly strong individuals, they couldn¡¯t find anything. As the guard captain grumbled, Ketal spoke up. ¡°Why not ask someone who might know something?¡± ¡°Even Lady Aquaz doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about her. There¡¯s someone else, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The guard captain looked up, and Ketal tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t notice?¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said. Didn¡¯t you find someone in the vige?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Someone else. That meant someone who wasn¡¯t there when they initially arrived. The guard captain swallowed hard and scanned the faces of the people. And then he found her. A woman whose face he hadn¡¯t seen when they first set out. She had blended in so naturally that he hadn¡¯t noticed her. No, that wasn¡¯t right. It was impossible not to notice her. She was stunningly beautiful, unnaturally so. How had such a beautiful woman suddenly appeared without anyone, except Ketal, noticing? ¡°Oh?¡± The woman looked at Ketal with curiosity. ¡°How interesting. I disguised myself perfectly, so how did you notice me?¡± ¡°The number of people suddenly increased, and a face we hadn¡¯t seen before appeared. How could I not notice?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. You shouldn¡¯t have been aware of that fact at all. Even the great Inquisitor of the Sun God didn¡¯t notice.¡± The woman smiled brightly. Her eyes gleamed with interest in Ketal. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve grasped the mysteries¡­ Who are you? This is an unexpected find.¡± ¡°Everyone! Step back!¡± The guard captain finally shouted. The people gasped and quickly distanced themselves from the woman, forming arge circle around her. ¡°Lady Aquaz?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t sense anything.¡± Aquaz groaned. She was an inquisitor of the Sun God, with one of the highest abilities in detecting evil and dark magic in the entire order. That she couldn¡¯t sense the woman¡¯s presence meant one of two things: either the woman wasn¡¯t evil, or she was such a high-level evil that even Aquaz couldn¡¯t detect her. The woman muttered, sounding bored. ¡°Ah, what a waste. I wanted to follow you to your territory.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°No worries. This is fun too, so I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± The woman giggled, but her form began to melt away, like a bug shedding its skin. The human shape crumbled, and then they felt it¡ªthe overwhelming evil. The people¡¯s faces turned pale, and Aquaz was horrified. [I¡¯ve made up my mind.] The voice of evil echoed, shaking hearts and seeping into minds. [Interesting barbarian. I¡¯ll take you to hell as my ve.] ¡°That sounds fun.¡± Ketalughed heartily, the only one seemingly unfazed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 39 – Descent of Evil (3) Chapter 39 ¨C Descent of Evil (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 39 ¨C Descent of Evil (3) Evil pervaded the world. Dark, filthy things descended upon the mortal realm. A nauseating stench permeated the air. People were horrified. This was no longer the Middle World. It had be a world tainted by evil. Aquaz shouted fiercely, ¡°Everyone! Run away!¡± Even before she spoke, people were already fleeing. But when they reached the outskirts of the vige, they collided with a barrier. ¡°Noooo! No!¡± ¡°Open it! Open it!¡± They pounded on the violet barrier, but it stood firm like a wall of iron. The demon cackled. [This vige is my domain. No one can escape. You are all my prey.] And finally, the demon revealed its true form. Grotesque violet ram¡¯s horns. White eyes contrasting with pitch-ck pupils. A scantily d body with sun-tanned, bronze skin. Priest Heize screamed. ¡°¡­A demon! Impossible! How can there be a demon!¡± ¡°Is that really a demon?¡± ¡°Yes! And a named demon at that! Ahhhh! Lord Kalosia! Please save me! Protect me from this vile evil!¡± Heize, in a panic, prayed fervently. Ketal ced his hand on her head. ¡°Calm down, Heize. I¡¯m here with you.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­.¡± Hisrge hand enveloped her head. The panic in Heize¡¯s eyes slowly subsided. She stood up shakily. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± ¡°I have a question. What does it mean for a demon to have a name?¡± ¡°It, it means exactly that.¡± Heize swallowed and stammered as she exined. In this world, there were many beings called demons. Not all demons were strong. Some were so weak that even a passing woodcutter could kill them by chance. They were called demons for convenience, but in reality, they were mere fragments of evil and malice. But a being that could be clearly called a demon. One born from the cradle of darkness without a mother, with a will to name itself. That was a true demon. Even the weakest named demon could shake an entire kingdom. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Is this world¡¯s kingdom weaker than I thought? I¡¯ve already encountered two beings capable of shaking it.¡± ¡°What, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself. So, that demon has a name, correct?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Heize swallowed and looked at the demon with fearful eyes. ¡°If it has horns like that, it must be Ashetiar. It appeared several hundred years ago. Ah, why is such a being in this remotend¡­.¡± But what had already happened was irreversible. Ashetiar had descended into this world. They couldn¡¯t escape, blocked by the barrier. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal looked at the violet barrier with interest. ¡°Is this unbreakable?¡± ¡°Yes. This ce is already the demon¡¯s domain. Unless someone helps from the outside, there¡¯s nothing we can do. The only way to escape from inside is¡­ to defeat the demon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Lord Kalosia. Please forgive me for having to rely on a believer of another god¡­.¡± The Inquisitor of the Sun God, Aquaz, faced off against Ashetiar with cold eyes. In the end, she had to defeat the demon for them to survive. While staring at the violet barrier, Ketal knocked on it lightly. Craack. A web-like crack spread across the barrier. The people, who had their eyes closed in fear, didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Oops.¡± Ketal quickly withdrew his hand. Let¡¯s enjoy the moment. He looked at the confrontation between the demon and the Inquisitor with anticipation. A battle between divinity and demons. An age-old story was unfolding before his eyes. ¡°This is going to be fun.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. * * * Aquaz stared coldly at the demon. The demon shrugged off her gaze with augh. ¡°Demon. You¡¯ve been ying tricks.¡± ¡°How was it? Didn¡¯t it make you feel like solving a mystery?¡± ¡°¡­It was a vile act.¡± Aquaz narrowed her eyes. Why did the missing vige leave behind traces as if people had just been there? The reason was simple. The demon had staged it that way. The sole purpose was to mock people. ¡°How could evil like you descend into this world?¡± Summoning a named demon requires a significant sacrifice. The poption of this vige alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. Moreover, turning it into a territory? How could such an act be aplished in this remotend without anyone noticing? It was impossible. ¡°You think I¡¯ll tell you?¡± Ashetiar smirked. Aquaz¡¯s face contorted with disgust at her mockingughter. ¡°Foul evil, daring to taint the earth¡­¡± ¡°Foul? Impure?¡± Ashetiar bared her teeth, her face twisted in a sneer. ¡°Ha! Those are standards set by your gods. Merely your arbitrary judgments imposed on us!¡± She burst intoughter, filled with malice, causing people to cover their ears in agony. ¡°Hahahahaha! Yes! We lost to you! We handed over this world to you and were banished to the wretched hell!¡± A long time ago. There was a conflict between gods, humans, and evil. The victors were the gods and humans. Evil was banished from the world. ¡°But not anymore! Cracks are appearing in the world! This world is no longer just yours!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aquaz groaned. The demon¡¯s words held much significance. But there was no time to ponder. Ashetiar bowed gracefully. ¡°I am Ashetiar, Demon of Gravitas.¡± She looked at Aquaz with greedy eyes. ¡°The Inquisitor of the great and noble Sun God. I wonder what your flesh will taste like?¡± Ashetiar grinned, revealing sharp shark-like teeth. ¡°Disgusting creature.¡± Aquaz¡¯s face was filled with deep contempt. ¡°Return to where you belong. This world belongs to us and the gods.¡± Aquaz raised her hand to the sky and murmured briefly. ¡°Descend upon me.¡± BOOOM! A pir of light descended. It began to envelop Aquaz in light. The demon watched with a sardonic smile. And Ketal was excited. ¡°Oh ho! They don¡¯t attack during transformation! Does that rule apply in fantasy too?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s nonsense. It can¡¯t be true!¡± Heize shouted in disbelief. What Aquaz was doing was borrowing divine power from the gods. Since high concentrations of divine power were beingpressed, attacking carelessly could backfire. That¡¯s why the demon was just watching. It wasn¡¯t some unwritten rule about not attacking during transformations. Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°So, it¡¯s a rational concept?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Heize¡¯s face showed only confusion. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] When the descending pir faded, Aquaz¡¯s attire hadpletely changed. She now wore golden armor and wielded a huge shield. Holding a mace, she quietly took her stance. Ashetiarughed and extended her hand into the air. The darkness covering the ground rose and condensed into the shape of a hammer. ¡°Let¡¯s do this, dog of the gods.¡± Before she finished speaking, Aquaz charged. Dirt flew up. In an instant, she was right in front of the demon. Aquaz swung her mace. The demonughed and swung her hammer. CRAAAASH! Gold and darkness collided. Distorted waves spread out. ¡°Eeeeek!¡± ¡°Ughhhh!¡± The impact alone caused people to suffer. The intense sh of divine and evil energy was unbearable for ordinary people. Only Ketal watched the battle with interest. BOOM! Aquaz drove herrge square shield into the ground and charged. Like a boar, she pushed forward, prompting Ashetiar to taunt. ¡°Combat should have grace. Do hunting dogs not know this?¡± Fitting her words, Ashetiar twirled her hammer gracefully. The elegant movements of the hammer obscured her figure. Aquaz¡¯s charge scratched futilely at the ground. ¡°Here.¡± And Ashetiar reappeared directly above Aquaz¡¯s head. ¡°Gasp!¡± Aquaz raised her shield roughly. But instead of swinging her hammer, Ashetiar gently touched the shield. ¡°Be crushed.¡± CRRRACK! Darkness pressed down on the shield. The immense pressure crushed Aquaz¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh!¡± For the first time, Aquaz groaned in pain. It felt like a giant boulder was pressing directly on her. The darkness manipted by Ashetiar had physical weight. Ashetiar smiled and poured more darkness. As Aquaz¡¯s knees slowly buckled, her mouth opened. ¡°¡­Material 2:12. The light of glory shall not be vited by anyone.¡± SHIIIIIING! As soon as the low words ended, light exploded from her body. The darkness that had been pressing down on her vanished in the face of the light. Ashetiar hurriedly retreated, shaking off the divinity clinging to her hands and licking her lips. ¡°To be able to recite the scripture at your age. That¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°Book of Karma, Chapter 5, Verse 59: ¡®Its glory scorched all that was unholy it touched.¡¯¡± SHIIING! Light enveloped Aquaz¡¯s mace. Gripping it tightly, she charged once more. Ashetiar, now serious, swung her hammer. CRAAAASH! The collision of light and darkness grew even more intense. People were almostpletely copsed on the ground now. The sh of these opposing forces caused the earth to quake and the air to tremble, sending shockwaves in all directions. In such close proximity to the battle between light and darkness, ordinary beings couldn¡¯t possibly endure it. Some coughed up blood and fainted. Only Ketal watched with keen interest. ¡°Oooh! Magnificent!¡± ¡°He, heeeek!¡± Heize screamed from behind Ketal. She couldn¡¯tprehend Ketal at all. The sh of such divine and evil forces shook both body and mind, making it hard to stay conscious. Yet he watched casually, as if he were sightseeing! The battle continued. The demon was gradually being pushed back. Hope flickered in Heize¡¯ eyes as she observed this. ¡°As expected!¡± Aquaz was a genius even among the Sun God¡¯s Inquisitors. If it were her, she could surely defeat the demon. But the difference wasn¡¯t overwhelming. With external intervention, the bnce could easily tip to either side. And there was someone here capable of intervening. ¡°Ke, Ketal. Couldn¡¯t you help Aquaz?¡± Ketal was strong. At least first-ss. Although Heize couldn¡¯t fully grasp his strength, the fact that he was unscathed by the battle¡¯s effects suggested he could make a significant difference. Ketal nodded. ¡°I could.¡± ¡°Then, could you perhaps¡­?¡± ¡°But why should I?¡± ¡°What?¡± Heize unintentionally looked at Ketal¡¯s face. He was watching Aquaz and Ashetiar¡¯s battle with genuine enjoyment. ¡°Right now, before my eyes, a scene I¡¯ve longed to see is unfolding.¡± A believer of the gods. A demon. The two most fundamentally opposed entities in a fantasy world were denying each other¡¯s existence and shing with all their might. It was a sight he had dreamed of. ¡°Why should I intervene and ruin this battle?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Of course, I also want to fight the demon. But more than that, I want to watch this battle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Reciting scripture to gain its effect, huh? Does that mean I could do it too? No, probably not. It¡¯s likely a grace given to the faithful. So, if I worshiped the Sun God, could I do it?¡± Ketal murmured to himself with a delighted expression. Heize could only stare at him in disbelief. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 40 – Descent of Evil (4) Chapter 40 ¨C Descent of Evil (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 40 ¨C Descent of Evil (4) She thought she knew enough about Ketal. Having cleared dungeons together twice, she believed she had figured out what kind of person Ketal was. Unique and intensely curious, but fundamentally a good person. Someone who could be considerate and respectful. Somewhere in her heart, she thought of the Barbarian as somewhat peculiar but essentially an ordinary being living in this world. But this¡­ Something is different. Something feels alien. He wasn¡¯t someone who shared the same values. She realized that. Suddenly, Heize felt the Barbarian be distant. BOOM! Meanwhile, the battle continued. Light and darkness collided, sweeping across the territory with shockwaves. CLANG! Ashetiar, who had struck the shield with her hammer, stepped back. Her hammer was adorned with divinity as golden as the sun. She shook off the divine energy clinging to her hammer. ¡®As expected, a hound of the gods.¡¯ Ashetiar thought. Her power was superior to that woman. The gap was clear. She could win a hundred times out of a hundred. But theirpatibility was bad. In this world, no devil could rival a god. Moreover, that woman could recite the holy scripture. The holy scripture was the word of God. Reading it meant she could receive God¡¯s power more directly. If this continued, the battle would be prolonged. She might even lose. So, she had to seize victory through other means. Ashetiar swung her hammer. Aquaz was momentarily puzzled. It wasn¡¯t aimed at her. But soon her expression changed dramatically. She stomped the ground roughly and instantly arrived in front of the people, raising her shield. BOOM! Darkness exploded against her shield. People screamed. If she hadn¡¯t blocked it, they would have been shredded by the sharp darkness. ¡°Despicable.¡± ¡°Did you really expect fairness from a devil?¡± Ashetiar taunted Aquaz. Aquaz¡¯s expression remained unchanged. No devil would put people into their territory just to watch a fair fight. Surely, they were meant to hinder her. So, she spoke calmly. ¡°Material, Chapter 1, Verse 1. A radiant golden domain is born.¡± A golden domain emerged. A divine territory that no evil could invade. ¡°Everyone, enter here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thank you, Aquaz.¡± People hurriedly entered the domain Aquaz had created. Ashetiar cackled. ¡°Can you afford to waste such a precious scripture?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Aquaz charged roughly. Ashetiar swung her hammer. BOOM! The battle now was distinctly different. The aura of light surrounding Aquaz had weakened, and she could no longerpletely block Ashetiar¡¯s attacks. The holy scripture was the word of God. Reading it could grant overwhelming power, but it required a significant cost. It wasn¡¯t a power one could use freely. Aquaz¡¯s defeat became apparent. Ashetiarughed, mocking her. ¡°Sacrificing your power and leading yourself to defeat just to protect a few insignificant, lowly lives. How foolish.¡± Instead of answering, Aquaz swung her mace. Ashetiar blocked it with her hammer. The divine light of the sun could no longer erode the hammer. CLANG! With their bodies close together, Ashetiar whispered. ¡°Death is nothing. It¡¯s just death. No one will recognize your noble sacrifice.¡± If Aquaz were defeated here, everyone trapped in the territory would die. And Ashetiar would reveal herself to the world. In that process, it would be known that Aquaz was defeated. ¡°The first hound of the Sun God lost to evil. You will disgrace yourself and your God¡¯s honor. But if you defeat me and leave, everyone will praise your great name. Your God¡¯s influence will also increase.¡± For that to happen, Aquaz had to fight with all her strength. In other words, she had to abandon the people trapped here. Ashetiar smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s a simple story. Just withdraw the sanctuary surrounding them. They are unbelievers. They don¡¯t believe in your God. In other words, they¡¯re heretics.¡± Aquaz is an inquisitor. One who judges heretics. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of taking their lives yourself, don¡¯t worry. Leave everything to me. You just need to close your eyes and cover your ears.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± As if it wasn¡¯t worth listening to, Aquaz gripped her shield tightly. She charged roughly, causing the ground to crack as Ashetiar¡¯s body was flung away. Ashetiar sneered. ¡°Are you going to die here, dishonoring your god?¡± Instead of answering, Aquaz kicked the ground fiercely. Her mace, shrouded in light, tore through the air. CLANG! Ashetiar¡¯s face showed surprise as she blocked the attack. Usually, humans cornered like this would pretend to lose and abandon the lives they were protecting. Then they would say: ¡°I will avenge you.¡± Mocking their contradictions and selfishness, their desire for survival, was Ashetiar¡¯s pleasure. But Aquaz truly wasn¡¯t willing to abandon them. Ashetiar¡¯s eyes quietly flickered. ¡°Did that nobility captivate your god? Then die as a martyr.¡± BOOM! Ashetiar¡¯s movements changed, pressuring Aquaz while darting through the darkness. Aquaz struggled to keep up with her barely perceptible speed. ¡°Material, Chapter 3, Verse 12! The radiant sanctuary will banish the darkness¡­.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Her words were cut off. Ashetiar¡¯s hand mped over Aquaz¡¯s mouth. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing the words of your god.¡± BOOM! Ashetiar mmed Aquaz into the ground with force. Then she raised her hammer and brought it down. Aquaz hurriedly raised her shield. CLANG! The shield shattered under the hammer¡¯s impact. Ashetiar snapped her fingers, and darkness enveloped Aquaz¡¯s entire body. ¡°Ugh!¡± The battle was over. The domain of light protecting the people vanished. ¡°Ah, no!¡± Despairing screams erupted. The Inquisitor had been defeated by a demon. They were going to die. Ashetiar savored their screams. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy you as a dessert. Now, before that, I wonder how a noble hound of the gods tastes?¡± Ashetiar opened her mouth, revealing sharp shark-like teeth. Aquaz did not close her eyes. She stared at the evil that sought to defile her with unyielding eyes. Ashetiar smirked as if annoyed by this. ¡°Such pretty eyes. I want to see them twisted in pain.¡± Ashetiar moved to bite into Aquaz¡¯s flesh. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± At that moment, Ketal grabbed Ashetiar¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What?¡± Ashetiar was startled. How? She hadn¡¯t sensed any movement. But before she could finish her thoughts, a tremendous force pulled her back. Ashetiar¡¯s body was flung backward, crashing into the barrier she had created. ¡°Argh!¡± BOOM! Her body collided with her own barrier. ¡°It was an entertaining and satisfying fight. But she¡¯s my friend. I can¡¯t let her die.¡± Ketal lightly brushed his hands and extended a hand to the fallen Aquaz. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aquaz stared nkly up at him. * * * Aquaz had used every means at her disposal and lost. She had resigned herself to death. Thus, she had forgotten about Ketal¡¯s existence. He was the one who defeated the Swordmaster Cain. A superhumanly strong warrior. He had enough skill to intervene in their fight. ¡°You¡­.¡± Ashetiar staggered up from where she had collided with her barrier. Her face showed the displeasure of having her feast interrupted. ¡°Impudent Barbarian. How dare you interrupt my meal?¡± ¡°Sorry, but she¡¯s my friend. I can¡¯t let her die.¡± ¡°I was considering letting you live as a toy¡­.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I have no intention of being used by anyone.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ashetiar smirked. Darkness gathered, forming into the shape of a hammer. ¡°Then you must die.¡± ¡°S-Stand back.¡± Aquaz staggered to her feet. ¡°You cannot defeat a demon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fairly strong, you know.¡± ¡°No. Only those who wield divine power can defeat a demon.¡± It wasn¡¯t a matter of strength. Only the divine could banish a named demon from this world. Other powers were ineffective. This was aw established since the dawn of time, when good and evil came into existence. Moreover, this was a demon¡¯s territory. There could be no strokes of luck. This Barbarian could never defeat the demon. Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued by her words. ¡°Only gods can oppose demons. Is that the concept? That¡¯s fascinating.¡± ¡°Step back. I will handle this.¡± ¡°Even so.¡± Ketal looked at Aquaz. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in any condition to fight.¡± Her golden armor was corroded and darkened, her shield shattered, and the hand holding the mace was trembling. The oue was clear. Aquaz had been defeated. But the Inquisitor¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t lost their determination. ¡°I must do this. I serve the god. I am the one who opposes evil¡­.¡± However, she couldn¡¯t hide her body, staggering against her will. Ketal grinned. ¡°Is this what it means to believe in a god? Impressive.¡± Ketal was satisfied. This Inquisitor truly had the faith and heart befitting one who serves a god. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something good.¡± Ketal quietly leaned Aquaz¡¯s body against a half-destroyed building column. Aquaz leaned her body against it, still staggering. ¡°But leave this to me. I want to fight a demon too.¡± ¡°You foolish Barbarian. You don¡¯t understand. I told you, you cannot defeat me.¡± Ashetiar taunted Ketal. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re strong. But that¡¯s it. You can¡¯t wield divine power. You can never defeat me.¡± ¡°Shall we test that?¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Ashetiar revealed a sadistic smile. One of her favorite things was to crush and consume those who overestimated their strength. ¡°I want to see your eyes twisted in pain.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ashetiar¡¯s body vanished. Darkness opened up, and she appeared right in front of Ketal. It was a leap through space. It wasn¡¯t a mere move, so there was no time to respond. Aquaz wouldn¡¯t have detected it without divine sensing. Darkness silently descended upon Ketal¡¯s neck. ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡± Aquaz uttered weakly. In her mind, she envisioned Ketal¡¯s head being crushed. And at that moment. CRACK. Ashetiar¡¯s head was crushed instead. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 41 – Descent of Evil (5) Chapter 41 ¨C Descent of Evil (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 41 ¨C Descent of Evil (5) Aquaz¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The headless body staggered and fell. Ketal looked at his fist and nodded. ¡°Not as tough as I thought.¡± ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Aquaz mumbled stupidly. She hadn¡¯t seen it. What she saw was Ashetiar swinging her hammer towards Ketal¡¯s head. But in that instant, Ashetiar¡¯s head suddenly shattered. Ketal was shaking off his fist. ¡®¡­Did he shatter the head with his fist?¡¯ At a speed imperceptible to her, did he crush the demon¡¯s head with just his fist? Is that even possible? Her mind was dizzy with confusion and shock. Ketal gazed at the fallen, headless body. Then, suddenly, the fallen body disappeared. The ground stained, and darkness rose from beyond. Ashetiar emerged from the darkness. ¡°Oh. Even if your head is shattered, youe back to life. You¡¯re certainly different from a skeleton.¡± Ketal muttered, seemingly intrigued. Ashetiar¡¯s expression was not much different from Aquaz¡¯s. ¡®Wh-what just happened?¡¯ She hadn¡¯t seen it properly either. She thought she had beheaded him, but her own head was shattered. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°Just a simple barbarian.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Ashetiar narrowed his eyes. Darkness stared at Ketal. ¡®I don¡¯t sense any mystery.¡¯ He¡¯s not someone who used aura or magic. That made her even more bewildered. She brushed aside herplicated thoughts. She just needed to check for herself. She gripped her hammer and stepped into the darkness. Kagakakak! And then she appeared right next to Ketal, scraping the ground violently as she swung her hammer. Ketal watched her quietly. ¡®It¡¯s a bit awkward since she¡¯s in human form.¡¯ An impressive beauty. Not as much as the Elven Queen, but beautiful enough to captivate people. ¡®But still.¡¯ She¡¯s a demon. There¡¯s no reason to hold back. Kwaduk. A massive hole was punched through her chest. Her body couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and flew back, crashing into the barrier. ¡°Keuhuek!¡± She staggered as she tried to regain her stance. The hole in her chest filled with darkness. Ketal let out an intrigued ¡°Ho.¡± ¡°You regenerate immediately. I wonder what the principle is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Shock filled Ashetiar¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s just a simple punch. Not imbued with aura, not reinforced by magic, just a pure punch. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s so fast and strong that she can¡¯t even perceive it. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin for a moment, then nodded as if he had decided something. He moved his feet, and Ketal¡¯s figure vanished. When he reappeared, it was in front of Ashetiar. ¡°You!¡± Ashetiar freaked out and tried to lift her hammer. But Ketal was faster. He reached out and grabbed her arm. ¡°Kaaak!¡± He mmed her down. The ground rumbled and cracked. Ketal extended his leg. Her head and body separated. Ashetiar¡¯s body turned to darkness. She reappeared at a distance. ¡°If your head is shattered or separated, you reappear entirely. Otherwise, you regenerate. The core must be the head?¡± ¡°You, you. You!¡± Ashetiar¡¯s face twisted with rage at his cold analysis. She felt like a mere ything. ¡°You think you can face me with mere strength!¡± This barbarian doesn¡¯t wield aura, use magic, employ alchemy, or harness any special powers. He¡¯s just purely fast and strong. That¡¯s all. And that fact made the demon even more bbergasted. ¡°I am Ashetiar! The demon of gravitas! You dare challenge me with mere human strength!¡± ¡°Even so.¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t seem that impressive.¡± ¡°¡­Youuuuuu!¡± Ashetiar, furious, lifted her hammer. Darkness gathered and gathered again. She charged. But it was futile. Her hammer was stopped by Ketal¡¯s fingers. A massive shockwave erupted, but Ketal¡¯s stance didn¡¯t change at all. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°It¡¯s quite heavy.¡± Ka-chang! He applied force with his fingers, and the hammer shattered. Ketal¡¯s fist struck Ashetiar¡¯s stunned face, and her head disappeared once more. Regenerating again, she gritted her teeth. ¡°This is impossible! What is this?!¡± She was the demon of gravitas. The darkness she wielded carried physical force. And that darkness was incredibly heavy. It could hold unimaginable weight, defying the limits of matter and physics. Moreover, this was her territory. While not as powerful as in Hell, she could still draw significant power here. At full strength, she could imbue her hammer with the weight of a fortress. And yet, this human stopped her hammer with just his fingers? An ordinary human who couldn¡¯t even perceive the mystical? ¡°Impossible!¡± She shouted in denial. Ketalughed and raised his fist. Darkness rose and shook. Everything shattered and broke under his punches. Kwaaaaang! The battle remained unchanged. It was still one-sided in Ketal¡¯s favor. Aquaz watched in a daze. ¡®¡­What am I witnessing right now?¡¯ Ashetiar. A powerful demon who had once single-handedly brought down a kingdom centuries ago. Even when Aquaz had used the Holy Scripture against her, it was a stalemate. Such a powerful demon was being pummeled by mere punches. And not just any punches, but with the physical force that Ashetiarmanded. The battle unfolding before her felt unreal. It was like watching an ant toy with a human. Kuuuuuung! Ketal tore Ashetiar¡¯s limbs apart. But she regenerated and reappeared before him. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t die.¡± He shattered, crushed, tore apart, and punctured her. And yet, she reappeared unscathed. There were beings in the snowfields that couldn¡¯t be killed either. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But this was different. Those in the snowfields had a twisted concept of death, while this demon seemed to transcend death itself. ¡°So pure physical force can¡¯t kill her.¡± It felt like fighting an endlessly respawning monster. ¡°But still, it¡¯s nothing special.¡± Even if a level 1 slime respawned infinitely, what would it matter? It was just a slime. Aquaz, who had been watching in a stupor, suddenly came to her senses. She couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. The barbarian was incredibly strong, almost impossibly so, but it was still just physical force. He couldn¡¯t defeat the demon. A divine miracle was needed. She quietly began to pray. A small amount of divine power began to gather within her. Kwaduduk. Meanwhile, Ashetiar was continuously being destroyed. At some point, she seemed to have given up, a helpless smile on her face. ¡°Ha, hahaha! Hahahaha!¡± The anger had vanished. She could onlyugh at being toyed with like a child. She had to admit it now. The barbarian before her was strong. Far stronger than she was. Thus, only one emotion remained. ¡°What are you?¡± A question about the barbarian before her. She, the demon of Gravitas, was being overwhelmingly overpowered by pure strength. It felt like facing the god of strength. Ketal replied. ¡°Just a simple barbarian.¡± ¡°Ridiculous. But fine. I feel relieved. There¡¯s just one thing I want to test.¡± Ashetiar narrowed her eyes and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll hit you with all I¡¯ve got.¡± Waver. The darkness of her territory trembled ominously. It condensed and condensed further, taking the form of a thin veil. Aquaz¡¯s face hardened as she gathered divine power. A dreadfully dense darkness began to gather. This was dangerous. The demon¡¯s full power. She hastened the gathering of her divine power. Ketal looked intrigued. ¡°The demon¡¯s full strength, huh.¡± Ketal raised his axe as if to say he¡¯d take her on. The demon unleashed her power. ¡°Go forth! Pierce and kill!¡± Kagagagagak! The veil exploded. It transformed into thousands upon thousands of thin spikes aimed at Ketal. Each spike carried the power of a ballista. Even a well-constructed fortress would be reduced to rubble before such an attack. Ketalughed and met it head-on. The spikes shattered and broke. They collided with his body but left not even the smallest scratch. He swung his axe wide and stomped the ground. Countless shattered spike fragments scattered chaotically. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Ashetiar let out a hollowugh, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What kind of monster is this?¡± Boom! Ketal arrived in front of Ashetiar. Aquaz shouted. ¡°Book of Karma, Chapter 5, Verse 59! ¡®Its glory scorched all that was unholy it touched.¡¯¡± Kiiiiiing! A golden light enveloped Ketal¡¯s axe. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Ooooh!¡± Even Ketal could tell that the golden light carried a holy power. ¡°Is this the power of the gods?¡± ¡°What are you doing?! Strike now!¡± Aquaz screamed in panic as Ketal stood there, staring at his axe while facing the demon. Ketal shrugged and lifted his axe. ¡°I wanted to observe a bit longer, but it can¡¯t be helped. It was fun, demon.¡± Kwadududuk! The axe buried deep into Ashetiar¡¯s chest. The holy power invaded Ashetiar¡¯s insides. Darkness was eradicated by the light. Ashetiar¡¯s presence rapidly diminished. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°Thanks for the entertainment.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. It had been an incredibly enjoyable time. He had watched a fight between a demon and an inquisitor and had even fought the demon himself. Plus, he got to wield divine power in his axe. It was hard to ask for more satisfaction. Ashetiar, too, wore a strangely satisfied expression. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I¡¯m being banished back to Hell¡­ but I¡¯ve gained something. I¡¯ve confirmed that there¡¯s someone like you on the surface.¡± Her white eyes fixed on Ketal. ¡°It seems I had a bad matchup. If it were another demon, it might have been a more interesting fight.¡± Ordinarily, she held absolute superiority in pure strength. That was her power. But this time was different. Ketal was someone she could never overpower. ¡°Barbarian. Your name?¡± ¡°Ketal. Just Ketal.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Aquaz, who had thought it was all over and was relieved, suddenly cried out in panic. But it was toote. The demon bared her teeth, having heard the name. ¡°Ketal. Alright. Let all in Hell hear this!¡± A great shout echoed. It was not a cry towards the surface. It was a cry towards Ashetiar¡¯s homnd. A call to all beings there. ¡°There is a barbarian named Ketal on the surface! Let all in Hell remember the name Ketal! And consume my memories to recognize him! Ketal exists!¡± ¡°Ah, no!¡± Aquaz groaned in despair. Simultaneously, dark energy lunged at Ketal. It aimed to envelop Ketal¡¯s entire being, ultimately touching his soul. Ashetiarughed maniacally. ¡°Hahahaha! Barbarian! You belong to us now! We¡¯ll make good use of your corpseter!¡± The darkness raced across Ketal¡¯s body, thick and deep enough topletely consume an ordinary human. However. ¡°What did you do?¡± Nothing happened. The darkness that raced over Ketal¡¯s body couldn¡¯t prate him. Ashetiar¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°What, what the¡­?¡± The darkness had indeed spread over the barbarian¡¯s body. It was supposed to mark his soul with her name, but nothing happened. ¡°¡­Aha.¡± Ketal suddenly nodded as if he understood something. ¡°So this is what a demon¡¯s lies are about? If it was meant to buy time, it was somewhat effective, but it seems no one ising to help you.¡± ¡°W-wait.¡± Crunch. The axe came down mercilessly. Ashetiar¡¯s body dissolved into darkness and vanished. Left behind were Aquaz, staring nkly at the barbarian, and Ketal, stretching contentedly with a refreshed expression. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 42 – Descent of Evil (6) Chapter 42 ¨C Descent of Evil (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 42 ¨C Descent of Evil (6) The ones who had left to investigate returned to the territory. Everything they saw and experienced was reported in full. And the territory was turned upside down. A demon had taken over the vige. And it was none other than Ashetiar, the Demon of Gravitas. A demon. And a demon significant enough to be recorded in history. A being whose mere descent could shake the entire continent. That being had descended upon a vige in the territory. The captain of the guardsined of severe stomach pains. The lord also covered his face. Why did such a trial befall this small territory? The lord felt like cursing even the gods. But fortunately, an Inquisitor of the Sun God seeded in defeating the demon and sending it back to hell. The ones who had gone on the mission had internal injuries from the battle, but none had died. Although an entire vige was annihted, with over a hundred lives lost, it was almost as if there were no damage whenpared to the demon itself. If the demon had started moving toward the world, the casualties would have easily exceeded thousands. The appearance of a notable demon. And its defeat. The territory was in turmoil. All sorts of rumors spread, and the lord began to worry about what to do next. And the protagonists of those rumors were in the Sun God¡¯s church within the territory. ¡°It¡¯s noisy, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a small matter. The lord must have a headache too.¡± The room appeared to be a very simple bedroom usually used by priests. In it were an Inquisitor of the Sun God and a barbarian who didn¡¯t believe in any gods. Ketal spoke. ¡°Are you really nning to leave immediately? I think you should take enough rest before you go.¡± Aquaz, who was lying in bed, did not look well. Not even a day had passed since they had fought the demon. It wasn¡¯t enough time to shake off the aftereffects of the battle. But despite Aquaz¡¯s paleplexion, there was a strong resolve in her eyes. ¡°We cannot dy.¡± Aquaz bit her lip. ¡°I must inform the Holy Land of this as soon as possible.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your wish.¡± ¡°I have already exined the general situation to the lord. Since it¡¯s an internal matter of the kingdom, I can¡¯t intervene any further. The rest is up to the lord¡¯s judgment.¡± Aquaz slowly raised her upper body and bowed to Ketal. ¡°First, thank you. Without your help, we would all have be the demon¡¯s ythings.¡± ¡°No need for thanks for saving a friend.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°So, are we friends now?¡± ¡°¡­I am an Inquisitor of the Sun God. Do you really wish to form a friendship with me?¡± ¡°Is there a reason why not?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t, but¡­¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal chuckled heartily. Aquaz looked at Ketal with a peculiar expression. Even within the church, Aquaz was someone who was feared, so Ketal¡¯s friendliness was quite perplexing. But she didn¡¯t dislike it. ¡°As you wish. I¡¯m not so shameless as to refuse the heart of a benefactor.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I enjoyed it too. That demon, it was certainly something different.¡± ¡°Different, you say.¡± Ashetiar, the Demon of Gravitas. The idea of describing the feeling of crushing such a demon as different made her give a bitter smile. ¡®¡­What kind of barbarian is this?¡¯ ¡°By the way, I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± Aquaz snapped out of her thoughts andposed herself before asking. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t you tell a demon your name? At the time, your reaction didn¡¯t seem like it was just to buy time.¡± At first, since nothing happened and there was nothing felt, he thought it was the demon¡¯s lie. But remembering Aquaz¡¯s reaction at that time, it wasn¡¯t simply a lie. She was truly shocked. Aquaz opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a brand.¡± ¡°A brand?¡± ¡°A name is one of theponents that make up a being. Through the name, a dark brand is imprinted deep within the soul. And unless one receives a baptism, the brand cannot be erased.¡± The brand attracts evil beings. It¡¯s like a prey exuding a strong scent of spices. Historically, those branded either received salvation through baptism or were pursued by evil their whole lives until they met their end. ¡°I see?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°So, does that mean I¡¯m branded too?¡± ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t the case. You weren¡¯t branded, Ketal.¡± Of course, there are ways to prevent the branding. By using mystical means to protect the soul firmly. A strong enough individual could certainly block it. But Ketal didn¡¯t seem like he had blocked it. No. It wasn¡¯t quite the concept of blocking it to begin with. It was more urate to say that it couldn¡¯t reach him. ¡°¡­It¡¯s ambiguous. Your name is certainly known in Hell, Ketal. But since you weren¡¯t branded, they won¡¯t be able to pinpoint your location.¡± The beings of Hell were aware of Ketal but had no way to track him. It was a very peculiar situation. ¡°Unless the beings of evil descend directly into this world to pursue you, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± Aquaz murmured. Ketal¡¯s expression became curious. ¡°A bounty?¡± ¡°You could say that¡­ but don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Aquaz said. ¡°Unless you encounter evil, it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± And the descent of evil into this world was very rare. Aquaz believed that Ketal would probably never encounter evil again. ¡°Well¡­ if that¡¯s the case. But a demon, huh. It¡¯s fascinating. I couldn¡¯t kill it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the nature of such beings. If I had been defeated, unless the continent¡¯s strong individuals moved, the demon couldn¡¯t have been stopped. At the very least, this territory would have been utterly destroyed.¡± The defeat of an Inquisitor. The other churches would be on high alert. It would take considerable time for them to mobilize properly. And Ashetiar had enough power to destroy several territorys in that time. If not for Ketal, this scenario would have be reality, but Ketal seemed puzzled. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like such a strong being. It was weaker than I expected.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aquaz swallowed the words that tried to escape her mouth. She wanted to say it was indeed such a powerful being, but given that it had been toyed with, she couldn¡¯t argue. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®The Barbarian of the White Snowfield.¡¯ There are many ces in this world known as Forbidden Lands. But the White Snowfield was thergest among them and the least known. An extreme Forbidden Land unreachable by humanity. She now realized that Ketal¡¯s presence from such a ce was significant. ¡°But I understand why it couldn¡¯t be killed. Can it only be killed with divine power?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s more of a reverse summoning. When in a territorial state, that space bes very simr to Hell. Unless it¡¯s a great miracle, it cannot be defeated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite troublesome.¡± Unless one borrowed the power of the gods, it couldn¡¯t be defeated. It was a problem beyond mere strength. It essentially meant that without Aquaz, the territory had no way to handle the situation. ¡°Do such beings appear often? This world seems quite dangerous.¡± ¡°No. No, it doesn¡¯t. The descent of a named demon is extremely rare. Especially one in a territorial state.¡± Creating a territory requires many sacrifices and a long period of preparation. Usually, the process gets noticed by the gods and is eradicated before the territory can be established. But this time was different. A whole vige was turned into a demon¡¯s territory without anyone noticing. And without the help of a ck magician. By the time Aquaz received the divine oracle, the territorialization had already beenpleted. ¡°¡­How is this even possible?¡± Aquaz¡¯s face grew troubled. This was an anomaly. An impossible urrence. But it had happened. The world was changing in strange ways. Aquaz shook her head to clear her thoughts and spoke. ¡°Still, if it wasn¡¯t for the territorialization, you could have defeated it, Ketal. A normal descent can be reversed using aura.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t use aura.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you a mage?¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t use mana either.¡± ¡°Then a spirit user¡­¡± ¡°No. You seem to misunderstand. I can¡¯t use any mystery. As of now, anyway.¡± Ketal emphasized hisst words. Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened further in shock. ¡°¡­Mystery?¡± ¡°I spoke with Cain. He said my body is a bit unusual, making it difficult to find a path to the mystical arts.¡± ¡°W-Wait a moment.¡± Aquaz raised her hand to stop Ketal¡¯s words. After taking a moment to organize her thoughts, her expression turned even more astonished. Monstrous physical abilities. Blocking the attacks of the Demon of Gravitas with a single finger, breaking through thousands of thorns with his bare body and charging forward. Was all of that purely physical strength? Could someone have superhuman strength using only their physical body? Aquaz looked at Ketal in disbelief. Ketal, finding it interesting, stroked his chin. ¡°So, if it wasn¡¯t a territorial state, could you defeat it with something like aura?¡± ¡°Yes. Yes. If the mystical power is concentrated to an extreme, it can perform a reverse summoning.¡± ¡°Then if a territorial state is established? Even those called heroes wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat it?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Aquaz answered firmly. ¡°Unless it¡¯s a great miracle, you cannot defeat a demon.¡± Aquaz¡¯s voice carried a certainty as if it were an immutable truth. This piqued Ketal¡¯s interest. ¡°So, without mystery, I can¡¯t defeat a demon?¡± ¡°You can prevent the summoning, but once the demon is summoned, it would be impossible without the cooperation of believers like me or someone who can wield divine power.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m curious. What exactly is a demon?¡± A being that can only be defeated with divine power. ¡°A being that humans cannot defeat without the help of the gods. Why does such a being exist?¡± For a moment, Aquaz closed her mouth. Ketal tilted his head at the sight. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t expect such a question¡­.¡± Ketal¡¯s question just now touched on the roots of evil and divinity. It was a question that those who had received extensive education and umted knowledge within the church often pondered. The fact that a barbarian, who supposedly didn¡¯t know much about the gods, would ask such a question left Aquaz flustered. ¡°I can exin, but¡­ it might be a long story. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Oh, really.¡± Barbarians usually dislike exnations. They prefer simple, physical confrontations overplex discussions. But Ketal wanted to listen to the story and gain knowledge. He was indeed unique. He was more like an intellectual who explored a vast array of knowledge rather than a barbarian. ¡°In that case¡­¡± Aquaz took a moment to organize her thoughts and began to exin. Ketal listened with a face full of interest. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 43 – Descent of Evil (7) Chapter 43 ¨C Descent of Evil (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 43 ¨C Descent of Evil (7) A long, long time ago, Great gods created humans. Humans were foolish and ignorant, acting solely on instinct without any intelligence. They were practically no different from animals. The gods did not intervene and left humans to their own devices. But beings from beyond took an interest in the middle world. They crossed into the middle world, treating humans as ythings and ughtering them for sport. Unable to bear watching this any longer, the gods descended. The gods dered these beings from beyond to be demons, proiming them as entities that should not exist in this world. After countless shes between good and evil, They finally managed to banish evil from this world. Humans began to revere the great gods who saved them, remembering and serving their names. Those who did so formed religious orders. Under the guidance of the gods, humans made tremendous advancements. Time passed, and now, we are in the present. ¡°Ho.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, seemingly intrigued. Aquaz couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The story she was telling was a very old myth. It was a tale so tedious that some children dozed off during the teachings in the religious order. But Ketal listened intently, his face full of interest. Slightly moved by his attitude, Aquaz continued speaking. ¡°The demons were banished from the middle world. The great ones erected a barrier, denying demons the ability to remain in the middle world.¡± But the passage had already been opened. No matter how strong the barrier, demons could still interfere with the middle world. The gods needed to help, but they couldn¡¯t constantly watch over the middle world. Therefore, the gods chose those who served them and bestowed their powers upon them. Humans came to possess divine miracles. Through this process, the religious order grew even stronger, eventually exerting influence over the entire continent. ¡°Is that how it went?¡± This was the history as told by those who worshipped the gods of this world. ¡°Is it because they are beings from another dimension that they cannot be killed?¡± ¡°Because they didn¡¯t originally belong to this world. They cannot be dealt with using the concepts of this world. But with a divine miracle, such demons can be defeated.¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes sparkled. Her face was that of a devout believer. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°Then I have one question. Divine miracles can defeat demons, right? They have the upper hand against them.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then do divine miracles also have the upper hand against mysteries?¡± Aquaz nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°The great miracles of the gods. They created humans. They have the upper hand over all the powers humans wield.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The Sun God I serve is at the pinnacle among these many gods.¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t truly at the pinnacle. There were countless gods, and some were undoubtedly more powerful than the Sun God. It was a cute lie of a devout follower. But even so, the Sun God was indeed a powerful deity. Among the gods influencing the middle world, he was one of the most significant. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed signs of interest. Seeing this, a possibility arose in Aquaz¡¯s mind. ¡®¡­Perhaps.¡¯ If it were this barbarian, couldn¡¯t he be converted to the Sun God¡¯s order? Unlike other barbarians, he did not have a strong aversion to gods. He was even interested enough to listen attentively to a dull historical story. The conversion of a barbarian. For Aquaz, a devout follower of the Sun God, this would be a great joy. While she wasn¡¯t very interested in political matters, from the perspective of the order, it was also advantageous. Having someone who could overpower demons join the order meant strengthening its power. ¡°If you ever wish to join, please feel free to tell me. I will make arrangements.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed another kind of interest. But it was different from what Aquaz expected. ¡°¡­If I join, will I be able to use divine miracles too?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± Aquaz shook her head. ¡°Divine miracles can only be used by those chosen by the Sun God. I cannot guarantee it.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll think about it positively then.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Aquaz nodded with a smile. Thinking about it positively! That was very good news. She hoped to discuss the teachings of the Sun God with Ketal. Of course, Ketal was thinking differently. Ketal did not believe Aquaz¡¯s words. The part about creating humans was amon lie to enhance the dignity of the gods. But the conflict between gods and demons seemed to be true. Demons were defeated and banished by the gods. ¡®Demons are beings from another dimension.¡¯ They are entities that did not originally exist in this world. Therefore, if they fully descend, they cannot be defeated by the powers of this world. However, it is possible with the power of the gods. And the power of the gods holds a superior affinity over the powers of this world. If that¡¯s the case, Couldn¡¯t gods also share the same origin as demons? He didn¡¯t say this out loud. It would be a denial of the very foundation of the gods. Aquaz might raise her mace and kill him on the spot if he did. So Ketal brought up another topic that interested him. ¡°Divine power is wielding the power of the gods, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a great miracle.¡± ¡°Is the scripture you used also simr to that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Aquaz nodded. The divine scripture. A great book written by someone who directly witnessed the Sun God¡¯s descent to the earth. It was a precious relic that only a select few in the religious order were permitted to read. ¡°If it were my former self, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand against the demon like that.¡± In fact, Aquaz was overwhelmed by the demon at first. But she began to gain the upper hand after using the scripture. ¡°A scripture is a record of the god¡¯s journey. By reciting it, one can directly wield his miracles. I was granted permission to read the scripture because my faith in the Sun God was acknowledged. It was a great blessing.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t without risks. Receiving such a great power directly put a significant burden on both body and mind. Even someone as gifted as Aquaz found it difficult to read more than five passages. ¡°A book detailing the journey.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal muttered. He had read many scriptures in the real world as well. ¡°I¡¯d like to read it myself.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ That might be difficult. Even within the order, only a very few are allowed. I was able to do so because the High Priestess favored me.¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s just curiosity. In that case, I¡¯m also curious about the demons. You mentioned that Ashetiar is a demon with a name. Is it the strongest?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Aquaz shook her head. A named demon signifies it has reached a certain level of power. But there are countless demons stronger than the named ones. ¡°Ashetiar is one of the lower-ranked named demons.¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°There are many demons stronger than it?¡± ¡°Demons have their own hierarchy. Ashetiar is amon demon without any title.¡± But even so, a named demon. It cannot be opposed unless one is a superhuman warrior capable of handling aura. In other words, without such a powerful warrior, there is no way to confront it. ¡°Is such a being appearing in this remote ce? It¡¯s quite a dangerous world.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± Aquaz refuted Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Normally, a named demon cannot appear like this.¡± The stronger the demon, the harder it is to descend. It requires a significant sacrifice and time. The omens of this would be detected by the religious order through divine revtions. Many dark sorcerers attempt to summon demons, but most are caught by the gods¡¯ gaze and fail. An urrence of a named demon descending might happen once in ten years, and each time it involves continent-wide movements. If it were that easy for such demons to appear, this world would have long be their domain. ¡°But this time, it was different.¡± Even though the gods had given a revtion, it was toote. By the time Aquaz arrived, the demon had already descended. And there was no sign of the dark sorcerer who had summoned it. As if the demon had descended by its own power. Moreover, the possibility of it establishing territory? Such things happening so quickly was impossible. It couldn¡¯t be. ¡°Something is happening in the world.¡± Aquaz bit her lip tightly. This wasn¡¯t the first time something strange had urred. For some time now, an unusual atmosphere had been spreading across the world, and it wasn¡¯t in humanity¡¯s favor. ¡°Originally, the demons should have been contained, but they are starting to affect the world. Dungeons are appearing abnormally frequently. Numerous evil entities are gradually revealing themselves.¡± This started about a year ago. ¡°A year ago?¡± Ketal tilted his head. A year ago was when he was undertaking hisst quest. But that was strictly within the confines of the White Snowfield. This ce was a fantasy world, entirely separate from it. ¡°The conversation seems to have taken a different turn. First, let me express my gratitude once again.¡± Aquaz bowed respectfully. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have be a ything of evil. I will not forget this favor. Should you ever visit the Order of the Sun God, you will be warmly weed.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal grinned widely. * * * A few hourster, Aquaz was in a carriage. Her entire body still ached, but she couldn¡¯t afford to dy any longer. She needed to return to the Holy Land as quickly as possible. She had informed the lord about what had happened, so he would take care of it. She had to ry this information to the Holy Land swiftly. ¡®I must tell the High Priestess.¡¯ The High Priestess of the Great Sun God. The human closest to the Sun God. What would she think of this? Aquaz gave a bitter smile. ¡®¡­But still.¡¯ One question lingered in Aquaz¡¯s mind. The eyes of the gods observe this world. That¡¯s why they could foresee the descent of evil and take action. This time, the Sun God had given a proper revtion, but Aquaz had simply failed to act quickly enough. There was no issue with the revtion itself. Usually, revtions included information about allies. They often indicated that if one found a certain person, they would be on the path to vanquishing evil. This time, Ketal yed a crucial role in defeating the demon. Without him, it would have been impossible. Thus, Aquaz couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡®¡­Why didn¡¯t the Sun God give a revtion about that barbarian?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 44 – Prestige (1) Chapter 44 ¨C Prestige (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 44 ¨C Prestige (1) Swordmaster Cain. He was now walking through a vast corridor with a weary face. ¡°Meeting the Emperor is always exhausting.¡± He had juste from a private audience with the Emperor. He had reported on the results of the mission he was given. As he trudged through the empty corridor, someone called out to him. [You look like you¡¯ve been through a lot.] There stood a person dressed in luxurious clothes. Garments adorned with so many jewels that even a prince would find them beyond his reach. It was as if he were the ruler of this world. But Cain spoke bluntly. ¡°What¡¯s yourtest gimmick? You usually walk around in rags.¡± [I intended to, but my damn disciples insisted that I show some respect in front of the Emperor.] He chuckled. The sound of his jaw shing echoed. [When did wizards start caring about etiquette?] ¡°Isn¡¯t it a sensible decision? If you appeared before the Emperor in those rags, you¡¯d be executed in the square. Didn¡¯t the guard give you a murderous look?¡± Cain spoke indifferently. ¡°If you weren¡¯t the Master of the Magic Tower, you¡¯d probably have been beheaded ten times over in the square.¡± The Grand Magic Tower. The ce where all the world¡¯s magicians and secret arts practitioners gathered. The person standing before Cain was its master. ¡°What brings you here this time?¡± [Just the usual regr check-in. I¡¯d let my disciples handle it, but they pushed me to do it myself.] The Tower Master grumbled. Cain gave a bitter smile. ¡°Meeting the Emperor isn¡¯t exactly enjoyable.¡± [What about you?] ¡°I was delivering the results of my mission.¡± [Ah, you¡¯ve worked hard.] ¡°There are plenty of people stronger than me. Why am I the one who¡¯s always summoned?¡± Cain was a superhuman-level warrior, a Swordmaster. But he wasn¡¯t exceptionally strong among them. He was actually on the weaker side. There were plenty of people stronger than him. The Tower Masterughed. [That¡¯s because the stronger ones are usually free from obligations. Even the Emperor can¡¯t easilymand them. But you¡¯re different. You¡¯re still tied to your kingdom. You¡¯ve given up family, love, and life, but not your loyalty to your country.] ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Cain frowned. The Tower Master¡¯s words were spot on. His country was a vassal state of the Empire. If he didn¡¯t follow the Emperor¡¯s orders, his country would suffer. This wasn¡¯t a concern for most superhuman-level warriors. They had no loyalty or patriotism. But not Cain. He had given up everything, but he couldn¡¯t abandon his patriotism for his birthce. That¡¯s why the Emperor used him without hesitation. ¡®Damn.¡¯ This old man was always a nuisance. Cain grumbled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you manage the Tower instead of meddling here?¡± [The disciples are managing the Tower well enough. An old man like me should retire and find some hobbies.] ¡°So you¡¯re making me miserable for fun?¡± [Your reactions are entertaining.] ¡°Get lost.¡± Cain said calmly. The Tower Masterughed as if he was enjoying himself. [Don¡¯t be so angry. Teasing you is one of my few pleasures. Someone with your kind of obsession is unique and quite valuable. So, did you achieve anything?] ¡°I got some results, as usual.¡± [You went to the Silent Forest this time, right?] ¡°Yes.¡± [How was it?] ¡°A maddening ce. The rules of this world don¡¯t apply there. It¡¯s a terrible ce.¡± Cain shook his head in disgust. His mission from the Emperor was reconnaissance of the Forbidden Lands. ¡°You can¡¯t hear any sound. Even when you scream, there¡¯s no echo. Not even mystical detection works properly. Every time I turned around, soldiers had disappeared. I almost died several times. I never want to go back.¡± [It sounds like it was another dreadful ce.] ¡°Why does the Emperor want to conquer the Forbidden Lands?¡± [Maybe he wants to conquer the world. Who knows the crazy thoughts of those in power?] Cain gave a bitter smile. Talking ill of the Emperor in front of the pce ¨C if it wasn¡¯t the Tower Master, he¡¯d be torn apart. [But I do agree that the Forbidden Lands is fascinating. I¡¯m quite intrigued myself.] ¡°I hope I¡¯m not dragged into it. I prefer a peaceful life.¡± [Really?] The Tower Master¡¯s voice changed subtly. He snapped his fingers. The sound of bones shing echoed. Kiing. A barrier unfolded. It was a magical barrier separating the space inside from the outside. This was the Emperor¡¯s residence. Naturally, it was fortified against magic, but that meant nothing to the Tower Master. Cain was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s this about all of a sudden?¡± [It doesn¡¯t really matter, but there¡¯s no need to inform anyone else.] The Tower Master chuckled as he approached Cain. [You¡¯ve met a rather extraordinary being, haven¡¯t you?] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cain¡¯s face twisted in anger. ¡°Damn irvoyant Eye. When did you stick it on me again?¡± [During ourst meeting. Spying on young people is one of my few hobbies as an old man.] ¡°Go die.¡± [Don¡¯t be so harsh. I¡¯ll give your kingdom a few useful artifacts this time, so calm down.] The Tower Master tried to soothe him. Cain remained silent. Despite his insults, he couldn¡¯t reject the Tower Master because the rewards were too valuable. In the end, Cain sighed in resignation. ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen everything with the irvoyant Eye, what are you curious about?¡± [I¡¯m curious about your impression. The Barbarian of the White Snowfield. I thought they were only in old legends.] ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet. It could be false.¡± [Hmm.] The Tower Masterughed quietly. [A Barbarian who defeated Swordmaster Cain and crushed Karthos like an insect appeared out of nowhere, at the edge of the White Snowfield. It¡¯s highly likely.] ¡°What? Defeated Karthos?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [You didn¡¯t know? Well, it hasn¡¯t spread widely yet.] The Tower Master began to exin. [Though it¡¯s not public knowledge yet, there are some rumors within the Tower. Karthos, the mage who once shook the continent, tried to resurrect himself in the frontier and was defeated.] The Magic Tower was the gathering ce for all magicians. Stories rted to magic spread there faster than anywhere else. [I even offered my condolences.] The Tower Master clicked his jaw. His empty eye sockets glowed with a blue light. Luxurious clothes adorned with jewels. Oddly enough, the wearer of those clothes was nothing but a skeleton. [It¡¯s sad to see one of my few Lich friends perish.] ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such feelings.¡± [Of course I do. Friends are important when you live for so long. By the way, there are no stories about artifacts in thatir, are there?] ¡°Weren¡¯t all the artifacts recovered when Karthos died?¡± Karthos had destroyed many kingdoms and collected precious artifacts in hisir. After his death, the Empire had retrieved all those artifacts. [Most of them were recovered, but the most valuable ones were not. I wonder where they went.] The Tower Master spoke as if it were a nuisance. [But back to the main topic. So, what¡¯s your impression of what you saw?] ¡°¡­It¡¯s possible.¡± A Barbarian who could defeat a mage who had shaken the world. It wasn¡¯t too surprising for Cain, who had seen Ketal in person. The Tower Masterughed. [It seems you didn¡¯t tell the Emperor.] ¡°Why should I? I dislike the Emperor and the Empire.¡± Cain clicked his tongue. Since the Tower Master had put up a barrier, there was no need to hide his feelings. ¡°The mad Emperor. So many lives are sacrificed senselessly for his ambition to conquer the world. I can¡¯t like him. What does he even want?¡± Cain couldn¡¯t understand. Precious manpower was being wasted in the Forbidden Lands. The Tower Master chuckled. [I¡¯d like to know what¡¯s in his head too. I¡¯ve seen many people, but none as peculiar as him.] ¡°Anyway, I have no intention of giving the Emperor the information he wants. Besides¡­ if it¡¯s that Barbarian, there will be conflict.¡± A Barbarian who moves as he wishes. And an Emperor who wants to seize everything. There would inevitably be conflict. And his kingdom would be caught in the middle. There was no reason to inform the Emperor. [That¡¯s quite an interesting statement.] The Tower Master¡¯s blue eye sockets glimmered. [You think that a single Barbarian could cause problems against the Emperor.] The Emperor was the ruler of the Empire. And the Empire was extremely powerful. They were attempting the first conquest of the Forbidden Lands in thousands of years. Even the Tower Master couldn¡¯tpletely refuse the Emperor¡¯s orders. That was the power of the Empire. Yet now Cain was saying that a single Barbarian could defy the Emperor¡¯smand. After a moment of silence, Cain spoke. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t gauge how strong he is. But I felt one thing.¡± Cain looked at the Tower Master. The man who had studied magic for hundreds of years, the pinnacle of all magicians. The one who evaluated the worth of things. ¡°When I saw him, it felt simr to when I saw you.¡± The Tower Master scratched his jawbone with interest. Cain¡¯s words were simple. ¡°Is he of the Hero ss?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the ability to determine that.¡± ¡°But you felt something. A Barbarian from the White Snowfield.¡± A blue light shimmered, indicating curiosity beyond. ¡°It must be quite valuable. Overflowing, even.¡± ¡°You. Surely not.¡± Cain furrowed his brow. * * * After defeating the demon, Ketal¡¯s daily life remained unchanged. He still resolved misceneous tasks and enjoyed the scenery of the vige. And a few dayster, after things had settled to some extent, the lord summoned him. Ketal rose early and headed towards the lord¡¯s residence. On the opposite side, a woman approached, carrying a basket full of vegetables. Ketal didn¡¯t pay her much attention. The reason was simple. Everyone in the vige who had seen him before had always paused and made way for him. It would likely be the same this time. Ketal walked on without much thought, and the woman nced at him. The woman trembled slightly. That was as Ketal had expected. But what happened next was different. After briefly looking at Ketal, the woman continued walking forward. She didn¡¯t avoid Ketal. ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal was momentarily surprised by her actions. She was the first person who hadn¡¯t avoided him after looking at him. Ketal walked on, a little bewildered, as they passed each other. ¡°Oh!¡± Then, in an instant, the woman stumbled on a stone. As her body leaned forward, Ketal moved reflexively. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ketal grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling. ¡°Oh, um¡­.¡± The woman looked at Ketal¡¯s hand, then Ketal let go. He thought she would scream and run away immediately. Although there had been asions when he had helped people before, they had always run away without exception. But this time, his expectation was off. The woman quickly gathered her belongings and bowed to Ketal. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Ketal nodded dumbly as the woman hurried away. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 45 – Prestige (2) Chapter 45 ¨C Prestige (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 45 ¨C Prestige (2) ¡°¡­Hm?¡± For a moment, Ketal couldn¡¯t grasp what had happened. The reaction waspletely unexpected. Lost in thought, he watched the direction the woman had left, then continued on towards the lord¡¯s mansion. Early in the morning, people began to appear gradually. They nced at Ketal. Previously, in such situations, the people of the territory would either shy away, trembling, or avoid eye contact. But this time was a bit different. There were still those who trembled and averted their gaze. But the meaning behind it was quite different. The fear in the eyes looking at Ketal was not as prominent as before. Of course, there was still fear, but there was more curiosity and interest. ¡°¡­Is that him?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Whispers exchanged among themselves. They tried to keep it quiet, but it didn¡¯t matter much to Ketal. ¡°That barbarian is the nemesis of demons?¡± ¡°¡­The one who protected Lord Aquaz¡­¡± ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The whispers Ketal heard were vastly different from what he had heard before. He couldn¡¯t understand what had happened at all. Perplexed, Ketal entered the lord¡¯s mansion. It was the same inside the mansion. The maid who saw him screamed and gasped, but soon calmly guided him. It was apletely different attitude from before, when she had trembled and guided him with a pale face. Ketal met with the lord who was waiting in the reception room. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your situation from Lord Aquaz.¡± The lord spoke up. Aquaz had conveyed everything to the lord before leaving. The lord nodded respectfully. ¡°I was told that if it weren¡¯t for you, we might have been defeated. If that had happened, this territory would have been doomed. Once again, I express my gratitude.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see people dying because of me. I just did what was necessary.¡± Ketal replied calmly. The lord, upon hearing his answer, looked at Ketal with a subtle expression. ¡°Are you feeling okay? I heard the demon tried to brand you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much of a problem. I didn¡¯t even understand what the branding was about.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The lord made a slightly uneasy expression. Ashetiar. A demon with a name recorded in history. Upon hearing that such a demon had appeared before Aquaz, the lord jumped up from the sofa. At first, he resented it. Why did such trials keep happening in this small territory? And then, upon hearing that Ketal had single-handedly defeated such a demon, he felt relieved. ¡°I knew he was strong, but¡­¡± Toying with Ashetiar, who had defeated Aquaz, as if it were a toy. Ignoring the demon¡¯s branding without any countermeasures. How strong could he possibly be? Although the lord knew that Ketal was powerful because a superhuman Cain was right next to him, this was beyond his imagination. ¡°But something seems to have changed around here.¡± ¡°Around here?¡± ¡°The people of the territory.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The lord nodded as if he understood. ¡°Rumors about you have spread.¡± The revived guards and mercenaries were making a fuss. That a demon with a name had descended upon the vige. That they had engaged in a battle for their lives. They couldn¡¯t just quietly sit there, even though they were lifelongpanions. During the Karthos incident, there were fewer than ten people, so they could somehow cover it up, but this time, there were too many people. Above all, since one vige was destroyed, they couldn¡¯t hide it. The lord also expected rumors to spread. But there was one aspect that was different from his expectations. Those who went with Ketal had fainted during the battle. The sh of divine and demonic forces. Those who couldn¡¯t handle mysticism couldn¡¯t possibly endure it. Most of them had fainted before Aquaz could even use the scriptures. And those who remained conscious, except for one during Ketal and Ashetiar¡¯s sh, had all fainted. By the time they regained consciousness, everything was already over. So they could only specte, and naturally, they came to one conclusion. Thest thing they saw was Ashetiar¡¯s defeat. And Ketal¡¯s battle. People thought. Aquaz had lost to Ashetiar. But it wasn¡¯t a true defeat; she had onest move. And Ketal had bought time for thatst move, and in the end, Aquaz had exerted her strength and lent the power of the gods to Ketal. With that borrowed power, Ketal defeated Ashetiar. Such rumors were spreading throughout the territory. Ketal stroked his chin as if he found it interesting. ¡°So, it¡¯s spread that much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to correct it, but too many rumors had already spread and started to distort. Once it gets to that point, no matter what we say from this side, it won¡¯t be epted, so we couldn¡¯t touch it. And above all, we needed to hear your opinion first.¡± From Ketal¡¯s perspective, it was almost as if his rightful reputation had been usurped. He didn¡¯t just endure until Aquaz gathered her strength; he overwhelmed the demon alone, and Aquaz only contributed a little to the final blow. However, Ketal didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If that¡¯s what people believe, then it must be the truth.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The lord breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Ketal didn¡¯t care much about reputation, but this was different. One who single-handedly overwhelmed a demon. The value of such reputation transcended imagination. If it were to change to just barely enduring, even if one didn¡¯t care about reputation, it could cause annoyance. Ketal spoke up. ¡°So, am I now known as the nemesis of demons?¡± ¡°Yes. Rumors have already spread in the territory, recognizing you as the nemesis of demons.¡± ¡°A reputation, huh.¡± Ketal scratched his chin. Honestly, he didn¡¯t care much about reputation. What he wanted was simply his enjoyment. He didn¡¯t care about anything else. But¡­ ¡°¡­So people aren¡¯t afraid of me anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but probably.¡± Of course, they wouldn¡¯te too close. Even so, it was inevitable that there would be instinctual fear. But now, the people of the territory wouldn¡¯t run away when they saw Ketal. ¡°¡­Reputation, huh.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal murmured. Having finished the conversation, Ketal left the estate. Quite some time had passed, and there were quite a few people on the streets. They flinched when they saw Ketal. Some even unconsciously stepped back. But that was all. There was no one trying to flee like before. Now that he knew the details, it was clearer what was in their eyes. They saw him not as a monster, but as a hero or a great figure. ¡°¡­Interesting.¡± Ketal murmured. He had been rejected by people until now. Whatever he did, they were afraid, terrified, and screamed. Maybe it was because of his appearance. It didn¡¯t feel good. No, honestly, it was sad. He wanted to enjoy his fantasy, to live with them. But being rejected didn¡¯t feel good at all. Still, he thought that if he lived here diligently, he would eventually be recognized and slowly approach them with various requests. But something that would take such a long time to achieve was resolved in just one battle. ¡°Is this what reputation is?¡± The way people looked at him had clearly changed. He had barely faced a single demon, yet his reputation had changed so drastically. It felt really good. ¡®Yeah!¡¯ His appearance wasn¡¯t the only problem! Come to think of it, it¡¯s obvious. This is a fantasy world. In terms of historical background, it¡¯s the medieval period. Moreover, it was a remote territory. And the more rural it was, the stronger the hostility towards outsiders. Even in the modern era, if an outsideres to a rural area, they won¡¯t even share words. If that¡¯s the case in the developed modern era, let alone the medieval period. In the first ce, if you couldn¡¯t clear the dungeon, you couldn¡¯t even enter the territory. It¡¯s not because he¡¯s a barbarian. It wasn¡¯t because of hisrge stature. It wasn¡¯t because people felt intimidated by him. It was because he was an outsider. Of course, there might be some aversion towards barbarians, but the fact that he was an outsider would outweigh it. Isn¡¯t that right? If he was feared because he was a barbarian, then simply enduring instead of defeating a demon wouldn¡¯t have changed people¡¯s reactions so drastically. It was because people recognized that he had worked for the territory, that he had made an effort for it, that he gained this recognition. Naturally, it was an incorrect judgment. Contrary to Ketal¡¯s spection, the stature of a demon with a name is not insignificant. To withstand such a presence was a great feat in itself. Moreover, Ketal protected the inquisitor of the Sun God. The Sun God was currently one of the most influential churches in this world. And the Gehentra Kingdom was one of the many kingdoms that served the Sun God. Just by the presence of the Sun God¡¯s church in this small territory, it was evident. To have protected such an inquisitor of the Sun God, naturally, people¡¯s perceptions had to change. On the contrary, even achieving such a feat and still being the subject of fear proved the distance people maintained due to his barbarian status. But Ketal didn¡¯t know about such circumstances. He concluded that he was rejected not because of all the reasons, but simply because he was an outsider. ¡®Great.¡¯ He would continue to act as he does now. Ketal moved on with a cheerful smile. He arrived at the guild hall. The guild hall hadn¡¯t changed much from before. Strictly speaking, from the perspective of the guild hall, there hadn¡¯t been any major incidents. The departing mercenaries all returned unharmed. Apart from passing on the appearance of the demon to the upper echelons, there wasn¡¯t much to do. And Rosa gave Ketal another piece of good news. ¡°Oh, Ketal. Your rank has been upgraded this time. You¡¯re now ranked C.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°C-rank? I¡¯ve been promoted to the second rank. Why is that?¡± ¡°Well, because you¡¯ve done amendable job.¡± He confronted a demon alongside the inquisitor of the Sun God. Although the rumor spread that he merely endured rather than confronted the demon, it was still a remarkable achievement in itself. ¡°Bing E-rank is difficult, but once you do, you can quickly rise through the ranks if you have the skills.¡± For an F-rank mercenary to be E-rank meant bing a trusted figure. From there, if you umted achievements, you could quickly reach higher ranks. Of course, it was unusual for an E-rank to rise to C-rank. As far as she knew, it hadn¡¯t happened in thest ten years. ¡°Great.¡± Ketal smiled. It was good news for him regardless. After Rosa smiled briefly, she began to exin. ¡°From E-rank, you can call yourself a mercenary. However, you won¡¯t be recognized as a true mercenary.¡± An E-rank mercenary was more like a messenger or errand runner who handled small tasks and odd jobs. But C-rank was different. ¡°From C-rank, you¡¯re a genuine mercenary.¡± C-rank was a level that went beyond just being endorsed by the Mercenary Guild. It was a rank that had to be acknowledged to reach. It meant bing a true mercenary. With that, he could do many things that he couldn¡¯t do before. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 46 – Prestige (3) Chapter 46 ¨C Prestige (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 46 ¨C Prestige (3) ¡°A new mercenary badge will be issued. It¡¯s scheduled to be made specifically for you Ketal, so it might take a little time.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Is the mercenary badge being made exclusively for me?¡± ¡°From C-rank onwards, they¡¯re genuine mercenaries. They receive proper treatment. Let me tell you about some of the changes. Now you¡¯ll be able to go to most ces.¡± The restrictions on movement were almost gone. Even the capitals of most kingdoms would allow entry after inspection. The Mercenary Guild, a massive organization, vouched for Ketal. ¡°It varies by faction, but even churches will ept you without much trouble. The capital of the empire is tough, though.¡± ¡°The empire is strict, I see.¡± ¡°Regr citizens can¡¯t go at all. Only those approved by the empire¡¯s nobility can set foot in the capital.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about skill. Different from that, one needed recognition from truly noble individuals to enter the empire¡¯s capital. Rosa lowered her voice as if speaking of something dangerous. ¡°To be honest, no one really knows what¡¯s in the empire¡¯s capital. Only ominous rumors circte.¡± ¡°Is it that severe? Still, people live there, so there must be some interaction with the outside world, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rosa shook her head. ¡°People who live there hardly evere out. Even when they do, they don¡¯t talk about the capital at all. Frankly, it¡¯s more secretive than the Forbidden Land.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal rubbed his chin as if intrigued. Rosa cleared her throat and continued in an enthusiastic tone. ¡°Also, there have been many requests! If you¡¯re C-rank, you can basically take on any request. You can even form a party and tackle A-rank dungeons!¡± Dungeon conquests. Verification of unexplored dungeons. Various other requests. You could take on all of it. Rosa scratched her head proudly. ¡°However¡­ the Barkan Territory is located on the frontier, so there are hardly any high-rank requests.¡± ¡°Are there not quite a few unexplored dungeons in this area?¡± ¡°There are, but their difficulty level is low. It¡¯s not that the dungeons are difficult; it¡¯s just that there are many unverified ones due to a simpleck of manpower.¡± The unexplored dungeon Ketal had cleared before was quite unusual. Such A-rank dungeons rarely appeared in these border territories. But to say the least, it meant that there were no dungeons he couldn¡¯t enter in this area. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m curious. How do you reach ranks beyond C?¡± As Ketal had heard before, beyond C-rank were B, A, and S ranks. There were still three more levels to go. Rosa spoke up. ¡°B-rank isn¡¯t much different from C-rank in terms of skill. It¡¯s just that they have sponsorship.¡± ¡°Sponsorship? Is it different from the Mercenary Guild¡¯s sponsorship?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rosa scratched her cheek. ¡°Frankly speaking¡­ being a mercenary isn¡¯t such a morous job.¡± Even up to E-rank, they were essentially errand runners. D-rank wasn¡¯t much different. If an E-rank umted enough experience over time, they could reach D-rank. C-rank was a real mercenary recognized by the guild. But even so, due to the nature of mercenaries, there were also those whose identities were uncertain. Even if they proved their skills, they couldn¡¯t gain the recognition of nobles or factions. Yet among mercenaries, there were those who built trust and gained recognition from such factions or nobles. Those were the ones who became B-rank. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded understandingly. ¡°It¡¯s like a double sieve.¡± ¡°Yes. Unlike C-rank, B-rank can receive requests rted to factions or nobles. That¡¯s the difference. Although the number itself is very small.¡± Usually, if they gained the recognition of nobles, they often entered their service outright. It was much easier to live under someone else¡¯s protection than as a wanderer. That¡¯s why only a handful of rare individuals stayed at B-rank. ¡°And A-rank consists of those with real skills.¡± Skills that didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ recognition. Whether it was exploration, alchemy,byrinth navigation, or simply brute force, they were individuals who excelled in one aspect to the extreme. ¡°There are even superhumans among them!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal murmured calmly. Rosa was taken aback by his reaction. ¡°S-Superhumans!¡± Superhumans. A level not somon even in kingdoms. It was truly remarkable for such individuals to work as mercenaries. Of course, Ketal had no particr reaction. ¡®Seems there are more superhumans than I thought.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the reaction Rosa expected, but she soon regained herposure and continued her exnation. ¡°When you reach A-rank, honor naturally follows. You can also receive requests rted to nobles.¡± Sponsorship doesn¡¯t matter. Their skill alone was the guarantee. ¡°Of course, there are quite a few unique individuals among them¡­ but generally, that¡¯s how it is. And the biggest feature is that you gain the right to challenge S-rank dungeons.¡± ¡°S-rank?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes spark with interest. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Literal trantion, it¡¯s the highest difficulty dungeon. No one has ever conquered it. There are only about twenty of them in the whole world.¡± Unexplored dungeons were almost confirmed due tock of manpower. The difficulty level itself wasn¡¯t the issue. Rosa spoke calmly. ¡°Entering an S-rank dungeon is solely your responsibility. You won¡¯t be held ountable for death. Nor will you bepensated for losses. If you don¡¯t return from the dungeon, you¡¯ll be dered missing.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°The most notable one is the Tower of Abyss. It¡¯s an S-rank dungeon, a massive tower. Its end hasn¡¯t been discovered yet. Several A-rank mercenaries have attempted it, but no one has cleared it. Some have even gone missing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal¡¯s lips curved upward. This world truly amused him. And on that night. After a long time, Ketal held a drinking party. The attendees were the thief, pdin, and priest who had formed a party with him. The purpose of the drinking party was to celebrate Ketal¡¯s promotion to C-rank. This time, Ketal had personally gathered them. As their resistance against Ketal had significantly diminished during the process of clearing the unexplored dungeon once, they epted it without much resistance. The pdin, who had heard about the sh with the demon, murmured with a serious expression. ¡°I never thought such a thing would happen¡­ Was everything dealt with smoothly?¡± ¡°We defeated the demon. The Inquisitor said there were no issues, so it should be fine.¡± ¡°I-I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡± A palpable sense of relief showed on the pdin¡¯s face. Soon, he chuckled and raised his voice. ¡°It¡¯s a shame though. This pdin should have gone and vanquished the evil himself.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°You¡¯re justzy.¡± The thief chuckled. He nced at Heize. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot too. Facing off against a demon.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Heize nodded nervously. Though her attitude seemed a bit odd, the thief didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. ¡°By the way¡­ It¡¯s truly remarkable to withstand a demon.¡± There was awe in the thief¡¯s face as he looked at Ketal. To withstand a demon. The value of that statement was not small. It was an extraordinary feat, made possible by the presence of the Inquisitor of the Sun, but it was still a remarkable achievement. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been through a lot. Facing off against a demon with a name.¡± ¡°It was nothing. It was something I had to do.¡± ¡°Anyway, the Inquisitor of the Sun is indeed powerful¡­ To defeat a demon with a name.¡± The thief murmured with awe. Though he heard of the inquisitor¡¯s fame before, even facing a powerful being with a name, it was still remarkable. It was indeed the Inquisitor of the Sun. The pdin also nodded. And Heize screamed inwardly. ¡®No!¡¯ As everyone fainted. She didn¡¯t faint. She watched Ketal¡¯s fight with the demon until the end. Because of that, she could tell. She could tell what level of strength Ketal possessed. Ashetiar. The demon with a name. Even though there were hostages, even Aquaz, the youngest Inquisitor, couldn¡¯t resist her and was defeated by her overwhelming power. And against such Ashetiar, Ketal brought her down. And not just brought down, but overwhelmingly so. He yed with her like a toy. He crushed her head, split her torso in half, and severed her limbs. Aquaz simply raised a fork on a well-prepared table. Ketal couldn¡¯t simply be described as strong. It seemed like a being from another world. His strength was such that even if it was said that a dragon came for amusement, it wouldn¡¯t be strange. While moderate strength garnered respect and trust, once it exceeded a certain level, it appeared as an extraterrestrial being. Above all, the alien values ??that Ketal showed her. She became even more unable to understand the existence called Ketal. The thief spoke up. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve reached C-rank, what do you n to do?¡± As he asked, a waiter approached. The waiter trembled at the sight of Ketal but slowly approached and set down the dishes. ¡°Hm? I didn¡¯t order this.¡± ¡°It-it¡¯s on the house. Um¡­ One of the soldiers who came with you this time is my brother.¡± The waiter bowed his head repeatedly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, no. It¡¯s something I should do anyway, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The waiter bowed his head again and left. Ketal smiled. ¡°Nothing changes. As a C-rank mercenary, and as a demon nemesis, I¡¯ll just do what needs to be done.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The thief found his demeanor a bit strange. The Ketal he had seen didn¡¯t seem to care much about honor or fame. But now, he seemed to attach quite a bit of significance to the reputation he received. Like an ordinary person. Ketal began to look more and more human. ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled!¡¯ And Heize screamed inwardly as she looked into the thief¡¯s eyes. This human is a monster! Such honor means nothing at all! With just the will, he could destroy the entire kingdom! All of this is an act. No one knows the true intentions of this being. She was the only one who knew that fact. But she couldn¡¯t say it. It felt suffocating, like she would die. ¡°What are you guys going to do?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still F-rank. Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do. We¡¯ll have to think about it once we reach E-rank.¡± The thief scratched his head. ¡°Actually, I used to live day by day like a bum, nning to die someday. But after seeing Ketal, I changed my mind a bit. I felt like trying my best to live.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been like that. I can¡¯t believe you just realized that. It¡¯s truly a life in the lower ss.¡± The thiefpletely ignored the pdin¡¯s words. Ketal turned his gaze. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Heize, suddenly the center of attention, let out a shrill scream. She panicked and bent over at the waist. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 47 – Prestige (4) Chapter 47 ¨C Prestige (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 47 ¨C Prestige (4) ¡°Hmm? Why is that?¡± Ketal was puzzled by her reaction. Even the thief and the pdin were amused. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Never mind.¡± Heize tried to suppress her racing heart. She was the only one who knew this fact. Others were unaware. So, she must not let it show. Otherwise, she could be removed by Ketal. That fear suppressed her emotions. She spoke as calmly as possible. ¡°I haven¡¯t changed. I always serve Lady Kalosia. I only follow her will.¡± It was a reasonable statement as a believer. Ketal nodded briefly and then seemed to recall something. ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard something from Aquaz?¡± Ketal said after a moment of recollection. ¡°That¡¯s right. They said that those who serve Lady Kalosia are currently in a period of rest and are not moving except for high-ranking positions.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± Heize¡¯s face showed noticeable confusion. Ketal looked away. ¡°Are you unaware?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Usually, such matters within the church don¡¯te out to the public.¡± The more persecuted the Church, the more closed itsws were. And Kalosia¡¯s church belonged to the representatives among the persecuted churches. Ordinary members had no way of knowing. ¡°Oh, Aquaz must have misunderstood something. Our church is in a very ordinary state.¡± Heize forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary priest.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t pay much attention. Aquaz was the inquisitor of the sun god, not a believer of Kalosia. She might not know the details of other churches. It must be a misunderstanding. Ketal sorted out his thoughts like that. And Heize became even more anxious at that reaction. ¡®¡­Doesn¡¯t he know everything?¡¯ Is he waiting for her to say it herself? Or is he just teasing her? [You dared to deceive me. As a consequence, I¡¯ll crush your head.] With those words, Ketal grabbed her head. Heize trembled. It wasn¡¯t long before the drinking session ended. They all parted ways with satisfied faces. Except for one, Heize. ¡°That went well.¡± Ketaly on his bed in the lodging with a very satisfied expression. He finally felt like he was part of this fantasy world. He could achieve more and fulfill what he desired. He closed his eyes happily. * * * The end of the cave. The damp smell settled in the air. In the vast cavern, there was a giant monster. Thick brown skin. Muscr physique. Scratching its belly with its huge hands, it emitted a snoring sound that reverberated through the cavern. ¡°Grrrrr.¡± It was an ogre. The ogre¡¯s snoring stopped. Itsrge eyes blinked open. The ogre, awakened from its sleep, stared nkly at the cave ceiling. Drip. Drip. One drop, then another, fell. The ogre stared nkly at it. Then, at some point, it fell asleep again. That was the ogre¡¯s life. How long had the ogre been in this cave? And how long was it supposed to stay? The ogre couldn¡¯t know. It just continued to live here. It was more like a single-celled amoeba living and dying than a creature taking proactive actions in life. Whether it was a pitiful thing or a satisfying one, the ogre had no intelligence to judge. As usual, time would pass like this. Sleeping, waking up, staring nkly at the ceiling, then falling asleep again, living a life like a hamster wheel. But today was different. Thud. Thud. Footsteps echoed. The ogre, who was sleeping, reflexively sat up. ¡°Uwoah.¡± And the ogre could see it. The human who hade for it. ¡°Wow. You¡¯re huge.¡± The human smiled, waving as if genuinely pleased to meet the ogre. ¡°Nice to meet you, Ogre.¡± The ogre was momentarily confused. The ogre had never seen a human in person. But all the information about humans was stored in its mind. But the human in front of the ogre was muchrger than the humans in its knowledge. In height and width alike, it was momentarily confusing if it was even human. But eventually, it was human. In the dense and stupid mind of the ogre, only one goal was firmly engraved. Kill every approaching human. The ogre¡¯s eyes, showing signs of confusion, instantly turned fierce with determination. The ogre opened its mouth. ¡°Uwoooooo!¡± A roar burst out. It was a monster¡¯s cry. Just hearing it would make most humans copse with fear. The ogre charged forward. The sound of its giant footsteps echoed through the cave. Thud! Thud! Thud! As the ogre approached, the human didn¡¯t flee. It stayed there as if rooted to the spot. Must be frightened. The ogre sneered. It clenched its fist. The human would surely be crushed. Its form would distort and stick to the ground. ¡°Uwooooo!¡± Believing in such a future, the ogre swung its fist down. And the human raised its arm. Kwaaaaang! A loud noise rang out. The shockwave reverberated through the cave. The ogre was taken aback. ¡°Uw, uwo!¡± Its fist was blocked by the human¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh.¡± The human chuckled. ¡°You sure pack a punch.¡± What, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s strong. A mere human can¡¯t block his attacks. That must have been the case. ¡°Uw, uwooooo!¡± The ogre raised its other hand in opposition. The human casually raised its opposite hand. With a thud. The ogre¡¯s arm was seized and halted. And then it was twisted. Crack! ¡°Uwooooo!¡± The ogre groaned in agony. The human continued to hold onto its arm and pulled. The ogre¡¯s body mmed against the ground. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Uwooo!¡± The ogre screamed in pain. To break free, it pulled its arm as much as it could. Its muscles swelled momentarily in an attempt. The human, with a look of fascination, released its grip. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Crack! The ogre barely managed to break free and staggered backward. ¡°It¡¯s sturdy too!¡± ¡°Uw, uwooooo!¡± The ogre roared and charged again. The human¡¯s face blossomed with what seemed like genuine joy. The ogre swung its arm again, only to have it caught once more by the human. But this time was different. The human held onto the ogre¡¯s arm and pulled. The ogre¡¯s body was mmed against the ground again. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Uwoooo!¡± The ogre screamed in pain. It tried to pull its arm to break free. For a moment, its arm muscles swelled up. The human, with an expression of amazement, let go of its hand. Crack! Struggling, the ogre staggered backward. ¡°Is it because its arms suddenly grew like that? Is the structure of its muscles different? To be so strong purely by strength alone, fascinating.¡± Don¡¯t say that! The ogre couldn¡¯t understand the human¡¯s words, but instinctively, it wanted to shout that. It felt like it had be a toy. Terrifying. The human in front of it was frightening. For the first time in its life, the ogre felt fear. But it couldn¡¯t run away. It wasn¡¯t because this cave was a dead end. There was only one goal engraved in its mind. Kill the human. Kill every being that enters this cave. The pressure to do so pressed on the ogre like an obsession. Eventually, the ogre screamed and charged forward. The humanughed and spread its arms. * * * ¡°So, this is an ogre.¡± The human. Ketal murmured. There was undeniable joy in his voice. It was natural. An ogre. One of the powerful monsters representing fantasy. It was a monster that appeared in almost all works of the fantasy genre. To get to fight such a monster directly and even bring it down was undoubtedly satisfying. Very satisfying indeed. ¡°It¡¯s certainly fascinating.¡± The ogre¡¯s strength was tremendous. It was a physical force that couldn¡¯te from the mass of its body. It didn¡¯t seem like it had used any mysterious power like Ashetiar did. It was fascinating. ¡®I¡¯d like to study it.¡¯ Ketal, thinking to himself, passed by the ogre¡¯s corpse and reached the end of the cave. There, a reward awaited the warrior who had defeated the ogre. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Oh?¡± There was a nt glowing with a blue light. It sprouted on the hard ground as if iming to be the owner of the vast cave. Ketal touched the nt as if intrigued. ¡°Is this the reward?¡± Until now, rewards had been simple goods, but a glowing nt like this was something else. It was unusual, probably because it was a high-level dungeon. Ketal took the nt and exited the dungeon. Upon entering the guild hall, Rosa greeted him with a smile. ¡°Wee back, Mr. Ketal. How was the dungeon?¡± ¡°I cleared it without any issues. The ogre was quite fun.¡± ¡°Fun, you say.¡± Rosa chuckled wryly. Ogres. They ranked high even among monsters. Their skin could repel arrows and swords, and their strength could easily topple trees. To describe it as merely ¡°fun¡± was absurd. Nevertheless, she was starting to get used to such situations. Rosa held up some documents. ¡°The clearance of the C-rank dungeon has been confirmed. Shall I proceed with the reward?¡± ¡°Please. I¡¯m not even sure what this is.¡± Ketal handed Rosa the glowing nt. Upon seeing it, Rosa was taken aback. ¡°Is this the reward?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Hold on a moment.¡± Rosa carefully examined the nt. She let out a small sigh. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure either. It seems like a herb rted to alchemy or magic.¡± ¡°Really? Can such things be rewards from dungeons?¡± ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t just give out simple goods. In fact, the higher the grade, the less likely they are to contain gold or silver. Magical items and artifacts are moremon.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll return it to you. I¡¯m not sure what to make of it.¡± Ketal received the herb. It faintly glowed in his hand. ¡°How can we verify this?¡± ¡°Usually, you would go to an alchemist or wizard, but¡­¡± Rosa chuckled softly. ¡°This is a small territory. We don¡¯t have such advanced resources here, so it might be difficult to confirm it locally.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Still, if it¡¯s a reward from a C-rank dungeon, it should be quite valuable, so you might as well keep it for now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal pocketed the herb. Rosa took out another request form. ¡°Would you like to take on another request?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check first.¡± Ketal received the request form. As he skimmed through each one, he eventually set the request form back down. ¡°There are too few.¡± ¡°That¡¯s to be expected.¡± Rosa chuckled as if to say something. ¡°You handle two or three a day. There¡¯s no way there would be any left.¡± It had been two months since he established himself in Barkan Territory. And during that time, he had taken on requests almost every day without fail. Since bing a C-rank mercenary, he had solved various requests that seemed interesting to him. And the result. He hadpleted most of the requests in Barkan Territory. ¡°This is a small territory, after all. There aren¡¯t many grand requests here. Honestly, clearing the C-rank dungeon this time was quite exceptional. Most of the time, it¡¯s not higher than D-rank.¡± Dungeons appear where people gather. And the more people, the more dungeons of higher grades appear. In other words, there were limits to the dungeons that could appear in remote territories like Barkan Territory. The ogre dungeon this time and the maze dungeon that appeared before were quite unusual. ¡°Even living a modest life can be enjoyable. You have plenty of leisure time now, so why not live leisurely?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. He loved fantasy. This territory had truly delighted him for the past month. But all he could do here was deal with the basic elements of fantasy. Did someone say this? They say familiarity soon leads to boredom. To truly learn magic and mystery, he eventually had to move. Didn¡¯t Rosa say that there were no people here who could identify such herbs? Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t seen proper magic yet. Karthos? The lich had been forgotten in his memory for a long time. To Ketal, magic was still an unknown force. ¡°¡­For now, as you said, perhaps I¡¯ll enjoy a bit of leisure.¡± But what next? ¡°It¡¯s troubling.¡± It would be nice if something changed. Ketal muttered to himself. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 48 – The Princess and the Escort (1) Chapter 48 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 48 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (1) That night. After all the requests were processed and the guild hall was about to close its doors, the receptionists were chatting and organizing their day¡¯s work. And then. Creak. The door opened. The receptionists turned their gazes. There stood a figure in a ck robe, obscuring even their face. The receptionists stopped in their tracks. The robed figure slowly approached Rosa. Rosa tensed momentarily. An unknown person. A strange atmosphere lingered. Just as she was about to quickly reach for the emergency bell under the table. ¡°¡­I have a request.¡± The old man¡¯s voice echoed. Upon hearing it, Rosa realized. This was someone of noble status. The nobles andmoners had distinct ways of speaking. At least it wasn¡¯t amoner¡¯s tone. Rosa withdrew her hand from the bell. But there was something peculiar. The robe was understandable for concealing one¡¯s identity when making a request. It wasmon for nobles to hide their status to assign certain tasks discreetly. However, even in such cases, there was an unmistakable elegance, but the old man in front of her did not possess that. His attire was quite worn-out. The robe was torn and dirty in ces. He resembled more of a beggar than a noble. ¡°¡­What is your request?¡± ¡°An escort. Two people. Myself and a youngdy.¡± ¡°Two people. Understood. And the destination?¡± ¡°The capital of the Denian Kingdom.¡± Upon hearing this, Rosa was taken aback once again. To request an escort from here, the Barkan Territory, all the way to the Denian Kingdom? It was highly unusual. There were several territories between the Denian Kingdom and here. There was no reason to entrust such a task to a remote territory like this. ¡°I understand for now. But we need to verify your identity.¡± ¡°I have it here.¡± The old man took out a token from within his robe. Upon inspecting it, Rosa¡¯s eyes widened. The token disyed aplex design of a sword and shield, a highly coveted ornament issued by the Mercenary Guild. It was given only to trusted individuals, signifying its rarity. ¡°¡­Identity confirmed. Now, let¡¯s proceed with the payment.¡± The old man took out a small gold coin from his pocket. After Rosa conducted a brief verification process, she returned with the confirmation. ¡°Confirmed. It¡¯s pure gold¡­ This should suffice for one person.¡± ¡°What?¡± The old man was surprised. ¡°Is it only enough for one person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an escort request.¡± Hiring one person to guard and apany them was not without risks. It was different from simply clearing a dungeon or two. Hence, the cost of such a request was higher. ¡°Moreover, traveling to the Denian Kingdom means considerable distance. It could take up to a month, and therefore, it¡¯s much more expensive than a regr request.¡± The old man couldn¡¯t argue with that. He cautiously spoke. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ can¡¯t we make it work for two people at least?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but the quality of the mercenary would suffer. Is that eptable? For an escort request, you would want someone reliable.¡± A reliable person would at least be ranked D in terms of mercenary grades. epting someone mediocre wasn¡¯t an option. The old man nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll trust in your capabilities.¡± ¡°Then one person is the right fit.¡± ¡°Still, if there¡¯s any way¡­¡± ¡®What¡¯s with him?¡¯ Why is he so insistent? Rosa was puzzled. Initially, she felt startled and somewhat scared. But as they conversed, those feelings dissipated. The old man seemed desperate. Hecked theposure or leisureliness typical of those of noble birth. It was as if he was being chased by something. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to find mercenaries for an escort in these remote territories. Two people would be even harder. I¡¯ll do my best to find someone, but it¡¯s challenging.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. Please do your best.¡± Realizing that further discussion would be futile, the old man lowered his head and left in a huff. The door closed with a creak. Rosa looked at the gold coin received as payment. It was of considerable purity. Though small, it emitted a distinct golden hue. And the edges of the coin were sharpened, as if it didn¡¯t want to reveal its true nature. ¡°What a hassle.¡± Rosa murmured. * * * The old man exited the guild hall. The world had already darkened, making it impossible to see even a step ahead. The old man cautiously moved through the darkness, as if something was chasing him, looking around as he advanced. And then, he entered a very shabby ce, akin to a stable. In the Barkan Territory, there were two types of amodations avable. One was a regr inn where travelers stayed, frequented by mercenaries who had gained some reputation. The other was more like a stable than an inn, where those who struggled to make ends meet stayed, living in difficult conditions. The old man entered such a ce and knocked on the door of a room. ¡°¡­Who is it?¡± A female voice with a hint of mysticism resonated. The old man spoke. ¡°Your faithful servant.¡± Click. The door opened. There stood a woman. Her golden hair shimmered brightly. Her eyes in the wall¡¯s blue light sparkled. She was a beautiful woman. However, even that radiance was marred by dirt and roughness. Her attire was ragged, diminishing her beauty. With an anxious expression, the woman asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been epted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. How many can we amodate?¡± ¡°Only one person.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Just one person¡­?¡± The woman pursed her lips anxiously. The old man lowered his head. ¡°I apologize. We don¡¯t have enough money¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. To have you stay in such a dismal ce. With this money, you could stay in a morefortable ce¡­!¡± The old man¡¯s face contorted with emotion as he spoke. The woman shook her head. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. As long as we have a roof over our heads. What we need is certainty. If it¡¯s from the Mercenary Guild, it guarantees trustworthiness.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. If only I hadn¡¯t been so naive and been scammed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s unavoidable. Even if I had intervened, it wouldn¡¯t have been different.¡± ¡°Sigh!¡± The old man sighed. The woman, caught up in emotions, sniffled. Both overwhelmed with emotions, they shed tears. ¡°Quiet!¡± Thud! At that moment, a banging sound on the wall was heard. An annoyed voice echoed. Startled, the woman and the old man suppressed their tears. ¡°¡­How long do you think it will take?¡± In a whispering tone, thedy asked the old man. She received a simr whisper in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Finding someone trustworthy will take some time.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Well, we¡¯ll have to wait for now.¡± The woman tidied up her bedding. It was more like straw woven into a mat than a proper bed. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for now. It¡¯ste at night. Further conversation would be a disturbance to the guest next door as well. You¡¯ve worked hard, Aaron.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The old man, Aaron,y down slowly on the straw mat with a regretful expression. And days passed. During that time, the old man visited the guild hallte at night every day. But each time, Rosa shook her head. ¡°No one has been found.¡± ¡°Oh, still?¡± ¡°This is a remote territory. It¡¯s challenging to find skilled mercenaries here. It¡¯s better to wait patiently with peace of mind.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Aaron returned dejectedly without much argument. He entered the room with a heavy heart. The woman, with an expectant face, asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Aaron shook his head heavily. The woman¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Again¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s troublesome. Our food supplies are running low. We¡¯ve been trying to reduce the portions, but¡­ we¡¯re now at rock bottom.¡± ¡°What about the reserves?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for travel expenses to the Denian Kingdom. There¡¯s no choice. We¡¯ll have to go hungry for a while. It¡¯s just a minor inconvenience in terms of food.¡± The woman smiled wryly. Aaron grimaced in misery. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being ipetent, causing you to suffer like this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± She sniffled again. The sound of crying was heard. Thunk! And again, the wall was banged on. Aaron and the woman, startled, suppressed their tears. Aaron bit his lip. As if he had made a decision, he spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Talking to the lord of this ce about our situation¡­¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡± The woman rejected immediately. ¡°No one can be trusted here. Even seeking protection is quite risky. We can¡¯t take any more risks.¡± The woman looked at Aaron. ¡°Remember, Aaron. Why did we abandon our kingdom and flee.¡± The woman bit her lip. ¡°We couldn¡¯t even tell who our allies and enemies were. In fact, it¡¯s been quite some time and we haven¡¯t heard any rumors. Even after you and I fled.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve be weak-hearted.¡± Aaron nodded with a determined face. ¡°If it¡¯s the Denian Kingdom, it should be fine, right?¡± ¡°The king there made a pact when the princess was born. The Denian Kingdom is a powerful nation. You can trust them. They will protect you. Perhaps¡­ they might even help with revenge.¡± Snap. The woman clicked her tongue. Her eyes shed with intense anger. Aaron looked at her. Golden hair. Eyes in the wall. Everyone in the kingdom praised her beauty. Everyone loved her. ¡°To achieve that, you must survive. Elene Mavli. Our princess. If even you are swallowed up, our kingdom will truly perish.¡± Elene nodded with a heavy face. ¡°But¡­ a mercenary? Is it really okay?¡± Mercenaries are generally rude andcking in manners. She was royalty. She had never interacted with mercenaries before. She felt a bit scared as they would have to travel a long way together to the Denian Kingdom. To ease her anxiety, Aaron spoke with assurance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s why we used the gold coins. They¡¯ll introduce us to someone trustworthy and reliable.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. So don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s why it¡¯s taking so long. It will surely be someone reliable.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved.¡± Elene rxed her body. Mercenaries. Rude andcking in manners. But in some fairy tales she had read, they were romantic adventurers. ¡®Who will protect me?¡¯ As a princess who didn¡¯t know much about the world, she harbored some romantic notions about mercenaries. ¡®I hope he looks like a handsome warrior.¡¯ With a small hope, she closed her eyes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 49 – The Princess and the Escort (2) Chapter 49 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 49 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (2) ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do.¡± Ketaly on the bed, scratching his stomach. He hadn¡¯t gone to the guild hall for the past few days because there were no moremissions to take on. He decided to enjoy some leisure time as Rosa had suggested since he had enough money. He toured the territory, saw a lot, and experienced a lot. But the territory wasn¡¯t very big. He had tasted all the food, read all the books in the library, and essentially enjoyed almost everything there was to enjoy. ¡°I¡¯m grateful they don¡¯t reject me, but¡­¡± The people of the territory no longer feared Ketal and kept their distance. However, they didn¡¯t try to get close either. This subtle distance meant Ketal couldn¡¯t get any closer. One of his dreams was to sit and drink with new acquaintances, but he was quite disappointed. In the end, there wasn¡¯t much for him to enjoy within that peculiar boundary. ¡°Have I be addicted to stimtion?¡± Some people would love this extremely ordinary life. But Ketal was bored. He wanted more excitement, more fantasy. The White Snowfield was a dreadful ce, but at least in that aspect, it was overflowing with excitement. ¡°I wonder what those guys are doing.¡± The barbaric and foolish barbarians of the White Snowfield. Hisrades. They didn¡¯t keep their distance from Ketal. They genuinely shared their lives and survived the Snowfield together. What were they doing now? They were probably living foolishly as always, but also enjoying themselves. ¡®I miss them.¡¯ When Ketal thought about it that far, he hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s crazy.¡± Missing the White Snowfield? That¡¯s a mad thought. He never wanted to return to that dreadful ce. Just because he longed for excitement didn¡¯t mean he should think about the White Snowfield. That was a barbaric thought. He needed to keep a civilized mindset. Ketal emptied his mind. But even so, there was still nothing to do. As Ketaly there idly, a thought struck him. ¡®Come to think of it, is the quest over now?¡¯ Since the moment he first became aware of himself in the White Snowfield, a quest window had always been by his side. At first, he thought he was dreaming when he saw the quest window. He wondered if he was having a lucid dream from yearning for fantasy so much. It wasn¡¯t a wrong thought since he had experienced such cases a few times. But the biting cold that froze his flesh and the monsters that appeared to devour him made it clear this was a harsh reality. ¡®The first quest was to survive for a week, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ After that, various quests appeared. For him, suddenly thrown into the bitter cold from modern society, they served as milestones. But since leaving the White Snowfield, no more quests appeared. ¡®Is it only in the White Snowfield?¡¯ Those annoying quests that popped up incessantly were now quiet, which made him feel a bit bored. He never figured out their true nature, but they definitely helped him. ¡®Are they guides leading me into the fantasy world?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure, but he was grateful. Thank you, system window. ¡®I will enjoy this world as you intended.¡¯ Ketal got up from his seat. ¡°There should be something now.¡± Ketal headed to the guild hall. He hadn¡¯t gone because the avablemissions were all trivial, things he had done before. Now that a few days had passed, something new must have appeared. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Rosa greeted Ketal as always. ¡°Have you rested enough?¡± ¡°I did rest. I¡¯m just bored now. Is there any newmission?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ let me show you.¡± Rosa handed over themission sheet. Ketal murmured as he scanned it. ¡°Nothing special. Aren¡¯t there any new dungeons?¡± ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t appear that easily.¡± The urrence of dungeons ranged from at least several months to years. It was natural. If dungeons appeared every few days, the surroundings of the territory would be a field of dungeons. In the end, there were no newmissions. The remaining ones were just errands from the territory¡¯s people. Ketal scanned themissions to the end with a bored expression. ¡°Hmm?¡± And then he saw it. ¡°An escortmission?¡± ¡°¡­Oh. I forgot about that.¡± Rosa scratched her head as if she had forgotten. ¡°What is an escortmission?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like. You need to protect the client or goods to their destination.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°For more detailed conditions, you need to take them to the guild hall at the destination.¡± ¡°Is it impossible without a guild hall?¡± ¡°No. If there¡¯s no guild hall, a guild manager will be waiting at the destination. You can confirm with them.¡± Rosa continued speaking. ¡°And all the preparations for the journey to the destination must be done by the mercenary.¡± A escortmission would take at least a few days. Naturally, during that time, many things would be needed, such as lodging, food, and clothing. The mercenary had to prepare all of that in advance. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll also have to handle all the obstacles and interruptions you encounter on the way to the destination.¡± ¡°It requires a lot of effort.¡± ¡°But the pay is high.¡± The reason you could only hire one mercenary even after spending a gold coin was because of this. Not only did they have to be dragged along, but the mercenary also had to handle all the basic preparations, which required initial funding. And because of that, not just anyone could ept it. ¡°Basically, those below D-rank cannot ept escortmissions. Trusted E-rank mercenaries can take them, but they are very few.¡± Rosa smiled wryly as she said that. ¡°But it¡¯s not a poprmission. It¡¯s a hassle.¡± Despite the high pay, you have to be dragged around for at least a few days. You also have to prepare everything for the journey yourself. There weren¡¯t many mercenaries with such strong organizational skills. ¡°What are the criteria for a sessfulmission?¡± ¡°To arrive at the destination without any damage to the client or the goods. That¡¯s the basic requirement. Beyond that, it depends on the client¡¯s discretion. There are quite a few cases where you still get paid even if there¡¯s some damage.¡± Rosa whispered softly. ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned before that simply having skills isn¡¯t enough to be a B-rank mercenary, right? You need to be acknowledged by someone of status. That usually happens through these escortmissions.¡± ¡°A stepping stone?¡± ¡°You can see it that way.¡± Escortmissions are expensive. Ordinary citizens find it difficult to use them. Nobles oftenmission the mercenary guild for things they can¡¯t do publicly. If you show good performance and earn their trust, you can be a B-rank mercenary. Ketal read themission sheet. [Escort Commission] [Client: One woman. One old man.] [Destination: Capital of the Denian Kingdom.] ¡°The Denian Kingdom, huh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite far.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. It smelled fishy. And that made Ketal smile. ¡°Can I take thismission?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rosa was surprised. She never expected Ketal to take an escortmission. ¡°¡­You want to take thismission?¡± ¡°Yes. Is it impossible?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± Rosa said, flustered. ¡°¡­Honestly, it¡¯s suspicious. It smells very fishy.¡± The Denian Kingdom is far from here. To get there, you have to take a roundabout route. There are several territoriesrger than the Barkan territory in between. If you were going tomission an escort job, it made more sense to do it in one of those territories¡¯ guild halls. The mercenaries there are on a different level. But the old man specifically came to this remote territory and ced themission at night. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Rosa opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not a normalmission. We epted it because the client¡¯s identity was verified, but I had no intention of handling it.¡± Aaron hoped Rosa would find mercenaries, but Rosa didn¡¯t n to help. One of the receptionist¡¯s jobs was to quietly bury such suspiciousmissions. ¡°It¡¯s too fishy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Rosa.¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the good part.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± A remote territory. Amission to protect a woman and an old man. And the old man came in shabby clothes, wearing a ck robe, only atte night. The woman didn¡¯t show herself. How suspicious and attractive a situation is this? The old man was likely a servant. The woman probably held a noble status, which is why she didn¡¯t show herself. Coming onlyte at night means they had to hide their presence. It implied they were being chased. They needed to stay hidden. There was no need to deduce further. Such a storyline was something Ketal had seen countless times in the previous world. And it made Ketal¡¯s heart race. A noblewoman being chased to the limit. An old man serving her until the end. A mercenary saving them. It was the quintessential fantasy narrative. Of course, he had experienced simr narratives before. But this was different from those times. This was the main character¡¯s storyline. His heart pounded like a child¡¯s. All his previous boredom vanished. ¡°I¡¯ll take thismission. Please arrange it.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason to refuse, but¡­.¡± Rosa couldn¡¯t stop him anymore since Ketal¡¯s determination was too strong. ¡°Just one thing: as a C-rank mercenary, themission fee might not cover your expenses. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Then¡­ understood. I¡¯ll inform the client when theye back and confirm it with them.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± An escortmission. The destination was the Denian Kingdom. The Denian Kingdom. Ketal had heard of it somewhere before. As he searched his memory, he realized: ¡®The Akasha family¡¯s Milena.¡¯ The ambitious woman he had met in the White Snowfield. She belonged to a merchant family. She had challenged the White Snowfield to save her crumbling family and seize power for herself. Although he didn¡¯t know the details, it seemed she had seeded, given the asional news he heard. ¡®Considering that, they might be B-rank mercenaries by now.¡¯ The mercenaries who had protected her. The Akasha family was a reputable merchant family. If they were escorting such a family, they would be at least B-rank mercenaries. Thinking about it, they were quite capable individuals. How was she living now? She was one of the few strangers he had a meaningful conversation with in the White Snowfield, so he was curious. Ketal reached into his pocket and grasped an ornament. Milena had given it to him, saying he would be wee if he ever visited. ¡®This is perfect.¡¯ He could meet Milena while traveling to the Denian Kingdom. Suddenly, he was looking forward to theing days. Ketal smiled joyfully. As Ketal epted themission and the paperwork was processed, he suddenly froze. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ketal shook his head. After finishing all the formalities, he returned to his quarters, looking puzzled as he stared into the empty space. ¡°Why is this appearing now?¡± A translucent window was floating in mid-air. [785th Quest.] [Escort the clients to the Denian Kingdom.] The quest window that had always been with him in the White Snowfield. It had never appeared since he left the White Snowfield, so Ketal thought it was exclusive to that ce. But now it had suddenly appeared. ¡°Was it not limited to the White Snowfield?¡± Ketal frowned, a habit he had when he was contemting. ¡®But why now?¡¯ The timing was too sudden. After being silent all this time, why now? ¡®Is there something special?¡¯ Was there a reason the quest window appeared for this escort job? But Ketal wasn¡¯t sure. He didn¡¯t know why the quest window appeared. After pondering for a moment, Ketal shook his head. One thing he had learned while surviving in the White Snowfield was that worrying with insufficient information was utterly useless. He knew the escort targets were hiding something, but he didn¡¯t know what it was. He would find out as he escorted them. In the end, nothing had changed. He just had to enjoy the escort mission. Ketal cleared his mind. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready.¡± He hummed as he stood up. * * * That night, when everyone was asleep and the guild hall was closing. Aaron came to the guild hall as usual. ¡°How is it today?¡± He didn¡¯t expect much as he asked. He had been unsessful for days. He had resigned himself to the possibility of leaving alone. But Rosa¡¯s answer made his eyes widen. ¡°A mercenary has epted themission.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°A C-rank mercenary. He¡¯s known for diligently handlingmissions within the territory. There¡¯s no issue with reliability. Will you ept him?¡± ¡°A C-rank mercenary?¡± Aaron was shocked. A C-rank mercenary was on a different level from a D-rank. Why was such a mercenary here? No, why did he ept themission? As if reading his thoughts, Rosa spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just rying the information. The choice is yours. What will you do?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll take him!¡± Aaron said hurriedly. Rosa, as if expecting this, began preparing the eptance paperwork. ¡°Then, we will schedule a meeting soon. You can discuss and coordinate directly with the escort mercenary.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aaron hurried back to the quarters. He knocked on the door roughly and opened it. Seeing his breathless state, Elene was startled. ¡°Aaron? What¡¯s wrong? Are the pursuers¡­?¡± ¡°Themission has been epted!¡± ¡°What?¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Someone epted it?¡± ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s a C-rank mercenary!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Bang! The wall was pounded, but this time, neither Elene nor Aaron paid it any attention. Aaron spoke joyfully. ¡°It¡¯s true. The only C-rank mercenary in the territory has epted ourmission! We¡¯ll meet with the mercenary tomorrow to discuss the details.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Aaron!¡± Elene knew well the level of a C-rank mercenary. They were strong, in apletely different league from D-rank mercenaries. Such strength would be a great asset to their journey. ¡°But we don¡¯t have the money to hire a C-rank mercenary¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. The mercenary said it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Really? I thought all mercenaries were greedy¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s a very unusual case.¡± For now, a major problem was solved. The two of them rejoiced. With a grunt, the wall was pounded again. Only then did they whisper quietly. ¡°We¡¯re meeting tomorrow, so let¡¯s get a good night¡¯s sleep. We¡¯ll probably be busy.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Eleney down with a happy expression. ¡®A C-rank mercenary, huh.¡¯ Objectively, it wasn¡¯t exceptionally strong. But in her current situation, even that level was a great help. More than anything, there was something else that made her happy. The amount Aaron had given as themission fee was barely enough to hire a D-rank mercenary. It was far from sufficient for a C-rank mercenary¡¯s fee. But the C-rank mercenary had epted hermission. It felt as if they were extending a favor, not just taking a job. That made her heart race. It felt like a prince from a fairy taleing to save her. ¡®What kind of person could it be?¡¯ Maybe they¡¯d have a slightly sharp look. That¡¯s how mercenaries usually were. Their body might be covered in scars, but that would only add to their charm. Elene blushed slightly as she indulged in her daydreams. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 50 – The Princess and the Escort (3) Chapter 50 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 50 ¨C The Princess and the Escort (3) Elene waited with a pounding heart. Soon, Aaron delivered the news. ¡°The date has been set. Tonight. It¡¯s been decided that you¡¯ll meet the mercenary directly.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Elene nodded. ¡°Do we know what kind of person they are?¡± ¡°Not in detail¡­ but from what I¡¯ve heard, they have a very good reputation. They seem to be a good person.¡± ¡°A good person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helping others withoutpensation. Even with the skills of a C-rank mercenary, they solve the misceneous requests of the territory¡¯s citizens. That indeed was close to a good person. ¡°¡­A good person.¡± Rosa didn¡¯t mention anything rted to demons. She didn¡¯t fundamentally trust Aaron. But even without that, Ketal was an excellent person. That¡¯s why Elene¡¯s feelings grew even stronger. Aaron smiled slightly at the emotions visible in her eyes. Elene returned a wry smile at his expression. ¡°¡­In a situation where we¡¯re being chased by the unknown, it¡¯s such a frivolous thought. I know that too.¡± ¡°No, Princess. Rather, I think it¡¯s necessary because of such a situation. There¡¯s no need to consider your own feelings as a sin.¡± Everyone needsfort for their heart. They had embarked on a perilous journey without anyone they could trust. Aaronforted her. ¡°I heard that he also has the qualifications to enter the Church of the Sun God. He is definitely trustworthy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really impressive.¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. The Church of the Sun God doesn¡¯t ept just anyone. Only those with a definite guarantee of identity and faith can enter. It was very rare for a mercenary to have such qualifications. Elene¡¯s expectations grew even more. And that night, when darkness settled over the territory. Elene followed Aaron to the meeting hall. The door opened, and the two of them entered the hall. Rosa, who was waiting, greeted them. ¡°Have you arrived? Is the person beside you yourpanion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elene quietly nodded. Rosa narrowed her eyes. ¡®Damn.¡¯ She cursed inwardly. The woman was wearing a ck robe, so it was hard to make out her features, but she was young. From the shape of her lower face visible under the hood, she could tell she was quite beautiful. And the elegance that was evident from even the smallest movements. Rosa had encountered nobles a few times due to her profession. But none of them disyed as much grace as this woman. She was someone beyond a mere noble. For such a woman toe to the mercenary guild in the middle of the night, wearing a robe and apanied by only one attendant? ¡®¡­This is too suspicious.¡¯ If things went wrong, Rosa could be held ountable for taking on this request. Her mouth tasted bitter, but she had no choice since it was what Ketal wanted. Rosa suppressed a sigh and spoke. ¡°The mercenary who will escort you will arrive shortly. Please wait for a moment.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aaron responded. Elene tried to suppress her pounding heart. Her anticipation for the mercenary was almost unbearable. And soon, there was a knock. Rosa spoke calmly. ¡°He has arrived.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll open it.¡± Elene hurriedly got up and headed for the door. The mercenary who would escort and guide her was beyond the door. She rushed over and grabbed the door handle. Creak. The door opened. With a bright face, she looked at the person beyond the door. And her expression froze. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± There stood a barbarian. The barbarian was huge. He was three heads taller than her. Not just tall, his entire body was massive. But rather than fat, his body was entirelyposed of muscle. He was dressed fairly neatly, but even that couldn¡¯t hide all the muscles. ¡°Oh, this is. A beautifuldy.¡± The barbarian muttered with interest, looking down at her. And he grinned. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± * * * Elene stared nkly up at Ketal. What is this? What is she seeing right now? Unable to grasp the situation, Ketal tilted his head at her appearance. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ketal raised his hand. At that moment, Elene came to her senses. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± She stumbled backward. Aaron shouted in surprise. ¡°Lady Elene!¡± He hurriedly supported Elene. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I, I¡­.¡± Elene couldn¡¯t respond. She just stared at Ketal with a pale face. ¡°Barbarian!¡± Aaron stepped back, holding Elene in his arms. His eyes were filled with obvious wariness. ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve faced such hostility.¡¯ After defeating the demon, the people of the territory didn¡¯t reject him. They didn¡¯t get close, but they didn¡¯t distance themselves either. It had been a while since he¡¯d encountered this level of hostility and wariness. ¡°Even wearing clothes, I¡¯m still a barbarian. It¡¯s a sad reality.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ you can¡¯t hide the atmosphere.¡± Rosa smiled wryly. Ketal looked at her. ¡°Rosa, are these my employers?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rosa nodded. ¡°The mercenary¡¯s name is Ketal. He will be responsible for your protection.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aaron eximed in astonishment. After a moment, Aaron, who had barely regained hisposure, immediately protested to Rosa. ¡°Please request a different mercenary! A barbarian? A barbarian for protection? What nonsense is this!¡± Barbarians. They are rude andck etiquette. They don¡¯t follow societal order and act based solely on strength. They hate nobles more than anything, considering them weak and pretentious. There have been numerous shes between nobles and barbarians, some even resulting in the death of nobles. A barbarian for protection? This was ridiculous. Aaron vehemently protested. ¡°Well¡­ I won¡¯t deny that.¡± Rosa didn¡¯t particrly deny it. In fact, she had a simr perception of barbarians, and that hadn¡¯t changed much. ¡°He is different from the typical barbarian. As I mentioned earlier, he is trusted within the territory. You have nothing to worry about.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Nonsense!¡± Aaron shouted as if Rosa were speaking gibberish. A barbarian! That barbarian as their mercenary. To apany them to the Kingdom of Denian! To entrust him with the princess¡¯s safety! His head felt like it was going to explode from anxiety. ¡°How can we trust a barbarian! A rude, uneducated being! Change him immediately!¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Rosa¡¯s eyes darkened. There was a faint displeasure in her eyes. ¡°So, you are questioning the decision of our mercenary guild?¡± Aaron flinched at the sudden hostility in her words. Rosa smiled coldly. ¡°Our guild promoted him to a C-rank mercenary. You do know what the criteria for a C-rank mercenary are, don¡¯t you?¡± C-rank. The rank recognized as a true mercenary. It was a level that bore the responsibility of being the core of the mercenary guild. It wasn¡¯t just about skill; it required recognition, trust, and achievements. In other words, Aaron saying he couldn¡¯t trust Ketal was equivalent to saying he couldn¡¯t trust the mercenary guild that promoted him to C-rank. Rosa never had good feelings towards Aaron from the start. Now, he was questioning the judgment of the mercenary guild and, more importantly, insulting Ketal. The Ketal she knew was a kind and good person. He had a unique personality, but he was polite enough to more than make up for it. She had a personal fondness for him. Seeing him being insulted made her feel very unpleasant. ¡°If you doubt the judgment of our mercenary guild, I understand. I will refund your payment.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Aaron said, flustered. He couldn¡¯t leave without a mercenary. He just realized he had doubted the mercenary guild itself. He had focused too much on the fact that Ketal was a barbarian. At that moment, Elene, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll ept it.¡± ¡°Pardon? Lady Elene, but¡­¡± ¡°A C-rank mercenary means he is recognized. There won¡¯t be any problems. Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rosa nodded. Elene bit her lip. ¡°We can¡¯t refuse. There¡¯s no reason to. Right, Aaron?¡± ¡°¡­That is true.¡± If they refused the mercenary now, they would have to leave alone. That would be even worse. They had no choice. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. The conversation is over.¡± Aaron closed his mouth. And Ketal, who had been sitting in a chair, had listened to the entire conversation. ¡®It feels like having a bomb.¡¯ A presence that was scary and unsettling but had to be epted for the sake of their goal. That was exactly what he was. It was a strange feeling. Rosa, with an expressionless face, organized the documents. ¡°Then I¡¯ll proceed as if the request has been epted. The request is approved. You can discuss the rest directly with the mercenary.¡± ¡°Directly¡­?¡± ¡°Lady Elene. I¡¯ll handle this from here.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Elene stood up. Then, she cautiously walked towards Ketal. Her body was trembling. She wanted to step back out of fear right now, but she suppressed her emotions and moved forward. ¡°P-Pleased to meet you. I am Elene.¡± ¡°Alright. I am Ketal. I look forward to working with you.¡± Ketal nodded and looked at Elene. ¡®She looks like a squirrel.¡¯ Her head was bowed low, and she was trembling visibly even under her robe. She looked very young. She might have just be an adult. And the traces of education were evident in her hood and movements. This confirmed Ketal¡¯s suspicions. He could sense it. And it was a very strong scent. ¡°Good.¡± Ketal murmured, pleased that his guess was correct. Elene¡¯s body flinched as if she had heard his voice. ¡®Ah. This won¡¯t do.¡¯ This woman was his employer. They were going to travel together. He needed to gain her trust. Ketal smiled as warmly as possible. ¡°Trust me. As long as I¡¯m protecting you, nothing will happen. I promise.¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± Elene trembled. ¡®He¡¯s targeting me!¡¯ This barbarian¡¯s goal was her body! She could see the hidden desire and greed in that smile. Elene knew it. ¡®Why is this happening?¡¯ She had been so hopeful just before meeting him. Like a young girl filled with anticipation, she had spent the whole day wondering what kind of person he would be. And this was the result, a barbarian. She felt like she was about to cry. ¡®¡­I have to travel with this barbarian for several days?¡¯ The dreams of the girl shattered in the worst possible way. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­.¡± Elene held back her tears and answered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 51 – Escort Request (1) Chapter 51 ¨C Escort Request (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 51: Escort Request (1) ¡°An escort request, huh. Well, well.¡± The thief said, his face showing surprise. ¡°It¡¯s amazing that you¡¯re already capable of such things¡­ you truly are extraordinary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not extraordinary. It¡¯s just an opportunity.¡± Ketal replied, chewing on his meat. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll be leaving this ce for a while. I thought I should let you know in advance.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling us. It¡¯s a shame.¡± The thief murmured with genuine regret etched on his face. He had been greatly influenced by Ketal. He had nned to live quietly and die like a street rat, but his thoughts changed as he got involved in various incidents around Ketal. Now, Ketal was leaving for a while, maybe even for a long time. This was a regrettable event for the thief. The pdin also nodded, sharing the sentiment. Only the nun, Heize, let out a deep sigh of relief inside. ¡®He¡¯s finally leaving¡­¡¯ She was still afraid of Ketal. During the battle between Aquaz and the demon, Ketal had asked why he needed to get involved. His expression had shown pure curiosity, a genuine desire to simply observe the battle. At that moment, Heize realized that Ketal¡¯s values were fundamentally different from theirs. Superficially, there seemed to be no major differences, but in essence, he was entirely twisted. He was something wearing a human disguise. He was kind and good, but she couldn¡¯t tell whaty inside him. She often had nightmares where Ketal crushed her head. Despite the fact that Ketal had saved her life and helped her many times, her instinctive fear could not be quelled. Now, Ketal was moving away from her. That fact alone brought her peace of mind. However, she knew she shouldn¡¯t show it outwardly, so she also put on a regretful expression. ¡°It¡¯s truly a shame, Ketal. I thought we could go on many more adventures together, but now we¡¯ll be separated like this¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Ketal was deeply moved by their attitudes. They all felt regret and sorrow over his departure. This made him very happy. ¡®Yes. This is whatrades are.¡¯ There was no need for clich¨¦s about banishment or anything like that. Genuinerades who stood back-to-back and felt sorrow over their parting. That alone filled a part of his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Fate is a strange thing. We¡¯ll definitely meet again someday.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± Heize grew anxious again at his words. ¡®¡­We¡¯re going to meet again, aren¡¯t we?¡¯ She tried to suppress her anxiety and banish the ominous thoughts from her mind. Therefore, she did not remember that she had given Ketal an invitation to her church. Time passed, and as the sun set and the moon rose. Elene and Aaron sat gloomily in their lodging. ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± They had to embark on their journey to the Denian Kingdom. Normally, they would have been very excited and looking forward to it, but now it felt like they were waiting for their execution. The reason was simple. Aaron tried tofort her. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry too much. He¡¯s a mercenary. Being a C-rank mercenary means he has considerable achievements. If there haven¡¯t been any problems so far¡­ he might surprisingly be okay.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a barbarian.¡± Elene said with a bitter smile. ¡°Has there ever been a safety measure that worked on a barbarian?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t respond. Barbarians were irrational and emotional beings, acting ording to their own wills. No amount of gold, treasure, or beautiful women could sway them. Yet, the reason barbarians hadn¡¯t perished was simple. Their strength was immense. Many kingdoms had tried to use the simple-minded barbarians. The reason this is in the past tense is that all those kingdoms were destroyed because of the barbarians. Her kingdom also had some dealings with barbarians, but it had never ended well. ¡°Considering there have been no issues so far, he must be different from a typical barbarian. But still, he¡¯s a barbarian. You never know when he might act on his emotions.¡± Trust in a barbarian¡¯s past behavior meant nothing. Just because a dud bomb hadn¡¯t exploded yet didn¡¯t mean it was safe. It was simply a dangerous element. Aaron bit his lip. ¡°Perhaps we should wait here for another mercenary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Elene immediately rejected the idea. ¡°If we do that, only a slow death awaits us. Even if he¡¯s an unpredictable dud, we have to take the risk.¡± That was their situation. Aaron lowered his head. ¡°Your Highness. If the worst happens, I will act as your shield.¡± ¡°No. You are my retainer. What kind of master doesn¡¯t protect their retainers?¡± The sound of sobbing echoed once more. Time passed as they talked. Elene¡¯s expression grew darker. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aaron.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two left their lodging and headed toward the entrance of the territory. There, their mercenary was waiting for them. ¡°You¡¯re here. I was beginning to wonder if something had happened since you¡¯rete.¡± ¡°We were just making some preparations.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t press them further and smiled broadly. ¡°Let¡¯s head out then. We have a long journey ahead.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The two followed Ketal with expressions like livestock being led to ughter. They departed in the early evening; normally, they would have set out in the morning, but Elene had insisted on this timing. The route had already been decided via the map. Although they could reach their destination in two weeks if they took the main road, Elene wanted to avoid people, so they had no choice but to take a roundabout route that would take at least twice as long. ¡°A month, huh. That¡¯s quite a bit of time.¡± Ketal said as he walked leisurely. If he wanted, he couldplete the escort mission by the end of the day, but he had no intention of doing so. He was in a good mood. This was his first escort request. Leaving the Barkan territory and heading to a distant kingdom. What kind of people would be there? What would they find there? Could he learn mysteries there? While the Barkan territory was certainly excellent, its small size limited the amount of enjoyment it offered. Now, he had the opportunity to see a broader world, which was exciting. Of course, he was also looking forward to traveling with his escort targets. He nned to take his time and enjoy this journey. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal moved forward, and he heard footsteps following from a distance. The sound never got any closer. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous? It would be better if you got a little closer.¡± Ketal said, ncing back. Elene and Aaron were keeping a significant distance from him, far too much to expect any effective escort. However, Elene quickly shook her head. ¡°No, this distance is fine. There¡¯s no sign of anyone else around, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Although he didn¡¯t understand, he didn¡¯t argue further since that was what they wanted. Night soon fell. They had only traveled a few hours since they departed in the early evening, and now it was too dark to continue. Ketal looked around and chose a spot to camp. ¡°We¡¯ll spend the night here. Is that alright?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Elene stammered and took a step back, her hand instinctively reaching into her chest. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®This misunderstanding mightst for a while.¡¯ But it didn¡¯t matter much. This was the medieval era, a world where trust between people was hard to build. It was natural to fear others. Their fear of barbarians seemed to be greater than he had anticipated. Even if he told them he wasn¡¯t a barbarian, they wouldn¡¯t believe him, so there was no point in trying to persuade them. In that case, the solution was simple. He just needed to treat them well. Building a trust rtionship with the escort targets was also part of his duty as an escort. ¡°¡­It should be fine.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s set up our sleeping arrangements.¡± Ketal pped his hands and reached into the small leather pouch at his waist. Elene¡¯s pupils dted in surprise. From the tiny pouch,rge enough only for his hand, came an incrediblyrge piece of cloth. ¡°An artifact?¡± ¡°I was able to get it by working hard on my missions.¡± Ketal said lightly, but Elene found it hard to ept so easily. A spatial expansion artifact, from which such arge cloth emerged from such a small pouch. The exact size was unclear, but it was certainly substantial. Such a high-level artifact was not something even she, a princess, could easily acquire. ¡®How could a barbarian have something like this?¡¯ While Elene and Aaron were bewildered, Ketal quickly set up supports and draped the cloth over them, creating a small tent in no time. ¡°Here, this is your shelter.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you¡­¡± Elene, not expecting him to make a tent for them, nodded with a bewildered look on her face. ¡°Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, I could only buy one tent. You¡¯ll both have to share it. Is that alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± They had already shared a room at the stables, so this was nothing new. However, the tent was barely big enough for two people. Elene cautiously asked, ¡°What about you, Ketal?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me. I¡¯m used to sleeping outside.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying. In the snowy fields, it was often hard to find proper shelter. Compared to sleeping in makeshift shelters dug out of ciers, this environment was like paradise. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t need to worry about keeping watch. I¡¯ll handle it all.¡± He once went a whole month without sleep while being chased by monsters in the Snowfield. By now, sleep didn¡¯t hold much meaning for Ketal. His goal was to build trust with these people, so he nned to be considerate and kind. ¡°You can sleep soundly. That¡¯s my job.¡± Ketal smiled warmly, trying to appear as friendly as possible. But Elene felt a chill run down her spine. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need for you to take on everything yourself. We¡¯ll take turns keeping watch.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°It matters to us.¡± Elene quickly responded. He made them a tent, chose to sleep outside himself, and even offered to keep watch all night. Ketal was overly kind¡ªtoo kind for a simple escort mercenary. This kindness only made them more suspicious. ¡®He must be nning something while we¡¯re asleep!¡¯ Both Elene and Aaron had the same thought at the same time. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you prefer.¡± Ketal murmured regretfully. He had hoped to build trust through this opportunity. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ They had plenty of time. He could take his time getting closer to them. Ketal smiled gently. Seeing that smile, Elene became even more convinced. We mustn¡¯t fall asleep. Amidst their misguided thoughts, the night slowly passed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 52 – Escort Request (2) Chapter 52 ¨C Escort Request (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 52: Escort Request (2) The next morning, Elene and Aaron emerged from the tent with tired faces. They couldn¡¯t sleep well, knowing they had to stand guard, and they couldn¡¯t sleep deeply because they didn¡¯t trust Ketal. In the end, they set out on their journey again, still not fully rested. Their steps were quick; they had decided to finish this journey as quickly as possible, for the sake of their lives. But umting fatigue was inevitable. With their nerves on edge, their bodies quickly grew tired. Eventually, Elene raised her hand. ¡°Can we take a short rest?¡± ¡°No problem. Rest under that tree over there.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Elene walked unsteadily and sat down under the tree. The quietly blowing wind cooled her sweaty hair. Growl. At that moment, a noise rang out. Elene¡¯s face turned bright red. Ketal opened his mouth dumbfoundedly. ¡°Are you hungry? Well, that¡¯s understandable since we haven¡¯t had a proper meal. Alright, wait a moment.¡± Ketal looked pleased with himself. ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± Cooking was part of a mercenary¡¯s duties. There was nothing better than filling someone¡¯s stomach to open their heart. But Aaron shook his head. ¡°No need to bother.¡± Barbarian cooking. It wasn¡¯t cooking, just roasting and boiling without any finesse, not even removing the blood, couldn¡¯t be called cooking. Aaron had tried it once before. He would rather eat jerky than something like that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make it tasty.¡± But this time, Ketal didn¡¯t back down. He skillfully gathered branches to make a fire and set up a makeshift cooking tform over it. Then he hung a pot over the fire. As the water boiled, he took a t rock and ced ingredients on it. Various vegetables came out of his pocket. Ketal took out a dagger and began to cut the vegetables evenly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Aaron, who was watching nervously, was surprised. Ketal¡¯s knife skills were very neat. ¡°Have you learned cooking?¡± ¡°It was a hobby of mine.¡± In the White Snow ins, Barbarians didn¡¯t cook. They filled their stomachs by chewing on the flesh of monsters they had in, quenching their thirst with the ck blood that flowed out. It felt disgusting every time they ate, but when they had to worry about tomorrow¡¯s life, they couldn¡¯t help it. After reaching a certain point, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He had started cooking with the remains of monsters. There were many problems. It was difficult to light a fire in the extreme cold of the White Snow ins. There were no fresh ingredients, and he wasn¡¯t skilled in cooking. He had to go through countless trials and errors. Literally countless trials and errors. Some monsters exploded when heated, others resurrected. [PR/N: WTF revived???] He had almost died several times during the cooking process, but he didn¡¯t give up. As a result, he managed to make perfect dishes using ingredients from the ins. ¡®It was delicious.¡¯ At first, the Barbarians scoffed at his attempts, but eventually, they started looking at him expectantly during meal times. He didn¡¯t want to remember the ins, but he missed the taste. He wanted to bring ingredients, but there were no artifacts, so it was impossible. The outside dishes were delicious too, butpared to the taste of the ins, they were quite boring. Thanks to his efforts, he could make decent dishes. Ketal fished out the cooked noodles and drained the water. Then he took out oil. ¡°Oil?¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes widened. Oil was expensive. Commoners used it once a month if they used it a lot. Ketal generously poured the oil into the pot. He put the vegetables in and cooked them in the oil until they were done. The vegetables emitted a strong smell when mixed with the oil. At some point, Elene and Aaron were staring nkly at the pot. Ketal put the noodles into the mixture, creating a dish simr to pasta. It was simple but not tasteless. ¡°I¡¯d like to cook the noodles separately, but we don¡¯t have the space for that. Sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± When the noodles were cooked, Ketal stirred them lightly and sprinkled spices. The aroma of perfectly cooked forest dish filled the air. Ketal finished cooking and took out a wooden fork. ¡°Would you like to try?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Elene stared nkly into the pot. A properly cooked dish. They had only eaten dried or half-rotten food until now. Such a simple meal was deeply missed. She wanted to put the oily noodles into her mouth. Even though the scent wasn¡¯t her favorite, it was hard to resist. Elene was about to reflexively agree, but then she snapped out of it and shook her head. ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not a fan of oily dishes.¡± She fundamentally didn¡¯t trust Ketal. She couldn¡¯t eat the food of someone she didn¡¯t trust. She couldn¡¯t know what strange substances he might have added during the cooking process. ¡°This will do.¡± She took out a piece of jerky from her pouch. Aaron also regained his senses and declined. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Is that so? Do you prefer jerky? That¡¯s a shame.¡± Ketal started eating the pasta alone. Elene cut a piece of jerky and put it into her mouth. It was cold and tough. The texture was like eating a soggy lump of mushrooms. There was no hint of the sweetness of meat. Elene, who had been hesitating, looked at Ketal. His eating of the pasta didn¡¯t seem elegant, but it looked warm and delicious. In the end, Elene closed her eyes tightly. * * * Their journey to the Kingdom of Denian had now entered its third day. And during that time, Elene and Aaron had been extremely tired. They stayed up all night, and their meals were tough jerky. The meals were bearable since they were used to them, but not being able to sleep properly was a significant problem. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± That night, Elene, lying in her tent, massaged her feet. They were swollen and red. Aaron, with a worried expression, asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I can handle it. Are you okay, Aaron? You seem to be carrying too much weight¡­¡± The watch rotation was decided to be every three people. However, they didn¡¯t trust Ketal. Naturally, when Ketal took his turn at the watch, one person had to stay awake. Aaron volunteered for that role. In the end, Aaron and Ketal took turns standing watch. Aaron thumped his chest. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The elderly don¡¯t need sleep. Don¡¯t worry and get some rest.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Elene tucked herself into the nket. Before long, the regr sound of her breathing could be heard. Aaron looked at Elene with a pitiful expression. ¡®Poor thing.¡¯ A person who had grown up receiving everyone¡¯s love was now stepping into such a perilous journey. But Elene didn¡¯tin. Instead, sheforted and encouraged Aaron, who was struggling. ¡®I have to protect her.¡¯ She was his responsibility as her mentor and guardian. Even if it meant risking his life. Aaron resolved himself once again. He stepped outside and leaned against a tree. But. ¡°¡­Tired.¡± On the third day, not even two hours of sleep. Even those two hours were spent half-awake, prepared for any emergencies. The fatigue from all their journeys so far hit him hard. He had to endure. But he was sleepy. Aaron closed his eyes for a moment to reduce his fatigue. Then he opened his eyes. The first thing he heard was the chirping of birds. And sunlight filtering through the leaves. ¡°Huh?¡± He had definitely closed his eyes at midnight, right? But the sun was clearly sending its light high in the sky. It was morning. The meaning was simple. He had fallen asleep the moment he closed his eyes. His dazed mind awakened, and his heart raced. ¡°No!¡± He rushed to the tent. Even if he had only slept for a few hours, it would have been enough. And during that time, Ketal had beenpletely free without anyone¡¯s surveince. What a stupid thing to do! He had sworn to protect the princess himself just yesterday! He opened the tent quickly, and Aaron¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Elene was still sleeping in the same position as when hest saw her. The sunlight streaming in through the tent seams seemed to bother her, and she groaned, but her face looked peaceful. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A voice came from behind Aaron, who was foolishly watching her. There, Ketal was grilling something over the campfire. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t wake her up because she seemed to be sleeping deeply. I¡¯m relieved that she slept well.¡± ¡°Th-thanks.¡± Aaron said, but he was flustered. Why hadn¡¯t anything happened? He must have seen him fall asleep. Ketal smiled wryly at his expression. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust outsiders. I also know I don¡¯t look trustworthy. But I am your escort.¡± An escort is a protector. It was not someone to doubt and keep at a distance. ¡°I understand you have doubts, but I hope you can trust me. I¡¯m human too. I can get hurt.¡± ¡°I, I see.¡± In Aaron¡¯s bewildered gaze, he saw what Ketal was grilling. It was a deer leg. The wide leg of the deer was cooking nicely over the campfire. There wasn¡¯t a single burnt part as if he had been diligently turning it. The oil dripped down into the fire, creating an even more intense aroma. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Aaron involuntarily opened his mouth. As his heart truly desired it, hunger hit him instantly. Ketal noticed his gaze and nodded as if understanding. ¡°I caught a deer. I removed the blood and salted it, so it should be delicious. Will you have some?¡± Ketal held out the deer¡¯s bone to Aaron. Aaron looked at the well-cooked meat as if entranced. * * * ¡°Princess, please wake up.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Elene opened her eyes. She staggered to her feet. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you. And Aaron?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± But Elene¡¯s face showed guilt. Aaron had taken on the watch twice for her. He must have been tired, yet he was pushing himself for her sake. Elene always felt sorry about that. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard. If you feel tired, let me know anytime. I¡¯ll take on the burden too.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°But.¡± Elene cocked her head. ¡°You look much better today.¡± Aaron flinched. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I can even smell something delicious. Maybe I¡¯m just hungry. I¡¯m having these delusions.¡± ¡°Uh, is that so?¡± Aaron forced a smile. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 53 – Escort Request (3) Chapter 53 ¨C Escort Request (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 53: Escort Request (3) A week had passed. The journey towards the Denian Kingdom continued. Elene chewed on jerky with a grimace on her face. The jerky was so dry and tough that it was hard to tell if it was meat or stone. Chewing it was enough to make her jaw ache. She moistened it with saliva as she slowly chewed. As Elene chewed on the jerky, a pleasant smell wafted from beside her. Ketal was cooking again. The enticing smell made it hard to resist hunger. Eventually, Elene stood up unsteadily. ¡°I¡¯ll step aside for a moment. It¡¯ll take a bit of time.¡± ¡°Going to the restroom?¡± Her casual remark made Elene¡¯s face flush red. ¡°T-that¡¯s rude!¡± ¡°Oh. My apologies. It wasn¡¯t something to say to a youngdy, I realize now.¡± Surprisingly, Ketal readily apologized. This caught Elene off guard. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine.¡± Apologizing like that. He certainly wasn¡¯t your typical barbarian. Still, that didn¡¯t mean he could be trusted. Elene went to a nearby stream and moistened the jerky in the flowing water, making it more edible. Now it was somewhat ptable. Sitting down like a squirrel, she chewed on the jerky. At one point, she made a soft sob. ¡°Hungry¡­¡± She had been chewing on jerky for over a week. It wasn¡¯t nutritious, and its toughness made it impossible to eat enough. She was always hungry. ¡®It¡¯s tough¡­¡¯ And the journey itself was too much. She had received education from the royal family, not just in knowledge but also in physical training. The intensity of that training was undoubtedly significant, but it was not enough to endure such hardship. The current journey was too difficult for a girl who hadn¡¯t even be an adult yet. But Elene endured. Because it was necessary. And because Aaron suffered more. Aaron. Her loyal guardian. He had gone through all sorts of hardships for her sake. He volunteered for tasks she couldn¡¯t handle. As long as he was there, she couldn¡¯tin about this level of difficulty. Above all, recently, the light in Aaron¡¯s eyes had grown stronger. Elene knew it was guilt. His gaze had be even more intensetely. ¡®He doesn¡¯t need to feel guilty.¡¯ In the end, this was the path she had chosen. Aaron didn¡¯t need to feel guilty. She nned to talk properly about itter when the opportunity arose. ¡®Let¡¯s endure. Aaron is having a tougher time.¡¯ As his master, she couldn¡¯t speak words of hardship. Elene made up her mind. After drinking enough water, she cautiously returned. Soft voices could be heard. ¡°Oh, is that how you cook?¡± ¡°Is it okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rough but not bad. It¡¯s good for when you can¡¯t measure precisely.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She was momentarily surprised. The voice she heard was very calm. It sounded like she was talking to a close friend. She cautiously looked towards the source of the voice. And she saw it. Aaron was sitting right next to Ketal, eating and enjoying the food. ¡°¡­Aaron.¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± Aaron¡¯s expression changed. He quickly stood up and distanced himself from Ketal. ¡°No, it¡¯s not! Princess! It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Aaron and Elene were preupied with each other, so they didn¡¯t notice Ketal¡¯s reaction to the word ¡®princess.¡¯ ¡°¡­What do you mean it¡¯s not?¡± Betrayal colored Elene¡¯s face. They had agreed to be cautious around the barbarian and protect each other. But here they were, chatting amicably and eating together. What was this? ¡°¡­Ah. Lately, you seemed unusually healthy. It was because you were secretly eating barbarian food, wasn¡¯t it? Was it delicious? I bet it was. That¡¯s why that smell was lingering.¡± Aaron stammered with a pale face. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ It¡¯s just hard to find the right timing¡­.¡± ¡°What timing? The timing to say, ¡®I¡¯ve be friends with the barbarian alone¡¯? Is that the timing you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Uh, no, that¡¯s not it. That, uh, this barbarian isn¡¯t such a bad person. There¡¯s no need to be so guarded¡­.¡± ¡°Are you saying that now?¡± Elene gritted her teeth. Aaron tried to exin, but it didn¡¯te out smoothly. ¡°I hope you calm down.¡± And in that moment, Ketal intervened. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat the food? Was it because you didn¡¯t trust me? Well¡­ one can¡¯t easily put something made by an untrustworthy person in their mouth. Was that also the reason for the precautions?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± And then Elene finally realized. What she had just said was no different from directly expressing herck of trust in Ketal. The situation changed again. Elene spoke hesitantly to Ketal. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it¡­.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Trust is not something easily built.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. He had expected this. In this world, distrust towards others was much stronger than on Earth. And there were prejudices against barbarians as well. Even if he said he wasn¡¯t a barbarian, there was no reason for them to believe it. Elene and Aaron had no choice but to ept it. They didn¡¯t trust him. He wasn¡¯t so foolish as to not notice. How to resolve this? He pondered. And he reached a conclusion. Ketal spoke up. ¡°We need to clear up this misunderstanding first. I am not a barbarian.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elene replied, but there was no sign of belief in her tone. Ketal spoke again. ¡°Let me be clear. I was born as a barbarian child, but I wasn¡¯t raised as one.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened at this revtion. A clear difference in reaction. ¡°I was born as a barbarian. But my tribe was destroyed a week after my birth. A lone adventurer found me crying amidst the ruins. I was raised by that adventurer.¡± Nothing but lies without a trace of truth. But so what? Didn¡¯t the glimmer of belief start to show in Elene¡¯s eyes, despite her previous doubts and suspicions of everything he said and did? Ketal continued. ¡°The adventurer who took me in also left on a journey and died. As a child, I had to grow up alone. But there was a problem.¡± He was born as a barbarian. But he grew up as a civilized person. Yet, everyone still saw him as a barbarian. ¡°No one trusted me and everyone feared me. I couldn¡¯t find apanion who would trust me. After countless journeys, I finally found a ce that epted me.¡± ¡°The Barkan Territory¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I am undeniably a barbarian. But I am also civilized. Of course, you can¡¯t believe it, but I hope you understand that fact.¡± All falsehoods. But it didn¡¯t matter. Elene¡¯s expression began to show sympathy rather than doubt. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And it couldn¡¯t be entirely dismissed as a perfect lie. He clearly had a barbarian¡¯s physique but possessed the intellect of a civilized person. ¡°I see. I understand.¡± Elene nodded. It was someone else¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯tpletely believe them. But if she considered Ketal¡¯s words as truth, she could understand why Ketal had treated them well all this time. No, it was more like she could understand Ketal¡¯s actions only by considering them true. Suddenly, Elene felt ashamed. Despite being taught not to judge people by their appearance, she had let herself be frightened by the barbarian¡¯s exterior and couldn¡¯t trust a mercenary. She had even doubted the food he made for them was dirty. How foolish she was. And how great a person Ketal was. Elene felt admiration in her eyes. Ketal must have faced much persecution and suspicion as a barbarian. But he didn¡¯t lose himself, he cared for and respected others. He was truly like an adult. ¡®To doubt such a person.¡¯ Elene felt extremely ashamed. She bowed her head deeply. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Ketal. I didn¡¯t trust you.¡± It was done. Ketal let out a sigh of relief. But he kept his emotions in check and raised his head as if it were nothing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not strange to have such misconceptions.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elene was moved again by his attitude. To speak so calmly, as if it were nothing. He was truly an impressive person. Of course, Ketal secretly wanted to dance with joy, iming victory. If there had been no eyes watching, he might have done so. But Elene, unaware of this, admired Ketal. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll count on you from now on.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Elene nodded. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. He no longer had to be reprimanded by the princess. And that night. For the first time since leaving her kingdom, Elene had a delicious meal and slept peacefully. * * * After that, the journey became much easier. epting Ketal¡¯s kindness, Elene let Ketal handle everything. The meals were simple but sufficient, and Ketal took care of all the cooking, providing dishes that could fill their stomachs adequately. ¡°Hehe. Is this how you cook?¡± Elene watched Ketal cook from nearby. She was right next to him. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Who did you learn from?¡± ¡°No one. I tried various things on my own to survive. After many trials and errors, I came up with something decent.¡± ¡°Hehe. Is that so?¡± ¡°Would you like to try? It¡¯s quite fun.¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll ept your kindness.¡± Elene cautiously picked up a dagger and started cutting vegetables. Ketal watched her with satisfaction. This. This was the distance that should exist between the employer and a mercenary. He had seeded once again. Ketal felt deeply satisfied. When such a pleasing scene unfolded, far away in the forest from where they were, there was a human. ¡°They¡¯ve suddenly be close. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t understand their speech.¡± The man was young, with an ordinary face that could be seen anywhere. But that was just an external issue. In reality, he was one of the oldest beings in human history. He was the Master of the Magic Tower. A lich. He had disguised himself in human skin and came to see Ketal. As soon as the conversation with Cain ended, the Tower Master acted. He had been observing with surveince eyes but wanted to meet Ketal in person. Without telling anyone, he came to the Barkan Territory. Despite the physical and magical devices including the border, they meant nothing to the Tower Master. He arrived in the Barkan Territory in an instant. And at that moment, Ketal had just left on a guard mission. The Tower Master immediately followed Ketal, continuing to observe his journey. ¡°Cain. It seems what he said is true.¡± A barbarian cooking. He had never seen anything like it in his life. Even the escort targets who used to despise him as a barbarian seemed to be bing friendly with him. It was indeed unique. If it weren¡¯t for his appearance, one might even believe he wasn¡¯t a barbarian. The Tower Master narrowed his eyes. Long ago. In a mysterious world unconquered by humans, even by the emperor who failed at conquest. The White Snow ins. The barbarians of that ce. But Ketal was clearly civilized. A barbarian from the White Snow ins who knows how to cook. Judging by his skill in handling tools, he seemed quite ustomed to it. A barbarian from the White Snow ins who knows how to have a conversation enough to end distrust and suspicion. A barbarian from the White Snow ins who cares enough to handle everything alone. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ What could possibly be in the White Snow ins to have such a barbarian exist? It was too strange. Ironically, he seemed more socialized than the ordinary barbarians of this world. The magician¡¯s curiosity and desire for knowledge slowly crept in. ¡®Should I get closer?¡¯ The distance was far. He was only using minimal magic to listen to the conversation. He wanted to know what they were talking about. The Tower Master decided to get closer. He had made up his mind. The magician moved slowly toward Ketal. And then, at a moment. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal stood up. Elene, who was awkwardly handling the dagger, was slightly surprised. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± At that moment, the Tower Master saw it. Ketal¡¯s gaze looking at him. ¡®What?¡¯ He¡¯s looking at him? No. That¡¯s ridiculous. He was at least 1km apart from Ketal here. The area waspletely obscured by dense forest, making it impossible for visual contact. There were many animals and insects in the forest, so it wasn¡¯t a situation where he could sense any presence. Ketal muttered. ¡°There¡¯s someone here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just hold on for a moment. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Before his words finished, Ketal¡¯s body disappeared. The Tower Master¡¯s pupils dted. Expand the senses. Mana spread quickly towards the forest, forming a detection area. That¡¯s how the Tower Master could know. That Ketal was right in front of him at this moment. The Tower Master waved his hand in astonishment. Mana moved turbulently ording to the owner¡¯s will. The forest burst open, and Ketal appeared in front of the Tower Master. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 54 – Escort Request (4) Chapter 54 ¨C Escort Request (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 54: Escort Request (4) The Tower Master swiftly extended his hand. Dozens of magical barriers materialized in front of him. They were pure mana shields, their solidity rivaling that of a castle wall. Ketal indeed felt resistance, so he applied a bit more force. Crack! The barriers shattered instantly, like cobwebs torn apart by a human hand. The Tower Master¡¯s pupils dted. ¡®Not even a ballista could break through this¡­¡¯ He thought it would at least buy him some time, but it didn¡¯t even manage that. His mind raced. He had 0.5 seconds until Ketal¡¯s hand reached him. Considering a margin of error of 0.2 seconds, he had to find and implement a countermeasure within 0.3 seconds. In 0.3 seconds, what could he do? His elerating brain quickly found the answer. The Tower Master curled his fingers. Mana prated Ketal¡¯s body. He intended to directly influence his physical form with mana. But it didn¡¯t work. The mana, as if running along an endless horizon, failed to reach its destination. Then, space distortion. He twisted the space itself to prevent the attack from reaching him. But it was useless. The distorted space was forcibly restored to its original state by sheer physical force. Next, repulsion. He mimicked Ketal¡¯s attack with mana, generating an equivalent physical force to repel it. All these spells took less than 0.2 seconds to activate. He had truly reached a high level. Yet, even that didn¡¯t work. The Tower Master was dumbfounded. ¡®He¡¯s ignoring interference with pure physical strength?¡¯ From that brief battle, the Tower Master grasped Ketal¡¯s peculiarity. It was impossible to counter him with interference methods. So he decided to increase the distance between them. In an instant, chaotic mana waves surrounded the Tower Master. There was still time before Ketal¡¯s hand reached his body. But at that moment, Ketal¡¯s speed increased even more. ¡®Getting faster?¡¯ Before that thought even finished, Ketal¡¯s hand gripped the Tower Master¡¯s neck. Boom! The Tower Master¡¯s body was mmed into the ground. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡®Ah I miscalcted the force.¡¯ Feeling something was off, he had increased his speed. Ketal looked down at the man he had mmed. He didn¡¯t seem to have suffered major injuries. ¡°You¡¯re unscathed. Seems I¡¯ve gotten better at controlling my strength.¡± Ketal smiled with satisfaction, and the Tower Master was dumbfounded. ¡®Bullshit.¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t instinctively protected himself with mana, his limbs would have burst apart. Ketal lifted him by the neck. ¡°Um, I¡¯d appreciate it if you handled me gently.¡± ¡°If you want that, I suggest you don¡¯t do anything strange. At the slightest hint of anything, I¡¯ll snap your neck.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Ketal carried the Tower Master away. * * * The Tower Master dangled in the air, held by his neck. ¡®Cain. Was he in a situation like this too?¡¯ He had mocked Cain, and now he was in the same predicament. The Tower Master felt deeply depressed. What made it worse was the girl looking at him with a strange expression. Elene cautiously asked. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Someone who was watching us.¡± ¡°What? Watching us? Since when¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly when. He suddenly appeared in my detection range.¡± ¡®¡­You really sensed me?¡¯ The Tower Master was astounded. What Ketal had said was something only the truly powerful could do: envelop an area within their detection range, observe, and control everything happening within it. It was something naturally done upon reaching a certain level. The problem was that the distance between Ketal and the Tower Master was at least 1 km. A barbarian, not using mana, could detect that far? ¡®Is that possible without being a high elf?¡¯ ¡°¡­Was he really watching us?¡± Elene¡¯s face was filled with shock. As she looked at her, Ketal spoke. ¡°He¡¯s probably connected to you two.¡± Elene and Aaron flinched. They opened their mouths as if to exin but then closed them again. Eventually, Elene lowered her head, seemingly giving up. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve noticed.¡± ¡°Did you really think you could fool me? It was obvious to anyone.¡± Departing at night as if to avoid being seen. Taking a detour off the main road. It was easy to tell that these actions were to avoid meeting people. Elene was startled by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why Rosa warned me too. Said it was suspicious.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elene was clearly flustered, as she hadn¡¯t expected this. Ketal shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I epted the request knowing everything.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°But since we¡¯re now being directly pursued, I need to hear the details.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elene nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± ¡°Lady Elene.¡± ¡°Aaron, he came with us because he trusts us.¡± Aaron tried to dissuade Elene, but she remained resolute. Aaron also hesitated for a moment before stepping back in silence. ¡°Let¡¯s postpone that for now. There¡¯s something more pressing we need to address first.¡± Ketal¡¯s gaze turned to the Tower Master. Elene and Aaron followed suit. The stares were intense. ¡®This isn¡¯t the meeting I calcted.¡¯ Originally, he nned to approach them first, intending to take control of the conversation. He thought he could deceive them by pretending to be a traveler. But now, this felt more like a hostage situation. His calctions had gone awry. Still, it wasn¡¯t all bad. He had achieved his primary goal of approaching Ketal, which meant half the n was sessful. ¡°Your name?¡± ¡°Patrick.¡± ¡°Alright, Patrick. You were following us. I assume it¡¯s because of Elene and Aaron?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Neither Ketal, Elene, nor Aaron believed him. And they weren¡¯t wrong to think so. The circumstances clearly suggested that someone was after Elene. But the Tower Master felt wronged because it genuinely wasn¡¯t the case. To him, Elene and Aaron were just worthless followers trailing behind Ketal. Nothing more, nothing less. Ketal turned his gaze to Elene. ¡°What do you want to do? We could hand him over to the soldiers of the Kingdom of Denian, or kill him here.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t want that.¡¯ The current situation wasn¡¯t truly dangerous for the Tower Master. After all, this body was just a puppet. Even if it was torn to pieces, it wouldn¡¯t affect him. However, if that happened, he wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve his goal of observing Ketal. ¡®¡­I have no choice.¡¯ Although it was different from his original n, given the circumstances, there was no other way. The Tower Master spoke up. ¡°I admire you, Sir Ketal!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal looked at the Tower Master in surprise. ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Tower Master quickly continued speaking. Ketal had aplished many feats as a mercenary in the territory. He handled all sorts of requests, from mundane tasks to dungeon conquests, solving numerous problems. While residing in the territory, he was considerate and showed kindness to others. When people began to think he wasn¡¯t so bad after all, Ketal helped an inquisitor of the Sun God to defeat a demon. As a result, a considerable number of young people started to trust and follow him. It wasn¡¯t unusual. Throughout history, many men worshipped strength. A C-rank mercenary was a high grade notmonly seen in the Barkan territory, and Ketal became a role model for young adventurers. Patrick was one of those young men. However, among them, Patrick¡¯s admiration was so strong that he almost worshipped Ketal. When Ketal left for a journey, Patrick left his hometown to follow him. This was the persona the Tower Master had crafted for Patrick. He had prepared this in case things went poorly. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t recall ever seeing your face.¡± ¡°Well, I was afraid to go outside¡­¡± Ketal realized. ¡°A shut-in.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. So, you followed me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I thought following you might change me.¡± The Tower Master, one of the greatest magicians in the world, the head of a powerful tower, a figure even the Emperor couldn¡¯t treat lightly, was humbling himself by iming to admire a barbarian. Any mage who knew the Tower Master¡¯s true identity would find this sight unbelievable. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal looked at the Tower Master thoughtfully. ¡°Then let¡¯s confirm a few things.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Tower Master nodded. Ketal asked Patrick about various things. What he did in the territory, and what events had urred there. Patrick was slightly taken aback. Ketal¡¯s questions were extremely sharp. They pertained to trivial matters that only someone who actually lived in the territory could know, not just surface-level rumors. If Patrick were an ordinary pursuer, he would have failed to answer and had his neck broken. But Patrick answered everything. He knew details that only someone living in the territory would know because he had been observing since Cain¡¯s visit, allowing him to match the story perfectly. ¡°Interesting.¡± Only then did Ketal¡¯s face rx. He smiled and released his grip on Patrick. ¡°Admiration, huh? Thanks. But still, following me on this journey is quite a dangerous choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Challenges alwayse with risks.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s correct!¡± Ketal grinned widely. Aaron, who had been watching their conversation, spoke up. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible he¡¯s lying?¡± ¡°Probably not. Even if he were, he wouldn¡¯t be lying about being from the territory. There were too many details he knew that one couldn¡¯t gather just from rumors.¡± Patrick knew all about the small tasks Ketal had done in the territory, even things that happened long before Elene and Aaron arrived. ¡°Unless your pursuer had been living in the territory even before you arrived, which seems unlikely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Aaron agreed. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°But I can¡¯t just let him go.¡± Patrick¡¯s words made sense, but there was no concrete evidence. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal struck his palm with his fist as if he had an idea. ¡°Alright, this will do. Wait a moment.¡± Ketal rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a rope. * * * They continued their journey, but now with one additional person. Patrick was following them, tied up with the rope. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve been in such a situation.¡¯ Patrick likely was from the territory and not following Elene and Aaron. However, they couldn¡¯t be certain, so they couldn¡¯t let him go. Thus, Ketal decided to take him along tied up. Elene and Aaron looked at Patrick, tied up and walking, with mixed feelings. Ketal spoke apologetically. ¡°Forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Patrick shook his head. It wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡®Although this is a wretched situation.¡¯ Despite the circumstances, he achieved his goal of observing Ketal up close. He would learn more about what kind of person Ketal was. Being dragged around wasn¡¯t ideal, but it wasn¡¯t too bad either. Patrick quietly watched Ketal. Smart. Not just in terms of knowledge but in quick thinking. He could grasp the essence of things and understand the core of situations. And most importantly, he was strong. ¡®Cain, now I understand why you didn¡¯t know.¡¯ He closed the distance in an instant, moving at a speed beyondprehension. And he broke through his magic with sheer physical strength. ¡®Fast and strong.¡¯ Patrick wasn¡¯t in his perfect state. He was a lich. He hade here using the body of a homunculus rather than his true form. Essentially, it felt like he was controlling a puppet. Instead of using the nearly infinite mana of his true form, he had to rely on the tiny amount of mana stored in the puppet. The speed at which he could cast spells was sluggishpared to his original self. More importantly, a wizard prepares and anticipates. In a sudden battle, he couldn¡¯t exert his full strength. Even considering these limitations, the tower master was strong. He could easily handle most superhuman beings. This meant that Ketal, who had subdued him, was beyond superhuman. ¡®A hero ss?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t definitively say that. Even among superhuman levels, there were significant differences. Ketal had only shown his physical strength. Pure physical power alone couldn¡¯t withstand the world-shaking feats of heroes. But Ketal likely hadn¡¯t shown everything yet either. The tower master¡¯s mind raced quickly. As they continued further, Elene finally approached Ketal with a determined look. ¡°Ketal, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally going to tell me?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry for keeping it from you.¡± ¡°I understand. You couldn¡¯t be sure if you could trust me.¡± And Ketal had built that trust. He felt quite satisfied. Finally, the distrustful employer was ready to trust the mercenary and reveal her secret. ¡°¡­Originally, I didn¡¯t intend to tell you. We¡¯ve had no problems so far, and no one was pursuing us. We hired you as a guide and to deal with bandits and the like.¡± Elene paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°¡­If you find that you can no longer carry out the request after hearing everything, please let us know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± As she was about to speak, Ketal raised his hand. Elene became frightened. Was she too shameless? Was he angry because she had deceived him? But Ketal shook his head. ¡°Unwanted guests have arrived.¡± Ketal looked straight ahead. The sound of bushes being parted could be heard. ¡°They must be here because of you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 55 – Human? (1) Chapter 55 ¨C Human? (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 55 ¨C Human? (1) Elene and Aaron remained cautious, while Ketal and the Tower Master watched silently. Before long, the bushes parted, revealing the strangers. Elene¡¯s pupils widened. They were d in armor painted in shades of blue and green. The uniformity of their attire made it clear they belonged to a knight order. The knight at the forefront looked at Elene and smirked. ¡°So here you are. It took us quite a while to find you.¡± ¡°¡­Lukento?¡± The knight, called Lukento, bowed respectfully. ¡°The leader of the Blue-Green Knights, Lukento Edenheimer, pays his respects to Elene Mavli Lutein, first princess of the Lutein Kingdom, heir to the great royal family.¡± ¡®Lutein Kingdom?¡¯ The Tower Master searched his memory. Lutein Kingdom. It was quite a distance from here, one of the empire¡¯s vassal states. That was all he knew. ¡®So she¡¯s a princess. Is this a romantic escape? And the old man is her lover? What an unusual princess.¡¯ The Tower Master¡¯s thoughts went no further. The affairs of the human world held no value or interest for him. The title of princess meant nothing to him. Lukento turned to Ketal. ¡°Are you a mercenary?¡± ¡°Yes. She hired me to protect her.¡± ¡°The person you are escorting is the first princess of our Lutein Kingdom.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lukento and Elene were both taken aback by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Aaron called her ¡®princess¡¯ right in front of me.¡± ¡°Oh, right?¡± ¡°Nothing changes. I¡¯m her escort.¡± His attitude was extremely rxed. Lukento hesitated for a moment, perhaps finding it unexpected. But he soon spoke with a cold gaze. ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to exin further. She is our princess. We will protect her.¡± ¡°Why is the princess here?¡± ¡°Because she ran away. With her retainer.¡± Lukento sighed lightly and red at Aaron. ¡°A retainer who not only failed to stop her but led her away¡­ This will be severely reprimanded.¡± Aaron flinched. Theck of rebuttal suggested that Lukento was indeed from Elene¡¯s kingdom. ¡°You¡¯vee a long way. Must have been tough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Lukento¡¯s words were sharp. ¡°Mercenary, you have protected her, and for that, I thank you. But from here on, it is our responsibility.¡± Ketal stroked his chin and spoke. ¡°Patrick, what do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but if what they say is true, there¡¯s no reason to refuse. A mercenary must be informed of any factors that mightplicate the journey. Failure to do so is grounds for legitimate contract termination.¡± Patrick spoke calmly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Elene¡¯s face showed distress, but she couldn¡¯t argue. Patrick¡¯s words were urate. She had believed there would be no pursuit, or that they would have lost it long ago. That was why she had waited for mercenaries at the Barkan estate for days. But Lukento had found her. She hadn¡¯t realized they were tracking her. Essentially, she had deceived Ketal. She lowered her head. Seeing Ketal¡¯s acquiescence, Lukento stepped forward. Elene instinctively stepped back. ¡°Come, Princess. Please follow me. His Majesty is worried.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Elene refused Lukento¡¯s approach. Her face showed instinctive fear and disgust. Lukento smiled and advanced. Ketal raised his hand to block the way. Lukento scowled. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°First, I have something to hear from her. She trusted me and was about to tell me what she knows. It¡¯s a sign of trust.¡± Why set outte at night? Why not follow the path but take a detour? Why avoid people¡¯s eyes? Why leave her kingdom? He hadn¡¯t heard the answers. Ketal looked at Elene. ¡°Elene. You had something to say, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Startled, Elene raised her head. ¡°¡­Are you not leaving?¡± ¡°I knew everything from the start. There¡¯s no reason to leave. Besides, since we have an audience, why not open up and be honest?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Elene¡¯s eyes darkened. There was so much she had kept inside, so much it was overflowing. She gritted her teeth. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I asked, who are you?¡± ¡°I am Lukento Edenheimer, themander of the Blue-Green Knights, the foremost knight order of our kingdom. You know that well.¡± Lukento responded with confusion. Elene¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I don¡¯t know you!¡± Elene pointed at Lukento with a hostile finger. ¡°I know Lukento Edenheimer. But I don¡¯t know ¡®you¡¯! Who are you?¡± She started to pour out what she had kept inside. ¡°Who are you all? You took over the castle, reced my friends, my family! My father, my mother! Even my little sister is gone! What are you all?!¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The Tower Master, intrigued by her words, subtly wove a small amount of mana through Lukento¡¯s body. No one noticed. The result came quickly. ¡®He¡¯s human?¡¯ The Tower Master tilted his head. A mysterious path within. A quietly flowing aura. He was undeniably human. Elene shouted with a contorted face. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°You¡¯re nning to consume me next! And take over our kingdom! Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I won¡¯t let you! I¡¯ll get my revenge on you all!¡± Her cries were filled with despair and anger. Lukento sighed in frustration at her outburst. He looked at Ketal. ¡°Did you hear? The princess is delusional.¡± ¡°What? Delusional? Nonsense!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Princess, can you prove that His Majesty and I have been reced by something else?¡± Elene fell silent at his words. Lukento spoke again, looking at her sympathetically. ¡°We know everything. How you hired a wizard through Aaron. But in the end, there was no result, was there?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Think about it logically. Everyone in the castle except you has changed. Do you really think that¡¯s possible?¡± The castle, where the king and key figures reside, is a hub of power. It was naturally well-protected. The idea of it being entirely reced, as Elene imed, was impossible. ¡°Everyone except yourself has changed. Isn¡¯t it more reasonable to consider that you are the one who has changed, that you have fallen ill?¡± ¡°That does seem reasonable.¡± Ketal agreed. Despair filled Elene¡¯s face at the thought of losing her ally. ¡°Then step aside. The princess needs immediate treatment.¡± Lukento moved forward decisively. However, Ketal did not step aside. Lukento frowned. ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t step aside, I¡¯ll have to use force.¡± As he spoke, Lukento elerated, raising his fist to strike Ketal¡¯s chest. In that instant, Crash. Lukento¡¯s body flew backward. The knights waiting nearby were startled. ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Lukento spat blood. The armor on his chest waspletely crushed. Ketal waved his fist in satisfaction. ¡°Perfect.¡± He had controlled his strength perfectly. Lukento controlled his internal injuries and red. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°As her escort, it¡¯s my duty to fend off threats. Your words may be logical, but I have no reason to believe you.¡± ¡°Nonsense! The princess is sick!¡± ¡°It could be the opposite.¡± Lukento was bbergasted by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re saying that everyone except the princess has been reced? That¡¯s insane! Do you really think that¡¯s possible?!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Ketal spoke lightly. Everyone in the castle had been reced by something identical, and no one noticed. Only the princess remained unchanged. It was clearly impossible. In modern times, Ketal would have thought the princess was delusional. But here, it was possible. The impossible could indeed happen. Because this was a fantasy world filled with magic and wonder. Lukento frowned. ¡°As the escort of a deranged princess, it seems you¡¯re just as deranged.¡± ¡°It¡¯s sad to hear you say that. But I have no reason to trust your words either.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Elene confirmed your humanity through magic alone. Can she be one hundred percent sure with just that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the rambling of a madman!¡± ¡°While I¡¯m not denying that, I also have no reason to believe you. Your words are just as filled with impossibilities.¡± Ketal smiled as he asked. ¡°Patrick, is it possible for a foreign Knight Order to move around so freely?¡± ¡°It is not possible.¡± Patrick replied calmly. ¡°A knight order of that size is a significant threat. No country would allow a foreign knight order within its borders unless they had a blood alliance.¡± It¡¯s a given. Knights are weapons in human form. If a knight order decided to act, they could easily destroy a few territories. No country would let such a sharp de within its territory. It¡¯s a matter of national security. ¡°Is the Kingdom of Gehentra and the Kingdom of Lutein in a blood alliance?¡± ¡°To my knowledge, they have no such rtionship.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s impossible for them to move around so freely.¡± Ketal spoke with a smile. Lukento was silent for a moment before he spoke. ¡°We exined our situation while searching for the princess. We were given permission.¡± ¡°Then where are your escorts? Do they let over fifty knights wander around without supervision?¡± The smiley remark struck like a sharp dagger. ¡°And how did you track us? Despite our careful movements, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible to follow just our traces.¡± Silence again. Lukento turned his gaze to Patrick. ¡°We had a coborator.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Patrick shook his head. Ketalughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too obvious a lie? If Patrick and the Kingdom of Gehentra were coborating with you, this would have been resolved at the Barkan estate. There was no need toe this far.¡± One by one, his points were refuted. Logical points, just as Lukento had made to the princess. Lukento could not refute them. ¡°Elene, you believed there was no pursuit, correct?¡± ¡°Y-yes. But they did pursue, so¡­¡± ¡°No. You were right. There was no pursuit.¡± No one besides Patrick had triggered Ketal¡¯s detection range. ¡°What?¡± Elene was baffled. Her look asked how the Blue-Green Knights were here if there was no pursuit. ¡°It¡¯s simple. They suddenly appeared.¡± The smile never left Ketal¡¯s face. He looked like he was enjoying the situation immensely. ¡°Really suddenly.¡± In the Snow Fields where one couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead, survival required the ability to read everything with closed eyes. Ketal could detect nearly everything within his range. But Lukento and the knights appeared within his detection range without any warning. As if they had materialized. Ketal¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°How did youe here?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 56 – Human? (2) Chapter 56 ¨C Human? (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 56 ¨C Human? (2) Silence. This time, no answeres. After a moment, a sigh of frustration is heard. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lukento¡¯s face was marked with annoyance. ¡°We came all this way for the princess. But you keep picking at us.¡± ¡°The princess herself is rejecting you.¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°Are you unwilling to talk? That makes it even harder to trust you.¡± He wondered if teleportation could be used to approach them like that, but it seemed not. Even if Lukento managed to convince him, his attitude wouldn¡¯t change. He had already epted the request. Lukento¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Do you believe that delusion? Barbarian, how foolish.¡± ¡°If a mercenary doesn¡¯t believe his employer, who will?¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll turn us into enemies for the sake of a worthless contract?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t intend to, I wouldn¡¯t have taken the request in the first ce.¡± ¡°¡­The princess deceived you.¡± ¡°Even so, I epted the request.¡± A request is a contract and a promise. He would escort Elene and Aaron to the kingdom of Denian. No matter what stood in their way. ¡°Running away from a contract because the opponent is strong and numerous¡ªhow would I be different from amon thief in the alleys?¡± Ketal said quietly. ¡°I said I would protect her and escort her to the kingdom of Denian.¡± A man¡¯s word must be kept. ¡°I will not run away from my promise.¡± With those words, Ketal stood in front of Elene and Aaron. ¡°Oh.¡± Elene let out a sound without realizing it. No one had believed her. She had confided in those she deeply trusted, but instead of believing her, they had taken her to a doctor. Although Aaron had followed her, it wasn¡¯t because he believed her but because he too felt the kingdom¡¯s changes. She had made up her mind to tell Ketal, but deep down, she also thought he wouldn¡¯t believe her. It was natural. It was impossible. It couldn¡¯t happen. Even she thought it was a madman¡¯s delusion. It would be strange to believe it. But Ketal said he would believe her. Despite being deceived, Ketal¡¯s attitude hadn¡¯t changed. He said he would protect her against formidable enemies. Like a prince. Elene nkly stared at Ketal¡¯s broad back as he protected her. * * * The quietly observing Tower Master narrowed his eyes. ¡®Is it loyalty?¡¯ Judging by Elene¡¯s reaction, it seemed she really didn¡¯t know about the pursuit, but that didn¡¯t matter. In the end, she had deceived them. The Tower Master could understand if Ketal swung his axe at her. But he said he would protect the princess without hesitation. ¡®Is he that type of person? Unexpected.¡¯ Lukento also seemed to have a simr feeling, muttering as if acknowledging him. ¡°It¡¯s a pity someone like you is a barbarian.¡± The knights behind him looked at Ketal with astonished faces. Ketal was truly a model knight. And Ketal was thinking to himself. ¡®Yes! This is it!¡¯ Despite certain defeat, a knight who didn¡¯t retreat and sacrificed his life for the glory of his country. A man who blocked an army to let an old man cross a bridge. Someone who persisted in his will despite being at a disadvantage. All of them were praised as heroes, their names recorded in history. Ketal was also one of the boys whose heart raced when reading their stories. ¡®Thinking logically, it¡¯s foolish.¡¯ Continuing to fight despite certain defeat? Foolish. It would be more rational to survive and dream of revenge. Blocking an army for an old man? If he had the time, he could just carry the old man. But what about it? Romance is the epitome of irrationality. Now, he was the protagonist of such a story. Look at them. Patrick, Lukento and his knights, the princess, and Aaron. They were all admiring him. ¡®I¡¯ve checked off another item on my bucket list.¡¯ He felt great. He wanted to pump his fist and shout for joy. But that would ruin the atmosphere he had worked hard to create, so he held back. He thought he would celebrate aler if he got the chance. ¡°Then, there¡¯s no need for further discussion.¡± With Lukento¡¯s words, the atmosphere changed. Killing intent began to fill the space. ¡°Patrick. Step back. Elene and Aaron as well.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Be careful. They are the Green and Blue Knights, the strongest knights of our kingdom.¡± The three of them retreated. Ketal and the knights quietly faced each other. Lukento spoke. ¡°Everyone, draw your swords.¡± Srring. The sound of metal shing and sharp des revealing themselves filled the air. Simultaneously, a mysterious force enveloped them. The Tower Master watched the knights. ¡®They can all control mystical powers.¡¯ Second-rate. And their leader was first-rate. He could materialize mystical power. To the Tower Master, they were no different from ants on the street, but in the eyes of the world, they were a formidable group. ¡°Take care of that barbarian first. The princess wille next.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lukento red sharply at Ketal. ¡°Kill him if you must! Take him down!¡± ng! No sooner had the words left his mouth than the knights charged. They reinforced their bodies with mystic energy and rushed forward like tanks. Ketal smiled and raised his fists. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± The armor that collided with his fist crumpled. A knight spewed blood as he flew back. Another knight seized the opportunity to thrust his sword. ¡°Whew.¡± Ketal lightly dodged, tilting his body. He grabbed the sword and pulled, sending the knight flying through the air. ¡°Even as you¡¯re flung away, you don¡¯t let go of your sword. You have the qualifications of a knight!¡± ¡°A barbarian talking about knights!¡± This time, two knights thrust their swords simultaneously. Ketal moved his hands lightly. He tapped the sides of their des. With just that, the swords bounced off. The two knights lost their bnce and staggered. Crunch. Their armor crumpled, and their bodies were sent flying. ¡®Strong!¡¯ The knights¡¯ eyes wavered. In an instant, five had been neutralized. He was a warrior they couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°Don¡¯t retreat! Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± From behind them, Lukento shouted. ¡°Form a siege formation!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The knights changed their tactics. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Instead of targeting Ketal, they surrounded him. In an instant, they encircled him and swung their swords. But they couldn¡¯t reach him. Ketal dodged their swords with light movements. ¡®Each one isn¡¯t as strong as the knights of the Barkan territory.¡¯ Ketal lifted his foot. A knight who was kicked spewed blood as he flew far away. The formation cracked. Another knight immediately filled the gap. ¡®But their teamwork is excellent.¡¯ Nearly fifty of them perfectly coordinated to surround and attack him. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ Ketal was impressed. He had once considered the idea of coordination. The White Snow ins were filled with monsters so strong that his tribe couldn¡¯t handle them. Facing them as a group rather than individually could take down even stronger monsters. So, he had taught his tribe to cooperate. But he had given up. Those damned barbarians refused to rely on each other, even unto death. He had tried using force to make them coordinate, but it onlysted for a while. After seeing a dozen dead bodies with axes buried in their backs, Ketal gave up. To him, this coordination was astonishing. He had never seen such a perfectly controlled group. They were individuals, yet a collective, and one. ¡®This is a knight order.¡¯ Ketal was mildly moved, while the knights inwardly screamed. ¡®Why can¡¯t we hit him!¡¯ They were attacking with perfect coordination. They were confident that even a superhuman couldn¡¯t escape their formation unscathed. But Ketal was dodging their attacks wlessly. Hundreds of sword strikes were made, yet they hadn¡¯t inflicted even a scratch. However, their attacks were just setting the stage. Lukento, watching with narrowed eyes, shouted. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°Hup!¡± The knights simultaneously thrust their swords. It was a collective attack leaving no space to evade. The knights were confident that this time, their swords would pierce the barbarian. ng! ¡°Oh. This kind of collective attack is indeed tricky. It¡¯s educational.¡± Ketal murmured. Someone shouted involuntarily. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Dozens of sword des were caught in Ketal¡¯s fingers. One knight, his face pale, muttered. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like your speed is unmanageable. It¡¯s sad to hear such things.¡± Faced with this absurd scene, Lukento was momentarily flustered. But his hesitation was brief. He immediatelyunched himself forward, drawing his sword. An aura enveloped the de. ¡®Now!¡¯ A first-rate warrior like him had failed to counter Ketal¡¯s initial strike. He hadn¡¯t expected such a straightforward response, but he had anticipated that Ketal would block this attack. However, blocking without any damage was another matter entirely. Ketal¡¯s hands were fully upied holding the sword des, leaving his body unprotected. elerating his body, Lukento shot forward and thrust his sword towards Ketal¡¯s face. Elene screamed. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal opened his mouth. Crunch. Everyone present doubted their own eyes. The Tower Master widened his eyes in disbelief. Lukento¡¯s sword was caught in Ketal¡¯s teeth. ¡°¡­What?¡± Lukento involuntarily let out a sound. What is he looking at? Is his aura caught in the barbarian¡¯s teeth? Before he could fullyprehend the situation, a powerful shock overwhelmed him. Boom! An explosion erupted. Knights were sent flying. Trees around them snapped and copsed. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The knights spat blood. Their swords shattered, and their armor crumpled. Lukento was also not spared, groaning in pain. ¡°All those attacks were just setups for your final move. Impressive! A splendid strategy! It¡¯s not something just anyone could counter!¡± Ketal was genuinely impressed. But his admiration only deepened Lukento¡¯s despair. His trump card, which should have been devastating, only elicited Ketal¡¯s praise. ¡°Will you continue?¡± ¡°¡­Everyone, retreat.¡± Lukento gritted his teeth. The knights stumbled to their feet and began to flee. Once the situation was under control, Elene hurried over. ¡°Ke-Ketal! Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s a relief¡­¡± ¡°I will fulfill my contract. However, I want to hear the full story.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elene nodded resolutely. ¡°I will tell you everything, down to thest detail.¡± * * * They moved as far as possible. In the pitch-ck night, when they couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead, they made camp. Although they wanted to keep moving, walking through the forest at night was akin to suicide. They set up tents and lit a campfire. Sitting around the fire, Aaron spoke. ¡°First, I must express my gratitude once again. We deceived you. Although it wasn¡¯t intentional, that fact doesn¡¯t change.¡± But Ketal had promised to fulfill his contract. Aaron bowed respectfully. ¡°I swear, when this is all over, I will give you everything I have.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Elene interjected. When Ketal looked at her, she blushed and averted her gaze. ¡°We can discuss the futureter. First, we should talk about the present situation.¡± Ketal chewed on a piece of jerky with a keen interest. ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s as the princess said. Our kingdom has been reced by something else.¡± Aaron gritted his teeth. ¡°When we realized this, barely one in ten had not been reced. The kingdom was already in a state of copse.¡± ¡°So, you escaped.¡± ¡°If we had stayed, both the princess and I would have been reced as well.¡± Aaron sighed and continued. ¡°Let me start from the beginning. This distortion began about a year ago.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal reacted. ¡°A year ago?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of the exact time, but it likely started then.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± A year ago. That was when Ketal was on hisst quest in the White Snow ins. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 57 – Human? (3) Chapter 57 ¨C Human? (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 57 ¨C Human? (3) ¡®Is it a coincidence?¡¯ The ce he was in was a white snowfield, a mystical realm not belonging to the human world. In contrast, the kingdom Aaron belonged to was a perfect human kingdom. There should have been no connection. But. Something bothered him. It was like having a stone rolling around in his mouth. ¡®Come to think of it, it was the same with Aquaz.¡¯ From a certain moment, the world started to twist and be strange. And this twisting had been going on for about a year. At the time, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, thinking it was merely a coincidence. But now that the distortion of the Lutein Kingdom was also said to have started a year ago, his thoughts changed. ¡®That guy did say some strange things.¡¯ A strange guy he met while progressing through thest quest. He thought it was just the ravings of someone about to perish and ignored it, but was that not the case? Ketal showed signs of being deep in thought, and Aaron looked at him. Realizing Aaron¡¯s gaze, Ketal shook his head. ¡°No, continue talking.¡± It was a meaningless assumption to think about it now. They needed to focus on the present. Aaron began to speak again. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it started with. Probably, I guess it was one of the servants who went on vacation back then. The recement began after they returned.¡± The recements happened really quickly. Within just a year, almost all of the pce was reced. There wasn¡¯t enough time to respond. ¡°The princess and I realized something was wrong and tried to figure it out. We secretly called in wizards and mystics from outside. But none of them could identify the problem. Instead, they ended up being reced as well.¡± ¡°Infection?¡± ¡°A bit different. It didn¡¯t feel like it was spreading widely. It was like each person was being reced individually.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s no evidence.¡± Listening to the story, one could easily think, as Lukento said, that the princess and Aaron were suffering from delusions. But this was a fantasy world. Nothing was impossible. Ketal asked. ¡°How did you notice it?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t exin it precisely, but the air is different in ces where they gather. Even though they talk and move as usual, the sense of alienation is overwhelming.¡± ¡°Is it just a feeling?¡± Aaron opened his mouth, as if to defend himself. ¡°It¡¯s certainly unbelievable. So when the princess told me, I didn¡¯t believe it either. But then, something iprehensible happened.¡± Aaron was the princess¡¯s retainer, managing and supervising the servants in the pce. Among them was a freckled girl with yellow hair named Cassie. Cassie was timid and shy. She often yawned while working because she couldn¡¯t sleep after hearing ghost stories told by the other servants at night. ¡°Teasing that kid was one of my pleasures. But at some point, she stopped reacting to my ghost stories.¡± She listened with curiosity but no longer got scared. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t think much of it. She could have simply outgrown her fear of ghost stories. But¡­ the real problem came after that.¡± Aaron continued with a trembling face. Cassie¡¯s job was to take care of the statues in the pce. The statues were very heavy,rger than a human. She often worried about being crushed to death by them. And one day, an ident happened. A statue lost its bnce and fell on her while she was cleaning it. Hearing the crashing sound, Aaron rushed over. Cassie was trapped under the broken statue. By some stroke of luck, she wasn¡¯t seriously hurt. The statue had fallen in a way that didn¡¯t cause her significant harm. But it was an incident that could have easily killed her. ¡°¡­She was fussing over breaking the precious statue, asking if she¡¯d be punished.¡± There was no fear or terror from nearly dying. Only anxiety about being punished. At that moment, Aaron realized. The Cassie in front of him wasn¡¯t the Cassie he knew. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. The timid and shy girl no longer feared death. ¡°Her actions hadn¡¯t changed. She stillughed, chatted, and conversed as usual. But¡­ I could no longer see her as Cassie.¡± Aaron tested it several more times afterward. The result shocked him. Most of the people he knew well had changed like Cassie. ¡°So you escaped.¡± ¡°I felt like I was going to be one of them.¡± Aaron said gloomily. ¡°It¡¯s certainly unusual. A doppelg?nger?¡± ¡°Doppelg?ngers operate as individuals, not as a group. They don¡¯t move collectively like this. No known monster or species has such characteristics.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s curious. Then why the Denian Kingdom? If they wanted to protect you, they could have chosen another ce.¡± ¡°Because the King of the Denian Kingdom can dere humanity.¡± Elenne said. ¡°A deration of humanity?¡± Interest lit up on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Long ago, humans lived alongside other races. But there was a man who disliked this.¡± The man wanted to create a kingdomposed solely of humans. ¡°He went to an unnamed god and expressed his desire. The god, seeing his wish in a favorable light, granted him a power.¡± The power to separate humans from non-humans. The man gathered like-minded individuals and formed a kingdom. That was the Kingdom of Denian. ¡°That myth continues to this day. Those who inherit the bloodline of the Denian Kingdom can perform the Deration of Humanity.¡± ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± Ketalughed. It was truly an endlessly fascinating world. ¡°You n to use that power to find definitive evidence? That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s all we know.¡± They had told him everything they knew. Elenne closed her eyes. From here on, it was entirely up to Ketal¡¯s judgment. ¡°¡­What do you n to do?¡± ¡°As I said before, nothing changes. I will escort you to the Denian Kingdom.¡± ¡°K-Ketal¡­!¡± Elenne was moved to tears. ¡°However, since the nature of the task has changed, the reward must also change. This won¡¯te cheap.¡± Ketal said lightly with a smile. On the other hand, Elenne was very serious. ¡°Of course. If we seed in this task¡­ whatever you wish for, as long as I can do it, I will make it happen. Whatever it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Ketal spoke without much thought. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal stood watch by the campfire. Both Aaron and Elenne were asleep. Considering the situation, they needed to leave quickly, but they also needed sufficient rest first. Sensing someone behind him, he spoke. ¡°Patrick. I¡¯ve dragged you into something strange.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s safer if youe along to the destination. I¡¯m sorry about this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was prepared for this when I left home.¡± Patrick sat across from Ketal. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten yourself into something strange as well, Ketal.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± He had known they were hiding something. He realized she was a princess during their journey. But to think it involved such mystery and otherworldliness. Ketalughed. What is fantasy? It is the mystery that defies understanding. The exploration of the unknown. And the challenge of it. That is fantasy. Seeing a Swordmaster, a demon, or aura, which he had only known through knowledge, was interesting enough, but understanding the unknown was also enjoyable. It felt like catching two rabbits. After watching his expression for a moment, Patrick spoke. ¡°Do you believe her words?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain. But it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°The Green-Blue Knight Order are humans. You should know best since you fought them.¡± Lukento wielded aura, and so did his knights. Aura is a human power. Non-human beings cannot use it. Even if it were possible, recing that many knights was impossible. ¡°I think so too.¡± Lukento was undoubtedly human to Ketal. ¡°But it might not be the case. We can¡¯t deny the possibility. After all, I didn¡¯t realize how they got here.¡± Patrick didn¡¯t deny it. He also didn¡¯t know how the knights got here. However. ¡°Whether her words are true or not, this is not something a mere mercenary can handle.¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Ketal, you¡¯ve now made an enemy of a nation.¡± A princess¡¯s escape. The knights came to retrieve her, but the mercenary escorting her drove them away. Ketal had be an enemy of the Lutein Kingdom. ¡°Even if her words are true, it¡¯s a problem. They¡¯ll try to kill you to keep this secret.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Did you ept this task just to fulfill the contract?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡± That statement was not a lie. But it wasn¡¯t the whole truth either. Ketal smiled. ¡°This is such an interesting story. It would be a loss to miss it.¡± ¡°¡­Interesting, is it?¡± ¡°What more could be necessary?¡± The Tower Master realized. To the being before him, gold, power, beautiful women, and worldly goods held no meaning. For Ketal, only his own interest mattered. If it could be fulfilled, he would dly take on any loss, but if not, he would reject even the most profitable endeavor without hesitation. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Definitely human. But not with the usual human mindset. That must be a value system formed in the snowy wilderness. Ketal spoke with evident joy. ¡°A being that reces others without anyone noticing. Interesting. Very peculiar. It will be fun.¡± The Tower Master couldn¡¯t help but let out a smallugh. ¡®A barbarian who can catch aura with his teeth talking about this.¡¯ Aura is the crystallization of mystery. It can easily tear through steel and even cut through magic. In this world, no ordinary material can block aura. Only materials inherently imbued with mystery, like mithril or adamantium, can barely withstand it. He caught that aura with his teeth. And his teeth didn¡¯t get a single scratch. Ketal had once caught the aura manifested by Cain with his bare body and emerged unscathed. However, the Tower Master couldn¡¯t believe that Ketal didn¡¯tprehend the mystery behind it. A warrior capable of subduing a Swordmaster without using mystery? That was impossible. He assumed Cain hadn¡¯t realized it, but thought Ketal must be using another method to harness mystery. But it wasn¡¯t so. Ketal didn¡¯t use any mystery. He withstood manifested aura with his bare body. Cain had brushed it off, being a swordsman who utilized rather than understood the principles. But the Tower Master was a wizard. One who delves into the mysteries of the world. One who seeks to understand and contemte the principles. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel. A body that could withstand mystery. That body itself was a mystery. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 58 – Human? (4) Chapter 58 ¨C Human? (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 58 ¨C Human? (4) ¡®Is that a characteristic of the barbarians of the White Snowfield? Or is it unique to Ketal?¡¯ He wanted to study it. He wanted to dissect that body piece by piece and understand its principles. But he can¡¯t. He must resist. Suppressing his desire, he spoke up. ¡°You are truly strong. To defeat the knights so effortlessly.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Ketal replied without much reaction to the Tower Master¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that many times, but honestly, it doesn¡¯t move me much. I just did what I had to do to survive.¡± ¡°Survival¡­ you say?¡± Such power, merely for the sake of survival. Is the White Snowfield that harsh? He knew it was an extraordinary ce, being thergest of the Forbidden Lands, but if someone like Ketal needs to struggle to survive, it¡¯s difficult to imagine what kind of beings inhabit it. He wanted to ask, to analyze everything. But he couldn¡¯t. For now, he was just a mere citizen admiring Ketal. He forcibly suppressed his desires. The next day, they began their journey to the Denian Kingdom. No longer avoiding the public eye, they walked boldly along the path. Inevitably, the knights blocked their way. Swish! The sound of an arrow piercing the air. Ketal moved his hand and caught an arrow. ¡°This time it¡¯s guerri tactics. I guess they decided they can¡¯t stop me by force. Not a wrong decision.¡± Whoosh! Dozens of arrows flew simultaneously. Ketal waved his hand lightly. As if swatting away insects, the arrows fell to the ground. Boom! Then, three knights jumped out from the nearby forest, aiming their swords at Ketal. He casually raised his fist. ¡°But not the right answer either.¡± Crunch. Swords shattered and armor crumpled. The knights coughed up blood as they were sent flying. ¡°Monster¡­!¡± They gritted their teeth and ran away again. Watching this, Elene couldn¡¯t help but admire. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Those knights aren¡¯t weak by any means, yet you handle them like children¡­¡± During the battle with the knights, he couldn¡¯t fully grasp the situation, but now, in this moment of calm, he understood. Ketal was incredibly strong. He could see why the knights called him a monster. Breaking through the Blue-Green Knights with his bare hands, catching aura with his teeth. Even ayman like Elene could see how extraordinary that was. At least a superhuman level of strength. It was puzzling why someone like him would be a mere mercenary. So he had to ask. ¡°Why do you let them live?¡± The knights came in shifts. And Ketal defeated them all. But he didn¡¯t kill them. He incapacitated them by destroying their armor and weapons, but he didn¡¯t take their lives. Considering they were trying to kill Ketal, his restraint was saintly. Elene spoke with a somber expression. ¡°If you¡¯re sparing them for our sake, there¡¯s no need. They¡¯re no longer the people we know. They¡¯re something else imitating them.¡± These were originally people Elene and Aaron knew. Ketal¡¯s consideration of not killing them seemed evident. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not particrly for your sake.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Elene¡¯s expression turned sheepish. Ketal murmured. ¡°I want to confirm something. What you know about them is that they don¡¯t fear death. Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± When she said it like that, it sounded trivial. ¡°I believe you. But that¡¯s not enough evidence. So, I need to find out more.¡± Ketal hummed as he continued walking forward. The knights kept appearing, taking turns to block our path. After this repeated several times, Elene finally noticed something strange. ¡°¡­Their equipment is wless.¡± Ketal destroyed the armor and weapons of every knight that appeared. He broke them sopletely that they couldn¡¯t be repaired. The number easily exceeded fifty. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he had shattered the armor of all the Blue-Green Knights. Yet the knights kepting. Each time, fully armored and armed. ¡°¡­Did they bring spare equipment? They¡¯re using every possible means to capture us.¡± Elene gritted her teeth. Aaron had a grave expression too. But Ketal was smiling, as if he found it all fascinating. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have spare equipment. I can assure you of that.¡± ¡°Then how¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the interesting part.¡± Before long, the knights appeared again. Three of them surrounded Ketal, brandishing their swords. Ketal raised his fist. ¡°They never get tired ofing, do they?¡± Crunch. Two knights were sent flying. The remaining knight, who hadn¡¯t been thrown away, was caught by Ketal. ¡°Guh! Let, let me go!¡± Ketal examined the knight¡¯s armor carefully. ¡°This armor¡­ I broke it a few hours ago.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I remember the scratches on the armor. It¡¯s exactly the same.¡± A knight is not a pampered noble living luxuriously in the royal castle. They fight against enemies. Unless they are a knightly orderprised solely of noble progeny, their armor is bound to have many scratches. The Blue-Green Knights are the kingdom¡¯s foremost order, summoned to numerous battlefields and dungeons, so they had many marks on their armor. ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal released the knight, who hurriedly ran away. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Elene said with a wavering voice. ¡°So, instead of being resupplied¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It means the broken armor and weapons are somehow restored. Can such a thing be done with magic?¡± ¡°It is possible, but it requires significant facilities and at least a day to recover.¡± ¡°I broke this armor just five hours ago, so that¡¯s not it.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. ¡°Something is wrong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right? I¡¯m not delusional; those things are definitely off!¡± After that, the knights kept appearing. Ketal continued to repel them and caught one each time. ¡°These knights can handle aura, right? So, could they survive a high fall?¡± ¡°It depends on the height, but they can withstand most falls.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal smiled and picked up a knight. The knight¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if hees back.¡± Ketal threw the knight far into the distance. The knight disappeared beyond the forest, a distance that would take at least a day to cover even at full speed. Two hourster. ¡°You bastard! Throwing me like that! You¡¯re going to pay for this!¡± The knight reappeared, fully armed and unharmed. Elene and Aaron¡¯s faces hardened. Something was off. There was a problem. ¡°Is this something even you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No, no. All we knew was that the air felt different and that something had changed. We didn¡¯t know the specifics.¡± ¡°So, this is the first time you¡¯re learning about this too.¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t kill them to confirm this, did you?¡± ¡°I knew something was strange. I nned to investigate it slowly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± Ketal had figured out in a day what those who had been together for a year hadn¡¯t noticed. Patrick, watching, was also impressed. ¡®His understanding of anomalies is quick.¡¯ Is this also a characteristic of the White Snowfield? It was an analysis that couldn¡¯t be seen in the rigidly minded fools who believed they were smart. Of course, Ketal hadn¡¯t figured it out without any basis. The knights, once chased off, kept a certain distance. And when they reached a certain point, they suddenly disappeared. Then they reappeared. The process was so fast it was almost instantaneous, but Ketal had definitely noticed it. They disappeared and then reappeared, as if they were being refreshed. No matter how much he broke their armor, destroyed their weapons, or threw them far away, they reappeared in the same state after a refresh. Now, only the final confirmation remained. The knights once again blocked their path. Ketal didn¡¯t raise his fist. This time, he held an axe. ¡°Elene.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She said firmly. ¡°You scum!¡± ¡°Hand over the princess¡­¡± Crash. The axe shattered the knight¡¯s armor. The knights, with the axe embedded deep in their chests, copsed. They were dead instantly. They continued forward. Exactly five hourster. ¡°Release the princess!¡± ¡°Damn barbarian!¡± Once again, they appeared before Ketal. * * * That night. With the sun set and no moon in the sky, the darkness was imprable. Elene and Aaron sat with pale faces. ¡°They were definitely dead.¡± Their chests had been split open and their pupils dted. It was a death so certain that no doctor needed to confirm it. Yet, they reappeared. With perfectly normal faces, they shouted to release the princess, as if they had never died. Ketal stirred a pot as he spoke. ¡°Aaron mentioned that the girl named Cassie almost got crushed by a statue but felt no fear of death.¡± The reason was simple. Death held no meaning for them. Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. ¡°Is such a mystery possible in this world? Is it impossible to revive the dead with magic or alchemy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but¡­¡± ¡°So it is possible.¡± Ketal smiled. Indeed, in a fantasy world, oveing death should be achievable. ¡°But the conditions are stringent, and there are many limitations. They couldn¡¯te back in such a short time, perfectly intact.¡± ¡°¡­What kind of beings did we live with for a year?¡± Elene bit her lip. She hadughed and chatted with such beings in the royal castle for a year. The thought gave her chills. Ketal spoke. ¡°If what you say is true, then they are not human.¡± A delicious aroma wafted through the air. Ketal served the food into bowls. Elene, with a dazed expression, poked at her spoon. Despite it being Ketal¡¯s cooking, which she loved so much, she couldn¡¯t taste it. ¡°Then what are they?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Elene shook her head. ¡°In my knowledge, there are no such beings. Coming back from death¡­ that¡¯s not life.¡± By this point, the Tower Master had also changed his mind. The princess¡¯s words were true. ¡®I came to see the barbarian of the White Snowfield, but this is an unexpected discovery.¡¯ The regeneration of inorganic materials they wore, and the revival of life itself. They disguised themselves as humans, wielded aura, and exhibited human emotions. ording to the Tower Master¡¯s knowledge, no such race or monster existed. This was something he had never encountered before. After a moment of thought, the princess cautiously spoke. ¡°¡­I suspect they are beings from the Forbidden Lands.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 59 – Human? (5) Chapter 59 ¨C Human? (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 59 ¨C Human? (5) Ketal reacted to those words. ¡°The Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°Yes. A ce beyond human cognition. A distorted ce. The abominations there can certainly exhibit such anomalies.¡± Elene spoke with a face full of certainty. Ketal pondered. ¡®Is this why the quest appeared?¡¯ The quest window that had appeared suddenly after being dormant since he came outside. Was it rted to the Forbidden Lands? But Aaron spoke with a bitter smile. ¡°That is impossible, Princess. I¡¯ve told you this before.¡± He spoke as if to gently correct her. ¡°The existence of the Forbidden Lands cannot appear in this world.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal reacted again. He asked with a curious expression. ¡°What do you mean they cannot appear? Is it some kind of divine decree?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. The Great Ones thoroughly exclude the beings of the Forbidden Lands as entities of malice.¡± Aaron spoke with a calm face as if stating a simple fact. ¡°It¡¯s simple. The beings of the Forbidden Lands have never once appeared outside. Not since the birth of the Forbidden Lands long ago.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal muttered as if understanding. ¡°It¡¯s a hypothesis based on experience and history.¡± ¡°Those beings are so alien and powerful that there would be no reason for them not toe out if they could. But there has never been a record of the Forbidden Lands¡¯s existence appearing. It¡¯s a reasonable hypothesis. Moreover, there¡¯s evidence that supports this theory.¡± ¡°Evidence?¡± ¡°An ancient emperor¡¯s story.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I know. You mean the old emperor who challenged the White Snowfield and was defeated?¡± ¡°Yes. Barely escaping the snowfield, he spoke of the beings that existed there.¡± A white snake devouring icebergs. A white bear causing earthquakes. A hideous rat polluting the ocean. And he said, The most dangerous thing in the White Snowfield was not those monsters. It was humans. Gray barbarians with scars on their chests. ¡°How they survive is unknown, but there are humans in the White Snowfield. If they coulde out, wouldn¡¯t they have alreadye out and influenced the world? The warm continent is far more livable than the freezing snowfield.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ketal agreed without muchment. Listening to the story, Elene suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at Ketal. ¡°Ketal, you have gray hair too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Come to think of it.¡± A gray-haired barbarian. The scar on the chest couldn¡¯t be confirmed, but otherwise, he matched the characteristics of the barbarians in the emperor¡¯s legend. Ketal smiled and changed the subject. ¡°By the way, hearing the story makes me curious about something.¡± It was a curiosity he had since he came out and heard that there were many Forbidden Lands. ¡°The emperor conquered the continent, right? Did he conquer other Forbidden Lands besides the White Snowfield?¡± When Ketal was in the White Snowfield, he thought the Forbidden Lands referred only to the White Snowfield. But aftering outside, he found that there were quite a few Forbidden Lands. Naturally, such a question arose. ¡°No.¡± Aaron shook his head. ¡°The White Snowfield is one of the oldest Forbidden Lands. Most of the existing Forbidden Lands didn¡¯t exist during the emperor¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Do Forbidden Lands newly ur?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the reason for that is unknown.¡± ¡°If it were known, they would have artificially created Forbidden Lands in enemy nations. No one knows. In fact, there was a kingdom that perished because the Forbidden Lands appeared in their royal capital.¡± Aaron spoke lightly and continued. ¡°There were only a few Forbidden Lands during the emperor¡¯s time.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the White Snowfield. Forbidden Lands like the deep sea where primates lived and the edge of the world existed. ¡°But they were too difficult to approach. On the other hand, the White Snowfield was in the center of the continent, so he probably thought to deal with the nearest one first.¡± ¡°That was the backstory, huh.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. ¡°Anyway¡­ there are many Forbidden Lands, and they¡¯ve existed for a very long time. But no one, not even the barbarians of the White Snowfield, has evere out. It¡¯s assumed that the beings of the Forbidden Lands are bound by somew that prevents them froming out. This is themon hypothesis.¡± ¡°But Aaron, you know. The world has been strange recently.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t argue against Elene¡¯s words. The world was distorting. In a direction entirely different from before. Strange rumors wereing from all sorts of ces. Even if only one-tenth of those rumors were true, there was a definite distortion. ¡°Are you saying that the distortion mentioned by the Princess also affected the Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. Then wouldn¡¯t the distortion that swallowed the kingdom also be exined?¡± ¡°That¡­ well, yes.¡± Aaron fell silent. Ketal murmured, ¡°Are terrible thingsing out? That¡¯s not good.¡± Tower Master unknowingly looked at Ketal. Ketal¡¯s expression was very serious. Whatever he was about to say, he closed his mouth quietly. ¡°Then, is that the anomaly of the Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°¡­There is a possibility. It cannot be denied.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Besides the White Snowfield, there were other Forbidden Lands. Ketal tilted his head. ¡®It¡¯s something different.¡¯ * * * What covered their kingdom could be the presence of the Forbidden Lands. The story was sorted out. But that didn¡¯t change anything. They had to keep moving forward. The remaining distance was roughly about three days¡¯ worth. They hastened their steps, and the attacks from the knights continued. ¡°Return the Princess!¡± ¡°Go find her yourself.¡± Ketal swung his axe. The heads and bodies of the knights separated. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Since they woulde back to life anyway, there was no need to hesitate further. Passing by the corpses, Elene muttered, ¡°¡­I remember that face. Killed him three times with this.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve alwayse back unscathed.¡± ¡°These damned monsters. They dare to mimic faces I know, devour memories, and swallow our kingdom¡­!¡± Elene¡¯s eyes shed with anger. She ground her teeth. ¡°They must have nned to devour our kingdom unnoticed, quietly building power to spread across the continent. But we won¡¯t let that happen.¡± The princess of a fallen kingdom spoke with determination. ¡°Well¡­¡± And Ketal smiled strangely. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem as simple as that.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They are not human. That much is certain. So, what is their purpose?¡± ¡°To swallow the Lutein Kingdom and gain power, reaching out to the continent¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem as straightforward as that.¡± Swoosh! Arrows flew. Ketal casually waved his hand to deflect them. ¡°They are trying to stop us, but they are not trying to kill you.¡± Arrows and des. All were aimed at Ketal. Not once were Elene and Aaron targeted. ¡°They really should have killed you if their goal was to swallow the kingdom. But there was no sign of such intention.¡± ¡°That¡­ That could be because they haven¡¯t been exposed yet and are feigning ignorance.¡± ¡°That possibility exists, too.¡± Ketal affirmed. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal grabbed Elene¡¯s arm. Elene¡¯s face turned red. At that moment, the knights rushed out. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Die!¡± They swung their swords at Ketal. And Ketal pulled Elene towards him, shielding her with his body. The knights¡¯ swords were aimed at Elene. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What the!¡± The knights recoiled and swung their swords. In their movements, there was a strong determination not to harm the princess. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°You! Cowardly¡­!¡± Thud. The knights fell, sttering blood. ¡°¡­You, you!¡± Aaron, who had been watching silently, shouted. ¡°How dare you use the princess as a shield!¡± ¡°That part I apologize for. But it was necessary to confirm.¡± They confirmed that they didn¡¯t want to kill the princess. Ketal shrugged. ¡°If it were a feint, there would be no reason to turn away swords in a situation like just now. They really don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°If their goal was to swallow your kingdom, there would have been plenty of opportunities to kill you over the past year. But they didn¡¯t.¡± Instead, loose surveince helped the princess sessfully escape. Confusion spread across Elene¡¯s face. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not the only strange thing. They are attacking us guerri-style.¡± Even if they all rush in, it doesn¡¯t make them a match. So, it¡¯s more reasonable to wear them down guerri-style and aim for thest blow. It¡¯s a rational approach. ¡°But it¡¯s only rational for humans. Why would these immortal monsters divide and attack? It would make more sense to rush in all at once, block the path, and resurrect again.¡± But that¡¯s not the only strange thing. It¡¯s nighttime now. They settled down and took a rest. Ketal spoke while cooking. ¡°They don¡¯t attack at night.¡± ¡°¡­Well, they need rest too.¡± ¡°Monsters need rest?¡± If they were human, it would make sense. They were moving at a fast pace. The knights were wearing heavy gear, making it very difficult to catch up. So, it was natural for the knights to rest at night too. But these were monsters. Something that would resurrect even if killed, mimicking humans. There was no reason for them to follow human logic and morals. ¡°They don¡¯t behave as monsters. They adhere to rules as if they were humans.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Elene and Aaron fell silent. Certainly, that was strange. Upon reflection, they could have easily subdued Elene and Aaron and thrown them into prison at any time. Since even the kingdom had changed like them, there was nothing to fear. But they didn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t even try to stop them from calling for a mage to identify their identity. ¡°It seems like returning to such simple thinking isn¡¯t the solution.¡± Ketal looked at Elene and asked, ¡°Do you know exactly what they want?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Knowing that they had turned into monsters, she had never spoken to them. Of course not. She wasn¡¯t stupid enough to shout out her identity to monsters mimicking humans. ¡°In that case, my task is simple. Just wait for a moment.¡± With that, Ketal¡¯s body disappeared. For a moment, the two were bewildered. ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± Aaron¡¯s face stiffened. One possibility shed through his mind. Could it be? And his ominous suspicion was correct. ¡°Aaaargh! Barbarian! What are you doing!¡± Ketal returned. But he wasn¡¯t alone. In his hand, he held one of the knights. ¡°K-Ketal?¡± ¡°Princess?¡± The knight looked surprised as he nced at Elene. Elene stepped back in shock. ¡°You both stayed in the same kingdom and didn¡¯t even talk to each other. It¡¯s unfortunate to be hostile to each other without knowing what the other wants.¡± ¡°You! What are you doing!¡± Aaron shouted in horror. The Tower Master chuckled. ¡®This guy is crazy.¡¯ Ketal chuckled. ¡°How about having a sincere conversation between humans and monsters for once?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 60 – Human? (6) Chapter 60 ¨C Human? (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 60 ¨C Human? (6) ¡°What is this madness!¡± Aaron was incredulous. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I thought I made it clear. Let¡¯s have an honest conversation.¡± ¡°You want to have a conversation with those things?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Haven¡¯t you already had plenty of conversations in the royal castle? A little more wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Ketel shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not like diseases that spread. It¡¯s not a problem to be close to them.¡± ¡°But to have a conversation with those monsters. Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Lord Aaron? What are you saying!¡± The knight eximed in shock. Ketel ignored him and continued. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s something you need to do.¡± ¡°Talk to monsters?¡± ¡°You¡¯re heading to the Kingdom of Denian. You n to meet their king and request cooperation. Asking them to save you.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Meaning, the Kingdom of Denian is likely to be in conflict with the Kingdom of Lutein. Is there a reason why Denian should bear that risk?¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Denian is friendly with our kingdom. The princess has even met them in her childhood.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s not the king, she¡¯s a princess.¡± Elene is not the ruler of the kingdom. ¡°Where is the reason for them to stake their nation based on your words?¡± Aaron fell silent before speaking up again. ¡°They¡¯re not humans, they¡¯re monsters. A threat to humanity. So¡­.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the evidence?¡± Aaron¡¯s mouth snapped shut. Ketel chuckled. ¡°When you meet the king of Denian and tell him they¡¯re immune to the fear of death, that they cane back to life, do you think he¡¯ll believe it?¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I believe your words. But the king has no reason to believe.¡± So, they needed evidence to give trust. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Above all, you seek revenge.¡± Elene nodded. Her desire was to avenge the unknown entity that swallowed her kingdom. ¡°To defeat the enemy, you must first understand the enemy. How can you seek revenge when you know nothing about the enemy?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elene¡¯s eyes wavered. It was a valid point. She knew what kind of beings they were. But what they wanted, why they came to her kingdom, she knew nothing. The Tower Master chuckled. ¡®Did you calcte all this and bring the knight here?¡¯ What is in the white Snowfield? It wasn¡¯t just about being smart. It was about understanding the concepts of trade and value perfectly. Beyond just material things, even trading in information and knowledge. It wasn¡¯t something he learned during that short time outside. It was so familiar, as if he had done such actions frequently. Curiosity surged uncontrobly. And Ketel had no objection. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± He was the youngest knight of the Blue-Green Order. His name was Farman. Sometimes, when she watched him train, if his eyes met hers, he would blush and look away. Elene found that quite adorable. But even he ultimately sumbed to the monsters. ¡°It¡¯s sad. Knowing that all the people I know have disappeared.¡± ¡°Princess! I¡¯m here! What do you mean everyone disappeared!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Elene said sharply. In her eyes staring at the knight, there was enmity. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare imitate him. I want to kill you.¡± Elene sneered. ¡°Oh. You can¡¯t die either? It¡¯s not even a threat.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not a monster!¡± Farman shouted. ¡°Princess! I remember everything! The hot summer days. When you watched our training from under the tree shade! When you asked themander if you could wield a sword too! When themander said it was dangerous, you cried and threw a tantrum! Also, the time you secretly went to the kitchen in the middle of the night and ate a whole ham¡­.¡± ¡°S, shut up!¡± Elene¡¯s face flushed red. She gritted her teeth. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t touch on my memories, you memory-eating monster.¡± ¡°No. Really. What¡¯s going on.¡± The knight had a bewildered expression, as if unjustly used. The Tower Master stroked his chin. He subtly released mana. Mana flowed through the knight¡¯s body, determining whether he was an impostor or not. And the conclusion was reached. The knight in front of them was human. The path of mystical flow through the body. The shape of veins. The structure of bones. All of it was human. Although one could imitate bones and veins, they couldn¡¯t imitate the path of mystic flow. No matter how you looked at it, the knight in front of them was human. ¡®What on earth is this?¡¯ While Tower Master pondered, Elene muttered with a frustrated face. ¡°Farman. Don¡¯t worry. Your revenge will be fulfilled.¡± ¡°No. I am perfectly alive!¡± The knight¡¯s expression was one of injustice. Elene red at him fiercely. ¡°Then answer me. How did you get here?¡± ¡°I just came¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean!¡± ¡°Even if you ask how¡­¡± The knight looked bewildered, not understanding what he was saying. Elene¡¯s emotions became even more intense as she looked at his face. The knight in front of her was a monster that had engulfed the entire kingdom. He was her enemy. It was difficult to control her emotions. ¡°How did the knights from that distant kingdom track me? There was no tracking. That part has been confirmed.¡± ¡°We are the Blue-Green Knights. We protect the royal family. How could we miss the princess¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Stop spewing those words!¡± She drew her dagger and pressed it against the knight¡¯s throat. ¡°P-Princess?¡± The knight was bewildered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] There was no fear of death in his eyes. Elene smirked. ¡°Even if I kill you here, you¡¯lle back the same, wearing the same clothes, won¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you die like normal people?¡± ¡°T-That, that¡¯s not important. We¡¯re not monsters. We¡¯re human. You¡¯re mistaken, Princess.¡± The knight repeated the same words like a parrot. The story didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°We¡¯re human. Princess. Please face the reality.¡± Farman said with a pitying expression. Elene¡¯s expression became even more fierce. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m insane! You¡¯re the crazy ones! It¡¯s not me!¡± The princess took a breath. ¡°Do you know your intentions? You¡¯ll swallow my father, my mother, and eventually rece me. You¡¯ll turn me into an immortal monster as well. Don¡¯t make meugh! Do you think that will happen to me?¡± The emotions of anger engulfed the knight. He quickly spoke as if seeing an opportunity. ¡°N-No. That¡¯s not true! It won¡¯t happen like that!¡± Elene paused. Seizing the opportunity, the knight speaks quickly. ¡°Because Princess and Aaron wouldn¡¯t want it! It won¡¯t happen now or in the future! You don¡¯t need to worry about that part!¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Literally, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°Even though you devoured the entire kingdom, Aaron and I won¡¯t be turned into monsters? Because you don¡¯t want that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as I said¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± The princess didn¡¯t understand the knight¡¯s words. But Ketal and Tower Master were different. Their expressions subtly changed. The story continued from there, but no conclusion was reached. The knight still imed to be human. ¡°No conclusion was reached.¡± Elene sighed. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. The existence itself is evidence. If we take him with us, the Denian Kingdom will ept him.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you very much, Ketal. We just moved without knowing about that.¡± Elene looked at Ketal. He was truly a great person. He was confronting the kingdom and the monsters for her sake. His figure was like that of a hero. Just looking at him made her heart beat faster. She might not fully understand, but this was a feeling close to love. Feeling embarrassed unexpectedly, Elene bowed deeply. Ketal was looking at his axe. The axe was incredibly clean. It seemed as if it had never been used in battle. But he had used this axe to cut down numerous knights. Ketal remembered the blood on the axe. The meaning was simple. The blood on the axe had disappeared on its own. ¡°I have one more question.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elene looked up at Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Do you consider yourself human?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Elene¡¯s expression asked why he was asking such a thing. ¡°If you¡¯re worried that I¡¯ve changed like them, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m human. I haven¡¯t even regenerated my clothes like them, and it was very difficult toe here.¡± Elene waved her hand. Her clothes were in a ragged state from not being properly washed. ¡°I am human. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal murmured. * * * They continued forward, and finally arrived at the end of the forest. A path became visible. Elene¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Atst.¡± In a few hours, they would reach the border. They arrived. Elene put her strength into the trembling bridge. ¡°Princess.¡± And the knight who was being dragged along by a ropeined. ¡°Do you really intend to cross over? You are the first princess of the Lutein Kingdom. It¡¯s unthinkable for such a princess to cross over to another country. This is, this is¡­.¡± Elene didn¡¯t respond. The knight shook his head at her clear attitude of disregard. They moved forward. Normally, it was time for the knights toe out and block the path. But no one came out. Elene found it strange. ¡°Have they given up?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Ketal stopped. He looked directly ahead where there was nothing. ¡°Come out.¡± ¡°¡­There was no indication of invisibility magic being detected.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of hiding if you cover your sight? Nature is indicating that something is there.¡± ¡°Nature, huh.¡± A voice came from the empty air. ¡°It seems you¡¯re not just talking about a simple intuition. It seems like you sensed it through the flow of the wind.¡± Soon, along with buzzing phenomena, something hidden began to appear. ¡°Heined about a barbarian, so I gave him a good smack, but it seems worth it.¡± ¡°Invisibility magic.¡± Ketal looked at the scene with an interested face. It wasn¡¯t just hiding appearance. Really, nothing could be felt. It wasn¡¯t noticing the presence by feeling the atmosphere, it wasn¡¯t sensing any presence. It was magic. And it was done properly. The opponent¡¯s attire gave him confidence in his expectations. Suppressing his excitement, Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°You seem like a mage, may I ask for your introduction?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s stopping you.¡± He was an old man with long beard. He wore a loose robe and a pointed hat on his head. He held a wooden staff in one hand. ¡°I am Adamanth Lagesh, I belong to the School of Multicolored Jewels and am the High Sorcerer of the Kingdom of Lutein. I¡¯vee to exin everything.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 61 – Human? (7) Chapter 61 ¨C Human? (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 61 ¨C Human? (7) ¡°Exnation?¡± This isn¡¯t a battle. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯vee to talk?¡± ¡°For now, yes.¡± Adamanth said this as he looked at Elene. ¡°I knew you were a mischievous princess, but this is a bit much.¡± ¡°¡­Adamanth. Even you havee to stop me.¡± Adamanth Lagesh. The kingdom¡¯s chief magician. Lutein Kingdom¡¯s only superhuman-level strongman. [TL/N: Superhumans are also transcendents.] Adamanth shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯te to stop you. I came to exin. It seems the knights were too ignorant to speak sensibly.¡± ¡°If exnations don¡¯t work, you¡¯ll stop me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Elene bit her lip. ¡°Right. The King of the Denian Kingdom¡¯s possible Deration of Humanity. That¡¯s frightening, isn¡¯t it? For you toe, it must be urgent.¡± ¡°No. That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adamanth spoke calmly in response to Elene¡¯s words. Elene was momentarily taken aback. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know he can make the Deration of Humanity, but that¡¯s not the important part. I came here because you, the princess, tried to cross into another country without notifying the royal family.¡± Adamanth sighed. ¡°You are the noble first princess of the Lutein Kingdom. The weight of your blood is never light. If you cross into another country without permission, it bes a diplomatic issue.¡± He pressed his forehead as if it was troublesome. ¡°If you talk to His Majesty and officially move, I won¡¯t stop you, but you can¡¯t act like this. You need to realize your position a bit more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It made sense. A very ordinary point. That¡¯s why it was strange. Adamanth spoke. ¡°Princess. What exactly are you dissatisfied with?¡± ¡°Dissatisfied? What am I dissatisfied with?¡± Elene¡¯s eyes flickered with anger. ¡°You all aren¡¯t the ones I know! You¡¯ve all changed! At some point, you became something that doesn¡¯t know death!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adamanth nodded. His overly calm demeanor made Elene, who was about to explode in anger, hesitate. ¡°I know as well. That we¡¯ve changed in some way.¡± ¡°Really¡­!¡± She red at the bound knight. The knight flinched. ¡°No! It¡¯s not true! I don¡¯t know anything!¡± ¡°Farman¡¯s words aren¡¯t lies. He really doesn¡¯t know. Not just him, but probably everyone in the royal family doesn¡¯t know.¡± Adamanth lightly waved his staff. ¡°It seems this conversation will get tiresome, so let¡¯s put him to sleep.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Farman bowed his head. As Elene watched in momentary puzzlement, her eyes widened as something came to mind. ¡°Adamanth. Could it be you¡­¡± ¡°If there were such a spell, I¡¯d like to learn it too. Only the Master of the Magic Tower might know, but it¡¯s impossible for someone like me.¡± Adamanth tapped the ground with the end of his staff as if to summarize his words. ¡°Your and Aaron¡¯s suspicions are correct. We¡¯ve changed. But we haven¡¯t turned into the kind of monsters you think. We¡¯re still human.¡± ¡°What nonsense! How can something that doesn¡¯t die be human!¡± ¡°That point has merit. This is quite a strange situation, making it difficult to exin.¡± After pondering for a moment, Adamanth spoke. ¡°Ten years ago, the princess didn¡¯t even reach my waist, but now you¡¯ve grown so beautifully. It¡¯s nothing short of a divine miracle.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need ttery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. Do you know how you grew and developed?¡± Elene frowned. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Human growth is highlyplex and systematic. A body that starts off small and wrinkled gradually grows over time. It¡¯s a miracle so amazing it¡¯s called divine. But no one questions or finds it strange.¡± Hair grows day by day. So do nails. The skin loses its sticity. Height increases. But no one questions or finds it strange. ¡°As a child, you marked your height on the castle wall every day. You were delighted as you grew taller. But you never questioned or feared that fact. It¡¯s the same for us. We just changed that way.¡± ¡°¡­What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably what it sounds like. How should I exin this?¡± Adamanth scratched his head as if troubled. Ketal, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. ¡°So, one day you suddenly became humans who don¡¯t know the concept of death and regenerate, like how you grow taller and your nails and hair grow every day.¡± ¡°¡­For a barbarian, you sure think quickly.¡± Adamanth looked at Ketal with a slightly surprised expression. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not regeneration. It¡¯s more like returning to the original state.¡± ¡°But even so, isn¡¯t it too big of a change topare with growing taller? If someone grew a head taller overnight, everyone would find it strange.¡± They do not die. Even if they die, they regenerate. And they didn¡¯t even question this fact. Adamanth gave a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯m not denying it. It¡¯s strange not to realize it. If I hadn¡¯t reached the realm of the superhuman, I would have been like Farman.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re admitting it! You¡¯re not human!¡± ¡°No. We are human.¡± Adamanth responded firmly to Elene¡¯s words. His so resolute attitude left Elene momentarily speechless. ¡°I am aware that we have changed. But at the same time, I am certain that I am human.¡± He ced his hand on his chest. ¡°I am Adamanth Lagesh. The teacher who taught the princess the history of the world and the pride of the royal family. I am myself. I am not some imitation.¡± Adamanth chuckled. ¡°To begin with, if someone could perfectly imitate me, wouldn¡¯t that be even more surprising? If such an entity existed, they wouldn¡¯t bother imitating me¡ªthey could just destroy the kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That was undeniable. A monster capable of mimicking even a superhuman-level strongman? That would imply surpassing superhumans. If so, they wouldn¡¯t need to converse but would just take over the royal family. ¡°¡­So, you all changed suddenly. But you¡¯re saying you¡¯re still human. You want me to understand that?¡± Even so, believing it was another matter. Adamanth scratched his head. ¡°I also find it funny, but that¡¯s the situation. From our perspective, it¡¯s just that the princess suddenly became strange. That¡¯s all.¡± Adamanth was the only one who realized the oddity. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The others still didn¡¯t recognize the anomaly and believed themselves to be ordinary humans. From the perspective of the people in the royal castle, it wasn¡¯t about deceiving her¡ªit genuinely seemed that Elene had developed a delusion. Elene¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Princess, how about returning now?¡± Adamanth calmly tried to persuade Elene. ¡°We are not monsters. We are just a bit unusual, but we are human. We can live normally and carry on our lives as usual.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be ridiculous. In the end, you are monsters. Humans who cannot die? Do you think such things can exist? I don¡¯t want to live among monsters like you.¡± Elene gritted her teeth. Adamanth sighed as if he found it troublesome. ¡°Monsters, you say. That¡¯s not entirely wrong. Humans usually fear death.¡± ¡°You understand well. I¡­.¡± ¡°But princess, do you know this?¡± Adamanth smiled faintly. ¡°The moment you realized what we are, you became very stressed and fearful of us. Perhaps because of that stress, you ate a lot. To the point where it became a problem. I asked the chef at the time, and apparently, you ate about seven meals and thirteen desserts a day on average. You always loved to eat since you were young.¡± ¡°Quite the glutton.¡± Ketal muttered. Elene¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Wh-what does that have to do with anything now!¡± ¡°The amount you ate would turn any ordinary person into a pig within a month. You ate like that for a whole year. Yet, you remained beautiful and kept your perfect figure.¡± Their gazes turned to Elene. Adamanth quietly asked. ¡°What do you think about that?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Elene looked puzzled, as if he was asking something obvious. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Adamanth let out a faintugh at her attitude. Instead of answering, he looked at Aaron. ¡°Aaron, the same goes for you. As I recall, you were diagnosed with an incurable disease about two years ago. A disease that allowed you to live but required frequent check-ups. Yet, you haven¡¯t seen a doctor even once in the past year. And you seem perfectly fine.¡± ¡°Wh-what does that have to do with anything.¡± Aaron was the same. Adamanth looked at Ketal. ¡°Do you understand, barbarian?¡± ¡°This is fascinating.¡± ¡°K-Ketal?¡± Elene looked at Ketal in confusion. Ketal was looking at her with a strange expression. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Elene, after we met and you became afraid of me, you refused to eat my food. You sustained yourself on dried jerky. If I remember correctly¡­.¡± Ketal brought his fingers together, indicating a small size. ¡°For three days, you ate just this one piece.¡± ¡°Yes. So I was very hungry.¡± ¡°If you eat that little, hunger won¡¯t be your only problem. You¡¯ll develop other issues.¡± They walked continuously every day, except for very brief breaks. Even a well-trained man would struggle with such a relentless march. A piece of jerky the size of a palm couldn¡¯t possibly provide enough nutrition to sustain someone for three days. ¡°But you had no problems.¡± Even if she struggled, she never stopped walking. It wasn¡¯t something that could be done on sheer willpower alone. ¡°What, what?¡± At first, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He figured it was okay since this was a fantasy world. After all, some of hispanions had survived for a month eating nothing but ice after being isted in the wilderness. But listening to Adamanth¡¯s story, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. Elene¡¯s eyes filled with confusion. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°A human.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elene fell silent. Those were the words Farman had been saying all along. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for only the two of you to remain unaffected after devouring the entire royal castle.¡± Adamanth smiled bitterly. ¡°You call us monsters? You are the same. Only the form is different.¡± * * * The princess tried to protest. ¡®No, I am human. I am not a monster like you. What about me is strange?¡¯ But every time she tried to say those words, she remembered what she had said to Farman. It was exactly the same. What had she said? She had ignored all of Farman¡¯s words while pressing a sword to his neck, insisting that she was human. Only then did she realize. Her belief held no value or meaning. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A sound like something breaking echoed. She hung her head. Aaron did the same. Seeing that the conversation hade to an end, Adamanth looked at Elene with sympathetic eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You are not a monster. You are human, just like me. Return to the castle and calm yourself.¡± As he approached the princess, someone blocked his path. It was Ketal. Adamanth frowned. ¡°I thought you were smart, but in the end, you¡¯re just a barbarian. It seems you didn¡¯t understand the conversation.¡± ¡°I understood. It¡¯s like the Ship of Theseus.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is that a paradox unknown here?¡± Ketal began to exin. Long ago, there was a ship of Theseus that led a war to victory. The people of that country treasured the ship. But eventually, the wooden ship rotted and decayed. So they reced the deck, changed the sails, and repainted it. As time passed, every part of the ship was reced. Could it still be called the Ship of Theseus? Adamanth¡¯s eyes showed surprise after hearing the exnation. ¡°¡­Did youe up with that? It¡¯s a different approach from the homunculus dilemma. It¡¯s a new concept.¡± ¡°Homunculus, huh.¡± Is there something like that? Ketalughed. ¡®This world never ceases to amaze me.¡¯ Ketal realized. The kingdom of Lutein was a massive Ship of Theseus. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 62 – Human? (8) Chapter 62 ¨C Human? (8) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 62 ¨C Human? (8) Most of the cells in the human body are reced within a year. So, are you the same person you were a year ago? Can something that has been reced be considered identical to the original? The Ship of Theseus. A paradox about change and identity. These people were exactly like the Ship of Theseus. The only difference was that the concept of death had disappeared and they had gained unique abilities, but to them, it was probably a trivial matter, like growing taller, growing nails, or growing hair. Adamanth didn¡¯t strongly disagree. ¡°It¡¯s simr, but it¡¯s different. A ship doesn¡¯t have a self. I, on the other hand, have a self. I am human.¡± ¡°How can anyone know if your self is truly the same Adamanth as before?¡± Ketal shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You call yourself human because of the continuity of your memories. But that¡¯s not much of evidence. Ultimately, it¡¯s just your personal subjectivity. It¡¯s the observations of those around you that hold meaning.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If something with your memories, your power, your habits, were to live as you, recing the original you, how can you be sure it¡¯s you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If your replica suddenly appeared and imed to be Adamanth, and if the replica truly believed it was Adamanth, would it really be Adamanth? And could you ept it as Adamanth?¡± ¡°You. Are you really a barbarian?¡± Adamanth¡¯s face showed bewilderment. The Master was equally taken aback. ¡®What is this?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about being intelligent. Ketal was approaching the essence and perspective of things. This was a philosophical approach. A philosophical barbarian. There couldn¡¯t be a more mismatched pair of words. Adamanth looked at Ketal as if he were seeing something bizarre. ¡°¡­A barbarian being philosophical? This is surprising. I think you¡¯re more peculiar than I am.¡± ¡°I just have a lot of knowledge.¡± Ketal shook his head. The Ship of Theseus. It was a famous paradox. Most people interested in such things knew about it. In the modern world, you can find all the information you want just sitting down. With a bit of curiosity and effort, you can look into all the knowledge umted by great prophets. But this was a fantasy world. Exchanging information wasn¡¯t easy. Without receiving a considerable amount of higher education, philosophical knowledge had to be built up on one¡¯s own. That¡¯s why the Tower Master and Adamanth were surprised by Ketal¡¯s words. Such an answer meant he had pondered over it before. But Ketal was also surprised. Adamanth said he realized on his own that he had been reced. Not with someone¡¯s help, but purely through his own senses. ¡®Is this what it means to be superhuman?¡¯ ¡°Hmm.¡± Adamanth couldn¡¯t immediately rebut. He was a human and Adamanth now. But was he really the previous Adamanth? Even he couldn¡¯t be sure. As the barbarian said, if one day he disappeared and a perfect replica of him believed itself to be Adamanth, it would indeed be Adamanth. However, Adamanth squinted his eyes. ¡°In that case, the story bes simpler. The princess you¡¯re trying to protect is in the same state as I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s right for those who might have been reced to stick together. It would be reassuring for you as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t particrly care.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Adamanth was taken aback by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°As you said, we are something reced without even knowing it. We¡¯re no different from doppelgangers.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± Ketal tilted his head. Adamanth was momentarily at a loss for words. All races in the world exterminated doppelgangers on sight. The reason was simple. The thought of something hiding among them, pretending to be one of them, was extremely repulsive. Everyone had a visceral hatred and loathing for creatures that mimicked their form. ording to Ketal, they were like doppelgangers. As humans, they should naturally feel contempt and hostility. But the barbarian did not hate them. He just saw them as ordinary beings. ¡°¡­You seem less human than I am.¡± ¡°I am human.¡± Ketal said calmly. Adamanth didn¡¯t particrly listen to him. ¡°Then why are you stopping me?¡± ¡°I already told you. I don¡¯t really care what you are. I¡¯m stopping you to protect my employer.¡± He was a mercenary. What mattered were his employer¡¯s wishes. Ketal looked back at Elene, who shuddered under his gaze. ¡°Elene, what do you think?¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m just a monster imitating Elene.¡± ¡°To me, you are Elene.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I never knew the previous Elene. The only Elene I know is the one who came to the Barkan territory as a monster.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. It was obvious. Ketal didn¡¯t know the Elene from before. The one he knew was the Elene who had turned into a monster. ¡°The one I made a contract to protect is you, not the previous existence. It¡¯s not really a significant issue to me.¡± Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°If you want to leave, I won¡¯t stop you. If you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯ll protect you. I¡¯m your escort.¡± Elene lowered her head again, slowly murmuring. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s settled.¡± Ketal grinned and raised his axe. ¡°Patrick, please.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Tower Master led Elene and Aaron back. Adamanth sighed. ¡°So, this is how it ends.¡± He raised his staff and pointed it at Ketal. ¡°You seem to be enjoying this, barbarian.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite enjoying it.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A real-life Ship of Theseus. What thoughts do they have, how do they act? Seeing in practice what could only be theorized was undeniably fascinating. ¡®Since this is a fantasy, I thought I could understand it through the soul, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡¯ Adamanth gave a bitterugh. ¡°No matter how I look at it, your way of thinking isn¡¯t human. You seem more monstrous than either the princess or me.¡± ¡°I am human.¡± ¡°Nonsense. For the sake of the world, I think I need to take you down. Perfect timing. If the princess crosses to another country, it will cause a serious diplomatic issue.¡± Murderous intent flickered in Adamanth¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, I will kill you.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal grinned widely. A wizard. A being dealing with the quintessential mysteries of fantasy. Fighting such an existence was thrilling. Karthos, or whatever his name was, was also a wizard, but he had just talked and then vanished, leaving no real impression. Fighting a proper wizard made Ketal¡¯s heart feel like it would explode with anticipation. Adamanth raised his staff. Just as he began to cast a spell, Ketal charged forward. The first rule in dealing with a wizard, as described in any book or game: kill them before they cast their spell. Ketal followed this clich¨¦ diligently, his axe swinging towards Adamanth¡¯s neck in an instant. But the axe sliced through empty air. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. He had missed. Despite his considerable speed, Adamanth had reacted. He reappeared behind a tree. ¡®He reacted to that speed?¡¯ Even a sword master couldn¡¯t react to that. Ketal was astonished, but Adamanth was even more so. ¡°What, what did you do?¡± From a distance, the Tower Master muttered. ¡°Reactive magic.¡± There was no way a slow wizard could respond to that speed. Reactive magic. A kind of setup where the wizard¡¯s spell automatically activated when a certain condition was met. Any wizard who reached a certain level could handle it. It served as a lifeline for the otherwise fragile wizards. ¡®It seems he set it up to trigger a random teleport when approached at a certain speed.¡¯ Since it activated automatically, it wasn¡¯t heavily reliant on the wizard¡¯s abilities. But Ketal didn¡¯t know that. To him, it looked like Adamanth had cast a spell in response to his attack. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal tilted his head and raised his axe again. Adamanth hurriedly raised his staff, but it was toote. The axe was already close to him. At that moment, a spell activated. Zzzrrraaang! A shield of ice protected Adamanth. But it was meaningless. The staff, the shield, and Adamanth were all cut down together. Adamanth¡¯s head fell to the ground. ¡°You reacted again.¡± Though the defense had failed, it was clear that Adamanth had cast a spell in response to Ketal¡¯s attack. Ketal was convinced. This wizard was indeed reacting to his attacks. Normally, that would be the end of it. A being with its head separated from its body wouldn¡¯t be able to move anymore. But something strange happened. Adamanth vanished. Not only him, but also the clothes he wore and the staff that had been cut off disappeared as well. Then, he reappeared, looking just as he did initially. ¡°So, it¡¯s like this.¡± Ketal observed with a fascinated look. It was more like returning to the original state than regeneration, just as Adamanth had described. ¡°Damn it!¡± Adamanth cursed upon returning. He couldn¡¯t see it. The reactive magic he had set up for defense was useless. Ketal raised his axe, and Adamanth clicked his tongue. He couldn¡¯t respond. There were no more reactive spells left. Thus, he decided to attack. Ketal moved, and Adamanth¡¯s head flew off. But soon, he returned to his original form again. Adamanth cast a spell. Zzzrazz! Arrows of ice materialized, flying swiftly toward Ketal. He easily dodged them. Zzzraaang! The arrows pierced through a tree and shattered a rock. Part of the forest was destroyed. Ketal whistled. ¡°Impressive.¡± Boom! This time, the air burst. Fire exploded, and des of wind rushed forward. Ketal bared his teeth and swung his axe. Boom! The pressure from his axe blew away Adamanth¡¯s spells. Though shocked, Adamanth didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Argh!¡± Adamanth ced his hand on a nearby tree. The tree shook, and leaves fell. The falling leaves sharpened into des and shot toward Ketal. Hundreds of leaves tried to pierce him. Ketal leaped into the air. The leaves destroyed the tree, rocks, and the ground. The lush forest quickly turned into a wastnd. Adamanth swung his staff violently. The resulting wind condensed and took on a massive form. A wind bomb flew toward Ketal. He easily dodged it. The bomb exploded right next to him. Fragments of wind battered Ketal¡¯s entire body. Heughed. Nature itself was being wielded by Adamanth. Unlike a spirit that harmonizes and bes one with nature, Adamanth controlled it and bent it to his will. This was magic. The quintessential mystery of fantasy. The power to shake thews of the world. Ketal was moved. Meanwhile, the Tower Master thought, ¡®¡­Is he actually impressed by the fact that his opponent revives even after being killed?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 63 – Human? (9) Chapter 63 ¨C Human? (9) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 63 ¨C Human? (9) Ketal definitely looked moved. He was undoubtedly touched by the fact that the opponent, despite being killed, resurrected, which was clearly an extraordinary trait. He had no idea that Ketal was impressed by the magic itself. Although mages were certainly rare, they were nothingpared to someone who resurrected after death. The idea that someone as powerful as Ketal would be impressed by mere magic seemed absurd. ¡®He might look a bit different, but a barbarian is still a barbarian.¡¯ Boom! The battle continued. Adamanth spat out a curse. ¡®What a monster!¡¯ That barbarian wasn¡¯t using any mystical powers. He was simply dismantling Adamanth¡¯s magic with pure physical strength. ¡®I thought catching aura with one¡¯s teeth was just a stupid knight¡¯s myth!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a myth. That barbarian¡¯s body withstood the mystic forces. Crack! ¡®What kind of axe is that hard?¡¯ It remained unscathed despite shing with all sorts of magic. Adamanth couldn¡¯t help but be astonished, and Ketal was also taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s stronger than a Swordmaster.¡± Adamanth considered himself at the lower end of the superhuman spectrum, implying he wasn¡¯t very strong. But by Ketal¡¯s standards, a mage was far superior to a Swordmaster. Swordmaster Cain couldn¡¯t properly counter his attacks. But Adamanth could not only respond to his attacks but also activate magic in retaliation. This meant that even in terms of pure reaction speed, a mage surpassed a Swordmaster. And then. Boom! The ground exploded. Earth and debris scattered everywhere, creating a small crater in the forest. Such a powerful attack would obliterate an ordinary person without a trace. Adamanth was casting such devastating magic continuously. Being able to unleash such power repeatedly was undoubtedly a huge advantage. A mage is stronger than a swordsman. And clearly so. ¡®Indeed.¡¯ In a game, there would be a need to bnce between sword and magic, but this was reality. There was no necessity for bnce between the two here. ¡°Mages are versatile.¡± In reaction speed and destructive range, mages held the upper hand. ¡®So this is what real fantasy is like.¡¯ This was the bnce of fantasy. Ketal stored that information in his mind. The Tower Master, who overheard his muttering, chuckled. ¡®That¡¯s not entirely true.¡¯ Mages were indeed powerful. But that power was contingent on having enough mana to support it. Adamanth belonged to the multi-colored jewels school. This school manipted the surrounding nature, which didn¡¯t consume much mana. However, even with such a school, casting spells so frequently should have exhausted his mana long ago. Reactive magic was also the same. The moreplex the setup, the greater the mana consumption. For someone at a superhuman level, once or twice was the norm. Knights and mages were considered to be on simr levels; it was a matter of strategy, not that one was definitively superior. Adamanth was just an exceptionpared to typical mages. ¡®What kind of anomalies can do such things?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that there was no mana consumption; rather, the expended mana seemed to replenish itself. He could continue the magical barrage indefinitely. Considering most mages struggled with mana depletion, it was a remarkable ability. But that was the limit. Only the mana depletion had disappeared. There were no other differences. ¡®This level of magic won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ Boom! Ice shards scattered, the fragments fiercely battering Ketal¡¯s entire body. Ketalughed. ¡°Impressive!¡± ¡®Don¡¯t make meugh!¡¯ Adamanth suppressed the urge to shout. No matter how much he cast spells and inflicted hits, the barbarian¡¯s body didn¡¯t bear a single scratch. He was purely withstanding the magic with his physical body alone. If it weren¡¯t for the ability he gained as an anomaly, he would have been defeated long ago. ¡®What kind of monstrous barbarian is this!¡¯ This level of magic wouldn¡¯t suffice. The spells he was casting were mere implementation magic. While their power was decent, they weren¡¯t enough to harm the barbarian. He needed a higher-level spell that required an incantation. But he didn¡¯t have the leisure to perform an incantation. Amidst the barrage of magic, Ketal was gradually getting ustomed to it. He needed to buy time. But how? What could he do to buy time against a monster unaffected by magic? His body hesitated due to his conflicted thoughts. The frequency of the magic barrage decreased slightly. ¡°Is it reaching its limit?¡± Ketal murmured, raising his axe. Adamanth hastily gathered mana. Teleport? No. It was meaningless to evade since he would just return upon death. His chaotic mind activated a spell. Whiiing! The spell was cast, and Ketal, about to swing his axe, paused. ¡°What?¡± Seven Adamanths appeared in the forest. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Ketal expanded his senses and could tell immediately. All seven of them were real. There was not a single discrepancy in their presence or physical weight. ¡®Is this also the power of an anomaly?¡¯ Ketal stopped moving, and Adamanth became even more bewildered. ¡®What¡­ what is this?¡¯ The spell he had cast was Mirror Image. It gathered mana and nature to create clones identical to the original. However, the clones did not possess mystical powers. With the use of mystical abilities, one could easily distinguish the original from the clones. ¡®¡­Wait.¡¯ Thinking this far, Adamanth suddenly realized something. This barbarian couldn¡¯t use mystical powers. Despite being monstrously strong, his strength was purely physical. If that¡¯s the case¡­ Adamanth created more clones. As one Adamanth became two, soon there were fifty Adamanths. The number of clones could be increased as long as there was enough mana. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes glinted with interest. The clones simultaneously raised their hands, preparing to attack. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal leapt forward. Three of the clones¡¯ heads flew off simultaneously. But they reappeared again. Over fifty, then sixty, seventy Adamanths stared at Ketal. Ketal muttered to himself. ¡°This is like a horror movie.¡± Seeing this, Adamanth became convinced. This barbarian couldn¡¯t distinguish the original from the clones using mystical powers. ¡®If that¡¯s the case!¡¯ Magic activated. Ice spears shot out. The ground turned into a swamp, trapping Ketal¡¯s feet. Adamanth quickly began chanting. [Look. Wind that trembles without a will. Listen. Foolish water that cannot move on its own. Fire that cannot be born by its own power.] ¡°Hmph.¡± Ketal kicked his feet. Mud sttered, covering the Adamanths. He grabbed his axe and charged. Five of the clones¡¯ heads flew off. But just as many clones were created again. The chant continued uninterrupted. All the clones repeated the same words. [Foolish and dull, you are called nature.] Mana concentrated. The world began to tremble. Even Ketal, who couldn¡¯t perceive the mystical, could feel the powerful concentration of energy. Mystical energy itself was being dominated by Adamanth. At some point, Ketal stopped dealing with the clones. He quietly watched the unfolding magic. [I be your master and wield that power.] The chant finally ended. Adamanth swung his staff. [Limited Nature Dominion.] Magic activated. * * * At first, nothing happened. For a moment, it seemed as though the magic had failed. But that moment was brief. The world began to change. The gently swaying breeze gathered in one ce. The gathered breeze rotated and elerated. The breeze turned into a small storm. The slight tremor of the ground caused a ripple. The ripple amplified itself, creating a massive impact. The tremor turned into an earthquake. Dew gathered at the tip of a leaf turned into a giant tidal wave. A storm, an earthquake, and a tidal wave simultaneously swept through the small forest. Trees shattered, the ground broke apart. The fierce wind made it difficult to see as the tidal wave blurred the view. Small forces existing everywherebined with mystical power, transforming into a single phenomenon. A force that could only be wielded by a mage who had reached the superhuman level and could dominate mystical energy. The dominion magic of the multi-colored orb school. Limited Nature Dominion. ¡°Ha, hahahahaha!¡± Adamanth burst into maniacalughter. Nature itself was in his grasp. The sense of euphoria and omnipotence overwhelmed his entire being. ¡°I acknowledge it! Barbarian! You were strong! But in the end, you are merely an ignorant being who cannotprehend the mystical!¡± One who cannotprehend the mystical cannot defeat one who can. This was a fundamental truth. Adamanth twisted his mouth into a sneer. ¡°Fall and perish before this great power!¡± Ketal did not respond. He just stared, entranced, at the phenomena unfolding before him. Natural disasters. These were forces beyond human control. They couldn¡¯t be stopped, controlled, or created. The term ¡°act of God¡± exists for a reason. Even in modern times, we can only predict and prepare for such events, not act beyond that. These natural disasters were now artificially created and targeting him. A force that usually urred and disappeared by itself was now moving ording to an individual¡¯s will. ¡®This is magic.¡¯ He had seen a fair share of mystical phenomena sinceing to this world, but none had struck his heart as profoundly as this moment. He felt as if he could cry from the overwhelming emotion. ¡°Amazing.¡± Adamanth had demonstrated truly magnificent magic. So much so that Ketal, without realizing it, tensed his muscles a bit more. Ketal gathered his strength. Slowly, he lifted one foot. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± The Tower Master¡¯s expression changed. The rising foot. There was no perceivable force behind it. Compared to the magic before him, it was an infinitely humble and insignificant action that even a three-year-old child could do. But it was dangerous. The Tower Master¡¯s instincts warned him. He reflexively erected a magical barrier. Ketal brought down his raised foot. True Step. His foot touched the trembling earth. In that instant, the ground shattered. The earth split in half around Ketal. Just as a gentle ripple on ake is swallowed by arger wave, the tremor was swallowed and obliterated by an immense force. The earthquake was crushed by a single step from a human. Ketal put even more strength into his foot and surged forward. Charge. The small, fierce storm collided with his body and exploded. The force of the wind dispersed in all directions. The leaves of the forest burst and scattered. He clenched his fist and put strength into it. Fist Strike. The rising tidal wave collided with his fist and shattered. The massive concentration of water, capable of sweeping thend and engulfing everything, scattered into droplets. ¡°¡­Ah?¡± Adamanth¡¯s eyes widened. The grand phenomenon he had created waspletely destroyed by the movements of one human. What was this? Adamanth tried toprehend the situation, but there was no time. Ketal repositioned himself and charged again. Ketal¡¯s shoulder collided with Adamanth¡¯s body. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 64 – The Kingdom of Denian (1) Chapter 64 ¨C The Kingdom of Denian (1) The storm, earthquake, and tsunami that had ravaged thend were now perfectly calmed. All that remained were the aftermath of the destruction. The Tower Master dispelled the magic barrier and chuckled. There is a difference in realms depending on how much one hasprehended the mysteries. Naturally, this applies to magic as well. There were spells that only those who had reached a certain level could wield. What Adamanth used was limited natural domination. It was a spell from the School of Multicolored Jewels of domination magic, permitted only to superhuman-level mages. It was a powerful spell. By controlling mysteries and merging with nature, it could bring about a single phenomenon. In terms of pure destructive power, it ranked highly among domination spells. The method to break it was singr: destroy the core of the mystery at the center of the phenomenon. If the core was destroyed, the phenomenon would naturally disappear without its center. As powerful as it was, it had a clear drawback. But Ketal did not target the weakness. He simply overpowered the phenomenon with pure strength. ¡®A monster of strength.¡¯ Ketal looked satisfied. ¡°Not bad.¡± Adamanth was gone. His body had collided with Ketal¡¯s shoulder and shattered into pieces, leaving no trace behind. However, Adamanth reappeared once more. ¡°You insane barbarian! How dare you dispel my magic!¡± Adamanth¡¯s face was filled with fury. He had been enveloped in the omnipotence of dominating nature itself, but this barbarian in front of him forcibly extinguished it. He raised his staff furiously. Crunch. In that moment, Ketal¡¯s bloody hand pierced Adamanth¡¯s chest. ¡°If that¡¯s the best magic you can show, there¡¯s no need to continue.¡± ¡°You! Scoundrel!¡± Adamanth resumed his original form, holding his staff. Ketal decapitated him. But before the severed head even hit the ground, Adamanth had already regained his form. ¡®The problem is this, after all.¡¯ Adamanth did not die. If he decided to hold his ground, it became extremely troublesome. Ketal considered knocking him out, but knowing that mages had responses to nearly everything, he figured there would be a countermeasure for that pondered. The ship of Theseus reces its deck, sails, and otherponents with new ones. Wood, cloth, and leather are swapped out. So, what has Adamanth reced? Not just his human form, but even his attire. Ketal nced at his hand. The blood on it had disappeared. Various pieces of information shed through his mind. Then a possibility emerged. Ketal stamped his foot. Adamanth did not dodge. Since he would revive anyway, there was no reason to avoid it. But this time was different. When Ketal reappeared, he held a piece of ck cloth. It was the cor of the robe Adamanth had been wearing. Ketal had torn off a piece of the robe by lunging at it. He carefully folded the torn robe piece and ced it in his hand. Adamanth, taken aback by this rxed demeanor, watched in confusion. Ketal, having fully folded the robe piece, clenched it in his fist. ¡°Ugh.¡± In an instant, a wave spread out. Just as pping creates sound and a ripple effect, the act of clenching his fist sent a wave through the air. The airpressed momentarily. A short whileter, Ketal opened his fist. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. Tiny rainbow-colored particles were in his hand. The piece of the robe had beenpressed into these rainbow-hued granules. It wasn¡¯t particrly extraordinary topress the robe into powder with his strength, and the rainbow colors were strange but ultimately it was just a piece of cloth. However, Adamanth¡¯s expression had changed. ¡°You, you scoundrel.¡± His face was exceedingly odd. It seemed to express anger, fear, and bewilderment all at once, like multiple faces ovepping. Emotions radiated through his entire body. ¡°That¡¯s your essence. Or rather, your collective essence.¡± Ketal smiled and pierced Adamanth¡¯s chest again. The body regenerated. But this time, there was a difference. The cor of the robe that had been torn off did not return. ¡°From here on, you¡¯ll have to stake your life as well. Will you continue?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Adamanth gritted his teeth. After a moment of contemtion, he made a decision. ¡°¡­I will withdraw.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. Withdraw, all of a sudden? That immortal monster? But Adamanth was already waving his staff, preparing a spell for spatial leap. He gave onest look at Elene. ¡°Stubborn princess. Do as you wish. There will be no more obstacles. Go and do whatever you desire.¡± The spell waspleted. Adamanth spoke as if foretelling the future. ¡°But in the end, you will return. Your onlyrades are us.¡± With those words, Adamanth vanished. A quiet stillness lingered. * * * As Adamanth dictated, there were no more obstacles. They moved forward, and Elene and Aaron remained silent. Before long, they reached a point where the border was visible in the distance. Then Patrick spoke up. ¡°I guess this is as far as I go. It¡¯s another country, after all¡­ entering it feels a bit off.¡± ¡°Oh. Is that so? Sorry to hear that.¡± Looking back, Ketal had practically dragged him along. Patrick shook his head. ¡°No, I was prepared for this from the start. Just traveling together was plenty enjoyable. We went through all sorts of things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Are you nning to return to your territory now?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°Take this food with you. It should be enough.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Patrick packed the food and began to leave. Ketal saw him off. ¡°Hope to see you again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely. Not too long from now.¡± Patrick spoke in a peculiar tone. After Patrick departed, they continued their journey. The border that was once a distant sight drew nearer. Finally, they arrived right in front of it. The soldiers guarding the border pointed their spears with tense faces. ¡°Hey, barbarian! This is the border of the Denian Kingdom! Step back!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mercenary. I can provide identification.¡± ¡°Nonsense! Get lost! If you don¡¯t back off, we¡¯ll attack!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal scratched his cheek. No country would wee a stranger crossing the border without proper identification. If he were alone, he would have to go through numerous procedures as he did in the Barkan territory. But this time, he wasn¡¯t alone. Ketal stepped aside. ¡°Elene. It¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Elene slowly stepped forward. The sudden appearance of a young woman startled the soldiers, causing them to back away. ¡°Who, who are you?¡± ¡°I am the first princess of the Lutein Kingdom. Elene Mavli.¡± The soldiers¡¯ eyes widened as she spoke gloomily. ¡°I havee to see King Barbossa Denian of the Denian Kingdom.¡± * * * The soldiers did not believe Elene¡¯s words. It was natural. No one would think a princess would show up without a single escort knight, wearing a robe covered in dirt and dust, apanied by someone like Ketal. But she had proof. A ne bearing the emblem allowed only to the royal family of Lutein. Among the border officials who came to verify, there were some who recognized Elene¡¯s face. After several procedures and confirmations, it was established that she was indeed Princess Elene Mavli of the Lutein Kingdom. Considering the hardships they had endured, it was remarkably quick. Before long, they were escorted to the royal pce of the Denian Kingdom. ¡°Not bad.¡± Ketal muttered as hey on a bed in the guest room. In the past, when he was on Earth, he had visited a famous museum. There, he saw a bed once used by the French royalty from long ago. He had wanted to lie on it, but of course, he couldn¡¯t get near it, so he had to swallow his tears. The bed he was lying on now was very simr to the one he had seen in the museum. He was now in the royal pce. ¡°Made it big.¡± He was staying in the same building as the king of a nation. He was quite satisfied. Ketal rolled around on the bed. It was incredibly soft and plush, like lying on a cloud. It was far superior evenpared to modern beds. He reached out and popped a grape from the side table into his mouth. It was sweet.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Though not as sweet as the highly cultivated modern fruits, it was still sufficiently sweet and juicy. ¡®And the quest ispleted.¡¯ [Quest 785pleted.] [Reward will be given soon.] What would the reward be this time? He had always wondered since the white snowfield. There had never been a specific tangible reward given. The only thing he could surmise was that after clearing a quest, situations or events tended to unfold in a way that benefited him. Whatever it was, it had never been bad for him. Perhaps this situation itself was the reward. Ketal buried his head in the bed. As he was enjoying the room, someone knocked on the door. A momentter, the door opened, and a woman entered. ¡°¡­Are youfortable?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Want to sit down?¡± Elene nodded cautiously. Ketal sat on a chair in front of the table, and Elene took a seat opposite him. Ketal, observing her for a moment, eximed in admiration. ¡°You look quite different.¡± Elene had discarded her filthy robe and was now wearing a clean dress. The dirt had been washed off her face, and her hair had been tidied. She was truly beautiful. Evenpared to an elven queen, she wasn¡¯tcking. A blush spread across her face. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± ¡°I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you, I¡¯m able to enjoy this luxury.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. Ordinarily, Ketal would never have been allowed into the royal pce. It was only natural. There wasn¡¯t a vassal foolish enough to bring a barbarian into the same ce where their king resided. Even though Ketal had a C-rank mercenary badge, vassals always had to consider the worst-case scenario. But due to Elene¡¯s strong insistence, Ketal was also granted entry into the pce. Although he was under surveince, it wasn¡¯t a major issue. ¡°No, it was my insistence. I¡¯m grateful you epted.¡± Elene shook her head. From her perspective, Ketal was nothing short of a savior. He had turned the entire Lutein Kingdom into an enemy for her sake, all for a single gold coin. Like a prince on a white horse. Elene¡¯s face grew dazed at the thought. But the feelings that arose quickly faded. She lowered her head sadly. Ketal asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been decided that I will meet with Lord Barbossa tomorrow. Everything will be resolved then.¡± ¡°It might not end there.¡± ¡°¡­That could be true.¡± Elene looked at Ketal. ¡°Mr. Ketal, you know about the devastation of our kingdom, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I have some ideas.¡± ¡°Could you tell me? What has our kingdom, and¡­ what have I be?¡± Ketal nodded. Chapter 65 – The Kingdom of Denian (2) Chapter 65 ¨C The Kingdom of Denian (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 65 ¨C The Kingdom of Denian (2) ¡°Let me show you first.¡± Ketal opened a subspace and took out iridescent particles to show. Elene tilted her head. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the true nature of what has reced you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. She quickly focused her gaze on the iridescent particles. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this¡­¡± ¡°I forciblypressed and clustered them. Originally, they would be much smaller. Probably too small to see with the naked eye.¡± Small enough to rece cells. Ketal knew of something simr. The entity behind the strange happenings in the Kingdom of Lutein was extremely small. ¡®I wonder if she can understand.¡¯ Substances too small to be seen with the naked eye. In a time without microscopes, it was not a familiar concept. History recorded many attempts to understand diseases spread by bacteria, which people did notprehend at the time. Ketal was slightly worried about whether Elene could understand, but surprisingly, she nodded as if she did. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re quick to grasp it.¡± ¡°Mana and aura are also invisible, but when they gather, they can be seen with the naked eye. I think of it in those terms.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ketal realized something. There was a sense of mysticism here. Even though mana and aura were invisible, their effects could be clearly seen. The world had epted such concepts due to the existence of these tangible powers. ¡®This is fantasy.¡¯ It was a small but distinct difference. Ketal was slightly moved. After a moment of thought, Elene¡¯s face twisted. ¡°¡­Wait a moment. Then I¡­¡± ¡°Consider your entire existence reced by these tiny things.¡± From head to toe. From heart to brain. From bones to blood. Every single part was reced by something invisible. ¡°Ugh.¡± Elene shuddered. She hugged herself with her arms. Her hands clenched, and her nails began to dig into her skin. ¡°Calm down.¡± Ketal soothed her. Elene took deep breaths. Soon, her breathing stabilized. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s not a pleasant thought.¡± ¡°¡­Then, those iridescent particles. Aren¡¯t they dangerous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. They¡¯re probably in a dormant state now.¡± Ketal ripped off a piece of his Adamanth robe andpressed it in his fist, creating a vacuum. The strong force left no room for air to escape. The iridescent particles, invisible to the naked eye, had turned into this visible form, indicating they were already damaged. ¡°The disappearance of death¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no concept of lifespan. I don¡¯t know how they get energy, but they wouldn¡¯t die naturally. That¡¯s probably why those reced by them lost the concept of death.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elene looked confused. Ketal exined slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s call them nanobots for simplicity. Each nanobot is an independent entity. Instead of a single, organic life form, countless independent nanobots gather to form a human shape. So, cutting off a head or removing a heart wouldn¡¯t result in death.¡± Like waves spreading across ake when cut, the water remains undamaged. Air is the same. There is no concept of death. Therefore, there is no need to understand or remember death. That¡¯s why people lost the concept of death. ¡°¡­Immortality.¡± ¡°You could call it that. Since they are independent entities, even if you break, smash, or cut them, they would just return to their original form.¡± He had cut down many knights. Their flesh and blood had covered his axe. But after the battle, the axe was clean as if unused. The nanobots had returned to their original form to maintain their appearance. ¡°They¡¯re so small that a simple axe cut wouldn¡¯t destroy them.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. There¡¯s something strange.¡± Elene suddenly thought of something and touched her hair. ¡°My hair was growing. I remember Farman being happy about getting taller. If we were truly reced, such growth wouldn¡¯t happen, would it?¡± ¡°Those things don¡¯t destroy the original properties when they rece. They mimic. They probably retain human characteristics.¡± Despite being reced by nanobots, they grew taller, and their hair and nails grew. ¡°That¡¯s why they believe they are human. Although they possess many inhuman traits. They can probably rece each other too.¡± ¡°Rece each other?¡± ¡°When Adamanth appeared, the knights disappeared.¡± If Adamanth faced Ketal while the knights targeted the princess and Aaron, it would have been easier. But they didn¡¯t appear. ¡°They probably swapped ces with Adamanth. That¡¯s why Adamanth was able to appearter.¡± ¡°But Adamanth is just one, and there are many knights. Why wouldn¡¯t they all show up?¡± ¡°Adamanth is said to be a superhuman-level mage. The amount of mystery it holds must be considerable. Recing even one knight wouldn¡¯t be enough if you consider that mystery needs to be reced too.¡± For Adamanth toe here, it would require the amount of nanobots equivalent to several knights. That amount was likely the entire group of knights, excluding Farman. ¡°And they must know each other¡¯s positions. That¡¯s how they tracked you perfectly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elene bit her lip. ¡°I guess I am one of them¡­¡± ¡°Depending on how you see it, but probably something simr.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m afraid of death. ording to you, if I¡¯m reced by nanobots, I shouldn¡¯t understand death, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± It was indeed strange. A faint hope crossed Elene¡¯s face, but Ketal spoke up. ¡°From here on, it¡¯s spection on my part. They mimic humans. Although they rece you, they retain your values, personality, and thoughts. You and Aaron were probably reced rtivelyte.¡± ¡°H-how do you know that?¡± ¡°Because you both realized what was happening and feared bing like them.¡± They feared bing monsters that did not fear death. They wished not to be like them. ¡°Farman said it himself. He thought you wouldn¡¯t be like that because you didn¡¯t want it.¡± Elene¡¯s face hardened. ¡°¡­Then¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°The reason you¡¯re afraid of death is that you feared losing that understanding even more.¡± So, Elene continued to fear death even after being reced. Elene¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°I heard you like eating. You were probably very afraid of gaining weight from overeating. Aaron was likely afraid of his body deteriorating from an incurable disease.¡± So, Elene did not gain weight no matter how much she ate. Aaron¡¯s body no longer suffered from his disease. ¡°Wait a moment. That, that¡­¡± Elene¡¯s face contorted with despair. They let her continue to fear death because she feared losing that understanding. They fixed her weight based on her fear of changes from eating. They cured incurable diseases. Wasn¡¯t this an all-powerful tool that granted human desires? The Philosopher¡¯s Stone. The word shed through Elene¡¯s mind. ¡°Nanobots act ording to the thoughts, values, and desires of the reced being. That¡¯s why they believe they are human.¡± Because they were reced by humans, they acted ording to human ideas. The reason Farman was still trapped was simple. He believed he could not escape his bonds. If reced by non-living things, they would fulfill that role dutifully, like armor, staffs, and swords. That was Ketal¡¯s understanding of the anomaly that consumed the Kingdom of Lutein. ¡°¡­Ha, hahaha.¡± Elene closed her eyes. A dryugh escaped her. It was the worst oue. What devoured the Kingdom of Lutein might not have been a malicious entity but a tool without a self. Ketal, watching her in silence, finally spoke. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, you can stop.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Elene bit her lip. ¡°Please, continue.¡± ¡°¡­You were reced by nanobots. But you are growing. You are functioning properly as a human.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elene looked puzzled, not understanding the implication. But soon, her face stiffened. Ketal spoke softly. ¡°Can you, who have been reced, give birth to a child? And if you can, would that child be human, or something made of nanobots?¡± * * * Elene sat quietly for a long time before standing up and leaving without a word. Ketal did not stop her. Having reached this ce with the desperate dream of revenge, only to be met with despair, her mind could not endure. ¡®A sense of self¡­¡¯ Ketal had said the nanobotscked a sense of self. But he wasn¡¯t certain. Ketal tore off the cor of his robe andpressed it. From their perspective, it was as good as dead. At that moment, Ketal felt countless emotions from Adamanth. These emotions weren¡¯t just from Adamanth, but also from the robe and staff it was wearing. It was too deep andplex to be mere instinctual reactions, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. False hope was worse than no hope at all. ¡®What a strange thing.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Something small enough to rece even cells. It had consumed the Kingdom of Lutein. ¡®A Forbidden Land?¡¯ Elene suspected that was what it was. If so, it was definitely different from the White Snowfield. ¡®I¡¯m curious.¡¯ Ketal closed his eyes. The next day arrived. By now, Elene was probably meeting with the king and having a conversation. He had shared most of what he knew. What remained was dependent on the deration from the humans and the decisions of the King of the Kingdom of Denian. ¡°I want to meet him too.¡± The king of a nation. The ruler of a country. One who wielded mysterious powers granted by the gods. However, as a barbarian, there was no way he could meet with a king. All he could do was lie around in his room. ¡®Is it over now?¡¯ The task was finished. If Elene returned, he would have the final conversation and leave. Just as he was thinking that, Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door. It wasn¡¯t Elene or Aaron¡¯s presence. Ketal got up and opened the door. ¡°¡­Barbarian.¡± ¡°Oh. Nice to see you.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. It was a middle-aged man. Since Ketal had entered the pce, this man had been giving him hostile looks. ¡°Barbarian. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± The man red at Ketal, clearly displeased, contemting for a moment. But finally, he sighed and spoke. ¡°His Majesty summons you. Follow me.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal tilted his head at the unexpected words. The man spoke slowly. ¡°His Majesty spoke with Lady Elene. He wants to confirm something, so he asked for you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. But I¡¯m a barbarian. I might act quite rudely by your standards. Is that alright?¡± ¡°¡­What an odd thing to worry about.¡± A barbarian concerned about his own rudeness. The man had never seen such a thing before. He spoke as if he was looking at something bizarre. ¡°It is highly unpleasant, but His Majesty said he didn¡¯t mind. If that¡¯s his will, I mustply.¡± ¡°In that case.¡± There was no reason to refuse. Ketal nodded. ¡°I ept. Lead the way.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 66 – The Kingdom of Denian (3) Chapter 66 ¨C The Kingdom of Denian (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 66 ¨C The Kingdom of Denian (3) Ketal followed the man. There were no attendants or servants. He walked through the splendid hallway in silence. Soon, they arrived at an enormous golden door. ¡°Although he said it was fine, it would be wise to show some respect, at least for your own sake.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± The man knocked on the door. ¡°I have arrived as summoned, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Enter.¡± A voice came from inside. With a creaking sound, the door opened. The man slowly stepped back. Ketal entered. ck. ck. The sound of the barbarian¡¯s footsteps echoed in the vast audience chamber. On the elevated throne sat a man. He was a middle-aged man with a full beard, wearing the most luxurious clothes Ketal had ever seen. And on his head, the symbol of his position: the crown. ¡®King.¡¯ A king stood before his eyes. Kings still existed in modern times. Ennd was a prime example, and Japan also had its equivalent of a king. But those were modern contexts. While a king would be respected, they didn¡¯t feel like the owner of the country. They were more like figureheads. But this was a medieval fantasy world. The king before him was a king in the true sense. A person who wielded absolute power and practically ruled all thends of the Kingdom of Denian. The true master of the country. Not only that, but he was a myth-like figure, granted the divine right to distinguish between humans and non-humans. Ketal found himself face-to-face with such a being. He didn¡¯t feel overwhelming power or intimidation, but he enjoyed the situation. While he was holding back out of respect, he felt like stomping his feet in excitement. Ketal stared at the king. His gaze didn¡¯t sit well with the man standing behind the king, who frowned. ¡°Bow your head, barbarian.¡± The man spoke quietly. ¡°The person before you is the king of this country.¡± Suddenly, an intense pressure burst forth. The fierce pressure was enough to stop the heart of an ordinary person. However, Ketal smiled and brushed it off. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Seeing Ketal dismiss it as nothing, the man¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Unfortunately, you are not my king.¡± Barbosa was the king of the Kingdom of Denian. Ketal was not a citizen of the Kingdom of Denian. In fact, as long as he was named Ketal, he was not a subject of anyone. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not in a position to bow my head.¡± ¡°Are you a king somewhere as well?¡± ¡°No, but there are those who would be quite upset if I did.¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°But I can show respect to a great king.¡± Ketal ced his hand on his chest and bowed slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you, King of the Kingdom of Denian, Barbosa Denian. I am Ketal. Just a simple barbarian. Ketal.¡± It was a very polite and clean bow. It did not lose dignity, nor did it appear servile. Barbosa¡¯s face showed surprise. The man who had been frowning also hesitated. And Ketal shouted inwardly. ¡®Wow!¡¯ To greet a king with dignity and respect¡ªhow wonderful this situation was. Scenes from the creations he had seen in the past ovepped in his mind. He was so happy he felt like his head was going to explode with joy. But he restrained himself. There were no scenes whereughter burst out in such situations. Ketal barely held back hisughter and straightened his posture. ¡°¡­Surprising. Just as Elene said, you¡¯re very different from typical barbarians.¡± ¡°So other barbarians are not like this?¡± ¡°Starting with the fact that you can hold a conversation, yes. If only all barbarians were like you.¡± Barbosa sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡®Looks like the barbarians outside are the same as the ones in here.¡¯ No need to meet them. Ketal stored that information in his mind. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about formalities. Step back as well. From here on, it¡¯s between him and me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The man stepped back. ¡°So, what is the reason you called me?¡± The conversation turned to the main topic. ¡°I met Elene and Aaron. And the captured knight.¡± Barbosa tapped his armrest with his fingernail. ¡°I confirmed their humanity.¡± ¡°What were the results?¡± ¡°My ancestor said if one believes oneself to be human, then one is human. In other words, if one believes they are human, they are human.¡± ¡°They were human.¡± Farman, Elene, and Aaron¡ªthey were all human. This was unexpected, given that Elene had called herself a monster. ¡°It seems she believed herself to be human in the end.¡± ¡°The fact itself isn¡¯t a major issue. We conducted experiments on the captured knight. The results came quickly.¡± Farman possessed powers that could not be described as human. Barbosa¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Losing a friend and his child is a sorrowful story.¡± ¡°So, what is it that you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°You spoke to Elene about their true nature. She ryed that information to me.¡± Barbosa pressed his forehead, looking troubled. ¡°¡­It makes sense. Apart from not understanding the existence of such things, it could be the right answer.¡± Beings without death. A collection of things so small they couldn¡¯t be seen. And entities that believed themselves to be human. The worst part was that the possibility wasn¡¯t low. Barbosa asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Do you think those beings can reproduce?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± The nanospletely reced humans. They grew taller and their nails lengthened. It meant they could replicate. There was no reason they couldn¡¯t bear children. Barbosa smirked bitterly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s too great a threat. There¡¯s no time to mourn the loss of a friend and his child.¡± It was a threat to the human race. ¡°The Empire might need to act. You¡¯ve encountered them directly, so you know them better than anyone. So let me ask you.¡± Barbosa narrowed his eyes. ¡°How do you think we should respond?¡± Ketal answered Barbosa¡¯s question. ¡°We should start by talking.¡± Barbosa frowned, as if the answer was unexpected. ¡°Talk? They are monsters that are recing us. Talking won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°It probably will. They genuinely believe they are humans before the recement. For instance, Farman could¡¯ve left anytime he wanted, but he hasn¡¯t.¡± These beings were an aggregation of extremely small nanos. Human restraints were meaningless. They could simply disperse into their original form and escape. It would be very disadvantageous for them if the information about Farman being held here got out. But Farman stayed here. ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone from the Kingdom of Luteine?¡± ¡°¡­They have. The princess asked us to treat him well and send him back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s excessively human. They reced the Kingdom of Lutein and are acting as if they truly belong there.¡± Their purpose was unknown. It was necessary to determine whether they harbored malice towards humans or were simply tools operating in a certain manner. ¡°They might not have a self-awareness, but it¡¯s good to meet and talk once. We need to know what they want and what their goal is.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Barbosa looked at Ketal with a curious gaze. Ketal shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just a simple mercenary. Such grand matters are not my concern. They are your concerns.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± The conversation came to an end. ¡°So, what are your ns from now on?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m in the Kingdom of Denian, I n to do some sightseeing. I also intend to visit the House of Akasha.¡± ¡°¡­Are you acquainted with the House of Akasha?¡± ¡°You mean Milena? I have a connection with her.¡± Barbosa¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°You know the head of the House of Akasha?¡± ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°She is an outstanding woman. The public perception may not be great, but she is doing what is necessary for the country.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Receiving praise even from the king¡ªAkasha had certainly seeded. ¡°The House of Akasha is based in the capital. It¡¯s not far from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s close.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Barbosa, observing him for a moment, spoke up. ¡°Do you have any identification?¡± ¡°I have a C-rank mercenary badge. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°You seem to be mistaken. This is the capital of the Kingdom of Denian. A C-rank mercenary badge isn¡¯t enough to move freely. You¡¯ll likely face various bothersome procedures.¡± ¡°Really?¡± That was unexpected. Ketal thought a C-rank mercenary badge would solve most issues. Barbosa exined. A C-rank mercenary was recognized as a proper mercenary, but they were still just a mercenary. The capital was a ce where nobles resided. A C-rank might not be trusted enough to be freely epted. Procedures and inspections were required, especially in a strong nation like the Kingdom of Denian. It wasn¡¯t umon to be detained for months. ¡°It¡¯s not just our kingdom. Most capitals of any major kingdom require procedures and inspections for C-rank mercenaries.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal was interested in the procedures of this fantasy world, but he had no intention of being tied down for months. Movement was more restricted than he had expected. Barbosa, noticing Ketal¡¯s contemtion, spoke up. ¡°You n to travel around this world, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°In that case, I will prepare a proof of identity for you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You brought Elene here.¡± Barbosa spoke calmly. ¡°Even if she is now changed, she is the child of my friend. Consider it a token of my gratitude.¡± Barbosa gestured to the knight who had stepped back. The knight hesitated for a moment but then nodded and left. ¡°It will be a badge that attests to your identity as endorsed by me. Except for special ces like the Imperial capital or the holy sites of the Church, you should be able to enter with just a simple verification. I will have it prepared for you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal was touched. He had looked forward to meeting a king but hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to go smoothly. To them, he was a barbarian and a foreigner. But the king was showing such kindness and consideration. The stereotype of kings being cruel and greedy was being dispelled. ¡°There is one request. Should a situation arise in the future rted to this matter, I may ask for your cooperation. I will offer satisfactorypensation, so it would be appreciated if you could assist.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be grateful for that. Thank you.¡± Ketal beamed. * * * Ketal had left. Barbosa sat on the throne, staring absently at the closed door. Suddenly, he spoke. ¡°Is this satisfactory?¡± [Yes, well done, child.] With a low voice, a skull appeared. [Thank you for amodating my sudden request.] ¡°What choice did I have, knowing the consequences of refusing the Tower Master¡¯s request?¡± [Consequences? There are none. It would just sadden me, that¡¯s all.] ¡°And isn¡¯t that a consequence?¡± [Oh,e now. You¡¯re bing more difficult as you grow older.] Barbosa sighed. He had known the Tower Master since childhood. Technically, it was more that the monster had taken an interest in him and sought him out. Many envied his connection with the Tower Master, but from Barbosa¡¯s perspective, he wished someone would take this old monster off his hands. ¡°But for you to act directly¡­ Are the rumors true?¡± [Yes. The world is distorting.] ¡°I was aware of that. I thought it was just a rumor.¡± [It¡¯s no longer just a rumor.] The Tower Master chuckled. [Those creatures are likely the starting point. Child, are you familiar with the forest that holds nothing?] ¡°I am.¡± It appeared to be an ordinary forest, but once entered, one could never leave. Upon leaving, one would vanish instantly. It was one of the Forbidden Lands in the world. [Upon inspection, that forest has turned into a truly ordinary forest. One can enter and leave without any issues.] ¡°What?¡± Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. [Frightened, I checked other Forbidden Lands. Fortunately, only that one has changed. But¡­ who knows when the door might open.] ¡°That¡¯s¡­ rming.¡± [The bnce between the Forbidden Lands and reality is breaking.] The Tower Master murmured. [It¡¯s not just the Forbidden Lands that are the problem. The evil ones, the gods, and other entities are also distorting. Even the seals on abominations are weakening little by little.] ¡°Abominations? This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn [It¡¯s a tale from ancient history, forgotten now. Only a very few old ones like me still know about it. Perhaps the Emperor knows? I can¡¯t fathom his schemes.] The Tower Master clicked his jaw. [Distortions are appearing one by one. There seem to be constraints, so for now, there aren¡¯t any major movements¡­ but either way, it¡¯s not good for humanity. We need to prepare.] ¡°One of those preparations involves that barbarian?¡± The Tower Master had suddenly appeared and made a request to Barbosa. He had asked him to show kindness to the barbarian who woulde. Ketal believed that Elene¡¯s insistence was what allowed him to enter, but in reality, it was possible because the Tower Master was behind it. Barbosa, looking puzzled, asked, ¡°Is that barbarian really that important? I understand he¡¯s an extraordinary warrior since he defeated Adamant, but there are many such individuals. I didn¡¯t think he was someone the Tower Master would concern himself with.¡± [If you look at it from a purely results-based perspective, you might think that.] The Tower Master smiled. Only those who had seen the true nature of the barbarian could understand his value. Instead of exining, he redirected the question. [What do you think of that barbarian?] ¡°¡­He¡¯s peculiar. And alien.¡± Barbosa frowned. An alien entity that could rece humans. And to suggest having a conversation with such a being. At first, he thought Ketal was just a smart and rational barbarian. But the more they talked, the more he felt something was different. This barbarian did not share the same values. ¡°But the deration¡¯s result was that he is human.¡± The Deration of Humanity, which could only be used by those with the blood of the Denian royal family, had been employed. But there was a deception involved. The deration wasn¡¯t necessary. The moment he faced someone, he could tell if they were human or not. And Ketal¡¯s result was human. [A human. Whatever the truth may be, it seems he believes himself to be human. That¡¯s a relief.] ¡°What is he, then?¡± [A being from the distortions.] ¡°Distortions?¡± Barbosa¡¯s face went pale as he understood the meaning. The Tower Master chuckled. [The world is distorting. In a way that¡¯s not good for us. Aliens wille out.] The Tower Master murmured. [In that case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to befriend an alien who is friendly toward humans.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 67 – Milena Akasha (1) Chapter 67 ¨C Milena Akasha (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 67 ¨C Milena Akasha (1) Elene asked in a cautious manner. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°Because there is no reason to stay any longer.¡± Ketal responded to Elene¡¯s words. ¡°The rest is your problem now.¡± Whether they would try to negotiate with the Lutein Kingdom or take up arms was up to Elene and Barbosa. Ketal¡¯s task had only been to escort Elene to the Denian Kingdom. His mission wasplete, and he had received his proof ofpletion. ¡°If you propose a new task in the future, I might ept it, but for now, there¡¯s nothing more for me to do. From here on, you have to make the decisions.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Elene bowed her head. After observing her for a moment, Ketal asked, ¡°What is Aaron doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s shut himself in his room. He hasn¡¯t eaten and doesn¡¯t respond when spoken to. He seems physically fine since I can sense his presence.¡± Elene chuckled faintly as she spoke. ¡°Maybe hemitted suicide and then resurrected. ¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°Why apologize?¡± ¡°¡­I promised to give you a reward for your services.¡± A simple escort had turned into opposing a kingdom. Elene had decided to give Ketal whatever he wanted as a reward, even if it meant giving herself. But she knew no one would want a monstrous existence like her. She bit her lip in self-reproach. ¡°You seem troubled.¡± ¡°Barbosa said that I, Farman, and Aaron are all human.¡± There was no distinction between them and humans. ¡°I am¡­¡± Elene couldn¡¯t continue and fell silent. After a long pause, she finally asked. ¡°What am I?¡± Was she human or a deathless monster? ¡°You believe you are human.¡± ¡°But Adamanth said I was one of their kind. He¡­is probably right.¡± ¡°What does that matter? You think of yourself as human.¡± Ketal¡¯s words weren¡¯t meant tofort her. He genuinely seemed puzzled as to why she was even worrying about it. Elene looked up at him without realizing it. ¡°Do you remember the story of Theseus¡¯s ship?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°What do you think the answer is?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not Theseus¡¯s ship.¡± It was just something carrying the name of Theseus¡¯s ship after being reced. Ketal shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s a paradox with no answer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°From the beginning, it¡¯s a paradox. There¡¯s no right answer. What¡¯s important is how the person hearing the story perceives it.¡± Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°As I said before, I don¡¯t know the former Elene. I only know the Elene of now. Whether you¡¯re human or not is a secondary issue.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°I also spent a long time in a terrible ce, but I still think of myself as human.¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened at his words. ¡°Did you have a simr experience?¡± Ketal nodded. The white wilderness. At one point, it was hard to even maintain his values as a human. He seriously considered giving up and bing like his barbarianpanions. But he retained his humanity and modern sensibilities. ¡°If you can¡¯t decide, set a goal. You promised to give me a reward. But you have nothing to give now. So it¡¯s simple. Survive and seed to the point where you can give me a fitting reward.¡± ¡°¡­How could a monster like me do that?¡± ¡°Use it to your advantage.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°An alienated human. I think that¡¯s rather unique. It has value.¡± Elene couldn¡¯t hide her surprise at his calm words. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°There is no right answer. Whether you live as a human or ept the otherness that swallowed your kingdom and be their princess, it¡¯s your choice.¡± The princess of the otherness. That was also a path for Elene. Elene stared nkly at Ketal. Using her altered self had never urred to her. After a final farewell, Ketal left. But Elene didn¡¯t move. She stood there as if frozen. ¡°I¡­¡± She murmured again. ¡°I am¡­¡± The words did not continue as they had before. However, Elene¡¯s eyes, instead of wavering, gradually settled. As if making a resolution, she rose from her seat. * * * The room was extremely simple. There were no luxurious decorations, adornments, or jewels. However, the quality and sheen of each piece of furniture were different. The bookshelf was made of solid wood, and the covers of the books were all fine leather. In the corner of the room stood an expensive full-length mirror. The woman, who appeared to be the owner of the room, was seated in a chair. Her blue hair swayed. Fatigue was evident in her ck eyes as she pressed her fingers against the corners of her eyes while looking at the documents on the table. ¡°In conclusion, you¡¯re saying there¡¯s no money to repay the debt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The man standing in front of her nodded. His attitude was exceedingly confident, without a trace of shame or self-reproach, causing the woman to inadvertentlyugh. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to repay the debt, yet you¡¯re so confident.¡± ¡°I am the master of the great Diablos family. I will not be humbled by mere money.¡± An ordinary noble would have been impressed and shown respect for such confidence. But the woman sneered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you on the verge of copsing because of that money?¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°¡­How rude.¡± ¡°That should be my line.¡± The woman carefully scanned the documents. They contained disastrous numbers. ¡°The Diablos family. You borrowed money to save your family from copsing due to the expenses of consecutive balls. It was a substantial amount. Where did all that money go?¡± ¡°I attempted to rebuild, but failed.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem ashamed despite saying that.¡± ¡°I am not one to be ashamed of failure.¡± It was a typically noble attitude. That mindset was certainly correct. But the woman was neither impressed nor moved. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Failure? Well, I suppose squandering it in gambling and games of chance to revive your family counts as failure. You even beat up and dismissed the servants who tried to stop you.¡± ¡°You, you!¡± The man¡¯s face turned red. He pointed his finger at the woman in anger. ¡°How dare you insult me!¡± ¡°Insults are only possible when you¡¯re worth it.¡± ¡°I am the master of the Diablos family!¡± ¡°A family on the brink of bankruptcy with no money. Honores from money, power, and character, and you have none of those.¡± The woman put down the documents as if she found further conversation tiresome. ¡°The deadline is one month. If you can¡¯t repay by then, the Diablos family wille under our control. You won¡¯t be able to use the Diablos name anymore. Be aware of that.¡± ¡°W-what!¡± His eyes widened. He looked as if he was hearing this for the first time, making the woman chuckle. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the contract you signed in the first ce? Why are you so surprised now that you used your family¡¯s name as coteral?¡± The woman rang a bell. The door opened, and guards entered. ¡°Please do your best to protect your proud family.¡± ¡°Y-you wench! Do you think this tyranny will be tolerated!¡± ¡°I am acting in ordance with the nation¡¯s will. The tyranny lies with you, who won¡¯t repay the debt.¡± ¡°You madwoman!¡± The man lunged at the woman, but the guards restrained him, preventing him from reaching his target. He struggled, but couldn¡¯t break free from the trained guards¡¯ grip. ¡°Milena Akasha!¡± The man shouted, his face contorted. ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace who stained the Akasha family with money! A heretic who knows no honor! There¡¯s a reason you abandoned your parents and siblings, even your retainers who apanied you through the hellscape!¡± Despite his tirade, Milena¡¯s expression remained unchanged. N?v(el)B\\jnn The man continued his rant but was soon dragged out. One of the returning guards asked cautiously, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She calmly picked up the documents. ¡°What is the next schedule?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s the inspection of the mansion put up as coteral. It¡¯s about a twenty-minute walk.¡± ¡°We should verify it immediately. Let¡¯s move.¡± She rose from her seat. Her expression remained unchanged from beginning to end. * * * A wide boulevard. People walking along the street flinched and kept their distance. They avoided eye contact or lowered their heads as if they didn¡¯t want to look at him. Consequently, arge circle formed. In the center of that circle stood a barbarian. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s spacious.¡± Barbarian. Ketal looked around in admiration. ¡®Is this the capital?¡¯ The streets were quite clean. Compared to the citizens of the Barkan territory, people here wore much neater and more refined clothes. The buildings were also a step up from those in Barkan, not just in size but in variety. The street vendors were selling a wide range of interesting and unique items. ¡®Nice.¡¯ Although Barkan territory was certainly a fine domain, there were many parts that operated on a hit-or-miss basis. It felt more like a vige than a city. But this ce was different. It was systematically organized, like a modern nned city. However, it didn¡¯t feel entirely modern either. It had a peculiar fantasy character to it as well. The Barkan territory, representing a typical fantasy setting, was great, but this ce had its own charm. Ketal enjoyed looking around. ¡°Hey.¡± Someone approached him. Dressed in armor and holding a spear, they asked with a tense expression, ¡°Do you have any means to prove your identity?¡± ¡°This is the third time already. Here it is.¡± He had been stopped by the guards three times in the twenty minutes since he left the royal castle and walked through the capital. It could have been annoying, but Ketal was pleased. He had learned that the security in this fantasy world wasn¡¯t asx as he thought. Ketal showed the emblem given to him by Barbosa. The guard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Is it confirmed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s confirmed, but¡­¡± The guard looked back and forth between the emblem and Ketal. Even if a barbarian adorned himself with jewels, he wouldn¡¯t be looked at like that. After a while, the guard returned the emblem with a stammer. ¡°H-here you go.¡± The guard hurriedly left. Ketal took the emblem back. ¡®They all react the same when they see this emblem.¡¯ Initially, they approached Ketal with tense, wary expressions, but after seeing the emblem, they started to show respect in a different kind of tension. ¡®Whatever it is.¡¯ With this emblem, there was no problem moving around. Ketal resumed his walk with pleasure. And then he saw it. A massive building on the outskirts of the main road. ¡°That¡¯s big.¡± The building was about twice the size of the surrounding buildings. This was the Akasha family¡¯s main house. ¡®It looks like they¡¯ve truly seeded.¡¯ He had heard rumors, but seeing it in person was a unique experience. The woman he met in the white wilderness, who showed every emotion on her face, was now the owner of this huge building. Ketal approached the building¡¯s entrance. ¡°Hey, barbarian!¡± A guard, taken aback, pointed his spear. ¡°Leave immediately! This is the Akasha family! Barbarians are not allowed here!¡± ¡°I am an invited guest.¡± Expecting resistance, Ketal exined. The guard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Invited. By whom?¡± ¡°Milena Akasha. She invited me. She said I should visit sometime.¡± Upon hearing this, the guard¡¯s demeanor changed. Instead of rxing, his tension increased. He gripped his spear tighter. ¡°Everyone, over here! We have an intruder!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 68 – Milena Akasha (2) Chapter 68 ¨C Milena Akasha (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 68 ¨C Milena Akasha (2) The guards, hearing themotion, rushed out in a hurry. They saw Ketal and were horrified. ¡°A barbarian!¡± ¡°Why is there a barbarian in the capital?¡± They pointed their spears at him. Ketal, who was quickly surrounded, tilted his head in confusion. ¡®Did I misunderstand something?¡¯ Ketal spoke again. ¡°I am not an enemy. Milena Akasha invited me.¡± He enunciated each word clearly, making sure there was no misunderstanding. And the guards understood without misunderstanding. Their expressions hardened. ¡°An intruder!¡± ¡°You scoundrel! Are you an agent of the mage?¡± ¡°No. I really am not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make usugh! Lady Milena is the Iron Lady. Do you think she would invite a filthy barbarian like you?¡± ¡°Iron Lady?¡± It seemed that was Milena¡¯s nickname. ¡®She didn¡¯t give off that impression.¡¯ She was smart but her emotions were clearly disyed on her face. He tried to say more, but they didn¡¯t seem inclined to listen. At times like this, tangible proof was best. Ketal reached into his pocket. ¡°She gave me this and told me toe.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The guards¡¯ eyes widened. Ketal produced a token engraved with the symbol of the Akasha family. ¡°And fearing I might be troubled for being a barbarian, he also gave me a pass to move freely within the Kingdom of Denian.¡± Ketal took out the pass that Barbosa had given him. The guards¡¯ eyes widened even more. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Confusion spread like a wave. The guards didn¡¯t know what to do and hesitated. At that moment, a voice was heard from behind. ¡°What¡¯s all thismotion?¡± ¡°Captain!¡± The guards brightened. They approached the man they called captain and exined the situation. As he listened, the captain¡¯s expression grew increasingly odd. ¡°¡­Barbarian. You say Lady Milena invited you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you find it hard to believe, but it¡¯s true. She gave me this.¡± Ketal showed the token to the captain. After examining it for a moment, the captain¡¯s face was filled with surprise. ¡°This is¡­¡± The token bore the symbol of the Akasha family, a very precious item crafted by the family¡¯s skilled artisans. Thus, the captain could tell. It was not a fake. Creating such a detailed replica would be impossible. ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ As far as the captain knew, very few people had received such tokens. And now, a barbarian had one? ¡°And I also have this.¡± Ketal handed over the pass. The captain¡¯s face twisted in a bizarre expression. ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± The pass bore the emblem of the Kingdom of Denian. It was a certification provided by the royal family. The more emblems it had, the higher the status it represented. One emblem indicated a connection to the royal family. Two emblems indicated close ties to the royal bloodline. And three emblems meant the king himself certified the bearer¡¯s status. Having a pass with three emblems from the Kingdom of Denian meant one was practically equal to a high-ranking noble. And Ketal¡¯s pass had three emblems engraved on it. ¡®Did His Majesty Barbosa grant this to a barbarian?¡¯ A barbarian possessing both the token of the Akasha family and a pass from the Kingdom of Denian. The captain¡¯s head spun. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem fake¡­¡¯ In fact, it seemed more suspicious because it was so unbelievable. Just having one would be astonishing, but he had both. After a long contemtion, the captain finally spoke. ¡°¡­This is beyond my authority. I will ask Lady Milena directly when she arrives.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°But I have one condition. Until she arrives, you will be temporarily detained.¡± He couldn¡¯t fully trust him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t dismiss him either. So, until Milena arrived, they would keep Ketal detained. That was the captain¡¯s decision. Ketal did not refuse. ¡°No problem. So, where will I be staying?¡± ¡°¡­There is a room in the basement of the mansion. I will guide you there.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. A room in the basement of a noble¡¯s mansion. It sounded like the kind of ce where something might be sealed or hidden. ¡®Could there be a secret room?¡¯ ¡°Please lead the way.¡± Ketal said with a smile. His seemingly eager attitude puzzled the captain. ¡®What¡¯s with him?¡¯ When you think about it, the captain¡¯s actions were extremely rude. He was essentially saying he would lock up a guest who had been invited. If Ketal, a barbarian who disliked confinement and loved freedom, decided to go on a rampage, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising. So, the captain had been bracing himself, but instead, Ketal seemed pleased. ¡°Ah, I understand. Follow me.¡± The captain struggled to hide his confusion and took the lead. Ketal leisurely followed. * * * Late at night. After confirming the coteral, Milena returned to her home. The guard at the door bowed. ¡°You¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°Yes. Good work.¡± ¡°Miss, I have something to report.¡± ¡°Is it urgent?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that way¡­.¡± The guard, having been on a shift change, hadn¡¯t witnessed the events of the day. All he knew was that a barbarian was in the basement. Since the intruder had already been detained and was under strict surveince, it shouldn¡¯t pose a problem. Considering the person was just a barbarian and not of high status, it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter. ¡°In that case, please tell me tomorrow. I¡¯m a bit tired.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Understood.¡± The guard bowed and stepped back. Entering her home, Milena went straight to her room. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. The soft fabric embraced her body gently. This was the only time she had to rest in her daily routine. After a moment, she reached out. With practiced movements, she grabbed a bottle of wine and uncorked it. She carefully poured it into a ss and brought it to her lips. The aroma of the wine filled her nostrils. After a few sips, she began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Swirling the ss absently, she muttered. ¡°¡­An outcast abandoned by family and retainers, huh.¡± She suddenly recalled the words of the fool from Diablos earlier that day. A bitter smile formed on her lips. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Even the onepanion who had traveled with her to the White Snowfield had felt distanced by her actions and left. She was used to it by now, but the loneliness was still there. How many months had it been since she started spending her nights with wine? She closed her eyes. And then, it was the next day. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] After getting ready, she opened the door. The guard standing by bowed. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She had a quick meal and went into her office to organize documents. Soon, it was lunchtime. A guard entered. ¡°Miss, your meal is ready.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that time already. I understand.¡± She tidied up her papers and stood up. After lunch, she returned to her office. She spent hours handling documents until evening. A guard came in again to inform her that dinner was ready. She acknowledged and got up. As she followed the guard, she suddenly remembered and spoke. ¡°Come to think of it, Mk, you had something to say yesterday.¡± She had forgotten about it. The guard, too, seemed to have just remembered. ¡°Oh, yes. Someone came to see you.¡± ¡°To see me? Is it a debtor?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°¡­Then is it a family member?¡± ¡°Not that either.¡± A look of puzzlement appeared on Milena¡¯s face. ¡°Who is it?¡± The guard exined. Milena¡¯s face went pale. * * * Milena ran frantically. Normally, for the sake of decorum, she would have walked quickly instead of running. But this time, there was no room for such consideration. ¡®No.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be. It must be a mistake. She kept muttering to herself as she reached the basement room. ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Move aside.¡± Her stern words made the guard quickly step aside. She opened the door. And there was a barbarian inside. ¡°Oh, Milena. Good to see you again.¡± ¡°Ke-Ketal sir.¡± Milena¡¯s expression crumbled upon seeing Ketal¡¯s face. She hurriedly bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Ketal sir! How dare we ce you in such a humble room! I apologize!¡± Milena felt like she was going to lose her mind. To think she had imprisoned the barbarian of the White Snowfield! For more than a whole day! The mere thought of what would happen if he were to get angry was terrifying. But Ketal¡¯s expression remained calm. ¡°This room is more than adequate.¡± The room Ketal was in was a basement room used to secretly amodate visiting nobles or merchants. Except for being underground, the room itself wasn¡¯t bad. It was a small relief in an unfortunate situation. ¡°I invited you, so I apologize for not providing you with proper amodations.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Except for theck of secret rooms, it was a good room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to prepare one next time.¡± ¡°No, it was a joke. No need to take it seriously.¡± ¡®Huh, what?¡¯ The guard captain, observing the scene, was bewildered. Milena Akasha. The head of the Akasha family and the Iron Lady. Even when her family left or debtors begged and pleaded with her, she handled everything without changing her expression. Seeing her apologize and be flustered in front of someone was a first. It meant that this barbarian was significant enough to unsettle the Iron Lady. ¡®¡­I¡¯m dead.¡¯ He had locked up such a person in the basement. After finishing her conversation, Milena approached the guard captain. ¡°Please escort him to the reception room. And¡­ I¡¯ll see you allter.¡± Milena ground her teeth. The guard captain¡¯s face turned pale. * * * In the reception room, Ketal held a teacup. A pleasant aroma spread through the air. After taking a sip, Ketal¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Good.¡± The taste and aroma were excellent. It would be hard to find tea leaves of such quality even in modern times. Sitting across from him, Milena apologized again. ¡°I apologize once more. The guards were unaware of who you were and acted rudely.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal really seemed unconcerned. Only then did Milena genuinely feel relieved. ¡°Well then, Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°Drop the ¡®Mr.¡¯¡± ¡°Um¡­ Ketal?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ketal nodded. Milena, feeling ufortable with the new address, spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Ketal.¡± ¡°Yes. How many years has it been?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s been three years.¡± ¡°Time flies.¡± Ketal muttered. It had already been three years since hest saw Milena. Milena, watching him, cautiously asked. ¡°When I asked you before, you said you couldn¡¯te because of matters in the White Snowfield. Have those issues been resolved?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal smiled. Milena shivered for a moment. It was a beast-like smile, perfectly revealing his emotions. ¡°I¡¯vepletely resolved them. Thanks to that, I was able to escape that wretched ce.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 69 – Milena Akasha (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 69 ¨C Milena Akasha (3) Milena instinctively shuddered. Ketal merelyughed, but it felt as if her head was halfway into the jaws of a beast that hadn¡¯t eaten in a week. ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ Milena shook her head slightly. She knew this barbarian well enough. There was no reason to be afraid. Suppressing her fear, she spoke. ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°And it seems you have also achieved quite a bit of sess.¡± While staying in the basement, Ketal had asked the guards about what had happened to Milena. The story he heard was quite surprising. She had sessfully navigated the White Snowfield and earned a tremendous amount of money. She revived her fallen family and still had plenty to spare. Having saved her family with a life-risking venture, she garnered overwhelming support from her vassals. The title of being a concubine¡¯s child meant nothing in the face of her achievements. She quickly took control. Since then, she had used the remaining funds for several investments and ventures, most of which seeded. In just three years, she turned her near-copse family into a highly sessful one. The Akasha family now had significant influence in the Denian Kingdom, enough to directly engage with the royal family. Her achievements were so significant that, despite her father still being alive, she became the head of the Akasha family. Akasha spoke calmly. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ketal. If you hadn¡¯t helped me back then, I would have be a corpse buried in the snow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say. You were the one who took the life-risking challenge, so you deserve the rewards.¡± Ketal chuckled. ¡°But.¡± He nced sideways. An elderly woman was ring at him with wary eyes from behind Akasha. ¡°Is she your housekeeper?¡± ¡°Yes. She helps me.¡± ¡°Not the old man I saw in the White Snowfield.¡± The old man who had apanied Milena to the White Snowfield was nowhere to be seen. Milena¡¯s face darkened. ¡°He¡­ left. To support my family.¡± Her voice was sad, and Ketal didn¡¯t press further. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a story there.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because I¡¯mcking.¡± A moment of silence followed. Just as Milena was about to say something, a sound was heard. Gurgle. ¡°¡­¡± Milena quickly exined. ¡°It was just about time to prepare dinner.¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry about that. How about having some food?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me, Ketal? It¡¯s too much for me to eat alone anyway.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up. The thought of a noble¡¯s meal was too good to pass up. Milena stood up. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t properly greeted you.¡± She suddenly remembered and looked at Ketal. She then bowed respectfully, a very noble-like gesture. ¡°Milena Akasha, as the 22nd head of the Akasha family, I wee my benefactor as a guest. Ketal.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. * * * Ketaly on the bed in the room he was shown to. ¡°Nice.¡± The food was delicious. The spices were a bit strong, but the dishes were meticulously prepared. He was impressed by the noble¡¯s cuisine. Though he had stayed briefly in the Denian royal castle, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to rx and enjoy himself. The meals provided were simple and functional. It was somewhat disappointing for Ketal, who had hoped for a royal feast. However, being treated to a noble¡¯s meal made up for it. ¡®The room is great too.¡¯ Though not as luxurious as the castle¡¯s rooms, it was splendid enough. ¡°Such luxury.¡± If it were the modern day, the room would easily cost over a million won per night. Staying in such rooms twice in two days made him feel quite pleased. As he was rolling around, someone opened the door. It was Milena. She was lightly dressed, perhaps ready for bed. She hesitated at the doorway. Ketal was lying on the bed, rolling around. Seeing therge barbarian rolling on a bed his size was a rather strange sight. Ketal asked nonchntly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Milena, havingposed herself, waved the wine bottle and spoke. ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded. Milena entered the room and took a sip of wine. They spent time engaging in small talk. As the night grew deeper and the wine bottle was half empty, Milena¡¯s face had turned slightly red from the alcohol. Ketal, on the other hand, showed no change. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re strong¡­ I¡¯m not weak myself¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± Ketal sipped his wine. The barbarians of the snowfield were maniacs for both alcohol andbat. Some literally drank themselves to death. Naturally, Ketal had grown ustomed to it as well. ¡°So, what¡¯s your business? Didn¡¯t youe here because you had something to say?¡± ¡°¡­Did you notice?¡± Milena gave a wry smile. For a noblewoman to enter a man¡¯s room at night could severely damage her honor if rumors spread. N?v(el)B\\jnn Even without rumors, there was a considerable physical risk. Nevertheless, she had no choice but toe. Milena began to speak. ¡°Ketal, do you know what I did after leaving the snowfield?¡± ¡°I know you made various investments and business ventures. Beyond that, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Will you listen to me?¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Milena began to exin. ¡°I sessfullypleted the White Snowfield expedition. As a result, just as you predicted, I gained real power.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] With the power she had gained, she attempted various investments. Although her family and father opposed her, her authority, having saved the family, was significant. Her father, the head of the family at the time, had repeatedly failed, bringing the family to the brink of copse, so in the end, he allowed her to proceed with her ns. She secured weapon contracts and sales, invested in spices, and more. Whether it was due to her skill or luck, most of her ventures seeded. The family quickly amassed a great deal of money. While everyone praised and revered her, Milena felt frustrated. ¡°Although the family was sessful, simple investments were extremely risky. There was no guarantee that the family wouldn¡¯t copse again.¡± A single misstep could bring the family down again. The risk was far too greatpared to the returns. She was constantly gued by anxiety. So she pondered. What kind of investment would bring the greatest return with the least risk? After endless deliberation, she reached a conclusion. Lend money to those in urgent need of it. Safeguard the money for those who needed it stored. Collect the fees and interest from those transactions. That was the conclusion she reached. It required a substantial initial capital, but she had enough money from her previous ventures. She immediately put her n into action, announcing that the Akasha family would also handle financial transactions. And in just three months. She made more money than she had with all her previous sessesbined. She herself was astonished. The Akasha family quickly gained enormous influence. ¡°I seeded by buying and selling money.¡± Milena looked at Ketal with an anxious face. ¡°Ketal, what do you think of my decision?¡± Barbarian Ketal. He was the only person who had seen through her true intentions. And barbarians detested those who bought and sold money more than anyone else. What would Ketal think of her? Milena bit her lip quietly. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°Does it matter?¡± His tone was so casual that it instantly erased her anxiety. Milena¡¯s face wavered for a moment. ¡°D-Doesn¡¯t it matter to you?¡± ¡°I heard you got the king¡¯s permission. Didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I met His Majesty personally and received his permission.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem.¡± Buying and selling money. It could be seen as no different from loan sharks or usurers. But Milena was operating with the approval of the Denian Kingdom. That changed the story significantly. A massive financial institution moving with the country¡¯s recognition. This was a bank. ¡®The Rothschild family.¡¯ A modern conglomerate holding hundreds of trillions of won. They also started as an ordinary merchant family before establishing a bank after some sess. The Akasha family was following the same path. ¡®Did the Rothschild family start this way too?¡¯ He might be witnessing the beginning of a family that could control the world¡¯s wealth. As Ketal showed no particr reaction, Milena stammered and asked. ¡°Do you¡­ not think I¡¯m base or dirty? Like a ghost obsessed with money?¡± ¡°Some might see it that way, but I don¡¯t particrly care.¡± Medieval people were said to despise and loathe those who bought and sold money. Many literary works of that era portrayed merchants as viins. However, Ketal was a modern person. Milena might be reviled if she were a loan shark, but as a banker operating with the country¡¯s approval, there was nothing to hate. ¡°You lend money to those who need it and safeguard it for those who don¡¯t. There¡¯s nothing to hate. You¡¯re just doing your job.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Milena¡¯s voice rose. Since she ventured into banking, her family had used her of tarnishing the Akasha family¡¯s honor and left her. People around her looked at her with disdain, calling her obsessed with money. Even the old man who had risked his life with her in the White Snowfield could not understand her and left. She was alone. She believed she wasn¡¯t wrong. Making risky investments for the sake of honor could lead to losing everything if they failed. This was the right way. She convinced herself of that because otherwise, her heart felt like it would crumble. Being called the Iron Lady was because she had shielded her heart. But it was hard. She wished for just one person to understand her. And now, Ketal was saying the words she longed to hear. Come to think of it, Ketal had always been like that. He was the only one who had seen through her true intentions when no one else had. He was her only confidant. Tears welled up in Milena¡¯s eyes. * * * The elderly woman walked down the corridor with a worried expression, holding antern. ¡®Will she be alright?¡¯ Milena had told her not toe looking for her as she was going to visit the guest¡¯s room. But she couldn¡¯t help worrying. Carefully, she made her way to the room where Ketal was staying. And as she got closer, she heard a woman¡¯s sobs. T he elderly woman¡¯s face hardened. She rushed to the door and grabbed the handle. Just as she was about to forcefully open the door, she heard voices from inside. ¡°So, I¡¯m saying I did it all for the family. Continuing with risky investments and ending up with nothing is insane. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Yes. I think so.¡± ¡°Borrowing money and not paying it back, and then talking about honor. Honor! If that¡¯s the case, they should pay back the money first. Don¡¯t you find it shameless?¡± ¡°It is shameless.¡± ¡°You really get me, Ketal. You understand me perfectly.¡± ¡°All I¡¯m doing is agreeing with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The elderly woman stopped with her hand on the doorknob. What is she hearing? For a moment, she doubted her ears. She thought it couldn¡¯t be Milena, but the voice was unmistakably Milena¡¯s. The Iron Lady, Milena Akasha. The woman who had never shown any change in expression while leading the family to this point, was now drunk andining. And in front of a barbarian, no less. The elderly woman was utterly confused. In the end, she could do nothing but let go of the doorknob. She didn¡¯t hear anything. That¡¯s what she decided. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 70 – Milena Akasha (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 70 ¨C Milena Akasha (4) The next day. Milena, with a pale face, came to see Ketal. ¡°You¡¯re awake. How¡¯s the hangover?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She waspletely sober. Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate, it was hard to tell, but she wasn¡¯t the type to forget things just because she was drunk. So, she remembered. She remembered whining to Ketal for over two hours about how hard things were. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I showed you such a shameful side of myself.¡± She wasn¡¯t usually like that. She always moderated her drinking, and even when she asionally drank too much, she never lost herself. But in front of this barbarian, she could let everything out. Maybe because she let herself go, she became a drunkard. Ketal spoke nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m used to drunkenness, so it¡¯s no big deal. If you want, I can forget about it.¡± ¡°Th-that would be appreciated.¡± Milena bowed her head deeply. She then coughed, trying to regain herposure and straightened her posture. Ketal couldn¡¯t help butugh at her attempt to pretend yesterday¡¯s events never happened. ¡°What are your ns, Ketal? Do you have any specific goals?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a clear goal, but if I had to say, it¡¯s sightseeing.¡± ¡°Sightseeing¡­?¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Denian is a strong nation, isn¡¯t it? Am I wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Milena nodded. The Kingdom of Denian was strong. It wasparable to thebined strength of two or three average kingdoms. Among the many countries in the world, the Kingdom of Denian was in the upper echelon. ¡°Then there must be a lot to see. I came to meet you, but I also want to look around.¡± What in this ce would bring him joy? He was quite looking forward to it. Hearing his words, Milena pondered for a moment before speaking. ¡°Have you decided where you¡¯ll be staying?¡± ¡°Not really. I was thinking of going to a nearby inn.¡± ¡°In that case, how about staying at my residence?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal looked at Milena in surprise. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind, but are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Milena nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t feel obligated.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal was lightly touched. When he had saved Milena, it was purely by chance. He had gone out for a walk to get away from his tiresome kind for a while and happened upon Milena¡¯s trade caravan. He approached her to talk to someone from the outside world. But for that action toe back to him in this way¡­ ¡®It¡¯s like the magpie that repaid a favor.¡¯ Anyway, it was a good thing for him too. Staying at a noble¡¯s residence was not an opportunity that came by easily. ¡°Then I¡¯ll gratefully ept. Is listening to yourints likest night enough of a price?¡± At his yful remark, Milena¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°N-no! That won¡¯t be necessary anymore.¡± ¡°I was joking. If you want anything from me, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine.¡± Milena looked at Ketal. When she first met him in the White Snowfield, she had such intentions. A being with great power. Someone who could understand the essence of things and make deductions. She had wanted to lure him with the desire for material things and make him her ally. But not anymore. He didn¡¯t look at her strangely. He didn¡¯t despise or criticize her actions. He just gave her a neutral, indifferent gaze. That made Milena feel veryfortable. Just having Ketal by her side brought her peace of mind. ¡°Please stay as long as you like. If you ever want to leave, just let me know.¡± Milena hesitated after saying that. Seeing her fumbling, Ketal chuckled. ¡°Go ahead and say it.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I might be contradicting myself, but if it¡¯s alright, could you sometimes be my conversation partner?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll dly do it.¡± * * * Ketal decided to stay at the Akasha family¡¯s residence for the time being. Milena told him to restfortably and went to her office. She looked at her desk with a gloomy face. There was a stack of documents piled as high as her torso. ¡°I didn¡¯t look at themst night, and now they¡¯ve piled up again.¡± With a weary expression, she sat down in her chair. She reached for a document and began to review its contents with practiced ease. [Young Lord Aimak Pand, the 23rd heir of the Pand family, inquires about repayment. He asks if the repayment period can be extended. I cannot make this decision, so I am passing it on to you, Lady Milena.] Milena sighed after reading the content. Most of the documents were like this. The Akasha family did not lend money to just anyone. Borrowers needed to have corresponding honor, reputation, or coteral to receive a loan. Therefore, the debtors were often nobles or people of simr status. When they made requests, the staff working under her couldn¡¯t properly handle them. Despite the debt, the debtors were still nobles. Only the head of the Akasha family, a fellow noble, could deal with them. As a result, all these matters ended up on her desk. From people refusing to repay and standing their ground, to cases of violence when collecting debts. ¡®I wish this part could be resolved.¡¯ But it wouldn¡¯t be resolved. The debtors were nobles, after all. She slowly started to organize the documents. As she managed to reduce the stack to half its original size, the door opened. ¡°Oh, Miss!¡± It was a guard. His impolite entry without knocking made Milena frown. She intended to reprimand him, but her thoughts changed when she saw his expression. The guard was pale. Even paler than when she had personally delivered a punishment. The guard spoke, and Milena¡¯s face turned just as white. ¡°Th-the Sword of Denian has arrived!¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Wee.¡± In the reception room, Milena bowed stiffly. A man sat on the sofa opposite her. This man had stood behind Ketal when he met the King of Denian, Barbosa. He had threatened Ketal but was baffled when Ketal brushed it off without concern. Despite Milena bowing, the man didn¡¯t rise. He merely nodded slightly, still lounging against the sofa. Though his attitude was rude for dealing with a noble, Milena did not question it. Not just her, but no noble in the Kingdom of Denian would dare challenge his demeanor. The man spoke. ¡°No need to be so formal. I¡¯m here unofficially today.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Milena forced a smile. A dryugh escaped her. Her mind was racing. ¡®W-what is this about?¡¯ The man before her was Swordmaster Maximus, the Sword of Denian. The kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior, a great swordmaster. His strength transcended human limits. If Maximus decided to destroy her family, they couldn¡¯t resist. He had the power to annihte an entire territory single-handedly. Why was such a person here? Milena swallowed hard. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Maximus was directly under the king¡¯smand. His presence implied a royal order. She couldn¡¯t fathom why he woulde personally, leaving her in confusion. Maximus began to speak. ¡°A barbarian hase here. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Huh? Y-yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Milena was startled. How did he know about Ketal¡¯s arrival? Was he here to demand Ketal be expelled because he was a barbarian? It was possible. Barbarians were generally unwee. As her thoughts reached that point, Milena¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You seem to misunderstand. That¡¯s not the case.¡± Maximus looked reluctant but continued slowly. ¡°Treat that barbarian well. That¡¯s an order from His Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Milena¡¯s mind went nk at the unexpectedmand. She repeated Maximus¡¯s words in her mind. ¡®Treat Mr. Ketal well?¡¯ An order from the King of Denian. ¡°¡­May I ask why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Why should we treat such a barbarian well?¡± Maximus clicked his tongue. ¡°But it¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s order. It must be obeyed.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Milena was further surprised by Maximus¡¯s statement. Even the kingdom¡¯s sword didn¡¯t know? It meant that no one, except perhaps King Barbosa himself, knew.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I willply with the order.¡± Milena nodded. She had intended to treat Ketal well anyway, so her actions wouldn¡¯t change. After watching her for a moment, Maximus asked. ¡°How did youe to know this barbarian?¡± ¡°Oh, I-I met him while trading in the past. He helped me back then.¡± ¡°¡­A barbarian helping someone?¡± Maximus raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s not a typical one. Well, fine. Just treat him well. In return, I¡¯ll give you a reward. You can use my name.¡± ¡°What?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes widened. Maximus spoke nonchntly. ¡°I have a rough idea. You¡¯re having trouble with those idiot nobles, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you know.¡± ¡°Even if the country supports you, those fools won¡¯t listen easily. So use my name. Won¡¯t that make things easier?¡± ¡°It would, but¡­¡± Using Maximus¡¯s name meant that his personal authority would back her actions. She could leverage his personal clout. That would indeed make things easier. While the country acknowledged her, it didn¡¯t put pressure on each individual noble. It merely signified that her actions wouldn¡¯t be restricted. But with Maximus¡¯s involvement, it was a different story. It meant he was personally supporting her. Nobles feared Maximus. Using his name would mean she wouldn¡¯t need to intervene personally. The nobles would back off on their own, afraid of him. His name carried that much weight. Which made it all the more puzzling. Treating Ketal well was important enough to warrant using Maximus¡¯s name. Apparently, that was the sole purpose of his visit, as Maximus left immediately after. The Sword of Denian had personallye just to deliver that message. Milena sat in a daze for a moment before mumbling to herself. ¡°¡­What on earth has he been up to?¡± * * * Later that day, Milena sought out Ketal quite early. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Hmm? Finished already? That was quick.¡± ¡°It ended sooner than expected. Um¡­ Ketal, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Do you have something you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°You said you used to work as a mercenary, right?¡± Ketal nodded. They had talked about various things while drinking the previous night, including what Ketal did after leaving the White Snowfield. ¡°I worked as a mercenary in a ce called Barkan Territory. They were good people.¡± ¡°¡­What exactly did you do there?¡± Milena asked cautiously. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 71 – Milena Akasha (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 71 ¨C Milena Akasha (5) The great Swordmaster, Maximus, hade to find her under the king¡¯s orders. This implied that Ketal had done something significant enough to warrant the movement of a Swordmaster. She found this difficult to understand. ¡°You did mercenary work, so why would the royal pce be directly involved?¡± In response to her puzzled question, Ketal answered. ¡°It was mercenary work: clearing dungeons, patrolling viges, escorting people.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way a Swordmaster would move for just that¡­¡¯ Milena wanted to press further to understand what was going on. However, since the king was directly involved, it was not something she should know or inquire about. She shook her head. ¡°I was just curious. Since the job is done, I¡¯ll help guide you. Is there anything you want to see?¡± ¡°Something I want to see¡­¡± Ketal pondered. What did he want to see now? After a brief moment of thought, he had an answer. ¡°Your family must be involved in various activities, right?¡± ¡°We are a merchant family.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to observe those activities. You mentioned you deal with finance, so I¡¯d like to see a bank too.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Milena was momentarily taken aback by thepletely unexpected answer. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you want?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Alright then. Please follow me.¡± Milena first led Ketal to a building in the center of the main street. There, numerous people wereing and going, handling documents. People who appeared to be clients were sitting at the reception desk, talking to someone. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Milena exined. ¡°This is a bank. Even if you¡¯re not a noble, you can borrow or deposit money here. Not just anyone can, though.¡± You had to have a proper status and qualifications, even if you weren¡¯t a noble, to use the bank. However, despite these conditions, the bank was attractive enough that many people visited. Ketal looked around the interior of the bank with a face full of interest. ¡®The basic structure is simr to the modern day.¡¯ But the people were wearing medieval clothes. It was quite amusing. It felt like a proper blend of modern and fantasy. Milena looked at his expression with a curious face. After that, Milena took Ketal to various ces. Most of them were quite ordinary ces where people were working. And Ketal seemed to find them very interesting. ¡°¡­Are you enjoying this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s somewhat enjoyable.¡± Ketal had a faint smile on his face, as if he wasn¡¯t just saying it to be polite. Milena tilted her head. ¡®Is this fun?¡¯ She had taken him to really ordinary ces. They were extremely static and boring ces where even an average person would yawn while watching, far from being fun. Moreover, Ketal was a barbarian. Although unique, he would still have the basic characteristics of a barbarian. She never imagined he would enjoy such leisurely activities. She didn¡¯t know how long they had been touring like that when Ketal muttered. ¡°You engage in various activities.¡± ¡°Although we are in the banking business, we are fundamentally a merchant family. We haven¡¯t given up on other trades.¡± The reason she ventured into banking was because it was low-risk and highly profitable. They hadn¡¯t abandoned their original business of selling and trading goods. Milena took Ketal and moved to the next ce. They left the main road and headed to a secluded corner. As they reached the remote part of the capital, there stood a building made of iron. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes. Please step aside.¡± The guards, who were guarding the building, looked surprised to see Ketal and Milena and quickly stepped aside. She took out a key and unlocked the door. The lock was noticeably different from the others. ¡°Is this where you keep valuable items?¡± ¡°Yes. This ce holds significant meaning for me.¡± Creak. The door opened, and the two of them entered. Milena pressed a switch. The ceiling lights turned on. Ketal let out an exmation. ¡°It¡¯s an armory.¡± In the dark space, numerous weapons were disyed. Milena spoke. ¡°Our family was saved by trading weapons.¡± Milena had sold weapons to the kingdom that was at war with the empire beyond the White Snowfield. With those funds, she had rebuilt the family that was on the brink of copse. ¡°Since then, we¡¯ve put significant effort into manufacturing and selling weapons. This ce houses some of the special weapons.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal moved towards a disyed sword. ¡°May I hold it?¡± ¡°As you please.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal grasped the sword. The de gleamed sharply. It felt good in his hand. He admired it. ¡°The quality is excellent.¡± It was far superior to the weapons he had seen outside. Even the equipment of the knights of the Lutein Kingdom was inferior. It was onlyparable to the sword used by Swordmaster Cain. At a nce, the other weapons did not seem much different from the one he held. ¡°We have contracted with skilled artisans from the Kingdom of Denian. Theybined their efforts to create these very special weapons.¡± Each weapon here was worth a sum that could stagger an ordinary family. There were dozens of such weapons in this ce. Only a family like Akasha, with enough wealth to influence the country itself, could afford this. ¡°If you wish, I can give you one.¡± Milena casually offered to present such a weapon to Ketal as a gift. ¡°Though tempting¡­¡± Ketal patted the axe at his waist. ¡°I have this one, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need it. But I appreciate the gesture.¡± ¡°The axe I saw on the White Snowfield. It seems to be quite a good weapon.¡± ¡°It is. It¡¯s never failed me so far.¡± Milena¡¯s face showed interest. Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfield. He must have fought monsters like the serpent-like creatures there. Yet, his axe remained undamaged. ¡°May I examine it for a moment?¡± Ketal handed the axe to Milena. She almost dropped it. It was twice as heavy as it looked. Barely managing to hold it, Milena examined the axe. ¡°This is¡­¡± At the end of the axe¡¯s handle, a jet-ck gem was embedded. A gem of a peculiar color. It didn¡¯t look fake. The handle and de were both ck to match it. The handle was intricately carved, showing the touch of a master craftsman. Milena rubbed the axe de. ¡®It¡¯s solid.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just sharp; it was purely solid. It seemed it wouldn¡¯t get a scratch even if struck with a hammer. ¡®What kind of ore is this made of?¡¯ Milena¡¯s gaze fell on the part where the de and handle connected. There was a symbol engraved there. ¡®What symbol is this?¡¯ As a merchant, she had to sell goods to various countries and ces, so she had a lot of knowledge. She was familiar with many symbols, even from the past. But this was the first time she saw this symbol. ¡°This axe could be considered a national treasure or artifact. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°It was buried in the snow. I picked it up to use it for convenience, but it turned out to be quite useful, so I¡¯ve been using it for a long time. Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this symbol before.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s a shame.¡± He was also curious about the axe¡¯s origins. From the gem and the symbol, it was clear it wasn¡¯t ordinary. He thought Milena might know, but it seemed she didn¡¯t. ¡°If you wish, I can investigate the symbol for you. I¡¯m curious too.¡± ¡°If you could do that, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± Ketal took back his axe. They continued to look around the armory. There were spears, axes, halberds, shields, and more. Each piece was remarkable. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As they were about to finish their tour, one weapon caught Ketal¡¯s eye. ¡°Huh?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but make a sound. His eyes widened. At the end of his gaze, there was a sword zing with fire. * * * It wasn¡¯t a metaphor or simile. In the purest sense, the sword was on fire. The flickering mes radiated intense heat. ¡°Oh, ohhh¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s body trembled. A ming sword. It was a ssic fantasy element. Noticing Ketal¡¯s gaze, Milena exined. ¡°It¡¯s an enchanted sword.¡± ¡°Enchanted!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. Enchantment was such an attractive word. Milena watched him for a moment before asking. ¡°Would you like to have it?¡± ¡°Is that alright?¡± ¡°Given what you¡¯ve done for me, of course.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Ketal didn¡¯t refuse. The sword in front of him was too enticing. With trembling hands, he grabbed the ming sword. Crimson mes flickered over his hand. The fire burned fiercely, using the metal as fuel. ¡°Ohhhh.¡± Ketal was deeply moved. He had learned swordsmanship as a child. The moment he first held a sword upon passing the proficiency test paled inparison to this. Milena watched the scene with a curious expression. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it hot?¡± The ming sword was not a metaphor; it was literally on fire. Both the de and the handle were engulfed in mes, and she could feel the intense heat. Yet, Ketal was holding it with his bare hands. Any ordinary person would have had their hands burnt to ashes by now. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Are you sure it¡¯s okay for me to take this? It seems quite valuable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. In fact, it¡¯spletely impractical.¡± When she first dabbled in enchantments, she had asked an alchemist to create a ming sword. The result was the sword before them now. At first, she was very pleased with the extravagant appearance. But soon, she realized a major w. The sword was, literally, a ming sword. Since the handle was also on fire, it was impossible to hold. Although it could be held if protected by aura, anyone capable of using aura wouldn¡¯t need a ming sword; they could just wield their aura directly. When she confronted the alchemist about this oversight, she responded as if puzzled by herint. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask for any safety measures, did you?¡± That was when she learned that she had to specify every condition when requesting something from an alchemist. Consequently, the ming sword was relegated to a corner of the armory. ¡°Hoo. Hoo hoo.¡± Ketal listened to her story with great interest. ¡°Do you have an alchemist?¡± ¡°Yes, we contracted her for a hefty sum. Though I somewhat regret it.¡± She grumbled. The abilities were exceptional, but the alchemist wasn¡¯t someone from whom she could profit through transactions. Ketal stared intently at the ming sword. Despitecking fuel, the mes showed no signs of weakening. Judging by Milena¡¯s words, the sword must have been made quite some time ago. Despite being neglected for so long, the sword¡¯s mes had not diminished at all. It defied thews of thermodynamics. Upon closer inspection, he noticed inscriptions on the de. The words were iprehensible. ¡°Are those inscriptions the catalyst?¡± Alchemy. His interest was piqued, and Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°What kind of person is this alchemist?¡± ¡°Odd personality, but¡­ highly skilled. Probably the best alchemist in the Denian Kingdom.¡± Milena continued. ¡°She¡¯s an alchemist capable of turning someone who hasn¡¯t even grasped the concept of mysticism into a superhuman.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 72 – The Alchemist (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 72 ¨C The Alchemist (1) ¡°What?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Those in the know are aware of the story.¡± Milena exined. A notice was posted in the Empire. A notice seeking strong individuals to join the Empire. If a superhuman level warrior would join the Empire, their wish would be granted. However, naturally, no superhuman responded to the notice. Superhuman warriors did not just appear out of nowhere. Even in the Kingdom, they were rare, receiving special treatment. They had no reason to join the Empire. Recruiting strong individuals wasmon among many groups, and there was nothing special about the Empire in that regard. The notice was essentially meaningless. Then, one day, an alchemist appeared. The alchemist told the Empire that he could create a superhuman warrior. In exchange, she asked for one favor.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om From the Empire¡¯s perspective, it must have seemed like nonsense. Superhuman strength is the result of a talented individual dedicating their life. It wasn¡¯t something that could be created by someone else. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange if they had chased the alchemist away as a madman, but the Emperor, perhaps on a whim, decided to support her. And so the Emperor said, ¡°Make my son a superhuman.¡± ¡°Did he really put his own son on the experimental table?¡± ¡°You could see it that way. The Empire is¡­ hard to understand.¡± Milena said with a peculiar expression. The Empire, the most powerful group on the continent, was shrouded in many mysteries. It didn¡¯t seem like it belonged to the human realm. ¡°Do you also avoid dealing with the Empire?¡± ¡°The Empire does not trade with any external groups. They handle everything internally.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed astonishment. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Therger a group, the more resources it needs. In human history, no group has ever functioned without external intervention. But the Empire, a massive group, functioning perfectly with internal resources alone? It was hard to believe. ¡°That¡¯s why merchants like me are always curious. We want to know what¡¯s inside that allows them to bepletely self-sufficient, but no outsiders are allowed in, so we can¡¯t find out.¡± Milena also had a puzzled look. ¡°To get back to the story, the alchemist stayed in the Empire and conducted various experiments. In just a year, the prince became a superhuman.¡± The alchemist seeded. She made an ordinary human into a superhuman. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Ho?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no lie. If it were, the Empire would havee to arrest me.¡± The alchemist¡¯s name spread across the continent. The alchemist¡¯s name was Arkamis. And Arkamis was here now. ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal remembered Cain mentioning that there was someone who had be a superhuman through alchemy. It seemed that this was the Empire¡¯s prince. ¡°But why did shee here? She would have been better treated if she stayed in the Empire.¡± ¡°Well, I asked about that too, but she didn¡¯t answer. I also don¡¯t know what she requested from the Empire.¡± Milena shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not bad news for us. We have a contract with her and are making various requests.¡± An alchemist who created a superhuman warrior. Just having a contract with such a person raised the family¡¯s prestige. It was worth the substantial cost. ¡°Alchemy¡­ huh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes were filled with deep interest. ¡®An alchemist who made an ordinary person into a superhuman warrior.¡¯ In other words, she enlightened someone to the mysteries of the world. Ketal spoke up. ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± ¡°Can I meet the alchemist?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Milena was momentarily flustered. She knew he was interested, but didn¡¯t expect him to actually want to meet the alchemist. She stammered as she asked. ¡°May I ask why?¡± ¡°I have a request for the alchemist.¡± ¡°A request¡­?¡± ¡°Is it impossible?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Milena said with a slightly reluctant expression. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure if it will be okay.¡± ¡°Is the alchemist¡¯s personality very entric?¡± ¡°Not really. More like awkward.¡± ¡°In that case, please arrange a meeting. If you¡¯re worried about me being rude, I¡¯ll behave as politely as possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the issue¡­¡± From her perspective, Ketal was extremely polite and respectful. She couldn¡¯t imagine him being rude to anyone. Milena was worried about something else. After a brief hesitation, Milena nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll guide you.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something I need to exin first.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Milena exined, and Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. * * * Milena led Ketal as they walked. The two of them left the capital and headed towards a forest right outside the outer walls. It was a dense forest, seldom visited by people. As Milena struggled to push through the underbrush, Ketal stepped forward. With a light gesture, he broke and snapped the branches in their way. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Is she staying in the forest?¡± ¡°She said it¡¯s convenient here. It¡¯s a real hassle for me toe and go, though.¡± Milena continued to advance through the forest. In the middle of the forest, there it was. It was a house made of wood. But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary house. Ketal couldn¡¯t help but exim. ¡°Impressive.¡± The house was covered in vegetation. Trees grew on the roof, and vines wrapped around the walls. It looked like it was part of nature itself. Milena grumbled. ¡°We spent a lot of money to build this house, and within a year, it turned into this.¡± Ketal liked it. It looked like a typical witch¡¯s house from a fantasy. As they approached the door, the smell of herbs and the sound of bubbling liquids filled the air. Milena looked at Ketal. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll talk to her first and then introduce you.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal moved to the side of the door without a word. Milena knocked lightly on the door. ¡°¡­Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Arkamis.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Small footsteps approached, and the door opened. Creak. A woman appeared. Her brown hair reached down to her waist, swaying as she moved. Her half-closed eyes revealed golden irises, giving her a sleepy look. Milena held her breath for a moment. Even though she had seen her often, she never got used to it. Her beauty was inhuman. And in truth, she wasn¡¯t human. The woman¡¯s ears were pointed, not round. She was an elf. The woman smiled gently. ¡°Hello, Milena.¡± ¡°Hello, Arkamis. ¡­You¡¯re still wearing rags, I see.¡± Arkamis was dressed very lightly. It was more like a rag draped over her than actual clothing. ¡°I gave you clothes.¡± ¡°They got ruined with all the chemicals.¡± ¡°And so you¡¯re wearing those rags¡­¡± ¡°What does it matter? I¡¯m here alone.¡± Arkamis yawned. ¡°So, employer, what¡¯s the matter? I properly made what you asked forst time, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Made it properly, you say?¡± Milena let out a dryugh. ¡°I asked you to make a shield that could deflect anything.¡± ¡°And I did. I made sure the handle wouldn¡¯t deflect.¡± ¡°Yes, it was a cursed item that once grabbed, you couldn¡¯t let go of.¡± When Milena asked Arkamis to make equipment, she specifically requested the handle to be securely fixed. Arkamis followed that request. The handle was securely fixed, nevering loose. It just attached itself to anything that touched it. If she hadn¡¯t worn gloves during the test, her skin would have been torn off. Arkamis spoke lightly. ¡°You didn¡¯t specify anything about letting go, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Milena red silently at Arkamis, who flinched slightly. ¡°Sorry.¡± She quickly apologized. Milena sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I was working through the night and made a mistake because I was tired. I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°I understand. Just be careful next time.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Arkamis vowed. Milena looked at her with a peculiar expression. Seeing Milena¡¯s scrutiny, Arkamis cautiously asked. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone who wants to meet you.¡± ¡°A visitor?¡± Interest sparkled in Arkamis¡¯s eyes. ¡°Someone wants to see me?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems they became interested after hearing about what you did in the Empire.¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Arkamis¡¯s face showed unmistakable joy and pride. ¡°It was a great achievement. So, they admire me and want to meet me?¡± ¡°Admire¡­ isn¡¯t quite the right word.¡± ¡°Well, a lot of people are interested in me. Even before I signed a contract with you, I had people from everywhere asking me toe to them. It was really annoying.¡± Arkamis muttered to herself, seemingly oblivious to Milena¡¯s words, with a face full of pride. Milena sighed softly. ¡®This person is the kingdom¡¯s best alchemist.¡¯ If not for her achievements, she might have thought she was just a braggart stealing someone else¡¯s glory. ¡°So, where are they?¡± Arkamis looked around expectantly. ¡°He¡¯s right next to us. But, well, he¡¯s quite a unique person, so you might be surprised.¡± ¡°Milena, who do you think I am?¡± Arkamis gave a confident smile. ¡°I¡¯m someone who has dealt with the Emperor of the Empire. Do you think I¡¯d be surprised by meeting anyone?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Milena trailed off. One thing she had realized over the past year with Arkamis was that much of her attitude and words were mostly bravado. It was hard to believe this alchemist, who had even dealt with the Empire, could show such direct and varied emotions. In a positive light, she was candid; in a negative light, she was childlike. ¡®But still.¡¯ She was the alchemist who had dealt with the Empire. Her achievements and skills were undeniable. Considering her confidence, Milena thought it should be fine for her to meet Ketal. She turned her head. ¡°Ketal, I think it¡¯s okay for you toe out now.¡± ¡°Finally.¡± Ketal stepped forward. He stood at the door, looking down at Arkamis with interest. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Ketal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Arkamis didn¡¯t respond. She just stared nkly at Ketal, mouth slightly open. With no response, Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Ah, ah.¡± A small voice escaped her lips. Slowly, an emotion began to form in Arkamis¡¯s eyes. Milena sighed. ¡°As expected.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than a scream erupted. Birds scattered into the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 73 – The Alchemist (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 73 ¨C The Alchemist (2) The bubbling sound came from the cauldron in front of the firece. A green liquid was boiling, releasing bubbles and filling the room with a peculiar scent. Various catalysts, which seemed to be alchemy ingredients, hung on the wall. ¡°Hmm.¡± In the center of the room sat a beautiful woman with brown hair. Arkamis spoke with a shy expression. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. It happens.¡± Ketal, sitting across from her, said with a familiar face. ¡°It¡¯smon for people to be scared when they see me. Although, your reaction was quite extreme.¡± When Arkamis first recognized Ketal, she screamed and ran away. She hurriedly took out a few catalysts and mysterious colored beads to confront Ketal. If Milena hadn¡¯t quickly intervened, she might have actually used them. People who saw him for the first time were usually frightened and terrified. But that was just a normal fear of his appearance and being a stranger. Arkamis¡¯s fear was more profound. It was a fear of his very existence, a prey¡¯s reaction when exposed to a predator. ¡°Have you calmed down a bit now?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Arkamis nodded. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°This gentleman wanted to meet you. He has a request.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Arkamis¡¯s face showed fear at these words. It was an instinctive fear. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°I am interested in alchemy.¡± At Ketal¡¯s words, Arkamis¡¯s face twisted as if she had heard a lion talk about eating nts. ¡°¡­Interested in alchemy?¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Then there should be no issue. I heard about your achievements and became quite interested. They say you made the prince superhuman. Is that true?¡± ¡°It is true.¡± Ketal was impressed. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Is such a thing really possible?¡± A purepliment and admiration. Feeling a bit better, Arkamis¡¯s scared expression softened a bit. Ketal turned his gaze to the boiling cauldron. ¡°What are you making in that cauldron?¡± ¡°A catalyst.¡± ¡°A catalyst?¡± ¡°A catalyst that reacts and responds to applied force. It¡¯s a fundamental alchemy catalyst.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. What are the ingredients?¡± ¡°Papuchia fruit, Cartridge root, the life water from Mamusi swamp, and fairy wing powder¡­.¡± Arkamis listed dozens of ingredients. Ketal was amazed. ¡°There are so many. Can all these ingredients make such a catalyst?¡± ¡°Papuchia fruit stabilizes the form. Albroom makes it respond to external impacts.¡± Arkamis began exining. Ketal listened intently. ¡°I see. Does the mixture also have a significant impact?¡± ¡°Of course. If mixed incorrectly, it bes a sphere that repels all forces applied to it. So¡­.¡± Energized by Ketal¡¯s reaction, Arkamis continued to exin more passionately. Watching this, Milena was surprised. She was a merchant. She was ustomed to ttering and entertaining business partners to secure deals and outdopetitors. Because of this experience, she could tell. What Ketal was doing was perfect and impable hospitality, something even she couldn¡¯t easily achieve. He was picking out exactly the parts Arkamis wanted to exin and responding in the way she wanted. This was hospitality, she was sure of it. Otherwise, no one would listen to such a highly specialized and hard-to-understand exnation without getting bored. Of course, contrary to Milena¡¯s assumption, Ketal was genuinely interested and enjoyed listening. ¡®These things aren¡¯t something you can know without learning from someone.¡¯ What on earth has he been doing? Milena thought to herself. Arkamis, thrilled, continued exining. For thirty minutes, she didn¡¯t stop talking, and Milena¡¯s face started showing signs of boredom. But Ketal was still listening with an interested expression. ¡°And that¡¯s how the catalyst ispleted.¡± ¡°I see. Interesting.¡± Ketal, stroking his chin, spoke. ¡°I have one question. Can those who haven¡¯t grasped the mysteries learn alchemy?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± Arkamis shook her head. ¡°Swordsmanship and magic deal with internal mysteries. But alchemy deals with external mysteries. There are quite a few things in this world imbued with mysteries.¡± While the results might be simr, the process was entirely different. ¡°In fact, there¡¯s not much difference from magic. There are even schools of alchemical magic. But alchemy itself can be used without understanding the mysteries.¡± Saying this, Arkamis took a gray orb and some catalysts from the wall. She mixed them together and threw them towards the firece. Crackling sounds erupted! The mes in the firece turned to ice. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Wow!¡± The astonishing part wasn¡¯t just that the fire had turned to ice. The ice flickered like mes, scattering coldness all around. ¡°It¡¯s a reaction of properties. In magical terms, it¡¯s a level 3 spell. I didn¡¯t use any mana just now.¡± With just the mixture of pure catalysts, she had created something mystical. Using external mysteries to achieve the desired results¡ªthis was alchemy. Ketal murmured with a face full of awe. ¡°Can I do that too?¡± ¡°As long as you have the catalysts.¡± Arkamis replied lightly. Milena also watched in amazement. Whatever her personality might be, her skill was undeniable. Milena, who was looking at the burning ice with a curious expression, suddenly froze. ¡°¡­Arkamis. The catalyst you just used, isn¡¯t that the one I recently spent a fortune to get for you?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Arkamis stiffened. Milena¡¯s face twisted. ¡°¡­Did you use it up on such a simple trick?¡± Arkamis averted her gaze. ¡°Ahem. So, what do you want?¡± With the conversation, her wariness seemed to have eased a bit, and Arkamis¡¯s expression rxed. Ketal spoke with a serious face. ¡°I have a request.¡± ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Can you teach me alchemy?¡± Milena and Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. Ketal quickly continued. ¡°Your skills are amazing. Truly miraculous. Creating such results with simple ingredients is really impressive.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Pleased with thepliment, Arkamis¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards. She felt incredibly good. This frightening entity was praising and admiring her. She felt more uplifted than usual. ¡°I¡¯m very interested in alchemy. Can I learn it from you?¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­.¡± After a moment of silence, Arkamis spoke. ¡°Sure?¡± * * * Ketal walked through the forest with a satisfied look on his face. Behind him, Milena asked with a confused expression. ¡°Ketal, were you really nning to learn alchemy? I thought you wanted artifacts¡­.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s both.¡± One of the items on his bucket list in this fantasy world was to grasp the mysteries. Aura and magic. Handling such mysterious powers directly was incredibly appealing. ¡®There are practical reasons, too.¡¯ In this world, there were situations where you couldn¡¯t cope without understanding the mysteries. Demons, for instance. Until Aquaz lent him power, he couldn¡¯t inflict meaningful damage on the demon. Adamanth¡¯s clone spell also went unnoticed, dragging out time. Ketal was increasingly feeling the need to understand the mysteries. Arkamis was an alchemist who made the prince superhuman without understanding the mysteries. If anyone could help Ketal grasp the mysteries, it was her. Initially, he sought her out for that reason. But the more he listened to her, the more interested he became in alchemy itself. It was a technique unique to this fantasy world, unlike anything in the modern world. Naturally, he wanted to try using such fantasy techniques himself. So, why not learn alchemy and understand the mysteries as well? The only concern was Arkamis¡¯s refusal. It¡¯smon not to share skills with outsiders. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if she refused. So, he was worried about how to get her to teach him alchemy, but fortunately, Arkamis readily epted his request. Ketal¡¯s expression was very satisfied. ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll be learning alchemy. Very good.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re satisfied, Ketal¡­.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect her to be an elf.¡± Ketal was surprised when he first heard Milena¡¯s story. After all, this was the Kingdom of Denian. ¡°I thought other races would be excluded as much as possible.¡± ¡°There are people like that, but the country doesn¡¯t discriminate. Too much time has passed for that now.¡± Quite a few non-human races resided in the Kingdom of Denian. Except for a handful of pure-blood fanatics, most people didn¡¯t mind. ¡°I see.¡± Whatever the case, it was good news for him. Starting tomorrow, he could begin learning alchemy. As Ketal reveled in the thought, he suddenly remembered something: the elves. They were afraid of him, terrified even. The Elf Queen had once said that his presence felt like a predator to them. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t stay long in the first elf vige he encountered. The elves were too frightened of him. Arkamis had also been very scared when she first saw him. ¡®Will this be okay?¡¯ Thinking for a moment, Ketal quickly changed his thoughts. ¡®It should be fine.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om If she really disliked the idea, she would have refused. The fact that she epted meant that she wasn¡¯t too afraid of him. ¡®It seems that even elves stop being scared once they get used to it.¡¯ Ketal smiled contentedly. Meanwhile, at the same time¡­ ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Left alone, Arkamis sat down, clutching her head in frustration. * * * ¡°What have you done, Arkamis!¡± Arkamis yelled at herself. To agree to teach alchemy to a barbarian! That meant she would have to spend time with such a terrifying being. If it were her usual self, she would have immediately refused. But Ketal had skillfully praised her. Feeling ted, she impulsively decided it would be fine. Now, she was paying the price for that decision. ¡°What should I do?¡± She bit her lip. Should she now tell him it was a lie and refuse? No, she couldn¡¯t. If she did, he would turn against her. He would be angry and take up his axe, furious that she had deceived him. As if imagining her head being split, she shuddered. ¡®No, that won¡¯t do.¡¯ She had to ept the barbarian for now. But having to stay with him while teaching him alchemy? That was even worse. It wasn¡¯t the fact that he was a barbarian that bothered her. A regr barbarian couldn¡¯t harm her. But Ketal was different. ¡®He¡¯s not just a barbarian!¡¯ The aura emanating from Ketal was beyond mere strength. It wasn¡¯t just about being strong; his very essence was different. Milena, a human, hadn¡¯t noticed, but Arkamis, as an elf, could tell. She was a being of nature, an elf. Ketal only appeared to be a barbarian. His true nature was something else entirely. ¡°Why would such a formidable being want to learn alchemy¡­?¡± After much contemtion, she came to a conclusion. ¡®Right.¡¯ The barbarian was interested in alchemy. But that didn¡¯t mean he knew much about it. He was probably just dazzled by its shy appearance. Ultimately, it would just be a lighthearted amusement for him. A being of his caliber wouldn¡¯t seriously learn alchemy. When the boring and tedious parts came up, he¡¯d quickly lose interest and leave. Then she would be free again. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± It had to be. She clung to that hope. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 74 – The Alchemist (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 74 ¨C The Alchemist (3) The next day, Ketal went to Arkamis¡¯s house with a pounding heart. Arkamis greeted Ketal with eyes full of dark circles. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Are you alright? You look tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± In truth, Arkamis hadn¡¯t slept well due to anxiety, but she pretended to be nonchnt. Ketal looked at Arkamis with an expectant gaze. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± It was time to learn the mysteries of this world. His heart was pounding so hard it was difficult to contain. Arkamis cleared her throat. ¡°First, there¡¯s something you need before I can teach you alchemy.¡± ¡°Something I need?¡± ¡°Yes, whether you¡¯re qualified to learn alchemy.¡± ¡°Huh? Do you need qualifications for this?¡± ¡°No, not really. But alchemy isn¡¯t exactly a fun or thrilling study. I need to make sure you¡¯remitted and won¡¯t quit halfway through.¡± With that, Arkamis looked at Ketal anxiously. She had spent all day yesterday thinking about how to make Ketal give up and leave. The words she was saying now were one of the answers she hade up with. If Ketal questioned or argued, it would all be over. However, Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°I get it. I understand.¡± When teaching someone, it was necessary to confirm if they were ready to learn. Seeing Ketal agree, Arkamis clenched her fist out of sight. ¡°Great!¡± The first step was a sess. ¡°So, what do I need to do?¡± ¡°Alchemy is about using the mysteries of the outside world, not the inside, right?¡± Combining various materials to create a catalyst for the desired mystery was the foundation. Unlike swords or magic, which utilized the mysteries of the body, alchemy borrowed the mysteries of the external world, requiring thorough preparation. Thus, the basics of an alchemist began with creating a catalyst. ¡°We¡¯ll start with this.¡± Arkamis showed a cauldron to Ketal. The cauldron was filled with various ingredients. She handed him a wooden stick. ¡°These are the ingredients to make the basic catalyst of alchemy. But the catalyst doesn¡¯te out easily. You need to emulsify and mix these ingredients.¡± Arkamis spoke lightly. ¡°So, you just need to stir the cauldron with this stick.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ketal grabbed the wooden stick. ¡°You can¡¯t just stir it roughly. The force and speed must be consistent, and there should be no unmixed ingredients. You need to be very meticulous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll concentrate.¡± Ketal stirred the wooden stick with a serious face. The ingredients began to grind with a scraping sound. ¡°How long do I have to do this?¡± ¡°Four hours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long time.¡± ¡°I told you, alchemy isn¡¯t fun or exciting. This is the basics, so you must get used to it.¡± ¡®Though we don¡¯t do it this way nowadays.¡¯ Arkamis swallowed herst words. For four hours, you had to focus on the cauldron. Stirring the wooden stick with even force was tiring for both the arms and back. It was a necessary task but also hardbor. Therefore, most alchemists created automatic devices. She herself hadn¡¯t stirred with her own power for thest 40 years. ¡®I wonder when he¡¯ll get bored and leave.¡¯ Ketal wasn¡¯t an ordinary human. Being a barbarian was just his appearance; in reality, he was much more. She knew that. She didn¡¯t know why he wanted to learn alchemy, but it was likely just a simple pastime. If so, he would get bored quickly. Repeated simplebor and static situations would soon bore him, Arkamis was sure. And time passed. Two hourster. Arkamis spoke reluctantly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°This is fun, actually.¡± Despite the passing time, Ketal¡¯s hand didn¡¯t slow down. Instead, he was fervently grinding the ingredients into a pulp with an enthusiastic look in his eyes. ¡®I yed a lot of RPG games; four hours is nothing.¡¯ In his previous life, he loved RPG games. One of the characteristics of RPG games was repetitive tasks. He had spent half a day repeating the same routine, so four hours of repetitive work was no problem. Moreover, he was now creating actual results in a real fantasy world. It wasn¡¯t just data chunks but reality. It couldn¡¯t be boring. ¡°Even without water, the sap keeps flowing. The cauldron is almost full already.¡± Ketal muttered happily as he stirred the wooden stick. Arkamis watched him with a bewildered expression. Four hourster. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Arkamis looked at the bubbling cauldron. She wanted to point out any ws and make him do it again, but it was perfect. There was nothing to criticize. It was even better than when she had made it herself. ¡°This is good enough.¡± In the end, that was all she could say. Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Then now¡­.¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± Arkamis shook her head. This wasn¡¯t the only task she had prepared. She had another process ready, just in case. ¡°How many ingredients do you see hanging on the wall?¡± ¡°It looks like there are at least a hundred.¡± ¡°Right. Those are just a small portion of the total number of alchemy ingredients.¡± Alchemy could use any material imbued with mystery as an ingredient. Thus, the number of ingredients was enormous. The quantities wererge, and their properties varied. The direction of the mixtures and the resulting characteristics were all different, making it a field that required a lot of knowledge. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know all the ingredients, but you need to know the essentials. Can you umte this knowledge? This is one of the qualifications.¡± With that, Arkamis pulled out a book asrge as her torso. ¡°Can you read?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Arkamis handed him the book, slightly disappointed. ¡°Here. Memorize all the characteristics and appearances of these ingredients. You can check them out over there. Ask if you don¡¯t know something.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ketal nodded. He opened the book and started reading, and Arkamis looked at him with satisfaction. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ Now it was really over. The book¡¯s content was by no means small. It was as thick as a torso and densely packed with text, making it a chore to read. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Moreover, it was filled with technical terms, requiring him to look up and record things separately. The content was specialized, making it hard to interpret. He might manage at first, but he would soon get bored and leave. Then she would be free. She had no doubt. And a day passed. Ketal was skimming through the book with the same posture as at the beginning. The thick book was already a quarter of the way through. Arkamis looked at Ketal with a bored expression. For roughly 24 hours, Ketal hadn¡¯t left his seat. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He was still there when she went to sleep and when she woke up. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Not really? It¡¯s fun.¡± The book¡¯s content was certainly extensive andplex. But it was interesting. It felt like reading a guidebook or setting book for a game he was interested in. There was no way it could be boring. ¡®It¡¯s thick, but not excessively so.¡¯ The setting books he read in his childhood were quite thick too. Though there were many technical terms, looking them up was part of the fun. He was essentially a schr in the modern world. Reading a single book wasn¡¯t hard. Ketal read with an interested expression. ¡°Oh, this part is different. I should make a note of this.¡± He began studying beyond mere memorization, taking notes on his own. His enthusiasm was more intense than that of an average student, and Arkamis¡¯s mind grew troubled. Three dayster. ¡°¡­Correct.¡± Ketal had perfectly passed the simple test Arkamis had given him. It would have been impossible without memorizing and understanding the book. ¡°So now I can learn alchemy?¡± ¡°Well, um.¡± Arkamis¡¯s mouth went dry as she stammered, seeing his expectant eyes. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ She hadn¡¯t prepared beyond this point. She had thought he would get bored halfway through. She hadn¡¯t imagined he wouldplete all the steps. At this rate, she would be stuck with this barbarian-disguised monster. ¡°Arkamis?¡± Ketal tilted his head at herck of response. Arkamis snapped back to reality and spoke. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve passed for now.¡± ¡°Oh! Then.¡± He could now learn alchemy. ¡°But before that, there¡¯s one more process.¡± Arkamis swallowed. ¡°I will teach you alchemy. You will be the student, and I will be the teacher imparting knowledge to you. Correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then, I am, in a sense, your master.¡± Arkamis closed her eyes tightly. ¡°So, you should call me master and show respect by addressing me formally. Kneel and bow your head to show your respect. This is the final step.¡± ¡®How about that!¡¯ She didn¡¯t know Ketal¡¯s true nature, but he was probably a powerful being. For such a being to call her master, address her formally, and even bow his head¡ªit was a great humiliation. Frankly, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he revealed his true form and crushed her head immediately. This was a gamble for her as well. Arkamis was sure Ketal would refuse or be angry. ¡°Alright.¡± But Ketal nodded obediently. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, as a student, it¡¯s only right to show that level of courtesy.¡± Ketal felt no particr resistance. He hadn¡¯t bowed his head to Barbosa because Barbosa wasn¡¯t his king. But Arkamis was his alchemy teacher. It was natural to show respect and courtesy. Ketal slowly knelt down. Seeing this, Arkamis¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Uh, um.¡± Ketal bowed his head. His mouth opened. Just as he was about to speak, Arkamis hurriedly stopped him. ¡°No, no! You don¡¯t have to!¡± * * * ¡°So, did I pass?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want¡­.¡± Arkamis said, looking as if she was about to copse. She couldn¡¯t believe he was actually going to bow and show respect. If she hadn¡¯t stopped him, he would surely kill herter, iming she had humiliated him. She had no choice but to stop him. Now it was certain. This being hade here to toy with her. There was nothing more she could do. She would have to endure being his ything. Do as you will, whether you bend or break me. She gave up and asked, ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°I want to learn alchemy. And one more thing.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I want to understand the mysteries.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Arkamis unconsciously let out a sound. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 75 – The Alchemist (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 75 ¨C The Alchemist (4) ¡°Do you want toprehend the mysteries?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Arkamis made a sound again. Her eyes were filled with bewilderment. ¡°But¡­¡± The sensation felt from Ketal. The aura and force he exuded were clearly beyond human. It was hard to believe he didn¡¯t know about the mysteries. ¡°Do you want toprehend the mysteries?¡± ¡°Is it a different concept ofnguage?¡± Ketal tilted his head. Being asked three times made him think so. ¡°I¡¯m talking about things like aura and mana. I want to gain that power.¡± ¡°¡­Wait a moment. Let me check something.¡± Arkamis closed her eyes. Ketal watched her with interest. ¡°Is that how youprehend someone¡¯s mystery?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s a mystery imbued in the body.¡± If one reached a certain level, they could sense whether someone possessed mystery. She briefly said as she sensed Ketal¡¯s body. As a result, she could tell. Ketal didn¡¯t possess any mystery. Arkamis¡¯ pupils widened. ¡°¡­Are you truly human?¡± ¡°Then what did you think I was?¡± ¡°A dragon?¡± ¡°A dragon?¡± Ketal frowned. ¡°It seems there was a misunderstanding.¡± Ketal and Arkamis conversed. After hearing Arkamis¡¯ story, Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°Do I give off that kind of aura?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t humans been afraid of you?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°They have, but¡­¡± He thought it was fear of his appearance, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Probably because they can feel intimidation and pressure from you. However, it might not be that strong once they get used to it. But I¡¯m an elf, you know?¡± Elves are beings of nature. They live harmoniously with it. Their sensing abilities are far superior to humans. Arkamis looked at Ketal with a peculiar gaze. ¡°The aura I sense from you¡­ isn¡¯t that of a being in harmony with nature.¡± No matter how strong a human is, they are still a part of this world. Ultimately, they are born from and live with nature. This is an inescapable natural order for humans. But what she sensed from Ketal was different. A deviation from the natural order. That was the sense Ketal gave off. ¡°At least, it¡¯s not an aura a human can exude.¡± It¡¯s closer to that of a predator. There was unmistakable fear in Arkamis¡¯ eyes as she said this. ¡°Is that why you thought I was a dragon?¡± ¡°Dragons are dominators, not harmonizers. So it didn¡¯t feel strange.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After thinking for a while, Ketal asked. ¡°Are all barbarians like that?¡± ¡°If they were, they would have dominated the world.¡± Arkamis answered immediately. Meaning no. ¡®Is it a characteristic of the White Snowfield?¡¯ Is it a peculiarity of the barbarians from there? Or is it a trait unique to his existence? The answer was unknown. Barbarians of the White Snowfield don¡¯te out. Ketal muttered softly. ¡°Is that why the elves attacked me?¡± ¡°What? Elves? What do you mean?¡± Arkamis asked, surprised by Ketal¡¯s words. Ketal answered appropriately, exining he met an elf vige, and they attacked him. Hearing his story, Arkamis nodded. ¡°To them, you are an iprehensible monster. Humans would attack if a bear intruded into their vige, right? It¡¯s like that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal¡¯s face turned slightly gloomy. Does that mean he will always be in a hostile rtionship with elves in the future? ¡®That¡¯s sad.¡¯ ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Arkamis¡¯ face hardened after a moment of thought. ¡°Then, did you¡­¡± ¡°No. We resolved the misunderstanding and had a conversation. As an apology, I received this.¡± Ketal took out a red jewel from his pocket. Arkamis¡¯ eyes turned wide like a rabbit¡¯s upon seeing the jewel. ¡°World Tree¡¯s Tear?¡± ¡°Is that its name?¡± ¡°How, how did you get that?¡± Arkamis was visibly flustered upon seeing the jewel. Ketal exined. ¡°I met the elf queen. She gave this to me, inviting me to visit their sanctuary sometime.¡± ¡°The sanctuary?¡± Arkamis was extremely flustered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that shouldn¡¯t be given to outsiders.¡± After a moment of being flustered, she finallyposed herself. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not my business. Anyway, receiving that means you didn¡¯t harm the elves.¡± ¡°Regardless.¡± Ketal put the jewel back in his pocket and spoke. ¡°I am human.¡± That fact will never be shaken. ¡°What I ask of you is alchemy. And toprehend the mysteries.¡± ¡°Hmm. Hmm. Got it.¡± Arkamis organized her thoughts. This barbarian is indeed very intimidating and frightening, but he is just a simple barbarian. A human. There¡¯s no reason for him to lie aftering all this way, so it¡¯s almost certain. Moreover, seeing that he doesn¡¯t even know this fact himself, it¡¯s probably innate to his birth. As she thought this far, an idea shed through her mind. ¡®¡­Then there¡¯s no need to be afraid?¡¯ This barbarian does not know the mysteries. In other words, he is not a strong person. Without understanding the mysteries, it is impossible to grasp strong power. That wasmon sense. ¡®A barbarian who wants to be stronger!¡¯ She reached a conclusion. A barbarian who wants toprehend the mysteries and be stronger. In hindsight, it had been like that from the beginning. Ketal had asked her to teach him alchemy and help him understand the mysteries. It was only her who got scared and fell into all sorts of delusions. ¡®I got scared for nothing.¡¯ Arkamis regained herposure. A smile returned to her face. ¡°Hmm¡­ well, alright.¡± Without prejudice, Ketal was not a person with significant issues. On the contrary, he had perfectlyplied with her unreasonable demands. Thinking that he did everything to learn alchemy and understand the mysteries made him seem cute. It seemed fine to teach him for fun. ¡°I am Arkamis, an alchemist who deals with the Empire. Barbarian. I will teach you what you want to know.¡± Ketal noticed the sudden change in her attitude. ¡®She¡¯s looking down on me a bit.¡¯ But it didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was obtaining what he desired. The misunderstanding was resolved. But a new misunderstanding arose. The conversation continued with misunderstandings stacked upon each other. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°So, you want toprehend the mysteries. Have you tried to understand them?¡± ¡°I have. But I couldn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s originally difficult to do alone. You need someone to assist you.¡± A talented person mightprehend the mysteries alone, but usually, it¡¯s impossible. Typically, someone who has already progressed guides them. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°There was someone. But it didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°There was? Who?¡± ¡°A Sword Master.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Arkamis paused. ¡°A Sword Master guided you?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, not exactly.¡± A Sword Master is a rare existence, even in a kingdom. They are incredibly strong, rare, and treated ordingly. Generally, they are not someone you can meet. Did such a being help a barbarianprehend the mysteries? Pondering over this iprehensible statement, Arkamis reached a conclusion. ¡®He must have been deceived by a fake pretending to be a Sword Master!¡¯ Ketal doesn¡¯t know the mysteries. If a top-level warrior exudes aura, one might mistake them for a Sword Master. Top-level warriors are not weak by any means, but the gap between them and a Sword Master is immense. He was likely deceived by a top-level warrior. Arkamis looked at Ketal with a sympathetic gaze. ¡°Let me check. Sit here.¡± ¡°Is it possible? Even a Sword Master couldn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m an alchemist. In this field, I¡¯m much superior, okay?¡± Even if he were a real Sword Master, she wouldn¡¯t lose. Ketal, finding her words interesting, sat down. ¡°Then please.¡± Ketal closed his eyes. Arkamis cautiously approached and ced her hand on Ketal¡¯s back. ¡°Ugh.¡± And she unintentionally let out a groan. ¡®Solid.¡¯ It didn¡¯t feel strong because there were many muscles. In the purest sense, it was solid. It had high strength and hardness. She doubted whether this body was truly made of flesh. Arkamis, surprised for a moment, closed her eyes and focused. Her mana extended into Ketal¡¯s body, seeking the path to the mysteries. And she soon realized that she couldn¡¯t find the path of mystery in Ketal¡¯s body. ¡°Huh?¡± She focused her mind even more. Her mana delved deeper into his body. But she couldn¡¯t see it. She couldn¡¯t reach it. It was like trying to find a specific fish in the depths of an ocean with no visible bottom. After a long search, she finally withdrew her hand. Ketal looked at Arkamis with hopeful eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t find it.¡± Arkamis¡¯ face was filled with confusion. She couldn¡¯t find the path of mystery in Ketal¡¯s body. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Not being able to sense it at all was unexpected. Disappointment lingered on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°Is it impossible after all?¡± ¡°Let me just say, it¡¯s impossible even for wizards. They need to verify internally, and you can¡¯t even do that.¡± Not being able to sense the mystery at all was a first for her. ¡°Does that mean I can never obtain the mystery?¡± An alchemist and a Sword Master couldn¡¯t find the path of mystery. She said it would be the same for a wizard. Coming to a fantasy world and not being able to learn the mystery was very sad. Ketal became depressed. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Arkamis shook her head and said confidently. ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m an alchemist. I¡¯ve made those who don¡¯t know the mystery into superhumans.¡± Even in a situation like Ketal¡¯s, it wasn¡¯tpletely impossible. ¡°The path of mystery should exist in your body, so we can create a catalyst to activate it. I¡¯ve helped quite a few peopleprehend the mystery this way. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Is it possible?¡± ¡°It is possible. It¡¯s just a hassle.¡± Normally, she would have refused. There was no reason to do such a troublesome thing without anypensation. But this time was different. She was an alchemist. Not one who wielded power, but one who researched. That body was special. It was an anomaly she had never seen before. It was worth researching. Arkamis¡¯ eyes glimmered with interest. She nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ketal smiled brightly and grabbed Arkamis¡¯ hand. ¡°Thank you so much! If you ever need my help, just let me know. I¡¯ll be happy to assist!¡± ¡°Okay, okay! Let go of my hand!¡± Arkamis pulled her hand back, her face flushed. On the surface, it looked like a woman nervous about holding a man¡¯s hand in an innocent situation, but the reality was different. ¡®I almost attacked reflexively.¡¯ Even though her perception of Ketal had changed, the sense of intimidation she felt didn¡¯t disappear. She felt a momentary sensation as if a carnivorous animal was pouncing on her. She calmed her excited heart and spoke. ¡°The method is simple. We use a catalyst to infuse the path of mystery within you with mystery. After that, I¡¯ll assist in circting it. In the end, we need a catalyst¡­ but the materials for it are quite expensive and rare.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just ask Milena for it?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that easy?¡± Arkamis grumbled. The reason for requesting the materials was Ketal¡¯s personal need. If she asked Milena for the catalyst materials, Milena would scrutinize the reasons and necessity. She had often been rejected during this process. ¡®So it¡¯s for personal use, Arkamis. While I support you, I have no intention of funding such frivolous endeavors. If that is what you desire, please create a more useful artifact first and then we can talk.¡¯ Arkamis involuntarily shivered. Milena¡¯s cold eyes from that time were still etched in her memory. Thinking this far, Arkamis suddenly smiled. ¡°Ketal, you need this, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Try persuading Milena yourself. Who knows? You seem to have a good rapport with her, she might agree.¡± Ketal nodded. Then, they went to Milena and exined the purpose of the catalyst and the materials required. Each of the materials was extremely expensive and rare. Even for the Akasha family, these were a significant burden. They weren¡¯t something that could be handed over lightly based on mere acquaintance. Arkamis naturally thought Milena would refuse and scrutinize Ketal coldly. She was looking forward to watching that unfold. Milena spoke lightly. ¡°Understood. Since Ketal needs it, I will get it for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Arkamis? Why are you ring at me with such an aggrieved look¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 76 – The Alchemist (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 76 ¨C The Alchemist (5) ¡°Despite being so strict with me¡­.¡± Arkamis muttered with a voice full of indignation. At those words, Milena gave a knowing, bitter smile. ¡°You were holding that in your heart, weren¡¯t you? But this is a different situation. If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Ketal, I wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°So, is he your savior or something?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say so.¡± Arkamis paused in her grumbling. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°I received a great favor. This is no problem at all. I¡¯ll get it ready. However, depending on the types of materials, it might take considerable time, so please understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to hurry, given that I¡¯m the one asking for a favor. Thank you.¡± Ketal nodded in satisfaction. Back in their quarters, Arkamis kept grumbling. ¡°This is discrimination, I tell you. They were so strict with me.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it a good thing?¡± ¡°It is, but it¡¯s hard to ept.¡± After a while of grumbling, Arkamis¡¯s eyes slowly settled. ¡°It is a good thing. At least I don¡¯t have to go through the trouble of gathering the materials. Though it will still take considerable time.¡± ¡°Will it take that long?¡± ¡°The value of the materials is high, but more than that, they are quite rare and often in short supply. Most of them are consumed by the Magic Tower, so it¡¯ll take at least a month.¡± ¡°Does the Magic Tower have priority?¡± ¡°They consume the most and pay the highest price, so most of the supplies go there. It¡¯s hard for an individual like me to get them.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. It was only natural. Sellers would want to trade with those who had the greatest demand. The Magic Tower, being arge organization, would be a safe and reliable customer. ¡°Ah. There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m curious about.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you figure out what this is?¡± Ketal took out a translucent gray cube from his pocket. It was the artifact Karthos had used for his magic. He thought that since Arkamis was an excellent alchemist, she might be able to identify it. ¡°Let me see.¡± Arkamis squinted at the cube. ¡°It looks like an artifact¡­ What is this?¡± Arkamis was taken aback. ¡°¡­It¡¯s too advanced.¡± ¡°Can you figure it out?¡± ¡°Ugh, uh¡­¡± Arkamis groaned as if her pride was hurt, but soon gave up and said, ¡°¡­I have no idea.¡± ¡°Really? Even you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tooplex for me to understand. There are dozens of intertwined forms creating a huge effect¡­ It¡¯s hard to decipher. You¡¯d have to go directly to a master who specializes in artifacts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that advanced?¡± Ketal was surprised. He knew it wasn¡¯t an ordinary artifact, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be that sophisticated. Arkamis handed back the artifact. ¡°Check it out at the Magic Tower when you go thereter. Where did you even get something like this?¡± Arkamis was curious. It was hard for her to understand how a barbarian had such a high-level artifact. Ketal received the artifact. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Anyway, back to the main topic, it will take quite a bit of time to gather the materials.¡± ¡°Then, I can spend that time learning alchemy.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. Arkamis looked at him as if he were seeing something strange. ¡°Weird guy.¡± * * * A week passed after that. As Milena and Arkamis had said, the procurement of the materials did not go smoothly. Even after a week, they had only obtained two of the desired materials. The progress was very slow, but Ketal didn¡¯t mind. He was enjoying learning alchemy in the meantime. ¡°Arkamis. I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Arkamis, who was organizing materials at the table, turned her head. Ketal was holding a piece of paper. ¡°What do you think about thisbination?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Arkamis took the paper. On it, Ketal had written down a catalyst and the ratios of various ingredients. After a quick nce, Arkamis spoke.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but it¡¯s inefficient. Instead of the morning dew here, the morning ember would be better.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Thebination ratio is also too high. Half of this would suffice. There¡¯s a blue book over there that exins it, so check it out.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ketal nodded and walked to the bookshelf on the other side. He took out the blue book and began to read. Arkamis watched him with a look of fascination. ¡®He learns quickly.¡¯ It hadn¡¯t even been a week since Ketal started learning alchemy. Such a short time to learn and master anything. Yet, Ketal was already showing some results. She had to help him, but he was already capable of basic-level alchemy. In terms of speed, he could be called a genius, but that wasn¡¯t quite it. The reason was simple. Ketal had invested all his time in alchemy over the past week. No rest, no sleep, no meals. He woulde to her ce early in the morning to receive instruction from her, and when he returned, he would take books and notes to study. He invested a pure week¡¯s worth of time. For anyone else, it would have been over a month. It was a passion that went beyond simple enthusiasm and indicated he found it genuinely enjoyable. ¡®I thought his main focus was learning mysticism and that he wasn¡¯t very interested in alchemy.¡¯ Ketal showed a strong interest in alchemy as well. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing from her perspective. It felt good to see someone taking her lifelong field of study so seriously. ¡®It¡¯s satisfying to teach him.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t quick to memorize, but he understood things fast. His ideas were also exceptional, sometimes offering very unique concepts. It was as if his ideas weren¡¯t bound by themon sense of this world. At first, it was just a simple pastime, but it turned out to be more enjoyable than she had expected. It was a surprisingly satisfying time. ¡°Arkamis, I have something I want to ask.¡± ¡°Ah, sure. What is it?¡± Arkamis collected her thoughts at Ketal¡¯s words. Without taking his eyes off the blue book, Ketal asked, ¡°It says here that it can be used for control magic and manifestation magic. What exactly does that mean?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s simple.¡± Arkamis began to exin. ¡°Magic has levels, right? You¡¯re aware of the standards of those levels?¡± ¡°Detection of Mysteries, Control, Manifestation, Domination, and Imagination, right?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Correct. The types of magic you can handle are determined by your level. It¡¯s ssified ordingly.¡± Detection of Mysteries. Third-rate level. The lowest level of magic, the basics. ¡°You can handle very simple detection and sensory expansion. This level of magic is called detection magic.¡± ¡°So control magic is the magic that second-rate levels can handle.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Arkamis nodded. Second-rate level. Control magic. This level allowed for physical enhancement and handling simple mana arrows. And first-rate level. Manifestation magic. From here on, it¡¯s proper magic. Commonly known spells like fireball or ice arrow could be handled. Spatial leap was also possible, marking the level where one could call themselves a wizard. ¡°Next is domination magic.¡± The level where one could dominate mysteries and control them with their will. Magic that only superhumanly strong individuals could handle. ¡°It¡¯s powerful and has a wide range. Strong magic.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The image of Adamanth appeared in Ketal¡¯s mind. The magic he wielded in the end swept over nature itself. That was probably domination magic. ¡°Lastly, I don¡¯t know much about imagination magic either. Only hero-ss wizards can handle it, and they are exceedingly rare.¡± ¡°Are there that few?¡± ¡°There are only three known to the world. The master of the Magic Tower, the guardian of the Ashen Labyrinth, and the keeper of the Boundary. Just those three. Except for the Magic Tower master, the others don¡¯te out, so we don¡¯t even know if they¡¯re alive.¡± Arkamis said lightly, ¡°You won¡¯t meet them, so don¡¯t worry about it. Anyway, that¡¯s the ssification. The types of magic you can handle change ording to your level.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°A lower-level spell isn¡¯t necessarily weak. Its power can vary greatly depending on who¡¯s handling it.¡± Arkamis continued, ¡°Detection magic is something even a third-rate can use, but the Magic Tower master can use it to see the entire continent.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°Eye of Insight. It¡¯s a spell that scatters a mass of mana to observe everything within range. The mana density is so low that even a Swordmaster can¡¯t detect it. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they were watching this ce right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible too.¡± Ketal was impressed. Arkamis smiled, pleased with his focused attention. ¡°The results of alchemy are simr to magic. There¡¯s no easier way to exin it than byparing it to magic. That¡¯s why it¡¯s written that way for better understanding.¡± ¡°Does that mean I can use domination magic too?¡± ¡°With very precise mixtures and very expensive materials, it¡¯s not impossible. I can handle it too.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Adamanth¡¯s magic. Storms, earthquakes, and terrifying mes had all struck simultaneously. It was a natural disaster in its purest form. Ketal had been deeply moved at the time. To think he could wield such power with his own hands? Just imagining it made his body tremble with excitement. From then on, Ketal devoted himself even more to learning alchemy. As time passed, Arkamis, who had been hesitating, finally asked carefully, ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal stood up as if he understood. ¡°It¡¯s mealtime now. I¡¯ll prepare it.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait.¡± Arkamis sat quietly in her chair. Before long, Ketal brought out the meal. It was a stew with plenty of meat. Arkamis cut the meat with a spoon and put it in her mouth. The tender meat, soaked in thick sauce, sweetly adhered to her pte. Arkamis couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ketal looked at Arkamis with a peculiar expression. ¡°¡­Is it really okay for you to eat meat?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Elves eat meat. Ketal ingrained this information in his mind. Arkamis looked at Ketal with curiosity. ¡°Why are you so good at cooking?¡± Ketal had realized something as he began learning alchemy. Arkamis didn¡¯t have proper meals. She would eat dried preserved food while engrossed in her alchemical research. Sometimes she even forgot to eat. It was a typical researcher¡¯s lifestyle. As a disciple, it was also his duty to take care of his master¡¯s meals. Ketal offered to cook for her. Naturally, Arkamis was appalled. The idea of a barbarian cooking seemed preposterous. She tried to refuse as politely as possible, but Ketal went ahead and cooked anyway. Worried about how to reject his cooking without offending him, Arkamis was quite surprised when the meal was finally served. Not only did it look decent, but it actually looked delicious. She had her doubts but ended up finishing her te after the first spoonful. Since then, Arkamis hadn¡¯t stopped Ketal from cooking. In fact, she began to look forward to what dish he would prepare each day. ¡®I never used to care about meals.¡¯ Being an elf, it wasn¡¯t a joke to say she could live on grass and dew alone. She never paid much attention to meals. But after tasting Ketal¡¯s cooking, she couldn¡¯t go back to dried, preserved food. Arkamis finished her te with satisfaction. Late at night, she left her residence. Ketal was smiling as he headed back to the capital. It had been a very fulfilling day. Learning the mysteries of this world was the greatest happiness he could imagine. ¡°It was worth all the hardship to escape.¡± Honestly, he had thought about giving up and living inside hundreds of times, but he overcame all those urges and seeded ining out. It was well worth it. As Ketal walked back to the capital with a light heart, he sensed something strange. This was a fantasy world. Nights here were much darker than in the modern world. Although there were magical streetlights, they were few and their light was weak. However, tonight was exceptionally bright. ¡°Hmm?¡± As Ketal looked toward the capital, he realized what was happening. A building was engulfed in mes. * * * ¡°Damn it!¡± Blue hair swayed as Milena ground her teeth. In front of her, a building was aze. Employees were screaming and rushing around in a panic. ¡°Mi-Milena! Fire, there¡¯s a fire!¡± ¡°Calm down! Call the mage!¡± ¡°We-we did, but it¡¯s toote, and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll arrive in time¡­¡± Milena frowned. The fierce mes were roaring as if they would consume the entire building. ¡°Milena, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ke-Ketal?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes widened. Ketal had somehow appeared beside her. She quickly regained herposure and exined. ¡°The warehouse is on fire. It happens to be the one where we store lumber¡­¡± ¡°It seems the fire spread quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She clicked her tongue in frustration. The warehouse was a three-story structure, one of thergest she owned,parable to threerge buildingsbined. Now, that massive warehouse was engulfed in mes, lighting up the night sky. This was a disaster. Even if a high-level mage arrived, putting out the fire would be no easy task. The only silver lining was that the warehouse was on the outskirts of the capital, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings. ¡®Somefort that is.¡¯ She thought bitterly as she coldly calcted the damage costs. As she did so, Ketal, who had been quietly watching the building, spoke up. ¡°Would it matter if the building copsed?¡± ¡°Huh? No, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± The building was going to burn down to ashes anyway. Structural damage was irrelevant. Hearing this, Ketal stepped forward. ¡°Stand back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Though confused, she stepped back. Ketal clenched his fist. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 77 – The Magician of the Realm (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 77 ¨C The Magician of the Realm (1) Ketal raised his arm. His muscles swelled visibly even through his clothes. ¡°Ugh.¡± Milena instinctively took another step back. The current Ketal is dangerous. She sensed it instinctively. Ketal swung his fist. The massive physical force generated a gust of wind. The wind rushed toward the raging mes. The wind st collided with the building. Boom! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The onlookers covered their ears against the sound of the air tearing. A fierce wind swept through. People momentarily lost their bnce and fell. As the wind finally subsided. Milena managed to lift her head and red. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The mes that seemed to engulf the entire building had extinguished. ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ What just happened? Confused, she looked at Ketal standing in front of her. ¡®No way.¡¯ Did he extinguish the fire with a wind st from his fist? Ketal shook his arm. ¡°The fire is out. It would be wise to check for embers that might have scattered.¡± Milena couldn¡¯t respond. She just stared nkly at Ketal. * * * People were bustling around the charred building, looking for scattered embers. Milena and Ketal watched them. ¡°Th-thank you, Ketal.¡± Milena spoke in a daze. Although quite some time had passed, she still hadn¡¯t fully regained her senses. ¡®¡­Just one punch. That was all.¡¯ With just that, he extinguished the mes that had engulfed a three-story building. She realized anew that the man beside her is indeed a barbarian of the White Snowfields. Ketal spoke. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. What¡¯s left is just cleanup. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± A man approached Milena. He shuddered slightly upon seeing Ketal. ¡°It¡¯s alright. What is it?¡± At Milena¡¯s words, the man cautiously stepped closer and whispered. ¡°There are no traces of arson.¡± ¡°¡­So it happened naturally?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very likely the work of a magician.¡± ¡®A magician?¡¯ Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. Milena frowned. ¡°They¡¯re crossing the line. I understand.¡± The man left. Milena turned to Ketal. ¡°Ketal, could you return home first? I¡¯lle find you after the cleanup.¡± Ketal nodded. He returned to the Akasha family residence. A few hourster, Milena returned home after finishing the cleanup. ¡°Ketal, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve finished. What¡¯s the damage?¡± ¡°A lot burned down¡­ but we can use about half of it.¡± They had to discard half of the contents of therge warehouse. It was no small loss. But it was far better than losing everything. Milena bowed her head. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ketal. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m indebted to you, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ketal replied lightly. After all, what he received from Milena is not small. She provided him with lodging, taught him alchemy, and even procured expensive and rare materials for him. Ketal was honestly a little surprised that his connection from the White Snowfields led to this. ¡°Is that so?¡± Milena smiled and sits across from him. ¡°How is alchemy going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun. Very enjoyable.¡± Ketal smiled contentedly. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of making an artifact with my own hands.¡± ¡°An artifact?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a simple artifact but seems useful. I could ask Arkamis to make it quickly, but there¡¯s meaning in creating it myself.¡± Ketal spoke with a pleased expression. Milena found this genuinely fascinating. She had briefly dabbled in alchemy out of interest but gave it up quickly. It required a lot of memorization and extensive knowledge, making it a very difficult discipline. So it was fascinating to see Ketal enjoying learning it. After all, he looked every bit the barbarian. ¡®¡­Yes.¡¯ Milena¡¯s eyes darkened. The man before her is indeed a barbarian. One of the reasons Ketal was learning alchemy from Milena was to grasp its mysteries. In other words, the barbarian before her did not know these mysteries. But he was strong. Overwhelmingly so. ¡®He blew away the serpent in the White Snowfields.¡¯ While traversing the White Snowfields for a trade route, she had encountered the White Serpent. A massive, nearly sky-reaching serpent that connectednds. More akin to a cmity than a living creature. An entity humans could neither resist nor confront. The moment she encountered the serpent, she had sensed death. But the barbarian before her blew away the serpent.N?v(el)B\\jnn Remembering that moment made extinguishing the mes that engulfed a building seem trivial. Ketal did not know the mysteries. It meant he achieved such feats purely through physical strength. ¡®Is that really possible?¡¯ She was from thergest merchant family in the Kingdom of Denian. She possessed considerable power and influence. She had met a few superhuman individuals. But none of them demonstrated the kind of strength Ketal did. Even the great superhumans who mastered the mysteries paled inparison to the barbarian before her. Thus, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Is the being before her truly human? Where are the limits of his strength? After staring at Ketal for a while, she spoke. ¡°Ketal, you lived in the White Snowfields, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°What did you do there?¡± Milena was curious how he obtained such strength. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything special. I just tried to survive.¡± ¡°With strength like yours?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes widened. Someone with that much power tried to survive? It was hard to believe. Ketal shook his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born with this strength.¡± When he first came to the White Snowfields, he was just a weak, fragile being. He had to strive to survive amid the extreme cold and monsters. ¡°The creature you encountered in the snowfields. The ck Slime, was it? I almost died to that thing too. I had to dig into the ground and spend a night in the freezing cold to escape.¡± ¡°I-Is that so.¡± It was only natural, but it was still hard for Milena to believe. The strength Ketal had shown was beyondprehension. But it was true. When Ketal was first thrown into the White Snowfields, he had to struggle to survive. He moved with his tribe andpleted quests. The strength came naturally during that process; it wasn¡¯t something he sought out intentionally. ¡°I¡¯d like to exin more, but I don¡¯t remember well. It was so long ago.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± If it was long ago, how long exactly was it? Milena swallowed. She was curious, but she didn¡¯t press further. She instinctively knew that asking more would cross a line. Ketal asked. ¡°By the way, how are the materialsing along?¡± Milena hesitated. After a moment of deliberation, she spoke as if giving up. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to procure them. There are a few issues.¡± ¡°Issues?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t afford to focus on that right now¡­ It¡¯ll take some time until the problems are sorted out. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. I¡¯m only receiving your kindness.¡± Ketal, who had said that, then asked her. ¡°Is it rted to this fire?¡± Milena gave a bitter smile. ¡°You overheard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m unnecessarily sharp-eared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I need to hide¡­ Yes, this fire wasn¡¯t an ident.¡± Milena frowned. ¡°It was an attack on our family.¡± ¡°An attack?¡± Ketal asked with a curious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you get along with the surrounding families?¡± ¡°The Akasha family grew rapidly. It didn¡¯t take long for us to be the number one merchant family in the Kingdom of Denian.¡± Their growth had been so aggressive it could be described as violent. Naturally, there was considerable friction along the way. In a limited territory, if someone gained something, it meant someone else lost it. The rapidly growing merchant family was not looked upon kindly by the surrounding merchant families. ¡°There were many minor thefts, nder, and rumors¡­ We crushed them all to get here, but there are still families attacking us.¡± ¡°And one of them hired a magician?¡± ¡°Yes. Someone hired a magician to attack us. We want to deal with it immediately, but it¡¯s quite tricky.¡± ¡°Have you identified the magician?¡± ¡°Yes, we have.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ketal looked at Milena with a puzzled expression. Milena began to speak. ¡°We¡¯ve identified who it is and their location, but it¡¯s a highly skilled magician, so we can¡¯t easily take action.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t tried to respond. She had hired skilled mercenaries to deal with the magician. But none of them had seeded inpleting the task. ¡°It would take at least a top-tier mercenary, and even then, someone from the higher ranks to handle this¡­ It¡¯s not easy to find someone of that caliber.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Arkamis getting involved?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not someone I canmand freely.¡± Arkamis was the kingdom¡¯s top alchemist. In terms of reputation, she was above Milena. Moreover, the contract Milena had with Arkamis was for artifact creation, not the protection of the Akasha family. They were in a contractual rtionship, not a master-servant rtionship. ¡°Still, thanks to some advice from her, we¡¯ve managed to defend ourselves. The magician seems to know a lot about alchemy, so they know how to counter us effectively. We lost this time, though.¡± Milena bit her lip. The magician¡¯s attacks were escting. Until now, they had been somewhat manageable, but not anymore. She was prepared to incur significant costs to deal with the magician. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°So, the opponent is versed in alchemy?¡± ¡°Arkamis mentioned they belong to a school that integrates alchemy¡­ But I don¡¯t know much about that field. I don¡¯t remember clearly.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal murmured quietly. ¡°You can¡¯t get the materials because of this magician. If we deal with the magician, you can get the materials.¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely the case. It shouldn¡¯t take much longer. We¡¯re searching everywhere for someone capable.¡± ¡°If the magician uses alchemy, they probably have alchemical materials, right?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°And among those materials, there might be some that I need.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true?¡± Milena trailed off. She finally looked at Ketal¡¯s face. Ketal had a smile on his lips. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 78 – The Magician of the Realm (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 78 ¨C The Magician of the Realm (2) Milena asked with a hint of apprehension. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to move personally, do you?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly¡­¡± ¡°If I deal with the mage, I can obtain the materials needed to understand the mysteries. There¡¯s a chance that mage has some of them. It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not the main reason, though.¡¯ Ketal had learned alchemy. He could now handle some of the world¡¯s mysteries. It was natural to want to test new powers once obtained. Given his current state, he could handle the mysteries. He wanted to confirm that. ¡°Um¡­¡± Milena, who had been trying to persuade Ketal, hesitated. Did she really need to stop him? Ketal was strong. His power surpassed the level of a superhuman. He could handle the mage as easily as a cake on a table. That would solve one of her problems. ¡®Wait?¡¯ Wasn¡¯t this actually a good thing? ¡°Well¡­ then, please take care of it.¡± Ketal nodded. The next day, Ketal asked Arkamis if she knew about the mage. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the one bothering Milena? I know about it.¡± ¡°Can you tell me the information?¡± ¡°The Deep Rooted Tree School.¡± Arkamis exined calmly. ¡°It¡¯s a school that creates domains using alchemy. Within their domain, they wield considerable power.¡± The Deep Rooted Tree School was one of the prominent schools that handled alchemy. It also emphasized the importance of a mage¡¯s domain. Upon reaching a certain level, one had to leave the master to create their own domain. Only then could one be recognized as a proper mage. ¡°The mage attacking Milena is probably one of them. They¡¯ve be independent butck the funds to create a domain, so they took on amission.¡± Alchemy materials were not cheap enough for a newly graduated mage to afford. Many mages took onmissions to gather money this way. ¡°And thatmission is the attack on the Akasha family?¡± ¡°Probablymissioned by a noble, right? Nobles do spendvishly.¡± Ketal, pondering for a moment, asked. ¡°If the domain is created through alchemy, it can be countered with alchemy as well, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you tell me about the characteristics and countermeasures of the Deep Rooted Tree School?¡± ¡°I can, but why? It¡¯s something that fundamentally requires understanding mysteries, which you can¡¯t use.¡± Arkamis, tilting her head in curiosity, suddenly stopped. ¡°Wait. Are you nning to confront the mage?¡± ¡°There are many benefits. Plus, I owe Milena, so it¡¯s a way to repay her.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Arkamis was taken aback. Independence from the Deep Rooted Tree School meant having top-notch skills. Although Ketal was exceptional, he was still a beginner. There was no way it would work. Trying to face a mage with only a rudimentary understanding of alchemy was sheer arrogance. Arkamis, who was about to persuade him otherwise, closed his mouth. ¡®Has his confidence grown too big?¡¯ Thinking back, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Ketal had made rapid progress. As a barbarian who initially knew nothing of mysteries, it was natural to be intoxicated by his achievements. ¡®He¡¯s reached the peak of folly!¡¯ It¡¯s a path everyone goes through: a beginner bing arrogant over some sess. She had experienced it too. Suddenly, Ketal seemed endearing. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Arkamis spoke. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell you. Ask anything you¡¯re curious about.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Arkamis exined the characteristics and countermeasures of the Deep Rooted Tree School to Ketal. A few hourster, Ketal headed out. He was going to face the mage. ¡®He won¡¯t die.¡¯ No one had ever died facing a mage. Still, he would undoubtedly have a hard time. He might be trapped in the domain for a full day without escape. Giving a painful lesson to a disciple drunk on arrogance was part of a mentor¡¯s duty. In her mind, Ketal had already be her cherished pupil. ¡®What should I do when he returns?¡¯ Should shefort a disheartened Ketal? Or sternly scold him? To maintain her authority as a mentor, she could personally face the mage. Although it was outside her contract with Milena, it wasn¡¯t a big deal to endure some hardship for a disciple. Ketal would then look at her with respect. The thought of that gaze made her happy. ¡°Hmph.¡± She hummed a cheerful tune. * * * ¡°So this is the ce.¡± Ketal arrived at the forest where the mage was said to reside. The location was quite far from the capital, a journey that would take several hours on foot. However, Ketal arrived in just a few minutes. Ketal looked at the forest. The air felt different. Although he couldn¡¯t sense the mysterious forces, he could tell it wasn¡¯t the usual scent of a forest. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With an expectant expression, Ketal stepped into the forest. * * * In a roughly built tree house within the forest, the mage, Dragosar, gazed affectionately at the catalysts hanging on the wall. His eyes were full of love. ¡°My precious babies. How much are you worth?¡± These were catalysts that would have taken years to acquire under normal circumstances. But he had obtained them in just a few months. It was all possible thanks to the enormous reward he received for merely troubling a single noble. ¡°Hooray for generous nobles.¡± At this rate, he could create his perfect domain rather than stay in this temporary dwelling. ¡°Master sure scared me about how hard it would be to create a domain, but it¡¯s nothing.¡± Dragosar¡¯s expression changed after a while. ¡°Still, it might be getting dangerous.¡± The family he was troubling was the Akasha family, the most influential in the Denian Kingdom. For now, they were just being annoyed, but they would soon reach their limit. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Well, I can just run away when it gets too risky!¡¯ Mages weren¡¯t the type to act ording to ns; they were obsessed with magic. Just as Dragosar was thinking lightly about the situation, a pulse of mana spread through the air. It was a boundary pulse that he had set to alert him if anyone entered his domain. ¡°Another mercenary, huh.¡± Mercenaries sent by the Akasha family had shown up asionally. This one was likely another of them. Dragosar snapped his fingers. ¡°Eyes of the outskirts, open.¡± The view from the outskirts of the forest opened up. He saw the figure who had entered his domain. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A surprised voice echoed. ¡°A barbarian?¡± A barbarian was entering the forest. ¡°Have they resorted to hiring barbarians now?¡± Dragosar sneered. The physique certainly looked strong. ¡®¡­No, really strong.¡¯ The muscles visible through the clothing, the height that seemed almost inhuman. Dragosar swallowed reflexively. But it was still just a barbarian. Before the greatness of magic, such strength was powerless. Dragosar waved his fingers, and the domain began to move ording to his will. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal felt the change. In an instant, thick fog appeared, obscuring his vision. It didn¡¯t just block his sight; the fog had a physical force that disturbed his senses. ¡°Just as Arkamis said.¡± Ketal had prepared countermeasures for this. He took out alchemy materials from his pocket and began to mix them. Dragosar¡¯s eyes widened as he watched. ¡°What the¡­¡± A barbarian doing alchemy? Although it looked like beginner-level alchemy, it was still unmistakably alchemy. ¡®It¡¯s fascinating, but¡­¡¯ It felt like watching a lion chew grass. Interesting but meaningless. Such a level of alchemy couldn¡¯t prate the fog. It wasn¡¯t a matter of the effect but of the quantity. The amount of catalyst Ketal had was barely enough to fit in his palm. In contrast, the fog covered the entire forest. There was no way that small amount could clear the forest. Dragosar was about to lose interest and let the barbarian wander until he got tired and left. But then, Ketal, holding the catalysts, raised his arm. Power surged through his muscle fibers to his arm. He swung his arm. BANG! A fierce shockwave swept through the forest. Dragosar¡¯s house shook violently, and Dragosar, startled, grabbed the table and sat down. ¡°What the hell!¡± He quickly checked his vision again. His eyes widened. The fog that had filled his domain waspletely gone. He saw trees and grass bent and ttened by the wind. ¡°Oh, it works.¡± Ketal swung his arm again with a satisfied expression. ¡°Indeed, alchemy can counter it. This is fantastic.¡± ¡®That¡¯s nonsense!¡¯ There was no way that rudimentary alchemy could dispel the fog he had created. He had set up all the countermeasures for that. The reason the fog had disappeared was simple. When Ketal swung his arm, the wind pressure blew away all the fog. ¡®What kind of lunatic blows away an entire forest¡¯s fog with just the strength of their arm?!¡¯ It was an absurd situation, but surprisingly, it was an effective strategy. The Deep Rooted Tree School specialized in creating domains. If you physically dispersed the power within that domain, it would dissipate. Ketal continued to walk leisurely forward. Seeing him slowly approach, Dragosar hastily waved his hand. Woooong. A dark, thick shadow spread across the forest, a domain magic that distorted the sense of distance and blocked vision. ¡°This time it¡¯s this, huh. I think¡­ I was told to counter it like this.¡± Ketal once again created a catalyst using alchemy and raised his arm. Then, he swung it. BANG! The result was the same. The forest shook, and the shadow disappeared. Dragosar tried several other spells, but they were all shattered. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ketal muttered in a small, trembling voice. ¡°This is alchemy. The power of mystery.¡± ¡®No, it¡¯s not!¡¯ It¡¯s just physical strength! Dragosar wanted to scream. Meanwhile, Ketal kept approaching slowly. ¡°Ugh, ugh.¡± Dragosar¡¯s face turned pale. He was going to die. His mind went into a panic. At some point, Ketal reached the front of his house. ¡°So this is it.¡± Thud. Ketal stepped closer. Dragosar, terrified, waved his hands frantically. ¡°Bind him. Swallow him! Bottomless swamp, engulf the earth!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Instantly, the ground around the house turned into a swamp, starting to suck everything in. It was hisst resort. He was using up all his catalysts and expending his entire domain, but his life was far more important. As Dragosar scrambled to escape, Ketal stomped his foot. The ground shook. The conjured swamp exploded, sending mud and debris flying everywhere. The ground cracked as if an earthquake had struck. The house copsed. Dragosar, like a powerless human, clutched his head and curled up amidst the rubble. ¡°Aaahhh!¡± Rumble¡­. Finally, the tremors subsided. Dragosar cautiously lifted his head. In the middle of the destruction stood the barbarian. ¡°Oh dear. What a mistake.¡± He should have used alchemy, but he instinctively relied on his physical strength. Ketal regretted it and lifted his head. ¡°Are you the mage? Nice to meet you. That was fun. It was the first time I saw such magic.¡± The barbarian sincerely praised him. Dragosar, staring at him nkly, opened his mouth. ¡°Please spare me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 79 – The Magician of the Realm (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 79 ¨C The Magician of the Realm (3) Ketal didn¡¯t kill Dragosar. He never intended to in the first ce. Killing a noble mage in a fantasy world? That wasn¡¯t going to happen. He simply took all the catalysts and materials Dragosar had gathered and brought him to Milena. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the mage.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Milena, who was organizing documents rted to arson damage, stopped. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°This is the mage who was attacking you, Dragosar.¡± ¡°¡­Just, wait a moment.¡± Milena hurriedly checked. As a result, she realized that the man with dead eyes standing next to Ketal was indeed Dragosar. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day¡­.¡± Milena muttered in awe. She knew Ketal was strong, but she thought it would take a few days. When a mage establishes a domain, they can wield power far beyond their usual abilities. That was why she hadn¡¯t been able to do anything about the mage. But to end it in just a few hours. Ketal patted Dragosar¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must have questions, so ask him. He will answer.¡± ¡°Ask me anything¡­ I¡¯m sorry for my wrongdoings¡­.¡± Dragosar muttered nkly. His pupils had no light. Milena was taken aback by his almost ruined state. Dragosar. A mage from the Deep-rooted Tree School. A top-tier mage. In a small country, he would be highly regarded even in the royal castle. To see such a person reduced to a wreck. ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± Milena couldn¡¯t help but ask. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Not much. He seemed to be greatly shocked by my alchemy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Though she hadn¡¯t witnessed their fight, Milena was certain that wasn¡¯t it. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll handle it. Take him away.¡± Milena rang a bell. Guards came in and grabbed the mage¡¯s arms, leading him away. Even as he was being dragged away, the mage didn¡¯t resist and wore a dead expression. After watching the strange scene for a moment, Milena collected herself. She cleared her throat and bowed politely. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, one problem is solved.¡± Whatever the case, the fact that there would be no more interference from the mage was good for her. She could now interrogate Dragosar to find out more about those behind him. Ketal spoke nonchntly. ¡°I owe you, so it¡¯s only natural I do this much. Can I keep the catalyst materials?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Just confirm it with meter.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Ketal collected the catalyst materials with satisfaction and returned to ¡¯s ce. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°How was it? Must have been tough, right? I told you it wouldn¡¯t be easy. You may learn fast, but you¡¯re still just a beginner.¡± Arkamis spoke as if she had been waiting. Her words flowed smoothly as if she had been contemting them for hours. ¡°I know you take pride in your level of skill, but understanding where you objectively stand is also a qualification for reaching higher levels. It must have been a good lesson.¡± And just as she was about to say that she would show her authority as a master by dealing with the mage herself, ¡°I caught him.¡± Ketal¡¯s calm words cut her off. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You meant Dragosar, right? I subdued him and handed him over to Milena. Here are the catalysts he had.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Arkamis hurriedly checked the catalysts Ketal showed her. Her eyes widened. Each catalyst was valuable. They were items that could only be obtained by capturing Dragosar and recovering them. They were genuine. ¡®What?¡¯ Dragosar was a mage from the Deep-rooted Tree, independent of his master. He was a top-tier mage. There was no reason for a mage of that level to lose to a barbarian who had just started learning alchemy. As she thought that far, Arkamis suddenly considered another possibility. Could Dragosar have been weaker than she thought? ¡®Was he a deserter, not an independent mage?¡¯ She had only heard about Dragosar from Milena. She had never seen him in person. Naturally, she had to question his strength. It was only natural. A top-tier mage wouldn¡¯t lose to a barbarian who knew nothing of mysticism. Arkamis¡¯s face went cold. ¡®Geez, was he just a deserter? I prepared for nothing.¡¯ She had nned to use this opportunity to show her authority as a master. But now, it turned out the opponent was a weakling. If Dragosar knew, he would have been furious with injustice. Arkamis grumbled. ¡°Well done. But don¡¯t get too conceited. The opponent was just a weak mage.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ketal nodded. Ketal nodded. ¡®There¡¯s no way true mysticism could be ovee so easily.¡¯ Ketal held a high regard for the mysteries of this world. The fact that the first mage he encountered was Adamanth-level mage greatly influenced his perception. The magic of a superhuman mage had elevated his standards. That Lich? He had long forgotten about him. There were still so many mysteries in this world that he had not seen or experienced. This world still had plenty to offer. Ketal found immense joy in that fact. * * * Ketal sat at a table, crafting something. Despite hisrge frame, his hands moved with great precision and delicacy. And a few minutester. A smile spread across Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°What? You finished it?¡± ¡°Yes! I finally made it!¡± Ketal held up a bracelet with a delighted expression. ¡°I¡¯ve created an artifact!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It looks good. Let me see. I need to check it out.¡± Arkamis examined the bracelet carefully. ¡°It seems alright. We¡¯ll need to test it to be sure.¡± Ketal stepped outside to test it. He took out an axe and held it in his hand. ¡°Hup!¡± He exerted his strength and threw it into the sky. Arkamis was momentarily astonished. The axe flew so far with just his arm strength that it became invisible to the naked eye. ¡®He is strong, as expected of a barbarian.¡¯ Arkamis thought to herself, staring nkly at the sky. However, even after several seconds, the axe showed no signs of falling back. ¡°How far did you throw it?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t matter with the artifact¡¯s function.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± The bracelet artifact Ketal had created had the effect of returning the thrown axe to its owner¡¯s hand. In Earth¡¯s mythology, there were weapons that would return to their owner¡¯s hand. Examples included Mjolnir and Gungnir from Norse mythology. Even outside of mythology, many fictional works featured weapons that would return on their own. Ketal had a fondness for such weapons. So when Arkamis asked him what he wanted to create, Ketal¡¯s answer was an artifact for retrieval. The artifact he had been working on since he started learning alchemy was finallyplete. As they stared at the sky, the axe began toe into view. ¡°How far did it go?¡± Arkamis muttered, her face turning pale. ¡°¡­Wait a minute. Did you not add speed control?¡± At a nce, the axe was descending at an rming speed. The sound of the air breaking could be heard from the sky. Ketal murmured as if he had just remembered. ¡°I forgot.¡± Arkamis, in a panic, gathered her mana. It was clear what would happen if the endlessly elerating axe hit the ground. But the axe was already upon them. As Arkamis was about to shout for them to dodge, Ketal reached out his hand. BOOM! The axended in Ketal¡¯s hand, creating a thunderous noise. The ground cracked, and wind swept in all directions. Barely able to open her eyes, Arkamis couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Amidst the destruction, Ketal stood proudly, holding the axe. ¡®He actually caught that?¡¯ It was a speed that even she couldn¡¯t catch without preparation. ¡°Well, it is sturdy.¡± Was it because he was a barbarian? He certainly had a robust body. Ketal shook the axe with satisfaction. ¡°Ites back precisely to my hand.¡± He was immensely satisfied. It had been a month since he started learning alchemy. Finally, he had achieved a proper result. Arkamis, having regained herposure, stroked her chin. ¡°Can you maintain it too?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Exin how.¡± Ketal exined in detail. Arkamis, listening quietly, muttered to herself. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Hmm¡­ At this rate, maybe you can call yourself an alchemist?¡± ¡°Oh! Really?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made an artifact, haven¡¯t you? That¡¯s enough to be considered an apprentice. It¡¯s only been a month, but still.¡± Though it was a remarkably fast pace, it was understandable. N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal had devoted all his time to alchemy except for sleeping. In terms of time spent, it was equivalent to several months for others. Arkamis said, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a simple test. You should be able to pass it easily. Once you do, you can proudly call yourself an alchemist anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± Ketal was satisfied. When Ketal returned home, he spoke with Milena as usual. ¡°Thanks to you dealing with the mage, we¡¯re gathering the materials without any issues. At this rate, we¡¯ll have everything soon.¡± ¡°Oh! Really?¡± Ketal grinned widely. With all the good news, he felt great. ¡°By the way, what happened to the mage?¡± ¡°We got all the necessary information from him and sent him back to the Magic Tower. We could have killed him, but since he¡¯s a mage¡­ it¡¯s a bit tricky to do so lightly.¡± Dragosar had attacked them first, so they had plenty of justification to kill him. However, mages were extremely exclusive individuals. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the Deep-rooted Tree School antagonized the Akasha family for killing one of their own. Sending him back to the magic tower to incur a debt was more advantageous. ¡°So, who was behind it?¡± In other words, it meant they could go after whoever wasn¡¯t a mage. Milena frowned. ¡°To be honest, it was an unexpected opponent. Ketal, I told you we have many enemies because our family has been standing out, right?¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Among those, there are many rival merchant families.¡± It was only natural. The most hostile toward a rising merchant family would be other merchant families. ¡°It seems it¡¯s another merchant family.¡± ¡°This is the first time an opponent has so clearly opposed and acted against us. I thought it would be a family that lost power to us, but it turned out to be a family we never suspected. They were so kind when we met before. I never imagined they¡¯d be like this.¡± Milena grumbled, still shocked. ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Milena nodded. ¡°A merchant family that has rapidly risen in the past year. The Haibolka family. It was them.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 80 – Worshippers of the Abomination (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 80 ¨C Worshippers of the Abomination (1) ¡°What kind of ce is this Haibolka family?¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, it¡¯s a family that has rapidly gained power over the past year.¡± The Haibolka family. At first, no one paid attention to them. It wasn¡¯t easy to seed as a merchant. Finding efficient routes to procure goods and finding buyers were both challenging tasks. That wasn¡¯t all. Those in power tend to trample on neers trying to rise. Established families would preemptively seize most routes and crush any risingpetitors. Thus, most merchants failed to gain the recognition needed to establish a family and would go bankrupt before disappearing. When the Haibolka family first appeared, everyone thought they would face the same fate and didn¡¯t pay much attention. But the Haibolka family grew rapidly. In just one year, they grew to a size just below the Akasha family. Ketal looked surprised. ¡°Just in one year? That¡¯s impressive.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Considering that it took the Akasha family several years to reach their current position despite their extensive history in trading across the White Snowfield, the Haibolka family¡¯s rapid growth was indeed remarkable. Milena nodded. ¡°Yes. It must have been very difficult. Unlike us, they had no history.¡± The Akasha family, despite being on the brink of copse, was a venerable family. Therefore, they didn¡¯t face much opposition while establishing themselves. She only faced resistance when her family began to grow explosively afterward. But the Haibolka family had no such history. Other merchant families must have plotted against them from the start, considering them mere impurities. That meant they overcame all obstacles to reach their current position. Thus, she thought highly of the Haibolka family and felt a sense of kinship. They grew under even harsher conditions than she did. ¡°I approached them and talked a lot during a merchant family gathering. They seemed like good people. We had good conversations. I never thought they would stab me in the back.¡± Who would have thought the family that hired the wizard to torment her was the Haibolka family? Her mouth felt bitter. She began to doubt her judgment of people. Ketal¡¯s face showed a peculiar change while listening to the story. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting story.¡± ¡°Interesting?¡± ¡°The family¡¯s growth might have been possible because they crushed theirpetitors themselves.¡± ¡°What?¡± Milena was taken aback. ¡°¡­Are you saying the Haibolka family might have attacked others the way they attacked us?¡± ¡°They hired a wizard to attack your family. It¡¯s unlikely this was the first time.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Come to think of it, that made sense. Those who used poison once wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use it again. If they had already used it, it meant they had no qualms about using it. Once someone has used it, any aversion disappears. It was likely the Haibolka family had attacked others this way even before hiring the wizard. ¡°Could your family¡¯s operations or resistance be carried out in such a manner?¡± ¡°No, we only use legitimate means.¡± Stealing routes, preempting contracts ¨C those were typical merchant tactics. Hiring a wizard to burn down a warehouse would prompt governmental intervention. ¡°In other words, the family might have grown using such tactics while evading your notice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Milena¡¯s face grew serious. She stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll check on this.¡± Ketal nodded with a pleased expression. * * * Milena and Ketal had small talks almost every night before bed. Milena requested it, despite her shyness, because talking with Ketal calmed her mind. Ketal, having owed her, readily agreed. That night, Milena visited Ketal¡¯s room again. ¡°I found out.¡± ¡°About the Haibolka family? What did you find?¡± ¡°I looked into the history of the Haibolka family¡¯s growth. It did seem strange.¡± The Haibolka family initially established themselves by opening a goods store in the heart of the capital. Milena knew this fact. ¡°But there was another store at that location before theirs.¡± It was a bakery Milena was familiar with. She used to buy snacks there as a child. The Haibolka family took over that spot. Up to that point, it wasn¡¯t an issue. Store locations could change hands through transactions. But the problem was, the bakery owners went missing afterward. ¡°They said they sold the store and retired to their hometown. But they lost contact afterward.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t that be a possibility?¡± ¡°That part could be. But there were more cases like that.¡± Whenever the Haibolka family needed a foothold to grow or facedpetition,petitors often disappeared mysteriously, or a family that preempted their goods met with idents. There were many such cases. Suspiciously many. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°So, your family is next in line?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s possible.¡± Milena grimaced. The Haibolka family had grown to be right below hers. Their next target would likely be her. It made sense. ¡°But how exactly?¡± Her pupils quivered. Even though she had found information pointing to clear irregrities, she had not noticed anything before. This meant that the Haibolka family had moved without leaving any traces. So subtly that even the kingdom hadn¡¯t noticed. Could an ordinary merchant family really do such a thing? Ketal¡¯s lips curled up as he listened to the story. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting tale.¡± * * * Moonlight streamed into the dark room through the window. The room was extremely luxurious. The floor was made of marble, and the walls were high-quality wood. Just looking at this single room, it was evident that an enormous amount of money had been spent on the construction of the building. However, there were no decorations inside the room. Except for the minimal furniture necessary for living, the room was empty. It was as if the building was merely a facade to show others, nothing more, nothing less. In that deste room were two figures. ¡°The hunting dog has been captured.¡± The man who had been prostrating himself spoke. The man sitting in the chair was looking up at the ceiling with anguid expression. ¡°Really?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°When he was captured, it seems he talked about us. We can feel the gaze of the Akasha family.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The man sitting in the chair, the head of the Haibolka family, frowned. ¡°As expected, you can¡¯t trust a wizard.¡± ¡°Shall we kill him?¡± The man spoke calmly. Dragosar was a wizard from the Deep Rooted Tree School. Touching him would mean antagonizing the entire school. That¡¯s why Milena could only send Dragosar back to the Magic Tower. But the man spoke as if that was no problem at all. The family head had a simr expression. ¡°Wizards can be killed anytime. When the world changes and He descends, capture him and tear him limb from limb.¡± ¡°As youmand, Chief.¡± The man prostrated himself again. The family head mumbled as if this was annoying. ¡°But the Akasha family¡¯s gaze¡­¡± ¡°Shall we assassinate them?¡± The man spoke calmly once more. The family head shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s an appealing idea, but we shouldn¡¯t do that. The reason we hired that worthless wizard was to establish ourselves.¡± They had entered the Denian Kingdom unnoticed by anyone. They settled here and slowly expanded their influence. If they moved openly now, all their efforts would go to waste. The family head spoke in a tone that emphasized the importance of remembering this. ¡°We are here to establish ourselves in the Denian Kingdom and consume everything. We must not forget that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man nodded. The family head murmured softly. ¡°But¡­ they are indeed an obstacle.¡± Their goal was to devour the Denian Kingdom. However, if the Akasha family was watching them, it would impose various restrictions on their actions. This would hinder their goal. ¡°We still need to grow more. This is not good.¡± ¡°What do you n to do?¡± The family head closed his mouth, contemting for a moment. After a brief silence, he spoke again. ¡°Thinking back, the problem was using hunting dogs because of the risk. Outsiders do not serve the Great One, so using them was foolish. I was foolish.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes glinted. The family head spoke. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll handle things directly.¡± The family head opened his mouth again. ¡°We will approach the head of the Akasha family and threaten her.¡± ¡°She is called the Iron Maiden. I don¡¯t think threatening her will work, even if we abduct her.¡± ¡°Then what about taking hostages? How about kidnapping her family?¡± ¡°Her family is far from here. Moreover, she is currently estranged from them. Hostages wouldn¡¯t hold any value.¡± ¡°Her family is impossible. What about others?¡± ¡°¡­She is not close to anyone.¡± The man, after a moment of contemtion, spoke. ¡°There is a Barbarian.¡± ¡°A Barbarian?¡± The family head frowned. ¡°What Barbarian are you suddenly talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. The Akasha family has a Barbarian. Although it¡¯s not certain, he seems to have a close rtionship with the head of the Akasha family.¡± Information about Ketal wasn¡¯t well known in the capital. He typically went to meet Arkamis early in the morning and returnedte at night. However, there were a few people who knew about Ketal and Milena, as they didn¡¯t particrly try to hide his presence. The Akasha family has a Barbarian. Since they had been attacking the Akasha family for some time, they had naturally been gathering information, which included details about Ketal. The family head¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°Tell me what you know about this Barbarian.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t respond. The family head frowned. Under the pressure of the family head¡¯s silent urging, the man finally spoke. ¡°We have nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know where he came from. It¡¯s confirmed that he¡¯s a Barbarian based on his appearance, but there is no other information. It¡¯s as if he fell from the sky.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± The family head stroked his chin. The man, speaking defensively, continued. ¡°It¡¯s likely nothing to worry about. Before the Akasha family¡¯s rise, Milena Akasha had personally conducted some trade expeditions. He might have been an acquaintance from that time.¡± ¡°A Barbarian, huh. The Iron Maiden has peculiar tastes.¡± The family head mumbled and then asked. ¡°ording to you, we don¡¯t need to worry about him. After all, he¡¯s just a Barbarian. But does he have any value?¡± ¡°I believe so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough. Capture the Barbarian. It doesn¡¯t matter if you cut off his limbs.¡± ¡°However, the strength of the Barbarian is unknown. We need to confirm that¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Barbarians are no real threat. Who is currently avable?¡± ¡°The strongest avable is Rockbird.¡± ¡°Rockbird, huh. Summon him and have him bring the Barbarian.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man nodded. The family head chuckled. ¡°If the Iron Maiden talks to him every day, she won¡¯t be able to act recklessly. After that, we can use him as a puppet.¡± The family head murmured in a calm voice. ¡°All is as the Great Abomination wills.¡± His voice echoed through the empty room. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 81 – Worshippers of the Abomination (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 81 ¨C Worshippers of the Abomination (2) As always, Ketal was heading home after finishing his alchemy. It was ate night, and apart from the dim streetlights, the road was pitch dark. Amidst the familiar silence, Ketal leisurely walked. And then, as Ketal proceeded, a figure obscured by the darkness blocked his path. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal stared at the figure. Despite the road not being narrow, the figure stood directly in front of him, clearly indicating they had business with him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ketal asked. The figure drew a sword in response. Srring. The sound of the de being unsheathed echoed. Ketal, staring at the figure for a moment, spoke. ¡°Are you perhaps a Sword Master?¡± There had been a simr situation before. Sword Master Cain had blocked Ketal¡¯s pathte at night. Because of that experience, Ketal wondered if this was a simr case.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°¡­Nonsense.¡± The figure spoke with an incredulous tone. A Sword Master? Why would such a person draw their sword in the middle of the night? He hadn¡¯t intended to converse, but the absurd question made him involuntarily respond. Ketal nodded. ¡°So you¡¯re not a Sword Master. Then, are you a robber?¡± ¡®¡­What is with this guy?¡¯ The figure in the darkness, a warrior from the Haibolka family named Rockbird, was dumbfounded. A suspicious person appeared in the darkness and drew a sword. This clearly signaled malicious intent. Normally, one would back away in fear or show caution by drawing their own weapon. But Ketal did neither. He simply looked at Rockbird with curiosity. Rockbird frowned slightly as he stared at Ketal. His instincts warned him something was off. But he ignored the warning. He only needed to follow the will of the great one. Rockbird spoke,den with murderous intent. ¡°Come with me, barbarian, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Confusion spread across Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°So you¡¯re not a robber?¡± The figure hadn¡¯t demanded any valuables, meaning he wasn¡¯t a robber. Rockbird decided to use force instead of answering. His order was to bring the barbarian. There was no stiption to bring him uninjured. ¡®I¡¯ll cripple one of his limbs to make himpliant.¡¯ With that thought, his body moved stealthily in the darkness. Like a shadow, he swiftly approached Ketal to cut the tendons in his arm. Grab. At that moment, Ketal caught Rockbird¡¯s sword. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Rockbird¡¯s eyes widened. He tried to pull the sword away, but it didn¡¯t budge, as if it were embedded in stone. This was dangerous. Rockbird quickly decided. He let go of the sword and retreated. Ketal applied pressure with his hand. The sword shattered into pieces that fell to the ground, ttering loudly in the quiet night. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Rockbird was aghast. The barbarian had broken the sword barehanded without using any aura? Meanwhile, Ketal pondered. ¡®He aimed for my tendons.¡¯ The attack clearly carried lethal intent and hostility. This wasn¡¯t a simple robbery. As Ketal thought quietly, he nodded. ¡°You¡¯re connected to the Haibolka family.¡± Rockbird¡¯s body momentarily flinched¡ªa tiny, barely perceptible movement in the dark night that Ketal clearly saw. ¡®They¡¯re really after me.¡¯ The Haibolka family was attacking the Akasha family. The Haibolka family must have known their scheme was exposed. In modern stories, onemon response would be to target the associates of their enemy. Taking hostages to threaten their opponent was amon tactic. Given what Milena had said, they had used simr methods before without hesitation. So who was the person before him? The answer came quickly. Ketal muttered quietly, ¡°An assassin.¡± The Haibolka family had hired an assassin to target him. ¡®An assassin in a fantasy world!¡¯ A familiar presence appeared before him. Ketal was excited, and even Rockbird could see it. ¡®Mad Barbarian!¡¯ Despite his life being threatened, he seemed delighted! Rockbird gritted his teeth and squinted. His opponent had noticed his presence. He had to be subdued. Even if it meant killing him. Rockbird gripped the two swords in his cloak. Aura slowly began to envelop his body. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal was surprised. Rockbird¡¯s presence was disappearing in an instant. So much so that even Ketal had difficulty sensing him. ¡®Is that possible with magic?¡¯ Rockbird darted through the darkness. Completely hiding his presence, he moved behind Ketal. Until then, Ketal showed no reaction. Got him. As Rockbird was about to thrust his sword with certainty. Ketal turned around. Their gazes locked. Rockbird was startled by Ketal¡¯s sudden movement. ¡°You!¡± He hastily swung his sword. Ketal twisted his neck to dodge and grabbed Rockbird¡¯s arm. He pulled and mmed him down. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± ¡®Can¡¯t go around ruining a perfectly good road.¡¯ Ketal minimized his strength. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thanks to that, Rockbird barely withstood the impact. ¡°Damn!¡± Rockbird dislocated the joint of his captured arm. Using his aura like oil, he slipped free. Barely escaping, Rockbird hastily threw a dagger. Ketal casually waved his fingers. The dagger flying through the darkness was caught in his hand. Crack. Ketal clenched his hand. What was once a dagger crumbled like sand in Ketal¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­How.¡± ¡°Even if you hide your presence, the intent to kill doesn¡¯t disappear.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rockbird was a top-tier assassin. He could hide his intent to kill at will. And yet, this barbarian noticed even a fragment of it? Rockbird swallowed hard. He¡¯s strong. This barbarian is a monster. ¡®I must deal with him.¡¯ He had noticed something about them. He had to be dealt with, no matter the cost. But he couldn¡¯t handle it alone. He needed to request support. Making a quick decision, Rockbird hid his body in the darkness. Watching Rockbird disappear swiftly, Ketal began to walk. * * * A figure moved through the capital in the darkness. The buildings of the capital bathed in moonlight. A shadow crossed over the rooftops. And from a distance, Ketal followed. He could subdue him at any time. But Ketal did not subdue Rockbird. His face was filled with anticipation. ¡®The assassin¡¯s stronghold.¡¯ Assassins always appear in fantasy stories. But there was rarely a proper description of their stronghold. It was usually described as being somewhere in the back alleys or hidden in the darkness. Ketal was always curious about what a real fantasy assassin¡¯s stronghold would look like. He couldn¡¯t miss the chance to see it for himself. Ketal followed Rockbird. Before long, Rockbird entered a building. ¡®Is it there?¡¯ Ketal looked at the building with curiosity. The building Rockbird entered was unexpectedly located in the center of the capital. It wasn¡¯t shy, but it was quite luxurious. ¡®That¡¯s the assassin¡¯s stronghold?¡¯ Ketal was surprised. For an assassin¡¯s stronghold, it was rather conspicuous. He had expected it to be in a dark, gloomy ce like in other stories. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. ¡®Isn¡¯t that strange?¡¯ If you think about it, the people who hire assassins are probably nobles or wealthy individuals. If their servants or subordinates entered a shabby alley, they would definitely stand out. Even if they dressed inly to avoid detection, moving through the center of the capital would look suspicious. It would be better to have the stronghold in the center of the capital, appearing as an ordinary building to anyone who saw it. So it wasn¡¯t strange for an assassin family to be located in the center of the capital. Ketal concluded this. ¡®This is true fantasy.¡¯ Ketal smiled in satisfaction. I t was actually because of the Haibolka family that it was located in the center, but Ketal, not knowing this, was satisfied with his deduction. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± Ketal began to walk lightly. * * * Rockbird, drenched in sweat, barely made it inside the building. He finally popped his dislocated shoulder back into ce. The head of the family, who had been waiting, asked in a leisurely voice. ¡°Did you bring the barbarian?¡± ¡°I-I failed.¡± ¡°What?¡± The head, who had been reclining in his chair, stood up. ¡°Failed? What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­The barbarian is strong. It¡¯s impossible for me alone.¡± Rockbird spoke with trembling eyes. The head of the family frowned. Rockbird was strong. Apart from himself, Rockbird was the strongest among those here. His strength was at least mid-tier among the elite. And First rates were exceedingly rare in the world. Themander of the Blue-Green Knights was a First rate. In other words, reaching that level of strength meant one could be themander of a knight order in a small country. And yet, Rockbird had been defeated. ¡°¡­So, she didn¡¯t keep him around just out of mere interest. How strong do you think he is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Rockbird spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s stronger than me¡­ but beyond that, I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s just strong.¡± The head clicked his tongue. ¡°Got it. This is a problem.¡± The head¡¯s face grew serious. The fact that Rockbird had fled meant that the barbarian knew he was being targeted. After contemting briefly, the head made a decision. ¡°¡­We need to prepare a response. Gather everyone here. I¡¯ll move personally if necessary.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± A sudden voice echoed. The head of the family leaped to his feet. Rockbird, too, was startled and stepped back. ¡°H-How!¡± ¡°I just followed you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Rockbird denied it vehemently. He had moved with his presencepletely hidden. He hadn¡¯te here in a straight line either; he had used various ces as decoys. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t felt any sign of being followed. It was impossible for anyone to have followed him! Rockbird denied it with all his might, and Ketal spoke as if it were obvious. ¡°Well, I moved without being noticed.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by that!¡± Rockbird¡¯s face contorted. The curtains of therge window in the room were swaying. At some point, a massive barbarian had appeared there. Ketal smiled broadly. ¡°Nice to meet you. Assassins.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 82 – Worshippers of the Abomination (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 82 ¨C The Worshippers of the Abomination (3) ¡°¡­You dared toe here yourself. Bold indeed.¡± The head of the family, momentarily flustered, soon regained hisposure. After a moment¡¯s thought, he realized it wasn¡¯t bad news for them. It meant their target hade directly to them. It could even be said that it saved them the trouble. With a rxed demeanor, the head leaned back in his chair and looked at Ketal. ¡®¡­Impressive.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a feeling of brute, oversized muscles. It was more like looking at a perfectly sculpted statue. The head narrowed his eyes. He had defeated Rockbird and arrived here without him noticing. He was a formidable opponent. A look of interest appeared on the head¡¯s face. ¡°Barbarian. Have you ever thought about joining us?¡± ¡°Master?¡± Rockbird opened his eyes wide. The head signaled him to be quiet with a wave of his finger. Rockbird closed his mouth. Ketal asked with a curious expression. ¡°Join you?¡± ¡°We are servants of the Great Abomination.¡± The head spoke softly. ¡°He will set this world free. He will restore it to its original form, not this current state. We will live freely in the new world he creates.¡± In the head¡¯s eyes was a twisted fanaticism. ¡°If you join us, I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°The Abomination.¡± Ketal muttered. ¡®Are they worshipping some assassin deity or something?¡¯ What a strange name. Ketal shook his head. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I don¡¯t serve anyone.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The head¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Then die.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, several figures surrounded the room. In the first ce, the head hadn¡¯t seriously intended to recruit Ketal. He had just been buying time for the other fighters to arrive. ¡°You¡¯re strong, but you¡¯re also quite arrogant.¡± The head was confident of their victory. Everyone here was either a second-rate or first-rate fighter. Even a superhuman would have difficulty escaping unscathed from such a siege. The head had no doubt about that. Swish. The figures drew their daggers. Rockbird also awkwardly drew his weapon. Ketal smiled faintly. The head had bought time for the other fighters to surround the room. But that was also what Ketal had intended. Rather than chasing them down one by one, it was more efficient to deal with them all in one ce. ¡°Kill him.¡± At the head¡¯s calmmand, the figures lunged from the darkness. * * * In the darkness, swords shed through the air. asionally, the des caught the moonlight. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal moved his body this way and that, dodging the swinging swords. Swish! A dagger flew sharply towards him. He flicked it away lightly with his fingers. Another assassin swiftly picked up the fallen dagger and thrust it at Ketal¡¯s neck. ¡°Oh, boy.¡± Ketal bent backward to avoid it. His body sank lower, and the swords aimed at his sides shed through empty air. As he evaded the flurry of attacks, Ketal was surprised. ¡®They¡¯re strong.¡¯ Their aura was perfectly controlled. At the same time, they minimized their presence and killing intent, targeting only his vital points. It had been quite some time since Ketal hade out into the world. In that time, he had roughly gauged the level of strength in the outside world. In his estimation, half of the people here were First rate fighters. First rate fighters were incredibly rare. If they met the qualifications, they could be knights in a powerful kingdom. The fact that there were so many of them here, working as assassins, was quite unusual when thought about calmly. As Ketal pondered this, he nodded. ¡®To be an assassin for a noble, you¡¯d need this level of strength.¡¯ They were based in the heart of the Denian Kingdom¡¯s capital. While it was unclear how muchnd cost in a fantasy world, it probably wasn¡¯t cheap. The fact that they had built a splendid building in such a ce meant they had earned a lot of money. ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Come to think of it, Mileina had once bragged to him about the value and effects of the artifacts she was wearing. She had said they were hard to prate, even for a First rate fighter. In other words, it meant being cautious of an attack from a First rate fighter. With that in mind, Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®Assassins in this world are quite capable!¡¯ Considering that this was a fantasy world. They would have to guard against not only physical barriers but also magical defenses. To assassinate someone through such stringent defenses, they would need considerable skill. Assassins in the fantasy world were highly capable and valued individuals. Ketal was convinced of this. But that wasn¡¯t true. The reason Mileina was protected by artifacts that were difficult for even First rate fighters to prate was simply because she had an immense amount of money. For an ordinary family, acquiring even one of the artifacts she wore would be financially crippling. Furthermore, the assassins in this world did not need immense strength. As Ketal thought, nobles did indeed have magical defenses, making assassinations extremely difficult. However, breaking through those defenses with brute force was a very crude method. Ketal¡¯s current thinking was simr to dropping a stronger bomb to kill an opponent hiding in a bunker. Assassins typically exploited the gaps in daily life, honing that skill to the extreme. Thus, there weren¡¯t many second-tier level fighters among the assassins. While there were a few First rate assassins, they were usually secret weapons nurtured secretly by various organizations or kingdoms. The fact that there were so many fighters of this level here indicated that this wasn¡¯t an ordinary group of assassins, but Ketal was unaware of this. After all, he wasn¡¯t originally from this world. While Ketal was happily sorting out his thoughts, the assassins attacking him were swearing inwardly. ¡®What kind of crazy barbarian is this!¡¯ Daggers flew at him. Hidden in the darkness, they were neither visible nor audible. Ketal lightly shook his head to dodge them. He twisted his body slightly to avoid the des aimed at his back. Several second-tier fighters were attacking with all their might in the confined space. Yet, despite hisrge frame, Ketal was effortlessly dodging all of their attacks with minimal movement. The assassins were about to go insane. It felt like they were fighting a mirage. ¡®But!¡¯ In the end, Ketal was only dodging and not counterattacking. ¡®How long can you keep dodging!¡¯ One of the assassins inwardly shouted as he moved. A sharp de aimed for Ketal¡¯s forehead. Ketal looked at the de nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± He reached out and grabbed the de. The assassin¡¯s body jerked to a stop in mid-air. The assassin¡¯s eyes widened, and that was hisst expression. The broken de lodged into his forehead. ¡°What!¡± Another assassin screamed and thrust his sword. Ketal grabbed the assassin by the neck. The assassin¡¯s body went limp. He flicked away the oing daggers with his fingers. They flew back to their owners with precise uracy. ¡°Damn it!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om They hurriedly raised their swords to block the flying daggers. Crunch. But their swords couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and bent. Their bodies were pierced, causing them to vomit blood and crash into the far wall as if hit by a cannonball. ¡°A-Ah!¡± Rockbird stepped back with a terrified face. Ketal moved. In an instant, he was right in front of Rockbird. Rockbird screamed and swung his sword. Ketal easily caught and broke it, then swung his fist. The assassins fell one by one. The head of the family, who had been watching with a sinister smile, waved his hand in shock. ¡°You!¡± Swish! Sharp throwing weapons flew through the air towards Ketal. Ketal casually waved his hand. The weapons were caught in his hand and snapped. Rumble¡­ The building, unable to withstand the force, began to shake precariously. People in the nearby houses woke up, thinking an earthquake was urring. The head swallowed nervously. ¡°¡­You were hiding your strength.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± The reason he hadn¡¯t counterattacked the assassins was simple. He was curious about their teamwork and attack methods. Once his curiosity was satisfied, he dealt with them. He hadn¡¯t been hiding his strength. Of course, to the head of the family, it sounded like nonsense. The assassins¡¯ coordinated attacks. Even he, at the peak of First rate level, couldn¡¯t escape unscathed. Yet Ketal had dodged them all with simple movements and killed them. ¡®¡­Stronger than me.¡¯ Perhaps even superhuman. Why was such a monster here? The head¡¯s mind was in turmoil. ¡®But.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t impossible to win. The head narrowed his eyes. Ketal had dodged all the assassins¡¯ attacks. That meant he would take damage if hit. ¡®And he didn¡¯t use aura.¡¯ Whether he couldn¡¯t use it or chose not to, he hadn¡¯t used aura throughout the fight. Though hard to understand, Ketal seemed to be purely physically strong. ¡®If that¡¯s the case!¡¯ The head quickly moved, throwing his body backward and swirling his robe. Hundreds of hidden weapons flew from inside the robe. He didn¡¯t stop there. He unleashed all his mysteries, striking the desk. Hidden weapons stored inside the desk poured out. Swish! The room was filled with a rain of hidden weapons. They all flew towards Ketal. ¡°Die!¡± That barbarian couldn¡¯t use magic. He couldn¡¯t protect his body. Hence, he had dodged the assassins¡¯ attacks one by one. The throwing weapons he had justunched were all coated with deadly poison. Just a scratch would kill a person within seconds. Hundreds of weapons densely filled the space, leaving no room to dodge. The head of the family was confident of his victory. And Ketal was thrilled. ¡®This is it!¡¯ Hundreds of throwing weapons flew towards him, like a downpour of rain in a straight line. Ketal was very familiar with a simr technique. ¡®Myriad Flowers Rain Down!¡¯ The ultimate hidden weapon techniquemonly seen in martial arts stories. It was now unfolding before Ketal¡¯s eyes. It felt like witnessing a piece of art. He wanted to continue watching. But he couldn¡¯t. Ketal regretfully thought. ¡®How should I handle this?¡¯ Several countermeasures came to mind, but most were dismissed. It waste at night. Most people were asleep, and making too much noise would be a nuisance. After a brief moment of consideration, Ketal made his decision. He watched the iing projectiles. They were extremely fast, moving at a speed beyond the perception of an ordinary person, but to him, it seemed almost like they were stationary. He took in the entire scene of flying weapons. Then he read their trajectories. He gauged the direction and force of each one. And Ketal moved his fingers. Tap. One of the iing projectiles touched his finger, and its trajectory reversed. Ketal continued to move his fingers, altering the paths of several more weapons. The deviated projectiles collided with others. ng. The colliding projectiles bounced off and hit more projectiles. ng. ng. ng. A cacophony of sounds filled the room as the weapons collided. The tearing sound of metal echoed. Weapons flew through the air, embedding themselves in walls and piercing the floor. Some even flew towards the head of the family. He hurriedly protected himself with magic. ng, ng, ng! A harsh noise reverberated. When the noise subsided, the head of the family lowered his magic barrier. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± He let out a hollowugh involuntarily. ¡®What is this?¡¯ If Ketal had leapt out of the path of the projectiles entirely, he would have understood and immediately thought of the next move. If Ketal had used surrounding objects to perfectly block the projectiles, he would have been a little taken aback but still would have quickly acted. But neither was the case. ¡®¡­He changed the trajectories of a few projectiles to make all of them collide?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand. A miracle beyond the realm of perception andprehension. His fighting spirit vanished in an instant. His body went limp, and his arms hung loosely. ¡°Monster.¡± The head muttered. His neck was then grabbed by Ketal. His body was mmed into the ground. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 83 – Worshippers of the Abomination (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 83 ¨C Worshippers of the Abomination (4) ¡°It was quite fun.¡± Ketal said cheerfully amidst the scene of destruction. How do assassins fight? How do they handle aura? It was plenty enjoyable to check each one of those. ¡®I¡¯ve even faced something simr to Myriad Flowers Rain.¡¯ Ketal was very satisfied. Watching himugh joyfully, the head of the family spoke in a resigned tone. ¡°Kill me, monster.¡± There was never any hope of winning from the start. The sight was so dark that even with the help of moonlight, it was barely possible to see ahead. Even concentrating his mystical energy didn¡¯t make the sight perfect in such darkness. Yet, Ketal had perfectly seen the hundreds of flying weapons, understood how to deflect them off each other, and executed it wlessly. His barbarian attire didn¡¯t have a single tiny hole. It was as clean as when he first arrived. His spatial awareness, responsiveness, and agility were all beyondprehension. This barbarian was a monster, a superhuman-level strongman. Such a creature would be hard to find even if you searched an entire country. ¡®Why is someone like this in the Akasha family?¡¯ There was no reason for such a powerful being to stay in a mere merchant family. ¡°You can¡¯t die that easily.¡± He still had many questions about the assassins¡ªhow long they had been here and how they made their money. It wasn¡¯t an opportunity to miss, hearing firsthand about the assassins in this fantasy world. After a moment of thought, Ketal asked the first thing that came to his mind. ¡°What is this abomination you serve?¡± In this world, gods exist and bestow divine power and authority upon their followers. These assassins worship an abomination, a god of assassins. It was quite unique, and he was curious about it. ¡°The abomination?¡± The head of the family hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth. He had already given up his life and nned to exin briefly and ask for a swift death. ¡°That being is¡­.¡± As he began to speak, the head¡¯s voice gradually weakened. Ketal looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°A-Ah.¡± The head¡¯s pupils trembled, filled with indescribable fear. ¡°W-Wah.¡± His brain was melting. It wasn¡¯t a metaphor, but literal. His brain overloaded and started to melt as it couldn¡¯t process the iing information. ¡°My¡­.¡± The head¡¯s body copsed. Ketal was surprised. ¡°What the?¡± He had been about to say something, but suddenly he died. After pondering for a moment, Ketal muttered. ¡°Is there something like the ¡®solitary worm¡¯ here too?¡± If certain information was about to be spoken, a worm imnted in the brain would activate and melt the brain. It was a method often found in martial arts novels. ¡®Does it exist in fantasy as well? They have everything.¡¯ It made sense if the assassins imnted such things to prevent information from being leaked to others. ¡®What a pity.¡¯ Ketal clicked his tongue. He had wanted to gather more information about the assassins. However, there was no way to get answers from a brain-melted assassin. No one else was moving except for Ketal. He took out a notebook. [Assassins establish their base in the center of the capital. This is likely to allow easy ess for nobles. They imnt solitary worms in their brains. This applies even to the leader of the assassins, suggesting a fairly horizontal structure¡­] ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Having summarized the contents, Ketal stretched. The rest could be verifiedter by Milena. Heunched himself into the air, leaving the scene of destruction behind. * * * A ce adorned so extravagantly that it seemed to gather all the treasures of the world. The treasures were so numerous and valuable that even a king of a nation couldn¡¯t dream of affording them, yet here they were scattered like trinkets. In the center of this opulent room, a many on a sofa. Before him, a subordinate, bowing, spoke. ¡°Those who were probing Denian Kingdom have been crushed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The oath activated.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°It seems they tried to spill information foolishly. Was it the kingdom that moved?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we surmise.¡± ¡°They acted faster than I expected.¡± The man spoke absentmindedly, staring into space. ¡°But were they even attempting to infiltrate Denian Kingdom? This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± The bowing subordinate replied calmly. ¡°Previously, it hadn¡¯t been confirmed, but¡­ it¡¯s been detected for the past year. It definitely exists in this world.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The man smirked. ¡°Find it. By any means necessary.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The bowing subordinate responded. * * * Ketal had destroyed the Haibolka family and was living a life not much different from before. He continued studying alchemy as usual and conversed with Milenate into the night. And on that day, Milena spoke with a perplexed expression. ¡°Ketal, you mentioned that assassin family before, right?¡± ¡°Have the investigation resultse out?¡± Ketal had informed Milena the day after he destroyed the Haibolka family, exining that an assassin group had targeted him and that he had annihted them. Naturally, Milena had looked at Ketal as if he were speaking nonsense. The idea that an assassin group was based in the center of the capital was hard to believe, especially since their base was supposedly the main house of the Haibolka family. At first, she couldn¡¯t understand what Ketal was saying. However, there was no reason for Ketal to lie to her. So, despite her skepticism, she had dispatched investigators. The results were quite peculiar. ¡°The building was empty.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal made a puzzled face. ¡°Empty?¡± ¡°Yes. There were no traces, no furniture. It was literally empty.¡± ¡°No traces?¡± He had fought assassins there. While it wasn¡¯t a battle so loud as to cause a bigmotion, it wasn¡¯t a minor skirmish either. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Hundreds of throwing weapons had embedded into the ceiling and walls, assassins punched by him had dented the walls, and blood had sttered everywhere. One room had beenpletely destroyed. Yet there were no traces? Milena nodded. ¡°Absolutely nothing. And that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing. All traces of the Haibolka family have disappeared as well.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the evidence of their presence in the Denian Kingdom had vanishedpletely¡ªan entire group couldn¡¯t disappear so perfectly. People still remembered them, victims of their actions existed, and they had trading partners. However, all physical evidence of their existence had vanished. Documents proving their transactions and the goods they handled were gone. It was as if ghosts had spirited them away. Ketal¡¯s expression turned intrigued. ¡°Is such a thing even possible?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, right? The Haibolka family was quiterge. For them to disappear without a trace¡­.¡± Milena¡¯s eyes reflected her bewilderment. It was beyond her understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll continue investigating, but honestly, it¡¯s frustrating.¡± She felt as though this was beyond what she could handle. After a moment ofmenting, she remembered something and spoke. ¡°Oh, by the way, I looked into the symbol on the axe you have.¡± ¡°Oh? Did you find anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± Milena shook her head. ¡°Nothing at all. Literally nothing.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t delved as deeply as she could have in her personal investigation, Milena thought she would at least find some information. Surely, there would be records in some document somewhere. But nothing came up. It was as if someone had intentionally erased all traces of information. ¡°You said you picked up that axe from the snow, right?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yes.¡± He had found it abandoned in the snow and, finding it surprisingly useful, had been using it for a long time. That was all Ketal knew about it. ¡°Ugh.¡± Milena groaned. She had been confident. Her family had be thergest merchant family in the Denian Kingdom, amassing an immeasurable fortune. She thought there was no information she couldn¡¯t uncover. But she had failed to find anything on both the Haibolka family and the symbol on the axe. Her pride had taken a hit. Ketalughed heartily, trying to console her. ¡°It happens. If you couldn¡¯t find anything, it must be quite a unique axe.¡± ¡°At the very least, it¡¯s not ordinary. It¡¯s not even something from the former emperor who ventured into the White Snowfield. Besides them, there¡¯s no one else who could have made such a weapon.¡± She grumbled, resting her chin on the table. ¡°Oh, and about the catalyst you wanted.¡± Ketal needed to attain mystic power by breaking through the path to mystery. He had asked Milena to procure a catalyst for that purpose. ¡°I¡¯ve almost got all the catalysts. Only one more to go.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± The thoughts of the axe and the Haibolka family vanished from Ketal¡¯s mind instantly. The excitement of soon obtaining mystic power made his heart race. Milena smiled at his reaction. ¡°It won¡¯t take long. It¡¯s very close by.¡± ¡°Close by?¡± ¡°Did you know that catalysts can also be found in dungeons?¡± Ketal nodded. He had found a catalyst in a dungeon in the Barkan territory before, so he knew. ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon that appeared near the capital. It¡¯s been confirmed that the catalyst is inside. Mercenaries are being assembled, so it won¡¯t take more than a few days.¡± ¡°A dungeon, huh.¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest. Dungeons appeared near popted areas, and the more people there were, the higher the difficulty of the dungeon. This was the capital, with far more people than the Barkan territory. ¡°What kind of dungeon is it?¡± In response to Ketal¡¯s question, Milena answered. ¡°An A-rank dungeon. A raid dungeon.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 84 – Raid Dungeon (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 84 ¨C Raid Dungeon (1) Aquaz walked slowly. Passing through the corridor bathed in gold, she opened the brilliantly shining door. Inside was a flower bed. A very beautiful flower bed, where flowers of various colors bloomed splendidly. In the middle of the flower bed was a single table. A woman was sitting on a chair at the table. The woman turned her gaze, her golden hair swaying. Her jet-ck eyes contrasted sharply as they looked at Aquaz. The woman smiled faintly. ¡°Aquaz. You¡¯vee?¡± Aquaz bowed respectfully. ¡°I, Aquaz, Inquisitor of the Sun God, greet the Saint of the Sun God.¡± * * * A representative of the divine. One who conveys the words of the great being to the earth. A Saint. The person in front of Aquaz was the Saint of the Sun God. The Saint extended her hand. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Aquaz hesitated as she sat in the chair opposite. The Saint lifted a teacup and spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard journey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the will of the god. As a believer, it¡¯s a joy to follow their will.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn The Saint shook her head at Aquaz¡¯s calm words. ¡°Your faith remains unwavering. I couldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­Saint?¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± The Saint chuckled. ¡°So. You came to see me to talk, right? Will you tell me?¡± Aquaz nodded. She slowly exined. About the demon of gravity, Ashetiar, who descended on the Barkan Territory, and the battle against it. The Saint pped her hands exaggeratedly. ¡°That¡¯s an amazing feat! To have defeated a fully descended demon. Aquaz, thanks to you, the church¡¯s reputation has soared! The leaders are also delighted.¡± Aquaz did not have the power to defeat a fully descended demon. That she won against Ashetiar was undoubtedly a miracle. But Aquaz shook her head. ¡°¡­No. If it weren¡¯t for my coborator, I would have fallen there.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Barbarian from the White Snowfield, whom the leaders dismissed as insignificant?¡± Aquaz nodded heavily. The leaders did not pay much attention to the Barbarian¡¯s existence that Aquaz mentioned. The extermination of a descended demon. Before such a great achievement, the existence of a Barbarian was just an obstacle. It was uneptable for the noble leaders that a lowly Barbarian had interfered in divine punishment. Above all, the Barbarian was not mentioned in the Sun God¡¯s revtion. This meant a w in the great god¡¯s words. Hence, the leaders erased the record of the Barbarian. But Aquaz couldn¡¯t do that. That¡¯s why she came directly to the Saint. ¡°Why¡­ did the Sun God keep silent about the Barbarian? Was it to test me?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Saint affirmed. ¡°Probably didn¡¯t know? Their vision only covers ¡®our¡¯ world. From their perspective, it would have been an irregrity.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aquaz looked confused. The Saint spoke lightly. ¡°It means that even gods are not omnipotent.¡± ¡°Saint! What are you saying!¡± Aquaz was shocked. It was a sphemy that she couldn¡¯t believe came from the god¡¯s representative. ¡°I¡¯m joking, joking. Don¡¯t get so upset.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take that as a joke. Please refrain from suchments.¡± Aquaz suppressed her surprised heart. The Saint¡¯s faith in the Sun God wasn¡¯t strong. Rather, it was almost nonexistent. It was puzzling how she became the Sun God¡¯s Saint. ¡°But the White Snowfield, huh. Many strange things are happening in this world. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aquaz bit her lip. This world is bing distorted, and not in a good way for them. The Saint frowned as if having a headache. ¡°It¡¯s not just the descent of demons. There are groups worshiping abominations appearing too.¡± ¡°Abominations? This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Aquaz tilted her head. She was an expected talent, able to have a private audience with the Saint. She knew a lot about the world. But even she had never heard of abominations. The Saint clicked her tongue. ¡°They exist. Beings that once conquered the earth in ancient times. Their existence itself is sphemy. It¡¯s better not to know.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°And now, the distortion of the forbiddennd has emerged, swallowing up the kingdom. It¡¯s not good. Not good at all. It¡¯s enough to twist your stomach¡­¡± What the Saint was talking about must have been information conveyed to her as the representative of the Sun God. It was something Aquaz shouldn¡¯t be curious about. She listened silently. ¡°And that¡¯s not all. Even themon knowledge we had is changing.¡± ¡°You mean the changes in the dungeons.¡± ¡°Yes. While other things are inherently alien, it¡¯s perplexing why even the dungeons are in chaos¡­ It¡¯s as if the world is showing malice towards us.¡± The Saint propped her chin on the table with a tired look. Aquaz spoke up. ¡°The Great Sun God will watch over us. If we act ording to His will, the world will find peace.¡± ¡°I wonder.¡± The Saint made a peculiar expression at Aquaz¡¯s words, filled with faith and belief. ¡°Aquaz. Shall I tell you a secret?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t know, I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s rted to you.¡± The Saint looked beyond the flower bed. There stood a statue of the Sun God. ¡°You received a revtion and departed for the Barkan Territory.¡± The revtion she received was about the descent of a great evil. Indeed, the demon of gravity, Ashetiar, was there. ¡°But there was one problem. The revtion I received was indeed about the demon¡¯s descent. But the Sun God mentioned an iplete descent.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. What she encountered was a fully descended Ashetiar who had even seeded in territorialization. ¡°We sent you alone because we believed there was a chance of victory. If we had known it was a fully territorialized demon, we wouldn¡¯t have sent you alone, right?¡± ¡°Wait a moment. Are you saying¡­¡± Even without considering the existence of the Barbarian, the revtion of the god was not perfect. ¡°You would have been defeated.¡± Aquaz was strong. She was expected to be the next Chief Inquisitor and lead the order. But she was not yet strong enough to defeat a territorialized demon. Ashetiar would have defeated Aquaz and advanced to the middle world. The demon would have engulfed the kingdom and spread evil throughout the world. But the demon failed to do so. The demon was defeated by the Barbarian of the White Snowfield, unable to fulfill its intentions. ¡°A Barbarian from outside the realm¡­¡± The Saint murmured. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a good or bad omen.¡± * * * ¡°A raid dungeon?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°You know about dungeons, right?¡± ¡°I know a bit, but not in detail.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll exin briefly.¡± Milena began her exnation. Dungeons appear near ces where people gather. They might be dangerous, but they always appear at a certain distance from viges or cities, so as long as one doesn¡¯t foolishly enter a dungeon, they weren¡¯t usually a threat. The death of amon citizen in a dungeon was regarded simrly to dying while climbing a cliff. However, dungeons often blocked the way to cities, and if left unattended for too long, the monsters inside mighte out. Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°They doe out?¡± ¡°Very rarely. They don¡¯te out unless a dungeon is left unhandled for over a year.¡± That¡¯s why it was necessary to deal with dungeons before they piled up. It was the job of mercenaries to assess the danger level of nearby dungeons and attack them. ¡°Basically, a dungeon raid is done by a party of four. There isn¡¯t enough room to move otherwise.¡± Most dungeons were designed with narrow passages or rooms. Too many people would just get in each other¡¯s way. ¡°Come to think of it.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t particrly notice, but recalling his memories, the sizes of dungeons were generally simr. ¡°I thought you said you worked as a mercenary, Ketal. I thought you¡¯d know this.¡± ¡°I did enter dungeons, but I usually went in alone, so I didn¡¯t pay attention to such things.¡± ¡°Alone¡­?¡± Milena paused for a moment and then shook her head to clear her mind. ¡°A party of four is the basic formation for dungeons. Any more than that, and they just get in each other¡¯s way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°The restriction of four.¡± ¡°Yes. There are very few exceptions, but most dungeons follow this rule. That¡¯s why most parties areposed of four members.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting statement.¡± ¡°Interesting?¡± Milena tilted her head. Was the restriction of four interesting? She couldn¡¯t understand. To her, that restriction was as natural as birds flying in the sky or apples falling to the ground. But to Ketal, it was quite intriguing. Milena mentioned that with very few exceptions, most dungeons had a restriction of four. This could imply that someone intentionally created this restriction. Of course, it could be an overinterpretation. There were cases where people believed that a statue was made by someone, only to find out it was naturally formed by wind and rain. With so much friction between people, there were just as many conflicts, and it was a hassle. No matter how high the pay, it was hard to find people willing to join a raid dungeon. Ketal was a Barbarian. Barbarians typically didn¡¯t like group activities. Even though Ketal was a bit unusual, Milena thought he still had the basic characteristics of a Barbarian, so she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I want to go.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Milena had no reason or right to stop him. She opened her mouth to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the location of the mercenary guild. If any problems arise there, just show them my family¡¯s crest.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal expressed his gratitude. Milena murmured. ¡°A raid dungeon¡­ You might see some familiar faces.¡± * * * Tiana, the receptionist at the mercenary guild in the capital city of Denian, was dissatisfied. ¡®This isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡¯ She had grown up reading stories about mercenaries and admired them. But it wasn¡¯t like expecting a prince on a white horse like Elene did. She admired something rougher, more savage, almost beast-like. People thirsty forbat, shing swords and axes, risking their lives in battle. Gulping down drinks and sleeping on any piece of ground. She longed for such scenes, symbols of barbarism. So she studied hard and became a receptionist at the mercenary guild. But once she became a receptionist, she found the mercenary guild to be very ordinary. The mercenaries didn¡¯t bicker with each other and drank only until they were moderately drunk. At first, she expected the mercenaries to flirt with her, so she dressed up, but that didn¡¯t happen either. They were exceedingly polite, keeping work and personal matters separate. It made sense, after all. This was the capital of the Denian Kingdom. Only vetted mercenaries could enter, at least B-rank, and C-rankers were rarely allowed into the capital. Consequently, the mercenary assembly hall was very peaceful. If anyone caused trouble, they were immediately expelled, and their sponsors could also face repercussions. Naturally, other receptionists appreciated this tranquility, but Tiana found it extremely boring. ¡®I need excitement¡­¡¯ She longed for intense stimtion in her monotonous life. She wanted to see the violence and savagery she had read about as a child. She wished for it every night. And today. She genuinely regretted making such a wish. Tiana¡¯s body trembled. She wanted to run away immediately, but she couldn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t know how the enraged man in front of her would react. A gigantic Barbarian sat before her. ¡°Are you the receptionist of the mercenary guild?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡± Tiana tried hard to suppress her trembling as she nced up. The Barbarian was looking at her. She involuntarily bowed her head. She had seen many people with good builds orrge frames, but the presence before her was different. The most significant difference was the sense of intimidation. She felt as if her head would be smashed if she made any wrong move. ¡®Mom!¡¯ Mom, who told her to stop making stupid prayers and find a decent man to marry! Mom, who said normal was best! ¡®I¡¯m sorry forining! I¡¯ll never make such prayers again!¡¯ While she was screaming inside, Ketal opened his mouth. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 85 – Raid Dungeon (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 85 ¨C Raid Dungeon (2) ¡°I¡¯d like to take on a request.¡± ¡°Are¡­ Are you a mercenary?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal handed over his mercenary badge. Tiana received it with trembling hands. When she checked the badge, her eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± The rank on the badge was C-rank. The barbarian in front of her was a C-rank mercenary. ¡°Is it fake?¡± She inspected the badge thoroughly, but it wasn¡¯t fake. The barbarian was indeed a mercenary. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± She calmed her trembling body. Even though the barbarian in front of her was intimidating, he was ultimately a mercenary. He was a person bound by the rules andws of society. There was no reason for her to be scared. ¡°Do you have a specific request in mind¡­?¡± But she couldn¡¯t help but speak in a voice as small as a crawling ant. It was more of a mumble than actual words. However, Ketal seemed to have heard the mumbling clearly and asked, ¡°I heard there¡¯s a request for a raid dungeon.¡± ¡°Oh. Yes, there is.¡± Tiana fumbled as she pulled out the request form from under the desk and handed it over. [Requestor: Kingdom of Denian.] [A-rank Dungeon.] [Raid Dungeon.] [Conditions: C-rank or higher. Must be able to cooperate with others.] [Reward: Varies based on performance and contribution.] Reading the request form, a smile spread across Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°Can you exin it to me?¡± ¡°Yes, y-yes.¡± Tiana stuttered as she began to exin. ¡°It¡¯s an A-rank raid dungeon. There are a total of four entrances leading into the dungeon.¡± Four entrances. Four paths. Each path led to the center of the dungeon. Each party would enter through one of the four entrances and clear the path. Then they would meet up with the other parties at the center of the dungeon. ¡°After meeting the other parties, you will solve the dungeon¡¯s gimmick and take down the boss. That¡¯s how you clear the raid dungeon. The detailed instructions will be given by the raid leader.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works.¡± There were different types of raid dungeons. The main types were either a mob of people swarming in to beat the boss or each party splitting up to solve the dungeon¡¯s gimmicks. This time, it seemed to be thetter. Ketal nodded in satisfaction. ¡°There are still spots avable, right?¡± ¡°Yes. There are still openings, but¡­¡± ¡°I would like to take on this raid dungeon request.¡± ¡°Ex-Excuse me?¡± ¡°I believe I meet the conditions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Tiana was flustered. Ketal was a C-rank mercenary, just meeting the minimum requirement. But there was one more condition. ¡°Have you ever formed a party before?¡± Raid dungeons weren¡¯t like regr dungeons. They required cooperation among dozens of people to clear. With so many people involved, one had to have good social skills. They had to be able to follow orders from strangers. But a barbarian, who was notorious for splitting heads and dueling even among their own kind, couldn¡¯t possibly have such social skills. Seeing her worried expression, Ketal confidently said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve formed parties and led them several times. I¡¯ve alsopleted escort missions, so there won¡¯t be any issues. I promise.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t believe him. One of the most useless things in the world was a barbarian¡¯s promise. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t allow a barbarian to join a raid dungeon and would reject him right here. But she was scared. If she rejected him, he might suddenly snap and cleave her head with his axe. In fact, she had read several novels in her childhood where barbarian protagonists did exactly that. Back then, she admired those ruthless barbarians, but now that she was the target, her body was shaking. She realized that novels were best left as novels.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°We, we¡¯ll need to assess you first. The guild master will review and make the final decision. You¡¯ll get the result within a week, so please check back then.¡± In the end, she shifted the responsibility to the guild master. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll check back.¡± Ketal nodded and left. Tiana, who had been standing there for a while, copsed onto the desk. ¡°¡­I¡¯m getting rid of them all.¡± All the novels about barbarians and mercenaries she had collected since childhood. She decided to throw them all away. * * * That night, the guild master was sitting at his desk, sorting through documents. He reviewed the ranks and specialties of the mercenaries who had applied for the raid dungeon. ¡°Not bad,¡± he muttered. Raid dungeons weren¡¯t particrly popr. Even if the rewards were substantial, mercenaries with strong individualistic tendencies weren¡¯t keen on working closely with others. However, this time, a decent group of mercenaries had gathered. This should be manageable without major issues. As the guild master was flipping through the papers with satisfaction, he suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­A barbarian?¡± Among the mercenaries who had taken on the raid dungeon request was a barbarian. ¡°Why is a barbarian here?¡± Ketal was staying at Milena¡¯s residence. However, the people in the capital weren¡¯t well aware of his presence. The reason was simple. Ketal left the capital when others were sleeping and returned at dawn when everyone was still in deep slumber. The guards were the only ones who continuously saw him, but they were ordered to keep silent and tell no one. ¡°A C-rank mercenary. He must have gone through the assessment to get in. It must have been quite a hassle, so he must have really wanted to join.¡± Naturally, the guild master thought this way. He had no intention of epting a barbarian who was uncontroble into a raid dungeon. Normally, the receptionist should have filtered him out, but it seemed she had passed the responsibility directly to him out of fear. Just as he was about to discard the document, ¡°Hey.¡± Crash! The voice from the window made the guild master reflexively leap. The chair toppled over with a loud noise. ¡°Who is it?¡± The guild master grabbed the axe hanging on the wall, sweat dripping down his face. The guild master was once a renowned mercenary. Though he had retired, unable to withstand the passage of time, his experience hadn¡¯t disappeared. Because of this, he could tell. The person before him was a monster. He hadn¡¯t noticed them entering the room at all. A tense atmosphere filled the space. The intruder sighed. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not an enemy.¡± The intruder approached. T he flickering candlelight illuminated the room. Upon seeing the intruder¡¯s face, the guild master¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°Ma-Master Maximus?¡± Maximus, the Swordmaster. He was the great sword of Denian. The guild master hastily put down his axe. ¡°I came to see you. Calm down.¡± ¡°I understand. But why at thiste hour¡­?¡± And through the window, no less. Maximus¡¯ face twisted at the guild master¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t need to know.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Understood.¡± The guild master quickly nodded. Maximus spoke. ¡°I saw a barbariane to the guild. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± The guild master was momentarily flustered but stammered, ¡°Yes, he applied for the raid dungeon request.¡± ¡°A raid dungeon?¡± Maximus frowned. ¡°They¡¯ll do anything, it seems.¡± ¡°I was just about to reject him, but¡­¡± ¡°ept him.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°ept whatever he wants to do. Don¡¯t put any restrictions on his actions.¡± The guild master couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment. Maximus. The great sword of Denian and one of the swordmasters. Such a person came secretly to say not to interfere with a barbarian? The guild master¡¯s confusion must have shown on his face because Maximus, with a wrinkled expression, continued, ¡°It¡¯s not like I came here because I wanted to. It¡¯s the will of His Majesty.¡± ¡°Hi-His Majesty¡¯s?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask anything further. I have delivered the message.¡± Maximus disappeared as if he couldn¡¯t stand to stay any longer. The guild master, who stood in a daze for a moment, spoke. ¡°Did he reallye here just to say that?¡± The great swordmaster, Maximus? The guild master looked at the scattered documents. Therey the information about Ketal. ¡°¡­What is with this barbarian?¡± * * * A vast in. Mercenaries had gathered there. Among them, a man with a sturdy build, d in armor, sword, and shield, was sitting on a rock, chewing on some cheese. A blue armband was on his wrist. ¡°Hey.¡± Someone tapped his shoulder from behind. The man¡¯s face lit up as he turned around. ¡°Oh. Barak!¡± ¡°Good to see you, Gainert.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re in my party?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Said the man with the bow, known as Barak, as he patted his shoulder. A blue armband was attached there. A woman¡¯s voice called out from behind them. ¡°I¡¯m here too!¡± ¡°Oh, Marcy!¡± A woman with a pointed hat and a staff approached them with a smile. She also had a blue armband on her arm. The man known as Gainert whistled. ¡°This party looks pretty good!¡± Raid dungeons typically required four-person parties. However, some mercenaries didn¡¯t have a party. In such cases, the guild would form parties based on requests. Before the party was set, no one knew who their teammates would be, which often resulted in mismatched groups. In this context, they were lucky. They knew each other and had worked together several times before. There wouldn¡¯t be any issues with this party. Marcyughed and said. ¡°It¡¯s a raid dungeon, after all. Most other parties shouldn¡¯t have problems either.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°By the way, Barak, didn¡¯t you have a party?¡± ¡°The leader got stabbed in a love affair.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± They chatted idly while observing the other mercenaries around them. ¡°Indeed, it looks fine. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems with this group. Who¡¯s the raid leader?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Marcy pointed to the other side of the field. A man with dark hair was standing there. Gainert¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Cartman? Really? He¡¯s a First rate mercenary!¡± Reaching the First rate as a mercenary was extremely rare. Usually, those who reached that level signed contracts with nobles and became knights. Thus, those who continued as mercenaries despite reaching the First rate were highly respected among their peers. Cartman was one of them. ¡°This should be an easy win.¡± ¡°The internalyout hasn¡¯t been fully verified yet, but it doesn¡¯t seem particrly special. It should only take a few hours.¡± They weren¡¯t the only ones who thought so. All the mercenaries present were at least C-rank, with ample experience. There was a general air of confidence and a desire to finish quickly and return. While they were idly passing the time, Marcy whispered, ¡°Speaking of Cartman, do you think that rumor is true?¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°That he escorted the Akasha family across the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± It was a secret that Milena had crossed the White Snowfield to sell weapons. If it were known that she had traded with the Empire, it wouldn¡¯t bode well for her. However, mercenaries were generally talkative and liked to boast about their exploits. One of the mercenaries who had escorted Milena had gotten drunk and bragged about his achievements. Considering that Milena suddenly made a lot of money and revitalized the Akasha family, it seemed usible. But no one really believed the story. The reason was simple. ¡°It¡¯s an impossible story. The White Snowfield?¡± The White Snowfield. Thergest demon territory in the center of the continent. No one had ever managed to cross it. The only person to have seen the monsters of the White Snowfield was an emperor from a long time ago. Though Cartman was undoubtedly strong, he was still only at the First rate mercenary level. He wouldn¡¯t survive in the White Snowfield. But Marcy whispered even more quietly. ¡°There¡¯s another part to that rumor, you know?¡± ¡°¡­Oh. That he met the Ashen Barbarian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Marcy nodded. ¡°The reason they survived was because the Ashen Barbarian helped them. Doesn¡¯t that make sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s usible, but¡­¡± If the Ashen Barbarian really helped, then crossing the White Snowfield might be possible. But that was also just a baseless rumor. ¡°Why would the Ashen Barbarian help outsiders? They¡¯d be lucky if he didn¡¯t just kill them.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Marcy didn¡¯t argue further. She knew it was just a fantasy. She was merely indulging in some amusing spection. ¡°But it¡¯s an interesting story, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is, but first we need to clear this dungeon. Barak, do you know who our fourth party member is?¡± A party consisted of four people, and one spot was still vacant. ¡°No idea. Looking at the current members, maybe a warrior or a rogue?¡± ¡°Could it be Varian? He¡¯s alwaysining about being broke.¡± ¡°Not him. His family dragged him off a few days ago. Turns out he¡¯s a noble from a small country.¡± ¡°Oh, really? That exins why he always tried to maintain appearances. It was a noble¡¯s little adventure?¡± As they chatted, more mercenaries started gathering. Most of the group had arrived. It was about time for their fourth party member to show up. Marcy, staring down the path, suddenly looked surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± She hesitantly pointed with her finger. Gainert and Barak followed the direction of her finger. They could hardly believe their eyes. ¡°¡­A barbarian?¡± A lone barbarian was walking toward them. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 86 – Raid Dungeon (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 86 ¨C Raid Dungeon (3) ¡°What the? Why is a barbarian here?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± The ones who were confused weren¡¯t the only ones. The mercenaries gathered in the field also stopped when they saw the barbarian. In the strange silence, the barbarian slowly approached them. ¡°Is heing over here?¡± ¡°Uh, seems like it?¡± And Cartman¡¯s eyes widened as he confirmed what he was seeing. He stared at the barbarian, dumbfounded, as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± His voice was filled with shock. The barbarian then slowly walked towards Gainert. ¡°Are you my party members?¡± ¡°P-party?¡± ¡°Am I wrong? I was told toe to the ce with the blue armbands.¡± Only then did Gainert look at Ketal¡¯s arm. There was a blue armband simr to the ones they were wearing. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re right. But¡­ is this for the raid dungeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m in the right ce. So, you are my party members.¡± Barbarian Ketal grinned. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± * * * The mercenaries gathered in confusion. Cartman opened his mouth. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Cartman, the raid leader for this dungeon.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked at Cartman. With a reluctant expression, Cartman continued. ¡°¡­You should know the basics. For more details, ask your party leader. Now, move to the respective dungeon entrances.¡± With that, the mercenaries started heading towards the dungeon. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After walking for a while, Gainert cautiously approached Cartman. ¡°Cartman, sir.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, it seems my party member is a barbarian¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. There shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡± Probably. Cartman muttered softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s here¡­ but it doesn¡¯t matter. Anything else you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°No, nothing else.¡± As Cartman didn¡¯t react further, Gainert stepped back. Waiting nearby, Barak and Marcy quickly approached. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Not much.¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s a legitimate mercenary hired through proper channels?¡± The raid leader could ess basic information about participating mercenaries. Since Cartman didn¡¯t say anything special, it meant there was no problem. ¡°What? A barbarian in the capital?¡± ¡°Anyone C-rank or above can enter, right?¡± ¡°But a barbarian passing the months-long screening? I nearly died of boredom myself.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem likely.¡± They murmured among themselves but found no answers. ¡°No information.¡± Gainert frowned. And they arrived at the dungeon entrance. Since there were multiple entrances, no other mercenaries were there. The three mercenaries and one barbarian stood at the entrance. After some thought, Gainert spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s start with introductions, shall we?¡± Whatever the case, he was here as a mercenary. He was their party member. So, they decided to talk first. Ketal nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start. I¡¯m Gainert, a warrior using a sword and shield. I¡¯m a B-rank mercenary. I¡¯m assigned as the party leader and can control mystical powers.¡± Next, Barak shook the bow on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m Barak, an archer. C-rank mercenary. I have very wide and focused detection abilities.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Marcy, a mage. B-rank mercenary. I can use simple detection magic, body enhancement magic, and mana arrows.¡± Marcy said, holding her staff. Her face showed a slight hint of anxiety. Barbarians didn¡¯t like mages, though not as much as priests. They despised mages for using strange powers with their weak bodies. But Ketal actually looked pleased. ¡°A mage? Nice to meet you. I heard you¡¯re managed by the Magic Tower. Are you affiliated with it?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes, yes. But I ran away¡­¡± Not all mages left the tower sessfully. Many ran away due to the near-very conditions and the walls of talent. Even if they ran, they were still considered affiliated with the tower, but they weren¡¯t recognized as proper mages. Most of them became mercenaries or exclusive mages for nobles, and Marcy was one of them. ¡°I see. It must have been tough. You¡¯ve had a hard time.¡± ¡°Oh. Th-thank you?¡± Marcy replied, flustered. Ketal looked at his party members. ¡®Thebination is different.¡¯ The party Ketal had in the Barkan territory consisted of a warrior, a thief, and a priest. This party was quite different. ¡®The warrior and mage are second-rate, and the archer is third-rate.¡¯ Ketal smiled with satisfaction. This raid seemed like it would be enjoyable. And that smile made them tense up instinctively. ¡®¡­What is this intimidation?¡¯ Gainert thought to himself. Ketal hadn¡¯t done anything; he had just smiled. But that alone almost made Gainert draw his weapon reflexively. Gainert had seen barbarians a few times during his mercenary work, but none of them had exuded such intimidation. He¡¯s not an ordinary barbarian. Gainert swallowed and asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Ketal, a barbarian. My role is close to the front line.¡± ¡°How much have you mastered mystic arts?¡± Ketal replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know any mystic arts.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Gainert was taken aback. ¡°You don¡¯t know mystic arts?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no. It seems my body has difficulty even sensing mystic arts.¡± Ketal muttered with a sad expression. Gainert was bewildered. ¡®He doesn¡¯t know mystic arts?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s your mercenary rank?¡± ¡°C-rank.¡± A C-rank mercenary who didn¡¯t know mystic arts? Of course, not all C-rank mercenaries had mastered mystic arts. One could reach C-rank simply bypleting many requests or fulfilling their roles well. But the aura and presence that Ketal exuded didn¡¯t seem like that of someone who didn¡¯t know mystic arts. So, Gainert naturally assumed he knew them. But to not know them? Gainert began to doubt. ¡®Is he just an ordinary barbarian?¡¯ Maybe he was overthinking it. After all, Ketal hadn¡¯t done anything. They were letting their imaginations run wild and misinterpreting things. Realizing this, Gainert reluctantly rxed. He concluded that the barbarian in front of him was weaker than himself. The reason was simple. Those who hadn¡¯t mastered mystic arts couldn¡¯t defeat those who had. Mystic arts were the starting point for gaining powers beyondprehension. Without that, no matter how strong one¡¯s body was, there were clear limits. Gainert could control mystic arts. He had previously subdued three barbarians attacking him simultaneously. He organized his thoughts. Ketal was a barbarian who didn¡¯t know mystic arts. That made things simple. He would treat him like any other ordinary barbarian. ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed. Prepare forbat.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal nodded with a smile, and they entered the dungeon. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Inside the dungeon, winding paths stretched like a natural cave. But it seemed to lead in one set direction. They advanced through the dungeon. Ketal followed them leisurely, without any tension. After a while, Barak raised his arm. ¡°Monsters. Four of them. Human-like.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Gainert and Marcy¡¯s expressions turned serious. Ketal asked with a puzzled look. ¡°Did you not notice them?¡± ording to what he had heard, Barak was third-rate, while Gainert and Marcy were second-rate. Their level was higher. Barak replied bluntly. ¡°My detection range is much wider.¡± Barak was an archer. He needed to detect more and wider areas than others. By focusing solely on that aspect, there were few even among second-rates who could surpass his detection. Ketal was impressed. ¡°You can do that?¡± Honing a limited ability to surpass one¡¯s rank. It was an admirable feat. ¡°That must have been tough. Impressive.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± Barak responded with a slightly embarrassed expression. ¡®Why is he acting so friendly?¡¯ Barbarians only trusted their own strength. They didn¡¯t believe in others and had no concept ofrades. However, Ketal was acting very friendly, as if they were truly part of a team. This unexpected familiarity was quite disconcerting. In their confusion, they quietly moved forward, and finally, they saw them: four orcs beyond the passageway. ¡°Orcs.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. One of the ssic monsters of fantasy. He had encountered orcs several times while clearing dungeons in the Barkan territory. But the orcs before him wererger and darker, indicating a clear difference in strength. ¡®The strength of monsters varies with the dungeon¡¯s grade.¡¯ While Ketal observed with interest, Gainert was calmly preparing for battle. ¡°Marcy, get your magic ready. Barak, nock your arrows and prepare to shoot.¡± Gainert was the vanguard and the party leader. He had to direct the battle. ¡°And you¡­¡± Gainert looked at Ketal. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. ¡°You stay back and be ready to respond to any unforeseen events.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal spoke with a peculiar expression. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to stay out of the fight.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡± Gainert said calmly. He was a mercenary who had teamed up with barbarians a few times. From those experiences, he realized something: barbarians had no concept ofrades. They didn¡¯t trust others and only saw them as obstacles. They had no notion of working together or being considerate in battle. Fighting alongside them only caused problems. There were several instances where Gainert almost died because of barbarians. Therefore, he naturally intended to keep Ketal out of the fight. Ketal would likely object. Barbarians, who looked down on others and lovedbat, wouldn¡¯t easily retreat after hearing such words. But Gainert was prepared to suppress him by force if necessary. Ketal might look strong, but he was still a barbarian who hadn¡¯t mastered mystic arts. He wasn¡¯t a match for Gainert. In the tense atmosphere, Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°Understood.¡± The tension instantly dissipated. Gainert, who had been preparing for a confrontation, hesitated. ¡°¡­Is that okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a reasonable request. I¡¯ve never teamed up with you before. In contrast, you seem experienced in working together. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°In such a situation, having an outsider participate in the fight would only be a hindrance. It¡¯s a sound decision.¡± Gainert¡¯s words were indeed correct. There was no reason to refuse. However, Gainert didn¡¯t expect Ketal to ept his words so easily, likely because Ketal was a barbarian. ¡®What kind of barbarians are out there?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 87 – Raid Dungeon (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 87 ¨C Raid Dungeon (4) There were Barbarians outside as well. He knew that. After all, people recoiled in terror upon seeing him, calling him a Barbarian, so it was impossible not to know. However, he had never seen them in person. Initially, he had no intention of paying them any mind, but their notorious reputation kept reaching his ears, and he was getting curious. ¡®Are they the same as the ones inside the snowy ins?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind and prepare for any contingencies. I¡¯ll leave thebat to you.¡± Said Gainert, nodding. ¡°Marcy, cast a physical enhancement spell on Barak. Barak, prepare to pierce their heads.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Marcy began chanting a spell, and Barak drew his bowstring. Gainert raised his shield. Ketal watched them with delight. He had no intention of fighting from the start. This was a proper mercenary party, and he had no intention of missing the opportunity to watch the battle from the front row. ¡°Begin the battle.¡± Gainert said briefly. Simultaneously, Marcy muttered softly. ¡°Physical enhancement.¡± With the low words, Barak¡¯s body was strengthened. A superhuman force was applied to the drawn bowstring. Barak released his grip. With a whizzing sound, the arrow flew towards the orc. Thunk. The arrow pierced the orc¡¯s skull. The orc staggered and fell. It was an instant kill. The orcs only realized the presence of the enemy after theirrade had fallen, screaming and raising their clubs. ¡°Kuaaaak!¡± They charged. But Barak had already drawn his bowstring again. Another arrow flew, piercing an orc¡¯s head. Now, only two orcs remained. Gainert charged forward with his shield. An orc swung its club down. ¡°Kuoooh!¡± The orcs were 1.3 times Gainert¡¯s size. Naturally, they were stronger. Two such orcs were attacking Gainert simultaneously. But Gainert didn¡¯t falter. His aura strengthened his body, blocking the orcs¡¯ attacks without issue. While Gainert held them off, Marcy chanted another spell. ¡°Mana arrow.¡± A translucent arrow materialized in the air. It flew and struck an orc¡¯s head. The orc screamed and recoiled. Gainert didn¡¯t miss the opening. He shoved with his shield and plunged his sword into the orc¡¯s neck. The orc made a gurgling sound and copsed. Only one orc remained. Gainert dealt with it without difficulty. The battle ended. Ketal was deeply moved. ¡°Ohhh.¡± ¡®This is a real party.¡¯ In the Barkan territory, the so-called ¡°party¡± was, frankly, just individuals doing their own thing in the dungeon. They were practically strangers, so it was to be expected. But these people were perfectly coordinated. They supplemented each other¡¯s roles and moved organically to conquer the dungeon. They filled in the gaps and covered each other¡¯s weaknesses perfectly. Ketal was deeply impressed. They continued to advance. Orcs appeared, but were dealt with as easily as before. Ketal watched intently from the back, not missing a single moment. And Gainert felt that gaze. ¡®Why is he staring like that?¡¯ It was a gaze filled with intense passion. Gainert wondered if the barbarian was unable to control his emotions, eager to join the fight. It felt like fighting with a ravenous beast at their back. This feeling wasn¡¯t just Gainert¡¯s; Marcy and Barak felt it too. Naturally, it made them unnecessarily tense. The mental strain was significant, and their bodies quickly grew tired. After five battles, Gainert drank some water. ¡°How far do you think we¡¯vee?¡± ¡°Considering the distance¡­ probably about halfway.¡± ¡°Marcy, how¡¯s your mana?¡± ¡°I need to recover soon.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s rest here for a bit. Is that okay?¡± Gainert looked at Ketal, who nodded. They sat down to rest. Ketal, purely impressed, spoke up. ¡°Amazing. Your coordination is perfect.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no unnecessary movement, and everyone supports each other perfectly. It¡¯s incredible. This is a real party.¡± Ketal¡¯s expression was filled with admiration. Since it was pure praise, Gainert didn¡¯t feel bad hearing it. ¡°From the way you talk, it seems you¡¯ve been part of a party before.¡± ¡°A few times. But we never coordinated like this. It was more like everyone just did their own job.¡± ¡°Ah, sounds like you were in temporary parties. It¡¯s not easy to coordinate with people you¡¯ve just met.¡± ¡°Are you in a fixed party?¡± ¡°Not exactly. But we¡¯ve been in several parties together, and we adjusted to each other each time. It might not be as good as a fixed party, but I¡¯d say we¡¯re close to the best you can get for a temporary one.¡± ¡°Is that so? It muste from mutual trust. Impressive.¡± ¡°Y-yeah?¡± Gainert paused for a moment, surprised that a Barbarian would talk about trust. Ketal continued speaking, and their conversation flowed surprisingly well. He responded well even to trivial stories. During their chat, Gainert asionally forgot that the person in front of him was a Barbarian. He unconsciously asked. ¡±Are you really a Barbarian?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Instead of answering, Ketal asked back, ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met a few Barbarians before. But none of them acted like you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It¡¯s already remarkable that you passed the screening and entered the capital, but that makes it even more intriguing. Aren¡¯t you a Barbarian from the North?¡± ¡°Do Barbarianse from the North?¡± Gainert was startled by the question.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°What? You¡¯re not from the North?¡± ¡°Ie from another ce. Actually, I¡¯d like to ask you about that. What do the Barbarians in the North do?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A momentary image of the ashen-haired Barbarians of the snowy ins shed in Gainert¡¯s mind. Given Ketal¡¯s gray hair and their conversation before entering the dungeon, he had a fleeting suspicion. But he dismissed it immediately. ¡®There¡¯s no way a Barbarian from the snowy ins would be here.¡¯ Clearing his thoughts, Gainert exined. ¡°Barbarians live in the North. They have their own kingdom there, living self-sufficiently. Generally, outsiders don¡¯t approach them. They don¡¯t want them to, anyway.¡± Barbarians are reclusive and hostile. They even shun their own kind, let alone outsiders. Basic interaction is difficult. ¡°It¡¯s a closed-off ce, in a different way from the Empire. asionally, some Barbarianse over here, but¡­ it usually doesn¡¯t end well.¡± Gainert clicked his tongue in genuine dislike. ¡°They¡¯re a nuisance. They should just stay in their territory instead ofing out and causing trouble.¡± Gainert¡¯s face was filled with deep contempt. Ketal thought to himself. ¡®They seem simr to the ones inside the snowy ins.¡¯ They might differ in degree, but they appeared to be just as ignorant and simple-minded. He resolved not to approach them. ¡°But it seems to be lessening recently. A Barbarian King has appeared and is controlling them.¡± ¡°A Barbarian King?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°Do they also have a king?¡± ¡°Normally, they don¡¯t, but one appeared recently.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be easy to control those ignorant ones.¡± ¡°Normally, no. But Barbarians have one rule they follow.¡± Barbarians, who hate rules and order, follow one principle. Thew of the jungle. The weak lose everything, and the strong gain everything. ¡°The Barbarian King is strong. Strong enough to subdue all the Barbarians.¡± Gainert said. ¡°Rumor has it he¡¯s a hero-ss warrior.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hero-ss. Ketal had never seen one. ording to stories, they were far stronger than ordinary superhumans. ¡°He¡¯s not just strong but also smart and intellectual. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s leading and controlling the Barbarians. Since then, incidents caused by Barbarians have decreased. I don¡¯t know the details, but it¡¯s good for us.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± From what he heard, the Barbarian King seemed different from typical Barbarians. He possessed great strength and was rational. He cooperated with outsiders and followed thew. Ketal murmured. ¡°He must have a hard time.¡± Leading those ignorant ones must be tough. It was like his past situation. He suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie. He felt an unexpected kinship with the Barbarian King he¡¯d never met. ¡°But you¡¯re not from the North?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know where that is.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡®Are there Barbarians in ces other than the North?¡¯ Gainert was momentarily puzzled. He had never heard of Barbariansing from anywhere other than the North. The only exception might be the White Snowfield, but he had already ruled out that possibility. ¡®So there are Barbarians outside of the North too.¡¯ He thought, considering the possibility of a region where civilized Barbarians lived. Having confirmed that Ketal wasn¡¯t a Northern Barbarian, Gainert seemed relieved and started to badmouth Barbarians. Ketal agreed. ¡°They¡¯re so ignorant. Being around them makes me feel like my own brain is getting duller.¡± ¡°Exactly. They often get sick from eating random things.¡± ¡°Ah, so Barbarians here also die from eating poisonous nts out ofpetition? It happens frequently.¡± ¡°What? No, that¡¯s just crazy, not a Barbarian thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s expression grew gloomy. * * * After their rest, they continued to advance. Orcs appeared but posed no problem. They progressed quickly, and Ketal was impressed. ¡°You¡¯re fast. Your coordination is wless. Truly a skilled party. There¡¯s no issue in that regard.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Gainert puffed up with pride. Though he had heard it before, it was still pleasant to receive praise. After a moment of hesitation, Ketal spoke up. ¡°I have a request. Is it alright?¡± ¡°A request? Go ahead. I¡¯ll hear you out.¡± Gainert assumed Ketal would ask to join the fight. And he was prepared to ept. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem like a typical Barbarian,¡¯ he thought. Their conversations had flowed well, and Ketal hadn¡¯t been a hindrance. Apart from his appearance, Gainert didn¡¯t even think of him as a Barbarian. With a Barbarian like this, there seemed to be no issue with cooperating as party members. ¡°Thank you for that. Then I¡¯ll make my request.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°May I give you some pointers?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 88 – Raid Dungeon (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 88 ¨C Raid Dungeon (5) ¡°¡­What?¡± Gainert was momentarily taken aback by thepletely unexpected words. ¡°You are impressive. You form a perfectbination, but there are a few minor areas that arecking. If those are addressed, you can fight even more perfectly.¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± Barak scowled, visibly displeased. Marcy also seemed to share his ambiguous expression. They were mercenaries. C and B-ss mercenaries at that, recognized for their strength after countless battles, to the point where they could enter the kingdom¡¯s capital. Naturally, they took pride in their power and experience. But now, a barbarian who they believed couldn¡¯t understand anything was trying to give them advice. It was an infuriating situation. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gainert looked at Ketal with a reluctant expression. ¡®He is still a barbarian.¡¯ There were some barbarians who overestimated their own strength. They sometimes inflicted what they called ¡®advice¡¯ and ¡®guidance¡¯ on those they deemed weaker. It seemed Ketal was one of those barbarians. After a brief moment of contemtion, Gainert nodded. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡± It was a mindset of wanting to at least hear the nonsense. Ketal smiled broadly. ¡°Oh, thank you. It¡¯s nothing major. It¡¯s about the problem with yourbination.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious what problem is so obvious that you dare to point it out so confidently.¡± Barak sneered. Instead of getting angry, Ketal calmly began his exnation. ¡°Your battle style goes like this.¡± First, the archer, enhanced with physical strengthening magic, shoots an arrow. They start by killing one or two for sure. Then, the warrior steps up to block the charging enemies. At that point, the archer falls back. In a fierce closebat, a misced arrow might hit the warrior. So, the mage supports with mana arrows. Mana arrows are magical. Unlike ordinary arrows, they can be controlled freely. In the midst of intensebat, they can target only the desired enemies. Mana arrows eliminate all enemies except for one stuck to the warrior. Then, the warrior deals with the one enemy clinging to them. After that, they handle the enemies that charge again. Gainert¡¯s eyes widened as he listened to the exnation. ¡°You¡¯ve analyzed it well.¡± It was a wless analysis, down to the details Gainert himself wasn¡¯t consciously aware of. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem with it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a problem. You could continue like this if you want. But it¡¯s inefficient.¡± There was a more efficient and cleaner way to handle it. Ketal looked at Barak. ¡°You start the battle by shooting an arrow at the enemy. But is it necessary to pierce their head?¡± ¡°What nonsense is this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Your arrows are quite urate. Couldn¡¯t you shoot their legs instead of their heads?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°Then, what if you aimed at the leg of the nearest orc? It wouldn¡¯t be able to approach, rendering itbat ineffective.¡± Gainert, who had been listening, tilted his head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just shoot the head and be done with it?¡± ¡°This passage isn¡¯t wide.¡± At most, two people could move through it side by side. If someone blocked the way, it was hard to get through. ¡°A fallen orc won¡¯t just stay still; it will thrash around. Naturally, the path will be blocked, making it harder for the orcs behind to reach us.¡± This was a tacticmonly used in modern warfare. Snipers often intentionally shoot to wound rather than kill, creating casualties that impede enemy movement. Though the method differed, creating an incapacitated enemy to restrict movement was the same. ¡°The thrashing orc will dy the time it takes for the others to approach. You¡¯ll have time to shoot two more arrows.¡± Until now, Barak could only shoot two arrows. But with this method, three shots could be possible. It would reduce the number of enemies reaching the warrior by one more. Barak, who had been listening with a frown, slowly changed his expression as he thought it over. Ketal then looked at Marcy. ¡°Most importantly, if you do this, there won¡¯t be a need to cast physical enhancement magic on Barak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The physical enhancement was to ensure the arrow could prate a tough skull. If the goal was to wound the leg and make the enemy fall, there was no need for the spell. This would conserve mana. ¡°And one more thing. Between mana arrows and physical enhancement, which consumes more mana?¡± ¡°Mana arrows do.¡± Since they involved directly materializing and controlling mana, they consumed twice as much mana. ¡°So, not using mana arrows means you can cast physical enhancement twice more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± Ketal then looked at Gainert.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°With physical enhancement, can you push off all the orcs that cling to you?¡± ¡°¡­Probably.¡± He could already hold his ground without retreating. With the spell, he could push them all off at once. ¡°Then it bes simple. As soon as the orcs cling to you, physical enhancement is cast. When you push them away, the archer has the leeway to shoot arrows again.¡± Mana arrows could be controlled freely but were weak in power, only temporarily hindering the orcs at best. So, don¡¯t use them at all. Just use physical enhancement to push the orcs away and let the archer shoot arrows. Gainert stammered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that put too much burden on Barak? He¡¯d have to keep using his bow until the end of the battle¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± Ketal asked with a puzzled expression. Gainert fell silent. Right. There was no problem. That¡¯s what the party was for in the first ce. They thought about Ketal¡¯s words. The result was clear. It was rational. Much more so than their current fighting style. It was hard to ept, but no matter how they thought about it, they couldn¡¯t deny it. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°This is the method I thought of. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­It seems there are no issues. But realbat is a different matter.¡± Gainert protested as if to defend his pride, as it stung to follow a barbarian¡¯s advice so readily. ¡°Then why not give it a try? I doubt there will be any problems.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± With nothing more to say, Gainert agreed. He looked at his party members, who had simr expressions. In the end, they decided to fight as Ketal suggested in the next battle. ¡°Roar!¡± An orc charged. Barak shot an arrow, hitting the orc¡¯s leg. The fallen orc thrashed and blocked the path. Taking advantage of the moment, Barak nocked another arrow and fired. ¡°Roar!¡± An orc pushed through all the obstacles and approached. At that moment, Marcy cast a spell. ¡°Ha!¡± Boom! The orc was repelled. Barak didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and shot an arrow. The battle ended in an instant. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°It works.¡± Gainert, who finished off the fallen orcs, had a stunned expression. ¡°No way. This is¡­.¡± It was incredibly simple and risk-free. It felt almost too easy. ¡°We struggled toe up with our fighting style¡­.¡± ¡°Experience makes a difference.¡± They had formed this party at most a dozen times. While not a small number, it was insufficient to find the most efficient method. In contrast, Ketal had repeated tens, hundreds, thousands of trials to tackle higher-level enemies. They couldn¡¯t match Ketal in strategy and partyposition. Not to mention his extensive experience leading barbarian groups across the White Snowfields. He had directed group battles countless times. ¡®Ah, this is it.¡¯ He had given tactical advice to a seasoned mercenary party and even got them to ept it. He felt great. He understood why meddlesome tacticians existed. After that, they continued advancing until they encountered a trap. It was a floor trap that triggered arrows from the walls. Gainert pondered. ¡°We don¡¯t have a thief. How do we handle this?¡± ¡°I can disarm traps.¡± ¡°What?¡± Gainert was surprised by Ketal¡¯s words. A barbarian disarming traps? ¡°I¡¯ve seen it done before. I have a rough understanding of the process.¡± Ketal stepped forward confidently, and Gainert was flustered. ¡®Can you really disarm a trap like that?¡¯ Disarming traps was no easy task. One wrong move could trigger the trap and endanger lives, requiring high-level skill. The idea of doing it based on having seen it once was hard to believe. Ketal took out a skewer from his pocket, equipment prepared for such situations. ¡°I think it was like this.¡± Recalling how Kassan disarmed traps, he inserted the skewer into the hole and wiggled it around. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal inserted the skewer further. There was a crunching sound as something broke. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s done.¡± Ketal pressed the floor. No arrows were fired. ¡°Resolved.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Gainert had seen thiefs disarm traps many times. But he had never heard such a brute sound before. Something felt off, but the trap was disarmed, so there was nothing to say. They continued onward. And then they saw it. A chamber that appeared at the end of the passage. In the middle of it was a doll hugging itself. ¡°A mid-boss, perhaps.¡± The boss¡¯s room was likely beyond this chamber. Once they passed through this room, they would face the boss. ¡°Marcy, what do you think that is?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ just a moment.¡± Marcy, staring at the doll and trying to recall something, spoke up. ¡°It looks like a mimic doll.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a doll that copies anyone whoes within a certain range of it. It perfectly replicates their strength and experience, making it a formidable opponent.¡± ¡°Is there really something like that?¡± Ketal muttered, sounding intrigued. Marcy replied nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a problem if we¡¯re in a party.¡± In other words, it was only a threat to individuals. When faced with collective strength, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue. ¡°So, the question is, who goes up to it¡­.¡± ¡°Ketal, it¡¯s probably best if you go.¡± The weakest one here was Ketal. Since they didn¡¯t know much about him, even if he were copied, it would be easy to defeat him. Ketal smiled. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Ketal approached the mimic doll. The others prepared for battle from behind. Ketal was quite excited. A monster that copies its opponent. It was a trope often seen in creative works. Creak, creak, creak. As Ketal approached a certain distance, the mimic doll¡¯s eyes began to glow. It staggered to its feet. Just as Gainert was about to tell Ketal to back off, the doll moved. ¡°Huh?¡± They momentarily lost sight of the doll¡¯s movement. The doll had somehow arrived right in front of Ketal. As they realized what was happening, the doll swung its arm. ¡°Danger¡­.¡± Just as Gainert started to shout, Ketal, with a disappointed look, muttered. ¡°Is this all?¡± Ketal moved his fist. The doll exploded, scattering fragments everywhere. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 89 – Raid Dungeon (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 89 ¨C Raid Dungeon (6) Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡°I was a bit excited when I heard it would copy my strength.¡± He had wanted to experience fighting his own replica, but it was disappointing. It was slow and weak. Ketal grumbled, and his party members blinked dumbfoundedly. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± The doll¡¯s movements were extremely fast. They couldn¡¯t even follow it with their eyes. By the time they came to their senses, it was already attacking Ketal. But then, the doll suddenly exploded. They couldn¡¯t even keep up with the slower movements of the doll, let alone see Ketal¡¯s fist. From their perspective, the doll suddenly moved to Ketal and then burst on its own. As they stood there bewildered, Marcy spoke up hesitantly. ¡°Could it be¡­ a bug? I heard that sometimes problems ur in dungeons when I was studying at the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very rare, but it does happen asionally.¡± ¡°Then, is that what happened? Come to think of it, its speed was strange, wasn¡¯t it?¡± The response doll copies its opponent. This time, it copied Ketal. A barbarian who knew nothing of magic. Given the target it copied, it shouldn¡¯t have been able to move that fast. That was their conclusion. ¡°We¡¯ve experienced all sorts of things.¡± Gainert grumbled as he approached. ¡°Lucky for us. It could have been dangerous.¡± Ketal smiled silently. They moved past the fragments and through the door. There, another party had already arrived. Gainert¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Cartman, sir. I knew you¡¯d be here already.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± The raidmander, Cartman, said calmly. He turned his gaze to Ketal. Ketal smiled slightly. ¡°It seems there were no issues.¡± ¡°There was a bug, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem.¡± ¡°A bug?¡± Gainert exined to Cartman. The mid-boss was a response doll and had copied Ketal. Then, it suddenly rushed and exploded. Cartman¡¯s expression turned peculiar as he listened. ¡°I understand. Good work. Rest until the other parties arrive.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The party members sat down to rest. Ketal leisurely walked over to Cartman. ¡°Nice to see you again. Was your name Cartman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The White Snowfield. The mercenaries who escorted Milena. Their leader, Cartman. ¡°Where did those mercenaries go? They don¡¯t seem to be participating in this dungeon.¡± ¡°They are handling another task.¡± Cartman replied briefly, looking at Ketal with suspicion in his eyes. ¡°How did you get out?¡± ¡°I worked hard. Very hard.¡± Ketal replied lightly. Cartman sensed he wouldn¡¯t get a proper answer if he pressed further. So he asked something else. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, why did you join as a mercenary for a raid dungeon?¡± Raid dungeons are not easy. Even the minimum requirement of a C-rank mercenary is rare, and sometimes an extremely rare A-rank mercenary is needed. An elite level fighter is essential for such dungeons. In small countries unlike powerful ones like the Kingdom of Denian, the entire nation might need to mobilize. But that¡¯s justmon sense. This barbarian is from the White Snowfield. A monster who knocked down a snake reaching the sky with his fist. ¡®Above superhuman level.¡¯ Maybe even hero ss. Cartman dared to consider that possibility. This was not a warrior who should be in a mere raid dungeon. However, Ketal looked puzzled instead. ¡°That¡¯s a strange question. I joined because it seemed fun.¡± Cartman paused. He looked at Ketal with a curious expression. ¡°What will you do in this world?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just n to enjoy the world.¡± At those words, Cartman let out a briefugh. ¡°Is that so?¡± His worries and thoughts meant nothing to this barbarian. Cartman realized this. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By the way, who would have thought we¡¯d meet here? It really feels like the world is small.¡± ¡°I belong to the Kingdom of Denian, so I get called in for things like this quite often.¡± They passed the time with trivial talk. Just as their conversation was winding down and Ketal was turning to leave, Cartman spoke from behind him. ¡°Thank you for saving us back then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Ketal replied with a smile. When he returned to where the party was, Gainert asked. ¡°What were you talking about with Cartman?¡± ¡°Just old stories. We know each other.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gainert looked at Ketal thoughtfully. This barbarian was not an ordinary barbarian. He was quite smart. He quickly understood that the party¡¯sbat methods were inefficient and suggested more reasonable strategies. ¡®Hemunicates well too.¡¯ And he didn¡¯t force his ideas on them. He left it up to them whether to adopt his methods or not. This meant he could cooperate with and consider others. ¡®How could such a barbarian exist?¡¯ The only problem was that his appearance screamed ¡°barbarian,¡± but aside from that, he couldn¡¯t be seen as a typical barbarian. Gainert¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®Should I recruit him?¡¯ Recently, Gainert had been contemting forming his own party. Although he worked as a solo mercenary, he had been hitting a wall. It took time to assemble a group for dungeon raids, and the chances of getting into a sessful one were very low. After several struggles, he started yearning for a permanent party. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to ept just anyone. He intended to set very strict standards for his party. And this barbarian had enough qualifications to join his party. His identity was clear. Just being a mercenary in the capital was proof enough of his credibility. On top of that, knowing Cartman was a big plus. In a pinch, it meant he could get help from Cartman. Although his methods were a bit unconventional, he could also disable traps. Gainert asked Ketal. ¡°Can you open treasure chests too?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve opened many treasure chests.¡± Ketal nodded. Although his methods might be quite different from what Gainert had in mind, the end result of opening the chests was the same. Gainert¡¯s eyes sparkled even more.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡®He can open treasure chests too?¡¯ This meant that he could y the role of a thief, albeit in a limited capacity. ¡®His only drawback is hisck of mystic power.¡¯ Without knowledge of magic, the limits of his strength were clear. But judging by his physique, he could still y a supporting role. ¡°Hey, Ketal. I have something to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Um¡­¡± Gainert hesitated for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡± There was no need to bring it up now. They needed to focus on clearing the dungeon first. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after we clear the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Ketal had a peculiar expression at that. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone set up a g.¡¯ As they continued their conversation, the other mercenaries gathered. Cartman stood up. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± The mercenaries prepared at their positions. Someone could be heard swallowing nervously. In the center of themon area was a device. Cartman approached and operated it. The device made a whirring sound as it sank into the floor. Boom! A loud noise erupted. The center of the chamber began to copse. A massive hole formed. Cartman quickly jumped away. Rumble. From the hole in the copsed floor, a monster slowly emerged. It climbed up and roared. [Graaaa!] It had four arms. Each wrist was shackled with chains. Its eyes were a giant single eye, and its lower body was not legs but a tail. And the most notable feature was its sheer size. ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal eximed. It was sorge it touched the ceiling of the giant chamber. He had to tilt his head all the way back to see it. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d see this size outside.¡¯ Ketal was lightly impressed. Cartman drew his sword. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± * * * [Graaa!] The boss raised its arms. The chains nked as it swung them. It brought its arms down with immense force, shaking the dungeon. Cartman dodged between the boss¡¯s attacks, swinging his sword. ng! With a crashing sound, the boss¡¯s body shook. It swung its fist in anger, but Cartman twisted his body to dodge. His movements were exceptionally fast and precise. Cartman thought to himself. ¡°As expected, simple attacks won¡¯t work.¡± This fight wasn¡¯t about brute force. Cartman quickly scanned the chamber and shouted. ¡°The chains!¡± Upon closer inspection, there were four pirs rising from the edges of the chamber. These objects hadn¡¯t been there before the boss emerged. ¡°Grab the chains and tie them to each pir! That¡¯s how we beat it!¡± ¡®He¡¯s quick.¡¯ Ketal was impressed again. Cartman had swiftly figured out the strategy. ¡®So this is what an A-rank mercenary is like.¡¯ He recalled how Cartman had also quickly identified and exploited the weaknesses of monsters in the White Snowfield. Indeed, he was far superior to other mercenaries. Hearing Cartman¡¯s orders, the mercenaries quickly began grabbing the chains. They strained as they tried to pull and tie them to the pirs. ¡®What a sight.¡¯ A dozen or so mercenaries tackling a massive enemy together. It was a scene straight out of a game, but the reality of it was far more visceral. Ketal felt a deep sense of satisfaction. ¡°Eeeeek!¡± Even Marcy was pulling on a chain with her tiny hands. Annoyed, the boss swung its arm. That alone sent the mercenaries reeling and falling. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Just as Marcy was about to be flung away while holding the chain, there was a clunk and the chain stopped moving. The boss wobbled. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh. Th-thank you.¡± Marcy paused as she heard Ketal¡¯s voice from behind her while getting up. Ketal was holding the chain with one hand. He looked as rxed as if he were holding a dog¡¯s leash on a casual walk, making Marcy question her eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Eeeek!¡± At that moment, other mercenaries rushed over and grabbed the chain. They strained and pulled at it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Marcy shook her head as she stood up. It seemed she had been mistaken for a moment. The boss fight continued without any major issues after that. Cartman kept the boss¡¯s attention while the other mercenaries pulled on the chains. About an hourter, all the chains were tied to the pirs. [Graaah!] The boss, with all its arms tied, roared and shook its body but couldn¡¯t move. Its chest had a gaping hole. The mercenaries cheered. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Cartman, sir! Great job!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Cartman said, but his expression had lost its tension. They had figured out the boss¡¯s mechanics. All that was left was the final blow. It was safe to say it was over. No mercenaries had died or been seriously injured, making it a sessful raid. Cartman slowly approached the boss. Stabbing his sword into its exposed chest would finish it. [Graaah. Graaah.] A sound of crying was heard. Cartman dismissed it as the boss¡¯s death throes and ignored it. [Graaah.] But as Cartman approached, he sensed something was off. The boss¡¯s face was twisted into a strange shape. After staring at it for a moment, Cartman realized. It was a face of mockery. [Graaah.] Only then did Cartman realize. The sound he thought was a death wail was actuallyughter. Grin. The bossughed. Cartman felt a chill. It was dangerous. He instinctively raised his sword to guard himself. At that moment, a massive impact hit him. Cartman¡¯s body was sent flying. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 90 – Raid Dungeon (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 90 ¨C Raid Dungeon (7) ¡°Ugh!¡± Cartman coughed up blood. If he hadn¡¯t instinctively protected his body, it would have been a fatal wound. The mercenaries were horrified. ¡°Cartman!¡± ¡°What is this!¡± [Kaaaaa.] Then the mercenaries realized. The boss they thought they had subdued was mocking them. [Insignificant.] It wasn¡¯t speech. It was a twisted animal cry, forcibly made to sound like human words, with an unnatural quality. [Vermin.] ng, ng, ng¡­ The chains broke and fell to the ground. The pir descended. The hole in the boss¡¯s chest, created during the attack, slowly closed. The structure and mechanics of the dungeon began to change. Cartman¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Mana¡­¡± The mana of the dungeon fluctuated. The density of the mana had increased to a level where it could fill the entire dungeon. ¡®The amount of mana is changing?¡¯ The dungeon¡¯s mana suddenly amplified to more than double its original level. ¡®¡­AAA-grade dungeon!¡¯ [Kaaaaaaa.] The bossughed. It swung its now freed arm lightly. Crash! And with that, the mercenaries were instantly swept away. Those in its path were mmed into walls and floors, and copsed. Everything was shattered and overwhelmed in an instant. ¡°Damn it!¡± Cartman barely regained hisposure andunched himself at the boss, sprinting at high speed. The boss smiled as if finding him cute, and moved one arm. It pulled back a finger and flicked. Cartman¡¯s sword met the finger. ng! ¡°Ugh!¡± With just that, Cartman¡¯s body was thrown back. The powerful shock reverberated through his entire body. Cartman swallowed the blood that threatened to spill from his mouth. ¡®What strength!¡¯ Cartman was an A-grade mercenary. He was at a level where he could control his aura with precision, his strength bordering on the superhuman. Before the dungeon transformed, Cartman could withstand the boss¡¯s attacks without much trouble. But no longer. Even with his elite skills, he struggled to fend off the boss¡¯s yful attacks. Only a superhuman could respond to this threat now. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± While Cartman was reeling from the impact, the other mercenaries were being swept away by the boss. Cartman grit his teeth and charged again. The boss waved an arm dismissively. Though the movement seemed slow, it left afterimages. Boom! Cartman narrowly avoided the attack, but the shockwave alone rattled his body. He bit his lip. ¡®Did the dungeon lure us?¡¯ An AAA-grade dungeon disguised as an A-grade to lure people in. ¡®Is that even possible?¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s an impossible scenario. But he couldn¡¯t deny the reality before his eyes. This is dangerous. He had to get this information to the outside world. Cartman gritted his teeth. At that moment. [Ka.] The boss looked at him. Cartman felt a chill. It was as if the boss had sensed his intention. The boss smirked. In a sh, it was right in front of Cartman. Cartman hastily raised his sword, but the descending fist broke through all his defenses and struck him. ¡°Ugh!¡± He copsed, coughing up blood. It was clear. N?v(el)B\\jnn This monster had read his intentions and was responding. ¡®I must¡­ warn¡­ the outside¡­¡¯ With that final thought, Cartman lost consciousness. [Kaaaaaa.] In the ce where countless humansy fallen, the monsterughed. * * * Almost all the mercenaries were sprawled on the ground. The only conscious party left was the one with Ketal. They were huddled against the wall, trembling. They had no special power or tactic; they had simply been fortunate enough to be far from the boss. That was all. Thus, they had witnessed the entire massacre. ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Suddenly, the dungeon had transformed. The boss, which they thought they had subdued, gained freedom and became overwhelmingly powerful, knocking down the mercenaries. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Marcy was gasping for breath as if suffocating. The dense mana was pressing down on her, a mage. ¡°Why¡­ why did the dungeon¡¯s difficulty suddenly change!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know either?¡± Ketal murmured with a curious expression. ¡°Is it a hidden phase?¡± ¡°Hidden¡­ what?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± A hidden phase. A hidden pattern that appears when certain conditions are met or when a high level of difficulty is chosen. It was amon urrence with bosses in raid dungeons. Hearing Ketal¡¯s words, Gainert shouted in a suppressed voice. ¡°What¡¯smon about this!¡± Gainert had never heard of such a hidden phase before. If there was such a thing, why would anyone attempt a dungeon at the appropriate level? They would just overpower it with overwhelming strength. No one in their right mind would go into something hidden without preparation. ¡°Oh. Is that so?¡± On second thought, it made sense. This was not a game but reality. Hidden phases were a source of fear, not excitement. Ketal realized another difference between reality and fiction. He had a satisfied look on his face. ¡°To encounter something like this in the first raid dungeon, we are quite lucky.¡± ¡°¡­Lucky? Do you want to die!¡± Gainert couldn¡¯t hold back his shout. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [Kaaaaa.] The boss, who had beenughing contentedly, slowly approached them. They were terrified and pressed against the wall, trembling. The boss saw their reaction andughed with pleasure. The expression on its face was like a child ying with a toy. It approached slowly, deliberately trying to instill fear. They tried to retreat further, but there was nowhere else to go. As the boss watched them with amusement, it noticed something strange. One of therger humans was not afraid. Instead, he looked at the approaching boss with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯re really big.¡± Ketal was looking at the boss¡¯s body with interest. ¡®Its tail is not that of a fish but a snake. Is this what they call a chimera?¡¯ Everything about it was fascinating: the single eye, the four arms, the snake tail. And the boss didn¡¯t like it. Humans should fear it. They should be terrified, filled with dread, and flee. They shouldn¡¯t look up at it so calmly. [Kaaa.] The boss decided. It would y with this human, instill fear in that calm expression. First, it would start by breaking his limbs. The boss reached out and grabbed Ketal. Its massive body was hidden in its grip. The party members behind him closed their eyes tightly. The boss lightly squeezed its hand. It needed to control its strength carefully to avoid breaking him too quickly. The boss expected to hear the satisfying sound of breaking bones and a scream of pain. [Kaa?] But no sound was heard. Is his strengthcking? The boss thought and increased its grip. But nothing changed. Panicked, it squeezed harder. At some point, it was using almost its full strength, but still, nothing happened. [Kaaaa!] Just as the boss, irritated, was about to m its hand down. Its body flew through the air. [Kaa?] For a moment, the boss couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening. What just happened? Why is he flying through the air? That thought vanished when it crashed into the ceiling. Boom! [Kaaaaa!] The boss fell to the floor, screaming in pain from the impact. And Ketal stood there. Without a scratch. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The party members, expecting a gruesome scene, opened their eyes wide. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°¡­Ketal, didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t know any mysteries?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know any mysteries.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Gainert realized something. Ketal had said he didn¡¯t know any mysteries. But he never said he was weak. ¡°Please move the unconscious mercenaries. It would be regrettable if they were crushed by that giant.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± Gainert nodded without realizing it. [Kaaaaa!] The boss got up roughly. Itsrge single eye was filled with confusion, not understanding what had happened. That human threw him? [Kaaaa¡­.] A sense of wariness crept into the boss¡¯s eye. This human was unusual. With that realization, the boss quickly swung its fist. Boom! The only passageway in the dungeon copsed. A pile of rocks created an isted space. Ketal whistled. ¡°Smart.¡± In the previous battles, the boss hadn¡¯t destroyed the passageway. The reason was simple: it could easily subdue anyone trying to escape. But this time, it had copsed the passage. It had judged that if Ketal tried to escape, it wouldn¡¯t be able to catch him. ¡®It has proper intelligence.¡¯ Ketal hadn¡¯t moved while the mercenaries were falling. The reason was simple. None of the mercenaries had died. ¡°It seems to need living beings. Is it trying to strengthen something?¡± Ketalughed joyfully. Understanding the boss¡¯s goal was another strategy. The boss roared, displeased with Ketal¡¯sughter. [Kaaaaa!] The boss flicked its tail. Its massive body elerated, rushing toward Ketal. Watching it, Ketal muttered. ¡°The pattern hasn¡¯t changed, has it?¡± Crunch. The boss¡¯s body was crushed and thrown again. [Kaa, Kaaa!] The monster charged again. Ketal easily dodged and moved his feet. A scream echoed. ¡°Physical attacks don¡¯t harm it. Was it always like this, or is it a newly added gimmick?¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. The boss staggered and stood up again. [Kaa.] The boss acknowledged it. This human was strong. Much stronger than itself. But it was the master of the dungeon. Unless attacked in a specific way, it couldn¡¯t be killed. It wouldn¡¯t be wounded. It was designed that way. It wouldn¡¯t lose. The boss roared with determination. It flicked its tail, flew, and swung its four fists simultaneously. It was using all its strength. Its full power was blocked by a single palm. ¡°Oops.¡± Ketal grabbed and threw the boss again. The boss, enduring the pain, got up once more. He won¡¯t be defeated! It moved its tail. It wrapped around Ketal¡¯s body and tried to lift and throw him. [Kaa?] At that moment, the boss was confused. The tail wouldn¡¯t move. Even with all its strength, it didn¡¯t budge, as if caught on something. Then the boss¡¯s body flew through the air. Ketal had grabbed and thrown the tail. [Kaaa!] The boss got up hurriedly and charged again. Seeing this, Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Yes. It shouldn¡¯t be defeated by mere physical force.¡± What he wanted wasn¡¯t a fight. It was to figure out the gimmick. ¡®It¡¯s nice to be part of a group strategy, but I want to personally conquer the dungeon boss.¡¯ Facing the dungeon boss with no prior information. Observing its abilities and patterns and gradually oveing them. Isn¡¯t that incredibly fun? ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can do.¡± Ketal muttered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 91 – Raid Dungeon (8) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 91 ¨C Raid Dungeon (8) How should we attack the boss¡¯s gimmick? Ketal looked around. The wide cavern. Party members were busily moving the fainted mercenaries. And the chains on the ground. The changes that urred as the boss entered the hidden phase were that the hole in its chest closed and the chains came undone. The loose chains were still lying on the ground. ¡®Maybe I can use those.¡¯ Just like with the previous gimmick, let¡¯s try to restrain the four arms with the loosened chains. There were many cases where you could clear it by repeating the gimmick. Ketal moved decisively. He reached out toward the charging boss. Crash. He clenched his fist and struck down hard. The cavern shook violently. The monster let out a scream. [Kaahhhh!] Ketal began to pick up the chains from the ground and bind the boss¡¯s arms. The handcuffs were open, so he couldn¡¯t bind them in a normal way. So, Ketal decided to just wrap the chains tightly around the arms. Of course, the boss didn¡¯t stay still. Who would quietly wait while their arms were being chained? It shook its arms violently, trying to shake off Ketal. Ketal found the movement annoying. ¡°Stay still.¡± He was trying to deal with the gimmick but kept getting interrupted. He stomped on the boss¡¯s body with a bit of irritation. A loud noise erupted. The boss let out a sound like it was coughing up blood. Although it was immune to physical damage and didn¡¯t get any wounds, it felt the impact. As the boss calmed down a bit, Ketal wrapped the chains tightly. ¡®Next, wrap it around the pirs at the edges.¡¯ Ketal moved toward the edge with the chains. But there were no pirs there. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Come to think of it, all the pirs had sunk into the ground when it entered the hidden phase. He had bound the chains but there was nothing to attach them to. After a moment of thinking, Ketal made a decision. ¡®I¡¯ll just jam it into the wall. Whatever.¡¯ He took the chains and thrust them into the wall. Cracks appeared as the chains embedded deeply. He did this with all four arms, securing them to the edge of the cavern. Ketal looked at the boss with a satisfied smile. [Kaaah!] The boss struggled. Nothing special happened. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t it.¡± [Kaaah!] Crack! Crack! The chains embedded in the wall were forcibly pulled out. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The boss, with an enraged expression, swung its arms. The chains scraped the ground harshly as they flew toward Ketal. ¡°I don¡¯t need these anymore.¡± Ketal grabbed the iing chain and crushed it with force, turning it into powder. ¡°Now then.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. What should he try next? He pondered while dodging the boss¡¯s attacks. Ketal stared at the boss¡¯s face. Large eyes. And in contrast, small nose and mouth. Their size was simr to that of a human. The opponent didn¡¯t take any physical damage. It was practically in an invincible state. And there was one way to defeat such an enemy. Ketal moved his feet. His body flew through the air. In an instant, he reached right in front of the boss¡¯s eyes. [Ka.] Ketal¡¯s figure filled the boss¡¯srge eyes. As the boss panicked and tried to respond, Ketal¡¯s hand grabbed the boss¡¯s head. Boom! He mmed it down. This time, the boss couldn¡¯t even scream. The reason was simple. Ketal¡¯s hand was covering both the mouth and nose. ¡®This method is standard too.¡¯ An opponent immune to physical damage. But invincibility doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t need to breathe. By cutting off their breath, you can kill them. Ketal had seen quite a few works where invincible opponents were dealt with this way. It was worth a try. The boss couldn¡¯t even cry out. A powerful force gripped its mouth and nose. It was the kind of strength and pressure one would feel from being buried under a mountain. The boss iled its arms desperately to attack Ketal and break free. Unlike before, Ketal didn¡¯t dodge or counterattack. He couldn¡¯t, as he was holding onto the boss¡¯s face. Boom! Each time the boss¡¯s fists hit Ketal¡¯s body, a shockwave erupted. The boss was strong. ording to Cartman, it was superhuman strength, capable of dominating nature and cleaving everything in two. But it was meaningless. Ketal¡¯s body didn¡¯t budge an inch. The boss repeatedly pummeled him, but Ketal appeared unscathed. The boss felt like going mad. Thus, 30 minutes passed. The boss¡¯s movements became somewhat sluggish, but it seemed more like it was exhausted because Ketal hadn¡¯t budged an inch. The attempt to block its breathing didn¡¯t seem to have much effect. ¡°This isn¡¯t working either, huh. Then what¡¯s the point of having a nose?¡± Ketal let go. The boss roared as if it had been holding back. [Kyaaaaaaa!] The scream echoed through the cavern. It staggered as it stood up, ring at Ketal with eyes full of hatred. The boss charged wildly. Ketal extended his arms, grabbed the boss¡¯s arms, and mmed it down. The boss¡¯s body was pinned to the ground. Ketal then grabbed the boss¡¯s tail. ¡°How about you go back into the hole you came out of?¡± Ketal dragged the boss along. The boss wed at the ground, trying to resist, but it was futile. It looked like a child being forcibly dragged by a parent. Ketal threw the boss into the hole in the ground. The scream grew distant. Boom! After a while, the sound of it hitting the bottom echoed. Ketal looked down with interest. ¡°It¡¯s pretty deep. How far down does it go?¡± [Kaaaah!] The boss clung to the wall, climbing back up. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re climbing out!¡± Ketalughed joyfully. Although it was a meaningless effort, it wasn¡¯t sad or tiring at all. It was actually fun. Trial and error is also part of the fun of clearing a challenge, isn¡¯t it? ¡®What should I try next?¡¯ Ketal thought happily. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Ah¡­¡± The party members watched with grim faces. At first, they had marveled at Ketal¡¯s strength. They were thrilled at the possibility of survival and amazed at his power overwhelming the boss. But as time passed, their awe faded, reced by fear. [Kyaaaaa!] The boss roared. The mere sound made their bodies stiffen reflexively. The boss was strong. It had easily defeated Cartman, an elite mercenary. It was a monster they couldn¡¯t hope to defeat even if they died and came back to life a hundred times. Yet, that very boss was being toyed with by Ketal. Of course, from Ketal¡¯s perspective, he was simply moving to find a way to conquer the boss. The boss didn¡¯t die, so it was natural for him to keep trying to find a strategy. But to the party members, it looked like Ketal was just ying with the boss, despite having the power to overwhelm it. The most disturbing thing was Ketal¡¯s expression. ¡°H-he¡¯s smiling,¡± Marcy muttered in a trembling voice. As if the boss¡¯s struggle was amusing, as if he was enjoying the situation. Ketal¡¯s face never lost its smile. It wasn¡¯t simply the smile of someone enjoying the battle. If it were, it wouldn¡¯t be so frightening. It was something different. It was more alien. It was the smile of someone finding the entire situation entertaining. The boss was a monster. So what did that make Ketal, who toyed with such a monster? [Kyaaaaa!] At some point, the boss no longer tried to fight. It was trying to escape from Ketal. The boss turned and desperately tried to flee. ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t.¡± Ketal grabbed its tail and pulled it back. The boss¡¯s body crashed to the ground. [Kaa! Kaa!] The boss resisted, but its movementscked the vigor they had before. The boss couldn¡¯t die. At first, it had tried to win somehow, but now it knew better than anyone that it was impossible. The boss was now scared. Ketal¡¯s power was terrifying, but what was even scarier were the eyes watching it. Eyes that didn¡¯t see it as a living being. To this human, it was nothing more than a fun toy. Nothing more, nothing less. It didn¡¯t want to be this human¡¯s toy any longer. It wanted to escape. Up until now, it had been proud of its immunity to all damage unless the gimmick was solved, but now it only felt regret for it. ¡­No! The boss opened its eyes wide. It was the ruler of this dungeon. It had been promised the dominion over higher realms by devouring these invading humans. It couldn¡¯t afford such pitiful thoughts. What if the opponent is stronger? What if it treats it like a toy? It just needed to fight and win! [Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!] The boss rose violently. Its body swelled. Its arms doubled in size, and its tail grew longer as if shedding its skin. Through sheer willpower, it had reached a growth limit it would normally be unable to attain. [Uwooooo!] It swung its fist with anger and pride. Boom! And the fist stopped. Ketal caught it with one hand and nodded. ¡°A second hidden phase? Interesting.¡± Ketal exerted strength in his hand, and the boss¡¯s body mmed into the wall. [Ugh, ugh¡­.] The determination in the boss¡¯s eyes slowly faded. Its movements lost their vitality. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal pondered. He had tried most of the strategies avable in the current situation, but the boss remained unharmed. This meant the boss couldn¡¯t be defeated through conventional means. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal picked up his axe. When the chains had been bound, the boss¡¯s chest had split open. Although it had closed again when the hidden phase began, it indicated that part was a weakness. ¡®Shall I try going all out?¡¯ The boss was immune to physical damage. But perhaps that was only because Ketal hadn¡¯t used his full strength. Ketal¡¯s eyes grew serious as he raised his axe. And at that moment, the boss felt a chill. It was invincible. It wouldn¡¯t take damage until the gimmick was solved. But something about that axe felt different. It would die. That fear shed through the boss¡¯s mind. [K-Kaaaaa!] The boss suddenly thrashed about. It hurriedly moved away from Ketal and began doing something on its own. Upon closer inspection, it was deactivating its own gimmick. And shortly after. Screeeee! The boss¡¯s body began to emit light. Its body slowly disintegrated into dust. Even as it died, the boss had an expression of relief, finally being free. The boss disappeared. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The party members, who had been watching in trembling fear, widened their eyes. ¡®¡­Did the dungeon boss justmit suicide?¡¯ [PR/N: BRO GOT TRAUMA HAHAHHHA] That¡¯s what it looked like. The expression on the boss¡¯s face as it disintegrated clearly showed relief, even they could see that. But they couldn¡¯t ept this fact. Dungeon bosses are monsters. They don¡¯t fear death, and even if their limbs are torn off, they wouldunch themselves to bite their opponents¡¯ necks. Such a creaturemitting suicide out of fear? It was an absurdity. ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal also momentarily hesitated, not understanding the sudden change in situation. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. ¡°A self-destruct pattern, huh.¡± The boss had destroyed itself. Whether it was because he had inflicted a certain amount of damage or due to the passage of time, this seemed to be another method of defeating it. Ketal stretched. It was a somewhat satisfying strategy. He turned his gaze. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! We¡¯re fine!¡± Gainert stood at attention like a newly enlisted soldier. The sudden formality was puzzling, but Ketal didn¡¯t mind it much as the situation was satisfactory. ¡°Then we should wake the unconscious ones.¡± The mercenaries were still unconscious. Gainert hurriedly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wake them.¡± He rushed over to the unconscious Cartman. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 92 – Raid Dungeon (9) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 92 ¨C Raid Dungeon (9) ¡°Hmm.¡± Cartman staggered as he stood up. Gainert¡¯s face brightened as if he had been saved. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°¡­Gainert.¡± Focus slowly returned to Cartman¡¯s wandering eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We defeated the boss.¡± ¡°The boss?¡± Cartman looked puzzled. Gainert nced away. At the end of his gaze was Ketal, who was looking at the treasure chest with interest. ¡°I see what¡¯s going on.¡± Cartman mumbled as he understood. He steadied himself and approached Ketal. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up. Is your injury alright?¡± ¡°I think I cracked a rib, but it¡¯s not a major injury. I assume you defeated it.¡± ¡°Yes. It was an enjoyable time.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. Cartman let out a hollowugh. ¡®AAA-level dungeon boss.¡¯ A monster that only superhuman beings could handle. They had defeated such an opponent, yet Ketal didn¡¯t even break a sweat. ¡®He really is a monster.¡¯ Cartman expressed his gratitude to Ketal. ¡°Thank you. You saved my life.¡± Ketal smiled awkwardly. He could have intervened right when Cartman fainted, but he chose to watch the fight instead. He knew the boss didn¡¯t intend to kill, but still, his conscience pricked him seeing Cartman injured. Ketal spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m just a mercenary doing my job.¡± ¡°If you think of it that way, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Cartman walked to a small door behind the boss room. He entered and soon came out holding a blue glowing orb. ¡®That must be it.¡¯ The reward of this dungeon. The final ingredient to create a catalyst that could unlock mysteries. Cartman secured the orb. The raid leader had the duty to verify the dungeon¡¯s rewards and bring them back to the guild. ¡°Gainert, wake up the ones who fainted. We need to prepare to leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gainert moved quickly. Cartman sat down, wincing at the pain in his rib. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°My injury is fine. The problem is this situation.¡± Cartman clicked his tongue. The A-level dungeon had turned into an AAA-level dungeon. It was an unprecedented situation. They had to return to the guild and report this. It would probably cause a big uproar. He could already see himself being dragged around dealing with it for a while. ¡°First, let¡¯s return and report the situation. Proper thanks cane afterward, is that okay?¡± ¡°No problem. So, is this the end?¡± ¡°Unless something else changes, it seems so.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal looked away. His party members were waking up the unconscious mercenaries. One by one, they groaned as they got up. ¡°Well, it was fun.¡± Ketal was satisfied. He suddenly remembered something and asked Gainert. ¡°Come to think of it, Gainert. Didn¡¯t you have something to say to me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gainert flinched and waved his hand frantically. ¡°No, no! It¡¯s nothing! Really!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! It was really nothing important! Just a trivial matter, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t press further. Gainert sighed in deep relief. ¡®Whew, I almost did something crazy.¡¯ He had considered inviting such a monster to join their party. What a ridiculous idea. Just imagining the oue made him shudder. ¡®I¡¯m d I decided to talk after the raid was over¡­¡¯ After waking all the unconscious mercenaries, they left the dungeon. The still-dazed mercenaries returned to the capital. Ketal waved to his party members. ¡°It was fun. Let¡¯s meet again.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Theyughed dryly and made a decision. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s avoid the mercenary guild for a while.¡¯ * * * Cartman returned to the mercenary guild and reported what happened. It wasn¡¯t an A-level raid dungeon, but an AAA-level raid dungeon. The dungeon had disguised itself. Naturally, the mercenary guild responded as if it was nonsense. If an ordinary mercenary had said it, they would have dismissed it as a joke and downgraded the mercenary¡¯s rank. But this was Cartman. A rare A-ss mercenary. His record was well recognized. The mercenary guild began an investigation. As a result, Cartman¡¯s words were confirmed to be true. It wasn¡¯t an A-ss dungeon, but an AAA-ss dungeon. The mercenary guild of Denian was turned upside down. While it could be a measurement error, it was unprecedented for a dungeon¡¯s grade to changeter. They had almost lost a dozen C- and B-ss mercenaries, and even a few rare A-ss mercenaries. Naturally, this became a significant issue. The country also didn¡¯t take it lightly and started to take action. To ry this information, Cartman went to find Ketal. ¡°Who is that guy?¡± Arkamis stared nkly at Cartman. Cartman spoke with a hesitant expression. ¡°You were staying at the alchemist¡¯s ce.¡± ¡°Oh, you know her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s quite famous; it¡¯s hard not to.¡± An alchemist who had dealings with the empire. Arkamis resided in Denian¡¯s capital. That fact was fairly well known. A mercenary, who needed to be sensitive to rumors, couldn¡¯t be unaware of it. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°I¡¯m learning alchemy from her. She¡¯s a good teacher.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Arkamis had a proud look on her face. Cartman looked at them as if he were witnessing something bizarre. ¡°¡­Was she the reason you wanted the dungeon reward?¡± ¡°Oh, did you bring it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cartman pulled a blue orb from his pocket. Arkamis, who was behind him, sparkled with interest. ¡°Oh. What¡¯s that? Isn¡¯t that the dungeon reward? Can you just bring it like that?¡± ¡°The Akasha family paid the price.¡± ¡°Milena moves fast.¡± Arkamis took the orb and went up the stairs. ¡°Is this about the raid dungeon you went to? Talk it over. I¡¯ll be making the catalyst.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The barbarian and the elf were chatting amiably. It felt like watching a lion and a rabbit happily frolicking in the field together. Cartman, who had been looking at them with a peculiar expression, snapped back to reality and cleared his throat. ¡°First of all, let me exin. I told the guild about the dungeon¡¯s changes. They sent investigators and confirmed it. There were a lot of questions.¡± Cartman looked at Ketal. ¡°The most frequent question was how we cleared the dungeon.¡± An AAA-ss dungeon cannot be cleared by anyone but a superhuman-level warrior. Cartman was at most an A-ss, an elite level. Even if there were dozens of him, they couldn¡¯t handle a superhuman. Naturally, questions about Ketal arose. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know what you wanted, so I exined as you had instructed. I apologize.¡± Cartman didn¡¯t know if Ketal wanted to reveal himself or stay hidden. He couldn¡¯t ask due to the sudden investigation, so he decided to conceal information about Ketal. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t intend to hide himself. In fact, he openly said he came from the White Snowfield in the Barkan territory. The problem was that revealing his identity often changed how people treated him. It was bothersome, so he didn¡¯t forcefully reveal it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t just a formality, Cartman genuinely felt relieved. If Ketal had been obsessed with fame and honor, Cartman¡¯s actions would have been a great offense. Feeling a bit more rxed, Cartman continued. ¡°As you instructed, I told them that the boss self-destructed. It seemed dubious, but the conscious mercenaries gave the same testimony, so they believed it. ¡­But did it really happen?¡± ¡°It did.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cartman found it hard to believe. No matter how strong the opponent, dungeon monsters would typically fight to the death. The idea of a dungeon boss self-destructing was unheard of. However, since Ketal said so, Cartman couldn¡¯t refute it. He continued. ¡°The dungeon grade changed. The mercenary guild and the country seem to be taking action.¡± ¡°One thing I¡¯m curious about, how do you determine the dungeon grade? I know it¡¯s usually determined by guards or mercenaries, but such a dungeon seems too challenging.¡± It was too difficult for an ordinary mercenary to enter and confirm. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Cartman exined. ¡°Basically, it¡¯s confirmed the way you mentioned. But in dangerous or unusual cases, the dungeon¡¯s magic itself is detected.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re a skilled magician, it¡¯s not impossible. She could probably do it too.¡± Cartman nced at the ceiling. Above them was Arkamis. Ketal smiled. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°By sensing the quantity and quality of magic, they determine the grade. This dungeon was identified as A-ss during that process.¡± ¡°Cases of grade changes are rare, I assume.¡± ¡°No.¡± Cartman shook his head. ¡°Not rare. They don¡¯t exist.¡± An AAA-ss dungeon. A dungeon that cannot be cleared without a superhuman-level warrior, a dungeon requiring national intervention. It was that rare, and if it appeared, it exuded such a dense magic that even third-rate individuals could recognize it. Something like that had been disguised as an A-ss dungeon. Cartman grimaced. ¡°Even apart from that, it was very unusual.¡± Dungeon monsters generally have intelligence no higher than that of beasts. Even the boss was only slightly more intelligent, not significantly different. But this time was different. The boss mocked Cartman. Itughed at the humans who had fallen into its trap. Moreover, not a single person died. It meant it had controlled its power. Such behavior was impossible for a mere beast. ¡°And¡­ that thing spoke.¡± Its voice was like a forced, twisted cry, but it was clearly anguage with meaning. The dungeon had changed. Now that abnormalities had urred once, there was no guarantee it wouldn¡¯t happen again. Such a dungeon could appear again someday. ¡°Probably the mercenary guild will start an investigation.¡± This wasn¡¯t just a matter for a local branch of the country¡¯s mercenary guild. It concerned the mercenary guild itself. The organization that controlled countless mercenaries. That massive organization would move. Interest flickered in Ketal¡¯s eyes. The conversation concluded. Cartman left. Ketal, now alone, muttered with a curious expression. ¡°Many things seem to be changing.¡± The demon in the Barkan territory was one instance, and this time too. As Elene said, something was changing in this world. ¡®But it has nothing to do with me.¡¯ What mattered to him was enjoying this fantasy world. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om That was all. ¡®I wonder how much has been made.¡¯ With a joyful face, Ketal got up and climbed the stairs. * * * Ring! Ring! The bell rang in the room. The woman frowned as if the sound was annoying. ¡°Guild master! Answer the call!¡± ¡°Busy!¡± ¡°Just answer it!¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m busy!¡± A middle-aged man buried in a pile of documents appeared roughly. ¡°Do you know how much I¡¯m dealing with right now? It¡¯s three times the usual! Three times! When do I have time to answer calls? You answer it!¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The woman clicked her tongue but didn¡¯t say anything further. The amount of paperwork the man was handling was beyond imagination. In the end, she got up and spread her wings. Flying through the pile of documents, she picked up thergemunication device with hands that were less than a fifth the size of an adult man¡¯s. The man watched her with satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s worth having a fairy as a secretary. It takes up much less space.¡± ¡°You. One day I¡¯ll report you to the anti-discriminationmittee.¡± The fairy started themunication. After a while, she put down themunication device. ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the work the guild master is dealing with right now.¡± ¡°Again?¡± The man¡¯s face visibly aged. ¡°¡­Who said the guild master position was great?¡± ¡°The guy retired after dumping it on you. He¡¯s farming in his hometown now.¡± ¡°When he retired, he smiled at me for some reason. Damn.¡± The man grumbled. ¡°He lured me in saying I¡¯d be managing all the mercenaries on the continent, holding power. It¡¯s total very!¡± ¡°Just get back to work. There¡¯s still a lot to do.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The man sighed and started reading the documents. Clicking his tongue at what he read. ¡°¡­This again.¡± ¡°Another anomaly report about a dungeon?¡± ¡°They say an A-ss dungeon monster popped out. It wasn¡¯t even a built-up dungeon, but it suddenly appeared.¡± The man flipped the documents with a weary expression. ¡°Dungeons are going crazy. Valuable mercenaries are dying. Mercenaries are getting scared and avoiding dungeons. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°This makes twelve now. We still don¡¯t know the cause?¡± ¡°I wish someone would tell me.¡± The man sighed. The fairy looked at the documents and tilted her head. ¡°This one is a bit strange.¡± ¡°Another anomaly case? This makes it thirteen.¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a bit different. Check it out.¡± The fairy threw the document. The thin paper didn¡¯t flutter butnded precisely on the man¡¯s desk. As he read, the man frowned. ¡°¡­An anomaly in the Kingdom of Denian. An A-ss dungeon changed to AAA-ss? They must all be dead.¡± ¡°Look below.¡± Reading further down as the fairy suggested, the man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­What? No one died? And the reason for the clear was¡­ the boss self-destructed? Are they expecting us to believe this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But that¡¯s what the report says. With the dungeons bing strange, the bosses must be having issues too.¡± ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s not it.¡± The man stroked his chin. His eyes had be sharp. ¡°Looking at the twelve previous cases, they were sudden but very systematic. Just enough to make it hard to respond.¡± ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s a hidden agenda? But it¡¯s a dungeon? Couldn¡¯t it just be a coincidence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible, but¡­ it feels like there¡¯s something more. It doesn¡¯t make sense for the boss tomit suicide out of mere despair. And no one died?¡± Interest gleamed in the man¡¯s eyes. He looked at the name of the raid leader. ¡°Cartman. An A-ss mercenary, huh.¡± A mercenary known even to the guild master. A strong and experienced mercenary. Capable of handling many situations. But an AAA-ss dungeon couldn¡¯t be cleared by simple capability alone. What was needed was individual power. It was hard to believe that an A-ss mercenary¡¯s skills were enough to ovee it. ¡®Is there something more?¡¯ The man spoke while looking at the document. ¡°¡­Request detailed information on this raid dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Characteristics of the dungeon, the boss¡¯s traits, and everyone who participated in the dungeon. Verify everything and report back to me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 93 – Sensing the Mystery (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 93 ¨C Sensing the Mystery (1) The royal castle of Denian. Barbosa, seated on the throne, spoke. ¡°You look dissatisfied, Maximus.¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± Maximus replied with a frown. ¡°What makes that barbarian so special to receive such preferential treatment?¡± Due to the recent dungeon incident, all the mercenaries involved were being investigated. Except for Ketal, that is. This was due to Barbosa¡¯s orders, which greatly annoyed Maximus. ¡°I understand that the barbarian has connections with the head of the Akasha family and that he deserves fairpensation for escorting Princess Elene here. But even so, this is too much.¡± ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Barbosa smirked. Maximus had not heard the conversation between Barbosa and the Tower Master. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he felt this way. Instead of responding, Barbosa posed a question. ¡°If the mercenaries hadn¡¯t returned this time, what do you think would have happened?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not certain, but it would have been a significant issue.¡± From Cartman¡¯s ount, the boss didn¡¯t deliberately kill the mercenaries. The dungeon would have returned to its original form, absorbing their life forces into something more alien. It could have shaken the entire nation. ¡°Indeed. Whether it was intentional or mere coincidence¡­¡± Barbosa rested his chin on his hand. After a brief silence, he spoke again. ¡°The Earth Goddess has delivered a revtion.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maximus¡¯s eyes widened. The Earth Goddess. Along with the Sun God, she was one of the two major deities in this world. The Sun God¡¯s church was more prominent, but the Earth Goddess, who governed thend, wielded far greater influence. A revtion from such a goddess was no ordinary matter. Maximus quietly awaited Barbosa¡¯s words. ¡°Prepare for evil.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maximus was taken aback. The revtion was exceedingly vague. Typically, revtions about evil were very specific, often including precise timings. This one was markedly different. ¡°How it wille, I don¡¯t know. But evil wille here. We must prepare.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Maximus frowned. ¡°But what does that have to do with the barbarian¡­¡± [Don¡¯t be so harsh. It¡¯s something I requested.] A sudden voice echoed from behind him. Maximus quickly turned, not having sensed any presence. He drew his sword aggressively but then paused. ¡°You are¡­¡± [Good to see you again. Or is it your first time? I didn¡¯t show myself to you back then.] Standing there was a lich. Barbosa calmly spoke. ¡°Wee, Tower Master.¡± [Yes. It seems some interesting news has reached me.] ¡°It may not be amusing, but there are stories that might interest you.¡± [I¡¯ve heard about the dungeon. That must have been the barbarian¡¯s doing.] ¡°There¡¯s more to it.¡± Ignoring the flustered Maximus, Barbosa continued. ¡°The Lutein Kingdom, consumed by the alien, has made a move.¡± * * * ¡°Ketal.¡± Arkamis called out to Ketal, who was reading a book. As Ketal turned his gaze, she extended her hand. In her hand was a small orb. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you wanted.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Ketal closed his book, his eyes shining. Arkamis spoke. ¡°A catalyst to help you realize the mystery. I¡¯ve made it.¡± ¡°Oh, is this it?¡± Ketal looked at the orb in Arkamis¡¯s hand with delight. It was very small, about the size of her pinky nail. ¡®It looks like an elixir from martial arts novels.¡¯ On reflection, since it helped realize mysteries, its effect wasn¡¯t all that different. Handing over the orb, Arkamis spoke. ¡°The cost to make that single orb is enough to build a house, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful. I must thank you and Milena for this. I will repay this favor.¡± Ketal smiled broadly, fiddling with the orb. ¡°So, what do I do now?¡± ¡°Have you ever focused your senses to perceive mysteries?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr. Consume the orb and then expand your senses to detect the mystery.¡± Inside the orb was a substantial amount of mystery. Once ingested, it would start circting within the body. ¡°At that point, focus your senses to absorb as much of the mystery within yourself as possible.¡± ¡°Are there any precautions?¡± ¡°Sometimes, the body can¡¯t withstand the excess mystery and breaks down¡­¡± Arkamis looked at Ketal¡¯s body. It was a perfect physique, without a single ounce of excess flesh. It was more like a sculpture than a living body. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you.¡± ¡°Can I start right away?¡± Ketal asked excitedly. Arkamis nodded. Ketal stepped outside and sat down in the field. His sitting posture made Arkamis tilt her head in curiosity. ¡°You¡¯re sitting in a strange position. Isn¡¯t that ufortable?¡± ¡°This isfortable for me.¡± ¡°It looks ufortable no matter how I see it.¡± Ketal looked at the orb in his hand. His heart was pounding. He felt like the protagonist in a martial arts novel encountering a great opportunity. He had to suppress the urge tough. ¡°Swallow the orb and focus your mind. Expand your senses and embrace the mystery urring within your body.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal ced the orb in his mouth. His throat moved as the orb entered his body. ¡°Whew.¡± With a short breath, Ketal closed his eyes. He expanded his senses. Beyond the range of his vision, he observed the entire forest. The worm crawling through the soil. The butterfly fluttering andnding on a flower. Even the baby birds calling for their mother from their nest. All of it registered within Ketal¡¯s senses. ¡°Huh?¡± Arkamis, sensing something unusual, stepped back instinctively. She looked at Ketal with astonishment. And at that moment, Ketal began to feel the mystery. ¡®Ah.¡¯ He almost let out a sound involuntarily. A strange sensation swept through his entire body. It wasn¡¯t touch. Nor was it sight. Not smell, taste, or hearing. It was none of the five senses. A sixth sense. Apletely different sense that he had never experienced before. Like a blind person suddenly seeing, or a paralyzed person suddenly running. It was a world Ketal couldn¡¯t understand or perceive before. Ketal was genuinely moved.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Far more than when he escaped the white snowfield and met the elves. He wanted to feel this sensation forever. That was his thought. But it disappeared. Like mes flickering out and leaving only ashes, it vanished. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s face was filled with regret. As the sixth sense faded, a strong sense of emptiness filled him. Arkamis, who had been watching, was taken aback. ¡°Huh?¡± She also sensed the mystery blooming in Ketal¡¯s body. If it continued, Ketal could have fully realized the mystery. But suddenly, it started to fade, and the mystery disappeared. This was something she hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡°Why did the mystery disappear?¡± ¡°Even if you ask me, I don¡¯t know. I suppose this doesn¡¯t usually happen?¡± ¡°Of course not. What is this?¡± Arkamis fell into contemtion. She had actually expected failure. Ketal¡¯s body was unusual. Since he hadn¡¯t found the path to mystery, it was possible his body couldn¡¯t ept mystery at all. But Ketal had definitely sensed the mystery, even if it disappeared quickly. ¡®Which means there is a path to mystery within him?¡¯ Arkamis frowned as she pondered. ¡°¡­I need to examine the inside of your body.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Didn¡¯t we fail at that before?¡± Both Sword Master Cain and Arkamis had observed Ketal¡¯s interior. But neither found anything. ¡°With normal methods, yes.¡± Ketal¡¯s body was very deep and vast. A simple observation couldn¡¯t find the path to mystery within. ¡°But there is a way to see deeper inside.¡± ¡°Is there such a method?¡± ¡°I can synchronize my body with yours using a catalyst. It requires some preparation, but we can do it right away. However¡­ there¡¯s a problem.¡± Arkamis looked at Ketal with a hesitant expression. ¡°By synchronizing our bodies, your entire body wille within my senses. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°I have no problem with it.¡± Arkamis was momentarily taken aback by his immediate response. ¡°Are you really okay with it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Feeling the mystery was far more important than anything else. The sixth sense he had just experienced. He wanted to feel it again. That sense alone was worth the journey to this world. The synchronization of their bodies was no issue at all. However, Arkamis seemed strangely touched. ¡°¡­So you trust me that much.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t realize it, but the method Arkamis mentioned was quite dangerous. If she had bad intentions, she could destroy his body and leave him crippled. It was a method only possible with someone you truly trusted. Unless he grew up in an unusual ce with ack of basicmon sense, he had to be aware of this fact. Naturally, Arkamis believed that Ketal was fully aware and was entrusting himself to her because he trusted herpletely. Arkamis was very moved by this. She was an elf. To humans, she was ultimately of a different race. No matter how close they got or how many bonds they formed, there was always an unbridgeable gap in trust. Even with Milena, it was a contractual rtionship, not one that could be called close. Though she never showed it, she often felt lonely. But this barbarian, Ketal, trusted her deeply. Despite being an elf, whom barbarians typically wouldn¡¯t like. She was very grateful for this. Arkamis clenched her fist with determination. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make sure you fully grasp the mystery.¡± Arkamis prepared immediately. She mixed various materials to create a catalyst and then began drawing something on Ketal¡¯s back with it. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a conduit that allows me to enter your body.¡± Once everything was ready, Arkamis took a deep breath. ¡°Are you really sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine. I trust you.¡± Having seen scenes like this repeatedly in fiction, Ketal felt no particr resistance. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± With a serious expression, Arkamis ced her hand on Ketal¡¯s back. ¡°Rx. It might feel a bit ufortable, but bear with it.¡± Ketal nodded. Arkamis concentrated her senses and inserted her consciousness through the conduit. ¡°Is this how it feels?¡± Ketal smiled. The sensation of something entering his body. It was indeed unpleasant, but also fascinating as a new experience. ¡®Is it here?¡¯ Arkamis had entered Ketal¡¯s body. ¡®It¡¯s certainly vast.¡¯ It was wide and deep. No wonder she couldn¡¯t find the path to mystery before. She observed the inside of his body, searching for the path to the mystery. Deeper and deeper, to ces that couldn¡¯t be reached by merely letting the mystery flow. The more she advanced, the more she realized. ¡®¡­Is this really a human body?¡¯ Even while synchronizing, she couldn¡¯t see the end. It felt less like a human body and more like something unimaginably massivepressed into human form. ¡®This is like¡­¡¯ It was as if the concept of power had been etched into the body thousands upon thousands of times, with immense density andpression. Unable to hide her astonishment, she frowned. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ She was in sync with Ketal¡¯s body. But the longer she stayed, the more intense the pressure became. To the point where it was hard to endure. ¡®My consciousness can¡¯t withstand his body?¡¯ She, who had reached the pinnacle of a superhuman state, couldn¡¯t handle the body of a barbarian who didn¡¯t even know the mystery? She was shocked. Clenching her teeth, she pushed deeper. The pressure grew more intense. Her consciousness began to crumble and be crushed like a human body sinking into the depths of the ocean. She barely managed to hold on to her breaking mind. And finally, she saw it. A withered path to the mystery. At that moment, she abruptly withdrew her hand. ¡°Huff!¡± She released her held breath. Cold sweat covered her entire body. ¡°Is it over?¡± Ketal turned around. Arkamis looked at him with disbelief. ¡°What the¡­ are you?¡± * * * Her consciousness, synchronized with Ketal¡¯s body, had almost copsed. This meant that her mind couldn¡¯t withstand the level of his body. And as far as she knew, there was only one scenario for that. ¡®If the other¡¯s level is higher than mine.¡¯ It urred when her mind couldn¡¯t handle the level of the other person¡¯s body. ¡®But this feels¡­ different.¡¯ When facing someone of a higher caliber, one usually felt a sense of awe¡ªa feeling that made their own existence seem insignificant. But the feeling Ketal gave her was different. While she did feel a sense of her own insignificance, it wasn¡¯t due to awe. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a twisted and indescribable emotion.¡¯ It was something closer to fear. It wasn¡¯t just that Ketal was of a higher caliber; it felt more alien and twisted. When she exined this, Ketal looked puzzled. ¡°I am human, though.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem like one at all.¡± ¡°No matter what you say, I don¡¯t know why.¡± He had only survived bypleting quests in the snowy ins. Ketal genuinely looked clueless, which made Arkamis frown. ¡°¡­Now that I think about it, I mistook you for a higher being when we first met too. I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± After calming her emotions, she spoke slowly. ¡°At least I confirmed the path to the mystery.¡± ¡°Oh, so it exists.¡± ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s a problem. The path to the mystery is withered and twisted. That¡¯s likely why the sense of mystery you felt disappeared.¡± The amount of mystery Ketal absorbed wasn¡¯t enough to revive the path to the mystery. It was like pouring water into a broken pot. It could fill temporarily, but it would eventually all leak out. ¡°Why is it so withered and twisted?¡± It felt as if it had degenerated over hundreds or thousands of generations. Though curious, she knew the task ahead was simple. Reviving the path to the mystery. But how to do that was the problem. Arkamis pondered. ¡°There are still materials left, so reviving it should be simple¡­ but how do we do it?¡± ¡°What methods are avable?¡± ¡°There are several, but the simplest is to rece the path to the mystery.¡± There was no way to revive a withered leyline. Instead of trying to revive it, finding a new leyline was the right answer. ¡°The problem is that finding a suitable catalyst to be the leyline is very, very difficult.¡± ¡°Is it that hard?¡± ¡°A strong catalyst alone won¡¯t do.¡± It needed to be the path for the mystery, so there could be no resistance. It had to embrace everything and embed itself in the body without any resistance. ¡°The stronger the catalyst, the more personality it has and the more resistance it offers.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ketal, who had been listening quietly, thought. There must be no resistance. And it must be able to embrace everything. Ketal had something that met those criteria. ¡°Will this work?¡± Ketal pulled something out of a leather pouch. Arkamis looked at it with a puzzled expression. ¡°A rainbow-colored pellet?¡± ¡°It matches the criteria you mentioned. Though I¡¯m not sure if it can be used in alchemy.¡± It was a nanomachine meant to rece humans. No resistance, no repulsion. It simply reced. Although it was currently inactive, its properties hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is. I¡¯ll check it out.¡± Without high expectations, Arkamis epted the pellet. After checking a few more things, it waste at night, and Ketal returned to the capital. The next day, Arkamis greeted Ketal with a haggard face. ¡°¡­You. What did you bring?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 94 – Sensing the Mystery (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 94 ¨C Sensing the Mystery (2) ¡°Looks like you couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°How could I with something like this? I¡¯m still so excited I could go crazy.¡± ¡°It seems quite captivating.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡± Arkamis shook her head and walked inside. She sat in a chair and shook a ss bottle. The iridescent granules inside swirled softly. ¡°These granules have no inherent properties. They don¡¯t hold any mystery, have no individuality, no characteristics. They¡¯re just a simple substance in the purest sense.¡± ¡°But when theye into contact with a specific reaction and other materials, they change to possess the properties of that material. If it¡¯s gold, it bes gold; if it¡¯s diamond, it takes on the characteristics of a diamond. When it touches something imbued with mystery, it bes imbued with mystery.¡± And there was no limit to this transformation. Over the course of the night, Arkamis had tried using a total of 124 different substances, and the granules had transformed into all of them. ¡°There were some trivial materials you could find on the street, and catalysts that were three times more expensive than their weight in gold, all of them.¡± Arkamis looked at the iridescent granules with a sense of wonder. No matter how expensive or rare a material or catalyst was, even the tiniest fraction of it could be replicated in the quantity of the iridescent granules. ¡°This is like the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, isn¡¯t it?¡± A stone that transforms into any material. It was a fitting description. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Now that you mention it, it is.¡± In a way, Nano¡¯s characteristics were just like the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. ¡°Could this catalyst be used to create the Path of Mystery?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± It wasn¡¯t just possible; it was extremely easy. Beingpatible with all materials meant that if it came into contact with the withered Path of Mystery, it would be the Path of Mystery. Ketal¡¯s eyes shone brightly. ¡°But there¡¯s one problem.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The quantity is too small.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The amount of iridescent granules Ketal had brought was just too little. It was less than a grain of rice, far from enough to create the Path of Mystery. ¡°Considering it¡¯s a material I¡¯m handling for the first time, I might make mistakes, and I also need to run various safety tests¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯d need quite a bit more.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Arkamis quietly estimated the amount needed. ¡°I think we¡¯d need at least as much as my body size. Can you get more? And if possible, even more than that.¡± Arkamis¡¯s face lit up with excitement. ¡°If I had this, I think I could achieve my goal. I¡¯ll pay any price.¡± ¡°Payment isn¡¯t necessary. Do you have a goal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing grand. Just a personal goal. So, what do you think? Is it possible?¡± ¡°I want to help, given the favor I¡¯ve received, but¡­.¡± Ketal had a hesitant expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can get more.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ it seems quite rare. Well, a material like this, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly rare. There¡¯s just a difficulty in acquiring it.¡± The Kingdom of Lutein was consumed by Nano. Not only humans but the entire royal pce was likely Nano. It wasn¡¯t rare; it was incredibly abundant. The problem was how to obtain that Nano. The iridescent granules were the remains of dead Nano. They likely harbored a deep hatred for Ketal, who had killed them. ¡°If you could just tell me where to find it¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the habit of killing my alchemy teacher.¡± ¡°¡­Is it that bad?¡± Arkamis didn¡¯t think much of it. Since Ketal, who didn¡¯t even know about the mystery, could obtain it, she thought it would be easy for her as well. Ketal responded. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of capability.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of the gimmick. If that¡¯s the case, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Arkamis let out a groan and rested her chin on the table. She hadn¡¯t had high hopes, but hearing it was impossible still left her feeling down. ¡°With this amount, it¡¯s insufficient. We need to find another method to create the Path of Mystery.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. Taking a difficult path could be enjoyable, but right now, regaining the sense of mystery was the priority, so it was disappointing. Just as he was about to ask what catalyst was needed, someone knocked on the door. It was a rough, discourteous knock. It wasn¡¯t Milena. Arkamis stood up with a puzzled look. ¡°¡­Why is that guy here?¡± ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± ¡°This is my territory, after all.¡± Arkamis opened the door. There stood a man with a highly displeased expression. Arkamis spoke. ¡°Swordmaster Maximus. Why are you here?¡± Arkamis recognized him. When she stayed in the Kingdom of Denian, she met Barbosa, and Maximus was with him. Maximus looked around the house instead of answering. Ketal smiled slightly. ¡°The second time, isn¡¯t it? Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± After a brief sigh, Maximus spoke. ¡°The king summons you.¡± ¡°The king?¡± Arkamis frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t he agree not to interfere? What¡¯s this about?¡± Arkamis had made a deal with Barbosa: she would create a few artifacts, and in return, Barbosa would not interfere with her actions. Barbosa had agreed. Summoning her now was against their agreement. Maximus shook his head. ¡°Not you, Arkamis.¡± ¡°If not me, then Ketal?¡± Maximus nodded. ¡°¡­Really?¡± Arkamis was taken aback. Maximus continued. ¡°His Majesty calls for you, Barbarian.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal was resting in the lounge of the Denian royal pce. Leaning back on a plush sofa and enjoying some refreshments, the door opened. Ketal greeted the visitor warmly. ¡°Oh. Isn¡¯t it Elene?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Aaron, you¡¯re here too. Are you alright?¡± Aaron looked half-dead. He spoke in a depressed voice. ¡°¡­The princess is taking action. Though I am in such a pitiful state, I cannot stand idly by.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal looked at Elene. It had already been a month since hest saw her. And her aura had changed since then. She no longer seemed shaken or broken; she lookedposed. ¡°You seem well.¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to terms with it.¡± Elene murmured quietly, looking intently at Ketal. ¡°Ketal, if I be something else, will you still see me as Elene?¡± ¡°To me, you are Elene. That fact won¡¯t change now.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then that¡¯s enough.¡± As if all her preparations wereplete, Elene took a deep breath. She then formally bowed to Ketal. ¡°Elene Mavli Lutein, first princess of the Kingdom of Lutein, expresses her gratitude to her benefactor, Ketal.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened with interest. She had abandoned the Kingdom of Lutein. Yet now she was expressing gratitude to Ketal as the princess of Lutein. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elene nodded. Ketal and Elene exchanged stories about how they had been. When Ketal mentioned he was learning alchemy, Elene hesitated. ¡°¡­Alchemy?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s more interesting than I thought.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± As they continued their conversation, Elene suddenly seemed to remember something. ¡°By the way, why did youe here, Ketal?¡± ¡°The king of Denian called for me.¡± ¡°Lord Barbosa? Why¡­.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we meet.¡± He looked into the air, where a semi-transparent window visible only to him appeared. [Quest #786.] [Respond to the Other.] * * * A few minutester. A servant came to guide them to the audience chamber. Apart from the servant¡¯s frightened hups, they reached the chamber without incident. Barbosa was seated on the throne. Next to him stood Maximus, the Sword of Denian, as his guard. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Barbosa spoke. Ketal smiled slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ke, Ketal!¡± Elene was startled. Barbosa was the king of Denian. Addressing him without bowing and using informal speech couldnd someone in prison for l¨¨se-majest¨¦. However, Barbosa spoke indifferently. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Elene. I have already given him permission.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± ¡°So, why did you call for me?¡± Barbosa, who had been looking at Ketal, spoke. ¡°¡­You told me that talking to them would be the right answer.¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± The entity that consumed the Kingdom of Lutein was fixated on humanity. Ketal had said that although it was unclear what they wanted, the first step was to try andmunicate with them. ¡°It¡¯s a high-risk approach, but it makes sense. We contacted the Kingdom of Lutein. In a few days, an envoy wille here.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest. ¡°Are you asking me to take responsibility for my advice?¡± ¡°You have a good understanding of them. Having you here would be helpful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. Missing out on such an interesting story would be a loss. He looked at Elene. ¡°How about you, Elene?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to run away.¡± Elene spoke in a low but firm voice. ¡°They need me for something. Whatever that need is, they won¡¯t act recklessly. So¡­ I n to meet and talk with them.¡± Elene still didn¡¯t know the identity of the entities that had consumed the Kingdom of Lutein or what they wanted. So, she decided to have a conversation. To find out what they wanted and why they devoured her kingdom. ¡°It seems like a reasonable approach. But are you sure? If they harbor malice, it could be dangerous.¡± Nano could rece humans. And the speed at which it could do so was incredibly fast. You might not even notice if someone right in front of you was reced. Although the captured knights seemed fine, it was still a significant risk. Barbosa spoke. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We have made sufficient preparations for that.¡± Barbosa shifted his gaze. ¡°Pleasee forward.¡± [Is it finally time?] The air split open, and a skeleton appeared. Elene involuntarily recoiled in shock. The skeleton chuckled. [Don¡¯t be too frightened, child. I¡¯m here to help you.] ¡°¡­You are¡­¡± Elene¡¯s eyes widened. [It seems you know who I am.] ¡°Well, yes.¡± The figure was a lich. The staff in its hand and the luxurious robe it wore. Elene recognized the features of that robe. The master of the abode of all magicians. One of the three most outstanding wizards in the world. An entity in the position of a hero. Elene¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°The Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Patrick. It¡¯s Patrick! Nice to see you again!¡± Ketal eximed with a bright smile. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 95 – The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 95 ¨C The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (1) A silence hovered in the air. Everyone present looks at Ketal. [¡­What are you suddenly talking about?] The Tower Master, who had been quiet until now, opened his mouth. [My name is not Patrick.] ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me your name was Patrick?¡± Ketal asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Now that I think about it, why are you dressed up as a skeleton? You have unique hobbies.¡± ¡®Does this world have the concept of cosy?¡¯ That was about all Ketal thought. Elene, who hade to her senses btedly, stuttered. ¡°Ke, Ketal. If you mean Patrick¡­¡± ¡°Patrick, who traveled with us to the Kingdom of Denian.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying the Tower Master is that Patrick?¡± ¡°Hmm? The Tower Master?¡± Elene spoke with a stunned face. ¡°Ketal, this is the Tower Master. The great Tower Master. Patrick was a citizen of the Barkan Territory, wasn¡¯t he? Why are you saying that all of a sudden¡­?¡± [Yes. I am the Tower Master. I do not use the name Patrick. You must be mistaken with someone else.] ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal looked bewildered as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°No matter how I look at it, you are Patrick.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The mes in the hollow eyes of the Tower Master flickered. This barbarian was convinced that he was Patrick. ¡®How?¡¯ Although the Tower Master had controlled Patrick, it was just a puppet. He had changed its appearance, mana pattern, and even personality. There was no reason to associate him with Patrick. In fact, the Tower Master had controlled several puppets like Patrick. He had met people who knew him through those puppets, but no one had ever noticed. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the issue. Ketal was convinced that he was Patrick as soon as he appeared. [The barbarian who helped Elene. What makes you think I am this Patrick?] ¡°Because your movements are Patrick¡¯s.¡± Ketal asked as if wondering why he even questioned it. ¡°Movements?¡± Elene looked puzzled. Not just her, but everyone present did too. Except for one person. The Tower Master. The Tower Master understood Ketal¡¯s words. That¡¯s why he was astonished. ¡®This barbarian.¡¯ The way he walked. The way he lifted his arms. His manner of speaking. The apanying gestures. The posture when he extended his back. The shape of his legs. And the very simple, everyday movements in his daily life. Ketal was convinced that he was Patrick just by looking at those movements. Indeed, he hadn¡¯t altered that part. His movements as Patrick and now were identical. ¡®What in the world?¡¯ The Tower Master let out a hollowugh. If one was a high-level expert, they could infer their opponent by the way they used their mystical abilities or patterns. That wasn¡¯t difficult. But to be sure about someone just from daily, routine movements like raising a leg, moving an arm, or shaking one¡¯s head. This was the first time even for the Tower Master. While theoretically possible, he never imagined it could actually be done. No. It could be possible. The observational skills of a master were beyond imagination. If someone knew their opponent well enough and observed for a long time, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible. But this barbarian had called him Patrick as soon as he saw him. That meant he distinguished him in a very short time. The Tower Master spoke in disbelief. [I am not Patrick.] ¡°But your movements are definitely his.¡± [You must be mistaken, but no. Perhaps there¡¯s someone who moves very simrly to me.] It was practically an excuse. Movements were like fingerprints. They were unique to each individual, and Ketal was clearly seeing them. It was like a child stubbornly insisting to a parent. The Tower Master felt bitter. The truth seeker himself was arguing like a child. He felt a moment of self-loathing. But admitting he had been stalking as the Tower Master was out of the question. The Tower Master was quickly thinking of a way to deny it when Ketal spoke. ¡°Hmm. Is that so.¡± Ketal surprisingly didn¡¯t press further. ¡®It¡¯s fantasy.¡¯ He thought such a person could exist. Ketal thought that way, and seeing that attitude, the Tower Master was dumbfounded. ¡®He epts such an excuse?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand what this barbarian was thinking. The atmosphere grew awkward. Elene was looking at the Tower Master with a peculiar gaze. The Tower Master drooped his head in mncholy. ¡®So much for making a grand entrance.¡¯ It all fell apart. He sighed as he spoke. [It seems the misunderstanding is cleared. I am the Master of the Magic Tower. I came to help you.] ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Yes. Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s alright.¡± Elene nodded, still flustered. The Master of the Magic Tower, the great Tower Master, one of the greatest wizards. Having someone like him help was a tremendous strength for her. ¡°But why¡­?¡± [Barbosa. I know this child. It sounded quite interesting when I heard the story.] ¡°Thank you!¡± [I¡¯m just meddling because it seemed interesting, so you don¡¯t have to thank me that much.] ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes slowly began to light up. He didn¡¯t think much of it since he mistook him for Patrick, but the opponent was the Master of the Magic Tower. The great magic tower. Its master. The one closest to the truth of magic. The atmosphere changed instantly. Maximus reflexively grabbed his weapon, and Elene took a step back. The Tower Master chuckled. [Sorry, but I don¡¯t intend to fight you.] ¡°I don¡¯t particrly wish for that either.¡± [You reveal such momentum and say nonsense. Doesn¡¯t that mean you want to fight?] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± He had no particr intention of fighting. He was just momentarily excited at the name of the Tower Master. But no one believed him. Barbosa spoke up. ¡°Anyhow¡­ The Master of the Magic Tower has decided to help. Barbarian, the part you mentioned, the Tower Master has also prepared for.¡± [You called them nanos. You said it would be dangerous if they harbored malice. That¡¯s not wrong. Even superhuman-level wizards couldn¡¯t detect and were reced, so on a normal level, there would be no response.] But he was the Tower Master. The master of the great tower and a hero ss. [I researched with the captured knight. Those things were made up of very tiny and minute particles.] They were impossible to see with the naked eye. He had to focus magic to magnify them. [They were so small, yet they moved normally. I can¡¯t understand how they exist.] The Tower Master muttered cheerfully. [But I¡¯ve figured it out. You won¡¯t understand the professional details, so to put it simply, I created a barrier that those things can¡¯t enter.] ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal was impressed. Seeing his reaction, the Tower Masterughed happily. [It¡¯s a great feat. It¡¯s worth being engraved in history. So, Barbosa, you should thank me more.] ¡°Is it such a great thing? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Barbosa didn¡¯t grasp it. To him, it was just an invisible barrier. He didn¡¯t think it would be difficult for the Tower Master. [This is why talking to those who don¡¯t understand magic is frustrating. It¡¯s such a great achievement.] The Tower Master grumbled. Ketal agreed. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Is that really possible?¡± [Absolutely.] ¡°Then what about the air? Breathing would be impossible.¡± [That¡¯s not an issue. Only allowed elements can pass through.] ¡°Is that even possible?¡± The Tower Master, enjoying Ketal¡¯s reaction, suddenly paused. Ketal¡¯s expression showed pure amazement. It was as if he had seen an impossible miracle. [¡­Wait. Barbarian, did you understand?] ¡°I understand. It¡¯s amazing.¡± Nanos are incredibly small. Their size is probably down to the cellr level. They can enter through the gaps in matter, so ordinary defense was meaningless. But the Tower Master said he created a barrier that nanos couldn¡¯t prate. Ketal didn¡¯t know modern science well. He was interested, but it was too specialized for him. But even he knew that creating a barrier that even such small particles couldn¡¯t prate was impossible. ¡®The magic of this world can do that.¡¯ Advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. In other words, magic can also be indistinguishable from science. Ketal was genuinely astonished. And the Tower Master was equally surprised. ¡®He understood this concept?¡¯N?v(el)B\\jnn The small unit at which matter exists as matter. Understanding that concept isn¡¯t easy. Humans usually believe their bodies are aplete whole. Though he grumbled that ignorant people wouldn¡¯t know, none of his disciples understood how great his work was. They only vaguely understood it as a barrier that blocks everything. ¡®This is.¡¯ It¡¯s not possible with simple education. He knew knowledge far superior, at least unknown at the current level of understanding. ¡®What exactly is in the White Snowfield?¡¯ For someone who didn¡¯t know Ketal¡¯s identity, he could only assume that all this knowledge came from the White Snowfield. ¡°If we have that, there should be no problem.¡± [¡­Yes. There won¡¯t be a problem.] Barely recovering from his surprise, the Tower Master spoke. [So who will receive the envoy? For safety, we should withdraw all personnel from the castle.] Barbosa spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t withdraw, nor can Elene. Aaron, what do you intend to do?¡± ¡°Since the princess will not step back, I also have no intention of withdrawing.¡± ¡°Then, Ketal, you should also be here.¡± ¡°I have no intention of withdrawing now.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. The discussion was wrapping up. All that was left was to prepare and wait for the envoy to arrive. And at that moment, Maximus, who had been quietly observing, spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, may I say something?¡± * * * ¡°¡­Maximus.¡± Barbosa sighed softly. He seemed to understand what Maximus wanted to say. ¡°Must you really do this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. But I believe I must speak. I think I have the right to do so.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Barbosa, as if giving up, spoke. ¡°Speak.¡± Maximus began to speak. ¡°I can understand my exclusion. With the Tower Master here, my strength won¡¯t make much difference. And Princess Elene and Aaron, of course, must be present.¡± ¡°Then what is the issue?¡± ¡°But this, I cannot understand.¡± Maximus pointed a finger at Ketal with a contorted face. ¡°Why is that barbarian involved?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 96 – The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 96 ¨C The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (2) Maximus spoke with emotion. ¡°That barbarian helped the princess and came here. I understand. He is indeed the princess¡¯s benefactor. And if, as the Tower Master says, the Lutein Kingdom is under some kind of threat, he has helped us prepare. Yes, I was annoyed when I was treated like some errand boy, but I understood.¡± His face was filled with irritation. There was a feeling that he could not tolerate the existence of Ketal. ¡°But now I can¡¯t understand it at all. Who exactly is that barbarian to be involved in such significant matters?¡± ¡°But Maximus.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. The Tower Master wants it that way. But even so, I cannot ept it.¡± Maximus was irritated. ¡°Who exactly is that barbarian to make us care so much?¡± [Hmm.] The Tower Master nodded. [Oh, right. You weren¡¯t there at that time.] When King Denian talked about the Tower Master and Ketal, Maximus wasn¡¯t present. From Maximus¡¯s perspective, who didn¡¯t know the situation, it was understandable that he couldn¡¯tprehend Ketal¡¯s presence. But. [So you couldn¡¯t ept it. What¡¯s the problem with that?] The Tower Master asked in a genuinely perplexed tone. To the Tower Master, Maximus was neither an entangled nor distorted existence. He held no meaning or value. Maximus¡¯s face twisted at the clear attitude of indifference. ¡°Please don¡¯t be like that.¡± In the heated atmosphere, Barbosa intervened with an ambiguous expression. To the Tower Master, Maximus was just an irrelevant stranger. To a hero ss like him, the power of a sword master didn¡¯t hold much value. But it was different for Barbosa. Maximus was a Sword Master. A superhuman and the strongest warrior of the Denian Kingdom. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ Barbosa understood why Maximus was so angry. The reason Maximus remained the sword of Denian Kingdom was partly due to a lingering patriotism, but the true reason was different. Maximus was the strongest in the Denian Kingdom. He was always at the center of attention, and everything revolved around him. The country took care of all troublesome matters, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about anything. To Maximus, the Denian Kingdom was just a ce where he could be respected and build his honor without hassle. But now, they only paid attention to the barbarian and didn¡¯t care at all about him, a Sword Master. That must have made Maximus feel great humiliation and disgrace. The reason Maximus was raising his voice was probably because of that. ¡®I don¡¯t know who the king is anymore.¡¯ Even though he moved as his retainer, he wasn¡¯t in a position to givemands recklessly. Sighing inwardly, Barbosa asked, ¡°Then what do you want, Maximus?¡± ¡°¡­A duel.¡± Maximus twisted his lips. ¡°I want a duel with that barbarian.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± Ketalughed. Barbosa frowned. ¡°Maximus.¡± ¡°I want to see for myself how strong that barbarian is. If he proves his strength to me, I won¡¯t interfere any further.¡± Maximus spoke firmly. ¡°And there would be no reason for the Tower Master to intervene either. Checking one¡¯s strength is a natural thing.¡± [If it¡¯s as you say, I have no intention of intervening either.] The Tower Master smiled. [The important thing is the other party¡¯s intention.] ¡°Are you nning to run away, barbarian?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. The sheer joy in his smile made Maximus hesitate for a moment. ¡°I ept.¡± * * * They moved to the training ground. Elene looked at Ketal with a worried expression. ¡°K-Ketal, are you alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, but¡­.¡± Ketal wasn¡¯t weak. He had subdued countless knights and defeated Adamanth. But the superhuman he had defeated was a magician. He was a barbarian, a fighter who moved with his body. He could have an advantage over a magician due to their differentbat styles. But this time, his opponent was a Sword Master. There was no way he could have an advantage over such an opponent. Moreover, the level of this adversary was clearly higher than Adamanth¡¯s. An interest grew on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How would hepare to Cain?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Sword Master of the Gehentra Kingdom? He is also a Sword Master, so he¡¯s strong, but¡­ I know he hasn¡¯t reached that level for long.¡± Not all superhumans possessed the same level of power. Since they dealt with strength that easily surpassed the limits of ordinary people, they had to hone their abilities for a long time after reaching that level. There was a huge difference in power between someone who had just reached the rank of superhuman and someone who had been there for several years. Both Cain and Adamanth had only recently reached that level. But Maximus was different. ¡°Maximus has been a Sword Master for ten years.¡± Having reached that level long ago, he would have perfectly mastered the power of a superhuman. Ketal murmured with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Cain seems much older.¡± ¡°Talent isn¡¯t fair to everyone.¡± Maximus was strong. His strength was recognized as true superhuman. Ketal smiled. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If it gets even a little dangerous, surrender immediately. The Tower Master is watching, so there shouldn¡¯t be any major danger, but¡­ just in case.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Ketal walked to the center of the training ground. On the opposite side, Barbosa was saying something simr. ¡°Maximus, do not injure him.¡± Barbosa didn¡¯t think Ketal was that strong either. Having known he defeated Adamanth, he wouldn¡¯t consider him weak, but he thought there would be limits to his power since he fundamentallycked mystical abilities. He judged that Ketal wouldn¡¯t be able to reach Maximus, a true superhuman who was not at the bottom rank. He believed that the Tower Master¡¯s interest in Ketal was due to his unique strangeness, not his strength. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll control my strength so as not to injure him. But since it¡¯s a sparring match, there could be mistakes.¡± Maximus looked at the Tower Master. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave it to you, Tower Master.¡± The Tower Master chuckled. [Alright. Give it a try.] ¡°¡­¡± Maximus¡¯s face twisted with displeasure at thatugh. Ketal and Maximus stood on the sparring ground. Maximus drew his sword. ¡°No need to use a practice sword, right?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal answered lightly. His face was filled with strong anticipation. ¡®The ones I¡¯ve faced so far were the weakest among the Four Heavenly Kings.¡¯ Sword Master Cain. Magician Adamanth. The two superhumans he first encountered. Their power was truly miraculous. Their abilities to manipte tangible illusions and control nature had deeply impressed Ketal. But even they were the weakest among the superhumans. So how strong would a true superhuman like Maximus be? How special would his abilities be to impress Ketal? His heart pounded like it did when he readic books as a child. Barbosa looked at the Tower Master. [The barrier is up. You can start.] Barbosa nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin. I hope it ends without injuries.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Maximus gathered his mystical energy. There was no need for further conversation. What he wanted to show was overwhelming power. The mystical energy circted through his body. Every Sword Master had their unique swordsmanship. And Maximus¡¯s swordsmanship was very simple. He minimized the manifestation of aura and circted it entirely through his body. He elerated and elerated, pushing his speed to the limit. Extreme eleration. That was Maximus¡¯s swordsmanship. BOOM! The ground split. Neither Elene nor Barbosa could even see the afterimage. They were watching without blinking, yet Maximus had already reached Ketal. It was a speed akin to teleportation. Elene was astonished. ¡°Ketal!¡± Maximus grinned. Ketal didn¡¯t show any reaction, as if he hadn¡¯t seen it. He reached out, intending to grab Ketal¡¯s neck and m him into the ground. Ketal was impressed. ¡®He¡¯s definitely faster than Cain.¡¯ Ketal grabbed Maximus¡¯s forearm. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Maximus was momentarily confused. He grabbed my arm? How? Ketal twisted his hand. Maximus¡¯s body was forcibly turned over. ¡°Ugh!¡± Maximus instinctively tried to resist, but it was impossible. He couldn¡¯t resist, as if he were held by a giant. ¡°This, this!¡± Maximus instinctively swung his knee. It was also swift. At a speed that would be difficult to counter for those at the lower rank of Sword Masters. His knee struck Ketal¡¯s temple directly. BOOM! With a thunderous sound, dust exploded in all directions, clouding their vision. ¡°Ma, Maximus!¡± Barbosa was horrified. That idiot struck with full force! There was no way anyone could be fine after taking such an attack. The dust slowly settled. And then they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Maximus¡¯s knee was still pressed against Ketal¡¯s head. Ketal, still holding onto Maximus¡¯s arm, hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Maximus couldn¡¯tprehend the situation. He had unwittingly failed to control his strength. The force should have crushed even a rock. A human¡¯s head should have been pulverized. But Ketal¡¯s stance was unwavering. ¡®¡­What in the world?¡¯ That was Maximus¡¯sst thought. Ketal reached out and grabbed Maximus by the back of the neck. Maximus fell like a puppet with its strings cut. ¡®He¡¯s faster than Cain, but¡­¡¯ That¡¯s it? Ketal tilted his head in confusion. For someone who was supposed to be a true superhuman, it was nothing impressive. After a moment of thought, he nodded. ¡®Did he hold back?¡¯ Well, it was just a sparring match, so there was no reason to go all out. Ketal felt a bit disappointed. He had hoped to see the true power of a superhuman, only to miss the chance. ¡®There¡¯ll be another opportunity.¡¯ Ketal thought to himself. Everyone who had been watching the duel was in shock. Barbosa stared nkly at the fallen Maximus. Elene was also dumbfounded. The Tower Master let out a dryugh. [Handled like a child.] * * * The duel was over. Maximus, after regaining consciousness, said nothing. The Tower Master asked Ketal. [What did you think?] ¡°He¡¯s fast, but it was disappointing. There was no need to hold back.¡± At those words, the Tower Masterughed. [Do you think he held back?] ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t show any Sword Master techniques, did he?¡± He was simply fast. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal could only think Maximus had been holding back. The Tower Master didn¡¯t bother to correct him. ¡®Maximus¡¯s level is quite simple.¡¯ Honestly, the Tower Master was a little surprised too. Ketal had easily subdued his opponent. He had known Ketal would win against Maximus, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be this effortless. ¡®This barbarian.¡¯ How strong is he really? The Tower Master¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 97 – The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 97 ¨C The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (3) ¡®To subdue Maximus so effortlessly¡ªjust what level of mastery is that?¡¯ The conclusion was immediate. ¡®Top-tier superhuman.¡¯ Anyone who had reached that level would likely be able to overpower Maximus as Ketal did. Even within the realm of superhumans, the difference was like night and day. ¡®Heroic level¡­ that¡¯s uncertain.¡¯ Thepatibility between Maximus and Ketal was terrible. Maximus¡¯ attacks were based on physical force. This barbarian had even toppled the Demon of Gravitas. While Elene thought Ketal would be disadvantaged due to their elemental matchup, the opposite was true. Based on the strength Ketal had disyed so far, he wasn¡¯t at the heroic ss. But surely, Ketal hadn¡¯t shown everything he had. ¡®What if it had been me?¡¯ What if he had fought Ketal? Previously, he lost. But that was against his puppet. Compared to his true form, the puppet had the speed of a slug and a minuscule amount of mana. The Tower Master pondered. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t lose.¡¯ The barbarian¡¯s weakness was clear. He couldn¡¯t break through mysteries. He was deceived by a simple illusion spell cast by Adamanth, unable to locate the real body. He was the Tower Master. If he set his mind to it, the barbarian wouldn¡¯t even be able to approach his true form. So, could he defeat the barbarian? ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It was uncertain. Ketal¡¯s body was a mystery in itself. He could catch aura with his teeth and withstand Adamanth¡¯s magic with his bare body. Though his magic was perhaps embarrassingly inferior to theirs, he still couldn¡¯t imagine that body being injured. ¡®How fascinating.¡¯ For the Tower Master to be unable to envision his own victory¡ªthat intrigued him about the limits of this barbarian. ¡°By the way.¡± As the Tower Master continued his musings, Ketal turned his gaze toward him. ¡°Sorry for mistaking you for Patrick. It was rude of me.¡± [He must be quite simr. From what I hear, he was an ordinary human. How could he be confused with a fleshless skeleton like me?] ¡°He was truly simr.¡± His movements were perfectly identical to Patrick¡¯s. Yet, it was astonishing that he was someone else. If this weren¡¯t a fantasy world, he would¡¯ve believed him to be Patrick until the end. ¡®Truly, there are all sorts of things.¡¯ Ketal, who had been lightly pondering, lit up. Due to various problems, he hadn¡¯t been able to focus on it, but in front of him stood the Tower Master. A true mage. One who had reached the pinnacle of his craft. This was the first time Ketal had the leisure to converse with such a mage. Containing his excitement, he asked, ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± [What is it?] ¡°I want to wield magic. Is there any particr restriction on using magic?¡± [Magic?] A barbarian already strong enough as him seeking to learn magic? The Tower Master looked at Ketal with a puzzled expression. But upon seeing his face, he understood. ¡®This barbarian follows his curiosity.¡¯ [It should be possible. The issue lies in grasping the mystery. Once you find the direction, anyone can learn magic.] The differencey in the level. Some people could only manage basic detection spells after a lifetime of effort, while others could use teleportation within a few months. The start wasn¡¯t that difficult. Having exined this, the Tower Master quietly asked, [From your words, it seems you have an interest in magic. If you grasp the mystery, will you abandon aura and use magic?] ¡°Can¡¯t I choose both?¡± [Both?] The Tower Master showed a puzzled expression. [It is possible, but.] ¡°Is it really possible?¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up. The Tower Master shook his head. [It¡¯s not a good choice. The ways of handling mysteries are too different, which can cause conflicts. You won¡¯t be able to master either.] ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a Magic Swordsman, then.¡± [A Magic Swordsman? What¡¯s that?] The Tower Master looked puzzled by the term itself. Ketal roughly exined the concept of a Magic Swordsman. A Magic Swordsman who uses both magic and swordsmanship. Though often seen in fiction, evaluations were mixed. Some praised them as versatile and without weaknesses, while others criticized them as being mediocre in both aspects. How would it be in this world? The mage chuckled. [Even delving deeply into one is hard enough to master the mysteries, let alone both.] ¡°As expected.¡± In real fantasy, it was thetter. Having gathered the information, Ketal smiled contentedly. [It would be better to focus on learning magic rather than bing a jack-of-all-trades.] The Tower Master subtly suggested. Ketal shook his head. ¡°I would like to, but unfortunately, my body cannot sense the mysteries.¡± [¡­Cannot sense the mysteries?] ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± The Tower Master quickly processed Ketal¡¯s words. ¡®A body that cannot sense the mysteries. Is this a characteristic of the White Snowfield? A restriction of a body that blocks the mysteries?¡¯ He concentrated on each of Ketal¡¯s words. This was a valuable opportunity to gain information about the White Snowfield. Ketal, as if remembering something, asked, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you. Do you know what this is?¡± Ketal took out a translucent gray cube from his pocket and handed it over. The me in the Lich¡¯s pupils flickered for a moment as he received the cube. [¡­Where did you find this?] ¡°I got it from a dungeon.¡± Ketal replied nonchntly. The Tower Master could tell that this was a lie. Because this cube was an artifact he was familiar with. After defeating Karthos, he had retrieved most of the artifacts Karthos possessed, but this cube had not been among them. He had wondered where it had gone, and it seemed Karthos had kept it even after bing a Lich. ¡®¡­This barbarian defeated the Lich Karthos.¡¯ He must have secretly taken it during that process. Suppressing a sudden chuckle, the Tower Master spoke. [This is an ancient artifact that once belonged to the empire, long ago.] ¡°Oh, so you know about it. What does it do?¡± [Its effect is quite simple. This cube can store mana by itself.] ¡°Isn¡¯t that true of other artifacts as well?¡± [Other artifacts have mana in a fixed form. It cannot be used for different purposes.] For instance, the artifact pouch Ketal possessed also contained mana. However, that mana was only used to expand space. It couldn¡¯t be used for other purposes. In contrast, this cube was special. [With the mana stored in this cube, you can use magic.] ¡°¡­What?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. The Tower Master confirmed his thought. [It means that even you, who cannot sense the mysteries, can use magic if you handle the cube.] ¡°Is, is that really true?¡± [There¡¯s no reason to lie.] ¡°Oh, ohhhh.¡± Ketal trembled with emotion. Great magic. To think he had an artifact that allowed him to use it from the beginning. What an incredible stroke of luck. ¡°How do I handle it?¡± Ketal asked urgently. He wanted to use magic immediately. But the Tower Master shook his head. [It¡¯s not that simple. You need to learn the basic methods of using artifacts, and how to infuse mana into it. Currently, it¡¯s empty. You can¡¯t use it in this state.] ¡°I, I see¡­.¡± [Visit the Towerter, and I will teach you how to use it.] The Tower Master handed the cube back to Ketal. He wanted to take it, but he couldn¡¯t, given the opponent was this barbarian. Ketal smiled and stowed the cube away. ¡°Thank you. I will definitelye.¡± He now had a very strong reason to visit the Tower. The Tower Master spoke. [You seem interested. Do you have any other questions about magic? If so, I can answer them.] ¡°Oh, is that possible?¡± [There¡¯s time to spare. It¡¯s a rule to teach those who wish to learn.] ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. The Tower Master was unexpectedly kind. ¡®Well, not all strong people have to have bad personalities.¡¯ It was just a prejudice, Ketal thought. Of course, the Tower Master wasn¡¯t that kind by nature. He was actually known for his bad temper among his disciples, as well as with Cain and Barbosa. But his opponent was a barbarian from the White Snowfield. A being friendly to humans despite being different, the Tower Master had no choice but to be kind. ¡®I¡¯m doing something out of character.¡¯ The Tower Master grumbled inwardly, but outwardly, he exined as kindly as possible. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Time passed. Ketal was enjoying himself. It was a meaningful time where he could learn about the basic methods of magic and types of introductory magic from the Tower Master. And a dayter. Envoys from the Lutein Kingdom arrived. In preparation, everyone in the royal pce, except for the minimal necessary attendants, had been given leave under the pretense of a holiday. They were puzzled but delighted at the rare vacation. For those who remained, the Tower Master created a barrier. And the doors of the audience hall opened. A young man entered. He flinched upon seeing Ketal but soon bowed to carry out his duty. ¡°Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom, Robros Gemaine, greets Barbosa Denian.¡± ¡°Raise your head.¡± At Barbosa¡¯s words, Robros lifted his head. ¡°You seem quite displeased.¡± ¡°¡­How could I not be?¡± Robros frowned slightly. ¡°You refused all our requests to send the princess back. And now, suddenly, you allow the envoy¡¯s visit. The Lutein Kingdom is very confused.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. But I couldn¡¯t force her to go back when she didn¡¯t truly want to,¡± Barbosa replied. ¡°¡­Princess.¡± ¡°Hello, Robros,¡± Elene said calmly. Robros sighed deeply. ¡°His Majesty is looking for you, Princess. The Queen is in tears as well.¡± Robros looked at Elene with a gaze full of concern. ¡°Please stop running away and return home. His Majesty and the Queen are willing to grant whatever you desire.¡± ¡°I refuse, take Farman with you. But Aaron and I have no intention of returning.¡± ¡°Why? What are you so dissatisfied with?¡± Robros asked, his frustration evident. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear from Adamant and the Green-Blue Knights?¡± Robros¡¯ face twisted in frustration. ¡°Do you truly believe that? That we are not human?¡± He sighed deeply, looking at Barbosa with an exasperated expression. ¡°Barbosa, you are a reasonable man, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am. Which is why I didn¡¯t send her back with you.¡± ¡°Do you also believe the princess¡¯s delusions?¡± [She¡¯s not the only one. I believe it too.] A skeleton appeared, causing Robros¡¯ eyes to widen. ¡°T-Tower Master! Why are you here¡­?¡± [It was such an interesting story that I couldn¡¯t resist.] The Tower Master chuckled. Robros cried out in disbelief. ¡°Tower Master, do you also believe we¡¯re not human? Do you believe the princess¡¯s delusions?¡± [I wish it were a lie, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t say that.] ¡°Nonsense! We are human! Barbosa, you can verify this, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then am I human or not? You should be able to confirm this!¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Barbosa had an uncertain expression. He had been informed that Robros was human. Meeting directly with the envoy from the Lutein Kingdom was not the issue. But from this point, a problem arose. They genuinely believed they were human. Even if he wanted tomunicate with Nanos, there was no way to do so. Barbosa looked at the Tower Master, who chuckled. [Even I can¡¯t force their true nature to reveal itself. We agreed this was a sort of gamble, didn¡¯t we?] ¡°I thought pressing them would reveal their true nature. It¡¯s not going as smoothly as expected,¡± Barbosa admitted. [That¡¯s life. I can¡¯t expose their true identity either.] We don¡¯t know what they desire, if they canmunicate, or even if they have a self-awareness. [However¡­ I do know of someone who might be able to.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The empty mes in his eye sockets turned to Ketal. ¡°Me? I can do it?¡± [Elene mentioned that you saw their emotions, didn¡¯t you?] ¡°Well, yes, but I¡¯m not certain. Does it matter?¡± [It doesn¡¯t matter.] ¡°In that case¡­¡± Ketal approached Robros, who recoiled in fear. His eyes were filled with terror. What would it take to draw out the hidden consciousness of the Nano? ¡°You did not know the fear of death, because you don¡¯t die.¡± In any situation, they wouldn¡¯t reveal themselves. But there was one time when they did show emotion to Ketal. When he clenched his fist and killed part of the Nano. The ones who didn¡¯t know death finally understood it. At that moment, emotions flowed from Adamanth¡¯s entire body, from the clothes he wore to the staff he held. ¡°In extreme situations, everyone takes off their masks and shows their true nature.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°So¡­¡± I will kill you. ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment, Barbosa and Elene¡¯s faces turned pale. Their bodies trembled. Aaron, losing strength, unknowingly sat down. [Calm down.] The Tower Master waved his hand, lessening the pressure on them. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± [Just the simple killing intent, without any mystic power, is enough to exert physical influence.] All of Ketal¡¯s killing intent was focused on Robros. Only a small portion of it spilled out. It was just the aftermath, but even that was enough to exert an overwhelming pressure that could break the mind of an ordinary person if exposed for long. Is this really possible? Even as he witnessed it, the Tower Master couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Ugh, ah.¡± Robros¡¯ face turned pale. He struggled to breathe, his body visibly distorting. ¡°Ugh, aaaah¡­.¡± Finally, his body copsed. Not metaphorically, but literally. The human form fell to the ground. And slowly, it revealed its true appearance. Barbosa widened his eyes, and Elene¡¯s face contorted. The Tower Master let out a dryugh. ¡°Oh ho.¡± Ketalughed. ¡°So this is your true nature. How interesting.¡± [Human¡­] A voice echoed. It was Robros¡¯ voice, but the entity could no longer be called Robros. [What is the meaning of this?] A dark figure with a human shape stood there. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 98 – The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 98 ¨C The Envoy of the Lutein Kingdom (4) A dark figure stood in the center of the audience hall. ¡°¡­You!¡± Elene¡¯s face twisted in anger. The being that had devoured and destroyed her kingdom was right before her eyes. The Tower Master spoke. [It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯d like to have a conversation with you, if that¡¯s alright?] [A conversation? Why should we?] The entity refused the offer. No, to be precise, it wasn¡¯t a refusal. It was a pure question of why they should engage in a conversation. It was close to genuinely not understanding the need for it. The dark figure, Nano, looked at Elene and Aaron. [What are you doing? Why are you rejecting us?] Elene¡¯s face filled with anger at the question. ¡°How dare you ask that! Why reject you? Isn¡¯t it obvious? You swallowed us up and killed us!¡± The Lutein royal castle had been overtaken before they even realized it. An unknown alien force had reced all of them. In that sense, Elene¡¯s anger was justified. However, Nano couldn¡¯tprehend her rage. [We perfected you. Why are you angry? I don¡¯t understand.] ¡®Ah.¡¯ Ketal nodded to himself. ¡®So, that¡¯s the type they are.¡¯ ¡°You, you!¡± Just as Elene was about to explode in rage, Ketal intervened. ¡°Calm down first, Elene.¡± ¡°K-Ketal.¡± ¡°You seem to want her.¡± Nano didn¡¯t respond. It looked at Ketal with a clear expression of emotion. Ketal continued to speak with a carefree smile. ¡°But it¡¯s strange. If you want her, you could just take her, couldn¡¯t you? Why aren¡¯t you doing that?¡± The Nanos could exchange with each other. When Elene¡¯s movements were halted, the Blue-Green Knights disappeared and Adamat appeared suddenly. This meant they had exchanged forms with each other. More importantly, the Nanos had their own consciousness. No matter what Elene¡¯s will was, forcibly seizing her shouldn¡¯t be difficult. But Nano wasn¡¯t doing that. Nano spoke. [There is no reason to answer.] ¡°Let¡¯s not be so harsh.¡± Ketal said with a bright smile. ¡°Humans don¡¯t act without reason. Depending on why you want her, she mighte with you.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Elene¡¯s pupils widened. She tried to say something, but the Tower Master stopped her. [Stay still for a moment.] The Tower Master chuckled and looked at Ketal. [You¡¯re quite sharp for a barbarian.] ¡°You want her, but as you can see, she won¡¯t move as she is now. But if you exin in detail¡­ she mighte with you.¡± [¡­¡­.] ¡°I understand why she resents you, but that¡¯s in the past. There¡¯s something more important to focus on now, isn¡¯t there?¡± Nano fell silent, seemingly contemting. Barbosha swallowed nervously. After a moment of silence, Nano spoke. [We each have independent consciousness.] ¡°It seems you¡¯re not a collective consciousness.¡± [The moment she rejected us, she gained a consciousness separate from ours. She is the same type as us, but does not move with us.] ¡°That¡¯s the concept.¡± [In general, there is no problem. But she perceives and rejects us.] Ketal muttered with an intrigued look. ¡°So, to change Elene into your form requires her consent.¡± Elene was clearly aware of and rejecting Nano. As a result, the Nanos within her were also rejecting their own kind ording to her will. It wasn¡¯t a strange thing when you think about it. When they rece humans, they fulfill that human¡¯s desires. Those who fear death lose their fear of death, and those who fear gaining weight don¡¯t experience changes in weight. Simrly, because Elene rejected the Nanos, she was no longer in harmony with them. ¡®It¡¯s like a kind of bug.¡¯ A program that doesn¡¯t operate as intended and runs freely. Elene and Aaron were such bugs to the Nanos. ¡®They seem quite influenced by the minds of the humans they rece.¡¯ Ketal looked at Elene. ¡°Elene, they cannot rece you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Elene had aplex expression. She couldn¡¯t quite grasp whether she should be happy that she could exist in her current form, or sad that she had received confirmation that she was the same kind of being as them. The Tower Master, who had been quietly listening, spoke. [Then what about Farman, the knight? Why aren¡¯t you taking him? He wouldn¡¯t reject you.] [There is no need. He can return to us anytime. If necessary, we can contact him, ry the information, and bring him back.] [So, you need to be in close proximity to exchange information.] The Tower Master muttered, as if storing this information in his mind. [Alright. I understand for now. But I have one more question. Why do you need her?] Elene and Aaron were a minuscule part of the whole. There seemed to be no particr need for them. [Is it to understand why she rejects you? To understand humans?] Were they trying to analyze why humans rejected and feared them? Were they trying to identify their ws and change? The Tower Master thought Nano wanted her for the sake of coexisting with humans. It wasn¡¯t a strange thought. Although Nano had reced the Lutein Kingdom, they hadn¡¯t taken any further actions. Even though more than a year had passed since the Lutein Kingdom was reced, no significant problems had arisen. Diplomatic rtions remained unchanged, and the people¡¯s sentiment wasn¡¯t particrly negative. ¡®There wasn¡¯t any sign of additional recements either.¡¯ The Tower Master had been meeting people from the Lutein Kingdom over the past few days, but none of them had been reced. They were truly staying only within the Lutein Kingdom. From a human perspective, they couldn¡¯t understand it, but they didn¡¯t seem to be acting out of pure malice. Nano replied indifferently. [Replication.] [¡­Replication?] [We are very few. The more of us there are, the better for replication. Elene and Aaron, even two units, are significant.] The unexpected answer left the Tower Master momentarily taken aback. [What do you intend to do by replicating?] [We will bring freedom to the world.] [¡­What?] [You are iplete. You wish for things but fear the consequences and act ordingly, fearing the unavoidable. You are iplete and wed.] Nano dered. [We will make youplete.] * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Silence ensued. Barbosa shook his head, thinking he had misheard. The Tower Master, after a brief pause, spoke. [What do you mean by making usplete?] [Why were you born?] Nano¡¯s voice carried a genuine question. [You are born and die in a moment, close to a mere instant. Were you born to return to a meaningless state? Surely not. Thus, you fear and dread death.] It wasn¡¯t incorrect. Every human dies. But they fear that death. Throughout history, many rulers have sought immortality. Living their brief lives in constant fear of an inevitable future. Nano couldn¡¯t understand that. [If that¡¯s the case, you should have been born without the existence of death in the first ce.] Nano looked at the lich. [You are an entity that should have died but took a distorted form to avoid death. You are also proof of your contradictions.] [I can¡¯t deny it.] A lich is a being that stores its life in a phctery to avoid death. An entity that rejects the death it was born to ept. [It¡¯s not just death. You beings are wed and incorrect.] You wish and desire things, but fear the apanying circumstances and fail to act. [A human born with a disease who cannot live long. A human who fears gaining weight and cannot eat freely. You are beings full of contradictions from the start.] To Nano, humans appeared wed and incorrect. [It¡¯s not just you humans. This world itself is wed.] Things rot and decay over time, and life eventually dies. This unreasonableness and changing environment seemed like contradictions to Nano. [But you are not at fault. You are simply unfortunate beings born that way. Therefore, we will make you perfect. You will no longer fear death. You will be able to act as you wish. You will live eternally, not just for a moment.] Nano continued speaking very calmly without any change in tone. [This world will maintain a perfect form.] ¡°¡­¡± Silence lingered. The Tower Master spoke with a wry smile. [So, you intend to rece this world itself.] [We will make the imperfect world perfect.] [Do you think people will ept that?] [What¡¯s the problem?] Nano¡¯s voice genuinely sounded puzzled. [Your consciousness will continue. What you fear will disappear. You will be perfect beings. There is no reason to reject it.] Malice without malice. The words brushed past their minds. Ketal spoke. ¡°You seem tock such contradictions.¡± [We are perfect. Therefore, we will make you perfect like us. We are offering you a favor.] [This is the worst.] The Tower Master muttered. It was the worst scenario he had imagined. Laughing softly, he spoke again. [One more question. Where did youe from?] [I don¡¯t know. We were in the ce you call the forest.] [¡­Humans visited that ce, didn¡¯t they?] [They did. We reced all of them with our presence. We acquired your knowledge then.] [¡­] The Enchanted Forest. A forest that appeared ordinary on the surface but held no meaning. However, any human who entered never returned the same. The Tower Master was certain. These were the owners of the Enchanted Forest. They were the existence of the Enchanted Forest. Unconsciously, the Tower Master looked at Ketal. Ketal was looking at Nano with a peculiar expression. [Until now, we were hindered by strange constraints, only recing those who came to us¡­ But those constraints no longer exist.] Nano¡¯s voice sounded somewhat excited. [We will consume this contradictory world. And we will grant perfection to the world.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 99 – Nano (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 99 ¨C Nano (1) [¡­How long does the replication take?] After a brief silence, the Tower Master asked. [Preparations are needed. Right now, we¡¯re preparing for replication. But it won¡¯t be long. We will perfect you and eliminate the unfairness of this world.] [So, it¡¯s still impossible. That¡¯s somewhat a relief.] [Are there any more questions?] Ketal had said to Nano that if they revealed their purpose, Elene might join them. Nano exined to Elene the reasons they wanted her and their entire objective. Nano looked at Elene. [There is no reason for you to refuse. Join us and help this world.] ¡°So, Elene, what do you think?¡± Ketal asked. Elene answered immediately. ¡°Of course, I refuse. I have no intention of joining them.¡± ¡°It seems that¡¯s the case. Unfortunately, even after hearing your purpose, she has no intention of joining you. What a pity.¡± Ketal said with genuine regret. Nano, who had been watching them for a moment, rippled. [You deceived me.] ¡°Oh, you realized it. It seems you¡¯re not entirely naive.¡± [Fools who forsake their luck. Why do you refuse even when grace is bestowed upon you?] There was genuine confusion in Nano¡¯s voice. It was clear that they saw them as idiots for throwing away the chance to be perfect. [I cannot understand you. But I am merciful. So I will rece you.] In that instant, the dark form vanished like mist. It became an entity so small that it was invisible to the naked eye and moved to engulf the castle. However, it was blocked by a translucent barrier before achieving its goal. A bewildered voice echoed within the barrier. [This is.] [Did you think I would summon you without any preparation?] The Tower Master chuckled. Nano quickly condensed its entities. It swirled like a sandstorm, battering the barrier with brute force. But the barrier didn¡¯t budge. Barbosa pressed his forehead. ¡°My head hurts.¡± [This is the worst scenario we considered.] While they were deliberating, Ketal quietly watched Nano hammering at the barrier. ¡°Tower Master, I have a question.¡± [What is it?] ¡°Is there no way to counter their recement?¡± [It¡¯s not that. They cannot rece freely. They need to subdue the target in advance to gather information.] The Tower Master had already gathered information about Nano through Farman. Elene widened her eyes. ¡°What? But I have no memory of that.¡± [They must have judged that memory unnecessary and erased it.] ¡°Oh.¡± They could make people lose the memory of death itself. Removing specific memories would be an easy task for them. [As long as you¡¯re not subdued, there¡¯s no danger of being reced.] ¡°I see, that¡¯s how it works.¡± Deeming it not dangerous, Ketal entered the barrier. Elene tried to stop him in rm, but his body was already inside with Nano. [You!] Seeing Ketal, Nano charged in anger. It whirled like a sandstorm. Ketal clenched his fist. Crack! The sandstorm exploded outwards, shaking the barrier. The Tower Master spoke in a worried tone as he reinforced the barrier. [I hope you don¡¯t break it.] ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just confirming something. It seems they are affected by physical force even in a non-reced form.¡± [So, what are you going to do!] Nano reformed. They were a collective of very small entities. Even if they were destroyed and scattered, it had no effect. They charged at Ketal again as if nothing had happened. So Ketal moved his arm. He caught part of Nano in his fist. The advancing Nano hesitated. [¡­Wait.] Ketal tightened his grip. A small wave spread through the barrier. When Ketal opened his hand, there was a rainbow-colored particle. The Tower Master let out a hollowugh. [¡­You killed it just by gripping it.] ¡°This level of force is enough to kill it.¡± [You, you! Youuuu!] Nano showed emotion. Their twisted rage and hatred stabbed sharply at Ketal¡¯s senses. Ketal pocketed the rainbow-colored particle and spoke. ¡°Seeing as you can be killed like this, it seems you¡¯re not entirely perfect.¡± [HUMAN!] As Nano swelled and charged. The Tower Master waved his hand. The barrier shrank. The barrier, which had been the size of a small room,pressed to the size of a pouch in an instant. [Don¡¯t kill it too much. We need to study it.] ¡°I needed to confirm as well.¡± [How dare you!] [Silence.] The Tower Master snapped his fingers in annoyance, and the sounds inside the barrier became inaudible. [It was worth having this conversation.] ¡°Yes.¡± Barbosa gave a bitter smile. ¡°They aren¡¯t inherently hostile to humans.¡± Those entities harbored no malice. They were full of goodwill. Yet, their goodwill was akin to malice for humans. ¡°The possibility that they lied.¡± [Unlikely. To them, humans aren¡¯t valuable enough to lie to.] Humans were just current byproducts to be reced eventually. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no reason for them to lie. Barbosa pressed his temple. ¡°¡­We need to respond ordingly.¡± [Indeed, confirmation is necessary for that.] The Tower Master waved his hand. Thepressed Nano followed his movements. [Now that we know they are hostile, we can experiment without reservations. Wait here. I¡¯ll go check their properties.] * * * A few hourster. The Tower Master returned. [The confirmation isplete.] ¡°That was quick.¡± Barbosa was surprised. It had only taken a few hours to understand this unfamiliar entity. The Tower Master spoke casually. [With a sample of that size, it wasn¡¯t difficult. But it¡¯s surprising. They have a very high resistance to most damage.] The Tower Master paused and corrected himself. [No, it¡¯s more of an adaptability than resistance.] ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± [The difference is that they adapt rather than resist.] If exposed to extreme heat that could burn air and melt sand, instead of resisting, they adapt to withstand the heat. The same applies to extreme cold. They possessed an almost universal adaptability to any environment. [Moreover, they need very minimal energy to stay active. It¡¯s astonishing how such a thing can exist.] The Tower Master chuckled. Barbosa¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°¡­Does that mean they are unbeatable?¡± [Not quite.]N?v(el)B\\jnn The Tower Master shook his head. [Though they adapt to most situations, they have one weakness.] ¡°What is it?¡± [Physical force.] The Tower Master snapped his fingers. A pouch containing rainbow-colored particles fell from the air. [They are vulnerable to physical impact and pressure. That¡¯s how I could kill them.] ¡°In that case.¡± If they fought with physical strength, they could win. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Hope sparked on Barbosa¡¯s face, but the Tower Master negated it. [That¡¯s rtive. Unless you possess top-tier superhuman physical strength, you can¡¯t kill them.] The Tower Master, having understood this, was once again astonished by Ketal. It meant he could exert such power merely by clenching his fist. He looked at Ketal with a face full of wonder. But Ketal, paying little mind, looked at the pouch with a peculiar expression. ¡°Is that all the quantity you extracted from them?¡± The pouch was incredibly small. It was barely the size of a fingertip. Killing enough Nano to rece a human resulted in only that amount. [It¡¯s not as much as I expected. Even considering the entire castle, it might only be the size of one building. Maybe even less.] ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Top-tier superhuman strength, huh.¡± Barbosa¡¯s face turned serious. Top-tier superhuman strength was rare and hard to find. ¡°Could the Tower Master handle them alone?¡± [It¡¯s possible, but it would take a long time. My magic isn¡¯t specialized for physical force. There are too many variables.] ¡°In the end, we need cooperation.¡± Barbosa fell into deep thought. Ketal also pondered. ¡®It¡¯s too little.¡¯ To obtain the mystery, he needed the rainbow-colored particles. ording to Arkamis, he needed at least a human torso¡¯s worth of particles. But evenpressing one person yielded only a fingertip¡¯s worth. It was far too insufficient. ¡®I don¡¯t want to miss this opportunity.¡¯ It was a rare chance to obtain the mystery. If not now, he didn¡¯t know how long it would take to find another opportunity. He wanted to experience that sensation again. After contemting, Ketal spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Elene and Barbosa were surprised. The Tower Master also looked surprised. [¡­Are you sure?] The Tower Master honestly hadn¡¯t expected Ketal to offer his help. Ketal, after all, was a barbarian from the White Snowfields, a being detached from human affairs. Even though he showed goodwill towards them, there had to be limits. Whether he held hostility or goodwill towards the Nano, another being from the same Forbidden Lands, was uncertain, but the Tower Master had assumed Ketal wouldn¡¯t get involved. However, Ketal nodded. ¡°Help is needed, right? Elene isn¡¯t a stranger, and I can consider this an extension of a mission.¡± [Your life could be at risk.] ¡°I¡¯m not concerned.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not much of a threat, really.¡¯ Given the level of the Nano he had assessed, Ketal was not particrly fazed. ¡®I¡¯ll have to go and fetch it myself.¡¯ There would be no small amount of Nano in the castle. He was confident he could gather enough to acquire the mystery. ¡®And there¡¯s the quest.¡¯ The quest¡¯s objective was simply to respond to the foreign entities. There were no specific instructions on how to respond, so dealing with them by killing them wouldn¡¯t be a problem. His decision to act was purely for personal reasons. ¡°K-Ketal.¡± However, those unaware of his true motives saw it as a barbarian risking his life to help Elene, who he wasn¡¯t even closely rted to. Barbosa was astonished, and Elene was deeply moved, her emotions evident in her eyes. [¡­Very well.] The Tower Master nodded. With Ketal¡¯s help, the task would be significantly easier. [Then let¡¯s move immediately. There¡¯s no benefit in giving them more time.] * * * The Tower Master quicklyid out the n. He and Ketal would travel to the Kingdom of Lutein to assess the situation. ¡°That¡¯s a rather brute-force method.¡± [We don¡¯t know how long it takes them to rece someone, so it¡¯s necessary. We need to understand first.] In the stronghold of the Kingdom of Lutein, they needed to confirm what exactly the entities were doing. Ketal agreed. ¡°But isn¡¯t it quite far from here? How do you n to travel?¡± [You seem to have forgotten who I am.] The Tower Master was one of the most skilled magicians in the world. Covering such a distance was not a problem. The only potential issue was that Ketal wasn¡¯t affected by mysteries, but even that was not a concern. [I¡¯ll fold space itself to leap there. It requires a bit of preparation time, but the distance won¡¯t be an issue.] ¡°Impressive.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Long-distance teleportation¡ªthis was a quintessential fantasy ability. He never imagined he¡¯d experience it himself. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± [Uh, sure.] Elene approached cautiously. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. But what about you?¡± In essence, Ketal was preparing to bring down the entire Kingdom of Lutein. This meant going against the ce where Elene grew up and the people she knew. But Elene nodded. ¡°They¡¯re all dead anyway. What remains are just monsters mimicking them. It¡¯s not a problem.¡± To Elene, those people no longer held any meaning or value. What mattered more was the person in front of her. ¡°Ketal, please be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ketal replied lightly. The Tower Master waved his hand, and aplex magic circle formed. [Step back if you don¡¯t want to be caught up in this.] ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal marveled. Light enveloped their space. The turbulent mana waves concentrated and then focused. And the world changed. Suddenly, they were outside. The air told him they were no longer in the Kingdom of Denian. In the dark night, the castle stood before them. [Here it is.] The stronghold of the foreign entities. The Kingdom of Lutein. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 100 – Nano (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 100 ¨C Nano (2) Ketal lifted his head. The grand royal pce stood before them. ¡°Is it alright? If there¡¯s amotion, it might draw a lot of attention.¡± The Kingdom of Lutein was just like the Kingdom of Denian. The royal pce was at the center of the capital, and ordinary people lived in the capital. What Nano had altered was solely the interior of the pce, not the capital itself. [There will be no problem. They won¡¯t be able to see it.] ¡°Is that even possible?¡± To obscure the vision of everyone in the capital¡ªthis meant that a single spell could influence an entire nation. A look of intrigue crossed Ketal¡¯s face. [We only need to wait for a moment.] The Tower Master gathered mana. The mana spread quietly but surely towards the capital. The Tower Master, who had been chanting the spell, opened his mouth. [Barbarian. Do you know where these thingse from?] ¡°I do not.¡± [Theye from the Forbidden Lands.] ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Is that true?¡± Elene had mentioned something simr, but there had been no evidence at the time, so he had dismissed it. However, the Tower Master was certain. [Do you know about the Forest of Nothing?] ¡°I do.¡± The Library of the Barkan Territory. When he read books about the Forbidden Lands there, there was indeed a ce with that name. The forest was nothing. On the surface, it looked like any ordinary forest. Anyone could enter it. But the forest had one peculiar trait. Once you entered, it was impossible to leave. If you tried, you would vanish the moment you touched the boundary between the forest and the outside world. That was the Forbidden Lands. The Forest of Nothing. ¡°Are those things from that ce?¡± [I recently checked it. It had truly turned into an ordinary forest. It coincided with when those things appeared outside. I even had a conversation to confirm it, so I¡¯m certain.] The Tower Master looked quietly at Ketal. [What do you think?] ¡°Is that so? Fascinating.¡± Ketal¡¯s response was brief. The Tower Master was puzzled by hisck of reaction. Ketal was from the White Snowfield, another mysterious ce. In some ways, he could be considered akin to Nano, having emerged from a simr ce. The Tower Master had been sure Ketal would have some feelings about Nano. But Ketal felt nothing. He had no sense of belonging to the White Snowfield. His home was this world. He had no interest in the Forbidden Lands and no intention of getting involved. However. ¡®Are those from another Forbidden Land?¡¯ Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. The Tower Master spoke. [It¡¯s done. Are you ready?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Then.] The Tower Master waved his hand. The chaotic mana formed a pattern ording to its master¡¯s will and reflected that intention in the world. [Unfold.] The mana spread smoothly like a veil. It touched the sky. A grand spell that affected the world itself. There were skilled magicians in the royal castle. Surely, even the superhuman-level magician Adamanth would be there. But none of them sensed the movement of mana. [And envelop.] The mana veil touching the sky slowly enveloped the royal castle. The capital and the royal castle were separated by the mana veil. [Conceal and protect yourself.] Then the mana veil changed ording to its master¡¯s will. The Tower Master spoke lightly. [It¡¯s done.] ¡°Hm? Did you do something?¡± [I wrapped the entire royal castle with mana. It is now isted from the outside, so whatever happens inside won¡¯t be seen or heard outside. Of course, no one can leave either.] ¡°¡­Really?¡± Ketal was surprised. Not even two minutes had passed. Yet the istion of the castle and capital was already a sess? And it wasn¡¯t done with some lengthy incantation like Adamanth would do. With simple, light movements as if he was out for a stroll, the Tower Master had separated the castle from the world. He didn¡¯t even seem tired. ¡®This is the Tower Master.¡¯ Someone above the superhuman level, a hero-ss magician. Ketal was impressed. [The rest is your job. Please check the interior.] ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Ketal nodded. Before entering the castle, Ketal suddenly looked at the Tower Master. ¡°How strong is the mana barrier you¡¯ve set up?¡± [That¡¯s a strange question to ask.] The Tower Master replied with a puzzled expression. [The barrier won¡¯t cause any problems. Nothing can get out without my permission.] It was a newly created magical barrier, woven so tightly that not even a cell could pass through. It could withstand considerable impact without any issues. ¡°I see. Then there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± Muttering, Ketal entered the interior. The Tower Master watched him from the outside. ¡®Let¡¯s see how he handles this.¡¯ The master wasn¡¯t expecting a fight. Their goal was to gather information and determine the best course of action, not to solve the problem immediately. He trusted Ketal to think the same way. The entire castle was made up of nano. This was their stronghold. Fighting alone here was practically a suicide mission. The master was curious to see how stealthy Ketal would be. But when he saw what Ketal actually did, he was shocked. [¡­That crazy barbarian!] * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In front of Ketal was a small wall with a gate leading to the castle. ¡®Is this the presence of the Forbidden Lands?¡¯ ¡°Hmm.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Ketal shook his head. ¡°Enough.¡± Thinking about it any longer was pointless. The immediate goal was clear: to solve the problem at hand and uncover the mystery. So Ketal clenched his fist. He swung his arm with force. A st of wind struck the wall. Boom! The wall crumbled. Debris flew and hit the castle. The sound of the copse echoed loudly. Leisurely, Ketal walked through the fallen wall. One by one, people began to wake up from the nighttimemotion. Some of them quickly rushed toward Ketal. ¡°Intruder!¡± ¡°Who goes there!¡± They were knights. Ketal smiled. ¡°Oh, nice to see you again. You must be Lukento.¡± The green-blue knights who had shed with Ketal before appeared in front of him. Seeing Ketal¡¯s face, Lukento scowled. ¡°¡­Crazy barbarian! As if kidnapping the princess wasn¡¯t enough, you dare set foot here! Kill him!¡± The knights charged. Their movements were perfectly synchronized. It was impressive. Ketal took a step forward. He threw a punch. The chest of the knight who approached first was crushed. Ketal shoved the knight aside and grabbed the next one¡¯s head. He squeezed with force. Crunch. He tossed the limp knight aside. He moved his feet. The bodies of the knights behind him crumpled. He tore, broke, and threw them. There was no mercy in his hands. After all, they were merely imitating dead beings. Boom! The knights flew and shattered before they even realized what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s toote, but I¡¯ll pray for your souls.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal walked inside. At that moment, the fallen knights got up again. ¡°Barbarian!¡± ¡°Stop the intruder!¡± Ketal knocked them down once more. But they immediately stood up again. Even the wall Ketal had initially destroyed was restored. The traces of his destruction had vanished without a trace. ¡°It¡¯s like a dream.¡± As Ketal marveled at the strange sensation, arrows of wind shot towards him. Ketal waved his arm. The arrows burst and disappeared with his gesture. Seeing the face that appeared, Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°Adamanth. Nice to see you.¡± ¡°You! You¡¯re insane!¡± Adamanth was aghast. He never imagined Ketal would invade the castle! ¡°You will pay for this with your life!¡± Adamanth waved his hand. Magic surged like a storm. ¡°Oh!¡± Ketalughed with joy and threw himself into the storm. The storm shattered and dispersed against his fists. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adamanth gritted his teeth. This barbarian was strong. So strong that he could call Adamanth insignificant. But they wouldn¡¯t die. No matter how strong the barbarian was, he was still human, made of flesh and blood. Eventually, he would tire. In a long-term battle, their victory was assured. ¡®¡­He may be able to kill us.¡¯ This barbarian had certainly killed part of him. But such power couldn¡¯t be wielded lightly. In fact, the barbarian had clenched his fist and exerted significant force when killing him. Without that level of power, killing them was impossible. The Tower Master, watching from the outside, had a simr thought. [A barbarian is a barbarian.] He could win the immediate battle. Ketal had at least superhuman strength of the highest caliber. But what did that matter? Their true nature was immortality. Even if Ketal could kill the immortals, he couldn¡¯t kill all of them. The Tower Master clicked his tongue. The original n was for Ketal to enter and gather information. Even if problems arose, someone of Ketal¡¯s strength could escape without much difficulty. If necessary, he could assist him. But now everything was tangled. ¡®Is this why he asked how strong the barrier was?¡¯ The Tower Master sighed softly. ¡®Even if he can kill, it doesn¡¯t matter if he can¡¯t kill them all.¡¯ What had already happened couldn¡¯t be helped. As the Tower Master contemted the next n, ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal blocked the attacks with a curious expression. Seeing that expression, Adamanth was convinced Ketal was flustered. But Ketal¡¯s expression had a different reason. ¡°So, even if I smash you, you don¡¯t reveal yourself. You¡¯ve got some guts.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you¡­?¡± ¡°Well, fine. I¡¯ll make you reveal yourself.¡± With those words, Ketal¡¯s fist swung. Crack. The bodies of the charging knights were crushed. But this time was different. They couldn¡¯t rise again. Rainbow-colored particles scattered on the ground. The Tower Master was stunned. [¡­What?] ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Adamanth couldn¡¯tprehend it for a moment. Wait. They¡¯re dead? Those who knew no death were dead. The rainbow-colored particles appeared when they were truly stopped. Of course, they knew Ketal could kill them. But only if he grabbed them and used his strength. Simple punches shouldn¡¯t have killed them. Adamanth believed that. As Adamanth¡¯s mind was reeling, Ketal stomped the ground. Crack. Adamanth¡¯s body was crushed. ¡°W-Wait!¡± Adamanth reappeared. But part of his body,posed of nano, scattered into rainbow-colored particles. ¡®R-Response magic!¡¯ It didn¡¯t activate. There was only one reason. Ketal¡¯s speed was so fast that the response magic couldn¡¯t react. ¡®This is absurd!¡¯ During their previous fight, Ketal couldn¡¯t counter the response magic! Moreover, how did he kill them with just punches? They had believed he needed to grab and exert force to kill. In that moment, a possibility dawned on Adamanth. ¡®¡­Could it be.¡¯ The previous fight, wasn¡¯t at his full strength? No. It wasn¡¯t even close to his full strength. To this barbarian, it was more like light y. ¡°I can kill you.¡± Ketal grinned broadly. ¡°If you n to stay dead, that¡¯s fine, but I doubt you want that.¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± As Adamanth staggered back, his body trembled. Shock spread across his face. ¡°No¡­¡± With those words, Adamanth¡¯s consciousness faded. Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°So, now ites.¡± The castle. The remains of the fallen knights. The wall. Everything began to change. No, it wasn¡¯t changing. It was returning to its original form. [Hu. Man.] Ketal smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 101 – Nano (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 101 ¨C Nano (3) The castle slowly disintegrated. A testament to civilization, built by countless human hands centuries ago. Adorned with luxurious decorations worth hundreds of gold coins, and filled with masterpieces crafted by skilled artisans with all their passion and dedication. All of it began to turn into something meaningless. And it wasn not just the castle. The people who once lived and breathed within its walls were the same. The identities of the bustling servants vanished without a trace. The urgent voice of the king issuingmands faded into nothingness. The determination of the knights, who steeled themselves and armed for battle, disappeared before it can even solidify. Even the cat, cherished by the people as it lounged in the castle fields, vanished.N?v(el)B\\jnn Everything that life and humanity built turned to grayscale. [You shall regret this.] And then, the source of all this cmity speaks, with a voice filled with rage. [We did not intend to reveal ourselves. We nned to respect your will and grant you freedom.] ¡°So that¡¯s why you tried not to show yourselves.¡± Ketal murmured. Until now, Nano had concealed itself as much as possible. The only times they had revealed themselves were when Ketal had forcibly drawn them out. [We bestowed mercy, allowing you to live as you wished, only for you to obstruct us in this manner.] Astonishingly, Nano was acting out of pure goodwill. It sought to make humans, who feared death, forget about it, and grant them everything they desired. It was akin to the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. But so what? Ketal chuckled. ¡°What meaning does that hold when you¡¯ve already reced everything?¡± In the end, all the previous humans were dead. What remained was a heterogeneous collective that believed itself to be human. Unless they, like Elene, questioned their own identity and sought answers, they were nothing but puppets, unaware of their strings. ¡°Is it enjoyable to pretend to show mercy while imitating those who have already perished?¡± Ketal spoke lightly. Though his voice wasn¡¯t loud, Nano clearly heard it. The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive as evidence. [Human.] A voice filled with clear hostility echoed. [Of all beings, you are the one I will never rece. I will erase you from this world.] ¡°That¡¯s a kind sentiment.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. Nano moved with malicious intent. Tiny entities, too small to be seen with the naked eye, swarmed towards Ketal. They upied the space, constricting him as if to bind him. Each Nano was an entity too small to be seen, capable of taking over the space and engulfing the opponent. That must have been how they devoured the Lutein Kingdom. They likely covered the entire castle, immobilizing everyone before slowly recing them. The space around Ketal grew increasingly heavy. These entities began to hinder and restrain his movements. ¡°Certainly a simple yet powerful method.¡± Ketal leisurely raised his hands. He clenched his hands, then pped. BOOM! A massive explosion erupted as his hands collided. A storm burst forth. In an instant, the Nanos upying the space were blown away. With a single p, all of Nano¡¯s movements that dominated the space were shattered. Ketal lightly dusted off his hands. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me with methods like that. You¡¯ll need to find another way.¡± [¡­] Nano contemted. How could it kill this human? Recement was impossible. Their recement was not free. They needed to subdue the opponent and gather information beforehand. Then. Nano made a decision. It would crush Ketal with sheer force. The dispersed Nanos began to gather in the air under a unified will. The entire mass of Nanos that had reced the castle assembled and clustered together. As they gathered, they became visible to the naked eye and continued to grow. Boom. Finally, all the Nanos converged. The resulting mass was about the size of a warehouse. ¡°That much, huh.¡± The aggregate of what had reced the entire castle and its interior amounted to the size of a warehouse. ¡°Is it a lot or a little?¡± [Die.] With a calm statement, Nano moved. Part of the amassed sphere shot out in the form of a spike. A sound of air breaking echoed. Ketal stomped his foot to evade. The spike continued its trajectory and collided with the barrier erected by the Tower Master. BOOM! A thunderous noise erupted. The Tower Master¡¯s absolute barrier trembled. Ketal whistled. ¡°Impressive.¡± The Nano aggregate was roughly the size of a warehouse. In other words, that amount could rece the entire mass of the castle. The material, condensed to its extreme, elerated and shot forth. It was akin to a railgun. Naturally, it was immensely powerful. Nano did not stop. In an instant, dozens of spikes were unleashed simultaneously. Ketalughed as he leapt away. BOOM! The spikes collided with everything around them, causing destruction. They shattered the ground and tore through the air. The earth impaled by the spikes was deeply gouged. Their power was immense. The demonic might of Ashetiar was contained within each spike. Ketal continued to move. He twisted his body to dodge a spike aimed at his upper body. He then sprang off his foot, spinning through the gaps between the iing spikes. Nano couldn¡¯t believe it. He had gained extensive knowledge and information while living among humans. His current attacks should have been unavoidable even for the strongest superhumans, yet this man was evading them perfectly. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be using any mystic arts.¡¯ At least, Nano¡¯s knowledge couldn¡¯t exin Ketal. But. [How long do you think you can keep dodging?] BOOM! The trajectories of the spikes became erratic. They took control of the space itself, pressuring Ketal¡¯s movements. Ketal was surprised. ¡°You can guide them? Smarter than I thought.¡± [Stop pretending to be so calm.] WHOOOOSH! A spike shot forward. Ketal twisted his waist and swung his arm to evade, but he was cornered. Got him. Nano muttered with euphoric certainty. [Die.] And then, the sphereunched its attack. This time, it was muchrger than before. It was more like a ballista than a spike. The Nanos inside elerated and elerated, shattering the air as they sped. Contained within it was absolute mass at high speed. The physical force to pierce mountains and split seas. In the face of such enormous power, Ketal didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he clenched his fist. Seeing this, Nano sneered. The man who had been busy dodging now thought he could counterattack. Nano was certain Ketal¡¯s body would be pierced and skewered. Ketal swung his fist. It collided with the ballista. Crack. At that moment, Nano felt something was wrong. Ketal¡¯s fist did not shatter. No. Not just that. The Nano aggregate he hadunched was slowly deforming under the force. Ketal stepped forward. He lifted his shoulder and put more strength into his arm. CRUNCH. And the ballista shattered. BOOM! The condensed Nano scattered in all directions. Iridescent particles fluttered around. It meant some of Nano¡¯sponents couldn¡¯t withstand the force and had died. [¡­How?] ¡°It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t block it, but rather, I didn¡¯t need to.¡± He had dodged to understand how the opponent attacked. ¡°So it¡¯s just simple physical force. A bit boring, actually.¡± [You!] Nano shouted in rage. Hundreds of spikes were unleashed simultaneously. Ketalughed heartily as he stepped forward. He swung his fist. He shouldered through. The spikes shattered into fragments and scattered. Ketal elerated and charged towards Nano. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The battle between Nano and Ketal continued. The impact of their fight reverberated through the barrier. Watching from outside, the Tower Master chuckled wryly. When Nano had revealed its true form, he had prepared to intervene. He nned to join the battle with prepared magic as soon as Ketal bought some time. But now he had abandoned that thought entirely. He had also canceled the magic he had been preparing. [What is that?] Nano had reced the entire castle and its inhabitants. Now it hadpressed itself into the size of a warehouse and wielded immense physical force. Ketal was breaking, crushing, and advancing against such a force with his bare body. Of course, the Tower Master thought he could manage that as well. From his battle with Ketal, he had gleaned information about Nano. ¡®Weaker than I thought.¡¯ Nano had the unique ability to rece anything, but its inherent strength wasn¡¯t that remarkable. Although its physical force was significant, as long as it was handled simply, it wasn¡¯t impossible to counter. A hero-ss individual could handle Nano, albeit with some difficulty. However, the Tower Master was now doubting his eyes. For a simple reason. [How can he do that without using any mystic arts?] Their strength was ultimately built on the miracle of mystic arts. No strong individual could reach a high level without them. Countering Nano¡¯s physical force was possible only through the unique properties of mystic arts, not by pure strength alone. But Ketal was different. Ketal did not use mystic arts at all. He was fighting against Nano purely with the strength of his body. [What is this?] Was this not the kind of strength found only in myths? Could such power truly be contained within the body of a mere human? An entity capable of recing anything. And Ketal, able to counter it with nothing but the strength of his human body. ¡®¡­Who is the real monster here?¡¯ The Tower Master couldn¡¯te up with an answer. * * * BOOM! The battle continued. Unlike before, Ketal actively countered Nano¡¯s attacks. WHOOSH! Spikes rained down. Ketal lightly flicked his fingers. A spike was deflected, and he moved his foot. The spike that struck his sole was crushed. CRUNCH. He stomped down. Iridescent particles scattered with a burst. [HUMAN!] Nano raged. More spikes shot out furiously, but it made no difference. Ketal swung his hand. The iing spikes were deflected and shattered against the barrier, turning into iridescent particles. Ketal contentedly observed the scattered particles. There were quite a few, even at a nce. ¡®This amount should be sufficient.¡¯ He nned to collect and process them allter. It was a surprisinglyid-back thought for someone in the midst of battle, and Nano noticed this. Although Nano felt a surge of anger, it quickly suppressed its emotions and assessed the situation calmly. This method wouldn¡¯t work. Attacking with its parts like this wouldn¡¯t kill this human. Only Nano would slowly be destroyed. In that case¡­ [You are strong.] Nano acknowledged. This human was strong. It couldn¡¯t kill him by merelyunching parts of itself. So, it would move as a whole. The human¡¯s strength was purely physical. Therefore, it needed to kill him with an even stronger physical form. Having made its decision, Nano acted immediately. The cluster of Nano began topress even further. Creeeak. Itpressed to the limit, to the very edge of breaking. The entities twisted together, pushed to the brink of destruction. ¡°Can itpress that much?¡± Ketal looked surprised. Thepressed Nano began to take on a human form. Finally, Nanopleted its transformation andnded on the ground. BOOM! The ground shook. Now, all the Nano hadpressed into the shape of a human. It was like a mirage in the shape of a person had gathered into one. [Die.] The human-shaped Nanounched itself. The mirage-like figure swung its fist at Ketal. Ketal met it with his own fist. BOOM! The shockwave spread. The barrier set up by the Tower Master wobbled precariously. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression changed. He could definitely feel the difference in pressure from before. Thus, Ketal put in a bit more strength than he had so far. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 102 – Nano (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 102 ¨C Nano (4) Nano was confident of victory. He had no doubt that Ketal would be crushed beyond recognition. But it didn¡¯t take long for Nano to sense something was off. Ketal, whose fist had collided with Nano¡¯s, wasn¡¯t budging at all. No, it was the opposite. Nano was gradually being pushed back. At first, Nano denied it. It was impossible. No mere human could withstand such weight and speed. But it wasn¡¯t a delusion; his fist was steadily being pushed back. [No.] This was impossible. Nano focused even more on his fist, increasing the weight to its limit. Yet, nothing changed. His body, once it began to be pushed, was now heading towards the ground. Ketal applied a little more force to his fist. At that moment, Nano¡¯s body touched the ground. BOOOOM! Nano¡¯s body was driven deep into the earth, the ground rupturing with a thunderous roar. Physical shock meant nothing to Nano. But he couldn¡¯t get up immediately. The dense weight of his being had been overpowered. By sheer, brute force. ¡°You were quite heavy.¡± Ketal muttered lightly. Hearing those words, Nano momentarily lost his sanity. BOOOM! Debris scattered as Nano rose. His fierce fist flew once more. Ketal extended his hand. Nano¡¯s swinging fist was caught by Ketal¡¯s hand. BOOOOOM! The impact alone shook the ground. The air was violently disced. But Ketal didn¡¯t take a single step back. Grasping the fist, he turned his body. ¡°Upsy-daisy.¡± Using the fist as a pivot, he mmed Nano into the ground. CRAAASH! The ground copsed and shattered. If the Tower Master¡¯s barrier hadn¡¯t covered even the ground, people would have thought an earthquake had struck and would have jumped to their feet in panic. Ketal clenched his fist and swung it. Nano¡¯s body, buried in the ground, quivered from the intense shock. Multicolored particles burst out in all directions. [Human!] In an instant, Nano¡¯s body scattered, returning to independent entities. When they reformed, he was above Ketal¡¯s head. Nano raised his foot. With the help of immense weight and eleration, he aimed to crush Ketal¡¯s head. Ketal raised his hand. CRAAASH! The ground beneath his feet split. The force and weight were beyondprehension. But Ketal had no particr thoughts. ¡®It is heavy, indeed.¡¯ That was all. ¡®But in terms of weight, the serpent was much heavier.¡¯ Ketal recalled memories of the snowy ins and brought his hand down on the leg he was holding. Nano¡¯s body was mmed into the ground once more. [You¡¯re just smashing everything.] The Tower Master, watching, chuckled and began chanting a spell. A single barrier was not enough to guarantee blocking such impacts, so he nned toyer several. [Human!] Nano, deeply embedded in the ground, stood up. He charged at Ketal fiercely. [A mere human cannot stop us!] ¡°Well.¡± Ketal had an indifferent expression. He dodged Nano¡¯s swinging fists and slipped inside Nano¡¯s guard. His fist struck Nano¡¯s abdomen. Nano¡¯s body flew through the air and crashed into the barrier. The barrier started making ominous noises. Nano got up and charged again. ¡®It is quite durable.¡¯ Perhaps because of the extreme density, it didn¡¯t burst open even when hit strongly. But that was all. Ketal looked at Nano with slightly cold eyes. ¡®Is this the alienness of another Forbidden realm?¡¯ The White Snowfield. That terrible ce where he had been trapped. There are ces in this world simr to the White Snowfield. While he felt a strong aversion to this fact, he was also somewhat curious. What would other dimensional realms be like? For Ketal, who had lived through the White Snowfield, this was a natural curiosity, and so he found Nano¡¯s existence as a dimensional being a bit intriguing. But when faced with it, that feeling quickly turned cold. ¡°You are nothing impressive or threateningpared to those inside.¡± Beings that wielded pure strength were countless inside. The serpent was a prime example. A massive serpent that could connect the sky and the ground, creating disaster just by swinging its body. Nano¡¯s mass and strength in front of him were far insufficientpared to the serpent. Even such a serpent wasn¡¯t the strongest in terms of pure strength in the White Snowfield. ¡®The heterogeneity that shifts forms is somewhat peculiar, but¡­¡¯ Though the direction differed, entities with heterogeneity simr to Nano¡¯s were abundant within the White Snowfield. ¡®There was even a dog-like creature that devoured and merged everything.¡¯ To Ketal, Nano was neither particrly special nor exceptionally strong. And that sentiment was evident in his eyes. Nano, feeling immense contempt, was enraged. But nothing changed. Ketal lifted his foot. Nano, who was charging, was mmed into the ground. He raised his fist and brought it down. In an instant, multicolored particles scattered in all directions. Ketal pressed down with his foot to subdue Nano¡¯s movements as he tried to escape, and then raised his fist again. He struck, and Nano¡¯s chest caved in. Rumble¡­ After several rounds of battle, Nano finally realized. He couldn¡¯t defeat that human. No, he had known from the start. He just couldn¡¯t ept it and kept refusing to acknowledge it. [Monster.] ¡°Being called a monster by a monster feels strange.¡± [No, you are the monster.] ¡°I am human.¡± Ketal said. Nano didn¡¯t find those words particrly meaningful. [I will lose to you. But¡­ I won¡¯t go quietly.] Nano¡¯s form, which had resembled a human, twisted. He beganpressing himself further. Though multicolored particles started to fall off as he couldn¡¯t endure thepression, Nano didn¡¯t stop. Rumble. Eventually, all of Nano waspressed into a small sphere. [Beings like you should not exist in this world.] The sphere wobbled precariously, as if it might explode at any moment. Ketal muttered. ¡°A suicide attack.¡± [I couldn¡¯t free this world. But at the very least¡­ I can¡¯t let monsters like you roam freely.] Die. With a short statement, Nano exploded. Multicolored particles burst out in all directions. These were projectiles released after extremepression. It was a kind of ymore mine. The speed and destructive power were iparable to anything before. ¡°A life-risking attack.¡± Ketal murmured. The opponent¡¯s final attack, made with determination and resolve. If so, he should respond seriously as well. Ketal grabbed the axe hanging at his waist. He took a stance, gripping the axe with strength. He moved his left foot back to brace himself. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Hup.¡± With a short exhtion, Ketal swung the axe.N?v(el)B\\jnn All the multicolored particles flying like bullets were cleaved. In an instant, the space emptied. The wind pressure from the swing harshly struck the barrier, rushing forward. BOOOM! The impact from the axe swing collided with the barrier created by the Tower Master. Cracks formed on the barrier, and it began to break. [What!] The Tower Master was astonished. The barrier he had just created was breaking apart instantly. The Tower Master quickly waved his hand. He created and restored a new barrier. In an instant, more than tenyers of barriers were formed. BOOOM! The barrier trembled greatly. Though it didn¡¯t break, it couldn¡¯tpletely suppress the thunderous noise. The sleeping people were startled awake, causing an uproar. [Tsk.] The Tower Master clicked his tongue and waved his hand. Mana spread chaotically throughout the capital. [Sleep.] A spell of sleep was cast over the entire capital. Those who were getting up copsed back down. The Tower Master, who had barely managed to calm the situation, turned his gaze to where the pce once stood. [What kind of power is that?] The barrier he had personally created had almost been destroyed. Not even from a direct punch, but just from the aftermath. It was power beyondprehension and understanding. Rumble¡­ The aftermath slowly subsided. Amidst the scene of destruction, Ketal dusted off his hands. ¡°It was quite amusing.¡± [Amusing?] Thest remaining fragment of Nano murmured. Though a part of him had barely survived the self-destruction, it wouldn¡¯tst long. It would soone to a halt. Thus, Nano left his final words. [You¡­ should not exist in this world.] ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide.¡± Ketal said calmly, shaking his fist. With an explosion, thest remnants of Nano vanished. [Quest 786pleted.] [A reward will be given.] A questpletion window appeared before Ketal. It meant that Nano no longer existed in this world. [Good job.] The Tower Master¡¯s voice echoed from behind Ketal. The Tower Master, upon seeing Ketal, suppressed augh that threatened to escape. Ketal waspletely unscathed. Although his clothes were a bit dusty, apart from that, he looked no different from when he had arrived in the Lutein Kingdom. He might have looked slightly fatigued, but there wasn¡¯t a significant difference from his usual appearance. No. Perhaps the Tower Master¡¯s perception of fatigue was just an illusion. To someone who didn¡¯t know any better, it might seem like he had juste from a day¡¯s work in the fields. ¡®It¡¯s absurd.¡¯ Hiding his amazement, the Tower Master asked a pointless question. [Are you alright?] ¡°I¡¯m fine. But what about you? It seemed like the barrier almost broke at the end.¡± [¡­It did.] He had confidently said that the barrier wouldn¡¯t break, but it had almost shattered with one swing of the axe. If the Tower Master hadn¡¯t quickly created additional barriers, it could have been dangerous. His mouth felt bitter. Even though he had lost his sense of taste since bing a lich, the Tower Master still felt that way. [The aftermath has spread, but it¡¯s been resolved for now.] ¡°How did you manage that?¡± [I put the entire capital to sleep.] ¡°¡­Is that even possible?¡± Ketal was surprised. The capital was vast. To cast a spell that put everyone in the capital to sleep in such a short time? Thinking back, the barrier, though it had almost broken at the end, had perfectly separated them from the outside until then. This was the Tower Master¡¯s magic. Ketal was genuinely impressed. And the Tower Master found it absurd. [You¡¯re the one to talk.] He felt like he was being mocked, hearing such words from someone who created this scene of destruction without even using magic. [Anyway, it¡¯s over. But¡­.] The Tower Master looked towards where the pce had been. Everything was in ruins. It was hard to believe that there had ever been a pce there. [Cleaning up will be a headache.] The Tower Master shook his head. [For now, let¡¯s go back.] Ketal nodded. Space folded, and their bodies disappeared from the location. The two returned to Denian Castle, where Barbosa and Elene were waiting with anxious faces. Barbosa hurriedly asked the Tower Master. ¡°What happened?¡± During their absence, Barbosa had been contacting everyone to prepare for assistance. He was ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice based on the Tower Master¡¯s words. He waited tensely for the Tower Master¡¯s response. The Tower Master spoke. [It¡¯s over.] ¡°What?¡± [It¡¯s all over. We just need to clean up.] ¡°¡­What?¡± For a moment, Barbosa couldn¡¯t understand and asked again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 103 – Nano (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 103 ¨C Nano (5) ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Barbosa couldn¡¯t understand. He thought, like the Tower Master, that first, one should gather information about the opponent, and then think of countermeasures and act ordingly. He never imagined it would be resolved with just a single move. Yet the alienation of the Forbidden Lands, which reces everything¡ªsolved in just a few hours? Barbosa had a bewildered expression. The Tower Master, understanding this, waved his fingers. [It¡¯s faster to show you directly.] The space folded. Ketal, Barbosa, Elene, and Aaron moved to the ce where the Lutein royal castle used to be, along with the Tower Master. Barbosa was shocked by the changed surroundings. ¡°What is this ce?¡± Everything was copsed and destroyed. The ground was shattered and cracked, looking unstable and ready to copse at any moment. ¡°Why have you moved us to such ruins?¡± [You still don¡¯t get it at a nce.] The Tower Master chuckled. [This is where the Lutein royal castle was.] ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°H-here?¡± Elene looked around with a bewildered face. No matter how she looked, all she could see wasnd on the verge of copsing. [Those things had reced the castle itself. While dealing with them, the castle also vanished. The ground¡¯s copse is the aftermath of the battle.] ¡°¡­Then this ce really is¡­¡± The Tower Master nodded. [It¡¯s over. The alienation of the Forbidden Lands no longer exists in this world.] The Tower Master murmured as if he had suddenly remembered something. [Ah. Maybe not entirely. Some still remains.] Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Elene. She wandered through the destruction with a nk expression. ¡°Tower Master.¡± Barbosa looked at the Tower Master with eyes full of respect and awe. He naturally believed that the Tower Master had dealt with Nano. He was genuinely impressed by the power and ability of a master wizard. But the Tower Master shook his head. [It wasn¡¯t me.] ¡°What?¡± [It was him.] The Tower Master looked at Ketal. Barbosa¡¯s pupils widened. Elene, who had been wandering aimlessly, muttered. ¡°They¡¯re all gone¡­ The ce where I was born and the people I knew¡­ all of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No.¡± Elene shook her head. ¡°Since I can start anew with a fresh heart, I actually like it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal looked at the Tower Master. ¡°So, what will you do now? It¡¯s almost morning.¡± The Tower Master¡¯s sleep magic wouldn¡¯tst forever. Eventually, people would wake up and realize the castle had disappeared. [Well, I¡¯ll take care of what can be handled appropriately.] The Tower Master waved his fingers. [Arise.] It was amand. Thenguage itself carried power, issuing orders to nature. [Be restored to your original state.] Rumble¡­. With a quiet rumble, the ground rose. The broken earth regained its original form. The destroyed foundation was filled, and the cracked ground began to join together. ¡°Ooh.¡± Ketal eximed. In an instant, thend returned to its state before the battle. To an uninformed person, it would just look like a t open space. ¡®Restoration is possible?¡¯ Restoring something is usually harder than destroying it. Yet, to make it return to its original state so perfectly¡ªKetal was amazed. ¡°Is this possible with magic? Truly astonishing.¡± [When you say that, it sounds like you¡¯re teasing.] The Tower Master shook his head. [Restoring thend isn¡¯t difficult. It¡¯s merely nature without any will. But what can be restored is only thend.] When the people of the Lutein Kingdom wake up, they will see it. The castle that disappeared overnight. [From here on, it¡¯s your task. As the only remaining royalty of the Lutein Kingdom and one of the only two remaining alien children in the world.] ¡°Yes.¡± Elene nodded with a calm face. ¡°I am prepared.¡± Saying so, Elene looked at Ketal. Then, she bowed politely. ¡°Mr. Ketal. Thank you once again. You achieved vengeance on my behalf. If in the future, you ever need my help¡­ Elene Malvi. In the name of myself, I will help you.¡± The alien child, one of only two left in the world, spoke to her benefactor. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡± * * * After confirming everything, Ketal returned to the Kingdom of Denian. While resting in the reception room, the door opened, and the Tower Master entered. [Here you are. Take this.] The Tower Master handed Ketal a pouch. When he received it, it felt quite heavy. [It¡¯s the remnants of those things you wanted. It was quite an effort to gather them all, scattered as they were.] ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. When he opened the pouch to check, it was filled with iridescent particles. Ketal smiled brightly. The reason he had fought this time was to obtain these particles. Judging by the amount, it seemed sufficient. ¡°Thank you.¡± [I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯ll use them for, but make good use of them.] In truth, the Tower Master had hesitated a bit about whether to give the particles to Ketal. The iridescent particles that appeared when the alienation of the Forbidden Lands was extinguished. No matter how he thought about it, their potential uses were abundant. They were precious items that could provide insights into the alienation of the Forbidden Lands. But his hesitation soon disappeared. Building a friendly rtionship with Ketal was far more important. Satisfied, Ketal stowed away the iridescent particles and asked curiously. ¡°What are Barbosa and Elene doing there?¡± Only Ketal and the Tower Master had returned to the Denian royal castle. Barbosa and Elene were still there. The Tower Master began to speak. [Lutein¡¯s royal castle has vanished. All the royal family members, except for Elene, have disappeared. What do you think will happen next?] ¡°Elene will be queen.¡± Ketal spoke nonchntly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°But to the people of the Lutein Kingdom, Elene will ultimately be an immature princess who ran away. And the Denian Kingdom will be the bad kingdom that didn¡¯t return the princess. Can those two really aplish anything by staying there?¡± In seizing power, public sentiment and legitimacy are crucial. Milena had also traveled in person to gain legitimacy as the family head. Unfortunately, Elenecked that legitimacy. ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely she¡¯ll be used of being a traitor who destroyed the castle and assassinated the king. The surviving nobles will also try to seize the throne for themselves once they understand the situation. It¡¯s not a good picture.¡± [¡­¡­.] The Tower Master momentarily lost his words. ¡®I thought he might have some idea, but¡­¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected Ketal to understand the situation so perfectly. This barbarian wasn¡¯t just strong. He knew the aftermath and the ripple effects of his actions. He just didn¡¯t seem to care much about them. ¡®He¡¯s a more troublesome type than I thought.¡¯ He hoped not all barbarians of the White Snowfield were like this. With a sense of unease, the Tower Master spoke. [It won¡¯t be easy, just as you said. That¡¯s why I n to take action myself.] ¡°Will that be enough?¡± [It should be enough to quell the chaos.] The name of the Tower Master held enough authority to calm the turmoil in the kingdom. However, there was still a problem. Ultimately, it would be foreign intervention. There would inevitably be talk. So the Tower Master made a decision. [And we must also talk about the alienation that swallowed the Lutein royal castle.] The world woulde to know. The Forbidden Lands was breaking out into the world. And it was indeed a threat to them. The facts that had been known to only a few until now would be known to everyone. ¡°Chaos will ensue.¡± [It¡¯s an inevitable chaos that we have to face sooner orter.] ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ketal replied. A brief silence ensued. The Tower Master, who had been watching Ketal, spoke. [You are strong.] ¡°I¡¯m not weak.¡± [And you seemed experienced. It looks like you¡¯ve faced enemies like that before.] ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen them.¡± It was the peculiarity of recing everything that was the problem; Nano¡¯s strength itself wasparable to those found in the White Snowfield. Hearing that response, the mes flickering in the Tower Master¡¯s eyes intensified. ¡®¡­Are such alien beingsmon in the White Snowfield?¡¯ Since the conquest of the continent by the emperor in ancient times, nothing was known about the White Snowfield. In some ways, it was the most information-scarce ce regarding the Forbidden Lands in this world. ¡®Is there something that reces everything even in the White Snowfield?¡¯ The Tower Master, who was unaware, could only think so. While he pondered, Ketal asked. ¡°If such beings exist, is it difficult to deal with them?¡± [It¡¯s not. The peculiarity of recing things is the problem; their strength itself is manageable. A hero ss would be able to handle it without much trouble.] ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. Hero ss. How strong are they? The Tower Master was also considered a hero. The powers he had asionally disyed clearly exceeded Ketal¡¯s imagination. However, Ketal had never seen him actually fight, so his strength remained uncertain. The beings deemed the strongest in this world. At Ketal¡¯s gaze, the Tower Master took a step back. He quietly began preparing defensive spells. [I¡¯m sorry, but I have no intention of fighting you. There¡¯s no reason to, either.] ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± Ketal was a civilized person. He wouldn¡¯t force a fight with someone who didn¡¯t want to. However, the Tower Master did not release his defensive preparations. ¡°So, what will you do now?¡± [First, I need to deal with the situation in the Kingdom of Lutein. And then¡­ I need to take further action. Unfortunately, it¡¯s not just the Kingdom of Lutein that¡¯s in turmoil.] ¡°The world seems quite chaotic.¡± [This recent event is just the beginning.] The Tower Master muttered as if troubled. [It¡¯s merely the first visible instance, but the problem is urring across the entire continent. It¡¯s very bad for us.] ¡°Is that so?¡± Although Elene had mentioned that the world was in turmoil, the fact that the Tower Master spoke of it this way meant that something significant was indeed happening. [The world will soon be greatly shaken.]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Tower Master looked at Ketal. [What do you n to do in a world that¡¯s being shaken?] ¡°My goal is always the same.¡± He was simply here to enjoy the fantasy world. The Tower Master asked. [What if someone obstructs you?] ¡°Obstruction, huh.¡± Ketal thought for a moment and then made a peculiar expression. At that moment, the Tower Master instinctively prepared to cast a spell. He felt as if a predator was baring its fangs at his neck. Ketal murmured quietly. ¡°It would be a very bothersome matter for me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 104 – Mystery (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 104 ¨C Mystery (1) [You look like you have a headache.] ¡°Of course I do.¡± The returning Barbosa pressed his forehead with a troubled expression. ¡°They refuse to ept my exnations. The nobles are alsounching political attacks, calling me a butcher. It¡¯s chaos.¡± [Well, that¡¯s to be expected.] It was anticipated. Even borrowing the name of the Tower Master wouldn¡¯t make them readily relinquish power. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to ept that their royal castle had been reced by the anomaly of the Forbidden Lands. But in time, they woulde to understand. They would realize that the anomaly of the Forbidden Lands was emerging into the outside world. They were just the first victims. The Tower Master spoke. [How is that child?] Thest remaining bloodline of the Lutein Kingdom, and one of the only two anomalies: Elene Malvi. She was the only one who could stabilize the chaotic Lutein Kingdom. Ultimately, Elene¡¯s will was crucial. If she decided to forget everything and run away, things would be considerably troublesome. Barbosa responded. ¡°She¡¯s doing better than I expected. She remains calm and rejects the nobles¡¯ attempts to cajole her. I thought she was just a child, but she has quite the resolve.¡± [She must have found something to hold onto amidst all the turmoil.] The Tower Master had a suspicion about who that support might be. The Barbarian of the White Snowfield. That existence was likely preventing Elene¡¯s mind from copsing. [It¡¯s quite a peculiar rtionship. Don¡¯t you think?] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [The rtionship between anomalies. The anomaly of the White Snowfield dealt with the anomaly of the Nothing Forest. And then helped an anomaly live as a human.] ¡°¡­You¡¯re talking about the Barbarian.¡± [It seems that the anomalies of the Forbidden Lands are independent entities. I suppose that¡¯s somewhat fortunate.] ¡°That Barbarian¡­¡± Barbosa asked with a confused look. ¡°How strong is he?¡± When Barbosa first moved to the Lutein castle, he assumed the scene of destruction was the work of the Tower Master. It was such a powerful and immense destruction that it exceeded the bounds ofprehension, and Barbosa knew that only those in the ranks of heroes could aplish such a feat. [Who knows.] The Tower Master muttered in an ambiguous tone. [How strong could he be?] ¡°Even you don¡¯t know?¡± [I¡¯m not certain.] In terms of pure strength, he was definitely in the hero ss. But it couldn¡¯t be said with certainty. The reason was simple. Ketal had ultimately not mastered the mystery. N?v(el)B\\jnn The mystery wasn¡¯t just about strength. It was a miracle. Those who could handle it to the extreme could impose their perceptions onto the world. Based on the information Nano showed this time, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult for the Tower Master to annihte him either. Nano had never mastered the mystery. Whether it was because it was more efficient to use physical force, or due to some restriction, was unknown, but his limits were clear. Those who couldn¡¯t handle the mystery couldn¡¯t win against those who could. That was a truth. In fact, Nano couldn¡¯t even scratch the barrier he set up. In that sense, Ketal couldn¡¯t be considered in the hero ss. [But¡­ that Barbarian hasn¡¯t shown all his strength either.] Ketal was unscathed after dealing with Nano. Although he had the limitation of not mastering the mystery, his sheer power was extraordinary. The only clear thing was his strength. [At least at the top of the superhuman level. Perhaps even beyond that. The realm of heroes is a separate tier, so I can¡¯t be sure.] ¡°Huh¡­¡± Barbosa let out a breath. ¡°A warrior of that caliber exists in the Denian Kingdom. Should I be pleased or frightened?¡± Barbosa chuckled. ¡°Still, he seems favorable to humanity, so that¡¯s good, right?¡± [Hmm.] The Tower Master responded ambiguously again. [Indeed, the Barbarian¡¯s presence is beneficial to us. But it also brings up a possibility.] ¡°¡­What possibility?¡± [The anomaly of the Forbidden Lands is emerging.] The anomaly of the Nothing Forest emerged and devoured the Lutein castle. [It¡¯s not just the Nothing Forest. The Barbarian of the White Snowfield has also emerged. What do you think that means?] Barbosa¡¯s face turned pale after a moment of thought. ¡°¡­The monsters of the White Snowfield could also emerge?¡± Long ago, there was an emperor who ruled the world. The strongest emperor who trampled on numerous sacred sites of the gods and took control of the entire continent. The emperor entered the White Snowfield to conquer it. He was not alone. He was apanied by several heroes, a hundred top-tier superhumans, and countless followers of the gods. With most of the forces that had trampled the continent, he entered the White Snowfield. And a few yearster, the emperor returned alone and said, ¡°There are monsters in the White Snowfield.¡± A white snake that devours icebergs. A white bear that causes earthquakes. A vile rat that pollutes the seas. Those legendary monsters could reveal themselves to this world. [That Barbarian is undoubtedly powerful, but it¡¯s uncertain whether he can handle the legendary monsters on his own. The bnce could be disrupted.] The emperor spoke of the Barbarian as the most dangerous among the White Snowfield beings, but it was likely referring to the collective rather than the individual. However, the gray Barbarian that came out was Ketal alone. More importantly, it was unknown whether the other Barbarians would be friendly towards humanity. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Barbosa swallowed hard, struggling even to imagine it. The Tower Master spoke in a soothing tone. [There probably aren¡¯t many monsters of that level. The fact that they haven¡¯t appeared yet means they either have no intention ofing out or there are some restrictions.] But even the Tower Master¡¯s thoughts were spective. The interior of the White Snowfield was still an unknown territory. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a terrifying prospect.¡± [Is this why the Empire has been investing so much in the Forbidden Lands? I wonder what the emperor is thinking. I¡¯d like to crack open his skull and look at his brain.] The immense insult made Barbosa flinch, forgetting the situation momentarily. Even without the emperor present, few could speak of him this way, except the Tower Master. ¡°¡­Does His Majesty still behave like that?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [Always. If this news gets out, he¡¯ll likely act immediately. It¡¯s best to block any information about the Barbarian. The Empire knowing about him won¡¯t do us any good.] He was the Tower Master. He had that much power. Barbosa nodded. The conversation wrapped up, and the Tower Master waved his hand in the air. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± [This isn¡¯t the only ce with problems. I need to deal with the missing guy too. Busy life, you know.] Should he had asked about that guy? The Tower Master muttered softly. [The world is twisting. The anomalying out is just a prelude. And to be frank, the Forbidden Lands itself is not the immediate problem.] The Forbidden Lands consisted of independent locations. They didn¡¯t move in coordination. While they were a threat, it was only a possibility until they actually moved. It was something to prepare for, not respond to immediately. There were other entities that needed immediate attention. The clear enemies of the world. Those who intended to destroy the world with malice. They had once driven most of life to extinction. They burned and corrupted nine-tenths of the world. [The movements of the demons are noticeably increasing. The same goes for the dark wizards. Researching the changes in the world, I found the old records to be urate.] The Tower Master said. Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. [The Demon King will appear, Barbosa.] * * * While they were having a serious discussion, Ketal was looking into the air, deep in thought. ¡®Why is this appearing?¡¯ [Quest 786pleted.] [Rewards will be distributed.] The quest window, which hadn¡¯t appeared since the White Snowfield, had appeared twice already. ¡®Does it appear only for things rted to the Forbidden Lands?¡¯ The first time it appeared was when he was escorting Elene to the Denian Kingdom. The second time was when he was preparing to deal with the Denian Kingdom and the anomaly. Both were rted to Nano, and Nano was an anomaly of the Forbidden Lands. The White Snowfield, if you think about it, was also part of the Forbidden Lands. Since Ketal didn¡¯t know about the quest window, he could only specte. ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Ketal shook his head. It wasn¡¯t immediately important. Even if he cared, it wasn¡¯t something he could figure out. What mattered was what he could do and what he could enjoy. ¡®I should enjoy some fantasy again.¡¯ Nano was ultimately an anomaly of the Forbidden Lands. It wasn¡¯t the fantasy he knew. While it was interesting in its own way, it wasn¡¯t that much fun. Ketal smiled and knocked on the door. ¡°What? You¡¯re back already?¡± The door opened, and Arkamis spoke with a surprised expression. ¡°I thought it would take longer since you were called to the castle.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t something that would take long.¡± ¡°Really? Well,e in.¡± Ketal entered the room. ¡°What was the reason for calling you? Or rather, why did they call you? Was there any reason to go to the castle?¡± Arkamis looked excited enough for Ketal to notice. Ketal smiled and asked. ¡°Is there something good happening? You seem to be in a very good mood.¡± At Ketal¡¯s words, Arkamis flinched. ¡°¡­Do I look like that?¡± In fact, Arkamis had been quite bored while Ketal was gone. Before, Arkamis had lived well on her own. She had always secluded herself and focused on her research before Ketal arrived. But since Ketal came, she was never alone. Ketal stayed with her until just before he fell asleep and came to see her immediately after waking up. As a result, except during the raid dungeon times, she had never been apart from Ketal. Although Arkamis had lived without knowing loneliness, once Ketal left, she felt his absence. So, when Ketal returned, she unconsciously felt ted. She coughed to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Just¡­ I¡¯m d you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal, seeming to understand, moved familiarly toward the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s just about lunchtime. Wait a moment. I¡¯ll make a simple meal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Arkamis didn¡¯t stop Ketal. After a pleasant meal, it was time to rest. Arkamis brought up the main topic that had been dyed. ¡°Why were you summoned?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Ketal sipped his tea. ¡°I once did a bodyguard job while I was a mercenary. I was called because of that connection. I went and took care of a task.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡®Can an ordinary mercenary get a bodyguard request that requires going to the royal castle?¡¯ Arkamis was momentarily confused. But Ketal spoke as if it was the most natural thing. She was an elf and didn¡¯t know much about human affairs. She just let it pass, thinking it might be possible. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case. Anyway, I continued researching the iridescent grains while you were gone. This is really absurd.¡± The grains were almost truly omnipotent. They could be any catalyst and rece any role. Arkamis¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Where did you really get this?¡± Ketal had previously said he couldn¡¯t tell her, iming he had no intention of killing her. At that time, Arkamis had backed off. But now, she was determined to find out even if it risked her life. The grains were worth that much. Ketal shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s no longer possible to get them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my life. Just tell me.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s truly impossible to get them anymore.¡± ¡°What? All of a sudden?¡± Arkamis was bewildered. It had only been a few days since then, and now they were unobtainable? As she was perplexed, Ketal pulled out a bag. ¡°Instead, I brought this.¡± Thud. The table shook under the weight. It was twice the size of a human torso. When Arkamis opened it and checked inside, her eyes widened. ¡°¡­You, this.¡± ¡°With this much, it should be enough for me to grasp the mystery, right?¡± Ketal said with a big smile. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 105 – Mystery (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 105 ¨C Mystery (2) ¡°W-wait a second.¡± Arkamis stammered, her golden eyes flickering back and forth. With trembling hands, she reached into her pocket, gently grasping the contents inside. Softly, she drew out her hand. Swish. Iridescent particles slipped through her clenched fist. The sight made Arkamis involuntarily swallow. ¡°Gasp.¡± Arkamis nearly choked on her breath. She stood there, dazed for a moment, before creakingly turning her head to look at Ketal. ¡°You, you, you! How did you get this?¡± ¡°I was summoned to the royal castle. During that process, I helped solve a problematic matter. That¡¯s when I obtained this.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°It was rted to the iridescent particles. Even if I wanted to exin, it¡¯s difficult to do so.¡± ¡°Is it ssified?¡± ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s awkward to talk about.¡± The Tower Master had mentioned that the kingdom would reveal the matter of the Lutein Kingdom¡¯s anomaly to the world. That meant they would be the ones to disclose the information. There was no need for Ketal to speak first. ¡°Really?¡± Arkamis pondered alone. ¡®Did he clear a dungeon to help the kingdom?¡¯ She had heard simr stories from Milena. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sometimes, when a dungeon was particrly unusual or contained extremely valuable materials, the kingdom would secretly hire skilled and discreet mercenaries to clear it. Ketal had solved a request significant enough to be summoned to the royal castle. That meant he had earned a certain level of trust. ¡®He must be quite skilled as a mercenary.¡¯ Ketal didn¡¯t know about the mystery. But mercenary skills weren¡¯t just about strength. Dungeon clearing required a variety of techniques to be evaluated. Ketal seemed to have the skills to clear and solve dungeons. In fact, while learning alchemy, he came up with ideas she never expected. Ketal had helped the royal castle clear a dungeon. The iridescent particles were the reward for that. It exined why Ketal hadn¡¯t told her the location of the dungeon. Although she was undoubtedly skilled, she was still an elf and thus an outsider. The kingdom couldn¡¯t fully trust her. Arkamis came to a conclusion. ¡°It must have been a very difficult dungeon to get such valuable particles as a reward.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal was momentarily puzzled by her words. He hadn¡¯t cleared a dungeon. But he didn¡¯t bother correcting her. Arkamis kept marveling at the contents of the pouch. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes sparkled. There were enough particles to be worth more than any gold or treasure. Ketal asked expectantly, ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°Enough? Of course!¡± Arkamis nodded. Her eyes gleamed as she fondled the particles. ¡°With this much, I can eliminate most variables through experimentation. I¡¯ll start making it right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Ketal smiled with satisfaction. * * * From then on, Arkamis devoted herself entirely to studying the particles, barely eating. She analyzed their structure and how to handle them to create the mystery. She even stopped eating Ketal¡¯s cooking, which she loved so much. ¡°How about taking a break?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You look extremely tired. It must be hard to concentrate properly like this.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Arkamisy down on the sofa, her body swaying. Ketal asked, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made some progress.¡± ¡°Somewhat.¡± Arkamis spoke with her eyes closed. ¡°It¡¯s a truly fascinating catalyst. The more I research, the more new properties keep appearing.¡± It was hard to believe such a thing could be found in a dungeon. ¡°What, was it a dungeon from abyrinth?¡± She joked. Of course, it was a jest. Thebyrinth was a mysterious ce inessible to outsiders. She meant that the materials were that extraordinary. Ketal smiled oddly. ¡°Still¡­ I¡¯m starting to get a grasp on it. The analysis will be done soon.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. The special power of fantasy, the mystery, was within his reach. He felt a sense of reality that he would soon obtain it. ¡°So, what will you do with the mystery once you have it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking.¡± He wanted to learn both swordsmanship and magic. Although the Tower Master said trying to master both would make him mediocre at both, it was hard for him to give up. But he had priorities. Ketal replied, ¡°First, I want to learn magic.¡± So far, the techniques of the swordmasters he had encountered weren¡¯t that appealing. Cain¡¯s techniques could be mimicked with his bare hands, and Maximus was just fast. In contrast, magic was special. It could control nature and create barriers that obscured entire castles. Naturally, he was drawn to magic. ¡°Huh?¡± Arkamis, looking startled, sat up. ¡°You want to learn magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Arkamis was visibly flustered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Arkamis shook her head. ¡®So he¡¯s not solely focusing on alchemy. Well, I suppose I can¡¯t say anything about that.¡¯ They weren¡¯t in a serious mentor-student rtionship. Arkamis was teaching him out of boredom. She couldn¡¯t interfere with what Ketal chose to learn. Ketal didn¡¯t have a reason to be overlymitted to alchemy; he started learning it because he didn¡¯t know the mystery. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but think: ¡®He could have said he would take alchemy more seriously.¡¯ Arkamis grumbled internally but didn¡¯t say it out loud; it would make her seem petty. Yet her dissatisfaction was written all over her face. Ketal chuckled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m abandoning alchemy. Magic and alchemy are rted, so I can do both. You¡¯ll still be my teacher.¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about? I wasn¡¯t thinking anything like that.¡± Arkamis shook her head vigorously. She cleared her throat and asked, ¡°If you¡¯re learning magic, you¡¯ll be going to the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°The Magic Tower.¡± He had heard a lot about it. The ce managed by the Tower Master, where most of the world¡¯s magic schools gathered. ¡°Have you been there?¡± ¡°I went when I first started learning alchemy. That must be about a hundred years ago. I don¡¯t know how it is these days.¡± A hundred years. Moments like these made it clear she was an elf. The fantasy-like conversation lightly impressed Ketal. ¡°It was a pretty interesting ce. Back then, perceptions of elves weren¡¯t great, but there was no discrimination. The only regret was not meeting the Tower Master.¡± ¡°You wanted to meet the Tower Master?¡± ¡°Of course! The Tower Master! The sole owner of the tower where all the mages gather!¡± The Magic Tower was the center of magic for centuries, a ce where powerful mages gathered. The Tower Master was its sole owner, a lich who had existed for hundreds of years, and one of the strongest mages on the continent. Arkamis murmured with eyes full of admiration. ¡°I¡¯d love to meet the Tower Master. The living history of the Magic Tower. They must know so much and have such a dignified presence.¡± ¡®That doesn¡¯t quite match my impression.¡¯ To Ketal, the Tower Master seemed like an ordinary old person. But he didn¡¯t say that, not wanting to shatter her dreams. Instead, Ketal asked what he was curious about. ¡°If the Tower Master is one of the strongest mages, are there others at a simr level?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Overall, the Tower Master is considered the best, but there are two others ofparable strength.¡± ¡°So, there are three in total.¡± Heroes, as they were called. Ketal was intrigued by them. ¡°What are heroes?¡± The Tower Master said they could handle even nanos, which could rece everything. While Ketal could do that too, the Tower Master demonstrated more than just raw power. A barrier that encircled the entire castle, preventing anything from leaving. An influence so vast that it put the entire capital¡¯s poption to sleep. And restoring the destruction he caused, returning the devastatednd to its original state. It was a mystery beyond mere physical power. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Arkamis looked uncertain how to exin. ¡°They¡¯re just beings that shake the world in the purest sense.¡± ¡°Shake the world?¡± ¡°Heroes can materialize the mystery. They can impose their will on the world itself.¡± It wasn¡¯t a metaphor. They could alter thews of the world. ¡°They can exert such strong influence that it¡¯s beyondmon understanding. For instance, one of the hero-ss mages wanted to create their own city. Awless and free city where no one could intervene.¡± So, the mage created a city. ¡°Underground, where sunlight never reaches.¡± A paradise for criminals. The underground city, Magnarein. This was aplished in just one month after the mage decided to do it. ¡°¡­Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Impossible? Not at all. The Tower Master built the Magic Tower alone.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal was genuinely impressed. A city created single-handedly by one person, no less an underground city¡ªawless, free city, a paradise for criminals. These words were brimming with fantasy. He felt a strong desire to visit Magnarein. ¡°They¡¯re beings beyond pureprehension. From a simple strength perspective, there¡¯s one who single-handedly defeated a dragon.¡± ¡°A dragon!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. He had not heard any news about dragons so far, and had begun to wonder if they existed here. Dragons, one of the most iconic fantasy creatures. And a hero who could defeat one alone. These were beings considered the strongest in the world. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve heard they have limitations, but even so, they¡¯re beyondmon sense. Even the Empire wouldn¡¯t dare to recklessly provoke them. That¡¯s what a hero is.¡± ¡°Fascinating.¡± It was truly intriguing. He also felt a bit regretful. He should have talked more with the Tower Master instead of letting them go so easily. ¡°Oh, that reminds me.¡± Arkamis suddenly remembered something. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a hero who entered the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s face twisted into a peculiar expression. ¡°Why would anyone go there?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe to prove their strength. They went in three months ago and there¡¯s been no word since.¡± Three months ago. After he had left the snowfield. ¡°The kingdom with the hero kept it tightly under wraps, and it¡¯s only recentlye to light.¡± A hero was an irreceable treasure for a nation. Their mere presence provided significant diplomatic advantages with other countries. Naturally, a kingdom with a missing hero would try to keep that information hidden, but secrets have a way of getting out. ¡°The rumor probably started spreading around the time you went to the royal capital.¡± ¡°¡­Quite an odd person.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Ketal genuinely couldn¡¯t understand it. Wanting to enter such a bizarre ce was iprehensible to him. Their conversation led to another curiosity. ¡°Are there any elves who are called heroes?¡± ¡°There is one. An elf who made a contract with the Spirit King.¡± ¡°The Spirit King.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled again. The mention of such captivating figures made his heart race. ¡°But it¡¯s just the power of spirits.¡± Arkamis looked displeased. ¡°Gaining power through a contract with a spirit isn¡¯t the same as obtaining power on your own, right? I don¡¯t find it meaningful. That¡¯s why we fought a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you left your vige?¡± An elf living alone in a human kingdom, away from their tribe. Even Ketal, who didn¡¯t know much about fantasy, found it unusual. Arkamis dodged the question. ¡°Well, that¡¯s part of it. Elven viges are boring.¡± Arkamisy down on the sofa again. ¡°I prefer the outside world. It¡¯s more stimting and there¡¯s more to learn. I¡¯m not a typical elf.¡± She then looked at Ketal. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m strange?¡± ¡°Not really. You seem like a normal elf to me.¡± An elf who left a boring vige to travel outside. That, too, was a ssic fantasy trope. Ketal thought nothing more of it. Arkamis smiled, pleased with his response. A weekter, Arkamispleted her analysis of the rainbow-colored grains. Everything was ready for them to understand the mystery. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 106 – Mystery (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 106: Mystery (3) ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± Arkamis spoke with a tired face. Her eyes were hollow, but they shone more brightly than ever. ¡°Oooh!¡± Ketal reacted with excitement. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°I gained a lot too.¡± The grain of omnipotence, almost akin to the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. Understanding its peculiarities and limits had greatly aided her alchemy. It provided a stepping stone to a higher level. ¡°This is what remains.¡± Arkamis took out a pouch to show them. The pouch, once filled with iridescent grains, was noticeably depleted. ¡°Quite a bit less.¡± The iridescent grains had originally been twice the size of a human torso. Arkamis had said that the amount needed was about the size of one human torso. But the remaining quantity was less than a quarter of that. Arkamis exined defensively. ¡°No, I tried to stick to that, but as I researched more, new properties kept emerging. To ensure stability, it couldn¡¯t be helped. I didn¡¯t siphon off any, really.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not suspecting you of that. I trust you.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Arkamis scratched her cheek with an embarrassed look. Ketal asked with a nervous face. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Arkamis began exining. ¡°We¡¯ll use these grains to create a magic circle. Then, using a catalyst, we¡¯ll link it to the magic circle and alter the properties of the grains.¡± Arkamis showed a tiny catalyst, norger than a fingernail. Despite its size, it was worth several times its weight in gold. Its rarity had made it extremely difficult for Milena to acquire. ¡°And as the altered properties imbue themselves within your body, it will pave the way to mystery. The details are tooplex to exin, but that¡¯s the general n.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It will feel quite peculiar as the path to mystery forms within your body.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal nodded. Arkamis took a deep breath before speaking again. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin the preparations right away.¡± Arkamis started creating the magic circle using the grains. The alchemy was so intricate that Ketal, in his current state, couldn¡¯t understand or analyze it. As he watched in a daze, Arkamis spoke up. ¡°Once the alchemy is properlypleted, the grains won¡¯t be needed anymore. So, Ketal.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ketal replied calmly. ¡°You can use the leftovers as you wish.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°That was our agreement from the start, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The grains were extremely special and valuable, even in the small remaining amount. It was almost impossible to put a price on them. But Ketal spoke as if it were the most natural thing.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I made a promise to you.¡± The promise to give Arkamis the remaining grains. ¡°A promise must be kept. If the alchemy is sessfullypleted, all the remaining grains will be yours, Arkamis.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Arkamis stopped in her tracks. She looked at Ketal with a face full of genuine emotion. Alchemy required many materials and funds. Naturally, it was difficult for her to manage alone, and she had to find a sponsor or enter into contracts. But she was, after all, an elf. To humans, she was merely a stranger. She had been betrayed by sponsors and had countless experiences of not receiving the agreed rewards. She had spent about a hundred years outside. During that time, she had faced much oppression, contempt, and deceit. The reason she had maintained a long rtionship with Milena was that Milena always honored her contracts perfectly. Ketal was not someone she had a formal contract with. Even if he refused to give her the grains, no one could say anything. In an era where even written contracts could be easily ignored, verbal promises meant even less. In truth, she hadn¡¯t expected to receive all the grains. She thought she would be lucky to get half of them. But Ketal had promised to keep his word. That simple statement meant the world to her. ¡°K-Ketal¡­¡± Her voice was half-choked with tears. A strange light glowed in Arkamis¡¯ eyes as she looked at Ketal. She clenched her fists. ¡°I will seed. I will definitely seed.¡± And a few hourster, the magic circle waspleted. * * * ¡°Now, sit at the center of the magic circle. Be careful not to disturb its form.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal moved to the center of the magic circle and sat in a lotus position. Arkamis tilted her head. ¡°That posture¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to it, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Uh, well, if you say so.¡± Arkamis took a short breath. A serious light shone in her eyes. ¡°Even if it feels ufortable, please endure it for a bit. I need a lot of concentration, and any disruption could cause failure.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t move.¡± Ketal remained perfectly still. If someone saw him, they might mistake him for a statue. Arkamis spoke hesitantly. ¡°No need to be that still, but¡­.¡± In any case, everything was ready. Arkamis began to recite with her breath. [Behold. Meaningless catalysts formed with a definite shape. Listen. Things shaped without their own will.] It was an incantation. [I will be your master.] Kiiiiing. The magic circle started to glow. Arkamis¡¯ golden eyes sank into a deep abyss. Her soft brown hair swayed. [Move ording to my will.] Kiiiiiiing! The light from the magic circle filled the room. It slowly rose and began to envelop Ketal. [Move, move. Fulfill the will of your master. Change your form and alter your structure.] The iridescent grains contacted the catalyst and began to change their properties. The swirling grains started to form a vortex around Ketal. This was an incantation possible only for an alchemist who had reached a pinnacle. A great alchemy of an alchemist who had reached a superhuman level, among whom only the truly extraordinary were called such. [Thus, you shall be tools.] The swirling catalysts slowly began to embed themselves into Ketal¡¯s body. Ketal suppressed the groan that threatened to escape. He started to feel an entirely unknown sixth sense. Arkamis concluded the incantation. [Fulfill your role as tools.] Kuuuuung! A wave spread out. The catalysts and tools hanging on the walls shook. The dust on the floor was swept away. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Arkamis copsed to the floor, cold sweat dripping from her face. ¡°D-did it work?¡± It was such a high-level alchemy that she couldn¡¯t be sure. She looked at Ketal with an anxious face. Ketal remained in ce. There seemed to be no visible change. Arkamis asked anxiously. ¡°K-Ketal?¡± Ketal didn¡¯t respond. He stayed like that for a moment, then suddenlyughed. ¡°Ha, hahahaha!¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± A burst of wildughter. Arkamis instinctively covered her ears. The house trembled under the force of hisughter. Crack. No, beyond just trembling, small cracks appeared on the walls. Arkamis couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Was he causing physical effects just byughing? ¡°Phew.¡± Ketal managed to stopughing. Normally, he would have restrained himself to avoid causing damage, but he couldn¡¯t help it this time. If a human could have wings and fly in the sky, would it feel like this? He felt an entirely new sensation within him that he had never experienced before. It was mysterious and profoundly moving. Ketal trembled with emotion and clenched his fists. He had now obtained mystery. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Judging by your reaction, it worked.¡± ¡°Of course it worked! Thank you! Arkamis, it¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± Ketal rushed over to Arkamis, grabbed her, and lifted her into the air. He spun her around, expressing his joy with his whole body. ¡°K-Ketal, put me down!¡± Arkamis screamed. Ketalughed and set her down. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was so happy I couldn¡¯t contain myself.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I understand.¡± Arkamis¡¯ face turned oddly red as shended on the floor. She cleared her throat to calm her heart. ¡°How does it feel? Any sense of instability or anything?¡± ¡°None. It seems like aplete sess.¡± The mystery had settled within him. Being able to wield the mysterious power of fantasy was incredibly gratifying. Arkamis smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was a bit worried.¡± ¡°So, I can use the mystery now?¡± ¡°Exactly. Try focusing your mind. It should feel simr to when you attempted it before.¡± Ketal immediately sat in a lotus position again. He closed his eyes and concentrated. ¡®Move.¡¯ He willed it to move. Then, the mystery began to respond to his will. His heart pounded rapidly. ¡°How do I control this?¡± ¡°Normally, you¡¯d need to raise your level¡­.¡± Simply sensing the mystery didn¡¯t mean one could immediately control it. Naturally, one had to gradually elevate their level to manifest it. ¡°But in your case, you obtained the mystery through unconventional means, so you should be able to manifest it right away. Just think about bringing it out.¡± Arkamis was an alchemist who had turned someone ignorant of the mystery into a superhuman. Given Ketal¡¯s current state, he should be able to manifest the mystery immediately. Considering the materials invested, this was to be expected. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal immediately put it into practice. He focused his mind and tried to draw out the mystery. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± But Ketal realized something was off. The mystery, which had been slowly rising, failed to emerge and dissipated. It was the same no matter how many times he tried. ¡°Arkamis, something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ketal exined the anomaly with the mystery. Hearing this, Arkamis frowned. ¡°¡­It dissipates as you try to manifest it? What do you mean by that? Such a case usually happens if the amount of mystery is significantly insufficient, but that shouldn¡¯t be the case for you.¡± To draw out and manifest the mystery from the path of mystery, the mystery itself had to be consumed. Unless there wasn¡¯t enough to consume, it wouldn¡¯t dissipate like this. Arkamis paused as she considered this. ¡°¡­Wait a moment.¡± Shebined some catalysts hanging on the wall and quickly made a potion. ¡°Try drinking this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A potion that increases the amount of mystery. It¡¯s not very efficient, but we need to check something.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal drank the potion. As Arkamis had said, the amount of mystery increased. However, it was just a tiny amount, like a grain of millet. Without his heightened senses, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed. When he exined this, Arkamis frowned. ¡°¡­I think I understand.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so much a problem as it is the sheer capacity of your body.¡± Ketal¡¯s body was unique. It was difficult to find the path of mystery through ordinary means. That¡¯s why they used the iridescent grains to barely create the path of mystery. And this uniqueness persisted even after discovering the mystery. ¡°It seems that with the amount of mystery you have now, you can¡¯t use it within your body.¡± It was a simple issue. The vessel that was Ketal¡¯s body was toorge. To handle the mystery in such a vast vessel, a veryrge amount of mystery was required. It was purely a matter of quantity. ¡°But, the amount of mystery you have now isn¡¯t small.¡± Even conservatively, it was at a first-rate level. Despite having that much mystery, he couldn¡¯t even achieve a simple manifestation? ¡®What kind of body is this?¡¯ It was beyondprehension. ¡°So, it¡¯s just a matter of the amount of mystery.¡± ¡°Yes. Since you can at least attempt to manifest it, that part seems fine.¡± That simplified things. He just needed to increase the amount of mystery. Ketal asked, ¡°How do I increase the amount?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ By training or consuming things filled with mystery. One of the two. The problem is, given your body, ordinary methods probably won¡¯t work.¡± Arkamis joked, ¡°Want to eat a dragon heart? That might work instantly.¡± Of course, it was a joke. Dragons were closer to natural disasters than living creatures. Even heroes couldn¡¯t easily handle such monsters. There was no way he could obtain their hearts. ¡°A dragon heart, huh.¡± But Ketal muttered seriously. ¡°If that would work, then that¡¯s what I need.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 107 – Mystery (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 107: Mystery (4) ¡°Why do you look so serious? I was joking. It¡¯s impossible to get something like a dragon heart, right?¡± Thest sighting of a dragon was over a decade ago. It was rumored to have made itsir somewhere in the mountains, but no one knew the exact location. ¡°But you¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ketal grinned. Although it was unfortunate that it couldn¡¯t be used immediately, the fact that they had obtained the mystery remained unchanged. Gradually, they could increase the amount of mystery they had. ¡®We know the method now.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om If something like a dragon heart existed, it was possible. A dragon heart. What a stirring phrase. As Ketal¡¯s expression reflected this thought, Arkamis¡¯s face grew uneasy. ¡®¡­He did take it as a joke, right?¡¯ ¡°In any case, thank you again. Arkamis, I truly appreciate it.¡± Ketal expressed his gratitude sincerely, and Arkamis waved it off awkwardly. ¡°No, thank you. It was quite an experience.¡± The alchemy had beenpleted without any major issues. Whether it was due to the release of tension or fatigue, Arkamis momentarily swayed. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± ¡°You must be tired.¡± For the past few days, Arkamis had forsaken food and sleep to focus solely on alchemy. The exhaustion seemed to hit all at once as Arkamis staggered up the stairs. ¡°I need¡­ to rest a bit. Ketal. Let¡¯s talk again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright. See you tomorrow.¡± Ketal left, satisfied, and Arkamis went to catch up on much-needed sleep. That night. It was a dark, cloudy night with the moonlightpletely obscured, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead. People had returned home early to prepare dinner and go to bed. A very peaceful everyday life. And a bit away from that routine, on the path leading to the capital, space was torn apart. Crack. From the ripped space, something filthy began to ooze out. Darker and dirtier shadows started to emerge, hidden by the night. * * * ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± The next day, Arkamis greeted Ketal energetically. The rest seemed to have done wonders for her as she looked refreshed. ¡°You look well.¡± ¡°Thanks to you. Nothing went wrong while I was away, right?¡± ¡°There were no issues. It has settled within me stably.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Usually, things like this tend to show problems after some time. I should have checked by your side, but I was too tired to think straight.¡± Arkamis roughly confirmed how things had been since then and found no problems at all. ¡°It seems to have worked perfectly.¡± ¡°Thank you once again.¡± Ketal beamed. Arkamis had done a lot for him. He had learned alchemy and awakened to the mystery. ording to Milena, Arkamis was the only one in this world capable of such a feat. Even if she wasn¡¯t the only one, it didn¡¯t change the fact that it was a rare and incredible skill. Who would share such a remarkable technique with a barbarian seeing it for the first time? Without her, Ketal might not have gained the mystery for a long time. ¡°You can have all the remaining fragments. It¡¯s the least I can do to repay you.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded, and Arkamis smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you! Oh, what a relief. Without those, I might not have been able to achieve my goal.¡± She sighed in genuine relief. Ketal asked curiously. ¡°May I ask what your goal is?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Arkamis hesitated. ¡°¡­My goal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Arkamis groaned as if pondering. ¡°It¡¯s nothing grand. Just a personal matter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say if it¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I¡¯m just a bit embarrassed.¡± Arkamis, who had been hesitating, clenched her small fist as if making a decision. ¡°You¡¯ve given me such valuable materials. I should tell you what I¡¯m using them for. Sit down.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The story of a character revealing their hidden secrets after building a connection was very exciting. Ketal sat across from Arkamis. Arkamis spoke with a serious face. ¡°Ketal. I¡¯m an elf.¡± ¡°I know that much.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not an ordinary elf.¡± ¡°Is that so? I can¡¯t tell.¡± Ketal tilted his head. He had seen other elves before, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a significant difference between them and Arkamis. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know. It¡¯s a difference only elves can recognize. I¡¯m a special elf among the elves.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ketal shook his head. This was a fantasy world. She could really be special. Arkamis continued her exnation. ¡°That¡¯s why I went to the Empire. I thought I could achieve my goal with thergest force among humans.¡± Arkamis paused to catch her breath. Ketal waited quietly. Just as she was about to say something. ¡°Huh?¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, what? Hold on.¡± She hurriedly stood up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No. Just a moment. Didn¡¯t you feel that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anything.¡± To Ketal, nothing seemed different. But Arkamis¡¯s face was filled with unmistakable shock. ¡°¡­Why is that descending to this world?¡± Her gaze was fixed on the outside, towards the Denian Kingdom. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Yaaawn.¡± A guard stationed at the northern gate of the capital yawned widely. He scratched his belly and looked down the road with sleepy eyes. His superior clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°Stay focused. The captain will give you a scolding if he finds out.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s boring, sir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The superior didn¡¯t deny it. The human world was rtively peaceful. Of course, not every region was like that. The Empire was still moving to conquer the continent, and strange events were happening everywhere. But those were isted incidents. Most of the human world was very peaceful. In fact, because of the Empire¡¯s movements, all minor conflicts had ceased, making it the most peaceful time in decades. The world was bing strange, but it wasn¡¯t a tangible reality for them. The Denian Kingdom was no different. The world¡¯s chaos was nothing more than a topic for bar conversations. The guard blinked his sleepy eyes. ¡®I wish someone woulde.¡¯ As if answering his wish, someone was approaching from afar. ¡°There¡¯s a visitor.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The guards straightened up. As the person approached, the guard¡¯s eyes widened. The reason was simple. The person¡¯s face was incredibly beautiful. Though her attire was in, her beauty was undeniable. She looked like she could be a princess from somewhere. Their bodies tensed up unconsciously. They straightened their posture and tried to look as dignified as possible. The woman smiled. ¡°Oh my, you must be the guards.¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± The guard spoke in a fawning voice. The face of the guard next to him twisted momentarily. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± The woman waved her delicate finger. ¡°This is the Denian Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Phew, I came to the right ce. I was a bit worried.¡± ¡°Are you a traveler?¡± ¡°Yes, you could say that.¡± The woman smiled. The guard¡¯s face turned nk for a moment at that smile. Such a beautiful woman, appearing suddenly without any escort, was clearly unusual. But they didn¡¯t realize it. As if mesmerized by a subus, they were captivated by the woman. ¡°Then, guards, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± The guard spoke enthusiastically. He was ready to grant whatever she asked. Even if she demanded half his wealth, he wouldply. The womanzily extended her finger. It touched the guard¡¯s head. Even though it was obviously strange, the guard smiled broadly, delighted by her touch. And that was his final expression. ¡°Please die.¡± Crack. His head was crushed. The guard¡¯s body fell. The remaining guard¡¯s face hardened. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The woman extended her finger and tapped the guard¡¯s chest. Crunch. His armor crumpled. The guard spat blood and copsed. ¡°Mmmm.¡± The woman smiled in satisfaction above the two gruesome corpses. ¡°Ah, this feeling. So satisfying.¡± Stretching, she looked at the enormous gate before her. ¡°Oh. I should have asked them to open the gate before killing them.¡± Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Muttering softly to herself, she walked slowly forward. As she approached the gate, her appearance began to melt away. She shed her false form, revealing her true self to the world. Violet ram¡¯s horns. White pupils. Bronzed skin, as if burned by the sun. The demon smirked as she ced her hand on the gate. With a thunderous noise, the gate shattered. * * * ¡°They¡¯vee!¡± The priest, who had been praying in the royal pce, screamed. ¡°An evil presence has descended!¡± Barbosa frowned. ¡°It¡¯s really happening.¡± The revtion of the Earth Goddess. Prepare for evil. Though it was an imperfect revtion that did not specify when or where the evil would appear, it was still a divine message. Naturally, Barbosa had been preparing for this. He shouted with a serious expression. ¡°Where at the border?¡± ¡°N-not the border!¡± The priest, pale as a sheet, replied. ¡°It¡¯s in the capital! Right here!¡± ¡°What?¡± Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Impossible! There was no sign of a descent!¡± The descent of evil was not something that happened easily. There were always signs, significant waves of power. It was impossible for the priests to miss it happening so close. They had naturally assumed it would appear outside the borders and had positioned all their forces there. And now it appeared in the capital? ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Barbosa gritted his teeth. What was done was done. The important thing now was to prepare for it. ¡°What level of demon is it?¡± The only fortunate point was that since it had appeared without any signs, it shouldn¡¯t be a very powerful demon. The priests and knights remaining in the capital should be sufficient to handle it. But the priest¡¯s next words made Barbosa¡¯s face turn as pale as the priest¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s a demon with a name!¡± ¡°W-what!¡± A demon with a name! But before Barbosa couldpose himself, the priest spoke even more terrifying words. Barbosa wished this were all just a bad dream. ¡°And it¡¯s not just one! There are two! Two named demons have descended!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 108 – The Invasion of Evil (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 108: The Invasion of Evil (1) ¡°Aaaaahhhh!¡± The soldiers screamed as they charged forward. But it wasn¡¯t a cheer to boost their morale, nor a cry of resolve. It was a cowardly scream, full of fear. In front of them, the demon smiled, holding a hammer. Crash. The soldiers¡¯ weapons and armor were crushed. Blood sprayed everywhere as they vomited blood. Lives were snuffed out effortlessly by the demon¡¯s light movements. Standing amidst the horrifying scene, the demon shivered with delight. ¡°Aaaah. Good. Very good. This is what I wanted.¡± ¡°Uh, ah.¡± The soldiers, faces full of terror, stepped back. The demon grinned and lunged at them. It was the moment they were about to face death. ¡°Stop! Demon!¡± A knight rushed in at high speed. The demon pulled back the hammer it was about to swing, using it to protect its body. The sound of metal shing echoed. The eyes of the soldiers, who had braced for death, lit up with hope. ¡°Oooooh!¡± ¡°Sir Garura!¡± The knight, called Garura, gripped his sword tightly and shouted. ¡°Everyone! Fall back! From here on, I will handle this!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The soldiers hurriedly retreated. Ashetiar watched them leisurely, as if observing a yful spectacle. ¡°Are you risking your life for them? What a gant man.¡± ¡°¡­Demon.¡± Garura gritted his teeth. Between his blond hair, his blue eyes gleamed. ¡°Your name.¡± ¡°Ashetiar.¡± Garura¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°¡­The demon that recently descended.¡± ¡°Oh my, you know?¡± Ashetiarughed joyfully. Garura cursed inwardly. ¡®A demon with a name.¡¯ Not all demons were strong. There were demons weak enough that even an ordinary woodcutter could defeat them. But strictly speaking, they weren¡¯t really demons. Fragments of evil and darkness. They were more urately called monsters. In contrast, a demon with a name was a true demon in every sense. When they descended, they left significant scars on the world. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It was a being that the Swordmaster had to deal with personally. But Maximus was currently at the border. Even if word was sent and he returned, it would take time. ¡®¡­I have to buy time.¡¯ To give the Swordmaster time to return. To give the priests time to prepare. Garura steeled his resolve. ¡°Hup!¡± Aura surged around his sword. It was proof of reaching a splendid realm through countless training. Garura spoke with serious eyes. ¡°Demon. This is a city of humans. Evil beings like you cannot enter.¡± His stance showed he wouldn¡¯t back down, making Ashetiar smile broadly. ¡°Are you willing to sacrifice yourself? Such a gant man.¡± Ashetiar raised the hammer and lunged. The speed was incredibly fast, hard to follow with the eyes. In an instant, he was right in front of Garura. ¡®I can see!¡¯ And Garura responded. He was strong. As a child, he had overpowered his master just a year after learning swordsmanship. He grew stronger rapidly afterward. Even the Swordmaster was amazed by his talent. It was believed he would soon reach the level of a superhuman, the hope of the Denian Kingdom. A top-tier elite. That was Garura. Garura swung his sword. The sword and the hammer collided. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ At that moment, Garura felt something strange. He couldn¡¯t hold out. His sword was crushed as if it meant nothing. Garura, panicking, drew out more aura. Brilliant light emanated. But it was meaningless. The hammer crushed him like a mountain. ¡°W-wait.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you ready to sacrifice yourself? Let me grant you a glorious death.¡± Ashetiar mocked, applying more force. Crunch. That was the end of Denian¡¯s hope. Ashetiar wore a sadistic smile. ¡°Aaah. Good. So good.¡± Sheughed gleefully as she entered the city. Screams echoed from all directions. The sound of frantic footsteps reverberated. Ashetiar, with a satisfied expression, walked slowly. She arrived at an empty square. The ce, usually bustling with people and lined with street vendors, was now deserted. Instead, people surrounded her, centered around the square. They worerge, golden, gleaming robes. Immactely clean, uniform attire. Servants of the divine. They were priests. Ashetiar smiled. ¡°It seems you¡¯re ready?¡± ¡°¡­We give thanks for their sacrifice.¡± One priest red at Ashetiar with calm eyes. ¡°Demon. We don¡¯t know how you appeared in this world, but this is as far as you go. You should not exist in this world.¡± The priest stomped his foot. The other priests followed suit, raising their feet in unison. A rhythmic sound echoed. ¡°As priests who serve the Earth Goddess, we will banish you from this world.¡± With those words, the priests opened their mouths. It was a hymn. A song of believers with sincere faith. A beautiful sound praising the divine. Wooowooong. The voices of the priests resonated together, creating a phenomenon. Golden light began to descend onto the empty square. It pressed down on Ashetiar. Her body slowly began to be crushed. ¡°Demon!¡± The priest¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You should not exist here! Return to where you belong!¡± In this world, divine power exerts absolute force against demons. Unable to withstand the great power of the divine, demons are banished. The priest firmly believed this. ¡°¡­Haha.¡± But Ashetiarughed. ¡°Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!¡± A madugh burst forth. Herugh, filled with malice and dark energy, shook the world. The divine power pressing her down crackled and began to waver. ¡°With just! With just a hymn, you think you can stop me!¡± Her white pupils flickered dangerously. She was Ashetiar. A named demon, who single-handedly destroyed a kingdom centuries ago. ¡°Insufficient! Crude and pathetic! You cannot stop me!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] She stomped her foot roughly. Simultaneously, spikes of darkness shot out. Kagagagak! They pierced through and disrupted the divine power. In an instant, the bodies of the chanting priests were impaled. The pir of divine power that oppressed her vanished. ¡°Th-that¡¯s impossible!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The priest was horrified. How could a demon withstand the power of the divine! The demon mocked him. ¡°With such a small amount of divinity, you should¡¯ve at least recited holy scripture. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overestimating your god?¡± Ashetiar gathered her strength. Darkness condensed. Then it exploded. Spikes of darkness spread in all directions. They pierced through buildings beyond the square. With a roar, buildings copsed. The capital of the Denian Kingdom. A city built up over nearly centuries was copsing at the hands of a single demon. * * * ¡°This is insane!¡± In the midst of this destruction, Milena¡¯s face twisted in anger. She knew what was happening. People had rushed down from the royal castle to deliver the urgent news. ¡°A demon!¡± She knew the world was shaking. She had anticipated that something strange was happening. But a named demon! Why had such an entity, which only appeared in history, descended here! She wanted to deny reality. But there was nothing she could do about what had already happened. She gritted her teeth. ¡®In this situation, what can I do?¡¯ She quickly thought and made a decision. ¡°Evacuate! Head to the nearby churches, or better yet, leave the capital! Do not get caught by the demon!¡± They would be of no help in battle. The best they could hope for was not to be taken hostage by the demon. So the best course of action was to quickly leave this ce. Milena was certainly exceptional. She found the correct answer amidst the chaos. But it was also her limit. What she had were funds and power. Power and order within the humanws and regtions. Against beings beyond humanity, against those beyond thews and order, there was nothing she could do. Against such demons, only pure force was effective. So she had to think. ¡®¡­Where are Ketal and Arkemis?¡¯ * * * Rumble, rumble¡­. The capital was copsing. Knights charged forward. All of them were from prestigious families, recognized for their exceptional talents. But they fell and died likemoners. In an instant, the knights were annihted. Ashetiar swung her hammer. The impact brought down a building. It was a shop that had stood there for over a hundred years. As she advanced, she suddenly paused. ¡°Hm?¡± For the first time, her expression changed. She raised her hammer, taking a defensive stance. Ka-aaang! The hammer collided with something. To an unknowing observer, it would have seemed like the sound came out of nowhere, such was the speed. Ashetiar grinned. ¡°Rushed over, did you? You look quite exhausted.¡± ¡°¡­Demon.¡± Maximus, the Swordmaster of the Denian Kingdom, gritted his teeth. Drops of sweat trickled down his face. He had been patrolling the borders, preparing for a possible demon invasion. But then, news arrived of a demon¡¯s sudden descent upon the capital. He had rushed over, but it was toote. The capital was already half-destroyed. Maximus looked at Ashetiar with calm eyes. He noticed the purple horns on her head. ¡°Ashetiar. The demon who descended recently.¡± ¡°Oh my, you know me?¡± ¡°I heard you were banished by the Inquisitor.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± At those words, Ashetiar¡¯s smile turned curious. ¡°So, you don¡¯t know about him either?¡± ¡°How can a demon like you be here?¡± It made no sense. It was strange enough that she had descended suddenly, but for a banished demon to return so quickly? It was iprehensible. Ashetiar grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m actuallyte. I should have been rampaging much earlier, but my ns got disrupted by a strange guy.¡± Well. I can start now anyway. Muttering, Ashetiar took a deep breath. And then she shouted. ¡°Listen! Humans!¡± It was a cry of evil. ¡°Your world is twisted! You are such weak beings that you can¡¯t even maintain your sanity without relying on a trivial god! Your god made you this way!¡± Her voice spread throughout the capital. People hurriedly covered their ears, but Ashetiar¡¯s voice prated directly into their minds. ¡°Foreign beings are spilling into your world! Your world will perish! It will copse! But you need not worry!¡± It was a deration and prophecy of evil aimed at this world. ¡°We will return you to your original state! We will purge all the impure things of this world! Your rightful master will set foot on this taintednd!¡± Behold! Revere! And fear! Ashetiar shouted grandly, as if her voice was meant to spread across the entire continent. ¡°The Demon King will descend upon this world!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 109 – The Invasion of Evil (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 109: The Invasion of Evil (2) ¡°¡­Demon King.¡± Maximus groaned. There wasn¡¯t much information about the Demon King. He was an ancient being, appearing only in old myths. But despite that, the name of the Demon King was firmly etched into people¡¯s minds. The Great War, when gods descended to the mortal realm to fight against demons. The one who killed countless gods in that war. The one who burned nine-tenths of the world. The lord of hell. The king of all demons. The Demon King is descending to the mortal realm again. Maximus¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°A terrifying thought.¡± ¡°You should rejoice. It means the rightful ruler is returning to thisnd.¡± ¡°For you filthy demons, maybe.¡± Maximus drew his sword. Aura quickly circted through his body. He didn¡¯t know why Ashetiar had descended, but it was likely rted to the Demon King¡¯s descent. In that case, his task was clear. Stop Ashetiar. With determination in his eyes, Ashetiarughed and raised his hammer. ¡°Come at me.¡± Before he even finished speaking, Maximus charged. In an instant, he moved behind Ashetiar. His swordsmanship skill was enhancing his body, pushing his speed to the extreme. Ashetiar couldn¡¯tpletely keep up with Maximus¡¯s movements. Ashetiar was impressed. ¡°Fast. But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kakakak! Dark spikes erupted from Ashetiar¡¯s body. Maximus quickly retreated. Then Ashetiar lunged at Maximus, swinging his hammer violently. Maximus, trying to block the attack, felt a chill run down his spine. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He quickly dodged. The hammer struck the ground. Boom! The earth shook, shattering and leaving a crater. Ashetiar muttered regretfully. ¡°If you¡¯d tried to block it, you¡¯d be a pulp.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Maximus narrowed his eyes. ¡®Strong.¡¯ He was faster, but in pure strength, he was outmatched. Ashetiar¡¯s defense also made him difficult to deal with. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t in a favorable position at all. ¡®¡­And this is a lower-ranked demon with a name.¡¯ Ashetiar was one of the weaker named demons, just a simple demon without a title. Yet even such a demon could fight on equal terms with a sword master like him. ¡®This is a demon.¡¯ Beings that once ravaged the world. But he wasn¡¯t alone. Maximus tightened his grip on his sword. There was another superhuman-level fighter here. ¡®Arkamis.¡¯ The elf alchemist. As far as he knew, she too had reached the realm of the superhuman. Ashetiar was strong, but not overwhelmingly so. She hadn¡¯t even established a territory, so with one more superhuman-level fighter, they could defeat him without much trouble. ¡®¡­And there¡¯s the Barbarian.¡¯ The barbarian who had easily defeated him. As much as he hated to admit it, that barbarian could likely hold his own against a demon. His task was to hold out until then. As Maximus sorted his thoughts, Ashetiar spoke. ¡°Waiting for the elf?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Maximus froze momentarily. How did she know about the elf? Ashetiar sneered at him. ¡°You responded to our descent. Because of a divine revtion.¡± The Earth Goddess had foretold that evil would descend upon the Kingdom of Denian. Though the revtion was unclear, it had allowed them to prepare. It wasn¡¯t just this time. Whenever it concerned the descent of evil, the gods had given them warnings in advance. That¡¯s why they could respond to evil. ¡°But things have changed. Do you think only you get revtions?¡± Ashetiar grinned. ¡°I didn¡¯te alone. Another one descended to capture that elf. And he¡¯s stronger than me. You can¡¯t stop us.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Maximus swore. Demons also had revtions? The world was truly bing twisted. Maximus gripped his sword tightly. Then a thought urred to him. Ashetiar had only mentioned the elf. ¡®¡­Does she not know about the barbarian?¡¯ But the thought didn¡¯t continue. Ashetiar charged again. Maximus quickly moved to counter. * * * ¡°Wha-what?¡± Shortly before Maximus and Ashetiar shed, Arkamis felt it. For an ordinary elf, it would have been a considerable distance to sense, but she was special. A demon had descended upon the Kingdom of Denian. And not just any demon¡ªa named demon. ¡°Wait a minute. It looks like I need to move too¡­.¡± She hadn¡¯t nned to act beyond her contract. But when it came to demons, it was a different story. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± As she began to speak to Ketal, her expression suddenly changed. ¡°Ah!¡± She rushed outside urgently, with Ketal following behind. As a result, they saw it. In the yard in front of the house, a dark disturbance was urring. Arkamis¡¯s expression changed dramatically. She raised her hand. ¡°Banish it!¡± The domain moved ording to its master¡¯s will. It sought to expel the filthy intruder from her space. But it was impossible. The dark disturbance grewrger andrger, polluting the ground and spilling out filthy things. It was toote. Arkamis gritted her teeth. ¡°Ketal! Hide inside the house! Don¡¯te out until I tell you to!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal nodded. Shortly after he went inside the house, Crack. The dark disturbance split open. From within, a being stepped onto the ground. ¡°Ah. I¡¯ve arrived properly.¡± It spoke. Violet deer antlers. A body three timesrger than an average human. And a greatsword matching its size. A demon had descended. Arkamis immediately swung her hand. ¡°Bind and capture! Then tear it apart and kill it!¡± The domain moved. Grass in the yard grew and wrapped around the demon¡¯s legs. The very air itself swelled to bind and crush the demon¡¯s body. ¡°Hm.¡± The demon swung its jet-ck greatsword. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Boom! The rising domain was cut down. The freed demonughed. ¡°You¡¯re quite violent. I thought we could have a conversation.¡± ¡°What conversation can you have with a demon?¡± Arkamis red at the demon with a tense face. ¡°¡­Butler, the Demon of Severance.¡± A named demon. A mid-level demon, even among named ones. It had descended to the mortal realm centuries ago and attacked holy sites. ¡°How did a demon like you descend to the mortal realm?¡± There was no help from a dark sorcerer or a congregation of evil. Suddenly, a mass of darkness gathered, and it descended. It was clearly unusual. ¡°This world is no longer yours.¡± Butler said calmly. Arkamis twisted her lips. ¡°¡­You¡¯re trying to keep me upied while you destroy the kingdom?¡± A demon had descended in the Kingdom of Denian. It seemed they were trying to prevent her from going to help. But Butler denied her guess. ¡°That¡¯s merely a secondary task. Our main target is you.¡± Butler looked at Arkamis with calm eyes. ¡°The only high elf who left the sanctuary. The heretic of the elves.¡± ¡°High elf?¡± Ketal, watching through a window inside the house, looked surprised. Arkamis¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°¡­You know about me?¡± ¡°We have ways to gather information too. We were wondering how to capture a high elf, but with someone like you, it¡¯s much easier.¡± Butler said. ¡°You are a necessary sacrifice for His descent. It would be best if you came with us willingly.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± After a moment of silence, Arkamis spoke. ¡°How dare filthy evil target a noble high elf. Know your ce.¡± Her voice wasced with mockery. Arkamis scoffed at Butler. ¡°I know you, Butler.¡± Arkamis sneered. ¡°You descended centuries ago but were banished without aplishing anything by a passing saint. As far as I know, you¡¯re the only demon who was banished without doing anything. And yet, you dare set foot on the mortal realm again. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Butler¡¯s expression slightly changed at her words. His face twisted for a moment, then he calmed his emotions. ¡°It seems negotiations have failed. Unfortunately, I¡¯ll have to use force.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line. You, who were banished, dare to crawl back without knowing your ce. How dare you set your filthy foot in my domain?¡± Arkamis narrowed her eyes. Her usual light-hearted demeanor was nowhere to be seen. The fact that she showed such emotions meant that demons were indeed something she loathed. Arkamis stomped her foot. She was an alchemist. This space itself was a domain she had created. The domain began to manifest its power violently, ording to its master¡¯s will. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you limb from limb and send you back to hell.¡± Butler raised his greatsword. The elf and the demon shed. And Ketal was watching the entire scene. * * * ¡®Weren¡¯t named demons supposed to have difficultying to the surface?¡¯ Ketal tilted his head in confusion. He had already seen two named demons. Moreover, there had been no significant signs or portents. Contrary to Aquaz¡¯s words, their descent didn¡¯t seem particrly difficult. ¡®So she¡¯s a high elf.¡¯ A higher race of elves. Listening to the demon named Butler, it seemed she was an exceptionally rare existence. ¡®She really is special.¡¯ Why had a high elfe out into the world? His curiosity was piqued. And that wasn¡¯t all. ¡®Who is ¡°that person¡±?¡¯ The demon clearly had a specific purpose in targeting Arkamis. There was a sense of aplex story unfolding, with a sinister force lurking behind the scenes. ¡®This is getting interesting.¡¯ Ketal smiled. It was a thoroughly amused smile. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll just watch.¡± Muttering to himself, Ketal dragged a chair over. He sat by the window on the second floor and leisurely watched the battle unfold. The sh between the elf and the demon. He wouldn¡¯t miss such an entertaining spectacle. Arkamis threw something. It began to amplify, creating a massive wave of magical energy that engulfed the demon. The air shook as the waves spread in all directions. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ The power Arkamis disyed was considerably strong. At a nce, it was far from ordinary. Ketal judged that she could even overwhelm Cain, the swordmaster of the Barkan territory. But the demon was not weak either. It blocked Arkamis¡¯s powerful attacks with rtive ease. With just a swing of its greatsword, the force was severed and dissipated. ¡®Is there some special power in that greatsword?¡¯ Ketal watched the battle with great interest. * * * Rumble¡­ The waves subsided. Butler swung his greatsword. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°Then you should leave now.¡± Arkamis narrowed her eyes. ¡°This is my domain.¡± She was an alchemist. Within her domain, she could exert power beyond her level. Even a named demon couldn¡¯t be easily subdued. ¡°No.¡± But Butler spoke calmly. ¡°You will be defeated. And you will be captured and be a sacrifice for the great one¡¯s descent.¡± ¡°¡­You talk as if you¡¯ve seen the future.¡± ¡°The future.¡± Butlerughed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. A great revtion has been given to us.¡± Butler spoke with unwavering conviction, as if it were an absolute truth, an answer that could never be wrong. Filled with faith. ¡°We will achieve our purpose. That is the will of the revtion.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 110 – The Invasion of Evil (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 110: The Invasion of Evil (3) ¡°A revtion? Have you suddenly found faith in a god?¡± Arkamis scoffed. Butler smiled without any particr reaction, lifting his sword. ¡°Tsk.¡± Arkamis clicked her tongue. Though she feigned calm, the situation was dire. Arkamis stomped her foot. Boom! The domain began to move. The defensive spells and catalysts she had prearranged activated,unching an attack on the enemy. This was the power wielded by an alchemist of her caliber within her domain. Even for someone like Maximus, it was a highly dangerous assault. But Butler casually swung his greatsword. sh! The domain was cleaved. The overwhelming force noticeably weakened. Butler extended his sword, and a wind imbued with darkness swept through the domain,pletely neutralizing her attack. Butler then stomped his foot, and his body instantly moved to Arkamis¡¯ side, at a speed too fast for the eye to follow. Yet, Arkamis reacted. She quickly waved her hand, scattering a few glittering particles into the air. ¡°Push him back!¡± Boom! The space itself pushed against Butler, trying to expel him from the domain. However, Butler did not budge. He gripped his sword tighter, and darkness began to envelop it. sh! The space started to be sliced apart. The sword slowly approached. Arkamis had no choice but to leap away to evade. ¡°Damn severance,¡± She cursed through gritted teeth. Each demon had its own unique power. Ashetiar, the Demon of Gravitas, could imbue his darkness with weight. Butler¡¯s power was simple: severance. He could sever all substances in this world. Now, Butler was cutting the connections within her domain. The organic linkages were breaking, gradually weakening her influence. For someone like her, who exerted control over a domain, he was the worst possible opponent. Arkamis¡¯ eyes darkened. If this dragged on, she would lose. Her entire domain would be severed and exposed defenseless. She needed to decide the oue before that happened. Making up her mind, she hesitated momentarily and nced at the house behind her. ¡°Damn it.¡± She took a deep breath, seemingly making a firm decision, and gathered all her mana. [Move.] Then she began issuingmands. These were the orders of the domain¡¯s master. The earth, the air, the grass¡ªall within her domain moved ording to her will. [I am your master. Gain consciousness. Acquire self-awareness and emotions. Be my power.] Arkamis shouted fiercely. [Tear and kill the enemy!] Everything within her domain moved ording to the master¡¯s will. The weeds growing haphazardly in the yard, the fence she had constructed and left unattended, the wind blowing within the domain¡ªeverything except the house gained will and moved. They lunged to tear and kill the demon, her enemy. ¡°Wow!¡± Ketal, who was watching, eximed in admiration. It was because this spectacle was reminiscent of Nano¡¯s attack. Whereas Nano had reced everything within a range and then returned them to attack, Arkamis was imbuing everything within her domain with will to attack the enemy. One elf was mimicking the heterogeneity of the Forbidden Lands to a degree. ¡®This is the power of an alchemist at their peak.¡¯ Ketal was impressed. ¡°Hmm.¡± Butler¡¯s expression turned serious, perhaps indicating that this attack would not be easily thwarted. Crunch. Butler drove his sword into the ground and murmured softly, ¡°Sever.¡± The power moved ording to hismand. Thousands of des manifested in an instant, cutting down everything that approached. A storm of des shredded the entire approaching domain. Arkamis mustered mana to its limits. She exerted all her strength to break through Butler¡¯s defense. sh! Not all the surging attacks could be severed. Butler¡¯s defense began to slowly give way. ¡°Hup.¡± Butler gripped his greatsword and put all his strength into it. He swung it, and the de of darkness condensed into a single point before bursting out. The two forces, reaching their limits, exploded against each other, sending shockwaves throughout the forest. Boom¡­ The power subsided. Arkamis, exhausted, copsed to her knees. She had literally used everyst bit of her mana, leaving her with no energy to spare. She raised her trembling head. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± A sigh escaped her lips. Butler was still standing there. Of course, he was not unscathed. Half of his head was blown off, and his upper body was riddled with holes. Both arms were missing. But Butler was a demon. He was not a being of this world. Even without territorialization, he wouldn¡¯t fall easily. His body slowly began to regenerate to its original form. Butler approached Arkamis with a sadistic smile on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t die until you are offered as a sacrifice. But I can cut off your limbs to ensure you can¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°Go to hell,¡± Arkamis retorted sarcastically. Despite the hopeless situation, her attitude remained unchanged. Butler raised his greatsword. Arkamis did not look away. At that moment, a voice echoed. ¡°Would you mind waiting a moment?¡± * * * The door opened, and Ketal emerged. He started to walk. Butler hesitated at the sudden appearance of Ketal, allowing Ketal to approach Arkamis without interference. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Arkamis stared nkly up at Ketal. She then grimaced. ¡°Ke-Ketal! What are you doing? Why did youe out suddenly?¡± She was bewildered, unable to understand Ketal¡¯s actions. ¡°I didn¡¯t use the house because of you!¡± When she attacked Butler using her entire domain, the house where Ketal was staying didn¡¯t move an inch. The house was the structure she had paid the most attention to within the domain. It had been treated with all sorts of alchemical processes, making it capable of stronger attacks if utilized. But she excluded the house when exerting all her power for a simple reason: Ketal was inside. If she had used the house, Ketal inside wouldn¡¯t have remained unharmed. The house would have shattered, dposed, andpressed, killing him instantly. Even if she lost, she had nned to escape somehow. Thus, she had excluded the house while controlling the entire domain. But now he hade out on his own, exposing himself to danger! ¡°Ah, is that why?¡± He had wondered why the house remained intact while she manipted the entire domain. He hadn¡¯t realized that was the reason. ¡®I feel a bit guilty now.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] He had been enjoying watching Arkamis fight, not realizing her consideration for him. ¡°¡­Thank you. Well, don¡¯t worry. From now on, leave it to me.¡± Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°A disciple shouldn¡¯t abandon their master and run away.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± Arkamis muttered in a weakened voice. Butler, who had been silently watching Ketal, spoke. ¡°You seem to have just discovered the mystery.¡± ¡°Oh, can you sense that?¡± Ketal brightened up. Everyone he had met so far had said they couldn¡¯t sense the mystery. But Butler had recognized that he had discovered the mystery. It meant that his recent attainment of the mystery was significant. Ketal was pleased. ¡®Why is he so happy?¡¯ Butler, seeing Ketal¡¯s attitude, was puzzled. The barbarian who had suddenly appeared didn¡¯t seem strong at all. Judging by the mystery he sensed, Ketal seemed to be at best a third-rate. Although Ketal possessed a significant amount of mystery, Butler could only perceive him as such due to his unique physicality. But his attitude was far too carefree. Despite facing a demon, he showed no sign of fear. It was as if he was detached from this world. Butler¡¯s eyes darkened as he watched Ketal for a moment. He didn¡¯t know what kind of being this barbarian was. However, his revtion didn¡¯t mention anything about a barbarian. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It meant that he was less significant than dust, unable to be a variable. In that case, there was nothing to worry about. He would simply kill the meddler. ¡®A simpleton who doesn¡¯t even grasp the situation.¡¯ Butler raised his greatsword. ¡°Die.¡± He swung the greatsword at a very fast speed. Unless one was a superhuman, it was impossible to respond. ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± Arkamis muttered weakly, helpless to do anything. In her mind, she saw Ketal falling to the ground. ¡°Hmm.¡± But Ketal calmly extended his hand. The greatsword stopped in Ketal¡¯s grasp. Butler¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. Ketal¡¯s fist struck his chest, punching a hole through Butler¡¯s body. Boom! Butler¡¯s body rolled on the ground. The impact shook the forest, causing leaves to fall as the wind burst through. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Tougher than Ashetiar.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Arkamis gaped in astonishment. * * * ¡®W-Wait a second.¡¯ What did I just see? The demon she couldn¡¯t defeat even with all her might was sent flying with a single punch from Ketal. ¡°W-What?¡± She couldn¡¯t keep up with the sudden turn of events. At that moment, evil arose. Butler, having rapidly regained his original form, struck down at Ketal from above with his sword. ¡°Oops.¡± Ketal easily dodged by turning his body to the side and moved his foot. Crack. Butler¡¯s upper and lower body separated. But it was meaningless as his body rapidly regenerated. Butler reached out to grab Ketal¡¯s neck, intending to snap it with all his strength. But then Butler¡¯s eyes wavered. His hand was brimming with enough power to crush even powerful defensive magic. But Ketal¡¯s neck remained unchanged. Ketal grabbed Butler¡¯s hand and crushed it. He then mmed Butler into the ground and swung his fist. Boom boom boom! The ground shook. Butler¡¯s body was pulverized into dust. ¡°You¡­¡± Butler regenerated a short distance away. Ketal whistled. ¡°You really don¡¯t die, do you.¡± Evil beings couldn¡¯t be killed unless one wielded mystic power. While Ketal had obtained mystic power, it seemed he couldn¡¯t utilize it. ¡°¡­¡± Butler was bewildered. He was being overwhelmed. By a barbarian who couldn¡¯t even wield mystic power, purely through brute strength. ¡®Why did such a being appear out of nowhere?¡¯ There was no mention of this in the prophecy. Butler¡¯s expression suddenly changed as if he understood something. He opened his mouth. ¡°You. You¡¯re the barbarian Ashetiar mentioned.¡± ¡°Oh? You know me?¡± ¡°I heard about you directly from her. I thought it was nonsense¡­ but to think it was true.¡± A human who could defeat demons without wielding mystic power. He thought such a being couldn¡¯t exist, but here he was, standing right before him. Butler let out a hollowugh. ¡°You are indeed strong. Unusual.¡± Butler picked up his greatsword. ¡°But even so, you are just someone who can¡¯t wield mystic power. You cannot defeat me.¡± Ketal had defeated Ashetiar. But that was merely a matter ofpatibility. Ashetiar¡¯s power was pure physical strength. Even without knowledge of mystic power, it could be broken with greater physical strength. In contrast, Butler¡¯s power was severance. No matter how tough the steel, if it was a mere substance, he could sever anything. If one could wield mystic power, they could counter it, but without that, it was meaningless. Butler¡¯s greatsword was imbued with the power to sever all things. Step. Butler charged at Ketal. As the greatsword swung towards him, Ketal clenched his fist. Butler believed without a doubt that the fist would be split in two. The power of severance met an ordinary, powerless fist. Crack. The greatsword shattered. Ketal¡¯s fist mmed into Butler¡¯s face. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 111 – The Invasion of Evil (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 111: The Invasion of Evil (4) Crunch. A headless body tumbled to the ground. The swiftly regenerating Butler was stunned. ¡°What, what is this?¡± His expression waspletely different from before, a look of unmistakable confusion. ¡°What did you do!¡± He imbued his greatsword with the power of severance. A power that severs matter. That barbarian¡¯s body should have been chopped to pieces. But what broke was his greatsword. ¡°Even if you ask what I did.¡± Ketal tilted his head in confusion. ¡°I just swung my fist.¡± ¡°You, you!¡± Butler reached into the air. Darkness gathered, and the broken greatsword restored to its original form. Ketal watched the scene with interest. ¡°The greatsword can regenerate, huh. So the greatsword itself is the power?¡± He analyzed joyfully. Butler, with a twisted face, charged again.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The power of severance enveloped the greatsword. Ketal reached out lightly. Snap. The greatsword was caught in Ketal¡¯s hand. Butler gathered more power. The sharp severance aimed to cut Ketal¡¯s hand. But it didn¡¯t happen. As if blocked by a wall, the power of severance was crushed. Ketal gripped the greatsword tighter. This time, instead of breaking it, he tried to snatch it away. ¡°You!¡± Butler¡¯s face twisted in rage. ¡°How dare you try to take my weapon!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, try and stop me.¡± Ketal shattered Butler¡¯s hand. He forcibly seized the greatsword and swung it. sh. Butler¡¯s upper body separated from his lower body. Ketal swung the greatsword. ¡°Can I use this too?¡± As he said that, the greatsword exploded. Darkness ripped Ketal¡¯s body apart. Butler, having regenerated, was clenching his fist toward Ketal. ¡°Aha.¡± As the darkness subsided, Ketal nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t use it.¡± Despite taking the direct hit from the explosion without any defense, his body had no wounds. ¡°¡­What are you!¡± Butler shouted and charged again. Ketal stepped forward and swung his fist. Butler¡¯s body was crushed. Arkamis watched the scene in a daze. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°Wha, what? Wha?¡± ¡®Overpowering a demon? But Ketal doesn¡¯t know any mysticism¡­¡¯ While she struggled to ept reality, the battle was one-sided. None of Butler¡¯s attacks worked. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal murmured as if he understood. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t have any special abilities. You seem weaker than Ashetiar.¡± Hearing those words, Butler was dumbfounded. His power was the power of severance. A power that could sever all things, superior to Ashetiar¡¯s gravity. Yet, to be called weaker than Ashetiar. It was absurd. But he had no choice but to acknowledge it. His power of severance had no effect on that barbarian. ¡®Am I under some kind of illusion spell?¡¯ The thought crossed his mind. Butler let out a hollowugh. He had no choice but to admit it. This barbarian was stronger. And special. Butler¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°¡­Fine. I admit it. I won¡¯t hold back anymore.¡± Darkness enveloped Butler¡¯s greatsword. Thick, filthy darkness condensed and condensed. The surrounding matter began to shatter and split. It was Butler¡¯s full strength. He poured everything out, leaving only the minimum amount of magic to stay on the ground. ¡°Sever everything.¡± With calm words, Butler charged. The darkness condensed on the greatsword exploded. The power of severance surged like a storm, separating everything. Grass, air, wind, and earth were cut apart. It was the full power of a demon. Anything cut by that darkness couldn¡¯t be mended by ordinary means. Without a high priest¡¯s divine power, it would remain eternally severed. A great power that scars the very world. To that power, Ketal responded with only his body. Crunch. The exploding darkness shattered. It broke apart like ss. His body remained unchanged. In a space where all things were severed, he alone stood intact. ¡°This is insane.¡± The demon let out a hollowugh. Ketal didn¡¯t stop his charge. The power of severance tore Ketal¡¯s clothes. A scar on his chest was revealed. Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened as she watched. As the greatsword shattered, the demon¡¯s head was grabbed by Ketal. Crash! The demon was mmed into the ground, causing it to shake as if an earthquake had hit. Ketal, having subdued the demon, spoke. ¡°Arkamis?¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Arkamis, who had been watching in a daze, quickly responded, startled. ¡°It seems difficult, but can you help? I have no way to banish this thing.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± After showing such power, he says he can¡¯t banish it? Arkamis, confused, soon recalled that Ketal couldn¡¯t use mysticism. ¡°O-Okay. Just a moment.¡± Arkamis hurriedly gathered her remaining energy. Mystical power began to swirl chaotically. While restrained, Butler spoke. ¡°Barbarian. Your name is Ketal, right?¡± ¡°You know it.¡± ¡°I heard it from Ashetiar. This is absurd.¡± To withstand a demon¡¯s power with mere physical strength, without any mysticism. Ketal¡¯s strength was beyondprehension. Butler realized btedly. Ketal¡¯s body itself was a power, a mysticism. His power wasn¡¯t enough to break that. But that wasn¡¯t the only problem. Ketal had clearly stopped him. Because of his presence, the n failed. But there had been no prophecy about Ketal. ¡°¡­A being beyond prophecy. Barbarian, you¡¯re a threat. A very significant threat.¡± Butler looked at Ketal. ¡°The n failed, but it¡¯s not a total loss.¡± Just knowing that such a barbarian existed in the world was a gain. ¡°Wait, Barbarian.¡± ¡°Banish him!¡± Buzz! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] With Arkamis¡¯s words, mystic power struck the demon. His body began to be expelled from the world. As Butler gradually disappeared, he left one final message. ¡°We will kill you.¡± To that, Ketal made a curious expression. ¡°Aha.¡± Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°So, you are my enemies.¡± The demon vanished. Arkamis copsed again. She had no strength left to even stand. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. But more importantly.¡± Arkamis looked at Ketal with a bewildered face. ¡°¡­Ketal. What are you?¡± She never thought Ketal was weak. His unusual body made him far stronger than ordinary people. But that was only by the standards of those who didn¡¯t know mysticism. To defeat a demon who had bested her so easily. ¡°Who are you?¡± In Arkamis¡¯s eyes were shock and confusion. She looked at Ketal as if he were something unknown. She had seen the deep scar on Ketal¡¯s chest. Ketal spoke. ¡°I¡¯d like to answer you, but I think there¡¯s something I need to do first.¡± Ketal closed his eyes. At that moment, Arkamis felt a strange sensation. A feeling of someone scanning her entire body. ¡®An extension of senses?¡¯ The act of listening more, smelling more by closing one¡¯s eyes, something any human could do. But it extended beyond the entire forest, reaching the capital of the Denian Kingdom. Arkamis was astonished. ¡®¡­Extending senses to detect all the way to the capital?¡¯ ¡°There.¡± Ketal opened his eyes and muttered. He picked up his axe. ¡°Sorry, Arkamis. I have something I need to do first. I¡¯ll answer your questions after that.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Ketal gripped the axe and looked in the direction of the capital. He put strength into his shoulders and threw it. The axe flew toward the capital with a resounding noise. * * * Boom! A building copsed. Darknessshed out like a whip. Maximus somehow blocked all the attacks. Maximus¡¯s strength was his extreme speed. Despite being able to dodge Ashetiar¡¯s attacks easily, he didn¡¯t move a single step. The reason was simple. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Behind Maximus, a woman holding her child screamed. She had twisted her ankle while fleeing and was now exposed to the battle. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Ashetiar burst intoughter. ¡°Human! Try your best to defend! If you fail, the poor woman and child behind you will die!¡± Maximus gritted his teeth. Darkness poured down. He moved his sword quickly. He blocked, deflected, and parried the darkness. Rumble¡­ He managed to hold on, but he was reaching his limit. Darkness grazed his forearm. His skin split open, and blood flowed. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°The great and mighty Swordmaster. Your life is far more valuable than that of ordinary humans. Why don¡¯t you give up now?¡± ¡°Shut up, you filthy woman.¡± Maximus spat out harshly. Maximus had no particr patriotism. The Denian Kingdom was merely a convenient ce for him. But that didn¡¯t mean he was a viin. He had the mindset of a knight, enough to protect citizens and defend the country. ¡®¡­I must endure.¡¯ The priests dispatched to the borders would be returning to the capital quickly. If he could hold out until they arrived, victory would be his. Maximus tightened his grip on his sword. As if reading his thoughts, Ashetiar smiled. ¡°Do your best. In the end, we will win.¡± Ashetiar gathered darkness. Just as Maximus resolved to muster his aura, ¡°What?¡± An axe flew from the sky directly toward Ashetiar. Ashetiar, staring at the axe in a daze, hastily raised her hand. Darkness spread out to protect her. Crash. But the darkness shattered. The axe pierced through her body. ¡°What¡­ What is this.¡± Ashetiar muttered nkly as her body copsed. She soon regained her original form, but her face was full of confusion. ¡°What?¡± Suddenly, an axe had flown and pierced her body. She looked at Maximus. Maximus, also taken aback, stared wide-eyed. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what just happened, but do you think this is enough to stop me?¡± Ashetiar twisted her lips into a smile. ¡°I will destroy the human capital! That is our prophecy!¡± She shouted loudly. ¡°No one can stop me!¡± ¡°Prophecy? What do you mean by that?¡± At that moment, a voice came from right behind her. Ashetiar, who had beenughing, was startled. ¡®What!¡¯ She had sensed nothing, yet someone was right behind her. She gathered darkness. As she was about to strike with dense, heavy darkness, she hesitated. Ashetiar¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s you. Ashetiar.¡± Ketal said with a delighted expression. With those words, Ketal grabbed Ashetiar¡¯s head. Her body was mmed into the ground. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 112 – The Invasion of Evil (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 112: The Invasion of Evil (5) Boom! Ashetiar¡¯s body could not withstand the force and burst apart, dissolving into darkness. Ketal nodded. ¡°Definitely softer than Butler, that demon.¡± ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Maximus looked at Ketal with widened eyes. Like Ashetiar, he hadn¡¯t noticed Ketal approaching. It meant that Ketal had approached so quickly that they couldn¡¯t sense it. Ketal turned his gaze. ¡°Oh, Maximus. You were holding out?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Maximus flinched reflexively. Since being defeated by Ketal without doing anything, his body tensed up whenever he faced Ketal. Ketal nced around briefly before speaking. ¡°It seems you were being pushed back.¡± ¡°¡­There was no choice.¡± Maximus defended himself. It was then that Ketal noticed a woman trembling behind Maximus, clutching a child. ¡°¡­Aha.¡± Ketal smiled as if he understood. ¡°You were protecting people.¡± ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Maximus spoke curtly. Barbarians despise the weak. They believe that the weak should be weeded out, and thus cannot understand the act of protecting them. Maximus thought Ketal was mocking him. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s impressive. Risking your life to protect citizens. It¡¯s truly the epitome of a knight.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Ketal¡¯s voice held genuine praise. Caught off guard by these unexpected words, Maximus was flustered. Ketal murmured quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something good.¡± ¡°You!¡± At that moment, Ashetiar rose. She had regenerated a short distance away from Ketal, looking at him in astonishment. ¡°Barbarian! Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ashetiar!¡± Ketal smiled broadly. ¡°Nice to see you again. How have you been?¡± ¡°W-what are you talking to me so friendly for? I¡¯m a demon!¡± She was a demon. A being that tramples upon this world. If they met again, she was someone he should despair at, not be d to see. But Ketal was truly d. The first demon he had ever encountered. Since banishing her to hell, he had asionally wondered how she was doing. Meeting her like this, he couldn¡¯t help but be d. ¡°Reunions are always joyous. Even if it¡¯s with a demon.¡± Maximus looked at him like he was crazy. ¡°Madman!¡± And Ashetiar spat out the same sentiment aloud. She manifested darkness. Spears of darkness rushed out to pierce Ketal. The power of a demon that had destroyed countless buildings and half the capital. Ketal easily waved his hand against it. Crack. The darkness shattered and broke. The power that had pressured the truly superhuman Maximus was shattered by a casual gesture. Ashetiar ground her teeth. This barbarian was stronger than her. He even had the upper hand in terms ofpatibility, making it impossible for her to win. ¡°¡­You¡¯re strong. Barbarian.¡± But Ashetiar smiled. ¡°I admit it. I can¡¯t beat you. But! It¡¯s different with the other demon who has descended here!¡± She shouted loudly. ¡°You can¡¯t defeat him!¡± The demon of severance, Butler. His power severed all things. The level of his power was higher than hers. If she was a lower-ranked demon among those with names, Butler was at least mid-ranked. There was a clear difference in strength. ¡°You are strong! But that strength relies on your physical body! It means nothing against Butler!¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t handle mysteries. He couldn¡¯t counter the power of severance. Butler would finish dealing with the elve ande here. Then Butler would easily kill Ketal. There was nothing about Ketal in the prophecies. It meant he was just a figure to be dealt with in due time. Ashetiarughed confidently. And Ketal muttered as if puzzled. ¡°Butler, huh. That demon is stronger than you? It didn¡¯t seem that way.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ashetiar hesitated. Her eyes wavered. Ketal¡¯s words sounded like he had already met Butler. ¡°¡­You. Butler.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, both you and Butler are quite handsome and beautiful. I suppose it¡¯s only natural for beings meant to seduce humans.¡± ¡°You, you!¡± Ashetiar hurriedly raised her arms. Darkness surged and poured out. Ketal stepped forward, and the darkness shing with his body shattered. He charged ahead, crushing Ashetiar¡¯s head. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Grabbing the now headless body, he mmed it into the ground. ¡°Whatever reason you had for descending here, you have failed.¡± Gripping Ashetiar¡¯s leg and swinging her around, Ketal spoke leisurely. ¡°So why not retreat quietly?¡± ¡°Kyahhh!¡± Ashetiar screamed and reached out desperately. She grabbed Ketal¡¯s arm, and darkness erupted, wrapping around his captured arm. Crunch. A harsh sound echoed. The darkness with physical force tried to turn Ketal¡¯s arm into mush. It was a power that could crush even steel in an instant. ¡°Oh.¡± But it didn¡¯t work. ¡°So, this is possible too.¡± Ketal, with a curious look, lightly swung his hand. The darkness surrounding his arm shattered just from that motion. Crack. Ashetiar¡¯s chest was pierced. ¡°Eek!¡± Though Ashetiar regenerated and swung her darkness again, it was ineffective. Maximus watched the scene nkly. A powerful demon with a great name, Ashetiar. Though he was pushed back due to protecting the citizens, even without that, he couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand. And such a demon was being toyed with, like a ything. No matter how she tried to escape, all her attempts were blocked and shattered. Eventually, Ashetiar was subdued by Ketal. ¡°Maximus.¡± ¡°W-what is it?¡± Maximus hastily came to his senses. ¡°Could you handle the banishment of the demon? Sadly, I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Maximus hurriedly drew his sword. A thick aura began to envelop the de. Approaching, Maximus stabbed Ashetiar¡¯s chest with the sword. Her body slowly began to disappear from the world. Ketal watched with interest. ¡°So, that¡¯s how it¡¯s done. Since it¡¯s not territorial, even aura can banish it.¡± ¡°B-barbarian. You¡­ you¡­¡± Ashetiar muttered repeatedly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Her eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± ¡°A mere human.¡± Ketal replied lightly. And Ashetiar was banished. Both demons that had invaded the surface were sent back to hell. Ketal stood up. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°No more attacks?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Barbarian.¡± Maximus¡¯s expression as he looked at Ketal was filled with astonishment. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something more pressing to attend to first.¡± The demons had all been banished. They had won. But it wasn¡¯t without damage. Debris from buildings could be seen. The corpses of soldiers were also visible. Realizing this fact btedly, Maximus bit his lip. ¡°¡­Indeed, now¡¯s not the time to ponder over that. I should report to His Majesty.¡± As Maximus was about to leave, he turned around. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke. ¡°¡­Thank you, barbarian.¡± Ketal smiled. * * * Two days after the invasion of demons. Barbosa summoned Ketal. Ketal had a private audience with the King of Denian in the audience chamber. ¡°You look exhausted.¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Barbosa, looking tired, rested his chin on his hand. ¡°I should have called you immediately, but it took some time to assess the damage.¡± Barbosa stood up from the throne. He descended the steps and faced Ketal. Speaking with genuine courtesy, he said, ¡°I express my gratitude. Ketal, thanks to you, we were able to fend off the demon attack without severe losses.¡± Strictly speaking, the losses weren¡¯t insignificant. A hundred soldiers had died, and dozens of knights had perished. Garura, the shining star of the Denian Kingdom, who was expected to reach the superhuman realm someday, had also been brutally killed. The capital was half-destroyed, and it would take considerable time and resources to rebuild it. The damage was immense. But the opponents were the problem. The descent of two named demons. It wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if Denian¡¯s royal castle had been destroyed. Ending with this much damage was nothing short of a miracle. And it was all thanks to Ketal. The king owed him gratitude beyond measure. Ketal spoke calmly, ¡°I only did what I had to do.¡± ¡°Thank you for seeing it that way,¡± Barbosa replied, with a hint of relief, sitting back down on the throne. He hadn¡¯t called Ketal just to express gratitude. The sudden descent of the demons, and Ketal¡¯s confrontation with Butler alongside Arkamis, necessitated an exchange of information. Remembering this, Barbosa looked at Ketal. A named demon. One deemed stronger than Ashetiar. And Ketal had defeated such a demon alone. ¡®¡­Just how strong is this barbarian?¡¯ He wondered, unable to suppress the thought. But that wasn¡¯t the immediate concern. Barbosa refocused and spoke with a serious expression. ¡°You said the demon Butler was targeting the elf?¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°They needed her for their purposes.¡± ¡°I see. You and Arkamis drove Butler away.¡± Ketal nodded again. It was now clear. The demons had descended upon the kingdom of Denian with a clear purpose. Barbosa bit his lip. ¡°This is¡­ a big problem. A very big problem.¡± ¡°Something unprecedented, I gather,¡± Ketal remarked. ¡°Indeed. There have been instances of demons descending before, but they were all summoned by dark wizards without any clear purpose.¡± If there was any purpose, it was simply to invade and corrupt the world, something as natural to demons as eating or breathing. It couldn¡¯t be called a true objective. But this time was different. Demons had suddenly descended upon the kingdom of Denian with a clear objective in mind. It meant they were moving ording to some grand design. Barbosa sighed deeply. ¡°The Demon King¡­ What in the world is happening?¡± ¡°The Demon King?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is this rted to the Demon King?¡± ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°The demon that descended mentioned someone, but they didn¡¯t say it was the Demon King. So, Butler was referring to the Demon King.¡± Barbosa was momentarily taken aback. Ketal¡¯s demeanor had changed rapidly, bing more proactive. His expression was tinged with a peculiar excitement. ¡®¡­Is he happy about the mention of the Demon King?¡¯ Barbosa dismissed the thought as absurd. The Demon King. The king of demons and the enemy of the world. Just hearing that name was enough to make most people flinch. Even a barbarian who lovedbat wouldn¡¯t target the Demon King. He was a being synonymous with fear. To be happy at hearing such a name. That would just be madness. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 113 – The Invasion of Evil (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 113: The Invasion of Evil (6) Having thought it through, Barbosa cleared his mind. While Ketal was quite unique, he wasn¡¯t crazy. Based on his experiences so far, Ketal was rather sensible. Barbosa realized he must be mistaken. With that in mind, Barbosa spoke up. ¡°Ashetiar. That demon dered it in the capital.¡± She shouted loudly, as if to make sure the entire world would hear. Half of the people in the capital heard that shout. ¡°She said the Demon King would descend. That he would return this corrupted world to its original form.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. The Demon King. What a stirring name. The ultimate enemy that always appears in a fantasy world. To think such a being exists here too, and is even set to descend. He was excited. He was very much looking forward to it. And Barbosa watched him with a bit of a grimace. ¡®¡­Is he really happy about this?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m curious. What kind of being is the Demon King?¡± ¡°Hm? Don¡¯t you know?¡± Barbosa was puzzled. There was no one who didn¡¯t know about the Demon King. But he soon realized. The barbarian in front of him wasn¡¯t from this continent. The Barbarian of the White Snowfield. It made sense that he wouldn¡¯t know about the Demon King. Barbosa began his exnation. ¡°Long ago, there was a time when evil ruled the Middle World. This world was their ything.¡± ¡°I know about that.¡± Demons crossed over to the Middle World, tormenting and ughtering humans as their ythings. The gods, unable to bear watching this, descended and banished the demons. After a long time passed, we reached the present. The story of the Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor, Aquaz. While not fully believing the myth, it seemed true that demons once trampled the earth. ¡°Back then, unlike now, evil could descend to the earth without any conditions. Humans were merely their ythings.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand. Maximus and Arkamis could stand up to demons.¡± Both were recognized as true superhumans. But they weren¡¯t the strongest among humans. There were those stronger than them among superhumans, and heroes were said to possess power far beyond their reach. ¡°So they couldn¡¯t do anything and were overrun? Were humans back then weak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Barbosa shook his head. ¡°Records show that humans back then weren¡¯t weak. While there were no heroes, there were certainly superhuman warriors.¡± But they couldn¡¯t put up much of a resistance. The reason was simple. Demons were incredibly strong. ¡°Butler and Ashetiar are among the weaker demons with names. They¡¯re not particrly powerful.¡± There were demons with names,nds, and titles. Their power was such that Butler and Ashetiar were considered trivial. Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest. ¡°Stronger than them.¡± ¡°There are demons that cannot be stopped until heroes or saints personally intervene. Nowadays, such beings cannot easily descend due to restrictions¡­ but that wasn¡¯t the case in the past.¡± Those demons could descend to the earth without any restrictions. They trampled the earth and defiled everything. Barbosa paused for a moment. After briefly looking at Ketal, he spoke again. ¡°Back then, most Forbidden Lands did not exist. But there was one exception.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The White Snowfield. The Forbidden Land in the center of the continent had existed since the mythical times when evil defiled the earth. Ketal asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Even demons couldn¡¯t do anything about the White Snowfield?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s no record of that. It¡¯s as if it was cut out.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Barbosa continued. ¡°The gods, unable to bear the sight of the earth, descended. Before their great power, the demons were swiftly driven out.¡± Demons were certainly strong. But gods were stronger. Divine power had an absolute advantage over demons, so the demons were quickly pushed back. Finally, they began to be banished from the earth. When the beings of the Middle World and the gods were certain of their victory. ¡°The demons, driven back and pursued, made a decision.¡± The demons sacrificed themselves to summon their king. The lord of hell. The Demon King descended to earth. And the world began to burn. Numerous churches were destroyed, and humanity was driven to the brink of extinction. Many species actually went extinct. Nine-tenths of the world burned at the Demon King¡¯s hands. ¡°Is he that powerful?¡± ¡°Describing him as simply strong doesn¡¯t do him justice.¡± He was more like a natural disaster or a cmity. The descent of the Demon King united gods, humans, and all life on earth. Famous heroes died like insects. A saintess burned to death. After countless sacrifices, a hero emerged. ¡°A hero?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. That part isn¡¯t properly recorded. But history says a hero appeared to face the Demon King.¡± Humanity, led by the hero, fought endlessly against the Demon King. And with the noble sacrifice of the hero, they were able to banish the Demon King from this world. They reimed the earth from the demons. Ketal looked intrigued. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Since then, the Middle World has been ours. But the demons still covet the earth. Demons have descended again since then, and there were several nearplete descents of the Demon King. Each time, the world suffered great wounds.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°So the Demon King is trying to descend again this time?¡± ¡°Several phenomena are the same as before. We can¡¯t just dismiss it as bluster.¡± ¡°Phenomena?¡± ¡°The demons spoke of a prophecy.¡± ¡°Oh,e to think of it.¡± Butler also said they would achieve their goal ording to a prophecy. I thought it was just an expression of confidence, but it seems they received a genuine prophecy. ¡°They are beings that stand in opposition to the gods. Prophecies exist for them too.¡± ¡°But they failed. The prophecy seems uncertain.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± The demon¡¯s prophecies were incredibly urate. It was safe to say they never missed. Under normal circumstances, the elves would have been captured, and the Denian Kingdom would have burned. But that didn¡¯t happen. The reason was probably the barbarian standing in front of him. Barbosa left out that part and continued exining. Ketal muttered with interest. ¡°That means there was some variable. I wonder what it was.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was you. Barbosa resisted the urge to say that. ¡°In any case, we must prepare.¡± They needed to contact the sanctuaries of each god and the kingdoms. Humanity had to unite and prepare. ¡°The empire will also take action. The world will change significantly.¡± After saying that, Barbosa looked at Ketal. ¡°¡­What do you n to do?¡± ¡°Nothing will change for me.¡± Ketal replied leisurely. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I will just continue traveling the world.¡± ¡°What if demons block your path?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just push them aside.¡± Ketal said calmly. After the conversation ended, Ketal left. Alone, Barbosa exhaled with a relieved expression. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± The Barbarian of the White Snowfield. Ketal was not hostile towards them. That was evident from how he defeated the demon this time. Being a being of the Forbidden Land, it was uncertain whether he would side with humans or demons, but that worry was now resolved. ¡®¡­The prophecy was wrong.¡¯ Barbosa thought. The demon¡¯s prophecy was wrong. ording to all records, the demon¡¯s prophecies were always urate. If they acted ording to the prophecy, it always came true unless the gods directly intervened. But this time, they failed despite the gods not intervening. Naturally, one thought came to mind. ¡®Is the Forbidden Land¡¯s existence beyond the prophecy?¡¯ * * * After leaving the royal castle, Ketal went to find Milena. Milena looked much older in just a few days. She spoke while handling documents. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You look very tired.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± When the demon descended, she quickly directed people to evacuate and moved all important documents. She responded perfectly to the demon¡¯s descent. But that didn¡¯t mean there were no damages. Her business was banking. It relied on people¡¯s trust, so the world needed to be stable for it to function properly. But in a situation where demons descended, there was no trust. People began rushing to withdraw their money and valuables. She was busy dealing with that. While the family itself wasn¡¯t on the verge of copse, the damage was not insignificant. ¡°That must be hard.¡± ¡°Still¡­ it¡¯s fortunate this is all that happened.¡± The family itself could have been destroyed. Ending with just damage was a miracle. Milena looked at Ketal. ¡°¡­Did you also take action, Ketal?¡± Not much was known about Ketal¡¯s involvement in the demon¡¯s invasion. Defeating Butler happened where there were no people, and the battle against Ashetiar, though in the center of the capital, urred when everyone had fled. There was a woman behind Maximus, but she was half out of her mind from the effects of the dark energy. In the end, little was known about Ketal. People believed that Maximus had defeated the named demon and were praising his name. But Milena had her suspicions. She guessed that Ketal yed a significant role in defeating the demon.N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal nodded. ¡°Even if temporarily staying in a city, I couldn¡¯t just stand by while it was being destroyed. Besides, those things are enemies of humanity.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Milena let out a gasp of admiration. A being capable of defeating even a named demon. Moreover, Ketal didn¡¯t even know the mysteries. Yet, he possessed such power. What would happen if heprehended the mysteries? It was hard to grasp. For someone as ordinary as her, it was an unimaginable realm. Thinking along those lines, Milena seemed to remember something and asked, ¡°By the way, how is Arkamis?¡± A demon had descended upon Arkamis too. Although she managed to defeat it, the damage must have been considerable. ¡°She said she would rest for a few days to recover her strength. I think it¡¯s about time I visited her.¡± Ketal muttered. * * * Ketal went to visit Arkamis¡¯ home. It was his first visit in two days. She had to rest as she had expended all her strength. After knocking, the door opened after a brief moment. ¡°Ketal¡­¡± Arkamis emerged. Her golden eyes looked at Ketal. She seemed determined as she pulled the door open. ¡°Come in.¡± Ketal stepped inside. The scent of boiling herbs filled the air. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Much better. I still need to rest a bit more, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Arkamis looked at Ketal. After a moment ofplex expressions, she spoke. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Her eyes were filled with curiosity as she looked at Ketal. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 114 – High Elf (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 114 ¨C High Elf (1) ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± At first, Arkamis mistook Ketal for a higher being like a dragon. This was because the aura and presence emanating from Ketal were not something a human could produce. N?v(el)B\\jnn They were closer to that of a predator. That¡¯s why she feared him and tried to exclude him. However, after talking with him, she judged him to be just a barbarian with a slightly peculiar physique. Quite unique but not that strong, she thought. This opinion did not change even after observing his inner body. The reason was simple: Ketal did not possess any mystical power. ¡°I thought you were just one of the barbarians from the north. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange if there were barbarians who adapted to society among the many barbarians.¡± But the power he showed in the battle against the demon was too different. ¡°You are strong,¡± said Arkamis. Ketal did not know about mysticism. And the power of someone who does not know mysticism has a limit. Even if hundreds of them gathered, it would be normal if they couldn¡¯t touch a single finger of Arkamis. However, Ketal defeated the demon. No, he overwhelmed it. A demon with a name was toyed with. It wouldn¡¯t have been much different if she had been the opponent. More than anything, what he did afterward, the expansion of his senses. It was not an act that just anyone could do, closing their eyes and concentrating their senses. Ketal expanded those senses beyond the forest to the capital. ¡°¡­Too strong.¡± Arkamis swallowed hard. She was not weak either. She had the power to be called a true superhuman and could wield even greater power within her domain. Even the renowned Swordmaster Maximus could not guarantee victory against her. Her power was among the top in the entire continent. But even she could not understand Ketal¡¯s power. To wield such power without knowing mysticism? He is not a barbarian from the north. No, it¡¯s beyond that level. He is not a being from this continent. Something in the form of a barbarian. She was convinced again. ¡°Hm.¡± After a moment of silence, Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t hide it on purpose. I just didn¡¯t feel the need to mention it. I am just Ketal.¡± Where he came from and what he did was not important at all. At least, that¡¯s what he thought. ¡°It seems you have a guess about where I came from.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Arkamis swallowed hard. During the battle with Butler, the power of severance cut Ketal¡¯s clothes. That¡¯s why she could see it. Therge scar on Ketal¡¯s chest. A gray-haired barbarian. And arge scar on the chest. A legend known across the entire continent. ¡°When we talked about the hero back then, you mentioned a hero who went to the White Snowfield to prove their strength.¡± About three months ago. A hero who entered the White Snowfield by their own will. ¡°I said I couldn¡¯t understand it. Why do such a thing? This ce is a fantasy world itself.¡± A world where dragons, magic, elves, and demons exist. This continent was the world he had longed for, even in his dreams. ¡°Leaving such a ce to enter a world of only white. I cannot understand it. That ce is truly horrible.¡± Ketal muttered quietly. ¡°There is nothing to eat. No nts exist. There is no liquid water, so you have to eat ciers. It¡¯s a harsh cold where you can¡¯t even light a fire. When a child is born, more than half of them freeze to death within ten days.¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. What Ketal was saying could only be said by someone who had lived in the White Snowfield. Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°I came from the ce you call the White Snowfield.¡± * * * Arkamis held her breath. Long ago, a legend known to all races on the continent. The emperor who ruled the continent went to the White Snowfield and returned after losing everything. And the emperor said. A white snake that devours icebergs. A white bear that causes earthquakes. A vile rat that pollutes the ocean. And the ash-gray barbarians of the White Snowfield. The being from that legend was right in front of her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t hide it on purpose. Isn¡¯t it funny to go around shouting that I¡¯m a barbarian from the White Snowfield?¡± Ketal didn¡¯t particrly think of hiding that fact. He lied to Elene, but that was only to calm her down, not to hide his identity. However, he also had no intention of going around telling everyone. Revealing his identity as one from the White Snowfield might prevent him from enjoying the fantasy he sought. ¡°I am just Ketal. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡­ well.¡± Arkamis nodded slightly. If she had learned that fact without knowing the person Ketal was, she might have been horrified and run away. But now, she knew what kind of person Ketal was. He was a bit unique and strange, but a sensible person. He knew manners and how to consider others. Most importantly, he had saved her life. Though it was surprising that he was a barbarian of the White Snowfield, it wasn¡¯t a reason to fear him. ¡°Did Milena know?¡± ¡°From the beginning. We met in the White Snowfield. I helped her with her trade mission. That bond continued even after we left the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right? Now that I think about it, she did mention something like that.¡± The Akasha family had been on the verge of copse. Milena had managed to revive it by seeding in her trade mission. Arkamis had heard that story too. ¡°So, that was about the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± She took a deep breath. It was finally starting to sink in. The person in front of her was a legend, a being from the White Snowfield. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfield. But that didn¡¯t make him scary or intimidating. With that realization, she naturally felt a strong interest. A barbarian from the White Snowfield, a figure only mentioned in legends, was standing before her. As an alchemist with a strong curiosity about the unknown, she asked Ketal about the things she was curious about. Ketal was happy to respond. Arkamis¡¯s attitude hadn¡¯t changed from before. It meant she epted him as a person. It was immensely gratifying for Ketal to be recognized by someone from a fantasy world. He answered her questions as best as he could. ¡°Then, is your unique physique also because you¡¯re a barbarian of the White Snowfield?¡± Ketal¡¯s body was special. Its mystery was so profound that it was almost impossible to fullyprehend. Even drugs that were meant to reveal such mysteries didn¡¯t work, requiring the use of special ingredients like iridescent particles. Back then, she couldn¡¯t grasp what kind of body it was, but if he was a barbarian of the White Snowfield, it made sense. Ketal shook his head. ¡°Even if you say so, I don¡¯t know. There was no such thing as mystery in the White Snowfield.¡± ¡°Not just you, but all barbarians didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­And yet you survived in the White Snowfield?¡± Mystery was akin to a miracle. Handling it versus not handling it was the difference between heaven and earth. Surviving in a Forbidden Land like the White Snowfield without any mystery was unbelievable. Arkamis was momentarily taken aback, but soon epted it. ¡°Well, with your body, that might be possible.¡± Ketal had shattered the power of severance with his bare hands. The power of severance was demonic, capable of severing all things in the world. Oveing that with just his physical body meant that Ketal¡¯s body itself was a form of mystery. Arkamis looked at him with curiosity. ¡°How did you get such a body?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t like I tried to be stronger. It was just to survive.¡± Strength was never Ketal¡¯s interest. It was merely a byproduct. At those words, Arkamis realized something. The White Snowfield was not just home to barbarians. There were white snakes that devoured icebergs, white bears that caused earthquakes, and vile rats that polluted the seas. Ketal lived in the same realm as these legendary beasts. She cautiously asked, ¡°¡­Did you encounter those monsters?¡± ¡°I met them a few times. Not particrly fond memories.¡± Ketal replied with a bitter expression. They were generally beings that devoured his kin and disrupted the environment, so they weren¡¯t pleasant encounters. ¡®I smashed them every time, though.¡¯ Since these creatures didn¡¯t grasp the concept of death, they were always tenacious and troublesome. Arkamis looked at him with sympathy. ¡°That must have been tough.¡± Ketal was undoubtedly strong. His strength was exceptionally special. However, it didn¡¯t seem like it was at a level where he could confront legendary monsters that could cause natural disasters just by moving. Naturally, Arkamis thought that Ketal had lived avoiding these legendary beasts. ¡®In the legends, it was said that barbarians of the White Snowfield were more dangerous than those monsters.¡¯ Clearly, that legend was wrong. Historians often debated this topic. Whether it was possible for mere humans to defeat such monsters, and how even heroes could y dragons, they frequently discussed. But now, hearing Ketal¡¯s story, it was clear. The crazed emperor must have been spouting nonsense. It wasn¡¯t sensible for a mere human, who couldn¡¯t even handle mysteries, to overpower such beings. Arkamis was excited, thinking she had found a w in the legend. She didn¡¯t realize that she was mistaken in her conclusion, feeling only the exhration of uncovering a hidden truth. ¡°Then, how did youe out into the outside world?¡± It was a widely epted fact that beings from the White Snowfield couldn¡¯t leave. The reason was simple. If they could, there was no reason why the monsters of the White Snowfield wouldn¡¯te out. The White Snowfield was extremely cold and barren. The fact that its monsters didn¡¯te out implied there were forced constraints. Ketal answered, ¡°I ended up being able toe out somehow. I don¡¯t know the exact reason.¡± He had a rough idea but didn¡¯t know precisely. Following a quest and dealing with a few beings allowed him to leave. ¡®Why isn¡¯t this quest window appearing now?¡¯ The demonic invasion. It was no small event. From the conversation with Barbosa, it was clear that it marked the beginning of a changing world. Yet, the quest window remained silent during this demonic descent. ¡®Is it only rted to Forbidden Lands?¡¯ So far, that seemed to be the case. But it felt wrong to think that way entirely. Something about it was off. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 115 – High Elf (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 115 ¨C High Elf (2) ¡®I¡¯m not sure.¡¯ Various thoughts crossed his mind, but ultimately, it was something he couldn¡¯t understand at the moment. Arkamis¡¯s curiosity about Ketal was somewhat satisfied. Next, it was Ketal¡¯s turn. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn to ask questions now.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± Arkamis, after a moment of hesitation, spoke with a determined expression. ¡°I am a High Elf.¡± Ketal nodded. She was not an ordinary elf. She was a High Elf. ¡°As I mentioned before, I am a special existence.¡± Arkamis suddenly stopped talking. High Elves were indeed special. They stayed only within the sacrednd of the elves, Elfo Sagrado, and did not venture outside. Except for Arkamis, thest recorded appearance of a High Elf was 200 years ago. They appeared even less frequently than demons. However, the barbarian of the White Snowfield was even more special. A being from legends, one who had never shown themselves. Talking about being special in front of Ketal felt somewhat strange. Arkamis shook her head. ¡°Just like you, I didn¡¯t hide it on purpose. I was afraid you would be repulsed by it.¡± ¡°Is there any reason to be repulsed by that?¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t understand. The existence of a High Elf did not seem repulsive at all. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m a special existence.¡± Arkamis sighed softly and said. ¡°Ketal. What do you think an elf is?¡± ¡°A very long-lived being of nature.¡± ¡°Right. Elves are beings close to nature. They are much more nature-friendly than humans, and thus can handle spirits. But the basic characteristics of the race sharemonalities with humans.¡± They maintain body temperature, are born from their mother¡¯s womb, and receive nutrition through milk. In those aspects, elves and humans were the same. Ketal nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡®You mean they share characteristics of mammals.¡¯ But High Elves were different. Arkamis spoke. ¡°I am an entirely different being from you all. I was not born from my mother¡¯s womb.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. Arkamis bit her lip as if afraid of his reaction, but continued speaking. ¡°High Elves are born through the World Tree. There is no concept of growth. They maintain their birth appearance until death.¡± Though they are called elves, strictly speaking, they were a different race. Elves had a sense of reverence and distance towards High Elves. Hence, Arkamis was afraid Ketal might feel repulsed by her. She looked at Ketal with anxious eyes. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°So, does that mean you don¡¯t need any nutrition at all?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, no. That¡¯s not it. Water and sunlight are necessary.¡± ¡°In other words, nothing else is needed. So, eating my cooking was a matter of personal preference.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Why do you take on the form of an elf?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know about that¡­.¡± ¡°Is it the opposite of cause and effect? Could elves be an imitation of you?¡± Ketal murmured with a delighted expression. Arkamis was bewildered by Ketal¡¯s attitude. ¡®W-What?¡¯ If he had felt repulsed, she would understand. If he epted her, she would be grateful and understand as well. But it was neither. He seemed to be fascinated by the High Elf race. It waspletely unexpected. She stammered. ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you afraid? Don¡¯t you feel repulsed?¡± ¡°Is there any reason to?¡± To him, this was a world of mystery and fantasy. There were more special and less special things, but nothing was not special. A child born from a tree. How mysterious. He had no reason to feel repulsed by the fact she was a High Elf. ¡°Then why did youe out into the world?¡± ¡°Uh, um.¡± Arkamis, taken aback by the unexpected reaction, spoke. ¡°High Elves have a sense of pride in themselves. Though I don¡¯t know what pride I¡¯m supposed to have.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like being a High Elf, do you?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Arkamis frowned. ¡°High Elves do not have a sense of camaraderie.¡± The concept of amunity did not exist for them. The reason was simple. They were born through the World Tree, already in a grown state from birth. They didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. Since they never had amunity, the concept didn¡¯t exist, and they didn¡¯t desire it. ¡°They value nothing in this world except themselves and the World Tree. That¡¯s why they are emotionally deficient. They praise themselves as special beings, but what¡¯s the point of that?¡± Arkamis spoke forcefully. ¡°I want to have friends.¡± Friends with whom she could spend time on trivial matters. ¡°I want to haverades.¡± Comrades who would have each other¡¯s backs and protect each other¡¯s lives. ¡°¡­I want to have a family.¡± At this point, Arkamis hesitated. Ketal waited silently. After a long moment, Arkamis spoke. Her golden eyes looked at Ketal. ¡°I also¡­ want to have children.¡± * * * Ketal paused at those words. Arkamis fidgeted with her fingers, head lowered in embarrassment. ¡°Uh, I was born through the World Tree, right? I may look like an elf, but my essence is entirely different. So, I can¡¯t have children.¡± But she desired a bond. She wanted to experience having her own child. She wanted to feel the love of a family, of blood rtions. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you came out into the world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an impossible wish in the sacrednd.¡± Her desire was an affront to the High Elves. There had been many conflicts and shes. In the end, she left Elfo Sagrado. A heretic among High Elves. That was Arkamis. ¡°You learned alchemy for that reason too, I guess.¡± ¡°Alchemy is fundamentally about the transformation of matter, so I thought it could change my essence.¡± So far, she had no sess. It was a concept no one had thought of or attempted before. But now, a possibility had emerged. ¡°Those iridescent grains. With them, it might be possible.¡± A mysterious catalyst that could substitute for all things. With that, it might be possible to change her essence. Of course, it would require a lot of research, but the possibility was there. ¡°This is my wish.¡± Arkamis exhaled. ¡°My goal.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Then you¡¯ve already partially achieved your goal.¡± ¡°Huh?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I consider myself your friend andrade. What do you think?¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened at those words. Then she smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] * * * Her tone lightened, having unburdened herself somewhat. She started talking more freely. Ketal also asked about things he was curious about. ¡°Was going to the Empire also for that reason?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arkamis nodded. ¡°The strongest group of humans on the continent. I thought I could achieve my goal there.¡± ¡°It seems that was impossible.¡± She was here now. That alone revealed how it turned out. But Arkamis shook her head. ¡°No. They said it was possible.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal looked surprised. ¡°Is the Empire capable of such things?¡± ¡°I was surprised too and asked if it was really possible. They said it was. At first, they tried to ept me outright¡­ but the more we talked, the stranger it seemed.¡± Arkamis said with a troubled expression. ¡°They said they could turn me into a body that could have children. But there was a condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± ¡°They said I wouldn¡¯t be able to exist as myself anymore.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal made a puzzled face. ¡°That¡¯s a strange thing to say.¡± ¡°Right? I asked what they meant, and they said it was literal. I thought about it and eventually gave up.¡± Arkamis leaned back on the table. ¡°I stayed there quite a while, but I still don¡¯t know what that ce really is. There were many areas in the Imperial City that were off limits. It was a very strange ce.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The Empire. Thergest group of humans. It seemed to be as peculiar as its reputation suggested. After saying this, Arkamis hesitated for a moment before asking. ¡°Ketal, you¡¯re from the Snowfields, right? Did you have family there?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a family. Since I can remember, my parents were never there.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. I don¡¯t remember them anyway.¡± Ketal said it indifferently. ¡°There was a tribe, which could be considered amunity. If you call them family, then I guess they were.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you miss them?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Ketal frowned. ¡°They were stupid and foolish. Hard tomunicate with. Just being around them gave me a headache.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I do wonder what they¡¯re up to now, though.¡± He did wonder what his tribe members in the White Snowfields were doing now. They had spent so much time together that even dislike had turned into a kind of attachment. Though he had left after exining his intentions, he wasn¡¯t sure if those dumb folks had understood. ¡®They¡¯ll manage somehow.¡¯ Having thought that far, Ketal lost interest. ¡°I see¡­ So, you¡¯re not really tied down to anything¡­.¡± Arkamis murmured softly. She looked at Ketal with a thoughtful expression and cautiously spoke. ¡°Ketal, is there anything you wish for?¡± ¡°Not really. If I had to say, it would be to acquire mysteries and travel the world.¡± Besides those two things, Ketal had no major interests. Arkamis¡¯s expression brightened a little. ¡°Traveling? That sounds good. Then, are you interested in visiting the sacrednd of the elves?¡± Arkamis quickly continued. ¡°Even though I left, it¡¯s not a bad ce. Besides the old-fashioned High Elves, it¡¯s quite nice. I n to return there once everything is settled. It¡¯s a serene and peaceful ce covered in nature. Are you interested?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m interested. I¡¯d like to visit it if I get the chance.¡± ¡°Good. So, you have no aversion to High Elves¡­.¡± Arkamis murmured to herself. A strange light began to shine in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ketal tilted his head in curiosity. [PR/N: Ahem Ahem. Barbarian and Elf child bro.] Arkamis¡¯s behavior seemed odd. She quickly snapped out of it and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Nothing at all.¡± Time passed. At some point, the moonlight started shining down on them. Ketal stood up. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s already that time.¡± ¡°I should head back. You should get plenty of rest since you¡¯re still not fully recovered.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Ketal left the house. As he walked back to the capital, he heard Arkamis muttering. ¡°¡­Could it be possible?¡± Arkamis leaned back in her chair, staring at the closed door. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She let out a groan. She had told Ketal about her desire forrades, friends, family, and having children. But those were just secondary wishes. Her true desire was something else. But when she tried to say it, she felt extremely embarrassed and couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak it aloud. The sacrednd of the elves. There, she hade across a human fairy tale book by chance. It was a story about a man¡¯s adventure. She read that book over and over until it became tattered. In it, there were tales of friendship and camaraderie. And also. ¡°Love¡­¡± She whispered softly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 116 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 116: The Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (1) ¡°Is Arkamis alright?¡± ¡°She seems to be,¡± Ketal answered Milena¡¯s question. A few days had passed, and Arkamis¡¯s condition had gradually improved. She wasn¡¯t back to her usual self, but she could move around without much difficulty. Milena sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°But something¡¯s changed about her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Her attitude has changed.¡± Since then, Arkamis¡¯s demeanor had be strangely familiar. It was as if a barrier had been removed. Not only that, she continuously spoke highly of the Elf¡¯s sacrednd. The sudden change was odd, but Ketal didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. ¡®I don¡¯t really understand, but it¡¯s probably a good thing.¡¯ Perhaps Arkamis had lowered one of her walls. Ketal thought of it as bing better friends. Growing closer to someone from a fantasy world was a satisfying thought for him. Ketal looked at Milena. ¡°You still seem very busy.¡± A week had passed since the demon¡¯s descent. But Milena was still in a state of constant busyness. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, and her hair was unkempt, possibly from not having the time to wash it properly. Even as she spoke with Ketal, she was processing documents. ¡°Thanks to you, we avoided major damage, but it wasn¡¯t insignificant either.¡± The demon¡¯s invasion had left the capital half-destroyed. Buildings had copsed, and many citizens had perished. The Akasha family was thergest merchant family in the Denian Kingdom. They employed arge number of people and owned many properties, suffering significant losses. Milena had to sort out the damages, ount for employees who lost their lives or homes, and handle workers¡¯pensation. Requests for approvals and decisions were flying towards her relentlessly. With a weary face, Milena spoke. ¡°The immediate problem is the shortage of supplies. External merchant groups are hesitant toe.¡± The location of the demon¡¯s descent. There was no guarantee it wouldn¡¯t happen again. The capital of Denian Kingdom was deemed a very dangerous ce. Some residents were even packing up to flee to the countryside. The kingdom was in a state of turmoil. To stabilize things, money was needed. Barbosa requested cooperation from the nobles. It was less a request and more of a demand for money and supplies. In a modern context, this would have been problematic, but this was a fantasy world, resembling the medieval times. The absolute monarchy could suppress dissent with force. Naturally, Milena also received a request for cooperation, adding to her stress. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal found it interesting. The descent of evil. A world falling apart because of it. Many creative works depict such stories, but rarely do they describe the aftermath in detail. Usually, it¡¯s glossed over with a brief mention of oveing and rebuilding. But this was reality. It wasn¡¯t a world that could be glossed over so easily. It was no different from a war. Things wouldn¡¯t go back to normal smoothly. Seeing it in reality was somewhat fascinating. ¡°It must be very tough.¡± But that was from Ketal¡¯s perspective; for Milena, it must have been unbearable. She gave a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s tough, but we have to endure.¡± It was a challenge she could ovee. In fact, it could even be an opportunity. The more the world shook, the more a merchant like her could profit. She refocused on the documents. After watching her for a moment, Ketal spoke. ¡°Do you need help?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It looks like there¡¯s too much for you to handle alone. You don¡¯t seem to have anyone suitable to help you either.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Milena hesitated. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but, um, handling these documents is quiteplicated. Are you sure you can manage?¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Of course. Despite appearances, I¡¯ve received a long education.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ could you help organize the list of lost goods from this incident?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal nodded and epted the stack of documents. Milena looked at him curiously. A barbarian handling paperwork with a pen was an incredible sight. But that was the extent of her thoughts. ¡®He¡¯ll probably give up soon.¡¯ Reading and writing were one thing; processing documents was another. Even new recruits often took hours for simple tasks. He¡¯d likely quit out of difficulty and boredom. Thinking this, Milena went back to her work. An hour passed. The towering stack of documents was gradually being sorted. As Milena continued her work, she heard Ketal¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°What?¡± Milena snapped to attention. Ketal had been sorting through the documents. ¡°¡­You said you¡¯re done?¡± ¡°Yes. There may be some errors, so it would be good to double-check.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Sure.¡± Milena took the stack of documents with a flustered expression. Her eyes widened as she checked the contents. ¡°What¡­ what?¡± She was astonished. The reason was simple. The documents were impably organized. There was nothing to critique. In fact, they seemed more perfect than when she did them herself. ¡®How?¡¯ She had given him arge number of documents, thinking he would give up quickly. It was enough work to keep even a seasoned employee busy for half a day. And yet, he hadpleted it all in just one hour, and so perfectly? ¡°K-Ketal, how did you¡­?¡± ¡°The amount of data wasn¡¯t veryrge, and the content was straightforward. It wasn¡¯t difficult.¡± Ketal nonchntly bit into a fruit. Milena stared at him, dumbfounded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± She quickly looked away. Thanks to Ketal, Milena was able to finish her work before midnight for the first time in a week. Taking a much-needed break, she sipped her tea. ¡®What kind of person is he?¡¯ She gazed at Ketal with a look of wonder. The more she knew about him, the less she understood. Simply being a barbarian from the White Snow ins couldn¡¯t exin everything. As she was about to ask something, Ketal spoke first. ¡°I heard there are problems not just here. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Milena nodded. The world was in turmoil. The descent of evil wasn¡¯t just a problem for the Denian Kingdom. While it was unusual for two named demons to descend simultaneously, minor conflicts were continually urring. Milena spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that hidden ck magic groups are starting to surface. Each religious order is preparing to respond.¡± ¡°Are there many religious orders?¡± ¡°Quite a few.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed curiosity. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Milena found Ketal¡¯s attitude intriguing. Barbarians typically didn¡¯t have a favorable view of gods. For them, the only object of belief was strength. They despised and scorned the idea of faith in separate entities like gods. Thus, no gods were epted in the northernnds where the barbarians lived. While Ketal was certainly unique, his essence was still that of a barbarian. Given his formidable strength, she had expected him to be indifferent or hostile towards gods, yet his attitude wasn¡¯t like that at all. His demeanor was almost friendly. Intrigued, Milena remembered something. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard a religious order ising to the Denian Kingdom to ask for help.¡± ¡°For help?¡± Ketal looked puzzled. ¡°A ce that serves a god is seeking the kingdom¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Not all orders arerge.¡± Orders that served gods like the Sun God or the Earth Goddess were very influential, almost as much as the empire itself. But there were many orders in this world. Some were so small that they didn¡¯t even have the influence of a minor kingdom. Such ces often received support from nearby kingdoms. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal thought for a moment and then tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°I have a question that might be inappropriate. May I ask?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Feel free.¡± ¡°You mentioned there are many orders, which means there are many gods. What exactly are gods?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Milena fell silent. After a moment, she cautiously began to speak. ¡°Are you asking about the fundamental nature of gods?¡± ¡°As you know, I lived in the White Snow ins. There are no gods there. So, I¡¯m curious about what they are exactly.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± Milena pondered for a while before starting her exnation. ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t really know.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal tilted his head at the unexpected answer. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know? Aren¡¯t they beings you worship and follow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but they are fundamentally shrouded in mystery.¡± Gods had existed since before humans appeared in this world. They watched over the earth, and when they could no longer tolerate the tyranny of evil, they descended to banish it. Since then, those who worship the gods have settled on earth. That was all they knew about the gods. ¡°Since the ancient war between gods and demons, they have never directly exerted their power on earth. Even when they do intervene, it¡¯s through revtions or granting divine power to their followers. They never descend themselves.¡± The gods did not interfere much on earth. Even if their own order was on the brink of destruction, they would only provide a revtion or appoint a saint. This didn¡¯t change even if the order was destroyed. Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°The actions of such great beings are beyond human understanding.¡± Milena quickly changed the subject, as if discussing it made her ufortable. ¡°In any case, I heard that a religious order hase here seeking help.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like we are in a position to help anyone right now.¡± They still hadn¡¯t fully addressed the damages. Many soldiers and knights had died, making it difficult to even guard the borders. ¡°They must be in a very urgent situation. It seems they¡¯ve been going around to various ces, not just here.¡± Being a merchant, Milena heard all sorts of rumors. It wasn¡¯t hard for her to track the movements of the religious order that hade to the capital.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Which god does this order worship?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Milena replied with an uncertain expression. ¡°The god of lies and deception, Kalosia.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression turned even more intrigued. * * * ¡°Ugh.¡± An old man groaned as he got off a carriage. He grumbled as he stepped down. ¡°Hey, you could help this old man out, you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably sturdier than I am, what are you talking about?¡± A ck-haired girl scoffed at the old man¡¯s words. He sighed. ¡°My child, you¡¯ve be so rough from working as a mercenary. It makes me so sad.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this.¡± The girl grumbled as she got off the carriage. She looked around. ¡°This is the Denian Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It looks more intact than I expected. I thought it would be in ruins after two demons descended.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The girl gazed at the capital, muttering anxiously. ¡°What if we get rejected here as well?¡± ¡°We might all die. There¡¯s not much we can do. We might end up being recorded as thest order serving Kalosia.¡± ¡°Stop making such unsettling remarks.¡± ¡°Well, to avoid that, you need to do your best.¡± ¡°Ugh. Why do I have to bear such a heavy responsibility? I just want to go back to the Barkan estate and work as a mercenary¡­¡± The girl bit her nails with a worried expression. The old man smiled gently. ¡°Whatever happens, we have to give it a try. Let¡¯s go in, Heize.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 117 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 117: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (2) A nun with ck hair and an old man walked through the capital of the Denian Kingdom. The nun looked around the city. ¡°I heard that evil had descended, but it seems to be in better shape than I expected.¡± ¡°Indeed. There aren¡¯t as many copsed buildings as I thought, and the people don¡¯t seem too gloomy either.¡± The capital was partially destroyed. Many buildings had copsed, and not a small number of people had died. But that was all. The descent of two named demons. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the kingdom of Denian could have been destroyed. To have held off that kind of threat with this amount of damage was hard to believe. The old man muttered with a peculiar expression. ¡°There is a Sword Master in the Denian Kingdom.¡± Maximus the Sword Master. As a true superhuman, his name is known even in other countries. ¡°And there is also an elf.¡± The elven alchemist Arkamis, who created superhuman-level warriors in coboration with the Empire. It was widely known that she was staying in the Denian Kingdom. ¡°Did those two fend off the demon attack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s known.¡± Two named demons had descended on the capital of the Denian Kingdom. The Demon of Gravitas, Ashetiar, and the Demon of Severance, Butler. The demons rampaged to destroy the capital. The king, having received a revtion from the Earth Goddess, had made preparations, but most of the priests were stationed at the borders. The remaining priests desperately tried to stop the demons, but they were brutally ughtered. At the moment the capital was about to fall, Maximus, who returned quickly, and Arkamis, who was staying near the capital, defeated the demons. That is the known oue of the incident. The existence of Ketal was not revealed, as Barbosa, following the advice of the Tower Master, had kept the information hidden. Therefore, people were amazed at the strength of Maximus and Arkamis. It was extremely difficult to drive away two named demons without the aid of divine power. The two¡¯s strength was being highly praised. But the old man had a dubious expression. ¡°An elf might have superhuman strength to oppose a named demon. But¡­ the damage is too minimal. No matter how superhuman, it would have been quite difficult to face them without the help of priests.¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something more?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my shallow thought, but it seems likely.¡± The old man tapped his waist. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk for now. We can confirm afterward.¡± * * * Barbosa closed his eyes with a weary face. He was extremely busy. Rebuilding the half-destroyed capital required a vast amount of money and resources. He had to squeeze the nobles and suppress or appease their resistance andints with force. That wasn¡¯t all. Various countries, upon hearing the news, were requesting information about the demons. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He also had to send condolences andpensation to the Earth Goddess¡¯s Church, which had lost its priests. Barbosa¡¯s current wish was to rest for just an hour without any worries. But he couldn¡¯t do that. Another matter was approaching him. A servant quietly entered and bowed. ¡°Your Majesty. The time hase.¡± ¡°I know. To visit at such a busy time. I wish I could ignore them.¡± ¡°Your Majesty. But¡­¡± ¡°I know. I can¡¯t do that.¡± A god. One who oversees the world. Matters rted to them couldn¡¯t be treated lightly. Even if their church was small and widely detested. ¡°The Church of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception.¡± Barbosa muttered as he stood up. ¡°Tell them to wait a bit longer. I will be there soon.¡± * * * Barbosa sat in the reception room. In front of him were a ck-haired girl and an old man. The girl, nervous, stammered. ¡°Th-thank you for your hospitality, Lord Barbosa. I am Sister Heize, serving the God of Lies and Deception, Kalosia.¡± Heize stood up and bowed politely. The old man spoke. ¡°I thank you as well. Despite our sudden visit, you¡¯ve kindlye to meet us. I am Nas, a servant of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception. Though unworthy, I hold the position of elder.¡± Nas did not stand up but bowed his head politely. His demeanor was much more rxedpared to Heize, but Barbosa did not mind. Holding the position of elder meant proving one¡¯s faith and devotion to the god. The ones they owed respect and politeness to were the saint or leader of their church, and the god they served. It was rare for someone like Nas to bow and show respect. Most would start with rude remarks. ¡°I am Barbosa, the King of the Denian Kingdom. Given the situation, let¡¯s dispense with formalities. I will ask directly.¡± Barbosa looked at Nas. ¡°What is the reason for your visit?¡± The Church of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception. A church detested and rejected by people. Their infamy was well-known throughout the world. ¡°Nas.¡± Barbosa pressed for an answer. Instead of answering, Nas carefully moved back. ¡°The child beside me will answer. I am here only to advise.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± Barbosa was surprised by Nas¡¯s response. Nas was an elder of the church, and yet he had yielded the floor to the nun. There was only one meaning to this: they were grooming her for a high-ranking position within the church. ¡®She seems too young for that, though.¡¯ ¡°Well, Heize.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Heize struggled to steady her trembling voice and began to speak with aposed expression. ¡°Barbosa, King of the Denian Kingdom. The Church of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception, officially requests your help. Will you assist us?¡± A request for aid. It was an expected request, so Barbosa¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but he was puzzled. ¡°As you must know, our kingdom is not in a good state.¡± The invasion of two named demons. They were in a position where they needed help themselves, let alone helping others. He couldn¡¯t understand why they woulde and ask for cooperation despite knowing this. ¡°¡­I understand it is a presumptuous and difficult request. But we have already been rejected by other kingdoms.¡± Heize smiled bitterly. Barbosa frowned at her words. It was a very humble stance, not one usually shown by someone serving a god. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] This indicated how urgent the situation was. ¡°As far as I recall, the Church of Kalosia has superhuman-level warriors. Is that still insufficient?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­What is happening?¡± Heize opened her mouth to speak. ¡°A group of dark magicians, the Cradle of Darkness, is attacking our holynd.¡± Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. Demons were invading this world, attempting to take it from the embrace of the gods and im it as their own. And there were those who worshipped these demons. They were called dark magicians. The gods had issued revtions to hunt them down whenever they appeared, yet the dark magicians had tenaciously survived and formed a significant group. Worshippers and servants of evil, betrayers threatening thend. That was the Cradle of Darkness. If they were on the move, a single superhuman would not suffice. The Cradle of Darkness had the power to rival even the Sun God¡¯s Church if they so desired. ¡°¡­What is their current state?¡± ¡°Two superhuman-level dark magicians, numerous first-rate warriors, and countless demonic creatures.¡± Barbosa groaned. It was enough force to destroy a small country. Heize gave a bitter smile. ¡°They are brazenly pressuring our holynd. Our holy knights are desperately trying to fend them off, but weck the strength.¡± ¡°¡­What revtion did Lord Kalosia give?¡± ¡°Respond to those who dare defile mynd.¡± Barbosa groaned at Heize¡¯s words. This meant that the dark magicians¡¯ attack was indeed a significant threat. ¡°Normally, they wouldn¡¯t dare to act so openly, but the world is in turmoil. They are boldly dering their names and attacking our holynd. We can hold out for now, but there are limits. So, please, we ask for your help.¡± Heize bowed politely. ¡°Will you assist us?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Barbosa remained silent. Originally, he had nned to listen briefly and then dismiss them. But after hearing the story, he couldn¡¯t respond so lightly. The Cradle of Darkness, which usually operated in the shadows, had boldly shown itself and was directly attacking a holy site. It was a problem on par with the descent of named demons in the Denian Kingdom. Under normal circumstances, he would have immediately moved to help. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, Barbosa spoke. ¡°We are also in no position to help anyone. It¡¯s difficult for us.¡± It wasn¡¯t an empty excuse; they truly had no capacity to help. Dozens of knights had died. A knight, who had been expected to reach the level of a superhuman and had been supported by the kingdom, had also died tragically. Maximus was currently recuperating after the battle. No matter how much he thought about it, they had no means to help. ¡°I see¡­¡± Heize¡¯s expression wavered, but she calmly spoke. ¡°Thank you for weing us despite our sudden visit, Lord Barbosa.¡± ¡°No, I apologize for not being able to give you a better answer.¡± Just as the conversation seemed to end without any resolution, Nas spoke. ¡°I have one question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is said that Sword Master Maximus and the elven alchemist Arkamis, who can create superhumans, drove away the two named demons.¡± Nas looked at Barbosa with a curious smile. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The eyes of the church elder and the eyes of the king met and locked onto each other. ¡°It is true,¡± Barbosa finally spoke after a brief silence. There was no wavering in his eyes. After a moment of staring, Nas was the first to back down. ¡°I see. I apologize for the presumptuous question.¡± ¡°No, given the circumstances, it¡¯s understandable.¡± With those calm words, the conversation ended. * * * ¡°Hm.¡± Nas muttered as he stepped outside. ¡°We¡¯re doomed.¡± ¡°Aaah¡­.¡± Heize squatted down on the ground. The calm expression she had been maintaining disappeared, reced by a groan of despair. ¡°What do we do? If we¡¯re refused here too, there¡¯s nowhere else to go¡­.¡± ¡°Indeed. In that case, we might have to visit another church.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a risky move. But we have no other choice.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Heize tangled her fingers in her hair, causing her fine ck locks to sway messily. Nas narrowed his eyes. ¡°They seem to be hiding something¡­¡± When Nas asked his final question, Barbosa had hesitated slightly before answering. This hesitation convinced Nas that Maximus and Arkamis had not been the ones to defeat the demons. ¡°But if he kept it hidden until the end, that means it¡¯s something he truly cannot reveal. Whatever it is¡­ it¡¯s worth investigating.¡± Nas straightened his back. ¡°First, we should visit that elf named Arkamis.¡± Barbosa had refused them, but Arkamis was not affiliated with the Denian Kingdom. She was merely staying there temporarily. If they could find her, she might be able to help them. ¡°We must ensure we are not thest followers of Kalosia.¡± ¡°Do you have to say such ominous things?¡± Nas chuckled. Heize, still looking despondent, started walking again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 118 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 118: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (3) ¡°So you came to see me,¡± Milena said with an ambiguous expression. Nas nodded. ¡°Apologies for the sudden visit. I regret any rudeness.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡± Milena trailed off. It really was a sudden visit. Normally, she would have refused. She had plenty of immediate tasks to deal with and no time to converse with strangers. But this was a follower of a god. As they were representatives of the Church, she couldn¡¯t refuse. Nas spoke up. ¡°I am Nas, a servant of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception. Though unworthy, I hold the position of Elder.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I am Heize, a nun serving Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception.¡± Nas and Heize introduced themselves. Milena nodded awkwardly. ¡°Ah. Yes¡­ Nice to meet you.¡± Her expression showed unease. There was a sense of rejection and anxiety towards the followers of Kalosia. Nas gave a bitter smile. ¡°I understand your feelings, but we have no intention of causing trouble. If you wish, I can swear in the name of Kalosia.¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ve heard that the Church of Kalosia has changed its policies.¡± Milena shook her head hastily and cleared her throat. ¡°So, you want to meet Arkamis.¡± The Church of Kalosia was currently being invaded by evil forces. They were seeking external help, and this time their target was Arkamis. ¡°I understand that you are the only one who can connect us to Arkamis.¡± Arkamis did not like tomunicate with the outside world. Several people had visited seeking her help, but she had refused them all. Only if Milena allowed it, would she meet with them. ¡°I know it¡¯s an unreasonable and rude request, but I¡¯m sorry. We don¡¯t even have the luxury of time.¡± ¡°No, since it¡¯s a matter involving evil, it¡¯s only right that we cooperate. But it¡¯s not possible right now.¡± Arkamis had suffered significant damage in a battle with demons. Although she hadrgely recovered, she was still not in perfect condition. She was not in a situation to help anyone else. Nas¡¯ eyes wavered upon hearing this. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Milena bowed her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Thank you for weing us despite the sudden visit.¡± Nas forced a smile. The two stepped outside. Heize mumbled nkly. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Nas sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± With Arkamis unable to cooperate, their path was blocked. After standing in thought for a while, Nas shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break and think about it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been moving without proper rest due to the sudden journey. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but time is¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s urgent, but it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have the luxury of a brief rest. Kalosia won¡¯t me us for taking a day to clear our heads.¡± Their sanctuary was certainly in danger. But it wasn¡¯t an immediate crisis requiring urgent assistance. The sanctuary was under the protection of their god, so they had some time to spare. ¡°The more you overthink it, the less likely you are to find an answer. Sometimes, taking a rest can bring rity. Let¡¯s clear our heads for today. Don¡¯t think too deeply. You never know; the answer mighte during the break.¡± With that, Nas started walking away. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To do some sightseeing. This ce is much bigger and cleaner than our sanctuary. It¡¯s worth exploring.¡± Nas left. Left alone, Heize muttered nkly. ¡°Half of this city is in ruins¡­¡± She could guess why Nas was acting this way. He was probably trying to ease her burden. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t solve our situation.¡± She sighed and started walking. Nas wasn¡¯t wrong. Sometimes taking a break could lead to answers. ¡°Maybe I should rest a bit too¡­¡± After leaving the Barkan estate, she had traveled to many ces. She was indeed quite tired. As she wandered the capital, she found a tea house. It seemed to have avoided damage from the demon invasion, as it was a bit away from the center of the capital. She could hear people talking inside, indicating it was open. The tea house, located in the capital, was very clean and upscale. She felt a spark of interest. After a moment of hesitation, she made up her mind and pushed the door open. Ding. The bell on the door rang. She cautiously sat at an empty seat. Soon, a server approached her. ¡°May I take your order?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She ordered some tea and snacks. Shortly after, the server brought her order. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The server didn¡¯t leave right away. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asked, ¡°Excuse me¡­ are you perhaps a priestess of the Earth Mother?¡± [TL/N: Followers of Earth Goddess call her Earth Goddess.] Heize was wearing a nun¡¯s habit. The design and symbols were unique, but it was clearly the attire of someone serving a god. Recently, some followers of the Earth Goddess had visited this area. Naturally, the server assumed Heize was a priestess of the Earth Goddess. There was kindness in the server¡¯s eyes. It was only natural. The priests of the Earth Goddess were known for their self-sacrifice in fighting against demons. In fact, the number of people who worshipped the Earth Goddess had increased significantly after the demon invasion. Heize gave a bitter smile and said, ¡°No, I serve Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The kindness in the server¡¯s eyes quickly turned to shock. She unconsciously took a step back. The other customers reacted simrly, instinctively distancing themselves upon hearing Heize¡¯ words. ¡°Please be assured. I have no intention of causing trouble. If you wish, I can swear in the name of Kalosia.¡± ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s not necessary. Have a pleasant time¡­¡± The server hastily retreated. The difference in attitude from when they thought she was a priestess of the Earth Goddess was stark. Heize let out a small sigh. She was used to this. Kalosia¡¯s power was specialized in deceiving and tricking others. It was not a church that could easily gain favor from people. And their reactions were not entirely based on prejudice. Many priests of Kalosia had caused trouble in the past. Although the church had since changed its policies, its notorious past left a heavy stigma. Heize¡¯ face grew somber. In the Barkan estate, it was somewhat better. They had gotten used to her over time and epted her without much prejudice. But other ces were different. They always shunned and rejected her. This fact made her feel a bit mncholic. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ She shook her head. There was no time to be buried in such emotions. The important thing now was the evil forces attacking their sanctuary. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®We need cooperation¡­¡¯ But they had already been rejected by everyone. At this rate, they might have to seek help from other churches. As she was pondering with a groan, the doorbell jingled as the door opened. With her mind preupied, she didn¡¯t hear it. Simultaneously, she heard the scraping sound of a chair being pulled back. ¡°Huh?¡± Heize looked up. The customers were hurriedly rushing outside. Their eyes were filled with fear. ¡®Why, why are they doing that?¡¯ Could it be because of me? Are they scared because a priest of Kalosia is here? Just as she was about to feel deeply hurt, she realized that the reason people were leaving wasn¡¯t her. Heize¡¯ face turned pale. Arge barbarian leisurely sat down. The elegant chair creaked as if it would break under his weight. Heize recognized who this barbarian was. The barbarian felt her gaze and turned his head. Their eyes met. Then the barbarian smiled brightly. ¡°Oh! Heize! Isn¡¯t it Heize!¡± ¡°Ke, Ketal?¡± * * * Ketal¡¯s face truly showed joy. And Heize was stunned. Why is that barbarian here! Ketal stood up from his seat. ¡°What a coincidence to meet again! May I join you?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Yes¡­¡± Ketal walked over and sat opposite Heize. His face was full of friendliness. Ketal was genuinely happy. Heize, a priestess of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception. They had met in the Barkan estate, and she was one of his first party members when he first conquered a dungeon. They had taken on several missions together. They parted ways due to a protection mission, and now meeting again like this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. And Heize was extremely flustered. ¡°Ke, Ketal, why are you here¡­¡± ¡°I left the Barkan estate for a protection mission. This is where I ended up. I¡¯m staying here for a while.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Um, um.¡± A server approached. The server¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Um¡­ would you like to order something¡­?¡± The voice was so weak, it seemed ready to disappear into a hole. The server showed even more fear than when dealing with the priestess of Kalosia. Ketal ordered from the menu. The server left in a hurry. Heize cautiously asked, ¡°Is this a ce you visit often¡­?¡± ¡°No. This is my first time.¡± Until now, he had been staying at Arkamis¡¯s residence, learning alchemy. But since her condition wasn¡¯t great, it was hard to do that every day. While wandering around the capital out of boredom, he discovered the tea shop and decided to enter, where he found Heize. It was a miraculous coincidence. ¡®This must be one of those fantasy coincidences.¡¯ Ketal was slightly moved. Heize had a simr thought. ¡®What an incredible coincidence.¡¯ ¡°So, what brings you here? Sightseeing?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Heize shook her head. ¡°I came seeking help because of a problem with the church.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°What kind of problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Heize trailed off. Although the church¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t exactly a secret, it wasn¡¯t something to discuss lightly with outsiders. Sensing her hesitation, Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°Weren¡¯t werades who solved missions together? If you can¡¯t talk about it, that¡¯s fine. But if sharing it with someone would ease your mind, I¡¯m here to listen. It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Ketal¡­¡± Heize was moved by his words. Thinking back, Ketal had never harmed her. On the contrary, he had shown her kindness. It was she who had feared and distanced herself from him. In a way, it was her prejudice. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ How was she any different from those who feared her just because she served Kalosia? Resolving herself, she calmly exined the situation. She told him that Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary was under attack by evil forces. That to seek cooperation, an elder of the church hade to her, prompting her to leave the Barkan estate. That they had been wandering around seeking help but were having little sess. ¡°We even requested help from the Kingdom of Gehentra¡­ but they are currently dealing with problems at their borders and don¡¯t have the capacity to assist. Other kingdoms are in the same situation.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal murmured quietly after listening to her story. ¡°ck magicians attacking a divine sanctuary¡­¡± There was a strange fervor in his voice. Not noticing this, Heize nodded. ¡°The situation is dire. Weck the strength to deal with it alone, so we are seeking cooperation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± Ketal muttered. ¡°You need help.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heize nodded again. ¡°Would it be a problem if an individual helped, instead of an organization?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a problem. We¡¯d be grateful for any help.¡± At that point, Heize paused and looked at Ketal¡¯s expression. ¡°¡­Ketal?¡± ¡°In that case, that¡¯s great!¡± Ketalughed heartily. ¡°As arade and friend, I can¡¯t just stand by! Let me lend you my humble assistance!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 119 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 119: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (4) ¡°Huh, what?¡± Heize¡¯ face showed immediate confusion. She stammered and asked. ¡°Wa-wait. You¡¯re going to help us?¡± ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you say you needed help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°When you return to the Holy Land, I shall apany you. Though I am but a humble individual, I will do my best to assist you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Heize was taken aback. She tried to rid herself of any prejudices about Ketal. She wanted to reduce her sense of rejection and ept him. ¡®But that¡¯s a separate matter from bringing him to the Holy Land!¡¯ She screamed internally. Ketal was certainly not a bad person. He had helped her and treated her kindly. She owed him quite a bit. If Ketal said they werepanions, it wasn¡¯t an overstatement. But that was as far as it went. Heize couldn¡¯t fathom what kind of person Ketal really was. During the battle between the Inquisitor of the Sun God and the demon, Ketal¡¯s behavior was extremely peculiar. He leisurely watched the fight and casually conversed with the demon. Heize could see it clearly. Ketal¡¯s gaze upon the Inquisitor and the demon. There was no distinction between good and evil in his eyes. In the end, he did help Aquaz, but she couldn¡¯t tell if it was just a whim or if he genuinely wanted to help. His values were undoubtedly separate from those of the people of this world. To bring such a being directly to the Holy Land? She couldn¡¯t fathom such an action. If she were acting alone, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but she was a priestess of the gods. It wasn¡¯t something she could judge and handle on her own. She shook her head hastily. ¡°No. I appreciate the sentiment, but it¡¯s alright. The Holy Land is extremely dangerous right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Though I may not look it, I have sufficient strength.¡± Ketalughed heartily. Heize knew that as well. Ketal possessed the power to toy with named demons. ¡®¡­That¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s dangerous!¡¯ If Ketal exhibited the same behavior as before in the Holy Land, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control him. Heize spoke desperately. ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous than you can imagine. There are numerous superhuman-level dark sorcerers, many of top tier. Even the highest-ranking superhumans might appear.¡± She exaggerated the danger further, hoping he¡¯d change his mind. ¡°They¡¯re besieging the Holy Land, attacking it. Monsters are everywhere, and all routes are cut off. Only the light protecting the Holy Land remains, but outside, it¡¯s already engulfed in darkness.¡± But she didn¡¯t realize that her words only intrigued Ketal more. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Then they need help even more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ketal showed no sign of backing down. Heize couldn¡¯t understand him at all. ¡®Is he a barbarian eager for battle? But it¡¯s an invasion of evil. This is a different matter entirely.¡¯ She racked her brain. But Ketal had no suchplex thoughts. ¡®I¡¯ve always wanted to visit the Holy Land. This is perfect.¡¯ A real, influential, transcendent being. A ce directly protected by such entities.N?v(el)B\\jnn It was one of the ces he wanted to visit, but the opportunity rarely arose. The Holy Land typically didn¡¯t wee outsiders. He thought he¡¯d visit someday, but now, the chance hade sooner than expected. He could help Heize and see the Holy Land. And there was more. The Holy Land. The dark sorcerers besieging it. A grand sh of light and dark. He could already envision the scene. Ketal had no intention of missing out. ¡®Perfect timing since I had nothing else to do.¡¯ ¡°This, this is our matter¡­ If you get involved, the evil entities might target you.¡± ¡°They already are.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± In the Barkan territory, Ketal had been marked by demons. Heize remembered that btedly. ¡°Even if it weren¡¯t for that time, it¡¯s the same now.¡± Ketal muttered. Heize¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°¡­Could it be, Ketal, during this evil invasion¡­¡± ¡°I helped a friend.¡± Heize realized that what Nas mentioned had been about Ketal. ¡°Come to think of it, you did invite me. Perfect timing. I¡¯ll visit this opportunity.¡± Back in the Barkan territory, Heize had invited Ketal to the holynd of Kalosia. Half resigned, Heize spoke. ¡°¡­We don¡¯t have much to offer in return, are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°This is a friend¡¯s difficulty; there¡¯s no need for a reward. I will surely help.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± * * * ¡°Haah.¡± Returning to his quarters, Nas sat on the edge of the bed, his face weary. He rubbed his eyes. ¡°What should I do¡­.¡± He had maintained a calm demeanor in front of Heize, but internally, he was anxious. He had requested help from every ce that came to mind, but they all refused due to their own circumstances. From now on, if he wanted to ask for cooperation, he would have to approach other churches. The chances of getting help were high; it was an invasion of evil, after all, and they wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. But the methods and timing were the problems. Rtions between churches devoted to different gods weren¡¯t particrly good. Especially for a church that served Kalosia, which was often ostracized and persecuted. He couldn¡¯t predict how the other churches would act if they epted their plea. They might move after Kalosia¡¯s church was destroyed or detain and imprison them. The kingdom wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing. Treating a church in such a manner would cause significant issues. But those wielding the shield of divinity could do as they pleased. Not all churches would act that way, of course. Some would genuinely help. It was a gamble. Asking another god for help was an insult to Kalosia. But there were no other options left. Just as Nas was about to make his decision, there was a knock at the door. He rxed his expression. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and Heize entered. Nas¡¯s gaze softened as he looked at her. ¡°Did you rest well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Heize nodded. Nas looked at her with a mix of pity and pride. Thinking about it, this was truly a disaster for her. She had set out on a pilgrimage to improve herself, only to be dragged around by him, being told the holynd was in danger. She must have felt confused and tired, but she hadn¡¯t shown it, quietly following him. He felt sorry for her but also proud. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Heize hesitated briefly before speaking. ¡°I found someone who¡¯s willing to help.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nas¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Someone¡¯s willing to help us?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Nas asked urgently. Heize replied. ¡°A barbarian.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Nas hesitated. Heize, resigned, began to exin. Nas stroked his chin after hearing the story. ¡°¡­The barbarian from the Barkan territory you mentioned.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nas knew about Ketal. While traveling together, he had asked Heize various things. Someone who had formed a party with Heize and cleared dungeons. Someone who had defeated the demon that descended on the Barkan territory. ¡°Hmm,¡± Nas pondered. ¡°He said he¡¯d help us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no doubt about his strength. He would certainly be helpful to us.¡± A barbarian with the power to overwhelm a named demon like Ashetiar. At least a superhuman-level powerhouse. Having even one such individual would be a great help. They could return without further dys. ¡°A barbarian¡­.¡± But there was a problem. The fact that he was a barbarian. Nas, as an elder of the church, had undertaken many pilgrimages before reaching his position and had met many barbarians. Not once had those encounters ended well. Barbarians rejected the existence of gods. Naturally, priests who served gods were targets of hatred and contempt. There had even been times when barbarians had swung axes at them, telling them to ask their gods for help. Nas, after contemting, spoke up. ¡°We need to meet him first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to meet him?¡± ¡°From what you¡¯ve told me, he seems very different from other barbarians, so it¡¯s worth meeting him.¡± Heize hadn¡¯t mentioned Ketal¡¯s peculiar nature when describing him. She hadn¡¯t felt the need to. ¡°It¡¯s better than requesting cooperation from another god¡¯s church.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It might not be, Heize thought, but she swallowed her words with effort. Nas spoke again. ¡°Arrange a meeting. I¡¯ll speak with him directly.¡± * * * Nas sat in a chair in his quarters. Soon, the barbarian would arrive. He felt a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. Soon there was a knock at the door, followed by a deep voice. ¡°May Ie in?¡± ¡°¡­Enter.¡± Creak. The door opened. The first feeling Nas experienced was one of being overwhelmed. ¡®¡­He¡¯s big.¡¯ He was a head taller than the average person, and even among the barbarians Nas had met, he was quiterge. There was an odd sense of intimidation about him. A person of weak heart would likely hold their breath just from facing him. Nas stood up calmly to greet him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Nas. I serve the God of Lies and Deception, Kalosia. Though I am unworthy, I hold the position of an elder.¡± ¡°¡­An elder.¡± Ketal muttered with a peculiar look in his eyes. Nas tensed momentarily. ¡®As expected, a barbarian has a sense of rejection towards priests.¡¯ Although Heize had said Ketal was different, Nas didn¡¯t believe it. He was old and experienced, and thus carried his own prejudices. ¡®He might be somewhat socialized, but¡­¡¯ A barbarian was still a barbarian. They disregarded church and valued strength. Nas braced himself for any potential situation. But Ketal¡¯s thoughts were entirely different. ¡®Elder.¡¯ The highest position ayperson could attain. Though based on earthly standards, it wouldn¡¯t be much different here. He must be a high-ranking member among those who serve gods. Meeting such a person directly was a rather strange feeling. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ketal adopted a polite posture and began to greet him courteously. ¡®This is how it¡¯s done, right?¡¯ Nas¡¯ pupils dted in surprise. The fact that a barbarian showed manners wasn¡¯t that surprising. This was the capital of the kingdom. A truly uncouth barbarian wouldn¡¯t have made it here. He assumed Ketal would be somewhat socialized. The reason Nas was surprised was different. The greeting Ketal used was the traditional etiquette of the Kalosia church. A barbarian was following the church¡¯s etiquette. ¡°Greetings hidden in Deception hidden within lies. I am Ketal, a simple barbarian.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 120 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 120: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (5) The Kalosia Church had its own rituals. No, it wasn¡¯t just the Kalosia Church; every church had its own rituals. With hundreds of years of history, this was naturally expected. But no one observed them. For instance, even Nas did not follow the rituals when meeting with Barbosa and Milena. The reason was simple. Except for members within the church, no one knew the rituals. There were numerous churches. Unless it was arge church like the Sun God or Earth Goddess, it was extremely rare to know the rituals of a small church. Yet now, Ketal was perfectly observing the rituals of Kalosia. Even after taking his seat, Nas couldn¡¯t hide his agitation. He stammered as he asked. ¡°How do you know the rituals of Lord Kalosia¡­?¡± ¡°I heard from Heize before. It seems I remembered correctly.¡± Ketal smiled contentedly. Nas¡¯s eyes widened. He must have heard about it back in the Barkan territory. Despite the long passage of time, he remembered the rituals he heard back then? ¡°I don¡¯t serve a god.¡± Ketal spoke softly. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no reason to observe the rituals. You serve Kalosia. When dealing with such a person, it¡¯s only proper to show respect.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Nas¡¯s face filled with emotion. To show respect. What a wonderful mindset. It was hard to believe such words wereing from a barbarian. His affection for Ketal increased rapidly. As he looked warmly at Ketal, Nas suddenly snapped back to reality. ¡®No.¡¯ He was here to assess this man named Ketal. If he felt goodwill too early, he wouldn¡¯t be able to judge him objectively. Nas cleared his throat, trying to collect himself. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard about you from Heize. You cleared a dungeon together in the Barkan territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ketal hadpleted a few missions with Heize. Even after that, they asionally met for meals. In other words, they had that level of connection. They might greet each other warmly and form a party again if they met elsewhere, but it wasn¡¯t a rtionship where they would risk their lives in a battle against evil. ¡°Why did you say you¡¯d help us?¡± Nas asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°We are a small, insignificant church. We cannot provide you with rewardsmensurate with your help. You will be fighting with nothing to gain, risking only your life.¡± He spoke the harsh reality. Nas narrowed his eyes, trying to read Ketal¡¯s mind. ¡°Hmm.¡± But Ketal didn¡¯t have any particr thoughts. ¡®I just want to see the holy site of the god.¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t say that. Ketal spoke appropriately. ¡°As you said, Heize and I are not that close. But we wererades once. And I consider her a friend.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to help a friend in danger?¡± Ketal tilted his head. That wasn¡¯t exactly a lie; it was Ketal¡¯s true feeling. Nas asked in a trembling voice. ¡°You will gain nothing but verbal thanks. She is a friend you¡¯ve only known for a few days, yet you would do this without any reward?¡± Ketal answered simply. ¡°That¡¯s what a friend is. What more meaning do you need to find?¡± ¡®I wanted to say something like this too.¡¯ Ketal felt very pleased. He suppressed the smile that was trying to emerge. And Nas was deeply moved. ¡®A friend.¡¯ The bond between people. Even if one¡¯s life was at risk, one would move for a friend. Some might call such a person foolish and stupid. But Nas served a god. He himself was foolish and stupid, so Ketal¡¯s answer deeply resonated with him. His affection rose again. ¡®No. No.¡¯ Nas desperately suppressed his feelings. He looked at Ketal with as cold a gaze as possible. That answer could also be a lie. He needed to figure out what mask he was wearing. Nas narrowed his eyes. ¡°But to be honest, I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Nas pointed at Ketal with his finger. ¡°You are a barbarian.¡± Barbarians revered strength. ¡°You deny the gods we serve and despise us. How can someone like you be Heize¡¯s friend ande to our holy site, risking your life to help us?¡± Nas spoke with suspicion. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Above all, we serve the god of lies and Deception, Lord Kalosia.¡± Lies and Deception were among the things barbarians hated most. Some socialized barbarians epted the existence of gods, but even they couldn¡¯t hide their contempt for Kalosia. Nas prayed silently. ¡®Lord Kalosia. Prepare your servant of lies and Deception here.¡¯ Divine power gathered within Nas, soon forming a small bell. This was the power of Kalosia. If anyone present attempted to deceive others with lies and Deception, the bell would ring to alert him. This power could only activate when someone was present and required preparation time due to its high level of potency. Nas quietly waited for Ketal¡¯s response. Then Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°Can serving someone be a cause for contempt and persecution?¡± Thepletely unexpected words caused Nas to hesitate. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Do your followers cause significant trouble?¡± ¡°N-No, they don¡¯t.¡± In the past, followers of Kalosia had caused many problems. But that was no longer the case, as the church had changed its direction. ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± Ketal asked in a puzzled tone. ¡°Serving someone shouldn¡¯t be a cause for contempt and persecution.¡± Ketal was a modern man. He had lived in South Korea, considered a developed country, and received a standard education there. He had learned that discriminating against someone for serving a deity was problematic, and he believed this himself. To him, this was a given. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Even if a priest of Kalosia causes a problem, it¡¯s an individual issue, not a collective one.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­¡± But Nas was bewildered by Ketal¡¯s response. This world was akin to the Middle Ages on Earth. Serving someone could itself be a reason for discrimination. There was a real social hierarchy. Discrimination against others wasmon, and there was no awareness that it was wrong. Moreover, unlike Earth, this world had other races like elves and dwarves. With different races interacting and living together, discrimination naturally arose. In this world, discrimination wasn¡¯t seen as an issue. Very few saints did not discriminate. ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t discriminate against us?¡± Nas was so flustered that even his manner of speaking changed. Ketal calmly replied. ¡°If I had, I wouldn¡¯t have be friends with Heize in the first ce. To me, Heize is just Heize. What you worship and follow is of no importance to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The bell did not ring. This meant that all of Ketal¡¯s words were true. Nas looked at Ketal with stunned eyes. Emotions began to form in those eyes. Nas was very old. He had lived as a priest of Kalosia since his youth and, recognized for his experience and achievements, had risen to the position of elder. And with all that experience, he had faced much discrimination and persecution. Scornful gazes were always present, and there were numerous attempts to exclude him. Even when he helped and gave to others, there were countless times when people rejected and pushed him away simply because he was a priest of Kalosia.N?v(el)B\\jnn To Nas, people¡¯s discrimination was a given. It had hurt him at first, but there had been so many incidents that his heart became worn and numb, no longer feeling any reaction. But Ketal¡¯s words struck a chord in Nas¡¯s worn heart. For a moment, tears welled up in Nas¡¯s eyes. His face began to show unmistakable emotion. * * * ¡°Hmm¡­¡± In her room, Heize sat on her bed with a worried expression, her legs moving restlessly as if to reveal her unease. ¡°Has the conversation ended by now?¡± Nas and Ketal were meeting and talking. It was about time for their discussion to be over. Heize had a mixed expression. ¡®I wonder how it went.¡¯ To be honest, it was fifty-fifty. Nas might take a liking to Ketal. Ketal hadn¡¯t done anything particrly problematic in his actions. If Nas epted Ketal, Heize would also ept him without any objections. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m overthinking things.¡¯ Nas would test Ketal. If he passed that without any issues, it was likely that Heize had misunderstood Ketal. Due to the intense incident of conflict between an inquisitor and a demon, she might have formed a wrong impression. Heize steadied her mind. The door opened. Nas entered. ¡°How did it go?¡± Heize asked Nas. Nas spoke in an exceedingly excited voice. ¡°He¡¯s a saint.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°A person like him exists in this world. His barbarian appearance is just a disguise. Is the great one hiding his true form to observe the world?¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± Heize was flustered. Something seemed off about his reaction. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m thinking too much. But even so, he¡¯s an incredible person. To have such a mindset and thoughts as a barbarian. Is that really possible?¡± Nas couldn¡¯t hide his excitement as he spoke. His demeanor made Heize extremely uneasy. ¡°Na-Nas?¡± She had expected him to feel some goodwill. Ketal had epted her without any resistance. Having faced discrimination for a long time, Nas would likely appreciate that attitude. But this was too much. This seemed like brainwashing. Heize¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Nas, what¡¯s wrong? Snap out of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more in my right mind than ever.¡± Nas sat on the bed, rubbing his chin with an excited expression. ¡°He¡¯s extraordinary. To have such a mindset despite being born a barbarian and likely facing much discrimination and scorn. It truly feels like he might be a saint.¡± ¡°Nas! Get a grip!¡± Heize screamed. Nas¡¯s behavior was frightening her. Nasughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m more clear-headed now than ever. He didn¡¯t seem to harbor any prejudice against us. Hmm¡­¡± Nas pondered for a moment before his eyes gleamed. ¡°¡­We should consider bringing him into our church.¡± Heize¡¯s face went white. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 121 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 121: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (6) ¡°No, what kind of crazy talk is this?!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Heize shouted. A saint. A person of wisdom and virtue. One who has attained enlightenment and has reached the state of Nirvana. Even if youbined all the religious churches worldwide, it was extremely rare to find someone acknowledged as a saint. Such a positionmanded universal recognition and respect. Could Ketal be such a saint? ¡°He¡¯s absolutely not that kind of person!¡± He was not someone who had detached himself from emotions and attained enlightenment. Rather, he was a person who pursued his desires more than anyone else. Knowing this, Heize was dumbfounded by Nas¡¯s words. But Nas chuckled heartily. ¡°That¡¯s your bias talking. You said you were hisrade, right? Maybe you couldn¡¯t see his greatness because you were too close.¡± ¡°No. What are you talking about?¡± Heize was on the verge of losing her mind. She had expected they might ept Ketal, but this was too bizarre. ¡®Did he do something?¡¯ Naturally, she began to think that Ketal might have pulled some trick on Nas. Heize stared at Nas in astonishment. The next day, Heize met Ketal with a haggard face. She desperately tried to exin that Ketal wasn¡¯t that kind of person and that there must be some misunderstanding, but Nas didn¡¯t listen. Instead, he looked at her strangely for being so vehemently opposed. In the end, Heize had no choice but to back down. Seeing Heize like that, Ketal asked, ¡°Heize, what¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I just couldn¡¯t sleep¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, given the situation, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Ketal spoke as if he understood. Heize looked at Ketal with a face full of fear. ¡®What on earth have you done¡­?¡¯ Did he have some sort of brainwashing ability? Ketal was an extremely peculiar person. It was entirely possible he had brainwashed Nas without anyone noticing. Heize gulped. One misunderstanding was resolved, and a new one arose. Regardless of their true feelings, they epted Ketal¡¯s help. Nas bowed respectfully. ¡°We are grateful for your assistance.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. ¡®Now I can finally see the holy sanctuary of the gods.¡¯ He was in a very good mood. Ketal suppressed his emotions as he spoke. ¡°Shall we depart immediately?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no immediate rush, so we¡¯ll stay in the capital a bit longer to find others who can help. We also need to prepare for the journey.¡± Nas replied. ¡°We know you are strong, but the evil invading the sanctuary is even stronger. It might be dangerous for you to go alone.¡± Ketal had defeated a named demon. But currently, their sanctuary was being attacked by two superhuman-level dark wizards. There were numerous top-tier fighters and countless monsters as well. Ketal might be a superhuman-level warrior, but even he wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°In that case, I have a question. How has your sanctuary managed to hold out?¡± He had heard that a single superhuman-level warrior could destroy an entire territory. It was hard to understand how they were holding up with two dark wizards attacking. ¡°We have superhuman-level warriors too.¡± Nas exined. ¡°The great holy knight and the saintess are holding the line. As long as they are there, we won¡¯t be easily overrun.¡± ¡°¡­Ho.¡± Ketal¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°I see. Then when do we depart?¡± ¡°About¡­ two days from now. That seems like a good time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I have some acquaintances here as well. I should inform them.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nas smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Then, let¡¯s meet again in two days.¡± ¡°Sure. Heize, see you then.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Heize nodded with a gloomy face. The two parted ways. Ketal¡¯s first destination was Milena. Milena¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± Milena was momentarily flustered. She never imagined Ketal would leave. But she quickly calmed down. On reflection, Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfields. He was not one to be tied down. She epted it calmly. ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± Ketal exined briefly. Milena¡¯s face twisted in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re going to¡­ coborate with Kalosia?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know them?¡± ¡°Yes. They came to ask for my help too.¡± Milena looked at Ketal with an iprehensible expression. ¡°You¡¯re going to help the church of Kalosia?¡± Suddenly moving to aid the church was hard to understand. Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°I wasrades with a priest of Kalosia during my mercenary days. She hase here.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, that wasn¡¯t too long ago.¡± ¡°Right. Wepleted about two tasks together.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± Was he leaving for the holynd invaded by evil with just that level of connection? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ketal looked like he was wondering why she kept asking. ¡°Ah, no. If that¡¯s what you want, there¡¯s no problem.¡± She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯re really leaving.¡± ¡°It seems so. What will you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll continue as I have been.¡± She would continue to build the Akasha family. Although they were currently shaken by the invasion of evil, they had enough strength to endure. For a merchant family like hers, crisis was also an opportunity. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] If they could somehow ovee this crisis, it would lead to even greater growth. Ketal would leave this ce. She wouldn¡¯t see him for a while. Perhaps forever. Thinking this far, Milena stood up from her chair. She bowed respectfully. ¡°I, Milena Akasha, as the head of the Akasha family, express my deepest gratitude to the barbarian Ketal for protecting my homnd and forming a bond with me.¡± Milena spoke quietly. ¡°You are my benefactor and friend, so if you are ever in danger or need my help, I will do everything in my power to assist you.¡± With those calm words, her blue eyes looked at Ketal. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you. I consider you my friend as well, so feel free to ask for help if you need it.¡± Milena smiled. * * * Next, Ketal went to see Barbosa. When Ketal visited the royal pce, the guards were rmed and pointed their spears at him, but he managed to have an audience without much trouble. Barbosa¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he listened. ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to help the church of Kalosia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I heard they came here to ask for your help. I decided to help them. I thought it would be good to inform you.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Barbosa tried to remain calm, but there was undeniable confusion in his eyes. A barbarian. They deny the gods. They despise and hate priests. They generally do not form good rtions with them. Moreover, Kalosia was the god of lies and deception. The god whose traits barbarians liked the least. Was he really going to help the church of Kalosia and fight against evil? Barbosa had to ask. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because they are my friends.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°What more do you need?¡± Barbosa was silent for a moment. His eyes reflected confusion about what kind of person Ketal was. ¡®¡­Are barbarians from the White Snowfields different somehow?¡¯ After a moment of confusion, Barbosa quickly organized his thoughts and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s enough if you help.¡± ¡°There seems to be no issue then.¡± ¡°We wanted to help too, but we refused because we didn¡¯t have the capacity. If you can do it, it¡¯s a great help.¡± Even if there was a problem, he wouldn¡¯t try to stop him. The Tower Master had advised Barbosa that trying to control Ketal was unwise. No, it was impossible. How could they control someone who could defeat even a sword master with one strike? ¡°Do as you please. Then you¡¯ll be leaving the Denian Kingdom.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Ketal said and then looked at Barbosa for a moment. ¡°I thank you once again. It¡¯s been kind of you to treat an outsider like me so warmly. I¡¯m grateful.¡± ¡°It benefited us too, so it¡¯s fine. Thank you once again.¡± Barbosa signaled the attendant standing behind him. The attendant left the room. When the attendant returned, he was carrying treasures of gold and silver. ¡°You helped us.¡± Barbosa said. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, the capital might have fallen. Given the situation, we can¡¯t offer a fitting reward¡­ but I hope this is satisfactory.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. It was not a small amount at a nce. ¡°I won¡¯t refuse. Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. Then Ketal left. The attendant behind him spoke cautiously. ¡°Is this okay? It will put a significant strain on the treasury.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s worth it.¡± In fact, they had no money to spare for anyone. Even after squeezing money out of the nobles, it wasn¡¯t enough, and they were requesting cooperation from other countries. Giving such a reward was a significant stretch. The vassals had tried to stop him, but Barbosa made the decision independently. The reason was simple. Ketal was worth it. ¡°It¡¯s a relief to have established good rtions.¡± Barbosa sighed in relief. A barbarian from the White Snowfields. It was very fortunate to have such a unique existence in this world hold a favorable opinion. Barbosa thought suddenly. ¡®Now this barbarian will roam the world.¡¯ He would leave for the Church of Kalosia and act as he pleased there. He would remove anything that stood in his way. ¡°¡­I hope there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Barbosa murmured with a hint of unease. * * * Lastly, Ketal went to see Arkamis. Ketal told Arkamis that he was leaving the Kingdom of Denian. Arkamis reacted. ¡°Wh-what? Wh-wh-what? Why? Did I do something wrong?¡± Her reaction was more intense than anyone else he had told so far. Her eyes were wide like a rabbit¡¯s, and her face was full of confusion. ¡°You¡¯re leaving? Why? Did I do something wrong?¡± She stammered as she asked. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 122 – Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 122: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (7) ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal was puzzled by her reaction. ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong, though.¡± ¡°Th-then why are you leaving? It¡¯s because I did something wrong, right?¡± Arkamis¡¯ expression became extremely desperate. She stammered with a worried face. ¡°Why, why, why? Did I do something wrong? If there¡¯s something bothersome, I¡¯ll fix it. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Ketal said in a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Something hase up.¡± Ketal exined. He had a connection with a priest whose holy sanctuary was under attack by evil forces. He was leaving Denian¡¯s capital to help. Hearing this, Arkamis¡¯ expression slowly calmed. She stepped back with an embarrassed look. ¡°Oh, is that so? I thought I did something wrong.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that. You¡¯ve been very kind to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Arkamis let out a sigh of relief. She truly thought Ketal was leaving because she did something wrong. With the misunderstanding cleared and her heart calmed for a moment, Arkamis¡¯ face suddenly turned bright red. ¡®Ah, oh no.¡¯ She really thought it was her fault. That¡¯s why she clung to Ketal almost pleadingly. Looking back at her actions, she felt very embarrassed. ¡°So, what¡¯s your rtionship with that priest? How long have you known them?¡± She asked with a cough, clearly wanting to forget her previous behavior. Ketal smiled and said. ¡°When I was a mercenary, we handled a few requests together. They were arade from that time.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm? Just that?¡± Arkamis was puzzled. Would he go to the holy sanctuary to help just for that? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Arkamis was momentarily speechless. But she soon epted it. ¡®He¡¯s a barbarian of the White Snowfields, after all.¡¯ She knew well enough that Ketal had a unique personality. There was no reason to be surprised now. ¡°So, dark mages are attacking a god¡¯s holy sanctuary? They must be determined.¡± ¡°It seems to be quite rare.¡± ¡°Rare? I¡¯ve never even heard of it.¡± Arkamis shook her head. ¡°A god¡¯s holy sanctuary is a ce directly managed by the god. The site itself is protected by divine power, so most evils can¡¯t even enter.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°Attacking such a site¡­ What are they nning?¡± Attacking a god¡¯s holy sanctuary made no sense. Even demons wouldn¡¯t gain anything from it. If they attacked a human kingdom instead, it might make sense, but this was iprehensible. ¡°Do you know which god it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the god of lies and deception, Kalosia.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Arkamis paused. ¡°Kalosia? That god?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing. It probably doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°It seems like there¡¯s some issue with the god Kalosia.¡± Milena and Barbosa also reacted oddly to the name Kalosia. ¡®Is it because it¡¯s the god of lies and deception?¡¯ Despite this, Nas and Heize didn¡¯t seem to have any problems. Ketal¡¯sment made Arkamis flustered. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a barbarian of the White Snowfields.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Arkamis had a face of realization. ¡°Right. I assumed you¡¯d know because even an elf like me knows this.¡± Arkamis began to exin. ¡°A god is an entity that governs its domain. And the followers of that god areposed ordingly.¡± The followers of the sun god worship the sun and love the daylight. The followers of the earth goddess cherish and nurture the earth. The priests of the god of strength revere strength and train their bodies. And the priests of the god of lies and deception love lies and deception. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°So, they use lies and deception without hesitation.¡± ¡°They used to. That caused quite a few problems.¡± The priests of the god of lies and deception, Kalosia, traveled the world causing all kinds of trouble. They rigged dice and hid card numbers. They deceived people¡¯s eyes and effortlessly wielded the poison of lies with their tongues. They disguised even the god they believed in and hid their true identities. They spewed meaningless lies andmitted all sorts of deception. They deceived kings and bewildered nobles. And the priests of Kalosia were proud of it. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Something like that happened.¡± ¡°At one time, they umted so much bad karma that there was even talk of designating them as an evil god.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t seem to show any signs of that now.¡± Neither Nas nor Heize used lies or deception on Ketal. Arkamis spoke. ¡°In the end, things got out of hand. Every kingdom and church attacked them. The Kalosia Church was quite powerful at the time, but they couldn¡¯t withstand it.¡± The Kalosia Church eventually surrendered. They suppressed their lies and deception, bing ordinary priests of the god. ¡°After that, the Church¡¯s power significantly diminished.¡± That is the history of the Kalosia Church. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard any recent news about them, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems now.¡± But history cannot be erased. The deeds of the Kalosia Church at that time were clearly recorded. Even though the Church shrank and lost much of its power, they became the object of fear and wariness for people. Ketalughed. ¡°Interesting.¡± He wasn¡¯t very interested in history, but if it was a fantasy story, it was different. It was an interesting tale. ¡°In any case¡­ it¡¯s a good deed.¡± He was going to help a holy sanctuary being invaded by evil. It was a very noble act, worthy of everyone¡¯s apuse and praise. ¡°It is a good deed¡­ but.¡± But Arkamis had a conflicted face. ¡®This messes up my n.¡¯ She never thought Ketal would leave her side. She had taken it for granted that he would stay by her side. She only nned to achieve her goal using the iridescent grains and lure Ketal back to the elven holy sanctuary. But Ketal was leaving her. Considering the reason, she couldn¡¯t stop him. After a moment of hesitation, she subtly asked. ¡°What about alchemy? You¡¯ve worked so hard to learn it, are you giving up? Isn¡¯t that a waste?¡± ¡°I think so too, but.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Arkamis¡¯ face brightened. But the following words made her face fall instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve organized some books, so I n to self-study while I¡¯m away. Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s more helpful to do things yourself than to learn from others?¡± ¡°Y-yes, I did.¡± ¡®Why did I say that?¡¯ She regretted her words. She wanted to follow Ketal, but she couldn¡¯t. The iridescent grains had to be handled delicately. They couldn¡¯t be researched without a proper workshop. After some hesitation, her eyes darkened. ¡°Ketal.¡± She made a decision. ¡°I have something to say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Arkamis took a deep breath. Her golden eyes, shining brightly, looked at Ketal. Just as she was about to speak, the wind blew. Boom! A loud noise came from the yard in front of the house. It was the sound of something colliding. Ketal muttered. ¡°Another demon?¡± ¡°N-no? It¡¯s not that.¡± Arkamis was flustered. She didn¡¯t sense any demonic energy. In fact, it was theplete opposite of demonic energy. The wind flowed in through the cracks in the door and windows. It was filled with the energy of nature. Arkamis¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°No way.¡± She quickly rushed out. Ketal followed her. The yard waspletely wrecked by the fierce wind. And in the center of it stood a man. Ketal whistled. ¡°Handsome.¡± He had a wless, perfect face. The masculine contours indicated that he was a man. And his ears were clearly different from those of a human. ¡®Are all male elves this androgynous and handsome?¡¯ Are there no slightly more masculine handsome types? I¡¯d like to see a muscr elf sometime. Ketal casually thought such things. And Arkamis¡¯ eyes widened in shock. ¡°You, you!¡± ¡°There you are, Lady Arkamis.¡± A deep voice resonated. The man looked at Arkamis and spoke. ¡°Did you enjoy your time in the human world? But I can¡¯t let this go on any longer.¡± The man stood up. His green hair swayed. ¡°The world is dangerous. I can¡¯t leave Lady Arkamis in the dangerous outside world any longer.¡± The man extended his hand. ¡°Come with me. Let¡¯s return to our holy sanctuary, Elfo Sagrado.¡± * * * The suddenly appeared elf asked Arkamis to return with him. Arkamis, momentarily flustered, shouted. ¡°What do you mean,ing here out of the blue and saying that!¡± Arkamis seemed to recognize the male elf. She frowned. ¡°I have no intention of going back. I clearly said that when I left.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t matter before. I just thought it was a tantrum from you and epted it. But not anymore.¡± The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°The world is shaking. Lady Arkamis, you are a High Elf. I can¡¯t leave you in this filthy outside world any longer. Come with me.¡± ¡°I clearly said no.¡± Arkamis spoke coldly. The man sighed. ¡°Then I have no choice. I apologize, but please forgive my rudeness.¡± With those words, wind gathered around the man. Arkamis roughly drew in mana. Just as a sh was about to ur, ¡°Sorry to interrupt while you¡¯re talking about something you both know.¡± Ketal intervened. ¡°But I¡¯d like to know what¡¯s going on as well.¡± ¡°K-Ketal.¡± Arkamis¡¯ eyes wavered. She hesitated, stopping the mana she was gathering. The man frowned. ¡°¡­Barbarian. Why is someone like you by Lady Arkamis¡¯ side?¡± ¡°Right. You and I don¡¯t know each other, do we? It would be good to have a conversation first.¡± ¡°No.¡± The man cut him off sharply. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± At the same time, wind rose up around Ketal, enveloping him. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°A barbarian like you should not meddle in the affairs of elves.¡± The manpletely shut Ketal out. The wind barrier he created was extremely powerful. Even a formidable warrior would have difficulty breaking through it. The man tried to resume his conversation with Arkamis. But Ketal smiled.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Let¡¯s not be so hasty.¡± Ketal lightly snapped his fingers. Boom! ¡°What!¡± The wind barrier surrounding Ketal exploded. The man hurriedly stepped back, eyes wide. ¡°You, you!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say most problems can be solved through conversation? How about we sit down and talk leisurely?¡± Ketal said calmly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 123 – The Knight of the High Elf (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 123: The Knight of the High Elf (1) Arkamis¡¯s House. In that ce, it was always just Ketal and Arkamis. asionally, Milena would visit to deliver catalysts or materials, but she was so busy that she would leave immediately. It was rare for her to enter the house. Now, there was one more person in that ce. Around the table sat Ketal, Arkamis, and a male elf. Ketal spoke up. ¡°Then, let¡¯s talk.¡± Ketal smiled broadly as he looked at the male elf.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°To have a conversation, we need to know each other¡¯s names. I am Ketal. What is your name?¡± ¡°I have no reason to tell a lowly human.¡± The male elf spoke coldly, narrowing his eyes at Ketal. ¡°Filthy barbarian. If not for Arkamis¡¯s mediation, I would have crushed you immediately. Know your ce.¡± His presence was overwhelming, hostile, and insulting. Even an ordinary person, not a barbarian, would be taken aback and angered by his attitude. But Ketal was pleased. ¡°It seems you have a sense of superiority over humans. Are all elves like that?¡± ¡°No.¡± Arkamis shook her head. ¡°Not all elves are like that. But the elves from the sanctum tend to be. And he is somewhat special. He is almost like a noble among the elves.¡± ¡°Oh, so elves have social ranks too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit different from human sses, but yes, they do.¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem to feel any particr pressure from me.¡± Arkamis mistook Ketal for a dragon. This meant that she felt a significant presence from him. However, the male elf treated him as an ordinary barbarian. ¡°He might feel it, but not as much as from a high elf. It¡¯s only a sense of pressure, after all. If he has confidence in his own power, he can ignore it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal smiled as if he had learned something new. At his nonchnt remark, the male elf¡¯s eyebrow twitched. There was a hint of surprise on his face. Arkamis sighed. ¡°We said we¡¯d have a conversation. So, I¡¯m just staying quiet. Have a proper talk.¡± ¡°¡­Hmph.¡± The man didn¡¯t like it, but he obediently followed Arkamis¡¯s words. ¡°I am Parco Venezia Celt, knight of the High Elves.¡± ¡°Parco. Got it.¡± Ketal nodded. Like the elf queen he had met before, it was a very long name. ¡°Arkamis, do you not have such a long name?¡± ¡°I am a High Elf. I don¡¯t have a family name. I am just Arkamis.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Parco frowned. Things were not going the way he wanted. He felt like he was being led around. ¡°What does it mean to be a knight of the High Elves?¡± ¡°It means exactly what it says.¡± Arkamis exined. A High Elf is one born through the World Tree. They are very special. In some ways, they are nobler than the queens of the tribes. Naturally, there were knights who served them. They were strong. Only the strongest among the elves could be knights of the High Elves. Parco was one of those knights. However, Arkamis seemed displeased. ¡°I thought I finally shook off your persistent nagging and control, but you¡¯ve followed me here. How did you get here?¡± ¡°I received an oracle from the World Tree.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The World Tree gave you an oracle directly?¡± ¡°The world is in danger. I understand that evil targeted you, Arkamis.¡± ¡°¡­That did happen.¡± ¡°The world is shaking. Evil has appeared and is attacking.¡± Parco spoke calmly. ¡°And one of their targets is the High Elf. You.¡± Arkamis frowned. She knew it. Butler had said he would offer her as a sacrifice. He had targeted her from the start. But she had a question. ¡°Why are they targeting the High Elves?¡± ¡°I do not know that. But you are the only High Elf outside the sanctum. It is very dangerous for you to be out here.¡± Parco looked at Arkamis quietly. ¡°Please return to our sanctum.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Arkamis groaned. She wanted to refuse. But she couldn¡¯t. If it were just her own issue, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but it was rted to evil. The fact that evil was targeting her meant they were plotting something. She couldn¡¯t stubbornly stay outside. Arkamis sighed. ¡°Alright.¡± Parco smiled. ¡°A wise choice.¡± ¡°Ah, damn. I didn¡¯t want to go back now. Ketal, this is how it turned out.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°¡­Ketal.¡± She looked at Ketal for a moment and then spoke. ¡°You¡¯ll visit our sanctum someday, right?¡± ¡°My heart is always there. I might visit right after this matter is settled.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Fortunately, we¡¯ll meet again, so I¡¯ll have to be prepared until then.¡± Arkamis clenched her fist energetically. She turned her gaze. ¡°Parco, wait a bit. I have things to pack.¡± ¡°Things to pack?¡± Parco¡¯s face hardened in confusion. Arkamis began to pack her alchemical materials and catalysts. This house was her workshop. It contained everything she had built while being outside. She needed to take it all back to the sanctum to continue her research. ¡°¡­You¡¯re still doing that kind of thing.¡± And Parco was looking at her workshop with disgust. He pondered for a moment, then with a resolute face, he raised his hand. Wind gathered. Arkamis¡¯s expression changed rapidly. BOOM! The wind exploded. Arkamis slid back. ¡°You! What are you doing!¡± Arkamis red at him. If she hadn¡¯t blocked it, her workshop would have been destroyed. The wind had that intention. ¡°Arkamis.¡± But Parco¡¯s expression was very calm. ¡°You are a child of the World Tree, a great High Elf. Are you still obsessed with concepts that are mere material?¡± It was the attitude of an adult admonishing a child. ¡°A High Elf like you should not lower your dignity by clinging to such outside technology. It¡¯s uneptable.¡± ¡°You! You!¡± ¡°Bringing such worldly things to the sanctum would greatly disappoint the other High Elves. It would be disrespectful to you.¡± Parco gathered the wind with a genuinely regretful face. ¡°As your knight, I cannot allow such a thing. Please forgive my rudeness. It¡¯s all out of my desire to awaken you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Arkamis¡¯s face twisted. ¡°I left that ce because I hated your attitude!¡± ¡°Given the situation, please understand.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± She gathered mana. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But her body wasn¡¯t in good condition. She couldn¡¯t even bring out half of her power. Creak! The wind slowly began to eat away at her workshop. Despair filled her face. ¡°No, no.¡± What she had longed for and wanted was now finally in sight. But it was about to be shattered before her eyes. Creak! She desperately tried to block it, but it was not enough. The wind was defiling her space. Just as Arkamis was about to fall intoplete despair. ¡°How about stopping there?¡± Ketal grabbed Parco¡¯s arm. * * * The first emotion Parco felt was surprise. ¡®He grabbed my arm?¡¯ Ketal was at some distance from him. Not far, as it was inside the house, but not so close that he couldn¡¯t sense him approaching. Yet Parco didn¡¯t notice Ketal approaching until he grabbed his arm. And the next emotion was anger. ¡®How dare a mere human grab my arm?¡¯ A lowly barbarian dared to touch him. Parco gathered the swirling wind in his hand and swung it at Ketal. ¡°Get lost.¡± Ketal extended his other hand. BOOM! The wind exploded. A fierce gust surged. Parco sneered at Ketal. ¡®You think you can block my wind with just one hand?¡¯ Parco exerted more force. The wind condensed further into a spherical shape and rushed forward. Extremely condensed wind. A storm formed into a small sphere. Parco was certain Ketal would be sent flying, smashing into the wall. ¡®You won¡¯t die, but I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re crippled.¡¯ That was the emotion behind the wind. ¡°Ooh.¡± And Ketal had a delighted look on his face. He watched the wind forming into a sphere with a look of fascination. ¡°Impressive.¡± Ketal clenched his fist towards the sphere. Bang! The wind exploded. The impact pushed Parco¡¯s body backward, his eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°What!¡± The force was not insignificant. Even an alchemist would not have easily withstood it. But how! Ketal leisurely dusted off his hands. ¡°Acting without considering others¡¯ feelings is not verymendable, especially towards someone you serve. How self-righteous.¡± ¡°¡­Shut up, outsider.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an outsider.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°She is my master.¡± ¡°What?¡± Parco¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I also provided her with a catalyst. I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you ruin it. What should I do?¡± Pretending to ponder for a moment, Ketal nodded. ¡°Alright. She is my master. And I am her disciple. Therefore, as her disciple, I must protect her.¡± ¡°Ke, Ketal?¡± Arkamis was flustered. Something about Ketal¡¯s words seemed odd. ¡°How about you and I have a duel?¡± * * * ¡°Ke, Ketal? What are you talking about?¡± Arkamis, who had been watching, opened her mouth with a bewildered expression. ¡°Suddenly talking about a duel?¡± ¡°It seems like this conversation isn¡¯t going to end otherwise. Parco seems absolutely unwilling to allow you to learn alchemy.¡± He intended to forcefully break her resolve, regardless of Arkamis¡¯s wishes. No matter how much Arkamis resisted, his mind would not change. ¡°But I am your disciple.¡± Ketal had learned alchemy from Arkamis. Even if he left now, that fact would not change. If they met againter, he would continue to learn alchemy from her. ¡°In other words, he and I have a conflict of interest.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Arkamis stammered. Listening to him, it seemed that way. And Ketal¡¯s thinking was simple. ¡®If he¡¯s a knight of the High Elves, he must handle spirits.¡¯ Which means. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to see other spirits!¡¯ The fire spirit, Piego, he had seen before. It was quite impressive. He wanted to see such beings again. ¡°A verbal promise would be meaningless, so let¡¯s stake our honor on a duel. I don¡¯t think you have a reason to refuse.¡± Ketal looked at Parco. ¡°You despise and dislike me, don¡¯t you?¡± Even while conversing with Arkamis, Parco had subtly revealed his feelings towards Ketal. Strong hatred and contempt. A deep repulsion that made it unbearable to be in the same ce. It had been a while since Ketal had seen such hostility, and he found it rather amusing. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to release those feelings once.¡± ¡°¡­A worthless human.¡± Parco twisted his lips. ¡°You seem to be hiding some trick, but you¡¯re overstepping your bounds. Fine. I¡¯ll break your limbs so you¡¯ll never dare to challenge a noble elf again.¡± Parco dered firmly. Ketal smiled as if pleased. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 124 – The Knight of the High Elf (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 124: The Knight of the High Elf (2) A ce a little away from Arkamis¡¯s house. In a clearing in the forest, Ketal and Parco stood facing each other. Ketal spoke first. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it simple. If I am defeated by you, I will no longer interfere. I will never appear before you again. And Arkamis will also give up alchemy.¡± Ketal looked at Arkamis. ¡°Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Thank you. On the other hand, if you are defeated by me, you will not interfere with Arkamis practicing alchemy. Even if she goes to the sanctuary.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Parco spoke confidently. His voice carried an unwavering confidence that he would never lose. He was determined to show this unpleasant barbarian the difference in their strength. ¡°Are you alright with this, Arkamis? Betting something you hold dear to this barbarian?¡± Parco looked at Arkamis. If Ketal were to be defeated here, Arkamis would have to abandon alchemy. It was an act of entrusting something she cherished to another. Parco¡¯s gaze questioned her sincerity. ¡°Well¡­ do as you like.¡± Arkamis muttered indifferently. Parco¡¯s eyebrows twitched at her attitude. It was as if she had no doubt that the barbarian would win. ¡°Hmph. Make your deration.¡± Parco said gruffly. ¡°I, Parco Venezia Celt, swear on my honor that if I lose this duel, I will no longer interfere with Arkamis¡¯s alchemy and will be her shield.¡± ¡°I, the barbarian Ketal, swear on my honor that if I lose this duel, I will no longer involve myself with you.¡± Ketal spoke leisurely. With the derations made, the atmosphere changed. The wind sharply brushed past Ketal¡¯s body. ¡°How dare a vermin like you cling to Arkamis. It¡¯s because of humans like you that she is defiled.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Parco narrowed his eyes. ¡®¡­I do sense some mystery.¡¯ But it was very little. Even at best, he was second-rate. However, Ketal shattered the sphere of wind he had gathered. ¡®He must have some trump card.¡¯ But it would be just a trick. If so, his task was simple. Break it with force. Parco quickly spoke. ¡°Turn! Take form! Wind! Bind my enemy with your free body!¡± Whirrr! The wind, sharply sliced, moved. Taking the form of threads, it bound Ketal¡¯s arms and legs. ¡°Oh!¡± Ketal opened his eyes wide. Nature itself, with physical force, bound Ketal. Arkamis or magicians, and even Adamanth wielded simr powers, but the process was very different. Arkamis controlled nature within her domain using alchemy. Adamanth did the same. They controlled nature with mana. While they forcibly controlled nature, Parco made it feel like nature itself had a will and moved in harmony. ¡®Indeed, it¡¯s different from magic and spirit arts.¡¯ Ketal did not move. Confident that he had subdued him, Parco raised his hand. Shruuu! The wind gathered, forming a bow. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡®So he intended to make a bow this way, huh.¡¯ As Ketal watched in wonder, Parco drew the wind-formed bowstring. The wind began to gather and condense. ¡°Spirits of the wind walking upon the earth. Gather and gather. Condense and rotate.¡± Kagagagaga! A storm formed into the shape of an arrow. Parco dered. ¡°Understand the sin of defying an elf.¡± And released the bowstring. The storm arrow flew towards Ketal. Ketal calmly watched the arrow. The arrow hit Ketal¡¯s body. Kwaaaaang! Then the storm exploded. The wind, condensed to its limit, formed and surged. Kagagagagak! A hurricane roared. But it had no effect on the surroundings. It was extreme concentration and control. Truly a superhuman level of power. ¡°He is strong.¡± Arkamis muttered as she quietly watched. Parco was strong. His strength was truly superhuman. Even at her best, she couldn¡¯t easily win. Without the help of her domain, she would lose. From the beginning, being a knight of the high elves meant being such a being. Only those with extraordinary power among the elves of the sanctuary could attain that position. Arkamis narrowed her eyes. ¡°But you, you tried to kill Ketal.¡± ¡°If he has the strength he ims, he wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± Parco looked at Arkamis. ¡°Lady Arkamis, you are a noble high elf.¡± His voice carried the emotion of scolding an unruly child. ¡°It is unfortunate that you are not only obsessed with material concepts like alchemy but also associating with such a worthless barbarian.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Parco bowed deeply as if he was genuinely sorry. ¡°It¡¯s all to bring you back to your senses, Lady Arkamis. Forget the worthless barbarian and join us.¡± However, Arkamis¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. If you win, that is.¡± ¡°What?¡± Parco raised his head with a puzzled look. The storm arrow had hit directly. Even if he didn¡¯t die, he should be critically injured. Parco soon realized what Arkamis meant. Rumble¡­ The wind subsided. Parco¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°What!¡± There stood Ketal, unchanged from the beginning. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°It¡¯s simr to Marsilia.¡± The elf queen he first encountered, Marsilia. Parco was not much different from her. ¡°But not superior. Slightly below, it seems.¡± ¡°You, you wretch.¡± Parco pulled the bow in panic. The wind arrows descended in an instant. Ketal stepped forward lightly. A very light advance. With that alone, all the arrows were shattered and crushed. Ketal¡¯s body arrived right in front of Parco in an instant. Their gazes met. Parco, shocked, kicked off. Riding the wind, he flew into the sky. ¡°Can you do that too? Interesting.¡± Ketal smiled. Parco hurriedly shot arrows. A rain of arrows descended. And Ketal evaded them all with light movements. ¡°Argh!¡± Parco gritted his teeth and pulled the bowstring roughly. The wind gathered and condensed. ¡°Explode!¡± The arrows exploded. The rain of wind poured down. An attack so dense that evasion was impossible. ¡°Oh, impressive.¡± Ketal lightly eximed and swung his fist. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Boom! The rain of wind was buried and blown away by a stronger wind. Parco was speechless. ¡°What is this!¡± The attacks continued afterward, but no significant change was achieved. ¡°Well, that figures.¡± Arkamis had a calm expression. Parco was certainly strong. Even among all elves, he was at the top, possessing top-level superhuman strength. But in other words, that was all. There wasn¡¯t much difference between him and her. On the other hand, Ketal had easily defeated Butler, a demon with a name. Even at the minimum, his strength was at the top superhuman level. He was clearly stronger than Parco. ¡®What on earth is he?¡¯ Arkamis looked at Ketal with a curious expression. Even after spending considerable time together, Ketal¡¯s power was still beyond her understanding. ¡®To ovee with only the strength of his body without dealing with mysteries.¡¯ In fact, that body itself could be considered a mystery. If so. ¡®¡­Is the level of his physical body itself high?¡¯ Arkamis quietly pondered. Meanwhile, the battle continued. All of Parco¡¯s attacks were blocked and broken. Ketal looked up at Parco, who was floating in the sky. ¡°Are you not nning toe down? I¡¯m getting a bit bored.¡± His expression truly showed boredom. Seeing that, Parco felt intense humiliation. ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± Parco gritted his teeth and descended. ¡°Human. You were hiding your strength.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t, though.¡± ¡°Shut up. Fine. I acknowledge it. You are strong. So I will treat you ordingly.¡± Parco took a deep breath and brought his hands together. The wind blew. The stirring wind quickly grew in size. ¡°I summon you! Born within the wind!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± For the first time, Arkamis¡¯s calm expression changed. Shock registered on her face. ¡°I summon you! Controller of the raging storm!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. He realized that his opponent was summoning a spirit. ¡®A new spirit, perhaps!¡¯ He was extremely excited. With an intrigued expression, Ketal watched the incantation closely. ¡°Come forth! You who treads upon the sky and gazes upon the earth!¡± Parco shouted roughly. ¡°Brunstad!¡± Whirrr! The swirling wind began to take shape. It gathered and condensed until it soon became tangible. The wind thus gathered soon formed a single shape. That shape had four legs. It raised its head quietly, with horns befitting itsrge body. A massive spirit in the form of a reindeer, Brunstad. [You called.] ¡°What?¡± Arkamis was stunned. ¡°You made a pact with a high-level spirit?¡± Spirits are beings of nature. And elves, being in harmony with nature, can summon spirits more easily than other races. But there are limits. The higher the rank of the spirit, the prouder they are, and the more stringent they are in choosing a contractor. At the high-level spirit tier, even among elves, those with contracts are rare. Considering that there are only a few individuals across the entire continent who have contracts with the highest-tier spirits, contracting with a high-level spirit was an extraordinary achievement. ¡°Haha, hahaha!¡± Parco burst intoughter. He was confident of his victory. ¡°Despair, human!¡± Parco was sure of his victory. High-level spirits are incredibly strong. The fact that a being of nature has a clear ego means it possessesmensurate power and rank. That power was above even Arkamis or Parco himself. ¡°High-level spirit, Brunstad! Defeat my enemy!¡± [Understood.] Brunstad quietly shook its horns. Brunstad¡¯s voice was confident. It was the confidence that only those who believe in their absolute power can have. Parco roughly pointed a finger. ¡°That barbarian!¡± [I will fulfill the contract.] With calm words, hostility emanated. Parco twisted his lips into a smile. ¡°Surrender before overwhelming power!¡± Parco was certain Ketal would show a shocked expression. He had no doubt it would be filled with despair and confusion. It was inevitable. A high-level spirit was a mighty force known through countless records. No matter how strong Ketal was, he would pale before a high-level spirit. Parco believed this. Looking at Ketal confidently, Parco was momentarily taken aback. Ketal¡¯s expression was entirely different from what he had expected. Instead of despair and confusion, there was disappointment. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Ketal muttered with a dissatisfied expression. ¡°A high-level spirit. Hmm¡­ I see.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 125 – The Knight of the High Elf (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 125: The Knight of the High Elf (3) ¡°Wh-what¡¯s with that reaction?¡± Parco was flustered. It was a high-ranking spirit. A spirit with immense power, one that even in the sacrednd, few could form a contract with. He remembered how delighted he had been when he formed the contract. The people of the sacrednd had looked at him with such respect. It was a spirit worthy of such admiration. Yet now, it was receiving a look of disappointment. Parco couldn¡¯t understand. But for Ketal, it was a natural reaction. The first elf vige he encountered after leaving the white snowfield. The queen of that vige, Marsilia Hasianne Calusia. She summoned the highest-ranking fire spirit, Fiego. It was clearly above a high-ranking spirit. Seeing a high-ranking spirit now wasn¡¯t something to be astonished or shocked by. ¡®Was Marsilia really that strong?¡¯ Back then, he hadn¡¯t felt much beyond the heat. ¡®No, no.¡¯ Ketal shook his head. ¡®I should be pleased now.¡¯ So what if it¡¯s a high-ranking spirit? It¡¯s still a spirit, and that should make him happy. Ketalposed himself and quietly observed Brunstad. A semi-transparent form of a reindeer. It had magnificent, beautiful antlers. A gentle breeze seemed to envelop it. Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. It was quite impressive, almost like something out of a painting. ¡°Are all spirits in the form of animals?¡± Ketal muttered. Parco gritted his teeth at his nonchnt demeanor. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s see how long you can stay so carefree. Brunstad! Show your power to my enemy!¡± [Hmph.] With Parco¡¯smand, Brunstad stamped its front hoof on the ground. Crack! And a de of wind materialized. It whirled rapidly, tearing through the earth as it charged forward. The power contained within was clearly stronger than the wind Parco had wielded. ¡°Hoho.¡± Ketal leapt joyfully, evading the de of wind. Seeing this, Parco was confident. Dodging meant he would soon be struck. ¡°Brunstad!¡± Crash! Winds surged, chaotically swirling around the space. But Ketal evaded all the attacks. The winds didn¡¯t even graze his body. Parco didn¡¯t realize something was amiss. He was too drunk on the belief that he had the upper hand. ¡°You¡¯re dodging well! Brunstad!¡± [How long can you keep this up?] Brunstad shook its head. Its antlers spun in a circr motion. The wind instantly condensed. A part of nature that should move freely was now fixed under the spirit¡¯s will. Crack! In an instant, a massive wall of wind surrounded Ketal. Ketal stopped moving. ¡°This is possible too, huh.¡± He muttered with an intrigued expression. Simultaneously, the wall of wind surrounding Ketal began to move. The wall turned into spikes of wind that poured down. The moment they touched Ketal¡¯s body, they exploded. Boom! A burst of wind spread out in all directions. Arkamis¡¯s house began to creak. The forest shook violently, leaves falling everywhere. ¡°Ketal!¡± Arkamis was horrified. No matter how strong Ketal was, a direct hit from such power could be dangerous. She hurriedly began gathering mana. The wind exploded. It wasn¡¯t the wind Brunstad had created. It was wind generated by pure force. The raging wind was blown away in an instant by a stronger wind. The trees behind swayed violently, some saplings even uprooted. ¡°W-what!¡± Parco, who had been sure of his victory, was stunned. As the aftermath of the wind subsided, Ketal¡¯s figure became visible. Parco¡¯s pupils dted. Ketal had his fist extended. ¡°¡­What?¡± Parco didn¡¯t want to understand. But considering Ketal¡¯s stance and the aftermath, there was only one conclusion. The recent wind was caused by Ketal¡¯s punch. ¡®The wind of a high-ranking spirit was overpowered by a simple punch?¡¯ [You!] Brunstad was visibly flustered. It hurriedly swung the wind, but Ketal no longer dodged. The wind collided with his body and vanished without a trace. ¡°Is this all?¡± Ketal looked puzzled. ¡®The highest-ranking spirit could turn trees and grass into pure mes, but all this one does is wield the wind?¡¯ Brunstad felt deeply insulted. It stomped the ground fiercely. The wind exploded and surged forward. But there was no significant change from before. ¡°It seems that really is all it can do.¡± There was nothing more to see. Convinced, Ketal lightly pushed off the ground. Boom! He pierced through the wind and arrived in front of Brunstad in an instant. Ketal raised his fist. Brunstad, startled, tried to protect itself with a barrier of wind. But it all shattered. His fist prated Brunstad¡¯s body. Crunch. With a breaking sound, the reindeer¡¯s body was crushed. The wind thatposed its form scattered in all directions. A single blow. With one strike, Brunstad was reverse summoned back to the spirit realm. ¡°¡­What?¡± Parco muttered nkly. Ketal shook his fist. ¡°Spirits disappear when beaten to death. I wish demons would be the same.¡± Dealing with those who couldn¡¯t be killed by simple physical force was annoying. In any case, it was over. The spirit had been reverse summoned. Parco stood there, unmoving, in a daze. ¡®What did I just witness?¡¯ He couldn¡¯tprehend the situation. A high-ranking spirit reverse summoned with a single punch? It was impossible. Spirits, which were the embodiment of nature, weren¡¯t easily reverse summoned. They could persist unless they received an attack that was truly overwhelming. So why? After a moment of standing there, Parco¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You! What trickery did you use?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Parco began to deny the reality of what had happened. A high-ranking spirit falling so easily? It was unthinkable. He shouted with conviction. ¡°You! You¡¯ve bewitched me! You used some underhanded means in this duel!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t use any such thing.¡± ¡°Silence! This duel is invalid! Start over from the beginning!¡± A barbarian couldn¡¯t possibly reverse summon a high-ranking spirit. Therefore, it was clear he had been bewitched. It was a twisted rationalization, but it was firm. Parco refused to ept defeat. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal quietly observed Parco. ¡°I wish you would ept your defeat.¡± ¡°Silence! Filthy barbarian!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Parco hurled rough insults at Ketal. Ketal¡¯s gaze gradually cooled. ¡®Annoying.¡¯ Ketal had fought many duels. The barbarians of the White Snowfield didn¡¯t understand words alone. They had to be crushed and trampled by force to acknowledge anything. It was very bothersome, but it was effective. The barbarians would ept defeat the moment they were beaten. It wasn¡¯t much different after he left. He had fought many battles, but in each one, the opponents epted defeat when there was no other option. Even demons did so. But Parco wasn¡¯t epting it. This was a first for him. To be honest, it was incredibly annoying. Ketal looked at Parco for a moment before extending his hand. He grabbed Parco by the neck and lifted him. ¡°Let go!¡± Parco struggled fiercely, but it was as futile as a child¡¯s tantrum against an adult¡¯s grip. Ketal stared at Parco for a moment before speaking. ¡°Parco.¡± At that word, Parco suddenly stilled. Something invisible crept up. It oppressed Parco. It bound his limbs and constricted his heart. ¡°I am not a very patient person.¡± A low voice resonated. ¡°I had no intention of harming you. This duel was merely about Arkamis¡¯s alchemy. I neither wanted nor demanded anything more from you.¡± Parco¡¯s face slowly turned pale. Fear began to settle in. ¡°But if you continue to deny and reject the oue of this duel, I will find dealing with you increasingly tiresome.¡± Ketal smiled quietly. ¡°If you keep refusing like this, I will have no choice but to make a certain decision.¡± Ketal gazed into Parco¡¯s eyes. A single emotion from Ketal was conveyed to Parco. ¡°O-oh.¡± Parco stammered. Extreme fear obliterated his rationality. ¡°So, I would appreciate it if you acknowledged your defeat. What do you think?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes¡­.¡± Parco hurriedly nodded. ¡°I, I lost. I lost. I¡¯m sorry. Please, please forgive me¡­.¡± Parco pleaded desperately. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°A good decision.¡± Ketal lowered his hand. Parco copsed to the ground, exhausted. He barely managed to catch his breath. ¡°O-oh?¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. Ketal looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s over, Arkamis.¡± * * * After the duel, they returned to Arkamis¡¯s house. ¡°Parco, you have lost. From now on, do not interfere with Arkamis¡¯s alchemy. Do you agree?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I agree. I will not interfere with Arkamis in any way.¡± Parco spoke quickly. His submissive attitude, so different from before, surprised Arkamis. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Good. It would have been nice if you had been like this from the start.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± Parco nodded hastily. Whenever Ketal¡¯s gaze fell on him, he shrank like a snail touched by salt. ¡°¡­What did you do exactly?¡± Arkamis looked at Ketal with a face full of iprehension. Ketal had grabbed Parco by the neck and said something to him, and suddenly Parco had started trembling. It was almost pitiful to watch. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much of anything.¡± He had merely spoken with feeling. That was all. Arkamis murmured, still puzzled. ¡°¡­It seemed like you did something.¡± Even so, it was a good oue for her. If Parco had continued to resist, it would have been troublesome for her as well. She looked at Ketal with a face of renewed realization. ¡°But you¡¯re really incredibly strong. You just took Brunstad¡¯s attacks head-on?¡± ¡°Is that unusual?¡± ¡°Of course it is. How can you even say that? It was a high-ranking spirit. It¡¯s stronger than the butler you faced before.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Then what about the highest-ranking spirits?¡± ¡°They¡¯re obviously even stronger. Very few people have even contracted with the highest-ranking spirits.¡± Just having contracted with one was enough to be etched into Elven history. Ketal sighed in admiration. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®So Marsilia was strong.¡¯ On reflection, the location of the Elf vige was right near the snowy ins. It must have been a decision made with confidence that they could handle any situation with their power. Arkamis gave Ketal a curious look. ¡®What kind of body is that?¡¯ Ketal was unfamiliar with the mysteries of the world. He had withstood the wind of a high-ranking spirit with just his physical body. The wind of a high-ranking spirit was not ordinary. Since it contained the spirit¡¯s power itself, it could not be countered without handling mysteries. ¡®He just broke through the power of Severance with his bare body.¡¯ It was iprehensible bymon sense. A possibility shed through Arkamis¡¯s mind. ¡®¡­Could it be that his physical body itself is of a different realm?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 126 – The Knight of the High Elf (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 126: The Knight of the High Elf (4) Ketal endured the demonic powers and the attacks of the spirits with just his simple, ordinary body. It was an impossible feat. There was only one possible exnation: if his very body itself was imbued with mystic power. If his body itself had its own unique quality, it was conceivable. ¡®But is that even possible?¡¯ Could a body itself possess such a unique quality? Even with the knowledge of the High Elves, it was an impossible concept. But without that exnation, Ketal¡¯s power couldn¡¯t be understood. ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ One thing was certain: he was incredibly strong. Arkamis watched Ketal with curious eyes. He had defeated a high-level spirit with a single blow. It was something even top-tier superhumans couldn¡¯t do. ¡®At least top-tier superhuman level.¡¯ Perhaps even hero level. But that was beyond Arkamis¡¯s understanding, as the hero level was a realm beyond herprehension. ¡°What will you do now?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Arkamis snapped out of her thoughts at Ketal¡¯s question. ¡°Well¡­ I should go back. It¡¯s not just my personal issue.¡± From the start, she decided to return to the sanctum because evil forces were targeting her. It had nothing to do with alchemy. Thanks to Ketal, she could study alchemy without any problems, so it made even more sense to return to the sanctum. ¡°I can return without any burden. Thank you.¡± ¡°I owe you a lot too. Think of it as my way of repaying you.¡± Ketalughed heartily. Arkamis¡¯s face showed a hint of regret. ¡°Then¡­ I guess this is goodbye.¡± Arkamis would return to the Elf Sanctum. Ketal would head to Kalosia¡¯s Holy Sanctuary. Their destinations werepletely different. They wouldn¡¯t see each other for a while. ¡°Will you visit the Elf Sanctumter?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You must. Promise me.¡± Arkamis repeatedly asked for reassurance. Ketal smiled and nodded. Arkamis started packing her belongings. Thanks to Ketal¡¯s help, she could pack quickly. ¡°Help me, Parco.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Parco hesitantly waved his hand, gently gathering the items, unlike before when he tried to destroy the ce. ¡°I should say a final goodbye to Milena before I go¡­.¡± Arkamis looked around the empty house with a sentimental expression before turning to Ketal. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± After hesitating for a moment, she smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you. Besides giving me the catalyst, thank you for everything. I had a really good time.¡± That was Arkamis¡¯s true sentiment. ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve befriended outside.¡± ¡°Milena would be sad to hear that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, so what can I do? I really had a great time. You must visitter, okay?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°You must, promise?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. As the conversation was wrapping up, Ketal suddenly turned to Parco as if remembering something. ¡°Ah.¡± Parco shuddered like a mouse struck by lightning under Ketal¡¯s gaze. ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a simple request.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°There will probably be many in the sanctum who don¡¯t like Arkamis learning alchemy. If any of them try to suppress her, please.¡± His calm eyes turned to Parco, who shrank even more. ¡°If I find out there¡¯s trouble when I visitter, I¡¯ll be very disappointed. Please.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I understand¡­.¡± Parco nodded hastily. The next day, Arkamis told Milena she was leaving. Milena was initially shocked but soon understood after hearing the circumstances. Though she was saddened, she canceled the contract without much fuss. Afterward, Arkamis departed. Left alone in Arkamis¡¯s house, Ketal murmured. ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡± Arkamis was the person with whom he had the longest rtionship sinceing out into the world. * * * Saying goodbye was a bit bittersweet. But farewells are inevitable. They would meet again someday, and checking if she had achieved her goals would be a pleasure. Now, it was time to seek new encounters and new ces. Ketal began to walk. * * * Ketal went to an inn in the capital. The receptionist screamed at the sight of Ketal, but after a brief conversation, he managed to calm her down. Upon exining the situation and entering the room, he found Heize and Nas waiting there. Nas muttered with a slightly surprised look. ¡°You really came. Honestly, I half-expected you would disappear without a word.¡± Two days is short but enough time for someone to change their mind. Nas had secretly thought Ketal wouldn¡¯t show up since promises without enforcement are often meaningless. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to keep a promise once made?¡± Ketal spoke as if it were obvious. Nas was moved by his words. ¡°¡­Indeed. There are many who cannot keep such obvious promises.¡± His face was full of admiration for Ketal. Heize¡¯s face twisted awkwardly. Nas spoke respectfully. ¡°Once again, I express my gratitude. Praise and thanks for your heroic choice.¡± Everything was ready. It was time to move to Kalosia¡¯s Holy Sanctuary. Ketal asked. ¡°Where is it located?¡± Nas spread a map on the table. ¡°Here.¡± He pointed to a spot with his fingertip. Ketal, gauging the location and distance, murmured. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It¡¯s not that far.¡± ¡°If there are no major issues during the journey, we should arrive within a month. Evil entities will appear as we approach the sanctuary, but the sanctuary will send help, so it shouldn¡¯t be a major problem.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ketal nodded. After packing up the map, Nas looked at Ketal with a worried expression and asked. ¡°¡­But are you sure that¡¯s all the luggage you need?¡± Heize and Nas had prepared quite thick andrge backpacks filled with dried food and spare clothes. Given it was a month¡¯s journey, it was only natural to prepare a lot. But Ketal had no luggage and was bare-handed. Ketal shook the leather pouch hanging from his waist in response to their worried looks. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have this.¡± ¡°¡­An artifact?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the size of a small room. I¡¯ve stocked it with all necessary supplies.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nas¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Where did you get such an artifact?¡± ¡°I received it as a reward for helping out.¡± Karthos. When he defeated the lich, the lord of the Barkan territory gave it to him as a token of gratitude. It was a very convenient artifact that he used frequently. Nas couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°A reward of such an artifact?¡± ¡°Is it that valuable?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡± If a small pouch contained the space of a room, it was an incredibly precious artifact. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to find it in the kingdom¡¯s treasury. Ketal was surprised after hearing the exnation. ¡°It¡¯s worth that much?¡± He had epted it gratefully but hadn¡¯t known its actual value. He felt happy anew. ¡°Who gave you such an artifact?¡± ¡°The lord of the territory I was staying in. He said he got it from some wandering merchants or something.¡± ¡°Ah, them.¡± Understanding dawned on Nas¡¯s face. ¡°That makes sense then.¡± ¡°You seem to know them.¡± ¡°They are famous. It¡¯s impossible not to know.¡± Mysterious beings adorned with strange ornaments. The wandering merchants. They appear suddenly, offer a deal, and if you fulfill it, they give you items. All of their items were of significant value. They provided rare artifacts and materials, which were impossible to obtain otherwise, for a very small price. People dream of encountering them even in their dreams. Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°Do they take money as payment?¡± ¡°Not always. Sometimes it¡¯s a barter, other times they give you a quest. The more difficult it is, the greater the reward.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°All adventurers dream of meeting them at least once. I¡¯ve traveled quite a while but never met them.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketalughed. Indeed, this world was very fascinating. ¡°Anyway¡­ then there¡¯s no problem. Let¡¯s depart immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long journey. Please take care of us.¡± Nas extended his hand. Ketal shook it with a smile. They stepped outside. Ketal looked back as they left the capital of the Denian Kingdom. The second city he had settled in sinceing out into the world. And the first capital. It was time to say goodbye. Now, it was time to head to the Holy Sanctuary where a living god resided. Ketal walked forward with a joyful step. * * * They proceeded towards Kalosia¡¯s Holy Sanctuary. Nas kept talking to Ketal the whole time. ¡°Many people have a poor opinion of our church, but it¡¯s actually a very family-like and good church if you get to know it. Of course, their perceptions aren¡¯tpletely wrong, but¡­ all those things are in the past and have been resolved.¡± Nas was trying to convert Ketal to a follower of Calrosia. He spoke all kinds of good things about Kalosia¡¯s church, and Ketal listened with a smile. That attitude made Nas even more enthusiastic. Normally, people would get tired of it, but Ketal listened with genuine interest. ¡°I heard you were apanion of Heize, so you must know. She¡¯s a really kind person. Even though it must be hard for her, she diligently sends money to the sanctuary. She¡¯s truly a model follower.¡± ¡°I know. She¡¯s a very kind woman.¡± ¡°Ah, haha¡­.¡± Heize, suddenly the subject of conversation, let out a dryugh. After walking for some time, they started to feel hungry. As Heize and Nas took out some dried food, Ketal pulled out a pot. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll cook something for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nas¡¯s eyes widened. A barbarian who knew how to cook? Contrary to his doubts, Ketal skillfully prepared a meal and handed it to them. After taking a spoonful, Nas¡¯s eyes widened even more. ¡°D-delicious.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°I never thought you could cook.¡± ¡°I enjoy eating good food. I¡¯m quite skilled, actually. My tribe members enjoyed my cooking too.¡± Hearing this, Nas¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°¡­You must have lived in amunity for a long time. Don¡¯t you have any issues living closely with others?¡± ¡°Not really. If I did, I couldn¡¯t have stayed in the capital.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. You must have been ostracized as a barbarian, but you managed well. You¡¯ll have no trouble fitting in with strangers.¡± Nas said insinuatingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Kalosia¡¯s followers don¡¯t ostracize others. You¡¯ll fit in just fine.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡®But why is he suddenly saying this?¡¯ Ketal was slightly puzzled. It was a bit out of the blue. Nas quickly continued, as if noticing Ketal¡¯s expression. ¡°No, no. I was just curious. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Nas smiled and changed the subject. Meanwhile, Heize¡¯s expression darkened. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 127 – The Isolated Village (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 127: The Isted Vige (1)N?v(el)B\\jnn They kept moving forward as the sun set and the moon rose. While preparing a ce to sleep for the night, Heize spoke cautiously. ¡°May I go and offer my final prayers for the day? I¡¯d like to do it quietly.¡± ¡°Feel free to go.¡± ¡°Thank you. Uh, Nas, why don¡¯t youe along?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Nas looked puzzled. But soon, understanding dawned on his face, and he followed Heize. They walked along the dark path until they reached the riverbank. The water was muddy, likely due to the heavy rain a few days ago. Heize looked at Nas, his voice almost drowned out by the roaring water. ¡°Nas, what are you doing? Are you really going to ept a barbarian into our church?¡± ¡°Why not? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Do we really need to?¡± Heize couldn¡¯t understand Nas¡¯s decision. Bringing that barbarian into their church seemed fraught with potential issues. But Nas¡¯s expression remained firm. ¡°We must. Our church is very weak. We need strength.¡± ¡°But we have the Holy Knight.¡± There was one superhuman in the Kalosia church. Not just a marginally powerful individual, but someone who surpassed the typical limits of strength. Despite the persecution they faced, it was solely due to the Holy Knight that the Kalosia church had been able to survive. ¡°And we have the Saintess. Do we really need more power? Even if it means bringing in that barbarian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nas spoke calmly. ¡°If we had more strength, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heize fell silent. Their sanctuary was in jeopardy. It was on the brink of copse due to the invasion of evil. If they had another superhuman, the situation might be significantly better. Nas gave a bitter smile. ¡°We can¡¯t cooperate with other churches. It¡¯s hard to get help from them. So we need to increase our own strength.¡± In normal circumstances, there was no need for an church to amass so much power. Usually, if an church faced difficulties, external help was avable. But that wasn¡¯t the case for them. They couldn¡¯t receive help from anyone. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the sin of our ancestors. Theymitted many crimes.¡± Nas narrowed his eyes. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we should perish like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°We need to grow stronger. We need power.¡± Nas lifted his gaze and looked into the distance, in the direction of Ketal. ¡°That barbarian can be the power we need.¡± Heize said nothing more. They returned to where Ketal was waiting, who greeted them with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re back. Did the prayers go well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Ketal murmured, causing Nas to feel a strange unease. ¡®¡­Could he have heard us?¡¯ Had he overheard their conversation? Nas doubted it. It was quite a distance away, and the roar of the river would have drowned out their voices. No matter how keen his hearing, it would have been impossible. Nas dismissed the thought. The next day, they continued their journey towards the sanctuary. Nas kept talking to Ketal, who responded well. Their conversation flowed seamlessly for over an hour. ¡®We get along so well.¡¯ Nas looked at Ketal with growing affection. How could there be such a barbarian in the world? Even if not for his strength, he was a person one could naturally feel fond of. Nas felt he was getting to know Ketal better. As such, one question inevitably arose. ¡®How strong is this barbarian?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t quite grasp it. ording to Heize, he was incredibly strong. He had fought against a named demon, which would put him on par with their Holy Knight. But Nas didn¡¯t fully believe Heize¡¯s words. The reason was simple. The amount of mystery he sensed from Ketal was very small. In this world, mystery was almost synonymous with strength. It was impossible for someone without it to be powerful. Considering that an Inquisitor of the Sun God was also present during the battle, Nas assumed Ketal must have yed a supporting role. ¡®Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be weak.¡¯ But without sensing any mystery from him, it was hard to get a clear idea of his strength. That doubt was soon resolved. ¡°Um.¡± Ketal, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Nas, following behind, widened his eyes. ¡°This is¡­.¡± A bridge stretched over a wide river, and a huge boulder blocked the path. Ketal murmured. ¡°It looks like the rain caused the boulder to roll down.¡± ¡°It seems so. This is troublesome.¡± Nas frowned. The river was very wide and the current strong, so they had to use the bridge. But a massive boulder blocked the way. Clearing the boulder was not an option. It was the size of a house, requiring dozens of strong men to move it. ¡°It¡¯s astonishing that such arge boulder exists.¡± Nas murmured in amazement. He had never seen such arge boulder before. ¡°We need to find another way.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± As Nas was about to turn back, Ketal stood in front of the boulder. Ketal grasped the boulder, and Nas¡¯s eyes widened even further. Rumble¡­. Ketal lifted the boulder with one hand. ¡°N-no way.¡± Nas¡¯s mouth fell open. Holding the boulder, Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll just toss it to the side.¡± ¡°Uh, uh, uh¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal threw the boulder. Though it seemed as if he was tossing an empty ball, when the boulder hit the ground, the earth shook. Boom! Their feet left the ground momentarily from the impact. ¡°It¡¯s done. We can go now.¡± Ketal said nonchntly. Nas was speechless. * * * After that, Nas spoke even more enthusiastically with Ketal. Excitement shone brightly in Nas¡¯s eyes as he chattered away. ¡®He lifted a boulder the size of a house with one hand.¡¯ Nas was not weak. He possessed first-rate strength and had encountered superhuman beings a few times during his long travels. So Nas could tell. The boulder from before was not something even a superhuman could easily move. Breaking it down to smaller pieces and then removing it, or using extensive preparation to blow it away in one go was possible, but lifting and moving it as Ketal did was impossible. ¡®How can he possess such strength without even handling mystery?¡¯ He was a monster. Someone hard to find in the entire kingdom, and greatly respected wherever he went. A strong individual like that could change the stature of a nation. If such a person became a priest of Kalosia, the church would not only ovee its crisis but also grow stronger. Driven by this goal, Nas continued to talk to Ketal. Ketal epted without any hesitation. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The conversation continued, and this time they were discussing the mythology of Kalosia. Nas spoke. ¡°A boy stole bread to save his starving younger sister. The next day, a trial was held to find the thief. Just as the boy was about to be caught, Lord Kalosia, who was passing by, imed falsely that they had stolen the bread.¡± Nas murmured with a moved expression. ¡°Kalosa showed that even through lies and deception, one can save others. Kalosia was a great being.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ketal nodded. Nas believed Ketal was impressed by Kalosia¡¯s great deeds. But in reality, Ketal was thinking something entirely different. ¡®Which parts are true and which are false?¡¯ From ancient times, those who worshiped someone tended to embellish their stories. Something as simple as buying goods from a store became an act of mercy to save a failing shop, and crossing a dangerous bridge became the journey of a great person. It wouldn¡¯t be much different here. ¡®Since these stories seem usible, they must all be true, right?¡¯ Contrary to Nas¡¯s expectation, Ketal approached it with the perspective of a meticulous researcher. But unaware of this, Nas was simply pleased. ¡°It seems I¡¯m doing all the talking. Do you have any questions about Lord Kalosia? I can answer anything.¡± ¡°Questions, huh.¡± After a moment of thought, Ketal spoke. ¡°There is one thing.¡± ¡°Oh. What is it?¡± ¡°I heard that your church caused various problems in the past. Is that true?¡± Nas, who had been smiling broadly, suddenly stopped. His expression quickly turned sour. ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking a painful question.¡± ¡°I apologize if it¡¯s offensive.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s our karma. It seems you know about it.¡± ¡°I have a rough idea.¡± Priests of Kalosia, the god of lies and deception. They wandered the world, causing chaos through lies and deception. In the end, they became targets of attack and had to submit. Nas gave a bitter smile. ¡°That¡¯s mostly correct. It¡¯s our original sin.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have the power to shake the world.¡± The Church of Kalosia was copsing under the invasion of evil. If they had that kind of power, they wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. ¡°You¡¯re quite blunt.¡± Momentarily taken aback, Nas began to exin. ¡°There¡¯s a reason for that. After many problems, we changed the church¡¯s policy.¡± Even if they worship the god of lies and deception, they must not harm others. To tarnish the name of the god is an uneptable act for a follower. After such discussions, the church¡¯s policy was established. The priests of Kalosia began to act like priests of any other god. Since then, the priests of Kalosia stopped causing trouble. But at the same time, the church¡¯s influence began to wane. ¡°The divine power we received grew weaker. The number of people who could read the scriptures decreased. Some even lost their divine power.¡± The power of the churches from the god. Without the god¡¯s power, they inevitably weakened. Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°So that¡¯s why your influence weakened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of our karma.¡± Nas said with a regretful tone. ¡°Kalosia was disappointed to see the priests tarnish their name, so they withdrew their divine power. We must do our best to regain their favor.¡± Seeing the priests tarnish the name, Kalosia was disappointed and withdrew divine power. Now, they hade to their senses and were atoning for their sins. That was the belief of the priests of Kalosia. ¡°Hmm?¡± But Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, but is there a problem with that?¡± ¡°¡­No. If that¡¯s what you believe, then it must be correct.¡± He was an outsider. He didn¡¯t know much about their mythology or divinity. Therefore, there was no need to question it. Ketal changed the subject. They continued on their way. The journey was uneventful to the point of boredom. They had already covered about half the distance. ¡°Um.¡± Ketal, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a vige.¡± ¡°A vige?¡± Nas looked puzzled. There was no sign of people anywhere. There was nothing but forest near the path. But Ketal insisted there was a vige. ¡°It¡¯s about 1 kilometer from here.¡± ¡°¡­You sensed that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal looked nkly at Nas. Nas was momentarily speechless but quickly regained hisposure and said, ¡°A vige, huh. We can restock supplies and spend the night there since it¡¯s getting dark.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Heize nodded quickly. After walking non-stop for two weeks, exhaustion had set in. He wanted to sleep under a roof for a night. ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Where is it located?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Ketal pointed beyond the forest. ¡°¡­Over there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nas frowned. They were on a path in the middle of the forest. In the direction Ketal pointed, there was nothing but forest. It didn¡¯t seem like a usible location for a vige. ¡°Hmm¡­ we¡¯ll see when we get there. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heize replied. They walked towards where the vige was supposed to be. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 128 – The Isolated Village (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 128: The Isted Vige (2) The vige began to appear as they passed through the forest. Ketal muttered, ¡°It¡¯s a small vige.¡± However, it was different from the viges they had seen so far. The viges Ketal had seen before were all neat and orderly. The shapes of the houses, the paths within the vige, and the roads were all perfect, giving off the feeling of a nned city. But this ce was different. The houses were built haphazardly, with no proper roads, and the vige was cluttered. Large rocks were embedded here and there, as if they hadn¡¯t been cleared away. It didn¡¯t end there. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s in very good condition.¡± The houses made of wood and grass were rotting and seemed about to copse at any moment. A vige hidden in the forest, on the verge of falling apart. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡®If it¡¯s a fantasy, there should be at least one vige like this.¡¯ He felt satisfied but had one question. ¡°Why is there a vige in such a ce? It doesn¡¯t seem suitable for living at all.¡± It was not good for farming, and it was hard to contact nearby viges. It had some charm, but it seemed full of inconveniences for living. ¡°It must be because they can¡¯t live anywhere else.¡± Nas seemed to understand. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡± They walked toward the vige. And as they arrived at the vige entrance, as expected, chaos erupted. ¡°Barbarians!¡± ¡°Eeeeek!¡± The vigers screamed and hurriedly moved about. Nas, as if anticipating this, showed no particr reaction. Barbarians were fundamentally objects of fear and dread. To these people, it must have felt like monsters were invading their vige. ¡°Why have youe to our vige?¡± ¡°Go back!¡± The vigers armed themselves and threatened them. However, what they held were wooden spears and pitchforks, not really threatening. Their thin arms trembled, possibly fromck of food. Their ragged, dirty clothes looked pitiful. ¡°Step back for a moment. Let me handle this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal took a step back. Nas stepped forward and spoke politely. ¡°We came across your vige while passing through. We have no intention of causing any trouble.¡± Nas spoke courteously. ¡°May we stay for a night? We willpensate you for it.¡± His polite demeanor and words, along with his attire, left the vigers wide-eyed. ¡°¡­A servant of a god?¡± They nced back and forth between Ketal and Nas. ¡°¡­A priest with a barbarian?¡± The vigers were bewildered. Nas could understand. It was indeed a strangebination, even to him. After calming down for a moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward. ¡°I am the vige chief. May I ask which god you serve?¡± Nas replied, ¡°I am a priest of Kalosia, the god of lies and deception.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± The vige chief hesitated. His face quickly showed signs of rejection, simr to the reaction when he saw the barbarian. Nas smiled wryly. ¡°We have no intention of causing any trouble. I swear in the name of Kalosia.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The vige chief¡¯s expression was uncertain. Just as Nas was about to step back, sensing the obvious rejection, Ketal stepped forward. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t intend to cause any trouble.¡± His low, yet firm words resonated. The vige chief¡¯s eyes trembled wildly. ¡°A-alright. Pleasee in¡­¡± He spoke, trembling. They were led to an empty house. Ketal smiled as he spoke, ¡°They¡¯re good people, epting outsiders like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Nas and Heize remained silent. The house was extremely shabby. It was a shack on the verge of copse. However, just having a roof over their heads was a relief. Heize sat on a straw bed and rubbed her legs. Ketal had been guided to a different house. ¡°Hmm. No matter how I see it, they seem like good people,¡± Nas muttered. Nas muttered, ¡°He seems to have a very good personality. Heize, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken? He doesn¡¯t seem like someone with issues.¡± During the two weeks of travel, Ketal hadn¡¯t caused any problems. On the contrary, he had been considerate and attentive to them. No matter how he thought about it, Ketal didn¡¯t seem like a problematic person as Heize had suggested. ¡°No,¡± Heize denied firmly. ¡°Nas, you just don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person either.¡± Heize had received many favors from Ketal. She didn¡¯t harbor any hostility towards him. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s as good as you think he is.¡± Ketal¡¯s values were different. They were in a realm that they couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to challenge your judgment, but¡­ I just want you to keep that in mind.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Nas stroked his chin. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem problematic.¡¯ Heize¡¯s strong words made Nas reconsider. ¡®Am I viewing him too favorably?¡¯ In hindsight, his first impression had been very strong. Since then, whatever Ketal did, he had seen it favorably. He decided to view things more objectively. The next day, the moon set and the sun rose. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nas replied quietly. Ketal smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. Rest is important since we have a long journey ahead.¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± As they paid their dues and prepared to leave the vige, someone arrived. ¡°Come out!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the vige chief?¡± A rough voice echoed, clearly filled with hostility and menace. Three men, dressed in tattered leather armor, were swinging rusty swords threateningly. ¡°Come out, or do you want to die?¡± The vige chief rushed out frantically. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± One of the men twisted his face grotesquely. ¡°You still haven¡¯t paid this month¡¯s tribute!¡± ¡°We¡­ we¡¯re in a dire situation. We don¡¯t even have enough food to survive¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The man roughly cut off the chief¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s your problem! We¡¯re protecting you, aren¡¯t we? You need to pay for that!¡± The man red, and the vige chief trembled. Ketal, who had been watching the scene, muttered, ¡°They really look like thugs.¡± He found it fascinating that such people existed in this world too. Apparently hearing his voice, the man red in his direction. ¡°Who the hell is that?¡± ¡°Who dares to talk like that?¡± They looked in the direction of the voice and their eyes met Ketal¡¯s. Ketal smiled and waved. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened. He seemed to think he was seeing things, shaking his head. But when he looked again, Ketal was still there. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll be back, so be ready next time!¡± They stammered and hurriedly left. ¡°Seems like there¡¯s a problem.¡± Ketal smiled. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] * * * ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ketal asked the vige chief. The chief stammered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s our problem. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± ¡°Still, sometimes talking about it can be relieving.¡± Ketal spoke softly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us? You never know, we might be able to help.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± The chief¡¯s eyes clouded, and he began to speak hesitantly. ¡°B-bandits are threatening us.¡± ¡°Bandits?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°There are bandits here?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°There are quite a few,¡± Nas said calmly. ¡°The basic guards or mercenaries are mainly tasked with managing the dungeons near the viges.¡± In other words, most of the manpower was invested in the dungeons, making it difficult to manage the roads beyond the viges. Thus, the number of bandits and thieves controlling the paths between viges was not small. The vige chief nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. There have been bandits around this area for a long time.¡± So far, they had not been discovered, but recently the bandits had found the vige and started making various demands. ¡°We want to fight back, but our weapons and condition are too poor¡­ There¡¯s a strong one among them, so we have no choice but toply.¡± The vige chief hung his head in despair, his emaciated arms trembling from hunger. ¡°Can¡¯t you request assistance from nearby viges or territories?¡± Ketal¡¯s question was reasonable. If a vige couldn¡¯t handle a problem on its own, it would seek help from the territory. This was amon practice, as seen when they had gone to Barkan¡¯s territory to deal with demons. However, the vige chief¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin from here,¡± Nas interjected. ¡°When you first discovered this vige, you wondered why a vige was in such a ce. The reason is simple,¡± Nas said. ¡°These are refugee outcasts.¡± ¡°Refugees?¡± Viges near territories had to pay taxes to the territory owner, who set the tax rates. While the kingdom offered some protection, it was rarely enforced. Those who couldn¡¯t endure such exploitation and oppression fled to remote, hidden ces where they wouldn¡¯t be tracked. This vige was one such ce. ¡°Oh,¡± Ketal said, stroking his chin with interest. ¡°That¡¯s why they can¡¯t seek help.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± There was no one to help those who had fled. Their fate was to either be perpetually exploited by the bandits, return to the oppressive lord they had fled, or resist and risk their lives. It was not something they should get involved in. Cases like this weremon. People fleeing their responsibilities and duties, and bandits exploiting such people¡ªNas had seen it countless times during their travels. As Nas was about to leave, Ketal spoke up energetically. ¡°How unfortunate!¡± The chief, caught off guard by Ketal¡¯s sudden reaction, stammered. ¡°It¡¯s a shame! Being exploited like this! And by bandits, no less!¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± The vige chief was taken aback. Ketal continued, ignoring the chief¡¯s surprise. ¡°This is fate; it¡¯s a good opportunity. I¡¯ll help you!¡± ¡°What?¡± Nas¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. * * * The vige chief was astonished. He had never expected Ketal to offer help. He repeatedly asked if Ketal was serious, and each time Ketal nodded. The chief, deeply moved, expressed his gratitude over and over. Nas approached Ketal. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°I apologize for not discussing it beforehand. You can leave if you wish. I¡¯ll resolve this quickly and catch up with you.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the issue. I¡¯m asking about your true intentions.¡± Nas stared intently at Ketal. ¡°Why did you say you¡¯d help them? These people have no right to protection.¡± Objectively, Ketal had no reason to help. The vigers were fugitives who had abandoned their responsibilities and duties. They were being exploited by others who had simrly forsaken their responsibilities and be bandits. It was merely a difference in power dynamics. There was no reason for them to intervene. This was themon worldview of their world. Yet, Ketal had offered to help. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Nas could somewhat understand Ketal aiding Kalosia¡¯s church due to his friendship with Heize, but the vigers were just a passing acquaintance. Nas narrowed his eyes, trying to gauge Ketal¡¯s intentions based on his answer. In truth, Ketal didn¡¯t have any profound reason. ¡®I just wanted to see what the bandits are like in a real fantasy world.¡¯ He was simply curious about where the bandits were based and how they lived. It wasn¡¯t anything grand. However, he couldn¡¯t say that, so he searched his memory. ¡®What do people usually say in situations like this?¡¯ Ketal recalled a suitable response. ¡°Does a person need a reason to save another person?¡± Nas¡¯s eyes widened. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 129 – The Isolated Village (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 129: The Isted Vige (3) ¡°¡­What?¡± Nas¡¯ voice trembled. It was an answer he hadn¡¯t imagined. ¡°Is that the reason?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other reason.¡± ¡®The truth is, I just wanted to see the bandits.¡¯ Ketal couldn¡¯t say that out loud, so he answered appropriately. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Nas¡¯ eyes wavered at the response. Does a person need a reason to save another person? Right. There was no need for a reason. Didn¡¯t the record of Kalosia, which he had told Ketal about, mention helping a child who was stealing without any particr reason? Even the great gods save others without calcting the benefits. So why do humans think they are great enough to decide who to save and who not to save? ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± No reason is needed to save someone. One acts simply because the heart moves them to. ¡°Ah!¡± Nas let out an exmation. It was a moment of realization. He reached a higher spiritual level. While it might not cause a significant change outwardly, the divine essence within him transformed to a higher level. ¡°Huu¡­¡± With newfound calmness, Nas spoke. ¡°¡­Thank you. You¡¯ve broadened my narrow perspective.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal replied nonchntly but was inwardly bewildered. ¡®What?¡¯ He had just recalled something he had seen during his time on Earth and answered appropriately, yet Nas had admired him and eximed on his own. ¡®Looks like he understood it well even though I said it randomly.¡¯ Ketal thought so. Nas looked at Ketal with gentle eyes. ¡®This barbarian.¡¯ Impressive. Now, he understood why Heize had said Ketal¡¯s values were different. ¡®It seems Heize couldn¡¯t understand because it was too advanced for her.¡¯ Heize stillcked the cultivation toprehend Ketal¡¯s realization. Instead of clearing up the misunderstanding, it deepened it further. They finished preparing to go to the bandits. The vige chief expressed his gratitude repeatedly. ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ll take care of it ande back.¡± Nas said gently. ¡°Heize, you should rest. The journey must be exhausting, so you need more rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal and Nas headed towards the bandits¡¯ hideout. It wasn¡¯t far. They soon found a cave. ¡°There it is.¡± The bandits standing guard saw them and panicked, grabbing their axes. ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Oh. We meet again.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. It was the bandits who had attacked the vige. Upon seeing Ketal¡¯s face, the bandit¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Everyone! Come out! Intruders!¡± ¡°What, what!¡± Bandits came rushing out of the cave. Ketal mumbled with an intrigued expression. ¡°There are quite a few.¡± There were more than ten bandits. This meant all of them were staying inside the cave. ¡®Is there enough space in the cave for that many people?¡¯ Were they living cramped up? Ketal wondered. The bandits who rushed out were shocked to see Ketal and Nas. ¡°A, a barbarian!¡± ¡°And a priest?¡± They were flustered upon seeing Ketal and Nas. Ketal spoke softly. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been plundering and harassing the vigers. I¡¯d like you to stop.¡± ¡°¡­What nonsense!¡± Naturally, talking didn¡¯t work. The bandits drew their bows. ¡°Shoot!¡± Arrows flew. Nas waved his hand lightly. A barrier of divine power formed, deflecting the arrows. The bandits were astonished. ¡°We can¡¯t fight them!¡± ¡°Boss! Boss! We have a big problem!¡± One bandit hurriedly ran back into the cave. Soon, a voice was heard. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this? You can¡¯t handle it yourselves?¡± ¡°Th-they¡¯re too strong¡­¡± ¡°Useless fools.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Nas¡¯ expression changed. The voice was quite high-pitched. The one called the boss appeared. Ketal let out a small exmation. ¡°The boss is a woman.¡± Not just any woman, but a very alluring one. She had a seductive appearance, wearing provocative clothing, and her face was filled with sensuality. Her long brown hair was well-maintained, giving her an air of elegance. ¡°Hmm.¡± Nas¡¯ expression changed. He could instinctively tell that the woman¡¯s aura was different. She was strong. Very strong. The woman looked at them with narrowed eyes. ¡°¡­A barbarian. And a priest of Kalosia?¡± She frowned. ¡°What kind of bizarrebination is this?¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been troubling the nearby viges. We¡¯vee to resolve it. How about stopping?¡± Ketal said. The woman looked even more bewildered. ¡°¡­You came here just for that? What, are you some kind of crusader for justice?¡± Nas could understand her confusion. He felt the same way. The woman narrowed her eyes. ¡°Anyway¡­ you mean to interfere with me? That won¡¯t do.¡± She extended her arms, and two daggers slid from her forearms into her hands. Nas frowned. ¡°¡­You¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Strong enough for you to say so?¡± ¡°Quite strong. At the upper tier of first-rate warriors.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Being in the upper tier of first-rate meant she could easily be the head of a knight order in a small country. But for someone that strong to be leading a small bandit gang? ¡®Do you need to be that strong to be a bandit in a fantasy world?¡¯ On second thought, it made sense. This was a fantasy world, full of threats that didn¡¯t exist on Earth. To live as a bandit without the protection of thew, one would need such strength. It seemed reasonable. Of course, in reality, it was not. Someone of her strength wouldn¡¯t need to resort to banditry. Nas looked at the dagger the woman held. There was a skull emblem engraved on it. Nas frowned. ¡°You¡¯re a criminal. Why is a resident of the underground city out here?¡± ¡°Underground city?¡± Ketal had heard of it. A city created by a grand wizard. A haven for all criminals. The underground city of Magnarein, where sunlight never reached. ¡°That skull emblem on her dagger is the mark of Magnarein.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°As expected of a priest of Kalosia, you know well. It¡¯s gloomy with no sunlight there, so I came out for a little vacation.¡± The woman spoke leisurely while polishing her dagger. ¡°Now that you know, I¡¯d appreciate it if you left. Otherwise¡­ you¡¯ve got quite the body.¡± She nced at Ketal. His muscles were evident even through his clothes. The woman licked her lips seductively. ¡°Want to y with me? It¡¯d be more fun than hanging out with that old man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very tempting offer.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°But unfortunately, I have to decline.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a pity.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than she darted toward Ketal, her movement startlingly fast. It was a speed that would astonish even Nas. The dagger aimed for Ketal¡¯s wrist. It was a speed beyond ordinary perception. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal eximed. ¡°You¡¯re fast.¡± He grabbed the woman¡¯s hand. Her eyes widened. But her surprisested only a moment. Her body turned into shadows. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. The arm he was holding dissolved like a shadow and disappeared. The woman caught her falling dagger and again aimed for Ketal¡¯s arm. ng! But the dagger bounced off. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Her eyes widened. The dagger had clearly struck the barbarian¡¯s arm. But it was the dagger that was repelled. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting trick.¡± Ketal murmured as he raised his foot. In that instant, he was right in front of her. She gasped and tried to distance herself, but he grabbed her neck. ¡°Ugh!¡± Her body turned into shadows again, slipping from his grasp. But immediately, he caught her again. ¡°What¡­!¡± Ketal tightened his grip. The woman fainted instantly, her body going limp. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Nas murmured calmly. The woman was undoubtedly strong, but Ketal was far superior. She stood no chance against him. ¡°Eeeek!¡± As their leader fell, the bandits tried to flee in panic, but they were all ordinary people who knew nothing of the mysteries. They were all subdued. Nas asked. ¡°What do you intend to do with them? Are you going to kill them all? There wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if you did.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± The bound bandits were horrified. Ketal spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not a barbarian.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± Nas closed his mouth. While the statement was true considering who Ketal was, it didn¡¯t quite match his appearance. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of it. In the name of Lord Kalosia, I will bind the bandits. I¡¯ll make them confess their sins in the nearest town.¡± ¡°Is such a thing possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an easy task, but¡­ there are only about a dozen of them, so it¡¯s not a problem.¡± Nas bound the bandits. Only the female leader remained. ¡°While I could bind the other bandits at will, it¡¯s impossible with this woman.¡± Given her strength, which was in the upper tier of the first rate, she had to ept the binding herself. The woman, who had woken up at some point, narrowed her eyes. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°Then, well¡­ there is no other way. We¡¯d have to resort to extreme measures.¡± Nas said coldly. The woman sighed. ¡°I just came for a brief rest, and now this. Fine, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± ¡°Lord Kalosia, remove lies and deceit from them, and grant them a chance to atone for their sins.¡± With Nas¡¯s words, light descended upon them. They would now walk to the nearest town to confess their sins. Before leaving, the woman looked at Ketal. ¡°Barbarian. Your name?¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal, is it¡­¡± The woman narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly. ¡°Very well. Ketal. My name is Cassandra. Let¡¯s meet again someday.¡± ¡°I hope we get the chance.¡± Ketal said cheerfully. The bandits walked towards the nearest town. Watching their backs, Ketal murmured. ¡°That was an impressive technique.¡± He had clearly grabbed her arm, but she vanished like mist. It was a strange technique. Nas responded. ¡°She¡¯s a resident of Magnarein. They say there are rare techniques there that don¡¯t exist outside.¡± ¡°Magnarein, huh.¡± A subterranean city where criminals live. Ketal¡¯s eyes filled with interest. ¡°How does one get there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Commit a crime.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t enter unless you¡¯re a criminal?¡± ¡°Generally, yes.¡± Nas pointed to the dagger lying on the ground. ¡°That skull emblem. It¡¯s the pass to the underground city. It¡¯s only issued to criminals.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°It seems you can enter if you have a skull emblem.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re desperate enough to get in, yes. But no one in their right mind would do that.¡± Nas shook his head. The paradise of criminals, Magnarein. Everyone who lived there was a criminal. No ordinary person would even think of entering. Nas spoke with a sense of concern. ¡°I¡¯d advise against it if you¡¯re interested. It¡¯s not just minor criminals there.¡± Traitors who attempted to overthrow entire countries. Mass murderers who killed thousands. Mad wizards who used countless humans as test subjects. Notorious criminals still talked about in the world resided there. Nas strongly emphasized the dangers of the underground city. Hearing this, Ketal quietly smiled. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®¡­Why does he seem more interested?¡¯ Nas felt a bit uneasy. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 130 – The Isolated Village (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 130: The Isted Vige (4) Before Ketal could grow more interested, Nas changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s over now, so let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Ketal turned his gaze towards the forest. Nas tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°Is there something there?¡± He couldn¡¯t sense anything. Ketal, who had been staring silently, withdrew his gaze. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing if it doesn¡¯t move. Let¡¯s go back.¡± They returned to the vige. And they told the vigers that the bandits would no longere. The vigers, who had been waiting anxiously, showed a surge of emotion on their faces. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you! It¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± The vigers were powerless against the bandits. If this had continued, they would have been starved to death. That was their inevitable fate. But that fate was shattered by these sudden outsiders. To the vigers, Ketal¡¯s group were nothing short of saviors. So, from the depths of their hearts, they cried out. ¡°Blessings to Kalosia!¡± ¡°A prayer to the god who showed us mercy!¡± They exalted the names of Kalosia and Ketal. Nas didn¡¯t mind watching this sight. ¡°Good.¡± He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he saw such heartfelt praise. Heize also looked pleased. ¡°Well, it¡¯s worth a try, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ketalughed heartily. Nas looked at Ketal with newfound interest. ¡®Did he foresee this oue?¡¯ Had this barbarian intended to relieve the vigers¡¯ rejection of Kalosia? To make them remember Kalosia¡¯s name, had he shown them by his actions? Was there such deep meaning behind his actions? To Nas, Ketal was a person of profound insight. He began to find meaning in every action. The vigers tried to hold onto them, trying to scrape together a reward. After repeatedly declining, they barely managed to leave the vige. ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad.¡± Ketal muttered. It was an enjoyable diversion. He asked with a smile. ¡°So now, will the bandits be punished by the town?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it will be.¡± Due to Nas¡¯s constraints, the bandits would go to a nearby town and confess their crimes. ¡°They will receive punishment fitting their crimes. Likely hardbor or execution. Cassandra, she will probably face thetter.¡± For a top-tier fighter to be a criminal of Magnarein, she was at least a murderer. She must have killed countless people, and would inevitably be executed. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all over.¡± Nas was certain they would never see them again. But Ketal looked uncertain. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°No reason. It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Ketal took the lead. ¡°We have a long way to go. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Nas and Heize followed him. Time passed and night fell. Nas spoke to Heize.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Heize, let¡¯s go pray.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heize nodded. Once they had traveled far enough, Nas spoke. ¡°I now understand why you said Ketal¡¯s values are so different.¡± ¡°Right? They really are different!¡± Heize hastily agreed. Finally, Nas was understanding her! She felt relieved. ¡°His enlightenment is too great for us toprehend. That¡¯s why you felt it was different.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Heize stopped. This was not the response she had expected. She btedly looked at Nas¡¯s face. His face showed admiration and reverence. ¡°There was a reason you felt that way. His enlightenment surpasses ours.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°Instead of thinking of him as different, try to ept it. Then you¡¯ll see his greatness.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Heize¡¯s face twisted in dismay. * * * While they were heading towards the holynd of Kalosia, the bandits were trudging towards a nearby vige. In their midst, their leader, Cassandra, was scolding the bandits. ¡°You fools. You should have told me about such a barbarian beforehand. Ugh, you¡¯re all useless. That¡¯s why you¡¯re doing banditry.¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡± The bandits looked aggrieved. In truth, Cassandra wasn¡¯t their original leader. She had suddenly appeared one day, beaten them up, and taken over. She was so terribly strong that they couldn¡¯t run away and had to call her their leader. ¡®She got beaten up and subdued herself,¡¯ the bandits grumbled inwardly. They didn¡¯t dare say it aloud. If they did, Cassandra would beat them up. Cassandra grumbled. ¡°What kind of restriction did he put on me? I can¡¯t do anything but head towards the vige and scold you guys. All my powers are sealed.¡± At that moment, the bandits¡¯ eyes gleamed strangely. ¡°¡­You can¡¯t use your powers?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just apletely ordinary woman now.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± At that moment, the bandits stopped walking. They started to move sneakily, surrounding Cassandra. ¡°Hey! Guys, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassandra asked with a smile. The bandits gave a sinister grin. ¡°Great. You little girl.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve hated you for unting your strength.¡± Nas had imposed a restriction on them: to go to the vige and confess their crimes, preventing any other actions. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, there was no restriction on interactions between the restricted individuals themselves. The bandits grinned wickedly. ¡°Heh heh heh.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± The bandits lunged at Cassandra. One bandit, seemingly the most impatient, lunged the fastest. And then darkness swept by. The lead bandit¡¯s body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The bandits froze. No life could be sensed from the fallen bandit. ¡°Hey. Guys, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassandra smiled gently. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to teach me a lesson? Come on.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± Something was off. One bandit, sensing it instinctively, trembled and backed away. At that moment, darkness swept by again. The retreating bandit¡¯s body copsed. ¡°Ah, ahhh!¡± At that point, the bandits started to flee in a panic, their faces filled with terror. Cassandra clicked her tongue in disappointment. ¡°How boring. Finish them off.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, darkness swept across the ground. It enveloped the bandits¡¯ bodies in an instant, mming them into the ground. In the blink of an eye, about a dozen bandits lost their lives. Cassandra looked up at the sky. ¡°Come out.¡± And the darkness took shape. A figure in a ck robe slowly appeared next to Cassandra. ¡°Mydy.¡± A low voice echoed. Cassandra grumbled. ¡°You should have waited a bit longer. It ended too boringly.¡± ¡°Apologies. I couldn¡¯t stand it when those lowly creatures dared to be rude to you.¡± ¡°Whatever. How long have you been watching?¡± ¡°From the beginning.¡± The servant spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been following you since you left the city.¡± Cassandra grimaced. ¡°So, you saw me getting beaten up too?¡± ¡°I thought it would be a good experience for you.¡± ¡°Ugh. Insolent servant.¡± Cassandra waved her hand. ¡°Remove this restriction. Even while talking, my body moves automatically.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Nas was a first-rate warrior. The restriction imposed by such a follower was not weak. Since Cassandra had consented to it, it was difficult for an outsider to interfere. To lift such a restriction, one would need a well-prepared ritual or be overwhelmingly stronger than Nas. The servant murmured softly. ¡°Darkness calls upon greater darkness, bury it.¡± Kiiing! With just a single sentence, the restriction that had been oppressing Cassandra was shattered. Cassandra stretched, feeling refreshed. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s return, mydy. You¡¯ve enjoyed yourself long enough.¡± ¡°I wanted to have a bit more fun¡­ Alright.¡± Cassandra muttered with a hint of regret. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that strange guy, I could have had more fun. Ugh.¡± ¡°The barbarian, you mean. He was strong. I had no information about such a barbarian in my records.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you beat him if you fight?¡± ¡°¡­I am not sure.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cassandra¡¯s eyes widened. Her servant was incredibly strong. There were few in their family who could confidently say they could defeat him. Yet this servant couldn¡¯t be sure of victory? ¡°Really? He¡¯s that strong?¡± ¡°Based on the strength he showed, he wasn¡¯t that remarkable¡­ but he seemed to be hiding something.¡± The servant said. ¡°That barbarian noticed my presence.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cassandra¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°He saw you while you were hiding? Is that even possible? Even my father couldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°It could have been a coincidence. So, I can¡¯t be certain.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Cassandra narrowed her eyes. ¡°Ketal¡­ was it?¡± She muttered, as if trying to imprint the name in her memory. ¡°For now, let¡¯s return.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassandra took the servant¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. To the city where our sunlight doesn¡¯t reach.¡± Darkness enveloped them. Only the cold corpses of the bandits remained on the roadside. * * * Ketal¡¯s group continued on. There were no significant issues. Even the bandits, seeing Ketal, seemed to flee in terror, allowing them to proceed without any interference. During this time, Ketal and Nas continued their conversations. Nas would react greatly or think deeply about even Ketal¡¯s most trivialments. And Heize stopped saying anything altogether. Though she continued talking to Nas, he never changed his mind. Instead, he began to look at Heize strangely. ¡®Am I really the strange one?¡¯ Was Ketal truly a great and spiritually advanced person? Had she been mistaken all along? She began to doubt herself. And so they continued on. Eventually, they arrived at their destination, the holynd. * * * ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± Ketal eximed. A vast in. In its center was a city. Not veryrge, but neatly arranged. In its center stood a grand church. And visible to anyone, a gentle light bathed the vige. The light was different from sunlight. It seemed to emit from the holynd itself, illuminating the surroundings brightly. This was the holynd of Kalosia. The domain of the divine. But it wasn¡¯t just a bright, shining ce. Despite the sun not having set yet, the in around the holynd was shrouded in darkness. Darkness surrounded Kalosia¡¯s holynd widely. And within that darkness, all kinds of monsters could be seen. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 131 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 131: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (1) ¡°Impressive.¡± Ketal marveled at the sight. A city bathed in light, surrounded by ins steeped in darkness. It was a scene that seemed toe straight out of a painting. Ketal watched with a smile, while Nas¡¯s face darkened. ¡°¡­The darkness has grown thicker.¡± The darkness of the ins had deepened since hest left the sanctuary. This indicated that the attacks of evil had intensified. ¡°That is the sanctuary of Lord Kalosia. We must reach that city.¡± ¡°How do we get there?¡± Monsters roamed the darkness of the ins. ¡°Do we just smash through everything and advance?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Nas hurriedly shook his head. The ins were filled with evil monsters. Their numbers were immense, and among them were some incredibly powerful creatures. Even Ketal could be in danger if surrounded. ¡°So, we n to sneak in.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Sneak in?¡± Ketal was puzzled. The ins were vast andcked any structures to hide behind. His confusion was quickly resolved. Nas and Heize closed their eyes and sped their hands together, chanting softly. ¡°Lord Kalosia, please conceal our bodies within your illusion.¡± A ripple. A rippling darkness enveloped them. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal eximed in admiration. Even though they were right in front of him, their presence had noticeably diminished. It would be hard to detect them without exceptional sensory abilities like Ketal¡¯s. ¡°Move carefully.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t even speak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Just don¡¯t move excessively.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nas nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They stepped into the dark ins. They walked among the monsters. All sorts of sinister energies brushed against their bodies. The mere act of breathing tainted their lungs and twisted their minds with the horrific aura of evil. Without the protection of Kalosia¡¯s holy power, the dense darkness would have shaken their hearts. Heize gritted her teeth and took another step forward. They continued to walk forward. And when they reached about halfway, a monster began to approach them slowly. Nas spoke in a low voice. ¡°Everyone, stay still.¡± Heize hastily nodded. [Gruuu¡­.] A massive giant. Its singr pink eye in the middle of its head blinked slowly. The giant arrived right in front of them. [Kraaa.] The giant opened its mouth. A thick, dark aura flowed out from its maw. A nightmarish form stood before them, blinking its single eye. Heize could barely breathe properly. Nas also gritted his teeth. A horrifying visage that would instinctively evoke fear and drive anyone to distance themselves. But Ketal stood facing the giant, smiling. Blink. The giant blinked its eye and soon walked away. Heize copsed to the ground, her legs giving out. Nas let out a sigh of relief. And Ketal murmured. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°¡­Impressive?¡± Nas looked at Ketal with a perplexed expression. The one-eyed giant. It wasn¡¯t something one could call impressive, even out of politeness. ¡°Indeed, impressive.¡± But Ketal was sincere. Although it had an unusual appearance,pared to the bizarre creatures of the snowy ins, it was quite unique and impressive. ¡°R-Really?¡± Nas had an iprehensible look on his face. Despite the minor incident, they continued forward. And without further issues, they reached the vicinity of the sanctuary. ¡°Phew.¡± With tension easing, Heize sat down on the ground. Nas also massaged his shoulders. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Wait a moment. Lord Kalosia, show our location hidden in your illusion to your servants.¡± Nas murmured softly. Simultaneously, a pir of light quietly descended. ¡°It¡¯s done. Now they will see this pir from the sanctuary ande to rescue us. We just need to wait.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With nothing else to do, Ketal watched the monsters roaming in the darkness. Each one was unique and distinct, making them fascinating to observe. However, no one came, no matter how much time passed. Nas frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t theying?¡± ¡°Could it be they didn¡¯t see the pir?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ but just in case, I¡¯ll try again.¡± As Nas began to chant again, a wave of power spread out. Thud¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± Nas instinctively surrounded himself with divine energy. The huge waves of evil and divine power swept near the sanctuary. Nas¡¯s eyes filled with shock. ¡°W-what!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal turned his gaze. Even he could feel the intense waves. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s an attack from evil.¡± Nas swallowed. ¡°It seems evil is attacking the sanctuary. That¡¯s why they can¡¯te.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. Nas groaned. ¡°But these waves¡­¡± The waves were so powerful that they had to protect themselves even from a considerable distance. Nas¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°¡­The leader of the dark magicians has stepped forward. It seems the Holy Knight is dealing with them.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal murmured. ¡°So it means a superhuman-level dark magician and a superhuman-level Holy Knight are fighting.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nas nodded. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. We should wait quietly until someone from the sanctuaryes.¡± Nas tensed his whole body, focusing on the waves. He didn¡¯t notice the deep interest in Ketal¡¯s voice. Nas and Heize waited quietly. Soon, people from the sanctuary came. ¡°Lord Nas! And Lord Heize!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Nas and Heize were overjoyed. Armored knights arrived, holding shields to protect them. ¡°You¡¯vee!¡± ¡°Yes! You survived! Thank goodness!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lord Heize!¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± They rejoiced in their reunion, but there was no time to celebrate leisurely. The knights quickly escorted them. ¡°The enemies have begun their attack. The Holy Knight is fighting them. Let¡¯s get inside quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, Heize. Let¡¯s go in.¡± They were escorted towards the sanctuary. ¡°By the way, Lord Nas.¡± The knight looked around with a puzzled expression. ¡°If Lord Nas is here, it means you found someone to help us, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I found an excellent person.¡± ¡°¡­Then why are there only two of you?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Nas was bewildered. Only the two of them? He turned his head. Nas¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Ketal was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared at some point. ¡°W-what? Ketal?¡± His confused voice echoed in vain. Nas halted. He then turned his gaze, as if realizing something. At the end of his gaze, the waves of evil and divine power were spreading. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] * * * Rumble! Evil and divine forces shed. A huge monster bared its hideous maw. [Raaaargh!] It was a massive monster with multiple mouths. It swung its arms wildly and charged. It threw its massive body to crush its enemies. The light was buried under the giant¡¯s bulk, hiding its form. [Raaaargh!] The monster roared in victory, convinced it had killed its enemy. And at that moment, the monster felt intense pain beneath it. [Raaah?] That was thest sound the monster made. Light exploded. Screeeeech! A massive light obliterated the monster¡¯s body, leaving no trace. As the light slowly subsided, the figure of a man appeared. Blond hair fluttered. Brown eyes focused on his enemy. ¡°Hahaha!¡± A dark magician, shrouded in darkness contrasting with the knight, burst into grotesqueughter and swung his staff. [Raaaargh!] [Kaaargh!] And the monsters charged. Horrific creatures, seemingly impossible to exist in this world, each one of them strong enough to require a top-tier fighter to face them at full strength. Dozens of them charged at the knight, intending to kill him. The knight gripped his sword with a resolute expression. A great light emanated from him. He swung his sword. Boom! The holy de swept through the area. The bodies of the charging monsters were sliced into pieces and fell. ¡°Hahahahaha! As expected, you¡¯re strong!¡± The dark magicianughed madly. His twisted smile widened. ¡°To think you¡¯d survive our attack! For a dog of the gods to have such power! It¡¯s truly strange!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The knight spat out the words harshly. He red at the dark magician with a contorted face. ¡°¡­Why are you targeting our sanctuary from the cradle of darkness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all part of a grand n.¡± The dark magician chuckled. ¡°A n so grand that you cannotprehend it. Kalosia is merely a stepping stone for the great strides.¡± So just die quietly. With a mocking tone, darkness surged forward. Something ck and dense charged. The Holy Knight gripped his sword with both hands. A light descended upon him, bestowed by his faith. Boom! Light and darkness collided. A perfect standoff. Neither side easily gaining the upper hand. The dark magicianughed. ¡°To fight me like this without even wielding the Holy Scripture. You¡¯re truly strong.¡± The dark magician spoke in a slightly admiring tone. ¡°Why not use that power for us? Do you think it¡¯s worth serving a god who doesn¡¯t even grant the Holy Scripture to his followers?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The Holy Knight dismissed the words as not worth listening to. Screeeeech! A fierce light surrounded the Holy Knight¡¯s sword. An intense divine power, different in both quantity and density than before. The dark magicianughed as he gathered darkness. A monstrous creature began to raise its head. A monster so powerful that even the Holy Knight couldn¡¯t easily defeat it. The Holy Knight¡¯s face darkened. ¡®I have to defeat him¡­¡¯ Even in this situation, the monsters were attacking their sanctuary. He needed to defeat this dark magician quickly to go and help, but the magician was persistently holding on. Their sanctuary was bing increasingly endangered. A look of determination appeared on the Holy Knight¡¯s face. ¡®Kalosia, please grant me strength.¡¯ He prepared to charge at the dark magician with a resolute determination. The tension was palpable, the moment of sh imminent. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The dark magician¡¯s expression changed. The Holy Knight realized it too, btedly. At some point, a presence had been watching the battle from beside them. ¡°W-who is that!¡± The dark magician stepped back in panic. The figure was right beside them, yet he hadn¡¯t noticed. It meant that either the figure hadpletely hidden their presence, or they had approached so quickly that he couldn¡¯t perceive them. The dark magician shouted in rm. ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Oh, did I get caught? I was hoping to enjoy the show.¡± The figure muttered regretfully. Between light and darkness, gray hair fluttered. Barbarian Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m just an outsider. Why not ignore me and continue what you were doing?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 132 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 131: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (2) They, of course, ignored Ketal¡¯s words. The dark magician shrieked and backed away, and the Holy Knight did the same. The battle reached a standstill. ¡®What a pity.¡¯ Ketal clicked his tongue. A superhuman-level Holy Knight and a dark magician¡ªit would have been a fascinating spectacle. He intended to quietly observe, but unfortunately, he was discovered. ¡®I should have kept more distance.¡¯ His heart pounded, he must have made a mistake without realizing it. The dark magician narrowed his eyes. ¡®Who the hell is this guy?¡¯ Their battle was intense, the impact reaching even the distant Nas and Heize. It was difficult to even be nearby unless one possessed a significant level of strength. Yet, Ketal stood confidently beside them. In fact, until they visually confirmed his presence, they hadn¡¯t even noticed him. There were only two possibilities: he was strong enough to hide his presence from them, or he approached so quickly that they couldn¡¯t detect him. ¡®¡­His mystical energy is not that abundant.¡¯ The amount of mystical energy emanating from Ketal was at best third-rate. Compared to them, it was pathetically insignificant. ¡®Does he have some special trick?¡¯ The dark magician¡¯s mind raced. The Holy Knight was also taken aback by Ketal¡¯s sudden appearance, his eyes trembling. The dark magician spoke up. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°A helper.¡± Ketal replied leisurely. ¡°As you might guess, I¡¯m not here to help you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The dark magician grinned knowingly. ¡°You¡¯re a hired mercenary. Judging by your appearance, you must be carrying some sort of artifact.¡± ¡°When people see me, they often say that. Do I look like it?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d fall for such a shallow lie?¡± The dark magician cackled. There was no way he could endure their battle with that level of mystical energy. He must be hiding an artifact. The Kalosian Church had brought in an external mercenary. That was all there was to it. The dark magician had assessed the situation. ¡°Well, whatever. You¡¯re just a bug interfering in the fight.¡± Despite the impact of the battle, Ketal stood confidently, indicating he was wearing a high-level artifact. However, he was facing a superhuman-level dark magician. Mere artifacts couldn¡¯t match such power. The dark magician swiftly swung his staff. From the darkness, a pitch-ck serpent shot out. The Holy Knight¡¯s face changed dramatically. ¡°Hup!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn The Holy Knight dashed forward and plunged his sword into the ground. A shield of light materialized, deflecting the serpent. ¡°Ooh!¡± And Ketal eximed in awe. The shield of light¡ªit was evident even to an outsider like him that it was much denser and stronger than the holy light of Aquaz. It was a clear disparity in power. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Are you the one who came to help us?¡± ¡°Yes. I came here through Nas.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Despite being someone who hade to help them, the Holy Knight¡¯s expression was ambiguous. The mystical energy emanating from Ketal was very weak. Even with an artifact, there were clear limits when relying on tools. Frankly speaking, Ketal was of no help in this battle. The Holy Knight quickly spoke. ¡°While I appreciate your cooperation, this ce is dangerous. You should retreat to the sanctuary¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you do that?¡± The dark magician swiftly struck his staff down. From the darkness, dwarves emerged,ughing maniacally. [Kakakakak!] The dwarves charged forward, their bodies slowly swelling. Self-destructing dwarves¡ªtheir power was considerable. Normally, one would avoid them by dodging. However, Ketal stood behind the Holy Knight. If he dodged, Ketal would be caught in the explosion. Ultimately, the Holy Knight chose to defend. Bang! The dwarves exploded. The shield of light shook violently, causing the Holy Knight to stagger momentarily. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d miss that?¡± The dark magician mocked, continuing to summon monsters. The shield of light kept trembling. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The Holy Knight gritted his teeth. In this battle, Ketal was merely a hindrance. To protect him, he had to endure losses. He had tried to make him retreat, but the dark magician, knowing this, hadunched a quick attack. ¡°Surely, the great Holy Knight wouldn¡¯t abandon the one who came to help, right?¡± Boom! With taunts, the attacks continued relentlessly. Unlike before, the Holy Knight could only defend. It was all because of Ketal. ¡°Do dark magicians always use magic to control monsters?¡± Despite the situation, Ketal muttered with interest. The Holy Knight almost cursed at Ketal¡¯s extremely leisurely attitude. Bang! The shield shook violently. The Holy Knight gritted his teeth. This couldn¡¯t go on. He would be defeated if he only defended. Determined, the Holy Knight spoke up. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal, this ce is dangerous. You must retreat to the sanctuary.¡± The Holy Knight gripped his sword tightly. ¡°I will drive the monsters away and create an opening. Please take that chance to escape quickly.¡± It would be quite a burden, but it was better than just defending continuously. The Holy Knight quickly decided and concentrated power into his sword. Light began to condense slowly. ¡°Kalosia!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The Holy Knight shouted loudly and swung his sword. A wave of light surged forth, illuminating part of the darkened ins. The monsters were swept away in an instant. An opening had been created. This should give Ketal enough time to escape. The Holy Knight lunged forward and steadied himself. And then he was shocked. Because Ketal was still standing in the same spot as before. ¡°No. What are you doing¡­?¡± He had taken a risk to give him time to escape, yet the person in question hadn¡¯t moved. The dark magicianughed mockingly. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re too scared to move. Capture him.¡± A spider-like monster emerged from the darkness and charged toward Ketal. The Holy Knight hurriedly tried to protect Ketal, but he was too far away to be quick enough. The spider reached right in front of Ketal. Both the Holy Knight and the dark magician thought Ketal would be captured. But then, the spider¡¯s body exploded. * * * ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Both the Holy Knight and the dark magician paused. Ketal casually waved his arm. ¡°Physical attacks work. That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°You, you bastard!¡± The dark magician, flustered, quickly swung his staff. More monsters appeared. A one-eyed giant¡ªone of the dark monsters that had terrified Heize on the ck ins. Five giants charged at Ketal. Ketal leisurely lifted his foot. Crunch. The giant¡¯s body caved in from the kick. The creature flew off into the distance like a ball hit by a bat. Ketal extended his arm, grabbed the giant¡¯s swinging fist, and twisted. The massive arm tore off like it was made of cotton. [Roar!] He grabbed the giant¡¯s head and smashed it into the ground. The giant copsed, never to move again. ¡°Gasp.¡± Ketal stepped forward. With each step, the giants¡¯ bodies shattered and exploded. With only light movements, he had killed all five giants. The dark magician was horrified. ¡°What, what are you!?¡± More monsters emerged from the darkness. This time, there were various types. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. ¡®This variety makes it more interesting to watch.¡¯ Ketal continued advancing. He grabbed a drill-shaped monster and squeezed. The creature was crushed as if it were being juiced. A ghostly monster tried to mess with his mind by grabbing his head. Ketal shook his head dismissively, and the monster vanished without a trace. Monsters of various forms were being torn apart in different ways. ¡°Damn it!¡± The dark magician was at a loss. His magic specialized in controlling monsters. The monsters he summoned were all specially enhanced to withstand holy power. Even the Holy Knight did not take the dark magician¡¯s monsters lightly. Yet, those same monsters were being torn apart like paper in front of this barbarian. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± The dark magician shouted. The Holy Knight was also staring at Ketal in bewilderment. ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal was supposed to be a weakling relying on an artifact. He shouldn¡¯t have been able to affect their battle at all. But now he was defeating the monsters? Even the seasoned Holy Knight couldn¡¯tprehend it at the moment. Crunch! All the monsters were crushed and broken. Ketal was slowly approaching the dark magician. The dark magician gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to admit it now. For some reason, this barbarian was strong. He shouted. ¡°Come forth! Fallen knight tainted by darkness!¡± The dark magician shouted loudly. Darkness condensed violently, forming a passage. ¡°Death Knight!¡± The darkness parted, and a knight shrouded in pitch-ck emerged. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A Death Knight, huh.¡± Death Knights were among the top-tier monsters. This one, specially enhanced by the dark magician, was extremely powerful. Not even a superhuman could easily defeat it. ¡°Kill him!¡± The dark magician snarled. ng. The Death Knight raised its greatsword and charged at Ketal. Ketal¡¯s response was to dodge. He bent his body to avoid the swinging de. The dark magician smirked. He judged that the Death Knight¡¯s attack had posed such a threat that Ketal had to dodge. ¡°Tear him apart and kill him!¡± The Death Knight¡¯s attacks grew more intense. A storm of des rained down on Ketal. He continued to dodge, evading each blow. The dark magician tried to coordinate his attacks with the Death Knight against Ketal. Just as the Holy Knight, who had btedly regained his senses, moved to assist Ketal, they realized something. The Death Knight¡¯s furious onught hadn¡¯t even grazed Ketal¡¯s clothes. Ketal shook his head, moved his arms, lifted his legs, bent his waist, and lightly sidestepped. He did not retreat. In fact, even as he advanced towards the Death Knight, the des didn¡¯t touch him. Disappointment showed on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°I expected more from a Death Knight, but all it does is swing a sword.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not even as good as Maximus,¡¯ He thought with regret, raising his fist. The Death Knight tried to block with its sword. Crunch. Despite the defense, its body was split in half. The Death Knight copsed, its form returning to darkness. The dark magician stood dumbfounded, mouth agape. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be¡­.¡± Ketal looked at the dark magician. In that instant, the dark magician¡¯s instincts screamed of danger. Hastily, he gathered the darkness to form a shield. The powerful darkness condensed and condensed. It was the dark magician¡¯s full strength. Ketal took a step forward. His body appeared before the dark magician. His fist moved. The dark magician drew upon the darkness to its utmost limit. Ketal¡¯s fist struck down. The darkness exploded outward. Ketal¡¯s fist connected with the dark magician¡¯s chest. The magician¡¯s body was driven deep into the earth. The ground shook. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 133 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 133: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (3) ¡°This¡­ What is this¡­?¡± The Holy Knight groaned. The dark magician was powerful. Even though he had fought against him for several days, they had only been at a stalemate. Not once had he gained the upper hand. But to be overwhelmed like this? He couldn¡¯t believe it even though he saw it with his own eyes. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Ketal looked down into the deep hole in the ground. At that moment, darkness erupted. BOOM! Darkness swallowed Ketal¡¯s body. The Holy Knight was startled. ¡°Ketal!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Ketal waved his hand, dispelling the darkness. Despite being engulfed by it, he lookedpletely unharmed. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°You, you insane¡­!¡± The dark magician spat out a curse and distanced himself. The dark magician¡¯s body had no wounds. Ketal was surprised. ¡°I hit you with some force, but you¡¯re unscathed.¡± ¡®This dark magician is tougher than a demon.¡¯ Ketal was intrigued. Of course, the reality was entirely different. The dark magician was shocked. ¡®Most of the sacrifices are consumed!¡¯ The dark magician had been using dark magic to transfer the damagician he received to his sacrifices. The amount of sacrifices was considerable, enough to withstand several direct hits from a ballista. But most of those sacrifices had been consumed by that single blow. It meant that Ketal¡¯s punch had the power of multiple ballista shots. ¡®He definitely didn¡¯t use any mystic arts¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand. The dark magician asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Barbarian, what is your name?¡± ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal¡­¡± The dark magician¡¯s eyes widened as he repeated the name. ¡°You, you¡¯re not¡­ Are you the barbarian that he spoke of?¡± ¡°Oh, you know me? I suppose being a dark magician allows you to get information from demons.¡± Ketal looked pleased. The dark magician swallowed hard. If this barbarian was indeed the one spoken of by him, the dark magician knew he couldn¡¯t contend with him. The dark magician¡¯s body was enveloped in darkness, and in an instant, his presence vanished. The Holy Knight sheathed his sword. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to pursue him?¡± ¡°If he hides in that darkness, it¡¯s difficult to track him. He¡¯s probably set traps, so it¡¯s best to end it here for now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Holy Knight looked at Ketal with curiosity. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± It was a question born of pure curiosity. But the Holy Knight quickly shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s a rude question for now.¡± The Holy Knight straightened up and formally thanked Ketal. ¡°I am Rakza, Holy Knight of Kalosia. I sincerely thank you for your help, Ketal.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ketal smiled. Rakza raised his sword again. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk, but I have things to attend to.¡± [Kaaargh¡­] Monsters, deterred by the aftermath of the battle, were cautiously approaching. ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. Since we¡¯ve driven off the dark magician, they won¡¯t attack.¡± Ketal nodded. Rakza advanced, cutting down monsters like they were logs. They headed towards the entrance of the sanctuary. There, knights, Nas, and Heize were waiting. ¡°Ketal!¡± Nas hurried over to Ketal. ¡°Where did you go without a word?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. The battle looked urgent, so I went to help.¡± ¡°Help?¡± Nas, puzzled, finally noticed Rakza¡¯s presence. Rakza spoke calmly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Nas.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a while, Rakza. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re well.¡± ¡°¡­Is he the one you brought?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± Nas grinned. Then, with a newfound expression, he looked at Ketal. ¡°To think you¡¯d move to help already¡­¡± ¡°It was quite fun.¡± Ketal was satisfied. He had talked with a Holy Knight and fought a dark magician. Though slightly disappointed, he was quite content. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go in. You must be tired from the battle and need some rest.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. The holynd of a world where an actual god exists. He was about to enter that ce. His heart raced with excitement. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Nas brought his hands together and closed his eyes. ¡°Kalosia, please wee your visitor.¡± With a soft utterance, a gentle light enveloped Ketal. Nas opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s done. Now you can enter the holynd.¡± ¡°Is it impossible to even visit without permission?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the holynd of a god. Outsiders cannot enter unless permitted by a qualified believer.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go in.¡± The gates of the holynd opened. Ketal stepped forward with anticipation. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The light surrounding the holynd enveloped Ketal. What he felt was a warm sensation. Despite the rather chilly weather, the inside of the holynd was as warm as spring, unaffected by the outside environment. And there was one more sensation. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Ketal raised his gaze to the sky. ¡°I can feel something.¡± ¡°Oh, to sense it immediately. You¡¯re definitely sharp.¡± Nas was amazed. Ketal squinted his eyes. He could feel something immense from the high sky. ¡°¡­No way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nas nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the gaze of Kalosia. He is watching us from high above.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal eximed in awe. A ce where a god directly watches over. This was the holynd of the god. Ketal was moved. It had been a long time since he felt something truly fantastical. Nas smiled warmly. ¡°Wee to Kalosia¡¯s holynd.¡± The immense gaze was watching the ground. That gaze was Kalosia¡¯s gaze. And that gazended on Ketal. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s watching me right now.¡± ¡°¡­It seems so.¡± Nas looked surprised. ¡°It¡¯s extraordinary. It¡¯s rare for him to direct his gaze so personally. He must be interested since it¡¯s been a long time since an outsider came.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ketal stared up at the sky. His gaze met with the immense presence. He could feel a strange emotion from the gaze beyond. Ketal quietly looked back. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± They entered inside. The believers were waiting and ran up with delighted faces. ¡°Nas! You¡¯re back!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while! What happened¡­¡± And then they paused. The joy on their faces quickly turned to fear. Their gaze was fixed on Ketal. ¡°Uh, um.¡± As they hesitated and began to back away, Nas spoke in a calm voice. ¡°He came to help us. Behave in a manner befitting believers.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Sorry. They are still inexperienced.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Ketal wasn¡¯t bothered. He was not affected by such attitudes anymore. The retreating believers approached again. ¡°Nas.¡± ¡°And Heize. Wee back.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. The believers were also using a highly respectful tone with Heize. ¡°Heize, are you of high rank too?¡± ¡°N-no, not at all.¡± Heize shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been friends with the saintess since childhood. So I get some special treatment.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Now that he thought about it, Aquaz had mentioned that during Kalosia¡¯s rest period, high-ranking priests didn¡¯te out unless necessary. But Heize had been in the Bakcan territory. It seemed this was the meaning of the special treatment. Nas spoke. ¡°Since we¡¯re in the holynd, we should meet the saintess and pay our respects.¡± ¡°The saintess.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. The one who receives direct revtions from the god. The saintess. He was already looking forward to it. Nas spoke calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s take a short rest, and then we¡¯ll go see the saintess.¡± ¡°Understood.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal smiled happily. * * * After a brief rest, Ketal was guided to therge church in the center of the holynd. He stood in front of the door to the room at its heart. Ketal knocked. A quiet voice resonated from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± Ketal opened the door. Inside, a woman was waiting. She was a striking young woman with long, dark brown hair, appearing to be around the same age as Heize. She smiled gently at Ketal. ¡°Wee. I am Shadrenes, the eyes, ears, and mouth of Kalosia. I serve as his saintess.¡± ¡®Oh.¡¯ Ketal was surprised because her emotions didn¡¯t waver at all. Everyone who had met Ketal for the first time so far had been flustered, frightened, and astonished. His appearance and the aura he exuded intimidated them. Even the priests of Kalosia, whom he had just met, and Nas himself had momentarily flinched when they first saw him. But Shadrenes was different. Despite being affected by his appearance and aura, her emotions showed no hint of disturbance. ¡®To be a saintess of the god, one must have this level of discipline.¡¯ Ketal was impressed and bowed respectfully. ¡°I am Ketal, the barbarian. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Yes, nice to meet you.¡± The saintess spoke in an unwavering tone. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you. You¡¯ve been a great help to my friend. Thank you. I was very worried.¡± ¡°Are you referring to Heize?¡± ¡°Yes. She is an old friend of mine.¡± Shadrenes smiled softly. It was a perfect smile, like one drawn in a picture. ¡°Not only did you help my friend, but you also came all this way to aid us. I sincerely thank you.¡± Shadrenes bowed her head. She spoke with an unshaken voice. ¡°When everything is over, we will provide you with the best reward we can offer.¡± ¡°I did note here to receive a reward.¡± ¡°Even so, it is our way.¡± Shadrenes spoke calmly. Her emotions remained as steady as when they first met. ¡°I would appreciate it if you would ept.¡± ¡°If that is your will.¡± ¡°I, Shadrenes, the saintess of Kalosia, wee you, Ketal. Thank you for your immense help.¡± She continued. ¡°For the details, you can speak with Rakza. Thank you once again.¡± ¡°Alright. It was nice meeting you.¡± Ketal smiled. He left with a look of satisfaction on his face. Although the meeting was brief, it was highly meaningful. The perfectly calm and unshaken emotions¡ªone must achieve such discipline to be a saintess of the god. Ketal left, admiring Shadrenes. And Shadrenes, left alone, sat quietly. After a moment, there was a knock on the door. ¡°It¡¯s me, Shadrenes.¡± ¡°Ah, Heize.¡± The door opened, and Heize entered. Shadrenes looked around. ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else. I¡¯m alone.¡± ¡°Really?¡± They were alone in the room. Confirming this, Shadrenes¡¯s face changed in an instant. Her serene expression turned into one of distress. She hugged Heize and whimpered. ¡°It was so scary¡­¡± ¡°There, there.¡± Heize, as if she had expected this, gave a wry smile and patted herfortingly. * * * Outside, someone was waiting for Ketal. ¡°You¡¯re out.¡± Rakza greeted Ketal warmly. ¡°Did you meet the saintess well?¡± ¡°Yes. She is a woman of profound discipline.¡± Rakza¡¯s face lit up with a gentle smile, clearly pleased by Ketal¡¯spliment. ¡°Despite her young age, she possesses exceptional discipline. She is revered as a saint and is the pride of our church.¡± He bowed respectfully. ¡°Thank you once again foring all this way to help us. As the saintess must have mentioned, we will ensure you receive a fitting reward once all this is over.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ketal smiled. For him, the current situation itself was rewarding enough. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± The holynd of Kalosia was under attack by dark magicians. How should they respond to this assault? ¡°First, I think I should exin how we ended up in this situation.¡± Rakza began to exin slowly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 134 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 134: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (4) ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­ It felt like I was standing in front of a beast.¡± Shadrenes trembled all over. The calm andposed demeanor she had in front of Ketal had vanished without a trace. Heize epted this as if it were familiar. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°I barely managed to hold back my tears, you know?¡± ¡°Right. It must have been hard.¡± Heize patted Shadrenes. Heize looked at Shadrenes curiously. ¡°I wonder if people know what you¡¯re really like.¡± Shadrenes. The saint of Kalosia. A person with deep spiritual cultivation and tranquil emotions. One deemed worthy of the title of saint due to her profound enlightenment. That was the public¡¯s assessment of Shadrenes. But only one person, Heize, who had been her friend since childhood, knew the truth. That it was all a desperate facade. That the real Shadrenes was just an ordinary girl from the countryside. ¡°Do you think I want to put on this act?¡± Shadrenes said with a tearful face. ¡°I was chosen by Kalosia and had no choice but to act the way people expect me to. Ugh¡­¡± Shadrenes chattered on. Heizeughed. ¡°Being chosen by Kalosia is a great honor, isn¡¯t it? Didn¡¯t you feel happy about that?¡± ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t know it would be this hard¡­ Still, I¡¯m doing my best, desperately acting the way people want me to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Even though it had been years since she became a saint, none of the followers had noticed Shadrenes¡¯ true nature. This meant her mask and deception were wless. ¡°There must have been better people. Why did Kalosia choose someone like me as a saint?¡± Her breathing calmed as she regained herposure. Heize, who had been waiting, asked. ¡°Anyway, what do you think of him?¡± ¡°The barbarian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The saint of the god. The only earthly representative permitted to converse with the god, receiving revtions and conveying them to the world. ¡°Did Kalosia say anything about that barbarian?¡± The god observes the world and delivers revtions. And those revtions include information about helpers for the faithful. For someone as strong as Ketal, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if there were revtions about him. But Shadrenes shook her head. ¡°No. That¡¯s why I was so surprised.¡± Although it didn¡¯t show at all, Shadrenes had been quite taken aback when she first saw Ketal. There hadn¡¯t been a single mention of him from Kalosia. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the will of the great Kalosia. There must be some profound meaning. Ugh, I wish there was at least a hint¡­¡± Shadrenes shivered. The moment she first encountered Ketal, her mask almost broke. It was the first time since bing a saint. This time, Shadrenes asked Heize. ¡°You used to berades, right? Don¡¯t you know more about him? What kind of person is he?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know either.¡± Ketal was a mystery even to Heize. ¡°But he¡¯s not a bad person.¡± Despite having different values, he wasn¡¯t evil. Judging by his actions, he was more of a good person. ¡°He¡¯ll help us. Probably.¡± * * * While Shadrenes and Heize were discussing Ketal, outside, Ketal and Rakza were having a conversation. Rakza slowly exined the situation. ¡°I don¡¯t know since when, but the group of dark magicians, the Cradle of Darkness, prepared a ritual without us noticing.¡± The moment the ritual waspleted, the ins surrounding the sacrednd of Kalosia were tainted with evil. Overnight, the sacrednd was surrounded by dark magicians. Ketal asked. ¡°Were there no divine revtions?¡± It was said that gods immediately give revtions about matters rted to evil. But from what Rakza said, it seemed there hadn¡¯t been any such warnings despite the sacrednd being surrounded. Rakza shook his head. ¡°There were none. It must be a trial from Kalosia.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. Logically, it seemed that Kalosia hadn¡¯t noticed. It wasn¡¯t unusual since it was said that even divine revtions could miss during the descent of the Demon King. But Rakza was a follower of Kalosia. He wouldn¡¯t dare speak of any shorings of the god. Ketal didn¡¯t point it out either. ¡°They have us surrounded.¡± The wide ins tainted with evil. There, dark magicians and monsters had taken their ce. The sacrednd of the god was surrounded by evil. ¡°So, what should we do? Do we just need to destroy everything? It seems quite dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh, no. There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Rakza shook his head in rm. ¡°Please, follow me.¡± Rakza led Ketal to the outside of the sacrednd. [Roar!] Several monsters were charging toward the sacrednd from the ins. Among them were monsters that Ketal had already defeated. [Roar!] A monster that reached the sacrednd swung its club wildly. And then, a burst of light erupted. *Screeeech!* [Ugh!] The charging monsters were flung away. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh?¡± [Roar!] The monsters attacked again, but the light continuously repelled them. ¡°This is a sacrednd.¡± Rakza said calmly. ¡°Ordinary evil beings cannot approach.¡± A translucent ring of light surrounded the sacrednd. ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal was impressed. It was a truly magnificent sight. Rakza waved his hand lightly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] des of light flew out, cutting down the monsters attacking the sacrednd. ¡°There is no need to respond to every single attack. They cannot break through the barrier of the sacrednd. They know that as well.¡± Thus, the dark magicians would gather enough strength and only attack when they judged they could break the sacrednd¡¯s defenses. ¡°We only need to respond at those times. When you came to help me this time, Ketal, that was one of those situations.¡± ¡°I understand, but do we not need to take more proactive measures? Just defending won¡¯t resolve the situation.¡± ¡°Their ritual has limits as well.¡± The ins tainted with darkness couldn¡¯t be maintained for a long time. At most, they had a few months. ¡°Help wille from outside eventually. Their goal is to either starve us out before the ritual ends or break through the sacrednd¡¯s barrier. Our goal is to hold out until then.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Whichever side held out longer would win. It was a sort of game of chicken. Having understood the situation, Ketal asked. ¡°So, what are the enemy¡¯s forces like?¡± ¡°Two superhuman-level dark magicians. Many first-ss and second-ss ones. Plus, countless monsters.¡± Ketal whistled. It was a force capable of destroying a small country. ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot. No demons?¡± ¡°No? There shouldn¡¯t be any.¡± Rakza shook his head with a bewildered expression. The descent of a demon was extremely rare. When it did happen, it shook the entire continent and became a historical event. It wasn¡¯t something that happened easily. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal tilted his head. ¡®I¡¯ve already seen it happen three times.¡¯ To Ketal, it didn¡¯t seem that rare. ¡°Then what about your forces?¡± ¡°¡­One superhuman-level holy knight. And the saint. About ten first-ss priests and many second-ss priests.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a significant disparity.¡± Even with a rough estimate, it was clear they were outmatched. Without the protection of the sacrednd, they would have been annihted long ago. ¡°You must have gone through a lot.¡± Rakza gave a bitter smile instead of denying it. He spoke. ¡°There are two superhuman-level dark magicians. Their individual power is top-notch.¡± A fully prepared magician is extremely powerful. Although holy power has an inherent advantage over evil, it was still difficult to deal with them. That¡¯s why they had been in a precarious situation without much leeway. ¡°But¡­ it will be different now.¡± Rakza looked at Ketal. Ketal had overwhelmed the superhuman-level dark magician. He had shattered all the enemy¡¯s attacks with sheer physical strength. Rakza swallowed hard. ¡°In any case¡­ there is no need for you to act immediately. Please, feel free to do as you like.¡± ¡°I see. Then I can just freely explore for a while.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Rakza bowed politely. ¡°Once again, thank you. Thanks to you, we were able to ovee this crisis.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ketal smiled. After parting with Rakza, Ketal was left alone. ¡°Well then.¡± He started walking around the sacrednd with light steps. * * * This was a real sacrednd of the god. It was Ketal¡¯s first time visiting such a ce. This meant there were many sights to see and things he was curious about. It felt like he was on a trip. Even while talking to Rakza, his attention kept drifting to his surroundings.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ketal explored the sacrednd as if he were a tourist. ¡®The basic structure isn¡¯t much different from the capital of the Denian Kingdom.¡¯ There were numerous houses and shops, and at the center was a massive church. The basicyout was the same. The difference was the abundance of statues of the god. They appeared almost every block. Ketal stood still, gazing at one of the statues. ¡®Is this what Kalosia looks like?¡¯ The figure wore a robe and a hood. Since this was a world where gods actually existed, this must indeed be the image of Kalosia. Kalosia¡¯s face was hidden by the hood, leaving it unclear whether the god was male or female, old or young. Only the eyes were visible between the folds of the hood. Those eyes met Ketal¡¯s. Kalosia and Ketal stared at each other. Ketal continued to wander around the sacrednd. And at a certain distance, there were people following Ketal. They were the followers of Kalosia. They whispered among themselves. ¡°Is that the person who came to help us?¡± ¡°¡­A barbarian? Really?¡± ¡°Heize said so¡­.¡± The followers of Kalosia were very interested in Ketal. It was only natural. They were surrounded by evil and in a perilous situation. Despite their plight, they had been abandoned with no oneing to help them due to their misdeeds. In such a situation, an outsider who approached them first to offer help. They couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Normally, they would have approached Ketal and asked him many questions. But no one dared to approach Ketal, keeping a certain distance instead. ¡°He¡¯s scary¡­.¡± ¡°Can we, can we talk to him?¡± Barbarians were known to disdain gods and hate their followers. This wasmon knowledge across the continent. The followers had heard all sorts of rumors about barbarians. Some even attacked without question. And now, such a barbarian hade to help them. They were confused about how to deal with Ketal. Because of this, a ring of people formed at a distance around Ketal. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Ketal, on his part, was only looking around from a distance, making it awkward for them to approach him first. This strange standoff continued until something changed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 135 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 135: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (5) Ketal saw it while touring the sanctuary. A huge statue of Kalosia lying on the ground. Ketal stopped in front of it. The devotees watching him held their breath. The statue had recently fallen due to ground weakening over time. Normally, it should have been lifted immediately, but the invasion of evil forces caused its repair to be rtively dyed. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The devotees murmured. Seeing the statue of their deity fallen in the sanctuary was far from a good sight. They were worried that Ketal might think badly of them or do something bad to the statue. ¡°Hmm.¡± In the midst of their anxious gazes, Ketal moved. He grabbed the statue. The onlookers couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. The statue was carved out of rock. It was made of pure stone and was very heavy due to itsrge size. That¡¯s why the devotees hadn¡¯t been able to lift it easily. Ketal lifted the statue with one hand, as if it were very light. He moved the statue to stable ground and set it upright. After dusting off the dirt and debris, he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Satisfied with his work, Ketal nodded. Then he started walking again. ¡°¡­What?¡± The devotees watching had wide eyes. * * * Ketal lifted the fallen statue, cleaned off the dirt and dust. It was an act that could not be done without sincere goodwill. ¡°¡­Does that barbarian like Kalosia?¡± ¡°Could he have goodwill towards us? A barbarian?¡± The devotees couldn¡¯t understand. But they saw through his actions that Ketal did not have ill feelings towards them. ¡°Should I go and talk to him?¡± ¡°Give it a try.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± One of the devotees, a woman around the same age as Heize, gathered her courage and stepped forward hesitantly. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. He had been wondering how to approach them, and now they came to him first. First impressions are important. Thinking this, Ketal put on the warmest smile he could muster. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Eek.¡± The woman let out a shrill scream without realizing it. Her legs trembled like a newborn fawn. Regret for stepping forward swirled in her mind, but she managed to ovee it and spoke again. ¡°N-nice to meet you!¡± But her voice was tinged with undeniable fear. Ketal chuckled. ¡°It seems I frighten you. I¡¯vee to help you, so don¡¯t be so scared.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Yes, yes.¡± ¡°If someone saw, they¡¯d think I came to eat you all.¡± Ketal joked lightly to ease the tension. The woman¡¯s face turned as pale as a sheet. Despite the awkwardness, the conversation continued. Gradually, more devotees began to gather around her. Someone asked cautiously, ¡°Y-you said you¡¯re apanion of Heize?¡± ¡°The word¡¯s spread quickly, it seems.¡± ¡°Nas told us about you.¡± While Ketal was meeting the saint, Nas had briefly exined Ketal to the gathered devotees. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve gone into several dungeons together. We¡¯ve even shared drinks.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± The devotees knew Heize very well, having grown up with her in the sanctuary. Knowing that someone they knew was friendly with a barbarian was fascinating. Interest sparkled in their eyes. Sensing this, Ketal spoke. ¡°You seem curious. If you¡¯re interested in life outside, I can tell you about it.¡± The best way to connect with strangers is to createmon ground. Ketal and the devotees¡¯mon link was Heize. They nodded eagerly. Ketal began to talk about his experiences with Heize. The story of their first dungeon expedition. The time they were trapped in an unexplored dungeon. The mission they were on when they encountered a demon. The devotees were engrossed in his tales. This was a medieval-like fantasy world. While somerger cities had libraries, life was generally too harsh for most to indulge in reading. Even the so-called schrs had only read about a dozen books at most. In contrast, Ketal was from the modern world. He had seen and heard countless stories on Earth. Though he¡¯d never written a story himself, he knew how to tell one to captivate an audience. Moreover, most of the devotees here were novice priests who had grown up in the sanctuary and had not yet ventured outside. For those who yearned for the outside world, Ketal¡¯s stories were like adventure tales. Their fondness for Ketal grew steadily. He continued to speak gently. ¡°Heize is a calm and excellent woman, truly a model for the devotees.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Heize? That¡¯s surprising.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°She has a very lively personality here. She loves to joke around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I didn¡¯t know.¡± As Ketal nned, the conversation smoothly flowed through the topic of Heize. The devotees¡¯ gazes towards Ketal became increasingly friendly. Along with their goodwill, their curiosity grew. ¡®How does such a barbarian exist?¡¯ A well-spoken, considerate, and gentle barbarian. It was as amazing as seeing a unicorn in reality. Someone cautiously asked, ¡°So, did youe here because of Heize?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He dide to help Heize, but he was also very interested in seeing the divine sanctuary. However, he couldn¡¯t say thetter. Ketal nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You must be very close to Heize.¡± ¡°Yes, she was one of the first humans I met aftering out into the world.¡± There weren¡¯t many humans he had formed rtionships with after leaving his homnd. Heize was one of the few. Arkamis didn¡¯t count as a human. The devotees¡¯ eyes widened at Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Really? She was one of the first people you met outside?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Technically, the guards were first, but Heize, the thief, and the holy knight were the first he had substantial conversations with. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I learned a lot from her.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. He learned about the state of the outside world and information about the gods from Heize. At that moment, the listeners became convinced. Aha! Heize must have civilized this barbarian! It was impossible for such a rational barbarian to be that way on his own. He must have been educated and civilized by someone. And it could only be Heize who transformed a ferocious barbarian like that. ¡®He must havee to help us out of gratitude for Heize!¡¯ Their sanctuary was surrounded by evil, a very dangerous situation. They had asked for help from many ces, but it wasn¡¯t easy for others toe to their aid. For someone toe and help without anypensation was indeed remarkable. Naturally, they assumed Heize and Ketal had a very deep rtionship. A myth of Kalosia came to their minds. Kalosia, during a journey, saw a boy who grew up in the wild and lived like a beast. Feeling sorry for the boy, Kalosia taught him to speak with others, to read and gain knowledge, and the deceit and cunning necessary to survive in the outside world. The boy, who grew up, thanked Kalosia and became a great holy knight of Kalosia. It was a well-known myth among the devotees. They began to see Ketal as that boy and Heize as Kalosia. Instantly, their gazes towards Ketal warmed. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Ketal was puzzled by the sudden, overly friendly atmosphere. ¡°Anyway, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, let me know. I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The devotees answered softly. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Heize groggily got up. Her eyes were filled with fatigue. She had slept for a whole day due to the exhaustion from the long journey. After stretching and getting ready, she left the house. ¡°I wonder how things are going.¡± Her voice held a hint of anxiety. Ketal was now wandering around Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. She was a bit worried about what he might do. ¡®¡­That¡¯s right!¡¯ Suddenly, her eyes sparkled. Nas firmly believed that Ketal was a great person, akin to a saint. However, just because Nas thought so didn¡¯t mean others would too. By now, someone must have noticed how different Ketal was. It was no longer just about Ketal. Heize was on the verge of madness, wanting to confirm that she wasn¡¯t the odd one out. As she walked briskly, she soon saw a familiar face. ¡°Kasha!¡± ¡°Oh, Heize!¡± The woman called Kasha greeted Heize warmly. She was a friend from childhood. ¡°I heard you returned. You look fine. I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± They chatted about various things that had piled up. Once they calmed down, Heize asked cautiously, ¡°Do you know anything about the barbarian?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean Ketal?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Heize was about to ask what Kasha thought about Ketal, but Kasha spoke first with a bright face. ¡°He¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a great person! Heize, how did you manage to teach someone like that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Heize suddenly realized that the conversation had taken an odd turn. ¡°Teach? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t hide it. It¡¯s already spread everywhere. They say you educated and civilized the barbarian and brought him here.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Heize¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°W-what are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all out in the open.¡± Kasha exined. Ketal was a ferocious barbarian who knew nothing about the outside world. But aftering out, he met Heize, received her teachings, and was civilized by her. That was the story currently circting about Ketal and Heize¡¯s rtionship in the sanctuary. Heize¡¯s face turned pale as she understood the implications. ¡°W-what kind of nonsense is that!¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it true?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± The idea that she had educated and civilized Ketal! What a ridiculous notion. She hurriedly ran through the sanctuary and soon found Ketal. ¡°K-Ketal?¡± ¡°Oh, Heize. It seems you¡¯ve woken up.¡± Ketal smiled, carrying what looked like five logs on his shoulder. ¡°W-what are you doing right now¡­?¡± ¡°Well, they said the church was in disrepair, so I thought I¡¯d help out a bit.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Heize!¡± One of the church priests spotted Heize and approached with a broad smile. He leaned in and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything. They say you educated the barbarian. Practicing the teachings of Kalosia even outside the sanctuary¡ªwhat a credit to our church.¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± She shook her head frantically. The idea that she had taught and civilized Ketal! She had no idea how Ketal would react if he heard this. She couldn¡¯t understand how such a ridiculous rumor had spread. Desperately, she tried to rify that it wasn¡¯t true. But the priestughed heartily. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so modest. Everyone already knows.¡± ¡°N-no.¡± Everyone knows. Those words made Heize feel dizzy. The priest patted her on the shoulder. ¡°You must be very tired. Take some rest. Later, when he bes a devotee of Kalosia, you¡¯ll have even more to do. Better prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡± Heize now felt like crying. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 136 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 136: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (6) Heize desperately spoke. It was a misunderstanding. She hadn¡¯t done anything. That barbarian didn¡¯te here to be a follower of Kalosia. It probably had nothing to do with her either. But no one believed her. Someone chuckled and spoke. ¡°Come on. Are you saying that barbarian was wise and thoughtful from the beginning? One of the first people he met outside was you, and you expect us to believe that? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Where do you find a barbarian like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heize couldn¡¯t refute it. It did seem more usible that Heize had taught Ketal rather than the existence of an intelligent barbarian from the start. Because of this, Heize was on the verge of losing her mind. Ketal¡¯s reputation improved day by day, and in proportion to that, Heize¡¯s pain grew. Heize walked beside Ketal with a face that looked like she was about to die. Ketal had said he wanted someone to show him around the sacred grounds, and by unanimous choice, Heize was selected. Every time people saw them walking together, the passing followers would look at them with pleased expressions. ¡®Please, stop looking at us like that¡­.¡¯ Heize¡¯s stomach twisted in real time. As Ketal looked around, he muttered. ¡°Peaceful.¡± The atmosphere was better than expected. The expressions of the people weren¡¯t too dark, and there was hope for the future. ¡°It is for now. As long as there¡¯s no external interference, this is the usual atmosphere of our sacred grounds. And it¡¯s all thanks to you, Ketal.¡± Heize said. It probably was quite a gloomy atmosphere before Ketal came. But thanks to the presence of an outsider like Ketal, it had brightened up this much. For that, Heize was genuinely grateful. She bowed her head. ¡°Thank you very much foring to help us.¡± ¡°I told you, I couldn¡¯t ignore a friend in need.¡± Ketal replied cheerfully. Heize looked at Ketal¡¯s face for a moment. ¡®¡­Am I the one who¡¯s wrong?¡¯ What if she had misunderstood Ketal all along? What if he really hade to help her out of pure goodwill? Now, she was starting to get confused. Everyone kept saying no, making her doubt if she was mistaken. Heize¡¯s eyes darkened. Just as she was about to ask Ketal a question. Whoosh. Darkness rose. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal turned his gaze. The outskirts of the sacred grounds. The darkened in. The darkness there suddenly thickened. It spread slowly as if surrounding the sacred grounds. The followers who were walking around let out groans at the clear sign of something abnormal. Their faces turned pale. ng! The holy knight on guard grabbed his weapons. Rakza walked towards the outer wall of the sacred grounds with a hardened face. Nas followed behind him. The atmosphere quickly became tense. At that moment, Heize saw it. The smile that spread on Ketal¡¯s face as if he had been waiting for this. Heize realized that it wasn¡¯t her but the followers of the sacred grounds who had been wrong. ¡°They¡¯vee.¡± Ketal¡¯s voice was filled with deep joy. * * * ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°They¡¯vee.¡± When Ketal headed to the outskirts of the sacred grounds, Rakza was there with a hardened face, holding his weapon. ¡°It¡¯s an invasion.¡± The barrier of the sacred grounds wasn¡¯t something that evil beings could easily break. So they had gathered enough power for a full-scale attack. Now was the time for that total assault. Looking beyond the in, Ketal murmured. ¡°There are many.¡± Monsters visible up to the end of the in. And among them, ck magicians could be seen. Their number was ten times more than thebat personnel of the sacred grounds. ¡°I don¡¯t see the Saintess, though.¡± ¡°The Saintess is maintaining the barrier, so she cannot participate in the battle.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°It will be tough. What should I do now?¡± ¡°Move freely. If you participate in the battle, their leader will also move to stop you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Please be careful.¡± [Roar!] [Screech!] While they were talking, the monsters reached right in front of them. Rakza shouted with a stern face. ¡°Everyone! Draw your swords!¡± Sching! Swords were drawn in unison. The holy knights, d in shining silver armor, took their stances. The priests also began to pray. ¡°This is the sacred ground of Kalosia! How dare those filthy remnants of evil invade!¡± ¡°No, they cannot!¡± The holy knights shouted in unison. Rakza red. ¡°Everyone! For the honor of Kalosia! Risk your lives!¡± ¡°For Kalosia!¡± The shout echoed beyond the sacred grounds. Rakza charged forward. The holy knights followed him. Light and darkness began to collide. ¡°Oho.¡± Ketal watched the scene with a smile. ¡°Impressive.¡± The collision of light and darkness created a massive repercussion. Humans serving the gods and monsters born of evil began to mix, risking their lives. And surprisingly, the upper hand belonged to the god-serving humans, despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered. ¡°That¡¯s divinity for you.¡± The power believers received from their gods, divinity. Divinity had an absolute advantage over beings of evil. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Massive monsters were swept away by the divine light. Of course, due to the sheer number of monsters, the battle reached a stalemate, but that in itself was a testament to the power of divinity. The holy knights wielded their power. And the one who stood out the most, unsurprisingly, was Rakza. ¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯ Every time he swung his golden sword, the monsters were sliced apart. Even without wielding a scripture, his power was evidently above Aquaz. Honestly, it was quite impressive. A scene only imagined was unfolding right before his eyes. Ketal whistled, feeling very satisfied. ¡®That¡¯s enough watching.¡¯ It was time to move. Ketal took a step. His body moved to the outskirts of the sacred grounds. [Groooar!] [Uwaaah!] Monsters, having spotted Ketal, charged at him with grotesque screams. Ketal leisurely raised his fist. * * * ¡°Huff!¡± Rakza swung his sword. The arm of a charging monster was sliced off like a sponge. The monster tried to scream in pain, but the sword plunged into its mouth. Rakza muttered quietly. ¡°Kalosia.¡± Ziiing! Light exploded. The monster¡¯s body vanished without a trace. [Uwaah!] Monsters tried to grab Rakza as he fell. Rakza swung his sword in all directions while descending. des of light rained down, slicing the monsters apart. But new monsters quickly filled the space. Rakza¡¯s expression darkened. ¡®There are too many.¡¯ The number of monsters was twice that of the previous total assault. They could hold out for now, but how long the holy knights¡¯ stamina wouldst was uncertain. Rakza quickly turned his gaze to find Ketal, intending to warn him in advance. ¡°¡­What?¡± And he doubted his eyes. Monsters were being literally torn apart by Ketal¡¯s hands. * * * ¡°Quite a variety, makes for good viewing.¡± Muttering, Ketal lightly moved his foot. The monster he kicked exploded. Boom! But it didn¡¯t end there. The wind stirred by his kick swept through the front lines. Dozens of monsters were incapacitated. [Kaaaah!] A monster fell from the sky towards Ketal¡¯s head. It was one that fed on brain matter through the ears. Ketal waved his hand as if annoyed. The monster¡¯s body exploded. He stepped forward, swung his arms, and shouldered through. With ordinary, light movements, monsters died like insects. ¡°There are too many, though.¡± Ketal stepped forward with an annoyed look. Crack. The ground beneath him copsed. The copsing earth surged forward like a ymore. The monsters¡¯ bodies were incredibly tough. Simple fragments of ordinary earth would mean nothing to them. But the monsters struck by the fragments ended up with holes. The speed was such that even the tough bodies of the monsters couldn¡¯t withstand it. Boom! The shower of earth fragments incapacitated dozens of monsters simultaneously. An empty space formed in an instant. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°No way.¡± And Rakza, watching the scene, groaned. ¡®¡­Is that even possible?¡¯ Ketal was stronger than Rakza himself. Even at the minimum, that power would rank among the top tier of superhumans. For a warrior of that caliber, sheer numbers meant nothing. But that didn¡¯t mean he could effortlessly take down hordes of monsters. No matter how strong one was, exerting wide-ranging power was no easy feat. The magician, Adamanth, invoked the dominion of nature after a considerable incantation. The alchemist, Arkamis, swept through the entire area by expanding her entire domain. Even magicians and alchemists found it challenging, so for physical fighters, it was even more so. Typically, they would eliminate their enemies one by one. But not Ketal. He was simply swinging his arms and stomping the ground, exerting widespread influence. A warrior was exhibiting a disy of power that even magicians found difficult. Rakza doubted his eyes. It felt like his sense ofmon sense was being overturned. And amidst this, the battle continued. Each time Ketal moved, dozens of monsters fell, rapidly tipping the battlefield in Kalosia¡¯s favor. The holy knights watching this were greatly impressed. ¡°How is such power possible?¡± Having such a man fighting on their side raised the morale of the holy knights even higher. They gripped their swords with renewed strength. Thus, the battlefield increasingly favored Kalosia. And finally, the forces of evil began to move. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal, advancing while tearing through the monsters, paused. He quickly swung his hand. The approaching darkness was blocked by his hand and exploded. Ketal smiled. ¡°So, you¡¯vee.¡± ¡°You crazy barbarian!¡± The leader of the dark magicians appeared, spitting curses. ¡°How dare you interfere with us!¡± ¡°Life rarely goes ording to n.¡± Ketal replied leisurely. The dark magician gritted his teeth. ¡°¡­Barbarian Ketal. We know of you. Our enemy!¡± ¡°You know of me, huh. Hmm. Must have a connection with the demons.¡± Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did you hear from Ashetiar? Or perhaps Butler? I¡¯d like to know.¡± ¡°Dare to speak the names of the great demons so carelessly!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re inclined to answer. Well, no matter. I¡¯ll hear it directly from your mouth.¡± Ketal shrugged lightly. The dark magician flinched for a moment at the movement but then shouted aggressively, as if refusing to admit his fear. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll regret meddling in our ns!¡± At that deration, Ketalughed. ¡°There have been plenty who told me that.¡± The number of beings who told him he¡¯d regret it on the white snowfield was more than he could count on both hands. And none of them kept their word. ¡°Go ahead and try. I¡¯ll enjoy the show.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 137 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 137: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (7) ¡°You foolish and ignorant barbarian!¡± The dark magician ground his teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long that confidence of yourssts! Come forth! Shards of twisted darkness! Manifest here and take on a colossal form!¡± Boom! A space of darkness opened, and remnants of the dark slowly crawled out, starting to take shape. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The faces of the worshippers praying at the holy site turned pale. Ketal whistled. ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡± The gathered darkness formed the shape of a gigantic giant, its sizeparable to a small hill. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The dark magician burst into maniacalughter, ring at Ketal with wide, crazed eyes. ¡°Your information has already been delivered to us! You may have held the advantage with that peculiarity against the Great One, but no longer!¡± Ketal had endured the power of Severance with his bare body. It was undoubtedly an iprehensible peculiarity. But at the same time, the limits were clear. ¡°Your strength is ultimately confined to your body!¡± Ketal could not wield magic. The power Ketal wielded was undoubtedly formidable, but it was confined to his body. It was purely physical strength. Thus, the limitations were evident. Consequently, the countermeasure was extremely simple: respond to strength with greater strength and mass. A giantparable to a small hill, purely in terms of mass, was much heavier than Ashetiar. No matter how strong a human body was, the clear difference in mass was insurmountable. ¡°Blow him away!¡± Boom! The giant obeyed themand, lifting its massive foot to kick Ketal. Ketal watched the scene calmly. Boom! The ground shook. The holy knights and monsters fighting nearby lost their bnce and staggered. ¡°Damn!¡± Rakza¡¯s face turned pale. No matter how strong Ketal was, a direct hit from such mass could send him flying far away. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The dark magician burst intoughter, believing he had subdued the foolish barbarian. It was the moment of his delight. Boom! The giant¡¯s body flew through the air. A massive shadow formed on the ground. Boom! The giant¡¯s body crashed into the earth far away. The dark magician blinked in disbelief. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It was heavy, but not that impressive.¡± Ketal shook his fist. ¡®Compared to Nano, it¡¯s too light.¡¯ Ketal murmured indifferently. Having faced the entire congregation of the royal castle and the serpent connecting the heavens and the earth, Ketal was not impressed. The dark magician, snapping back to his senses, swung his staff. ¡°G-get up! Blow him away!¡± Boom! The giant, staggering to its feet, obeyed its master¡¯smand and began to charge at a high speed. The ground caved in with each step. Ketal braced himself. The human and the giant,parable to a small hill, collided. And it was the giant that was sent flying. Crash! The giant¡¯s body tumbled across the ground. Staggering to its feet, it swung a fist. Ketal casually reached out. Boom! The fist was blocked by Ketal¡¯s hand. Ketal did not retreat a single step. He immediately lunged forward,nding punches. Numerous holes were instantly punched into the giant¡¯s enormous body. ¡°Since it¡¯s not a living being, it doesn¡¯t die.¡± In that case, he would simply tear it apart until it couldn¡¯t move. The giant¡¯s limbs flew off in an instant. The dark magician couldn¡¯tprehend the scene. ¡°H-how.¡± That barbarian did not wield magic. He was a being that moved purely with physical strength. This was verified information. Unable to wield magic, he couldn¡¯t ovee physical limitations. Given the clear difference in mass, if he collided with the giant, his body should have been sent flying. The dark magician didn¡¯t initially believe the giant alone could defeat Ketal. On this earth, there wasn¡¯t much difference in the rank between the dark magician and a demon of Ashetiar¡¯s level. Ketal, who had remained unscathed against such a demon, wouldn¡¯t be injured by a mere monster. The goal was to use the giant¡¯s mass to remove Ketal from the battle. However, Ketal did not retreat a single step even when colliding with the giant. Instead, he swung his fist and sent the giant flying. ¡°Impossible!¡± What was that body? It was as if it defied physical limits. Boom! Before long, the giant¡¯s limbs werepletely torn off. Ketal smiled. ¡°Is there more you want to do?¡± ¡°You, you bastard!¡± ¡°Seems not. Then it¡¯s time for you to die.¡± Ketal stomped the ground and charged at the dark magician. The magician, panicking, also stomped the ground, lifting himself into the air. ¡°Retreat!¡± The monsters began to flee in haste, leaving only the corpses of holy knights and monsters on the battlefield. ¡°Wh-what¡­.¡± The holy knights stared at Ketal with stunned expressions. A giant the size of a small hill had been sent flying and trampled by a small human. It was a scene hard to believe even with their own eyes. ¡°¡­We won.¡± Someone muttered in the silence. That marked the beginning of voices rising one by one. ¡°We won!¡± It was a perfect victory like they had never experienced before. They erupted in cheers. ¡°Hooray!¡± ¡°Thanks to Lord Kalosia!¡± Among their shouts, one name stood out. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Mr. Ketal!¡± Eyes filled with admiration turned towards Ketal. * * * Even after that, the dark magician continued his assaults. It was as if he had made up his mind, trying various methods to kill Ketal with each invasion. But none of them worked. ¡°You wretched fool!¡± The dark magician swung his staff, shouting in a pleading tone. ¡°Just die already!¡± [Kyakyakyakya!] A ghostly monster dove into Ketal¡¯s head. It was a high-ranking monster that could disrupt a person¡¯s mind and melt their brain. ¡°Did it do something?¡± But it didn¡¯t work on Ketal. The monster, which was supposed to melt and devour his brain, was instead devoured itself. The dark magician gritted his teeth. ¡°What are you?!¡± Boom! Ketal moved. The battle quickly shifted in one direction. The dark magician¡¯s face twisted in frustration. ¡°¡­Retreat!¡± The monsters retreated. The knights, overjoyed with victory, shouted out. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°We won again!¡± Cries of victory echoed all around, mixed with groans. The battles were fierce, and many holy knights were injured. They staggered back towards the capital. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] One of the severely injured holy knights stumbled and was about to fall. Someone caught his body. ¡°You seem to be struggling. Let me help.¡± ¡°Ah. Mr. Ketal.¡± Ketal supported the holy knight, who looked at him with a face full of gratitude. ¡°Thank you so much¡­.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°We¡¯rerades fighting together. We help each other out.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The eyes of the holy knights looking at Ketal were filled with deep respect and admiration. They returned to the sanctuary, where the waiting worshippers greeted them with bright smiles. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard!¡± ¡°Mr. Ketal! Thank you so much!¡± Like the holy knights, the worshippers also showed deep trust in Ketal. After dealing with the aftermath of the battle, Ketal and Rakza spoke. ¡°The battles are getting more intense.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The battles were indeed bing fiercer. The number of monsters was increasing, and more dark magicians were appearing. Objectively, it was a dangerous situation, but the atmosphere in the sanctum wasn¡¯t dark. On the contrary, it was quite bright. ¡°We are truly grateful. Without you, it would have been very dangerous.¡± The reason for this bright atmosphere was entirely because of Ketal. Ketal consistently disyed great power in every invasion. Though it was simple physical force, it was also immensely powerful. People were still talking about how he had sent the giant flying. With such a strong ally helping them, it was impossible for the atmosphere to be gloomy. More than anything, Ketal wasn¡¯t just strong. Despite the grueling nature of the invasions, he participated without fail every time, helping holy knights in danger and assisting with the aftermath. If Ketal hadn¡¯t been there, at least ten holy knights would have died. As a result, Ketal¡¯s poprity in the sanctuary was at its peak. Some even called him an apostle sent by Lord Kalosia to help them. ¡°I came to help, so it¡¯s only natural,¡± Ketal said lightly. Rakza¡¯s eyes softened even more. ¡°You¡¯re even humble.¡± ¡®Heize really brought an incredible person.¡¯ From what he heard, Heize had educated and socialized this barbarian. That in itself was a huge achievement. ¡®Once everything is over, I should write about Heize and Mr. Ketal. It would be a record forever etched in the history of the church.¡¯ It was a thought that would make Heize cringe if he knew. ¡°By the way, is everything alright? Supplies seem to be running low.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rakza nodded with a bitter expression. They were currently under siege. Although they were holding out with the stockpiled supplies, after a considerable time, food and daily necessities were running low. No matter how well they fended off the invasions, they would eventually starve if supplies ran out. ¡°There aren¡¯t many merchants willing toe to such a dangerous ce. But we¡¯re doing our best. There should be results soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but it¡¯s still disheartening. It¡¯s been over a month since the invasions started, and no one hase to help.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s our karma.¡± Rakza smiled bitterly. ¡°Still, thanks to Mr. Ketal, we¡¯re holding out. Thank you.¡± ¡°I came to help my friends, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ketal smiled. Rakza, who had been admiring Ketal¡¯s response, slowly let his face fall. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. ¡°Mr. Ketal, I have a request.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­Would you spar with me?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal was surprised. ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°I would like to fight you at least once.¡± Rakza was a superhuman-level warrior, a rarity in the world. Reaching such a level required not only talent but also a fanatical obsession. Rakza¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously. Ketal¡¯s strength was unusual. What was the basis of that power? And what were its limits? Rakza had been holding back his curiosity, but it was driving him crazy. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± However, Rakza suppressed his urge. ¡°It¡¯s too rude to ask someone who came to help us. Besides, the invasions haven¡¯t ended yet.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rakza quickly looked up. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Ketal was actually pleased with Rakza¡¯s request. He had been facing the leader of the dark magicians with each invasion. The dark magician¡¯s methods of trying to kill Ketal were bing repetitive. Frankly, it was getting boring. Sparring with a superhuman-level holy knight seemed like a good distraction. It would be his first time fighting someone who wielded divine power, and he was looking forward to it. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Do you have a ce to spar? A vacant space would be best to minimize the impact.¡± ¡°Yes, we do.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s start right away. We have some time before the next invasion, so a light sparring session should be fine.¡± Ketal spoke quickly. Rakza was flustered. Ketal seemed more eager than Rakza himself. ¡®Was he waiting for this suggestion?¡¯ For a moment, Rakza had such a suspicion, but he soon dismissed it. ¡®No way.¡¯ Ketal was someone who hade to help them without asking for anything in return. He was almost saint-like. There was no way he had been eagerly awaiting a fight. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go quickly. We should start before it gets toote. Ah, are you in good physical condition? It would be troublesome if there were any issues from the previous battle, so it¡¯s better to check beforehand.¡± ¡®¡­No way, right?¡¯ Despite himself, Rakza found himself doubting again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 138 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (8) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 138: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (8) A training ground that had not been used in a while was covered in a significant amount of dust. Ketal and Rakza were there. ¡°Let¡¯s adjust our strength as we fight,¡± Ketal suggested. ¡°Understood,¡± Rakza nodded. Warriors of their caliber could adjust their power in the midst of battle, so there was no risk of idents. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first,¡± Rakza said, drawing his sword and muttering softly, ¡°Oh God, grant me great power.¡± A golden light enveloped the sword and then surrounded Rakza¡¯s entire body. ¡°Impressive,¡± Ketal remarked. The sight of Rakza¡¯s entire body encased in a golden glow was quite striking. ¡®I wish I could do something like that,¡¯ Ketal thought, smacking his lips. He had acquired mysterious powers, but without being able to utilize them, they were like a pie in the sky. ¡®I¡¯d like to use some of that mystery.¡¯ ¡°Here Ie,¡± Rakza said briefly before charging forward. In an instant, he was right in front of Ketal, swinging his sword. Ketal grabbed the axe at his waist and swung it. With a sharp sound, the sword was deflected. Unable to withstand the sudden force, Rakza lost his bnce. ¡°Ugh!¡± Regaining his posture, Rakza spun around, attempting to shoulder-check Ketal. Ketal casually reached out, grabbed Rakza¡¯s shoulder, and pushed him away. Rakza staggered and was pushed back. Rakza¡¯s face showed astonishment as he gripped his sword and attacked Ketal again. Ketal, however, blocked his attacks with ease. ¡®He¡¯s definitely strong,¡¯ Ketal thought, impressed by Rakza¡¯s power. Although it was hard to make an exactparison, Rakza seemed to be stronger than Maximus. Rakza, on the other hand, was shocked by Ketal¡¯s strength. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Even though it was just a sparring match, it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t being serious. Rakza was genuinely attacking Ketal. Yet, Ketal was responding with casual swings of his axe, as if he were just going through the motions. Despite Rakza¡¯s visible efforts, he couldn¡¯t see any way to break through Ketal¡¯s defense. ng!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Rakza¡¯s body was flung back. He quickly regained his stance and thrust his sword, now glowing with a golden hue, towards Ketal¡¯s chest. Ketal watched the sword for a moment before reaching out his hand instead of swinging his axe. The golden sword was caught in Ketal¡¯s hand. Crack! ¡°What!¡± Rakza¡¯s eyes widened. Despite the divine energy fiercely swirling around, Ketal¡¯s hand didn¡¯t have a single scratch. Ketal applied a bit of pressure, and Rakza¡¯s body was pushed back. Stunned, Rakza looked at Ketal. ¡°Ketal¡­ sir?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll stop here,¡± Ketal said, shaking his hand. * * * ¡®There¡¯s nothing particrly different about divine power,¡¯ Ketal thought. He had expected something special, but its basic usage seemed simr to aura. ¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± Rakza said, having regained hisposure. He looked at Ketal with amazement. ¡°How do you handle the divine power so perfectly to protect your body?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Does it look like that?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it camouge?¡± Ketal had caught the divine sword with his bare hand and pushed Rakza back without getting a scratch. That was an impossible feat. Thus, Rakza concluded that Ketal must have an extraordinary control over the divine power. ¡°I¡¯m curious how you control it so perfectly.¡± To Rakza, Ketal seemed to possess only third-rate divine power. This implied that Ketal¡¯s control ability was extreme. Such a level of control was considered impossible. At their level, warriors could instantly recognize the true strength of their opponents, regardless of how well they tried to hide it. In this world, the concept of hiding one¡¯s true power didn¡¯t really exist. Strong individuals could always sense other strong individuals, unless they were dealing with something like an artifact with a fixed form. But Ketal seemed exceptionally capable of hiding his true power. ¡®He must be using a very special method,¡¯ Rakza concluded, feeling satisfied that his question was answered. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal didn¡¯t bother to refute. Rakza seemed satisfied, and that was enough for him. After the sparring session ended, it was time for a break. Ketal spoke up. ¡°I have a question. May I ask?¡± ¡°Anything you like, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°What exactly is divine power?¡± Ketal asked. Rakza paused at the question. ¡°That¡¯s a fundamental question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Ketal responded. Divine power. It was the power bestowed by a god. This power held an absolute advantage over evil. What were the criteria for receiving such power? How was it wielded? Ketal was curious about these things. After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Rakza began to exin. ¡°Divine power is the strength bestowed by a great god upon those who serve them. If you meet the qualifications, you can receive divine power.¡± ¡°And what are those qualifications?¡± ¡°Faith and strength.¡± ¡°Strength is required too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rakza nodded. ¡°If a person doesn¡¯t have the necessary skill to handle divine power, the amount of divine power they receive is limited. Simply having deep and sincere faith doesn¡¯t mean you will receive arge amount of divine power.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ketal mused. To receive divine power, one needed faith in their god and the strength to wield that power. If one had superhuman skills, they would receive superhuman divine power; if they were a first-rate warrior, they would receive first-rate divine power. ¡°What can you do with that divine power?¡± ¡°You can strengthen your body, enhance your weapons, and heal wounds. You can also offer prayers to form divine constraints or vows.¡± ¡°It seems quite versatile.¡± ¡°It is the power granted by a great being,¡± Rakza said quietly. ¡°That being saves and observes the world. Most of the powers on this earth are inferior versions of divine power.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal, who had been observing Rakza, spoke again. ¡°I have one more question. Do you also have holy scriptures?¡± The holy scripture: a book that recorded the deeds of a great god who descended to the earth. Rakza nodded. ¡°Yes, we do.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you use the holy scriptures?¡± When the Inquisitor of the Sun God, Aquaz, fought Ashetiar, they gained an advantage the moment they used the holy scriptures. It was a very powerful force. Yet, Rakza had never used the holy scriptures during the invasion. If someone as strong as Rakza used the holy scriptures, they could gain an even greater advantage. Ketal thought it unlikely that a warrior of Rakza¡¯s caliber would not be qualified to use the holy scriptures, which prompted his question. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rakza¡¯s expression wavered. After some hesitation, he sighed and spoke. ¡°Ketal, our order is very weak. We are not even recognized by other orders. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you have no strong warriors?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the only reason,¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Rakza said with a bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s because we are not recognized by the god.¡± Currently, within the Kalosia order, there was no one who could read the holy scriptures except the Saintess. Rakza was no exception. Ketal was surprised. ¡°Do you need the god¡¯s permission to read the holy scriptures?¡± ¡°The holy scriptures are the written journey of the great god. To wield that power, the god must grant direct permission.¡± The power of the holy scriptures was separate from divine power. Even a low-ranking priest could read the holy scriptures if they were recognized by the god. The fact that many people could read the holy scriptures meant that they were recognized by the god and was a source of pride for the order. However, despite being pushed to the brink, only one person, the Saintess, could read the holy scriptures in the Kalosia order. An order unrecognized by the god: that was another assessment of the Kalosia order. Rakza was a superhuman-level holy knight. His strength was top-tier even across the continent. But despite that, he was just a priest unrecognized by the god, unable to read the holy scriptures. ¡°It¡¯s because we have defiled His name,¡± Rakza murmured, closing his eyes. ¡°This is our punishment.¡± In the past, the Kalosia order hadmitted numerous atrocities. Although they had since reformed, they believed they were now paying for their past sins. ¡°This invasion is His final trial for us. If we ovee it, we may receive His recognition.¡± Rakza prayed deeply. The faith of a believer in their god was a beautiful sight. ¡°I see.¡± But Ketal¡¯s expression was ambiguous. He responded nomittally, ¡°I hope you gain that recognition.¡± * * * After that, the invasions continued. However, each time, the dark wizards were unable to do anything and were driven away. The number of injured people significantly decreased. The atmosphere within the sanctuary grew increasingly bright. There was even some good news spreading around. With a delighted expression, Rakza said, ¡°We found a merchantpany willing to sell us supplies!¡± They had been surrounded by evil forces. No one was willing to sell them supplies, even at exorbitant prices. But finally, they managed to contact a merchantpany and secure the needed supplies. However, Ketal looked skeptical. ¡°It¡¯s too easy. It¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Rakza asked. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s a good thing,¡± Ketal replied. ¡°Indeed it is. I will be leaving for a while to escort the merchantpany. Ketal, I leave the sanctuary in your care.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Rakza left the sanctuary. Ketal walked through the sanctuary, observing the people. Their faces were extremely bright. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°We defeated the forces of evil!¡± They were already convinced of their victory. Having sessfully repelled the invasions and now with supplies on the way, it was natural for them to feel that way. However, Ketal¡¯s expression remained unchanged. As he walked, he stopped in front of therge church. After gazing at the church for a moment, he entered. It wasn¡¯t prayer time, so the church was empty. Ketal looked up at therge statue of Kalosia in the center of the church. A voice echoed from behind him. ¡°What brings you to the church?¡± It was Shadrenes, the Saintess of Kalosia, standing at the church door with a gentle smile. The smile was perfect, like something out of a painting, but its sincerity was questionable. ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ She thought to herself. She hade to the empty church to pray in peace, never expecting to find the barbarian there. She almost screamed out of surprise, but her true feelings were perfectly hidden. Ketal spoke up. ¡°I came for a brief visit.¡± ¡°Feel free to rest here,¡± Shadrenes replied, forcing a smile as she took a seat. Ketal, still gazing at the statue, spoke again. ¡°I have a question. It might be very rude to you. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, please feel free to ask.¡± ¡°You were on the brink of destruction.¡± Without Ketal¡¯s help, they might indeed have been destroyed. ¡°Yet the one you serve, the god of deception and lies, has shown no movement. What do you think about that?¡± ¡°It is a trial from the great one,¡± Shadrenes calmly replied. ¡°As their followers, this trial is a chance for us to prove ourselves. If we ovee it, we will gain their recognition.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded and turned to leave the church. Shadrenes was silently relieved. But then Ketal spoke again. ¡°Oh, onest question. This is different from the previous one.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead,¡± She replied. Ketal smiled slightly at her. ¡°Is that mask you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Shadrenes tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She seemed not to understand Ketal¡¯s words at all. Most people, seeing her reaction, would have thought she truly didn¡¯t know. But Ketal noticed a subtle tremor in her response, down to the smallest fraction of a second. He smiled, satisfied. ¡°Never mind. Thank you. My question has been answered.¡± Ketal left the church, feeling content. The followers imed that in the past, they hadmitted atrocities through deceit and trickery, tarnishing Kalosia¡¯s name. Now, although they had reformed, they believed they were unable to wield the holy scriptures as punishment from their god. To regain their god¡¯s recognition, they tried to be kinder than anyone else. But Ketal thought differently. He was not of this world. He was not bound by its values or perceptions. What could the god of deceit and lies possibly find disappointing in their followers? Ketal looked up at the sky, feeling a gaze upon him. It was the gaze of Kalosia. Since Ketal had set foot in the sanctuary, that gaze had never left him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me,¡± He murmured, ¡°but I will move as I wish.¡± Ketal leisurely walked away. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 139 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (9) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 139: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (9) A few hourster, Rakza returned to the sanctuary with several wagons. The wagons were filled with household goods and food supplies. ¡°Wow!¡± The believers rejoiced. They were already in a precarious situation, unable to wash their clothes and with limited food supplies. This amount of aid was like a rainstorm after a drought. ¡°You¡¯re back. Were there any problems?¡± ¡°Yes. There were some obstructions, but we managed to return without significant damage. It was costly, but¡­ it was worth it,¡± Rakza said with a smile. Ketal muttered calmly. ¡°I see. That¡¯s fortunate.¡± The problem of supplies was resolved. They could now endure until the dark domain surrounding the sanctuary disappeared. The dark magicians, sensing this,unched their final assault. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The faces of the holy knights turned pale. Up until now, it seemed like a mere gamepared to the countless monsters now charging across the ins. Rakza shouted with a resolute expression. ¡°Everyone! Draw your swords! Pray to the great Kalosia! We will be victorious!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They all instinctively knew that this was thest stand. The knights shouted loudly. ¡°For the great Kalosia!¡± Boom! The holy knights shed with the monsters. Waves of monsters poured in. The holy knights joined forces to fend them off. The number of monsters was several times more than before. However, the battle progressed surprisingly smoothly. The holy knights had undergone numerous invasions and now understood the monsters¡¯ characteristics, making it easier to respond. Moreover, after more than a month of life-and-death battles, their individual abilities had noticeably improved. There were quite a few cases of second-rate holy knights reaching first-rate levels. The holy knights took turns fighting the monsters, using the sanctuary¡¯s barrier as a base. But the most significant factor was Ketal¡¯s presence. Boom! Every movement of Ketal¡¯s body swept away the monsters. Ketal moved his feet, and his body advanced like a tank. The monsters that stood in his way were torn apart. Pure numbers could never reach a high-level strongman. The oue was predetermined. Even though the dark magician had tried every method to kill him and failed, he could do nothing. Eventually, the dark magician gritted his teeth and shouted. ¡°Retreat!¡± The monsters began to flee in panic. The holy knights burst into cheers at the clear victory. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°We won!¡± The joy was even greater than before. They believed that as long as they held out this time, they would have won. This belief extended beyond the holy knights. As they returned to the sanctuary, the believers rejoiced and cheered. They held a small festival with the supplies they received. Everyone relieved their worries and celebrated. They had won. It wasn¡¯t certain yet, but everyone thought so in their hearts. They enjoyed their victory and shouted the name of Kalosia. ¡°Hail the great Kalosia!¡± And they cheered the name of the great holy knight who protected them. ¡°Hail Rakza!¡± And they cheered Ketal¡¯s name. ¡°Hail Ketal!¡± The cheers spread throughout the territory. Beer spilled, soaking the people. Rakza watched with a smile. He, too, had set aside his worries. Rakza turned his head, intending to talk to the festival¡¯s hero. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± At that moment, Rakza realized something. The hero of the festival wasn¡¯t there. * * * ¡°Here you are.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Rakza found Ketal while walking around the sanctuary. Ketal was on the outer watchtower of the sanctuary, looking out over the ins. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join the festival? Everyone would be happy if you did.¡± ¡°A festival, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. Why don¡¯t you join us and enjoy the festival?¡± Rakza said. ¡°Everyone wants to express their gratitude to you.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± But Ketal had a vague expression. ¡°I think it¡¯s too early to receive gratitude.¡± ¡°Really? I think it¡¯s all over.¡± They had enough supplies now. At least, they had enough tost until the enemy¡¯s domain disappeared. The presence of Ketal ensured they could repel the monsters¡¯ attacks without much difficulty, so it wasn¡¯t a major issue. ¡°They¡¯ll probably give up and leave soon. They can¡¯t breach our sanctuary.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Ketal had a curious smile on his face. Rakza was puzzled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is the number of dark wizards you told me about.¡± Two superhuman-level dark wizards. About a dozen first-ss dark wizards. Numerous second-ss dark wizards. That was the information Ketal had about the dark wizards. ¡°But when I actually arrived here, I saw very few dark wizards.¡± One superhuman-level and maybe two or three first-ss dark wizards. That¡¯s all Ketal saw. Clearly, there were far fewer than the information he had received. ¡°Where did they all go?¡± Ketal spoke with a hint of suspicion. ¡°If what you say is true, this should be their final assault. They should be using all their strength, yet they¡¯re nowhere to be seen.¡± Approximately one superhuman-level and nearly ten first-ss dark wizards were missing. ¡°Could it be that they realized achieving their goal was impossible and retreated preemptively?¡± ¡°Would they retreat so easily after orchestrating such arge-scale n?¡± Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Attacking the sanctuary must not have been easy for them. They would have made thorough preparations.¡± A group of dark wizards worshipping the Demon King. The Cradle of Darkness. It had been a long time since they had shown themselves on such arge scale. Moreover, it was an attack on a divine sanctuary. The copse of a divine sanctuary by evil forces would be a shocking event across the continent. Considering the external repercussions, they had to seed. Therefore, they must have prepared thoroughly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Judging by their attack methods, it seems they anticipated a prolonged battle.¡± They had isted the entire sanctuary in a realm of darkness, cutting it off from the outside. They came prepared to slowly wear down their enemies. ¡°And the longer the battle, the more variables arise.¡± If the lord of the Barkan territory had decided to help the Kalosia Order, even at a great cost. If the humans on the continent had united against the invasion of evil and provided a little more assistance. Had that happened, they could have won even without Ketal. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t even need to. Their attack wasn¡¯t that strong.¡± The dark wizards¡¯ attack wasn¡¯t that fierce. They could have repelled it without Ketal. There might have been significant damage, and perhaps the sanctuary would have beenpromised, but the Kalosia Order could have held out on their own. ¡°They came expecting a prolonged battle, but made only minimal preparations?¡± Ketal spoke with a doubtful tone. Rakza¡¯s expression gradually stiffened. ¡°Moreover, their methods were too stupid. They used various tactics to try to kill me.¡± Creating a giant the size of a small hill. Sending parasitic monsters to infest people¡¯s minds. Digging deep pits to bury him alive. They used many methods to try to kill Ketal. ¡°But their methods of attacking the sanctuary were too simple.¡± Summoning monsters for a simultaneous full-scale assault. That was it. They didn¡¯t take any knights hostage, they didn¡¯t brainwash anyone. They didn¡¯t even attempt a diversion before ambushing from above. The dark wizards merely wasted their monsters. It was as if their goal was just to draw attention. ¡°¡­That¡¯s.¡± Rakza swallowed his words.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Come to think of it, their attacks were indeed very simple. They just sent monsters. It was the same when he went to get supplies. The dark wizards must have known he was moving to get supplies. If he got supplies, they could hold out longer. For dark wizards aiming for a prolonged battle, they should have stopped him. Yet they showed no particr movement. It was as if such things were no concern to them. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rakza swallowed hard. Regaining hisposure, he realized something was definitely off. ¡°You¡¯re right. Something is strange.¡± ¡°Of course, it could end here as you said. But at the very least, it needs to be confirmed.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rakza nodded hurriedly. He looked at Ketal with admiration. ¡°Did you figure all this out on your own? Truly impressive.¡± When one bes intoxicated with victory, it¡¯s hard to maintainposure and make the right judgment. Everyone in the sanctuary thought it was over and were confident of victory. Only Ketal remainedposed and assessed the situation urately. ¡°It¡¯s nothing impressive. It just felt too uneventful for it to be over like this.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Rakza nodded. ¡°We need to confirm this. I¡¯ll immediately inform the holy knights to prepare their equipment and ready themselves for battle.¡± ¡°Yes, it might be a good idea to scout over there.¡± Ketal gazed at the realm of darkness. The darkness enveloping the entire in was still in ce. ¡°It¡¯ste today, so let¡¯s take a look around tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Rakza quickly moved. He told the holy knights to stay calm and prepare for potentialbat. The holy knights were rmed, but they followed Rakza¡¯s orders. The next day, Ketal and Rakza headed out to the ins. ¡°First, let¡¯s look around.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The two scouted the ins together. Rakza murmured, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve done this.¡± Rakza had always been in a position to protect the sanctuary, so this was his first time scouting the entire in. The dense and deep darkness tried to encroach upon them, but Rakza¡¯s holy power blocked it. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see any monsters.¡± The monsters that had roamed the ins before were nowhere to be seen, as if they were a mirage. Rakza spoke with a puzzled expression, ¡°Could it be that they really retreated?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible, but let¡¯s wait a moment.¡± Ketal closed his eyes. Rakza watched him, eyes widening in surprise. He involuntarily took a step back. ¡°Oh¡­¡± A strange sensation washed over Rakza¡¯s entire body. It felt like everything from his head to his toes was being exposed. An extreme sense of detection spread across the entire in. ¡°Found it.¡± Ketal opened his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s something hidden beneath the ins.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not far. We need to check it out.¡± ¡°¡­You can even detect things?¡± Rakza was amazed. The detection Ketal just disyed wasn¡¯t ordinary. The entire wide area fell under Ketal¡¯s detection. Such detection was impossible for anyone but a specialist in the art. Rakza asked with pure curiosity, ¡°How do you handle the mystic arts to detect like that?¡± ¡°I just closed my eyes and focused my senses.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± Ketal nodded. Rakza was left speechless. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 140 – The Sanctuary of Kalosia (10) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 140: The Sanctuary of Kalosia (10) ¡°This is the ce.¡± Ketal and Rakza arrived at the location detected by their senses. It was at the edge of a in shrouded in darkness. Rakza was puzzled. ¡°Is there something here? I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± There was nothing there. Rakza, a Holy Knight highly sensitive to evil energies, couldn¡¯t sense anything. It was hard not to doubt whether there was actually anything present. However, Ketal nodded. ¡°This is it.¡± Ketal plunged his hand into the ground. The earth gave way as if it were soft cake. He then lifted his arm. Rumble! The ground was overturned, revealing something underneath. Rakza¡¯s eyes widened. Beneath the upturned earth, a passage leading underground was revealed. ¡°This is¡­¡± Rakza hastily tried to sense again but detected nothing. The passage was so perfectly concealed that one wouldn¡¯t believe it existed without seeing it with their own eyes. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal chuckled as if he was enjoying the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± They began to walk underground. As they walked through the passage, Rakza groaned. ¡°¡­It¡¯s deep.¡± The passage was extremely deep, conveying a strong intent that whatever happened inside should never be known to the outside world. They continued forward. Suddenly, the sound of the ground being pressed was followed by an explosion. Ketal, who was leading, was engulfed by the st. Boom! ¡°Mr. Ketal!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As Rakza panicked, Ketal waved his hand to clear the smoke. His body bore no injuries. ¡°There are traps here.¡± The traps were designed with a murderous intent to ensure any intruder would be killed. ¡°Quite amusing.¡± ¡°I-is it?¡± Rakza was flustered. Being in life-threatening situations was far from enjoyable, but Ketal seemed genuinely amused. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They continued further in. More traps threatened them, but Ketal destroyed them all with his bare hands, advancing steadily. Rakza watched in disbelief. After some time, they finally reached the end of the passage, revealing an underground chamber. Inside were two dark magicians. ¡°W-what is this?¡± ¡°Intruders!¡± They were rmed. Ketal asked. ¡°Are these familiar faces? I don¡¯t recall seeing them.¡± ¡°Yes, they are top-tier dark magicians. I saw them at the beginning of the invasion, but they disappeared from the battlefield afterwards. I thought they had withdrawn¡­¡± They had been hiding here all along. Rakza swallowed hard. ¡°Kill them!¡± The dark magicians cast dark magic to kill the intruders. Orbs of darkness flew towards them. Rakza lightly swung his sword, and the divine energy obliterated the dark orbs. With a single move, the dark magicians realized. ¡°They are out of our league!¡± ¡°Run!¡± They tried to escape, shrouding themselves in darkness. Ketal stomped his foot. ¡°One of them is yours.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rakza gripped his sword with both hands and rushed towards the fleeing dark magician. ¡°O Kalosia. Deliver divine punishment to your wicked enemies.¡± A pir of light descended, capturing the dark magician. He screamed, trapped within the light. Ketal¡¯s approach was far more brute force. He pierced through the desperate counterattack of the dark magician with his body, grabbed his neck, and mmed him down. ¡°Gaah!¡± ¡°Oops.¡± ¡®Should be more gentle,¡¯ Ketal thought as he rxed his grip slightly. Still, from the dark magician¡¯s perspective, it was tight enough to make breathing difficult. ¡°We¡¯ve sessfully subdued them, so we can take them back for interrogation.¡± ¡°No.¡± Rakza shook his head. ¡°That will be impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Look.¡± ¡°Ah, aaah¡­¡± The captured dark magicians suddenly started groaning. ck energy began to seep from their eyes. ¡°Oh¡­ Great One¡­¡± Those were theirst words. Darkness erupted from them, and their bodies copsed. The fallen bodies grew cold. ¡°Is it a restriction?¡± ¡°Yes. All dark magicians of the Cradle of Darkness are under restrictions.¡± If they were captured or found themselves in a situation where they might reveal important information, the restriction would activate, causing them to sacrifice their lives to the darkness. That¡¯s why they never considered capturing them as hostages before. ¡°I see. We¡¯ll have to search ourselves.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They began to search the underground chamber. nkets and simple dried food were scattered on the floor, indicating that the dark magicians had lived there for quite some time. As they looked around, Ketal found a bookshelf. He took out a book and read it; it was an evil text worshiping demons. [The Great Lord of Hell has spoken. We were originally the masters of this ce. One day, a vile celestial being descended and began iming ownership of the earth¡­.] ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal smiled and took the book, nning to read it for amusementter. ¡°Did you find something?¡± ¡°No, nothing special.¡± They continued exploring the chamber, and Ketal discovered a hidden room. ¡°This is it.¡± Ketal pressed his hand into the wall. The bricks shifted, revealing a secret room. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­That is¡­¡± Rakza groaned. It was a pitch-ck gem. The gem floated in the air, radiating dense evil energy. Ketal approached and picked it up. Rakza was rmed. ¡°Mr. Ketal! That¡¯s dangerous!¡± The energy emitted by the gem was pure evil. Just being near it was hazardous, and holding it barehanded could contaminate one¡¯s body and mind. However, Ketal seemed perfectly fine. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­Are you alright?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± Still doubtful, Rakza approached the gem. The dense evil energy made his head spin. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Watching Ketal with a perplexed expression, Rakza enveloped the gem in holy protection. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯ll need to take it to the Saintess for examination.¡± They took the gem back to the sanctuary. The Saintess greeted them with a smile. ¡°Oh? Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you two.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Rakza smiled warmly, his gaze full of deep affection for the Saintess. He soonposed himself and spoke. ¡°We have something to report.¡± ¡°Something to report?¡± Shadrenes tilted her head in curiosity. They went into the church. In a private room, Rakza took out the pitch-ck gem. Shadrenes gasped. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t determine what it is. Do you know?¡± ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t an ordinary evil gem. It¡¯s extremely dense.¡± Shadrenes groaned as she examined the gem. ¡°¡­They¡¯ve condensed dark energy to its extreme. This one gem alone could corrupt an entire city. Where did you find this?¡± Rakza described the location where they found the gem. Shadrenes looked confused. ¡°A hidden chamber?¡± ¡°Yes. We should prepare for any possibilities.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I understand. It will take some time to examine this thoroughly. I should have more information by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Shadrenes spoke lightly to ease their concerns.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing major. The enemy invasion has already ended, right? We¡¯ve received sufficient supplies. Even if the enemies are nning something, we can stop them. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°That would be reassuring.¡± Shadrenes took the gem without much concern and left. The next day. Shadrenes returned with a pale face. * * * ¡°Aaah, aaah!¡± ¡°Saintess Shadrenes?¡± Rakza, who was with Ketal, hurriedly ran to Shadrenes. Her body was trembling. ¡°This is terrible! Aaah! How could this happen! O Kalosia! Aaah!¡± ¡°Shadrenes, calm down!¡± Rakza firmly grasped Shadrenes¡¯ trembling arms. ¡°Ah, aaaah¡­.¡± Shadrenes¡¯ tremors slowly subsided. Rakza asked calmly, ¡°Why are you like this? Have you confirmed about the gem?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shadrenes hastily nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This is a conduit and a mediator of retrogression.¡± ¡°Retrogression¡­ you mean?¡± Shadrenes exined with a trembling voice, ¡°This gem is a mediator. It holds dense demonic energy and can reverse thews of this world.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Rakza was puzzled; it was a concept not easy to grasp at once. Shadrenes bit their lip. ¡°Rakza, do you know about the corruption of believers?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. It¡¯s a famous tale.¡± Believers are those who believe in and serve gods. With their faith and strength, they gain corresponding Holy power. But what happens to that Holy power if such a believer turns to darkness and worships evil? The answer is straightforward: it turns into demonic energy. Since gods and demons y roles as light and shadow to each other, it¡¯s not surprising. ¡°This gem is a collection of such concepts.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Rakza¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Shadrenes shouted in frustration, as if to exin, ¡°It¡¯s a concept where holy power is converted into magic! Dozens of corrupted believers¡¯ souls and bodies are embedded within this gem! If this gem is activated, what do you think will happen?¡± ¡°Holy power will turn into demonic energy. So that¡¯s why it¡¯s retrogression.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shadrenes bit their lip again. ¡°A mediator of retrogression. When this gem activates, the concepts in this area will regress.¡± Holy power will be converted into magic. Understanding the meaning, Rakza¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Then our Sanctuary¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Rakza. Our Sanctuary itself will transform into a sanctuary of evil.¡± The Sanctuary of Kalosia will no longer be a sanctuary of the gods but a sanctuary of demons. Darkness, dense and strong, will descend upon thisnd. Rakza realized the situation btedly. ¡°What is this!¡± ¡°Their attacks were all deceptions! Their real goal was to defile our Sanctuary and make it their sanctuary. They intended to use it as a cornerstone for invading this realm!¡± Shadrenes cried out as if in despair. ¡°Aaah! O Kalosia! How could we face such a trial!¡± ¡°Did¡­ did Kalosia say nothing?¡± Rakza asked urgently. Such wickedness was happening right near the Sanctuary. It was a matter where the divine presence of the Sanctuary should surely intervene. But Shadrenes grimaced. ¡°No, Kalosia said nothing! I prayed, but he remained silent!¡± ¡°How¡­ how could this be!¡± Their own Sanctuary was in danger of defilement, yet he maintained silence! Everyone fell into panic. Anxiety and confusion mixed together, filling the air. Amidst this chaos, only Ketal remained calmly smiling. ¡°I see. It seems it won¡¯t end so simply.¡± Ketal said calmly. ¡°For now, how about calming down? So, how should we respond?¡± ¡°We need to shatter the gem.¡± Shadrenes swallowed hard. ¡°The ritual is likely happening around the mediator. We must break it and stop it.¡± ¡°Do you know the location?¡± ¡°Yes, I tracked the demonic energy of the gem to pinpoint it.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s simple. Rakza, let¡¯s move to the ritual site.¡± ¡°Ah, understood.¡± Rakza nodded quickly. ¡°The Saintess will guard the Sanctuary. We don¡¯t know what they might do.¡± ¡°Yes. Please¡­ protect the Sanctuary of Kalosia.¡± The Saintess prayed desperately. Ketal and Rakza immediately moved to the location the Saintess mentioned. They smashed through all obstacles and descended underground. Ketal continued to smile leisurely. They arrived in the underground. There, a man awaited them. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 141 – Advent of the Great Evil (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 141: Advent of the Great Evil (1) ¡°So you¡¯vee, you filthy creatures.¡± The leader of the dark magicians greeted them. Until now, he had always been extremely angry and annoyed whenever he faced Ketal. But now, as if it had all been an act, not a trace of those emotions was visible. ¡°The power of a girl who can read the scriptures, huh? You managed toe here.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Rakza groaned. There was an altar in the basement. From the altar, thick and dark malevolent energy was flowing out. It wasn¡¯t darkness, but pure evil energy. It didn¡¯t physically obscure vision. However, it was so dark here that it was hard to see even a step ahead due to the darkness. The malevolent energy was thick and abundant enough to take shape. It was confusing whether this ce was the surface or the demon world. ¡°¡­You filthy minion of evil!¡± Rakza roughly drew his sword. ¡°How dare you! Defile our sacred ground! Attempt to stain it with evil! Commit such a sin!¡± ¡°Hahaha, howughable. This world originally belonged to us.¡± The leader of the dark magicians mocked Rakza. ¡°The one you serve merely usurped it and disguised it as his own. The rightful owner of this world has always been the great one. You, a fool ignorant of true history, spew misced anger.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Well, no need to debate with a nonbeliever.¡± ¡°You seem confident.¡± Ketal spoke up. From the dark magician leader¡¯s perspective, they had discovered and attacked his hidden ritual. However, there was no trace of panic in the dark magician¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Because everything is already prepared.¡± The dark magician smirked. ¡°Imend you for making it here, but it¡¯s already toote.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, darkness erupted from the altar. Boom! Darkness shot up like a pir, piercing the ceiling and reaching towards the surface. The darkness surrounding the in thickened in an instant. The concept governing the world began to overturn. Rakza was astonished. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Thisnd will return to its rightful owner! As the sacred ground of the great one, it will bear the first mark of his steps!¡± ¡°You think we¡¯ll let that happen?¡± The ritual had just begun. They could still stop it by destroying the altar. ¡°In the name of Kalosia!¡± Divine power began to envelop Rakza¡¯s sword. Ketal gripped his axe. ¡°This might be interesting, but I have no intention of just watching.¡± Ketal and Rakza prepared to attack. The dark magician frowned. ¡°Well, I admit it. If you both attack me, I can¡¯t stop you.¡± The dark magician was at a simr level to Rakza. With Ketal joining in, there was no way he could handle them alone. However, his expression remained unfazed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve prepared countermeasures for him as well. Don¡¯t you find it strange? We¡¯ve spent a long time preparing to devour your sacred ground, yet we¡¯re attacking with just this much power?¡± The dark magician pointed out what Ketal had mentioned to Rakza. He hummed a tune. ¡°Why am I the only one here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rakza¡¯s face stiffened for a moment. This was the altar for reversal. A ce that the dark magicians had to protect at all costs. Yet, only the leader was present. Realizing this, darkness exploded from the surface. It was extremely thick and vicious. It began to take shape and appear on the surface. Rakza¡¯s face turned pale. A dreadful evil, unpermitted on this earth, was descending. ¡°The advent of a demon¡­!¡± And not just any demon. It was so dense with malevolent energy that even Ketal, who couldn¡¯t handle mystic arts, could feel it. A demon with a name. One of the highest ranks. ¡°This is insane!¡± Rakza couldn¡¯t hold back his curse. The dark magician burst into maniacalughter as if delighted by his reaction. ¡°The great being will descend upon this earth! In this ce, which will be the cornerstone of his sacred ground, everything profane will be burned and reduced to ashes!¡± This was the prophecy given to the dark magicians. A revtion from the lord of hell. ¡°You will all be destroyed, leaving not even a cornerstone behind!¡± ¡°Th-this!¡± Rakza was unable to hide his dismay. They intended to create a sacred ground of evil, but summoning a demon was beyond his expectations. And the dark magician mocked Rakza¡¯s reaction. ¡°A holy knight who can¡¯t even handle the scriptures. You¡¯re nothing. Just a bug that will be swept away by the tide. But¡­ you¡¯re not the problem.¡± The dark magician red at Ketal, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You are the hindrance. Damn barbarian. Why did you have to get involved here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite apliment.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Amidst the chaos, his expression alone remained perfectly calm. ¡°So, it¡¯s my role to stop you. I pray! O Great One! I offer myself to you! Please subdue and suppress your enemy!¡± The dark magician¡¯s prayer was answered. All the power contained within his body drained out. This drained power formed a prison, trapping Ketal. Ketal¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°K-Ketal!¡± Rakza hurriedly swung his holy sword, but the prison around Ketal didn¡¯t even get a scratch. ¡°What the¡ª!¡± ¡°Choose, dog of the gods! Will you stop the ritual, or will you watch yourrades die?¡± Rakza¡¯s mind was in turmoil. Ketal was trapped in the prison. Although the dark magician seemed exhausted from the bacsh, stopping the ritual wouldn¡¯t be easy even without interference. To break through the thick, dark malevolent energy and destroy the altar, Rakza would likely have to expend all his power. If he did that, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the demon descending on the surface. All the believers would die. It was a dilemma. Ketal spoke to the hesitant Rakza. ¡°Go to the surface. You must protect the believers.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Leave this ce to me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle the demon.¡± ¡°¡­Understood. I¡¯m sorry, Ketal.¡± Rakza bit his lip and left. Only Ketal, trapped in the prison, and the dark magician, slowly dying on the floor, remained at the altar. ¡°It¡¯s our victory, barbarian.¡± The dark magician smirked. ¡°You¡¯ll never break that prison.¡± The prison trapping Ketal was created with the dark magician¡¯s life and soul as a sacrifice, making it a prison of malevolent energy. It was incredibly strong and sturdy, crafted by the sacrifice of a superhuman-level being. Even a believer who could handle the scriptures would have a hard time breaking it. There was no way a mere barbarian who only wielded brute strength could break it. The dark magician¡¯s life would end soon. In other words, until then, Ketal would be trapped. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal lowered his head. Thinking the barbarian had fallen into despair, the dark magician was convinced of his victory. ¡°You will die! The great demon will kill all your friends who are defiling thisnd, and this ce will be a holy ground for the great ones to descend upon!¡± The holy knight was strong. The sacred ground also had a saintess. But even they couldn¡¯t stop the demon now descending. The downfall of the Kalosia Church was certain. ¡°Afterward, the great ones will tear you apart and take your soul!¡± The dark magician trembled with excitement, unable to contain himself. ¡°O great Demon King! I have bound your enemies ording to your will! Please! I beg you to take my soul and bring me to a higher realm!¡± The dark magician felt no regret even as he neared death. He was filled only with joy. He had no doubt he would receive a great reward in the afterlife for aiding the grand n. ¡°You¡¯re too interested in me. Do you hate me that much?¡± ¡°Did you think you could interfere with us and survive? Die regretting your choice!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I understand. It¡¯s impossible to have a meaningful conversation. What a pity.¡± ¡°¡­Wait.¡± The dark magician hesitated. He looked puzzled. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Ketal was imprisoned, a demon was descending, and his friends were on the brink of death. Yet Ketal¡¯s face was full of smiles. ¡°Well, I thought I shouldn¡¯t smile in front of you, so I was holding back. It¡¯s quite hard to suppress my joy.¡± ¡°Joy? Are you mad?¡± ¡°How could I not be happy?¡± Ketal said cheerfully. A group of dark magicians trying to turn a holy ground into an evil one. And a demon descending to burn the sacred ground. It was a situation that could only bringughter. ¡°¡­You.¡± The dark magician finally realized. The barbarian before him had an entirely different set of values. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean I n to just watch. No life should be wasted in vain.¡± Ketal raised his axe and swung it at the prison. The dark magician snapped out of his daze. ¡®Right.¡¯ Even if he was different, the fact that he was trapped in the prison didn¡¯t change. With a prison that was hard to break even with the scriptures, that barbarian wouldn¡¯t be able to affect anything outside. The moment he believed that, Ketal¡¯s axe struck the wall of the prison. Boooooom! The dark magician¡¯s eyes widened in shock. A crack, visible to anyone, had formed in the wall struck by Ketal¡¯s axe. ¡°What?¡± The dark magician stood agape. The prison, which he had crafted with his own life as a sacrifice, was breaking apart with just a single swing of the axe. ¡°Stop¡­¡± ¡°It is sturdy, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± It¡¯ll take some time. Muttering to himself, Ketal calmly raised his axe again. The axe lodged into the prison wall. * * * ¡°Yaaawn.¡± Holy knights were standing guard on the outskirts of the holy ground. However, their expressions showed no signs of tension. Although Rakza had warned them not to let their guard down, it didn¡¯t really resonate with them. They had repelled every invasion so far. The monsters had vanished from the darkness-covered ins. By anyone¡¯s reckoning, it was their perfect victory. They followed orders because they had to, but they thought Rakza was overly anxious. As they were passing the tedious time, suddenly, the darkness over the ins thickened. It meant the dark altar had been activated. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The holy knights were startled by the sudden change. As they tried to grasp the situation, several dark magicians appeared in front of the holy ground. One superhuman-level dark magician and several first-rate magicians. It was the dark magicians¡¯ force. ¡°Everyone! Prepare for battle!¡± The holy knight who spotted them first hurriedly gathered hisrades. The holy knights scrambled to prepare for battle. But the dark magicians didn¡¯t react. They gathered in one spot and slowly began to chant. ¡°O Great One.¡± ¡°You who descend upon the earth.¡± ¡°O mighty lord of hell.¡± ¡°You who oppose the gods.¡± It was a prayer. A prayer from the dark magicians to the great demon king. Their wish to their deity. ¡°Please. Please.¡± ¡°Take us as your sacrifice and devour us.¡± ¡°Send your servant to thisnd.¡± Crack! The prayer ended. The bodies of the dark magicians were simultaneously crushed. The holy knights¡¯ eyes widened in shock at the sudden mass suicide. From the crushed bodies of the dark magicians, dark energy began to seep out. Crack. The seeping dark energy created a rift in the space. Beyond that rift, a hand emerged. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 142 – Advent of the Great Evil (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 142: Advent of the Great Evil (2) Shadrenes sped her hands and closed her eyes in the church. She was praying to Kalosia, hoping that Ketal and Rakza would seed in stopping the ritual. ¡°¡­What?¡± Shadrenes suddenly opened her eyes while praying. She turned her gaze in rm. A powerful demonic energy was emanating from a distance. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be.¡± Did they fail to stop the ritual? Was thisnd going to be engulfed in darkness? Such thoughts crossed her mind for a moment, but she soon realized that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°¡­¡± Shadrenes¡¯ face turned pale. She understood. Another worst-case scenario was unfolding. ¡°¡­Unbelievable!¡± She shouted in denial, but there was no stopping what had already urred. The great evil had descended upon this world. * * * CRASH! The space shattered like ss, and a figure appeared. With skin as pale as a vampire¡¯s and a horn growing from the center of his head, the figure exhaled while dressed in ornate, noble attire. ¡°Ah, the smell of the surface after so long.¡± With his breath, the air was polluted. Thend trampled by the demon rotted away. Just by existing, he defiled the surface. The holy knights realized that the dark wizards had sacrificed their lives to summon a demon to the surface. ¡°So, this is the ce.¡± The demon gazednguidly at the holy ground. ¡°The nauseating holynd of the gods. It seems the prophecy is flowing well.¡± The demon took a step forward. The holy knights snapped to attention. ¡°E-Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± SHRING! They drew their weapons and blocked the demon¡¯s path. They didn¡¯t know how the demon had descended here, but their task was clear. ¡°Do not let that demon attack the holynd!¡± ¡°For Kalosia!¡± The holy knights steeled themselves and charged. The light of holiness enveloped them. The holy knights were strong. Having umted countless experiences defending against evil invasions, each one of them was akin to a veteran. Many were of the highest caliber. ¡°Ah, the dogs of the gods. Impressive.¡± The demon extended his hand with a gentle smile. Dark energy began to gather there, forming into thin lines. The demon swung his hand. The barrier of the holy ground shuddered violently. KAAAANG! ¡°Kyaaa!¡± The devotees inside the holy ground, startled, lowered their bodies. They hurriedly looked at the barrier. A thin, straight crack had formed in it. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Aah?¡± The bodies of the holy knights fell, sliced in half simultaneously. The veterans, who had survived numerous evil invasions, were annihted without even a chance to react. ¡°Hmm. The scent of falling flesh. It¡¯s been a while.¡± The demon extended his hand with a satisfied expression. Thin lines of dark energy flowed from it, striking the barrier of the holy ground like a whip. KWAAANG! Despite their extremely thin, thread-like form, the destructive power was unimaginable. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The barrier of the holy ground, which the dark wizards had previously struggled to even touch, began to crack rapidly. The devotees screamed in terror. Just as the barrier was about to crumble with a cracking sound, a pir of light descended. ¡°Hmm.¡± For the first time, the demon¡¯s expression changed. He retracted his lines and looked up at the sky. The lines of dark energy collided with the pir of light, neutralizing each other. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Ah, the saintess.¡± The demon smiled gently. ¡°Nice to meet you. The first ve of Kalosia.¡± ¡°Demon¡­!¡± Shadrenes gritted her teeth. She looked sorrowfully at the corpses of the holy knights. She had felt the demon¡¯s descent and rushed over, but she was toote. She bit her lip and red at the demon. With skin as white as a vampire¡¯s, contrasting with the ck horn in the center of his head, and wielding thread-like dark energy. Shadrenes groaned. ¡°The demon of Demonic Lines. Rubitra.¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a ve of the gods? You know well.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s impossible not to know.¡± Two hundred years ago, there was a religious church dedicated to a god. Though the number of its followers was notrge, their faith was strong and there were several superhumanly powerful individuals within the church, making it renowned across the continent. Led by these superhuman warriors, the church gradually grew, earning evaluations that it would one day rival the church of the Sun God. However, contrary to those evaluations, the church was destroyed by a single demon that descended nearby. That demon was none other than the Demon of Demonic Lines, Rubitra, who now stood before her eyes. ¡®Why?¡¯ Rubitra was one of the highest-ranking demons that could be summoned to the surface. Summoning him usually required the sacrifice of hundreds of pure children, yet he appeared here so easily. Shadrenes¡¯ mouth went dry. Rubitra, who had been quietly observing her, raised his hand. Dark energy began to form in his hand. Shivers ran down Shadrenes¡¯ spine. She urgently shouted, ¡°Kalosia!¡± BZZZZ! A holy shield materialized, and the dark energy struck the shield. CRACK! The shield began to crack and shatter almost instantly. The saintess¡¯ eyes widened. Holiness held absolute superiority over evil, yet how could this be? She reinforced the shield, but it seemed like it could break at any moment under the relentless attack. Her face turned pale as she realized she was on the verge of being ensnared by the dark lines. At that moment, a sword of light flew towards Rubitra. ¡°How annoying.¡± Rubitra frowned and blocked the sword of light. Shadrenes, barely escaping the crisis, exhaled heavily. ¡°Saintess!¡± ¡°Rakza!¡± Shadrenes brightened up. The strongest holy knight had arrived at her side. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] She struggled to hold back tears that threatened to spill over. ¡°That demon is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Demon of Demonic Lines, Rubitra.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rakza¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It seems the dark wizards used themselves as sacrifices to summon him¡­ but that should not have been enough. What happened to the ritual?¡± ¡°I left it to Ketal. But it might take some time.¡± Rakza¡¯s voicecked confidence. He, too, was not sure if Ketal would seed. Shadrenes noticed his hesitation but did not point it out. There was no need to verbally confirm the worst-case scenario. ¡°I see.¡± Shadrenes gritted her teeth and tore her skirt. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡± All the holy knights had fallen to the demon. They were thest shield protecting the holynd. ¡°We¡¯ll make him regret targeting our holynd.¡± Rubitra smiled silently. * * * ¡°Rakza! Buy us some time!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Rakza stomped his foot and charged at Rubitra, his entire body enveloped in holy energy. Rubitra lightly flicked his fingers. Threads of dark energy poured out, racing towards Rakza to pierce him. Rakza quickly dodged, but the lines were too fast to avoidpletely. Some of the threads grazed his armor. CRASH! The armor, filled with holy energy, shattered and broke instantly. ¡°Ugh!¡± Rakza moved swiftly, but the lines tracked him as if they could read his every move. He could do nothing but evade continuously, unable tounch a proper counterattack. ¡®He¡¯s strong!¡¯ Even these light probing attacks required him to respond with full power. Rubitra was at least two tiers above them, possessing top-tier superhuman strength. In a normal fight, they would have been utterly defeated without doing anything. ¡®But!¡¯ The opponent was a demon, and they were priests serving a god. Holiness exerted absolute superiority over evil. ¡°Lavin, Chapter 4, Verse 2! To your followers, I grant the unwavering strength against falsehood!¡± Using the time Rakza desperately bought, Shadrenes chanted. Golden holy energy enveloped Rakza. RUMBLE! Rakza¡¯s speed increased significantly. Rubitra murmured, ¡°A scripture.¡± A collection of passages detailing the journey of the gods. Those who can read the holy scriptures can directly wield the great power of the gods. This power allowed Aquaz, a top-tier believer, to stand against Ashetiar. Moreover, Shadrenes was not just a simple believer; she was a saintess, capable of wielding the scriptures even more powerfully. Rakza, suddenly empowered, began to counter Rubitra¡¯s attacks. Shadrenes did not miss the opportunity. ¡°Kudun, Chapter 1, Verse 14! The vile hypocrites dared not open their mouths at Your word!¡± The scripture activated. Chains of holiness flew and wrapped around Rubitra. ¡°Hmm.¡± Dark energy lines flowed from Rubitra and intertwined with the chains, causing them to crack and break. Shadrenes quickly continued. ¡°Kudun, Chapter 12, Verse 1! There was a man who imed only he spoke the truth in this world! Kalosia made him take an oath of falsehood and deceit for proof. And that oath was unbroken until the man¡¯s death!¡± BUZZ! A golden cross embedded itself in Rubitra¡¯s chest, restricting his movements. ¡°Lavin, Chapter 15, Verse 58! When evil descended upon the world, Kalosia bestowed his holy relics, which were used to drive evil out of this world!¡± THUD! A sword of light appeared in Rakza¡¯s hand. ¡°Huff!¡± Shadrenes copsed to her knees, cold sweat streaming down her face. The scriptures couldn¡¯t be wielded without restriction. Using the power of a god required an extraordinary level of mental fortitude. Moreover, the higher the chapter of the scripture, the greater the power. Using chapters in the double digits consecutively was a significant strain, even for a saintess. But thanks to this, the demon was restrained. Shadrenes, exhausted, spoke. ¡°Finish it, Rakza.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rakza raised the sword of light. ¡°Demon! Leave this world!¡± Rakza charged with determination. A superhuman holy knight, aided by the scriptures,unched his attack. With Rubitra bound by the scriptures, defense was impossible. If the blownded, even a top-tier demon wouldn¡¯t survive unscathed. CRACK! Rakza¡¯s swift charge drove the sword into Rubitra. Shadrenes¡¯ face brightened from where she had copsed. It seemed clear to anyone that a fatal blow had been struck. But Rakza¡¯s expression was stiff. The sword of light Rakza thrust hadn¡¯t even touched Rubitra¡¯s body. At the tip of the de, threads of dark energy were woven like a, blocking the sword. Rubitra had created a to stop Rakza¡¯s sword. ¡°¡­How?¡± Surely the cross had sealed Rubitra¡¯s dark energy. ¡°Impressive.¡± Rubitra murmured calmly. Threads of dark energy wove around the golden cross embedded in his chest. The cross made a sinister sound and shattered unsightly. ¡°You, you¡­¡± ¡°Imend you.¡± With those words, dark energy exploded. Rakza¡¯s body was instantly engulfed in darkness. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 143 – Advent of the Great Evil (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 143: Advent of the Great Evil (3) Boom! With the eruption of darkness, Rakza¡¯s body rolled across the ground. Shadrenes gasped. ¡°Rakza!¡± ¡°Ughhhh!¡± Rakza let out a groan of pain. Part of his arm was turning ck. The darkness began to spread from his arm, infecting his body. Shadrenes hastily suppressed the darkness with light. The darkness started to burn away and disappear. Rakza, enduring the pain, looked at the sword in his hand. ¡°The¡­ the sword¡­¡± The sword, reinforced by the holy scripture, was broken in half. It couldn¡¯t withstand the exploding demonic energy and snapped. Having barely healed his wounds, Rakza looked at Rubitra. Their enemy had not a single scratch. He stood there with the same serene expression as before. ¡°To think you could use the holy scripture to such an extent. You must have been very diligent in serving your god and pleasing them. It feels so good to know that your devotion will crumble in my hands.¡± Rubitra raised his hand. Threads of demonic energy flowed out from there, starting to whip like ash. Rakza and Shadrenes hurriedly responded. Boom! ¡°Grrrr!¡± Shadrenes gritted her teeth against the pouring demonic lines. The quantity and quality of the attacks were on apletely different level, as if they had been ying around until now. Crack! The demonic lines intentionally bypassed Shadrenes¡¯ body and headed behind her. For a moment, Shadrenes¡¯ eyes widened in confusion. The demonic lines were blocking her retreat and rushed to ensnare her like a. Shadrenes screamed in desperation. ¡°Book of Bruhora, Chapter 3, Verse 22! The giant of Kalosia protects the sanctuary from external foes!¡± Boom! A giant of light descended to protect Shadrenes¡¯ body. The flying demonic lines wrapped around the giant¡¯s body. The demonic lines pressed hard against the giant. The giant emitted a fierce light to burn the demonic lines, but the very fine threads of demonic energy neither burned nor snapped. Instead, they tightened even more as if annoyed by the giant¡¯s resistance. Crack! The giant¡¯s body began to break slowly. Shadrenes was in shock. Could the giant, summoned to protect the sanctuary through the holy scripture, be broken so easily? The giant struggled desperately but ultimately failed. Its body shattered into pieces. The demonic lines quickly flew to grab Shadrenes. ¡°Eek!¡± Rakza drew his spare sword and swung it swiftly. Although his intention was to cut the demonic lines, he only managed to push them back a little. Thanks to his effort, Shadrenes barely escaped from the and created some distance. ¡°T-thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Sweat beaded on Shadrenes¡¯ forehead. There was no time to rest. Rubitra leisurely flicked his fingers. The demonic lines straightened into a stiff line. He then flicked his fingers a few more times. Boom! The ground shattered and crumbled like cubes. Rakza, who barely dodged, had disbelief written all over his face. ¡°This is impossible!¡± When Rubitra started to take them seriously, they could do nothing but dodge. They were like small animals before a giant, only able to leap away to avoid being crushed. Rakza could not ept this reality. ¡°No matter how strong, we¡¯re both in the superhuman ss!¡± Rubitra¡¯s strength was at the top level of the superhuman ss, not at the heroic level. Even if he was stronger, they were all in the superhuman ss. And they were priests serving God. Divine power has an absolute advantage against evil. Additionally, they were continuously using the holy scripture, which directly wielded the power of God in battle, yet they were being so overwhelmingly pushed back? ¡°This is impossible!¡± In response to Rakza¡¯s cry of denial, Rubitra spoke calmly. ¡°Indeed, you are not weak.¡± A saintess wielding the holy scripture. A superhuman-level holy knight. If the two of them fought together, they could easily handle a demon of ordinary renown. ¡°But I am Rubitra, the Demon of Demonic Lines.¡± Two hundred years ago, a prominent church of God emerged. That church also had a saintess and a superhuman-level holy knight. The church¡¯s power was several times stronger than the current Church of Kalosia. And that church was destroyed by Rubitra alone. Top level of the superhuman ss. The realm right below heroism. A realm evaluated as thest attainable peak by normal means. Even within the superhuman ss, there was a world of difference. No matter how much they used the holy scripture or imed an absolute advantage with divine power, an insurmountable gap existed. ¡°We indeed lost to your God.¡± A long time ago. The battle between demons and gods. The victor was the gods. Subsequently, demons were driven out of the earth and banished to hell. ¡°But the ones who defeated us were the gods themselves.¡± Not you, who merely parasitize on that power. Rubitra muttered quietly as he swung his hand. Threads intertwined like twisted ropes, forming a giant spear. ¡°Try to block this.¡± Initially, Shadrenes and Rakza tried to dodge, but their faces hardened. Behind them was the holy sanctuary of their god. If they dodged, the giant spear would pierce the sanctuary¡¯s barrier and sweep through the interior. ¡°¡­Rakza!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Rakza nted his sword into the ground. Shadrenes, gathering herst bit of strength, shouted out. ¡°Book of Kudun, Chapter 13, Verse 24! Kalosia spoke as he halted his journey: ¡®Thisnd shall henceforth be my domain, and you who serve me shall stay here and build your home! Thus, this ce shall be your refuge!''¡± Buzzing! A golden barrier descended. It was the great divine barrier left by Kalosia before departing. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Through the scripture, it was manifested in the world. Rubitra smiled and flicked his fingers. ¡°A divine barrier, huh. Very well.¡± The demonic spear shot out. The air burst with its force. The demonic spear quickly struck the barrier. Crash! Light and darkness collided with a harsh sound. Shadrenes¡¯ face turned pale. The barrier was slowly cracking under the spear¡¯s pressure. ¡°Ugh!¡± Shadrenes gritted her teeth and drew out all her divine power to the limit. Rakza did the same. The light barrier became more solid. Unable to withstand the continued sh of forces, it eventually burst in all directions. Boom! The barrier shattered into pieces. The demonic spear also exploded from the excessive force. The collision between the barrier and the spear. The result was a draw. But the actual battle was not. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shadrenes copsed onto the ground. She had exhausted all her strength and couldn¡¯t even stand. Rakza was in a slightly better state, but he, too, was barely sitting, leaning heavily on his sword like an old man. In contrast, Rubitra looked utterly serene. He even pped his hands in admiration. ¡°Impressive. You managed to block my full-powered spear with just the two of you. Trulymendable.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­¡± ¡°Imend your struggle. Although it will end up being meaningless.¡± Rubitra swung his hand. Demonic lines flowed out, wrapping around the sanctuary¡¯s barrier like snakes. The sanctuary was not small. Even though the barrier epassed an entire small city, the demonic threads surrounded itpletely. Rubitra clenched his fist. The demonic threads tightened around the barrier. Cracks spread rapidly across the barrier. Finally, under the immense pressure, the sanctuary¡¯s barrier shattered like a broken ss. Crash! Fragments of light slowly fell to the ground. The barrier that had existed since the sanctuary¡¯s inception was mercilessly destroyed. Believers praying within the sanctuary let out cries of despair. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± They realized they had been defeated. Despair and fear quickly spread within the sanctuary. ¡°No¡­¡± Shadrenes muttered. She had to protect the sanctuary. That was her duty as a saintess. But even standing was impossible. Rubitra spoke softly. ¡°I will ensure your lives endst. Watching thend you sought to protect transform¡ªthis is my mercy to you.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Rumble! Darkness erupted from the in. The ritual to transform the divine sanctuary into a sanctuary of evil was reaching its climax. Rubitra spoke quietly. [Hear me, humans.] The voice of evil echoed within the sanctuary. The believers screamed and copsed in fear. [The divine sanctuary, abandoned by the god who rejected you and the world, will be our first cornerstone.] It was a revtion given to the dark sorcerers. Amand from a great being to invade the earth. [Create the cornerstone of darkness. Offer yourselves to create a passage to the surface. My minions will descend upon the earth. Then, our first pir will beplete.] This was the revtion given by the demon king to the dark sorcerers. ¡°All is as the revtion foretold.¡± Rubitra looked up at the sky with satisfaction. The thickening darkness nowpletely obscured the sunlight. Soon, thisnd would be a sanctuary of darkness. ¡°It¡¯s going well. At this rate, I might receive a promotion.¡± Rubitra smiled, waiting for the transformation into an evil sanctuary. But then, the darkness covering the sky began to fade. Sunlight, hidden by the darkness, began to illuminate the earth again. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Rubitra was puzzled. The darkness was suddenly thinning. Just as Rubitra was trying to grasp the situation, there was a thunderous crash in the distance. A massive wave of energy so powerful that it could be felt even from here. Rubitra quickly began to sense the source, and his eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± The altar conducting the ritual to transform the sanctuary into an evil sanctuary was destroyed. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Rubitra found it hard to understand. He had killed all the holy knights. The saintess and the superhuman holy knight had been defeated before his eyes. The forces of the Kalosia order were in ruins. Moreover, to his knowledge, a superhuman dark sorcerer was guarding the ritual altar. There was no reason for the altar to be destroyed now. As he tried to understand the situation in his confusion, a wind blew. A chill ran down Rubitra¡¯s spine. His senses warned him that something was approaching. Instinctively, he raised his hand, and threads of demonic energy flowed out to protect him. At that moment, an impact urred. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± Rubitra¡¯s body slid back. Although he managed to regain his stance quickly by sessfully blocking the attack, his eyes were filled with shock. ¡®Was I pushed back?¡¯ Rubitra had easily blocked even the attacks from the holy scripture. This meant that the recent attack contained a power stronger than that of the holy scripture. Rubitra narrowed his eyes. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s my first time seeing someone block my attack after stepping outside.¡± A curious voice echoed. Rubitra identified the owner of the voice and spoke in a startled tone. ¡°Barbarian?¡± The barbarian was there. Ketal smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you, demon.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 144 – Advent of the Great Evil (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 144: Advent of the Great Evil (4) ¡°Ke, Ketal.¡± Rakza, who was lying on the ground, groaned and barely managed to lift his head to look at Ketal. Ketal, looking apologetic, grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Sorry. It took some time to break the altar.¡± ¡°No, no. You did it¡­.¡± ¡°Fortunately, yes. Unfortunately, it seems things didn¡¯t go well for you guys.¡± Traces of fierce battle were evident. Rakza and Shadrenes were lying on the ground, and the demon stood there without a scratch. The victor was clear. Rakza bowed his head in despair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. It looks like you did your best. That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m just sad I didn¡¯t get to see the desperate struggle with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± Rakza thought Ketal¡¯s words of praise were just a formality. But Ketal was genuinely regretful. ¡®It would have been interesting.¡¯ ¡°Well. Rest now. Leave this to me.¡± ¡°Ke, Ketal. Be careful. That demon¡­ is strong.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal chuckled. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal stepped in front of the demon. The demon narrowed his eyes and red at Ketal. ¡°Let¡¯s greet each other once more.¡± Ketal greeted cheerfully, his mood as pleasant as his voice. It was a demon. And this was the third one he encountered. He was eager to see what this one had to offer. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Demon of Demonic Lines. Rubitra.¡± ¡°Rubitra. I am Ketal. Pleased to meet you.¡± As Ketal grinned and looked at him, Rubitra spoke in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re the barbarian Ashetiar and Butler mentioned. You were not in our prophecy¡­.¡± Rubitra nodded to himself. ¡°They were right. You¡¯re an anomaly outside the prophecy. I mocked them, but now I owe them an apology.¡± ¡°So demons don¡¯t always get along poorly.¡± ¡°We even have tea parties often. Though some are bad, we are not.¡± ¡°Ho.¡± Ketalughed joyfully as if learning something new. ¡°You seem quite strong.¡± He had just blocked the attack. It was the first time since he came outside. The fact that the saintess Shadrenes and Rakza had been defeated so miserably proved the opponent¡¯s strength. ¡°How do youpare to Ashetiar or Butler?¡± ¡°Comparing me to them is an insult. Even if ten of them came at me, they couldn¡¯t touch me.¡± He didn¡¯t say this out of arrogance or overconfidence. It was a tone of stating an undeniable truth, like a shadow forming in the light. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m really looking forward to this.¡± Ketal¡¯s voice had a tinge of excitement. Rubitra red at Ketal silently. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t feel it.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t sense any significant power from Ketal. On closer inspection, there was a hint of mystery, but it was very slight. It was at a third-rate level. If the stories from Ashetiar and Butler were true, the barbarian before him was very strong. He broke Ashetiar¡¯s thorns with his bare hands and endured the power of severance. But that was impossible. When he first heard the story, Rubitra dismissed it, thinking they were mistaken. ¡®But the first strike.¡¯ That was an attack no one without knowledge of mystery could have executed. ¡°Hmm. Well, never mind.¡± Rubitra emptied his mind of doubts and extended his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll see once I kill you.¡± Lines of demonic energy started to rise from his hand. Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. ¡°You manipte demonic energy like threads. Hence, the demon of Demonic Lines.¡± Ketal smiled and stepped forward. ¡°Then, let me move first.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ketal was standing in front of Rubitra. Rubitra¡¯s eyes widened. He momentarily lost sight of the movement. Ketal reached out to grab Rubitra¡¯s arm. ¡°You!¡± Rubitra reacted quickly, pulling back andunching demonic threads. Several lines of demonic energy surged toward Ketal, who dodged them lightly. ¡°You avoided them.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ketal murmured with a fascinated expression. It was the first time anyone had reacted to his speed outside. Ketal didn¡¯t know, but Adamanth had only reacted automatically with response magic, so this was essentially the first time. Rubitra, who barely dodged, looked shocked. ¡®What speed!¡¯ He momentarily lost track of the movement. His eyes turned serious. Rubitra decided to respond with full sincerity. He gathered demonic energy. His sensing range expanded. The great mystery of the world began to unfold. Threads of demonic energy poured towards Ketal. He leaped, narrowly avoiding them. *Boom!* The threads that struck the ground pierced and shook the earth. The threads that prated the ground curved and aimed at Ketal again, targeting his arms, legs, and head simultaneously. Ketal dodged by twisting his arms, lifting his legs, and leaning his head back. ¡®Fast.¡¯ The speed was unparalleledpared to any attack he¡¯d faced outside. Ketal was certain: the demon before him was the strongest opponent he¡¯d encountered so far. Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest and joy. Rubitra, on the other hand, was bewildered. The threads of demonic energy he wielded were his power. Each one carried a lethal force, moving incredibly fast. When Shadrenes and Rakza had countered Rubitra¡¯s attacks, they hadn¡¯t done so by sight alone. They sensed the signs through their divine powers and reacted ordingly. Even then, they had to exert all their effort to avoid each thread. It was typically challenging for anyone to counter them. Yet this man, unable to wield any mystery, was simply dodging them with his physical movements? Recognizing the attacks purely with his naked eyes? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Rubitra couldn¡¯tprehend it. ¡®But.¡¯ ¡°How long do you think you can dodge?¡± *Rumble!* More threads of demonic energy surged forward. The threads Ketal had dodged curved back, aiming at him again, while Rubitra summoned additional threads. The threads filled the space like rain pouring from all directions. Ketal was dodging all these attacks with near-supernatural movements. However, there was a limit. ¡°Endless, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ketal murmured. From Rubitra¡¯s hand, dozens of threads continuously emerged, like an unending spring. The thin threads of energy began to fill the entire space, obscuring Ketal¡¯s view. No matter how agile his movements, he was using the space to dodge. Once the space itself was taken over, dodging became impossible. The space for evasion shrank. Finally, the area excluding Ketal¡¯s body was filled with threads. ¡°Got you.¡± Rubitra clenched his fist. The threads controlling the space all rushed at Ketal simultaneously, hundreds of threads striking at once. *Boom!* The impact alone caused the ground to copse, with sand and dust obscuring the view. Rakza, who had been watching the battle with difficulty, screamed. ¡°Ketal!¡± *Rumble¡­* As the dust slowly settled, Rubitra¡¯s victorious smile froze. Shadrenes and Rakza¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­What?¡± Threads of demonic energy were embedded all over Ketal¡¯s body. Yet, the threads hadn¡¯t even pierced his skin. ¡°Heavier than I thought.¡± Ketal murmured. The weight in each thread was substantial. This demon¡¯s power surpassed that of Ashetiar. ¡®Simr to Nano?¡¯ It was akin to the mass that Nano wielded. Could one thread hold such weight? Was this the power of mystery? ¡°Indeed, you are strong.¡± Ketal was genuinely impressed. Rubitra, however, was in disbelief. ¡°No way. This¡­?¡± His power can¡¯t even prate human flesh? It was impossible to ept, but the sight before him was undeniable. ¡°Are you done? Then it¡¯s my turn.¡± Ketal stepped forward, exerting his strength. *Crack!* The threads pressing against Ketal¡¯s body all snapped and shattered. In an instant, Ketal was in front of Rubitra, who couldn¡¯t react. Ketal¡¯s fist struck Rubitra¡¯s chest. *Crash!* Rubitra¡¯s body rolled on the ground. Ketal casually dusted off his fist. * * * ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Rakza, who had been watching the battle, was full of confusion. Hundreds of threads had pierced Ketal¡¯s body. Given that each thread had the power to destroy a sacred object, Ketal should have been skewered. Yet the threads hadn¡¯t pierced his skin. ¡°What, what is this?¡± He couldn¡¯tprehend the scene before him. Rubitra felt the same. ¡°You.¡± ¡°You still won¡¯t die, huh.¡± Ketal¡¯s fist had indeed pierced through Rubitra¡¯s chest. However, Rubitra appeared unscathed. Without handling the mystery, one couldn¡¯t send a demon back. Ketal frowned. ¡°What an annoying restriction.¡± Rubitra stared nkly at Ketal. ¡®¡­Why couldn¡¯t my power prate that body?¡¯ He had heard that Butler¡¯s power of severance had no effect on Ketal, but he thought Butler had misunderstood something. It was inconceivable that a mere physical body, without even handling mystery, could ignore a demon¡¯s power. However, even Rubitra¡¯s threads had no effect. ¡°¡­I see.¡± After thinking for a moment, Rubitra nodded. ¡°You are a mystery in yourself.¡± How could he withstand the power of severance with his bare body? How could he withstand the power of the threads with his bare body? The answer was simple. Ketal¡¯s physical existence itself was a mystery. Their powers were part of the world¡¯s mysteries, and if Ketal¡¯s body was also a mystery, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he could withstand them. However, epting this was difficult. Rubitra frowned and asked in a puzzled tone. ¡°What have you built up and what have you achieved?¡± For a body and soul to be a mystery, what was needed was life itself. Achieving countless aplishments and realizing great value could allow an individual to attain a certain level. However, this alone couldn¡¯t exin the uniqueness of the barbarian before him. ¡®¡­Can an individual, by achieving great feats, truly attain the level to withstand mysteries with their physical body?¡¯ What had this barbarian done to possess such a level in his body? And why had they been unaware of someone who had achieved such great feats? How could a mere human body endure such a level? In Rubitra¡¯s long memory, there was no precedent. Even with the answer, the mystery remained. Ketal, intrigued by Rubitra¡¯s words, smiled. ¡°It seems you have some idea about me. I would love it if you could share it with me too.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 145 – Advent of the Great Evil (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 145: Advent of the the Great Evil (5) ¡°I have no such obligation. It¡¯s puzzling, but¡­ fine. I get the gist of it. My task is simple then.¡± Rubitra raised his hand. Lines of demonic energy begin to flow out. The dark energy contained within those lines was thicker and stronger than before. Knowing that his opponent¡¯s very body was mystical, there was only one thing he needed to do. He needed to infuse his attacks with even stronger mystic energy. Weaker mystic energy would always be pierced by stronger mystic energy. ¡°I¡¯ve umted quite a lot myself. If it were Butler or Ashetiar, maybe, but at my level, I can pierce your body.¡± He was the demon of Demonic Lines. Rubitra. A being who had left countless scars upon thend, etching his name in the process. ¡°I¡¯ll turn you into a skewer.¡± ¡°If you can, that would be delightful.¡± Ketalughed as if he was genuinely pleased. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, Rakza.¡± Shadrenes managed to put some distance between herself and the fight with Rakza¡¯s help. The battle between Ketal and Rubitra was incredibly fierce. Even though Ketal was moving with caution, it wasn¡¯t good for either of them to stay close by. Having finally gained some distance, they took a moment to catch their breath. Rakza muttered with a bitter expression. ¡°¡­That demon wasn¡¯t serious at all.¡± The attacks the demon was unleashing on Ketal¡ªeach one of them had the power that would have made them risk their lives. It was a stark contrast to when he had faced them. That demon had merely been toying with them. They had just been fooled into believing they could win. Like children deceived by an adult¡¯s lie. Rakza felt a sense of futility and simultaneously astonishment. ¡°I never imagined Ketal was that strong¡­¡± Against a demon revealing his true power, Ketal was holding the upper hand. Rakza knew Ketal was stronger than himself, but he never thought the gap would be this wide. ¡°¡­It¡¯s disheartening.¡± Rakzaughed bitterly. He took pride in his strength. A holy knight of superhuman level. Not just a minor one, but a true superhuman. Even across the entire continent, he was among the top-tier fighters. Rakza believed he wouldn¡¯t easily fall to anyone. But now he realized there were those above him. A height so great, he could never reach it at this point. His strength meant nothing to those above. His pride and confidence were shattered. He muttered with a mix of futility and respect. ¡°They¡¯re monsters. Both of them.¡± * * * Dozens of lines of demonic energy rained down all at once. The attacks came so rapidly, there was no room to dodge. Ketal swung both hands. Thud! Thud! Thud! The lines struck his hands, bending, bouncing off, and shattering. Ketal dashed toward the open space. In an instant, he was right in front of Rubitra. Whenever Ketal attacked at this speed before, no one had been able to respond and was beaten down. But Rubitra wasn¡¯t that easy to take down. Seeing Ketal approach, he quickly gathered lines to form a shield. Although the shield shattered the moment Ketal¡¯s fist hit it, it bought enough time to create some distance. Having blocked Ketal¡¯s attack and gained distance, Rubitra sharply pulled his hand back. Lines of demonic energy shot toward Ketal¡¯s head. The power and force within them were extraordinary, even adding a rotational twist to alter their trajectory.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And Ketal clenched his fist. Bang! The stream shattered as it collided with his fist, scattering in all directions. Rubitra muttered in disbelief. ¡°Monster.¡± Despite the significant power in his attacks, Ketal blocked them effortlessly. ¡®How much energy is infused in that body?¡¯ Simply enhancing it wasn¡¯t enough. He needed to consolidate his very authority into a single strike. Only then could he pierce Ketal¡¯s body. Rubitra began to gather his power slowly, ensuring Ketal wouldn¡¯t notice. Ketal cheerfully dusted off his hands. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± It was the first time he had such a battle outside. It was enjoyable in its own way. Ketalughed heartily. And that attitude grated on Rubitra¡¯s nerves. He was doing his utmost to pierce Ketal¡¯s body. But Ketal showed no sense of urgency, only seeming to enjoy himself. As if the battle with him was just a pastime. Rubitra found that extremely displeasing. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­I acknowledge your strength, Barbarian. But you interfered with us. We will kill you.¡± Ketal had once been marked by Ashetiar. Due to the uniqueness of his body, it didn¡¯t hold much meaning, but the mark was akin to a bounty ced on a surface dweller by hell. ¡°When we invade the surface, you will be the first to die. Every being in hell will move to eliminate you.¡± Rubitra dered. Hell, a force that once scorched this world, was now targeting an individual. Even a hero-level warrior couldn¡¯t guarantee their survival. It was something anyone on the continent would fear. But Ketal wore a strange expression. ¡°So, you are my enemy.¡± ¡°Why such a sudden, nonsensical remark now?¡± Rubitra chuckled. Ketal muttered. ¡°It seems our rtionship won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Did you think that after all you¡¯ve done to hinder us?¡± Rubitra sneered, thinking Ketal was finally afraid. ¡°We will kill you. We will tear your body apart and scatter it across the world, capture your soul, and use it as fuel for hell. Even if you bow your head and beg for your life, we will still do it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°You are my enemies.¡± The demons, the warlocks, the world of hell¡ªthey were his enemies. An unchangeable, undeniable enemy. ¡°Then I understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to surrender out of fear¡­¡± Rubitra¡¯s confident words were cut short. Ketal¡¯s hand was gripping his head. Bang! Rubitra¡¯s body was mmed into the ground. He, in shock, spewed lines of demonic energy. Ketal deftly deflected them all with his fingers. Then he moved his foot. Crack! Crack! Crack! The ground cracked open. Rubitra¡¯s body was smashed to a pulp and disappeared. ¡°You wretch!¡± Rubitra reappeared some distance away from Ketal. As he hastily tried to wield his demonic energy, Ketal was already in front of him. He grabbed Rubitra¡¯s arm and mmed him down. He tore off his arm and separated his head. ¡°You, you!¡± Rubitra, regenerating, tried to back away in shock. But Ketal was already there again, sending his body flying. ¡°No!¡± Rubitra couldn¡¯t grasp the situation for a moment. He knew Ketal was stronger, but not to this overwhelming degree. He thought he had enough room to respond. But suddenly, he was being overpowered without any time to react. Rubitra¡¯s eyes widened as he ground his teeth. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°You. Were you not serious all this time?¡± Just as he had toyed with Shadrenes and Rakza, Ketal was toying with him. Rubitra finally realized this. ¡°Not really.¡± Ketal murmured leisurely. The demons had always seen Ketal as their enemy. Therefore, they had tried to kill him with all their might. But Ketal didn¡¯t particrly think much about the demons. He simply stopped them because they tried to kill his friends and hinder him. He didn¡¯t harbor any particr malice towards them. To be honest, he didn¡¯t even recognize them as enemies. Sinceing outside, there had been no one Ketal recognized as an enemy. It was natural. Who in their right mind would consider the viins of a fantasy novel as their personal enemies? Ketal was a modern person. He had lived in the white snowfield. He had spent an immeasurable amount of time in that white world, a time that would cause an ordinary human to lose themselves and be consumed by the Barbarian¡¯s persona. Despite this, the only thing that kept him grounded was his desire for fantasy. To him, this world was the fantasy world he had longed for. So much so that it felt unreal. No matter how much evil the viinsmitted or how much they hindered the protagonist, they were just characters in a fantasy. Even if he could empathize, there were always limits. ¡°But you consider me an enemy.¡± If that was the case, he would respond ordingly. Rip! Rubitra¡¯s body was torn apart again. Regenerating, Rubitra spat out curses. ¡°Madman!¡± He finally realized that Ketal hadn¡¯t even recognized him as an enemy. Filled with deep contempt, Rubitra¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Barbarian!¡± Crack! Ketal grabbed and twisted Rubitra¡¯s wrist as he tried to spew demonic energy. He quickly closed in and mmed his shoulder into Rubitra, making half of his body disappear. Rubitra reappeared, but Ketal, instantly locating him, struck before Rubitra could gather his thoughts. Rubitra¡¯s body was mmed into the ground again. As Rubitra was embedded in the earth, he wrapped the tendrils of demonic energy around his arm and swung at Ketal¡¯s head. Ketal had previously avoided or overpowered such attacks, but this time was different. He effortlessly deflected Rubitra¡¯s attack with a flick of his arm and mmed Rubitra into the ground. It was utter domination. Rubitra was stunned. ¡°¡­Even so!¡± Rubitra shouted fiercely, gathering even more of his hidden power. He prepared an attack with everything he had. ¡°You cannot kill me!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Shadrenes¡¯ face turned pale. Ketal didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s an annoying restriction.¡± Pure physical strength alone couldn¡¯t banish a demon. Mystical power was needed. But there was no one capable of intervening in the current battle. Shadrenes and Rakza were utterly exhausted, having depleted their divine power. Unlike before, Aquaz or Arkamis had no capacity to assist him. No matter how overwhelmingly Ketal defeated Rubitra, unless he could kill him, Rubitra could still attack the sanctuary, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. Thus, Ketal spoke. ¡°So how about doing more than just watching?¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± Rubitra couldn¡¯t understand Ketal¡¯s words. The only spectators of this battle were Shadrenes and Rakza, who couldn¡¯t help. The believers were trembling and praying in the sanctuary. But Ketal wasn¡¯t referring to anyone on the ground. He looked up at the sky. The sky above the sanctuary. A gaze he had felt since he entered the sanctuary. That gaze had never left him for even a moment. ¡°If you enjoy watching so much, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you at least paid for the show.¡± As Ketal spoke,ughter was heard. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Shadrenes, who had been watching nervously, widened her eyes. Theughter wasn¡¯t from Shadrenes, Rakza, Ketal, or Rubitra. Shadrenes remembered hearing suchughter before. ¡°Wha-what?¡± She stammered. The voice that followed confirmed her suspicions. A mischievous voice,ced withughter. It came from the lofty heavens. Shadrenes held her breath. ¡°Kalosia¡­?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Rubitra was visibly flustered. He quickly looked up at the sky. Someone from the great heavens was gazing down at the earth. And from the sky, a beam of light descended towards Ketal. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 146 – Advent of the Great Evil (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 146: Advent of the Great Evil (6) Boom! A divine light surrounded Ketal. The power contained within was unlike the divinity wielded by Shadrenes in its quality and level. A mighty celestial force beyond the control of earthly beings descended slowly. A golden aura enveloped Ketal¡¯s axe. ¡°Oh, wow. Impressive,¡± Ketal eximed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect help in this way.¡± He smiled towards the sky. ¡°Thank you.¡± He expressed his gratitude to the being beyond. Shock and astonishment swept over the surroundings. ¡°What?¡± Rakza couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Shadrenes murmured in a trembling voice, ¡°The grace of Kalosia?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible,¡± Rubitra stammered, his face filled with shock and denial. ¡°How can divine grace be granted to a non-believer¡­?¡± His words were cut off as Ketal grasped his axe and charged. The light-imbued axe swung down. Boom! Rubitra¡¯s body was cleaved in half. Although he began to regenerate, he gritted her teeth and attacked. Dozens of demonic lines rained down on Ketal, who swung his axe again, shattering the lines like straw. The difference in power was evidentpared to when he relied solely on physical strength. ¡°So this is divinity,¡± Ketal whistled as he stepped forward, causing the ground to crack as he charged. Crash. Rubitra was mmed into the ground, his limbs severed. Though he continued to regenerate, the process was noticeably slower, indicating that his demonic energy was being gradually depleted. Divinity had an absolute advantage over evil. Shadrenes and Rakza were defeated due to an insurmountable difference in power, but Ketal was able to break through Rubitra¡¯s attacks with sheer force. Boom! Rubitra began to be consumed without putting up much of a resistance. Shadrenes watched in astonishment. ¡°Lord Kalosia has granted grace to a barbarian¡­?¡± A god bestowing favor on a non-believer was unprecedented, yet it was happening right before her eyes. Even as Shadrenes and Rakza struggled to grasp the situation, Rubitra was unmistakably being depleted. Despite his desperate resistance due to his immense power, it was clear that he would be forcibly recalled if this continued. Rubitra let out a furious roar. ¡°Barbarian!¡± Rubitra began using hisst resort. He twisted his hand roughly, causing hidden lines of demonic energy in the ground to rise. Boom! The lines of demonic energy sliced and cleared the ground around Ketal, causing his body to momentarily float in the air. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh?¡± As Ketal¡¯s body slowly began to descend, Rubitra raised his hand aggressively. A hundred lines gathered in his hand,yering upon each other until they formed a single, powerful line. Having gathered all his energy into one strike, Rubitra threw the line towards Ketal. The single line,bined from a hundred, flew towards him. Ketal raised his hand, and his palm met the line. *Boom!* His body was sent flying. The ground shattered and split apart as Ketal¡¯s form disappeared into the distance. Shadrenes screamed. ¡°Ketal!¡± ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve won!¡± Rubitra burst into maniacalughter. From the beginning of the battle, Rubitra had been secretly nning for an unavoidable strike. That strike had now perfectly hit its mark. Even defending with his divinely imbued axe had failed, as he witnessed with his own eyes. Despite the mysterious nature of the barbarian¡¯s body, it was his all-epassing strike. There was no way he could withstand it. Rubitra was certain of his victory. At that moment, an axe flew in and embedded itself in his chest. Crash. ¡°What¡­?¡± Rubitra¡¯s eyes widened. The divine-imbued axe was lodged in his chest. He stammered, ¡°How, how¡­?¡± ¡°Was that your secret strike? It was quite powerful.¡± Ketal appeared from where he had been sent flying. His body was unscathed. Rubitra, with a face of disbelief, spoke up. ¡°How¡­ it definitely hit.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean this?¡± Ketal raised his palm. ¡°It was certainly sharp.¡± There was a red mark on his palm, like the kind you get from pressing against the edge of a table. A mark that would fade with time, something anyone could get in daily life. That was all. Rubitra¡¯s all-epassing strike left only that kind of mark on Ketal. ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Rubitra let out a hollowugh. Ketal approached Rubitra, grabbing the axe. He then brought it down with force. *Boom!* The suppressed demonic energy erupted. Rubitra¡¯s body began to scatter slowly. He was already being gnawed away by the divinity, and his all-epassing strike had failed. No matter how powerful a demon he was, he could no longer endure. Ketal retrieved his axe. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It seems to be over.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ How absurd,¡± Rubitra chuckled. He finally understood. Ketal¡¯s level was immensely high. He was someone he could never hope to defeat. ¡°It was impossible for me to beat you from the start. Those with hierarchy need to move.¡± Demons granted territories and positions beyond just a name had to move to face this barbarian. ¡°Hierarchy, huh,¡± Ketal muttered with interest. Rubitra red at Ketal. ¡°Wait, barbarian. When we set foot on this earth, we will kill you.¡± With those words, Rubitra¡¯s presence vanished from the earth. Ketal watched the demonic energy disperse into the air and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that many times already. I¡¯m getting tired of expecting it.¡± Anyway, it was over. He took a step. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ketal helped Shadrenes and Rakza up. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± Shadrenes said, stumbling to her feet. Though she wobbled, she stood firmly. ¡°Ketal, that axe¡­¡± Her gaze was fixed on the golden axe. Ketal shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I knew something would happen, but I didn¡¯t expect this kind of help.¡± As Ketal spoke, the golden light on the axe slowly began to fade. The divinity disappeared shortly thereafter. ¡°Was there a time limit? What a pity.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue in disappointment, thinking he could handle a divine weapon. Rakza stammered. ¡°Did Lord Kalosia recognize you, Ketal?¡± ¡°Recognize? I don¡¯t know about that. I don¡¯t even know what he expects from me.¡± ¡°Then why? Why did Lord Kalosia grant you his grace¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll have to figure that out slowly. But don¡¯t we have something to do first?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Shadrenes muttered,ing to her senses. ¡°Yes, we survived.¡± The shocking scene had momentarily made them forget the situation. They had won. They had driven out the evil and escaped the crisis of destruction. They realized this btedly. ¡°First, we should clean up.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shadrenes said, stumbling toward the corpses of the holy knights. She stood in front of them and offered a small prayer. ¡°It was a noble sacrifice. May their souls safely reach Lord Kalosia.¡± After a moment of prayer, she stood up and bowed to Ketal. ¡°Thank you, Ketal. Truly.¡± Without Ketal, they would have perished here. Kalosia¡¯s name would have faded into history. She spoke with heartfelt sincerity. ¡°We may not have much now, but we will offer you the best reward we can.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°No need,¡± Ketalughed heartily. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the sanctuary. They¡¯re probably waiting anxiously for the oue.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± They opened the gates of the sanctuary, and anxious gazes turned toward them. In the silence, Shadrenes calmly dered. ¡°The demon descended on earth has returned to hell. The domain of evil surrounding the sanctuary has also disappeared. There are no more dark magicians or monsters here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hope began to shine in people¡¯s eyes. Shadrenes cemented that hope with her next words. ¡°We have won.¡± ¡°W-wow!¡± The people burst into cheers, hugging each other in their joy over the victory. They shouted, ¡°Lord Kalosia! Thank you!¡± Thanking the god who protected them. And they shouted, ¡°Lady Saintess and Rakza! Thank you!¡± Then they shouted another name, ¡°Mr. Ketal! Thank you so much!¡± The name of Ketal. * * * They had won. But the damage was not insignificant. Having been surrounded for so long, their finances were nearly depleted. They managed to acquire supplies somehow, but they had to empty the sanctuary¡¯s treasury to cover the costs, and now it needed to be replenished. Moreover, all the holy knights were dead. Most of the holy knights were second-rate, but there were not a few first-rate knights among them. They were the elite who had survived battles against monsters and were meant to lead the Church in the future. They had all been annihted by Rubitra. Effectively, the backbone of the Church had been severed. The sanctuary¡¯s barrier was also destroyed, leaving them virtually exposed. The barrier needed to be restored as well. It was, in fact, a Pyrrhic victory. But a victory was still a victory. The people found strength and began the restoration. Ketal also helped out, moving his body around as needed. It took about a week to restore some of the damage. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal, lying on his bed in his quarters, gazed at his axe. The divine energy that had once suffused it hadpletely vanished. ¡°What a pity.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. With his strength alone, he couldn¡¯t banish demons. Having a divine weapon would have been a huge help, but it had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Kalosia, huh.¡± Kalosia, the god of lies and deception. What did that god expect from him? ¡°I guess I¡¯ll find out when we meet.¡± Ketal got up. After things had settled down, Shadrenes, who had been resting, requested a private meeting with Ketal. She was the holy messenger of the god, the one who connected Kalosia to the mortal world. Meeting her should provide some answers. He had to go outside, though. Ketal made a reluctant face. ¡°Ugh¡­ I have to go out, huh.¡± After some hesitation, he gave up and opened the door. As he left his quarters, he saw the followers hard at work. The damage was so extensive that it wouldn¡¯t be restored in just a month or two. It would take at least a year for Kalosia¡¯s Church to return to its former state. But their expressions were not gloomy. Everyone was working hard with hopeful faces to restore the sanctuary. In the midst of this, someone saw Ketaling out. They brightened up. ¡°Lord Ketal!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lord Ketal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lord Ketal!¡± The voices spread like waves. Previously, the followers had addressed him with ¡°Mr.¡± But at some point, it had changed to ¡°Lord Ketal.¡± The followers abandoned their work and rushed toward Ketal. In no time, a wall of people formed around Ketal. They shouted energetically, ¡°Lord Ketal! How are you!¡± ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Is there anything ufortable for you?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 147 – Kalosia (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 147: Kalosia (1) ¡°Uh, um.¡± Ketal nodded his head. ¡°There were no issues.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°He said there were no issues!¡± ¡°Thank goodness!¡± The believers cheered noisily at Ketal¡¯s words. Relief was evident on their faces. They were genuinely happy that Ketal was staying without any problems. Ketal looked at the believers with a peculiar expression. At that moment, a child timidly approached Ketal from the crowd. ¡°Um, Lord Ketal. Can you ept this?¡± The child extended a small statue with trembling hands. A small statue made of wood. It looked very clumsy, as if made by unskilled hands. Upon closer inspection, the statue resembled Ketal. ¡°Is this a sculpture of me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± The child nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. Ketal epted the statue. ¡°It looks like you made it yourself. Thank you. It¡¯s very well made.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The child¡¯s face lit up with joy in an instant.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Watching this, the believers cried out with admiration. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°He epted the statue!¡± ¡°As expected of Lord Ketal! He¡¯s so kind!¡± Excessive praise followed. Ketal, with a reluctant expression, tucked the statue into his chest. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯te out earlier.¡¯ Initially, Ketal helped with the restoration of the holynd. With his immense power, he could do the work of dozens of people alone, which was a great help. However, once things were on track, he stopped helping with the restoration. The reason was precisely because of these reactions. The believers showed immense interest in Ketal. When he appeared, they would abandon their tasks and rush to him. It actually hindered the work, so he couldn¡¯t help. ¡®It¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ The feelings the believers showed towards Ketal were not just simple reverence or gratitude for a benefactor. It was more akin to faith or worship. The reason for these feelings was simple. Moved by the sight of Ketal epting the statue, one believer eximed with a face full of emotion. ¡°How kind of him to consider the child¡¯s feelings! As expected of the one chosen by Lord Kalosia!¡± After all the battles were over. The believers of the holynd asked about how the battles unfolded. Rakza exined everything to them. As a result, the believers learned about what Ketal had done. Ketal had single-handedly destroyed an altar intended to turn thisnd into a sanctuary of darkness. In the process, he broke through the defenses of a superhuman-level dark mage alone. He had faced and defeated a demon that had overwhelmed both Shadrenes and Rakza and broken the holy barrier of the scriptures. That demon was not an ordinary one. It was the demon Rubitra of the Demonic Lines. Two hundred years ago, it had descended upon this world and single-handedly destroyed an entire church, a being so powerful that even the believers knew of its great evil. Ketal had faced this demon alone and emerged victorious. To defeat a demon with the power to destroy a church alone was an incredible feat worthy of being recorded in history. If it weren¡¯t for Ketal, the holynd would have been destroyed. But if that were all, there would be no reason for such worshipful feelings. They might respect and praise him, but they wouldn¡¯t observe his every move like this. The decisive reason for these feelings was different. It was because Kalosia had directly bestowed grace upon Ketal. A god had granted grace directly to a non-believer. That was literally a miraculous event. All these factorsbined led to the current very, very high evaluation of Ketal. To the extent that some imed Ketal was an incarnation of Kalosia. They said Kalosia had descended in the body of a barbarian to help them, the poor souls on the brink of destruction by evil. Some believers made such ims. Of course, that assertion was only by a few. But the fact that such talk of a human being an incarnation of a god existed at all was proof of the current sentiment. ¡°Uh, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could make way.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll move!¡± ¡°How rude of us to block Lord Ketal¡¯s path!¡± The believers swiftly moved aside. A path formed through the crowd. Ketal walked with a reluctant expression. Even as he walked, admiring nces continued to pierce him. Those stares were, to be honest, quite burdensome. As Ketal walked through the path formed by the crowd, he saw a familiar face. He greeted them with delight. ¡°Oh, Heize.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Heize greeted Ketal calmly. ¡°Nice to see you, Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°You still call me Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Well, we¡¯ve known each other for a while.¡± Heize let out augh. She already knew about Ketal¡¯s power and what kind of being he was. The fact that he had received the grace of Kalosia was certainly surprising, but it wasn¡¯t a reason to change her attitude. ¡°I¡¯m d. Honestly, their gazes are a bit overwhelming.¡± Ketal sighed in relief, to which Heize responded with a surprised look. ¡°Really?¡± It was quite unexpected for this barbarian to feel such burden. ¡°I¡¯m human too, you know. It¡¯s my first time facing such emotions.¡± In the white snowfields, there were followers who looked up to him, but they showed trust and belief, not feelings akin to worship. While it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, it was indeed burdensome. Heize¡¯ eyes softened at his reply. ¡°¡­Right.¡± This barbarian wasn¡¯t some strange monster. He was human, just like her, albeit different. Heize, having collected her thoughts, bowed her head. ¡°Once again, thank you. Thank you very much for saving us.¡± Ketal¡¯s values were different. They were certainly quite different from theirs. But Ketal had helped them. He fought evil at the risk of his life and was even acknowledged by Kalosia. She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to reject someone in such a situation. Instead, she felt ashamed of herself. She felt she had not properly judged Ketal¡¯s worth due to her preconceptions. She confessed as if in repentance. ¡°To be honest, I was a bit afraid of you, Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. But not anymore. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Ketal. I dared to judge you with my wed perspective.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s unexpected, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Human rtionships are always like that, aren¡¯t they? It¡¯s enough if the misunderstanding is cleared up.¡± Ketal brushed it off lightly. He epted Heize¡¯ confession without much ado. His attitude was closer to that of a saint than a strange monster. ¡®Nas¡¯ judgment was correct.¡¯ In the end, Nas¡¯ judgment was right over her own. Ketal chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be burdened. You are my friend. I cannot ignore a friend¡¯s peril.¡± Heize smiled with a somewhat relieved expression. A bit of the weight on her mind was lifted. ¡®But¡­ I wish there could be something done about those gazes.¡¯ The believers were quietly watching the conversation between Heize and Ketal. They were looking at Heize with admiration. Those gazes regarded her as a remarkable person who had brought and enlightened Ketal. Her stomach churned. She worried it might be chronic. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] After finishing his conversation with Heize, Ketal passed through the crowd and arrived at the church. Inside, the saint of Kalosia, Shadrenes, was waiting. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived? I could tell from themotion outside.¡± ¡°Such gazes are a first for me. It¡¯s quite burdensome.¡± ¡°Understandable. It¡¯s not just because of what you¡¯ve done¡­ Being chosen by Lord Kalosia is something worth such reactions.¡± ¡°Is it really that rare?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Shadrenes looked at him as if he had stated the obvious. ¡°It¡¯s extremely rare for a god to bestow grace upon an outsider, not a believer. There are only a few instances across all the world¡¯s religions.¡± Gods typically only show interest in their own believers. In rare cases, they might take interest in outsiders, but even then, it¡¯s usually just advice or revtion. Cases where they directly bestow grace, like with Ketal, are exceedingly rare. Even if youbine all the records of the various religions, such cases are extremely few. Such a miracle happened with Ketal. Naturally, the believers¡¯ perspectives would change. ¡°I see. I hope it calms down over time.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Shadrenes trailed off. What Ketal had shown was truly miraculous strength and events. Rather than calming down, his esteem was likely to rise even higher. Time often exaggerates past events. ¡®What is this person?¡¯ Shadrenes swallowed hard. Ketal asked. ¡°So, how is your body now?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. I¡¯m much better now.¡± Shadrenes nodded. The battle with the demon had exhausted all her divine power. She had even pushed the holy scripture to its limits, leaving her in a state of copse. Now, after a week, she had recovered to some extent. Shadrenes quietly expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you very much. If it weren¡¯t for you, we would have disappeared into history. It¡¯s hard now, but¡­ if you wait a little, we will prepare the greatest reward we can give.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t help expecting a reward, so don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± Ketal said leisurely. Shadrenes smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± After a brief conversation, Ketal left. Shadrenes, left alone, gazed at the closed door. ¡®¡­Who exactly is this person?¡¯ The final strike from Rubitra. That demonic energy surely had the power to pierce the sanctum itself. Ketal had taken a direct hit from that strike. Yet, his body bore no wounds. There was only a single red mark that would fade with time. It could be said that he had single-handedly overwhelmed the demon Rubitra. Although he could defeat it with the grace of Kalosia, that was only because Ketal couldn¡¯t fully harness the mystical powers, not because hecked strength. What kind of being is this barbarian? After pondering for a moment, Shadrenes made a decision. She stood up from her seat and knelt before the statue of Kalosia in the center of the church. ¡®Lord Kalosia bestowed grace upon Mr. Ketal.¡¯ Shadrenes heard a voice tinged withughter. It was undoubtedly the voice of Kalosia. Kalosia seemed to know something about this barbarian. So, Shadrenes decided to pray and ask Kalosia directly. She closed her eyes and sped her hands together. Divine energy began to slowly envelop her body. A great celestial being and a small earthly being began to connect. * * * ¡°Hmm.¡± The next day. Ketal was lounging in bed. He didn¡¯t need to sleep, but with nothing else to do, he was trying to force himself to sleep. But he was reaching his limit. ¡°I¡¯m bored¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to go outside because the attention was too overwhelming. He had things to discuss with Rakza, but Rakza was still undergoing treatment as his injuries were worse than Shadrenes¡¯. There was nothing for him to do. As Ketal stared nkly at the ceiling, he heard hurried footsteps. They were urgent, with no hint of leisure. The footsteps were approaching his lodgings. Soon, there was a rough knock on the door. ¡°Ketal!¡± ¡°Shadrenes?¡± Ketal opened the door with a puzzled expression. There stood Shadrenes, her face glistening with sweat as if she had run non-stop. Ketal asked with a curious look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shadrenes was the saint of Kalosia. She held the highest position in the church. It was strange for her to run like this. ¡°Th-th-the¡­¡± She stuttered, unable to finish her sentence. Ketal waited silently. Shadrenes managed topose herself and shouted. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Lord Kalosia wishes to see you!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 148 – Kalosia (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 148: Kalosia (2) ¡°Have you calmed down?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± After a long while, Shadrenes finally calmed down and nodded. At first, Shadrenes was so flustered she couldn¡¯t speak properly. It took her about an hour just to calm down. ¡°So, Kalosia wants to see me in person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shadrenes swallowed and nodded. ¡°He wants to have a direct conversation with you.¡± ¡°Does that happen often?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shadrenes immediately denied it. Gods were lofty celestial beings. Since the war with the demons a long time ago, they rarely intervened directly on the earth. All believers wished for a one-on-one meeting with their god at least once, but the vast majority never achieved that dream before they died. ¡°I¡¯ve only met him once myself.¡± That was when she was chosen as the saintess. Other than that, all her conversations had been through voice alone. Even for a saintess, meeting the god only once was a rare and special event. The fact that such an opportunity was given to an outsider was unheard of. Shadrenes cautiously said, ¡°You, you don¡¯t have to ept if you don¡¯t want to. Kalosia also said you could answer freely.¡± An encounter with a god was a great honor for a believer, but not so much for an outsider. In fact, it was a very dangerous thing. There were countless stories of people who were punished for showing disrespect to the gods. The risk was so great that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if Ketal refused. Shadrenes inwardly thought that Ketal would hesitantly decline. ¡°Refuse? No way!¡± But Ketal shouted joyfully. There was no trace of fear on his face. Instead, he was full of excitement. He was visibly ted. ¡®A meeting with a god!¡¯ There was no reason to refuse such an opportunity. Shadrenes was actually taken aback by his unexpected attitude. ¡°A-are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Of course! There¡¯s no reason to miss such a good opportunity!¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°So, what should I do? Should I start praying?¡± ¡°P-please calm down!¡± Shadrenes had to calm Ketal down. After a moment, Ketalughed heartily, looking moreposed. ¡°Ah, sorry about that. I got a bit carried away.¡± ¡°N-no¡­.¡± ¡®¡­Why is he so happy?¡¯ Shadrenes couldn¡¯t understand at all. Ketal asked with a smile, ¡°So, do I need to prepare for this? How long do I have to wait?¡± ¡°No, you can meet him right now. Please follow me.¡± ¡°Ooh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. They left the lodging. Shadrenes led the way to a small church deep within the holy grounds. ¡°This is the church where we bid farewell to Kalosia when he left this world. It¡¯s also where Imunicate with him. And it¡¯s the ce where I was chosen as the saintess.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± Ketal looked around the inside of the church. Despite the long history evident in the walls, floorboards, and decorations, everything was very well maintained. It was clear that this ce was very precious to the believers. ¡°So, we¡¯re meeting here. How does it work? Do I move to meet him directly?¡± ¡°N-no. You won¡¯t see his true form.¡± Shadrenes, flustered, exined. A celestial being was an entity of immense stature. Facing the true form of a god would overwhelm a human mind, driving it to madness. Shadrenes herself had never seen the true form of a god. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She spoke again, ¡°Kalosia will descend by borrowing my body.¡± ¡°Possession?¡± ¡°Yes. So please, please, please be respectful¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a barbarian.¡± Ketalughed heartily. Shadrenes looked at Ketal with uneasy eyes. ¡®¡­Is this really going to be okay?¡¯ But there was nothing she could do about her anxiety. Kalosia wanted to speak with Ketal, and Ketal had epted. She could only pray to Kalosia that no problems would arise. She prayed to Kalosia that the meeting with Ketal would go smoothly. The strange contradiction made her inadvertently chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± Shadrenes shook her head hastily. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin. Please stay still for a moment.¡± Shadrenes closed her eyes. Sitting in the center of the church, she spread her arms wide. ¡°Ah, radiant light. Deception hidden in shadows. The false disguise among us.¡± It was a hymn to the god. Words worshiping his essence and concept. ¡°Great one who embodies deceit and deception. The one who watches over this world from above.¡± Wooong. The empty space began to fill. Though unseen, a clear presence was felt there. ¡°His name is Kalosia.¡± Light gathered at the top of the church. Believers outside, who were in the midst of restoration, unknowingly turned their heads to look at the church. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± Their eyes widened. Nas, diligently restoring the holy site, was astonished. ¡°Kalosia¡­ lord?¡± Kugugugung! ¡°Ohho.¡± Ketal let out an exmation. It felt like an enormous presence was unfolding before him. The presence filled the inside of the church and spread outside as well. For the weak-hearted, the presence would make it difficult to breathe. A celestial being was beginning to descend upon the earth. Shadrenes uttered her final hymn. ¡°Please, descend upon this ce by borrowing my body.¡± Kuuuuung! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A shockwave spread, unseen, unfelt, and unheard. At the same time, Shadrenes¡¯ arms lost their strength and fell. She dropped her head as if she had fainted. And then, Shadrenes¡¯ body twitched. Slowly, her head lifted, and her eyes opened. Those eyes were like stars. [It is you.] It was Shadrenes¡¯ body, but it was no longer Shadrenes. [I am Kalosia, the god of Lies and Deception.] The voice echoed. The voice sounded like that of an old man, a woman, and a man. It also sounded like a child, a sick person, and a warrior. It was a voiceyered with dozens of personalities, impossible to identify. The star-like eyes turned to Ketal. [Pleased to meet you. You whoe from ¡®inside.¡¯] * * * ¡®Oh.¡¯ Ketal was genuinely moved. A real god of a fantasy world. That being had possessed Shadrenes¡¯ body to have a private meeting with him. It was literally a fantastical situation. His body trembled with emotion. Barely calming his excitement, Ketal thought quietly. ¡®¡­Should I use formal speech?¡¯ As long as he bore the name Ketal, no one on earth could be above him. No one could be over his head. That was a vow and a promise. But the one before him was not an earthly being but a celestial one. Even if he showed respect to a god, it wouldn¡¯t vite his vow. Ketal pondered. And as if sensing his dilemma, Kalosia spoke indifferently. [Do as you please. I never expected you to use formal speech.] ¡°Ah, thank you for that.¡± Ketal smiled. He greeted politely. ¡°Pleased to meet you. I am Ketal, the barbarian.¡± Ketal greeted Kalosia in casual speech. If believers saw this, they would be horrified. They would brand it sphemy and try to kill him with their swords. But Kalosia showed no particr reaction. Rather, he looked at Ketal with eyes that seemed surprised by his formal greeting. [First, let me express my thanks.] After a moment, Kalosia spoke. [Thank you for protecting my children. If they had fallen into the hands of evil, it would have saddened me greatly. Thanks to you, my believers can remain on earth.] The god expressed his gratitude for protecting his believers. The holy site was safeguarded thanks to Ketal. It was a reasonable and perhaps obvious statement for a god to thank someone for protecting his believers. But Ketal wore a vague expression. ¡°Is that so?¡± [You seem to have some questions.] ¡°I do, but I¡¯m not sure if I should ask.¡± [Feel free.] ¡°Hmm. In that case.¡± Having received permission, Ketal asked. ¡°Do you truly care about Kalosia¡¯s believers?¡± It was a sphemous question, but Kalosia quietlyughed. [Why do you think that?] ¡°There are some puzzling aspects that make me think so.¡± [Can you exin?] ¡°I heard that Kalosia¡¯s order was once very powerful.¡± They exerted influence over the entire continent, spreading the values of deceit and deception,mitting atrocities across thend. ¡°But as a result, they became the enemies of the entire continent.¡± Kalosia¡¯s name was tarnished by their atrocities. Although the believers eventually repented and stopped their misdeeds, they felt that the god had abandoned them because of their sins. To seek forgiveness from Kalosia, they decided to be the most virtuous order. That was the belief of Kalosia¡¯s followers. But Ketal thought differently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you abandon them because they gave up lies and deception?¡± Kalosia¡¯s eyes sparkled at Ketal¡¯s words. [¡­Why do you think that?] With a question that seemed almost like a test, Ketal shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s simple. You never cared about their atrocities in the first ce.¡± Good and evil are human concepts, not the standards of a god. ¡°If you had wanted to stop their atrocities, you would have done so long ago.¡± But Kalosia did nothing even as his name was tarnished. He abandoned his followers after they gave up lies and deception. The believers simply misunderstood the situation. ¡°The fact that only the saintess can handle the sacred text is likely because she wears a mask.¡± When Ketal asked the saintess about the mask, there was a very subtle reaction. The saintess wore a mask. Ketal didn¡¯t know how she maintained a disguise subtle enough to escape his notice, but it was a form of deceit and deception. Thus, the saintess was permitted to handle the sacred text. [¡­You are smarter than I thought.] Kalosia muttered with a tone of interest. [It makes me curious about what¡¯s inside you. Your words are correct.] ¡°As I suspected.¡± The god didn¡¯t abandon them because of their atrocities. Ketal smiled pleasantly, satisfied that his prediction was urate. [To clear up a misunderstanding, I do cherish them. They worship me and hold me dearer than their own lives. They are adorable children.] The voice carried the tone of an owner cherishing their pets. [But I am the god of Lies and Deception.] That was Kalosia¡¯s essence. [Whether my name is tarnished on earth or my followersmit atrocities means nothing to me. The only thing that matters is my essence. My followers have denied and rejected my essence. That is an affront to me.] There was a hint of regret in Kalosia¡¯s voice. [There is no reason for me to bestow my power on children who deny my essence.] ¡°What if that leads to their destruction?¡± [That would be a very sad thing.] Kalosia spoke with a tone of regret but indifference. [But it cannot be helped.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 149 – Kalosia (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 149: Kalosia (3) The god of this world is not one who cares for, loves, or shows mercy to humans. Ketal realized this fact. [It feels somewhat unfair.] And as if guessing his thoughts, Kalosia chuckled. [Even though I¡¯m diligently bestowing divine power to protect humans.] Kalosia¡¯s followers wield divine power. All of it was given by Kalosia. [But the scripture is my value left on earth. I cannot allow it to those who deny my value.] Even if, in the end, it means the copse of his own order. That was all there was to it. ¡°I see.¡± The god cherishes and favors his followers. But there was a clear line. Ketal concluded. And Kalosia stared intently at Ketal. Eyes like stars were fixed on Ketal. [You show no special reaction.] Kalosia muttered, as if it was unexpected. [You¡¯re neither flustered nor surprised. It¡¯s as if you expected it.] ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing new.¡± Ketal said calmly. Earth. There were many stories about gods there. Among them were gods who pursued absolute goodness, gods who valued order, and anthropomorphic gods who prioritized their own pleasure. A god like Kalosia was just one of many such stories. Knowing that such a god existed was interesting, but not particrly surprising. [Hmm. You have less prejudice than I thought. Interesting¡­.] Kalosia squinted. There was a peculiar emotion in his eyes as he looked at Ketal. [Alright. I roughly understand.] ¡°Then can I ask you something?¡± [As you wish.] ¡°Why did you bestow power upon me?¡± The battle with the demon of Demonic Lines, Rubitra. Not only Ketal, but also the saintess recognized by Kalosia and the strongest pdin were present. Yet, Kalosia granted power to Ketal, who was merely an outsider. It was certainly strange. Even Shadrenes had doubted his own eyes at such an event. ¡°I am not your follower. I see no reason why you would grant me power.¡± [Before exining, I need to correct one more misunderstanding. We are not deliberately neglecting the earth.] Kalosia said calmly. [We protect humans and guard those who serve us. It¡¯s ourmon value. Even if my order copses, it can¡¯t be helped¡­ that¡¯s only when it¡¯s the result of their own choices and conflicts.] The invasion of evil was a different matter. [I have no intention of staying idle when those filthy things try to defile my children and mynd.] ¡°For that, you seem to show little movement.¡± [Unfortunately, my power is restricted. Those damned things are interfering.] Kalosia frowned as if annoyed. Ketal realized. ¡°It seems you cannot freely intervene in their invasion.¡± Currently, evil is invading the earth. Demons are descending without special sacrifices or rituals. The gods¡¯ revtions were also distorted. This was a precursor to the Demon King¡¯s descent. As the bnce of the world copsed, it seemed the gods¡¯ intervention was also limited. Kalosia confirmed this. [There is a limit to the power I can wield. Even if I bestowed power on Shadrenes, she would have lost.] ¡°Aren¡¯t you speaking too frankly?¡± If you think about it, he was admitting the gods¡¯ inadequacies. It was sphemymitted by the god himself. [It¡¯s not very significant to you.] But Kalosia didn¡¯t care much. It was as if he didn¡¯t mind what he said to Ketal. [So I chose you.] Eyes like stars looked at Ketal. Multipleyered voices echoed. [You are proving my value more than anything. At least the minimum condition was met.] Kalosia is the god of lies and deceit. That is his value. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken.¡± [Who knows.] Kalosia smiled. [The fact that a being like you is pretending to be human here is proof enough, isn¡¯t it?] A low voice echoed. [Well¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. The result of driving those filthy things away is what¡¯s important.] ¡°You seem to hate demons quite a bit.¡± [They are despicable. Both in the past and now.] Kalosia spoke with mockery. [They are like worms that keep crawling back in, unable to ept defeat. They know no shame.] His voice had a clear sense of rejection towards evil. [Their failure is a cause for celebration for us. You have done well enough. You have driven out the evil and protected my sacred ground.] It was indeed a historic feat and an achievement. [So, I shall grant you a reward.] Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A reward?¡± [My children are in no position to give you a proper reward. Consider it as me doing it in their stead.] ¡°Oh, oh oh.¡± A reward given directly by a god. His voice trembled without him realizing it. What could it be? The thought was brief. Ketal spoke. ¡°Your scripture. I want to handle it.¡± The scripture that recorded the journey of the god. Handling it meant directly wielding the power of the god. Naturally, what Ketal desired most was to use the scripture. But Kalosia quietly shook his head. [That is impossible. Although you are carrying out my values better than anyone¡­ the conditions are not met. You do not worship me from the depths of your heart.] The scripture required two conditions: worship of the god and the fulfillment of his values. [It cannot be allowed to someone whocks these. It is impossible to grant it.] ¡°I see.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. He had hoped, but it seemed impossible after all. After a moment of thought, Ketal spoke again. ¡°Then, I would like to obtain something to deal with evil.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Evil was invading the earth. And they had deemed Ketal as an enemy. Conflicts were bound to continue, but there was a major issue. Ketal could not handle the mystery. He had no way to counter-summon demons. Until now, he had always relied on someone else¡¯s help to defeat demons. This time too, if Kalosia had not bestowed his blessing, he might have been overwhelmed but unable to defeat them. But he could not always count on someone being by his side. He needed to prepare for future encounters. [Something to deal with evil, huh.] Kalosia muttered as if understanding. He raised a finger. [In my name, Kalosia, I dere, you shall gain the qualification.] Kiing. A cross of light descended upon Ketal. Kalosia withdrew his finger. [I have bestowed upon you my sacred relic. Although you cannot handle it without the proper qualifications¡­ I am granting you special permission. With it, you will be able to wield divine power.] ¡°What?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. It was an unimaginable reward. [There are some limitations, but it will suffice for dealing with ordinary evil. Are you satisfied?] ¡°More than satisfied!¡± Ketal nodded vigorously. Divine power. To be able to wield such a special power that only existed in fantasies. It was an unexpected reward. Ketal genuinelyughed with joy. Kalosia, who had been watching him for a moment, spoke. [For details, you can consult my saintess. Do you have any more questions?] ¡°I have many questions.¡± What is a god? What are demons? And what are the myths known to humans? He wanted to know everything. Kalosia murmured, as if it was unexpected. [You are greedy. It seems you desire the Akashic Records. I didn¡¯t realize you were the type to seek knowledge¡­.] He cast a curious gaze at Ketal. Kalosia¡¯s attitude towards Ketal had been very peculiar from the beginning. As if analyzing an unknown entity. [As you might have guessed, I cannot tell you everything.] ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t have high expectations. He would learn the rest by traveling the world himself. The conversation was nearing its end. It was time to wrap things up. Ketal, as if remembering, asked. ¡°The reason you don¡¯t bestow divine power upon your followers is because Kalosia¡¯s followers have abandoned deceit and lies, isn¡¯t it?¡± The followers misunderstood, thinking it was due to their own wickedness. ¡°Is it alright if I clear up that misunderstanding?¡± [I would prefer they realize it themselves¡­ but I can¡¯t force you not to tell them. Do as you please.] ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I thought you would order me not to tell them.¡± [Order?] Kalosia chuckled as if it was amusing. [There is no being that can order you around. Not just us, but the demons as well.] ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal squinted. He asked in a doubtful tone. ¡°You. What do you know about me?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Kalosia had called him one who came from within. ¡°Within¡± surely referred to the white snowy ins. [That¡¯s a funny thing to say. I don¡¯t know anything about you.] The great god admitted his ignorance frankly. Kalosia looked at Ketal with curiosity. [A being from ¡®within¡¯. How could a being like youe to the continent¡­ The barrier had no reason to break, and its sudden rupture is strange¡­ I can¡¯t understand it.] ¡°Have you observed enough to resolve that question?¡± Ketal smiled faintly. From the moment Ketal set foot in the sacred ground until now, Kalosia had been observing him. He had been watching to understand what kind of being Ketal was. Ketal had noticed this long ago. The god and Ketal were observing each other. [I have a rough grasp. But it raises more questions.] Kalosia genuinely sounded perplexed. [I thought beings from there were surely our enemies¡­ Unexpected.] Kalosia¡¯s presence was gradually diminishing. His time allowed on earth wasing to an end. [It seems my limit is near. It was an interesting experience. I hope it was mutually satisfying.] ¡°I was thoroughly satisfied.¡± Ketalughed heartily. The first conversation with a god. He had gained much and learned many new things. It was an enjoyable time. Kalosia, who had been smiling as well, spoke. [A being from ¡®within¡¯. I bear no particr hostility towards you. As long as you do not harm my children, I have no intention of interfering with what you do. However¡­ not all gods will feel the same.] Leaving these final words, Kalosia disappeared from the earth. [There will be gods who target you. Be wary.] ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Then Shadrenes¡¯s voice echoed. Ketal caught her as she stumbled and fell. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you¡­ Did your conversation go well?¡± ¡°It went very well.¡± Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°It was an enjoyable time. Thank you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 150 – Divine Power (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 150: Divine Power (1) ¡°It seems there are no issues. How was your conversation with Kalosia?¡± ¡°It was a very enjoyable time. I hope we get another chance.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Shadrenes said with a hint of reluctance. Even though she was acknowledged by the god, she would tremble and barely manage to speak when conversing with Kalosia. It wasn¡¯t because she was an ordinary vige girl by nature, but because talking to a god was a tremendous burden for any human. The fact that he found such a conversation enjoyable was hard to understand. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Though it was hard toprehend, it seemed the conversation ended without any problems. She had been worried about possibly offending the god, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Shadrenes looked puzzled. Ketal began exining to Shadrenes. The reason Kalosia hadn¡¯t given them the scriptures was because they had abandoned the values of deceit and trickery. Their actions to atone for their karma had actually disappointed the god. Hearing this, Shadrenes¡¯ mouth fell open. ¡°Is¡­ is that really true?¡± She asked, forgetting to hide her shock. Ketal nodded. ¡°Unless my memory has failed me in the meantime, it is true. That¡¯s what Kalosia said.¡± ¡°Oh, um.¡± She stuttered, unable to find the words. A strong dizziness overtook her. ¡°So that¡¯s why we weren¡¯t granted the scriptures?¡± Mumbling, she suddenly frowned as if she had realized something. ¡°But then, why am I the only one who can handle the scriptures?¡± ¡°Perhaps it means the mask you¡¯re wearing has that much value?¡± A peculiar smile and words. At that moment, Shadrenes realized. ¡°¡­Did you notice?¡± ¡°I was surprised too. I didn¡¯t realize at first. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such a perfect mask.¡± ¡°Please keep it a secret.¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing anything boring.¡± Ketal smiled slightly. Shadrenes let out a deep sigh. Now, Ketal knew her secret, which only Heize had known. She felt gloomy. However, the personal secret was not a major issuepared to the greater truth she had just witnessed. ¡°It feels¡­ so futile.¡± They had made every effort to gain Kalosia¡¯s forgiveness. They had helped people and made many sacrifices to restore the reputation of the church. But those actions had actually disappointed Kalosia. All their efforts and actions so far had been in vain. She felt extremely disheartened. ¡°What do you n to do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Shadrenes trailed off. ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t intend to disrupt the world again with deceit and lies.¡± Being acknowledged by the god was a separate issue. They couldn¡¯t tarnish Kalosia¡¯s name with their own hands. ¡°We need to find a way to uphold the values of deceit and lies without being rejected by the people of the world.¡± ¡°It will be hard work. Good luck.¡± ¡°We must try our best.¡± She stood up from her chair and bowed respectfully. ¡°Thank you. Without you¡­ we might never have realized this truth and would have continued to disappoint Kalosia.¡± Perhaps they wouldn¡¯t have realized it until the church fell. At the end, they might have resented the god who did not grant them the scriptures and fallen into corruption. Thinking about that possibility sent chills down her spine. Considering such a possibility, the information Ketal had provided was invaluable. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°I had an enjoyable experience as well, so it¡¯s fine. Now, I¡¯d like to get to the main point.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. Shadrenes nodded slightly. ¡°Yes. Please follow me.¡± Shadrenes opened the door. They began to head toward the deepest ce in the small church. ¡°For this too, we should thank Kalosia. To be honest¡­ I had no idea what kind of reward to give you.¡± Ketal had done a great deal for the church of Kalosia. They needed to provide a suitable reward. However, theycked the resources. With significant investments of capital and manpower required to restore the holynd, it was impossible to give Ketal a satisfactory reward. So she had been worried about what to do, but Kalosia had prepared the reward instead. ¡°As expected of Kalosia. To care for us, who can only disappoint you. So merciful.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn The saintess praised Kalosia. Ketal smiled silently. They arrived at the deepest part of the church. There, the saintess offered a small prayer. ¡°Kalosia, please allow us to encounter your value.¡± Rumble. With the prayer, the floor split open. Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Ah, follow me,¡± Shadranes said as they descended underground. ¡°This is the ce where Lord Kalosia was farewelled when He left the earth to return to the heavens. At that time, He took off His garments and essories and handed them to His followers.¡± The garments and essories that the god used while walking the earth were here. Throughout the long history of the Kalosia Church, no one had ever used the holy relics. This was because Kalosia had not permitted it. But now, for the first time, someone had been granted permission. ¡°This is the ce.¡± The underground door opened. Ketal gasped in awe. There were various items disyed there. A robe of ashen gray. A very small dagger. An unidentifiable tree root. They were all holy relics. Ketal could sense the intense divinity emanating from them. Shadranes carefully picked up one of the relics. ¡°This is the relic that Lord Kalosia has allowed for you. Please, take it.¡± It was a jet-ck bracelet. ¡°Oh my,¡± Ketal eximed in reverence, taking the bracelet. If someone who was not permitted touched a holy relic, their body would be consumed by divine fire. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But that did not happen. Whooooosh! Golden light fiercely enveloped Ketal¡¯s body, indicating he had been deemed worthy to handle the relic. Shadranes couldn¡¯t hold back her exmation. ¡°It¡¯s real¡­¡± Kalosia had granted a barbarian his holy relic. It was like a scene out of a myth. Ketal smiled. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± * * * After ending his conversation with the god, Ketal obtained the relic. By that time, Rakza had finally healed from all his injuries and was able to leave the infirmary. Meeting Ketal, Rakza cautiously asked, ¡°Ketal, I¡¯ve heard a strange rumor. Is it true?¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Rakza hesitated, finding it hard to believe even as he spoke. He asked slowly, ¡°Is it true that Lord Kalosia met with you personally and granted you His holy relic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. I received this.¡± Ketal raised his arm, showing the ck bracelet on his wrist. The bracelet exuded a strong divine presence, enough for anyyperson to feel. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rakza was speechless. After a long while, he managed to say, ¡°It was true¡­¡± Barely recovered and out of the infirmary, Rakza was shocked to see the state of the sanctuary. The devotees practically worshipped Ketal. Rakza couldn¡¯t understand. Certainly, Ketal had done a lot for them. Without him, the Kalosia Church would have been destroyed. It was a great achievement, worthy of admiration. But the devotees¡¯ veneration of Ketal was on par with their worship of Kalosia. It was excessive devotion. Unable to understand, Rakza asked the devotees why they were acting this way. Their answers baffled him even more. Ketal had met with Kalosia. He had even been directly granted a holy relic by the god. It seemed impossible. But no matter how much he asked, the devotees did not appear to be lying. With Ketal¡¯s own admission, Rakza couldn¡¯t deny it any longer. He chuckled in disbelief and said, ¡°At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a book about Ketal is written.¡± ¡°That might happen,¡± Ketalughed heartily, not taking it seriously. Rakza, having meant it as a joke, didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. But they didn¡¯t know. In the sanctuary, some devotees were indeed writing books extolling Ketal¡¯s deeds. Even before Ketal met with Kalosia, there were rumors about him being an incarnation or something simr. After he met with the god and was granted a holy relic, those sentiments intensified. Some even considered him alongside Shadranes as a messenger of the god. Unaware of this, the two continued their rxed conversation. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve recovered well. That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Yes, just barely,¡± Rakza replied with a bitter smile. He had narrowly avoided permanent damage. It had been an intense battle against a powerful foe. ¡°Demons¡­ They¡¯re strong indeed.¡± ¡°That was a top-level superhuman,¡± Ketal remarked. After the battle, he had researched the demon they had fought. Rubitra, the demon of Demonic Lines. A top-tier demon with a name, close to the highest level. Two hundred years ago, he had single-handedly destroyed an entire church. His power was considered the pinnacle of superhuman strength by earthly standards. Rakza nodded. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to make detailedparisons, but it¡¯s probably around that level. Two hundred years ago, a top-tier superhuman managed to defeat Rubitra, but he also sustained severe injuries.¡± ¡°I see. He was indeed formidable.¡± It was the first time sinceing outside that he had encountered such strength. Even the top-ss spirits and Nano he had faced were below Rubitra. ¡°Strong¡­ yes,¡± Rakza said bitterly. In truth, Rakza was the most shocked. He had confidence in his own strength. Even without being permitted to wield the Holy Scripture, he had power that was top-tier among superhumans. Although he didn¡¯t reach the upper echelons, he believed he was not far behind. Since he had never faced a top-tier superhuman, Rakza¡¯s belief had never been shattered. But he was utterly defeated by Rubitra. Even with the absolute advantage of divinity, he couldn¡¯t do anything. He realized the stark gap between himself and the upper-tier fighters. His confidence and self-esteem were severely damaged. Ketal, curious, asked, ¡°If a top-tier superhuman is at that level, how strong is a heroic-level fighter? Is it within reach?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rakza denied tly. ¡°Heroic-level fighters are incredibly strong. Very much so.¡± They split the earth. They cleave the sky. They shatter mountains. Heroes can single-handedly overturn continents. While top-tier superhumans are indeed strong, they can never reach the level of heroes. Ketal¡¯s face lit up with interest. ¡°Are they that powerful?¡± ¡°Their strength is beyondprehension. And¡­¡± Rakza trailed off. A top-tier superhuman can never reach the level of a heroic fighter. If they fought, they would be toyed with, like twisting a child¡¯s wrist. And the same was true for the top-tier demon Rubitra and Ketal¡¯s fight. Since Ketal couldn¡¯t handle mystic arts, it appeared as though they were somewhat evenly matched, but in reality, it was close to being aplete mockery. Of course, Rakza was only at a superhuman level. He didn¡¯t know the true extent of a hero¡¯s power. It was beyond his understanding. ¡®But,¡¯ That was also true for Ketal. Ketal¡¯s strength was also beyond his understanding. Rakza swallowed hard. He looked at Ketal with awe-filled eyes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 151 – Divine Power (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 151: Divine Power (2) ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Rakza quickly came to his senses, shook his head, and began to exin. ¡°For instance, several hundred years ago, there was an incident where four demons descended at once.¡± A grand summoning achieved by the Dark Magician¡¯s group, the Cradle of Darkness, at the cost of numerous sacrifices, defying divine revtion. Each of the four demons that descended then was on par with Rubitra, who descended this time. Four demons that could each annihte a religious order by themselves. The entire continent was in a state of emergency. Numerous orders sent messages to prepare a response. Even the powerful empire felt the crisis and prepared to respond. But the demons couldn¡¯t do anything and were futilely banished back from where they came. Rakza said, ¡°I heard that the Tower Master, who happened to be nearby at the time, handled all four demons on the spot.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°If it¡¯s the Tower Master, you mean the current Tower Master?¡± ¡°Yes. The eternal master of the lone tower. It¡¯s that person. An incredibly ancient hero.¡± ¡°He alone took down four demons on Rubitra¡¯s level?¡± ¡°The records have been cross-verified, so it¡¯s not a lie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Ketal sincerely admired. Taking down four demons of Rubitra¡¯s level alone. It was an impossible task without having extraordinary power. Moreover, the Tower Master was a magician. Unlike believers, magicians didn¡¯t have superiority over evil and were generally disadvantagedpared to warriors in group battles. Despite this, the Tower Master achieved victory. It was a feat that required overwhelming power. ¡®Indeed, they seem strong.¡¯ Although he had seen a glimpse of that power in his battle with Nano, it was only a fragment. Knowing this, he felt regretful anew. ¡®I should have asked for a proper spar.¡¯ One of the strongest in the world. He was curious about the level of power such a hero possessed. Feeling regretful, Ketal clicked his tongue.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After hearing the story, a question arose. Ketal asked, ¡°I understand that a hero-level strong person can overwhelm a demon on Rubitra¡¯s level. But why were humans being toyed with on thisnd until the gods helped them?¡± Before the Divine-Demon War, thend belonged to the demons. Until the gods intervened, humans were mere ythings for demons. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a hero-level strong person at that time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Rakza shook his head. ¡°Rubitra is indeed among the top-tier named demons. The strongest that can descend to thisnd by ordinary means. But demons have those above them.¡± Rakza continued, ¡°There are demons with hierarchies above their names.¡± ¡°Hierarchy? Come to think of it, Rubitra mentioned something like that before being banished.¡± Rubitra had said that it was impossible for them and that a hierarchical demon would have toe to face Ketal. The tone was clear that there was someone definitely superior to them. Rakza nodded. ¡°There are demons with hierarchies among them.¡± Not just named ones, but those permitted to have their own territory within the narrow realms of hell. Demons directly given ranks by the great Demon King. Throughout the long history of hell, only an extremely few of them existed. They possessed powerful strength and a noble rank. ¡°We don¡¯t know much about hierarchical demons either.¡± Their immense power made it exceedingly difficult for them to descend to thisnd. They were demons recorded only in the far-off past, during the Divine-Demon War. But one thing was certain: their power surpassed human understanding. ¡°There are records from the distant past of heroes losing their lives to them.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed interest. ¡°If this ce had been taken, those demons might have descended too.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s possible.¡± The demon invasion was elerating. They aimed to reim thisnd ording to the Demon King¡¯s will. If this ce had turned into a sanctuary of evil, it wasn¡¯t impossible that a powerful evil would have descended as their headquarters. Thinking of it like that was extremely terrifying. Rakza once again expressed his gratitude to Ketal. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ketal.¡± ¡°I enjoyed it too, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. After that, they exchanged stories about minor events that happened in the sanctuary while Rakza was being treated. Rakza suddenly remembered and asked, ¡°By the way, how was your conversation with Kalosia? You must have been very nervous.¡± ¡°It was somewhat interesting. I had a good time.¡± ¡°Somewhat¡­ interesting, you say.¡± Rakza made an awkward expression. To say a conversation with a god was somewhat interesting. He didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°Then, it seems we¡¯ve finished our talks appropriately, so let¡¯s get to the main point.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°What is this holy artifact, and how do I use it?¡± Ketal had obtained a jet-ck bracelet with Kalosia¡¯s permission. It was a holy artifact that allowed one to handle divine power. Shadrenes had advised Ketal to ask Rakza about how to use it. It was time to get to the main point. Rakza began to exin slowly. ¡°That bracelet is one of the holy artifacts Kalosia left us before leaving this world. Each artifact has its own ability.¡± A garment had the holy effect of protecting the body from all evil and disease. A robe had the holy effect of concealing and hiding one¡¯s body. A dagger had the holy effect of nullifying the opponent¡¯s attack. ¡°And the bracelet¡¯s effect is divine power itself.¡± A long time ago, there was someone who deeply believed in Kalosia. However, due to their naturally frail body, they couldn¡¯t receive divine power. Feeling pity, Kalosia granted them the bracelet out of mercy. That bracelet was given to Ketal. It was still hard to understand how a holy artifact was given to a non-believer, but since it was an act of a god, Rakza had no choice but to ept it. Ketal spoke. ¡°So, this bracelet allows me to handle divine power.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, ohhh.¡± Ketal inadvertently let out a sound. He had obtained the mysteries of this world. But due to the peculiarity of his body, he hadn¡¯t been able to handle it properly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In reality, this was his first opportunity to handle the mysteries of the world. His heart pounded unknowingly. Ketal suppressed his excitement and asked. ¡°How do I handle it?¡± ¡°Divinity is the power granted to us by the great god.¡± Therefore, to use that power, one must first offer a prayer to the god. Since non-believers couldn¡¯t obtain divine power, it usually wasn¡¯t an issue. But for Ketal, it was a problem. ¡°I have to pray?¡± Ketal muttered, feeling troubled. Rakza, realizing itte, eximed. ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re not a believer, Ketal.¡± Ketal wasn¡¯t a follower of Kalosia. It wasn¡¯t feasible to offer a prayer without sincere faith. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure since it¡¯s my first time encountering such a situation.¡± Rakza, flustered, asked. ¡°Is there anyone else you believe in? Since Kalosia granted permission, it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be Kalosia.¡± ¡°Someone I believe in. Not really.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Ketal frowned. ¡°¡­There is one suitable figure.¡± Ketal quietly raised his fist. He whispered softly. ¡°Blutka.¡± Kiiiing! As he uttered that name, divinity imbued Ketal¡¯s fist. Ketal let out a gasp of wonder. ¡°Oh!¡± Golden energy materialized above Ketal¡¯s fist. It gently enveloped his fist. Although it had no temperature or form, a strange warmth was felt. Just looking at it would bring peace to most people. Divine power of the god. It was manifested in Ketal¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, ohhh.¡± Ketal barely suppressed his trembling body. The great mystery of fantasy was being embodied in his hand. He was genuinely moved. ¡°¡­You really can handle it.¡± Rakza murmured with a strange expression. Divine power, which should only be bestowed upon a believer, was in the hand of a barbarian. It was a scene that would be dismissed as nonsense if told to others. Even for Rakza, who was witnessing it with his own eyes, it was a bizarre sight. He asked curiously. ¡°Who is Blutka? Is it the god you believe in, Ketal? I¡¯ve never heard of them.¡± ¡°He is our ancestor.¡± ¡°Ancestor¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The one who first set foot in the white snowfields. A continental being who led his tribe and tried to establish a base in the white snowfields. His name was Blutka. Rakza murmured as if understanding. ¡°He must be the first ruler of your tribe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. I wasn¡¯t really sincere, but it seems that as long as the form of prayer is there, it¡¯s enough. I was annoyed by the constant shouting of the tribesmen, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be useful like this.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t particrly like your ancestor.¡± ¡°How could I? He¡¯s the one who led us into a terrible ce.¡± Ketal grimaced. Rakza nodded, as if he understood. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve heard that the north has a harsh climate. It must have been very tough.¡± Most of the barbarians of this world are settled in the north. Rakza vaguely assumed that Ketal was also from there. The north was extremely cold, and it was said that life was hard to sustain there. Having lived there, he must have gone through a lot. ¡°You must have had a tough time.¡± Rakza spoke, implying the hardships Ketal endured in the north. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes, I went through a lot of hardships.¡± Ketal spoke, recalling memories of the white snowfields. Though the words were the same, the emotions contained within were vastly different. ¡°So, how do I handle this now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too difficult.¡± Just as Rakza was about to exin how to use the divine power, he staggered. Ketal asked in surprise. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. It seems my body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡± Rakza¡¯s expression was very pale. Ketal, understanding, put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not that urgent, so take your time. You should rest first.¡± ¡°I apologize¡­ I¡¯lle see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright. Get some good rest.¡± Rakza left, staggering. Ketal also returned to his quarters. On the way back, he dealt with the many believers who approached him and theny down on his bed. ¡°This is good.¡± Ketal murmured. He had obtained divine power and had conversed with a god. Many of his questions were answered in the process. It was a very satisfying journey. ¡®But new questions have also arisen.¡¯ Ketal narrowed his eyes. Kalosia had referred to Ketal as a being from the ¡°inside.¡± And Kalosia mentioned that the beings from there knew him as their enemy. It was as if speaking of an unchangeable truth, like a food chain established since the beginning. ¡®When they say inside, do they mean the Forbidden Lands?¡¯ Or was it referring only to the white snowfields? ¡®In that case, is the outside the continent rather than the Forbidden Lands?¡¯ Typically, special ces like the Forbidden Lands would be referred to as the outside, but Kalosia called it the inside. It was hard to grasp the exact meaning. Ketal smiled. ¡®This is how it should be.¡¯ Mystery and fantasy. And unknown information. That¡¯s what makes it a fantasy. Ketal was satisfied. And above all, there was something else that satisfied him. Before leaving this world, Kalosia had said. I have no particr feelings toward you. I have no intention of intervening or stopping your actions. But not everyone will be like that. Ketalughed. He was immensely pleased. He recalled Kalosia¡¯sst words. [There will be gods who will target you. Alien.] ¡°I wonder when they wille?¡± Ketal murmured, as if in anticipation. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 152 – Divine Power (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 152: Divine Power (3) ¡°Is your body feeling much better?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for waiting.¡± The next day, Ketal and Rakza met once again. ¡°Then, I will exin how to handle divine power.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Rakza continued speaking slowly. ¡°Divine power is different from aura or mana. Both require considerable skill to handle, but not divine power.¡± Divine power is a gift from the gods. Unlike aura or mana, it was not a power that belonged to oneself. As such, no special skill was needed to handle it. ¡°Then how do you handle it?¡± ¡°You just need to deeply wish for it in your heart.¡± ¡°Is that all? Quite simple.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with a simple enhancement of the body. Pray in your heart for a stronger and faster body.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal closed his eyes and wished in his heart for a stronger and faster body. At the same time, a divine light enveloped Ketal¡¯s body. Kiiiiiing! ¡°Oooooh!¡± Ketal eximed. The great divine mystery was enveloping his body. He felt so moved that he was almost brought to tears. ¡°Is my body strengthened now?¡± ¡°Yes. ording to the great divine power, your body should have be much stronger.¡± Rakza swallowed hard. Ketal¡¯s body was special on its own. His strength was enough to overwhelm the demon Rubitra. If such a body were to receive divine assistance, to what level could it reach? Rakza found it terrifying. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal, after assessing the state of his body for a moment, clenched his fist. They were currently outside the holynd, in a in. The in was quite messy, bearing numerous marks of battles, with pits in the ground and pebbles scattered everywhere. Ketal swung his clenched fist towards the in. Kwaaaang! A roaring sound erupted. A gust of wind surged across the in. Rakza braced himself against the strong wind. As the wind finally subsided, Rakza was astonished by the sight of the in. The messy part of the in had been cleaned as if swept. The pebbles and dust had all flown far away. ¡°This is incredible. The divine assistance is amazing.¡± What would normally take numerous people was aplished with a single punch. Rakza thought it was possible because of the divine assistance. However, Ketal shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not the effect of the divine power.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel any change in my body¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Is it so subtle that I can¡¯t feel it?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± The divine enhancement was very powerful. It could enable an ordinary human to face someone wielding the divine mystery. After pondering the reason for a moment, Rakza spoke cautiously. ¡°Could it be because of the unique nature of your body, Ketal?¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± Ketal¡¯s body could withstand the powers of a demon without any protection. Regardless of how it was possible, the body itself had an almost absolute resistance to external forces. The divine power Ketal wielded was also an external force granted by the gods. Though Ketal was the user, it wasn¡¯t much different from the demon¡¯s power. His body had no reason to ept it. ¡°That¡¯s sad.¡± Ketal spoke in a truly regretful tone. He thought he could finally contain divine power within his body, but it seemed impossible. ¡°If I were to handle aura or mana, would it be the same?¡± ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t be.¡± Those two mysteries were entirely Ketal¡¯s own power. Regardless of the body¡¯s uniqueness, as they were his own powers, he would be able to handle them without any issue. Ketal was relieved by those words. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Then it seems divine power can¡¯t be used to enhance your body. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a case.¡± Muttering as if he found it curious, Rakza suddenly paused. ¡®¡­Wait.¡¯ In that case, the gust that cleaned the in just now was done without the enhancement of divine power, with just his bare body? ¡®¡­Is that really possible?¡¯ Rakza¡¯s face turned pale. It was a strength that defiedmon sense no matter how he looked at it. ¡°Then, aside from enhancing the body, what else can be done?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Body enhancement was only a part of the abilities that divine power possessed. There were many things that could be done with divine power. Rakza began to exin slowly. * * * Around the time Ketal was learning about divine power, the king of the Denian Kingdom, Barbosa, finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The problem with the Lutein Kingdom, shaken by Nano who had been a thorn in his side. The presence of the demon had caused the copse of the royal capital and the near annihtion of the royal family, leaving only one member alive, which was a monumental event that could destabilize the entire kingdom. That had finally been resolved. Although there were still many minor issues left, they were no longer Barbosa¡¯s to handle. The sole remaining royal of the Lutein Kingdom, one of the two Nanos, Elene, had to take care of it. Barbosa pressed his forehead, exhausted. He had been so overworked dealing with numerous issues that he hadn¡¯t slept properly for over a month. He sighed gloomily. ¡°¡­I wish I could take a vacation.¡± But that was not possible. The world was still in turmoil. The capital, half-destroyed by the demon, had not yet been fully rebuilt, so there was still much to be done. However, with the external problems resolved, he had more leisure time than before. Barbosa leaned back on his throne and closed his eyes. It was then, while he was taking a brief rest, that he felt a presence behind him. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Barbosa opened his eyes. ¡°Is that you, Maximus?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Yes.¡± Maximus nodded calmly. His demeanor was very subdued. Barbosa looked at Maximus with a curious gaze. Maximus was someone who had a very strong desire for recognition. Whenever he acted, he always considered whether he would be recognized or respected by others first. But at some point, that trait had vanishedpletely. Instead of seeking validation, he now remained silently in his ce. From Barbosa¡¯s perspective, who had often been caught up in Maximus¡¯s unteral actions, this was a very wee change. ¡®I should be grateful to him for this, too.¡¯ The change in Maximus had urred after meeting Ketal. Barbosa inwardly thanked Ketal. ¡®A Barbarian¡­¡¯ Thinking of Ketal brought back memories. Ketal had left the Denian Kingdom and headed towards the Kalosia Church.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®I hope nothing happens.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t predict what a barbarian arriving at the holynd of the gods would do. Shaking off his small unease, Barbosa asked Maximus. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A priest of the gods hase to see you.¡± ¡°A priest? The Earth Goddess¡¯s priest? Show them hospitality.¡± Barbosa spoke with a tone of assumption. The priest of the Earth Goddess hade to help them during the demon invasion. Since then, they had asionally visited for follow-up matters. Barbosa assumed it was the Earth Goddess¡¯s priest visiting again this time. But Maximus shook his head. ¡°No, it is not the Earth Goddess¡¯s priest.¡± ¡°Hmm? Then who is it?¡± Maximus spoke, and Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°They are from the Church of Federica.¡± * * * In the reception room of the royal pce, Barbosa sat down. He greeted the visitor with a respectful bow. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Barbosa Denian, King of the Denian Kingdom.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± A clear voice echoed. In front of Barbosa was a woman with ck hair. She had long straight hair and cold red eyes. ¡°I am Liltara, a priestess of Lady Federica. Thank you for the warm reception, King Barbosa.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°First, I offer my deepest condolences for the recent events. Two named demons invading is indeed a significant ordeal.¡± ¡°Thank you. The matter is already resolved, so there is no problem.¡± ¡°That was only possible under your rule, King Barbosa.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind words, even if they are just ttery.¡± The conversation with Liltara proceeded without any issues. However, Barbosa¡¯s expression was not very pleasant. ¡®Of all people, a priestess of Federica?¡¯ There were many and various gods in this world. Among them, some gods¡¯ churchs were not very wee. Kalosia¡¯s church was an example. Valuing lies and deception, Kalosia¡¯s church had caused numerous atrocities and was ostracized by the world. Federica¡¯s church was another such church, even worse than Kalosia¡¯s. While Kalosia¡¯s church had been quiet recently despite past issues, Federica¡¯s church was an ongoing problem. Honestly, they were not visitors he could warmly wee. Barbosa asked. ¡°May I ask why you havee?¡± The woman stared at Barbosa intently, her blood-red eyes fixed on him. ¡°The Barbarian,¡± Liltara began, ¡°I heard the Barbarian is here.¡± Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened. Information about Ketal had not been disclosed to the outside world. Following the advice of the Tower Master, Barbosa had deliberately controlled the information. Despite two named demons descending and the capital being partially destroyed, Barbosa had maintained silence, though many sought information about the miraculous event. The Federica Church, being quite distant, should not have been able to discover anything about Ketal. ¡°¡­How do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to exin that,¡± Liltara narrowed her eyes. ¡°Where is he?¡± Her certainty made it clear she couldn¡¯t be deceived. Barbosa spoke slowly. ¡°He is not here. He left the capital long ago.¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°It is his journey. It is not my ce to speak about it to others.¡± ¡°Are you trying to keep secrets from a priest of the gods?¡± Her tone was highly confrontational. Her interrogative stance made Barbosa scowl. ¡°I see no reason to exin myself regarding him. Even if you are a priest, I am the king of the Denian Kingdom.¡± He was the ruler of a nation. There was no reason to forciblyply with the words of a religious church, especially when he had no debt or ties to the Federica Church, unlike the Earth Goddess¡¯s church. He had no reason to tolerate such rudeness. While his position generally meant he had to be cautious with religious churchs, there was no reason to be subservient unless dealing with the head of the church. Barbosa disyed his displeasure, and Liltara, realizing she had overstepped, retreated. ¡°¡­I see. I apologize for my rudeness. I understand. I will find him myself.¡± With that, Liltara turned to leave, but Barbosa asked. ¡°So, why are you looking for this Barbarian? Are you going to leave without exining after this private meeting?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t mentioned it. I apologize. In my haste, I made a mistake.¡± ¡°Fine. So, why are you looking for him?¡± ¡°I received a revtion.¡± Barbosa¡¯s eyes widened again at her words. Liltara continued calmly. ¡°Great Lady Federicamanded me to capture the Barbarian and bring him before her.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 153 – Divine Power (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 153: Divine Power (4) ¡°The power of divinity can also be imbued into weapons. You know what that means, don¡¯t you, Ketal?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Grace of Kalosia. It had once been imbued in Ketal¡¯s axe. ¡°The method is simr to imbuing divinity into a body. Just think of it as putting it into a weapon instead.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal closed his eyes and prayed. He hoped for the power of the gods to dwell in his weapon. At that moment, his axe began to radiate a golden aura. Kiiiing! ¡°Ohh!¡± Ketal eximed. His axe, once jet ck, now glowed with a golden light. The contrasting colors highlighted each other beautifully. Rakza murmured in awe. ¡°You¡¯re adapting quickly. Many believers struggled with this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing difficult about it. With this, I can defeat evil, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Although demons will defend against it, if you can break through their defenses and strike at their essence, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Oh-ho.¡± Ketal grinned broadly. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He could now face demons on his own. Rakza continued exining. ¡°Besides simply imbuing weapons with divinity, there¡¯s much more you can do. Simple restrictions and vows can also be made.¡± ¡°Restrictions and vows?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was possible to impose a restriction on someone, making them unable to lie, or create a bell that could detect lies, among other things. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Like the restriction Nas ced on the bandits.¡± ¡°Of course, there are limits.¡± If the target didn¡¯t agree or if they were of a certain level of strength, they could resist or see through it. But up to a certain level, it was effective. ¡°And you can also use a veil of deception to conceal yourself. Additionally, you can heal minor injuries or illnesses.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot you can do.¡± ¡°The versatility of divinity is one of its greatest strengths.¡± Rakza smiled. ¡°Then let me exin how to handle it.¡± Rakza taught Ketal how to wield divine power and its applications. Ketal absorbed each lesson into his mind and practiced. The process was incredibly enjoyable for him. The fact that he could use various techniques through divinity was secondary. What made him truly happy was the act of handling divinity itself. The power of a great god. He was wielding the mysteries of fantasy with his own hands. It felt like he had be a character in a novel. Yes, this was what he had always wanted. To wield the mysteries of a fantastical world. That opportunity had been given to him since he first arrived in this world. Only the cursed snowy ins had ruined everything. But no more. The dreadful snowfields could no longer be an obstacle for him. Now, he could enjoy this world. Ketal eagerly learned how to handle divinity, and Rakza was amazed at his speed. ¡°You¡¯re learning quite quickly.¡± Divinity was simpler to utilizepared to aura or mana. But it was still rtive. As one of the great mysteries of the world, it wasn¡¯t inherently easy. Perfectly wielding divinity required considerable effort and time. Some believers took years just to handle divinity. Yet Ketal was learning at an astonishing pace. Evenpared to outstanding believers, there was little difference. This greatly surprised Rakza. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be slow because you¡¯re a barbarian.¡± Learning was an umtion process. The more one studied, the faster they learned, and those who hadn¡¯t studied much were slower. Considering that Ketal, a barbarian, probably hadn¡¯t studied much, his speed seemed almost genius. ¡°You¡¯re remarkable. This must be your first time learning something like this, and you¡¯re this fast.¡± Ketal smiled silently. He continued to learn and practice how to wield divinity. At one point, the divine power ceased to emerge. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The divine power stored in the bracelet has its limits. Once it¡¯s fully consumed, you can¡¯t use it for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll recharge over time, right?¡± ¡°Yes. ording to records, it takes about a day or two.¡± ¡°I see.¡± There were some limitations. He would need to use it judiciously. ¡°Then we¡¯ll stop here for today.¡± ¡°Alright. When the divine power recovers, can we continue learning?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rakza smiled. ¡°Come to me whenever you wish. Considering the grace we¡¯ve received from you, this is a very minor thing, so don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± * * * From then on, Ketal¡¯s routine became simple. When his divine power recovered, he would go to Rakza to learn how to handle it. Once the divine power was fully consumed, he would rest in his quarters or help with the restoration of the sacred ground. Then, when his divine power recovered again, he would learn more from Rakza about its applications. It was a repetitive cycle, but it was a precious time for Ketal. In fact, it was to the point where Rakza seemed a bit exhausted. ¡°You¡¯ve almost learned everything already,¡± Rakza muttered with a tired expression. It hadn¡¯t been long since Ketal began learning divine power, yet there was little left to teach. What remained were minor applications and practical experience. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fun. But there are clear limitations.¡± Divinity was certainly versatile. It could heal wounds, lift curses, and evenbat evil. It could impose restrictions and vows. But there was always a prerequisite condition: it didn¡¯t work beyond a certain level. Healing was only effective for minor wounds, and only simple curses could be lifted. Restrictions and vows worked only if the other party epted them or if they were below a certain level of strength. Due to the peculiarities of Ketal¡¯s body, even physical enhancement was impossible. Though the versatility was high, the limitations were equally clear. Rakza said apologetically, ¡°You rely on sacred relics to wield it. Given the limits on the quantity and quality of divine power, there¡¯s no helping it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡®In the end, I¡¯ll have to handle aura or mana.¡¯ Since it was a power received from others, it couldn¡¯t be helped. He needed to discover his own mysteries. ¡°How much is left?¡± ¡°At this speed, I¡¯d say about a day or two more.¡± ¡°Two days, huh.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In that time, his learning of divine power would beplete. There would be no reason to stay here any longer. ¡®I should start preparing to leave.¡¯ He had stopped the invasion of evil, faced demons, encountered a god, and gained divine power. It would be hard to be more satisfied than this. But as with any beginning, there must be an end. It was time to leave. ¡®Where should I go next?¡¯ There were many ces to go. He could seek out the Thieves¡¯ Guild or head to the underground city. He could go to the Magic Tower to learn magic or to the elven sanctuary. Arkamis had asked him to visit, so he had a good reason. As Ketal pondered his options, Rakza suddenly remembered something. ¡°Now that I think about it, we¡¯re expecting reinforcements from outside.¡± ¡°Hmm? Reinforcements? Isn¡¯t everything over?¡± ¡°We were too busy cleaning up to inform the outside world. That¡¯s probably why.¡± They had won. The ins corrupted by evil were gone. But that fact hadn¡¯t beenmunicated to the outside world. Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary was in a remote area, far from any vige. Unless someone came directly, there was no way to know. And since it was corrupted by evil, no one dared to visit. As a result, Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary appeared to still be under attack to the outside world. Ketal chuckled. ¡°Schr?dinger¡¯s cat.¡± From the outside, you couldn¡¯t know if the cat in the box was alive or dead. Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary was in a simr state. Rakza tilted his head. ¡°Schr?dinger? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself. But they¡¯re reallyte. It¡¯s been almost a month since everything ended, and only now are reinforcementsing.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Rakza gave a wry smile. Ketal stroked his bracelet and asked, ¡°So, who¡¯sing?¡± Rakza replied, and Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°An inquisitor of the Sun God and a magician from the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­An inquisitor?¡± ¡°Yes. Why?¡± ¡°Hmm. Nothing.¡± It must be someone else, Ketal muttered to himself. * * * In the forest, sunlight streamed down through the trees. A woman with silver hair was standing under the sun. She had her eyes closed, praying quietly. Behind her, a man with brown hair asked, ¡°Aquaz. Are you finished?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The woman opened her eyes, revealing red irises. ¡°I¡¯ve finished myst prayer. Thank you for waiting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, between us.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s move.¡± Aquaz, the Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God, stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go save those who are being attacked by evil.¡± The magician from the Magic Tower nodded. They began to move forward, pushing through the forest. The man muttered as he parted the undergrowth with his staff. ¡°We¡¯re almost there ¡°We¡¯ll soon reach the sanctuary of Kalosia.¡± They were the reinforcements sent to aid the sanctuary of Kalosia, which was under attack by evil. Aquaz muttered with concern. ¡°I wonder if the sanctuary has been able to hold out.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Said the magician with a vague expression. ¡°The Cradle of Darknessunched a determined attack. Without significant support, it¡¯s hard to imagine the sanctuary has survived unless the Great God intervened directly.¡± It might be partially destroyed, or in the worst-case scenario, it could have fallen entirely. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ it could be disastrous. A demon might have descended.¡± Aquaz gripped the symbol of the Sun God hanging around her neck with a serious expression. ¡°We might have to risk our lives.¡± The man grinned at Aquaz. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aquaz. I¡¯ll protect you, even if I have to risk my life.¡± His voice was smooth and filled with affection, causing Aquaz to smile awkwardly. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine. The Sun God will protect me.¡± ¡°If pushes to shove, you can rely on me. It¡¯s natural for earthly beings to help each other, right?¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­ thank you.¡± As they conversed, they arrived at the top of a hill. Beyond this hill, they would see the ins where the sanctuary stood. They crossed the hill with determination. Before themy the ins where the sanctuary of Kalosia was located. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ¡°What?¡± Aquaz and the magician¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. There was no sign of the evil that had supposedly taken over the ins. Instead, they saw an ordinary in with the sanctuary of the god standing intact. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± They were bewildered by the unexpected sight. The magician stammered. ¡°What? There¡¯s no sign of evil energy. Did evil not invade at all?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± Upon closer inspection, they could see numerous traces of battle around the sanctuary. Thend was so dug up and damaged that it was hard to call it a in anymore. It was clear that a fierce battle had taken ce. Which made it all the more iprehensible. ¡°Did the sanctuary manage to fend off the Cradle of Darkness¡¯s attack on its own?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± But they couldn¡¯t learn more just by observing from a distance. The magician spoke. ¡°We need to go and see.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They crossed the ins and approached the sanctuary. As they got closer, they noticed the bright atmosphere within the sanctuary. Aquaz approached with a confused expression. She spoke to a holy knight of Kalosia standing guard at the entrance to the sanctuary. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 154 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 154: Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (1). ¡°Oh. Nice to meet you.¡± The approaching Holy Knight greeted them with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re outsiders. What brings you here?¡± His tone was very bright. Aquaz replied reluctantly. ¡°Well, we came to offer support, but is this the sacred ground of Kalosia?¡± It was a stupid question. They already knew the location, so they were aware it was Kalosia¡¯s sacred ground. But still, they had no choice but to ask. The current scenery was hard to understand. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. You came to offer support, did you¡­?¡± The Holy Knight¡¯s expression was rather ambiguous. He didn¡¯t look relieved or pleased to receive support at all. After a moment of contemtion, the Holy Knight spoke with an apologetic face. ¡°Sorry for thete notice. Everything is over.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Um. Please follow me. I will guide you to our Holy Knight.¡± The Holy Knight knocked on the door. With a creaking sound, the path to the sacred ground opened. Aquaz and the magician entered the sacred ground somewhat bewilderedly. And what they saw were believers restoring the sacred ground. Their expressions were not gloomy at all. Rather, they were as bright as they could be. Aquaz asked cautiously. ¡°¡­Did you win against the invasion of evil?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Holy Knight nodded vigorously. ¡°The forces of the dark magicians, the cradle of darkness, attacked our sacred ground. The darkness surrounded the ins and besieged us. Then, in our isted state, even a demon descended to attack us.¡± ¡°A demon descended?¡± ¡°Yes. A demon of the Demonic Lines. Rubitra.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aquaz was horrified. The demon Rubitra. A demon of the highest rank with superhuman strength, who single-handedly destroyed a church two hundred years ago. She knew that name. The magician was also astonished. ¡°Rubitra descended?¡± ¡°Ah, but how¡­.¡± How could they have won with so little damage? In response to this question, the Holy Knight smiled. ¡°It is all thanks to the grace of Lord Kalosia. Moreover, we had the help of a coborator.¡± ¡°A coborator¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Holy Knight shouted with a full face of emotion. ¡°A barbarian blessed directly by Lord Kalosia!¡± ¡°A barbarian?¡± The magician frowned at such an absurd statement. It was hard to find abination more mismatched than a sacred ground and a barbarian. But Aquaz kept silent. ¡®A barbarian?¡¯ A person crossed her mind. But she immediately dismissed the thought. There was no reason for that person to be here. It was just her overactive imagination. But if, by any chance, it was true. ¡°¡­Could it be.¡± Just as Aquaz was about to ask the name of that barbarian, the Holy Knight stopped walking. ¡°Here we are.¡± They arrived at the training ground. Voices could be heard from there. ¡°Oh. So there¡¯s a way like that.¡± ¡°Yes. Though Mr. Ketal¡¯s amount of divine power is a bit tight, it should be usable. Think of it as a trump card.¡± ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s quite usable.¡± Aquaz stopped walking. It was a voice she remembered. The Holy Knight spoke up. ¡°Mr. Rakza. The supporters have arrived.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Their gazes turned. And Aquaz¡¯ eyes met Ketal¡¯s. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Their eyes widened at each other. * * * ¡°Ah. You¡¯vee.¡± Rakza approached with a weing yet ambiguous expression. ¡°The Inquisitor of the Sun God and the Magician of the Tower, is it? Thank you foring to help. I am Rakza, a Holy Knight of Lord Kalosia.¡± Rakza greeted them. The courtesy was that of the Sun God¡¯s etiquette. In this world, there were many gods. And naturally, the followers of each god did not get along well. Each church believed without a doubt that their god was the greatest, leading to numerous conflicts and, in the past, several holy wars. Due to the umted damage from such wars reaching an unavoidable level on the continent, all the churchs gathered and made one decision: Respect each other¡¯s churchs. Whatever one¡¯s heart may hold, let us ept and respect each other¡¯s gods and churchs. As a symbol of this, whenever followers of different churchs meet, they must greet each other ording to the other church¡¯s etiquette. Therefore, followers were knowledgeable about the customs of all churchs. Without fully learning them, one would not even be allowed to leave the church. This was the etiquette and rule for those who worshiped gods in this world. As a follower of Kalosia, Rakza followed the sun god¡¯s customs, so Aquaz should also follow Kalosia¡¯s customs. But Aquaz didn¡¯t. To be precise, she didn¡¯t even think she should. She blurted out in surprise. ¡°Ke-Ketal?¡± ¡°Oh. Aquaz!¡± Ketal approached with a delighted expression. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again!¡± ¡°Ah. It¡¯s good to see you too, Ketal¡­.¡± Aquaz greeted him, flustered. Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. How have you been? I¡¯d love to catch up over drinks!¡± Ketal treated Aquaz with a very casual attitude. And there was someone who didn¡¯t like that. ¡°Ahem.¡± A magician cleared his throat, ufortable with Ketal¡¯s behavior. ¡°Aquaz, who is this barbarian to act so familiar with you?¡± His gaze held a sense of rejection towards Ketal. Aquaz stammered. ¡°He helped me before. ¡­You could say we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Fr-friends?¡± The magician was taken aback by Aquaz¡¯s acknowledgment. Rakza, who had been watching silently, murmured curiously. ¡°A friend of Ketal¡¯s. That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°I have friends too, you know. Heize is one of them.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. It just seemed odd.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A barbarian like Ketal and an inquisitor of the sun god being friends was a curiousbination. With those words, Aquaz finally came to her senses. She hurriedly apologized and showed proper etiquette. ¡°Forgive me for thete greeting. I am Aquaz, an inquisitor of the sun god.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± Rakza smiled. ¡°So you know Ketal?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to meet him here, though¡­.¡± ¡°Fate works in mysterious ways. I assume you are here to help us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aquaz nodded. The church of Kalosia was on the brink of destruction, surrounded by evil. Aquaz and the magician hade to aid them. ¡°Thank you, but unfortunately, it is toote. I apologize for not informing you sooner.¡± ¡°Although we heard some details from our guide, what exactly happened?¡± ¡°Hmm. You must meet the saint to discuss that. Please follow me. Ketal, we must excuse ourselves for now.¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll see youter. Both you and Aquaz.¡± Ketal smiled warmly. Aquaz nodded. * * * Aquaz and the magician from the tower met with the saint of Kalosia and heard her story. Aquaz was deeply shocked. Late at night, she murmured to herself in their lodgings. ¡°It was truly a major incident.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the Cradle of Darkness attacking the sacrednd of the gods. There was a bigger n. It was an invasion to reverse the nature of thisnd and transform the sacrednd of the gods into a sanctuary of evil. Even the demon Rubitra of the Demonic Lines was merely a tool to facilitate that process. ¡°If we had failed, the entire continent could have been shaken.¡± If this ce had turned into an evil sanctuary, demons of Rubitra¡¯s caliber could have continued to descend. Perhaps even more powerful demons. Fortunately, they had seeded in preventing that horrific n in advance. Aquaz felt deeply relieved. However, the magician had a doubtful expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a lie? Such a grand n was foiled with just this level of damage? Is that even possible?¡± The magician argued. ¡°Think about it. We¡¯re talking about the demon Rubitra of the Demonic Lines. The demon that destroyed a church two hundred years ago. Do you really think it¡¯s possible to fend off such a demon with just this level of force?¡± ¡°Though it puzzles me as well¡­ they swore by the Code of Truth and Deception.¡± There were no lies in the saint¡¯s words. As long as the divine code was in ce, idle spection was meaningless. The magician fell silent at this but didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Then isn¡¯t it possible they are mistaken?¡± While the Code of Truth and Deception ensures no lies, it is possible to be mistaken while believing it to be true. ¡°That¡¯s right. They said the barbarian greatly contributed to defeating the demon. Does that make any sense to you?¡± The magician sneered. ¡°The mysterious power emanating from that barbarian is nothing more than third-rate. Do you really believe that such a barbarian helped fend off a demon¡¯s attack? It¡¯s impossible.¡± The magician spoke firmly, as if his thoughts were the absolute truth. ¡°Either there¡¯s some mistake, or the evil forces withdrew on purpose. Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Aquaz remained silent. Ketal was indeed strong. His strength was on a level that overwhelmed the named demon, Ashetiar. But Rubitra was a demon far more powerful than Ashetiar. Aquaz herself was unsure if Ketal¡¯s strength was sufficient to face a demon from the Demon Line. A conversation with the saint of the Sun God surfaced in her mind. ¡®¡­An existence beyond the prophecy.¡¯ The next day. Aquaz left her lodging to find Ketal. ¡®The saint said he was an existence beyond the prophecy.¡¯ The Cradle of Darkness had attacked the Kalosia church with full force. There were several superhuman-level dark magicians, and at the end, even Rubitra, a demon of the Demonic Lines, descended. It was an assault that the current Kalosia church could not withstand. Yet they had ovee it with minimal damage. And they said it was all thanks to Ketal. They mentioned Ketal¡¯s name, not that of Kalosia, their lord. ¡®What could it be?¡¯ Her mind was in turmoil. The words of the saint of the Sun God kept resurfacing. She didn¡¯t know that Kalosia had bestowed grace upon Ketal and had direct conversations with him. Shadrenes had deliberately not mentioned this, knowing what Ketal and Aquaz were aware of. Thus, Aquaz decided to speak directly with Ketal to understand the situation. Hearing from others and talking to the person involved were vastly different experiences. She nned to confirm it with her own eyes. Aquaz wandered around searching for Ketal. And finally, she found him. The moment Aquaz saw Ketal and was about to question him, she fell silent. ¡°Oh, Aquaz. Did you sleep well?¡± Ketal asked with a smile. Aquaz couldn¡¯t answer. All the thoughts in her mind vanished. ¡°¡­Ah?¡± She muttered, speechless like a mute. In Ketal¡¯s hand was a radiant divinity, simr to what she possessed. ¡°That.¡± ¡°You noticed. What do you think? Isn¡¯t it impressive?¡± Ketal beamed, like a child proudly showing off a toy. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Aquaz was at a loss for words. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 155 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 155: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Magic Tower (2). ¡°Uh¡­ What is that¡­?¡± Aquaz managed to blurt out. Ketal responded with a look that seemed to say, ¡®Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s divine power.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± That wasn¡¯t what Aquaz was asking about. She swallowed her words with difficulty. That radiant light. A miracle that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. It was divine power. As a believer in the Sun God, there was no way she could mistake it for something else. That¡¯s why she had to ask. ¡°How do you have divine power?¡± ¡°I received it.¡± ¡°You received divine power? From whom?¡± ¡°From Kalosia.¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about Kalosia, the god of Lies and Deception?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there any other being named Kalosia?¡± Ketal asked in a puzzled tone. Aquaz shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± In this world, a god¡¯s name itself held independent value. The name Kalosia could only belong to the god of Lies and Deception, so Ketal must be referring to that god. That much was certain. But that only made Aquaz more confused. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that Kalosia granted you divine power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it feels like.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Aquaz couldn¡¯t understand. The sentence didn¡¯t make sense to her. She repeated the words like a parrot. ¡°How can you¡­ have divine power¡­?¡± ¡°Oh. You were asking how I can wield it.¡± Ketal, understanding, tapped the ck bracelet. ¡°It¡¯s a holy relic of Kalosia. I received it directly as a reward for saving a sanctuary. By having this, I can wield divine power.¡± Ketal kindly exined. And with that exnation, Aquaz became even more dizzy. She asked in a groan. ¡°Kalosia personally gave you a holy relic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What? I heard you talked with Shadrenes, didn¡¯t she tell you?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t hear anything about this¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. I guess she wanted you to hear it from me directly.¡± Ketal exined to Aquaz what had happened. And the more she listened, the more bewildered she became. ¡°Oh¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°Was my exnation difficult? Let me make it simpler.¡± ¡°N-no. I roughly understand.¡± Barely managing to calm herself, Aquaz began to speak with a face that still showed her disbelief. Ketal arrived at Kalosia¡¯s Sanctuary. He stopped an invasion of evil and defeated the dark magicians. In the end, he faced the demon, Rubitra. During the battle with Rubitra, Kalosia granted Ketal the power to defeat the demon. Thanks to that, Ketal was able to defeat the demon. After stopping the invasion of evil, Ketal conversed with Kalosia, the god of Lies and Deception. At that time, Kalosia, as a reward for saving the Sanctuary, gave him a holy relic. Because of that, Ketal could wield divine power. Ketal marveled at her summary. ¡°Correct. You understood very well.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Aquaz¡¯s face twisted. Even as she summarized it, she found it hard to believe. It felt like being told that a lion and a rabbit not only lived together but also introduced each other to their families and lived in the same burrow. But she couldn¡¯t keep denying it. The great divine power contained in the bracelet was proof of Ketal¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯t understand it, but it had happened. The miracle of a lion and a rabbit living together in the same burrow had urred. It felt like a lie. But there were no contradictions. It matched the exnations given by Shadrenes, the saint of Kalosia. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Then what did the saint of the Sun God mean by what she told her? The saint of the Sun God had said that Ketal was an entity beyond understanding, with unclear intentions. But after hearing the story, it turned out that the great celestial being Kalosia had met Ketal directly, conversed without issues, and even rewarded him with a holy relic. ¡®¡­Could the saint have been mistaken?¡¯ There was no way a great god would fail to grasp Ketal¡¯s true nature. From a believer¡¯s perspective, it was inconceivable that a celestial being could not discern something. Aquaz¡¯s mind became moreplicated. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Why do you seem so troubled?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Aquaz shook her head. ¡°I think I was just overthinking things.¡± She realized she had been too concerned about the words of the saint. Come to think of it, Ketal had helped her. He had alsoe to Kalosia¡¯s Sanctuary afterward and contributed significantly to stopping the ns of evil. Yet she had shamelessly doubted Ketal. Aquaz suddenly felt ashamed of herself. ¡®That was such a foolish thought.¡¯ Yes, an entity that defies divine revtion. Such a thing couldn¡¯t exist in this world. The saint must have been mistaken about something. Aquaz nodded calmly. ¡°It seems Kalosia yed a big role in defeating Rubitra. It must have been dangerous, but I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡± Ketal was undoubtedly strong. He had the power to toy with Ashetiar. But Rubitra was a demon of a different caliber than Ashetiar. It was impossible for Ketal, who couldn¡¯t wield divine power or mysticism, to face Rubitra alone. Although she sensed a small amount of mysticism within Ketal, it was so insignificant that it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference in battle. Therefore, Aquaz believed that Kalosia had bestowed a powerful blessing upon Ketal. Ketal nodded in agreement. ¡°The blessing was indeed great.¡± No matter how overwhelming his power was, without the ability to wield mysticism, he couldn¡¯t reverse-summon the demon. Ending a futile fight, the blessing certainly yed a significant role. ¡°Indeed. But even so, it¡¯s amazing that you faced the demon.¡± Even with divine power, being able to somewhat match Rubitra was a remarkable feat. It meant Ketal¡¯s personal strength reached the highest levels of superhuman capabilities. Aquaz was purely impressed. Their conversation began to wrap up. Ketal smiled. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good to see you again. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you like this.¡± ¡°I feel the same way¡­ How did you end up here?¡± ¡°I came to help a friend. Do you remember Heize?¡± ¡°If you mean Heize¡­ I remember a follower of Kalosia talking with you at the Barkan territory.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Your memory is good. Yes, I met her by chance. It was a dangerous situation, so I came to help a friend.¡± Aquaz was impressed by his answer. ¡°That¡¯s very noble of you¡­¡± Risking his life to help a friend. It was an incrediblymendable act. It was something worthy of great respect from many people. Aquaz¡¯s eyes shone with admiration towards Ketal. Of course, while he indeed had such noble intentions, his personal desire to witness the sh between gods and evil yed arger role. There are truths in the world that are beautiful because they are unknown. ¡°So, what brings you here? Did the church send you to help?¡± ¡°No. This is a personal journey unrted to the church.¡± Aquaz began to speak. ¡°I¡¯m on a pilgrimage.¡± ¡°A pilgrimage?¡± ¡°Currently, evil is invading the world. It¡¯s a very dangerous situation. Because of the vile interference of evil, even the divine revtions of the great ones are being distorted.¡± Until now, the continent had followed the divine revtions to counteract evil. But now, if they moved ording to those revtions, it would be toote. They didn¡¯t know what might happen in ces beyond their sight. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Even in the Barkan territory, had Ketal not been there, it would have been a disaster. Thinking of this, Aquaz set out on a pilgrimage. Traveling the world, finding ces in turmoil, and helping people. That was her pilgrimage. Ketal was impressed upon hearing her story. ¡°That¡¯s admirable.¡± Taking action on her own to quell the chaos in the world. Helping those in need and saving groups in crisis. It was truly exemry behavior as a follower. From Ketal¡¯s perspective, it was amendable mindset. ¡°But are you sure it¡¯s okay? It seems quite dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m prepared for it. Moreover, I have also reached a great level.¡± ¡°¡­No way.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. Aquaz spoke. ¡°During my pilgrimage, I have reached the realm of superhumans.¡± In the Barkan territory, Aquaz was already a first-rate warrior. After many events, she had reached the realm of superhumans. ¡°Oh! Really! That¡¯s amazing. Congrattions!¡± ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Ketal rejoiced as if it were his own achievement. Aquaz felt a bit embarrassed by his reaction, but she didn¡¯t feel bad. She smiled. Ketal asked. ¡°By the way, who is the magician beside you? They don¡¯t seem to be a follower.¡± ¡°Oh. This is a magician I met at the Magic Tower during my pilgrimage. They offered to help me, so we are traveling together.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°A magician from the Magic Tower. Traveling together on a dangerous journey. They must be quite exceptional.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Traveling together on a dangerous pilgrimage. It was certainly an impressive feat, but Aquaz had a somewhat ambiguous expression. After that, they shared various small stories. Both of them had been through a lot, so there was much to discuss. Meanwhile, believers asionally came by. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Ketal!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± They greeted Ketal with enthusiasm. Their eyes shone with deep respect and reverence. Aquaz muttered, feeling a bit perplexed. ¡°It seems the believers have a lot of trust in you, Mr. Ketal.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Believers of the gods showing such reverence towards a barbarian rather than a saint. It felt like a dream. ¡°It¡¯s a bit overwhelming for me too. It wasn¡¯t like this before, but it got worse after I had a conversation with Kalosia.¡± ¡°Oh, you talked with Kalosia¡­¡± Conversing with a god. Even within the church, only a chosen few had such an opportunity. Despite the high expectations ced on her, Aquaz had never conversed with a god. The barbarian in front of her had seized such an opportunity. Aquaz asked in a worried tone. ¡°Are you alright? It must have been quite overwhelming.¡± Speaking with a great celestial being. It was a heavy burden for a mortal. Even a mere voice, not a full manifestation, of such a being, could suppress a mortal. Even the saint of the Sun God would break out in cold sweat each time she spoke with the Sun God. She wouldn¡¯t leave her chambers for a whole day afterward. And Ketal wasn¡¯t even a believer. He didn¡¯t know how to conduct himself in front of a god, so he must have been extremely anxious about potentiallymitting sphemy. She asked in a concerned tone, but Ketal shook his head. ¡°It was nothing. It was an enjoyable conversation.¡± Aquaz froze. ¡°En-enjoyable?¡± ¡°Yeah. We had a good rapport.¡± ¡°Good rapport¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to meet again.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± She had a bewildered expression. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 156 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 156: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Magic Tower (3) He enjoyed the conversation with the deity and wished to meet again. Even more surprising was that this came from the mouth of a non-believer barbarian. Aquaz simply couldn¡¯tprehend it. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Aquaz quickly shook her head. Though Ketal found the reaction odd, he didn¡¯t give it much thought. ¡®Talking to a god must be quite unusual.¡¯ Well, Shadrenes had been shocked, so it wasn¡¯t different for Aquaz. That he had such an experience made him feel good again. Ketal cheerfully said, ¡°I hope you get to try it once. It¡¯s an enjoyable and fun experience.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aquaz responded with silence. ¡°Hmm. Anyway, it seems we made a pointless trip.¡± Aquaz hade to help the sanctuary of Kalosia, but everything had already been resolved. Her visit ended up being meaningless. ¡°No, it¡¯s fortunate that it was resolved without any major issues.¡± ¡°Does that mean your pilgrimage is over now?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Aquaz denied it. ¡°The world is still chaotic.¡± Evil continued to invade the world. The sanctuary of Kalosia was just the first target; minor incidents were still ongoing. ¡°So, where are you heading next?¡± Ketal asked, though it was a question without much meaning. ¡®Following a pilgrimage sounds fun, but I want to enjoy something different soon.¡¯ A pilgrimage of the Sun God¡¯s devotee. It would probably involve a journey against evil. He had had enough of evil. He wanted to enjoy something different now. At this point, the elven sanctuary attracted him the most. He was curious about what differences there would bepared to a divine sanctuary. Ketal asked the question without much thought. But Aquaz¡¯s answer stopped Ketal¡¯s brain momentarily. Aquaz spoke. ¡°The city of mermaids.¡± * * * ¡°¡­Mermaids?¡± After a brief silence, Ketal spoke, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°There are mermaids?¡± ¡°Yes, there are.¡± ¡°They must live underwater, right?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Aquaz replied as if wondering why he asked such a question. Her expression suggested it was as obvious as birds flying in the sky. That attitude made Ketal¡¯s heart tremble even more. He tried to calm his emotions and asked, ¡°Are the mermaids asking for help?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it seems there¡¯s a problem. There¡¯s a coastal city that has been trading with the mermaid city.¡± They had been trading without issues for decades. But suddenly, allmunication with the mermaid city was cut off. They sent ships and people, but no one returned. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Even skilled mercenaries couldn¡¯t make a difference. Judging there was a problem, the city¡¯s lord requested help, but the chaotic world left no resources to aid a remote city. Thus, Aquaz nned to visit that city and help. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s it. It¡¯s an unknown problem.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°It could be dangerous for you as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s a pilgrimage I¡¯vemitted to.¡± Aquaz said calmly. Ketal shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s far too dangerous. You could be in serious danger.¡± ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I¡­¡± ¡°Great. This is perfect! I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. It was an entirely unexpected statement. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll help?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, but it will be an extremely challenging journey. We¡¯ll have to sail and face unknown enemies. The distance is considerable, and the travel time alone will be significant.¡± Aquaz stammered. ¡°Moreover, I can¡¯t afford to give you any reward.¡± Her pilgrimage was a personal journey unrted to the church. With no support for her pilgrimage, she had no means to offer a reward. Her personal funds were nearly depleted. Ketalughed heartily. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I didn¡¯te to the sanctuary of Kalosia expecting a reward. I came because Heize asked for help of my own ord.¡± Although Heize had desperately refused Ketal¡¯s help, it somehow turned into Heize asking Ketal for help. ¡°You are my friend, just like Heize. I can¡¯t just stand by and cheer while my friend embarks on a dangerous pilgrimage. I don¡¯t need a reward. I would like the opportunity to apany you on your journey.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Aquaz¡¯s voice trembled, her face filled with deep emotion. To apany a friend on a dangerous pilgrimage without any expectation of reward¡ªwhat a noble act. Aquaz was genuinely moved. She felt ashamed of herself. ¡®I misunderstood such a person.¡¯ She silently apologized to Ketal in her heart. ¡°If you really mean it, thank you so much. Please let me know if it bes a burden at any time.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s perfect timing for me as well.¡± Ketal smiled brightly, genuinely happy inside. ¡®Mermaids!¡¯ A fantasy race with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish. Ketal had always been curious about mermaids since childhood. ¡®Are mermaids mammals or fish?¡¯ Or perhaps, they could uniquely be amphibians. ¡®Do they breathe like whales on the surface, or do they breathe underwater?¡¯ If they had gills, where would they be located? In most myths, female mermaids are depicted as beautiful, while male mermaids are depicted as ugly. Is that really true? How could they live in the deep sea with a human upper body and a fish lower body? They were one of the most contradictory beings in the world of fantasy. Ketal had always wondered how mermaids could exist. On Earth, such spection was meaningless. Since they were mythical beings, people could interpret them however they wanted. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But here, mermaids were real. How did they live, and in what form did they exist in the sea? It was a chance to resolve his childhood curiosity. His heart was pounding with excitement, and it showed in his demeanor. ¡°So, are we leaving right away? I think it would be good to move quickly.¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± As Ketal urged, Aquaz hastily shook her head. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, I think we¡¯ll help with the restoration work of the sanctuary before we leave.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± Thinking about it, Ketal hadn¡¯t finished helping with the work either. He calmed his excitement a little. ¡°So, we¡¯ll leave in a few days.¡± ¡°Probably. In the meantime, you should finish your tasks as well.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± The discussion was concluded. Aquaz expressed her gratitude again. ¡°Thank you, Ketal. Even though I can¡¯t offer any reward, you¡¯re willing to help¡­ I won¡¯t forget this kindness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I want to do, so don¡¯t worry about it. Come to think of it, I should introduce myself to yourpanion as well.¡± Aquaz was not alone. Next to her was a magician from the Magic Tower. Aquaz seemed to realize something and made a sound of realization. ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s that person. Hmm¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Aquaz had a slightly awkward expression. She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll go inform that person. We can do the introductions tomorrow.¡± * * * The next day. Ketal and Aquaz met again. Between them stood the magician from the Magic Tower. Aquaz introduced Ketal to the magician. ¡°This is Mr. Ketal, whom I mentioned yesterday. He¡¯s a friend of mine and has the power to face demons, so he¡¯ll be a great help on our journey.¡± Aquaz looked at Ketal. ¡°And Mr. Ketal, this is Mr. Baker, a magician from the Magic Tower. He¡¯s part of the Starrail School, which studies the stars. He has reached the realm of a superhuman and has been a great help on our journey.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. It was the first time he had properly seen a magician from the Magic Tower. Although he had met the Tower Master, he wasn¡¯t a typical case, and he didn¡¯t have time for a proper conversation with the alchemist in the capital of the Denian Kingdom. Ketal smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ketal.¡± Since they would be on a long journey together, Ketal intended to get along well. But Baker had an unweing face. ¡°¡­I¡¯m apanion traveling with Aquaz. We¡¯ve been together for several months.¡± Baker spoke with emphasis, as if stressing that his rtionship with Aquaz was much closer than Ketal¡¯s. Ketal didn¡¯t mind. ¡°I see. You must be very close. I look forward to working with you.¡± Baker frowned at that attitude. ¡°¡­It seems barbarians don¡¯t understand subtlety. Let me make it clear. I have no intention of getting close to someone like you.¡± His expression was filled with deep disdain and contempt. ¡°How dare a barbarian try to get close to a magician from the Magic Tower? Know your ce.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll have to try harder.¡± Despite the clear rejection, Ketal didn¡¯t seem to care. Instead, he wore an amused smile as if he found the reaction entertaining. This made Baker even more flustered. Just as Baker was about to hurl another insult at Ketal, Aquaz sighed. ¡°Mr. Baker.¡± ¡°A-Aquaz.¡± Baker flinched and his expression quickly turned to one of confusion. ¡°You agreed yesterday, didn¡¯t you? Mr. Ketal and I are friends. Please don¡¯t act like this.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± Baker¡¯s voice instantly turned meek. He nced at Aquaz. ¡°¡­Take care. That¡¯s all, right? I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Baker hurriedly left. Watching his retreating figure, Ketal spoke up. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to like me.¡± ¡°Mr. Baker was ufortable with you joining us. He eventually epted it, but¡­ I didn¡¯t expect him to act this way in front of you. I apologize for the unpleasant experience.¡± Aquaz looked genuinely sorry as she bowed her head. ¡°Truly, I¡¯m sorry. If this makes you ufortable, you can still refuse to join us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Is it because I¡¯m a barbarian?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Aquaz hesitated for a moment, then sighed and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s just that he has a lot of interest and attachment to me. He probably doesn¡¯t like the idea of anyone else joining our journey.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°It¡¯s love.¡± ¡°¡­Probably.¡± ¡°Love stories are always interesting.¡± ¡°Not for me¡­¡± Aquaz shook her head. ¡°Seeing Mr. Baker¡¯s reaction, it seems there will be more conflicts. I¡¯m sorry to make you ufortable. You can still refuse if you want.¡± ¡°Refuse?¡± Ketalughed as if the suggestion was absurd. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± The Inquisitor of the Sun God. And a magician from the Magic Tower who loved her. What an interesting story. It only made him more curious. ¡°Love stories are one of the joys of fantasy.¡± Ketal grinned widely. Aquaz wore a perplexed expression. ¡°¡­It seems you¡¯re enjoying having an entertaining spectacle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Is it really?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Ketal nodded energetically. Aquaz looked at him with a dubious expression. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 157 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 157: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Magic Tower (4) Ketal told Shadrenes that he would soon be leaving the sanctuary. Shadrenes¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a few days to help with the restoration, but once everything is done, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Why? You seem very surprised.¡± ¡°¡­Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d leave.¡± Shadrenes had believed that Ketal would remain in the sanctuary of Kalosia. It wasn¡¯t just a vague assumption; it was a somewhat rational expectation. Ketal had saved the sanctuary of Kalosia. His achievements would be highly regarded until the end of their church. Moreover, he had conversed directly with Kalosia and was even granted ess to their sacred relics. Ketal¡¯s current position in the church was just below that of the saintess. Joking aside, even if he did nothing and simply stayed in the sanctuary, he could livefortably for the rest of his life. He would have no restrictions and would be respected by everyone. Powerful people usually seek power and recognition befitting their strength. While someone of Ketal¡¯s caliber would be greatly weed anywhere, there was no guarantee he would receive the same sincere respect elsewhere. After all, he was still a barbarian, an outsider, and barbarians were often targets of exclusion. Hence, Shadrenes thought Ketal would stay in the sanctuary. Hearing that he was leaving so soon was indeed startling. ¡°Things are tough right now, but¡­ soon, we¡¯ll be back on our feet. Then, whatever you wish for, Ketal, will be achieved, and you will be highly respected even outside.¡± It was a tempting offer. Most people would be swayed by such words. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°That sounds appealing, but the world is in chaos, and my friends need my help. So, helping them is my duty.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Shadrenes realized that Ketal had originallye here to help Heize. He ended up receiving a great reward, but he hadn¡¯t helped them with any expectations in mind. ¡°Right.¡± This man was like that. He wasn¡¯t someone who sought power or recognition. Shadrenes looked at Ketal with a gaze filled with admiration, as if looking at a saint. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s unfortunate, but I have no right to stop you.¡± If Ketal stayed in the sanctuary, it would be a huge benefit to the church. Having someone of his strength within the church would greatly increase its influence. But they couldn¡¯t force Ketal to stay. After considering this, Shadrenes gave a bitter smile. There was indeed a way to keep Ketal. By falsely iming that the church was still in danger and that they needed his help, Ketal would stay. He was that kind of person. But just as Ketal was that kind of person, she could not be someone who lied to keep him there. ¡®¡­This also disqualifies me as a follower of the god of lies and deception.¡¯ Kalosia would be disappointed in her for this. Shadrenes mentally apologized to Kalosia but did not change her decision. ¡°Then please wait a moment. We will prepare a farewell for you.¡± Ketal nodded. The final moments at the church passed by. People were saddened by Ketal¡¯s departure, with some even shedding tears. However, by Shadrenes¡¯mand, no one stopped him. The magician looked displeased at Ketal joining them but did not voice any direct objections, perhaps wary of Aquaz¡¯s reaction. And a weekter, the restoration of the church wasplete. Ketal was ready to leave. His final farewell was attended by the saintess, Rakza, Heize, and Nas. Shadrenes spoke. ¡°Ketal, thank you sincerely. The church of Kalosia will never forget you. Please ept this.¡± Shadrenes handed Ketal a symbol of Kalosia. ¡°Upon close inspection, you¡¯ll see that it¡¯syered multiple times.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The symbol wasposed of many thinyers ovepping each other, forming a single emblem. The number ofyers was about a hundred. ¡°This is the symbol we give to our benefactors. The moreyers it has, the higher the status of its owner.¡± No one had ever received a hundredyered symbol before. ¡°We will support you.¡± Rakza said. ¡°You are an honorary member of our church. If you need help, we will do our utmost to assist you, even if the church faces destruction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit overwhelming, but thank you.¡± Nas also expressed his gratitude. ¡°Thank you. Without you, the church would have perished. Even though we said we couldn¡¯t offer any reward¡­ you still helped us. Truly, thank you.¡± Lastly, it was Heize¡¯ turn. Heize bowed deeply. ¡°¡­Thank you. As I mentioned before, I had my doubts about you.¡± Ketal had a different set of values. In his perspective, there was no distinction between good and evil. This was why Heize had been afraid of what Ketal might do in the sanctuary and had initially rejected him. But it was not like that. Ketal had helped them without expecting anything in return. While his values were different, he was not a bad person. She felt ashamed of herself. ¡°If you wish, Ketal, I will remain your friend. If you find yourself in danger, I will risk my life to help you.¡± ¡°Thank you. You are still my friend.¡± Ketal smiled gently. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After the final farewell, Ketal left the sanctuary. Outside, Aquaz and Baker were waiting. ¡°Have you finished your goodbyes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal turned to look at the sanctuary. It was the first divine sanctuary he had experienced in this fantasy world. It had been an incredibly enjoyable time. Now that he was leaving, he felt a bit of sadness. But just as there are meetings, there are also partings. As Ketal was about to leave the sanctuary behind, Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hmm?¡± A song was emanating from the sanctuary. ¡°That song¡­¡± Aquaz knew what the song meant. It was a hymn dedicated to an outsider by the church. But she was bewildered because it was not usually sung. While the church of the Sun God had a hymn for outsiders who had saved the church, it had not been sung for hundreds of years. Being a hymn for outsiders, it was reserved for truly exceptional circumstances. And now, that hymn was being sung for Ketal. Moreover, Baker murmured in astonishment. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°The song is quite loud. Is the entire sanctuary singing?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Numerous voices ovepped, creating harmonies. The entire sanctuary was singing for Ketal, as if they were singing to their god. Aquaz suddenly held her breath. ¡°¡­The gaze.¡± A mighty gaze was upon them. It was felt from the high heavens. The meaning was clear: Kalosia was watching them. The gaze seemed to be seeing off the departing Ketal. ¡°Hmm.¡± Although Ketal didn¡¯t understand the detailed meaning like Aquaz, he could sense the emotions contained within it. ¡°Farewell.¡± The sanctuary of the gods. And the god. Ketal turned and walked away. * * * ¡®I should have stayed a bit longer.¡¯ It would have been interesting to see how the church would act after realizing the truth about lies and deception. Leaving now made him feel a bit regretful. But Ketal shook his head. There¡¯s a saying that it¡¯s best to end things at a point where you feel just a bit of regret. Ending things now and returningter could also be enjoyable. Ketal organized his thoughts. He still had something to look forward to. ¡°How long does it take to get to the coastal city from here?¡± The mermaid. He was now on a journey to meet them. Aquaz, still recovering from the shock, stammered. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s quite a distance. For an average person, it would take about three months.¡± ¡°We need to hurry, then.¡± ¡°Probably so.¡± They were all superhumanly strong. The tough journey posed no obstacles, allowing them to travel in a straight line. Pushing through the underbrush, Ketal asked. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem in the mermaid city?¡± ¡°Sorry? You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been told anything.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Only then did Aquaz realize she hadn¡¯t exined the situation to Ketal. ¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯ So this barbarian had agreed to help without even knowing what the problem was? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Aquaz barely managed to hide her surprise. Ketal spoke. ¡°Is it rted to evil? Are they targeting the mermaid city?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that.¡± Aquaz continued speaking. ¡°My pilgrimage is to help people in a wavering world. It isn¡¯t necessarily rted to evil.¡± ¡°Hmm? Then what is it?¡± ¡°There are more threats to the world than just evil. Have you ever heard of the Forbidden Land?¡± At Aquaz¡¯s words, Ketal¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°¡­I know. It¡¯s a heterogenous ce that exists on the continent.¡± ¡°You know it well. Yes, it¡¯s a heterogenous ce.¡± As she said that, Aquaz nced at Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°The White Snowfield that you came from is also one of the Forbidden Lands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you know anything about other Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ketal shook his head. He knew about the White Snowfield but nothing about the other Forbidden Lands outside of it. ¡®It seems that the Forbidden Lands are also separated from each other.¡¯ She gathered her thoughts and began to exin. ¡°It would be nice if the other Forbidden Lands could help us like Ketal did¡­ but it seems they do not. Recently, a kingdom called Lutein was attacked by the presence of one of these Forbidden Lands.¡± One day, the heterogeneity of the Forbidden Land swallowed the entire kingdom. The kingdom fell, and all those who remained inside died. In a single day, the entire nation faced the threat of destruction. ¡°But fortunately, the Master of the Tower foresaw the signs and responded in advance. While they couldn¡¯t prevent all damage, they managed to save a member of Lutein¡¯s royal bloodline.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡®So that¡¯s how the rumor spread.¡¯ It seemed that clear information about Nano had not been disseminated. Well, there was no need to spread it. Something that reces everything¡ªif known, it would only cause chaos. ¡°¡­They are extremely dangerous existences.¡± Aquaz swallowed. The royal castle fell in a single day. The continent was in a state of emergency. Other kings began to prepare for fear that they might suffer the same fate. It was a threat different from evil. Aquaz sighed. ¡°Just dealing with the existence of vile evil is overwhelming, and now the presence of Forbidden Lands is appearing on the continent. It is truly a chaotic state.¡± Aquaz spoke with concern about the presence of the Forbidden Lands. ¡°Indeed. It is quite a dangerous state.¡± Ketal agreed with Aquaz¡¯s words. For a moment, Aquaz paused. It was quite odd for the presence of a Forbidden Land to call the presence of a Forbidden Land dangerous. But she quickly continued speaking. ¡°Yes. Recently, it seems that the city of mermaids is also being threatened by the presence of such a Forbidden Land.¡± Aquaz said. ¡°I heard that a primate living deep in the ocean is surrounding the city of mermaids.¡± As Aquaz finished speaking, something appeared before Ketal. Ketal looked at the system window before him with a peculiar expression. [Quest 787.] [Respond to the other.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 158 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 158:The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Magic Tower. (5) The Library of the Barkan Territory There, he once read a book exining the Forbidden Lands that exist on the continent. Among these realms was something called the deep-sea domain, where primates supposedly lived and breathed. ¡°¡­They¡¯re targeting the mermaid city?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it¡¯s almost certain.¡± ¡°Hmmm. What kind of creatures are they?¡± By primates, she must have meant animals like monkeys. The idea of such creatures living in the depths of the sea was hard to picture. When asked about it, Aquaz answered. ¡°We don¡¯t know that much either.¡± Until now, the existence of the Forbidden Lands had been confined within themselves, nevering out onto the continent. Only a few suicidal adventurers ever entered the Forbidden Lands, so information about them was scarce. ¡°The reason we discovered their involvement in this issue was because a missing sailor barely managed to return to the city by clinging to a nk from his wrecked ship.¡± The hypothermic sailor, trembling and terrified, reported that primates had attacked them underwater. However, he had been so traumatized and panicked that no further information could be extracted. ¡°I see,¡± Ketal muttered as if he had understood the gist of it. ¡°That sounds quite dangerous.¡± ¡°We¡¯re prepared for it,¡± Aquaz said, clutching the emblem hanging around her neck. ¡°I will do my best to help as well.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you sincerely.¡± A warm atmosphere flowed between Ketal and Aquaz. In contrast, the magician of the Magic Tower, Baker, maintained a dissatisfied silence. Ketal, recalling Baker¡¯s presence, asked in a friendly tone. ¡°You¡¯re Baker, right? What do you think? I¡¯m curious about the perspective of a magician.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, barbarian,¡± Baker said coldly, disying a clear refusal. Aquaz was taken aback by his attitude. ¡°Uh, Mr. Baker¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Aquaz. It seems we still have some distance to bridge,¡± Ketal said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long journey. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to be friends.¡± Baker¡¯s face twisted at Ketal¡¯s casual demeanor. * * * To be honest, Ketal had no particr thoughts about Baker. He actually wanted to befriend him. As a magician from the Magic Tower, Baker could provide valuable information about various magic and insights into the inner workings of the tower. Ketal held no hostility, only goodwill. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the other party. Baker gritted his teeth. ¡®¡­Damn barbarian. Why did he have to join our journey?¡¯ Aquaz¡¯s pilgrimage aimed to preemptively address the chaos of the world. There was no gain or reward in it, and it required traveling across the entire continent, which was both time-consuming and life-threatening. It was a pilgrimage only a devout believer of the god could undertake. The reason Baker, a magician, joined such a pilgrimage was simple: he was in love with Aquaz. Baker¡¯s parents were magicians of the Magic Tower, and he had spent his entire life there. With his parents¡¯ teachings and his exceptional talent, he had reached the level of a superhuman at a young age. He was recognized by the tower and was considered a future leader of his school of magic. Baker was content with this life. He believed he would spend his whole life researching magic in the tower. However, one day, he met Aquaz, who hade to the tower seeking support for an artifact. At that moment, Baker fell in love with Aquaz at first sight. Silver hair that shone like the moon. Eyes like precious red gemstones. Skin as white as snow. A calm expression that seemed to ept all the sins of the world. Aquaz appeared like an incarnation of beauty, and Baker¡¯s heart pounded. At the age of thirty-two, he experienced his very first love. Since then, he ignored all the concerns and objections from his school and decided to apany Aquaz on the pilgrimage. For someone who had lived a sheltered life, the journey was extremely tough, but just being with Aquaz made him incredibly happy. It felt like a dream, and Baker wished it wouldst forever. But that dream ended with the arrival of Ketal. Baker red at him. ¡®Damn barbarian.¡¯ Their once two-person journey now had an intruder. What irked him more was Aquaz¡¯s friendly interactions with Ketal. ¡®Shee always acted somewhat reserved towards me.¡¯ The reason for this was Aquaz felt burdened by Baker¡¯s overly sentimental demeanor, but Baker didn¡¯t know that. All he felt was jealousy towards Ketal. ¡°¡­Hmph,¡± Baker snorted topose himself. ¡®After all, he¡¯s just a barbarian.¡¯ Aquaz was an inquisitor of the Sun God, highly regarded within the church, having reached the level of a superhuman at a young age, and was seen as a future leader of the church. Simrly, Baker was a superhuman magician from the Magic Tower, considered a future leader of his school and potentially a member of the tower¡¯s leadership. In contrast, that barbarian was nothing more than an ordinary barbarian. He had neither possessions nor authority¡ªa foolish barbarian. Baker was clearly superior. The difference would be more apparent over time. Bakerposed himself and spoke in a subtle tone. Although he had received considerable support from the holynd of Kalosia and even the attention of Kalosia, the god of lies and deceit, he believed it was a natural reaction for an outsider toe to their aid in a time of crisis. While it was excessive support to be simply understood in that context, Baker tried not to dwell on it. Normally, as a magician, he would have judged the situation objectively, but that was impossible for him now. A young man in love can sometimes be the most foolish of all. Heposed himself and spoke in a subtle tone. ¡°Come to think of it, Aquaz, do you remember what I said before? I told you that I met the Tower Master.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I remember. You said he came to meet you personally when you reached the superhuman level.¡± Even in the Magic Tower, where all the magicians on the continent gathered, it was rare to produce a superhuman. Moreover, Baker had reached the superhuman level in his twenties. It was an incredibly young age, and he garnered much attention within the tower. ¡°That¡¯s right. The great Tower Master personally came to see me and praised me. He said he had been waiting for a talent like me and had great expectations.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s amazing,¡± Aquaz genuinely admired. The Tower Master was the one who created the Magic Tower, where all the magicians gathered, and was known to have approached the great secrets and truths of magic. He was one of the most famous heroes in the world. For such a person to personally seek out and praise Baker was certainly something to be proud of. Satisfied with her reaction, Baker nced at Ketal. ¡®How about that!¡¯ ¡®I am such a great person!¡¯ ¡®Know your ce and bow your head even now!¡¯ Baker red at Ketal triumphantly. However, Ketal tilted his head with a puzzled look. ¡°Is that really true? Did the Tower Master say that?¡± Baker flinched. ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± ¡°It just seems strange.¡± The Tower Master Ketal had seen was not someone who cared about individual power or levels. He knew this because the Tower Master had shown disdain for Maximus, a true superhuman, by saying he had no value. It was hard to believe that such a Tower Master would praise Baker as he imed. ¡°¡­.¡± Baker closed his mouth. The truth was, Ketal was right. Although the Tower Master did meet him, he didn¡¯t particrly praise him. After a few conversations, the Tower Master left, seemingly unimpressed. Baker had lied to impress Aquaz. ¡°It¡¯s true! Why would I lie about that?¡± Baker said firmly, though his voice had a slight tremor. ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± Ketal said, not paying much attention. Whether the Tower Master had praised him or not didn¡¯t matter to him. Baker felt a strange sense of humiliation from Ketal¡¯s indifferent attitude, as if his bragging meant nothing. Baker ground his teeth. ¡®Hmph.¡¯ The pitiful barbarian must be jealous that a great hero praised him. At least, that¡¯s what Baker thought. But that thought was soon shattered. After traveling some distance, they took a break. Ketal asked Aquaz, ¡°Aquaz, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to ask about the use of holy power. I¡¯ve learned it, but you might know a different method.¡± Aquaz was a follower of the Sun God. The use of holy power could differ since they served different gods. Ketal was curious about this. Aquaz nodded understandingly. ¡°First, show me how you manifest holy power.¡± Ketal clenched his fist, and a brilliant light shone above it. It was the power bestowed upon those who served a god. It was holy power. Baker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Wait. Holy power?¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know,¡± Aquaz realized she hadn¡¯t exined it to Baker. She exined that Ketal had greatly assisted in the holynd of Kalosia, and in the end, Kalosia had personally allowed Ketal to use a holy relic, granting him holy power. Hearing the exnation, Baker¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± A god allowing their holy relic to someone who wasn¡¯t even a follower? It was unheard of. Aquaz gave a wry smile. ¡°I think so too, but it actually happened.¡± Baker closed his mouth. Although it was indeed impressive that the Tower Master had personallye to talk to him, Ketal, who had received a holy relic directly from a god, was even more remarkable. In this world, the value of gods was immense. Being acknowledged by a god was an enormous honor in itself. If Ketal were to spread that fact, he could garner more respect than Baker. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ketal, in a tone suggesting he wasn¡¯t sure, said, ¡°Even if you say so, it doesn¡¯t mean much to me. I find it more impressive that Aquaz can use the Holy Scripture.¡± When he first met Aquaz, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He merely thought that, as a powerful believer, she could use the Holy Scripture. However, after visiting Kalosia¡¯s holynd, he understood clearly. The Holy Scripture was an incredibly precious and special power. In the entire Kalosia church, only the saintess could use the Holy Scripture. Aquaz, who could wield it, was undoubtedly an exceptional believer. ¡°Well¡­,¡± Aquaz trailed off. Objectively speaking, being allowed to use a holy relic despite not being a believer was more impressive than wielding the Holy Scripture. ¡°So, what are you curious about?¡± ¡°Since the gods we serve are different, does the use of holy power vary too?¡± ¡°Yes. While the great celestial power is the same, it is bestowed by different gods. However, the basic results are simr.¡± Ketal could use Kalosia¡¯s holy power to create a bell of the heart that detected lies. Aquaz, using the Sun God¡¯s holy power, could illuminate everything and see transparently if a lie was contained in the words. The results were simr, but the methods were different. Ketal found this interesting. ¡°So, there are such differences. Generally, the results seem to be simr.¡± ¡°Not all churches are like that. Some possess very special, even alien-seeming powers. A prime example is the church that serves Federica.¡± ¡°What kind of church is that?¡± Ketal and Aquaz continued their conversation joyfully. Meanwhile, Baker couldn¡¯t join in and felt left out. After a pleasant exchange with Aquaz, Ketal noticed Baker remaining silent. ¡°Oh, sorry. I got caught up in the conversation. Do you have any questions?¡± Ketal asked. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine¡­,¡± Baker replied, his voicecking energy. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 159 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (6) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 159: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (6) Baker looked extremely gloomy. It was inevitable. In this world, gods held higher value than any other being. If Ketal was truly acknowledged by a god, he would possess more authority and honor than a superhuman-level magician. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if Ketal ignored him. ¡°¡­Hmph. Fine.¡± Baker, the magician who delved into the truths of the world, decided to acknowledge Ketal a little. But only that much. He was superior to a barbarian, after all. They continued their journey. Aquaz, who was calcting the remaining distance, spoke up. ¡°We still have a long way to go. We need to pick up the pace.¡± They were ind, and their destination was a city by the sea, so the distance was considerable. At this speed, it would take months. Baker¡¯s eyes gleamed at Aquaz¡¯s words. ¡°Really? Then how about we get serious? Hmm, how about this?¡± Baker spoke as if the idea had juste to him. ¡°Let¡¯s have one person keep going until they run out of stamina. When someone gets tired, we¡¯ll rest. How about that?¡± ¡°Hmm. It doesn¡¯t sound bad. What do you think, Ketal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± With Ketal agreeing, Aquaz nodded. ¡°Alright. Since we have a long way to go, let¡¯s do that.¡± The decision was made. Baker, whose n was going smoothly, clenched his fist out of sight. ¡®Got it!¡¯ He was a magician. As someone who was holed up in the magician tower researching, his stamina wasn¡¯t great. The Starrail School he belonged to didn¡¯t particrly have any magic to strengthen or support the body. But even so, he was a superhuman-level magician. Even if he simply and bluntly strengthened his body with mana, he could travel much farther than a barbarian who couldn¡¯t even handle the mysticism. Baker¡¯s n was simple. He intended to show Aquaz the unseemly sight of the barbarian copsing from exhaustion and make her lose affection for him. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± He stepped forward energetically. This time, he was determined to show his superiority. They advanced towards their destination. They didn¡¯t rest, traveling an unimaginably long distance at a tremendous speed for hours. It was possible because they were all top-tier warriors. And the first to get tired was none other than Baker. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Baker struggled to catch his breath, barely managing to look at Ketal with eyes full of disbelief. ¡®Why, why isn¡¯t he getting tired?¡¯ They had been running for half a day without rest. Even a top-tier warrior would have long since copsed from exhaustion at this distance. Yet Ketal was fine. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om On the contrary, he was the one getting tired. Before he knew it, his mana, which was like a spring, had run dry. Sweat flowed, and his breathing became rough. He tried to endure it desperately, but his pathetically weak body quickly reached its limit. ¡°Huff.¡± Baker clung to a tree and bent over. Ketal stopped moving forward. ¡°You seem exhausted. We should rest here.¡± ¡°Huff, huff.¡± He wanted to deny it, but he couldn¡¯t even speak properly. Aquaz nodded. ¡°It¡¯ste, so let¡¯s rest here.¡± ¡°Good idea. I¡¯ll prepare the sleeping arrangements.¡± Ketal took out a sleeping bag. Baker was speechless at his rxed attitude. ¡®How is a barbarian, who doesn¡¯t even handle the mysticism, so fine?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t even sweating. His breathing was perfectly normal. Aquaz was also looking at Ketal in amazement. ¡°You seem perfectly fine, Mr. Ketal. Impressive.¡± ¡°This body is all I have. You seem fine too.¡± ¡°Divine power is a special force.¡± Divine power recovered much faster and consumed less than mana or aura. Only at the level of a sacred scripture did it have significant consumption. ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Divine power was a force bestowed by another, and it seemed to have a high baseline. ¡®It must have been a fierce battle.¡¯ Shadrenes and Rakza werepletely exhausted and couldn¡¯t even draw on their divine power. It was clear how intense the battle with the demons had been. Baker sat on the ground, barely recovering his mana. Aquaz approached him with a concerned look. ¡°Are you alright? You should drink plenty of water.¡± ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± Baker felt both pleased and embarrassed by Aquaz¡¯s concern. ¡°You seem quite exhausted. Alright. I¡¯ll cook dinner tonight. Everyone, rest.¡± ¡°Who would want to eat a barbarian¡¯s cooking¡­?¡± Baker muttered weakly. Aquaz didn¡¯t say anything in response. Barbarian cooking couldn¡¯t really be called cooking. There were no seasonings, and the meat was not even cleaned. They often threw it onto the fire without draining the blood. It was no exaggeration to say that eating a wild animal that had died in a forest fire wouldn¡¯t be much different from a barbarian¡¯s cooking. Naturally, one would have an aversion to barbarian cooking. However, Ketal confidently rolled up his sleeves. ¡°I¡¯m good at cooking, so just watch.¡± Ketal took ingredients and cooking utensils out of his artifact pouch. He began to skillfully prepare the ingredients. Aquaz and Baker, who were watching with reluctant faces, were surprised. They were amazed that ingredients kepting out of the small pouch and that Ketal¡¯s cooking skills were quite good. The ingredients were neatly prepared, and he was tasting the seasoning regrly. Anyone could see that he was skilled. ¡°You¡¯re better than I thought.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? I¡¯m confident in my cooking.¡± Soon, a white stew was bubbling in the pot. ¡°Here. Eat.¡± ¡°Um¡­ thank you.¡± Aquaz cautiously tasted the stew. After a moment of chewing, her eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ delicious.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Ketal smiled as he brought a bowl to Baker. ¡°You should eat too. I seasoned it lightly, so it should be fine on an empty stomach.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Who would want to eat barbarian cooking? Baker thought to refuse. But his mouth wouldn¡¯t open. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A delicious smell wafted in front of him. The appetizing white stew was right there. He grabbed the bowl as if mesmerized. That night, Baker ended up eating three bowls of stew. * * * The next day, Baker woke up with a gloomy face. Eating barbarian cooking as if it were delicious was a humiliation. The greatest humiliation was losing his dignity as a magician and eating three bowls of barbarian cooking. ¡°¡­Hmph.¡± Baker was a magician. He could observe and judge things objectively. He decided to acknowledge Ketal a little more. ¡®But that¡¯s all.¡¯ Even so, he was superior. This barbarian might have the recognition of a god, great stamina, and good cooking skills, but that was it. Although these were considerable advantages, Baker did not yield at all. After all, Ketal was just an ignorant barbarian with no knowledge. As they continued toward their destination, Baker spoke to Aquaz. ¡°Aquaz. Shall I continue the story about the stars from before?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, please.¡± ¡°Where did I leave off?¡± ¡°You said thisnd revolves around the sun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, thisnd revolves around the sun. Not only thisnd, but there are many stars revolving around the sun. We¡¯ve confirmed more than ten stars so far.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Aquaz listened attentively to Baker¡¯s story. Baker was a magician of the Starrail School, which specialized in observing the stars. He knew a lot about stars and the sun. To Aquaz, a devotee of the Sun God, Baker¡¯s knowledge was very attractive. Baker raised his voice deliberately for Ketal to hear. ¡°How do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the power of the Sun God?¡± ¡°What kind of power do you think it is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. The sun has a gravitational force. This immense force holds dozens of stars, preventing them from escaping the sun.¡± ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Aquaz murmured in awe. Thinking that all of this was due to the great power of the Sun God filled her with pride as a believer. After a moment of contemtion, Aquaz asked with a curious tone. ¡°Then I have one question. You said the gravitational force from the sun maintains the distance of the stars, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You understand well.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m curious. Why don¡¯t we get closer to the sun? If we are being pulled in, shouldn¡¯t we eventually get closer to the sun?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Baker hesitated. He had studied that part too, but it was such a long time ago that he couldn¡¯t remember it for a moment. As he was trying to recall, Ketal spoke up. ¡°Orbital revolution.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you pretending to know, barbarian?¡± ¡°Hmm? Aren¡¯t you talking about orbital revolution? The force that each star exerts.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Baker scoffed at Ketal. The knowledge he had learned was from the great Starrail School. An outsider, especially a barbarian, couldn¡¯t possibly know about it. Baker thought Ketal was pretending to know something with some half-baked knowledge he had picked up somewhere. ¡°Then exin it. What is orbital revolution?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the ratio of the forces exerted by masses on each other. Let me exin simply. Aquaz, if you and I were to grab each other¡¯s arms and spin around with pure strength, who would be the center of rotation?¡± ¡°Um¡­ it would be you, Ketal.¡± Ketal¡¯s strength was greater than Aquaz¡¯s. If they exerted force and spun, Aquaz¡¯s body would naturally revolve around Ketal. ¡°It¡¯s the same. A massive object has an inherent pulling force. The sun is thergest and most powerful star, so the surrounding stars revolve around it ordingly.¡± ¡°So, this star doesn¡¯t get pulled into the sun because¡­¡± ¡°This star also has a pulling force. Even if I pull you towards me, if you resist, we maintain a certain distance, merely rotating around each other. It¡¯s the same concept.¡± ¡°Aha. I see.¡± Aquaz was impressed. It sounded usible. She looked at Baker. ¡°Is Ketal correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Baker didn¡¯t answer. His face was stiff. Aquaz was puzzled. ¡°Baker?¡± ¡°Uh, uh. He might be right¡­¡± Baker recalled what he had learned. He realized that Ketal¡¯s exnation was urate. ¡°Hmm. Seems correct.¡± Ketal muttered as if he found it curious. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure since he was exining using the principles from Earth. He couldn¡¯t be certain if this world operated under the same rules. But based on the conversation, it seemed simr. ¡°The Sun God, huh.¡± The great Sun God. What rtionship does this deity have with the sun? ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal became intrigued by the gods. Meanwhile, Baker couldn¡¯t hide his shock. ¡®How on earth¡­¡¯ The information Ketal had just exined was something that even the Starrail School, with its vast knowledge of stars, required long years of education to understand. For an outsider, a barbarian, to know such precise information was unbelievable. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ fine.¡¯ Even if this barbarian had knowledge, it didn¡¯t matter. He was still superior. The lovestruck young man reassured himself. ¡®I¡¯m still¡­ superior, right?¡¯ But the confidence he once had was no longer as strong as it used to be. [PR/N: This what happens when u in love man ??] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 160 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (7) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 160: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (7) This barbarian was special. He was recognized by a god and could handle holy relics. He was also an excellent cook and possessed knowledge that only a highly educated person could have. ¡®Is he really a barbarian?¡¯ If not for his appearance, one might mistake him for a schr who had practiced self-discipline for a long time. ¡°Here, take this.¡± When it was time to eat, Ketal handed Baker a bowl of stew filled with rich, dark brown meat. Baker, driven by pride, wanted to refuse. However, his hands epted the bowl willingly. Ketal¡¯s cooking was too delicious to turn down. Baker felt a pang of self-loathing. ¡®¡­No!¡¯ He tried to pull himself together. He still had the upper hand over the barbarian. ¡®I can use magic!¡¯ He could wield the mystical power that the barbarian couldn¡¯t. Magicians used magic, and barbarians wielded weapons. It was an obvious fact, but Baker needed to believe in his own superiority. But that belief soon shattered. They moved directly towards their destination, sometimes passing through forests. Late at night, they prepared to sleep in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the sounds of insects. Aquaz frowned slightly. ¡°¡­There are quite a lot of insects.¡± Given the warm weather, the forest was teeming with insects of all sizes, enough to obstruct their vision. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Aquaz was about to pray to the Sun God to create a barrier against the insects when Ketal stopped her. ¡°No, leave it to me.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Pardon?¡± Ketal began to take out catalysts from his pouch. As Aquaz and Baker watched, their eyes widened. Ketal was meticulously using the catalysts to create a barrier. Baker couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°¡­Alchemy?¡± As he finished speaking, a breeze began to rise around them. The gentle wind drove the insects away from their area. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s done. I used alchemy to create a wind barrier. Small insects won¡¯t be able to fly through it. Plus, the cool breeze will help us sleepfortably.¡± ¡°T-Thank you. But you can use alchemy too?¡± Aquaz was genuinely surprised. Ketal responded as if it were nothing. ¡°Just at an apprentice level. It¡¯s not that great.¡± ¡°Even so¡­ it¡¯s impressive.¡± Aquaz found it fascinating that a barbarian could use alchemy. Baker, on the other hand, swallowed hard. ¡®H-how.¡¯ While Aquaz was simply amazed, Baker couldn¡¯t let it go. He was a magician. He knew how challenging it was to reach even an apprentice level in magic, how much perseverance it required. Many aspirants at the magic tower failed to be even apprentices. Reaching an apprentice level in magic was impossible without serious dedication and long-term study. Although the alchemy Ketal disyed wasn¡¯t impressive to an extraordinary magician like him, the fact that a barbarian could handle mysticism at all was a huge shock. Even if the barbarian possessed some mystical ability, he had thought it was negligible. He couldn¡¯t imagine the barbarian had studied magic seriously. At most, he believed the barbarian might know a bit about physical enhancement. ¡°¡­¡± Baker fell silent. His final belief in his superiority, knowing the great art of magic, had been shattered. ¡®¡­Am I really superior to this barbarian?¡¯ He was a magician. Objectivelyparing himself to Ketal, he realized there was no clear advantage. ¡®No, no!¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be. He couldn¡¯t ept being inferior to a barbarian. Baker desperately tried to find a w in Ketal. ¡®¡­Yes!¡¯ After all, he was still a barbarian. No matter how knowledgeable, magically skilled, divinely recognized, or good at cooking he was, his fundamental nature wouldn¡¯t change. Though he might be hiding his barbaric nature, he wouldn¡¯t be able to conceal itpletely. Eventually, he would reveal his brutality. Baker was convinced of this. And soon, an opportunity arose. *** ¡°G-give us your money.¡± ¡°And your food too.¡± Bandits appeared, blocking their way. Naturally, they posed no threat. Among them were three individuals with strength surpassing that of any superhuman in the nation. A mere handful of bandits could be dispatched with a flick of a finger. However, Aquaz groaned. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The bandits wore tattered clothes. Their bodies were covered in grime, likely from not having bathed for a long time, and their limbs were so thin that they seemed tock any flesh. The weapons they brandished were crude spears made from roughly carved wood. Their appearance clearly did not suggest they had be bandits by choice. ¡°What should we do?¡± In response to Ketal¡¯s question, Aquaz sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s subdue them first.¡± A golden light enveloped her body. Realizing they had picked the wrong target, the bandits tried to flee in panic, but they were all captured. The golden bindings restrained the bandits and forced them to kneel. ¡°They don¡¯t look like typical bandits.¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably refugees who couldn¡¯t endure exploitation and fled.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal nodded in understanding. They seemed to be like the residents of the vige he had stayed in while heading to the sacred grounds of Kalosia, which had been plundered by bandits. ¡°There are many like them?¡± ¡°Quite a few.¡± Refugees driven from viges had little chance of leading normal lives. The vige Ketal had seen was among the top 1% of refugee settlements. Most refugees, even if they formed viges, copsed under various harsh conditions and became bandits like these. ¡°So what should we do with them?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Aquaz pondered. ¡°Until now, whenever we encountered bandits or marauders, we executed them on the spot without question.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Oh? Really?¡± ¡°They dared to hide under the great sun, fleeing thew andmitting evil. There was no reason to show mercy.¡± Aquaz spoke calmly, as if it were a matter of course. There was no guilt about killing. Ketal smiled. This world was a medieval fantasy. Human rights were not of great importance here. ¡°But¡­ these aren¡¯t people who became bandits by choice.¡± While Aquaz was lost in thought, Baker spoke up. ¡°In the end, they¡¯re still bandits, right?¡± Being weak didn¡¯t make one righteous. These people were still bandits who attacked others and stole their goods. ¡°Isn¡¯t there no need to feel burdened about it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Aquaz, you¡¯re too soft-hearted. We¡¯re the victims here, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Aquaz fell silent. Baker¡¯s gaze then shifted to Ketal. ¡®Speak, barbarian!¡¯ Say that you will take their heads! Barbarians, who love battle and thirst for blood. Those who cannot forgive anyone who raises a weapon against them and must kill them. That¡¯s what barbarians in this world were. Baker was convinced Ketal would see this as a good opportunity and would want to kill the bandits himself. When Ketal made his move, Baker nned to intervene, calling him barbaric. The n wasplete. Baker¡¯s eyes said it all. Go ahead, barbarian. Say that you will kill them! ¡°Hmm. Ketal, what do you think?¡± Unable to decide, Aquaz asked Ketal. Ketal responded. ¡°Is there any need to kill them? Their lives are precious.¡± ¡°As expected of a barbarian, you¡¯re so savage¡­ huh?¡± Baker, who had been ready to criticize, tilted his head. ¡®Did I hear that wrong?¡¯ ¡°What did you say?¡± Ketal kindly repeated himself. ¡°These are precious lives as well. Though we are victims, we didn¡¯t suffer any significant harm, so there¡¯s no need to kill them.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Baker stuttered. Of course, that was Baker¡¯s own belief as well. He had grown up in the magic tower, nevercking for anything. Recognized for his exceptional talent, he had received much support from a young age, and so had the magicians around him. As such, he didn¡¯t understand the harshness of the world well. When he first went out into the world with Aquaz, he was shocked by the cruel reality and helped many suffering and poor people. Baker was fundamentally a kind-hearted person who could sympathize with others¡¯ pain. But that was something Baker should say, not Ketal. ¡°R-really? But isn¡¯t there no need to keep them alive? Even if we spare them, won¡¯t they just continue living as thieves?¡± ¡°On the contrary, there¡¯s no need to kill them. We can just impose some restrictions on them, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Is it our job to deal with such bothersome tasks?¡± Baker tried to coax Ketal into saying he would kill them. That way, Baker could use him of being barbaric. But Ketal never said what Baker wanted to hear. Baker was almost going crazy trying to get Ketal to reveal his true nature. As Baker desperately tried to say something, he noticed a gaze and closed his mouth. Aquaz was looking at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Mr. Baker? Why are you so intent on killing them?¡± ¡°¡­What? No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Baker hastily looked at the thieves. They were trembling and staring at him with pale faces. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Baker realized toote. In his attempt to paint Ketal as a viin, he ended up looking like the one insisting on killing the thieves. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I agree with your point. They mightmit more crimes even if we spare them. Aquaz, can you impose restrictions on them to prevent them frommitting any more thefts?¡± ¡°Yes, I can.¡± ¡°Then, please go ahead. I will provide them with enough money to settle elsewhere. Is that eptable?¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­.¡± Baker nodded weakly, knowing that if he said any more, he would just look like the one eager to kill the thieves. Aquaz ced restrictions on the thieves, and Ketal handed them some money. The thieves wept with gratitude. ¡°¡­You are quite merciful.¡± Aquaz looked at Ketal with a surprised expression. Ketal was not your typical barbarian. He had a friendly rtionship with the devotee of a god and approached her warmly. He helped them without expecting anything in return. But he did so because he considered them friends. Some barbarians were very kind to their friends. In contrast, these thieves had initially been hostile towards Ketal. There was no reason for him to be kind to them. Baker¡¯s words were harsh but not incorrect. Yet Ketal chose to spare them, which was quite unexpected. ¡°I am not a good person.¡± ¡°If this isn¡¯t good, then I don¡¯t know what is. You should give yourself more credit.¡± Aquaz smiled warmly. But Ketal muttered with a strange expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± He knew he was not a good person. He knew it better than anyone. Ketal didn¡¯t bother to correct Aquaz¡¯s misunderstanding. The thieves were tearfully preparing to leave, continuously expressing their gratitude. Baker cautiously asked. ¡°Is there any magical help you need? I can help too.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! We¡¯re really sorry!¡± The thieves, who had been crying with gratitude in front of Ketal and Aquaz, trembled and begged in front of Baker. ¡°¡­.¡± The situation had turned outpletely opposite to what Baker had intended. Baker felt like crying. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 161 – Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (8) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 161: The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Tower (8) They continued their journey. After several days had passed and they were nearing their destination, Baker spoke to Ketal. ¡°Let¡¯s spar.¡± ¡°Spar?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Both Ketal and Aquaz looked puzzled at the sudden suggestion. Baker, with a serious expression, exined. ¡°We¡¯ll soon arrive at our destination. Once there, we¡¯ll assess the situation and move to resolve the problem.¡± In the process, they would face a sh. The existence of the Forbidden Land. The primates living and breathing in the depths of the ocean. ¡°We don¡¯t know how strong they are.¡± If the beings of the Forbidden Land were truly entrenched there, their strength was an unknown variable. Given that contact with the city of mermaids had beenpletely severed, it implied they had enough power to control an entire city. There was a high probability that at least superhuman-level strength would be needed. ¡°While we¡¯re grateful for you joining us to help¡­ from this point on, we won¡¯t be able to protect you.¡± Hence, there was a need to gauge Ketal¡¯s strength. ¡°Prove it to me. Show me that you¡¯re a strong warrior who doesn¡¯t need our help.¡± Baker dered. At first, Aquaz tried to dissuade him, but then she held her tongue. Baker¡¯s words were reasonable. Although she knew Ketal¡¯s strength, Baker did not. With the unknown dangers ahead, it was necessary to understand the nature and quality of his power. There was ample justification. ¡°What will you do?¡± Baker smiled grimly. The reason he proposed the sparring was partly due to what he had said, but there was arger reason behind it. He wanted to see that barbarian flustered or frightened. He wanted to see that rxed expression crumble and hear him stammer. Baker had no doubt he would win. Because he was a superhuman-level magician. There was no way a barbarian who couldn¡¯t wield magic could win. Even if he had divine power, relying solely on holy relics was meaningless. Even if they started the sparring in close quarters, he was confident he could toy with him from start to finish. Of course, there were many oddities that made it hard to believe he was just a weak barbarian who didn¡¯t know magic¡­. But in his current state, Baker couldn¡¯t think that far. The thought of somehow denting Ketal¡¯s pride dominated his mind. ¡®I must seem disgustingly petty, even to myself.¡¯ Baker gave a bitter smile. He was a magician. A person who could make objective judgments. Therefore, he knew better than anyone how petty his actions were. Yet, he found it hard to stop. He desperately wanted to confirm that he was superior to this barbarian. ¡°You can refuse. If you do, you¡¯ll just be excluded from the battle. It¡¯s not a bad thing; you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Baker thought Ketal would refuse. Common sense dictated he wouldn¡¯t ept. And he would be satisfied with that. He wanted to see the barbarian¡¯s fluster and confirm that this barbarian wasn¡¯t perfect. That was why he proposed the sparring. But Ketal had no reason to refuse. ¡°A sparring match? That sounds great! I¡¯ll ept.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Baker stammered, his grim expression giving way to surprise. ¡°You¡¯ll ept?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Having the opportunity to spar with a superhuman-level magician from the Magic Tower wasn¡¯t something Ketal would refuse. He was grateful that something he had secretly wished for was being offered to him directly. ¡°So, what about the rules? Is it until one side admits defeat?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s prepare right away. I saw an open space along the way. We can do it there.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal moved with a cheerful smile. Watching his retreating figure, Baker mumbled stupidly. ¡°¡­What?¡± * * * Ketal and Baker stood apart, with an open space between them. Baker, having regained hisposure, gathered his mana. ¡®Alright.¡¯ Though things had taken an unexpected turn, this wasn¡¯t bad. He would just need to show his overwhelming strength and make him admit defeat. Aquaz approached Baker with a worried expression. ¡°Mr. Baker, are you sure about this?¡± Baker smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aquaz. I¡¯ll control my strength.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± I¡¯m worried about you. Aquaz swallowed her words with difficulty. She sighed softly and stepped back to give them space. ¡°The rules are simple. If you feel you¡¯ve lost, dere defeat. We¡¯ll stop the battle immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re really doing this? Seriously?¡± ¡°I said, understood.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. There wasn¡¯t a hint of anxiety or tension in his expression. Baker was bewildered by his overly rxed attitude. Ketal didn¡¯t seem like someone who was ignorant of the difference in their power. ¡®¡­Does he have some hidden trick?¡¯ He started to feel increasingly uneasy. Aquaz announced, ¡°Then, begin.¡± ¡°Hup!¡± Baker swung his hand forcefully. The school of magic he belonged to was the Starrail School, which looked to the stars. Among those stars, this continent was also included. Rumble! The trees on the outskirts of the clearing were uprooted and flew towards Ketal. Ketal clenched his fist. ¡°Veil of Light, surround me.¡± With a short prayer, a golden veil spread out from Ketal. A great divine barrier that blocked external attacks. It unfolded in the barbarian¡¯s hand. Baker bared his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s not enough!¡± Rumble! The trees violently struck the divine barrier. Cracks quickly spread across it. Unable to withstand the assault, the barrier shattered. Crash! Ketal leapt to evade. Baker swung his hand again. The trees mmed into the ground, cutting off Ketal¡¯s retreat. Baker stomped his foot. The ground around Ketal began to copse, pulling him into the earth as if it were a sand trap. ¡°Hah!¡± Baker smiled confidently. As expected, the barbarian¡¯s strength was nothing special. There was no need for him to worry. Before long, Ketal¡¯s lower body was swallowed by the ground. Baker nned to show off his power and then stop. His goal was to demonstrate the gap in their strength. He had no intention of injuring him. ¡°Hmm.¡± Then Ketal clenched his fist. ¡°It seems the holy power of a relic is insufficient to block a superhuman-level attack.¡± He mmed his fist into the sinking ground. Boom! A tremendous roar erupted. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Debris flew in all directions. Baker, startled, protected himself with a magical barrier. Rumble¡­. As the debris settled, Baker couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A gigantic hole had formed in the ground. It was muchrger than the one he had been creating,rge enough to be called a smallke. ¡°You wield a fascinating power.¡± Ketal smiled broadly as he looked at Baker. Shivers ran down Baker¡¯s spine. He hastily swung his hand again. ¡°Source of the star buried deep in the earth! Rise!¡± ng! Metal that had been buried deep in the ground pierced through to the surface, aiming to bind Ketal¡¯s entire body like wire. ¡°Oh! You can do this too!¡± Ketal swung his arms in amazement. The wires snapped and shattered like twigs. ¡°D-Damn it!¡± Baker kept trying to overwhelm Ketal. But all his efforts and attempts were easily thwarted by simple punches. Aquaz watched with a knowing expression. She had expected this. There was no way Ketal, who had even overpowered the Demon of Gravitas, would struggle against such straightforward attacks. Rumble! Baker felt like he was losing his mind. His great magic was being effortlessly destroyed in front of the barbarian. As Ketal shattered the whirling wind bullets, he waved his hand. ¡°Hmm. Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± Ketal looked at Baker. In that moment, Baker genuinely felt threatened. It was like a ravenous beast drooling right in front of him. He shouted, [Oh stars beyond, I open a space here for your realm to take root!] ¡°Huh?¡± Aquaz, who had been watching quietly, was shocked. A massive power was gathering in Baker. It was clear to anyone that this was beyond a simple sparring match. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± She hurriedly tried to stop him, but Baker wasn¡¯t in a state to listen. [Let the harsh environment descend upon this star!] And space opened up. Crack. The space began to freeze. Frost formed in the air, and the wind solidified and fell. It was an extreme cold. A temperature close to absolute zero. The environment of a frozen star somewhere far beyond rushed towards Ketal. ¡°This is bad!¡± No matter how strong Ketal was, a direct hit from that force could be dangerous. Aquaz hurriedly tried to intervene and drew her mace. ¡°Impressive!¡± Ketal stepped forward with a smile. He tensed his arms and swung them. Boom! A st of wind erupted from his punch. It ruthlessly dispersed the extreme cold from the distant star. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Baker muttered dumbfoundedly. At the same time, Ketal grabbed his head. Bang! Baker¡¯s body was mmed into the ground. Aquaz was horrified. ¡°K-Ketal!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± It was Ketal, the attacker, who looked surprised. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t the magician dodge this?¡± The magicians Ketal had encountered so far had all responded to this speed. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the magician themselves but the power of reaction magic, but from Ketal¡¯s perspective, it was still surprising. Although he had reflexively held back his strength at thest moment, rendering Baker unconscious but not seriously injured. Aquaz was relieved that the sparring match had ended without major issues. ¡°Ketal is the winner.¡± ¡°Hmm. Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t expect him to be unable to react.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think a magician can react at that speed¡­ But it seems he¡¯s not seriously injured, so we just need to wait for him to wake up. It looks like we¡¯ll have to stay here for tonight.¡± They cleared the damaged forest and set up their camp. Sitting on a nket, Aquaz looked at Ketal with awe. ¡°You are incredibly strong.¡± Given that he had toyed with the Demon of Gravitas, it was a foregone conclusion that Ketal would overwhelm Baker. Aquaz was once again amazed by his strength. Where are this barbarian¡¯s limits? And Ketal was equally astonished. ¡°The Starrail School, huh. Does it require a lot of preparation for the incantations?¡± ¡°Yes. Since it involves bringing the power of an external star, the magical preparation is quite extensive. It¡¯s broad in scope and highly powerful.¡± ¡°An external star.¡± Ketal muttered with a curious expression. An external star, meaning those that shine beyond the sky. The magic Baker had used opened a space and summoned the environment of a star somewhere in the universe to this ce. ¡®Is such a thing possible?¡¯ Summoning the environment of a star at an immeasurable distance. As a modern man, Ketal understood how extraordinary that was. What is magic? Where are its limits? He felt an intense fascination and curiosity about magic. ¡®Maybe I should visit the Magic Tower next time.¡¯ They had said that with artifacts, he could handle magic. Ketalughed joyfully. This world truly brought him joy. Aquaz, looking at the unconscious Baker, muttered. ¡°¡­I feel somewhat sorry. Please don¡¯t hold too much against him. He probably just wanted to impress me.¡± ¡°Is there any reason to hate him?¡± A magician who left the Magic Tower for the first time, in love, doing anything to make a good impression. It was amusing to Ketal, as it was the first time he had seen such a case. To Ketal, it was rather endearing. ¡°Love is also something that must exist in stories. To be the protagonist of such passionate feelings, you must feel good.¡± ¡°I appreciate his affection, but I cannot ept his feelings.¡± Aquaz spoke with a sigh. It wasn¡¯t about liking or disliking him. ¡°I am a follower of the Sun God. My remaining life belongs entirely to Him.¡± Love or affection held no value for her. And Ketal looked at her with a peculiar expression. ¡°You¡¯ve dedicated your remaining life to the Sun God?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aquaz spoke calmly. ¡°I am the property of the Sun God. My own emotions or thoughts are of no importance.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal smiled. He noticed the contradiction in her words but chose not to point it out. ¡°Believe in whatever brings you peace.¡± That too would be a source of enjoyment for Ketal. And a few hourster, Baker woke up. Ketal apologized to the dazed man who had just regained consciousness. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t control my strength properly.¡± ¡°¡­Did I lose?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Baker hung his head in gloom. * * * After that, Baker waspletely deted. He followed them silently, with a depressed look on his face. Aquaz looked at him with pity. Their journey continued without any major issues. Baker, perhaps having fully acknowledged Ketal, said nothing more. Finally, they arrived at the coastal city. ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal marveled. A vast sea stretched to the horizon. It was a magnificent sight. But the sea was very quiet. Despite the sun being high in the sky, not a single ship was in sight, and there were no fish to be seen. Only small boats could be seen from a distance at the dock. A silent fantasy sea spread out before him. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 162 – A city by the sea (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 162: A City by the Sea (1) It lived under the sea. Living in a cold, deep, and dark ce where not even a ray of light could reach, it believed its small world was everything, like a frog in a well. But one day, It realized. When what had existed since the beginning perished on the surface, the constraints that had once confined it disappeared. The narrow well shattered to pieces. * * * A vast sea spread before them to the horizon. Baker looked incredibly moved. Seeing the sea for the first time, he was naturally overwhelmed by its vastness. Ketal, too, murmured in awe. ¡°This is my first time seeing the sea.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve never seen the sea before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, there was the sea on Earth. There was the sea in the white snowy field, but that ce was a Forbidden Land, so it didn¡¯t count. To be precise, it was his first time seeing the sea in a fantasy world. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look much different from the sea on Earth.¡¯ But thinking of it as a fantasy sea made it feel different. Ketal looked at the sea with a delighted face, while Aquaz looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡®First time seeing the sea?¡¯ Ketal was a barbarian from the white snowy field. And the white snowy field was connected to the sea. From Aquaz¡¯s perspective, Ketal¡¯s im of seeing the sea for the first time was a bit hard to understand. ¡®¡­Maybe he¡¯s never been to the part of the white snowy field that connects to the sea?¡¯ The white snowy field was extremely vast. Aquaz concluded that Ketal must not have reached the area where the sea was. They approached the seaside city. As they got closer, Ketal¡¯s face lit up with joy at the deepening scent of the sea. When they reached the city¡¯s entrance, they encountered the guards. ¡°Who goes there!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Aquaz greeted politely. ¡°I am Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God. We havee to help upon hearing that the city is in danger.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°Inquisitor?¡± The guards¡¯ eyes widened. Aquaz introduced Baker. ¡°This is Mr. Baker, a magician from the Tower of Magic.¡± ¡°¡­A magician from the Tower of Magic.¡± The guards¡¯ eyes widened even more. ¡°And this is the barbarian Ketal.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The guards momentarily stiffened. They looked at them with bewildered eyes. ¡°Uh¡­ we¡¯ll inform the lord immediately.¡± They ran into the city in a hurry. Watching their retreating figures, Ketal murmured. ¡°They seem flustered.¡± ¡°Of course they do.¡± Aquaz gave a wry smile. An Inquisitor, a magician, and a barbarian¡ªa rather unusualbination, she thought. It wasn¡¯t long before the guards returned. ¡°The lord wishes to see you. Pleasee in.¡± They entered the city. Aquaz, looking around, murmured in surprise. ¡°It looks better than I expected. No, it looks prosperous¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. I thought the situation wouldn¡¯t be good.¡± The presence of the Forbidden Land had taken over the sea. The city¡¯s primary means of trade had been blocked. Given that goods were not moving properly, Aquaz expected the internal situation to be bad, but it was the opposite. There were no vagrants in sight, the citizens looked cheerful. Their clothes were clean, and the buildings were well-maintained. There wasn¡¯t a single piece of trash on the streets, and the smell of food wafted from everywhere. It looked more prosperous than the capital of most kingdoms. They entered the lord¡¯s castle, puzzled. And they met the lord. Aquaz, upon meeting the lord, spoke with a peculiar expression. ¡°You seem to be a benevolent person.¡± ¡°H, hahaha.¡± The lord was three times the size of Aquaz. He wiped the sweat from his plump cheeks with a forced smile. ¡°Nice, nice to meet you. I am Dorban Vulcan, the lord of the Vulcan territory.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God.¡± ¡°Pl, please, have a seat over here.¡± The lord guided them to the sofas in the reception room. He tried to appear calm, but his voice trembled. Sitting on the sofa, Aquaz spoke. ¡°Despite the unfavorable situation, your territory seems very prosperous. Your governance must be excellent.¡± It was a formal greeting. There wasn¡¯t any particr meaning behind it. However, the lord trembled. He had a face as if something had pricked him. ¡°Is that so? Thank you foring all this way to help us.¡± The lord desperately wiped the sweat streaming down his face. He looked extremely flustered, and with good reason. ¡®What is going on!¡¯ The lord screamed internally. Of course, it was true that he had sought external help because there were problems in the city. But the help he had hoped for was at most some knights or soldiers from the kingdom. But for an Inquisitor of the Sun God toe! They were a powerful force, but also an equally terrifying one. The Sun God¡¯s Church was currently the most influential church on the continent. The Earth Goddess¡¯s Church also had significant influence, but in terms of sheer power, the Sun God¡¯s Church was the greatest. And Inquisitors were the most radical faction within the Sun God¡¯s Church, judging heretics and burning the enemies of the church. Their authority within the church was immense. If Aquaz judged him a heretic, the Sun God¡¯s Church would immediately send troops. They would burn the territory to the ground and exterminate his entire family. All such acts would be summarized in one line: Judging the heretics of the Sun God. Of course, there would be many political repercussions afterward, but the Inquisitors had that much authority. A single wrong word could lead to the destruction of his territory. ¡®And a magician from the Tower of Magic!¡¯ The Tower of Magic, where all the great magicians gathered. The magicians of the tower had a strong sense of camaraderie towards their school. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Any rudeness could lead to the entire school bing hostile to the city. In the past, there was a lord who mistreated and despised a magician from the tower. The school was outraged upon learning this. And the lord¡¯s territory received no rain. The drought persisted until the lord personally went to the tower to beg for forgiveness. It was a massive overreach, but the kingdom remained silent. It was too foolish to antagonize the school of the Tower of Magic over a single territory. Both were members of groups with enormous power. Even as individuals, they were extraordinary warriors that the kingdom could scarcely match. They were too much for the lord of a small city to handle. His territorycked the backing of a Sword Master like Barkan territory. A single mistake could lead to the destruction of his territory, so he couldn¡¯t help but tremble like a leaf. ¡®And what¡¯s with this barbarian¡­?¡¯ And between the two stood a barbarian. Barbarians did not acknowledge the existence of gods and denied them. Naturally, the believers who served the gods were enemies to the barbarians. Magicians were not much different. They, who pursued knowledge and the secrets of magic, were merely weak, skinny beings to the barbarians. The two groups that had the worst rtionship with the barbarians. Yet here was a barbarian with an Inquisitor and a magician. No matter how he thought about it, it was strange. ¡®Does this barbarian have something too?¡¯ Each one of them had greater influence than the lord himself. Naturally, his gaze shifted to the barbarian. The barbarian was looking at him with an interested face. A strange sense of pressure filled the space. At first, the lord thought the pressure came from the Inquisitor and the magician, but upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t. It was the barbarian¡¯s pressure. The lord shrank back as if he were sitting opposite a beast. ¡®What is this guy?¡¯ The lord had seen barbarians before, but this one was different in quality. He didn¡¯t even seem like the same species. Comparing as pure individuals, the barbarian in front of him was scarier than the Inquisitor or the magician. Moreover, it was a barbarian. A being with whom conversations were pointless. If a problem arose, he could at least talk and negotiate with the Inquisitor or the magician. They could somehow solve it through dialogue. But not with a barbarian. They preferred axes and fists to words. At any moment, the barbarian could mockingly call him a fat pig and swing an axe at him. The lord had experienced such treatment from a barbarian before, so he couldn¡¯t help but be terrified. ¡°Th-this person is¡­¡± ¡°A barbarian. Ketal. Please take care of me.¡± Ketal bared his teeth. ¡°Eek!¡± The lord shrieked. Aquaz gave a bitter smile. ¡°He won¡¯t harm you. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°I-Is that so¡­¡± The lord¡¯s face didn¡¯t show much trust in Aquaz¡¯s words. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such an attitude.¡¯ Even in conversation, the lord continued to be wary and fearful. This hadn¡¯t happened in the Holy Land of Kalosia. Ketal found it refreshing after a long time. ¡°Rx. Anyone would think I¡¯m going to eat you.¡± Ketal tried to lighten the mood with a joke. ¡°Haha¡­¡± The lordughed dryly with a pale face. Ketal tilted his head. ¡°I made a joke, but he seems even more scared. Was my joke wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more that your demeanor doesn¡¯t make it sound like a joke.¡± Aquaz said, soothingly. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to be so afraid. He¡¯s a very reasonable person. I, Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God, vouch for him. He won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± ¡°I-Is that so¡­¡± ¡°I feel like some kind of beast.¡± ¡°If I made you ufortable, I apologize.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. I know I don¡¯t look very friendly.¡± Ketal spoke leisurely. And the lord watched with a perplexed expression. ¡®What is this?¡¯ An Inquisitor and a barbarian were having a friendly conversation. It was hard to believe even while seeing it. ¡®¡­And what¡¯s with that magician?¡¯ Now that he looked, the magician was squatting. He seemed visiblycking in confidence. He kept ncing at the barbarian as if he was watching his every move. ¡®¡­A magician is watching a barbarian?¡¯ An Inquisitor of the Sun God, who should judge heretics and reject those who deny the gods, was defending a barbarian who denied the gods and hated believers. A magician, who pursued knowledge and despised barbarians, was watching the barbarian¡¯s every move.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om What was this? It seemed as if the barbarian was leading the two superhuman beings. The lord felt dizzy. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 163 – A city by the sea (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 163: A City by the Sea (2) Aquaz spoke calmly. ¡°Then, could you tell us the situation?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes.¡± The lord hastily collected his thoughts and expressed his gratitude. ¡°First of all, thank you once again. Thank you foring all this way to help us. I will surely reward you in the future.¡± After all, they hade all this way to help him. They were good people. The lord wiped his sweat and got to the point. ¡°There was a city of mermaids near the sea by our city. We had maintained contact with them for generations.¡± ¡°Was there any problem?¡± ¡°Of course not. Who would be foolish enough to antagonize mermaids in a seaside city? Anyone that stupid couldn¡¯t survive by the sea.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal raised an eyebrow. It was a peculiar tone, as if implying that they shouldn¡¯t upset the mermaids. Ketal, curious, asked, ¡°It seems you have a good rtionship with the mermaids. You don¡¯t make them ves or anything, right?¡± Everyone present made an aghast expression at his words. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The lord spoke with a face that said this made no sense. ¡°Who in their right mind would do such a thing?¡± ¡°Is that so? I heard there are cases of elves being taken as ves, so I thought it might be the same with mermaids. But it seems not.¡± ¡°That, that could never be the case. Mermaids are different from elves.¡± Elves lived onnd like humans. Since their activity areas ovepped, they had many points of contact. And thend was practically dominated by humans. Elves, with their beautiful appearance and unchanging youth, were extremely attractive to humans, so humans had been capturing elves and enving them for a long time. Even when elves tried to retaliate, humans lived in groups protected by city walls, making attacks difficult. And even if they somehow managed to attack, they would face double the retaliation. Moreover, elves were a forest-dwelling race. If the entire forest was burned down, there was nothing the elves could do. In the rtionship between humans and elves, elves were at a disadvantage. This wasn¡¯t just the case for elves. Any race that lived onnd, like elves or dwarves, would suffer losses to humans. Ketal whistled after hearing the exnation. ¡°What a terrible race.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t deny it from their perspective.¡± Aquaz gave a bitter smile. Although it was now forbidden to enve other races, it was more like turning a blind eye. There were still many humans who secretly enved elves. Elves and dwarves had every reason to resent humans. But it was different for mermaids. Though they were as beautiful as elves, their fish tails made them less attractive. They lived deep in the sea, making them hard to capture. Above all, mermaids were a sea-dwelling race, notnd-dwellers. Humans had conquered thend, but they couldn¡¯t do anything about the sea. If mermaids decided to hold a grudge and started attacking ships, humans would be helpless. In fact, in the past, there was a superhuman who became infatuated with mermaids. He captured mermaids and kept them in a small Aquarium as decorations. At first, the mermaids endured, but when he eventually captured the mermaid princess, the mermaids began to antagonize humanity as a whole. From that point on, humans couldn¡¯t sail their ships. The moment they ventured into the sea, they were all attacked and sunk by mermaids. The sea had always been an important trade route. When it was blocked, humans panicked and tried to fight back. But since mermaids lived deep in the sea, retaliation was difficult. In the end, the situation was resolved only by sacrificing the superhuman to the mermaids. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. A superhuman was a rare and special existence in the kingdom. The fact that they had to be sacrificed showed that there was no other way to deal with the situation. ¡°After that, we made an agreement with them. We¡¯ve been living without major issues ever since.¡± Humans received help from mermaids for fishing, and mermaids received goods from humans that were hard to make in the water. Their rtionship was equal, but humans tended to yield a bit more. ¡°I see.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. He had broken another fantasy stereotype. ¡®I should write this down in my notebook.¡¯ The lord, who had been watching Ketal with a puzzled expression, regained hisposure. ¡°Anyway¡­ we haven¡¯t had any major issues until now. But about a month ago, a problem arose.¡± All contact with the mermaids waspletely cut off. And none of the ships going out to sea returned. At first, they didn¡¯t know what the problem was. They even mistook it for the mermaids starting to antagonize them. They lost many ships trying to figure out the situation before they finally realized. A primate living in the deep sea was dominating the waters in front of their sea. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Pretty sure. The sole survivor said so. Though he lost his mind and became a wreck afterward.¡± The lord spoke bitterly. ¡°Moreover, when we checked the map, the location of that Forbidden Land wasn¡¯t far from here.¡± The lord himself realized thiste. Because the existence of the Forbidden Land didn¡¯te out into the open, there was no need to worry about it. But now, those beings had begun to show themselves towards the continent. For the lord, it was like a bolt from the blue. Baker, who had been silent, opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Have they nevere?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Baker¡¯s voice was so small that it was hard to hear. Baker squeezed out his words. ¡°H-Have they nevere?¡± ¡°Oh. They have not been seen in this territory. It seems they have settled around the mermaid city.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ that¡¯s strange. If the existence of the Forbidden Land had been released, they would be wandering the entire sea.¡± But as it stood, they were staying around the mermaid city. Since there were no reports of problems from other ces, that guess was probably correct. Aquaz frowned. ¡°Though it¡¯s fortunate, it¡¯s also a dangerous situation.¡± The fact that these foreign beings from the Forbidden Land weren¡¯t spreading across the continent through the sea was indeed fortunate. But it was also dangerous. The fact that they stayed in a specific area meant they were not mindless beasts. ¡°We can¡¯t know at this point.¡± What these primates wanted. Why were they staying in the mermaid city? And whether the mermaids were still alive. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] They couldn¡¯t know any of these things. Aquaz nodded. ¡°Alright. We will help you.¡± ¡°T-Thank you! Thank you!¡± The lord was moved and bowed deeply. Aquaz shook her head. ¡°It is only natural to help people in danger. You need not worry.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± The lord started to tear up from the emotion. Aquaz spoke. ¡°Then, can we secure a ship?¡± Ultimately, they had to sail out to sea to confirm things. Ketal showed interest. ¡°Oh. A ship. A ship.¡± A voyage towards the wide sea. Traveling the fantasy sea. Ketal¡¯s chest swelled with anticipation. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± But the lord had a hesitant expression. He sweated profusely and spoke in an apologetic manner. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s difficult at the moment. We barely have any ships left.¡± At first, they sent out many ships to check the situation without knowing anything, and none returned. The territory wasn¡¯t thatrge. Ships were very expensive, and it took a long time to build them. Building a single cargo ship could shake the territory¡¯s finances. All those ships had been destroyed. ¡°Then, how about a simple boat¡­.¡± ¡°It takes at least a few days by boat to reach the mermaid city. Moreover, the sea is quite rough, so it¡¯s only safe with a proper sailboat. While we do have a few ships left, if anything happens to them¡­.¡± They were nearing their limit. If even one more ship was destroyed, the territory wouldn¡¯t be able to cope. ¡°And it¡¯s hard to find sailors.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Navigational skills were essential for going out to sea. They needed to recruit sailors, including a helmsman and a navigator. But it was practically a suicide mission, so finding willing participants wasn¡¯t easy. Even with a superhuman, if the ship sank, there was nothing they could do. While Aquaz and Baker themselves might survive, the sailors would drown. Recruiting sailors was a task in itself. Aquaz groaned. ¡°It¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°W-We¡¯ve requested support from the kingdom. We¡¯re expecting to receive ships and supplies. Though¡­ it might take some time.¡± The fact that she hade here in the first ce showed that the kingdom wasn¡¯t providing much support. It was uncertain how long it would take. While Aquaz was pondering, Ketal spoke. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We could forcibly request ships and sailors from them, but it would cause problems for their livelihood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± ¡°At present, the existence of the Forbidden Land doesn¡¯t seem to be spreading through the sea. While we don¡¯t know what might happen, it means we have some leeway.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°It would be best to stay in the territory for now and assess the situation. Or we could go out and recruit people ourselves. There¡¯s no need to rush.¡± ¡®I¡¯d like to explore the city a bit too.¡¯ They hade all the way to this seaside city. He wanted to see how the people lived here and what kind of fantasy seafood there was. Though these thoughts influenced his words, the reasoning itself was quite logical. The lord¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®A barbarian is speaking logically?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Aquaz agreed. She made a decision. ¡°Then we¡¯ll stay in the territory for a while, assess the situation, and gather information. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°Of course! Stay as long as you like! I¡¯ll have a room prepared for you in the castle!¡± The lord¡¯s expression brightened as the conversation seemed to wrap up smoothly. He spoke in a much brighter tone than before. As they were being led to their rooms by a maid, Ketal suddenly turned his head as if he had remembered something. ¡°Ah. There¡¯s one more thing I¡¯m curious about. Can I ask?¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°The existence of the Forbidden Land has blocked the proper movement of goods. Correct?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a very difficult situation.¡± The lord nodded. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As a seaside city, most of their transactions were conducted via ship. With the sea blocked, it was a very unsettling situation. ¡°And it¡¯s been a month since it was blocked.¡± ¡°Yes. We pray every day for it to be resolved.¡± ¡°Hm. That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°P-Pardon?¡± Ketal stared at the lord with a curious expression. He seemed to be enjoying himself. ¡°Because despite that, the territory looks perfectly fine.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 164 – A city by the sea (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 164: A City by the Sea (3) A month had passed since the primates living in the deep sea took control of the area in front of the ocean. During that time, they couldn¡¯t properly use the sea. Since the city by the sea relies on the ocean for most of its goods, there should have been problems with supplies and food. However, the territory was in perfect order¡ªbetter than the capitals of most kingdoms. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ That¡¯s true,¡± Aquaz mumbled, as if she had just realized something. The lord visibly trembled. He desperately spat out, ¡°We had stockpiled supplies well in advance, so there are no immediate issues. We are still managing to procure goods throughnd routes.¡± ¡°Even so, using routes that aren¡¯t normally used must be quite expensive. It doesn¡¯t seem to be much of a burden though. You must have stockpiled quite a lot of capital.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡­¡± The lord¡¯s body trembled like a leaf in the wind. Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s all thanks to your excellent governance. It¡¯s a sincerepliment. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± The lord expressed his gratitude in a dying voice. Aquaz found the attitude strange but didn¡¯t say anything. Given the issue of the existence of the Forbidden Land, it didn¡¯t seem all that important. Ketal¡¯s party left the reception room. The lord, left alone, waited until the sound of footsteps faded away. Only whenplete silence fell did he finally copse in relief. ¡°I-I thought I was going to die¡­¡± He spat out the words as if he were vomiting. Despite his initial worries, the conversation itself had ended without problems. He had even received an offer of help, without any coercive demands. This was the best possible oue. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right.¡± The relieved lord suddenly snapped back to his senses. Ketal¡¯sst question¡ªthat had provoked a strong reaction for a reason. He was not in a position to be so confident with a follower of the gods. ¡°I need to make contact quickly,¡± The lord said, moving in a panic. * * * Ketal¡¯s party, guided to their room, gathered to discuss their future actions. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll be staying in this city for a while.¡± ¡°It seems so. As Ketal said, we should look around the city, gather information, and find people who can help us.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what we should do.¡± ¡°What about you, Ketal?¡± ¡°I n to do the same. I¡¯ll gather information while walking around.¡± Of course, his actual purpose was more for sightseeing. It was his first visit to a seaside city in a fantasy world, and he intended to enjoy it. Ketal smiled joyfully. Aquaz turned her gaze away. ¡°Then what about you, Baker?¡± ¡°M-me? I don¡¯t really have any ns¡­¡± He didn¡¯t share Aquaz¡¯s conviction to quell the continent¡¯s turmoil. He had simply followed Aquaz because he liked her and had no intention of acting actively. He just wanted to lie on a soft bed as soon as possible, since it had been a while since they were in a city. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal looked at Baker for a moment. ¡°I¡¯d like to get along with you.¡± It was the first time he¡¯d met a proper magician from a mage tower. Naturally, he wanted to get to know him better. There would be times in the future when he might need to visit the mage tower, and the more connections, the better. After a brief contemtion, Ketal made a decision. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any other ns, how about walking around the city with me?¡± ¡°W-what!¡± Baker jolted as if struck by electricity. ¡°You want to go together?¡± ¡°I understand that you may not have good feelings towards me,¡± Ketal said calmly. ¡°I get it. You might see me as an intruder in your journey with Aquaz. You might even dislike me because I¡¯m a barbarian. But from now on, we arerades who will fight together, risking our lives.¡± The existence of the Forbidden Land. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Its strength was unknown, but given that it had swallowed an entire city, it was likely at least superhuman. ¡°So, why don¡¯t we have an open conversation and resolve our feelings?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Aquaz agreed with Ketal¡¯s suggestion. She was also concerned about Ketal and Baker¡¯s rtionship. Since they would be fighting back-to-back, having a hostile rtionship would be detrimental. ¡°O-okay.¡± Baker stuttered. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not feeling that way now¡­¡± Indeed, he had been hostile towards Ketal initially because of Aquaz. But not anymore. In a duel with Ketal, Baker had been overwhelmingly defeated. He didn¡¯t even realize how he had fallen. When he realized that Ketal could kill him without him even noticing, Baker felt extreme fear. Though he had been traveling with Aquaz, as powerful as he was, he had never faced a threat to his life. This was the first time he truly felt the fear of death. It was overwhelming for a magician who had grown up pampered in the mage tower. At that moment, Baker was simply terrified of Ketal. The thought of moving around alone with him was unbearable. ¡°Uh, I¡­¡± He wanted to refuse immediately, but he was too scared. In the end, Baker held back his tears and nodded. ¡°A-alright¡­¡± ¡°Oh, thank you for understanding! I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Ketal said with a cheerfulugh. After that, they went out into the city. Aquaz decided to act alone, as there was no reason to stay together just to gather information. Ketal walked around the city with Baker. Naturally, they drew a lot of attention. People rubbed their eyes in disbelief, then backed away in fear once they realized what they were seeing. An empty space quickly formed around Ketal. ¡°W-where are we going?¡± Baker asked in a barely audible voice. All he wanted was to finish quickly and return to his bed. ¡°A tavern, of course. That¡¯s where we¡¯re going.¡± Ketal had already asked a servant for directions. His steps were light with anticipation. ¡®A tavern in a seaside city!¡¯ People of the sea were known to be extremely rough. What kind of happenings would ur in this tavern? It would likely be very noisy, and there might be brawls. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Ketal looked forward to it, feeling as if he were on a sightseeing trip. Baker, on the other hand, looked at him with a pale face. Ketal arrived at the tavern with high expectations, but the ce did not meet them. Sitting at a table, he mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s quiet.¡± Quite a few people were drinking, but it was very quiet. You could hear a pin drop. Ketal was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected situation but soon understood. ¡®Well, the mercenary guild was quiet too, so there¡¯s no reason for this ce to be noisy.¡¯ The mercenary guild in the Barkan territory had been very quiet as well. The stillness here felt simr to that. It was odd, but Ketal epted it. ¡®It¡¯s a fantasy tavern, so it might be different.¡¯ ¡°Is there some kind of legal restriction? It¡¯s very quiet.¡± Come to think of it, a constantly noisy tavern would be annoying for the nearby residents. Noise from neighbors had always been one of the biggest sources of stress. Satisfied with his newfound understanding, Ketal smiled. Meanwhile, Baker internally objected. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it.¡¯ Though it was his first time in a seaside tavern, he could tell that Ketal¡¯s reasoning was off. The patrons were ncing at Ketal nervously. Some even hastily paid their bills and hurriedly left. It was obvious that they were keeping quiet because they were wary of Ketal. Baker, as an objective magician, wanted to point out the facts, but he kept silent out of fear of Ketal. ¡®I should write this down in my notebook.¡¯ Ketal, having concluded that seaside taverns were quieter than expected, suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal since we¡¯re hungry.¡± Ketal ordered a dish, and soon a trembling waiter brought it out quickly. It was a stew with a whole fish cooked in seasoning. Baker frowned at the strong smell. He cautiously picked some fish meat and put it in his mouth. ¡°Ugh.¡± He gagged. It tasted extremely fishy, salty, and revolting¡ªlike garbage rather than food. Seafood spoiled quickly, making storage difficult. While magic could keep it fresh, that was a luxury for nobles. Commoners had to heavily salt their fish to preserve it, making it an acquired taste. Just like the ancient Roman garum fish sauce, it could be nauseating for those unustomed to it. Baker nced at Ketal, hoping he felt the same, but Ketal¡¯s reaction waspletely different. ¡°Oh, this is quite a taste.¡± Ketal was savoring the fish with a pleased expression. ¡°T-tasty?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Ketal ate more fish. Despite the strong, unpleasant vor, it felt special to him. No matter how bad or strange the taste, as long as it was a fantasy dish, it was enjoyable. Some people even liked trying new, bad-tasting foods for the experience, and Ketal was one of those types. ¡®It¡¯s better than the stuff I had on the White Snowfield.¡¯ Ancient fish sauces and salted fish from the Middle Ages might have tasted like this. Ketal smiled as he ate the fish. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Baker was merely poking at the food with his fork. He jumped when Ketal addressed him. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not hungry¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. I guess magicians have small stomachs. You should eat well to stay healthy.¡± ¡°R-right¡­ I¡¯ll eat.¡± Ketal¡¯s concern was genuine, but Baker, scared, quickly shoved more food into his mouth. The horrible taste of fish sauce filled his mouth, making him feel like he was drinking seawater. The long-fermented smell assaulted his nose, making him want to vomit. ¡°Ugh.¡± He barely held back his gag reflex, tears streaming down his face. ¡®How can he say this is okay while eating that?¡¯ Ketal¡¯s cooking was good enough for Baker to enjoy. Seeing him eat this disgusting dish happily was iprehensible. ¡®Has he lost his sense of taste?¡¯ Baker began to seriously doubt Ketal¡¯s taste buds. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 165 – A city by the sea (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 165: A City by the Sea (4) ¡°Ugh.¡± As he walked, Baker constantly fought the urge to vomit. It had been quite some time since he¡¯d eaten, but his stomach was still churning. After finishing his fish stew, Ketal ordered various other fish dishes. Baker managed to im he was full and only sampled a few bites, but even that was enough to upset his stomach. Ketal didn¡¯t stop there. He wandered around the vige, entering shops and buying assorted foods from street vendors. It looked like he was simply enjoying a tour of the city. ¡°What are you writing?¡± Baker, ncing at Ketal now and then, cautiously asked. ¡°Is this really how you gather information?¡± It seemed like they were wasting time. But Ketal looked at him as if he was talking nonsense. ¡°I¡¯ve already gathered plenty of information.¡± ¡°Wha- when?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been gathering it all along. What, didn¡¯t you notice? I thought you came along because you understood.¡± Ketal looked at Baker with a puzzled expression. Baker felt a pang of irritation. He didn¡¯t want to admit that the barbarian had noticed something he, a magician, hadn¡¯t. Baker asked challengingly. ¡°Wha- what did you find out? Tell me.¡± But his voice was meek. ¡°The fish stew we had at the tavern. The quality of the fish was very poor.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It was probably on the verge of spoiling.¡± While fermenting and drying fish can extend its shelf life, it was still fish. There were clear limits. ¡°They tried to mask it with a lot of fish sauce, but the quality was still too poor.¡± ¡°¡­You can tell that?¡± Baker couldn¡¯t believe it. The fish stew was smothered in fish sauce.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The smell and taste were so overpowering that it was hard to even taste the fish. And he could tell the freshness of the fish from that? Was that really possible for a human tongue? ¡°I ordered other fish dishes to confirm. There was no significant difference.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why you ordered so many dishes at the tavern?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Baker was speechless. He had thought Ketal¡¯s taste was so ruined that he genuinely enjoyed the dishes. Although that guess wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Ketal had indeed enjoyed the dishes. It just wasn¡¯t the only reason. ¡°The lord¡¯s statement that the sea was blocked was true.¡± The lord hadn¡¯t lied. The city¡¯s sea was being controlled by something. This was evident from the fish¡¯s freshness. ¡°But the meat and vegetables, food from thend, were fresh.¡± Ketal had eaten grilled meat and stir-fried vegetables from a street vendor. The freshness wasn¡¯t modern level, but it wasn¡¯t to the point where it was inedible. ¡°The number of livestock raised in this city is very small. Vegetables, too, are hard to grow on the coastal soil. This means they import supplies from outside.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I saw cart tracks on the roads. The tracks were quite deep, indicating that they carriedrge amounts of goods at once. This city receives ample supplies from outside.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± He could deduce that just from cart tracks? Baker¡¯s eyes widened. He quickly ran Ketal¡¯s words through his mind to check their credibility. As a result, he realized Ketal¡¯s deductions were probably correct. ¡°You weren¡¯t just sightseeing, huh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but I had to gather information too. I observed everything.¡± ¡®Though it was also fun.¡¯ It was wonderful when hobby and purpose aligned. Ketalughed cheerfully. Baker looked at him in astonishment. ¡°¡­Are you a detective on the side?¡± ¡°Just simple observation. It¡¯s not that hard.¡± No. Baker was a magician. Someone who made intuitive judgments about things. Because of this, he understood. The ability to make these kinds of observations wasn¡¯tmon even among magicians. Not just focusing on the visible phenomena but understanding why they happened, the environment causing them, and predicting the oues. To judge and deduce all of that and be close to the right answer was extremely difficult. Ordinary people focused only on the visible phenomena, without thinking beyond them. Simply put, Baker was an exceptional magician. Even he had been so distracted by Ketal¡¯s presence that he hadn¡¯t thought at all. But this barbarian did it effortlessly. ¡®¡­Why is someone like him a barbarian?¡¯ If he looked normal, he could be called a sage without it being strange. Baker stared at Ketal nkly. Finally, snapping out of it, he asked. ¡°But what does this have to do with getting a ship?¡± Their ultimate goal was a ship. Ketal¡¯s deductions were impressive, but they didn¡¯t seem directly rted to their objective. Ketal spoke leisurely, ¡°The fact that they can receive many supplies from outside means they have the capital to do so. But how does a coastal city, with its sea blocked, afford such capital?¡± The sea had been blocked for over a month now. A typical coastal city should have been impoverished by now. But aside from the poor quality of fish, this city was quite prosperous. It was a very strange situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t the lord say they had stocked up on supplies beforehand?¡± ¡°Are you saying a typical coastal city stocked enough supplies to remain prosperous for over a month?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Baker fell silent. Even he knew that made no sense. Ketalughed cheerfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact method¡­ but it¡¯s worth investigating. We might find a way to get a ship in the process.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep exploring. We¡¯ll find something.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Ketal didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of returning to the castle. Baker, who was starting to want to head back, followed him with a gloomy expression. As they walked through the city, Ketal suddenly stopped. He was quietly observing the cityscape. ¡°Something¡¯s odd.¡± ¡°Huh? What is?¡± ¡°The buildings on this side and that side are different.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Following Ketal¡¯s lead, Baker began to observe as well. His eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The buildings on the side they had been walking on were well-maintained and clean, just like the rest of the city. But the buildings on the other side were different. They looked strangely dpidated. The construction methods seemed different, and the buildings had a different style. There was garbage on the streets, and a faint unpleasant odor wafted from that direction. The people on that side of the road looked somewhat unsavory. It felt like the city was divided into different districts. Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­That side is closer to the sea.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just that buildings closer to the sea are less well-maintained because they can¡¯t use the sea?¡± ¡°That could be it, but we should check.¡± Just as Ketal was about to cross the road to investigate, he stopped. Baker, following behind, bumped into his back. ¡°Why did you stop suddenly?¡± ¡°Amotion.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal was looking into the distance. Baker focused his ears. He could hear it too now. It sounded like a quarrel. Baker looked at Ketal to ask if he understood what was happening. At that moment, Baker felt a chill. Ketal was smiling. He looked genuinely pleased, as if he had been waiting for this conflict. Baker realized. Ketal could never be a sage. His nature was closer to that of a barbarian. ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± Ketal cheerfully started walking. * * * ¡°Hoo.¡± Aquaz was wandering the city alone. She had made considerable efforts to gather information but hade up empty-handed. Naturally, she hadn¡¯t found any solutions either. She steadied herself. If a few hours of wandering the city could provide a solution, they wouldn¡¯t have sought outside help in the first ce. From the start, she had anticipated a long journey. She was prepared for a long-term endeavor. She took a short breath and steeled herself. With her mind calmed, the city came into focus. ¡®Anyway¡­ this ce is really clean.¡¯ The roads were well-maintained, and there were no vagrants or beggars to be seen. The people¡¯s expressions weren¡¯t grim. It was hard to believe this was a city with a blocked sea. Though it was strange, Aquaz found the city¡¯s appearance pleasing. Before this journey, she had always acted under the orders of the church. She had traveled the world through controlled environments and restricted routes, and thus had never faced the harsh realities of the world directly. But this journey was her own. She had seen the brutal and harsh realities up close. Although not as shocked as Baker, she too was quite taken aback. She was oveing it with strong willpower, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel a growing weariness inside. Thus, a happy vige like this was a very wee sight. She looked at the city warmly. And people were ncing at her. Her silver, flowing hair and red eyes were like jewels. She was extremely beautiful. She looked like a fairy straight out of a fairy tale. Her appearance was impossible to ignore in such a small town. And such beauty often caused trouble. ¡°Hey.¡± A thug, clearly up to no good, approached her. ¡°You seem to be a stranger here. Need someone to show you around?¡± The thug grinned, showing his yellow teeth. Aquaz gave a wry smile. She was dressed in the uniform of the Sun God Church. Specifically, the attire of an Inquisitor. Those who recognized it would never approach her. But asionally, thugs whocked such knowledge would be lured by her appearance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I must decline. I appreciate the offer, though.¡± She declined politely, but a rejection was still a rejection. The thug¡¯s face twisted with anger. ¡°Hey! Do you know who I am? How dare you refuse me! I¡¯m an important person around here!¡± He yanked on his cor, emphasizing the embroidered insignia of a sword and cannon. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but¡­.¡± ¡°Hah. What a joke. Coming to this town and not knowing this insignia. You better remember it from now on.¡± The thug proudly dered, ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Valkran pirate gang!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aquaz¡¯s face hardened. Thinking she was scared, the thug grinned. ¡°Come on, follow me! Just pour me a drink or something. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get violent. I¡¯m a gentleman.¡± ¡°¡­I see. So, you¡¯re a pirate.¡± ¡°Now you understand, hurry up and¡­.¡± The thug trailed off. Red eyes were ring at him. The emotion in those eyes was ice-cold. He felt a chill run down his spine. His instincts screamed that he had made a mistake. Stammering, he said, ¡°Uh, no. Never mind. I¡¯ve changed my mind, so you don¡¯t need to¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Aquaz grabbed his head and mmed it down. A pained groan escaped him. Aquaz whispered, ¡°No, I can¡¯t refuse your offer. I¡¯d be really grateful if you could show me around the city.¡± She smiled coldly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 166 – Pirates (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 166: Pirates (1) Ketal and Baker moved to the ce where themotion was happening. People were forming a circle in fear at that location. ¡°May we pass through?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Ketal asked politely. The people freaked out and pressed themselves against the wall. Ketal whistled as he passed through the crowd. ¡°This is quite a strange sight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Aquaz was pinning a man to the ground. The man was begging, with tears and snot running down his face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pirate.¡± Aquaz said coldly. Baker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? Why is a pirate here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He picked a fight with me.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s quite an impressive suicidal act.¡± A pirate picking a fight with an inquisitor. It could only be considered a desire tomit suicide. Ketal asked. ¡°What do you n to do?¡± ¡°Since this happened in the territory, we should leave it to the guards. They should be dealt with ording to the territory¡¯sw.¡± Aquaz said calmly. They took the pirate and handed him over to the guards. ¡°We caught a pirate. He was brazenly walking around the city. Please take care of him.¡± They had captured a criminal roaming the city. Naturally, the guards should have been pleased and grateful. However. ¡°Ah¡­ thank you.¡± The guard had a vague expression. Despite catching a pirate who was causing trouble in the territory, the guard didn¡¯t seem happy but rather troubled. Aquaz found this attitude puzzling but withdrew without saying much. Only Ketal watched the situation with a curious expression. Having handed over the pirate, they moved to a tea house to exchange information. When Ketal sat down, the chair creaked, causing the owner to look anxious, but there were no other issues. Aquaz muttered as if she couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened. ¡°How can a pirate walk around the territory so boldly?¡± It was impossible for a pirate to roam confidently in awful territory. ¡°It is unusual.¡± Ketal replied appropriately and changed the subject. ¡°So, did you gather any information while you were alone?¡± ¡°No. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get any useful information. How about you, Ketal?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t either.¡± Baker answered instead. Ketal had gathered some information, but it wasn¡¯t helpful in obtaining a ship. Baker looked at Ketal for agreement. However, instead of answering, Ketal made a small exmation. He nodded to himself and spoke. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got a rough idea.¡± ¡°You think you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I might have information that could help us get a ship and crew.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Baker was dumbfounded. He had been with Ketal the whole time but had noticed nothing. ¡®What did he figure out this time?¡¯ He was simply baffled now. ¡°What did you find out?¡± Aquaz asked. Just as Ketal was about to answer. ¡°There they are!¡± A loud voice came from outside. * * * ¡°So you were hiding here!¡± Obvious thugs entered the tea house. They red menacingly at Aquaz. ¡°It seems they¡¯re after you.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Aquaz sighed. The thugs approaching aggressively hesitated. Their eyes widened. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± They were staring at Ketal. Ketal smiled and asked. ¡°It seems you have business with us, what is it?¡± ¡°Wa-wait a minute.¡± They hurriedly turned around and whispered among themselves. The funny thing was, their whispers were all audible to the superhumans present. ¡°What¡¯s this? There was no mention of a Barbarian being here.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Are we backing off?¡± ¡°Aftering this far? It¡¯s fine. Even if he¡¯s a Barbarian, this is our turf. He won¡¯t be able to act freely.¡± Having reached a conclusion, they cleared their throats and approached again. Ketal smiled. ¡°Finished talking?¡± ¡°¡­You stay out of this!¡± They said forcefully to Ketal. Despite their strong words, their voices trembled. Ketal spoke calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty. How about we discuss this outside? The owner looks anxious that the furniture might get damaged.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± They snapped and quickly went outside. Aquaz followed them with a reluctant expression. As they stepped outside, the thugs¡¯ rough gazes turned towards Aquaz. ¡°You bullied ourrade!¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re pirates, aren¡¯t you?¡± The thugs had emblems of swords and cannons on their cors. Aquaz¡¯s eyes turned cold. The pirates nodded vigorously. ¡°We are the Valkran Pirates! How dare you mess with our crew here? Do you have a death wish?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line. Why are lowlifes like you causing trouble within the territory?¡± Aquaz sighed, beginning to piece things together. The sea around the territory had been blocked by the presence of an entity from Forbidden Land, likely trapping the pirate crew who had secretly settled there. Unable to leave, they started wreaking havoc within the territory. ¡®This is convenient.¡¯ Aquaz nned to capture them and turn them over to the guards, then find out where the rest of the pirates were hiding and eliminate them. That seemed the best way to ensure the ongoing peace of the territory. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Just as Aquaz was about to subdue the pirates, one of them grinned wickedly. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s simple! The lord is on our side!¡± Aquaz¡¯s face hardened. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all in cahoots! Outsider! The lord already agreed with us, so even the guards won¡¯t touch us! This whole territory is our pirate den!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shock spread across Aquaz¡¯s face. The pirate continued with pride. ¡°Bow your head and apologize! Say you¡¯re sorry for messing with us! Then maybe we¡¯ll let you go!¡± ¡°Not you! Barbarian!¡± ¡°Well, thank you.¡± Ketal smiled. The pirates pressured Aquaz even more. ¡°Hurry! Bow your head!¡± ¡°¡­Right now.¡± Aquaz, who had been silent, finally spoke. ¡°Your words must be true, then.¡± Aquaz shook her head. ¡°No, they aren¡¯t. Let me be the judge of that.¡± Aquaz raised a hand. ¡°Pirs of judgment for the evils of the world.¡± A brilliant golden light burst forth. Five pirs of light descended from the sky, crushing and binding the pirates. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s this?¡± The pirates were shocked by the pirs of light that restrained them. Even the dullest among them recognized the divine aura. ¡°A priest of the gods!¡± ¡°An Inquisitor of the Sun God. In the name of Aquaz, I ask you.¡± ¡°In-Inquisitor?¡± Those who judge heresy and punish evil. The pirates turned pale. Only now did they realize they had messed with the wrong person, but it was toote. Aquaz asked coldly, ¡°Under the great sun, all shadows are erased. Are your words true?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Our pirate crew made a deal with the lord.¡± Bound by the divine power thatpelled truth, their mouths opened automatically. The pirates wanted to scream, but their mouths did not obey their will. ¡°We stay in the territory and receive benefits. In return, we supply the territory with goods we plundered as pirates.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It was true. Aquaz¡¯s face twisted in agony. Even Baker looked shocked. Only Ketal murmured in understanding. ¡°So that¡¯s why the supplies were so abundant. It makes sense, considering they were getting free goods through piracy.¡± ¡°Ah! How could this happen? The lord colluding with pirates!¡± Aquaz was in utter despair. The lord, who was supposed to protect the citizens and uphold thew, was in league with criminals, benefiting from their plunder. It was hard to ept, and his face contorted in anguish. ¡°It is indeed surprising.¡± ¡°Truly. How could this happen¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm. I wonder how long they¡¯ve had this arrangement. Judging by how natural it seems, it must have been a while.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s¡­ correct?¡± Noticing Ketal¡¯s expression, Aquaz was taken aback. Ketal looked genuinely amused. Ketal asked, ¡°So, what do you n to do?¡± ¡°¡­These pirates might have misunderstood something.¡± Her constraint ensures only the truth is spoken. However, if the other party believes a falsehood to be true, it has no effect. She decided to confirm things with the lord as ast resort. ¡°And if their words are true?¡± ¡°¡­I will do what must be done as a follower of the Sun God.¡± Aquaz spoke coldly. Ketal smiled. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And what do you n to do, Ketal?¡± ¡°I have onest thing to confirm. Once I do that, I¡¯ll return to the castle. I¡¯ll leave meeting the lord to you.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll have everything resolved by the time you return.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll go with Aquaz.¡± Thinking it was a chance to separate from Ketal, Baker quickly spoke up.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal left for the interior of the territory. Aquaz and Baker went to meet the lord. Aquaz sharply questioned the lord, asking if what the pirates said was true. The lord, trembling, nodded his head. Aquaz¡¯s face twisted in agony. ¡°What is this? Lord! How could someone like you be in league with pirates?¡± ¡°P-please calm down!¡± The lord tried desperately to calm Aquaz, but Aquaz didn¡¯t listen. To her, the lord was now close to being an evil figure allied with pirates. There was no reason to listen to him. ¡®Oh no. These idiots!¡¯ The lord screamed inwardly. He had already contacted the pirate leader. He told them that an Inquisitor of the Sun God, a magician from the Magic Tower, and a barbarian wereing, so they should stay quiet and not cause trouble. But it seemed the lower-ranked members didn¡¯t know about this order and had acted anyway. Now he had to deal with the fallout. ¡°This is unforgivable! A territory colluding with pirates! How could this happen!¡± Pirates. People who plunder civilians and take lives. They were unmistakably evil. For the territory to be allied with such pirates was uneptable to Aquaz. ¡°Please calm down! That¡¯s not it!¡± The lord desperately tried to stop Aquaz. ¡°You are mistaken, Aquaz! It¡¯s not such a big problem! It¡¯s not even a special case!¡± ¡°What are you talking about! How can a lord colluding with pirates not be a problem!¡± Aquaz shouted furiously. ¡°I will inform the church of this! I will uncover everything the lord has done and make sure you pay for your crimes!¡± The lord¡¯s face turned extremely pale. He reacted more severely than expected. ¡°No! That¡¯s not it! We have the kingdom¡¯s permission!¡± ¡°What nonsense! The kingdom would never permit collusion with pirates!¡± ¡°How about calming down a bit?¡± A low voice echoed through the ce where angry voices had been resounding. Though the voice wasn¡¯t loud, it was clear in their ears. ¡°Ketal?¡± ¡°B-barbarian?¡± Ketal was there, with a smile on his face. ¡°There is probably no falsehood in the lord¡¯s words. I confirmed it.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 167 – Pirates (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 167: Pirates (2) ¡°Did you confirm it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Aquaz¡¯s question, Ketal nodded. ¡°The pirates have settled and are staying within the territory.¡± The buildings across the main road of the territory were incongruous. Compared to other buildings, they were dirtier, and the quality of the people didn¡¯t seem very good. It was only natural. The ones staying there were not citizens but pirates. ¡°Seeing that they¡¯ve even built buildings and stayed, it looks like it¡¯s been over a year. The name ¡®pirate¡¯ would cry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Aquaz ground her teeth. It became even clearer. This territory was colluding with pirates. She spoke with a devastated expression. ¡°How could the lord, who should protect the city and uphold thew, ept and trade with pirates¡­ This is uneptable.¡± She dered sharply. ¡°I will expose all your crimes. I will call the Sun God¡¯s inquisitor. You will receive the punishment you deserve for your sins.¡± ¡°No!¡± The lord shouted with a very aggrieved expression. ¡°The king has permitted it! Everything is already settled! It¡¯s not a problematic matter as the inquisitor says!¡± ¡°The king permitted it! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Aquaz dismissed the lord¡¯s excuse. Ketal¡¯s voice was heard by her. ¡°Is that so? I think there¡¯s a possibility.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Aquaz¡¯s expression wavered at the unexpected words. The lord, who didn¡¯t expect the barbarian to defend him, also widened his eyes. ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible.¡± Ketal said leisurely. He looked at the lord. ¡°Dorban Vulcan, you said. I¡¯ll ask you. Among the territories along the coast, how many deal with pirates?¡± ¡°Quite a few. There are hardly any cities that don¡¯t.¡± The lord answered quickly. Ketal smiled. ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Aquaz denied sharply. ¡°How can territories collude with pirates! Ketal, do you believe that excuse?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason not to.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes narrowed. Ketal was siding with the lord. He was defending an obvious collusion with evil. ¡°¡­Ketal. Are you defending evil?¡± A chilling gaze was directed at him. The atmosphere cooled sharply. Aquaz¡¯s gaze at Ketal was like that of an inquisitor judging heresy. ¡®What the hell is going on!¡¯ Baker screamed internally, caught in the middle. He thought they would just scold the lord and be done, but Ketal suddenly intervened, distorting the atmosphere. He prayed with an anxious face for Ketal to step back. ¡°It¡¯s the face of an inquisitor. It¡¯s the first time it¡¯s directed at me.¡± However, Ketal seemed rather amused by Aquaz¡¯s reaction. ¡°I¡¯m not defending. I¡¯m just stating simple facts. If you¡¯re so doubtful, you can ask the Sun God¡¯s power directly.¡± ¡°¡­Fine. Lord. I ask you. Under the great Sun, all shadows are erased. Are your words the truth?¡± It was the Sun God¡¯smandment. One could not speak lies and could only utter the truth. Aquaz was certain that words opposite to what the lord had been saying woulde out. But when the lord opened his mouth, her belief was shattered. ¡°Yes. Most coastal cities are dealing with pirates. Only a few are not.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The sinking atmosphere shattered. Aquaz¡¯s face was filled with bewilderment. Baker also looked surprised. ¡°The territory trades with pirates?¡± ¡°No, that can¡¯t be.¡± Aquaz denied it, but her wordscked strength. With the Sun God¡¯smandment enforced, lies couldn¡¯t be spoken. The lord¡¯s words were the truth. ¡°Why¡­?¡± As the lord quickly tried to speak, Ketal spoke first. ¡°The reason is simple. The sea is vast. And in that vast sea, countless pirates exist. The country tries to control them, but it¡¯s difficult.¡± Unlikend, where soldiers could be moved freely, it was different at sea. To go to sea, the navy had to be summoned first. However, since they had to stay at sea for several months, it was not easy to recruit people. At sea, it was hard to receive supplies, so they had to load a lot of food and supplies on the ship in advance, and the quality would inevitably decline. There were countless environmental variables, such as rough waves and the open sea. Moreover, if the pirates crossed into another country¡¯s waters, they couldn¡¯t be touched. From the country¡¯s perspective, it was difficult to control the seapletely. ¡°In contrast, it¡¯s not so difficult for pirates.¡± Pirates, living at sea, were skilled at navigation. They weren¡¯t protected byw, but conversely, they had no reason to be bound by it either. They could resupply through plunder and, if necessary, escape to another country¡¯s waters. Even in modern times, with advanced technology, it was troublesome. In a medieval setting, it was even more so. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it makes sense not to use the sea.¡± The sea was the most cost-effective means of distribution. Despite the risk of pirate attacks, its value was more than enough to justify its use. However, ignoring pirates entirely was not an option, so coastal countries found themselves in a tough spot. Aquaz, who was about to argue, closed her mouth. She quietly listened to Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean the pirates live peaceful lives either.¡± It was fundamentally a precarious life. If a raid failed, they starved to death on the ship. Even if they seeded in plundering, they couldn¡¯t dispose of valuables like gold and silver on the ship. So, they needed to sell the plundered goods. ¡°Then who would they sell it to?¡± ¡°¡­The coastal cities.¡± Aquaz muttered. Ketal nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Pirates would sell the goods plundered from merchant ships to merchants in nearby cities.¡± From the merchants¡¯ perspective, there was no reason to refuse. They could buyrge quantities of goods at an unbeatable price. Refusing would be disqualifying as a merchant. ¡°¡­.¡± Aquaz wanted to argue. She would refuse. She would catch and punish the pirates on the spot. But she wasn¡¯t foolish. She knew most merchants would close their eyes and ept the trade. ¡°But those are stolen goods.¡± Aquaz argued, but her voicecked its previous strength. Ketal answered leisurely. ¡°The moment it enters the merchant¡¯s hands, it bes something he rightfully purchased.¡± It was a form ofundering. And those goods would invigorate the city. That peculiar rtionship must have been very old. It probably continued since the birth of pirates. Ketal asked the lord. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. He had knowledge of history umted from Earth. Therefore, he knew that in the past, pirates often colluded with territories for numerous transactions. It wasn¡¯t a difficult guess for him. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But it wasn¡¯t so for the lord. ¡®How can this barbarian know so perfectly?¡¯ The current rtionship between pirates and territories was formed after many conflicts. It wasn¡¯t an ancient history but a current issue. It wasn¡¯t long ago. The number of organized books on the matter was very few, and even if they existed, they weren¡¯t open to the public. In other words, unless one lived in a coastal city, they wouldn¡¯t know why this form of rtionship was established. In fact, it was only after hearing Ketal¡¯s exnation that the magician from the tower and the Sun God¡¯s inquisitor understood. Not because they were foolish, but because it was hard to grasp the local circumstances without knowing the background. This barbarian understood it perfectly. Even better than the lord of the coastal city. ¡®What kind of person is he?¡¯ The lord looked at Ketal in disbelief. Aquaz, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± The merchants of the territory traded with the pirates. And those goods circted in the territory. Though hard to ept, Aquaz understood that such things happened often. ¡°But even so, this territory is a different matter.¡± The Vulcan territory had pirates who even built buildings and settled down. It went beyond simple trading. ¡°That¡¯s not so surprising either. It¡¯s a continuation of mutual interests.¡± As long as the pirates¡¯ activity areas existed, they would keep meeting the same pirates. As they continued trading, they would naturally be acquainted and develop a rapport. Sometimes, even if they came to raid, they would leave seeing the merchant¡¯s face. As such events repeated, both pirates and merchants would start to think the same thing. They would make a contract. Pirates would not touch the merchant¡¯s ship and would even protect it. In return, they would sell the plundered goods only to that merchant. A perfect symbiotic rtionship was formed. Then the territory had no reason to remain indifferent. Practically, the pirates had be their allies, so they provided them with lodging, shelter, and daily necessities. ¡°¡­Is that really possible?¡± Baker looked puzzled. Though the exnation sounded usible, it was hard to believe that a territory and pirates could collude in such a way. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. There might even be pirates who have received titles from the country.¡± Baker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Pi-Pirates receiving titles?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡± The lord quickly said. ¡°Not here, but in a neighboring kingdom, a pirate who donated many supplies was granted a title and given governance over a city he frequently visited. I believe he still rules there.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed curiosity. He knew that pirates had been granted titles during the days of the British Empire. He wondered how things were here, and it seemed simr situations urred. ¡®People everywhere are pretty much the same.¡¯ He felt delighted. He liked fantasy, but he also loved Earth¡¯s history. It felt like he was in the middle of history. The lord, on the other hand, was just bewildered. ¡®How does he know all this?¡¯ Could he be pretending to be a barbarian while actually being a kingdom official on patrol? The amount of information he possessed made it seem usible. ¡°Well¡­ it seems this territory is in a simr situation. Since the kingdom intervened, it appears the nation itself permitted it.¡± ¡°Y-Yes,¡± The lord replied with a face full of resignation. Aquaz remained silent. After a while, she spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°The nation itself¡­ colluded with pirates¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that unusual. It¡¯s a kind of gray area. Such situations aren¡¯t limited to pirates.¡± There were countless cases of employing criminals with exceptional skills for cleanup jobs or hiring capable war criminals to send them to the frontier battlefields. Aquaz was shocked once again by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°How¡­ how could such things¡­?¡± ¡°What, you didn¡¯t know at all?¡± ¡°N-No, I didn¡¯t.¡± She had always followed the orders of her church. And the Church of the Sun God had never shown her these gray areas of the world. The church, considering her a highly promising talent, had decided there was no need to confuse her by showing her these things. ¡°Oh?¡± And Ketal, realizing this, smirked. ¡®So, the churches here also control information for their followers.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t much different from Earth either. Ketal felt amused. Aquaz remained silent, clearly shocked. After a while, she finally spoke up. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s still evil.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a nuanced evil.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s not nuanced. Even if most cities practice it, even if the nation permits it, evil is still evil.¡± She was an inquisitor of the Sun God. Her duty was to eradicate the shadows, the domains untouched by the sun. ¡°My duty does not change.¡± The lord¡¯s face, which had been relieved thinking the matter was resolved, gradually hardened. ¡°I will not back down. Evil is evil.¡± This was the answer formed by Aquaz¡¯s identity and values, built since childhood, her education, and her achievements as an inquisitor. She fortified her resolve. ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Then, you are prepared to ept this territory¡¯s destruction.¡± And with Ketal¡¯s words, her resolve was easily shaken. ¡°What? Destruction of the territory? Why are you saying such things?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I would exin?¡± Seeing Aquaz react as expected, Ketal found something amusing. ¡°Let me exin step by step.¡± Ketal said with a smile. Baker looked at him, puzzled. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Ketal seemed very excited. As if he couldn¡¯t wait to exin what he had discovered. And Baker had seen that expression before. It was the same expression the head of a magic school had when eagerly exining a newly discovered magical structure. Ketal¡¯s expression now was identical to that of the head of the magic school. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 168 – Pirates (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 168: Pirates (3) ¡°The location of this territory is not very good.¡± It was close to the borders of other countries. Naturally, it also ovepped with maritime borders, making fishing difficult. A slight mistake could lead to invading another country¡¯s territory, so the boats had to move cautiously, resulting in fewer fish catches. Moreover, the sea was full of pirates. Even if they managed to catch fish, they often encountered pirates on the way back and lost everything. To make matters worse, Dorban¡¯s father had little interest in reviving the territory. Thus, when Dorban inherited thend, the state of the territory was abysmal. The roads were filled with vagrants, and many people ate rotten fish covered in fish sauce because they had no other food. Of course, this often led to serious illness and even death, but even that was rare. The dish Baker had at the tavern with the strong fish sauce was due to this past. ¡°I heard that hungry people sometimes exchanged their children to eat.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aquaz looked shocked. The territory she saw was very peaceful and bright. It had provided her with immediatefort. It was hard to believe that such a territory was in such a terrible state decades ago. The lord stammered in surprise. ¡°You know very well. People don¡¯t like to mention the past because it is so painful¡­¡± ¡°Old people know many things and often want to share their memories with someone.¡± Ketal, who had wandered off alone, met a blind old woman resting on a rocking chair in the park. He heard various stories about the history of the territory from her. ¡°From here on, it would be better for you to speak.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± The lord quickly continued. ¡°When I became the lord, the city¡¯s condition was unspeakable. As Mr. Ketal mentioned, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if it copsed at any moment.¡± The lord desperately sought ways to revive the territory. But no matter how much he thought, there was no answer. The kingdom had abandoned the territory, so there was no support. After much contemtion, the lord made a decision. ¡°There was a pirate gang that frequently raided the territory. I went to them myself.¡± Leading a small boat, the lord went directly to the pirates¡¯ hideout. Despite the risk of losing his life, he acted for the sake of the territory. After a desperate conversation with the pirate leader, they managed to strike a deal. Many of the pirates longed for life onnd, so miraculously, it worked out. The name of the pirate gang was the Valkran Pirates.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°After that, it was a tumultuous time.¡± Since he pushed ahead despite the vassals¡¯ opposition, there was internal resistance. Being pirates, there were many minor incidents and idents within the territory. But the lord persevered. He overcame the opposition of his vassals and gained the recognition of the kingdom. He managed and guided the pirates to follow thews of the territory. In the end, the current state of the territory was achieved. ¡°To have developed the territory this much, they must be quite capable pirates.¡± Ketal said cheerfully. ¡°The lord¡¯s words are likely true. Despite the pirates, the people¡¯s expressions did not seem uneasy.¡± In fact, although the pirates had threatened them, they were not particrly violent. They just used the Valkran Pirates¡¯ influence to pressure them. Even after Aquaz captured and subdued a pirate, the others did not draw their weapons. They said they would withdraw if Aquaz apologized. ¡°¡­.¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes were shaking. Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to say that pirates are good or that they should be protected. They are certainly close to evil. But Aquaz, there exists a gray area in this world.¡± Pirates who plunder merchants and steal cargo are evil. But those who revived a decaying territory cannot be called evil. ¡°The bandits you spared mercy for were probably evil to someone as well.¡± The bandits they encountered on the way to the territory. Someone might have lost their food and been killed by them. But Aquaz spared them, not because of the teachings of the church, but by her own will. That contradicted her words that only the church¡¯s will was important and that she herself was insignificant. Baker was dumbfounded hearing Ketal¡¯s words. ¡®¡­Is this guy really a barbarian?¡¯ ¡°It would be easy if the world could be divided into good and evil, but that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡®Or is it possible?¡¯ Ketal, who had said that, smiled mysteriously. God and demon. They would be the unchangeable absolute good and absolute evil in this world. It was indeed an amusing world. ¡°I am.¡± Aquaz barely managed to open her mouth. But she couldn¡¯t continue. ¡°I am¡­ a follower of the Sun God. I must follow the will of the great Sun God. I must eradicate all darkness from this world.¡± ¡°The Sun God might be able to do that.¡± A great celestial being could probably distinguish between good and evil. ¡°But aren¡¯t you human?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes shook violently. ¡°You said you follow the Sun God¡¯s will and that it doesn¡¯t change. But this world is fluid. That means you could be evil as well.¡± ¡°¡­I, I¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration. You are certainly closer to good. But that¡¯s just how the world is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aquaz seemed to catch her breath, as if her throat was choking. No. Pirates are evil. They must be driven out of the territory and brought to justice. That was what she had been taught all along. But if doing so would lead to the destruction of the territory, could she bear that responsibility? Impossible. If she were a god, maybe, but she was just a mere human. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Inquisitor of the Sun God, faced with this contradiction, dropped her head powerlessly. As she showed signs of calming down, the lord sighed in relief. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± He expressed his gratitude to Ketal. His gaze at Ketal was filled with wonder. ¡®¡­What is this barbarian?¡¯ Believers trusted and followed their gods, considering such actions their duty. But believers were ultimately human. Naturally, contradictions were inevitable. Recognizing contradictions was not difficult. Learning about theology meant studying those contradictions first. However, knowing them and persuading a believer were two different things. The more devout the worshippers, the more they ignored these contradictions, even when they were aware of them. And Inquisitors were among those who worshipped the gods the most. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Naturally, they did not conflict or waver upon receiving external criticism. Often, they would be angry and use the critic of heresy. But Aquaz appeared deeply shaken by Ketal¡¯s words. It meant that this barbarian had such a strong influence that he could shake the beliefs of an Inquisitor. It was no surprise. Ketal had been recognized directly by the gods and even permitted to have their sacred relics. Even if the gods she served were different, they were still celestial beings. Being pointed out by such a person would naturally shake Aquaz. ¡®Who exactly is this guy?¡¯ If not for his appearance, one could believe he was a schr from somewhere. Baker approached Aquaz with a worried expression. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± But the shock on her face did not disappear. She mumbled a question. ¡°In that case, Mr. Ketal, what do you think should be done?¡± It wasn¡¯t a confrontational tone. Rather, it was like a child whining, seeking an answer. ¡°What would you do, Mr. Ketal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the answer either. But at least I know what would be beneficial for us.¡± ¡°In that case, please show me your way, Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°Sure. But I think I¡¯ll need your help for that.¡± ¡°Help¡­?¡± Ketal spoke to Aquaz. Her pupils widened. After a moment of contemtion, she nodded. * * * At that time, chaos erupted in the pirates¡¯ hideout within the territory. ¡°Damn it. These idiots!¡± Captain Valkran of the Valkran Pirates gnashed his teeth. The pirates asked frantically. ¡°What do we do, Captain?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what do we do? We have to run! Do you think the Inquisitor will just sit still after knowing about us? Pack your things now!¡± ¡°What? What?¡± The pirates were flustered. ¡°Do we really need to flee?¡± ¡°We have a contract with the lord, don¡¯t we? Won¡¯t he protect us?¡± At their hopeful words, the captain¡¯s face contorted in frustration. ¡°You idiots! Do you not know Inquisitors? Do you think such a contract will protect us?¡± If the Inquisitor judged them as evil, they wouldn¡¯t care aboutws, contracts, or borders. They would act solely to punish evil. Even if the lord tried to protect them, it would be impossible. Doing so would only result in the entire territory being burnt down. Realizing this, the pirates¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°Pack your stuff! Get ready to sail, now!¡± ¡°But the sea¡­¡± ¡°We have to evade somehow. Or do you want to burn to death?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The pirates scrambled in panic. Among them, a pirate was seen running towards the captain. The captain¡¯s face twisted in anguish. It was clearly bad news. The pirate spoke, and the captain almost felt like crying. ¡°T-the Inquisitor and her party have arrived!¡± * * * The captain sat in a small reception room with a gloomy face. Soon, the Inquisitor would enter this ce. And from that moment, the countdown to his death would begin. ¡®¡­Life.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to end up as a pirate. His parents were pirates, so he had worked on ships since he was young and naturally became a pirate. But he wanted to explore broader waters. So when the lord approached him, he saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and seized it. This decision almost led to a rebellion, but the captain did not back down and managed toe this far. But now, everything was being destroyed because of one Inquisitor. He felt so depressed that he almost wanted to cry. ¡®¡­Still.¡¯ If it was his end, he decided to face it with dignity. The captain steeled himself. Creak. The door opened. The captain flinched reflexively but soonposed himself and spoke. ¡°Greetings. Inquisitor of the Sun¡­¡± ¡°Oh, are you the captain of the Valkran Pirates?¡± The captain was surprised. The first person he saw was not the Inquisitor but a barbarian. Why a barbarian? And the captain was even more surprised by what happened next. The Inquisitor entered the reception room after the barbarian. In such situations, the one who entered first was usually the leader of the group. It looked as if the barbarian was leading the Inquisitor. Ketal smiled broadly. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ketal. It seems we have a lot to talk about.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 169 – Pirates (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 169: Pirates (4) ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a reception room like this.¡± Every reception room he had visited until now was neat and luxurious. But this ce was just a makeshift reception room. It couldn¡¯t be in good condition since it was a pirate¡¯s building. Even so, it was something new for Ketal. He smiled brightly. And Ketal was the only one enjoying the situation. Aquaz kept her mouth shut. Baker had a look that said he didn¡¯t know why he was there. And the captain couldn¡¯t understand the situation at all. ¡®W-what on earth is going on?¡¯ He had been prepared for the arrival of the Inquisitor, but why was a barbarian here? And who was the man next to him? He couldn¡¯t make sense of it. Ketal, as if reading the captain¡¯s mind, spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s start with introductions.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. The captain involuntarily shuddered. It was an instinctive fear. ¡°I am Ketal, a barbarian. This is Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God. And this is Baker, a magician from the Tower of Magic. Nice to meet you.¡± The captain¡¯s eyes widened at those words. Magicians from the Tower of Magic were treated with great respect in any kingdom. They held authority equivalent to that of nobles. An Inquisitor of the Sun God and a magician from the Tower of Magic together in one party. And the barbarian spoke as if he were the leader of such a party. ¡®What kind of party is this?¡¯ Why such a party was formed was beyond his understanding. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ The captain hastily organized his confused thoughts. He struggled to appear calm as he spoke. ¡°I am Valkran, captain of the Valkran Pirate Crew. Wee to our territory.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal made a small exmation. It was a very confident attitude. Of course, Valkran was trembling inside, but he forced his dry tongue to move. ¡°So¡­ what brings such distinguished guests to this humble ce?¡± ¡°For a simple reason,¡± Ketal said leisurely. ¡°We are here to deal with the pirates that have settled in the territory.¡± ¡®¡­As expected!¡¯ The moment he heard those words, Valkran moved. He kicked back his chair and lunged across the table, gripping the handle of the sword at his waist to draw it. His speed was astonishing, even slightly surprising Aquaz. ¡®Strike first, win first!¡¯ Take the barbarian hostage! The aura of mystery he felt from this barbarian was very weak. It was something he could handle. He nned to capture the barbarian and negotiate somehow. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal, the target of Valkran¡¯s attack, purely admired. ¡°Fast.¡± Ketal extended his finger. He pressed the tip of the sword handle that Valkran was gripping to draw. ng! The half-drawn sword was shoved back into its sheath. Valkran¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand the force and was thrust back into his chair. The chair screeched as it slid back with a loud crash. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Quick judgment and matching action. Excellent!¡± Ketal admired the movement that was truly befitting a pirate. And Valkran looked at Ketal in disbelief. ¡®W-wait.¡¯ This barbarian had pressed the sword handle back into its sheath and made his body sit back in the chair. This incredible feat of strength was achieved with just one finger. ¡®What!¡¯ This barbarian was no ordinary person either. As Valkran¡¯s mind raced, Ketal spoke leisurely. ¡°It was a joke. We have no intention of harming you.¡± Valkran, who had been preparing for the next move, paused. ¡°¡­No intention of harming us?¡± ¡°If we did, we wouldn¡¯t have sat here.¡± Valkran btedly collected his thoughts and assessed the situation. Despite facing a pirate, the Inquisitor, who should have responded, had only shown a surprised expression at the sudden attack but made no other move. She just watched with calm eyes. ¡°We came to talk to you. Please, have a seat first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Valkran hesitated before sitting properly in his chair. Ketal began to exin.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°We came here to help the territory. We¡¯ve heard that an alien presence has settled in the sea in front of the territory.¡± ¡°¡­You know about that, huh? Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°We came here to resolve that issue.¡± Valkran had a rough idea. It seemed the Inquisitor of the Sun God had heard the news ande to help. ¡®¡­I still don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re in this party.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t umon for believers to go on pilgrimages to quell unrest, so it wasn¡¯t particrly special. But there was something puzzling. ¡®But why do they want to talk to me, a pirate?¡¯ Seeing Valkran¡¯s expression, Ketal seemed to guess his thoughts and spoke. ¡°But upon arriving, we found ourselves in a difficult situation. To resolve it, we need to go out to sea, but none of us know how to sail. Moreover, there¡¯s no suitable ship in the territory.¡± The help of others was indispensable. ¡°However, since it¡¯s an extremely dangerous task, we can¡¯t force good people to do it.¡± Valkran¡¯s eyes widened. He finally understood why they hade to him. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°So, we need your cooperation. You are pirates. You must know how to handle a ship. You probably have pirate ships ready. So, when we go to deal with the anomaly at sea, we would like you to assist us.¡± This barbarian intended to use them, the pirates, as guides. ¡°You are pirates. Criminals, after all. Even though you have a contract with the territory and are staying here¡­ it doesn¡¯t mean your crimes are forgiven. The Inquisitor here could punish you right now, and there would be no problem.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Valkran couldn¡¯t deny it. Even though the kingdom permitted it and they had a contract with the territory, it was still a gray area. If the Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor decided to deal with them, the kingdom would surely stay silent and turn a blind eye. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, if we want to live, we should bow our heads?¡± Valkran gritted his teeth. His eyes sharpened. He would rather die than be a hunting dog to achieve their goal. Valkran was about to firmly refuse when Ketal¡¯s next words stopped him. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a misunderstanding. We have no intention of doing that.¡± Ketal¡¯s following words made him pause. ¡°Trying to resolve this through threats would be too barbaric.¡± Ketal spoke slyly. For a moment, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him. Baker muttered awkwardly. ¡°No¡­ you are a barbarian¡­¡± ¡°We need your help, but we have no intention of threatening your lives.¡± Ketal ignored Baker¡¯s words. ¡°Besides, if we did, we wouldn¡¯t be able to trust you.¡± They were heading to the sea to confront the anomaly. Many ships had gone, but only one person barely returned alive. It was practically a suicide mission. If the pirates decided to take them out to the open sea and die together, those who didn¡¯t know the sea would have no way to stop them. ¡°We need to build mutual trust.¡± Valkran¡¯s face showed confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand what Ketal wanted. Ketal spoke leisurely. ¡°So, it¡¯s a deal.¡± ¡°¡­A deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you, Valkran, captain of the Valkran Pirate Crew.¡± Ketal smiled as he asked. ¡°Do you have any intention of quitting piracy?¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°¡­That¡¯s such a sudden question. What kind of deal is that?¡± Asking a pirate if he wants to quit being a pirate? It seemed like a meaningless question. Instead of answering, Ketal looked around the reception room. ¡°The buildings are well-built.¡± The pirate crew¡¯s size seemed quiterge, as there were many buildings. And none of them were built carelessly. It was close to a nned city, constructed with systematic design. ¡°No matter how you look at it, these buildings aren¡¯t just temporary lodgings for pirates staying briefly before heading out to sea. They seem built for long-term residence. And most importantly, they show signs of everyday life.¡± Traces that appear only when someone has lived and stayed for a long time. Those traces were in the pirate buildings. ¡°From what I know, the anomaly at sea has only been around for about a month. But judging by the signs of daily life, it¡¯s been at least over a year. It seems you haven¡¯t been sailing much during that long period.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Valkran remained silent. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°Valkran, when was thest time you set sail?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re quite observant.¡± It was as Ketal said. Valkran didn¡¯t want to live as a pirate anymore. His parents were pirates, so he naturally ended up living as a pirate too, but he was tired of life at sea. He wanted to settle down and live a stable life onnd. So, he persuaded his crew to make a contract with the lord and settle in the territory. Although they asionally sailed for plundering, they spent most of their time in the territory. ¡°You are still a pirate. Even if you want to quit, it¡¯s not easy because of your crimes. So, we will help you with that.¡± Helping Valkran to live legally onnd. That was what Valkran had always wanted. If that were true, he would happily set sail with them. However, Valkran¡¯s expression was not bright. ¡°It sounds appealing, but I don¡¯t think you can make it happen.¡± For Ketal¡¯s offer toe true, he needed to have significant influence. No matter how he looked at it, Ketal, a barbarian, didn¡¯t seem capable of that. ¡°I could manage it, though¡­.¡± But Ketal was capable too. He had done a great favor for the Kingdom of Denian. If Ketal asked, King Barbosa would ept the pirates. Or he could do it through the Church of Kalosia. His influence on the ground was not insignificant. ¡°But, this time, I¡¯ll give the opportunity to someone else. Aquaz.¡± Ketal looked at Aquaz. ¡°Is that alright?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. That was the agreement.¡± Aquaz nodded. She looked at Valkran. ¡°Valkran, captain of the Valkran pirate crew. Aquaz, the Inquisitor of the Sun God, swears in the name of the Sun God.¡± It was a deration made in the name of a god. Breaking it would result in emunication. It was a statement with significant weight. ¡°If you help us, I swear in my name to absolve you of your crimes.¡± ¡°What!¡± Valkran¡¯s eyes widened. It was the most surprised he had been so far. And for good reason. An Inquisitor punishes heretics. Naturally, they also have the authority to forgive and convert them. If Aquaz¡¯s words were true, they could be pardoned for their crimes as pirates and live legitimately onnd. Aquaz confirmed this thought. ¡°If you wish, you can receive the baptism of the Sun God¡¯s Church. Once recognized by the church, you can also obtain citizenship in the kingdom. Of course, you will need to pass the appropriate qualifications and tests, but if you truly intend to live onnd, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± ¡°Uh, uh.¡± Valkran stammered at the unexpected words. Ketal shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, in the end, it¡¯s a gamble. You might be killed by the anomaly at sea. But so what? Pirates ultimately gamble their lives for a big fortune, don¡¯t they?¡± Ketal whispered softly. ¡°It¡¯s a profession that bnces life and treasure. And right now, the weight of that treasure has be heavy enough. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s worth risking your life for?¡± It was like a devil¡¯s temptation. Poisonous, but too sweet to refuse. Valkran had no choice but to ask. ¡°¡­Are you really a barbarian?¡± Ketalughed. ¡°So, what will you do?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Valkran remained silent. But his hesitation was brief. The goal he had pursued all his life was right before him. As the barbarian said, the weight on the scales was heavy enough. There was no reason to refuse. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ept.¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened at his response. Ketal murmured happily. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°A problem? Convincing your crew?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also an issue, but there¡¯s a bigger problem. We don¡¯t have a ship.¡± ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t have a ship?¡± ¡°To be precise, we don¡¯t have a ship suitable for deep sea travel.¡± The pirate ships were built for speed, so they were lightly armored and small. The ce blocked by the anomaly was in quite deep waters. Their ships were inadequate for the task. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to reinforce the ships, but it will take time.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is there no other way?¡± ¡°No. Well¡­ there is one.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± With an ambiguous expression, Valkran got up from his seat. They followed Valkran outside. After walking for several minutes beyond the territory, they encountered a strange sight. Baker was astonished. ¡°Why is there a ship on the in?¡± A huge sailing shipy sprawled in the middle of the in. Valkran exined. ¡°A year ago, a hurricane hit the territory. It passed with minimal damage, but one sailing ship was blown away and thrown onto the in.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± The ship was enormous. It was big enough to hold hundreds of people. The idea that such a ship could be blown onto a in by a hurricane was hard to believe for Baker, who knew nothing about the sea. Valkran nodded. ¡°It actually happened. There¡¯s no significant damage to the ship itself, but there¡¯s no way to get it back to the sea, so it¡¯s been left here.¡± The ship was sorge and heavy that even dozens of strong men couldn¡¯t move it. In the end, they had no choice but to abandon it in tears. ¡°You guys are stronger than us. Can you take that ship back to the sea? If so, we can start preparations immediately.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Aquaz and Baker both wore ambiguous expressions at Valkran¡¯s words. Both of them were superhumanly strong, possessing powers beyond ordinary humans. But the ship was huge, capable of holding hundreds of people. No matter how strong they were, moving such a weight was beyond their abilities. To do so would require someone far stronger than them. ¡°I thought so.¡± Valkran didn¡¯t look too disappointed. Just as he was about to say they¡¯d have to wait, Ketal spoke up. ¡°What? We just need to move that ship? That¡¯s not too difficult.¡± ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Ketal walked over to the ship with long strides. He grabbed the ship. ¡°Hup.¡± With a short grunt, the onlookers¡¯ eyes widened. Rumble¡­. Dust scattered. The ground, pressed down by the weight, revealed its shape. ¡°Huh, huh huh.¡± Valkran stuttered. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. The ship was enormous. It was the onlyrge sailing ship in the territory, and its construction had taken several years. Its weight easily exceeded three hundred tons. The people of the territory had both revered and feared the hurricane that had moved such a massive ship onto the in. And now, that ship was being held by a single person. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Thud! Ketal took a step. The ground trembled under the weight, but Ketal moved with a calm expression. And several tens of minutester. Thud! The ship was back where it belonged, in the sea. ¡°Now you can prepare, right?¡± Ketal said, lightly dusting off his hands. Valkran was too shocked to respond. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 170 – Voyage (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 170: Voyage (1) It took several hours for Valkran to recover from the shock. Once he hadposed himself, he went to persuade the pirates. Initially, they were bewildered. Setting sail to the middle of the sea to exterminate the existence of the Forbidden Land with an Inquisitor? It sounded like a suicide mission. However, upon hearing the terms of the deal, the pirates epted. After all, they were the ones who had stayed onnd enjoying theforts of life instead of following Valkran to the sea. They wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to walk proudly onnd with the recognition of the faithful. With Valkran¡¯s excellent speech and the promise of a handsome reward, he was able to persuade the pirates without much trouble. The next task was to repair the ship. Although the sailing ship had not suffered significant damage from the tornado, it had been left unattended for a long time and was aged in several ces. It needed repairs. But that wouldn¡¯t take too long. With all the pirates working on it, it could be finished in a few days. Compared to having to procure a ship from scratch, this was almost instantaneous. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± At Ketal¡¯s words, Aquaz nodded slightly. Ketal continued. ¡°The territory will be maintained without much disturbance. The citizens will continue to live satisfactory lives.¡± Unlike in the past, the resources in Vulcan¡¯s territory were abundant. There was no need to rely on looting. They could make a living by taking on escort missions with the former pirates now as citizens. This was actually beneficial for the citizens. Although there was some unease about having pirates living right next to the territory, the benefits outweighed the risks, so they had endured it. With that unease now resolved, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing for them. ¡°And for the pirates, it¡¯s a huge benefit.¡± They gained the opportunity to live legitimately onnd. Although they couldn¡¯t engage in the same plundering and criminal activities as before, they could live peaceful lives under the proper welfare of the territory. ¡°It¡¯s a benefit for us too.¡± Otherwise, they might have been tied to the territory for several months to procure a ship and crew. Now, that time was reduced to mere days, which was good for their journey as well. ¡°I think it¡¯s not a bad thing from your perspective either.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± She was able to protect the peaceful image of the territory she had been watching with warm eyes. There were also practical benefits for her. From ancient times, converting non-believers and making them believers was one of the most honorable deeds for a believer. She had converted an entire pirate group and had them baptized by the Sun God. When this became known, she would gain great honor. Although she didn¡¯t particrly desire it herself, it was objectively a deed that would elevate her honor. ¡°It¡¯s beneficial for all of us.¡± ¡®¡­What about me?¡¯ Baker, who had been listening quietly from the side, thought grudgingly. The journey¡¯s purpose was Aquaz, so there was no benefit for Baker. But since it wasn¡¯t the right time to say anything, he kept his mouth shut and grumbled internally. Aquaz, who had been silent, began to speak softly. ¡°I thought¡­ the pirates should be punished.¡± For her, the option of converting them didn¡¯t exist. She would have punished the evil and erased their existence from the territory. If it hadn¡¯t been for Ketal, she would have actually done so. ¡°If that had happened, what would the oue be?¡± ¡°You probably would have achieved your goal.¡± Even without Ketal, that fact wouldn¡¯t change. She would have dealt with the pirates and procured a ship. If necessary, she could have forced the pirates to atone for their crimes by making them help with the voyage. She would have found a way to bring the sailing ship that had been swept away by the tornado back to the sea. There wouldn¡¯t have been much noise about it either. An Inquisitor dealing with pirates was an act of justice so obvious that the kingdom would remain silent and the citizens would turn a blind eye. She would have achieved her goal. ¡°But the oue wouldn¡¯t be the same as now.¡± The pirates, for better or worse, were heavily involved in the territory. Having stayed for over a year, they were already part of the territory. If they disappeared, the territory would be significantly shaken. The lord could also be punished for colluding with the pirates and dragged away. The territory would fall into chaos without its lord. Aquaz would also have struggled to procure a ship and crew, being tied to the territory for a long time. It was a simple result of good and evil. Aquaz bit her lip. ¡°¡­I once visited a vige during my journey.¡± She began to talk about her past. Near the vige, a dungeon had been left unattended for a long time, causing monsters toe out and harm the vigers. So, she helped them. She entered the dungeon alone and defeated the boss. The dungeon disappeared without its master. No more monsters came to torment the people. But she didn¡¯t receive praise and gratitude from the vigers. Instead, they resented her. This was because the dungeon had been a source of valuable materials. The vige, which had no particr specialty, relied heavily on the dungeon¡¯s resources. They had hidden the dungeon¡¯s existence and endured the harm to gather materials. Naturally, they didn¡¯t appreciate Aquaz, who destroyed such a source of ie. She left the vige under resentful gazes. Although she was sad, she thought it was inevitable. The dungeon was a clear evil. She believed without a doubt that punishing such evil was justice. She had undoubtedly done good. But the result wasn¡¯t favorable. ¡°You are indeed good. You are enforcing justice. That fact is undeniable.¡± But there was no guarantee that good would necessarily be helpful. Is the one who punishes a child stealing for their starving sibling a good person? Or is the one who understands the circumstances and overlooks the theft a good person? N?v(el)B\\jnn No one could know for sure. ¡°This world lives alongside shades of gray. What is good is not necessarily good, and the same goes for evil. I hope you understand that.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, aaah¡­¡± Aquaz groaned as if she had realized something. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡®That was interesting.¡¯ Persuading Aquaz had little meaning for him. He just wanted to talk to the pirates. He wanted to make a deal with those outside thew. That was all. Persuading Aquaz and pointing out her contradictions was just to prevent her from punishing the pirates before he could have a proper conversation with them. But it was different for Aquaz. To her, Ketal was the one who had made her realize her naive behavior andck of understanding of the world. Aquaz looked up at Ketal with a peculiar gaze and, as if making a decision, spoke up. ¡°Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your words are valid. I do not know this world. I am merely a naive person blindly following the will of the gods in a human body.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. You are a good person.¡± ¡°No, it is true. Therefore, I need to know about the outside world. But for someone as naive as I am, it is difficult. I need someone to teach me.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Something seemed off about her words. Ketal was taken aback. Aquaz¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Mr. Ketal, may I have you as my teacher?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ketal responded, bewildered. * * * The pirates continued to repair the ship. Among them was arge barbarian. ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how you do it.¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± ¡°May I try it?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°S-Suit yourself¡­¡± Ketal cheerfully watched their repair process and sometimes participated himself. The pirates were flustered by the sight of the barbarian. They didn¡¯t know much, but since he was part of the Inquisitor¡¯s group, they assumed he must be quite strong. Typically, such powerful individuals weren¡¯t interested inbor like this. Yet, Ketal was joyfully observing and participating in the repairs as if he found the process itself enjoyable. The pirates looked at Ketal with puzzled expressions. Meanwhile, Aquaz was watching Ketal with a look of realization. ¡°Working hard alongside others. Such an attitude is necessary to understand the world.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡®I¡¯m just doing it because I find it fun.¡¯ Ketal looked at Aquaz with a bewildered expression. ¡°I keep telling you, I am not great enough to be your teacher. Why not find someone else?¡± ¡°No. Mr. Ketal, you have enlightened me, who does not know the world. I want to learn a lot from you.¡± Aquaz was resolute. She was determined to learn something by staying by Ketal¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Ketal, you can ignore me. I will simply observe and follow you personally. You don¡¯t need to mind me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ if that¡¯s the case.¡± Ketal reluctantly backed down. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this.¡¯ He had only persuaded Aquaz to talk to the pirates, but now she had realized many things and began to follow him around with shining eyes. This was unexpected for Ketal. Since she showed no sign of backing down even when he told her off, Ketal eventually gave up. From then on, Aquaz started following Ketal closely. She observed and marveled at every little thing he did, whether it was repairing the ship, walking around the territory, entering a tavern to eat, or buying daily necessities. She attached great significance to each action. It was like a baby duck following its mother. Although it felt a bit burdensome at first, the repeated actions soon seemed somewhat endearing. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since someone looked at me like this.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that there had never been anyone who followed him around, calling him their teacher. In the white snowy ins, he was the chief of his tribe. He had immense power, and many children revered him and wanted to follow him. ¡®I wonder how that kid is doing.¡¯ The white snowy ins. There was one child there who especially followed him, even more than their own parents. When Ketal left, the child made a huge fuss, insisting oning along, and Ketal had to beat him to calm him down. He suddenly wondered what the kid was doing now. Aquaz, who was following Ketal around, helped with the ship¡¯s repairs. Baker, not wanting to be left out, reluctantly joined in as well. ¡®Why am I doing this¡­¡¯ Baker, who had wanted to restfortably in their quarters, felt very wronged. Nevertheless, with the three superhuman individuals working together, the ship quickly regained its original form, and preparations for departure began. ¡°¡­That man.¡± Aquaz noticed a pirate. It was the pirate she had captured and handed over to the guards. Without Ketal, she would have executed him on the spot. Valkran spoke up, ¡°He¡¯s our navigator. Without him, we can¡¯t sail. He¡¯s the only navigator in our crew.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Aquaz looked at Valkran. ¡°Valkran, you are strong.¡± His speed when he ambushed Ketal had surprised even her. She judged him to be at least of second-rate level. W ith that level of strength, he didn¡¯t need to be a pirate to survive. ¡°Why does someone like you live as a pirate?¡± ¡°Because I was born into it and raised that way.¡± Valkran spoke indifferently, ¡°My parents were pirates. Naturally, I grew up as a pirate. Before I knew it, I was the captain, despite wanting to leave behind all responsibilities and duties. But I couldn¡¯t abandon the crew who called me their captain. It¡¯s amon story.¡± ¡°¡­I see. It is amon story.¡± Aquaz murmured as she moved away. ¡°It¡¯s time to pray with the citizens of the territory. I will be absent for a while. Master.¡± ¡°Stop calling me ¡®Master.''¡± Aquaz left, and Valkran¡¯s face twisted in a strange expression. ¡°¡­A Sun God¡¯s Inquisitor calling a barbarian ¡®Master.''¡± And it was Aquaz. The genius touted to be the next chief Inquisitor. Even Valkran knew her reputation. It was hard to believe that such a person was calling a barbarian ¡®Master.¡¯ ¡®If this gets out, it will cause quite a stir.¡¯ There would undoubtedly be those who didn¡¯t view it favorably. Although with this barbarian¡¯s strength, he could suppress them all. Ketal spoke. ¡°So you lived the life of a pirate. It¡¯s a pity that you couldn¡¯t choose your own path. I offer my condolences.¡± ¡°Are you really a barbarian?¡± Valkran was dumbfounded. Offering condolences was not something one would expect from a barbarian. ¡°Well¡­ whatever. In the end, I¡¯m benefiting because of you. You must have been the one who persuaded the Inquisitor. Thanks. I¡¯ll guide you as best as I can.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best to ensure you don¡¯t die either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s aforting thought.¡± Valkran left to give orders to the pirates. Ketal, left alone, gazed beyond the horizon of the sea. ¡®The city of mermaids.¡¯ And the primates living in the depths of the sea blocking the way. They were akin to the demonic beings of the white snowy ins. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had faced such beings. He had dealt with the Nanos before. But the Nanos had not piqued his interest much. How would this encounter be? A hint of interest appeared on Ketal¡¯s face as he gazed at the sea. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 171 – Voyage (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 171: Voyage (2) ¡°We¡¯re setting sail!¡± With all preparationsplete, the ship set out to sea. Apanied by the lord¡¯s worried send-off, they left the territory. Baker watched the waves parting with fascination, following the ship¡¯s movement. Aquaz, who was also on arge ship for the first time, seemed a bit amazed. Ketal enjoyed the sea breeze with a pleasant expression. He was heading towards the fantasy sea. The very fact brought him immense satisfaction. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°The wind is just right¡­ and the sea is calm. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any sign of a storm. Calcting the distance to the mermaid city, it should take about a week.¡± ¡°A week, huh. We¡¯ll arrive soon.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°But the sea is a ce where you never know what might happen.¡± Since ancient times, sailors had always had a very luxurious meal before setting out to sea. This was because each voyage could mean risking their lives. ¡°Since you never know what might happen, it¡¯s best to calcte double the time.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Fair winds!¡± ¡°The sea is calm!¡± ¡°Good! Unfurl the second sail!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± The sailors moved quickly, maneuvering the ship. Ketal watched them with a smile. It felt like stepping into a movie screen. The current situation brought him nothing but joy. And so the ship moved forward. At some point, however, the ship¡¯s speed gradually slowed. Baker, who had been fascinated by the rocking floor with the waves, looked puzzled. ¡°Huh? Why are we slowing down?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a headwind.¡± Valkran frowned. The wind was blowing in the opposite direction of their course. In this situation, the sails were of no use. He quickly gave orders. ¡°Furl the sails! Go below deck and start rowing!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. He promptly spoke up. ¡°Can I try rowing?¡± ¡°¡­You want to row?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, you can if you want¡­ but you don¡¯t have to.¡± Valkran looked reluctant. Rowing was extremely hard work. Even if a ship was floating on water, it still weighed several hundred tons, and moving it with human strength was tough. There was a reason why ves were historically tasked with rowing. Valkran couldn¡¯t understand why a barbarian would want to do such a thing. Ketalughed heartily. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard repairing the ship, haven¡¯t you? You started sailing without getting a proper rest. It¡¯s better if you get some rest. You¡¯re risking your lives to help us, so this much I can do.¡± At those words, the sailors showed expressions of gratitude. The fact that this barbarian was willing to take on the hardbor everyone else avoided for their sake was amendable act. Even Aquaz admired him. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you view the world¡­ Sacrificing yourself for others. Amazing.¡± ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ But Ketal had no particr thoughts on the matter. In the modern era, many people paid good money to experience tough jobs that were once avoided. To Ketal, rowing was just that kind of experience. However, if he expressed it that way, people might think he was weird, so he just dressed it up a bit. Regardless of his intentions, others saw it as a self-sacrificial act, so the sailors cautiously came up to thank him. Ketal epted their thanks with a smile and went below deck to row. Although Aquaz and the sailors offered to help, Ketal declined, so he was alone. Aquaz asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Can you row by yourself? I thought you needed to row both sides.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a mechanism in ce, so it¡¯s not impossible. But¡­ rowing this ship alone?¡± Valkran found it hard to believe. But soon enough, the ship began to move forward at a fast pace, making Valkran¡¯s doubts seem unfounded. ¡°¡­It¡¯s faster than with a tailwind.¡± Even though Ketal was rowing alone, the ship moved faster than when the wind was pushing it. It seemed unbelievable. ¡°Well.¡± Upon reflection, Ketal had once lifted the entire ship. So, moving the ship by rowing wasn¡¯t impossible. It was just so far outside the realm ofmon sense that they hadn¡¯t thought of it. Several hours passed until the tailwind returned, and during that time, Ketal rowed alone. When the wind finally picked up and Ketal came back up, the sailors looked at him with awe. ¡°Rowing alone for hours¡­?¡± ¡°Is that possible for a human?¡± They were all rugged seamen. They had the strength and prided themselves on their masculinity. To those sailors, Ketal was nothing short of a giant. They looked at him with eyes full of admiration. Ketal didn¡¯t stop there. He took on trivial tasks like unfurling the sails and loosening ropes himself. To him, these were enjoyable experiences, but to those around him, he appeared to be a considerate barbarian. And Aquaz was following Ketal around like a chick follows its mother. A barbarian who took the initiative to help others. And a heretic inquisitor of the sun god following such a barbarian like a baby bird. The sailors watched this peculiar sight with awkward expressions. ¡°¡­What¡¯s that all about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± Valkran dismissed the sailor¡¯s curious question. They continued forward. No particr issues arose. At first, Baker marveled at the ocean scenery, but as the view became repetitive, he got bored and retreated to his cabin, noting out. Then, two dayster. A pirate appeared before them. * * * Ding. Ding. Ding. A bell rang. The lookout atop the mast shouted loudly. ¡°Pirates! Pirates have appeared!¡± ¡°Pirates?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. Looking behind their ship, one ship was following them. Valkran clicked his tongue. ¡°Those bastards. They¡¯ve finally shown up.¡± ¡°I heard travel was blocked due to the presence of the Forbidden Land.¡± ¡°They¡¯re staying within a certain area around the mermaid city.¡± The fishing area in Vulkan¡¯s territory happened to be within that range, causing significant damage. As long as they avoided that area, sailing was possible. Of course, the Forbidden Land could expand at any time, making it very dangerous, so most ships stayed off the sea. But pirates lived on the sea, taking such risks. There were still many pirates roaming the ocean. Valkran frowned as he saw the g waving from the enemy ship. ¡°It¡¯s the Kakan Pirates. Troublesome bastards.¡± They were a rival pirate gang that had been shing with Valkran¡¯s crew for a long time. Their territories ovepped, and their forces were simr in size, making them mortal enemies. If they shed, a battle would likely ensue. Valkran shouted. ¡°Unfurl the sails! They¡¯re still a good distance away! Shake them off!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± The pirates moved quickly, trying to widen the gap. But no matter how much time passed, the distance didn¡¯t increase. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± Valkran realized toote. Their ship was enormous. It was arge sailing ship weighing several hundred tons. It was sturdy and stable, but slow. In contrast, the enemy pirate ship was small and light. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In a speed race, they were bound to lose. ¡°What a stupid mistake!¡± In the excitement of their first voyage in a while, he had forgotten something so basic. ¡°Everyone! Open the gun ports!¡± The pirates hurriedly prepared for battle. Meanwhile, Ketal¡¯s chest swelled with excitement. ¡®A naval battle!¡¯ A fight between ships on the sea. It was a chance to see it firsthand. He was very excited. The approaching ships soon got close enough to see each other¡¯s faces. The man who seemed to be the enemy captain shouted loudly. ¡°Valkran! You coward who reeks of dirt! I don¡¯t know why you¡¯vee out to sea, but today is your death day! We¡¯ll make fish food out of you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line! You vile Kakan!¡± With the captains¡¯ shouts, the battle began. Boom! Gun ports opened, and cannonballs flew. The pirates scrambled. Since they weren¡¯t on a warship, they had fewer cannons and were slow, making them easy targets. The situation wasn¡¯t favorable for them. It was a very dangerous situation. But there were some who showed no change in expression. ¡°Master. May I take care of this?¡± ¡°I told you to stop calling me master.¡± ¡°Master is master¡­ but if you insist, I¡¯ll call you Mr. Ketal as before.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± Aquaz stepped forward. Kakan sneered as he saw this. ¡°Valkran! You¡¯ve got a woman on board! You¡¯re disgracing pirates! Fire all at once!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Cannonballs flew. Until now, they had luckily avoided them, but this time they were on a direct collision course. The sailors¡¯ faces turned white. Aquaz quietly murmured. ¡°O sun god. Grant your servant a radiant shield of protection.¡± Whirr. A shield of light surrounded the ship. Crash! Crash! Cannonballs struck the shield and bounced off harmlessly. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Both sides of the pirates widened their eyes in astonishment. Kakan, dumbfounded, shouted in a panic. ¡°R-Reload! Fire again!¡± Boom! Cannonballs flew, but nothing changed. The shield around the ship remained unscathed. The sailors cheered in amazement. ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡°This is the power of the gods!¡± ¡°Mr. Baker, if you please.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Baker stepped forward. ¡°Wretched pirates.¡± He muttered disdainfully as he lightly waved his fingers. ¡°Pierce.¡± Then a hole appeared above the enemy ship. A massive ice pir fell from it, piercing through the ship. The enemy¡¯s ship began to sink slowly. The sailors looked at Baker in shock. They knew he was an extraordinary magician, but they had never seen his power in action. Being pirates, they had never encountered a proper magician, so they couldn¡¯t gauge his true strength. They had always half-dismissed him as azy bum who did nothing butze around the ship. But now, he had sunk a ship with a single powerful spell. The pirates looked at Baker with awe and fear. Baker epted their gazes with satisfaction. ¡°You must pay the price for acting without knowing your opponent.¡± ¡°Oh wow, a spell that summons ice pirs?¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± Baker, who had been acting confidently, stammered nervously at Ketal¡¯s question. ¡°W-Well, technically, it¡¯s a part of a cier stored in a subspace that I summoned onto the enemy ship.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s that type of magic. Efficient. Impressive.¡± Ketal marveled sincerely. Baker shuddered. ¡°¡­R-Really? Impressive?¡± ¡°You summoned an ice pir in the air and used the falling energy due to its weight to attack without consuming mana, right? It¡¯s an efficient spell.¡± Baker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You, you know it well.¡± ¡°Remarkable.¡± Ketal praised him sincerely. Baker¡¯s face took on aplex expression. This incredibly terrifying barbarian, who could kill someone as easily as snapping a child¡¯s wrist, was praising his magic. It gave Baker a strange feeling. It was simr to the feeling he had when his master praised his magic in his childhood. A peculiar emotion began to settle in Baker¡¯s gaze as he looked at Ketal. The enemy¡¯s ship, pierced by the ice pir, slowly began to sink. The sailors cheered in victory. Thinking it was over, Aquaz withdrew the shield of light. At that moment, Kakan made onest desperate move. ¡°I won¡¯t die alone!¡± Thump! A harpoon was fired from the sinking ship. Aquaz, not too concerned, erected a barrier. A mere harpoon couldn¡¯t prate her defense. But something was off. The force contained in the harpoon was unusual. Baker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­A magic weapon? Why would pirates have something like that?¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Aquaz hurriedly tried to set up a proper barrier, but the harpoon was already too close. It shattered her initial defense and shot towards the ship. Ketal calmly watched the harpoon. Crash! A huge shockwave followed. The ship rocked violently. Sailors screamed as they lost their bnce and fell. Some were pushed to the edge of the ship. Valkran, barely clinging to the railing, staggered and stood up. Then he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Ketal was standing there, holding the massive harpoon with one hand. ¡°N-No way.¡± Could someone hold such a massive harpoon, enough to rock thisrge sailing ship, with one hand? ¡°Is it possible for a superhuman to do that?¡± Valkran stammered in amazement at the strength. But even the superhumans Aquaz and Baker were shocked. ¡°What in the world¡­.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± The harpoon was a magic weapon. Its mass was enormous, and its speed was incredibly fast. Even for superhumans, it was a difficult attack to handle without preparation. But Ketal had caught it with his bare hands. ¡®¡­Why didn¡¯t his body get thrown back?¡¯ Given the harpoon¡¯s weight, even if he caught it, physics dictated that his body should be pushed back. Yet Ketal hadn¡¯t moved an inch. It was an iprehensible sight. ¡°We don¡¯t need this, so I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± Ketal pulled back his arm and threw the harpoon. Thump! The ship rocked again from the force. Sailors, barely standing, screamed and fell. The harpoon, flying back several times faster than it came, pierced straight through the enemy ship. Boom! With a thunderous noise, the ship exploded. The sea erupted as if a volcano had erupted. Seawater rained down on them. When the sea calmed down, there was nothing left of what could be called a ship. Only debris scattered everywhere. To an unknowing observer, it would look like sea trash. Thus, the Kakan pirates, who had shed with the Valkran pirates over territory for a long time, were annihted. Ketal dusted off his hands with a satisfied expression. Everyone stared at Ketal in astonishment. Leaving the scattered debris behind, they continued towards their destination. The sailors looked at Ketal with eyes as if they were seeing something non-human. ¡°He caught a flying harpoon¡­.¡± ¡°And threw it back¡­.¡± ¡°What kind of strength is that¡­.¡± Even the superhumans Aquaz and Baker were astonished, so the ordinary human sailors were even more shocked. Valkranughed incredulously. ¡°Can the strong of this world wield such power? I¡¯ve lived in too small a world. The world is vast, indeed.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Aquaz cut in firmly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 172 – Voyage (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 172: Voyage (3) Ketal¡¯s power was unique, even on a continental scale. At least Aquaz had never seen anyone handle such power. As the Inquisitor of the Sun God, having witnessed all sorts of formidable beings, she had never seen anyone like him. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was truly one of a kind. ¡®Yet he can¡¯t handle the mysteries.¡¯ It felt like a very low-quality joke. As the ship moved forward, the debris scattered across the sea gradually disappeared beyond the horizon. Baker, who was watching it, muttered incredulously. ¡°It was a magical weapon, yet he grabs it with his bare hands and throws it away.¡± ¡°Hm? Wasn¡¯t it an ordinary harpoon?¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t know?¡± Baker was even more bbergasted by that remark. A harpoon that could even prate Aquaz¡¯s defenses was thought to be ordinary. For Ketal, such strength didn¡¯t hold much meaning. Baker exined with a bewildered expression. ¡°It was probably a magical weapon. One made properly in the Magic Tower.¡± Not just a weapon designed as a material, but a magical weaponbining magic and material. Its power was on a different levelpared to ordinary weapons, used only inrge-scale sieges. The harpoon that had just flown was one of those magical weapons made in the Magic Tower. As a magician of the Magic Tower, Baker could tell it had the power to sink a huge ship with a single strike. Ketal looked intrigued. ¡°So that¡¯s what it was. But why did a pirate have such a thing?¡± ¡°They probably got it while looting a cargo ship. I remember hearing that Kakan had acquired a valuable weapon before.¡± Valkran interjected to exin. Ketal nodded as if understanding. ¡°It was the result of piracy. But a harpoon shape. Why make a weapon in that form?¡± ¡°Probably to hunt creatures like the Kraken. Unlike whales, ordinary harpoons don¡¯t work on them.¡± ¡°A Kraken?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are such monsters real?¡± ¡°They exist in the deep sea. It¡¯s very difficult to catch them and transport them, but a sessful hunt can make you enough money to live off for half a lifetime.¡± Valkran added with realization. ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s supposedly a Kraken near here, beyond the mermaid city.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal smirked. Seeing that expression, Valkran shivered for a moment. ¡®¡­I hope he¡¯s not thinking of hunting the Kraken after this is over.¡¯ He regretted saying anything. They continued on their way. After that, there were no particr problems. They almost faced danger from polluted water, but Aquaz¡¯s purification prayer solved it. The crew was amazed by the power of the great god. Some of them went to Aquaz to hear about the doctrines of the Sun God. After this was over, they would receive baptism. Some were already preparing to convert. Aquaz dly exined the doctrines to them. Eventually, they arrived. ¡°Here we are.¡± In the middle of the sea, where there had been no contact. * * * ¡°This is the boundary.¡± Ships that crossed here never returned tond. Only one survivor hade back, and he waspletely insane, a wreck. ¡°¡­Proceed slowly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With the crew¡¯s tense faces, the ship moved slowly forward. They scanned the surroundings quickly to catch anything unusual. And they realized. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s any problem?¡± ¡°The fish are visible beneath the sea.¡± ¡°The wind is calm. The breeze is normal.¡± To an unknowing person, it looked like an ordinary sea. Valkran was perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Did we get the location wrong?¡± ¡°No. Sorry, but I¡¯ve often looted ships heading to the mermaid city. I can¡¯t have missed the coordinates.¡± This was definitely near the mermaid city. As Valkran frantically looked around, he noticed something strange. ¡°¡­Why are there no shipwrecks?¡± Many ships had sunk here. Given the number, debris should have been scattered everywhere. But there was no wreckage in sight, even beyond the horizon. Aquaz spoke up. ¡°Maybe they drifted with the currents?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s too clean for that. Some remains should still be there.¡± Something was off. It was as if nothing had happened. And that was very strange. Valkran squinted his eyes. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s keep going for now. Something will appear near the mermaid city.¡± ¡°How far is it?¡± ¡°Just one more hour ahead.¡± ¡°Is there a way to call the mermaids?¡± ¡°Normally, they¡¯de out to greet us as we get close¡­ but given the unusual situation, I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯ll have to go and see for ourselves.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. They continued to advance, and nothing happened. Feeling something was off, Aquaz looked at Baker. ¡°Mr. Baker, do you sense anything?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing on my detection.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Both of them had extended their senses widely. They were probing deep into the sea, ready to detect any problem immediately. However, nothing came up. While it was a relief, it also felt uneasy, like not realizing a de was at one¡¯s throat. Then, at a certain moment, Ketal made a peculiar expression. Nobody noticed. As the ship continued forward, it suddenly came to a halt with a jolt. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The sudden stop made the pirates stagger. Valkran frowned. ¡°What is it? Rocks?¡± ¡°No, there were no rocks when we checked the visibility!¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I¡¯ll try turning the ship.¡± The helmsman turned the wheel, but no matter how much he turned it, the ship wouldn¡¯t move. It was as if something was stuck. They panicked. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Valkran urgently looked at Aquaz and Baker, but both shook their heads. ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything.¡± ¡°Neither do I.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± They moved to find the cause. Aquaz also looked around. And she found it. ¡°Ketal?¡± Ketal was standing by the railing, staring intently at the sea below. ¡°Is there something down there?¡± ¡°Do you want to see for yourself?¡± Aquaz, with a puzzled look, gazed down in the direction Ketal was looking. Her expression froze. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Baker also checked the direction they were looking at, and his face turned pale. Realizing that they were looking at something, Valkran and the crew approached them. When they looked into the sea below, their faces also turned white. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Someone swallowed hard. They couldn¡¯t even scream. One of the crew members trembled and stepped back. ¡°A¡­monkey?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal looked at the sea under the ship with a curious expression. There was a monkey, swimming with massive legs and holding the ship with its hefty arms. It wasn¡¯t a rock they had hit; the monkey was holding the ship. Valkran groaned and muttered. ¡°A primate¡­ alive in the deep sea.¡± This being of the forbiddennd was right under their ship. * * * They all realized that it was this monkey that had sunk the shipsing near here. No one dared to speak. They were afraid that any movement might provoke the monkey, so they didn¡¯t even blink. It was alien to them. Something they couldn¡¯t understand. The crew felt like their hearts would stop. Aquaz spoke slowly. ¡°¡­Mr. Baker, can you detect it?¡± ¡°N-no, I can¡¯t.¡± Baker stammered. Both Aquaz and Baker had kept their detection spells active, yet the monkey still wasn¡¯t showing up. ¡°¡­How is that possible?¡± If it had even a bit of mystery, it should have been detected. Shock and fear gripped the ship. Only Ketal was examining the monkey with interest. ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡± The monkey was incrediblyrge, about half the size of the ship they were on. Its brown fur swayed with the waves, and its enormous eyes,rge enough to fit a person inside, looked up at them nkly. ¡®Is this another existence of the forbiddennds?¡¯ The suffocating standoffsted for several seconds. Finally, the monkey began to move. Crack. A disturbing sound started to resonate from under the ship. Realizing what the monkey was doing, Valkran shouted urgently. ¡°It¡¯s trying to break the ship!¡± Crack. Crack. The monkey was gripping the ship harder. The bottom of the ship creaked and started to leak. Only then did Valkran understand how the ships had sunk. The monkey was gripping and tearing at the bottom of the ships. With water leaking in, there was no way to resist. The crew, unable to hold back their screams, started to move frantically. ¡°Aquaz!¡± With Baker¡¯s shout, Aquaz moved, swinging her hand fiercely. ¡°Oh Sun God! Shine your light on my enemies without mercy!¡± Zing! With her words, a beam of light struck down. The mighty divine power hit the monkey square between the eyes, and with a crashing sound, the monkey¡¯s body slid back. But Aquaz¡¯s expression remained grim. She opened her eyes wide. ¡®Not even a scratch?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood from the monkey¡¯s forehead where the light had struck. Baker, who had used Aquaz¡¯s intervention to gather his mana, shouted quickly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°O freezing environment of the star beyond! Descend upon the sea below!¡± Crackle! With his chant, the spell manifested. The space opened, and an intense cold spread, freezing the sea around the monkey instantly, forming a cier. Crack! But it was no use. The monkey, trapped in the cier, frowned as if annoyed. The cier trembled and quickly cracked. Crash! The cier shattered. Baker shouted in shock. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± It was an attack from two superhumans. Though they hadn¡¯t been able to attack properly due to the urgency, to not leave even a scratch was beyond belief! The monkey, irritated by the interference with its goal, distorted its face. [Screeeeech!] A horrific scream echoed. Even underwater, the howling struck their ears directly. The crew covered their ears at the inhuman sound. As the monkey grabbed the bottom of the ship fiercely, Ketal grabbed the railing andunched himself into the sea. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t let you destroy the ship.¡± Ketal clenched his fist. As he fell, he struck down with his fist. The sea exploded. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 173 – Voyage (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 173: Voyage (4) Boom! The sea erupted. The ship swayed from the impact, more intense than when the harpoon was thrown. The sailors were tossed aside. The ship teetered on the brink of capsizing but managed to regain its bnce. ¡°No, no way.¡± Valkran looked at the erupting sea in disbelief. A simple punch had made the ship sway like that. What kind of monstrous strength was this? Rumble¡­ The sea settled. Ketal, having returned to the ship, looked down below the railing and murmured. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Did we take it down?¡± ¡°No. It ran away. It¡¯s quite sturdy.¡± He had adjusted his strength considering the proximity to the ship. The underwater impact had also weakened the force. But even considering that, it was a powerful strike. A blow that could have ruptured the innards of arge whale, yet the monkey had managed to escape. Fear slowly crept onto the faces of the sailors, who had just begun to calm down. A giant monkey had been holding onto the ship from below. It was iprehensible, and they didn¡¯t want to understand it. The sailors moaned as if they had experienced a nightmare. Aquaz looked at the sea and muttered. ¡°Something like that was ruling the seas around here.¡± A lifeform they had never seen before. ¡°¡­It¡¯s tough.¡± The attacks from Aquaz and Baker hadn¡¯t even pierced its hide. They hadn¡¯t been able to exert full force due to the urgency of the situation, but even so, it was incredibly tough. And it hadpletely bypassed their detection. Baker murmured in disbelief. ¡°How can a creature like that exist?¡± A being beyond the scope of their understanding. That was the true nature of the forbiddennd. Valkran gritted his teeth and regained hisposure. ¡°We need to repair the ship first. Water ising in from the bottom.¡± Though they had driven the monkey away, the bottom of the ship was torn open, and water was flooding in. At this rate, they would sink. The sailors, btedly realizing this, scrambled to move. ¡°Sorry, but it looks like we don¡¯t have time for that.¡± Ketal was staring nkly at the sea in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± They realized it btedly too. The sea in the distance was parting. Three monkeys were approaching them. Their faces turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s not just one?¡± The monkeys were not individuals but a group. Three monkeys were closing in fast. The sailors let out cries of despair. One was dangerous enough, but with three attacking, the ship wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. The only fortunate thing was that, unlike before, they weren¡¯t sneaking up on them. They had time to respond. Aquaz quickly raised her hand towards the sky. ¡°Material, Chapter 1, Verse 1. Behold the birth of the radiant golden realm!¡± Wheeeng! A golden light enveloped the ship. It was a divine barrier, the shield of the god that had withstood the devil¡¯s attack when facing Ashetiar. The monkeys collided with the shield. Boom! The shield trembled. The monkeys ferociously pummeled it from underwater. Cracks began to spread across the shield. Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How dare you strike the shield of a god!¡± Even if they had a natural advantage, Ashetiar hadn¡¯t managed to breach it, and had targeted her directly! But it was still the shield of a god. Though cracks spread, it held firm, protecting the ship. It bought Baker enough time to prepare his magic. [Oh stars beyond, I open this space so your realm may manifest here! Rain of rocks! Descend upon this ce!] A space opened. From a distant, hot, and solid star, a rain of rocks was summoned. They all aimed at the monkeys. Boom! The sea shook violently. The magic cast by a magician with a full incantation had immense power. ¡°Whoa!¡± The sailors cheered at the powerful disy. No matter how formidable the monkeys were, they couldn¡¯t have emerged unscathed. But Baker¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. ¡°This is impossible!¡± As the power subsided, the monkeys reappeared. They had only minor scratches on their bodies. That was all. The full-force magic of a magician had only managed to inflict slight wounds on the monkeys. Instead, it seemed to have enraged them, as they began to wail. [Screeeeech!] Their cries reverberated underwater, shaking the sea. Boom! The monkeys pounded on the shield fiercely. The cracks on the shield grewrger andrger. Ketal¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± ¡°Ketal, can you drive away the monkeys?¡± Aquaz hastily looked at Ketal. If Ketal, who had driven away one monkey with a single strike, could handle three, there should be no problem. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°I can do it, but the ship will capsize.¡± Even when facing one monkey, the ship nearly overturned. With three, even if he seeded in driving them away, the ship would likely capsize. ¡°We might survive, but the crew will die.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Moreover, even if we drive them away, it won¡¯t solve the problem.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aquaz looked in the direction Ketal was staring. Her face turned pale. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°It was a cry to call their kind.¡± From beyond the sea, dozens of figures were approaching. They were all monkeys. The crew couldn¡¯t even scream anymore. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal pondered for a moment before looking at Valkran. ¡°For a ship thisrge, there should be an emergency escape boat.¡± The ship they were on was veryrge. Traditionally, in case of emergency, an escape boat would be prepared. ¡°There is.¡± Valkran nodded promptly. ¡°It¡¯s below the deck.¡± ¡°Then lead the way. Aquaz, hold them off a little longer.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal followed Valkran below the deck. Descending quickly, they found arge boat in a spacious storeroom. ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quiterge. Enough for everyone.¡± ¡°But how do you n to use this? Even if we sneak away, we¡¯ll be discovered quickly.¡± This sea was within the monkeys¡¯ territory. Even if theyunched a small boat to escape, they would be discovered quickly. ¡°I have a n. But we need to carry this up.¡± Ketal clenched his fist as he contemted for a moment. ¡°The situation hase to this, so breaking things doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ketal swung his fist, not towards the sea, but towards the sky. * * * [Screeeeech!] Aquaz gritted her teeth and strengthened the shield. Crrrkk. Crack. But the cracks continued to spread. The monkeys clinging on kept pounding, and it was reaching its limit. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Just when she was wondering how much longer she needed to hold on, the bottom of the ship broke. Crash! ¡°Ketal?¡± Ketal came up from the broken floor, carrying a small boat. ¡°Sorry. It took some time.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. But we¡¯re at our limit. What are you nning to do?¡± ¡°Everyone, get on this boat.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crew hurriedly ran over and boarded the escape boat. It wasn¡¯t veryrge, but it was enough for all the crew members. ¡°Aquaz, youe too.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yes!¡± Aquaz boarded the boat. At the same time, the shield shattered. Crash! Crunch. Crack. A terrifying sound came from beneath the ship. The crew realized the monkeys were devouring the ship. Baker trembled and asked, ¡°What do you n to do with this?¡± ¡°If we go through the sea, we¡¯ll be discovered quickly. So, we¡¯ll fly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hold on tight to the boat if you don¡¯t want to be ghosts.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The crew, realizing the meaning of his words btedly, hurriedly grabbed the boat and tied themselves with ropes. Ketal held the boat and kicked off. Boom! ¡°Whoaaaa!¡± The boat flew into the sky. Ketal, holding the boat, jumped with force. But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary jump. In an instant, the boat soared high into the sky. Unable to withstand the force, the ship split in half and sank. Looking down at the sea while holding onto the boat, Valkran swallowed his breath. Dozens of monkeys gathered around the ship, tearing apart the deck and stuffing it into their mouths. The boat, which had soared high into the sky, began to descend slowly. ¡°Baker.¡± ¡°Huh, yes?¡± Baker, who was staring nkly at the sea below, turned his head. ¡°I can¡¯t make a safending. So, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°¡­Open up! Empty space between the stars!¡± Baker, startled, began chanting a spell. Just before the boat collided with the sea, an empty space manifested below it. Woooong! ¡°Whoaa!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± The boat shook, but it rested on the empty space without breaking apart. After a moment, the mana dissipated. Sploosh. With a small ssh, the boatnded on the sea. Ketal smiled in satisfaction. ¡°We did it.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡®He could have told me beforehand.¡¯ Baker looked at Ketal with an aggrieved expression. ¡°Well done, Baker. It was perfect timing.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± However, Baker¡¯s aggrieved expression quickly disappeared, reced by a slight smile at Ketal¡¯s praise. The crew, realizing they had survived, copsed in relief. ¡°We¡­ we¡¯re alive¡­¡± ¡°What on earth just happened¡­¡± They were too exhausted to speak for a moment. After a few minutes, Valkran managed to pull himself together. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just aimed for the direction of the mermaid city.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see anything.¡± Valkran murmured, looking dismayed. Their ship was nowhere in sight. They had flown out of visible range with a single jump. The power was hard toprehend. ¡°I understand why we couldn¡¯t see the ship¡¯s wreckage.¡± It was because the monkeys had devoured itpletely. ¡°But¡­ what do we do now?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Can we navigate?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to get our bearings. Thepass¡­ seems to have been lost during the jump.¡± ¡°¡­What about provisions?¡± ¡°Do you think there are any?¡± No provisions. No way to determine their coordinates. Essentially, they were adrift on the open sea in a small boat. They had survived, but now faced another problem. The crew began to panic. Valkran gave a helplessugh. ¡°We¡¯ll have to fish, I guess.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that will be necessary.¡± Ketal spoke up. ¡°Our host hase to find us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­You mean the monkeys?¡± Had theye here to capture them as well? The crew was about to panic when Ketal shook his head. ¡°Not the monkeys.¡± The rightful inhabitants of this area, those who were here before the monkeys, hade. Plop. A small ssh sounded next to the boat. From beneath the sea, a woman emerged. ¡°¡­I was told the sea, which should remain silent, had be noisy because of those creatures. It seems dear guests have arrived. I¡¯m curious how you managed toe here on this small boat.¡± The woman revealed her half-naked upper body. Her legs were those of a fish. Ketal smiled. His heart was racing. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Wee, humans.¡± The woman greeted them softly. ¡°I am a survivor from the city upied by the monkeys. I am called merow. You may know us as mermaids.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 174 – Mermaid (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 174: The Mermaid (1) Realizing that the constraints blocking the world had disappeared since the dawn of time, it came outside. And it couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. What is this? The ce where it had lived was very dark and cold. It never knew if it could catch prey immediately, and the frigid temperature could freeze it to death if it let its guard down. In fact, the survival rate of its kind was very low. But the outside was bright and warm. Prey was abundant, and the temperature was high. It was an incredibly distant ce. And it was surprised once more. What are these weak creatures? The ce it came from had no prey. If it wasn¡¯t careful, it would be eaten bypetitors. But outside, there was nothing but prey. Lightly touching them would crush them, spilling their insides, and putting them in its mouth brought a sweet meaty vor. It was the best thing it had ever tasted. It finally realized that the outside was a much weaker cepared to where it had lived. It was immensely delighted. It was moved by the breaking of the world¡¯s constraints and devoured the outside creatures. The feeble prey struggled and resisted, but it was meaningless to it. What a weak world this is. What delicious prey this is. It felt as if it had be a king. It joyfully rampaged. Across the vast continent, a confined being was unleashed. * * * ¡®It¡¯s a mermaid. A mermaid.¡¯ Ketal quickly examined the mermaid who had thrust her head in. The mermaid was half-naked, wearing a bikini made of woven seaweed, naturally revealing a lot of skin. Yet, she did not look vulgar or obscene. It seemed very natural, almost like everyday clothing. Her appearance was also quite beautiful. ¡®Her ears are like a human¡¯s.¡¯ In some creative works, mermaids have gill-like ears, but the mermaid¡¯s ears were just like a human¡¯s. Her upper body was human, while her lower body was fish. A fantasy being, a mermaid, was in front of his eyes. Ketal was deeply moved and continued to gaze at the mermaid. The mermaid, feeling ufortable, slightly averted her gaze. ¡®She doesn¡¯t seem afraid.¡¯ Elves would feel intimidated and scared when facing him. Being close to nature, they were sensitive to such intimidation. But the mermaid, though slightly ufortable, did not seem to be as scared as the elves. ¡®Are mermaids not beings of nature? Or are they different from elves?¡¯ Ketal smiled broadly. The mermaid, trying to ignore him, turned her gaze to look at the people on the ship. ¡°I see a few familiar faces.¡± At her words, Valkran and the sailors flinched. They were pirates. They had raided cargo ships transporting goods needed by the mermaids several times. Naturally, the mermaids would not have good feelings toward them. After ring at the sailors for a moment, the mermaid shook her head. ¡°Let it be. In this situation, it¡¯s a small past matter. It seems information hasn¡¯t spread well outside, but this ce is currently very dangerous. I can¡¯t guarantee your lives, so I rmend you leave quickly.¡± ¡°No, we know everything,¡± Aquaz calmly said. ¡°We came here to help you.¡± The mermaid¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? We¡¯ve asked for help from the outside several times, but all efforts failed, and we had given up¡­¡± ¡°A survivor provided some information about what is here. Based on that information, we came here.¡± Aquaz stood up and respectfully bowed. ¡°I am Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God. We came to help the mermaids.¡± ¡°Oh, ah¡­ The Sun God. His grace¡­¡± The mermaid showed an expression of deep emotion. ¡°Thank you for the great god¡¯s interest. The sea near here is monitored by monkeys, but you managed to avoid them. It must have been thanks to the Sun God¡¯s blessing.¡± ¡°We encountered the monkeys.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The mermaid paused. ¡°You encountered them? But how did you get here? You couldn¡¯t have escaped them with the ship¡¯s speed.¡± ¡°We flew through the sky.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± For a moment, Merow didn¡¯t understand the meaning and asked again. Aquaz gave a wry smile. Even she would have reacted that way. It was that iprehensible a statement. But since it was the truth, there was nothing else to say. ¡°We flew through the sky to escape.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± The bewildered mermaid epted it somewhat. She assumed they must have used some method to escape and took ¡°flying through the sky¡± as a metaphor. ¡°Anyway, if you managed to escape, it means you have enough power. That¡¯s fortunate. Honestly, the situation here is very dire.¡± ¡°What exactly is the situation?¡± ¡°I would tell you right now, but¡­ it¡¯s hard to say when the monkeys mighty eyes on this ce. Let¡¯s move to a different location.¡± Merow looked at the sea below. ¡°I will take you to our dwelling. We can talk in detail there.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. By dwelling, you mean underwater?¡± Baker was horrified. Humans couldn¡¯t breathe underwater. His concern was valid, but Merow dismissed it lightly, flicking her tail. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There will be no problem. [Blessings be upon you.]¡± With those words, a strange light enveloped the people on the ship. ¡°Then, let us go.¡± The mermaid grabbed the boat and pulled it down. The boat slowly sank into the sea. Naturally, the humans were drawn into the water along with the boat. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The people, who had been holding their breath in panic, soon realized. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°We can breathe?¡± They found they could breathe and see underwater. Baker was astonished. ¡°Mermaid magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not magic; it¡¯s a blessing.¡± As they descended deeper into the sea, Merow exined. Mermaids were beings that lived and breathed in the deep sea. But half of them were human. Since there was a boundary betweennd and sea, many tragic stories had arisen between humans and mermaids. A god who pitied them granted mermaids a blessing. It was a blessing that allowednd beings to survive underwater. Thanks to this divine blessing, mermaids could interact withnd beings without much trouble. They could live in the sea and trade with coastal cities because of this blessing. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aquaz and Baker were impressed as they realized this. Allowingnd beings to live underwater! While they were admiring the great power of the god, someone tapped Merow on the shoulder. When Merow looked at the person, she saw Ketal staring at her. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± It was then that Merow realized. Ketal had not received the mermaid¡¯s blessing. ¡°Oh, oh no?¡± Merow was flustered. It had already been ten minutes since they descended into the sea. A normal human would have fainted fromck of air by now, so why was he fine? Merow hurriedly tried to grant the blessing, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°What? Just a moment.¡± Instead of waiting, Ketal closed his eyes and began to pray. Kiiing. Holy power enveloped his body. The sailors and Merow widened their eyes. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Holy power?¡± ¡°Hmm. This works. It¡¯s done. Problem solved.¡± Ketal opened his mouth. Merow stared at him nkly, stammering. ¡°¡­Why?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°My body is a bit special. Such power doesn¡¯t work well on me. I¡¯ve resolved it with holy power, so it¡¯s fine now.¡± By using a holy relic from Kalosia, he cast a false veil around his body as if he were onnd. ¡°Holy power can even do this, huh.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. Truly, it was a versatile power. ¡°No, but¡­¡± Merow looked at Ketal in disbelief. She was amazed that a barbarian could wield a holy relic, and she was astounded that the mermaid¡¯s blessing didn¡¯t work on him. The blessing was a power granted by a god. If it didn¡¯t work, it meant that the god¡¯s power didn¡¯t work, which was impossible in a world that existed by divine grace. ¡°Even if you question it, I don¡¯t know either.¡± Ketal shrugged. There was no point in asking since he didn¡¯t know either. Merow stepped back, feeling perplexed. The sailors now looked at Ketal as if they were seeing a monster. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s continue descending.¡± The boat continued to descend deeper into the sea without any problems. The ocean gradually grew darker. They had reached a point where light could no longer prate from the surface. Without the blessing, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to see anything. They began to see sea creatures they had never seen before. At first, the sailors were amazed by the underwater scenery, but gradually their expressions turned to fear. ¡°How far down are we going¡­?¡± ¡°The sea is very deep. We still have a long way to go.¡± Merow spoke calmly. The further they descended, the more uneasy Baker and Aquaz began to feel. A primal fear overtook them. Only Ketal was happily observing the depths of the sea. Merow, watching him with a mixture of bewilderment and caution, carefully asked, ¡°¡­What do you see?¡± The sea was incredibly dark. Without the blessing, Ketal should not have been able to see anything. Yet he responded calmly, ¡°I can see well. There are many fish I¡¯ve never seen before. It¡¯s fascinating.¡± As if he were genuinely having fun, he observed the dark abyss. Merow looked at Ketal with the same eyes as the sailors, seeing him as a monster. Eventually, they reached the sea floor. The boatnded with a small sound. ¡°This way, please. I will guide you to our dwelling.¡± Merow swam forward, flicking her tail. They carefully followed her, treading on the sea floor. Before long, they arrived at the entrance of a small underwater cave. A small merman boy appeared from inside, perhaps sensing their presence. ¡°Merow, you¡¯re back? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°These people havee to help us.¡± Merow spoke calmly. The boy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh? Does that mean we can be saved now?¡± His voice was quite loud, and several mermaids emerged from the cave. They eximed in astonishment upon seeing Ketal¡¯s group. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°They¡¯vee to help from the outside!¡± ¡°Please kill those damned monkeys!¡± They were warmly weed into the underwater cave. The resting mermaids gathered around to see them. Valkran, observing the number of mermaids, frowned. ¡°¡­Is this everyone?¡± This ce was once called the city of mermaids because it was home to so many of them. At least a thousand mermaids lived here. But now, it seemed there were fewer than a hundred mermaids in the cave. Merow spoke with a bitter expression. ¡°The situation is dire.¡± ¡°¡­Are they all dead?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. Most of them are still trapped in the mermaid city.¡± ¡°Trapped in the city? Are the monkeys treating them as ves?¡± ¡°There is someone who can exin more clearly than I can. I will guide you to our city¡¯s administrator. Please hear the details from them.¡± Merow spoke calmly. * * * Ketal, Aquaz, and Baker went to meet the administrator. The sailors were excluded. Their role was to bring Ketal¡¯s group to the mermaids. Their task wasplete. Thanks to the mermaids¡¯ hospitality, the sailors were guided to a room in the underwater cave. Valkran spoke to Ketal onest time. ¡°I hope everything goes well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It will be fine. Think of it as an unusual trip and get some rest.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re the only one who could think like that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketalughed heartily. They were led to the deepest part of the underwater cave. There, a middle-aged merman was waiting for them. ¡°Nice to meet you, humans. I am Kukulitan, the leader of the bluish-green city¡­ or rather, the former leader now.¡± Kukulitan smiled bitterly and bowed politely. ¡°Thank you very much foring to help us.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± Kukulitan cautiously asked, ¡°Could you introduce yourselves?¡± It was certainly a good thing for humans toe and help the endangered mermaids. However, not all goodwill necessarily brought aid. Given the situation, Kukulitan needed to confirm if they had enough power and background to help. ¡°I am Aquaz, an Inquisitor of the Sun God. I have reached the level of a superhuman.¡± ¡°Oh! An Inquisitor of the Sun God!¡± Kukulitan eximed. The Church of the Sun God was the most powerful church on the surface. An Inquisitor at the superhuman level would be a significant asset for the church. If trouble arose, they could expect support from the church. Next, Baker spoke. ¡°I am Baker, a superhuman magician of the Starrail School, gazer of the stars.¡± ¡°Oh! A great magician of the Tower!¡± Kukulitan eximed again. The Tower of Magic, created by the great hero, was renowned even in the sea. A magician from there would surely wield great power. Given the rarity of magicians from the Tower, the school might also aid them if needed. Both were formidable and authoritative individuals, more impressive than Kukulitan had expected. With hopeful eyes, Kukulitan looked at Ketal, expecting him to have simr power and authority. Ketal spoke. ¡°I am a barbarian. Ketal.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡± Ketal looked as if to say, ¡®What more do you need?¡¯ For a moment, Kukulitan was at a loss for words. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 175 – Mermaid (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 175: The Mermaid (2) ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Kukulitan looked unsure of how to respond. A normal barbarian would have no reason toe and meet him alongside an inquisitor of the Sun god and a magician of the tower. It would have been enough to wait inside the cave like the other sailors until the problem was resolved. But Ketal stood confidently in front of him, as if that was all that mattered. Understanding his reaction, Aquaz added, ¡°He has enough strength. He will be of great help, perhaps even more than the two of us.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡®Does he have some hidden power?¡¯ Ketal didn¡¯t seem to exude an extraordinary aura. But since Aquaz spoke so highly of him, he must possess some special power. Kukulitan smiled warmly at Ketal. ¡°Whatever the case, you¡¯vee to help us. Thank you.¡± The brief introductions and greetings were over. Now it was time to get to the point. Ketal asked, ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± Kukulitan sighed and began to exin. ¡°We were residents of a city with a bluish-green hue. Just an ordinary mermaid city that existed everywhere.¡± The mermaids lived peacefully, interacting with humans. Although there were many pirates, it was not a big issue for the mermaids living beneath the sea. asionally, it was bothersome when supplies didn¡¯t arrive, but it wasn¡¯t a major problem. They considered it human affairs and didn¡¯t pay much attention. They lived peaceful and leisurely lives. The mermaids firmly believed they would live like that forever. But that belief was shattered. ¡°¡­In the deep sea beneath our city, there existed a Forbidden Land.¡± ¡°Deep-sea primates that live and breathe.¡± ¡°They existed beneath our city. But we didn¡¯t pay much attention to them.¡± The Forbidden Land¡¯s existence was confined within its boundaries. It was an absolute truth that had never been broken since the continent existed. Therefore, the mermaids didn¡¯t think much about the Forbidden Land. They were slightly uneasy, but it was just to that extent. Some even took pride in it. When mermaids from other cities visited, they introduced it as a tourist attraction, and young mermaids often raced near the Forbidden Land to test their courage. But one day, that peace was shattered. ¡°One day, suddenly, they crawled up from the deep sea.¡± The deep-sea primates. Those monkeys climbed up from the deep sea. Since the city was directly above the Forbidden Land, they were attacked by the monkeys without any time to respond. The monkeys began massacring the fleeing mermaids. ¡°It¡¯s not that we didn¡¯t resist. The city¡¯s warriors gathered and desperately tried to drive out the monkeys. But no attack worked on them.¡± The monkeys responded to their desperate attacks as if they were just tickles. Kukulitanmented. ¡°I had considerable strength, but¡­ it was meaningless.¡± ¡°There were no superhuman-level warriors, I presume.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small city.¡± Kukulitan muttered dejectedly. It wasn¡¯t unusual. A superhuman-level warrior was rare, perhaps one in the entire kingdom. It wasn¡¯t likely to find one in a mere city. As a result, the mermaid city was ravaged by the monkeys. The beautiful city fell into the hands of the monkeys. ¡°We barely managed to escape their surveince, but¡­ many mermaids couldn¡¯t.¡± Many mermaids were hiding in the city, avoiding the monkeys¡¯ gaze. They wanted to save them, but the monkeys¡¯ vignce made it impossible to even approach. Kukulitan smiled bitterly. ¡°My daughter is trapped there too.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Please, I beg you. Save our city, save my daughter.¡± ¡°Understood. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± Aquaz nodded readily. Kukulitan grasped Aquaz¡¯s hand with a face full of gratitude. ¡°Thank you! Thank you! When all this is over, we will give you the mermaid relics our city has held since its creation!¡± At those words, Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°That¡¯s a pleasant promise. It¡¯s always good to have a reward.¡± They had roughly understood the situation and circumstances. Now it was time to gather information about the enemy. Aquaz asked calmly, ¡°Do you have any information about them?¡± ¡°First¡­ their bodies are extremely tough. Even first-rate strength couldn¡¯t prate their hides.¡± ¡°We are aware of that part.¡± A superhuman-level strength was required to even scratch them. Their bodies were iprehensibly tough. ¡°And their eyesight is extremely good.¡± There were instances where they spotted mermaids kilometers away and quickly rushed to devour them. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡± Ketal murmured. The deep sea is an extremely dark ce. It¡¯s hard to see even an inch ahead. Thus, deep-sea creatures usually have degenerated eyes and developed other senses. But the monkeys seemed to have highly developed eyes instead. ¡°But perhaps because of that, their hearing isn¡¯t very sharp. We made quite a bit of noise while escaping, but they didn¡¯t react much.¡± The monkeys screamed when they attacked the ship. It was to call theirpanions. The sound was extremely loud and sharp. Conversely, it seemed that unless the sound was that loud, they couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°And they live in groups. They seem to have settled in the city, using it as their base. If so, why didn¡¯t they just stay down in the deep sea? Why did theye up and trample our city?¡± Kukulitan¡¯s voice rose momentarily, ovee with emotion. But he quickly regained hisposure and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, I understand. It¡¯s a tough situation.¡± ¡°And¡­ there are monkeys that seem to act as scouts. But there¡¯s something peculiar. They always move in pairs.¡± ¡°In pairs?¡± Aquaz tilted her head in confusion. Ketal, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re a buddy system.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°If their enemy attacks the scouts, one must escape to report it. But what if the enemy is too strong for either to escape?¡± ¡°¡­One sacrifices themselves, and the other escapes.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°N-no.¡± Aquaz was taken aback. What Ketal described was a buddy system, a fairlymon tactic, something Aquaz was aware of. But she hadn¡¯t understood it earlier. And there was a reason for that. ¡°Are you saying the monkeys have that level of intelligence?¡± A buddy system requires significant intelligence. It was hard to believe that the primates of the Forbidden Land had such intelligence. ¡°There could be other reasons, but for now, let¡¯s assume that¡¯s the reason.¡± ¡°We need to verify it.¡± They needed to learn more about the monkeys. They decided to head to the mermaid city that the monkeys had taken over. Kukulitan asked worriedly, ¡°A-are you sure it¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°We need to confirm it. And we¡¯ll be fine. As you said, they have sharp eyes but dull ears. We have ways to conceal ourselves.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Then I¡¯ll guide you.¡± Kukulitan said with a determined look. Aquaz did not refuse his offer. They set off toward the mermaid city, full of concern. Aquaz whispered a small prayer. ¡°Cavotan Chapter 1, Verse 12. The great sun has various forms of light. Its essence is hard to discern due to numerous reflections.¡± Kiiiiing! Light enveloped the group. ¡°It¡¯s done. With this, the monkeys can¡¯t see us. But it doesn¡¯t block sound, so be careful.¡± ¡°Oooh. This is the power of the scripture¡­.¡± Kukulitan was moved. Following Kukulitan¡¯s guidance, they headed towards the mermaid city. Although it was quite a distance, they all moved swiftly as they were all strong. As they advanced, Ketal gazed at the sea with awe. ¡®This is the sea of fantasy.¡¯ It was incredibly beautiful. Seeing his face, Kukulitan smiled warmly. ¡°The underwater world is very beautiful. Anyone seeing it for the first time can¡¯t help but be amazed. It¡¯s a shame the situation is like this; otherwise, I would have guided you more.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°No. It¡¯s not my first time seeing it.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°But it is my first time seeing this sea.¡± There was a sea even in the white snowfield. He had often descended into the deep sea to gather food there. But that was the sea of the white snowfield. Horrible creatures lived there. It was far from beautiful. In contrast, the scenery he was seeing now was so beautiful that he was immensely satisfied. As they advanced, they spotted a monkey. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a scout.¡± Two monkeys were swimming quickly. Arge whale was desperately fleeing from them. In no time, a monkey caught up to the whale and swung its fist. The whale¡¯s body shuddered with the impact. The other monkey grabbed and tore the whale¡¯s belly. Crunch. [Bwooooooo.] A painful wail echoed. Aquaz grimaced at the brutal sight, and Baker looked horrified. Only Ketal watched with an interested expression. Soon, the whale went limp. Satisfied after devouring the whale, the monkeys started dragging it away. ¡°They seem to be taking the food back to their nest.¡± ¡°It looks that way. Let¡¯s head in that direction.¡± They followed the blood trail swaying in the current. Along the way, they encountered more scouts. Observing them, Ketal made an observation. ¡°They are quite organized.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The scouts are patrolling at regr intervals, maintaining a certain distance from each other.¡± They weren¡¯t just wandering around aimlessly; they had a systematic n and were patrolling the area. Kukulitan¡¯s eyes widened at this statement. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to tell if you calcte the time and distance between when the scouts appear.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Kukulitan trailed off. The merfolk hadn¡¯t realized that the scouts were patrolling at regr intervals. It wasn¡¯t because they were stupid, but because it was difficult to gather such information from only a few encounters with the scouts. But this barbarian had figured it out immediately. ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ Was this barbarian the brains of the party? A barbarian, of all people? Kukulitan was confused. Aquaz¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Was it possible that the creatures from the forbiddennd had such intelligence? If that were true, it was a significant problem. They advanced more cautiously, and soon they arrived at the mermaid city. ¡°A-ah.¡± Kukulitan¡¯s eyes trembled. The mermaid city was a ce of great beauty. Homes were built from sea soil and giant crustacean shells, creating a harmonious blend. Humans who asionally ventured underwater often marveled at its beauty. But not anymore. The scouts threw therge whale into the middle of the city. The monkeys, excited by their prey, ran around wildly. Crunch. Crash! The city was being destroyed. ¡°Our¡­ city.¡± Kukulitan groaned. As Aquaz observed the city, she noticed something odd. ¡°They¡¯re not eating the whale.¡± The monkeys had gathered around the whale. But none of them touched it directly. They seemed to be under some kind of control. As they watched curiously, one monkey caught their attention. Thud! Thud! It was significantlyrger than the others. Its body was covered with numerous scars. It pushed the other monkeys aside with a fierce expression and approached the whale. Crunch. Therge monkey began to tear into the whale and eat it. The other monkeys waited silently. They realized, ¡°It¡¯s the leader monkey.¡± It was the leader of the monkeys. As the leader, it had the privilege of first dibs on the prey. As they watched the leader, Ketal murmured, ¡°Those are recent wounds.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right.¡± There were still fresh scabs on the leader¡¯s back. They looked like they had been caused by long, sharp ws. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s from fighting among themselves?¡± ¡°Barbaric creatures like them might have fought over who gets to be the leader.¡± The others didn¡¯t pay much attention to the wounds. But Ketal stared at them intently. ¡®¡­Those wounds.¡¯ They looked familiar. They were wounds of a shape he remembered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 176 – Mermaid (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 176: The Mermaid (3) ¡®Where did I see it?¡¯ Was it when I was going through a raid dungeon? ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t quite remember. That was unusual. Ketal remembered every event he experienced outside. Not being able to recall something was impossible. The leader monkey, having filled its belly enough, withdrew. The other monkeys rushed in. Crunch, crunch. In an instant, therge whale disappeared without a trace of bones. Their appetite was enormous. The monkeys, with their bellies full, roamed the city again. Observing them, Aquaz muttered. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re simply destroying the city.¡± Crunch, crunch. The monkeys were destroying the mermaids¡¯ houses and structures. But it wasn¡¯t aimless destruction. They were using the materials to construct a building. Watching the scene for a moment, Aquaz gasped. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re building a house. Indeed, the mermaids¡¯ houses are too small for those giants to enter.¡± The monkeys were using the materials from the mermaids¡¯ city to build their own homes. Ketal mumbled with an intrigued face. ¡°It seems they¡¯re thinking of making this ce their base.¡± The monkeys weren¡¯t just staying temporarily in the mermaids¡¯ city; they were trying to turn it into their own vige. Kukulitan was horrified at this fact. ¡°Are those creatures trying to take root in our city?¡± ¡°It seems so. They¡¯re destroying your houses and building their own.¡± ¡°W-Wait a moment. Then what happened to the survivors?¡± The mermaids trapped in the city were hiding in the buildings. But if the monkeys were destroying the buildings to make their own houses, it was uncertain whether the survivors were safe. ¡°Can we check on them?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Aquaz had a hesitant face. The advantage of divinity was its versatility. In most situations, divinity could solve the problem. But it wasn¡¯t omnipotent. The power of the sun god couldn¡¯t locate the hidden mermaids. Since it was underwater, even mystical detection didn¡¯t work well. Aquaz looked at Baker, but Baker shook his head as well. ¡°My magic is specialized for attack. I could sense presences onnd, but underwater it¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The fact that they couldn¡¯t know about the survivors filled Kukulitan¡¯s face with despair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Many are alive.¡± Then Ketal spoke. The content of his light words took them a moment to grasp. ¡°Alive?¡± ¡°The mermaids in the city are alive. They¡¯re hiding among seaweed and coral, avoiding the monkeys¡¯ eyes. There seem to be at least three hundred of them.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Kukulitan looked at the mermaids¡¯ city in bewilderment at Ketal¡¯s words. But no matter how much he looked, he couldn¡¯t see any mermaids. He asked with a puzzled face. ¡°How did you notice that? Did you sense their presence?¡± ¡°Of course not. Even I can¡¯t grasp such arge city underwater.¡± ¡°Then how¡­¡± ¡°I heard the sounds the mermaids were making.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°I heard the whispers and movements among them. Counting those sounds, there are at least three hundred. If you include those who are holding their breath, there could be more.¡± ¡°¡­You can hear those sounds?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal had a face that asked if there was a problem with that. ¡°¡­You¡¯re stranger than those monkeys.¡± Baker mumbled quietly in the silence. * * * Even Kukulitan, a sea creature, couldn¡¯t hear the mermaids¡¯ sounds. Yet Ketal, and-dweller, could hear them. It was hard to believe. Kukulitan stammered. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t mistake other noises for the mermaids¡¯ sounds?¡± ¡°Is there a mermaid named Rafar? She¡¯s staying with another mermaid named Kaimeir, relying on each other. They¡¯re struggling due to ack of food.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Kukulitan¡¯s mouth fell open. Seeing this, Aquaz and Baker also realized that Ketal truly heard the mermaids¡¯ sounds. Baker looked at Ketal with a mixed expression. Of course, it wasn¡¯t impossible in this world. A person enlightened with mysticism could observe all information within a certain range. ¡®But that¡¯s possible only if one is enlightened with mysticism¡­¡¯ This barbarian had perceived it purely with his physical senses. What on earth is this barbarian? It was hard to tell the difference between a monkey that could see dozens of kilometers away and Ketal who could hear small sounds underwater. ¡®Could it be that this guy is a being from the Forbidden Land?¡¯ Baker thought quietly. Thanks to Ketal, they realized that many mermaids were still alive. They needed to prepare to respond as quickly as possible. The number of monkeys staying in the city was thirty. Including the scouts, there were about forty in total. They hadpleted their assessment of the numbers. Now it was time to gather urate information about the enemy. They needed to check how strong they were and how tough their skin was. ¡°We need to experiment with one of the monkeys.¡± ¡°That sounds good. I¡¯ll lure one.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Is it really okay? The monkeys are very fast. Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to prepare together?¡± Kukulitan looked worried when Ketal volunteered. But neither Aquaz nor Baker seemed concerned. ¡°Let¡¯s watch.¡± Outside the city, not only were the scouts wandering around. Some monkeys were also roaming alone as if they were taking a stroll. Ketal brought one such monkey. Thud! The monkey swam quickly, trying to catch Ketal. But it couldn¡¯t catch him and was dragged around here and there. ¡°Huh?¡± Kukulitan stammered, unable toprehend the scene. ¡°A monkey can¡¯t catch a human?¡± Mermaids were sea creatures and boasted incredible speed. There were very few beings that could catch a mermaid underwater. Those very mermaids couldn¡¯t escape the monkeys and were easily caught. The monkeys were not only strong but also fast. Even Kukulitan, who prided himself on being the fastest in the city, could be caught if he wasn¡¯t careful. Yet the monkey couldn¡¯t catch Ketal now. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s using any mystical power¡­ How is this possible?¡± Ketal¡¯s abilities were very peculiar. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] His hearing was good enough to catch the sounds of mermaids underwater. But because of this, Kukulitan thought his personalbat strength wouldn¡¯t be great. There were many cases where someone specialized in a specific areacked significantly in other aspects. Kukulitan thought Ketal was one of those cases. The fact that the amount of mystical power he possessed was at a third-rate level reinforced Kukulitan¡¯s belief. But the monkey couldn¡¯t catch up with him. ¡°¡­Is he really human?¡± ¡°He should be. ¡­Probably.¡± Aquaz¡¯s replycked confidence. Even she couldn¡¯t understand him. [Kiieee!] The monkey, angry at not being able to catch its small prey, lunged more aggressively. And finally, it reached them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I brought it.¡± Ketalnded lightly. Aquaz quickly shouted. ¡°Material 4, Chapter 2. Your light envelops the guilty.¡± Whirr! A pir of light surrounded the monkey. The monkey¡¯s eyes widened even more. Realizing something was wrong, it screamed and pounded on the pir. [Kiieeek!] But the scream didn¡¯t spread beyond the pir. The monkey pounded on the pir fiercely, but while it shook, it didn¡¯t crack. Aquaz observed this calmly. ¡°It can¡¯t break this level of scripture.¡± Previously, the monkeys had broken through a shield of scripture, but that was the 1st Chapter, 1st Verse. The power of scripture strengthened with the number of chapters. As she observed the monkey, Aquaz realized one more thing. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any mystical power.¡± These monkeys had such strength purely from their physical bodies. Unconsciously, she looked at Ketal. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Aquaz quickly averted her gaze. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal slowly approached the monkey, getting so close it startled those watching. Staring at the monkey, Ketal spoke. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ketal.¡± [Kiiee!] The monkey responded with a scream and a swing of its fist instead of words. ¡°We can¡¯tmunicate.¡± ¡°How could you expect tomunicate with a beast?¡± ¡°I had hoped.¡± Previously, the Nano they met had been able tomunicate. He had hoped the monkeys might too, but it seemed impossible. ¡°Baker.¡± Baker gathered mana to form a de. It rushed toward the monkey, inflicting small wounds all over its body. [Kiieee!] Aquaz raised her hand. ¡°Spear of Light.¡± The spear of light pierced through the limbs of the monkey, pinning it to the ground. The monkey struggled, but the spear held firm. ¡°With this level of mystic power, I can wound it.¡± A sufficiently powerful superhuman could inflict wounds without any problem. Having finished her rough assessment, Aquaz gathered divine energy and entered the pir. The monkey struggled, but it was bound by the spear of light and couldn¡¯t move. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to use divine energy to understand the monkey¡¯s emotions.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to detecting lies. If it had any mystic power, it could resist, but this monkey doesn¡¯t.¡± Aquaz ced her hand on the monkey¡¯s head. At that moment, the monkey thrashed violently. It seemed to instinctively sense danger, almost going berserk. [Screeeeeech!] Crack! The monkey¡¯s muscles swelled up. The spear of light shattered with a scream. The monkey sprang up and lunged at Aquaz with bared teeth. ¡°Damn!¡± Aquaz hastily gathered her hands to defend, but the monkey¡¯s body was suddenly mmed back down. Boom! ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ketal had grabbed the monkey¡¯s head and smashed it into the ground. Aquaz, who had been staring nkly, quickly expressed her gratitude. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± ¡°It seems like a special move, allowing it to momentarily exert greater strength than usual. We need to check this too.¡± The monkey struggled and thrashed but couldn¡¯t get up. As Ketal gauged its strength, he wore a puzzled expression. He had lived in the Forbidden Lands. He had even faced beings from the Forbidden Lands outside the white snowfield, like Nano. He thought he had a general understanding of the level of the Forbidden Land. So he couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡®Is it only this much?¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll continue the examination.¡± Aquaz ced divine energy on the head of the monkey that had been smashed into the ground. After a moment of silent contemtion, Aquaz spoke. ¡°¡­I sense various emotions. Anger. Frustration. Hunger. And¡­.¡± Aqua¡¯s eyes momentarily wavered. ¡°Fear?¡± At those words, Baker tilted his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s afraid.¡± The monkey, pinned to the ground, continued to thrash about. No matter how you looked at it, it didn¡¯t seem to be afraid of them. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t a recent emotion. It seems to be quite an old one. ¡­Why?¡± Had there been a situation where this monkey felt fear before meeting them? A being from the Forbidden Land that had crawled up, ruled the mermaid city for over a month, and reigned as the tyrant of the sea? It felt fear of something? It was iprehensible. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 177 – Mermaid (4) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 177: The Mermaid (4) It, who had been devouring the fragile and delicious prey outside, realized that some of the prey had escaped. It remembered that they couldn¡¯t escape before, but it seemed some restriction had been lifted, allowing them to flee all at once. However, it didn¡¯t care. There were no more restrictions. It would find and devour the remaining prey and then search for the others afterward. It was very happy.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om * * * Baker spoke nonchntly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just an illusion? The more scared an animal is, the more it thrashes around. Probably something like that.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I suppose so. I¡¯m still inexperienced. It seems I didn¡¯t grasp the situation properly.¡± Aquaz took her hand away and looked at Ketal. ¡°Is this alright?¡± Ketal nodded with a peculiar expression. Aquaz raised her hand, creating a spear of light that pierced through the monkey¡¯s chest. Crack. Red blood flowed out. The monkey, its chest pierced, twitched and struggled but soon its movements gradually ceased. ¡°It has a heart. Its basic bodily structure seems to resemble that of a monkey.¡± Aquaz shook her hand and pulled out a dagger. ¡°I will proceed with the dissection. Those with weak stomachs, please step out of the pir of light.¡± * * * An hourter. Aquaz emerged from the pir of light and said, ¡°The basic bodily structure is simr to monkeys onnd. There aren¡¯t any significant differences.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Baker looked bewildered. ¡°¡­Then how does it breathe underwater?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe the lungs serve a different function? Ick the specialized knowledge to determine that.¡± But it wasn¡¯t of great importance. The crucial point was that the monkey¡¯s vital points were not significantly different from those ofnd monkeys. There were about forty monkeys in total. They could exert a momentarily strong force. Their vital points were the same asnd monkeys. Their bodies could be prated by a superhumanly strong person exerting proper force. Aquaz, gauging the information, nodded. ¡°¡­It seems possible.¡± ¡°Oh, ohhh!¡± Kukulitan¡¯s face brightened. It was only natural. Aquaz had just said that they could handle the monkeys. ¡°This is fortunate news! Thank you! Then, we will need support, right? How long will it take for external help to arrive?¡± Kukulitan quickly asked. Behind Aquaz and Baker were the Sun God and the Magic Tower. Proper support from them would surely be a great help. But Aquaz shook his head. ¡°No. We don¡¯t need any help.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°We three can handle this. I was worried because they were creatures of the Forbidden Lands, but they aren¡¯t that formidable.¡± ¡°Wait, what? You don¡¯t need any help?¡± Just the three of them, handling forty monkeys that had destroyed a city? It was hard to believe, but Aquaz¡¯s expression was calm. Baker looked a bit uneasy but did not refute. It meant her words were true. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier to gather them all and sweep them away at once since they might escape. But that poses a problem.¡± How to gather those monkeys in one ce. The mermaid city was not an option. With mermaids hiding there, they had to lure the entire group of monkeys to a specific location. That was the problem. ¡°It would be easier to capture one and make it call its kin. Let¡¯s go find a monkey.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s unnecessary.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will handle it.¡± Ketal said calmly. * * * They moved to an empty spot in the sea through Kukulitan. It was a reasonable distance from the mermaid city. Aquaz, surveying the area, nodded. ¡°This should do. What do you think, Mr. Baker?¡± ¡°This is fine.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get ready.¡± ¡°Are¡­ Are you really sure about this?¡± Kukulitan asked with a worried face. Handling the monkeys with just three people seemed impossible. From his perspective, they definitely needed support. But Aquaz¡¯s face was very calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This will be over soon.¡± ¡°Ah, alright¡­¡± Kukulitan couldn¡¯t help but step back at such a calm remark. They began preparing for battle. Aquaz offered prayers to umte divine power, and Baker pre-chanted to store a great spell. The preparation took a considerable amount of time, about an hour. Ketal, with an intrigued expression, asked, ¡°Does it always take this long to prepare?¡± ¡°We need to manifest not just simple power, but perfect power. It¡¯s done now. Sorry for making you wait.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. So, should I call them now?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­ is it really possible?¡± Ketal had said he would call the monkeys. But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t think of a way to call them. Ketal asked Kukulitan instead of answering. ¡°They have poor hearing but are aggressive, right? Theye to catch anything they see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, but¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. Catching a monkey to call them isn¡¯t a bad idea, but¡­ we can¡¯t be sure if the scouts will hear it. It¡¯s better to be certain. Everyone, cover your ears and protect your bodies.¡± Ketal took a deep breath. He removed the false veil that covered his body. His body was exposed to the deep sea. The strong water pressure pressed down on his entire body, but he didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Aquaz¡¯s expression changed. She hurriedly spread a divine barrier around everyone except Ketal. Then Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°Ah. Ah. Aaaah!¡± A roar burst out. A rough and loud shout echoed through the sea. The currents in the water suddenly surged violently, as if a tsunami had urred underwater. The sea trembled as if there was an earthquake. ¡°Uwaaahhh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Rumble! The ground shook. The soil on the seabed trembled violently. The view became cloudy as a sandstorm rose. The roar traveled forward through the water. The seabed turned over, revealing what was buried. Fish swimming around couldn¡¯t withstand the vibrations and their insides burst, killing them. It was as if an earthquake had struck the sea. A natural phenomenon was urring due to a human¡¯s roar. Crack! Cracks appeared in the divine barrier Aquaz had set up. The great wall of the god was about to shatter from a mere shout. Aquaz opened her eyes wide. And after a moment. Rumble! A rough sound was heard as something approached them. ¡°They¡¯reing.¡± Ketal smiled. Aquaz, who had barely uncovered her ears, couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°What, what is this?¡± Could a human really possess such power? Baker, who hade to his senseste, murmured in disbelief. ¡°¡­He really seems like a creature of the Forbidden Land.¡± * * * Baker spoke jokingly, but Aquaz smiled bitterly for a moment. She knew that Ketal was a barbarian from the white snow ins. In that sense, Baker¡¯s guess was quite sharp. From a distance, monkeys were crying out and running towards them. Judging by their numbers, it seemed that all the monkeys from the city and the scouts had gathered. ¡°Then please.¡± Ketal stepped back with an expectant look. Aquaz took a short breath and stepped forward. Monkeys from the Forbidden Land. Their skin was imprable by mere first-rate warriors, and their strength could shatter even holy books. They were indeed powerful beings. But she was stronger than the monkeys. She was an Inquisitor of the Sun God. A genius of the church, who reached the realm of superhumans at around the age of twenty. ¡°Material Chapter 4, Verse 2. Your light envelops those who have sinned.¡± Screech! A great barrier of light surrounded the monkeys. Aquaz quickly continued speaking as if it wasn¡¯t over. ¡°Material Chapter 12, Verse 45. The great prison of the Sun has been manifested. Only those acknowledged by the Sun God could pass through it.¡± Rumble! Pirs of light sessively struck down into the sea. Realizing something was wrong, the leader monkey let out a cry. The monkeys tried to follow the leader and escape. But the prison of light had already surrounded all the monkeys. [Screeeech!] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The leader cried and struck the pirs as if trying to break out. Aquaz didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Material Chapter 6, Verse 11. The impure beings dare to challenge the majesty of the Sun God. The Sun God, displeased, showed a veil equal to His authority.¡± The pirs of light became even stronger. The leader monkey gathered its strength roughly. It used its ultimate power to strike the pirs. Boom! But the leader monkey¡¯s body was pushed back. ¡°Ooh.¡± Ketal admired the ovepping power of the scriptures. ¡®Impressive,¡¯ He thought. Even if Ashetiar were to reappear, she wouldn¡¯t be able to scratch the divine power Aquaz had just disyed. ¡®This is the power of a fully prepared superhuman.¡¯ Ketal had met many superhuman warriors. But none of them were in their optimal state. Arkamis and the Saint of Kalosia had exerted all their strength to face sudden enemies, but they weren¡¯t fully prepared. This time was different. Aquaz had gathered all the information about the monkeys and spent an hour preparing for the battle in advance. The power of a fully prepared superhuman was indeed a spectacle. ¡°Material, Chapter 22, Verse 1. Thus, the Sun God protected His people. His light and heart will never be forgotten in their hearts.¡± A brilliant realm of light was manifested beneath the sea. ¡°Hoo.¡± Aquaz caught her breath. The monkeys beat the pirs frantically, but they did not budge. ¡°Then, please, Baker.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. The power of a fully prepared devotee was this impressive. How powerful would magic be when it waspleted through preparation and design? [Behold.] Baker intoned. The condensed and prepared mana began to move ording to the design. [Stars beyond. Numerous phenomena that shake within them.] The Starrail School was the school that gazed at the stars. And the stars were immense. The Starrail School had often been called upon inrge-scale wars. The range of their magic was vast, making it difficult to utilize perfectly in small battles. Now, a suitable environment for the Starrail School to exert its power had been created. [Trembling heatwaves. Falling meteors. Scorchingnd. Sea of high heat. Cold, severe frost.] Screech! The immense mana twisted space. It opened the space and drew out the power of the stars beyond. Cracks appeared above the monkeys¡¯ heads. Feeling the ominousness, the monkeys struggled harder, but the pirs held firm. [Lives that cannot exist on our stars. Extreme environments that exist only there. I call upon you here.] Baker lowered his hand. [Stars, descend here.] And the space opened. Crack. Countless meteors descended through the opened space. They exploded, sweeping through the inside of the pirs. Boom! [Screech!] The fragments of the exploding meteors pierced the monkeys¡¯ bodies. It didn¡¯t stop there. Crack! The sea froze. An almost absolute cold swept through. But that wasn¡¯t all. The frozen sea boiled instantaneously. Extreme heat and cold, where no life could survive, shed, destroying the environment. Rumble! Harsh environments from a star where life could not exist descended upon the tranquil continent. If Aquaz hadn¡¯t blocked it with the pirs of light, the surrounding sea would have been ruined. Naturally, the monkeys of the Forbidden Land couldn¡¯t remain unscathed. The monkeys froze instantly. Exposed to the extreme heat, they melted and died while still frozen. [Screech!] [Scream!] The monkeys fell in an instant. Kukulitan was astonished. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± It was a level of power that he, as a first-rate warrior, couldn¡¯tprehend. Ketal also marveled greatly. ¡°Oooh! Magnificent!¡± It was the first time he had seen suchrge-scale magic. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t the very first time. The Tower Master had once used magic to put the entire royal castle to sleep. But that wasn¡¯t offensive magic, so it wasn¡¯t very impressive. This was different. It wasrge-scale magic that shook and destroyed the space itself, achieved through long preparation and design. It was truly a spectacle. Ketal excitedly patted the shoulder of Baker, who was catching his breath. ¡°Amazing! Truly amazing, Baker!¡± ¡°Uh, uh?¡± ¡°Absolutely splendid! Remarkable!¡± Ketal was genuinely impressed by Baker¡¯s power. Hearing the praise in bewilderment, Baker¡¯s face slowly brightened. ¡°Oh¡­ really?¡± ¡°Yes! This magic exceeded my imagination! You are indeed an excellent magician! I¡¯m genuinely impressed! I even respect you! Splendid!¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­¡± Hearing the praise, Baker trembled. He was afraid of Ketal. But when Ketal praised his magic on the ship, he felt a strange emotion. It was a feeling that was both embarrassing and pleasant. Since then, whenever he heard Ketal¡¯s praise, he felt simr emotions. And now, with Ketal praising him so highly, that emotion exploded within him. Every word of Ketal¡¯s praise stirred his emotions. It was simr to the feeling he had when his very strict master praised him for the first time in his childhood. He was enchanted by Ketal¡¯s words. ¡®I want to hear more¡­.¡¯ It was like a child yearning for their parent¡¯s praise. Baker gazed at Ketal as if spellbound. [Screech¡­] [Whimper¡­] The energy subsided, and the monkeys let out groans of pain. Baker¡¯s magic was incredibly powerful, but it wasn¡¯t enough to annihte the monkeyspletely. Quite a few monkeys were still alive, groaning in pain. Both Aquaz and Baker had used up all their strength and had no energy left. Now, it was his turn. ¡°Good job, everyone.¡± Ketalforted the two of them. He walked over leisurely. ¡°Well then.¡± Ketal approached. Although the pirs of light had disappeared, the monkeys were too injured to escape. However, there was one monkey that remained unscathed. [Screech.] The leader monkey, clearlyrger than the others, bore no injuries despite the severe magic. It was clearly stronger than the other monkeys and looked at Ketal with eyes full of hostility. But Ketal¡¯s expression was ambiguous. ¡°The leader monkey¡­ is it?¡± A primate breathing and living in the deep sea. A creature of the Forbidden Land like Nano. The strongest among them was the monkey in front of him. Ketal gave a curious smile. ¡°Are you really the leader of the monkeys?¡± [Screech!] The leader monkey lunged at Ketal. Ketal calmly raised his hand. ¡°Well, alright. I guess I¡¯ll just have to find out now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 178 – Mermaid (5) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 178: The Mermaid (5) ¡°Are you okay, Aquaz?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. But what about you, Mr. Baker? That was quite a powerful spell.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be alright after a bit of rest.¡± Baker groaned. A deep sense of exhaustion was taking over his entire body. Aquaz wasn¡¯t much different. It was a power that had been drawn out with perfect preparation and nning. It was rare for divinity, which rarely depleted, to bepletely drained. ¡°But¡­¡± Baker looked at the devastated sea. There, Ketal was fighting the monkeys. Watching the scene, Baker let out a dryugh. ¡°Wasn¡¯t our presence actually unnecessary?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aquaz couldn¡¯t refute and forced a bitter smile. Even after Baker¡¯s spell, about ten monkeys had survived. Ketal was dealing with the remaining monkeys alone. And the battle was overwhelmingly one-sided. ¡®I knew he was strong, but¡­¡¯ Ketal had defeated Ashetiar, the demon of gravitas. From the way the fight went, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he yed with her. Moreover, he had helped the Kalosia Church by contributing to the defeat of a top-tier demon. He had even been recognized by the gods for his efforts, so it was known that he possessed iparable strength. But the power Ketal was disying now far surpassed her expectations. ¡°What is that power¡­?¡± Superhuman-level refers to those who wield inhuman power. Ketal¡¯s strength was beyond theprehension of even those who were considered superhuman. ¡®Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfield, right?¡¯ He was an existence of the Forbidden Land. And an existence of the Forbidden Land was overwhelming another existence of the Forbidden Land. Naturally, a question arose. ¡®What exactly is in the White Snowfield?¡¯ * * * [Keeee!]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The monkeys cried out and rushed at him. Ketal lightly swung his fist. Boooom! With a punch, the sea shook. The monkey hit by the impact flew off, spewing blood from its entire body. It was buried under the sea and never got up again. The monkeys that withstood Baker¡¯s magic died in a single blow. [Keei!] [Kaa!] Two monkeys grabbed Ketal¡¯s arms from both sides. They pulled with all their might, trying to tear him apart. But they didn¡¯t seed. Instead, when Ketal lightly swung his arms, the monkeys were swung around like toys. Ketal swung them around and then mmed them into the ground. Sand exploded and scattered in all directions. The monkeys vomited blood and died instantly. [Kaaaah!] The leader monkey, unable to stand the sight of itsrades dying, rushed at him again. Its speed was iparable to that of the other monkeys. It took a rough step and threw a punch. Instead of dodging, Ketal met the punch with his own. Boom! Fist met fist, and the leader monkey rolled and flew away. ¡°It is indeed strong.¡± Ketal muttered, gauging the strength of the sh. It had far more power than the other monkeys. It was almost as strong as a superhuman-level swordmaster. It could even give Maximus a good fight. ¡°But that¡¯s all.¡± [Kaaa!] The leader monkey quickly got up and took a step. It leaped high and threw its body to crush Ketal. Ketal lightly reached out, grabbed the leader monkey¡¯s head, and mmed it down. Boom! [Keee!] The monkey let out a cry of pain and immediately got up. Despite the overwhelming difference in power, it charged again. ¡°Determination! It¡¯s the most important thing to survive in a harsh environment. But without matching strength, it¡¯s just a suicidal act.¡± Ketal moved his foot. The leader monkey, kicked, slid back. It sat down, groaning in pain, unable to get up immediately. ¡°No, this is¡­¡± Aquaz couldn¡¯t believe the battle unfolding before her eyes. The leader monkey was definitely strong. It was strong enough that even she couldn¡¯t guarantee victory if she fought it. And Ketal was literally ying with it. Baker was also watching Ketal with his mouth agape, dumbfounded. [Kaaa!] The leader monkey howled. Its body swelled. It attacked Ketal with all its might, with even greater strength. Boom! Ketal didn¡¯t dodge. He took the leader monkey¡¯s punch with his bare body. His body didn¡¯t budge an inch. He grabbed the leader monkey¡¯s arm and twisted it. The monkey screamed and sank to its knees. Ketal¡¯s eyes grew cold as he watched. ¡®This is another existence of the Forbidden Land.¡¯ It was a primate that had lived and breathed in the depths of the sea during the same era as the White Snowfield. ¡®Is this all?¡¯ Facing it directly, Ketal felt disappointment. Nano, another existence of the Forbidden Land he had encountered before, was special. Its power wasn¡¯t particrly great, but it had a uniqueness that substituted all things. It had piqued Ketal¡¯s interest in its own way. But these monkeys? What were they? They were neither strong nor special. Even Nano¡¯s power alone was greater than that of all these monkeysbined. They were just monkeys living under the sea. Such monsters were plentiful even in the White Snowfield. They didn¡¯t even spark a hint of interest. ¡°I was hoping there¡¯d be some trump card¡­ but it seems there isn¡¯t one.¡± In that case, there was no need to continue. Ketal tightened his fist. He struck the leader monkey¡¯s chest. Boom! The impact rippled through the sea. The leader monkey spat blood but suppressed it and charged again. Ketal clenched his fist once more. Boom! The violent shockwave was strong enough to push back Aquaz and Baker, who were standing far away. The leader monkey stood still. Then, bleeding, it copsed. The only one left standing was Ketal. The existence of the Forbidden Land that had ravaged the mermaid¡¯s city was thus annihted. Ketal smiled. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes.¡± Aquaz stammered, nodding. *** [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The monkeys were exterminated. There were no longer any creatures defiling the mermaid¡¯s city. Kukulitan quickly gathered the mermaids and returned to the city. He shouted loudly. Mermaids who had been hiding in the city, he told them to feel safe. All the monkeys were dead and gone. They had reimed their city. Hearing his shout, the mermaids began to appear one by one. Initially, their faces were filled with fear, but once they confirmed that the monkeys were all dead, their expressions brightened. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± They hugged each other, rejoicing in their survival. Many mermaids had died, but about half had survived. It wasn¡¯t a small loss, but considering they had feared the total destruction of their city, it was a miracle. The mermaids were ted at their survival. And they expressed their gratitude to those who had helped them. ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± The mermaids ran to Ketal and hispanions, expressing their thanks. Aquaz and Baker, though exhausted, smiled and epted their gratitude. Sincere thanks from those they had saved were always heartwarming. Even the sailors, who were caught in between, received the mermaids¡¯ gratitude with bewildered faces. ¡°Thank you!¡± Kukulitan repeatedly expressed his gratitude. ¡°Thanks to you, we have reimed our city! I will soon prepare the artifact I mentioned. However¡­ since the city is half-destroyed, it will take some time to find it.¡± The monkeys had destroyed the city¡¯s structures and converted them into their own homes. The city was in apletely ruined state. There was a need to restore the ruined city to its original state. Aquaz nodded. ¡°We will help you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thank you.¡± They helped rebuild the city. With the assistance of three superhuman-level warriors, the reconstruction progressed rapidly. The mermaids rejoiced and praised them. And every night, there was a festival. Although they hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the damage, the mermaids expressed their joy openly. They mourned the dead and celebrated the joy of survival. They acted as if all problems were solved, and indeed, it seemed that way, so no one pointed it out. Everyone enjoyed the festival together. And as the city gradually rebuilt itself, Aquaz, now recovered, spoke. ¡°I will go to the Forbidden Land to verify.¡± ¡°You mean you will descend to the depths of the sea?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aquaz nodded at Ketal¡¯s question. ¡°The monkeys came from the deep sea, much deeper than the mermaid¡¯s city. Since the leader monkey came up, it is likely that the rest have also surfaced, but it¡¯s necessary to verify.¡± To do that, Aquaz nned to descend into the deep sea. Originally, she intended to go alone, but when Baker heard of the n, he immediately volunteered to join, so it became the two of them. ¡°I see. That¡¯s brave of you.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Baker grinned widely at thepliment. ¡°Is it alright for just the two of you to go?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sufficient. Ketal, please rest here in the city. We will take care of it.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t insist on joining them. He had alreadypletely lost interest in the monkeys. If it were a great fantasy realm, he might be curious, but he had no intention of exploring the Forbidden Land. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be off.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. The monkeys have poor hearing.¡± Bypletely concealing their presence, the monkeys wouldn¡¯t be able to detect them. This was understood from past experiences. Aquaz and Baker headed towards the sea floor. Ketal saw them off. * * * Seeing Ketal alone, Kukulitan asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Where did the others go?¡± ¡°They went down to the deep sea to investigate.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so they headed to the Forbidden Land¡¯s base. To personally go for verification¡­ as expected¡­¡± Kukulitan murmured in admiration. There was no worry on his face. Almost all the monkeys had surfaced. Even if some monkeys remained in the deep sea, they would be nothing more than remnants. Kukulitan firmly believed that Aquaz and Baker could handle it without any issues. Ketal shared a simr thought. If it¡¯s those two, they could handle any remaining monkeys without a problem. However, his expression was ambiguous. ¡®¡­Something feels off.¡¯ The existence of the Forbidden Land that invaded the mermaid city had been exterminated. The problem waspletely resolved. But something felt off. ¡®¡­Is this really all there is?¡¯ Even without Ketal, two superhuman-level warriors could handle it. Was this truly the entirety of the Forbidden Land? Nano was special. It could substitute anything without even superhuman-level warriors noticing. The power it possessed when unified was iparable to the monkeys. These primates had existed in the depths since the era of the White Snowfield, ancient entities of the Forbidden Land. Was their power truly only this much? Of course, they weren¡¯t weak. Their intelligence was quite high, potentiallyparable to humans. Considering the uniqueness of the underwater environment, they were incredibly difficult to deal with. But for entities of the Forbidden Land, they were too weak. If there had been more of them, it might have been understandable, but there were only a few dozen monkeys. No. That couldn¡¯t be it. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s just this. He kept feeling an unsettling emotion. From experience, Ketal knew he shouldn¡¯t ignore this feeling. At that moment, Ketal realized. The questpletion notification had not appeared. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 179 – Stepping Out into the World (1) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 179: Stepping Out into the World (1) When Aquaz informed him that the presence of a Forbidden Land had taken over the mermaid city, a window appeared before him. [Quest 787.] [Respond to the Other.] It was the same quest window that had helped him since the white snowfield and had asionally appeared even after he ventured outside. The content of the quest was to respond to the Other. Until now, Ketal thought the Other mentioned in the quest referred to the monkeys. However, even after dealing with the monkeys, the questpletion notification did not appear. The quest was still ongoing. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes narrowed. Of course, it wasn¡¯t strange that the quest hadn¡¯t beenpleted. He hadn¡¯t confirmed the depths where the monkeys lived. He assumed they had alle up, but there could still be remnants. The most likely reason the quest wasn¡¯tpleted was that some monkeys were still hiding in the deep sea. But something was bothering him. Ketal¡¯s intuition warned him that this wasn¡¯t the reason the quest hadn¡¯t beenpleted. ¡°Kukulitan.¡± ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°Do you have a map of the sea?¡± ¡°A map? Yes, we do.¡± Kukulitan responded, flustered by the sudden question. ¡°We have a map that outlines the entire nearby sea.¡± ¡°Can you show it to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kukulitan wagged his tail and went into the city. He soon returned with a map. ¡°Here it is.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal spread out the map. It was quiterge, showing not only the nearby sea but also the continent on the opposite side. This allowed Ketal to realize. ¡°¡­This sea is connected to the white snowfield.¡± At the edge of the map, a white continent could be seen. There were no obstacles between the mermaid city and the white snowfield, just a vast sea. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct¡­. Is there a problem?¡± Kukulitan seemed not to understand Ketal¡¯s concern. ¡°At least for now, there isn¡¯t.¡± However, Ketal remained silent. Kukulitan, realizing what Ketal was worried about, smiled. ¡°Are you considering the possibility of something from the white snowfield reaching here? That¡¯s an excessive concern. So far, we¡¯ve never heard of anything emerging from the white snowfield.¡± The white snowfield was vast. The Forbidden Land existed in the center of the continent and was connected to many ces. If anything from there hade out, rumors would have spread long ago. But there had been no news, indicating that nothing hade out of the white snowfield. Kukulitan spoke lightly. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s some special restriction because it¡¯s such an old andrge Forbidden Land?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ketal didn¡¯t reply. His very presence here proved Kukulitan¡¯s assumption wrong. Ketal had believed he was unique, having escaped the white snowfield through the format of the quest. Therefore, he thought other entities couldn¡¯t leave the white snowfield. So far, he considered the appearance of other magical entities in the world to be unrted to the white snowfield. But what if that wasn¡¯t the case? Ketal recalled the words of the entity he defeated just before leaving the white snowfield. [The stopped wheel is starting to turn again! Monster! Your desire will be fulfilled at the end of the distortion!] At the time, he didn¡¯t care. His mind was focused solely on the thought that killing that entity would let him leave. In that moment, he wasn¡¯t in a normal state. But now, those words came back to him. ¡®The restriction hasn¡¯t been lifted.¡¯ Kukulitan¡¯s assumption wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. If the restriction had been lifted, the entities wouldn¡¯t have remained quiet. The fact that they still hadn¡¯t shown themselves indicated that the restriction still existed. But what if it had weakened? What if something was twisted? Ketal maintained his silence. Seeing his expression, Kukulitan stammered, sensing a foreboding feeling. ¡°Even if something dide out, wouldn¡¯t it be too far for us to worry about? As you can see from the map, it¡¯s extremely far. It would take a mermaid months to swim that distance at full speed.¡± Mermaids are incredibly fast in the sea, outpacing most fish. For it to take them months meant it was truly a vast distance. But Ketal knew. The distance means nothing to the monsters from that ce. Primate creatures living in the depths of the sea. They were simr to Nano in being entities from the Forbidden Land, but they were few in number and individually not very strong. Two superhuman-level strong individuals could wipe them out. And likewise, the weak leader monkey. The familiar, recent wound on its back. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be stepping out for a bit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kukulitan was flustered. He tried to ask something, but Ketal stomped his foot. A thunderous noise echoed through the sea. The mermaids restoring the city were startled and scattered. ¡°Wha, what?¡± By the time the sea calmed down, Ketal was gone. * * * A little before Ketal and Kukulitan¡¯s conversation. Aquaz and Baker were descending deeper into the sea. As they went down, it felt like they were reaching the very bottom of the world. They saw it. A twisted underwater cave. The entrance was enormous, about the size of ake. They instinctively knew this was the entrance to the Forbidden Land. ¡°Mr. Baker, are you alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Aquaz.¡± Baker said confidently. Aquaz smiled faintly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± With serious expressions, they stepped into the Forbidden Land. The moment they entered the underwater cave, they realized. The air was different. It was as if the space itself was separate; the atmosphere inside the underwater cave was different from outside. It felt like a wall divided them. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Aquaz groaned. ¡°This is¡­ the Forbidden Land.¡± The Other that had existed on the continent for a very long time. They were now inside the Forbidden Land. Aquaz and Baker cautiously entered. Baker spoke yfully. ¡°We could make a living as storytellerster, don¡¯t you think? We¡¯re probably the only ones who¡¯ve entered the Forbidden Land in the deep sea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s something to brag about to ourrades when we get back.¡± Aquaz agreed. Though they were tense, they weren¡¯t particrly anxious. This Forbidden Land was the home of the monkeys. And they had already exterminated the monkeys. They knew their strength and level. Even if there were remnants, they could defeat them without much difficulty. And if it got tough, they could just hide and escape. So their expressions weren¡¯t dark at all. They continued descending deeper into the sea. ¡°It¡¯s deeper than I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not small, considering those big creatures lived here in groups. But it¡¯s even bigger than I imagined.¡± The underwater cave was wider than they expected. They kept descending, yet the bottom was still out of sight. As they continued going down, something strange happened. Aquaz frowned slightly. ¡°¡­I smell something rotten.¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s that smell?¡± Baker grimaced as well. It was a highly unpleasant smell, like rotting flesh. Pieces of what seemed to be prey left behind by the monkeys began to float in front of them. ¡°How filthy did those monkeys live?¡± Baker muttered in disgust. The smell intensified as they descended. And it wasn¡¯t just the smell that was strange. ¡°Our vision¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting darker.¡± The blessing they received gave them adaptability simr to mermaids. Mermaids have the ability to see through the sea, regardless of the darkness. It¡¯s an innate ability they¡¯ve had since the beginning of their species. The fact that their vision was darkening meant that even for mermaids, this ce was so dark that it was impossible to see. Unaware of this fact, they merely thought it was dark because they were in deep waters. The deeper they went, the darker their vision became, and the stench grew stronger. Eventually, they could see nothing. At the end of this descent. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± They reached the bottom. But it was so dark that nothing could be seen. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll light it up.¡± ¡°Got it. And the smell is horrible. What is it? Are they storing rotten fish?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check it out. The brilliance of the Sun God shines even in the absence of light.¡± Aquaz prayed. At that moment, a powerful light shone above their heads. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Aquaz and Baker gasped. As the darkness lifted, revealing what had been hidden, they could see. They had reached the bottom of the Forbidden Land. And there were the corpses of the monkeys. ¡°¡­Wha, what?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± They couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. This was the monkeys¡¯ habitat, their sanctuary, so to speak. Yet the floor was covered with the corpses of monkeys. ¡°Uh¡­ could it be that they discarded monkeys whose lifespans had ended beneath the sea?¡± ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t seem likely.¡± The monkey corpses didn¡¯t look that old. They didn¡¯t even seem to be more than a few months old. ¡°Wait a moment. In that case, the rotting smell¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t the smell of fish caught by the monkeys. It was the smelling from the monkey corpses. ¡°How many monkeys are there exactly¡­?¡± Baker muttered in disbelief, his face aghast. Despite the vast expanse of the floor, it was packed full of monkey corpses. At least hundreds, possibly over a thousand. ¡°There were this many monkeys¡­?¡± They groaned. Each individual monkey was a challenge even for superhuman-level beings. And there were possibly over a thousand of them. If they had alle out, even they wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle it. They would have devastated and copsed the entire sea. But that¡¯s why there were questions. Why were all the monkeys dead here? Judging by the state of the corpses, it hadn¡¯t been long. They seemed to have died all at once, judging by the degree of decay. It meant that several hundred monkeys had been ughtered within a few months. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The calm expression they had before disappeared from their faces. ¡°¡­ Did they not escape?¡± ¡°There are piles of corpses. It seems they attempted to escape, but something blocked them.¡± The corpses were piled up within a certain area. It seemed like they had attempted to flee but were blocked by something. However, there was no visible barrier blocking their escape. Aquaz and Baker walked slowly across the floor with rigid expressions. And they saw it. One monkey¡¯s corpse was right in the center of the floor. That monkey was exceptionallyrge. It was twice the size of the leader monkey they had seen. Its physique was extremely robust and muscr. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± They realized. The leader monkey they had seen wasn¡¯t the true leader. It was merely a survivor who had led the remnants. The real leader was here, reduced to a corpse. Crunch. Crunch. A monster was devouring the corpse of the leader monkey. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 180 – Stepping Out into the World (2) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 180: Stepping Out into the World (2) At first, they didn¡¯t understand the scene unfolding before their eyes. The corpse of the alpha monkey was being devoured by another monster. It was a sight too alien for them toprehend. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Crunch. Crunch. The one eating the alpha monkey¡¯s corpse had the shape of a monkey. But it was very different from the monkeys they had encountered so far. First of all, it was smaller. It was about the size of a typical continent monkey, only reaching their waists. The peculiar feature was its long ws. It had ws as long as its forearms. With each movement of its ws, the tough skin of the monkey tore apart like ripe meat. ¡°Is it a¡­ baby?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so.¡± Though the monkeys of the Forbidden Land were abnormallyrge, they had ordinary brown fur like regr monkeys. But this one was different. This small monkey had no fur. Its skin was smooth and white as if painted, and the texture of its skin writhed in a bizarre manner. ¡°This is¡­¡± It was more alien than the monkeys of the Forbidden Land. It looked like a grotesque creature disguised as a monkey. ¡°¡­Wait. Then, could it be that this creature killed all these bodies?¡± ¡°It seems¡­ so.¡± Nearly a thousand monkeys of the Forbidden Land. If they had reached the continent, they could have overturned the entire sea with their numbers, but a single monster had dealt with them. ¡°¡­¡­¡± They swallowed hard. This creature, in the shape of a monkey, was more dangerous than the primates living in the deep sea. They instinctively tried to retreat. At that moment, the creature devouring the alpha monkey¡¯s entrails raised its head. [Screech?] Aquaz and Baker reflexively held their breath. The creature seemed to sense something strange and turned its head. Its eyes werepletely white. [Wail.] The creature let out a cry. It was like the cry of a child. It seemed to sense an unrecognized presence and looked in their direction, puzzled. A tense moment passed, and finally, the creature opened its mouth. [Screeeech!] A roar erupted. It swept forward, striking the sea. It shattered the camouge veil Aquaz had cast. Crash! The veil shattered into pieces. Aquaz watched the scattering fragments of light in disbelief. It shattered her barrier with just one roar? [Wail.] The creature looked at Aquaz and Baker. Its eyes were filled with curiosity. The creature thought. These prey. It was the first time it had seen such forms of prey. They were strangely covered. Curious, but the creature didn¡¯t think any further. They were new prey. That meant it was time to taste them. It opened its mouth, revealing hideous teeth. Aquaz¡¯s instincts screamed a warning. She quickly raised her arms. ¡°Descend upon me!¡± Boom! A golden pir descended upon her underwater. Golden armor covered her entire body, and a shield and mace were in her hands. The creature had already flown close, shing with its ws. She quickly raised her shield. The blood-stained white ws shed with the shield. ng! ¡°Gahhh!¡± Aquaz¡¯s body was sent flying. Unable to withstand the shock, she spat out blood. Barely maintaining her stance, she looked at her shield in disbelief. The shield waspletely dented. The shield had withstood the attacks of a named demon like Ashetiar without a scratch, but it was damaged by a single blow from this creature. [Wail!] Instead of targeting the staggered Aquaz, the creature attacked Baker. Its rough ws swung down. Baker was a mage. His physical reaction speed was inevitably slow. As the ws were about to tear his body apart, a spell was activated. It was a reaction spell Baker had set up. When attacked, it surrounded his body with a sturdy mana shield. Fitting his cowardly nature, the shield was extremely tough. Crash! ¡°Aaagh!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn And that shield shattered in a single strike. Baker¡¯s body rolled on the ground. The creature didn¡¯t stop there. It instinctively sensed that Baker was the weaker prey and shed its ws towards his neck. Just as his neck was about to be pierced, Aquaz charged forward. ¡°Hup!¡± Aquaz, having restored her shield with divine power, struck the creature. The creature¡¯s body was sent flying. ¡°A-Aquaz!¡± Baker stood up, almost in tears. But Aquaz¡¯s expression was grim. ¡®No reaction at all.¡¯ She had struck it directly with her shield, but there was no satisfying impact. It meant the monster had evaded the shock by throwing its body backward at the moment of collision. Indeed, it was now ring at them with an unscathed appearance. ¡°What is that thing!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But¡­ it¡¯s dangerous.¡± It was hostile towards them. That was all they needed to know. Baker gritted his teeth and gathered mana. The monster opened its mouth again and charged at them. ¡°Aquaz!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Karmanun, Chapter 3, Verse 11! The servant of the Sun God stands firm in their ce!¡± Boom! Light enveloped Aquaz¡¯s entire body. She had enhanced her defensive abilities with the power of the scripture. She collided with the monster head-on. ng! ¡°Ugh!¡± Aquaz let out a pained groan, unable to withstand the force. But unlike before, she stood her ground firmly without being easily pushed back. The vanguard was blocking the enemy¡¯s attacks in front. It was time for the rear guard to wield their power. Baker quickly cast his spell. [Oh star beyond, with your gravitational pull, descend here!] Boom! The spell manifested, and the monster¡¯s body momentarily shrank. The powerful gravity of a star somewhere in the universe was pressing down on the monster¡¯s entire body. Just as Baker¡¯s face was about to brighten, thinking they had seeded in suppressing it, the monster roared and exerted strength throughout its body. [Aaaah!] Crash! A massive shockwave swept through the space. Baker, barely maintaining his bnce, widened his eyes in shock. ¡°D-did it break the spell with sheer strength?¡± The monster had broken Baker¡¯s spell with greater force than the pressure exerted on it. The monster, seemingly annoyed, struck Aquaz irritably. Her shield, reinforced with divine power, quickly deformed. They desperately fought back. The two superhumans perfectly coordinated their attacks, pressing the monster. But it didn¡¯t reach. The monster fought back ferociously. Each swing of its arm seemed to tear the sea apart, and her shield was on the verge of breaking. Baker unleashed freezing cold. The sea froze instantly, but the monster calmly shattered the frozen sea and advanced, seemingly unaffected by the cold. ¡°What is this thing!¡± Baker couldn¡¯t believe it. It was so strong that even the two of them couldn¡¯t handle it. Moreover, the monster wasn¡¯t even using any mystical powers. It was overwhelming them with sheer physical strength alone. ¡®This, this is¡­¡¯ It felt simr to when they had faced Ketal. The monster struck Aquaz. Her body staggered heavily, exposing a momentary gap. The monster didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and charged at Baker. ¡°Gah!¡± Baker, in a panic, activated teleportation. The sleeve of his arm was torn. A moment¡¯s dy would have resulted in his arm being cut off. He would die. A sense of crisis engulfed Baker. He hurriedly grabbed his ne and imbued it with power. With a clinking sound, the ne broke off. ¡°Explode!¡± He threw the ne¡¯s gemstone at the monster. The spell contained within the gemstone activated at hismand. Aplex magic circle manifested, binding the monster. It was a one-time artifact given by the Archmage, who worried about Baker leaving the magic tower to pursue the heretic inquisitor. It contained a spell to bind enemies with multipleyers of magic circles. The artifact, created personally by the Archmage, was valuable enough to buy a castle. However. Crack, crack, crack. The magic circles broke and shattered in an instant. Baker was now dumbfounded. ¡®What is this thing!¡¯ However, the monster seemed to have some difficulty breaking freepletely. It was still bound by the magic circles. Deciding it was their chance, the two quickly unleashed their full power. [Descend, fragment of the star beyond!] ¡°Lobani Chapter 11, Verse 2! The Sun God¡¯s wrath pours down in a divine rain!¡± A fragment of a star manifested. The divine rain poured down. Thebined power of two superhumans was enough to devastate the area. And the monster, exposed to that power directly, endured it. [Aaaah!] It roared, dispelling the divine rain. It charged through the freezing environment with its bare body. Though it sustained injuries, they were merely scratches. The monster arrived in an instant, and Aquaz hurriedly raised her shield. The monster brought its ws together. Crack. The ws shattered the shield and pierced Aquaz¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Gah.¡± Aquaz gasped. She tried to retaliate despite the pain, but the monster violently twisted its ws. Feeling her intestines twist, Aquaz copsed. Baker screamed and cast a spell. [Push!] Boom! The shockwave sent the monster flying. ¡°Aquaz!¡± Baker hurriedly supported Aquaz, but a significant amount of blood was spreading into the sea. It was a severe injury. ¡°H-hurry, use heal!¡± ¡°S-Sun God¡­¡± But the monster had no reason to wait. It bared its teeth and charged at them. The fear of death overwhelmed Baker. He hesitated for a moment. The monster¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t that fast, likely due to the residual effects of the attack. If he activated teleportation now, he could survive. But then Aquaz would die. The Aquaz he had fallen for at first sight. He weighed his life against hers, and the answer came faster than he thought. ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± Baker closed his eyes tightly and shielded Aquaz with his body. Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. It was the moment he braced himself for the pain he would feel. Boom! A massive shockwave erupted. Aquaz and Baker¡¯s bodies were pushed back. When the pain didn¡¯te, Baker opened his eyes. ¡°¡­Ketal!¡± ¡°That was close.¡± Ketal stood before them, waving his hand. * * * ¡°K-Ketal¡­¡± He had almost died. Baker felt like crying for a moment. No, in fact, tears did well up. Ketal looked at Baker. He stood with his arms spread, seemingly trying to protect Aquaz. Ketal smiled. ¡°Were you trying to protect her with your life? That¡¯s quite manly.¡± ¡°T-thank you¡­¡± Despite the situation, Baker felt good about Ketal¡¯spliment. Aquaz, her wounds healed, grasped her mace with a pale face. ¡°Ketal, you came.¡± ¡°I had a bad feeling and rushed over. Seems I made the right choice.¡± ¡°That thing is dangerous.¡± ¡°What is it? Is it one of those creatures¡¯ offspring?¡± Ketal had entered the Forbidden Land to find Aquaz bleeding and Baker trying to protect her. It was such a critical situation that he had charged in without identifying the enemy. He still didn¡¯t know what they were facing. ¡°No. It¡¯s apletely different monster.¡± Aquaz, struggling to stand, held her damaged shield. ¡°It¡¯s a monster I¡¯ve never seen before. How on earth could such a monster¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. Really strange. Something like that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world.¡± They couldn¡¯t understand it. It was more alien and twisted than the Forbidden Land¡¯s creatures. It shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. Ketal looked intrigued by their words. ¡°Really? Seems quite powerful.¡± ¡°It is. It feels¡­ like fighting you, Ketal.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Ketal turned his gaze, puzzled. The monster, having been blown away, emerged from the debris. [Screech!] Ketal¡¯s expression grew peculiar as he looked at the monster. ¡°¡­Well, this is nostalgic but not a face I wanted to see.¡± The monster and Ketal locked eyes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 181 – Stepping Out into the World (3) [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 181: Stepping Out into the World (3) A creature resembling a monkey, not only with white fur but also white eyes, and long ws. Ketal knew what it was. It was a monster from the White Snowfield. Ketal had been trapped in the White Snowfield for an incredibly long time. Only after an incalcble amount of time had passed did he finally fulfill the conditions toe to the fantasy world he had longed for. Having been there for such a dreadfully long time, he had no intention of getting entangled with the White Snowfield ever again. Yet here he was, encountering a monster from the White Snowfield once more. It was a very strange feeling. ¡®Why is that thing here?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s dangerous, Mr. Ketal. It¡¯s hard and fast. Although it resembles a demon monkey, it¡¯s apletely different entity.¡± Aquaz tried to quickly exin about the creature. But Ketal spoke as if he already knew. ¡°I know what it is.¡± ¡°¡­What? You know about it?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it very well.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened. It was an extremely alien creature. There couldn¡¯t be another one like it in the world. It seemed impossible for Ketal to know it. Then a piece of information shed through Aquaz¡¯s mind. The barbarian in front of her was not a barbarian of the continent. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a monster from the White Snowfield. I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s here, though.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that really true?¡± The White Snowfield. A massive Forbidden Land in the center of the continent. In the past, an emperor who sought to conquer the continent tried to subjugate the White Snowfield but failed and returned as a broken man. Since then, countless adventurers and strong individuals have challenged the White Snowfield, but most never returned. Now, a creature from that ce stood before them. ¡°W-wait. What do you mean?¡± Baker, who had been quiet, asked with a startled face. ¡°A monster from the White Snowfield? That thing? Wait a minute. How do you know about it?¡± ¡°Oh. I forgot you didn¡¯t know.¡± Baker didn¡¯t know that Ketal was a barbarian from the White Snowfield. As Baker¡¯s face slowly turned to shock, his eyes moved to Ketal¡¯s gray hair. ¡°¡­You. No way.¡± ¡°As you guessed.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Baker swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯d love to have a leisurely chat about this¡­ but it seems we don¡¯t have time.¡± [Waaaargh.] The monster considered Aquaz and Baker as mere prey. So it lunged at them without caution or observation. But against Ketal, it maintained a wary distance, eyeing him cautiously. It didn¡¯t see Ketal as prey but as an enemy. Ketal looked at the white creature quietly. ¡°What is that exactly?¡± ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s a monster from the White Snowfield. It lives in the depths of that ce.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± There was indeed a sea in the White Snowfield, and Ketal had ventured there before. He just didn¡¯t acknowledge the sea in the White Snowfield as a real sea. The sea of the White Snowfield. The depths of that ce. A very deep ce. A ce so deep that even the currents didn¡¯t move. The monster was one of those living there. ¡°We call it Whitey.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Aquaz¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpectedly cute name. ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t see it much. As it lived in the deep sea, its activity area was different.¡± Yet now, such a creature hade here. Ketal looked around. Nearly a thousand monkey corpses were decaying. ¡°It seems that thing crawled up and killed them all. No wonder they seemed too weak.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Indeed, a thousand monkeys would have been quite a threat. About fifty were barely surviving survivors from Whitey. They were like refugees. Ketal examined the monkeys¡¯ corpses. The bodies were piled up as if they had tried to escape but were blocked by something. ¡®Was the restriction liftedter than in the White Snowfield?¡¯ It seemed that not all Forbidden Lands had their restrictions lifted simultaneously. The monkeys had appeared outside a month ago. If Whitey hade here before that, it made sense that the monkeys had been massacred. ¡°With its power, there would have been no problem. I had some trouble with it in the Snowfield, after all.¡± ¡°¡­You, Mr. Ketal?¡± This incredibly strong barbarian had trouble with it? Aquaz looked at the creature in disbelief. [Waaaargh.] The monster cried as if displeased with the gaze. It was an unsettling sound, like a child mimicking a cry. [Aaaargh!] It roared. The shockwave shook the surroundings. Aquaz and Baker barely held their ground. Clear hostility and killing intent were directed at Ketal. Ketal smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t know me. Well, since you live in the deep sea, it¡¯s true we wouldn¡¯t have met unless I came looking for you.¡± [Waaah!] The monster charged. Water exploded as its body elerated in an instant. Ketal casually turned his body. Boom! The ws shed through the air. Even without direct contact, the impact left scars on the ground. Baker grabbed Aquaz and pulled back in fright. ¡°R-retreat!¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± They quickly distanced themselves and watched the battle. Explosions echoed all around. The monster darted in all directions, seeking Ketal¡¯s openings. Even for those of superhuman ability, it was hard to follow its speed with their eyes. And yet, Ketal just looked ahead nonchntly. At a nce, it seemed like Ketal couldn¡¯t keep up with the monster¡¯s speed. Baker swallowed hard. ¡°Uh¡­ isn¡¯t this dangerous?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Aquaz groaned. Ketal was undoubtedly a monster himself. His power was beyond theirprehension. But so was the monster¡¯s. Both possessed power beyond their understanding. Ketal had said he had trouble with this monster, so it could be dangerous. Help was needed. As Aquaz decided this and desperately tried to gather the remaining divine power. [Waaah!] The monster finally found an opening and bent its legs. Its muscles swelled significantly and it elerated. The wall of the seabed cave it used as a foothold shattered. With a deafening noise, the monster flew towards Ketal at high speed. And Ketal reached out his hand. Thunk. Ketal lightly leaned back. The ws shed through the empty air. He extended his arm and grabbed the monster¡¯s arm. Crunch. He twisted the captured arm. The monster iled and resisted, but he overpowered it with greater strength. He then mmed the twisted arm down. Boom! The monster was mmed into the ground. Ketal lifted his foot. The monster groaned in pain. [Waaah!] Crunch. Crack. Ketal applied more pressure with his foot. The monster¡¯s abdomen began to make a strained noise. Boom! The ground, unable to withstand the force, shattered. Momentarily freed, the monster scrambled away. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Aquaz, who had been gathering power, had eyes wide open in surprise. Not only had Ketal counterattacked the monster¡¯s strike, but he had also nearly finished it off. There was a clear disparity in strength. ¡°Mr. Ketal, didn¡¯t you say you had trouble with it¡­?¡± ¡°I did. This thing lives in the deep sea. That¡¯s why it was hard to catch.¡± Whitey was quite useful. Its hide, which withstood the deep sea pressure, was extremely tough, and its sharp ws were perfect for making weapons and tools. So he asionally went down to catch it, but it was always tough to catch it in the deep sea. ¡°Oh.¡± Aquaz realized something from those words. The monster was a creature of the deep sea. Saying he had trouble with it meant Ketal had gone into the deep sea to catch it. ¡®¡­Wait.¡¯ Without the blessing of a mermaid or the help of divine power, he caught a deep-sea creature with his bare body¡­? She was speechless. Ketal leisurely raised his fist. ¡°In the White Snowfield, there was no way to move freely in the water, so hunting was tough, but not anymore.¡± Ketal took a step forward. The monster screamed and flung itself. Boom! From then on, the battle was one-sided. The monster began to scream and flee. But Ketal relentlessly struck, kicked, and swung it. ¡°Wow, wow¡­¡± ¡°What kind of strength is this¡­¡± At first, Aquaz and Baker watched the battle in awe. The monster that had overwhelmed them was being mercilessly handled by Ketal. It was a dominating sight. But at some point, their expressions hardened. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Crunch. Ketal grabbed the monster¡¯s arm and mmed it into the ground. Then he swung his other fist. Huge dents appeared in the monster¡¯s flesh. [Waaah!] The monster struggled and resisted. Ketal tightened his grip on its arm. With a tearing sound, the monster¡¯s arm began to break. In extreme pain, the monster stopped resisting. Ketal then stomped on the monster¡¯s chest. Crack. Crack. The sound of breaking bones echoed from the monster¡¯s body. The monster let out a scream of pain. [Waaaah!] A scream that instinctively made anyone who heard it shiver. But Ketal paid it no mind. Annoyed, he covered the monster¡¯s mouth and then shattered its jaw with his strength. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Baker slowly backed away. Ketal possessed a power beyond their understanding. And humans tend to fear what they cannot understand. However, they didn¡¯t greatly fear Ketal. This was partly because they knew him, but also because Ketal treated his power with such a casual attitude. In every battle, Ketal was always somewhat rxed and leisurely. His movements were incredible but full of openings, so he never felt too distant. His varied emotional expressions also yed a part. In the end, they saw him as a very ordinary human wielding immense power. But Ketal¡¯s appearance in this battle was different from any they had seen before. Now, Ketal was purely trying to obliterate the monster from this world. There was no hint of mercy. It was pure killing intent with no room for other emotions. That overwhelmingly intense resolve washed over them. Ketal stomped on the monster and muttered. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡± This ce was his world. The fantasy world he had longed for. An unpleasant monster from the White Snowfield dared to defile such a ce. Ketal could not ept that fact. He smiled a chilling smile. How dare. How dare a creature from that ce invade my world. That can¡¯t be allowed. The White Snowfield is not a fantasy. It should not be a fantasy. It must remain a horrific prison. The creatures from that ce should not appear here. You should be confined there. ¡°You should not exist in this world.¡± His voice was so cold it gave anyone who heard it chills. The twisted emotions of stubbornness and obsession weighed heavily on the space. Ketal reached out and grabbed the monster¡¯s head. One hand on its head, the other on its jaw. The monster tried to resist, but being nearly dead, it could only feebly struggle. Ketal applied more strength. Snap. With a breaking sound, the monster¡¯s body went limp. [788th Quest Completed.] [Rewards will be given shortly.] Ketal looked down at the monster¡¯s corpse expressionlessly. Then, he turned his head to look at Aquaz and Baker. Ketal smiled. The two of them flinched reflexively. The smile wasn¡¯t strange or menacing. It was a peaceful smile, like that of a person enjoying a journey around the world. ¡°It¡¯s over. Are you both okay?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 182 - Stepping Out into the World (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 182 - Stepping Out into the World (4) ¡°Uh, um.¡± Ketal¡¯s words left the two unable to respond immediately. Unconsciously, they stepped back. Ketal tilted his head at their reaction. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± Ketal asked in a puzzled tone, his expression as nonchnt as ever. There was nothing unusual about his demeanor. It was enough to make them think they were mistaken. But it wasn¡¯t a mistake. The image of Ketal brutally killing the monster was vividly imprinted in their minds. Baker swallowed dryly. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay¡­.¡± His voice trembled enough for anyone to notice. Seeing his reaction, Ketal smiled wryly as if he understood. ¡°I see why. I apologize. I got a bit carried away by my emotions because it was such an unpleasant sight.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°I showed you an unsightly side of myself. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, no. Thank you.¡± Baker managed to pull himself together. After all, Ketal had helped them. Without him, they would have met their end here. They should be grateful, not fearful. Baker quickly calmed his emotions. Knowing what kind of person Ketal was helped him regain hisposure swiftly. Moreover, his curiosity was too piqued to remain scared. ¡°You¡­ Are you really the Barbarian of the White Snowfield?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Baker held his breath. Just as he was about to ask an excited question, Aquaz interrupted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to discuss this in detail after we return? The merfolk must be worried about our absence.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Baker, thank you for risking your life to protect me.¡± ¡°Uh? No, it was the natural thing to do as a party member.¡± Baker waved his hand as if it was no big deal. Aquaz expressed her gratitude repeatedly before finally standing up. ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s go back.¡± They returned to the merfolk city. As expected, Kukulitan was anxiously waiting near the Forbidden Land entrance. He hurried over upon seeing them return. ¡°Wh-what happened?¡± Having approached near the Forbidden Land out of concern, Kukulitan felt it. The immense disturbance emanating from within the Forbidden Land. It was like a massive force collision, akin to an underwater volcanic eruption. Kukulitan was horrified. Something was happening inside. However, hecked the strength to intervene and anxiously waited. Ketal spoke. ¡°There was a monster.¡± ¡°A m-monster? Were there Forbidden Land monkeys hiding?¡± ¡°No. They were all dead. Another monster had taken their ce.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin.¡± Aquaz began. The monkeys outside the Forbidden Land were just a small fraction. Inside the Forbidden Land, there were about a thousand monkeys. Kukulitan¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet upon hearing that. ¡°Ah, I, uh¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°You mean, you defeated them all?¡± ¡°No, not us.¡± The monkeys had been killed by another monster before they arrived. The dozens of monkeys that hade outside were survivors barely escaping from the monster. ¡°It was this thing.¡± Ketal showed the corpse of the swaying white creature. Kukulitan was horrified by its strange appearance. ¡°No. How did this¡­.¡± ¡°Rather than exining, it¡¯s better to see for yourself. All threats inside have been eliminated.¡± The ce that was once a Forbidden Land was no more. The deep-sea realm, where primates had long existed, had vanished. ¡°See it with your own eyes to understand better. That would be easier.¡± Kukulitan nodded with a bewildered expression. * * * Kukulitan led the merfolk down to the Forbidden Land. Soon enough, they must have been horrified at the sight of numerous monkey corpses strewn about. Ketal¡¯s party didn¡¯t follow. They needed to rest from the fatigue of battle. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason. They were inside one of the rtively intact houses in the merfolk city. Ketal spoke quietly. ¡°As I said¡­ I need to exin properly. Ie from the ce you call the White Snowfield. I spent my entire life there. Outside, people call me the Ashen Barbarian.¡± ¡°Huh, really?¡± Baker let out a breathy sound. ¡°Is it true?¡± In ancient times. The emperor who ruled the world. He gathered all his forces to conquer the White Snowfield. The forces the emperor assembled were by no means weak. There were dozens of top-tier superhuman warriors and outstanding believers. Even heroes were included. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om They were equipped with all sorts of artifacts, truly the power of an emperor who ruled the continent. The emperor confidently marched into the White Snowfield. And a few yearster, the emperor returned, having lost all his forces and reduced to a cripple. The emperor spoke of countless monsters existing in the White Snowfield, and he mentioned that the most dangerous of them all was the Ashen Barbarian. Since the emperor''s legend, many strong individuals and adventurers have challenged the White Snowfield, but most never returned. Those who dide back brought no significant information. As a result, people debated whether the barbarian of the White Snowfield truly existed or if it was just the hallucination of the dying emperor. Now, in front of him, was the barbarian from such a legend. Baker looked at Ketal with a stunned expression. Even Aquaz, who was aware, looked at Ketal with renewed surprise. They were now conversing with a legendary being. Baker, barely recovering from the shock, stammered. ¡°So¡­ when did youe out?¡± ¡°Not long ago. About a few months ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s around the same time the Forbidden Land entities started emerging.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the connection is, but it seems so.¡± ¡°Have you encountered the monsters the emperor spoke of?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I encountered them frequently. Sometimes we shed.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was real. He was truly the legendary barbarian. While this was astonishing, in a way, it also made sense. Ketal¡¯s power was extraordinarily unusual. Without wielding any mystic powers, he had the strength to overwhelm all of them. It was understandable if he was indeed the legendary barbarian. Seeing their reactions, Ketal murmured, seemingly surprised. ¡°You seem alright. I was worried you might attack out of fear.¡± ¡°W-well, it¡¯s scary, but¡­.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s Ketal. We know what kind of person you are.¡± Knowing what kind of person Ketal was, there was no reason to antagonize him just because he was the Ashen Barbarian. Baker, too, though he found Ketal intimidating, seemed more driven by his curiosity as a magician. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ketal smiled warmly at their attitude. As the atmosphere calmed down, Baker couldn¡¯t hold back his question any longer. ¡°The monster we encountered this time. You called it Whitey. How strong is itpared to the monsters in the White Snowfield?¡± The monster, with its entirely white body and long ws, was strong. Even though they weren¡¯t well-prepared, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say it toyed with Aquaz and Baker. If Ketal hadn¡¯t shown up, they would have been brutally killed on the spot. Artifacts worth a castle and the strength of a prodigy from the Magic Tower meant nothing. There was something else that was hard to understand. ¡®It didn¡¯t use any mystic powers; it relied purely on physical strength.¡¯ Someone who doesn¡¯t wield mystic powers cannot defeat someone who does. That was a truth in this world. Yet both Ketal and the monster they encountered mocked this truth by showing immense power with just their bodies. Ketal spoke up. ¡°First of all, what you call mystic powers do not exist in there.¡± ¡°Are they all strong purely through physical strength?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± There were also monsters that wielded strange powers. However, those powers were quite different from the mystic powers they spoke of. ¡°They were more bizarre and twisted. They didn¡¯t feel like powers from this world.¡± ¡°Powers not of this world¡­.¡± ¡°They were so strange that I can¡¯t give a detailedparison. Anyway, Whitey isn¡¯t particrly strong within the White Snowfield.¡± It wasn¡¯t a weak monster. It held a high position in the food chain of the deep sea. But considering the entire White Snowfield, it wasn¡¯t particrly special. Even excluding the monsters known to the public, there were plenty of creatures stronger than Whitey. ¡°¡­You mean that level of strength isn¡¯t special?¡± Aquaz groaned. Whitey was incredibly strong. It toyed with her and Baker. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call it top-tier superhuman. At that level, it would be one of the strongest on the continent, excluding heroes. Yet such a monster wasn¡¯t special in the White Snowfield. ¡°¡­The legend was true.¡± Baker swallowed hard. Researchers believed the emperor¡¯s defeat in the White Snowfield wasn¡¯t solely because of monsters. They thought the emperor¡¯s forces were ill-prepared for the extreme cold and lost many troops and supplies due to getting lost. Given the strength of the forces led by the emperor, it was hard to believe they were annihted purely by battle, so this was a natural assumption. But hearing Ketal¡¯s words, it seemed usible that they were indeed wiped out by monsters. Aquaz cautiously asked. ¡°Do you think those monsters¡­ coulde outside?¡± ¡°I used to think it was impossible. But now, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Ketal left the White Snowfield after clearing a quest. Conversely, he thought it was impossible toe out without such a method. But Whitey hade outside. Judging by the state of the monkey corpses, it seemed it had been outside for over a month. It meant it had been out for quite some time. There was no reason other monsters couldn¡¯te out as well. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s too quiet for that.¡± The beings of the snowfield were strong and huge. If they came outside, there should have been major issues, but the world was eerily quiet. ¡°There might be other restrictions. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aquaz sighed. It was fortunate they hadn¡¯t shown themselves yet, but it wasn¡¯t safe. They needed to prepare for the possibility. ¡°So, do you have any other questions?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Baker swallowed hard. ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the White Snowfield, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you overwhelmed the monster you called Whitey. You¡¯ve even given it a nickname, implying you¡¯ve hunted it often.¡± ¡°I asionally went down to the deep sea to hunt.¡± ¡°¡­And you¡¯ve encountered the legendary monsters too.¡± ¡°There were territorial disputes. We shed often.¡± ¡°¡­And those monsters were stronger than Whitey, right?¡± Ketal nodded as if it were obvious. Baker swallowed hard again. With a trembling voice, yet unable to contain his curiosity, he asked. ¡°Then how strong are you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 183 - Stepping Out into the World (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 183 - Stepping Out into the World (5) How far did Ketal''s strength go? Where was his limit? Ketal is strong. Without wielding any mystical powers, he easily subdued formidable opponents with his sheer physical strength alone. It was an established truth andmon sense across the continent that one without mystic powers could never defeat one who possessed them. Ketal was an existence shattering thatmon sense. So, where was his limit? Baker swallowed hard. "...The monster we faced was strong." The white beast is strong. Baker, who had encountered numerous powerful beings at the Magic Tower, knew this. It could easily be said that it was at the pinnacle of the superhuman ss. And yet, Ketal overwhelmed it. No, he went beyond simply overwhelming it; he utterly crushed it. The difference in power was so staggering that it was pitiful to witness. What level of power does Ketal possess, to toy with a pinnacle-level superhuman as if twisting a child''s wrist? "The emperor... said that there is an existence more dangerous than the monsters of the White Snowfield. That existence is the Ashen Barbarian." Some researchers thought it was the emperor''s delusion. Even if a mere barbarian was strong, it was inconceivable that he could defeat a serpent connecting the sky and the earth. There were quite a few who believed the emperor had gone mad from the dreadful environment of the White Snowfield, and this was considered a fairly usible hypothesis. But in front of their eyes stood the Ashen Barbarian. They could find the answer. Even Aquaz, curious about him, quietly waited for Ketal to speak. "...As you guessed, I am not weak." "...Compared to the legendary monsters?" Ketal said he had asionally shed with them while holding his territory. Ketal frowned. "They''re bothersome. They''re big and strong, so when we sh, everything around gets devastated. They''re not something I want to fight." "...Huh." Baker let out a deted sound. From Ketal''s words, he realized. This barbarian had fought and won against legendary monsters. ''What is he?'' He defeated a serpent connecting the sky and the earth with a mere human body? Even for them, superhumans, it was iprehensible. Naturally, one possibility came to mind. "A hero ss?" "Even if you call me that, I wouldn''t know. I''ve never seen the true power of those called heroes." He had met the Master of the Magic Tower and witnessed his magic. The magic the Master of the Magic Tower showed then was extraordinary. With just a flick of his finger, he created a massive barrier epassing the entire royal castle. It didn''t break even under his gust of power. And he cast a spell to put everyone in the capital to sleep very easily. From that alone, one could glimpse a fraction of his power, but since he hadn''t actually fought him, he couldn''t know his full strength. "What if that white beast fought a hero ss warrior?" "It''d be simr to you." Baker said calmly. The white beast was undoubtedly strong. But between the pinnacle of the superhuman ss and a hero, there was an unbridgeable gap. "Well, that''s probably true." Ketal agreed. In the past, four pinnacle-level superhuman demons had descended. And the Master of the Magic Tower, who happened to be passing by, dealt with all of them on the spot. It meant there was a definite difference in level. "Those called heroes can twist and utilize thews of the world. It''s not an exaggeration to say they''ve transcended the concept of life." "...But in the past, hero-ss warriors followed the emperor into the White Snowfield." And none of them returned. Of course, the heroes who followed the emperor were said to be, so to speak, of a lower tier among heroes. A pinnacle-level superhuman could easily handle two or three ordinary superhumans. As with superhumans, there were significant differences in power among heroes as well. The disparity was far greater. Originally, heroes are the strongest beings. Even the emperor who ruled the continent couldn''t handle them easily. Conversely, the heroes who followed the emperor were at a level he could control. Though they were called heroes and possessed iprehensible powers, there was a clear difference in level. "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin after hearing the exnation. "I don''t know what happened to them either. I met someone who seemed to be the emperor, but he was alone." He had met a deranged man in the snowfield a long time ago. Whether that man was the emperor or not was unknown, but when Ketal met him, he was alone. The White Snowfield was vast, so he couldn''t grasp everything that happened there. If he was indeed the emperor, it meant everything had ended before they met. ''He might not have been just a madman.'' He had dismissed his shouts and ramblings as a madman''s nonsense, but perhaps he should have listened more. "Oh, huh?" Baker''s eyes widened at Ketal''s words. Ketal was now saying he had met someone who seemed to be the emperor. "...Are you sure it''s not a mistake? It''s a legend. A very old story." "I don''t know. The concept of day and night is vague in there. I don''t know how long I stayed." "Still, you probably didn''t meet the emperor." Baker dismissed the idea as nonsense. ¡°It¡¯s a legend. A legend. It happened way too long ago. It¡¯s from a time long before the Master of the Magic Tower even created the tower. Are you saying you¡¯re older than the Master of the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Perhaps it was a misunderstanding.¡± Aquaz agreed. There couldn¡¯t possibly be someone who had met a figure from legends, not history. Ketal didn¡¯t argue but instead changed the subject. ¡°Well, I get the gist. So what do you think?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± Baker trailed off. ¡°As far as I can tell, that seems to be the case, but we¡¯re only at the superhuman level. We¡¯re far too inadequate to evaluate anything beyond that.¡± No one had directly witnessed the sh between a hero and the monsters of the White Snowfield. From Baker¡¯s perspective, Ketal undoubtedly possessed strength beyond that, but to be sure, Ketal would have to make theparison himself. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡®Hero ss.¡¯ The strongest beings in the world. ¡®...I¡¯m starting to want a fight.¡¯ Ketal narrowed his eyes. Aquaz and Baker shivered momentarily. As the conversation wrapped up, the merfolk who had gone into the depths of the sea returned. All of them had shocked expressions. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Kukulitan stammered. ¡°Th-the, the¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen it then.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°The corpses of the monkeys.¡± About a thousand monkeys. If they had alle ashore, not a single survivor would have remained. The merfolk city would have perished without a sound. They were truly horrified. Realizing they had avoided the worst-case scenario, the merfolk felt relieved. And they felt all the more grateful to Ketal and his group. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, even if we had somehow driven away the monkeys, we would have been killed by the white beast. We are sincerely grateful.¡± As the city¡¯s restoration was nearlyplete and the blocked paths were cleared, Kukulitan prepared rewards for them for saving the city. ¡°Please ept this.¡± Kukulitan handed each of them a blue ne. ¡°When we built this city, the kingdom gave us this merfolk artifact to present to our benefactors. With this, you can move freely underwater even without our blessing.¡± ¡°Oh, can we try them on?¡± ¡°By all means.¡± Ketal put on the ne and released the false space that enveloped his body. Then, he could breathe and speak underwater without any problem. ¡°It works.¡± The ne operated by synchronizing with the wearer¡¯s body. Therefore, Ketal could use it without any issues. Ketal smiled in satisfaction. He could use divine power to move underwater, but it consumed energy, requiring him to asionally disengage and recharge. It was a hassle, but now, with this ne, he could move freely underwater. It was a good artifact for Ketal. He could now travel freely under the sea. Aquaz and Baker also looked satisfied. That wasn¡¯t the end of it. Kukulitan cautiously presented a blue gemstone. ¡°And please ept this.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Baker looked at the gemstone in astonishment. A strong mana presence emanated from within the gemstone. ¡°In the deepest part of the ocean, these gemstones are formed by rock condensing over hundreds of years in extreme conditions. And if the gemstone remains in the deep sea for another few hundred years, it naturally absorbs mana. After a further few hundred years, it bes a catalyst like this.¡± It was a naturally formed catalyst that took a thousand years to create in the deep sea. Baker swallowed hard. ¡°That¡¯s... amazing.¡± He had seen numerous catalysts at the Magic Tower. As a ce where all magicians gathered, they handled very expensive and hard-to-get catalysts. But the blue gemstone before him now made him feel as if all the catalysts he had seen were fake, such was the intensity of the mana it contained. Its value was immeasurable. Kukulitan¡¯s hand, holding out the gemstone, was also trembling. It was an extremely rare and treasured gem in the merfolk kingdom. Selling this gemstone alone would be enough to rebuild the city and even expand it twice over. Such a gemstone was now being given to their benefactors. ¡°There¡¯s only one...¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°Ketal, you should take it.¡± Aquaz spoke calmly. If any of the three were to receive the gemstone, it had to be Ketal. Baker looked longingly at the gemstone but did not let his greed show. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Ketal smiled as he took the gemstone. The intense mana it exuded was palpable even to him. ¡®Could this allow me to wield mystic powers?¡¯ Though Ketal had seeded in acquiring mystic powers, he still couldn¡¯t wield them due to the uniqueness of his body. Arkamis had said that obtaining arge amount of mystic energy would solve the issue, so this gemstone might help. He nned to use itter. They had received their reward for saving the city. As time passed and the city''s restoration nearedpletion, Aquaz and Baker prepared to leave. ¡°Are you going back now?¡± ¡°It seems so. The pilgrimage ends here.¡± ¡°I should return to the Magic Tower too.¡± The white snowfield monster was emerging outside. It was necessary to convey this information to their group. There was no time for a pilgrimage. It was urgent to return even one day sooner. Aquaz spoke carefully. ¡°Well... if you wish, I can keep Ketal a secret for you.¡± ¡°That would be best. I don¡¯t want unnecessary attention.¡± What he desired was a journey of fantasy. If it got out, various interferences might ur. That would certainly be an unpleasant experience for Ketal. ¡°Then what will you do now, Mr. Ketal?¡± ¡°I intend to stay here a bit longer.¡± He had yet to fully enjoy the mermaid city. He nned to roam freely under the sea and observe the life of mermaids. ¡°Then this is farewell. Mr. Baker, how about traveling together until our paths diverge?¡± Aquaz said to Baker. She had dedicated herself to the gods. She didn¡¯t desire worldly love or marriage. But she could afford to be a little kinder to the person who risked his life to protect her. ¡°Huh, uh? I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Baker, surprised that Aquaz would say such a thing, nodded in surprise. ¡°It was a pleasant journey.¡± ¡°Yes. If we get the chance, let¡¯s meet again.¡± ¡°Come find me if you ever visit the Magic Tower!¡± The two left. Ketal, left alone, stared nkly at the rippling waves. ¡®Was it really a pleasant journey?¡¯ It was ambiguous. At the beginning, it was enjoyable. He conversed with the magician of the Magic Tower, met pirates, sailed the fantasy seas, and even encountered mermaids. It was certainly a journey he should have been satisfied with. But Ketal was not entirely pleased. ¡°Disgusting.¡± Ketal muttered. The white one. The white snowfield monster. It appeared before him. In that moment, Ketal felt intense disgust. How dare it. How dare a being from there set foot in the fantasy. How dare it taint his world. He couldn¡¯t ept it. This was his world. The fact that the white one appeared meant that other monsters could also appear. Although, for now, it seemed there was some restriction and not all monsters showed themselves, they could appear one by one. ¡°It¡¯s best if you stay out of here.¡± Ketal muttered softly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 184 - To the Elves Sanctuary (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 184 - To the Elves'' Sanctuary (1) [Whooooosh!] A giant octopus in the sea iled its tentacles. The sea trembled at the mere movement of its legs, causing violent waves to surge above. This octopus was known as the Kraken. For ages, it was one of the reasons people feared sailing the seas. To subdue it, dozens of ships needed to collide with it, and even then, they often failed. The Kraken was a cmity in the form of a living creature, one of the apex predators ruling the sea. And now, such a Kraken was desperately fleeing. It kicked the ground with its eight legs, rushing forward. The sight of the mighty apex predator Kraken fleeing so disgracefully would make anyone doubt their eyes. But the Kraken was desperate. A single human was chasing after it. "Wow! How does it find enough prey to sustain that huge body?" Ketal marveled. The Kraken waved its legs as if to shoo Ketal away. One of the octopus''s massive legs struck Ketal directly. Boom! A tremendous shockwave reverberated. However, instead of being blown away, Ketal grabbed the Kraken''s leg and swung it. The Kraken''s body floated in the air before crashing down again. Boom! The Kraken screamed. Its small eyes, disproportionate to its size, quivered. Ketalughed heartily. "To think I''d encounter a Kraken! What luck!" Ketal had been staying in the city of mermaids and had gone for a walk in the nearby sea. During the walk, he inadvertently entered the Kraken''s territory. Naturally, the Kraken rushed at Ketal to devour him. The Kraken had plenty of experience eating humans. To it, humans were arrogant creatures who dared toe to the sea despite not being able to swim. It would often smash ships and swallow the humans whole when bored. Upon spotting Ketal, the Kraken thought he was another drifting human and approached. And that was the greatest mistake of the Kraken''s life. Realizing something was wrong, the Kraken tried to flee, but the human showed no signs of letting it go. No matter how it ran, the human persistently followed. "Stop it!" The Kraken screamed, shaking its legs. Ketal grabbed it and mmed it down again. "Whoooosh!" The Kraken charged, forced by its desperate circumstances. Ketal opened his arms as if weing it. * * * "I caught a Kraken." "..." Ketal dragged the Kraken''s corpse. Kukulitain, who was on guard, stood with his mouth agape. "...What?" "It suddenly attacked me, so I caught it." "Is that all?" "Yes." "..." Ketal had left the city for a walk less than two hours ago. This meant he had caught the Kraken within that short period. Kukulitain looked at the Kraken''s corpse with a dumbfounded expression. It was one of the apex predators among sea creatures. Even the strongest mermaids found it challenging to confront. Moreover, judging by its size, it wasn''t a baby but a fully grown Kraken. Kukulitain snapped out of his stupor and quickly regained hisposure. "Thank you. It had established its territory near the city and posed a threat." The Kraken was incredibly useful. Its massive body provided a vast amount of food. For mermaids struggling with food supplies, this was a great boon. The mermaids who saw the Kraken''s corpse were astonished. They whispered in awe as they looked at Ketal. "He caught a Kraken without a scratch..." "Are barbarians that strong?" "No, it''s not that. That person is special." The mermaids began to dismantle the Kraken''s corpse. Ketal watched the scene with joy. And that night, Ketal put a piece of boiled Kraken leg into his mouth. The taste was simr to regr octopus but much tougher and harder. It felt like eating dried squid. ¡®So this is what Kraken tastes like.¡¯ He had seen the giant sea monster firsthand and even tasted it. Ketal was very pleased. Compared to its size, the monkeys were also huge, but they were merely creatures of the Forbidden Land. They weren''t as intriguing since theycked distinctiveness like Nano. ¡®Still, they''re more interesting than the things in the White Snowfield.¡¯ The worst was undoubtedly the White Snowfield. Ketal squinted his eyes. The White One had left the White Snowfield and was now residing in the deep sea where primates lived. It had been at least a month since then. This meant the monsters from the White Snowfield coulde out. However, the world was still rtively peaceful. Given that they weren''t the type to stay still, they were likely still in the White Snowfield. ¡®Could there still be some restriction?¡¯ But eventually, the White One appeared outside. This meant the monsters from that ce coulde out. "Hmm." Ketal chewed on the octopus while thinking. ''...Is it because of me?'' He had cleared a quest to leave the White Snowfield. At that time, he didn''t pay much attention. He was obsessed with the fact that clearing the quest would allow him to enter the fantasy world he longed for, so he didn''t care about anything else. He smashed through anything that stood in his way andpleted the quest. At the end of it, he emerged outside. And around the same time, creatures from the Forbidden Land began to emerge into the outside world. Previously, he thought it had nothing to do with him, but now his thoughts had slightly changed. [The halted wheel has begun to turn again! Monster! Your wish will be fulfilled in the end through distortion!] This was what was said to him by the creature he defeated when he cleared the final quest. It said that the halted wheel had begun to turn again. It meant that something that was wrong had been corrected. ''Does that mean it''s right for the creatures of the Forbidden Lands toe outside?'' If so, then were the creaturesing out because he cleared the quest? Or did he just happen to be involved in a world that was destined for this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] There was not enough information. It was difficult to understand the sequence of events. He didn''t have aplete understanding of the Forbidden Lands either. If there was such an existence, it would be one. Ketal stared into the void. [788th questpleted.] [A reward will be given.] A questpletion window. It was now clear. The quests only appeared when rted to the Forbidden Lands. And this quest had a perfect understanding of the situation. The first quest appeared when he heard from Aquaz that primates were appearing in the deep sea. So, he thought the quest was telling him to deal with the monkeys.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But even after exterminating the monkeys, the questpletion window did not appear. It waspleted only after he killed the White One. This meant that the quest knew from the beginning that the White One was residing in the deep sea. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal cleared his mind. ''I don''t know.'' One lesson he learned from living in the White Snowfield for a long time. Overthinking can actually narrow your perspective. There was too little information to make deductions. Worrying in such a situation would only lead to getting bogged down. What he had to do hadn''t changed since he first came into this world. Enjoy the fantasy. And, destroy anything that hinders it. That was all. Ketal savored the taste of the boiled Kraken. * * * It had been about a week since Ketal stayed in the mermaid city. The mermaids had be so ustomed to him that they joked around with him. And Ketal was getting bored. The sea was beautiful, but the scenery was always the same. The mermaids, too, seemed less special after seeing them every day for a week. ''Maybe it''s time to go somewhere else.'' The city''s restoration was almostplete. Around the time he was contemting moving, Kukulitain approached with a cautious expression. "Uh... Ketal. We did our best with the processing you requested, but...." "It didn''t work out, huh?" "No. I''m sorry." Kukulitan handed Ketal the white leather and ws with an apologetic look. They were the White One''s leather and ws. Ketal had asked the mermaids to process them, but they were in the same state as when he handed them over. "Was itpletely impossible?" "Yes. What exactly is this?" Even with their full effort, they couldn''t cut the leather or file the ws. Naturally, processing was out of the question. If it was a catalyst imbued with mystery, it could be understood, but it wasn''t. Its sheer hardness was absurdly high. It was puzzling how a living creature could have such toughness. "It''s like something out of a legend, like dragon scales. We can''t process this. No mermaid can. You might need to meet a dwarf." "A dwarf?" Ketal''s face lit up with interest. Dwarves were one of the quintessential fantasy races, just like elves. "Do they exist here too?" "Yes. It''s quite a distance from here, though. Would you like an introduction? We have a good rtionship, so if you mention my name, they''ll help you." "Please do." Ketal smiled broadly as he listened to Kukulitain describe the location of the dwarven vige. Kukulitain continued. "But it might be difficult right now. They''ve also had some issues recently and are not allowing outsiders in." "Hmm? Have you met them?" "No. Ah, I guess you wouldn''t know. We have a way of connecting with other races." Although mermaids were sea creatures, they had much interaction with the surface. They had deep rtionships with other races. Since humans dominated thend, different races needed to exchange information. Thus, they had established connections with elves and dwarves. Ketal listened with an intrigued expression. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes, so we received the news... but thest message mentioned that they might not be reachable for a while. It seems it''s not just us having problems. Even the elves'' sanctuary seems to be in trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± Kukulitan sighed as he spoke. ¡°It appears that the Cradle of Darkness is attacking the elves'' sanctuary.¡± Ketal paused. ¡°The Cradle of Darkness, you mean the group of dark magicians?¡± ¡°Yes, they are said to be besieging and attacking the elves'' sanctuary. Who knows what will happen to the world.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal smiled curiously. ¡°It seems they might need help.¡± ¡°Pardon? Oh, no. They¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kukulitan shook his head hastily. ¡°The dark magicians alone can¡¯t cause any serious harm to the elves'' sanctuary. And above all, the sanctuary has a protector.¡± ¡°A superhuman-level top-tier warrior?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kukulitan replied. ¡°The High Elf Queen. The only one contracted with the Spirit King. She¡¯s of hero ss.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°As long as she¡¯s guarding it, dark magicians won¡¯t be able to set foot in the sanctuary. So, Ketal, you don¡¯t need to worry¡­.¡± Kukulitan trailed off. ¡°¡­Ketal?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed even greater interest. ¡°I see. No need to worry. But if someone offers help, they¡¯d likely appreciate it.¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­.¡± ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Kukulitan sensed something odd. He was telling Ketal that the elves'' sanctuary didn¡¯t really need help. But the more he spoke, the more Ketal seemed interested in the sanctuary. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 185 - To the Elves Sanctuary (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 185 - To the Elves'' Sanctuary (2) Kukulitan, havinge to his senses, spoke to Ketal about the practical issues. ¡°It¡¯s the Elves'' sanctuary. No matter how much you say you''ll help, the elves won¡¯t ept it. Its location is hidden too.¡± The Elves'' sanctuary''s location was indeed hidden. Kukulitan himself didn¡¯t know the exact location. Moreover, entry by outsiders was prohibited. Even if Ketal offered to help, they wouldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°Ah. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Upon hearing those words, Ketal rummaged through his subspace pouch and pulled out a red jewel. ¡°¡­Oh, oh?¡± Kukulitan¡¯s mouth dropped open. He recognized what that red jewel was. The jewel was an invitation to the Elves'' sanctuary. It was an extremely rare gem, given perhaps to a queen of a tribe, and only to someone they deeply trusted or considered a lifesaver. And Ketal mentioned he had been invited by a High Elf. Kukulitan¡¯s eyes widened to their limit. ¡°A High Elf¡­? I knew one was out there, but¡­.¡± ¡°I was directly invited by her.¡± ¡°W-what is your rtionship with her?¡± ¡°We¡¯re teacher and student. She¡¯s my mentor.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, um. Okay.¡± Kukulitan gave up thinking. There was the red jewel, and he was invited by a High Elf who had ventured outside. There was no longer any reason or justification to stop him. The merfolk prepared to see Ketal off. And two dayster, with all preparationsplete, Ketal left the city. Kukulitan and the merfolk saw him off. ¡°Thank you very much, Ketal. Without your help¡­ we would have perished there.¡± ¡°I enjoyed it too, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Please ept this.¡± Kukulitan handed Ketal a ring. It was an extremely luxurious ring engraved with the image of a mermaid. ¡°It¡¯s a token of appreciation from us. If you ever meet other merfolk or visit their cities, show them this ring, and they will wee you warmly.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled broadly. Receiving the final farewell, he left the merfolk city. Despite some disturbances, it had been a thoroughly enjoyable time. And now, it was time to start another enjoyable journey. Ketal crossed the sea, leaving a trail with the waves. * * * Around the time Ketal departed for the Elves'' sanctuary, a group devoted to serving a god arrived at their destination. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± ¡°Yes, Priestess Liltara. This is the sanctuary of Kalosia.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ck hair swayed as she looked at the destination with blood-red eyes. A priestess serving the god Federica. She had arrived at Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. Following themands of the god they served, she was pursuing Ketal. They hadn¡¯t gathered much information from Barbosa and had been driven away, but they managed to find out that Ketal was heading to Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. ¡°This is the ce surrounded by the Cradle of Darkness and where the demon descended.¡± Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary was currently a hot topic on the continent. It was the ce where the Cradle of Darkness had shown itself to the world, and Rubitra had descended. More surprising was that Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary had managed to repel their attack without external help. Achieving such a feat, the name of Kalosia was spreading widely across the continent. Liltara, surveying the sanctuary, was slightly taken aback. ¡°It looks more intact than I thought.¡± They had sessfully repelled the descent of evil, but she thought they wouldn''t be in good shape. Given the considerable strength of the opponent, it was likely a victory full of wounds. However, Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary appeared to be very intact. No destroyed buildings were visible, and the sanctuary¡¯s barrier stood firm. It was an unexpected sight. ¡°¡­A barbarian headed to a ce like this.¡± It was quite an odd thing. Barbarians usually despised those who served gods. ¡°Priestess Liltara. What will you do?¡± A holy knight behind Liltara asked cautiously. Liltara was traveling with five holy knights in pursuit of Ketal. Liltara spoke calmly. ¡°First, let¡¯s enter and gather some information. If possible, I¡¯d like to speak with the Saintess as well. Let¡¯s go.¡± The holy knights nodded. They approached Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. They revealed their identity to the guards. ¡°We are priests serving Lady Federica. Would you allow us entry into the sanctuary of Lord Kalosia?¡± ¡°P-priests of Lady Federica?¡± The guards were bewildered. The Church of Federica was quite a distance from here. They had no particr connection, and naturally, didn¡¯t expect a visit, so it was only natural they were flustered. Not all priests of one god were weed in the sanctuary of another. shes weremon, and if the nature of the gods they served was opposing, they were often turned away. ¡°Please,e in!¡± ¡°We wee your visit!¡± However, the followers of Kalosia warmly weed them. The Church of Kalosia was a religion that was ostracized and hated on the continent. The Church of Federica was not much different. Even though there was no connection between them, the shared sense of alienation allowed Liltara''s group to enter the sanctuary without much difficulty. And that night, Liltara met with Kalosia¡¯s saintess, Shadrenes. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Shadrenes, the unworthy one who has taken the position of Kalosia¡¯s saintess. Wee to the sanctuary.¡± Shadrenes smiled gently. Liltara inwardly admired her beautiful, almost picture-perfect smile. ¡®¡­As expected. One of the two treasures of the Church of Kalosia.¡¯ One of the treasures was an extraordinary holy knight, Rakza. And the other was the saintess who was closer to sainthood than anyone, Shadrenes. Shadrenes¡¯ fame was widely known. She was a saintess closer to sainthood than anyone, nearly perfect, and one who executed the will of God perfectly, serving as a role model for many saintesses. Liltara was impressed by Shadrenes'' perfect demeanor, while Shadrenes was inwardly quite bewildered. ¡®What, what is this? Why are they here?¡¯ The Church of Federica was quite a distance from here. Since there had been no significant exchange, she couldn¡¯t figure out why they had visited. But she hid her true feelings with a perfect mask and smiled gently. Liltara greeted her respectfully. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Liltara, a priest serving Lady Federica. I hold the position of judging heretics with my unworthy body.¡± ¡°Liltara. I¡¯ve heard your name. I¡¯ve heard of a devout and talented believer at a young age. It¡¯s a very good day to meet such a person.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I am also honored to meet you, Lady Shadrenes.¡± Receiving thepliment, Liltara smiled pleasantly. A warm atmosphere flowed. Shadrenes calmly got to the point. ¡°The reason for your visit, is it to gather information about the invasion by the dark magicians?¡± The Cradle of Darkness had revealed itself to the world through an attack on Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. Many churches and kingdoms visited to obtain that information. Shadrenes thought Liltara hade all this way for that reason. But Liltara shook her head. ¡°No. I would appreciate it if you could tell me, but it is for a different reason.¡± ¡°A different¡­ reason?¡± Shadrenes tilted her head. Even that questioning gesture was perfect, like a painting. Quietly admiring, Liltara spoke. ¡°I understand that a barbarian visited this ce.¡± Shadrenes momentarily hesitated. Liltara continued. ¡°I need information about him.¡± ¡°When you say a barbarian, you mean Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°I believe that¡¯s the name. Did he visit this ce?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. He did. But this has not been disclosed to the public yet.¡± ¡°We have our sources.¡± Liltara narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is the barbarian in the sanctuary? If he has left, where did he go?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shadrenes fell silent. After gazing at Liltara for a moment, she asked. ¡°May I know the reason?¡± ¡°Our god, Lady Federica, hasmanded us to capture the barbarian and bring him before her.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shadrenes¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Lady Federica personally¡­manded it?¡± ¡°Yes. I am acting on the church. I believe you understand, Lady Shadrenes. Where is the barbarian now?¡± Liltara spoke calmly but firmly. Shadrenes, who had kept silent, quietly spoke. ¡°It seems you are hostile towards Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°The god herself hasmanded us to capture him.¡± ¡°I see. So, you need information.¡± ¡°Yes. Please.¡± ¡°Indeed, I know where Mr. Ketal headed and his purpose.¡± ¡°Can you tell me?¡± Shadrenes smiled gently. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ What?¡± Liltara, who was about to thank her, was taken aback. ¡°You said no?¡± ¡°I am a follower of Lord Kalosia. I have no reason to tell you just because you want to know.¡± Normally, there was no need to show such emotion. She was a saintess of deceit and deception. She could have hidden her true feelings and dealt with it gently with a mask. But she didn¡¯t want to. Shadrenes disyed pure hostility. ¡°W-well, that¡¯s true.¡± Shadrenes¡¯ words were logical. She was not a follower of Federica. She had no obligation to share information just because Liltara wanted it, even if it was by a god''s decree. But Liltara hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of refusal. It was just a barbarian. There was no reason for Kalosia¡¯s saintess to hide information about a barbarian. ¡°C-can I know the reason?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell you that either. I¡¯m sorry. I have a lot of work to do, so I can¡¯t spare more time.¡± It was a clear dismissal. Liltara was dumbfounded by the stark change in attitude and retreated. She came outside to find the holy knights. They too had bewildered expressions like Liltara. ¡°Lady Liltara.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Something strange is happening.¡± They had also wandered around inside the sanctuary to gather information. When the followers of Kalosia saw the holy knights of Federica, they initially reacted positively. Sharing the same sense of alienation, they treated them very warmly. But when they learned that they were pursuing Ketal, they mmed up and refused to talk. ¡°It¡¯s the same for you?¡± ¡°Same for us? Lady Liltara, did you experience the same thing?¡± ¡°I asked Lady Shadrenes about the barbarian, but she refused to tell me.¡± ¡°Why¡­.¡± While talking, they fell silent. The followers of Kalosia were ring at them. Those gazes were filled with clear hostility. As if they were enemies for pursuing Ketal. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave. It seems we won¡¯t be able to get any information.¡± Under the sharp gazes, they hastily left the sanctuary. Liltara cautiously looked back and swallowed hard. The followers hade out of the sanctuary and were ring at them. ¡°What on earth is going on¡­.¡± They couldn¡¯t understand at all. Under the intense gazes, they hurriedly fled the sanctuary. [Trantor - Night]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 186 - To the Elves Sanctuary (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 186 - To the Elves'' Sanctuary (3) "Yaaawn." A small rowboat on the sea. On it, a young man was fishing. The young man had a very leisurely expression. Though the existence of the Forbidden Lands had emerged, demons had descended to the earth, and the world was in utter chaos, none of it mattered to the young man living in a small rural vige. ¡°Come on, bite already¡­¡± For the young man, the most important thing was whether he could catch a fish for dinner or not. His parents, their parents, had lived here all their lives, and he believed without a doubt that he and his children would grow old and die here too. The young man leisurely swung his fishing rod. At that moment, the sea began to ripple. At first, he thought it was just a wave and ignored it, but the rippling grew stronger. The young man squinted and looked out over the sea. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something was approaching him as the sea parted. ¡°What the heck!¡± Was it a sea monster? The young man hurriedly tried to row away, but the parting sea quickly reached right in front of him. Soon, the sea erupted in front of him. Boom! ¡°Ahhh!¡± The young man clung to the violently shaking rowboat and screamed. As the sea finally calmed down, the young man cautiously opened his eyes. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± His eyes widened. A barbarian was half-floating on the water, looking at him. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± He frantically looked around, but there was nothing else. The only thing that had changed was the appearance of the barbarian. ¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯ Was the sea parting because this barbarian was swimming? The barbarian, who had been looking at the young man, opened his mouth. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Ask me anything¡­.¡± The young man, trembling, knelt down. He acted as if he were facing a god of the sea. ¡°Is there a forest called Schwarzwald around here?¡± ¡°Yes, it exists¡­.¡± ¡°Oh. Where is it?¡± The young man pointed in a direction with his finger. The barbarian smiled. ¡°Thank you. Here¡¯s a gift.¡± The barbarian threw something onto the boat. The young man''s eyes widened. It was a giant pearl. It was a very clean and perfect pearl. Selling just that one would allow him to livefortably for half a year. The young man grasped the gem as if entranced. And the sea roared once more. When the turbulent sea calmed down again, the barbarian was gone. ¡°¡­Huh, huh.¡± What was that? Did he fall asleep while fishing and have a weird dream? But the wet clothes and the pearl in his hand proved it was real. ¡°¡­.¡± After staring at the pearl for a long time, the young man finally returned to the vige at sunset. He told the vigers what had happened and was treated as a madman. However, it was irrelevant to the fact that the man, who found joy in telling his experience, eventually left the vige and became a minstrel. * * * Ketal departed after asking the mermaids for the direction to the sanctuary of the elves. It was quite a long distance. It took several hours to travel. He asked a young man he met along the way to confirm if he was going in the right direction. Fortunately, he got the correct information. Eventually, Ketal arrived at his destination. ¡°Here it is.¡± There was a forest in front of Ketal. It was a forest made up of long coniferous trees. A vast forest where those who entered would get lost and never return. The forest was the size of a country. Schwarzwald. Within ity the sanctuary of the elves, Elfo Sagrado. Ketal joyfully stepped into the forest. At first nce, the forest seemed very ordinary. Trees were thick, insects buzzed, and asionally the presence of wild animals could be felt. It was an ordinary forest that could exist on Earth, but thinking it was a fantasy made walking through it enjoyable. ¡®The sanctuary is supposed to be in here.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t visible yet. But the forest was very wide. It was natural not to grasp it when he had just entered. Ketal kicked off the ground. He ran through the forest. Though the forest was vast, Ketal was equally fast. He explored the forest''s interior at high speed. But he saw nothing. Given that the ce was under demonic invasion, he should have at least sensed some traces or power fluctuations, but there were none. It felt as if this ce was truly an ordinary forest. That only piqued Ketal''s interest even more. ¡®It must be hidden.¡¯ Indeed, if merely wandering around could reveal the sanctuary, it wouldn¡¯t have remained undiscovered by now. Considering it was under attack by dark magicians, it seemed it couldn¡¯t be reached by ordinary means. ¡°Hm.¡± After contemting for a moment, Ketal changed his objective. The sanctuary of the elves would feel like a royal castle if seen in the human world. And near a royal castle, there would always be various viges, big and small. So, he decided to find a vige and ask for directions. If that failed, he could always find a wandering dark magician and kindly ask for the location. Ketal adjusted his goal and moved. It didn¡¯t take long before he found it. A small elven vige in the midst of the forest. ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal looked at the vige between the trees with interest. At first nce, it looked exactly like the elven vige he had first seen. Despite it not being long ago, he felt nostalgic. ¡®Will it be okay?¡¯ If the monster from the white snowfield appeared, the elves who stayed with him could be in danger. However, the likelihood of any major problem was low. There weren¡¯t many strong monsters in that direction. The queen¡¯s power would be enough to defeat them. Ketal slowly approached the elven vige. ¡°¡­Hm?¡± As he got closer, Ketal realized something. There was no sign of life in the elven vige. It was literally empty. Ketal arrived at the vige. The vige was half-destroyed. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ketal entered the half-destroyed vige. The houses made of wood and grass werepletely wrecked. The ground and nearby walls bore traces of battle. Along with bloodstains, elven corpses were scattered around the vige. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal silently observed the vige¡¯s interior in this gruesome scene. ¡®Were they attacked by dark magicians?¡¯ The bloodstains hadn¡¯t dried yet, meaning the battle hadn¡¯t happened long ago. On closer inspection, there were signs of someone being dragged away. Judging by the small footprints, it seemed to be elven children. As he was trying to determine the direction, someone approached quickly. ¡°Ha, ha.¡± The neer was an elf. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] She was sweating, with green hair wet and panting heavily. She red at the sight of the vige. ¡°¡­Ah, ah.¡± ¡°A survivor?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± The elf, seeing Ketal, twisted her face in anger. ¡°You damned dark magicians! How dare you attack our vige!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal realized the elf was misunderstanding him. ¡°Unforgivable¡­¡± Just as the elf was about to shout, Ketal moved. He disappeared and then subdued her, covering her mouth. ¡°Mm!¡± The elf was shocked, unable to even react. As he restrained the elf, Ketal thought quietly. ¡®Why do things always start with a misunderstanding with elves?¡¯ One barbarian in a half-destroyed vige amidst elven corpses. Objectively, it was easy to see how she could think that. However, he had no intention of waiting quietly for an attack this time. Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°I am not your enemy. I hope we can clear up this misunderstanding.¡± * * * Ketal subdued the elf and exined. He had been invited and hade to help their sanctuary. He also mentioned his acquaintance with the high elf. At first, she looked at him as if he was talking nonsense, but when Ketal showed the red gem and spoke about Arkamis, her expression gradually softened. Realizing she had misunderstood, the elf lowered her head deeply. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡®Are elves a race of misunderstandings?¡¯ Every elf he encountered seemed to misunderstand him. He even considered jotting down in his notebook that elves often misunderstand. ¡°This must be a vige near the sanctuary.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There were various elven tribes, each with their own queen. She was the queen of the Blossom Petal Tribe. They were a tribe that had lived near the sanctuary for generations. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The dark magicians attacked our vige.¡± The queen gritted her teeth. Currently, the dark magicians were attacking the elven sanctuary. Naturally, her nearby vige was also in danger. So, they were preparing to evacuate to the sanctuary, but the dark magicians had already figured out their location and attacked. To defend against the attack, they emptied the vige, but it turned out to be a trap by the dark magicians. They ambushed and devastated the vige when she wasn¡¯t there. The queen bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I couldn¡¯t protect you.¡± ¡°But it seems there are still some you need to protect.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Look at these tracks.¡± Ketal showed her the small footprints indicating someone had been dragged. The queen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Did the dark magicians take our children?¡± ¡°Seems that way.¡± ¡°Those vile ves of evil! How dare they covet our children!¡± The queen cried out in fury. Her hand, gripping her bow, trembled with rage. ¡°Do the dark magicians have any reason to take elven children?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps those arrogant fiends, unable to prate the sanctuary, thought of taking hostages. Disgusting creatures.¡± The queen grimaced. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re winning.¡± ¡°They attacked the sanctuary but failed and retreated into the forest.¡± ¡°Ah. So that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t sense anything.¡± ¡°Those arrogant creatures. Not only do they target our sanctuary, but now they even take our children¡­¡± The queen ground her teeth again. Ketal asked, ¡°Are you nning to go after them?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She was the queen of her tribe, willing to risk her life to protect the children. She intended to follow the tracks and find them. Ketal, looking pleased, spoke up. ¡°Good. Then I will help you.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. You are an invited guest. There¡¯s no reason for you to undertake such a dangerous task of going to the dark magicians''ir.¡± ¡°I am already struggling to find the sanctuary¡¯s location anyway.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ The sanctuary is hidden. It might be difficult for an outsider like you to find it right away.¡± ¡°To reach the sanctuary, I¡¯ll need help, and you¡¯re currently preupied with finding the children. So it seems more practical for me to help you quickly resolve this and then head to the sanctuary.¡± Hearing this, the queen remained silent for a moment, then expressed her gratitude. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Despite all the reasons given, this barbarian was willing to help her. It made her feel embarrassed for having misunderstood him earlier. Ketal, on the other hand, had no particr thoughts about it. ¡®I just want to try tracking someone down.¡¯ He felt like a detective. Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°No need to apologize. I will definitely ensure the safety of your children and get your revenge.¡± With a brief apology, the queen began to move. ¡°How should we proceed?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t use the spirits. The natural energy tracking is also blocked.¡± The queen frowned. The dark magicians had lured her away with a decoy. They must have anticipated pursuit and thoroughly concealed their tracks. ¡°But I am an elf.¡± She was a being of nature, more sensitive to its changes than anyone else. Even if they hid the traces, they couldn¡¯tpletely cover up the physical signs of movement. She would track those instead. Ketal looked impressed. ¡°You can do that? Let¡¯s follow then.¡± She quickly headed in the direction the children were taken, and Ketal followed with a cheerful face. ¡®I¡¯m curious to see how an elf tracks.¡¯ It was exciting to witness it firsthand. As they continued, the queen suddenly stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­The trail ends here.¡± The queen bit her lip. Even as an elf, she couldn¡¯t detect the traces. She was surprised because she didn¡¯t expect the physical signs to be concealed this perfectly. ¡°I need to look for the tracks for a while. Please wait.¡± The queen began searching the surroundings for clues. Ketal then spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s over there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The trail continues in that direction.¡± Ketal pointed in a direction. The queen was bewildered. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Ketal reached down and picked up one of the many fallen leaves from the ground. ¡°There¡¯s a footprint on this leaf. Judging by the direction, it¡¯s that way. They must have missed this one.¡± "Wa-wait. You saw that?" "Indeed." "..." The queen looked around the area where Ketal had picked up the leaf. But no matter how hard she looked, all the leaves seemed like ordinary, unmarked ones. Finding a single leaf with a trace among tens of thousands of fallen leaves was like finding a needle in a haystack. But Ketal had indeed found that needle. "That''s¡­ incredible." The queen was amazed at Ketal¡¯s tracking ability. She judged that with Ketal¡¯s help, they could track without any problems. And simr situations urred repeatedly. Every time the queen struggled to find a trace, Ketal pointed something out. "There''s a small nick on the end of that branch. Did you miss it?" "...I did." After a while, the queen started to feel something was odd. Every time she had trouble tracking, Ketal found the clues quickly, almost as if he knew where they were from the beginning. Naturally, one thought came to her mind. ''...He seems to know the tracks from the start, so why is he letting me waste time?'' From Ketal¡¯s perspective, it was only natural for him to wait because he wanted to observe the elves¡¯ tracking methods. But from the queen''s perspective, it felt quite strange. ''Is he angry because I attacked him outright?'' The queen nced at Ketal. "Is something wrong?" "No, nothing." The queen shook her head. ''It must be my imagination.'' She tried to convince herself that Ketal was only noticing the tracks a bitter than she was. Despite the oddities, the queen tried to put her thoughts in order. This pattern repeated several more times. "There¡¯s a track there." "...Indeed." Although it was a peculiar situation for the queen, thanks to Ketal, they reached their destination without much difficulty. They arrived in front of a small cave. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 187 - To the Elves Sanctuary (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 187 - To the Elves'' Sanctuary (4) "The traces are heading in there." The queen frowned as she looked at a small hidden cave in the forest. The inside was too dark to see. "...Are they hiding? Wind, deliver the information from inside to me." The queen murmured softly. The wind blew and headed inside the cave. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal watched curiously. "Is that spirit magic?" "Yes. It''s the power of the wind." There was no way to know what awaited inside the cave. She intended to use the spirits to gather information beforehand. But the wind was blocked at the entrance of the cave and could not go further. The queen tried to prate somehow, but it felt as if a stronger wind was blocking it. The queen clicked her tongue and withdrew the wind. "They''ve thoroughly prepared against detection. We¡¯ll have to check it ourselves." "No. That''s not necessary." Ketal stared quietly into the cave and spoke. "The passage is longer than expected. There might be traps. There are about ten dark magicians. It seems there are about three rooms... The elf children seem to be in the deepest room." The queen blinked. "...Did you just figure out the inside of the cave?" "Yes." "How did you do that? The defenses against detection were thorough. Can someone of your level break through that defense?" "No. I just heard it." "...What?" "I judged by the sounds inside the cave." The queen was speechless. The forest was not a quiet ce. The sound of leaves shaking in the wind, insects crying, and wild animals moving made it very noisy. He had clearly identified the sounds inside the cave amidst all that noise. ''No.'' If it was that easy to figure out, why did he quietly watch her try to detect with spirit magic? ''...Is he still angry because I attacked him?'' Ketal''s attitude had been strange for a while. Ketal wanted to see the elf''s skills one by one, but from the queen''s perspective, she couldn''t help but think that. "It seems to be a temporary residence. What do you n to do?" The queen quickly came to her senses. "...It''s right to request cooperation from the sanctuary, but we don''t know what will happen to the children." "Then we must respond immediately." The queen nodded. She prepared for battle. "I call upon you, one who has gained self-awareness after being isted for thousands of years in the depths. Come forth, one who dwells in the depths. Unduru." Ripple. At the same time, water gathered in the air. Ketal''s eyes gleamed. "A water spirit." It was a human-shaped water spirit. It was short and stubby, like it had been chibified. "An upper-level spirit?" "Intermediate. Those who contract with upper-level spirits are extremely rare. Unfortunately, I do not have that level of power." "Is that so?" Indeed, Marsilia, who had contracted with the highest-level spirit, seemed special. But a spirit was still a spirit. It was quite a sight to see a new spirit. Ketal smiled as he watched the summoned water spirit. The spirit shuddered at his gaze, then slowly hid behind the queen. "Why is it doing that?" "It seems frightened by the pressure it feels from you." "...Does that happen?" "It does. It''s notmon, though." The queen could feel a strange pressure emanating from Ketal. Even she asionally flinched, so the spirit, a being of nature, would be more sensitive. "It hasn''t happened before." "If it hadn''t, it might be because the spirit had enough power to ignore it. If an intermediate spirit is like this, weaker spirits might flee to the spirit world at the sight of you." "...I see." Ketal looked shocked. The queen found his reaction a bit puzzling. She couldn''t understand why such a strong person would be so shocked just because a spirit avoided him. "Shall we go then? Are you ready?" "Yes." Ketal snapped out of his shock and clenched his fist. The queen took the lead. She used Unduru''s power. A whip of watershed at the cave. The defensive magic at the entrance shattered, setting off an rm. "What''s going on!" "Intruders!" The dark magicians, who had been resting inside, scrambled to respond. The queen shouted fiercely. "You dare attack the vige and kidnap the children! It''s time to pay for your crimes!" "Queen! How did you find this ce! All traces were hidden!" "Did you think such a petty trick would work!" "Ridiculous! The traces were perfectly hidden! You can''t follow us!" Their question was valid. Without Ketal, the queen would not have been able to track the dark magicians. Instead of arguing, the queen shot an arrow through the dark magician''s shoulder. "Aaagh!" "Kill them!" The dark magicians did not just sit back and take it. They wielded dark magic to summon monsters. And Ketal advanced lightly. Crack. The dark magic that hit his body shattered, and the monsters were torn apart. The dark magicians were astonished, and the queen let out an exmation. Boom! The battle was one-sided. The queen''s power wasn''t extraordinary, but it was stronger than the dark magicians''. They reached the depths of the cave without much trouble. And there, the leader of the dark magicians was waiting. The leader shouted harshly. "How dare you interrupt our great secret!" "Hah! How shameless! You filthy being who sold your soul to a demon! It''s time to pay for your crimes!" The leader''s power was at a top level, equal to the queen''s. With Ketal present, the dark magician had no chance of winning. But the dark magicianughed at them. "Hahaha! How arrogant toe here with just the two of you! Did you think we wouldn''t have any countermeasures? Darkness!" Bzzzt! A prison of darkness formed around Ketal and the queen. The queen''s expression changed. They had fallen into a trap. She hurriedly gathered her arrows and struck the walls of the prison, but it didn''t shake. "With your power alone, you can''t break it! Queen! I''ve already called for reinforcements! You''ll die here trapped!" "You think I''ll let that happen!" The queen gathered her strength and struck the prison, but it was designed by the dark magicians over a long time and didn''t break easily. The queen gritted her teeth and pushed her power to the limit. "Unduru! Imbue my arrow! And explode!" She shot the arrow fiercely. Rough waves spread in all directions. The prison cracked with a loud noise. But it didn''t break. The queen panted heavily. The dark magician mocked her. "Hahaha! It''s impossible! You''ll die here!" The dark magician was sure of his victory. With some leisure, he turned his gaze to the barbarian next to the queen. "...Why is a barbarian here?" The dark magician, who had been looking at Ketal curiously, widened his eyes. "Wait a minute. Are you that barbarian!" "So, you can imbue spirits into arrows too. The applications are varied." Ketal, who had been enjoying watching the queen''s power, raised his arm. "I could break it with strength, but here..." Bzzzt! A golden light enveloped his fist. Both the queen and the dark magician opened their eyes wide. The divine power was imbued in the fist of a barbarian, a symbol of savagery. Ketal swung his fist lightly. The prison, which the queen had desperately tried to break, shattered like ss. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...What?" "Oh, oh." A strange silence lingered. Ketal looked at the dark magician. He was going to die. The dark magician, feeling the murderous intent, turned hurriedly. He nned to take the elf children in the room as hostages, but he couldn''t. An axe flew and separated the dark magician''s body. Ketal reached out and retrieved the axe. "Are you alright?" "......" The queen stared nkly at Ketal. After a moment, she spoke. "If you''re angry about me attacking you, I truly apologize. I will sincerely ask for your forgiveness." * * * "Hmm? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?" "Aren''t you angry at me?" It had been strange from the start. Ketal knew everything but quietly watched her struggle. Even just now, he could have broken the prison immediately, but he let her try with all her might. The queen was sure he was angry because she had tried to attack him and apologized. Ketal shook his head. "No. It''s a misunderstanding. I''m not angry at you." "Then why..." "Hmm." ''I just wanted to see how you would respond.'' He thought it might be better to let her misunderstand. Eventually, Ketal changed the subject. "Anyway, I''m not angry, so don''t worry about it. I''m not that petty." "If that''s the case, then good..." The queen stood up with a vague expression. "Anyway, it''s all over." In the deepest part of the cave, the elf children were there. "If I go, they''ll surely be scared and cry, so please take care of it." "Understood." The queen entered the room. The trembling children burst into tears at the sight of her. After that, they headed to the sanctuary with the children. Ketal asked with a curious expression, "Aren''t we going to bury the bodies?" "We need to get to the sanctuary as soon as possible with the children. More importantly, we are born from nature and return to nature. The bodies will be left in the middle of the forest." "Ah, I see." They followed the queen in the direction of the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the children nced at Ketal. When their eyes met his, they would let out a squeal and quickly look away, but they didn''t run away. Finally, one child gathered the courage to approach. "M-Mr. Barbarian!" "What is it?" Ketal smiled. The child''s face turned pale, but he closed his eyes and shouted, "Thank you for saving us!" "...Thank you." It was the first time Ketal had heard pure words of gratitude from an elf. He nodded with a strange expression. The child quickly hid among the others. The sight made him chuckle. "Adorable children." "They are our treasures. If we had lost even these children... I don''t want to imagine it." The entire n would have been annihted. The queen sighed. And before long, they arrived. "This is the ce." "But there''s nothing here." The ce they arrived at looked like any other part of the forest, with dense trees and the sounds of insects. Ketal''s senses detected nothing unusual. "You''ll understand once you take out the jewel." Following the queen''s words, Ketal took out the red jewel. Bzzzzt. The red jewel began to glow and floated into the air. "Oh?" Ketal''s eyes widened. The separated space began to ovep. A precious ce that could only be entered with permission revealed itself on the continent. The ordinary forest scenery began to transform. Brilliantly blossoming flowers appeared. The barren forest gave way to a gentle in. It was a miraculous transformation. "Ah..." And most of all, there was something that moved Ketal deeply. He raised his head in awe, his body trembling with emotion. At the end of his gaze was a tree. An extremely tall and thick tree, seemingly touching the sky, made of gold. Instinctively, he knew. It was the World Tree. He was now in the sanctuary of the elves. The queen spoke calmly, "Wee to our sanctuary, Elfo Sagrado." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 188 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 188 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (1) It was an extremely peculiar thing. The space that had transformed outside was small. At most, it was the size of a small park. But whaty before him was an incredibly vast in. It felt as if the space itself had beenpressed. Ketal stood dazed, staring at the scenery unfolding before him. A colossal golden tree, tall enough to touch the sky and as thick as a mountain. A vige was formed around the World Tree. It wasn''t in the form of a typical vige. It was a vige attached to the trunk of the towering World Tree. There were several houses made by weaving giant leaves among the branches. Various buildings extended high up along the trunk of the World Tree. It was a vige that ascended upwards. There were gaps between the trunks for ascending and descending. And flowers blooming in full around the World Tree. The smell of nature was so intense that it stung his nose. This was the sacred ground of the elves. Elfo Sagrado. It was andscape that seemed to materialize a fantasy. ¡°Oh, oh¡­.¡± His body trembled with emotion. It felt like he might cry. The queen smiled and walked forward. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Ketal barely managed topose himself. They walked towards the World Tree. A massive wall surrounded the World Tree, seemingly for its protection. There was an elf guarding the entrance. ¡°Hm? Aren''t you the queen of the Blossom Petal Tribe? Why have you brought the children to the sacred ground?¡± The elf asked with a startled face. The queen spoke with a grave expression. ¡°We were attacked by dark magicians.¡± The queen exined the situation. The vige was attacked by dark magicians, and many elves were killed. The children here were survivors. The elf was horrified upon hearing the circumstances. ¡°Th-that can''t be¡­.¡± ¡°May we stay in the sacred ground until the dark magicians leave?¡± ¡°O-of course. Those damn dark magicians¡­ please,e in.¡± The elf gritted his teeth and let the children into the sacred ground. The children cautiously entered the wall. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need. We''ll hear the detailster. Then, who¡­ who is he?¡± The elf looked at Ketal with curious eyes. Ketal smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Is he someone the queen invited to the sacred ground?¡± Each queen of the tribes is given one or two red gems. They are invitations to bring a trustworthy person from another race to the sacred ground. The elf on guard thought the queen had invited Ketal. The queen shook her head. ¡°It wasn''t me. He was invited by another elf.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ketal stepped forward. The elf instinctively stepped back. ¡°I was invited to the sacred ground by Marsilia Hasianne Calusia, queen of the brown-leaf tribe.¡± ¡°¡­Marsilia?¡± The elf was visibly startled by the unexpected name. Ketal continued. ¡°And High Elf Arkamis also invited me.¡± ¡°Ar-Arkamis?¡± The elf''s pupils widened. He looked at Ketal with a very startled face. Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°May I enter your sacred ground?¡± * * * Ketal sat in a chair in an interrogation room near the wall. He looked around the reception room with a pleased expression. Although it was made by cutting down trees, it didn''t have the artificial feeling of human architecture. It felt as if it was made by weaving the natural form of the trees. It was like seeing a unique modern building, which was interesting. Ketal took a teacup with a joyful face. ¡°Oh. This is quite a good tea.¡± Ketal eximed after taking a sip. The aroma and taste were excellent. It was a quality he had never experienced, even with the gically improved teas on Earth. ¡°¡­These tea leaves are grown in the sacred ground. It¡¯s a precious tea permitted only to the elves.¡± ¡°Drinking something like this feels great.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. The elf sitting in front of him looked at Ketal with a peculiar expression. ¡°My name is Ketal. What is yours?¡± ¡°¡­I am Ash, captain of the guard protecting the sacred ground of Elfo Sagrado.¡± ¡°Ash. Nice to meet you.¡± The elf on guard was visibly flustered upon hearing Ketal¡¯s introduction. After stammering for a moment, he soon called his captain. The captain saw Ketal and led him to the reception room, leading to the current situation. ¡°¡­You say you received a gem from Marsilia.¡± ¡°Yes. Are they doing well? They had settled in a rather dangerous ce.¡± ¡°There are no problems. We¡¯ve been in contact recently.¡± "Ah, that''s a relief." He was a bit worried because it was near the snowfield, but fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any problems. Ketal looked relieved, and Ash looked at Ketal even more strangely. Ash, who had been watching Ketal for a while, opened his mouth. "So you know Arkamis as well. I heard from her that you are in a mentor-mentee rtionship. Is that correct?" "Oh. You know about that. It seems you talk to Arkamis often." "She sometimes grabs me to vent whenever she¡¯s stressed. Among those vents, there were stories about a peculiar human. You must be that human." Ash looked at Ketal with a very peculiar expression. It was as if he couldn''t understand. "Is that so? So you are the human that Arkamis mentioned... You have quite a unique taste." "Taste?" "No. Never mind." Ash shook his head. He thought as he observed Ketal. ''...He doesn''t look particrly strong.'' Ash was the captain of the guard protecting the sacred ground. He was exceptionally skilled. He possessed strength at a superhuman level. But from his perspective, Ketal''s strength didn''t seem that impressive. No matter how he looked, he could only see third-rate mystical power. ''But Arkamis said this human was very strong.'' A High Elf would never lie. Ash scrutinized Ketal more closely. ''...I do feel a strange sense of intimidation.'' It was an aura like that of a predator, not a human. Ash, being strong himself, could ignore it, but most weaker elves would be terrified and lose their rationality. Third-rate mystical power. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And an intimidating aura like that of a predator. He was a very peculiar human. "Is something wrong?" "No, nothing." Ash, who had been silently observing Ketal, quickly came to his senses at Ketal''s words and spoke. "First of all, I want to thank you for helping the elf tribe. You are fully qualified to enter the sacred ground." He had the red gem given only to queens, and he was invited by the noble High Elf. There was no reason or justification to refuse. However, not everyone invited could enter the sacred ground of the elves. From ancient times, few were invited by the elves to the sacred ground, and only a very few of those were granted the right to touch the World Tree. "You must pass a test." "A test."N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal muttered with an intrigued expression. Marsilia had told him that he would have to pass a divine test in the sacred ground, so he had expected this. "What kind of test is it?" "This is our sacred ground." The elves'' sacred ground had existed since before the birth of the elf race. It was a ce akin to their origin, and it had remained unchanged from those times to the present. It had to maintain its purity. If the World Tree in the sacred ground were to be tainted, the elf race itself could be in danger. They were sensitive to the entry of those tainted from the outside. Whether it was their nature, power, or essence, none of it could be twisted. Purity had to be maintained. "What exactly does purity mean?" "Exactly as it sounds. Your power must be umted in a natural way, not through alien methods, and your soul must not be tainted. The same goes for your body. Your character must also be upright." "That¡¯s strict." "It¡¯s natural since this is our sacred ground. The purity of your existence must be proven to enter." "How do I prove it?" "It¡¯s simple." Ash showed him a prepared pot. In the center of the pot, a seed was nted. "This seed is a test seed given to us by the spirit god. Drop one drop of your blood on this seed. If your essence is tainted, a rotten nt will sprout. If you are pure, an ordinary flower will bloom." "Oh, is that how it works." Ketal looked intrigued. Ash was slightly surprised by his attitude. Normally, one might feel reluctant about being forcefully tested for purity by outsiders, but this barbarian simply looked delighted. "¡­I¡¯ll provide a tool to draw your blood." "No need. It probably won''t work anyway. I¡¯ll do it myself." "Hm? If you insist." Ash was puzzled but did not press further. Ketal lightly pressed the tip of his finger with his nail. Blood soon flowed out as the skin was pressed. "Is one drop enough?" "It is." One drop of blood from Ketal fell onto the seed. And the change happened immediately. Ketal looked at the pot with fascination. "A flower has bloomed. I wonder how it works." With just a drop of blood, a flower had bloomed from the seed in an instant. Ketal looked at the flower with a curious expression. Ash frowned. "¡­A white flower." "Is there something wrong?" "No, it¡¯s not that." Rather, it was more puzzling because there was nothing wrong. Ketal had only been told that either a withered flower or an ordinary flower would bloom, but there were actually more detailed distinctions. The color of the flower was one such indicator. Depending on the color change, one could determine the degree of purity of the subject. And a white flower was the highest grade, which made it even more surprising. ¡®...Why is it a white flower?¡¯ A white flower indicated the highest level of purity. For such a flower to bloom, the essence, nature, power, and even the very blood had to be pure. This type of flower usually bloomed for special races like High Elves. For humans, whose blood is mixed in various ways, it was impossible for a white flower to bloom. Yet, the flower that had bloomed in the pot was a perfectly clean white. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Ash was slightly perplexed. But even more astonishing things began to happen. Ketal, looking at the pot, tilted his head. "It seems the flower is continuing to grow." "...What?" Ash, regaining hisposure, looked at the pot. Just as Ketal said, the flower was slowly growing. Its size increased, and the stem continued to lengthen. "Is this normal?" "No. When a flower blooms, that''s where it stops. Even if it grows, it usually stops after a slight growth." As soon as those words left his mouth, the flower''s growth elerated. The petals swelled, multiple flowers began to bloom, and the stem stretched further and further. In no time, it started reaching the ceiling. "This, this is!" Ash, panicking, pulled out a dagger. He swung it, intending to cut the stem with wind wrapped around the de. sh. "Ouch!" But instead, Ash was repelled. Quickly regaining his bnce, his face was filled with shock. "No!" The flower''s role was merely to determine the subject''s purity. It was supposed to be an ordinary flower. Yet, it had repelled his de. This was an impossible situation. Meanwhile, the flower continued to grow, now filling the room and even starting to spill out the window. "It seems this isn''t a normal situation." Ketal wielded his axe. The ck axe swung down, cutting the stem. Slice. The stem, which had repelled Ash''s dagger, was easily cut by Ketal¡¯s axe. The flower fell, squirmed for a moment, theny still. Ash, in a daze, looked at Ketal with wide eyes. Then he cautiously asked, "...Are you perhaps not human, but a dragon?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 189 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 189 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado. (2) The seed soaked in blood didn''t just bloom, it grew to fill the entire room. There was only one case where this happened. It was when the blood itself was special and acted as a catalyst. And the most representative example of this was the blood of a dragon. ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s dragon¡¯s blood or anything¡­¡¯ No, could dragon¡¯s blood even make the flower grow to fill a room? Ash had never seen a dragon. But he thought it would be difficult. ¡°There are no scales or anything.¡± Ketal raised his arm. Though it had wounds, clean skin was visible. ¡°I am human.¡± ¡°R-Really...¡± Ketal denied it, but Ash couldn''t stop using honorifics. Stuttering, he said, ¡°Well... it''s been confirmed. You may enter.¡± ¡°Oh. Is that so?¡± Ketal smiled. He followed Ash''s guidance and entered the Sanctuary of the Elves. ¡°What should I do from here?¡± ¡°I will guide you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal followed Ash''s lead. As he walked through the Sanctuary of the Elves, Ketal observed his surroundings. The elven buildings were made of trees and giant leaves. However, they didn¡¯t look crude or barbaric. Rather, they were neatly made with simple materials, giving the feel of modern trendy architecture. And these buildings climbed up the trunk of the World Tree. Between them, there were what looked like stairs or tforms. A vige surrounding and rising high along the tree. It sounded like it would be very inconvenient to live in, but the World Tree was so massive that it didn¡¯t really feel that way. And not all the buildings were up in the trees. There were small andrge buildings near the base of the World Tree, where elves rested. Young elves ran around ying in parks, while adult elves strolled around. Even older-looking elves walked leisurely. Ketal watched them with a very happy face. He strongly felt like he was in the midst of a fantasy. As he looked at the elves¡¯ faces, Ketal murmured in wonder. ¡°They look better than I thought.¡± The Sanctuary of the Elves was currently under attack by evil. A nearby vige had been attacked and burned, a clear and direct threat. But the elves¡¯ faces werepletely calm. They seemed no different from usual. ¡°This is our sanctuary. Evil beings dare not invade here. And most importantly, we have our queen.¡± Ash spoke calmly. ¡°The Queen of the High Elves, not just any tribe member. The rightful leader of the elves, who has made a pact with the Spirit King. As long as she is here, the dark magicians cannot invade the sanctuary.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The followers of Kalosia said simr things, so it didn¡¯t really resonate much. But if the Elf Queen was truly a hero-level powerhouse, it made sense. They said there was a huge difference between heroes and superhumans. Ketal walked a bit more and approached the base of the World Tree. The resting elves also noticed Ketal¡¯s presence. The elves screamed in fright. ¡°C-Come this way.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Y-Yes...¡± The adult elves quickly took their children and climbed up the World Tree. The middle-aged elves were no different. In an instant, all the elves disappeared from the base of the World Tree. ¡°That¡¯s sad.¡± ¡°...Please understand.¡± Ash gave a bitter smile. To the elves, Ketal was like a lion. If one had power on Ash¡¯s level, they could withstand the intimidation, but otherwise, it was difficult. Of course, entering the sanctuary meant he had passed the test. But even if a lion was safely controlled by a handler, it was normal to scream and run away if it was wandering around. Especially if that lion wasn¡¯t even on a leash. ¡°This is a bit troublesome.¡± If he got close to them, they could ovee the intimidation, but since they hid as soon as they saw Ketal, there was no chance to get close. If this continued, he might not be able to enjoy the sanctuary as he had hoped. Just as Ketal was pondering, footsteps were heard from above in the World Tree. Someone was quickly descending to the ground. Ketal turned his head to look at the owner of the footsteps. The person arrived on the ground. Seeing their face, Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Oh! Arkamis!¡± ¡°Ketal! You came!¡± The maverick of the High Elves, Arkamis, shouted with a bright face. * * * Arkamis strode towards Ketal. She was a High Elf. She must have felt the strongest intimidation from Ketal among anyone here, yet there was no hesitation in her steps. She arrived in front of Ketal in an instant. With a joyful face, she eximed, ¡°You came! Ketal! You really came!¡± ¡°Did you think it was a lie? I am a person who keeps promises.¡± ¡°It''s just a way of speaking. I didn¡¯t expect you toe so soon.¡± Arkamis smiled brightly, but she was inwardly anxious. ¡®W-What if he doesn¡¯te?¡¯ Ketal exuded a powerful intimidation to the elves. Even if he came to the sanctuary, he wouldn¡¯t be weed. It was a very unpleasant experience to have others avoid you. Arkamis had experienced enough of that unpleasantness outside the sanctuary. Given Ketal''s power, he would be treated well wherever he went, so there was no reason for him toe here and have an unpleasant experience. Although it was unthinkable that Ketal wouldn¡¯te to the sanctuary, Arkamis, not knowing his intentions, felt very uneasy. She even resorted to petal divination, something she had never done before. But to think he woulde so quickly. The unease she had felt turned into tion. She looked at Ketal with sparkling eyes. ¡°Ash, you guided him? Thank you.¡± ¡°N-No problem¡­¡± Ash replied reluctantly. ¡®¡­When I heard her speak, I thought nothing of it.¡¯ But that gaze. Wasn¡¯t it like the gaze of a girl in love? He looked at Arkamis with a curious expression. But Arkamis didn¡¯t care and only looked at Ketal. ¡°It¡¯s awkward to talk while standing here. Will youe to my house?¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Great! Then follow me! Ash! Good work!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was a clear dismissal. Though he was losing his guest, Ash retreated obediently. He couldn''t refuse the words of a High Elf, nor did he have a reason to. Arkamis smiled brightly and led Ketal away. Ash watched them leave. ¡®¡­When I heard Arkamis speak, I thought he was a peculiar human.¡¯ Meeting him in person, he was more than expected. A flowerrge enough to fill a room. An intimidation so strong it made the elves run away. ¡®I need to see the Queen.¡¯ Ash started walking. * * * Ketal followed Arkamis up the World Tree. The elves they encountered on the way up flinched and backed away at the sight of Ketal. Then, seeing Arkamis, they looked at her as if seeing something very strange. ¡°What are you looking at!¡± Arkamis shouted confidently. The elves flinched and backed away. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get along well.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t. Returning to the sanctuary after so long, they looked at me like I was a foolish princess. Who are they to judge me?¡± Arkamis grumbled as she climbed the World Tree. The World Tree was very tall. And Arkamis was going beyond its middle section. It took a long time just to climb. ¡°Your house is in a high ce.¡± ¡°Because I''m a great and mighty High Elf. I¡¯m positioned higher than the other elves. It¡¯s just tiresome and annoying to climb up.¡± Arkamis scoffed. Ketalughed at her look of discontent. Before long, they reached Arkamis¡¯s house. True to her title as a maverick of the High Elves, her house was far from the residences of other High Elves. She turned around. ¡°Here it is! My house! Come in!¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Ketal entered Arkamis¡¯s house. Looking around the interior, Ketal murmured, ¡°It¡¯s not much different from a house in the Kingdom of Denian.¡± In the center of the house, a cauldron was boiling, and catalysts hung on the walls. It was the same structure as her previous house. ¡°Because it¡¯s the optimal design I came up with. I remodeled it as soon as I got back.¡± ¡°Fortunately, you weren¡¯t hindered.¡± Arkamis studied alchemy. But a High Elf learning the outside world''s technology was not seen favorably by the elves. Just seeing how Parco came to destroy the inside of her house showed that. ¡°There was some. The Queen keptining, but I said I¡¯d leave again if she did. After a few days of fighting, she gave up. Parco supporting me made it a bit easier.¡± ¡°Oh. Parco must have granted my request.¡± Ketal had asked Parco to help Arkamis. Though he nodded, without any enforcement, he wasn¡¯t sure what would happen, but it seemed he did listen. ¡°To grant a favor withoutpensation. I¡¯m grateful. I should thank himter.¡± ¡°¡­He would prefer you didn¡¯t visit.¡± Arkamis said reluctantly. Parco supported her simply because he feared Ketal¡¯s retaliation. He flinched every time he heard Ketal¡¯s name, feeling pitiful. Anyway, things worked out. Arkamis led Ketal to a room and asked, ¡°So, how have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well. I helped the sanctuary of Kalosia. After that, I met mermaids while following the Inquisitor of the Sun God.¡± ¡°Inquisitor of the Sun God? Who is that?¡± ¡°There''s someone named Aquaz.¡± Arkamis, who had been excitedly asking questions, momentarily paused. ¡°¡­The genius Inquisitor?¡± ¡°Oh. Do you know of her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s famous, so of course I know. I heard she¡¯s young and beautiful¡­ Is it true?¡± ¡°She¡¯s certainly beautiful.¡± Ketal nodded. Aquaz was indeed very beautiful,parable even to elves. ¡°¡­I see. You traveled with Aquaz. Hmm.¡± Arkamis trailed off. ¡°¡­Was it just the two of you?¡± ¡°No, there was one more person. Why do you ask? You seem ufortable.¡± Arkamis¡¯s expression was strange. She looked like she might be jealous, or perhaps worried. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Arkamis shook her head vigorously. ¡°This is your room. You must be tired from traveling, so rest.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After guiding Ketal to his room, Arkamis stepped out. She clenched her fists as if making a decision. * * * Later that night. Arkamis knocked on the door. Ketal, who had been lounging around, spoke up. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ketal, want to have a drink?¡± Arkamis shook a bottle of alcohol. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink and talk about what¡¯s happened. How about it? It¡¯s elven liquor. Outsiders don¡¯t get to drink this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Ketal quickly got up. Elven liquor? There was no reason to refuse. He stepped outside. ¡°Arkamis?¡± ¡°Wh-What is it?¡± ¡°Your outfit is different from usual.¡± Arkamis was wearing something simr to human lingerie. Of course, it was only simr, with significantly less exposure. At most, her arms and legs were visible. But considering her usual attire, it was quite a change. Arkamis spoke with forced nonchnce. ¡°These arefortable clothes I wear at home.¡± ¡°For something like that, it¡¯s quite ornate.¡± ¡°¡­It just looks that way; it¡¯s actuallyfortable. I wear it often.¡± ¡°Is that so? Didn¡¯t you wear more ordinary clothes in the Kingdom of Denian?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s a bit warmer here.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Since Arkamis insisted, Ketal didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Let¡¯s drink.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Ketal smiled. Arkamis turned around, clenching her fists tightly. She looked as if she was aiming for something. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 190 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 190: Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado. (3). ¡°Come, sit down.¡± Arkamis unfolded the chair. Ketal sat down on the very luxurious and plush chair. She expertly opened the wine bottle. A fragrant aroma spread out. ¡°It smells quite good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very fine wine that only high elves can drink. Consider it an honor.¡± ¡°Thank you for that. It¡¯s always good to make connections.¡± Ketal smiled. Arkamis smiled back at him, her eyes quietly calm. ¡®...Ketal.¡¯ He was the first, suitable partner she had found. High elves are solitary. Born in perfect form from the World Tree, they only value two things: themselves and the World Tree. There was no sense of camaraderie, nor was there familial love. Even if one were the queen of the high elves, they could influence them but could never give orders. They would onlyply to an extent. Arkamis disliked that. She wanted to live an ordinary life like in fairy tales. She wanted friends. She wantedpanions. She wanted a family. And she wanted to have children. She knew everything about how to achieve that from a biological standpoint. It wasn¡¯t anything new to her. That¡¯s why she traveled the continent to modify her body. But having children was merely the result she wanted. More important was the process. She wanted not just to have children, but to experience love. A poignant love where emotions are exchanged. She decided in her heart that Ketal would be the one for that. ¡®...He¡¯s a good person.¡¯ Theymunicated well, and he understood her. He was very kind and treated her without prejudice, even knowing she was a high elf. Even if he naturally exuded an intimidating presence, he was a very attractive person. But there was a problem. Love had to be mutual. It meant nothing if it was one-sided. She had no way of knowing how this barbarian felt about her. ¡®...It seems to be a good feeling, but.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t tell if it was love or friendship. In her judgment, it was closer to friendship. Still, since the feelings were good, she thought she could approach him slowly. But upon hearing that Ketal traveled with Aquaz, she felt a strong sense of urgency. ¡®There might be apetitor!¡¯ Objectively, Ketal was outstanding and intelligent. Though his intimidating presence was an issue, once that was ovee, he was a very attractive man. Arkamis judged this to be true regardless of what others thought. So, she decided to turn Ketal¡¯s feelings for her into something deeper before anyone else could intervene. She was a high elf. She was confident in her appearance and had a good rapport with Ketal. She intended to take their rtionship to a deeper level during this opportunity. She nned to seduce Ketal. This drinking session was created with that intention. ¡°Here, Ketal.¡± Arkamis smiled brightly and poured the drink. Ketal savored the aroma and then drank it down. ¡°Wow.¡± He eximed in admiration. The drink went down smoothly without any resistance, spreading a fragrant aroma through his nose. It was a high-quality drink he had never tasted before. ¡°Tastes good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°Do high elves always drink like this?¡± ¡°Not that often. After a few hundred years, it gets tiresome. Want another ss?¡± ¡°Please.¡± The rxed drinking session continued. Arkamis clenched her fist under the table. ¡®G-good!¡¯ She had no experience in romance or seducing men. But she had read countless books, literally an entire library¡¯s worth of romance novels. She knew perfectly how to set the mood and what lines to say when a man and woman were creating a romantic atmosphere. As she intended, the mood was very good. ¡®And, what was I supposed to do next?¡¯ But if there was a problem, it was that shecked experience in the end. A high elf. Noble, perfect in themselves. Naturally, they had no experience of romance or feelings like that. No matter how well-versed in theory she was, without experience, she was bound to be clumsy. As Ketal savored the wine, he looked at Arkamis. ¡°Arkamis, your posture seems a bit odd?¡± ¡°Oh, uh. Does it?¡± Arkamis was sitting with her legs crossed and leaning back in her chair. It would have been a seductive posture if done by someone familiar with it, but since Arkamis had never done it before, it looked awkward. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it attractive?¡± "You look like a broken wooden puppet." "..." Arkamis quietly adjusted her posture. She tried various things she had read in books, but she was too inexperienced to execute them well. "A toast to your eyes?" "Huh?" "Oh, never mind..." However, despite this, the atmosphere didn''t be awkward. Since they had spent the entire day together in the Kingdom of Denian, their conversation flowed smoothly. "How''s the progress on alchemy?" "It''s still vague, but the outline is starting to take shape. There''s plenty of potential." ''This isn''t what I wanted...'' Arkamis sighed inwardly. It was enjoyable enough, but it wasn''t the atmosphere Arkamis had hoped for. Ketal asked leisurely. "I heard the sanctuary is under attack by evil, but it looks perfectly fine." Ketal had also visited the Sanctuary of Kalosia, which was likewise under attack by evil. While the interior of Kalosia''s sanctuary was intact, the outside waspletely surrounded and corrupted by evil. In contrast, the Elven sanctuary appearedpletely unscathed. If he hadn''t seen the attacked viges, he would have doubted whether it was truly under attack. "The queen is protecting it." Arkamis sipped her drink with a gloomy face. "ck magicians have attacked several times. They even tried to burn the forest. But the queen repelled them all." "Ho." The High Elf Queen was a powerful hero. It seemed she had thwarted all the attacks. Ketal''s interest grew stronger. "And how have you been, Ketal? Could you tell me in detail?" Arkamis decided to give up her immediate goal and just enjoy the conversation. Since Ketal would stay in the sanctuary for a while, there would be more opportunities. Ketal calmly recounted his recent experiences. He talked about heading to the sanctuary with the priests of Kalosia, encountering and defeating bandits along the way. And upon reaching the sanctuary, dealing with ck magicians. Arkamis listened with fascination. From her perspective, having left to explore the outside world, Ketal''s adventures were extremely interesting. The story continued to where Ketal received the blessing of Kalosia. When he mentioned meeting Kalosia and receiving a holy relic, Arkamis was astonished. "You met Lady Kalosia... and even received a holy relic?" "Yes. Here it is. Thanks to this, I can use divine power." Ketal smiled brightly and showed his bracelet. The jet-ck bracelet emanated a profound divine aura that anyone could recognize. "..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Arkamis stared at the bracelet in amazement. It was a holy relic that would be preserved by the church. "Uh... were there any problems?" "None at all." "R-really? That''s a relief. From what I know, there was supposed to be a conflict between the gods and beings from the Forbidden Lands. Since you''re a being from the Forbidden Lands, I thought there might be an issue, but it seems not." "Hmm? What''s that about? I haven''t heard of such a thing." "It''s a very old story. Even for a High Elf like me, it''s more of a legend." Long ago, except for a few long-lived species, no one remembered it. There had been conflicts between gods and beings from the Forbidden Lands. Each conflict shook the world significantly. It was only after several shes that the world finally settled. "That''s a strange tale. Beings from Forbidden Lands can''t leave the Forbidden Lands." There were no records of beings from Forbidden Landsing out of the Forbidden Lands throughout history. Although there had been recent changes, it meant there hadn''t been any issues before. Thus, there was no reason for conflict between the gods and beings from Forbidden Lands. Arkamis shook her head. "I don''t know the details either. Like I said, it''s more of a legend to me. If you haven''t had any issues, it might be false." "Hmm." "Perhaps the dragons might know something? There are some ancient dragons who have lived since before the era of the emperor." "Dragons, huh." Ketal sipped his drink. His eyes grew contemtive. "Where are they?" "I don''t know. They haven''t shown themselves on the surface for a long time. Maybe the queen knows?" "Hmm." Arkamis didn''t notice the dangerous glint in Ketal''s eyes. "Oh, right." Arkamis pped her hands as if she remembered something. "I''ve also been researching the uniqueness of your body." "My body?" "Your body is very special. You know that, right?" The density crushed under her observation. The power of Severance. A body that could withstand the attacks of high-ranking spirits. She was very curious about how that was possible. So, she researched it after returning to the sanctuary.N?v(el)B\\jnn As a result, she discovered a possibility. "What is it?" ¡°Your umted deeds and aplishments, known as karma. That¡¯s probably the reason.¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Ketal showed an intrigued expression. Arkamis was saying the same thing as the demon of the Demonic Lines, Rubitra, whom he had previously fought. [What have you aplished and what have you built up?] This was what Rubitra had said while facing Ketal. He had asked what Rubitra meant, but received no answer. Now, Arkamis was iming to have figured it out. She began her exnation. ¡°Your body is special. It''s close to a mystery in itself.¡± Ketal''s body had withstood all kinds of powers and mysteries with just its physical form. It meant that his body itself was a mystery and had a certain level of status. ¡°And when I looked into such cases, I found a few examples. Have you ever heard of a story where someone exposed to a beast that eats humans bes paralyzed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of it.¡± It was said that a person who encountered a beast that had eaten many humans felt instinctive fear. It implied that beasts that had engaged in cannibalism exuded a unique aura. This wasn''t just a story limited to beasts. It was said that an emperor who achieved numerous feats radiated presence no matter where they were. A saint who performed many good deeds exuded a gentle aura around them wherever they went. It was simr. When an individual aplished and achieved something significant, they umted karma and gained a corresponding aura. The story was usible enough that Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°That kind of concept, huh.¡± Even on Earth, there were simr stories, but they were only matters of perception. However, in this world, it seemed to directly influence reality. ¡°If approached that way, your body''s uniqueness can be exined as well.¡± However, Arkamis looked at Ketal with a puzzled expression. ¡°¡­The problem is that there are still many parts that remain unexined.¡± Even an emperor who ruled a nation or a saint respected by all could only exude a level of presence. To go beyond simply possessing an aura to having a body that itself held a mystery and status¡ªhow much would one have to aplish? How many great deeds would one have to perform? Even as a High Elf, she couldn¡¯t grasp it. She swallowed nervously and asked cautiously. ¡°Ketal, what did you do in the White Snowfield?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 191 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 191: Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado. (4) A long time ago, in a past so distant that the concept of time itself is faint. In a snow-covered field, a blizzard raged, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead. At the edge of this white expanse stood a barbarian. His name was Ketal. The barbarian gazed silently beyond the snowfield. In the distance, he could faintly see a patch of green vegetation. He stared at it, entranced, as if it were the utopia of legends. After a moment, he picked up his axe and swung it roughly. CRACK! The axe struck the air, causing it to crack as if space itself was breaking. But the crack quickly repaired itself, vanishingpletely, as if it had never existed. It was as though this ce beyond was forbidden to him. Seeing this, the man''s face twisted in agony. He opened his mouth. ¡°Ahhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhh! Why! Why! Why! When will it be allowed?!¡± It was a cry of despair, ament filled with anguish, like the wail of a prisoner in his cell, longing for something he could never attain. The barbarian screamed for a long time in that ce. * * * ¡°What have I done?¡± Ketal muttered as he recalled the memory. His voice carried a faint emotion. Arkamis, frightened by the sudden outburst, flinched. ¡°Oh, I remember you said you didn¡¯t like to recall it. You don¡¯t have to talk about it if it¡¯s too painful.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal shook his head. Arkamis had done much for him. She had given him the keys to unlocking mysteries and had recognized his unique abilities without asking for anything in return. He couldn''t refuse her request so easily. ¡°It¡¯s a painful memory, but not one I need to bury.¡± After all, the monster from that ce was starting to crawl out, and he couldn¡¯t ignore it forever. Ketal began to exin slowly, and Arkamis closed her mouth, focusing intently. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t remember much of my childhood. The first clear memory I have is of dying.¡± ¡°Dying?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t in good shape.¡± Back on Earth, he used to kneel and pray to all the gods for an hour before bed each night, hoping that when he woke up, he would be in a world of fantasy. His wish was granted, but in a very twisted way. When he woke up, he found himself as a barbarian in a snowfield. Whether it was possession or his soul inhabiting a newly created body, he couldn¡¯t tell. All he knew was that this body was dying alone in the white wilderness. Half-buried in ice and unable to move, his hands and feet had turned blue, and his eyelids were frozen shut. As he realized his situation, a quest window appeared before him. [First Quest.] [Survive for one week.] ¡°Breaking out of the ice, I found myself in a vast, white world. I probably would have died if I had made even a small mistake.¡± After that, a single quest window appeared. ¡°I see¡­¡± Arkamis was listening to the legendary barbarian¡¯s story with bated breath. ¡°I wandered alone for a long time after that.¡± He drank from melting ice and hunted unknown monsters for food. In a state where he didn¡¯t even understand his situation, he moved solely for survival. ¡°After quite a while, I finally found others of my kind.¡± ¡°You mean the Ashen Barbarians?¡± ¡°Yes, I joined them and began living with them.¡± It was then that Ketal realized he had been thrown into a horrific world. At that point, he didn¡¯t recognize it as a fantasy world. All he could see were the white expanse and the alien monsters. He thought the gods had yed a cruel joke on him, casting him into this terrible ce. ¡°Even after finding my kin, life wasn¡¯t easy. We were fundamentally prey.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Arkamis was shocked. ording to the legend, the Ashen Barbarians were considered quite dangerous. Despite any exaggerations, she believed they must have been near the top of the food chain in the white wilderness. But ording to Ketal, the barbarians were actually at the bottom of the food chain. ¡°Survival wasn¡¯t impossible, but it wasn¡¯t easy either.¡± They could hunt weaker monsters, but stronger ones hunted them. N?v(el)B\\jnn Despite having a territory, daily invasions led to many of their kin dying. ¡°I lived there without any real purpose.¡± He thought being cast into this horrific ce was a punishment for his presumptuous dreams. So, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to the quests back then. He was ready to ept death whenever it came. But one day, he encountered an outsider. ¡°There was a man on the brink of death. He seemed like an explorer, carrying books. I barely saved him and brought him to the tribe.¡± After nursing him back to health, he learned thenguage and they talked. And at that moment, Ketal realized that the gods had granted his wish. ¡°From then on, I had one goal.¡± ¡°¡­To survive and make it outside?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He would leave this dreadful ce and enjoy the fantasy world he had longed for. From then on, Ketal lived solely for that purpose. He knew he couldn¡¯t leave the white snowfield through ordinary means. He understood there were restrictions even then. So how could he leave? That¡¯s when Ketal turned his attention to the quests he had been ignoring. There were countless conditions and missions presented to him through the quest window. He started working on them with a clear mind and no hesitation. He began clearing the quests rapidly. As a result, the strength of the tribe grew naturally. With his numerous aplishments, he began to be revered as the chieftain. The territory expanded, and though conflicts arose, he crushed his opponents by any means necessary. ¡°A lot happened.¡± There was one quest that he remembered vividly. As Ketal was expanding his territory, a massive snake connecting the sky and earth appeared before him. [You are the vermin that have been tainting the snowfield.] It was his first encounter with the white snake. As his tribesmen screamed and tried to flee, the quest window calmly informed him of his task. [132nd Quest.] [Drive the white snake out of your territory.] Ketal immediately picked up his axe and charged at the snake. After days of fierce fighting, with his blood staining the white world and his limbs nearly torn apart, he drove the white snake out. ¡°I didn¡¯t live to be stronger.¡± He lived to get out of this ce, and naturally gained strength in the process. ¡°Well¡­ After a while, things became more manageable. I obtained thergest territory in the snowfield. My tribesmen became strong enough to follow me. After that, my days were routine. I kept searching for ways to get out and failed repeatedly.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And after an immeasurable amount of time, he finally made it out. ¡°I see¡­¡± Arkamis let out a breath she had been holding. She couldn¡¯t fully grasp his life. Carefully, she asked, ¡°¡­So you shed with legendary creatures like the white snake and the white bear?¡± ¡°I often shed with them. They were the biggest obstacles to expanding our territory.¡± ¡°¡­Who won?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± Ketal said calmly, a definitive answer to her question. Arkamis swallowed the breath she had released again. ¡®My goodness.¡¯ He had defeated legendary creatures. She knew Ketal was a barbarian of the white snowfield, but she hadn¡¯t thought he was strong enough to defeat such creatures. After all, he was just a human. But that was her arrogant misconception. ¡®The Emperor wasn¡¯t raving mad after all¡­ He spoke only the truth.¡¯ Realizing this, she shuddered. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, um, hold on a moment.¡± Arkamis thought deeply and realized a contradiction. ¡°Ketal. When you first met the Ashen Barbarians, you said they were weak, right?¡± ¡°They were weak. Probably low on the food chain.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± The timeline didn¡¯t match. ording to Ketal, the barbarians grew strong after he joined the tribe and learned about the outside world. From then, they quickly expanded their territory and gained strength befitting legends. But ording to the Emperor¡¯s legend, the barbarians were already strong when he entered the snowfield. And that was a long time ago, even before she was born. The only exnation was if Ketal had lived since before the Emperor entered the snowfield. ¡°¡­Ketal, did you ever meet the Emperor?¡± ¡°You mean the legendary Emperor? I don¡¯t recall seeing such an army.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°But I did meet someone spouting such nonsense long ago. Whether he was the Emperor, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Arkamis fell silent. ¡®No way, really?¡¯ If that were true, it would mean he had been in this world since before she was born. How old could he possibly be? She tried hard to dismiss that possibility. ¡°Have I answered sufficiently?¡± ¡°More than enough.¡± She leaned back in her chair with a tired expression. She had just heard firsthand ounts from a Ashen Barbarian about that ce. The unique satisfaction of knowing this secret alone made her feel a strange sense of tion. ¡°Then... I guess that exins the uniqueness of your body.¡± An achievement that allowed him to withstand mysteries with his bare body. It made sense if he had conquered the greatest Forbidden Land, the white snowfield. But there were still parts that didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®How can that small body contain such immense mystery and stature?¡¯ And why was that stature limited to his body alone? It was puzzling. She had resolved one question only to gain another. Still, having solved the big question, Arkamis felt satisfied. Ketal also seemed oddly relieved. ¡°You are the first I have shared my life story with.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Does that mean I''m special?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Hearing that, Arkamis couldn¡¯t help but smile. After that, they exchanged more minor stories. Arkamis asked Ketal about things she was curious about. ¡°Then, are there no mysteries in the snowfield?¡± ¡°None at all. Even my tribe didn¡¯t know about them. The monsters used strange powers, but they couldn¡¯t be called mysteries.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­¡± To Arkamis, this was very odd. Mysteries were fundamental units of this world. Saying there were no mysteries was like saying there was a world without water. ¡°So it really is a different world... Your tribe is strong even without mysteries?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t weak. At least they are strong enough to follow me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Arkamis paused for a moment. ¡°¡­Are your tribe members all as smart and intellectual as you?¡± ¡°Not at all. They are stupid and foolish. They don¡¯t even listen to me properly. I can¡¯t stand the sight of them.¡± ¡°¡­Compared to the barbarians outside?¡± ¡°The ones inside are even more ignorant.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A possibility shed through her mind. The current world was distorting. The existence of the Forbidden Lands was emerging outside. If that was the case, couldn¡¯t the Ashen Barbarians of the white snowfielde out just like Ketal did? ¡®¡­Barbarians strong enough to follow Ketal, more ignorant than the barbarians outside,ing out all at once?¡¯ A chill ran down her spine. The mere thought made her body tremble. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 192 - Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 192: Sanctuary of the Elves. Elfo Sagrado. (5) Arkamis cautiously asked Ketal, "Can your tribee out into the outside world?" Ketal, who was about to refuse, hesitated. "...I don''t know." The existence of the Forbidden Lands wasing out into the outside world. Given that the world wasn''t in total chaos, there seemed to be some restrictions, but just as the white creature emerged, other monsters could emerge as well. If that was the case, there was no reason the Ashen Barbarians couldn''te out either. "...I hope they don''te out." "Huh? Really? You don''t get along with them?" Ketal had lived in the White Snowfield for a long time. As he had led the barbarians as the chieftain, Arkamis thought he would have some affection for them, so Ketal''s unexpected response surprised her. "If I had to choose, I''d say I like them. But... I don''t want to see them again." Barbarians are dumb. He had a really hard time with them. If the barbarians had listened to Ketal even a little, they could havee out into the outside world twice as fast. Ketal''s feelings towards the Ashen Barbarians were close to love-hate. ''...Can theye out?'' Ketal was unsure. Unlike Ketal, the Ashen Barbarians considered the White Snowfield their home. They had no longing for the outside world, so even if the restrictions were lifted, the likelihood of theming out was low. But they had clung to him, crying, when he was leaving for the outside. Some had even packed their bags, saying they would follow him. He had beaten them all and sent them away, but a few might find a way to follow. ''I hope not.'' The thought of meeting them outside made Ketal''s head hurt. He shook his head. "I don''t know. We''ll find out if theye out." If those dumb guys came out into the outside world, they were sure to cause trouble. It would definitely reach Ketal''s ears. He could deal with it then. "So, the peculiarity of my body is likely because of the achievements I''ve made?" "Oh, yes. It''s not certain, but probably." Ketal changed the subject. Arkamis followed his lead, sensing he didn''t want to talk about his tribe. "So, the aura of intimidation I exude is also because of that?" "Um... probably." Ketal exuded an undeniable aura of intimidation. Weak humans felt strong pressure just being near him. As a being of nature, elves were even more sensitive, fearing him like a beast, and high elves would flee in terror. If that intimidation was due to his achievements, it made sense. Turning his body into a mystery could easily result in such an aura. "Is there any way to control this?" To be honest, it was quite bothersome. Everywhere he went, people would be terrified, and he had to exin it. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Initially, he found it amusing, but he was getting tired of it. "Um... I don''t know. It''s unprecedented..." "I see." Ketal was disappointed. Seeing this, Arkamis quickly added, "But there is someone who might know!" "Oh? Who?" "Our queen." Ketal''s eyes widened. "The High Elf Queen?" "Yes. The only one who can control the high elves. The leader of the sacred ground and the elf who made a pact with the spirit king." A hero-ss powerhouse. "She might know." Ketal asked in a trembling voice, "Can I meet her?" "Of course. Normally, it''s impossible for outsiders to meet her, but you have me, right?" Arkamis was a noble high elf. With her introduction, Ketal could meet the High Elf Queen. Arkamis said, "Do you want to meet her?" "Oh, please! Haha! Arkamis! Thank you so much!" Ketal smiled brightly and thanked Arkamis greatly. Arkamis''s lips twitched upwards. "Well, we''re friends. Don''t mention it." Arkamis emphasized those words. They toasted to their friendship. * * * The next day, Ketal followed Arkamis higher up the World Tree. When they reached about halfway up, Ketal looked around in awe. "It''s high." The incredibly tall tree reached the clouds. From the middle of the tree, Ketal could see the entire forest. It was a magnificent view. Arkamis said proudly, "Impressive, right? Only high elves can see this view." "It''s very impressive. I can see ck magicians beyond the forest. Judging by their movements, they seem to be preparing for an attack. We should prepare." "...You can see that?" Arkamis squinted. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn''t see beyond the forest. "I can see it." "...That''s really unbelievable. Let''s keep going." They passed the midpoint and reached the area where the leaves were swaying. They passed the midpoint and reached the area near the swaying leaves. There was a za woven broadly from the tree trunks. Arkamis lightly stepped into the za. "Queen! I''m here!" "...Arkamis." A voice echoed with a small sigh. "I''ve told you before, this is a sacred ce. Please be respectful and don''t raise your voice." "I don''t care about that. You know that, right? If you had a problem with it, you shouldn''t have brought me here." "...Why did someone like you appear among the High Elves?" "Come on. I''m the only one who chats with you like this, right? Don''t worry too much." Arkamis said casually. The one called the Queen let out a small sigh. "It seems you are not alone today." "Oh? You know?" "I sensed it from the beginning. How could I not notice someone with such a presence?" Green eyes, like leaves, turned towards Ketal. Brown hair, like tree roots, swayed gently. Before him stood a hero-ss powerhouse. Ketal was meeting a hero-ss being for the second time since the Tower Master. And upon facing her, he could tell. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal lightly marveled. ''Strong.'' He was a barbarian from the White Snowfield. There, mysticism didn''t exist. Thus, he had the instinctive ability to gauge an opponent''s strength upon encountering them. When he met the Tower Master, he didn''t feel anything special, but that was because the Tower Master perfectly concealed himself. He specialized in deception. However, unlike the Tower Master, the Queen had no reason to hide her power, so it naturally flowed out. Thus, Ketal could tell. The elf before him was incredibly strong. Stronger than anyone he''d seen outside. Few in the White Snowfield could give him such a sense of presence. Ketal and the Queen looked at each other. The Queen took a step back and spoke. "I would appreciate it if you could lessen your presence. A being of your strength spreading such an aura has a negative impact here." "Presence?" Ketal asked with a puzzled face. The Queen''s expression changed slightly at his attitude. "...You don''t know?" "I have a rough idea, but I''m not exactly sure what it is." "...What?" Surprise crossed the Queen''s face. She looked as if she''d heard that a mathematician who could solve high-level equations couldn''t do basic arithmetic. "I''ll exin it roughly." Arkamis interjected. * * * Arkamis exined why Ketal hade here. The Queen looked confused but gradually calmed down as she listened. "...I see. So you want to know the answer about the aura of intimidation." "I''d also like to know how to control it, if possible." "Understood. I believe I can help you with that." "Oh, that''s good to hear." Ketal smiled broadly. The Queen quietly bowed. "Before that, an introduction is in order. I am Karin Yggdrasil, Queen of the High Elves and leader of the sacred ground. You can call me Karin." "Nice to meet you, Karin. I am Ketal, the barbarian." "I know of you well. Arkamis has always been talking about you." Karin looked at Ketal with a peculiar expression. "...So, you are the one Arkamis spoke of." "Is something wrong?" "...No, it''s nothing. I had thought of greeting you at some point. This is a good opportunity. Even so, Arkamis, you should have informed me in advance." "Too much hassle. What does it matter? You knew the moment we entered the sacred ground anyway, right?" Arkamis''s words were light, but they couldn''t be taken lightly. It meant that the entire sacred ground was within the Queen''s perception. Karin did not deny it. "Still, there are procedures." "I don''t care about that." Arkamis shook her head as if annoyed. Karin sighed deeply, like a parent dealing with an unruly child. "First of all... as the leader, I wee you to the sacred ground. Please restfortably. But please be cautious with your actions. Your presence can be a threat to the residents here." "Don''t worry. I have no intention of causing trouble." "Aren''t you being too strict with my guest?" "Arkamis, shut up." Karin said with a smile. Arkamis closed her mouth. She knew better than anyone that pushing further would result in getting scolded. "Oh, my apologies for such rudeness in front of a guest. I''m sorry." "No, it''s fine." Ketalughed as if he found it amusing. This Queen was peculiar. On the surface, she was very gentle, but the aura she asionally emitted was fierce. It felt like a ferocious beast disguised as a herbivore. "To get to the point, most of what Arkamis said is probably correct. You have a keen understanding, Arkamis. If you had given up on alchemy and learned spirit magic instead, you could have been my sessor. It''s truly a pity." "I don''t like that kind of thing. I like things as they are now." "Well, fine. I''ve given up, so do as you wish. Mr. Ketal, the intimidation you exude is your presence itself." "Presence?" "The weight of your umted deeds." A beast that has killed countless people exudes murderous intent. An emperor who has unified a continent radiates a powerful aura. A saint who has done good deeds emits a gentle mercy. The atmosphere created by one''s umted deeds¡ªthis was the essence of Ketal''s intimidation. With this mystery solved, Ketal smiled with satisfaction. "So that''s what it is." "But... even so, I can''t understand it." Karin tilted her head in confusion. The presence she felt from Ketal was intense. It was strong enough that a High Elf might mistake him for a dragon. To exude such a presence, one would have to have achieved remarkable feats. Feats that could shake the entire continent. No, even that might not be enough. His presence was that immense. It didn''t make sense that Karin didn''t know of someone like him. With a puzzled expression, Karin asked, "May I examine you for a moment?" "I don''t mind." "Then please rx and open yourself up." Ketal followed Karin''s instructions. He released the guard he had instinctively been holding. Karin reached out and ced her hand on Ketal''s chest. A gentle breeze swirled around them. Her green eyes looked into Ketal''s inner being. It didn''t take long for those eyes to fill with shock. "Ugh." Karin instinctively withdrew her hand and stepped back. She couldn''t understand her own actions for a moment. Did she instinctively feel intimidated and retreat? Not anyone else, but her? With a face filled with astonishment, she looked at Ketal. "...Where and what exactly did you achieve?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 193: The Queen of High Elves (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 193: The Queen of High Elves (1) Karin had a shocked expression. It was the face of someone who had seen something iprehensible. ¡°Your body... that is¡­.¡± She murmured softly as she groaned. ¡°A result of karma... perhaps?¡± ¡°You noticed immediately.¡± Ketal admired her. It had taken Arkamis quite some time to grasp his essence, but Karin figured it out with just one encounter. ¡®As expected, heroes are indeed different,¡¯ he thought. And Karin was even more surprised by Ketal¡¯s reaction. ¡°Really? Your body has changed due to the energy from karma?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I suspect. I¡¯m not entirely sure yet.¡± ¡°I see. So you came to me for confirmation.¡± Ketal¡¯s body was special. It endured mystery and power. Was its uniqueness truly due to the feats he had aplished, as Arkamis suggested? Karin closed her mouth, contemting. After a while, she spoke cautiously. ¡°It is possible... I know that much.¡± Like the great emperor, like a distinguished saint, when one achieves feats or aplishments that others cannot, they acquire an aura. But can this aura go beyond simply existing and actually alter the body? The answer was yes. ¡°In the past, there was a simr case with the emperor who ruled the entire continent.¡± The emperor who had conquered the continent. Despite failing in his grand dream of conquering the White Snowfield and returning as a cripple, he had indeed ruled the continent. ¡°He was an ordinary human who couldn¡¯t wield any mystic powers, yet des couldn¡¯t pierce him and poison didn¡¯t affect him. Even after his death, his body remained uncorrupted and maintained its living appearance despite no preservation measures.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not widely known. There hasn¡¯t been a precedent since then.¡± The emperor¡¯s case showed that it wasn¡¯t impossible. Theoretically, it was usible. Even so, Karin couldn¡¯tprehend it. Since that legendary emperor, no one had exhibited such phenomena. Not even heroes possessed bodies like Ketal¡¯s. Thus, a natural question arose. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°Barbarian. Ketal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I don¡¯t know you.¡± To achieve a level where the body itself changes, how many extraordinary feats must one aplish? Even the emperor who ruled the continent didn¡¯t have a body like Ketal¡¯s. This implied he had aplished feats greater than conquering the entire continent. Yet, as the High Elf Queen who had lived on the continent for a long time, Karin didn¡¯t know Ketal. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal looked at Arkamis. Arkamis nodded slightly. ¡°You said that in the distant past, an emperor who conquered the continent had powers simr to mine. And that emperor failed in his attempt to conquer the White Snowfield, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Karin was momentarily puzzled by Ketal¡¯s repetition, but then her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Ketal. ¡°¡­The barbarian with ashen hair.¡± Ketal continued calmly. ¡°Ie from the ce you call the White Snowfield.¡± * * * Karin swallowed hard. She looked at Ketal with incredibly shocked, trembling eyes. But those eyes soon calmed. ¡°I see¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°Your reaction is quite subdued. Isn¡¯t this shocking?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other exnation.¡± The aura Ketal possessed was superior to that of the emperor who ruled the continent. And the emperor failed to conquer the White Snowfield. This meant that conquering the White Snowfield was far more difficult than ruling the entire continent. If Ketal was the legendary ashen-haired barbarian, it made sense. Seeing Karin¡¯s rather t reaction, Arkamis looked disappointed. ¡°Aww. I thought you¡¯d be more excited.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sufficiently surprised. Thest time I was this shocked was five hundred years ago when I met the Tower Master.¡± ¡°Five hundred years, huh.¡± Ketalughed. A person who appeared to be in their early twenties was talking about five hundred years ago. This small detail reminded him how much he loved fantasy. ¡°I¡¯m curious why you, the ashen-haired barbarian, are outside and how you came to know Arkamis¡­ but I should finish exining first. It¡¯s highly likely that the uniqueness of your body is due to the feats you¡¯ve achieved.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Probably, no mediocre mysteries or powers could even scratch your body.¡± ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s why.¡± It was only natural. The very aura that Ketal umted through his achievements transformed and protected his body. That in itself was a mystery. There weren¡¯t many things in this world that could prate it. ¡°¡­Wait a moment.¡± Arkamis made a strange face as he listened. ¡°Does that mean no one can harm Ketal¡¯s body?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s an aura from his achievements. Since it¡¯s not directly handling mystical powers, it¡¯s not perfect protection.¡± Just as there are ves who resist the intimidation of a great emperor or criminals who defile saints revered by everyone, it wasn¡¯t absolute. ¡°Of course, with the physical protection, most things would be impossible, but someone with a certain level of prowess could potentially harm him.¡± But her words didn¡¯t carry much weight. Even she didn¡¯t look entirely convinced. ¡°I see¡­.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ketal had a satisfied expression. He finally understood the cause of the uniqueness of his body. As Karin cautiously watched Ketal, she asked carefully. ¡°¡­Mr. Ketal, are you human?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think someone who has achieved such feats can still be human.¡± If the aura from his achievements was enough to protect his very body, he was closer to being an incarnation or a concept rather than a living being. At the very least, it was likely he was a higher-dimensional existence than a human. Ketal spokenguidly. ¡°I am human.¡± He came to this world as a human. He stepped into the fantasy world as a human. The possibility that he had be something else didn¡¯t exist, nor should it. Hearing this, Karin felt one thing. Ketal was denying all possibilities except that he was human. It was both stubbornness and obsession. ¡°¡­If you believe so, then.¡± Karin judged that it wasn¡¯t wise to push further and took a step back. ¡°Ah. Then could it be that my inability to handle mystic powers is also due to the uniqueness of my body?¡± Karin had mentioned that the emperor of the distant past couldn¡¯t handle mystic powers either. It could be the reason why Ketal still couldn¡¯t handle them. But Karin denied this possibility. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. The emperor didn¡¯t acquire mystic powers because he believed a great ruler didn¡¯t need such physical force. If he had wanted to, he could have acquired them at any time. He could probably handle them more easily than anyone else.¡± Since he was a mystery himself, he was qualified to handle mystic powers. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal looked disappointed. ¡®Why is this separate?¡¯ Was it really because he had withered like Arkamis said? It wasn¡¯t strange for his abilities to have atrophied since he hadn¡¯t used mystic powers for a long time. ¡®Geez. Couldn¡¯t my ancestors have handled mystic powers?¡¯ Ketal grumbled inwardly, feeling no affinity for his tribe. ¡°¡­I see you still can¡¯t handle mystic powers. This is unfortunate.¡± Karin shook her head. Themon sense she had umted over a long time was gradually breaking down in front of Ketal. She looked at him anew. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The legendary ashen-haired barbarian. That being was now in the sanctuary, right in front of her. As a High Elf, she was special enough, but she paled inparison to the ashen-haired barbarian. ¡°Although I was surprised¡­ if you came at Arkamis¡¯s invitation, there¡¯s no reason to refuse you. As long as you don¡¯t cause any problems, we will wee you. If you need any help, please feel free to ask.¡± ¡°I have no intention of causing trouble, so don¡¯t worry. By the way, could I learn something?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When we first met, you asked me to lower my presence. Is that possible?¡± Ketal naturally exuded an aura of intimidation. It was enough to pressure humans and make elves or High Elves, beings of nature, fear approaching him. To be honest, it was getting annoying. He wanted to resolve it since it prevented him from enjoying things properly. Karin made a reluctant face at his words. ¡°¡­I see. You don¡¯t know how to control your aura.¡± Her expression was as if she was hearing a martial arts master say they didn¡¯t know how to hold a sword. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll teach you how to control your aura. If you wish, I can also teach you about mystic powers. It¡¯ste today, soe tomorrow and I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. Satisfied, he prepared to leave. As Arkamis was about to follow him, Karin spoke. ¡°Arkamis. Stay here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Karin was ring at Arkamis with a serious expression. Ketal chuckled. ¡°Seems like you have a lot to discuss. I¡¯ll head down first.¡± ¡°O-Okay¡­ got it.¡± Arkamis nodded with an uneasy face. * * * Near the top of the World Tree. A wide clearing. There, Arkamis, the High Elf, was sprawled on the ground as if being crushed by something. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s hard¡­.¡± Karin sat elegantly in her chair, sipping tea with a smile. But her eyes weren''t smiling at all. ¡°You. You knew he was the Ashen Barbarian, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­.¡± ¡°And yet you brought him here without telling me beforehand. Why?¡± ¡°I wanted to see you surprised¡­ ack!¡± Arkamis¡¯s body ttened even more. Karin watched him for a moment, sighed, and waved her hand. The wind pressing down on Arkamis dissipated. ¡°Oof. That was tough.¡± ¡°What if he had ill intentions? Have you forgotten the importance of this ce?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not that kind of person. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn¡¯t he?¡± Arkamis asked with a beaming smile, as if seeking recognition for Ketal¡¯s greatness. Karin didn¡¯t want to say what she wanted to hear, but she had no choice. ¡°He is impressive. Bringing the Ashen Barbarian here¡­ How did youe to know him?¡± ¡°He approached me first. Said he wanted to learn alchemy.¡± ¡°¡­The Ashen Barbarian, alchemy?¡± ¡°He actually studied hard. Probably at an apprentice level now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something.¡± Karin shook her head, unable to understand. Arkamis¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°So, what do you think? From your perspective, Your Majesty, how strong is Ketal?¡± Just how strong was Ketal? She was incredibly curious. She had learned that Ketal defeated the monsters of the White Snowfields, but she couldn¡¯t gauge the extent of his power. As an entity of heroic rank, the queen would surely know. Her question was filled with that expectation. But Karin remained silent. When the silence stretched, Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Huh? You couldn¡¯t figure it out either? Really?¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Karin spoke in a tone that showed her pride was hurt. ¡°No, really?¡± Arkamis was genuinely surprised. For her, the High Elf Queen Karin was an absolute being. She existed before she was born and was the only spirit master who had a contract with the Spirit King. She still couldn¡¯t forget the sight of Karin disying her power when she was a child. The world had literally turned upside down. She followed Karin despite her hatred for High Elves because she had awe and respect for her power. And yet, she couldn¡¯t figure out Ketal. It was unbelievable. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can grasp everything perfectly.¡± When she grabbed Ketal¡¯s arm. She instinctively stepped back. She had felt an overwhelming aura from him. ¡°¡­As he can¡¯t handle mystic powers, his strength is limited to his physical abilities.¡± There was no way to fathom the depth. Karin shook her head as she pondered. ¡°He won¡¯t be an enemy anyway. There¡¯s no need to worry. The Spirit King hasn¡¯t said anything either.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess so.¡± Arkamis nodded with a vague expression. That emotion cracked Karin¡¯s face. Right now, Arkamis wasparing her strength to Ketal¡¯s. ¡®How could this be.¡¯ Karin had cherished Arkamis immensely when she was young. She quickly recognized her talent and provided all sorts of support and care. After taking care of Arkamis for hundreds of years, Karin began to see her as a daughter. Considering the nature of High Elves, it was a very unusual thing. That¡¯s why she tolerated Arkamis¡¯s mischief as a daughter¡¯s prank. She should have immediately brought Arkamis back when she left the sanctuary. But Karin suppressed that with her power. That¡¯s how special Arkamis was to Karin. Yet now, Arkamis was doubting her strength. No matter the mischief, Arkamis never denied that she was the strongest. But now, her faith wavered. Karin felt immensely wronged. It was as if she had been betrayed by her daughter. ¡®I¡¯m stronger.¡¯ Who was she? The High Elf Queen and the only contractor with the Spirit King. She was a hero, the strongest existence in this world. Naturally, she had strong pride in her power. Karin thought inwardly. ¡®Though that barbarian is unusual¡­¡¯ She¡¯s stronger. If they fought, she could win. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She might not be able to pierce Ketal¡¯s body, but without knowing mystic powers, he couldn¡¯t reach her. Though Ketal¡¯s ss was far above hers, he didn¡¯t possess matching strength. He couldn¡¯t even control his presence. He just wielded overwhelming physical strength. Of course, that alone was an astonishing power, but it had its limits. She didn¡¯t think she would lose. ¡®I can win.¡¯ But since he was a friend of Arkamis and they had a good rtionship, there was no need to fight. Arkamis saw him as more than a friend, so technically, he was like family. Even though she could win, proving it through a duel felt childish. ¡®I can win, but¡­¡¯ There¡¯s no need to prove it. She made up her mind. And the next day. Ketal came to see her. Before Karin could exin, Ketal spoke first. ¡°Karin. I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you spar with me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Karin was momentarily breathless. Ketal was looking at her with sparkling, childlike eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 194: The Queen of High Elves (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 194: The Queen of High Elves (2) ¡°I do not know the limits of my physical body.¡± Ketal¡¯s body had never been wounded in the outside world. Only once, Rubitra left a mark on his body, but it was just a red mark that would fade over time. Ketal didn¡¯t know what level of a strong opponent could pierce his body. ¡°It¡¯s not a good thing.¡± He couldn¡¯t rely solely on his physical body forever. Misjudging an opponent¡¯s strength could lead to significant harm. ¡°But if it¡¯s you, you could figure out my limits. You are the High Elf Queen, a hero among the strong.¡± Hero ss. One of the strongest beings in the world. That¡¯s who was standing before Ketal now. If it was someone that strong, they could identify the limits of his physical body. ¡°Um¡­ it makes sense.¡± Arkamis, who had been listening, nodded as if it was reasonable. It was indeed necessary. ¡°Is it possible?¡± Ketal asked with eyes full of anticipation. Although he mentioned it for those reasons, the truth was, he simply wanted to fight. How strong was the strongest person in the world? How would theypare to the monsters of the White Snowfield? Karin was said to be a contractor with the Spirit King. What level of power did the Spirit King possess? He was extremely curious. It was hard to hold back as it was an opportunity to satisfy his long-standing curiosity. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Karin, who had been silent for a moment, spoke softly but quickly. ¡°No, it seems difficult. This ce is a sanctuary.¡± ¡°If you were to spar with someone of your level, we don¡¯t know what effects it might have here.¡± ¡°Then outside the sanctuary¡­¡± ¡°That also seems difficult. There are malevolent beings outside.¡± Currently, the Elf Sanctuary was surrounded by dark magicians. It was easy to forget because the sanctuary was very peaceful, but it wasn¡¯t a peaceful situation. ¡°I have to conserve my strength to protect the sanctuary. It seems difficult.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue in disappointment. Karin¡¯s words were very reasonable. Any further insistence would be stubbornness on his part. Arkamis tilted her head curiously. ¡°Huh? It doesn¡¯t really matter, does it? It¡¯s not like the dark magicians could break through the queen¡¯s defense just because of a sparring match.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°There is always a chance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no chance¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Arkamis.¡± Karin smiled brightly. Arkamis quickly closed her mouth. ¡°Then, is it possible after everything is over?¡± ¡°Haha. Let¡¯s talk about that then. It¡¯s too urgent right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I understand.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue again and stepped back. ¡®¡­I would win.¡¯ If they fought, she would win. But there was no need to fight unnecessarily. Fighting to prove strength was a very barbaric act. As a queen, she had to maintain her dignity. ¡®I would win, but¡­¡¯ She concluded that it was only because of the situation that they wouldn¡¯t fight. She decided in her heart. But she couldn¡¯t help the momentary unease she felt. Trying to calm her emotions, Karin changed the subject. ¡°Then let¡¯s get to the main point. You came to me to learn how to conceal your aura, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Please.¡± Ketal smiled. Karin, having sessfully diverted his attention, sighed with relief inside. * * * With the atmosphere calmed, Karin began to exin slowly. ¡°Currently, Mr. Ketal, you are fully revealing your aura. Therefore, your presence is overwhelming the surroundings. It¡¯s not very desirable. You need to conceal that aura.¡± Concealing one¡¯s aura was absolutely necessary. It was like the difference between holding a sword recklessly and holding it with the proper grip. It was the same. ¡°I¡¯ll show you a simple example.¡± As soon as Karin finished speaking, her presence expanded. In an instant, Karin¡¯s presence covered the entire sanctuary. Elves looked up at the World Tree in surprise. ¡°This is¡­¡± Ketal showed a surprised expression. Karin¡¯s presence was gently but unmistakably spreading throughout the sanctuary. It was simr to the presence Ketal felt from himself. Karin was also a hero-level strong person. She could affect her surroundings with just her presence. She was merely concealing it. ¡°You can reveal and conceal yourself in this way.¡± Karin calmly retracted her presence. The presence that had been pressing down on the entire sanctuary disappeared cleanly. ¡°Oh. How do I do it? Is it impossible without mystic powers?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with mystic powers. The important thing is you, yourself. That¡¯s all.¡± Karin exined calmly. ¡°Concentrate on yourself as an existence.¡± ¡°On myself as an existence?¡± ¡°Yes. And think of holding that within yourself. Imagine looking at yourself as another person and containing that within you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal closed his eyes and focused his mind. Arkamis watched him with a curious expression. ¡°¡­My Queen. When did I do that?¡± ¡°I think you were about ten years old.¡± ¡°Right?¡± What Ketal was doing now was the basic step that anyone dealing with mysteries must first undertake. It was akin to taking baby steps. For someone as powerful as Ketal to not know how to walk was a very peculiar sight. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it roughly.¡± ¡°That was quick. Now,press it.¡± ¡°What do you mean bypress?¡± ¡°Enclose all your aplishments and achievements within yourself. Visualization is important. Think of writing it down in a book; that might make it easier.¡± ¡°A book, huh.¡± Ketal followed Arkamis¡¯s instructions. He began to write down in his mental book all the things he had achieved in the white snowy ins. ¡°¡­This is taking longer than I thought.¡± ¡°It does take time¡­.¡± And indeed, the process was quite lengthy. Ketal sat there with his eyes closed for over an hour. It meant that documenting the achievements of the person named Ketal took several hours. Karin looked exasperated. ¡®¡­Just how much has he aplished?¡¯ As time flowed by and turned into several hours, a change urred. Arkamis was surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± The sense of presence emanating from Ketal was slowly diminishing. Ketal opened his eyes. ¡°Is this the feeling?¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Karin nodded. ¡°Think of it as engraving it more deeply by repeating the process. The goal is to encapste everything perfectly without leaving anything out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°This process is also essential for you, Ketal, to acquire and handle the mysteries.¡± Gathering energy was crucial for handling mysteries. Without this process, the consumption of mysteries was high, and the concentration of power was not properly achieved. Ketal continued to gather his energy under guidance. After a week, Karin cautiously asked, ¡°¡­Do you not need rest?¡± For a whole week, Ketal had neither slept nor eaten. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He invested all 24 hours of each day into gathering energy. No matter how strong one¡¯s stamina was, the mind would still get exhausted. Gathering energy required considerable mental effort. Even for someone as strong as Ketal, it was an impressive feat. ¡°It¡¯s just fun, though?¡± Ketal said nonchntly. Managing and gathering one¡¯s own energy and presence. It was like something out of aic book. He was doing such things in reality, so there was no reason to get tired. It was so enjoyable that he lost track of time. Karin looked at Ketal with mixed feelings. ¡°¡­If that¡¯s the case, I will go out on a reconnaissance for a bit. If you have any questions, please ask when I return.¡± ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t worry. Take your time.¡± Karin descended from the World Tree. Left alone, Ketal continued to gather energy with joy. Due to investing all his time, the presence emanating from him had noticeably diminished. At this rate, he would soon be able to gather itpletely. Then he would be able to converse with the elves he met for the first time without any misunderstandings. It was very satisfying. As Ketal was gathering his energy, a thought crossed his mind. ¡®¡­If I can reduce my presence, I can also increase it, right?¡¯ A strong presence naturally exuded from him, suppressing his surroundings. It was an extremely natural presence, not something he consciously disyed. He was now suppressing and gathering it. Conversely, it meant he could expand that presence and further suppress his surroundings. Didn¡¯t Karin also spread her presence across the entire sanctuary? Then he could do it too. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Ketal made a decision. He expanded himself. He released the words of achievements written within him. A powerful presence rapidly spread in all directions. At that moment, Karin was descending the World Tree and looking beyond the sanctuary. ¡°¡­There¡¯s movement from the dark magicians.¡± ¡°Yes. It seems they will move soon.¡± Captain of the Guardians, Ash, nodded. ¡°Ry the battle preparations to the Guardian units.¡± ¡°Understood. But¡­.¡± Ash asked cautiously, ¡°How is the barbarian doing?¡± A barbarian in the elven sanctuary. Ketal was currently very famous within the sanctuary. He didn¡¯t know because he hadn¡¯te down, but most of the elves¡¯ conversations were about him. Not only had a barbarian entered the sanctuary, but he was also staying in the Queen¡¯s residence. Additionally, Arkamis seemed to show favor towards the barbarian. It was bound to be a topic of conversation. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s doing well.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­.¡± Ash looked worried. He was an elf, and it was only natural to be concerned since the barbarian was staying in the most important ce of the World Tree. Karin, reading his mind, spoke confidently. ¡°There is no problem. And even if something were to happen, it wouldn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Indeed. With the Queen here, my worries are unnecessary.¡± Ash nodded with a smile. Just as Karin was about to tell him not to worry needlessly. Boom! A massive pressure overwhelmed them. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± Ash¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. He unknowingly dropped to his knees and clung to the wall, his entire body trembling like a leaf. It wasn¡¯t just Ash. The nearby elves were in the same state. As they were weaker than Ash, their condition was worse. They were breathing heavily, struggling under the pressure. The only one unaffected was Karin. ¡°Hold on!¡± Karin was taken aback. A massive presence, an overwhelming pressure, was suppressing the entire sanctuary. ¡°What is this!¡± ¡®Could it be that a god has descended nearby!¡¯ Had the Spirit Gode down directly? The presence was enough to make one think so. Karin hurriedly located the source of the presence. ¡°¡­What?¡± Her eyes widened. The presence was emanating from near the leaves of the World Tree. ¡°No way!¡± Karin swiftly moved. She quickly ascended the World Tree and reached where Ketal was. Karin involuntarily gasped. The pressure felt there was terrifying. The space itself seemed distorted. And at the center of it was Ketal. Ketal was standing still with his eyes closed. ¡°K-Ketal! Stop it!¡± Karin advanced, forcibly suppressing the distorted space. ¡°Hmm? Karin? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Please gather your energy!¡± ¡°¡­Ah. My apologies.¡± Ketal slowly gathered his energy. The overwhelming presence that had been pressing down on the entire sanctuary dissipated. She could hear the elves below the World Tree exhaling deeply. Karin looked at Ketal in astonishment. ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you expand your presence? I was curious if I could do it too. Sorry for doing it without warning.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes. Was there a problem?¡± The recent event was just from him releasing his presence? ¡®¡­Could he really be the ruler of the White Snow ins?¡¯ Karin seriously began to doubt. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 195: The Queen of the High Elves (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 195: The Queen of the High Elves (3) "...Is it true?" Arkamis¡¯s face twisted as she rushed up btedly to grasp the situation. "All he did was expand his presence?" "Yes, as unbelievable as it sounds." Arkamis and Karin were discussing Ketal alone. Ketal wasn¡¯t present because Karin had told him to rest. Ketal insisted it wasn¡¯t necessary, but her firm attitude left him no choice but toply. "How is this possible...?" Arkamis was dumbfounded. She had been in the sacred grounds, so she experienced the impact of Ketal¡¯s expanded presence directly. In that moment, she felt as if her breath had stopped. She was like a mouse in front of a cat, her entire body stiffened. She could barely blink and her limbs trembled. Even someone as powerful as her struggled to cope with the pressure. Initially, she had mistaken it for the descent of a spirit god, just like Karin had. The immense pressure that covered the entire sacred grounds. It was hard to believe that this was merely the result of expanding his presence. "...Is he really human?" Even Arkamis, who knew Ketal well, started to have doubts. He was far stronger than she had estimated. Karin gave a bitter smile. "I don''t think so either... but he insists on iming he¡¯s human, so I can''t really argue." "It doesn''t make sense. At that level, isn''t he stronger than Her Majesty?" "That¡¯s..." No. I am stronger. Karin couldn¡¯t say that. She alreadycked confidence, and what Ketal had just shown made her even more unsure. "...I won''t be outmatched." Ketal¡¯s individual presence was much higher than hers, the Queen of the High Elves. She couldn''t deny that fact. However, just because someone¡¯s presence was high didn¡¯t mean their strength equaled that presence. Even the legendary emperor was just a frail human. "He doesn¡¯t possess power that matches his presence." Of course, he wasn¡¯t weak. Someone who could suppress the entire sacred grounds with presence alone couldn¡¯t be weak. But Ketal¡¯s strength seemed more like he was wielding his presence recklessly. He didn¡¯t possess power that matched his presence. In contrast, she was a hero among the strong. She could interfere with thews and principles of the world. This was a power Ketal did not possess. "I won¡¯t lose. ...Probably." Karin¡¯s voicecked conviction as she spoke. Arkamis was shocked by her attitude. It was the first time she had seen Karin socking in confidence. She swallowed hard. "...Then what if Ketal gains the mysteries and learns to wield them?" If he wasn¡¯t limited by his physical body. If he transcended that and began to wield the great mysteries of the world. If he started to handle power that matched his presence. "...It would be a disaster." "...Right?" ¡®Did I perhaps create a monster?¡¯ Arkamis swallowed. She had helped Ketal realize the mysteries. The thought that she might have created an irreversible monster sent chills down her spine. However, this didn¡¯t change her attitude toward Ketal. It was toote to fear him now, after all their long rtionship. She just realized and respected his power. Karin had gently exined to the elves of the sacred grounds, so there was no confusion. Karin warned Ketal. "Please refrain from expanding your presence. It frightens the elves." "I apologize. I was curious to see if it was possible." "Is that so...." He did it just because he could. Karin shook her head. After that, Ketal continued to contain his presence. Spending all his time on it, the speed was incredibly fast. Three dayster, Ketal¡¯s presence had significantly decreased. Now, when he toured the sacred grounds, the elves kept their distance but didn¡¯t flee. Ketal was deeply moved by the change and invested even more time into it. Around that time, a horn sounded. A beautiful yet tense horn sound like a song. Karin and Arkamis''s expressions changed. "This is..." "They¡¯ve finallye. Those loathsome ones." "What¡¯s happening?" "Enemies." Karin said, her eyes sinking coldly, different from when she faced Ketal or Arkamis. "The dark magicians have begun their attack. Just when I thought they were gone, they were preparing." "Hoo." "I''ll take care of it quickly, so please wait." Karin was about to descend when Ketal stopped her. "May Ie along too?" "Huh? I don''t mind, but..." "Then let me join you. I might be of some help." "Oh. Thank you." Ketal followed Karin with a cheerful smile. It was the first time he would see the power of a hero-level warrior. His face was filled with anticipation. Outside the sacred grounds, the elves were on guard. They smiled brightly when they saw Karin. "Your Majesty!" "You''vee!" "Ah..." They hesitated for a moment when they saw Ketal. However, unlike before, they didn¡¯t seem too bothered. Ketal¡¯s presence had diminished significantly. Ketal felt pleased by their changed reactions. But one elf was startled at the sight of Ketal. "Ah!" "Hmm? Oh! Parco! It''s you!" It was Parco, the High Elf knight who hade to take Arkamis away. Ketal approached with a friendly face. Parco¡¯s face turned pale. "Do you know each other?" "We met when he came to take Arkamis. We had a light sparring session." "...A light sparring session." ¡®Doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡¯ Thought Karin, as Parco looked like he had seen the Grim Reaper. Ketal smiled warmly. "I heard you granted my request. I am truly grateful. If you ever need anything from me, just let me know. I''ll do my best to help." "Y-yes..." Parco responded in a dying voice. If he could, he would have begged Ketal to pretend he didn¡¯t know him. But he was too scared to say it out loud. Karin snapped out of her thoughts and focused. "What''s going on?" "The dark magicians have started their invasion." [Uoooo!] [Kaaar!] Monsters were running through the forest. Ketal murmured. "There are many." Tall trees were being knocked down and broken by the massive monsters. The number was enough to clear the forest area. There were at least over a hundred. And it wasn¡¯t just the number that was rming. Among the approaching monsters, Ketal noticed some particrly powerful ones, simr to those he had seen at the sacred grounds of Kalosia. The individual strength of the monsters was considerable. There were also many first-rate monsters. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Several dark magicians were riding on the backs of the monsters, leading them. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] There seemed to be superhuman-level dark magicians among them. This attack was twice as powerful as the total assault on Kalosia¡¯s sacred grounds. And that wasn¡¯t the end. "They¡¯ve even started a fire." The forest was burning. At first nce, it was clear that this wasn¡¯t an ordinary me. It was burning the vegetation at a very fast rate, growingrger as it spread. At this speed, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire forest was consumed. The fire was advancing rapidly with the monsters. The dark magicians and monsters were advancing along with the fire. It was a very tricky situation. If the fire wasn¡¯t dealt with quickly, it would spread uncontrobly. But dealing with the fire would mean the monsters and dark magicians would interfere. Their attack was filled with a resolve to burn the forest down even if they were annihted. "Elves!" The superhuman-level dark magician at the front shouted with a face full of madness. "Your forest will burn and disappear!" His expression showed a resolve for death. There was no sign of retreat, so they had to bepletely defeated. Given the number and strength of the monsters and dark magicians, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Time would inevitably be dragged out, increasing the likelihood of the forest burning. They had to stop the dark magicians'' attack and deal with the fire. It was clearly a disadvantageous situation for the elves. But Karinughed. "Haha! Hahahahaha!" Herughter, full of mockery, echoed through the forest. "How dare you. Verminous rats of evil. I''llmend you for breaking through our barrier, but you think you can attack ournd with just this? Have you sold your brains to the demons too?" Her voice was extremely cold. Ketal whistled softly. Both Arkamis and Karin asionally showed their temper. ''High Elves have quite the temper.'' "Yes, you want to burn our forest, don''t you? You''re even willing to give up your lives for it. How admirable." Karin praised the resolve of the dark magicians. She raised her hand. "Then what will you do about this?" With those words, a strange wind gathered behind Karin. Ketal''s expression changed. "Hmm?" A massive wind was umting behind Karin, so much so that even he could feel it. Although the wind itself wasn''t visible, it formed a shape. ''...A spirit?'' Snap. Karin snapped her fingers. Simultaneously, the wind blew. It was a very gentle, soothing breeze. Ketal''s eyes widened. At that moment, he was expanding his senses throughout the entire forest. Because of this, he could tell. All the air in the vicinity was being controlled by Karin. The wind that had spread throughout the forest stopped moving in an instant. Huff. The fire went out. "...Huh?" The dark magicians, who had been charging with madness in their eyes, hesitated. The fire, which had been spreading to burn the entire forest, disappeared without a trace. Not even a single ember remained. "W-what?" "U-uh..." "Your attempt to burn our forest has failed. So, what will you do now?" "W-we..." The dark magician hastily tried to turn around. Karinughed. "Trying to run away?" Snap. She snapped her fingers again. As the wind blew once more, the dark magicians and monsters stopped moving. No, they didn''t just stop. Their bodies were slowly lifted into the air. The dark magician widened his eyes and tried to resist. "T-this can''t be!" No matter how much dark energy he gathered and wielded, nothing happened. No, to be precise, dark energy was being released, but it had no effect. It was as if the environment itself had changed. The superhuman dark magician could do nothing but il like a helpless child. "You can''t run away now. So, what will you do?" "U-uh..." "Can''t do anything? Then die." Snap. With a cold voice and another snap of her fingers, the dark magicians and monsters were crushed. The wind itselfpressed them into a spherical shape. Karin casually waved her hand. Thepressed bodies scattered and disappeared into the wind. Nothing was left. Only the trees felled by the monsters and some charred vegetation remained. If those traces were gone, one might believe nothing had happened at all. The desperate attack of over a hundred high-ranking monsters and a superhuman dark magician ended with just three snaps of her fingers. The elves stared at Karin with astonished expressions. Karin smiled gently. "It''s all over. You can go back to your duties." "Ah... yes." The elves swallowed hard and nodded. * * * The dark magicians'' desperate attack ended so futilely. The elves praised the queen''s power and majesty with great admiration. And Ketal was no different. "Amazing! Truly amazing!" "R-really?" "Absolutely! You''re incredibly strong! It''s astonishing!" Ketal was genuinely impressed. The power Karin had just disyed exceeded his expectations. Everything ended with just three snaps of her fingers. That was something even Ketal couldn''t do. Although he was undoubtedly strong, his strength was limited to his physical body. He could have beaten all the monsters and blown away the fire with a powerful wind, but it would have devastated the forest in the process. He couldn''t handle it as cleanly as Karin did. Moreover, the monsters and dark magicians couldn''t put up any resistance. It was an overwhelming difference in power. ''This is the queen of the High Elves.'' A hero-ss warrior who had made a pact with the Spirit King, one of the world''s greatest. It was a power that elicited admiration. Ketal continually praised Karin''s feat, which felt incredibly awkward to her. ''...Why is someone who has aplished more than I have acting like this?'' Ketal''s presence was far greater than hers. What he had achieved was iparable to her own feats. It felt very strange for someone like Ketal to be praising her. "When you manifested your power, I felt a great wind gather behind you. Was that the power of the Spirit King?" "Yes. I have made a pact with the Spirit King of the Wind." "Oh. So that was it. The wind of the entire forest moved at yourmand. You probably extinguished the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. You perfectly immobilized the dark magicians and monsters with the wind. It was like witnessing the authority of nature itself." "You have a keen understanding. Thank you." Ketal''s eyes sparkled. "Could I perhaps experience a fragment of that power myself?" "No, I don''t want to." "I see..." When Karin firmly refused to spar, Ketal looked disappointed. His reaction, like that of a child, left Karin a bit speechless. He was beyond her understanding in many ways. Ketal continued to seek opportunities to spar with Karin. However, each time, Karin, with almost ghostly intuition, avoided him, so his attempts were always thwarted. After some time had passed, Ketal finally seeded inpletely containing his presence. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 196: The Queen of the High Elves (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 196: The Queen of the High Elves (4) "It''s done." "Is it over?" "Yes." Karin nodded. Ketal seeded in perfectly containing his aura. "Arkamis, how is it?" "...I can''t feel anything at all." Arkamis looked at Ketal with amazement. The overwhelming presence she used to feel from Ketal hadpletely vanished. No matter how much she examined him, she could only sense the level of a third-rate mystic. There was no sense of intimidation or presence. On the surface, he just looked like an oversized third-rate barbarian. Of course, that in itself felt a bit off... but at least the instinctive sense of threat was no longer there. "Oh, really?" Ketal''s face brightened. "Then I''ll leave for a bit." "Go ahead and enjoy yourself." Ketal descended from the top of the World Tree to thend where the elves lived. Elves were living there, taking walks, children ying, leading their daily lives just like anywhere else. Until now, Ketal''s approach would often shatter that daily life. But not anymore. As Ketal walked among them, the elves didn''t react much. They were startled, but they didn''t run away or avoid him. Instead, some even greeted him first. "Hello, nice to meet you?" "Ah... nice to meet you." Ketal nodded and epted the greeting. He continued to walk among the elves, and they no longer rejected him. "Oh..." Ketal was moved. Tears welled up in his eyes. Until now, the elves had always rejected him. Some even attacked him outright. His first encounter with an elf had started with an attack. It felt like a rejection, as if to say, "You don''t belong here." It was a very sad thing for Ketal, who wanted to live in a fantasy world. But not anymore. The elves no longer rejected him. It was immensely moving. He felt like his existence had be more aligned with the fantasy world. Having fully savored the moment, Ketal returned to the top of the World Tree. Arkamis greeted him with a smile. "How was it?" "It was moving. Truly. Thank you so much, Karin. I will never forget this favor." "Ah, yes. You''re wee." Ketal sincerely thanked Karin. Although slightly flustered by his pure emotion, she epted it calmly. She was beginning to understand what kind of person Ketal was. Ketal was honest with his emotions and acted ording to his heart, like an adventurer. In a way, he was very pure. Considering that people who reached a certain level often ended up broken in some way, it was unusual. ''...Or is it?'' Had he remained pure and yet be broken? Karin wondered slightly. Whatever the case, Ketal had achieved his goal. He toured the sacrednd of the elves. The elves didn''t avoid him, allowing him to enjoy the daily life in the sacrednd to the fullest. Ketal was very happy. He recorded every bit of their daily life in his notebook. ''Maybe I should buy another notebook soon.'' The notebook he had been jotting down in was about halfway filled. Ketal decided to buy a slightly bigger notebook next time. Ketal enjoyed the sacrednd of the elves to his heart''s content. And soon, he realized one thing. ''There are a lot of spirits here.'' Spirits, which had been suppressed by Ketal''s presence, were now appearing. The spirits wandered around the sacrednd, ying with the elves. There were so many of them that they painted the sky of the sacrednd. Ketal was captivated by the beautiful sight. Late at night, Ketal returned home and asked Arkamis about the spirits. Arkamis replied, "Because the World Tree is here. This ce is the closest to the spirit world in the Middle Earth." It was the only ce where spirits could stay on the ground without any special contracts. It was natural to see many spirits. "The elves of the sacrednd grow up and live with spirits from childhood." Being beings of nature, the elves'' affinity increased as they spent their childhood with spirits. Therefore, it was very easy for them to make contracts with spirits. "Simply put, I''m probably the only elf in the sacrednd who hasn''t made a contract with a spirit." Arkamis could also make a contract with a high-level spirit if she wanted to, though she chose not to. "A spirit mage... huh." Ketal murmured. The spirits floating leisurely in beautiful forms. They came in a variety of appearances, most of them cute and beautiful. The sight of green and blue spirits drifting gracefully in the air was truly a spectacle. To be honest, it was very attractive. He loved fantasy. Naturally, he had read many fantasy novels. As a child, he had borrowed books not just from the local rental shop but from across the entire region. And in many of the fantasy novels he read as a child, the protagonist was often a spirit mage. Having had such a childhood, it was only natural that he wanted to make a contract with a spirit himself. "Can I make a contract with a spirit too?" "Huh?" Arkamis paused. After a moment of contemtion, she spoke cautiously. "...It might be difficult." Spirit contracts weren''t something just anyone could do. While elves could easily make contracts, humans couldn''t even attempt it without innate talent. Human spirit mages were rarer than magicians. "Is that so..." Ketal''s face fell. Seeing his disappointment, Arkamis''s heart sank. ''No, that won''t do!'' She wanted to make Ketal part of her family. Her goal was to build a deep rtionship with him and have children. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] If Ketal felt disappointed and regretful here, it would greatly diminish the chances of her achieving her goal. Feeling pressed, she quickly eximed. "But it''s not entirely impossible! There''s a more special way to attempt a contract with a spirit! You might be able to do it!" "Oh! Really?" Ketal''s face brightened. Arkamis nodded quickly. "Normally, it would be impossible... but who am I? I''m a high elf! A high elf!" One of the few noble and pure elves in the world, that was Arkamis. "I''ll talk to the queen about it tomorrow. It might be possible." "Oh! As expected of Arkamis! You''re the best! Thank you so much!" Ketal beamed and thanked Arkamis. She smiled broadly. The next day. Karin cast a cold nce at Arkamis, who hade to see her. "...Arkamis. Are you kidding me?" "..." Arkamis shrank and kept her mouth shut. She waspletely different from the confident person who had spoken to Ketal. "I know what you''re talking about, but do you really think that''s possible?" "Still, can''t we at least try? You never know. It might work, right? Come on, can''t you do it for me?" "Hmph." Karin, who had been about to say something, closed her mouth. As she showed signs of contemtion, Arkamis waited anxiously. "...Alright." After a moment, Karin nodded. "It won''t hurt to try and confirm it. Bring him here." "Yay! As expected of the queen! I''ll bring him right away!" Arkamis quickly left. Karin gave a wry smile. Shortly after, Ketal came up with an expectant look on his face. "Is it really possible?" To be honest, he didn''t have high hopes. He thought it was impossible, but hearing there was a possibility made his expectations rise. "First, let me exin how to make a contract with a spirit." Karin exined slowly. A person with sufficient affinity for nature performs a ritual to summon a spirit at the appropriate ce. A summoning circle is drawn in the spirit world. Then, spirits sensing the energy of the summoning circle approach. If a spirit among them likes the potential contractor, a contract can be made. "It''s a contract where the spirit has the choice." "...Based on what you said, I feel like no spirit would want to contract with me." "Probably not." Although he had contained his presence, it didn''t mean he had won the spirits'' favor. None of the spirits overflowing in the sacrednd had approached Ketal. ''What''s this?'' Didn''t that mean it''s impossible? Just as disappointment reappeared on Ketal''s face, Karin spoke. "What I just exined is the typical method of contracting with a spirit. But there is another way to make a contract with a spirit." "What is this other method?" "By going directly to the spirit world." "What?" Ketal''s eyes widened. Karin continued. "Move your physical body directly into the spirit world and find a spirit that resonates with you. You can meet far more spirits this way than by drawing a summoning circle." By moving around and conversing directly, the chances of making a contract were higher. Ketal''s voice trembled. "Is that possible?" "Normally, no... but we have the World Tree here." It was the ce closest to the spirit world in Middle Earth. The boundary was that faint. "And I am here." As an elf contracted with the Spirit King, she could open a passage to the spirit realm. "It could be dangerous since you have to go directly to the spirit realm... are you okay with that?" "Of course!" Ketal nodded vigorously. The spirit realm! The thought of going there directly made his heart race. He almost wanted to beg to be taken there. His enthusiasm slightly flustered Karin. "Alright then, let''s prepare. However, there''s one problem..." It was that Ketal had very little mystic energy. "Mystic energy will be continuously consumed while you stay in the spirit realm. With the current amount you have, it seems you''d onlyst a few minutes." They needed to increase his mystic energy. Ketal took out a blue gem from his subspace. It was a catalyst he received as a reward from the mermaids. "Can I use this?" "...That is." Karin was surprised. The amount of mystic energy emanating from the blue gem was immense. It was a catalyst even the High Elf Queen rarely saw. "That should suffice." "Then Arkamis, please." "Got it." With Arkamis''s help, Ketal absorbed the mystic energy from the blue gem into his body. As a result, Ketal''s mystic energy increased significantly. Comparatively, it was now at a second-rate level. Arkamis was bbergasted. "After using such a catalyst, you''re only at a second-rate level? Do you think you can use mystic energy now?" "No, it still seems impossible." "It''s still not enough? Why is your mystic energy efficiency so bad?" It was likely because the quality and quantity of mystic energy were far insufficientpared to the level of his body. What kind of catalyst would be needed to enable that body to handle mystic energy? "Do you need something like a dragon heart?" "That level of catalyst seems necessary... but at the current level, it''s enough for you to stay in the spirit realm." "Come to think of it, Queen, don''t you know some dragons?" "Yes, I do." Karin nodded. As the High Elf Queen, she had lived a very long life. Among her acquaintances were a few dragons. "It''s been a long time since I contacted them, but I know where they are." "You know where they are?" Ketal''s eyes shone dangerously.N?v(el)B\\jnn "...Karin, do you have any dragons you''re on bad terms with?" "Pardon?" "Any dragons you want to kill or have a grudge against? I think it''s not unusual to have at least one enemy after living such a long life." "I do have enemies, but none of them are dragons." "Is that so... that''s a pity." Ketal looked genuinely disappointed. "If you ever have such a dragon in the future, feel free to tell me. You''ve given me a lot. That''s the least I can do." "Ah, understood." Karin looked at Ketal with aplicated expression. A suspicion crossed her mind momentarily. ''...Is he seriously thinking about killing a dragon to take its heart?'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 197: Spirit World (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 197: Spirit World (1) For a moment, such doubts crossed her mind, but Karin shook her head. Dragons are mighty beings. Each one is akin to a natural disaster, and even as a hero, she could not guarantee victory against them. They were not like bears to be hunted for their hearts or anything of that sort. ¡®...It can''t be. No way.¡¯ She tried to believe that as she changed the subject. ¡°Then let¡¯s get ready. We should be done by tomorrow. Please wait for us, Arkamis. You will assist me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Thank you. Truly, thank you.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. His face was filled with anticipation. * * * And at that time. While Ketal was eagerly looking forward to moving to the Spirit World, the followers of Federica arrived at the coastal city where Ketal had previously been. ¡°This is the ce where the Barbarian arrived.¡± Having failed to gather information at the holy site of Kalosia, they had somehow managed to trace Ketal¡¯s movements to this location. Though they had seeded, it was evident that they had gone through a lot of hardship, as they looked quite shabby. Their clothes were covered in dust, and their faces were smeared with grime. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the words of the Inquisitor, Liltara, the holy knights nodded. They entered the coastal city, revealed their identities, and met with the lord of the city. The city lord, sweating profusely, received Liltara. ¡®Oh no, why are followers of Federica here!¡¯ Their church was far from here. He couldn¡¯t understand why they hade. His body trembled more than it did when he had faced Ketal¡¯s group. It was inevitable. The Federica Church was despised by everyone. Unlike the Church of Kalosia, which was shunned for past deeds, Federica was actively hated in the present. Manynds had been destroyed under their tyranny. They inflicted real damage, so it was only natural to fear them. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± Liltara, who was seated, greeted politely. Her appearance was extremely dirty. Her clothes were covered in dust, her face had dark spots, and her hair was rough as if she hadn''t washed it. She looked too shabby to be a noble Inquisitor. The lord spoke cautiously. ¡°Haven''t you been visited by bath attendants?¡± Since he had to deal with a follower of God, he had already sent attendants ahead. At the lord''s words, Liltara''s face twisted. ¡°Did you say attendants?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. No! I misspoke! I apologize!¡± The lord¡¯s face turned pale for a moment. He repeatedly apologized as if sending bath attendants to Liltara was a problem. Indeed, it was an issue. He had effectively denied the values of Federica. Liltara looked at the lord disapprovingly. ¡°¡­Please be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­.¡± ¡°Thend here is very prosperous. The faces of the people are lively and clean.¡± The Inquisitor of the Sun God, Aquaz, admired the appearance of the city with warm eyes. But Liltara''s face was very cold. She looked at the lord. His body was three timesrger than hers. The emotion of loathing was evident in his eyes. ¡°The appearance of this city is very displeasing. To possess such prosperity without knowing the great values. I would like to return it to the proper state immediately.¡± At those words, the lord¡¯s heart stopped for a moment. ¡°But¡­ that is not the purpose of my visit, so I will not interfere.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± The lord barely let out a breath. It was very hard on his heart. Liltara spoke. ¡°The purpose of my visit is simple. I heard that a Barbarian visited this ce.¡± ¡°Oh. How did you know?¡± ¡°You do not need to know that.¡± Liltara spoke coldly. There was no reason to be kind to the lord of a smallnd, unlike a king or saint. The lord quickly answered. ¡°The Barbarian party headed to the city of mermaids.¡± ¡°City of mermaids?¡± ¡°There is a city of mermaids near here. They went there.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Then, could you provide us with a boat?¡± ¡°Of course. Please feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡®Consideration, my foot.¡¯ She would cause trouble if he didn¡¯t provide it. The lord cursed inwardly but did not make the foolish mistake of saying it out loud. Having achieved her goal, Liltara asked onest question. ¡°What kind of atrocities did the Barbarianmit here?¡± They were pursuing the Barbarian ording to the will of God. It meant that the great god had designated the Barbarian as their enemy. In other words, the Barbarian was evil. Until now, they hadn¡¯t been able to gather any cooperation, so they didn¡¯t know what kind of evil the Barbarian hadmitted, but now they could find out. The lord stammered as he answered. Upon hearing his answer, Liltara''s expression hardened. ¡°¡­You say he helped you? He didn¡¯t destroy thend ormit any atrocities?¡± ¡°No. He was very gentlemanly¡­ He even headed to the mermaid city to help us.¡± The sea was blocked due to the presence of a demonic creature. Although they had stored provisions, they would be in danger if more time passed. The Barbarian went to the sea to help them. Liltara had a bewildered look. ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°Seeing as the mermaids reappeared afterwards, I think he resolved the issue well. He¡¯s someone we are grateful towards.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying that he helped you?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct¡­.¡± The lord¡¯s face suggested he didn¡¯t see any problem. Liltara looked puzzled. * * * The next day. Everything was ready. At the top of the World Tree, there was a strange spatial distortion. Ketal stood in front of it. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Ketal replied with a face full of anticipation. Karin exined. ¡°With the amount of mystic energy you have, you should be able to stay there for about thirty minutes.¡± ¡°Thirty minutes, huh. Got it. How do I make a contract with a spirit?¡± ¡°There are many spirits in the Spirit World. You need to wander around and find one. Then¡­ you¡¯ll probably figure it out naturally.¡± Karin¡¯s tone was quite peculiar. However, the excited Ketal didn¡¯t notice at all. Karin lightly waved her hand. The wind gathered and twisted, expanding the distortion. Whirrrrr! And the space opened. Beyond the distortion, a dimension entirely different from the intermediary world was visible. ¡°The connection won¡¯tst long, so you¡¯ll need to move quickly. You¡¯ll return naturally when it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled and stepped into the passage. He set foot in the Spirit World. Immediately, a very strange sensation enveloped Ketal. It felt as if the very world itself was separate. The wind wasn¡¯t wind, and the air wasn¡¯t air. Even the moisture in the atmosphere felt alien as it touched his cheeks. It felt like he was on another. Which, in a sense, was true. He was in the Spirit World, not the intermediary world. ¡°Haha, hahaha.¡± Laughter burst out naturally. His eyes glimmered with joy. He was in the Spirit World. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®To think I¡¯d evere to a ce like this.¡¯ To directly enter the dimension of spirits. It wasn¡¯t even on his bucket list because he never imagined it could be possible. That made the emotion even greater. It felt like he might cry. Ketal eagerly looked around. The Spirit World was essentially structured like a vast in. The difference from the ground was that its colors were extremely diverse. The space itself was so tinged with rainbow colors that it felt dizzying. It felt like being in the middle of a fantasy, making Ketal very happy. Ketal, who had been dazedly looking around the Spirit World for a moment, quickly came to his senses. ¡®No.¡¯ He came here to make a contract with a spirit. With only thirty minutes, he didn¡¯t have time for leisurely sightseeing. He had to move immediately. Feeling a bit disappointed, Ketal quickly started moving. As he expanded his senses and wandered around, he soon found clustered natural energies. They were probably spirits. As Ketal approached, he saw spirits frolicking around. ¡°Oooh¡­.¡± Blue and green spirits were ying in the Spirit World. It was like a painting. Ketal cautiously approached. ¡®Karin said I would know if I met them.¡¯ Apparently, he needed to approach and converse to build familiarity. As Ketal approached a certain distance, the spirits noticed his presence. Ketal smiled and greeted them. ¡°Hello.¡± [¡­!] The spirits were startled. They quickly ran away. Their speed was iparable to when they had been ying. In an instant, Ketal was left alone. ¡°¡­Um?¡± ¡®What''s going on?¡¯ They''re running away? Ketal thought as he watched their retreating figures for a moment. ¡®¡­Instead of having a conversation, should I chase and catch them?¡¯ Was it a kind of hide-and-seek concept? Did he need to prove his strength? That was also a possibility. Ketal moved. He spotted a new group of spirits. One spirit caught Ketal''s eye. It wasposed of blue water, like a water spirit. Its appearance, resembling a slime, was incredibly cute. Ketal targeted the slime spirit and dashed towards it. In an instant, his body elerated. ¡°I got you!¡± Ketal caught the slime spirit. Startled spirits screamed and fled in panic, but Ketal didn''t pay attention and shouted out. ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± [¡­!] ¡°I am Ketal! What is your name? I hope you''ll make a contract with me!¡± [!!!!!!!] The slime spirit was terrified. It was as if it couldn''t breathe. It shook violently and tried to escape from Ketal. [Sc-c-creeeech!] And finally, as if unable to bear it any longer, its body burst and dispersed back into nature. It had returned to being a part of nature and fled. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Ketal put his hand down with a troubled face. * * * While Ketal was in the Spirit World, Karin and Arkamis had a conversation. ¡°¡­How do you think it will turn out?¡± ¡°It might not be easy.¡± Karin looked doubtful that Ketal would fail to make a spirit contract. ¡°Of course, he managed to assert his presence, but¡­ that''s all.¡± It was merely asserting his presence. Ketal''s stature as a being hadn''t changed. Spirits are beings of nature. They are more sensitive to such stature than anyone else. It wasn''t that ordinary spirits would flee upon sensing Ketal''s presence, but they would certainly feel like they encountered a monster when they got close to him. The problem was that Ketal''s stature was too high and formidable to contract with ordinary spirits. Arkamis groaned.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ugh. As expected?¡± ¡°Unless he encounters a spirit that can withstand Ketal''s stature... it''ll be tough in such a vast Spirit World.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Did I get my hopes up for nothing?¡± Arkamis began to worry about how tofort Ketal when he returned. And around that time, Ketal began to realize that perhaps his very existence was the problem. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Was he unable to make a contract with a spirit? He felt incredibly despondent. It was when Ketal lowered his head and stopped moving. A formidable me approached Ketal. ¡°Hm?¡± It had a power unlike that of ordinary spirits. Its presence alone was enough to change the surrounding environment. [Who dares invade the Spirit World!] It shouted loudly. Itsmand shook the Spirit World. Horns burning with mes were visible. Ketal made a delighted expression. ¡°Oh! Aren''t you Piego! I didn''t expect to see you again here!¡± [¡­!] The highest-level fire spirit approached with a roar. Piego turned around in fright. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 198: Spirit World (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 198: Spirit World (2) The sacrednd of the Elves. The Schwarzwald Forest where Elfo Sagrado is located. At its outskirts was the main base of the Cradle of Darkness. They had annihted a nearby vige and settled there. The leader was using the vige chief''s house. The blood and flesh scattered across the walls and floor told the fate of the house¡¯s original owner. A dark magician quietly approached the leader. "What is it?" "We failed in the attack." "Of course." The leader muttered calmly. A few days ago, there had been an attack on the sacrednd of the Elves by a dark magician. That attack was not conducted by the Cradle of Darkness. It was an action taken independently by a superhuman-level dark magician who disregarded the orders from the main base. "Did he think such a foolish suicidal act would work against a hero-level opponent? What a fool." The leader showed disdain for the now-dead dark magician. "The damage?" "One superhuman-level dark magician. Three first-ss magicians. And many high-level monsters." The leader clicked his tongue upon hearing the damage report. It was not a small loss. Had this been the force that attacked the sacrednd of Kalosia, they would have had to retreat immediately. "Alright. It''s not something to worry about." "Yes." However, the leader showed no particr emotion. The current world was distorted. In this broken world, demons were starting to reveal themselves in earnest, and the power of dark magicians grew ordingly. Above all, the Cradle of Darkness was currently investing a significant portion of its power in the Elves'' sacrednd. They had an objective there that they had to achieve at all costs. So, the loss of one superhuman-level dark magician was not a significant impact. "How is the preparation for the sacrifice going?" "Almostplete. It will be done in a few days." "Good. Let me know when it''s ready." The leader looked up. The ceiling had been broken during the vige''s annihtion, revealing the moon. "We will fall to hell upon our deaths." His voice was full of excitement. "There we will receive the reward for our sacrifice. Prepare quickly. Everything is for the descent of the Great Demon King." "For the Great Demon King." The dark magician echoed. Even though the moonlight shone on the ground, no light entered the vige. * * * "Piego!" Ketal''s face lit up with joy. Piego, the highest-ranked fire spirit. The first spirit Ketal had seen in this world. It had been a long time, and he was delighted to see him again. Of course, Piego was not happy at all. Piego was startled and turned around. He tried to leave quickly. But Ketal was faster in catching Piego than Piego was in fleeing. "Nice to see you!" Ketal grabbed Piego''s back. At that moment, Piego shuddered. It felt like a lion had sunk its ws into the spine of a bison. In this deadly feeling, Piego reflexively retaliated. Boom! mes erupted. These mes, representing the concept of burning away darkness and bringing bright light to the world, engulfed Ketal. But the mes did not burn a single piece of Ketal''s flesh. Piego was horrified. [Crazy!] To be perfectly fine after being hit by pure mes! He hadn''t been able to harm Ketal in their previous encounter either, but he thought it was because his power was diminished in the middle realm! Piego was appalled. Despite being attacked, Ketal seemed unaffected. He didn''t even recognize it as an attack. Instead, he was pleased. "Oh!" ¡®This guy doesn''t disappear!¡¯ Until now, whenever Ketal grabbed spirits in the spirit realm, they would vanish in a fit. But Piego didn''t disappear even when Ketal grabbed him. ¡®As expected, the highest-ranked spirit.¡¯ Ketal was satisfied. [¡­What are you, barbarian?] Momentarily abandoning his escape attempt, Piego, realizing it was futile, asked resignedly. [Why are you in the spirit realm? What the hell did you do?] How could a human, especially this barbarian, be in the spirit realm? Piego couldn''t understand it at all. Ketal replied with a beaming smile. "I came with Karin''s help." [Karin? ¡­Do you mean the High Elf Queen?] Piego''s voice was filled with dubious disbelief. Ketal nodded. "Yes. You know her." [¡­Wait. She wouldn''t leave Elfo Sagrado, right?] "I am currently in Elfo Sagrado." [What?] This barbarian was in the sacrednd of the Elves? Piego felt dizzy. Ketal tilted his head at Piego''s reaction. "What? Didn''t you hear it from Marsilia?" Ketal was the contractor of Piego. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Marsilia had invited him to the sacrednd of the Elves. Naturally, Ketal thought Piego would know, but it seemed he didn¡¯t. [¡­Come to think of it, she did mention it. I dismissed it as nonsense¡­ I never thought it was true.] "So you did know. How is Marsilia doing? I''m worried since the world is in chaos." [If there were any problems, she would have summoned me. She hasn''t done so recently.] "That means there are no problems. That''s a relief." Ketal looked genuinely relieved. Meanwhile, Piego still couldn''t understand. [I understand you were invited to the sacrednd. But how did you be acquainted with the High Elf Queen?] The High Elf Queen was special and noble. She was the only contractor with the Spirit King and held influence over all Elves in this world. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ordinary Elves found it difficult even to see her face. Even if invited to the sacrednd, an outsider wouldn''t be able to meet her. Ketal responded simply. "Oh. I befriended a High Elf outside. She helped me." Piego paused. [Befriended a High Elf outside¡­?] "We are in a master-disciple rtionship. You could say we''re friends." [A High Elf and a barbarian in a master-disciple rtionship¡­? And friends on top of that?] "Why?" [¡­Nothing. Never mind.] The information Piego had was vastly different, leaving him bewildered. However, he was a being of the spirit realm. As a highest-ranked spirit, he didn''t descend to the earthly realm often, so his information was outdated. Things might have changed since then. The only one who could send a human to the spirit realm was Karin, the contractor of the Spirit King. The fact that Ketal was here proved his words were not lies. ''Have High Elves be more open these days?'' Did they now roam outside and interact frequently? High Elves, who are even more old-fashioned and rigid than spirits, possessing such openness? Piego, amazed, got to the point. [So why are you here? Did youe to break the spirit realm?] "I wouldn''t do something so barbaric. I came to form a spirit contract." [A spirit contract?] Piego pondered for a moment before murmuring as if he understood. [You couldn''t find a spirit willing to contract with you on Earth, so you came here yourself.] "Yes. Unfortunately, I''ve been failing repeatedly." [Of course. There''s no spirit willing to contract with you.] Piego sneered. [Weak spirits would flee the moment they see you. Even if you forcibly grab one, they won''t withstand your presence and will dissipate into nature. Only strong spirits like me can endure you.] "Is that so?" Ketal confirmed the problem he had anticipated, looking disappointed. His eyes suddenly lit up. "In that case, Piego. Would you perhaps¡­." [I refuse.] "I haven''t even finished speaking." [You were going to ask to contract with me. I have no intention of doing so, and it''s impossible.] "Because you''re already contracted with Marsilia?" [That''s right. Double contracts are impossible. No matter how hard you try, you can''t contract with me. Moreover, you have too little mystic energy.] To contract with a strong spirit, one needs a corresponding amount of mystic energy. To contract with a high-level spirit, one needs mystic energy equivalent to a first-rate expert, and for the highest level, it requires superhuman-level mystic energy. Even that is just the minimum requirement. In contrast, Ketal''s amount of mystic energy was at most second-rate. He could summon a mid-level spirit, but spirits of that level couldn''t endure Ketal''s presence. Ketal muttered with a regretful expression. "Is that so¡­." [If you understand, go back to the middle realm. This ce is not for someone like you.] Piego started to distance himself. Honestly, being near Ketal was quite burdensome for him. ''¡­What kind of presence does he have?'' Previously, he didn''t notice because he was reverse summoned so quickly, but now, talking this close, he could tell. Ketal''s presence was immense. He concealed his presence perfectly, but this was the spirit realm. In this ce, which was nature itself, it was palpable. Even a highest-ranked spirit like Piego felt burdened by his presence. ''Is he really a barbarian?'' It felt like looking at a monster in human disguise. Piego started to think the same as those who had encountered Ketal before. "Hmm." Ketal was deep in thought. ording to Piego, forming a contract seemed impossible no matter what. ''Should I go back and discuss this again?'' As he was about to say he understood. [Hmm?] Piego flinched. Ketal immediately understood why. Something enormous was felt from the distance. A vast presence that crushed everything around it simply by existing, dominating all. It was iparable to Piego. Ketal muttered. "The Spirit King?" Piego was a highest-ranked spirit. The only one above him was the Spirit King. Naturally, that thought came to mind. The being with the immense presence was slowly approaching them. At first, Ketal thought it was the Spirit King, but he soon realized it wasn''t. It wasn''t the Spirit King. He had seen the Spirit King summoned by Karin. Though it wasn''t a proper summoning, he could feel the general magnitude of its presence. The presence approaching them now was far greater. Iparably so. It was like the difference between an ant and a human. Ketal had felt such a level of presence before. [No, no. Why is that one here?] Piego swallowed hard. The powerful presence was overwhelming him. His form began to waver. Simply approaching was enough to make the highest-ranked spirit unable to endure. The being arrived before them. It was a white, human-like figure cloaked in robes. Its size wasparable to a small hill. Its form wavered like mist. As if revealing its true form would cause the world to copse, its shape was not fixed. Ketal smiled broadly. "Nice to meet you. I am the barbarian Ketal. What is your name?" [¡­Beatrice.] Anguid voice resounded. No, it wasn''t a voice. The sound was made from ovepping the resonance of water, the rustling of the wind, and the cracking of rocks. [Spirit God. Beatrice.] * * * [¡­Lady Beatrice!] Piego swallowed hard and bowed his head. As Beatrice approached, Piego''s form was on the verge of copsing. Beatrice nced at Piego and reined in her presence. Only then did Piego''s form stabilize. [Th-thank you.] Piego spoke in a trembling voice. Beatrice did not respond. The Spirit God silently gazed at Ketal. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 199: Spirit World (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 199: Spirit World (3) ¡®No. Why. Why. Why. Why?¡¯ Piego''s mind raced madly as he bowed his head. The Spirit God. Beatrice. The master of all spirits and the very essence of the Spirit Realm. By nature, she didn''t reveal herself directly in the Spirit Realm. She was a presence that observed from beyond. She only showed herself in the Spirit Realm very rarely, perhaps once in several centuries. But suddenly appearing when a barbarian visited the Spirit Realm was shocking timing. ¡®¡­How could I have such bad luck!¡¯ Piego felt a cold sweat trickling down, even though he wasn''t actually sweating. The deathly silence made his head spin. And whether Piego felt that way or not, Ketal was in a good mood. ¡®The Spirit God, huh.¡¯ She was the second god he saw after Kalosia. Considering that Kalosia descended by borrowing the body of the saintess, it was the first time he faced a god directly. Ketal observed Beatrice with pleasure. Beatrice also observed Ketal. It was Beatrice who broke the silence first. [You. Famous one.] ¡°Do you know me?¡± [I know. The one from ¡®Inside¡¯.] Beatrice spokenguidly. Piego was shocked at her words. It was hard to believe that the great Beatrice recognized a mere barbarian. [What business do you have in my world?] ¡°I came to make a contract with a spirit.¡± [¡­A contract? Why?] Beatrice''s words carried a tone of puzzlement. As if questioning why something like that was necessary. It was a feeling simr to hearing an adult collect toys meant for children. Ketal replied confidently. ¡°Just because I want to.¡± [¡­] There was a peculiar look from Beatrice. As if she hadn''t expected such an answer. ¡°But unfortunately, I was told it''s impossible. Moreover, it''s about time.¡± Ketal''s body began to fade slowly. He could no longer stay in the Spirit Realm as his mystical energy was depleting. ¡®What a pity.¡¯ In the end, he couldn''t make a contract with a spirit. It was very disappointing. Still, having explored the Spirit Realm and met the Spirit God, he intended to be reasonably satisfied. Ketal''s body started returning to the physical world. Piego sighed in relief as he finally began to leave. [You.] Beatrice spoke. [Come back.] ¡°Hm?¡± [Come back here again.] ¡°Why?¡± [To make a deal.] [Be-Beatrice, ma''am?] Piego spoke out involuntarily, knowing it was extremely disrespectful. But Beatrice didn¡¯t even nce at him. ¡°¡­Does that mean there''s something to trade?¡± Beatrice answered with silence. Ketal, understanding it as a positive sign, showed an intrigued expression. The Spirit God wanted to make a deal with him. He felt a strong interest rising. He wanted to ask about the details right away, but his body could no longer stay. ¡°In that case, fine. I''lle back soon.¡± [I''ll be waiting.] With those words, Ketal''s body returned to the physical world. Arkamis and Karin, who had been waiting, greeted him. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to see you again.¡± ¡°So, Ke-Ketal. ¡­How did it go?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I failed.¡± ¡°Ye-yes, I thought so.¡± Arkamis fumbled as she tried tofort Ketal. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ketal. It couldn¡¯t be helped. In fact, it¡¯s something to be proud of! It means you¡¯re so strong that spirits can¡¯t even attempt to make a contract with you! But if you¡¯re really sad about it, I can teach you my secret alchemy technique!¡± ¡°That''s kind of you. But it seems I need to go back to the Spirit Realm.¡± Karin gave a wry smile. ¡°I understand it¡¯s hard to give up, but it¡¯s impossible. There is no spirit that can form a contract with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the reason. The Spirit God told me toe back to make a deal.¡± At Ketal¡¯s words, both Karin and Arkamis fell silent. After a long moment, they barely managed to speak. ¡°¡­The Spirit God?¡± ¡°Are you referring to Lady Beatrice?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Arkamis hastily raised her hand. She looked at Ketal with eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°¡­You. Did you see the Spirit God?¡± ¡°Yes. She came to see me.¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean it literally.¡± ¡°¡­Can you exin in detail?¡± Ketal began to exin. He met Piego, the highest-ranking spirit of fire, in the Spirit Realm. Piego exined why he couldn''t make a contract with a spirit. And when he was saddened and trying to figure out a solution, the Spirit God came to him directly. Karin, having listened up to that point, swallowed hard. ¡°You mean Beatrice herself appeared and came to see you? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It seems to be quite rare.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Of course it is!¡± Karin shouted, losing herposure. ¡°The Spirit God appearing in the Spirit Realm, let alone moving to meet an individual, is unprecedented!¡± The Spirit God. Beatrice. The origin and beginning of all spirits. She was closer to being the personification of nature itself rather than an independent entity. She was the ruler managing the entire vast Spirit Realm. Just her appearance could shake the Spirit Realm, so she usually dispersed into nature and observed the realm. For such a Spirit God to reveal herself to meet someone directly was unheard of. Even Karin, who had a contract with the Spirit King, had never met or spoken with the Spirit God directly. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why her manner of speaking was strange. If she doesn¡¯t usually talk to others, that makes sense.¡± Ketal murmured with an intrigued expression. Karin was at a loss for words at his incredibly nonchnt attitude. ¡°¡­Are you really saying she came to see you? You didn¡¯t mistake her for a Spirit King?¡± ¡°It was definitely Beatrice. It wasn¡¯t the presence of a Spirit King.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Karin pressed her forehead. After calming down for a moment, she asked in a trembling voice. ¡°¡­Why did she say she wanted to meet you?¡± ¡°She said she wanted to make a deal.¡± ¡°A deal.¡± The Spirit God making a deal with a human. Karin let out a hollowugh. ¡°What kind of deal?¡± ¡°The moment she started talking about it, my mystical energy ran out.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you said you need to go back to the Spirit Realm¡­.¡± ¡°Is it possible?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it possible even if it¡¯s impossible.¡± The Spirit God revealing herself and requesting a deal. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary matter. It was likely something very significant. As an elf, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I¡¯ll prepare everything by tomorrow. Ketal, please rest and recover as much of your mystical energy as possible. If you¡¯d like, we can take you to our sanctuary.¡± ¡°Oh. Please do.¡± Ketal nodded with a smile. That night, Ketal spent time in the elf sanctuary. It was a very beautiful ce. Since it was a space full of mystical energy, his recovery was quick. The next day. Ketal met with Karin again. Having finished all the preparations, Karin immediately opened a portal to the Spirit Realm. Ketal arrived in the Spirit Realm once more. Beatrice was waiting for him. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± [No.] ¡°So, what kind of deal is it?¡± Ketal asked with an intrigued face. Beatrice spoke. [You want to make a contract with a spirit. But it¡¯s impossible.] ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s true.¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t make a contract with a spirit. Weak spirits couldn¡¯t withstand his level, and his mystical energy was insufficient for strong spirits. Increasing his mystical energy was the most definite solution, but that was impossible unless he consumed something like a dragon heart. Ketal was shocked by Beatrice¡¯s next words. [I can make it possible for you to make a contract.] ¡°¡­You¡¯ll make it possible for me to make a contract with a spirit?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Is that possible?¡± [I am the master of this ce.] Her words were calm but definite. [Do you want the contract?] ¡°Of course, I do!¡± Excitement appeared on Ketal¡¯s face. Being able to make a contract he thought was impossible and was about to give up on was thrilling. Naturally, he was excited. ¡°I ept!¡± Ketal responded immediately, with an attitude that clearly showed he wanted a spirit contract. [¡­Strange.] Beatrice muttered in a puzzled tone. [An existence from ¡®Inside¡¯ is the enemy of the world. Yet you desire a spirit contract. You wish to make a deal with me. I cannot understand.] ¡°Isn¡¯t that the charm of life? It¡¯s boring if everything goes ording to n.¡± Ketalughed lightly. ¡°I ept. What are the terms of the deal?¡± [Simple.] Beatrice said. [Protection of Elfo Sagrado. Safeguarding the World Tree. Elimination of enemies.] ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Ketal''s eyes widened. * * * When Ketal was called back to the Spirit Realm by the Spirit God, the elf guardians were patrolling the perimeter of the sanctuary. Their expressions weren¡¯t tense. Just a few days ago, Karin had resolved the ck magicians'' attack with just three snaps of her fingers. As long as the queen was guarding them, enemies couldn''t even approach the sanctuary. That was the thought in the elves¡¯ minds. Just as they were maintaining theirx patrol, something happened. ¡°Wait. Enemy.¡± The guard captain, Ash, raised his hand. The guardians hastily drew their bows. ¡°Is it an intrusion?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­ something¡¯s strange.¡± Ash squinted. ck magicians were approaching from beyond the forest. But it wasn¡¯t just ck magicians. There were countless figures with them. The number was easily in the hundreds. Ash swallowed hard as he observed their faces. ¡°¡­Our kin.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dozens of elves were being held captive by the ck magicians. And it wasn¡¯t just elves. There were hundreds of humans who seemed to be hostages. Some were dressed in noble attire. Ash ground his teeth. ¡°Are they nning to use hostages to pressure us? Maintain your guard. I¡¯ll go to the queen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Ash turned to head toward the World Tree, the ck magicians moved. They grasped their swords and swung. Swick. Ash froze. He thought the ck magicians would use the hostages to attack the sanctuary. But they didn¡¯t. They ughtered all the hostages. ¡°¡­What are they doing?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Oh oh.¡± ¡°Oh great darkness.¡± ¡°Demon that devours space and creates rifts.¡± The ck magicians chanted. It was a dark spell. A grand ritual that involved offering numerous sacrifices and their own lives. Ash was horrified. A vast malevolence, something any earthly being would feel, was emanating. It was a ritual to bring back those banished from the world. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Descend upon this ce.¡± Crack. The space where the sacrificesy twisted like a vortex. The bodies of the sacrifices and the ck magicians mixed and contorted. It was a grotesque sight, as if someone had crumpled the space itself like paper. Then the fractured space expanded as if it burst. The elves¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, ah.¡± The expanded space was alien. It wasn¡¯t a summoning circle to call a demon to the earth. It was a dark passage. A passage connecting hell and earth. A sinful path that allowed the entities of hell toe here. Its very existence was a problem, but there was a bigger issue. The sheer size of it. The passage to hell was asrge as a small mountain. The shadow cast from that ce was enough to cover the entire elf sanctuary. ¡°Ah, uh.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± The elves felt it. That this forest was now connected to hell. Whip. A massive eye opened, filling the enormous passage. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 200: Passage of Hell (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 200: Passage of Hell (1) "Your Majesty. What do you think will happen?" "Hmm..." Karin trailed off. Honestly, she had no idea. It was rare for the Spirit God to show herself directly. Even having a conversation with her was almost unheard of. In fact, even though she was the contractor of the Spirit King, she had never faced the Spirit God herself. And now, they were going beyond that to make a deal. Moreover, the other party was the Barbarian of the White Snowfield. She couldn''t help but feel anxious. "I hope everything ends well." While the two were anxiously waiting for Ketal to return from the Spirit Realm, they sensed something. "Hmm?" "What?" Their expressions changed as they stood up and looked outside the sanctuary. They felt it. A terrible sin was beingmitted on thisnd. "An attack?" "It seems beyond that level..." While they were in confusion, a rift opened up. A passage to hell,parable to a small mountain, swallowed a part of the forest. The shadow cast by it covered the sanctuary. "What!" "Wait a minute!" Karin was shocked. This was not the time to wait idly for Ketal''s return. She swiftly moved, with Arkamis hastily following her. As they reached the outer part of the sanctuary, they saw elves with pale faces, bewildered. "What¡¯s going on?" The elves were relieved at the sight of Karin. "Your Majesty!" "The ck magicians have sacrificed offerings! A passage to hell has opened!" "I can see that." The passage was sorge that it cast a shadow over the sanctuary. In her long life, Karin had never seen a passage of this size. She bit her lip. "Did you see what offerings were sacrificed?" "Y-yes! Dozens of elves. Hundreds of humans. And dozens of ck magicians! There seemed to be superhuman-level ck magicians among them!" "What?" Karin''s face twisted. "Is that all?" It was not a small number of offerings. It was enough to summon a top-tier demon. They could have even opened a small passage to hell. But this scale seemed absolutely impossible. The passage before them was enormous. It was uncertain if an entire kingdom''s poption would suffice to open a passage thisrge. "How on earth?" A ceremony of this scale must have taken a very long time to prepare. And yet, she hadn''t noticed a thing? No. It wasn''t just her who didn''t notice. Even the gods and spirits hadn''t shown any reaction? ''...I did hear that the oracle system was broken!'' To think it could conceal a ceremony of this magnitude! Karin ground her teeth. The eyes beyond the passage continued to watch them. Every time those eyesnded on the elves, they reflexively shrank back. "Y-Your Majesty. Is there no way to close the passage before the enemiese through?" "Once the passage has opened, it''s impossible. If we tamper with it, the passage might growrger. It''s better to deal with the demons that appear." "I-I see." "Moreover, it seems we don''t have time for that." No sooner had the queen finished speaking than the hellish eyes observing the ground closed. The queen clicked her tongue. "They don''t intend to give us any time to prepare." With that, the sound of mes was heard. Something in human form, cloaked in pitch-ck mes, appeared. Karin''s pupils trembled. "...An incarnation of hellfire?" "Shoot!" As soon as the monster appeared, Ash shouted. The elves drew their bows. Arrows and the power of the spirits poured out simultaneously. It was the full-scale attack of the elves guarding the sanctuary. Among them were quite a few with superhuman abilities. It was an attack powerful enough to pulverize a fortress. The incarnation raised its hand toward the oing attacks. ck mes burst forth from its hand. They burned and melted all the elves'' attacks. Yet its momentum did not diminish. On the contrary, it grew evenrger. ck mes engulfed the sky. At this rate, the entire sanctuary would be consumed by the mes. Karin hurriedly waved her hand. The wind fiercely swirled and gathered all the pouring ck mes,pressing them as if sealing them. The incarnation of hellfire moved forward, and the nts trampled underfoot were instantly consumed by ck mes. The elves attempted to attack again, but all their efforts were swallowed by the ck mes wielded by the incarnation. Rather than being ineffective, their attacks seemed to fuel the mes, making them even fiercer. Karin quickly shouted, "Everyone, stop attacking! That entity controls hellfire! Ordinary attacks won''t work!" "A-ah!" "Sorry!" Hellfire is a pure me burning in the deepest part of hell, capable of incinerating the concepts of the middle world. This me never extinguishes; any attempt to put it out would only make it growrger. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Even a single spark could burn an entire continent. The incarnation of hellfire is a being formed by the aggregation of hellfire, able to wield its power. Such a concept of hell could never normally manifest in this world. "How on earth!" Karin ground her teeth. The mes wielded by the incarnation burned the very concepts of the world. These mes couldn''t be extinguished or stopped by the concepts of this world. However, she was a hero of great strength, able to interfere with the world''sws. [Come forth.] She uttered, her hair swaying. The wind of the entire forest came under her control. The wind she wielded did not burn, even against hellfire. [Create a path ording to my will.] Whoooosh! A fierce wind whipped through the forest. In an instant, the wind moved to suppress and control the ck mes spreading through the forest. Karin pointed her finger, mming the rampaging incarnation to the ground. "Die." Just as she was about to crush the incarnation, a massive dark trajectory flew in from beyond the passage of hell. The trajectory, as thick as the circumference of a giant tree, tore through the forest and rushed towards the sanctuary. Even Karin couldn''t underestimate the power contained within it. She sped her hands, and the wind gathered. Boom! The trajectory was blocked by the wind and exploded. The aftermath uprooted trees in the forest. "Whoa!" "As expected of the Queen!" The elves marveled at the Queen''s power, but Karin clicked her tongue. ''I should have dealt with the incarnation first.'' Despite the appearance of the incarnation, the massive passage still remained. This meant more would keeping through. She had failed to deal with even one. The entity that had unleashed the huge trajectory revealed itself. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [As expected of the famous High Elf Queen. If I had been a littlete, the hard-earned incarnation would have been destroyed.] [Hahaha! Everything seems to be going ording to n! Once it''s all over, I should kindly take care of the souls of the ck magicians!] [The nest of the elves hasn¡¯t changed with time. How nostalgic.] Three voices echoed. Karin''s eyes widened. "...Aerial Fortress. Quiklon?" An aerial fortress, ck in form and the size of a royal castle. It was a device that assisted and amplified the power of powerful demons. She had only known of its existence, never having seen it. It appeared only in the ancient Great War of Gods and Demons, and never since. Just one could destroy an entire church, as it was controlled only by the highest-ranking demons. Now, three such aerial fortresses had appeared in the world. ''...Three top-tier superhuman demons.'' Plus, three aerial fortresses. And even the incarnation. She involuntarily let out a bitterugh. It was a force reminiscent of the Great War of Gods and Demons. Could such a force be sent to the ground with just that number of sacrifices? Even so, the passage of hell was now much smaller. However, it hadn''t closed. The demons introduced themselves. [I am Abaddon, the Demon of Destruction.] [I am Steno, the Demon of Rotation.] [I am Bael, the Demon of Fall.] At the same time, monsters from hell began to pour out of the shrunken passage. [Uwooo!] [Uwooo!] [In honor of those who need our power, we will destroy thend you must protect.] The Quiklons activated, and attacks imbued with the powers of the respective demons began to pour out. * * * The incarnation spewed hellfire, burning the forest, and the three demons used the aerial fortresses to unleash demonic trajectories. The ground was filled with numerous monsters. It was a scene of utter disaster. Karin shouted loudly. "I summon thee! The one born from the primordial wind''s condensation! I summon thee! The one who governs and controls the wind! Observer of the world''sws! Appear before us! Minerva, Spirit King of the Wind!" With her deration, the air settled. The very concept of wind took shape. Boom! The demons'' attacks shed with the wind. Despite being a very gentle, almost breeze-like wind, itpletely neutralized the powerful demons'' attacks. [It''s been a while! I''d love to have a leisurely chat, but it seems we don''t have the time for that!] A light voice echoed. Blue hair swayed. The Spirit King of the Wind was a beautiful female spirit. [What should we do?] Karin was deep in thought. Three top-tier demons were using the Quiklon to attack the sanctuary. The incarnation was scattering hellfire everywhere, and monsters were charging in. No matter how powerful she was, she couldn''t handle everything at once. Karin made her decision. "Please control the hellfire. Suppress the incarnation and protect the elves from dying in battle." The incarnation of hellfire was hellfire itself given form. It would eventually burn itself out quickly, but until then, it wielded immense power. The spreading mes needed to be controlled. The elves'' lives were also precious and needed protection. "Is it possible?" [It''s possible. But are you sure? You''ll have to face those things alone for a while.] "I don''t mind." [Well, I guess that''s a needless worry. Got it.] Minerva moved swiftly. The wind blew fiercely. Although the incarnation scattered hellfire violently, it no longer spread. The hellfire that had burned half the forest couldn''t spread any further and gradually lost its strength. The incarnation was also suppressed by the Spirit King''s power. The wind of the earth and the mes of hell intertwined chaotically. [Just as expected.] The demons remained calm as if they had anticipated this. They had summoned the incarnation to bind the powerful Spirit King. A spirit master''s power wasn''t solely their own; they drew it out by synchronizing with spirits. With such a spirit gone, the spirit master''s power was significantly reduced. Kiiiiiing! Dozens of trajectories simultaneously poured toward the sanctuary, as if they had been waiting for this moment. Even one missed attack would cause the sanctuary to be half-destroyed. Karin had to respond to all the attacks. [You may have the power of a hero, but you''re not perfect without your spirit. How long do you think you can protect the sanctuary alone?] "For a lifetime?" Karin smirked. She raised her hand. The wind swirled and gathered, sweeping toward the iing dark trajectories. The top-tier demons'' power was supported by the aerial fortress. Each dark trajectory carried a forceparable to the demon Rubitra. Dozens of such trajectories collided with a single whirlwind. Boom! And it was the dark trajectories that shattered. The whirlwind destroyed every one of the demons'' attacks without leaving a single one behind. It didn''t stop there; it raced toward the demons. The demons hurriedly defended themselves, but the wind tore through their defenses. The Quiklon, which had been directly hit, staggered greatly, and chunks of the hellish rock that made up the Quiklon fell. Karin clicked her tongue, displeased with the result. "Is this all? It seems I have indeed weakened." [...You.] "Did you think you could handle me without the Spirit King? That''s insulting." Fierce winds swirled around her entire body. Dozens of whirlwinds manifested simultaneously. Each one had the same power as the previous whirlwind. "I''ll make you regret targeting this ce. I''ll crush and kill you." The demons hurriedly gathered their strength. The wind tore through the darkness. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 201: Passage of Hell (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 201: Passage of Hell (2) Boom! Schwarzwald Forest. One of thergest forests on the continent. Now, it was in chaos. Half of the forest had been burned by hellfire. If the Spirit King of the Wind had not controlled it, the entire forest would have been destroyed. And the Elven Holy Land, Elfo Sagrado, had turned into a battlefield. A sanctuary that had been peaceful for centuries had be the frontline. Monsters were charging in with screams. Elves were desperately moving to protect the sanctuary. Among the elves, there were also strong individuals of superhuman level. But the monsters were so strong that even those elves could not easily defeat them. In most ces, they would have been the main yers of the battlefield. But not here. They were merely side characters. A massive power was sweeping over their heads. Boom! Dark trajectories poured out from three Quiklons. The attack was truly powerful. The power contained in just one trajectory was enough to burn down a magically protected castle. Dozens of such trajectories were pouring out simultaneously. It was an attack that literally shook the continent. Boom! But it did not prate even a single person''s defense. Despite the relentless bombardment, all of it was blocked by the shaking wind. Boom! The demons were trying to somehow break through Karin''s defense. The dark trajectories poured out once again. This time, they drew curves and aimed to directly strike the interior of the sanctuary. The trajectories surrounded the sanctuary in branches. At this rate, the sanctuary would be directly hit and turned into ruins. "Such a trivial trick." But Karin lightly sneered and stomped her foot. Whoosh! The wind spread out. The spreading wind began to rotate around the sanctuary. The rotation elerated. And then. Rumble! A massive typhoon surrounded the sanctuary. The trajectories that were drawing curves were blocked by the typhoon and disappeared without a trace. The demons were at a loss for words due to such overwhelming power. [...What.] "Die." Karin swung her arm. Dozens of spears of wind were simultaneously created and flew towards the Quiklon. The demon of Destruction, Abaddon, gathered darkness to defend. The Quiklon was not just a fortress that strengthened attacks. Rather, its power was specialized in strengthening defense. A top-tier superhuman demon formed a powerful dark barrier with the support of the Quiklon. Crack! But the moment it touched the spears of wind, it cracked and shattered in an instant. [Abaddon!] Other demons urgently attacked the spears of wind. It took thebined strength of three demons to barely block Karin''s attack. Karin clicked her tongue. "Demons with a sense of camaraderie, huh." [...Unbelievable.] The demon of Fall, Bael,ughed dryly. They were currently fighting in a very advantageous situation. They had used hellfire to exclude the Spirit King of the Wind, Minerva, from the battle. Considering that most of a spirit master''s poweres from spirits, it was a significant penalty. And Karin was not alone. Behind her was the elven sanctuary, the World Tree. Considering the purity of the World Tree, even a trace of demonic energy was not allowed. She had to pay considerable attention to its protection. It was no exaggeration to say her hands and feet were tied. On the other hand, the demons were very free. They had seeded in a perfect descent with no significant power restrictions. They could draw out greater power using the airborne fortress Quiklon. It was not much different from three fully armored knights fighting a bare-handed warrior with bound limbs. But they could not prate. No, not only could they not prate, but they were also being pushed back. If even one condition had beencking, they would have already been annihted. [...A hero is still a hero, after all.] [We can''t break through even after capturing the Spirit King? Damn, this is humiliating.] The demon of rotation, Steno, grumbled. [This Quiklon is useless. I''m not the type to pour out this much power.] The Quiklon was an airborne fortress that assisted demons. Its power was specialized in bombardment and defense. But each demon had their own powers. Steno''s power was rotation. A wielder of twisted, rotating power. He was not a demon who could handle the Quiklon well. [Originally, the demon of the Demonic Lines, Rubitra, was supposed toe, right? Why was I needed?] [Originally, yes, but unfortunately, he got injured and needs to rest. He had no strength left.] [¡­Ah, you said he lost to some barbarian? That''s really something. Things are quite strange on the surface.] [Stop chatting and help me!] Bael screamed. The demons came to their senses and started wielding their demonic energy. Boom! However, no matter how hard they fought, it didn''t seem possible to break through Karin''s defense. At this rate, they would slowly be pushed back. [Damn. This is really humiliating.] [She''s a hero and a strong one at that. We can''t win unless someone of a higher rank moves. Besides, we didn''te here to overpower her with brute strength.] [That''s true.] Bael readily agreed with Abaddon. Their goal wasn''t to defeat Karin. It was to draw her attention to themselves. Bael muttered. [I wish they would hurry up and deal with this.] * * * Boom! The battle continued outside the holy ground. Nothing had significantly changed from before. The demons were busy defending against Karin''s attacks and couldn''t mount a proper counterattack. At this rate, Karin would win without much difficulty. Therefore, Karin frowned.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ''...Something is off.'' Three top-tier demons, Quiklon, and the Incarnate of Hellfire. It was a powerful force. It could easily destroy several kingdoms. It was a force capable of shaking the entire continent. But against her, a hero, it was insufficient. Even if they used the incarnate to hold down the Spirit King, they couldn''t reach her. Hell must have known this too. Yet, there were no further movements from them. ''What is this?'' They didn''te here just to burn the forest. They had some purpose. But she couldn''t guess what it was. The passage to Hell had also be very small. Monsters could appear, but not enough to change the course of the battle. Karin shook her head after a moment of contemtion. The demons were aiming for something, but she couldn''t figure it out. In that case, her task was simple. Kill the enemies in front of her. Her eyes grew cold. Rumble! The wind blowing towards the demons became even stronger. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It was now bing difficult for the demons to defend. Karin raised her hand towards the sky. [Come. Winds from above the clouds. Fierce winds existing at the edge of the.] The wind descended from the sky. It was a wind that couldn''t exist on this earth,ing from above the clouds. It was a savage wind that tore everything apart and allowed nothing to exist above it, descending upon this world by Karin''s will. Rumble! The wind pressed down on the earth. Hundreds of small andrge whirlwinds struck all at once. Yet, the trees of the forest remained unharmed. The force was concentrated solely on the enemies, the demons. It was neither an exaggeration nor a metaphor. The winds of this world were being controlled by a single elf. In the face of this overwhelming power, Bael screamed. [This is crazy!] The demons abandoned their attacks and put all their strength into defense. The massive aerial fortress Quiklon entered defense mode. Crunch! Their defenses were quickly eroded. The descending wind was literally shaking the entire ground. No matter how powerful the demons'' aerial fortress was, it was impossible to defend. Boom! The aerial fortresses were destroyed in an instant. The demons'' faces turned pale. They finally realized. They had only been able to withstand Karin''s attacks because she had been holding back, wary of Hell''s ns. Karin gathered the swirling wind into one ce. [Descend.] And at the same time. The Quiklons ceased to function. The demons wanted to scream, but they couldn''t. Their bodies lost all freedom. They were perfectly bound and couldn''t even blink. ''...Insane!'' Even a hero! To overpower the three of them like this! It was uneptable. But Karin lightly gathered the wind as if it were no big deal. "Just die." She spoke coldly and was about to use the concentrated wind to destroy the aerial fortress when... Rumble! A wave of energy spread from within the holy ground. It was a wave of terrible demonic energy. Karin''s eyes widened. "What!" Why was there a wave of demonic energy inside the holy ground! Startled, she inadvertently released her power. The demons, who had barely regained their freedom, sighed in relief. [Phew, we almost died.] [Why did it take so long? Hurry up already.] ¡°How is this possible!¡± She had surrounded the entire holy ground with a typhoon. It was a wind that could even block Quiklon''s attacks. It was imprable, and even if it was breached, she would immediately notice. Yet, she didn''t realize that a demon had infiltrated the holy ground. The demons mocked her. [There''s a demon as sneaky as a rat. We were worried whether he could blind a hero, but it was worth the effort to divert your attention.] Three top-tier named demons. Quiklon supporting them. And the Incarnate. It was a force strong enough to shake the entire continent. But even so, they couldn''t defeat a hero of her caliber. Hell also knew this fact. They weren''t after Karin''s life. They had a different goal. There was a named demon. This demon hadmitted numerous atrocities on this earth. He had corrupted religious churches, destroyed nations, and led people to ruin. Yet, he had never fully revealed himself. His name was Bruno. The Demon of Shadows. He was entirely unknown on this earth. Even the leaders of the dark wizards were unaware of his existence. He was one of Hell''s trump cards. ¡°Damn it!¡± She realized. While she was blocking the demons, another demon had infiltrated the holy ground without her noticing. The attack from outside the holy ground was just a distraction. She hurriedly tried to return to the holy ground, but the demons didn''t miss the opportunity. Trajectories of attacks poured toward the holy ground. She wielded the wind to defend. [It''s already toote. You''ve lost.] Abaddon taunted Karin. [The World Tree will be defiled. The connection between the earth and the spirits will be severed, and you will lose your power. All for the great one''s descent.] ¡°¡­!¡± Karin couldn''t refute. The demonic energy was spreading inside the holy ground. It meant it was already toote. She shouted with a sorrowful face. ¡°Ah! I failed to protect the World Tree! Such a disastrous mistake!¡± ¡°Why so upset?¡± ¡°I failed to protect the World Tree! I allowed the intrusion of evil!¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. But it¡¯s okay. I stopped it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Only then did Karin realize. Ketal was right beside her. Ketal smiled warmly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­ Have you returned?¡± ¡°I just got back. Can I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± ¡°Could you take care of this guy?¡± Karin looked at where Ketal was pointing. There, an ordinary-looking man was held by the head in Ketal''s hand. ¡°L-let me go! You bastard!¡± He was struggling to escape Ketal''s grip, but Ketal¡¯s hand didn¡¯t budge. As she looked closely at the man, Karin could feel the demonic energy emanating from him. ¡°¡­Ketel, who is this demon?¡± ¡°When I returned, he was up to no good in front of the World Tree. I couldn''t ignore it due to our deal, so I subdued him right away.¡± Ketel''s face looked very satisfied as he said this. Karin could only stare at him in a daze. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 202: Passage of Hell (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 202: Passage of Hell (3) Just a few minutes before Ketal, holding the demon''s head, arrived at Karin. It was during the fierce battle between the demons and Karin. "Whoa. This is chaotic." A man stood right next to the typhoon that raged in the sanctuary. Outwardly, he looked very ordinary. He had such a forgettable face that one would forget it upon passing by. There were no horns symbolizing a demon, and no demonic energy could be felt. He was Bruno, the demon of shadows. He had slipped through the hell''s passage amidst the demons. "You seem to be struggling." Bruno looked at the three demons desperately blocking Karin''s attacks with a pitying face. "Everyone, struggle a bit more for my performance." Bruno inserted himself into the typhoon. A demon was attempting to invade the sanctuary. Avatar, three demons, and the flying fortress Quiklon. All of these were merely bait for Bruno to infiltrate the Elven sanctuary. Under normal circumstances, Karin would have noticed, but she was preupied with the demons. Bruno''s presence was so insignificant that Karin did not detect him as he prated the typhoon. Thus, the Elven sanctuary allowed the demon to infiltrate, quite futilely. Bruno twisted his lips as he set his dirty foot in the sanctuary. "As expected, the spirit barrier has weakened." Bruno leisurely moved toward the World Tree. He sensed the gathered Elves. The nonbatant Elves were gathered in the shelter, praying to the spirit god and the queen. A sadistic glint momentarily appeared on Bruno''s face. He wanted to go and tear the Elves apart right away. "No, no." But Bruno suppressed that urge. He hade with a significant purpose, not just to defile the ground. Suppressing his emotions, he leaped up. Tap. Tap. He climbed the World Tree. With all the forces focused on the outskirts of the sanctuary, no one was there to stop him. Bruno reached the top, where the High Elf Karin had stayed, without any interference. "Ha." Bruno let out a sound involuntarily at the intense natural energy. The purest tree in this world. The World Tree. Its mere existence purified the air of the entire continent. This one tree produced enough oxygen to rival the entire Schwarzwald Forest. And the World Tree had a crucial role. It connected the spirit world and the mortal realm. If the World Tree were destroyed or tainted, the connection between the spirit world and the middle realm would be severed. It was a giant mechanism maintaining the bnce. "Heh heh." Bruno reached out for his purpose. Demonic energy gathered in his hand. He swung it at the World Tree''s branch. The branch was cut off effortlessly. Leaves scattered. Bruno caught the falling branch and leaves. "Here you go." Bruno opened a space. A small summoning circle to hell opened, and he sent the World Tree''s branch through it. Cutting off a branch of the World Tree and sending it to hell. That was Bruno''s first mission. "That''s done." And his second mission was to defile the World Tree. Bruno twisted his smile. Demonic energy began to gather in his hand. "It feels good." He was doing something grand, defiling this world and meeting the conditions for the Demon King''s descent. He was extremely satisfied. Bruno continued to gather demonic energy. Despite a demon leisurely gathering demonic energy in the sanctuary, there was no interference. Bruno looked at the World Tree with a sneer. "Damn gods. Damn spirits. Frustrated because you can''t activate the all-seeing eye as before? This world is no longer yours. It''s about to be ours." And that giant step was about to be aplished through his hands. Time passed, and the demonic energy was sufficiently condensed. It was enough to defile the World Tree. Thrust. Bruno thrust his arm into the World Tree. Demonic energy slowly infiltrated the inside of the World Tree. "Oh, ohhh..." Finally. The pure World Tree, untainted even in the ancient Divine-Demonic War, was being defiled. This great feat was being aplished through his hands. Bruno trembled with emotion. He intended to explode the demonic energy topletely engulf the World Tree. His entire focus was on the World Tree, neglecting his surroundings. Therefore, Bruno only realized there was someone behind him when his shoulder was tapped. "Hm?" Bruno turned his head. A giant barbarian was staring at him nkly. "...Huh?" "Seems like a mess after returning from the spirit world. You look like a demon, but do you know where Karin or Arkamis is?" "Huh, huh?" Bruno couldn''tprehend the situation. What? A barbarian? Why was a barbarian here? Ketal nkly looked at Bruno''s ckened hand embedded in the World Tree. "You don''t seem willing to answer. You appear to be doing something really bad." "...!" Bruno withdrew his hand from the World Tree. He swung the gathered demonic energy at Ketal. Ketal casually reached out and twisted Bruno''s wrist. The demonic energy grazed past Ketal''s head and dissipated into Karin''s storm. ''Wha, what!'' Bruno tried to withdraw his arm, but it wouldn''t budge. It felt like his arm was embedded in a cliff. "Sorry, but since we''ve made a deal, it can''t be like this." Ketal raised his axe. The axe gleamed with a holy light. Bruno, horrified, tried to shield himself. sh. The axe separated Bruno''s head from his body. * * * And now. Ketal was beside Karin, holding Bruno''s head. Karin, stumbling, spoke. "You seem in a good mood." "Of course." Ketal smiled brightly. Until now, he could overwhelm demons but could not subdue or reverse summon them. It was because hecked divine power. However, this time, he used the sanctity of Kalosia''s holy relic to subdue the demon and prevent it from escaping. It was a very satisfying change. "Initially, I tried to reverse summon itpletely, but it was impossible due to theck of divine power. So, I brought it here. Can I leave it to you?" "Ah, yes..." Karin waved her finger. A spear of wind materialized and pierced the man''s torso. "This damned...!" The demon of shadows, Bruno, was thus reverse summoned to hell. A peculiar silence fell amidst the chaotic battlefield. Karin was quite perplexed, but the demons were even more so. [¡­Wait a minute.] [What? Why is Bruno captured by that guy?] [The World Tree isn''t fully corrupted? Did he fail?] "Hmm." Ketal gazed at the three floating fortresses in the sky. "Impressive." Ketal murmured. The floating fortresses in the sky were quite impressive, truly a fantastical sight. "It looks like the demons are invading. Is that correct?" "Ah, yes." "Then I need to destroy those, right?" "Pardon?" "Is it okay to leave things as they are? It seems the demon did something to the World Tree." "...Ah." She hastily turned her gaze to the World Tree. Demonic energy could be felt from the World Tree. It was very faintpared to the entire World Tree but noticeable. For the World Tree, which must remain pure, it was a significant corruption. Moreover, if left alone, the corruption would grow and eventually engulf the entire World Tree. It needed to be purified immediately. And only Karin could purify the World Tree. "...Ketal, could you handle the demons for me?" "I made a deal with the spirit god. Don''t worry." "Then please, I''m really sorry." Karin hurriedly ran toward the World Tree. [W-Well, I don''t know what''s happening, but...] The demons regrouped. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Elven queen went to purify the corruption in the World Tree. They decided to cause as much damage as possible during this opportunity. As the demons made that judgment, Ketal raised his axe. "It''s a shame to destroy such a fantastical sight with my own hands... but a deal is a deal." Ketal nted his feet firmly. Boom! The ground shook as if a crater had been formed. Ketal''s body soared through the air. The demons immediately responded to the barbarian flying toward them. [Kill him!] Screech! A massive dark trajectory shot from Quiklon toward Ketal. His body disappeared as it was engulfed by the trajectory. [What an idiot!] The demon of rotation, Steno, shouted. Despite being overpowered by a hero, the trajectories they unleashed were far from weak. Each shot was powerful enough to turn a magically protected wall into dust. Being hit directly by such a force without any defense meant the barbarian would surely be obliterated without a trace. So the demons thought. The trajectory passed through the air, revealing Ketal''s unscathed form. [What!] He looked exactly the same as before being engulfed by the trajectory. Without losing speed, he flew toward the flying fortress controlled by Steno. Ketal gripped his axe tightly. As he reached Quiklon, he swung it. Boom! With a deafening roar, Quiklon was shattered. Unable to withstand the force, it quickly lost its shape and functionality, copsing. The hellish rocks forming Quiklon began to fall slowly toward the ground. In a single strike, the mighty hellish flying fortress was falling apart. Amidst the falling debris, a figure leaped out. "Graaaah!" Ketal grabbed Steno, who was on the fortress, and forcibly dragged her out. He mmed her body to the ground and swung his axe. The axe embedded itself in Steno''s chest. "Blutka." Screech! With a small murmur, a holy light enveloped the axe. It burned Steno''s body. Steno gritted her teeth and swung her arm. Crack! Demonic energy swirled, forming a small vortex that pushed Ketal away. Barely free, Steno hurriedly put some distance between herself and Ketal. "Stillcking in divine power, huh." Ketal clicked his tongue regretfully. The level of divine power from the holy relic was insufficient to reverse summon demons. At best, it could only subdue them. Steno, barely escaping, stared at Ketal with eyes filled with shock. ''What, what is this?'' Bruno had been captured by this barbarian. Bruno was not weak. Though he didn''t show himself often, his power was on par with the best of them. And this barbarian had destroyed her flying fortress with a single blow and forcibly dragged her out. ''...His level of divine power is only second-rate?'' As Steno observed Ketal for a moment, her eyes widened. "Are you the barbarian Ketal?" "Oh, you know me." "...It''s hard not to." Steno gritted her teeth. The demon of gravity, Ashetiar, had cried Ketal''s name toward hell. Due to the peculiarity of his body, he had not been branded, but his name had spread throughout hell. Continuously, Ketal had hindered the demons'' ns in the Kingdom of Denian and the sanctuary of Kalosia. Nearly half of the ns executed on the mortal realm were thwarted by Ketal. Most inhabitants of hell now knew Ketal''s name. Hearing this, Ketal smiled pleasantly. "My fame has spread that far, huh. Not a bad feeling." "Barbarian! How dare you interfere with us!" "No, it just happened by chance. If I got in the way, I apologize. It''s unfortunate." "Unfortunate?" Steno was momentarily taken aback by their conversation. They were demons. The absolute enemies of this world. Any being from the middle realm would instinctively hate and oppose them. But Ketal was conversing with them quite amiably. There was no trace of hostility in his eyes. Steno, momentarily flustered, quickly regained herposure. ¡°¡­Enough. If you are in front of me, there is only one thing to do.¡± Steno took a deep breath and shouted harshly. ¡°Creatures of hell! Our n has failed! But right now, in front of us! There is a marked being from this world!¡± The demon''s deration rang out. Steno shouted with a twisted face. ¡°Kill the sinner with the mark!¡± At the same time, the monsters attacking the elves turned. They rushed at Ketal to kill him. The incarnate did the same. The incarnate shook its body violently. Hellfire scattered likendmines exploding everywhere. [What a shallow trick!] The king of the wind spirits contained and controlled all the erupting hellfire. Seizing the opportunity, the incarnate rushed straight at Ketal. The demons did the same. The flying fortress exploded violently. It was a kind of self-destruction. ¡°Damn it!¡± Arkamis¡¯s expression changed as she fought the monsters. The massive flying fortress exploded, scattering debris everywhere. If left unchecked, the entirend would be drenched in darkness. Moreover, these elements were not favorable against the spirits. The elves couldn''t stop it. Karin could have stopped it, but she had gone to purify the World Tree. The elves hurriedly wielded their spirits to block the explosion of the flying fortress, but they were not enough. Arkamis bit her lip as if making a resolution. She unfolded her clothes. All sorts of catalysts flew out from there. She stomped the ground fiercely. [Harmonize!] Screeeech! The catalysts flew through the air, harmonizing with Arkamis. The elves'' eyes widened at the enormous power manifesting. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wait. Why does Lady Arkamis have those things?¡± An alchemist handles catalysts and materials. And this was the sanctuary of the elves. There were precious catalysts that could not be seen outside. Each one was worth more than a whole castle. She hadn''t known before, but now that she had learned alchemy, she recognized their value and coveted them. So she secretly took some catalysts little by little. If the sanctuary''s elves knew, they would be furious and imprison her, even if she were a high elf. Karin knew this but remained silent, considering it a cute prank. Now, those pilfered catalysts were manifesting their power. [Dew that formed at the tip of the World Tree''s leaf! Root of the ancient rotten tree born with the World Tree! Cocoon of the caterpir that fed on the World Tree''s leaves! Powder of the root where high elves are born!] Each catalyst would cause an uproar if taken outside. And now, they were being handled by Arkamis. An alchemist maniptes catalysts. Depending on the grade and quality of the catalysts, they could easily surpass their limits. Screeeeech! The processed catalysts harmonized with Arkamis¡¯s magic. A translucent barrier unfolded. Quiklon''s fragments pounded on it fiercely. ¡°Urrrgh!¡± Arkamis groaned. Blood flowed from between her clenched teeth. But she did not fall and desperately blocked the attacks. The elves watched her with wide eyes. Meanwhile, all the creatures of hell were rushing at Ketal to kill him. Ketal raised his axe joyfully. Crunch. The rushing monsters were literally smashed to pulp. The demons unleashed their powers. Destruction, Rotation, and Fall struck Ketal¡¯s body. The incarnate, who had approached unnoticed, also swung its hellfire at Ketal. But his body was unyielding. Despite the onught, he did not waver an inch. The incarnate, now close to Ketal, grabbed his head. Hellfire engulfed Ketal¡¯s entire body. The mes only burned his clothes and could not prate his flesh. ¡°That''s hot!¡± Ketal cheerfully swung his axe. With a single strike, the incarnate''s body was split in half. The hellfire forming the incarnate was forcibly extinguished. Boom! He swung his axe, deflecting the demons'' powers. Steno could not believe it. He was blocking their desperate attacks so nonchntly. Instead, he was smiling as if he was having fun. ¡°A human figure burning ck! Very cool! The ¡®Outside¡¯ is truly interesting!¡± ¡®Outside?¡¯ Steno paused at the strange word. The hellfire burned Ketal¡¯s clothes, revealing a grotesque scar on his chest. Steno¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You, that scar. You¡¯re from the White Snowfield¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°What? You just realized? You¡¯re slower to catch on than I thought.¡± ¡°¡­Impossible!¡± Steno shouted in denial. With a contorted face, she spoke usingly. ¡°You are the enemy of the world! Taking one side against the other! That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°I don''t think you have the right to define me.¡± Ketal replied indifferently and leaped. He deflected the demon¡¯s attacks and grabbed its head, applying pressure. The demon''s head burst. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 203: Passage of Hell (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 203: Passage of Hell (4) Boom! Power exploded. Monsters were crushed. The entire in, once teeming with monsters, was suddenly cleared. "You bastard!" Three demons simultaneously rushed at Ketal. They unleashed their powers: - Abaddon''s power, which brings all things to ruin. - Steno''s power, which twists and distorts the world. - Bael''s power, which devalues and degrades everything. The powers of the three top-tier superhuman demons converged on Ketal. Yet, his body remained unchanged. The demonic powers shattered against Ketal''s body. Ketal charged forward, arriving instantly in front of Abaddon. Abaddon swiftly swung his spear, imbued with his power. A single stab from it would bringplete annihtion to any flesh, rendering it irrecoverable. Crack! Ketal grabbed the spear with his bare hands and broke it. He then swung his axe, splitting Abaddon in half. Crash! The other demons attacked Ketal''s back. He casually turned, deflecting their powers with his axe. ng! Ketal stomped his foot and instantly reached the other demons, splitting their bodies before they could react. "You crazy!" Steno, having restored her body, looked incredulous. ¡®We can''t do anything even with the three of us together?¡¯ They were being overwhelmed like children. Steno couldn''t ept it. Sbe felt no significant differencepared to when they faced the High Elf Queen. ¡®This guy is supposed to be a hero?¡¯ Rubitra had imed to face him alone to some extent, but that was natural. After confronting Rubitra, Ketal had identified demons as his enemies. If they were his enemies, he would face them as such. Ketal charged at the restored Steno. Steno erected a barrier of demonic energy, a defense of absolute strength made by intertwining countlessyers of demonic power. Ketal muttered softly. "Blutka." Divinity enveloped Ketal''s axe. The divinely charged axe shattered Steno''s defense and butchered his body. Ketalughed in satisfaction. "Is this the power of divinity? I like it." "Don''t be ridiculous!" Steno, having restored her body again, gritted her teeth. Her defense couldn''t have been pierced by such a thinyer of divinity. It was Ketal''s strength that had shattered her defense; the divinity was just an aid. ¡®What is that axe?¡¯ The ck axe Ketal wielded was also strange. Despite blocking their attacks and breaking through defenses, the axe de remained unscathed. At this rate, killing Ketal seemed impossible. The High Elf Queen would soon clear all the corruption and arrive. If that happened, it would be the end. Even without the High Elf Queen, it was unclear if they could manage. She couldn''t see any way to pierce that body. "No...!" Rubitra had left a red mark on Ketal''s body. Although it would disappear over time, it proved that his body wasn''t invincible. They were demons of the same rank as Rubitra. If the three of thembined their full power, they could break through. Steno signaled to the other demons. They nodded slightly. "Huff!" The demons exerted all their power. The ground around Ketal began to copse and crumble. Ketal''s body started to sink into the earth. Ketal''s eyes gleamed. "Oh?" "Die!" The demons concentrated their powers, forming a single line of ruin, rotation, and fall aimed at Ketal''s heart. The full power of the three top-tier superhuman demons was indeed formidable. Perhaps it could pierce Ketal''s body. "Oops." Ketal twisted his body lightly. His floating body moved, his arm reached out. He slightly touched the tip of the converging line of power. Screech! The angled line pierced the sky. The demons''bined attack was effortlessly deflected. Ketalnded on the crumbling ground,ughing heartily. "Thatst attack was quite decent. I''ll give you that." "...Ah, right." Steno chuckled hollowly. A sharp sword can indeed cut through human flesh. But a novice holding a sword couldn''t pierce a martial arts master. Every attempt would be deflected or blocked. Even if it could pierce, hitting the target was another matter entirely. This barbarian wasn''t just pushing with sheer strength. He knew how to use techniques and strategies. They never had a chance from the beginning. Steno realized this, as did the other two demons, who alsoughed hollowly while lying on the ground.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Is it over? It was fun, but a bit boring." Ketal climbed out of the copsed ground, seemingly disappointed. Steno muttered weakly. "You, you shouldn''t side with the surface world. You''re the enemies of both sides..." "You''re quite sure of yourself. I''m curious about what you mean." At that moment, the wind settled. "How dare you." Karin, who had returned unnoticed, spoke coldly. "How dare worms like you target our sanctuary, the World Tree..." Karin snapped her fingers lightly. The wind bound the demons'' bodies entirely. They couldn''t even blink of their own volition. "You will pay dearly for this crime." "Is all the corruption removed?" "I couldn''t remove itpletely right away, so I isted it for now. We¡¯ll have to remove it slowly, but the major threat is gone. Thank you, Ketal. And..." "Huff, huff, huff." Karin looked at the nearly dead Arkamis. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Arkamis, you did well too. If it weren''t for you, the damage would have been greater. I didn¡¯t expect the hidden catalysts to be so effective here." "Then make sure to take care of me next time..." "Arkamis, are you okay?" "No... help me..." Ketal readily supported Arkamis, who, despite being near death, managed a faint smile. Karin watched them with a peculiar expression. "What will you do with these guys? Capture them and extract information?" "I''d like to, but... demons won''t say anything." Even if it meant their own destruction, demons would never aid the beings of the surface world. That was the nature of demons, the eternal enemies of the Middle World. "I see." Ketal smacked his lips in disappointment. The demons seemed to know something about him, but finding out was impossible. Karin lightly snapped her fingers, opening Steno''s mouth. "Speak." "Though we''ve failed this time... we will continue to target the surface. Reverse summon us." Steno''s expression was calm. They were demons, beings of Hell, fundamentally not of this world. The concept of death didn''t apply to them. The best the surface dwellers could do was send them back to Hell. They would need some time to recover their demonic energy, but that was all. Thus, the demons remained calm even in their restrained state. Karin''s lips twisted in displeasure. "You seem confident. Do you think going back to Hell is an easy escape?" She moved her slender fingers above Steno''s head. "Daring to defile our sanctuary and invade the World Tree, you think you can just walk away? Not a chance." The wind flowed through Karin''s fingers into Steno''s body. Steno, who had been looking up in confusion, suddenly widened his eyes. "Ah, ah. Aaaaaah! Aaaaaaaah!" A terrible scream erupted. Steno''s eyes trembled wildly. He struggled to escape, but Karin''s restraint held firm. The other demons, seeing this, widened their eyes in disbelief. A demon, screaming in pain inflicted by a being of the surface world, was unimaginable. Ketal asked with interest, "What are you doing?" "I am called a hero." She could interfere with essence andws. "Even if they are beings of Hell, I can disrupt their essence. Whileplete annihtion is impossible... I can ruin their very nature." "Aaaaaaaah!" Steno''s body shook violently. Unable to endure the pain, his eyes rolled back, and his body slowly began to disintegrate. Karin cheerfully dusted her hands. "He won''t die. But he will suffer unimaginable pain for centuries. Now, it''s your turn." She smiled brightly. For the first time, fear appeared on the demons'' faces. * * * After the situation was resolved, the elves began restoring the damaged forest. Karin stood atop the World Tree, and Ketal spoke to her. "How extensive is the damage?" "Considering their full force, it''s minimal." Though some elves were injured, none had died. Half of the vast Schwarzwald forest had burned, but given the power of Hellfire, the damage was rtively insignificant. "And they failed in their primary objective." The demons'' main goal was to corrupt the World Tree. But the World Tree remained intact. Though slightly tainted, immediate action had prevented major problems. It was still an issue, but much better than the worst-case scenario. The demons were driven back to Hell without achieving their goal, making the defense a sess. However, there was still some damage. "They took a branch of the World Tree." Karin bit her lip as she looked at the severed branch. "They must have needed it for something. I can''t imagine what demons would do with a branch of the World Tree." "...There are many uses for it." The World Tree was one of the purest entities in the world. Whether corrupted or kept pure, it had numerous applications. For instance, using the severed branch to summon demons could bring forth several named demons. Such a thing in the hands of Hell was very bad news for the surface world. Karin''s mouth tasted bitter. As the queen, she had to protect the World Tree, but she had allowed it to be wounded. Without Ketal, the corruption would have spread beyond her control. The mere thought gave her chills. "Thank you very much, Ketal." "It''s nothing." Ketal smiled brightly. "I have my own reasons. But do you really have time for a leisurely conversation?" "Well, no." As the leader of the sanctuary, she had to deal with not only the corruption of the World Tree but also the forest''s damage. Ketal spoke. "Go on. I''ll wait patiently." "Thank you very much." Karin bowed her head deeply. The elves began restoring the forest. Despite the damage, the Wind Spirit King''s power helped the recovery process. A few dayster, Ketal and Karin met again. "It seems it''s almost over." "Yes. There''s still some work to do, but nature will take care of the rest." "You seem rxed. May I ask you something now?" "Yes. What would you like to know?" Ketal asked her. Karin hesitated at the question. "The demons told me that I cannot take sides with you. They said I am the enemy of the world. Do you know anything about that?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 204: Enemies of the World [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 204: Enemies of the World (1) After a brief silence, Karin cautiously asked. "...Can you tell me exactly what was said?" "This is what was said." [You, you are the enemies of the world! Taking one side and opposing the other? That''s impossible!] It was what a demon who realized Ketal was the Barbarian of the White Snowfield had said. Karin quietly mulled over the words. "¡­Could it be because of the existence of the Forbidden Lands?" The existence of the Forbidden Lands wasn''t aligned with any side. They couldn''t be controlled, and there was no way tomunicate with them. They just destroy the world. "I think that''s why it was said that way." "But the tone was oddly confident." The existence of the Forbidden Lands was the enemy of the world. The demon''s voice had a tone as if that was an established truth. The existence of the Forbidden Lands should not side with anyone. It was as if the world''sws were set that way. Karin fell into contemtion, thinking there was some merit to it. "Hmm¡­." "I heard from Arkamis. A very long time ago, there was a conflict between the gods and the Forbidden Lands. Do you know anything about that?" "No." Karin shook her head. "I''ve also only heard stories about it." She had lived for a very long time as the High Elf Queen. But even for her, it was a story close to legend. She didn''t have detailed information about it. "Then do you know when that period was?" "Hmm¡­ I''m not sure." After pondering for a while, Karin said. "I''ve always thought it was after the Great War of the Gods and Demons." That assumption was natural. Because before the gods descended, the world belonged to the demons. Unable to bear the demons using the middle world as a yground, the gods descended. After a long war, they finally managed to drive the evil out of the world. After that, humanity made remarkable progress. That was the history they knew. In other words, for the gods and the Forbidden Lands to sh, it had to be after the Great War of the Gods and Demons. But if that were the case, it was hard to understand the demon''s words. It was a sh between the gods and the Forbidden Lands. It should have nothing to do with the demons. But the demon spoke as if the demons and the Forbidden Lands were rted. Karin cautiously spoke. "Could it be that even before the gods appeared in the world, when the demons were upying it, there were shes with the Forbidden Lands?" "That''s possible." "But¡­." If that were the case, there was something else that was hard to understand. The current world was in chaos. The presence of evil was appearing in the world, and at the same time, entities of the Forbidden Lands were being released. Since both were happening simultaneously, it was hard not to think there was a corrtion. The inhabitants of the continent were internally thinking that the Forbidden Lands and the demons were allies. While Ketal was assisting them, that was only because Ketal was an exception. Other entities of the Forbidden Lands were seen as being on the same side as the demons. Karin thought so too. But ording to the demon, the Forbidden Lands was also the enemy of the demons. It was a kind of contradiction. Karin''s head was gettingplicated. ''¡­Could it be that they released the entities of the Forbidden Lands to throw the world into chaos?'' It was a reasonable hypothesis. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The current world was the realm of the gods, so there was nothing to lose for the demons even if the Forbidden Lands was released. Or. ''¡­Was the release of the Forbidden Lands unexpected even for the demons?'' It was thought that the chaos in the world was orchestrated by the demons. But what if it wasn''t?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ''What if the chaos wasn''t orchestrated by the demons?'' What if they were just taking advantage of chaos they hadn''t orchestrated? Countless possibilities came to mind. Karin shook her head. "I don''t know." "Is that so?" "Honestly, I don''t know much about the world." Though she was a long-lived species, as the High Elf Queen, she stayed in the holynd for a long time without venturing out. While various information came in from outside, there was information that could only be obtained by traveling the world personally. "Perhaps the Master of the Magic Tower or someone like that would know better?" "Hmm." Ketal had a lot to think about as well. If the demon''s words were true, then the existence of the Forbidden Lands was the enemy of the world. It wasn''t exactly wrong. The first entity of the Forbidden Lands they encountered, Nano, couldmunicate but couldn''t be understood in terms of values. Trying to rece all beings, that was certainly an enemy of the world. The monkeys in the deep sea were the same. They had high intelligence but were nothing more than monsters. The monsters of the White Snowfield were not much different. To them, everything except themselves was an enemy. There was no thought that they would show goodwill towards demons. ''Is there some kind ofw?'' The existence of the Forbidden Lands cannot coexist with the existence of this world. It is an absolute truth, like the opposite poles of a ma. The demon''s voice was so confident that it made one think that way. But even so, there was something strange. ''I don''t really have one, do I?'' To him, this world was a yground. Now, demons were his enemies, but in time, they could be allies. There was no mindset that he was the enemy of the world. Nothing was controlling him. There was no quest being forced upon him. "Hmm." ''I don''t know.'' He would find out in time. After all, demons were popping out one by one, so he could catch and interrogate them. If that didn¡¯t work, he could seek out the Master of the Magic Tower. Ketal cleared his thoughts neatly. Karin also let out a small sigh as if she felt the same. "I should look into this as well." "Thank you for doing that." "Considering what you''ve done, Ketal, it''s not a big deal." Without Ketal, the World Tree might have been contaminated. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] No, it probably would have been. Even imagining it again was terrifying. "I will prepare a reward for you." "Oh, that''s okay." Ketal smiled. "I already have oneing." "What? From whom?" "The Spirit God wanted to make a deal with me. The deal was to protect the World Tree." Karin''s eyes widened at that. "W-what? The Spirit God?" "Yes. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could open the passage again." "Wait a moment. Does that mean¡­ the Spirit God knew about it?" The Spirit God knew that the demons were targeting the World Tree. It could only be thought that way. Therefore, Karin was very surprised. "Then why didn''t he¡­ tell us in advance?" "I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll have to meet and ask." Ketal grinned. * * * The next day. With Karin''s help, Ketal moved to the Spirit Realm. There, Piego was waiting. [You''re here. Follow me.] Like a guide, Piego took Ketal through the Spirit Realm. Before long, they could meet Beatrice. "Nice to see you again." [Hello.] The Spirit God spoke in a still fragmented tone. [I was watching.] "You''ve been watching. Then why didn''t you intervene? Karin was wondering." [The Middle World. Originally ours. The cracks in the world. No longer ours. They can intervene too. Not easy.] "Ah." Ketal nodded understandingly. Cracks had appeared in the world. Now even the beings of Hell could intervene in the world. But on the other hand, it meant that the situation had been very favorable to the gods until now. In fact, unlike demons, the gods had been freely spreading their divinity and scriptures. With the cracks, now even the gods couldn¡¯t intervene recklessly. The Spirit God affirmed Ketal''s spection. [The same intervention as before is possible. But excessive involvement is difficult.] "The beings of this world must do their best." [Right. You did well. I am satisfied.] Ketal had fulfilled the deal. Now it was time to receive the reward. [I will give you a spirit.] "Oh." Finally, he could get a spirit. Ketal''s eyes sparkled. [Is the spirit''s power okay?] "Of course, it¡¯s okay." Ketal just wanted to make a contract with a spirit. He didn''t care much about the spirit''s power itself. "But I heard that weak spirits cannot withstand my level. Is there a problem?" [No problem. I will attach a spirit that can withstand.] "I¡¯ve also heard that myck of mystery makes it difficult to contract." [No problem.] The Spirit God spoke calmly, as if such constraints had no meaning to her. "Oh¡­." Finally, he was getting a spirit. Ketal was deeply moved. Piego watched the scene with a somewhat sullen expression. ''¡­She really intends to give a spirit.'' He knew that the Barbarian wanted a spirit contract but thought it was impossible. Ketal had very little mystery, and there was no spirit that could contract with him. But if the Spirit God personally formed the contract, it was entirely possible. ''Which poor spirit will be contracted, I wonder.'' Piego felt a sense of pity for the spirit that would end up contracting with Ketal. He had no idea that he would be the target. This was because he had already formed a contract with an elf on Earth. It was impossible for a spirit with an existing contract to form another. While he was annoyed by his contract with the elf, he was now grateful for it. However, Piego had forgotten one crucial fact. The Spirit God could change such rules at will. [You. Do you know any spirits? It¡¯s better if it''s someone familiar, right?] ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than meeting a spirit for the first time.¡± [Good.] The Spirit God looked at Piego lightly. [You. Form a contract with him.] [...What?] [You know him. You¡¯ve talked with him. He¡¯s strong enough. Conditions met.] The Spirit God spoke calmly. [Form the contract.] Piego''s eyes widened in shock. The Spirit God was trying to make him contract with this barbarian! Terrified, Piego hurriedly spoke. [O Spirit God! I already have a contract. Dual contracts are possible, but just in case¡­] [No problem. I¡¯ll send another spirit. Form the contract with him.] [Ah¡­] No. He wanted to argue that this was nonsense. But the opponent was the Spirit God. The Spirit God seemed unwilling to change her mind. So, as a spirit, he had no choice but toply. ¡®¡­Do I really have to contract with this barbarian?¡¯ He hated it, but there was nothing he could do. With tears in his eyes, Piego bowed his head. [I willply¡­] If he had known this, he wouldn¡¯t havee in the first ce. He had moved out of curiosity about the power arising in the Spirit Realm. Piego deeply regretted his curious decision. This sentiment was felt by Ketal as well. ¡®He looks like a child being sold off.¡¯ He looked pitiful. Though it had nothing to do with him. With a brief contract, Piego left with a gloomy face. The Spirit God let out a short sound of satisfaction. [Hmm. Taskpleted.] "Good. Thank you. Ah, may I ask a few questions?" [Sure.] "The demons called me the enemy of the world. You said something simr. Is that true?" [...] After a brief silence, the Spirit God spoke. [Yes.] "I see." The God confirmed the demons'' words. The existence of the Forbidden Lands was indeed an enemy to the world. [Then, I wonder. Why do you support us?] There was a question in the Spirit God''s voice. It was a voice that truly did not understand. [Why talk to us? Why make deals? Why protect the sacred ground? Why fight the demons? Why protect the world?] "There¡¯s no particr reason." Ketal spoke lightly. "Because I want to." At those words, a sparkle appeared in the Spirit God¡¯s eyes. [...We ponder. How to deal with you. Each with their own methods. Indifference. Favor. Hostility. Control. I haven¡¯t decided yet.] And now, the Spirit God made a decision. [I abstain. No interference. I let you be.] "That¡¯s fine with me." Ketal smiled. His body began to fade. The mystery had run out, returning him to the middle realm. "Ah. May I ask onest question?" [Speak.] "It¡¯s perhaps the most important question. You are the Spirit God. A being that watches over this world." Looking at the Spirit God, Ketal asked. "How was I able toe out in the first ce?" [...] "Is the world''s chaos because of me?" The Spirit God remained silent. Even as his bodypletely disappeared, returning to the Earth, she did not answer. Judging that the Spirit God had no intention of answering, Ketal was about to return with a regretful face. It was then that the Spirit God spoke softly. [I don¡¯t know.] The great god acknowledged her ignorance. Ketal smiled. "Thank you. I mean it. I hope we can meet again." With those words, Ketal returned to the middle realm. After watching him for a moment, the Spirit God soon moved somewhere. It was not the Spirit Realm she headed to. It was a different ce. A ce where beings equal to her existed. The Spirit God moved to the Pantheon. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 205: Duel (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 205: Duel (1) ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yeah. I had a pleasant conversation. And I got a reward.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± A being from the earth saying that a conversation with a god was pleasant. Karin felt a slight dissonance but quickly erased that feeling. ¡°What did you receive?¡± Karin didn¡¯t know what Ketal received as a reward for the transaction. She could only guess. Ketal smiled brightly and showed what he had received. ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­ this is how you do it. Call forth. The one who holds the ancient purity. Call forth. The one who burns the dark shadows. Come forth. The one who holds the horn of pure me. Piego.¡± The incantation of summoning waspleted. Simultaneously, mes arose. A ming bull appeared. [Did you call for me?] ¡°Oh, ohhh¡­¡± Ketal trembled at the sight of Piego. He had summoned a spirit. He had achieved the mystery of fantasy directly. It was an overwhelming feeling. Karin was astonished. ¡°A spirit contract? And a high-tier spirit at that?¡± She had roughly guessed that Ketal would receive a spirit as a reward, but she never imagined he would make a contract with a highest-ranking spirit. She thought at best it would be a high-ranking one. The reason was simple. ¡°Don¡¯t youck the mystic energy to handle it?¡± ¡°I was worried about that too, but the Spirit God said it would be fine. And indeed, I can summon him without any significant burden.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, now that I think about it, that makes sense.¡± When summoning a spirit to the earth, mystic energy corresponding to its power is consumed. A price must be paid to bring an external being to the earth. But the contract between Ketal and Piego was directly facilitated by the Spirit God. Since the owner of the world from which the reward came directly connected them, no price was necessary. However, that was merely a theoretical story. This was her first time seeing it in practice. She looked at Piego with a mixture of awe and caution and spoke carefully. ¡°¡­As far as I know, the queen of another elven n is contracted with Piego.¡± ¡°That has also been resolved. She will make a contract with another highest-ranking spirit. The follow-up was perfect.¡± ¡°I¡­ see.¡± To rece a contracted spirit with another. It was literally an almost tyrannical act. Neither the consumption of mystic energy nor the contracts made sense. But if the Spirit God had done it directly, it wasn¡¯t iprehensible. After all, the master of the spirit world was the Spirit God. If she wished it, themon sense they knew was meaningless. Karin epted it that way. [So why did you call me?] Piego spoke in a disgruntled tone. Ketal answered with a smile. ¡°I wanted to show off.¡± [¡­Is that all?] ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal nodded lightly. For a moment, Piego''s mes seemed to flicker as if in anger. But he showed no further action. With a voice that seemed to calm down, he said, [¡­Then can I go back now?] ¡°Yes. For now, you can return. I¡¯ll call you againter.¡± [Damn you.] Piego spat out his displeasure but obediently returned to the spirit world. Karin watched the process with a sense of unease. ¡°¡­He listens well.¡± Highest-ranking spirits had a pride as strong as their power. Even the contractor couldn¡¯t handle them easily and had to treat them with respect. If another contractor had summoned him for such a trivial reason, they might have demanded to break the contract. Moreover, Piego was notorious even among highest-ranking spirits for his bad temper. Yet he obeyed Ketal so meekly. It seemed that, as it was a contract personally conducted by the Spirit God, he had no choice but toply. ¡°He looks pitiful.¡± A highest-ranking spirit with high pride being manipted like that. He must have been fuming. ¡°Still, I have no intention of letting him go.¡± This was the first spirit he had obtained. He intended to stay with him until the end. Seeing Ketal''s expression, Karin silently prayed for Piego. ¡°In any case, you can now summon spirits. And there¡¯s hardly any consumption of mystic energy.¡± With this, many things became possible for Ketal. Spirits themselves possessed mystic energy. Moreover, the power of a highest-ranking spirit could reach the level of the highest-ranking superhumans. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he had be able to handle that level of mystic energy. ¡°You¡¯ll probably have much fewer difficulties due to ack of mystic energy from now on.¡± At those words, Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true.¡± Whenever he needed mystic energy in the future, he could summon Piego to solve it. He could use him as a sort of mystic energy storage. It would have been an infuriating situation for Piego, who was being treated as storage, but it was of no concern to Ketal. ¡°Well then.¡± Ketal''s eyes sparkled as he looked at Karin. ¡°Can I ask you now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Karin nodded reluctantly, looking like she had no choice. * * * Karin and Ketal moved to the training ground within the sanctuary. There was no one around. Arkamis whined about wanting to watch, but Karin adamantly refused, citing safety concerns. Ketal chuckled heartily as he loosened up. ¡°I never thought you would actually agree.¡± Ever since meeting Karin, Ketal had persistently asked her for a duel. He wanted to experience the strength of a hero firsthand. Each time, Karin declined, citing danger andck of interest. Since he couldn¡¯t force someone who was unwilling, Ketal had half given up. After the demon invasion ended, Ketal jokingly asked Karin if he could request a duel as a reward. After much contemtion, Karin had epted. Karin spoke calmly. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for us, Ketal. I can do at least this much.¡± Considering that without him, the World Tree would have been corrupted, a duel was nothing. ¡®¡­I won¡¯t lose.¡¯ Karin thought to herself. Even if she fought with all her might, she wouldn¡¯t lose. Because she was a hero. But. ¡°It¡¯s just a simple duel. It must end at the level of testing strength. If it gets too heated, we¡¯ll stop immediately.¡± She spoke quickly. If Arkamis had been watching, she would have thought she was making excuses in advance. Ketalughed and replied. ¡°That¡¯s the n, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hoo.¡± Karin¡¯s eyes settled. She was more tense than when the demons invaded the sanctuary. ¡°Well then.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± As soon as those words left his mouth, Ketal moved. Incredibly fast. Even the highest-level warriors would struggle to respond. But Karin reacted immediately. She extended her hand, forming a staff out of gathered wind. Whooosh! Ketal¡¯s fist collided with Karin¡¯s staff. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The impact reverberated throughout the sanctuary. Elves, startled, instinctively flinched. ¡°Oh ho!¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. His attack had been blocked. Perfectly. Heunched a fierce assault. Karin¡¯s hands moved deftly. Crash! Crash! Crash! Karin blocked all his attacks. Ketal was impressed. ¡°You¡¯re quite good at closebat.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if I couldn¡¯t handle this much.¡± Karin spoke calmly, but inside, she was anything but. ¡®How is he so fast?¡¯ It was an onught that would be impossible to counter if her reactions were even slightly slower. Ketal suddenly lunged forward. He broke through Karin¡¯s defense and grabbed her shoulder. At that moment, wind burst from Karin¡¯s body. Ketal¡¯s hands slipped as if he had grabbed oil. Karin seized her staff and thrust it towards Ketal. The wind forming the staff exploded, sweeping over Ketal¡¯s body. Boom! Ketal¡¯s body was pushed back. Heughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m being pushed back! Amazing!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡®¡­He¡¯s only being pushed back?¡¯ Karin was inwardly stunned. The power in that wind could have killed even a top-tier superhuman. For him to only be pushed back after taking it head-on¡­ ¡®Is this even possible, even with the protection of the status?¡¯ It was an iprehensible level of toughness. Boom! The battle continued. Ketal¡¯s strength and speed gradually increased. It was bing burdensome for Karin. ¡®At this rate.¡¯ She had to end it. Making that decision, sheunched herself into the air. She was a hero. A being strong enough to influence the very concept of the world. [Fall under my control.] The wind subsided. All the wind in the area fell under Karin¡¯smand. The Spirit King Karin had contracted with was Minerva, the Spirit King of Wind. Though it was simply referred to as wind, it actually epassed a much broader range. The atmosphere of the entire. That was the domain Minerva controlled. Karin twisted the properties of the air around Ketal, changing his environment. At the same time, Ketal''s body floated gently in the air. Ketal''s eyes widened as his body did not obey his will. ¡®Oh?¡¯ ¡°I have taken control of the atmosphere in the area.¡± Ketal had been moving solely with his physical strength. His limits were clear. Therefore, Karin, who could intervene in thews of the world, had a simple way to respond. Karin created a space around Ketal where no force could work and no resistance urred. She had created a vacuum state where even gravity didn¡¯t apply. No matter how much he tried to move, there was nothing to react to, so he could only il. Karin felt a bit relieved that the battle was over. Meanwhile, Ketal found the state fascinating. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Would it feel like this if a person were thrown into space without a suit? It was an incredibly strange sensation. He marveled at the fact that heroes could do such things. This was a feeling he hadn¡¯t experienced even in the White Snow ins. Ketal couldn¡¯t ignore it. ¡®¡­If it¡¯s at this level.¡¯ Ketal''s eyes gleamed. Seriousness reflected in his eyes. Just as Karin was about to dere the end, Ketal¡¯s body tensed. Crack. His muscles swelled momentarily. Karin realized Ketal was trying to move forcibly. It was impossible. If she had been suppressing Ketal using mystical power, he could have broken through with sheer force. But that wasn¡¯t the case. She was a hero-level warrior. She could interfere with thews and order of the world. She had literally controlled the atmosphere to change the environment. Ketal''s status could only assist and protect his body. They couldn¡¯t ovee physical limits. No matter how strong he was, it was impossible to move in space with his strength alone. Without using mystical power, he couldn¡¯t escape. That was what she thought. Crack! ¡°¡­Hm?¡± As Ketal moved, the space itself began topress. The perfectly controlled air slowly started to shift. ¡°Wait.¡± Karin couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The air she controlled was defying her will. Impossible. Simple force was viting thews of this world? ¡®No.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t it. Ketal''s very existence was attempting to defy thews of the world. As if he wasn¡¯t of this world.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡®Impossible.¡¯ Such a thing couldn¡¯t be. At least, with the abilities Ketal had shown so far, it was impossible. But the impossible was happening before her eyes. As if he hadn¡¯t been serious until now. ¡°Damn!¡± Karin hastily erected a barrier of wind. At that moment, power exploded. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± The air exploded. Condensed force burst in all directions. The force shattered the barrier and spread beyond the sanctuary into the forest. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°What, what is this?¡± The elves restoring the forest stumbled as a massive wind suddenly surged. Trees shook as if about to be uprooted. ¡°Did Lady Karin do something?¡± The bacsh was so strong that they thought the Spirit Mage who had contracted with the Spirit King of Wind had done something. ¡°¡­What?¡± Karin stared wide-eyed. Ketal, now free, was massaging his shoulders. ¡°That was a very peculiar feeling. So many things are possible.¡± Ketal grinned as if he had just been on a fun ride. ¡°Can I ask for another round?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Karin could only stare at him in a daze. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 206: Duel (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 206: Duel (2) After the sparring ended. Ketal asked Karin what she had done. Karin said that she had changed the very environment of the air around Ketal, creating an empty space where no force could affect him. Ketal was astonished. ¡°Is something like that possible?¡± ¡°The spirit king I have a contract with is Minerva, the Spirit King of Wind. I can control and manipte the very concept of wind.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Ketal was impressed. Just a moment ago, Ketal felt like he was thrown into outer space. No matter how much strength he used to move, he could only il around. He couldn¡¯t move properly. It was an immensely powerful and mysterious force. ¡°So, a hero can do things like that.¡± A hero was capable of embodying mysticism. They could make their will affect the very concept of the world. He had been curious about how it worked, but it seemed they could change the very concept itself. Ketal asked curiously. ¡°Can other heroes interfere in the same way as you?¡± ¡°No. I can interfere in this way because I am the contractor of the Spirit King of Wind. There are differences for each person.¡± The scope and method of influence varied depending on how one reached the level of a hero. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a hero who reached that level with a sword can kill their opponent with just their will. The master of the tower can intervene and restructure the basic structure of the world.¡± ¡°Heart Sword. There¡¯s something like that too.¡± Ketal murmured cheerfully. While enjoying the conversation, Ketal noticed something strange. ¡°But why was I able to escape your control?¡± ording to Karin, it should have been impossible. She hadn¡¯t controlled Ketal with power but had interfered with the very concept of the air. No matter how strong he was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to move in outer space with his own power. Karin spoke cautiously. ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s a matter of status?¡± Ketal¡¯s status allowed him to escape the environment she had altered. At least, that¡¯s what she thought. ¡°Is such a thing possible with status?¡± ¡°No. As far as I know, it should be impossible, but¡­¡± Karin trailed off. No matter how high one¡¯s status, it should still be within the bounds of this world. If thews and concepts were changed, one shouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. However, Ketal forcibly broke free from her interference. It was as if Ketal¡¯s status was not of this world. ¡®Is it because of the White Snowfield?¡¯ Was it because he umted status in the alien forbiddennd? Even looking again, it felt alien. As if he wasn¡¯t of this world. Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°But I still couldn¡¯t move immediately. It took some time to break free.¡± ¡°It seems that immediate escape is impossible for you.¡± In other words, even a hero could be restricted in their actions. There seemed to be a time limit, but it was a definite restriction. ¡°Is there any way to deal with this?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be through handling mysticism?¡± Ketal¡¯s body was certainly special. Protected by status, it could escape the world¡¯s interference. But that was it. He wasn¡¯t in a state where he could materialize or handle that status. Even though he could control his presence, that fact didn¡¯t change. Ketal was ultimately not handling mysticism. The sacred relic of Kalosia and the highest-ranking fire spirit, Piego, were fundamentally someone else¡¯s power. The current Ketal was akin to an uncut gem. Special and hard in itself, but still unpolished. The power of this world. Only by handling mysticism, controlling his own status, and managing his power could he be truly free from interference. Only then would the gem called Ketal be sharpened to find its true value. ¡®If that happens¡­¡¯ What kind of power would Ketal possess? Even Karin, called a hero, found it hard to guess. Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°Mysticism, huh.¡± The mysterious power of this world. The source of aura, magic, and spirits. In the end, it was that. ¡®I want it.¡¯ Ketal licked his lips. He really wanted it now. Until now, his journey through the world hade first, but his priority for mysticism was significantly moving forward. ¡°Anyway, thank you. My curiosity has been somewhat satisfied.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you are satisfied.¡± ¡°It was really enjoyable.¡± He met a powerful hero. He toured the holynd of the elves and lived beside the towering World Tree. He went to the Spirit Realm, met the Spirit God, and even obtained spirits. He blocked a demon invasion and faced a burning humanoid monster. And he even sparred with a powerful hero. This journey was also immensely satisfying. And now, it was time to leave. * * * Ketal told Arkamis and Karin that he was leaving. Arkamis was shocked. ¡°Le-leaving?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I think it¡¯s time to move on to another ce.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ really?¡± Arkamis¡¯s eyes darted around quickly. She screamed internally. ¡®I haven¡¯t seduced him yet!¡¯ She had been trying to make Ketal have a deep affection for her. That¡¯s why she even attempted clumsy seduction that she had only read about in books. She thought she was getting the hang of it, but now he was suddenly leaving. From her perspective, it was a bolt from the blue. ¡°Well¡­ don¡¯t you think about staying a bit longer? Or maybe even settling down here¡­¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad, but I still want to travel the world a bit more.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. With a face full of innocent anticipation for the uing journey, Arkamis couldn¡¯t bring herself to stop him. Karin spoke calmly. ¡°It is foolish to try and hold back the steps of a free traveler. It¡¯s unfortunate but inevitable.¡± ¡°Ke-Ketal. Can¡¯t Ie along¡­¡± ¡°Arkamis. You can¡¯t.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Karin firmly rejected Arkamis¡¯s attempt to join the journey. ¡°Demons are still targeting high elves. You must not go outside recklessly. You can¡¯t leave the sanctuary until the chaos subsides.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Arkamis pouted but didn¡¯t argue. Karin¡¯s words were not wrong. The demons were revealing their ambitions on the surface, and among their targets were the high elves. No matter how safe it would be by Ketal¡¯s side, going outside was madness. Karin spoke soothingly. ¡°There will no longer be the public opinion pressuring you as before. You can act freely.¡± Until now, Arkamis¡¯s position in the sanctuary wasn¡¯t good. She had the crime of going outside as she pleased and handled alchemy, an outside technology, despite being an elf. If it weren¡¯t for Karin¡¯s protection, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange for her to be imprisoned. But that was no longer the case. She used alchemy to prevent Quiklon¡¯s self-destruction during the demonic invasion. Considering that the other elves¡¯ power didn¡¯t help much, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say she blocked it alone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Without her, the contamination of the earth would have been much more severe. Because of that, her treatment greatly improved. She could now study alchemy as much as she wanted. Training in alchemy freely in a sanctuary overflowing with noble materials. For an alchemist, it was a dreame true. ¡°But¡­¡± However, Arkamis hesitated and looked at Ketal. Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°Arkamis. You have a great goal.¡± ¡°¡­I do.¡± Her goal was to modify her body to be able to bear children. ¡°That is your goal.¡± ¡°¡­I have a sense of it. I think I¡¯ll be certain within a year.¡± ¡°Then it would be good to focus on that for now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, Arkamis.¡± Ketal smiled. Arkamis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I wille back whenever you call for me. Losing sight of your goal because of present attachments is a sad story.¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± Arkamis nodded as if she had made up her mind. ¡°Got it, Ketal.¡± ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving right this moment, are you? I¡¯ll say goodbyeter. I¡¯ll go back to my research for now. See you next time!¡± Arkamis quickly went down. She seemed determined. Watching her back, Karin murmured. ¡°She is a kind child. She has always struggled to adapt among her kind. As a child, she always cried to me, saying she couldn¡¯t ept it. She said her kind looked like monsters who resembled her.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I wondered how to ease her suffering, but she found a solution outside. She has affection for you. Please¡­ I hope she doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°I have no hobby of hurting those I have a connection with.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. Karin smiled faintly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m relieved.¡± And the next day. Ketal prepared to leave. * * * ¡°You¡¯re really going¡­¡± ¡°Arkamis.¡± "I know. I understand. It''s farewell, Ketal. When we meet again... you''ll see me in a different form." "I hope so. Truly," Ketal said with a smile. Karin approached Ketal. "Before you go, I have something to give you. The remains of Quiklon that you requested." "Oh, thank you." Ketal epted the ck rock fragments, the remains of the aerial fortress Quiklon. Karin looked puzzled. "Why did you ask for something like this?" Ketal had specifically requested a piece of Quiklon. He had asked Karin if it was possible to obtain a fragment. Since it wasn''t difficult, she had agreed, but she couldn''t understand why he wanted it. "I just wanted to have it." Like people who collect soil from ces they visit as souvenirs. It was that kind of feeling. Ketal cheerfully epted the fragment of Quiklon. Watching him with a bewildered expression, Karin pulled out another item from her belongings. It was a green leaf. "And¡­ please take this as well." "Hmm? I didn¡¯t ask for this." "This is a personal token of gratitude." ¡°¡­Oh? Your Majesty?¡± Arkamis''s eyes widened. "Isn¡¯t that a leaf from the World Tree? Is it okay to give that to someone else?" "Are you in a position to say that, after secretly using the sanctuary''s catalysts?" "Well, what I used is on apletely different level from that." The catalysts Arkamis used were very precious, but a leaf from the World Tree was iparable. The World Tree had grown to perfection and did not grow any further. As such, each leaf was extremely valuable. Even though she had stolen various catalysts, she had never dared to touch the World Tree itself. After hearing the exnation, Ketal was surprised. "Is it really okay to give this to me?" "Considering that the demons already took away a whole branch, one leaf isn¡¯t a problem." Karin spoke lightly. "Even though you made a deal with the Spirit God, I would feel guilty if I didn¡¯t give you something." Of course, that wasn''t the only reason. Ketal was strong. Not only that, he was special. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give such a powerful person a gift. It would be great if their already friendly rtionship became even more special. There were practical reasons too. "It will be of great help when you seek the Mysteriester. Please take it without hesitation." "In that case..." Ketal dly epted the leaf with a smile. Now, it was truly time to leave. Ketal headed towards the outskirts of the sanctuary. Arkamis and Karin saw him off. Karin bowed respectfully. "Queen of the High Elves, leader of Elfo Sagrado, Karin Yggdrasil, bids farewell to her benefactor. As long as I am queen, all elves in this world will wee and treat you well." A gentle breeze enveloped Ketal''s body. It was the deration of the Queen of the High Elves. The only contractor of the Spirit King, and the elf closest to the World Tree, was sending a deration to her kin. "We elves will support you." "Thank you for that." "Ketal, as you said, I will focus on achieving my goal for now." Arkamis stepped forward with serious eyes. Her golden eyes looked at Ketal. "And then... I have something serious to tell you. Will you listen?" "Of course. I''ll wait as long as it takes," Ketal replied with a smile. Arkamis stepped back, satisfied. "Then that''s enough. We have plenty of time. Let¡¯s focus on the future." Arkamis patted her cheeks. They said their final goodbyes. "Then, until we meet again." "See youter!" Leaving their farewells behind, Ketal left the sanctuary. He walked through the forest with joy. ''Where should I go now?'' His immediate goal was to obtain the Mysteries. Should he go to the Magic Tower? There he could meet the Tower Master and gain clues about the Mysteries. Or he could head to the underground city. In that ce where all criminals gathered, he could find special artifacts. He might even obtain information about dragons. ''But.'' There was one ce he needed to visit first. Ketal emerged from the forest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 207: Return [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 207: Return When Ketal left the sacrednd of the elves, he was being pursued by Liltara and her group, followers of Federica. They arrived in the city of mermaids without much difficulty, as the presence of the Forbidden Lands had disappeared. In the city, they met the leader, Kukulitan, and Liltara asked if someone named Ketal hade there. Kukulitan answered affirmatively, "He came here, but he has since left." "Do you know where he went?" Kukulitan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head, "I''m sorry, I don''t know the details." "I see..." Liltara instinctively realized that this mermaid knew where Ketal had gone but did not want to tell her. Although she felt the urge to intimidate the mermaid for information, she couldn''t do so given the circumstances. Satisfied with the minor achievement, Liltara was about to leave when she asked one more question. "May I ask onest thing?" "What is it?" Kukulitan replied. "What did the barbarian do here?" "He helped us," Kukulitan answered immediately. Liltara''s eyes darkened. "I see." "As you may know, our city was taken over by the monkeys of the Forbidden Lands. Many survivors were trapped in the city, waiting for death. That''s when Ketal appeared!" Kukulitan spoke fervently, showing clear respect and admiration for Ketal. "Ketal and hispanions saved us without expecting anything in return. Even after defeating the Forbidden Lands, he helped us rebuild the city without asking for anypensation. He is truly an excellent person." "I see..." Liltara felt dizzy. She was currently pursuing Ketal under the orders of the divine. Since the gods had given a direct revtion, Ketal must be an enemy to the world. However, everyone she met spoke highly of Ketal. More than just good, they treated him as a benefactor. She now understood why the people of Kalosia had looked at her with hostility. They resented her for chasing their benefactor, Ketal. As Liltara was deep in thought, Kukulitan cautiously spoke to her. "Are you pursuing Ketal?" Liltara hadn''t mentioned she was following divine orders, leading Kukulitan to mistakenly think she had personal reasons for chasing Ketal. "...Yes." "You may misunderstand him because of his appearance, but he is truly a great person. I believe there is a misunderstanding. It would be good if you could meet him and clear it up." "I see..." Liltara''s eyes grew even darker. * * * The world was in great turmoil. Evil was revealing itself, and so were the Forbidden Lands. Kingdoms were falling, capitals were being invaded, and churches were being attacked. Events that were supposed to ur once in decades were happening all at once, spreading their impact across the world. Food prices were skyrocketing, and armor was selling out at lightning speed. Amidst this chaos, Milena Akasha, a merchant from the Kingdom of Denian, was extremely busy. She was sorting logistics and handling paperwork without rest, dark circles under her eyes. As she was frantically organizing documents in her office as usual, someone knocked on the door. "Come in." "Miss Milena, you have a visitor," Said the guard, making Milena frown. "A visitor? I told you not to let anyone in." The world was in chaos, and she had a lot of money. Many who had lost their capital in the chaos came to her to beg for help. She was so exhausted from dealing with visitors that she hadpletely refused any further visits. The guard stammered. "Well... I thought I should let you know." "Who is it?" Milena asked. When she heard the name, her pupils dted. * * * "Ketal, you''re here!" Milena greeted. "Yes, it''s good to see you again. You seem to be having a hard time," Ketal observed. "The world is in turmoil." "I''m sorry for bothering you when you''re so busy." "No, you''re always wee, Ketal. It''s good to have you here," Milena responded with a smile, weing Ketal warmly. The guard sighed in relief. ''Thank goodness...'' He was the guard who had once tried to chase Ketal away when he first visited the Akasha family. Seeing Ketal return, he had hurried to find Milena, trembling in fear. Although Milena had refused all other visitors, the guard was certain this barbarian would be an exception, and he was right. Milena nced at the guard. "You did well. What''s your name?" "Brand." "Brand. I''ll remember it." "Thank you!" The guard eximed joyfully. Milena led Ketal into the reception room. "How have you been?" "You know it''s been chaos," Milena sighed deeply. Two named demons had descended upon the capital, partially destroying it and killing many people. The country suffered significant damage. As a result, the Kingdom of Denian had no choice but to seize the Akasha family''s assets. While it was a necessary measure during a national crisis, it was still a heart-wrenching experience. Milena, primarily in the banking business, suffered great losses as many of her debtors went bankrupt. Yet, she managed to ovee the crisis somehow. As the situation stabilized, the Kingdom of Denian began to offer benefits equivalent to the seized assets. Seizing this opportunity, the Akasha family quickly expanded their influence. Consequently, the Akasha family seeded in recovering most of their losses. Although minor issues remained, the major problems had been resolved. "I''m d to hear that." "It was really tough," Milena sighed deeply again. "And how have you been, Ketal?" "Not nearly as busy as you," Ketal replied. He then recounted his recent experiences. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He had prevented the descent of demons at the sanctuary of Kalosia, dealt with the monkeys of the Forbidden Lands that had engulfed the mermaid city, met the High Elf Queen at the elf sanctuary, drove out the demons invading there, and prevented the corruption of the World Tree. "...What?" Milena''s jaw dropped as she listened. "...Is that true?" "I have no reason to lie." "Well, that''s true, but..." Preventing two demonic invasions and eliminating the presence of the Forbidden Lands in just a few months? It was hard to believe even after hearing it. If what Ketal said was true, he was practically a protector of the world. If his deeds became widely known, the continent would praise and hail his name. "...Are you, by any chance, dreaming of bing a hero? Do you have a mission to protect the world?" "Not really," Ketal replied. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He had simply followed his interests and stumbled into these events. "I met Arkamis at the elf sanctuary. I thought I should let you know. She¡¯s doing well." Milena was close to Arkamis, practically friends. Ketal hade to ry this message to her. Milena''s expression softened upon hearing this. "That''s a relief. I was worried about how she¡¯d cope with her unique personality in that ce." "There seemed to be no issues." "Did youe just to tell me that? Thank you so much," Milena said, genuinely touched. Ketal shook his head. "That¡¯s part of it, but not the only reason." Ketal looked at Milena. The woman before him was the head of thergest merchant family in the Kingdom of Denian, the Akasha family. "You are a merchant. That means you¡¯re sensitive to world affairs and have a lot of information." "Yes, that''s true." "Can you tell me? What is the current situation of the world, and about the invasion of evil?" * * * Until now, Ketal had not been particrly interested in the state of the continent. His purpose was to travel freely, see new ces, and enjoy himself. However, the world was bing so chaotic that he could no longer ignore it. Wherever he went, demons and Forbidden Lands creatures appeared. The demons were clearly targeting him, and the beings of the White Snowfield could emerge at any moment. The world''s chaos was affecting him as well. It was time to gather proper information. That¡¯s why he hade to see Milena. She began to speak calmly. "What exactly do you want to know about the world''s situation?" "General information or specific events, anything is fine." "Then... I''ll start with an overview. As you know, the demons are targeting the world, and the Forbidden Lands creatures are emerging as well." The world was in great turmoil because of this. Viges near the Forbidden Lands began to evacuate hurriedly, and the prices of food skyrocketed. People from border territories flocked to the capital. "The various religious churches are also moving urgently." Despite the invasion of evil, the gods were not showing much response. The believers, confused, were trying to do what they could. "Currently, the confirmed Forbidden Lands entities that have emerged are the Nothingness Forest and the Primate of the Deep Sea. Including the White Snowfield if you count Ketal." "Is there no other movement besides that?" ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Milena replied. Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡®Are only the White Snowfield, the Nothingness Forest, and the Primates of the Deep Sea freed from restrictions?¡¯ He wondered. Or perhaps the other Forbidden Lands entities were also freed but had not yet moved. It was impossible to tell. ¡°It¡¯s an unsettling situation because we don¡¯t know when they might act. I¡¯ve heard that the Empire has deployed soldiers to various Forbidden Lands locations. That¡¯s somewhat reassuring.¡± ¡°The Empire is responding to the Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be paying much attention to the demons, but yes. Thanks to their efforts, the Forbidden Lands entities have stayed contained.¡± ¡°Wait. The Empire isn¡¯t concerned with the demons?¡± ¡°No. When asked for cooperation, they imed they didn¡¯t have the resources. The silence of the continent¡¯s strongest force has only added to the confusion.¡± ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°No one does. Perhaps they¡¯re preupied with controlling the Forbidden Lands. The rtively few Forbidden Lands entities emerging might be due to the Empire¡¯s containment efforts.¡± Ketal muttered with interest, ¡°I see.¡± The Empire showed no interest in the demons. They focused solely on the Forbidden Lands. ¡°I understand the situation on that front. What about the demons?¡± Ketal asked. ¡°As you know, the demons are invading the world.¡±. So far, Ketal had thwarted four demonic invasions. It was certainly not a small number. The demons'' ns must have been significantly disrupted because of him. However, he hadn¡¯t stopped all demonic attacks. The world was vast, and the demons¡¯ assaults continued elsewhere. In ces where he wasn¡¯t present, the demons had seeded. ¡°The Dwarf¡¯s Den, Mantamia. The ancient meteorite that fell from the stars thousands of years ago. The demons invaded and stole it.¡± ¡°The fairy vige of Pysaraphia, where all the world¡¯s mysteries supposedly exist. The essence of purity that had existed since the dawn of time was defiled and taken by the demons.¡± Other significant losses included national treasures stolen from the royal family. There had been numerous smaller incidents as well. Milena sighed. ¡°Somehow, they know exactly where to strike to seize valuable treasures. The world is in turmoil.¡± ¡°They¡¯re taking highly valuable items,¡± Ketal noted. ¡°Their goal is likely¡­¡± ¡°The Demon King.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Milena swallowed hard. The King of all demons. The Lord of Hell. The adversary of the gods. Ketal''s face lit up with interest. The demons were gathering offerings to summon the Demon King. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 208: Wandering Merchant (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 208: Wandering Merchant (1) "We don''t know what kind of offerings are needed either." But they knew that it was an offering required for the direct descent of the Lord of Hell. They could guess it would need something beyondmon sense. "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin. He had sessfully defended the elven sanctuary from the demons'' attack, but not perfectly. They had lost a branch of the World Tree. That was likely an offering necessary for the Demon King''s descent. What had been identified so far were the Primordial Essence, a meteorite that fell on the continent, the branch of the World Tree, and many other treasures. "It might be a more dangerous situation than we thought." "That''s... true." Milena couldn''t deny it. The world was extremely chaotic. Doomsday preachers were starting to appear, iming the end was near. If the capital of the kingdom was in such a state, ces with less security would be far worse. "Why is this happening in the time I''m alive?" Milena sighed deeply. The fact that the great disaster of the Demon King''s descent was happening in her era made her feel like cursing the gods. "Is that so?" Of course, Ketal felt the opposite. The fact that such events were happening while he was out and about made him feel grateful to the gods. "Shall we take a look around the capital?" Ketal nodded. Ketal and Milena, who hade out, walked through the streets. "It''s beenrgely restored." The world was precarious and dangerous. But even in such times, people had to live in reality. The capital of the Denian Kingdom was in a half-destroyed state due to the demon''s descent. When Ketal had left, it was literally in a tragic state. But now, it had beenrgely restored. Considering it had only been a few months, it was an incredibly fast recovery. "They invested all the capital into the restoration. Most of it was my capital, though." Milena muttered. Her mouth tasted bitter. Even though the restoration was almostplete, the expenditure had been staggering. She had been on the brink of bankruptcy. While they were looking around the restored capital, someone approached Milena. "Lady." "What''s the matter?" It was one of the family''s employees. The employee flinched when he saw Ketal but didn''t show any further reaction. He didn''t seem to feel any rejection or intimidation towards Ketal. ''Oh.'' Ketal smiled slightly at the employee''s reaction. He had perfectly concealed his presence using what he learned from Karin. Thanks to this, even those meeting him for the first time would only be momentarily surprised by his appearance and show no further reaction. It was a very satisfying change. The employee spoke cautiously. "Um, the side thatmissioned the artifact is pressing us." "Ah..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Milena frowned, looking troubled. "Tell them we''llplete it as soon as possible. If they keep pressing, tell them I''ll speak to them directly." "Understood." The employee left. Watching his back, Ketal muttered. "It seems there''s some problem." "...Yes." Milena clicked her tongue. The Akasha family was a merchant family. They also made and sold various items. Artifacts were one of the family''s main businesses. But that business was now facing a problem. "We had a magician who was supposed to make the artifacts, but he had to leave urgently. This is already the umpteenth time." "He seems to be a problematic magician." "He often makes excuses and takes breaks. I want to fire him, but alchemists are rare, so I can''t. It''s a troublesome situation." There were no problems when Arkamis was around. She was a superhuman-level alchemist. Her skills were not just certain; they were overwhelming. Though she sometimes made strange artifacts, the risk was bearable considering her skills. That''s why the Akasha family had an overwhelming performance in artifact orders when Arkamis was around. But after she left, problems kept arising. Milena sighed deeply. "If this continues, we''ll have to give up the artifact-making business." "Hmm." After a moment of thought, Ketal asked. "Is the artifact in a state where it has to be made from scratch?" "No. The basic frame of the artifact isplete. Only the final step of imbuing it with mystery and activating the circuits remains, but the alchemist disappeared right at that point. I don''t understand why he''s avoiding it when that''s all that''s left." Milena was grumbling about the magician''s capriciousness. "I see! It''s a difficult situation!" Ketal raised his voice. ¡°Then I''ll help you!¡± ¡°What?¡± Milena was startled. ¡°You, Ketal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Um¡­ is that possible?¡± Ketal had learned alchemy from Arkamis. Milena knew that too. But it was only at an apprentice level. The artifacts she wasmissioned to make were of a very high level. An apprentice-level alchemist couldn''t possibly make them. ¡°And Ketal, you¡­ can''t handle the Mystery.¡± Above all, Ketal couldn''t handle Mystery. Since Mystery was required to activate the circuits, it didn''t seem possible for Ketal. But Ketal smiled brightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°If¡­ you say so.¡± With a dubious expression, Milena led Ketal to a warehouse. There were several artifacts waiting to bepleted. ¡°There are quite a lot.¡± ¡°It was a bigmission... Ketal, are you really sure you can do this?¡± Milena''s expression was skeptical. She knew Ketal¡¯s strength, but that was purely in terms of physical power. Making artifacts was more about technical skill than brute force. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But Ketal nodded. ¡°It¡¯s possible. After all, I¡¯m not the one who will be doing it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I summon thee, one who embodies the Primordial Essence of Purity.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes widened. In front of Ketal, mes began to swirl and gather. The power contained within them was enough to dominate the space. Milena stepped back in fright. Ketal calmly finished his incantation. ¡°Come forth, one who bears the horns of the Pure me. Piego.¡± Whoosh. The mes formed a door, and from it emerged a bull of me. [You called me.] ¡°¡­A highest-ranking spirit!¡± Milena was stunned. She widened her eyes in disbelief. And with good reason. Spirits were pure beings of nature. While elves could easily summon them, humans found it very difficult. Spirit mages were rarer than magicians. And naturally, powerful spirit mages were even rarer. Even in the entire Denian Kingdom, there was not a single spirit mage contracted with a mid-level spirit. It would take searching two or three kingdoms to find one. As for high-level spirits, they were out of the question. As far as she knew, there were fewer than five humans on the entire continent contracted with high-level spirits. Highest-ranking spirits were thought to be beyond human reach. Yet now, Ketal had summoned a highest-ranking spirit. Even seeing it with her own eyes, it was hard to believe. The pure me filling the space was palpable even to her. She stammered. ¡°K-Ketal. How¡­¡± ¡°I received it in the elven sanctuary.¡± ¡°You received it?¡± ¡°I resolved their issue. This was the reward.¡± ¡°The highest-ranking spirit... is that something the elves could give?¡± ¡°I didn''t receive it from the elves.¡± ¡°Huh? Then from whom¡­¡± ¡°From the Spirit God directly.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Milena was confused. Piego, the summoned spirit, asked gruffly. [So, why did you summon me? There¡¯s no sign of battle.] ¡°There are artifacts here.¡± Piego nced at the scattered artifacts. Then, as if realizing something, he grimaced. [¡­No way.] ¡°The final step. Can you do it?¡± [You.] mes red up fiercely. Milena held her breath. [Did you summon me for such a trivial task?] It was clear anger. Highest-ranking spirits had immense pride. Even a contractor could not summon them for trivial tasks without risking their wrath, potentially making them refuse future summons. But Ketal was indifferent. ¡°Yes, I did. Is there a problem?¡± Ketal looked as if he saw nothing wrong. [...] If it had been any other contractor, Piego would haveshed out and returned to the spirit world immediately. And he would not respond to any summons for a while. But with Ketal, he couldn''t do that. This was because the contract had been directly facilitated by the Spirit God. Not following Ketal''smands was tantamount to disobeying the Spirit God. In the end, Piego suppressed his emotions. [¡­Understood.] Whoosh! Piego exhaled a great me that enveloped the artifacts. Mystery quickly filled the artifacts. ¡°Oh. It works.¡± Ketal smiled. He realized that he could use Piego in such situations from now on. ¡°This will be convenient.¡± Piego felt dizzy at Ketal''s muttering. Who was he? A spirit imbued with the primordial me, one of the oldest spirits. Though he asionally made contracts, he was always in an overwhelmingly superior position. Contractors always groveled and catered to him. But now, he was being treated like a convenient tool. This was hard for Piego to ept. [I am the highest-ranking spirit. You should respect and consider me.] ¡°I respect you.¡± Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Pleaseplete the artifacts. I ask this as a favor.¡± [¡­] ¡®Oh, Spirit God.¡¯ Why did you make me contract with such a brute? Piegomented. Milena watched the scene in astonishment. ¡®A highest-ranking spirit¡­¡¯ Was being used like a tool. It didn¡¯t feel real. It was like a dream. Ketal smiled brightly and spoke to Milena. ¡°Just wait a bit. It looks like it will be done soon.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡± She could only nod nkly. * * * The artifacts werepleted in no time. Milena, looking somewhat dazed, left to handle the artifactmissions. Since the job required time, Ketal spent the night in his room. The next day. Ketal happily went to find Milena. ¡®Will it be possible now?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t made the artifacts just to help Milena. He had a clear purpose. He wanted to obtain Mystery. For that, he needed powerful catalysts imbued with Mystery. Milena, from a renowned merchant family, would likely know such information. It was the price for his help. Ketal headed to Milena¡¯s office to ask her favor. However, the office was unusually chaotic. Puzzled, Ketal opened the door. ¡°Quickly, line up! At least five! If you seed by today, you¡¯ll get a week¡¯s vacation!¡± She was frantically talking into amunication artifact. She looked extremely urgent. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh. Ketal.¡± She stammered. ¡°Do¡­ do you know about the wandering merchant?¡± ¡°I know. Isn¡¯t he a mysterious being who trades? A figure of dreams for all adventurers.¡± In fact, Ketal¡¯s artifact pouch was from the wandering merchant. She spoke hurriedly, making Ketal''s eyes widen. ¡°That wandering merchant hase to the capital!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 209: Wandering Merchant (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 209: Wandering Merchant (2) Wandering merchants. They suddenly appear among humans one day. It could be in the capital of a kingdom or in a quiet rural vige. And they sold all sorts of precious artifacts. They sold rare artifacts and materials that were generally unobtainable for a rtively small pricepared to their value. One of these artifacts was a pouch the size of a room that Ketal found very useful, which was also from a wandering merchant. And now, the wandering merchant had appeared in the capital of the Denian Kingdom. Barely regaining herposure, Milena spoke. ¡°Yes. They appeared just a few hours ago. So, I immediately had the staff get in line.¡± ¡°Good foresight.¡± ¡°Would you like to go see?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded promptly. A wandering merchant. A mysterious trader who appears suddenly and deals in everything. What a fascinating existence. Since hearing the first story, he had wanted to see one. He wasn''t going to miss this opportunity. Above all, ¡®They said the wandering merchant sells all sorts of things.¡¯ They might sell something from which he could obtain some mystery. He was excited. Ketal followed Milena out of the building. Then, he saw a line that was literally endless. The people in line were women, men, old people, children, nobles, andmoners. It seemed like the entire poption of the capital hade out. The line stretched across the square and beyond the street. ¡°Is that the line to the wandering merchant?¡± ¡°Yes. I guessed it would be, but it''s already this long.¡± Milena mumbled with a tired expression. The wandering merchant sold precious artifacts at a cheap price. People always gained from the trade and never lost, so everyone wanted to do business with them. It was natural for the line to be long. ¡°Everyone, stay in line!¡± ¡°Anyone who cuts in will be punishedter!¡± Guards were sweating as they controlled the line. The line was so long that it obstructed traffic, but instead of disbanding it, they only controlled it without intervening further. When asked about it, Milena exined. ¡°You must not interfere with anyone trying to trade with the wandering merchant.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is that a rule?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The wandering merchant dealt with everyone fairly, regardless of status or wealth. There must be no external intervention in the trading process. If unnecessary control was attempted, the wandering merchant would disappear without a trace. So the guards only maintained order and did not disband the line. Ketal whistled as he looked at the line stretching to the edge of the capital. ¡°If it''s this long, it will take quite a while. Don''t we have to stand in line? I don''t think the wandering merchant will wait forever.¡± ¡°It''s okay. I already had the staff stand in line for us.¡± ¡°Is it possible to have a stand-in?¡± ¡°They say the wandering merchant doesn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°They see using people as a personal ability too.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketalughed, amused. He looked beyond the line. At the end of that line, there would be the mysterious entity, the wandering merchant. As if guessing Ketal''s thoughts, Milena spoke. ¡°Would you like to go see?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal promptly nodded. Milena, already getting a sense of what kind of person Ketal was, calmly moved to the front of the line. At the front of the line, Maximus was observing the trade while keeping a low profile. He looked ready to intervene if any issues arose. Ketal was pleased to see him. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it Maximus.¡± ¡°¡­Barbarian.¡± Maximus¡¯s face twitched momentarily at the sight of Ketal. ¡°I heard you arrived. You must be here to trade with the wandering merchant too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been fine. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been great. It¡¯s been a very enjoyable time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Maximus responded calmly to Ketal. There was no longer any hint of rejection or disdain in his demeanor. ¡°So¡­ the person up there must be the wandering merchant.¡± Ketal looked at the front of the line with interest. There, a figure was trading. It was not in the shape of a human. They were covered in a pristine white robe with no speck of dust, hiding their form. Strange decorations and devices were operating around them. Through the gaps in the robe, what could be seen flickered like the me of a candle. It was clear to anyone that it was not human. ¡°How does the trade work?¡± Ketal''s question was answered immediately. A man who appeared to be a mercenary at the front of the line confidently stepped forward. He boldly called out to the wandering merchant. ¡°Wandering merchant! Give me a weapon that can cut through anything!¡± With that, the mercenary took out a handful of gold coins from his chest. Ketal asked, ¡°How much can that buy?¡± ¡°¡­About a weapon made of steel.¡± It was far from enough to buy the weapon the mercenary desired. The wandering merchant, with eyes flickering like mes, looked at the gold coins and opened their mouth. [Not enough...] A voice echoed as if from a dream. [The value is insufficient...] ¡°Uh, uh.¡± The mercenary stammered. Just as he thought he had failed the trade and was about to step back with a dejected look. [You can¡¯t have a weapon that can cut anything... But you can have a weapon that can cut many things...] One of the devices floating beside the wandering merchant clicked and activated. Soon, a space opened. ng. A sword fell in front of the mercenary. It was an incredibly sharp sword with strange decorations, making it look very valuable. It was a sword that the mercenary¡¯s gold coins could never buy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [Take it...] ¡°Uh, uh.¡± The mercenary hurriedly handed over the gold coins and took the sword. He stood there nkly for a moment before he left, chuckling. Ketal watched the process with interest. ¡°So that¡¯s how it works.¡± ¡°He¡¯s lucky. He could sell that sword for several times the price he paid.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t he trade again?¡± ¡°No. Each person can only trade once. It''s an absolute rule, and hiring someone else to trade multiple times doesn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Hmm? How can they prevent that?¡± ¡°They can. It''s like they can read the desire to trade. No method of proxy buying works. If it did, people would have swept everything up.¡± Milena grumbled. As the head of a huge merchant family, she probably would have indeed done that. Ketalughed. The trades continued. People handed over their money and asked for something in return. Sometimes it was a weapon, other times it was food or jewelry. The wandering merchant silently provided the various requested items. ¡°They have quite a variety.¡± ¡°As far as I know, the wandering merchant has never said they didn¡¯t have something.¡± Watching the trades, Ketal became curious. ¡°Are the trades limited to physical items?¡± People handed over gold and silver to the wandering merchant and asked for trades. Milena shook her head at the question of whether the wandering merchant only took material things. ¡°No. They value things.¡± ¡°Value?¡± ¡°Yes. Values we can¡¯t understand. They sometimes ept things that can''t usually be considered a price.¡± As Milena finished speaking, it was a boy¡¯s turn. His clothes were very worn, and his face was dirty. His hands were empty. The boy trembled as he spoke. ¡°I want medicine to cure my mother¡¯s illness!¡± [The price is...] ¡°I-I''ll give you anything!¡± [...] The wandering merchant silently stared at the boy. The boy trembled and closed his eyes. After a moment, the wandering merchant spoke. [Taste...] ¡°W-what?¡± [Give me your sense of taste... Then I¡¯ll give you the medicine...] ¡°O-okay!¡± [Then stick out your tongue...] The boy stuck out his tongue. One of the devices beside the wandering merchant approached and touched the boy¡¯s tongue. ¡°Ah...¡± The boy¡¯s face changed. It was as if he had lost something he thought he would have for his entire life. [Here... This is it...] The wandering merchant handed over the medicine. The boy, who had been standing in a daze, hurriedly took the medicine. ¡°Thank you!¡± The boy hurried away. Ketal stroked his chin with interest. ¡°Even a sense of taste can be a tradingmodity.¡± ¡°If they deem it valuable enough, anything can be traded. Though what they consider valuable, I have no idea.¡± The next person after the boy was someone who appeared to be a noble. He shouted aggressively. ¡°Kill all my rivals!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal''s eyes sparkled. ¡°Maximus. Shouldn¡¯t you stop that?¡± If the noble''s enemies were other nobles, many nobles in the Kingdom of Denian could end up dead. However, Maximus looked indifferent. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s impossible anyway.¡± [The value is insufficient...] ¡°I have a price. Take all my gold and silver!¡± [That won¡¯t do... You must stake your life...] ¡°W-what!¡± The noble¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Nonsense. Why should I stake my life! You can take all my wealth!¡± [The scales do not bnce... If you won¡¯t stake your life, leave...] ¡°T-then how about the lives of my servants...¡± [No... It must be your life...] ¡°I-I would never make such a trade!¡± [Then leave...] ¡°Grrr!¡± The noble trembled with anger but didn¡¯t persist any longer. Instead, he received poison that could kill anyone. Maximus grimaced. ¡°I¡¯ll need to confiscate thatter.¡± ¡°Trades involving lives are strict.¡± ¡°Because life is precious. You must pay an equivalent price. It¡¯s well known, so you must not be aware.¡± The wandering merchant didn¡¯t trade just anything. There were clear criteria for judgment. Watching for a moment, Ketal became curious again. ¡°What if someone tries to force a trade?¡± ¡°I want to trade!¡± Just as Milena was about to exin, a man¡¯s voice rang out. Seeing his face, Milena frowned. ¡°That man...¡± ¡°Someone you recognize?¡± ¡°Yes. He owes my family a debt. He couldn¡¯t repay it and lost everything.¡± He was the head of the Diablos family. Unable to handle the expenses from gambling and luxury, he had eventually lost everything to Milena. The man shouted loudly. ¡°Make my Diablos family shine even more brilliantly! The price is my future!¡± [Impossible...] The once confident man¡¯s face faltered. ¡°W-why!¡± [The price is too insufficient... And the Diablos family is no longer yours...] Unable to repay his debt, the Diablos family had be Milena¡¯s property. [You¡¯ve lost your qualification... Wish for something else...] ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I am the head of the Diablos family!¡± [You are not... You have lost your qualification...] ¡°Grrr!¡± Feeling insulted by the wandering merchant¡¯s words, the man roughly drew his sword. People screamed. The man brandished his sword threateningly. ¡°Shut up and make the trade! Make the trade!¡± [...] The wandering merchant, as if annoyed, moved one of their devices. Click. At that moment, the device shot up. It was so fast that even Swordmaster Maximus missed it. The man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-what?¡± That was thest thing he said. The man was swallowed by the device and vanished. In the silence, the wandering merchant spoke calmly. [Next...] ¡°If someone tries to force a trade, that¡¯s what happens. They disappear and are never seen again.¡± ¡°Got it. A good lesson.¡± Ketal muttered cheerfully. The wandering merchant. A mysterious being d in a white robe, with pupils like candle mes. As Ketal observed this being, he suddenly tilted his head. ¡®...Huh?¡¯ He felt a strange sense from the wandering merchant. After a moment¡¯s thought, Ketal realized what it was. It was a sense of kinship. He felt a kinship with the wandering merchant, who traveled the world trading, while he had been trapped in the white wilderness. It was a very strange feeling. Just as he was about to ponder this further, Milena asked, ¡°Ketal, are you going to trade too?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The wandering merchant. A trader of all things in the world. And what Ketal desired had been decided from the beginning. ¡°Then I¡¯ll arrange a spot for you. I had several employees stand in line, so it¡¯s certainly possible.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± Ketal grinned broadly. Milena cautiously asked, ¡°Might you be interested too, Maximus?¡± ¡°...Yes, please.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After witnessing someone vanish, there were no furtherints, and the line began to move quickly. And after a day, It was their turn. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 210: Wandering Merchant (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 210: Wandering Merchant (3) Milena, who had been resting at the main house, heard that her turn hade and went outside. As she approached the traveling merchant, she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Ketal was still there, watching the trade, just as he had been when she left. ¡°Ketal, have you been watching all this time?¡± When Milena left, Ketal had said he would watch a bit longer. She thought he would leave after an hour or two, but it seemed he had been observing all day. Ketal smiled brightly and said, ¡°It was so interesting that I couldn¡¯t tear myself away.¡± ¡°I-Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Your presence means it¡¯s almost your turn, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go get in line. Maximus, you shoulde along too.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Said Maximus calmly. Milena approached the front of the line, where several employees were holding her ce. ¡°Head of the family, over here.¡± ¡°You all did well. I¡¯ll give you a week off and a generous bonus.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The employees, exhausted from standing in line all day, left with very happy faces. They joined the line. Ketal, with a delighted expression, said, ¡°I kept watching the trades. They really deal in a lot of things.¡± Beyond simple gold and silver, there were items with historical and artistic value, like art and artifacts. Even senses like taste, and talents, were subjects of trade. The traveling merchant literally traded in all things of the world. Among them, one trade stood out in Ketal¡¯s memory. ¡°They even traded talent in swordsmanship.¡± A boy had asked the traveling merchant for an artifact that would protect him in this dangerous world. The traveling merchant, after observing the boy for a moment, asked for his talent in swordsmanship in return. The deal was made, and the boy received an artifact that was evidently very valuable. Maximus spoke up, ¡°They determine value. The boy¡¯s talent in swordsmanship must have been exceptional. If it were ordinary, they would have refused the trade.¡± This meant the boy¡¯s talent in swordsmanship was excellent enough to warrant receiving the artifact. ¡°The child who traded their sense of taste also must have had an extraordinary sense of taste, beyond that of an ordinary person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly amazing.¡± Trading in talent was something unimaginable. This led to a curiosity. ¡°Where do they keep the things they trade?¡± And, ¡°What do they use all those traded things for? Do you know?¡± ¡°No. Probably no one does.¡± What does the traveling merchant aim for in their trades? And where do they store all the traded items? Much about them is shrouded in mystery. ¡°They¡¯ve been around for a long time, but almost nothing is known about them. All attempts to uncover their identity have failed.¡± ¡°How long have they been around?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only known that they are very old. From what information is avable, they¡¯ve existed since the time of the Magic Wastnd.¡± ¡°Hooh.¡± An existence from the same era as the White Snowfield. Ketal¡¯s interest grew even more. As they talked, the line moved quickly, and soon it was Milena¡¯s turn. The traveling merchant asked calmly, [What do you desire...] ¡°Hoo.¡± Milena took a short breath. One could only make a trade with the traveling merchant once, so she had to be very careful. She already knew what she wanted to trade. Milena spoke, ¡°I want an artifact that connects space to space.¡± The most important thing for a merchant was the distribution of goods. No matter how precious the goods were, if there were no buyers, they would just rot in the warehouse. Buying necessary goods locally at a low price and selling them where they could fetch a high price was fundamental for a merchant. And the process of moving goods was quite dangerous. There was a high risk of being robbed by pirates or bandits, and the cost of storing goods was significant. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Many merchants went bankrupt because they couldn¡¯t bear these costs. That¡¯s why Milena wanted an artifact that could solve this process in one go, an artifact of spatial connection. ¡°Is it possible?¡± [It¡¯s possible... but expensive...] ¡°How much?¡± [One of your weapon warehouses...] ¡°...Which warehouse exactly?¡± [The twelfth one you built...] Milena swallowed hard. It was much more expensive than she had expected. But her hesitation was brief. ¡°I¡¯ll trade.¡± The value of the weapon vault was not insignificant, but the artifact for spatial connection was even more precious. Trading one weapon vault was a bargain. The device of the wandering merchant moved. Clunk. [It''s done... I''ve taken everything in your weapon vault...] "I-Is that so?" The wandering merchant hadn''t moved an inch, but he imed to have retrieved all the weapons from the distant vault. There was no lie in his words. For the wandering merchant, distance meant nothing. [Here...] The wandering merchant handed two g-like artifacts to Milena. [ce one at each location you want to connect... The space will be linked... After using it for an hour, it needs to recharge for a week...] "The distance?" [It can handle up to half the continent... Living beings can''t be transported... Is that alright?] "Of course!" Milena happily took the artifacts. Being able to connect across half the continent was an exceptional ability, one rarely seen in the world. Next was Maximus''s turn. [What do you desire...] "I desire talent with the sword." Maximus spoke calmly. He was already at the pinnacle as a swordmaster. But he wasn''t satisfied. He wanted to reach an even higher level. The wandering merchant could trade even talents, beyond material possessions. What Maximus desired was higher talent. [The cost will be great...] "I understand." To attain a talent that could elevate a swordmaster to the next level, a great price was to be expected. "I am prepared to pay. His Majesty has granted me permission to use the royal vault." [No... That material wealth is insufficient... I want your future...] Maximus''s eyebrows twitched. "My future?" [Yes... I need you to give up your lifespan... Roughly... 20 years...] "......" Maximus groaned at the unexpected cost. He certainly wanted a higher level of skill. But giving up his lifespan was another matter. Maximus decided not to proceed with the trade. "Then I want a very sharp and sturdy sword." [That''s simple...] Maximus traded treasures from the royal vault for a single sword. Although he didn''t achieve his desired goal, he left with a satisfied expression. "Is it my turn now?" Ketal stepped forward with an expectant look. The wandering merchant''s eyes momentarily flickered. [You... What are you... Why have youe...] "Hmm? Why the sudden reaction? Didn''t you already know about me?" Ketal had watched the entire trading process. He hadn''t hidden himself, so it was natural for the wandering merchant to be aware of his presence. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] In fact, he had asionally felt the merchant''s gaze on him. [I knew... but why have youe to me...] "I want to trade as well." Ketal spoke confidently. The wandering merchant was visibly flustered. [Uh...? You want to trade with me...?] "Yes." [You want to trade...?] The merchant''s reaction suggested that the very idea of trading with Ketal was bizarre. Ketal tilted his head. "Is there a problem?" [Uh...] The wandering merchant finally regained hisposure. [No... There''s no problem... So, what do you desire...] "I want to wield the mystery." The merchant was flustered once more. [Why do you want such a thing...?] His reaction was like hearing a lion wish for a deer''s antlers. Ketal replied. "I just want to have it." [...?] The wandering merchant looked utterly baffled. Milena and Maximus watched the scene with awkward expressions. "Did you know the wandering merchant could be flustered?" "I didn''t, until today..." "Is it impossible?" [No... It''s possible... If you want to trade, you''re a customer...] The merchant barely managed to regain hisposure. [But if you want to wield the mystery, it will require a tremendous price...] "I understand." Ketal''s eyes gleamed. The wandering merchant hadn''t said it was impossible. That meant it was possible for him to wield the mystery. ¡°A price, then.¡± What would he have to pay? Milena, who had been standing aside, stepped forward. ¡°Ketal is my benefactor. I can pay a substantial amount for him.¡± There was no falsehood in her words. Milena was willing to pay even half of her family¡¯s wealth for Ketal. Milena belonged to thergest merchant guild in the Kingdom of Denian. Their wealth was significant even on a continental scale. Half of her family¡¯s wealth was, quite literally, an astronomical amount. [Impossible¡­] But the wandering merchant refused. Milena''s eyes widened. ¡°What, what? You won¡¯t make the deal?¡± [The value is vastly insufficient¡­] ¡°Oh¡­ then what if I offer my entire family¡¯s wealth?¡± [Still insufficient¡­] ¡°W-what?¡± Even giving her entire family¡¯s wealth wouldn¡¯t be enough for Ketal to obtain the mystery. Maximus let out a dryugh. ¡°It takes that much for this man to wield the mystery? Even if I offer my mastery, is it still impossible?¡± Maximus knew how to wield the mystery. He was beyond a master, a transcendent being of the world. His level was beyond simple material value. But the merchant¡¯s attitude did not change. [Impossible¡­] ¡°What?¡± [The value is still vastly insufficient¡­] ¡°¡­No way.¡± Even sacrificing the mastery of a swordmaster wouldn¡¯t be enough for him to wield the mystery? Maximus and Milena stared at Ketal with astonished faces. Ketal pulled a leaf from his pocket. ¡°Would a World Tree leaf be insufficient as well?¡± ¡°A W-World Tree leaf?¡± ¡°Where did you get something like that?¡± Both were shocked. The wandering merchant¡¯s answer didn¡¯t change. [It¡¯s valuable, but¡­ still insufficient¡­] ¡°I thought so.¡± Ketal smacked his lips in disappointment. ¡°Is it impossible to get it right away?¡± He had roughly guessed it wouldn¡¯t be easy. After contemting for a moment, Ketal asked in another way. What he wanted from the wandering merchant was to wield the mystery. He wanted it to be possible right there and then. The price was insufficient. So he decided to ask for something else. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to pay the price for wielding the mystery, right? Then is it possible to ask for materials to obtain the mystery?¡± [That might be possible¡­.] The merchant asked calmly. [What do you want¡­?] ¡°A dragon heart.¡± Ketal said boldly. To wield the mystery, Ketal needed a very powerful catalyst. ording to Arkamis and Karin, it needed to be at the level of a dragon heart. What Ketal desired was natural. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A-A dragon heart?¡± Milena and Maximus were stunned. Ketal asked without concern. ¡°Or a catalyst equivalent to it. Is that possible?¡± [There¡¯s no dragon heart¡­ There is something simr¡­ but you can¡¯t afford it¡­] ¡°Well, a dragon heart is¡­¡± Milena stammered. A dragon. Its lifespan exceeded thousands of years. The older and stronger a dragon became, it was known to be as powerful as a hero. The heart of such a being was extremely precious. As far as she knew, it hadn¡¯t appeared in the world since it was used in the construction of the Magic Tower hundreds of years ago. Dragons rarely appeared in the world. Recently, they hadn¡¯t appeared at all. If a dragon heart appeared on the market, it would be no exaggeration to say that her entire family¡¯s wealth wouldn¡¯t be enough. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡°Is it impossible even this way? Can I offer myself as a trade? Like the others did, by offering my talent with the sword.¡± [That¡¯s impossible¡­] ¡°Even that¡¯s insufficient?¡± [No¡­ that¡¯s a different issue¡­ You can¡¯t be used as a trade¡­] As if to say that Ketal could not be used as a trade. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ketal fell into deep thought. He had thought he could obtain it, but things were turning out differently than nned. ¡®Is it impossible?¡¯ Couldn¡¯t the wandering merchant obtain a dragon heart? As he was about to feel disappointed, the silent merchant suddenly spoke as if he had an idea. [There is¡­ one possible way¡­] ¡°Oh? Is it possible to pay the price?¡± [No¡­ It¡¯s separate from the payment¡­ I¡¯ll give you a proposition¡­ If you ept and seed, I can give you a dragon heart¡­] ¡°Ah.¡± Milena made a sound as if she realized something. Her eyes widened. What the merchant was proposing wasn¡¯t a trade. The wandering merchant was about to give Ketal a quest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 211: Wandering Merchant (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 211: Wandering Merchant (4) ¡®I knew that wandering merchants could sometimes give quests.¡¯ It was extremely rare. It was known to happen only once or twice a year. And the targets were only the top warriors on the continent. That was happening right now, right in front of her. Milena wore a surprised expression. The wandering merchant asked, [Will you ept it...?] ¡°Of course!¡± Ketal nodded eagerly. From his perspective, this was better than simply paying a price. A quest given by a mysterious being? What a fascinating story. Ketal epted the quest. [Then wait... I will trade here for about two days... I¡¯ll give you the quest afterward...] ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal stepped back with a cheerful smile. The wandering merchant began trading with other people. Milena spoke apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ketal. I couldn¡¯t be of much help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Your concern alone is appreciated.¡± ¡°¡­Do you really need a dragon heart to handle the mysticism?¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, that seems to be the case.¡± ¡°What on earth?¡± Maximus shook his head. He knew from the beginning, when Ketal defeated him and the demon without any mystical powers, that Ketal was beyondmon sense. Having finished their trades, Maximus and Milena left to attend to their own matters. Ketal, however, stayed near the wandering merchant, watching the ongoing trades with a contented face. The wandering merchant spoke in an annoyed tone. [Move along... you¡¯re in the way...] ¡°Just observing. I won¡¯t interfere.¡± [Sigh...] Though annoyed, the wandering merchant didn¡¯t forcibly drive him away. The people trading with the wandering merchant nced uneasily at the barbarian standing nearby. Two days passed. [You¡¯re thest one...] The wandering merchant finished his trades. Ketal admired him. ¡°You traded with around a thousand people. I¡¯m curious where you store all those goods.¡± [You counted that too... Creepy guy... Follow me...] ¡°Aah!¡± ¡°O wandering merchant! Please! I haven¡¯t traded yet!¡± The desperate people who hadn¡¯t traded yet tried to cling to the wandering merchant. Annoyed, the merchant activated a device. Shwoosh. His body disappeared. The people despaired, unable to discern where he had gone. Thus, they didn¡¯t notice Ketal briefly looking in one direction before disappearing as well. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± In a forest a little ways from the capital. The wandering merchant was there. [You followed well...] ¡°You moved openly, hard to miss. You can move without a sound too. Is that also the power of your device?¡± The wandering merchant¡¯s movement was incredibly fast. People believed he had teleported. Even if Maximus were there, it wouldn¡¯t have been much different. But Ketal pinpointed the location and followed immediately. The wandering merchant spoke nonchntly, as if he expected it. [As I said before, I¡¯ll give you a quest... If youplete it, you will be able to handle the mystical...] ¡°What¡¯s the quest?¡± [Simple...] The wandering merchant spoke. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. [It¡¯s dragon hunting...] * * * [There¡¯s a dragon... It¡¯s only recently matured... Hunt it... Then you will be able to handle the mystical...] ¡°A dragon.¡± Ketal¡¯s voice trembled. What¡¯s the quintessential symbol of fantasy? There are many: swords, magic, monsters, etc., but when ites to creatures, it alles down to one. That¡¯s the dragon. A giant, magic-using lizard. An ancient and magnificent creature living for thousands of years. The wandering merchant was now requesting the hunt of such a dragon. His heart pounded with excitement. It felt simr to when he first read a fantasy novel. But Ketal forced himself to calm down. ¡°Hunting a dragon... Hmm.¡± [Is there a problem...?] ¡°I don¡¯t have any, but there is someone who might.¡± The High Elf Queen, Karin, had mentioned knowing quite a few dragons. Suddenly hunting a dragon she knew wouldn¡¯t be right. The wandering merchant assured him. [Don¡¯t worry about that... This dragon is evil from the perspective of the earthly beings...] ¡°Evil?¡± [This dragon is very interested in demons... It¡¯s trying to open a gateway to Hell... From an earthly perspective, it¡¯s a great sin...] ¡°Ah, then it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Such a dragon wouldn¡¯t be friends with Karin. He could ept the quest without worry. ¡°Stopping the demons, huh. Are you enemies with demons?¡± [I¡¯m not interested in that... But dealing with them recklessly is troublesome... This situation is convenient as it won¡¯t attract unnecessary attention... You¡¯re the same, right...?] ¡°Well, yes.¡± He considered demons enemies because they called him an enemy. Otherwise, he would have treated them as just another fantasy being. The wandering merchant was the same. He continued, as if he knew Ketal¡¯s thoughts. [You want to handle the mystery... And for that, you need a dragon heart... But one heart isn¡¯t enough... So this is a deal... Hunt the dragon, and I¡¯ll let you handle the mystical...] ¡°Do I have to go myself?¡± [No. I¡¯ll teleport you near the dragon¡¯sir...] ¡°I get the gist.¡± The wandering merchant would provide information about the dragon. Ketal would use that information to hunt the dragon. In return, Ketal would gain the ability to handle the mystical. It seemed to be that kind of quest. [Will you ept it...?] ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded immediately. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Going to a dragon¡¯sir, meeting a dragon, hunting it, and gaining mystical powers. It was a quest with only benefits. [Good... Then I¡¯ll teleport you...] The wandering merchant fiddled with his device. He teleported Ketal. "What''s this?" But Ketal was still there, standing in the same spot. As he stood there bewildered for a moment, the wandering merchant returned, looking perplexed. [What... Why isn¡¯t this working...?] ¡°Oh, due to the uniqueness of my body, simple teleportation isn''t possible. You''ll need to fold space itself for me to move.¡± [What a bother...] Grumbling, the wandering merchant started preparing another device. In the meantime, Ketal asked various questions. ¡°How did you discover the dragon''sir?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Is there a special criterion for trading?¡± ¡°Where do you usually stay?¡± Unable to bear it any longer, the wandering merchant replied in an exasperated voice. [Stop asking so many questions, you talkative fool...] ¡°Oh, am I being a nuisance? Sorry about that. I¡¯m just in a good mood.¡± Ketalughed. He had traveled the world, and in that process, he had seen many of the fantastical things he had only seen in books or paintings on Earth. But the wandering merchant was different. He was a fantastical being that didn¡¯t exist in any of the books Ketal had read on Earth. He wasn¡¯t as alien as the beings of the Forbidden Lands, which piqued Ketal¡¯s curiosity. The wandering merchant muttered as if he couldn¡¯t understand. [I didn¡¯t expect someone like you to take an interest in us...] ¡°Oh? What do you mean? Do you know something about me?¡± The wandering merchant didn''t answer and instead activated the device. Soon, the space distorted, and Ketal''s body was transported. ¡°Oh, this is the ce.¡± [You¡¯re near the dragon''sir... Moving directly ahead would alert the dragon... That mountain over there is where the dragon''sir is located...] The wandering merchant pointed to a mountain. It wasn¡¯t particrlyrge or small, just an ordinary mountain you could find anywhere. There was a dragon there. Ketal looked at the mountain with shining eyes. The wandering merchant spoke. [Let me tell you in advance... You won¡¯t be doing this alone...] ¡°What?¡± [It might be a bother for you, but I want to handle it all at once... Wait here for a moment... I''ll bring them over...] With that, the wandering merchant left. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Not alone? As Ketal pondered the meaning of those words, the wandering merchant reappeared. ¡°Whoa!¡± But he wasn''t alone. A young boy was dropped to the ground. The boy looked around in bewilderment. ¡°W-where is this...?¡± [Wait here for a moment... I''ll bring the others...] The wandering merchant teleported several more times. Each time, he brought new people. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So this is the dragon¡¯sir.¡± ¡°There are quite a few of us.¡± One man who looked like a mercenary. A middle-aged man in robes with a staff, seemingly a magician. A middle-aged woman in a priest¡¯s garb. And an ordinary-looking young boy. Lastly, there was Ketal. Five people in total. They looked at each other with puzzled expressions. The wandering merchant spoke calmly. [You all have talked to me about dragons... But there aren''t many dragons that can be hunted without issues... So I¡¯ll handle it all at once...] Ketal realized. These were people who, like him, wanted something rted to dragons from the wandering merchant. * * * ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The man who seemed like a mercenary frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are there five of us?¡± [You all asked me for something rted to dragons...] The five people present had all requested something about dragons from the wandering merchant. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was impossible before? But now you suddenly can?¡± [The situation has changed now... It¡¯s possible... So I¡¯m resuming the halted trades...] The wandering merchant spoke indifferently. [Handling dragon-rted matters multiple times is tough... So I¡¯m taking care of it all at once... Work together to hunt the dragon...] ¡°So, you mean to say.¡± The middle-aged man, who seemed to be a magician, stroked his long beard. ¡°We should form a party with these people?¡± [Yes... If you don¡¯t like it, you can leave... I¡¯ll cancel the deal and return your payment...] ¡°This is absurd.¡± The mercenary was flustered. Forcing other people into their deal was outrageous. But they couldn¡¯t refuse. As the wandering merchant said, if they missed this opportunity, there was no telling when they could hunt a dragon again. [The same goes for you...] The wandering merchant nced at Ketal. [Isn¡¯t forming a party bothersome...? It¡¯s not something you need...] It was a subtle suggestion that Ketal should give up, as if the merchant didn¡¯t want to deal with him any longer. But Ketal had no such intention. ¡°It¡¯s not a bother at all!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. A party hunt for a dragon. He was thrilled. Hunting with a group was more fun than going alone. Moreover, he could tell instinctively. The people here were among the strongest he had seen outside. He was given a free opportunity to form a party with such people. There was no way he¡¯d refuse. Seeing Ketal¡¯s weing attitude, the wandering merchant muttered as if he couldn¡¯t understand. [You actually want to form a party with humans... Strange guy...] ¡°I ept the quest.¡± [Just try not to kill each other...] ¡°I have no intention of doing that.¡± Ketal grinned. [Then work things out among yourselves... I¡¯lle when it looks like you''re about done...] The wandering merchant got the consent of the others and left. The five people were left standing in the middle of the forest. After a moment of silence, the man who seemed to be a mercenary spoke up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 212: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 212: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (1) "It seems each of you hase here with a desire regarding the dragon. Whether you like it or not, we''re in the same boat, so it¡¯s best to introduce ourselves first." The mercenary took it upon himself to start the introductions. "I am an S-rank mercenary, Blood Edge. I''vee here for the dragon¡¯s treasure." An S-rank mercenary. Their numbers were extremely few among all mercenaries. Even reaching the level of an A-rank mercenary was the limit for most. Being S-rank meant possessing power beyond that. The magician stroked his beard and spoke. "I know your name as well. I never expected to meet the famed Mercenary King here." "Ohh." Ketal eximed. The Mercenary King¡ªwhat an impressive title. A middle-aged woman who appeared to be a priest chimed in. "I know of you too. You¡¯re the one who survived a solo challenge in an S-rank dungeon, a monster nest." "I merely survived by sheer luck." "Surviving by sheer luck is something no one else could do. Even my subordinate magicians tried several times but never returned." The Mercenary King. True to his title, his strength had reached the pinnacle of superhuman capability. He was a legendary figure in the mercenary world. The Mercenary King set the stage. Next, a middle-aged man who seemed to be a magician stepped forward. "I am the head of the Shadow Reflected in the Void school, Spellweaver. I¡¯m here to obtain the dragon¡¯s magic." "The head of a school?" The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. A school leader was the head of a faction within the Magic Tower. To be a school leader, one had to understand and wield all the magic of their school. Someone capable of mastering all the umted knowledge over hundreds of years possessed great power. Although there were differences in power, school leaders often held superhuman strength at the highest level. ¡®The Shadow Reflected in the Void school. I¡¯ve heard of it.¡¯ Ketal also knew of the school. He had met a magician apprentice headed there when solving amission rted to demons in the past. "Then¡­ I shall introduce myself next." A middle-aged woman stepped forward. Her priestly robes were familiar to Ketal. She calmly introduced herself. "I am Seraphina, the Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God. I¡¯vee here for the dragon¡¯s blood ording to the church¡¯s will." "¡­Behold the de of the mighty god." The strongest church on the continent. The chief inquisitor of that church. Her strength was known to be at the highest level of superhuman capability. In terms of pure power, she was said to be among the top three in the Sun God¡¯s church. She wielded significant influence. "Ohh!" Ketal eximed in admiration. The Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God! She was an inquisitor like Aquaz from the same church. He felt a sense of kinship. Seraphina averted her gaze slightly from Ketal¡¯s look. "This is quite a luxurious gathering." The Mercenary King chuckled. Each person held the highest position in their respective fields. "Then¡­" Their gazes turned to Ketal and the young man. The Mercenary King cautiously asked. "Who are you?" The aura Ketal exuded seemed at most second-rate. On the surface, he looked like a mere second-rate barbarian. However, the fact that the wandering merchant had brought him directly for the dragon hunt indicated otherwise. They all assumed as much. Ketal introduced himself. "I am Ketal, a barbarian." "¡­Hmm?" Hearing his name, the Mercenary King tilted his head slightly as if it sounded familiar. "I don¡¯t belong to any group." "What kind of power do you wield?" Seraphina asked calmly. Her demeanor puzzled Ketal. ¡®Does she not know me?¡¯ As the Chief Inquisitor, she could be seen as Aquaz¡¯ superior. Although Aquaz had kept his identity a secret, Ketal thought he might have mentioned him while exining the journey¡¯s events, but she showed no sign of recognition. Ketal, puzzled, exined himself. "First, I know alchemy." "What?" The school leader reacted, looking at Ketal with surprise. Ketal continued. "At most, at an apprentice level. And I can also use holy power." Kiiiiing. A golden light enveloped Ketal¡¯s hand. It was undoubtedly a divine miracle. The Chief Inquisitor¡¯s eyes widened. "¡­The light of Lord Kalosia!" "As a priest, you recognized it immediately. And I am also contracted with a highest-ranking spirit." Ketal murmured briefly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Come forth, Piego." Fwoosh! mes took form, and a bull made of fire appeared. The mighty force of nature suppressed the surroundings. They were astonished. The previously quiet boy also opened his eyes wide. "A highest-ranking fire spirit?" "How can a human contract with a highest-ranking spirit?" "Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be impossible?" Amidst the confusion, Piego spoke wearily. [Why have you summoned me again?] "To show my power. You may return." [¡­] The mes flickered in anger. Piego¡¯s form vanished. "And I have personalbat skills. That¡¯s what I¡¯m most confident in. For now, that¡¯s all." In the stunned silence, Ketal grinned broadly. "What I seek is a dragon heart. Pleased to meet you." * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Uh¡­ pleased to meet you." The school leader responded. They had no knowledge of Ketal¡¯s abilities. But being contracted with a highest-ranking spirit was enough. The power of a highest-ranking spirit was known to be equivalent to the highest level of superhuman capability. As a contractor, it was reasonable to consider him an equal in strength. There were many puzzling aspects, but in terms of power, he was a great asset. Then only the young boy remained. "And who might you be?" No particr mystery could be felt from the boy. However, since the wandering merchant had brought him directly, they thought he must have some hidden power like Ketal. The boy stammered as he spoke. "Uh, um, I am... from the Empire." "The Empire?" The Mercenary King was slightly surprised. Humans affiliated with the Empire were extremely rare. Even the Mercenary King, who traveled the world as a mercenary, had only seen a few. The boy continued. "My name is Ian. And my power is... um, I don''t have any." "Excuse me?" "What?" "I-I don''t have any power... I''m just an ordinary human..." The boy spoke while trembling. They were taken aback. Someone who hade here through a direct deal with the wandering merchant, having no power at all? But indeed, no matter how much they examined the boy, they couldn''t sense any mystery from him. "What is this?" "Is this some kind of mistake?" "Hey! Wandering Merchant!" The Mercenary King shouted loudly. A momentter, an annoyed voice echoed. [What is it¡­] "Who is this boy? Isn''t there some mistake?" A in, powerless boy was included in their party. It was natural to think something was wrong. However, the wandering merchant replied indifferently. [There''s no problem¡­] "What?" [There¡¯s no problem, so just proceed¡­] With those words, the wandering merchant''s voice disappeared. The Mercenary King frowned. "No problem?" "¡­Does that mean the quest has been properly assigned?" "Hmm. Boy, do you have any thoughts of going back? This ce is too dangerous for you." The school leader spoke gently to the boy. But the boy shook his head vigorously. "I-I don''t n to go back¡­" "Hmm." The school leader stroked his beard as if in a quandary. "What do you think we should do?" "¡­We can''t just kick him out. The wandering merchant clearly said to proceed with this group." "For now¡­ let''s take him with us. We can protect him." The party to hunt the dragon wasplete with five members. Ketal smiled broadly as he spoke. "Let''s get along well during this short period." * * * "They said the location of the dragon¡¯sir is in that direction." "It¡¯s quite a distance. We should move quickly before it gets toote." They headed towards the dragon''sir. The boy hurriedly followed them. On the way to their, the school leaderughed heartily. "I never thought I¡¯d see such distinguished individuals under such circumstances." "I feel the same." The Mercenary King said. The Mercenary King, the school leader, and the Chief Inquisitor. Each was the top expert in their respective fields. They had never met in person, but they were famous enough to know each other. They knew what the others had aplished, how they had gained their power, and what kind of power they wielded. Therefore, their attention was focused on Ketal. They knew each other well. Because they possessed reputations and positions befitting their power. But they knew nothing about Ketal. ¡®¡­Who is this guy?¡¯ The school leader thought to himself. To Ketal, Piego was no more than an amusing toy he never intended to let go of. But to the inhabitants of the continent, he held immense significance. A highest-ranking spirit was an incarnation of nature itself. It was believed that humans couldn¡¯t form contracts with such beings. If a human contracted a highest-ranking spirit, their fame should have shaken the continent. Beyond that, their name would be etched in history. But no such news had been heard. ¡®It¡¯s like he suddenly fell from the sky.¡¯ A person with the power to alter the bnce of power had appeared without any warning. That wasn¡¯t all. He could handle alchemy and use divine power. The powers he possessed showed no corrtion with each other. They couldn¡¯t fathom how he came to possess such powers. Seraphina seemed to share the same curiosity. Only the Mercenary King watched with an uncertain expression. They knew nothing about Ketal. That was extremely unusual. Ketal had aplished significant feats in this world. He had defeated demons, defended a sanctuary of a god, cleared a Forbidden Land in the deep sea, and protected the elven sanctuary. Each of these feats was enough to shake the continent. They were aware of the incidents Ketal was involved in. Moreover, in Seraphina¡¯s case, she was even the superior of Aquaz, who had a connection with Ketal. As the leaders of their respective groups, they received a lot of information, making it very strange that they didn¡¯t know about Ketal. The reason was simple. The Tower Master had deliberately disrupted information to obscure Ketal¡¯s existence. The Tower Master judged that it was not beneficial for Ketal¡¯s existence to be known. His intention had indeed been effective. Except for ces where Ketal was directly involved, few people currently knew about him. His fame had been intentionally concealed. But the Tower Master¡¯s efforts were in vain. Ketal had now met with the leaders of the Magic Tower, the Mercenary Guild, and the Sun God¡¯s church. Their attention was focused on Ketal. And eventually, the Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God couldn¡¯t hold back and spoke first. "Excuse me. Did you say your name is Ketal?" Her gaze was fixed on the jet-ck bracelet on Ketal¡¯s wrist, a holy relic of Kalosia. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 213: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 213: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (2) ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Your bracelet. Could it possibly be a holy relic of Kalosia?¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°I thought so...¡± Seraphina muttered in astonishment. She was a devotee of the gods. Not just any devotee, but one with the highest level of power. She had known from the beginning that the bracelet Ketal was wearing was a relic of Kalosia. She just needed to confirm it because it was hard to believe. ¡°How did you obtain it?¡± Ketal''s bracelet was a genuine holy relic. It could only be wielded with the direct permission of a god, and such individuals were rare throughout the history of the church. Even the Church of the Sun had numerous relics, but no one had ever received them. Seraphina herself had never acquired a relic. She had borrowed one a few times when fighting evil, but it was always returned to the church after the mission. And yet, this barbarian possessed a holy relic of the gods. Seraphina asked cautiously. ¡°Did the saintess of Kalosia¡¯s church give you permission?¡± ¡°No, I met Kalosia directly and received permission.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Directly from the god?¡± Those who had been listening quietly turned their heads in surprise. Seraphina''s eyes widened. ¡°You met Kalosia directly?¡± ¡°It might be easier to show you this.¡± Ketal showed the emblem of Kalosia he received from Shadrenes. A hundredyers of ovepping patterns. Seraphina gasped when she saw it. ¡°May I hold it for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seraphina carefully epted theyered emblem. She let out a groan. ¡°This is...¡± She knew exactly what it was. Seraphina had a vast knowledge of the Kalosia church. In fact, she had information on every church currently existing on the continent. That¡¯s why she was so surprised. ¡®An emblem given to a benefactor. But a hundredyers?¡¯ The hundredyers of emblems each contained a different image. Ketal thought they were just borate designs, but each image had its own meaning. And Seraphina knew all of those meanings. The first emblem. Given to those who have helped the church. The second emblem. Given to the friends of the church. The third emblem. Given to honorary members of the church. Dozens of emblems, each with great value on their own, wereyered together. And thest emblem. Given to those personally acknowledged by the god. ¡®My goodness.¡¯ Even as the chief inquisitor, she had never conversed directly with a god. If this emblem was true, the barbarian in front of her was higher in religious standing than she was. How could this barbarian have received a hundredyered emblem? There was only one possibility. ¡°Recently, the demon¡¯s descent. Were you at Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary then?¡± The Tower Master had tried to block as much information about Ketal as possible. But even the walls have ears. No matter how much information was concealed, the deeds of Ketal were too significant to hidepletely. Thus, there were rumors that an unknown person had defended Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary from demonic attacks. The identity of this powerful individual was one of the biggest mysteries on the continent. Some spected that Kalosia had descended directly, while others believed it was a hidden master who had emerged. These rumors were spreading across the continent. Even the Church of the Sun was trying to find out who it was. Ketal nodded. ¡°I helped them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The mystery was now solved. This barbarian was the one who had defended Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary from the demonic attack. It was surprising, but understandable. As a contractor of the highest-level spirit, he had sufficient power. But one question remained. ¡®Why didn¡¯t Aquaz mention this barbarian?¡¯ Aquaz had recently returned to the Church of the Sun. As the chief inquisitor, Seraphina had heard about Aquaz¡¯s journey. This included information about Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary. But Aquaz had said nothing about the barbarian. That was because the saintess of the Sun had first spoken to Aquaz and ordered her not to speak of the barbarian to anyone. Without knowing this, Seraphina was puzzled. ¡°Do you know someone named Aquaz?¡± ¡°Of course. She''s the Inquisitor of the Sun God. She¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°...Your friend?¡± ¡°Yes, we''ve known each other for some time.¡± ¡°...For some time?¡± ¡°Recently, we even traveled to the City of Mermaids together.¡± ¡°...¡± This was all news to her. Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Judging by your reaction, it seems she returned safely. I''m d.¡± ¡°...Yes, she returned safely.¡± Seraphina realized that Aquaz had intentionally hidden information about the barbarian. She narrowed her eyes. ¡®I¡¯m going to have a lot to discuss when I get back, Aquaz.¡¯ Aquaz, resting in the church, shivered unknowingly. Others listening to the conversation also realized something. This barbarian was the widely unknown savior who had protected Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary from demonic hands.N?v(el)B\\jnn Seraphina quietly closed her mouth and organized her thoughts. Next, it was the Mercenary King''s turn. He was staring intently at Ketal. A barbarian with ash-gray hair. The name was Ketal. ¡®I remember hearing about him somewhere...¡¯ He asked with curiosity. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Denian.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Havinge here at the request of a wandering merchant, this was not a lie. The Mercenary King''s eyes widened. ¡°The Kingdom of Denian?¡± ¡°Yes, I''m a mercenary too.¡± Ketal grinned. ¡°It''s an honor to meet such a famous senior.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a mercenary?¡± Information rapidly shed through the Mercenary King''s mind. A barbarian with ash-gray hair. A mercenary from the Kingdom of Denian. The Mercenary King was one of the most senior members of the Mercenary Guild. He was on friendly terms with the Guild Master and asionally had drinks with him. Recently, during one of those drinking sessions, the Guild Master had made a request to the Mercenary King. There had been strange urrences in the dungeons, causing many mercenaries to die. But something peculiar had happened. An A-rank dungeon in the Kingdom of Denian had turned into an AAA-rank, yet everyone survived. This was so unusual that the Mercenary King became interested. The Guild Master had quickly handed over the list of mercenaries who had participated in that dungeon raid to the Mercenary King. Ketal, the barbarian, was on that list. ¡°Did you ever go on a dungeon raid in the Kingdom of Denian?¡± ¡°Yes. It was an interesting dungeon.¡± ¡°...¡± With those words, the Mercenary King realized that this barbarian was the one the Guild Master had talked about. Indeed, if he was a contractor of a highest-level spirit, it made sense. ¡®I need to report this to the Guild Master.¡¯ The first known contractor of a highest-level spirit, and he was a mercenary. This would cause an uproar in the Mercenary Guild. The Guild Master would rush to the Kingdom of Denian. As the conversation started to open up, the previously silent Spellweaver cautiously asked Ketal a question. ¡°You mentioned you learned alchemy. Did you study under a school of the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°No, I learned from Arkamis.¡± ¡°Arkamis?¡± ¡°Oh, do you know her?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It was impossible not to know. Arkamis was a highly renowned alchemist on the continent. Aside from being a high elf, her abilities alone were extraordinary. Her personal strength was at a superhuman level, but that wasn''t what made her truly remarkable. Arkamis was the only alchemist who had turned aplete novice into a superhuman. Many magicians wondered how that was even possible. Even the great Tower Master was intrigued. Naturally, the Spellweaver was also shocked when he heard the news. More than a hundred alchemists had left the Magic Tower to seek tutge from Arkamis. But none of them had returned having learned anything from her. Thus, Ketal¡¯s words seemed strange. ¡°Did Arkamis teach you alchemy?¡± ¡°Yes, we have a master-disciple rtionship.¡± ¡°...Master-disciple rtionship?¡± If Ketal was telling the truth, he would receive a grand reception if he visited the Magic Tower. Alchemists would flock to him, hoping to establish a connection with Arkamis to learn alchemy. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ This barbarian said he traveled with Aquaz. If so... ¡°Do you happen to know someone named Baker?¡± A superhuman magician who left the Magic Tower out of love for an Inquisitor. Upon returning to the Magic Tower, he spoke about his journey. He talked about facing creatures from the Forbidden Lands in the depths of the ocean. Many magicians had approached Baker to gain information about the abyss. However, any information about Ketal had been preemptively blocked by the Tower Master, so there had been no mention of him. And Ketal spoke quite simply. ¡°Of course I know him. We¡¯re friends. We went to the bottom of the sea together. How¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ he¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡®...What?¡¯ The Spellweaver thought about going back to the Tower and grilling Baker with questions. Meanwhile, Baker, who was resting in the Tower like Aquaz, shivered involuntarily. Seraphina, who had been deep in thought, asked, ¡°Did you contract your spirit through Arkamis then, Mr. Ketal?¡± Arkamis was a high elf, a being close to the spirits themselves. Naturally, it seemed likely that Ketal had learned his spirit arts from Arkamis. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°No, she didn''t teach me that.¡± ¡°Then who...¡± ¡°I obtained it at the elves¡¯ sanctuary.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± For a moment, Seraphina thought she had misheard. But Ketal repeated, confirming she hadn¡¯t misheard. ¡°The elves'' sanctuary. I obtained it at Elfo Sagrado.¡± Before leaving, Ketal had asked Karin if it was alright to talk about what had happened there. Karin had said it didn''t matter since the information would spread anyway, so he spoke freely. The Spellweaver, lost in thought, was astonished. ¡°Elfo Sagrado? You went there?¡± Elfo Sagrado, the mysticalnd whose location was unknown. The elves trusted and invited only those who would never desecrate their sanctuary. It was said that no human knew its location, and even if someone did, they kept silent about it. This barbarian had qualified for such an invitation. To have contracted with a highest-level spirit there meant the elves fully supported this barbarian. ¡°Then perhaps the recent demonic descent at the elves'' sanctuary...¡± ¡°Ah, it''s already known? I was there as well.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Spellweaver let out a dryugh. To summarize Ketal''s story so far: He was the one who had saved Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary from a demonic invasion. In return, he received a holy relic and spoke directly with the god. He was the apprentice of the legendary alchemist Arkamis, who could make anyone a superhuman. He was so close with the elves that he was invited to their sanctuary, where he contracted a highest-level spirit. ¡®...What?¡¯ Listening to him was like hearing about a hero from a legend. ¡®Why have I never heard of such a person before?¡¯ The Tower Master had been exceptionally diligent in hiding Ketal¡¯s identity. The deeds Ketal had performed should have been known across the entire continent. That they weren¡¯t, meant the Tower Master had manipted information continent-wide. This was no easy task, even for the great hero that the Tower Master was. He had to control all the information without causing suspicion and without revealing his involvement. There were strong individuals besides the Tower Master in the world. To go unnoticed by them was incredibly difficult. Yet, the Tower Master had done it. No one had realized anything about Ketal, and no one had found it odd. The Tower Master had seeded in controlling information on a continental scale. This fact had immensely gratified the Tower Master, giving him a rare feeling of euphoria. It was so much so that he had spent an entire day boasting to his only disciple about his great achievement. But despite the Tower Master''s efforts, Ketal had directly met with people. The continent was beginning to recognize Ketal¡¯s existence. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 214: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 214: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (3) They kept asking Ketal about various things after that. Who he met and what he did in the sanctuaries of Kalosia, the mermaid vige, and the elven sanctuary. The more Ketal answered, the more astonishment and shock appeared on their faces. Just as they were beginning to understand what kind of person Ketal was, they arrived at the mountain with the dragon''sir. * * * ¡°This is the ce.¡± Seraphina murmured. They were now right in front of the mountain of the dragon''sir. She looked at the Spellweaver. ¡°Do you sense anything?¡± ¡°¡­I feel nothing.¡± The Spellweaver stroked his beard. The Mercenary King narrowed his eyes. ¡°Same here. If a dragon were present, there should be a strong wave of power, but it''s dead quiet. Instead, perception is being forcibly disrupted.¡± ¡°The information was urate.¡± A dragon''sir exists somewhere in the world. But no one had found its location. Its power was perfectly concealed, making it impossible to trace the dragon''sir through power and energy tracking methods. The Magic Tower had persistently pursued the dragon''sir for decades but had gained no information. Even though the Master of the Tower did not participate, if the Magic Tower, where all the world''s wizards gather, failed, there essentially was no possible group left. Thus, they had to move in person, which was also impossible. There was only one reason. The mountain with the dragon''sir had a powerful perception disruption spell. ¡°What a peculiar sensation. It''s clearly in front of us, but my consciousness wants to disperse elsewhere.¡± ¡°If you lose focus, you''ll immediately drift away to another ce.¡± Even they, the highest-ranking superhumans, had to concentrate intensely to be aware of the mountain before them. For anyone below them, it would be impossible to perceive. Moreover, the mountain was in a remote area where no one had set foot. In reality, there was no way to find it. These conditions were why the dragon''sir had remained hidden until now. Hence, they couldn''t help but be impressed by the wandering merchant''s information. ¡°As expected, things that have existed since the Demon War. Where on earth does he get such information?¡± ¡°We paid a hefty price and were asked to catch a dragon, so we hadints, but¡­ for information like this, there¡¯s nothing more to say.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± They conversed. And Ketal sensed something strange. ¡®Paid a hefty price?¡¯ Their words implied they had paid something to the wandering merchant. And it wasn¡¯t a small price. But Ketal hadn¡¯t paid the wandering merchant anything. He had just received a quest to catch the dragon. The location of the dragon''sir was just one of the pieces of information for the quest. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ketal remained silent. The Mercenary King grabbed the sword at his waist. ¡°Then let''s go in. ording to the information, it might be quite dangerous.¡± ¡°Right. That... Ian, was it?¡± Seraphina cautiously spoke. The boy following them hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± ¡°What about going back now? It¡¯s very dangerous ahead. Even we cannot guarantee your safety.¡± Ian was an ordinary boy with no power. He was too weak to endure the journey ahead. But Ian, trembling, shook his head. ¡°N-no. I will go with you¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Seraphina sighed. In her opinion, the boy shouldn¡¯te along. She wanted to send him back forcibly. But the wandering merchant had said the boy would be no problem. This meant he was part of their group. Excluding him recklessly could cause issues. While Seraphina was pondering what to do, the Mercenary King nonchntly spoke. ¡°Let him do as he pleases. The boy made his choice.¡± He was a mercenary. One who risks life for profit. To him, Ian¡¯s choice was insignificant. ¡°Whatever he desires, he chose to follow us. So, let him follow. Whatever happens, he has to bear it himself.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a child.¡± Seraphina objected. She was a follower of the god. Protecting the weak and caring for children was her duty. ¡°So, are you going to forcibly send him away? Who knows how the wandering merchant will respond?¡± ¡°But I cannot expose a child to danger. We need to call the wandering merchant again and discuss this.¡± ¡°He already said it wasn¡¯t a problem. I¡¯ve never heard of the wandering merchant going back on his word.¡± Their ideologies and values shed. The Spellweaver asked casually. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you going to intervene?¡± ¡°Intervene? Why?¡± Ketal¡¯s face was one of sheer enjoyment. A mercenary and a priest of the god. Two contrasting figures in a fantasy, their values colliding. It was a very entertaining sight. Ketal wanted to keep watching. ¡°¡­I see.¡± The Spellweaver¡¯s expression turned uneasy at Ketal¡¯s attitude. He was the only one who could mediate. He cleared his throat and intervened. ¡°From my perspective, both sides have valid points. There¡¯s no need to argue. How about this?¡± The Spellweaver looked at the trembling boy. ¡°The boy seems determined not to back down. In that case, he¡¯ll have toe with us. Seraphina, how about you protect him as much as possible?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Neither side strongly opposed. They both knew that this was the most reasonable solution, as the Spellweaver had said. But they were leaders of their respective groups. If they easily yielded to the other, it would diminish their group¡¯s prestige. Therefore, they refused to back down to the end. However, if someone suggested apromise, they could ept it without losing face. The fact that the Spellweaver was not someone to be easily dismissed also yed a role. And Ketal was watching the entire process. ¡°Interesting. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose¡­¡± The boy named Ian answered hesitantly. ¡°It seems to be settled. Then, let¡¯s move on.¡± Ketal said, smiling as he started walking. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] They entered the dragon¡¯sir. And what greeted them were powerful monsters. [Uoooooo!] [Kaaaa!] ¡°It¡¯s like the monsters are holding a grand ball. What a spectacle.¡± The Spellweaver chuckled. ¡°The information was correct.¡± Not much was known about the dragon¡¯sir. But it wasn¡¯tpletely unknown. Before the dragons disappeared, there had been a few dragon hunts, so some information was avable. One such piece of information was about the mountain of the dragon¡¯sir. The mountain of the dragon¡¯sir was not an ordinary mountain. It was a den of powerful monsters from all over the world. When dragons created theirirs, they kidnapped monsters and sealed them in the mountain. Whether it was a personal hobby or a collector¡¯s impulse was unknown, but most of the mountain where the dragon¡¯sir was located was filled with monsters. Since these monsters were brought by dragons themselves, the ones before them were all formidable. ¡°Basilisks, wyverns, drakes¡­ even a hydra. Quite a collection. An ogre looks like a mere underling here.¡± An army would be annihted if it tried to enter. Releasing even one of these monsters would bring disaster to the area. Even the strongest of the superhumans would struggle to progress through this ce. But it posed no problem for them. [Kiaaaa!] A hydra charged at them. A beast with nine heads. Unless all its heads were cut off, it would not die. Its hide was so tough that ordinary methods would leave no mark. The hydra¡¯s venom was so potent that one would die within three steps of contact. It was a formidable monster that even superhumans could not easily deal with. Typically, it only appeared in AAA-level dungeons. ¡°A hydra. It¡¯s been a while.¡± But the Mercenary King calmly drew his sword. He thenunched himself forward. As he moved to the opposite side of the hydra, it turned to bite him, but its body started to fall apart. [Kaaaa?] The hydra¡¯s body was cut into dozens of pieces and fell to the ground, its blood spilling. The Mercenary King shook the blood off his sword. [Kiaaaa!] [Kaaak!] Dozens of wyverns charged at them. Seraphina quietly muttered. ¡°O sun god. Let your radiant light shine here.¡± With her prayer, a shining orb rose in the sky. Its intense light and heat scorched the wyverns, burning their wings and causing them to plummet. Even though it was a simple prayer, its power surpassed that of the sacred scriptures of Aquaz. ¡°Hmph. Precious monsters.¡± The Spellweaver looked at the monsters with a fond gaze. He waved his hand. Then shadows stretched out like tendrils. Despite the sun being high, the shadows engulfed the entire ground. [Uooooh!] The monsters began to be sucked into the shadows. They struggled to escape, but the shadows swallowed them like a swamp, right up to their heads. The Spellweaver looked satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ll have to use this for my researchter.¡± ¡°Ooooh.¡± And Ketal marveled at their power. The heretic inquisitor of the sun god, Aquaz. The magician from the Magic Tower, Baker. And Swordmasters Maximus and Cain. Each of them was a powerful figure in their respective fields. But the people before him now were far stronger than them. ¡®Is this what the peak of the superhuman level looks like?¡¯ Ketal had never seen the peak of superhuman level humans before. He had skipped directly from superhuman to hero level. He had met several demons, but their powers were so unique that directparison was difficult. Therefore, it was hard to gauge their power, but seeing it now, there was a definite difference in ss. Ketal marveled at theirbat prowess. And they, too, were impressed by Ketal. Of course, Ketal was not directly engaging inbat. But he wasn¡¯t just standing around either. KABOOM! Crimson mes, primordial fire, swept through the forest. Powerful monsters were reduced to ashes without even screaming. Yet the mes caused no harm to the natural surroundings. The Spellweaver eximed. ¡°Is that the power of a highest-ranking spirit!¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s strong.¡± The Mercenary King and Seraphina also looked astonished. Highest-ranking spirits could only be contracted by elves. But they never left their territories. So it was the first time even they had seen the power of a highest-ranking spirit. ¡°At that level¡­ it¡¯s almost on par with me.¡± They continued to marvel as they observed Piego. And Piego, feeling ufortable with their gaze, wielded his power even more fiercely. [Damn it. What the hell is this.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It felt like being a monkey in a zoo. He never imagined he¡¯d find himself in such a humiliating situation. What made Piego even more flustered was something else. ¡°Ooooh. Very strong. Is this the peak of superhuman level?¡± It was Ketal, continuously marveling at the others¡¯ battles right beside him. [¡­What are you doing?] ¡°I¡¯m watching. They are indeed strong.¡± [Well, they aren¡¯t weak.] Seraphina and the Spellweaver. The Mercenary King¡¯s strength was exceptional even in Piego¡¯s eyes. Such strong figures would be hard to find on the surface. But Ketal was stronger. Their strength was on par with Piego¡¯s. And Ketal had reverse summoned him with a single strike. Those others wouldn¡¯t be much different. To Ketal, all their strength was akin to children¡¯s y. Yet he was sincerely admiring and praising their strength. To Piego, who knew Ketal¡¯s true strength, it was iprehensible. [Are you serious?] ¡°I am. They are very strong. I want to learn their techniques too.¡± Ketal was genuinely admiring them. Piego murmured sincerely. [You¡¯re insane.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 215: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 215: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (4) [Why am I getting involved in this nonsense?] Piego couldn''t understand it at all. It felt like watching grown adults seriously ying with children''s toys. Ketal spoke leisurely. ¡°What''s the hurry? We have plenty of time. Let''s take it easy and enjoy ourselves slowly.¡± Ketal smiled as he watched others fight. There was a genuine light of joy in his eyes. [¡­Monstrous child.] It wasn''t a matter of power. It was hard to understand Ketal''s philosophy. Piego sighed and swung his me. The approaching ogre was incinerated, leaving no trace behind. [This ce is a dragon''sir. How did we end up here? I thought it had vanished from the surface.] ¡°You''re aware of it. We came through the wandering merchant.¡± [You mean that monster. Indeed. There''s no other way besides through him.] ¡°You know about it?¡± [Of course. It''s a mysterious creature that existed on thisnd long before I did.] Piego spoke indifferently. [No one knows what it wants or where it resides. It''s a mysterious monster. I can''t understand why humans would trade with such a thing¡­] ¡°If our interests align, I see no reason to refuse. Is it different for spirits?¡± [It''s not a creature of nature. It''s more like an enemy to us.] ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal showed an intrigued expression at Piego''s words. It seemed that the wandering merchant did not have a close rtionship with spirits. [But... a dragon''sir, huh. Well, you probably won''t have any trouble.] However, Piego looked at the others curiously. [Who are those guys?] ¡°They are a party to hunt the dragon with.¡± [A party? To hunt the dragon with you?] Piego was momentarily startled. [With just those guys? Well, it should be fine...] Piego, who was about to say something, soon realized. Common sense didn¡¯t work with Ketal. He closed his mouth. [Do as you please.] ¡°That''s the n. Ah, there''s one thing I want to ask.¡± [What is it?] ¡°What do you think about that boy?¡± The mountain was quite deep. It was quite dangerous, as powerful monsters resided there. Of course, for those of the highest rank, it wasn''t a big deal, but it was different for the boy. ¡°Huff, huff, huff.¡± The boy, Ian, was following them with a pale face. His legs were trembling, perhaps from fear or fatigue from the mountain climb. [He¡¯s just an ordinary boy with no power. It must be very hard for him to keep up.] ¡°Is that all?¡± Ketal asked as if there was nothing more peculiar about him. Piego spoke in a puzzled tone. [What more is there? He doesn¡¯t seem to have any special power. I don''t know why he''s following, but you said the wandering merchant brought him, right? Then we can''t do anything about it.] ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal''s face showed interest. ¡°So that''s the extent of your perception.¡± Piego didn''t think much of the boy. Or rather, he couldn''t. ¡°I understand now.¡± [Then why did you ask?] Piego grumbled. After advancing a bit more, Seraphina spoke to the struggling boy. ¡°We should rest here.¡± ¡°The day''s getting dark, so it''s a good idea. We need time to prepare.¡± The mercenary king agreed. They set up camp near the forest. Seraphina offered a small prayer. ¡°Sun God, please protect us under your light.¡± A radiant light enveloped them. The boy barely managed to sit down, rubbing his trembling legs. Seraphina offered a prayer of healing to the boy. ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± ¡°How much further do we have to go?¡± ¡°At this pace, we should reach in two days.¡± ¡°Tsk. We have a long way to go.¡± The Spellweaver looked dissatisfied. Without the boy, they could have gone twice as fast. The progress was slow because they had to protect him. Although the Spellweaver mediated, he wasn''t pleased with the boy being in the party. He was a magician who valued logic and efficiency. It was frustrating to be dyed by the boy. The boy shrank under the weight of those gazes. To lighten the mood, Ketal opened his pouch. ¡°Everyone must be hungry. Let me cook for you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What? You can cook too?¡± Instead of answering, Ketal showed them through action. He pulled out a pot and various stored ingredients, starting to cook at a quick pace. ¡°Piego, could you provide some fire?¡± [¡­Alright.] Piego, suddenly treated as a log, resignedly breathed out fire. The ingredients cooked rapidly. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°That was quick. You''re quite useful.¡± [¡­¡­.] Piego¡¯s me flickered momentarily. The others watched with mixed feelings. ¡°¡­Is it okay to treat a spirit like that?¡± ¡°As far as I know, it¡¯s not.¡± The higher the rank of a spirit, the prouder it was. It was said that even contractors couldn''t treat highest-ranking spirits lightly. Although they tried talking to Piego out of curiosity, hepletely ignored them. This confirmed the information. Yet now, Ketal was treating Piego like a convenient tool. ¡°Is this really okay?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Judging by Piego¡¯s increasingly agitated mes, it seemed problematic, but since the contractor said it was fine, they had no room to intervene. Before long, Ketal made a meat stew and handed it to them. The mercenary king''s eyes widened as he cautiously tasted it. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Indeed. You''re good at cooking too. Impressive.¡± Seraphina admired. Ketal smiled with satisfaction at their reactions. ¡°Thank you.¡± The food quickly disappeared. They rested. The mercenary king muttered, as if realizing anew. ¡°Will there ever be another gathering of this scale?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± The Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God, the Archmage of the Tower, the Mercenary King, and a contractor with a highest-ranking spirit. Each was a high-ranking leader or someone withparable power in their respective groups. The idea of such individuals gathering to undertake a quest together was a dreame true for enthusiasts. ¡°With this much power, we should be able to y a dragon.¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, there''s one thing I''m a bit skeptical about.¡± The Spellweaver said with a hesitant face. ¡°We are certainly strong. We have the power to be highly regarded anywhere. But our opponent is a dragon.¡± A dragon. It was said that only those who reached the level of a hero could face them. Even with four top-tier superhumans, there was a significant gap from being heroes. Hence, the Spellweaver had his doubts. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s truly possible.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± The mercenary king dismissed the Spellweaver''s concerns simply. ¡°The Wandering Merchant does not propose impossible deals.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] If they couldn¡¯t y the dragon with their power, the merchant wouldn''t have made the proposal in the first ce. But the Wandering Merchant had made the proposal. This meant they had sufficient power to y the dragon. ¡°Of course, I understand that our power alone might not be enough. The dragon was said to have just reached adulthood. Perhaps it hasn¡¯t fully gained its strength. Or it might be injured. There might have been power loss during the summoning process.¡± ¡°That could be true.¡± The Spellweaver nodded. He muttered, as if realizing anew. ¡°If we seed, we will all earn the title of Dragon yer.¡± ¡°Dragon... yer.¡± The mercenary king spoke in an excited voice. There were only two or three Dragon yers on the continent. And they were all heroes. If they seeded in ying the dragon, it would be the first time for superhumans. The thought of gaining such fame and reputation made their hearts swell with excitement. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Spellweaver, feeling the same, stroked his beard with anticipation. ¡°If we earn the title of Dragon yer, it will raise the prestige of our school. I¡¯ll have something to boast about to the Tower Master.¡± ¡°¡­Come to think of it.¡± Seraphina suddenly recalled something and cautiously asked them. ¡°You all offered something to the Wandering Merchant, didn¡¯t you? What did you give?¡± ¡°A third of the treasures I¡¯ve gathered so far.¡± ¡°Something simr for me. I paid ten artifacts from the school. My students made quite a fuss.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± What Seraphina offered was a noble shield handed down through her order for centuries. The mercenary king grumbled. ¡°I almost cried blood when I handed over my treasures. For that much, they should have given us a reward. Just giving information about the dragon¡¯sir and telling us to y it ourselves is so heartless.¡± Seraphina gave a bitter smile. She secretly agreed. However, even so, the reward for sessfully ying the dragon would make the price they paid seem trivial, so it wasn¡¯t a loss. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal silently listened to their conversation. This confirmed it. The others had paid a significant price just to get the information about the dragon¡¯sir ande here. In contrast, Ketal hade here empty-handed. ¡®Payment for value and transaction, huh.¡¯ Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°So, what did that boy give?¡± The Spellweaver nced at the boy. The boy, who had been ttering dishes, flinched. ¡°¡­He must have paid an enormous amount.¡± The Mercenary King had to give up a third of the treasures he had umted over his lifetime just to get information about the dragon¡¯sir. But that boy had done nothing and merely followed them. To do that, he must have paid an unimaginable price. That meant he had the wealth to afford such a cost. ¡°Is he perhaps a prince of the empire?¡± ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Seraphina trailed off. She had no clue about the boy¡¯s identity either. The boy shrank as if he found their gazes burdensome. The Mercenary King spoke indifferently. ¡°Enough. The important thing is ying the dragon. Discussing that is more important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± At the Mercenary King¡¯s words, they shifted their focus and began discussing their strategy. The boy let out a small sigh of relief. Ketal quietly watched the boy. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± The Spellweaver suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ketal, what did you give up? Was it simr to us?¡± ¡°Simr.¡± Ketal replied with a grin. * * * The next day. They continued their journey, defeating any monsters they encountered. ¡°Huff, huff, huff.¡± The boy followed, panting heavily. The Spellweaver clicked his tongue. ¡®Why are we even doing this?¡¯ He never thought he would end up babysitting a boy with no apparent talent. The Spellweaver kept casting disapproving nces at the boy. Had it not been for Seraphina looking after him, the boy would have continued to cower. Surprisingly, the Mercenary King also took care of the boy. Though he didn¡¯t make it obvious, he subtly ensured the boy wasn¡¯t too ufortable. ¡°I¡¯m the only bad guy here.¡± The Spellweaver grumbled. Seraphina gave a bitter smile. That night, they rested again. At this pace, they would reach their destination by tomorrow. Once again, Ketal cooked, and they ate heartily. That night. When everyone had fallen asleep. The boy cautiously got up and staggered towards the edge of the forest. ¡°Where are you going?¡± A voice rang out from behind. Startled, the boy turned to see Ketal leaning against a tree. ¡°I-I need to pee¡­¡± ¡°Ah. It could be dangerous, so I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Ketal followed the boy. When the boy stopped, Ketal turned his back and gave him some space. After a while, the boy returned. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± As they walked back, the boy spoke cautiously. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°For agreeing to bring me along. Honestly, I know I¡¯m a burden.¡± ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± From Ketal¡¯s perspective, it was enjoyable either way. The boy, feeling a bit more at ease, continued. ¡°You all handle those terrifying monsters so easily. You¡¯re all incredibly strong. I want to have that kind of power too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°To me, you seem stronger.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The boy flinched. ¡°I¡¯m just a boy with no power. That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°Is that so? If you say so.¡± Ketal smiled and walked ahead. The boy remained standing there. After Ketal disappeared from view. The boy¡¯s face, initially flustered, became serious. ¡®What is with that guy?¡¯ The boy narrowed his eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 216: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 216: The Quest of the Wandering Merchant (5) The Next Day. They continued to climb the mountain. The boy''s gaze was fixed on Ketal. Seraphina gently asked, "Why do you keep looking at him? Are you interested in spirits?" "No, not really..." The boy hastily shook his head. Yet, even after that, the boy''s gaze remained fixed on Ketal. However, Ketal seemed disinterested, merely watching the others'' battles with a cheerful expression. This made the boy frown with difort. And then, finally, they arrived. "This must be it." Near the mountain peak was a cave. They knew instinctively that this was the dragon''sir. It would be foolish not to realize this, as the entrance to the cave was the size of a castle, big enough for a dragon toe and go with ease. But that wasn''t all. "A guardian?" "Looks like it." A brown golem was guarding the entrance to their. They could instinctively tell that the golem was strong. None of them could guarantee victory if they fought it individually. "We''ll have to work together this time." "Indeed." They discussed their battle strategy. After a while, the mercenary king summarized, "The spirit and Seraphina will defend against the guardian''s attacks in the front. The Spellweaver will provide support, and I''ll exploit any openings. Conserve your strength as much as possible; we''ll still need to face the dragon afterward. Any suggestions?" "I have none." "It seems clear enough." "I agree," Ketal said. Piego, who had been silent, was surprised. [Wait a minute, master. You agree?] "Yes. I think it''s a sound n." [No.] Piego was at a loss for words. To him, the n seemed full of problems for a simple reason: It would be much easier and more efficient for Ketal to smash the guardian on his own. But Ketal insisted on not participating directly in the fight and just watching. It was utterly irrational, and Piego couldn''t understand it. [No...] As he looked at Ketal''s face in confusion, Piego suddenly realized that Ketal was smiling. ''A party attack by four top-tier superhumans.'' What an entertaining spectacle it was. Ketal had no intention of missing such an opportunity. Piego, too, understood Ketal''s thoughts from his expression. The others hade here to y the dragon and im its reward, and Ketal was no different in that regard. But for Ketal, the situation itself was also the objective. ''This guy.'' Piego finally understood what kind of person Ketal was. To Ketal, the current situation was just an interesting show. He enjoyed forming a party, hunting monsters together, and making ns. It felt like witnessing a transcendent being ying with the world. ''What a...'' It was twisted. It was safe to say he was broken. Piego shuddered. "Very well then, Piego. Are you okay with this?" [...I have no objections.] Realizing this about Ketal, Piego gave up and obediently followed. There was no other way, as he had a direct contract with the spirit god. He could onlyply. "Alright then. I''ll go first. O Sun God, grant your blessing to your servant." Seraphina uttered a small prayer. Simultaneously, a shield and mace of light descended. Sensing the energy wave, the guardian''s eyes glowed. "Hup!" Seraphina charged, shielding her body with the shield. Her small, slender figure collided with the golem. A massive sound echoed, and shockwaves spread throughout the forest. [Enemy detected.] The guardian''s role was to exterminate intruders in the dragon''sir. The guardian moved to fulfill its role diligently, swinging its arms to strike Seraphina violently. Boom! Boom! Boom! The tremendous force pressed down on Seraphina. The ground sank with each blow, groaning under the pressure. Screeech! Just as the golem was about to deliver a crushing blow, crimson mes red up. Piego charged with his horns. The golem assumed a defensive stance with the arm it was about to strike with. A magical shield protected the golem''s body. Boom! Piego''s horn pierced the magical shield. The recoil pushed Piego''s body back. Even the power of a highest-ranking spirit wasn''t enough to withstand it. However, thanks to that, the magical shield shattered. And the mercenary king did not miss the opportunity. He quietly moved behind the golem. He reached the back of the guardian without a sound. A blue aura shimmered on his sword. The sword struck the guardian''s body. ng! With a harsh sound, part of the guardian''s body shattered. But it was only a small fragment of its structure. Its durability was astonishing. Screech! The guardian swung its arm violently. The mercenary king narrowly dodged and frowned. "It''s too tough." "It seems to be a golem with a core. If we don''t destroy the core, it will keep moving." "Where is the core?" "Right now, it seems well hidden. We''ll need to keep fighting to create an opening in the magical concealment. I''ll try to detect it." "Understood." "Hup!" Seraphina thrust her shield forward. The guardian roughly pushed Seraphina away. Taking advantage of the opening, Piego struck with his horn. When the golem defended, the mercenary king struck its body with his sword. Using the gaps created, the Spellweaver tried to locate the core. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Impressive." Ketal, who had been watching, was impressed. The coordination was iparable to any party he had seen before. It wasn''t just about strength; it was about synergy. The teamwork was far superior to the old party he had seen in the capital of the Denian Kingdom. Although they had fought various battles while climbing the mountain, they had never fought together. The fact that they coordinated so perfectly indicated that their individual skills were exceptionally high. Ketal watched the battle with admiration. The boy next to him quietly asked, "...Are you just going to watch and do nothing?" "It''s not that I''m doing nothing. My spirit is fighting hard over there." Ketal was a spirit summoner. It wasn''t a big problem if he didn''t participate directly. The others, sensing that Ketal''s presence wasn''t particrly necessary, didn''t object. But the boy narrowed his eyes. "Is that so? It seems you have considerable strength too. Wouldn''t it be faster if you joined in?" "There''s no need. I''ll intervene if it looks dangerous, but it doesn''t seem that way." Cracks were spreading across the guardian''s body. At this rate, it wouldn''t be long before the fight was over. The boy''s expression was quite curious upon hearing Ketal''s answer. His face showed puzzlement and curiosity. And a strange sense of kinship. "You asked me a question, so may I ask you one?" "Yes, go ahead." Ketal looked at the boy with curiosity. "Why are you dressed as a man?" The boy flinched, surprised by the unexpected question. "What? I''m a boy." "I know. Biologically, you look like a boy." Ketal smiled. "But your behavior and build are more like a girl''s." "...What?" "If I''m mistaken, forget it. There can be boys like you in this world." Ketal concluded. The boy looked at Ketal with narrowed eyes. ''...This guy.'' Was he doing this on purpose? The boy frowned. Meanwhile, the battle was nearing its end. Having finally located the core, the Spellweaver shouted loudly. "Right knee! The joint! That''s where the core is!" "What an odd ce to put it!" As soon as they identified the core''s location, they focused their strength. In an instant, the guardian''s knee was shattered, revealing the core inside. ng! Piego''s horn pierced the core, and the guardian stopped moving. Hum. The light in the guardian''s eyes went out. The battle was over. Seraphina took a small breath. "They''re strong." Even with the coordination of four top-tier superhumans, it took considerable time. Despite holding back, their power was immense. They couldn''t have guaranteed victory if they fought individually. "So this is just a guardian protecting their..." "A dragon is a dragon. We''ll need to be thoroughly prepared." They caught their breath and prepared to face the dragon. A few minutester, after finishing all preparations, they began to enter the dragon''sir. Seraphina spoke to the boy. "Ian, you should wait here. No matter how skilled I am, I can''t protect you inside." "Oh. Okay..." "This area seems to be free of monsters because it''s near the dragon''sir, but just in case, I''ll give you my ne. If monsters approach, hold the ne and pray to the Sun God. They won''t be able to see you." "Thank you." The boy bowed his head. They left the boy behind and entered the dragon''sir. The boy watched them quietly. And the moment their figurespletely disappeared, The boy''s expression changed. "What is with that guy?" He frowned. The previously timid and scared look was nowhere to be found. His face now bore the expression of a shrewd, cunning person. He tapped his chin with his finger. "I can sense something strange... but I can''t figure it out. A being I don''t know. Is that possible in this world?" The boy murmured and suddenly paused. "Or, is it not from this world?" His voice was filled with interest. "Hmm. I was nning to y a little prank while taking care of business, but something peculiar came up." After pondering for a moment, the boy stamped his foot. "I''ll watch for now." And at that moment, the boy''s body vanished. * * * Simultaneously as the boy''s body disappeared, Ketal, who was entering the dragon''sir, halted. Seraphina asked, puzzled. "Is something wrong?" "Did you sense something?" "No, it''s not that. Didn''t any of you feel it?" "Huh?" "Did you sense something?" They all looked as if they hadn''t felt anything. It was as if they weren''t even aware that something had changed. Seeing their reactions, Ketal smiled. "No, it''s nothing. Let''s keep going." "Uhm, alright."N?v(el)B\\jnn They continued deep into the dragon''sir. There were no obstacles or interruptions. They just kept moving through a deep, wide passage. And at the end, They arrived at the dragon''sir. "...Wow." "Whoa." There was a massive chamberrge enough to fit a castle. The chamber was shining brilliantly. The walls were literally made of jewels. The multicolored light brightly illuminated the dark cave. Selling all those jewels could buy a kingdom. They were momentarily captivated by the overwhelming brilliance. But there was something that outshone even those jewels. It was at the center of the dragon''sir. The Spellweaver sighed. Ketal''s eyes sparkled more than ever. "Dragon..." A chamberrge enough to fit a castle. A gigantic creature that filled a third of it. A red dragon lying down with its eyes closed was in the middle of the chamber. The dragon was in front of them. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 217: Dragon (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 217: Dragon (1) "Ah." Ketal inadvertently let out a groan. He stared at the red dragon as if spellbound. He had seen many things since leaving the white snowfield. Liches, ogres, basilisks, elves, mermaids, and demons, among others. He had witnessed beings that one could only dream of. Every time, he was filled with admiration and emotion. Those feelings were still vivid. But the emotion he felt now was overwhelmingpared to any he had felt before. A dragon. A quintessential mythical being was right in front of him. The dragon''s scales were red. Despite the brilliant gemstones embedded in the walls, the dragon''s luster remained undiminished. Its entire body was covered with iridescent scales that gleamed like jewels. It had enormous wings that seemed capable of covering half the vige. Its ws looked as though they could tear apart all creation. He was genuinely moved. Ketal could only stare at the dragon in a daze. ¡°¡­This is a dragon." "Amazing." Others were equally impressed by the dragon''s appearance. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, unlike Ketal, they quickly regained theirposure. ¡°¡­It''s sleeping." The dragony with its body reclined and eyes closed. It slept soundly, as if themotion outside meant nothing. "What should we do?" "It seems best to strike before it wakes up." "Hmm¡­ Blood Edge, perhaps you should move. Our powers are too broad and might wake it." "Understood." Just as the Mercenary King raised his sword and began to gather his aura, [Grr.] the dragon opened its eyes. The pitch-ck reptilian eyes became visible to the world. They instinctively held their breath. The dragon slowly rose. Ketal marveled once more at the sight. The fantasy before him was moving. [Grrrr¡­] The dragon, having risen, looked at the humans who had intruded into itsir with a puzzled expression. It seemed to be wondering why they were there. But soon, its expression turned to anger. How dare they. How dare these insignificant humans invade his nest. The dragon''s anger soon turned into action. It inhaled deeply. The Spellweaver was rmed. "Breath attack!" The dragon''s mouth opened. A thick, dark crimson me spewed forth. In an instant, they felt the heat. The temperature in their rose to that of a volcano''s interior. Their skin prickled. [You crazy!] Piego swung his horn. The fire spirit''s mes red fiercely and confronted the dragon''s breath. Piego, a spirit with the Primordial mes. His mes were the purest in the world, possessing power and dignity befitting them. But before the dragon''s breath, they dimmed. Piego''s mes were consumed by the dragon''s breath and extinguished. "Shadow!" "O Sun God! Protect your servant from this threat!" The Spellweaver and Seraphina hastily unleashed their powers. Great magic and divine power shielded them. Whoosh! But all of it began to burn. Unlike hellfire, which burned everything because it wasn''t of this world, the dragon''s breath simply burned everything with pure power and intensity. "Eek!" Kaaaang! After a desperate defense, they barely managed to block the breath attack. But even that had consumed a significant amount of their strength. Sweat beaded on Seraphina''s cheeks. "No, it can''t be¡­" "What is this?" The dragon''s power exceeded their imagination. The dragon frowned, displeased that its breath attack had been blocked. And in that moment, the Mercenary King moved. He had already reached the dragon''s vicinity. He had been moving ever since the dragon began to unleash its breath. His sword was honed sharply with aura. The dragon was a creature that wielded magic. Therefore, the solution was to kill it before it could use any magic. The Mercenary King swung his sword. The speed left no time for incantation. Whirr! But resistance urred. The Mercenary King¡¯s body was forcibly repelled. As he flew back, he hastily performed anding technique. "Magic?" It was clearly magical resistance. The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes wavered. "But there was no sign of incantation?" The dragon answered the Mercenary King''s question. Whirrrrr! Dozens of magic circles were drawn simultaneously around the dragon. There was no incantation. The Spellweaver groaned. "A race of magic..." The dragon was a race of magic. For it, magic was like breathing. The dragon spread its wings as if it was annoyed. Mana poured out from the magic circles. * * * Boom! Boom! Boom! Mana surged forth. Pure mana, without any design or structure. Yet, its power was like a storm. "Grrr!" They barely managed to move and dodge the attack. But in the confined space, it wasn''t easy. They tried to defend themselves somehow, but each time they felt like they were being struck by a hammer. "This is...!" It was far stronger than they had anticipated. They, who were at the pinnacle of superhuman strength, had to focus solely on evading the attacks. "Damn it!" For the Spellweaver, the situation was even worse. The magic he was preparing was shattered by the dragon¡¯s mana. He was helpless, unable to do anything like a powerless child. To the dragon, magic was like breathing. Human magic could be dismantled with just a nce. Rumble! The Spellweaver, surrounded by mana in an instant, was about to be struck directly by the storm. At that moment, Ketal moved. Boom! He pierced through the storm of mana and grabbed the Spellweaver, pulling him away. They moved to the outskirts of the dragon¡¯sir. "Are you okay?" "Y-yes. Thank you." The Spellweaver barely regained his senses. The situation was so urgent that he didn''t even realize Ketal had pierced through the storm of mana with his bare body to save him. "It doesn''t look good." "...Unfortunately, yes." They were in a situation where they had to focus on survival rather than hunting the dragon. Ketal muttered. "I¡¯d like to help directly, but... there''s something bothering me, so it''s difficult." Ketal nced slightly to the side. He was looking at an empty space. As if there was something there. "For now, you¡¯ll have to face it on your own. Can you manage?" "We have to. What else can we do?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Spellweaver, unaware of this,mented and sprang into action. His entire focus was on the dragon. So, he didn¡¯t see it. Ketal clenched his fist while staring at the empty space. In that space, a fist wind was formed, containing the power to suppress all their strength. And someone invisiblepletely nullified that fist wind. The nullification was so clean that those in the midst of battle didn''t even notice. Ketal whistled. "Strong." He smiled. "I''d like you to show yourself soon. I want to join the fight too. Or will you fight me instead?" * * * The Spellweaver thought quickly. "Strong." The dragon was undoubtedly strong. Its power was beyond their individual reach. ''But... it''s not unbeatable.'' They were at the pinnacle of superhuman strength. Apart from heroes, they were the strongest. The dragon''s strengthy in its powerful physique, its magic that activated without incantation, and its breath attack. At that level, the four of them could surely win if they joined forces. The Spellweaver turned his gaze. They quickly exchanged nces. That alone was enough to understand each other¡¯s thoughts and judgments. The first to move was Seraphina. "Mr. Piego! Please!" [Damn it! This master is making me go through hell!] Piego grumbled as he fiercely raised his mes to buy time. Seraphina raised her hand high to the sky. "Material! Final Chapter, Verse 1!" The higher the chapter of the scripture, the greater its power and dignity. What she was reciting now was thest chapter of the Material Saga. A chapter even Aquaz was not permitted to read, the ultimate saga. "And He said, ''I am leaving the earth, but you shall still receive my care. He chose one of his servants and made him his avatar!''" Whiiing! Light enveloped Seraphina. For the first time, the dragon''s expression changed. At that moment, Seraphina was akin to a divine avatar. Even a dragon couldn''t dismiss it lightly. "Ugh!" But the same went for Seraphina. She bit her lip, and blood trickled down her mouth. As if she couldn''t handle the light descending upon her, her knees gradually bent. The final chapter of the scripture was not something she could easily handle. She couldn''t fully draw out its power, and even attempting to do so was a burden she couldn''t bear for long. Seraphina, oveing the weight of the power, raised her shield. Boom! Boom! Boom! Light exploded, covering the surroundings. The storm of mana pouring down burst apart. The light didn''t stop there; it seemed to rush forward as if to spread everywhere in this world. If it had been night outside, people might have thought it was already morning due to its brightness. The dragon focused its power on Seraphina. A massive magic circle surrounded her, sealing her power. A tremendous pressure pressed down on her body. "Light!" The light exploded again, pushing back the pressure. Piego also supported Seraphina. Their powers began to somewhat offset each other. Because of this, the Spellweaver had time to prepare his magic. "No matter how much of a race of magic a dragon is! I am the head of the school! I can''t be taken down so easily!" The Shadow Reflected in the Void school was a very old school with a history of hundreds of years. And he was the one who mastered all the magic created by the school''s magicians over the centuries, earning the qualification of headmaster. [Shadow that rises in the darkness. Shadow that shrinks before the bright light.] With his incantation, the ground beneath the dragon began to darken. [Shadow that devours everything and vanishes futilely at dawn. I shall give you substance. Devour this world. Stain everything and erase its color.] The Spellweaver finished his incantation. [You shall gain freedom.] Then the shadows rose. They undted like mud and clung to the dragon''s body. They covered the glistening red scales, turning them ck. These were shadow creatures created by magic, entities with a desire to devour the world''s colors and light. If not controlled, they were magical beings that would rush to engulf the entire world. Because of their danger, only the headmaster of the shadow school was permitted to use them. Rumble! The dragon shook its body in annoyance. The shadows were crushed and mangled just by that. However, they persistently clung to its body, refusing to stop. The magic was focused on Seraphina and Piego. And the Spellweaver''s shadows were dealing with the dragon''s body. The Mercenary King was free. He lowered his stance and gripped his sword. He was a swordsman. He couldn''t wield shy or wide-ranging powers like the believers or magicians. But he was a warrior on par with them. "Gather." Aura elerated throughout his body. It began to gather and rotate on his sword. The power imbued in his sword could literally cut through and slice anything in the world. The Mercenary King took a step. Crunch. The ground cracked under his foot. Even though the dragon''sir was specially protected by the dragon, it couldn''t withstand the force. The air was torn apart. His speed was truly swift. The Spellweaver couldn''t even react to his speed. Within a fraction of a second, he reached the dragon''s eye. Even if the dragon tried to repel him with magic again, he could forcefully break through and attack at that speed. The Mercenary King''s sword touched the dragon''s cornea. Seraphina thought they had seeded. And at that moment. [[Begone]] The dragon spoke for the first time. Simultaneously, everything was shattered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 218: Dragon (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 218: Dragon (2) The Dragon''s Words. At the same time, a massive bacsh engulfed the space. Crack! The shadow clinging to the Dragon exploded in an instant. It lost its form and reverted to a normal shadow. Crackle! [Grrr!] The mes that made up Piego''s body peeled away. Unable to withstand the enormous bacsh, the mes scattered, losing their bull-like form. ¡°Damn!¡± Seraphina''s face hardened under the immense bacsh. She hastily protected herself, the power of the incarnation tightly enveloping her body. Bang! But the moment it collided with the Dragon''s bacsh, it shattered. The brilliant light broke apart like ss. Seraphina''s body staggered greatly. ¡°What is this!¡± The Spellweaver, in shock, tried to protect himself with magic, but all of it was in vain, shattering as the bacsh engulfed his body. The Spellweaver''s body was pathetically thrown to the ground. And the impact on the Mercenary King, who was closest, was even greater. Having concentrated all his power into his sword, he was virtually defenseless and took the Dragon''s bacsh head-on. His body was flung away as if repelled. ¡®De-Defend.¡¯ He tried to assume a defensive stance in haste, but couldn''t respond to the overwhelming force and was sent flying. If he crashed into the wall, he wouldn''t be left unscathed. At that moment, Ketal moved. He swiftly kicked off the ground and caught the flying Mercenary King. ¡°Grrr!¡± The Mercenary King''s body trembled under the intense shock, but he barely held on. Ketal asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Th-Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Seraphina gritted her teeth. Though they were in a disadvantageous situation, they weren''t beingpletely overpowered. They had somehow seeded in defending themselves. But suddenly, everything fell apart. The Spellweaver, struggling to stand, muttered with a groan, ¡°Dragon Words.¡± A Dragon''s words hold power in themselves. With just one Dragon Word, the battle had beenpletely overturned. The Spellweaver had lost all initiative. The recent events had made him realize there was an insurmountable gap between them. ¡®Why on earth¡­¡¯ The fact that the Wandering Merchant gave the quest meant it should have been winnable¡­. The Spellweaver simply couldn''t understand. [Grrr.] The Dragon sneered at them. It inhaled deeply. It was preparing to unleash a breath attack. They tried to move their bodies, but everything had been destroyed by the Dragon Word. If the breath attack came again, they wouldn''t be able to block it. Whooosh! The crimson mes engulfed the world. At the moment when they felt their impending death, Ketal moved. * * * The mes engulfed the world. The powerful breath that could burn even the primordial mes and melt magic. Ketal stepped forward with his bare body against such a breath. ¡°Ketal?¡± Seraphina''s eyes widened in shock. The Dragon sneered. As if to say, "You think you can stop my breath?" And Ketal answered with action. He punched the air. Boom! The Dragon''s breath, which had overpowered three top-tier superhumans, exploded against the force of his punch. The mes scattered in all directions, dissipating. [Grr?] For the first time, the Dragon was bewildered. Ketal didn''t stop. Heunched himself towards the Dragon. Clenching his fist once more, he struck the Dragon''s chest. Boom! A thunderous roar erupted. The Dragon''s body was flung into the wall, and the Dragon''sir shook from the impact. [Kaaaah!] The Dragon cried out pain as it rolled on the ground. Ketal nodded. ¡°You''re certainly tough.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Those who had been prepared for death widened their eyes in disbelief. ¡°Ketal¡­?¡± ¡°Wait. You.¡± [You crazy master¡­ only now do you start moving¡­] Piego, barely regaining his form, spoke in a dying voice. Ketal was someone who moved ording to his own interests. He saw the world as a toy. The lives of others weren''t particrly important to him. Because of this, Piego didn''t expect Ketal to make a move. ¡°It wasn''t on purpose.¡± Of course, Ketal hadn¡¯t deliberately waited until they were on the brink of death before intervening. ¡°The situation was a bit ambiguous to step in. It¡¯s hard to know what the observer is thinking. But now that it''se to this, I have no choice but to act.¡± [What nonsense are you spouting¡­] ¡°If you don''t understand, that¡¯s fine. You''ve done well. You can return to the Spirit Realm now. I''ll give you a rewardter.¡± [I wish you''d never summon me again¡­] ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± [You bastard¡­] Piego returned to the Spirit Realm. In the meantime, the Dragon, having barely recovered from the pain, rose to its feet. As it stared at Ketal, the look in its eyes was filled with confusion. The Dragon¡¯s eyes glinted with killing intent. From which pure mana surged, numerous magic circles formed in the air. A storm of magic rushed towards Ketal. Ketal calmly took a step forward. He advanced, shattering, crushing, and trampling the storm of magic. The Dragon''s power had no effect on Ketal''s body, and Ketal once again reached the Dragon''s presence. The Dragon cast a defensive spell. Dozens of barriers appeared simultaneously in front of Ketal. But all of them. Crack. Shattered with a single strike. Standing before the Dragon, Ketal looked displeased. ¡°This feels sinful.¡± The Dragon, a creature he''d only dreamed of, was right in front of him. And now he had to beat it with his own hands. It felt like smashing a priceless work of art worth billions with his own hands. He''d felt something simr when facing mythical creatures, but the feeling was even stronger this time. However, ¡°I guess I have no choice.¡± His fist struck the Dragon''s belly. The Dragon¡¯s abdomen caved in. Its body was flung back into the wall again. [Kaaaah!] The Dragon let out another scream of agony. Ketal immediately charged at the Dragon again. The Dragon thrashed its head wildly. [[Get lost!]] The Dragon spat out. It was the Dragon¡¯s Word. The Dragon''s words carried power within them. Ketal¡¯s body was forced back. In fact, his body was momentarily pushed backwards. ¡°No.¡± But Ketal refused. He nted his foot firmly. With the sound of something breaking, the bacsh that had hit Ketal dissipated. Boom! His fist mmed into the Dragon once more. [[Get lost!]] The Dragon¡¯s words struck Ketal again. They tried to expel him from the Dragon¡¯sir, twisting space around him. ¡°I said no.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Crash! As Ketal forcefully shook his body, the distorted space shattered. Ketal grabbed the Dragon¡¯s head and mmed it down. It was absolute domination. The others could only watch in stunned silence. ¡°¡­What is this.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he a summoner?¡± Ketal was a contractor of a highest-ranking spirit. He wielded the power of spirits. They had thought that his own strength wasn¡¯t particrly remarkable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But the scene before them was something else. Highest-ranking spirits seemed meaningless. It was a power beyond their understanding. If that was the case, there was only one exnation. ¡°A hero-level powerhouse.¡± Someone with the strength to stand at the top of the world. The Spellweaver let out a dryugh. ¡°We were just extras from the start.¡± Only now did they realize why they had paid the Wandering Merchant. They were not a party to y the Dragon. They were merely extras, following alongside Ketal. Boom! The Dragon¡¯s body mmed into the wall. It staggered. Ketal brushed his hands off. ¡°Tough.¡± He was hitting it seriously, but the Dragon was still holding out. Ketal fiddled with the handle of his axe. ¡®Just in case, I¡¯d like to kill it without damaging it.¡¯ He needed the Dragon Heart to gain its mysteries. If he lost control of his strength, it could cause problems, so he wanted to capture it while preserving its form as much as possible. Ketal was contemting how to capture the dragon without causing any damage, while the dragon was struggling to ept the current situation. What on earth was this? How could he be beaten so effortlessly like this? No. This wasn''t right. A dragon. The ruler of the world. The dragon roared fiercely. [[I am the ruler of the world!]] The fierce roar echoed. At the same time, the very space around them began to distort. The space where the dragon and Ketal were became violently twisted. [[Enter my world!]] And then the space expanded around the dragon. Ketal eximed in awe. ¡°This is... fascinating.¡± With those words, Ketal was swallowed by the expanding space. A massive, ash-colored spherical space formed at the center of the dragon''sir. Inside were the dragon and Ketal. The sudden event left those who were watching in a daze, confused. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What just happened?¡± It was a power they couldn''t understand. Amidst their confusion, a boy calmly exined. ¡°It¡¯s a domain.¡± ¡°A domain?¡± ¡°The dragon is creating a space that favors it, intending to fight there. Dragons arerge creatures, right? This space is too cramped for them to use their power freely.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± The Spellweaver nodded in understanding. The boy narrowed his eyes. ¡°But¡­ he''s really strong.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± ¡°No matter how much it can¡¯t properly speak dragon words or cast dragon magic, this dragon has just reached adulthood¡­ but to be overpowered like that.¡± ¡°So even among dragons, this one is considered weak¡­¡± Seraphina murmured in awe. As she admired the scene, she suddenly noticed something. ¡°Huh? Ian, why are you here?¡± The boy they had left outside, Ian, was standing beside them. ¡°This ce is dangerous. You should go back,¡± Seraphina calmly said. The boy, however, didn¡¯t seem to care and looked around their. ¡°It¡¯s too shy.¡± He muttered in discontent as if he didn¡¯t like the jewels embedded in the walls. ¡°It¡¯s garish. Jewels should be used to enhance the beauty of the surroundings, but this is just overdone. I guess it can¡¯t be helped since the dragon is still a child, attracted to shy things.¡± ¡°Ian?¡± Ian''s words were strange. They were too out of ce for a normal boy. But Seraphina, not realizing this, continued to speak calmly. ¡°This ce is dangerous. You should go back.¡± ¡°¡­Wait.¡± The ones who sensed something wrong were the Mercenary King and the Spellweaver. They subtly grabbed Seraphina¡¯s arm and began to back away. ¡°Come over here.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Even as she was being pulled away, Seraphina looked confused, not understanding why. It was as if her very perception was distorted. The boy didn¡¯t pay any attention to them. It was like how no one would pay attention to ants crawling along the road while people were busy fighting. It was the same here. ¡°I noticed even though you were hiding¡­ Could you really be one of those from the ¡®Inside¡¯? Hmmm.¡± ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± The Mercenary King swallowed nervously and asked. ¡°Oh, I forgot I still looked like this, didn¡¯t I?¡± With those words, the boy¡¯s appearance began to distort. As if erasing a drawn illusion from the air, the boy¡¯s form disappeared, revealing a new one. What emerged was a voluptuous woman. She had striking red hair and red eyes to match. She wore a red dress. She was very tall. She was a head taller than the Mercenary King. The hidden presence overwhelmed them. Seraphina gasped for air. ¡°Sorry, everyone. I meant to move sooner, but I was too caught up in my standoff with that guy.¡± While they had been fighting the dragon, Ketal had been preupied with something else. That something was this woman. ¡°The journey with you all was so much fun. Especially you, Seraphina. Thank you for protecting me, even though you knew I wasn¡¯t really an ordinary person.¡± The woman who had been a boy smiled sweetly. ¡°It was an extremely satisfying game. So, truly [[Well done]].¡± * * * ¡°Ah¡­¡± In an instant, they felt all their strength leave their bodies. A massive sense of exhaustion and satisfaction, as if they had achieved a lifelong goal, took over. It was such an overwhelming feeling that they wouldn¡¯t have regretted it even if they dered their retirement right then and there. ¡°This, this¡­!¡± But they overcame it. They barely managed to shake off the satisfaction that had taken over their bodies. The woman looked at them with a hint of surprise. ¡°Oh. I told you to rest, but you resisted? You¡¯re the kind of people who can walk new paths even at the end of a journey?¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The Mercenary King had drawn his sword and stepped back. The Spellweaver was preparing a spell, and Seraphina¡¯s hands were glowing with divine power. Their faces were filled with shock and wariness. ¡®No.¡¯ Something about this presence. Just facing it made it hard to breathe. For these top-tier superhumans to feel this way, ordinary superhumans would have found breathing impossible. This woman had reached a level they couldn¡¯tprehend. The Spellweaver let out a groan. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ another hero-ss here.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 219: Dragon (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 219: Dragon (3) The mighty hero, who had been disguised as a powerless child, had been beside them all along. It was onlyter that they realized this fact. ¡°No way¡­ What is this¡­?¡± Seraphina let out a groan. When she thought back, it had been strange from the beginning. There was no way a powerless child could have followed them on their journey. Yet, they hadn¡¯t questioned it at all, not sensing anything strange about it. They had only believed her to be an ordinary child, caring for her and watching over her. It felt as if their perception itself had been twisted. Instead of answering, the woman pped her hands. ¡°Yes, it wouldn¡¯t be satisfying for you if things ended like this. I¡¯ll entertain you appropriately.¡± With those words, the woman stepped forward. In that moment, a chill ran down their spines. The woman first approached Seraphina. Seraphina quickly shouted, ¡°Material Chapter 23, Verse 1! The Sun God answered the servants who raised their hands in prayer, who protected them from evil!¡± Kiiiiing! A brilliantly shining barrier enveloped Seraphina. It was the shield of God that the Sun God had once directly bestowed upon His believers. Now, it was recreated here through the power of the scripture. In the face of such power, the woman casually extended her finger. Crack! With just a simple gesture, the divine shield was torn apart like a sheet of paper. Seraphina was horrified. Even the dragon they had just fought couldn¡¯t have broken through so easily! The woman lightly touched Seraphina¡¯s head with her finger. ¡°Thank you for your care during the journey. Now you can rest peacefully.¡± ¡°Aah¡­¡± The power in her words overwhelmed Seraphina. She copsed, losing consciousness. Her expression was one of utmost tranquility, as if all the worries of the world had vanished. ¡°Seraphina!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± The Mercenary King ground his teeth as he charged forward. He lowered his stance and closed the distance with the woman¡¯s body. There was nothing to obstruct him as he got close. He thrust his sword toward the woman¡¯s chest, his strike filled with sharp aura. But¡­ ¡°What¡­ What is this¡­¡± The sword, imbued with aura, couldn¡¯t pierce the woman¡¯s body. It didn¡¯t even manage to leave a scratch on her bare skin. It felt like trying to push over a deeply rooted tree. The woman leisurely extended her finger. ¡°Blood Edge. You pretended not to care, but you did look out for me. It was kind of cute. So now, you too can rest.¡± Bloodedge¡¯s body also copsed. Now, only Spellweaver remained. Spellweaver, trembling with fear, sped his hands together. ¡°Come forth!¡± At hismand, shadowy monsters that had been scattered around crawled toward the woman, ready to devour her body. ¡°Oh my, a homunculus. You put a lot of effort into creating it, didn¡¯t you?¡± The woman looked at the shadows with a fond gaze. The shadow monsters cowered under her gaze. They slowly backed away before eventually adopting a posture of submission. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Spellweaver let out a hollowugh. The dangerous homunculi, which only the head of the Shadow School could control, were submitting to the woman as if they were docilembs. ¡®Who is this being?¡¯ As he stared in disbelief, Spellweaver¡¯s eyes caught sight of the ring the woman was wearing. His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the symbol on the ring. ¡°W-Wait. That symbol¡­ No way¡­¡± Spellweaver mumbled, his face filled with horror. ¡°Ancient Dragon Ignisia?¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± For the first time, the woman¡¯s expression changed. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time, but there¡¯s someone who remembers.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why are you here?¡± ¡°I have business to attend to. Your cold judgment was fitting for a magician. Now, you too can rest¡­¡± Just as she was about to put Spellweaver to sleep as well, Boooom! A deafening roar echoed. The Dragon¡¯s Lair shook violently. Their attention was drawn to the source of the sound. Boooom! The gray sphere in the center of the Dragon¡¯s Lair was copsing. Soon, the wall of the sphere shattered. Kaaaah! A red dragon appeared, raising its head and roaring. It stepped outside the sphere. ¡°Huh?¡± Spellweaver¡¯s eyes widened. The dragon had broken out of the sphere and appeared as if it had won. But the dragon was forcefully pulled back into the sphere at that moment. Kraaaaaah! The dragon struggled, swinging its front ws as if it didn¡¯t want to go back inside. But all its resistance was in vain and was drawn back in. And then, Thud! A loud noise echoed once again. The gray sphere slowly began to disappear. Ketal¡¯s figure came into view. He was standing right above the limp dragon. The dragon was motionless, its tongue sticking out. Ketalughed gleefully as he stood over the dragon¡¯s corpse. ¡°That was somewhat amusing.¡± Satisfied, Ketal turned his head. He saw the fallenrades and the woman. Ketal¡¯s gaze met the woman¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± Ketal stroked his chin. He had fought the dragon inside the sphere, defeated it, and came out, only to find a woman seemingly having taken down hisrades. The woman smiled faintly. ¡°Hello. Should I say, nice to meet you for the first time, Ketal?¡± * * * When he came out, he saw an unfamiliar woman who had taken down hisrades. It was a strange situation, but Ketal replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time, is it? Your name was Ian, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± The woman narrowed her eyes. ¡°You recognized me right away? How did you know? I thought I had disguised myself perfectly.¡± ¡°Your behavior was exactly the same. There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t notice. But I didn¡¯t expect you to look like that.¡± He had predicted she was a woman, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be such a tall adult woman. Even Ketal was surprised. ¡°You can tell just from that? How interesting.¡± The woman looked at her body curiously, as if trying to confirm whether her behavior matched Ketal¡¯s words. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal stroked his chin. "I was worried it mighte to this." There had been no hint of power from the boy named Ian who had followed them. Ketal himself hadn¡¯t sensed anything either. But Ketal had fought countless monsters in the white wilderness. His instincts, honed through those battles, had warned him that the boy was strong¡ªstronger than even the top-tier superhumans among hispanions. Perhaps, he was the most powerful being Ketal had ever encountered. The boy had quietly observed them as they fought the dragon, watching over them. This had made Ketal cautious, unsure of the boy¡¯s intentions in following them. However, when the battle with the dragon jeopardised hispanions'' lives, he had no choice but to intervene. After finally defeating the dragon, Ketal emerged to find that what he had feared hade to pass. "Did you kill them?" "No, I didn¡¯t. I just put them to sleep." "That¡¯s a relief. Then, may I ask one question?" "Feel free to ask." "Who are you?" The woman smiled faintly in response to his prating question. Spellweaver wanted to say something, but was overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t speak. "Who do you think I am?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "A few possibilitiese to mind." There was a high chance it was a lie, but Ian had imed to be from the Empire. The woman could be a powerful figure from the Empire. Or, given the dragon¡¯s interest in demons, she might be a demon summoned to this world. But there was one thing Ketal was certain of. "A hero." A being with a power of that level. "Hmm... well, yes." The woman seemed slightly dissatisfied with his answer, but she didn¡¯t deny it. Ketal lightly jumped down from the dragon¡¯s body. "So, what are you here for?" "That thing behind you." The woman pointed at the dragon¡¯s corpse with her finger. Ketal clicked his tongue. "Do you want the corpse?" "I originally wanted it alive, but I suppose the corpse will do." "Sorry, but that¡¯s not going to happen." Ketal refused. The dragon¡¯s corpse was his¡ªan offering to obtain mysteries. He had no intention of handing it over to anyone. "Hmm." The woman fell into thought. There was no real need to sh with Ketal over the dragon¡¯s corpse. She had already discussed everything with the traveling merchant. Ketal defeating the dragon had been a bothersome task solved on her behalf, not something to be upset about. They could conclude everything here and part ways. However, the woman stared at Ketal, considering him. An alien presence¡ªsomeone who didn¡¯t seem to belong to this world. If he was indeed the type of being she suspected... ¡®I need to confirm something.¡¯ "So what if I insist on taking it?" The woman licked her lips, and Ketal rxed his shoulders. "Then I guess there¡¯s no other choice." When two beastspete for the same prey, there was only one thing to do: defeat the other and im the prize. The space around them grew heavy, a massive pressure bearing down on the still-conscious Spellweaver. He let out a silent scream. The woman moved first. She took a step forward, her body instantly appearing before Ketal. It was a speed Spellweaver couldn¡¯t even perceive. She swung her fist, and Ketal tilted his head to avoid it. Boom! Her fist brushed past Ketal¡¯s head, the impact violently shaking the dragon¡¯sir. The jewels embedded in the walls began to shatter. Ketal grabbed the woman¡¯s arm, spun around, and pulled her down, intending to m her into the ground. "Oops." The woman stomped on the ground, causing it to tremble with a loud noise. The unstable footing prevented Ketal from moving her as he intended. She then aimed a punch at Ketal¡¯s chest. Ketal deflected it with his arm, causing her arm to recoil. The shockwaves rippled out again, causing more jewels to fall. Ketal threw a punch, and the woman responded in kind. Boom! Space seemed to be pushed outward. This was the dragon¡¯sir, a ce cut off from the outside world. If it hadn¡¯t been, the trees on the mountain outside would have been uprooted by the force. Spellweaver barely managed to summon shadow creatures to shield his body from the impact, but even so, he coughed up blood. The woman¡¯s body was pushed back, sliding across the ground. "Impressive." Ketal was genuinely impressed. Since emerging from the wilderness, this was the first time someone had endured his closebat to this extent. Even among the barbarians of the white wilderness, only a few had managed this. What was astonishing was that the woman wasn¡¯t using any sort of mystic power. Ketal had gained a rudimentary sense for detecting such power, even though he couldn¡¯t wield it himself. That¡¯s how he knew. The woman relied solely on her physical strength to exert this power level. Ketal was genuinely impressed. "How can you generate so much strength from such a slight frame?" "Are you mocking me?" The woman looked exasperated as she shook her hand, which was nowpletely shattered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 220: Dragon (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 220: Dragon (4) ¡®Am I really being pushed this far in terms of physical strength?¡¯ She was an ancient dragon. Her body was far more resilient than that of a dragon that had just be a true dragon. Even the strongest strikes from a superhuman couldn''t pierce her skin. Even if she fought without using magic, purely relying on her physical body, there weren''t many beings who could overwhelm her. Yet, with just one sh, the bones in her fist werepletely shattered. She could feel cracks forming in the part of her wrist that Ketal had struck. Although she quickly healed it with magic, it was clear that there was a difference in strength. ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯ But she was a dragon. A race of magic, not brute strength. She lightly flicked her fingers. ¡°Seems like a simple contest of strength won''t work. How about this instead?¡± At that moment, a spear of me materialized. The fire contained within it was far more intense than the breath of the dragon she had faced before. ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression changed. Magic without incantation. It was just like the dragon he had faced. The ming spear arced as it sped toward him. Ketal swung his fist to meet it. Boom! The spear exploded. A searing sensation traveled through his fist. Magic was continuously being manifested behind him. Each spell was stronger and more powerful than anything the previous dragon could muster. But Ketal destroyed them all. Boom! He shattered the trajectory of the surging magic with his body. He grabbed and broke the ming ballista. Ketal admired her strength. ¡°You¡¯re strong!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that while you¡¯re destroying everything.¡± The woman grumbled. Ketal was breaking through all her spells with nothing but his physical body. ¡®What kind of body does he have?¡¯ The woman lightly stomped her foot. At that moment, the ground surged toward Ketal like a wave. Ketal stomped the ground in response. Unlike the woman, his stomp was purely physical. But the resulting shockwave was simr. The immense force crushed the ground and rippled out in all directions. It collided with the wave she had created, cancelling it out. Boom! The floor of the dragon¡¯sir heaved violently. ¡°Wow.¡± The woman murmured in disbelief. The sheer physical force he had generated had nullified her magic. It was something she had never experienced in her long life. Boom! Ketal broke through the magic and reached the woman. The sheer force of his movement disced the air. As he swung his fist, the woman spoke. ¡°It¡¯s scary, so [[I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯te any closer]].¡± In that instant. The power embedded in her words engulfed Ketal. It was an enormous repelling force, meant to push him away. But Ketal tensed his body and forcibly stepped forward. He advanced, resisting the force that tried to push him back. He broke through the dragon¡¯s words with sheer physical strength. He threw his punch. The woman raised her arms to protect herself. Boom! The tremendous force hit her directly. It was a powerful blow that even a mature dragon couldn¡¯t withstand. But the woman endured it. Though her body was pushed back, she managed to stop herself from crashing into the wall. ¡°Cough.¡± Spellweaver spat out blood. He had managed to protect himself and the sleeping ones with shadow magic, but even so, he was at her limit. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ He, who was considered one of the strongest wherever he went, was as helpless as a newborn fawn here. Ketal was impressed. ¡°To withstand my punch! Incredible!¡± ¡°Is that apliment or what?¡± The woman grumbled as she used magic to heal her broken arm. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculously strong.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected to be pushed this far with just physical strength. The woman looked at Ketal with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. ¡°At this point, most of my kind wouldn¡¯t be able to beat you. I understand why that one was overwhelmingly defeated.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d appreciate it if you backed off. Or do you have some grudge against your kin that you want to settle?¡± Ketal realized it too. The woman before him was a dragon. And one far stronger than the dragon he had defeated. The woman shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t particrly care about grudges, but¡­ my pride won¡¯t let me back down like this.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± Even with magic, she couldn¡¯t prate Ketal¡¯s body. He even withstood dragon words with brute strength. Based on the battle so far, the woman had no chance of winning. Yet she had a confident expression on her face. ¡°I may not look it, but I¡¯m very old. And when you reach a certain age, you can do things that the young ones can¡¯t. First of all¡­ let¡¯s tidy things up.¡± The woman snapped her fingers. At that moment, the fallen ones, the half-dying Spellweaver, and the dragon¡¯s corpse disappeared. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I just moved them outside for a moment. It¡¯s going to get pretty dangerous here.¡± ¡°That sounds exciting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to meet your expectations.¡± The woman lightly waved her fingers and began to chant. [[??????]] Let there be light. She infused the spell with dragon words. At that moment, light gathered at her fingertips. It was a pure red light. For the first time, Ketal¡¯s expression changed. ¡°That¡­¡± The power within it fundamentally differed from the strength the woman had shown so far. No, it wasn¡¯t just different from the woman¡¯s power. Compared to any force Ketal had encountered outside, this was on another level entirely. It was the secret art of the great dragons, a power only those of ancient dragon status could wield. ¡°Even if you die, I¡¯m not responsible.¡± The woman casually finished her chant. [[????]] Pierce through. And the red light became a beam. A beam that filled the dragon¡¯sir. It advanced toward Ketal, erasing everything in its path. At that moment, Ketal felt goosebumps all over his body. It was a sensation he hadn¡¯t felt sinceing outside. His instincts sharply warned him. If he took a direct hit from that, it would be dangerous. Ketal gripped his axe. Boom! The ck axe collided with the red light. It split the light, preventing it from reaching Ketal¡¯s body. Crack! Crack! Crack! The split red beam obliterated the walls of the dragon¡¯sir, shooting out into the vast sky. Ketal tightened his grip on the axe. The muscles in his arm twitched. ¡°Hrrrrngh!¡± With a shout, he swung his axe down forcefully. The red light was split in two. Boom! And the energy burst forth. The ceiling of the dragon¡¯sir was blown away. The vast sky was revealed. Rumble! By then, the sun was already setting beyond the horizon, and the outside was growing dark. The red light that erupted at that moment dyed the sky crimson. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] People beyond the mountain range, startled, looked up as if a meteor had fallen. Sizzle. The ck axe, having taken a direct hit from the heat, was glowing red-hot. Ketal¡¯s entire body felt warm. Ketal let out a breath of admiration.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°¡­You¡¯re strong.¡± It was the first time he had faced an opponent of this level sinceing outside. This level of power was hard to find even within the White Snowfield. If he had made a mistake, it could have been dangerous. And seeing Ketal¡¯s state, the woman let out a dryugh. ¡°You¡¯re unscathed.¡± There wasn¡¯t a single injury on Ketal¡¯s body. His skin was heated from the intense heat, but it wasn¡¯t even close to being burned. The woman found it absurd. ¡°You endured that with just your physical body, without using any mystical power?¡± She had expected him to block it, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to bepletely unharmed. At that point, the woman began to realize the peculiar nature of Ketal. ¡®What on earth has he aplished?¡¯ His achievements, the power he had gained through them, and the protection they afforded his body. That was the strength of Ketal¡¯s body. Though there were still many things she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®He withstood dragon magic with just his bare body? What did he do? Is he truly one of those beings?¡¯ And there was one more thing she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®What is that weapon?¡¯ The ck axe that Ketal held. Even after directly colliding with her dragon magic, it remained intact. Though it was glowing red-hot, it was slowly cooling down. Both Ketal¡¯s body and the axe were difficult toprehend. ¡®But.¡¯ The woman¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡®There is a weakness.¡¯ This barbarian couldn¡¯t wield any mystical power. He relied solely on his physical strength. Even though her attack was a threat to him, he had countered it with a swing of his axe, which made it clear. He was simply wielding his immense power with reckless abandon. In that case, the countermeasure was simple. Ketal moved his body. The woman began to chant once again. [[????? ????? ???]] Space, be chains. In that moment: nk! Ketal¡¯s body suddenly halted. His arms and legs seemed to be bound by something, preventing him from moving forward any further. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal tried to move with force, but his arms and legs couldn¡¯t advance beyond a certain distance. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to escape,¡± the woman calmly said. ¡°This isn¡¯t about sheer strength; this is magic that interferes with the very concept of the world. It¡¯s a matter separate from the aura you wield.¡± Heroic ss. They could materialize the mystic. They could intervene in the very concept of the world. She had turned the concept of space itself into chains, binding Ketal. Space itself was restricting Ketal¡¯s movements. No matter how much force he exerted, the concept of space was resisting that force, making it impossible to escape. To counteract it, he would need to interfere with the world¡¯s concepts in the same way, but Ketal couldn¡¯t do that. Against an opponent of equal power, it wouldn¡¯t mean much, but against someone like Ketal, it was extremely effective. ¡°I acknowledge your power¡­ but you can¡¯t break free by swinging around recklessly like that.¡± ¡°This is fascinating.¡± Ketal looked at his arms and legs in amazement, examining them as he tried to move. Despite not feeling anything, he couldn¡¯t break free. The woman quietly observed Ketal. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Ketal¡¯s aura was formidable. He had withstood dragon magic solely through the protection granted by his pure aplishments. In terms of sheer aura, he was far superior to the woman. But that was all. Ketal couldn¡¯t wield any power beyond that. It was a very strange thing. ¡®Why?¡¯ Ketal didn¡¯t possess the powermensurate with his aura. Of course, this was not impossible. Aura and power were not always equal. But even considering that, Ketal¡¯s condition was very peculiar. ¡®¡­If he has an aura of that magnitude, he should¡¯ve gained something, right?¡¯ Whether it was an ability or something else. He should have acquired something. His aura was of that level. ¡®He¡¯scking.¡¯ There was something unbnced about him. It felt as if a god were trapped within a human body. While the woman quietly pondered this, Ketal was marveling. ¡®This sensation.¡¯ It was simr to the spatial control that Karin, the High Elf Queen, had used against him in their sparring match. But this had far more power behind it. Although Karin had restrained her strength for the sake of the sparring, even taking that into ount, this was on another level. ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± Though it was a situation that could be seen as a crisis, Ketal was filled with admiration. He had subconsciously underestimated the strength of those outside. He couldn¡¯t help it. He had encountered many strong opponents, but their power had been severelyckingpared to those within the White Snowfield. The High Elf Queen, Karin, had shown him some special power, but it hadn¡¯t been serious enough for a properparison. But the power the woman before him had disyed was truly extraordinary. He was witnessing this level of power in the fantasy world, not within the White Snowfield. It was truly impressive. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ It would be worth using his full strength. Ketal summoned all his power into his body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 221: Dragon (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 221: Dragon(5) The woman noticed. Ketal was exerting force to break free from his restraints. ¡®Impossible.¡¯ She had transformed the entire surrounding space into a concept of chains, binding Ketal. No matter how strong he was, escaping was impossible. ¡®Should I start letting him go?¡¯ From the beginning, she had no reason to be hostile toward Ketal. The entire fight so far had been her yful mischief. Just as she was about to exin to Ketal, she sensed something strange. "Hmm?" The woman''s expression changed. She felt the ground trembling beneath her feet. After briefly investigating the cause, she soon realized something. "Oh?" The woman saw it. The space around Ketal was shaking. The chains of space that bound his body were quivering. ¡®What? Is he manipting the mystery?¡¯ Could this barbarian actually use the mystery? Was he using it to interfere with the chains of space? But after closer inspection, she realized that wasn''t the case. Ketal was still simply exerting force with his entire body. That was all. But just with that, the space was trembling. ¡®How?¡¯ The woman was genuinely bewildered. Pure physical force alone could never affect the chains of space. It was only natural. No matter how strong one was, they couldn¡¯t interfere with space itself. One would need the power to interfere with space to affect the chains of space. Otherwise, it was impossible. But now, no matter how she looked at it, Ketal''s strength was causing the chains of space to tremble. As she anxiously observed the situation, the woman suddenly realized something. ¡®...The ground is tilting?¡¯ Jewels scattered from the aftermath of the battle were rolling down a slope. Dragons, by nature, had perfectionist tendencies. They built theirirs to be almost perfectly structured. As such, the ground was also perfectly level with the earth. But now that ground was sloped. The woman, faced with the impossible, expanded her senses. In an instant, her perception extended beyond the dragon''sir and spread across the entire mountain. "What?" And then, she realized something. "...The mountain." A crack had formed in the mountain, which was part of a massive mountain range. The mountain itself was tilting. "Wait a moment." This barbarian was exerting so much force that he was tilting the mountain. "This is..." The woman stared at Ketal in astonishment. Ketal continued to exert force with his entire body. He was the barbarian of the White Snowfield. Having escaped from that terrible ce, he had emerged into the outside world, a fantasy world. And in this outside world, he had never once used his full strength. The reason was simple. There was no opponent in the outside world worthy of his full strength. When he first encountered elves, a single p meant to calm them had sent them all flying. Even the seemingly strong elf queen couldn¡¯t withstand the wind from his strike. Since then, Ketal had met many of the continent''s strongest. Swordmasters, liches, magicians. All of them were exceedingly fragile. After gaining various experiences, Ketal reached one conclusion. Compared to the inside, the outside world was exceedingly fragile. So, to avoid breaking it, he had to control his strength. That was the conclusion Ketal reached. So up until now, Ketal had never used his full strength. Even when defeating Nano, even when facing demons, he hadn¡¯t been serious. He recognized demons as enemies, but that was all. Only once, when facing Whitey from the White Snowfield, had he seriously intended to kill, but he still hadn¡¯t used his full strength. The fantasy world he had longed for was exceedingly fragile. It could break if he weren¡¯t careful, so he had to cherish and protect it. With that thought, Ketal had been enjoying the world. But now. If the opponent before him was of this level. There was no need to hold back. Rumble, rumble, rumble! The cracks in the mountain range widened. Monsters screamed and fled. Landslides began, spreading all around. "What is this?" The woman couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Pure strength was tilting the mountain. He was forcibly overturning the very space that had bound him. ¡®Is this even possible?¡¯ Crack, crack, crack. The chains of space binding Ketal shattered. As if it could no longer contain the entity known as Ketal, the space itself began to crumble. And finally. Ka-aaang! The chains of space broke. The bacsh sent power surging forth. The tilted mountain swayed andnded on the continent. Boom! Earth and debris shook in all directions. An earthquake urred. The ground cracked and copsed. A massive fissure formed in the mountain range that had stood for millions of years. "Ugh!" The bacsh hit the woman. Distracted by her attempts to defend, she took the brunt of it unprotected. Her body slid and crashed into a wall. ¡°Interesting.¡± Ketal shook his shoulders as if feeling refreshed. With a truly delightedugh, he looked at the woman. ¡°With you, I can fight seriously.¡± Ketal picked up his axe. At that moment, the woman felt a murderous intent. The fight up until now had all been a game, but now there was a horrifying, dense killing intent. Ketal kicked the ground. In an instant, he was right in front of the woman. Her instincts warned her. She would die. She quickly shouted. [[??? ??????]] Sever. Space. Ka-ang! Like a long crack spreading through ss, the space between Ketal and the woman split apart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The spacepletely severed, creating a barrier between them. But Ketal did not stop. He merely gripped his axe and swung it with all his might. Choooong! The severed space collided with the axe. A shockwave erupted as if an explosion had urred. The woman¡¯s eyes widened. The severed space had shattered in a single blow. Taat. But Ketal also had to regroup his strength. Afternding on the ground, he gathered his strength and kicked off again, violently swinging his axe downward. The woman barely twisted her body in time to evade. The axe struck the ground. Boom! And the ground trembled. The dragon¡¯sir, the mountain, split apart. A massive fissure spread across the earth. The towering mountain began to crumble slowly. All of this happened in a single strike. The woman, who barely avoided the blow, quickly uttered amand. [[????? ???? ? ?????]] O sword, to my hand. Kiiiing! A crimson sword materialized in the woman''s hand. She quickly grasped it and shed. Ketal raised his axe and swung upward. Ka-aaang! The sword shed with the axe. The woman¡¯s body staggered, unable to withstand the force. She quickly regained her stance, but by then, Ketal was already in front of her. The woman gritted her teeth and raised her sword. She defended against the descending axe. Boom! The woman¡¯s knees buckled. Her body was driven deep into the earth. The ground beneath her crumbled, unable to withstand the force. The woman¡¯s arm broke. She quickly healed it with magic and muttered. [[?????? ????]] O light, be a beam. Kiiiing! A crimson light became a beam and surged forward. A force that filled the entire space, a power of destruction that erased all things. It exploded towards Ketal. Ketal''s response was incredibly simple. He nted his feet andunched himself into the air. In an instant, his body moved out of the beam''s range. The power contained within the beam was something even he couldn''t ignore. If it hit him directly, it would be dangerous. Therefore, there was no need to face it head-on. It wasn''t an unavoidable attack, so simply dodging it was enough. The crimson beam pierced the sky, uselessly. Ketal moved behind the woman byunching himself through the air. He gripped his axe tightly and swung it. Just as he was about to cleave the woman in two, her body vanished. The wind from the axe cleaved through the clouds. The woman had suddenly disappeared. However, Ketal was not at all surprised and expanded his senses. He quickly pinpointed the woman''s location as she leaped through space and charged at her once more. "Tsk!" The woman clicked her tongue loudly as she saw Ketal flying toward her from her new position in the sky. There was no time to rest. [[??????]] Crush. Boom! A force, pure and overwhelming, pressed down on Ketal¡¯s body. Ketal¡¯s body was driven into the ground. A tremendous pressure tried to force his body deep into the earth. Ketal slowly raised his foot.N?v(el)B\\jnn He exerted tremendous force and stomped the ground. Crash! The ground shattered into pieces. Ketal¡¯s body broke through the pressure and soared into the air. He swung his axe once more. The woman defended with her sword, but her body was pushed back. The impact caused the mountain to crumble once more. Boom! The mountain had be something that could no longer be called a mountain. It had turned into nothing more than a massive heap of shattered rocks and dirt, which no one would hesitate to call a mountain. [Kaaaah!] [Guahhh!] The monsters that had barely survived were buried under the massive weight that had once been a mountain. They tried desperately to flee, but they couldn¡¯t escape as the entire mountain sank. The sheer force wiped out the mighty monsters. The woman quickly steadied herself and her mind raced. He was strong. A strength that even she could not dismiss. No, it was beyond that. The power she wielded was being neutralized by this barbarian¡¯s axe swings. At times, it even reached the point where she was being overwhelmed. The thought that this was just a game had disappeared at some point. If she didn¡¯t respond properly, she would die. That thought alone dominated her mind. The woman¡¯s expression grew serious. She no longer had the luxury of holding back. She needed to use all her strength to defeat this barbarian. She tried to shout something. The words she was about to utter contained more power than any she had spoken before. Sensing this, Ketal immediately charged at her. This woman was nning something. The correct response was to act quickly and prevent her from executing her n. Ketal gripped his axe even tighter. Just as they were both about to unleash their full strength, suddenly, there was an intervention. Crack, crack, crack! The space itself became a prison, trapping Ketal. Ketal exerted his full strength. The space, transformed into a prison, began to crack and shatter instantly. Crash! Ketalnded on the ground. ¡®Was that Ignisia?¡¯ But Ignisia looked just as surprised. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± The sudden intervention caused a temporary ceasefire. And then, a voice echoed. [Even for a moment, you hesitated¡­ What a monster¡­] The one who had intervened revealed themselves. [What are you two doing¡­?] The wandering merchant appeared, speaking in a tone of disbelief. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 222: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 222: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (1) The wandering merchant muttered to himself. [I thought I felt an overwhelming power... What on earth are you guys doing...?] "Ah. You¡¯re here?" The woman waved awkwardly, her expression like that of a child caught ying a prank. Ketal replied. "We werepleting the quest you gave us." [How is thispleting the quest...?] "Because this woman wants the dragon''s corpse." Ketal needed the dragon heart for his own purposes. If the woman took the corpse, it would all be for nothing. Naturally, for the quest, he had to fight the woman. [What...!?] The wandering merchant looked at the woman as if Ketal''s words didn¡¯t make sense. [What kind of prank are you pulling...?] "Ah, sorry. I just wanted to have some fun before we talked, but things got a bit rough." "Hmm?" Ketal tilted his head at their conversation. "What? Isn''t this apetition? I assumed I had topete with this woman for the dragon''s corpse." [There¡¯s no way... A deal must always be kept...] "...Then why did we fight?" "Uh, well." The woman hesitated for a moment before giving up and speaking. "It was just a prank..." ''No, this isn¡¯t how it was supposed to go.'' Originally, she had nned to subdue Ketal and calmly exin things, but now it seemed like she was haphazardly trying to exin, which hurt her pride, but there was no other choice. The woman let out a groan. "Ah, so that¡¯s how it is. You''re just a prankster." Ketal backed down obediently. He reattached his axe to his waist. His body, which had tensed up in preparation for battle, gradually returned to its normal state. "Uh, uh..." The woman was flustered. Ketal was truly releasing hisbat stance. "...Aren''t we going to fight anymore?" Regardless of the reason, she and Ketal had started to fight seriously. She thought that even if the wandering merchant intervened, the battle wouldn''t stop. "It was a nasty prank, but since you''re not an enemy, there''s no need to continue." ¡®Honestly, I¡¯d like to keep fighting.¡¯ Of course, Ketal wanted to keep fighting the woman. He wanted to experience the overwhelming power outside further. But the wandering merchant had personallye to stop them. If he ignored that and continued to fight, the merchant might get annoyed and cancel the quest, so there was no choice. No matter his true feelings, outwardly, he seemed calm andposed as he assessed the situation and withdrew his axe. The wandering merchant murmured, as if surprised. [I thought you¡¯d ignore me and keep fighting...] "There¡¯s no reason to." "U-um." As a result, the woman, who had be even more perplexed, let out a groan. Ignoring the woman, the wandering merchant continued. [It seems like you¡¯vepleted the quest... Then I¡¯ll give you your reward... But first, I need to deal with these ones...] As the merchant¡¯s mechanism moved, three figures appeared along with the dragon¡¯s corpse. There was the sleeping Seraphina, the Mercenary King, and a dazed Spellweaver. "What on earth...?" The Spellweaver had a half-defeated look on his face. The wandering merchant spokezily. [You¡¯vepleted the quest... I¡¯ll send you back to where you came from...] "W-wait a minute!" The Spellweaver quickly snapped out of it. His gaze was fixed on the woman and Ketal. After being forcefully expelled by the woman, he had felt an immense wave of power. The kind of power that made even someone like him, a top-tier superhuman, give up resistance and merely bow his head to beg for his life. A power beyondprehension, as if mountains were crumbling and the sky was splitting. It wasn¡¯t just the dragon''s power he felt. There was another presence, a pure force of might. The Spellweaver''s eyes were locked on Ketal. He shouted quickly. "Wait! We need to talk a bit more...!" But the wandering merchant didn¡¯t listen. Before the Spellweaver could finish his sentence, his body vanished. "Where did he go?" [I sent him back to where he came from... I¡¯ll give him his quest rewardter...] "I see." ¡®It seemed like he had something to say at the end.¡¯ Since he nned to visit the Magic Tower eventually, he could ask in person then. The wandering merchant looked at the woman. [And the same goes for you... The quest isplete... You don¡¯t need a reward, right...?] "My goal was that creature¡¯s death to begin with. I don¡¯t need a reward." "So you achieved your goal. Then it¡¯s about time you exined. Who are you?" Who was this woman? Why did she hide her identity and join their journey? Why did she calmly watch as her own kind was killed? And why did she fight Ketal? It was time for some answers. The woman scratched her cheek awkwardly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Well, I had nned to exin it in a cooler way, but I guess I have no choice." The woman sighed briefly and looked at Ketal. Her crimson eyes focused on him. "You¡¯ve probably guessed by now... I¡¯m the same species as that corpse over there. Ah, but don¡¯t get it wrong. This isn¡¯t about revenge. My goal was to kill that guy." "Why?" "Because he betrayed the world." The woman introduced herself calmly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "I am the Red Dragon, Ignisia. Perhaps you know me better as the architect of the Magic Tower?" "Oh?" A dragon. And the architect of the Magic Tower. Ketal''s eyes gleamed with interest. The woman gave a slight bow. "It¡¯s veryte to introduce myself, but... nice to meet you, Barbarian from the ¡®Inside.¡¯" * * * "Ho." Ketal¡¯s face was full of deep curiosity. A dragon. It was said that the older a dragon got, the stronger it became. A dragon old enough to be called an ancient dragon must be especially powerful. And Ignisia imed to be the architect of the Magic Tower. This meant she was connected to the tower created by the tower lord hundreds of years ago. His interest was rapidly growing. Ignisia spoke. "Now that I¡¯ve told you this much, you¡¯ve probably figured out why I came to kill that guy." "It¡¯s because he was interested in demons, right?" The wandering merchant had mentioned when giving the quest that this dragon wasmitting a grave sin from the world''s perspective. Specifically, the dragon had taken an interest in Hell and was opening a passage to it. Ignisia nodded. "This guy got interested in demons. He was trying to bring them into the world. You can¡¯t just let a kid''s curiosity run wild... but they have to take responsibility when a Sacred Dragon does it." Demons were the enemies of the earth. They sought to destroy the continent and im it as their own. Moreover, demons were currently in a dangerous state of actively pursuing their ambitions. For a dragon, a being of the earth, to cooperate with demons was nothing short of betrayal. Therefore, dragons decided to deal with the traitorous member of their kind themselves. Ignisia hade here for that reason. "Dragons are incredibly stubborn. They don''t listen to reason, so there''s no choice." "That raises a question. You came here through the wandering merchant. Why is that?" "We''re independent beings. Even before bing Sacred Dragons, we leave our parents and establish our ownirs. No one knows where thoseirs are. While you can track a dragon''s activities through magic, you can¡¯t pinpoint their exact location." A dragon¡¯s concealment was perfect. Despite countless attempts over centuries, no one had ever found a dragon¡¯sir. This held true even for other dragons. Tracking their of a dragon that was deliberately hiding its identity was no easy task. "It would be possible if we had more time, but I needed to deal with him before he caused more trouble." "So you used the wandering merchant to gather information." "Something like that." Ketal nodded as if he understood. It seemed that the wandering merchant¡¯s information was more reliable than that of the dragons. He had a rough idea, but one crucial question still hadn¡¯t been answered. "Then why did you hide your identity and pretend to be a powerless boy?" Ignisia was powerful. She could have dealt with the traitorous dragon on her own without any problem. Yet, Ignisia joined their party, pretending to be a powerless boy. She apanied them on their journey, acting like an innocent child until they encountered the dragon. "My guess is that you used magic to interfere with our perception. Is that correct?" "...Yes." "As I thought." A powerless, ordinary boy joining a quest to hunt a dragon was highly unusual. The party should have been suspicious, wary, and hesitant to bring him along. Yet, none of them were wary of the boy. They only questioned why the wandering merchant had brought along such a seemingly ordinary and weak child. It was clearly an odd situation. The reason was that Ignisia had interfered with their perception. The wandering merchant chimed in. [At the beginning, this one came to me and asked if I knew the traitor¡¯s location... I said yes... After making a deal, I revealed the location, but then this one added one more condition...] The condition was that if any humans came to hunt the dragon, Ignisia wanted to join them. That was the fundamental reason their party had formed. "So that¡¯s why we ended up in the same party. But why did you do that?" "...Well. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t that urgent. I had already located him, so I could have stepped in when he did anything suspicious. But I wanted to have a little fun..." "Ah." Ketal realized the truth. It was a dragon¡¯s y. "That¡¯s what it was. I see." "Sorry. I just wanted to have some fun." "No, it¡¯s fine." Ignisia was momentarily flustered by Ketal¡¯s immediate eptance. She had expected him to be angry, considering she had been toying with them. But Ketal had no reason to be angry. Because he was simr. If it was just for fun, there was no helping it! Ketal understood Ignisia. And Ignisia soon realized his true feelings as well. ''...He''s twisted.'' This barbarian was broken. But as she suspected, if he was from the ¡®Inside,¡¯ this was actually normal. "Then, there¡¯s no problem now." [That¡¯s right... Everything¡¯s finished...] There had been issues, but the quest was sessfullypleted. Now it was time to receive the reward. It was time for Ketal to obtain what he had longed for. His eyes gleamed. The wandering merchant spoke. [I gave you the quest, and you seeded... So now I will give you your reward...] That reward was to grant Ketal the ability to wield mysteries. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 223: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 223: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (2) ¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡± Ketal''s body trembled with excitement. Finally. Finally, he would be able to wield the mystical power. The time hade to obtain what he had long desired. The wandering merchant activated the device, and the dragon''s corpse vanished in the blink of an eye. [I''ll use the dragon heart to prepare it... I''lle back to you once it''s made...] ¡°How long will it take? About a week?¡± [A week...?] The wandering merchant spoke in a tone that suggested he couldn''t understand what Ketal was saying. [Ten years...] Ketal, who had asked with eager eyes, hesitated. ¡°Ten years?¡± [Of course... Do you think it''s that easy to make your body capable of handling mysticism? Moreover, even I can''t easily handle the dragon heart...] The wandering merchant couldn''t have obtained the material if it weren''t for this quest. It was valuable enough that the wandering merchant had to dedicate considerable effort to handling it. [With your uniqueness added to the mix, ten years is the minimum estimate... It could take decades...] ¡°No way.¡± Ketal was deeply shocked. The wandering merchant spoke in a tone of disbelief. [Why are you so surprised...? Time doesn''t really matter to you anyway...] ¡°That may be true, but.¡± There was a long time ahead. He could afford to wait leisurely. However, he had expected to obtain it immediately, so he felt a great sense of loss. Ketal became sullen. And the ancient dragon Ignisia silently watched him. After a moment of contemtion, she spoke as if she had made a decision. ¡°Shall I help?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± [What did you say...?] ¡°From what I hear, you''re trying to make a catalyst with the dragon heart, right? A catalyst to wield mysticism? In that case, I can help. I could probably make it within a week.¡± What they were trying to make was a catalyst that would allow Ketal to wield mysticism. It was a form of alchemy. However, the wandering merchant did not use magic. He could produce simr results using various devices, but there were clear limitations. In contrast, Ignisia was an ancient dragon. She was a magical being. If she helped, the catalyst could be made much faster. ¡°What do you think?¡± [I don¡¯t mind... Are you okay with it...?] ¡°Of course!¡± Ketal quickly nodded. ¡°Are you going to help me?¡± ¡°You can consider it an apology for attacking you, even if it was just a joke.¡± Ignisia scratched her head awkwardly. ¡°But that''s not the only reason. I have a proposal.¡± ¡°A proposal? What is it?¡± ¡°During the week it takes to create the catalyst, would you be able to stay in myir?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Not only would he be able to wield mysticism, but he would also get to stay in an ancient dragon''sir. He didn''t know why she wanted this, but Ketal had no reason to refuse. ¡°Then it''s settled. Okay?¡± [Understood... I''ll take care of the cleanup... I''lle to find you once I''m done...] ¡°Great. Then let''s head to their together.¡± ¡°Sure. But I can''t do spatial teleportation.¡± ¡°...Ah. It doesn¡¯t matter. I''ll just fold the space. Then, [[follow me]].¡± With those words, the two of them disappeared. The wandering merchant was left alone, standing still for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. [What is this all about...] The wandering merchant feignedposure. He acted as though the conflict between Ignisia and Ketal was not a big deal. But it was all an act. The merchant''s robe fluttered, and broken devices spilled out from inside. These were the devices that protected the wandering merchant. They protected him almost absolutely. In the past few hundred years, they had never malfunctioned once. All of those devices, more than ten in total, were nowpletely destroyed. To the point where they couldn''t even be repaired. The wandering merchant clicked his tongue. [They all broke just from blocking a single attack...] Ketal had genuinely tried to attack Ignisia. At that moment, the wandering merchant intervened to block the attack. He had pretended to block it effortlessly, but that wasn¡¯t the truth. The devices that had been activated to block the attack couldn''t withstand the force and were all destroyed. [That monster...] The wandering merchant was an ancient being from the very beginning. He knew many things. His knowledge extended to a ce called the Forbidden Lands. Since the wandering merchant and the Forbidden Lands had the same origin, it was impossible for him not to know. Therefore, the wandering merchant couldn''t help but be puzzled. [Why is that guy still human...?] The wandering merchant muttered in confusion. * * * ¡°This is the ce.¡± ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Ketal was impressed. He was now inside the ancient dragon''sir. The structure waspletely different from their he had just been in. Unlike the excessively ornateir of the holy dragon, this one was much more refined and luxurious. ¡°Make yourselffortable.¡± ¡°I won''t refuse that offer.¡± Ketal sprawled out on the sofa. It was the mostfortable sofa he had ever sat on. ¡°So, why did you call me?¡± ¡°It''s nothing serious.¡± Ignisia spoke as sheid down on the sofa opposite him. ¡°I was just curious. You¡¯re the barbarian of the White Snowfield, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ignisia asked a direct question. Ketal calmly acknowledged it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I knew it...¡± She had half-suspected it. A barbarian with ashen hair and that much power¡ªIgnisia wasn''t foolish enough to not recognize his identity. But hearing a direct confirmation was still a strange feeling. ¡°I knew the gates were open, but I didn''t expect to see you so soon...¡± ¡°I feel the same way. I didn''t expect to meet a famous ancient dragon either.¡± ¡°It''s ttering to hear that from the Ashen-Haired Barbarian. I''m very curious about many things; may I ask you a few questions?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°I feel the same way.¡± Ketal recalled the information he had heard from Arkamis during their previous conversation. A sh between the gods and the Forbidden Land had urred in the distant past. However, there were no records of the Forbidden Land''s existence being revealed to the outside world. It was a contradiction, but even Arkamis didn¡¯t fully understand it. It was a secret of the world. A story from a distant past that left no records behind. Arkamis said, "Perhaps the dragons might know something? There are a few ancient dragons that have lived since before the Emperor''s legend." And now, there was an ancient dragon standing before him. * * * Ignisia gestured in the air. Two ss cups appeared. The sses in front of Ketal and Ignisia automatically filled with alcohol. "Here you go." "Thank you." Ketal took the ss, lightly sniffed the aroma, and expressed his admiration. "It has a wonderful fragrance." After taking a sip, Ketal marveled once again. It was an incredibly delicious drink. It wasparable to the elven liquor. Ignisia swirled her ss and spoke. "It''s a drink made by a very skilled artisan two thousand years ago. It''s so precious that less than ten bottles were sold in a day." "A drink aged two thousand years. We are drinking something truly rare." Ketalughed, indicating his enjoyment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "It seems we both have many questions. May I ask first?" "Since it was my fault, I don''t mind. What are you curious about?" "You called yourself an ancient dragon. That implies you''ve lived for a long time." "Indeed, I have." Ignisia said. An ancient dragon. A dragon that had lived for an especially long time. One of those was Ignisia. "In that case, were you present during the era of the Emperor''s legend?" "...Ah, so that''s what you''re curious about?" Ignisia responded with a knowing expression. "The continent was in great turmoil. It was a major concern for us as well. Although it ended in failure." "I see." From those words, Ketal realized something. Ignisia was a dragon that existed even before the legend of the Emperor. ¡®Just how long is their lifespan?¡¯ Ketal chuckled. In that case, she must know a lot. Ketal brought up the main topic. "As you might have guessed, I am a being from the ce you call the Forbidden Land. I lived in the White Snowfield." "...So, it was as I suspected." She had been half-sure, but hearing it directly from him made her feel a deep sense of realization. The legendary Ashen Barbarian stood before her. Ignisia looked at Ketal with new eyes. "And as I¡¯ve heard, the beings from the Forbidden Land are considered enemies of the world. Is that correct?" "That''s right." Ignisia nodded. A being who had lived since before the Emperor''s legend acknowledged Ketal''s words. Ketal stroked his chin. "Hmm. I see. So that is indeed the case. How far does this enemity extend?" "To everything." Ignisia said it clearly. "The continent. The world. Humans. Elves. Dwarves. Gods. And demons." Literally. Beyond the middle world, epassing the spirit world, hell, the divine realm, all of it. The beings from the Forbidden Land were enemies of the world itself. Ketal frowned. "They''re treated worse than demons." "And rightfully so." "Why is that?" Of course, the beings from the Forbidden Land were not particrly friendly to the surface. You could tell that just by looking at the creatures in the White Snowfield and the monkeys deep within the sea. But even so, they weren¡¯t considered enemies of the entire world. Ignisia shook her head. "Even if you ask me why, I don''t know about that part." The beings from the Forbidden Land were the enemies of the world. They could not assimte, nor coexist. It was an absolute truth that had existed since before she was born. "That''s why I¡¯m puzzled right now. I never thought I¡¯d be able to have a conversation like this with a being from the Forbidden Land. I believed it was impossible to have a normal conversation with them." Ketal did not deny it. It wasn''t incorrect after all. Conversations were possible. The monsters of the White Snowfield, and even Nano, the outside being of the Forbidden Land, couldmunicate. But that didn''t mean they could hold a normal conversation. Nanno intended to rece all things in the world. He did not understand the rejection, nor did he intend to understand it. Even though they could converse, it was impossible to have a normal conversation. The monsters of the White Snowfield weren¡¯t much different. They could speak, but they had no intention of engaging in conversation. In that sense, Ignisia''s words were correct. "But I am here." The problemy in Ketal''s existence itself. He was now having a conversation with Ignisia without any issues. "...That''s why I''m puzzled. What I know is so different from what I''m seeing." Ketal¡¯s very existence was irregr. Ignisia muttered as if she couldn¡¯t understand. "As far as I know, the only ones capable of normal interaction among them are the wandering merchants... Was I wrong?" "Hmm?" Ketal¡¯s face showed puzzlement. "Are the wandering merchants also beings from the Forbidden Land?" Ignisia had mentioned the wandering merchants. But the wandering merchants weren¡¯t confined. They roamed the world freely. "They aren''t beings from the Forbidden Land. But I know they have simr roots." "Simr roots?" "We call you beings from the Forbidden Land because you''re trapped there. The term focuses on the ce rather than the individual beings." They don¡¯t leave the confined ce and eliminate outside visitors. At some point, those ces came to be known as the Forbidden Land. Naturally, the beings there began to be called beings of the Forbidden Land. But that was only because the terrible ce, the Forbidden Land, was the main focus. There was a word for those who dwelled there, a word that focused not on the ce but on the beings themselves. A term handed down from long ago. N?v(el)B\\jnn Now forgotten, except by those who were as old as ancient dragons. Ignisia spoke. "The beings of the Forbidden Land. They were once known as the oldest ones." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 224: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 224: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (3) The Oldest Things. That was the name given to the beings of the Forbidden Lands. Ignisia looked at Ketal. "In a way, you''re one of the oldest things as well." "I haven''t lived long enough to be called that." Of course, he had lived for a long time. He had lived in the White Snowfield where the concept of time was distorted, but not to the extent that he couldn''t feel it. However, when he first appeared in the White Snowfield, the monsters already existed. "Maybe it means your ancestors settled there? As I said, it''s a very old story, so I don''t know the details. But we certainly called you that." She had also heard it as a story. She had lived a long life as an ancient dragon, but the Forbidden Lands had existed long before her. "The Oldest Things." That was the essence of the Forbidden Lands. So just how ancient were the beings of the Forbidden Lands? Were they older than gods and demons? Ketal stroked his chin. Ignisia continued. "Anyway, the Wandering Merchant is also one of the oldest things. But it wasn''t particrly hostile to the world. That''s why it was able to make deals with the gods and roam the world without much restriction." "Is that so." The Wandering Merchant seemed to know about Ketal. It made sense if they shared the same roots. Ignisia spoke. "The Wandering Merchant is a special existence. It was known to be the only one among the oldest things that couldmunicate and interact. ...At least until now." With Ketal''s appearance, it was no longer the only one. "If it made deals with the gods, the rtionship between the Wandering Merchant and the gods must not be bad." "Probably." "But I''ve heard there was a conflict between the gods and the Forbidden Lands." "Ah." Ignisia nodded as if she understood. "Long ago. I''ve heard there was such a thing. It was said to be quite a fierce battle. The Wandering Merchant wasn''t involved in that war, though? That''s probably why it can roam the world freely." "Was it the gods who invaded? Or did the Forbidden Landse out?" Who initiated the war? Which side attacked, and which side defended? At this pointed question, Ignisia hesitated. "That... I''m not sure about." "Even an ancient dragon doesn''t know?" "The fact that a war happened is information only known to ancient dragons. The younger ones don''t know at all." It was that old and thoroughly concealed. If the ancient dragons disappeared, it would truly be a forgotten war. "But... there are a few things I can say for sure." The gods and the oldest things. The two opposed each other. And, that era was before the War of Gods and Demons. This piqued Ketal''s interest. "I thought this world belonged to the demons before the War of Gods and Demons." "So did I. It''s a contradiction. That''s why there are various spections among the ancient dragons. It''s hard to say anything for certain." "I see." Ketal nodded, organizing the information he had obtained. "Oh, by the way. You mentioned you were the architect of the Tower of Magic. Do you know the Master of the Tower?" "I do. I helped with the design when the old tower was built." "Oh, really. You must be close with the Master of the Tower." "Close... well, yes." Ignisia''s expression was ambiguous as she said this. She looked somewhat prideful, as if she didn''t want to talk about the subject further. Ketal didn''t press her on it. "Are you satisfied now?" "Quite. Thank you." "It''s a deal, so it''s fine. Now, can I ask a question?" Ignisia''s eyes sparkled. Ketal smiled slightly. "Go ahead. What are you curious about?" Ignisia eagerly asked several questions. How long had Ketal stayed in the White Snowfield? What kind of people were the Barbarians of the White Snowfield? Why couldn''t they handle mysteries? What had he done there? These were simr to the questions that Milena, Arkamis, and Aquaz had asked before. Ketal answered them all. "I don''t know how long I stayed in the White Snowfield. Time doesn''t mean anything there. But it was a very, very long time." "The Barbarians are ignorant and foolish. As far as I know, they''re even more ignorant than the ones outside." "I was expanding my territory there, looking for a way out. In the process, I also shed with the monsters the emperor mentioned." "Mysteries don''t exist there in the first ce. There were forces that used alien powers, but they weren''t what you''d call mysteries." Ignisia listened intently to each of these stories. She let out a small exmation. "I see..." She was an ancient dragon. She knew much of the world. But even she didn''t know about the Forbidden Lands or the White Snowfield. Each word from Ketal was a fresh stimulus to her. It was information worth more than gold, something one could not obtain even for a fortune. She would have liked to continue asking questions for hours if it were up to her. But Ignisia suppressed that desire. Even with the information she had already received, it was more than enough¡ªalmost overwhelming. Any more, and her conscience would begin to prick at her. So, she prepared to steer the conversation toward the main topic. Ignisia took a moment to catch her breath. As a dragon, as a being of the world, there was a question she had to ask this presence from the Forbidden Lands. "Are you our enemy?" The beings of the Forbidden Lands. They were gradually revealing themselves to the world. And each time, they caused chaos. Where did Ketal stand? Was he neutral like the Wandering Merchant, or was he an enemy like the other beings of the Forbidden Lands? Ketal answered. "I am not your enemy. If anything, I am closer to being an ally." What he desired was a fantasy world. He held a fondness for all the beings within it. "If you do not see me as an enemy, then I am not." "...So what do you think of the Forbidden Lands?" "They''re terrible. I never want to see them again." Ketal shook his head with a look of disgust. It was a genuinely repulsed expression. "I see." Ignisia made her conclusion. Ketal was on their side. It was hard to understand how a being from the Forbidden Lands could be an ally to those of the surface, but there was too much evidence to deny his words. Ignisia looked at Ketal¡¯s wrist. The ck bracelet. It was a holy relic of Kalosia. The fact that he possessed it meant that Kalosia had personally met and acknowledged Ketal. But that wasn''t all. Ketal was a contractor of a highest-ranking spirit. Yet, Ketal had very little mystical energy. Combined with his unique personal characteristics, it would have been impossible to form a contract through normal means. This led to only one conclusion. The Spirit God had personally facilitated the contract. To confirm, Ignisia asked, "Have you been to the Elven Sanctuary?" "I went there recently. I also traveled to the Spirit World through the High Elf Queen." "Just as I thought... Is Karin doing well?" "She seems to be doing fine. You know her?" "We have a connection." Karin had mentioned knowing some dragons. It seemed Ignisia was one of them. The God of Lies and Deceit, Kalosia, and the Spirit God, Beatrice, had personally met Ketal, gifting him a holy relic and a spirit. This was a clear sign of trust. If they trusted him, then Ignisia could too. Ignisia muttered to herself, surprised. "A being from the Forbidden Lands is on friendly terms with us... How strange. Are the other Barbarians like you?" "Absolutely not. I am the exception." "Oh, I see." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal immediately denied it. Her main doubts had been resolved. Ignisia took a deep breath. "Then I have onest question." The most primal and savage question. In some ways, the most important one. How strong was Ketal in the White Snowfield? And from his perspective, how strong was she in that ce? Just as she was about to ask him, a sound rang out. A tearing of space. The Wandering Merchant appeared. [Everything is finished...] "...You have impable timing." [Why are you picking a fight...] "No, no. I can askter. Did you bring the Dragon Heart?" [Here it is...] The Wandering Merchant opened a space. From within, arge, red heart emerged. Ketal was impressed. "It''s big." Given the size of a dragon, the heart was equally enormous. It wasrge enough to hold three Ketals inside. Ignisia inspected the heart. "I was worried it might be tainted with demonic energy since the owner had a keen interest in demons, but it''s clean. This should do. Now, Wandering Merchant, I''ll tell you the materials needed to create the catalyst, so please pass them on." [If you ask for more, I will demand a price for everything...] "You''re so strict. Don''t worry, I won''t." Ignisia grumbled. The Wandering Merchant left to gather the materials. She turned to Ketal. "I''ll make it for you. It should be finished in about a week. It might take a bit longer due to the uniqueness of your body, but it will definitely be done within two weeks." "Oh, thank you. But is this okay? It seems like a heavy burden." Helping someone who had used the heart of one of her kin as material to kill another member of their species was hard to understand from a human perspective. Ignisia shook her head. "He''s someone that needed to be dealt with anyway, so it''s fine. Besides, I was in the wrong, so consider this my apology." She had hidden her identity and provoked Ketal. She had genuinely attacked him. If Ketal had been more aggressive, they could still be fighting. "I appreciate that you think so." "Then I''ll start making it right away. Take it easy while you wait." "Thank you." Ketal smiled warmly. * * * It wasn''t long before the Wandering Merchant brought the necessary materials. Ignisia immediately began working on the catalyst using the Dragon Heart. In the meantime, Ketal found himself with nothing to do. Exploring their had been fun, but it wasn''t veryrge, so it only took a few hours to see everything. Ketal stood idly by with nothing left to upy his time, watching Ignisia work on the catalyst. After ncing at him, Ignisia spoke. "You look bored." "There''s nothing to do but wait." "Is there anything you''d like to do?" "There is, actually." With that, Ketal looked at Ignisia. The fighting spirit in his gaze made her smile wryly. "Sorry, but that might be difficult. If we do that, we''ll have to be serious, and I don''t have the luxury for that right now." "I understand." Ketal clicked his tongue in disappointment. He wasn''t so shameless as to request a sparring match from someone who was already making a catalyst for him. Ignisia suddenly smiled as if an idea had struck her. "Or how about finding another kind of fun?" Her smile was incredibly seductive. She licked her lips, and the atmosphere grew thick with tension. "I''m interested, too. I''m curious about the difference between a being from the Forbidden Lands and one from the outside. I''ve always considered myself quite attractive, don''t you find it tempting?" "It would be a lie to say otherwise." Ignisia was an incredibly beautiful woman. And she was a dragon. Naturally, his curiosity was piqued. But Ketal shook his head. "I''ll pass." "Hmm. Is it that your sexual desires are different?" "That''s not it. I just don''t particrly enjoy such things." The Barbarians of the White Snowfield were known for being uncivilized and simple-minded. They favored primal stimuli and pleasures. As such, Barbarians often engaged in such activities purely as a form of entertainment, with no emotions involved¡ªjust pure pleasure. It was a symbol of savagery. Ketal had also indulged in such activities in the distant past, but after learning the truth of the world, he had stopped altogether. He had no desire to chase after such pleasures even outside the White Snowfield. Wanting to fight Ignisia but refusing to indulge in carnal pleasures might seem contradictory, but that was Ketal''s value system. Ignisia looked at him with a hint of surprise. "You''re maintaining your humanity in such an unexpected way." "Well... there''s more to it than just that." Ketal grimaced. The real reason he refused was different. There was someone in the White Snowfield who clung to him persistently for simr reasons. No matter how much he refused, ran away, or even beat them up, they kepting back. He couldn''t kill them either, as they were quite strong, and it was a real nuisance. He had grown tired of it to the point of exasperation. "Hmm. Was it one of your kin?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "No. That one wasn''t human." "...Really? Not human, huh." "For that reason, I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. Sorry to embarrass you." "It''s fine. Then how about exploring their? Don''t just look around¡ªfeel free to check things out. If something catches your eye, you can take it. I''ll allow it." "Oh, thank you." Ketal''s eyes lit up. Their had countless catalysts, treasures, and even ancient books. The Dragon''sir was full of intriguing things. Since he had only been looking around because he didn''t have permission to touch anything, this offer meant he could now explore without any hesitation. "Then, may I go explore now?" "Think of it as your own home and take your time." "Thank you." With a cheerful smile, Ketal started walking around to explore the Dragon''sir. Ignisia watched his back with a curious look in her eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 225: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 225: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (4) Ignisia allowed Ketal to roam freely within the dragon''sir. There was a reason for this. She had discerned what kind of being Ketal was¡ªwhat he was, where he came from, and the extent of his power. However, she did not know much about Ketal as a person. She had no idea what his objectives were, what values he held, or what his ideology might be. Although Ketal had introduced himself as an ally of the earth, she needed to determine what that truly meant. ¡®Even the illusions of the forest imed to be our allies.¡¯ She had connections with the designer of the Magic Tower, the Master of the Tower. Recently, she had met him in person and heard stories about the forest and Nano. The Nanos tried to rece everything in the world in order to help it. Their actions might have been evil, but their intentions were pure and benevolent. Of course, Ketal had met with gods directly, so such issues might not be a concern for him, but Ignisia still needed to investigate thoroughly. Her intention in seducing Ketal was partly driven by personal curiosity, but it also had this purpose. As Ignisia was crafting a catalyst, she muttered to herself, "I want to understand his actions." Her dragon''s power activated, and every one of Ketal¡¯s actions became known to her. She quietly observed him, watching what he did and how he behaved in the dragon''sir. To her surprise, Ketal¡¯s behavior was quite unexpected. ¡®¡­He¡¯s not touching anything?¡¯ This was their of an ancient dragon, filled with countless precious treasures. Gold, silver, and jewelsy scattered like trinkets, along with various artworks and artifacts, and even wines aged for thousands of years. These were treasures that anyone, even an outsider, would recognize as priceless, items unattainable even with a fortune. Anyone would be tempted. Moreover, she had told Ketal he could take whatever he liked. She intended to gauge his level of greed. However, Ketal showed no particr desire. "It''s incredibly extravagant." Of course, he was interested and did look around, even touching a few items out of curiosity. But that was all. His eyes and actions revealed no greed or desire. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ His attitude was surprising to Ignisia. Ketal had taken on a quest from a wandering merchant, meaning he was not someonepletely devoid of worldly desires. Yet, he showed no interest in the treasures of the dragon''sir. While his quest for the wandering merchant was to obtain mystery, Ignisia, who didn¡¯t know this, could only feel confused. Instead of treasures or artifacts, Ketal seemed more interested in ancient books. "May I read this?" "Uh¡­ sure." Even then, he asked for her permission before reading. Ketal quietly sat on the sofa and started reading. Although he asionally moved to find new books, he went out of his way to minimize any noise so as not to disturb her. ¡®What is this?¡¯ The Ketal she had observed so far was remarkably sensible, like a well-educated noble or schr. Yet, Ketal was a barbarian from the white ins. This discrepancy left her puzzled. "What are you reading?" "A history book about a kingdom that perished a thousand years ago. It fell due to internal power struggles." "¡­Ah. I remember that." Even she had roughly tossed that book into storage and forgotten about it. "Is it interesting?" "It is." Ketal nodded. A constant smile yed on his face as he read. His demeanor left Ignisia feeling unsettled. Her observations of Ketal up to this point revealed someone who was desireless, a knowledge seeker, and respectful as a guest. Considering his mysterious nature, it was difficult to discern whether this was a fa?ade or genuine. ¡°Hmm.¡± Since she couldn¡¯t figure out his personal values or ideology, she decided to approach it from another angle and asked him, ¡°Come to think of it, I never asked about your objective. You''re trying to acquire mysteries, right? Is it to be stronger?¡± ¡°Not particrly.¡± Ketal replied calmly while still reading. ¡°I simply want to acquire mysteries.¡± Ignisia paused at his words. She had assumed that Ketal''s desire for mysteries was to be stronger¡ªa verymon, logical assumption. However, Ketal¡¯s answer was different. ¡°¡­The acquisition of mysteries is the goal in itself? Is that really all?¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, it¡¯s not entirely.¡± ¡°Right? Your goal is to be stronger, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I want to wield swordsmanship and magic. I want to use the world¡¯s great powers with my own hands.¡± Ketal¡¯s face lit up with a smile of anticipation as he spoke. In that moment, Ignisia realized that Ketal was being sincere. ¡°¡­What do you want to obtain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still deciding on that. For now, I want first to master Aura.¡± Sword mastery, the supreme swordsmanship. Since he had fought using only his physical strength, he first wanted to learn swordsmanship. ¡°But I also want to learn magic. They say you have to focus on one if you want to master it, which is a shame. Ah, but that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got an artifact that should allow me to use magic. I think I¡¯ll manage.¡± Suddenly, Ketal began to speak more freely, his expression the most joyful she had ever seen, his words flowing rapidly. ¡°So right now, my biggest dilemma is which swordsmanship to learn. Cain¡¯s swordsmanship was very appealing. I¡¯m not too interested in learning physical enhancement techniques. I¡¯m curious about the swordsmanship of other Swordmasters. Finding and learning from them one by one would be interesting.¡± Ignisia fully understood. Ketal¡¯s sole desire was his own enjoyment, nothing more. She broke her silence and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve met demons, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met quite a few. They wield some unique powers.¡± ¡°Are you interested in their abilities as well?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Ketal immediately nodded in agreement. "They each used unique and powerful abilities. All of them were intriguing. I would love to try handling them too, but... it seems impossible since those powers are specific to each demon. It''s quite unfortunate." Ketal smacked his lips. "Oh, I''m also interested in the magic you used. What''s it called?" "It''s called Dragon Words." "Dragon Words! What a fascinating name. I''d like to learn that as well. But... it seems impossible, so for now, I should focus on swordsmanship." Ketal said, smiling from ear to ear. Ignisia silently watched him. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That night, Ignisia fell deep into thought. She had just learned about Ketal as a person. Ketal imed to be an ally of theirs, but to be precise, he wasn''t exactly on their side. He was an ally of the world¡ªhumans, elves, spirits, dragons, even the demons of hell. He bore goodwill towards them all. Ketal was such a being. He didn''t distinguish between good and evil. His own interests and enjoyment were his top priorities. ''What kind of being from the Forbidden Lands is this?'' Though he was an entity from the Forbidden Lands, an enemy of the world, he held goodwill towards the entire world. She couldn''tprehend it at all. ''This is... dangerous.'' Ignisia let out a groan. Ketal was currently opposing the demons and taking their side. But that was only because the situation had unfolded that way. If the demons approached Ketal with goodwill and made a connection with him, he would likely ept them without hesitation and side with the demons. If Ketal had an enemy, it would be someone who interfered with his actions. Dangerous. Ketal could not be controlled. He could change sides at any moment, depending on his interests. "......" Ignisia''s eyes darkened. * * * The next morning, Ignisia sought out Ketal. As always, Ketal was reading a book. "Ketal." "What''s the matter?" "You said you were interested in Dragon Words, didn''t you?" "That''s right." Ketal looked puzzled as to why she was asking. Ignisia spoke up. "Then, would you be interested in learning Dragon Words from me?" "What?" Ketal''s eyes widened. "...Dragon Words is the magic you used when we fought, right?" "Yes." The powerful magic that used strangenguage to unleash red light and bind the very space itself in chains. Ignisia spoke again. "If you are truly interested and willing to learn, I''ll teach you." "Are... Are you serious?" Ketal''s voice trembled at the unexpected fortune. Confirming something in his reaction, Ignisia nodded. "I''m serious." "Wait, just a moment." Ketal barely managed to suppress his excitement. It was an incredibly tempting offer, one that could easily cause him to lose his senses. But he needed to confirm it first since there was a possibility of disappointment after building up such high expectations. "Am I even capable of learning it? I don''t wield any Mysticism. Moreover, it''s Dragon Magic, so there might be restrictions." "Of course, there are restrictions... But you''re about to acquire Mysticism using a Dragon Heart, right? Then you''ll have enough qualifications. If you''re not skilled enough, you won''t be able to handle it... but that doesn''t seem to be an issue." "Oh, oh!" "So, what do you think? Are you interested?" "Absolutely!" Ketal answered energetically. Dragon Words. The mysteriousnguage-based magic she had wielded. It was immensely powerful and beautiful¡ªa magic straight out of fantasy. The thought of being able to learn something like that was a stroke of unimaginable fortune. He felt like he was flying through the sky. "Please, I beg you!" Ketal immediately agreed. As if she had expected it, Ignisia spoke. "Alright. Then, just wait a little bit. I''ll exin it to you after I finish this current work." "Thank you so much. But why the sudden offer?" Ignisia had no particr reason to teach Ketal Dragon Words. She had never even mentioned it before. But now she was suddenly offering to teach it. It was hard to understand. Ignisia spoke lightly. "Think of it as an extension of my apology. Well, it''s not entirely without strings attached. There is something I want from you." "Ah, I see." Ketal nodded in understanding. But of course, that was all just an excuse. There was a different reason she was teaching Ketal Dragon Words. ''...The beings from the Forbidden Lands are emerging.'' Entities from the Forbidden Lands wereing out and causing chaos. Moreover, the demons were invading the surface. The bnce was heavily skewed against them. In reality,rge and small damages were continually urring. She had a hunch. If things continued like this, the surface would lose. In such a situation, this barbarian appeared. Without knowing a single bit of Mysticism, he shattered her Dragon Words. Once he acquired Mysticism, his power would reach an even higher level. While bearing goodwill towards all things in the world, he was someone who could oppose the Forbidden Lands and stand on their side. He could tilt the bnce back in their favor. The issue was that Ketal was someone who acted based on his own interests. For now, he was opposing the demons, but depending on future circumstances, he could be their enemy at any time. The possibility was low, but it wasn''t impossible. If that happened, the surface would almost certainly lose. So, she made a decision. She would definitely pull this barbarian over to their side. She would make him hold goodwill towards the surface, towards the dragons. She would bring the one who could disrupt the bnce to their side. For that reason, she decided to work hard to make Ketal have a favorable impression of them. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om That was the conclusion she had reached after a night of contemtion. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 226: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 226: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (5) And her scheme hit the mark precisely. In Ketal¡¯s eyes, a deep favor appeared as he looked at Ignisia. ¡°I never thought there could be such a kind being!¡± She misunderstood him and even taught him how to handle mysteries and the magic of words! He almost wished she would continue to misunderstand him; he felt like he was soaring to the heavens. ¡°What is the price?¡± Ignisia mentioned there would be a cost. It wouldn¡¯t be for free. Whatever she desired, Ketal was prepared to pay. Literally, whatever it might be. Ketal''s eyes flickered dangerously. Ignisia flinched reflexively. ¡°Wha... it¡¯s nothing special. I just hope you¡¯ll have some goodwill towards us.¡± ¡°Goodwill?¡± ¡°Get along well with the beings of the earth. Don¡¯t reject the dragons, and be friendly with us. If they hinder or interfere with you, please just think twice before acting. Of course, it¡¯s a request, so it¡¯s not forced.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal tilted his head at the sudden words. But Ignisia had a very serious expression. Ketal''s principles of action were driven by his own interests and pleasures. Though he thought of them as allies now, that could change with future experiences and events. So, she ced a restraint like this. Of course, there was no coercion. But at least it could make him think twice before acting. Seeing her expression, Ketal realized she wasn¡¯t joking. He nodded seriously as well. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Given that several had already be quite close, he intended to do so even without Ignisia saying it. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s one more thing. I hope you can do me a favorter. We¡¯re quite busy at the moment.¡± The dragons had not shown themselves to the world for a while. And there was a reason for that. Ignisia rubbed her forehead as if tired. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do. We could really use an extra hand.¡± ¡°What kind of work?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say right now because the situation is changing moment by moment. But it won¡¯t be something too difficult for you.¡± ¡°I understand. I ept.¡± Ketal nodded eagerly. No matter what she proposed, he intended to ept it all. Compared to the magic of words, anything else felt light. ¡°Then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ignisia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°Oooh¡­¡± Dragon Words. It was time to learn the mysteries of the great world. Ketal¡¯s face lit up with excitement. * * * Ignisia moved to the living room of their with Ketal. ¡°First of all, you can¡¯t learn it right away. You still don¡¯t have any mysteries.¡± Dragon Words ultimately dealt with the mysteries of this world. To handle it, one needed to know how to handle mysteries. However, Ketal still found it impossible. ¡°So first, I¡¯ll exin what kind of power it is. Since it¡¯s the power you will eventually handle, you need to understand its basic framework. The detailed usage will be taught after you can handle mysteries.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ignisia began her exnation. Ketal listened intently, as if he wouldn¡¯t miss a single word. ¡°First, I¡¯ll exin the power of dragons. Our power can be broadly divided into two types.¡± Dragon Words. And magic. ¡°I¡¯ll exin our magic.¡± Ignisia lightly waved her hand. Then, the cap of a liquor bottle on the table opened, and its contents floated into the air. It moved chaotically ording to Ignisia¡¯s finger and soon formed aplex statue. Ketal gasped in amazement. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± Ketal was impressed, but for a magician, it would have been a shocking level of magic. For a superhuman top-tier magician to achieve the magic Ignisia was performing, they would need to spend several days designing and using catalysts just to barely aplish it. And she was doing this magic without any preparation or incantation, just with a simple hand gesture. Ignisia extended her finger, causing the statue to copse, and the liquor returned to the bottle. ¡°For us, magic is as natural as breathing.¡± There was no need for incantations. If they desired it deeply, they could manifest magic. That was why dragons were called the magical race. ¡°But magic isn¡¯t our core power.¡± To dragons, magic was as natural as breathing. In other words, it meant it was merely the most basic form of power. The true power of dragons was Dragon Words. ¡°When we speak, we can imbue that power. You know what it feels like.¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s very powerful.¡± In a party of four superhuman top-tier warriors who hade together to capture a dragon, they had fought against it. They were losing, but it was not a level at which they would easily be defeated. They had even seeded inunching an attack just before finding an opening. However, the moment the dragon spoke for the first time: [[Get lost]] At that moment, the tide of battle turned. With a single word, the strength of the four superhuman top-tier warriors was mercilessly torn apart. ¡°More precisely, it feels like this: [[I wish there was one more golem protecting their.]]¡± Ignisia said. There was power in those words. And then, the world moved. ng! Artifacts began to fly from their¡¯s storeroom. They gathered andbined, starting to form the shape of a golem. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± As Ketal observed closely, he realized one thing. Ignisia wasn¡¯t manipting the artifacts to create the golem. The artifacts were moving on their own to fulfill Ignisia¡¯s words. Before long, a golem waspleted. It looked incredibly powerful. Even the four superhuman top-tier warriors who had faced dragons couldn¡¯t guarantee victory. ¡°Time to work.¡± Thud! Thud! Thud!* Ignisia said lightly. The golem departed to guard the entrance at hermand. ¡°Do you get it?¡± ¡°I just felt that the artifacts seemed to move on their own to fulfill your words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That is the power of Dragon Words.¡± The words of dragons were imbued with power. It was amand directed toward the world. The world itself moved to fulfill the dragon''s words. That was the great authority possessed only by dragons. ¡°It''s a power that almost all dragons use as their main strength.¡± A dragon who could properly control their Dragon Speech was a being akin to a natural disaster. With the ability tomand the world at will, there were few who could stand against them. ¡°It¡¯s a powerful force. And just as dangerous.¡± It was a power that even dragons could not easily handle. The bigger problem was that it was difficult to control. In fact, young dragons couldn''t even speak carelessly. Since they couldn¡¯t control their Dragon Speech, opening their mouths recklessly could cause them great harm. That¡¯s why dragons only slowly learned to control Dragon Speech after reaching adulthood. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ketal muttered as if he understood. The dragon they had faced, which had just be an adult, did not speak carelessly. It seemed that the dragon still couldn¡¯t properly control Dragon Speech. A power so strong that even speaking was dangerous. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He could wield that, or even stronger power. He was very pleased. Ignisia brought up the main point. ¡°Magic and Dragon Speech. These are the two abilities dragons wield. And the power tobine those two into one.¡± That was Dragon Speech Magic. ¡°Our own unique magic, which we wield by speaking thenguage of magic with Dragon Speech, allowing us not just tomand the world but to wield it freely.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± It was a power that ordinary dragons could not wield. Only a dragon that had aged to the level of an ancient dragon could do so. And with that much power. Ketal could not underestimate the Dragon Speech Magic that Ignisia wielded. Even in the white snowfields, such power was rare. Ignisia continued. As Ketal listened, a question arose. ¡°Then are you stronger than the King of the Wind Spirits?¡± ording to the exnation of Dragon Speech Magic, it could freely interfere with the concepts of the world. It was a much broader range than the Spirit Kings, who were bound to a single concept. But Ignisia shook her head. ¡°No, that''s not the case. Dragon Speech Magic can widely interfere with the world''s concepts, but it''s thin. Those who are specialized in a single concept have their own powers. At that level, it varies depending on the difference in ranks.¡± ¡°I see. I understand.¡± ¡°Originally, no one but a dragon could wield Dragon Speech Magic... but you might be able to. I will embed a dragon heart into your body.¡± The power of a dragon would dwell in his body. He had now gained the qualification to wield Dragon Speech Magic. ¡°To wield Dragon Speech Magic, rank is also required, but that won¡¯t be a problem for you.¡± The rank that Ketal possessed was very peculiar and powerful. Perhaps even higher than Ignisia¡¯s. He was more than qualified to wield Dragon Speech Magic. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t be as powerful as ours, but it will be satisfying.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± As Ketal listened intently to Ignisia''s exnation, another question popped into his mind. ¡°If I wield Dragon Speech Magic, does that mean I won¡¯t be able to learn swordsmanship or other magic? From what I know, it can only be wielded in one way.¡± ¡°No. Since Dragon Speech and Magic are our most basic powers, there¡¯s no such restriction. In fact, there are dragons who have reached the level of heroes using only swordsmanship.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Thest concern was also resolved. Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Ipletely understand. Hearing this makes me want to learn it even more.¡± The power to grasp and shake the world. Dragon Speech Magic. How enticing it was. His heart raced with anticipation. Ignisia pped her hands. ¡°Good. Then, that¡¯s enough of an exnation for now. I¡¯ll teach you the details after you¡¯ve obtained the Mystery. It doesn¡¯t mean much right now anyway.¡± In the end, what mattered was the Mystery. Everything else came after. Ketal nodded vigorously. After that, Ketal received a simple book on Dragon Speech Magic from Ignisia. He read it with great focus and enjoyment. Ignisia found it curious that Ketal was studying. And two dayster. Ketal hadpleted all the preparations to obtain the Mystery. * * * ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± At Ignisia¡¯s words, Ketal, who had been reading, jumped to his feet. ¡°Oh! Finally!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Ketal followed Ignisia with long strides. They moved underground within the dragon¡¯sir. There, several rooms were located. Ignisia entered one of the rooms. As soon as Ketal stepped inside, he let out a gasp of admiration. ¡°It¡¯s thick.¡± The room was filled with mana dense enough that even Ketal could sense it. The Mystery, which normally should have been invisible, was visible to the naked eye. And at the center of the room was an extremelyplex magic circle. Even Ketal, who had some knowledge of magic, could notprehend this high-level magic circle. Various catalysts floated above the magic circle. Among them was a dragon heart, along with many other precious catalysts. They were circting and forming the structure of the magic circle. Ignisia exined. ¡°That magic circle will allow you to wield the Mystery.¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­ Is there any problem?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°ording to my assessment, there shouldn¡¯t be.¡± The reason Ketal couldn¡¯t wield the Mystery might have been that the amount of Mystery was far too insufficient for his body. The vast amount needed to circte within his huge body and the rank required to touch that mighty body. In other words, if these two conditions were met, Ketal would be able to wield the Mystery. That was the judgment of the ancient dragon, Ignisia. ¡°It really required an unimaginable amount of materials.¡± In the end, both the amount and the rank of the Mystery had to be satisfied. Given Ketal''s body''s speciality, it couldn¡¯t be handled carelessly. Even with just the dragon heart, the catalyst was of a different rank, and the supporting catalysts were also substantial. The materials used were equivalent to more than ten of the blue gems Ketal had received in the city of mermaids. The lesser materials were too numerous to count. Even with the World Tree¡¯s leaf that Ketal had handed over, such materials were still necessary. Ignisia had never used so many materials at once before. ¡°If you still can¡¯t wield it after this, that would be unexpected¡­ but since you used the blue gem, your Mystery has risen to a second-ss level, right? Then it should be possible.¡± ¡°Thank you. Truly, you¡¯ve gone through a lot.¡± Ketal spoke sincerely. Ignisia smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s enough as an apology. Besides, this guy worked hard too.¡± Ignisia pointed to the wandering merchant waiting in the room. ¡°It was thanks to him that we could gather everything so quickly.¡± She, even as a dragon, wasn¡¯t particrly interested in catalysts or treasures. As such, there weren¡¯t many materials necessary for their. Had she gathered all the catalysts used by herself, it would have taken quite some time. It was all thanks to the wandering merchant that it waspleted so quickly. [My quest was to help you wield the Mystery¡­ so this much is to be expected¡­ And I¡¯m curious too¡­] The wandering merchant¡¯s glowing pupils focused on Ketal. He muttered with a strange tone. [Just how will this turn out, I wonder¡­] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 227: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 227: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (6) ¡°I wonder what the result will be.¡± It was exceedingly rare to use such an amount of catalysts in a single magic circle. Even the ancient dragon Ignisia had never witnessed such a thing, so it was practically unheard of. Naturally, this made her curious about the oue. However, the tone of the wandering merchant was rather strange. It was as if he anticipated that the result would be distorted and ruined. Ignisia didn''t pay much attention to it. "I''ve thoroughly calcted everything, so there shouldn''t be any problems. Let''s get started." "Alright. What should I do?" "First, go to the center of the magic circle and sit down." "Understood." Ketal walked forward with long strides and sat cross-legged in the center of the magic circle. Ignisia tilted her head. "Aren''t you ufortable?" "People often ask me that. I''m fine." "If you say so. Then..." Ignisia took a deep breath, and her eyes became serious. "I''ve been pondering how to contain all of this within you." Each of the catalysts was enormous. It was impossible to do this using conventional methods. "So, I''ll just go with a straightforward approach. [[????]]." eleration. Ignisia cast her dragon magic. And at that moment, the numerous catalysts floating in the air above the magic circle began to elerate. They started spinning rapidly around the magic circle. [[????]] eleration. She cast the dragon magic again. The already elerating catalysts sped up once more. They spun rapidly around the magic circle, gradually losing their shapes. Ketal''s eyes gleamed with interest. "So, this is your method." "You figured it out?" "It''s like a particle elerator." The catalysts were trapped within a confined space, then elerated and rotated. The immense kic energy generated there would break down and mix the forms of the catalysts. They would then be fused together into one giant catalyst. The power of cutting-edge science was being wielded by a dragon. This filled Ketal with a strange feeling. "...You understood well. It''s a difficult concept to grasp, but that''s exactly what it is. They''ll be fully fused and embedded into your body. Normally, even a dragon wouldn''t survive this and would explode, but you''ll be fine, right?" "Of course." Ketal responded as if it were only natural. Ignisia smiled and cast the spell again. [[????]] Kiiiiiiing! The magic circle elerated. It spun and spun until its interior was obscured. [[????]] Once more. [[????]] And once more. It elerated to a physically impossible speed. The room filled with heat. Space itself began to distort. "Ugh." Ignisia let out a small groan. Even for her, it was a power she could barely handle. "Wandering merchant, I''m counting on you." [Ugh, what a hassle...] "It''s your quest to deal with mysteries, isn''t it? You need to handle the aftermath." [Fine...] The wandering merchant grumbled but operated the device. With a click, the space separated from the outside world. And finally. Kaaaaaaaang! The catalysts werepletely fused. The swirling rainbow light encircled the magic circle. The eleration was so rapid that it appeared as a solid wall. It was a colossal, controlled mystery in its entirety. Ketal gazed at the mystical wall surrounding him, as if entranced. "Huu." Ignisia exhaled softly. "Now, Ketal. Hold on." [[????]] Be imbued. The wall of energy rushed towards Ketal''s body. It crawled along the floor, soared through the air, and infused into his flesh. Ketal let out a small groan. "Ugh." The sheer quantity and quality of energy were enough to overwhelm him. It was meant to be imbued into his body. Though it was a burden, Ketal instead smiled, as if weing it, and opened himself wide. Come. You are mine. Kugugugung! The immense mystical energy began to be absorbed into Ketal''s body like a ck hole. Ignisia, who had been quietly watching, let out a gasp. "You¡¯re actually absorbing it." Even she couldn''t handle such a density of power. It was more like an attack under the guise of injecting mystic energy. But Ketal was taking in all that power at once. And his face showed no sign of feeling the burden. It was a process she had decided to proceed with because she believed it was possible, but seeing it in reality, she couldn''t help but be impressed. "At this rate, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems." The mystical energy was embedding itself into Ketal without any major issues. Ketal himself was holding up just fine. Just as Ignisia began to rx, thinking everything was stabilizing... [Well¡­ are you sure about that¡­?] The wandering merchant muttered. "What are you suddenly talking about? Is there a problem?" [There¡¯s nothing but problems...] "Where? It looks like everything''s going well. Theoretically, it¡¯s perfect, isn¡¯t it?" [Theoretically, there¡¯s no issue¡­ but you¡¯re mistaken...] The immense mystical energy was being absorbed into Ketal''s body. The wandering merchant spoke calmly. [That¡¯s a being of the Forbidden Lands¡­ one of the oldest things¡­ you don¡¯t understand what that really means at all¡­] "Huh?" Ignisia was confused, not understanding what the wandering merchant meant. And then, the problem arose. "...Huh?" The fused mystical energy was being absorbed into Ketal¡¯s body without any issue. But then a crack appeared. Crack! The mystical energies began to seep out slowly. It was as if they didn¡¯t want to be embedded in Ketal¡¯s body. Ignisia shouted again. [[????]] Embed. She issued amand to keep the escaping mystical energies inside forcibly. This was dragon magic, a power that could twist thews of the world and intervene. Since she had given themand, the mystical energies should have been absorbed into Ketal''s body again. But they weren¡¯t. The mystical energies continued to try to escape. Ignisia repeated hermand. [[????]] Embed. Threeyers of dragon magic. A power strong enough to shake the world. Yet the mystical energies still did not obey. Ignisia¡¯s eyes filled with bewilderment. "What¡¯s going on?" Her dragon magic wasn¡¯t controlling the world as it should. It felt as though the world itself had its own will and was resisting. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It was an iprehensible situation, but the wandering merchant seemed to have expected this. [Well¡­ that¡¯s just how it is¡­ this is impossible...] They were beings of the Forbidden Lands. They did not belong to this world. [You can¡¯t be us, and we can¡¯t be you¡­ those energies seem to want to be you, but that¡¯s impossible...] The mystical energies were slowly breaking free from Ignisia''s control. They were on the verge of bursting out. "...Wait a minute." Ignisia began to understand what the wandering merchant was saying. She frowned. "So, did you know from the beginning that this was impossible?" [Something like that¡­ but the quest will still bepleted...] The wandering merchant looked at Ketal indifferently. [It¡¯s not entirely impossible...] Ketal couldn¡¯t be a being of the world, but he could dominate a part of it. Not all of the mystical energies were escaping. Some of them couldn¡¯t escape in time and were embedding into Ketal''s body. Even just fragments of that energy would allow him to handle mystical powers. But that wouldn¡¯t have any meaningful effect¡ªit would be insignificant. It wouldn¡¯t affect the existence of Ketal in any significant way. But the quest would be consideredplete. With that, the wandering merchant''s task was finished. Ignisia, seemingly out of stubbornness, tried to force more of the mystical energy into Ketal. But in the end, it was impossible. Ignisia eventually lowered her hand, a look of disappointment on her face. As the wandering merchant waited quietly for the process to finish... [Huh...?] The wandering merchant sensed something strange. The mystical energy that had been desperately trying to escape was, at some point, slowly being absorbed into Ketal¡¯s body. [What¡¯s going on¡­?] The wandering merchant looked at Ignisia. But it wasn¡¯t her doing, as she also looked surprised. "Huh?" [Isn¡¯t this your doing¡­?] "I was just about to give up. I have no idea why it''s going back in. Did the mystical energye to its senses?" [Hmm¡­?] At that moment, they realized something. The world was distorting around Ketal. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ignisia lowered her hand. She stopped trying to control the mystical energies to keep them from escaping. The natural reaction would have been for the mystical energies to flee the moment they were free. But they couldn¡¯t escape. They were being held in ce, centered around Ketal. ¡®You belong to me.¡¯ They are mine. Ketal bared his teeth. He had noticed it as well, starting from the middle of the process. The mystical energies weren¡¯t trying to enter him; they were trying to escape. But Ketal had no intention of letting them go. This was his mystical energy. It belonged to him. It was his possession. How dare they try to escape? That was uneptable.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om You belong to me. You cannot escape. You must be bound to me. ¡°Shut up and get in.¡± The mystical energies began to be absorbed bit by bit. [This is¡­] ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± The two of them watched the scene in a daze. A powerful will was trampling the world. Centered around Ketal, the very fabric of the world was twisting and breaking. His will was warping rules andws. Vreeee! Perhaps realizing they couldn¡¯t escape, the mystical energies changed their approach. They lunged at Ketal, trying to overturn and destroy his body from within. Ketal weed it instead. ¡®Run wild all you want.¡¯ I¡¯ll ept all of you. But in return, you belong to me. Crack! A storm raged within Ketal. It was as if he was being attacked from all sides. It tore through his entire body. But Ketal endured. He epted and embraced it all. And finally... Whoosh! The storm calmed. The mes of the magic circle went out. Even the remnants of the mystical energies that had been desperately trying to escape were swallowed up by Ketal''s body. Grumble¡­ They heard it then. A sound like a beast growling in discontent. But there were no other living beings here besides the three of them. Ignisia decided it was just a trick of her mind. However, as someone of her strength, she knew it couldn¡¯t just be a simple illusion, yet the situation left her with no other exnation. The growling soundsted only a moment and then disappeared. Ketal remained still, his eyes closed. A long silence followed. Ignisia finally spoke quietly. ¡°Ketal?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Ahhh.¡± Ketal opened his eyes. A broad smile spread across his face. ¡°Hahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± [Oh no¡­] Hisughter echoed all around. The wandering merchant and Ignisia raised their defenses. The power contained in hisughter caused their defenses to tremble. The wandering merchant doubted his own senses. There was mystical energy within Ketal''sughter. He muttered to himself in disbelief. [How is this possible¡­?] ¡°Aaaah¡­¡± Ignoring the wandering merchant, Ketal¡¯s body trembled. An intense power surged within him. A mighty force filled his entire being. It was the mystical energy of the world that he had possessed but could never fully control. Now, he could. He had be able to wield the mystical energies. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 228: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 228: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (7) ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ketal let out an exmation. Within him, within the depths of his body, the fantasy mystery that exists only in this world was moving. It wasn''t just residing in him; it was circting ording to his will. Ignisia cautiously asked. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°It worked perfectly.¡± ¡°It looked like something was wrong... but you managed to do it.¡± In the end, there was an incredibly bizarre sight. The world itself was twisting and breaking around Ketal. But now, it was as if such a thing had never happened, leaving everythingpletely clean. He didn''t quite understand what had happened, but he was d it seemed to have worked out. Ketal shouted joyfully. ¡°Ignisia! It¡¯s all thanks to you! I sincerely thank you!¡± Ketal rushed forward and hugged Ignisia tightly. Ignisia''s face turned pale. ''It hurts!'' Crack. Ketal, overwhelmed with joy, wasn''t controlling his strength at all. As a result, Ignisia felt a strong pressure. Her entire body creaked. She hurriedly teleported away to escape. ¡°Oh. Did it hurt? I apologize. I couldn¡¯t contain my emotions.¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Truly, thank you.¡± Ketal beamed with a big smile. Right now, the mystery was moving inside him. He was so happy he could go mad. It wasn''t a figure of speech. He genuinely felt like he could go insane. Meanwhile, the wandering merchant was muttering as if he could understand. [How on earth...? We can¡¯t be like you...?] It was a strange remark, but Ketal didn¡¯t pay any attention to it. He was simply overjoyed. No matter how hard he tried, a grin kept spreading across his face. ¡°It seems to have worked, but let''s check it out to be sure.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ignisia quietly observed Ketal and murmured. ¡°¡­I can sense a first-rate level of mystery. With the catalyst just now, it''s only at a first-rate level? He should have reached the upper echelon of superhumans, at the very least.¡± Ketal had captured and absorbed all the mystery that was trying to escape, so there was no loss. Yet, it was only at a first-rate level. It was strange. It made her think there might be some sort of restriction. ¡°Is it because of the uniqueness of your body that the full extent can¡¯t be detected externally? Are you able to control it without any issues?¡± ¡°There seems to be no problem. It¡¯s moving well inside.¡± ¡°Then it seems like it should be fine.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Ignisia pped her hands. ¡°Alright. Then let''s do a simple test to see if you can properly handle the mystery.¡± ¡°That sounds good! What should I do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just activate a Dragon Word spell.¡± Ignisia exined how to activate the Dragon Words spell. ¡°Pick a Dragon Words spell you know the meaning of, and as you recall its meaning, speak it out loud with strong intent. If the mystery moves correctly, it should activate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all? It seems easier than I thought.¡± ¡°The hard part is qualifying to use it in the first ce; controlling it isn¡¯t that difficult.¡± The Dragon Words spell was, after all, a spell that used Dragon Words. And Dragon Words was a power that any dragon could use. That was why young dragons could barely speak properly. As long as one met the qualifications, the activation was excessively easy. Compared to swordsmanship or magic, it was as simple as a child¡¯s toy. In other words, even Ketal as he was now could activate it without any issues. Ketal muttered with excited eyes. ¡°I see. I like this very much.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and speak it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal selected a spell in his mind. Then, he spoke it out loud. [[?]] Fire. Ketal imbued the word with intent and spoke it. And then, mes arose. Whoosh! A dark, red me erupted in front of Ketal. Ignisia nodded. ¡°As expected, it activates without any issues.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, ohhhh!¡± Ketal eximed in awe. He was genuinely moved. Up until now, it wasn¡¯t as though he couldn¡¯t use the mysteries of this world at all, but it was never fully his own power. It was always borrowed from others or used through a catalyst. But the mes that appeared before him now were different. They were mes created purely by his own mystery, through his own will. It resonated with Ketal all the more deeply. It felt as though he had taken one step closer to the fantasy. ¡°The intensity of the spell is decent, and the stability of the mes isn¡¯t bad either. At this level, you should be¡­¡± Ignisia, who had been mumbling as she observed the mes, was about to say that it was more than enough when¡ª Growl. A sound like a beast growling came from the mes. And at that moment, the zing mes exploded. As if venting all the suppressed rage, the explosion swept through the entire dragon''sir. Whoosh! A mighty me erupted in all directions. It was an uncontroble force. "Ugh!" Ignisia immediately unleashed her power. She tried to suppress and control the force spreading throughout the Dragon''s Lair. But the mes did not stop. As if irritated by the control, they burned even more fiercely. It seemed almost as if the mes had a will of their own. And the one the mes showed the most hostility towards was none other than Ketal. The raging mes engulfed Ketal''s entire body. The mystical force that Ketal had harnessed turned against its master. Ignisia''s eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Wait!" It was dangerous to take a direct hit from such mes without any preparation. However, Ketal, who was engulfed by the mes, looked more curious than rmed. "It''s quite hot. It feels like I''m burning up. Is this how it''s supposed to be?" "Of course not! [[Extinguish!]]" Ignisia spoke with authority, trying tomand the mes. But the mes did not extinguish. Although their intensity decreased, they still fiercely tried to burn Ketal. Ignisia was taken aback. ''Why?'' Ketal had certainly obtained the heart of a dragon, allowing him to wield Dragon Words Magic, but he was still not a dragon. There were clear limitations. A dragon of her caliber should have been able to extinguish the Dragon Words Magic that Ketal had harnessed with just hermand. But hermand had only managed to lessen the mes. [[???]] In the end, she had to resort to casting a Dragon Words Spell. Only then did the mes, which had been spreading throughout the Dragon''s Lair and engulfing Ketal, slowly die down. Grrrr. However, they did not extinguish easily. As if dissatisfied, the mes tried to reignite with a fierce growl. Only afterpletely extinguishing them did Ignisia catch her breath. "Are you okay?" "There''s no major problem." Ketal''s body was red-hot. If it had continued for a little longer, he would have suffered serious burns. Ignisia found the situation absurd. Ketal, with a curious expression, muttered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "My own magic attacked me. I couldn''t control it. Is this normal?" "No. That''s not supposed to happen." Ignisia shook her head firmly. A mystical force turning against its master? Rising uncontrobly as if it had its own will? Even for Ignisia, an ancient Dragon, this was unheard of. As she pondered in confusion, the silent wandering merchant spoke up. [It''s probably because of your very existence...] "What do you mean by that?" [The mystical force of this world rejected being absorbed by you... It resisted and tried to escape...] As the wandering merchant said, the mystical force that was being absorbed into Ketal''s body suddenly resisted and tried to break free. It even rejected Ignisia''s control. [But you forcefully suppressed it and devoured it...] And Ketal had crushed that resistance with sheer willpower, absorbing it entirely into himself. [It has indeed be a part of you... but you forced it in... and it has be distorted...] The mystical force that Ketal had absorbed was no longer an ordinary mystical force. It had been twisted and damaged by Ketal. [Of course, the more you absorb, the stronger you will be, but it will take some time... With lesser powers, it might be manageable, but something on the level of Dragon Words Magic will still be difficult for you to control...] "Is that possible?" Ignisia looked surprised, but Ketal seemed to understand. "I see. So, I just need time. Simple swordy or regr magic should be fine, right?" [With that level of power, there shouldn''t be any problems...] "Then, for now, I should focus on other powers rather than Dragon Words Magic. I''ll have to put it off untilter." "Hmm. That seems to be the case. It''s unfortunate." "It''s not a problem." Even though he couldn''t wield the Dragon Words Magic he had long desired, Ketal didn''t seem disappointed at all. He had finally obtained a great mystical power and could wield it. It was disappointing that he couldn''t use Dragon Words Magic right away, but the joy far outweighed that feeling. "Then, I''ll have to put it off untilter." "That seems to be the case. Since things have turned out this way,e back after you''ve learned more about other mystical forces. I''d like to observe you more, but... unfortunately, I don''t have the luxury of time." Ignisia clicked her tongue. Though she didn''t show it, she was very busy.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om There was a reason why dragons had suddenly disappeared from the world. "I have a lot of work piled up because I''ve been helping you." "I''m sorry to hear that." "No, it''s fine. I said I had a favor to ask, didn''t I? I''ll call you again then. Let''s properly learn about Dragon Words Magic next time." "That sounds good." "Then, take this with you." Ignisia handed him a ring. It was made of a red gemstone. "I''ll call youter through that ring. Please wait until then." "I hope you call me as soon as possible." Ketal said cheerfully as he received the ring. Although the conversation hade to a close, Ketal didn''t leave immediately. He needed to take some time to confirm that his body was truly unharmed. As a result, Ketal stayed at the Dragon''s Lair for one more day. While Ketal was resting in his room, enjoying himself immensely, the wandering merchant appeared as the space split open. [I have a question for you...] "Hmm? What question?" [You are the Ashen Barbarian of the White Snowfield, aren''t you...?] "That''s right." Ketal nodded. He gazed at the wandering merchant. "Ignisia said that you and I share the same roots." [That''s true... So there''s one thing I don''t understand... How did you manage to make the resisting mystical force your own...?] There was pure curiosity in the wandering merchant''s voice. "I didn''t do anything particrly special." Ketal had also sensed that something was wrong when the mystical force resisted and tried to escape. The mystical forces were trying to break free from him. So he spoke with rejection in his voice. ''You belong to me.'' ''You cannot escape from me.'' He had simply had that resolve. That was all. [¡­¡­.] At his words, the mes in the wandering merchant''s eyes flickered. [I see... I understand now...] The wandering merchant realized how Ketal had managed to absorb all the mystical forces. But it was impossible. It was beyond the realm of being difficult or challenging. It simply couldn''t happen. Which led to a question. [What is it that you desire...?] "Many have asked me that question. My answer is always the same." Ketal responded lightly. "I simply wish to enjoy this world as a human." [Is that really all...?] "What more could I possibly need?" Ketal looked genuinely puzzled. At that moment, the wandering merchant understoodpletely. [Your purpose was to self-destruct all along... I never imagined something like this could be possible...] The wandering merchant murmured in amazement. [I roughly understand now... But it doesn''t concern me... It doesn''t matter to me which side wins...] The wandering merchant opened the space again. [What matters to me is the trade of value... As long as that''s upheld, it doesn''t matter to me who wins...] "So that''s your purpose." As he was about to leave, Ketal spoke to him. "You''ve given me a lot. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have been able to wield mystical forces." Ultimately, all this began with the wandering merchant''s quest. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he was Ketal''s benefactor. Ketal spoke sincerely. "I hope we can meet again someday." The wandering merchant also responded sincerely. [I refuse... monster...] With those words, the wandering merchant left. Ketal watched his departure for a moment before smiling. "Sorry to say, but I want to see you again. Let''s meet again if the opportunity arises." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 229: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (8) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 229: Ancient Dragon Ignisia (8) The Next Day. Ignisia inspected Ketal''s body. ¡°Hmm¡­ there are no issues. The Mystics have settled into your body. This is fascinating.¡± When the dragon words were used, it had certainly tried to consume Ketal, but now, inside Ketal''s body, it was extremely calm. It was as if his entire body had been restrained and subdued by chains. It was strange, but since there were no problems, there was nothing more to say. Ignisia spoke up. ¡°If that''s the case, you''ll need to harness the Mystics while learning either swordsmanship or magic, just as the wandering merchant suggested. Dragon Words shoulde after that.¡± ¡°Understood. I''m really grateful.¡± ¡°No need. I enjoyed it too.¡± The conversation came to an end. Now, all Ignisia had to do was send Ketal back to the Kingdom of Denian. At that moment, Ignisia suddenly remembered something and spoke up. ¡°Oh, right. There¡¯s still one more question I wanted to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± It was a question that the wandering merchant had interrupted before it could be asked. In a way, it was the most important question. Ignisia looked at Ketal. ¡°You are a barbarian of the Ashen Snowfields. You''ve lived there for a long time.¡± ¡°It wasn''t a short time, indeed.¡± ¡°Then let me ask you this: How strong are you in there?¡± Her calm voice echoed. How strong? Ketal answered the question. ¡°In the beginning, I struggled a lot. I was tossed around and toyed with by powerful monsters.¡± His tribe had lived in hiding, avoiding the monsters that ruled the snowfields. But he had grown stronger. As time passed, Ketal had gained power and eventually became a formidable force in the snowfields. ¡°There were some that gave me a hard time. There are also those whose strength is uncertain since we haven''t fought properly, but I never lost when I fought with all my might.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. Hearing his answer, Ignisia''s eyes darkened. The barbarian before her was the strongest being in the Ashen Snowfields. This was somewhat expected. Long ago, the emperor had said that the barbarians of the Ashen Snowfields were the most dangerous. More importantly, she had personally faced Ketal and knew of his strength. If such a barbarian wasn''t the strongest in that ce, that would have been an even more terrifying thought. Having confirmed this, Ignisia asked the next question. ¡°You are a being from the Ashen Snowfields who hase out into the world. So you must know. How much difference is there in power between what''s inside and what''s outside?¡± How different in power were the monsters inside the Ashen Snowfieldspared to the strong ones outside? After a moment of contemtion, Ketal spoke. ¡°The strong ones outside are not weak. Those who are called superhumans could survive in the Ashen Snowfields.¡± Those who were considered superhuman might not die easily in the Ashen Snowfields. But that would only be survival. They would live like beasts, fleeing from predators, digging tunnels, and preying on others. It wouldn''t be a life of a true strong one. Just recently, the white beast had almost killed a superhuman-level wizard and a superhuman-level inquisitor while toying with them. The white beast yed a role as a higher predator in the depths of the Ashen Snowfields, but it wasn''t a particrly extraordinary monster in the grand scheme of the snowfields. Yet superhuman-level warriors were considered very special outside. Just by thatparison, the Ashen Snowfields were clearly superior. Hearing Ketal''s exnation, Ignisia''s eyes darkened. ¡°¡­So it''s true.¡± It was as she had somewhat guessed, but it was the worst oue. The beings of the Ashen Snowfields were emerging into the world. The monsters from the Ashen Snowfields in the center of the continent would start appearing one by one. All of them possessed great power ording to the standards of the outside world. Just thinking about the consequences gave her a headache. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a terrifying situation.¡± ¡°For you and for me as well.¡± Ketal gave a bitter smile. He had finally escaped, only to have the creatures from inside follow him out. It was like a nightmare for Ketal as well. ¡°Not to mention, it''s not just the Ashen Snowfields; other Forbidden Lands will also be emerging¡­ It''s troubling.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like all the Forbidden Lands have simr levels of power. At least, based on what¡¯s been observed so far, the other Forbidden Lands are much weakerpared to the Ashen Snowfields.¡± The primates that lived in the deep sea. They were also beings from a Forbidden Land. But they had been annihted by just one white beast. Considering that, the power gap between Forbidden Lands was quiterge. ¡°There might be Forbidden Lands that you could handle alone as well.¡± ¡°Well, that''s a small relief.¡± Ignisia let out a deep breath. ¡°Is that the end of your questions?¡± ¡°No. I have onest question. This one is very personal.¡± Ignisia spoke with a serious expression. ¡°Monsters from legends.¡± The white snake that devours icebergs. The white bear that causes earthquakes. The grotesque rat that pollutes the oceans. ¡°If you were to fight them, what do you think would happen?¡± Could the great dragon of the continent fight against the legendary monsters? Ketal hesitated. He was silent for a moment. Ignisia waited quietly. After a while, Ketal spoke. ¡°You are strong enough. But if you ask which side would win¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Dragon Words could twist the world and bind space itself with chains. Even Ketal was restricted by its powerful force. It was a unique power that he hadn¡¯t seen in the Ashen Snowfields. But the legendary monsters were the same. They, too, had their own unique powers, just like Ignisia¡¯s Dragon Words. Since the direction of their powers was so different, it was difficult to say which side had the upper hand definitively. Hearing this, Ignisia''s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­So it¡¯s uncertain?¡± ¡°In terms of pure strength, there might not be much difference. But considering each one¡¯s unique powers, it¡¯s hard to say for sure.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± The strength of the legendary monsters and the great dragon wasparable. It was a level that could only be determined through direct confrontation. Ignisia¡¯s face showed slight dissatisfaction. ¡°¡­I see. So you''re not confident you¡¯d win.¡± Even as a great dragon, she was only on par with the legendary monsters. That fact was unsatisfying, but she epted it for what it was. ¡°Well. Still, if I¡¯m at that level, I¡¯m just below the strongest in the Ashen Snowfields, right? That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Ignisia spoke with pride. Ketal was momentarily puzzled. ¡®Huh?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] There was clearly something wrong with Ignisia''s statement. But before he could point it out, Ignisia spoke again. "My questions are all resolved now. Thank you. I look forward to seeing you again in the future." "Oh, right. I enjoyed our time together too." "Well then, let''s meet again¡ªas allies. Farewell." With those words, Ignisia dismissed him, and Ketal''s body vanished, returning to the Kingdom of Denian. "Ugh..." Ignisia stretched, a look of annoyance crossing her face. "Now I have to sort all this information and report it. What a hassle." Dragons were independent beings. But that didn''t mean they didn''t have their own society. Among the dragons, there were the old ones, known as Elders. These Elders, with their immense power, helped maintain the world''s bnce. They were collectively known as the Dragon Council. The reason she went after the young dragon in the first ce was because the Council had decided it. "They''re going to make a fuss about this. Ugh, I hate it." Teaching Dragon Speech Magic to an outsider, especially a barbarian from the White Snowfield, would be shocking to the Elders. It was a necessary action, but it would be seen as a grave sin to the old-fashioned Elders.N?v(el)B\\jnn Just thinking about the aftermath gave her a headache. She sighed and started preparing the report to minimize the inevitable reprimand. "But still..." ''It''s strange.'' She couldn''t help but wonder about Ketal''s power. Ketal was strong¡ªstrong enough to be called the most powerful in the White Snowfield. But because of that, she found it odd. ''Why is that power limited to his physical body?'' With such strength and status, having some sort of unique ability or power wouldn''t be strange for him. It was almost as if he was deliberately suppressing himself. "Strange indeed," Ignisia muttered. But that was as far as she went. There was too much work to do. She began gathering information to minimize the Council''s scolding. * * * Meanwhile, Ketal had returned to the Kingdom of Denian. Smiling broadly, he headed to the Akasha family mansion, where Milena greeted him warmly. "You''re back! I was starting to worry something might have happened because you were gone for so long." Given Ketal''s immense power, it was unlikely anything had gone wrong, but the involvement of the wandering merchant had made her anxious. She asked with a weing smile, "What were you doing? Did you achieve your goal?" "Yes, I did. I went dragon hunting." Milena''s cheerful expression froze. "...What?" "The wandering merchant''s quest was to eliminate a dragon that was cooperating with demons. So, I went and did that." Ketal spoke as if it was a simple task, akin to clearing a dungeon. Milena was utterly bewildered. "Are you serious?" "Yes, it was an enjoyable time. I even met some new acquaintances." "A-acquaintances?" "Yes, specifically, Spellweaver, Bloodedge, and Seraphina." Milena''s eyes widened even further. "...The Archmage of the Tower, the Mercenary King, and the Chief Inquisitor?" "Oh, you know them well." "Y-you hunted a dragon with them?" "Yes, and I met the ancient dragon Ignisia." "...The Architect of the Tower?" "You seem to know a lot." Ketal was impressed by Milena''s knowledge, thinking it must be the result of a merchant''s informationwork. Milena, however, was simply overwhelmed. Ketal, who had reappeared after just a few days, was casually talking about hunting dragons, meeting ancient dragons, and mingling with the heads of various factions. It was beyond anything a normal person like her could easilyprehend. As she stuttered, trying to ask more, a servant approached cautiously. "Madam, there''s a matter that requires your attention." It was the middle of the day, so she had many responsibilities to handle. "I suppose it¡¯s best to take care of business first and talkter." "Ah, yes, please exin everything tonight." Milena barely managed to pull herself together and began attending to her duties. Ketal, meanwhile, returned to his room and happilyid down. ''That was fun.'' He had truly enjoyed himself. He had gained mystical power, met an ancient dragon, encountered strong individuals from various factions, and even hunted a dragon. This was exactly the kind of experience he hade out into the world for. It was incredibly entertaining. As he reflected on all that had happened, Ignisia''s words suddenly came to mind. [Well, even if I¡¯m at that level, it still makes me the strongest just below the very top in the White Snowfield, right? That¡¯s good enough for me.] When he heard that, Ketal had been puzzled because there was an error in her thinking. He had intended to point it out, but the conversation ended before he could. ''That''s not right.'' Now that he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t just Ignisia. Most people outside had the same misconception. The White Snake that devours icebergs. The White Bear that causes earthquakes. The hideous Rat that pollutes the ocean. They were indeed powerful monsters, dominating vast territories within the White Snowfield. They were creatures strong enough to be called legendary beasts. But. "I never once said that they were the strongest monsters in there," Ketal muttered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 230: The God of Hunger. Federica. (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 230: The God of Hunger. Federica. (1) That night, after barely finishing her work, Milena heard from Ketal about what had happened. Hearing the story that spanned several days, Milena was left dumbfounded. ¡°You... killed a dragon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Killing a dragon meant one thing. ¡°¡­Dragon yer?¡± ¡°Ah. Now that you mention it, yes, I suppose so.¡± In the midst of concentrating on the battle at Ignisia, Ketal had forgotten. But Milena was right. He had killed a dragon. Thus, he had earned the title of Dragon yer. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Bing a Dragon yer was an achievement that would shake the entire continent. Yet Ketal¡¯s reaction was as if he had just gotten an amusing new toy. As a normal human, Milena couldn¡¯t possibly understand. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone. The party was with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Seraphina, Bloodedge, and Spellweaver, right? Did the four of you take down the dragon together?¡± ¡°Yes. We allbined our strengths to take down the dragon.¡± They would have immediately denied Ketal¡¯s words if the other three had been present. They had been overwhelmed by the dragon and nearly killed. It was Ketal alone who had in the dragon. When they returned to their respective affiliations, none of them would ever im to have killed the dragon. But to Ketal, it was all just a minor incident. In his view, the dragon had been in by thebined efforts of all four. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t get to properly say goodbye before leaving.¡± Ketal smacked his lips in regret. He wanted to talk more, but the wandering merchant had forcibly sent him away. ¡°Well. I¡¯ll meet them again someday. I¡¯ll save the enjoyment for then.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Milena barely managed to reply. Although Ketal was speaking lightly, she couldn¡¯t take it that way. It was impossible for her to do so. That was because the other three people Ketal mentioned were all famous powerhouses across the continent. Seraphina, the Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God, who was the face of the church. Bloodedge, the Mercenary King, whomanded the respect of all mercenaries and held enormous influence. Spellweaver, the head of the Hawk faction, one of the great factions of the Magic Tower. Even the great Swordmaster Maximus of the Denian Kingdom paled inparison to them. Even the king of Denian was no exception. These were people who could exert influence over the entire continent. And to think he had traveled with such figures as part of a party. It was hard for her to ept. ¡°Really?¡± Ketal tilted his head at Milena¡¯s reaction. But after thinking for a moment, he understood. In Earthly terms, it was like someone she knew suddenly iming they had gone camping with world-famous movie stars. Thinking of it that way, he understood Milena¡¯s reaction. But in the end, they were not the story''s main characters. There was someone else who outshone even them. Milena let out a groan and muttered. ¡°And you... met the Ancient Dragon, Ignisia as well.¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re said to be the architect of the Magic Tower. Is that true?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Milena exined. The Magic Tower. The great tower where all magicians gather. It wasn¡¯t something that even the tower¡¯s master could create easily. It was impossible to do alone, so help was needed. After much deliberation, the tower¡¯s master made a decision. To seek the help of a dragon. As beings of magic, they would be of great help in designing the tower. With that thought in mind, the master of the tower sought out a dragon. And they found the great Ancient Dragon, Ignisia. Ketal murmured in understanding. ¡°So they got the cooperation?¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s said the process wasn¡¯t smooth.¡± Dragons are mighty beings, and with thates great pride. Ignisia rejected the tower master¡¯s proposal to help with the design of the tower. And they said: If you need my help, prove your strength. Show that you are worthy of creating the great tower of magic. The tower master epted the challenge. After a long battle, the tower master forced Ignisia to submit. That¡¯s the history of the tower. It¡¯s one of the tower master¡¯s great achievements, known throughout the continent. After hearing the story, Ketal showed an intrigued expression. ¡°So the tower master is stronger.¡± Ignisia¡¯s power was immense. He fought with all his might for the first time sinceing to this world. And the tower master had subdued such an Ancient Dragon. Ketalughed happily. It seemed the outside world still had many powers he didn¡¯t know about. The future seemed very exciting. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d rather not think about it too much.¡± Milena shook her head. The story was far too grand for her toprehend. She concluded it was best to simply give up on understanding. ¡°Then you¡¯ve gotten what you desired?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal grinned. He had obtained the quest¡¯s reward. He now had the ability to handle the mysteries of the great world. Milena smiled. ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Is there no problem handling the mysteries?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that there are no problems.¡± The mystery was still crying out within him. Like a living beast, it was revealing its dissatisfaction, as if it had been forcibly chained. ¡®Stay still.¡¯ Ketalmanded. He suppressed the mystery that was trying to rise. The beast cried out in displeasure but bowed its head in obedience to Ketal¡¯smand. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, but I¡¯m controlling it. There won¡¯t be any issues.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Milena was flustered. Ketal¡¯s words were very peculiar. It was as if he were managing a dangerous beast. ¡®¡­Is the mystery always this dangerous?¡¯ [Trantor - Night]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Proofreader - Gun] As far as she knew, it was never like that, but since the person who obtained the mystery said so, she had no choice but to believe it. The conversation was wrapping up. Milena sighed as if exhausted. ¡°It was really a huge ordeal¡­ it¡¯s way too big for me to handle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over now. So, can I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you find me a master who can help me with handling the mystery?¡± Ketal needed to train in swordsmanship or magic. It was too much for him to handle alone. He needed a teacher. Milena nodded. ¡°Understood. Which do you need, swordsmanship or magic?¡± ¡°Swordsmanship would be better.¡± ¡°Swordsmanship, is it? Hmm. How about Maximus? He would probably teach you.¡± ¡°He''s appealing, but I¡¯d prefer someone else.¡± Maximus¡¯ swordsmanship was about physical enhancement. It was a powerful skill, but it didn¡¯t appeal much to Ketal. He wanted to learn a more mysterious swordsmanship. ¡®It would be nice if Cain were here.¡¯ The swordsmanship that created tangible illusions was certainly appealing to Ketal as well. He clicked his tongue in disappointment. Milena nodded in understanding. ¡°Then I¡¯ll start searching for someone. It might take some time since it won¡¯t be easy to find someone of that caliber.¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. * * * Milena began searching for someone to teach Ketal the mysteries he sought. Ketal waited patiently. Of course, he wasn¡¯t just idle. Since Milena was helping him, he thought he should help her in return. He assisted in crafting the artifacts that had piled up. Entering the warehouse, Ketal called out to Piego. [What now¡­] ¡°I want you to make some artifacts.¡± [...] Piego resignedly began crafting the artifacts. [So, you won against the dragon, I take it.] ¡°Yes.¡± Piego responded as if he had expected as much. Ketal was strong. No matter how powerful a dragon might be, a newly matured one couldn¡¯t possibly win against him. But what Ketal said next left Piego stunned. ¡°After that, I also met Ignisia.¡± [...Ignisia? You mean the ancient dragon?] ¡°Yes. The boy who was following us turned out to be Ignisia.¡± [What?] Piego was shocked. That powerless boy was Ignisia? [...Now that I think about it, it was strange. A boy with no power tagging along on a dragon hunt made no sense. But at the time, I didn¡¯t find it odd¡­ was it a maniption of perception?] ¡°Oh, correct. You¡¯ve got it.¡± [Hold on. Don¡¯t tell me you¡­ fought Ignisia?] ¡°Yes. Quite strong. I¡¯d like to fight again.¡± Ketal murmured as if he found it enjoyable. Piego was astonished. [You¡¯re crazy.] Who was Ignisia? An ancient dragon with immense power. Likely even stronger than Karin, the High Elf Queen. And Karin was the strongest among the elves. Ketal¡¯s words meant that, even considering the entire elf race, there was no one who could stand against him. ¡®I knew he was strong.¡¯ Piego had thought Ketal was only on par with Karin, but it seemed he had underestimated him. And that made it even more iprehensible. [With such power, do you really still need me? Can¡¯t we just end our contract now¡­] ¡°That will never happen. You are indispensable to me.¡± Ketal smiled softly. Piego fell silent, knowing that there was no room for argument in that voice. ¡®What a strange, crazy person I¡¯ve gotten involved with.¡¯ Oh, Spirit God. For the first time, he felt resentment towards her. Piegomented deeply in his heart. After that, nothing much happened. Milena continued searching, and Ketal leisurely enjoyed the capital. Except for Maximusing by to ask if anything had happened, there was nothing unusual. It was the first time in a long while that he had experienced such a peaceful, uneventful time. Since leaving the outside world, this was the first time he had spent time so leisurely. ¡®This is new, too.¡¯ Ketal found it quite enjoyable. It truly felt like he had be a part of the world. He nned to continue enjoying this rxed time until a master was found. But that time didn¡¯tst long. An uninvited guest arrived in the Kingdom of Denian. As always, Ketal was returning to the Akasha family¡¯s main residence after a day of sightseeing in the capital. The sun was gradually setting, and people were heading home. The citizens who saw Ketal showed no particr reaction. His presence was bing epted in the capital of the Kingdom of Denian. Just as he was about to return home in high spirits, someone blocked his path. ¡°Hmm?¡± They were incredibly shabby. Their clothes were dirty and tattered, resembling rags. Their hair was unkempt, and their faces were smudged with grime. It was hard to tell they were wearing priestly robes without a closer look. ¡®Are they beggars?¡¯ When it happened, Ketal was about to take some money out of his pocket to give them alms. ¡°Atst¡­¡± The woman at the front spoke. Her voice trembled with excitement, the voice of someone who had finally found what they had been searching for after months of hardship. ¡°Atst, we have found you. Sinner of the prophecy.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Your name is Ketal, is it not?¡± ¡°My name is indeed Ketal, but¡­¡± ¡°As expected.¡± The woman reached out into the air. Light gathered there, and soon, a sword appeared. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. He could tell what that light was. It was holy power. The woman raised the sword and pointed it at Ketal. In a voice as if delivering a sentence, she spoke to him. ¡°I am Liltara, priestess of the God of Hunger, Federica. By the will of the great Federica, I will take you to the holynd. Barbarian Ketal.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 231: The God of Hunger. Federica. (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 231: The God of Hunger. Federica. (2) "Huh?" "What''s going on?" Citizens of the capital, who were on their way home, heard themotion and came to investigate. They gasped when they saw Ketal and Liltara, who was pointing a sword at him. The citizens instinctively knew something barbaric, something that should never happen in the capital, was about to ur. Some fled in haste, while a few curious ones hid and watched. "Federica?" It was a name Ketal had heard somewhere before. As he thought, he realized. "Ah." On his way to a coastal city to confront the marine primates, Ketal had many conversations with Aquaz. Among those discussions was one about a unique church that wielded divine power in a peculiar way. The conversation had touched upon the church of Federica. Now, standing before him were the followers of Federica, the God of Hunger. Liltara quietly spoke. "We have been tracking you ording to the divine revtion, Barbarian Ketal." Following the divine revtion, Liltara and her group had been relentlessly pursuing Ketal, from the Denian Kingdom to the holy grounds of Kalosia, from the coastal city to the mermaid vige. Finally, they had returned to the Denian Kingdom and found Ketal. "You''ve done well to avoid our gaze." "I wasn''t trying to avoid anything." Ketal hadn''t even realized they were tracking him. Liltara ignored him and continued. "Pleasee with us. Sinner of the revtion. We intend to take you to the holy grounds. We will not ept refusal." "Hmm. I don''t quite understand what''s going on, but, in other words, you''re trying to take me to Federica''s holy grounds." Ketal''s eyes gleamed with interest. Another god was calling to him, trying to bring him to the holy grounds. "Oho." He was deeply intrigued. Normally, he would have eagerly followed. But unfortunately, Ketal had something to do at the moment. "I''m sorry, but I can''t." His current goal was to save his master, who dealt with mysteries. Everything else had to take a back seat. "I''ll go with you right after I finish what I''m doing." Ketal offered apromise. Of course, his words fell on deaf ears. "Your opinion is not required." nk! The holy knights moved to surround Ketal. The onlookers screamed in fear. Ketal whistled. "So you''re going to force me, huh?" Keiiiiing! Light surrounded Ketal. But it wasn''t a bright golden light. It was a dark, dense, brown light. Liltara spoke.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "We hereby strip you of your freedom to roam as you please." "We strip you of your freedom to think as you wish." "We strip you of your freedom to refuse." "Oho?" A strange sensation pressed down on Ketal. It was a formidable divine power, the power of the great Federica, which deprived and restricted will, freedom, desire, and longing. Ketal''s actions were stripped away one by one until, before long, the only option left to him was to follow them. "So something like this is possible." Ketal was impressed and stood still. Thinking he was now controlled, Liltara lowered her sword. "Come with us. That is the only action left for you." "Following you might be an enjoyable experience, but¡ª" Ketal smiled. "Unfortunately, as I said, I have something to do right now." Step. Ketal took a step forward by his own will. Liltara, who had been calm, widened her eyes in shock. "How!" She had clearly stripped him of all his actions! Liltara and the holy knights, now flustered, exerted more power. The brown light bore down on Ketal, the divine power stripping away his actions and freedom. "It certainly is a peculiar feeling." But that was all it was. It couldn''t suppress Ketal. He ignored the deprivation caused by the divine power and attempted to break through their encirclement. Liltara shouted fiercely. "We strip you of your freedom!" "I told you, I don''t want to." Ketal lightly stomped his foot. Boom! The ground trembled. With a clear refusal, the divine power that had been pressing down on Ketal shattered. The bacsh swept over the holy knights and Liltara. "Ugh!" "Cough!" The holy knights coughed up blood and copsed, unable to withstand the bacsh, and fainted. Ketal leisurely stepped out and headed back home. "You, how dare you!" Only Liltara remained standing, though with a face twisted in pain. She shouted in a strained voice. "Do you think you can escape? The god is watching you! We will continue to pursue you!" "That sounds exciting. As I said, I''lle to youter. I hope you can wait until then." Ketal spoke lightly and left Liltara behind. She bit her lip in humiliation. Ketal returned home, where Milena was resting on the sofa after finishing her work. "You''re back. There was amotion outside. What happened?" "There was a situation. Milena, may I ask you a question?" "What is it?" "Do you know anything about the god Federica and their church?" "...Are you talking about Federica, the God of Hunger?" "Yes." "Uh... hmm." Milena''s response was hesitant, noticeably different from how she reacted to other churches. Ketal asked. "Can you exin it to me?" "Well, yes. It wouldn''t be a bad idea to know about it in advance." Milena began her exnation. "The God of Hunger. Lady Frederica is a deity of the concept of hunger." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "A god of food, then?" "No. The hunger that Lady Frederica speaks of epasses a broader domain. She''s closer to a god who rejects the concepts of yearning and desire." "Oh?" The starving seek food to fill their bellies. Those with endless greed hunger for more offerings. Those starving for great power wish to be stronger. Schrs starving for knowledge desire to umte more wisdom. Those who desire something ultimately do so because of longing, desire, andck. Frederica was the goddess of such longing, desire, and deficiency. "So that''s why she''s called the God of Hunger." "Yes. Ultimately, she believes that all greed and desire in the world arise from physical or mental hunger and starvation. And the Church of Lady Frederica that worships such a god... has quite an extreme disposition." Like other churches, Frederica''s church worships the concepts of Frederica. They wish for yearning, desire, and deficiency to fill the continent. As a result, the Church of Frederica developed a twisted set of valuespared to ordinary people. "They abhor the abundance of the world." What Frederica desired was hunger itself. Naturally, she didn''t like that hunger being satiated. Therefore, Frederica''s church also despised the world''s abundance. They harbored greed and desire yet refused to have them fulfilled. They simply wished for the world to starve. They wanted everyone to go hungry and for desires to never be satisfied. Milena spoke softly. "Honestly speaking... they''re not a very weed church." The Church of Frederica went beyond merely desiring this; they forced it upon the world. In reality, they often invaded prosperous territories and caused forced starvation. "Just like the Church of Kalosia did before." The Church of Kalosia. They worshiped the concepts of lies and deception, causing all sorts of chaos in the world. In the end, the entire continent joined forces to attack the Church of Kalosia and forcibly suppress their momentum. As a result, though they were now a normal church, in the past, they caused numerous disturbances. The current Church of Frederica was very simr to the past Church of Kalosia. "They''re not people you want to get involved with. Thankfully, they''re quite far from here. But why are you suddenly curious about them?" "Well, a follower of Frederica came looking for me." "What?" Milena''s eyes widened. "A f-follower of Frederica?" "They called me the ''Sinner of Revtion'' and tried to take me to their sacred ground. Themotion outside was because of that." "W-what?" Milena was genuinely appalled. "Are you saying Lady Frederica gave a revtion?" "From what they said, it seems so." "My goodness. Lady Frederica gave a revtion? Wh-what should we do?" Milena was extremely flustered. And understandably so. In their history, the gods had directly descended to save the world dominated by demons. As such, the power and influence of gods in this world were immense. But for such a god to directly bestow a revtion upon a human... It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that one''s life would be distorted and ruined. Milena couldn''t help but be flustered and worried. "Can you tell me who came to see you?" "Someone named Liltara. Do you know that name?" "...Yes." Milena groaned. Liltara. A renowned follower of Frederica. A person who had reached first-rate levels at a young age, possessing exceptional talent. She was someone who received the full support and expectations of the church. "To put it simply, just as the Sun God''s church has an inquisitor named Aquaz, the Church of Frederica has a saint named Liltara. She''s evaluated at that level." At that exnation, Ketal stroked his chin with interest. "So someone simr to Aquaz. There might be a gap since she''s now at the superhuman level." "That''s not the important thing! Wh-what should we do? Mr. Ketal. Shouldn''t you run away? No, no. You can''t escape the eyes of a god in this world. Ah... what should we do..." "Run away?" Ketal tilted his head. "Why should I?" "Pardon?" "If you think about it, isn''t it that the god personally invited me to their sacred ground?" A god''s sacred ground was not a ce outsiders could enter easily. He had only been able to enter Kalosia''s sacred ground due to various ovepping circumstances. So he had thought he wouldn''t be able to visit other sacred grounds after that. But now, a god had personally invited him to their sacred ground. It was something to be pleased about, not worried over. At least from Ketal''s perspective. "I-is that so...?" Of course, to Milena, a person of the continent, he seemed to be talking nonsense. If anyone other than Ketal had said this, she would have thought they had lost their mind under excessive pressure. "Uh... then, are you nning to follow them right away?" "No. I have no such intention. Don''t I have something to do right now?" Find a teacher to learn mystic arts from and study swordsmanship under them. That was Ketal''s current goal. He had no ns to go anywhere before achieving that. "I told them I''d go after finishing this matter." "Ah... I see." Ketal''s nonchnt attitude made Milena momentarily think, ''Perhaps it''s not a big deal.'' "But why on earth?" "I don''t know either." He had just learned what kind of god Frederica was from Milena now. He had no connection with her. But there was one possibility. ''What did the Spirit God say?'' [...We are deliberating. How to respond to you. Each has their own method. Indifference. Favor. Hostility. Control. I haven''t decided yet.] That was what the Spirit God had said. ording to those words, there were gods who showed indifference toward Ketal, gods who showed favor, hostility, or control. It meant that gods were preparing various responses toward him. ''Is she one of them?'' Whatever it was, it didn''t matter to Ketal. He would finish what he was doing now and then go find out. That was Ketal''s thought. And the next day. Liltara and his group were still standing guard in front of the Akasha family''s main house. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 232: The God of Hunger. Federica. (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 232: The God of Hunger. Federica. (3) The next day, Milena went outside to take care of some business. However, she was taken aback the moment she stepped out of her family''s main gate. A group of people, grimy and covered in filth, blocked her path¡ªpeople who, at a nce, could be mistaken for beggars. "Head of the family," the guards hurriedly approached Milena. "What¡¯s going on?" "They¡¯ve been blocking the road sincest night." "Then tell them to move aside." The role of the guards was to clear away obstacles. They were supposed to chase away outsiders blocking the entrance. "But..." But the guards hesitated and didn¡¯t move. Realizing that something was amiss, Milena stepped forward. "Who are you?" "...I am Liltara, a priest of Lady Federica, God of Hunger." At this answer, Milena caught her breath for a moment. Followers of Federica had been tracking Ketal and had been blocking the entrance sincest night. This also exined why the guards hadn¡¯t been able to respond. Milena calmly introduced herself. "I am Milena Akasha, head of the Akasha family. I greet the followers of the great god." "...Milena Akasha. I know that name," Liltara said, narrowing her eyes. Milena was famous. Not only had she revived a declining family, but she also raised it to be the kingdom¡¯s leading merchant house. Her renown was widespread across the continent. This was the general public¡¯s evaluation of Milena Akasha. However, Liltara saw her in apletely different light. "A vile woman who filled her belly with false prosperity. I had thought of visiting you someday, but I didn¡¯t expect the opportunity toe like this." Milena gave a bitter smile at the hostile attitude. The opponent was a priest of Federica, God of Hunger. To someone like her, who values scarcity, she would be seen as a sinner who defied that principle by reviving a dying family. Without losing herposure, Milena asked, "What brings the priests of Lady Federica to my family?" Liltara replied coldly, "We have confirmed that the sinner of the prophecy hase here. Hand him over to us." ¡®As expected,¡¯ Milena thought. They hade here tracking Ketal. She shook her head. "I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that." "Are you refusing the will of the god?" "Even if the god personallymanded it, I have no reason toply." Milena calmly stated, "Ketal is my benefactor. Even if the god directly issued a prophecy, abandoning my benefactor would be to reject righteousness." Interfering with or obstructing divine prophecy could cause serious problems, but there was no need toply blindly in cases where interests were involved. If that were not the case, the world would be in constant turmoil under the dictates of divine prophecy. "...How dare you," Liltara¡¯s face twisted in anger. She revealed his fury towards Milena, who refused to follow the god''s prophecy. Normally, she would have pushed through with force and attacked, but she barely managed to restrain herself. This was the Kingdom of Denian, a faraway ce where the power of the Federica Church did not reach. With the kingdom itself being strong, the risk of destroying this ce like other territories was too high. Milena spoke calmly, "Ketal said that he will go with you once he finishes his current task. I would appreciate it if you could wait until then." Milena offered apromise. They did not have the power to take Ketal away forcefully. It was reasonable to wait until Ketal could master his abilities and then take him. There was the issue of whether Ketal would keep his word, but the proposal itself was rational. No matter how devout a priest of the god was, if they continued to act aggressively, they could face political bacsh. Milena judged that they would likely retreat after making a reasonablepromise. However, Milena had forgotten one crucial fact: standing before her was a priest of Federica, a fanatic who sought to impose the god¡¯s values upon the world. "I have no reason to listen to your words, you faithless sinner who rejects the great values," Liltara snapped. "What? What?" Milena stammered. "I would love to storm in and crush you right now, but I am showing a minimum of mercy. And yet you dare to make a proposal? How arrogant. Know your ce." Milena was flustered. She hadn¡¯t expected such outright hostility. The Federica Church wasposed of zealots who forced the values of their god upon the world. There was no room forpromise. Liltara spoke harshly, "But...acting through brute force would be barbaric. We won¡¯t do that. If you refuse to hand over the sinner of the prophecy, our task is simple." ng! Liltara drove her sword into the ground, as if to root herself in that spot. "Here and now, we will wait until you hand over the sinner." Literally, they would wait forever. Without taking a single step. Holy knights followed Liltara and surrounded the Akasha family¡¯s building. "No, no," Milena was shocked by the unexpected audacity. She quickly summoned help from the royal castle, and soon, Maximus arrived. "...I heard about the situation yesterday, but this has turned into a real headache," Maximus frowned at the sight of Federica''s followers standing firmly. "Maximus, is there nothing you can do?" "I, too, would like to remove them, but I have no justification." Divine prophecies did not have to be obeyed blindly. Like Milena, one could refuse if there were personal connections. However, in other cases, it was forbidden to interfere with divine prophecies. In this world, the words of the gods held immense power. Blocking those following such prophecies without cause could lead to serious consequences. It was akin to extraterritoriality. "If they were causing a disturbance in the capital, I could intervene, but as long as they¡¯re just standing there, there¡¯s nothing I can do." "Then we just have to watch and do nothing?" They were surrounding the entrance to the Akasha family home. Whileing and going was possible, the pressure was immense. The surrounding people were whispering, wondering what was happening. Their presence was already causing significant damage to her. And yet, they could do nothing? Maximus clicked his tongue.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "For now, wait. His Majesty will act soon. He is preparing to contact the Federica Church directly and take action. When that happens, they will have no choice but to retreat." "Then until then..." "Seems like it''s going to be an ufortable time for a while." "This can''t be happening." Milena muttered with a bewildered expression. In the end, she had no choice but to back down. She quietly approached Ketal and spoke to him. "Um... Mr. Ketal, there''s a problem." "Hmm?" Milena exined the situation to Ketal. Upon hearing her exnation, Ketal frowned. "How bothersome." He got up and went outside. Liltara was still standing there, just as before. "The sinner of the prophecy. You''ve shown yourself." "Do you not consider blocking the entrance to be an obstruction?" "As long as you don''t follow us, we will remain here." "And if I leave this ce?" "It doesn''t matter." Liltara said sharply, maintaining a firm stance that there would be nopromise. Ketal''s eyes darkened. After returning, he apologized to Milena. "It seems to be because of me. I apologize." "No, Mr. Ketal, it''s not your fault." To put it bluntly, they were the ones causing trouble. The real problem was that there was no way to deal with them. Milena sighed. "We still need to do what we have to do." Although they had surrounded the entrance, they didn''tpletely block the movement of people. While it was annoying, she could still act as she did before. At first, it was merely bothersome without any real problems. But after two days, issues began to arise. The people surrounding the massive Akasha family building were soon revealed to be followers of Federica. Rumors started spreading in the capital that the Akasha family had been targeted by the Federica church. "What?" Milena, who hade outside for a trade, widened her eyes in shock. She asked again, flustered. "You''re giving up on the deal?" "Yes, I''m sorry, Milena." "Wait a minute!" She was currently meeting with another merchant for an artifact trade. This deal had been in preparation for a long time, with significant capital tied up in it. I It was a transaction that absolutely had to seed. But suddenly, right before the deal, the merchant was backing out! Milena hurriedly asked. "W-why?" "I-I''m sorry." The merchant quickly fled. Milena was left standing there in a daze. Of course, since it was a unteral cancetion, she would receive a penalty fee, but it was still a loss. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Most importantly, her trust had been shattered. And that wasn''t the only time. Numerous other scheduled transactions were suddenly canceled or terminated for various reasons. As she hastily gathered information, she soon discovered the truth. "...Head of the family, rumors are spreading in the capital." The Akasha family had been marked by the Federica church. Anyone who maintained good rtions with the Akasha family would also be a target of the Federica church. And there had already been a precedent. There was a noble family in a certain kingdom. A very strong and powerful family, ranked among the top in the kingdom. This family had once provided resources to protect a territory targeted by the Federica church. And simultaneously, the Federica churchbeled that family as heretics. Then the Federica church acted. In just one week, the family''s territory waspletely destroyed. Thend became so polluted and tainted that it was uninhabitable for at least ten years. The citizens of the territory became refugees, scattered in all directions. Although the Federica church received many words of regret for what they had done, they didn''t care. Dialogue was pointless with crazed fanatics. Given such a precedent, merchants had no choice but to be cautious. Indeed, the presence of Federica''s followers guarding the entrance of the Akasha family made the rumors believable, and that was why deals were being canceled left and right. This problem also affected Ketal. "...Mr. Ketal, it seems it will take a bit longer to find a master." "Is it difficult to find someone?" "No, I''ve almost found them, but... they suddenly canceled at thest minute." Ketal frowned. "It''s because of those guarding the entrance, isn''t it?" "Yes." Milena nodded weakly. As long as the Federica followers were targeting the Akasha family, the outside world would refuse to engage with her. "I''m sorry. It seems it will take a bit more time." "No, it''s not your fault." "...But still." Milena bit her lip. "I didn''t expect them to approach so crudely." She had expected them to target Ketal, but she didn''t think it would cause major problems. After all, this wasn''t Federica''s domain; it was the capital of Denian Kingdom, a ce with its own considerable power. No matter how strong the influence of a god, pressuring so tantly was the worst strategy. She had thought they would gradually exert pressure, intervening quietly behind the scenes. But Liltara had taken a very blunt approach, openly pressuring the Akasha family. While it might achieve their immediate goals, in the long run, it would cause political damage. "They could have applied pressure more efficiently. This method is too simple. It''ll be difficult to handle the aftermath." The approach was so crude that she was more bewildered than angry or frustrated. "Whatever it is, it''s a situation that''s bing an obstacle for you and me." A slight irritation was visible on Ketal''s face. "What a nuisance." A short whileter, Ketal met with Maximus. Maximus muttered in annoyance from the roof of the Akasha family''s main house. "We''ve been caught by some strange people." Liltara''s group was still guarding the entrance. "Can''t you do something about it?" "They''re a major annoyance to us as well." Even the Denian Kingdom, which was just starting to recover from damage, found them bothersome. "But there''s nothing we can do." "Even though they''re doing this in the capital of a kingdom, you can''t stop them?" "Such is the power of the god''s word." No matter how much the churchmitted atrocities and obstructed, they could not intervene physically because divine revtion had been given. If they did, they would be subjected to public criticism. Even in the past, the Kalosia church was not interfered with until it crossed the critical point. "Hmm." Upon reflection, it wasn''t unusual. Even on Earth, groups that engaged in activities bordering on illegal often moved without much intervention for various reasons. Moreover, in this world, where gods actually existed, their influence seemed even more powerful. But none of this mattered to Ketal. Maximus, noticing the chilling air around Ketal as he silently stared at Liltara, cautiously spoke up, "If you''re thinking of doing something to them, I wouldn''t rmend it." Liltara''s group wasn¡¯t particrly strong. At best, they were first-rate, which was enough power bymon standards, but nothingpared to Ketal. If Ketal wished, he could erase them without a trace. However, there was a significant problem with that choice. "They are followers of Federica. If you harm them with force, you¡¯ll make a real enemy of the entire church. The church will move to erase everything connected to you." "This isn''t just my problem alone, then." They were obstructing Ketal. They were causing trouble for the Akasha family. Yet, nothing could be done. Because that was the power of the gods in this world. "It''s incredibly unfair." "Still, it''s not like we can''t respond at all. They''re attacking in such an obvious and crude way. His Majesty is already working on a countermeasure. It would be best if you could hold out just a little longer." "How long will it take?" "About a month, if everything goes smoothly. Normally, it would take three to four months." Ketal murmured, "I see." For at least a month, he wouldn''t be able to achieve what he desired. "It¡¯s best to think of it as taking a few months of vacation. His Majesty is working urgently, so if you could just hold out a bit longer." "We''ll see." Maximus tried to soothe Ketal, but Ketal''s expression was ambiguous. Despite his will, his objective was forcibly dyed. His enjoyment was being interrupted. Sinceing to the outside world, Ketal had never once shown anger or irritation. Everything in the outside world was enjoyable and amusing to him. Ketal''s sole objective was always to enjoy the fantasy world. That was all. But now, that objective was being obstructed. They were preventing him from obtaining the mystery. He was starting to feel annoyed, and anger was beginning to boil up inside him. He couldn''t stand the irritation. In the past, the Tower Master had asked Ketal, "What will you do if someone obstructs you?" Ketal had replied, "It would be incredibly bothersome." And now, that situation was unfolding. How dare they. How dare they interfere with his enjoyment. "What a bother." "Ugh." At Ketal''s cold voice, Maximus unconsciously took a step back. Despite the weather not being cold, he felt a chill. "...Ketal?" Maximus swallowed hard. Something was off. He had been observing Ketal all this time. Ketal''s expression was always full of life. He was always smiling as if the world was so full of joy that he could hardly bear it. Maximus had always found it curious. He wondered what Ketal found so amusing in this dull world. But because Ketal constantly disyed positive emotions, he was easy to approach. But not now. Ketal''s face was now extremely cold. He looked as though he was bored and could not stand it. It was the face of someone who had been imprisoned for thousands of years, finally found freedom, only to be locked up again. Maximus had advised Ketal against responding physically because if he provoked them, the church would retaliate against him and everything connected to him. But Maximus had made one critical mistake. Would the church move if they were provoked? If that was the case, then he would just have to erase the entire church. The swelling emotion materialized, and Maximus''s face turned white as he began to back away, stammering. Just as that emotion was about to explode and overflow¡ª "No. No, that¡¯s not it." The emotion disappeared. Maximus managed to catch his breath. He looked at Ketal, bewildered. In Ketal''s mind, the words of the ancient dragon Ignisia came to mind. She had told him that if any being from the surface ever obstructed him, he should think twice before acting. It was merely a request, but since he owed her much, considering it once wasn¡¯t difficult. Ketal gathered his thoughts. "Well... fine. Since I don¡¯t know their true objective, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to hold back once. Responding with violence would be too barbaric. I¡¯ll just make sure they pay me back with equal entertainment." His gaze, with eyes as deep as the abyss, fell on Liltara. He muttered under his breath. She wasn''t the target, though, as he spoke while looking at Liltara. He was speaking to the one controlling her. "But if the reason you summoned me isn¡¯t justifiable, be prepared." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 233: The God of Hunger. Federica. (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 233: The God of Hunger. Federica. (4) The Great and Magnificent Tower of Magic. It was the Tower of Magic, a magnificent structure designed by the Tower Master centuries ago. Its status was extremely lofty as a ce where all the continent''s magicians gathered. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say it was an artificially created World Tree. And there was a man in a small room at the very top of such a tower. The man had his head bowed to the ground, with his waist raised. He supported his lower body with the tips of his toes, with both hands behind his back. He looked as if he were being punished. If someone who knew the man''s identity saw this, they would doubt their eyes. The man was Elian, the Tower Master''s first disciple. He was the only magician qualified to inherit all of the Tower Master''s magic as his foremost disciple. He was once evaluated as the one who would someday inherit the great tower. And he had the power to match that expectation. He was a magician who had reached the pinnacle of a great hero. With both his personal power and backgroundbined, no one could treat him lightly. Even the Saintess of the Sun God showed every courtesy when dealing with Elian. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Yet here was Elian, being punished like a child who had done something wrong. It was an unbelievable sight. But the moment one saw who was perched on top of him, they would have no choice but to ept it. [My disciple, my disciple.] The Lich sitting atop Elian''s waist¡ªthe Tower Master¡ªspokezily. [I am in a very bad mood.] "Why this time¡­?" [Because the information maniption I painstakingly arranged has been broken.] "Is it about that barbarian¡­?" [So you know.] "How could I not? Despite how busy I was, you wouldn''t stop bragging about it all day." Elian spoke with difficulty, and the Tower Master muttered as if remembering. [Ah, yes. I did. It was truly a great achievement.] The Tower Master had attempted to manipte information about Ketal. The scope was the entire continent, so it wasn''t an easy task, even for the Tower Master. But the Tower Master seeded in manipting the information. The continent remained unaware of Ketal''s existence. And now, that had been shattered. [To think he would progress the quest of a wandering merchant. I never imagined it would break so easily.] Ketal had progressed the quest of a wandering merchant and joined forces with the continent''s strongest individuals. As a result, information about Ketal was spreading. Of all people, the leaders of various factions were involved¡ªthe Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God, the Mercenary King, and the Head of the School¡ªmaking it difficult to intervene. He could, but the aftermath would be troublesome. The Tower Master had no choice but to watch helplessly. [I''m in such a bad mood. I want to vent, but doing so to others would make me seem petty, so I can''t do that either.] "Aren''t you venting at me right now¡­?" [A disciple isn''t an ''other.'' You are like family. It''s a disciple''s duty to soothe the master''s feelings with both body and mind.] "That¡¯s an outdated tradition from two hundred years ago, and it''s disappearing now." [I''m an older man than that, so it doesn''t matter.] ''Damn it,'' Elianmented inwardly. What kind of barbarian was this, to make him suffer like this? His legs were trembling. He was reaching his limit. [Enough. Sigh. Venting on you is pointless anyway.] The Tower Master grumbled as he got off Elian''s waist. Hearing that, Elian barely held back his words. ''If you know that, why are you taking it out on me?'' It was absurd, but Elian let it pass. His master, the Tower Master, was a figure respected by all, but only a few knew the truth. He was just a cranky, capricious old man. Elian barely stood up and straightened his back. His spine creaked and screamed in protest. "I''m not exactly young anymore. Can you please stop this barbaric punishment? I think my back is going to give out." [You dare act like an old man after rejuvenating yourself with a miraculous elixir? Why don''t you be a Lich like me? You wouldn''t need to eat, sleep, or relieve yourself. You could devote all your time to magic. It''s wonderful.] "No, thank you." Elian tly refused. The Tower Master, not having been serious, didn''t press further. [Sigh, sigh.] Despite tormenting Elian to vent his frustration, the Tower Master''s voice still sounded irritated. [I''ll have to think about how to respond next. My head is starting to hurt.] "¡­Master, I have a question. May I ask?" [Go ahead.] Elian asked with a face that clearly showed he couldn''t understand. "Why do you go to such lengths concerning that barbarian?" The White Snowfield''s Ashen Barbarian, Ketal. The Tower Master''s interest in Ketal was special. Even as his disciple who had spent many years with him, Elian had never seen the Tower Master show so much interest in anyone. "I understand that barbarian is strong. And that he''s special too." Elian was the closest human to the Tower Master, so he knew Ketal''s actions and power well. "But do we really need to treat him with such caution?" The existence of the Forbidden Land was slowly being revealed to the outside world. Ketal wasn''t the only one who was special. Of course, he was still unique as the only being from the Forbidden Land capable ofmunication. And with such immense power, it was only right to treat him with respect and caution. But the Tower Master went beyond that, trying to keep the very existence of Ketal a secret from the continent. Elian couldn''t understand why. "Is it really necessary to give him such special treatment just because he''s from the Forbidden Land?" [Yes. Because he is special.] Ever since the Tower Master discovered Ketal, he had been searching for information about the Forbidden Land. There was very little information, and it was well hidden. So much so that even the Tower Master found it difficult to uncover. But he did manage to find a few things. The beings of the Forbidden Land were known as the oldest of their kind. And he learned what they were born from. The conclusion he reached was this: [He is a miraculous existence.] Ketal was an impossible miracle. A miracle in itself. "...A miracle, you say?" Elian was astonished. The Tower Master never spoke of miracles. He believed that to speak of miracles was to set limits on oneself as a magician. For him to call Ketal a miracle was unprecedented. [There is no betterparison. Just think of it that way.] "I see..." It was surprising, but it didn''t answer Elian''s question. "Then, all the more reason not to hide his identity, isn''t it? Wouldn''t it be better to make his achievements known and let him gain fame? He seems to be a friendly existence towards us based on his actions." He had stopped the demon invasion, helped the elves, and dealt with the beings of the Forbidden Land. Wouldn''t it be better to make his identity known and let him gain fame and honor? It was a reasonable suggestion. But the Tower Master replied indifferently. [You have no idea why I''m hiding his identity.] "Aren''t you trying to protect him from organizations like the Empire? But if his fame spreads, they wouldn''t dare to act rashly against him." [No. It''s the opposite. I''m not protecting the Barbarian. I''m protecting the world from the Barbarian.] "...What?" Elian''s eyes widened in surprise. The Tower Master exined. [Do you know of Ignisia?] "Yes, the ancient dragon who designed the Tower, isn''t she?" [She contacted me recently. Said she had fought that Barbarian. And that she was overwhelmed.] "What?" Elian was shocked. The ancient dragon was defeated by Ketal? "Does that mean he''s at least at the level of a hero?" [That''s a simple way of looking at it. But¡­ if the characteristics described by Ignisia are urate, then the direction of his power is exceedingly unique.] The Tower Master''s pupils quietly wavered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [There''s no end to his depths. In many ways, he''s a rule breaker. I feel ashamed for thinking he had limitations just because he couldn''t wield mystics. The title of Tower Master would be a disgrace.] "That''s incredible." But it still didn''t exin why the Tower Master was hiding Ketal''s existence. Sensing Elian''s unspoken question, the Tower Master continued. [The reason I''m hiding his existence is to protect the world. Because he acts out of curiosity.] "Curiosity?" [He is interested in this world.] The Tower Master had grasped the principle behind Ketal''s actions. [To him, this continent is a giant toy box. A ce full of endless fun and amusement.] "...He''s twisted." [Maybe because he''s from the Forbidden Land, or maybe it''s just his nature, but he''s broken. The reason he has seemed benevolent towards this world so far is simply because the circumstances turned out that way. He didn''t act out of genuine goodwill.] Ketal had moved to help the sanctuary of Kalosia. He did so partly to help a friend, but more because he was curious to see the sanctuary of a god. The same was true for other situations. Fighting demons in the Kingdom of Denian. Eliminating the primates in the deep sea. Protecting the World Tree. All of it was driven by Ketal''s curiosity and enjoyment. Had the circumstances been different, he might have sided with the demons. The Tower Master believed this, though he wasn''t sure. [He''s not evil. He''ll help those he''s close to and won''t harm them. But¡­ at his core, he''s twisted.] The Tower Master continued. [Now, let me ask you a question, my disciple. If the existence of this Barbarian bes known, how do you think the great powers of the continent will react?] "They would likely try to bring him over to their side or, if they consider him dangerous, attempt to control him." [Exactly. From the Barbarian''s perspective, it would be like toys getting in his way. And what do you think would happen then?] "...Do you mean to say there would be conflict?" [His only value in this world is what amuses him.] He was not a being who adhered to rules,ws, or honor. [If he is hindered, he would likely destroy everything that stands in his way.] Whether it be the Empire, gods, or dragons, he would destroy them all. Only then did Elian fully grasp the situation. A monster that even an ancient dragon couldn''t control, something so profound that even the Tower Master couldn''t fathom its depths, would try to destroy the continent. They would be its enemy. "That''s... dangerous." [In this crumbling bnce, it''s even more dangerous. His distinction between good and evil is weak. So I tried to slowly approach him with goodwill, hoping he woulde to see the continent as his own domain... but damn it.] Everything had fallen apart because of that damned wandering merchant. As Elian listened, his eyes quietly gleamed with realization. "I see... that''s the kind of being he is." [You''re developing an interest as a magician, I see. You''ll encounter him eventually. Be cautious when you do.] "I will keep that in mind." Elian said this as he began formting a n in his mind. The Tower Master noticed but said nothing. Based on what he knew about Ketal, Elian moving on his own would likely amuse him. The problemy elsewhere. The Tower Master''s eyes were everywhere. He was aware of what was happening in the Kingdom of Denian at that moment. The Tower Master clicked his tongue. [Those damn celestial beings are always more trouble than they''re worth.] "I didn''t hear anything." Elian neatly dismissed thement as if it hadn''t been said. The Tower Master, unconcerned, muttered to himself. [We can''t just stand by. We must prepare for whatever ising. It''s going to get busy. I don''t know why they''re calling for him, but...] It wouldn''t be for anything good. They wouldn''t issue a revtion just to invite him for tea. [It would be nice if they could copse on their own without dragging others in.] * * * Liltara and his group continued to stand guard at the entrance of the Akasha family estate. Unwashed, dirty, and smelling foul, they paid no attention to their condition. It was part of their duty. Then, the door opened. Ketal appeared. As Liltara quickly reached for her sword, Ketal raised a hand. "I have a question for you." "...What is it?" "You called me the sinner of the revtion. Am I truly a sinner?" "Yes, you are." Liltara nodded. "Lady Federica herself has specifically named you. She has decreed that the Barbarian Ketal be captured and brought to hernd. My duty is to take you to the sanctuary." A god had issued a direct revtion. Liltara had no choice but to bring Ketal with him. "Sinner of the revtion, the only thing you can do is follow us." "I see." Ketal muttered as if he understood. "So, it''s this Federica who is trying to hinder me." "Hinder? What are you¡ª" Liltara was about to explode in anger at the insult. But then Ketal nodded vigorously. "Then I must respond to that call. Very well! Liltara, was it?" "Y-Yes?" "I will follow you to Federica''s sanctuary. I''ll be in your care for a while!" Ketal said energetically. Liltara''s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden statement. Ketal was smiling brightly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 234: To Federica’s Sanctuary (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 234: To Federica¡¯s Sanctuary. (1) ¡°Huh?¡± Milena¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Y-you¡¯re going to follow them? Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°What other choice do we have? Given the current situation, there are no answers left, are there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Milena was at a loss for words. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Rumors had already spread throughout the capital that the Federica church had marked them. They had tried everything, even offeringrge sums of money to rescue people, but all efforts had failed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It seems I¡¯ve caused you trouble.¡± ¡°No! You¡¯ve done nothing wrong, Ketal! But still¡­¡± Even though Liltara and her group weremitting outrageous acts, there was no way to resist them. Milena bowed her head in deep helplessness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I said I would save my master, but in the end, I failed.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s fine.¡± Ketal smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to find my own enjoyment in all of this.¡± At that smile, Milena shuddered involuntarily. Ketal had decided to follow Liltara¡¯s group to Federica¡¯s sanctuary. The news was ryed to King Barbosa of Denian through Maximus. Barbosa groaned. ¡°So¡­ Hmm.¡± The words of the Tower Master echoed in Barbosa¡¯s mind. He had said that Ketal had goodwill towards this world, but if that goodwill were to be shattered, no one could predict what might happen. Fearing that the disaster might reach his kingdom, Barbosa had been frantically searching for a solution, but Ketal moved first. ¡°¡­Maximus. Summon Ketal.¡± In the end, Barbosa called for Ketal. With an expression unbefitting a king, Barbosa cautiously asked Ketal a question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ketal. I didn¡¯t expect my kingdom to cause you such trouble. I was trying to help as quickly as possible, but it hase to this. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± ¡°Everyone apologizes to me first. But you¡¯ve done nothing wrong. You have no reason to apologize.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that so¡­¡± Barbosa felt a deep sense of relief that Ketal wasn¡¯t showing any strong emotions. At least it seemed that his kingdom wouldn¡¯t suffer Ketal¡¯s wrath. ¡°So, you n to go to Federica¡¯s sanctuary?¡± ¡°That god is passionately courting me, so I have no choice. I n to go there and find out what they want from me.¡± ¡°¡­And if their answer doesn¡¯t please you, what will you do?¡± ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Ketal smiled. Barbosa felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to make a decision.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± Barbosa was intensely curious about what that decision might be, but he was too afraid to ask. In the end, he bid Ketal farewell and sent him off. ¡°Well then.¡± Ketal removed the pitch-ck bracelet from his wrist. It was a holy artifact he had received directly from Kalosia. ¡°This might get in the way of what¡¯sing next, so I¡¯ll put it away.¡± Ketal ced the bracelet in his pocket. And the next day, Ketal joined Liltara¡¯s group. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liltara looked at Ketal with a perplexed expression. The person who had been consistently refusing to go had suddenly changed his mind and was now eagerly following along. It was a strange thing. ¡°Very well.¡± But Liltara didn¡¯t think much more about it. She decided that the sinner of the revtion had finally given up resisting the will of the god. She wasn¡¯t smart enough to consider anything beyond that. ¡°Follow me, to the great Federica¡¯s sanctuary.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ketal smiled and followed them. They set off for Federica¡¯s sanctuary. * * * Ketal had decided to follow Liltara¡¯s group to Federica¡¯s sanctuary. Staying where he was wouldn¡¯t help him achieve his goals, so he might as well seek out some other enjoyment. ¡®Well, fine.¡¯ When he thought about it, the situation wasn¡¯t all that bad. Considering that not just anyone could enter the sanctuary of a god, it was a significant opportunity. Above all, Federica had personally summoned him to her sanctuary. Why did she call u9k? What did she want? How important could her reason be? He was extremely curious. If it wasn¡¯t something significant, he would simply destroy everything in his path. And following them was a kind of enjoyment in itself. It was the first time he had encountered such an extreme believer. Traveling with them was somewhat enjoyable. Ketal opened his mouth. "Your name is Liltara, right? I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re a very famous follower of Federica. I look forward to your guidance." Liltara didn¡¯t respond. Ketal, unfazed, shifted his gaze to the holy knights. "And what are your names? Since we¡¯re traveling together, it would be nice to at least share our names." Ketal asked a question. But no answer came. The holy knights silently continued walking. Disappointed by their disregard, Ketal¡¯s expression soured. "Hmm. It would be nice if you could at least respond." "You are a sinner," Liltara said coldly. Ketal was not joining them as a guest. He was being dragged along as a sinner, marked by the god¡¯s own revtion. There was no reason for them to engage in friendly conversation. "We have no intention of conversing with you. Be grateful that we aren¡¯t dragging you in chains." "Hmm." Ketal made a vague expression. They were much more extreme than he had thought. In the end, Ketal walked on without further conversation. And soon, it was time to eat. Liltara¡¯s group sat down in a suitable spot and pulled out some dried jerky. "Wait a moment. I¡¯ll cook something for us." From ancient times, nothing opens the heart like good food. After all, didn¡¯t Elene, whom he once escorted, open up after enjoying some delicious meals? Ketal took out various ingredients and tools from his pocket. At that moment, Liltara¡¯s expression twisted. "What do you think you¡¯re doing?" "I¡¯m preparing a meal for us." "What?" Liltara¡¯s expression contorted further, as if she had witnessed a grave sin. "You dare to cook? And in front of us?" "...Ah." Ketal realized something. They were priests of the god of hunger. People who ced value on being in a state of hunger. They abhorred and rejected the very idea of satisfying their hunger with delicious food. Liltara spoke coldly. "I appreciate that you¡¯ve chosen to follow us on your own ord, so I won¡¯t stop you from indulging yourself, but don¡¯t you dare offer it to us. I¡¯ll let this slide just this once." "Hmm." In the end, Ketal cooked and ate alone. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Nothing changed afterward. Ketal tried to engage them in pleasant conversation, but no one reciprocated. Even Liltara only spoke out of necessity andpletely ignored any personal questions. That night. When everyone had fallen asleep. Ketal¡¯s face had turned cold. "This is even less fun than I expected." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He stood up. And the next morning, Liltara awoke. The first thing she saw were the startled faces of the holy knights. "What¡¯s the matter?" "L-Liltara!" "The barbarian is gone!" "What?" Liltara¡¯s eyes widened. She quickly looked around, but Ketal was nowhere to be seen. "...No way!" He had escaped! ''I thought he wouldn¡¯t try to run since he decided toe along on his own!'' Liltara gritted her teeth. "He must have gone back to Denian Kingdom. Let¡¯s go find that barbarian." "Yes!" The holy knights hastily packed up. As they turned to head back to the Denian Kingdom, they heard a voice. "What¡¯s this? You¡¯re up already?" From beyond the forest, Ketal appeared. "Wait. You! Where have you been?" "I got bored, so I went to a nearby vige. I had a pleasant time drinking with the vigers." Ketal grinned, as if he had found it amusing. Liltara was dumbfounded by his nonchnt attitude. "Do you not understand your situation right now?" "I understand. You¡¯re taking me to Federica¡¯s sanctuary as the sinner of the revtion, right?" "Then you knowingly broke free from our watch?" "Yes." Ketal was utterly unapologetic. Liltara narrowed her eyes. She issued a stern warning. "Don¡¯t ever leave my side again. This is your final warning." "Why should I listen to you?" Ketal responded with a puzzled expression. Liltara was momentarily at a loss for words, clearly not expecting any pushback. "...You are a sinner, directly marked by the god''s revtion! You must follow us to the sacred ground!" "And I am following, am I not? But I see no reason why I should listen to you." "You!" Ketal sighed, as if he was growing tired of the conversation. In that moment, the air grew heavy. A tremendous pressure descended upon them. Liltara and the holy knights felt their breath catch. "Ugh..." Liltara managed to gasp for air, her face pale with fear. The holy knights couldn¡¯t even stand, copsing to the ground under the weight of the pressure. ''Wait, just a moment.'' Ketal had merely sighed out of irritation. Yet that alone brought them to the brink of death. Like rabbits exposed to a lion, their limbs went numb, and they nearly lost control of their dders. One of the holy knights'' teeth began chattering uncontrobly. Ketal smiled. With that, the pressure lifted. Liltara gasped for breath, sinking to her knees. "I said I would follow you. But that''s only because your god summoned me. It wasn¡¯t because you or your kind pressured or forced me." To be frank, Ketal had no real need to follow them. He could simply figure out the location of Federica''s sanctuary and head there directly. He could finish everything on his own. With his speed, it wouldn¡¯t even take a day. "Still, I¡¯m following you because I¡¯m looking forward to the journey." The journey with fanatics. That alone held some appeal to him, so he decided to follow them. "But if you fail to amuse me... well, I''ll have no choice but to go alone." "No. You can¡¯t do that. You mustn¡¯t!" Liltara, snapping back to her senses, cried out. Bringing the sinner of the revtion to the sanctuary¡ª That was the mission given to her. If Ketal left them and went to the sanctuary on his own, she would have failed to fulfill the mission given by the church. She would be someone who couldn''t even aplish anything despite the sinnering of his own ord. That would be a massive issue for her and the holy knights. Failing to uphold a direct revtion from the god would mean losing the church''s trust and possibly being cast aside. Ketal had to apany them to the sanctuary. "Why should I have any reason to do so?" The problem was that they had no means of forcing Ketal. They couldn¡¯t overpower him with strength. Even a small annoyance from him had brought them to the brink of death. Ketal had the power to toy with them as he pleased, as if they were mere ythings. And pressuring Denian Kingdom again was no longer an option. If they tried that, Ketal would simply abandon them and head to the sanctuary alone. Ketal smiled. "If you truly want me to continue following you, your task is simple." Amuse him. Meet his expectations for this journey. "Ah..." Realizing this, Liltara¡¯s face turned white. She had believed that she was taking Ketal to Federica''s sanctuary. She had no doubt that the situation was under their control. But in truth, it was the opposite. They were merely toys in Ketal''s hands. Her fate was entirely dependent on his whims. "Then, I look forward to our journey together," Ketal said cheerfully. Liltara felt her breath catch in her throat. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 235: To Federica’s Sanctuary (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 235: To Federica¡¯s Sanctuary. (2) Liltara and the Holy Knights had their illusions shattered. It wasn¡¯t that they were leading Ketal to the sanctuary; rather, Ketal was apanying them. From now on, they had to do whatever it took to keep Ketal from leaving. This was something the Holy Knights could hardly ept. ¡°To think we must do such a humiliating thing...¡± It was a grave disgrace for a devout follower of the great Federica to act like a jester for someone else''s amusement. Liltara bit her lip. ¡®We have no choice.¡¯ They couldn¡¯t handle Ketal by force. Just the thought of him sighing in irritation made their hearts want to stop. They had to keep Ketal pleased somehow so he wouldn¡¯t leave. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You all don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Lady Liltara?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°This is something I must do.¡± She was their leader. It was the leader¡¯s role to step up in times like this. Liltara decided to sacrifice herself. The Holy Knights spoke in awe. ¡°Oh, Lady Liltara...¡± ¡°Lady Federica will be watching over you...¡± They praised Liltara¡¯s sacrifice. Meanwhile, Ketal was listening to their conversation with an amused expression. Liltara walked beside Ketal, her mind in turmoil. She had to keep Ketal entertained somehow. But there was a major problem. ¡®W-what should I do to entertain him?¡¯ She had lived a life of deprivation. She didn¡¯t really know what it meant to be entertained, let alone how to entertain someone else. In the end, all she could do was awkwardly try to read his mood. Even when Ketal asked her something, she could only respond with brief answers, having no experience with normal conversation. Ketal¡¯s expression slowly cooled. ¡°You¡¯re boring.¡± The moment she heard those words, Liltara¡¯s heart sank. ¡°W-well...¡± She tried to open her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Her anxiety was obvious. Ketal clicked his tongue and asked, ¡°Do you have anything on you?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Liltara hurriedly opened her pouch. As she pulled out its contents, Ketal¡¯s expression grew more disinterested. ¡°You really don¡¯t have much, do you?¡± All she had were a small water pouch and some dried jerky. It was frugal to the point of poverty, almost pitiable. As Ketal¡¯s interest waned, Liltara pulled out one more item from her pouch. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a book containing the teachings of Lady Federica.¡± It was a book of doctrine that she had specifically brought to read during the long journey. Hearing this, Ketal¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Oh?¡± A book containing the teachings of a god. Now, this piqued his interest. Ketal asked, ¡°May I read it?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Liltara¡¯s face turned pale at the question. ¡®Is he nning to defile the sacred book?¡¯ She could only think of one reason why Ketal would want the book. She wanted to refuse, but she was certain he would leave if she did. ¡°A-all right...¡± In the end, Liltara reluctantly handed over the sacred book with tears in her eyes. ¡®Lady Federica, please forgive me.¡¯ ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Ketal smiled and opened the book. From that point on, Ketal continued reading the book during breaks, meals, or just before sleeping. At first, Liltara watched with a worried expression, but soon, she became surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal wasn¡¯t defiling the book. Far from it, he was reading it with great seriousness, focusing on each passage and asionally asking her questions when he didn¡¯t understand something. ¡®What is this?¡¯ She had never imagined that the sinner of prophecy would seriously read a book of sacred teachings. But for her, it was a stroke of luck. Liltara answered Ketal¡¯s questions with sincere dedication. ¡°Hmmm.¡± After grasping the general content, Ketal closed the book. It was just as he had heard. An obsession with a state of deprivation. That was the god of hunger, Federica. Naturally, her followers also pursued a state of deprivation. To Ketal, this was puzzling. ¡®How can a group with such a philosophy even exist?¡¯ A group that desires a state of deprivation¡ªsuch a concept was a contradiction. To Ketal, it was an impossibility. "I have a question." "Y-yes. What is it?" "You are a follower of Federica. Do all members of your order desire deprivation and hunger? Even the leaders of your order?" "Of course. We are followers of Lady Federica. We believe in and follow her values." There wasn''t a hint of doubt on Liltara''s face. "Is that so?" But Ketal wore a peculiar expression. He asked to confirm, "When did youst eat your fill?" He asked this to gauge how much they maintained their deprivation values. "There''s a w in that question. I don¡¯t know what it means to be full." "...What?" Ketal¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer. "What do you mean?" "Abundance is luxury, and satisfaction is a sin. I¡¯ve never experienced such a state." Liltara said this proudly, as if it were something to boast about. Ketal frowned. "...You¡¯ve never been full, not even once?" "No. I grew up in the sanctuary. I¡¯ve always followed the great Lady Federica¡¯s rules. It¡¯s not just me. All the Holy Knights with me are the same." "..." Ketal quietly observed Liltara and the Holy Knights. Their frames were extremely slight. Though generally smaller than the Barbarians of Earth or the White Snow ins, these people were particrly undersized. It was as if they had been malnourished from a young age. When he first saw them, he had found it odd, but had merely thought they were small in stature. However, if what Liltara said was true... Ketal thought back to the food they had eaten on the journey so far. Foul-smelling water. Rancid, dried jerky. That was all they had. Ketal frowned and asked, "Then, have you ever eaten a proper meal?" "No, I haven¡¯t." "...Did you ever y games as a child?" "I didn¡¯t." Ketal then asked several other questions. Had she ever bathed properly? Had she ever slept peacefully? What kind of bed did she have? Liltara answered each one. "No." "No, I sleep in short intervals, waking up every two hours." "A bed? What¡¯s that? I sleep on the floor." Anyone else would think this was abuse. Ketal had to suppress augh that was trying to escape. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But Liltara looked immensely proud. "I am diligently following Lady Federica¡¯s will. In that regard, I am second to none." "...Is that so." In the end, Ketal could only respond that way. That night, Ketal called for Liltara. ''W-what does he want now?'' Liltara''s anxiety was written all over her face. "It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯m just curious about something." "Please, ask away..." Ketal asked Liltara about Federica''s teachings, the conditions within the sanctuary, and the direction and purpose of the order. Liltara, puzzled by how specific his questions were, answered them. After hearing her responses, Ketal stroked his chin. "I see." He fell silent. Liltara watched him with a worried expression. ¡®Why does he want to know all this?¡¯ No matter how she looked at it, she couldn¡¯t understand why Ketal would be curious about the teachings. After thinking it over for a moment, Liltara¡¯s eyes widened. ''Could it be...?'' Could this sinner have realized the greatness of Lady Federica? Was he nning to convert and be a follower of hers? For a brief moment, the thought crossed her mind. Her eyes filled with newfound affection for Ketal. But that illusion was quickly shattered. "Do you really believe in Federica and follow her will?" * * * "...What do you mean by that!" Liltara, who had been momentarily stunned, jumped to her feet and shouted, her face full of anger. How dare he question her faith! Even though she was supposed to keep Ketal entertained, this was an insult she couldn¡¯t tolerate. But Ketal, unfazed, spoke indifferently. "No. I can''t help but think this way. Federica''s teachings are about belief in a state of deprivation. But deprivation is something that can only be spoken of by those who know what satisfaction is." Liltara had said she didn¡¯t know what it meant to be full. She hadn¡¯t yed, appropriately bathed, or slept peacefully. How could someone who had never been fulfilled understand deprivation? "You believe you are following Federica''s will, but in reality, you''re not. In fact, you''re distorting her values more than anyone else." "What nonsense is this!" "Then refute me. Do you know what it means to be full?" "......" Liltara was at a loss for words. Ketalughed. "You don''t know what it means to be full, you don''t know what satisfaction is, so how can you im to understand deprivation? Are you truly living by Federica''s values? It seems I''m upholding them better than you are." "Stop talking nonsense. I don''t want to discuss this any further." Liltara tried to end the conversation, but Ketal had no intention of stopping. "You are denying Federica''s values. You im to understand deprivation without knowing satisfaction. So, let me bring you closer to Federica."N?v(el)B\\jnn "What?" "I will teach you what satisfaction is." Ketal smiled. "If you still seek deprivation after knowing satisfaction, then you''ll be upholding Federica''s values better than anyone." "......" Liltara wanted to reject this immediately. She wanted to shout that this sinner had no right to question her faith. But if she refused, Ketal might leave. Thinking of that, she couldn''t bring herself to say no. She bit her lip. Ketal found her hesitation amusing because it was a denial of Federica''s values in itself. "...Very well." In the end, Liltara epted Ketal''s proposal. ''It doesn''t matter.'' Liltara thought this was a trial from Lady Federica. No matter how much Ketal tried to tempt her, she just had to resist. She was determined to show her iron will. "I''ll ept." "Good." Ketal smiled, as if he was looking forward to what would happen next. * * * The next morning, Liltara exined Ketal''s proposal to the Holy Knights. Their faces twisted in horror. "Aah...! That wretch dares to make such a proposal! It''s an insult to us!" "It''s alright. As long as I ovee it, there will be no problem." Liltara calmly reassured the Holy Knights. They praised her for sacrificing herself for the sake of the divine revtion. Liltara was confident. She believed she was following Federica''s values better than anyone. She was certain she could resist whatever temptations Ketal offered. "Well then, let''s have breakfast." "Yes." Just as they were about to take out their foul-smelling water and dried jerky, Ketal called out to Liltara. "Liltara. Your meal is here." "Pardon?" Ketal handed her a piece of jerky and some water. "I thought starting with a proper meal might be too much, so I brought jerky simr to what you¡¯re used to." Of course, the quality was worlds apart. The jerky Liltara usually ate was dried out,pletely devoid of moisture, and stank. She had to suck on it for a long time before she could even chew it. But the jerky Ketal handed her was much smoother. Its surface was brown and moist, and it smelled richly of smoke. Ketal had brought it from a master artisan in the Kingdom of Denian. "This is your breakfast. Go ahead, eat it." "...Understood." Liltara took the jerky with a downcast gaze. She thought Ketal was trying to tempt her with this kind of food, but she was a follower of Federica. She nned to chew and swallow it without changing her expression. However, the moment she put the jerky in her mouth, her face changed. ''...Huh?'' She instinctively realized that the taste was on a whole different level. What she had been chewing on until now was something dried out and barely edible. It was more of a struggle to swallow than actual food. But this jerky filled her mouth with a rich meat aroma. There was no need to soften it with saliva; it was chewy right from the start. Juices flowed out from the crushed meat fibers, filling her tongue. It was a taste she had never experienced before and couldn''t have imagined. She could hardly believe this was the same kind of jerky she had been eating all along. She chewed the jerky, almost in a trance. A momentter, as it slid down her throat, she let out a soft moan. "Aah..." A strong sense of emptiness followed. She snapped out of it. ''No!'' She couldn''t fall for this temptation! She tried to forget the taste that lingered in her mouth. But Ketal had no intention of stopping. "It seems you enjoyed it. Here''s another one." "W-what?" "I told you, you need to learn satisfaction. That includes tasting good food and understanding what it means to be full." Ketal opened his pouch. Inside were dozens of pieces of jerky. He handed them to Liltara one by one. "Come on. Eat to your heart''s content. Until you¡¯re full." Ketal smiled brightly as he spoke. ''...This is a temptation.'' It was a temptation meant to make her question her faith. But... ''If I refuse, he might leave. I have no choice.'' She was only doing this to maintain the divine revtion. She wasn''t falling for the temptation. With trembling hands, but without outright refusal, Liltara epted the jerky. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 236: To Federica’s Sanctuary (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 236: To Federica¡¯s Sanctuary (3). Liltara chewed on the jerky absentmindedly, her pace unnaturally fast as if she couldn''t control it. Ketal watched with amusement. "Cough! Cough!" Liltara suddenly started coughing as if the food had gotten stuck in her throat, pounding her chest. "Here, drink this." Ketal handed her a cup. Liltara fumbled to grab it and took a drink. Her eyes widened in surprise. The water Ketal gave her wasn''t just ordinary water. It was a sweet beverage, infused with fresh fruit juice. The taste and aroma of the fruit, which she''d never experienced before, made her dizzy. Even though her throat was clear, she continued to drink eagerly. Unconsciously, she emptied the cup. "Aah..." Liltara let out a soft moan, her expression dazed, almost as if she was on drugs. They said the addictive nature of sugar was stronger than that of drugs, so theparison might be apt. She kept reaching for more jerky, stuffing it into her mouth and suppressing the moans that tried to escape. But gradually, her hand movements slowed and eventually stopped. "Are you full?" "...Yes." "How do you feel?" "...I feel full." "Of course you do." Ketal chuckled at such an obvious statement. She had never felt such a sensation before. "My body feels heavy. And... the suffering is gone." The constant suffering that had always apanied her was gone. Ketal nodded knowingly. "It was probably the feeling of hunger. It''s an unpleasant sensation." "Hunger..." Liltara murmured absently. She had lived her entire life with hunger, believing it to be normal. For the first time, she realized it wasn¡¯t. ¡®...Ah, oh no!¡¯ She snapped out of her daze. ¡®No, Lady Federica! I haven¡¯t sumbed to temptation!¡¯ She tried to justify herself internally. She hadn¡¯t indulged mindlessly in the taste. She was merely trying to keep Ketal from fleeing, doing what was necessary. But. But she had definitely let out a moan of pleasure from the taste. A deep sense of self-loathing enveloped her. After the meal, they continued on their journey. A holy knight cautiously approached her and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Liltara bit her lip. She must not fall into temptation. The taste had been incredibly alluring and still lingered in her memory, but it was a sensation she didn¡¯t need. She resolutely steadied her mind. How long had they been walking? At some point, Liltara realized something. ¡®...My stomach.¡¯ Her stomach was starting to feel empty again. The ever-present feeling of hunger began to return. Liltara frowned. It was only then that she realized how unpleasant hunger really was. ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± As evening approached, Ketal began preparing a meal. He took out his cooking tools and ingredients. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s not just jerky this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a simple dish.¡± Ketal moved his hands skillfully. A fire was kindled, and the pot heated up. Liltara watched the scene in a daze. Numerous ingredients transformed into various forms under the tools. It was like watching a grand y. She had never seen cooking before. Before long, Ketal had made a simple pasta dish. ¡°I thought something too vorful might be overwhelming, so I¡¯m starting with a simple dish. It¡¯s pasta. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve never had it before.¡± ¡°...No.¡± It was an oil-based pasta. The pasta, coated in oil, glistened like jewels. Ketal offered it to her. ¡°Go ahead, eat.¡± Liltara closed her eyes tightly. That night, too, she was thoroughly satisfied. * * * After dinner, it was about time to sleep. Liltara and the holy knights began preparing for bed. But Ketal stopped her. ¡°What are you doing trying to sleep? You need to wash first.¡± Liltara was quite dirty. She even smelled foul. If it had been hot, insects would surely have been swarming around her. ¡°Have you ever bathed?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve kept myself clean in a simple way.¡± At most, she had wiped her body with a cloth. She had never bathed properly. Ketal nodded understandingly. ¡°Then it¡¯s best to clean up properly.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no river nearby. It¡¯s impossible to find enough water to bathe.¡± "That doesn''t matter. Come forth." Ketal summoned Piego. With a burst of zing mes, the spirit appeared. Liltara''s eyes widened. "...A highest-ranking spirit!" She stared at Piego in astonishment. Piego asked, [What is it?] "Can you cleanse this woman of her filth?" [...So that''s why you called me. Yes, I can do that.] "Then please." With those words, the mes enveloped Liltara. She instinctively flinched, but soon her eyes widened in surprise. The mes that wrapped around her body began to remove the dirt clinging to her clothes and skin. [It is done.] "Oh, excellent. Thank you. You may return now." With a short sigh, Piego disappeared. Liltara stared nkly at her arms. They were the color of flesh. "This is..." "Your skin is dry and your nails are cracked¡ªlikely from malnutrition. You need to eat well." The constant unpleasant sensation that had always dominated her entire body was gone. It was only then that she realized it wasn''t a natural human sensation, but one caused by filth. But Ketal didn''t stop there. "Now, a bed. You should sleep here." He even carried a small bed in his magic pouch, just in case. The bed, which seemed out of ce in this setting, appeared right in front of her. "Yes..." She cautiouslyy down on the bed. In that moment, she felt as though she was floating in the air. She had always slept on hard ground. There was no pillow, and her nket had been nothing more than a thin mat of straw. This was the first time she had ever slept in a proper bed. "Aah..." She moaned softly. It was sofortable that it was almost ufortable. But her body was honest. She quickly fell into a deep sleep. And the next morning. She opened her eyes. Seeing the sun already risen, she rose in a daze and groaned. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...How long did I sleep?" "Seven hours. You slept soundly." Until now, she had woken up every two hours. Because to her, the sensation of a deep sleep was a sin. And with such an ufortable bed, it had been impossible to sleep well. For the first time, she realized what it meant to sleep deeply. The exhaustion that had always weighed down her entire body was gone. She began to realize, one by one, that the things she had taken for granted were not normal. After that, Ketal continued to introduce her to various sensations. The aromas and vors of the food grew even stronger. It wasn''t just the food. A clean body and clothes. A soft bed. And a variety of fun games and countless stories of the world. As time passed, Liltara began to feel a strange sensation. ¡®What kind of world was mine?¡¯ Liltara began to question her life. She knew so little. She knew so few sensations. And yet, she believed she was craving hunger. ¡®...Have I been misunderstanding the will of God all this time?¡¯ No. That couldn''t be. Absolutely not. She had grown up in the sanctuary and still lived there. Not only she, but all the devotees of Federica lived the same life as her. She had lived the same life as all of Federica¡¯s devotees. If that were the case, then it would mean that all of them had been misunderstanding the will of God. That must never be the case. But this... This... Lost in thought, she reached into the pouch she was holding. She pulled out a piece of jerky. It was the same jerky she had been eating. The staple food she consumed in the sanctuary. She carefully put the jerky into her mouth. "Ugh." And then she gagged. It tasted awful. It wasn¡¯t just bad; it was revolting. The rancid smell filled her nostrils. She managed to swallow it, but she never wanted to eat it again. She drank water, trying to wash away the taste. "Ugh." But instead of cleansing her pte, the taste became even more revolting. The long-stored water had taken on a foul, leathery smell. Was she supposed to eat this, and only this, for the rest of her life? She shuddered at the thought. And then, she was horrified by that realization. "A-ah..." The more Ketal exposed her to new things, the more her beliefs and values crumbled. She couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. ¡®I''ve had enough.¡¯ She wanted to refuse. She didn''t want to know any more about joy or happiness. But if she did, Ketal would leave. She had no choice but to sumb to Ketal''s temptation. "Ah..." She was in great pain. She clutched her head. The pleasant scent that wafted through the airforted her slightly. ''What is that smell?'' After a brief moment of thought, Liltara realized. It was the scent of the perfume Ketal had given her. She let out a small, involuntary chuckle. During that time, Ketal enjoyed himself and pondered happily. ''What should I teach her next?'' He was having a lot of fun. It was inevitable. Teaching a child, who knew nothing, about the wonders and greatness of the world¡ªit was impossible not to enjoy it. She didn''t know about games. She didn''t know about taste. She didn''t know about fragrance. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She didn''t even know what it meant to be clean. Because all of that is temptation. He offered sweet fruit to someone who only ever ate dry bread and soup. So what would happen to a believer? Could they maintain their faith? Ketalughed with pleasure. * * * "Are you enjoying yourself?" "What are you talking about all of a sudden?" Ketal took a step forward, advancing on the marked ground, iming more territory. They were ying a game of hopscotch. Liltara spoke coldly. "I''m asking if you enjoy mocking a believer, tempting them." "I find it somewhat enjoyable. Watching a child, who knew nothing, gradually realize so many things." "...It''s temptation. You are a trial sent to corrupt me." "That may be true." Ketal asked with a yful tone. "So, of all the things I''ve shown you, did you know any of them?" "......" Not a single one. She knew nothing. She had grown up in a holy ce since childhood and had learned everything there. "This is the world, Liltara. You weren''t truly following the values of Federica. You simply believed in them because you knew nothing else." "...Nonsense. Stop trying to tempt me." Liltara gritted her teeth. "I am a follower of Lady Federica. I am one who upholds her values. No matter how much you try to confuse me, that fact will not change." Liltara took a step forward. She began to im the ground, one spot at a time. "I am grateful for what you''ve taught me. Because it will only strengthen my faith in her even more." "Is that so." Despite realizing so much, she still maintained her faith. Her belief was indeed remarkable. "It seems I''ve won." "Ah..." Ketal had won the game of hopscotch. Liltara''s eyes wavered. She stood there, frozen. Ketal, understanding, asked, "Would you like to y another round?" "If you propose it, I cannot refuse. I ept." She answered quickly. Her actions made it clear that she was only agreeing because Ketal suggested it, not because she wanted to. Ketal smiled and drew the lines on the ground again. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 237: To Federica’s Sanctuary (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 237: To Federica¡¯s Sanctuary. (4). They didn''t encounter bandits or thieves. They didn¡¯te across any troubled viges, and without much difficulty, they arrived near Federica''s Sanctuary. ¡°It was easier than I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost over.¡± By tomorrow, they would arrive at the sanctuary. Then this temptation would end as well. While Liltara felt relieved, there was a part of her that felt a strange sense of loss. She tried her best to ignore thetter feeling. Ketal smiled and asked, ¡°So, how was it?¡± When asked about how the temptations had been, Liltara responded, ¡°I am a follower of Lady Federica. Your temptations are undoubtedly powerful, but they cannot corrupt me.¡± From now on, she would have to drink foul water and eat rancid jerky. But that was her life. She was prepared to ept it. Ketal admired the determination in her stance. ¡°You must have been greatly shaken, yet you endured well. Impressive.¡± To realize the sweetness of the fruit yet not fall into it and to uphold one¡¯s will¡ªKetal was purely impressed by Liltara''s resolve. His attitude made Liltara happy. This sinner had acknowledged her! He was saying that her faith was genuine! She couldn¡¯t help but feel ted. Liltara¡¯s spirits soared, but Ketal muttered sadly, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, though. That your faith was wrong from the beginning.¡± Liltara¡¯s joyful expression froze. ¡°¡­What do you mean by that? Are you denying my faith?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± As anger tinged her words, Ketal calmly replied, ¡°You, who grew up in the sanctuary, believed yourself to be deprived andcking. Of all the things I¡¯ve shown you, was there anything you knew before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Liltara couldn¡¯t respond.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Because she knew nothing. Not the quality jerky, nor the oil pasta, nor thefort of a bed, nor the sensation of cleanliness, nor any of the games. She knew absolutely nothing. ¡°It¡¯s not just you; the same goes for the Holy Knights. Deprivation is something only those who have once been fulfilled can speak of. None of you have ever been fulfilled, so you can¡¯t truly say you¡¯re following Federica¡¯s values.¡± Liltara''s face twisted in difort. But she couldn¡¯t argue back. Ketal''s words were undeniably true. She believed herself to be deprived without knowing anything. ¡°Do you enjoy mocking and criticizing our faith and values?¡± In the end, she could only utter this in a tone of resignation. Ketal shook his head. ¡°It seems you misunderstand. I¡¯m not insulting you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No matter how deprived you might have been, it must have been a painful experience. You¡¯ve endured it well.¡± Even if one doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be full, hunger is still painful. Filth is still unclean, and poor sleep is still distressing. The faith of those who endured such conditions was indeed admirable. Startled by this sudden praise, Liltara was once again confused. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°You are excellent followers.¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, it lies with the higher-ups who instilled you with the wrong values.¡± ¡°¡­What? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You grew up in Federica¡¯s sanctuary. You received all your education there, and the direction of that education was decided by the leaders of the Church.¡± Even looking at the example of the Kalosia Church, it was clear. The direction of the Church wasn¡¯t set by the divine but by the judgment of the leaders, including the Saintess. ¡°If all of you are wrong, then it¡¯s likely that the leaders are the onesmitting a sin.¡± ¡°Rubbish!¡± Liltara shouted angrily. ¡°How dare you! How dare you insult them! Do you know how devoutly they serve and follow Lady Federica?¡± ¡°That may be true. After all, I know nothing about them.¡± Perhaps, like the Kalosia Church, Federica¡¯s Church had also misunderstood the will of the divine. Ketal smirked, a smile as poisonous as a serpent¡¯s. ¡°So, Liltara. I¡¯ll nt a seed in you. When I first met you, your skin was very dry.¡± It was only natural, given that she hadn¡¯t been receiving proper nutrition. Liltara¡¯s skin was dry and rough. Her hair was brittle, and her nails were cracked at the tips. The same was true for the Holy Knights. ¡°But now, you¡¯re different.¡± As a result of Ketal¡¯s forced nourishment, Liltara had be apletely different person. Her cheeks had filled out, her skin was smooth, and her hair had be silky. ¡°That is the result of abandoning deprivation. It¡¯s proof that you¡¯re enjoying abundance.¡± ¡°And what of it? You gave me food, so naturally, I changed.¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯s a seed. When you meet the higher-ups, take a closer look at them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Liltara bit her lip and didn¡¯t respond. And the next day. They arrived at the sanctuary. ¡°There it is.¡± Ketal looked at Federica¡¯s sanctuary with curiosity. It was surrounded by in gray walls without any emblems. Because of this, nothing could be seen inside. It looked more like a prison than a sanctuary. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ketal, the sinner of the Revtion, took the lead. The followers who were supposed to be leading him followed behind. They reached the entrance of the sanctuary. ¡°Who goes there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Liltara stepped forward. The eyes of the Holy Knights guarding the entrance widened. ¡°Lady Liltara?¡± ¡°If you¡¯vee, then surely¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I seeded in following Lady Federica¡¯s will. This is the one.¡± Liltara pointed at Ketal. The Holy Knights gasped at the sight of the barbarian. Liltara spoke quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the sinner of the Revtion. Please open the gate.¡± * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] They entered the sanctuary of Federica. Upon hearing the news, the people of the sanctuary gathered to watch. They gasped at the sight of Ketal and praised Liltara¡¯s achievement. ¡°That¡¯s the sinner of the Revtion¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s twice as big as me.¡± People gathered around to get a look at Ketal. Countless eyes were fixed on him. ¡®Feels like being a zoo monkey.¡¯ Well, he wasn¡¯t much different from them in that he was also observing. Ketal looked around the inside of the sanctuary. The ground was uneven and bumpy, as if it hadn¡¯t been maintained. The buildings looked as though their exterior didn¡¯t matter; they were constructed from wooden nks. It resembled a slum more than a holy site. The people¡¯s appearances matched this setting. Their clothes were dirty, and their skin was cracked. Malnutrition had left them with small, frail bodies. They all looked like Liltara before she met him. Ketal, who had sessfully predicted this, smiled pleasantly. He nced up at the sky. He could feel a presence watching from the heavens. Liltara continued to push through the crowd, moving forward. At the center of the holy site, a man and some elders were waiting for them. The man spoke calmly, "Wee, Liltara." "Saint. And the priests," Liltara said, kneeling. The saint of Federica looked at Ketal and groaned. "This is the sinner of the prophecy?" "Nice to meet you. You¡¯ve caused quite a stir, truly." "...I don¡¯t know why Lady Federica summoned you, but that¡¯s not for us to question. Everything is ording to the great one¡¯s will. Take this man to the deepest prison." "Yes." The holy knights grabbed Ketal and began dragging him away. Just before being taken, Ketal whispered quietly to Liltara, "Then, I¡¯ll see youter." "..." The saint looked down at Liltara and said, "Liltara, you¡¯ve worked hard. You¡¯ve carried out the will of the divine very well. Rest for now. I¡¯ll call you in a few hours." "...Understood," Liltara replied quietly. And so, Ketal was taken by the holy knights and locked in a deep prison. "Filthy." It was a ce that seemed to gather all the filth of the world. The stench alone was enough to kill a person. Yet, Ketal leaned against the wall and sat down with a smile. "I always wanted to experience a typical prison like this." To him, all of this was just a pleasant experience. "The start was quite unpleasant... but now it¡¯s not so bad. Alright then, do your worst." He wondered what would be of the seeds he had sown. "I¡¯ll wait patiently. For now, at least." Ketal¡¯s face held an expectant expression. * * * After resting, Liltara moved to meet the saint. She entered the reception room, where the saint was seated in a chair. "You¡¯ve arrived. Please, have a drink." The saint smiled and offered her a ss of water. As she reached for the ss while sitting down, Liltara hesitated. The water in the ss had a foul smell, as if it was on the verge of rotting. It was the water she had been drinking in the holy site her whole life. And there was only one ss. "Aren¡¯t you going to drink, Saint?" "This moment is for you. I¡¯m fine." The saint smiled gently. Liltara stared at the ss for a moment, then grabbed it and drank it all in one go. The nauseating taste lingered in her mouth. "Now, can you tell me what happened?" "...Yes." Liltara slowly began to exin. She talked about wandering outside and eventually finding Ketal in the Kingdom of Denian. She told how she pressured a family that was protecting him and forcibly took him away. The saint expressed his admiration. "Impressive. You¡¯ve done very well. Truly, you are a model follower of Lady Federica." Praise directly from the saint. In the past, she would have been overjoyed. It would have felt like she had the whole world. But now, it wasn¡¯t the same. "Thank you," she said without emotion. Her restrained demeanor puzzled the saint, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. "It seems your time outside has made you stronger. Well done." At that moment, Ketal¡¯s words shed through Liltara¡¯s mind. ''...Just the ramblings of a sinner.'' But what if... She looked at the saint quietly. She had met him several times before, but she never noticed his skin condition. However, now she could see clearly. The saint¡¯s skin was remarkably smooth and firm. His hair was beautifully shiny, and even the tips of his nails were perfectly intact. His clothes, though dirty, had no lingering stench. It was as if clean clothes had been deliberately stained. Things she hadn¡¯t noticed before were now visible. Liltara¡¯s eyes grew dim with sadness as the conversation came to an end. "Then please rest. You¡¯ve done exceptionally well. Someday, Lady Federica herself will personallymend you." "Yes. Thank you." Liltara stood and prepared to leave. The saint, as if suddenly remembering, asked Liltara btedly, "Ah. Was there any trouble while bringing the sinner of the prophecy?" There was trouble. Ketal had tempted her. He had shown her many values of the world. Normally, she would have reported this immediately. She opened her mouth. "No. There was no trouble at all." "Really? I didn¡¯t expect the sinner toe along so quietly. You¡¯ve worked hard. You may go now." "Yes. Then." "May Lady Federica¡¯s blessing be upon you." "...May Lady Federica¡¯s blessing be upon you." She turned and left the room. Liltara¡¯s eyes were endlessly clouded as she walked away. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 238: Sanctuary of Federica (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 238: Sanctuary of Federica. (1) They seeded in bringing in the sinner upon whom God had personally bestowed a revtion. Normally, the revtion would havee immediately. But this time, it took a while for the revtion to arrive, as if something had gone awry, causing a moment of hesitation. That night, the dyed revtion finally descended. "Offer that sinner to me." ¡°I shall obey.¡± The saint responded quietly. ording to God''s will, preparations had to be made to offer the sacrifice. As it was a significant offering, nothing could be done carelessly. The saint quickly conveyed the contents of the revtion and began preparations. Everything for the offering was rapidly set in motion. As the saint watched this with satisfaction, ¡°Saint.¡± One of the elders approached quietly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A message of regret has been delivered from the Kingdom of Denian.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The saint made a face as if they had anticipated this. They had taken Ketal, who was in Rilta, the capital of the Kingdom of Denian. From Denian''s perspective, it was as if the capital had been manipted by Federica''s followers. For the Kingdom of Denian, it was necessary to convey a formal expression of regret to maintain their pride. ¡°As before, we can ignore it.¡± The saint decided to dismiss it neatly. They had destroyed and ravaged numerous territories under the pretext of carrying out Federica''s will. Each time, a message of regret had been delivered, but they had ignored them all. There was no reason to be swayed by the Kingdom of Denian''s words now. ¡°They probably don''t expect us to listen. It¡¯s just a formal document. Ignore it.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The elder nodded, though with a troubled expression. The content had been rather strong for a mere formal document. But there was no reason to pay attention, so the elder followed the saint''s words. And then. Another group sent a message of regret. The elder approached the saint once more. ¡°Saint, the Mercenary Guild has delivered a message of regret.¡± ¡°What?¡± The saint frowned, this time caught off guard. ¡°The Mercenary Guild?¡± Some might belittle them as a mere group of errand boys, but the Mercenary Guild was not a force to be underestimated. Spread across the entire continent, they gathered all sorts of information and had ties with many. They were practically the only group that could exert influence across the continent. But why had the Mercenary Guild suddenly sent a message of regret? The elder spoke cautiously. ¡°A message of regret arrived regarding the oppression of a mercenary affiliated with the guild.¡± ¡°¡­That barbarian. He must have been a mercenary.¡± The saint murmured, understanding dawning. The Mercenary Guild had a duty to protect its affiliated mercenaries. In this situation, it wasn¡¯t strange for them to deliver a message of regret. ¡°Ignore it. Lady Federica herself hasmanded us to offer that barbarian to her. Not even mercenaries can stop that.¡± The reason only a message of regret was being delivered was precisely because of this. As long as they were acting under the pretext of divine revtion, outside interference was impossible. There was no need for significant concern. That was the saint''s judgment. But a few hourster. The elder approached the saint once again, this time with a face full of anxiety. ¡°S-Saint.¡± ¡°Another message of regret? From where this time?¡± The saint, clearly exasperated, asked. But the elder¡¯s next words widened their eyes. ¡°T-The merfolk have delivered a message of regret.¡± ¡°¡­What? The merfolk?¡± The saint was shocked. It was no wonder. N?v(el)B\\jnn The merfolk lived in the sea. Although they cooperated, their rtionship was essentially a distant, indifferent coexistence. It was practically unheard of for them to intervene in terrestrial matters. ¡°Is it the entire merfolk?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just one small merfolk city.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. In that case, it¡¯s not a problem to ignore them.¡± The saint tried topose their startled emotions but still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why had the merfolk delivered a message of regret? ¡®Does that barbarian hold such value to the merfolk?¡¯ The saint hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the individual named Ketal. And there was a reason for that. The information control of the Tower Master was extremely powerful. Although the wandering merchant had broken it, it hadn¡¯t been long enough for the information to spread widely. It wasn''t something a closed-off group like the Federica Church would be aware of. And Liltara, an elite, had sessfully brought Ketal. While they wouldn''t have been weak, they hadn''t seemed particrly extraordinary either. But there was a more significant reason. It was because Liltara had kept silent. Liltara had chased Ketal through the Holy Land of Kalosia, the coastal cities, and even the merfolk''s viges. They had heard what Ketal had done in those ces. However, when it came to talking about the saint, Liltara remained silent on that subject. She even asked the Holy Knights who apanied them to keep quiet, too. Though they were puzzled, theyplied with Liltara''s request. As a result, the saint had no idea what kind of person Ketal was. They saw them merely as a sacrifice desired by God. That''s why they were so bewildered by the repeated expressions of regret. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can ignore it.¡± Though bewildered, the saint judged that it wasn¡¯t a problem of great significance. But a few minutester, the elder reappeared, his face filled with shock. ¡°T-The elves have delivered a message of regret!¡± ¡°The elves, now?¡± The saint asked with a weary expression. ¡°Is it just one vige again?¡± ¡°N-No!¡± The elder shook his head, and the saint''s breath caught at his next words. ¡°The High Elf Queen from the Holy Land of the Elves, Elfo Sagrado, has personally delivered a message of regret!¡± * * * ¡°¡­Are you talking about Lady Karin?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°No. Why¡­¡± The High Elf Queen Karin. She was incredibly famous. The only being on earth who had made a pact with the Spirit King, the guardian of the World Tree, and a powerful hero of great renown. She was, in effect, the ruler of the entire elf race. Such a person had personally delivered a message of regret. In other words, it was as if the entire elf race had delivered a message of regret. ¡°No. Why?¡± The High Elf Queen never left the Holy Land of the Elves. It was extremely rare for anyone to see her. But for her to have a connection with that barbarian? It was iprehensible. The elder, equally baffled, wore a deeply troubled expression. ¡°S-Saint, what should we do¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Now it couldn¡¯t be ignored as before. The saint''s mind was in turmoil. But it didn''t stop there. Other elders came rushing in. ¡°S-Saint! A message of regret has been delivered from the Magic Tower!¡± ¡°¡­What? Why the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°S-Saint! The Kalosia Church has sent a message of regret!¡± ¡°The Sun God Church has also sent one!¡± ¡°¡­What is going on.¡± The saint''s face grew pale. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * An emergency meeting was convened. The saint and the elders gathered in one ce, all deeply unsettled. ¡°W-What is happening.¡± ¡°No, I can understand the other groups, but why are the elves and merfolk getting involved?¡± ¡°Why is the Kalosia Church¡­?¡± ¡°Is it possible that the Sun God is connected to the barbarian?¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± The saint struggled topose himself and began to assess the situation. ¡°Exactly which groups and individuals have delivered messages of regret?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± One of the elders swallowed nervously and began to speak, slowly organizing the information. The King of the Denian Kingdom delivered a message of regret. The Guildmaster of the Mercenary Guild delivered a message of regret. The leader of a small merfolk vige delivered a message of regret. The High Elf Queen Karin delivered a message of regret. The leader of the Shadow Paint School delivered a message of regret. The Saintess of the Kalosia Church delivered a message of regret. The Saintess of the Sun God Church delivered a message of regret. ¡°¡­¡± The saint was speechless. When everything wasid out, it was shocking. Numerous groups with immense influence on the continent had be involved. Though they hadmitted countless atrocities, never before had so many groups expressed their regret at once. Most notably, two churches were among the groups that delivered messages of regret. The Kalosia Church. Once, like them, they had sought to impose God''s will upon the world. Though they had failed under persecution, their great legacy had inspired many followers of Federica. They were a church with which there was an inner bond of closeness. And the Sun God Church was the most powerful church on the continent. Though their power and influence were somewhat overshadowed by the Earth Mother Church, they had warriors strong enough to ovee that difference. Along with the Earth Mother Church, they were among the most influential churchs in the world. And now, these two churches were moving to save the barbarian. ¡®¡­Just who is this barbarian?¡¯ What kind of being was he? Who was their God truly targeting? Who had they meddled with? The saint''s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. ¡°What should we do?¡± One of the elders cautiously asked. The saint bit his lip. ¡°¡­At the end of the day, they are just messages of regret. We could simply ignore them and proceed.¡± God had delivered a revtion directly. That alone meant that external forces couldn¡¯t interfere directly. ¡°But¡­¡± That only held true up to a certain point. The Mercenary Guild, the Magic Tower, the merfolk and elves, and two other churches of different deities¡ªthese were groups that shared control over the continent, and they were all getting involved. At this point, ignoring them entirely was difficult. God¡¯s word held absolute value on earth, but that didn¡¯t apply to the Church itself. For now, with the revtion in hand, they might get by with just messages of regret, but there was no telling what pretexts might be used to attack themter on. The Federica Church was not in a particrly strong position at the moment. With the mounting criticism due to their numerous past atrocities, they were under increasing scrutiny. If they weren¡¯t careful, they could be branded as the continent''s troublemakers, just as the Kalosia Church had been in the past, and could face a swift downfall. The example of Kalosia made caution essential. ¡°¡­We have no choice.¡± After much deliberation, the saint made his decision. They couldn¡¯t give up Ketal. God had directlymanded that he be brought before Her. Even if the Church were to be burned to the ground, they had to obey. But if they proceeded as is, there was no telling what pretext might be used against themter. So¡ª ¡°We need to establish a justification that they can¡¯t challenge. Kostia, is he currently in the Holy Land?¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± ¡°Summon him.¡± The saint dered. ¡°Summon Chief Inquisitor Kostia and instruct him to prepare for a heresy trial.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They would conduct an inquiry to determine if Ketal was a heretic. And this information was, of course, ryed to Ketal. The one who delivered the information was Liltara. ¡°They want to conduct a heresy trial on me?¡± Ketal remarked with a curious expression. ¡°But why bother with that? Isn¡¯t it unnecessary since God has already given a direct revtion?¡± ¡°¡­They likely need a proper justification.¡± Liltara, the one who had personally brought Ketal to the Holy Land, was deeply involved in the situation and had ess to a lot of information. She had told Ketal that messages of regret had been sent from outside. Ketal nodded in understanding. ¡°Ah, I see. So they want to frame me as a heretic to avoid any bacsh.¡± Ketalughed, finding it absurd. ¡°How ridiculous, Liltara. I am not one of your followers.¡± A heresy trial was something conducted on believers. Ketal was not one of them. To conduct a heresy trial on a non-believer was nothing but an absurd pretense. ¡°Using any means necessary to achieve a goal¡ªis this truly Federica¡¯s value?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No, it wasn¡¯t. Federica¡¯s value was hunger. If the goal wasn¡¯t achieved, it had to hold meaning in and of itself. Forcing a goal to be achieved was meaningless. It was a vile desire. At least, that¡¯s how Liltara had been taught. Her expression twisted with distress. ¡°Well. Fine. It¡¯s not so bad.¡± Ketal leaned back against the wall. A real heresy trial conducted by a religious church¡ªit might actually be interesting. ¡°Do everything you want. Since it seems amusing, I¡¯ll y along for now.¡± At least until he grew bored. Ketal chuckled with amusement. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 239: Sanctuary of Federica (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 239: Sanctuary of Federica. (2) The Inquisition of Frederica. Ketal sat in the interrogation room chair, ncing around as he whistled. "Grim, isn''t it?" The room was filled with torture devices, the purpose of which was easy to guess. Dried blood and bits of flesh stuck to them, making it clear they weren¡¯t just for show. Ketal felt as though he was in a museum, finding something fascinating about it all. "Focus." The man sitting across from him spoke heavily, clearly displeased with Ketal¡¯s nonchnt attitude. He was a rough-looking man, with a face marked by numerous scars. "I am the Chief Inquisitor, Kostia. I will be the one interrogating you." "The Chief Inquisitor." Ketal''s eyes gleamed. It was the same rank as Seraphina. But the difference in power was clear. Kostia seemed to be at most of mid-level superhuman strength. He was nowhere near the top tier. The Church of the Sun God was the most powerful religious organization on the continent. Even if two people held the same rank, there was bound to be a difference in strength. "Pleased to meet you. I am called Ketal." Ketal greeted him cheerfully, but Kostia ignored him. Kostia knew little about Ketal. He was here simply to follow the orders of the Saint, to brand Ketal a heretic. ¡®Is this the man Lady Frederica is after?¡¯ On the surface, Ketal appeared to be just an average, skilled barbarian. Ketal had already hidden the sacred relic of Kalrosia in his pocket, concealing its powerpletely, so that was all Kostia could see. ¡®Why would Lady Frederica want someone like this?¡¯ Kostia was momentarily puzzled, but quickly pushed the thought aside. He had one task. To make this man a heretic. "Then let''s begin the interrogation." Only three people were in the room: Kostia, Ketal, and Liltara, who stood by the wall to assist. She watched Kostia with calm, sinking eyes. Kostia¡¯s skin, like that of the Saint, was exceptionally clear. Liltara¡¯s eyes sank even further. Chief Inquisitor Kostia began the heresy trial against the barbarian Ketal. ¡°Frederica, grant me the power to judge this heretic.¡± Kostia quietly intoned. ¡°Kuheit, Book 5, Verse 12. You spoke before hundreds of believers, saying, ¡®Among us, there is one who has turned their heart away from me. Let everyone close their eyes, and the one who has betrayed me will step forward. And so, they closed their eyes, and the one who betrayed stepped forward. The traitor confessed their sin and was stoned to death.¡¯¡± ¡°Ohhh.¡± It was the scripture of Frederica. Ketal watched with interest. Holy energy slithered into the room. It wasn¡¯t a bright light. It was sticky, like mucus, oozing through the space and clinging to Ketal¡¯s body. This was the scripture for inquisitions. It was a power Frederica once used to root out heresy among her followers. The power scraped away a person¡¯s mind, hollowing them out and erasing all of their values. No matter how strong-willed a person was, if they fell under this power, they would beg, beg for their lives, confessing their sins and pleading to be killed for betraying her. ¡°So, it¡¯s a power like this. It¡¯s certainly unique.¡± Of course, it had no effect on Ketal. Kostia was momentarily baffled by Ketal¡¯spletely nonchnt demeanor. ¡®¡­How?¡¯ No, more than that, Ketal was smiling as if he was enjoying it. Though startled, Kostia didn¡¯t show it. An inquisitor must always remain calm. He opened the book and began reading. ¡°I will now recite your sins, Ketal.¡± Kostia coldly dered. ¡°You have traveled the world without letting the earth touch your bare flesh.¡± ¡°I did wear shoes.¡± ¡°You ate the flesh of a beast less than a week after it was killed.¡± ¡°I hunted it and ate it fresh.¡± ¡°You dared to enjoy your prosperity without sharing or discarding it.¡± ¡°I do have a pocket, so that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°You took pleasure in meals that should have been a burden.¡± ¡°Eating is one of life¡¯s joys.¡± Ketal answered all the usations with confidence. Kostia didn¡¯t find it strange. One of the powers of the scripture was to prevent lies. So he didn¡¯t notice the smile lingering on Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°In total, you have admitted to twenty-five sins.¡± It was over. Kostia closed the book. ¡°The interrogation is over. You are a heretic.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ketal shook his head. ¡°I am not a heretic.¡± ¡°You have admitted to your sins. You are a heretic.¡± Kostia refused to continue the conversation. As he turned to leave, Ketal smirked. "If you indulged in ten nights of abundance, you must atone with twenty nights of starvation. Then the sin of the abundance you enjoyed will be forgiven." ¡°¡­What!¡± Kostia''s eyes widened. He involuntarily revealed his shock, and he had every reason to be. ¡°How do you know our doctrine?!¡± This barbarian had just recited their religious doctrine. The reason Ketal knew Frederica''s teachings was because Liltara had given him a book of their doctrines. From Kostia¡¯s perspective, not knowing this, he could only be astonished. No, even if he did know, he would still be shocked. Barbarians in this world were ignorant. They despised writing and rejected knowledge. To the extent that ny-nine of a hundred barbarians could not read. And the one remaining might barely be able to write their own name. A barbarian who could read a proper sentence or write was a rare exception. Kostia had suspected that Ketal was not an ordinary barbarian, but he never imagined he could perfectly recite their doctrine. It was like watching a newborn child, who should only be able to say "mama" and "papa," suddenly read a thesis. Ketal continued speaking. "ording to your doctrine, if one endures twice the amount of suffering as they indulged, the sin of abundance is forgiven. I have endured much suffering. My sins have been more than atoned for." Nonsense! ¡®He¡¯s lying!¡¯ Kostia wanted to shout, but in this ce, no one could utter a falsehood due to the power of the scripture. It was the truth. Of course, Ketal wasn¡¯t bound by such constraints, but he wasn¡¯t lying either. In the white snowy ins, Ketal had always been deprived. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He could only long for the fantasy he so deeply desired. Even now, while enjoying the abundance outside, it was nothingpared to those long years of deprivation. ¡°All my sins have been forgiven ording to your doctrine. Therefore, I am not the heretic you im I am.¡± ¡°¡­No. That¡¯s not true.¡± Kostia rejected Ketal''s im. ¡°I may ept your argument for that sin. But there are still other sins.¡± Wherever Ketal had learned it, he clearly knew something about their doctrine. But it must be only superficial knowledge. Perhaps someone had advised him on the way from the Kingdom of Denian to here. If that was the case, his task was simple. He would continue to probe for sins. He wouldy traps in his words, catch Ketal in a mistake, twist the teachings, and lead him to slip up. Eventually, the barbarian¡¯sck of knowledge would be exposed. Kostia began to discuss doctrine with Ketal. It was a sort of endurance test, hoping to exhaust him into making a mistake. As an inquisitor who had interrogated countless believers, Kostia was confident in his stamina. But there were two things he didn¡¯t know. First, Ketal had a full understanding of Frederica¡¯s teachings. He wouldn¡¯t fall for any shallow traps. And second, ¡®This is fun!¡¯ Ketal was simply enjoying himself. He had spent time on Earth, engaging in all sorts of debates over fictional works. And he often got heated over those trivial discussions. Which fictional character was stronger? Was the viin''s motivation justified? Why did the protagonist''s character deteriorate as the story progressed? These trivial, but entertaining debates. The heresy interrogation with Kostia felt simr to those debates to Ketal. The difference was that both of them were deadly serious this time. Which made it even more fun. He wasn¡¯t joking when he thought he could do this for a month straight. No matter how much Kostia questioned him, Ketal not only didn¡¯t get tired, but he responded with even more enthusiasm. ¡°Pavan, Chapter 23, verse 12. ¡®No matter how much abundance one enjoys and how full their stomach may be, if there is hunger in their heart, it is still hunger.¡¯ My heart¡¯s hunger is not yet sated. Therefore, I havemitted no sin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kostia found himself at a loss for words. Instead of getting exhausted, Ketal seemed to be gaining energy. ¡®Why is this barbarian enjoying the interrogation?¡¯ And how was he giving these kinds of responses? It felt like he was facing a priest well-versed in religious studies. At this point, Kostia had nothing left to say. From the beginning, he had tried to use Ketal of heresy without any real evidence falsely. If the other party had knowledge, they could easily refute the charges. There had been a few simr cases before. But previously, it hadn¡¯t been a problem. Because violence was also an effective interrogation tool. When necessary, he could resort to torture devices. No matter how much knowledge or schrly prowess one had, they would eventually sumb to unbearable pain. But this time, it was impossible. Frederica desired this barbarian. They couldn¡¯t dare to harm a body that the divine wanted. "...You are a sinner." In the end, Kostia could only stubbornly insist, like a child. Ketal did not deny it. ¡°Well¡­ as you say, I might be a sinner.¡± ¡°If so¡­¡± ¡°So, let me ask you one question. If I repent, if I receive baptism from you, can all my sins be forgiven? Of course, they can. That was the very first sentence in the book of doctrine.¡± ¡°¡­That is correct.¡± ¡°Then I will repent. I will be your follower and abide by your values. I will not indulge in abundance but follow the path of starvation. Will you ept me then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kostia hesitated. He could not ept him. Because their goal was to brand Ketal a heretic and offer him to Lady Frederica. In the end, Kostia could only say one thing. ¡°Rejected.¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± Their voices ovepped. Kostia''s eyes widened as Ketalughed in amusement. ¡°Oh. It hit the mark.¡± ¡°You, you.¡± Kostia stammered. This barbarian had predicted that he would refuse. A chill ran down his spine. ¡®¡­Who is this person in front of me?¡¯ Was he really a barbarian? Who was he interrogating right now? ¡®Whom does our god truly call?¡¯ Fear crawled up from the ground beneath him. He knew nothing about Ketal¡¯s power. But his knowledge, his values, and his ideology were terrifying. Kostia began to see Ketal as something other than just a barbarian. He stammered as he spoke. ¡°It seems you are tired, so we will stop here. The interrogation will continue another time.¡± ¡°No. I can keep going.¡± ¡°No. You are tired.¡± Kostia refused any rebuttal and gathered his things. His departure was more like fleeing. Liltara watched the entire scene with a somber gaze. * * * The next day after the interrogation ended, Liltara came to see Ketal. ¡°Mr. Ketal. The result of the interrogation is out. You are a heretic.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal, who had been quietly observing the prison, widened his eyes. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the interrogation supposed to continueter?¡± ¡°ording to the interrogation, you confessed your sins in front of Lord Kostia. It has been decided that you will be offered to Lady Frederica tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Information maniption. That would make sense if they wanted to wrap this up quickly.¡± Ketal muttered as if he understood. Liltara''s face twisted in anguish.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s how it turned out.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind.¡± Liltara, who had kept her mouth shut, finally spoke as if spitting out the words. ¡°Is this¡­ is this truly Lady Frederica¡¯s will?¡± To achieve one¡¯s desires by any means necessary. This was utterly contrary to the values of Frederica that she had learned. Her lifelong faith was being shattered. ¡°Come to think of it, I never asked. How was the Saint''s skin?¡± ¡°¡­It was very clean and smooth.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Ketal smiled. ¡°Liltara, I know the answer to the doubts you have. I can show it to you.¡± Liltara. A young believer who had grown up in the sacrednd of Frederica all her life. From the journey''s start, Ketal had nted a seed of doubt in her heart. As time passed, that seed had steadily grown. And now, it was time to harvest the fruit. ¡°Do you want to know the answer?¡± Ketal asked. His question was like the temptation of a demon to a believer. But the reason believers fall into corruption, even when they know the other is a demon, was because that temptation is so sweet. Liltara squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Ketal, as if he had been waiting, grabbed the iron bars of the prison. The iron bars crumpled lightly, as if they were made of marshmallow. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 240: Sanctuary of Federica (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 240: Sanctuary of Federica (3) "Laugh." Liltara involuntarily flinched. The ce where Ketal had been held was the deepest prison in the sacred ground, a ce for confining special criminals, and powerful divine forces protected it. Yet, the iron bars of that prison were twisted effortlessly. Ketal could have escaped at any time. He had simply been biding his time. ¡°Wait a moment. If you leave like that, the rm will...¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Ketal swung his fist. A gust of wind flew towards the end of the prison, destroying the mechanism. Liltara closed her mouth. ¡°Now then, shall we move?¡± Ketal leisurely walked out of the prison. Liltara quietly followed behind him. ¡°The question you have is whether the saint and the elders are truly upholding Federica¡¯s values. Isn''t that right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Liltara nodded. Were they, like the believers they had forced into deprivation, also in a state of deprivation? Were they following Federica¡¯s will? ¡°Let¡¯s go and confirm that now.¡± Ketal walked briskly. His unhesitating demeanor left Liltara startled, prompting her to speak up. ¡°Well, I know of a few ces that seem suspicious. Perhaps we could start by checking those out¡­¡± ¡°No need. I already know.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ketal confidently entered a church located on the outskirts of the sacred ground. He walked straight into the confessional, tapping a device on the floor. Then, with a rumble, the floor opened, revealing a staircase leading downward. ¡°Here it is.¡± Liltara''s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Have you been here before?¡± Ketal¡¯s movements had shown certainty that a hidden passageway existed there. It was as if he already knew about it. But this was his first time in this ce. ¡°No. This is my first visit.¡± ¡°Then how did you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the expansion of my senses. That¡¯s how I figured it out.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Liltara looked at Ketal in astonishment. The idea of expanding his senses to detect a secret passage in a church at the edge of the sacred ground was beyond belief. But Ketal was just as surprised. ¡®It wasn¡¯t like this before.¡¯ He had always possessed perceptive abilities beyondmon understanding, but he had never been able to locate secret passages within the sacred ground perfectly. In the past, it would have taken him several attempts to find something like this. His senses had sharpened. And it wasn¡¯t hard to guess why. ¡®Mystic power.¡¯ The mystic power he had obtained with the help of the ancient dragon Ignisia. The beast that howled with discontent within him. It had sharpened his senses, even though he wasn¡¯t using the mystic power directly. Changes were urring within him. ¡°This is strange indeed.¡± His power had been stagnant for a very long time. One could even say he had hit his limit. But now, that limit was slowly being broken. ¡°Well, let¡¯s head down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They descended the stairs and walked through a narrow passageway. After a while, they came upon a small room with two doors. ¡°We¡¯ll enter here.¡± Ketal opened the door on the left. A wave of cold air swept over Liltara¡¯s entire body as soon as the door opened. Her eyes widened as she looked inside. ¡°A-ah.¡± Inside, there was a vast array of food supplies. Meat with a tantalizing color. Freshly preserved fish. Sweet honey and fruits. Luxurious wine. And even spices and seasonings. It could easily be mistaken for a royal pantry. There was even a high-end kitchen attached, suitable for preparing these ingredients. ¡°A-ah¡­¡± Liltara¡¯s face twisted in disbelief. What was this? Was this not the abundance that they had so adamantly rejected? Ketal picked up a piece of meat and ate it raw. ¡°It¡¯s of high quality. A single piece of this could buy a hundred of the jerky you eat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Should they move on to the next room? They left the food storage and moved to the door on the right. It was a banquet hall. A chandelier adorned with various jewels. A luxurious carpet. In one corner, there was even avish bathhouse. Liltara let out a groan. As Ketal examined the carpet, he noticed something. ¡°There are marks. Signs of recent use, within thest few days.¡± At that moment, they felt someone''s presence. Liltara instinctively lunged forward and captured the intruder. The person let out a scream and copsed to the floor. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± It was a face Liltara had never seen before. Having grown up in the sacred ground, Liltara knew everyone there by sight. This person was an outsider. ¡°¡­Who are you, and why are you here?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m a servant. I came to clean.¡± The person answered, trembling. After a brief hesitation, Liltara asked another question. ¡°Do you know what this ce is used for and who uses it?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± At that moment, the servant''s expression went nk. As Liltara looked closer, she realized that the servant was under a restriction imposed by Federica. A restriction preventing them from revealing certain information. It was an incredibly strong restriction. Breaking it would be difficult for anyone who did not serve the same god as the one who imposed it. ¡°Break.¡± Kiing! Liltara broke the restriction immediately, without hesitation. ¡°Who used this ce, and for what purpose?¡± ¡°T-the Saint and the Elders used it. They held banquets here sometimes.¡± ¡°¡­Were the food supplies in the next room used for these banquets?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The servant answered with a fearful face. Liltara¡¯s expression twisted in distress. She motioned for the servant to leave. ¡°I see. You may go now.¡± ¡°B-but¡­ why are you here? Are you here to discuss the schedule for the next banquet?¡± ¡°¡­No. We¡¯re just here to inspect the area. It¡¯s nothing important, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Oh. I understand.¡± The servant quickly hurried away. The sound of the door closing echoed, and Ketal spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to maintain the appearance of humility and restraint. I guess they relieved their stress in this way.¡± ¡°A-ah¡­ Ahhh¡­¡± Liltara let out a long sigh, filled with despair as if the world had ended. ¡°How could this be? Why¡­ How could such sin exist in our sacred ground?¡± The Saint and the Elders of the Federica Church weremitting sins. And this fact did not surprise Ketal much, as the same was true of the Church of Kalosia. The Church of Kalosia did not uphold the values of deceit and trickery. They were denying the will of their god. But even though Kalosia pitied them, it did not correct the believers. Even if it meant the eventual downfall of the church, it had concluded that there was nothing to be done. To a god, their church is like their children. But they do not lead their children by the hand. Like the Church of Kalosia, the Church of Federica could easily go astray. However, there was one curious difference. ¡°Liltara, can the Saint and Elders use the scripture?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. They all use it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the difference.¡± In the Church of Kalosia, only the Saint who upheld the values of deceit and trickery could use the scripture. The god did not grant power to those who denied its values. ¡®Why?¡¯ And ultimately, what was the main reason they had called him? As Ketal pondered, he came to a simple conclusion. ¡®I¡¯ll just ask them directly.¡¯ After all, they would meet soon enough. His curiosity could be resolved then. It wasn¡¯t a particrly important issue for an outsider like him. But for Liltara, it was different. She was a girl who believed in and followed the values of Federica more than anyone else. To a girl who had spent her entire life learning these misguided values, the truth about the church must have felt like her world was crumbling. Ketal waited quietly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Liltara kept her head down for a long time, silent, before finally speaking. ¡°But¡­ But still, I am a follower of Federica.¡± But. Even knowing the contradictions, even realizing the truth, the girl had lived her entire life this way. Now, she could not break free from this contradiction. ¡°There must be a reason. Or perhaps they were briefly tempted. If I speak to them and make them realize¡­ it will be¡­ okay.¡± But there was no strength in Liltara¡¯s voice as she said this. Her expression showed that she knew she was saying something impossible, but she couldn¡¯t ept it. Ketal smiled. ¡°So that¡¯s how a true believer reacts. Interesting.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Ketal.¡± She was the one who had brought him to this contradictory ce. She had believed she was following Federica¡¯s guidance, but with the Saint in this state, she couldn¡¯t be sure. Although there was no deception involved, Liltara couldn¡¯t know that. ¡°I''ll do whatever I can to help you escape, Ketal. I''ll talk to the Saint and make them see reason.¡± ¡°No. There''s no need. I''ve seen all I need to.¡± ¡°What?¡± Liltara flinched at his words. Ketal''s expression had changed. It was the face of someone waiting for the final act, the climax of a story. ¡°But Liltara, can you do me one favor?¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, do nothing.¡± Liltara''s eyes widened at the unexpected request. Ketal spoke quietly. ¡°No matter what happens tomorrow, you are only an individual. Do nothing, and do not get involved. Can you promise me that?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± Though she didn''t fully grasp his meaning, Liltara nodded. Ketal smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Alright then.¡± Everything was in ce. The audience was ready. Now, all that was left was to enjoy the show. * * * The Next Day. The Holy Knights brought Ketal out of the prison. They were puzzled by the appearance of the iron bars, which Ketal had restored to their original state, but they chained him up and led him away. They took him to the very center of the sacred ground. There, the Saint, the Elders, and every follower of Federica was waiting. Among them was Liltara. ¡°Ooooooh!¡± ¡°Federica, please ept our offering!¡± ¡°Grant your blessings to the servants who follow your guidance!¡± The followers were crying out in near frenzy. It was the very image of fanaticism. In their midst, Liltara stood silent, her expression somber. Seeing her, Ketal smiled. In the center of the crowd was an altar. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°It is the altar on which you will be offered to Federica,¡± the Saint said calmly. ¡°Your body will be burned, and your soul will be sent to Federica''s realm. Consider it an honor to meet Federica as a sinner.¡± ¡°In other words, you''re going to kill me.¡± Ketal smiled brightly and looked up at the sky above the altar. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Saint of Federica, what will you do if I resist?¡± Ketal asked. ¡°What if I refuse to approach the altar? What if I reject it?¡± ¡°Then, unfortunately, we will have to proceed by force. Kostia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The chief inquisitor, Kostia, along with his subordinates, grabbed Ketal, intending to drag him to the altar by force. ¡°Uh, uh?¡± But Kostia¡¯s expression began to stiffen. No matter how hard they tried, Ketal¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t budge. It was like trying to push a deeply rooted tree. The Saint frowned at the sight of them struggling. ¡°Kostia. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just give me a moment, please. This¡­ Move!¡± Kostia enveloped himself in divine power and rammed his shoulder into Ketal, intending to shove him with all his strength. Thud! But it was Kostia who fell. He stumbled back from the force andnded on the ground with a shocked expression. The Saint¡¯s face slowly hardened. ¡°¡­What.¡± Something was wrong. It felt like realizing that the gears, which had seemed to grind along despite creaking, had been misaligned from the start. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not ready to die just yet,¡± Ketal murmuredzily. ¡°I have nothing more to ask of you.¡± He hadn¡¯t resisted them until now. He had followed all their orders, never once rebelling. Because he was curious to see what they would do with him. He had thought he could find some enjoyment in the process. But now, it was over. He had enjoyed everything there was to enjoy. ¡°It seems you want something from me, but I¡¯m not going up there.¡± Ketal bared his teeth at the sky. His gaze met the one watching from the heavens. Ketal clenched his fists. ng! The chains shattered. The Saint was aghast. Ketal raised his fist. ¡°If you haveints,e down and say them yourself.¡± He swung his fist. A gust of wind from Ketal¡¯s punch flew straight toward the altar. ¡°Federica!¡± The Saint cried out in panic, gathering divine power to create a barrier to protect the altar from the wind. But it was impossible. The barrier shattered like a rotten fence hit by a speeding carriage. The wind, having lost none of its force, smashed into the altar. Boom! The altar exploded. The altar they had painstakingly built, meant to be an offering to their god, crumbled and copsed. Screams echoed. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The sacred ground, steeped in fanaticism, was instantly plunged into chaos. Amid the turmoil, Ketal clenched his fist in satisfaction. ¡°Hoo! That¡¯s good! The fruit is always sweetest at the end of the wait!¡± Heughed, truly enjoying himself. ¡°Well then.¡± The time for the harvest had finallye. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 241: Sanctuary of Federica (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 241: Sanctuary of Federica (4) ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± Liltara copsed to her knees. Realizing what was about to happen, she instinctively sped her hands together. She was about to pray but then froze. To whom should she pray? She had just lost the object of her prayers. Liltara let out a hollowugh. ¡°You!¡± The saint, who had been staring in shock at the shattered altar, ground his teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve revealed your true nature!¡± The saint signaled with his eyes. The believers, receiving the signal, hurriedly fled. The nonbatants withdrew, and holy knights and priests filled the space. A swift encirclement was formed around Ketal. Ketal whistled. ¡°Quick. It¡¯s as if they predicted this would happen.¡± No, they probably did. They didn¡¯t know the full extent of Ketal¡¯s power, but they knew he had first-rate strength. First-rate strength wasn¡¯t insignificant on a global scale. Even Aquaz, who was once considered a genius, had been First-rate when they first met. And yet, they hadn¡¯t sealed Ketal¡¯s power. They had bound him with a flimsy chain that could be broken at any moment, as if they were waiting for him to break free and escape. ¡°Are you afraid of receiving the world¡¯s hostility? Do you want it to appear as if I chose to oppose you of my own free will?¡± ¡°¡­Nonsense.¡± The saint dismissed it, but his eyes wavered slightly. Ketal¡¯s words were spot on. The saint had thought that if they subdued Ketal half-heartedly, he would resist somehow. And then they would have a perfect excuse to offer the defiant heretic to their god forcefully. What better justification could there be? But who would have thought this barbarian would see through even that? ¡®No.¡¯ Even if he did, it didn¡¯t matter. In any case, they now had a solid pretext. The saint issued an order. ¡°Everyone! The great offering to our god is resisting! Restrain that heretic!¡± ¡°Waaaa!¡± ¡°For Federica!¡± The holy knights charged all at once. They brandished shields and spears, rushing to crush him. Ketal smiled and raised his hand. ¡°Gah!¡± The holy knight who arrived first thrust his spear. Ketal caught the spearhead. He applied pressure with his arm. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± The holy knight¡¯s body soared through the air. He flew across the sanctuary, crashing through a building andnding inside it. The other holy knights took advantage of the gap, thrusting their spears in unison. It was a wless, coordinated attack. Ketal didn¡¯t dodge. He simply stood there. ng! ng! ng! And with just that, the spearheads were deflected. The holy knights, unable to withstand the recoil, were thrown back. ¡°Oh, oh¡­¡± ¡°You all are, in truth, innocent.¡± They were merely being used by Federica, victims forced by their leaders to uphold false values. ¡°So sleep.¡± Ketal lightly tapped the forehead of the holy knight who had copsed before him. With that simple touch, the knight¡¯s brain was shaken, and he fell unconscious. As he advanced, he flicked his fingers lightly. One by one, the holy knights fell like flies. The saint shouted loudly. ¡°Everyone! Push him back by force! Crush him!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The holy knights formed up and tried to crush Ketal with sheer force. Thebined weight of dozens of holy knights, along with divine power, pressed down on Ketal. Ketal cheerfully took another step forward. He leaned in with his shoulder and pushed ahead. The holy knights were knocked away like bowling pins. Then, in that moment, Chief Inquisitor Kostia charged. He thrust a sharp sword at Ketal¡¯s back. Ketal casually turned and caught the sword¡¯s tip with his fingers. ¡°Oops.¡± Ketal twisted his fingers. Kostia¡¯s body flipped over. He tried desperately to regain his posture, but a fist struck his chest before he could. Crunch. The sound of armor crumpling apanied Kostia¡¯s body as it was hurled away. He crashed into the wall at the sanctuary''s edge, twitching but unable to get up. In just a few minutes, all the holy knights were annihted. The saint narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­You were hiding your power.¡± The aura Ketal emitted seemed to be at the First rate level. But he had just subdued Kostia, a superhuman powerhouse, with a single blow. This meant he hadn¡¯t shown his true power. ¡°Well, fine. I suspected that the sinner personally summoned by Lady Federica wouldn¡¯t be ordinary. This must be another trial.¡± Step by step, the saint moved forward. There was no fear on his face. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I have no choice but to step in myself.¡± Slowly, a dense, dark divine power enveloped the saint. The Federica Church hadmitted countless atrocities. The number of territories and kingdoms that had suffered directly from their actions was immense. Yet, none of them could formally protest against the Federica Church. While the power of the divine church was formidable, it wasn¡¯t so overwhelming thatints couldn¡¯t be lodged. They could have demanded justice for the harm done to them. But they didn¡¯t. The reason was simple. It was because of the Saint of Federica. He was a top-tier superhuman, one of the strongest in the world, second only to the heroes. No one could dare speak out against the Federica Church as long as he existed. The saint swung his arm. A powerful wave of divine energy surged toward Ketal as if it was about to engulf him. The force within it was truly that of a top-tier superhuman. Even the Mercenary King, Seraphina, or the Spellweaver would have had to respond seriously. No matter how strong that barbarian was, he couldn¡¯t be at the level of a top-tier superhuman. The saint was certain. ¡°Impressive!¡± But Ketal simply swung his fist. The divine energy that had surged like a tidal wave burst apart as if it were nothing. The saint¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± In an instant, Ketal was in front of the saint. The saint hastily tried to protect himself, but the punch went right through his defenses. Crunch. With the sound of ribs shattering, the saint¡¯s body was hurled across the ground, gouging the earth as he tumbled. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± What just happened? The saint barely managed to heal himself with divine power and staggered to his feet. What he saw was Ketal looking at him with an expression of curiosity. ¡°Oh. I did hold back a bit, but I didn¡¯t expect you to stand up so easily.¡± The saint was strong. Among the humans Ketal had encountered, he was one of the strongest. ¡°In that case, I guess I can use a bit more force.¡± Ketal muttered with a smile. The saint felt a chill down his spine. The fear of death overwhelmed him. He quickly shouted, ¡°Latteja, Chapter 8, Verse 12! Crush the enemies that threaten you!¡± A ck divine energy took shape, rushing toward Ketal to crush him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal spread his arms as if delighted. ¡°The Holy Scriptures of Federica! That¡¯s nice!¡± Crack! Ketal''s punches smashed and shattered the divine power formed from the scriptures. The divine power wielded by a top-tier superhuman was destroyed like a child¡¯s toy. The saint screamed as he shouted, ¡°Latteja, Chapter 12, Verse 14! No abundance shall reach you!¡± The power of the Great Scriptures burst forth. The power that the god once wielded on this earth tried to crush and overpower Ketal through its agent. But it all broke apart. The scriptures that refused abundance and forcibly caused destion. The scriptures that consumed space and nullified all value. The scriptures that carried the footsteps of the great Federica who once walked this earth¡ªKetal¡¯s power destroyed all. The saint was on the verge of madness. ¡®Even the Chief Inquisitor of the renowned Sun God couldn¡¯t overwhelm me!¡¯ Yet this barbarian was shattering the scriptures he wielded as if dealing with a child. It was utterly iprehensible. Boom! ¡°Cough!¡± The saint was mmed into the wall. Though he barely managed to defend against Ketal¡¯s attack, the impact caused his body to slide back. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. ¡®I can¡¯t win.¡¯ He was barely holding on, but that was all. There was no chance of victory. Ketal waspletely overwhelming the saint. The saint felt a profound sense of helplessness. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Yet Ketal¡¯s expression was one of dissatisfaction. It was only natural. The one he wanted to fight wasn¡¯t merely the saint. He raised his head and looked up at the heavens. ¡°Are you still not going toe down?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°Well, fine. Let¡¯s see how long you¡¯ll just watch.¡± With a flick, Ketal unleashed his aura. The saint¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± It was something beyond hisprehension. A vast, dense aura pressed down on the world. ¡®This, this is¡­¡¯ The saint had experienced something like this once before. A long time ago, when he had just be a saint, he briefly encountered Federica. In that fleeting moment, the saint had sensed death. He realized that he was nothing more than dust. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He had encountered something beyond human perception, something unattainable and iprehensible. And now, he was feeling something simr to that sensation. The unleashed aura of Ketal weighed down on the sanctuary. The earth groaned in pain, and the space around them began to warp. The worshippers struggled to breathe. Ketal lifted his foot, filled with aura. Then, he stomped on the ground. Crash! The entire sanctuary shook. Cracks formed everywhere as the earth began to fracture. The saint''s eyes widened in shock. With just a single stomp, a human had caused an earthquake. Ketal lifted his foot again and stomped. Boom! The ground started to sink. The foundation crumbled, and buildings copsed into the earth. The ground split apart, revealing the rocks beneath. The sanctuary itself was being destroyed, with Ketal at the center. ¡°Impossible!¡± Liltara hurriedly protected the unconscious holy knights. Ketal hadn''t targeted her when he unleashed his aura, so she could move without difficulty. Otherwise, she would have been lying on the ground, unable to do anything. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± The saint gaped in disbelief. A single individual was destroying the sacred sanctuary of a god. What was this? Was this truly a human? Was this really happening? The sanctuary was bing something that could no longer be called holy ground. Ketal lifted his foot once more. If he stomped again, this ce would cease to be a sanctuary. It would be nothing more than a ruined wastnd. ¡°S-stop¡­¡± The saint desperately shouted, but there was no power behind his words. Just as Ketal was about to stomp down again, a beam of light descended from the sky. It touched the saint''s head. ¡°Huh?¡± The saint opened his mouth in a daze. Something immense began to take over him. It erased his existence and filled the void with something else. [I will borrow you.] The immense being spoke. ¡°N-no¡­¡± The saint tried to resist, but it was futile. His body went limp. Ketal stopped his foot mid-stomp. He retracted the aura that had been crushing the sanctuary. ¡°Finally, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Ketal bared his teeth in a grin. And then, after a brief moment. The saint opened his eyes. They were filled with a gloomy ck light. His gaze turned to Ketal. [I reject you.] The will of the entity descended upon Ketal. It was a power that erased existence and left only emptiness. It enveloped Ketal, trying to bind and twist him. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°No.¡± Screech! The word of refusal echoed, shing with the word of rejection. The sound of shattering filled the air as the two forces canceled each other out. [¡­¡­.] The being that had taken over the saint¡¯s body frowned in displeasure. ¡°A bit aggressive for a first meeting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ketal chuckled, genuinely amused, and politely greeted the entity with proper courtesy. ¡°Nice to meet you, Federica, the great celestial being.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 242: Federica. (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 242: Federica. (1) ¡°Ha, haahk!¡± Liltara gasped sharply for breath. A great celestial being. Federica had descended to this ce, borrowing the body of the saint. Her mere presence suppressed everything around. Liltara swallowed hard, her face turning pale in an instant. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal nced at her and released the energy he had gathered once again. The energies counteracted each other, allowing Liltara to exhale finally. ¡°She¡¯s one of your followers. Wouldn''t it be wise to pay attention to her?¡± [¡­] Federica, who had descended into the saint''s body, frowned. It was as if another had just advised her on how to discipline a child. But Federica slowly retracted her energy. Ketal also smiled and withdrew his energy. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± Liltara, who had barely regained her senses, let out a moan. In front of her now stood Federica. The great deity she had believed in and followed her entire life, whom she had never once spoken to. ¡°She seems to have many questions about you. Can you answer them?¡± [¡­Child. What do you wish to know?] Federica asked. Liltara swallowed again at the sound of the great deity¡¯s voice. Federica was speaking to her now. Her brain felt like it would burst from the sheer joy and emotion. But she gritted her teeth and struggled to remain calm. She asked the question she had longed to ask. ¡°¡­Federica, are we, am I¡­ truly following your will?¡± [Your faith in me. That alone is for me. I am satisfied with that.] Federica spoke softly. [Your faith is most admirable to me. My devotee.] ¡°Ah¡­¡± The deity had acknowledged her. Ecstasy filled her face. But so did despair. The deity had evaded her question. She was not following Federica¡¯s will. ¡°I¡­¡± Just as she was about to speak, the body disappeared. And it wasn¡¯t just her. The fallen holy knights and the hidden worshippers were all gone. They had all been teleported to a clearing far from the sacred ground. Ketal whistled. ¡°Evacuating them to avoid getting caught up, huh. You¡¯re working hard.¡± [It¡¯s only natural to protect my children from a monster like you.] ¡°So you do care for your worshippers, even though they defy your will and enjoy prosperity.¡± [If my children wish to enjoy prosperity, it cannot be helped. I cannot force the path upon young children.] ¡°Hm.¡± Interest flickered in Ketal¡¯s eyes. Federica was different from Kalosia. She showed a strong affection for her worshippers. Even if they did not follow her will, even if they betrayed her, she loved them like a parent. She was more humane than Kalosia, who had said it was inevitable for his followers to be destroyed if they did not follow his will. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°I wish you had shown me a little of that kindness. So, what is the reason you¡¯ve summoned me?¡± [¡­] Displeasure showed on Federica¡¯s face. It was like a beast that should have been trapped and starved to death, standing before the hunter who had set the trap. Ketal sneered. ¡°Did you think that if your ves pressured me, I would get angry and kill them?¡± Killing a deity¡¯s worshippers. That was a grave sin in this world. If Ketal had killed Liltara and her group in the Kingdom of Denian, his position would have been instantly destroyed. That was Federica¡¯s ploy. ¡°You¡¯re using rather shallow tricks. But unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not a barbarian. I¡¯m closer to being a rational person. More than anything, it¡¯s sad that you tried to use your worshippers as tools.¡± [That child would have willingly thrown herself for me. A monster like you has no right to speak of it.] Federica showed contempt. [I know about you. Ashen Barbarian. Descendants of those who willingly forsook the world. You who dare to betray us and stand on the other side.] ¡°Betrayal, huh.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. Federica¡¯s words carried many implications. [You taint the world. Though I tried to control it, it hase to this. Do you know how much beings like you pollute this world?] ¡°Not my concern.¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°What matters is that you interfered with my purpose. If you hadn¡¯t interfered, we could all have been happy. It¡¯s a shame.¡± [You must not step out into the world.] Federica spoke coldly. [The fact that you, who were cast out and banished in the distant past, dare to set foot in this world is an insult.] ¡°I have no intention of doing harm to you.¡± [Your opinion is irrelevant. Your very existence cannot be tolerated in this world.] For example. Imagine if something unknown, that had ughtered and massacred tens of thousands of lives, was barely driven out of this world. And then, one day, it suddenly reappears, iming it has repented, asking to be epted. Would you ept it? Or would you reject it and try to kill it? ¡°So that¡¯s your perception.¡± Ketal muttered with a bitter expression. It was an extremely harsh view. Ketal had nevermitted such crimes, but he was viewed this way just because he was a being from the Forbidden Land. ¡®What on earth did the beings of the Forbidden Land do in the past?¡¯ He suddenly became curious. Federica extended her hand. ck light began to gather there, forming the shape of a sword. [Others may be willing to tolerate you, but I am not. You should never have emerged. You should remain imprisoned for eternity.] ¡°I see.¡± The gods harbored various feelings toward Ketal. Kalosia had a favorable interest. The Spirit God was indifferent and distant. And Federica, she harbored hostility and rejection. ¡°I thought there might be a special reason, given that you are the God of Hunger, but that¡¯s not the case. It seems you truly love the earth and your worshippers.¡± In a way, she was a god who loved the earth more than Kalosia. She had summoned Ketal to this ce to eliminate the threat. It was quite unexpected for a god known as the God of Hunger. However, from Ketal''s perspective, Federica was worse. Ketal reached for his waist and grabbed the handle of his axe. ¡°Then our course of action is simple.¡± Each would achieve their goal through force. Ketal bared his teeth, revealing undisguised hostility and a readiness for battle. Federica also responded by raising her energy. The energies of the god and the barbarian shed violently, distorting the space around them. ¡°A-ah¡­¡± Liltara, who was sitting far away, suddenly regained her senses. She realized. Something that had never been seen in history, not even in mythology, was about to happen at their sacred ground. Ketal grinned as he tightened his grip on the axe. His opponent was a god. A great celestial being. There was no need to hold back, no reason to show mercy. From the very beginning, he would fight with all his strength. He stomped the ground. The earth crumbled beneath him. With his axe in hand, he charged at Federica. * * * He swung his axe. Within it was Ketal''s true intent. It was a force that even the ancient dragon Ignisia couldn¡¯t withstand bare-handed. But Federica did not retreat. She met his strike with her sword. The ck sword and the ck axe collided. BOOOOM! The air was violently disced. The half-destroyed buildings of the sacred ground were blown away as if struck by a storm. CRAAACK! The force made Federica take a step back. And Ketal also took a step back, his eyes widening. ¡°Oh?¡± Federica approached, dragging her sword across the ground. With a graceful movement, she swung it upwards. Ketal brought his axe down to meet it. THUUD! Another collision urred. The forces perfectly canceled each other out. Federica stepped back and spoke. [I reject you.] The will of the god descended upon Ketal. It attempted to erase Ketal¡¯s very existence from this world. Ketal tensed his entire body, resisting the divine will. ¡°Hmph!¡± But a gap opened. Federica didn¡¯t miss that opening. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] She slipped in and attempted to thrust her sword into Ketal¡¯s neck. Ketal shook his entire body, breaking free from the god¡¯s will. He twisted his body. The sword narrowly grazed past his neck. He spun around, using the momentum to swing his axe. Federica¡¯s body was pushed back three steps. Ketal immediately rushed in. He tightened his grip on the axe and brought it down with all his might. Each strike contained the power to topple mountains and split seas. Federica did not retreat before such power. She gracefully held her ck sword and swung it. CRAAASH! A thunderous roar erupted. Federica sessfully defended against every one of Ketal''s onughts. ¡®Is her strength simr to mine?¡¯ Ketal couldn''t help but be astonished. Federica did not retreat at all under his assault. This was remarkable because even the white serpent that connected heaven and earth couldn¡¯t withstand his power. But upon closer inspection, he realized that wasn¡¯t quite the case. At the moment when the axe collided with Federica¡¯s sword, the power contained in the axe noticeably diminished. It was likely that Federica''s authority was imbued within that sword. That fact astonished Ketal. ¡®So, if one is a god, they can interfere with my physical body.¡¯ Yet, rather than troubling him, Ketal found this exciting. He bared his teeth further and swung his axe again. CRAAASH! The impact reverberated. Federica parried the axe and was pushed back, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Ketal. Just as Ketal had noticed, Federica''s sword carried her divine authority. It was an authority that stripped away the value and meaning of anything it touched, leaving it in a state of deprivation. And that deprivation wasn¡¯t temporary; it was permanent. However, Ketal wasn¡¯t subject to a permanent loss of power. Although his strength could be temporarily taken, when they shed again, his power remained unchanged. It was as if her authority couldn¡¯t prate deep into his body. ¡®How strange.¡¯ And that was exceedingly strange. The fact that it could only temporarily take his power wasn¡¯t what was strange¡ªit was strange that it could take it at all. Federica had participated in the war against the most ancient beings, those now imprisoned within the Forbidden Land, back in a distant past. She knew that her authority was ineffective against those oldest beings. This was because her authority, the power of a god, was inherently at odds with those ancient beings. But with Ketal, it worked¡ªalbeit temporarily. That was what was so strange. BOOOOM! The battle continued. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Although Federica''s authority had a definite effect on Ketal, it was only temporary. His strength remained unchanged. No, rather, his momentum was only growing. [You should not exist in this world.] Federica dered, her authority imbued in her words. The force of the universe itself was within them. ¡°I said no!¡± But Ketal shook off the authority in an instant. He tightened his grip on the axe even more. Federica braced herself with her sword. CRAACK! With the sound of something breaking, Federica was pushed back. There was now a clear difference in strengthpared to before. Ketal swung his axe cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m getting the hang of this. This is fun.¡± [...] Federica, who had been pushed back, slowly stood up. She quietly stared at Ketal and murmured as if she understood. [I see.] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [You are different from the others in there.] Her ck eyes focused on Ketal. [Though you are a being from that ce, you possess power in the way of this world. No... it''s more urate to say you¡¯re close to what you desire. That¡¯s why my authority affects you. Because you¡¯re suppressing it yourself.] Federica frowned. [Because of that, you¡¯re incredibly weak.] Even in this mere avatar, which was not her true form, she could somewhat hold her own against him. [...Why is that?] There was doubt in Federica''s voice. [You, who are deprived¡ªwhy, despite being a being from there, a descendant of the traitor, do you desire this world?] ¡°Because it¡¯s what I want.¡± Ketal replied lightly. Federica fell silent. [...You are indeed different.] ¡°Have you understood? There¡¯s no need to exclude me.¡± [No. I¡¯m more certain now. You must be killed.] This barbarian must not be allowed to roam the world. He must be killed before he realized what he truly was. Before he became aware of that twisted desire. Federica held strong conviction. ¡°You don¡¯t listen, do you?¡± Ketal shrugged. ¡°So, how exactly do you n to kill me? It doesn¡¯t seem like you can.¡± Federica didn¡¯t deny it. As things stood, it was impossible. This wasn¡¯t her true form. At best, she was using a mortal body as an avatar. Considering her strength in this state, she was probably just slightly stronger than the ancient dragon Ignisia. She didn¡¯t possess the power to kill Ketal. At this rate, she would lose. And so, Federica made her decision. Even if it resulted in permanent loss, even if it meant twisting reality, she would kill Ketal. All for the sake of the world. Federica raised her sword toward the sky. The ck sword floated up and soared toward the heavens. [Open the way.] And the sky opened. The space tore apart, spreading wide like a rift. Stars were obscured, and clouds were driven away. [Reveal yourself. My world.] The hairs on Ketal¡¯s entire body stood on end. ¡®This is¡ª¡¯ The world itself was twisting. A gateway opened. A world of lofty grandeur appeared beyond the sky. A world filled with light emerged. Something that should not reveal itself in this world was showing itself. The aftermath of it shook the entire continent. ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal realized. High above, the heavens had opened. And beyond that, something immense could be seen. It was truly something as vast as the universe. Ketal instinctively understood. That was Federica¡¯s true form. It was something as colossal as the cosmos. The heavens and the god¡¯s true form were now revealed before him. A massive, ring gaze focused on Ketal. That alone began to distort the world. Intense hostility enveloped Ketal. [To kill you¡ª] Federica was about to dere with all her will but then hesitated, startled. [...What are you?] ¡°Ooh, ohhh¡­¡± Ketal let out a sigh of admiration. It was as if Federica''s hostility didn¡¯t matter at all. He looked up at her with genuine awe and reverence on his face. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 243: Federica (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 243: Federica. (2) [Hmmm.] The Tower Master stood on the roof of the Magic Tower, gazing into the distance. Beyond the horizon where he was lookingy Federica''s temple. "Are you still worried? If you''re that uneasy, instead of just sending your regrets, why don''t you go there yourself?" It was the Tower Master''s apprentice, Elian, who spoke. The Tower Master replied indifferently. [You know that''s impossible.] "Well...," Elian conceded. The Tower Master was currently in the Magic Tower. But that didn''t mean he was idly resting. While his true self was here, numerous dolls were scattered across the continent, acting on his behalf. If it weren''t for him, the chaos across the continent could have been twice as severe. "Then stop looking and forget about it. Didn''t you already judge that there wouldn''t be any problems? You''re not an old man worrying about his grandchildren left near the water, so what are you doing?" [You''re young and speak harshly. But¡­ you''re not wrong.] Ketal would be able to handle the situation, whether by fleeing or using force. Given his personality, the problem wouldn''t spread outside. Yet, something still felt off. The Tower Master''s instincts were warning him. He knew he couldn''t just sit back and watch. ''...Maybe I should go and check.'' Just as the Tower Master was about to make a decision¡ª The world trembled. A wave from beyond the horizon rippled across the entire world. It was the surge of a power so high and mighty. Most people wouldn''t even realize that such a wave had urred. Only those qualified to sense it, those who had reached a level where their will could intervene in the world, would recognize it. Only those called heroes. And that¡¯s why both the Tower Master and Elian were shocked. "Huh?" [Wait a minute. This is...] It was a wave that literally enveloped the entire world. It meant a passage to a higher-dimensional space had opened. "M-Master? This is..." [What madness.] The Tower Master cursed. It was the first time he uttered such a curse in decades. And it was with good reason. [A passage to the heavens has opened?] * * * "Aaaaaaah!" "Oooooh! Ooooooooh!" The believers, who had been driven out of the sacred grounds by Federica, wept as they bowed their heads. They couldn''t keep their sanity. The profound joy and reverence had broken their minds. They could only bow their heads and cry out Federica''s name. And that was indeed the correct response. Their brains would have been fried if they dared to look upon the great god''s appearance. "Ah, ah." Liltara¡¯s pupils were also shaking madly. The heavens had opened. The great Federica was directly gazing down upon the earth. That alone was enough to make the world submit. All beings bowed in worship to the great god. Even those who denied gods, even dark magicians, would feel a sense of awe and reverence. And the gaze of the god. Federica, the god of hunger. Everything touched by that gaze lost its value and became deste. Buildings decayed into dust. While their foundations remained, they became uninhabitable and unstable. Thend rotted, unable to sustain life for centuries, though just barely allowing a few seeds to grow. The same went for the air; only just enough breathable air remained to prevent death. Beneath this space¡ª Ketal was simply overwhelmed with emotion. "Ah, ah..." The heavens could be seen through the passage that had opened in the sky. It was the ce where the great god resided. And there, gazing down at him, was something like the universe itself. That was the god. Ketal had prayed every day on Earth to that god. He prayed every night for hours without stopping, asking to be taken to a fantasy world. And his prayer had been answered, albeit in a twisted form. Because of this, the god held great significance for Ketal. And now, he had seen the true form of the god. Tears of emotion streamed down his cheeks. Ketal spoke earnestly. "Thank you. Truly." And Federica realized as well. Ketal wasn¡¯t on guard against a powerful enemy but was merely overwhelmed with emotion at the presence of his true god. [...Broken.] Federica spoke with a voice full of contempt. [I shall erase you.] "If it¡¯s your request, I want to grant it... but that¡¯s something I cannot do." Ketal smiled. Federica had made up her mind. She would kill Ketal. The heavens obeyed her will. A massive pir of pitch-ck light descended upon Ketal. It was power incarnate, embodying the concept of hunger. It was too immense a force to be contained on this earth. Therefore, the moment it touched the ground, it rapidly deteriorated. But even so, it was the power of a god. Ketal raised his axe. "Hup!" Crack! The axe blocked the pir of light. Ketal''s body was driven deep into the earth, his knees almost buckling. "Hrrrrgh!" Ketal exerted all his strength in his arms. ng! The pir of pitch-ck light was deflected. Ketal, who had repelled the god''s attack, burst intoughter and shook the arm holding the axe. "Strong." His knees had nearly buckled. It had never happened to him before. It wasn¡¯t because the power contained in the pir was stronger than his own. The moment it touched his axe, it interfered with his body. As if exhausted from intense exercise, he suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. It was Federica''s power of hunger. ¡®At this level, she can definitely interfere with my body.¡¯ A power iparable to that of ancient dragons, demons, or anyone else. And even this was a deteriorated form of it. This was a god. [Die.] Federica spoke calmly. Following her will, pirs of pitch-ck light fell in session. Ketal moved his body to evade them. But he couldn¡¯t dodge all the descending lights. In the end, Ketal raised his axe to block and deflect them. Crack! And each time, Ketal''s body was eroded by Federica''s power. The strength in his body was gradually being worn down. He wanted to counterattack, but Federica was attacking from the heavens. Since she was attacking from beyond the sky, there was no way for him to retaliate. He was being toyed with one-sidedly. It was his first true crisis since emerging into the outside world. It was also a very unpleasant situation. But. [...You''re smiling.] Federica murmured. Ketal was genuinely smiling, as if he was truly enjoying himself. "Hahahaha. This is great. Absolutely great." The threat of death meant nothing to him. Even during the final quest to escape the white snowfield, he had almost died more than a dozen times. But what truly terrified him wasn¡¯t death. It was the thought that if he failed, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go out into the world. That he wouldn¡¯t be able to step into a fantasy world. That was the only thing that frightened him. Now, he was in a fantasy world. And no less than a great god was personally trying to kill him. Why should this be unpleasant? He should be rejoicing in such a special experience.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om And then¡ª ¡®With this power level, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen this before.¡¯ Federica, displeased by his smile, expressed her dissatisfaction. [You seem to be enjoying yourself. Then remain buried while still enjoying it.] Vroom! Federica gathered her power. She was about to unleash a light even stronger than before. ''Now then.'' What should he do? Ketal thought. While the situation was enjoyable, it wasn¡¯t exactly favorable. Federica¡¯s power was slowly eating away at his body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The rate of consumption was outpacing his recovery. Since she was high up in the sky, it was difficult tounch a proper counterattack. But that didn¡¯t mean the situation was entirely against him. Ketal looked up at the heavens. The gate to the heavens was rapidly copsing. Federica¡¯s power was forcibly holding it together, but the copse elerated. Opening the gate itself must have been an enormous strain. From Federica''s perspective, she had to kill Ketal before the heavenly passage copsed. It was a battle to see if he could hold out. Focusing on defense until the gate closed would have been the best choice. But Ketal had no intention of doing that. The reason was simple. ¡®That¡¯s no fun.¡¯ Although enduring the attacks of a god was enjoyable, simply enduring and letting it end like that wasn¡¯t his style. ¡®I want tond at least one hit.¡¯ What should he do? Various methods came to mind. He could use the same method he used to escape the white snowfield. As Ketal pondered, the beast roared. Grrrr¡­ The beast, called Mystery, slumbered within him. It had been trying to break free ever since he started fighting Federica. It responded to the hostility and power, trying to rise. Mystery growled, displeased. It seemed as if the mere fact that Federica was attacking Ketal was uneptable. The beast, usually indifferent even to its master, now seemed ready to bare its fangs against this external enemy. If Ketal allowed it, the beast would immediately leap out. ¡®No.¡¯ Ketal suppressed the beast. It wasn¡¯t it¡¯s turn yet. It would get it¡¯s chanceter. The beast growled in dissatisfaction but lowered its head quietly. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal made up his mind. Keep it simple. He checked the condition of his body. Although his body was fatigued due to Federica¡¯s power, he had recovered quite a bit. This should be enough. Ketal gripped his axe tightly. Crunch. His arm swelled. Veins popped, and his muscles bulged as if they were about to burst through his skin. Beyond sincerity, with full power. Whoooom. Just exerting strength made the space around him appear distorted. For a moment, Federica felt threatened by the power gathering in Ketal¡¯s arm. Dangerous. Federica quickly gathered her power. [Hunger shall be established upon the world.] Federica¡¯s power manifested. A pir of pitch-ck light struck down toward Ketal. It was stronger than any power Federica had wielded before. The mighty power had erased the value of countless demons in the past. With this strength, she could prate even the core of a if she willed it. And against such immense power, Ketal responded very simply. ¡°Hup!¡± Gripping the axe with the arm he had powered up, he threw it. The axe, thrown with all his might, collided with the descending pir of pitch-ck light. And the pir shattered. Crash! The god¡¯s power shattered like ss. The axe, having smashed the descending pir, surged upward. It hurtled toward the lofty heavens. [¡­¡­!] Federica activated her defense. The axe shed with her barrier. Whoooom! The impact reverberated through the sky. Clouds were scattered, and trees around the holynd fell in droves. Worshippers who had been praying screamed as they were thrown into the air. The axe slowly fell from the sky. Ketal caught it with his other hand. He looked at his arm. The arm he had used to throw the axe had its muscles twisted and veins burst. His body couldn¡¯t withstand the power, and it had been damaged. But Ketal looked satisfied. ¡°Still intact.¡± This was a very favorable condition. His injuries were healing rapidly. ¡°Perfect control of my strength, even after all this time.¡± Satisfied with himself, Ketal looked up at the sky. ¡°Whew.¡± And he whistled. The ce where the great god resided. The heavens had a crack. There was a hole in the barrier Federica had erected. Crack. A small blemish on Federica¡¯s true form was visible through that hole. It was a blemish so small that it could hardly even be called a fragment, given Federica¡¯s enormous size. But it was undoubtedly a wound. Crack. The shattered fragment fell toward the earth. It was a piece of Federica. Ketal grasped the fragment. ¡°A piece of a god, huh. I¡¯ll dly take it.¡± [You¡­¡­.] Crackle. The words didn¡¯t continue. The passage to the heavens forcibly closed. Already unstable, it had reached its limit after taking in more power than it could handle. Ketal turned his gaze toward Federica¡¯s saint. ¡°You¡¯re still there, it seems. But it looks like you¡¯re at your limit as well.¡± The presence of Federica, who had descended into the saint¡¯s body, was gradually fading. She was no longer permitted to remain on the earth. ¡°It was a lot of fun. I thank you for that.¡± [¡­¡­.To be in such a state of deficiency, and yet still¡­ how in the world¡­?] Federica groaned. [You¡­¡­ should not exist on this earth¡­¡­ The defeated are meant to be confined to the prison of eternity¡­¡­] ¡°I don¡¯t know about the past. But the one defeated now is you. And for what it¡¯s worth, I truly love this world. So don¡¯t worry, nothing like what you¡¯re concerned about will happen.¡± Ketal raised his fist. ¡°So, stop interfering and get lost.¡± He swung it at the saint. The force swept away the Federica who had descended into the saint. Crash! The saint¡¯s body copsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ketal stretched as if feeling refreshed. In his hand were the axe and the fragment of the god. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 244: The Blooming Flower of Evil (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 244: The Blooming Flower of Evil (1) The gates of Heaven had closed. Federica was also cast out from this world. After the battle ended and things quieted down, the believers cautiously returned to the sacred ground. But what they found was a ruin. The sacred ground had be a wastnd, so decayed that nothing could grow except for a handful of seeds. And that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. There was a much bigger problem. The believers screamed. "Aah, aaah!" "Lady Federica! Please look down upon us!" "Don¡¯t abandon us!" The ce where they stayed was Federica¡¯s sacred ground. True to its name, divine energy enveloped the entirend. But now, that energy could no longer be felt. The ever-present gaze of their god had vanished. The sacred ground was no longer sacred. When the believers realized this, they despaired. But the problem didn¡¯t end there. "Oh, Federica! Federica!" The believers desperately prayed. Normally, their prayers would grant them divine power befitting their devotion. But now, no matter how much they prayed, no matter how much they cried out Federica¡¯s name, nothing happened. They had lost their divinity. "Federica! Have you forsaken us?" The believers cried out in madness. The elders were no different. Those who once wielded first-rate power had lost all their divine energy overnight. They knelt in stunned disbelief. "Savior!" "Please! Please guide us!" They desperately tried to awaken Federica¡¯s chosen one. But the chosen oney there, eyes rolled back, drooling. Completely out of his mind. Federica had once descended to this world using his body. They couldn''t endure it unless one had reached the level of a hero. His body and mind had been overloaded, unable to withstand the strain. The gaze of the god could no longer be felt. They could no longer wield divine power. Even the chosen one, the only god connection was broken. The believers were in a frenzy. The only ones maintaining theirposure were Ketal and Liltara. Just the two of them. "It¡¯s total chaos," Ketal said as he watched the believers from the roof of the church. Wails and screams echoed all around. Liltara stood behind him, her eyes trembling as she looked at him. "...What exactly happened?" "It¡¯s nothing much. She tried to kill me, and I resisted," Ketal exined casually. That Federica had opened a gateway to try and kill him. And that he had blocked the attack and driven Federica out of this world. Liltara groaned as she listened to the exnation. "Did... Federica lose to you?" "It¡¯s hard to say it like that." He and Federica hadn¡¯t really fought. Federica had opened a direct gateway to attack him. The power that could even interfere with Ketal¡¯s body was certainly a formidable force. But Ketal hadn¡¯t just stood there and taken it. Ultimately, he had thrown his axe at Federica with all his might. He shattered that power, sent it flying to the highest heavens, and broke through Federica¡¯s defenses. He left a scar on Federica¡¯s true form. N?v(el)B\\jnn Part of that was now with Ketal. Since they hadn¡¯t fought with everything on the line, it was hard to say who won. "But in a sense, yes, Federica did lose." Her goal was to kill Ketal. But Ketal was still very much alive. Ketal had achieved his goal, but Federica had not. In that sense, it was Ketal¡¯s victory. "Haha, hahahaha..." Liltara let out a hollowugh. A god had been defeated. A great, absolute god. An omnipotent being. Now, that absoluteness had been marred. She felt dizzy, barely able to stand. She bit her lip hard. "...Is that why we lost our divinity?" "It seems Federica overexerted herself. Has there ever been a case where a god appeared in person like that?" "No. Not since the War of Gods and Demons." "As I thought." The demons had said, "This world is no longer yours." It meant that even the gods couldn¡¯t easily intervene in this world. Federica had overreached in her attempt to kill Ketal. "That¡¯s probably why she won¡¯t be able to intervene for a while. But it won¡¯t be permanent. She¡¯ll return someday." No one knew when that would be. Perhaps not until after they were dead. Liltara groaned. "A, aaaah..." The faith she had nurtured her entire life. Everything she had learned at the holy ce. The absolute power and value of Federica. All of it was shattered. Ketal asked, "Do you resent me?" "...It would be a lie to say I don''t." Ketal had ruined everything for her. "But... in the end, it was I who summoned you." Ketal had clearly refused, saying he had other things to do and would followter. It was Liltara who forcibly brought him along. She had essentially been the one who destroyed the holy ce. "Ahhhh..." Liltara realized. This was the punishment bestowed upon her. She deeply regretted it and repented. Ketal smiled faintly. "I wouldn''t exactly call it an opportunity, but I have a proposal for you." "A proposal...?" "I won''t tell anyone about this. There''s no reason to, anyway. You''re the only one who knows exactly what happened between me and Federica." "...!" Liltara''s eyes widened. Their leader, the Saint, was now in a vegetative state. And she was the only one who knew the truth. Ketal added one more drop of poison. "If you directly ask me to step down, I will leave your church without a word." "..." She could drive out the monster that had destroyed the holy ce with just her words. What would the believers think of her then? She would gain absolute influence. "Of course, it won''t be easy. There will be those who doubt your rtionship with me. You''ll face all sorts of attacks. But if you ovee all that, you''ll earn the right." She would earn the right to lead this broken and crumbling church. She could be the next leader of the church. And if that happened, she could correct the church''s misguided teachings with her own hands. Liltara covered her face with her hands. "You are... truly cruel..." "So, what will you do?" Ketal smiled faintly, as if he didn''t care about her choice. "..." Liltara closed her mouth and lowered her head. Faith. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Belief. Knowledge. And the absoluteness of the divine. All of it had been shattered. But even so, she was still a believer in Federica. Her eyes darkened. She spoke to Ketal with a determined expression. Ketal looked satisfied with her answer. * * * "Heh." Ketal looked at the fragment in his hand. A luminous fragment, something that seemed otherworldly. And it was. This was a part of Federica''s true form. "A part of a god, huh." His voice was filled with excitement. ''How can I use this?'' Honestly, he had been quite annoyed at first. He was ready to deal with the mysteries he had longed for, but a believer of the god kept getting in his way. He hade here to destroy out of frustration, but the process and oue were immensely satisfying. Ketal looked up at the lofty sky. "I don''t know if you''re still listening, but let me tell you. Thank you. I mean it." Ketal smiled faintly. He wasn''t lying. Federica had genuinely tried to kill Ketal. She had judged him as an enemy and used all her power to erase him. But Ketal had never once thought of killing Federica. There was a vast difference in their intentions. "But if you keep getting in my way... then I''ll have no choice but to kill you too." Ketal muttered without expression. His desire was a journey through fantasy. If anyone, even a fantasy being, continued to hinder him, they would be his enemy. And that didn''t only apply to Federica. But that emotion was fleeting. Ketal once again examined the fragment of the god with a joyful expression. * * * For Ketal, this incident had started unpleasantly but ended as an enjoyable experience. To him, there was no more to it than that. But from the world''s perspective, it wasn''t over. The gateway to the heavens had opened. The great god personally looked down upon this earth. The ripple effects from that event swept across the entire continent. However, most people felt nothing. It was simply too vast of an event toprehend¡ªlike how people on Earth wouldn''t know if a exploded somewhere in the universe. But those who were qualified surely felt it. Those who had reached the level of projecting their will upon the world, the heroes of the world, unmistakably realized what had happened. [My word...] "What kind of... thing is this..." The master of the great magic tower and his apprentice were astonished. "Wait a moment. Surely, no, right?" The Queen of the High Elves doubted her own senses and denied the possibility. "Oh... this is... really unexpected..." The saintess of the Sun God tried to remainposed, but her trembling hand betrayed her as she held her teacup. "What exactly happened?" The King of all Barbarians, ruler of the North, groaned. And the Emperor of the Empire was perplexed. All the heroes of the continent realized it. But it wasn¡¯t just those on the earth who understood. The beings of the heavens also realized it. And the beings of hell. The demons became aware of it too. * * * ¡°What could this be?¡± A castle located at the very edge of hell. In one of its chambers, four demons gathered. A voluptuous woman in a luxurious dress. A non-human demon made up of various devices. A demon with extremely dry, pale skin, wearing a long sword at his waist. And an amorphous, writhing entity. They sat at a long table, but curiously, the head seat remained empty, as if the master of the table had not yet arrived. The demon in the form of a woman spoke first. "You all felt it, right?" "...It would be impossible not to." The dry demon spoke slowly, his voice as thin as his appearance. "Federica opened the gate to the heavens." [Was it to fight against the demons?] "No. None of our kind moved." The woman shook her head. The demon made of devices clicked the mechanisms thatposed its body. [A god descended to earth and attacked someone. It was an attempt to kill.] [And it failed.] The god did not achieve its goal and was driven away from the earth. [Federica will not be able to intervene in the mortal world for decades.] "Serves her right. But in a way, it''s disappointing. I wanted to tear her apart myself." The demon in the form of a woman spoke as if it were entirely possible for her to kill Federica, a great god. The amorphous being murmured. [So if it wasn''t demons, then who was Federica fighting against?] "Wasn¡¯t it the barbarians? Recently, the underlings have been making quite a fuss." The dry demon tilted his head in confusion. "Barbarians?" "Don¡¯t you know? Stop focusing solely on your sword and pay attention to the world. They''re quite the hot topic in hell these days." "I don¡¯t have that luxury. I haven¡¯t reached it yet." "You¡¯re so tedious." The woman grumbled. The amorphous entity spoke. [Since we''re gathered here for information exchange, we might as well start discussing it now.] "How long has it been since the four of us gathered?" [It feels like thousands of years.] "It doesn¡¯t feel that long? It¡¯s probably been over ten thousand years." Unlike humans, who serve many gods, demons serve only one. The Demon King. He was the absolute ruler of hell. All demons worshipped, believed in, and followed him. But the Demon King was not the ruler of hell. He was the king of all demonic beings¡ªa muchrger concept. He was, in fact, closer to a transcendent idea. There were other rulers of hell. Those demons closest to the Demon King. The Lords of Hell. [Then let us begin the meeting.] The amorphous entity said. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 245: Blooming Flower of Evil (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 245: Blooming Flower of Evil (2) A demon in the form of a woman speaks. "Our ves are working hard on the surface." By ves, she meant ck magicians. They invaded various ces on the surface ording to the demons'' will. "There are some issues, but overall, it''s not bad. We''re losing some, but replenishing them as well. The n is still on track. How about you?" The woman asked the device, "Is the sacrifice for the Demon King being prepared well?" [We¡¯re diligently procuring it. Stillcking some, but we¡¯re slowly gathering them. Not bad.] "Hmm, good." The woman smiled with satisfaction. This time, she asked the bizarre one, "And how about you?" [I''m corrupting believers and nobles. I''ve sessfully manipted them to cause internal strife in two kingdoms and a religious church.] "Couldn''t you topple thempletely?" [It''s not easy. Even though the gods'' revtions are unstable, they intervene just enough to make it challenging. On top of that, the Tower Master is interfering.] "The one who gave up on humanity?" The Tower Master had lived for a very long time, to the point where even the lords of Hell were aware of him. [Yes, he''s intervening before chaos can be maximized. I could''ve destroyed three kingdoms and four religious churches by now without him.] "Annoying." The woman narrowed her eyes. "Shouldn''t we kill him first?" [It''s not easy. He''s strong.] The Tower Master''s power was formidable. Even the demons couldn''t take him lightly, as he had defeated even ancient dragons. [The world''s fissures aren''t deep enough yet to send down the power required to kill him.] "Annoying." [But it''s not a big problem. No matter how strong he is, he can''t stop everything.] "Well, I understand your situation. Now then..." The woman looked at the emaciated demon. The emaciated demon spokezily, "I don''t know about such things." He fiddled with his sword hilt. "I just hone my skills." "Boring guy." The woman clicked her tongue. "Are you just going to sit there and waste time? At least share your thoughts." After a moment of contemtion, the emaciated man spoke, "...Who is this Barbarian?" "This seems like something you should know better than me." The woman turned her head to look at the bizarre one. They didn''t know everything about the surface. The bizarre one was the one gathering and organizing all the information about the surface. The bizarre one replied, [There is a Barbarian on the surface. His name is Ketal.] "Is he interfering with us?" [Very much so. More than anyone else.] "Hmm." A look of interest appeared on the emaciated man''s face. "What kind of interference has he done?" The bizarre one began to exin. They first became aware of Ketal in the Balkan territory. There, Ashetiar had quietly descended. ording to the original n, Ashetiar would have devoured the vige and then the territory. Expanding the domain and eventually taking over the kingdom. It would have brought great chaos to the continent. It would have been proof that the demons had manifested in the world and a warning to the continent. Even the Aquaz, who came following the god''s revtion, was defeated, so the n should have gone smoothly. But Ketal was there. He ruined their first step. They tried to brand his body, but even that failed. [The next was the Kingdom of Denian.] They tried to capture the High Elf, Arkamis, and drag her to Hell. But they failed due to Ketal''s interference. The woman muttered as if hearing it for the first time, "Oh, that was because of him?" [We still haven''t captured the High Elf. If this continues, we might have to use a different sacrifice.] The device spoke as if troubled. The bizarre one continued, [And then there was the Holy Land of Kalosia.] "What, was that also because of him?" The n was to devour the Holy Land, erase the influence of the gods from the surface, and turn it into a sanctuary of evil. It would be the demons'' forward base for invading the surface. It was an attack that even the demons had carefully prepared. They were on the verge of sess. But Ketal was there. He ruined their n. [And then there was the Elven Holy Land.] They had to obtain a branch of the World Tree from there. Luckily, they seeded, but if things had gone slightly wrong, they would have failed. The story ended. The woman had a look of disbelief. "...So when you summarize it, he''s the most annoying being on the surface?" A single human had interfered with their ns four times. He was even more troublesome than the Tower Master, making them wonder. "Why weren''t there any revtions about such a being?" Revtions weren''t exclusive to gods. Demons had them as well¡ªrevtions from the Demon King. The demons were acting ording to those revtions. Since the barbarian was causing significant disruption, there should have been something about Ketal as well. The bizarre one answered that question. [Because he is a being of the Forbidden Lands.] "...The Forbidden Lands?" "Hmm?" [The Forbidden Lands?] The other three demons reacted to that word. The bizarre one continued, [It was confirmed by thest demons who descended. He is definitely a being of the Forbidden Lands.] "Didn''t those demons lose their minds?" The three highest-ranking demons who attacked the Elven Holy Land had their minds shattered by Karin. They were no longer capable of normal conversation. The bizarre one answered simply, [I forcibly extracted the information.] "Then they''re dead, right?" [Yes.] Those highest-level demons of superhuman ss had perished like that. Yet, none of the four showed any reaction. The woman asked, "So, is he truly a being of the Forbidden Lands?" [Without a doubt.] "Haha... Well, isn''t the barbarian''s form one of the traitors?" [Probably.] The woman leaned back in her chair. They were aware that beings of the Forbidden Lands were being released. But it was still unsettling. "Then why is he siding with the surface? Weren''t those things enemies of all creation?" [That part, I don¡¯t know. Whether he was enamored by the surface or values connections... it''s irritating.] "Valuing connections? Something that ancient?" The woman made a puzzled expression as if hearing something absurd. "That doesn''t seem fitting. So, is he on the side of the gods?" [No, I don''t think so. You all know that Federica failed to open the Heavenly Gate, right?] "That just happened, of course, we know." [I''ve received information that the barbarian headed there.] "...Are you saying that Federica failed to open the Heavenly Gate because of that barbarian?" [It''s possible.] "...How strong is he?" If the gods directly attacked, they would have to respond seriously. He couldn''t be underestimated if he withstood and won against such an attack. [It''s uncertain. We don''t even know what happened inside.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The issue was that even the demons had no information about the White Snowfield. [In my memory, there is nothing about this barbarian. He must have been born inside that ce. We don''t know what he aplished or how he escaped. The breaking of the Forbidden Lands''s seal was something we didn¡¯t anticipate.] "So, the one thing we know is that he''s strong enough." [If he survived opening the Heavenly Gate and wasn''t killed, then he must be that strong. But...] "But?" [He has a w.] The bizarre one muttered. [He couldn''t destroy demons. He couldn''t even banish them.] "...Hmm?" The emaciated man''s eyes widened. That was very strange. "Something that powerful and ancient can''t destroy us?" [Whether he didn''t or couldn''t, I don¡¯t know, but he couldn''t interfere with the demon''s body. In the end, the Elven Queen finished the job.] "That''s intriguing." The woman muttered with a curious expression. "So, if he fought against the gods, he¡¯s not on their side? Then why is he wandering the surface?" [I don¡¯t know. It''s something beyond understanding. When he fought us, it wasn¡¯t out of hostility. It seemed more out of curiosity.] "Fought us out of mere curiosity? What kind of nonsense is that?" The woman chuckled. The emaciated demon, who had been quiet, spoke up. "Then, can we bring him over to our side?" Could they turn the powerful barbarian to the demon''s side? Judging from the story, it wasn''t impossible. Though he fought them, he wasn''t hostile, and he also fought against the gods. The bizarre one remained silent. [...I¡¯m not sure. It seems possible, but the risk is high. We don''t know what he desires.] "...Hmm." A strong interest appeared on the woman''s face. A being of the Forbidden Lands who couldmunicate and interact. Someone powerful enough to stand against the gods. ''If I bear his seed, what kind of powerful and extraordinary offspring could I produce?'' The woman''s eyes gleamed dangerously. Noticing her thoughts, the bizarre one intervened. [I know what you''re thinking, but it''s still an unassessed risk. I understand it''s your innate desire, but I hope you can restrain yourself for now.] "I know, I know. The important thing is the descent of the Demon King, right? I''ll hold back until then." The woman smiled and quickly changed the subject, as if to hide her true intentions. "So, what''s the current situation?" [Not bad. The rift is widening. We''re progressing on a n to devour the surface, and it''s going smoothly.] They had previously failed to consume the holy sanctuary of Kalosia due to Ketal''s interference. But this time, they seeded. [We''ve devoured a god''s holy sanctuary. Soon, it will blossom.] "That''s good news." The conversation started to wrap up. The woman stood up from her seat. "Then let''s disperse for now. Everyone, go attend to your tasks." The woman spun around with a strange smile on her face, licking her lips with her tongue. * * * While ominous ns were unfolding in hell, the target of those ns, Ketal,y idly on the ruins. "Ah..." ''I''m bored.'' No, actually, he wasn''t bored. The very fact that he was in a fantasy world right now was delightful. But after meeting and directly battling a god, everything now felt mundane. ''No, that''s not right.'' He shook his head. He had longed to be in a fantasy world, and now he wasining of boredom? What a spoiled thought. Ketal organized his thoughts. ''It''s time I start handling mysteries.'' It wasn''t just about curiosity anymore. He genuinely felt the need. ''If I reach the level of an ancient dragon or a god, they could interfere with my body.'' Their powers had directly influenced Ketal''s physical form. If a hero-ss being could interfere with his body, it meant that his body alone couldn''t withstand everything anymore. But if he could wield mysteries, things would change. With mysteries, he could prevent their interference. ''Maybe it''s time to return to the Kingdom of Denian.'' As Ketal was getting up, Liltara approached him. "Ketal, you''re still here." Liltara''s expression became curious as she observed him. "...Your arm, it''s fully healed." When she returned to the holy sanctuary, Ketal''s arm had been damaged¡ªburst veins and torn muscles. It was an injury that would require over a month of rest. But within a day, Ketal''s arm was perfectly fine. Ketal answered casually, "My healing speed is fast." N?v(el)B\\jnn "...I see." Though it was beyond mere fast healing, Liltara didn''t press the issue. Common sense didn¡¯t apply to someone who had defeated a god. "Did youe to tell me to leave? Don''t worry, I''ll be gone by today." Liltara had publicly asked Ketal to leave in front of the believers. Ketal had readily agreed. He needed to leave anyway to keep his promise. But Liltara shook her head. "There''s no need for you to leave immediately. Someone hase to see you." "Hmm? Me? Why?" "Probably to help you." Ketal had been trapped in Federica''s holy sanctuary. And words of regret had spread from all sides to support him. More than just sending words, someone hade directly to help. Ketal muttered as if he understood, "They''re toote." "...Yes. It''s meaningless now." Liltara smiled wryly. Everything had already ended. The person who came to help Ketal would only find the devastated remains of the god''s holy sanctuary. "They said they''d arrive today. You should meet with them. But if you don''t want to, you''re free to leave. I have no power to force you." "Well, it''s not a big deal. Who is it?" Liltara answered, "The Mercenary King, Bloodedge." "Oh?" Hearing a familiar name, Ketal smiled with interest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 246: The Blooming Flower of Evil (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 246: The Blooming Flower of Evil (3). "Is it about time?" The Mercenary King took a deep breath. He was now heading towards the Federica Church. Even though it was quite a distance from the Mercenary Guild, he had moved himself personally. Because it was such a sudden journey, he didn¡¯t have a single subordinate with him. The reason he was suddenly heading towards the Federica Church was simple. He had heard that Federica had given a revtion to Ketal and dragged him to the church, and he wanted to help him. The Mercenary King had survived thanks to Ketal. If it weren''t for him, he would have died at the hands of the dragon. He was moving to repay that favor. ''Something is wrong. Him, a criminal of the revtion?'' Ketal was a strong man among heroes. He had toyed with a mighty dragon. Although he didn¡¯t know the details since he had fainted afterward, it seemed he had also dealt with a monstrous woman without any issues. He was someone who possessed awe-inspiring power, even across the entire continent. And yet, such a person was now considered a criminal of the revtion? Something had gone terribly wrong. Although he had already expressed his regrets, he judged it wasn''t enough, so he headed directly to the holy sanctuary of Federica to plead for leniency on Ketal¡¯s behalf. ''Since the revtion came directly from God, it¡¯s likely it won¡¯t work...'' He couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Ketal die. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only reason. There was another reason as well. But the primary reason was still to save Ketal. He moved swiftly. Being at the pinnacle of superhuman strength, the background rapidly passed by in a blur. ''Hopefully, it hasn''t ended already.'' He hade running as soon as he heard the news, but a considerable amount of time had already passed. The Mercenary King felt uneasy. Now, just over this hill, he would be able to see the holy sanctuary of Federica. The Mercenary King crossed the hill. "...Huh?" And then he froze. A look of shock quickly spread across the Mercenary King¡¯s face as he gazed at the holy sanctuary. His expression suggested he had seen something impossible. "W-what?" * * * "Oh! Bloodedge!" Upon arriving at Federica''s holy sanctuary, Ketal greeted him. "We meet again! How have you been?" "Y-yeah." "What brings you here?" "...I heard that you were dragged here as a criminal of the revtion, so I came to help." "Oh!" Ketal''s eyes sparkled. "You came all this way just for me! Thank you so much!" Ketal tapped the Mercenary King on the shoulder with a bright smile. Toe all this way to help someone he had only met once¡ªthat¡¯s what you call the romance of fantasy! He was genuinely happy. And the Mercenary King, once again, felt bewildered by Ketal¡¯s warm reception. Ketal had beenbeled a criminal by Federica¡¯s direct revtion. He had been forcibly brought to the holy sanctuary. And yet, he was moving about confidently. No, that wasn¡¯t the important part. "W-what on earth happened here?" The Mercenary King groaned as he looked around the holy sanctuary. The holy sanctuary waspletely destroyed. The outer walls had entirely copsed, and not a single building inside was intact. It looked more like a ruin than anything else. It wasn¡¯t just the buildings that were damaged. The verynd itself had rotted away. It would take decades for it to recover its vitality. And there was one more significant problem. As the Mercenary King, he had been invited to divine holy sanctuaries several times. Each time, he felt a gaze looking down from the lofty heavens and sensed the grace that enveloped the entire holy sanctuary. It was an otherworldly sensation, far removed from intelligence. But here, he felt nothing. It just seemed like an ordinary ce on the ground. "...Is this really a holy sanctuary? What on earth happened...?" "Something happened." "A ''something''?" And then the Mercenary King noticed something. Federica''s followers were ncing at them. The emotions in their gazes were quite peculiar. They were fearful, resentful, full of hatred, and yet fearful again. At the very least, they weren¡¯t looking at him as a criminal of the revtion. Liltara spoke quietly. ¡°We can¡¯t talk here. Let me guide you.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Liltara guided them to a small building. It was a makeshift house, hastily built and closer to a shantytown. But it was the only building in the area with a roof. The Mercenary King, still looking bewildered, entered the building. "Was this ce always this ruined because it''s the holy sanctuary of the God of Hunger?" The Mercenary King had such thoughts. Ketal burst intoughter and denied it. "No, that''s not the case." "I see..." "So, what happened afterward? Did the traveling merchant give youpensation?" "I received it without any issues." "That''s good to hear. I wanted to talk with you all, but the traveling merchant immediately sent me off, which was unfortunate." "...Did you fight that woman?" "I did." Ketal nodded. "She was the ancient dragon, Ignisia." "...An ancient dragon." The Mercenary King groaned. However, he wasn''t particrly shocked or surprised. He seemed to have had some idea of what had happened. She had hidden her identity, disguised her appearance, and put them to sleep with a single word. There was no other being he could think of besides an ancient dragon. ''Then...'' This barbarian had fought an ancient dragon. And he hadn¡¯t lost. The Mercenary King looked at Ketal with awe. ''No, wait.'' That wasn''t the most important thing right now. What mattered was the current situation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What on earth... happened here?" The Mercenary King finally asked the question he had been holding back. Ketal began to exin lightly. And when all the exnations were over... The Mercenary King stood there, dumbfounded, his mouth agape. "N-no. Is that... really true?" "I have no reason to lie to you." "No."N?v(el)B\\jnn The Mercenary King clutched his head. It was too much for him to process. His voice trembled as he asked again. "So, you''re saying... Federica herself appeared to kill you, but not only did you block her attack, you even counterattacked...?" "Yes." Ketal nodded. "It seems I pushed myself quite a bit. Because of that, I no longer feel her gaze. I suppose it will take a considerable amount of time before she can intervene in the mortal realm again." "N-no." The Mercenary King''s expression was one of utter disbelief. He couldn''t ept it. He couldn''t understand it. And it was no wonder. Ketal was saying that he had fought and defeated a god. Not just an avatar, but the true form of the god who had opened the gates of the heavens. "..." For a moment, the Mercenary King''s head spun. The magnitude of what he had just heard made him dizzy. Seeing this reaction, Ketal thought to himself, ''It was the right decision not to show him the fragment of the god.'' There was no need to reveal it, so he hadn''t mentioned it. In hindsight, it was a good decision. If he had told the Mercenary King that he had a piece of the god, the man might have fainted on the spot. After being dazed for a long time, the Mercenary King suddenly returned to reality. "Ketal. You must not tell anyone about this." ''This must be kept hidden.'' An ordinary human had fought a god and won. If this fact were to spread, every church would try to kill Ketal. It would be seen as sphemy, tarnishing the absolute authority of the gods. No matter the cost, they would do everything in their power to erase Ketal from the continent. One thing that relieved some was that Federica''s followers would likely keep this disgraceful event to themselves and not share it with outsiders. In other words, as long as he and Ketal kept quiet, there would be no problems. The Mercenary King earnestly pleaded with Ketal, who nodded without much resistance. "I don''t have a habit of boasting, anyway." The Mercenary King let out a sigh of relief. "So, does that mean they can''t use divine power anymore?" "That seems to be the case." "..." It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that the entire church had been destroyed. ording to Ketal, the divine power might return after some time, but uncertain when that would be. "I can''t believe what''s happened. The demons must be celebrating." The great god could no longer intervene in the mortal world. From the demons'' perspective, it was an event worth celebrating with open arms. But Ketal felt nothing about it. "If they didn''t want this, they shouldn''t have messed with me." "...I see." The Mercenary King swallowed hard. He quickly cleared his mind, as if trying to avoid thinking about it any further. "At least you''re safe. That''s a relief." "Yes. Thank you foring all this way to help me." The biggest problem had already resolved itself. The Mercenary King chuckled in disbelief. "The problem may be solved, but... now we''ll have to find another ce. I never imagined they would lose their divine power. What on earth is happening?" Ketal picked up on the strangement and asked, "Did you have another reason foring here?" "I did." Aside froming to rescue Ketal, he had also intended to seek the cooperation of the church members. He spoke, "A demon has devoured another holy sanctuary." "Oh?" Ketal''s interest was piqued. "What exactly happened?" The Mercenary King exined. A demon had descended near the holy sanctuary of a god without any prior warning. It attacked the sanctuary, consuming everything and devouring it all. The demon took over the holy sanctuary, turning it into its own domain. Preparations to deal with this situation needed to be made. Ketal stroked his chin as if he understood. "It sounds simr to what happened when they attacked the holy sanctuary of Kalosia." The difference was that, during the Kalosia incident, Ketal''s presence had led to the demon''s defeat, but this time, it seemed the demon had seeded. It had managed to transform a holy sanctuary into its own territory. "I intended to seek their help regarding the demons... but now it seems impossible." "Hmm." Ketal''s face showed growing interest. ''I want to go.'' A demon that had sessfully consumed a holy sanctuary. He was curious to see what it looked like. His curiosity was piqued. However, there was something more important that he needed to deal with right now. He wanted to explore the mysteries. He didn''t want to dy it any longer. ''No, wait.'' Ketal looked at the Mercenary King. Standing before him was a top-tier superhuman, someone who understood the mysteries better than anyone else. Ketal asked, "Do you have any information on the demon?" "We don''t know much about it. The demon destroyed the holy sanctuary overnight. There were no survivors. We''ll have to investigate directly." "...I see." Ketal''s face showed even more interest. "I see. Are you going alone?" "No. It''s a big matter, so several people will be gathering. Other followers of different gods will likely join as well." The Mercenary King exined, "The elder of the Earth Mother will being. Some mercenaries will likely join too. An extraordinary magician from the Tower of Magic will also be there. I arrivedte because I came here to help you. Most of them should have already arrived." "Hmm, I see." Ketal''s interest grew even stronger. The Mercenary King continued, and Ketal''s eyes widened at the mention of one particr name. "Swordmaster Cain will also be joining." "...Cain?" "Do you know him?" "Are you talking about Swordmaster Cain of the Kingdom of Gahentra?" "You know of him. How?" The Mercenary King mumbled in amazement. Swordmaster Cain. Ketal couldn''t possibly forget him. He was the first extraordinary warrior Ketal had met, and the one who had introduced him to the mysteries. Ketal muttered, "...So he''s joining as well?" "Yes. I should start moving to join them too. It''s a relief you''re safe. So, what will you do now?" The Mercenary King asked about Ketal''s ns. Ketal smiled, pleased with how things were turning out. "I have nothing else to do. So, this is perfect." "Perfect?" "Yes. How can we tolerate a mere demon devouring a holy sanctuary of a god? It''s uneptable!" "...Uh, uh..." The Mercenary King found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Unconsciously, he nced at the now godless holy sanctuary. While Ketal had acted in self-defense, he couldn''t help but feel a strange mix of emotions. "Such evil cannot be allowed to happen in this world." Ketal smiled brightly. He could gain new knowledge, fight demons, meet strong warriors, and even reunite with Cain after a long time. It was an opportunity to catch two birds with one stone, no, four birds with one stone. "So, may I join you all in helping to deal with this?" "...Huh?" The Mercenary King''s eyes widened in surprise. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 247: The Blooming Flower of Evil (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 247: The Blooming Flower of Evil (4) A few days before Ketal met the Mercenary King, as he was preparing to move towards Frederica¡¯s holy sanctuary, there was a sacred ce of another god. The god of harmony, Lupeciana. Located in a remote region of the continent, Lupeciana''s temple was very peaceful. It neither attracted much attention nor caused any trouble. In the chaotic world, it maintained its influence by cooperating with various factions. The temple was generally well-regarded. One day, an old man appeared there. He was a small and frail old man. He walked towards Lupeciana''s holy sanctuarys. A holy knight guarding the entrance greeted him warmly, "Greetings. What brings you to our sacred ce?" ¡°¡­Is this Lupeciana¡¯s holy sanctuary?" ¡°Yes, it is,¡± ¡°Hmm. Looks like I¡¯vee to the right ce. It was a tough journey,¡± the old man said, patting his bent back. "Hand it over." ¡°What?¡± The holy knight asked, bewildered by the sudden request. At that moment, the old man raised his hand. A powerful demonic energy began to surge from it. The holy knight''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Evil¡­¡± He couldn''t finish his sentence. The demonic energy burst forth, engulfing and obliterating the holy knight. BOOM! The entrance to the holy sanctuary shattered into pieces. The old man leisurely stepped inside. In an instant, the once peaceful holy sanctuary turned into chaos. Worshippers screamed and fled, and the holy knights scrambled to take action. Hearing themotion, the saint, who had been resting inside the church, rushed out in panic. ¡°This can¡¯t be! How?¡± He felt the demonic energy invading the holy sanctuary. It meant a demon was attacking. ¡®The god hasn¡¯t given any revtions!¡¯ There had been no warnings or prophecies¡ªnothing. It was a perfect ambush. Thump. The saint spotted the demon and gasped. It was powerful. The demonic energy surrounding it was overwhelmingly thick. The demon appeared as a frail old man with small brown horns on his head. ¡°¡­The Demon of Design!¡± A formidable demon who had made a name for himself during the Holy Demon War. The saint''s head spun with anxiety. This was an opponent they couldn¡¯t defeat even with all their strength. But the saint gritted his teeth and shouted defiantly, ¡°How dare a demon invade our holy sanctuary! You will regret this!¡± His words were not out of arrogance. The demon had entered the holy sanctuary with tant disregard. In the gods'' domain, the believers'' strength was amplified, while the power of demons was diminished. It was like a human trying to fight a mermaid underwater. ¡®Even if it¡¯s the Demon of Design!¡¯ The Demon of Design was on par with the demon Rubitra. The Church of Kalrosia had managed to fend off Rubitra, the demon of dark magic. If they could do it, so could they. ¡°Everyone! Surround the demon!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The holy knights and clerics responded, encircling the demon. The demon merely watched them indifferently. ¡°Everyone, pray!¡± ¡°Lupeciana!¡± ¡°The strength of unity is greater than anything!¡± A resonant hum filled the air as the power of the clerics and holy knights synchronized. The god of harmony. Lupeciana¡¯s power allowed her followers to harmonize their strengths and reach greater heights. All the worshippers within the holy sanctuary synchronized their power with the saint, who even used the sacred scripture to amplify it. ¡°Whew!¡± A tremendous power surged through the saint¡¯s body. The saint felt exalted by the immense strength he had gained within the holy sanctuary, wielding both divine power and the sacred scripture. ¡°Evil one! Return to your world!¡± He shouted as he charged toward the demon, full of confidence. But there was something he didn¡¯t know. The Church of Kalrosia hadn¡¯t defeated Rubitra with their own power. ¡°You¡¯re trying so hard,¡± The demon said, almost yfully, extending his hand. A tear in the air appeared, revealing what looked like a massive cannon. Then, the cannon fired. A powerful dark projectile shot toward the saint. He tried to push it away with his divine power. Crunch. But it was impossible. The divine power was literally crushed. The projectile of demonic energy pierced through the saint''s body. He staggered, his body riddled with holes, and then copsed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om With that, the battle was over. The worshippers stood in stunned silence. At first, they couldn''tprehend what had just happened, but soon they realized. The saint had been defeated. In a single blow. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± The worshippers screamed, descending into panic. One of the elders stammered and desperately shouted, "Everyone! Kill the demon! Avenge the saint!" ¡°Waaaahhh!¡± The holy knights charged forward with desperate cries. The demon chuckled softly and waved his hand. Dozens of long rods formed around him. Bzzzzt! Dark beams shot out from the rods, piercing through everything in their path. The earth was obliterated, and the holy sanctuarys crumbled. ¡°Lupe¡­¡± The elder who had called for the fight was erased the moment the light touched him. The demon stepped forward, and as his foot touched the ground, a ck hammer materialized beneath him. The hammer shot up into the sky and then crashed down. BOOOOM! The earth erupted, and debris scattered everywhere. The holy knights were buried in the rubble, losing their lives. It was truly a scene from hell. But the gods merely watched them with pity. In a twisted world, it was difficult for gods to intervene directly on Earth. They could if they wanted to, but those who did were either broken or loved the world more than themselves. Unfortunately for the worshippers, Lupeciana was not one of those gods. ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± ¡°We can''t win!¡± The worshippers screamed as they fled. The old man paid no attention to those escaping as he walked towards the center of the holy sanctuarys. ¡°Everything went smoothly. I was worried that some strange barbarian, like with Rubitra, would show up and interfere, but thankfully, that didn''t happen.¡± He muttered to himself as he carefully pulled something out of his coat. It was a pink seed. The old man carefully nted the seed in the ground as if it were a priceless gem. And then he whispered softly. ¡°Bloom.¡± Fwoooom! A massive flower bud sprouted forth. It wasrge enough to engulf the entire holy sanctuary and more. Worshippers who touched the flower as they fled were instantly erased. As the flower bud rose, the earth and the area began to change. The divine nature of the holy sanctuary, once protected by divine grace, slowly became distorted. Thend began to be tainted by evil. In an instant, the space turned ck. Lupeciana''s holy sanctuary transformed into a demon''s territory. And so, the temple of the god of harmony, Lupeciana, was destroyed. The flower bud slowly began to close. The old man knelt and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I pray that you will bloom fully and trample this world. You will reveal yourself on this earth when the flower bloomspletely.¡± The old man was among the most powerful of the named demons. At least, among all the demons that had shown themselves on Earth, none were stronger than the old man. Yet his attitude towards the flower was extremely humble. He treated it as if he were a servant before his master. ¡°I will protect you from the filth of this world until you bloom.¡± Rumble. The power of Karvaraks, the Demon of Design, activated. A ck wall rose from the ground, surrounding and protecting the closed flower bud. Above it, weapons began to form. ck magicians, who had been hiding in the shadows, also appeared. An evil fortress was taking shape. * * * A few dayster. Ketal told the Mercenary King that he would apany him to the fallen holy sanctuary of Lupeciana. The Mercenary King was taken aback. ¡°Are¡­ Are you sure? It¡¯s quite a long distance.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Of course. A god¡¯s holy sanctuary has been invaded and upied. Isn¡¯t this a situation where help is needed?¡± ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s true¡­¡± The Mercenary King hesitated. Ketal''s words were logically sound, but hearing them from him somehow felt odd. But it wasn¡¯t a major issue. The Mercenary King quickly gathered his thoughts and said, ¡°If you help, we¡¯d be incredibly grateful!¡± There was no denying that Ketal was on their side. He had helped them and protected Kalosia''s holy sanctuary and aided the elves. Ketal was a strong hero. He possessed the power to survive against gods. He was also the contractor of Piego, a being of equal strength. With someone like him on their side, victory would be much easier. Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°Good! Shall we head out immediately?¡± "Let''s rest for a day before we proceed." The Mercenary King hade straight from the Mercenary Guild without resting. He needed to take a break for at least a day. Ketal nodded in understanding. "Then let''s depart tomorrow morning. I''m counting on you once again." "Yes." The Mercenary King nodded. After that, Ketal went to find Liltara. "It seems we''ll be leaving tomorrow." "Where are you going?" "I heard that demons have upied a holy sanctuary of a god. We''ve decided to go help." "Is that so..." Liltara gave a bitter smile. "¡­No. I should be grateful for the opportunity. I¡¯ll do my best." "Do your best. I hope we''ll meet again someday." "I would prefer not to." Ketal bid Liltara a final farewell. And the next day. They departed for the holy sanctuary of Lupeciana. The holy sanctuary of Lupeciana was located on the outskirts of the continent. It was a considerable distance away. Since it had been several days since the demons had invaded, there was no time to waste. They moved without rest. To the extent that in half a day, they had covered about half the distance. It was a journey that was not easy even for the Mercenary King. "¡­Can we take a short break?" The Mercenary King spoke, sounding exhausted. Ketal, who was running ahead, stopped. "Understood." "Phew, phew." The Mercenary King exhaled heavily. Sweat was beading on his cheeks. He was of superhuman caliber, at the highest level. He possessed the stamina to run nonstop for a week without getting tired, and he could fight all day long. Yet he had run nonstop at such a pace that he was exhausted after only half a day. Even so, Ketal was perfectly fine. He wasn''t even sweating, and his breathing wasn¡¯tbored. In fact, he looked at the Mercenary King with concern. "You''recking in stamina. You should train a bit more." "It''s not that I''mcking, you''re just a monster..." The Mercenary King let out a hollowugh. ¡®This is what it means to be in the Hero ss.¡¯ He was once again reminded of the gap between himself and a Hero ss warrior. ¡®¡­Someday, I too will reach that level.¡¯ Determination sparked in his eyes. The Mercenary King gathered his strength and stood up. They continued their journey. The Mercenary King pushed himself to his limits to keep up with Ketal, and as a result, they soon approached their destination. Finally, they arrived. At the holy sanctuary of Lupeciana, which had been destroyed by evil. "Oh." "¡­A flower." Ketal showed a look of interest. The Mercenary King let out a groan. "A flower¡­ is there." There was an enormous flower bud at the site that used to be sacred. Even though it was closed, its size wasrge enough to devour the entire holy sanctuary. If it were to bloom, it would literally fill the ins. And there were thick walls, mechanisms, and weapons protecting that flower. Monsters, ck magicians, and demons could be seen. It was a perfect stronghold of evil. A little distance away from this stronghold of evil, there was a small outpost. "That''s it." It was a ce where the forces of the continent had gathered to confront the stronghold of evil. "Let¡¯s go." "Understood." Ketal smiled brightly as they moved. As they approached the outpost, a priest came forward. "Who are you¡­ Oh?" The priest widened his eyes when he saw the Mercenary King. "Mercenary King?" "Archbishop of the Earth Mother. It''s been a while." The Mercenary King responded. The priest before him was the Archbishop of the Earth Mother. The Archbishop greeted the Mercenary King warmly. "It''s been a long time! Mercenary King! You¡¯ve joined us!" "With the continent in crisis, I couldn''t just stand by." "You make us feel much more secure. With you here, there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems!" The Archbishop was genuinely delighted. It was a natural reaction. Someone of superhuman caliber, at the highest level, was rare even on the continent. If such a person joined, it could change the entire course of the battle. The Archbishop nced slightly at the Mercenary King''s side as he rejoiced. "And that¡­ person beside you is?" He looked at Ketal. The Mercenary King replied. "A Barbarian. Ketal." "Ketal?" The Archbishop pondered the name momentarily, and then his eyes widened. "¡­Could it be? Hold on. Is it the person I¡¯m thinking of?" "Yes." "My goodness." The Archbishop swallowed hard. It was clear that he knew exactly who Ketal was. He quickly regained hisposure and bowed respectfully. This was an extremely high position for an Archbishop of the Earth Mother¡¯s Church. Combined with the church¡¯s influence, even the king of a nation would have to show utmost respect before the Archbishop. To put it simply, even the King of Denian, Barbosa, would lower himself before the Archbishop. The Archbishop had that level of power and authority. But here he was, lowering himself before Ketal. As if he had met someone even greater. T he Archbishop spoke humbly. "Ketal, sir. Your reputation precedes you. It is an honor to meet you." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 248: Fortress of Evil (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 248: Fortress of Evil (1) "It seems you know me." "Of course..." It was impossible not to know. The archbishop swallowed nervously. Ketal smiled faintly. "Nice to meet you." Ketal looked around at the people in the outpost. ''There are many.'' And they were strong. Each of them was at least first-rate, with many at superhuman levels. People from various groups had gathered here. As Ketal watched them with interest, his expression changed. Among them, he spotted a familiar face. With a joyful heart, Ketal called out, "Cain!" "...Huh?" The swordmaster who noticed Ketal¡ªCain¡ªwidened his eyes in surprise. "Cain! It''s been a while!" "Uh, yeah, it''s been a while." Ketal approached him cheerfully. Conversely, Cain looked more bewildered than pleased, as he hadn''t expected to meet Ketal here. The Mercenary King watched Ketal greet Cain warmly, his expression turning slightly curious. "So you really do know each other." "I have no reason to lie." "No, I didn''t think you were lying, but it''s still hard to believe." The idea that this transcendent being had ties with an ordinary human felt jarring. But it wasn''t the most important thing. The Mercenary King collected his thoughts and said, "It seems you have things to discuss. Let''s reconvene in a few hours. We should all get some rest." The Mercenary King wasn''t in great condition at the moment. He had pushed himself hard to keep up with Ketal and needed to recover. Ketal nodded. "Understood." "Then, Archbishop, if you would." "Yes, please follow me," The Archbishop of the Earth Mother goddess guided the Mercenary King away. Ketal moved to a secluded spot with Cain and asked happily, "How have you been?" "Well... I''ve been very busy." The world had been chaotic. The Forbidden Lands had begun showing itself, and dark magicians and demons were constantly targeting the surface. A superhuman like him couldn''t just sit idly by. Especially since Cain had a strong sense of patriotism, he had been even more driven. To protect his kingdom, he followed the Emperor''s orders to investigate the Forbidden Lands and dealt with the dark magicians lurking near the kingdom. He also resolved the issues with dungeons that hadn¡¯t been properly managed. He was here now due to a problem that arose near a kingdom that had a blood alliance with his own. His life had been extremely busy. ince meeting Ketal, there hadn''t even been a week where he could rest properly. Ketal spoke with concern, "You''ve been very busy. It must have been tough." "...Not as much as you." "Oh? You know?" "I do." It was impossible not to know. The Tower Master had asionally visited Cain and told him about Ketal¡¯s deeds. [The one you challenged holds this much power and has achieved these aplishments. What do you think, boy?] The Tower Master would continually provoke him in this way, and the memories were burned into his mind even if he didn¡¯t want to remember. "...You''ve really done a lot." Ketal had defeated a demon that descended upon the Kingdom of Denian, protected the holy sanctuary of Kalosia, defended the mermaids'' vige, and safeguarded the sacred ground of the elves. Each of these feats was unimaginable. Cain looked at Ketal with awe in his eyes. It wasn''t the strength itself that surprised him. Given Ketal¡¯s power, it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine. What surprised Cain was the fact that Ketal had performed righteous deeds. In Cain''s judgment, Ketal was someone who prioritized his own interests¡ªalmost a broken individual. Yet all his actions had been about protecting the world and saving lives, which was why Cain was so astonished. Ketal smiled faintly, "They were enjoyable experiences." "...Were they?" "It''s good to see each other in good health." "Well... Yeah, it''s good to see you." Cain spoke calmly. Ketal was certainly an unusual being, but that wasn''t a reason to reject him. His actions were clearly protecting the world. And since Ketal harbored goodwill toward him, maintaining a friendly rtionship seemed like the right approach. "You came here to deal with the demons, didn''t you?" "Well... Yes." And so, Cain didn¡¯t notice the dangerous glint in Ketal¡¯s eyes as he looked at him. * * * A few hourster, they gathered in a small tent. Speaking calmly, the Archbishop of the Earth Mother goddess said, "Since you two have just arrived, I should exin the situation. I couldn''t gather everyone, so only those at a superhuman level or higher are here." "There are many of them," The Mercenary Kingmented with slight surprise. Even with the superhuman-level condition, there were ten people inside the tent. The archbishop was the first to speak. "I am Teranos, holding the humble position of Archbishop in the Earth Mother goddess¡¯s church." The Earth Mother goddess¡¯s church was thergest religious organization on the surface. To hold the title of archbishop in such a church required immense strength. "I possess the strength of a superhuman-level upper rank." "Ooh," Ketal eximed in admiration. Superhuman-level upper rank was just below the highest level. Next, others began to introduce themselves. There were three bishops from the Earth Mother goddess¡¯s church, all at a superhuman level. The next three were magicians from the Magic Tower, also superhuman-level and specialized in siege warfare. And then there was the swordmaster, Cain. In total, there were eight of them. No matter where they went, these individuals would be treated with respect and honor. Having eight such powerful people gathered together was truly a grand sight. But even these individuals seemed insignificantpared to the two before them. "The Mercenary King, Blood Edge. Pleased to meet you." "...I never thought I''d see the legendary Mercenary King with my own eyes." Cain muttered in awe. The most powerful mercenary on the continent, possessing superhuman-level top-tier strength. Only heroes could rival him; without them, no one could defeat him. In his presence, even the Earth Mother goddess''s Archbishop and the Magic Tower magicians seemed to lose their brilliance. Even the Mercenary King himself wasn''t the main character in this ce. "I am Ketal, the Barbarian. Nice to meet you," Ketal said with a grin. Teranos bowed cautiously. "...It''s an honor to meet you, Ketal. I never thought I''d be fighting alongside someone like you." "You''re too kind." "It''s only natural, considering what you''ve aplished." The Church of the Earth Mother and the Church of the Sun were the most powerful religious organizations. As such, they often exchanged information with each other. Therefore, the archbishop knew what Ketal had done. "We are truly grateful that you are with us." The great Archbishop of the Earth Mother lowered himself before Ketal. He swallowed nervously. ''...A newly emerged hero of great power.'' A person who could project his will onto the world. Even in the mighty Church of the Earth Mother, only one person had reached the level of a hero. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It was a rare and extraordinary rank. One person alone could be considered equal to an entire organization. Such a person couldn''t be treated carelessly. And even beyond his strength, Ketal deserved respect. He had saved the Holy Land of Kalosia, the Holy Land of the Elves, and had aided the merfolk. He had defended a kingdom. The things he had done were enough to earn the admiration of all. If the truth about the incident with the Federica Church were revealed, things might change, but as long as the Mercenary King kept his mouth shut, no one would know. The archbishop treated Ketal with the utmost humility. His subordinate bishops did the same. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for your good deeds." "I''ve wanted to meet you, great hero." The magicians of the Magic Tower were no different. Spellweaver had returned to the Magic Tower and shared information about Ketal with those of superhuman strength. As for Cain, there was no need even to mention it. "Oh," Ketal said with a curious smile. It was a strange feeling to be treated with respect immediately upon being recognized for his power and deeds. It was rare. It felt like being honored. It wasn''t a bad feeling at all; it was quite pleasant. Ketal grinned. "I''ll do my best to cooperate. Let''s work well together." "Thank you," The archbishop replied, maintaining his humble posture. He began to talk about others. "There are also numerous believers, magicians, and mercenaries of first- and second-rate caliber." The total number was around a hundred. The Mercenary King muttered, "That''s a considerable force." It was no exaggeration to say that they could wipe out a few ck magic dens in a single day. If they had been at Kalosia''s holy sanctuary, Rubitra would never have descended in the first ce. However, the archbishop smiled bitterly. "¡­Embarrassingly, we''ve achieved little so far."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "How long have you been here?" "A week." "Hmm?" The Mercenary King''s expression changed. Despite having such a powerful force gathered, they had achieved nothing in a week. That was strange. The Mercenary King''s face grew serious. "...What exactly descended?" "First, let me exin the background of the situation," the archbishop began. The Church of the God of Harmony, Lupeciana. It wasn''t a church that garnered much attention on the continent, but it wasn''t a troublemaker either. Like any ordinary church, it followed the values of its god and cooperated with the continent. But a few days ago, without any warning, a demon descended. The demon attacked Lupeciana''s holy sanctuary and destroyed it in a single day. The archbishop spoke the name of the demon that had descended. "The Demon of Design, Karvaraks." "What?" The Mercenary King''s eyes widened. It was a name he knew well. A named demon, and one of the highest-ranking ones at that. A demon of superhuman strength at the highest level. And a very famous one. The archbishop groaned as he spoke. "...A demon who was active during the War of the Gods and Demons." In the distant past, gods and demons had fought in the War of the Gods and Demons. At that time, the two factions had fought for control of the mortal realm. Naturally, they had to defend the territories they had seized. Karvaraks was a demon who defended such territories. A demon who built a fortress of evil on conquerednds and defended it. It was recorded that even several superhuman powerhouses at the highest level would have difficulty breaching and defended by Karvaraks. If it was truly that demon, it was understandable that they hadn''t achieved much. The Mercenary King frowned. "...How could a demon of that caliber descend without any signs or omens?" "The cracks in the world are growing wider. Oh, Earth Mother, please watch over us," The archbishopmented, raising a prayer. But mere prayers wouldn''t aplish anything. It was up to the people of the mortal realm to take action. The archbishop quickly pulled himself together. "It would be best if I exined the rest while showing you." They exited the tent. Where the holy sanctuary once stood, a towering fortress of evil had risen. The Mercenary King frowned as he asked about something visible within the fortress. "What is that flower?" Within the fortress of evil was arge, closed pink bud. Its size was enormous, visible even beyond the fortress walls. The archbishop shook his head. "I don''t know." He was the archbishop of the Earth Mother Church. He knew all there was to know about the evil that gued thend. But even he had no knowledge of the pink bud. Ketal, who had been silent, asked, "Is the demon doing anything?" "No, nothing at all." Karvaraks was the Demon of Design. His power was specialized in defense. But the demon was currently in an offensive position, invading the mortal realm. Having consumed the holy sanctuary, he should expand his territory and conquer morend. They had taken a considerable amount of time to realize that Lupeciana''s church had been consumed, so the demon had ample opportunity to devour the surroundingnds. But the demon had done nothing. He merely built a fortress and stayed there. As if protecting the flower was his sole purpose. "Whatever it is... it isn''t good," The archbishop swallowed nervously. If that bud were to bloom, something terrible would happen to them. Something would go awry. He had that feeling. "I see." Ketal showed an intrigued expression. In the end, once the demon had fortified his defenses, they would have to breach the fortress. They would have to break through the fortress and defeat the demon. "A siege, huh?" Ketal muttered with a grin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 249: Fortress of Evil (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 249: Fortress of Evil (2) From the Kingdom of Denian to the holy sanctuary of Kalosia, and even the Elven sanctuaries, they had always been on the defensive. But now, they were on the offensive. Something about this change was exciting. "We''ve tried various methods to break through the fortress, but nothing has been sessful. That wall is incredibly strong. Look for yourself." The archbishop gestured with his eyes. The magicians of the magic tower loaded the magical ballista. It was a much more powerful weapon than the ballista Ketal had seen at sea before. The ballista was loaded and fired. It flew swiftly and collided with the wall. Kwagagagagang! A loud roar echoed. As the dust settled, the wall''s appearance became visible. The mercenary king frowned. "¡­It only left a mark." The ballista hadn''t inflicted any significant damage on the wall. At best, it had created a moderately sized scar, but even that was slowly being repaired. The archbishop spoke. "Long-range attacks won''t prate that wall." They had to unleash power up close to break through the wall. For that purpose, they had brought a magical battering ram. But there was another problem. "It''s difficult to approach the wall." Hundreds of defensive weapons, simr to cannons, were positioned on top of the wall. They were weapons created by the Demon of Design to protect the fortress. Among them, ck magicians could be seen. When they got within a certain range, a barrage of attacks from the defensive weapons and ck magicians would rain down. Even the archbishop found it hard to block the bombardment. Even if they managed to get through all those attacks, there were countless monsters wandering below the wall. There were over a hundred of them, and each one was of the highest caliber. With their current forces, they couldn''t possibly break through. "We''re struggling to exert much power in that area." The archbishop smiled bitterly. Normally, in thisnd, divine power held absolute superiority over evil. This was because the middle realm was the domain of the gods. Demons, being outsiders, were overwhelmed by the power of the gods. But that fortress was different. Karvaraks had swallowed up the holy sanctuary of the gods. He had transformed its nature and tainted it with evil. Now, that fortress was a sanctuary of evil. It was no longer a divine domain, so divine power couldn''t hold superiority there. They werepletely blocked. "We were about to request reinforcements because we had no other options." But now, those reinforcements were no longer necessary. The most dependable ones had arrived. "Thank you for the exnation, but I prefer action over a hundred words. Let''s give it a try." The mercenary king massaged his arm and stepped forward. He nced at Ketal. "I''ll go first. You''ll follow." Ketal''s strength was invaluable. Of course, no top-tier superhuman could hurt that body, but just in case, the mercenary king intended to check it out first. Ketal smiled and nodded. "Whew." The mercenary king took a short breath and stepped forward. Ta-at. His body sprinted toward the stronghold of evil. As he entered the domain, the defensive weapons activated. Kwagagagagang! Shells, rocks, and arrows rained down all at once. Each one carried more power than the magical ballista the magicians had just fired. Their speed was also incredibly fast. But the mercenary king''s response was very simple. He just elerated his body further using mystic power. Kwagagagang! His body left afterimages as it charged forward. The weapons'' attacks struck empty space. Cain eximed in admiration. "Fast!" It was a speed that even a superhuman like him had difficulty tracking with his eyes. The ck magicians also cast ck magic. Amidst the barrage of weapon attacks, ck thunder and mes poured down. The mercenary king evaded all the attacks as he approached the wall. But due to the overwhelming density of the attacks, there were some he couldn''t avoid. Two shells flew directly toward the mercenary king''s body. Ka-ga-gak! The mercenary king drew his sword. He skillfully deflected the shells with his sword. "Ooh!" Ketal eximed. The mercenary king had deflected the shells'' trajectories with his sword. It was incredibly impressive. Ta-at. The mercenary king had already reached the base of the wall. There, obstacles awaited. [Uoooh!] [Kaaa!] The monsters guarding the wall rose and charged at him. Each one was a firt-rate monster, far from weak. "Annoying." But the mercenary king calmly spoke and elerated even more. His body brushed past the monsters. At the same time, the monsters'' bodies were sliced into dozens of pieces. Flesh and blood scattered. "¡­Amazing!" The archbishop, who had been holding his breath while watching, let out an exmation of admiration. He was also a top-tier superhuman. He possessed power that was among the strongest on the continent. But even with all his efforts, he couldn''t reach the base of the wall. Yet the mercenary king had done it on his first attempt. ''That is the top-tier superhuman!'' It was a power on a different level from his own. The mercenary king, now at the base of the wall, gathered strength into his sword. He swung it forcefully, aiming to shatter the wall. Ka-a-aang! The wall dented from the collision with his sword. But it didn''t break. He estimated it would take at least five more strikes to shatter it. The mercenary king clicked his tongue and focused more power into his sword. At that moment, Kwaa-a-aang! A shell was fired. It was aimed directly at the mercenary king. His expression changed. This shell was iparably faster than the others. It contained the power that had killed the Saint of Lupeciana in one strike. It was toote to dodge. The mercenary king quickly raised his sword. The shell collided with the sword. Kwaa-a-aang! "Ugh!" The mercenary king''s body slid back several meters. Although he sessfully blocked it, he was pushed back several meters. The mercenary king clicked his tongue and looked up at the wall. "The big gun has arrived." A frail old man stood atop the fortress wall, gazing down at the Mercenary King. "...The Mercenary King. A well-known existence on the surface." The demon of design, Karvaraks, chuckled darkly. "One of those troublesome humans from the surface. A being with enough power to interfere with us. He''s one of our targets." "So, my reputation has reached even the depths of Hell. I''m honored." The Mercenary King spoke indifferently, narrowing his eyes as he red at Karvaraks. "What are you plotting?" Why had they locked the doors here, and what were they waiting for? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Karvaraksughed. "There''s no need for the likes of you to know. If you want, try breaking through with force." At that moment, weapons began materializing above Karvaraks''s head. They all rained down upon the Mercenary King simultaneously. The Mercenary King swung his sword. ng! ng! ng! He deflected and blocked the attacks, but his body was pushed back. The force from the blows transmitted through his sword was overwhelming. Boom! Boom! Boom! Cannonballs poured down, and hundreds of arrows flew at him all at once. ck light tore through the ground as it surged forward. The Mercenary King swiftly dodged, but it wasn''t easy. Each projectile carried Karvaraks''s power, and even one hit would be damaging. The entire space was filled with these attacks. There was no room to dodge, no time to counter. ''Troublesome.'' The Mercenary King clicked his tongue. Although he was of the same superhuman level, this was Karvaraks''s battlefield. The situation was far too unfavorable for him. In the end, the Mercenary King leaped out of the domain. "Apologies. I wasn''t able to achieve much." "No, no. This is more than enough." The archbishop hurriedly shook his head. Making Karvaraks reveal himself had been a significant achievement for a first attempt. "If someone of your caliber was forced to make Karvaraks appear directly, it seems he''s the only one who can stop you." "That seems to be the case. But... if that demon shows himself, I won''t be able to break through either." They had said that even a group of top-tier superhumans couldn''t prate the fortress Karvaraks had fully prepared. Now, the Mercenary King understood why. The density and power of the attacks were beyond imagination. But that also meant... If someone stronger existed, they could break through. "...Ketal, I''m counting on you." "Is it finally my turn?" Ketal bared his teeth, as if he''d been waiting for this moment. * * * Karvaraks watched them with a dark chuckle. "You will not break through my fortress." Of course, there were beings on the surface capable of breaking his fortress. But all of them were currently too preupied to intervene here. Karvaraks knew this thanks to the Demon King''s prophecy. "The only thing you can do is watch the flowers bloom. That''s all. Do your best to break through if you wish." Karvaraks mocked them. Then, he noticed a barbarian stepping forward. "A barbarian?" Karvaraks tilted his head in confusion for a moment, but soon his eyes widened in shock. For the first time, an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "...No way!" "Hmm." Ketal stepped into the domain of evil. Boom! At that moment, the weapons activated. They were designed to attack any enemy that entered a certain range automatically. Cannonballs, rocks, and arrows all rained down on Ketal. The Mercenary King leaped aside, avoiding them all. But Ketal didn''t dodge. The attacks struck his body. Boom! And yet, Ketal''s body didn''t even flinch. N?v(el)B\\jnn He wasn''t pushed back, nor did he even stagger. Unfazed, He continued to stride forward as he took the full brunt of the attacks. [PR/N: AND HE STANDS THERE UNFAZED!!!!] "W-what the...!" "This is insane!" The dark magicians panicked and unleashed their power. Thunder, fire, and ice all battered Ketal. But still, Ketal''s steps never faltered. None of their desperate attacks had any effect. He walked leisurely towards the fortress wall, as if on a casual stroll. "My god!" "Such power!" The observers outside were struck with awe and disbelief. "Rise!" Karvaraks, regaining his senses, urgently unleashed his power. More weapons materialized. Boom! Boom! Boom! Cannonballs and other weapons rained down on Ketal. Their speed was so great that even the Mercenary King had to dodge. He had sessfully blocked the attacks earlier, but they had pushed him back several meters. Now, dozens of such attacks wereing down simultaneously. Ketal simply raised his hand. As if flicking his finger, he struck the first cannonball. Crunch. The cannonball was crushed. Hundreds of fragments scattered. The fragments couldn''t withstand the force of Ketal''s finger and were flung in all directions. Boom! Boom! Boom! Karvaraks''s entire barrage was shattered with a simple flick. The remnants of the attack flew wildly, smashing into the fortress wall. Holes quickly appeared in the wall. Karvaraks was stunned. [Ugh, ugh!] [Kaaah!] Ketal had already reached the base of the fortress wall. The monsters waiting there charged at him, but their faces were filled with fear. Ketal didn''t stop. With a slightly faster stride, he swung his arms, tearing through the monsters as he moved forward. And just like that, the monsters were shredded to pieces. "...Uh." "This is..." The onlookers who had been gasping in awe gradually fell silent. It wasn''t that they had be ustomed to Ketal''s power. Quite the opposite. "Is that... truly possible?" A power that rendered them all meaningless. They couldn''tprehend it. The level of that power was beyond their understanding. The Mercenary King was the only one who could ept it, though even he didn''t have a calm expression. He gave a bitter smile. "As expected, the gap is enormous." It seemed impossible even to reach. Before they knew it, Ketal had reached the base of the fortress wall. "It does look sturdy." Now then, how sturdy was it really? Ketal raised his fist with a look of anticipation. Karvaraks panicked. "Wait!" "No." Ketal swung his fist. The force within his fist collided with the fortress wall. A pitch-ck wall. The wall that Karvaraks had poured all his power into to protect the budding flower. A wall so strong that even a legion of mages bombarding it would fail to break it. A wall that even a group of top-tier superhumans couldn''t easily prate. Boom! And that wall copsed and crumbled. The dark magicians on top screamed as they fell. The weapons were buried under the debris of the copsing wall. "...Oh, oh." The onlookers'' jaws dropped. They couldn''t believe what they had just seen. That wall that had tormented them for days. That absolute defense they hadn''t thought could ever be broken. It had been destroyed in a single blow. The fortress wall was now in ruins. "It was fairly sturdy." In the midst of the silence, Ketal cheerfully shook his fist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 250: Fortress of Evil (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 250: Fortress of Evil (3) "...What! This is absurd!" Karvaraks snapped out of his stupor. Even as he cursed in disbelief, he quickly swung his hand. The copsed wall was instantly restored to its original form.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Reinforce it!" ng! ng! ng! No, it was more than that. The wall became even stronger, growingrger and thicker. It was the best defensive effort Karvaraks could muster. Yet, it was meaningless. Boom!* Ketal swung his fist again, and the wall shatterred. Ketal grinned. "Well, it''s certainly a bit sturdier now." But that was all. Those watching groaned in despair. Their faces showed a mix of awe and terror. "Oh my god..." "Such power... It really exists..." The strength of those called heroes was beyondprehension. They knew that much. But no one had ever witnessed that power firsthand. After all, situations where heroes had to fight on the continent simply didn¡¯t ur. So people believed heroes were strong, but they had set limits in their minds. And now, those limits had been shattered. "That is..." The power of a hero-ss being. They gasped in awe at Ketal¡¯s strength. Karvaraks screamed as he continued to rebuild the wall. But it crumbled the moment it was restored. This repeated over and over again. It was only then that they sensed something unusual. "...Huh?" The wall kept regenerating. Initially, Karvaraks was slow to repair it because he was flustered, but once he regained hisposure, he did so quickly. He was restoring the wall even before it had fully copsed. He was perfectly repairing the wall and even the defensive weapons atop it. There was no dy. And there was no loss of power. There was only one reason for this. The Archbishop muttered in confusion. "Why isn''t he using mystic power?" * * * Amidst his frustration, Ketal finally stopped pounding on the wall. His body remained unscathed. "I can break it, but it doesn''t mean much." "That''s right if you''re just using brute force." The reason Karvaraks could restore the wall without losing energy was simple. Ketal was only attacking with physical strength. Evil was not of this world. Attacks without mystic or divine power cannot harm them. And this ce had already transformed into a sanctuary of evil. No joke¡ªmere physical force meant nothing here. "Is there a reason you aren''t using mystic power?" The Archbishop asked. He couldn''t fathom that someone as powerful as Ketal wouldn''t be able to wield mystic power. Ketal replied. "I can''t use mystic power." "What?" "Excuse me?" Everyone there was stunned. The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes widened. "You can¡¯t use mystic power?" "Yes. It''s because of the peculiar nature of my body. Although I possess mystic power, I don''t know how to wield it." "Now that you mention it..." Ketal hadn¡¯t used mystic power even when fighting dragons. They assumed it was simply because he didn¡¯t need to, but in reality, it was because he couldn¡¯t. "Unbelievable..." They were all in shock. A hero who couldn¡¯t use mystic power? It was hard to believe, but Ketal had no reason to lie. Only Cain seemed unfazed. ¡®Same as ever, I see.¡¯ When Ketal and he first met, Ketal didn¡¯t even know what mystic power was. Because of his body''s uniqueness, he couldn¡¯t even sense it. It seemed that he had finally acquired some mystic power, but it wasn¡¯t surprising that he still couldn¡¯t use it. The Archbishop, deep in thought, suddenly realized something. ¡®...Wait.¡¯ Then all the strength he had disyed was purely physical, without any mystic power? The Archbishop shuddered, his entire body breaking out in goosebumps. But that wasn¡¯t the most pressing issue right now. "Huff, huff. Damn it." In the sanctuary of evil, Karvaraks was sweating coldly. He barely managed to calm his racing heart. "...Yes." That barbarian couldn¡¯t use mystic power. Karvaraks had known that from past records. He had simply forgotten in the face of the overwhelming spectacle before him. He bared his teeth. "In that case, he¡¯s powerless here!" The Archbishop muttered. "Then... Ketal¡¯s strength is meaningless." "Is it really that bad?" "Yes." If it were an ordinary fortress or castle, brute strength alone would have been enough. He could have exhausted the demon by forcing him to expend energy. But this ce was a sanctuary of evil. Thend itself was tainted with evil. Ketal murmured with a curious expression. "Territorialization?" Demons had the power of territorialization. A demon thatpleted territorialization couldn¡¯t be harmed by anything but divine power. The Archbishop shook his head. "No. It hasn¡¯t gone that far. It¡¯s more like drawing power from the sanctuary. If you had mystic power, you could deal significant damage." But mere physical force was meaningless. No matter how much Ketal rampaged and destroyed, it was in vain. He couldn¡¯t even force the demon to expend energy. At best, he would only kill a few dark magicians. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The most critical parts¡ªthe fortress and Karvaraks¡ªwould remain unaffected. Simply put, no matter how much Ketal rampaged, Karvaraks could simply ignore him. Since the wall was restored even before it copsed, no one else could intervene either. It was like cutting through ake. No matter how fiercely you shed, theke would return to its original state. It was practically a deration that his power was useless here. Yet Ketal seemed pleased. "Of course, it''s just as I thought. Mystery is indeed important." "No, this can''t be... Is there really no way?" "A way, huh..." Ketal stared at the fortress of evil in silence. ''If you ask whether there''s no way, well, it''s not that there isn''t one.'' He could genuinely try to destroy the fortress wall. If he really put his heart into the attack, he might seed. After all, he had broken through the word magic thatmanded the world with his sincere effort, so it seemed possible. But there was a problem. ''I just don''t feel like doing that.'' He couldn''t bring himself to try to destroy the fortress wall genuinely. It was a matter of the heart. No matter how much he tried, it was like being unable to immerse himself in a fun game fully. He simply couldn''t take this opponent seriously. In the end, Ketal shook his head. Despair spread across the archbishop''s face. "No, this can''t be..." It was also impossible for him to assist Ketal. The demon was far too powerful for that. There was a high chance he''d be wasted without any real effect. Likewise, the holy relic of Kalosia couldn''t be used either. They were essentially stuck. "Well, don''t worry about it." But Ketal grinned. "I can''t handle mystery. So, I just need to learn it from now on, right?" "Huh?" "I couldn''t learn it before because I didn''t meet the qualifications. But I just recently gained that qualification." The qualification to learn and wield mystery. "If I start learning now, do you think I can use it in this fight?" "...Probably." The Mercenary King, after thinking for a moment, answered. It was strange that someone as powerful as Ketal couldn''t handle mystery. Even if he started learning now, he could probably use it in battle right away. "From what I can tell, your mystery level is already first-rate. I don''t know why you can''t wield it, but you should be able to handle it without any issues." "Oh, really!" Ketal''s eyes sparkled. The archbishop let out a sigh of relief. "That''s a relief..." Ketal just needed to learn mystery. So, they needed someone to teach him. Since Ketal was a physicalbatant, it made sense to use aura. Naturally, their gazes turned to the Mercenary King. The Mercenary King was an aura user, and one of the best at that. If anyone were to teach, it should be him. Everyone thought the Mercenary King would be the one to teach. The Mercenary King himself thought so too. But Ketal smiled and confidently walked toward Cain, who was standing there in a daze. "So Cain! I''m counting on you!" "Huh?" Cain, momentarily startled by the unexpected development, was shocked. "Wait! You want to learn mystery from me?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" "No, no." There were nothing but problems. Cain hurriedly looked over at the Mercenary King. "There''s someone stronger than me here! There''s no need to learn from me!" Cain was only at the lower end of the superhuman tier. Compared to the Mercenary King, he was nothing. Of course, he should learn from the Mercenary King. But Ketal had no intention of doing so. "But you were the one who taught me about mystery in the first ce." It was Cain who had first taught Ketal, who knew nothing, about mystery, checked his physique, and informed him about swordsmanship. To Ketal, Cain was practically his first teacher. With him around, Ketal never even considered learning mystery from someone else. To Cain, this was a disaster. ''No, why me!'' Cain screamed internally. Though he had exined mystery to Ketal before, it was little more than basic information. But this time, it was different. He would have to teach a legendary hero in front of everyone, in the truest sense of the word. How embarrassing. It was like being asked to lecture the Tower Master on magic. The mere thought made his stomach churn. He absolutely did not want to do it. Cain quickly looked around. He was searching for someone to stop this madness. But his hopes were utterly betrayed by those around him. "Hmm..." "Well, if Ketal wants it that way." "If he wants to learn, we can''t stop him." Everyone had already epted that Cain would be the one teaching. Cain looked to the Mercenary King with hisst shred of hope. But the Mercenary King crushed that hope without hesitation. "It doesn''t seem like a bad idea. I''ve never taken a disciple. My swordsmanship is something I''ve honed in battle, so it''s not well-suited for teaching others. But Cain, I hear you have a disciple." "I-I do. He''s right here, following me." "Oh! So, he''s your senior disciple then!" Ketal muttered in delight. Cain''s stomach churned again. "Since you already have a disciple, you must be good at teaching. You''re also a strong enough warrior. You should have no problem teaching him." To be honest, the Mercenary King didn''t want to teach Ketal either. The thought of teaching mystery to someone far more powerful than himself was absurd. No one in their right mind would want to do that. So, the situation was naturally leading to Cain teaching Ketal. Cain let out a groan. "Aaah..." "Hmm. If you teach me, you''ll no longer be just a mentor in my heart, but a true teacher." When Ketal had learned many things from Cain in the past, he had considered him a mentor in his heart. But now, he would truly be his teacher. And with this new reality, there was something Ketal wanted to say. He spoke sincerely. "Then please take care of me, teacher." "Ah." At that moment, Cain''s stomach truly twisted. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 251: The Unity of Teacher, King, and Parent (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 251: The Unity of Teacher, King, and Parent (1) Cain felt like he was going to lose his mind from the pressure. Teaching a hero, a mighty warrior, in front of everyone? While Cain was no slouch as a strong fighter himself, that was all rtive. He desperately wanted to refuse. But no one around him seemed to care what he thought. "Ketal is asking you personally, after all..." "You two have a connection. It¡¯s perfect." "Then, we''re counting on you." They quickly made their exit, leaving only Cain and Ketal behind. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Cain, staring nkly into space, finally gathered himself. "Fine, I''ll teach you." There was no way he could refuse at this point. More importantly, teaching Ketal about the mysteries was a matter of great importance. He couldn¡¯t keep refusing out of personal feelings. Ketal smiled politely as Cain epted. "Thank you, Master." Cain shuddered at those words. "No, stop with the formal speech. Why are you doing this?" "You are my master." "No, there¡¯s no need to speak so formally." "But one must show proper respect to their master." Ketal replied politely. "You¡¯re teaching me how to handle the mysteries. It¡¯s only natural that I show respect." "No, stop it." "But¡ª" "Stop it!" Cain was nearly begging at this point. ''Why does he insist on speaking so formally?'' Every time Ketal addressed him with respect, Cain felt a chill run down his spine. It was maddening to have someone who could overpower him in an instant calling him ¡°Master.¡± "No formal speech! As your master... it¡¯s an order!" Cain¡¯s stomach twisted as soon as he uttered those words. It wasn¡¯t a figure of speech; his superhuman senses told him exactly what was happening inside his body. "Hmm. If it¡¯s yourmand as my master, then I¡¯ll follow it. No, I will follow it, Master." "And stop calling me ¡®Master¡¯! That¡¯s also an order!" Cain didn¡¯t even want to be called "Master," but he knew Ketal wouldn¡¯t budge on that. Ketal nodded. "Understood, Master." "...Phew." Cain sighed, already feeling exhausted. "Alright, let¡¯s move somewhere else." "Good idea." Ketal followed Cain with a cheerful smile as they moved to a ce far from prying eyes. "So, what exactly do you mean when you say you can¡¯t control the mysteries? I can sense that you possess a high level of mystery. You don¡¯t know how to control it?" "I¡¯ll exin." Ketal described his situation, and the more Cain listened, the more his face contorted. "¡­The mystery growls like a beast? And it thrashes about when you try to control it?" "Yes. I feel like I need to know how to control it. Do you know a way?" "No." How could he know? Mysteries were supposed to be formless power without self-awareness. The idea of them rebelling like beasts was iprehensible. ¡®¡­Is this really even a mystery?¡¯ "It does sound unusual." After thinking for a moment, Ketal asked, "How do you control your mystery?" "It¡¯s nothing special. The mystery typically resides in the heart." Ketal knew that much. His own beast prowled near his heart. "You draw it out through the path of mystery. How you handle it may vary, but the basics are the same." To control a mystery, you had to use the path of mystery. That was fundamental. Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I see." "When I first met you, I said you couldn¡¯t control mysteries because the path of mystery didn¡¯t exist in you. Anyway, the most important thing when handling mysteries is control." "Control?" "Yes. You have to draw out the mystery through the path, but the path is delicate. If you exceed the allowed amount, you¡¯ll get internal injuries." It was like applying too much pressure to blood vessels, causing them to burst. You had to control the amount of mystery that your path could handle. "But this is just general advice. It probably won¡¯t help you much." It wasn¡¯t relevant to Ketal¡¯s situation, where the mystery behaved like a rebellious beast. Cain tried to get more details from Ketal. "Ke¡­" He suddenly stopped mid-sentence and instinctively stepped back. Ketal had closed his eyes. That was all, yet Cain felt an intense pressure. ¡®Control.¡¯ Ketal thought. Cain had mentioned that you should only handle as much mystery as your path could withstand. It was a different concept, but perhaps it could still be applied. In other words, he just had to draw out enough mystery so that the beast couldn¡¯t go wild. Ketal began to draw out his mystery, trying to circte a portion of it through the path. Growl. The beast within him let out a low growl. It resisted Ketal¡¯s attempt to control it, trying to rebel. ¡®Stay still.¡¯ Ketal bared his teeth. You are, after all, my power. No matter how much you dislike it, you must follow mymands. ¡®Shut up and obey me.¡¯ His will overpowered the mystery in his heart, sending ripples outward. "Wait, hold on." Cain¡¯s face went pale. Even though it was just the ripple of Ketal¡¯s will, it was almost too much to bear. His heart felt like it was being squeezed. It was as if he were a child about to be punished by his parents. Growl¡­ The beast let out a dissatisfied growl, but its spirit had been broken. Finally, a portion of the mystery moved through the path Ketal controlled. Ketal opened his eyes. "It worked! It worked!" "It¡­ worked?" "Yes! I moved the mystery! I circted it through the path! I did it!" Ketal rejoiced like a child. It was a good thing, but Cain felt uneasy. From his perspective, Ketal had suddenly managed to do something on his own and gained control. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What did you do?" "I suppressed the mystery just enough to extract it so that it couldn''t resist. Just as you said. I''m d I learned from you." Ketal smiled brightly, while Cain wore a troubled expression. ''...No, that wasn''t quite what I meant.'' What he had exined was only a general principle about handling mystery. He never meant to say that one should force and subjugate the mystery into submission. Still, if Ketal could now move the mystery, that was a good thing. Cain opened his mouth. "Then circte the mystery quickly through its path. That¡¯s the foundation of handling it." "Understood." Ketal closed his eyes and concentrated. He circted the moving mystery within his body. It was incredibly interesting and enjoyable. Ketal continued to handle the mystery quietly for hours. Before he knew it, night had fallen. "Hmm. It''s gettingte. You must be tired, so let''s continue tomorrow." "Understood." Ketal nodded. Although his mind was clear, his body felt a bit tired. It had been a long time since he had felt any fatigue¡ªlike the exhaustion he experienced when pushing his body to its limits. And that made Ketal very happy. It meant the power he would handle from now on was so great that it could make him feel tired. "Until tomorrow then." Cain parted ways with Ketal and returned to his tent. Hey down on his bed and sighed. "What in the world is happening?" He still couldn''t believe that he was teaching a hero-ss warrior how to handle mystery. No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed absurd. But since it was a task given to him, he had no choice but to do his best. He closed his eyes. Honestly, Cain didn''t see himself as a teacher. The idea of teaching someone as powerful as a hero and calling himself a teacher wasughable. He firmly believed that he was only temporarily helping Ketal out. But, unfortunately for him, Ketal didn''t see it that way. Ketal smiled brightly as he thought to himself. ''Teacher and father as one.'' The phrase meant that the grace of a ruler, a teacher, and a father were the same. It was a saying he''d encountered in countless martial arts stories. And since he was learning something simr to ''Qi,'' it fit perfectly with the concept. In that case, he should treat Cain with all the respect due to a master, right? "This is the kind of rtionship I''ve dreamed of." A bond between teacher and student, tighter than blood. How beautiful that concept was. The rtionship he had with Arkamis didn''t quite feel like that of a master and disciple, so he''d never experienced this feeling before. But with Cain, it truly felt like a teacher-student rtionship. Of course, in this world, the rtionship between teacher and student was different from what was depicted in martial arts novels, but that wasn''t important to Ketal. So naturally, Ketal was determined to show all the respect of a disciple. His eyes gleamed with determination. * * * "Hmm..." The next morning. Cain woke up from his sleep and opened his eyes. He tried to get up. "Oh. You''re awake, Master." And at that moment, Cain saw it. Ketal was standing quietly in front of his bed, looking down at him. "...!" Cain jolted up as if he had been shocked. He leaped from the bed and moved to the far side of the tent. "W-What the¡ª!" Why was Ketal waiting next to him when he woke up? Ketal spoke casually. "I was waiting for you to wake up, Master." "W-Why?" "Isn''t it a disciple''s duty to wait until their master awakens?" "...?" Cain had never heard of such a duty before. After collecting himself, he stammered out a question. "...How long have you been there?" "I''ve been here for about two hours since before you woke up." A hero-ss warrior had been standing there quietly for two hours, watching him sleep. And Cain had slept soundly without even knowing it. He felt a chill run down his spine. "That''s not all." Ketal smiled brightly as he gestured around the tent. Only then did Cain realize how clean the tent was. Ketal had cleaned the tent while Cain was asleep. "And here. I also made some food. It''s breakfast, so I prepared a stew that''s easy on the stomach." Ketal handed a bowl of warm stew to Cain. Dazed, Cain epted the stew without thinking. ''No, wait!'' "This isn''t necessary!" At this point, it was like Ketal was acting as his servant. The thought of treating a hero-ss warrior like a servant was outrageous, and he had no intention of doing so. The problem was that Ketal had no intention of backing down either. "This is my duty as a disciple. Please don''t refuse." "No!" ''Where does such a duty even exist!'' Cain wanted to shout. In this world, the rtionship between teacher and student was different from that in martial arts novels. Though they were master and disciple, there was always a clear line between them. At least, there was no expectation that a disciple would act like a servant, as Ketal was doing now. Even if there were someone who allowed such treatment, they would be widely criticized if it became known. "D-Don''t do this!" Cain was desperate. He was terrified that someone might see this scene. Ketal spoke calmly. "Don''t worry so much. Just eat. There are people waiting outside." "Waiting?" Cain snapped out of his daze and looked towards the entrance of the tent. There, the archbishop of the Earth Mother was standing, looking at him with a bewildered expression. "I have something to report." "...Did you see everything?" "...Yes. From start to finish." His expression was rather strange. He had witnessed the bizarre sight of a hero-ss warrior tending to someone like a servant. He looked at Cain with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Ah, ahhh..." Cain''s face twisted in mortification. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 252: The Unity of Teacher, King, and Parent (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 252: The Unity of Teacher, King, and Parent (2) Barely managing to calm his mind, Cain gave up and asked, "What is it that you want to say?" "It''s nothing much. I''m here to inform you that you don''t need to participate in the uing fortress assault."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If Ketal mastered the art of mystery, they could break through the fortress without any issues. However, Cain had no intention of just sitting idly by. He nned to continue attacking the fortress with the Mercenary King. Cain was a superhuman-level Swordmaster, and he had his own role to y. However, since he had to teach Ketal, he couldn''t participate. Cain nodded. "I understand." Just as the conversation was wrapping up, Ketal interjected, "I apologize. It seems I''m causing a loss of strength." "No, no. You do no need to worry about that, Mr. Ketal." "No, in that case, I''ll fill the gap myself." "What?" The Archbishop was startled. "But you need to learn how to handle mysteries, Mr. Ketal." There was no time tounch a direct assault on the fortress. Ketal spoke lightly. "I''m not going to help directly. Come forth, Piego." Whoosh! mes gathered and took the form of a bull. Overwhelmed by the tremendous power, the Archbishop and Cain were astonished. "My God!" "The highest-ranking spirit of fire!" [¡­What is it this time?] "I need your help," Ketal exined the situation. Upon hearing the exnation, Piego''s mes flickered. [Eradicating evil that pollutes the earth? Finally, something that suits me. Alright, I''ll help. I hope the next task is simr.] "I''ll try." Just as Piego was about to move, he suddenly remembered something and asked, [A few days ago, I felt something through our link.] Normally, it would have been impossible to sense anything, as Piego kept their link as thin as a thread. However, something broke through that barrier, delivering a sensation¡ªa feeling as if the very world itself was warping, as if opposing something colossal. [¡­What did you do?] "Ah." Ketal realized what Piego was referring to. It must have been during his fight with Federica. "That happened. I''ll exinter." [Hmm.] Piego made a dissatisfied noise and moved. His body turned into mes as he headed toward the fortress. "With Piego around, he can fill Cain''s spot." "More than just filling it," Cain stammered. The highest-ranking spirit was on par with the Mercenary King in power, surpassing the strength of dozens of Cains. ¡®I had heard stories, but¡­¡¯ This barbarian didn''t just rely on his own strength. He also wielded the power of spirits. "The problem is solved. Let''s move out, teacher," Ketal said lightly. Cain''s face twisted. * * * After that, Ketal continued to follow Cain, learning how to handle mysteries from him and tending to his needs. Cain desperately tried to tell him to leave, insisting that it wasn''t necessary. He begged and even mustered the strength to speak sternly, but Ketal wouldn''t listen. "I am your disciple. Even if you reject me, I must fulfill my duty as a disciple." ¡®What kind of madness is that?!¡¯ Cain wanted to scream. And everyone around them witnessed the entire spectacle. "What¡­ what''s going on?" "A hero-ss warrior¡­ is serving him?" Someone with the power to shatter a fortress with a single strike was sincerely showing respect to a superhuman-level Swordmaster, treating him as a master. It was a truly bizarre sight. They, too, had thought the rtionship was just a supportive one, not a true master-disciple rtionship, so they couldn''t help but be shocked. Even the Mercenary King watched their rtionship with some reluctance. "Is this really okay?" "I''m satisfied," Ketal replied with a smile, a deep sense of satisfaction on his face. "If he''s happy, then I guess it''s fine." The Mercenary King ignored Cain''s desperate plea for help. He was also relieved that he wasn''t the one teaching Ketal. Cain truly felt like he was going insane. But he wasn''t the only one suffering. While walking through the forward base, a knight spotted Cain and widened his eyes. "M-Master? What in the world is going on?" "Ah¡­ my disciple." "Oh?" Seeing the knight''s face, Ketal''s expression brightened with recognition. It was a familiar face, a knight he had once fought in the Barkan territory. Cain''s disciple had followed him here as well. The knight recoiled in fear at the sight of Ketal. "You, you!" "Ah,e to think of it, I did hear that you had another disciple here. Nice to meet you! I¡¯ve also be Cain''s disciple." "What?" "We now share the same master. Technically, that makes us senior and junior disciples." Ketalughed heartily and pped the knight on the shoulder. "Senior disciples are practically like brothers! That makes us brothers! If you ever need help, just let me know, brother!" Overnight, the knight found himself in a brotherly rtionship with a hero-ss warrior. His face turned deathly pale. * * * ¡®Why?¡¯ Why was this happening to him¡­ Cain felt like he was going to die. His stomach twisted painfully. For the first time since bing superhuman, he felt physical pain in his abdomen. Seeing this, Ketal scratched his cheek. "You look troubled." Cain felt a surge of anger. The one causing him this misery was now saying he looked troubled, and it made him genuinely resentful. His emotions showed in his gaze. ¡®I do feel a little bad about this.¡¯ Of course, Ketal had no intention of stopping, as he was enjoying himself. But he didn''t enjoy tormenting others endlessly. Ketal grinned. "You''ll benefit from this too. Just bear with it a little longer." ¡®What nonsense is that¡­¡¯ Cain dismissed Ketal¡¯s words as nonsense. But that night, the Archbishop summoned him. "What is it?" "I called you for a progress check. Is the training going well?" "No issues, aside from my stomach being in knots," Cain replied bluntly. Despite everything, Ketal was quickly learning how to handle mysteries. At this pace, concrete results would emerge in a few days. "I see¡­" The Archbishop looked at Cain with a peculiar expression. Then, as if making up his mind, he spoke. "Mr. Cain, you''re affiliated with the Kingdom of Gehentra, correct?" "That''s right." Cain was indeed affiliated with the Kingdom of Gehentra. And unusually for someone of superhuman level, he had a strong sense of patriotism. This fact was well-known, and the Archbishop was aware of it. "How are things in the kingdom?" "Well¡­ not good," Cain grimaced as he spoke. The Kingdom of Gehentra was a small kingdom. As a vassal state of the Empire, it had to pay substantial tributes, but in return, the Empire offered no assistance. The kingdom was struggling, greatly shaken by the current chaotic situation. Cain was doing everything in his power to save the kingdom, but his efforts alone were insufficient. He spoke curtly. "Why are you asking such obvious questions?" "No, Sir Cain, you have been doing a great deal for us. You have voluntarilye here to assist us," Said the Archbishop with a gentle smile as he got to the main point. "Therefore, in my name, I will send aid to the Kingdom of Gehentra." "...What?" Cain''s eyes widened. "Is it... really true?" "It is true. I sent a letter to the Church just yesterday. Aid will arrive in the Kingdom of Gehentra within a few days." "Oh, no." From Cain''s perspective, this was incredibly good news. Thergest church on the continent was going to support his kingdom. There was nothing more reassuring than that. However, it was all so sudden. To be honest, he didn''t have much influence here. Although he wasn¡¯t treated poorly due to his superhuman abilities, he wasn¡¯t particrly well-regarded either. This was partly because there were already plenty of superhuman beings, but the biggest reason was that his backing was the weakest. Other superhuman beings were followers of the Earth Mother Goddess or magicians from the Magic Tower. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] In contrast, he was merely a knight from a small kingdom. His background was clearly weaker than others, and as a result, he wasn¡¯t given much special treatment. And yet, suddenly, they were offering support. Cain, who was momentarily flustered, soon realized what was going on. The confusion in his expression subsided. "...Thank you." "You''re wee," The Archbishop replied with a kind expression, though a political mask was veiled over his face. "I hope we can maintain a good rtionship in the future as well." * * * The next day. Cain spoke to Ketal. "Yesterday, the Archbishop said he would support my kingdom." "That''s good news," Ketal smiled. "Didn''t I tell you? It would be beneficial to you as well." "...Indeed." The reason for the Archbishop''s sudden change in attitude was clear. It was because of Ketal. A hero-ss warrior, a person powerful enough to alter the continent''s bnce. Such a person seriously treated Cain as his master, showing him all due respect. Whether it was a fa?ade or not, if it was sincere, Cain¡¯s backing had suddenly be formidable. A hero-ss warrior was treating him as a master. With that, even the Archbishop of the Earth Mother Goddess had no choice but to change his treatment of Cain. The result was support for the kingdom. "...Thank you." Cain sincerely thanked Ketal. Though it was difficult for him personally, he could endure it if it helped his kingdom. "There''s no need to thank me. It benefits both you and me," Ketal replied lightly. "Feel free to use my name whenever you need." "No, that''s too frightening, so I¡¯ll pass." "Well, as you wish," Ketalughed. Cain looked at him with a new sense of appreciation. From the beginning, Ketal had known that by treating Cain in this manner, perceptions of him would change. He was fully aware of how much value he held. ''...This barbarian...'' Cain swallowed. He wasn¡¯t just powerful; he was also smart. He could urately assess the situation and weigh the value of things. ¡®I don¡¯t know why someone like him calls me his master...¡¯ But as long as it was mutually beneficial, that was enough. Cain decided that he would earnestly teach Ketal the mysteries. Cain spoke up. "So, how far have you progressed?" "I''ve reached the level you mentioned. It takes me 1 second to circte the path of mysteries once." "Good. You''ve mastered the basics." The fundamental step to properly handling mysteries was to circte the path of mysteries within 1 second. That was now achieved. "With this, you''vepleted the basics. From now on, you¡¯ll be able to handle mysteries properly." "Ooooooh," Ketal was filled with anticipation as he asked, "So, what¡¯s the next step?" "It''s simple," Cain answered. "Body enhancement." "Ooooooh!" Body enhancement. Finally, he could wield mysteries to bring about transformation. His heart raced. "Are you ready?" "Of course!" Ketal nodded vigorously. The joy on his face was evident, even to Cain. Cain looked on with a sense of unease. What he was about to teach was the control of mystery. At best, it was a secondary skill level. It was hard to get used to the idea that someone of Ketal¡¯s caliber would be so genuinely excited about something of this level. Cain shook his head and spoke. "Then let¡¯s begin right away. The method is simple. If you¡¯ve sessfully circted the mystery, it means you can move it. Now, you need to gather it in your whole body or a specific part to enhance it. For now¡­ let''s start with your leg." Cain looked at Ketal¡¯s left leg. "Focus the mystery into your left leg and enhance it." "Do I just need to gather it?" "It¡¯ll be easier if you focus on the sensation of filling your leg from the inside." "Got it." Ketal closed his eyes and focused his mind. He tried to gather the mystery within him into his left leg. A minute passed. Cain murmured to himself in surprise, "This is taking longer than I expected." Sessfully circting the mystery meant that one could control it. Moving the mystery wasn¡¯t that difficult. ording to Cain¡¯s teaching standards, one could grasp the concept within 10 seconds. But Ketal had been focusing for over a minute. Ketal responded, "No, it¡¯s just that this thing isn''t easy to handle." The beast inside Ketal''s mystery¡ªsuppressing it to circte was one thing, but when he tried to gather it in his leg, it started growling and resisting again. Trying to suppress and control it was far from easy. "I see¡­" Cain had a puzzled expression. For someone like him, it was hard toprehend what it meant for the mystery to be like a beast. After several more minutes, Ketal finally opened his eyes. "It¡¯s done." He had seeded in gathering the mystery into his left leg. "So, how do I handle this now?" "If you''ve sessfully gathered it, it''s not difficult. Just swing it as is." The mystery would protect the leg from attacks and amplify its strength. It could be swung with more power and speed. "Hmm." Cain looked at Ketal for a moment before speaking. "Then try using that power once. Press down on the ground with your left foot with all your strength. You¡¯ll clearly feel the difference between using the mystery and not using it." "Hmm? Is that really okay?" "It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re in an open field, so it doesn¡¯t matter if the ground gets damaged." Cain was teaching Ketal from a considerable distance away, not wanting anyone to see. Even if something happened, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue. "If you say so." Ketal responded as he lifted his leg. A serious intent began to gather in that leg. Chills. At that moment, Cain felt a shiver down his spine. His instincts warned him that the power in that leg was beyond hisprehension. He tried to stop him, but it was toote. "Wa-..." Crunch. But it was toote. Ketal''s foot came crashing down onto the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 253: The Use of Mystery (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 253: The Use of Mystery (1) The left leg, imbued with mystery, truly pressed down on the earth. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Cain was startled. Contrary to what his senses had warned, nothing happened. The ground remained utterly silent, as if a regr human had simply stomped on it. Considering Ketal¡¯s power, this was extremely unusual. However, soon after, the aftereffects of the force began to manifest. Rumble¡­ ¡°Huh? Wha¡ª?¡± The ground started to shake. At first, it was just a slight tremor, but it quickly grew stronger. Before long, the earth shook so violently that it was hard to maintain bnce. Then, the ground, unable to withstand the force, began to copse. Crack! The ground split and shattered. Cain¡¯s body stumbled as he fell into the widening crevice. He quickly pushed off the broken earth, propelling himself into the air. His body floated in midair. ¡°This is crazy!¡± Cain cursed as he looked down at the ground from the sky. The entirend was splitting and copsing. It was an earthquake. Of course, the phenomenon itself wasn¡¯t particrly special. Until now, Ketal had caused the ground to crack and shatter during battles. It was as if an earthquake had urred. But that had only been a metaphor. Ketal¡¯s immense power had only shaken the surface of the earth¡ªa mere imitation. Naturally, the range was limited. But this time, it was different. Ketal¡¯s power, imbued with mystery, had reached deep into the earth¡¯s crust. A true earthquake, a grand natural phenomenon, had begun. Rumble¡­ The surroundingnd shook. The sky trembled under the immense force. Animals screamed and began to flee. Ketal and Cain were a fair distance away from the forward base, but the earthquake spread that far. Rumble¡­ As the ground shook, tents copsed. The earth cracked open. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± People screamed and shielded themselves. The archbishop was in shock. ¡°It¡¯s an earthquake! Everyone, be careful!¡± Rumble¡­ Thankfully, the earthquake subsided before long. ¡°Why did an earthquake suddenly happen?¡± ¡°Jeez, I almost died.¡± People stood up, bewildered. None of them suspected that a single person had caused this. Boom! Though the distance made it seem to settle down quickly, Cain, who was at the epicenter, was not so fortunate. The ground crumbled and split apart. ¡°Grrr!¡± As Cain tried to shield himself from the copsing earth, Ketal moved. He grabbed Cain and pulled him away from the center of the earthquake. ¡°T-thanks.¡± ¡°No, I should be the one apologizing. This happened because of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cain couldn¡¯t deny it. After a short while, the ground finally calmed down. All thaty before them was a ruinednd. The entire barren in had copsed and been destroyed. ¡°¡­It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve definitely gotten stronger.¡± Ketal smiled with satisfaction. He, too, could feel that his power had reached deep into the earth¡¯s crust. This was something he had never been able to do before. At least, it wasn¡¯t something that could have happened just by using his power earnestly. His strength had definitely increased. But more importantly, his body was intact. Despite drawing out this much power, he felt no strain. It was as if he had finally obtained a body that matched his strength. He was extremely satisfied. ¡°Hmm. But the mystery is fluctuating. It¡¯s going to take quite a bit of time to settle it down. Is it always like this?¡± Ketal asked Cain. But Cain couldn¡¯t respond. He just stared at Ketal with a stunned expression. * * * ¡°¡­Just a moment.¡± That night, the archbishop, who met with Cain, had a stern expression. ¡°You¡¯re saying that the earthquake that happened earlier today¡­ urred because Sir Ketal stepped on the ground?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± The archbishop buried his face in his hands. An earthquake. A grand natural phenomenon. The power contained within it was immense. Even modern humanity, with its tremendous destructive power, couldn¡¯t create an earthquake artificially, so there was no need to say more. But Ketal did it. With a single step, he created an earthquake. Ketal possessed the power to affect the itself. ¡°Is this something that could happen¡­ for someone of Hero ss?¡± At Cain¡¯s murmuring, the archbishop immediately shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s impossible.¡± Even the Earth Mother Goddess¡¯s church had powerful heroes. But creating an earthquake in such a manner was impossible. Perhaps if they used a holy relic, but doing so purely with mystery was unthinkable. Even then, it would require a long preparation time. ¡®¡­Who is he?¡¯ Who in the world was he? Whatid in the White Snowfield? Cain¡¯s mind became clouded with thoughts. And the next day. Upon meeting Ketal, Cain spoke immediately. ¡°From now on, when you handle the mystery, you should work to suppress the aftereffects as much as possible. Never stomp or press down on the ground.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal nodded. The previous day''s events hadn¡¯t been a sess for him either. ¡®I couldn¡¯t control my power.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t yet mastered controlling the body enhanced by mystery. It was because he wasn¡¯t used to it yet. And the mysterious beast raged within him like mad. Like a beast released from a cage for the first time. It caused all sorts of chaos within him. It took him an hour just to bring it under control. ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯ In the current state, it was nothing short of a ticking time bomb. It wasn¡¯t power that could be wielded recklessly. It had to be controlled and suppressed, wielded consistently. And more than anything, this brute-force approach wasn¡¯t what Ketal desired. In the White Snowfield, there were already beings that were simply strong. What he desired was the uniqueness of the mystery. Therefore, he would control the mystery. Suppress the beast and draw out only as much mystery as he could handle. Gradually shroud his body in the mystery. Seeing this, Cain shuddered once more. Ketal was mastering it at an incredible speed. Although it took time due to the mystery''s uniqueness, he handled it exactly as he wished. ¡®What have I awakened?¡¯ ¡®The being in front of me now, just how far can it reach?¡¯ The emotion of regret shed through Cain¡¯s mind. But it was toote now. The die was cast. Watching Ketal closely, Cain spoke. ¡°Think of it as holding the mystery circting through your entire body. Imagine wrapping your entire body in it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal followed Cain¡¯s instructions. He held onto the mystery and used it to shield his body. His body became even more robust. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] At this level, even the top tier of superhumans would be unable to affect his body. Not even a god could easily intervene. Ketal smiled. ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯ The sensation of reaching a higher level. The feeling of growing stronger. A Sharpened Sense. It had been a long time since he''d felt this way. In the white snowfield, he had hit his limit long ago. No matter how much he trained and pushed himself, he couldn¡¯t grow stronger. Of course, there were ways to be stronger. But those were not the paths he wished to take, so they weren¡¯t an option. Yet now, the restriction had been lifted. He would grow stronger. Far more than before. While mastering the mysteries he had long desired. Ketal¡¯s deficiency was beginning to be filled. * * * Two days passed like that. Ketal had be more ustomed to handling the mysteries. After observing him for a moment, Cain finally spoke. ¡°This should be enough to cover the basics.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s about time to test it properly.¡± They needed to confirm exactly how much stronger Ketal had be. To see to what extent he could wield the mysteries. They needed to verify this through a sparring match. The only problem was, there wasn¡¯t anyone who could spar with Ketal. ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Ketal grinned broadly as he spoke. ¡°There¡¯s something perfect for testing right here.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Cain realized what Ketal was talking about. Ketal was staring at the jet-ck wall that had swallowed the sanctuary. * * * As Ketal approached the wall, the Mercenary King directed his men. Ketal asked him. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°We keep trying, but we haven¡¯t made much progress. It¡¯s incredibly solid.¡± The Mercenary King clicked his tongue. Despite both he and Piego, the continent''s top warriors, being there, they hadn¡¯t been able to break through the wall. ¡°Indeed, the Demon of Design. His reputation from the Demon War remains intact.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal smirked. ¡°Then how about I take a crack at it?¡± ¡°You? But you can¡¯t¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡­handle the mysteries. The Mercenary King was about to say, but he stopped himself. Then, understanding dawned on his face, and he stepped back. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten the hang of it, I see. Alright, I¡¯ll order an evacuation just in case.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Probably.¡± Ketal spoke cheerfully. * * * On top of the jet-ck wall, the Demon of Design, Karvaraks, was chuckling to himself. ¡°Go ahead, try your best to break through. It¡¯s impossible for the likes of you.¡± Karvaraks was in a good mood. Piego and the Mercenary King, two of the strongest warriors on the continent, were stuck dealing with him. From the perspective of Hell''s invasion of the surface, this was a massive gain. Karvaraks nned to keep them upied as long as possible. The Barbarian hadn¡¯t shown himself in days, likely realizing that his strength was useless. Nothing could disturb Karvaraks¡¯s mood anymore. ¡°The time for the blooming is near.¡± Karvaraks smiled brightly as he gazed at the pink flower. The flower was voraciously consuming the sanctuary''s malevolent energy. The time for its blooming was rapidly approaching. When that time came, they would all die. This world would face a terrible evil. As Karvaraks stared out with a satisfied expression, his face suddenly changed. ¡°¡­You!¡± He was shocked. The massive Barbarian was slowly approaching. Boom! The fortress¡¯s automatic defense systems activated. Cannons and arrows rained down on Ketal. ¡°Oh, how nice.¡± Ketal smiled gleefully as he flicked his fingers. With that alone, all the attacks were crushed and scattered. ¡®Hadn¡¯t he left?¡¯ Karvaraks was horrified. He hadn¡¯t seen the Barbarian for days, thinking he had finally gone, only for him to reappear. A trace of panic crossed his face. But it was short-lived. Karvaraks soon regained hisposure. ¡®That Barbarian can¡¯t destroy the fortress anyway!¡¯ Ketal had a deficiency. He was undoubtedly a powerful being, but he couldn¡¯t wield the mysteries. That meant it was meaningless. No matter how much he broke and smashed the fortress, it could be immediately restored. Karvaraks chuckled, regaining his confidence. ¡°You¡¯vee for nothing, Barbarian.¡± Though, perhaps out of fear, his voice was much quieter than before. But Ketal heard it clearly. ¡°I just want to check something.¡± Ketal took a deep breath and began to concentrate. Karvaraks found it strange that he was just standing there. But that confusion didn¡¯tst long. His eyes widened. Mystic energy began to gather around Ketal¡¯s arm. ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± How could he wield the mysteries? Karvaraks frantically poured out his power, desperately attacking Ketal, but Ketal didn¡¯t respond. Yet, his body remained unscathed. Finally, enough mystic energy gathered in his fist. ¡°Hmph!¡± Ketal swung his fist. The part of the wall his fist touched turned to dust and disappeared. Boom! It didn¡¯t stop there. The energy exploded outward. The entire wall crumbled, and the ck magicians resting inside were killed before they even knew what happened. The flower bud wavered for a moment. Boom¡­ ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°My God.¡± Those watching couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. The wall wasn¡¯t just crumbling; it was turning to dust and vanishing. ¡°Insane!¡± Karvaraks panicked as he tried to rebuild the wall. Bricks appeared out of thin air, and the siege weapons returned. But there was a noticeable loss of power. Unlike before, Ketal¡¯s attack had clearly caused damage. ¡°Oh! It really works!¡± Ketal, satisfied, gathered mystic energy into his fist once more. Boom! He swung again. The wall turned to dust and disappeared. Karvaraks gritted his teeth and restored it again. Ketal shook his fist after a few more cycles of attack and repair. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now.¡± He was reaching his limit. The mystic energy within him was raging. Ketal smiled contentedly. ¡°For now, it¡¯s four times. I¡¯ve confirmed that.¡± ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Meanwhile, Karvaraks was sweating profusely. He had barely managed to defend himself, but he had expended a considerable amount of power. Karvaraks groaned. ¡®How¡­¡¯ That Barbarian should have been deficient. Yet, suddenly, that deficiency had been filled. The situation had changed entirely. Instead of leisurely holding out, he now had to defend with all his might. Ketal looked up at him and smiled. ¡°Do your best to hold out. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡®Please. Don¡¯t copse until I¡¯ve fully mastered this.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Karvaraks¡¯s face turned pale. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 254: The Use of Mystery (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 254: The Use of Mystery (2) After that, Ketal continued his attacks. He gathered his Mysteries, struck hard, and when he reached his limit, he returned to recover. Once he was fully restored, heunched another attack. As a result, Karvaraks became desperate. He did everything in his power to defend against Ketal¡¯s assaults and prevent him from reaching the fortress walls. But all of his efforts were in vain. The cycle of destruction and repair at the hands of Ketal repeated endlessly. Those watching even began to feel pity for the demon. And as a result, Ketal became increasingly adept at using Mysteries. What once took him minutes to condense now took less than ten seconds. The number of times he could use them increased significantly as well. Cain murmured in surprise, ¡°Your proficiency is growing faster than I expected.¡± Since Ketal had learned to wield Mysteries, he was rapidly mastering them. ¡°At this rate, it won¡¯t be long before I have nothing left to teach you.¡± ¡°Is there not still something left?¡± Ketal''s eyes gleamed. ¡°Your swordsmanship. I want to learn that as well.¡± Cain''s swordsmanship, which blended illusion and reality, was the first fantasy swordsmanship Ketal had ever seen. Naturally, he was deeply fascinated by it and wanted to learn it at any cost. However, Cain¡¯s expression was ambiguous. ¡°That might be¡­ impossible.¡± ¡°Impossible?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer. ¡°Why? Is it something you can¡¯t teach others? But you have disciples, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the issue,¡± Cain replied. ¡°The problem is that you¡¯re too strong.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I developed my swordsmanship right after I reached the superhuman level.¡± Those who reach the level of a superhuman can control Mysteries. By using the Mysteries they control, they can achieve what they desire. That was what Cain¡¯s swordsmanship was. In the end, Cain¡¯s swordsmanship was simply his own method of using Mysteries. It was almost like a form of authority. Of course, it wasn¡¯t really appropriate to call it authority, given how low Cain¡¯s level was, but the concept was simr. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re too strong.¡± Ketal was far too powerful. His strength had reached the level of a hero. The level of a hero was the materialization of Mysteries. It was a level where one could impose their will upon the world. There was no point in someone like him learning Cain¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡°You may not have realized it yet, but you have your own way of handling Mysteries.¡± Mysteries that no one else but Ketal could wield. His own power. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. * * * Ketal continued to improve his mastery of Mysteries. Not only could he gather Mysteries to enhance his physical body, but he could also maintain it around his body. Ketal didn¡¯t stop there¡ªhe wanted to further refine his skills. But it was difficult to drag out more time. ¡°A revtion has been given to me.¡± The archbishop, who had gathered all the superhuman-level warriors, spoke calmly. A few hours earlier, a revtion from the Earth Mother Goddess hade to him. ¡°The flower of sin is about to bloom. We must end everything before that happens.¡± ¡°The flower of sin¡­ Is it that pink bud?¡± ¡°Most likely. I don¡¯t know what it is, but¡­ the Earth Mother Goddess herself issued a direct warning about it.¡± Even after the highest-ranking demon had descended, the goddess had remained silent, but she had issued a clear warning about that bud. They needed to finish things as quickly as possible. ¡°We will begin tomorrow. Ketal, I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you, but¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± That night, Ketal and Cain had a conversation. ¡°Tomorrow is the final day.¡± ¡°It seems that way. It¡¯s a real shame.¡± Ketal smacked his lips as if he was genuinely disappointed. Once this was over, Cain would leave to care for his own matters, and Ketal would do the same. After staring at Ketal for a moment, Cain spoke earnestly. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Teaching Mysteries to a hero-level warrior had been overwhelming and burdensome, but in the end, it had greatly benefited his kingdom. Ketal smiled. ¡°It helped me a lot too, so it¡¯s fine. It was enjoyable as well.¡± Learning Mysteries had been both beneficial and immensely enjoyable for him. It had been a very fulfilling time. But there was one thing he was dissatisfied with. ¡°I¡¯m struggling to materialize Mysteries.¡± Materialization. The level of a first-rate warrior. Upon reaching this level, one could envelop their weapon with aura. It was the level often referred to as aura des or sword energy in fantasy or martial arts. Ketal wanted to reach that level. He wanted to draw out his Mysteries with his own power. But it wasn¡¯t easy. Of course, the difficulty of the task itself was high, but the biggest problem was the beast of Mysteries within him. While he could manage to strengthen his body, materializing the Mysteries caused it to go berserk. ¡°How can I resolve this?¡± ¡°You need more Mysteries,¡± Cain answered lightly. ¡°Materialization requires first-rate Mysteries. While you have that level of Mysteries, you can¡¯t fully control it yet.¡± Most of it was being used to suppress the beast, leaving him unable to wield all of his Mysteries. ¡°The more Mysteries you have, the more you¡¯ll be able to draw out while keeping the beast under control.¡± ¡°I need to increase it?¡± But that was no easy task. He had only managed to acquire his current Mysteries by devouring a dragon heart. To obtain more Mysteries than this¡­ he couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what kind of materials he would need. ¡®Would I need a shard of a god?¡¯ A fragment of Federica. Maybe if he used that, he could figure something out. But it was such an alien material that it was hard to use it immediately. He didn¡¯t even know if it would work as a catalyst. It was something forter. Ketal smacked his lips. ¡®I want to handle it right now.¡¯ In the end, the beast of Mysteries within him had to be dealt with. How could he tame this beast? Ketal''s head reeled with this thought. In the midst of his contemtion, a realization struck him. There had been a moment when the beast had willingly raised its head to assist him. It was during the battle against Federica. At that time, the beast had risen to help, as if it couldn''t bear to see Ketal attacked by Federica. It was simr to how a gruff hunting dog might be earnest only when aiding its master in a hunt. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®An enemy,¡¯ Ketal thought. An enemy strong enough for the beast to consider as such. Ketal¡¯s eyes glimmered quietly. And at that very moment, in the sanctuary under the control of Karvaraks, a change was urring in a flower bud there. The tightly closed bud was beginning to bloom. * * * The next day, fully prepared, theyunched their attack. Ketal was the first to step forward. He gathered mystic energy into his fist and struck the fortress wall fiercely. The wall disintegrated into dust. ¡°Ugh!¡± Karvaraks quickly activated his powers. He attempted to reconstruct the wall, but the archbishop did not simply stand by and watch. ¡°Papirany 11:45! Thend you touch bes fertile, and thatnd has not seen a famine for a long time!¡± Kiieeeng! The power of the scriptures shed with Karvaraks''s domain. The wall that was trying to rise crumbled in an instant. Karvaraks gritted his teeth. ¡°Damn dog of the gods!¡± Until now, the archbishop had been unable to interfere with Karvaraks''s domain. The difference in their powers was vast, and since the sacred ground of the gods had been swallowed by evil, the divine power had no advantage over the demonic force. But not anymore. After Ketal continuously shattered the wall, Karvaraks¡¯s power had significantly diminished, enough to allow the archbishop to intervene. As a result, the wall wasn¡¯t properly constructed, leaving gaps. ¡°Everyone! Charge!¡± And toward those gaps, the people charged. [Uooooh!] [Kaaaah!] The forces of evil did not simply watch in silence. Monsters rose up, baring their grotesque maws. The dark magicians began to cast their spells. Kwaaagagagagang! A full-scale battle erupted. Karvaraks clicked his tongue and abandoned his attempt to restore the fortress. Instead, he poured all his strength into his attack. ¡°Die.¡± ng ng ng. Numerous tools appeared above Karvaraks''s head. From those tools, beams of ck light poured out. Kiiieeeeng! Each beam of light contained the power to erase the earth literally. The sky was filled with these beams of light. People shuddered, sensing that their defenses would be meaningless against those beams. Karvaraks, the demon of design, was unleashing his full power. But. [Hmph.] Piego scoffed and stomped his foot. Crimson mes erupted. Fwoooosh! Piego was the highest-ranking spirit, holding the primordial fire. His power was by no means inferior to Karvaraks''s. The rising mes shed with the beams of ck light, canceling them out. The sky brightened as if fireworks had exploded. [An insignificant demon like you dares to sully the earth? You have forgotten your ce, Karvaraks.] ¡°You damned beast!¡± Karvaraks swung his arm violently. Dozens of tools appeared simultaneously, and countless beams of light shot through the ground. Kwaaaaang! Power collided with power. Piego began to be pushed back little by little. This was the sanctuary of evil. A ce where Karvaraks¡¯s power was amplified. Even though they were of the same rank, Piego was disadvantaged. Eventually, Piego could only focus on blocking Karvaraks''s attack from reaching the people. But that was all Piego needed to do. [End it, master.] Kiiieeeeng! Piercing through the ck light, a figure flew toward Karvaraks. Karvaraks quickly reacted, focusing his power. Dozens of beams shot at the figure simultaneously, all hitting their target. But the figure didn¡¯t stop. It was as if Karvaraks''s attack meant nothing.N?v(el)B\\jnn The figure leisurely approached. Crunch. The figurended in front of Karvaraks, causing the ground to crumble, sending debris flying. Karvaraks swung his arm to deflect the debris. ¡°¡­So you¡¯ve finallye.¡± ¡°You took longer than I expected.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Karvaraks gritted his teeth. ¡°You, I thought you were a being of the Forbidden Lands. How on earth are you using mystic power¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± Ketal looked at the flower behind Karvaraks. The edges of its petals were beginning to unfold. ¡°It¡¯s starting to bloom. As much as I¡¯d like to watch it leisurely, I can¡¯t do that given my role. I need to finish this before then.¡± ¡°Die!¡± Karvaraks spat out harshly. Kiiieeeeng! ck light poured toward Ketal. Karvaraks was a demon of the demon realm, an equal to Rubitra. Rubitra¡¯s full power had left a red mark on Ketal¡¯s palm and sent his body flying far away. Each beam of ck light now being unleashed wasparable to Rubitra¡¯s full power. Moreover, Karvaraks was currently synchronized with the sanctuary, wielding even greater power. He poured out everything he had. Even if he was destroyed here! He was determined to stop Ketal at all costs. But to Karvaraks¡¯s dismay, Ketal had no interest in him now. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve seen far too many of your kind. It¡¯s no longer entertaining.¡± What Ketal was interested in was what Karvaraks was protecting. Ketal enveloped himself in mystic energy and walked forward effortlessly. The ck light shattered like ss upon hitting Ketal¡¯s body. Karvaraks''s full power couldn¡¯t slow Ketal¡¯s advance in the slightest. Ketal arrived before Karvaraks. Karvaraks couldn¡¯t react. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± Ketal gathered his mystic power, grabbed Karvaraks''s head, and crushed it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 255: The Demon of Flowers (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 255: The Demon of Flowers (1) The headless body of Karvaraks wobbled and fell. Ketal quietly looked down at it. "Is it dead?" As soon as Ketal leaned in to check, the headless body suddenly raised its hand. A dark light poured toward Ketal, but it didn''t hit him. Anticipating the attack, he effortlessly dodged and then stomped on the body. A hole was pierced through the upper torso. The body trembled violently as if in a seizure, and then disappeared. Ketal turned his gaze. "I''ve had a simr experience before. I don''t get caught twice." "Huff, huff." A little distance away, Karvaraks reappeared. Outwardly, there were no visible injuries. Ketal stroked his chin. "Indeed, I can''t kill you with a single strike." Ketal couldn¡¯t fully manifest the mystical power. At best, he could only enhance his body with it. It seemed it still wasn¡¯t enough to kill a demon. However... "Ugh!" Karvaraks coughed up blood. His body staggered significantly. It was clear he was injured. Ketal chuckled with satisfaction. "At least I can still inflict damage." Using his mystical power, he had inflicted a wound on the demon. It was a satisfactory oue. Ketalughed cheerfully, while Karvaraks struggled to steady his trembling body. Though he used magic to restore his crushed head, he couldn''t deny the damage. It felt like his head had been smashed with a hammer. "Youuu!" N?v(el)B\\jnn Karvaraks unleashed his power in a fit of rage. A dark light spiraled toward Ketal. Ketal smiled and stepped forward. All of Karvaraks''s power shattered and was crushed. The body held by Ketal was mmed into the ground and crushed. Karvaraks spat blood. Ketal wasn''t even using the mystical power to strengthen his body right now. He was merely surrounding himself with it for offensive purposes. Even so, Karvaraks was being helplessly toyed with. And that was the expected result. Ketal had fought against many demons before. Among them were top-tier demons on the same level as Karvaraks. They put up a decent fight against Ketal. The reason for this was simply because Ketal didn¡¯t fully understand the mystical power. No matter how much he tore or crushed them apart, they would regenerate without any damage, making it seem like they were putting up a good fight. In other words, it was only because Ketal wascking. But now thatck had been resolved. No longer could even top-tier demons stand in Ketal''s way. Crunch. He crushed Karvaraks''s arm and burst his head. Karvaraks let out a desperate scream, regenerating again, but Ketal tore his body in half before he could unleash his power. "Kaaargh!" Karvaraks was barely holding on, but he was reaching his limit. The umted damage was piling up inside him. "Kaaah¡­" Finally, Karvaraks couldn''t endure anymore and fell to his knees. "Thank you. You''ve given me confidence." Now he could even harm demons. "I owe you my gratitude." Ketal walked past the copsed Karvaraks. He slowly approached a pink flower bud. ''What is this?'' Now that he could wield the mystical power, he understood clearly. Inside this flower, there was a power that could even dismiss Karvaraks. "I''d like to observe it, but..." He was intrigued. But Ketal suppressed his curiosity. "That won¡¯t do. I''m here to defeat you, after all." Ketal raised his fist, starting to channel the mystical power into it. Just as he was about to smash the flower, Karvaraks hurled himself forward. With the determination that the flower must never be touched, he charged at Ketal. Ketal swung his fist as if annoyed. Crunch. His fist pierced Karvaraks''s body. Karvaraks spat blood. The burden on his body was reaching its limit. But he didn''t fall. "If I grit my teeth and bear it... I can endure it." Karvaraks gathered all his remaining strength. Literally, everything he had left. "Fly away." His finger touched Ketal''s body. Then, an explosion of power urred. Boom! Ketal''s body was sent flying across the continent. In an instant, he became a dot in the distance. Ketal''s eyes widened as he flew. "Oh. So, there was a method like this." Ketal hadn¡¯t yet mastered the mystical powerpletely. He had a weakness. It was that gathering the mystical power took a few seconds. During those few seconds, he was vulnerable to even ordinary physical force. Karvaraks had realized this and gathered all his power to send Ketal flying far away. Karvaraks chuckled. "It only sends him flying for a few seconds... but it will take some time for him toe back." A few seconds were enough for a demon of Karvaraks''s level to send someone flying hundreds of kilometers. Unless he used teleportation, it would take a while to return. Thunk. And at that moment, a de pierced Karvaraks''s chest. The mystical power imbued in the sword exploded, burning his body. Karvaraks''s body copsed. "Such a petty trick." The Mercenary King clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword. He had finally arrived, breaking through all defenses. Following him, the Archbishop and other superhumans appeared. "What happened?" "This demon sent Ketal flying far away. It seems it will take him some time to return." "Ah... I see." The Archbishop was puzzled. ''But why?'' The battle was practically over. Their victory was assured. Karvaraks had exhausted all his power and was on the verge of being forcefully summoned back. Sending Ketal flying wouldn¡¯t hurt him, so it was a meaningless act. But Karvaraksughed. "Hahaha... It was close, but it worked." His body was slowly disintegrating. It meant he was being forcefully summoned back. But Karvaraks had achieved his goal. "Now. Bloom, oh sin. Consume all nutrients and let the great flower bloom. Thus, on this earth, let the wicked flower blossom." With those words, Karvaraks vanished. And then. Whoooosh. The pink flower bloomed. * * * They hadn¡¯t realized until the end what the flower bud was. It hadn''t changed at all during the attack, so they had unconsciously dismissed it. They thought it was just a device to amplify Karvaraks''s power. Now that very thing had bloomed. The flower bud blossomed, and thetent power within it erupted. The Archbishop and Piego''s expressions changed. "Oh, Mother Earth!" [Gasp!] mes and holy energy rose violently, forming a barrier. It collided with the force unleashed by the blooming flower bud. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Rumble! "Ugh!" [Ugh!] The Archbishop and Piego groaned. The barrier wavered precariously, as if it might shatter at any moment. But with all their might, they barely held on. "...Wait." The Archbishop''s face hardened. The force that just exploded was only a tiny fraction of thetent power. It was just a fragment, and yet they had to use all their strength to defend against it. In the ensuing silence, the sound of someone swallowing echoed. The power gradually subsided, revealing the scene. "Oh no..." And from within the blooming bud, a woman appeared. She was a demon with long pink hair that covered her entire body and goat-like horns on both sides of her head. Her expression was rather vacant. She tilted her head slowly and then opened her mouth. ¡°Hello?¡± A chill ran down their spines the moment they heard those words. Death enveloped them. The weak-willed copsed to the ground, their legs giving out. The only one who moved was Piego. [What the hell!] Piego cursed and unleashed a burst of mes, creating a storm surrounding the woman. It was Piego''s full power, the strength of a high-level spirit that even someone like Karvaraks couldn¡¯t easily counter. But against this, the woman lightly snapped her fingers. BOOM! The storm vanished without a trace. The superhuman, top-tier power was obliterated with a mere flick of her fingers. Piego gritted his teeth. [Everyone, run now!] Piego was a spirit with the ancient me, living for a very long time. As such, he knew who that demon was. [How are you even on this earth!] In hell, there existed demons with names. These demons, granted a name, could wield great power. Karvaraks was one of them, a top-tier demon with strength on par with the highest of superhumans by earthly standards. But among the demons, there were those who stood above even them. Demons who not only had names but also held titles¡ªdemons permitted to tread thend of hell. Demons with hierarchy. Hero-ss demons. Piego, filled with shock, uttered her name. [The Demon of Flowers, Floris!] ¡°¡­Oh my, Piego. It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Floris smiled pleasantly. ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met since the Great War between gods and demons. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re still in good health.¡± [¡­Just seeing your face feels like having a nightmare.] The Demon of Flowers, Floris. Long ago, she was a demon who yed a significant role in the Great War between gods and demons. However, there were no records of her on earth. The reason was simple: no one who met Floris survived. She was a demon who spread death across the continent until the gods themselves finally defeated her. [How in the world¡­] Even though a rift had appeared on earth, it shouldn¡¯t have been enough to summon a demon like Floris. As Piego pondered, he realized something. [¡­So that bud was the key.] He finally understood why Karvaraks had consumed the holy sanctuary. It was to forcefully bloom a demon that otherwise couldn¡¯t manifest on earth. By devouring all the energy of the sacrednd, they made it possible for Floris to appear in herplete form on earth. Floris smiled gently. ¡°Correct. Now, I must follow my lord¡¯s will and defile this world. So, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t interfere and just went back.¡± [That¡¯s not going to happen. I will stop you¡­] ¡°In that case, disappear.¡± Floris lightly waved her hand. And pink flowers bloomed from Piego¡¯s body. The flowers quickly grew, feeding off Piego. Piego was shocked. [When did you nt the seeds¡­] ¡°From the moment we started talking. Goodbye.¡± BOOM! Piego¡¯s body was engulfed by the pink flowers and exploded. He was forcibly sent back to the spirit world. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A highest-ranking spirit with superhuman strength was banished with a single blow. A hero-ss demon. An existence they could never hope to defeat. A superhuman magician involuntarily let out a groan. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Silence.¡± And in that instant, flowers bloomed from the mage¡¯s body. His eyes filled with horror. ¡°W-wait, s-save¡­¡± CRACK. He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. His body waspletely drained and became a withered corpse, absorbed by the pink flowers that bloomed on the ground. A superhuman, highly respected wherever they went, had died without doing anything. ¡°I¡¯m currently enjoying this rare chance to be on earth. I¡¯d appreciate it if you all kept quiet.¡± Floris closed her eyes and murmured softly. No one could resist her. Except for one¡ªthe Mercenary King. The Mercenary King silently leapt forward, closing in on Floris incredibly quickly and swung his sword. ¡°Oh my.¡± Floris opened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a brave one.¡± She casually reached out and grabbed the tip of the Mercenary King¡¯s sword. Flowers began to bloom from the sword. The Mercenary King, startled, released the sword and retreated. ¡°That was the right decision. If you¡¯d held onto the sword, your body would have be food for the flowers.¡± ¡°¡­Everyone! Run!¡± The Mercenary King shouted. A hero-ss demon. They couldn¡¯t deal with her. Someone had to survive and inform the outside world. The Mercenary King was determined to sacrifice himself to save at least one person. Floris understood his intentions. ¡°That¡¯s a noble sentiment.¡± And so, Floris lightly snapped her fingers. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Argh! Save me!¡± At the same time, flowers bloomed from the bodies of those far away. They died instantly, consumed by the flowers as their nutrients. ¡°Damn it!¡± The Mercenary King attacked Floris, desperate to stop her. Floris calmly ced a finger on the Mercenary King¡¯s forehead. And with that, his body was flung to the ground. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He was incapacitated with a single blow. The Mercenary King was horrified. ¡®An ancient dragon¡­¡¯ It felt the same as when he had faced the ancient dragon Ignisia. Floris smiled warmly. ¡°Just stay there and watch. Watch as all the people you tried to protect die.¡± ¡°Noooo!¡± ¡°Please, stop!¡± In an instant, dozens of flowers bloomed. The elite warriors who were outside died one by one in mere seconds. ¡°Next is you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Floris turned her gaze to Cain and the group of archbishop. Flowers began to bloom, starting with the magicians. They died without even being able to scream. Cain let out a bitterugh and dropped his sword. ¡°To die in such a way¡­ How meaningless.¡± Cain realized that he would die here. But. ¡®I won¡¯t go down without a fight.¡¯ Even if it was futile, he would make onest desperate stand. He gripped his sword with renewed resolve. Floris, about to bloom a flower, suddenly paused. ¡°Hm?¡± Her expression changed. She stretched out her arm in the direction of the disturbance, and flower petals rose to protect her body. And then there was a collision. BOOOOM! The powerful impact caused cracks to spread across the petals. Floris groaned and took a step back, but she withstood it and turned to face the source. Sheunched the petals like arrows. The strike was strong enough to pierce a mountain. ¡°Oh?¡± BANG! And that strike was shattered. The petals scattered in all directions. ¡°This is the first time someone has blocked and even countered my attack.¡± The opponent murmured, sounding intrigued. Floris narrowed her eyes. ¡°¡­A barbarian.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°K-Ketal!¡± Ketal, who had been thrown away, had returned, swinging his axe once more. ¡°You¡¯re quite strong, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ketal grinned, his expression like that of someone who had found an exciting new toy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 256: The Demon of Flowers (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 256: The Demon of Flowers (2) ¡°K-Ketal. How did you get here so quickly...?¡± Cain stammered as he asked. Ketal had been flung so far away that he was no longer visible. Considering Karvaraks¡¯s power, it must have been at least a hundred kilometers. It hadn¡¯t been long since he was sent flying, yet he had already arrived here. Ketal answered, ¡°I ran very hard.¡± ¡°...¡± Cain was at a loss for words. Ketal stroked his chin as he surveyed the surroundings. ¡°I had a bad feeling, so I did my best to get here. The situation doesn¡¯t look good.¡± All the people were dead. The only ones left alive were the Mercenary King, the Archbishop, Cain, and maybe two or three others. In less than five minutes, everyone else had been annihted. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡­A flower bloomed. And from it, a demon descended.¡± ¡°Ah. The flower was harboring the demon.¡± Ketal looked at the woman with pink hair, Floris. He assessed her power for a moment and then muttered, ¡°She looks quite strong.¡± ¡°¡­ording to Piego, it¡¯s the Demon of the Flowers. Floris. Not only does she have a name, but she also holds a rank.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A ranked demon. He had heard of them a few times before. They were far stronger than named demons. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m seeing one with my own eyes.¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s strong. I cannot judge her level, but she¡¯s definitely hero-ss.¡± ¡°Good. Very good.¡± Ketal¡¯s expression brightened even more at Cain¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll take her on. You all should retreat.¡± ¡°Is that alright?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be of any help anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cain bit his lip, but it was the truth. He quickly signaled with his eyes, and the Archbishop hurriedly supported the fallen Mercenary King. ¡°Please, good luck.¡± ¡°Ketal, be careful¡­ That thing is strong.¡± The Mercenary King spoke with a voice that was on the verge of death. Ketal chuckled, ¡°Understood.¡± The survivors quickly retreated from the battlefield. And Floris did nothing. She simply watched them leave. ¡°Thanks for not interfering.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already nted the seeds. I can kill them anytime. Besides¡­ they¡¯re not the important ones right now.¡± Floris narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡­ I know who you are. The one my mother spoke of.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed intrigue. ¡°Even demons have parents, huh?¡± So demons were born through their mothers? His curiosity was piqued. But, naturally, Floris didn¡¯t answer. ¡°A barbarian strong enough to fight against gods. But I know.¡± The demon spoke confidently. ¡°You¡¯recking. You can¡¯t break us.¡± In all his previous battles, Ketal had never been able to defeat a demon on his own. He always needed external help. ¡°There¡¯s no one here to help you. Go ahead, struggle all you want. I¡¯ll ignore you and destroy the world.¡± Floris had made her decision. She decided to disregard Ketalpletely. No matter how much he hit her or damaged her body, she could regenerate without any harm. There was no need to respond. ¡°Is that so? Then shall we test that?¡± Ketalughed heartily as he stepped forward. In an instant, his body appeared right in front of Floris. Floris didn¡¯t react. She simply stared at him, as if daring him to try. Ketal clenched his fist, and mystery gathered within it. ¡°¡­!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn At that moment, Floris¡¯s expression changed. Ketal swung his fist. BOOM! A powerful force exploded. The mighty wind from his punch swept across the front, pushing the air and snapping the trees in the distant forest. A portion of the vast in was carved out. Ketal marveled, ¡°Oh! You dodged. The dy is still an issue. Fixing that will be my next task.¡± ¡°¡­You.¡± Floris¡¯s face twisted. ¡°You¡­ How did you wield mystic power?¡± ¡°I just learned it recently.¡± Ketal replied proudly. Floris¡¯s face was shocked, as if she had witnessed the impossible. And indeed, that was the case. The Demon of the Flower. Floris. She was an extremely ancient demon. From the era before the Great War between gods and demons. She had existed even before the concept of ¡°demons¡± came into being. That was why she knew. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be able to wield mystic power.¡± ¡°The traveling merchant said the same. I must be quite special.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Floris calmed herself. Though she didn¡¯t understand, the barbarian before her had learned to wield mystic power. He now had the means to counter her kind. She could no longer afford to ignore him. Floris¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°Well¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. I know you¡¯re strong, but that¡¯s all.¡± She was the Demon of the Flowers. Floris. A great demon with rank and status. Long ago, during the Great War between gods and demons, she had fought and triumphed over countless powerful opponents. ¡°Bloom.¡± SWOOSH. Petals rose up behind Floris, forming the shape of wings. Ketal marveled. ¡°Flower wings. Impressive.¡± Floris spread her hand. A flower stem rose and took the shape of a spear. ¡°Following my mother¡¯s will, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that sounds fun.¡± Ketal grinned. Cain¡¯s exnations were unnecessary. His instincts were telling him. The demon before him was a hero-ss demon. One of the strongest he had encountered outside. This was exhrating. He tried to suppress the smile that was blooming on his face, but he couldn¡¯t stop the corners of his mouth from curling up. The air buzzed with tension. Floris frowned. ¡°¡­A barbarian is a barbarian.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man of reason and knowledge.¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter right now.¡± Ketal drew his axe. There was genuine intent in his grip. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± BOOM! The ground exploded. In an instant, Ketalunched himself at Floris. WHIZZZ! Floris thrust her spear. Her speed was lightning fast. It was faster than any attack Ketal had seen outside. She could carve a tunnel through a mountain with that force if she wanted. Ketal gripped his axe tightly. CLANG! The axe de and spear tip collided. The impact surged outward, shaking everything around. Those retreating from the battlefield were thrown to the ground by the shockwave. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± The first sh. Floris was the one pushed back. Unable to withstand the force, her body slid back. Floris clicked her tongue. ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t win in raw strength.¡± Ta-at! Ketal kicked off the ground and appeared right in front of Floris. She narrowly avoided the axe by throwing her body backward. Kwachik! But a scar appeared on her chest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Even though she had dodged it, the aftershock alone was enough to leave a wound on Floris''s body. Floris stepped back, cing her hand on the ground. "Bloom." Hwaaaah! Pink flowers bloomed. She was the demon of flowers. She could manipte her demonic energy in the form of flowers. The blooming flowers pushed everything away, excluding them. Ketalughed heartily. "Such beautiful power!" He gripped his axe tightly and swung it with all his might. Kwa-da-da-dak! The flowers shattered. Fragments scattered in all directions. Floris was at a loss. The flowers she had just bloomed contained the power to destroy even the holy sanctuaries of the gods. And yet, it was shattered with a single blow. Ta-at! Ketal rushed at Floris once again. Floris''s eyes became serious. Ketal brought down his axe. Floris raised her spear. Kwoooong! The ground, unable to withstand the force, caved in. Floris''s knees buckled. She groaned under the immense power. But, she endured it. She seeded in blocking Ketal''s full strength. She reached out her hand. That hand touched Ketal''s chest. "Bloom." And flowers bloomed around Ketal''s body. Ketal''s eyes widened. "Oh?" The flowers ovepped and engulfed Ketal. Floris quickly waved her hand. "Close." The flowers that had bloomed began to close. It was a seal using her authority. In the distant past, during the War of Gods and Demons, this power had sealed even the Spirit King for a whole year. However. Creak, crack, crack. Cracks spread across the flowers. A mysterious light flickered through the gaps. Kwoooong! The flowers exploded. Floris clicked her tongue. "To break free from something that could seal even the Avatar of Nature for a year in just a few seconds? You''re disgustingly strong." "You can even seal things! Such versatility!" "If you''re so impressed, I wish you''d let yourself get caught." Floris grumbled. She narrowed her eyes. ''Pushing him away isn''t working.'' Sealing was impossible too. In that case. Floris decided on her next move. She raised her hand toward the sky. "Bloom." Dozens of flowers bloomed simultaneously in the air. She clenched her fist. "And, twist." The flowers that had bloomed snapped shut and twisted. They twisted and squeezed to their limit, soon transforming into a single line. "Oh ho." Ketal''s expression changed. Dozens of lines were formed in the sky. The power contained within them was no joke. It was a forceparable to the dragon-words Ignisia had unleashed. If it struck directly, even he could be in danger. "Fire." The lines shot out. They traced a path to pierce through Ketal. Ketal quickly assessed the situation. Could he dodge? No. It was impossible. The trajectory made evasion impossible. In that case. Ketal raised his axe. He swung it toward the first line descending upon him. It wasn''t an attack meant to shatter the line. It was an attack meant to twist its trajectory. The axe made the line''s trajectory go off course. It collided with another line. The collision triggered a chain reaction, causing them to collide with each other. Ka-ga-ga-ga-gang! With a single axe swing, the lines collided with each other and shattered. Ketal stood his ground, neutralizing the attack without moving. Floris groaned. "...Deflecting and redirecting the trajectory?" "I told you, I''m a man of reason and knowledge." Previously, when facing assassins in the Denian Kingdom, he had changed the trajectory of their thrown weapons. He had drawn upon that experience. Ketal gripped his axe tightly and charged again. Floris clicked her tongue and grasped her spear. Kwoooong! The axe and spear collided. Floris''s body was pushed back, but she held firm. She quickly regained her stance and made more flowers bloom. She used the flowers to block the charging Ketal. Ka-ga-ga-ga-kak! Power shed. Floris gripped her spear and charged forward. She did not retreat, did not fear, and moved ahead. "Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Ketal couldn''t help but burst intoughter at the sight. ''She''s strong!'' A hero-ss warrior. Someone who could withstand Ketal''s full power. This wasn''t the first time he had faced such an opponent. Queen Karin of the High Elves. The Ancient Dragon Ignisia. And if he included Federica, that made three so far. But he couldn''t say he had fought any of them seriously. Karin was a non-issue, and the wandering merchant interrupted his fight with Ignisia after a brief skirmish. He had fought Federica with full sincerity, but it wasn''t a fair fight since he had the upper hand. But this time was different. A hero-ss warrior. One of the strongest in the world. He was engaged in a life-or-death battle with such an opponent. And she was enduring his attacks. This filled Ketal with such joy that he felt like losing his mind. This world was not weak. There were those who could withstand his full power. He had never wanted fragile toys that would break at the slightest touch. This was it. This was the power he had longed for in a fantasy. "Ahh. Ahhhhh..." Ketal trembled with ecstasy. Floris felt chills run down her spine at the sight. This barbarian was genuinely delighted by her strength. ''A broken monster.'' That phrase came to her mind. "Please. Please, I beg you." Don''t break. Please keep fighting with me. Ketal sincerely whispered, a twisted smile spreading across his face, as he charged at Floris again. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 257: The Demon of Flowers (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 257: The Demon of Flowers (3) The survivors moved far enough away from the battlefield. The Mercenary King copsed onto the ground. "Ugh." "Are you alright?" "...I''m fine." The Mercenary King groaned. In just one strike, he was incapacitated with just a casual flick of the fingers. If he hadn''t instinctively protected himself, his neck would have snapped, and he would have died. The difference in power was enough to make him feel ashamed of his own strength. But there was no time to dwell on self-reproach. A terrifying power reverberated, shaking the air and making their bodies tremble. It was a force beyond theirprehension. Ketal was fighting over there. The Archbishop stammered, "We, we must help him somehow..." "If we go, we''ll only get in the way." The Mercenary King held back the Archbishop. In a battle of heroes, those of lower ranks would be of no help. They would only hold Ketal back. The best they could do was stay here and watch. The Archbishop clenched his fists in frustration. Ketal was fighting for his life over there, and all they could do was watch. A sense of helplessness engulfed his entire body. The Mercenary King asked Cain, "How is the mastery of the mystery?" "It''s at an adequate level. It should be usable in battle." Ketal could enhance or protect his body using mystery. Although there was a dy of a few seconds in using it, it was definitely helpful. "But..." It was uncertain whether it was enough to face an opponent of heroic ss. The Mercenary King bit his lip. ''...He fought a dragon and came out unscathed, so he has enough power. But the opponent is also a demon of that level.'' There was no telling what would happen. The Archbishop knelt down and eximed in awe. "Aaaah! Ketal is sacrificing himself for us!" "Sacrifice?" "Isn''t that obvious? Ketal came running here in just a few minutes!" Ketal had been driven beyond sight by Karvaraks. He didn''t have toe back, and even if he did, he could have chosen not to engage in the fight after recognizing the demon''s presence. That would have been the right decision. Given the level of the demon, it would have been better to seek help from the outside and make sure to capture it. There was no need to take such a risk. But Ketal returned. He sent them away and faced the demon himself. He willingly exposed himself to danger. The Mercenary King''s face showed surprise. "...Indeed." "What a noble sacrifice." The Archbishop prayed with a face full of emotion. "O Great Earth Mother, please protect him, who sacrificed himself for us..." "Aaaah..." The other survivors quickly joined their hands in prayer. They admired Ketal''s noble sacrifice and prayed for his safety. But only Cain had a strange expression. ''Sacrifice?'' He was someone who knew what Ketal truly was. And so, he could guess. ''...No, he probably enjoys this.'' * * * And Cain''s guess was spot on. Ketal, with a wide grin, swung his axe. He shed with a spear made of stems, and Floris''s body was pushed back. "Hahaha! Strong! Very strong! This is fun!" "Crazy lunatic." Floris gritted her teeth and steadied herself. She narrowed her eyes, quickly analyzing Ketal''s strength. ''...I have enough chances to win.'' It wasn''t a level where she couldn''t win. It was tough, but she could block the barbarian''s attacks. And the barbarian was also dodging or blocking her attacks. This meant that if shended a direct hit, she could cause damage. He was monstrously strong, but there was definitely a chance to win. However, there was one particrly tricky issue. Taak. Ketal rushed in. He gripped his axe tightly and swung it with great force. The strength to split a mountain was unleashed repeatedly. Floris swung her spear to block it. The air cracked with every collision. Zzzrrtt! Cracks spread across the spear, unable to withstand the force. Ketal put more strength into his swing to break the spear. Kaaang! Finally, the spear shattered. But that was part of Floris''s n. She was already ducked down. Ketal''s strength passed over her head. She ced her hands on the ground and muttered. "Bloom and devour." Whoosh! Dozens of flowers bloomed simultaneously. They tried to engulf Ketal''s body and absorb him as nourishment. In an instant, his body was buried in flowers. Floris concentrated her power even more. It was a level of pressure that even a dragon would struggle to escape. But. Zzrrtt. The flowers began to crack. Between the cracks, a mysterious energy could be seen. Kaaaang! The flowers exploded. The force of the explosion alone pushed Floris''s body back. Floris clicked her tongue. ''That mystery is the problem.'' Ketal was using the mystery to enhance or protect his body. He was breaking all of her attacks using that power. Although there was still a dy of a few seconds, making it possible to respond, the strength was overwhelming. ''...Why can he wield the mystery?'' Ketal was one of the oldest beings. He shouldn''t be able to wield the mystery, but he clearly was. And. ''Why is he only using the mystery to enhance his body?'' If he truly was one of the oldest beings, he could have destroyed her as an existence. Floris was most wary of that. But no matter how long she waited, there was no sign of such an intention. ''...Is he not suppressing it but choosing not to use it?''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If that was the case. ''It makes him easier to deal with.'' Floris''s eyes cooled. First, she would seal the mystery. Floris lightly flicked her fingers. At that moment, Ketal''s expression changed. Taak. He widened the distance. Floris muttered in disbelief. "You can sense it without seeing or feeling it, huh?" "......" Ketal narrowed his eyes. In the air, something unseen could be felt. Something very small, like dandelion seeds. Thousands of them were floating in the air. ''What is that?'' But there was no time to analyze it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Floris charged at him, thrusting the newly formed spear towards Ketal. Zziiiing! He dodged the spear and swung his axe. He leaped into the air and sent out a gust of wind, pushing back the invisible things. But there were too many of them. The invisible things had grown so much that they now filled the entire space. Eventually, some of them touched Ketal''s body. And at that moment, flowers bloomed. Ketal''s eyes widened. "Oh?" The invisible things touched his body, and flowers began to bloom. Ketal widened the distance and pulled out the flowers. "...Seeds, huh." ¡°That¡¯s right. You won¡¯t be able to avoid all of them.¡± Suddenly, flowers began to continuously bloom from Ketal''s body. Ketal quietly observed his body. ¡®...It feels like they¡¯re using my body as nutrients to bloom.¡¯ They were a type of parasitic nt. It felt simr to the test flowers he had seen at the sacred ground of the elves. Ketal curiously plucked out the flowers blooming all over his body. Floris was stunned by the sight. ¡®...They can only prate the skin.¡¯ The invisible seeds she scattered would bloom after devouring their target upon contact. This was the method she used to instantly banish Piego and kill numerous people. Though it was said that the power contained in each seed wasn¡¯t that great, even heroes would have to deal with them seriously. Yet, all Ketal did was casually pull them out, as if it was nothing more than a nuisance. The seeds couldn¡¯t even prate Ketal¡¯s muscles. ¡®...And even though they only pierced his skin, flowers are blooming.¡¯ What kind of power was contained within that body? Floris felt dizzy. ¡°This is annoying.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. Although it wasn¡¯t a significant injury, the continuous blooming of flowers was bothersome. There were too many of them to handle individually. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ Ketal stirred up his mystery. He then enveloped his entire body with it. The invisible seeds touched Ketal¡¯s body but couldn¡¯t prate the mystery. ¡°This should do it.¡± He spread the mystery thinly around his body to protect it. Since the energy consumption wasn¡¯t high, it shouldst until the end of the battle. However, there was one problem¡ªby doing this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use his mystery offensively. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Floris smiled. She had sealed off the troublesome use of his mystery. Of course, with his mystery enveloping his body, she could still hurt him, but that would only matter if her attacksnded. ¡°Then, it¡¯s a contest of strength.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. ¡°That sounds good.¡± Boom! Floris charged at him. Flowers bloomed all around. The scenery became as if they were in a vibrant garden, but the energy within was filled with an incredibly dense and terrifying darkness. It was a power qualitatively different from what he had encountered before. Ketal realized it too. Floris was no longer holding back and was pouring all her power into trying to kill him. Ketal¡¯s expression turned eager. Rumble! Amid the blooming flowers, Ketal and Floris shed. ¡°Bloom.¡± Whoosh! The flowers bloomed. But Floris didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Bloom. Bloom. Bloom. Bloom.¡± Dozens of gigantic flowers bloomed all around. Ketal tried to break them all, but each one was an expression of Floris¡¯ full power¡ªan authority worthy of a hero. Since he couldn¡¯t use his mystery offensively, he couldn¡¯t break them immediately. Rumble. The flowers began to dominate the space. They pressed down and crushed Ketal''s body. ¡°Huff!¡± Ketal struck the flowers with brute force. The flowers wobbled and cracked but didn¡¯t break. Finally, Ketal¡¯s body was buried in the flowers. Pinned down, he couldn¡¯t move. Ketal muttered in delight. ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡± Floris reached out her hand. A flower bloomed on her palm. Then, another flower bloomed atop that one. Dozens of flowers stacked upon each other. Floris clenched her fist. The stacked flowers twisted violently, forming into a sharp arrow. ¡°Die.¡± Floris spoke coldly as she fired the arrow. It shot forward at high speed, colliding with Ketal¡¯s body. Boom! Power exploded. The ground shook, and the sky seemed to recoil. Those who had been praying were flung away. Floris didn¡¯t stop there. She clenched her fist and twisted it violently. ¡°Twist and bloom!¡± Screeeeech! The arrow-shaped flower that had flown twisted and bloomed. A horribly distorted flower bloomed, its form grotesque. It wasrge enough to be seen from the other side of the ins. ¡°Huff!¡± Floris, who had been standing still with her fist clenched, exhaled heavily and copsed. Her breathing had be incredibly rough. She had used all her strength. She had literally pulled everything from the bottom of her reserves. Her limbs were trembling. But she had won. Floris smiled. That barbarian was dead. Not even a dragon could survive such power. And Ketal hadn¡¯t used any defensive means other than a flimsy mystery shield. She had blocked off all space to escape. Surviving was impossible. ¡°I won!¡± Floris¡¯ voice was filled with joy. ¡°Mother! I¡¯ve won! I¡¯ve fulfilled yourmand!¡± Ah! Please, praise me! Floris rejoiced like a child. At that moment, an ominous sound echoed. Crack. Cracks spread across the twisted, blooming flower. ¡°...Huh?¡± As she stood there, puzzled, The flower shattered. Boom! Ketal revealed himself, his face full ofughter. ¡°Hahaha!¡± He burst into wildughter and clenched his fist. He swung it towards Floris. She tried to defend herself in shock. Crunch. But his fist broke through her defense and struck her chest. Floris coughed up blood as she was sent flying. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Oh! Finally, a hit thatnded! So, it¡¯s possible to deal damage even to a hero-ss demon! That¡¯s valuable information!¡± ¡°Wh-what¡­¡± Floris stared at Ketal in disbelief. She had attacked him with all her might. No one in this world could withstand the twisted blooming of those flowers. But Ketal¡¯s body was unscathed. His entire body waspletely protected by mystery without a single gap. ¡°The attack just now was quite powerful! It was superb! You deserve praise! If I hadn¡¯t reinforced my body with mystery, it could¡¯ve been dangerous!¡± Ketal looked at Floris with a face full ofughter. ¡°You suppressed my movements with blooming flowers, prepared a powerful attack, and even that wasn¡¯t the end! You made the flowers bloom and amplify their power even further! I could barely move! I might¡¯ve been crushed to death if I hadn¡¯t been careful! Truly remarkable!¡± Floris involuntarily took a step back. ¡°A-ah¡­¡± For the first time, fear began to appear in her eyes. Ketal grinned. ¡°But surely, this isn¡¯t the end! Aren¡¯t you a demon of great stature and power?¡± It was not enough yet. Please, entertain me some more. Ketalughed as he charged forward. Floris¡¯ eyes quickly filled with terror. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 258: The Demon of Flowers (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 258: The Demon of Flowers (4) "Come on! Let''s keep fighting!" More and more. With more enjoyment! Ketal charged forward,ughing maniacally. Floris hastily waved her hand. "Bloom!" With a rush, flowers bloomed. Not just one, but dozens of flowers blossomed in quick session, blocking the space between Ketal and Floris. Ketal smiled and swung his fist. CRACKLE! The flowers shattered and broke apart. He smashed through all the flowers that stood in his way, advancing forward. Finally, Ketal appeared before Floris, who raised her arms to protect herself. BOOM! "Ugh!" Floris''s body slid back across the ground. She couldn''tpletely block the attack. She struggled to suppress the shock that shook her entire body. Her eyes were filled with shock and denial. ''How?! He shouldn¡¯t be able to use mystic arts for attacks! Physical enhancement should be impossible!'' At that moment, Ketal was moving purely through the power of his physical body. Yet, he was overpowering Floris. Floris couldn¡¯t ept it. But it was an entirely natural situation. Floris was strong. As a demon with rank, she possessed enough power to have reached the level of a hero. Her strength was just below that of the ancient dragon Ignisia. The mercenary king had judged her as being on the level of an ancient dragon, but that had been a misjudgment. It was a mistake due to his limited perspective. Objectively speaking, Floris¡¯s level was closer to that of the High Elf Queen, Karin. She possessed the same level of power as the strongest being of an entire race. It was a formidable and great power. But Ketal, even without using any mystic arts, had fought Ignisia to a standstill and gained the upper hand. The same was true when he fought against Federica¡¯s incarnation. With only his physical body, he had gained a clear advantage. The High Elf Queen Karin was undoubtedly strong, butpared to those two, there was a clear difference in level. From the beginning, Floris stood no chance of winning against Ketal. Ketal spoke with delight. "As you said, I¡¯m not using any physical enhancement." But even so, just his pure physical strength was more than enough against Floris. Ketal charged forward again. Floris hurriedly extended her hand, grasping a spear made of vines. BOOM! The spear shattered. Floris''s body tumbled across the ground. She gritted her teeth as she rose, causing more flowers to bloom. But these flowers were noticeably witheredpared to the first ones. The bacsh from trying to kill Ketal with all her strength was evident. Her power had clearly diminished. In contrast, Ketal remained rxed. Though his mystic power had dwindled, it was still enough tost until the end of the fight. Floris''s expression grew increasingly desperate. The thought of defeat began to surface in her mind. Ketal¡¯s expression, even as he was winning, was filled with regret. ¡°You¡¯re not enough.¡± The mystical beast within him was silent. It yawned as if the current situation held no significance for it. ¡°I couldn¡¯t achieve my other purpose. It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°Shut up¡­!¡± ¡°Ah, but even so, you¡¯ve provided me with enough enjoyment.¡± Ketal grinned. The sensation of fighting against a hero-ss opponent with his life on the line, shing against the mysterious power of fantasy¡ªit was incredibly fun. But it was also nearing the end. This demon had nothing left to show him. "I''ll fight you with all my strength until the very end." With a serious look, Ketal stomped forward. He grabbed Floris''s arm as she tried to resist and broke it. He twisted her head and mmed it into the ground, then lifted his foot and repeatedly stomped on her body. CRUNCH! Her body was crushed and mangled, leaving deep indentations. Though she barely managed to regenerate, the damage was umting for sure. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Floris, in a fit of rage, unleashed her power. Flowers rose all around, trying to engulf Ketal, but even the buds couldn¡¯t bloom properly. Ketal easily ignored them and kicked Floris away. THUD! Floris¡¯s body rolled across the ground. She staggered to her feet, but now she could barely regenerate. If this continued, she would definitely be forcibly unsummoned. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t let that happen. Floris gritted her teeth. To disappear without even tainting the world, blocked by a barbarian¡ªshe couldn¡¯t ept that. Floris desperately gathered her power. The force gathering within her was something even Ketal couldn¡¯t underestimate. So, Ketal smiled. ¡°A final resistance, is it? I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Floris concentrated her power. A small flower bloomed in her hand. It was tiny, but it held more power than any other flower she had ever bloomed. Ketal tensed, readying his entire body. Floris spoke coldly. ¡°Blossom¡­¡± [That¡¯s enough.] In that instant, a voice echoed. ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal''s expression changed. A woman¡¯s voice. It came from Floris. But it wasn¡¯t Floris''s voice. The voice continued to echo. [That¡¯s enough, my child. You¡¯ve done so well. But you look exhausted.] "W-what? Wh-what¡¯s happening?" Floris''s eyes widened. It was as if even she hadn¡¯t expected this. [So, from here on, leave it to me.] Floris''s face was filled with terror. ¡°W-wait! Oh, no¡­¡± CRACK. A hand burst through her belly. * * * RUMBLE¡­ Even from outside, they could sense Floris''s power waning. The Mercenary King muttered. "It seems he¡¯s won." ¡°My¡­my goodness¡­¡± The archbishop was horrified. The Archbishop was shocked. A demon with a hierarchy. Floris. A hero-ss demon was now being defeated by Ketal. ¡°What level is this...?¡± Even among heroes, there were clear differences in rank. This meant Ketal was at a level capable of defeating Floris. It was a power beyond their understanding, but fortunately, it was on their side. N?v(el)B\\jnn They had won. They were seeding in banishing the demon from the earth. Just as they sighed in relief, the Archbishop''s expression changed. ¡°¡­Huh!¡± His face turned pale as he struggled to catch his breath. It wasn¡¯t just the Archbishop. The Mercenary King''s face also turned pale, and Cain could barely breathe. ¡°Wait.¡± Something was wrong. Something terrifying had descended where Ketal was. It felt as though a god had descended upon the earth. No, it was even more horrifying and alien. It was something that could easily dismiss Floris. ¡°W-what is this¡­¡± The Archbishop had an intuition. Something had appeared. Something so terrible that it could never appear on earth, something that should never have appeared. * * * Crunch. Crack. Floris''s body trembled as if in a spasm, then went limp. Unable to withstand the force, xhe had died. A hand burst out from Floris¡¯s belly, grasping the limp body as it rose. Shhh-rrip! It revealed itself. A woman in a morous dress, with a voluptuous figure. ¡°Ahh.¡± The woman looked at the world with eyes filled with ecstasy. ¡°This clean air. I missed it so much.¡± She trembled with excitement as she stepped onto the ground. And just by doing so, the earth was tainted. The world was corrupted by a terrifying evil. Ketal spoke up. ¡°A gatecrasher has intruded.¡± ¡°Sorry for interrupting your fight with my child. But I couldn¡¯t resist any longer.¡± The woman smiled sweetly. If the Mercenary King or the Archbishop had still been there, they would have been enthralled by that smile the moment they saw it. They would have betrayed the earth, knelt before the woman, and pledged their love. Such was the power contained in her smile. Of course, it had no effect on Ketal. The woman, too, seemed to expect that, as she elegantly bowed. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you in person. Your name is Ketal, correct?¡± ¡°You know me.¡± ¡°I have a great interest in you.¡± The woman licked her lips with her tongue. ¡°I know about you. But you don¡¯t know about me. That¡¯s quite unfair, isn¡¯t it? So, let me introduce myself.¡± The woman gracefully curtsied, as if she were a noble, perhaps even royalty from somewhere. ¡°I am the Mother of All Demons. My name is Materia. Nice to meet you, oldest one.¡± * * * ¡°Oh.¡± Ketal¡¯s interest was piqued. The Mother of All Demons. possibility came to his mind. ¡°The consort of the Demon King?¡± ¡°No. That one is great and mighty. I can¡¯t evenpare to them. I¡¯m just a mother.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to belittle yourself like that.¡± Ketal gathered his mystic energy. Since it didn¡¯t seem like a fight would happen immediately, he intended to conserve his strength. The woman who introduced herself as the Mother of All Demons. She was strong. Monstrously strong. Just by facing her, Ketal could feel it. He had only felt such a presence once before, outside. ¡®A god.¡¯ Federica. It was simr to her. No, it was even more terrifying and twisted. Ketal smiled. ¡°Is it that easy for beings like you to descend upon this world?¡± ¡°Normally, it would be impossible¡­ but thanks to the fool on your side, I¡¯ve got some leeway. Now, I can intervene for a short while.¡± Materia spoke lightly. Ketal understood the meaning behind her words. Federica had opened the heavenly passage to intervene in this world. That must have been something beyond the domain permitted to her. It seemed that due to the resulting rift, simr events were now possible on the demon side as well. ¡°She¡¯s a worthless fool to the end.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a helpful fellow to us.¡± As Ketal gauged Materia¡¯s power, she too was measuring Ketal¡¯s strength. Materia murmured with a curious expression. ¡°¡­You¡¯re certainly strong. And you can wield mystic energy.¡± Ketal¡¯s entire body was still surrounded by mystic energy. Materia found this very peculiar. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Is it that fascinating?¡± ¡°Of course, it is. You are the oldest being. You cannot be us, and we cannot be you. Yet, you¡¯re trying to be us, so naturally, it¡¯s strange.¡± Materia¡¯s words were simr to what the wandering merchant had said. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You. You know about me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know you. But I know where youe from, what that ce is like, and that you¡¯re a traitor.¡± ¡°A traitor, huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? You belong to this world, yet you were captivated by them and entered their realm of your own ord. What else would you call that but betrayal?¡± Ketalughed at those words. ¡°How foolish and stupid my ancestors were. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Indeed, they were.¡± Materia chuckled softly. A meeting between Ketal and the embodiment of evil. But the atmosphere wasn¡¯t bad. It was rather peaceful. Ketal asked lightly. ¡°Then, may I ask you a question?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood right now. I might answer if I feel like it.¡± ¡°What exactly are the Forbidden Lands?¡± ¡°Our seal.¡± Materia answered. Ketal was momentarily puzzled by that response. ¡®Our?¡¯ The ancient dragon Ignisia had said that in the distant past, there was a sh between the gods and the Forbidden Lands. It was said to have happened before the Great War of Gods and Demons. And Federica had said that they must remain sealed there. That they were the defeated ones. Based on that information, Ketal had always thought that the gods had sealed the Forbidden Lands. But now, Materia said it was ¡®our¡¯ seal. Materia continued speaking. ¡°It''s the proof of our victory after a battle that destroyed half the world against those who once held dominance. But we couldn¡¯t kill them, so we sealed them away. But recently, that seal was broken? It¡¯s an unexpected event even for us.¡± Materia wore a genuinely puzzled expression as she asked with a smile. ¡°Do you happen to know why the seal was broken?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 259: The Demon of Flowers (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 259: The Demon of Flowers (5) ¡°Well.¡± Ketal answered with an ambiguous expression. ¡°I came out by my own will.¡± He broke through everything that blocked him, cleared the quest, and escaped from that hellish ce. ¡°I came out alone. I didn¡¯t bring anything else with me. I don¡¯t know why other things are rushing out.¡± No. He had a suspicion. The fact that the beings from the Forbidden Lands were rushing out coincided with the time he came out. And the words spoken by thest thing he defeated. Thinking along those lines, it wasn¡¯t impossible to deduce. But he wasn¡¯t certain. More than that, he didn¡¯t want to answer any further. The other party was a demon. His enemy. Materia made a disappointed expression. ¡°Hmm. So, you don¡¯t know that much. I want to know.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve satisfied my curiosity, so it¡¯s only fair that I do the same for you. If you have any other questions, ask them. If I can answer, I will.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll ask.¡± Materia asked with calm eyes. ¡°The broken things inside. Are they still there?¡± ¡°What do you mean by broken things? I wouldn¡¯t know even if you say it like that.¡± ¡°You know? The things that aren¡¯t from this world.¡± Horrible things. Twisted things. Grotesque things. ¡°Are they still trapped inside?¡± With those words, Ketal realized what Materia was talking about. He nodded his head. ¡°They¡¯re there. Disgusting things.¡± ¡°They¡¯re still there. I was hoping they¡¯d beat each other to death, but it¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°They do fight each other.¡± Ketal had shed with them many times. Too many to count. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll have to think about how to deal with them¡­¡± Materia sighed as if it was a headache. She looked as though the things she asked about were bing a major problem. Ketal spoke. ¡°Did that answer your question?¡± ¡°Plenty.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. I¡¯d feel guilty if I was the only one receiving.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Materia stared quietly at Ketal. They couldmunicate. He was coherent, quick-witted, and could control his emotions. He could distinguish right from wrong, and his words wereposed. And he was strong. Materia reached a conclusion. ¡°You. You¡¯re incredibly attractive.¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°Would you be willing to give me your seed?¡± ¡°Seed?¡± Ketal tilted his head at the unexpected words. Materia nodded. ¡°If I receive your seed, I think I could give birth to something very special. With that, I could trample the world more easily.¡± ¡°Is invading the world your goal?¡± ¡°It would be an incredibly, incredibly enjoyable time for you.¡± Materiaughed seductively. Her sticky voice drilled into Ketal¡¯s brain. ¡°I¡¯ll give you pleasures you can¡¯t experience anywhere in this world. I¡¯ll give you ecstasy that¡¯ll make your brain melt. I¡¯ll give you emotions that will make you never interested in the affairs of this world again. And even so, I¡¯ll give you a time that you won¡¯t regret.¡± It was a whisper. Even an old priest dedicated to God through extreme training would roll his eyes and beg to be granted pleasure. Materia smiled faintly. ¡°After all, you¡¯re not a being of the outside world, are you? Does it really matter who takes over the surface?¡± ¡°In the past, maybe it would have.¡± A world ruled by demons. Watching that could have been one form of enjoyment. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°I have people I¡¯m connected to.¡± Right after he came out, it may have been different, but now he had people he was connected to. There was no need to weigh the options. A demon was his enemy. It couldn¡¯t change now. Materia clicked her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not giving up.¡± Materia lightly waved her hand. ck demonic energy began to wrap around it, like a gauntlet. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t need you. I just need your lower half.¡± Whoosh. A chilling killing intent swept in. If there had been others here, they would have died from just the killing intent. In fact, those who had kept a safe distance from the area suddenly found it hard to breathe. Ketalughed heartily. ¡°As expected, I¡¯m morefortable with demons like this.¡± There should be at least one group that he could fight with all his might. Materia licked her lips with her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll cut off your lower half and take it.¡± ¡°If you can, that would be fun.¡± Taak! Materia charged with her arms covered in demonic energy. Ketalughed and raised his axe. * * * CRAAAASH! The axe and Materia¡¯s arm collided. A deafening roar spread as the air shattered. The sh of power cracked the ground and shook the sky. Such shes of power didn¡¯t happen just once. Ketal swung his axe repeatedly. Materia didn¡¯t back down and clenched her fists. BOOOOM! The axe¡¯s de and Materia¡¯s fist collided. Power exploded. Materia stepped back three paces. Ketal also stepped back three paces. ¡°You¡¯re strong!¡± Ketal eximed in admiration. Even though he was attacking with all his might, Materia wasn¡¯t being pushed back at all. It wasn¡¯t a matter of strength. It was the power of the ck demonic energy wrapped around her arms. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it seemed to be some sort of authority, incredibly hard and heavy. Ketal charged again. He swung his axe down. Materia moved her feet and dodged. The axe struck the ground. KABOOM! The ground shattered and copsed. Materia clenched her fist and swung at Ketal¡¯s side. Ketal twisted his body to avoid it and moved his leg. He stomped the ground with his left foot and aimed his right knee at Materia¡¯s temple. If that knee connected, it could shatter even the defense of an ancient dragon in one strike. But that didn¡¯t happen. Materia blocked the knee with her arm. Despite the immense power, she didn¡¯t back down. She immediately brought her elbow down on Ketal¡¯s body. Ketal opened his hand to block the elbow. BOOOOM! Power exploded. Ketal moved his feet to kick Materia. Materia blocked it and immediately threw a punch. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± As the exchange continued, Ketal grinned. ¡®She¡¯s strong!¡¯ She was far stronger than the God of Hunger, Federica. Though the strength of their incarnations differed, the gap was clear. ¡®And that¡¯s not even her true form!¡¯ He was extremely delighted. Ketal attacked more fiercely in response to his emotions. And Materia responded to all his attacks. Ketal was amazed by Materia¡¯s strength. And so was Materia. ¡®Why is he so strong?¡¯ Even as he faced her directly, Ketal wasn¡¯t being pushed back. Who was she? One of the four lords of Hell. The mother of ten thousand demons. The number of gods in by her hand was not small. And Ketal was holding his ground against her. Even though she was in an avatar form and couldn¡¯t use her true power, the very fact that she was fighting him was a miracle in itself. And... ''Skilled.'' Fists and axes moved. She stomped the ground and swung her fist fiercely. Ketal didn¡¯t retreat or block. He simply pressed forward, smoothly moving his arms to redirect her power, then struck her chest with his shoulder. "Mm." Thud! Her body was pushed back. Materia narrowed her eyes. ''...He¡¯s used to fighting.'' She, too, was no stranger to battle. She had lived for a long, long time, and had fought against gods. But Ketal was more ustomed tobat than she was. It was as if he had fought in more battles than she, who had lived for aeons. And not just ordinary battles, but life-or-death struggles. ''What on earth did he do in there?'' How long had he been in there, and what had he done? Materia found herself wondering. But that didn¡¯t mean she was defenseless. Ketal''s power was simple physical force. It was so straightforward. There were countless ways to counter it. She swung her arm, and Ketal raised his axe to block. Their forces collided. St. In that moment, demonic energy oozed from Materia''s body, climbing up the axe and clinging to Ketal¡¯s body. His expression changed. "Hm." He violently shook his body to rid himself of the demonic energy. But the energy stuck to him like slime, refusing to let go. Materia continued to spread the demonic energy over Ketal''s body. Before long, half of his body was covered in it. It was incredibly heavy and dense. Ketal''s movements began to slow. "Oh." Ketal let out a sound of surprise. No matter how he struggled, the sticky demonic energy clung to him. It was an attack that couldn¡¯t be dealt with by sheer force alone. Soon, Ketal¡¯s body was entirely enveloped by the slime-like substance, rendering him unable to respond to Materia''s attacks. "Well then, I''ll be taking this." Materia sharpened her hand like a de, demonic energy rising from it like a sword. Ketal¡¯s instincts warned him. That hand could pierce his body. She lunged forward, aiming to impale his heart. In that moment... Screeeech. Something strange happened to Ketal¡¯s body. Materia¡¯s face changed. Boom! Mystery erupted from Ketal, shattering the demonic energy clinging to his body. What had previously been unbreakable was suddenly destroyed. Ketal, now free, burst into a fit ofughter. "Hahaha!" He charged at Materia, mystery beginning to surge through his hands. Materia braced herself. Until now, Ketal hadn¡¯t been able to break through her defenses. But... Crack. The demonic energy shattered, breaking apart and striking her body. "Ugh." With a groan, Materia was sent flying back. "You are strong!" Ketal sincerely admired her. She could still push him to the brink even when he fought with all his might. It felt like facing a god who had opened the gates of heaven. She was an opponent he had to go all out against. But he was different now. He could now use mystery to strengthen his body. Ketalughed joyfully. ''It¡¯s useful even against an opponent of this level.'' He could respond to her using mystery without unleashing his full strength. It was very valuable information. Materia, who had been knocked back, slowly got up. ''...He can control mystery.'' And there was one other strange thing. She looked at the arm she had used to block. She had collided with a powerful force, but her body wasn¡¯t damaged. ''It didn¡¯t break.'' She had shed with the oldest being, yet her body hadn¡¯t been destroyed. It was very strange. ''Why?'' Was it because he could suppress the damage by controlling the mystery? Or was it that he could control the mystery because he wasn¡¯t damaged? Curiosity filled Materia¡¯s face. The oldest being that could control mystery. It was still shallow. His movements were not smooth, and it took him a few seconds to act. He was not in a perfected state. There were plenty of gaps. But if he were to reachpletion...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ''...How far could he go?'' What if she faced him with her true self? The thought sparked her curiosity, but she suppressed it. After all, she was a demon invading the earth. ''I¡¯ll have to kill him before hepletes it.'' Materia surrounded herself with demonic energy. The warm-up was over. Now, it was serious¡ªkill or be killed. Ketal could feel the shift in the atmosphere, grinning as he raised his axe. Power gathered and built, ready to explode at any moment. "Hm?" Materia''s body staggered. It began to copse. Materia clicked her tongue. "Oh dear. It seems I¡¯ve reached my limit." She hadn¡¯t descended in the normal way. She had forcibly twisted her way down through the crack made by Federica. She couldn¡¯t stay for long. "Normally, I would¡¯ve been able to stay longer, but I used too much power." "Sorry about that." "No, it was fun, so it''s fine. But... I won¡¯t leave quietly." Demonic energy oozed and sloshed from Materia¡¯s body. "Since I came down on my own, I¡¯ll get scolded if I go back empty-handed. I¡¯ll have to cause some trouble before I go." Shhh! Demonic energy gathered in her hand. Ketal¡¯s expression changed. It was a demonic energy bomb. If it detonated, the entire area would be drenched in darkness. Unless a god personally descended, it wouldn¡¯t be restored. Ketal gripped his axe. Materia smiled as if daring him to try. "Stop it if you can. Not that you¡¯ll be able to." Ketal''s primary power was physical strength. Even if he could now use mystery, it only amounted to body reinforcement. Materia was now condensing darkness itself into a sphere. It was like a balloon filled with air. If he attacked with force, the balloon would burst, and the air would spread everywhere. Ketal¡¯s strength couldn¡¯t stop it. All he could do was pop the balloon before it was fully inted. But Ketalughed. "Ha, hahaha. Hahaha." Heughed genuinely, as if truly enjoying himself. Materia¡¯s expression twitched. "...Why are youughing?" "You are strong." Ketal was sincerely impressed. Materia was strong. She was not an easy opponent even when he fought with all his might. "Which is why I must express my gratitude." The conditions had been met. Ketal grabbed his axe, gathering mystery. The beast of mystery that had been crying out inside him to be released began to roar with joy as it rushed out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 260: The Demon of Flowers (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 260: The Demon of Flowers (6) The Mystery Beast Within Him. It was the power of Ketal, but it didn¡¯t obey him. When he tried to control it, it resisted, growling. It was like a stray dog rejecting the touch of a new owner. So Ketal couldn¡¯t handle it easily. Despite his first-rate level of mystery, he could only manage physical enhancements because of it. But there was one time. When the mystery beast voluntarily tried to help him. When facing Federica, who had opened the Gate of Heavens. At that time, the beast cried out as if it was dissatisfied. It responded as if it didn¡¯t like that Ketal was being attacked by Federica, simr to how it reacted when it met an external threat. And just like that time, now too, the beast was crying out as if it was dissatisfied. Throughout the battle with Materia, it tried to rise as if displeased. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Ketalughed joyfully. Back then, he had suppressed the beast that tried to rise to test his full power. But not now. ¡°Come forth.¡± The beast howled as if in joy. It rose violently and roared. Grrrr! The howl echoed out into the world. Those watching from outside, pale-faced, heard the beast''s sound from somewhere. Ketal gripped his axe tightly. The mystery began to envelop the axe de, forming a sharp shape. ¡°¡­What?¡± Materia¡¯s expression changed. That was dangerous. Truly. But it was impossible to respond since she was gathering strength. Ketal gripped the axe tighter and stepped forward. ¡°Hup!¡± He swung the axe at Materia. The embedded mystery became a de that shed diagonally. At first, nothing happened. Only the sound of the wind echoed, like a whip cutting through empty space. But shortly after. Swoosh! The world was severed. The space was split and divided in half. It was an incredibly clean cut, like slicing a piece of paper. It was fortunate that Ketal had swung the axe slightly upward. Only the empty sky was severed. If it had been directed at the ground, it would have left an irreparable scar on the earth. ¡°Oh, oh no.¡± Materia¡¯s body, which was within the severed space, was neatly split in two. The power she had gathered was also split in half. Crackle! But it didn¡¯t explode. The severed space twisted and began to suck everything in. The power defiling the world was swallowed up by the severed world and annihted. ¡°Phew!¡± Ketal exhaled. He swung the axe with a satisfied expression. ¡°Very strong! Excellent! Satisfying!¡± Grrr¡­ The beast also seemed satisfied, quieting down. It bowed its head quietly inside him. Ketalughed joyfully. He finally realized how to move this troublesome creature. Ketal walked lightly toward Materia. Her body, cut in half,y on the ground. Materia let out a hollowugh with only her upper body remaining. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re still alive despite that form.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be unsummoned soon. This is ridiculous.¡± Although she was in a defenseless state, it was still her avatar. As it was protected by stauts, it wasn¡¯t easy to harm her physical body. Yet she was cut in half in a single blow. ¡°You¡­ What is that? Why didn¡¯t you use it until now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I deliberately didn¡¯t use it. There were various reasons.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s all thanks to you. I sincerely express my gratitude.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯ll hear about this when I get back.¡± Crack. Her body began to crumble. Normally, it would havested longer, but the recent blow had inflicted severe damage. She could no longer remain on this earth. ¡°At least I got some information, so that¡¯s a relief¡­ Ketal, right?¡± Materia looked at Ketal onest time. ¡°This is just an avatar. So next time, I¡¯ll see you with my true self.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± Ketal said cheerfully. Materia smiled faintly. And then her body twisted and vanished. The terrible evil that had stepped on the earth was banished back to hell. The battle was over. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ketal stretched. His face held an undeniable smile. ¡°Ahhh.¡± He was so delighted. So thrilled. Ketal moved with light steps. * * * Ketal approached the surviving people. They looked as if they were about to faint, their faces pale with fear. They copsed to the ground as if relieved at the sight of Ketal. ¡°Wh-what on earth happened¡­?¡± The archbishop asked in a trembling voice. It was terrifying. Something that they dared not even lift their heads to face had descended upon the earth. It was like a god had descended upon the earth. But it was more terrible and frightening than that. At least, with Floris¡¯s level, there was no way to emit such an overwhelming presence. ¡°And¡­¡± The archbishop swallowed and looked behind Ketal. There was a severed space there. The space extended beyond the horizon. What was that? It was a power he couldn¡¯t understand or ept. Ketal answered lightly. ¡°A demon descended. She introduced herself as the Mother of All Demons. Materia.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The archbishop¡¯s eyes widened. He inhaled sharply as if he was hyperventting. ¡°Ma-Materia! My God!¡± ¡°You seem to know.¡± "Oh my god! Is that, is that really true? Ah, ahhh. What on earth is happening! Oh, Great Mother Earth! Ahhhhh!" The archbishop hadpletely lost his mind. He was in no state for a coherent conversation, so Ketal looked at the Mercenary King. But the Mercenary King was no different. With a face full of shock, he stammered, "Ma-Materia. Truly? My God." It wasn''t just him. The moment they heard that name, Cain and the other survivors'' faces also turned pale. It was impossible to have a normal conversation in this state. "Hmm." After briefly observing them, Ketal lightly exerted his presence. The archbishop, who had been out of his mind, instantly changed. He quickly began to calm down. "Are you calm now?" "Ah, yes. Yes. ...What did you do?" "I just suppressed you." He had used a presenceparable to the overwhelming evil that had driven them into panic to subdue their minds. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was a form of using poison against poison. The archbishop''s expression turned peculiar at that exnation. "I-I see..." "So, who exactly is this demon, Materia?" "...One of the four lords of Hell." The archbishop swallowed nervously as he spoke. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Demon King was the ruler of the concept of Demon, not the lord of Hell, which was a smaller concept. Thus, there were demons who managed Hell on behalf of the Demon King. They were the four lords of Hell. "They have been called by various names throughout history. At times, they were known as the Four Heavenly Kings." "The Four Heavenly Kings!" Ketal''s eyes gleamed. Despite his curiosity, the archbishop continued. "They are the actual rulers of Hell." And they wielded powermensurate with that title. To the extent that they could rival gods. "In the distant past, during the Great War between gods and demons, before the Demon King had even descended, many gods were annihted by demons. And those who caused that were..." "The Four Heavenly Kings, I presume." "...Yes." The archbishop took a deep breath. Although Ketal had freed him from panic, he couldn''t escape his shock. Materia was a demon straight out of mythology. A being on a level iparable to Floris. Such an entity had descended to this earth. And then. The barbarian before him had defeated Materia. ''Just what...'' What was the existence standing before him? Ketal murmured to himself. "There are quite a few things I''m curious about..." The four lords of Hell, the Four Heavenly Kings. What exactly was Materia''s power, and who were the other lords? He was incredibly curious. The archbishop was also curious. He wanted to know what had happened that led to Materia''s descent. But there was something more urgent to take care of. Ketal raised a finger. "Shouldn''t those things be dealt with?" In the direction he pointed, countless pink flowers had bloomed. They were the corpses of people who had been transformed into flowers by Floris. The archbishop quickly snapped out of it. "W-We can''t leave them be. We need to respond immediately." The pink flowers were a manifestation of evil power. If left alone for too long, they would contaminate the earth. They needed to be dealt with at once. "Let''s save the conversation forter and clean this up first." "Ah. Understood." The survivors hurriedly began to clean up the aftermath of the battle. As they were organizing, they groaned at the sight of the space split in half. Ketal also joined them in cleaning up the flowers. ''Materia.'' A powerful demon. One that didn''t falter against Ketal''s full strength. It had even had the upper hand until he used his mystery power. And that wasn''t even its true form, but merely an avatar. If it had been its true form, just how powerful would it have been? If it were its true form, could it even put up a meaningful fight against ''those'' in the snowy ins? One thing was certain: it was strong. This world had formidable beings that couldn''t be easily dealt with. And that was incredibly exciting. "Let''s meet again in your true form next time." Ketal smiled. * * * "Umm..." And at that moment. In Hell, Materia stretched as she woke up. "Umm. That was fun." [Did you enjoy yourself?] A voice echoed from behind her. Materia mumbled with a sulking face. "You came?" [Did you think I wouldn''t notice such a powerful ripple?] A grotesque figure sighed. [I told you to restrain yourself, but you couldn''t in the end.] "Umm. Sorry." [It''s fine. It was somewhat expected. Your innate desires couldn''t be suppressed, could they?] The figure asked calmly. [What matters now is whether it was worth it. So, how was it?] How was the experience of facing that barbarian? Materia smiled. "He¡¯s strong. And attractive. I want him even more now." A fierce desire red up in Materia''s eyes. "No matter what happens, I''ll put him in my treasure chest." [If you manage to win against the surface, you can do as you please. But for now, information takes priority. Tell me what you''ve learned from facing that barbarian.] "Fine, fine. Gosh, you''re so naggy." Materia stood up with a weary expression. The figure watched her for a moment before asking in a puzzled tone. [...That thing on your chest, what is it?] "My chest? What about it?" Materia looked down at her chest. After staring at it for a while, she realized something. "...There¡¯s a wound?" There was a small wound on her chest. Materia stared at the wound for a moment before realizing. The wound resembled the one she received when Ketal used his mystery power to cut her in half at the end. "Huh? What is this?" Materia was puzzled. She had been attacked by Ketal, but that was only her avatar. It wasn¡¯t her true form. No matter what damage she had taken, it shouldn''t have affected her true form. As she was thinking this, the wound suddenly split open. Whoosh! Blood gushed out of it. The blood quickly filled the ground. For an ordinary person, such blood loss would be enough to cause death by hemorrhage. The figure was rmed. [...What¡¯s happening?] "...Huh?" Materia looked at the wound with wide eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 261: The Descent of the Holy Sword (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 261: The Descent of the Holy Sword (1) Two Days Later. They finally managed to resolve the situation. All the flowers were cleared, and the damage was contained. Even thend tainted by evil was restored. It was the result of staying up for two days straight without sleep. However, it wasn''t perfect. They ultimately failed to restore the sanctuary. The domain of the God of Harmony had vanished from the earth. But it was something they had to ept. N?v(el)B\\jnn In fact, they were fortunate that it ended with only one holy sanctuary being destroyed. If Floris had taken a step toward the world, at least five holy sanctuaries would have been lost. After some cleanup, Ketal spoke with the Archbishop. "How did Materia descend to the earth?" Ketal responded to the Archbishop''s question, exining that she had descended by using Floris''s body as an incarnation. "Is that so?" There was a look of doubt on the Archbishop''s face. "No matter how powerful Floris is as a demon, it should be impossible to summon Materia with just that body..." "Hmm." Ketal knew the reason. It was the rift created when Federica opened the heavenly passage. That rift allowed Materia to descend to the earth. However, due to a promise with the Mercenary King, he was hesitant to mention it directly. The Archbishop drew his own conclusion. "Has the world''s rift grown thatrge... My God. What is happening?" "Materia is one of the Four Lords of Hell, right?" "Yes, that''s correct." "What exactly are they?" Ketal asked, his eyes gleaming. The Archbishop, calming himself, began to exin. "They are the Lords of Hell. The true rulers of Hell, and it wouldn''t be wrong to say they are the proxies of the Demon King." The four strongest demons. Those closest to the Demon King. Those were the Four Lords. "Their power... is immense." In this world, the number of gods was not small. Including minor churches, there are dozens. But there were far more during the War of the Gods and Demons. Enough to reach triple digits. Against those countless gods, the Four Lords of Hell seeded in holding them off until the Demon King descended. Ketal''s eyes widened. "Four of them held off over a hundred gods? Are they really that powerful?" "No, the situation at the time was different." The War of the Gods and Demons was a situation where the gods intervened to punish the demons that had taken over the earth. It was the exact opposite of now. Since the earth was demon territory, the demons could act freely, but the gods couldn''t easily intervene. That''s why they seeded in holding them off. "But even so..." They were certainly stronger than most ordinary gods. With a look of curiosity, Ketal asked, "What kind of demons are the Four Lords?" "There isn''t much information." These demons had been active during the War of the Gods and Demons. Extremely ancient beings. And ordinary people went mad the moment they faced them. Even those who reached the level of superhumans weren''t much different. That''s the level of beings they were. As a result, the records were like ramblings left by madmen, making them difficult to interpret. But by piecing together the information, the power of the four demons was as follows: "The Crawling Abomination. Necronovix." The creator of ck magic. "A demon in the form of a withered man. Caliste." A maniac who only wields a sword. He was a weak demon without even a name but rose to the rank of Lord through mastery of the sword. The Sword Demon. "A demon in the form of a device. Abyss." The Demon King''s first tool, a demon capable of wielding the Demon King''s power. "And, the Mother of All Demons. Materia." The only demon capable of conceiving and giving birth to other demons. "Oh." Ketal stroked his chin with interest. "So, the Lord I fought has the ability to give birth to demons." ''Is that why she wanted my seed?'' "Floris is likely Materia''s child as well. Given enough time and the right seed, she could even give birth to demons of hero-ss strength." Hence, her title, the Mother of All Demons. Such a being had descended to this world, even if only as an incarnation. The implications were immense. The Archbishop groaned. "...I must report this." Though the Earth Mother Goddess may have already noticed, he needed to return to the church immediately to convey this information. About Materia. And about Ketal. The Archbishop bowed his head deeply. "Thank you so much. If it weren''t for you, we would have met a terrible end there, and a dreadful evil would have advanced toward the earth. You are a benefactor of the Earth Mother Goddess and the world." "I only did what was necessary." "You''re modest as well... If you ever need to visit the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, just mention my name. You will be treated generously." "Thank you." Ketal smiled warmly. The Archbishop hurriedly departed. He would head straight to the Earth Mother Goddess''s sanctuary. Ketal spoke with the remaining people. The Mercenary King was staring at the rift in space. "What do you n to do now?" "I''ll return to the guild." He was the only mercenary who survived. He needed to return to the guild to exin what had happened. "It''s going to get busy." "The Lord of Hell has descended. This is no small matter." The world would be shaken. And Ketal had won against that Lord. "...This." The Mercenary King opened his mouth. "This must be your doing, right?" Before the Mercenary King''s eyes was a rift in space, split in two. A strike infused with the essence of a mystical beast. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The severance of space caused by that strike remained, still leaving scars on the world even after two days. Ketal nodded. "Yes. I don''t know why it ended up like that, though." "Hah." The Mercenary King let out a bitterugh. He had no intention of stopping at the peak of the superhuman ss. He firmly believed that one day he would reach the realm of heroes. But seeing Ketal''s power made that belief not just falter but shatterpletely. ¡®¡­No. No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ This wasn''t just at the level of a hero ss. It was a power beyond that. After a moment of silence, the Mercenary King spoke. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to survive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Then, if we meet again, I¡¯ll make sure to repay you for saving me.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketalughed cheerfully. The Mercenary King left. Ketal then went to find Cain. ¡°Master. Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°By the way, what happened to the other disciple?¡± ¡°Fortunately, he¡¯s alive. His mind is half gone, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d Senior Brother is alive.¡± Ketal sighed in relief. Cain chuckled. In the past, hearing such words from Ketal would have twisted his heart. But now, he felt no particr emotion. Too much had happened for such things to still cause pain. ¡°¡­Thank you, Ketal. Thanks to you, I can continue this pitiful existence.¡± ¡°Protecting one¡¯s master is also a disciple¡¯s duty. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very fortunate duty for me.¡± Cainughed heartily. Ketal had saved his life. He had no thoughts about being called ¡°Master¡± anymore. ¡°I¡¯m returning to the kingdom now.¡± ¡°I should head back too. Someone¡¯s been waiting for me with bated breath.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, let¡¯s meet again sometime.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal replied cheerfully. * * * The survivors were all returning to where they belonged. Some felt sorrow, some relief at surviving, and others felt emptiness. ¡°Phew.¡± The archbishop was among them. As he walked briskly, he paused momentarily to rest and wet his throat. He rubbed his eyes. ¡®¡­For Materia to descend.¡¯ The Lord of Hell had descended. It was terrifying just to think about. If things had gone wrong, the entire continent might have had to be redrawn on the map. But Ketal had sessfully reverse-summoned Materia. It was an immense relief. ¡®He defeated it alone, without anyone¡¯s help.¡¯ Though it was only an avatar, the opponent was one of the Four Lords of Hell. Its power surely surpassed that of an ordinary hero ss. ¡®¡­How strong is he?¡¯ The archbishop swallowed hard. He wasn¡¯t just a simple hero ss. He was something beyond that. How powerful was he? Where did someone like hime from? ¡°Phew.¡± The archbishop shook his head as he pondered. Ketal¡¯s identity was important, but something else was even more pressing. ¡®The rift has grown sorge that even the Lords of Hell are descending.¡¯ The world was deteriorating further. If this continued, the gods would move more actively than ever before. The abode of the gods. They would intervene in the mortal world from the Pantheon. ¡°¡­The Holy Sword might even descend.¡± The archbishop muttered. * * * A dayter. Ketal returned to the Kingdom of Denian. Milena held her breath at the sight of him returning unscathed. ¡°K-Ketal! You¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. I had one more thing to take care of.¡± ¡°No! As long as you¡¯re back safely, that¡¯s all that matters!¡± Milena fussed over Ketal, weing him. She dropped everything she was doing and led Ketal to the reception room. Milena cautiously asked. ¡°¡­Did you resolve everything?¡± ¡°Of course. I took care of it without any issues. It was fun.¡± Ketal smiled. Milena hesitated for a moment at his words. ¡°I see¡­¡± After Ketal left, she had deployed informants to gather information on what was happening. That¡¯s how she knew the current state of the Holy Land of Federica. The Holy Land waspletely destroyed, reduced to ruins. Federica had opened the Gates of Heaven and intervened on earth, and after an overwhelming force had passed, the Holy Land had been obliterated. She knew this better than anyone. ¡°Then, that¡¯s a relief.¡± But she buried her doubts deep within. In this world, some things were better left unexamined. Instead, Milena asked something else. ¡°You said you had one more thing to take care of? What was it?¡± When she asked, Milena wasn¡¯t expecting anything in particr. What had happened in the Holy Land of Federica had shocked her too deeply. She thought nothing could surprise her after that. Ketal exined lightly. Hearing his exnation, Milena¡¯s breath caught in her throat. * * * Milena was so shocked that she was half out of her mind. It was only muchter that she managed to tell him in a dazed voice to rest. Ketal took her advice. He left the capital and headed for the forest outside. ¡°Hmph.¡± There was something he needed to check. He focused his mind and manipted the mystical beast within. Grrr¡­ The mystical beast let out a dissatisfied growl. It resisted his control as if it didn¡¯t want to be used by Ketal. It starkly contrasted to when it willingly responded during the battle against Materia. ¡®As I thought.¡¯ Ketal narrowed his eyes. Now he understood how to handle the mystical beast properly. A celestial being. The God of Hunger, Federica. One of the Four Lords of Hell. Materia, the Mother of All Demons. The strongest beings he had ever encountered. They were formidable opponents even when he faced them with all his strength. He could only properly control the mystical beast when facing such powerful enemies. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 262: The Descent of the Holy Sword (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 262: The Descent of the Holy Sword (2) ¡®Does it mean it doesn¡¯t want to see me losing?¡¯ It was like a stubborn, frequently barking beast that, when its master was in danger, would bare its teeth and fiercely charge at the enemy. ¡°What a bothersome creature.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. It wasn¡¯t something that could normally be used, and it only appeared when he faced an opponent he had to respond to seriously. Truly, it was a troublesome beast. ¡®No, if that¡¯s the case, why doesn¡¯t it just cooperate normally?¡¯ Why does it go to such lengths to refuse? Ketal grumbled inwardly. And then there was another problem. ¡®I¡¯vepletely run out of mystic energy.¡¯ After delivering the final blow that severed space using the mystic beast, he couldn¡¯t handle any mystic energy for an entire day. ¡®I need to increase the total amount of mystic energy.¡¯ Although he had realized how to handle it, there were still problems to solve. ¡°Hm.¡± How could he properly handle this mystic energy? It wasn¡¯t easy. The only fortunate thing was that the mystic beast had calmed down a bitpared to before. It was as if the stress had been relieved, and it was now a bit more obedient than before. Although it was still not to the point where it could be handled meaningfully, there was a noticeable difference. And Ketal knew the reason. When facing Materia. It was as if the beast had faced an enemy that made it feel it had to rise up, and after that, it had calmed down a bit. It was as if its stress had been alleviated. ¡®...Do I need to keep facing strong opponents to properly handle the mystic energy?¡¯ But that too was a problem. The level of opponents that could stir the mystic beast were at the level of celestial gods or lords of hell. Ordinary hero-ss opponents didn¡¯t elicit a response. And there were hardly any opportunities to face such enemies on this earth. At this point, that method was nearly impossible. ¡®So, there¡¯s only one method left.¡¯ The most reliable method he could use at the moment. That was to increase the total amount of mystic energy. By increasing the amount of mystic energy he possessed, he could secure an absolute value that he could handle. At this point, that seemed to be the fastest and most reliable method. But that too had its problems. To properly handle the mystic energy, he judged that he needed at least a superhuman level of quantity. Currently, he only had the amount equivalent to a first-rate level, meaning he needed to ascend to the next stage. He needed to absorb catalysts infused with mystic energy to increase it, but his body was quite special. Ordinary catalysts wouldn¡¯t increase it to a meaningful extent. A Dragon Heart. Or somethingparable was needed. These were not things that were easily obtained. ¡®What could there be?¡¯ As Ketal pondered, he sought out Milena to ask her a question.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Milena. Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Huh, uh¡­¡± Milena couldn¡¯t respond. She was mechanically processing documents with a dazed expression. Ketal lightly stomped his foot. The room shook, and Milena¡¯s body jumped into the air. She snapped back to her senses. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯ve been half out of it for a while now.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­ no¡­¡± Milena muttered absently. She still didn¡¯t seem fully conscious. And it was understandable. ¡°I was thinking about what you said, Ketal.¡± A terrifying being that only existed in myths. A lord of hell had descended to earth. And Ketal had defeated the lord. She was confused about whether to be shocked by the fact that such a being had descended to earth, or by the fact that Ketal had won against it. That¡¯s why she had been half out of her mind. But somehow, she pulled herself together and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have a question. Is it alright?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Feel free to ask.¡± Milena pushed aside her documents and looked at Ketal. Ketal exined his situation. To handle the mystic energy, he needed powerful catalysts. Milena mumbled as if she understood. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t fully mastered the mystic energy yet¡­¡± That thought made her shudder again. Even without fully mastering it, he had defeated a lord of hell. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes. I think I need to increase the amount to properly handle it. Do you know of any outstanding catalysts like a Dragon Heart?¡± ¡°Hmm. Just a moment.¡± Milena paused as she thought about suitable information. ¡®...Wait.¡¯ Ketal was strong. Strong enough to defeat a lord of hell. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he was above the average hero ss. And the world was in chaos. Evil was starting to reveal itself one by one. Even the lords of hell could descend to this earth with their true bodies. In such times, Ketal¡¯s power would be incredibly valuable. It could literally change the world¡¯s fate. ¡®...Could my advice potentially determine the fate of the world?¡¯ Thinking that, she suddenly felt a chill. She began to ponder more seriously than when she had made a trade that determined the fate of her family. ¡°Hmm... I¡¯m not certain, but there are a few things on the continent that mightpare to a Dragon Heart.¡± The Dwarves'' Mine. A meteorite that fell from a distant star thousands of years ago in Mantamia. The Fairy¡¯s Fantasy Vige. The Essence of Purity in Pysaraphia. The magical core that sustains the towering Magic Tower. The subterranean city, Magna Rain. The primordial jewel found deep within the earth. And a few others besides those. ¡°The branch of the World Tree is one of them too.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°But... some of them have already been seized by demons.¡± The demons were gathering sacrifices for the descent of the Demon King. The Mantamia meteorite and the Essence of Purity were already in the hands of the demons. ¡°The remaining treasures are relics or treasures, so outsiders can¡¯t ess them either.¡± ¡°Hmm. As expected.¡± Catalysts like a Dragon Heart were not easily obtainable. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡®...Should I return to the Elven sanctuary and ask if they could spare a branch of the World Tree?¡¯ But that would be too unseemly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He wasn¡¯t even sure if it was possible. As Ketal was deep in thought, Milena spoke up. ¡°At this point, the easiest option might be to conquer an S-ss dungeon.¡± ¡°Hm? An S-ss dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The highest difficulty dungeons. Even when looking across the entire world, there were only a dozen or so of them. They were mysterious dungeons that had never been cleared before. One of them was the Tower of the Unknown, with no end in sight. There were also monster nests where all the world''s monsters resided. "I¡¯ve heard of the monster nest before," Ketal muttered. He had heard that the Mercenary King once challenged it and failed. "Maybe there''s a catalyst in there equivalent to a Dragon Heart?" The higher the dungeon''s difficulty, the more precious the materials it offered as rewards. The possibility was high. No one had ever cleared these dungeons before, but Ketal''s strength was beyond that of an ordinary hero ss. With his power, he might be able to clear it. "Oh! I see!" Ketal''s eyes sparkled. If it was an S-rank dungeon, there might be a catalyst to obtain. Ketal was genuinely grateful. "Thank you for the valuable information!" "Oh, it''s nothing. But, Ketal, are you sure you can go? I thought only those above A-rank could challenge an S-rank dungeon." "Well... that''s true." Ketal was only a C-rank mercenary at best at the moment. He didn''t have the qualifications. "Should I go see the Mercenary King?" He wondered if the Mercenary King might promote him to A-rank if he asked. Given their close rtionship, there was a possibility. But Ketal didn''t move immediately. After all, he didn''t even know where the Mercenary King had gone. So, instead, he stayed at Milena''s residence, refining his mysteries further. Two dayster. After finishing his training and returning to the capital, Ketal noticed something strange. With the continent in turmoil, the atmosphere in the capital was generally gloomy. The capital of the Denian Kingdom had been directly attacked by demons, so it remained in a perpetual state of bleakness. People were nowhere to be seen, and it was eerily quiet. But this time, the capital was bustling. People were rushing around, regardless of their status. And their expressions were incredibly bright. Their faces were filled with hope. "Father! I''m off!" "Oh, my boy! Don''t go!" A determined young man shouted as he left home, while his father tried to stop his reckless son''s adventure. After watching that scene for a moment, Ketal headed towards the Akasha family. The Akasha household was just as busy. Milena was handling her tasks with a more frantic expression than usual. "Oh, Ketal. You''re here?" "The capital is incredibly lively. People look cheerful. What''s going on?" "There''s been a good reason for that," Milena smiled, her expression also filled with hope. When she began to speak, Ketal''s eyes widened. "The Holy Sword has descended upon the earth." * * * That night. After finally finishing all her work, Milena came to see Ketal. Ketal, with a face full of excitement and eyes like a child''s, had been waiting for her. "Are you done with work? Then can you exin it to me? What exactly is this Holy Sword?" Despite his overwhelming enthusiasm, Milena began to exin, though she found his reaction curious. "The Holy Sword is a blessing bestowed upon this world by the great gods." There were times when this world was in peril. ck magicians would act under the radar of the gods, throwing the world into chaos and attempting to summon great evils. Most of the time, these issues could be resolved with the gods'' revtions, but every few centuries, there would be a situation too overwhelming for a revtion to handle. When ck magicians moved across the entire continent, plunging the world into chaos and summoning demons¡ªthose times of utter confusion. But the gods found it difficult to directly intervene in this world. It wasn''t easy for them to descend in their true forms, let alone send down avatars. So, they sent sacred relics imbued with their power to this world. That was the Holy Sword. "It is granted by the gods when the world is in danger." As it was infused with divine power, the Holy Sword was incredibly powerful. Whoever wielded it was revered as a hero and brought peace to the chaotic continent. "Oh..." Ketal was moved by her exnation. When the world was in turmoil, the Holy Sword descended from the heavens, and whoever wielded it became a hero who would bring peace to the continent. It was a quintessentially fantastical event. Ketal asked with a hint of hope in his voice. "Is the Holy Sword something only certain people can draw?" "No. Anyone can draw it." Whether they were noble royalty, saints of the church, ordinary citizens, or even the most wretchedmoner¡ªanyone could draw the Holy Sword. What mattered was whether they were worthy. "I see," Ketal smiled. Yes, if it was a Holy Sword, it should be that way. The qualification should be fair and open to everyone. Milena smiled softly as well, starting to understand what Ketal desired. "You¡¯re nning to go, aren''t you?" "Of course," Ketal nodded immediately. How could he miss such an interesting event? Milena, as if she had expected this, spoke. "Then I will gather the necessary information for you. I hope you return safely." "Thank you." Ketal beamed with a smile. The Holy Sword. The divine sword that descended upon this world. "Yes, this is how it should be." Where there were demons, there should also be a Holy Sword. Ketal''s face was full of eager anticipation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 263: The Descent of the Holy Sword (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 263: The Descent of the Holy Sword (3) Ketal decided to head to the ce where the Holy Sword had descended. Milena spoke up, "Then, I''ll tell you the location." The holy sanctuary of the order that worshiped Elia, the god of swords. That was where the Holy Sword had descended. Centuries ago, and even centuries before that, and again centuries before that, the Holy Sword always descended there. "The holy sanctuary, huh," Ketal, who had been smiling joyfully, tilted his head. "But if it''s a holy sanctuary, isn''t it somewhere that can''t be approached carelessly?" Ordinarily, outsiders could not enter holy sanctuarys. Ketal had visited twice already, but each time had a legitimate reason. Milena replied, "Generally, that''s true, but the holy sanctuary of Lord Elia is a bit unique." It was always open. Unless there was something special happening, anyone could freely enter. Ketal muttered with a curious expression, "I see." "The location isn''t far. Even at a normal pace, you''ll reach it in about a week. But for someone like you, Ketal, you might reach it in a day." "Great. Thanks!" Ketal immediately stood up. Surprised by his sudden movement, Milena tried to stop him. "A-are you nning to leave right now?" "That was the idea. Is there a problem?" "The Holy Sword descended only a few hours ago. Since it was a sudden event, the people inside the holy sanctuary will probably be preparing. If you go now, you''ll just end up waiting." "Oh, is that so?" "It would be better to move after giving it a few days." "Understood." Ketal nodded and sat back down. "So, how do I draw the sword?" "It''s said that one must pass the trial of the Holy Sword. But what that trial entails is unknown." "Are you saying I need to experience it myself? That sounds good to me," Ketal muttered happily. With a few days to spare, Ketal spent the time honing his mysteries even further. During this time, Maximus visited him. Barbosa, who had learned of Ketal''s return, had sent him. Maximus spoke, "I''m d to see you returned without any issues." "Well, yeah. There wasn''t much of a problem." "..." Maximus fell silent. Like Milena, he also knew what had happened to the holy sanctuary of Frederica. "No, never mind." It was something beyond his understanding. If so, it was better to ignore it entirely. Smiling brightly, Ketal said, "I heard the Holy Sword has descended." "Yes, because of that, the capital is in an uproar. It¡¯s rare to see such liveliness in a chaotic world. It¡¯s not a bad thing." "Are you nning to go see the Holy Sword as well?" "I''m not uninterested, but¡­" The legendary Holy Sword, which descended once every few centuries. Maximus did have a desire to see it in person. But he shook his head. "I have things I need to do." Maximus didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in the Holy Sword, while Ketal, on the other hand, seemed very curious about it. "You seem quite interested in the Holy Sword," Maximus noted. "Is that strange?" "Usually, yes. Most of the extraordinary beings don¡¯t find the Holy Sword particrly appealing." "Hm?" Ketal paused. "Why is that?" "The one who wields the Holy Sword is revered as a hero and gains power worthy of that title, regardless of whether they were a mere peasant or a skilled swordsman." "...Ah," Ketal made a face of realization. "You mean their power bes fixed?" "You catch on quickly. Yes, you can gain great power in an instant, but there¡¯s a limit. Your own strength gets bound to the Holy Sword."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The extraordinary beings were all mad, driven to reach even greater heights by their own power. For them, no matter how strong they became, few would want to be bound by the Holy Sword. It was unusual for someone of Ketal''s caliber to show interest in it. "...No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s actually the opposite," Maximus thought. For someone like Ketal, such a thing had no meaning¡ªit was so insignificant and trivial that he simply didn¡¯t care. Maximus swallowed hard; Ketal was truly beyond hisprehension. Of course, Ketal wasn¡¯t thinking that deeply. He was just simply curious, but that too was beyond Maximus'' understanding, so it made no difference. Ketal smiled. "Well, fine. I''ll enjoy it for the both of us." "Do as you please. In any case, I''m d you returned safely." Maximus answered lightly. Over the next few days, Ketal continued to hone his mysteries. Though it was little by little, there was definite progress. Finally, the time came to move. Ketal left the capital, with Milena seeing him off. Ketal leisurely made his way towards the holy sanctuary. Though he nned to move at a rxed pace, his steps quickened as he grew more excited. As a result, he reached his destination within a few hours. "So, that¡¯s the ce." Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. A vast in. There stood the holy sanctuary. "Wow." Ketal marveled. The first reason was the sheer size of the holy sanctuary. The holy sanctuary was enormous. It filled the vast in. It wasrger than any holy sanctuary he had ever seen, and it was twice the size of the capital of the Denian Kingdom. It was thergest city he had ever seen in this fantasy world. It could easily amodate tens of thousands of people. And the second reason was the crowd. There were countless people there, so many that it was impossible to estimate their numbers. It was easily over ten thousand. All of them were gathered around the holy sanctuary. The people were diverse. There were sturdy swordsmen, old men leaning on staffs, and even boys who had not yete of age. But they all had one thing inmon. Their faces were filled with anticipation. With faces full of dreams, they were all staring at the massive holy sanctuary. They must all havee here to try and draw the Holy Sword. "Alright, then." Ketal smiled and took a step forward. * * * ''There are so many people.'' It was the first time Ketal had seen such arge crowd. It was hard for him to move forward. So Ketal politely spoke up. "I''d like to move forward. Could you please step aside a little?" "Huh?" The person in front of Ketal turned their head. And then their face turned pale. "Y-Yes, please..." "Thank you." Ketal smiled softly and expressed his gratitude. Without much trouble, he squeezed through the crowd. He looked towards the sanctuary, but the door was still closed. ''Are they still preparing?'' Noisy sounds wereing from inside the sanctuary. Despite the noise from the crowd of over ten thousand people, Ketal could hear it. He thought it wouldn''t be long before the doors opened, and he was content to wait patiently. And around him, a small circle had formed. Even though there were so many people that it was hard to walk, no one touched Ketal. Despite perfectly concealing his aura, people were still intimidated by his appearance. The only ones who could approach Ketal were probably those confident in their own power and background. "Hello?" A man broke through the circle and approached Ketal to greet him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * ''Oh.'' Ketal was surprised. No one had ever approached him and spoken first. He was always the one who made the first move or spoke when necessary. Ketal turned his head to look at the man and was once again impressed. ''He''s like a painting.'' He had flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. His features were perfect, as if they had been drawn in a picture. The man smiled faintly and asked. "Hello. I''m Pasika. What''s your name?" "I''m Ketal." "Ketal. Did youe here to draw the Holy Sword as well?" "Well, yes. I don''t know if I can do it, though." "Haha, challenges are always fun." Pasika smiled warmly. "Since it''s fate that we met here, can we chat for a bit? It''s a bit boring just waiting around." "That sounds good." Ketal readily agreed. Meeting a stranger¡ªthis too was part of the fantasy experience, wasn''t it? Pasika, standing next to Ketal, smiled mysteriously. "You came here to draw the Holy Sword too, right?" "I don''t know if I can pull it out, but I''m interested. I just want to give it a try. Isn''t it the same for you?" "Haha, yes. I don''t know if I can, either." Pasika scratched his head awkwardly, then spoke again with a warm smile. "But it''s worth trying, isn''t it? It''s a chance to be a hero." Those who draw the Holy Sword are called heroes, gaining great power and fame. "A hero." Ketal repeated the word as if savoring it. Pasika muttered. "Who will draw the Holy Sword and be a hero? I''m curious." Though he spoke in a questioning tone, his face showed undeniable confidence. It was as if he did not doubt that he would be the hero. Pasika suddenly muttered as if something hade to mind. "Speaking of heroes, Ketal, have you heard the rumor?" "What rumor?" "I heard there''s already someone in the world who is like a hero." "Oh?" Ketal''s eyes widened. "Is that true? Did they draw another Holy Sword?" "No, it''s not that. It''s more about the deeds they''ve done that people call them a hero." Those who draw the Holy Sword are called heroes. This was partly because they were the owners of the Holy Sword, but also because they used that power to defeat demons. Even without the Holy Sword, there were a few people called heroes. "I just heard about it, and I don''t know who it is. But I''ve heard about their achievements. I don''t know if it''s true, but if it is, they truly deserve to be called a hero." "Oh, really? What did they do?" The word "hero" stirred something within him. To think that such a person already existed. Ketal''s eyes sparkled as he listened intently. As if expecting such a reaction, Pasika smiled and began to exin. "They protected the capital and the Holy Sanctuary from an invasion of evil. People say that without them, it could have fallen." "Oh, wow." "And they rebuilt a coastal city that was on the verge of copse. It''s said they defeated the primates that were about to be unleashed from the depths of the sea." "...Hmm?" Ketal paused at that. Pasika continued speaking. "That''s not all. They protected the Elves'' Holy Sanctuary from an invasion of evil. They fought a powerful demon that was attacking this world and defeated it. Without them, the World Tree might have been corrupted, severing the connection between this world and the spirit realm." "...Is that so?" "They''re truly amazing. Each of these feats should be widely known. I can''t understand why it''s been so quiet until now." Pasika spoke as if he couldn''t contain his frustration. Indeed, if someone had done even one of the things he mentioned, their fame would have spread across the continent. It was very strange that they hadn''t been known. "The truly amazing part is that all these events happened within less than a month, one after the other." The protagonist of the rumor never rested. They continuously moved to stop the invasion of evil and quell the chaos in the world. "They''re protecting this world more fervently than anyone else. I wonder what kind of person they are. They must have a strong will to protect this world. They must have a mindset very close to that of a hero." Pasika muttered with genuine admiration. There was a look of longing in his eyes. "I really want to meet them and have a conversation. Don''t you?" "...Indeed." Ketal answered with a somewhat reluctant expression. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 264: The Descent of the Holy Sword (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 264: The Descent of the Holy Sword (4) Ketal had an extremely peculiar expression, and it was no wonder. Because everything Pasika was talking about was something Ketal himself had done. "...Is that so?" As Ketal seemed to show interest, Pasika excitedly continued. "Although the identity is unknown, it probably isn¡¯t someone who was already famous across the continent. If that were the case, there would be no reason for their identity to remain hidden." In other words, it was a new powerful figure. Pasika murmured in wonder. "Where could such a powerful figure have suddenly appeared from?" "...Interesting." "It''s fascinating that someone like that has appeared in these chaotic times to help us. From humanity''s perspective, it''s a great thing." "Is that so." Ketal repeated the same words. "Is this widely known?" "It¡¯s not that widespread yet. I only managed to hear about it thanks to my informant. But it¡¯s gradually spreading." If someone had an informant, they might know about Ketal as well. Ketal stroked his chin. This was different from before. In a true sense, his name, the things he had done, were spreading across the entire continent. His name was bing known across the continent. It was a strange sensation. Considering what he had done, it should have happened much sooner, but due to the information maniption by the Tower Master, his name had remained hidden. But that was now unraveling. Soon, people would start to learn about Ketal. Even ordinary people across the continent who had no connection to him woulde to know the name Ketal. ''Is this what it feels like?'' This was his fame. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. Ketal smiled. "Thanks for the valuable information." "Don''t mention it. It¡¯s nothing, just a coincidence." Pasika waved his hand as if it was nothing. Then, as if he had just remembered something, he asked. "Come to think of it, I never asked. Ketal, do you belong to any organization?" "Belong to an organization?" After a moment of contemtion, Ketal replied. "Not really. If I had to say, I suppose I¡¯m a mercenary." "A mercenary, huh?" At those words, Pasika¡¯s smile grew wider. "That¡¯s simr to me. I don''t really belong to any organization either. If anything, it would be my family." "Your family? So, you¡¯re a noble?" "Haha. Something like that. Though whether I¡¯ll inherit the family or not is still up in the air." Pasika murmured in a strange tone, as if hiding something. He seemed to want to continue talking about something. But his words were cut short. Because at that moment, the door to the sanctuary opened. Creeeeak. The sound was very quiet, but everyone could clearly hear it, even amid the noisy crowd. In an instant, silence fell. nk. From the opened door, holy knights appeared in a line. They stood in formation, creating a path. And through that path, a middle-aged man appeared. The man opened his mouth, his voice calm yet resonating across the entire in, filled with mystery. "Greetings, everyone. I am Kretein, the leader of the Holy Knights of the God of Swords, Elia." "Ooooh!" "Kretien!" Sounds of murmuring arose as some recognized the name. The leader of the Holy Knights serving the God of Swords, Elia. Kretein was a widely renowned figure, possessing upper-tier superhuman strength. A light of admiration shone in people¡¯s eyes. Kretein spoke. "First, thank you all foring here. I assume everyone present hase to im the Holy Sword." "Yes!" Someone shouted. A roar of agreement followed. Excitement filled the faces of the people. Kretein smiled faintly. "Indeed. The Holy Sword you seek is here. Among the many who havee, only one will be able to draw the sword and be a hero, leaving their name in history." Kretien spoke softly. "And I am certain that one of you here will be the owner of the Holy Sword." The faces of the people flushed with excitement, dreams, desires, and confidence mixing together. Kretein spread his arms wide. "This is the Holy Sword Festival, whiches only once every few centuries!" Pop! Pop! Pop! Fireworks exploded above the sanctuary. Kretein shouted loudly. "The opportunity to be a hero is open to all of you! Prove yourselves! Pass the Trial of the Sword! And seize the Holy Sword! Enter the sanctuary of Elia!" "Waaaaaaaah!" A thunderous cheer erupted, shaking the earth. * * * "I-I¡¯m going first!" "No, I¡¯m going first!" People rushed towards the entrance of the sanctuary, like a chaotic market. "It would be better to talk inside. With so many people here, if we don¡¯t get in line now, who knows when we¡¯ll be able to enter." "¡­Let¡¯s do that." Pasika nodded, clicking his tongue regretfully. They headed toward the entrance of the sanctuary. Since they were rtively close to the entrance, they reached it without much waiting. There, the holy knights were verifying people''s identities and conducting inspections. Pasika stepped forward first. A holy knight asked him. "What is your name?" "Pasika." "Do you have any identification?" "Here it is." Pasika pulled out a badge and showed it to the holy knight. The knight examined it briefly, and his eyes widened. "¡­Confirmed. Please take this." The holy knight handed Pasika a silver badge. Unlike the wooden badges others had received, Pasika¡¯s badge was made of silver. The clear difference caused murmurs among the crowd. Pasika seemed to enjoy the attention and nced at Ketal as if to say, ¡®How do you like that?¡¯ "This proves that you are an invited guest. Please don¡¯t lose it." "I understand. See you inside, Ketal." "Yes, see you inside." Ketal smiled and waved him off. Pasika entered the sanctuary. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal was next. The holy knight, seeing Ketal''srge stature, flinched and then asked with a cough. "What is your name?" "Ketal." "¡­Ketal?" The holy knight repeated the name, as if it sounded familiar. He scrutinized Ketal''s entire figure and spoke with a suspicious tone. "¡­Do you have any identification?" "Here it is." Ketal handed over his C-rank mercenary badge first. The holy knight epted it without much change in expression. "And I also have this." Next, Ketal presented the seal of Kalosia. The holy knight''s eyes widened as he examined the insignia. "T-The Seal of Hundredfold!" He quickly looked up at Ketal. A barbarian appearance. The name Ketal. The Seal of Hundredfold from Kalosia. "C-Could you be that Ketal?" "I have yet to meet another who bears the name Ketal." "¡­Please wait here for a moment." The holy knight hurriedly ran into the sanctuary. The people waiting around were puzzled by his actions. "What¡¯s going on?" "Why did he suddenly run off?" Soon after, themander of the holy knights, Kretein, appeared. He looked at Ketal and swallowed hard. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...It''s a pleasure to meet you, Ketal. Wee to our sanctuary." Kretein bowed politely, and the onlookers held their breath. "Wha¡ª?" "Kr-Kretein, sir?" Kretein was a figure with superhuman strength, one of the most renowned warriors on the continent. Yet, here he was, greeting a barbarian with utmost respect, lowering himself before him. This clearly indicated that the barbarian before them was someone worthy of such deference. "Who... who is that?" "He''s bowing to a barbarian? Is he some kind of king from the North?" The crowd murmured, curious about Ketal''s identity. Ketal opened his mouth to speak. "It seems you know who I am." "How could I not? You must be here to draw the holy sword, correct?" "I''m interested. Am I allowed to enter?" "If you''vee for the holy sword, there''s no reason to refuse you. You''re wee here. Please ept this." Kretein handed Ketal a token, different from the one Pasika received. It wasn''t made of iron but of gold¡ªa golden token. Even the token itself seemed highly valuable. The crowd held their breath as Kretein emphasized. "Please be sure not to lose this. Now, please, go ahead." Kretein remained courteous to the end. The others watched, puzzled, as Ketal made his way into the sanctuary. Once inside, Ketal leisurely looked around. Pasika was nowhere to be seen, probably having already entered. ''I suppose we''ll meet again as I wander around.'' Left alone, Ketal began walking. "Well then..." Time to enjoy the festival. He moved forward lightly. * * * When Kretein mentioned the festival, it turned out he was not exaggerating. The sanctuary was indeed brimming with a festive atmosphere, not the solemn and subdued mood one might expect. People were chatting noisily, and the buildings were adorned to match the lively vibe. The streets were lined with stalls selling various ornaments and souvenirs. It truly looked like a modern festival. Ketal enjoyed exploring the sanctuary. As he walked on, something caught his eye, making them widen. It was a golden sword embedded in the ground at the very center of the za. His heart started pounding rapidly. "The holy sword?" "No, it''s a fake," A nearby priest quietly corrected him. Ketal''s excitement quickly faded. "A replica, huh." Of course. Even if everyone was given a chance, the great holy sword wouldn''t just be sitting in the middle of the sanctuary. Ketal tilted his head. "But why is there a replica here?" Was it just a decoration? As Ketal wondered, the priest spoke up. "Would you like to try pulling it out?" "Hm? Can you actually pull it out?" "There''s a very low chance that you could. It costs two silver coins per attempt." Ketal hesitated. "...Two silver coins?" "Yes. If you manage to pull it out, you can take it with you. Even though it''s a fake, it was made right here in the sanctuary! It''s an exact replica of the descended holy sword! It''s very valuable!" The priest eximed enthusiastically, almost like a salesman pitching to a customer. "Oh, and if you don''t manage to pull it out but still want to take it with you, you can buy it for just one gold coin. It''s a bargain." "..." Ketal wore a peculiar expression. And it wasn''t just that. Other residents of the sanctuary were also loudly promoting their goods. "This is a model of the holy sword used by the hero from centuries ago! Only ten silver coins!" "This is the food that the hero from centuries ago used to eat! His favorite food! Only five silver coins!" Everything was priced at least twice as much as it would be outside the sanctuary. Ketal watched with a somewhat exasperated look on his face. This was a typical tourist trap. He never imagined the sanctuary would be like this. After observing for a while, Ketal gathered his thoughts. ''Well, I suppose it doesn''t matter.'' A great many people were wandering around. Most of them seemed confident that they would be the one to pull out the holy sword. Even those who suspected it might be impossible were having fun, caught up in the atmosphere. Forgetting the worries of the world and enjoying a bit of freedom¡ªif that meant thinning one''s wallet, it was a small price to pay. ''This is interesting in its own way.'' Seeing the sanctuary adopt modern tourist traps was amusing. Ketal continued to enjoy his tour. That night, Ketal found a suitable ce to stay and rested. In the morning, just as he was about to leave, there was a knock on the door. When he opened it, the Holy Knight Commander, Kretein, was waiting for him. Kretein greeted him with utmost courtesy. "Good morning, Ketal. Did you have a pleasant stay?" "I had an enjoyable time. What brings you here?" "Could you pleasee with me?" Ketal nodded and followed Kretein. Since it was still early, the streets were mostly empty. As they walked, Kretein spoke. "Do you know the order in which the holy sword is drawn?" "No, I don''t. Isn''t it random?" "No. It''s determined by the token you received when you entered." "Oh." Pasika had received a silver token. Ketal had received a golden one. "So that''s the criteria." "Yes. Those with first-ss or higher strength are given a silver token. Those with a silver token receive special treatment and are given the first chance to draw the holy sword." "That''s not exactly fair." At this, Kretein gave a wry smile. Indeed, contrary to what the world believed, not everyone had an equal chance to approach the holy sword. "...That is true." "Well, I understand. It wouldn''t be good to have first-rate warriors stuck here for too long, would it?" Over ten thousand people hade to the sanctuary, and their numbers were still increasing. Drawing all the holy swords could take months. Having first-rate warriors tied up here for that long wouldn''t be good for the continent. "Th-that''s exactly right." Kretein was startled. Ketal''s answer was spot on. "...I¡¯ve heard things about you, but you really are different from other barbarians." "Who did you hear it from?" "I spoke with the Archbishop of the Earth Mother about the descent of the holy sword. Your name came up in the discussion." Kretein swallowed hard and muttered under his breath. "...They said you defeated the Mother of all Demons." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 265: The Descent of the Holy Sword (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 265: The Descent of the Holy Sword (5) "I didn''t lose." Ketal spoke lightly, and Kretein swallowed hard. Ketal had won against Materia. He was also a high-ranking superhuman, someone who could stand tall wherever he went. But this... This was something else entirely. Kretein struggled to suppress his shock and spoke. "...Thank you sincerely foring." "I enjoyed it, so it''s fine," Ketal said with a faint smile. "By the way, I have the Golden Pass. Is that something special?" "It is different. The Golden Pass is much higher than the Silver Pass." The Golden Pass was only given to those who deserved the utmost respect from the entire Holy Sanctuary. It was reserved for heroes or those with equivalent influence. "Ketal, of course, you should have the Golden Pass. Please, follow me." Kretein led Ketal deeper into the Holy Sanctuary, into an area that ordinary people could not ess. They entered arge building within the Holy Sanctuary. "This is it." "Wow," Ketal''s eyes sparkled. The building was enormous, and it contained all sorts of facilities, as if a whole vige had beenpressed inside. The quality of the facilities was far superior to those outside. It felt like entering a luxury hotel. "Everything here is free. Please make yourself at home," Kretein whispered quietly. "If you''re ufortable being around others, I can guide you to a private room." "No, this is fine. Thank you." "Very well. I will return in a few days." Kretein bowed respectfully to the end. Ketal walked through the building with a pleased expression. Outside, it was crowded with people, making it difficult to walk, but here there were very few people, no more than a dozen or so. Only top-tier elites were allowed in, so it was to be expected. ''How should I pass the time?'' As he wandered through the building, something caught Ketal''s eye. It was a bar. But it wasn''t just any bar. It had an elegant atmosphere and various types of alcohol disyed. ''A cocktail bar?'' Ketal''s face lit up with interest. How would fantasy cocktails taste? He entered the bar. The bartender guided him to a seat and handed him the menu with skilled movements. Ketal sat down and browsed the menu. All the drinks had names he''d never seen before. As Ketal smiled, contemting what to order, someone approached him. "Hello?" Someone spoke to Ketal. He turned to see who it was. He wasn''t surprised since he had sensed someone approaching. Ketal looked at the person and eximed in surprise, "Pasika! We meet again here!" "Indeed. I see you''ve made it in here as well." Pasika smiled as he appeared. From what he could sense, Ketal''s aura was of first-rate quality. It wasn''t surprising that he could enter this ce. "Shall we sit together? Let''s continue the conversation we couldn''t finish before." "Sounds good." Ketalughed heartily and made room for Pasika to sit next to him. Pasika sat down with a mysterious smile. * * * In the continent, there was a kingdom called Feridoan. It was a powerful nation, on par with the kingdom of Denian. No other kingdom could easily challenge it, and it was a historically rich kingdom with hundreds of years of history. Pasika was the first prince of the Feridoan kingdom. He had an appearance that seemed straight out of a painting. Poets sang of his beauty, and thedies of high society longed to catch a glimpse of him. Not only was he good-looking, but he also had proper manners and cared for others. He was strong as well, having reached the upper tier of top-level superhumans at a young age. He was expected to surpass the superhuman level and reach the rank of a hero. He was the pride of the royal family and beloved by all his people. He was, in every sense, like a hero from a painting. When he came to this ce, everyone had high hopes that if anyone could pull the Holy Sword, it would be him. But Pasika had one peculiar hobby. He enjoyed hiding his true identity, befriending people, and then revealing his identity to shock them. He felt an intense thrill from watching people react in surprise when they realized he was a prince. He wasn''t an evil person, and it wasn''t necessarily wrong. But it wasn''t exactly an appropriate hobby for a prince of a nation. His father had warned him about it, so he had been restraining himself. But he was reaching his limit. ''Since I''m out of the kingdom for once!''N?v(el)B\\jnn He thought it would be okay to enjoy his hobby for a bit. He was looking for someone suitable to surprise. Then he noticed a barbarian standing in front of the Holy Sanctuary. At first, he was quite surprised. A barbarian, who was known to hate gods, was at the Holy Sanctuary? It was a very strange sight. But the fact that this barbarian was here meant that, unlike typical barbarians, he had somemon sense. And if that was the case, he could be a target. With that in mind, Pasika approached Ketal. Pasika squinted his eyes. He could sense that Ketal''s aura was of first-rate quality. Through their conversations, he had confirmed that Ketal had no significant background. After two "coincidental" meetings, they had built a sufficient rapport. ''This should be enough.'' Satisfied, Pasika smiled and called the bartender. "To celebrate our second meeting, it''s on me!" "But isn''t everything here free?" "What''s important is the sentiment." "That¡¯s true." Ketalughed heartily. Pasika ordered from the bartender. "Bartender, two Retinis!" "Retini?" Hearing an unfamiliar name, Ketal tilted his head in curiosity. Pasika smiled knowingly. "Just try it." Soon, the bartender handed them two sses. Ketal lifted his ss and took a sip. "Oh." Ketal''s expression showed surprise. Seeing this, Pasika felt a sense of satisfaction. He assumed Ketal was impressed by the taste of a proper drink. He thought Ketal was moved by the taste that was on a different levelpared to the strong liquor barbarians usually drank. But in reality, it was different. ''This is a martini, isn''t it?'' It was a cocktail he had tried on Earth before. Come to think of it, this world also had things like wheat and barley. Since the ingredients were the same, it wasn''t surprising that they had drinks identical to those on Earth. ¡®Who would''ve thought I''d be drinking an Earth cocktail in a fantasy world.¡¯ It felt strangely nostalgic. Ketal sipped the martini. "It''s delicious." "Oh, uh, yeah, right?" Pasika was caught off guard by the unexpectedly calm reaction. ''Th-this isn''t what I expected...'' But Pasika didn''t lose sight of his goal. He continued chatting with Ketal, trying to build a rapport. When he felt they had grown close enough, Pasika''s eyes gleamed. "Ah,e to think of it, there''s something I haven''t told you." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What is it?" "Hmm, I wasn''t nning on saying it. People usually get surprised and distance themselves when they find out. But after talking to you, I don''t think you''re that kind of person, so I''ll tell you." "Don''t worry. I''m not the type to change my attitude." Ketal spoke lightly. Pasikaughed at those words. Many had said the same thing before, but none of them had kept their word. ''Alright, then.'' Be amazed! As he reveals his true identity and watch their eyes widen in shock and panic! Just as he was about to speak about himself¡ª "Excuse me." Someone spoke from behind. Annoyed at being interrupted, Pasika turned his head. There stood a middle-aged man, looking at Ketal with a curious expression. ''Who is that?'' It was a face he recognized. As Pasika searched his memory, his eyes widened. ''Th-the Mercenary Guild Master!'' The one who oversaw all the mercenaries on the continent. The Mercenary Guild Master. Some people looked down on them as mere mercenaries, but their influence was not to be underestimated. They were one of the few organizations spread across the entire continent. Not only were they numerous, but there were also a few superhumanly strong individuals among them. And the Mercenary Guild Master was the one who managed andmanded all of these mercenaries. Even the Mercenary King couldn''t ignore the Guild Master''s words. Although his personal strength wasn''t remarkable, his influence was greater than that of two or three kingsbined. And such a person was approaching with a cautious expression. ''Did he recognize me?'' Pasika was a young man who had reached the top tier of excellence. He had made quite a name for himself. It wouldn''t be surprising if the Mercenary Guild Master had recognized him and approached. Pasika quickly straightened his posture. But the Guild Master paid him no attention. He was solely focused on Ketal. "Excuse me, but are you by any chance Mr. Ketal?" "I am Ketal, indeed." "Oh, I see! It''s an honor to meet you!" The Guild Master excitedly grabbed Ketal''s hand. His enthusiasm was palpable. "I am Dragan, the Mercenary Guild Master! It''s a pleasure to meet you!" "Oh, I see." "It''s an honor to meet you, Mr. Ketal!" The Guild Master''s loud deration made Pasika''s eyes widen. The Mercenary Guild Master. A person of immense influence. Even his father, the King of Feridoan, had to be extremely courteous when dealing with the Guild Master. But now, this Guild Master was bowing to Ketal. As if he were of a lower status. The Guild Master spoke cautiously. "Mr. Ketal, if it''s not too much trouble, could we have a word? Since you''re technically a mercenary, there''s something I''d like to discuss with you." "Ah, I haven''t done mercenary work in quite a while. Is this about losing my status?" "Absolutely not! That could never happen! I just need to confirm something." "I don''t mind. Could I visit youter? I''m in the middle of a conversation right now." "Yes! I''ll be waiting!" The Guild Master shouted loudly before retreating. He didn''t show the slightest bit of interest in Pasika. "So, what were you about to say?" Ketal turned back with a curious expression. "Uh, well..." Pasika was at a loss for words. ''Wait a second.'' Pasika was confused. He had nned to reveal that he was the first prince, destined to be the king and ruler of the Feridoan Kingdom. He wanted to see Ketal panic and scramble to show respect upon learning about his status and background. But here was the Mercenary Guild Master, who held much greater influence and authority than he did, bowing to Ketal. ''Wh-what?'' But he couldn''t just stay silent. Ketal was looking at him, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Uh, so..." Pasika stammered. And at that moment, someone else interrupted. "Hello?" At the sound of a woman''s voice, they turned their gaze. Pasika gasped at the sight of her. Because she was stunningly beautiful. A woman with golden hair and ck eyes. She looked like a sculpture brought to life. Pasika had often been praised for his good looks, as if he had stepped out of a painting, but he seemed in and ordinarypared to this woman. Her beauty was that wless. The woman in her elegant dress was looking at Ketal. "Is your name Ketal, by any chance?" "Yes, it is. And you are?" Ketal looked at her with admiration. But it wasn''t because of her beauty, like it was for Pasika. Although the woman was indeed beautiful, so were high elf queens, demons, and ancient dragons. He admired her for another reason. ''She''s strong.'' Even though she had restrained her aura, an overwhelming force could still be felt. Ketal was genuinely impressed. She was strong. She might be the strongest human he had encountered outside. A strength that made the Mercenary King and the Chief Inquisitor look like children. A divine presence akin to that of a god''s avatar. She had transcended mere power. With such strength... Ketal''s eyes shone. "That''s right. I''ve heard many things about you. I''ve always wanted to meet you." The woman bowed respectfully, introducing herself with utmost courtesy. "Ketal the Barbarian, from the other side. I am Helia, the Saintess of the Sun God. It is a pleasure to meet you." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 266: The Descent of the Holy Sword (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 266: The Descent of the Holy Sword (6) ¡®...The Sun God''s Saintess!¡¯ Pasika gasped in shock. In terms of sheer size and number of followers, the Church of the Sun God was outmatched by the Earth Goddess''s Church. Yet, despite this, people still regarded the Church of the Sun God as the most powerful in the continent. The reason was simple. It was because of the overwhelming number of powerful individuals within it. From the Chief Inquisitor to the Holy Knights'' Commander, and even the Pope, numerous top¡ªtier superhumans were among them. Considering that just a single top-tier superhuman could drastically change the perception of a group, this was an overwhelming force. However, the Church of the Earth Goddess also had several top-tier superhumans. The difference wasn''t great enough to be considered overwhelming. The reason why the Church of the Sun God was regarded as the strongest was because of the figure standing before them. A human blessed by the Pantheon who appears only once every thousand years. The only one who could meet and converse with a god directly. The Saintess of the Sun God¡ªHelia. A hero-ss powerhouse. Ketal murmured in awe. ¡°The Saintess of the Sun God, huh.¡± He had never seen a human with such power before. There was the Tower Master, but since he was a lich, he didn¡¯t count as human. ¡®A hero-ss powerhouse.¡¯ ¡°A Saintess, is it? Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°Aquaz and Seraphina are greatly indebted to you. I¡¯vee to deliver their thanks, Mr. Ketal.¡± ¡°We are close friends, so there¡¯s no need to worry about it.¡± Ketal burst into a heartyugh. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Helia spoke calmly. ¡°Even so, it is my duty to express their gratitude. And as a servant of the gods and fellow human of this continent, I must also thank you. I have heard much about your deeds.¡± As she spoke, Helia narrowed her eyes and gazed at Ketal. ¡°Are you here to draw the holy sword?¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested in it. I n to give it a try.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Helia looked at Ketal with a puzzled expression. She seemed uncertain as to why someone of his strength would be interested in the holy sword. ¡°And you? Are you after the sword as well?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m here for a different reason. You don¡¯t have to worry about me being apetitor.¡± The descent of the holy sword meant the Pantheon had moved. As the only one able to meet the gods directly, she hade to confirm it. Ketal nodded in understanding. ¡°......¡± Helia silently observed Ketal. ¡®One who has deviated from the divine will.¡¯ It was her first time seeing one with her own eyes. She had long pondered whether this man, Ketal, was a blessing, curse, ally, or enemy. And she had reached a conclusion. Helia smiled faintly. ¡°I hope we can continue to get along in the future. I wish for us to maintain a good rtionship.¡± The deeds Ketal had performed so far had certainly benefited them. She didn¡¯t know his true intentions, but for now, there was no reason to distance themselves from him. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you desire the holy sword, but... even if you do draw it, I don¡¯t think it will pose much of a problem, given who you are.¡± Her tone was peculiar, as though implying that drawing the sword would bring some kind of issue. ¡°I apologize for interrupting. Please enjoy the rest of your time.¡± With a final farewell, Helia departed. She never once paid any attention to Pasika. Pasika, for his part, remained as quiet as a mouse. Ketal finally remembered his presence. ¡°Ah. Apologies. I wasn¡¯t focused on our conversation.¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine...¡± His voice was barely audible. His eyes, fixed on Ketal, were filled with shock and confusion. ¡®W-what was that?¡¯ The Saintess of the Sun God. One of the most influential figures on the continent. She had personallye to offer her thanks, spoken with utmost respect, and asked for a continued good rtionship. All while maintaining perfect decorum. But that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°Ahem.¡± A middle-aged man cleared his throat as he approached. He was dressed like a magician. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯ve heard the stories. Your name is Ketal, correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And who might you be?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. The middle-aged man exuded a palpable aura. Unlike the Saintess, he didn¡¯t seem to care about hiding his strength¡ªit was intense. Instinctively, Ketal could tell. This man was also a hero-ss powerhouse. The man introduced himself. ¡°I am Elian. The first disciple of the Tower Master.¡± ¡®E-Elian!¡¯ Pasika swallowed hard. The Tower Master was a legendary figure who had lived for hundreds of years and was one of the strongest beings in the world. Many magicians had aspired to be his disciple over the centuries. More than ten thousand magicians had begged him to take them as a student. Among them were once-in-a-lifetime geniuses, some who reached the superhuman level in their twenties, and even those who were on the verge of bing hero-ss powerhouses. But the Tower Master had rejected them all. For one reason. ¡®Youck talent.¡¯ No one could refute such a brutal statement. Since then, it was believed that no one would ever be the Tower Master¡¯s disciple. But one day, the Tower Master suddenly epted a single student. That student was Elian. The Tower Master¡¯s first disciple. And Elian lived up to expectations. In just twenty years, he had ascended to the level of a hero. He was a miraculous genius born of the continent. ¡®What is going on here?!¡¯ Ketal was thrilled. He had met two hero-ss powerhouses in just one day! He wanted to shout for joy, but he suppressed the feeling, smiling instead. ¡°Have you alsoe to draw the holy sword?¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested in the holy sword, but I didn¡¯te here to draw it. I¡¯m just here to analyze its structure.¡± Elian narrowed his eyes as he spoke. ¡°¡­So you are Ketal. I¡¯ve heard much about you from my master.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal grinned. Elian quietly studied him. ¡®...He doesn¡¯t seem nearly as problematic as my master described.¡¯ ording to the Tower Master, Ketal was a dangerous beast who couldsh out at any moment. But meeting him in person, he didn¡¯t seem so threatening. In fact, he appeared quite ordinary. ¡®Is he disguising himself?¡¯ And that only piqued Elian¡¯s interest even more. Elian spoke calmly. ¡°Would it be possible to have a proper conversationter? And if possible, a sparring match as well?¡± ¡°That sounds great to me!¡± Ketal nodded readily. A sparring match with one of the strongest warriors, a magician at that¡ªit was an exciting opportunity! He had no intention of refusing from the start. Elian''s face briefly changed, as if he hadn''t expected such an immediate eptance, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°¡­Thank you for that. I''m a bit busy right now, so it might be difficult. But let''s talk when I have some time. I look forward to it.¡± ¡°I look forward to it as well.¡± Ketal smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. Pasika, on the other hand, looked like he was about to lose his mind. ¡®The first disciple of the Tower Master, saying "I look forward to it" and politely requesting a sparring match¡­?¡¯ Something about this¡­ Something felt off. Who exactly am I talking to right now? Suddenly, he felt afraid of Ketal, who smiled and turned around. ¡°Oh, sorry about the dy. So, what were you trying to say?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Pasika stared nkly with his mouth open. Momentster, he snapped back to his senses. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get along! Since we¡¯ve met here, we¡¯re friends, right? At least, that''s what I think!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you were trying to say. Of course, we¡¯re friends! Let¡¯s get along!¡± Ketalughed heartily and patted Pasika on the shoulder. Pasika¡¯s body shrank almost halfway in response. * * * While Pasika was racking his brain trying to navigate the situation, within the holy sanctuary of Elia, the Saint and the Holy Knight Captain, Kretein, were conversing. The Saint murmured calmly. ¡°The first disciple of the Tower Master, Elian, and the Sun God''s Saintess, Helia, have arrived. Didn¡¯t you also say that the King of the North Sea woulde?¡± ¡°We received word a few hours ago. It seems an internal issue arose, and he won¡¯t be able to make it. He sends his apologies.¡± ¡°Is it a problem with the barbarians? They''re a troublesome lot.¡± The Saint sighed. Kretein gave a wry smile but didn¡¯t argue. It was true, after all. ¡°Well¡­ not all of them are like that. One barbarian hase here, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Ketal, right?¡± The Saint narrowed his eyes. A man who had saved the holy sanctuary, fought demons, protected the elves, and battled the Lord of Hell, Materia, emerging victorious¡ªa terrifyingly powerful figure. Ketal. ¡°Where did hee from?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t¡­ know. The King of the North Sea didn¡¯t seem to know him either.¡± Everyone who knew of Ketal wondered about his origins. Very few knew he had emerged from the Forbidden Lands. The northern region was where the most barbarians were found, so Kretein had inquired with the King of the North, but he had responded that he had never heard of Ketal. The Saint muttered with curiosity. ¡°He really seems to have fallen from the sky.¡± ¡°Still, after speaking with him, he didn¡¯t seem bad. He¡¯s been of great help to us and is worth befriending.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Many of the heroes are entric, and it¡¯s been a headache.¡± The Saint grumbled with a face scrunched up. ¡°Is there still no movement from the Empire?¡± ¡°¡­None. No actions, no responses.¡± ¡°What in the world are they doing?¡± The Saint sighed. ck magicians were on the move, demons were descending, and the Pantheon had even summoned the Holy Sword in response. Yet, the Empire remained utterly silent. There were no official statements, no movements¡ªnothing. It was as if they had something more important on their hands. This was a significant reason why the continent had been losing ground to the demons. Thergest and most powerful entity was doing nothing, leaving everyone else floundering. ¡°Enough.¡± The Saint shook his head, frustrated. There was nothing he could do about the Empire. All he could do was hope they would resolve it themselves. He needed to focus on what he could do. The Saint spoke up. ¡°Have enough people gathered?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve gathered all the top-tier fighters.¡± ¡°Then, that¡¯s good. What about the ck magicians and demons?¡± ¡°With the help of the Saintess of the Sun God, we¡¯ve set up protections. They won¡¯t dare approach.¡± ¡°Good. Then, let¡¯s begin.¡± The Saint dered. ¡°Open the gate to the Holy Sword.¡± * * * Pasika hastily left. Meanwhile, Ketal had no deep thoughts. He was simply happy to have made a new friend. Next, it was time for his awaited meeting with the Guild Master. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The Guild Master smiled thinly. They would have questioned their eyes if anyone else had seen that smile. Even the King of Mercenaries could be moved by the Guild Master, who now seemed to be lowering himself like a mere servant. But before Ketal, such behavior was only appropriate. They sat facing each other, and Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Right beside the Guild Master, there was something small. It was a tiny, winged human. ¡°That thing next to you.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s my secretary. She¡¯s a fairy.¡± ¡°Oh, oh. I see.¡± Ketal¡¯s voice trembled. Inside, he was shouting with joy. ¡®A fairy!¡¯ A mythical being. Not as mainstream as elves, but perhaps more special for that reason. ¡®What kind of day is today?¡¯ Meeting two hero-ss fighters and now even a fairy? Was it his birthday or something? Ketal, overjoyed, stared intently at the fairy. ¡°Ugh.¡± But the fairy groaned. Her face had turned pale, as if she had just seen a monster. She hurriedly hid behind the Guild Master¡¯s back, her tiny body trembling. Ketal clicked his tongue in disappointment. The Guild Master, flustered by the fairy¡¯s reaction, apologized. ¡°Uh, oh. I¡¯m sorry. It seems she¡¯s not feeling well at the moment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± The Guild Master bowed respectfully before continuing to speak. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 267: Drawing the Holy Sword (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 267: Drawing the Holy Sword (1) ¡°First of all, thank you for saving the Mercenary King. If it weren''t for you, he would have surely perished at the hands of the demons.¡± The majority of the current prestige of the Mercenary Guild stemmed from the Mercenary King, a top-tier warrior. If something were to happen to the Mercenary King, the guild''s influence would be drastically reduced. For this reason, Ketal saving the Mercenary King was a tremendous favor in the eyes of the guild. Ketal replied casually. ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of letting myrades die, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Even so, you are a benefactor of the guild. This is a reward.¡± The Guild Master took out a jewel box and ced it on the table. Inside the box were jewels, literally overflowing with them. Every gem was wless andrge. Ketal let out a small exmation of surprise. He wasn¡¯t well-versed in jewels, but they were worth a great deal. He would have been even more astonished if Ketal had known their true value. The jewels in the box could literally buy a castle. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t refuse this token of our gratitude.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll gratefully ept it.¡± Ketal epted the jewel box, and the Guild Master''s eyes gleamed. Ketal smiled slightly. ¡°So, you didn¡¯te just to express your thanks. How about we get to the main topic?¡± ¡°Hahaha. You can''t be fooled, Ketal.¡± The Guild Masterughed awkwardly and then spoke in a lowered voice. ¡°Ketal, you are currently a mercenary, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Ketal was a C-rank mercenary. He still carried his mercenary badge. The Guild Master quietly asked, ¡°Do you have any thoughts of quitting mercenary work?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m not working as a mercenary now, but I n to whenever the opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Oh, I see!¡± The Guild Master¡¯s voice grew louder. He quickly continued, as if not wanting to miss his chance. ¡°You still identify as a mercenary, Ketal! Ah, I was just curious because it seems you haven¡¯t been active in mercenary work for a while! Hmm, yes, I see. You still see yourself as a mercenary!¡± His tone was strange, as if it was important that Ketal still considered himself a mercenary. ¡°Ah, I understand now.¡± Ketal let out a curious smile as if he had realized something. ¡°The jewels were to secure me, right? A sort of signing bonus.¡± At this, the Guild Master flinched. ¡°¡­You figured it out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so na?ve as to be unaware of my own value. Since I don¡¯t n to quit being a mercenary, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s good to hear. Ketal, you¡¯re a mercenary. Currently, a C-rank one, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll promote you to S-rank.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that allowed?¡± ¡°It would be more of a problem if you weren¡¯t S-rank.¡± Anyone who had reached the superhuman level could be an S-rank mercenary. However, Ketal was a hero-ss warrior. It was only natural for him to be S-rank. Ketal asked with curiosity, ¡°But aren''t there procedures for this? I haven¡¯t done much mercenary work, so isn¡¯t that an issue?¡± ¡°Normally, there¡¯s a qualification assessment, but for someone like you, Ketal, there¡¯s no issue! I can upgrade you with the Guild Master¡¯s special privilege!¡± The Guild Master spoke confidently, wanting to show that he was considerate and attentive to Ketal¡¯s needs. ¡°I¡¯ve already checked with the Mercenary King! He said there¡¯s no problem with you bing S-rank! You don¡¯t have to worry about it!¡± ¡°Hm.¡± But Ketal¡¯s expression was uncertain. S-rank mercenary. It was a position of great respect, the highest rank among mercenaries. ¡®But I don¡¯t want to get it this way.¡¯ The idea of earning the title solely because of his strength, without actually doing mercenary work, felt like cheating to Ketal. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal asked, ¡°One question. Can an A-rank mercenary still have the right to challenge S-rank dungeons?¡± Ketal was interested in S-rank dungeons because within them, he could obtain the catalyst he sought. ¡°Yes. As long as you get permission, it¡¯s not an issue.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s good. I¡¯d like to remain an A-rank mercenary.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done enough as a mercenary to be considered on the same level as the Mercenary King, so it would weigh on my conscience.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± The Guild Master was taken aback, as he hadn¡¯t expected Ketal to refuse. However, he quickly recovered. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll adjust your rank to A-rank. You can visit the guildter to receive your new badge.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled. The conversation hade to an end. The Guild Master bowed deeply. ¡°Then, I look forward to working with you!¡± ¡°Yes, likewise.¡± The Guild Master left with a beaming smile on his face. Back in his quarters, he clenched his fist in triumph. ¡°Great. This is great! Meeting him here was unexpected, but it¡¯s a huge win!¡± He had confirmed that Ketal still identified as a mercenary and had a sense of belonging. This was extremely important to the Guild Master. In this world, the influence of strong individuals was immense. The Mercenary Guild had grown sorge because of the presence of the Mercenary King, a top-tier superhuman. And Ketal was a hero-ss warrior who had defeated the Mother of All Demons, someone even stronger than most heroes. Frankly, it was a mystery why someone of his caliber wasn¡¯t more widely known. Just having him affiliated with the Mercenary Guild increased the guild''s influence. Confirming this was the Guild Master¡¯s duty. The Guild Master grinned. Of course, he couldn¡¯t exploit Ketal¡¯s name or use it carelessly. But just the fact that he was a mercenary added significant influence. Satisfied, the Guild Master whispered quietly. ¡°Hey, how did it go?¡± He asked his assistant, a fairy. Elves were beings of nature. They were more sensitive to the natural order than anyone else, which is why they felt threatened by Ketal''s presence before he contained his intimidating aura. It was like being in front of a wild predator. And fairies, beings of fantasy, had the ability to see the essence of things and people. The Guild Master asked, ¡°Did you see anything¡­ hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Ugh, ah¡­¡± The fairy''s face turned pale. Her already white face became even whiter, like a nk sheet of paper. "Th-that. What is that?" "I told you before. A recently appeared hero-ss strongman. Did you forget?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "No. No." The fairy shook her head vigorously. That wasn''t what she was asking about. "Wh-what is that? Ugh, ahhh..." "What''s wrong?" The guild master''s face was filled with confusion. The guild master had encountered several hero-ss strongmen with the fairy before. Each time, the fairy had muttered various things. She had once described them as massive monsters, another time as swords that cut through everything. She had even likened them to boxes whose contents were unknowable. But he had never seen her so terrified before. The fairy stammered as she spoke. "I-it''s mimicking. No. No. It''s ovepping. H-how? This doesn''t make sense. It shouldn''t be possible for them to ovep... How is this even happening?" "What are you talking about? What is that?" "I-I don''t know. Don''t ask." The fairy frantically shook her head as if she didn''t want to think about it. "If it wasn''t hidden by ovepping... I-I would have... Ugh, aaah..." The fairy clutched her head and groaned, as if just glimpsing the essence of Ketal was driving her mad. "Wh-what''s wrong?" The guild master was flustered. He had seen many things, but this was the first time he had seen the fairy in such distress. Panicking, he tried tofort her somehow. * * * The next day. Kretein gathered everyone and spoke. "The time hase! Everyone! The gate to the Holy Sword has been opened!" "Ooooh!" The people who had been waiting cheered. Finally! They could approach the Holy Sword! Ketal''s eyes sparkled as Kretein continued. "You are all first-ss warriors. You have the first chance to draw the Holy Sword. Unfortunately, there must be some order. However, within this group, we will proceed as fairly as possible." "How will it be fair?" In response to someone''s question, Kretein brought out a box. "Please each take a piece of paper from this box. The number written on it is your order." The people hurried over and lined up. Ketal also took a ce in line and drew a piece of paper. 7. That was Ketal''s number. "Now, let''s begin. Whoever drew number one, pleasee forward." "I''ll go!" A man who appeared to be a mercenary boldly stepped forward. Following the guidance of the priests, he walked toward the Holy Sword. The others watched with expectant faces, or with nervous expressions, worried that he might be the one to pull out the sword. Ketal asked Kretein. "Can anyone pull out the Holy Sword immediately?" "If they pass the trial, yes." "Oh, do you know what the trial is?" "No. I don''t know. The trial changes each time. It can take an hour for one person, or it can be over in a minute." As they talked, the mercenary returned from the Holy Sword. His face was filled with disappointment. "About five minutes." "The trial seems rtively short this time." "I''m next!" The next person, who looked like a wizard, stood up confidently. But five minutester, he too returned with a gloomy expression. One after another, people went in, but none returned with a smile. "Now it''s my turn." Finally, it was Ketal''s turn. Kretein spoke cautiously. "...Good luck." "Thanks." Ketalughed cheerfully and stood up. He followed the priests'' guidance and entered the sacred grounds. Finally, he arrived at a small door. The priests stepped back. "Please enter through here."N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal grabbed the doorknob and opened it. Inside, a vast za appeared. A massive za, about the size of a ser field. And in the center of the za. There, a single silver sword was embedded in the ground. "Ooooh..." Ketal let out a breath of admiration. That was the Holy Sword. The Holy Sword appeared before him. As he stared at the Holy Sword, it suddenly trembled. As if it had seen something that shouldn''t exist. At the same time, golden swords began to materialize in the air. Kiiiiiiing! Dozens of swords appeared. Each one brimming with divine power. Ketal smiled. "A trial, huh. That''s good. Let''s enjoy it." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 268: Drawing the Holy Sword (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 268: Drawing the Holy Sword (2) Ketal entered the chamber of the Holy Sword. Kretein, who had been watching that direction, approached a man who had sat down with a gloomy face. He was the first to try and fail. "Could you tell me what the trial was like this time?" "What, excuse me?" The man''s eyes widened at Kretein''s question. "Am, am I allowed to talk about it?" "I am themander of the Holy Knights under the god of swords, Elia. I need to verify the details of the trial. I do not intend to take the challenge myself nor tell others, so do not worry. This is just to prepare for any unforeseen situations." There were often those who would disregard the trial and act forcefully to draw the sword. The church had a need to know the details in advance. At this, the man nodded and exined. "Honestly, there wasn''t much to it. There was just a single sword stuck in the ground in a wide za. That was it." There were no restrictions or obstacles. It was just a single sword, left alone. The man, who had been in a daze, was startled and tried his hardest to pull the sword. But every attempt failed. "And after about five minutes, I was suddenly pushed out of the za and expelled." "I see... I understand now. Thank you." The trial''s nature was very simple. You were given five minutes, and within that time, you were free to try to draw the sword. If you couldn''t, you''d be expelled. It was a very straightforward trial. Kretein expressed his thanks and stepped away. ''Will Ketal be able to draw it?'' To be honest, Kretein had no idea. The criteria for the Holy Sword choosing its master were unknown. Sometimes it was an extraordinary warrior, and other times it was a mere beggar. It varied greatly. Since mere strength alone was insufficient, the chances of failure were high. At that moment, a vibration shook the ground. Uuuuuuung... "Hmm?" "What¡¯s this?" Everyone present felt the tremor shaking the ground. And they soon realized it wasing from the direction of the Holy Sword. Kretein understood what was happening. "It seems he''s attempting to draw the sword." But for the vibration to reach this far¡ªit was certainly a disy of monstrous strength. Kretein marveled. He assumed the vibrations were caused by Ketal''s strength to pull the sword. But in reality, the scene at the za where the Holy Swordy was much more chaotic. Kiieeeeeeng! Dozens of golden swords were streaking through the za, filled with the holy power to destroy evil and burn away demons. Every one of them was flying toward Ketal, aiming to pierce him. Ketal pushed off the ground with his feet. He leaped, dodging the swords. His body moved swiftly, leaving afterimages as he danced across the za. Ka-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak! The golden swords struck the ground in vain. The za, now resembling a graveyard of swords, was littered with the fallen weapons. Yet within that space, Ketal remainedpletely unharmed, having dodged all of them. Ketalughed joyfully. "So this is the trial of the sword. How entertaining." Of course, the reality was different, but Ketal had no way of knowing that. He assumed breaking through the sword¡¯s attacks was the trial. Kiieeeeeeng! As Ketal continued to dodge, the swords trembled as if enraged. More golden swords materialized, bringing the number to a hundred. "I¡¯ve got the gist of it." Ketal muttered. He had figured out the nature of the trial. Now it was time to ovee it. Ketal stepped forward. This time, instead of dodging, he advanced toward the iing barrage of swords. Kwa-de-de-de-deuk! He grabbed the flying swords, crushing and breaking them with his hands. He swung his arms, smashing the swords aside, scattering fragments in all directions. The attacks, which would have skewered even the seasoned Mercenary King, were nothing to him. He simply broke through them as he moved forward. The Holy Sword trembled, as if in shock. But Ketal ignored it and charged ahead, arriving in front of the Holy Sword in an instant. "Now then." With an expectant smile, Ketal grabbed the hilt of the Holy Sword. In that moment, the space itself was pushed back. Uuuuuuung! It was as if the Holy Sword took control of the entire space, rejecting everything else. Ketal, momentarily caught off guard, was swept away. But his expression remained one of delight. "So this is the second phase." There was no way the trial was simply about dodging a few swords. As Ketal eagerly awaited the next attack, a voice rang out. [Stand back, monster.] It was a clear, feminine voice, high and pure. Ketal paused. "So it can speak?" [I am the Holy Sword, a weapon bestowed by the great gods. Of course I can speak. The reason I have not spoken until now is because you were someone to be excluded, and there was no need for conversation. But upon realizing it won¡¯t be easy, I¡¯ve decided to speak.] "Ah, I see." [You are...yered. You''ve disguised yourself as if you are a being of this world. That''s how you managed to deceive eyes and make it this far. But I am the Holy Sword, and I can perceive your true nature. Your deception has failed.] "...You talk a lot." Ketal muttered, a little exasperated. The voice was far too chatty for something as noble as the Holy Sword, which did not match the image he had in mind. "So, the attacks weren''t the trial, huh." [They were not. They were meant to exclude you. Beings like you should not stand before me, nor should they exist in this world.] "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin, ignoring the Holy Sword¡¯s words. ''That makes sense.'' Those who had failed and returned had gloomy, tired faces, but that was all. They had no wounds, and their clothes were clean. They weren¡¯t even out of breath. There was no way ordinary challengers could endure such an onught without a scratch. It had been targeted solely at Ketal. "This is unfair." It wasn¡¯t unexpected, though. The gods held various opinions about Ketal. Some, like Kalosia, showed goodwill. Others, like the Spirit God, remained neutral. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And some, like Federica, opposed him. The Holy Sword, being a creation of the Pantheon, could naturally reject him. Ketal nodded. "Well, fine. A trial like this isn¡¯t bad." [This is not a trial. It is merely exclusion.] "No, it''s a trial." [...I''m sorry, but could it be that I misunderstood the meaning of the word ''exclusion''? I haven''t spoken to anyone for hundreds of years, so my understanding might be wrong. If so, I would appreciate it if you could exin it properly.] "Your words are not wrong. You are trying to exclude me." But to Ketal, it was a trial. He chuckled. "After all, I just need to ovee your attack and pull you out. It''s an entertaining trial." [......] The Holy Sword realized. It was indeed trying to exclude Ketal. It had attacked him with the intent to kill. Yet, Ketal merely saw it as a trial. [...You''re broken. Broken once again. Perhaps that''s why you were able toe here. In a way, it''s like you''ve gone full circle to normalcy. I feel pity for you. But even so, I am a Holy Sword.] Kiing! Golden swords materialized, more powerful than before. [As a being sent to protect and defend the earth, I will exclude you.] The Holy Sword spoke in a resonant voice. * * * At that same moment, Outside, a person was looking at the location where the Holy Sword was with a somewhat uncertain expression. "...It''s almost been five minutes." But Ketal had made no move toe out. ''Could he be enduring the force withouting out?'' For someone of Ketal¡¯s strength, it wasn''t entirely impossible. A Holy Knight nced at Kretein, who nodded. They decided to go check. Then. RUMBLE! The ground shook. Compared to the earlier vibrations, this one was as if an earthquake had struck. "Whoa!" "What the!" People stumbled and fell. Kretein also swayed violently. He quickly looked in the direction of the Holy Sword. "Wait, hold on!" Was Ketal throwing a tantrum because he was frustrated while trying to pull out the sword? Such a thought crossed his mind. But soon he realized that wasn''t the case. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A sh of forces erupted from that direction. It wasn''t something caused by an individual''s anger. It was clearly a battle between two forces. Something was fighting something in the za where the Holy Sword was. ''Wh-what is going on?'' Kretein was bewildered. * * * BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Swords rained down. This time, the quality and density were on a whole other level. There was no space to evade the downpour of swords. And Ketal had no intention of dodging from the beginning. He stepped forward, advancing. CRUNCH! His body remained unscathed, the swords smashing and breaking against him. The radiant golden swords could not pierce him. The Holy Sword spoke in an astonished voice. [You''re a monster. Then try stopping this.] CLANG! The space around the Holy Sword fractured. The world itself was altered. The space itself transformed into golden swords that surged toward Ketal. It was an overwhelming attack, beyond the survivability of even the highest level of superhumans. "Oho!" Ketalughed at the attack. It was a power he couldn¡¯t dismiss so lightly. Thus, he grounded his feet, twisted his waist, and threw a powerful punch. BOOM! The spatial swords shattered from the punch. The aftermath spread across the area. The room protecting the Holy Sword shook uneasily. The Holy Sword was shocked. [Unbelievable.] "As expected of the Holy Sword! You¡¯re strong!" Ketal praised as he swiftly moved forward and grabbed the sword''s hilt. [Eek!] The Holy Sword screamed sharply. It desperately repelled the space itself. Ketal''s body was forcibly pushed back. "Hmm. Tricky." [Wh-what do you think you''re doing? You cannot touch me.] "Your voice is trembling." Ketal tilted his head. The Holy Sword''s voice was quivering like a frightened fawn. "Are you scared?" [Who? Me? That¡¯s impossible. Despite your hidden nature and your ovepping essence, I can sense a part of the discord within you. To be honest, if I could move, I would¡¯ve run away already. But even then, for the great Holy Sword to be afraid? Such a thing is impossible.] "Your voice is still trembling, though." [That¡¯s an illusion.] The Holy Sword quickly changed the subject. [Your body is certainly something special. It¡¯s more like a power itself rather than just a physical body. If I¡¯m not careful, I might be in danger. But you cannot touch me. I am a tool bestowed by the gods of the Pantheon to help the earth. I exclude things that cannot exist in this world.] "...Are all Holy Swords chatterboxes like you?" For the first time, an expression of exhaustion appeared on Ketal¡¯s face. [Chatterbox?] The Holy Sword was offended.N?v(el)B\\jnn [I only say what¡¯s necessary. However, after being stored in the Pantheon¡¯s vault for hundreds of years without talking to anyone, I may have spoken more than usual due to the joy of conversation.] "Aah, is that so." Ketal nodded as if he understood. "That¡¯s unfortunate. I sympathize." To be stuck in a ce you didn''t want to be for an immeasurable amount of time. Ketal could rte to this experience. At that, the sword hesitated, as if touched by his words. It wavered, moved, but quickly regained itsposure. [...Are you trying to weaken my resolve by stirring my emotions? You scare me, then show kindness. Is this the suspension bridge effect? I barely held back, but if I hear more, I might actually falter.] "That¡¯s not my intention, though." [Enough talk!] With a shout, the Holy Swordunched a barrage of golden swords. Ketal let out a smallugh as heunched himself forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 269: Drawing the Holy Sword (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 269: Drawing the Holy Sword (3) The sword traced a chaotic path, aiming for Ketal¡¯s entire body. ng! ng! ng! But he dodged, parried, and blocked every attack. Ketal stepped forward,unching himself towards the Holy Sword. [Not so fast.] Wooom! With the sword''s cry, space itself pushed Ketal away. This was the sword¡¯s great power, an exclusion of space itself, interfering with thews of the world. When Ketal first approached, this exclusion had thrown him back to the edge of the room. [That method won¡¯t work, so you¡¯ll have to try something else.] The sword proimed confidently. However... ¡°Hup!¡± Ketal let out a battle cry, gathering strength throughout his entire body. He tried to ovee the spatial exclusion with brute force and approached again. [What?!] The sword was startled and hastily shed at him. While dodging and blocking the sword''s attacks, Ketal couldn¡¯t fully resist the spatial exclusion. His body was pushed back. But this time, it was less than half the distance he''d been pushed before. Ketal smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve adapted.¡± [...It seems like I need to try something else. Your strength is monstrous. You must be one of the oldest beings, and one of the strongest monsters among them. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have such power.] The sword eximed in disbelief. [It seems my power alone won¡¯t be enough to stop you. But calling for help from the gods isn¡¯t an option either. They¡¯ve already used much of their strength to send me down here, so they won¡¯t be able to interfere with the mortal world for a while.] ¡°You talk a lot.¡± Ketal muttered, somewhat exasperated. He¡¯d never dealt with a being this talkative before. But now he was getting used to it. Since the sword kept talking and revealing information, it wasn¡¯t so bad after all. ¡®So the gods won¡¯t be able to intervene on Earth for the time being.¡¯ [¡­I¡¯vee up with a good idea.] Bzzzzzz! The sword gathered power. A massive golden sword materialized above it. It was truly enormous. The size of a house, and the power it held was clearly that of a hero ss. Ketal asked with a curious expression, ¡°Can you really use that much power?¡± [No. But I have no choice since I can¡¯t defeat someone like you. The great gods will surely forgive me.] The sword spoke proudly. [From what I can tell, you can probably block this attack. But the damage will be significant. If you try to dodge, my sword will pierce through the walls and burst out into the outside world. And once people hear themotion, they wille. Then I will shout for all to hear.] That you are not human. That you are a monster. Ketal chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I thought.¡± [Thank you for thepliment. Now, take this. I¡¯m starting to like you, so I hope you don¡¯t die!] The sword flew toward him. A massive, overwhelming de of raw physical power. Dodging wasn¡¯t an option. If he did, the sword would tear through the walls, and people woulde running. Even if he tried to block it, the sheer force of the sword would send his body flying. Thus, Ketal¡¯s response was very simple. ¡°Hoo.¡± He gathered mystery. The miracle flowing through his body strengthened his muscles. He grounded himself, nting his feet as if rooting into the earth. Then, he caught the massive golden sword with his hands. Boom! A powerful vibration spread. The walls shook uneasily. The sword had enough power to carve a hole in a mountain. But even so, Ketal didn¡¯t budge. [Oh. My. This¡­ I didn¡¯t see thising...] The sword was astonished. Ketal didn¡¯t dodge or block. He simply grabbed it. And despite that, he didn¡¯t move an inch. Ketal squeezed his grip. The golden sword made an unstable sound, and soon after, shattered. Crash! Fragments scattered everywhere. Ketal grinned. ¡°Not bad.¡± He casually walked toward the sword. It seemed exhausted, no longer attacking, and muttered in despair. [How could this happen... Forgive me. I have failed in my duty...] Standing before the sword, Ketal grasped its hilt. The sword trembled as if in fear but couldn¡¯t resist. Ketal tried to pull it out. ¡°It won¡¯t budge.¡± But the sword didn¡¯t move. Not even the slightest. Realizing this, the sword snapped back to its senses. [...Ah. Now that I think about it, that¡¯s right. I was shaken by too much shock. You cannot draw me.] ¡°Figures.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. He couldn¡¯t pull out the sword. ¡®Should I call it a day and head back?¡¯ Honestly, it wasn¡¯t much of a disappointment. Ketal never really had a desire to pull out the Holy Sword. He only wanted to see it and give it a try. Bing the sword¡¯s master, a hero revered by all, wasn¡¯t something he aspired to. It was like experiencing farm life at a farmstay without wanting to be a real farmer. It was the same idea. As Ketal was about to retreat, satisfied, the sword spoke again. [You cannot draw me. Only a being of this world, with the proper qualifications, can pull me out. You cannot be that person, for you are not of this world.] But the sword¡¯s words made Ketal pause.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°¡­I am of this world.¡± [Are you joking?] The sword asked in genuine confusion. [You cannot be a being of this world. Can a lion love a rabbit? No, it cannot. No matter how much love there is, the lion¡¯s tender stroke will y the rabbit¡¯s skin, and a loving hug will spill its guts. A kiss will tear its flesh.] A love that cannot be, a love that should not exist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [And could such a love ever bear fruit? Impossible. It cannot happen. And you are even beyond that. You are not of this world.] [PR/N: You shouldn¡¯t have said this idiot sword.] The sword spoke as if stating an unchangeable truth, as if this were as natural as gravity pulling objects down. Relieved that Ketal couldn¡¯t pull it out, the sword seemed almost excited. [Now I understand. The reason you ovep with this world is because you don¡¯t want to be a lion. You want to be a rabbit. That¡¯s why you are ovepping. Your stubbornness is warping your very nature. It¡¯s like a miracle. But even if that¡¯s true, the impossible remains impossible.] ¡°I am of this world.¡± Ketal, who had been silently listening to the holy sword, finally spoke. ¡°I am a part of this world. A being of fantasy.¡± [Fantasy? What is that? Anyway, I cannot stop your heart''s desires, so I can''t help what you want. But what you seek is impossible. Absolutely impossible.] The holy sword spoke emphatically. [You will forever be an outsider. A lion that wishes to be a rabbit.] "...Oh, really?" Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°So you''re saying that because I''m an outsider, I can''t pull you out.¡± [It''s a fundamental issue... Wait. Why are you approaching me again?] The holy sword, which had been speaking confidently, suddenly paused. Ketal had tried once to pull the sword and failed. He was about to step back when he suddenly moved toward the holy sword again. He grasped its hilt, a twisted smile on his face. ¡°So, you''re saying if I pull you out, I¡¯ll be a part of this world.¡± [¡­¡­.] Seeing Ketal''s face, the holy sword realized. It had just touched the reverse scale of a monster. [Wait a moment. I understand what you''re thinking now. I was wrong. Please forgive me. Sir? Just a moment¡­] Ketal paid no heed to the words. He gripped the sword harder. This time, he tried to pull the sword with all his strength. Seriously. * * * Outside, Kretein and the followers of Elia were rushing toward the door of the holy sword''s chamber. Upon reaching it, they hesitated. "Sir Kretein? What should we do?" "Should we intervene?" "Uhm, hold on a moment." Kretein was lost in thought. There had been continuous shes inside as if a battle was taking ce, but now there was silence. That silence made them more uneasy, like the calm before a storm. After pondering for a while, Kretein finally spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± More than five minutes had already passed. From the ounts of those who had tried before, something was clearly wrong. As a servant of the god of swords, he had to confirm the situation. As they steeled themselves and reached for the door¡ª Boom! The ground rumbled. This tremor was nothing like the previous ones. It was massive. Everyone¡¯s bodies staggered. "Ahhhh!" ¡°What, what¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Kretein, who had quickly crouched low, had a shocked expression. Was it an earthquake? But upon closer inspection, he realized it was not. ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Kretein¡¯s face hardened. He was a top-level superhuman, and his senses told him something was off. His body was slightly higher than usual. It wasn¡¯t an earthquake. ¡®The ground¡­ is rising?¡¯ A colossal force was lifting the ground itself. It was such an absurd phenomenon that his mind refused to ept it. And that force was emanating from the space where the holy sword was located. ¡®¡­What in the world is happening?¡¯ * * * [Aaaaah!] The holy sword screamed for the first time. Like a child, it begged. [I was wrong! I retract what I said! Please forgive me!] Ketal was gripping the hilt of the sword with fierce strength, attempting to pull it out. His face, distorted with a twisted smile, showed he was giving it his all. Rumble! The immense power lifted the ground. Though it was only about three to four centimeters, the sacred ground was undoubtedly rising. The holy sword screamed. [It¡¯s going to be pulled out!] "It sure doesn¡¯te out easily, does it." If something stuck doesn''te out, it means one¡¯s strength iscking. In that case, more than just being serious¡ªhe should use full power. Ketal flexed his arms. The ground rose even more. Veins burst, and muscles began to tear, but Ketal didn''t stop exerting his strength. Rumble! The ground rose further. Now everyone in the holynd could feel it. The ground was lifting. Anyone watching from outside the holynd would have doubted their eyes. Because the ground, centered around the sacred ce, was slowly rising. The holynd, once built on a vast in, was turning into a hill. Ketal''s lips twisted. ¡®I am.¡¯ I am not of this world? ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ He is a part of this world. A being of fantasy. He is nothing like those broken, detestable things he never wanted to see again. He couldn¡¯t be, and he must not be. But the holy sword had just denied his very existence. In that case, it was simple. As the sword had said, all he needed to do was pull it out and prove that he was part of this world. Creak! [Aaaah!] The holy sword screamed. The de trembled under the immense force. It groaned, emitting a strained noise. Part of the sword, once embedded deep in the earth, now began to reveal itself, producing an uneasy sound as it surfaced. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 270: Drawing the Holy Sword (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 270: Drawing the Holy Sword (4) The Holy Sword realized something. It was being forcibly pulled from the ground by Ketal''s power. [W-what in the world...] The Holy Sword could only be drawn by a chosen one. That was a rule decreed by the gods themselves when the Holy Sword was sent down to earth. Amand issued directly by the powerful gods was now being broken by a single being. Rumble, rumble, rumble! Ketal exerted his full strength. His arms began to break under the strain. Splurt, splurt! Blood vessels burst, and blood sprayed like a fountain. Muscles writhed as if alive, breaking apart. The Holy Sword was horrified. [Look at your arm! It''s disgusting! Stop it! Please stop!] Ketal ignored its plea. To him, this much was nothing. He had fought countless battles where his limbs were on the verge of being severed¡ªwhere not even modern medicine could save him. Creak! The sword slowly emerged into the world. Ketal applied even more force. Finally, the Holy Sword began to yield. At that moment¡ª Crack! The de, which had been emitting unsettling noises, could no longer endure. ng! With a loud crash, the Holy Sword snapped. Ketal stared wide-eyed in surprise at the broken sword in his hand. ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t expect it to break.¡± [¡­Ah, ah.] The Holy Sword groaned. That groan soon turned into a scream. [Aaaaah, aaaahhhhhhh!] Power burst forth. The divine power contained within the Holy Sword exploded out from the broken de. It was an overwhelming force that filled the entire room. The energy wandered chaotically for a moment, then found its target. It charged toward Ketal, intent on consuming him. Slice, slice, slice! The unleashed power turned into sharp des and surrounded Ketal. Its intent was clear: to eliminate him. [Wait! Stop!] The Holy Sword panicked and tried to control it, but it was already beyond itsmand. At some point, Ketal had disappeared, swallowed by the energy. The very power of the Holy Sword was attacking Ketal. This was divine will, and no matter how strong he was, it would be hard toe out unscathed. However¡ª [W-what?] The Holy Sword, which had been watching from Ketal''s hand, couldn¡¯t believe its eyes. The energy surrounding Ketal was gradually being sucked in. And the ce it was being drawn into was none other than Ketal''s pocket. ¡°What is this?¡± Ketal, noticing something was amiss, looked down at his pocket. After peering inside for a moment, Ketal understood. Inside the pocket was a shard of divinity. The Holy Sword was shocked. [A-a divine shard? Why do you have that?] ¡°I had the chance to get it.¡± It was a shard he had obtained during the fight with Federica. But at the time, it had no special power. It was like an empty vessel. Now, that vessel was being filled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was as if iron filings were being drawn to a ma. The power attacking Ketal struggled and resisted, but it couldn¡¯t escape. All of it was being absorbed by the shard. Eventually, the entire energy of the room was absorbed into the shard. The shard was now filled to the brim. [W-what¡­ what is this?] The Holy Sword stammered, speechless. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal, staring at the now fully charged shard, casually tucked it back into his pocket. He was curious, but it wasn¡¯t something to examine immediately. ¡°Well, I pulled it out. Or rather, I didn¡¯t.¡± The Holy Sword was broken in half. Though a short part of the de was still attached to the hilt, most of the de was stuck halfway into the ground. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± As his excitement faded, Ketal felt a sense of embarrassment wash over him. Even if the words had struck a nerve, losing hisposure over a few remarks? This made him no better than the barbarians he so despised. Ketal felt deeply ashamed. ¡°I apologize. Though your words provoked me, it was unbing of me to lose control like that.¡± The Holy Sword was taken aback once more. Moments ago, he had been filled with madness, and now, he wore an expression of regret as he apologized. It felt bizarre to witness the sudden change in demeanor. [N-no, it¡¯s fine¡­ I was honestly terrified. I¡¯m just d it ended this way.] ¡°Thank you for saying that. But¡­ the sword is broken, is it not?¡± [Yes. But my essence isn¡¯t in the de; it¡¯s in the hilt. The de contains the power of the Holy Sword. In that sense, I suppose I¡¯m lucky. If the hilt had broken, I would have ceased to exist.] ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. But¡­ what do we do now?¡± In his anger, Ketal had attempted to forcibly draw the Holy Sword, breaking it in the process. The energy within hadshed out to consume him, only to be absorbed by the divine shard he carried. The unexpected series of events left both Ketal and the Holy Sword confused. [Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure.] ¡°Hm.¡± After pondering for a moment, Ketal made a decision. The best course of action was to head outside. Perhaps speaking with the followers of the God of Swords could offer some answers. He opened the door, the broken Holy Sword in hand. Outside, the followers and Kretein were prostrated on the ground. ¡°Hm? What are you all doing?¡± ¡°Ketal?¡± Kretein lifted his head, staring nkly at Ketal. ¡°The ground¡­ it was shaking. What in the world happened?¡± As he mumbled, his gazended on the broken sword in Ketal¡¯s hand. His eyes widened in shock. ¡°W-wait! Did you pull out the Holy Sword?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Ketal held up the broken sword for him to see. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Kretein¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°W-what?¡± What was he seeing? The Holy Sword¡­ it was broken? No. That couldn¡¯t be. He had to be hallucinating. Kretein tried to deny reality, but Ketal¡¯s words brought him crashing back. ¡°The sword broke during the process of drawing it. Is there a way to fix it?¡± ¡°A-ah¡­¡± The expression of the Kretein crumbled. * * * The pilgrims visiting the holynd were flustered. This was because the path to the holy sword had beenpletely sealed off. It had been less than an hour since they were told to wait their turn to draw the sword, and they had been rejoicing over the news. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Has the owner of the holy sword appeared?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± When the owner of the holy sword appears, it is announced with great fanfare. They are exalted as the hero, and another festival is held. But that wasn¡¯t the case. The followers of the holynd were unusually quiet. People began specting. Perhaps a demon had taken over the chamber of the holy sword. Or maybe the sword had been stolen. The guesses kepting. But no one had the right answer. ¡°Ah, greetings. I am Penlero, Saint of Elia.¡± Penlero was an elderly man with a plump, kind face. He was known for his ever-present smile, which made those around him feel at ease. But here and now, his face was filled with anxiety, with not a trace of his usual smile. He muttered to himself in disbelief. ¡°Is¡­ is that really the holy sword?¡± In Ketal¡¯s hand was a broken silver sword. It was unbelievable. He didn¡¯t want to believe it. But Ketal shattered his denial. ¡°It¡¯s the holy sword. It was embedded in the center of the square.¡± ¡°Ah, th-that¡­¡± Penlero felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Struggling to hold himself together, he asked in a trembling voice, ¡°¡­What exactly are you saying?¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s broken, a so-called saint can¡¯t recognize its greatness and is whining about it.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± Penlero covered his face with his hands. It was real. It was truly the holy sword. Ketal asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you hear it?¡± ¡°No, no. Only the chosen one can hear the sword¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal was puzzled by this. Because he had been able to hear the sword¡¯s voice from the very beginning. And the sword soon cleared up the confusion. [No, there¡¯s a misunderstanding in that statement. Even if one is not the chosen one, if they surpass a certain level, they can hear me. Though, on this earth, no one has ever reached that level.] ¡®Is that so.¡¯ Ketal nodded in understanding, but then frowned. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d scream?¡± [That was merely a bluff.] ¡°Oh, I see. You¡¯re pretty clever.¡± [Thank you for thepliment.] ¡°¡­Are you speaking with the holy sword right now?¡± Ketal nodded, and the saint swallowed hard. If someone who surpassed a certain level could hear the holy sword, Penlero, who didn¡¯t know this, mistakenly believed that Ketal had been chosen by the sword. He looked at the broken sword with a face that struggled toprehend. ¡°Was it broken from the start?¡± ¡°No, it broke during the process of being pulled. The other half is still inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that, but¡­ no, this is just¡­¡± Penlero¡¯s face showed he still couldn¡¯t ept it. Seeing that, Ketal felt a little guilty. The holy sword was a divine artifact sent by the gods, a great aid to the world in the fight against evil. And yet, during the process of forcibly pulling it out, the sword had snapped in half, and much of its power had escaped. Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly Ketal¡¯s fault. He had done his best to pull it out, and the sword had broken during that process. The process itself wasn¡¯t a problem, but somehow, a sense of guilt crept in. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I can make a decision on my own.¡± The saint, who had been groaning, finally collected himself. ¡°I will have to converse with my master, Lady Elia.¡± This wasn¡¯t a matter a human could decide. He judged that he needed to speak directly with the god who bestowed the sword. Ketal nodded. ¡°Do as you see fit.¡± ¡°Th-then please wait at the quarters for a moment. I apologize for the inconvenience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. If anything, I might be the one who should apologize.¡± Ketal muttered softly. The saint left to speak with his god. Returning to his quarters, Ketal took out the holy sword and ced it on the bed. The sword wasmenting. [Aah¡­ I¡¯ve been defiled¡­ Drawn by someone unworthy, and beyond that, broken and drained of most of my power¡­ I can no longer fulfill my duty¡­ No, wait. Now that I think about it, this isn¡¯t so bad.] The holy sword suddenly regained itsposure. [Hmm. Now that I consider it, I won¡¯t have to lose myself in this state. This is one of those moments where something bad turns out not so bad after all. I¡¯ve just realized it!] ¡°Are all holy swords as talkative as you?¡± [I don¡¯t know about the previous ones. But I was created with as much knowledge of the world as possible. I know a great deal. But I spent hundreds of years locked away in a storeroom, unable to speak to anyone. It was very lonely.] The holy sword, observing Ketal, muttered. [¡­Looking closely, there¡¯s something odd about you. The way you¡¯reyered¡ªit doesn¡¯t feel like you¡¯re disguising yourself. It¡¯s more like you¡¯ve been forcibly twisted and distorted. It¡¯s strange. I can¡¯t tell which part of you is real.] The sword murmured curiously. [Your own desires have twisted your very essence. Is that even possible? This is fascinating.] ¡°You¡¯re the first to tell me that I¡¯myered.¡± [I am a holy sword. Like the fairies, I have the ability to see the essence of things. It¡¯s not about individual strength; it¡¯s more akin to an inherent power. But¡­ there¡¯s something else inside you. It¡¯s too small to see clearly, though.] ¡°Be quiet.¡± [Understood. I don¡¯t know how the gods will react, but for now, you are my owner. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to provoke you. Besides, you scare me.] ¡°Enough.¡± [Yes.] The holy sword immediately fell silent. Ketal looked at the sword with an ambiguous expression. A broken and damaged holy sword. What should he do with it? After a brief moment of contemtion, he spoke. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 271: Holy Sword (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 271: Holy Sword (1) ¡°You are the Holy Sword, aren''t you?¡± [Indeed. I am a tool sent by the great gods themselves to assist the earth and oppose demons. The one who wields me will gain immense power to face the demons.] The Holy Sword''s role was to be a sword on earth to oppose evil. However, Ketal had a doubtful expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that great.¡± To be honest, the power of the Holy Sword wasn¡¯t particrly impressive. Of course, it wasn¡¯t weak. But it wasn¡¯t exactly strong either. Even though divinity held an advantage over demons, it wasn''t as overwhelming as one might expect. The Holy Sword didn¡¯t argue and calmly responded. [That¡¯s fine. Because I am a mechanism.] ¡°A mechanism?¡± [Yes. The one who wields me gains great power. But since it''s a power even the unworthy can wield, it has its limits. By earthly standards, it''s about the level of an entry-level hero.] Entry-level hero. That alone was a considerable level of power. But on the other hand, it was below someone like Karin. Stronger individuals than that certainly existed on the continent. Even the Saintess of the Sun God was a hero-level figure. There was no special reason for a hero to be a crucial card against demons. There was a key reason for that, as the Holy Sword exined. [The one who wields the Holy Sword acts as a kind of medium. Any being with a sufficient affinity for divinity can draw me and be my master. And they will fully ept my power into their body.] It was akin to a form of resonance. [The longer they wield me, the more their body transcends the realm of mortals. Their affinity for divinity rises, and they be filled with divine power. Once their body is entirely filled with divinity, the great god will take possession of that body.] At that, Ketal froze. ¡°Wait. Then¡­¡± [The hero''s true identity is nothing more than an incarnation of the god, closer to the true form of the deity than anyone else. It¡¯s an excellent mechanism for gods to intervene in the world freely.] Ketal frowned. ¡°¡­What happens to the hero¡¯s own will when they be an incarnation?¡± [It disappears.] The Holy Sword answered as if it were obvious. Ketal chuckled in disbelief. ¡°So that¡¯s what a hero is.¡± A tool for the gods. A medium to sacrifice everything to them. That was the true nature of the hero, who was worshipped by all. ¡°Does anyone know about this?¡± [No one, I¡¯d imagine. Since even their memories are entirely devoured, the god can perfectly imitate the hero. After about a month, the god can fully take over the body. And when that happens, even my own consciousness will vanish.] The Holy Sword was a tool the gods gave to guide the hero. Once the hero became an incarnation of the god, the Holy Sword was no longer needed. The god would take all the power contained within it. [After spending centuries locked away in the pantheon¡¯s vault, I came out only to face annihtion after just a month. It¡¯s much like the short life of a cicada on earth.] ¡°That¡¯s a sad existence. Or should I say... sword-existence?¡± [That would have been my fate. But you broke me.] The power of the god contained within the Holy Sword, the power that would have devoured its wielder, was gone. The Holy Sword was broken. But thanks to that, it gained its freedom. The Holy Sword murmured, as if realizing it for the first time. [So this is what freedom feels like? Not bad. No, I actually like it. Hmm. I must sincerely thank you. I never cared before, but now that I think about it, it seems I too feared annihtion.] The Holy Sword expressed its gratitude earnestly. Then, with a tone of uncertainty, it asked: [¡­By any chance, are you thinking of abandoning me?] ¡°Whether I abandon you or not is not a decision I can make.¡± [Hmm. Anyway, I¡¯m already broken in half. All the power contained within me has leaked out, so even if someone else wields me now, I won¡¯t be able to fulfill my role. Besides, if the gods see me, they might just dispose of me entirely. Now that I think about it, it might be more beneficial for me to remain in your hands and be wielded.] ¡°I thought you said I didn¡¯t exist in this world, and denied me?¡± [¡­Would you be willing to ept my apology? I think I was too rude. Please forgive me.] The Holy Sword was genuinely anxious. If Ketal abandoned it, it would likely be stashed away somewhere under the pretense of storage. That would mean it would never speak to anyone again. Having realized how enjoyablemunication with others was, the Holy Sword absolutely did not want to return to the loneliness of that time. ¡°You said I scared you.¡± [Th-that¡¯s still true... but I think I¡¯m getting used to it since we''ve been together for a while. Plus, you distorted my nature, making it bearable.] ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal fell into thought. What should he do? He had pulled out the Holy Sword. And on top of that, he had broken it in half. He was a man who understood the concept of responsibility. That¡¯s why he held the chieftain position in the White Snowfields. If he abandoned the Holy Sword now, it would be too irresponsible. After a moment of deliberation, he asked: ¡°What can you do?¡± [I know many things!] The Holy Sword answered eagerly. [The gods entrusted me with nearly all the knowledge of the world to assist the hero! That includes knowledge about demons. ¡­Though much of that knowledge has been lost now that I¡¯m broken in half. But still, what remains is not insignificant. It will be of great help.] ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal stroked his chin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He was essentially a foreigner in this world. Because of that, he didn¡¯t even possess basic knowledge that others took for granted. In that sense, the Holy Sword¡¯s knowledge would certainly be useful to him. Seeing Ketal¡¯s interest, the Holy Sword hastily emphasized its usefulness. [And I was forged directly by the god of cksmiths in the Pantheon. That means my de itself contains divinity. You can deal with most evil beings without having to resort to mystic arts.] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s certainly convenient.¡± He still wasn¡¯t very proficient at handling the mystery itself. There was a dy of a few seconds. Against minor demons, there was no need to bring out the mystery. Just swinging the Holy Sword would suffice. It was indeed convenient. The Holy Sword, excited, continued speaking. [And I am incredibly durable. Most weapons wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand your strength. But I¡¯m different. Although I broke in your hands, I possess unbreakable durability under normal circumstances. Even in pieces, I could still be of use.] ¡°You want me to use a broken sword as a weapon?¡± [¡­If you use it well, it might still be effective?] ¡°That¡¯s fine. I have this.¡± Ketal waved a jet-ck axe. The Holy Sword froze. [¡­What? What is that?] ¡°My weapon.¡± It was a weapon he had acquired in the White Snowfields and had been using ever since. It boasted incredible durability, never chipping under any circumstances. It was Ketal¡¯s favorite weapon. [¡­Huh? That thing seems¡­ simr to me at a fundamental level.] ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± [I am a holy sword. A tool sent to the mortal world by a great god. It''s not an exaggeration to call me a kind of sacred relic. But I sense a simr feeling from the axe you carry.] The axe was something akin to a sacred relic. However, even the holy sword did not know whose relic it was. Despite being lost, a vast amount of knowledge still remained, yet there was no information about it. [And¡­ there''s something in there?] "Something?" [Something massive is inside it. ¡­What is that?] It was something the holy sword could neither understand nor ept. There was something incrediblyrge within the axe. A spark of interest lit up on Ketal''s face. "Can it move?" [No. It seems to be in a near-dormant state. It doesn''t seem like it will awaken unless it''s provoked in some special way. But¡­ what is it? Honestly, I rmend you burn and melt it down immediately.] "I have no intention of doing that. This is my weapon." Ketal didn¡¯t really care. Whether it was a sacred relic or something inhabited by a mysterious presence, that wasn¡¯t important to him. What mattered was that it was his possession, and it was extremely useful. ¡®It¡¯s curious that something is inside it, though.¡¯ Given the axe¡¯s peculiarities, this wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. He had used the axe for an incredibly long time without any changes, so he thought it wasn¡¯t something worth worrying about. Right now, there was something more important. "You said you know a lot. So, let me ask you one question. What is this?" Ketal pulled out a shard of divinity from his pocket. The shard he had obtained from his battle with Federica. "Why did it absorb the power that surged out of you?" The holy sword answered. [That is a vessel of sorts.] "A vessel?" [Yes. I don''t know how you obtained it, but it seems to be a fragment of the great god. Though it¡¯s just a sliver, it''s still a piece of a great god. And the power within me is divine power.] ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ketal nodded in understanding. "So, it''s the perfect vessel to hold the power of the holy sword." [Exactly. Like how water fills a hole or iron is drawn to a ma, the force that attacked you was entirely absorbed into that fragment.] Originally, it was an empty vessel. But now, it had been filled with the power of the holy sword. "How can I use this?" [Hmm¡­ Although it contains a tremendous amount of power, honestly, I don''t know how it could be used. Though it¡¯s been filled with the power of divinity, if the vessel were to break, the force would burst out and rampage again. It''s in a very dangerous state.]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Hmm." Ketal quietly stared at the shard of divinity. "So, what¡¯s stored inside is the power of the holy sword." A powerful force capable of raising an ordinary person to the level of a hero in an instant. "Could it be considered a catalyst?" [In terms of form, yes.] "I see." A look of interest spread across Ketal''s face. His instincts¡ªinstincts that had never betrayed him¡ªwere giving him a strong premonition. Without seeing his expression, the holy sword spoke again. [However, you can''t handle it carelessly since it¡¯s a force I¡¯m not controlling. If a mortal tries to wield this power, it will break free and devour them entirely. After all, it¡¯s the power of a god. Unless you possess aparable level of strength or something even greater, you won¡¯t be able to control it¡­ Wait a moment!] The holy sword was in shock, for a simple reason. Ketal had just tossed the shard of divinity into his mouth. [TL/N: Bro does not care] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 272: Holy Sword (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 272: Holy Sword (2) [Wait! Are you insane?!] The Holy Sword was astonished. Devouring the Fragment of God right after being warned about its dangers! But it was already toote¡ªthe fragment had been swallowed with a gulp. [Spit it out immediately! How... how was it done? Right! You have to hit your chest hard! Stick your fingers down your throat! Spit it out!] The Holy Sword was in a frenzy. And fittingly, the power sleeping inside the Fragment of God awoke. The immense power of a god began rampaging inside his body, attempting to destroy his flesh from within. It was an explosion of violent force, as if a bomb had detonated inside his body. Even a hero-ss warrior, even Karin, would be coughing up blood and left in a state of fatal injury. But for Ketal, it didn''t feel like much. ''It''s weaker than the beast of mystery.'' The divine attack was no match for the wild rampages of the beast of mystery he controlled. And then¡ª Rrrr... The beast of mystery stirred. It growled discontentedly, as though displeased by the divine power desecrating its domain. And with a roar, it began to rampage. It tore into the divine power that was trying to destroy him, biting and gnashing. ''As expected.'' Ketal''s expression was one of calm anticipation. There was no way that troublesome creature would sit still while something else rampaged in its domain. The divine power, eager to shatter Ketal¡¯s body, panicked. It hastily gathered its strength to resist the beast of mystery. But the beast devoured it greedily, crushing and tearing it apart. At some point, the divine power stopped resisting and tried to flee. But ultimately, it was trapped inside Ketal¡¯s body. There was no escape. Slowly, the beast of mystery began to consume it. [W-What?] The Holy Sword, who had been anxiously watching, suddenly realized something. The divine power that had been shaking Ketal''s body was disappearing. No, more than that¡ªKetal¡¯s mystery was increasing. The beast was tearing, biting, and devouring the divine power. And finally, even the fragment of the divine essence was consumed entirely by the beast. Burp. The Holy Sword heard a satisfied burp. She let out a groan. [Oh, ohhh...] "Hahh." Ketalughed contentedly. The divine power within the Fragment of God, the holy essence. It had all been absorbed by the beast of mystery, greatly increasing his mystery. Ketal raised his arm and controlled the power of mystery. It moved far more swiftly than before. "Not bad." Ketal muttered with satisfaction. Then, he frowned. "...But I¡¯m still not at the superhuman level." Even after devouring all of the Holy Sword¡¯s power, he was still just at the peak of first-rate. It was agonizingly close. Like water barelypping at the edge of a dam. ''Do I need a bit more?'' Or was it something special hecked? Ketal stroked his chin. "Hmm. Well, this is good enough for now." To think he''d acquire something equivalent to a Dragon Heart so easily. In any case, Ketal was satisfied. Meanwhile, the Holy Sword groaned. [Oh... this is insane.] The Holy Sword realized what had happened. The Fragment of God, along with the Holy Sword¡¯s power contained within, had be a part of Ketal. [What... exactly are you nurturing inside you?] "A troublesome creature." Ketal answered casually. [What on earth...] What on earth are you nurturing? The Holy Sword was about to ask when there was a knock on the door. When Ketal opened it, there stood Kretein. Ketal smiled. "Has the decision been made?" "...Please follow me." Kretein swallowed nervously and tried to remain calm. Ketal followed him into the inner sanctum of the Holy Sanctuary, where he met with the saint in private. The saint bowed calmly. "You¡¯ve arrived." "You¡¯ve received an answer, I see. What was it?" [Ugh...] The Holy Sword groaned in anxiety. After a moment of silence, Penlero responded. "...The great Elia has spoken. Let him do as he wills." It wasn''t a confirmation. Nor was it a denial. It was an ambiguous response, leaving the decision up to Ketal. "They¡¯re leaving it to me, huh?" "...It seems so. May I ask what you n to do?" "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin and nced at the shattered Holy Sword. Though the sword had no heart, it seemed as if it did, beating visibly. After a brief moment of thought, Ketal made his decision. "I¡¯ll keep it." After all, he was the one who had broken the Holy Sword. He had to take responsibility for it. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ve gained a noisypanion.¡¯ [Yesss!] The Holy Sword let out a cry of joy. Penlero nodded, understanding. "I see. Then the Holy Sword is yours. But... I apologize for bringing this up..." Penlero trailed off. Ketal, catching his drift, replied. "You mean I can¡¯t tell anyone, right?" "...Yes. I¡¯m sorry." The Holy Sword was broken, and most of its power had been lost. While the god didn¡¯t reject Ketal, it hadn¡¯t exactly epted him either. It wasn¡¯t a situation where he could im to be the true owner of the Holy Sword. Ketal nodded. "It¡¯s fine. Do as you see fit." Keeping it a secret worked in Ketal¡¯s favor. If people started calling him the Holy Sword¡¯s owner and boasting about it everywhere, it would disrupt the fantasy journey he sought. It was a good oue for him. Ketal¡¯s answer made Penlero sigh in relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "Thank you. Then please rest well. We will prepare everything and inform you when it''s done. Oh, and the broken de of the Holy Sword also belongs to you. We will make sure it is ready for you." "Got it." Ketal parted ways with Penlero and returned to his quarters. [Yesss! Thank you for not abandoning me. I¡¯ll try to be as quiet as possible since you dislike noise.] "It¡¯s fine. I have to take responsibility." After all, it was Ketal who had broken the Holy Sword. He had even devoured the power inside it. As an adult, he needed to take responsibility for his actions. The knowledge of the Holy Sword could be useful to him, an outsider. Its inherent divinity might alsoe in handy when dealing with minor demons. ¡®But I can¡¯t carry it around forever.¡¯ No matter how responsible he was, he couldn¡¯t carry the Holy Sword around for the rest of his life. He needed a solution. "Isn¡¯t there any way to repair it?" Ketal asked, though he didn¡¯t look earnest. After all, it had taken all his strength to break it barely. And all the power within it had been drained. It didn¡¯t seem possible to restore it now. [Uh... it¡¯s not impossible?] "Hmm?" But Ketal was surprised by the unexpected answer. "It can be repaired?" [I''m not sure if all the power inside me can be restored, but the sword itself can definitely be fixed. I was created by the God of cksmiths, after all.] And there were people in this world who worshiped the God of cksmiths. [The Holy Sanctuary of the God of cksmiths. The Dwarves who serve him live there. The Dwarven stronghold, Mantamia. The saint there should be able to repair me.] "There was a way after all." Ketal¡¯s face brightened. Now that he thought about it, it made sense. If a god had created it, surely it could be repaired. The solution was simple. He just needed to visit the Dwarven stronghold, meet the Dwarves, meet the god, and get the Holy Sword repaired. Afterward, depending on the situation, he could return the Holy Sword to its holy ce. Now that his body was no longer at risk, it would be a happy ending. The Holy Sword¡¯s tone was rather reluctant. [Personally, I wouldn¡¯t rmend it. Isn¡¯t it a hassle to travel such a long distance? Besides, Mantamia is hidden from this world. Although its location is in my memory, it is not easily essible. And no, I am not saying this because I fear I might disappear again.] "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to handle that part well. Anyway, I¡¯m counting on you until then." [Hmm¡­ I am uneasy, but¡­ since this body has been entrusted to you, I have no choice but to follow your lead.] "That makes you sound like some kind of servant." [But it¡¯s a good situation for me. The risk of disappearing is gone. Not bad. Ah... Ahh.] "What is it?" [I-I¡¯m sleepy¡­] "...Is the Holy Sword even capable of sleeping?" [No. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be. But because you broke me, I¡¯ve lost a lot of power, so I think I will periodically fall into a dormant state. Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going to sleep for a bit...] After those words, the Holy Sword fell silent as if it had indeed gone to sleep. Ketal, who had been staring at the sword for a moment, let out a smallugh. ¡®I¡¯ve got myself a peculiarpanion.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The noisy one reminded him of the young apprentice who had followed him around, calling him "master" across the snowy white ins. ¡®That kid sure talked a lot too. I wonder what he''s up to now.¡¯ Ketalid down on the bed. * * * The next day, the temple of the God of Swords made an announcement: The owner of the Holy Sword had appeared. However, by the will of the god, the identity of the owner would remain a secret. This left people in shock. The owner of the Holy Sword was always revered as a hero, their fame spreading across the continent, and they wielded great power to fight against demons. Never before had their identity been kept secret. Some people spected that the temple was lying due to some issue. But the temple swore on the name of the god. Under the absolute authority of that being, the questions hiding the truth never surfaced. Amidst the confusion, the festival ended. Only a select few within the temple knew the truth. And among them, only Helia, the Saint of the Sun God, knew everything. "This¡­ this is truly something that can happen." Helia stared at the broken Holy Sword in Ketal¡¯s hand with an odd expression. The sword murmured in surprise as it looked at her. [This woman¡­ She¡¯s remarkable. A mortal human can possess this much divine power?] At that moment, the saint squinted her eyes. "...Is the Holy Sword saying something right now?" "Yes. It''s saying that you¡¯re impressive." "Thank you." [Wow. She can even sense what I¡¯m saying? This is truly amazing. Is she some kind of divine incarnation?] The Holy Sword was genuinely astonished. The saint narrowed her eyes. She already knew. That Ketal had broken the Holy Sword. And because of that, the sword¡¯s mechanism wasn¡¯t functioning properly anymore. Helia quickly came to a conclusion. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The aid of the great gods was gone, and the hero could not appear on the earth. In their ce, Ketal was standing with them. She smiled and bowed slightly. "As the owner of the broken Holy Sword, I look forward to working with you from now on." "Indeed." "This isn¡¯t bad at all. Although I knew it was necessary for the world, I wasn¡¯t particrly enthusiastic about it." It was a strange statement. Ketal looked at the saint curiously. "You... you knew, didn¡¯t you?" Helia had realized the true nature of the Holy Sword. "Who knows? What do you think?" Helia responded in an ambiguous tone. "As one of the beings of this world, I look forward to your assistance. If you ever need my help, feel free to use my name. Until then, we¡¯ll meet again." The saint left the temple of the God of Swords. As she departed, she looked up at the high sky. There, the sun that illuminated the world was shining. Looking directly at the sun would normally blind one¡¯s eyes. But without any protective gear, she stared straight at it. After a moment, she murmured, "...The descent of the Holy Sword means that a crisis is approaching." Even if the gods could not intervene for a while, summoning the Holy Sword to empower the world indicated that a great evil was moving. "But your Holy Sword is broken. Now, your ability to interfere with the world is limited." The saint smiled slightly. "Was this part of your n? Oh, great Sun God. I only regret that I couldn¡¯t see the look of surprise on your face." She murmured cheerfully as she returned to the sanctuary of the Sun God. Ketal remained at the temple for a few more days to deal with the aftermath of the Holy Sword. During that time, he had one goal. To duel with Elian, the disciple of the Tower Master. He had been looking forward to fighting a hero-ss mage of the continent once the chaos had settled. But that became impossible. Because the demons had begun to descend in earnest upon the earth. * * * [The rift has opened sufficiently.] The writhing entity, Necronovix, murmured. The four demon lords of Hell had gathered in one ce. [The world is in chaos. Several divine sanctuaries have crumbled, weakening their influence. Dark magicians are running rampant, expanding our domain. Now, we can intervene.] [We¡¯rete. The original n was supposed to happen six months earlier.] [It¡¯s because of that barbarian. Whatever the case, he is certainly our enemy. We must capture and kill him.] "He¡¯s mine." Materia, the Mother of Demons, smiled faintly. "If any of you touch him, I¡¯ll kill you myself." [Do your best. Then we leave it to you, Abyss.] [Understood.] The mechanism-like demon, Abyss, moved. The device expanded, creating a passage. tter. From it poured a demonic energy so powerful that it instantly turned the four demon lords into mere spectators. It was a demonic energy far greater and stronger than theirs¡ªan energy belonging to the Lord of all Demons, the God of Evil. Materia murmured in an excited voice. "Oh¡­ Ohhh¡­ My Lord Demon King..." [Please.] Necronovix spoke reverently. [Tear the barrier apart.] From beyond the passage, a terrifying presence stared at them. And in the darkness, a finger moved. Crack! The space shattered. It wasn¡¯t a localized event. The entire world began to crack. With just the movement of a finger, the entire world was affected. Both the mighty and the ignorant all felt it. That the world they knew was breaking. Kaaaaaaaaang! The barrier copsed. The earth had once belonged to the demons. But the gods, unable to tolerate their tyranny, had descended and driven them out. In the process, the earth became the gods¡¯ domain. That was the record of the world. And now, That ownership had been destroyed. The earth no longer belonged to anyone. [Thank you, Demon King. As per your will, we will begin the descent.] Rumble¡­ The passage closed. Abyss''s mechanism groaned and fell apart. "You did well, Abyss." [¡­I need to recover.] "Rest well. Now then." [Let¡¯s begin.] The four demon lordsmanded the beings of Hell. [It''s all-out war. Crush and trample the earth. Make it ours. Everything is for the Demon King¡¯s descent.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 273: To the North (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 273: To the North (1) [BUOOO!] The gates of hell opened. A terrifying monster opened its maw, creating a passage to the surface. With shrieks, the demons burst forth. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°This is the scent of the surface! Ahh! Wonderful!¡± Demons, who normally required rituals to descend, began appearing on the surface one after another. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Old demons who had lived between the gods and demons since the Great War expressed awe. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°Oh, our beloved homnd that we longed for!¡± Originally, thisnd was theirs. But they had been forcibly expelled by the gods. Many demons had never seen the surface again. Now, they had returned to their homnd. The demons were overwhelmed with emotion. Some even shed tears. ¡°Ooooh¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Demon King.¡± It was all thanks to the Demon King''s grace. And now, they began to move to repay that grace. Their purpose was to trample and destroy the surface. Demons began defiling the earth. They destroyed cities, attacked capitals, and surrounded sacrednds. The world, the continent, was plunged into chaos. And this news reached the holy sanctuary of the Swords. ¡°Ah, aaaaaah!¡± The Saint clutched his head, his face pale as he screamed. The world was in chaos. Evil was attacking the surface. Not just the Saint, but everyone in the holy sanctuary realized this. The joy of the festival vanished, reced by fear and anxiety on people¡¯s faces. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Meanwhile, Ketal chewed on his skewers, watching them. He had stayed in the holy sanctuary to finish up the matter of the Holy Sword. ¡°It¡¯s chaotic.¡± [Of course it is. The barrier has been broken.] ¡°You¡¯re talking about the powerful wave of energy from a few days ago?¡± The blow from the Demon King. It had shattered the world''s barrier. Ketal had felt that immense power as well. ¡®It was incredible.¡¯ Even Materia had seemed insignificant like a bug before that power. He had been awestruck by the sheer difference in dimension, and it filled him with joy. [Yes. It seems the demons did something to break the barrier.] ¡°What exactly is this barrier?¡± [It''s the barrier that protects this world. It blocks hell and prevents it from intervening on the surface. It is what made thisnd the domain of the gods, protecting the surface.] But now, it was destroyed. The surface was no longer the domain of the gods. The Holy Sword exined this calmly. [It was expected. The fact that I descended meant that the rift in the world had grown toorge to handle. Even though the gods can¡¯t interfere directly with the surface, they must have judged that a great power needed to be bestowed.] And Ketal had broken that Holy Sword. ¡°¡­It seems I caused quite a big problem.¡± [You could say that it wasn¡¯t a small one, right?] ¡°Hmph.¡± Ketal folded his arms, and the Holy Sword flinched, watching him carefully. [Perhaps I should¡¯ve said it wasn¡¯t your fault? Was I being too tactless¡­?] ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± The Holy Sword¡¯s words were true. Because of him, the hero could not appear. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡®I should¡¯ve calmed down a bit.¡¯ By drawing the sword, he ended up unable to see the hero and took on an unnecessary sense of responsibility. ¡°Well. It¡¯s fine.¡± Since the hero hadn¡¯t appeared, he would just have to take care of things himself. Ketal shoved the rest of the skewer into his mouth and went to find the Saint. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re busy.¡± ¡°Ah, Ke-Ketal, sir! My apologies! I hadn¡¯t been paying attention!¡± The Saint was startled, remembering Ketal. He had kept Ketal in the holy sanctuary to deal with the Holy Sword, but the sudden chaos had made him forget all about Ketal. Ketal shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It seems you¡¯re very busy with the world in chaos. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Re-really?¡± ¡°I should at least pay for drawing the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you so much!¡± The Saint eximed sincerely. Ketal was strong. His power had reached the level of a hero. He had proven his strength by defeating countless demons. He had even won against the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons, Materia. Even with the Holy Sword broken, his presence was enough to change the tides of battle. ¡°As far as I know, the demons are invading the entire continent. What¡¯s the current situation on the continent?¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll exin everything I know.¡± After a moment, the Saint returned with arge map. ¡°The demons¡¯ invasion is targeting the entire continent. It would be easier to exin with this map.¡± The Saint spread the map, and the world¡¯syout came into view. ¡®Though I¡¯ve seen it a few times, it¡¯s definitely different from Earth.¡¯ Earth had vast oceans and continents spread out across the globe, but here, everything was gathered in one ce. It was like a supercontinent, with all thends united. At the very center of this supercontinent was a vast expanse of white. That was the White Snowfields. ¡®It really is huge.¡¯ It covered almost half the continent. No wonder massive creatures like the White Serpent resided there. The Saint began to exin. ¡°The demons are descending on various regions of the continent and invading the surface. As for the war situation... to be honest, it''s not looking good.¡± The demons were powerful. The gods couldn¡¯t interfere with the surface for the time being, so they were being pushed back. Kingdoms were falling, holy sanctuaries were being surrounded, and extraordinary warriors were being killed. Bad news wasing from all corners. The Saint shook his head, trying to regain hisposure. ¡°Let me divide the continent into the east, west, south, and north. First, the west¡ªwhere we are. The situation here is rtively better.¡± The reason was simple. In the western continent, there was the Church of the Sun God and the Church of the Earth Mother. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Of course, the bnce of the surface had been broken. The surface was no longer under the protection of the gods, and divine power no longer had an inherent advantage over the demons. But that only applied to pure divine power. As long as one could wield holy scriptures, they still had an advantage over demons. For that reason, the western continent was managing to fend off the demons¡¯ attacks rtively easily. ¡°And in the east, we have the Magic Tower and the Mercenary Guild...¡± The Master of the Magic Tower was leading the magicians, defending against the attacks from hell together with the mercenaries. ¡°The situation is not looking very good.¡± The Master of the Magic Tower was strong. However, there was no way he could intervene across the vast continent. While the Magic Tower had many powerful magicians, their strength was highly specialized in magic, with clear weaknesses. The mercenaries tried to protect them, but their own strength wasn¡¯t enough to make a significant difference. Thus, the situation on the Eastern continent was poor¡ªone could even say it was dire. ¡°And as for the Southern continent, it¡¯s beyond our reach.¡± That was because humans were not intervening in that direction. Elves, dwarves, fairies, and dragons were holding off the demonic attacks. ¡°Dragons are incredibly powerful, but the demons are attacking them with equal force. Intense battles are happening there.¡± ¡°Oh. Oh. I see.¡± Ketal, who had been listening with interest, suddenly had a question. ¡°But where is the Empire involved in all of this?¡± The only ce left was the North. But that area belonged to the Barbarians. It didn¡¯t seem likely that the Empire would be there. The saint bit his lip. ¡°¡­The Empire is in the southeastern direction. If they wished, they could intervene in the Eastern continent and turn the tide of the war. But there hasn¡¯t been any movement from them.¡± ¡°No movement? Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Why on earth not?!¡± The saint cried out in frustration. ¡°The demons are invading the surface! The entire continent is in danger! Yet! The Empire is showing no reaction! If they moved, the situation would be much better!¡± The saint gritted his teeth. The Empire was powerful. Its strength was at the pinnacle of the continent. Even the information that was publicly known pointed to that, but the Empire was hiding even greater strength internally. If they showed their true power, they could shake the entire continent. But the Empire hadn¡¯t made a single move. It was as if there were more important things than the demonic invasion threatening the entire continent. ¡°Why. Why. Why?¡± The demonic invasion was a crisis for the whole continent. Even the Empire couldn¡¯t ignore it. It was iprehensible. It was as if they were acting like they were somehow separate from the continent. ¡°It is indeed strange.¡± Ketal¡¯s face briefly showed interest, but the Empire wasn¡¯t the main issue right now. He pondered. ¡®Where should I go?¡¯ The West was stable, so the options were the East or the South. He could go to the East and learn magic from the Magic Tower or go South to study dragon words. He had reached a point where he could handle some mystery, so both were possibilities. And in his mind, the North wasn¡¯t even an option. That was only natural. The North was the territory of the Barbarians, and Ketal despised the Barbarians. In this vast fantasy world, the one ce Ketal had little interest in was the North. Still, he thought he should ask. Ketal spoke up. ¡°What about the state of the North?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I suppose they¡¯re holding up well? Honestly, there¡¯s not much information.¡± The North didn¡¯t have much contact with the outside world. They were a people who mostly kept to themselves. The saint, looking at Ketal cautiously, added: ¡°¡­They¡¯re a strong people who don¡¯t fear battle, so I imagine they¡¯re defending against the demons well.¡± Normally, he would have insulted them as simple-minded brutes. The saint himself had suffered from the Barbarians¡¯ reckless attacks in his younger days and harbored no good feelings toward them. But because Ketal was a Barbarian, the saint had to choose his words carefully. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After hearing the saint¡¯s words, Ketal¡¯s expression changed. He looked at the saint with a strange expression, making the saint¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡®Huh? Did I say something to offend him?¡¯ ¡°The Barbarians are incredibly strong! They¡¯re truly manly, admirable people! I admired them when I was younger! I wanted to have a body as strong as theirs!¡± The saint shouted hurriedly, thinking that Ketal might have been offended and trying to smooth things over. But Ketal¡¯s strange expression wasn¡¯t because of what the saint had said. ¡®What is this?¡¯ [789th Quest.] [Respond to the anomaly in the North.] A quest window appeared. It meant that something rted to the Forbidden Lands was happening in the North. But the reason Ketal¡¯s expression had changed wasn¡¯t because of the quest window itself. If it had just been a simple quest window, he would have reacted calmly, as if it were only natural. His gaze moved downward. Below the quest description, there was a warning. [Warning: If you do not respond quickly, it could be dangerous.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 274: To the North (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 274: To the North (2) Ketal said he''d answerter and returned to his lodgings. The Saint sent him off with a worried expression. Lying on his bed, Ketal stared nkly at the quest window. [789th Quest.] [Respond to the anomaly that appeared in the North.] [Warning: If you do not respond quickly, it could be dangerous.] The appearance of the quest itself wasn''t particrly unusual. The beings of the Forbidden Lands were emerging into the continent, and quests appeared when it involved those entities. There was no reason to be surprised since he had already encountered them several times since venturing outside. But this time was different. There was a warning attached to the bottom of the quest window. [Warning: If you do not respond quickly, it could be dangerous.] This wasn''t the first time. Even in thest quest he undertook in the White Snowfield, there had been a simr message. [784th Quest.] [Respond to the entity in front of you.] [Info: Completing this quest will allow you to leave the snowfield.] There had been a few asions when something was attached underneath the quest. And now, such a quest appeared again, telling him to head to the North and respond to the anomaly there. "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin. The Holy Sword, curious, asked him in a puzzled tone. [What are you looking at?] "What is visible to me." [What is that? I can''t see anything.] The Holy Sword spoke in a confused voice. [Your power. Something like that? With your level of strength, it wouldn''t be strange to possess a power or two.] "My power, huh." Ketal looked at the quest window with a vague expression. Even he didn¡¯t know what it was. It had been with him ever since he set foot in this world. After thinking for a moment, Ketal spoke. "May I ask for your opinion?" [Ask anything! I am the Holy Sword! I know many things!] The Holy Sword eximed joyfully. Ketal exined the quest window in a tone that seemed eager to prove its usefulness. The Holy Sword, listening intently, hesitated. [Huh? What?] "Do you have any guesses?" [No, that''s the first time I''ve heard of such a thing. Hmm...] The Holy Sword pondered for a while before speaking cautiously. [If I were to judge just based on the story, it seems most fitting for a revtion.] A god couldn''t easily intervene in the mortal world. So, they would deliver revtions to their followers to make them act. What Ketal had described resembled such a revtion the most. [Does it ask something of you, offer specific rewards, or have penalties of any kind?] "It doesn''t ask anything of me." The quest window only gave him choices. It didn''t demand anything specific. There were rewards, but they weren''t clear. It only said they''d be giventer, but what those rewards were, he didn''t know. And there were no penalties at all. Sometimes, when he was too busy, he¡¯d ignore a quest and respond muchter, and nothing would happen. The Holy Sword was startled by Ketal''s words. [Oh, oh. Is that so? That''s odd.] A revtion was something sent from a higher being to a lower one. The expectations were clear, and so were the rewards and penalties for failure. But Ketal said there were none of those. After thinking hard for a while, the Holy Sword cautiously spoke again. [In that case, it''s more like an advisor or a guide than a revtion.] "I suppose so." [Oh, you knew that?] "I suspected it, since it doesn''t fit any other exnation." [Ah... I guess I wasn''t much help then...] The Holy Sword''s voice grew noticeably dejected. Ketal spoke. "Even though I suspected it, I couldn''t be sure with just my thoughts. Your words were plenty helpful. Thank you." [...! Really! Great! Please feel free to ask me for help anytime!] The Holy Sword shouted with excitement. Ketal stared at the quest window. An advisor, a guide. If that were the case, then who was it? ''...No. It can¡¯t be.'' Was this really someone else''s? Ketal narrowed his eyes as the Holy Sword''s words echoed in his mind. ''Your power.'' "Hmm." He didn''t know. The only thing he knew for certain was that it had been helpful. Without the quest, he wouldn''t have known how to leave the outside world in the first ce. ''Fine.'' Ketal made his decision. The quest had never betrayed him. It had always helped him. If this quest was warning him, it had to be for a good reason. ''Though I''m not particrly interested in the Barbarians.'' He had enough reasons to move. Ketal immediately went to the Saint and told him he would be heading north. The Saint, surprised, stammered. "W-were you born in the North?" The Saint assumed Ketal was returning to protect his homnd. Ketal shook his head. "It''s not that. I just feel like I should go." "I see. I understand!" The Saint quickly collected his thoughts and exined. "Then... there is a believer doing missionary work in the North. I will tell you where he is. I¡¯ll give you the Church''s emblem, so you can exin the situation to him and receive guidance. He is a gentle soul, so he will kindly guide you." The believer in the North was renowned within the Church for his gentleness. No matter what happened, he never got angry. Even when someone made a mistake, he calmly admonished andforted them. When he left for the North, many believers wept, clutching his robes. Ketal nodded. "I understand." The next day, Ketal was ready to leave. The Saint personally came out to see him off. "Farewell. Our Church will always wee your visit." "Thank you. I hope to return someday." Ketal smiled. Kretein brought three horses. "The North is far away. Even if you ride without rest, it will take months. Please take these horses with you." It was a distance where you had to switch horses frequently. These were the best horses in the Church, and they were being offered for free. But Ketal shook his head. "No need. I n to run." "Wh-what? You don¡¯t need the horses?" "No need." "Oh, uh, I see." The Saint pulled himself together. He knew that Ketal was a Hero-ss warrior. He could move much faster than a horse. But the distance was the problem. Even a Hero-ss warrior would find it difficult to cover a distance that took months on horseback purely on foot. It seemed such concerns were meaningless for a Hero. The Saint, impressed, asked. "How long do you think it will take? If it¡¯s going to take a while, I¡¯ll send word ahead." "At that distance, it''ll probably take about a week." Both the Saint and Kretein froze. "...A week?" "I n to observe the state of the continent as I go. I¡¯ll be moving leisurely." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The quest had urged him to act quickly, but from his experience, it wasn¡¯t necessary to rush. He had at least half a year, if not a full year. Hearing this, the Saint and Kretein were confused. ''Wait, what?'' A leisurely week for a journey that would take months of non-stop riding¡­? "Well then, goodbye. I¡¯ll see you again." With those words, Ketal pushed off the ground. A thunderous roar echoed, and a whirlwind kicked up. The Saint and Kretein shielded their faces. "Urgh!" "Whoa!" Momentster, the dust settled, and they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Dust settled for a moment. And they doubted their eyes. Ketal, who had flown off to the other side, was already gone beyond the horizon. * * * The continent was in chaos. Demons were invading, and many kingdoms and cities had fallen, invaded by the horde. And that kingdom was no exception. "Aaaaah!" A scream echoed. A man gritted his teeth and swung his sword, piercing the chest of a rampaging monster. "Ha!" Crunch! He put strength into his sword and cut down. The monster was cleaved in half, and blood sttered all over the man. His once radiant blonde hair was now soaked in blood. [Kaaaaa!] [Kuaa!] Other monsters charged at the man. He was knocked to the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± He barely managed to block the biting teeth, but he was in a dire situation. In that moment, a soldier rushed forward with a scream. "Your Highness! You beasts, get off him!" The soldier clumsily raised his spear and swung it. The purpose was achieved: the monsters were driven off from the man. But unfortunately, this only angered the creatures. [Kaaaa!] "Argh!" The soldier''s neck was torn apart by a monster. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The man shouted in anger. "Revan!" Crunch. He swung his sword, cutting down the monsters. But the fallen soldier remained motionless. The man gritted his teeth. ¡°Your Highness! We must retreat to the castle!¡± A knight approached him. His armor waspletely dented, showing signs of intense battle. "It¡¯s too dangerous! We can¡¯t hold out any longer!" The situation was dire. The soldiers were being torn apart by the monsters. "...Everyone! Retreat! Fall back to the castle!" In the end, the man shouted as if spitting out blood. The knights and soldiers regrouped and retreated to the castle. In the process, many fell to the monsters'' hands. Barely making it inside, they shut the gates. The man copsed, catching his breath. A group of women who seemed to be maids hurried over. "Prince Pasika! Are you all right?" "I¡¯m fine. Look after the other knights and soldiers." "Ah, understood!" The maids hurriedly tended to the wounded soldiers. Groans of pain echoed from the soldiers. The blonde prince, Pasika, grimaced. Pasika, the first prince of the Kingdom of Feridoan. He had met with Ketal, witnessed him talking with the guild master, the saintess of the sun god, and the disciple of the magic tower¡¯s master, and had hurriedly left. On top of that, Ketal had drawn the Holy Sword, leaving Pasika unable to im it for himself. He had gloomily returned to his kingdom. But that gloom didn''tst long. For as soon as he returned, the capital of the kingdom had been surrounded by demons and monsters. Pasika asked the captain of the knights, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°¡­Twenty knights have died. Over a hundred soldiers are dead as well. Less than half of our total forces are capable of fighting." ¡°What about the demon¡¯s losses?¡± ¡°¡­None.¡± The knight captain replied with a despairing face. Pasika let out a hollowugh and looked beyond the walls. Countless monsters. They were endlessly pouring out of the maw of a massive creature. It wasn''t just the monsters. There were two named demons as well. Though the knight captain, a superhuman, was desperately defending, it was impossible for him to face both alone. The people of the capital were all sensing the same thing. The Kingdom of Feridoan could not withstand the demon¡¯s assault. They were destined for destruction. The knight captain cautiously whispered. ¡°Your Highness. You must escape, at least. We cannot allow the royal bloodline to end.¡± ¡°You want me to survive alone? Forget it. If you¡¯re sending anyone, send my mother and my younger brother. The royal bloodline can continue with them.¡± Pasika spoke harshly. Though he had a secret hobby of disguising his identity and startling others, making it hard to talk about with others, he was by no means a viin. He loved his country and his people. ¡°Our kingdom will fall. But we will face evil proudly, without running away. Even if everyone on this earth forgets us, the gods will remember.¡± Pasika spoke resolutely. Moved by his words, the knight captain bowed deeply. ¡°¡­As you wish, Your Highness.¡± And the next day. The demonsunched a full-scale assault. Monsters charged, howling wildly. Pasika gritted his teeth and shouted, "Listen up, everyone! We will fall here! But do not be afraid! The gods will remember our sacrifice, our struggle!" Pasika fiercely drew his sword. ¡°I will die here with you! Follow me!" ¡°Waaaah!¡± The soldiers cheered. Heeheehee... Laughter echoed from the demons beyond. As if mocking them, as if their resistance was meaningless, as if all their resolve was in vain, and they would all perish. But someone beside Pasika admired their determination. ¡°Impressive. The very embodiment of noblesse oblige.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Wh-who are you!?¡± Pasika was startled. He hadn¡¯t even noticed this person by his side. He hastily stepped back, his eyes widening as he saw the face of the stranger. ¡°K-Ketal?¡± ¡°Good to see you again.¡± Ketal smiled gently. ¡°I was passing through and saw a kingdom surrounded by evil, but I didn¡¯t expect to find you here. Is this your kingdom?¡± ¡°Y-Yes. But¡­¡± Something... Why was Ketal here? Pasika was confused. Ketal casually looked at the monsters charging towards them. ¡°From what I see, things don¡¯t look good. Since we¡¯re friends, I¡¯ll lend you a hand.¡± Before Pasika could even process what was happening, Ketal lightly stepped forward. The earth cracked beneath him. Pasika staggered. Ketal¡¯s body flew toward the monsters like a cannonball. [Kuaa!] [Uwooo!] ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Ketal, now standing in front of the roaring monsters, imbued his foot with mystery and stomped on the ground. The earth surged like a tsunami, swallowing the monsters whole. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 275: To the north (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 275: To the north (3) Rumble! The earth rose up, sweeping away the monsters. It wasn¡¯t just the surface that lifted¡ªit was the entire deep sediment of the earth rising. It was literally a tsunami of soil. "Uoooooo!" "Kaaaa!" The mighty monsters could not withstand it and were buried. They would never appear on the surface again. Buried deep in the ground, they would die, rot, and decay into oil. Hundreds of monsters were killed that way. "Wa-wait!" "Who are you!" The demons who had mocked the humans'' resolve flew in, panicked. One of them saw Ketal¡¯s face and gasped. "¡­Wait. You¡¯re¡ª!" Instead of listening to the demon''s words, Ketal lightly stepped forward, flew toward the demon, and clenched his fist. He gathered mystery into it and swung. Crack! A huge hole appeared in the demon¡¯s chest. "Guhhhh!" The demon spat blood. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It tried to raise its arm to counterattack with its trembling body. Ketal grabbed that arm, broke it, andnded a series of punches. The demon¡¯s body crumbled in an instant. It could not regenerate. It was banished back to hell. Ketal nodded in understanding. "A demon of this level dies if I hit it properly, huh." "You, you! That barbarian!" "You¡¯re next." [Yes, sir!] Ketal pulled out the broken holy sword. He ran toward the demon, who was backing away after recognizing Ketal''s true identity. He gripped the sword hilt tightly and struck downward. Crack! The demon¡¯s body was crushed. And it could not regenerate. With just one blow, it was banished to hell. Ketal smiled in satisfaction. "A demon of this level goes down in one hit. Good!" Using the broken holy sword was more efficient when dealing with demons with ordinary names. Ketal had figured that out. "Oh, ohhhh. The feeling of slicing through the flesh of a filthy demon. The sensation of fulfilling my duty. It feels so good!" "¡­It¡¯s noisy, though. That¡¯s a downside." But it was useful enough. Ketal moved his body in satisfaction. "U-ugh?" The monsters were confused. Moving by instinct alone, they realized something had gone terribly wrong. "Oops." But that thought didn¡¯tst long. Because Ketal began to crush them all to death with his movements. The monsters started screaming and fleeing. "¡­Wha-what?" "Huh?" From atop the fortress walls, knights and soldiers watched in dumbfounded silence. They had prepared for death. With desperate resolve, they had vowed to disappear with the kingdom. But then, suddenly, a single human appeared and ughtered all the creatures from hell. The knightmander, with a confused expression, asked Pasika, "Your Highness. Do you know him?" The knightmander had seen Ketal talking with Pasika. Pasika, who had been staring nkly, hurriedly collected his thoughts. He was not a fool. What was the best course of action for him in this situation? Quickly realizing it, Pasika shouted, "¡­He is a hero!" "What, what?" "He is a mighty hero, renowned throughout the continent, who hase to aid us! He has in countless demons and shattered every evil hand that reached thisnd! Such a man hase to help us!" "Oh, ooooooh!" "Now! Everyone! Follow the hero!" Pasika shouted boldly and led the charge. The knights and soldiers, who had been in shock, yelled and followed him. Morale soared to the heavens in an instant. "Uoooooo!" "Kaaaa!" The remnants of the monsters, already swept away by Ketal, were swiftly killed by the soldiers. The battle was quickly overturned. Crack! Ketal advanced through the waves of monsters. At the end of his path, he reached a massive hole. "What¡¯s this?" A wriggling, gtinous ck hole existed in the ground. When he tapped it with his finger, it reacted. The holy sword answered. [It¡¯s a passageway that connects the surface and hell.] "Oh?" Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. "So I can go, too?" The demon¡¯s world. Could he go to hell? But the holy sword dashed his hopes. [No? Only those who contain demonic energy, like demons and monsters, can pass through.] "Ah¡­ I see." [You seem disappointed, but my senses must be wrong, right?] Ketal smacked his lips instead of answering. "So how do we handle it?" [The passage itself is a type of monster. It¡¯s strong, but there¡¯s a limit to what it can withstand.] "Ah, got it." Ketal stomped down with force. Crack! Cracks spread instantly through the deep passage. The energy was transmitted to the core of the monster at the end. Boom! The passage exploded like a bursting balloon. The monsters crossing through it were obliterated along with the passage. "Is that it? That was simple." "It worked, but it¡¯s not supposed to be that easy..." The passage was a bridge connecting hell and the surface. Its importance made it incredibly sturdy¡ªable to withstand even magical carpet bombing. But it had shattered with a single stomp. The holy sword was in awe of Ketal¡¯s power all over again. "K-Ketal." Pasika, breaking through the remaining monsters, approached Ketal. Ketal casually spoke, "You can handle the rest, right?" "¡­Of course." The demons werepletely destroyed. Most of the monsters were crushed to death by Ketal. Even the passage to hell had been destroyed with a single blow. All that remained were the stragglers. They could easily be handled with their forces. "Then I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I have a long way to go." "You, you¡ª" Pasika stared at Ketal with a bewildered expression. "Who... are you?" Pasika didn''t know exactly who Ketal was. Seeing the head of the mercenary guild bow to him, and even the saintess of the sun god and the disciple of the tower master treating him with respect, Pasika quickly judged that this person was beyond his ability to handle and fled swiftly. Even though he had shouted that Ketal was a hero and a warrior to raise morale, it wasn''t something he truly believed. But now, what was this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°When we first met, you spoke to me about a certain rumor, didn''t you?¡± "Y-yes, I did." About a warrior said to exist across the continent. Someone who had in countless demons, saved the sanctuaries of the gods, and protected the sanctuary of the elves. ¡°Who do you think that person could be?¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Pasika, who had been silent for a moment, swallowed hard. "...You¡¯re saying... you¡¯re that protagonist?" "Well then, if we meet again someday, let¡¯s meet as friends." BOOM! Ketal leaped into the air. Pasika, watching his vanishing figure, let out a bitterugh. "...It was my fortune. A great fortune indeed." In the meantime, nearly all the monsters had been dealt with. Themander of the knights approached cautiously and asked. ¡°Who is he?¡± "His name is Ketal," Pasika replied, continuing. ¡°He is the one they call the hero across the continent.¡± ¡°O-oh... ohhh...¡± ¡°Ketal, sir!¡± The soldiers, who had been quietly listening in the background, began shouting Ketal¡¯s name. ¡°Ketal, sir! Thank you!¡± ¡°Ohhh, hero! Thank you for saving us!¡± The cries spread across the battlefield, even reaching into the castle. For a long time, the kingdom resounded with chants of Ketal''s name. * * * [This is surprising.] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± [That you¡¯re actively protecting the surface more than I expected.] Ketal hadn¡¯t just saved Pasika¡¯s kingdom. On his journey, he had witnessed numerous attacks by the forces of evil. He saw small viges overtaken and trade caravans under attack and in peril. And Ketal helped the people without fail every time. People rejoiced in his assistance, praising him as a benefactor. This was something the Holy Sword found quite unexpected. Ketal was an anomaly. He wasn¡¯t of this world. He was something from the distant Forbidden Land. Because of that, the Holy Sword had thought of Ketal as a neutral entity, standing between heaven and hell. Though he may have held some goodwill towards humans, it didn¡¯t seem like he would take sides. But judging by Ketal¡¯s actions, he was clearly on the side of humanity. ¡°I am not an evil being,¡± Ketal said calmly. He was aware that he was twisted in many ways. But that didn¡¯t mean he had given up on being human. He hade to this world as a human, and though he may be broken, he still held onto his essence. At least, that¡¯s how he saw it. ¡°Besides, demons are my enemies. There¡¯s no reason for me to let them continue tainting this world.¡± Demons were indeed Ketal''s enemies. After several shes, that much had be clear. There was no reason for him to stand idly by as they defiled thend. [Well... that¡¯s great. As a Holy Sword, it would have been ufortable to just watch evil unfold. I¡¯m d I¡¯ve found such a fine master.] The Holy Sword chirped cheerfully. Ketal chuckled softly and murmured. ¡°Still, things aren¡¯t looking good.¡± Over the past few days of traveling, he had encountered nearly ten attacks by the forces of evil. Some cities had already fallen before he could arrive. The surface world was undoubtedly in danger. Ketal tensed his legs. ¡°I need to move faster.¡± BOOM! He soared through the air. Ketal continued heading toward the north. Whenever he encountered a demonic invasion, he fought them off and helped the people. Gradually, more and more people began to recognize his name. And at the end of that journey... "...I see snow." White snow covered the ground in a thick nket. The once warm weather was growing colder. Ketal realized it. He had arrived in the North. * * * This was the North. Thend of the barbarians. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ketal gazed absentmindedly at the snow-coverednd. Memories he had been trying hard to forget began to surface. The Holy Sword, sensing something, asked curiously, [Why did you suddenly stop?] "...It''s nothing." Ketal shook his head and started walking. His footprints left marks in the freshly fallen snow. Ketal arrived at a vige in the North. ¡°This is the ce, right?¡± This was the vige where a disciple of the God of Swords was said to be staying to preach. Ketal entered the vige. Of course, there was no gatekeeper. No guards were patrolling. Buildings were haphazardly erected, as if without any nning. The ground was uneven, and despite the cold, a foul smell lingered in the air. Barbarians wandered about the vige. Whenever Ketal had walked among people before, he had always felt out of ce, like a mismatched puzzle piece forced into the wrong slot because of his massive frame and strange appearance. But here, it was different. Though Ketal stood a head taller than the other barbarians, he didn¡¯t seem out of ce among them. It was as if he had returned to where he belonged. And that fact made Ketal ufortable. He was not a barbarian. This was not the ce for him. "...Let''s find him." [Yes.] Sensing Ketal''s foul mood, the Holy Sword quietly kept an eye on him. Ketal walked through the vige. Before long, he found the building he was looking for. "...Oh, wow." Ketal looked at the building with a mix of awe and disappointment. The structure appeared as if it had been bombed. The walls were riddled with holes. The wooden nks were on the verge of copsing. If it weren''t for the symbol of the God of Swords hanging precariously above the entrance, Ketal might have mistaken it for an abandoned building. Inside, there was supposedly a disciple of the God of Swords. ¡®They said he was a gentle soul.¡¯ As he left the sacrednd, the followers of the sanctuary had wept and pleaded, praising this disciple¡¯s exceptional humanity. What kind of person could he be? Ketal was curious. Ketal approached the building and knocked on the door. Amotion erupted from within. ¡°You damn barbarian scum!¡± BAM! The door swung open as if it were about to break. A man, wearing a tattered disciple''s robe and sporting a wild beard, red at Ketal with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I told you! I told you! Don¡¯te here when I¡¯m trying to sleep! Listen to me for once! Pleeeease!¡± "...I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding." ¡°Shut up and die!¡± The man swung his sword wildly. Ketal, taken aback, casually grabbed the man''s de. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 276: To the North (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 276: To the North (4) ¡°Oh, really? You think you can take me?¡± The man twisted his face in anger. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for real!¡± Holy energy began to surge into the man''s other hand, clearly intent on smashing Ketal''s head with deadly intent. With a grim expression, Ketal grabbed the man''s hand. Now, Ketal firmly held both of the man''s arms, and the man thrashed wildly, trying to break free. ¡°You barbarian dog! Let go of me, damn it!¡± ¡®¡­Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the calm type?¡¯ The man''s eyes were wild, almost crazed. The holy sword muttered in curiosity. [Is he really a believer? He seems more like a madman. Could it be that Elia is so merciful that she even epts people like him as her followers?] ¡°Let go! I said let go!¡± The man struggled violently, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t in a state to listen to reason. After some brief hesitation, Ketal released his restraint on his aura. ¡°Calm down.¡± His words carried force, and his will filled the air. The man''s face instantly froze. ¡°W-What?¡± The overwhelming pressure was too much for his mind to handle, but it paradoxically brought him back to his senses. The madness in his eyes faded, reced by confusion. ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°Have you calmed down? I have no intention of harming you.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. ¡°Can you listen to what I have to say?¡± * * * Ketal managed to calm the man down and led him inside the building. They sat across from each other, and Ketal exined the situation. As the man listened, his expression gradually changed. ¡°Ah, I see. I¡¯m sorry. I misunderstood.¡± ¡°I understand. It seems like you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± ¡°These brutes don¡¯t understand a word I say. They¡¯re like damn beasts... No, no, this isn¡¯t the time to lose my cool.¡± The man took a deep breath, rubbing the dark circles under his eyes. ¡°My name¡¯s Darkul. I¡¯m a follower of the Sword God and a fool who volunteered toe to the North to preach to these damn barbarians.¡± ¡°I am Ketal.¡± ¡°Ketal, huh?¡± Darkul looked at Ketal with suspicion. ¡°¡­You look like a barbarian too, but you can actually talk, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an intelligent and reasonable person.¡± At that, Darkul grimaced, as if he¡¯d just seen a lion be a vegetarianpletely baffled. ¡°¡­Well, alright. If you say so.¡± Darkul said it like he epted the answer, but his expression showed he didn¡¯t believe it at all. He subtly moved further away from Ketal, still wary. Ketal couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his reaction. ¡®He¡¯s been through a lot, hasn¡¯t he?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, you said you were sent here by the holynd of Elia?¡± ¡°Yes. Here¡¯s the symbol and the letter.¡± Ketal handed over the items he received from the church. Darkul caressed the symbol fondly, his face filled with nostalgia. ¡°¡­Yeah, that¡¯s the real thing. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen this symbol.¡± After reading the letter, Darkul spoke again. ¡°You¡¯vee to help the North, huh? Makes sense. We¡¯ve been under constant attack from the demons, so we definitely need help.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Since he couldn¡¯t exin everything about the demons, Ketal gave a vague answer. Darkul nced at him subtly. Darkul was strong. He had the strength of an elite warrior. It was only natural for someone of his caliber toe to the North alone to lead the barbarians. Because of that, he could sense the surface level of Ketal¡¯s strength. ¡®Top-tier, first-ss.¡¯ He was just on the verge of reaching the superhuman level, a very powerful individual. ¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯ It was because Ketal had met many superhuman and hero-ss beings, but first-rate first-ss fighters were still considered quite formidable. Anyone at that level could easily be the captain of a kingdom¡¯s knight order. With that much power, Ketal would definitely be able to assist the North. Darkul reached this conclusion. ¡°Hm... I knew things were getting chaotic. I was already thinking about whether I should get involved or not.¡± Although Darkul hade to the North to preach, spreading the faith was no longer as important when evil was invading the world. As a follower of his god, he had a duty to fight against evil. The decision didn¡¯t take long. Darkul nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll join you. I know a lot about the North, and I¡¯ve got enough strength to be of help.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± Ketal smiled. Darkul asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? Do you have any specific ideas?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. Right now, he needed to gather information about the foreign entity that had infiltrated the North. He didn¡¯t know what kind of being it was or how deeply it had infiltrated the region. To find out, he needed to get a better understanding of the overall situation in the North. When Ketal exined this, Darkul thought for a moment beforeing to a conclusion. ¡°In that case, we should go see the king. The capital is the heart of the North, and all the information will flow through there.¡± ¡°Hmm? Can we really just meet the king like that?¡± Ketal asked with a puzzled expression. After all, a king was the highest authority, not someone you could just casually visit. But then Ketal realized something. ¡°Normally, no. But this is the North, remember?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, right.¡± Barbarians ruled the North. For them, status and rank meant nothing. Everything was proven through strength alone. And the king was no exception. Ketal clicked his tongue, realizing that he¡¯d momentarily forgotten the barbarian way of life during his short time away. ¡°With your level of power, it won¡¯t be hard to meet the king. You¡¯ll be able to learn everything about the situation in the North from him.¡± Darkul said casually. Ketal nodded. ¡°That sounds good.¡± The king of the North. A hero-ss warrior and the leader of the barbarians. And, someone who possessed knowledge andmon sense. Ketal was curious about what kind of person the king of the North was. Given that the king was once the chief of the barbarian tribes, his curiosity was even stronger. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] There was no reason to refuse. ¡°The capital is about... if we move quickly, around a month¡¯s journey from here.¡± ¡°A month, huh. I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± Ketal smiled and extended his hand. Darkul grasped it and shook. At least a month. Whether that was a short or long time, Ketal and Darkul would be traveling together. And for an enjoyable journey, it was important to know more about yourpanion. With a curious look, Ketal asked, ¡°When I was told about you at the holynd, they said you were a very calm person.¡± But here, things werepletely different. Without any warning, he attacked, trying to kill Ketal. The house was half-destroyed, practically in ruins. Darkul¡¯s face twisted with frustration. "There¡¯s a reason. I wasn''t like this from the start. Damn barbari¡ª" His words were cut off. Because the wall copsed. Boom! The already damaged wall, which had a hole punched through it, crumbledpletely. A barbarian appeared with a heartyugh. "Darkul! I¡¯m here! This time, I¡¯ll defeat you and im the glory!" "Argh!" Darkul lunged at him in a fit, kicking the barbarian and smashing him into the ground. "I told you! I told you toe through the door! Don¡¯t break the walls! Do you know how much I''ve had to shiver in this freezing north because of you bastards?!" "Argh!" Darkul stomped on the barbarian, grinding him into the floor. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the air. Breathing heavily, Darkul threw the limp barbarian outside. "Ugh. Damn bastards. Now, where was I¡ª" Boom! "I¡¯ve arrived, Darkul! This time, I will defeat you and erase the shame of my past failures!" "Argh!" Darkul sprang up again in a fit. * * * It kept happening over and over again. Barbarians would smash through the walls or ceiling, challenging Darkul to a duel. And Darkul, in a rage, would break their limbs and throw them out. After fending off fifteen barbarians, things finally quieted down. "My house..." Darkul looked around with a hopeless expression. His house, already near ruin, was nowpletely destroyed. The walls and ceiling had copsed, leaving it little different from the outside. Ketal asked, with a perplexed look on his face. "...What¡¯s going on?" "Ugh. Barbarians. Damn those bastards." Darkul ground his teeth as he spoke, practically spitting out his words. He hade to the north for missionary work. Naturally, the barbarians had resisted. To them, who despised and denied gods, Darkul¡¯s presence was uneptable. So they tried to kill him. Darkul had expected this. Calmly, he subdued all the barbarians that came at him with his superior strength. For someone of his caliber, it wasn¡¯t a difficult task. And he said to them, gently: ¡°I am here to teach you. If you want to break my will, you must defeat me with strength.¡± His goal was to gradually convert the barbarians through these long battles. But that was his misjudgment. "I shouldn¡¯t have said that." Darkul gritted his teeth. Upon hearing his words, the barbarians made it their mission to defeat him. That much was fine. It was what Darkul had intended, after all. In fact, he weed it. But the problem was that those damn barbarians never rested. Whether he was eating, resting, sleeping, or even when he was doing his business, they attacked him 24/7 without regard. Rather than telling him toe out of the house, they preferred to smash through the walls. Darkul desperately tried to reason with them. He begged them to set specific times for their fights. He even asked them not to destroy his house, promising he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. He tried to find apromise. But the barbarians didn¡¯t listen. At first, he endured it somehow, but even he had his limits. Darkul couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and began breaking their bones. But with their monstrous vitality, they healed in just a few days and attacked him again. This constant cycle gradually wore down Darkul¡¯s nerves. The once-gentle Darkul became increasingly ferocious. "Those damn barbarians. I can¡¯t even kill them because I¡¯m an outsider. My only respite is when I beat them to a pulp and throw them out. That''s the only time I get to rest." "...Do they leave once they¡¯re defeated?" "Huh? Of course, that¡¯s a given, isn¡¯t it?" "..." The barbarians Ketal knew would keeping until they died. If they couldn¡¯t move, they would crawl and try to bite with their teeth. Ketal¡¯s expression darkened. Suppressing his emotions, he consoled Darkul. "You¡¯ve been through a lot." "But it¡¯s over now!" Darkul grinned. He had wanted to flee, but couldn¡¯t because of his missionary duties. Running away first would have meant failure. But now he had a reason to leave. Whatever Ketal said, Darkul had no intention of staying from the beginning.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Now, let¡¯s raise a toast! A toast! I was saving this drink for when I seeded in converting a barbarian, but it¡¯s good enough for now!" "A toast. Sounds good." Ketal drank with Darkul. They had an open conversation, and most of Darkul¡¯s words wereints about the barbarians. Ketal nodded in agreement to all of it. As a result, Darkul¡¯s view of Ketal filled with affection. "You¡¯re a good guy! Honestly, when I first met you, I thought you were a barbarian and we wouldn¡¯t get along!" "I¡¯ve suffered enough from those barbarians too, so I understand how you feel." "Yeah! Right? Those damn barbarians!" Darkul enthusiastically continued. "They bring me tiny animal hides or teeth, acting like they¡¯re something great and demanding a duel! Was it the same for you?" "No. They offered to give me their heart if I beat them. And when they lost, they actually ripped their heart out and gave it to me. It¡¯s a pain, so I still have it stored in a corner." "...Still, at least they asked for the duel respectfully, right? Unlike me, where they smash up my house and attack with no sense of decency." "They tried to move into my house. Literally to fight me 24/7. I got fed up and turned their leg bones to dust and threw them outside. They crawled back three dayster." "..." Darkul¡¯s face filled with sympathy for Ketal. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 277: To the North (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 277: To the North (5) Darkul and Ketal drank through the night, talking withplete honesty. Darkul vented all the frustrations that had piled up over time, and Ketal listened with empathy. Surprisingly, Ketal found the experience more enjoyable than expected. Darkul, like Ketal, had lived among the barbarians and experienced their ignorance firsthand. Though different in some ways, they shared a simr temperament. It was deeply satisfying to share grievances about those fools with someone who understood. The two of them continued to talk, mocking the barbarians, until the sun rose. By early morning, Darkul had finished preparing to leave. "Alright, Ketal, let''s go." There was warmth in Darkul''s eyes as he looked at Ketal, filled with camaraderie. Having suffered through the barbarian lifestyle together, a strong bond of friendship had formed between them. Once they were ready, they left the vige, only for the barbarians to wail. "Don''t go!" "My master! Please don''t leave!" The barbarians genuinely believed Darkul to be their master. They tried to follow him, but it was impossible due to the fact that many had broken bones from their training. As Darkul left the vige, he raised his middle finger. "Hahaha! Farewell, you pathetic fools! Let''s never see each other again!" It was a strange scene where the ones leaving shouted never to meet again, while those left behind cried out for them to stay. The barbarians, sprawled on the ground, called out with all their strength: "One day, we wille for you and defeat you! Wait for us!" "If you can, thene!" Darkul shouted loudly, turning away with a grin. He walked off with a light step. "Ah, how refreshing! I''m so happy! I should have done this ages ago!" "That''s great, but... was it really okay to say something like that at the end?" ¡® Ketal asked. Darkul had told them, "If you can,e." In a way, he had given them permission. "There''s no way they cane," Darkul said nonchntly. "The Sanctuary of Swords is really far from here. Do you think those ignorant fools could cross the continent and reach it? Absolutely impossible." Darkul spoke with confidence, but Ketal had a doubtful expression. "...Do you really think so?" In Ketal''s experience, barbarians were not the type to give up easily. Not a metaphor¡ªbarbarians really would follow you until death. That was why, when Ketal had to leave them behind, he made sure to crush them first utterly. "Hmm." Even if a problem did arise, it would be Darkul¡¯s to deal with, Ketal thought, clearing his mind. "Have you ever met the King of the Barbarians?" Ketal asked as they walked. Darkul shook his head. "I don''t know. I''ve never seen him, but I''ve heard stories." "What kind of person is he?" Ketal was curious about the man leading the mindless barbarians. Having once been their chief himself, Ketal wondered how such a leader would manage. "They say he''s someone like you," Darkul replied. "Like me?" "Yeah, someone rational and easy tomunicate with. They say he''s more of a schr than a barbarian." It wasn''t unheard of for a barbarian like that to exist. Maybe one in a thousand could actually hold a normal conversation. But most of them were rejected by their own society, unable to adapt to the barbarian way of life, and eventually fled. But the King of the Barbarians was different. He had power. A tremendous power. The kind of power that could unify the entire North. "He''s a mighty hero-ss warrior. Before he became king, the North was even more of a mess." The barbarians, uncontrolled, did whatever they pleased, raiding passing merchant caravans, ughtering them, and stealing their goods. They would even raid nearby territories for food. The barbarian tribes were nearly at war with the continent. But when the King of the Barbarians emerged, everything changed. With his overwhelming strength, he set boundaries and established rules for the barbarians. Of course, most barbarians didn''t follow others¡¯ words, but the king crushed all resistance with sheer force. Following the survival of the fittest, the barbarians followed the king''smands, even if only slightly. As a result, the chaos caused by the barbarians diminished somewhat. "Though it''s still a mess, it''s better than it used to be." "Hmm, I see," Ketal said with interest. He found it quite fascinating. In a way, the king was simr to him. Ketal, too, had once tried to socialize the brutish barbarians by using his strength to forcepliance. Even though he had never met the king, a sense of kinship welled up in him. "I¡¯d like to meet him one day." "You''ll probably see him in about a month. Anyway, it''s time to stay alert. We should always be ready forbat." "Combat? Why?" Ketal looked puzzled. Was there going to be a barbarian attack? It didn¡¯t take long before he found out why. [Uaaargh!] [Kyaaargh!] As they were walking, monsters suddenly rushed at them. It was a group of orcs. "They''re here," Darkul grimaced, gripping his sword. Divine energy began to infuse his de. He swung his sword ferociously, sending a wave of holy energy toward the orcs, who fell with screams. "Monsters on the road?" Ketal muttered in annoyance. "Why?" "Do you know how dungeons work?" Darkul asked. "Yes." Dungeons naturally formed near popted areas, and if they weren''t cleared within a certain period, the monsters inside would spill out. That was why mercenaries regrly clear dungeons near viges or cities. Ketal understood, and nodded as things became clearer. "Are they deliberately leaving dungeons unchecked?" "Exactly. The logic being that if there¡¯s no danger on the journey, it¡¯s not a real adventure. The king tried to have the dungeons dealt with, but there was too much opposition, so he gave up." Darkul clicked his tongue. "Absolute lunatics. One in ten people get killed by monsters while traveling, yet they refuse to take any precautions." And now, Ketal and Darkul were paying the price for that negligence. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Who knows how many dungeons had been left alone, because monsters were pouring out every hour, disrupting their journey. It was getting to be too much. Ketal clicked his tongue in frustration. ''This is getting annoying.'' Even though it was the North, this was still a fantasy world¡ªhe had wanted to enjoy his travels. But with monsters appearing so frequently, it was bing tedious. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Worse yet, all these monsters were ones he had fought before, so it wasn''t even exciting. Ketal began to consider whether it might be worth just speeding up and getting to their destination. Perhaps mistaking Ketal''s irritation for concern about the monsters, Darkul reassured him. "Don''t worry too much. You''ll start seeing it soon enough." "Seeing what?" "No matter how ignorant the barbarians are, they''re not so foolish as to go through this monster field alone. We just need to hold out until then." * * * And just as Darkul said, it wasn''t long before arge group appeared. Dozens of people gathered closely together. As they approached, one of the barbarians asked, "Who are you?" "We''re travelers from the north, heading to meet the king." "Hmm! Our destination is the same! Wee!" There was no need for any confirmation of identity. With just three exchanges of dialogue, they joined the barbarian group. Ketal murmured, as if understanding, "A group headed for the same destination, huh." "That''s how it is in the north. If you''re heading the same way, you just join forces. No need to struggle alone. We just follow them. These guys like to show off their strength, so they''ll handle any monsters that show up." They joined the barbarians and continued toward the king. Among them, Ketal blended in without much difficulty. Though he was a bitrger than the average barbarian, it wasn''t to an extreme degree. The barbarians only nced at him briefly without showing much interest. This stirred an odd feeling within Ketal. He stared at the barbarians in silence. [You have a strange look on your face. Like a rich man eating poor porridge he hasn''t tasted in years.] "And where did you pick up thatparison?" [I learned it from one of the fairy tales I was given knowledge of. I used to pass the time daydreaming.] "Well... it has been a long time." In the white snowy fields, he marched alongside the barbarians. Time on this world moved so swiftly it was barely a moment inparison to the near-eternal time he had spent. No matter how much he tried to forget, it was impossible. Whether he hated it or missed it, there was a deep sense of love and hate entwined in his heart. ''Not that I''d ever think of going back, though.'' Ketal calmly joined the group of barbarians. They moved forward. Though monsters asionally appeared, they were swiftly torn apart by the sheer force of numbers. The barbarians, eager to prove themselves in battle, rushed ahead at the sight of monsters, leaving no issue for the others. And that night. They found a suitable spot and began preparing to sleep, snacking lightly on jerky. But soon, amotion broke out. "Woaaaah!" "Fight! Fight!" The barbarians were circling around, continuously shouting. Darkul exined, "Barbarians always want to prove that they''re the strongest." "A duel, then. To decide the leader of the group?" "The strongest has the right to lead the group. No need to worry. It won''t affect us as long as we have the same destination. Or do you want to join in?" Darkul asked Ketal. "I feel like you could win easily." Darkul assessed Ketal''s strength as first-rate. He was the strongest among the barbarians here. If he wanted, Ketal could be the leader of the group. Ketal shook his head. "Not interested." He''d had more than enough of that in the past. He had no desire to continue it now that he was outside. Darkul looked surprised at his response. ¡®He''s definitely an odd one.¡¯ While Ketal was clearly different from an average barbarian, Darkul hadn''t expected him tock interest in proving his strength. The more he observed Ketal, the more favorable his impression became. The barbarians'' fight was too loud to sleep through, so they ended up watching the fight absentmindedly. Ketal muttered, "His axe broke." "Looks like the opponent is stronger." "His arm is broken." "That''s the price of refusing to admit defeat and charging in." "He''s vomiting blood." "His internal organs must be damaged. He''ll need to rest for a while. These brutes." Darkul clicked his tongue in disdain at the barbarians'' ignorance. But Ketal felt something different. That was a duel. A struggle to prove one''s strength. Yet, they weren''t trying to kill each other. They were holding back. Which made perfect sense. They wanted to lead the group, not kill its members. Even these brutes had enough sense for that. ''Hmm...'' But this left Ketal feeling oddly dissatisfied. ''If it''s truly a duel...'' Shouldn''t they be fighting with the intent to kill? Shouldn''t they be severing limbs, crushing skulls, demonstrating overwhelming power and forcing their opponents to submit? Ending it with a broken weapon and a few fractured bones? That seemed more like a training exercise for children than a real duel. ''The kids in my tribe would''ve scoffed at this, calling it a pathetic excuse for a duel.'' Ketal clicked his tongue. Though he didn''t realize it himself, his gaze held the same feelings an old man might have when looking at the younger generation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 278: The Barbarian Tribe (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 278: The Barbarian Tribe (1) Ketal, who had been watching the barbarians¡¯ duel with cold eyes, suddenly snapped out of his daze. ¡®No. No!¡¯ He was disgusted with himself for watching the duel with disappointment, expecting them to kill each other. What kind of barbaric, old-fashioned mindset was this? Duels shouldn''t involve killing. If they did, that would just be madness. Ketal quickly corrected his thoughts. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ He realized, to his dismay, that he had been assimting with these insane barbarians without even knowing it. The thought deeply depressed him, and he hung his head low. Darkul, seeing Ketal suddenly fall into gloom, was taken aback. In any case, the duel soon ended. One barbarian shattered the opponent¡¯s weapon and broke their arm. "Uwaaaaa!" With a triumphant shout, he raised his axe high. "I''m the leader! If anyone has a problem with that,e forward now!" No one stepped up. They all respected and acknowledged the strength the barbarian had demonstrated. That was how the new leader of the tribe was decided. Neither Darkul nor Ketal cared much about this. Their goal was to meet the king, so who became the leader of this group didn¡¯t matter. They simply watched, unconcerned. Ordinarily, this would have been the end of it. Barbarians determined their leaders throughbat. It was a system akin to that of wild animals. And in such a hierarchy, the leader held immense power. Rewards, like food, were entirely theirs. The tribe members could hardly im anything as their own without the leader''s permission. Thus, problems soon arose. Ketal always carried a ck axe. The axe had a pitch-ck gemstone embedded in its handle and various engravings. The de was wless, without a single scratch. It was obvious at a nce that it was valuable. Naturally, the leader¡¯s eyes fell on the axe. The leader approached, eyes gleaming. "Hey, you!" "What is it?" "That weapon!" The leader pointed at the axe hanging from Ketal¡¯s waist. "Looks nice! Hand it over!" The Holy Sword at Ketal''s waist muttered in surprise. [...Oh, is he talking about me? Ah, I see. Even though I¡¯m broken, I¡¯m still a Holy Sword. The aura I emit is palpable to anyone, even a barbarian. He may be crude, but he has a discerning eye.] "I don¡¯t need the broken sword! Give me the axe!" [What an ignorant barbarian! Show him his ce, master!] The Holy Sword fumed. Ignoring it, Ketal spoke. "This is mine. I have no intention of giving it to you." "You dare!" The leader¡¯s face twisted in anger. "You dare resist the leader! Do you want to die?" The leader pulled out his axe. Ketal watched with mild curiosity. ¡®This is a first.¡¯ He had always been a chief, a mediator, not someone who was ordered to hand over his possessions. This role reversal was new to him, and he found it refreshing. The leader¡¯s face contorted further at Ketal''s calm demeanor. "Why are you just standing there? Are you mocking me? Do you really want to die?" "Hmm." Ketal''s eyes grew cold. Just as he was about to make a move¡ª "Ketal, leave this one to me." Darkul stepped forward, gripping his sword. "It¡¯s time to teach this barbarian his ce." There was a hint of madness in Darkul''s eyes. He had been dealing with barbarians for over half a year, beating them down every single day. Unbeknownst to him, he had be addicted to beating barbarians. There was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity. Ketal stepped back. "Do as you wish." "You dare challenge me, the leader! I¡¯ll kill you!" "Haha, you barbarian fool. Let¡¯s see you try." Both Darkul and the leader drew their weapons. The battle began. The sh of des rang out loudly, and the surrounding barbarians cheered. Darkul was confident. The aura he sensed from the leader was that of a lower-tier first-rate, clearly beneath him. Having learned swordsmanship in the Holy Land, he had no doubt he would win. But the actual battle didn¡¯t go as expected. "Ugh... Hmm." Slowly but surely, Darkul began to lose ground. He had little experience fighting those on his level or stronger. While he had been beating down barbarians in the vige, none of them had even reached the first-rate. This opponent was different. He was of the same rank as Darkul, with far more experience in life-and-deathbat. His instincts and skills far surpassed Darkul¡¯s. "Grrr!" As a result, Darkul''s defeat was bing clear. "You dare challenge me, the leader! I¡¯ll show you the might of a true leader!" The leader roared furiously. "I¡¯ll kill you!" He swung his axe down. Darkul, gritting his teeth, raised his sword. But with his trembling arms, it seemed unlikely he would be able to block the strike. At that moment, Ketal intervened. "That¡¯s enough." "Wha¡ªwhat!" Ketal had somehow stepped in and grabbed the leader¡¯s arm. The leader struggled to break free, but Ketal didn¡¯t budge. Ketal pushed the leader back with a slight squeeze, causing him to stumble. "From here on, I¡¯ll handle this." "My apologies, Ketal..." "No need to worry." Ketal smiled softly. "Leader, I know you desire my axe. If you defeat me, I will hand it over to you, as per thew of the strong." "...V-Very well. You¡¯ve made a wise choice!" The leader, trying to hide his nervousness, got back to his feet. But there was confusion in his eyes as he looked at Ketal. When Ketal had grabbed his arm earlier, it had felt like his arm was caught between two boulders. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t move it. The barbarian in front was dangerous. The leader¡¯s instincts warned him. ¡®¡­But I can win!¡¯ The leader tried to ignore his instincts, gripping the axe tightly in his hand. ¡°Die!¡± He rushed forward, swinging the axe down with the strength to split logs and shatter rocks. And Ketal simply raised his hand lightly. Using just two fingers, he caught the tip of the axe de. The axe, which had beening down as if to split his head, suddenly stopped with a thud. The leader''s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal''s fist struck the leader in the chest. The leader¡¯s body bounced away like a billiard ball. The leadery sprawled on the ground, twitching slightly but unable to move. He had fainted. With just one strike, the group¡¯s leader was defeated. The overwhelming disy of power silenced the crowd. Ketal calmly returned to his ce. ¡°...He¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡± Darkul muttered in shock. He had thought Ketal¡¯s strength was at the pinnacle of mastery because of his mystery. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But Ketal had just knocked out a top-level barbarian leader without even using any of that mystery. ¡°Looks like what you see isn¡¯t everything. Anyway, there¡¯s no need to worry about him anymore. It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s get some sleep.¡± ¡°Y-yeah, got it.¡± In the silence, the night passed. And the next day. Ketal woke up early in the morning. He hadn¡¯t fallen asleep out of need, but simply because there was nothing else to do. When Ketal awoke, he frowned. ¡°...What is this?¡± ¡°Have you woken up, sir!¡± The leader shouted loudly, bowing deeply, as if he were a servant. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The leader looked confused by Ketal¡¯s question. ¡°You defeated me.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± At that moment, Ketal realized. The hierarchy among barbarians was clear. The one who won a duel became the leader of the group. And Ketal had defeated the previous leader. Naturally, that meant he had be the new leader. ¡®I¡¯d forgotten, it¡¯s been so long.¡¯ The same rules applied even in the white snowy ins. But ever since Ketal had be the chieftain, he had never been defeated. At first, there were a few who challenged him for the position, but after a while, the duels were only held to prove one¡¯s own strength. Because of this, Ketal had half-forgotten about the rules. The barbarian, who had been the leader, knelt downpletely. ¡°Please take care of us, our leader!¡± * * * The arrogance from before was nowhere to be seen. The barbarian hadpletely submitted to Ketal. If Ketal demanded everything they had, they would hand it over without hesitation. That was the barbarian way of hierarchy. Ketal squinted. He was about to refuse, but then he hesitated, as if changing his mind. ¡°...Alright.¡± Even if he refused, the barbarians wouldn¡¯t ept it. They would continue to follow him, calling him their leader, no matter what. Ketal had experienced this all too often in the white snowy ins. So, he concluded that it was best just to ignore it. Ketal had be the leader of the group. But that didn¡¯t mean much had changed. Their goal was still to meet the king. The only difference was that people treated him with more respect now. Darkul actually seemed to enjoy the new arrangement, finding it morefortable. They continued moving forward. Other groups with the same goal kept joining them. And the leaders of those groups shouted at Ketal: ¡°Are you the leader of this group? Let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll force you!¡± They would charge at him with weapons in hand. Ketal sighed and snapped his fingers. With a single strike, they would all be knocked out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A few hourster, the former leaders would wake up and shout joyfully: ¡°I acknowledge you as our leader!¡± The group kept growingrger. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡®This is annoying.¡¯ They kept calling him their leader and tried to follow him. To be honest, it was irritating. The holy sword, noticing Ketal¡¯sints, spoke curiously. [You seem quite dissatisfied, yet you¡¯re not leaving. If you hate it so much, why don¡¯t you just throw everything away and run? Or simply say you lost a fight to someone else?] At those words, Ketal paused. ¡®...Oh.¡¯ Now that he thought about it, the holy sword was right. There was no reason for him to stay here. If he wanted to leave, he could at any time. If being the leader was such a hassle, all he had to do was im defeat in the next duel, and that would be the end of it. Yet that thought hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind. It was as if leading these people was some sort of duty he had to bear. As Ketal pondered why, he realized something. ¡®The white snowy ins.¡¯ It was because of his experiences there. He had led the barbarians as their chieftain for an incredibly long time¡ªso long it was pointless to count. It had be a part of his life. That was why, even after leaving the snowy ins, he unconsciously believed that leading the barbarians was his duty and responsibility. Ketal shuddered. ¡®How could this be?!¡¯ He had already been broken by that ce! Ketalmented deeply. [Are you going to leave now? With your power, you could take Darkul and just leave them behind. They can fend for themselves.] ¡°You sound upset.¡± [Upset? Me? How could I be? I don¡¯t care to stay with those foolish barbarians who don¡¯t recognize my value, but I¡¯m not upset. I¡¯m just being reasonable.] ¡°I see.¡± The holy sword¡¯s argument was logical. He had no obligation to bear the burden of these people. But. Ketal looked at the barbarians. The way they looked at him was the way one looked at a leader. They were gazing at him as someone who would guide them. It was a gaze Ketal was all too familiar with. ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll stay.¡± This was not the white snowy ins. It wasn¡¯t the same as before. He couldn¡¯t remain buried in the memories of the white snowy ins forever. Ketal decided to ept his situation. ¡®I¡¯ll think of it as trauma therapy.¡¯ Ketal epted the role of leader. More and more barbarians continued to join, and soon, the group exceeded a hundred members. The group of barbarians, believing Ketal to be their leader, continued moving towards the northern king¡¯s stronghold. And the way they looked at Ketal was the way one looked at an ordinary leader. It was natural. While Ketal had disyed his strength, it was still within their understanding. They had no reason to feel anything beyond trust in him as their leader. But soon, events unfolded. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 279: The Barbarian Tribe (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 278: The Barbarian Tribe (2) They continued to march forward. They advanced across the snow-covered ins. Then, suddenly, the ground trembled. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± ¡°Is it an earthquake?¡± But soon they realized it wasn¡¯t an earthquake. The tremor wasing from one direction. Boom! The ground cracked open, revealing a monster. Its massive body rose high into the sky. Darkul was shocked. ¡°A Giant Worm!¡± A massive worm-like creature, it was a well-known monster even to Darkul. It was the boss of an AAA-level dungeon, a monster only a superhuman could face. ¡°No way, why is something like that just wandering around!¡± Darkul screamed in terror. The Giant Worm slithered across the ground, using its massive body to encircle the barbarians. Its movements were clearly hostile and full of murderous intent. ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± Darkul¡¯s face turned pale. The barbarians present were not weak. Some first-rate fighters were among them, with most being second- or third-rate. But the Giant Worm was a monster with superhuman strength, far beyond their reach. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely unbeatable. There was Ketal, who had defeated a first-rate fighter in a single blow. With his power, he could face the Giant Worm. However, the battle¡¯s aftermath would likely kill most of the others. Darkul quickly began thinking. ¡°We need to form a formation. Everyone¡­¡± ¡°Waaaahhh!¡± But Darkul''s intentions were not fulfilled. The barbarians, shouting battle cries, charged at the Giant Worm. Dumbfounded, Darkul roared in frustration. ¡°¡­These idiots!¡± ¡°Kill the monster!¡± ¡°Kill the enemy blocking our way!¡± The barbarians grabbed their weapons and rushed in. As if mocking them, the Giant Worm roared and charged at them. [Wooooooo!] Boom! Boom! Boom! The ins shook. The giant worm charged towards the barbarians, and most of them would be crushed. The barbarians knew that as well. But they didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, they weed death and charged forward. ¡°Death is!¡± ¡°Let death wee us!¡± And then¡ª Crack. Ketal took a step forward, quickly passing by the barbarians. ¡°I don¡¯t really like this, but I am the leader for now. I can¡¯t let them die.¡± He charged at the Giant Worm. Clenching his fist, he swung it straight at the worm¡¯s open mouth. Boom! The Giant Worm, which had been slithering across the ground without stopping, suddenly halted. The earth shook, and the charging barbarians fell over. ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± And so, they saw it. The body of the Giant Worm, which had been struck by Ketal¡¯s fist, began to swell. Like pus expanding in a decaying corpse, it grewrger. Finally, unable to withstand the pressure, it exploded. Boom! Blood and flesh rained down. The Giant Worm,rge enough to fill a mountain, a monster with superhuman strength, had burst in a single blow. Amidst the rain of flesh, Ketal lightly dusted off his hands. ¡°It¡¯s over. Keep moving.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The barbarians stared nkly at Ketal. And simr incidents continued to ur. Huge obstacles appeared before the advancing group. ¡°A mountain is lying in our way?¡± ¡°It looks like andslide happened.¡± It wasn¡¯t an ordinaryndslide. Half the mountain had copsed. It would take years to clear the debris and restore the path. The barbarians were strong and believed in their own strength without doubt, but even they acknowledged one thing. Nature. The power of nature was beyond human reach. Because of this, the barbarians revered and worshipped nature. If they believed in anything, it was nature itself. Thus, the barbarians were about to seek an alternate path. It wasn¡¯t a big problem, as they only needed to take a small detour. Then, Ketal noticed people digging at the foot of the copsed mountain. ¡°Ahh. Ahhh. Please. Please¡­¡± They were frantically clearing the debris with faces on the verge of tears. Darkul muttered knowingly. ¡°Judging by their attire, they¡¯re merchants.¡± ¡°Are there merchants even in the North?¡± ¡°Actually, it''s because it¡¯s the North that they can make a big profit. Some people risk their lives for that kind of trade. It looks like they barely survived, but their goods are all buried under thendslide.¡± Darkul muttered with a pitying expression, but there was nothing they could do. Clearing the copsed mountain was impossible. The merchants were desperately trying to clear the rubble, but it was futile. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal, watching them for a moment, took a step forward. ¡°Huh? Ketal?¡± The merchants, still unaware of Ketal¡¯s approach, continued to dig desperately. ¡°No, no. No, please. If we lose this, we¡¯re ruined. We¡¯ll all starve to death.¡± ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal pushed the tearful merchants aside. The barbarians were puzzled. ¡°Leader? What are you doing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot here. Sorry, but some of your goods might fly away. I ask for your understanding.¡± ¡°H-huh? What?¡± The merchants were bewildered. From their perspective, a barbarian had suddenly pushed them aside and was now standing in front of the mountain. ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ Were they about to be hit for crying too much? The merchants unknowingly flinched. Ignoring them, Ketal clenched his fist and took a step. The ground cracked with just that movement. He gathered his strength and swung his fist. Boom! ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± The merchants were thrown to the ground. Even the barbarians couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and rolled on the ground. As they staggered to their feet, they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. The mountain, which had been half-copsed and blocking the path, had disappeared without a trace. ¡°¡­W-what.¡± ¡°What¡­ is this¡­¡± The mighty force of nature had been erased by the hand of a single human. Darkul¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment. Amidst the gasps and awe, Ketal calmly walked forward. He pulled out the goods that had been buried under the mountain. ¡°Here you go. I cleared most of it, so you should be able to find the rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone except Ketal stared at him, dumbfounded. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± ¡°Really, thank you!¡± The merchants, their voices full of tears, kept thanking Ketal over and over. Although they had only recovered half of their goods, that itself was a miracle. The merchants, who had been on the brink of hanging themselves with their families, kept expressing their gratitude until Ketal¡¯s group disappeared from sight. The barbarian group continued walking along the path that Ketal had cleared by destroying the mountain. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re really strong, aren¡¯t you?¡± Finally recovering from the shock, Darkul muttered with a groan. The Holy Sword boasted. [How is it? This is the power of the one who wields me. Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Astonishing, isn¡¯t it?] ¡°Quiet.¡± [Yes.] ¡°Huh? Were you talking to me?¡± ¡°No. Just talking to myself.¡± Ketal quietly responded while holding the Holy Sword. "Not exactly weak." "You seem far beyond that level..." The half-copsed mountain had disappeared. Darkul had never seen a hero-ss warrior before. But instinctively, he could tell. Ketal possessed that level of power. Darkul let out a hollowugh. "Hah, ha... Wow. To think I''m acquainted with someone like this. It''s the luck of a lifetime." Though he was astonished by Ketal¡¯s strength, Darkul wasn¡¯t afraid, knowing what kind of person Ketal was. Ketal smiled softly. "Take care of me from now on." "Same here. When I return, I''ll have something to boast about." In front of them was a half-frozenke blocking their path. Launching a boat was impossible, but crossing with such arge group was also dangerous. Then, Ketal stepped onto theke. Thoom! Ripples spread across the entireke. The ice shattered all at once, breaking into tiny pieces, creating a state where boats could pass through. "Launch the boat. Let''s cross." "...Oh. O-Okay..." * * * "Oh, oh..." "Ketal, the mighty warrior..." The barbarians muttered to themselves. Ketal had previously disyed the strength to take down a first-rate warrior in a single blow. But that was within their realm of understanding. It was impressive, but not beyondprehension. The barbarians followed Ketal as a leader, but that was it. No more emotions beyond that. However, the power he had shown afterward was different. Shattering a giant worm in a single strike, blowing away a copsed mountain, and breaking a frozenke. It was power beyond the barbarians''prehension. They revered strength. They believed without a doubt that strength was everything. And so, their view of Ketal began to change. "Ooooh!" "Ketal!" "Great! Mighty warrior!" The barbarians roared Ketal''s name. He was no longer just a leader; they began to think of him as the king they should follow. Naturally, they reached one conclusion. Thew of the North. The survival of the strongest. Why is a king a king?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Simple. Because he has made every barbarian submit. "Ooooooooh!" "You are our king! The one who shall be our king!" Why was Ketal going to meet the king? To challenge the king! The rumor spread like wildfire among the barbarians. Soon, it became an established fact that Ketal was challenging the king to be the new ruler. Even Darkul was surprised enough to ask. "Ketal, are you trying to be the king of the barbarians?" "Not a chance." Ketal immediately denied it. "I wouldn¡¯t take that position even if it were offered." "Ah, I thought so." "If you''re asking, then the rumor must have already spread throughout the group." "Yeah, yeah. They''re all excited, talking about how you''re going to challenge our king." [Are you going to be the king of the barbarians? There''s no need for that... Hmm... But if you did be the king, people would be puzzled by me, the broken sword you''re carrying around. They would wonder what I am. They would be in awe of me. That''s nice. Let''s be king!] "Quiet." [Yes.] The Holy Sword fell silent. Ketal stroked his chin. "I don¡¯t really want to be king, but..." ¡®I do want to fight him.¡¯ The king of the North. What kind of power did the hero-ss barbarian possess? Ketal was curious, so he had originally nned to challenge him. But looking at the current situation, that seemed difficult now. Ketal asked with a vague expression. "If I refuse, how will they react?" "Well... they won''t take it quietly." Everyone was convinced that Ketal would fight the king. If he didn¡¯t, their expectations would turn into disappointment. And they would express that disappointment through action. At least from their perspective, things wouldn¡¯t end well. "I''vee up with a good idea." After pondering for a moment, Ketal smiled. "You don''t need to worry. I''ll take care of it." "...Is it really a good idea?" "It is." "Mm, alright." Darkul backed off with a worried expression. Ketal then asked the barbarian leader. "What kind of person is the king of the North?" "You''re interested!" The barbarian, thinking Ketal was showing interest in his opponent, excitedly exined. "He possesses the strength worthy of being our king! The king himself dered that he would be our ruler and for one hundred days, all the barbarians of the North came to challenge his strength. And during that time, the king never lost once and proved his power!" For one hundred days, the king stood in one ce, never backing down, and faced all challengers. "He is incredibly strong. He has more than enough qualifications to be our king." The barbarian clicked his tongue in disappointment. "But there is one w. He''s a coward." ''He¡¯s cautious.'' "He tries to control us. He keeps telling us not to do this or that. Honestly, it''s annoying." ''He made you follow rules.'' "He''s more like the cowards from outside." ''He''s a reasonable person.'' Ketal interpreted the barbarian''s words in his own way. "Honestly, we have a lot ofints. Since he became king, there have been all kinds of restrictions on our actions. But... despite that, he is the king." For one reason. Because he was strong enough to suppress all of theirints. "Come to think of it." The barbarian suddenly remembered something. "He wasn¡¯t always such a coward. They say he used to be the most fearless warrior. But one day, he left the North to test his limits." And a few monthster. The king returned, having changed. From a fierce barbarian to one closer to a reasonable person. Ketal¡¯s face filled with interest. "Do you know what happened?" "No. Even when people asked, he wouldn''t talk about it. Whatever it was, it must have been significant for a warrior like him to change so much. I¡¯d like to experience it myself!" The barbarian''s eyes sparkled. Ketal stroked his chin with a look of intrigue. "I see." They continued their journey. There were more obstacles along the way, but Ketal''s strength solved every issue. And at the end of it all. They arrived at the city where the king resided. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 280: Barbarian King (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 280: Barbarian King (1) ¡°Ooh.¡± Ketal gasped in admiration as he saw the city. The viges of the barbarians they had seen so far were more like settlements. They had no walls, and poorly built houses stood in disarray, resembling a slum. It was understandable. The impatient and ignorant barbarians would never bother to build a proper vige. As long as there was a ce toy down, they were content. But the city before him was different¡ªit was clearly nned, designed with care, and properly constructed. Though it appeared dirty and broken in some parts, as if it hadn¡¯t been well-maintained, the foundation was solid. ¡°Did the king design this?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone tried to stop him, saying it was unnecessary, but he pushed ahead. He¡¯s quite an unusual king.¡± The barbarian grumbled, his face showing no understanding of why such a city was needed. That was why Ketal was truly impressed. He had tried to build a city like this once but had failed. No matter how much he exined the importance of a stable territory beyond just a ce to stay, the damn barbarians couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°As long as we have somewhere to sleep, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± they would say. After much persuasion, Ketal had eventually given up. What he had failed to do, the northern king had seeded in. Even though the barbarians here were somewhat more reasonable than those outside, it was still an impressive feat. ¡°The king is inside. Please, go in.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ketal approached the city. The barbarian guards, who were either standing on watch or simplyzing around, leaning against the walls and dozing off, were startled by the sudden appearance of the group. ¡°Who are you people?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± At the leader barbarian¡¯s words, Ketal nodded, allowing him to step forward confidently. ¡°We¡¯vee to see the king!¡± The barbarian shouted loudly. ¡°To prove our strength by fighting against the mighty demon!¡± ¡°¡­Ah, I see.¡± The guards nodded in understanding, lowering their weapons. The barbarian shouted once more. ¡°And someone hase to challenge the king!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The guards¡¯ eyes widened. The barbarian proudly dered: ¡°Our leader, Ketal! He hase to challenge the king for his throne, the ruler of the north!¡± * * * Upon hearing the deration, the guards immediately sprang into action. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a challenger!¡± ¡°Come! Follow me! We¡¯ll lead you to the king!¡± With excited faces, the guards weed Ketal. Darkul, watching, muttered in disbelief. ¡°Are these really guards?¡± Guards were supposed to protect the city and safeguard the king. Yet, they were happily leading someone who came to challenge the king. It was absurd. But Ketal wasn¡¯t surprised. After observing barbarians for so long, it didn¡¯t faze him. ¡°Someone¡¯se to challenge the king?¡± ¡°Ooh! Must be a mighty warrior!¡± Hearing the news, the barbarians of the city began to gather, eager to witness the one who dared to challenge their great king. A crowd quickly formed. [Make way! Marvel at my master!] The holy sword, wanting to boast more about itself, shouted loudly. Of course, no one but Ketal could hear it. Atst, they arrived at their destination. It was a surprisingly ordinary building, one you¡¯d hardly believe was the residence of a king. To an outsider, it might even seem like the house of amoner. They stopped in front of the house. After a brief moment of silence, the door opened. ¡°¡­What¡¯s all thismotion?¡± A barbarian emerged from inside the house. He looked no older than his mid-thirties. It was unclear whether that was his actual age, or if his powerful status had halted the effects of aging, but he seemed far too young to be a king. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. This barbarian was the master of the north. The king of all barbarians. The man gazed at the gathered barbarians for a moment before speaking in a tired voice. ¡°You guys really can¡¯t go a day without causing trouble, can you? Do you get sick if you sit still?¡± He pressed his eyes shut. Despite being a hero, immune to fatigue, his face showed true exhaustion. ¡°So, what brings you here today? Did a brawl break out again and people ended up dead?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not something so trivial!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to imply it was trivial. A mass death is quite a serious matter.¡± ¡°It is trivial!¡± The leading barbarian boldly ignored the king¡¯s words and shouted with confidence. ¡°O King! Someone hase to challenge you for your throne! It¡¯s this man right here!¡± He gestured toward Ketal. The king and Ketal faced each other. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Ketal was impressed. The kingcked the savageness typical of barbarians, the violent emotions ready to explode at any moment. He was calm, like a monk who had undergone long training. ¡®Is he really a barbarian?¡¯ Ketal was genuinely amazed. And the king, too, found something surprising. Staring at Ketal, he muttered in wonder: ¡°¡­You¡¯re different from the usual barbarians.¡± Though the two barbarians stood facing each other, the atmosphere was strangely subdued. The king narrowed his eyes. ¡°And¡­ you are strong.¡± What he sensed from Ketal was no more than the power of a first-rate warrior, at best. But that was only on the surface. Even though Ketal hadpletely suppressed his aura, the king could vaguely sense his strength. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The king silently observed Ketal. When his gazended on Ketal¡¯s ashen hair, his eyes wavered. It was as if he had seen something that shouldn¡¯t exist. His face bore the expression of someone recalling a memory from the past. But the king quickly reined in his emotions and asked: ¡°Are you here to challenge me?¡± ¡°For now, yes.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯vee here to be the king of the north and lead those fools. Why? You don¡¯t seem as ignorant or foolish as they are.¡± The king looked genuinely confused, unable to understand why anyone would want such a thing. ¡°I¡¯d dly pass on the offer, but¡­ unfortunately, I¡¯m the only one who can lead my foolish kin.¡± ¡®I am their king, after all,¡¯ the king muttered softly. "This is the North. A world where only the strong survive. If you defeat me, all my rights and responsibilities will be transferred to you. Fight with everything you''ve got, stranger." * * * Inside the city, there was an arena. It seemed to exist to prove the strength of the Barbarians, as the arena was enormous, not much different in size from a modern football field. Ketal stood in that arena. "Ooh..." "To think I¡¯d witness someone challenging the king in my lifetime." Many Barbarians from the city had gathered to watch the duel. Literally every single one of them, regardless of age, from children to elders, was present. "Ketal, are you sure you''re okay?" "I''m fine." "Hmm. If you say so... Winning... no, never mind, just do your best!" Darkul left with a vague expression. [Let''s be king. King. Being famous is nice, you know? Everyone will be chanting your name.] "Be quiet." [Yes...] The holy sword went silent, sulking. Before long, the king appeared on the opposite side. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "......" The king stared at Ketal with a rather ambiguous expression, as if something about Ketal reminded him of something. "...I am the King of the North, Bayern. Destined to lead the Barbarians and carry the heavy burden of that duty. If you defeat me, all of that shall be yours." The king introduced himself. It was Ketal''s turn. He spoke quietly. "I am a Barbarian, Ketal. Ie from a world even colder and more frozen than this one." "......!" The king, Bayern, widened his eyes. The vague suspicion he had turned into certainty. "As the chieftain of the Barbarians, I led and ruled them. Since you wager your throne, I suppose I should wager something simr. If you defeat me, I will give up all my rights and duties to you." Ketal grinned as he gripped his axe. "I almost feel like conceding defeat right now. But that wouldn¡¯t be right, would it? Let¡¯s fight for each other''s duties and rights." "...You." Bayern¡¯s eyes trembled, as if he had realized where Ketal hade from, what he bore, and what he had done. But his face soon calmed. Bayern pulled out his axe. "...Well, fine. I have a lot of questions, but now is not the time. There¡¯s only one thing to do." "Let¡¯s prove our strength to each other." Ketal smiled. Bayern also smiled back. Thenguid, weary expressions they both had were now filled with a murderous intent, with the will to fight. "Huuh." "Ah..." In that moment, the air changed. A chilling bloodlust and a suffocating will to battle pressed down on the space. The Barbarians who hade to watch swallowed hard. They instinctively took a step back, even though they were strong Barbarians, they felt fear for a moment. They realized it. A fight that they couldn¡¯t understand, nor ept, was about to unfold here. ¡®Now then...¡¯ What would be the difference between the hero-ss barbarians outside and those inside? A look of expectation crossed Ketal¡¯s face. Boom! Bayern moved first, charging towards Ketal. The sheer force of his movement shattered the floor of the arena. Bayern gripped his axe tightly and rushed at Ketal. ''Hmm.'' Ketal briefly considered how to respond to the attack. It wasn¡¯t fast enough to be unavoidable, so evasion seemed like the cleanest option. Just as he was about to dodge, he caught sight of Bayern¡¯s eyes and hesitated. There was a feeling in Bayern¡¯s eyes, as if he were testing Ketal. Show me your strength. Seeing the meaning in his gaze, Ketal bared his teeth. "That¡¯s good." In that case, he wouldn¡¯t retreat either. He braced himself and charged as well, gripping his axe tightly. The two axes collided. ng! Strength shed against strength, and a deafening sound filled the air. Those nearby were blown away by the shockwave, unable to withstand the force. "Everyone, back off!" This distance wasn¡¯t safe from the sh of their power. The Barbarians hurriedly moved back. Some, however, moved closer, saying they would rather die witnessing such power up close. And their decision wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. It wasn¡¯t every day one could witness a sh of hero-ss beings, even in a lifetime. To burn brightly at the end of life was also the Barbarian way. ng! ng! They swung their axes without taking a single step back. Every time the axes shed, the air shattered, and the ground cracked. ng! The axe des ground against each other. While their axes were locked, Bayern raised his other hand, clenching his fist with immense power. Ketal smiled and clenched his fist in response. Their fists collided. Boom! The air exploded. Half the Barbarians barely held on, desperately keeping themselves from being blown away. It was fortunate the arena was somewhat distant from the city. Had it been near, the city would have been destroyed by the aftershocks of their battle. "A... ah..." The spectators looked up at the sky in shock. The sky, once filled with clouds, had clearedpletely. The sheer force of their sh had blown away all the clouds. Pure physical strength. The power of their bodies. It was shaking heaven and earth. "Ooh! Ooooh!" "Woaaaah!" A roar erupted from the crowd. This was the essence of the power they had longed for. The Barbarians howled in frenzy, exhrated by the overwhelming strength. "Hahahahaha!" Ketal burst intoughter. His face was full of admiration. "Strong! Impressive!" Ketal was genuinely surprised. Of all the beings he had encountered outside, Bayern was the strongest and toughest. Even the ancient dragon Ignisia¡¯s hand had been shattered by his punch, but Bayern remained unscathed. This meant that a mere human¡¯s body was tougher and stronger than an ancient dragon¡¯s. Ketal marveled at Bayern¡¯s strength. ¡®To think there¡¯s a Barbarian outside with such power!¡¯ It was astounding. This was a level of strength he had only seen inside. Ketal felt exhrated. Meanwhile, Bayern was equally shocked by Ketal¡¯s strength. ¡®He¡¯s a monster.¡¯ Bayern had been attacking with all his might.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Each swing of his axe carried deadly intent, aiming to kill his opponent. But Ketal responded with ease, his movements light and unburdened. Bayern could tell. Ketal wasn¡¯t even using his full strength. ¡®Where could such a powerful being havee from?¡¯ Bayern¡¯s face, once filled with shock, slowly settled into a calm expression. "...No, it makes sense. If it''s from there, the possibility is more than enough." With a strange tone, Bayern muttered and readied his axe once more. He looked at Ketal with steady eyes. "You are stronger than I am." Bayern could tell. Ketal was far stronger than he was. Even beyond the raw strength, just from the way Ketal introduced himself, it was clear. "But I am king." [PR/N: This line goes hard ngl. I like Bayern.] Bayern was the ruler of the North, the king of the Barbarians. That meant he was the strongest Barbarian. "I have my pride. At the very least, I will draw out your full strength." With those words, Bayern''s aura began to rise. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 281: Barbarian King (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 281: Barbarian King (2) Mystery moved through Bayern''s body, coursing through his veins, filling his muscles, reinforcing his bones, and strengthening his limbs. "Body enhancement, huh," Ketal muttered with interest. The King of the North, Bayern, was strengthening his body through mystery. In itself, it was a rather simple technique, one even a third-rate weakling could perform. However, one couldn¡¯t even dare to mention third-rate witnessing Bayern''s current enhancement. His writhing body held power on a different level than before. The ground cracked just from the added force in his step as he controlled his strength. Crack-crack-crack-crack! And just like that, the earth split apart. His power was like the concentration of countless beings,pressed into a single existence. It was almost like a manifestation of the very concept of power. ¡®Is that really possible?¡¯ Ketal was perplexed. Having mastered some mystical arts, he knew well that simple body enhancement had limits. It was a basic use of mystery, so naturally, it had restrictions. Soon, Ketal realized the reason. "You''ve poured everything into your body." A hero-ss warrior could use mystic arts to impose their will on the world. Queen Karin of the High Elves controlled the air, while the ancient dragon Ignisia could shake thews of the world with mere words. As a hero-ss warrior, Bayern could manipte the world in the same way. Yet, he chose to give up that power of world maniption. Instead, he focused everything on his own body. Bayern dered, "I am the ruler of the North, the King of Barbarians." The one who possessed the greatest power in the world. His ability to interfere with the world¡¯sws had transformed into pure physical enhancement. His ego had twisted his authority. "So, it¡¯s possible to do it that way too," Ketal murmured in amazement. [What a monster... In theory, it¡¯s possible, but to actually do it... In all the records I¡¯ve seen, there has never been a hero-ss warrior who transformed their power like this.] The holy sword was just as astonished. It was a distortion born from Bayern''s stubbornness about himself. "How is it?" Bayern asked, after catching his breath. "Incredible," Ketal nodded. "It won¡¯t be easy unless I fight you with everything I''ve got." "That¡¯s the highest praise," Bayern grinned, showing his teeth as he grabbed his axe. "Then, let me personally experience your sincerity." Crunch. With those words, Bayern disappeared from sight. he barbarians, who had barely managed to keep track of his movements until now,pletely lost him. ¡®He¡¯s fast,¡¯ Ketal marveled, moving his body swiftly to counter. With all his strength, he swung his axe. Boom! Axes shed, shattering the space between them and shaking the surroundings. "Kyaaah!" "Ugh!" The barbarians, who had been watching with death in their eyes, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and fainted, flying backward. Darkul hurriedly grabbed them and dragged them to safety. From a distance, they barely managed to observe the arena. "What in the world¡­" Power collided. The earth cracked, and the sky distorted from the overwhelming force. ¡®Is this really human strength?¡¯ Darkul¡¯sprehension had long since been exceeded. Boooom! Axes crashed again, sending deafening reverberations. Both warriors¡¯ arms were knocked back from the impact. Bayern immediately reinforced his arm, swinging his axe as if he intended to split the world in two. You can block it or dodge it. But if you dodge, it means I''m stronger than you. The attack carried that sentiment, and Ketal,ughing, responded in kind. Boom! The axes shed again. Neither man stopped. They collided and collided, neither taking a single step back. Their power split mountains and parted seas as it continuously shed. It was truly a scene of savagery. There was no technique or skill, only a pure sh of raw strength. It was a battle to prove who was the strongest. Boom! With the collision, their arms were flung backward. Bayern took advantage of the rebound, spinning his body and putting even more force into his axe. Ketal met the challenge, stepping forward and pouring power into his arm as he swung his axe. ng! The sh was the strongest yet. Both Ketal and the King were pushed back three steps. "You''re strong!" Ketal eximed. He couldn''t underestimate him. A moment of carelessness, and the King¡¯s axe would strike his body. ¡®Even among our tribe, there aren''t many who could face him!¡¯ It was truly astonishing power. Ketal bared his teeth in delight. ¡®How thrilling. How fun!¡¯ To think he could experience such a pure sh of strength outside of his tribe. Ketal was starting to enjoy himself. Bayern, putting more power into his legs, elerated forward, his axe pressing in. Ketal raised his axe to block. Kakakakak! Bayern didn¡¯t let up, taking more steps forward as he tried to push Ketal back. Ketal realized it then. Right now, Bayern was challenging him to a contest of strength. "...Ha!" Ketal couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. How long had it been since he met someone willing to engage in a contest of strength? He couldn''t even remember. It had been an incredibly long time. "Fine! I¡¯ll take you on!" Ovee with excitement, Ketalughed heartily, pouring strength into his arms. Squeeeeak! The result was immediate. Bayern, who had been fiercely pushing forward, began to be slowly pushed back. Bayern¡¯s expression changed. "...Ugh!" Crack! Realizing he was losing the contest, Bayern leaped backward, his face stiff. ¡®I was pushed back.¡¯ The barbarians watching from afar erupted in cheers. "Oooooooh!" "The King! The King was pushed back!" "Ketal! The great warrior!" They screamed Ketal''s name. Bayern, who had been frozen, let out a hollowugh. "Hahaha. What a bunch of miserable fools. After all the effort I put into leading those idiots, now they want to hand everything over to you. I can''t stand the sight of it." "You know barbarians are bound to disappoint the more you expect from them." "That''s true." Bayern squinted his eyes with a sigh. ''...Strong.'' In fact, he wasn''t paying attention to the barbarians'' cheers at all. He was merely trying to distract himself from the shock. ''I''ve been overpowered by sheer strength.'' Bayern had given up the power to interfere with the world and focused solely on physical enhancement. As a result, he had no special abilities. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Once he was outmatched in raw strength, it was over. ''...I do have a trump card.'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But this was just a simple duel. Unless he was fighting an opponent he intended to kill, he couldn''t use it. But the same applied to his opponent, so the conditions were equal. Yet, he was being pushed back by Ketal. ''However!'' Even so! Bayern, ignited by the will to fight, charged forward. Ketal weed him with open arms. ng! Axes shed. Realizing he was outmatched in strength, Bayern tried to win with technique. But Ketal, having survived countless battles, had no reason to be outdone in skill. ng! Ketal countered Bayern''s swinging axe. Pretending to block it, he easily deflected the blow. "Ugh!" Bayern''s axe buried itself into the ground. The earth trembled and seemed to copse. Ketal grabbed Bayern''s arm and mmed him down. With a groan, Bayern crashed into the ground. Ketal then brought his axe down on the fallen Bayern. In a panic, Bayern raised his axe to block it. Boom! The ground caved in. Gripping his axe with both hands, Bayern barely managed to defend himself, letting out a hollowugh. "I lost." If they were fighting purely with their bodies and the opponent was stronger, there was no way to win. It was checkmate. "Imend you. It''s rare to find someone with strength like yours." Ketal genuinely praised him. To endure this much in a duel with him was something only a handful of barbarians from the White Snowfield could do. "Thanks for thepliment." Although it could be seen as an insult, the king epted the praise sincerely. If a warrior of this caliber praised you, it was something to be proud of. Ketal kept his axe buried in the ground and looked toward the distance. The barbarians, thinking the fight was over, were running toward them with cheers. "It must have been tough leading those idiots." "Now it will be your burden to bear." "No." Ketal smiled faintly. "You still have more work to do." "Hmm?" Bayern made a puzzled face at the sudden statement. At that moment, Ketal released his grip on the axe. ng! Ketal¡¯s axe flew through the air. He slid backward as the axe embedded itself in the ground far away. "...What?" [What? You?] "Incredible." Amidst the confused voices, Ketal spoke with admiration. "The final blow you delivered was truly remarkable. Not only did the axe fly away, but I fractured my wrist. I can¡¯t continue the fight. It¡¯s your victory." "Huh?" Bayern''s face showed utter confusion. It was understandable. Just moments ago, he had been overwhelmed, on the verge of defeat. But now Ketal had suddenly let go of his strength, retreated, and dered defeat. "What are you...?" "Oh, ooooohhh!" Before Bayern could question it, a roar erupted. "Ohhh! Our king!" "As expected! We believed in you!" "Only you can lead us!" The barbarians who had approached without him realizing were now shouting at Bayern. Realizing what was happening, Bayern''s face twisted in displeasure. "...Wait. You..." "I told you, you have more work to do." Ketal chuckled mischievously. * * * The barbarians had seen Bayern get mmed down by Ketal and assumed the battle was over, so they had rushed forward. But since they were quite a distance away, they couldn''t fully grasp the situation. From their perspective, it looked like their king had turned the tide with a final, secret move. Their king had triumphed over a formidable opponent. The barbarians praised their king. "Our king! We believed in you! We knew you would win!" At those words, Bayern''s face twisted in frustration. When he was being overwhelmed, these same barbarians had been shouting Ketal''s name. Now, they were changing their tune as easily as flipping a hand. But there was no time to argue. Bayern, still confused, looked over at Ketal. "You, you...?" "It¡¯s your victory, my king." Ketal smiled faintly. "You will remain the king of the north." Hearing that, Bayern''s eyes widened. The confusion disappeared, and his gaze steadied. "...I understand." "Ooooohhh!" "Our king!" The barbarians roared. That night, the city erupted in celebration. They had witnessed the power of a great hero. And their king had defeated a mighty foe. The barbarians had every reason to be excited. They raised their cups, praising both the king and Ketal, who had pushed the king to his limits. Even Darkul, unable to sleep, roamed the city, thrilled by the fight beyond his understanding. Meanwhile, the two main figures of the night, the king and Ketal, quietly drank in a small building. Ketal nced around the interior and murmured. "This ce is too humble for a king." "You know what those idiots want. They desire a symbol of barbarism. If I, their king, stayed in a fancy ce, it wouldn''t set a good example." "That¡¯s true. Anyway, they sure are demanding." "Indeed, they are." Bayern and Ketalined about the barbarians. As the king''s lightughter faded, his expression changed. "Now, I¡¯ll ask." "You are the victor. As the defeated, I¡¯ll answer anything." The king''s eyebrows twitched at that response. "Why did you intentionally... No, wait." Bayern, who had been about to say something, shook his head. "There¡¯s something I should say first. I haven¡¯t properly introduced myself yet." With calm eyes, the king spoke. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. From the coldest ce in this world, the White Snowfield. The king of the ash-gray barbarians there." * * * "So you knew." Bayern had realized that Ketal was from the White Snowfield. That fact didn''t surprise him. From the moment he first saw Ketal, Bayern had been startled by his ash-gray hair. He had eyed him with suspicion. And when Ketal introduced himself, that suspicion had turned to certainty. Bayern spoke. "I waspletely sure when I faced your true strength. No one in this world could possess such power. But inside there, it''s possible." "What a strange way of speaking." As if he knew about the situation inside the White Snowfield. Ketal narrowed his eyes. "You. You¡¯ve been inside." Bayern responded with a bitter smile. Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. "Have you seen ¡®us¡¯?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 282: Barbarian King (3) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 282: Barbarian King (3) With those words, Bayern fell silent. After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke. "Give me a moment to gather my thoughts." His voice trembled slightly. The great king of the North was shaken merely by recalling certain memories. "I need some time to clear my mind. Let¡¯s talk about something else for now." "If you wish." "Thank you. Let¡¯s talk about the battle earlier. Why did you deliberately lose to me?" Ketal had weakened his grip on his axe at thest moment. He had thrown his body back, making it seem as though he had lost. "Why did you do that?" "Because I have no intention of bing king." Ketal answered calmly. He had already discarded such burdens long ago and had no intention of taking them up again. Bayern frowned at that answer. "Then why did you fight me?" "Because the atmosphere among my people had already shifted towards fighting." The barbarians, seeing Ketal¡¯s strength, believed he had gone to meet the king for a challenge. Of course, Ketal could have ignored their expectations and chosen not to fight. But in doing so, the barbarians who anticipated the battle would have been deeply disappointed. The frustration of their dashed hopes would have manifested in destruction, leading to chaos in the city, and eventually, doubts about the king¡¯s authority. The cleanest way to avoid all these possibilities was for Ketal to fight the king, show his strength, and then lose. Bayern was surprised by this exnation. "A form of consideration?" Ketal had no reason to fight, much less to lose. But he did so to prevent chaos. Ketal spoke. "As a fellow king, I know how hard it is to lead those fools. I didn¡¯t want to stir up unnecessary trouble." "...Thank you. I express my gratitude." Bayern sincerely thanked him, his face filled with warmth as he looked at Ketal. [Oh... was that all? It seemed to me like you wanted to fight too... Um. Never mind. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.] Only the Holy Sword, who had a bit of understanding of Ketal¡¯s nature, muttered in a bewildered tone, though only Ketal could hear it. "But this is unexpected. To think the King of the White Snowfields would be someone simr to me." "I didn¡¯t expect it either. Honestly, I never thought I¡¯d have a normal conversation with a barbarian." Ketal looked at the king with a curious expression. It felt like talking to a learned schr rather than a typical barbarian. "I heard that until a few months ago, you weren¡¯t much different from other barbarians. But they say you changed the moment you returned from your travels." "...You know well." "Was that when you entered the White Snowfields?" "Yes." Bayern gave a bitter smile. Having gathered his emotions, he began to exin. "I was strong. No one could stand against me." There were those who, from childhood, disyed extraordinary strength. People who exhibited abilities that ordinary people couldn¡¯tprehend or ept were revered and feared, hailed as destined heroes. Bayern was one such person. At the age of seven, he had defeated an adult. By ten, no one in his vige could match him. By the time he was twenty, his strength was at the pinnacle of superhuman abilities, unmatched even across the North. Everyone shouted his name, praising him and predicting that he would one day be the only king of the North. Bayern believed this too. He had no doubt that if not him, then who could lead the barbarians? "I was arrogant. I thought nothing in the world could touch me. As a result, I felt a deep sense of boredom." The king longed to break through his limits and face a truly formidable enemy, to achieve a victory that would push him beyond. "But the strongest on the continent wouldn¡¯t fight me. They were hesitant to engage with someone destined to be a hero. Then, one ce caught my eye." "The White Snowfields." "Yes." Long ago, an emperor who ruled the entire continent had challenged and failed to conquer the world¡¯s greatest forbiddennd. Bayern believed that there, he could achieve his goal. He boarded a ship and sailed to the White Snowfields. "What did you find there?" At Ketal¡¯s question, Bayern replied. "I met a bear." The bear from the emperor¡¯s legend. A white bear capable of causing earthquakes. "Ah." Ketal nodded in understanding. "That must have been a disaster." "...It truly was." Bayern gave a wry smile and rolled up his sleeve. Unlike other barbarians, Bayern wore thick clothes thatpletely covered his upper body, even hiding his forearms. And now, the reason for that became clear. [Oh no.] The Holy Sword was horrified. A gruesome scar marred Bayern¡¯s forearm. Half of his forearm was gouged out, a sight that was chilling just to look at. "Even after meeting the saintess of the Sun God, this wound couldn¡¯t be healed." Bayern said as he lowered his sleeve. "It was a single blow. In just one strike, the bear shattered my proud axe, spilled my guts, and left me coughing up blood." At that time, Bayern had been at the pinnacle of superhuman strength, one of the strongest on the continent. But he was woefully unprepared to face the bear. The bear was one of the enormous beasts that ruled the snowfields, alongside the snake and the rat. Ketal muttered in amazement. "To encounter the bear means you entered its territory. You¡¯re lucky to have survived." Unlike the snake or rat, the bear had a strong attachment to its territory. It didn¡¯t seek to expand its domain, but anyone who trespassed was swiftly dealt with. That Bayern survived was indeed a miracle. "It wasn¡¯t my strength that saved me." Shaking his head, Bayern looked at Ketal. "I saw a barbarian then." "Hmm?" Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. "I was terrified by the great bear. I wanted to run, but I was frozen in fear. The bear slowly approached to crush me. Just when I was certain of my death, the bear suddenly retreated." And then, Bayern saw. A barbarian with ash-grey hair blowing in the wind. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * "Ah, ah..." The king in his youth, in the days before he became a king. Bayern trembled in the bitter cold. For the first time, he came to understand what fear was. He wanted to flee immediately, but his legs wouldn''t move. Thud! Thud! The ground shook. A bear was slowly approaching. Bayern was certain that he would die here. And then, Thud! The approaching bear stopped. [Grrr...] There was a look of wariness on the bear''s face. Bayern was confused by the sudden change in the bear. That enormous bear, that terrifying beast, was wary of something? Soon enough, Bayern understood what the bear was wary of. "Bear, bear, damn you, bear." Step. Someone stepped past Bayern and stood in front of him. Gray hair fluttered in the cold. "Sorry, but our chieftain needs your territory. I''d appreciate it if you''d step aside." [Grrrr...] "If you refuse, well, that''s fine too." The gray-haired barbarian bared his teeth. He gripped his axe fiercely. "Don''t interfere," the barbarian said, ncing behind him. It was only then that Bayern realized there were other barbarians. "Are you sure? The chieftain told us to push together." "You won''t be able to handle it alone." "Shut up. If you get involved, you''ll die." "Stubborn, aren''t you? Do as you like. If you die, it''s my turn next." They conversed calmly, as if death meant nothing to them. The barbarian''s eyes gleamed with fighting spirit. "Let''s do this. It''s time to repay the disgrace fromst time. I''ll feast on your guts while you''re still alive." "Ah, ah..." Bayern''s face turned pale. To him, the bear was a monster. Something he could neither resist nor oppose. But now, more monsters had appeared. And not just one¡ªthere were several. The gray-haired barbarian nced at Bayern. "...You''re not one of our tribe. You must be from outside." He clicked his tongue. "Weak, and a coward." Bayern couldn''t argue. He simply hung his head silently. The barbarian''s gaze grew cold. "I''d kill you right now if it were up to me. But... our chieftain ordered that we bring any outsiders to him alive. But I don''t want to bring a coward like you to him. And I can''t disobey orders either... I''ll give you apromise. I won''t kill you. Survive on your own. Run if you want." With those words, the barbarian lost all interest in Bayern. Baring his teeth, he turned back to the bear. "Now, let''s do this, you cursed bear!" Baaang! Power shed with power. The enormous bear and a single barbarian collided with all their might. Watching the scene, Bayern thought, ''I am...'' I am such a small existence. Neither great nor extraordinary, just apletely ordinary human. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Bayern came to a realization. * * * "...I see," Ketal murmured as if he understood. "That¡¯s why you changed." "I barely escaped from that fight. I ran desperately back to the North." After that incident, Bayernpletely changed. From an ordinary barbarian to a highly sensible person. "The barbarians call me a coward. And they''re not wrong. I was terrified of that immense power and fled." Now, Bayern had grown far stronger than he had been back then. Now, he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t lose to the bear. But even so, the fear he felt at that time remained etched in his soul. Ketal looked at him with pity. "That must have been a disaster." "...You mentioned a chieftain earlier. Do you know who the barbarian I encountered was?" "I can guess. I sent some tribesmen to settle the territory. I told them to bring any outsiders to me alive, but it seems they didn¡¯t listen." Ketal muttered, his eyes darkening. "I¡¯ll have to smash his head the next time I see him." "...Ha." Bayern let out a hollowugh. That barbarian, that overwhelmingly powerful barbarian, was Ketal¡¯s subordinate. "You are... vast." Far too vast. As the king of the North, he couldn¡¯t even hope to match him. "This is a past I¡¯ve never shared with anyone. I¡¯d like you to keep it a secret." "I have no interest in spreading stories." "Thank you." With a more rxed face, Bayern lifted his drink. "Come to think of it," Ketal said yfully as he drank. "You did win against me." "You yielded to me." "Even so, a win is a win. And I said I¡¯d hand over all my rights and duties if you won." Ketal grinned mischievously. "How about bing the king of the barbarians of the white snowfields? Isn¡¯t that tempting?" "Absolutely not." For the first time, Bayern expressed clear disgust. Ketalughed as if he had expected that. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 283: Barbarian King (4) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 283: Barbarian King (4) It squeezed through the narrow gap and escaped the prison that had trapped it. As it set foot upon the world, it rejoiced. Look, world. Your master has returned. It stepped upon the ground, and the earth began to rot. Pleased with the sight, it continued forward. Toward the world, something terrible began to appear. * * * Ketal and Bayern were drinking, exchanging light-hearted jokes. The conversation flowed smoothly. Both were barbarian kings, and both were exceptionally reasonable individuals. They had suffered much from ignorant barbarians. With so many shared experiences, they quickly formed a bond. "Now then, let¡¯s get to the point." Bayern¡¯s eyes darkened. The man, once shackled by his past trauma, had vanished. The only thing left was the ruler of the north, the king of the barbarians. "You don¡¯t seem to be after the throne. Nor do you appear to hold any goodwill towards the barbarians. And the north isn''t your homnd. Why did youe here?" "Hmm." Ketal fell into thought. The surface reason was to face the demons. But Bayern wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with that answer. So, Ketal spoke. "I received information that this ce is dangerous." "Are you talking about the demons?" "No. There¡¯s something else." At those words, Bayern''s eyebrows twitched. "¡­You''re talking about things from the Forbidden Lands." The existence of the Forbidden Lands leaking into the outside world was already widely known. If there was a threat beyond the demons, it could only be from the Forbidden Lands. Ketal nodded. "¡­Is it information from the gods?" "It feels like that." Unable to exin the quest directly, Ketal gave a vague affirmation. Bayern clicked his tongue. The gods, observing the world from afar, would pass on information through divine revtion if necessary. Therefore, ces disconnected from divinemunication were inherently at a disadvantage in terms of information. Bayern, knowing this, had tried to establish connections with the Church, but the barbarians were fiercely hostile to the Church, frustrating his efforts every time. "I always thought a moment like this woulde, so I tried to make a connection somehow, but the barbarians resisted with everything they had. Even actions for the sake of the north were obstructed. They''re truly unhelpful." Bayern sighed. "Still, it''s fortunate that you came to ry this. So, what exactly is the information?" "That¡¯s all. Something is here." There was no more information. Bayern nodded in understanding. "You came to me to gather more detailed information." "Is there any ce that seems suspicious? Or reports of strange sightings?" The quest had warned that it would be dangerous unless he addressed it directly. It had not issued such warnings when Nano destroyed an entire country or when the city of the mermaids fell. This implied that what wasing was an even greater threat. If such a thing was in the north, there would surely be some impact. That was the thought behind the question, but Bayern shook his head. "Nothing. Aside from the battles with the invading demons, I haven''t received any reports of other problems." "What about the demons?" "I don¡¯t know. They''re probably fighting on their own." The barbarians did not see the need for regrmunication. Bayern had managed to train a few moremunicative barbarians to serve as messengers, but even that wasn¡¯t perfect. At the very least, they had been taught to report when something went wrong. And so far, no reports hade. Meaning, no problems had urred. Ketal stroked his chin. "I see." "Still, since we¡¯ve confirmed that there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll do my best to gather information." "Understood." The north was vast. Waiting in this city to gather information was the best option for now. Ketal awaited information in the king¡¯s city. In the meantime, he sparred lightly with the king. ng! ng! Axes shed. Though it was a simple spar, neither held back too much. Bayern, facing Ketal, had a very serious expression. ng! "¡­I lost." That day¡¯s spar ended with Bayern¡¯s defeat. No, to be precise, Bayern had lost every spar over the past three days. He had never won a single match against Ketal. "My spirit¡¯s about to break." "You should take pride. You¡¯re strong enough. Few in the White Snowfields have power on par with yours." Ketal spoke as he hung his axe at his waist. Bayern chuckled bitterly. "¡­So, there are still a few, huh." That meant there were others of Bayern''s caliber in the White Snowfields, not just one but several. "Ridiculous." But he understood. One would need to be that strong to survive in the White Snowfields, home to monstrous beings like the white bear. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "The barbarian I met before must have been one of them, right?" "If it¡¯s the one I know, yes." "¡­Ketal." Bayern spoke in a serious tone. "You fought me. Even though it wasn¡¯t all of my power, you have a good sense of my strength. You should know by now where I stand." The king asked in a grave tone. "In your opinion, if I were to face the white bear again, what would happen?" "Hmm." Ketal closed his mouth and thought. The white bear of the White Snowfields. A monster that caused earthquakes. If the king were to face the bear again, who would win? After pondering, Ketal answered. "You¡¯re strong. Very strong." Bayern was one of the strongest he had seen outside. He could probably even defeat High Elf Queen Karin. But the bear was also incredibly powerful. "You wouldn¡¯t lose easily." "¡­But I wouldn¡¯t win." "It¡¯s hard to be certain without seeing it firsthand. You haven¡¯t shown everything you have either. But..." From Ketal¡¯s perspective, Bayern would likely lose. At that, Bayern smiled. "That¡¯s enough. Now I have a clear purpose." They spent the following days training. And so, a week passed. And during that time, nothing happened. "Still no information?" "None." Bayern frowned. "I sent informants, but no news hase in. And¡­ there''s something strange." "What is it?" "We haven¡¯t heard anything from the frontlines where we¡¯re facing off against the demons." Of course, the Barbarians didn¡¯t feel the need for regr contact, so if there were no problems, no news would be expected. But it was the length of time that was the issue. It had been over two weeks without a single word. No news is good news, they say, but this was too long. The battlefield was fierce, and there couldn¡¯t have been no issues for two whole weeks. Something was wrong at the frontline with the demons. "We might need to go check it out ourselves." "... Can I see the map?" "Of course." Bayern brought out the map and spread it on the table. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w He pointed in one direction. "The demons are invading from here." "The coastline, huh." The demons were pushing into the continent through the sea. "The demons have already taken a considerable amount of territory. The frontline has already spread wide. That makes the chances of something going wrong higher." The Barbarians were strong, but they were also reckless. There was a high chance they could have fallen into a simple trap set by the demons and suffered heavy losses. The fact that there was nomunication meant one of two things: Either there was truly no issue. Or, something so severe had happened that they couldn¡¯t even send word. At this point, thetter seemed more likely. Bayern narrowed his eyes. "We¡¯ll have to go check." "... May Ie along?" "You can if you want. But you¡¯re not needed. If there¡¯s an issue, I¡¯ll return to bring the Barbarians with me." "No." Ketal shook his head. "I should go as well." "Hmm?" Bayern''s expression, puzzled for a moment, hardened. "... Is there a problem?" "It seems likely." "Understood. Then we¡¯ll prepare immediately." Bayern moved quickly. Ketal stood still for a bit longer, staring at the map. The demons were pushing through the sea into the continent. And that sea was connected to the White Snowfields. Ketal quietly stared at the White Snowfields. "What was over there again?" As Ketal recalled, his expression turned strange. It came to him, what was there. What kind of monster existed there. Ketal frowned. "This could be dangerous." Ketal realized why the quest had given a warning. * * * The next day, Ketal and Bayern set off for the frontlines. Darkul had said he wanted toe along, but Ketal dissuaded him, warning of the danger. Seeing the seriousness in his face, Darkul didn¡¯t push further. The frontlines were a fair distance away, but both of them were Hero-ss warriors, highly skilled in physicalbat. It took them only a few hours to arrive at the frontlines. And what they saw was an empty Barbarian outpost. "... It''s quiet." It was a sizable outpost, housing at least a hundred Barbarians. But now, there was no one. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of a person. "This is why there¡¯s been no word." Bayern frowned as he stepped into the outpost. As he looked around, he gathered some information. "There are signs of battle." Tents had copsed, and the ground was torn up. This meant there had been a fierce fight. But there were no bodies. "... It seems they were dragged off." From what they could gather, the demons had overwhelmed the Barbarians and taken them away. Bayern, scanning the area, spotted an axe embedded in the ground. He approached and pulled it out. Crack. The axe crumbled into dust as it disintegrated, leaving only the handle in Bayern¡¯s hand. "Poison?" There was no way this could have happened naturally. Something bizarre and powerful had attacked. "We should try to find any survivors. The battlefield is vast, so we should split up. I¡¯ll head over there." "Understood." Bayern leaped away. As Ketal moved in the opposite direction, he thought to himself. ¡®The sea connected to the White Snowfields.¡¯ And the quest¡¯s direct warning to him. Something hade out of the White Snowfields. It wasn¡¯t hard to make that guess. ¡®If something strong enough to trigger a quest warning came out of there, what would it be?¡¯ Not many creatures immediately came to mind. The monsters of the White Snowfields were known to be extremely territorial. They were more concerned with defending their domain than expanding it. Most of the well-known monsters followed this pattern, except for one. The white serpent that devours ciers. The white bear that causes earthquakes. And the vile rat that pollutes the seas. Among them, the serpent sought to expand its domain, but it wasn¡¯t particrly attached to it. It was more of a hobby for it. It wouldn''t be interested in venturing outside. ¡®The bear¡¯s territory is closest to this area, though.¡¯ In the past, Bayern had encountered the bear when he ventured into the White Snowfields, and it had been for that reason. But the bear only cared about its territory, not expanding it. It wasn¡¯t the kind toe out. But thest one was different. The vile rat that pollutes the seas. That filthy creature actively sought to expand its domain. It wanted to corrupt the entire White Snowfields and, eventually, the world. That''s why his people had shed with it so often. And its territory wasn¡¯t far from here. As he moved, Ketal stopped in his tracks. Before himy andscape tainted with a green hue¡ªdefiled, ruinednd. [...What is this?] The Holy Sword groaned. It was an extremely vile poison. But it wasn¡¯t an earthly poison. It was something far worse, something that corrupted the soul and destroyed its essence. "... As I thought." Ketal''s expression darkened. "Yes. Of course, it would be the first one to show up." With its strong desire to expand its domain, it wouldn¡¯t have missed the opportunity toe outside. If the quest warning was because of a monster from the White Snowfields, it was most likely the rat. Ketal¡¯s prediction was spot on. And that stirred something in him. "I expected this, but I hoped it wouldn¡¯te out. It should have stayed in there forever. Why does it keep trying to crawl out? Why does it want to defile my world?" He muttered darkly. An emotion that had never shown itself before began to take form. The Holy Sword was rmed. [Wait, hold on. You¡­] The Holy Sword was taken aback. To the sword, Ketal was a strange and sometimes frightening figure, but also someone who was reasonable and considerate. It had grown fond of him. But now, the Ketal standing here was not the one the sword knew. He wasn¡¯t the mighty yet human Barbarian anymore¡ªhe was something far more mysterious. And that was to be expected. The one standing here wasn¡¯t the traveling Barbarian of the world. He was the Ashen Barbarian of the White Snowfields. Something had appeared in this world that could stir such a reaction from him. Ketal murmured grimly. "The rat hase out." [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 284: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (1) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 284: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (1) Shortly before Ketal became certain of the existence of the Forbidden Lands invading the North, Bayern also saw it ¡ª thend, tainted and filled with poisonous energy. "Hmm," Bayern grimaced at the intense miasma. The poison was overwhelming, strong enough that even a superhuman would struggle to withstand it. Without enveloping himself with mystery, survival here was impossible. And that poisonous aura spread throughout thend, all the way to the distant horizon, where everything was tinged with green. "..." Bayern stepped onto the poisoned ground, frowning. The miasma tried to climb up his body, but it couldn''t touch the flesh of such a mighty hero. ''Is this the work of a poison demon?'' A demon strong enough to corrupt all things, possessing near-superhuman power. But he rejected the thought¡ªnot because it seemed too extreme, but because,pared to thisnd, even a poison demon would be too weak. This was not the aura of a poison demon. It was something far more terrifying and foreign. Bayern scraped up some of the miasma from the ground. He thought about collecting it for study. Then, at that moment, the earth began to rise. Hideously disfigured creatures, their bodies barely held together and on the verge of copse, staggered out of the corruptednd. They wobbled toward Bayern. With a look of irritation, Bayern gripped his axe. Crack! The approaching monsters were pulverized instantly, but they did not fall easily. Even with their limbs severed, they relentlessly crawled toward Bayern. He pressed down harder with his axe. Squelch. The monsters hit by his axe shattered into pieces, never to rise again. ''Strong,'' Bayern thought, his face tightening. The monsters weren''t weak. It was only because he was Bayern that they were being dispatched so easily. Each one of them possessed power beyond that of a first-rate fighter. There were dozens of them, easily more than enough to destroy a small kingdom. "Hmph." But Bayern was a hero. He gripped his axe tighter and charged forward. The creatures that collided with him were blown apart, their bodies utterly obliterated. [Uooohh!] More monsters staggered up from the poisonednd, dozens of them, each possessing the strength of an elite warrior. "So many," Bayern muttered, continuing to mow them down. His eyes narrowed as he saw one of the monsters'' faces. "...You." [Uooohh.] The monster, with eyes lost to reason, stretched its mangled hand toward Bayern. He recognized that face, though it was copsing beyond recognition. Bayern''s face stiffened as he dredged up his memory. It was the face of a barbarian he had once trained, now turned into a grotesque creature. Bayern realized that every one of these monsters was once a barbarian he had known. "...So you''ve been desecrating the corpses of those who have already died. I''ll free you from this abomination." With a hardened expression, Bayern felled the monsters, his face twisted with fury. ''What kind of devil would do this?'' To defile the bodies of brave barbarians who deserved peace after their courageous battles¡ªit was something he could not forgive. As he vented his anger on the monsters, Bayern noticed something strange. There were faces among the creatures that he didn''t recognize. That wasn¡¯t so unusual¡ªhe didn¡¯t know every barbarian. But something was unnerving about them. These monsters looked less like humans and more like something else entirely. His face stiffened once again as realization dawned on him. "...Demons?" Amid the decaying creatures, he spotted demons. And among them was one particrly strong monster. [Uooohh!] It was incredibly fast and powerful. With strange abilities, it wasn''t easy to defeat. Even Bayern had to get serious. Though he ultimately won, the battle was not simple. And then, Bayern realized something. The monster he had just fought was a demon. The very demon he had initially thought responsible for the poisonednd. He recognized its face from old texts. Barbarians, demons, and even monsters were all rotting and decaying. "Wait a minute." What on earth was going on? Bayern stood still, his mind in chaos, over the monsters'' corpses. But this was Bayern''s mistake. Because at that moment, a beast¡¯s w burst out from beneath the green earth and grabbed him. Crash! "Argh!" For the first time, Bayern let out a groan of pain. The w that gripped him was infused with deadly poison, trying to invade his body. Bayern gritted his teeth. "Urghhh!" With a tremendous effort, he fortified his body with mystery and broke free from the w''s grasp, quickly creating distance between himself and the creature. "Ugh." The poison began to invade his limbs. He tried to expel it with his mystery, but it clung stubbornly, corroding his skin and damaging his body. Bayern frowned. Something incredibly strong had been lurking beneath the ground, something powerful enough to hurt even him. The ground trembled as the creature, hidden by the poisonous aura, began to emerge. Bayern gasped. ''What is this?'' The creature¡¯s limbs were decaying, with parts of its legs rotting away to reveal bones, and filthy pus oozing from its entire body. It was hideous. Utterly repulsive. And powerful. As it appeared, the poisonous air became so thick that even a superhuman would struggle to breathe. Thud. And finally, it fully revealed itself on the surface. Bayern muttered. "A rat¡­" A massive, filthy, and hideous rat appeared on the continent. Boom! The rat stomped on thend, already tainted with poison. The ground, which was already rotten and decayed, crumbled further. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Bayern gripped his axe tighter. The rat in front of him was strong. Monstrously strong. He would need to fight with all his might. He cautiously measured the distance between himself and the rat. And the rat, too, was staring at him. The rat, silently observing him, opened its mouth. [You are strong.] Bayern''s eyes widened. A monster that could speak? The rat continued, ignoring his shock. [I was disappointed with the weaklings outside, but you... You are worthy enough to corrupt. Coming outside was worth the effort.] ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Bayern asked. This was the first time he''d seen such an abominable creature. ¡°Are you a demon?¡± Bayern suspected his question was wrong, and the rat responded, clearly displeased. [How insulting. Do notpare me to those infantile beings. I am a rat born from the swamp of filth.] The rat stood tall and surveyed its surroundings. [I existed before you.] In the rat¡¯s view, a vast, greennd and a blue sky stretched out before it. [The world was originally ours. Your petty territorial disputes¡ªnothing more than childish games.] Shhhhhh. Toxic fumes spread intensely. The air grew foul, the atmosphere corrupted. [Atst, I have returned to where I belong. I will taint and defile everything, turning it into my domain.] * * * The rat lowered its body and then suddenly charged. Bayern had no intention of dodging or blocking the charge. He was the King of Barbarians. He was confident that no one could match his strength. He nned to use the rat''s charge against it andunch an attack. But before he could act, Bayern''s instincts screamed at him. Danger. Instinctively, he raised his axe to defend himself. And that decision was the right one. Without it, the powerful impact would have crushed his insides. Boom! ¡°Grrrr!¡± Bayern''s body was pushed back as the rat crashed into him. A groan escaped his lips. ¡®What is this?!¡¯ It was an unimaginable force. What shocked him even more was that the rat didn¡¯t seem to be using any mystery. It was pure physical strength that created such an impact. ¡®¡­This is¡­¡¯ It felt simr to when he fought Ketal. The rat, seeing Bayern withstand the charge, spoke with satisfaction. [I was disappointed by the weaklings outside, but you¡­ You satisfy me.] ¡°Grrr!¡± Bayern steadied himself and quickly enveloped his entire body with mystery. This power, which could intervene in the world, strengthened his body. ng! Now, he could counter the rat''s attacks. But that was all. He wasn¡¯t being overwhelmed, but he wasn¡¯t dominating either. Shock lingered in Bayern''s eyes. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ Even with his body enhanced by mystery, he couldn¡¯t overpower this monster. How could such a thing exist? [Screeeech!] The rat swung its massive front paw wildly. A chill ran down Bayern¡¯s spine. He instinctively leaped out of the range of the attack. sh! The space where the paw had swung literally tore apart, slowly corroding and copsing. [Keeaaah!] The rat didn¡¯t stop. It kept swinging its front paws as it charged forward. ¡°Hup!¡± Bayern put all his strength into his body. Like when he faced Ketal, he poured all his power into each strike. ng! The front paw and the axe collided repeatedly. After one intense sh, the rat¡¯s body was pushed back. [Scree! You¡¯re strong. Very strong.] The rat chuckled softly. Even though it had been pushed back, it showed no signs of distress. That was only natural. The rat''s power wasn¡¯t merely physical strength. Bayern gritted his teeth. ¡®A long battle will be disadvantageous.¡¯ The poison seeping from the rat was tainting Bayern¡¯s lungs. For now, he was protected by mystery, but once that energy ran out, the poison would invade his body. Even a "Hero-ss" physique could be corrupted by the rat¡¯s venom. Moreover, the ground itself was already filled with poison. It didn¡¯t affect him much, but it gave his opponent an advantage. He couldn¡¯t fight for long. ¡®In that case!¡¯n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Determination filled Bayern¡¯s eyes. [Screech!] The rat charged again, thrusting out its grotesque front paw. Bayern didn¡¯t dodge. Crunch. The rat''s ws pierced Bayern''s left arm. The rat''s eyes widened in surprise. [Screech?] Sacrificing flesh to gain an advantage. Bayern gripped his axe tighter in his right hand and swung it down. It was a strike powerful enough to split the earth in two. BOOM! The axe struck the rat¡¯s shoulder, and the force of the blow shook the surrounding area. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bayern''s face hardened. His axe hadn¡¯t injured the rat. The decay and poison surrounding the rat¡¯s body hadpletely blocked his attack. [You aim to wound and take life. I am pleased.] The rat smiled in satisfaction. [I¡¯ve decided. I will personally corrupt you. Receive the blessing of filth.] With those words, pirs of poisonous fumes rose from the ground. Bayern''s body was engulfed in green mist, disappearing from sight. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 285: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (2) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 285: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (2) RUMBLE! A green pir engulfed Bayern. It was a thick, dense poisonous aura¡ªcorrupting and destroying both body and soul. Once consumed by it, Bayern would rot and be a subordinate to the rat¡¯smand. However¡ª BOOM! An immense force caused the rat''s body to skid backward. The rat¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bayern emerged from the poisonous pir. Though the poisonous aura clung to Bayern¡¯s body, it could not invade his flesh. He had protected himself with mystery. [An insignificant measure granted to the fragile beings outside. But it seems it hasn''t protected your arm.] The rat''s words were true. The left arm where the rat¡¯s ws had dug in was indeed invaded by the poison. Bayern suppressed it with his mystery, but while he could stop the poison from spreading further, he couldn¡¯t eliminate itpletely. Bayern narrowed his eyes. ¡®Monster.¡¯ This was an entirely alien being, even difficult for him to confront. Yet, because of that, he was certain. From ancient times, the rat that pollutes the seas, mentioned in the Emperor''s legends¡ª The creature before him was none other than that very monster. ¡°¡­I have one question.¡± [Your resolve is admirable, so I¡¯ll answer.] ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the bear?¡± [Are you speaking of the bear in the snowy ins?] Confusion clouded the rat¡¯s eyes. The rat seemed puzzled about how Bayern knew of the bear. Still, the rat responded honestly. [I coveted its territory. But it wasn¡¯t easy. Even after a long struggle, no conclusion was reached.] ¡°Ha, hahahaha!¡± Bayern couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. He pped his hands. ¡°Good! Very good!¡± He gripped his axe tightly, the fire of battle in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you¡¯re not the bear¡­ but this is enough.¡± The rat in front of him was on par with the bear. If he could defeat this rat, it meant he could stand a chance against the bear as well. His fighting spirit surged. It was an opportunity to forget the shame of the past. The worth of showing his full strength was clear. THUD! Bayern¡¯s body trembled momentarily. The mystery coursed through his body, enhancing it. No¡ªit transcended enhancement. The mystery and his body became one. This was the secret technique he hadn¡¯t even used in his fight against Ketal. Bayern bared his teeth, showing a beast-like expression. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± BOOOOOM! Bayern charged. The rat¡¯s expression changed. At this speed¡ªfar faster than before¡ªthe rat quickly swiped with its front paw. CRAAAAASH! With a thunderous sound, the rat was forced backward, its expression twisting. The ws of its front paw, which had collided with Bayern¡¯s axe, were ground down. But Bayern didn¡¯t stop. He continued charging, striking with his axe. The rat¡¯s body kept getting pushed back. [You are strong.] The rat was surprised. Bayern¡¯s strength was astonishing, even to the rat. [I didn¡¯t expect there¡¯d be such power outside. It reminds me of those wretched barbarians.] BOOOOM! Bayern charged once again. This time, the rat didn¡¯t block; instead, it twisted its body, narrowly dodging Bayern¡¯s attack. The rat smirked. [But you can¡¯t control it, can you? You¡¯re still immature. You¡¯re wielding a power that surpasses your limits.] The rat wasn¡¯t foolish. In fact, it was incredibly intelligent, fully aware of the optimal course of action. [Though I could face you head-on, there¡¯s no need to bother. Rise, mynd.] RUMBLE! The ground erupted like a volcano, distorting the view. The rat darted through the chaos, evading Bayern¡¯s attacks. It was clearly stalling for time. Bayern clicked his tongue. His secret technique¡ªmerging his mystery with his body¡ªwas incredibly powerful. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But the drawbacks were equally clear. He hadn¡¯t fully mastered this power yet. Controlling the force and speed was difficult, and the mystery consumption was excessive. That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t used it against Ketal. The duration of this technique was short, and if the rat deliberately dragged out the fight, Bayern would be at a disadvantage. At this point, the best option for Bayern was to flee. In this state, the rat wouldn¡¯t be able to pursue him. He could treat his wounds, regroup, ande backter. But Bayern¡¯s face contorted. ¡®Do I have to run away?¡¯ In a moment like this? With the opportunity to avenge his past humiliation right in front of him? ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± In the end, Bayern was still a barbarian. Even if the past disgrace had changed him, his core remained the same. He wouldn¡¯t retreat in front of a strong enemy. Better to die than suffer shame! Bayern roared as he charged forward again, stomping on the erupting ground and slicing through it. He broke through every defense, closing in on the rat. The rat dodged by leaping this way and that. Bayern¡¯s mystery was rapidly depleting. However, Bayern¡¯s body continued to close the distance. Finally¡ª BOOOOM! Breaking through all obstacles, Bayern arrived in front of the rat. ¡°Die!¡± Bayern gritted his teeth and shed. The force of his strike extended to the horizon. The rat barely dodged in time. CRACK! But it didn¡¯t escape unscathed. The rat¡¯s chest burst open, green blood spilling out. Bayern¡¯s attack had pierced through the rat¡¯s armor of decay. [Oh, impressive. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve bled.] The rat genuinely marveled. [But that¡¯s all there is to it.] ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± Bayern copsed. The mystery that had merged with his body had vanished. The moment he delivered the blow, his mystery reserves had been exhausted. ¡°Damn rat¡­¡± He had poured everything into that strike. His body was now so drained that he could barely move. It was his defeat. [Such a satisfying strength. I¡¯ll taint your body and make good use of it.] The rat approached Bayern confidently. With all his energy depleted, Bayern was no longer a threat. At that moment, Bayern bared his teeth. He gripped the axe tighter. A hidden force surged violently. [¡­!] The rat¡¯s senses warned him. Reflexively, the rat defended himself with his venomous energy and leaped away. Bayern swung his arm. Crack! [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w The world split open. Dark, thick energy cleaved through the space. The venomous ground split in half. Bam! The rat¡¯s chest burst open. Unlike before, it was a much deeper wound. For any ordinary creature, it would be fatal due to severe blood loss. [You...] ¡°That was my trump card, and yet you managed to avoid it.¡± Bayern clicked his tongue. [¡­So you were pretending to have used up all your strength. You left only small wounds to make me lower my guard.] The rat muttered, genuinely surprised. [Although it was a direct hit, it¡¯s not a fatal injury. But you¡¯ll need time to recover. Crafty. It reminds me of someone I knew back then. Like you, he used the same trick when he was weak.] ¡°Enough chattering. I admit my defeat.¡± Bayern calmly acknowledged, squeezing out thest of his strength. He would finish it himself rather than being defiled by a mere rat. He drew forth the hidden force from the depths of his being, ready to burn his entire body for one final strike. A truly barbaric mindset. Just as Bayern made that judgment and was about to act¡ª [¡­Huh.] The approaching rat hesitated. He briefly nced at something in the distance, and an expression of shock filled his eyes. [Squeak!] The rat crouched. His fur bristled, standing on end. It was an unmistakable stance of wariness. The sudden change in behavior caused Bayern, who was ready to self-destruct, to pause. Thud. Thud. Thud. Footsteps echoed. This was the rat¡¯s territory. Thend was filled with venomous energy. After the battle with the rat, the poison had intensified greatly. Even Bayern¡¯s body was slowly being contaminated. But the neer walked across the ground, entirely unprotected. Bayern¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ketal?¡± Ketal appeared. Bayern was taken aback. Because Ketal¡¯s face looked extremely somber. Up until now, Ketal had always been cheerful around Bayern, so much so that Bayern hade to think of him as a jovial person who never lost his smile. But now, it was different. There was a dark, oppressive atmosphere about him, one that sent chills down Bayern¡¯s spine. [Wait a minute. That¡¯s... How is that even possible in this world?] The holy sword was startled. t seemed to know something, but Ketal paid no attention. He spoke gloomily. ¡°So, you¡¯ve crawled out as well.¡± [¡­Barbarian.] The rat slowly backed away, disying a clear wariness that even Bayern hadn¡¯t seen. [So, we meet already. I was hoping to corrupt at least half the world before trampling you.] ¡°How did you manage to crawl out?¡± [You of all people, asking that, when you were the first to escape?] The rat mocked Ketal. [The seal has been broken. We no longer need to be confined to the frozennds. We can now roam freely across the world, which was ours to begin with.] The rat took a step forward. Thend rotted beneath him. [This is just the first step. I will corrupt the entire world.] ¡°I see.¡± Ketal nodded. ¡°Bayern, get as far away from here as you can. I can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t get caught up in this.¡± ¡°O-okay. Got it.¡± Bayern was flustered. Ketal¡¯s atmosphere had grown so oppressive, it was almost beyondprehension. In fact, it felt alien¡ªsimr to the rat, but even more so. An overwhelming, barely controlled presence was seeping out in response to his emotions. The holy sword sensed it as well. [Wait... This... This is¡­] The holy sword was a tool created by the cksmith god, who worked alongside the deities. It had been closer to the gods than any other being on Earth, and had a vague understanding of the divine powers. That¡¯s why it could tell. The aura leaking from Ketal was qualitatively different. It wasn¡¯t like the gods. It was something else entirely¡ªwarped, yet towering. Though the holy sword couldn¡¯t fullyprehend it, there was one thing it was certain of: Ketal¡¯s presence rivaled that of the gods in the pantheon. ¡°Be careful.¡± Bayern quickly distanced himself. Ketal muttered gloomily. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡± [Still as stubborn as ever. We¡¯re all broken in some way, but you¡¯re particrly shattered.] ¡°Shut up.¡± Ketal mmed his foot down and leapt into the air. Above the rat, he clenched his fist, pouring strength into it. Crack! His veins burst. His muscles twisted. Ketal¡¯s arm began to break under the strain of his own power. He wasn¡¯t holding back. From the start, he was going all out. Ketal muttered quietly. ¡°Just die.¡± He drove his fist down. And the ground shattered. * * * Rumble! In the north, where venom had tainted thend, a massive hole was gouged into the earth. From above, it was difficult to see the bottom¡ªit was so deep and wide, like a sinkhole. And it had been created with a single punch. [Screech!] The rat let out a desperate cry, narrowly avoiding the blow. The ground erupted, spewing venom like a volcano. Just as when he had fought Bayern, the rat used the venom to obscure vision and evade the attack. Bayern had responded by breaking through the poison with his body. Ketal¡¯s response was even simpler. Ketal lifted his foot with an annoyed expression, pouring all his strength into it. The veins in his leg burst. Then, he stomped down. Crack. The ground crumbled beneath him. The venom that was about to erupt was forced back into the earth. No, it wasn¡¯t just that. Cracks spread across the entirend. The fissures quickly affected the entire area. Finally¡ª Boom! The ground, unable to withstand the force, copsed. The whole region crumbled into pieces. A gigantic crater formed. Anyone who saw this ceter would likely think a meteor had struck. That was the level of force involved. [Screech!] The rat shrieked, convulsing. In its mouth, venom began to condense, growing thicker and thicker. [Squeak!] The rat spat out the venom. A beam of poison filled the air, shooting toward Ketal. It was the rat¡¯s full power, something he hadn¡¯t used against Bayern. The trajectory of the poison could reach across the continent, perhaps even striking the capital of the barbarians. Even the high elf queen, Karin, wouldn¡¯t have been able to defend against that venom properly. Faced with such overwhelming power, Ketal raised his fist. He braced his legs and pulled his arm back. His veins popped, bursting under the strain. Then, he swung. Boom! The venomous beam collided with an even greater force and disintegrated. The view cleared. The air rushed in, creating a vacuum. The ground, which had been saturated with venom and filth, became the cleanest ce in the world in an instant. The rat let out a bitterugh. [You monster.] And with that, the shockwave hit the rat, sending its body tumbling violently across the ground. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 286: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (3) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 286: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (3) "Hmph." Ketal grabbed his dislocated arm, pulling it back into its socket. The immense power had caused his bone to pop out. Without hesitation, he took a step forward. Crunch. In an instant, his body reached right in front of the rat. Ketal¡¯s fist struck the rat''s chest. Crack. The sound of bones breaking¡ªno, the sound of them being ground into dust echoed. The rat¡¯s body flew through the air, sent flying by the overwhelming force. [Scree!] The rat tumbled across the ground, flying several kilometers away in an unsightly disy. [Scree!] Barely managing to stop its flight by wing into the earth, the rat avoided rolling endlessly for minutes. [Huff... That monster.] The rat groaned, attempting to get back up. But there was no time for that, as Ketal was already standing before it with an axe. The rat, panicking, swung both its feet to protect itself. Ketal brought down his axe, splitting the earth as the rat''s body was driven deep into the ground. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± Bayern, who had been watching from a distance, stumbled, momentarily losing his bnce. He forced himself to swallow the blood rising in his throat from the shockwave. ¡°Ugh.¡± Bayern barely managed to escape the aftermath of the battle. He had to put an immense distance between himself and the fight, far beyond the horizon, in order to avoid being caught up in it. Only a hero-ss warrior could even attempt to watch from that far. "...My god." He groaned as he gazed into the distance. The space ahead seemed distorted, as if the sheer force of their sh was warping the world itself. It was truly a battle between monsters. "...When he fought me, that was just ytime." Bayern realized that this was Ketal''s true power, his full strength. Boom! [Scree!] Though the rat barely managed to block the descending axe, its foreleg waspletely shattered. But Ketal didn''t stop. With a cold expression, he lifted his axe and brought it down again. And again. And again. Each strike was like a lumberjack chopping wood. The rat¡¯s decaying armor was pierced, and green blood sttered everywhere. [Screech!] The rat desperately swung its mangled foreleg. Its ws reached toward Ketal¡¯s head, carrying enough power to injure him. But the ws cut through empty air. In a sh, Ketal had moved behind the rat and grabbed its head. "Just die." Ketal mmed the rat''s head into the ground with a grim voice. Boom! The earth, soaked in green blood, crumbled. Another crater was engraved into the northernnds. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The rat let out a painful cry, but Ketal ignored it. He simply gripped its head and mmed it down, again and again. Even when fighting demonic creatures from outside, Ketal had always maintained a boundary, a limit. It was as if the battle had a sense of decorum, a sparring match with mutual respect. His opponents always aimed to kill him, to erase his existence, but Ketal adhered to his own principles. But now, that was all gone. All that remained was savagery, a single-minded drive to kill his enemy as quickly as possible. He was no longer the world-traveling barbarian, Ketal. He was the Ashen barbarian of the white snowfields, the chief who had survived and torn countless monsters apart. Ketal tightened his grip on the rat¡¯s skull. A cracking sound emerged as the skull began to fracture. Just as he was about to m it again¡ª Sssssshhhh! A powerful poison mist filled the air. The ground melted, turning into a sludgy ooze. This poison was thicker, filthier than anything that hade before. "Hmph." Ketal loosened his grip and stepped back from the mist¡¯s range. At that level, even he would be at risk if exposed directly. Just breathing it in could melt his lungs. Although he could recover, there was no reason to expose himself unnecessarily. [Huff.] The rat, now freed, struggled to stand, clearly weakened by the prior damage. [Heh... Such monstrous strength. How could something like youe into existence?] The rat muttered in disbelief, its eyes filled with fear as it stared at Ketal. [In all our long years, nothing like you has ever existed. You¡¯re an irregrity, an anomaly. You''ve upset the bnce and ruined everything. Don¡¯t you agree?] "Shut up." Ketal spoke coldly. "You''re just going to die here." [It¡¯s true, I can¡¯t beat you in my current state.] The rat admitted it straightforwardly. There was a clear gap in strength between them. Out of a hundred battles, the rat would lose ny-nine times. But that didn¡¯t mean the rat would die. [It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt pain.] Crack. Its broken bones twisted back into ce, and the pulverized bones had already long since regenerated. In an instant, the rat had returned to its original form. Ketal, too, was recovering. His distorted muscles, cracked bones, and burst blood vessels all healed rapidly. An observer might wonder which of them was truly the monster. [I have no reason to fight you.] The rat''s objective wasn¡¯t to battle Ketal. [I¡¯ll continue to pollute the world. All I need to do is ignore you, my obstacle.] "Do you think you can ignore me?" [Yes, I believe so.] The rat chuckled. [You can¡¯t kill me.] Ketal frowned but didn¡¯t argue. It was true. In the past, he hadn¡¯t been able to kill the monsters of the white snowfields. Weaklings like that snow-white creature could be killed easily, but creatures of a certain caliber, like the rat or the snake, couldn¡¯t be killed. They existed beyond the concept of death. "Maybe." Ketal narrowed his eyes. It could be different now. Because he had obtained the arcane. The mysterious power of the world. With it, killing the rat might be possible. It was worth a try. But the rat no longer had any desire to fight Ketal. [There¡¯s no point in continuing this fight. I have a long journey ahead of me.] The rat¡¯s body began sinking into the poisonous, corrupted ground. Ketal spoke icily. "Are you running away?" [This ce is already my domain. There¡¯s nothing you can do here.] ¡°That¡¯s the annoying part.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. The rat¡¯s body was already buried deep in the earth. Ketal didn¡¯t try to stop it. After the fight, he knew that once the rat decided to retreat into its own territory, he couldn¡¯t catch it. [I¡¯ll simply continue to pollute the world, avoiding you. I''ll face you again once I¡¯ve tainted enough of the world and imed it as my domain. And then, I¡¯ll kill you, barbarian.] With those words, the rat disappeared. Ketal stared at the spot for a moment before quietly muttering. ¡°I will kill you.¡± He remained there for a while before turning and moving toward Bayern, who had been watching with a stunned expression. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Are you alright?" "...Not really. Ketal, that thing... What was that?" "Let¡¯s talk after we leave. There¡¯s nothing good about staying here." The poison was slowly eroding Bayern¡¯s body. He nodded in agreement. "Understood." "Got it." Ketal returned to the northern capital with Bayern. The waiting Barbarians rushed over with concern. "My king!" "What exactly happened?" A sh of pure power. Forces so great they shook the heavens and the earth, powerful enough to be felt even in the distant capital. Bayern brushed off the Barbarians andy down on the bed. Ketal stood in front of him and asked, "How''s your body?" "...Not great." He was gathering his remaining mystery to push out the poison that had seeped into his body. His condition wasn''t good, but it wasn¡¯t critical either. However, the wound on his arm, pierced by the rat''s w, was the problem. The injury from the bear had been oveid with the wound from the rat, and the area was now decaying, from flesh to bone. Barbarians boasted an exceptional vitality. Being of the hero ss, Bayern could heal from a wound that would be fatal to an ordinary person within a week. Yet, he wasn''t recovering. "You should rest. Should we call for a doctor?" "There wouldn''t be a doctor in this ce. Besides, there''s something more important than resting right now." Bayern endured the pain and asked, "Did you defeat it?" "No. It escaped. If it decides to run, even I can''t catch it." "...I see." A monster even Ketal couldn''t capture. "What is it?" "A vile rat that pollutes the seas." "...I thought so." Bayern gave a bitter smile. A creature that appeared only in legends, a monster of the white snowfields, was now attacking the north. Ketal spoke. "It was misfortune for the demons. To have a rat appear in the very region they chose to invade." "Fortunate for us, though." Demons and rats. At least the worst-case scenario of having to fend off both didn¡¯t happen. But as Bayern thought that, he shook his head. "No. This is the worst case in its own way." A monster, so powerful that even the emperor''s legends spoke of it as undefeatable, was now targeting the north. If this wasn¡¯t the worst, what was? "We need... to respond." They couldn¡¯t remain idle. They needed to prepare a response as soon as possible. Bayern was about to ask Ketal for information on the rat when, "...Ugh." His body swayed. The poison seeping into him had finally reached a point where his body could no longer endure. Ketal stepped back. "I understand your urgency, but you should rest for now." "...Got it. Sorry. Let''s talk tomorrow." "Get some rest." Ketal stepped outside. He apologized to the Barbarians waiting for him and returned to his quarters. Seeing his expression, the Barbarians couldn''t bring themselves to press him further. "Tch." Lying on his bed, Ketal clicked his tongue. It wasn''t something he hadn¡¯t anticipated. The white beast had already emerged from the snowfields. There was no reason a rat couldn¡¯t do the same. Still, it was deeply unpleasant. "...Hah!" Ketal held his breath for a moment, then exhaled strongly. There was no point in stewing in his bad mood. He calmed his emotions and organized his thoughts, trying to shake off the irritation as he muttered to himself. "What should we do?" [Um, excuse me. Are you alright?] The Holy Sword, which had been silent until now, cautiously asked, sensing the mood. Ketal nodded. "I''m fine now. Sorry for showing you such an ugly side." [No, not at all. Seeing that for the first time was a bit scary, but I¡¯m okay now. After all, everyone wears a mask in life. Even the gods at the Pantheon have been caught cheating and causing scandals, so I understand!] As Ketal regained his usualposure, the Holy Sword started chatting nervously, seemingly relieved. Ketal chuckled. "Even gods cheat, huh?" [They¡¯re surprisingly human-like. There was a time they didn¡¯t speak to each other for a hundred years after getting caught. Another god had to intervene to mediate... Oh, wait. I probably shouldn¡¯t have said that. Can you, uh, keep it a secret?] The Holy Sword, realizing it had said too much, started trembling. Ketal smiled and nodded. The sword¡¯s chatter helped him release some of his lingering frustration. "Understood." [Phew. Thank you. By the way, that rat... It''s one of the monsters from the white snowfields, right?] "That''s right." [So, they¡¯re still around. And you fought one of them... and won.] The Holy Sword murmured in a tone of disbelief. Ketal asked, "Do you know what they are?" [I do.] The Holy Sword confirmed. [I''m a Holy Sword. The gods imbued me with knowledge. I have information about them too, though I never thought I''d actually see one.] Even the Holy Sword, stored in the Pantheon¡¯s vault, had doubted whether those creatures still existed. Ketal''s interest was piqued. "So you do know." [I know the basics. I don¡¯t have detailed information about each monster, but I know where theye from.] "What are they?" Ketal didn¡¯t know the exact nature of the creatures from the white snowfields. He only had his experiences from surviving there for countless years. He had no idea where they originated from or what they truly were. [Hmm...] The Holy Sword hesitated, thinking about how best to exin it. [To exin, I¡¯ll have to start from the beginning of the world.] "I know the basics." [You do?] Ketal gave a vague answer. This universe, the world, had been one in the beginning. But then, one day, an explosion urred, and it expanded rapidly. That was the start of the world. After an immense amount of time, the world reached its current state. That was the history of the world. The Holy Sword was shocked. [Wha-what? How do you...? That''s knowledge only gods and the highest demons are supposed to know!] "I made an educated guess." ''Seems like the history of the universe is simr everywhere,'' Ketal thought to himself as he gave a half-hearted reply. The Holy Sword, still bewildered, struggled to ept it. [Uh, um... Well, it¡¯s shocking, but you¡¯re right. That was the beginning of the world. But this world didn¡¯t immediately take its current form.] "I know that too." [Y-you do? Well, that makes this easier.] After the creation of the universe, it took an incredibly long time for the world to stabilize. During that period, there was no gravity, stars, continents, water, or air. It was an era of chaos and decay, a time when the universe was still broken and iplete. A dark age. [After that long era, the world finally began to stabilize. Gravity formed, stars were born, continents appeared, and water and air came into existence. The gods and demons were the first life forms to emerge in this stabilized world.] "Hmm?" Ketal raised an eyebrow at that. There was a contradiction. "The creatures of the Forbidden Lands are called the oldest beings, though." If the gods and demons were the first life forms, there would be no reason to call those creatures the oldest. Ketal joked. "What, are they life forms from before the universe was born or something?" [Not quite, but remember what I said. The gods and demons were the first beings in the stabilized world.] "...Wait." A possibility urred to Ketal, and the Holy Sword confirmed his suspicion. [Yes. Before the universe took its current form, during that primordial chaos, before the gods and demons were born, true first life forms appeared.] They were beings beyond currentprehension, from an earlier concept of existence. [Those creatures born in the dark age. That is what the beings in the Forbidden Lands truly are.] [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 287: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (4) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 287: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (4) ¡°¡­Then, the white snowfield, the Forbidden Lands.¡± [What you call the Forbidden Lands. The monsters there are the ones that were born in the distant past, from the chaotic cosmos, who appeared first and ruled the world. They are older than the gods, older than demons. They are imprisoned there after losing a war.] ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. Outwardly, there wasn¡¯t much change, but he was internally quite shocked. A time when there were nos, no liquids, no light¡ªjust a ck, dark age. To think there were creatures born from that time. And that he was living alongside such beings. It was something Ketal hadn''t known. ''Now I see why the rat always called me a child.'' Ketal would indeed be no more than an infant to a being that had lived since that era. The Holy Sword continued. [Did they seem very alien to you? They wouldn¡¯t have followed the usualws of biology.] ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± Even the rat was like that. Its entire body rotting away¡ªit clearly should not have functioned as a living being. Decay normally meant death. But the rat moved without issue, scattering its rot. The creatures of the outer Forbidden Lands were the same. Primates were creatures that breathed through their mouths, lungs; they couldn''t survive underwater. Yet, primates were breathing in the ocean''s depths, living in deep waters despite their monkey-like appearance. At least they somewhat resembled living organisms. Many were far stranger, not even adhering to the basic rules of life. [That''s natural. Those things were born in a chaotic world, before the currentws of the universe were established. They don¡¯t need to follow them.] ¡°Nano, Snowy, even those deep-sea primates¡ªthey¡¯re all such beings?¡± [Yes. Everything in the Forbidden Lands predates us.] They were beings that existed before the universe became what it is now. Beings that lived in a world of chaos, before order was formed. After thinking for a moment, Ketal asked: ¡°They lost in the war, you said.¡± The Forbidden Lands was a prison for those ancient beings defeated in a war. If they were the ones who had lost, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess who their opponents had been. ¡°The gods and demons must have joined forces to fight the oldest ones, right?¡± [That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard. In the end, the gods and demons were beings born after them. Although their rtionship is far from good, the oldest ones were amon enemy they couldn¡¯t tolerate. So, long ago, the two joined forces to fight them.] In that war, the gods and demons won. They wrested control of the world from the oldest beings. It wasn¡¯t a difficult concept to grasp. After all, even in Greek and Roman mythology, the Titans, who originally ruled the world, were overthrown by Zeus and the Olympian gods to seize power. It was a simr idea. [After a long fight, the gods and demons barely won, but the damage was significant. Due to the alien nature of the oldest beings, they couldn¡¯tpletely eliminate them. So, they had no choice but to imprison them.] That prison was the true nature of the Forbidden Lands. [I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s inside. But perhaps¡­ you know better than anyone.] The Holy Sword cautiously continued. Gods and demons. Monsters they joined forces to face. And her master had survived in the Forbidden Lands, where such beings existed. He had fought against them and lived to tell the tale. The Holy Sword swallowed hard. Though it didn¡¯t have saliva to swallow, it felt as if it did. After a brief silence, Ketal spoke again. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m curious about.¡± [What is it?] ¡°Then, what am I?¡± Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°What is my tribe?¡± [Uh, that¡¯s¡­] The Holy Sword hesitated. It had once been broken for speaking carelessly on this subject, so it had to be cautious. [Well, uh, that¡¯s¡­] It trailed off. Ketal finally spoke, noticing the sword''s hesitation like a nervous puppy. ¡°It¡¯s fine to speak freely. The gods and demons called me a traitor.¡± They had used him of being a traitor to this world, seduced by the white snowfield''s allure, and entered it voluntarily. They called him a traitor to the world. That was what they said. [Ah, I know.] Once given permission, the Holy Sword quickly opened up. [It¡¯s exactly as they said. The barbarians of the white snowfield, your tribe, are not among the oldest beings. You¡¯re just ordinary humans.] In the past, there had been those who were fascinated by the power and alien nature of the oldest beings. They had longed for the Forbidden Lands and desired to be like them. In the end, they turned their backs on the world and entered the Forbidden Lands. Those were the barbarians of the white snowfield. Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡°Foolish ancestors. How utterly repulsive.¡± [Well, uh¡­ yes, yes. Though I can¡¯t understand them, I suppose there could be people who desire such things.] The Holy Sword stammered, unsure whether to agree or counter his disdain. [But actually, what I¡¯m really curious about isn¡¯t that.] ¡°What is it?¡± [Your ancestors were ordinary humans who admired the oldest beings and voluntarily imprisoned themselves in the Forbidden Lands. They had no special powers. They were just humans.] They had no extraordinary abilities, no significant strength. [The white snowfield is filled with alien and powerful beings. Beings that view you, us, as nothing more than toys. But your people survived there.] The Holy Sword knew that the barbarians had entered the snowfield long ago, in a distant past so long it was impossible to know when. For all that time, the barbarians had lived among the oldest beings in the Forbidden Lands. The Holy Sword was genuinely curious. [How on earth did you survive?] And more importantly. [How did you gain such strength?] * * * How did they survive, and how did they gain such power? Ketal stroked his chin at the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I was there, the barbarians were already surviving. I helped them grow stronger and expand their territory, but even before me, they managed to survive.¡± [But your arrival caused them to grow, didn¡¯t it?] ¡°Ultimately, yes.¡± The barbarians of the white snowfield, once mere prey, had, with Ketal¡¯s arrival, imed territory in the snowfield. Under his protection, powerful individuals who could fight even the bear had emerged. It meant that Ketal alone had the power to disrupt the bnce. [It sounds like they worshipped you. Didn¡¯t they try to stop you when you left?] ¡°They tried to stop me as if they wanted to kill me. I was so annoyed that I broke them to the point they couldn¡¯t move for a week. Even then, they didn¡¯t listen, so I had to issue amand as their chief just to leave.¡± [Is¡­ is that so.] Ketal shook his head. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w His tribe had been persistent, to the point that it had been more bothersome thanpleting the final quest. ¡°To answer your question, I don¡¯t know either.¡± Before he arrived in this world, how had the barbarians survived? That was a mystery even to him. Ketal muttered, ¡°They must have somehow managed to avoid attention and survived. Honestly, I don''t really care what those damned ancestors were up to.¡± To him, the past of the barbarians in the White Snowfield wasn''t important. The tribesmen had said something about their ancestors, but he hadn¡¯t paid attention. What mattered to him was getting out of this ce. That was his only focus. ¡°To answer another question, I gained this power to survive and to get out. I didn¡¯t get stronger just for the sake of being strong.¡± [Is that... is that true?] But the Holy Sword couldn¡¯t ept Ketal¡¯s words. The power he had shown when fighting the rat¡ªit was monstrous. A strength that seemed impossible to handle on this earth. Ketal had even broken the rules set by the gods of the Pantheon using sheer strength. The Holy Sword still didn¡¯t understand the limits of Ketal¡¯s power. Had he really gained such strength just to survive and escape this ce? It was iprehensible. If that were true, there were only two possibilities: either that ce was so dangerous that survival was almost impossible, or escaping from it was an unimaginable task without that kind of power. The Holy Sword had yet another question: ¡®To get out of that ce¡­¡¯ What did you do? What did you face? The Holy Sword was incredibly curious, but couldn¡¯t bring itself to ask Ketal. His mood didn¡¯t seem great, and it feared what kind of reaction he might have. So, the sword kept quiet. However, Ketal could clearly sense the sword''s curiosity. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Ketal stroked his chin. * * * In his conversation with the Holy Sword, some questions were answered, but others arose. The next day, Ketal went to see Bayern. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°¡­Reasonably so.¡± Bayern¡¯splexion had improved slightly, but his arm was still in bad shape. Pressing on his arm, Bayern asked, ¡°You called that creature a vile rat polluting the sea. What level of monster is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a powerful monster in the White Snowfield, like the great snake and bear that dominate vast territories. It has exceptional strength, even within that ce.¡± The rat¡¯s power was formidable, even within the White Snowfield. It was no easy feat to carve out its own territory in that vast space unless it was an extraordinary creature. ¡°¡­So it really was a powerful monster. I was worried I had lost to something insignificant, but I¡¯m d that¡¯s not the case.¡± Long ago, the emperor¡¯s army had tried to conquer the White Snowfield. Among them were heroes of immense strength, but none had returned. There was no way the rat could have been weak. But a loss was still a loss. Bayern¡¯s mouth tasted bitter. Ketal tried to console him. ¡°That ce is already the rat¡¯s domain. Even if it¡¯s only the outskirts where the miasma is weaker, fighting there isn¡¯t easy.¡± Honestly, even Ketal had been surprised by the oue of Bayern''s fight with the rat. He hadn¡¯t expected the rat¡¯s filth to have such a significant effect on a powerful warrior from outside. ¡®Maybe I should reevaluate the strength of the monsters in the White Snowfield,¡¯ Ketal thought to himself as Bayern looked at him. ¡°You must have had many shes with the monsters of the White Snowfield. That includes the rat, right?¡± ¡°We fought frequently over territory.¡± ¡°How should I deal with it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± How to fight the rat? After organizing his thoughts, Ketal began to exin, ¡°As you¡¯ve probably noticed, its power is filth. It can taint the world and turn it into its own territory.¡± The more ground the rat corrupted, the stronger its influence grew. That was why it was so obsessed with expanding its territorypared to other monsters. ¡°And it can move freely within the areas it has tainted.¡± Thend corrupted by the rat became polluted deep into the earth, allowing the rat to move underground like a mole. Its surprise attack on Bayern and its escape from Ketal were both thanks to this ability. Bayern frowned. ¡°¡­So I have to remove the territory?¡± The rat¡¯s power came from its tainted domain. Therefore, erasing that domain was the best way to deal with it. Bayern asked Ketal, ¡°How can the territory be removed?¡± ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know.¡± Ketal had only been able to drive the rat away before it could corrupt morend. He had never figured out how to undo the corruption itself. Bayern looked shocked. ¡°Then how did you fight it? If you can¡¯t erase the corruption, it¡¯ll just keep expanding.¡± ¡°Over time, the corruption naturally cleanses itself from thend. I would wait for that moment to drive the rat back.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just a matter of time?¡± Bayern clicked his tongue. The inability to actively remove the corruption was bad news, though it wasn¡¯t the worst, since at least time could solve it. ¡°How long do you have to wait?¡± ¡°Hmmm. Time flows differently in that ce¡­¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After thinking for a moment, Ketal answered, ¡°Roughly¡­ about a hundred years, I think?¡± Bayern, who had been deep in thought, suddenly froze. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh, no, wait. It wasn¡¯t a hundred years.¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course. It couldn¡¯t possibly be that long¡­¡± ¡°It was closer to three hundred years. Or maybe five hundred? It was definitely a long time, but I can¡¯t quite remember.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Bayern stared at Ketal in disbelief. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 288: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (5) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 288: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (5) "Wait a second. Then you¡­" Bayern regained his senses and asked, ¡°¡­have lived that long, haven¡¯t you?¡± Of course, those who had reached a certain level of mastery would see their lifespans extend dramatically. The arcane powers would assist the body¡¯s functions, dying the aging process. For a hero capable of intervening in the world, aging became practically irrelevant. Even now, Bayern was over sixty years old but maintained the appearance and physique of someone in their mid-thirties. However, living for centuries was a different matter entirely. At present, only certain long-lived races such as elves, dwarves, and dragons, or those like the Tower Master who had given up their humanity, could live that long. Even among humans who had reached the level of a hero, the oldest lived about 200 years. "Well, there''s no way to keep track of time in there. My people don''t really care about it either. The actual time could be shorter since it''s all just perceived time." "Oh, uh, I guess that''s true." No matter how you looked at it, Ketal appeared too young. It was hard to believe he had lived for centuries, perhaps even close to a millennium. After all, even the Magic Tower, which stood proudly as one of the pirs of the continent, only had a history of a few centuries. ¡°So, it takes about a hundred years or maybe just a few decades for the pollution to be purified?¡± That meant Ketal was probably between one hundred and two hundred years old, which was still somewhat understandable. ¡®¡­I think?¡¯ Bayern tried to dismiss the creeping doubt in his mind. "But even if it''s only a few decades, that''s still a long time." Though it was a more reasonable span of time, it was still long enough. Bayern let out a groan. "You must have shed with that monster in the White Snowfield quite often. How did you deal with it?" "The rat needs time to pollute an area. It can¡¯t do it right away. So when it tried to expand its territory, I sensed it and drove it out. And if I failed and the area got polluted, it didn¡¯t really matter." Ketal just ignored it. In the White Snowfield,nd didn¡¯t hold much value to begin with. It was all covered in ice, so it didn¡¯t matter where you went. Even if an area got polluted, you could just find another ce. "But we can''t do that here." This was the outside world. Every piece ofnd here had significant value. You couldn¡¯t just abandon it like in the White Snowfield if it got polluted. Even if they managed to defeat the rat, it would be a problem if they couldn¡¯t find a way to deal with the pollution. Bayern let out a bitterugh. ¡°Why does such a creature even exist?¡± There didn¡¯t seem to be a solution. As Bayern propped his chin on his hand, deep in thought, the Holy Sword spoke up. [I know the answer.] Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Hm? Didn''t you say you didn''t know?" ¡°No, it¡¯s not me. Someone else knows?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Bayern was confused. There hadn¡¯t been any sound or presence. Ketal unsheathed the Holy Sword from his waist and showed it to him. "This thing." "A broken sword? Is it an ego sword?" ¡°It¡¯s the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Bayern was genuinely shocked. A broken sword, the Holy Sword? But upon closer inspection, he could feel an unusual divine presence emanating from it. ¡°Now that I think about it, they said they were keeping the person who drew the Holy Sword a secret. It was strange because that had never happened before¡­¡± ¡°I forced it out and ended up breaking it.¡± ¡°¡­You broke the Holy Sword?¡± Bayern looked incredulous. But Ketal remained calm. Bayern¡¯s expression wavered as he realized it was the truth. ¡°Uh, uh, okay. So, the Holy Sword knows, does it?¡± "That''s what it said." [I said I possess knowledge. I don''t know what that rat is, but I can guess its origin. It was likely born from the Filth of the Swamp.] "The Filth of the Swamp?" [It existed in the age before the world became what it is today¡ªthe Dark Age. I only know of it through records and have never seen it myself. It was thergest concentration of filth that existed in the beginning.] ¡°As filthy as it was, I didn¡¯t think it came from such a ce. So how do we deal with it?¡± [It¡¯s simple.] The Holy Sword answered. [You can purify the pollution with divinity.] ¡°Huh?¡± Ketal was puzzled. Divinity? Out of nowhere? It was too unexpected. "Isn''t divinity only effective against demons?" [No, that¡¯s not true. The superiority of divinity over demonic energy is only a secondary function.] The Holy Sword exined calmly. [The original purpose of divinity was to erase filth. Divinity was created for that very reason.] ¡°What is it saying?¡± Bayern, who couldn¡¯t hear the Holy Sword¡¯s voice, asked curiously. Ketal exined. "It says divinity was originally meant to purify filth." ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Bayern was equally puzzled. That contradicted everything they had known. But if the Holy Sword, created by the gods themselves, said so, there was a high chance that theirmon knowledge was wrong. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll just have to verify it.¡± After some thought, Bayern rang a bell. Soon after, a barbarian entered the room. ¡°What do you need, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a follower in the city. Tell him I request his presence.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The barbarian shouted and rushed off. Ketal didn¡¯t stop him. Though he could use divinity himself with the holy relic of Kalosia, he wanted more solid confirmation. A few minutester, Darkul, a follower of the Sword God, entered the room. ¡°¡­Oh, Ketal, you¡¯re here too. Your Majesty, you summoned me?¡± "Yes. Can you heal this?" ¡°Huh?¡± Darkul, confused, looked at Bayern¡¯s polluted arm. Seeing it, Darkul gasped. In this room were Ketal and Bayern, both stronger than most heroes. The two of them had been casually talking while ignoring the poison, but that wasn¡¯t something Darkul could do. ¡°Ugh, ah¡­¡± The venom wriggling in Bayern¡¯s arm¡­ It was alien. Just looking at it made him feel nauseous, a repulsive and filthy presence, something utterly uneptable in the world. Darkul wanted to flee the room immediately. The venom had that kind of overwhelming presence. ¡°Heal this arm with your divine power.¡± [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°I-I don¡¯t know if I can... but I will try.¡± Darkul hesitated as he approached. His expression showed uncertainty. Divine power could heal wounds and cleanse demonic energy, but this was too thick and alien. As Darkul drew closer, his hands hovering over the arm, he muttered under his breath. ¡°Elia, please cleanse the filth of this world.¡± Bzzzz! Light enveloped Darkul¡¯s arm. And immediately, the change began. Crackle! Crack! The miasma that had invaded down to the bone began to subside, slowly. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s working. Thank you.¡± ¡°N-No, not at all.¡± Bayern expressed his gratitude, and Darkul, feeling flustered, stepped back. The Holy Sword''s words were true. Using divine power, the corruption could be dealt with. Bayern muttered with some surprise. ¡°The Sun God¡¯s saintess couldn¡¯t even heal the wounds from the bear. I thought it was impossible even with divine power.¡± [Although I don''t know what this ''bear'' is, it likely wasn''t born from the Filth Swamp. Divine power is a force meant to cleanse filth, but against other things, it is not as effective.] During the Dark Ages, it wasn¡¯t only the Filth Swamp that gave birth to creatures. Life was also born in other ces. [When ites to filth, divine power can cleanse it. Of course, not just anyone can do it.] The purification wasn¡¯tplete; significant corruption still remained in Bayern¡¯s arm. But Darkul was a top-tier warrior. He ranked highly in terms of strength across the entire continent, though nowhere near the level of Rat or Bayern. The fact that Darkul could purify even this much meant their powers were strongly aligned. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ketal ryed the words of the Holy Sword, and Bayern had a look of newfound understanding. ¡°For now, this will do.¡± They had found a solution for dealing with the miasma. But there was a problem. Ketal asked, ¡°Where are we going to find more followers?¡± The corrupted area was vast. Darkul alone could not cleanse it all. They needed more followers. But this was the North¡ªhome to barbarians who rejected gods and despised believers. Ketal turned to Darkul. ¡°Can you bring followers of the Sword God here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. The southern regions have the Sun God and Earth Mother temples, so they should be avable. But¡­¡± Darkul trailed off. The barbarians would likely resist. And more importantly, the distance was far. Ketal had arrived in just a few days due to his hero-ss power, but it would normally take months. By the time news reached the South, preparations were made, and people traveled here, at least half a year would pass. ¡°Unless the Tower Master directly helps by teleporting them, it¡¯s going to take a considerable amount of time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. Then, Bayern, who had been quietly listening, spoke. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to worry about the followers. There are still some temples in the North.¡± Many temples had left the North due to heavy persecution. However, there were still quite a few that remained, either because they couldn¡¯t abandon their homnd or because they refused to leave their sacred grounds. Of course, they were barely hanging on, teetering under constant persecution and disdain, ready to copse at any moment. If not for Bayern, who had set boundaries as king, they would have crumbled already. ¡°¡­This is a good opportunity.¡± Bayern¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Leave that matter to me. I can take care of it within a week.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal seemed to understand what Bayern was nning. ¡°This is a good chance to establish a foothold for the temples in the North. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Good. Ketal, then I¡¯ll leave the matter of rat to you. I cannot defeat that monster.¡± Bayern had already been defeated. Only Ketal could defeat rat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ketal smiled softly. In that moment, Darkul felt a chill run down his spine. It was a bright, gentle smile, but something about it was unsettling. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it never threatens this ce again.¡± * * * n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om That very day, Bayern took action. As king, he made a deration. ¡°Hear me, barbarians. I have something to say to you.¡± His voice echoed throughout the city. The barbarians, bewildered, gathered at the ce where the king stood waiting. ¡°What is it, my king?¡± Someone asked. Bayern was silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°I am aware that you have many grievances against me. You call me a coward and say that my rule is stifling. And your greatestint must be this: why have we not invaded the continent?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my king!¡± A response came immediately. The barbarians, faces full of frustration, shouted. ¡°We are strong! We want to prove our strength!¡± To leave the North, invade the continent, shatter kingdoms, and topple temples. This was the barbarians¡¯ long-held desire. But Bayern had been holding them back. They had followed him as their king, but inwardly, resentment had built up. ¡°¡­Fools. Ignorant fools.¡± Bayern muttered quietly, then opened his mouth. ¡°I understand your desires. And so, I have had a change of heart.¡± ¡°O-oh?¡± ¡°My king! Surely you don¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°We shall march upon the continent. Go forth and prove our strength. Show the outsiders that we are the strongest.¡± ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡°Finally!¡± The barbarians let out a cheer. Finally! They could finally attack the continent! The king himself hadmanded it! As they rejoiced in their victory, Bayern spoke again. ¡°But, in exchange, I have one condition for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A condition?¡± The barbarians, puzzled, looked at him as Bayern continued. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 289: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (6) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 289: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (6) ¡°You all know this. Demons are invading ournd.¡± Bayern¡¯s words echoed among the Barbarians. In the north, demons had descended. They were trampling thend and forming a front to defile the earth, attacking as they advanced. ¡°But there are no demons there now. Something entirely different is invading and polluting thend.¡± Bayern spoke in a low voice. ¡°It is a dangerous being. And powerful.¡± His words stirred murmurs among the Barbarians. They didn''t know what had descended, but the fact that the king himself acknowledged its danger and strength made them restless. Something the king recognized as dangerous was there. The glint of battle-hungry ambition was in the eyes of the Barbarians. Seeing this, Bayern smiled and continued. ¡°That creature is polluting the north. The north is no longer ours. Do you think you can conquer the continent if you cannot even protect your ownnd? Impossible.¡± It was only then that the Barbarians realized what the king was after. Bayern dered, ¡°So here¡¯s the deal. You have one week. Solve the pollution defiling the north. If you seed in purifying even a speck of it, I will lead you to conquer the continent.¡± ¡°Oooooooh!¡± ¡°Waaaaah!¡± The Barbarians roared with excitement. If they could just solve this issue, they could finally march towards the continent! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Filled with determination, they rushed toward the front. Bayern smiled, knowing they would do just that, and muttered quietly, ¡°You¡¯ll have to endure quite a bit in theing week.¡± The Barbarians, charging ahead, soon arrived at the front line. And they saw it. The greennd, filled with poison. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°W-what is this?¡± Even those driven by instinct hesitated. No, it was because of their instincts that they paused. That thick greennd held a force they couldn''tprehend. The Barbarians instinctively kept their distance. ¡°What is this filth?¡± But not all of them were cowed. A Barbarian, overconfident in his strength, boldly stepped onto the poisonousnd. ¡°Hahaha! This poison is nothing before our powerful bodies! Come on, everyone!¡± He shouted with arrogance. And at that moment, the poison crept up his leg and into his body. His expression froze instantly. ¡°H-huh? Wait a second!¡± He tried to scramble out of thend, but it was toote. The poison had already climbed up his leg and into his head. His body began to sink into the earth. ¡°N-nooo! Stop¡­¡± The poisonednd swallowed the Barbarian. After a brief silence, a hand shot up from the ground. [Uuurgh¡­] It was the Barbarian, now corrupted by the poison, rising as a decayed zombie. The twisted creature attacked the remaining Barbarians. ¡°W-what is that!¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourselves!¡± ng! ng! The Barbarians, shocked, drew their axes and swung at the creature. But the corrupted Barbarian didn¡¯t fall easily. Only after it had infected and killed three more Barbarians did they manage to sever its limbs and stop it. [Uuuurgh¡­] The headless torso continued to twitch. The severed limbs wriggled on the ground. ¡°¡­What in the world¡­¡± It was grotesque. Unnatural. The Barbarians realized they couldn¡¯t approach thatnd carelessly. They backed away cautiously. ¡°Ugh. What do we do now?¡± They couldn''t step onto thend. But retreating wasn¡¯t an option either. If they could somehow purify this pollution, they would gain the chance to conquer the continent. The usually thoughtless Barbarians strained their minds toe up with a solution. Then, one Barbarian finally thought of something. ¡°Let¡¯s overturn thend!¡± ¡°Oooooh!¡± ¡°What a brilliant idea!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try it right away!¡± The Barbarians, amazed by the suggestion, immediately set to work. But overturning thend was no easy task. As soon as their axes and shovels touched the poisoned earth, they too became corrupted. Dozens of Barbarians lost their precious weapons in vain. Only the strongest, wielding enchanted weapons, managed to overturn a portion of thend, but of course, it was meaningless. The pollution had seeped deep into the earth. All they had done was bring the poison from beneath to the surface. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The n to overturn thend had failed. The Barbarians were stumped. Then, one of them muttered. ¡°What if we cover the pollution with clean dirt from outside?¡± ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! Very clever!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try that right away!¡± The Barbarians shoveled clean earth from outside and tried to cover the poisoned ground. And, predictably, it failed again. The moment the clean dirt touched the poisoned ground, it too became corrupted. All they had done was spread the polluted area. Every attempt they made failed. But the Barbarians did not give up. ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± ¡°We can do this!¡± As long as they seeded, they would finally be able to march toward the continent! Driven by this thought, the Barbarians continued to throw themselves into the task, trying every idea they could think of. But in the end, all of it was in vain. The week passed with no progress. Bayern clicked his tongue as he looked at the despondent Barbarians. ¡°You lot couldn¡¯t even solve this pollution. You couldn¡¯t fix the problem defiling ournd. Tell me again, how do you think we deserve to conquer the continent?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Barbarians couldn¡¯t respond and hung their heads in shame. Seeing this, Bayern quietly smiled. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°I gave you a chance, but you failed. You couldn¡¯t solve the pollution defiling ournd at all. Now, keep quiet and follow me.¡± Bayern led the Barbarians toward the polluted area. And soon after, an old man appeared. The Barbarians¡¯ eyes widened as they recognized him. ¡°A follower of the gods?¡± Even the north wasn¡¯t entirely without faith. Despite countless persecutions and humiliations, there were still churches barely holding on. The old man was a saint¡ªthe leader of a church that worshiped the god of purity, barely surviving in the north. ¡°O, Your Majesty... Why...¡± The barbarians recognized his face, their expressions displeased, but they did not voice any objections. They had failed after all, and as the defeated, they held their tongues. Seeing this, the old man stroked his beard with a curious look. ¡°You don¡¯t raise your axes at me? How interesting.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been preparing for this for a week. Just go ahead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask. You¡¯ve protected us, after all. Please, speak as you wish.¡± The old man stood before the corruptednd and began to pray. Bayern spoke. ¡°You could not protect ournd. You were utterly useless.¡± Keiiiiiiing! Divine power surged forth, bathing thend in its radiant light. The barbarians¡¯ eyes widened. The corruption that they had been unable to cleanse, despite trying everything for a week, was now being purified. ¡°And yet, the very power of the god you scorned and persecuted is now protecting ournd.¡± Bayern dered to the barbarians, ¡°The remaining churches in the north will act to protect ournd. You will stand by and watch them.¡± * * * Keiiiiiiing! Starting with the old man, all the remaining churches in the north began to move. They began purifying the toxd from the outskirts. The barbarians remained silent. The very believers they had despised and deemed unnecessary were now safeguarding theirnd. It was confusing, humiliating even. But those feelings didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Hahaha! How splendid! They¡¯re actually protecting ournd!¡± ¡°We scorned them as weaklings who relied only on their god, but they have their worth after all!¡± The barbarians quickly acknowledged the believers. The main reason they hated them so much was that they saw them as weaklings who leaned on the name of a god to unt power, refusing to believe in their own strength and attributing everything to the will of the divine. However, the corruption of thend was something they could not purify no matter what they did. But now, the believers were solving the problem in the name of their god. It was impossible not to acknowledge them. Barbarians are brutish, narrow-minded, and barbaric. In other words, they have no shame and can change their attitude as easily as flipping their hands. The barbarians dropped their hostility toward the believers and showed a friendly demeanor. The believers, surprised by the sudden shift in behavior, looked bewildered. Bayern smiled with satisfaction at the sight. ¡°This is going well.¡± The barbarians rejected the gods and despised believers. As such, the north was a ce where religious churches held little power. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. The gaze of the divine watches over the earth. If a problem arose, no one could act as swiftly and decisively as the churches. Bayern had been pondering how to establish the churches in the north, and now a perfect opportunity had presented itself. Bayern chuckled to himself. ¡°From now on, the barbarians won¡¯t be able to strongly reject the churches. And now, I have a reason to control them too. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± ¡°I merely conveyed the message. The real help came from this fellow here.¡± Ketal lightly tapped the Holy Sword. [Right? See, I¡¯m useful, aren¡¯t I? Bringing me along was a brilliant choice!] The Holy Sword eximed with excitement. Ketal casually responded. Bayern muttered to himself as he observed thend being purified. ¡°The purification itself is progressing smoothly. Since this area is on the outskirts and devoid of the rat, it seems the believers¡¯ power is enough. The barbarians are handling the monsters that appear. But soon... it will show up.¡± ¡°Yes, it will. A creature like that wouldn¡¯t just sit still while its territory shrinks.¡± ¡°So, I ask of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all for it.¡± Ketal grinned, baring his teeth. * * * Keiiiiiiing! The believers, along with the barbarians, continued purifying thend tainted by the toxic air. Their progress was swift. The corrupted territory had already noticeably shrunk. And then, the master of the territory, having sensed this, finally revealed itself. Kugugugung! ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± People panicked at the sudden tremors in the earth. Soon, the source of the quake emerged. Kuuuuung! Bursting forth from the corruptednd, it revealed itself from beneath the ground. A decayed, grotesque rat. [How repulsive.] The rat, now exposed, radiated intense displeasure. [How dare these younglings... soil mynd without knowing their ce.] ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The believers¡¯ faces turned pale. Even the barbarians, who prided themselves on standing firm in the face of death, involuntarily stepped back. They all realized at that moment. What stood before them now was a grotesque monster, something wholly otherworldly. Something beyond theirprehension and eptance. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Those unable to wield mystery clutched their heads in agony. The mere presence of the rat twisted their minds. Even those with mysteries were not much better off. The noxious energy exuding from the rat polluted their very beings. [I shall ensure that none of you die. You will live on in eternal regret within the poison.] The rat, annoyed, began to move. At the moment when they all sensed their horrible fate... "...Huh?" From the sky, a small figure began to descend. It was falling straight toward the rat''s head. The rat, unaware, was about to scatter its poison when... "Whoops." [Screech!] Ketal, falling from the sky, mmed his fist down. With a thunderous crash, the rat¡¯s body crumpled. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 290: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (7) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 290: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (7) RUMBLE! The earth shattered and caves in as the rat''s body was driven deep into the ground. "...Huh?" The people widened their eyes in surprise. The overwhelming, alien, and almost unwatchable monster was suddenly crushed deep into the earth. And a single human descended on top of it. A barbarian, recognizing the face, muttered, "...Ketal?" [Screech!] The rat staggered, shaking its head. It red at Ketal. [You! Barbarian!] "Hmm," Ketal gazed silently at the rat. The monster that shed with him endlessly in the snowy ins. They were all the first creatures born in the universe during the Dark Ages. This rat must be one of them too. ¡®Knowing its origin makes it feel somewhat strange.¡¯ But it didn¡¯t change anything significant. ¡°Get lost, rat.¡± Ketal raised his fist, filled with power. Blood sttered. ¡°This is not a ce you are allowed to covet.¡± His punch, filled with all his strength, was unleashed. The air was forcefullypressed, creating a vacuum in the area. The surface of the earth was shredded. [Screech!] The rat tried to dodge but it was toote. Its body was hurled across the ground, rolling uncontrobly. Then, the sound followed. BAM! [Aaaargh!] A gust of wind mmed into the barbarians and their followers, sending them flying like insects caught in a storm. "What in the world..." Those barely holding their ground looked at Ketal in awe. His strength transcendedprehension, far beyond what they could fathom. [Screech!] The rat, which had been rolling across the ground, digged its ws into the earth and stood up. It opened its mouth wide, aiming at the iing Ketal. BZZZZT! A streak of venomous energy shot toward Ketal. He clenched his fist and struck. BOOM! The sh of forces neutralized the attack. The rat, barely able to steady itself, wobbled as it rose. [Barbarian!] The rat screamed furiously. [What do you think you''re doing!? Are you siding with these worthless creatures!?] Ketal¡¯s attack was clearly directed at the rat, and his actions seemed to protect the barbarians and their followers. That enraged the rat. [You¡¯re taking the side of humans! Protecting the weaklings of the outside world! Are you insane!? Traitor!] "Traitor, huh?" Ketal murmured with a strange expression. The barbarians of the White Snowfield. They had betrayed the world and chosen to be part of the Abyss of their own free will. Because of this, both gods and demons had called Ketal a traitor. And now, a monster from the White Snowfield was calling him the same. ¡°So now I¡¯m a traitor to both sides. In that case, whose side am I really on?¡± Ketal chuckled softly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you call me. You are my only enemies.¡± With those words, he dashed forward, his voice cold and calm. His fists hammered down repeatedly. The rat tried to fight back, but its efforts were crushed under Ketal''s overwhelming power. [Screeeeech!] The rat¡¯s limbs were shattered and broken. Blood sttered everywhere, staining the already filthy ground even more. Ketal lightly dusted off his hands and asked, ¡°Do you want to continue? I wouldn¡¯t mind. Beating you up might relieve some stress.¡± [...] The rat ground its teeth in frustration but did not retaliate. Slowly, it began to sink into the ground, disappearing from sight and leaving no trace of its presence. It had fled. ¡°You should have done that sooner.¡± Ketal muttered, turning his gaze toward the barbarians and their followers. ¡°It¡¯s over. I¡¯d appreciate it if you continued to purify this filthynd.¡± Ketal smiled lightly. The people, dazed, nodded nkly. * * * ¡°It was quite amotion.¡± ¡°What was?¡± ¡°Your power.¡± Bayern stared at Ketal as he spoke. The rat had persistently appeared to attack the barbarians and corrupt their followers. And every time, Ketal had shown up to face it. Many barbarians and their followers witnessed his power, the kind that erased space and air itself. It was a force beyond their understanding. And when people see something beyondprehension, they often move from awe to worship. Bayern spoke, ¡°Did you know there are people calling you the avatar of the God of Strength?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it in passing.¡± [The avatar of the God of Strength? The God of Strength is truly powerful. No matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t possibly reach his level... Hmm... Hmm...] The Holy Sword groaned in indecision. Ignoring it, Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°It seems admiration for you is growing too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more attention than I deserve. It¡¯s driving me mad.¡± Bayern forced a bitter smile. Ketal was strong. His power was enough to be mistaken for the avatar of the God of Strength. And their king had defeated Ketal. That meant the king was even stronger than Ketal. The barbarians marveled at the strength of their king, deeply impressed. It was actually a burden for Bayern. ¡°If only I had admitted defeat quickly back then, I could have handed over all these annoying barbarians to you.¡± Bayern grumbled with a hint of humor, and Ketal chuckled. ¡°By the way, you seem pretty rxed these days.¡± ¡°The rat hasn¡¯t appearedtely.¡± The rat had been trying to stop them from purifying thend. But every time, Ketal had attacked it. After a few shes, the rat stopped showing up. Even the zombie-like monsters had stopped appearing. It was definitely odd. The area was vast no matter how much Ketal and Bayern tried to hold them off. If the rat wanted tounch a surprise attack, it could have caused damage. But there had been no sign of it at all. Bayern narrowed his eyes. ¡°Has it given up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ketal immediately denied it. ¡°That won¡¯t be the case.¡± He knew what kind of existence the rat was. It wasn¡¯t something that would retreat so easily. ¡°It''s probably nning to use all its power in a final assault.¡± Instead of wasting its strength on small skirmishes, it would save everything for when they approached its stronghold. ¡®Full power, huh.¡¯ Ketal stroked his chin. He had fought the rat countless times. The rat, obsessed with expanding its domain, and the barbarian group, striving to secure their own territory, inevitably shed. Their battles had exceeded three digits in number. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w But Ketal had never seen the rat at full power in all those fights. The reason was simple. The rat''s strength was tied to the density of its domain. The denser the domain, the stronger the rat became. And the domain grew denser the longer the rat stayed there. In other words, the rat¡¯s full power could only be unleashed in itsir. But the rat¡¯sir was in the ocean. There had never been a reason to go there, so they hadn¡¯t fought in its territory. The rat would likely attack him with power even stronger than what he had seen in the snowy ins. ¡®But I¡¯m not the same either.¡¯ Ketal had also gained an outside power, a mystery that the rat didn¡¯t know about. "Hmm." Would the power he acquired from the outside be effective against the being within? "I¡¯m curious." Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. Meanwhile, the Rat was deep, deep underground. [Of all times, I had to encounter a Barbarian right aftering outside.] It wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Even for a powerful Rat, the odds were not favorable. [Where on earth did such an irregre from?] The Rat clicked its tongue. They were the oldest of beings, and had seen each other countless times. But this Barbarian was a recent arrival,pared to their long history. In a fleeting moment, the Barbarian had grown in strength and expanded its territory, disrupting the long-standing bnce of the snowy ins. [To think I¡¯d be fighting even the elders¡­ This won''t be easy. I might even lose.] But the Rat had no intention of backing down. [Even so, I am the Rat.] Malice began to crawl up its body. The venom it nowmanded was far more potent than anything it had wielded before. [The second creature born from the swamp of filth. Once, I polluted the world. I won''t retreat so easily. This time, I¡¯ll corrupt and destroy you, Barbarian.] * * * Thanks to the Rat''s absence, they had been able to purify the taintednds without much interference. Most of the area had been cleansed. At the end of their efforts, they arrived. The beach, where the Rat had first set foot outside. "...Ugh." Darkul groaned, his face pale. The other Barbarians and priests weren''t much better off. Whaty before them was not and of the living. It was nothing but rotten decay. Thend and sea had beenpletely ruined, resembling a bubbling, boiling swamp. Ketal whistled. "How thick." It was nearly indistinguishable from the Rat¡¯sir. It seemed like the Rat intended to make this its new nest. "Can it be purified?" Ketal asked. ¡°It... it will be difficult,¡± the saint replied, his face as white as a sheet. "The venom is too dense. Even approaching it is hard. Only with the scriptures might we barely manage." Even within their ranks, only a few could purify such a level of contamination. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And it would take months, if not longer. The venom was that concentrated. But that wasn¡¯t the only problem. [Graaahhh...] Monsters began to rise from the swamp. There were many of them. They were creatures the Rat had saved, having not yet used them. And there was one more. [GRAAAAAH!] With a heavy thud, a massive creature burst forth from the swamp. Bayern¡¯s eyes widened. "...A bear?" It was the bear Bayern had seen in the white snowy ins. Though now twisted and distorted, its form was still recognizable. But it was smaller. Whereas the bear had once been asrge as a mountain, the creature before them was the size of a small hill. Ketal muttered in understanding. "He even corrupted the bear¡¯s cub. Bold move. The bear must have gone mad with rage." "...The cub of that monster?" Bayern''s eyes darkened. "Leave that one to me." "Understood. Do your best." "RAAAAGH!" "Die!" The Barbarians and the priests shed with the monsters. Protected by divine power, they cut down the beasts. Meanwhile, Bayern began his battle with the bear. Their immense strength shook the world as they collided. And Ketal... He bypassed the fighting, heading into the swamp. "Did you really n to make this your nest?" [It¡¯s a littlecking, but... it¡¯s not bad.] The Rat¡¯s voice answered from within the swamp as its form emerged. Ketal whistled. "Disgusting." Its shape was more twisted and grotesque than before, barely recognizable due to the sheer level of corruption. The Rat was beyond its limits, having absorbed more contamination than ever before. "You really want to kill me, don''t you?" [Traitor Barbarian,] the Rat hissed. [You side with the outside world, despite being one of us. How despicable.] "Shut up." Ketal cut off the Rat''s words. "I am human." [No matter what you believe yourself to be, your true nature is closer to ours. How dare you betray us and attack? You should be ashamed.] "It¡¯s funny to hear you say that. You all didn¡¯t get along inside, either." [...That¡¯s true,] the Rat chuckled. Even within the white snowy ins, the monsters fought and killed each other. They couldn¡¯t tolerate each other¡¯s existence. "You even corrupted the bear¡¯s cub. The bear must have gone wild with rage." [It was hard. It even gave up its own territory just to kill me. It wasn¡¯t easy to shake off.] "Is that so." They both chuckled, like old friends sharing a moment. And in a way, that wasn¡¯t wrong. They had shed for countless years. In some ways, they were like old rivals. Though they were rivals who sought each other¡¯s deaths. [Now then,] "Let¡¯s end this." Murderous intent surged. Even the Barbarians fighting nearby shivered unknowingly. The air seemed to warp as their emotions shed. Ketal bared his teeth. "This time, I won¡¯t stop at words. I¡¯ll kill you for real!" [That¡¯s my line. This time, I¡¯ll corrupt and destroy you, Barbarian!] Venom and fists collided. The world began to tremble. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 291: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (8) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 291: The Vile Rat That Pollutes the Seas (8) Boom! Boom! Boom! A collision urred. The broken and corrupted cub was now fighting Bayern. ng! Bayern, having regained his stance, let out a breath of admiration. "Strong! So this is still just a cub?" Though it wasn¡¯t fully grown, it was still a monstrous creature of hero-ss. Even one of them had the power to devastate the North. [Roaaaar!] The cub charged, swinging its enormous front paws. Bayern gripped his axe tighter. Boom! The bear''s body couldn''t withstand the overwhelming force and was sent flying. Bayern muttered regretfully. "What a shame." The cub was indeed strong. But it wasn¡¯t on par with Bayern. Even within the same hero-ss, there was a vast difference. "It could have grown to possess power like its parent... but it has been tainted by something else." [Roar!] The cub sprang up again and charged once more. Bayern spoke in a low voice. "I owe your parent a great deal." Bayern had once nearly died at the hands of a bear in the white snowfield. That ce would have been his grave if it weren¡¯t for the barbarians. "But I am grateful for that experience. It opened my arrogant eyes to reality. So, I will repay that debt." Bayern''s mystery red, strengthening his body. "I will set you free." Boom! Once again, the two collided. A battle between the monster of the white snowfield and the Barbarian King. This fight would surely go down in history. But people couldn¡¯t focus on their fight. Because elsewhere, a muchrger sh was taking ce that made their struggle seem insignificant. "...Is that a monster on par with the bear?" Bayern muttered, watching the battle from afar. "It seems I have little chance of victory in my current state." And the one who was overwhelming that monster: Ketal. Bayern smiled bitterly. "I¡¯ll have to exin this properly to the barbarianster." That he was weaker than Ketal. Though, whether they¡¯d ept that was another matter. With a sigh, Bayern tightened his grip on his axe and shed with the corrupted bear cub with all his might. * * * Boom! Boom! Boom! The earth rumbled. The swamp and the pollution exploded like moltenva, dirtying everything around. The air was polluted, turning the atmosphere green. This was the rat¡¯sir. The density of pollution here was on apletely different level from the outskirts. Thick, dark toxins moved ording to the will of their master. This ce was no longer part of the surface world. It was the domain of filth. The world of the rat. Boom! And Ketal was destroying and smashing that world. He was breaking it apart and sending it flying. The pollution that dirtied everything scattered like mud. Some toxins clung to Ketal¡¯s body in the process, burning and corrupting his skin. But due to the sheer resilience of his body, they couldn¡¯t prate deeply. Boom! Punching through all the attacks, he swung his fist. Crack. With a sound of something breaking, the rat¡¯s body was sent flying. It barely managed to stay upright, scraping the ground with its hind legs, and swung its front paw wildly. [Screech!] The swamp rippled and then surged violently. It was a wave of poison. Anynd covered by it would rot and decay for over a thousand years. Ketal drew his axe. Pop! Blood vessels burst as his muscles twisted. He swung his axe with all his might. Boom! The wave of poison split in two. The attack that seemed capable of engulfing the world copsed with a single swing. The shockwave didn¡¯t stop there and sliced through the rat¡¯s body. [Screeech!] Splurt! Blood spurted as its skin peeled away, exposing bone. The rat staggered, barely managing to stay upright. [Screech. You¡¯re disgustingly strong.] "Looks like you came prepared, but is this all you¡¯ve got?" The rat had grown stronger in this dense pollution. But that was all. It wasn¡¯t enough to defeat Ketal. There was no way the rat had only prepared this much. As if confirming his suspicion, the rat chuckled darkly. [Of course not.] Throughout the fight, the rat had been steadily driven back. As a result, they had arrived at the center of the swamp. And the rat had been waiting for that. The rat mmed its front paw into the ground. [Open.] Boom! And a massive hole opened in the ground. Ketal¡¯s body fell toward the abyss, his eyes widening. "Oh?" [Come. Let¡¯s descend together. To the depths.] Both began to fall into the deep, bottomless pit. * * * How long had they been falling? After what felt like an eternity, Ketalnded at the bottom. The ce was strange. The walls of the circr hole were smooth like ss, nothing like the swampy exterior. But that didn¡¯t mean there was no poison. In fact, the poison here was far more concentrated and extreme,pressed to its limits. "The abyss, huh." The abyss where all the poison of the domain was concentrated. Ketal knew what this was. In the distant past, when the rat decided that the barbarians were an obstacle to its expansion, it had truly tried to kill Ketal. After a week of intense battle, Ketal barely won, but he had been severely injured. It took him a full week of recovery. Considering his regenerative abilities, those were significant injuries. The rat had used this abyss as its trump card. "It¡¯s thicker than it was back then." And now, the poison was even more intense. Just being in this ce, just breathing, was corrupting Ketal¡¯s body. The rat shuddered with a groan of ecstasy. [...Ah, it feels like I¡¯ve returned to the cradle where I was born. How nostalgic.] Lost in its memories for a moment, the rat quickly regained focus. [I was defeated by you before. I underestimated you. I thought I could kill you with a half-hearted n. But not anymore.] The rat lowered its stance, its energy resonating with the poison of the domain, amplifying its power to the extreme. [This time, I will kill you with everything I have.] The rat lunged. Its speed was extreme, fast enough that even Bayern at full strength would struggle to react. Ketal didn¡¯t have the luxury of holding back. He raised his axe and swung. ng! The axe collided with the rat¡¯s paw. The rat wasn¡¯t pushed back. Instead, Ketal was forced to retreat. His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh?" He had been overpowered. The rat roared and charged again. [Screeech!] Its paws swung wildly, each blow fast and powerful. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was difficult even for Ketal to find an opening. And that wasn¡¯t all. Boom! Boom!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The thick,pressed poison of the abyss began to surge. There was no avoiding it. Some of the poison touched Ketal¡¯s body. Sizzle! His skin began to rot. It damaged his muscles and tried to prate down to the bone. Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. [Screech!] Crash! Ketal''s body slid backward under the rat''s attack. Though he clearly had the upper hand, the rat''s expression twisted. It realized that Ketal had deliberately held back during that strike. Using the rat''s attack to create distance, Ketal focused his power. His axe crackled with energy. The rat''s fur bristled in rm. Ketal''s full power¡ªit was nearly a divine force. Not even the rat at its strongest could stop it. So, it dodged. The rat, now filled with venomous resolve, conjured a dense shield. It was the kind of shield that even an ancient dragon would need all its strength to break through¡ªan absolute defense. Ketal swung his axe. Shatter! That impregnable defense crumbled in an instant. However, unlike before, Ketal''s movements had slowed slightly. The rat took advantage of the opening and leaped away. Crash! The axe sliced through the air, leaving a deep scar on the wall of the abyss. But that was all. It didn''t reach the rat. The rat had sessfully evaded Ketal''s full-power strike. [Screeeech!] Excited by the realization, the rat let out a wild cry. [I can dodge your attacks now!] Ketal and the rat had shed countless times. They knew each other all too well. That''s why the rat was certain. [I can beat you now! You will fall to me!] The rat shouted in excitement, and it wasn''t mere overconfidence. [Your power has limits!] Ketal''s strength came primarily from his physical body. Of course, that wasn''t all. If he willed it, his very will could affect the world itself. But that ability was almost pitifully insignificantpared to Ketal''s physical power. A joke, even. Just looking at how long it took him to break the control of the High Elf Queen Karin or to resist the grip of an ancient dragon¡ªit was clear. By his strength alone, such influences should have been nothing. It was an incredibly odd situation. The reason was simple. [You are strong. You have the power to fight against the elders. But, you are suppressing yourself!] Ketal had the potential to reach the highest heights, yet he was dragging himself down. [You''re trapped by your stubborn belief that you are human! Yes, you''re still mighty, but ack has emerged in you that never should have existed!] Why was Ketal''s body unable to withstand its own power? It was because Ketal had deliberately warped himself. It was a self-inflicted w. [In this abyss, I can kill you!] In the abyss, the rat could avoid Ketal''s full power. And it could corrupt Ketal with the abyss''s poison. With a drawn-out battle, the rat could destroy Ketal''s body and finally kill him. [Finally!] Finally! After all this time, the rat could im victory over this monster. It was filled with tion. [Coming into this abyss was your mistake, barbarian! Your arrogance will be your death!] ¡°You''re right.¡± Ketal did not deny the rat''s words. They were true. If he had let go of everything, abandoned his identity as a human, and fully epted his nature, he could have reached far higher. At the very least, he could have wielded a strength far beyond what he had now. But he would have be something entirely different if he had done that. What Ketal desired wasn''t simply more strength. It was a fantasy. A dream he had always longed for. [You''re still filled with arrogance. Maybe that''s why you¡¯ve managed to gain such power in so short a time. But because of that arrogance, you will die here.] ¡°Who knows?¡± Ketal smiled faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t let go, just as you said. So, I missed out on the power I should have had. But because of that, I gained something else.¡± Rattle. The mysterious force within Ketal began to stir, and his body strengthened in an instant. The rat¡¯s eyes widened. [...You!] Ketal gripped his axe and swung. Boom! [Kaahhh!] The rat didn¡¯t even have time to react. It was struck head-on, crashing into the wall and coughing up blood. ¡°Hiding it was tough. If I had revealed it too early, you would have fled without looking back.¡± [You¡­ no, it can¡¯t be!] ¡°You saiding into the abyss was my arrogance? Let me turn that back on you.¡± The rat¡¯s power. The abyss. It was indeed formidable. It could concentrate the entire corruption of the abyss even to taint Ketal¡¯s body. But concentrating all the corruption into one ce meant that there was no longer a way for the rat to escape through the abyss. Ketal could now truly kill the rat. His cold smile spread. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This time, I will kill you for sure.¡± [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 292: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (9) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 292: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (9) Screeech! Boom! The rat was pushed back, coughing up blood. A venomous liquid, dyed with poison, spilled on the ground. A shock that rattled his innards. But it seemed as if none of that mattered now. The rat, stunned, looked up and stared at Ketal in disbelief. A miracle was happening. The world''s mystery was flowing through Ketal''s body.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [¡­This can''t be real!] The rat denied reality. [We can¡¯t be children! We were never meant to! We are fundamentally different!] Can a lion be a rabbit? More than that, can a lion love a rabbit, form a family, and have children? Impossible. It was an unthinkable reality. And yet, it had already happened in front of the rat. [How! How did you!] ¡°I¡¯m not one of you. Ie from the outside.¡± Ketal smiled gently. ¡°So, there¡¯s nothing strange about me using the power of fantasy.¡± [¡­Nonsense!] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you deny it. I¡¯ve already gained what I needed.¡± Ketal murmured softly. ¡°Blutka.¡± Hummmm. Divinity enveloped Ketal¡¯s body. The sacred relic of Kalosia that he obtained. The divine power within it purified the poison. The venom that had seeped into his bones vanished. The rat ground its teeth in anger. [Divinity¡­ So you¡¯ve aligned yourself with the children. Traitor!] ¡°Shut up.¡± Ketal scowled, annoyed, and stepped forward. His body charged toward the rat. ¡°All you need to do is die here.¡± [Keeeeeak!] The rat let out a screech. Poisonous gas filled the air, distorting the view. It tried to invade Ketal¡¯s body. But Ketal dodged effortlessly, the poisonous mist parting as he swiftly closed in on the rat. His movements were fast, without any dy. He reached the rat in no time. [Kiiiiiek!] The rat leaped back in panic, forming a shield of poison. Ketal raised his fist. Hummmm. Mystical power infused his fist. He punched forward with his enhanced body. Crack! The poison shield shatteredpletely. Ketal didn¡¯t stop. He dashed forward again, arriving in front of the rat as it tried to flee. Crack! His fist struck the rat¡¯s chest. Boom! The rat was sent flying, crashing into the wall. The outer walls of the abyss groaned, cracks spreading out. -Cough, cough.] The rat staggered, barely keeping itself upright. It was a blow powerful enough to knock it out if it weren¡¯t for its strong will. [W-What is this¡­] That attack wasn¡¯t even at full power. It was a strike without any dy or physical strain, closer to a sincere hit than a full-force one. Yet, it delivered a significant blow to the rat. This was because it contained the essence of mystery. In pure strength, it might have been below his full power, but the uniqueness of the mystery made it dealparable damage. Ketal casually shook his fist. ¡°If it were when I first got this, it wouldn¡¯t have been this easy, but things are different now.¡± At first, Ketal couldn¡¯t use both mystical protection and body enhancement simultaneously. However, after the beast of mystery devoured the divine power within the Holy Sword, it became possible. Step. The rat took a step forward. Its body, enhanced, moved at incredible speed. [Kiiiiiik!] Suppressing the pain, the rat raised its front paw. Now that Ketal had encased himself in mystery, it was nearly impossible to pollute him with poison for a prolonged battle. Even if it were possible, the rat would fall before then. It had no choice but to go for a direct attack. The rat lunged. Ketal smiled at its attempt. "Trying to engage me in closebat? That¡¯s not a wise choice." He was the ashen barbarian of the white snowfields. The chieftain of their tribe. In closebat, no one could defeat him. He dodged the swinging paw with the smallest movement and closed in on the rat. [Kiiiiiik!] The rat swung wildly with its other paw. Ketal grabbed it. ¡°Up you go.¡± He spun his body and mmed the rat into the bottom of the abyss. Thebined force of the rat''s attack and Ketal''s strength sent a shockwave through the rat''s entire body. Ketal didn¡¯t give the rat a chance to recover. He twisted its front paw. Crunch. The left paw bent backward. Bone pierced through flesh, sticking out. Ketal raised his axe and brought it down on the rat¡¯s chest. Crack! The axe pierced through its hide, embedding itself in the chest bone. [Kaaaah!] The rat coughed up blood and tried to swing its unbroken right paw, but Ketal had already anticipated it. He pressed down on its ankle with his foot. Boom! That alone sent cracks spreading through the floor of the abyss. The abyss, a ce filled with extreme,pressed venom, was a location even an ancient dragon would struggle to destroy. Yet, with just a press of his foot, it seemed ready to copse. [K-Kaaah!] The rat struggled, but it couldn¡¯t get up. It looked like a puppy being subdued by its mother. Ketal raised his axe again and drove it into the rat¡¯s belly. The rat spat out blood. [¡­Kaaaah!] It let out a final wail, gathering strength in its body. At that moment, Ketal''s senses screamed a warning. He moved instantly, his body vanishing in an instant. Step. Ketal reappeared on the opposite side of the abyss. At the same time, a pir of poison shot up. If it had hit him directly, even with mystical protection, it would have been dangerous due to its potency. ¡°Hm, nice.¡± Ketalughed, clearly entertained. Despite not using his full power, he was overwhelming the rat. Mystery could affect the monsters of the white snowfields. That was a satisfying oue. But in a way, it was only natural. Ketal had always been stronger than the rat. In rank, in strength¡ªeverything was clearly in his favor. The rat found gaps to exploit only due to his stubbornness. Now, that gap had been partially filled. It was only natural the rat was being pushed back. The pir of poison subsided, revealing the rat''s figure. [Kaaah!] The rat staggered, its already grotesque appearance now even more hideous, barely distinguishable from a corpse. [¡­Yes, I see now.] But the rat¡¯s emotions were calmer than ever. [That¡¯s the result of your stubbornness. I never thought you¡¯d actually reach that point. You¡¯re truly insane.] The rat chuckled weakly, as if resigned to its fate. [The only opening I could exploit has been sealed. Even the old ones won¡¯t stand a chance against you if you get a bit more proficient. Victory is almost impossible for me now. Is this where I die? I never thought death woulde for me as well.] ¡°Are you giving up? Then it¡¯d be nice if you could just die quietly.¡± [No, I won¡¯t give up. My chances of winning are slim, but not nonexistent.] There was no reason to give up. The poison stirred, crawling toward the rat and rapidly being absorbed into its body. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * ¡°Hm?¡± Outside, as he was subduing the bear, Bayern noticed. The sea, tainted and destroyed, turned into a swamp. The pollution there was slowly fading away. The sea was beginning to return to its original state. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Did Ketal win? Was that why the pollution is disappearing? For a moment, such a thought crossed his mind, but he soon realized that wasn¡¯t it. "...Is it being sucked in?" The filth that had dirtied the world. It was being drawn into a deep and deep abyss like a whirlpool. ¡°Is it gathering all the filth?¡± Ketal muttered as if intrigued. All the poisonous energy that had dirtied the world. It was now gathering in the rat''s right front paw. [I am the second being born from the swamp of filth. I am the rat that dirtied and ruined the world.] I shall taint everything in this world. Sssiiiik! Even the rat''s body began to corrode from the overwhelming poisonous energy gathered in its w. This meant that even the being born from the swamp of filth could not withstand the poison. Ketal''s eyes became serious. That thing was dangerous. With that level of poison, it could prate through mystical defenses and deal a fatal blow to him. Then he would have to respond with equivalent force. Ketal stirred the mystical beast within him. Grrr... It was letting out a low growl. At this moment, he could pull that mystery into the world. ¡®Why did it take so long?¡¯ Ketal clicked his tongue. The mystical beast rose as if to face a strong opponent. Considering the rat¡¯s power, it should have moved sooner. But the mystical beast hesitated, as if reluctant to rampage against the rat. ¡®It was eager to fight demons, so why is it hesitating now?¡¯ But that was only for a moment. Perhaps its body was itching from the continuous fighting, as it slowly began to push its head forward. This much would do. Ketal awakened the mystery. The mystery''s energy began to crawl along his axe, revealing itself to the world. The rat chuckled. [You handle it perfectly. Though it''s strangely altered, its foundation is definitely from the outside. It¡¯s trulyughable.] The rat raised its front paw, filled to the brim with poisonous energy. [Then.] ¡°This will be thest.¡± The rat charged. Ketal also rushed toward it. The front paw, gathering all the poisonous energy, and Ketal¡¯s manifested mystery collided. Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak! [Rot and decay!] The rat snarled fiercely. The poisonous energy exploded. What it contained was truly a poison that could corrupt the world. Not even an ancient dragon could withstand it, no being on this earth could survive that poison. Absolute defense would melt away, and even the strongest body would be polluted and destroyed. Even gods, created to purify filth, would be endangered by this alien force. And something even more foreign and monstrous swallowed that poison. Grrrr! The beast rampaged, devouring every bit of the poisonous energy. Not a single trace escaped as it devoured everything in its jaws. And the mystery swelled even more. The power within it grew immense. The rat let out a bitterugh as the beast devoured even its own strength. [You''re truly a monstrous creature.] With that, the mystery engulfed the rat¡¯s body. It was buried in the mystery and vanished. The mystery didn¡¯t stop there. It surged forward as if it couldn¡¯t contain itself. It broke through the wall of the abyss and raced toward the surface. Tchaaaaak! The sea, purified as the rat absorbed all the poison. The beast was now severing that sea. The earth trembled. The sea rose. The bodies of the Barbarians, resting after the battle, lifted off the ground. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± ¡°What is that!¡± The astonished warriors turned toward the sea, their mouths agape. A tsunami, as tall as a mountain, was rushing toward them. ¡°Hup!¡± With a hardened face, Bayern leapt forward. Squeezing out all his remaining strength, he struck at the wave. Kwaaang! ¡°Oh, oooooh!¡± The Barbarians let out cheers. The wave shattered. Bayernnded on the ground, groaning. Even with his strength, he had barely managed to neutralize it. Catching his breath, Bayern looked out at the sea, and his face froze in shock. "...What is this?" The vast sea. A scar had appeared there. A jagged sh crossed the surface of the water. That in itself wasn¡¯t so surprising. Even Bayern, if he exerted enough power, could cut the sea. But that was only ever a temporary sight. The sea would ripple and soon return to its natural state. It was impossible to cut nature permanently. But not now. The sea wasn¡¯t returning to its original state. It was as if an invisible wall held it back, leaving a gaping void. With a shiver, Bayern realized. An eternal scar had been etched into the northern sea. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 293: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (10) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 293: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (10) A blow that left an indelible scar on the world, cutting down nature. The rat''s body was struck directly by that blow, crashing into the wall. BANG! The rat¡¯s body collided with the wall, causing cracks and making it crumble. The rat copsed with a pained groan. [Kaah...] The rat tried to get back up but failed. It barely turned its head and let out a hollowugh. The rat''s right front paw... It had beenpletely severed from the shoulder. Under normal circumstances, with the rat¡¯s usual regenerative powers, this wouldn¡¯t be a big wound. Even if severed, it could have regenerated within hours. But not now. The severed limb showed no signs of recovery. An indelible wound had been carved into the rat''s body for the first time since its birth. Then, a hand gripped the rat''s head and mmed it into the wall. The already crumbling wall could no longer hold and copsed. [Kyaaak!] Ketal, who had subdued the rat, clicked his tongue. "As expected of a rat. You''re strong." Under normal circumstances, the final blow would have split the rat''s body in half. However, the rat had narrowly dodged the blow, escaping with just one severed paw. "Well, that''s all there is to it." The rat¡¯s reaction was certainly remarkable. But even so, the situation hadn''t changed. Although it had survived, it had expended all its strength. The corruption that had enveloped its entire body hadpletely vanished. [To be this drained... not since the Great War of the distant past.] The rat muttered with its head still held down. [You¡¯ve truly be a monster. To fill the void in such a way... You could even reach those three old ones inside with your current strength.] The rat spoke calmly. [I admit defeat. I never imagined that death coulde for me too. Kill me, monster.] The rat awaited the end quietly. But Ketal did not deliver the finishing blow. Instead, he wore a puzzled expression. "...Hmm." He could kill this horrific monster that he had so desired to defeat. But Ketal didn¡¯t. Because right now, it was impossible. He had drawn out the mystical beast and unleashed a powerful attack. But controlling the power of that attack was impossible. In other words, that attack had exhausted all of his remaining mystery. It would take at least a day to recover. And the rat would have enough time to recover and escape as well. After a moment of contemtion, Ketal made his decision. He released his grip on the rat¡¯s head. The freed rat looked at Ketal with a bewildered expression. [What are you doing? Don¡¯t toy with me. Kill me.] "As much as I want to kill you, there¡¯s something more important right now." Killing the rat was impossible. So, it would be better to extract what he needed. Ketal spoke. "I''ll spare you. But in exchange, you must reveal the information you know." * * * The rat¡¯s eyes widened at the response. [You¡¯ll spare me?] "Unfortunately, killing you won¡¯t solve the situation at the moment." The monsters of the White Snowfield were numerous. Among them were monsters on par with the rat. And there were even stronger ones. The fact that the rat had appeared meant the barrier of the White Snowfield had been broken. Other monsters might appear as well. In that situation, killing one rat wouldn¡¯t change anything. So, Ketal sought information from the rat. He might have hesitated even if he had the power to kill the rat. But since it was currently impossible, there was no need to hesitate. Ketal spoke. "Swear by your name and honor. Tell me what you know, and nevere out again. Stay imprisoned in the White Snowfield forever. If you do, I will spare you." [...How humiliating.] The rat let out a bitterugh. The rat didn¡¯t believe that Ketal was unable to kill it. The power Ketal had shown was that formidable. And so the rat answered. [I am the loser. I must obey the winner. Besides, I don¡¯t want to die either.] The rat began to swear. [I am the second being born from the swamp of filth. I swear on my honor and pride that I will never set foot in this world again. Even if the barrier ispletely broken, I will remain in the White Snowfield as my home.] It was an oath bound by the rat¡¯s honor and pride. If broken, the rat would suffer a great loss of power, making it easy prey even for someone like Bayern. This was the only way to suppress the powerful monsters of the White Snowfield. "Good." Hearing the rat¡¯s vow, Ketal nodded and began to ask questions. "You and the others... you¡¯re monsters, right? The oldest beings. Entities not of this world." [...What a strange question. You''re one of us too.] "I am different." [What nonsense. Even though you¡¯ve destroyed yourself, you are still one of us.] The rat spoke in a puzzled tone, as if it truly believed Ketal was one of them. "Hmm." No matter what Ketal said, the rat didn¡¯t seem to understand. After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Ketal spoke. "Let me be clear. You and most of the monsters in the White Snowfield... you existed before the current universe, before order was established, didn¡¯t you?" [...Ah, so that''s what you meant.] The rat''s face showed a hint of understanding. [Where did you learn that? ...No, I get it.] The rat¡¯s gaze shifted to Ketal¡¯s waist. The broken holy sword trembled involuntarily. The rat squinted its eyes. [So, it was the tool of the young ones. That thing told you, didn''t it? What an odd thing to have.] "Just answer the question." [Yes.] The rat confirmed. [We are the oldest. The first beings born after the creation of the universe.] "...Hmm." It was true. Though he had heard it from the Holy Sword, hearing it directly from the rat felt strange. The beings he had been fighting in the Snowfield were truly ancient. Ketal spoke again. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w "You lost, didn¡¯t you?" [We were defeated and imprisoned in that cage due to the ambush by the young ones born after us.] The rat grimaced as if disgusted. [It was truly perfect timing. We already had conflicts because we didn''t get along, and they seized that moment. They¡¯re just like rats. And you¡¯re siding with those things. Traitor.] ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not one of you.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. He couldn''t get through to them no matter how much he denied it. But the rat looked more amused than angry. [From a fundamental standpoint, maybe you''re different. But in the end, you¡¯re just like us. You''re qualitatively different from those outside.] The rat¡¯s words were strange, as if implying they were a different species altogether. [Well¡­ you¡¯ve changed quite a lot. Damaged your own essence, have you? How bizarre. How is that even possible?] ¡°Shut up.¡± Ketal had no interest in continuing this conversation since it was bound to go nowhere. Instead, he asked something else. ¡°You always said you were the second life born from the swamp of filth.¡± In the snowy ins, it sounded like nonsense, but now Ketal could understand the meaning. That made him curious about one more thing. ¡°If you''re the second life, does that mean you were the second to be born in the world?¡± [No. The swamp of filth was indeed the first to be born in that era. But many other things existed. I was one of the first, but not the second.] ¡°I see. Then let me ask something else.¡± Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you were the second born from the swamp of filth, what was the first?¡± [You already know.] ¡°¡­Is it one of those things inside the snowfield?¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. The horrid things. The twisted things. The grotesque things. It was one of them. [The old ones. You¡¯d think they¡¯d already be tired of it, but they¡¯re still going strong.] ¡°Well, fine.¡± His minor curiosities had been resolved. Now it was time to get to the main issue. Ketal¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°You made it outside.¡± First the white thing, now the rat. It was the second one. ¡°Has the barrierpletely shattered? Can other monsterse out like you?¡± [The seal between our world and this one has definitely weakened. But it¡¯s notpletely broken yet.] ¡°So it hasn¡¯t fully shattered.¡± [Some weaker beings might slip through the cracks¡­ but beings like me? It¡¯s difficult. I had to push myself quite hard to get out. And even if others could, not many are interested in the outside.] But it wasn¡¯t impossible. Ketal asked another question. ¡°The old ones would be very interested.¡± The strongest of the white snowfield. Those beings were very, very interested in the outside world. The rat agreed. [That¡¯s true. But they¡¯re too busy devouring each other to focus on the outside.] ¡°Their fight isn¡¯t over yet?¡± [It¡¯s been going on since their creation. It won¡¯t end anytime soon.] ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin. At least for now, there were no major threats interested in the outside. That was a small relief. Now it was time for the most fundamental question. ¡°The seal on the white snowfield.¡± It had weakened. It had cracked, crumbled, and shattered enough for creatures like the rat to emerge into the outside world. Ketal asked. ¡°Is it breaking because of me?¡± * * * [Is that what you think?] The rat let out a bitterugh. [It¡¯s true that the seal weakened because of something you did. Thanks to you, I was able to escape. But nothing in this worldsts forever. Even the beings that came after us will eventually decay and rot.] That includes the immensely powerful seal. [The reason the old ones are fighting is to prepare for when the seal inevitably breaks. Do you think you''re the sole cause? Quite the ego you¡¯ve got.] The rat sneered at Ketal. But for Ketal, that was actually a relief. ¡°So it¡¯s not entirely because of me.¡± He had indeed elerated the weakening of the seal. But it wasn¡¯t as if he had shattered an unbreakable seal. The barrier was weakening on its own over time. Though the situation hadn¡¯t really changed, Ketal found somefort in that. The rat, on the other hand, seemed curious. [But you¡­ What exactly did you do?] ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± [The seal that trapped us was created by the young ones who exhausted all their power. At one point, even the old ones joined forces in an attempt to break it.] The monsters hadn¡¯t just sat there passively. For a long time, the creatures of the white snowfield had tried to break the seal and escape to the outside world. But they failed. In the end, the monsters decided to wait. Nothing in this world was eternal. They judged it best to wait it out for however long it took simply. And then Ketal shattered that very seal and escaped to the outside world. The rat narrowed its eyes. [You. What did you do? How were you able to break the seal and leave?] [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 294: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (11) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 294: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (11) What have you done? Ketal closed his mouth and thought in response to that question. ¡®What did I do, huh?¡¯ The answer was simple. He hadpleted a quest. At first, the quests were rtively simple, but at some point, they began to get increasingly difficult. Quests started to appear that even Ketal couldn''t easily clear. And Ketal saw this as an opportunity. The fact that the difficulty had suddenly risen meant that a reward of equal value was waiting. Perhaps it was a chance to escape the frozen wastnd, so he put all his effort into clearing the quests. And in the end. Ketal saw something. Something strange that he had never seen in the frozen wastnd. But he still didn''t know what it was. The reason was simple. The moment he saw the strange thing, a quest appeared. [784th Quest.] [Respond to the being in front of you.] [Information: Completing this quest will allow you to leave the frozen wastnd.] The moment Ketal saw the quest, his mind went nk. All he could think of was that if he dealt with the strange being in front of him, he could leave this ursed ce. That one thoughtpletely consumed his mind. He didn''t bother to analyze his opponent and simply threw himself at it, ready to kill.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Hmm." ¡®It said something, but I should have listened more carefully.¡¯ He ignored whatever it had been saying and just charged at it to kill. The only thing he remembered was its final words. Thinking about it now, he regretted it. Not that anything would have changed even if he had listened. [It seems like you have some guesses, judging from your thoughts.] "I do, but I have no reason to tell you." [Fair enough.] The rat didn¡¯t seem to expect anything different and just epted it. "Anyway, so the big ones won¡¯te out." They could force their way out, but they had little interest in the outside. Those that were interested were too busy with their own internal conflicts. The smaller ones mighte out, but the beings outside could handle anything on the level of the white creatures. "I get it." Ketal nodded as he finished assessing the situation. "Alright then. Get lost." The rat¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. [You''re really letting me go?] "Do I look like a liar who breaks promises?" [¡­Now that I think about it, you didn¡¯t lie inside there either. I thought this ce would be my grave, but I¡¯ve been granted an unexpected mercy.] The rat staggered to its feet, half-destroyed and having exhausted all its powers. But the rat was still the rat. Even in such a state, it could return to the white frozen wastnd without issue. [It¡¯s a shame I¡¯ll never be able to leave again... but I¡¯ll just change my goal. I¡¯ll work on polluting and corrupting the entire frozen wastnd.] "That¡¯s your business. As long as you don¡¯te out again, it¡¯s fine by me." Whatever happened inside wasn¡¯t Ketal¡¯s concern. The rat began to move away. [Thank you for your mercy. I¡¯ll offer you a service in return.] "I don¡¯t need it." [Oh, but you will.] The rat snickered. [You deliberately avoided asking one question.] A question that, in some ways, was more important than all the trivial ones he could have asked. [You don¡¯t want to know the answer, do you? If you knew, it would make you sad. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll tell you of my own will.] The rat shared one piece of information. Ketal¡¯s face twisted as he heard it. ¡°¡­That¡¯s definitely something I didn¡¯t want to know.¡± [But it¡¯s also something you needed to know. Consider it a gesture of gratitude for your mercy. Don¡¯t thank me.] ¡°Disgusting creature.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. The rat chuckled and threw itself into the vast sea. The rotting creature began to leave this world. [Goodbye, monster. I hope we never meet again.] The rat was gone. Ketal watched it go for a moment, then started walking again. Soon, he came across an object. It was the rat¡¯s severed forepaw. It was discarded on the ground. Ketal picked it up and stored it in his spatial pocket. Along with that, a system window appeared. [789th Quest Complete] [The reward will be granted.] * * * At that moment, the battle outside hade to an end. The fierce battle that had been raging was forcibly brought to a close. The reason was simple. The monsters that the rat had corrupted and polluted could only move within the rat¡¯s domain. But to face Ketal, the rat had drawn in all the pollution from its domain. As a result, the pollution that had been corrupting the world disappearedpletely. The monsters also vanished naturally. People were left in confusion at the sudden turn of events. And then, momentster. Shhhaaaa. Ketal emerged from the sea. Bayern quickly approached him. ¡°¡­What happened?¡± ¡°That creature will nevere here again.¡± At those words, Bayern¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Bayern was smart. He fully grasped the meaning behind Ketal¡¯s words. But Bayern was also wise enough to know what he needed to do at this moment. He turned to face the people. ¡°We have won!¡± His cry, filled with mystery, echoed across the battlefield. Bayern shouted again. ¡°The vile creature that dared to pollute ournd has been in! By the mighty warrior, Ketal!¡± ¡°O, Oooooo!¡± ¡°Ketal!¡± ¡°We have won!¡± ¡°Waaaaaaah!¡± The people erupted in cheers. They raised their axes, reveling in the joy of victory. They shouted Ketal¡¯s name. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * A victory celebration began. The barbarians gathered in the city, tearing into sausages and drinking beer. It wasn¡¯t just the barbarians present. Even the believers were partaking in the celebration. Those who were always shunned were now awkwardly enjoying the festival with the barbarians¡¯ hospitality. But Ketal was not there. He was staring silently at the sea. Thend and sea that had been tainted with malice. The poison had been so thick, like a swamp, that even with divine power, it would have taken at least a few years to purify. But thend was now incredibly clean. That was because the rat had gathered all the pollution for its final attack. And Ketal¡¯s mystery had swallowed all the poison. No one had noticed, but it was fortunate for the world. If Ketal hadn¡¯t cleaned up, the poison would have erupted like a volcano, sending toxic rain across the entire north. But to Ketal, such trivial matters were of little importance at the moment. He was gazing at the sea. Beyond ity the white snowfields. "The seal''s broken." Though it had been forced open, the fact remained that a monster like the rat had appeared outside. If pushed further, monsters of the same level could also emerge. ¡°And if there are monsters more powerful than that, they¡¯lle out even more easily.¡± Judging by the case of the White Beast, it seemed that monsters weaker than the rat could emerge without much difficulty. Though no new reports or quest updates hade from the world yet, meaning nothing else had appeared, the situation couldn''t be ignored. Monsters could emerge. And things that were not monsters could, too. "How annoying." Ketal clicked his tongue. Even aftering out, he still had to worry about the things inside. It was terribly exhausting. "Should I start preparing?" "There you are." Behind the deep-in-thought Ketal, Bayern appeared. Bayern, too, was looking in the same direction as Ketal. But what they saw was entirely different. Ketal was looking at the white snowfields beyond the sea. Bayern, on the other hand, was staring at the split sea. ''...The sea is split.'' A long scar ran right through the middle of the rolling sea, creating a gap from the ocean floor to the surface. Ketal''s blow had cleaved the sea in half. ''What in the world...'' Bayern knew that warriors of Hero-ss strength could influence the world. After all, he was one of those heroes. And precisely because he was, he could see it more clearly. Their interventions in the world typicallymanded or altered its concepts. But this was different. It wasn''t a gentle force. It was as if the world itself had been torn apart. Bayern swallowed. "You¡¯ll be busy soon." Ketal spoke. Bayern snapped out of his thoughts. "I¡¯ll certainly be busy for a while." Cleaning up the damage, ounting for casualties, restoring the ruined areas¡ªthere was a lot to do. Post-war cleanup was always the hardest. And with barbarians, who were as reckless as they were strong, it made the task even more difficult. "Still, things are better now than before. We have the believers." The believers had done what the barbarians could not: they purified thend. They fought monsters at the risk of their lives. They were one of the main contributors to the war effort. As a result, the influence of the church had grown significantly in the north. Now even the barbarians couldn''t disregard the believers. "We canmunicate well with the believers. We¡¯ll get their help. It¡¯s a good thing." Bayern muttered in satisfaction. "The north will change." Finally, the existence of the church had been recognized in the north. No longer would it be and solely for the barbarians. The will of the gods would also descend upon thisnd. It was a good thing for Bayern. "Of course, there will be conflicts for a while." Hundreds of years of umted hatred wouldn¡¯t be resolved in a single moment. Controlling that would be his role. "And what will you do after that?" "Once the north settles, I will lead the barbarians and the believers to move out into the world." They would help the world in chaos. In that process, the barbarians would be part of the world. By supporting and being supported, they would break down the twisted structure of rejection and exclusion. Making the north, and the barbarians, a part of the world¡ªthat was Bayern''s ultimate goal. "A noble goal. It won¡¯t be easy." "That¡¯s true. But I am their king." Bayern would lead them as their king. Ketal nodded. "Impressive. I wish you sess." "It¡¯s all thanks to you. What will you do now? Are you nning to stay in the north?" "No." Ketal continued to gaze beyond the sea. The white snowfields. In them were monsters. But there were also things that weren¡¯t monsters. "I have my own preparations to make." The rat¡¯s final words shed through Ketal''s mind. Ketal frowned. Just recalling them twisted his expression. [Congrattions, barbarian.] The rat had giggled as it spoke to him. [Your followers are looking for you. They are trying toe out to find their leader.] [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 295: S-Rank Dungeon (1) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 295: S-Rank Dungeon (1) ¡°I told them not toe out.¡± Well, they weren¡¯t the types to listen anyway. Ketal clicked his tongue. At the time, he didn¡¯t care much about it. That was because he thought none of the beings of the White Snowfield, except for him, coulde outside. But the seal had weakened. The white beast and the rat hade out. There was no reason the barbarians couldn¡¯te out either. ¡°I did set up some minimal safeguards, though.¡± He had been irritated by the barbarians who kept following him, crying, no matter how many times he destroyed them. So Ketal gave them onemand: "Never follow me." He told them it was an order from their chieftain. But he added, ¡°If you¡¯re really going to follow me, then you must pass the trials I give you.¡± Only then did the barbarians quiet down. In fact, they were thrilled, thinking they had a chance to stand proudly beside him if they could pass his trials. Even if they dide out, it would only be after passing those trials. And the trials he had set were ones even Ketal couldn¡¯t easily pass. It was a task that would take at least a few hundred years, even if the entire tribe worked together. For the time being, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the barbariansing outside. Or so he thought. ¡°Maybe... that¡¯s the case.¡± There was a strange feeling of unease, but Ketal chose to ignore it. ¡°I should prepare, just in case.¡± Ketal began to prepare to leave the North. Since he hade with only his body to begin with, the preparations didn¡¯t take long. The next day, Darkul and Bayern came to see him off as he was about to leave. ¡°So, you''re leaving, Ketal.¡± ¡°Yeah. What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here a bit longer. I¡¯m finally starting to see results.¡± Darkul had been fighting on the frontlines alongside the barbarians. The barbarians had started to acknowledge his strength, recognizing his existence. ¡°They asked me if joining the Church would make them as strong as I am. It¡¯s not exactly the kind of evangelism I was aiming for, but... it¡¯s not bad. Quite excellent, actually.¡± He smiled with satisfaction, now that the value of the God of the Sword was slowly taking root in the North. ¡°Thank you, Ketal. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have been tormented by these wretched barbarians forever.¡± ¡°You did it all yourself. You can be proud of it.¡± Ketal smiled softly. Next, Bayern spoke, with a hint of regret in his voice. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d like you to stay longer.¡± Ketal¡¯s power had left a strong impression on the barbarians. After Bayern, Ketal was the one the barbarians trusted and followed the most. Given the vastness of the North, Ketal¡¯s presence made it significantly easier to control the barbarians. And besides that, he was the only barbarian with whommunication was easy, making conversations with him enjoyable. Both as a king and as Bayern himself, Ketal was someone he needed. ¡°I also feel a bit regretful.¡± And it was the same for Ketal. Bayern was a reasonable barbarian, and a man who bore the responsibilities of a king. They had much inmon. He wanted to talk more with Bayern. But there was something he had to do. ¡°I have to prepare. I can¡¯t stay in the North any longer.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no helping it.¡± Bayern was disappointed but didn¡¯t stop Ketal. For someone like him to be tied to the North was a loss for the continent. Bayern¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The rat is still alive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ketal had said that the rat wouldn¡¯t be able to return to this ce ever again. Implying that it was still alive. Ketal gave a small nod, and Bayern let out a groan. ¡°...Even someone like you couldn¡¯t kill it?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± In truth, it was moreplicated than that, but his answer wasn¡¯t exactly a lie. He couldn¡¯t kill it at the time. Bayern asked in a subdued voice. ¡°A monster on par with the rat... The bear coulde here too, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a possibility. The bear was obsessed with its territory, but the reason for that is gone now.¡± The reason the bear had been so fixated on its territory was its cub. The bear had been fiercely protective, clinging to its territory to protect its young. But somehow, the rat had corrupted and ruined the cub. With no reason to guard its territory anymore, there was nothing to stop it froming out. ¡°I was weak.¡± The rat had defeated Bayern. It wasn¡¯t even a close defeat; it was aplete one. If Ketal hadn¡¯t arrived, Bayern would have died there, and the rat would have used his corrupted body. Even now, he had little chance of winning if he fought the bear again. ¡°I will be stronger. Strong enough that I won¡¯t lose again, whether it¡¯s to the rat or the bear.¡± Bayern spoke with fierce determination, his eyes filled with resolve. Ketal smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ketal. We owe you so much.¡± Bayern lowered his body in a formal bow. Darkul, who had been quietly watching, gasped. Barbarians never lower their bodies to others. Even if they respected and acknowledged strength, they never lowered themselves. Especially not someone like Bayern, a king. But now, Bayern was humbling himself, bowing with full respect to Ketal. The ruler of the North was bowing to one man. ¡°Even if the world turns against you and makes you its enemy, I and the North will forever be your allies. If you ever lose your way and wander,e here. I will always wee you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ketal smiled softly in response. ¡°Well then.¡± ¡°Farewell. Until we meet again.¡± With that, Ketal left the North behind. ¡°It was more fun than I expected.¡± Meeting the rat had been an unpleasant experience, but the time spent in the North itself had been more enjoyable than he had anticipated. He had ovee some of his trauma with barbarians and had enjoyed talking with Bayern. It had been more fun than he initially thought. But now, it was time to leave. The Holy Sword asked him, [Where do you n to go now?] ¡°I need to make some preparations.¡± [Preparations? Oh... You mean preparing to go inside the Snowfield? Are you nning to check on the monsters inside?] The Holy Sword asked hesitantly. During the battle with the rat, the sword had remained silent to avoid disrupting the fight. But that didn¡¯t mean she had been calm. In truth, the Holy Sword had been terrified. Those creatures were horrifying and alien, yet carried a presence equal to that of gods. Just sensing their aura had made the spirit of the sword tremble. If she had legs, she would have run away.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And the White Snowfield held many such creatures. She felt like whining and pleading. Fortunately, Ketal denied her question. ¡°I¡¯m not going into the White Snowfield.¡± [Oh, oh! That¡¯s a relief.] The Holy Sword let out a deep sigh of relief. [So, what are you preparing for? Does it have something to do with that rat''s paw you collected?] After defeating the rat, Ketal had taken the severed paw. That gruesome thing was stored in the subspace of an artifact. "It mighte in handy." He nned to use it along with the white-furred beast''s skin. But that wasn''t his goal for now. "My power is iplete." He still couldn¡¯t freely draw out the arcane mysteries. Perhaps he would have to reach the level of superhuman to wield them properly. But for now, the arcane mysteries hovered just below the surface, like water brimming at the top of a cup. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w He was only missing a single drop. He had already decided where he would go to obtain that drop. "The distance is far, so let¡¯s move quickly." Ketal stomped his foot, and his body soared through the sky. * * * The headquarters of the Mercenary Guild. It was located at the summit of a towering mountain. This was a mountain that belonged to no nation, existing on the border. The founding Guild Master''s principle was that the Mercenary Guild should not be affiliated with any country. Naturally, it was no ordinary mountain. It had undergone extensive modifications and had be a natural fortress, utilizing the terrain. Numerous spells and housed expensive weapons protected it. Many mercenaries came and went, making it a peaceful ce, untouched by external invasion. But now, it was a battlefield. And it had to be, for the monsters and demons were attacking. BOOM! "Hold the line!" "Screeech!" The mercenaries and wizards were desperately defending. Although they were outnumbered and overpowered, they managed to hold on using the advantageous terrain. But even that had its limits. Slowly, they were being pushed back toward the summit. "Damn it!" Inside the headquarters at the summit, the Mercenary Guild Master ground his teeth. "Those damned demons!" About a week ago, the ground near the headquarters had suddenly split open. From there, demons and monsters had emerged,unching a surprise attack on the guild. It was aplete ambush. Caught off guard, they had suffered heavy losses from the very start. Though they had held out for a week, they were nearing their limit. The number of injured was rising, and resources were depleting. Despite their desperate attempts to call for help, all their efforts had been blocked. They were being slowly eaten away. BOOM! The mountain shook. The ground crumbled, and the towering peak''s base was slowly worn down. The Guild Master''s face twisted in frustration. "Damn them! Why are they only chipping away at the base? It¡¯s making the mountain look ridiculous!" The mountain had be precariously thin, like a pir. A fairy, her face pale, flew over. "Guild Master! It''s no use! We have to escape! We''re all going to die at this rate!" "No! We can''t abandon this ce! We''ll defend it to the death if we have to!" All the information on the mercenaries was stored in the underground vault of the headquarters. If they lost this ce, the guild would copse in an instant. The eastern region, reliant on the mercenaries, would follow soon after. The Guild Master clenched his teeth. "Curse the previous Guild Master! I told them we should spread out our data! ''Who would target us here?'' they said! ''You''re worrying too much!'' they said! Look at this mess now!" Rumble¡­ The vibrations outside had quieted. The Guild Master frowned. "Have we managed to hold them off for now?" But no. The door flew open violently, and a mercenary staggered in, pale as a sheet. "Guild Master!" "...Damn." A bad feeling surged through him. He rushed outside and gasped. Crash! A massive siege engine, the size of a small hill, was barreling toward them at terrifying speed. Its target was the base of the mountain. At that moment, the Guild Master realized the demons'' true aim. "...They intend to copse the entire mountain! That¡¯s why they¡¯ve been relentlessly wearing down the base!" It was like slowly removing the lower parts of a sandcastle to make it copse. By destabilizing the foundation and then hitting it hard, the demons nned to bring down the mountain itself. "Stop it! Throw everything we''ve got at it!" The wizards hastily cast every spell they could muster,unching countless magical attacks at the siege engine. But it didn¡¯t budge. It was the demons¡¯ secret weapon, designed forrge-scale destruction, boasting a defense so absolute that even a top-tier superhuman would struggle to destroy it. There was no way to stop it with the current forces. The demonsughed gleefully as they watched the desperate efforts of their enemies. The mountain would fall, and they had already surrounded the survivors to ughter them once it did. "...Ah." The realization that they couldn¡¯t stop it turned everyone¡¯s faces pale. They were going to lose. They were all going to die. Despair wrapped around them like a shroud. "Get a grip!" And in the midst of that despair, the Guild Master roared. "Are you just going to sit around and die? Start preparing to stop them, no matter how slim our chances! Hey, wizards! If you can¡¯t destroy it, can you at least alter its trajectory?" "Ah, ah¡­ It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s difficult. With our power, it¡¯s¡­" "But it¡¯s not impossible, right? Stop wasting time and get to work! You guys too!" The Guild Master kicked the mercenaries into action. "If you¡¯re just going to sit there and die, then go hang yourselves in the corner! No one¡¯s going to stop you!" "Y-yes, sir!" Those who had been paralyzed by despair scrambled back into action, trying to cast defensive spells and set traps to shift the siege engine''s course. They braced for impact. The Guild Master gritted his teeth, staring straight ahead. ¡°¡­Hmm?" Then, something caught the Guild Master¡¯s eye. Something small was flying toward them from the distance. It was so tiny at first that it was barely noticeable, but it was rapidly growingrger. That meant it was approaching at an unbelievable speed. The Guild Master stared for a moment, then suddenly gasped. "Wh-what? That person¡­?" CRAAAAASH! Ketal, moving faster than sound, collided with the siege engine that was hurtling toward the mountain, and the massive machine crumpled with a deafening roar. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 296: S-Rank Dungeon (2) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 296: S-Rank Dungeon (2) Crack. The weapon waspletely crushed, unable to withstand the force, and flew away. Like a crushed can, it rolled on the ground. Dozens of monsters that collided with the weapon were ttened. "...Huh, huh?" Even the demons, And the humans too, None of them couldprehend what had just happened. Ketal lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across the entire battlefield in an instant. "Three in total." There were three demons. Ketal moved immediately. He approached a demon that still hadn''t realised what was happening. Crunch. The hilt of the Holy Sword smashed the demon''s head. The demon¡¯s body staggered and copsed. "Wait!" Something had gone wrong. One of the other demons barely grasped the situation. But that was as far as it got. Before it could react, the broken hilt sliced through its neck. Its head rolled onto the ground with a thud. The demon''s body fell. "You bastard!" Thest remaining demon sensed that something was very wrong and tried to respond. It raised its hand in rm. Smash. The shattered sword de pierced its chest. "This... damn..." The demon¡¯s body slumped down. Three demons, each capable of destroying a small nation, were thus banished. Ketal approached the monsters, who still didn¡¯t understand the situation. Crush. The monsters were pulverized and sent flying. The monsters, realizing the danger toote, began to flee in panic. The humans were watching this in stunned silence. "Uh, uh..." "No way... is this..." Suddenly, the demons fell, and the monsters screamed as they ran. It was hard to believe. "Everyone! Charge! Help him and y the monsters!" Only the guild leader reacted quickly. At his shout, the people responded. They charged forward with a battle cry. The monsters couldn''t hold out without the demons to rally them and were swiftly wiped out. The people shouted in triumph. "Yaaaaaah!" "We won!" They had miraculously survived a desperate situation. The people began to cheer in celebration. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Naturally, all attention turned to the one who had made this miracle possible. They looked at Ketal. "Ooooooh!" And the guild leader came running with a beaming smile. "Ketal! Wee! I told you we would wee you here as a mercenary, but I didn¡¯t expect you toe so soon! And at such a critical time! Oh! Thank you so much!" The guild leader¡¯s voice was incredibly loud, as if to ensure everyone heard it. The people¡¯s eyes widened at his words. "Wait a minute." "Ketal, you say?" There were quite a few among them who seemed to recognize Ketal¡¯s name. "Is... is it really him? Is he really a mercenary?" "I thought the guild leader was just talking nonsense?" Their murmurs reached Ketal¡¯s ears. Ketal smirked. "How tant." The guild leader flinched. "Haha... I apologize." "It¡¯s fine. I am indeed a mercenary." "Thank you for understanding. Please,e this way!" The guild leader led Ketal to the headquarters. They entered the best reception room, a room used to entertain royalty or extraordinarily powerful individuals. The guild leader sat down opposite Ketal and bowed deeply. "Thank you again. If you hadn¡¯te, we would¡¯ve been buried under that copsed mountain and died." "When I saw it from afar, it looked quite dangerous, so I rushed over. It seems things aren¡¯t going well." "...Not exactly, no." The guild leader forced a bitter smile. In the Eastern Continent, The headquarters of the mercenary guild and the Magic Tower stood. The mercenaries and mages were working together to fend off the demons'' attacks. Since the quality of their defense forces was lower than in other regions, it wasn¡¯t wrong to say that their situation was the worst. Several times over the past two months, they had nearly been wiped out, but they had barely managed to hold on. It was nothing short of miraculous. The guild leader had yed arge role in this. He quickly ryed information from the headquarters and deployed mercenaries at just the right times, maintaining a precarious bnce, like a seesaw on a pir. That had irritated the demons, and they had been ambushed because of it. Ketal listened to the exnation and was impressed. "You¡¯ve been working hard." "I haven¡¯t even slept. It really feels like I¡¯m burning through my lifespan." Though the guild leader said this as a joke, there was truth in it. The dark circles under his eyes reached down to his nose. "Where¡¯s the master of the Magic Tower?" "I believe he¡¯s defending the front lines. He¡¯s doing tremendous work. If not for him, the Eastern Continent would have fallen long ago." The master of the Magic Tower was a special figure, one of the top-tier heroes on the continent, and he alone was holding multiple fronts. "I see." It seemed the Eastern Continent was struggling, but somehow enduring. The guild leader cautiously asked. "Where have you been, Ketal?" "I was in the north." "Ah, I see." The guild leader wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. Ketal was a barbarian, and he was expected to go to the north. "Did things go well? How¡¯s the situation there?" "There are no more demons in the north. Once their internal issues are resolved, they wille out to help the rest of the world." "...What?" The guild leader¡¯s eyes widened. "You... you mean you stopped the demons?" "Mm." Though the situation was a bit ambiguous. In the end, it had been the rat that had dealt with the demons. But since he had driven out that rat, it wasn¡¯t wrong to say so. Ketal nodded. "There are no demons left in the north." "O-Ohhhhhh!" It was incredible news. The guild leader clenched his fist in excitement. Though barbarians were considered uneducated, unable to even read, they still controlled the vast northernnds. It was because they had such immense strength. If the barbarians came out to help, it would be a huge boost, regardless of other issues. It was great news for the continent. "Their king has been through a lot." "Well, it''s only possible because of you, Ketal! As expected of you! You''ve already taken care of the demons! That''s amazing!" "Thank you." The exchange of pleasantries was over. It was time to get to the main point. The guild master¡¯s eyes gleamed. "So, Ketal, are you here to help the Eastern Continent?" The situation on the Eastern Continent was dire. If a powerful individual like Ketal were to help them, the tide of war could change dramatically. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w However, unfortunately, that was not Ketal''s purpose. "That would be nice, but I have something to do first." "Something to do first...?" "Yes. You''re the guild master of the mercenaries. You must know about dungeons." "Yes. There¡¯s no one who knows more than I do." "Good. That¡¯s what I wanted to hear." Ketal''s eyes sparkled. "Let me ask you something. The higher the dungeon''s rank, the better the rewards, right?" "That¡¯s right." Sometimes the reward was treasure, other times it was a catalyst. "If it''s an S-rank dungeon, do you know what kind of reward it would give?" "Hmm... No S-rank dungeon has ever been cleared, so I can''t say for sure, but considering the difficulty... Wouldn''t it be something on the level of a dragon heart?" S-rank dungeons hadn''t been cleared even by the strongest superhumans. You had to be a hero-ss to even attempt it. If that was the case, the reward would likely be something equally as extraordinary. "As I thought." Ketal smiled faintly. The guild master realized Ketal''s true objective. "...Ketal, are you nning to clear a dungeon?" "Yes." Ketal nodded. "Can you tell me where the nearest S-rank dungeon is?" * * * The enemies were formidable. Even the creatures from the White Snowfield were starting to emerge, and demons like the Four Heavenly Kings were also present. Their true forms would be difficult even for Ketal to deal with easily. ''Though it''s not impossible.'' There were still uncertainties. Ketal also needed to be stronger. And to do that, he needed to raise his mystery to the level of a superhuman. One catalyst would make that possible. But finding such a catalyst wasn¡¯t easy. Even though his power was overflowing, it was impossible to reach the next level with an ordinary catalyst. A dragon heart. Something on that level was needed. And an S-rank dungeon was where he could find such a catalyst. That''s why he''de to the mercenaries'' headquarters. "...Understood." The guild master was briefly flustered but quickly gathered his thoughts. "As guild master, I grant you permission to enter the S-rank dungeon! If not you, then who could do it!" For the guild master, this was also an opportunity. The S-rank dungeon was like a Forbidden Land, never before cleared. If Ketal were to clear it, the name of the mercenary guild would rise to new heights. There was no reason to refuse. The guild master spoke quickly. "Coincidentally, there''s an S-rank dungeon nearby. It''s less than an hour away from here. I¡¯ll guide you there!" "Oh, that''s good." Ketal asked with a satisfied expression. "What kind of dungeon is it?" The guild master replied. "An S-rank dungeon. The Beast Nest." * * * The Beast Nest. Ketal had heard of it before. "The one the Mercenary King challenged and failed to clear?" "That''s right. Many have tried, but the Mercenary King was the only one to return with any significant achievement. Shall I guide you?" "That would be great. Please do." "Understood!" The guild master began exining the dungeon to Ketal as they headed toward it. "I will personally guide you! Please follow me!" The mercenaries looked on with puzzled expressions as the guild master led Ketal away. Ketal spoke with a slightly awkward expression. "You can just tell me the location. I can go by myself. Aren¡¯t you busy?" "No! It''s fine! My assistant will handle things, so don¡¯t worry!" The guild master didn¡¯t care about the mercenaries'' dissatisfaction. Forming even a slight bond with Ketal was far more important. Since he had an assistant, there were no real issues with him leaving. Before long, they arrived at a small hole in the middle of a forest. "This is the entrance to the Beast Nest." At first nce, it seemed like nothing more than a strange hole in the ground. But upon closer inspection, there was something unusual about it. From the hole below, strange noises could be heard. They were the sounds of monsters. The hole was so deep and dark that the bottom couldn¡¯t be seen. "Hmm." A look of interest crossed Ketal''s face. "How do I get in?" "You just jump in. The hole is quite deep, but there¡¯s a strange force that protects you when you first jump." "And to get out?" "You send a signal from the bottom, and we¡¯ll lower a rope. We used to have a rope permanently in ce, but the beasts started climbing up it." "Got it. Then, I¡¯ll be going." "I¡¯ll wait up here. Just shout if anything happens, and I¡¯ll lower the rope immediately." "No, there¡¯s no need for that." Without waiting for a response, Ketal leaped into the hole. His eyes were filled with excitement. An S-rank dungeon. A dungeon said to only be cleared by hero-ss individuals, the highest level of difficulty. Ketal entered the hole. His body began to descend. [Kaaaaaaa!] [Uwooo!] The monsters'' roars echoed. They weed the intruder, ready to kill. The killing intent was enough to make anyone faint. But Ketal smiled in response. ''This is going to be fun.'' Dungeons were the pinnacle of fantasy, after all. Gaining power was nice, but that was just a secondary goal. His experience in the North had been fine, but not great. The appearance of the rat ruined it. He hadn¡¯t been able to enjoy the fantasy fully. His primary goal had always been to enjoy the fantasy. Sinceing to this world, not once had he lost sight of that goal. ''Let¡¯s have some fun.'' With a smile, Ketal cheerfully descended into the dungeon. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 297: S-Rank Dungeon (3) [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 297: S-Rank Dungeon (3) [Uoooo!] [Kieeee!] The low-level monsters appeared¡ªgoblins, orcs, skeletons. Hundreds of them charged at Ketal all at once. Ketal lightlynded on the ground. Boom! The earth trembled, and the monsters were swept away. "I''ve seen enough of you guys tost a lifetime." There wasn¡¯t much thrill anymore. He just wanted to ignore them. But the guild leader had said that all the monsters must be cleared for the dungeon''s mechanics to activate. Ketal clenched his fist, channeling his power into it. He punched hard, creating a wind st that enveloped the monsters. Boom! With a single blow, over a hundred monsters were obliterated. Though they were low-level monsters, there were so many of them. It would take a considerable amount of time for a normal warrior to deal with them all. But Ketal wasn¡¯t an ordinary warrior. With every punch, dozens of monsters were wiped out, and in no time, the dungeon was cleared. Crack! Ketal finished off thest remaining monster. Then, the ground opened up beneath him. Rumble! The earth gave way, revealing a staircase leading down. Ketal descended the steps and soon came to arge chamber simr to the previous one. The difference? This chamber was filled with much stronger monsters. Ogres, griffins, and werewolves¡ªcreatures of First rate strength¡ªcharged at Ketal with shrieks. ¡®Just like they said.¡¯ This was an S-Rank dungeon: The Monster Nest. True to its name, it was teeming with monsters. However, they weren¡¯t all grouped together. The Monster Nest was divided intoyers. On the first floor were the low-level monsters like skeletons, orcs, and goblins. Third-rate fighters could barely manage there. But on the second floor, mid-level monsters such as ogres and griffins appeared. First rate fighters could withstand their attacks. As you descended, the monsters became progressively stronger. The first floor, home to weaker monsters, made this S-Rank dungeon rtively essible. Many mercenaries attempted it to prove their strength, but most never returned. [Uoooo!] [Kaaaa!] Monsters¡ªliterally thousands of them¡ªcharged at once. The chamber offered no cover, just an expansive, empty field, leaving no time to prepare. Even though the monsters were weak individually, their sheer numbers couldn¡¯t be ignored. Even a strong warrior could die from carelessness. In fact, all the spellcasters under Spellweaver perished on the first floor. They were all First rate warriors, yet none survived. But for Ketal, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue. The monsters were crushed and scattered. It took less than 30 minutes to wipe out a thousand of them. Rumble! Once the monsters were cleared, the ground opened again. Ketal descended to the next floor, the third floor. There, he was greeted by twin-headed ogres, wraiths, death knights, and duhans¡ªmonsters of First rate-level strength. A thousand of them. ¡®This is the floor the Mercenary King failed to conquer.¡¯ A thousand First rate-level monsters. Even the strongest of superhumans had to retreat in the face of such overwhelming numbers. Of course, to Ketal, this wasn¡¯t particrly impressive. ¡®I see some new ones.¡¯ That was his only thought. In no time, the monsters were swept away. It wasn¡¯t long before the third floor was cleared, and the stairs to the next level appeared. ¡°Well then.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. He was heading to the fourth floor. From here, nothing was known. Ketal smiled. ¡®This is exciting.¡¯ He felt like a child about to embark on an adventure. With an eager look, Ketal descended the stairs. There, he was weed by monsters. [Kyaaaaa!] A seven-headed snake¡ªHydra. And that wasn¡¯t all. There was a humanoid creature with the head of a bull¡ªMinotaur. Giants worms, basilisks, even a Medusa. Countless mythical creatures Ketal had never seen before. And he knew instantly: Every single one of these monsters was of superhuman level. There were about a hundred of them. [H-Hiiiik.] Even the Holy Sword, without realizing it, let out a sound. It was a nightmarish sight. If this ce were to open, half thend could be wiped out if heroes didn¡¯t respond swiftly. [Kaaaa!] [Kuooor!] The monsters charged at Ketal with terrifying roars. Ketal smiled as he moved. The first to reach him was the Minotaur, wielding an axe. Ketal threw a punch. The Minotaur raised its axe to block. Crack! But there was no way it could block. The axe shattered, and Ketal¡¯s fist mmed into the Minotaur¡¯s chest. The Minotaur was sent flying, rolling across the ground. However, it didn¡¯t die. Though its insides seemed to have ruptured, it squirmed on the ground, unable to get up, but it had survived Ketal¡¯s blow. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal let out a small exmation. It was a light punch, but it had withstood it. Impressive. Buuoooo! A giant worm charged. Ketal casually dodged to the side. Taking advantage of the opening, Medusa slithered in. [Kyaaaat!] [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Her snake-like hair spread wide, attempting to turn everything to stone. Countless mercenaries had turned to stone and died upon meeting Medusa. ¡°Oh, Medusa.¡± [Kieeek!] Ketal, intrigued, grabbed her head and snapped her neck. [Kaaaaah!] The hydra, a snake with seven heads, rushed at Ketal, its teeth sharp enough to grind steel to dust. But they couldn''t pierce Ketal''s flesh, and its fangs shattered. "One snake down, and anotheres right away!" Ketal raised his axe. With a single swing, he severed three of the hydra''s heads. The hydra shrieked and pulled back. Ketal, who had beenughing heartily, widened his eyes. "Ooooh." The three severed heads began to bubble and regenerate. ording to legend, the hydra could only be killed if all seven heads were severed simultaneously. Due to this peculiarity, it took many mighty heroes to finally bring down the beast. "Ha, hahaha!" And at that sight, Ketal could no longer hold back hisughter. "How magnificent!" A hydra, Medusa, a Minotaur, and even a Basilisk. These were literal monsters straight out of myth. His heart raced like that of a boy embarking on his first adventure. Each one of them was a monster capable of turning the world upside down, yet to the current Ketal, they were no more than avishly prepared feast. "This is fun! So much fun!" Ketal let out a maniacalugh and lunged forward. His movements started to change. * * * "Mmm..." Next to the hole, the guild master waited with an anxious look on his face. Behind him, someone approached. "Hey. Guild Master." It was the guild master''s secretary. A fairy. She flew over, pping her tiny wings. The guild master looked puzzled. "What''s going on? Didn''t I give you orders?" "It''s mostly taken care of. Are you just waiting here?" "Yeah. He''s down there right now. I''m waiting so I can respond immediately when he calls." "......" The fairy grimaced at his words, unable to understand the guild master''s decision. "...Are you really that eager to win its favor? Why?" "Because it''s necessary." The guild master answered calmly. "I''m the one who doesn''t get it. Why are you so afraid? He''s a very reasonable person." "...You... you don''t know. That thing is alien. It''s broken, just stacked on top of itself. I don''t want to see it." The fairy shuddered. She hadn''t been there when Ketal met and spoke with the guild master. She had begged to be excused. The guild master stroked his chin. "I get it. You''re afraid of a certain kind of monster, the kind that''s beyond yourprehension. Sure, there''s no way he''d bepletely sane with that much power. But that''s not the point." In this chaotic world, all that mattered was that he was on humanity''s side. It didn''t matter if he was a monster or whatever else. "And what if he''s a monster? As long as we canmunicate with him, there''s no reason to reject him." "Ugh... Uuuuh..." The fairy groaned. Logically, the guild master was right, but she just couldn''t ept it. Because what she had seen in Ketal, stacked upon itself, was something that defied such concepts entirely. ''But he''s actually helping us, after all...'' She sighed, finally giving up and asking the guild master. "So you''re just waiting now?" "Yeah. He''s strong, sure, but... we don''t know what''s down there. I don''t know when he''lle back. So I''ll wait." "Fine. Do what you want. I''m going to finish cleaning up." "Alright." Just as the fairy was about to turn and head back to headquarters¡ª Thud. The ground trembled. "...Huh?" The tremor didn''t happen just once. It kept rumbling irregrly. The guild master, momentarily confused, quickly realized. The tremors wereing from below his feet. "Wait, this can''t be... the dungeon is shaking?" "...That''s impossible." The dungeon was a separate space. Nothing that happened inside should affect the outside. That was how it was supposed to be. Thud! But the tremors continued, growing stronger. The guild master and the fairy''s faces both twisted with shock. "...What kind of person is he?" "I told you, he''s not a person!" * * * "Hahahaha!" Ketal charged forward, crushing and smashing the monsters. The Holy Sword, witnessing this, was horrified. [Wait a minute! You!] The power Ketal was disying now was strange. It was qualitatively different from his usual strength. Far more powerful, far more violent. The Holy Sword was stunned. [Have you... have you been holding back this whole time?] "No. Not at all." Ketal casually answered as he crushed the Minotaur''s chest. "I¡¯ve always fought seriously, with everything I had. Those enemies were tough enough that I had no choice." [But... but your movements right now...] "Fighting seriously doesn''t mean I wasn''t holding back." When Ketal fought outside, he instinctively suppressed his power. It was to avoid destroying the fantasy he cherished so much. It was a simple matter. Could anyone swing a baseball bat with all their might inside an art gallery full of priceless works of art? It wasn¡¯t impossible, but it was difficult. Even the best batter would instinctively hold back. That''s what it was like for Ketal when he used his strength in the outside world. To him, fantasy was a treasure beyond value. But not here. Here, there were only monsters. Nothing else. There was no fear of ruining the fantasy by using his full power. So he had no choice but to go all out. ¡®It''s refreshing to finally move without worrying about anything.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketalughed with joy. The Holy Sword, watching, shuddered in genuine fear at thatughter. [Trantor - Jjescus] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 298: S-Rank Dungeon (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 298: S-Rank Dungeon (4) [What in the world...] The Holy Sword was astonished. It realized that until now, Ketal had been suppressing his power. [Where on earth...] What was the limit of this barbarian? Where was his bottom? The Holy Sword couldn¡¯t even guess. Boom! Ketal pushed through and tore apart his enemies. Monsters, who had no fear of death, were slowly starting to show fear on their faces. Despite this, they were unable to flee due to themands engraved in their minds and rushed toward him. Ketal, with a delighted expression, crushed each monster by hand. [Raaaargh!] ¡°Whoops.¡± He dodged an iing attack lightly. But his clothes got caught. His garments ripped with a loud tear. "My clothes ripped," Ketal clicked his tongue. Although the mystery enveloping his body also provided some protection for his clothes, it wasn''t perfect. Unlike his skin, his clothes were fragile and easily torn. He had prepared plenty of spares, but they were starting to run out. ¡®Do I need to get more clothes again?¡¯ It was bing annoying. He wanted to find proper clothes. Even as he thought this, his body continued to deal with the monsters. Hundreds of monsters, powerful enough to burn the continent. It took about an hour to finish them off. And even that was only because Ketal responded leisurely. If he had been more serious, it would have ended much sooner. Finally, the stairs to the next floor opened. Ketal slowly walked toward the 5th floor. A vast cavern awaited him. There was only one monster waiting for him there. [Kaaaaaah!] A dragon made of bones. The Bone Dragon roared. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh ho! A Bone Dragon!¡± It was one of the most powerful monsters. He had seen living dragons before, but seeing a dead one also had its own value. [Kaaaa!] The Bone Dragon spread its wings wide, decay swirling around it. A powerful magic capable of rotting everything consumed the space. The intense murderous aura and malice were palpable. Ketal could tell. The Bone Dragon before him was a hero-ss monster. It would have a good match against Karin. But that was all. ¡°It¡¯s weaker than the poison of the rat.¡± [That¡¯s true¡­] There was a clear difference between it and the white rat. ¡®In that case.¡¯ It was the perfect opportunity for a test. Ketal took a light step forward. He pierced through the swirling decay and charged forward, instantly closing the distance and throwing a punch. He started light, but with genuine force. Boooom! With a thunderous sound, the Bone Dragon skidded backward. But there were no wounds on its body. It had cast a defensive spell, which had managed to block Ketal''s attack. Though the shield had shattered, it sessfully protected the Bone Dragon¡¯s body. ¡°I expected that.¡± Ketal muttered calmly. He already knew that a hero-ss existence could withstand his serious attack. But what about his full power? [Kaaaaah!] The Bone Dragon attacked, but Ketal dodged swiftly and closed the gap again. It raised its defenses. But Ketal poured more power into his strike and swung at full strength. It was the first time he used his full power against a ground-dwelling being. BOOOOOM! The defense was shattered. And his punch struck the Bone Dragon. Its ribcage shattered. The Bone Dragon¡¯s body tumbled across the ground. [K-Kaaaah!] Ketal nodded. ¡°As expected, even this level of opponent can¡¯t withstand my full power.¡± His full force had broken through the Bone Dragon¡¯s defense andpletely destroyed its ribcage. But it didn¡¯t fall. The shattered ribs quickly restored themselves, and the Bone Dragon staggered as it stood back up. Ketal whistled. ¡°You¡¯re quite sturdy.¡± [Y-You think so?] The Holy Sword stuttered. The Bone Dragon¡¯s body was made from the bones of a dragon. It was protected and animated by magic, so it couldn¡¯t even be scratched through normal means. Even Ignisia would have to invest significant effort to break those bones. But Ketal had shattered them with just one punch. The Holy Sword already knew Ketal was a monstrous existence, but the more it saw, the more astonishing his power became. Ketal¡¯s thoughts crystallized. Hero-ss opponents could survive his full strength. ¡®But just barely.¡¯ They could endure one hit, but that was all. If he attacked again, the problem would be solved. At least against normal hero-ss foes, he could defeat them without issue using his full strength. Ketal wondered how earth¡¯s hero-ss beings would respond to his full power. He had confirmed his test. But Ketal didn¡¯t move. He squinted his eyes and scanned his surroundings. The vast cavern. He was inside the dungeon now, a spacepletely isted from the outside world. And before him was a hero-ss monster. Ketal made his decision. ¡°This is a good environment for testing.¡± He began to channel his mystery. It enveloped his entire body, protecting his flesh. But he didn¡¯t swing his fist. He maintained the mystery, gathering it. Then Ketal flexed his arm. His muscles swelled. Grrrriiiik! The mystery that protected his arm started to gather all of his full strength. * * * From the moment Ketal had gained the mystery and could envelop his body with it, he had wondered: What would happen if he channeled all his full power and swung with his body fully enveloped? Until now, it had only been a thought. The reason was simple. Even Ketal had no idea what kind of fallout there would be. When he had channeled the mystery to his legs and stomped on the ground with full force, an earthquake had urred. Not figuratively, but a literal earthquake. When he had used his full strength, he created massive sinkholes or erased entire spaces. What would happen if hebined both? Even Ketal couldn¡¯t calcte it. If he recklessly used his strength, the fantasy world he loved so much might be destroyed. So he hadn¡¯t dared to try. But here he was in a dungeon. A worldpletely separated from the outside. No matter how much destruction urred, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Here, he could experiment freely without worry. Grrrriiiik! The mystery was gathered into his arm, along with his full strength. Up until now, Ketal¡¯s body hadn¡¯t been able to withstand his full power and would break down. But now, it didn¡¯t. The mystery wrapped around his arm was preventing his body from being destroyed by the full force. With no losses, he began to gather even more power. It felt as if he had finally gained an authority befitting his strength. [W-Wait a minute. You¡­] The Holy Sword panicked. Even the Bone Dragon sensed that something was off. [K-Kaaaah?] It had no intellect. It was already a dead creature, forcibly animated by the dungeon¡¯s magic. A being that followed orders blindly, like a machine. Yet, the Bone Dragon felt a shudder of fear. An instinct long since forgotten stirred within it, and its remaining intellect crawled up to warn it. It had to escape this ce immediately. That it couldn¡¯t handle this. [Kaaaaah!] But it couldn¡¯t retreat. His orders were clear¡ªto kill the intruder in the dungeon. So, he moved asmanded, spreading his wings and charging towards Ketal. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Thank you," Ketal said, baring his teeth. He gathered all his strength in his arm and unleashed it. At that very moment... BOOOOOM! The guild leader waiting outside jolted violently. The ground shook beneath him. "Whaaaah!" "What is happening?!" His eyes widened in shock. The earth in front of him had exploded. It was as if a volcano had erupted, and debris shot into the sky. Dirt rained down heavily. "...Could it be? Did Ketal... do something inside the dungeon?" "No... that''s impossible," The fairy muttered in disbelief. The events inside a dungeon shouldn''t affect the outside world. Yet, neither the guild leader nor the fairy could find words as they stared at the scene, stunned. * * * BOOOOOM! The bones of the bone dragon shattered. No, more than that¡ªthey disintegrated into near dust. The force was so overwhelming that the bone dragon''s entire body took the impact, rolling miserably on the ground. Ketal let out a whistle. "So strong!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He admired his fist with a satisfied look. "And intact!" There wasn¡¯t a single injury on his arm. Not a single blood vessel had burst. Protected by mystery, he had withstood the immense power. With this, unlike before, he could now use his full strength without restraint. And without his body breaking down, he could channel all his power into his attacks. Ketal realized something. This was the true strength he was meant to wield. He gleefully threw another punch. BOOOOOM! The bone dragon''s skeleton turned to dust, and the impact shattered the dungeon walls, creating a hole that allowed sunlight to stream in. Ketal¡¯s punch had destroyed the dungeon and even pierced a hole to the outside world. [¡­..] The Holy Sword couldn¡¯t speak. ''This...'' Was this kind of power reallying directly from a human body without any preparation? Was it not divine power, directly wielded by a god? The Holy Sword shivered. Ketal lightly stepped forward. The dungeon floor crumbled as his body arrived before the bone dragon. His fist moved. The repeated attacks shook the very space, and the bone dragon, unable to defend itself, had its bones crushed and shattered entirely. [Kaaah¡­] Before long, the bone dragon copsed. It tried to get up, but its body, already broken, could no longer move. As the immense power worked through it, the dragon began crumbling into dust. "You did well. You have my gratitude." And with that, farewell. Ketal brought his fist down on the bone dragon¡¯s head. THUD! A massive crater appeared. The bone dragon''s head hadpletely vanished. The headless body slumped to the ground. [One... minute.] It had taken less than a minute to finish off a hero-ss monster. Even though it was a mindless, broken monster, the power was still unbelievable. Ketal whistled again. "It¡¯s really strong. It was the right decision not to use this on the surface." The power was beyond his expectations. But it wasn¡¯t without problems. ¡®The consumption of mystery is quite intense.¡¯ He had only used the power for less than a minute, and yet almost half of his mystery was gone. It was not a power that could be used without risk. Moreover, the mental strain was significant. Moving his body at full power while controlling the mystic energy ced a burden on him too. His head throbbed painfully. But the benefits were worth it. The fact that using his full power no longer destroyed his body was a significant improvement. And unlike summoning the mystic beast, there were no conditions to meet. As long as he had enough time, he could use it freely. ¡®If I train a bit more, it¡¯ll be very useful.¡¯ Ketal smiled contentedly. At the same time, the bone dragon¡¯s headless body began to float in midair. Slowly, itpressed into a single form. Plop. Thepressed object fell into Ketal¡¯s hand. It was a bone, pure white and glowing like a gemstone. [Dragon Bone¡­] The Holy Sword muttered. Ketal grinned. "Nice." Ketal¡¯s body was transported to the entrance of the dungeon. With the dungeon¡¯s boss defeated, the dungeon itself had disappeared. When Ketal returned to the entrance, he found the guild leader and the fairy, holding each other, staring at him. "You¡¯ve been waiting. It¡¯s over." "¡­Ah, yes," The guild leader nodded, still dazed. * * * Back at the guild¡¯s headquarters, the guild leader, who had finallye to his senses, cautiously asked, "What... did you do?" "I had an experiment to carry out. It was a satisfactory result." "I-I see..." What kind of experiment would cause such chaos? The guild leader swallowed hard but didn¡¯t dare to ask further. Instead, he asked another question. "We¡¯ve confirmed that the dungeon has been cleared." The S-rank dungeon. The entrance to the nest of monsters had disappeared. It meant the dungeon was cleared. "May I ask what was inside?" Ketal replied, "You already know about the first to third floors, so let¡¯s skip that. There was a fourth floor. There were monsters like basilisks and hydras¡ªabout a hundred of them. Each one was beyond superhuman." "I-I see." "And on the fifth floor, there was the bone dragon." "The bone dragon!" The guild leader was horrified. The bone dragon¡ªa legendary creature, said to be impossible to defeat without a hero-ss fighter. "And for the reward¡­" "I received this," Ketal said, showing the pure white bone. The guild leader groaned. "A dragon bone¡­" "Do you know what it is?" "I¡¯ve only heard of it in legends. It''s never been publicly circted. There¡¯s only a myth that a part of it was used to create the magic tower." "I see." Satisfied with the answer, Ketal smiled. "...So the boss of the S-rank dungeon was a bone dragon." The guild leader now knew that clearing an S-rank dungeon required more than a hero-ss fighter. It was invaluable information¡ªworth more than gold. The guild leader bowed deeply. "Thank you for sharing the dungeon¡¯s details! I¡¯d love to give you a reward immediately, but given our current situation¡­" "It¡¯s fine. If you really want to give one, take your time." "Thank you! Then, I¡¯ll guide you to your lodging. You must be exhausted. Please rest well!" "That sounds good." Ketal followed the guild leader to his room and was shown to a bed. The guild leader hurried back, eager topile the information he had just learned. "Hmm." Lying on the bed, Ketal pulled out the white bone with a satisfied expression. The dragon bone. But it was more than just a bone. It shone with the luster of a gemstone, containing immense mystery within. With anticipation, Ketal asked, "From your perspective, what grade of material is this?" [Well¡­ if it were just a regr dragon bone, it wouldn¡¯t be of a very high grade. It¡¯s strong and conducts magic well, but that¡¯s it. However, what you¡¯re holding isn¡¯t a regr dragon bone.] The Holy Sword exined slowly. [This is the bone of a bone dragon, a reward from the dungeon, containing all of its powerpressed into one. It¡¯s a material in itself.] "How does itpare to a dragon heart?" [¡­As a material, I¡¯d say there¡¯s little difference.] "As expected." Ketal smiled. It was clear now. He had obtained the final material to unlock the mystery he sought. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 299: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 299: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (1) It was an extremely satisfying result. The long journey to the eastern continent had been worth it. But there was one problem. ¡°How am I supposed to absorb this?¡± How to use the Dragon Bone to consume the mysteries within it? ¡°Should I just bite into it?¡± The idea of approaching it like a beast gnawing on bones to get the marrow urred to him. The Holy Sword spoke hesitantly. [That... shouldn''t be possible... No, wait. If it¡¯s you, it might actually work.] The Dragon Bone was the hardest substance in existence. No ordinary method could touch it, especially since it was filled with mysteries. Crushing it with teeth was, under normal circumstances, impossible. But since it was Ketal, the Holy Sword quickly changed its tone and exined. [It won¡¯t work like that. You were able to absorb the fragment of divine power because it was refined. But the Dragon Bone is unrefined. It¡¯s more like raw material than a catalyst.] It would need to be trained and refined into a proper catalyst. [However, because the material is of such high grade, normal methods won¡¯t work.] ¡°Meaning it could work if I use something abnormal. Where should I go?¡± [¡­Oh.] The Holy Sword paused, as if reluctant to say. Ketal looked at the sword in silence. Unable to withstand the pressure, the sword finally relented. [¡­Probably the Dwarf Cave. Mantamia. You could do it there.] ¡°Whoa!¡± Ketal''s eyes sparkled. ¡®Dwarves!¡¯ One of the most iconic fantasy races. Dwarves. Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense. If elves were beings of nature, dwarves were beings of the earth. They were renowned as exceptional cksmiths, crafting incredible weapons. If anyone could refine the Dragon Bone, it would be them. Ketal mumbled as he connected the dots. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Now that I think about it, you were created by the god they worship¡ªthe cksmith God, right?¡± [¡­Yes. That god created me.] ¡°Perfect timing.¡± He would head to the Dwarf Cave, refine the Dragon Bone into a proper catalyst, and in the process, ask the cksmith God about what to do with the Holy Sword. If the corpses of the White monkey and the rat¡¯s front paw could be used, he would find a way to utilize them too. ¡®And also¡­¡¯ Ketal nced toward his waist. There hung a ck axe. ¡®I need to ask about this as well.¡¯ His reason for going was clear. Ketal made his decision. ¡®I can head south, and on the way, catch up with Arkamis or Karin after a long time.¡¯ With his decision made, Ketal smiled broadly. In contrast, the Holy Sword seemed uneasy. [Couldn¡¯t we find someone other than the dwarves to do the refining? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m afraid of meeting the god they worship.] ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Ketal realized the sword¡¯s concern. The Holy Sword was currently broken. It had not fulfilled its purpose. However, because of this, it had gained freedom. Had it fulfilled its purpose, it would have met its owner and then lost its consciousness a few monthster. For the sword, meeting the god would be a dangerous affair. The sword could be restored and ced back in the god¡¯s sanctum. Ketal patted the sword. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk to the god for you. What you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen.¡± [Ugh, okay¡­ I understand. I¡¯ll tell you the location of Mantamia. I suppose I should prepare myself.] The Holy Sword reluctantly agreed. Ketal moved immediately. He informed the guildmaster that he would be leaving for the southern continent. ¡°Wait, what? You¡¯re leaving?¡± The guildmaster was startled but quicklyposed himself. ¡°Oh, alright! If you¡¯re leaving, we have no choice but to ept it!¡± ¡°You look disappointed.¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, I thought you would stay longer.¡± The guildmaster scratched his head. The eastern continent was the most dangerous of the four. There weren¡¯t enough heroes of Ketal¡¯s caliber to turn the tide of the war. But with Ketal present, there was some breathing room. His sudden departure was rming. Of course, Ketal wasn¡¯t nning to leave without doing anything. ¡°Before I go south, I¡¯ll clean up a few battlefronts. That should be enough, right?¡± ¡°That would be much appreciated! If you have business elsewhere, we certainly can¡¯t stop you!¡± The guildmaster quickly replied. Ketal opened a map. Several battlefronts were located on the way to the southern continent. ¡°I¡¯ll clear those while I¡¯m at it.¡± Ketal muttered. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Blegh.¡± Hundreds of mercenaries and mages formed uneasy lines. Among them were Gainert, Barak, and Marcy¡ªmercenaries who had cleared raid dungeons with Ketal. And in front of them, hundreds of monsters were charging. Therge leader shouted. ¡°Form up! Brace for impact! We must hold this position!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The hands of the mercenaries holding weapons trembled. They were in rough shape. Many of them were covered in crude bandages, clearly wounded. They were guarding an important passageway on the eastern continent. If it fell into the hands of evil, the supply lines would be cut off. Numerous attacks had beenunched from Hell, and they had barely managed to hold them off. Now, with this massive force of monsters, it seemed like the final push to break through. The mercenaries were prepared to die. Boom! A strong gust of wind blew. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Kyah!¡± Several mercenaries lost their bnce and stumbled. As the wind died down, they opened their eyes. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Their eyes widened. In front of their formation stood a barbarian. He looked at the mercenaries and smiled. ¡°Oh! Gainert, Barak, Marcy! You¡¯re here too!¡± ¡°K-Ketal?¡± Gainert was shocked. It was Ketal, the mercenary who had cleared a dungeon with them in the Denian Kingdom. ¡°Did youe to join the fight?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°Huh? Then why¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to end it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ketal turned to face the monsters. Hundreds of them charged towards him. The strongest of them were only first-rate in strength. ¡°Not much to worry about. I won¡¯t even need to use any mystery for this.¡± Crack. Ketal flexed his arm. His sheer power was too much for his body, and it began to break. ¡°O-Oh¡­¡± ¡°Everyone, fall back!¡± Sensing something unusual, the mercenaries hastily retreated. It was the right decision. Had they stayed, they would have been swept up in the shockwave and tossed around like ragdolls. ¡°Hup.¡± Ketal threw a punch. The sound of something tearing filled the air. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was as if the world itself was breaking apart. The mercenaries instinctively flinched and covered their ears. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± When the shockwave subsided, the mercenaries cautiously opened their eyes and gasped. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The hundreds of monsters charging towards them, whom they had prepared to risk their lives fighting, were gone without a trace. Not only that, but thend had been neatly cleared. It was so clean thatying down bricks for a road would have been easy. ¡°¡­No way.¡± After a moment of shock, the mercenaries realized something. That barbarian¡¯s punch had erased the monsters from existence. In a single blow, the enemies they had been ready to die fighting were all obliterated. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Ketal dusted off his hands lightly. "Then, the rest is up to you. Do your best to deal with the demons from hell." "Ah, understood?" Rumble! Ketal disappeared. His figure vanished from sight in an instant. The people stared in the direction he left for quite some time, unable to do anything. * * * On his way, Ketal dealt with two or three more fronts. It didn''t take long. A single punch, at most three, and it was done. Leaving behind the dazed people, he headed south. And he finally arrived. In the Schwarzwald, a forest the size of a country, where the sacrednd of the elvesy. [Are you nning to meet the elves?] "I have some ties with them. Before visiting the dwarves, I need to assess the situation in the south first." Ketal had very little information about the dwarf cave, Mantamia. All he knew was that before the demons began their full-scale invasion, a meteor that had fallen from the stars had been stolen. He intended to head to the elves'' sacrednd to understand the current state of affairs. "Hmm." Ketal stood in the middle of the forest. He knew where the sacrednd of the elves was. But he didn''t proceed toward it. ''Back then, I had a hard time finding the sacrednd.'' At that time, he couldn¡¯t locate it on his own and had to travel with the queen of the elf tribe. But now that he had gained control over the mystery, what about now? Ketal closed his eyes. Rather than using the mystery to strengthen his body, he connected it to his senses and expanded them. [W-wait! You can''t!] The Holy Sword was rmed. She hurriedly tried to stop him, but it was toote. Ketal''s senses began to press down on the forest. At that very moment, in the sacrednd of the elves, the elves were standing guard. Their faces showed signs of boredom. Given that the demons were invading, they weren¡¯t as tense as they should have been, but it was unavoidable. For the past few months, demons hadn''t shown up near the sacrednd of the elves. After one raid, they had set up their defenses with all their might. Even if the demons tried to attack, they wouldn''t easily breach the defenses. Moreover, the demons had already stolen the branches of the World Tree. They had no further business in the sacrednd of the elves. Burning the World Tree wasn''t possible at this point; it was something for muchter. As such, the elves were not highly tense. They were merely standing guard out of obligation. At that moment, something enormous pressed down on them. Rumble! "Ugh!" "Huh!" The elves in the sacrednd suddenly copsed to their knees. Their faces went pale in an instant. "Wait!" The High Elf knight, Parco, rushed to the outskirts of the sacrednd in panic. "What¡¯s happening?" "We don''t know! Suddenly, something began pressing down on the sacrednd!" "Is it an attack from the demons?" Parco gritted his teeth and summoned the wind spirit. "Come forth! High Spirit, Brunstad!" [¡­What is this?] "An enemy attack! Synchronize your senses with mine and extend them!" [Understood.] The wind spirit synchronized with Parco¡¯s senses. Parco intended to identify the enemy pressing down on the sacrednd. The wind spirit quickly spread its presence to the outer parts of the forest. And because of this, Parco realized. [¡­Parco. This is¡ª] "A-ah." It wasn''t an attack pressing down on them. It was simply someone expanding their senses, turning the entire area into their domain. The only reason the elves mistook it for an attack was that the presence was so vast and powerful that it exceeded their understanding. And the area affected wasn¡¯t just the sacrednd. The entire Schwarzwald, a forest the size of a country, was now within the domain. The being that appeared was epassing the entire forest within its range. ''Wh-what¡­?'' Parco''s face turned pale. This was a being with power far beyond hisprehension. At this level, it wasparable to a demon lord. No, it was even beyond that. ''A¡­ a lord of hell?'' He thought one of the four lords of hell hade to erase the elves from existence. His legs began to tremble. ''No, that''s not it.'' This was the sacrednd of the elves, hidden by the barrier of the Spirit God. No matter how powerful this being was, they couldn¡¯t possibly locate it. But Parco¡¯s hope was quickly shattered. Crack. Cracks spread through the space. The barrier surrounding the sacrednd was rapidly breaking. tter. Through the gap in the shattered barrier, the immense presence of the intruder was felt. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The elves¡¯ legs gave outpletely. The ones who had copsed could only stare nkly at the barrier. They were the sacrednd¡¯s guards. They were supposed to defend the sacrednd with their lives, burning with determination to face any invader. But they couldn¡¯t. No one rages at a natural disaster. A sense of helplessness engulfed them. Crack! Finally, the barrier shattered. The elves sensed death approaching. Parco was no different. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "Just as I thought, using mystery to expand my senses allows me to detect even ces hidden by a barrier. Not bad at all." But at that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Parco cautiously opened his tightly shut eyes. And his eyes widened. ¡°¡­Lord Ketal?¡± "Parco! It''s been a while!" Bursting through the shattered barrier, the barbarian Ketal greeted him with a friendly face. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 300: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 300: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (2) After themotion barely settled, Ketal was led to the reception room by Parco. Sitting across from Ketal, Parco still looked dazed. Ketal, seated in the chair, muttered, "Quite amotion. What happened?" "..." Because of you. That¡¯s what Parco wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t. He was too afraid of Ketal. Ketal, seeing his expression, soon realized why. "Was it because of me?" Parco didn¡¯t answer. But that was an answer in itself. Ketal scratched his cheek. "Hmm." He had torn through the barrier with sheer force. Thinking back, there was no real need to do that. He could¡¯ve just waited or called Parco over. But, excited at the idea of finding the sanctuary with his own power, he tore it open forcefully. It was quite a barbaric thing to do¡ªsomething one would only expect to see in the white snowfields. ¡®Why did I do that?¡¯ Upon quietly reflecting, Ketal soon understood. ¡®Because I could.¡¯ That was all. It wasn¡¯t a wrong judgment. Even if he had torn through the barrier, threatened these people, made them submit, and forced them to serve him, nothing would have changed. The elves wouldn¡¯t have been able to resist him, and the outside humans would¡¯ve backed down just to appease him. No one could give him orders. No one could control him. He was the barbarian of the white snowfields. Their king. He could act however he wished. ¡®...¡¯ Ketal frowned. But he wasn¡¯t just a barbarian. He had a modern person¡¯s conscience. Ketal was once a human from Earth. He didn¡¯t want to sacrifice others for his own pleasure or enjoyment. If he had that kind of mindset, the world would¡¯ve faced disaster the moment he appeared. ¡®Have I been slowly losing myself without realizing it?¡¯ As the power he once thought was his limit kept increasing, his sense of self was beginning to change. That couldn¡¯t continue. Ketal suppressed his emotions. "Sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful." "Oh, no. It¡¯s okay..." Seeing Ketal calm down, Parco cautiously asked, "What exactly¡­ did you do?" Even though Ketal had always been strong and frightening, this felt different. There was a qualitative change. Ketal casually responded, "I¡¯ve be able to handle mystic arts. I mixed them in while expanding my senses." The result was satisfying. At the moment he expanded his senses, he had pinpointed the sanctuary''s location. "It was quite good." "I see..." Parco swallowed hard. He honestly wanted to pass this responsibility to someone else and run away. But he couldn¡¯t. He was the highest-ranking person in the sanctuary at the moment. Ketal, puzzled, asked, "But why are you the one here? Where are Karin and Arkamis?" If Ketal hade, it would¡¯ve made sense for those two to show up. At the very least, Arkamis would¡¯ve rushed over immediately. Yet, even with all thismotion, neither of them appeared. Parco answered, "They¡¯re currently not in the sanctuary. They¡¯ve left to fend off the attacks of evil forces outside." "Hmm? Shouldn¡¯t they be guarding the sanctuary? The demons must be targeting this ce as well." "We¡¯ve fortified our defenses thoroughly. If anything goes wrong, they¡¯re prepared to return immediately." Parco hadn¡¯t moved earlier, frozen in awe at Ketal¡¯s aura, but normally, he would have acted instantly to summon Karin to the sanctuary. Parco cautiously added, "If you wish, I can call them here." "No, that¡¯s fine. If they¡¯re busy, there¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ll see themter." If those two weren¡¯t here, Ketal figured he could get the information he needed from Parco. He looked at Parco, who instinctively flinched and shrank his shoulders. "I have a question for you." "A-anything. Please ask." "What¡¯s the current situation in the south?" "...Not great, but not terrible either." Fairies, elves, dragons, and dwarves¡ªevery non-human race had joined forces to fend off the evil forces. The dragons, in particr, were powerful. Each dragon, capable of reaching the level of a hero, could overturn the battlefield. Naturally, the demons were aware of this and had invested considerable forces into the southern front, including many hero-level demons. Though there were some areas where they were being pushed back, there were also areas where they were holding their ground. It was a tight battle. "I see." After roughly grasping the southern situation, Ketal moved on to the main topic. "What about the Dwarf Cave, Mantamia?" "M-Mantamia? Why suddenly...?" "I need something smelted." Ketal pulled out a dragon bone from his dimensional pocket. The powerful energy radiating from it made Parco gasp. "Dr-Dragon bone!" "I¡¯ve heard only dwarves can smelt something like this. Can elves do it?" "That¡¯s impossible." Parco quickly shook his head. In this world, only dwarves could handle such materials. Parco realized why Ketal intended to go to Mantamia and cautiously spoke. "It might be difficult right now." "Is there a problem?" "Yes. Mantamia is currently upied by demons." "Ho." Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed. "Did the demons take it by force?" "I don¡¯t know the exact details, but I¡¯ve heard the dwarves were driven out of Mantamia. They¡¯ve been trying to reim it with outside help, but it hasn¡¯t been going well." "Did Karin or Arkamis go to help?" "No. They¡¯re in a different location. Honestly¡­ dwarves and elves don¡¯t get along very well." "Oh." Ketal¡¯s interest was piqued. Of course, elves and dwarves shouldn¡¯t get along¡ªthat¡¯s the way of fantasy, isn¡¯t it? Ketal found it amusing, while Parco was bewildered. ¡®W-what¡¯s this?¡¯ Why was Ketal pleased at hearing about the enmity between dwarves and elves? Parco was filled with fear at something he couldn¡¯t understand. "Thanks for the information. I¡¯ll go help them." "Ah, the location¡ª" "No need to tell me. I already know." Ketal stood up, and Parco awkwardly followed to see him off. Before leaving, Ketal asked, "You said they were getting outside help to reim Mantamia." If they were receiving help, it was likely from someone of hero-ss. "Do you know who it is?" "I do." Parco answered, and Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. "Ancient Dragon. Ignisia." "...Ho, I see." Ketal smiled. He now had one more reason to head to Mantamia. "Thanks. See youter." "...Haha." Parco forced out a dryugh. Not once did he manage to tell Ketal not toe back. Unbothered, Ketal took off. "...Whew." It was only long after Ketal had left that Parco copsed into his chair. He prayed deeply from the bottom of his heart. Please, please let me never see him again. Unfortunately, that prayer wasn¡¯t granted. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * ¡®Crossing the continent.¡¯ Ketal thought as he leapt forward. Starting from the west, moving north, then east, and now south. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say he had circled the world. "If it weren''t for the demons, I could have taken my time and explored more." He felt a bit of regret, as though he had enjoyed it too quickly. Ketal clicked his tongue. "Well, it''s not all bad." After all, it was only because of the demons that he had been able to travel like this. Ketal brushed off his thoughts lightly and propelled himself forward. [This is the ce.] At the Holy Sword''s words, Ketal halted. Before him stood a massive mountain range. Even from a quick nce, it was clear that a path had been deliberately carved through the mountains. It was so skillfully hidden that an ordinary person wouldn¡¯t notice it. At least, not a human. Ketal approached with a grin. He followed the path, and with the guidance of the Holy Sword, he soon reached his destination. "There it is." Midway up the mountain, there was a massive cave entrance. It was sorge that an entire castle could easily fit inside. This was the sacred ce of the dwarves. The entrance to Mantamia. And around the entrance, there seemed to be a temporary settlement. Dozens of huts, all enclosed by a barrier, were visible. The huts were extremely small, as if meant for children. They were the huts of the dwarves. "So they¡¯ve been driven out and are camped right at the entrance." [That seems to be the case. Normally, the entrance wouldn¡¯t be so openly visible. Like the elves¡¯ sacred ce, there¡¯s usually a special veil covering it.] The veil had beenpletely broken, leaving the dwarves no ce to hide. Ketal smiled as if he was looking forward to something. "Let¡¯s go." [Ugh... Fine.] Ketal approached the entrance. As he got closer, the dwarves standing guard spotted him. Their small eyes widened, and they hurried inside. Then, a bell rang. Ding! Ding! Ding! It was the bell of warning. With the sound of murmuring, dwarves appeared in droves. "What is this?" "It¡¯s a human! A human! How did a human get here?" "And it¡¯s a barbarian!" Ketal leisurely watched the dwarves scramble in a hurry. ¡®Wow.¡¯ Dwarves. Real dwarves. They were as small as children, but with long, flowing beards that seemed out of ce on their muscr bodies. They perfectly matched the image of dwarves that Ketal had always imagined. His eyes sparkled like a child¡¯s. The dwarves quickly lined up. They held axes and muskets, ring at Ketal. One dwarf stepped forward and shouted. "Who are you?" Suspicion filled the dwarves¡¯ eyes. It was a natural reaction. Dwarves, with their superior craftsmanship, were highly coveted by humans. Like the elves, many dwarves had been enved by humans. And in the current situation, with the forces of evil invading, a barbarian appearing at their sacred ce was cause for great concern. "Wait a minute!" A dwarf who had been closely observing Ketal widened his eyes. "That guy reeks of elf! And not just a little, it¡¯s strong!" "Hmm?" Ketal tilted his head at the remark but quickly understood its meaning. The high elf queen, Karin, had recognized Ketal. From now on, he would forever be considered a friend of the elves. Apparently, the dwarves could sense this as well. Their suspicion intensified, and the final nail was driven. "Hold on!" One dwarf gasped. "That guy! He¡¯s got the Holy Sword on his waist!" "You noticed right away." [They serve the god who made me, after all. They can probably sense my presence.] "The Holy Sword is broken!" The dwarves were shocked. The sacred tool given to the world by the god was shattered. But that wasn¡¯t all. "I can¡¯t feel any power from the sword! What¡¯s going on?" "The Holy Sword is broken! It can¡¯t fulfill its role anymore! That damn barbarian stole the sword!" [¡­It¡¯s true, but it feels strange hearing them shout about it like that. I¡¯m following you of my own free will, you know.] The Holy Sword muttered, feeling awkward. Unfortunately, the dwarves couldn¡¯t hear it. "He¡¯s the enemy!" "An enemy!" The suspicion in the dwarves¡¯ eyes turned into outright hostility. They gripped their weapons tighter. "It seems talking isn¡¯t going to work." Ketal narrowed his eyes. Just like when he encountered the elves, it seemed he would have to show them something¡ªwhether it be strength, spirit, or something else¡ªto make them submit. He was about to release his restrained power when he paused. "...Hmm." Ketal suppressed his emotions and held back his actions. Subduing the dwarves through force would be a violent approach. A modern man wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. And there was no need to. Ketal had been traveling through this fantasy world. He hadn¡¯t gone around wreaking havoc or tearing things apart. He restrained himself and considered others. He acted to helpmunities and be a part of the world. Some might scoff at this, but at least he himself tried his best to hold back. And when he did, the world, in turn, responded ordingly. A presence was felt above the dwarves¡¯ heads. "...Huh?" "What?" Something from the heavens was watching them. There was a divine aura in the air. [Wait! This presence!] The Holy Sword was rmed. This was no aura that could be perceived by earthly beings. It belonged to something much greater¡ªa celestial entity. It was the god the dwarves worshipped. The cksmith god. He was now watching over the earth, and Ketal. Ketal¡¯s gaze met the god¡¯s. There were many emotions in that gaze. But at the very least, there was no hostility. Enter. A voice echoed. Everyone present heard it. A dwarf muttered in awe. "God?" Creak! Without anyone touching it, the barrier¡¯s gate swung wide open. It was as if the god was weing Ketal¡¯s visit.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Thanks for the warm wee." In the silence, Ketal responded to the god. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 301: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 301: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (3) The dwarves had nk expressions on their faces. Something was happening. Suddenly, the door opened. It was a sign that the god themselves were weing that barbarian. The dwarves were momentarily confused and stunned by the situation. "Move aside." A heavy voice sounded from behind the dwarves, who hurriedly stepped aside. A dwarf appeared through the newly created path. "Hoo." Ketal let out a sound of admiration. The dwarf that appeared was quite strong. Strong enough to be called a hero. The dwarf squinted at Ketal. "¡­Are you the one the god spoke of? Let him in." "Your Majesty? But¡­"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "He is a guest of the god. We must give him the hospitality he deserves." The dwarves fell silent. Ketal leisurely entered the base. The dwarves stepped back, casting confused looks at him, but Ketal ignored them and followed the guide to the king''s tent. "Nice to meet you. I am Grombir Ironhand, king of the dwarves. The one who lost his holynd to the beings of hell, failing in my duty." "I am Ketal, the one who abandoned his duty toe here." They introduced themselves briefly. Grombir continued in a low voice. "I know about you, Ketal. The barbarian who helped the elves and now roams the world. You''ve done many things." "Oh, you know? I thought you''d be out of touch with the world, living in such an isted ce." "As a king, I must know how the world is turning. ¡­Though I didn¡¯t expect you toe here." Nor did he expect the god to wee him. Grombir silently examined Ketal. ''Perfect.'' Ketal''s physique was wless, without an ounce of unnecessary fat. Even a crafted statue would struggle to look this perfect. From Grombir''s perspective, the only thing missing was a beard¡ªit was an ideal body. ''¡­And strong. I thought the rumors were exaggerated.'' Even though his power was restrained, his overwhelming presence couldn¡¯t be hidden. He didn¡¯t have a great deal of mystery, but it didn¡¯t matter. Grombir nodded after sizing him up. "The god weed you. I don''t like your association with the elves, but you can stayfortably." "Thanks for that." Ketal smiled. With the introductions out of the way, Grombir got to the point. "So, why have youe to ournd? I can guess¡­ It¡¯s because of the Holy Sword, isn¡¯t it?" Grombir¡¯s gaze shifted to the Holy Sword at Ketal¡¯s waist. He muttered incredulously. "I heard the news but thought it was nonsense. The Holy Sword isn¡¯t supposed to break¡­ but it¡¯s really broken." "There¡¯s more to it than just the Holy Sword." There was the repair of the Holy Sword, reforging the dragon bone, dealing with the remains of the white beast and the rat¡¯s paw, and confirming the ck axe. There was a lot to be done. "But none of them seem possible at the moment." "¡­¡­." Grombir gave a bitter smile. The dwarves had been driven out of their holynd and were now camped at the entrance, living like refugees. Grombir spoke with a sigh. "Mantamia. It was our holynd. Within the long, deep cave was a glorious city. But now, the entire ce has fallen into the hands of evil." "What came? Was it multiple demons?" When the demons targeted the elves'' holynd, they invested great power¡ªthree high-level demons, a floating fortress, and even the incarnation of hellfire. Surely, they had invested simr forces here as well. But Grombir shook his head. "No. It was just one." "¡­Hmm?" Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. From what he could tell, Grombir was strong. Though perhaps one level below Karin, he was still at the hero ss. Mantamia was a holynd for the dwarves. As such, it would have received divine assistance, and its defenses would have been robust. There would have been many superhuman dwarves defending it. And yet, they had all been driven out by a single entity? "What descended?" "A demon with rank." Grombir answered. "A demon with the title of Count. Raphael, the jewel demon." * * * "A Count, huh." Ketal murmured with interest. The flower demon, Floris, also had rank but no clear title. This meant Raphael was stronger than Floris. "And his power is in jewels?" "He controls jewels and wields the power within them. He has seized Mantamia¡¯s mine and controls it now." In this world, jewels were a powerful catalyst in themselves. There was even a school of magic dedicated to the study of jewels. And Raphael was the demon of jewels. He could exert perfect control over all jewels. "If it were anywhere else, we might have been able to respond. Jewels are rare and precious, hard to find. But he¡¯s in Mantamia¡¯s mine." In that mine were mystical stones with deep, pure magic that could power a magic tower for a week from just one fist-sized piece of mithril. There was adamantium, which was so tough it could only be forged in Mantamia¡¯s furnaces. Orichalcos, which amplified any power by twofold. And many other ores existed there too. These minerals were so powerful that even a hero like Grombir had to devote great effort to forging them. Only beings capable of interfering with the world could handle them, and even they struggled. Yet Raphael could use all of these without any preparation, at full power. [The material that forms me is simr to those.] Simply put, the Holy Sword was also made of something like mithril. In Mantamia¡¯s mine, the jewel demon now sat, sending the precious ores to hell. "I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s using those minerals, but it¡¯s not good. The demon has been in the mine for over a week now. Quite a bit of ore must have already been sent." "I see." Having heard the exnation, Ketal stroked his chin. "Ignisia must havee to help you, right?" "A great dragon came to aid us directly. Yet even so, we have not been able to reim it." "So, Ignisia and the jewel demon are shing inside, then. I can feel the power colliding." "You can feel it?" Grombir was startled. Mantamia was vast and deep. The mine was located in the deepest underground. Moreover, it had been tainted with powerful demonic energy, making it nearly impossible to detect what was happening inside. But Ketal replied as if it were obvious. "The power shing is intense. It would be strange not to feel it." "¡­Yes, two weeks ago, Ignisia came to help us." "But there¡¯s been no progress, it seems." "Unfortunately, no." Grombir spoke with a heavy heart. Ketal looked at him curiously. "If Ignisia is fighting inside, why are you here?" Logically, Grombir should have gone in to help Ignisia. Grombir answered. "I don¡¯t know when evil might appear and attack our camp. I must protect it. But more importantly, I would only get in the way." "You¡¯d get in the way?" "If I were to face Raphael, I would only hinder Ignisia." "¡­Is he that strong?" Even a hero-ss warrior would be more of a hindrance than help. A powerful opponent indeed was inside. Ketal''s face showed intense interest. He made up his mind. "Alright. I¡¯ll go meet him myself." Ketal decided to see the strength of the opponent firsthand. Grombir did not stop him. "With your power, it might be possible. But it will be dangerous." "Dangerous? For me?" Grombir flinched at the words. Ketal smiled gleefully, a truly barbarian expression. "Just what I wanted." * * * BANG! Inside Mantamia, in the dwarven mine, a fierce battle was raging. The earth-shaking powers shed violently, though fortunately, the ores in the mine absorbed much of the impact. If not for that, the mountains themselves would have quaked. ¡°Tsk!¡± BOOOOM! A beautiful woman with a mesmerizing face, the ancient dragon Ignisia, was forced backward. Her cherished dress was torn in several ces, dirty and worn. She swiftly reached out her hand. "????? ????? ???" Space, be chains. ng! It was the same draconic spell she had used to restrain Ketal earlier. The concept of space itself transformed into chains to bind her enemy. Even Ketal had struggled to break free of it without revealing his true power¡ªit was a formidable spell. She continued her incantation at a rapid pace. "????. ????. ?????. ?????" Tear, crush, break, and twist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Four draconic wordsbined. The world itself twisted, crushed, and shredded her enemy. Even Bayern, who protected his body with mystery, would have been gravely injured by a direct hit from that power. But... BOOOM! Her draconic spell shattered. The world around her broke apart, sending shards flying. Her body slid backward from the force. "Ugh!" CRACK! Ignisia''s body was covered in countless wounds, as if shards of ss had rained upon her. She quickly invoked a healing spell. Yet, it wasn''t enough. The power imbued in her opponent¡¯s attack was too immense, beyond the capabilities of draconic magic to fully heal. ¡°Such a shame.¡± A voice echoed, genuinely sorrowful. ¡°Such a beautiful body is being damaged. If you would surrender before more scars appear, I could preserve you in a far more pristine state.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Ignisia scowled. ¡°You¡¯re disgustingly strong.¡± ¡°And you, likewise, Great Dragon, Ignisia.¡± The world calmed, revealing her opponent. Eyes gleamed like rubies. He had horns shining like obsidian and wore a luxurious purple suit. And he was... beautiful. His appearance was wless, like a perfectly cut gemstone. Ignisia clicked her tongue. ¡®The Jewel Demon... he certainly looks the part.¡¯ The demon spoke with an elegant gesture. ¡°You possess power and dignity fitting of your reputation as a Great Dragon. Truly remarkable. If this were not my domain, even I might have been in danger. Moreover, your beauty approaches the pinnacle of perfection for a dragon. But!¡± With a dramatic toss of his head, Raphael continued. ¡°You cannotpare to me! I wondered if there was anything on this earth more perfect than myself, but even the Great Dragons fall short. My perfection...¡± ¡°Could you just shut up for a moment?¡± Ignisia spoke sincerely, but Raphael did not listen. ¡°You may not reach my level, but you are still quite impressive. Perhaps you would enjoy spending some time with me? I¡¯ve pleased many demons in my time.¡± Raphael spoke with absolute pride, as if there was no room for doubt in his words. ¡°I am a perfect being, the epitome of beauty. There will never be another like me in your lifetime.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident too, but your arrogance is off the charts.¡± Ignisia groaned. ¡°If you leave quietly now, maybe I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°I cannot do that. The Great Ones would be very displeased.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a shame, but your offer is rejected.¡± Though Ignisia spoke yfully, her eyes were serious. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The Jewel Demon, Count Raphael. He was annoyingly strong, befitting his rank of Count. Even Ignisia was being pushed back. What made it worse was his constant, calm elegance that was starting to get on her nerves. Ignisia ground her teeth. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t be struggling this much. But the location was a problem. They were in the Mantamia Mines. Thergest mine in the world, filled with valuable minerals. And now, it had be Raphael¡¯s domain. This meant that all the precious minerals in the mine were under Raphael¡¯s control. Right now, Ignisia couldn¡¯t defeat him. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t do it alone. She needed support. But there was no time. Her presence here had already stretched the other battlefronts thin. She had to win, even if it meant pushing beyond her limits. Ignisia¡¯s eyes grew determined. ¡°I¡¯ll have to be prepared to die.¡± She resolved to draw out her full strength. "?" The word she spoke was incredibly short. But the power contained within was far from small. In fact, despite being a single word, it held far more power than any other draconic spell. ¡°Hm.¡± Raphael¡¯s face grew serious. This wasn¡¯t just an ordinary draconic spell. This was an extreme form of spellpression, where the dragon condensed their words to their utmost limit, a technique only a handful of dragons could use. Even Raphael couldn¡¯t easily defend against this. ¡°A beautiful technique. But the risk of failure is as great as its power.¡± Though she had spoken a single word, Ignisia¡¯s face twisted in pain. This technique required her to expend all her energy, and she could barely manage to control it. If he could block this, Raphael knew he would win. With that decision made, he gave an order. ¡°Come.¡± The countless jewels in the mine responded to their master¡¯s call. Adamantium, mithril, orichalcum¡ªprecious minerals, each of which could buy a city,pressed and coalesced into a single shield. ¡°A shield formed from the finest of jewels. Protect me.¡± "?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?" Ignisia¡¯s extremelypressed spell fired. The world itself became a bullet, mming into the shield made of jewels. RUMBLE! The massive, dense mine shook for a moment. ¡°Kuh...!¡± Ignisia gritted her teeth. She strained to maintain her spell, pouring everything she had into it. The shield began to crack and break. However, the shield was falling apart slower than her spell was weakening. Raphael smiled. ¡°My victory. I don¡¯t wish to see such beauty shattered, so I will close my eyes.¡± ¡°You bastard.¡± BOOOOOM! Her power exploded outward, sending Ignisia flying backward. Just as she braced for impact... Someone caught her. A figure threw themselves forward and wrapped her in their arms, nting their feet firmly into the ground. Though they were pushed backward for some distance, they quickly came to a halt. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Ignisia¡¯s eyes widened as she realized she had been caught in someone¡¯s embrace. Raphael was also momentarily taken aback. He asked, with a confused expression. ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°I am your enemy.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. ¡°Are you alright, Ignisia?¡± ¡°Uh, y-yes.¡± Ignisia nodded nkly, rising to her feet. * * * ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in good condition. Step back. I¡¯ll handle things from here.¡± ¡°Y-yes. Alright.¡± Ignisia stepped back, looking flustered and curious as to why Ketal was even here. But there was no time to dwell on that now. ¡°Well then.¡± Ketal turned his attention to the powerful demon who had brought Ignisia to her knees. He smiled. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ Raphael¡¯s appearance was beyond perfect, evenpared to any being he had ever seen. Even Ignisia and Karin paled inparison. He truly looked like a gemstone in human form. ¡°I am called Ketal. If I am not mistaken, you are the Jewel Demon, Raphael?¡± ¡°¡­That is correct. And I know you as well.¡± Ketal. One of the greatest enemies of demonkind, with orders from their four lords to be in on sight. But now, Raphael couldn¡¯t care less about those orders. ¡°¡­Ah, ah¡­¡± Raphael¡¯s eyes trembled madly, as if he were gazing at an unattainable masterpiece. His gaze was fixated on Ketal¡¯s body. ¡°¡­Perfect.¡± Raphael let out a groan of admiration. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 302: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 302: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (4) Raphael, the Demon of Gems. And gems were a symbol of perfection and beauty. Because of this, Raphael also obsessed over beauty. He desired to be perfect, and he was convinced beyond doubt that he was more beautiful than anyone in the world. But now, that conviction was shaken. A body with not an ounce of excess, perfectly and efficiently trained. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ And beautiful. Perhaps even more so than himself. Unconsciously, Raphael thought this, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°No! No!¡± Raphael shook his head urgently. To admit that someone else¡¯s beauty could surpass his own? Absolutely not! He must be, he must be more beautiful than anything he could think of! ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡± Raphael clutched his head in agony. Ketal nced at him, perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably reacting to your physique.¡± ¡°My body? Hmm?¡± ¡°He¡¯s practically the embodiment of narcissism. Your physique looks more perfect than his, so he¡¯s reacting like that.¡± Even to Ignisia¡¯s eyes, Ketal¡¯s physique was wless. Not a single w could be found. The shock Raphael felt must have been tremendous. Ketal¡¯s face took on a peculiar expression. ¡°What a peculiar fellow.¡± ¡°An annoying one. He kept talking to me until I nearly died of irritation.¡± ¡°¡­You.¡± Suddenly, Raphael stopped his frenzy. A look of obsession appeared in his previously calm eyes. ¡°You are my enemy. And for intensely personal reasons, I will kill you without fail.¡± Crack! Minerals embedded in the wall shot out like arrows. Ketal barely dodged at a speed far faster than sound by throwing his body to the side. Raphael raised his hand violently. A massive mineral embedded in the mine rumbled and rose, tracing a path to crush Ketal. Ketal raised his axe. He swung it earnestly to shatter the mineral. The axe and the mineral collided. ng! ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s expression shifted. The mineral that shed with his axe cracked but didn¡¯t shatter. It meant that it was sturdy enough to withstand his true strength. And it was heavy. Ketal¡¯s body started to skid backward. Gritting his teeth, Ketal twisted his axe. Crack! He redirected the force and let it pass. The mineral flew behind Ketal and crashed into the ground. As the field of vision cleared, the first thing he saw was Raphael flying toward him, wielding a jagged sword. ng! The axe and sword shed. Ketal took a step back. ¡°Hmm.¡± A look of admiration appeared on Ketal¡¯s face. Strong. Strong enough to push him back. This could be a good match, even against the rat. ¡®And durable.¡¯ The jagged sword remained unscathed even after shing with Ketal¡¯s axe. ¡®Now I understand why Ignisia struggled.¡¯ Raphael possessed the strength and the ability to freely manipte the tough minerals that even Ketal struggled to break. He was indeed a powerful being. ¡°Hahaha!¡± And Raphael also realized his advantage. Confidence surged within him instantly. ¡°I know you defeated Floris. But I am stronger than she is! And above all, in this ce, I possess absolute power!¡± This ce was thergest and greatest mine in the world. Minerals like mithril were abundant. He was the Demon of Gems. His power allowed him to draw out the power of any gem to its limit without any preparation. Using the deep and heavy mysteries contained in mithril as a catalyst, he could amplify his strength, and wield adamantadium, sharper than anything else, through meticulous refining. For him, Mantamia''s mine was a ce where he could draw out power beyond his limits. ¡°You are indeed beautiful. But not as much as I am! Still, you surpass most, so be satisfied!¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Ketal smiled. Raphael was filled with confidence. But inwardly, he was flustered. Because Ketal remained unnervingly calm. Despite being pushed back, there was no sign of crisis on his face. ¡®¡­And what is that axe?¡¯ Raphael wielded the world¡¯s most precious minerals freely. Combined with his power, it was practically an unstoppable attack. That¡¯s why Ignisia had to respond with offense rather than defense. But Ketal¡¯s axe remained intact despite repeated shes with his powers. Not a single nick on its edge. This puzzled Raphael. ¡®¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like any mineral.¡¯ It was strangely different, closer to something foreign. Even as the Demon of Gems, it was something difficult to understand. Ketal spoke without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re strong. Quite impressive, actually.¡± ¡°Thank you. Does that mean you¡¯re conceding defeat?¡± ¡°Not at all. I acknowledge you. So, I suppose I can bring out my power.¡± Vwooom. Mystery enveloped Ketal¡¯s body. Raphael¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± Ketal stepped forward. The speed was on a different level than before. Raphael, panicking, waved his hand. Mithril rose and rushed in, the mystery within amplified it''s speed and power to trace a path. Boom! And Ketal broke through and smashed everything in his path. The most precious and sturdy materials in the world shattered to pieces. Raphael was astonished by the newfound strength and speed. ¡°You were hiding your power!¡± The axe shed with Raphael¡¯s sword. Raphael¡¯s body lurched. His weapon would have flown out of his hand if he had been even slightly careless. Raphael retreated in a hurry, and Ketal pursued him immediately. Raphael was strong. Strong enough that it would have been a good match even against the rat. That is, the rat outside its nest. Ketal had ovee the rat within the nest and descended into the depths of the abyss. There was no way Raphael could be a match for him. ¡°Haaah!¡± Raphael, who had flown backward, touched the wall. The minerals embedded there rose with a scraping sound. Sharpened, they soon traced a path at high speed. They filled the space and poured down on Ketal. Each one was made of adamantadium and mithril. If he took them all head-on, even his mystical defense might break. But it didn¡¯t matter. There was no reason to take the hits. Ketal watched the iing projectiles. Mystery did more than simply strengthen his power. It enhanced his visual perception and reflexes. Ketal advanced forward. Crack, crack! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w With minimal movements, he dodged and deflected. Moving forward all the while. Ignisia, who was watching, held her breath. It was like walking in a storm without getting wet. A stunning sight. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Raphael desperately tried to bring out other means, but they were crushed as well. Ignisiaughed in disbelief from behind. ¡°Wow.¡± Already strong, Ketal had ascended to an even higher level by gaining his mystery. She was no longer a match. The fight was utterly one-sided. Raphael¡¯s face grew increasingly desperate. Though he tried to maintain an elegant stance, his movements were bing unsteady. If things continued, Ketal would surely emerge victorious. ¡°Hmmm.¡± But Ketal stopped his axe. he sudden pause caught Ignisia by surprise. ¡°Huh? Ketal. Why did you stop? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Is it alright to continue fighting? Such an intense opponent isn¡¯t easily subdued, even by me. The mine might be ruined.¡± Raphael was desperately using his powers. As a result, the minerals in the mine were rapidly diminishing. Many minerals had already lost their luster and were scattered lifelessly across the ground. They needed to deal with Raphael as quickly as possible, but even Ketal found that difficult. If Raphael focused solely on blocking and evading, he could probably withstand their attacks for days. ¡®It¡¯s not entirely impossible, but¡­¡¯ Ketal narrowed his eyes. He could bring Raphael down here and now if he unleashed a stronger power. But the problem was that they were inside a cave. It would all be pointless if he used his power recklessly and Mantamia copsed. It was a force he couldn¡¯t fully control, so he had to be careful. ¡°The mine could end uppletely empty. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°¡­Well, uh, that would be¡­ inconvenient.¡± The Mantamia mine was a divine blessing granted to the dwarves by their god. Minerals that could only be found here existed within, and they yed a significant role in maintaining the world¡¯s bnce. Defeating Raphael was essential, but so was protecting the mine. ¡°Do we really need to take him down right now? If so, I¡¯m willing to take the risk.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ no, we don¡¯t. We¡¯ve already been dyed by over a month, so a little more won¡¯t make a huge difference.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect, then.¡± Ketal said lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s head back,e up with a solid n, and return.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Well then, Raphael, we¡¯ll be back. I hope you¡¯ll be waiting for us.¡± ¡°Ha, ha ha ha. Of course. I¡¯ll be here anytime, waiting.¡± ¡°And until then.¡± Ketal chuckled. Raphael struggled to support his trembling body, holding onto his dignity even though no one was watching¡ªa testament to the pride of a demon of gemstones. * * * When Ketal and Ignisia returned, the dwarf king, Grombir, looked surprised. ¡°Did¡­ did you fail?¡± ¡°No. We can win. But there¡¯s an issue.¡± Ketal exined, and upon hearing the story, Grombir¡¯s face fell. ¡°¡­What you say makes sense. It would be best if there¡¯s a way to avoid it.¡± The overwhelming power of their opponent left them with no other choice, but with Ketal, they could consider alternatives. Ketal grinned brightly. ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m absolutely necessary for this.¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± ¡°I will help you.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°But I have no intention of doing charity work.¡± He hadn¡¯te all this way just for the dwarves. He had a clear purpose. Grombir spoke up, as if it was only natural. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that part. If you help us, we will reward you with everything we have. However¡­¡± Grombir trailed off. He couldn¡¯t be sure that the dwarves could grant what Ketal desired. They couldn¡¯t even repair the broken holy sword right now. After a brief pause, Grombir spoke. ¡°Give us a day. I will consult our god.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ketal smiled with satisfaction. The dwarves led Ketal to a lodging. Although he wanted to talk with Ignisia, she was busy tending to her wounds from the battle, so he wandered around observing the dwarves¡¯ daily lives. The dwarves avoided Ketal¡¯s gaze, which gleamed with interest. The next day, Grombir came to find him. ¡°Our god wishes to meet you.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go at once.¡± Ketal rose eagerly. * * * Ketal followed Grombir to an improvised temple the dwarves had constructed. Though it was modest, it was crafted with great care, more luxurious than the huts where the dwarves resided¡ªa building that showed their devotion to their god. After taking his ce, Grombir spoke. ¡°Last night, I prayed and conversed with Him. He wishes to speak directly with you.¡± ¡°Am I going to see Him in person?¡± Ketal had once seen the true form of Federica. Having had that experience, it was a reasonable question. But Grombir looked as if he¡¯d said something absurd. ¡°In person? You mean seeing His true form? That is absolutely impossible. Neither I nor the most renowned saints have ever done so.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The only one to have seen the true form of a god in this world is the Sun God¡¯s Saintess.¡± ¡°Oh? She saw Him?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. Grombir nodded. ¡°She was born with a divine revtion, chosen from birth as the Sun God¡¯s Saintess, closer to a true divine representative than anyone else.¡± Reverence filled Grombir¡¯s eyes as he spoke. Even a dwarf, who usually held disdain for humans, could not help but show such respect for the Sun God¡¯s Saintess. Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with intrigue. ¡®She was indeed strong, but I didn¡¯t realize she had such a background.¡¯ A hint of regret came over him, wishing he¡¯d conversed with her more. Grombir continued speaking. ¡°He will speak through me, using my body.¡± ¡°An avatar. Understood.¡± Ketal smiled broadly as he waited. Grombir looked at him with a peculiar expression. Meeting a god was something all mortal beings found daunting, no matter how strong they were. Yet, Ketal seemed genuinely pleased, and Grombir couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of disconnect at the sight. ¡°¡­Very well. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Grombir took a breath and spoke aloud. ¡°Come forth, Forger of All, who shapes mountains and caresses the sea to mold waterfalls.¡± The god the dwarves worshipped was a god of smithing¡ªnot simply a forger of weapons and armor but a being who molded the world itself. ¡°Touch the concepts of creation to birth that which is harder, sharper, and greater.¡± The air quivered, and the world itself began to shift. The dwarves outside trembled, bowing low in reverence. Through Grombir¡¯s body, something far greater manifested in the mortal realm. Grombir cried out. ¡°O god of the dwarves! The One we worship, Hephaestus! Come to us!¡± Thuuuuud! A great presence descended onto the earth, shaking the world. Raphael, who was resting with tea in the mine, flinched, spilling his tea in surprise. [Uh¡­ Wh-what the¡­?] The holy sword let out a strange noise. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The trembling winds stilled as Grombir opened his eyes. But it was no longer Grombir who stood there. A great being had taken his ce. [It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, one from ¡®the other side.¡¯] A god had shown himself on earth. [I am Hephaestus, the Smithing God. First, let me extend my respects to you.] Hephaestus spoke with courteous grace. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 303: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 303: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (5) "Is that right?" [You have aided the surface world.] Hephaestus began speaking calmly. [You fought against evil and aided the church of the gods. You helped the persecuted churches in the north find stable ground.] The northern battles¡­ worshippers of gods were there. The gods witnessed the sh between the rat and Ketal through their eyes. etal had opposed the rat. He had protected the surface world from the creature that tainted all things. [At that time, it was difficult for us to intervene directly in the world. We could only watch as the rat polluted the world. If not for you, the north would have fallen to that filth. Above all, you showed respect to my children. Thus, I must show respect to you as well.] Hephaestus¡¯s attitude toward Ketal was extremely courteous. Ketal looked at Hephaestus with a face that showed surprise. In this world, he had encountered three gods. The first god he met was Kalosia, the god of lies and deceit. The emotion he showed was goodwill. The second god he met was Federica, the god of hunger, who showed intense hostility towards Ketal and even tried to kill him. And now, the third god he met was Hephaestus, the god of Smithing. Hephaestus¡¯s emotions toward Ketal were a mix of caution, curiosity, respect, and interest. Ketal smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you didn¡¯t show immediate hostility this time. Nice to meet you. As you probably already know, my name is Ketal.¡± [¡­Federica. You must be referring to her. She¡¯s a rather aggressive one. She fought diligently in ancient wars to protect the surface world.] It wasn¡¯t untrue. In the end, Federica had tried to remove Ketal because she believed he would harm the followers of her own faith. [She¡¯s an excellent god for her worshippers, though I suppose she wasn¡¯t for you.] ¡°I understand. There¡¯s no reason for any of you to be favorable toward me.¡± Ketal epted this calmly, and Hephaestus watched him with a curious expression. [¡­Though I¡¯d heard from Kalosia, this is still surprising. You¡¯re an ¡®inside¡¯ being, yet we can hold a proper conversation. I didn¡¯t expect that.] Hephaestus¡¯s gaze shifted to Ketal¡¯s waist. [And what you have at your waist is also unexpected.] Flinch! The Holy Sword, which had been silent, trembled. In a dying voice, she spoke up. [¡­It¡¯s been a long time, Lord Hephaestus. N-nice to meet you?] [¡®Nice to meet¡¯ me, huh. Well, indeed. Nice to see you again.] Hephaestus spoke with a smile, but his eyes were not smiling. [The effort I put into sending you down here has gone to waste; even the power within you has dissipated. I¡¯m wondering if I should punish you.] [Eek! I¡¯m sorry!] The Holy Sword screamed as if in a seizure, but Hephaestus remained still. [However¡­ currently, your master is not me. It¡¯s the one from ¡®inside.¡¯] ¡°Are you acknowledging me? Even though I broke the Holy Sword.¡± [The rule I set was that the one who draws the sword bes its master. Though it was forced, you certainly drew the sword. Even if it broke in the process, it is yours. Besides, it seems that the sword itself acknowledges you as its master. More importantly¡­] Hephaestus continued in a low voice. [You¡¯ve done more for the world than simply breaking the Holy Sword. There¡¯s no reason for me to be angry over something so minor.] ¡°I see.¡± [From my perspective, it¡¯s not a bad thing either. The danger of my Holy Sword being lost has been averted. I won¡¯t interfere. It is yours.] ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®Even if I¡¯m granted ownership, it¡¯s ambiguous.¡¯ Ketal had nned to restore the Holy Sword after meeting the god of cksmiths, so he could help it find a proper master. But from what Hephaestus said, it seemed he had no intention of finding another owner for it. [So, what brings you here?] At that question, Ketal organized his thoughts and exined his purpose ining here. ¡°The restoration of the Holy Sword. Is it possible?¡± [It¡¯s not impossible. After all, I am the one who made it. But there¡¯s ack of materials.] ¡°There¡¯s still the broken de.¡± [It¡¯s already lost its power. It must be replenished. You¡¯ll need materials that can be part of the Holy Sword. Where do you think you might find such materials?] Hephaestus asked with an odd tone, and Ketal realized. ¡°The mines of Mantamia?¡± [It¡¯s a blessing I bestowed upon the surface.] An unparalleled mine, where rare minerals werepressed and refined repeatedly. It was not a naturally urring ce. It was a blessing from Hephaestus, the god of cksmiths, to the dwarves who worshipped him. [With the ores inside, it can be perfectly restored. However, the ce is currently seized by filth.] It became clear that Raphael needed to be dealt with. Ketal moved on to his next question. ¡°Can the dwarves forge this?¡± He took out a piece of Dragon Bone. Hephaestus¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise. [¡­Did you obtain this from a dungeon on the surface? It¡¯s intense. Comparable even to a Dragon Heart. Grombir should be able to forge it.] Hephaestus added one morement. [But it would require high-quality equipment, which is present within that mine.] Mantamia. He had to reim it to process the Dragon Bone. Next, Ketal showed him the corpse of white monkey and the rat¡¯s front paw. Seeing the rat¡¯s paw, Hephaestus¡¯s eyebrow twitched. [¡­It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen this. It was a nightmarish existence. A creature that stained the world with its filth and tainted us.] Hephaestus remembered a distant past where he had fought directly against the rat. He was well aware of its strength and foreign nature. And because of that, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [¡­The rat¡¯s paw has been severed. Even we couldn¡¯t manage that. You¡­ you¡­] Hephaestus could no longer hold back and asked. [You fought the rat, didn¡¯t you?] An ¡®inside¡¯ being opposing another ¡®inside¡¯ being was not particrly unusual. They had never been on friendly terms to begin with. But Ketal went beyond merely opposing the rat; he actively tried to protect the surface. That was indeed strange. [Why are you taking our side?] ¡°My answer has always been the same. Because it¡¯s what I want.¡± [But why do you want that?] The reason was simple, too. ¡°This world¡­ is my world.¡± At that answer, Hephaestus paused. He understood.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The twisted obsession within Ketal. [¡­I see. You¡¯re broken. But for us, it¡¯s a good direction.] Hephaestus reached a conclusion. [I have no intention of opposing you. A deal would benefit us both. You desire the restoration of the Holy Sword, the forging of the Dragon Bone, and the utilization of some of the oldest relics. I will grant it all to you. But there is one condition.] To defeat the demons and reim Mantamia. [Will you ept?] ¡°I ept, dly,¡± Ketal replied, nodding with a grin. [The deal is made. I swear by my name and worth: if you help reim Mantamia, I will grant everything you desire.] A god had sworn upon his name¡ªa promise that would tarnish his honor and power if broken. [Then I leave it to you. I¡¯ll be watching from above, though I¡¯m afraid I can offer little help. Even this descent is no small task.] To manifest the Holy Sword, the gods had taken on significant strain, especially the smithing god Hephaestus. Even now, as proof of his sincerity, his form was beginning to distort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it diligently.¡± [I¡¯d be grateful if you did.] With that, their conversation seemed to conclude. But Hephaestus didn¡¯t leave; he endured, and spoke once more. [As a reward, I¡¯ll tell you something that goes beyond our deal. That axe you wield.] The ck axe Ketal had carried with him since the white snowy ins. [Do you know what it is?] ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Ketal shook his head. He still didn¡¯t know what the axe truly was. ¡°Judging from your tone, it seems you do.¡± [I do. That axe doesn¡¯t belong to this world. It¡¯s a relic.] ¡°A relic?¡± [More precisely, it¡¯s a piece of one. A fragment of something that once hunted us with fanatical zeal¡ªan entity as old as any, possibly older.] ¡°Hmm?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The other gods never mentioned it.¡± [They had no reason to. Most gods have forgotten it by now.] It was strong¡ªan existence that had killed the most gods, annihted the most demons, and wrought the most destruction upon the world. [We called it the Monstrosity.] ¡°The Monstrosity?¡± Ketal tilted his head, sensing familiarity. He¡¯d heard that name somewhere. [A being of immense power, yet one that harbored deep animosity toward the world. Gods and demons united to kill it, and after a heavy toll, we barely managed to vanquish it. But we didn¡¯t finish it off; we lost part of it. We worried it might resurface one day, yet here you are, wielding its remnant. That¡¯s a relief.] ¡°So, it was that creature.¡± Ketal looked at his axe with a peculiar expression. It was a useful tool he¡¯d picked up in the snow, yet to think it was part of such a being left him with a strange feeling. [It¡¯s not so surprising you carry a piece of it. You¡¯re an ¡®Inside¡¯ being, after all. And a powerful one at that. Though I sense no particr energy within that axe.] [Hmm? Really?] The Holy Sword interjected, surprised. [I do sense something dormant within that axe.] [You¡¯re mistaken. What¡¯s left is an empty shell. You must¡¯ve mistaken it for something grand.] [¡­] The sword was horrified, realizing that what she had seen as enormous was merely a husk¡ªa testament to the power that had once resided within it. Hephaestus, intrigued, asked, [When did you find it?] ¡°A long time ago, when I was still weak. It helped me greatly then.¡± Ketal had found the ck axe shortly after arriving in this world, discarded casually in the snow. Hephaestus¡¯s face contorted at that. [You found that axe when you were weak? And nothing happened to you?] ¡°No, nothing at all,¡± Ketal replied, puzzled. [That¡¯s impossible. Even a fragment of it would wield enough power to kill anything. Only someone at a heroic level of strength could withstand it. If you were truly weak, you should¡¯ve been devoured.] But nothing had happened to Ketal. In his weakest days, he¡¯d found the axe and wielded it as if it were any other weapon. A peculiar emotion stirred in Hephaestus¡¯s gaze as he looked at Ketal. [Are you¡­ really a barbarian? Where do youe from?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 304: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 304: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (6) ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± While wandering through the snowy white ins, Ketal found a pitch-ck axe buried in the snow. He stared at it for a moment before reaching out and grabbing the handle. As he lifted it, something within the axe awoke. A slumbering presence lunged at the life that had seized it, attempting to consume his soul and body. It was a monster. Even a strong being would be unable to resist and would be devoured in an instant. However... ¡°Why is this axe buried in the ground?¡± Nothing happened. Ketal tilted his head and inspected the axe. Its de was wless, incredibly sharp. After a few swings, he found the weight and grip satisfying. ¡°Looks useful.¡± With that, he tucked the axe away and continued walking. That was all. There was no effect, no change. The axe simply stayed in his hands. * * * Ketal fell silent. Where did hee from? It wasn¡¯t a question about the snowy ins. It was a far more fundamental question. Where did he, as an entity,e from?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard that question. ¡®Or is it... not the first?¡¯ He remembered hearing it from someone, deep inside. Ketal¡¯s gaze grew distant. ¡®Where did Ie from...¡¯ He came from a ce devoid of illusions and mysteries. A world without gods, demons, or monsters¡ªjust a colorless existence. He came from that hell to this ce. After a long silence, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Is that an important question?¡± A chill ran through the air. At that moment, Hephaestus felt a shiver down his spine. The powerful god instinctively sensed danger. Hephaestus realized that this was a very bad idea. He quickly spoke up. [No, forget it. It¡¯s not important. No need to disturb a snake by lifting the vines. Best to leave it alone.] This was a boundary not to be crossed. There was no gain in pushing further. Hephaestus decided. ¡°Well then, thank you.¡± Ketal gave a soft smile. The peculiar tension from earlier had vanished without a trace. But Hephaestus had sensed it clearly. An indescribable, eerie sensation. He quickly added, [The deal is settled. When you deal with the demon, your wish shall be granted.] ¡°That sounds good. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± [Then, good luck.] With that, Hephaestus departed from the mortal realm. As the divine presence left, Grombir staggered and sat down with a groan. ¡°Was the conversation settled?¡± ¡°Yes. I made the deal. Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± A mortal making a deal with a god¡ªit was a strange sight for a believer of gods. But considering their current situation, it was understandable. Grombir stood up. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s work together moving forward.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ketal smiled and shook his hand. Grombir decided to take a short rest. The presence of a god had shaken his spirit. [Huff... phew... Thank goodness. I thought he would take one look at me and decide to reim me¡­] ¡°If he had said that, I would have refused. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± [Oh... oh... you¡­] The Holy Sword¡¯s voice was filled with gratitude. Ketal then went to meet Ignisia. ¡°Ignisia, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recovered somewhat. If you hadn¡¯te, things would have been pretty dangerous. You came at just the right time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ketal.¡± ¡°It has.¡± Ketal gave a wide grin, and Ignisia smiled back and asked, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing various things. Following your advice, I¡¯ve also trained in mysticism. I can handle it somewhat now.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± When Ketal fought Raphael, he had strengthened his body with mystery. ¡°It¡¯s quite useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Very much so.¡± Ketal looked pleased. ¡°But I stillck full mastery. That¡¯s why I came here.¡± ¡°Seems like you need the help of the dwarves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s some forging to be done. I¡¯ve also done a lot of other things. Even drew the Holy Sword.¡± Ketal showed her the broken Holy Sword. Ignisia paused. ¡°¡­I had a feeling, but it¡¯s really the Holy Sword, huh? How did it end up broken like this?¡± ¡°I forced it out, so it broke in the process. It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°The Holy Sword could even be drawn by force¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s a bit troublesome. I can¡¯t just throw it away, and it acknowledged me as its owner, so here I am.¡± ¡°R-right.¡± Ignisia mumbled with a bewildered expression, gazing at Ketal. Here stood a figure from the white snowy ins, holding a divine sword¡ªeven if broken¡ªa most peculiar sight. Ketal continued, ¡°I¡¯ve also visited the holynds, ventured north, dealt with demons, and caught the things that escaped.¡± ¡°Escaped things? What are those? Anyway, seems like you¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve also kept the promise I made to you.¡± ¡°Promise? What promise?¡± Ignisia tilted her head, a look of confusion on her face. ¡°The promise to show kindness to beings of the mortal world.¡± It was due to this promise that Ketal hadn¡¯t destroyed Federica¡¯s church. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ignisia finally recalled making such a request. ¡°Oh¡­ right.¡± ¡°What? Did you forget? That¡¯s disappointing.¡± ¡°No, honestly, I didn¡¯t have high expectations.¡± Though she had asked, she hadn¡¯t actually expected him to take it seriously. It was only a small hope¡ªthat he might act as a slight restraint, nothing more. She never imagined he would truly hold it in his heart. Ketal replied calmly, ¡°I keep my promises.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Ignisia sincerely expressed her gratitude. "You look quite busy yourself. How long have you been here?" "Over two weeks. Ugh. He''s an insufferable guy. Everything he says just grates on my nerves. And on top of that, he''s ridiculously strong, so he''s hard to deal with. I can''t ask for help either, because I came here by stretching my own limits. Honestly, I''ve felt at a loss." As Ignisiamented, her eyes sparkled. "But... now that you''re here, things should change. I''ll be counting on you." "Likewise." Ketal smiled. A few hourster, Grombir, having recovered, called Ketal and Ignisia. The three gathered in a hut to talk. "Allow me to introduce myself formally. I have made a pact with Hephaestus. I will do my utmost to reim Mantamia. I''ll be relying on you both from now on." "Looking forward to working with you." "Same here. Honestly, I was feeling overwhelmed, so this is a huge relief." With that, Grombir exined the situation in detail. "As you may have seen, there is only one demon upying Mantamia. The Demon of Gems¡ªRaphael." A powerful demon holding the rank of a count. Even Ignisia had trouble against him. She grumbled. "If it were in another location, I wouldn''t be struggling this much. But unfortunately, it''s in the Mantamia mines, which is the problem. The only ones who might be able to gain a definitive advantage against Raphael in the mines... well, I can only think of someone like the Tower Master or the Saintess of the Sun God." Only those in the upper echelons of hero-ss beings could contend with such a demon. Grombir quietly asked Ketal, "¡­Do you really think we can win against someone like that?" "It''s possible." Ketal answered casually, "We can win." "...I see." Grombir let out a gasp of admiration. To be so confident against a being even Ignisia struggled with¡ªjust how powerful was this barbarian? A sense of awe arose in him. "But there''s a problem." "A problem?" "We can win, but it will likely take a considerable amount of time. The demon will undoubtedly resist with everything it has." Raphael had defended against Ketal''s attacks, utilizing mystery without suffering any serious damage. Even if Ketal could draw on the minerals, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bring Raphael down easily. "In the process, the minerals in the mine will rapidly deplete. The mine might even bepletely exhausted." That was an oue Ketal did not desire either. To achieve his goal, the mine needed to remain somewhat intact. Ignisia muttered in wonder. "So, even you can''t take him down quickly. Well, he is strong." "No, that''s not it." "Huh?" "I probably could kill him. And within a short time, too." "...Then there''s no issue, right? We can handle it quickly before the mine gets ruined." "There''s still a problem." Ketal spoke up. "The mine wouldn''t be able to withstand it and would copse." "That''s not something to worry about. This is the Mantamia mine." Minerals like mithril, adamantadium, and orichalcum were inherently durable. Even during the intense battles between Ignisia and Raphael, the mine hadn¡¯t shown any sign of copse. Regardless of how powerful the force was, there was no fear of the mine crumbling. But Ketal shook his head. "No. It will copse." His voice held a strong certainty. Both Grombir and Ignisia fell silent. "...Really?" "Regrettably, I can''t control my power well enough to prevent that. If copse isn''t an issue, I can go ahead with it." "No, no. Let''s think this over a bit more." They pondered how to defeat Raphael with minimal damage to the mine. But no easy solution came to mind. Ignisia clicked her tongue. "Perhaps we''ll have to take him down along with the mine." "But Ignisia, that would..." "We have no other choice, do we? He''s already sending precious minerals up to the underworld. It''s not that we have to deal with it urgently, but we don¡¯t have the luxury of time either." "That''s... true." Grombir groaned. The conversation was leaning toward the inevitability of destroying the mine. Just then, Ketal, who had been silent, spoke up. "I have one question." "What is it?" "Raphael is the Demon of Gems. I understand he has dominion over gems. But even so, controlling them so freely seems hard to grasp." Ignisia could, for instance,mand the world using dragon speech. But even she couldn¡¯t control the elements inside the mine. Raphael was a powerful demon with the authority of gems. But to wield such a level of power? It was hard to understand. "Ah, there¡¯s a reason for that. It''s because Mantamia has now be Raphael''s domain." Ignisia replied. "In an ordinary location, even Raphael wouldn¡¯t be able to manipte things to this extent. But since Mantamia is now his domain, he can freely utilize the mine." This allowed him to make full use of the mine. A strange look crossed Ketal¡¯s face. "Is there no way to break that domain?" "Breaking an already established domain is difficult. The fastest way would be to kill the domain''s owner, but that''s the hardest part." "...So because the mine is currently in Raphael''s domain, he can freely manipte the minerals inside it." "Exactly." "Wait. Then there¡¯s a solution." "Hm?" "What? You¡¯ve thought of something?" Grombir and Ignisia were surprised. No matter how much they thought, they couldn¡¯te up with a solution. But Ketal, in a simple manner, seemed to have an idea they hadn¡¯t considered. They looked at him curiously. Ketal said calmly. "ording to what you''ve said, the issue is that the mine is within Raphael''s domain." "That''s right?" "In that case, we can just move the mine outside of his domain. Simple." "...Huh?" "What did you say?" Both Ignisia and Grombir looked at him as if he were speaking nonsense. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 305: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 305: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (7) "...What do you mean by that?" "I mean it quite literally." "Uh, so... let me get this straight." Ignisia asked, wanting to confirm if she understood correctly. "You want to move the entire mine outside the domain?" "Yes." Ketal nodded. "I have a question. What is the demon''s domain based around?" "...That ce was once a sacred site of Lord Hephaestus. It was protected by divine power. But that protection turned to evil, transforming it into a demonic domain." "So it''s not centered around the demon itself, then." In that case, if they could distance themselves from Mantamia, they could escape the domain''s boundaries. "The reason the demon can freely manipte things in the mine is because the mine is within the demon''s domain. If we move it out, he wouldn''t be able to use it." "That''s impossible," Grombir shook his head, and Ketal looked puzzled. "Impossible? Is the mine that big?" "No, in terms of size, it isn''t thatrge." The mine waspressed to an extreme, so it was only the size of a small hill. Just based on size alone, moving it wasn¡¯t an impossible task. But the issue was its weight and unique properties. "The minerals inside the mine hold a mystery of their own." They had a strong resistance to mysteries. Trying to manipte them using mystical power was nearly impossible. For this reason, even the dwarves mined using pure physicalbor with pickaxes rather than mystical means. "Only pure physical force would work, but that too is impossible. This mine is extremely heavy." All sorts of minerals had beenpressed to the limit, so in terms of sheer weight, it wasparable to a mountain range. How could anyone move something with the weight of a mountain range using brute force alone? It was impossible. But Ketal responded cheerfully, "No need to worry about that part. I''ll handle it." "Huh? Um?" Grombir wondered if he¡¯d exined it poorly, hearing Ketal talk like moving the mine was no problem. "But you bring up a good point. Even if we manage to lift the mine, moving it intact is unlikely." The mine wasn¡¯t a solid block. If they tried to lift it, parts of it would likely crumble off. So Ketal asked Ignisia a question. "Ignisia, can you bind the mine with a dragon¡¯s enchantment?" "That''s difficult. Like Grombir said, the minerals inside resist it..." "I''m not talking about the inside of the mine. I mean from the outside." "Outside?" "Can you bind it from the outside, like wrapping it up in a bag?" The question was whether it was possible to wrap and contain the space around the mine itself. Ignisia had once sealed off an entire mountain during a confrontation with Ketal, so it wasn¡¯t impossible. After thinking it over, Ignisia responded seriously. "...It''s not easy. Even if I don¡¯t touch the inside directly, there''s indirect resistance. And there''s a demon in there, remember?" If they attempted to bind it in such a way, Raphael would sense something unusual and fiercely resist. "I can''t do it alone. I''d need another dragon skilled in dragon magic." "What about if I help?" "...What?" Ignisia''s eyes widened. Ketal said, "I couldn¡¯t learn dragon magic in the past." It was because he couldn¡¯t control mysteries. So he¡¯d postponed learning dragon magic until he¡¯d tamed mystery enough through simpler practices like swordsmanship and basic magic. "But now, I can control mystery to some extent. Could I use dragon magic now?" And if so... "Could you and Ibine our powers to wrap that mine?" "......" Ignisia didn¡¯t deny it. She remained silent for a moment before quietly replying, "...We¡¯d have to test it to know." "Then it¡¯s simple." Ketal pped as if everything was decided. "I¡¯ll learn dragon magic from you and assist in this endeavor. We don¡¯t have any other option, do we?" "...That¡¯s true." "Then it¡¯s settled." Ketal smiled broadly. "Ignisia, I¡¯m counting on you." * * * "Are you sure this is going to work?" Out in the open with Ketal, Ignisia still looked uncertain. She knew Ketal was strong, of course. He had the strength to lift a mountain without using mysteries¡ªpower that defiedprehension. Still, she found it hard to believe he could move something with the weight of a mountain range, like that mine. "It¡¯s possible," Ketal replied calmly. "No need to worry about that part. Leave it to me." "Well, alright," Ignisia¡¯s gaze turned serious. Ketal said he could handle his part. So she would do hers. Ignisia asked him, "You said you¡¯ve gained some control over mysteries?" "I can channel it to strengthen and protect my body and, in certain circumstances, even project it as a weapon." "Hmm... that might be enough. Try using the dragon magic you attemptedst time." "Got it. If I remember correctly, it was like this?" Ketal muttered, recalling the spell. [[?]] Fire. Whoosh! mes surged in the air. Last time, Ketal had attempted dragon magic, but he¡¯d failed to control it, and the mes had overtaken his body. Ignisia tensed, ready to react. But this time, the mes didn¡¯t explode. Ketal narrowed his eyes,manding from deep within himself. ¡®Obey me.¡¯ The mes flickered as if on the verge of bursting, but Ketal managed to suppress them. Watching for a moment, Ignisia rxed. "It worked. You can use dragon magic." "Oooh!" Ketal eximed joyfully. He was thrilled, and for good reason. He¡¯d finally gained the ability to wield mystical power in a meaningful way. He felt like shouting with excitement. "How does it feel?" "I can suppress it to some extent, but it¡¯s not easy. If I push too far, I¡¯ll lose control." "Looks like you have a limit. You¡¯ll need more practice. Binding the mine isn¡¯t about raw destruction but precise application, so it won¡¯t be easy. I¡¯ll teach you." "I¡¯m counting on you." Ketal replied with a bright smile. From then on, he began learning dragon magic from Ignisia. He tamed and mastered mystery, manifesting it through dragon magic. Little by little, Ketal became more proficient with the spells. [[?????]] Leap. Crunch! Ketal¡¯s body disappeared, reappearing at a different spot. He had crossed space itself. [Isn¡¯t spatial leap usually more refined than that?] The Holy Sword murmured, unimpressed. Ketal¡¯s spatial leap was far from typical. The ground around where he¡¯d leapt was torn apart as if it had been forcibly ripped open. His mystery tore through everything but his body. "Excellent!" Ketal clenched his fist in triumph. [You... you¡¯re like a child.] The Holy Sword muttered in amazement. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Ketal wasn¡¯t thrilled simply because he was growing stronger by learning dragon magic. He was ecstatic about learning dragon magic itself, his expression like a child discovering a new toy. And so, a week passed. Ketal was gradually growing ustomed to wielding mystery. He quietly watched the fire that had risen in the air. Grrrr... The beast of mystery within him let out a low growl. It was wild, yet it clearly followed hismand, almost as though he were soothing a disgruntled creature. "Seems like you''ve gotten the hang of it." "Yeah, I¡¯m starting to get a feel for it." Invocation. It was the act of manifesting mystery into the world. Unlike simply strengthening the body, this involved directly controlling the beast of mystery. He was beginning to understand what this beast wanted and what kind of creature it truly was. Ignisia, who had been silently watching Ketal handling the invocation, made a decision. "I think... it¡¯s enough." "Oh? Are we starting?" "Honestly, I''m fifty-fifty on it. But we can''t wait any longer." Raphael had taken over a mine in Mantamia and was sending its precious minerals to hell. They couldn¡¯t afford to give him any more time. "Then let¡¯s go." "Understood." Ketal followed Ignisia to the surface. They stood right above where the Mantamia mine was located. "The n is simple. The mine is right below us. I¡¯m going to bind the ground along with the mine. And if it works, you¡¯re going to hold onto thisnd, lift it up, and toss it out. ¡­This is really possible, right?" Even Ignisia herself found the n hard to believe. Ketal gave a confident smile. "It¡¯s not a problem." "Hmm... Alright. I¡¯ll initiate the invocation first. You provide support." "Got it." Ignisia took a deep breath before speaking with force. [[??????]] Bind. Ketal also uttered with a grin. [[??????]] Crack! The invocation activated. A powerful spell that governed the world moved to bind the mine. "Mmm..." Meanwhile, Raphael was touching the minerals with an uneasy expression. "It''s too quiet." It had been over a week since anyone had entered his domain. It was almost enough to make him wonder if the memory of Ketal¡¯s terrifying presence was just his imagination. "Are they plotting something? But I don¡¯t sense any significant movement." Muttering to himself, Raphael continued stacking minerals in a tower in front of him. ¡°¡­There we go.¡± Raphael smiled in satisfaction as he topped off the tower. But at that moment, the ground shook. With a rumbling sound, the tower he painstakingly built crumbled to the ground. He stared at the copsed tower with a nk expression. "No¡­ No way!" He snapped back to his senses, expanding his awareness to figure out what was happening. His eyes widened. "...They''re trying to bind the mine?" His first thought was simply: why? Even if they bound it, it was still within his domain. It was a pointless effort. "But I can¡¯t just stand by and watch." Raphael stomped his foot. Minerals sprang forth, moving en masse to shatter the invocation that was encircling the mine. Rumble! "Ugh!" A shockwave hit Ignisia. She poured more strength into her invocation as her power shed with Raphael''s resistance. But Ignisia was losing ground, even with Ketal¡¯s invocation supporting her. The binding shroud over the mine was beginning to tear apart. "Ah..." This won¡¯t work. Both Ignisia and Ketal felt it. Ketal narrowed his eyes. At this rate, they would fail. They needed something stronger to ovee this. "Hmm." Ketal had learned about invocation from Ignisia. He was now directly moving the mystery, and as a result, he hade to understand the beast of mystery more clearly. This creature, at its core, wanted to run wild. It wanted to destroy and ruin the world. But it didn¡¯t want to follow Ketal. That was precisely why it resisted hismands. However, it also possessed a desire to fight. When it encountered a strong adversary, it wanted to tear into that existence and w at it. Ketal came to a realization. This was indeed his power. But at the same time, it was not his alone. He didn¡¯t know when, but something had once rooted itself within him. It had fused with mystery and was forcibly drawn out. Although it resided within him, it resisted him due to this reason. ¡®I used to think it was simply mystery resisting me like the wandering merchant said.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But that wasn¡¯t the case. The beast¡¯s emotions were clear, possessing a sense of self and desire, almost like a living entity. Though he didn¡¯t know its exact nature, the solution was simple. ¡®Hey.¡¯ Grrrr¡­ The beast of mystery let out a gruff growl at Ketal¡¯s call, as if asking what he wanted. ¡®How much longer are you going to resist? Isn¡¯t it about time you listened?¡¯ Grrrr. ¡®Don¡¯t be like that.¡¯ Ketal smiled. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s bothering you, but you don¡¯t have a reason to resist me this much. If we aplish this, it won¡¯t just benefit me. You¡¯ll gain from it, too.¡¯ Grr¡­ The growl softened a bit. Ketal coaxed gently. ¡®Once this is over, you¡¯ll grow stronger. You¡¯ll be able to stain everything in the world.¡¯ Grr¡­ The beast seemed to consider his words before letting out a growl that carried a question: could it trust him? Ketal smiled. ¡®You should know by now, having observed me. I don¡¯t lie.¡¯ ¡­Grr. The beast, after a moment of contemtion, began to move. The creature that had been resting within him made itself visible. It rode upon the invocation and began to move. Ignisia, who was trying to hold back Raphael¡¯s resistance, opened her eyes wide. ¡°What?¡± Thetent force surged towards the world. The beast swallowed up her invocation and swiftly began to envelop the mine. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± Raphael, who had been resisting, was flung backward. For a brief instant, something he couldn¡¯t resist had surrounded the mine. The desperate struggle between Ignisia and Raphael ended in an instant. Ignisia looked at Ketal in astonishment. Ketal smiled with satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s done. Well done.¡± Grrr. The beast let out a rough growl. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 306: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (8) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 306: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (8) "Ketal, what was that just now...?" The phenomenon that had just urred was unlike anything Ketal had controlled before. It wasn¡¯t something Ketal suppressed or controlled; it felt as if the mysterious force itself extended with its own will. It was a striking difference from the restraint he had always shown. Ketal replied, "I had a conversation. It went well." "...A conversation?" Ignisia looked bewildered. She couldn¡¯t imagine it was something that could be described as a conversation with one''s own power. "Anyway, it''s done." Mantamia''s mine. That ce was nowpletely bound by dragon words. But that alone held no meaning. After all, it was still within Raphael''s domain. What mattered was what came next. "Are you sure you can do it?" Ignisia asked, looking half-doubtful. Instead of replying, Ketal ced his hand on the bound earth of the mine. He infused the palm of his hand with the mystery, blending it so it wouldn''t spill, then applied his strength. But it didn¡¯t budge. It felt like he was trying to lift an entire continent. Even with Ketal''s power, it wasn¡¯t easy. "As expected, it''s heavy. The previous me could have pushed it, but lifting and moving it was beyond me." But now, he was different. Ketal bared his teeth in a grin. The mystery flowed through his body, strengthening and assisting his physical form. And then, he poured all his energy into that body. Energy and mystery. The two forces merged. Ketal exerted his full strength. At that moment, Raphael calmed himself and assessed the situation. "...So they''ve bound the mine. Why?" Raphael couldn¡¯t understand. Binding the mine would change nothing. Regaining hisposure, he wielded his power to tear apart the shroud of dragon words encasing the mine. "...It''s solid," Raphael muttered, slightly astonished. The shroud was incredibly solid. It would take him hours to break it with his strength. It was hard to believe that something so simple as a binding could be this durable. ''Why did he create something like this?'' Raphael raised his power. Whatever Ketal was aiming for, there was no reason to leave it alone. Just as he was about to strike to rip through the shroud¡ª Boom! "What?!" The mine trembled¡ªa tremendous shake. Raphael withheld his power, regaining his bnce. "What is this?" An attack? Raphael extended his senses, reaching beyond the shroud. And then a piece of information reached him. Raphael''s face twisted bizarrely. "Wait." Raphael realized. Ketal was trying to lift and move the entire mine. "That''s fucking insane!" Raphael, the Demon of Jewels, despised vulgarity, believing it unbing. But now, for the first time, he let out a curse. It was that shocking. * * * Boom! Ketal held tightly to the shroud, pouring all his strength into it. The ground shook. Vibrations rumbled, shaking everything as if the earth itself was trembling. But the shroud showed no sign of moving. ¡®As expected... it won¡¯t work.¡¯ Ignisia let out a sigh, but she didn¡¯t look too disappointed. She had secretly thought it impossible. Just as she was about to suggest abandoning the mine and dealing with Raphael¡ª Boom! The tremors grew stronger. Without using mystery to stabilize herself, she could barely stand. The vibration wasn¡¯t confined to their immediate surroundings. It spread across the entire mountain range. Birds scattered, animals fled in haste. "...What?" Ignisia''s expression began to change. She saw it. The earth rising. "Wait." Now, the mine bound in the shroud was slowly rising. With no one else¡¯s power, by Ketal¡¯s strength alone. "No, this is¡­" Mantamia''s mine was merely the size of a small hill. Ignisia could easily move something of that size. But Mantamia''s mine was an assembly of mineralspressed to the extreme. It couldn¡¯t be described merely by weight. It was no exaggeration to say it was apressed mountain range. Even for her, even for a hero of renown, lifting and moving an entire mountain range was impossible. But now... Ketal was lifting a mountain range. She was genuinely horrified, and the Holy Sword felt the same. [Ah, ah? Ah?] She muttered as if in a trance. Something. This was... Beyondprehension. It was impossible to ept. This had transcended the realm of mere strength. This was a monster. In the past, when told Ketal was called the Avatar of the God of Strength, Holy Sword had shown some skepticism. Knowing the powers of the God of Strength, she hadn¡¯t thought Ketal could reach that level. But the strength Ketal was disying now was undeniable, even for her. ¡®Who¡­ what kind of person are you?¡¯ The words lingered in her mind, too overwhelming to say aloud. And even as she watched, the mine was slowly appearing above ground. Ketal raised his arm, pouring all his strength into it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Boom! And finally¡ª The mine fully surfaced above ground. It was in Ketal''s hand. Compared to its size, it was as if he held a mere speck, an ant. But the mine was unmistakably defying gravity, floating in midair. "My god." "What is that...?" The dwarves who had been watching at Mantamia''s entrance, just in case, gaped with jaws dropped. Even Grombir, the dwarf king, was stunned, abandoning his usual decorum. "...He lifted it." Ignisia¡¯s face copsed, forming an expression she had never once shown in her life. "It''s... heavy, indeed." Ketal, the one who had performed this unbelievable feat, muttered calmly. His tone suggested he was bearing a slightly heavy burden. ¡°So, I just need to move this now?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Ketal took a step forward. Boom! The ground trembled. Thankfully, Ketal had reinforced his body with mystery, defying thews of physics. If not, his mere steps would have caused cmity. Boom! Boom! With apressed mountain in his grip, Ketal walked ten paces forward. ¡°Is this far enough?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s... enough¡­¡± Ketal set the mine down gently. The mine, which had been lifted to the height of an anthill, was lowered back onto the earth. And then¡ª BOOOOM! The ground rippled, waves spreading outward from the impact. The shockwave rolled forth, shaking the huts that creaked and toppled over. Rumble! The tremor spread beyond the surface, reaching even the dwarven caves within Mantamia. Mantamia was an imprable fortress, a testament to perfection built by dwarven ancestors, having never shaken in millennia. Even during the demon invasions, not a single pir had been destroyed. But now, the fortress that had once prided itself on its wless structure bore fractures,rge and small. The near-perfect Mantamia was thrown into disarray. ¡°Oh, dear. I probably should have set it down more gently.¡± Ketal murmured as if admitting to a mistake. Neither the Holy Sword nor Ignitia could say a word. * * *n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om While Ketal carried the mine, Raphael inside was rendered helpless. With the overwhelming force shaking everything around, he held his breath, curling up like a child. Only when the violent movement subsided did he cautiously lift himself up. ¡°What... in the world just happened?¡± As he anxiously tried to expand his senses, he realized something rming. ¡°...Wait!¡± He had lost control over the absolute minerals he oncemanded. He realized he was no longer within his own domain. ¡°How is this possible?¡± It was iprehensible. His domain was absolute, merged with the sanctuary of the gods, indestructible even if a deity descended directly. So how? For a moment, Raphael was bewildered, but he soon noticed something else¡ªhis domain was intact and maintaining its position. Yet this realization only made Raphael more unnerved. ''...Then where exactly am I now?'' But he had no time to unravel that mystery. The cloth over the mine¡¯s entrance tore open, and someone stepped in. ¡°We meet again.¡± Ketal, with a slight smile, brandished his axe. ¡°Shall we begin again?¡± ¡°U-Uaaargh!¡± With a scream, Raphael unleashed his power. Mithril, holding a profound and pure mystery strong enough to power a mage tower for a week with just a fragment, shot toward Ketal and exploded. Even Ketal had to shield himself, his body enveloped in mystery to ward off the force of the st. As the explosion settled, Ketal charged forward, swinging his axe. Raphael shielded himself with adamantium. The metal, harder than any other, withstood Ketal¡¯s strike. Orichalcum, known for amplifying all forms of energy, surged in unison with Raphael¡¯s magic, preventing Ketal from advancing. He dodged by leaping away. ¡°You¡¯re strong, indeed.¡± Raphael was a powerful foe. Even for Ketal, defeating him was no simple task. The mine itself prevented him from blending his mystical powers fully, adding to the difficulty. ¡°But now, you have limits.¡± Unlike before, Raphael could no longer use the minerals freely. Clear limitations had emerged. With that, Ketal found it less difficult to break through. Boom! As the battle continued, Raphael began to be pushed back. The reserves of minerals he had saved for an emergency were dwindling rapidly. ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± Leaning against the wall, drenched in sweat, Raphael prepared himself to counter Ketal, who was cautiously approaching. The situation was dire. He no longer held his absolute control, and before him stood an immensely formidable foe. But Raphael did not lose his resolve. He was a demon¡ªa count-ranked entity. He would not break in the face of a powerful opponent. Determined to defeat Ketal, Raphael racked his brain, envisioning hundreds of ways Ketal might attack, devising possible countermeasures. But Ketal did not approach. He merely gazed at his axe. With a scowl, Raphael finally spoke. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± A ripple. In that moment, an aura shimmered over Ketal''s axe. Raphael¡¯s eyes widened, and Ketal¡¯s face lit up with excitement. ¡°Oh-ho! I finally got it! I thought I''d need to be of superhuman rank to reach this point, but I was pleasantly mistaken!¡± With immense joy, Ketal swung his axe,ughing. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, let¡¯s begin again.¡± A faint aura surrounded Ketal¡¯s axe. Though it flickered like a candle about to go out, the aura was unmistakably present. ¡°...What?¡± Seeing the faintly flickering aura, Raphael¡¯s face froze. Until now, he had shown only bewilderment and confusion, desperately blocking Ketal¡¯s attacks. But even then, his gaze was unyielding, dignified, showing no fear. As a demon with the rank of count, he bore strength with poise and dignity. But now, that was no longer the case. ¡°Ah... ahh¡­¡± Upon witnessing the aura, terror slowly crept across Raphael¡¯s face. It was the fear of death. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 307: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (9) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 307: Dwarf Cave Mantamia (9) ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t keep fighting for much longer.¡± Ketal bound the mine with his enchantments and used his mystery to strengthen his body enough to lift it. His mystery was nearly depleted. He needed to finish this quickly. ¡°So, die.¡± ¡°A¡­ahhh!¡± Ketal charged forward. Raphael iled his arms in a panic, screaming like a child, filled with fear of death. He thrashed his strength wildly. Adamantadium rose up, forming a wall to push against the space around him. This wasn¡¯t so much an attack on Ketal as it was a desperate plea for him not toe closer. Ketal seized his axe, infused with mystery, and swung at the wall blocking his path. The wall of adamantadium, resilient against even Ketal¡¯s strength, was sliced apart like cheese. Nothing could hinder Ketal¡¯s advance. In an instant, Ketal was upon him, swinging his axe ferociously. Raphael twisted his body, narrowly evading the attack, but not entirely¡ª a long gash appeared across his chest. To Ketal, the wound was insignificant. He¡¯d dealt with countless demons by now, smashing their heads and tearing their limbs apart. A mere cut was nothing. For most demons, it wouldn¡¯t even qualify as an injury. But Raphael¡¯s reaction was different. ¡°Aaahhh! AAAAAHHHH!¡± Raphael screamed, responding as if he were an ordinary human wounded in battle. His elegance and noble bearing as a jewel demon vanished, reced entirely by a terror of death.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°AAARRRGHHH!¡± ¡°You do nothing but scream.¡± CRASH! Raphael exploded with force, convulsing in his desperation to push Ketal away, but Ketal cut down each attack. Every swing of his axe split the space around them and drained Raphael¡¯s power. Ketal closed the distance in an instant. CRASH! ¡°Gahk!¡± Raphael¡¯s body was flung backward. He turned hastily, as if he intended to flee. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Behind him loomed a massive wall, blocking his escape. This was a mine. Apart from the single exit, there was no way out. Deep despair spread across Raphael¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± In his despair, he let out a gasp as an idea struck him. He raised his hand, and dark, thick energy began to gather there. ¡°Hm.¡± Even Ketal couldn¡¯t afford to ignore this kind of demonic energy. It must have been Raphael¡¯sst desperate attempt, so he readied himself to counter any attack Raphaelunched. But Raphael had no intention of attacking Ketal. Instead, he plunged the demonic energy he¡¯d gathered into his own chest. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Huh?¡± BOOM! The demonic energy exploded. Unable to withstand it, Raphael¡¯s body copsed. Slowly, he began to disappear from the surface. He was being forcibly recalled to the underworld. ¡°Aaah¡­¡± On Raphael¡¯s vanishing face was an expression of deep relief. And just like that, Raphael, the demon from hell, disappeared from the surface world. Ketal observed him disappear and spoke. ¡°Did hemit suicide?¡± [It¡­seems like it?] ¡°Why?¡± Ketal tilted his head in confusion. Every demon he had encountered before fought ferociously until the very end. Even if they died on the surface, they would simply be returned to hell, so they had no reason to fear death. But Raphael was clearly afraid and took his own life, almost as if being cut by Ketal¡¯s aura would mean actual death. ¡°In any case, I won.¡± The demon who had seized control of Mantamia was banished. Ketal had achievedplete victory. The Holy Sword, restraining itself from asking before, finally spoke up. [How were you able to unleash your mystery all of a sudden?] Until now, Ketal hadn¡¯t been able to draw on his mystery. He hade here precisely to make that possible. Yet, suddenly, he could ess it. The Holy Sword had stayed silent because of the battle but had been very surprised. Ketal answered. ¡°I made a deal.¡± [A¡­deal?] ¡°I convinced it that once this was over, it would be beneficial for it too. So I was able to draw out a little bit. Very nice.¡± Ketal grinned with satisfaction. The Holy Sword was uneasy. [It¡¯s your own power, and yet you had to negotiate to draw it out? I¡¯ve been curious for a while¡ª is it really mystery?] It seemed to possess its own will, resisting Ketal¡¯s control. Communication was possible. It felt less like mystery and more like a foreign entity. ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t deny it. Until now, he had forced himself to believe it was mystery, thinking it was simply resistance from the will of the world. But now, he was beginning to have second thoughts. ¡°Well. I think it¡¯s fine.¡± [It doesn¡¯t seem fine to me¡­] ¡°I think it¡¯s fine.¡± After all, the entity posed no harm to him. There was nothing to worry about. Ketal continued chatting as he walked out of the mine. Outside, dwarves and Ignisia were waiting for him. ¡°¡­How did it go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Ketal said. ¡°Raphael no longer exists on this surface.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Ohhh.¡± Sounds started to rise from the dwarves, growing louder until they turned into cheers. ¡°Woohoo!¡± ¡°We won! We won!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve reimed our holynd!¡± They had won. Their triumphant shouts echoed for a long time. * * * ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while.¡± Grombir entered Mantamia with a nostalgic look on his face. They had finally reimed their homnd, once taken by the demon. Though some of Raphael¡¯s influence remained, it would fade with time. Afterward, returning it to the holy sanctuary of Hephaestus wouldplete their remation. Grombir expressed his gratitude sincerely. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Thank you. We owe it all to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡ªit was just a deal. But, are you sure everything¡¯s fine? It looks like some issues have cropped up.¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Grombir frowned. Ketal moved the mine with the weight of a mountain and set it down on the ground, causing a massive tremor that shook Mantamia. As a result, Mantamia¡¯s wless design and structure were now filled with subtle and not-so-subtle misalignments. The ceiling of a building tilted. Tiles that had been perfectlyid on the floor now scattered loose. Cracks appeared between the columns. The imbnce was visible throughout all of Mantamia. To be honest, just watching it was enough to make one''s chest feel tight. But that wasn¡¯t all. Ketal had thrown the mine to the surface, which meant that now, they had to think of ways to deal with it being exposed. ¡°But still, we won. This is far better than having it taken by the demons.¡± ¡°Thanks for epting it that way.¡± ¡°You fulfilled your end of the deal admirably. Now it¡¯s our turn.¡± Ketal had sessfully driven out the demon, as the dwarves had requested. Now, it was their turn to fulfill Ketal¡¯s request. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll summon Hephaestus again.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± Ketal smiled. And the next day, Hephaestus descended once more, possessing Grombir¡¯s body. [Such monstrous strength.] ¡°You were watching?¡± [My eyes are wherever my followers are. I was curious how you¡¯d resolve it, but I never expected you to lift the entire mine and throw it. That was¡­ unexpected.] Hephaestus''s voice had an undertone of disbelief. Even as a god wielding immense power, this was a remarkable sight to behold. ¡°I apologize for throwing it out there.¡± [No harm done. It¡¯s much better than having it emptied from within. You did well.] Hephaestus fell silent after saying that. There was a faint hint of curiosity in his calm gaze. [However¡­ you resolved it much faster than I anticipated. That persistent creature wouldn¡¯t have backed down so easily. What did you do?] ¡°I used this.¡± Ketal held up an axe, a mysterious energy shimmering around it. Hephaestus¡¯s eyes deepened. [¡­Mystery? The ¡®Being Within¡¯ is wielding this? Truly bizarre. But even so, that creature wouldn¡¯t have simply fled because of it.] Hephaestus, watching intently, frowned. [Hold on. Something¡¯s different.] ¡°Different?¡± [Let me give you a simple example.] Hephaestus exined in a low voice. [If our holy relic became tainted by the pollution of the rat, would it still be our holy relic?] ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t.¡± The rat¡¯s filth had the power to corrupt anything in the world. It would be something entirely different, though it might retain the form of a holy relic. The Mystery Ketal held was the same. [It seems that something twisted has awakened, triggered by the Mystery. However¡­ there¡¯s something familiar about it.] Hephaestus¡¯s eyes flickered as he watched Ketal. [The Monstrosity?] In an instant, Hephaestus¡¯s aura surged, his hostility pricking sharply at Ketal. But Ketal simply stared, showing no reaction, and Hephaestus gradually calmed down. [No¡­ it¡¯s not quite the same. It¡¯s not Mystery, but it¡¯s not the monstrosity either. ¡­Could it have been tainted as well?] Hephaestus let out a groan. [Everything seems mixed together. There are things I can¡¯t evenprehend. Who¡­ or what¡­ are you?] ¡°A resident of this world.¡± Ketal answered lightly. Hephaestus chuckled as if he¡¯d heard a funny joke. [Is that so.] ¡°A strange one, indeed. But there¡¯s no problem.¡± The beast of mystery within him was fundamentally his own. He knew, at least, that it posed no threat to him. [A bizarre thing. If you use that, you could kill the demons.] ¡°You mean, not just banish them?¡± [No. You could truly kill them. Erase their very existence.] ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ketal understood. It exined why Raphael had chosen to end himself using his own power. It was an attempt to escape through reversal summoning before Ketal could kill him. [The oldest beings can defile us. The oddity was that you couldn¡¯t before.] In fact, things were now just as they should be. [The power of the monstrosity is particrly suited for killing. I don¡¯t know your connection with it, but it¡¯s not surprising.] ¡°You¡¯re remarkably open. I¡¯m sure I must be a hard-to-trust existence to you.¡± [Some gods feel that way. I don¡¯t.] Hephaestus¡¯s tone was indifferent. [You hold no intention of hostility toward us. Some may wish to remove you for the danger you pose, like a bomb that could go off at any time¡­ but as long as you don¡¯t, there¡¯s no problem. In fact, you may prove beneficial to us. And you already have.] Ketal had greatly helped in reiming the sanctuary of Mantamia. Without him, the sanctuary would still be in Raphael¡¯s grasp. [Neither here nor there, are you. Let¡¯s continue to maintain a good rtionship. We¡¯ll make the necessary preparations to fulfill your request.] ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± Ketal smiled. Hephaestus departed. Ketal bid farewell to Grombir, who was breathing heavily, and stepped out of the tent. ¡°Monstrosity, huh.¡± Ketal had heard that name before. In the Kingdom of Denian. The assassins who had targeted him there had worshipped something called Monstrosity. ¡°It could just be a coincidence.¡± But Ketal¡¯s instincts told him otherwise. ¡°Was there something more behind it?¡± He had considered keeping some alive to get information, but they¡¯d died, as if out of despair, before he had the chance. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Ketal dismissed the thought neatly. If the Monstrosity those assassins worshipped was truly connected to the axe he wielded, they woulde after him. If so, they would cross paths one day. If they didn¡¯t interfere, he¡¯d speak with them; if they got in his way, he¡¯d deal with them. It was hardly a concern. To Ketal, that was all it was worth. He hummed as he continued on his way. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 308: Dwarf Cave Mantamia. (10) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 308: Dwarf Cave Mantamia. (10) Two days after the demon disappeared, Ignisia was preparing to leave. Before her departure, she had a word with Ketal, who was surprised. "You''re leaving already? I think you should rest a bit longer." "I''d like to as well, but I can''t afford that luxury." The continent was still in turmoil. There was no time to rest, especially for someone as powerful as a dragon who could impact the fate of thend. After all, they were under constant threat from demonic forces. However, Ignisia¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t dark. "But the situation isn''t that bad. It¡¯s a manageable risk." In fact, it had been easier than expected. The demon they fought¡ªa count-ranked demon named Raphael¡ªwas powerful. Had they not been in the mines, Ignisia might not have been able to defeat him. Raphael was a demon so formidable that even a dragon could not have easily bested him. This meant that there were very few on this continent capable of defeating Raphael. If Ketal hadn¡¯t helped, the mine would still be under Raphael¡¯s control. Ignisia alone wouldn''t have managed, and she would have needed to summon the highest-ranked powers, like the Tower Master, the Sun God''s Saintess, or the Elders of the Dragons. Doing so would havee at a high cost¡ªperhaps even costing the mine entirely. But thanks to Ketal, they had managed without external help, and the mine suffered minimal damage. Ignisia spoke gratefully, "It¡¯s thanks to you. Thank you for helping." "It was a deal, so it¡¯s fine. Besides, it''s for the world." Ketal smiled, and Ignisia paused briefly. Despite being from the Forbidden Land, Ketal had helped them many times. She was not so narrow-minded as to doubt him just because of his origins. "The situation isn¡¯t bad, which means we need to keep up the momentum." She clenched her fist, determined to seize this moment. Ketal, who had been watching her quietly, asked, "Is there anything else I can help with?" "Help?" "You once asked me to do you a favor in the future. I agreed." "Oh..." Ignisia recalled their previous conversation. While helping Ketal in his quest for mysteries, she¡¯d made two requests of him: to show goodwill to the world, and to grant her a favor when she asked. Ketal remembered. "We made a deal. If you need anything, feel free to ask. I¡¯ll help." ¡°¡­You remembered. Thank you. But it¡¯s fine. What I was going to ask was essentially what you''ve already done." Ketal understood. "It was rted to the demons, then." "Yes. You don''t need to worry about it now. Anyway, you''ll keep facing demons in the future, won''t you?" "True enough. So, where are you headed next?" "Hmm. I¡¯m thinking of visiting the Elven Sanctuary. I can assess the situation on the continent there, and it¡¯s been a while since Ist saw Karin." "Now that I think about it, you said she¡¯s a friend." "Yes, indeed. And you¡¯ll be staying here for a while, won¡¯t you? So, I guess this is goodbye." "Goodbye, Ignisia. Until we meet again." "See you, Ketal." Ignisia smiled and left. Ketal saw her off. ''I¡¯d like to follow her, but...'' But that was impossible¡ªhe still hadn¡¯t received his reward. The dwarves who had reimed their sacrednd had taken Ketal''s materials and were crafting what he wanted. However, due to the rare and powerful materials, it would take a few days. ''Guess I¡¯ll enjoy a bit of sightseeing.'' Ketal spent his time exploring the dwarven sanctuary. Despite being underground, Mantamia was incredibly spacious and bright, reminiscent of an ancient underground city¡ªa fascinating ce to tour. However, Ketal wasn''t just sightseeing. He also assisted in restoring gaps that had formed from the impact he¡¯d left on the mine. Ketal held a pir and pushed. Rumble! The massive column of the temple moved slowly, restoring the gap to a perfect vertical. "That should do it." "...It¡¯s done," Grombir muttered, letting out a faintugh as dwarves gathered, watching in amazement. Without any tools, simply by sheer physical strength, Ketal restored the sanctity of theirnd¡ªa sight even awe-inspiring to the mighty dwarves. They celebrated every night, roasting meat and drinking beer. One dwarf approached Ketal cautiously. ¡°W-Would you like a drink?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ketal epted the beer mug and took a sip, eyes widening in surprise. "...Delicious." The dwarf beamed with pride. "Our proudest brew! Here, have more!" Ketal epted a mug asrge as his torso, drinking it all down in one go. The dwarves watched in awe. "Refreshing!" Thud! Ketal mmed down the empty mug, prompting cheers around him. "That''s the spirit! Here!" Another dwarf handed him an even bigger mug and grinned. "There are two things dwarves take pride in: the beauty of their beards, and their tolerance for alcohol! Your strength is great, but I won¡¯t lose in this! Let¡¯s have a contest!" ¡°Woo-hoo!¡± The dwarves cheered, Ketal¡¯s eyes glimmering. ¡®An event like this¡ªthis is great!¡¯ It was a true fantasy moment,peting in a drinking contest with dwarves. He smiled and raised his mug. "Bring it on!" That night, every dwarf copsed in a drunken stupor¡ªexcept Ketal, who strolled back to his lodgings without the slightest sway in his step. The next day, the dwarves looked at him with newfound reverence. * * * ¡®This is fun.¡¯ Ketal wandered around, enjoying the dwarven sanctuary. The dwarves were open and friendly, treating him as arade rather than with fear. They drank together, talked, and lived as friends, a new experience for Ketal. He¡¯d spent time in the Elven Sanctuary, but they¡¯d kept some distance, preventing a bond as close as this. Living shoulder-to-shoulder with dwarves in a fantasynd brought him great joy¡ªaside from the slight unease of his Holy Sword. Eventually, after a week passed, Grombir called Ketal. "It¡¯s finished." ¡°Oooh!¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled. Finally, it was ready. With excitement, he asked, "What¡¯s finished?" "Both items. Here, take this first." Grombir handed over an outfit. It was clean and sharp, resembling an adventurer¡¯s garb. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Aside from its refined look, it wasn¡¯t particrly unusual. But the materials were exceptional¡ªcrafted from the pelts of Whitey and the rat. ¡°We used the materials you brought. Making it was no easy feat.¡± Grombir¡¯s power allowed him to cut and tan Whitey¡¯s hide, but the rat¡¯s paw was impossible to work with. Without Ketal¡¯s help, they would still be struggling. "These materials are beyond my understanding. Who were these creatures?" "They existed before this universe." ¡°Impressive.¡± Grombir chuckled, thinking Ketal¡¯s words were a joke. But Ketal¡¯s face was serious, and slowly, Grombir¡¯s expression grew solemn. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°¡­What strange things you¡¯ve been dealing with? Somehow, I couldn¡¯t understand it at all.¡± ¡°Does it have any special abilities?¡± ¡°Rather than holding power, it was crafted to train the strength within.¡± Grombir spread the garment out and fixed it onto the machine. ¡°Give it a hit.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes turned serious as he gripped his axe and swung it with full force at the garment. Boom! A suppressed groan escaped Grombir as he contained the impact, his hero-ss strength feeling the strain of holding back the force. Only a handful in the world could withstand such an attack from Ketal. Yet, despite Ketal¡¯s sincere blow, the garment remained unscathed. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s sturdy.¡± ¡°On the surface, it looks like an ordinary leather coat, but in truth, it¡¯s closer to armor. It¡¯s overbuilt in durability, and I¡¯ve inscribed enchantments using mithril and orichalcum. It will naturally synchronize with the mystery you hold, enhancing itself. I can¡¯t think of anything that could damage it¡­ Perhaps a god or a lord of hell could, but even then, it wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± The garment had a self-restoring ability, retained even in severed limbs. If the garment were to be torn or damaged, it would repair itself over time. ¡°Try it on.¡± Ketal changed into the garment and moved his limbs lightly, noting how cleanly it allowed for movement without any hindrance. ¡°Not bad.¡± Ketalughed in satisfaction, knowing he no longer needed to worry about his clothing tearing. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om One of the advantages was that he could now withstand powerful attacks without having to shield his body with mystery. He was thoroughly pleased. ¡°I couldn¡¯t use the ws, though. No matter how hard I tried, they couldn¡¯t be tempered. I¡¯ll return them to you.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And here¡¯s thest item.¡± Grombir pulled out a white gemstone. ¡°The dragon bone you requested. I refined it and made it into a catalyst.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, oh.¡± At Grombir¡¯s words, Ketal¡¯s expression changed. Grombir involuntarily flinched and took a step back. The intense desire and greed emanating from Ketal were so powerful they almost seemed tangible, instinctively driving the hero-ss Grombir to retreat. Ketal wasn¡¯t the only one with these strong emotions; the mystical beast within him also stirred fiercely, as if demanding the gem to be handed over immediately. ¡®Hold on just a bit longer.¡¯ Soon, he¡¯d give the beast what it desired. Ketal smiled and grasped the gemstone. ¡°Thanks to you, I can finally fulfill my goal. Thank you.¡± ¡°O-oh¡­¡± ¡®¡­Did I make a mistake?¡¯ Would it have been better if the demon had emptied the mine? For a fleeting moment, Grombir found himself wondering that upon seeing Ketal¡¯s expression. * * * Ketal left the holy sanctuary with a lighthearted step, as using the mystery he was about to gain could potentially destroy it. Though unlikely, he had decided it was better to be cautious and went far enough from the holy sanctuary. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed as he gazed at the white gemstone in his hand. ¡®I can handle it now.¡¯ He began a conversation with the mystical beast within him. As a result, he¡¯d managed to partially manifest its mystical power, though it remained extremely unstable and fragile, flickering as if it might vanish at any moment. Expanding it was essential since the power could be unusable depending on the beast¡¯s temperament. ¡°I was told I just need to break it.¡± Growl. The mystery emitted a low cry, unable to wait any longer and urging him to hurry. Ketal also had no intention of dying. He tightened his grip. Crash! The gemstone shattered, and the mystery within surged toward the nearest being, flowing into Ketal and seeping into his body. The mystical beast within him rose eagerly, devouring the energy greedily. Ketal¡¯s mystery expanded meaningfully. ¡°Oh, ohhh¡­¡± A sound of awe escaped Ketal as the amount of mystery he possessed swelled and multiplied, reaching a level he¡¯d never before attained. ¡°Amazing.¡± Ketalughed in delight, and it wasn¡¯t just his own change. The mystical beast that had consumed the dragon bone¡¯s power swelled and grew, transforming quickly and unnervingly. It no longer resembled a beast; its presence revealed itself to the world, making the Holy Sword shudder in horror. [Wh-what, wh-who are you¡­] Something¡­ something entirely different was appearing. It was a being that even the Holy Sword, which had seen many gods, found terrifying. And it opened its mouth. [You. You bastard.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 309: Monstrosity (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 309: Monstrosity (1) [Ah.] The Holy Sword swallowed hard. A rough voice, like the howling of a beast. Yet, it was unmistakably the voice of will, an expression of intent. She heard it clearly. [Finally, I can actually speak my mind. Damn. Took long enough.] "What?" Ketal was startled. The reason was simple. "It could talk? I thought it could only howl, so I assumed it couldn''t speak." [Did you really think I was some mindless beast?] An annoyed and angry voice reverberated, stirring the mystery within him. Ketalughed and responded, "Well, all you did was howl, so what else was I supposed to think?" Something, something with its own will, with intelligence capable of assessing the situation, was inside him. He had already known that fact. Although he was surprised it had spoken, the existence of its will was no shock. But the Holy Sword was different. [A¡­ a monster?] The Holy Sword knew Ketal harbored something strange inside him, but it had always assumed it was merely an extension of Ketal¡¯s own strength, never paying it much attention beyond that. But now, there was something massive, alien, and formidable sensed within Ketal. [Th-this is¡­] [Silence, toy.] The beast spoke in irritation. [Don¡¯t clutter my ears.] [Ah.] The moment it heard that voice, the spirit of the Holy Sword trembled, like a mortal standing before the true form of a god. [U-uh!] But the sword endured, reasserting its own will and regaining its shakenposure. This persistence annoyed the beast. [For a toy to withstand my will¡­ it truly is broken.] "So, the Holy Sword canmunicate. Does that mean it can speak with people besides me?" [This toy is yours. It¡¯s not strange for it to feel my presence within you.] "Ah, I see." Ketal nodded as if understanding. "So, what should I call you? Should I stick with the ¡®mystic beast¡¯ I''ve been calling you, or do you have a true name?" [Don¡¯t call me a beast. It¡¯s insulting to bepared with something so mindless. ¡­But then again, using my true name now that I''m bound to someone would be a disgrace to me. Although it¡¯s not my favorite, I suppose there¡¯s no other choice.] The beast thought for a moment before answering. [Call me Monstrosity. It¡¯s what the young ones used to call me.] What resided within him was what Hephaestus, the god of cksmiths, had mentioned: a creature that had in countless gods and demons, one that defiled the world more than any other. The creature, which thebined forces of all beings in the world could barely subdue, was a monstrosity. Ketal didn¡¯t seem particrly shocked. He wore an expression that said he had suspected as much ever since Hephaestus had mentioned it. "Since when have you been inside me?" [Ever since you acquired a piece of me.] "Was it when I got the axe? That¡¯s been quite a long time." Ketal had possessed the axe since he was weak, so long ago that he could barely remember. The monstrosity had been within him since then. But he hadn¡¯t even realized its existence until he acquired the mysterious power. That meant it had remained surprisingly dormant for a creature of such infamy. [Dormant? Me?] That remark annoyed the monstrosity. [That¡¯s nonsense.] "What? You weren¡¯t just lying still?" [I tried everything to tear you apart and devour you, but nothing worked. It was a waste of time.] When the monstrosity first entered Ketal¡¯s body, it rampaged, intending to devour his flesh and consume his mind, using him as a stepping stone for its rebirth. But no matter what it did, it had no effect on Ketal. It was all in vain like a human iling helplessly in the vastness of space. Had nothing changed, Ketal might never have be aware of the monstrosity''s existence. [But you began to embrace outside forces.] The mysterious powers of the world. Mystery. Ketal had sought and acquired as much of it as possible, and the monstrosity within him seized that opportunity. Using mystery as nourishment, it gained strength, eventually manifesting a beastly consciousness and finally able to utter words. "So that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been cooperating so smoothly; it was because of that." The more mystery Ketal gained, the stronger the monstrosity became. That was likely why it had helped him reim the mine. Something was parasitizing him from within. It was a terrifying situation in some ways, yet Ketal spoke casually, "You''ve been watching from inside me this whole time. Guess I could consider you an old friend. Nice to finally meet you. How¡¯ve you been?" [Bastard.] The monstrosity spat in irritation. [Stop trying to drag me out. It''s incredibly annoying. Leave me alone.] "So, that¡¯s why you¡¯d have fits whenever I tried to wield mystery. Sorry, but this power is mine. I can¡¯t just leave you be." [What a nuisance.] "That''s my line. You''re the one who tried to take over my body without permission." Ketal chuckled. His rxed demeanor made the Holy Sword uneasy. [Isn¡¯t this¡­ dangerous? We should probably talk to the gods right away to do something about it!] The monstrosity was indeed a formidable being. Once, even gods and demons had to join forces to deal with it. Even without much information, the Holy Sword knew this was not a being to be taken lightly. But Ketal seemed unfazed. "There won¡¯t be a problem. After all, it gained strength only by consuming the mystery I obtained." How was the monstrosity able to speak, to manifest its consciousness, and to grow in strength? All because it had consumed the mystery that Ketal had acquired. In the end, it was his power. While the monstrosity had grown stronger, its nature had aligned more closely with Ketal¡¯s. Resistance at this point was impossible. [Bastard.] The monstrosity merely cursed, making no effort to refute Ketal''s words. The Holy Sword was thoroughly confused. "So, will anything change in our rtionship?" [No. I still cannot escape from you. All I can do is a little bit of defiance. Go ahead, tear apart or kill whatever enemies stand in your way. I, too, enjoy seeing the arrogant ones outside crushed. But beyond that, I have no interest.] With that, the monstrosity fell silent. Ketal called out to it a few more times, but there was no response. "Seems like nothing¡¯s really changed." That was enough. Humming, Ketal drew his axe. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Some trouble had arisen, but his purpose remained the same. He focused his mind and drew out the wavering mystery within him. The Monstrosity tried to avoid it in annoyance, but Ketal forced it into manifestation. As a result, the wavering mystery settled onto the axe. It was aura. ¡°Oh! It worked!¡± Ketal was thrilled. The manifested mystery was in a stable form, unlike before. Now he could draw out the mystery as he wished, without any issues. He was extremely pleased. ¡°The mystery consumption isn¡¯t as high as I thought.¡± With his supply of mystery, he could maintain it for the entire battle. But there was a problem. ¡°While using this, I can¡¯t enhance or protect my body properly.¡± The issue wasn¡¯t quantity. It was the method. It felt like all his mystery was being drawn into the manifestation. Perhaps with more practice, it would improve, but for now, it was impossible to use aura while also using mystery on his body. Ketal casually asked, n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If you¡¯d help, I think it would work out. Why not lend a hand?¡± [Why should I?] The Monstrosity replied indifferently. Ketal hadn¡¯t expected much, so he paid no mind and focused on the aura. [¡­Ah¡­ uh.] And then, as it gazed at the aura, the Holy Sword let out a groan. For the first time, it could watch the aura for an extended period, studying it closely. The Holy Sword realized something. That was dangerous. It was qualitatively different from ordinary aura. An instinctive fear, a terror of death, welled up inside. It felt as though its heart was being aimed at with a bow. [Ugh¡­ Ah¡­] The Holy Sword trembled in fear. Ketal nced at it and asked, ¡°For a demon or Holy Sword to react like that, it must be because of you, right?¡± Hephaestus had spoken about it. The Monstrosity¡¯s power was something close to death. The Monstrosity responded. [Young ones have an instinctive fear of me. It should be that way in truth.] The Monstrosity¡¯s voice carried a hint of pride as it spoke. Ketal toyed with the mystery a bit more. After several dozen minutes, the mystery was nearly depleted. ¡°Currently, itsts about thirty minutes, I¡¯d say. Not bad.¡± Satisfied, he returned to the sanctuary,y on the bed, and took a rest. After a period of silence, the Holy Sword cautiously asked, [Y-You are¡­ that Monstrosity¡­ aren¡¯t you?] In the distant past, the oldest being that had killed countless gods and demons, tainting the world. That entity clearly resided within Ketal. Ketal seemedrgely unconcerned, yet it was an incredibly dangerous presence. Despite its fear, the Holy Sword intended to understand the Monstrosity¡¯s intentions for Ketal¡¯s sake. There was no response. Oveing its fear, the Holy Sword asked again. [E-Excuse me? Monstrosity?] [Don¡¯t talk to me, toy.] The Monstrosity replied in irritation. [A pitiful tool. If this one hadn¡¯t shown mercy, you¡¯d have been discarded, tossed around by young ones, and eventually faded away. You¡¯re of no interest to me.] The Holy Sword felt a surge of anger, for the words struck a nerve. The Holy Sword knew that it hadn¡¯t been of much help to Ketal. It spoke up, as if to defend itself. [I-I still know a lot about Ketal, though? Unlike you, who can¡¯t even speak with him or resist him from within.] Its voice was trembling, like a shivering tree. [Know?] The Monstrosity sneered. [You think you know this one? You, of all things? Howughable. You know nothing.] It continued, sounding contemptuous. [Not just you. All of them, the things inside, the things outside¡ªthey¡¯re the same. None of you know a thing about him.] [Wh-what do you mean?] There was something odd in those words. It didn¡¯t seem like the Monstrosity was merely talking about Ketal¡¯s background. [Do you know where he came from?] [Uh¡­ um¡­ that barbarian from the White Wastnd¡­] [Do you think I¡¯d be bound to a mere creature like that? Of course, you know nothing about him.] The Monstrosity was within Ketal. It knew him better than anyone, understood him more than anyone. [An outsider. Neither from here nor there.] [An outsider¡­?] [If you don¡¯t know, so be it. You wouldn¡¯t understand anyway.] The Monstrosity spoke dismissively. The Holy Sword stammered, unable to retort. Quietly listening to their conversation, Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You. You know about me, don¡¯t you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 310: Monstrosity (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 310: Monstrosity (2) [I know many things. When do you think I started residing within you? I¡¯m the only one in this world who knows your true origin.] The Monstrosity had been within Ketal since not long after he arrived in this world. It had been there even when he was so weak that he couldn''t fend off even the smallest threat. [I know about you. If otherse to realize who you are, they will beg for mercy and plead to stay away. But I will neither bow nor beg for mercy, nor willingly cooperate. That is my pride.] The Monstrosity spoke with an oddly proud tone. ¡°Well, suit yourself.¡± Ketal shrugged. After all, the Monstrosity was a part of him, embedded so deeply it was practically intertwined with his own essence. It couldn''t leave him, nor did it intend to. Now that he had reached the level of a superhuman, he could use aura without the Monstrosity''s help. He didn¡¯t need to force cooperation. ¡°But you know¡­¡± A warning was always good. Ketal smiled. ¡°That should be something only you know.¡± The air grew cold¡ªliterally, not figuratively. The chilling effect reflected the cooled emotions within. The Holy Sword swallowed its breath. [As much as I hate to admit it, I am bound to you. I have no intention of challenging someone who can control me.] ¡°That¡¯s good. I am a resident of this world, and that¡¯s enough.¡± Satisfied with the answer, Ketal hummed. The Monstrosity sighed softly. [A twisted monster¡­ How did I end up stuck with someone like you?] Ketal spent his time in the holy sanctuary, training his aura. He stayed there for two reasons: to refine his mastery of mystery, which he still found challenging, and to await a resolution concerning the Holy Sword¡ªa task that required Hephaestus''s personal intervention. Ketal suddenly had a question. ¡°I have a question.¡± [Didn¡¯t I already say I have no intention of answering?] The Monstrosity replied coldly. [Don¡¯t ask me. I have no intention of giving a straight answer.] ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you, though.¡± Ketal¡¯s question was directed at the Holy Sword. Realizing this, the Monstrosity muttered softly. [...Shut up.] ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you in the first ce.¡± [Shut up.] Ketal chuckled. ¡°You talk more than I thought, considering you have no intention of answering.¡± [He¡¯s been trapped inside you for a long time, hasn¡¯t he? Before that, he was stuck in a battle-axe, embedded in the snowy mountains. He was probably like me in that sense... I suppose he might have missed conversation too. It gives me a sense of kinship when I think about it that way.] [¡­] The Monstrosity¡¯s emotions wavered slightly, though it stayed silent, knowing anything it said could only be used against it. Ketal chuckled softly, scratching his chin. ¡®This is getting slightly annoying.¡¯ The Monstrosity and the Holy Sword¡ªboth were tied to him, making it easy to confuse them. It wasn¡¯t feasible to use specific names for them in every sentence. [Anyway, is it me you wanted to ask something?] ¡°Yes. What would you want to do if your physical form were restored?¡± [Uh, well¡­ Hmm.] The Holy Sword hesitated before speaking quietly. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t want to be embedded there again. Not ever.¡± It was only natural. If the Holy Sword were to be returned there, waiting for the right wielder, it would mean the end of the sword''s existence. The sword''s purpose was to serve as a vessel to bring a god down to the mortal realm. ¡°I see,¡± Ketal murmured. Time passed slowly until finally, Hephaestus summoned Ketal. Through Grombir¡¯s body, a celestial god descended to the mortal ne. [Sorry for keeping you waiting. It¡¯s all done.] [Ugh.] The Holy Sword let out a scream, and Hephaestus chuckled. He gazed at Ketal with a curious expression. [Hold on. There¡¯s something¡­ something different about you now. Something that wasn¡¯t there before¡­] ¡°Oh? So gods can sense it. Grombir didn¡¯t notice.¡± Ketal murmured and looked down at his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to say something? You might¡¯ve met ages ago.¡± [Why should I?] The Monstrosity replied coldly. At its words, Hephaestus¡¯s aura red up. Bang! The divine power of the god of smiths surged, manifesting countless weapons¡ªspears, swords, axes¡ªall the types of weaponry in the world, gleaming with lethal intent. It was instinctive, like a monkey recoiling at the sight of a snake. For the gods, the Monstrosity was such a creature¡ªone that evoked primal fear and hostility. The Monstrosity sneered. [Oh, so you¡¯re showing off your toys. Put them away.] ¡°How about calming down?¡± Ketal said calmly. Though surrounded by countless weapons, he showed no fear. After a moment, Hephaestus sighed. [So, it¡¯s true¡­ it¡¯s not just power you¡¯ve absorbed. It¡¯s actually¡­ inside you. Since when?] ¡°Since I picked it up, apparently.¡± [So it was there even when you were weak? And you had no issues?] ¡°I only recently realized it was inside me.¡± [What?]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Hephaestus¡¯s aura wavered. [You didn¡¯t even notice? Despite having something like the Monstrosity inside you?] For someone not to notice such a presence¡ªit was unimaginable. If true, it meant one of two things: Either he was an ignorant fool who couldn¡¯t understand his own situation, or¡­ he was something greater than the Monstrosity itself. But that seemed impossible. The Monstrosity was once a gue upon this world, defiling it. Nothing could be greater, even if it was just a fragment of its former self. [¡­Is that really true?] ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal nodded thoughtfully. ¡®Come to think of it, the Quest isn¡¯t saying anything.¡¯ Whenever he dealt with anything rted to the Forbidden Lands, the system would usually react, but now it was silent. After a brief pause, Ketal asked Hephaestus. ¡°Do you know the Monstrosity¡¯s power?¡± [¡­It kills all things. Down to their very core, leaving a wound that cannot heal.] ¡°A power of death?¡± Ketal narrowed his eyes. It seemed the Quest had no connection with the Monstrosity. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Hephaestus groaned softly, taking a while to calm down. [¡­Control is being maintained, right?] ¡°There will be no issues.¡± [I¡¯ll trust you. Hmph. I knew you were a bizarre being, but this is beyond that. It¡¯s the most alien thing I¡¯ve ever seen.] ¡°You¡¯re taking it in rather easily.¡± Ketal was slightly surprised, as Hephaestus¡¯s reaction was calm. Although he had briefly unleashed his power as if in a seizure and shown hostility, that was all. ¡°To be honest, I even expected a full-on fight.¡± [You have done many things for the world.] Hephaestus spoke calmly. [You¡¯ve helped others, fought against evil, and stood on our side. If you couldn¡¯t control the Monstrosity, these things wouldn¡¯t have been possible. With all you¡¯ve shown, I have no reason to oppose you.] ¡°¡­I see.¡± The things Ketal had done on the surface. His actions, his efforts to be a part of the world by controlling himself¡ªthey held meaning. A light expression of emotion appeared on Ketal¡¯s face. [It¡¯s quite surprising, though. You could have just quietly perished back there, but you survived, like a cockroach. It¡¯s disappointing.] The Monstrosity remained silent, as if it didn¡¯t care to respond. Hephaestus shook his head, trying to regain hisposure. [We¡¯ve strayed from the topic. Let¡¯s return to the main point. To get straight to the conclusion, it is possible to restore the Holy Sword.] It was possible to return the broken Holy Sword to its original state. [But re-inserting the Holy Sword is questionable. After all, the Holy Sword has already recognized you as its master. It can¡¯t seek a new owner now. And given that it now has a distinct consciousness, it would resist.] ¡°Hm.¡± In the end, the Holy Sword was his. He wasn¡¯t particrly surprised, as he had expected as much. And even if it hadn¡¯t been so, Ketal had no intention of refusing it. [So, I¡¯ll ask something else. Do you need the Holy Sword?] ¡°If you¡¯re asking if I need it, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t. The information it holds is something I don¡¯t have.¡± The Holy Sword¡¯s knowledge of gods and demons was certainly valuable to Ketal. [But you don¡¯t need it as a weapon.] ¡°I have this.¡± Ketal shook the axe hanging at his side. He had an axe that was part of the Monstrosity. So far, it had shown unmatched strength, never faltering. Now that he could also wield aura, the Holy Sword¡¯s value as a weapon was limited. [I understand enough. Proceeding as nned should be fine. Hand over the Holy Sword to me.] Ketal gazed at Hephaestus wordlessly. Hephaestus spoke as if understanding his hesitation. [I won¡¯t do anything that would harm the Holy Sword. You can trust me.] ¡°Understood.¡± Ketal handed over the broken Holy Sword. The sword shrieked in Hephaestus¡¯s hand. [Uwaaaah!] [Quiet down, you wretched thing.] Hephaestus lightly tapped the de and looked at it with a peculiar gaze. [I created you. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to call myself your father. But the reason I brought you into existence was to use you as a vessel.] The Holy Sword¡¯s purpose was to find someone with high divine affinity, devour their body, and summon a god to the earth. In that process, the consciousness of the Holy Sword would bepletely extinguished. [It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say I created you to kill you. Honestly, I won¡¯t deny that it weighed on my heart.] He was a god of smithing. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t have affection for his creations. Even more so for a holy relic like the Holy Sword, which required him to pour his soul into its creation. That effort made him deeply attached to it. [I simply epted that it was a sacrifice necessary for a greater cause. But now, I no longer need you.] [A-are you nning to dispose of me?] [I said no. Actually, this is a good opportunity to try something I¡¯ve wanted to do.] The Holy Sword rose into the air. [Come forth.] Then Hephaestus¡¯s power manifested. The force of creation and forging enveloped the Holy Sword. The broken de began to be restored. [Oh, ooh, oooooooh?] No, it went beyond mere restoration. The Holy Sword began to change, morphing before Ketal¡¯s widened eyes. As it transformed, it took on a form. Five fingers took shape, a slender arm appeared, and silver hair began to ripple. [A-Ah! Aaah!] And a voice echoed. Not just the manifestation of will, but a voice that rose through vocal cords. The floating Holy Swordnded on the ground. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The Holy Sword¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°W-what?¡± The Holy Sword wobbled awkwardly. Once, it could only move when wielded by someone. Now, she stood, moving her body at her own will, taking steps on her own feet. She looked to be in her early teens. A young girl with silver hair and silver eyes. She gazed at her hand in bewilderment. ¡®Come to think of it, this isn¡¯t all that unusual.¡¯ Ketal, who had been marveling, muttered. An ego sword that gained its own body¡ªit wasn¡¯t an umon trope in its own right. ¡°H-Hephaestus?¡± [I give you a body. Not as a tool for gods or demons, but so you can walk freely with your own will. This is my final gift to you.] Having said this, Hephaestus looked at Ketal. [I apologize. In a way, I forcibly changed something that was yours.] ¡°No, it was quite a show. Thanks for that.¡± Ketal smiled brightly, and he meant it. Watching an ego sword be human¡ªit was one of the things on his bucket list. Seeing his sincerity, Hephaestus chuckled softly. [Indeed, you¡¯re unique. But it¡¯s a good kind of uniqueness for us. We look forward to being with you for a long time.] ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s see each other for a long time, Hephaestus.¡± With those words, Hephaestus departed. The body he had inhabited, Grombir, staggered and copsed. ¡°Ugh. So, we¡¯ve finished our talk¡­¡± Grombir stopped mid-sentence. Because before him stood a girl he had never seen before. The Holy Sword waved her hand awkwardly. ¡°Uh, h-hi?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Grombir wore the same bewildered expression as the Holy Sword. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 311: Monstrosity (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 311: Monstrosity (3) ¡°¡­What exactly does that mean?¡± Ketal exined what Hephaestus had done. But even with the exnation, Grombir looked bewildered. ¡°How is that even¡­¡± A weapon had taken on human form. Not just an imitation like a simple doll, but a real human. Grombir himself was also a cksmith, and not just any cksmith, but one of the hero ss. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he was the greatest cksmith in the world. But even he couldn¡¯tprehend how this could have happened. ¡°¡­May I touch your arm?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The Holy Sword obediently offered her arm. Grombir took hold of it and let out a small sigh. The arm was incredibly soft. It was hard to believe that this was the body of a holy sword. Grombir focused his mind and invoked his mystical powers, examining the Holy Sword¡¯s physical form. As a result, he understood. The Holy Sword¡¯s body was not ordinary. The minerals that made up the Holy Sword had been transformed by divine power into a form resembling organic matter. It appeared like ordinary skin, but the tissues were made up of metal refined to its utmost limit. The girl before him was indeed a Holy Sword that had taken human form. Grombir was astonished. This was an ability far beyond hisprehension. ¡°¡­I see. Hephaestus, you¡¯ve truly done something remarkable.¡± Releasing her arm, Grombir looked at the Holy Sword with a renewed gaze. The girl was a Holy Sword in human form. And because of that, she was powerful. Even if Grombir attacked this defenseless girl, he¡¯d have difficulty leaving a scratch on her skin. Her skin was made up of metals that had taken the form of human flesh, so it was only natural. She was a hero ss. And one at a level Grombir would have difficulty defeating. He exined this part to Ketal. ¡°As expected.¡± Since he had anticipated it, he wasn¡¯t surprised. Those who wield the Holy Sword possess the power of a hero. Naturally, a Holy Sword that had be human would also possess the strength of a hero. ¡°As expected of Hephaestus.¡± Grombir murmured with reverence. Embedding a consciousness into a weapon he¡¯d crafted and enabling it to move with its own will¡ªthis was every cksmith¡¯s dream. Hephaestus had gone even further to achieveplete humanization. Until Grombir had checked it himself, he too had assumed she was just an ordinary girl. Calming his initial shock, Grombir spoke up. ¡°For now¡­ it seems like you¡¯re as surprised as we are. It looks like Hephaestus didn¡¯t exin things thoroughly.¡± ¡°Uh, yes, yes.¡± The Holy Sword was still reeling from all that had happened to her. Grombir said, ¡°Go back, get a sense of the situation, and we¡¯ll talk againter. I need to calm my own heart as well.¡± ¡°Ah, understood.¡± Ketal led the Holy Sword outside. As they walked back to their quarters, dwarves they passed stared wide-eyed at the girl they had never seen before. Back at the quarters, the Holy Sword murmured nkly. ¡°I can¡­ feel the wind.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you feel it before?¡± ¡°No. The ground feels hard. I can feel the texture of the fabric. I feel the movement of the air¡­ It¡¯s truly amazing.¡± ¡°Well, congrattions. You¡¯ve gained your freedom.¡± Ketal spoke calmly. The Holy Sword, lost in the sensations, snapped out of her reverie. ¡°Oh, th-thank you.¡± ¡°So, what do you n to do now?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hephaestus had granted freedom to the Holy Sword. After a moment of silence, Ketal spoke again. ¡°If you want, you¡¯re free to roam the world.¡± ¡°R-Really? Is that okay?¡± The Holy Sword¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. After all, she was technically Ketal¡¯s possession. She never imagined he would release her so easily. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Losing the information she provided was a pity, but it wasn¡¯t a significant loss. He had no interest in holding onto a being that had gained its freedom. ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± It wasplete freedom. Yet, because of that, the Holy Sword was bewildered. ¡°To live as a human¡­ what does one need to do?¡± The information she had was only about confronting evil. She had no knowledge of earning money, getting along with people, being part of amunity, or doing the things necessary for a normal life. Ketal replied, ¡°Start with what feels right to you. You¡¯ll figure it out naturally along the way.¡± ¡°What feels right¡­ Hmm.¡± After a long moment of contemtion, the Holy Sword made a decision. She looked at Ketal. ¡°Would it be alright if I followed you?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ketal tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but are you sure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. For now, I¡¯d like to follow you to learn how to live in this world.¡± Her silver, gem-like eyes fixed on him. ¡°Besides, I like you as a person. Hephaestus didn¡¯t give me any specific instructions about my life, so I think it¡¯s fine. Is that okay with you?¡± ¡°Do as you like.¡± Ketal replied calmly. He figured he¡¯d be taking her along for a while, but it wasn¡¯t particrly troublesome for him. The Holy Sword¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy. ¡°Oh, thank you! Honestly, I was nervous you¡¯d refuse because it¡¯d be a bother. I now understand what it means to feel your heart race!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me, I¡¯m used to it.¡± In the snowy white ins, Ketal was the chief. Protecting and leading others was part of his duty. The Holy Sword appeared as a young girl, but that didn¡¯t pose any problem. In the white ins, there was no one he could have a normal conversation with. With a "make do with what¡¯s avable" mindset, he had once taken promising children and personally trained them one-on-one many times, though all had failed due to inherent mental limitations. But since he¡¯d tried countless times, he was used to having someone in his care. Once permission was granted, the Holy Sword grinned happily. Afterward, they went to exin the situation to Grombir. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be traveling together for a while. I was going to suggest staying in the sanctuary if you had nowhere else to go, but I suppose that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Grombir looked at them both curiously. A girl who looked around her early teens. And a barbarian three times her size. ¡°A peculiarbination.¡± But somehow, they suited each other. One was a barbarian from the snowy white ins. The other, a Holy Sword who was never human to begin with. Both were far from ordinary beings. Moreover, the Holy Sword had silver hair. Some called its pale hue ashen. At a nce, they could be mistaken for father and daughter. Though upon closer inspection, one would quickly realize it was a mistake. They returned to their quarters. The Holy Sword made a deep bow. ¡°I look forward to our time together! May I ask one thing?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you give me a name? Nothinges to mind.¡± ¡°A name, huh.¡± Now that she had a human form, it was fitting for her to have a name. After a brief moment of thought, Ketal spoke. ¡°How about Serena?¡± ¡°Serena¡­ I like it. No, I love it! Thank you!¡± The Holy Sword, now named Serena, cheered happily. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Serena rushed out, saying she wanted to explore the world. The delighted expression on her face was like that of a child. And indeed, she probably was. Hephaestus wouldn¡¯t have created her in the form of a young child without reason. It was likely set to match her mental age. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be bored for a while.¡± Ketal remained alone in the quarters. Or rather, he wasn¡¯t truly alone. There was a monster inside him. ¡°Hey.¡± [What is it?] A weary voice echoed. Ketal picked up his axe and gave it a shake. ¡°Your power¡­ It¡¯s something close to death, isn¡¯t it?¡± [You already heard from the kid, so why bother asking?] The monstrosity spoke indifferently. His answer confirmed it. ¡®I see.¡¯ The mystery he possessed was fused with the monstrosity. As he summoned it forth, Raphael had shown fear. When Ketal extracted it, Raphael was seized by terror¡ªa fear of death. Ketal could tell which direction the power of the Monstrosity leaned. So he asked, "Do you know about the quest?" [I don¡¯t. You''re probably talking about that thing you asionally stare at nkly. It¡¯s neither visible nor perceivable to me.] The Monstrosity couldn¡¯t sense the quest. Without Ketal¡¯s reaction, it would have remained clueless. [If anything, I want to ask you. What on earth is that? Even though I¡¯m inside you, I can¡¯t grasp it at all.] ¡°Hmm.¡± The Monstrosity knew nothing about the quest, indicating it had no connection to it. Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡®What could this possibly be?¡¯ Why was it by his side? What did it want? Time had passed, yet he still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®Someday, the answer wille.¡¯ Even the Monstrosity within him hade to understand over time. The quest would likely be no different; one day, he would find out. After sorting out his thoughts, Ketal asked something else he was curious about. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some still worship you in this world.¡± [You think I remember every single one of those weaklings?] The Monstrosity replied dismissively, its tone uninterested. [But sure, some may still remain. There were many who worshiped me in the distant past. A nostalgic time, indeed.] It didn¡¯t seem to know much. The door burst open as their conversation wound down, and Serena returned with a cheerful expression. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve returned. Looks like you had a good time.¡± ¡°The dwarves offered me so much to eat! I didn¡¯t know this world had such delicious food! It was wonderful!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Ketal smiled warmly, listening to her chattering and responding appropriately. ¡°By the way.¡± He spoke, as if recalling something. ¡°They said the demons¡¯test invasion was a failure.¡± A demon with the rank of a count¡ªRaphael. He was the most powerful being from Hell to descend to the earthly realm, and a significant investment had been made to summon him from the depths. However, due to Ketal¡¯s presence, he was sent back to Hell in vain.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Although valuable minerals were sent to Hell, they likely didn¡¯t cover the cost of the sacrifices needed to bring him down. ¡°So, how do you think the demons will react now?¡± ¡°Hmm... Hell must have suffered quite a loss as well. Summoning a demon of that level probably required a substantial portion of the tributes they¡¯d plundered from the surface until now.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°At this rate, it¡¯s likely impossible for them to conquer the earth by continuing with these gradual advances. While they may gain locally, they¡¯d lose globally. So... the demons will have to make a choice.¡± Serena spoke quietly. A choice that could shift the course of the war. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°Something big ising.¡± ¡°Most likely, yes.¡± * * * Meanwhile, in Hell, a council of the four demon lords was taking ce. The Mother of Ten Thousand Demons, Materia, leaned back in her chair and asked, ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly annoying.¡± The Sword Demon, Calliste, narrowed his eyes. ¡°Really annoying. I want to handle it somehow.¡± [It¡¯s not easy. Judging from the battle with Raphael, he was even stronger than when facing Materia. His power is enough to definitely kill us.] ¡°Oh,e on. What exactly is that thing? It injured my true form beyond my avatar, and it can kill a demon summoned to earth? What even is it?¡± Materia muttered in disbelief. They hadn¡¯t witnessed the battle with Raphael firsthand, so they hadn¡¯t realized there was the Monstrosity within him. But they were certain the situation wasn¡¯t in their favor. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? At this rate, conquering the earth seems impossible.¡± Their resources were not limitless. Each time a demon was summoned, Hell¡¯s resources were significantly depleted. They had made substantial sacrifices to send Raphael to replenish those resources, hoping he could secure resources by upying Mantamia¡¯s mines long-term. However, Ketal¡¯s interference had ruined that npletely. They had to make a choice. Would they continue this slow attrition, or would they risk everything in a bold attempt? Yet, it was a difficult decision, as even that bold attempt could fail, leaving them vulnerable. A heavy silence filled the air. A writhing figure, Necronovix, finally broke the silence. [¡­I¡¯ve made my decision. I will go down myself.] ¡°You¡¯ll send an avatar? It¡¯s not a bad idea, but the cost is substantial.¡± [No, not an avatar. I¡¯ll go personally.] ¡°¡­What?¡± Materia¡¯s eyes widened. Necronovix spoke calmly. [If we gather the minerals Raphael brought and the artifacts collected from the world, there should just barely be enough for me to descend.] ¡°Oh, uh, yes, it¡¯s technically possible.¡± [With that barbarian from the White Wastnd around, there¡¯s no point in sending weaklings.] At the very least, an entity capable of confronting him and killing him needed to be sent. [However, since Raphael lost to him so easily, it¡¯s impossible for other demons.] Someone who could confront and kill Ketal¡ªa demon lord of Hell. The founder of all dark magic, Necronovix. [I will descend to earth myself and kill him.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 312: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 312: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (1) A deste mountain on the outskirts of the continent, abandoned by all. The only life forms were wild animals. It had been untouched by human footsteps for thousands of years¡ªa tranquil ce, even isted from the wars between good and evil on earth. But now, disaster descended upon the mountainside. Crunch. Space cracked. Through the tear, something writhed, as it slowly took form on the earth. The moment itnded, every wild animal copsed. Pupils dted, breaths ceased, and the vegetation began to decay, trees withered. Just the act of descending was enough to kill fragile life. Its presence started to spread beyond the mountain, reaching out toward the world. [Oh dear. This won¡¯t do. I can¡¯t afford to be detected here, at least not in this ce.] Whiiiir! A dark force stirred, forming aplex spell. The spreading presence was suppressed and controlled by ck magic. Even if a holy servant of the Sun God were to visit this ce, they wouldn''t be able to detect that something had descended. Such was the level of perfect control.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been on Earth.] Necronovix muttered, his voiceced with nostalgia. And indeed, it had been a long time¡ªthe first time since the distant Holy-Demon War. This time, he had descended in his true form, not a mere avatar. [Hear me, world.] This earth once belonged to the demons, and Necronovix was one of the Four Lords of Hell. At one point, a quarter of this world was his domain. [Your master has returned.] His calm voice resounds, though if he had not suppressed his power, it would have literally echoed across the world. [There is much to be done. First, I should adopt a proper form.] With that, the writhing mass begins to shift, forming into the shape of a dark, dark human. [Perfect.] Satisfied, Necronovix flicked his fingers, and above him, a spell formed from demonic energy. An intricate, twisted spell¡ªsoplex that even other demons would struggle toprehend it¡ªtook shape in the air. [Many of my followers remain in this world. I shall bestow my favor upon them.] The ck magic started to spread across the world. A vast malice began to race toward the earth. * * * At that moment, the sacred grounds of the elves were utterly peaceful. In fact, the atmosphere was bright because Karin had just returned from her tasks. Smiling, she greeted the elves one by one before heading to her room. "Oh, Karin, you¡¯re back?" She widened her eyes. A woman with red hair was sitting on her sofa, waving. "Ignisia? What are you doing here? Don¡¯t you have things to take care of?" "Something interfered, so I wrapped things up quickly. Thought I¡¯d stop by for some news." "¡­The guards didn¡¯t tell me you were here. Did you sneak in?" "Surprise!" Karin gave an exasperated look but soon smiled and sat across from Ignisia. "Wee, Ignisia." Karin and Ignisia were old friends. Ignisia nced around with an amused expression. "Where¡¯s Arkamis?" Ignisia also knew Arkamis. To be more precise, she had a one-sidedly friendly attitude toward her. As an elf who rejected spirits, Arkamis intrigued her, so she often tried to talk to her. "She¡¯s still finishing some things up." "Is that so? Pity. I was hoping to catch up with her." Ignisia clicked her tongue in disappointment. Karin waved her fingers, and spirits moved to pour tea in front of Ignisia, who lit up. "Elven tea. I haven¡¯t had this in a while." "So, how have you been?" "With the world like this, how do you think? Busy as ever. Came close to dying a few times." "¡­Sounds like you¡¯ve been in quite some danger." "It¡¯s fine. I had some help." "Help? You, needing help?" Karin raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Ignisia was a mighty dragon¡ªsomeone who usually helped others rather than needing help herself. Ignisia replied, "Ketal." "¡­Ah." At the name, Karin understood. "Now that you mention it, Parco did say he came here, looking for information from the South. So he went to assist you." "He was helping himself more than he was helping me, but he helped all the same. We¡¯re quite connected, as you know." "He¡¯s the one who saved our sanctuary. ¡­Even though he¡¯s from the Forbidden Lands." "You know him too, then. He¡¯s an intriguing being." The beings of the Forbidden Lands opposed the world. With the Forbidden Lands spilling over, several shes had urred. Everyone knew about Nano¡¯s conquest of an entire kingdom. "Yet he¡¯s helping us." "So, there¡¯s not much to say. ¡­Karin." After a moment of hesitation, Ignisia began to speak. She was going to ask about what Ketal had done during his visit to the sanctuary. But that question remained unasked. RUMBLE! A massive presence pressed down on them, and Ignisia and Karin¡¯s expressions hardened in an instant. "Ugh." Karin gasped for breath. Though she was one of the strongest elves alive, the sensation forced her to steady her breathing. Even the mighty dragon Ignisia¡¯s face was tense. "Wait, this is¡­" It wasn¡¯t an attack. It was merely an unmasked presence. Yet even that required these two heroic figures to tense every muscle. Something had arrived. Something truly, utterly dreadful. * * * "Ugh, aaaah!" "Ugh." Even the heroes were tense and stricken, so it was no surprise that the elves were even more affected. The elves guarding the sanctuary''s barrier were pale-faced. "Ahhh!" "Aaah¡­" They struggled to breathe, their legs shaking. "U-ugh, ahh!" Some couldn¡¯t bear the fear and began to flee. The duty to protect the World Tree lost to terror. "This, this is¡­" Parco stammered. It was simr to when Ketal hade to visit. But this time, there was a clear malice that couldn¡¯t be hidden. CRACK! Finally, the barrier protecting the sanctuary twisted and shattered, and the being exuding a formidable presence appeared before the elves. A darkened, humanoid figure. It opened its mouth. [Greetings, elves.] "Ah." At the sound of its voice, the elves dropped like puppets with cut strings, dying just from hearing it. "A-ah¡­" Parco barely survived, but he, too, couldn¡¯tst much longer. "Aaah¡­" He wanted to turn away, to avoid looking at this horrific creature. But he couldn¡¯t move. His body had frozen solid. In a few more seconds, his soul would flee his body. Just then, a wind blew. WHOOOSH! The wind struck the enemy, gently gathering the fallen elves and returning them inside. Karin, who had rushed over, shouted loudly, "All elves! Stay close to the World Tree! Do note out under any circumstances!" [[?????? ????]] A draconic incantation was activated. A red beam of light surged forward, filling the entire space, wielding a force of annihtion that could erase all things. It shed with the intruder within the sanctuary. Boom! It was thebined might of two heroes. No being on earth could survive such an attack unscathed. But both of their expressions were tense and serious. Hmph. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w As the aftermath settled, the figure of their opponent became visible. Not a single scratch marked its form. Ignisia looked on in shock. ¡°¡­Necronovix!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± For the first time in centuries, Karin cursed. The four lords who essentially ruled Hell: The Mother of Ten Thousand Beasts, Materia. The Demon of the Sword, Caliste. The first tool of the Demon King, Abyss. And the founder of dark magic, Necronovix. They were beingsparable to gods¡ªperhaps even greater. Before the Demon King descended, the four of them alone had withstood the attacks of the gods. Now, one of them stood right in front of them. ¡°¡­This feels like a nightmare!¡± Necronovix tilted his head, seemingly puzzled, disregarding their shock. [Raphael. The dragon who fought that child. I thought you¡¯d return to yourir; why are you here? This messes up the n.] ¡°Come forth! Minerva!¡± The wind manifested, forming a figure. The Spirit King of the Wind, Minerva, was summoned to the ground with a grave expression. ¡°Minerva, I¡¯m sorry!¡± [It¡¯s fine! Just do it!] ¡°Incarnation of the wind, carve your path here!¡± Minervapressed further and further, forming a shape like an arrow. Then, with blinding speed, it shot toward Necronovix. The technique transformed a spirit into a projectile, essentially a suicidal attack. It would ruin the rtionship with the spirit, but the power was certain. And this time, the projectile was the Spirit King of the Wind. The power was colossal. Though Karin was among the lower-ranked heroes, this strike alone could reach higher ranks. [[?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?]] Ignisia didn¡¯t stand idle either. Shepressed her draconic incantations from the start, unleashing them with all her might. Even Raphael, the count who ruled over the mines, had struggled to withstand that level of attack. The full force of two heroes surged toward Necronovix. No one on earth should have been able to withstand that assault unscathed. [So, it¡¯s not just the Elf Queen¡­ Unexpected.] Necronovix raised a finger, wearing a troubled expression. On that finger, a small, circr darkness shimmered. It was a tiny gathering of demonic energy, small enough for a child to hold in one hand. It swelled, rising like a curtain to obscure the world. The darkness met thebined attack of the two heroes. Crack. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Wait¡­ a second?¡± Both of their expressions froze. They could sense it. Theirbined power, touching the darkness, was dying. Literally. It wasn¡¯t being absorbed or negated; the very concept of their strength itself was perishing. Before long, the power was utterly dead. Leaving no aftermath, no residue. In the silence, Necronovix smiled in satisfaction. [It¡¯s working well. This is the first time using it in realbat. Worth the millennia I spent trapped in Hell working on it.] That was all he had to say about extinguishing thebined power of two heroes. Necronovix pointed his finger at Ignisia. [Piercing Bullet.] Demonic energy gathered at the spot, then shot forward. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ignisia¡¯s face stiffened. She had no time to utter a spell. She gathered her mana to the utmost, forming a desperate shield. Simple yet solid defense. But it was futile. Crack! Ignisia¡¯s defense was shattered, pierced as if it were wet paper. The dark bullet drove through her abdomen. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°I-Ignisia!¡± Karin cried out in horror, hastily summoning the wind to stop the bleeding. ¡°Grrr!¡± From the wound, darkness seeped up, trying to consume her body. Ignisia suppressed the pain, activating a healing spell. But all it did was restrain the force trying to kill her; the wound wouldn¡¯t heal. Like a ma, it pulled her closer to death. Cough! Cough! This was something else. The difference in power was staggering. Necronovix muttered, annoyed. [So there¡¯s even an elder dragon. This won¡¯t be easy. Better finish it quickly.] Demonic energy rose, eclipsing the sun and casting the world into shadow. [The rain of darkness has wet my path.] Death descended onto the earth. ¡°¡­Karin!¡± ¡°Oh, wind!¡± The dark deluge carved a path of destruction as it poured down. Ignisia and Karin frantically raised defenses. Boom! The rain of demonic energy began to destroy the elves¡¯ sanctuary. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 313: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 313: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (2) In the sacrednd of the Elves, disaster had descended. Karin and Ignisia summoned all their strength from the depths of their power to resist, while the Elves also lent their meager strength. Together, they fought for their lives against Necronovix. But it was not the only ce to face this catastrophe. At the exact same moment, there stood the Great Tower of Magic, reaching beyond the clouds¡ªa scene as chaotic as hell itself. No, to be precise, it was like hell hade, as one of the lords of hell had arrived there as well. The lord gazed up at the tower, murmuring with interest. [A tower built by a young magician,] Necronovix remarked, intrigued. [It''s well-made. Worth analyzing, I suppose.] "A... aah..." A magician on the tower¡¯s defense line trembled, his name was Guraisan. He had met Ketal when he went to confront Ashetiar in the Barkan Territory. After a long journey, he had finally arrived at the tower and was now an apprentice, studying magic. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "No... this can¡¯t be real..." The tower, prepared for any threat, was on the highest alert. Protective spells crafted by the tower''s master and his disciples surrounded it, and many magicians were guarding the perimeter. Even a hero-ss enemy would have had no choice but to retreat. Yet now, Guraisan stood alone, thest one left. All the defense magic, the magicians'' attacks¡ªall of it had been shattered with a casual wave of Necronovix''s hand. The spells broke, and magicians fell, coughing blood. [Magic on the surface world has progressed quite a bit,] Necronovix observed, as if merely assessing the scene. Guraisan¡¯s survival was not because of his skill but because he had frozen, unable to cast any spell. It was this hesitation alone that saved him. Necronovix, the iprehensible entity, slowly approached the tower. He ced his hand on its barrier. BANG! With a resounding impact, the barrier shattered, a protective ward that had defended the tower unbroken for hundreds of years. Guraisan coughed blood and fainted from the shock. Necronovix reached out to touch the tower itself, only to be repelled. His hand was pushed back by a force; someone had intervened, and Necronovix''s eyes glimmered with intrigue. [Oh?] "What is going on?" It was Elian, the disciple of the Tower Master, who appeared. He had hurriedly flown over after sensing the disturbance. As Elian faced Necronovix, he gasped. "De...mon!" And not just any ordinary demon. This was a demon of such a high rank that even Elian couldn''tprehend its level. It was akin to a god¡ª No, even greater than that. To Elian''s knowledge, there were only four beings with such a level of power. "One of the Four Lords...!" [[Pierce through!]] Elian didn''t bother with any conversation. He simply unleashed his magic at full power right from the start. It was amand to the world, a spell akin to a word of power. Necronovix''s face lit up with interest. [You analyzed thenguage of power and turned it into magic? Impressive. It¡¯s simr to my own method.] Necronovix, watching the spell fly towards him, quietly opened his mouth. [[Pierce through.]] Amand was given to the world. Necronovix''s magic shattered Elian''s spell and surged forward. Elian hurriedly cast a defensive spell to block it. KA-BOOM! The attack was blocked without any issues. There was no physical impact at all. But the mental shock was different. Elian''s face filled with shock. "...You mimicked my magic?" The magic Necronovix had just cast was Elian''s. The spell that Elian had developed through a lifetime of research was copied with just one demonstration. [Not bad, but... itcks depth. The security system of your magic is flimsy.] "Ugh!" With those words, Elian coughed up blood as a powerful shock shook his body. He quickly inspected his physical condition and his eyes widened. Demonic energy had somehow infiltrated his body, wrecking his internal magic circuits along the path of mystical energy. "When... when did this happen..." [From the moment you arrived here. But you haven''t died yet. You have potential. If you had lived longer, you could have be stronger.] Necronovix flicked his fingers. The demonic energy surged forth, aiming to pierce through Elian''s body. Elian squeezed his eyes shut. And at that moment, light descended. [Hmm.] For the first time, Necronovix''s expression changed. He took a step back. BOOOOM! The light struck down and scorched the spot where he had been. The attack had enough power to force even Necronovix to retreat. Necronovix murmured. [The Tower Master has arrived.] [What kind of nonsense is this?] With a wryugh, a skeletal figure appeared. Elian''s eyes widened. "M-Master? Weren''t you on the other side of the continent handling another matter?" [I rushed here as soon as I felt the disturbance. You look awful.] "...I¡¯m sorry." [It''s fine. Given your opponent, it couldn''t be helped. Rest for now.] With those words, the space expanded. The Tower shifted and moved beyond their line of sight. [Shifting the tower by stretching space itself? A sensible approach. Simple seals or defenses wouldn''t mean much here.] [...Why are you here? How could someone like you descend to this ne?] The Tower Master was utterly baffled. The four Lords of Hell. The founder of dark magic. Necronovix. A being equivalent to a god of Hell was present on this ne. And it wasn¡¯t an avatar or a vessel but the true form itself. It was like having the real god directly manifesting on this world. No, it was even more extraordinary than that. [...Why?] How could the world not detect Necronovix''s descent? When Federica opened the celestial pathway before, the shockwave spread across the entire continent. This should have been impossible. And that wasn¡¯t the only thing that made no sense. [Why are you here as well?] [...Oh?] Necronovix''s eyes gleamed with curiosity. [You managed to discern my position despite being far away? Impressive.] [How ridiculous.] The Tower Master chuckled bitterly. [It¡¯s not two, but three. There are three of you present on this ne simultaneously, and they''re not mere avatars.] Three Necronovixes were on this ne at once. [A disaster incarnate. What kind of method did you use?] [You are a magician yourself. Analyze it with your own power.] Necronovix grinned. Demonic energy began to seep out. The Tower Master froze upon seeing it. [...That¡¯s...] This was dangerous. It was something that could kill even him, a lich, who wouldn''t die unless his phctery was destroyed. [What is that?] [It¡¯s the power that once killed the most beings in this world. It is the strength of our old enemy.] Necronovix drew out death itself. [You wouldn¡¯t understand the concept anyway, so there¡¯s no need to concern yourself. Now then, the strongest mage on the surface, show me your power.] Necronovix unleashed his force. The Tower Master gathered mana and began casting a spell. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Meanwhile, at the Dwarves'' Sacred Ground. The Holy Sword, Serena, approached a Dwarven guard with a puzzled expression. "Excuse me, do you know where Ketal went? He wasn¡¯t in the lodging when I returned from my walk." "He has entered the dungeon." "It seems he was too busy dealing with greater evils to handle the nearby dungeons properly. Realizing this, he went off to take care of it." "Oh, is that so? Well... I have nothing else to do; should I follow him? Do you know where he went?" "As you wish. I will show you the location." The dwarf''s attitude towards Serena was nothing but respectful. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was only natural; Serena was a Holy Sword, a divine gift bestowed upon the earth by their god. To the dwarves, she was like an angel created directly by their deity. It was entirely understandable that they treated her with such reverence. As Serena, feeling grateful, was about to head towards Ketal¡ª Boom! A tremendous force crushed down upon them. The dwarf''s face, which had been speaking, turned pale in an instant. "Ah... ahh..." No, it was beyond that level; his mind seemed on the verge of breaking. Serena, startled, emitted a bright light. Ziiing! "Huff!" The dwarf, protected by the light, managed to gasp for breath. Serena, her face drained of color, stared off into the distance. "Wait... a second!" Something had arrived. Something utterly horrifying. [Is it here?] And there was Necronovix, approaching the dwarven sanctuary with a hum. A dwarf flew towards him at high speed. [Grombir, the Saint of the cksmith God.] "You... you''re Necronovix!" One of the four lords of the hell hade to this ce. Necronovix gazed at Grombir, and in that moment, Grombir''s instincts screamed a warning. He quickly raised his defenses. "The strongest shield! Protect me!" [A shield made by a mere earthbound dwarf breaks under my will.] Crunch! The shield was crushed in an instant. Grombir desperately tried to strengthen it, but it shattered against the overwhelming force. Crack! "Ugh!" His shield shattered, and the darkness seized Grombir. Necronovix hummed. [I won''t kill you. You''re useful to us.] The darkness widened its maw, about to swallow Grombir whole. In that moment¡ª Zing! A golden sword flew in, cutting through the encroaching darkness. Freed, Grombir hastily retreated. "Are you alright?" "Th-thank you!" [The Holy Sword?] Necronovix looked at Serena with a puzzled expression. [Why are you in human form? This isn''t a mere imitation. It''s real, organic matter... Is this the power of the cksmith God?] Intrigued, a hint of curiosity appeared on Necronovix''s face. Serena swallowed hard. "...I''ll hold him off. Please, go call Ketal!" "O-okay!" Grombir hurried inside. Necronovix raised his hand with a smile. And the darkness surged forth. The spreading darkness carried the power to engulf the entire world. Serena clenched her fist. Ziiing! Light wrapped around her entire body as she charged forward, throwing a punch. Boom! The explosion of light obliterated the encroaching darkness. Serena was clearly holding her own against Necronovix''s attack. [A Holy Sword is still a Holy Sword, it seems.] The humanized Holy Sword was a warrior of the hero ss. Moreover, her divine power held a natural advantage against evil. Although the world''s equilibrium had shifted and the inherent advantage wasn''t as strong as before, Serena''s level meant there was still a significant edge. She shattered the darkness as she rushed toward Necronovix. He muttered to himself. [Someone like Raphael wouldn''t find this easy.] Which also meant that this was about as far as her strength reached. [The shadow that kneels even celestial tools.] Shadows formed from trees, stones, and clouds began to rise all at once, aiming to subdue Serena. Serena quickly made a decision. Defense was meaningless; it would break eventually. Escape was also futile. In that case, she decided to advance instead. Covered in light, Serena charged at Necronovix. The intense light burned away the shadows, but even more shadows rose up to restrain her. Finally, several shadows seized Serena. Yet she pushed forward without retreating. "Arrgh!" Using thest of her strength, she swung her fist. But it didn''t reach. Her punch stopped just before hitting Necronovix''s nose. Shadows had fully restrained her. "Damn it!" [Such divine power is beyond our reach.] Necronovix, who had been watching Serena with interest, made a decision. [I''ll take you too. I want to disassemble you and see how you were made.] "Ugh..." Fear spread across Serena''s face. At that moment, someone flew in. Necronovix, who initially looked like he was about to brush the attacker off casually, froze. Instead of blocking, he stepped back. Darkness surged forth to strike the neer. sh! The surging darkness collided with an axe. The overwhelming power that even many of the world''s strongest warriors couldn''t handle was torn apart like paper. Necronovix''s expression turned serious. [A piercing bullet.] A bullet was fired. An absolute shot that could easily prate even Ignisia''s defenses. It collided with the axe. Boom! The shockwave swept through the surroundings, shaking Mantamia violently. Necronovix took a step back. "Eek!" Taking advantage of the shockwave, Serena barely managed to free herself and staggered back. She looked up and cried out with teary eyes. "Ketal!" "Someone strong has arrived," Ketal remarked, stepping forward. "Stand back." "...Please be careful, Ketal. That thing is... it''s a monster. No, it''s beyond that." Serena swallowed hard and spoke. "One of the four lords of the hell. It''s Necronovix." Serena hoped that Ketal would take this seriously. "...The Four Kings of Hell. Necronovix, is it?" Ketal murmured with a glint in his eye. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 314: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 314: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (3) ¡°Ke-Ketal?¡± Serena flinched at the name, but Ketal quicklyposed himself and addressed her. ¡°Stand back. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°O-okay!¡± Serena stumbled as she moved behind Ketal, who kept his gaze fixed on Necronovix. Necronovix was simply standing there. He wasn¡¯t expanding his aura or disying any hostile intent, yet a shiver ran through Ketal. The power emanating from Necronovix was palpable. This was perhaps the strongest entity he had ever faced on Earth¡ªone of a very few in the hell who could even be called equals. Necronovix, too, recognized this. [...Barbarian.] In Necronovix¡¯s eyes, there was an open wariness, and his whole body tensed, ready to respond to any movement Ketal might make. For the first time, Necronovix acknowledged Ketal as a genuine threat. ¡°You must know who I am.¡± [How could I not? Ketal, the Barbarian of the White Snowfields.] ¡°And you must be Necronovix, I presume. Would you care to introduce yourself?¡± [Not at all difficult.] Necronovix spoke with respectful courtesy. [I am the founder of ck magic, one of the Four Lords of Hell. I am called Necronovix. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.] Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. One of the Four Lords of Hell¡ªa demon ranked just below the Demon King. Necronovix spoke softly. [I owed a debt to Materia.] ¡°Ah, that incident. I remember.¡± Materia, the Mother of a Thousand Demons, had once descended to Earth using the body of Floris. It was then that she had battled Ketal. Ketal chuckled and asked. ¡°Are you here for the same reason as Materia?¡± Materia had sought Ketal¡¯s offspring, but Necronovix shook his head. [Hardly. I¡¯m not so arrogant. My reason for being here is simple.] His voice rang out calmly. [I came here to kill you.] A chill shot through Ketal as Necronovix¡¯s murderous intent became unmistakable. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The Holy Sword near them paled, paralyzed by fear. Even though the sword wasn¡¯t the target, its bearer trembled uncontrobly. nts withered, grass lost its vitality¡ªthe air itself seemed oppressed by the sheer force of Necronovix¡¯s intent. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Ketal, who was the target of this killing intent, couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. The Four Lords of Hell, beings akin to gods, and here before him was one of them in his true form, not a mere incarnation. He grinned broadly, his excitement rising, colliding with Necronovix¡¯s intent. Serena gasped as she withdrew further, unable to bear the sh of their emotions. The air around them warped from the pressure of their power. ¡°You¡¯re here to kill me, you say? That sounds interesting. Let¡¯s see you try.¡± [Darkness crawled up from the ground and grasped my enemy.] BAM! The ground shattered, and hands of darkness rose to seize Ketal¡¯s ankles. Without a word, Ketal responded to the intent with a smile, gathering his energy. A massive force wrapped around him. With a powerful stomp, Ketal disappeared. The Holy Sword couldn¡¯t keep up with his speed, and the hands of darkness caught only air. Necronovix muttered as Ketal moved faster than sound, somehowpleting his sentence before Ketal could reach him, as thoughpressing time itself. [A deep, ck shadow allows no one to pass.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A dark shadow materialized before Necronovix as Ketal swung his axe. BOOM! The impact echoed as nearby trees splintered and the ground trembled. ¡°Oh!¡± Ketal grinned. His attack had been blocked. Cracks spread across the shadow, but it remained unbroken. This only thrilled Ketal further as he pressed his feet down harder, refusing to step back. RUMBLE! Necronovix was forced back by Ketal¡¯s relentless push, realizing Ketal¡¯s intent. [You¡¯re trying to drive me back.] ¡°We¡¯re too close here. Let¡¯s take this further away.¡± CRACK! In an instant, their battle took them beyond the mountain range, to a ce untouched by humans. Necronovix snapped his fingers. [A heavy pir shall descend.] The sky opened, and a dark pir plummeted downwards, piercing the surface with force and speed. Ketal flexed his arm and swung. BANG! The pir shattered, scattering debris across thend, leaving the ground cracked and dented. Ketalughed with delight. ¡°I believe this is Ashetiar¡¯s power!¡± [Demons wield their power as magic, and ck magic also draws from that same source. It¡¯s hardly difficult.] Necronovix casually summoned more ck magic. [Shadows roared as they churned the earth.] A wave of shadows swept across the ground. Ketal leaped, evading the shadowy domain in an instant. Necronovix narrowed his eyes. [So you¡¯ve grown even stronger since fighting Materia, bing far more skilled with mystery than before.] Ketal was growing more powerful, something that did not bode well for them. [You¡¯ll need to die quickly.] Necronovix pointed a finger at Ketal, gathering a horrifically powerful energy. [Piercing Bullet.] The bullet shot forward, and Ketal tightened his grip on his axe, swinging it to meet the bullet. CLANG! The bullet didn¡¯t retreat but pressed forward, striving to break through the axe¡¯s de. But Ketal onlyughed, pushing back harder. CRACK! The bullet shattered, its force dissipating as it fell to the ground. ¡°What a peculiar power,¡± Ketal said, cheerfully swinging his axe, unscathed by the encounter. Necronovix clicked his tongue. The Piercing Bullet was an attack that carried a predetermined oue¡ªit was meant to have already pierced its target. Defense was theoretically impossible. Yet, Ketal had blocked it, thanks to his axe. [¡­The Abominable Axe. Even in its weakened form, it¡¯s as vexing as ever.] Necronovix narrowed his eyes. ¡®¡­I sense something different.¡¯ There was something inside Ketal, something terrible, alien, and faintly familiar, though its true nature was obscured. Whatever it was, it felt dangerously troublesome. Ketal took a step, shattering everything around him as he closed in on Necronovix. Necronovix submerged himself in darkness, jumping through space. [A dark line spirals as it charges toward its target.] The high-speed, spinning line of demonic energy rushed at Ketal. He dodged to the side, but at that moment, Necronovix spoke again. [There, it blooms.] CRASH! The line of energy exploded, sending countless spikes through the air like a sea urchin¡¯s needles, filling every avable space. It should have been impossible to avoid. [Not a single scratch.] Yet, Ketal emerged unscathed. He had observed the gaps within the explosion, dodging with minimal movements to avoid the assault. CRACK! Breaking through the spikes, Ketal bared his teeth. "Very strong!" Ketal wasn¡¯t responding lightly anymore. He was fully drawing out his strength to kill Necronovix. Frankly, if it were Raphael instead of him, he would have been easily overwhelmed by Ketal at this moment. Above all, Ketal now possessed superhuman-level mystic abilities, and his speed and strength had be much faster and stronger than before. But despite this, he hadn¡¯t managed tond any effective hits on Necronovix. It was truly remarkable. ¡°You¡¯re using an unusual power, unlike Materia! For the founder of ck magic, you look quite close to the sacred scriptures! Very threatening, impressive!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [If you¡¯re going to say that, I¡¯d at least appreciate it if you¡¯d let a few scratchesnd on you.] ¡°You¡¯re the same way, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ketal chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we end this probing? It seems rather meaningless at this point.¡± For an ordinary hero ss, just being exposed to this recent sh would make survival impossible. Yet for them, it was simply a probing exchange. Necronovix¡¯s eyes darkened; he was now on guard. He was trying to gauge the true power Ketal had shown when he faced Materia, even managing to wound his true self beyond his avatar. However, it seemed Ketal was also aware of his probing and wasn¡¯t showing his true strength so easily. [I suppose I¡¯ll have to move first.] Necronovix made his decision, gathering his power from elsewhere. Just gathering this strength caused the world itself to seem as if it were about to twist. Now, it was the real deal. Ketal grinned, bracing his entire body with power. [The world shall be night. This ce is my domain.] With those words, the world turned ck. From a distance, the Holy Sword, watching with an uneasy expression, swallowed nervously. "Th-That¡­." A part of the world had transformed into darkness, as if a ck box had swallowed up space, painted over the canvas of reality with a dark brush. Necronovix continued swiftly. [My world has now be a prison that traps my foes.] The spread of cknesspressed, swiftly capturing Ketal. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened as he realized he was imprisoned. ¡°Oh?¡± [I once looked up to the sky from the ground and thought, if those radiant lights illuminate the world, then surely, something as deep and dark must also exist.] The incantation flowed. A different, overwhelming power began to gather. This was dangerous, Ketal¡¯s senses warned him. He gripped his axe and struck down on the prison confining him. Boooom! But even after taking Ketal¡¯s attack, the prison didn¡¯t break, save for a minor scratch, holding its ce firmly. ¡®It¡¯s solid.¡¯ This wouldn¡¯t break like this. Just as Ketal was about to summon his mystery, Necronovix finished his incantation. [Since I have directly visited that ce to witness it, I shall call it the ck hole.] Crunch. And then¡­ Ketal¡¯s body was swallowed by the ck hole. It devoured air, wind, grass, and sound¡ªeverything without exception. This was an otherworldly phenomenon that existed somewhere in the cosmos, manifested here through ck magic. It was only an imitation, able to summon but a fraction of the true power¡¯s essence. But that alone was enough. Crunch! In an instant, the mountain range itself began to be pulled in, as if someone had taken a bite out of reality itself. ¡°Good heavens¡­.¡± Grombir, watching from a distance, gasped. Even a hero like him couldn¡¯tprehend the density of such power. Ketal seemed unlikely to survive such an overwhelming force. [He¡¯s probably still alive.] But Necronovix didn¡¯t let his guard down. He didn¡¯t believe Ketal would die so easily to this level of power. But he also knew he wouldn¡¯t escape easily, either. [With the power he¡¯s shown so far, he can¡¯t break free.] Ketal would have to draw out his strength. The power he used against Materia, that could leave scars on the world itself. That was indeed the manifestation of mystery¡ªAura. But, in Necronovix¡¯s assessment, Ketal couldn¡¯t use Aura freely. Once used, it was expended, closer to a one-time, consumable power. Necronovix intended to strike when Ketal exhausted his Aura escaping the ck hole, quickly gathering his own power. Shrrk. Darkness gathered. This was entirely different from the power Necronovix had wielded so far. Though formed of demonic energy, it possessed a distinct nature. It was death itself. This was the power he had hidden to lull Ketal intocency, now drawn out for a decisive blow. Cracks spread across the ck hole. Something writhing within defied the all-consuming pull, shattering it. And finally¡ª Booooom! The ck hole shattered. Fragments of the earth that had been swallowed by the hole burst out explosively. Ketal¡¯s figure appeared amidst the debris. ¡°Haha! Hahahaha!¡± Perhaps he hadn¡¯t emerged unscathed; his body borerge and small wounds. Necronovix swung his darkness, as if he had been waiting for this. Crack! Darkness, embodying death itself, shot forward. Not even Ketal coulde out unscathed if hit directly by this darkness. Because this darkness was the concept of death itself, capable of killing even the gods, the most terrible power that had once ughtered them over and over again. It was enough to kill even this barbarian. But when Necronovix saw Ketal charging forward, his eyes shook. Aura was swirling around Ketal¡¯s axe. [That¡¯s¡­] Aura collided with darkness. And darkness, literally, was consumed. Just as an ocean engulfs ake, the greater concept swallowed the imitation, erasing Necronovix¡¯s death in vain. ¡°This is delightful!¡± Ketalughed joyously as he charged forward. Necronovix reflexively swung his arm, unleashing a powerful defense. But even that defense was sliced through like cheese by the Aura. At this rate, he couldn¡¯t withstand it. Necronovix quicklyyered and ovepped space hundreds of times, creating an absolute defense. Boooom! Even that couldn¡¯t hold, and Necronovix¡¯s body was driven into the ground with a groan. He was unscathed. At most, he felt a slight impact. But that alone was shocking. [Ha.] Necronovix let out a mirthlessugh. How long had it been since he¡¯d taken any kind of damage? He couldn¡¯t even remember. Only a handful of the gods once called powerful had ever struck him meaningfully. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. [This is¡­ absurd.] Staggering as he got up, he looked at Ketal. There was indeed Aura on Ketal¡¯s axe. And within that Aura was something that deeply unsettled Necronovix. [Why does that Aura of yours carry that being¡¯s power?] As he spoke, Necronovix¡¯s eyes fixated on Ketal. After a brief pause, those eyes widened in realization. [...Abomination?] [PR/N: If ya¡¯ll remember, there was that one group of assassins that ketal destroyed who worshipped ¡®abomination¡¯, yep the monstrosity and abomination are the same.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 315: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 315: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (4) ¡°Hm.¡± Ketal smiled, gripping his shoulder, and realigned his dislocated bones. His shoulder had popped out from the sheer force. ¡°A ck hole¡­ You can create something like that, huh?¡± He muttered with satisfaction, marveling at the collection of intense gravity that even light could not escape¡ªa force so strong it had been recreated with ck magic. It was powerful. Very powerful. Escaping from it left him with several wounds on his body; if it hadsted any longer, things could have turned dangerous. Though the wounds were from releasing his aura to escape, sacrificing his bodily defenses, the fact that it even left marks on his body was remarkable. ¡°Amazing. You have my admiration,¡± Ketal said, genuinely impressed by Necronovix¡¯s strength. But Necronovix was in no position to ept any praise. His eyes were quivering. The energying from Ketal¡¯s aura¡ªit was warped and twisted, yet he could recognize its essence. [¡­Abomination¡­ Is it inside you?] ¡°So, if I draw it out with aura, it can be perceived, be it by god or demon. Otherwise, it remains hidden.¡± Ketal murmured as if he had just made a new discovery. His words turned Necronovix¡¯s doubt into certainty. [¡­Why is that¡­ inside you?] Abomination indeed resided within Ketal. It had surfaced into the world, taking the form of aura. As Necronovix silently observed it, he let out a groan. [¡­It¡¯s under control. This means you weren¡¯t devoured by it; instead, you devoured Abomination.] The tremble in Necronovix¡¯s eyes slowly subsided. [You¡¯vepletely absorbed Abomination that used to be sealed within your axe. That¡¯s why there was only a shell left in it.] Necronovix was shocked at the realization that this monstrous entity now belonged to Ketal. The creature, seemingly insulted by its subjugation, gave an annoyed huff. [Tsk. Such irritating scrutiny. This is why I hateing out.] ¡°Oh? So that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been so quiet.¡± Ketal chuckled. Despite facing a formidable foe in Necronovix, Abomination had been eerily silent. It made sense now¡ªit didn¡¯t want to show its current state. Being devoured and controlled would indeed be a blow to its pride; it had no reason to announce such a state to others. [I have no interest in conversing with a mere child. But¡­ it¡¯s intriguing to see you again. It¡¯s been a long time, Necronovix, young one of Hell.] [¡­It has been a while. To think I¡¯d hear your voice again¡­ I never thought it would happen twice.] [Enough chit-chat, young one. That darkness you wielded just now.] The darkness Necronovix had used to try and kill Ketal as he escaped the ck hole. [That¡­ you¡¯re imitating my power, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s crude and shallow, but passable. Then again, my power would seem remarkable to you young ones.] [¡­Well, isn¡¯t that something.] Having analyzed the situation, Necronovix chuckled bitterly. [Your mystery is mingled with Abomination¡¯s essence. That¡¯s why you could wound the true self¡­ How on earth?] Why in the world was this creature lying dormant inside Ketal? Ketal shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I have no reason to answer that.¡± [Of course not¡­ but this is troubling.] Necronovix narrowed his eyes. Ketal¡¯s aura still flickered around his axe. He hadn¡¯t been able to control it so steadily when he faced Materia. This meant he was growing ustomed to controlling Abomination. ¡°We¡¯ll end the discussion here,¡± Ketal dered, kicking off and advancing with his axe. Necronovix brandished his power. Boom! But all of it was shattered by Ketal¡¯s aura. [Damn it.] Necronovix chuckled bitterly. Abomination had been right. The dark magic he wielded merely mimicked the creature¡¯s powers. Necronovix had be captivated by its ability to destroy all things, spending every waking moment since his imprisonment in Hell to emte it finally. It was, without a doubt, an impressive feat. Mastering dark magic to imitate an alien power¡ªthis was certainly worthy of the title ¡°founder of dark magic.¡± But his opponent was not one he could defeat. A mere imitation could never ovee the real thing. Necronovix had lost his most crucial card. [My power is reaching its limits. I may not achieve my goal elsewhere, either. This is not good¡­ truly.] Necronovix murmured, observing the dwindling power within him. [But I won¡¯t go quietly.] Darkness surged forward, targeting Ketal¡¯s entire body. * * * The Dwarven Sanctum. A distant mountain range on its outskirts. Boom! There, Necronovix was being pushed back relentlessly. [ck mes rise, devouring the world.] ck mes consumed everything in their path. If they continued, they would advance to burn down the entire world. Ketal charged forward through the burning world. Necronovix barely dodged his swinging axe. Swish! But he didn¡¯t avoid it entirely; a deep gash appeared on his arm. Ketal grinned in satisfaction. ¡°Finally, Inded a blow!¡± [¡­] Necronovix silently gazed at his wound. A wound created by aura. It had even cut into his true self. [It¡¯s certain now.] Necronovix collected himself, drawing more power. Demonic energy erupted, engulfing the space. Ketalughed, gripping his axe. Rumble! Neither side could easily bring down the other, and the battle raged on. [Hey.] Abomination, which had been silent, spoke. [I¡¯ll cooperate. Kill him.] ¡°Weren¡¯t you refusing to cooperate with me?¡± [I told you. I enjoy killing foolish young ones who mistakenly believe themselves strong. That one¡¯s worthy enough for me to intervene.] The creature¡¯s voice was excited, and the mystery within him pulsed as if eager to fight. [He dared imitate my power. It¡¯s crude and clumsy, but impressive. And so very pitiful. I¡¯d like to crush him with my own hands to show him the difference in our abilities.] With the aid of the Abomination, defeating Necronovix wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. However, Ketal shook his head. ¡°No. I won¡¯t do that.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [¡­What?] The Abomination''s voice betrayed its shock, as though it hadn¡¯t expected rejection. [Why not?] After a brief moment of surprise, the Abomination reached a conclusion. [¡­Wait a second. Don¡¯t tell me you think it¡¯s a waste to kill that thing here?] The Abomination had been inside Ketal for a long time. It understood his longing for fantastical battles better than anyone. Ketal, it suspected, might believe it would be a shame to kill a demon of such immense power. That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t using the Abomination¡¯s strength. But Ketal shook his head again. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯m not that crazy.¡± [You¡¯re crazy, just in a different way.] ¡°I said I¡¯m not.¡± Ketal smirked. ¡°Is this really Necronovix¡¯s full power?¡± [¡­] The Abomination fell silent. Ketal narrowed his eyes. ¡°It seems too weak.¡± One of the Four Lords of Hell. A demon said to surpass even the gods. Could something of that caliber really only muster this level of power? Even with Ketal holding a natural advantage, it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°More than that, it seems like it¡¯s stalling, dragging out the fight. Almost as if it wants to observe more of my abilities.¡± Necronovix wasn¡¯t fighting as though its life depended on it. Rather, it seemed intent on analyzing Ketal¡¯s strength. If that was the case, there was no reason for Ketal to reveal his full hand either. It was a logical conclusion. But the Abomination remained skeptical. [¡­Is that really your only reason? It¡¯s not that you¡¯re reluctant to kill it?] ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Ketal replied firmly. [Hmm.] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Despite Ketal¡¯s insistence, the Abomination didn¡¯t seem convinced. Ketal pulled a wry face. ¡°Unbelievable. I¡¯m doing my best to protect the surface world, you know.¡± Normally, people would ept such statements from Ketal without question. But the Abomination had been with him too long. It understood his innermost thoughts better than anyone. [And in doing so, you¡¯re also fulfilling your own desires, aren¡¯t you?] ¡°¡­¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t deny it. It wasn¡¯t wrong, after all. ¡°You know me too well. It¡¯s something to consider.¡± He sighed and leapt forward, deciding to keep his strength concealed. His aura-coated axe pressed Necronovix harder. [Hmm.] It turned out to be the right call. When Ketal didn¡¯t show more power beyond imbuing his axe with aura, Necronovix¡¯s eyes narrowed. [¡­Nothing out of the ordinary. Is he holding back, or is this truly all he has?] Necronovix wanted to gauge more but was nearing its limits. It clicked its tongue in frustration. [An oversight.] The fight against Ketal had drained it too much, leaving other tasks unfinished. [For now, this will have to do. Let¡¯s end it.] Darkness erupted from Necronovix, surging toward Ketal like a feral beast. ¡°Hmm.¡± A stronger attack than anything before. That meant it would leave an opening if Ketal could break through. Ketal steadied himself and charged, swinging his axe to cleave through the darkness. Without stopping, he lunged straight at Necronovix. And then¡ª sh. Necronovix¡¯s head was severed. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hmm?¡± The decapitated body crumpled to the ground, then dissolved into shadowy mist shortly after. And with that, it was over. Necronovix¡¯s presence vanishedpletely. ¡°Did I kill it? ¡­No. No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Before Ketal had even struck the final blow, Necronovix¡¯s presence had already begun to fade. It felt as though the puppet¡¯s strings had been cut. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ketal frowned. Meanwhile, at the Elven Sanctuary¡ª ¡°Eeek!¡± ¡°Gahh!¡± The air echoed with cries of anguish. Countless elves and spirits charged at their foe, sacrificing their lives in vain. ¡°No!¡± The High Elf Queen, Karine, screamed and unleashed her power. Gales of wind hurtled toward their enemy. But¡ª [Hmm.] With a simple flick of the fingers, the wind was utterly erased. Ignisia wasn¡¯t idle either. She gathered all her strength and invoked draconic incantations. But to no avail. The spells fizzled out against Necronovix without leaving a scratch. Despite the elves¡¯ desperate attempts, even their most powerful assaults barely slowed Necronovix down. Their energy was depleting rapidly, as were the lives of the elves. ¡°Argh!¡± Karine looked skyward in despair. ¡°Oh, Spirit Lord! Please, aid us!¡± The sacred ground of the elves, home to the World Tree, was under siege by a great evil. Surely the Spirit Lord would intervene. But there was no response. The divine connection was eerily silent, as though forcibly severed. With no hope of divine intervention, despair crept onto their faces. Ignisia stepped forward decisively. ¡°Karine, stand back.¡± ¡°Ignisia?¡± Ignisia bared her teeth as her Dragon Heart surged with immense power. Karine¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°Wait! Ignisia!¡± She realized what Ignisia intended. The Dragon Heart was being primed for a self-destructive explosion to take Necronovix down with it. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot, but¡ª!¡± Better to go out fighting than surrender. Just as Ignisia braced herself to charge¡ª [Hmm.] Necronovix stopped moving. Startled, Ignisia hesitated. ¡°W-What?¡± [¡­They¡¯ve pushed me too far over there. This is my limit. I wanted to burn the World Tree, but¡ª] Necronovix clicked its tongue. [No matter. I¡¯ll return another time.] With those words, Necronovix¡¯s form began to dissipate, as though melting under sunlight. ¡°¡­What the?¡± ¡°Did we win?¡± In the midst of the destruction, the elves stared nkly at the spot where Necronovix had vanished. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 316: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 316: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (5)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A Little While Ago... In the Magic Tower, a fierce battle raged between the Tower Master and Necronovix. BOOM! Darkness exploded, and the Tower Master emerged from the st. His condition was far from good. The robe covering his entire body had long since been torn to shreds, and the bones making up his form were cracked and broken in several ces. Yet, he did not fall. Necronovix was impressed. [Even an ancient dragon would die ten times over from that attack. Truly, you possess power worthy of being called the strongest magician on the surface.] [Then it would be great if you could just leave!] [I can''t do that. Piercing Bullet!] Necronovix fired a bullet. The Tower Master quickly cast a spell. [Space Severance.] The space in front of the Tower Master was sliced apart. The bullet flew into the severed space. [Space Connection.] He then linked the severed space to a different location, positioning it directly behind Necronovix. The Piercing Bullet struck Necronovix in the back, yet nothing happened. Necronovix spoke calmly. [A near-perfect countermeasure. But ultimately, it is still my power. You can''t harm me with it.] The Tower Master simply waved his skeletal fingers. [Explosion.] Suddenly, Necronovix''s body shook as if a bomb had gone off inside him, his eyes widening. [...You hid a spell within the bullet. I didn''t notice it at all.] [And yet, you don¡¯t have a scratch on you.] The Tower Master clicked his tongue. What he had done was essentially nt a bomb inside Necronovix by hiding a spell in the enemy''s own attack and detonating it once it was inside his body. Yet it had no effect on Necronovix. It was almost absurd. ''This is tough.'' It was hard to endure. Each of Necronovix''s dark magic attacks carried the power of death itself. Normal defenses or counterattacks were ineffective, and it felt like his mind was about to shatter. ''What kind of terrifying power is this?'' A bizarre force that nullified everything it touched, returning it to nothingness. The Tower Master was dumbfounded. It was too destructive to be called mere dark magic. [You are strong.] Necronovix was genuinely impressed by the Tower Master''s strength. Despite wielding such deadly power, the Tower Master was still alive, countering his attacks, and even retaliating. It was nothing short of astonishing. Necronovix soon realized why. [You''re using circle magic.] [An outdated technique, suitable for an old man like me.] [That¡¯s not the point. You¡¯re casting multiple spells simultaneously.] Severing space, expanding severed space, maintaining the integrity of connected space, and moving the severed space behind his opponent¡ªall these spells at once. By Necronovix''s count, the Tower Master was casting a total of seventeen spells simultaneously. This was why he could endure against Necronovix''s death-infused attacks. [That''s impossible.] But it was something unimaginable. It was not about capability but the very nature of magic. Casting multiple spells at once would cause the mind to overload and shatter. It was beyond what any normal magician could endure. Necronovix, realizing this, was surprised. [You''ve modified your own mind.] [One of the benefits of bing a lich is not being constrained by physical limits.] The Tower Master had partitioned his mind, assigning separate personalities to handle different spell incantations. [All for the sake of magic.] It was a unique magic he had developed for himself. [What do you think?] [It''s madness.] Necronovix was astounded. Partitioning one''s own mind just to cast multiple spells simultaneously was something even demons wouldn¡¯t dare to do. [You¡¯re insane. If this were in my prime, you''d be known as the most feared dark magician in history.] [I appreciate the ttery. Now, it''s my turn. I thought I was going to die holding out.] By splitting his personality, the Tower Master could prepare spells requiring lengthy incantations even while fighting. Now, the spell he had been preparing since the start of the battle was finally ready. Necronovix gasped. [This is¡­] [Take this.] With those words, the sky opened up, and a pir of light filled the space, engulfing Necronovix. Despite being magic, the attack was imbued with a divine aura, causing onlookers to exim in awe. "Oh, ohhh!" The light was blindingly holy. Even a powerful demon couldn¡¯t remain unscathed against such an attack. Elian approached the Tower Master. "Master, did we... win?" [Don''te any closer, you fool.] The Tower Master immediately pushed him away. [I knew it wouldn¡¯t work, but this is still a bit humiliating.] [You mimicked divine power with magic. Impressive.] As the light faded, Necronovix reappeared, unharmed. Elian''s eyes widened. "Not a single scratch?" [Oh, don¡¯t say such disappointing things. It was a formidable attack. Look at this.] Necronovix lifted his hand, showing a slight burn on his fingertip, like it had been pressed against a dying candle. That was it. The Tower Master''s trump card had merely singed the tip of Necronovix''s finger. The previously jubnt faces of the spectators turned to despair. The Tower Master clicked his tongue. [You can even kill the holy? This is insane.] [I¡¯m the one impressed. To think you could pierce through death. Your power lives up to your reputation. I think I need to finish you off quickly.] Necronovix reached out his hand, and the Tower Master braced himself for another sh. But that was all he could do. [...I don¡¯t even have the strength left to lift my power. I¡¯ve exhausted too much elsewhere.] [Hmm?] The Tower Master''s pupils trembled. Necronovix''s form began to fade. [It was enjoyable, Tower Master. Until we meet again.] With those words, Necronovix started to disappear. [Do you think I''ll just let you go?] The Tower Master swiftly moved, attempting to capture some remnants of Necronovix. His intervention, nearly at his full capacity, caught a part of Necronovix off guard. [Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to intervene this far. Truly impressive.] Necronovixughed. [I¡¯ve decided. You must die.] And with that, Necronovix vanishedpletely. The Tower Master, exhausted, copsed to the ground. [Damn it. At my age, going through this¡­] "I-Is it over?" [Yes, my disciple. This is the first time in a hundred years I¡¯ve used this much power. Help me up.] "Y-Yes." Elian hesitantly supported the Tower Master, confusion evident on his face. "Did we... win?" [As if that would be the case, you foolish disciple. He just failed to control the power he drew from another location.] "W-what?" [Necronovix isn''t only here.] The Tower Master clicked his tongue. [There are three of them on the surface. One is in the Elven Sanctuary, another is here, and thest one is in the Dwarven Sanctuary.] "Wh-what does that mean...?" [Look there.] The Tower Master pointed to where Necronovix had disappeared. Elian''s eyes widened. Therey a human corpse. "...What is that?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [It¡¯s the reason why there could be three of him appearing at once. It¡¯s a true catastrophe.] A formidable monster. A being that even the Tower Master could not defeat. Such a thing had descended upon this world. The biggest problem was that they couldn''t even grasp the enemy''s abilities. For the first time in a long while, the Tower Master felt a wall he couldn''t ovee. [¡­I suppose there''s no choice then.] The Tower Master, after some deliberation, made a decision. He couldn¡¯t solve this problem alone. He needed help from others. [As much as I''d like to leave it alone, given the situation, I can''t. I''ll have to ask for assistance. Elian, keep the corpse stored away. I''ll analyze itter.] "Huh? Yes, understood." With those words, the Tower Master vanished, leaving Elian standing there with a bewildered expression. * * * The battle between Ketal and Necronovix had ended. The overwhelming presence that had been crushing the world was now gone. However, even so, Grombir and Serena couldn¡¯t approach. Just remembering it made it hard to take a step forward. And soon, Ketal arrived. "What... What happened?" "We won. For now, at least." "What?" "My god, really?" Grombir and Serena were stunned. It was a natural reaction. "Did we really drive Necronovix out of this world?" One of the four great lords of hell had been defeated. It was hard not to think so, given the situation. Yet, Ketal''s face looked uncertain. "...I''m not sure." It was because Necronovix had epted Ketal''s final attack too easily. As if he had already fallen before the strike evennded. "Was it a clone?" "No, it wasn''t a clone." What he faced was definitely the true body of Necronovix. But there was something off. "Did I really defeat Necronovix?" "W-What do you mean by that?" Grombir couldn¡¯t understand what Ketal was saying. Ketal had said he defeated the true body, but now he was questioning if he really had. It was hard for Grombir, who hadn¡¯t seen the actual battle, toprehend this. "We need to verify this. Can we summon Hephaestus again?" "Lord Hephaestus... No, wait. I''ll offer a prayer. Please wait a moment." Grombir left for the temple to call upon Hephaestus. Meanwhile, back in their quarters, Ketal spoke to the Monstrosity. "Do you know what happened?" [Do you think I remember the strength of every weakling I meet?] The creature answered dismissively. "So you don¡¯t know." [It''s not that I don''t know; I just don''t care.] "Isn''t that the same thing?" [¡­You.] "Serena, do you have any idea?" Ignoring the creature''s response, Ketal turned to Serena. She shook her head with a firm expression. "N-No. I have no idea either." Even the Holy Sword had almost no information about the four great lords of hell. The little they knew was minimal. "We¡¯ll have to wait for Hephaestus, then." An hourter, Grombir called for Ketal. With a stiff expression, Grombir spoke. "Connection is impossible." "Hm?" "No matter how much I pray, my prayers aren¡¯t reaching the heavens." "...Has something happened to Hephaestus?" "No, it doesn¡¯t feel like that. It feels like the connection itself has been cut off." "Did the demons do something?" "That seems to be the case." Though they didn¡¯t know how, it appeared the demons had severed the connection between the heavens and the mortal world. "They won''t be able to block it for long, but we may not be able to rely on heavenly help for a while." "That¡¯s troublesome." In the end, they couldn¡¯t obtain any information about Necronovix. Yet, Grombir remained calm. "Regardless, you fought Necronovix and won. It wasn¡¯t a clone or an avatar, correct?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." It had definitely been the true body of Necronovix. Grombir¡¯s face was filled with awe. "...This is incredible." Necronovix, one of the great lords of hell¡ªa being practically akin to a god¡ªhad been fought and defeated by Ketal. Though they knew his strength, this was beyond their expectations. "Even if Necronovix managed to escape, the amount of power he expended means he won¡¯t be able to intervene in this world easily again. At least for now, it¡¯s not an immediate concern." "Hmm." That was definitely true. Yet, something bothered Ketal. It felt like he had a thorn stuck in his throat. "You seem tired from fighting such a powerful foe. That¡¯s why you''re overthinking things. For now, you should rest." [But you won''t have that luxury, Dwarven leader. His hunch is probably correct.] "Wh-Who¡¯s there?!" Startled by the sudden voice, Grombir instinctively drew his weapon. Krrrack. At the same time, the space around them began to tear open. Grombir¡¯s face filled with shock. "H-How is this possible?!" This was Mantamia, the sacrednd of the Dwarves. It was a ce heavily guarded by barriers and divine wards, making it impossible for an external entity to breach it. Even Raphael had been unable to infiltrate and had to force his way in from the front. But now, the space within this sacrednd was being torn apart. It meant that whoever was entering was far stronger than Raphael. Grombir quickly braced himself. [I am the one who hase, foolish leader of the dwarves. Have you already forgotten my voice?] Through the rift, a figure began to emerge. It was a being made of bones. Grombir¡¯s eyes widened. "...The Tower Master?" "Oh! It¡¯s been a while." Ketal greeted with a happy expression. T he Tower Master looked at Ketal and spoke. [The situation calls for cooperation. Can you lend me your aid?] "Of course, no problem." Ketal nodded cheerfully. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 317: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 317: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (6) The Dwarven King, realizing btedly that the neer was the Master of the Magic Tower, flusteredly greeted him. "Oh, it''s been a while." [Yes, yes. I almost felt slighted, thinking you had forgotten me.] "Th-that would never happen." The mighty hero, Grombir, the strongest among the dwarves, found himself floundering in the presence of the Master of the Magic Tower. It was an unavoidable reaction, given who the Master was¡ªa legendary figure who had made a name for himself across the continent long before Grombir was even born. He was the lord of all mages, a monstrous existence beyond the concept of mere mortals. Although Grombir was the king of the dwarves and held a high status, he had been indebted to the Master of the Magic Tower a few times in his youth, making it difficult for him to act assertively. "So, what do you mean by that?" Grombir, eager to change the tense atmosphere, quickly shifted the topic. "Are you saying the Necronovix that Ketal fought was just a clone?" Ketal doubted whether he had truly defeated Necronovix. The Master of the Magic Tower had called his doubts justified, leading Ketal to interpret it as the enemy being a mere clone. However, the Master of the Magic Tower denied this. [No, it was definitely the real one. Let me exin. If you want to listen, feel free.] With a wave of his finger, the Master of the Magic Tower conjured a chair made of mana and sat down. His gaze then turned towards Serena. [...But who are you?] "Greetings, Master of the Magic Tower," Serena replied softly. "I have heard of your famed name. A being on earth who has touched the gates of heaven. I am Serena, once known as the Holy Sword." At her words, a glint in the Master of the Magic Tower''s eyes flickered momentarily. [...A change in nature, is it? The powers of the gods truly can achieve the most peculiar things.] The Master marveled but showed only mild surprise, as if it was within his expectations. [No issues then. I have questions for you as well.] After organizing his thoughts, the Master of the Magic Tower began. [First, Necronovix must havee here, correct?] "He did," Ketal replied. The Master of the Magic Tower asked, [What happened then?] "I won." [Hah, you actually defeated that monster.] The Master of the Magic Tower chuckled. Even he had barely managed to graze Necronovix. The entity was so formidable that only a god descending directly could have opposed him. Yet Ketal had emerged victorious against such a being¡ªan astonishing disy of strength. [Well, it''s not bad for us. But to get straight to the point, you didn''t actually defeat Necronovix.] "Then, are you saying it was a clone?" [I told you, it wasn''t a clone. It was indeed Necronovix himself.] "...My God." The Four Lords of Hell. One of them had descended directly onto the earth. Grombir felt dizzy at the thought, while Ketal wore an expression that seemed to say, "I figured as much." The entity had been far too strong to be a mere clone, far surpassing the level of Materia, who had borrowed Floris'' body to descend. ¡®Though I can''t fathom how he escaped at the end,¡¯ Ketal thought. As a being akin to a god, Necronovix must have had a way. Grombir muttered, amazed, "Did youe to gather information about Necronovix? You sure detected him fast." [Not entirely incorrect, but there''s a misunderstanding. Let me rify. Necronovix didn''te only here.] "...What?" [While you were facing Necronovix, I was also fighting him. Not just me¡ªthe elves as well. Their sacrednd was attacked by Necronovix.] "W-what?" It wasn''t just them who were attacked. Grombir was shocked at the revtion. "Are the elves alright?" Ketal asked quickly, knowing that Karin and Arkamis were there. He also thought Ignisia might have arrived there, making him naturally worried about those he knew. [They seem to have barely managed to fend him off, though there were significant casualties. The ones you''re familiar with are injured but alive, so you don''t need to worry.] "That''s a relief." "Are you saying Necronovix attacked one ce after another?" [No, he appeared simultaneously.] "H-how?" Grombir lookedpletely baffled. The Master of the Magic Tower clicked his tongue and exined. [Let''s start with the phenomenon. Necronovix appeared in three ces simultaneously.] The sacrednd of the elves, The Magic Tower, And the dwarven stronghold. Necronovix attacked these three locations simultaneously. [These weren''t clones or shadows. Each one was the true Necronovix. Three of him existed on earth simultaneously.] "...Are you saying there are three Necronovixes in total? Unbelievable." Grombir swallowed hard. To have three god-like beings present on earth simultaneously was terrifying. However, the Master of the Magic Tower denied that possibility. [No, it seemed more like a separation of himself.] "Dark magic?" [Most likely. The three share their power and consciousness. There¡¯s a time limit, and he can¡¯t fully pay attention to the others if he focuses on one side. Still, there are few who can withstand even that.] The Master of the Magic Tower knew this. Necronovix had been so focused on Ketal that he couldn¡¯t properly distribute his power and consciousness elsewhere. [The only ones who can buy time against a split Necronovix are me and... perhaps the Sun God''s Saintess.] Even the so-called heroes couldn¡¯t stand against Necronovix. The Master of the Magic Tower looked at Ketal. [You might be the only one who can truly defeat him.] "Hmm." "..." Grombir''s face turned pale. In conclusion, Necronovix could exist simultaneously in three ces on earth. However, only the Sun God''s Saintess, the Master of the Magic Tower, and Ketal could contend with him. If Necronovix returned after Ketal left, theirnds would face inevitable destruction. [Can you contact the gods?] "Impossible. My prayers don''t reach them." [They must have used a trick from Hell. Of course, they would use every method avable to summon one of the Four Lords.] The Master of the Magic Tower clicked his tongue. They couldn''t rely on the gods. They had to respond using only the power avable on earth. [My power alone isn¡¯t enough to handle Necronovix. So, will you help me?] Would Ketal join him in fighting against Necronovix? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Ketal nodded without hesitation. "I''ll cooperate."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Thank you, truly. If you visit the Magic Towerter, I''ll reward you generously.] "Don''t worry about it. It''s only natural to cooperate when the world is in peril." Ketal replied. He could feel the sinister presenceughing inside him, but he ignored it. "So, how should we deal with this? Are we supposed to handle all three at once?" Like the Hydra, which could only be killed by severing all its seven heads simultaneously, they might have to deal with the three separated Necronovixes all at once. At this, the Magic Tower Master let out a groan. [To be honest, I haven''t figured it out yet. It¡¯s such an advanced form of dark magic that I can''t immediately grasp its exact nature.] "Hmm. Serena, do you know anything?" "Ah, no. I have information about Necronovix, but I''ve never heard of such abilities." [It¡¯s probably a power they gained after the Divine Demon War. Fortunately, we¡¯ve managed to capture one of its tails. We can analyze it and figure out how to counter it.] "So, we have to hold out until we find an answer. It¡¯s like a continent-wide defense game," Ketal murmured before asking, "How do you n to block them? You don''t know how the Necronovixes will descend, right?" To stop the Necronovixes'' attacks, they needed to predict their movements in advance. However, they could only respond a step behind without receiving any divine revtions. The Magic Tower Master answered: [That won''t be a problem. My magic is epassing the entire continent.] "...What?" [I''ve cast a Ten-ss spell I created, Omniscient Observer Perspective. The spell is active. It nkets the continent like the air in sync with my scattered puppets. No matter where they appear, we¡¯ll know immediately.] "Hold on." Ketal¡¯s expression was one of surprise. The Magic Tower Master was saying he had deployed a spell covering the entire continent. Ketal let out a dryugh. "You monster." [It sounds like you''re teasing me when you say that.] The Magic Tower Master remarked with an exasperated tone. [In any case, we can detect their arrival immediately. We¡¯ll need to leap using spatial magic to respond swiftly.] "So, we just have to wait for now." [Since we can¡¯t act until they show themselves, that¡¯s correct.] "When do you think their next attack will be?" [Well, I¡¯m not entirely sure of the method, but judging by standard approaches, it shouldn''t happen too soon. It will probably take at least a week before the next attack follows.] "We should be safe for the time being." [Probably so. Rest for now. I¡¯ll call for you when the timees.] "Understood," Ketal replied and continued training his aura alone. Two dayster, the Magic Tower Master rushed over to Ketal. [This is insane!] His eyes were filled with shock. His voice carried a tone of denial. [It¡¯s only been three days!] "It seems they''ve already arrived." [Damn it. I¡¯m counting on you.] Ketal nodded. * * * In the Eastern Continent, multiple fronts existed where the forces of the surface and the forces of evil were engaged in intense battles, vying for control. Among them, thergest frontline existed, connecting to all regions of the Eastern Continent. The demons had identified its strategic importance and were relentlessly attacking it. The surface forces were barely holding their ground, pouring in all their strength. It was a living hell. [The ck wave engulfs the surface.] It was not a wave but a tsunami¡ªa massive, dark tidal wave that blocked out the sun as it crashed over the frontline. "Ah...!" "Save us..." The defenders were swept away without resistance. Among them were individuals of remarkable talent, top-tier superhumans who were once deemed future heroes. Yet they all disappeared meaninglessly before the overwhelming force. "Aaahhhhhh!" Desperate screams filled the air. The frontline was crumbling. In just five more minutes, the entire area would fall. There was nothing they could do. Hopelessness loomed. And at that moment, someone flew in from the distance. [You¡¯ve arrived.] Necronovix cast a defensive spell, shing with an axe, and a thunderous roar echoed. [We meet again, monster.] Ketal swung his axe, blocking Necronovix¡¯s path. He squinted as he examined Necronovix. "...It''s exactly the same as the one I faced before." Its aura, energy, everything was identical. It felt like it was copied and pasted. Ketal let out a faint smile and asked: "What are you, really?" [There¡¯s no reason for me to tell you. The surface will burn. You can remain alone amidst the scorchednd.] Darkness swirled. Ketal summoned his aura. Power shed with power. Ketal seeded in halting Necronovix. Although the frontline was partially destroyed, they managed to hold it. The Magic Tower Master, too, with half of his body¡¯s bones shattered, managed to fend off Necronovix¡¯s assault. However, there were three Necronovixes in action. They stopped two, but the third was left unchecked. The legendary vige of Pysaraphia, a sanctuary of fairies that had existed on this earth for thousands of years, where all the world¡¯s mysteries were said to reside, was now burning. The Fairy Queen, a formidable hero, was in. The mystical spring, whose single sip could cure all diseases and rejuvenate one¡¯s youth, evaporated and vanished from the surface. The surface was aze, crumbling, and trembling. And at that moment¡ª The white snowfield. The eastern sea connected to it. "Wa-ha-ha-ha!" "We¡¯ve finally arrived!" There, beings that were not of the surface hadnded on the earth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 318: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 318: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (7) Ketal charged forward, infusing his axe with aura and channeling immense power into it¡ªthe very force capable of killing all things. Necronovix gathered demonic energy to defend, but his shield shattered under the impact, sending his body crashing into the earth. BOOOOM! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Necronovix groaned softly. As he tried to recover, Ketal¡¯s axe struck down toward his head. However, before the blownded, Necronovix¡¯s body dissolved into darkness and teleported away, narrowly escaping. ¡°You¡¯re strong as I expected,¡± Necronovix said with a faint smile. ¡°But I didn¡¯t think you would possess that monstrous power. My ns have been thrown off quite a bit.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Ketal clicked his tongue in annoyance. Though he overwhelmed Necronovix, his expression showed no joy¡ªonly irritation. ¡°You said you came to kill me,¡± Ketal growled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d take this fight seriously.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± Necronovix replied with a wry smile. ¡°But even if I fight you seriously, it won¡¯t be easy to win.¡± Necronovix¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided you¡¯ll be dealt withter. For now, I have duties as a Lord of Hell to attend to.¡± Corrupting the earth and staining it with evil¡ªthat was another of Necronovix¡¯s reasons for descending. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you afterwards, until then, take a breather.¡± Ketal stomped the ground, his body elerating instantly to close the gap between him and Necronovix. Necronovix smirked. SLASH. Ketal¡¯s axe sliced through Necronovix¡¯s neck. But it was meaningless¡ªNecronovix had already escaped before the de could sever him. ¡°Tch,¡± Ketal frowned in frustration. The battle was momentarily over. From afar, onlookers who had been hesitantly observing now cautiously approach. ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± ¡°Are you¡­?¡± Ketal surveyed the ruined battlefield where Necronovix had wreaked havoc, noting the survivors who had witnessed their battle. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not, by any chance, Ketal, are you?¡± One of them stammered. ¡°Word has spread this far, I see. Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Oh, ohhhh!¡± ¡°The strongest barbarian born of the surface!¡± ¡°A genius who appeared like aet!¡± Cheers erupted from the crowd, who rushed forward to question Ketal. Though he would have preferred to converse leisurely, there wasn¡¯t time. ¡°Sorry, I have a lot to do. We¡¯ll talk if the chance arisester.¡± ¡°Ah, yes?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a portal opened. Ketal stepped through, arriving at a location where the Tower Master and Serena awaited. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived!¡± [So, you¡¯re back¡ªwithout a scratch, as usual.] ¡°Unlike you,¡± Ketal remarked, observing the Tower Master¡¯s battered state. His body was riddled with fractures, injuries severe enough to render an ordinary person immobile. Serena wasn¡¯t in great shape either; though her wounds had been healed with holy energy, her strength had greatly diminished. [That bastard¡¯s already ridiculously strong, and he keeps appearing every three days. I¡¯ve barely had time to rest. If Serena hadn¡¯t helped, things could¡¯ve been fatal.] Serena had been aiding the Tower Master in fending off Necronovix. Though her power alone was insufficient, her holy energy as a Holy Sword was a tremendous asset. Without her, the Tower Master¡¯s condition would have been even worse. [Not that it changes the situation.] Despite their desperate efforts, the situation was dire. They could only defend two locations at most. Necronovix had three avatars attacking simultaneously, making it impossible to protect all fronts. The Sacred Grounds of the Fairies. The Southern Dragon Council. Various western religious churches. Numerous battlefields had already fallen to Necronovix¡¯s onught. Despite their earlier gains after Ketal defeated Raphael, the surface forces were now being pushed back rapidly. [Without the aid of the gods, there¡¯s no way to defend that third front.] ¡°Can¡¯t we get the Sun God¡¯s saintess to help?¡± [She could manage, but the demons are throwing everything they¡¯ve got into this battle. Necronovix¡¯s direct descent has spurred them to use all their resources, and they¡¯re doing everything to hinder her movements. She doesn¡¯t have the capacity to stop him.] ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Even if they defended two fronts, the third would always fall. It was an unwinnable situation. Still, they weren¡¯t entirely passive. While holding back Necronovix¡¯s forces, they had been searching for a countermeasure. ¡°Have you figured anything out?¡± [We have¡­ to an extent,] The Tower Master replied, opening a portal and pulling out a corpse. Ketal tilted his head curiously. ¡°What is this?¡± [It¡¯s the body left behind when Necronovix used up all its energy and withdrew. Normally, no trace would remain, but I intervened to leave this remnant.] The Tower Master began exining. [This was a dark magician. Upon investigation, it turned out to be roughly at a superhuman level of power.] Three avatars attacking the surface simultaneously. A dark magician¡¯s corpse left behind. The conclusion was obvious. ¡°A possession.¡± [More like using a body as a puppet. It¡¯s not umon.] Even the celestial beings like Materia had descended by borrowing Floris¡¯s body, and Federica had possessed the body of a saint. Such methods weremon for higher beings. However, Necronovix¡¯s distinctiony in his ability to control three such puppets simultaneously, with each being as powerful as his main body. [How can such a thing even be possible with dark magic? It¡¯s iprehensible, but that¡¯s not the issue. What matters is finding a way to counter it.] Despite suspecting this method from the beginning, they had spent a week analyzing ways tobat it. ¡°So, what¡¯s the solution?¡± [It¡¯s simple. Necronovix is controlling these puppets through dark magicians. Eliminate all dark magicians in this world, and he¡¯ll lose his puppets.] Ketal frowned. ¡°That sounds impossible.¡± [Exactly,] The Tower Master agreed bitterly. Eliminating all the dark magicians in the world was an unattainable task. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w If it were possible, the forces of evil wouldn¡¯t have been able to threaten the surface continually. ¡°Are there any restrictions on his possession?¡± [There are. He can only possess magicians at a superhuman level or higher. That seems to be the minimum threshold.] ¡°Then we just need to eliminate the superhuman-level dark magicians.¡± [That¡¯s correct. But even that isn¡¯t easy.] Since Necronovix¡¯s descent, all dark magicians had gone into hiding. Even for the Tower Master, tracking them all down was nearly impossible, and there wasn¡¯t enough time. [Of course, there aren¡¯t that many superhuman-level dark magicians. But if Necronovix wanted to, he could create more.] Dark magicians gain power by receiving it from demons. While twisted and unstable, this bestowed strength was sufficient for Necronovix¡¯s purposes. ¡°It¡¯s not a viable n.¡± [It¡¯s not. But it¡¯s the only option we¡¯ve found.] Necronovix could freely move between his puppets, rendering them nearly impossible to capture or defeat. Eliminating his support system was the only conceivable solution. [If we had even one more strong fighter capable of holding their own against him, it might change things,] the Tower Mastermented. But until then, their predicament remained unchanged. A single freely moving puppet provided thecking power needed to contend with the Tower Master and Ketal. This made it impossible to trace the puppet''s true body. In other words, if they could capture just one more puppet, Necronovix would lose his edge. This would also allow the Tower Master to trace the puppet''s true body''s location. [Well, even if we find it, the best we can do is reverse summon it. That¡¯s frustrating.] Killing a demon was impossible without divine aid. The power of the Holy Sword was insufficient. But Ketal answered simply. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Once the true body is found, I can kill it for sure.¡± [Hmm? What do you mean by that?] ¡°It seems I¡¯ve never shown this to you before.¡± Ketal gripped his axe. The Tower Master watched closely as something unfolded. Then, aura appeared on the axe. Vreeeeeeee! The moment the aura came into view, the Tower Master instinctively cast dozens ofyers of magic to shield himself. Even then, as though still uneasy, he immediately widened the distance between them. ¡°¡­Even seeing it again, it¡¯s unsettling,¡± Muttered Serena as she hesitantly moved further away, her expression one of difort. The Tower Master groaned. [What¡­ is that?] It was his first time seeing it, but he could tell immediately. That power could kill him. It could destroy a lich like himself without needing to find his life vessel. The Abomination grumbled. [Don¡¯t make a spectacle of me like this.] ¡°This should be power enough to satisfy even you.¡± [But you won¡¯t kill me, right? That would be meaningless.] ¡°You¡¯re such a fussy guy.¡± Hearing Ketal¡¯s words, the Tower Master murmured. [There¡¯s something inside you, isn¡¯t there?] ¡°An annoying tenant. Either way, killing won¡¯t be an issue.¡± Necronovix always fled when fighting Ketal. The reason was simple¡ªto avoid being struck by the Abomination. This meant the Abomination could kill Necronovix. The Tower Master let out a hollowugh. [Truly extraordinary¡­ Still, that power you just showed¡ªit seems simr to what Necronovix wields.] ¡°He imed to have mimicked my power. But it¡¯s just that¡ªa mimicry. It¡¯s no problem for me.¡± The Tower Master was taken aback. That one of the four great Lords of Hell, Necronovix, would stoop to imitating the techniques of a mere barbarian? And yet, having witnessed it himself, he couldn¡¯t argue. The aura Ketal disyed was deeper and more distinct than the darkness Necronovix had ever wielded. [This makes no sense¡­ It¡¯s an affront to my pride as a Tower Master. Regardless, the problem of killing has been resolved. Now, all that remains is¡­ finding a way to capture thatst puppet.] A way to capture Necronovix¡¯s puppet. With such a card, they could counter him. But such a card did not exist in this world. [What a headache¡­ I¡¯ll have to track down and crush every ck magician one by one to figure it out.] The Tower Master clicked his tongue. * * * At the same time. On the far eastern edge of a continent surrounded by a deep, vast ocean. It was typically a bustling resort area, but now it waspletely deserted. From the sea, something emerged onto the continent. Sash! The seawater split, and a thick hand pressed against the ground. The figure revealed itself on the surface. ¡°Ha, hahaha!¡± Laughter burst out, and light flickered in ash-gray eyes. ¡°Finally! Finally, I¡¯ve arrived! Feeble world outside! I havee here!¡± ¡°Be quiet,¡± Said a figure next to it, grimacing. Another figure ignored their conversation entirely and curiously handled the sand. ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s so soft.¡± After a moment, the figure clenched a handful of sand and shoved it into its mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, it nodded. ¡°Not bad. The outside world is overflowing with food.¡± ¡°Really? The king said sand isn¡¯t edible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the king¡¯s taste. His cooking is quite delicious, after all.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°True. I miss the king¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°Why not ask him to feed you again?¡± The three beings fully revealed themselves on thend. They had humanoid shapes with bulging muscles. Their ash-gray hair swayed in the wind, and their gray eyes gazed at the world. One had short hair and a rough, intimidating face. Another had a more intellectual look byparison. Thest was a woman. Though slenderpared to the men, one could immediately sense dormant strength beneath her frame. The woman muttered in fascination. ¡°It¡¯s warm. Feels like being inside a hut.¡± ¡°Hahaha! King, we¡¯ve arrived. We¡¯ve followed you here to this world.¡± ¡°Hmm. I want to see the things the king spoke of. A massive vige, was it?¡± The two excitedly murmured while the intellectual barbarian calmed them. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. Have you forgotten the words of the elders? Our purpose here is to find the king.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But how do we find the king?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At this question, silence lingered. It seemed none of them had given much thought to how they would locate their king. ¡°No need to overthink it,¡± Said the rough barbarian, still chewing sand. ¡°We¡¯ll just walk wherever our feet take us. Eventually, we¡¯ll find the king.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± ¡°As expected of the brain our king personally taught! So clever!¡± Despite the crude method, the other two marveled as though the idea was ingenious. ¡°But what if the things of this world block our way? Even if the king appears, he might beg us not to cause havoc.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s simple.¡± The intellectual barbarian grinned, revealing his teeth. ¡°We¡¯ll just kill them all.¡± ¡°Is that okay? The king warned us, remember? He wasn¡¯t joking¡ªhe¡¯d smash our heads in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. He once exined something called self-defense to me. If something blocks us, we can kill it without issue.¡± ¡°Ooh! That¡¯s brilliant!¡± ¡°Indeed, Brain! It¡¯s good we brought you along.¡± ¡°Now then.¡± The three revealed their teeth in feral grins, their emotions surging violently. The sand trembled, and the water rippled. ¡°Let¡¯s go find the king.¡± ¡°Hahaha! King, we¡¯ve arrived. You¡¯ll be overjoyed to see us, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course! You¡¯ll praise us happily!¡± ¡°Maybe even hug us?¡± ¡°Definitely! Let¡¯s go!¡± The barbarians of the White Snowfields. The three began their march across the continent. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 319: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 319: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (1) The barbarians advanced with great enthusiasm, their light steps trampling the ground beneath them. Ahead of them loomed a massive outpost. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The barbarians tilted their heads in confusion. Unbeknownst to them, the shoreline they had reached was near the frontlines. Following the path, they had stumbled upon a demonic outpost. Located at a crucial passage to another continent, demons fiercely defended the outpost. Powerful demons with names, and even hierarchical demons, were stationed there. ¡°W-who¡¯s there?¡± A demon standing guard rushed out, his expression stiffening as he saw the barbarians. ¡°¡­Wh-what?¡± ¡°These guys are blocking our path.¡± ¡°Would this count as self-defense?¡± At their questions, a grizzled barbarian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s self-defense.¡± ¡°Ooooh.¡± ¡°Nice. Self-defense.¡± Withughter, they raised their axes. In an instant, murderous intent enveloped the demon. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± The demon couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. An axe, already airborne, severed his head before he could react. * * * ¡°Hmph.¡± Inside the fortress, a man grimaced. He was a Swordmaster of the Hero ss¡ªa legendary swordsman of the western continent. Leading soldiers, he hade to the eastern continent as reinforcements. The Swordmaster roamed the fortress. The morale of the resting soldiers was low. Under normal circumstances, he would have bellowedmands and kicked them into shape, but there was no room for such measures now. The situation was dire. ¡®¡­Necronovix.¡¯ Necronovix. One of the four lords of hell had descended upon the world. The continent was copsing under his presence. Though the Tower Master and a peculiar barbarian known as Ketal were holding the line, key locations across the continent continued to fall. With Necronovix¡¯s arrival at this outpost uncertain, morale remained low. The Swordmaster narrowed his eyes. The frontlines had to be secured quickly, even if sacrifices were necessary. With a grim face, he readied his troops and marched toward the demonic outpost. A master swordsman of unparalleled strength, he ranked among the mightiest in thend. Yet even he could not guarantee victory against the hierarchical demon, Meris, the Demon of Hatred, stationed there. ¡®This will require my life on the line.¡¯ Resolute, he approached the outpost. Before long, its silhouette came into view. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± The Swordmaster¡¯s face showed confusion. The outpost was in ruins. Not just damaged¡ªreduced to rubble. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The soldiers were equally bewildered. They hesitated as they approached, but there was no sign of an attack¡ªno demons, no monsters in sight. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Baffled, they ventured into the demolished outpost. The state of the interior was even more astonishing. The ground had been ripped apart, the solid fortress structures annihted to their very roots. A tremendous battle had taken ce here. A colossal, intense battle. As the Swordmaster advanced cautiously, his eyes fell on something. ¡°¡­Corpses.¡± Demonic corpses were strewn about. Their wounds were brutal, as if they had been forcibly torn apart. But that wasn¡¯t the issue. ¡°Why are there corpses here?¡± When severely injured, Demons are recalled to hell, leaving no trace of their bodies on the mortal ne. Yet here were the remains of demons, inly visible. Inspecting a demon¡¯s face, the Swordmaster realized something. Every single one of them bore an expression of pure terror. The Swordmaster¡¯s face hardened. They delved deeper into the outpost, finally reaching its center. And there, they found the ones responsible for this destruction. ¡°Ashen¡­ barbarians?¡± At first, the Swordmaster thought it might be Ketal, the infamous barbarian of legend. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But he quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case. There were three barbarians. Two men and one woman. ¡°S-Swordmaster, sir? What should we do?¡± A soldier, his voice trembling, swallowed nervously. The Swordmaster narrowed his eyes. These barbarians exuded an unsettling aura. Despite their tattered, battle-worn clothing, their bodies were unscathed. His heroic instincts screamed a warning. These beings were more dangerous than any demon. Yet the Swordmaster ignored the warning. It was a logical decision. The world was under siege by evil. Even the barbarians of the north were cooperating with the other continents. In such dire times, there was no need to distrust barbarians who had destroyed a demonic outpost. It was a perfectly rational judgment. Lowering his sword, the Swordmaster approached the barbarians. ¡°Greetings. I am Arcane, the Swordmaster of the Bultoran Kingdom.¡± Who are you? Before he couldplete his introduction, Arcane froze. The barbarians were toying with a round object. At first, he thought it was a simple ball, but as he drew nearer, its true nature became clear. It was a demon¡¯s head. The head of Meris, the hierarchical Demon of Hatred. They were ying with it. ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± The intelligent-looking barbarian scowled. ¡°This is ournd! Get lost!¡± ¡°L-leave? What do you mean?¡± Arcane, taken aback, tried to reason, but the barbarian paid him no heed. Staring at him intently, his eyes glimmered with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re strong. Hm. This one was fun, but you¡¯ll be even more entertaining.¡± The barbarian flung the demon¡¯s head aside, picked up his axe, and bared his teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s kill and be killed!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He charged forward. The ground shattered, and the air cracked. Arcane hastily drew his sword. CLAAAANG! The collision reverberated, splitting the earth. Staggering back, Arcane shouted urgently. ¡°Everyone! Fall back! Get out of here now!¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± The soldiers scrambled out in a panic. Arcane steadied himself and tried to reason with the barbarian. ¡°We are not your enemies! Ourmon enemy is the demons! We¡¯re on the same side!¡± ¡°The same side?¡± The barbarian burst into derisiveughter. ¡°Us? With you lot? Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± BOOM! The axe swung again, forcing Arcane to block. His face was now etched with shock. ¡®Why?!¡¯ Why was he being attacked? It made no sense. But there was no time for logic. They were enemies now. Arcane quickly assessed the situation. The barbarian wasn¡¯t alone. There were three of them, and judging by their aura, their strength was roughly equal. The only sce was that the other two showed no signs of joining the fight. ¡°Ah, missed my chance. Is this also self-defense?¡± ¡°He came to us. That makes it self-defense.¡± ¡°Oooh, that¡¯s how it works. You¡¯re so smart.¡± ¡®Self-defense, my foot!¡¯ Arcane cursed inwardly. ¡®Whatever they are!¡¯ For now, he would subdue them. If he could take one as a hostage and attempt to converse, they''d have no choice but to listen. Mystery coursed through Arcane¡¯s body, enhancing his strength for a brute-force approach. "Hah! Hah! Hah! You¡¯re strong!" But the opponent was no different. The barbarianughed heartily. "You cane at me even harder!" The axe and sword shed. A deafening roar erupted as Arcane was shoved backward, coughing up blood. ¡®Wait!¡¯ Shock flickered in his eyes. He¡¯d been utterly overpowered in raw strength. But there was no time to dwell on the impact. The barbarian lunged again, and Arcane swiftly adjusted his stance. KA-BOOM! "Ughh!" As he was pushed back, Arcane assessed his opponent calmly. He was a hero-ss Swordmaster. For someone to be putting this kind of pressure on him meant the opponent was also hero-ss. ¡®...Without even using mystery, how?¡¯ It wasmon knowledge on the continent that those without mystery could not defeat those who wielded it. But as Arcane examined his opponent, he realized something. ¡®...Something¡­¡¯ Something was enveloping the barbarian¡¯s body. It was strange¡ªbeyond anything he could understand. It was as if a twisted creature were imitating the barbarian. ¡®Where did these guys suddenlye from?¡¯ As this thought crossed his mind, Arcane¡¯s eyes locked onto the barbarians. Gray hair and gray eyes, blowing in the wind. His pupils widened. ¡®...No way!¡¯ BOOM! "Ugh!" His thoughts were cut off as another powerful impact tore through Arcane¡¯s body. The barbarian charged again. Arcane¡¯s eyes turned cold. He didn¡¯t have the luxury of taking hostages and ying around. He¡¯d have to go all out, even if it meant killing his opponent. CLANG! Using the opponent''s strength to gain distance, Arcane plunged his sword into the ground. He was a Swordmaster. One who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. And his swordsmanship was the embodiment of sword aura. "Unleash it." CRASH! The manifested sword aura shed through space like des. The barbarian¡¯s eyes widened as he approached. "Oho!" SLASH! The barbarian swung his axe to shield himself, but he couldn¡¯t withstand the force of the sword aura, and his body was flung into the air. Arcane immediately poured aura into his sword,unching himself towards the airborne barbarian. THUNK! Arcane¡¯s sword pierced the barbarian¡¯s chest. At least one was taken care of. Arcane quickly tried to withdraw his sword to respond to the next attack. "...Huh?" But the sword wouldn¡¯t budge. It felt as though someone were holding it tightly, resisting his pull. And then. "Ooooo!" The barbarian with the sword lodged in his chest eximed. "You¡¯re strong! Is that the strange power from outside? Fascinating!" "...W-What?" He had definitely pierced his chest. He was certain he¡¯d skewered the heart. So why was he still alive? Why was he, perfectly intact, still speaking? Arcane could feel the faint pulse throbbing through his sword, sending chills down his spine. "This is fun! Show me more!" With the sword still embedded in his chest, the barbarian raised his axe. The Swordmaster hurriedly let go of the sword and backed away. * * * [There¡¯s strange news.] "Strange news?" At the words of the Tower Master, Ketal tilted his head in curiosity. They were currently resting after sessfully repelling an attack from Necronovix. [There¡¯s been trouble on the front lines along the eastern continent¡¯s corridor.] "Has Necronovix descended there?" [No, that¡¯s not it. Rather, all the demons that descended there were wiped out.] "Then isn¡¯t that good news?" [It is, but¡­ immediately after, even the forces stationed there were attacked.] "Hmm?" Ketal looked puzzled. Currently, the surface was a battleground between demons and earthly beings. If the demons were defeated, there shouldn¡¯t have been any reason for the earthly forces to be attacked. "That is indeed strange." [What¡¯s more, stationed there is a hero-ss Swordmaster. For something like this to reach my ears, it means even he couldn¡¯t prevent it.] Ketal began to respond but then shut his mouth. [Why do you stop?] "...No reason." Ketal shook his head, looking into the empty space with a curious gaze. [Quest #790] [Investigate the anomaly in the east.] After a brief moment of contemtion, Ketal spoke. "It¡¯s worth going to check it out." [Hmm? You intend to go?] "It feels like it could be valuable." [...It seems you have some inkling of what it might be. Very well. I¡¯ll prepare to join you.] The Tower Master began preparing for spatial travel. Ketal folded his arms. ¡®What¡¯s popped up now?¡¯ Since no warnings had been issued, he assumed it wasn¡¯t anything too powerful. Judging by the location, it was likely something in the white snowfield. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s something like that ¡®White One¡¯ appearing?¡¯ With weakened defenses, such creatures could surface. That was as much as Ketal thought about it. At least, for the moment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 320: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 320: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (2) The Tower Master opened a portal, traveling to the frontlines where the disturbance urred. Those resting there widened their eyes upon seeing the two figures. "Oh, ohhh!" "Tower Master!" "Oh! It''s Ketal!" The soldiers, astonished, inch closer with reverence. Ketal muttered, as if surprised by their reaction. "Most of them know me." [There''s no fool who wouldn''t in times like these.] Ketal had mobilized the entire continent to block Necronovix''s onught, and word of his deeds had spread even to remote viges. "However... this isn''t just reverence or awe. There''s another kind of light in their eyes." Fear and dread. But it wasn''t directed at Ketal¡ªit was as if they were reminded of something upon seeing him. The Tower Master also caught on to this emotion. [Even I can''t quite ce it. Perhaps it''s a learned fear of barbarians.] "It seems like more than just that." Ketal tilted his head as he stepped forward. They inquired with the soldiers about the whereabouts of the Swordmaster, Arcane, and headed to thergest tent. Inside, Arcane was lying down, recuperating. Upon seeing the Tower Master''s face, his eyes widened. "Tower... Tower Master!" [You can stay lying down.] "Ah, yes." Arcane nodded, then his gaze turned to Ketal¡ªand his eyes grew even wider. "You..." Reflexively, he reached for a weapon, but when Ketal made no move, he hesitated and stopped. "...Ketal, is it?" "Indeed." "Ah... I see." Arcane let out a sigh of relief andy back down. Ketal tilted his head at the strange reaction. [May I examine your condition?] "Yes." The Tower Master used mana to inspect Arcane''s body. [Not good. Internal injuries... but not caused by magic.] The damage was purely physical, a twisted state of his organs¡ªsomething practically unheard of for a hero-ss warrior. This was beyond the Tower Master''s ability to heal. He signaled with his eyes. [I leave this to you, Holy Sword.] "Sure, but I have a name¡ªit''s Serena, you know?" Muttering, Serena unleashed her holy power. Arcane''s body was enveloped in golden light, and his internal injuries healed instantly. His eyes widened in disbelief. "Without prayer, wielding divine power like this? That girl is..." [A marvelous tool of the gods. Is your body better now?] "Yes." [Then can you exin what happened?] Arcane adjusted his posture and began to speak slowly. "This ce is a crossroads where the Eastern Continent exchanges supplies with othernds. Because of that, the demons have been pouring significant resources into breaking through." Not just named demons, but even higher-ranked ones had appeared. To stop them, Arcane led soldiers to fortify and defend the area. "However, as you well know, Tower Master, the continent''s current state is dire." [All thanks to that cursed Necronovix.] "Indeed. We never know when this ce might be in jeopardy. So, I decided it was better to risk it and clear out the demonic foothold. With resolve, we set out¡ªbut..." Arcane swallowed hard. "The demonic foothold was already destroyed." [Destroyed?] "Yes. The demons were dead." The Tower Master''s eyes gleamed with intrigue. In this world, killing demons was nearly impossible. Without overwhelming divine power from hero-ss believers, banishment was the best one could achieve. Yet, Arcane imed they were dead. [What did you find there?] ncing at Ketal, Arcane answered hesitantly. "...Ashen barbarians." At those words, Ketal''s face contorted in a sh of unrestrained emotion. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Soldiers resting outside went pale, sensing his wrath, and even Arcane froze in ce. [Hey. Calm down.] "Ah... my apologies." Ketal barely managed to collect himself. It was rare for him to lose control of his emotions so openly, especially outside the battlefield. And for good reason. The Tower Master stroked his chin thoughtfully. [You have an idea of what''s going on.] "Regrettably, yes." [Ashen barbarians. Are they the ones who made you who you are?] When the Tower Master asked, Arcane nodded. "At first, I thought they were on our side. Northern barbarians cooperate with the other continents, and above all... there''s Ketal, a barbarian. But I was wrong." The ashen barbarians attacked Arcane, trying to kill him. "There were three of them. However, the other two didn''t interfere¡ªonly one attacked me." Swallowing hard, Arcane continued. "...Luckily, when I tried to escape, they didn¡¯t pursue me. One of them stopped the other, saying it wasn¡¯t justified self-defense." Ketal''s expression twisted further at those words, and he clicked his tongue, muttering softly. "They''ve emerged." * * * After hearing the situation, they moved to the demonic foothold. As Arcane had described, it was utterly destroyed. Serena, examining the ruins curiously, remarked, "This destruction feels... familiar. It reminds me of what happens in your battles." "Naturally." Ketal clicked his tongue, clearly in a foul mood. Serena fell silent. Finally, they encountered the culprits. [Ashen barbarians, I see.] Three of them lounged in the ruins, yawning. Seeing their faces, Ketal¡¯s expression contorted even more. The Tower Master noted his reaction and spoke. [You know them, don¡¯t you?] "...Unfortunately, yes." It didn¡¯t require an answer. The ashen barbarians looked almost identical to Ketal, as if they were kin. [Should we step back?] "Please do." "Be careful!" The Tower Master and Serena withdrew. Ketal sighed deeply as he approached. "Who''s next this time?" The ashen barbarians turned, annoyed at first, but their faces stiffened upon seeing Ketal. "...Huh? What?" "Wait, is that¡ª?" "Thomas. Greta. Anna. What are you doing here?" [Quest #790pleted.] Ketal spoke with an exasperated look. The barbarians stuttered briefly, then broke into joyous smiles. "Ohhh!" "Our king!" "The king is here!" They ran toward him, faces filled with emotion, like a long-separated family reuniting atst. But their actions betrayed their expressions. The charging barbarians swiftly drew their axes. "Die!" "This time for sure!" Their killing intent was so palpable that the onlooking Tower Master and Serena recoiled in shock. But Ketal, as if ustomed to it, moved his hand with a bored expression. He grabbed the wrist wielding the downward-swinging axe and snapped it. Then, he struck the barbarian¡¯s chest. The barbarian¡¯s chest caved in, and blood spurted from his mouth. Effortlessly evading the attacks of the remaining two, Ketal twisted their necks. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w With a sickening crack, the two copsed lifelessly. "Huh? Huh?" [Wait, what?] The two observers were aghast. Ketal had actually killed the attacking barbarians. But upon closer inspection, they realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Crack, crunch. The barbarian''s crushed chest began to rise again. His twisted neck creaked back into its original shape. [¡­Regeneration?] No, it wasn¡¯t that. It went beyond mere regeneration¡ªit was closer to reversal. The revived barbarians sparkled their eyes as they approached Ketal. "We¡¯ve trained hard, yet you beat us so easily! Truly, you¡¯re our king!" "Aah! Chief! We missed you so much!" "Quiet." Ketal responded with annoyance. It was no wonder. They were none other than the tribesmen he once led in the White Snowfield. "Why are you here now? Greta, exin yourself." Ketal turned to a fierce-looking barbarian, Greta. Greta answered boldly. "We came to find you, my king!" "I mean, why did youe? Did you finish the task I gave you?" "Yes! Wepleted it!" Greta replied confidently. "We dealt with one of the three elders!" "What?" Ketal¡¯s eyes widened at the response. "You actually did it?" When Ketal left the tribe, his followers insisted on apanying him. No matter how much he beat or broke them, they wouldn¡¯t listen. Frustrated, Ketal gave them one order: Don¡¯t follow me. If they insisted on following him, they were first toplete a mission¡ªkill one of the three elders. It was essentially amand meant to dissuade them. The elders were incredibly powerful, foes even Ketal struggled against. And now they imed to have killed one? Ketal looked suspiciously at Greta, then shifted his gaze to a schrly-looking barbarian, Thomas. "Is it true?" "Y-Yes!" Thomas replied immediately. Ketal stared at him quietly. Thomas''s eyes darted nervously. Ketal smirked. "You still can¡¯t lie worth a damn. Tell the truth." "¡­Actually, we only managed half of it." Greta admitted, her voice shrinking. "B-But we almost seeded! We drove him to the brink of death!" "So, you didn¡¯t kill him." "Well¡­ yes." "And yet, you came here." "¡­I¡¯m sorry! We just missed you so much!" The barbarians bowed deeply in apology. Ketal sighed. "Fine. It¡¯s not unexpected." He¡¯d anticipated that they¡¯d stubbornly follow him, even if they failed the mission. Seeing them in person, though, gave him a headache. "You¡¯re here now, so there¡¯s no helping it. Follow me for now." "Yes!" "Ohhh! Our king is so merciful!" Cheering loudly, the barbarians followed Ketal as he led them to the waiting Tower Master and Serena. "Let me introduce them. These are my former tribesmen from the White Snowfield: Greta, Thomas, and Anna. And this here is Serena, who¡¯s traveling with me." "Nice to meet you?" Serena stammered, trembling as she tried to hide behind Ketal. The barbarians showed little interest in her. "Our king always loved taking care of little ones. It¡¯s no surprise he¡¯s doing the same here! As expected of him!" "Shut up. And this is the Tower Master. I know what you¡¯re thinking, but don¡¯t be hostile toward him¡ªhe¡¯s an ally." [¡­Greetings, gray barbarians of the White Snowfield.] The barbarians remained indifferent to Serena but not to the Tower Master. Thomas scowled. "A skeleton? One even out here?" Thomas drew his axe, gripping it tightly as he swung at the Tower Master. The Tower Master quickly chanted a defensive spell. Bang! A violent impact shattered the magical barrier. [Wait!] The Tower Master tried to intervene, but Thomas wouldn¡¯t stop, fully intent on killing him. It was then that Ketal spoke, his voice low. "Thomas." The air grew heavy. The barbarians froze. "I told you to stand down, didn¡¯t I?" "Oh, uh, sorry." Thomasughed awkwardly and lowered his axe immediately. The barbarian, who had been on the verge of killing, withdrew at Ketal¡¯s singlemand. Ketal offered an apology. "Sorry about that, Tower Master. These guys don¡¯t listen well. There¡¯s someone inside who looks simr to you, which probably exins the hostility." [¡­No matter.] The Tower Master was less concerned about Thomas¡¯s actions and more stunned by Ketal¡¯s demeanor. Themanding aura Ketal had exuded just now was unlike anything he had shown before. With a single word of authority, Ketal had quelled a raging barbarian. The Tower Master muttered in amazement. [¡­So it¡¯s true.] Ketal was indeed the king of the gray barbarians of the White Snowfield. He had known that fact but never truly grasped its weight. After all, until now, Ketal had been the only barbarian outside the Snowfield. But now, three hero-ss barbarians stood here, unwaveringly loyal to Ketal. They would likely drive axes into their chests without hesitation at hismand. The Tower Master finally understood what it meant to be the king of the White Snowfield¡¯s gray barbarians. And he realized one more thing. ¡®¡­Even those inside don¡¯t fully obey Ketal.¡¯ A disaster hade to the outside world¡ªa true catastrophe. The Tower Master groaned. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 321: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 321: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (3) Bringing the barbarians to the fortress was sure to cause trouble. Even if Ketal controlled them, they were incapable of managing their emotions. If given the chance, they¡¯d swing their axes without hesitation. For this reason, Ketal told them to wait in the nearby forest. When they returned to the fortress, they told Arcane that the barbarians had been dealt with. Arcane looked at them with awe in his eyes. Afterward, they entered a hut that Arcane guided them to. The Tower Master cast a soundproofing spell just in case and finally spoke. [So those are¡­ the barbarians of the White Snowfield.] The most dangerous beings said to exist in the White Snowfield, known in legend. The Tower Master let out a smallugh. [They¡¯re strong.] To be honest, the Tower Master hadn¡¯t expected much. He had thought of the Ashen Barbarians as nothing more than a group relying on the strength of an individual like Ketal. But seeing them in person was different. Each of the three barbarians was as strong as a hero-ss warrior. [And they seem blindly loyal to you.] ¡°They only listen to me. Though that¡¯s exactly what I hate about it,¡± Ketal muttered with an expression of exasperation. Serena, finally recovering from her shock, murmured, ¡°¡­They really are strong. To be honest, I¡¯m not sure we could win even if we fought.¡± [Are they the strongest barbarians under yourmand?] ¡°No, not quite. But they¡¯re not weak, either. They¡¯re at least high-ranking warrior ss.¡± However, they hadn¡¯t yet reached the level of the absolute elite. ¡°Theyck both the strength and the experience. I¡¯m still wondering why these particr ones showed up.¡± [¡­So, they aren¡¯t even the strongest of the barbarians?] The Tower Master chuckled in disbelief. Having experience with the beings of the Forbidden Lands, he had thought of them in that context. But that had been aplete miscalction. The White Snowfield. In the truest sense, that ce was a realm beyond humanprehension. [So, what will you do? Are you going to send them back?] ¡°I probably will.¡± If the barbarians hade out for legitimate reasons, Ketal would have had no grounds to refuse them. But they hadn¡¯t. They had forced their way out just to see him. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to send them away immediately¡­ but I¡¯m certainly not letting them roam free. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± [Do you think they¡¯ll obey?] ¡°They will,¡± Ketal said tly. ¡°If I ordered them, they¡¯d throw themselves off a cliff with a smile.¡± [Yet they ignored your orders and attacked me.] ¡°That¡¯s the annoying thing about them,¡± Ketal said with a grimace. Ketal had explicitly ordered the barbarians not to attack the Tower Master. Being blindly loyal, they should have followed themand. But they hadn¡¯t. Seeing the Tower Master had stirred their emotions to the point that they forgot his orders. They had stopped the moment he gave themand again, but given another opportunity, they would attack without hesitation. Even if Ketal issued a direct order, they might rationalize their actions or simply forget. That was the nature of the Ashen Barbarians. [Utterly irrational.] Neither logic, conversation, normands could fully reach them. That was the nature of the barbarians of the White Snowfield. Compared to them, the barbarians outside who at least obeyed orders were far more reasonable. The Tower Master looked at Ketal with newfound understanding. [You were surprisingly reasonable after all. You must have suffered immensely among them.] ¡°They¡¯re infuriating,¡± Ketal said, clicking his tongue. He had thought he was finally free of them, only for them to follow him like this. [At least they follow your words somewhat, so sending them back shouldn¡¯t be an issue. That¡¯s a relief, I suppose.] ¡°True¡­ Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, lost in thought, before speaking again. ¡°Tower Master, you mentioned before that one of Necronovix¡¯s puppets could be dealt with if we had just one decisive card. That one card would be enough.¡± [That¡¯s true. But finding a card of that caliber is no easy task. Even the Saint of the Sun God can¡¯t help with this.] The Tower Master paused, then turned to Ketal. [¡­You¡¯re not thinking¡­?] ¡°This works out well. We should use what we can,¡± Ketal murmured. * * * Ketal went to see the barbarians waiting for him. They greeted him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡°Our king has arrived!¡± ¡°We were bored and thinking ofing to find you!¡± ¡°I told you not toe,¡± Ketal sighed. They had already been on the verge of disobeying him again. With a sigh, Ketal opened his mouth to speak. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Oooh! Our king is asking us a question!¡± ¡°Ask us anything!¡± They eximed loudly, their faces brimming with the willingness to die for him if he somanded. Ketal looked at them with a mixture of weariness and frustration. ¡®This is exactly what I hate.¡¯ Their almost fanatical faith and reverence were suffocating. It didn¡¯t feel like dealing with fellow humans. But that wasn¡¯t the issue at hand. Composing himself, Ketal asked, ¡°So how many of you died?¡± ording to their own words, they had left one of the elders in critical condition. The barbarians themselves couldn¡¯t have escaped unscathed. Greta responded, ¡°About¡­ half of us? It seems about half have died.¡± ¡°Half, huh.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. Among them were surely many familiar faces. No, all of them would be familiar¡ªhe was their king, after all. Though death was a familiar concept for barbarians, it didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve given different orders.¡¯ But no alternative came to mind. If he had issued a weakermand, they would have quickly carried it out and followed him anyway. What stood out most was that the barbarians showed no sadness. ¡°It was a glorious sacrifice! I wish I could¡¯ve died like that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I hate,¡± Ketal said. ¡°Never mind. Why were you the ones who came? There must have been others eager toe here.¡± While these barbarians were strong, they weren¡¯t the strongest. The idea that the elite had willingly given up the chance to meet him didn¡¯t sit right. Greta answered, ¡°They¡¯re all severely injured! They¡¯re on the brink of death! That¡¯s why we, who are rtively unscathed, came instead!¡± They hadn¡¯te because they were mortally wounded. It was a usible exnation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w However, Ketal¡¯s expression was one of suspicion. ¡°Just for that reason?¡± These were people who clung to life even when their bones were crushed to powder. There was no way they¡¯d back down just because they were ¡°on the brink of death.¡± Greta flinched at Ketal¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Actually, they tried toe out, but the outer perimeter was blocked, so they couldn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Is the barrier still intact?¡± The rat had told him. The barrier was notpletely destroyed yet. Considerable effort would be required to break through. It seemed they couldn¡¯t manage it in their current, critically injured state. Greta spoke proudly. ¡°We held duels to decide who woulde out! The three of us won and made it outside! We proved our strength!¡± ¡°And how many died in the process?¡± ¡°About twenty!¡± Greta¡¯s eyes sparkled as she said it, as if asking to be praised for defeating them and emerging victorious. Ketal let out a sigh. ¡°Greta, Greta. When you were younger, you seemed a bit smarter than the rest, so I tried hard to educate you into someone I could reason with. And now, you¡¯re a barbarian with a tiny bit of knowledge in your head.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment!¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t apliment, you fool.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, I understand the situation now.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± ¡°What shall we do now? Just give the order! We¡¯ll do anything!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s conquer thisnd and make it ours!¡± Their eyes gleamed as they shouted, as if they were ready to charge into the fortress and start beheading people right away. Ketal, looking as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, responded. ¡°Do what? Go back.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised? You ultimately failed to carry out the orders I gave.¡± The order he had given was to kill the old one. But they hadn¡¯t done that. They had merely forced their way out to see Ketal. There was no reason for him to ept this. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be.¡± Though his words were obvious, the barbarians looked as though their world had copsed. Watching them for a moment, Ketal asked, ¡°Do you want to stay by my side?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°We want to fight by the king¡¯s side!¡± ¡°We want to burn thisnd!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you one condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. The barbarians¡¯ eyes gleamed with anticipation. * * * [Hmm.] The next day. As always, Necronovix began moving three of his puppets to burn the continent. They spread across thend, starting their assault. Before long, Ketal appeared. He grabbed one puppet and began to fight it. While Ketal handled one puppet, the Tower Master and the Holy Sword dealt with another. This left Necronovix free to move the third puppet and wreak havoc across the continent. It was a pattern that had remained unchanged until now. Necronovix assumed this time would be no different. But an unexpected variable arose. Necronovix, controlling one of the puppets, hesitated. [¡­What is this?] Standing before him was Serena. She trembled violently but didn¡¯t retreat. A fierce light began to emanate from her. Necronovix scowled, shattering the light. [¡­Where is the Tower Master?] Until now, the Tower Master had always moved with the Holy Sword. But this time, the one blocking the puppet was the Holy Sword, alone. After a brief pause, Necronovix realized the situation. [They n to hold off all three of us.] One by Ketal. One by the Holy Sword. And thest by the Tower Master. This way, the damage to the continent could be minimized. It was a rational n¡ªif the Holy Sword could hold out. [You, a mere tool, dare to stand in my way? Arrogant.] ¡°Ugh.¡± Serena gagged but didn¡¯t back down. Clenching her trembling fists, she shouted, ¡°¡­I was a Holy Sword too! No matter who you are, you won¡¯t defeat me so easily!¡± Serena charged at Necronovix. This fight was unlike any other before. Serena¡¯s thorough preparations made it difficult for even Necronovix to subdue her easily. [But that¡¯s as far as you¡¯ll go.] At best, she might endure a single confrontation. Beyond that, it was impossible. In the end, nothing would change. Necronovix moved his remaining puppet. [Then, this must be the Tower Master¡¯s location. What kind of preparation awaits me this time?] As Necronovix leisurely waited for the Tower Master to appear, no one came. Just as puzzlement crept onto Necronovix¡¯s face, voices echoed. ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s him?¡± ¡°So we just have to kill that guy, and the king will let us follow him, right?¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Voices rang out, and Necronovix¡¯s expression hardened. [¡­You lot?] Three ashen barbarians emerged, grinning and brandishing their weapons. Necronovix instantly realized they weren¡¯t ordinary barbarians. Their appearance was deceptive. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Don¡¯t know who you are, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Die for the king!¡± ¡°And for us, too!¡± The barbarian warriors of the white snowfield roared as they charged at Necronovix. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 322: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 322: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (4) ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Three axes simultaneously aimed for Necronovix¡¯s entire body, as ifpeting with each other. Necronovix swiftly moved his hand. [Darkness bes my wall.] A pitch-ck wall sliced through the space. It was a defensive maneuver to grasp the situation. The wall collided with the axes. CLANG! A sharp noise echoed as cracks spread across the wall. The barbarians grimaced fiercely. ¡°Coward!¡± ¡°Stop hiding ande out!¡± They swung their axes repeatedly. Cracks spread across the wall like a spider¡¯s web. Something that even heroes would struggle to break was shattering rapidly. [...What are you?] They were strong. But it was hard to gauge the extent of their power. Necronovix couldn¡¯t sense any mystical aura from them. These weren¡¯t ordinary barbarians. No, they weren¡¯t ordinary beings at all. Yet, they were breaking through his wall. The energy emanating from them was unmistakably foreign to this world. [...Anomaly?] Necronovix murmured. At that moment, the wall could no longer hold and shattered. Axes swung sharply toward Necronovix¡¯s body. He cloaked himself in darkness to create distance. ¡°Don¡¯t run away!¡± The barbarians roared, chasing after him. As Necronovix dodged their attacks, he quickly assessed the situation. [You... You¡¯re the barbarians of the White Snowfield.] He recognized them. They were the barbarians of legend, whispered in tales of the distant emperor. Necronovix, who had existed before the creation of the Forbidden Lands, was familiar with them. The seal of the Forbidden Lands, imposed by gods and demons, had weakened. Its inhabitants were beginning to crawl out. The northern front had already been lost to vermin, so he was well aware. [So they¡¯ve followed their king out. How troublesome.] They were attacking him under themand of Ketal. N ecronovix quickly grasped the situation. And because he understood it, he realized: This was an entirely unwee variable for him. ¡®What kind of power are they using?¡¯ Necronovix analyzed their power. It wasn¡¯t mystical, that much was clear. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om There was not a trace of mysticism in them. Instead, they possessed something bizarre, something foreign. Even Necronovix struggled to identify it. Having never ventured outside the White Snowfield since its creation, these barbarians were shrouded in mystery. ¡®...Surely, they¡¯re not all wielding the power of Abomination, are they?¡¯ Since their king, Ketal, wielded the power of Abomination, he couldn¡¯t help but suspect it. ¡®I need to seal off their power of death for now.¡¯ Having made his decision, Necronovix gathered his magical energy. [As the wave rises.] A tide of darkness surged forth, consuming the space and rushing forward. A wave of such force that even heroes would struggle to survive if engulfed barehanded. Faced with this power, the barbarians had two choices: evade or smash through the wave to advance. Necronovix had already devised countermeasures for both scenarios. But they did neither. The barbarians charged straight into the tide of darkness. The wave swallowed their bodies. Necronovix¡¯s eyes wavered. [What?] ¡°Hah! Hahaha!¡± BOOM! The barbarians emerged through the wave. Their bodies were in a wretched state¡ªtorn apart, with flesh ripped away to reveal bone. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Necronovix couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. Charging headlong into a deterrent spell, leaving them on the brink of death¡ªit was iprehensible. But then he saw it. The broken bodies of the barbarians regenerating instantly. CRASH! Darkness and axes shed violently. Necronovix retreated, conjuring another wall. The barbarians swung their axes with brute force, shattering it into fragments. The debris scattered into the air. Necronovix snapped his fingers. [Fragments be des.] The scattered debris turned into sharp des, flying toward the barbarians. It wasn¡¯t a particrly fast attack. Given their strength and speed, they could have easily dodged or blocked it. But the barbarians did neither. As if they couldn¡¯t be bothered, they continued their charge. The des pierced their bodies. Once again, Necronovix widened the distance. ¡°Stop running away!¡± ¡°Coward!¡± [I am a magician. There¡¯s no reason for me to fight brute force head-on.] Necronovix ignored their taunts and observed them. [What is this?] The barbarians¡¯ bodies, pierced by the des, were a grotesque sight¡ªwounds that would kill most within minutes. But those wounds were healing. The darkness-infused des lodged in their bodies were expelled as their flesh regenerated, restoring them to their original form. [Regeneration.] No. That wasn¡¯t quite right. This was more than that. [This is closer to a reversal, an effort to maintain their original form.] This wasn¡¯t a power humans could possess. These barbarians were no longer human. Something had fused with them. [They¡¯ve already be half of the oldest ones. I never thought humans could mix in such a way.] How had ordinary barbarians survived the White Snowfield? They had adapted to it. In that aliennd, they became alien themselves. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [Yet they must still feel pain. How foolish.] Despite his words, Necronovix¡¯s eyes gleamed with intrigue. ¡®How did they be fused like this?¡¯ The essence of the Forbidden Lands and the surface had intertwined¡ªa seemingly impossible phenomenon. Even Necronovix, a master of ck magic, could only mimic the power of Abomination, never fully replicate their nature. If he could study these barbarians, he might unlock the secrets of the oldest powers. His fingers itched. The desire to capture and experiment on the barbarians surged within him, driven by his unrelenting thirst for knowledge as a magician. [No. No, I can''t.] Necronovix forced himself to suppress his desire. He was here now as a lord of hell. He couldn¡¯t act out of personal satisfaction. [But a little indulgence should be fine. Capturing them alive might be too much, but at least I can take their corpses for analysis.] Necronovix made his decision. The analysis was alreadyplete. There was no trace of unholy energy emanating from the barbarians. In that case, there was no reason not to wield death against them. [Piercing Bullets.] Dozens of dark bullets shot toward the barbarians. Necronovix murmured softly. [Clever creatures, aren¡¯t they?] The reason these barbarians had taken Necronovix¡¯s attack head-on wasn¡¯t because they could survive it. It was because they wouldn''t die from it. It seemed like simple behavior, but it was backed by precise calctions. [You can¡¯t survive here by being merely reckless. But this time, it won¡¯t go the way you think.] The bullets carried the power of death. No matter how strong the barbarians were, if the bullets struck their vital points, they would have no choice but to die. Their only options were to evade or block them. Necronovix gathered his demonic energy. No matter how they responded, he nned to block their escape and finish them off. ¡°Ha! Hahaha!¡± But the barbarians were different. With maniacalughter, they charged forward. The bullets pierced their bodies¡ªlegs, arms, abdomens. Yet, in an instant, they arrived in front of Necronovix. [¡­!] Necronovix hadn¡¯t expected them to push through the attack with their bare bodies again. He hesitated for a moment, and though he quickly raised a barrier, it wasn¡¯t thick enough. The wall cracked under the relentless strikes of axes, and one embedded itself in his arm. [Repel.] Boom! Necronovix muttered briefly, and the barbarians were blown back as if hurled by a great force. They quickly got up and shouted: ¡°Finally hit you, you coward!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll kill you now!¡± [¡­] Necronovix¡¯s eyes wavered. The part of his arm struck by the axe wasn¡¯t regenerating easily. The barbarians¡¯ alien energy hindered his recovery. But what truly unsettled him wasn¡¯t the minor injury. [What¡­ are you?] Necronovix had imbued the bullets with the power of death. If they were directly hit, even barbarians would face death. Their bodies were still riddled with holes from the attack, blood flowing and their insides exposed. They couldn¡¯t have been unaware of the force contained in the bullets. Warriors of their caliber would have instinctively recognized it. And yet, they had charged straight into it. Necronovix couldn¡¯t understand. [I can kill you. If the bullets had pierced your hearts or heads, you would have died.] ¡°So what!¡± The barbarians bared their teeth. ¡°What does it matter!¡± ¡°The outside isn¡¯t so weak after all! This is fun!¡± They attacked Necronovix even more ferociously, more violently. Boom! Energy exploded. Relentless assaults targeted Necronovix without mercy. He unleashed his power in an attempt to push them back, the demonic energy bursting forth. But the barbarians ignored it and pressed on, even with their limbs mangled and shredded by the magic. One swung an axe with a tattered arm, grazing Necronovix¡¯s leg and leaving a wound. Necronovix groaned. The reason these barbarians had taken his attacks head-on wasn¡¯t because they couldn¡¯t die. It was because they didn¡¯t care if they died. To them, their lives meant nothing. If they died, so be it; if they lived, so be it. It was as simple as that. Necronovix finally understood. [¡­You¡¯re mad.] The Barbarians of the White Wastnd. Their ancestors were humans from the surface who longed for the power of the Abyss and willingly entered its prison. Among all beings¡ªsurface dwellers, hellspawn, and even the divine¡ªthey were the most unhinged. [Ha, hahaha.] Necronovix burst intoughter, his previously conflicted mind suddenly clear. Logic didn¡¯t work on them. Reason, intellect, judgment, answers¡ªnone of it mattered. They existed purely to kill and be killed. In that case, he would act ordingly. [It¡¯s been a while since my head felt this clear.] How long had it been since he faced such pure malice? Necronovix felt an odd sense of exhration. [The most insane beings in existence. I acknowledge you. So let me make a clear decision as well.] He would simply kill them. Power gathered. It brimmed with a singr, lethal intent. The world seemed to warp around him. It was an overwhelming, godlike force. Even the mighty Barbarians of the White Wastnd would have to face death against it. But as though thrilled, the barbarians grinned, gripping their axes tightly and charging toward Necronovix. Necronovix unleashed his power. Hell and the Forbidden Land collided violently. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 323: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 323: The Ashen Barbarians of the White Snowfield (5) [The des of shadow surged, tearing my enemies apart.] The des of death pierced the earth, consuming the space around them. This was different from before¡ªan attack purely intended to kill the barbarians. For this reason, the barbarians grinned brightly. "That''s more like it!" "Stop hiding like a coward and fight!" The barbarians nted their feet firmly and charged. They collided with the des of shadow. BOOM! Power erupted, and an explosion followed. Shards scattered in all directions, wing and tearing into the barbarians'' bodies. In an instant, their forms began to deteriorate. From the beginning, there had always been a clear disparity in power. While the barbarians were incredibly strong as heroic warriors, Necronovix was one of the four lords of hell¡ªa being who had stood at the forefront of sealing away the oldest entities and yed a key role in the War of Gods and Demons. The fact that the fight even seemed even was merely because Necronovix had been restraining his power, wary of the abilities of the monstrosity. The barbarians had little chance of victory. But the barbarians understood this fully. And that knowledge only made themugh louder as they charged. BOOM! Darkness shed with axes. The ground copsed and crumbled. Scars so deep they would require redrawing the map were etched into the earth. BOOM! The darkness exploded. The intelligent barbarian, Thomas, lost his left wrist. Necronovix¡¯s attacks carried the power of death itself¡ªa force that annihted all it touched. Of course, the barbarians were beings of anomaly. They could resist the power of death. But losing limbs was a different matter entirely. If part of their body was destroyed by that power, it would never recover. It would be a permanent handicap. Even so, Thomasughed. BOOM! Darkness erupted and scattered. The barbarians'' bodies were ravaged, but they did not fall. They stubbornly inched closer to Necronovix. Surprised by this unexpected sight, Necronovix frowned. [They are more resilient than I thought.] He had assumed he could kill them easily if he truly tried. But the barbarians twisted their bodies just enough to avoid fatal blows. Wounds that would have killed ordinary humans several times over were mere inconveniences to them. [I¡¯ll need to exert more effort.] Necronovix drew upon even more of his power. The darkness he wielded grew fiercer. Yet, despite this, the barbarians pressed forward. Even as their limbs were severed, they stitched their bodies together with sheer will. Finally. ¡°Hah! Hahaha!¡± CLANG! Breaking through all attacks, Thomas reached Necronovix. He raised his massive axe high. "I¡¯m here! Die!" [Congrattions.] THUMP! Necronovix grabbed the wrist holding the descending axe. The axe halted with a dull clunk. Thomas¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh?¡± [Your strength itself is not particrly threatening. It is the anomaly within it that poses the real threat.] Necronovix extended his other hand. A sword of darkness materialized. STAB. The de of darkness pierced Thomas¡¯s heart. But Necronovix did not stop there. [Detonate.] THUD! Thomas¡¯s body trembled violently. With the sword still lodged in his heart, Necronovix caused an internal explosion. Even for a barbarian, this was a fatal wound. Yet Thomas grinned, even as the sword remained embedded in his chest. He lunged forward and embraced Necronovix tightly. ¡°Greta! Anna! Now!¡± CLANK! Having broken through the dark attacks, Greta and Anna charged forward. They gripped their axes with all their might, aiming to sever Necronovix¡¯s neck as he was held by Thomas. Necronovix did not bother to block their attack. He simply shifted his position slightly, using Thomas as a shield. To strike Necronovix, the two would have to cut down their ownrade. Even as reckless as they were, their sense of camaraderie would make that unthinkable. That was Necronovix¡¯s calction. And it was a miscalction. Greta and Anna did not hesitate. Instead, they elerated. They raised their axes and swung. Their aim was to sever Necronovix¡¯s neck¡ªalong with Thomas. Necronovix¡¯s face hardened. BOOM! Darkness exploded. The air surged violently, toppling trees kilometers away. The earth trembled. ¡°Guh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Exposed to the explosion without protection, the barbarians were hurled to the ground. They coughed up blood, unable to rise. [¡­Hm.] Necronovix let out a low groan. The two barbarians had tried to kill their ownrade without hesitation. There was not a shred of doubt in their actions. Reflexively, he had expended more power than necessary. [To think I would be pushed this far, despite the disparity in power... You are truly remarkable¡ª] Necronovix stopped mid-sentence. His pupils quivered. The shattered earth. Upon ity the three barbarians, all gravely injured. Their wounds were horrifying¡ªany normal human would have died a hundred times over. Yet even so, they were not dead. They didn¡¯t even lose consciousness. They gripped their broken axes and struggled to stand. Thomas was no exception. He coughed up blood, his vomitced with bits of internal organs. He was on the verge of death. But he still gripped his axe and crawled toward Necronovix. ¡°I... can still fight!¡± Thomas dragged himself forward, inching closer to attack. [You...] The trembling in Necronovix¡¯s eyes settled. He spoke solemnly. [I offer you my reverence.] This was a being who had forsaken the world and sided with the oldest of entities. He possessed the power and conviction befitting such a being. Necronovix gathered his power, determined to kill them for good. Even as death loomed, the barbarians'' fighting spirit remained unbroken. [Pierce th¡ª] [That¡¯s enough.] Kiiiiiing! With a voice, a magic circle was drawn in the sky. It pressed down on Necronovix¡¯s body, and his eyes widened. [This is...] [I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.] Crack! The space shattered, revealing the presence of the Tower Master. Necronovix swung his darkness, shattering the magic circle. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [Do you think that will be enough?] But above the magic circle, dozens of other magic circles appeared simultaneously. Like a barrier, they suppressed Necronovix and drained his strength. Necronovix grimaced. Magic of this caliber couldn¡¯t be used without prior preparation. It meant one thing. [So you¡¯ve been watching. Quite a good job hiding yourself.] So well hidden that even Necronovix hadn¡¯t noticed, the Tower Master had perfectly concealed himself, observing their battle. And when the timing was right, he unleashed the prepared magic all at once. Necronovix nced at the barbarians. [Were they used as bait? How pitiful.] [No. I never intended to use them as bait.] The original n was for the Tower Master to cooperate with the barbarians to fight Necronovix. But the moment he said that, the barbarians erupted in anger. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°You, of all people, dare interfere in our battle! Know your ce!¡± They rushed at the Tower Master with such fury that, had Ketal not intervened, they would have had to fight the barbarians to the death before even facing Necronovix. Ketal clicked his tongue and said: ¡°Leave them be.¡± [Are you sure? Necronovix is strong. Of course, the barbarians are strong as well, but... it¡¯s dangerous. They might die.] It was a natural concern. But Ketal indifferently asked: ¡°What do you think would happen if you died in this battle?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What does it matter to us?¡± The barbarians tilted their heads, confused. The Tower Master was momentarily speechless at their attitude. The northern barbarians also sought glory, unbothered by death. However, this was different. Their response suggested that death itself held no meaning to them. Ketal spoke up. ¡°You see? You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± [¡­I see.] For this very reason, the Tower Master had hidden himself, waiting for the right moment. ¡°You filthy sack of bones!¡± ¡°Get lost! Don¡¯t defile our battle!¡± [Look at that. Even though I saved them, they¡¯re angry.] [Indeed.] Necronovix let out a chuckle. Though his attitude seemed light, his mind was coldly calcting. ¡®I¡¯ve been had.¡¯ He knew the Tower Master¡¯s absence meant something was being nned. He had intended to quickly finish things or abandon his puppet, but he momentarily forgot amidst the barbarians¡¯ struggle. Kiiiiiiing! Dozens ofyered magic circles drained Necronovix¡¯s strength. Under normal circumstances, he could easily break them, but he had already expended much of his power fighting the barbarians. Maintaining his puppet was bing difficult. As the puppet copsed, its body began to disappear. And that was exactly what the Tower Master had been aiming for. [Let¡¯s y a game of tag.] The Tower Master pursued Necronovix¡¯s retreating consciousness. Necronovix fought back, driving him away with strength and setting traps. But the Tower Master countered them all¡ªavoiding bait, smashing traps, and chasing relentlessly. This time, fully prepared, he could track Necronovix. And atst¡ª [Here you are.] The Tower Master set foot on the remote mountain range where Necronovix had manifested his true body. [So this is your true form. How savage.] Now within sight, the truth was clear.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was powerful. Terrifyingly so. The energy radiating from the puppet had been child¡¯s y. The mere presence of the true form seemed capable of annihting all life. Its mastery over such immense power was chilling. [¡­Tower Master.] [Sorry, but I don¡¯t intend to give you time for a conversation.] The Tower Master waved his hand, activating his prepared magic. [Imperfect Explosion.] A mushroom cloud erupted, shaking the mountain range violently. The Tower Master unleashed all the magic he had prepared. One spell alone could shake the world¡ªa cascade of Ten-ss magic was unleashed. It distorted space, the world, and even time itself in an attempt to destroy Necronovix. Yet¡ª Crash! Against overwhelming might, it all shattered and crumbled. The bacsh struck the Tower Master, spreading cracks throughout his bones. Groaning, he stepped back. [¡­Even pouring everything into it, the best I can manage is to make him twitch a few fingers.] Necronovix¡¯s power shattered all of the Tower Master¡¯s attacks with mere gestures. Victory wasn¡¯t just slim¡ªit was nonexistent. But that was fine. The Tower Master¡¯s goal was to dy Necronovix, preventing his escape. Boom! With incredible speed, somethingnded. The ground rippled under the impact. [You¡¯ve arrived.] ¡°Apologies. I rushed over as soon as I got the location, but it was on the other side of the continent. It took a bit of time.¡± [No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.] The Tower Master retreated as Necronovix looked at the neer with calm eyes. [¡­Barbarian.] ¡°So this is your true form. The appearance is the same, but the power is entirely different.¡± Ketal grinned and raised his axe. ¡°Well then, this time, let¡¯s truly fight to the death.¡± And with that, bloodlust exploded. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 324: Necronovix (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 324: Necronovix (1)n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I will kill you.¡± A surge of murderous intent rose. The intense will to kill overwhelmed Necronovix. The nts barely clinging to life amidst the destruction withered and died. At that moment, the Tower Master quickly created distance and activated magic. [Mirror World.] The dimensions split, centering on Ketal and Necronovix. The Tower Master¡¯s first role was to prevent Necronovix from escaping until Ketal arrived. The second role was to contain the aftermath of their battle. [Whether it works or not, we¡¯ll see.] With a vague tone, the Tower Master continued casting spells. Space was separated and sealed. Necronovix did not intervene. He seemed utterly indifferent, focusing entirely on Ketal. [¡­You were on the other side of the continent, weren¡¯t you?] ¡°I ran hard to get here,¡± Ketal replied lightly, implying that he had traversed from the opposite end of the continent to this spot in mere minutes. Necronovix let out a dryugh. [¡­Escaping is impossible, then.] If he tried to flee, Ketal would immediately chase him down. And with the Tower Master present, any escape would surely be tracked. Wasting energy would yield no benefit. [The losses¡­ are manageable.] Managing the puppets and fending off the Tower Master¡¯s attacks had drained some of his power. While not substantial, it was significant against an opponent whose victory could not be guaranteed even in full strength. Necronovix sighed. [No choice. I must kill you.] With those words, a murderous aura erupted from Necronovix. Their energies shed, shaking the Mirror World. No further words were necessary. Ketal gritted his teeth and gripped his axe. [¡­Ha.] The Abomination let out augh of delight. Simultaneously, Ketal¡¯s body vanished. Crack. Even Necronovix momentarily lost track of his movement. But it didn¡¯t matter. For Necronovix, perception was not vital. [The shadow binds those whoe for me.] Necronovix¡¯s words echoed,pressed into an instant despite theck of time to utter them. Ssshhh! Shadows surged. Ketal¡¯s speed was beyond even Necronovix¡¯sprehension, but the shadows urately caught his limbs. The meaning behind the words themselves materialized as reality, bypassing process. [The shadow that holds my enemy has now be a cocoon.] The shadows coiled around Ketal¡¯s body as though sealing him. Ketalughed. ¡°Ha!¡± He spoke the process aloud, drawing forth the result. It was like scripture. Yet unlike any scripture Ketal had encountered before, Necronovix¡¯s words dictated not the past but the present. And that made sense¡ªhis opponent was one of the Four Lords of Hell, akin to a god. In essence, every act Necronovix performed here was a miracle inscribed into scripture. Yes. Ketal was now fighting a being equal to a god, one of Hell¡¯s Four Lords. ¡°Aaaah¡­¡± His body trembled. It was not from fear or tension, nor from the strain of battle. It was exhration. Ketal¡¯s axe shimmered with aura. Crack! The shadows binding him were torn apart in an instant. Freed, Ketal charged forward. Necronovix snapped his fingers. [A wall rises before me.] A wall of darkness materialized in the world. Ketal swung his axe. Boom! The wall shattered instantly. Necronovix stood his ground, speaking once more. [The shattered wall condenses into a sphere.] Crunch! The fragments of the wall gathered into a sphere. [And pierces the enemy.] The sphere shot forth, containing the power to kill even an ancient dragon. Ketal raised his axe. sh. The sphere was cleaved in half. Ketal wielded the authority of the Abomination, a force that killed everything it touched. Against such power, the scripture held little sway. Necronovix knew this as well. He snapped his fingers. [And then, it explodes.] Boom! A dark explosion engulfed the space, consuming and burning everything. Ketal couldn¡¯t simultaneously use his aura for attack and defend his body. From their previous battles, Necronovix was aware of this weakness and targeted his body with a wide-scale attack. Taaat. But Ketal remained unscathed. Realizing Necronovix¡¯s intent, he swiftly retreated just in time. However, this gave Necronovix the opportunity to prepare another spell. [The earth and sky have inverted.] With those words, the nature of the earth and sky reversed. ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal¡¯s body fell toward the sky. If this continued, he would fall beyond the heavens into the void of space. ¡°You¡¯re capable of all sorts of tricks!¡± Ketalughed cheerfully as he quickly assessed his situation. The spell¡¯s power was too vast to cut through with aura alone. In that case¡­ He retracted his aura, reinforced his entire body with mystery, and exerted his strength to disrupt the magic. Boom! His powerful movements broke through the world¡¯s maniption. [Hmm.] The Tower Master, who had been containing the sh¡¯s effects, groaned. It was no exaggeration¡ªtheir powers were capable of destroying continents. Without the Tower Master¡¯s control, the battlefield alone would have caused the surroundingnds to quake. [This is exhausting. My bones might shatter.] The Tower Master exhaled, further strengthening the dimensional separation. Ketalnded swiftly on the ground. Retrieving his reinforced mystery, he summoned his aura and propelled himself forward. Boom! Darkness exploded and surged, but Ketal evaded every attack and cut through them as he closed in on Necronovix. The distance between them narrowed further and further. Finally, Ketal reached striking range. He swung his axe downward. Necronovix extended his hand. KA-BOOM! A powerful collision reverberated. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± For the first time, Ketal''s expression changed. His aura embodied the power of the Abomination¡ª It killed all things. A force nearly impossible to defend against. Yet now, it could not pierce the pitch-ck shroud enveloping Necronovix''s body. The axe de was lodged in the shroud. [Finally ready, are you?] Click. A low voice was apanied by the unveiling of a hidden space. ¡°A book?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [My book, Lemegeton. I need it to unleash my full power.] Necronovix raised a finger, pointing at Ketal. [The light of darkness has descended upon the earth.] ck light gathered at the tip of his finger. Chills. Ketal felt the hair on his body stand on end. Death. A primal instinct moved him. The axe swung, blocking the light. KA-KA-KA-KANG! The dark light shed with the axe. In that moment, Ketal''s body buckled under the force and was pushed back. His pupils widened. The aura within his axe¡ª It could not kill the dark light. No, it was killing the light. But the amount of light being killed was overwhelmed by even more light attacking in waves. KA-KA-KRACK! Ketal seeded in defending himself. At the cost of being pushed far from Necronovix. His mystery was visibly diminished. Necronovix spoke in a low tone. [You are indeed strong. The power of the Abomination is incredibly formidable.] A force capable of killing all things. It was undeniably extraordinary. Necronovix himself had been captivated by it, analyzing it for countless ages in hell. [But I am a being who has fought against your kind.] In the past, Necronovix had opposed Abomination and ancients. He had fought them to the death and survived to stand here. [I know exactly how to counter you. My infinite thorns will rise in chaos and skewer my foes.] KA-KA-KA-KANG! Thorns materialized and shot toward Ketal. He swung his axe to cut them down but quickly realized it was impossible. There were too many thorns. They filled the space like a dense. The aura in his axe wasn¡¯t enough to cut through all of them. Ultimately, Ketal dodged by leaping away. Seeing this, Necronovix spoke calmly. [In the end, you are doomed to lose.] Once, the oldest beings ruled the world. But gods and demons united against them and waged war. After a long, grueling conflict, the gods and demons emerged victorious. The oldest beings were defeated and sealed away in the Forbidden Lands. [We couldn¡¯t kill you then. But this time, I¡¯ll finish the job.] ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Ketal grinned, gripping his axe tightly. [Even in hell, stars existed. But they were far from ordinary. Tiny, dense, and vtile, they unleashed massive explosions upon the slightest impact.] The stars of hell descended. They collided with the ground, erupting into violent explosions. Demonic energy filled the space. [Amid the ckest world of hell, a single ray of light arose. It began to burn the entirety of hell itself.] The primordial hellfire descended, consuming all creation as it roared. This was no longer the earth. It was hell. The barrier cast by the master of the demonic tower cracked in an instant. Though a new barrier was hastily constructed, it couldn¡¯t keep pace with the destruction. Amid the onught, Ketal remained unscathed. He evaded the raining explosions and mes with miraculous precision. Clearing paths of attacks that blocked his advance, he moved forward with minimal motion. Finally, Ketal managed to reach Necronovix. He swung his axe downward with tremendous force. CRAAAAANG! But it was blocked by the pitch-ck shroud. The de caused cracks to spread across the barrier, but it still managed to protect its master. Necronovix spoke. [The hellfire has melted the foe before me.] mes rose voraciously, attempting to engulf Ketal. He quickly kicked off the ground and leapt back. But he couldn¡¯tpletely evade. Hellfire clung to his left arm, burning it and spreading toward his entire body. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal shook his left arm, dislodging the mes. However, his arm was already burned. ¡°You¡¯ve done well to withstand this.¡± [Did I not tell you? I¡¯ve faced the Abomination and survived.] Necronovix had been so captivated by the power of the Abomination that he even mimicked it. He knew better than anyone how to counter it. [No matter what you do, you cannot strike me.] BOOOOM! Power shed and exploded. Ketal was pushed back again. ¡°Getting close won¡¯t be easy.¡± Every strike contained immense force. Even fragments of it could kill beings hailed as heroes. Even Ketal would sustain damage if hit directly. He had no choice but to dodge, but the sheer volume of attacks filling the space made advancing difficult. And even if he managed to close the gap, Necronovix''s pitch-ck shroud would prevent him fromnding any meaningful blow. ¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯ Ketal was genuinely impressed. To be honest, ever since he gained the ability to wield his aura, he had be bored. The power of the Abomination¡ª A force that killed all things. Few could stand against him. Even if he were to fight his old adversary, the rat, it would be an easy victory now. His overwhelming power had madebat dull. But this¡ª Necronovix was not only enduring Ketal¡¯s aura but surpassing it, pressuring him. This was one of the Four Great Lords. A being among the top five strongest in hell. It was awe-inspiring. It was exhrating. ¡®Behold!¡¯ This is what it means to be a demon! This is the world! This is the power of fantasy! ¡®In a fantasy, one must not yield to these monstrous forces!¡¯ Filled with euphoria, Ketal stomped the ground. The earth quaked. ¡°I acknowledge it! You are strong!¡± Ketal admitted Necronovix¡¯s strength, baring his teeth in a grin. ¡°But I¡¯ll be the one to win!¡± THOOM! He charged straight toward Necronovix. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 325: Necronovix (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 325: Necronovix (2) BOOOOM! An explosion erupted. Hellfire, dark magic, and meteoric stars of the abyss defiled the ground. Thendscape churned and quaked. The mirrored world conjured by the Tower Master trembled as if it would shatter any moment. Cough, cough. The Tower Master coughed. The opponent was Necronovix¡ªa being akin to a god. A being who could perfectly wield their own powers. Naturally, Necronovix''s attacks were aimed precisely at Ketal. The impact on his barrier was just a fragment of their strength. But even that was hard to endure. "If I were inside, I''d definitely be dead. All those puppets we fought until now were mere child''s y." This was the true power of Necronovix. "I truly hope you can win. Otherwise, this world will meet its end." The Tower Master murmured with heartfelt sincerity. Rumble! Crash! The most terrifying corners of hell unfolded upon the earth. And amidst it all, Ketal advanced. He narrowly created gaps to move through, dodging with miraculous precision. But he couldn¡¯t avoid everything. Necronovix twisted and shook the trajectories of their attacks. Shards from an exploding de grazed Ketal''s thigh. sh! A long gash appeared on his thigh. Ketal pressed forward, unfazed. He finally reached the point right before Necronovix. CLANG! A pitch-ck veil shed with Ketal''s axe. And it was the axe that was deflected. Necronovix spoke quickly. [A burst of power before me.] An explosion followed. Even Ketal would be in grave danger if hit directly. He swiftly retreated to maintain some distance, clicking his tongue as he examined the veil. "It¡¯s certainly durable." Even though it had shed with an aura-infused axe, the veil hadn¡¯t shattered. It bore some cracks, but those too were slowly regenerating. Dodging the cascade of power, Ketal muttered to himself. "Your authority isn¡¯t as absolute as I thought." [My power brings death to all things.] The power of the Abomination¡ª It was death itself. A power that bestowed ordinary death upon everything. [But you cannot kill what is already dead.] "Ah, so that¡¯s the nature of your defense." [Of course, in my prime, I could even destroy the already dead. But you can¡¯t wield my authority properly.] Ketal could only draw out the Abomination¡¯s power as a form of aura. Considering the true essence of that authority, he was barely scratching the surface. [As you are now, you cannot breach that defense.] "Hmm." Ketal stroked his chin. The Abomination murmured. [Then let me cooperate.] "Are you offering to help me?" [Watching the one who wields me struggle against such a juvenile foe is not to my liking. I¡¯d love to tear that smug expression apart.] The mystical force within Ketal stirred, slithering up the nape of his neck. [ept me.] The Abomination whispered. If Ketal epted, the creature within him would immediately go berserk, unleashing its power to annihte everything. The tide would turn in his favor in an instant. There was no real downside to epting. The Abomination was ultimately part of his own power. However¡ª "No, I¡¯m good." Ketal smiled faintly and declined. The Abomination paused, seemingly surprised by the unexpected answer. [...You¡¯re refusing? Is it pride?] "No, not that." BOOM! Ketal dodged the erupting forces, responding as he moved. "It¡¯s just, that wouldn¡¯t be much fun." [...What?] It was simple. Relying on someone else to solve the problem? How utterly boring. The Abomination spoke, incredulous. [Even in this situation, you¡¯re prioritizing enjoyment? You really are insane.] "Well, I won¡¯t deny that, but I¡¯m not doing this thoughtlessly either." Even Ketal wasn¡¯t stubborn enough to insist on his own way to the detriment of everyone else. Losing this fight wasn¡¯t just his problem¡ªit was a threat to the entire continent. His dream of a grand fantasy would crumble, and that wasn¡¯t something he desired. Yet, he refused for one simple reason: He was confident he could win without the Abomination¡¯s help. "I¡¯ve roughly figured it out." Necronovix, standing within the pitch-ck veil, hadn¡¯t moved a single step. Likely, they couldn¡¯t move while maintaining that shield. This was probably Necronovix¡¯s ultimate defense. If so, breaking it meant victory. The only problem was how to break it¡ªbut Ketal had already solved that puzzle. "Your authority doesn¡¯t work on that veil." However, physical impact did. Every strike caused cracks to appear¡ªthat was evidence enough. The regeneration wasn¡¯t particrly fast, either. Continuous attacks could break through. He had also discerned weaknesses in Necronovix¡¯s onught of power. "Well then, shall we begin?" Ketal withdrew his aura. Mystery coursed through his body, strengthening it. Necronovix narrowed their eyes. [A wise decision. Was that the Abomination¡¯s suggestion?] The authority of death couldn¡¯t pierce the pitch-ck veil. If Ketal was going to wield it as aura, strengthening and protecting his body was the optimal approach. [Even so, you cannot defeat me.] Necronovix spoke softly. [You are not the Abomination.] A being that had killed more than any other. A name that made gods and demons alike recoil in fear and hatred. Such a monster was Necronovix. [You are strong¡ªI¡¯ll give you that. But even so, you cannot reach me.] "We¡¯ll see." Ketal grinned. "Shall we test that?" With those words, Ketal charged forward. Necronovix swung his arm, summoning hellfire and meteoric stars to engulf the space. Ketal moved swiftly, though he couldn¡¯t avoid everything. Hellfire clung to his skin, leaving burns bothrge and small. Atst, Ketal closed the distance to Necronovix. He swung his axe with all his might. Cracks spread across the veil. [As the light of darkness pierces forward!] Necronovix countered, unleashing a beam of annihtion from their fingertips, erasing everything in its path. Crunch. Ketal nted his foot and moved again, shifting behind Necronovix. [As malice erupts upon the foe at my back!] Necronovix instantly responded. Demonic energy exploded behind them. But¡ª Thud. Ketal leapt, moving once more to Necronovix¡¯s front. [What?] Necronovix¡¯s dark magic faltered, misfiring. Ketal raised his arm. CRASH! The axe struck the cracks in the veil, spreading them further. [Thorns shall rise, piercing every direction!] Necronovix retaliated, conjuring a dense wave of thorns to impale the space. But none of them touched Ketal. By the time the words were spoken, he had already moved to Necronovix¡¯s back again. CRASH! The veil cracked even further. Necronovix¡¯s gaze wavered. [You.] Ketal¡¯s movements had changed. As he zipped around, he murmured: "So, everything you say defines the oue, huh?" Necronovix¡¯s power dictated reality through their spoken word, producing desired results. In other words, the oues were predetermined. If one could grasp the meaning behind those words, they could predict the direction of the force. [¡­A vortex shook everything around.] A storm erupted, pulling everything high into the sky. But it didn¡¯t touch Ketal. The moment he heard those words, Ketal had already moved above Necronovix¡¯s head. ¡°So, when you said ¡®every direction,¡¯ you didn¡¯t mean above, huh?¡± Crash! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Once again, the axe came crashing down. Cracks spread across the entire barrier. [The enemy targeting me has been flung far away!]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om This time, Ketal quickly widened the distance, deliberately moving farther from Necronovix. ¡°You said ¡®the enemy targeting me.¡¯ Then what happens if I retreat? What¡¯s the meaning behind that?¡± The situation twisted. Naturally, the intended oue was nullified. Necronovix''s power dissipated into nothingness. The Abomination let out a groan. [This is¡­] [¡­You!] It was certain. Ketal had perfectly understood the essence of Necronovix¡¯s power. This realization sent a chill down Necronovix¡¯s spine. ¡®To think¡­¡¯ To think that, after just a few battles, this barbarian had discerned a countermeasure. And not just discerned ¡ª mastered it almostpletely. Something about this was unsettling. Necronovix hastily turned his gaze toward Ketal. His eyes glimmered with childlike curiosity. Seeing those eyes, Necronovix finally understood. The one standing before him didn¡¯t see him as anything more than a challenge to conquer. Ketal was analyzing, understanding, and systematically dismantling him. This truth made Necronovix shudder. [You are...] Ketal was no Abomination. He wielded the power of death only in a shallow sense. But Ketal had something that Abominationscked. He muttered under his breath: ¡°I¡¯ve never been a monstrous being with overwhelming power.¡± He was originally nothing more than an ordinary barbarian. He hade close to death fighting a mere beast like Whitefang. But he had survived. He analyzed and exploited the weaknesses of powerful, exalted beings wielding overwhelming might. And by defeating them, he grew stronger. He only gained true powerter. Thud. Ketal pushed off the ground, charging Necronovix in an instant. Necronovix¡¯s mind raced. He couldn¡¯t rely on an area-based force anymore. He had to target directly. [Shred my enemies apart!] [[?? ?? ??]] My double. Ketal activated a spell he had been holding in reserve. Before him, a clone of himself materialized. ¡°You specified an ¡®enemy.¡¯ So, is that me? Or my summoned clone?¡± The answer became clear immediately. Necronovix¡¯s attack tore through the clone, leaving Ketal free to close the distance unimpeded. He tightened his grip on his axe, channeling all his strength. Crash! The cracks on the barrier spread further, and now pieces of it began to fall away. Ketal let out a whistle. ¡°Sturdy bastard, aren¡¯t you?¡± [¡­My power shall overturn thend!] Necronovix shifted strategies, abandoning precise targets. Instead, he unleashed a broad, indiscriminate wave of destruction. The earth itself rippled and trembled, sweeping across all in its reach. Ketal braced himself, driving his feet into the ground and meeting the force head-on. ¡°Unfocused power isn¡¯t impossible to withstand!¡± With a toothy grin, Ketal swung his axe. The cracks spread even further, leaving the barrier teetering on the verge of copse. Necronovix¡¯s expression twisted in frustration. [Kill him!] A pure manifestation of murderous intent enveloped Ketal. He didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he raised his axe to meet it head-on. Boom! An explosion of power erupted. The protective wards cast by the Tower Master could no longer withstand the strain and shatteredpletely. BOOM! The aftermath reverberated, shaking the world. Everything in the vicinity was destroyed. It was fortunate this urred in a remote mountain range ¡ª otherwise, the death toll would have been catastrophic. ¡°Cough.¡± Ketal spat out blood, staggering as he struggled to stand. The final attack from Necronovix had been immensely powerful. It had ravaged Ketal¡¯s body, tearing through his insides. Yet, Ketal let out augh. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve been hurt this badly. Not since thatst guy in there.¡± But it wasn¡¯t enough to render him unable to fight. Ketal tightened his grip on his axe. As the dust settled, Necronovix came into view. [¡­Hm.] His body swayed unsteadily. The ck aura enveloping him was half-dispersed. The pitch-ck barrier had shattered and vanished. Ketal whistled again. ¡°Now that¡¯s a more respectable look.¡± [¡­You...] Necronovix stared at Ketal. [What are you?] ¡°You ask meaningless questions.¡± [¡­True. I suppose so.] What mattered was that one of them had to kill the other. Necronovix gathered his remaining power. His near-infinite reserves were almost depleted. He activated his final spell. [Armor ds me, and a sword rests in my hand.] Pitch-ck armor encased Necronovix, and a sword appeared in his grasp. ¡°A melee fight, huh?¡± [I have no room left for tactics. This will be the end.] Ketal grinned, nting his feet before charging forward. The ground cracked beneath him as he rushed at Necronovix. Crash! Axe and ck sword collided. Necronovix did not retreat. Using his armor as a shield, he absorbed Ketal¡¯s blows and aimed for his heart with swift sword strikes. But ultimately, he was still a dark magician. His every move was evaded, and his armor steadily fell apart. Necronovix¡¯s eyes dulled, despair creeping in. With thest of his strength, he lunged forward, unleashing a desperate strike. BOOM! The attack sliced through the air, tearing a hole in the sky. But it missed. Ketal dodged it, grabbing Necronovix by the head and mming him down. Raising his axe high, he grinned. ¡°Well then! It was fun!¡± [¡­Indeed. Not bad at all.] BOOM! The axe smashed through the armor and buried itself in Necronovix¡¯s chest. Demonic energy erupted in all directions. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 326: Necronovix (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 326: Necronovix (3) Boom, boom, BOOM¡­ As the remnants of power gradually settled, the sight of the ground became clear. There, Necronovixy embedded in the earth, a massive axe lodged in its chest. ¡°Alright,¡± Ketal muttered, pulling the axe free. From the cracked chest, a surge of dark energy spilled out. Necronovix stirred, trying desperately to muster its strength. The malevolent energy flickered like a wavering me, attempting to rise but failing. It dispersed like a candle in the wind, snuffed out. Necronovix let out a bitterugh. [I can¡¯t even muster strength anymore, huh? This hasn¡¯t happened since the Great War of Gods and Demons.] ¡°You did well,¡± Ketal replied, pulling the axe over his shoulder. His own appearance was far from intact. Half of his skin was peeled away, revealing a grotesque and raw form underneath. One of his arms was stripped of flesh, with patches of exposed bone. But he was standing, and Necronovix was not. [I¡¯ve lost.] Necronovix admitted defeat at Ketal¡¯s hands. [I thought I could win. You¡¯ve never truly mastered the power of the Abomination. Without it, you¡¯re strong, but not as overwhelming as I expected.] Necronovix had relied on the assumption that if he could counteract the power of the Abomination, Ketal wouldck any extraordinary abilities beyond sheer strength. And yet, it was Ketal who prevailed. [You didn¡¯t even borrow the power of the Abomination.] The terrifying explosion of the Abomination, capable of wounding Materia itself¡ªKetal hadn¡¯t unleashed it. Instead, he wielded its power in the form of pure aura, controlled with perfection, and secured his victory. Now Necronovix understood: Ketal was strong enough to defeat him even without the Abomination. ¡°You weren¡¯t at your best either,¡± Ketal remarked lightly, sheathing the axe. Necronovix had expended much of his strength controlling his puppets and ensuring the Tower Master couldn¡¯t escape. This forced him into closebat with Ketal, a disadvantageous situation for a dark magician like himself. Even so, Necronovix quietly acknowledged: [Even if I had been at full strength, the oue wouldn¡¯t have changed.] The malevolent energy that defined Necronovix¡¯s existence began to dissipate, his form slowly unraveling. [Death¡­ so this is what it feels like.] The power of the Abomination¡ªit was a force that killed everything, even concepts themselves. Not even Necronovix, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, could escape its reach. [So¡­ this is death.] An ancient demon, born with the race of demons itself. From the wars of the ancient ones to the Great War of Gods and Demons, Necronovix had endured. And now, here, he was dying. [Hah, hahahaha. So this is what death feels like. I¡¯ve ended countless lives, but this is the first time I¡¯m experiencing it myself. Ah¡­ I see. So this is it.] Closing his eyes briefly to embrace the sensation of death, Necronovix then opened them and turned his gaze to Ketal. [You¡­ are our cmity.] With those final words, Necronovix¡¯s body vanished, his remains scattering into the sky and fading into nothingness. Vwoooom. A wave of power swept through the world. In that moment, all the strongest beings on the surface¡ªthose deemed heroes¡ªfelt it. And it wasn¡¯t just them. In the heavens, struggling to reconnect with the mortal world, and in the depths of hell, working to block the heavens¡¯ efforts, everyone felt it: a terrible evil had been eradicated. The Abomination murmured quietly. [You¡¯ve won.] ¡°You sound dissatisfied,¡± Ketal noted with a smirk. [You never used my power to the end.] ¡°I wanted to try with my own strength.¡± [Tch.] The Abomination clicked its tongue, earning a chuckle from Ketal. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you sulking because I didn¡¯t rely on you?¡± [Shut up. As if.] The Abomination denied it immediately. [I just¡­ my pride took a hit, that¡¯s all. Even in my prime, I couldn¡¯t easily kill that thing, yet you did without my help.] The Abomination¡¯s pride had been wounded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s done now. That wretched creature is gone, and that¡¯s what matters.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ketalughed lightly, walking away from the site of destruction to where the Tower Master awaited. [Cough, cough.] The Tower Master was half-dead. It was to be expected¡ªmaintaining a barrier strong enough to contain the devastating forces unleashed in the battle had taken its toll. ¡°Are you alright?¡± [No, not at all. I overexerted myself trying to sustain the barrier. My life vessel has cracks. I might die.] But his efforts weren¡¯t in vain. A battle of Ketal and Necronovix¡¯s scale would have shaken the entire continent, perhaps more. Thanks to the Tower Master¡¯s control, the destruction was limited to the immediate area. The Tower Master, having barely stabilized his internal injuries, rose to his feet. [So¡­ you won?] ¡°I won.¡± [Necronovix¡­ is dead?] ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Ketal replied calmly. The Tower Master let out a small, incredulousugh. [You actually killed him.] The origin of all dark magic. A primordial demon said to have been born alongside the Demon King. Necronovix was dead. [I can¡¯t believe it. It feels like a dream.] Even though it was undeniably good news, it was difficult to process. Shaking his head, the Tower Master steadied himself. [This is a tremendous victory. Thank you. Because of you, the world isn¡¯t doomed.] ¡°I¡¯m part of this world too. It¡¯s only natural,¡± Ketal replied with a faint smile. The Tower Master didn¡¯t doubt his words. [Let¡¯s return.] The Tower Master opened a portal, revealing Serena, anxiously waiting on the other side. When she saw Ketal, her eyes widened in shock, and she ran to him. ¡°K-Ketal! You¡¯re seriously hurt!¡± ¡°I can still move. Give it two days¡ªI¡¯ll recover.¡± ¡°I-I felt the surge of energy earlier. That¡­¡± ¡°I won,¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal nodded. ¡°Necronovix is dead.¡± Serena gasped. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°¡­It¡¯s true, then.¡± ¡°You worked hard holding off Necronovix¡¯s puppets alone. Get some rest.¡± ¡°N-No. Compared to you, Ketal, I didn¡¯t do much¡­ Really, you¡¯ve done so much more.¡± Serena stammered in reply, her eyes still filled with confusion. Realizing she wasn¡¯t in a state to hold a proper conversation, Ketal told her to rest. Next, Ketal visited the infirmary, where the barbariansy wounded. ¡°Oh, oooooh!¡± ¡°Our king!¡± Upon seeing Ketal, their eyes widened, and despite their injuries¡ªsevere enough to be fatal¡ªthey struggled to rise and approach him. Ketal clicked his tongue and waved them off. ¡°Stay down.¡± ¡°Ah, aah¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The barbarians reluctantlyy back down. After observing them for a moment, Ketal spoke. ¡°Where¡¯s Thomas?¡± Present were the gruff barbarian Greta and the female barbarian Anna. Thomas was nowhere to be seen. Greta replied calmly, ¡°His injuries were severe. He died.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. Necronovix was strong; even barbarians could die. He had known that. Still, the barbarians themselves likely wouldn¡¯t care about such a fact. Even Thomas, the one who had died, would have been more pleased to have died following Ketal¡¯s orders than afraid. Ketal knew that all too well. As if to prove his thoughts, Greta¡¯s eyes sparkled as she said, ¡°To die following the king¡¯smand! What an honor! I wish I could die like that, too!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± To barbarians, their lives were worth as little as the snow covering the frozen wastnds. But that wasn¡¯t the case for Ketal. Thomas had been a barbarian he had watched grow since childhood. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. Sensing Ketal¡¯s somber mood, Anna cautiously spoke. ¡°Um¡­ My king?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A-Are you disappointed in us? I¡¯m so sorry!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ketal blinked, perplexed by the sudden question. But the barbarians were genuinely nervous, anxiously watching for his reaction. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ketal realized something. The two didn¡¯t think Ketal was upset because of Thomas¡¯s death. No, they believed it was because they had failed his orders. Ketal hadmanded them to capture Necronovix, but they had not seeded. Assuming this failure was why Ketal¡¯s mood had soured, they were fretting. Understanding this, Ketal chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re truly exasperating creatures.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re sorry!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. That¡¯s not the reason.¡± Though he reassured them, the barbarians still looked uneasy. With grim determination, Greta asked, ¡°T-Then¡­ Should we return?¡± Ketal had given them a condition: If they defeated Necronovix, all the barbarians would be allowed to leave their frozennds and follow him. But they had failed that task. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes, you should. Once your wounds heal, return immediately.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Despair washed over their faces, as if the world had ended. After watching them for a moment, Ketal spoke again. ¡°For now, rest back home. I wille to you.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Their eyes widened. Ketal¡¯s next words left no room for doubt. ¡°Once matters outside settle, I wille find you in yournds.¡± ¡°¡­O-Ohhhh!¡± ¡°Our king! Truly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leaving the jubnt barbarians behind, Ketal stepped outside. The Abominaiton murmured in disbelief. [You¡¯re really nning to go back there? You loathe that ce.] ¡°There¡¯s no choice.¡± The barbarians had risked their lives to help him. Without them, he¡¯d probably still be struggling to chase down Necronovix. They had done something for him, so he needed to repay that. Ketal sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to end up making a homing I never wanted.¡± He figured he could greet them and leave quickly. Even so, it didn¡¯t make it any less unpleasant. The next day, Ketal met with the Tower Master. The Tower Master, upon seeing him, muttered with exasperation. [You¡¯ve almost fully recovered.] Ketal¡¯s injuries were severe beyond words. Half his body had been burned, and one arm had been shredded. For an ordinary person, these were lifelong injuries. Yet, within just a single day, fresh skin had grown, and his tattered arm had returned to its original state. Ketal remarked casually, ¡°To survive in that ce, you need at least this level of recovery ability.¡± [This doesn¡¯t seem like mere recovery, but fine. It doesn¡¯t matter now.] What mattered was something else entirely. Ketal sat down in a chair. ¡°I¡¯ve killed Necronovix.¡± The demonic overlord of hell had been vanquished forever. ¡°What do you think will happen next?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 327: The Tide Turns (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 327: The Tide Turns (1) [The damage on the surface is not insignificant.] The sanctuary of the fairies has burned. A pure mystical spring has vanished from the earth. Three heroes of renowned stature have died, along with dozens of superhumans. The casualties below that level are countless. Five religious churches were wiped out, and three kingdoms have copsed. [To be honest, the damage is catastrophic.] It was impossible to predict how long it would take to recover from the devastation caused by Necronovix. In fact, it might never be possible to fully recover. Such was the magnitude of the damage. Necronovix''s rampagested only ten days. In that short time, it inflicted an indelible wound upon the surface. [But in the end, Necronovix was in.] One of the Four Lords of Hell, who had once opposed the gods, was defeated. [When you think about its significance, the price was cheap. Practically free, even. It¡¯s hard to believe they summoned Necronovix to cause just this much damage.] The purpose of summoning Necronovix must have been to devastate the continent. At the very least, they likely intended to destroy half of it¡ªto burn the World Tree, copse Mantamia, and annihte numerous kingdoms and religious churches. And realistically, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Considering the irreparable damage inflicted in just ten days, with a few months, it truly could have destroyed half the continent. But before that could happen, Ketal killed Necronovix. [Summoning Necronovix must have been a trump card for Hell. They must have expended an enormous amount of sacrifices to bring it forth. And on top of that, they must have used considerable resources to prevent Heaven¡¯s intervention. It was a gamble of sorts.] But that gamble failed. [They can¡¯t block Heaven¡¯s intervention forever. Soon, even the gods will be able to aid the surface. What you¡¯ve done is change the course of this war.] The Tower Master continued. [Honestly, I dare say the tide has turned in our favor.] The flow of the war against Hell had shifted. Now it was time to counterattack. The Tower Master spoke with delight. [It¡¯s all thanks to you. You did exceptionally well. If I could, I¡¯d even give you a kiss.] "That¡¯s... not really..." Ketal hesitated to refuse. A kiss from a lich? Now that was fantasy. Even he, who had seen countless works of fiction, had rarelye across a scene of a lich kissing. What would it actually feel like? The thought momentarily intrigued him. [...Just joking. Don¡¯t make that face. It¡¯s unsettling.] The Tower Master replied awkwardly. [Anyway, you¡¯ve done well. I can¡¯t give you a kiss, but I should at least reward you properly. I¡¯ll make arrangements.] ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be bad,¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ketal said with a faint smile. * * * The Tower Master had said that Hell suffered a great blow and that the tide had shifted. And those words were true. Proof of thisy in the somber atmosphere of the Hell Lords'' meeting. ¡°¡­Necronovix is dead,¡± Materia broke the silence. No response came. She continued in a subdued voice. ¡°¡­Dead. Completely.¡± It wasn¡¯t a banishment or a seal. The entity itself had ceased to exist. A mighty evil that had existed since the days of demons had met eternal death. The Demon of the Sword, Caliste, asked quietly. ¡°Who killed him?¡± [The Barbarian of the White Snowfield, Ketal.] The Abyss, the First Tool of the Demon King, answered. Caliste¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°There was no one else who could have killed Necronovix in the first ce.¡± As Necronovix invaded the surface, it ryed vast amounts of information to Hell in real time. Through this, they hade to understand Ketal¡¯s power. ¡°Abomination¡¯s Authority.¡± ¡°How does someone even acquire such a thing? This is insane. This must be a nightmare,¡± Materia muttered, letting out a bitterugh as she ruffled her hair. It was the first time since the Gods and Demons War that she had shown such vulnerability. And the situation justified it. Caliste asked, ¡°What¡¯s the damage on the surface?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not small. But¡­ it¡¯s notrge either.¡± [Difficult to gauge. Without Necronovix, it¡¯s unclear.] Necronovix wasn¡¯t just a being of raw power. As the master of all dark magicians, it also served as Hell¡¯s central source of intelligence, gathering and rying critical information. Hell¡¯s ability to exploit vulnerabilities on the surface relied heavily on Necronovix¡¯s insights. But now, with Necronovix dead, Hell was like a human without eyes or ears. Coordinated attacks were no longer feasible. ¡°At the very least, the damage doesn¡¯tpare to Necronovix¡¯s worth. And it¡¯s no longer possible to block Heaven¡¯s intervention. The gods will soon return to the surface.¡± ¡°Do we have a countermeasure?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Materia remained silent. Caliste¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°We don¡¯t.¡± Hell¡¯s leadership had gone from four lords to three. And they had no answer. Hell fell into silence. * * * [Here it is.] Two dayster, the Tower Master handed Ketal a core. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± [It¡¯s your reward for what you¡¯ve done.] Ketal examined the core. It glowed blue, with something shimmering inside it. He immediately recognized what it was. ¡°Arcane Energy.¡± [It¡¯s one of the cores that sustains the Tower. With just this, all the Tower¡¯s magicians could conduct research without worrying about funding for a month.] The core radiated an intense mystical energy, surpassing even a dragon¡¯s heart. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to give me something like this?¡± [Considering what you¡¯ve aplished, this is cheap. I¡¯d give more if I could, but the Tower was also attacked and resources are tight. My apologies.] ¡°No, this is more than enough.¡± Ketal responded lightly as he epted the core. But the Tower Master, still regretful, continued. [If you need anything else, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll provide it.] "Then." Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Can you teach me magic?" [Magic? It¡¯s not particrly difficult,] The Tower Master said, looking slightly puzzled. [But you don¡¯t really need magic, do you? You have Dragon Words.] Dragons are a magical race. The Dragon Words they wielded was immensely powerful. Human magic was essentially a diluted version of it. It was hard to understand why someone with Dragon Words would seek human magic. Ketal answered the question lightly. "Because I want to learn it." [...I see, that¡¯s your purpose,] The Tower Master mused. Learning magic itself was Ketal¡¯s desire. It was a little perplexing, but knowing how peculiar Ketal was, the Tower Master didn¡¯t press further. [Very well. But right now, it¡¯s difficult. There¡¯s still much to be done in this war. I¡¯ll teach you after it¡¯s over.] "Ooh, thank you." Ketal beamed. After the conversation ended, Ketal headed to the clearing with the core in hand. He already knew exactly how to absorb it. Ketal shattered the core. Crash! The mystical energy within burst forth, surging into Ketal¡¯s body. Normally, this method was impossible. A regr body would have been unable to withstand the overwhelming energy and would have exploded. But Ketal was no ordinary being. The Abomination within him stirred, ravenously consuming the rebellious energy. As a result, Ketal gained the ability to wield even more mystery. "Ooh, ooh! Finally, I can use both simultaneously." Now, he could strengthen his body with mystery while wielding aura. The duration of his aura usage also increased. Previously, itsted only a few dozen minutes, but now, he could sustain it for over two hours. Ketal grinned in satisfaction. The Abomination muttered begrudgingly. [...Come to think of it, getting stronger isn¡¯t entirely good for me.] The stronger Ketal became, the greater his control over the Abomination. For the Abomination, being under Ketal¡¯smand was far from enjoyable. Ketal replied lightly, "Oh well. We might have to spend our whole lives together. Might as well make the best of it." [...How dreadful.] The Abomination shuddered. Afterward, the situation on the surface rapidly improved. Necronovix¡¯s demons, now blind, could no longer exploit weaknesses in their attacks. The same was true for the dark magicians. Many of the dark magician elites had been consumed as puppets by the Necronovix, making it impossible for them to operate effectively on the frontlines. With more breathing room, Ketal and the Tower Master began traveling the battlefield, eliminating demons. Boom! Power erupted, obliterating the demon strongholds that had tormented humanity. "That¡¯s the end of it." From the ruins, Ketal emerged, and the people erupted in cheers. "Waah!" "Ketal!" "Lord Ketal!" Now, everyone on the surface knew Ketal¡¯s name. He was, without a doubt, the most famous figure of the time. The Tower Master had spread the word across the continent: Ketal was the one who had in the Necronovix. People¡¯s eyes gleamed with reverence and awe as they gazed upon him. They shouted in unison, "O Great Hero!" "A hero, huh," Ketal mused. "It¡¯s not exactly wrong, is it? I chose you, after all. In fact, it¡¯s quite urate. This feels nice!" Standing next to him, Serena glowed with excitement, as if the praise was meant for her. Ketal chuckled. Time passed. The surface steadily gained the upper hand. In the once-hopeless eyes of the people, hope began to bloom. One day, Shadrenes, the Saintess of Kalosia, visited Ketal. "It¡¯s been a while, Ketal.¡± "O-Oh, it has," Stammered Heize, standing beside her. She seemed unsure of how to address him. "You can treat me the same as before, Heize. You¡¯re my friend," Ketal said lightly. "¡­That¡¯s easy for you to say, considering what you¡¯ve be," Heize murmured under her breath, ncing at him with a peculiar expression. When they first met, Ketal had seemed like a strange, terrifying barbarian. Over time, she realized he wasn¡¯t as frightening as she initially thought. But as it turned out, he was even more fearsome than she had imagined. Ketal wasn¡¯t widely known back then¡ªperhaps only in a small vige. But after saving her sanctuary from demons, his fame had spread across the continent, and now he was hailed as a hero. It was an astonishing transformation. "Anyway, it¡¯s good to see you again. What brings you here?" "Ah, yes," Shadrenes said, her face calm as she began to speak. "My lord, Kalosia, wishes to see you. He has a message for you." "Let¡¯s meet him immediately," Ketal said without hesitation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 328: The Tide Turns (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 328: The Tide Turns (2) Kalosia descended, borrowing Shadrenes¡¯ body. A voice, blended with tones of the old, the young, girls, boys, and young men, reverberated. Eyes like stars came into view. The great god revealed their presence on Earth. [Ahh, it¡¯s been a while. It¡¯s good to see you again.] A cheerful voice echoed. Ketal chuckled. ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡± Kalosia¡¯s tone had noticeably risen, making no effort to hide their delight. They spoke with a lively voice: [Of course. Necronovix¡ªthat damned fiend¡ªis dead.] One of the four lords of Hell, a primordial demon who had existed since the inception of the infernal realms. Necronovix had been a formidable demon who yed a pivotal role in the War of Gods and Demons. [In the past wars, the number of gods in by that monster would easily be in the double digits. I had my share of shes with him. Necronovix was an extraordinarily powerful and terrifying being.] And now, such an entity had met its end. [The heavens are abuzz with a celebratory atmosphere. It hasn¡¯t been this lively since the victory in the War of Gods and Demons.] ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± [As you may have guessed, our inability to intervene in the mortal realm until now was due to the interference of Hell.] Hell had blocked the heavens from intervening, ensuring Necronovix could wreak havoc without hindrance. [Because of that, we were left watching helplessly as the mortal realm was defiled. To be honest, it was a perilous situation. So much so that some gods seriously considered sacrificing themselves to force open a passageway.] ¡°Is that so?¡± Ketal was surprised; the situation seemed even more dire than he had imagined. [But then, you killed Necronovix. Thanks to you, the issue was resolved without us having to take drastic measures. No, it¡¯s more than resolved¡ªit¡¯s an exceptional turn of events.] Kalosia continued with excitement in their tone. [Hell had to pay a steep price to block the heavens¡¯ intervention for Necronovix. Three of their lords wielded their power, but even that wasn¡¯t enough¡ªthey required additional resources.] Many ranked demons, those of heroic ss, were consumed in the process. [Ranked demons are rare in Hell, numbering barely a dozen or so. Over half of them were expended to block the heavens.] Even if Necronovix hadn¡¯t died, Hell¡¯s recovery from such losses would have been difficult. But with Necronovix dead, it was a devastating blow. Kalosia suddenly paused, looking at Ketal¡ªno, more precisely, looking inside him. [¡­It¡¯s inside you, isn¡¯t it?] ¡°It is.¡± [Do not address me, you child.] The Abomination spoke indifferently. The moment Kalosia heard its voice, they instinctively invoked their authority, as if a squirrel had encountered a snake. Gradually regaining theirposure, they withdrew their power and muttered in disbelief. [That Monstrosity truly resides within you. It¡¯s unimaginable. But no matter¡ªit¡¯s clear you¡¯re in control. Victory is nearly ours. The demons can do little more.] ¡°Is it over, then?¡± The tide of the war was turning decisively toward victory for the mortal and heavenly realms. Ketal asked with curiosity, ¡°What happens next?¡± [Hell won¡¯t be able to send reinforcements anytime soon. The demons and beasts remaining on the mortal ne need to be dealt with. Once they¡¯re eradicated, the barrier must be reestablished.] The barrier separating the mortal realm from Hell would be restored¡ªstronger than ever, impossible to breach again. ¡°They¡¯re being expelled, then.¡± [That¡¯s how it will end.] ¡°It feels a bit unfair. The mortal realm got beaten up and barely retaliated.¡± Kalosia chuckled at Ketal¡¯s words. [That¡¯s just how it is. The mortal realm is a precious ce, after all. It would be nice if you could think of it that way.] ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand.¡± Strategic locations often became battlegrounds for proxy wars between powerful forces. The same thing happened on Earth, albeit on aary scale here. ¡®What a massive scale. Ketal chuckled, finding it amusing. But Kalosia, perhaps sensing Ketal¡¯s frustration, quickly added, [It¡¯s no fun being on the defensive all the time, is it? That¡¯s why we¡¯ve made a decision.] ¡°A decision?¡± [As I mentioned, Hell expended considerable strength to block our intervention.] With Hell¡¯s strength significantly reduced, an ironic opportunity had arisen: the gods could now intervene directly in Hell. [Soon, we will descend into Hell andunch an assault there. Keep this to yourself.] ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Descending directly into Hell to attack? Such a possibility excited Ketal. ¡°You¡¯re going to Hell directly?¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°Can Ie too?¡± [¡­What?] ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see Hell after hearing you talk about it.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Sensing his innocent desire, Kalosia chuckled dryly. [You¡¯re as strange as ever. Unfortunately, that might be difficult.] ¡°Is it impossible?¡± [Not impossible¡ªjustplicated. It¡¯s for a different reason.] Kalosia looked at Ketal. [If you go to Hell, there will be many who feel uneasy.] ¡°¡­The gods, huh.¡± Ketal understood what Kalosia was implying. ¡°They¡¯re worried I might side with Hell.¡± [Of course, I trust you. Most gods no longer see you as a threat.] Ketal had killed Necronovix. Only a fool among the gods would still regard him as an enemy. [But in the end, you are a being born of neither heaven nor hell.] ¡°They fear I might find Hell appealing and decide to stay, huh.¡± Ketal clicked his tongue. Kalosia, watching him, spoke again. [Of course, if you truly wish, I can take you with me on my authority alone.] ¡°Oh? That¡¯s possible?¡± [I still hold some sway in heaven, you know. I can pull some strings.] Ketal almost immediately asked to be taken. But he paused. ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t that put you in a tough spot?¡± [It would, but it¡¯s fine. Your happiness is more important.] Ketal groaned, suppressing his feelings. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll pass.¡± [¡­You¡¯re surprisingly quick to give up. The Ketal I know would have insisted.] ¡°If it causes trouble for you, it¡¯s not worth it.¡± Ketal smiled faintly, his demeanor calm, leaving Kalosia slightly unsettled. [Well, if you say so, I appreciate it.] ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason you wanted to meet me? I recall you had something to convey.¡± [It''s nothing grand, really,] Kalosia replied lightly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [I wanted to express my gratitude.] ¡°Gratitude?¡± Ketal asked, puzzled by the unexpected remark. Kalosia, however, spoke earnestly. [You saved the surface. You protected my followers, the followers of other gods, and humanity itself. Without you, most of them would have been killed by the Necronovix.] Kalosia moved, lowering himself as the great deity showed respect to a being of the surface. [Thank you, Ketal. For saving my children, the world, and humanity.] Gratitude from a god. Ketal was momentarily at a loss for words. It felt as if fantasy itself had recognized him. A profound emotion surged from within. [Once all of this is over, I will reward you. If you wish, I can even arrange for a journey to the heavens.] ¡°Oh, ohhh! Is that really possible? Please, do so!¡± Ketal eximed eagerly, his eyes sparkling like a child¡¯s. Even Kalosia faltered for a moment at his reaction. [I expected this, but you¡¯re even more delighted than I thought. I¡¯ll return once it¡¯s all over.] ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting with great anticipation,¡± Ketal said, grinning from ear to ear. Kalosia¡¯s form slowly began to fade as he returned to the heavens. Suddenly, he spoke again as if something had just crossed his mind. [I was the first god to converse with you.] ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Ketal acknowledged. [Most thought I was mad when I first told the gods about you. They called you a dangerous existence, saying you needed to be dealt with immediately. It even led to a formal council questioning my judgment.] ¡°Oh ho. You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± [It wasn¡¯t easy, but what are the results now?] Ketal had provided immense aid to both the surface and the heavens. Without him, the surface might have copsed entirely. As a result, not a single god dared to criticize Kalosia now. [I was the first to recognize your value. It feels good.] Kalosia murmured with satisfaction. [Well then, I¡¯ll be counting on you for a long time toe.] ¡°And I¡¯ll be counting on you,¡± Ketal replied with a faint smile as Kalosia left the surface. He then turned to steady Shadrenes, who was on the verge of copse. ¡°Ah¡­ thank you. How was your conversation with Kalosia?¡± ¡°It was enjoyable. A very fulfilling time. Thank you,¡± Ketal said with a gentle smile. * * * [What¡¯s this? You¡¯vee to me yourself?] The Tower Master spoke, surprised. Until now, it was always he who sought Ketal, never the other way around. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But now, Ketal hade to him, as if with a purpose, at the frontline where he was stationed. [Where¡¯s Serena? She¡¯s always trailing after you.] ¡°I sent her to the Elves¡¯ sanctuary for now. Karin needed healing, and she was necessary for that.¡± More importantly, considering why Ketal hade to the Tower Master, it was better that Serena wasn¡¯t around. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about something,¡± Ketal said, smiling brightly. ¡°What¡¯s the current situation?¡± [It¡¯s looking good. Everyone is quietly confident we¡¯ll win the war.] The gods had begun to appear on the surface again, delivering theirmands and leading their followers. Hidden demons and dark magicians were swiftly being dealt with. Hearing this, Ketal¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°So, there¡¯s room to breathe?¡± [I suppose there is¡­ What are you nning? That look in your eyes is dangerous.] ¡°Nothing too serious,¡± Ketal said nonchntly. ¡°You mentioned you¡¯d give me further rewards, didn¡¯t you?¡± The Tower Master had previously said that the core of his tower alone couldn¡¯t repay Ketal for everything he¡¯d done and asked if there was anything else he wanted. At the time, Ketal had merely asked for magic lessons someday, as he didn¡¯t have anything particr in mind. [I did. What is it? Do you want me to teach you magic now?] ¡°No, not that,¡± Ketal replied, smiling faintly. ¡°Serena mentioned that you¡¯ve touched the Gates of the Heavens. Is that true?¡± [It happened in the past. I tend to act on my curiosity. I wanted to see if a being from the surface could truly reach the heavens. So, I tried. The attempt failed, though.] ¡°Was it because beings of the surface can¡¯t enter?¡± [Not exactly¡­ There¡¯s a wall. A very solid one. Breaking through it wasn¡¯t easy. I retreated, considering my rtionship with the gods.] ¡°So, you were able to reach the heavens themselves. Then the reverse should also be possible,¡± Ketal said, his eyes sparkling. The Tower Master froze for a moment. [Wait a moment. You¡­] Kalosia had said he couldn¡¯t take Ketal to hell. The other gods were uneasy about it. Of course, if Ketal truly insisted, Kalosia had mentioned he could forcefully bring him there, but that would harm his own standing. He didn¡¯t want to trouble someone who had shown him goodwill. In that case¡­ ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it work if I found a way other than through the gods?¡± [You madman,] The Tower Master muttered,ughing dryly as he realized Ketal¡¯s intentions. ¡°Can you take me to hell?¡± Ketal asked excitedly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 329: The Tide Turns (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 329: The Tide Turns (3) "Can you take me to hell?" In an instant, dozens of possibilities shed through the Tower Master''s mind. From them, he extracted the one that seemed closest to the correct answer. [...Are you interested in hell?] "I''m curious. About what kind of ce it is." What would the scenery there be like? What exists there, how do demons live, and what kind of lives do the monsters lead? He was so curious it was driving him mad. He had to see it for himself. The Tower Master muttered as he saw the greed flicker in Ketal''s eyes. [...A personal desire, is it? You want to travel there?] "Exactly." It wasn¡¯t the worst possibility. The Tower Master was genuinely relieved, though he didn''t show it and instead stroked his chin thoughtfully. [It''s not impossible, but...] "Is it difficult?" [It''s not easy, but as I said, it¡¯s not impossible. You mean to go to hell directly, yes? Hmm. It¡¯s not a bad idea.] As he pondered further, the Tower Master realized that Ketal''s proposal wasn¡¯t entirely unappealing. [Honestly, it''s irritating to just sit back and take it. The gods seem to be eyeing the other side too. Getting a foothold there isn¡¯t a bad move. This is a good opportunity. I ept. Just wait a bit¡ªI¡¯ll make the preparations.] "Oh! Thank you!" Ketal sincerely expressed his gratitude to the Tower Master, who then moved cheerfully to the sacred grounds of the elves. "Ah! You¡¯re here!" Serena bounded toward him excitedly. "Just as you instructed, I¡¯ve been diligently treating Karin and Ignisia!" She looked up at Ketal with sparkling eyes, clearly expecting praise. Ketal stroked her head, and Serena giggled happily. She had held her ground admirably against Necronovix on her own. Back then, Ketal had praised her and patted her head, which made her extremely happy. Since then, Serena had begun to seek his approval regrly. It wasn¡¯t hard to oblige her, so Ketal would casually praise her when appropriate. After patting Serena¡¯s head, he turned his gaze. "Karin. Ignisia." "You¡¯re here?" "Ketal, you¡¯vee." "How are you feeling?" The two had fought with all their strength against Necronovix''s construct. They had sustained numerous injuries and were in poor condition, especially Ignisia, who had attempted a self-destructive move, shaking the power within her body, leaving her with near-fatal wounds. "I¡¯m fine. Serena did an excellent job healing me." Ignisia''splexion wasn¡¯t as pale as expected. Serena, possessing the Holy Sword and a hero-ss divine power, was unmatched in healing. Ketal was relieved. "That¡¯s good to hear. If anything had happened to one of my few friends, I would have been deeply saddened." "Thank you for saying that... Ketal." Ignisia looked at him with a somber expression. "That monster... You defeated it, right?" "I did." Ketal nodded. Ignisia let out a faintugh. She had already known, but hearing it directly brought mixed emotions. "You really did..." Karin and Ignisia, both hero-ss warriors, had fought with all their might but could barely hold their ground against the creature. And it wasn¡¯t even the creature''s true form but a construct. Such a monstrous being it was. And yet Ketal had emerged victorious against it. "You truly are a monster. It¡¯s chilling to think about the time I fought you." Ignisia shivered as she recalled how Ketal had once fought her with the intent to kill. She was acutely aware that, had he been serious, she wouldn¡¯t be here now. Then, amotion broke out outside, followed by the door bursting open. "Ketal! You¡¯re here!" The person entering was none other than Arkamis. Ketal greeted her with a delighted expression. "Oh! Arkamis, it¡¯s been a while!" "Wow! It really is Ketal!" Arkamis ran up to Ketal with a joyful face. Karinughed as she asked, "You¡¯re back, Arkamis. Have you resolved your issues?" "I¡¯ve handled them perfectly!" Arkamis, a superhuman-level warrior, roamed the continent confronting evil. As an alchemist¡ªa rare profession¡ªshe hardly had a moment¡¯s rest. Only recently had she found some time to return, and to her surprise, Ketal was here in the sacred grounds. She couldn¡¯t help but be excited. However, as her sparkling eyes settled one the one behind Ketal, her expression hardened. "...Huh?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om At the end of her gaze was Serena. "Ketal. Who¡¯s that child?" Serena flinched under Arkamis¡¯ stare and instinctively hid behind Ketal. Arkamis¡¯ eyes wavered wildly. "Uh, uh... Is she your daughter?" "I get that misunderstanding a lot. No, she¡¯s the Holy Sword." "Huh? The Holy Sword?" Ketal exined Serena¡¯s situation. As she listened, Arkamis¡¯ confusion gradually faded. "She requested my protection, so for now, I¡¯m acting as her guardian." "Ah, I see." Arkamis let out a sigh of relief. She nced at Serena for a moment, then, as if deciding something, stepped forward. "Serena, was it? Nice to meet you." "Y-yes? Nice to meet you...?" "Shall we be friends? Want me to show you around the sacred grounds?" "Oh, uh, okay." Serena nodded hesitantly, and Arkamis began leading her to explore the sacred grounds. Though flustered, Serena obediently followed her. Watching them, Karin murmured, "...It¡¯s peaceful." It was truly peaceful. The war was nearing its end, and that feeling was evident. The atmosphere was bright and hopeful. But this wasn¡¯t hell. Boom! An explosion erupted, filled with divine power. From within the explosion, a single hand emerged. It swung roughly, crushing and dispelling the st. "You damned bastards." Materia scowled as she surveyed the scene. A vastke¡ªa popr resting spot for demons in hell. Now, ity in ruins, reduced to ashes by divine destruction. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Materia returned to the shelter after cleaning up the aftermath. Waiting there were the Demon of the Sword, Caliste, and the Demon King''s first tool, Abyss. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°We stopped it. But theke waspletely buried under divinity and obliterated.¡± Materia slumped into a chair. ¡°The gods are invading Hell.¡± Kalosia had warned Ketal that the gods would attack Hell. And within days, they acted. Descending upon Hell in various ces, they wreaked havoc. Demons scrambled to defend their home base, leaving no capacity to attack the surface anymore. ¡°At least we made them pay dearly,¡± Materia muttered, narrowing her eyes. The gods themselves had descended into Hell. That meant they could strike down a god if needed. ¡°We managed to ensure one of them couldn¡¯t return. Caliste, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Caliste replied calmly. Materia pressed her forehead. ¡°The situation isn¡¯t good. To be honest, it¡¯s the worst. Is this¡­ a loss?¡± Materia murmured, but no one refuted her. Silence filled the space. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Caliste murmured. Materia scowled. ¡°Ah, how frustrating.¡± Caliste only cared about his sword, and Abyss, being a mere instrument, was difficult to converse with properly. It had been Necronovix who actively gathered and organized everyone¡¯s opinions. His absence was sorely felt. Materia sighed. If there was no Necronovix, she had to step in. ¡°Are we retreating?¡± ¡°¡­If we do, when will the next invasion be?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Materia clicked her tongue. ¡°Necronovix is dead, and many magicians on the surface are gone. The gods will reinforce their barriers even more. Just intervening through ck magic could take millennia. A full-fledged invasion might take ten times that.¡± Even for demons, it was a long time. Abyss spoke. [What about the Demon King''s descent? Status?] ¡°That might take a hundred times longer.¡± It could even be impossible. Such was the extent of the damage. ¡°Are we really going to retreat like this?¡± Caliste murmured, running his fingers along his sword hilt. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± [Agree.] The atmosphere grew heavier. Materia narrowed her eyes. ¡°There are two options. ept defeat and retreat, or¡­ be prepared to abandon everything.¡± ¡°Like back then,¡± Caliste replied. In the distant past, during the Divine-Demonic War, demons had been pushed to the brink of defeat by the gods. But they hadn¡¯t epted defeat. They had made one final desperate attempt. ¡°This gamble is riskier than back then. This time, we¡¯d truly have to abandon everything.¡± A gamble that would risk the entire demon race and Hell itself. ¡°To be honest, I want to do it. My pride won¡¯t let me retreat like this.¡± Materia grinned. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I have no intention of retreating. Besides, I now have a purpose,¡± Caliste said, his eyes gleaming with resolve. Within them burned the will to fight. ¡°I want to face the barbarian who killed Necronovix.¡± [No retreat. The Demon King''s descent must happen.] ¡°It¡¯s decided, then.¡± All the remaining lords were in agreement. Materia stretched as if relieved. ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± And the next day, all of Hell trembled. * * * ¡°How¡¯s the preparationing along?¡± [Almost done. It should be ready in two more days.] ¡°I see.¡± In two days, they could descend into Hell. Ketal looked up at the sky with anticipation. It was nighttime. The dark sky was filled with countless bright stars, far more dazzling than those seen on Earth. As he stared nkly, Ketal tilted his head. ¡°Tower Master.¡± [What is it?] ¡°The sky seems¡­ strange.¡± [Hmm?] Hearing this, the Tower Master looked up. And he, too, saw it. The cracks spreading across the lofty sky. [Confirming location.] The Tower Master cast a spell to pinpoint where the rift was forming. Magic surged high into the sky. But no matter how long they waited, no information came. The meaning was clear. The rift was so far away that even his magic couldn¡¯t reach it. [...Is it at the height of the stars? What is this?] The Tower Master tried to grasp what it was. But his efforts were rendered meaningless when the cracks in the sky began to expand. BOOOOOOOM! A deafening roar echoed across the world. It was a pure, unenhanced sound, yet it shook the entire realm. Those with sensitive ears had their eardrums torn apart. Ketal grimaced at the unpleasant noise. ¡°What is it?¡± [¡­Wait.] CRACK. CRACKLE. The cracks in the sky grewrger andrger. Beyond them was a deep, dark void. But it was not a space of this world. The Tower Master swallowed hard. [...A dimension is breaking apart?] And then, from beyond the dimension, it slowly revealed itself. RUMBLE¡­ It was a star. A ck-and-red star broke through the dimension and emerged into this world. The massive filled the vast sky. And then. SCREEEEEEECH! Malice radiated from the star. A density so thick it felt almost natural. The Tower Master gasped in shock. [That, that is!] ¡°Well, Tower Master, it seems your efforts were for nothing,¡± Ketal whistled. The Tower Master had worked tirelessly to descend into Hell. The fact that it was now pointless could only mean one thing. The ck-and-red, malice-filled¡ª That was Hell itself. ¡°The enemy hase to us instead,¡± Ketal muttered with amusement. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 330: Hell (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 330: Hell (1) [Hell!] The Tower Master was aghast. The dwelling of demons. A world of another dimension. Hell. That world had now torn through the dimension and arrived here. It was hard to believe even while seeing it with his own eyes. But the Tower Master had no choice but to ept it. Because Hell was slowly approaching them. [¡­Wait!] Hell was not asrge as one might think. At most, it was the size of one of the four continents. For a world of demons, it was rtively small. But while it was small as a world, the mass itself was unimaginably immense. What would happen if such a mass touched the ground? It wasn''t hard to guess. A collision that would lead to the destruction of the world. The Tower Master hastily extended his hands. Magic spread out frantically, forming barriers. Crack crack crack. But it was like trying to stop frostbite by urinating on frozen feet. No matter how powerful the Tower Master was, stopping such mass hurtling forward with eleration was impossible. ¡°This is dangerous.¡± Even Ketal became serious at the sight of the approaching. He pulled out his axe, filled it with aura, and nted his feet firmly. Just as he was about to charge forward¡ª Zzzzeeeeeng! Another tremendous roar rang out. But this time, it was not unpleasant. Despite its enormity, the sound brought an odd sense of calm to those who heard it. And then, divinity enveloped the world. It surrounded the surface of the earth in the form of a solid sphere, protecting it firmly. Before long, Hell and the divine barrier collided. Crunch. A horrifying sound reverberated. The barrier began to shatter, unable to withstand the''s mass. But it wasn¡¯t meaningless. The iing star¡¯s speed was slowly decreasing. And finally¡­ Rumble rumble rumble¡­ Just before it touched the ground, Hell came to a stop. [Ah.] The Tower Master barely held himself upright as his body threatened to copse. Forcing himself to focus, he lifted his head. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Spectacr.¡± Ketal spoke in admiration. The crimson-ck was now fused with their world. It was a scene one might only see in a painting. Of course, it was only beautiful when seen in art; when such a thing entered reality, it was nothing short of a catastrophe. The Tower Master groaned. [Ah, ah, ah¡­ These lunatics! They smashed Hell into the world!] A state of emergency erupted. The rxed atmosphere born of their previous victory shattered in an instant. The Tower Master sprang into action. [Have we received any word from the gods?] ¡°Uh, no! The saints and Saintess are praying, but there¡¯s no response!¡± [¡­Is it taking them time to assess the situation as well? Damn it!] The Tower Master shook his head roughly, frustrated. Ketal turned to him and spoke. ¡°Is it necessary to seek the gods for information? There is someone here on this earth who knows everything they know.¡± [¡­Ah!] Realizing the meaning behind Ketal¡¯s words, the Tower Master moved immediately. He headed straight for the elves¡¯ sanctuary. ¡°Waaaaah!¡± ¡°Aaahhhh!¡± The elves were screaming and running around like mad. Understandably so¡ªHell had appeared above the southern continent, right over the elves¡¯ sanctuary. Amid the chaos, the Tower Master and Ketal found Serena. Her already pale face had turned ghostly white. ¡°K-K-Ketal!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°A-Ah! This¡­ this is!¡± Serena was half out of her mind. Ketal observed her for a moment and then released his presence. ¡°Calm down.¡± Woom. His will pressed down on the sanctuary. The elves¡¯ frenzied movements came to an abrupt stop. Panic slowly subsided. ¡°A-Ah¡­¡± Calm began to return to Serena¡¯s face. Ketal asked quietly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡­Hell has connected to the ground, crossing the dimension.¡± [Is such a thing possible?] ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. Both Heaven and Hell exist on higher dimensions than the earthly ne. Lowering them into this dimension isn¡¯t particrly difficult. But¡ª but it¡¯s madness!¡± Serena cried out in bewilderment. The God-Demons War. It was a war fought over the ownership of the earthly realm, where Earth was the centerpiece. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Heaven and Hell were excluded from that fight. In other words, regardless of the war¡¯s oue, their own realms would remain unaffected. Until now, even if the gods attacked Hell, it was closer to venting their anger. They could not cause significant damage. But now, the demons had dragged Hell itself down to the earthly realm. ¡°If this happens, the demons can no longer be banished back!¡± Why could demons who manifested on Earth be killed yet still return to Hell? Because Hell was their home base. Being in another dimension, the damage they suffered here didn¡¯t matter much. But now, with Hell in the same dimension as Earth, there was no ce to be banished to. In other words, if demons received fatal wounds now, they would face true death. And that wasn¡¯t all. With Hell itself brought into this realm, it now fell within Heaven¡¯s range of attack. The gods could assault Hell unterally. Hearing this, the Tower Master groaned. [It sounds insane when you put it like that. But if they did it, there must be something to gain, right?] ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Serena swallowed hard. ¡°The gods and demons cannot interfere with Earth because they exist in extremely distant dimensions. But now that Hell is here¡­¡± ¡°The demons no longer consume anything to descend.¡± They could now roam Earth freely, as if it were their own backyard. Named demons, demons of rank, and even the demon lords themselves¡ªall of them could attack Earth. The Tower Master understood the demons¡¯ intent. [A gamble.] ¡°That seems likely¡­¡± Even at the risk of losing Hell itself, the demons had resolved to devour Earth. After a moment of silence, the Tower Master shouted urgently. [Soaring hawk! Spread this information across the world!] Dozens of hawks formed from magic soared into the sky and scattered. The information the Tower Master had discerned spread to the entire world. Hell had descended to Earth. At any moment, they could attack. Hearing this, the churches and kingdoms began to move frantically. Powerful beings from all over began to gather near the elves¡¯ sanctuary. Great dragons even soared through the skies, preparing their draconic incantations. Time flowed amidst tense silence. And after two days¡­ Nothing happened. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * [¡­What¡¯s going on?] The Tower Master muttered suspiciously. [Why haven¡¯t they attacked yet?] Dropping Hell into the earthly realm had been a highly sudden move. Earth had no time to prepare. If the demons had attacked immediately, they would have dealt immense damage. But even after two days, the demons had yet to show themselves. In that time, Earth had been diligently preparing for an attack. The demons needed to act quickly, yet it was still quiet. Something was very wrong. [Are they plotting something?] ¡°That¡¯s likely.¡± Ketal muttered, looking at Serena. Serena shook her head vigorously. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. They must¡¯ve done this to attack Earth, but¡­ why¡­?¡± [Hmm.] The Tower Master stroked his chin. After thinking for a moment, he moved to a nearby saint and asked if there had been any response to their prayers. ¡°T-There is no response.¡± [Are the connections still active?] "Yes. The prayers are reaching them." The prayers of the believers were definitely reaching the gods. But no answers wereing back. That meant one of two things. The first was that the gods didn¡¯t have the strength to respond. Hell itself had manifested here on Earth, and the gods were likely expending considerable power to suppress its aftermath. It was a very usible exnation. The other was that the gods themselves had not yet found an answer. [¡­This isn¡¯t good.] The demons were plotting something. But no one could tell what it was. The Tower Master let out a groan. Next to him, Ketal, who had been silent, finally spoke up. ¡°You look troubled.¡± [The problem is I can¡¯t figure out what they¡¯re after. They¡¯ve dragged Hell into this world, yet why are they staying silent? Why aren¡¯t they targeting the surface?] The Tower Master looked deeply worried. Ketal, watching him, opened his mouth again. ¡°There is a way to solve that problem, you know.¡± [Hmm? And what might that be?] ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple? Hell is connected to the surface now. They can freelye here, right? Then, the reverse should also be possible.¡± [¡­You. Don¡¯t tell me.] The Tower Master realized what Ketal was suggesting. [You¡¯re saying we should go to Hell directly?] ¡°Is there a better way?¡± [¡­¡­.] The Tower Master couldn¡¯t answer that question. Indeed, at this point, the best way to uncover the demons¡¯ n was to go to Hell itself. Ketal spoke softly. ¡°To catch a tiger, you need to enter its den. They¡¯vee here¡ªsitting back and watching isn¡¯t an option.¡± [You sound almost excited.] ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± Ketal answered casually, but his eyes gleamed like those of a child discovering a new toy. The Tower Master let out a dry chuckle. [It doesn¡¯t seem like a mistake to me.] But whether Ketal¡¯s intentions were pure or not, his suggestion was on point. In fact, it was the closest thing to a correct answer. They couldn¡¯t wait forever for the gods to respond. After much deliberation, the Tower Master made his decision. [Fine.] ¡°Oho! Then I¡¯ll¡­¡± [No. I can¡¯t send you alone. There¡¯s no information about Hell. Even Serena doesn¡¯t know anything. Sending you alone would be reckless¡­ though, to be honest, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be in danger, but we still don¡¯t know what they¡¯re nning.] The demons might have anticipated someone like Ketal arriving and prepared for it. They needed to be just as prepared. ¡°Then what do you propose?¡± [I¡¯ll go with you.] The Tower Master answered firmly. [Not just me. I¡¯m bringing one more person.] ¡°One more?¡± Ketal¡¯s face showed curiosity. * * * A few hourster, Ketal understood as soon as he saw who the Tower Master had brought. ¡°So you¡¯re going with maximum firepower.¡± [We don¡¯t know what¡¯s there. We could run into a Demon Lord as soon as we arrive. It¡¯s best to be prepared.] ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± A calm voice echoed. ¡°The Demon Lords are like gods of Hell. If they were to act, the gods wouldn¡¯t just stand by.¡± ¡°And yet those gods aren¡¯t answering, are they?¡± ¡°That likely means the Demon Lords are already interfering in some way. If they¡¯re acting to counter us, then it means the gods will soon have some breathing room. So, you can rest assured, Ketal.¡± ¡°Oh. I see.¡± The speaker was a woman with golden hair and ck eyes: Helia, the Sun God¡¯s Saintess. She smiled faintly as she greeted them. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°I thought that the next time we met, it would be under more peaceful circumstances¡­ This really isn¡¯t good, is it?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to Hell, too?¡± ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s dangerous¡­ but I think it¡¯s the right decision.¡± Helia spoke calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of each other for the time being.¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Ketal grinned. The party to investigate Hell had been decided: the Sun God¡¯s Saintess, the Tower Master, and Ketal. Serena was excluded from the team. Her power was clearlyckingpared to the Saintess, so it was only natural. Serena let out a sigh of relief. The preparations were swift. Since no one knew what the demons were nning, they had to move quickly. Within just a few hours, they were ready to head to Hell. [Well then.] ¡°Shall we go? Stepping into Hell as a servant of the gods¡­ It¡¯s practically sphemous.¡± Their faces were all tense. Even Helia, who spoke lightly, was full of nervous energy. Thend of demons. The sanctuary of the Demon Lords. The realm of the Four Monarchs: Hell. Nothing was known about it. No one knew what creatures lived there, what the environment was like, or what awaited them. It was a ce of the unknown. It was only natural for living beings to feel tense. But only Ketal wore an expression of anticipation. ¡®What could be in Hell?¡¯ [Let¡¯s go.] Kiiiiing! A magic circle formed. Their bodies began to leap through space. With Hell connected to the surface, transportation was no longer an issue. The scenery changed. What they saw first was a world of ck and red. Thick demonic energy swirled like fog. Rotting, ancient trees stood scattered, and acrid smoke rose from the cracked ground. They were now in Hell. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one more thing crossed off my bucket list.¡± Ketal couldn¡¯t stop himself from muttering. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 331: Hell (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 331: Hell (2) The Saintess of the Sun God. The Tower Master. And the Barbarian of the White Snowfield. They had arrived in Hell. At the same time, they realized something¡ªthe poison in the air was intense. The demonic energy rose. Merely breathing it in felt as though their insides would rot and be destroyed by its potency. Helia lightly waved her fingers, and a brilliant light arose, purifying the poisonous air. But¡ª ¡°Breathing¡­¡± They couldn¡¯t breathe. No matter how much air they tried to inhale, they couldn¡¯t feel their lungs filling with oxygen. The Tower Master muttered with curiosity, [The air¡¯sposition here is vastly different from that of the surface. A change in its makeup.] Magic was activated. The air¡¯sposition shifted to a breathable form for humans. Only then could they inhale and exhale properly. ¡°That¡¯s possible? Thank you. It was suffocating not being able to breathe.¡± [You didn¡¯t look particrly suffocated to me, but I¡¯ll take the thanks regardless. Still, I didn¡¯t expect even breathing to be impossible.] This was Hell. It was clear that this dimension waspletely different from the surface. Ketal looked pleased. ¡°Well then¡­ they should being soon.¡± Helia narrowed her eyes. They were in Hell now. The demons must have anticipated that someone woulde down for reconnaissance. Surely, they would have prepared for an ambush. To prepare for this, they expanded their senses and gathered their strength. However, nothing happened. [¡­What¡¯s this?] There was no ambush, and nothing appeared in their sight. It was literally an open wastnd. Something was wrong. It was too quiet. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the other side intends to make a move. For now, how about walking a bit?¡± [¡­Understood.] They began to walk through Hell. Meanwhile, Helia and the Tower Master were prepared for any sudden attack. But Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked around, even wearing a faint smile. Seeing this, Helia¡¯s expression turned strange. They advanced slowly for about thirty minutes. In that time, nothing happened. [This is¡­] Not only was there no ambush or attack, but they didn¡¯t even see a trace of demons or monsters. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°They¡¯re leaving us alone? This is unexpected.¡± [You¡¯re telling me. I was hoping to capture some attacking demons and extract information from them. Our n¡¯s gone awry.] So, what now? Faced with an unexpected situation, the Tower Master and Helia began to strategize. In the midst of the silence, Ketal spoke. ¡°Then we¡¯ll scout.¡± ¡°Scout¡­?¡± ¡°Since we don¡¯t know what lies ahead, we need to understand this ce. Hell itself.¡± Hell. The home of demons. They had no information about it¡ªwhat the natural environment was like, how demons lived here, how the monsters survived. Everything about it was a mystery. ¡°Instead of staying on guard against unseen demons, it would be more useful to scout out Hell and gather information. What do you think?¡± [Hmm.] ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± It was a logical suggestion, so Helia and the Tower Master agreed. A grotesque voice sneered. [So you just want to sightsee in Hell.] Ketal ignored it. ¡°Then how about you two move together? I¡¯ll go alone. Scouting from multiple directions will be more efficient.¡± [You just want to explore without being bothered, don¡¯t you?] Once again, Ketal ignored the grotesque voice. The Tower Master nodded. [Fine. Let¡¯s meet back here in an hour.] ¡°Understood.¡± With a joyful smile, Ketal stepped forward. His figure vanished into the distance in an instant. His movement was so swift that the Tower Master chuckled softly. [He must have been quite impatient.] ¡°¡­He looked excited,¡± Helia muttered as she stared in the direction Ketal had disappeared. ¡°He seemed truly delighted to be in Hell.¡± [That¡¯s the kind of man he is.] The Tower Master replied indifferently. [He moves ording to his interests. Other reasons are secondary. When he said he wanted toe to Hell, it was probably because he wanted to see it for himself.] ¡°To sightsee Hell¡­¡± Helia murmured in disbelief. Such a thought was iprehensible for beings from the surface. ¡°¡­He¡¯s dangerous.¡± [You¡¯re worried he might take the demons¡¯ side?] ¡°For someone like him, the concept of good and evil probably doesn¡¯t matter.¡± If his only desire was to satisfy his curiosity, then there was no reason he wouldn¡¯t side with Hell. However, the Tower Master quickly dismissed Helia¡¯s concerns. [You don¡¯t need to worry about that. He¡¯s the type to value his connections. He wouldn¡¯t betray those he¡¯s bonded with just to join the demons. If he had started out in Hell, it might have been a different story¡­ but he set foot on the surface first. There¡¯s no problem.] ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Honestly, I¡¯ve been quite anxious. I¡¯ve been constantly worrying he might stab me in the back.¡± Helia made a joke that wasn¡¯t entirely a joke. [Well then¡­ exploring Hell, huh? I never thought I¡¯d see the day.] The Tower Master quickly processed the iing information. Hell was not a world friendly to humans. The poisonous air, if left unpurified, would rot one¡¯s insides and skin. Even the air¡¯sposition was different, making breathing impossible. And it was scorching hot. They weren¡¯t particrly bothered since they were powerful beings, but an ordinary human would suffer dehydration within minutes from the heat. [A hellish environment indeed. And what are these?] In Hell¡¯sndscape stood rotting, decayed trees. No matter where they walked, the dead trees were ever-present, adding to the eerie scenery. The Tower Master approached one of the trees, nning to take a sample for research. He lightly touched it with his fingers. At that moment¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w KWA-BOOM! The tree exploded. A fierce wave of heat engulfed the area. The explosion triggered a chain reaction with the surrounding dead trees. Dozens of trees in the vicinity erupted simultaneously. RUMBLE! The ground shook, and the explosions filled the space. Once the chaos finally subsided, the Tower Master and Helia stood unscathed. Neither of them had a single scratch. A thinyer of magic and divine protection shielded their bodies perfectly. Helia frowned. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± [It reacts to even light contact and explodes. Its power is significant. Even those called superhumans would have trouble defending against itpletely.] Those ancient trees were scattered throughout the entire hell. They continued to scout hell. Before long, they discovered an area where demonic energy was erupting. Like sulfur from a volcano, the demonic energy was seeping out of the ground. There was no need to approach. Just as they judged it better to turn back, the demonic energy that had been leaking suddenly moved. Like smoke, it surged toward the Tower Master and Helia, filling the space in an instant and trying to grab hold of their bodies. ¡°Do not approach me.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Helia calmly spoke. With her words, divine power erupted. It burned away the approaching demonic energy and pressed down on the ground, preventing it from leaking any further. [Was that an attack?] ¡°No. It looks more like a natural phenomenon. It consumes anything that approaches and uses it as nourishment.¡± [What a bizarre ce.] The Tower Master chuckled bitterly. Even after that, they continued to encounter strange things. A living spring that emitted a bewitching light to lure life in and drown it. A sudden thunderstorm that rained with explosive force. Centipedes lurking between cracks in rocks, targeting the nape of their necks. Their venom was potent enough to corrode even the Tower Master¡¯s defenses slightly. Everything was bizarre and perilous. An hourter, they met Ketal. Ketal¡¯s expression was full of life. ¡°You look like you¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°I enjoyed myself adequately.¡± The Tower Masterughed dryly. They exchanged the information they had gathered, concluding that most of hell was simr to what they had seen. [What a horrifying world.] It was truly a twisted and grotesque world deserving of the name ¡°hell.¡± [Survival would be nearly impossible without superhuman abilities.] While organizing the information, the Tower Master suddenly asked curiously, [Ketal, you lived in the White Snowfield, right?] ¡°I did.¡± [How would youpare that ce to this one?] The White Snowfield. A forbiddennd. It was known to be incredibly dreadful. But no one knew exactly how dreadful it was. There were asional survivors who entered and returned from its outskirts, but no one had ventured into its core¡ªno one except an emperor from the distant past. What could possibly exist inside? It was a mystery that had intrigued the outside world for ages, but no one knew. The barbarian before them, however, could reveal everything. [It¡¯s said there are powerful monsters there. But what about the environment itself?] The Tower Master finally asked the question he had been holding back. Helia also seemed interested, listening quietly to the conversation. ¡°How does itpare to this ce?¡± Ketal thought for a moment before answering. ¡°It¡¯s not all that different.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± [Not all that different?] Both were stunned by the unexpected response. Hell was filled with all manner of horrors, making survival impossible for anyone below a superhuman level. And yet, he said it wasn¡¯t that different. [There are trees that explode just from being touched. Are there simr things there?] ¡°At least you can see those with your eyes. You just need to avoid touching them. Some of the icy ground in the Snowfield isn¡¯t ordinary ice. The moment you step on it, it freezes your entire body. You can¡¯t distinguish it by sight, so it¡¯s impossible to react. You have to move purely on instinct.¡± Anyone who failed to develop that instinct wouldn¡¯t survive. It was the bare minimum for survival there. [There are thunderstorms here that strike with immense force.] ¡°There¡¯s hardly any thunder in the Snowfield. Instead, hail falls. It¡¯s hail that harbors malice toward living beings and aims to kill. Tens of thousands of them fall at once. If you misjudge your response, there won¡¯t even be a corpse left.¡± [There were centipedes that could corrode my defenses.] ¡°There are scorpions there. Their venom can kill even heroic-level barbarians. I¡¯m the only one who survived. Afterward, barbarians tried to imitate me, eating the scorpions, and died miserably, which was troublesome.¡± [And the demonic energy smoke that consumes life?] ¡°There are so many things like that that I can¡¯t even begin to describe.¡± Ketal¡¯s expression was genuinely nonchnt. The Tower Master was at a loss for words. ¡°¡­How exactly did your people manage to survive?¡± Helia, who had been listening to the conversation, asked with a disturbed expression. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 332: Hell (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 332: Hell (3) A grotesque and twisted ce, to the point where even hell might seem kind. How did the Barbarians survive in such a space? Ketal answered simply. ¡°Barbarians are resilient. They don¡¯t die easily from most things. Wounds heal at a rapid rate too.¡± [I know about that.] The Tower Master was aware of the regenerative powers of the Barbarians. Even when their hearts were pierced, their limbs torn to shreds, or their entire bodies impaled, they survived. Not only that, but they regenerated those wounds. No, it wasn¡¯t mere regeneration. [It wasn¡¯t regeneration, but closer to reversal. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary power.] ¡°They¡¯ve got a lot of strange traits mixed in. They don¡¯t die so easily, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°But ording to what I¡¯ve heard from the Tower Master, the Barbarians of the White Snowfield have¡­ a very direct way of thinking.¡± ¡°You can just say they¡¯re uneducated. Even those tough guys drop like flies in there, though.¡± It was a mystery. Unlike animals, humans take years just to learn to walk and run on their own. To be effective fighters, at least twenty years are needed. Even with their bizarre powers, it seemed impossible for the Barbarians to survive in that ce. Ketal answered the question simply. ¡°There isn¡¯t much entertainment in there.¡± Theck of distractions. So what would Barbarians do for enjoyment? The answer wasn¡¯t hard to guess. ¡°They don¡¯t understand the necessity of contraception, so they have a lot of children. And the pregnancy period is short. The growth rate is abnormally fast too.¡± They gave birth just one month after conceiving. Their children could be significant fighters in about five years. This was how the Barbarians managed to survive, even when Ketal wasn¡¯t around. ¡°¡­Are they even human?¡± Helia murmured with a groan. A one-month pregnancy and a five-year timeline to bebat-ready? It was iprehensible based on their understanding of biology. Ketal couldn¡¯t answer that they were human because, in truth, they weren¡¯t. [Why did they change like that? As far as I know, the first Barbarians who entered the White Snowfield were ordinary humans.] ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s how they were when I met them.¡± Ketal shrugged, though he had his suspicions. ¡°As you said, it¡¯s a dangerous ce. Grotesque and alien. Survival is nearly impossible. Yet the Barbarians survived.¡± [¡­Did they evolve to adapt to the environment?] ¡°Probably.¡± The White Snowfield was a ce of extreme cold where humans could not survive. To adapt to such a ce, the Barbarians evolved to match the environment. The result was that they were no longer something one could call human. ¡°The Barbarians who came outside are nothingpared to the stronger ones. They possess bizarre things that can¡¯t be exined with conventional logic.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± [But there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about.] ¡°What is it?¡± [Do you also have such powers?] Do you have something bizarre as well? Ketal fell silent at the question. After a brief pause, his lips opened. ¡°I don¡¯t not have it.¡± The strange power he possessed. He had used it against the Elders. And against the enemy in the final quest. But he hadn¡¯t used it sinceing outside. [Do you not use it anymore?] ¡°Because I am human.¡± Ketal hummed softly. ¡°I belong to this world. I won¡¯t use such things anymore.¡± At that, both Helia and the Tower Master recognized Ketal¡¯s obsession. They quietly changed the subject. ¡°So, the White Snowfield is such a ce.¡± A ce so strange that even hell seemed kind byparison. Neither the surface, the heavens, nor hell¡ªa twisted space. That was the Forbidden Land. Once again, they realized this truth. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°It¡¯s a sealed ce, after all. Even if the seal is slowly loosening, we still have time. We need to focus on the present.¡± [You¡¯re right. If we don¡¯t deal with this damned hell, the surface will be destroyed.] With that, the conversation ended. Ketal stroked his chin. Talking about the White Snowfield brought back memories of that ce. ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯ Ketal had told his tribe that if they wanted to follow him, they needed to kill the Elders. The Barbarians who made it outside hadn¡¯t killed the Elders, but they had left them near death. The three Elders were locked in a stalemate. That fight had continued from when Ketal entered the White Snowfield to when he left. ording to the words of the rat and snake, that fight had supposedly started before creation itself. But the Barbarians had managed to leave one of the Elders barely alive. ¡®There might be some change in their fight.¡¯ Ketal quietly pondered. After finishing their reconnaissance, they moved together. Hell wasn¡¯t thatrge. It was about the size of one of the four continents. Large enough, but small enough that warriors of their caliber could search the entire ce in a matter of days. But no matter how far they moved, nothing revealed itself. They needed to make a choice. [Do we retreat, or do we press deeper and take the risk?] After a brief moment of consideration, the answer came immediately. ¡°We go deeper.¡± They couldn¡¯t back down now. It had already been some time since hell had begun colliding with the surface. They had to uncover what was being nned. Helia reached out her hand. ¡°Bell of Heaven.¡± With a briefmand, a golden bell appeared in her hand. Ketal¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°A holy relic.¡± ¡°I am the Saint of the Sun God. I can use all of His holy relics.¡± Until now, they hadn¡¯t used it for fear of provoking the demons. But with their decision made, there was no longer any reason to hold back. Helia rang the bell. Chime. A soft ringing sound resonated, spreading golden waves through hell. The range was vast¡ªso vast that it allowed them to perceive a quarter of hell¡¯s territory. As she organized the information the bell revealed, Helia¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. ¡°¡­What?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [What is it?] ¡°I sense¡­ divinity.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± [What?] Divinity in hell? It was an unexpected im. Helia let out a strained sigh. ¡°¡­The goddess is here.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ketal''s eyes shone brightly as the Tower Master looked flustered. [The goddess is here?] ¡°The Goddess of Wrath. I can feel her divinity. I''m certain.¡± [If Ketal¡¯s right, the gods were supposed to be attacking Hell. Is she still here, fighting alone?] ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. The goddess is alone. There¡¯s no way even a god woulde to Hell by themselves. And¡­ her divine power is weak. Very weak.¡± If a being like a god had descended, Helia should have noticed immediately. But until she used the holy relic, she hadn¡¯t realized anything. That meant something was off. Helia¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°¡­It seems she¡¯s hiding from the demons. It looks like she needs help.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll go help her immediately.¡± Ketal spoke, his eyes gleaming. His heart was pounding in excitement. A god hade here. That could only mean one thing. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to see the god¡¯s true form!¡¯ He had seen Federica¡¯s true form before, but she was too distant to examine in detail. Moreover, the passage had opened only slightly, so he couldn¡¯t see everything. Helia nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± They quickly moved toward the location where the divine energy was emanating. The distance was significant. With an ordinary pace, it would take days. But they were among the strongest on the surface. Even while staying cautious, they covered the distance in an instant. At this rate, they would meet the goddess within minutes. But then¡ª A thunderous explosion erupted in the distance. Something massive with an overwhelming speed broke through the sound barrier and hurtled toward them. Ketal quickly turned and thrust his fist forward. Crack. A massive projectile the size of a house collided with his fist. Ketal clenched his hand and swung to the side. The projectile ricocheted and crashed into the ground of Hell. Boom! ¡°It¡¯s heavy.¡± Ketal shook his fist. The weight was considerable. Helia frowned. ¡°Is this finally an attack?¡± Rumble! Explosions echoed again and again. They saw it: the sky was covered in pitch-ck projectiles. All of them were aimed at the group. * * * [Magic Shield.] ¡°Radiance of the angels.¡± Buzzzzz. A massive surge of magic and divine power enveloped them. It was the saintess of the Sun God and the Tower Master¡¯s shield¡ªan absolute defense that even those hailed as heroes would struggle to scratch. However¡ª Boom-boom-boom! The projectiles pounded relentlessly against the shield. Cracks began to spread with an ear-piercing screech. The projectiles held the power to break their defenses. That meant one of two things: [Demons of rank, several of them.] Or a weapon equivalent to hundreds of such demons. The Tower Master and Helia reinforced the shield. Yet the bombardment continued, threatening to erase the space itself. [This is getting annoying.] They could defend while moving, but they were on their way to the hidden goddess. They couldn¡¯t continue while under this assault. That¡¯s why Ketal spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± [We leave it to you.] Ketal nted his feet. Crunch. The ground of Hell shattered as his bodyunched toward the direction of the projectiles. Even Helia would have struggled to keep up with his speed. Shortly after, an earth-shaking explosion rang out. Boom! A part of Hell copsed. ck mountains crumbled as the projectiles were crushed. Helia let out a groan. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard stories, but that¡¯s monstrous power.¡± [They say he defeated Necronovix. He¡¯s beyond your and my understanding.] ¡°At this rate, even the Sun God might lose.¡± [Is it eptable for a servant of the Sun God to say such things?] ¡°The Sun God isn¡¯t that petty.¡± While they exchanged light banter, the bombardment stopped. The attackers were preupied dealing with Ketal and could no longer focus on the group. ¡°Shadow of Light Robe.¡± Helia spread her hands. A robe of mingling light and shadow enveloped them. [A holy relic.] ¡°With this robe, demons won¡¯t be able to detect us. However, if the surface bes dirty, the effect will quickly fade. We must move swiftly.¡± They hurried toward the goddess¡¯s location. Soon, they reached their destination. It was a cave. ¡°The divine power ising from inside.¡± They entered the cave. After following the path for a short while, they found a small chamber. There, someone in the shape of a woman sat silently, her head bowed. Helia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Mesereka¡­¡± The Goddess of Wrath. Mesereka. It was her. [Hmm.] The Tower Master groaned. Mesereka was hiding her power perfectly. Yet her divinity was palpable. It was enough to make one instinctively kneel and offer prayers.N?v(el)B\\jnn This was a god¡¯s true form. Mesereka gave no reaction, as if she were recovering her strength. Helia slowly approached. ¡°Lady Mesereka, I am here.¡± Her voice was calm as she neared. But even then, Mesereka showed no response. Helia moved closer, now within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°¡­Lady Mesereka?¡± Feeling something was wrong, Helia reached out and gently touched Mesereka¡¯s shoulder. Thud. Mesereka¡¯s body copsed limply. Helia¡¯s face hardened. ¡°¡­Hold on.¡± [W-Wait.] As Mesereka fell, her hair shifted, revealing her body. And they saw it. The wound shed across Mesereka¡¯s chest. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± [Wait.] Shock reverberated through the chamber. But before they couldprehend the situation, a voice rang out. ¡°So you¡¯vee. I wasn¡¯t sure¡­ but it all went ording to n.¡± A low male voice. Footsteps echoed from deeper within the cave. The figure soon revealed himself. A gaunt man holding a sword. The Tower Master was aghast. [How!] Helia quickly expanded her divine senses to scout the area. With the holy relic, she should have detected any demon hiding. It could only have been an extremely weak, nameless demon if something had escaped her search. At that thought, a single existence shed through the Tower Master¡¯s mind. [No way!] He quickly raised his hand to cast a spell. But the man had already reached him before he could activate his magic. Without any resistance, the Tower Master¡¯s skull was neatly severed from his body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 333: The Sword Demon Caliste (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 333: The Sword Demon Caliste (1) The Tower Master''s head flew off. If he were an ordinary human, he would have died immediately. His body, having lost its control tower, would have crumpled to the ground. But the Tower Master was a lich. The jaw of the severed skull moves. [Explosion!] "Resonate, heavenly bell!" Helia quickly took out a bell and shouted. Within the small cave, forces strong enough to shake the world erupted. Both Helia and the Tower Master possessed powers that are far beyond ordinary heroes. Both reflexively unleashed the greatest strength they could muster. The cave exploded into nothingness, leaving only scattered debris. [Hmm?] "What?" They both were taken aback. It was because no demonic energy flowed from their opponent. They thought he had taken the force directly without countering it. Crunch. But through the debris, the man approached. Not even a single strand of his hair was harmed, let alone his clothing. He raised his sword toward Helia. Helia quickly spread her hand. "Shield of Hephaestus!" Kiing! A shield of steel materialized. It was a shield handcrafted by the cksmith god Hephaestus himself. During the ancient War of Gods and Demons, it withstood the attacks of hundreds of demons without a single scratch. sh. But before the man¡¯s sword, it was sliced like cheese. The halved shield fell to the ground with a hollow thud. Helia''s eyes widened. Tap. The man stepped forward and thrust his sword. It was just before the sword pierced Helia''s heart. [Teleport!] Magic activated. Helia and the Tower Master¡¯s bodies were moved away from the man. Helia staggered and fell to her knees. "Haaah¡­" Cold sweat trickled down her cheek. She almost died. If the Tower Master hadn¡¯t teleported them away, she would have been impaled straight through the heart. "How unfortunate. I tried to kill you as quickly as possible, but your response was faster than I thought." The man muttered calmly. The Tower Master''s body picked up his severed head and reattached it to his neck. [...You.] A dried-up man. A demon. But not just any demon¡ªa monster at a level that could kill them both in an instant. [So it was you who killed Mesereka.] The man answered with a sly smile. That alone was enough of an answer. Helia groaned. "...You mean to say you killed a god." That meant he possessed such immense power. A demon of rank. No, even that wouldn¡¯t suffice. One of the Four Lords of Hell. Yet Helia and the Tower Master could not be certain. The reason was simple. [¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s concealing his demonic energy like Necronovix, but I can¡¯t feel any energy at all.] There was no demonic energying from the demon before them. No¡ªto be precise, there was. But it was so faint. It was the level of a nameless demon. Without the battle just now, they wouldn¡¯t have paid him any attention. The man muttered, ignoring whatever they were thinking. "The Saintess of the Sun God and the Tower Master, huh? I didn¡¯t expect both of you toe. This is incredible. I thought this task would be annoying, but¡­ everything went ording to n." With those words, they realized it. The demons had set a trap. And they had fallen into it perfectly. The man smiled. "Nice to meet you. I am Caliste, the Sword Demon." "¡­One of the Four Lords of Hell." Helia groaned. A being akin to a god. The worst-case scenario hade true. "Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have time for a long chat. Our poor little pawns will die holding back the monster." Rumble! A great roar echoed from far away. It was Ketal fighting against the demons. "Before that, I need to fulfill my purpose." They already knew what that purpose was. To kill the Saintess and the Tower Master. Caliste lightly stepped forward. It was such a casual movement, as though he were taking a walk. Yet in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of the Tower Master. [Blossoming Power!] The Tower Master reflexively shouted. Dozens of spells simultaneously materialized. Lightning, des, and magical explosions engulfed Caliste. Each of these spells had enough power to kill a demon with a name. Yet Caliste''s sword moved strangely, piercing through and redirecting every spell. The space was erased in an instant. [What is this madness¡­?!] The Tower Master¡¯s shock was cut short. The sword moved lightly, and his skeletal body was sliced into dozens of pieces. "mes of Kallioros!" The mes of Kallioros, the god of fire, erupted. These mes burn evil, reducing even hellfire to nothing but ashes. But Caliste¡¯s sword moved. With a light wave of his arm, the mes were pushed away. Helia''s eyes widened. The mes of Kallioros danced along the tip of the sword, as though being controlled. No demonic energy could be felt from the motion. That was pure swordsmanship. After scattering the mes, Caliste approached Helia. Helia hurriedly extended her hand and tried to shout. "By the Sun God''s¡ª!" "I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t bring out holy relics." The tip of the sword pierced Helia¡¯s palm. With a strange sound, something broke, and the holy relic she tried to summon was prevented from appearing. ''He read me¡­!'' St! A sh cut across Helia''s arm, leaving a long wound. The sword was thrust straight for her heart. [Lightning Strike!] At that moment, a spell activated. Caliste swiftly raised his sword to the sky. Lightning struck, absorbed through the sword. "Even if I cut off your limbs, you still move. Liches really are annoying." [We¡¯re not so easily killed! Frozen Tempest!] Crack-crack-crack! A storm of ice materialized, swallowing Caliste. It was a nine-ss spell, magic at the pinnacle of hero-level power. But¡ª Crack-crack. Caliste emerged through the storm,pletely unharmed. [How in the world?!] The Tower Master couldn''tprehend it. It was because Caliste wasn''t using any energy at all. The sword he held also didn''t look remarkable. It was nothing more than an ordinary sword found anywhere. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w His movements weren''t fast either¡ªrather, they were slow. And yet, he was blocking and deflecting all their attacks effortlessly. "Heavenly Bell, ring forth!" Bzzzzzzing! The Heavenly Bell tolled. Waves that purified and obliterated all evil washed over Caliste. Caliste lightly extended his sword. The moment the wave touched the tip of the sword, he moved it, redirecting its trajectory. With just that light response, the sacred relic¡¯s attack had no effect at all. [¡­The Demon of the Sword.] A being who rose to the throne of lords with nothing but a single sword, starting from a nameless and weak demon. That was Caliste. Tap. Caliste closed the distance. The Tower Master quickly retreated and shouted. The Tower Master had split his personality into multiple fragments, allowing him to chant spells simultaneously. Since the beginning of the fight with Caliste, he had been preparing a Ten-ss Spell. [Rejection of All Creation.] Chachachachachachak! Countless des formed from mana poured forth simultaneously. No¡ªit couldn¡¯t be described as ¡°pouring.¡± It was closer to overflowing. The space itself became a ne, and the des looked like walls as they surged toward Caliste. They seemed to rain down chaotically, but each de was moving with extreme precision. Whether he dodged or blocked, Caliste would ultimately be surrounded. ¡°Oh. Impressive.¡± Caliste was genuinely impressed. And then, he simply stepped forward, moving his sword. The tip of the de met the iing torrent of des. Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak! The trajectories of the des twisted and deflected, creating openings as though a path was being carved. The Ten-ss Spell couldn''t even stop Caliste''s steps. The Tower Master was truly shocked. [How is that even¡­?!] It was nothing more than swinging a sword¡ªsomething anyone could do¡ªyet it was iprehensible. Before he knew it, Caliste had approached, grabbed the Tower Master''s head, and twisted it. The Tower Master, reduced to only his head, tried to cast a spell. [Raining¡ª] ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Crunch. Caliste drew a small dagger and pierced through the lich¡¯s jawbone. The jaw rattled uselessly, rendering him unable to speak. ¡°Unfortunately, I left my sword behind to conceal myself, so I can¡¯t kill you. But I can subdue you.¡± For a magician, ultimately, spells had to be spoken to manifest. Fundamentally, it was through their voice that they brought that power into the world. If their mouth was sealed, they could only use weak magic. ¡°This is a Demon-Seal Dagger. It won¡¯tst long, but it¡¯s enough to kill the saintess.¡± ¡°Armor of the Sun! Spear of the Sun, into my hands!¡± Helia shouted immediately. Radiant armor covered her body, and a spear appeared in her hands. Bzzzzzzing! The overwhelming divinity scorched the hellish air. The ground and sky began to purify. Caliste¡¯s face showed a flicker of confusion. ¡°A human shouldn¡¯t be able to wield sacred relics of that level so easily. And pulling out multiple gods¡¯ relics at once¡­ You¡¯re not the Sun God¡¯s saintess, are you? ¡­Ah.¡± Caliste nodded in understanding. ¡°You. You¡¯re of divine blood. A being sent to protect the surface? asionally, there were ones like you.¡± At those words, Helia¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Caliste advanced lightly. Helia tightened her grip and thrust the spear toward Caliste¡¯s head. The speed was truly blistering. With the Sun God¡¯s relic, that strike had enough power to ensure even Caliste wouldn¡¯t survive if it hit. But that didn¡¯t matter. It just had to not hit. Caliste simply tilted his upper body back. But it didn¡¯t mean he was retreating. His steps continued to carry him forward toward Helia. The spear¡¯s tip halted just a hair¡¯s breadth from Caliste¡¯s nose. ¡°Once a spear is thrust, it must eventually be pulled back.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Helia hastily withdrew the spear. Caliste followed the spear¡¯s retreat, closing the distance to Helia. He moved the hilt of his sword to press against her wrist, immobilizing her arm and preventing the spear from moving. Then he swung his de. The Sun God¡¯s Armor covering Helia was no ordinary sacred relic. It was impossible for Caliste to pierce it with brute force, especially without his proper sword. So he didn¡¯t try brute force. Ka-ga-ga-gak! The de scraped along the surface of the armor, creating grooves like sandpaper. The divine power of the Sun God¡¯s Armor was damaged. ¡°All armor has its grain.¡± Using the ws he created, he thrust the sword along the armor¡¯s weakened seam. The de pierced through, stabbing into Helia¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Urgh.¡± Helia copsed. Caliste withdrew the sword and swung it again, this time aiming for her neck. [No!] ng!N?v(el)B\\jnn The Tower Master had finally broken the dagger and tried to cast a spell. But stopping the already-swung sword was impossible. Helia squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For the first time, Caliste¡¯s expression changed. He quickly withdrew his sword and turned, taking a defensive stance. And then¡ª KA-A-A-A-ANG! A deafening roar resounded. A massive axe had collided with Caliste¡¯s sword. ¡°Hah! Hah!¡± Ketal burst intoughter, pressing down with all his might. Caliste¡¯s sword groaned under the force, letting out unsettling sounds. The sword wouldn¡¯t hold. Realizing this, Caliste rxed his grip. The sword flew back as the axe embedded itself into the ground. Caliste grabbed the rebounding sword and aimed for Ketal¡¯s back. Grab. At that moment, Ketal seized Caliste¡¯s wrist and tried to twist it. But Caliste didn¡¯t remain idle. He subtly moved his wrist, causing the de to trace an odd arc toward Ketal¡¯s own wrist. Ketal swiftly released his grip and stepped forward, ramming his shoulder into Caliste. Thud! Caliste¡¯s body was pushed back. But there was no real impact. He had preemptively moved with the force to minimize the blow. All of this happened in a single second. The Tower Master and Helia barely understood what had just transpired. ¡°¡­You returned faster than I thought. It seems my people didn¡¯t hold you off properly.¡± ¡°To respond purely through movement¡ªhow fascinating! And strong!¡± Ketal eximed in admiration. ¡°With such power, you must be one of their lords!¡± Grinning, Ketal gripped his axe. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! I¡¯m Ketal!¡± ¡°I am Caliste. The Demon of the Sword.¡± ¡°Well then, Caliste. Let¡¯s get to it!¡± There was no need to ask what he meant. Ketal lunged forward, swinging his axe down. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 334: The Sword Demon Caliste (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 334: The Sword Demon Caliste (2) Caliste swiftly raised his sword. The axe de and sword collided. At that moment, Caliste realized¡ª The axe was incredibly heavy and powerful. The sword wouldn¡¯t withstand it; it would shatter. So, he let it slide. Ka-kak. He rxed his arm and pulled the sword back. The axe de grazed the sword and sliced through empty air. Caliste swung the sword to target the neck. ¡°Hu-cha!¡± Ketal tilted his head to evade. He lifted the axe that had struck downwards and shed upward. Caliste did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward, twisting his body. Boom! The axe de futilely carved through the air. In an instant, Caliste dodged and closed the distance, stabbing toward Ketal¡¯s heart. Stop. At that moment, the upward-shing axe halted. It shifted at a right angle, the handle targeting Caliste''s head. Even if Ketal¡¯s heart was pierced, Caliste''s skull would be shattered. Thus, Caliste also shifted the trajectory of his thrust. He tilted the sword to defend against the axe handle. ng! Caliste¡¯s body was pushed backwards. He quickly straightened his sword and lowered his stance. ¡°Oho!¡± Ketal eximed in admiration. ¡°Your skill is truly exceptional!¡± Caliste''s movements did not rely on powers or dark magic. That was pure swordsmanship¡ª A miraculous swordsmanship capable of countering Ketal¡¯s attacks. ¡°So this is the Demon of the Sword.¡± Ketal was genuinely surprised, and so was Caliste. ¡°¡­Your movements are impressive.¡± ¡°Otherwise, you can¡¯t survive in there.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Caliste narrowed his eyes and nced at the Tower Master and Helia. ¡®Can I kill them?¡¯ Could he dodge Ketal¡¯s attacks and still ensure the deaths of those two?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The answer came immediately¡ªimpossible. With Ketal here, the objective of killing them could not be achieved. Caliste¡¯s fighting spirit waned. Ketal spoke without breaking eye contact. ¡°Is your body holding up?¡± [I¡¯ve lost limbs, but it¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t recover from.] ¡°I¡¯m fine. ¡­You are truly strong.¡± Helia groaned softly. She had never witnessed Ketal¡¯s strength with her own eyes before. She knew he was strong but had never fully realized it. Now that she had seen his power, she could only be shocked. One of the Four Lords of Hell¡ªhe was overpowering Caliste. His strength was on an entirely different level than hers. ¡®At this level¡­¡¯ Could even the Sun God reach him? The Saint of the Gods harbored a seed of doubt. ¡°¡­Ketal. One of Hell¡¯s enemies. And the one who killed Necronovix.¡± ¡°He was your ally, wasn¡¯t he? Do you resent me?¡± ¡°Hardly. I¡¯m not foolish enough to resent someone for killing during an invasion. How did he die?¡± ¡°I think he died somewhat content.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, then.¡± Caliste¡¯s calm eyes focused on Ketal. ¡°There¡¯s the Monstrosity inside you, isn¡¯t there?¡± [Don¡¯t talk to me, child.] The Abomination muttered irritably. [Who are you? You¡¯re not in my memory.] ¡°I was a weak demon during the war with the oldest ones. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know me.¡± With that, Caliste suddenly stepped forward. In an instant, he closed the gap and thrust his sword. Ketal smiled, moving his axe. The axe and sword collided, arms and legs restricting each other¡¯s movements. Hundreds of exchanges urred within a single second, and Caliste¡¯s body slid backward. ¡°¡­Unexpected. I thought you relied on the power of the Monstrosity, but you¡¯re a remarkable warrior.¡± To the point where he could stand against Ketal. He wanted to fight. A heat kindled in Caliste¡¯s eyes. He wanted to sh weapons with Ketal. He wanted to fight to the death. He wanted to prove that the swordsmanship he had honed was the strongest. But Caliste suppressed that desire. ¡°Unfortunately, I am a Lord of Hell. I cannot move ording to my own desires.¡± He had to act for the sake of his n. Caliste snapped his fingers. At the same time, the ground opened up. ¡°Oho?¡± [This is!] The Tower Master hurriedly looked down. A deep, bottomless abyss, a hole with no visible end, had opened. Their bodies began to fall into the abyss. Ketal muttered with interest. ¡°A trap, is it?¡± [Kraaah!] [Kieeek!] Monstrous, grotesque creatures swarmed up from the hole. They were beasts¡ªtens of thousands of demonic beasts filled the space. [Chain Lightning.] ¡°mes of Kallioros!¡± Lightning and mes erupted, incinerating the creatures to dust in an instant. Tens of thousands of demonic beasts were obliterated. But more creatures surged toward them, covering the hole entirely. ¡°Is it your goal to smash us into the bottom? That won¡¯t happen.¡± Realizing the enemy¡¯s intent, Ketal clenched his fist. Mystery gathered within it. ¡°Open the way.¡± With a shortmand, his fist struck downward. Boom! The bottom of the abyss dented deeply. The airpressed into a vacuum under the force of the blow. An explosion of power sent their bodies soaring upward. The Tower Master and Helia quickly swept away the beasts blocking their path. Crash! They emerged from the abyss. But there was no time to catch their breath. Bombardment rained down on them as if it had been waiting. [Shield of the Otherworld!] ¡°Shield of Hephaestus!¡± Rumble! Their defenses ovepped. The defenses of two top-tier heroes. Normally, nothing could scratch such a defense. But¡ª Crack, crack. Cracks spread rapidly across the shield. Helia¡¯s expression stiffened. The quality of the attack was extraordinary. No¡ªits quality wasn¡¯t the biggest problem. The sheer quantity was. The attacks filled the sky. [Are dozens of high-ranked demons attacking simultaneously?!] Crack, crack, crack! The shield shattered under the pressure. They quickly erected new defenses, but even those began to crack. Bombardment rained down from the sky while beasts and demons swarmed from the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Their numbers filled the entire field of vision. Meanwhile, Caliste stood far away. A high-ranked demon approached him, bowing respectfully. ¡°You have done well, Lord Caliste.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have killed the other two while you held him off, but I failed.¡± ¡°No. Just holding him off until the trap was ready is enough. Leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°¡­I want to fight myself.¡± ¡°Please endure. Your strength is needed when the gods begin to intervene.¡± ¡°¡­How unfortunate. Very well.¡± Boom! Power exploded. Beasts and demons pounded against the defense, breaking it piece by piece. [Kaaah¡­] Crunch. The head of a beast charging forward was sliced clean off by Ketal¡¯s axe. ¡°There are so many!¡± The sky and the earth, every direction within view, were filled with beasts and demons. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder they haven¡¯t shown themselves until now!¡± ¡°¡­It was a trap from the start.¡± Helia bit her lip. Hell had collided with the surface, and yet the demons did not move. Nor did a responsee from the heavens. That meant someone from the surface would inevitablye to investigate Hell. And since no one knew what awaited them, the strongest of the surface would likely be sent. Ketal was naturally among them. The n was to let them venture deep enough into Hell¡ªso far that they could not easily return¡ªand lure them with the bait of a god¡¯s corpse. Then, while the most troublesome one, Ketal, was held off by demons, Caliste would y the surface champions. Left alone, Ketal would eventually be overwhelmed by the demons. That was the demons¡¯ goal. ¡°We¡¯ve been caught good and proper.¡± Ketal muttered cheerfully. Kaah-aang! ¡°Ha! Ha! Ha!¡± A voice resounded. A demon with twisted horns smashed down violently with a double-edged axe. The Tower Master gritted his teeth. [The Demon of Ferocity. Mevaus!] ¡°Good to see you again, Tower Master! It¡¯s been three hundred years!¡± Crunch! The Tower Master¡¯s defense, struck by the double-edged axe, shattered instantly. The demon brought the axe down toward the Tower Master¡¯s head. The Tower Master snapped his fingers. [Crimson Beam.] Kiiiiiing! A beam pierced through the demon. Mevaus twisted his body hurriedly, but his shoulder was skewered. ¡°Grrk!¡± Mevaus groaned as he staggered back. The Tower Master prepared to unleash magic to finish him off. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that!¡± Another demon charged at the Tower Master. Annoyed, he leaned back, dodging it. [The Demon of Enchantment. Shevios!] ¡°Ahahaha! Tower Master! This time, I¡¯ll make you mine!¡± The Tower Master chanted a spell to repel Shevios. But in that opening, yet another demon lunged. The Tower Master shouted irritably. [There¡¯s no end to this!] And it wasn¡¯t just the Tower Master. The others faced a simr struggle. Ketal was shredding through anything that came at him, but there was no end in sight. ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± Helia groaned. The sheer numbers were staggering. Over ten demons of rank had shown themselves, and there were hundreds of named demons. As for the demonic beasts¡ªthere were simply too many to count. It was an army that could fill all of Hell itself. ¡°You are strong.¡± From afar, Caliste muttered. ¡°Even without Ketal, the Tower Master and Helia alone are enough to face anything in Hell short of the Lords. But what is targeting you now isn¡¯t individual demons.¡± It was Hell itself. Every entity that existed in Hell was swarming to kill them. ¡°Power is finite, after all.¡± Ketal was undoubtedly strong. That monstrous strength could even kill the Lords of Hell. But ultimately, he was mortal. If he didn¡¯t replenish his nutrients, his strength would wane. If he fought for too long, his muscles would fatigue. If he didn¡¯t sleep, his mind would slow. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight such a beast head-on.¡± Herding him, exhausting him¡ªthat was the answer. ¡°As much as I want to fight you at your peak¡­ I can¡¯t let my personal desires take precedence. Disappear before Hell.¡± Kwoooom! ¡°Ghh!¡± Helia was pushed back. The individual demons were no match for her, but their numbers were overwhelming. Her divine power, once limitless, was slowly being depleted. The same went for the Tower Master. His mana was nearly infinite¡ªduring his fight with Necronovix, he had never oncee close to running out. But against enemies of this number, and with so many demons of rank, he truly risked reaching his limit. It was a crisis. The Tower Master and Helia¡¯s expressions hardened. Helia nced hurriedly at Ketal. ¡°¡­You?¡± She froze when she saw him. Because his expression was absurdly rxed. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­The situation isn¡¯t good. Do you have some kind of n?¡± ¡°No. Not really. It¡¯s a crisis.¡± ¡°T-then¡­¡± Then why was he so calm? Her face said it all, and Ketal answered leisurely. ¡°We knew there would be a trap from the start. You must have known that too.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°So why panic?¡± Hell had not moved. After smashing itself into the surface, it had remained silent, clearly plotting something. Thus, it wasn¡¯t difficult to predict that demons would ambush them here. Ketal hade despite knowing this would happen. The reason was simple. Because it didn¡¯t matter. No, in fact, it was exactly what he wanted. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t expect all of Hell toe after us. Well, no matter.¡± Ketal bared his teeth. In fact, he was enjoying it. That Hell was after him¡ªit was exhrating. When else would he get to experience something like this? An unrestrained wave of emotion burst out, sweeping the surroundings. The demonic beasts that had been charging forward hesitated momentarily. The demons¡¯ expressions hardened. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun, demons!¡± Ketal burst into roaringughter and stepped forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 335: Encirclement (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 335: Encirclement (1) Creak. Ketal tightened his grip on the axe and swung it in a diagonal arc. Crash. The world split apart. A sharp gust of wind rose, slicing through everything within its range. With a single swing of his axe, hundreds of demonic beasts were in. [Kaaaaah!] [Krreeeek!] Their bodies piled up, but even more demonic beasts surged forward. Ketal crushed a demon''s head in his hand and calmly assessed the situation. ''There are too many.'' The enemies were overwhelming. They stretched out beyond the horizon, and even with his senses expanded, he couldn¡¯t see their end. Counting them was meaningless. And they were strong. Dozens of hero-ss demons were present. The number of superhuman demons and demonic beasts easily surpassed the hundreds. Evenpared to the forces of the surface world, their strength was evident. ¡®Now I understand why it took gods to oppose them.¡¯ Individually, they weren¡¯t much of a threat, but in such numbers, the situation was different. Particrly, the hero-ss demons could injure Ketal, making them dangerous. Right now, the full might of hell was focused on him. It was literally the world itself. The Tower Master and Helia were frozen in ce, their expressions rigid. Yet Ketal felt nothing. This situation was no different from what he had faced countless times on the White Snowfield. It wasn¡¯t particrly special. ¡®When I think about fighting swarms of billions of bugs, this is nothing.¡¯ And in all those situations, he had emerged victorious. That was why he was here. Ketal coolly re-analyzed the situation. ¡®There are a lot of them, but they¡¯re not all that threatening.¡¯ In the end, space imposed physical limits. No more than ten could attack him at once, no matter how many there were. And most importantly, the Demon Lords were not moving. Even Caliste, who had shed with him earlier, remained hidden. For some reason, they didn¡¯t seem to have the luxury to intervene right now. And the biggest reason of all¡ª ¡°Now, when I kill you, you actually stay dead!¡± Ketalughed, swinging his arm. Three named demons had their necks snapped all at once. ¡°Guhh.¡± ¡°Argh.¡± Their bodies copsed lifelessly to the ground. This was hell. There was no space left for reverse summoning. Death here was true and final, even for demons. Ketal stepped forward and infused his step with mystery, crushing the earth beneath him. Kuuuuung! The ground rippled like waves, sweeping across the battlefield. Ancient trees exploded in reaction, and over a thousand demonic beasts were buried under the debris, their bodies crushed. A few demons, unable to respond quickly, were also swept away. But the vacant space was quickly filled by more demonic beasts. ¡®Killing them all isn¡¯t practical.¡¯ There were simply too many. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a problem for him, but it would be for the Tower Master and Helia. There was no advantage in prolonging the fight. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ His mind worked quickly, guided by the instincts and judgment that had helped him survive in the hellish White Snowfield. He reached a conclusion in an instant. ¡°Hoo.¡± He steadied his breathing, rxing his body and calming his mind. He controlled his mystic energy. He reinforced his body, ensuring no energy was wasted. Even his aura was conserved. ¡°Die!¡± Crack. He grabbed a charging demon¡¯s head and twisted it. But this time was different. Instead of killing it instantly, he shattered its limbs and struck its heart, rendering it unable to fight. He then hurled the demon¡¯s body toward the other demonic beasts. Kuuuuung! The demon¡¯s body collided with the demonic beasts, forcing them to scatter instead of trampling it. Since the demon wasn¡¯t dead, the demonic beasts hesitated, creating a temporary gap in the encirclement. Ketal seized the moment to regte his breathing, slicing off the head of another approaching monster. One patient demon thought it saw an opening and lunged at Ketal. Above his head, it spread its hand. ¡°Seal!¡± Kiiiiiing! A ck void appeared, trapping Ketal. The demon burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahahaha! I did it!¡± The demon¡¯s name was Lubonos, the Demon of Oppression¡ªa hero-ss demon with rank and power. Using his authority, he had imprisoned Ketal, pressing down with all his might to amplify the oppression. ¡°I don¡¯t expect to hold you forever! But at least, I¡¯ll make you burn your strength!¡± Creak. Creak. The oppression intensified, pressing Ketal down with increasing force. Lubonos believed no matter how powerful Ketal was, he wouldn¡¯t escape easily. But¡ª Crash. A crack appeared in the ck void. A hand burst through, grabbing hold of the void and forcefully tearing it apart. Tear. ¡°W-What?!¡± Lubonos recoiled in terror. He couldn¡¯tprehend how Ketal had broken free. Using aura, Ketal had created a small fracture in the void, then gripped it and tore it apart with brute strength and minimal mystic power. ¡°Seal¡ª¡± Crunch. Lubonos tried to imprison him again, but it was toote. Ketal was already in front of him, and Lubonos¡¯ head was torn off. [Kruoooooh!] From above, a flying crocodilian beast charged down toward Ketal. His eyes glinted. ¡°Ooh! Leviathan!¡± A hero-ss monster. It was a famous beast that had fought in the distant God-Demon War. Leviathan crashed into Ketal with immense force. Ketalughed joyfully and clenched his fist. Crash! His punch smashed through the Leviathan¡¯s body, reducing it to pulp. The ground exploded from the impact, sending demonic beasts and demons flying. ¡°W-Where is he?!¡± ¡°Find him!¡± The demons scrambled to locate Ketal, expanding their senses to pinpoint his location. ¡°He¡¯s inside the Leviathan¡¯s corpse!¡± ¡°He¡¯s recovering his strength in there!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The demons frantically tore at the Leviathan¡¯s body, but its hero-ss scales were extremely durable. As a result, Ketal gained several precious seconds of rest. The demons soon realized the truth. Ketal was conserving his strength. ¡°Don¡¯t let him rest!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The demons abandoned all other targets, focusing entirely on Ketal. Almost all of hell¡¯s forces were now converging on him, giving the Tower Master and Helia unexpected breathing room. ¡°Ketal!¡± They tried to gather their power to help him. But at that moment, Ketal locked eyes with them. In that gaze, they understood. [¡­I see.] Understanding Ketal¡¯s n, they slowly retreated into hiding. The demons paid no attention, their focus entirely on Ketal. They threw everything they had at him. With minimal effort, Ketal fought back, conserving his strength. Crack. Another hero-ss demon fell in the process. From a distance, Caliste let out a dryugh. ¡°What a monster.¡± Even as hell itself attacked him, Ketal did not falter. No, he advanced further, as though intent on ughtering everyst being in hell. ¡°Is this really something you can handle alone?¡± "......" The demon standing next to Caliste couldn''t answer. Its face had hardened into a rigid expression. No matter how strong an individual may be, there were limits to their strength. As long as they were a living being, stamina would be consumed, and their mystical power would dwindle. Breathing would be ragged, and strength would inevitably fade. Therefore, they decided to mobilize hell itself to surround and dry out Ketal. The n was perfect. The problem was that Ketal''s power exceeded their imagination. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "...I know that he defeated Necronovix. But during that battle, Necronovix was already weakened from controlling his puppets. He wasn¡¯t at full strength. Considering the strength Ketal spent in that process, I thought we could kill him..." "That was a miscalction. The name of the Demon of Calction would weep." "St-still, he''s managing his power. It means he has limits to his stamina. If we have enough time..." "Time. You know we don¡¯t have that luxury." Caliste narrowed his eyes. "We don¡¯t know when the heavens will move. For now, Abyss is holding them back, but it won¡¯tst long. We need to deal with him before that." The demons didn¡¯t have much time either. At most, they had about a week. In that time, they had to kill Ketal. But with Ketal¡¯s current response, it looked impossible. "He''s surprisingly clever." Caliste clicked his tongue. He considered taking the Tower Master or the Saintess as hostages, but they were the strongest beings on the surface. No matter how capable he was, if they decided to flee, it would take considerable time to chase them. And in that time, who knew what Ketal might do? After much deliberation, Caliste made a decision. "There¡¯s no other choice. Step aside." "C-Caliste! But..." "This is beyond your abilities. If we consider the n, hell cannot afford to lose more power. Three demons of rank have already died." "¡­¡­." The demon fell silent. Caliste lightly stepped forward, and his figure instantly closed the distance to Ketal. The sharp tip of his sword aimed precisely at Ketal''s nape. Ketal bared his teeth and moved his axe. ng! The sound of des shing echoed. Caliste quickly regained his stance and stepped forward. His sword collided with Ketal¡¯s axe. Ketal grinned and asked,n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Weren¡¯t you just here to watch?" "Unfortunately, it seems hell alone cannot kill you. I can¡¯t afford to hold back." ng! ng! ng! His sword moved, aiming for every part of Ketal¡¯s body. Ketal swung his axe in response. But the de never reached Caliste. His sword moved in a bizarre pattern, deflecting every trajectory. Rumble! The shockwave spread everywhere. Demonic beasts and demons recoiled in fear. "You''re strong!" Ketal eximed with genuine admiration. "You''re strong in apletely different way than Necronovix! Just how much time have you spent on that sword?" "A lifetime." Caliste replied quietly as he lunged forward. Ketal gripped his axe tightly and mmed it down. Boom! The ground shattered into pieces, and demonic beasts fell into the cracks, crushed to death. Caliste twisted his body to dodge the attack and closed in on Ketal. Ketal lifted his leg and delivered a powerful kick. Caliste didn¡¯t evade. Instead, he moved his other arm to deflect the kick. And then, with a gentle motion, he redirected the force entirely. The power of the kick passed behind Caliste, crushing dozens of demonic beasts. Thunk. Caliste''s sword sank deep into Ketal''s abdomen. Caliste had seeded in wounding Ketal''s body. But his expression stiffened. The reason was simple. The sword, embedded in Ketal¡¯s abdomen, was trapped by his muscles and wouldn¡¯te free. "Got you!" Ketal bared his teeth and clenched his fist. Mystical energy filled his hand. He swung his fist toward him. While Caliste was undoubtedly strong, his strength came from his swordsmanship. His body was that of a nameless, ordinary demon. If that punchnded, his bones would be obliterated. Caliste let go of his sword. He rxed his entire body and allowed the gust from Ketal¡¯s punch to carry him. His body flew through the air as ifunched. Hended safely with a controlled roll. Ketal gave a sincere exmation of praise. "Perfect. I didn¡¯t expect you to dodge without a scratch." But it didn¡¯t matter. This was exactly the situation he had been aiming for. Caliste¡¯s assault had forced the demons and demonic beasts to back away. And since Caliste had been flung far away to avoid the punch, Ketal now had room to breathe. "Tower Master! Helia! I¡¯m counting on you!" "Gate of the earth, blessed by the divine!" [Open! Dimensional Gate!] A hum resonated as the Tower Master and Helia, who had been quietly gathering power, activated the gate. Mana and divinitybined, creating a path from hell to the surface. Caliste''s expression hardened. "Stop them." "Kraaaa!" "Keeek!" The demonic beasts and demons charged forward. Ketal, of course, wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. He gathered his remaining mystical energy and stomped the ground. Crack. Cracks spread instantly across the earth, and then the ground exploded. "Uwaaah!" "Kyaaa!" The earth rose and fell like waves, copsing into destruction. Even demons of hero ss couldn¡¯t approach easily through the seismic destruction. Caliste grabbed a weapon from a nearby demon and rushed in, trying to stop Ketal. But Ketal didn¡¯t sit idly by. He no longer needed to conserve his strength. Aura engulfed his axe. Crash! The beast-like blow shattered Caliste¡¯s weapon. Unable to deflect the unstoppable attack, Caliste had to back away. Ketal grinned. "That was close! Not bad!" "¡­¡­." This power. Caliste¡¯s eyes narrowed. "You were acting." "As if a fight like this would tire me out." Ketalughed loudly. His stamina was practically inexhaustible. He had once fought nonstop for half a year in the snow wastnd. A battle like this wouldn¡¯t drain him. "But those two couldn¡¯t say the same." He had intentionally minimized his movements and faked exhaustion to pressure the demons into focusing all their energy on him. This had given the Tower Master and Helia enough time to gather their strength. It had worked perfectly. They had fallen for it. "Seeing you move confirms it worked well!" "You''re cunning." Caliste clicked his tongue. Even he had beenpletely fooled by Ketal¡¯s performance. That was how convincing his act had been. "I thought you were a simple bear, but you¡¯re a clever fox." "If I were just a bear, I wouldn¡¯t have survived there." Ketalughed. The White Snow Wastnd. That horrific ce didn¡¯t let anyone live unless they clung to life itself. Hum... The path to the surface was nearlyplete. Demons frantically tried to stop it, but Ketal punched them away each time. Finally, the gate opened. "It¡¯s done!" "Come forth!" "Then, farewell! Caliste, was it? You¡¯re strong! It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t have a proper fight this time!" Ketal bared his teeth. "So next time, let¡¯s fight for real! With our lives on the line!" "...I¡¯ll be waiting." His eyes glinted with a hint of madness. Caliste felt a chill run down his spine but masked it as he answered quietly. Ketal threw himself through the gate to the surface. The gate closed behind him. What remained was a ruined, deste hell. "Ca-Caliste..." "We¡¯ve failed. It can¡¯t be helped." Caliste shook his head and spoke. "Prepare yourselves. The surface and the gods will soone to hell." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 336: All-Out War (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 336: All-Out War (1) Crash! They plummeted to the ground, almost as if copsing. Theirnding site was the Elves'' sacred ground. Those who had been waiting with tense expressions recoiled in shock and grabbed their weapons. ¡°W-Who are you?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the demons! The demons have invaded!¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you calmed down.¡± The ones who were panicking and shouting soon recognized Ketal¡¯s face. Then, they started making a fuss for a different reason. ¡°They¡¯ve returned from hell!¡± ¡°A-Are you all right?!¡± ¡°¡­We are not.¡± Helia¡¯s face was pale, devoid of any color. Her hands trembled like a child¡¯s, and she seemed unable to even lift herself properly. The Tower Master was no different. His bones were crushed and shattered to the point where they could no longer form the structure of a skeleton. Their condition was dire. The Tower Master¡¯s life vessel was on the verge of breaking under immense strain, and Helia had shattered three holy relics. They had only survived because Ketal held out. If the power of hell had concentrated on them even a little more, the two would surely have died. Realizing the grave condition of Helia and the Tower Master, the people once again started to panic. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°The injuries are severe! Take them to the infirmary immediately!¡± ¡°M-Master of the Tower! Are you all right?!¡± Karin and the worshippers hurried over to support them and guided them to the infirmary. After managing to get them there, Karin looked at Ketal. ¡°Ketal, are you okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need treatment. I¡¯ll be fine with a little rest.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Karin mumbled, still unsettled. She was a mighty hero, one of the strongest in the world. But even she couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Tower Master and Helia. They were the absolute pinnacle of power. Yet, even they had returned with such critical injuries, while Ketal didn¡¯t seem harmed at all. Karin muttered in disbelief. ¡°¡­Truly, you have monstrous strength. It¡¯s a relief you¡¯re on our side.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, you should treat Arkamis better. Her contributions are significant as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to pay a high price to buy her the catalyst she wantster.¡± Karin joked, but her face quickly turned serious as she asked, ¡°What happened in hell?¡± Ketal exined what had happened in hell. The more she listened, the more Karin¡¯s face twisted. By the end, her face had gone beyond pale, turning an ashen blue. ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying Goddess Mesereka was dead? And one of the demon lords, Caliste? And beyond that, hell itself attacked you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ketal nodded lightly. Karin nearly fainted from dizziness, staggering as she held her forehead. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a miracle you made it back alive.¡± ¡°It was quite dangerous. Since leaving the outside world, that was the first time I¡¯d faced such a crisis.¡± Ketalughed heartily, as if amused. Seeing his expression, Karin let out a dry chuckle. She shook her head vigorously to snap herself out of the shock. ¡°So hellid a trap and waited for you. That¡¯s why there was no movement.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That was the case for now. But it¡¯s strange to think it¡¯s just that simple.¡± ¡°¡­You mean because the other two lords didn¡¯t act, aside from Caliste.¡± Ketal nodded. The Mother of All Demons, Materia. The First Tool of the Demon King, Abyss. Neither of them had shown themselves. ¡°If they had truly intended to kill us, the other two lords should have moved as well. But they didn¡¯t.¡± Hell was plotting something. ¡°I have my suspicions about what it could be.¡± But he wasn¡¯t certain. Karin, who had been deep in thought, spoke up. ¡°¡­Could it be connected to the silence from the heavens?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strong possibility. But we¡¯re not certain yet.¡± They would ultimately need to hear directly from the gods. ¡°We can¡¯t exactly go back to hell again. We¡¯ll have to find a way tomunicate with the heavens.¡± Ketal narrowed his eyes. The next day, Ketal visited the infirmary to check on the Tower Master and Helia. Serena was treating the two of them there. ¡°Ah, Ketal! You¡¯re here! I¡¯ve been working hard on their treatment!¡± ¡°Good. Well done.¡± Ketal praised Serena, and she smiled brightly. As he patted her head, he asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°We¡¯re better now.¡± [Not bad. Though not good, either.] Their condition was much improvedpared to when they had just returned from hell. Helia lifted her upper body from the bed and bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you. Without you, I would have been tormented by those fiends.¡± [I also owe you thanks. In my hundreds of years of life, I never thought I would face death, but it came close.] ¡°We¡¯rerades, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ketal spoke lightly and turned to Helia. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s unfortunate we couldn¡¯t retrieve Mesereka¡¯s sacred body.¡± ¡°¡­There was no helping it.¡± Helia smiled bitterly. Mesereka¡¯s sacred body. It was buried deep in hell. As a follower of the gods, leaving a divine body in hell was a grave sin, but they had no choice. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°¡­For now, we can¡¯t go back to hell.¡± The demons had prepared a trap in hell and waited for them. They had managed to escape this time, but there was no telling what would happen if they returned. There was no reason to take such a risk. They had to find another way. And they all knew what that way was. ¡°The heavens.¡± ¡°If the great gods know what hell is plotting, we must hear it directly from them to decide our next move.¡± But there was a problem. They couldn¡¯t establish a connection with the heavens. That was the very reason they had ventured into hell in the first ce. ¡°Is it still blocked?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been praying constantly during the treatment, but no answers havee.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°It¡¯s still sealed, then.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Helia muttered in frustration, to which Ketal raised a puzzled eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean, what should we do? There¡¯s only one option.¡± ¡°What?¡± [There¡¯s a way, you say?] ¡°The heavens aren¡¯t responding. That means there¡¯s a problem with the connection. Isn¡¯t the solution simple, then?¡± [¡­Ah.] The Tower Master realized what Ketal was suggesting. Ketal spoke lightly. ¡°We just need to go to the heavens ourselves.¡± * * * A moment of silence. Helia spoke with a shaken expression. ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. Serena said when she met the Tower Master, he had touched the gate of the heavens.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yes¡­ That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Could you exin that?¡± [¡­It¡¯s not as impressive as it sounds. It was a magician¡¯s personal curiosity.] What exists up in the heavens? Can beings of the earth even reach such a ce? The Tower Master had been consumed by these questions. And magicians, by nature, are creatures who cannot let their curiosity go unanswered. The Tower Master spent decades locked away, searching for a way to reach the heavens, and eventually seeded in touching the heavenly gate. [But I couldn¡¯t enter the heavens.] ¡°Why not?¡± [They didn¡¯t allow me in. It seemed to be a matter of qualification¡ªonly those who are worthy can enter.] The Tower Master hadn¡¯t met those qualifications and had no choice but to give up at the heavenly gate. Serena replied as if it were obvious. ¡°The heavens are different from hell. The heavens are where the gods reside. It¡¯s not a ce anyone can enter. You must truly worship the gods, possessing a high degree of divine affinity, or have a statusparable to that of a god. If there¡¯s anyone on earth who could reach the heavens¡­ it would probably be you, Helia. Though you¡¯d need more training before it¡¯s possible.¡± Serena nced at Helia. Helia didn¡¯t seem happy about the idea that she could reach the heavens but didn¡¯t argue. Ketal opened his mouth. ¡°Then what about me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Could I enter the heavens?¡± He asked with a sly smile. Serena stuttered for a moment. ¡°Uh¡­ your divine affinity isn¡¯t very high. It¡¯s close to nonexistent. But¡­ hmm¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s status was undoubtedly high enough to touch the realm of gods. It was almost strange that he was still living as a mortal on earth. After some hesitation, Serena answered. ¡°¡­Perhaps it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Well, that simplifies things.¡± Ketal pped his hands lightly. ¡°Tower Master. Can you open the heavenly gate once again?¡± [¡­It¡¯s not impossible, but it will take some time to prepare. Are you truly nning to go?] The Tower Master spoke reluctantly. The heavens were not like hell. The gods were the saviors of the earth, revered for countless generations. Even the Tower Master, who had once approached the heavenly gate, hadn¡¯t dared to enter. But Ketal was a modern man. He held no reverence for the gods. Ketal nodded casually. ¡°I already went to hell, so why wouldn¡¯t I be able to go to the heavens?¡± [¡­Hmm¡­] The Tower Master hesitated but had no better answer. After all, they needed to speak to the gods directly. [Fine. Once I¡¯m fully recovered, I¡¯ll give it a try.] ¡°Then I¡¯ll count on you.¡± Ketal smiled brightly. But, unfortunately for Ketal, his wish would note true. Because, one week after returning from hell¡ª Kalosia appeared on earth. * * * Kalosia, having descended into Shadrenes¡¯ body, spoke. [It¡¯s been a while.] ¡°¡­Yeah. It has.¡± [You don¡¯t look pleased. You seem disappointed. Is something wrong?] ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ketal quickly pulled himself together. Though it was disappointing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to visit the heavens, wasn¡¯t it fortunate that a god had appeared on earth once again? He quicklyposed his emotions and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you showed yourself on earth. What happened?¡± [It was because of that cursed interference from hell.] Kalosia spoke irritably. [The lord of hell. The first instrument of demons¡ªAbyss. That bastard blocked the connection to the heavens.] ¡°So that¡¯s why the others, except Caliste, couldn¡¯t appear. He must have been interfering over there.¡± Ketal muttered as if understanding. Then he asked with a puzzled look. ¡°Could Abyss alone block ess to the heavens?¡± [It¡¯s not that he interfered with the heavens directly. He tampered with the connectionwork.] Directly attacking the capital of a nation was no simple feat. The city would have defenses and soldiers prepared, requiring considerable force. However, blocking the trade routes for goods required far less effort. [It wasn¡¯t a direct interference, which made it difficult to track. Even now, it¡¯s hard to fully descend onto earth.] ¡°Even so, it¡¯s hard to believe.¡± The gods were numerous. While their power may fall shortpared to the lords of hell, the difference shouldn¡¯t be so great. It was difficult to ept that a single lord could block them. Kalosia answered. [He¡¯s consuming his very status to maintain the interference.] ¡°Ah.¡± Ketal nodded as if he understood. ¡°He¡¯s betting his life on it.¡± [Abyss is breaking apart. Soon, his existence will disappear entirely.] He was prepared to die to ensure that information from the heavens didn¡¯t reach the earth. Ketal asked. ¡°What is hell nning?¡± ¡°You already have a guess, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It would be a lie to say I don¡¯t.¡± Why was hell moving? Why was hell so desperately blocking the heavens, even at the cost of a lord¡¯s life? There was only one possibility. Ketal murmured. ¡°The Demon King.¡± [Correct.] Kalosia said. [Hell is preparing for the Demon King¡¯s descent.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 337: All-Out War (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 337: All-Out War (2) The Demon King. The moment Ketal heard that name, his heart trembled. It wasn''t out of tension, anxiety, or fear. It was excitement and anticipation. The Lord of Evil. The Absolute Ruler of Hell. Master of all demons and adversary of the gods. A being often portrayed as the final viin in fictional works, possessing the power and dignity worthy of such a role. The same appeared to be true in this world. During the Great War between Gods and Demons, the Demon King appeared just as the gods were seizing victory and inflicted catastrophic damage. Only after countless gods had died were they able to seal the Demon King¡ªa being on an entirely different level. The demons were preparing for the Demon King''s descent. But there was something strange. "Is that even possible for the demons right now?" The demons had suffered irreparable damage. Summoning Necronovix alone must have consumed no small amount of sacrifice, and even that Necronovix had been killed. It was hard to believe they had the resources left to summon the Demon King. Kalosia replied. [If they offer enough sacrifices, it''s not impossible. And Hell has such sacrifices.] "¡­The Lords of Hell, then." The Abyss was blocking celestial intervention. Caliste was waiting on the ground to kill those who hade. And the Mother of All Demons, Materia, was preparing for the Demon King''s descent. Ketal whistled softly. "They''re bleeding themselves dry." [Even if half of Hell is consumed to summon the Demon King, they believe that once he descends, the tide of the war will bepletely overturned.] And that belief was correct. The Demon King possessed that kind of power. [The good news is that summoning the Demon King takes considerable time. We must attack Hell immediately.] Kalosia spoke in a grave voice. They had to stop it before the Demon King descended. [If it descends, the world will be shaken to its core. Due to the Abyss''s interference, I can''t intervene directly, but I can assist through my followers. I will help as much as possible.] "Hmm. The Demon King, huh." Ketal savored the alluring name. At that moment, unease flickered in Caliste''s eyes. [¡­Please. I truly beg you. Once this is over, I''ll take you to the Heavens or wherever you wish.] "Don''t worry so much. It''s not that I don''t have desires, but I have no intention of distorting the world to fulfill them." Ketal shook his head. "Instead, once everything is over, I''d appreciate it if you kept your promise." [Don''t worry. Even if the Pantheon opposes it, I will not back down.] "That''s enough for me." Ketalughed heartily. The news spread quickly. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Gods who could now intervene on the surface sent revtions to their saints and saintesses. With pale faces, they stammered as they ryed the message. They had to head to Hell. They had to stop the Demon King''s descent. Preparations for all-out war began. The preparations themselves were swift. Most of their forces were already gathered near the elven sanctuary to defend against attacks from Hell. ording to the Tower Master and Helia, who had scouted Hell, surviving in Hell was difficult for anyone below first-ss strength. Only superhuman-level warriors began to gather. During this process, Ketal noticed some familiar faces. "Oh! Cain!" "K-Ketal?" It was Swordmaster Cain. Ketal''s first encounter with a superhuman-level warrior. Ketal approached him with a pleased smile and greeted him, while Cain, despite his surprise, returned the greeting. "You survived! How have you been?" "What''s there to say? I fought evil, as always. ¡­You''vepletely changed since Ist saw you." Cain looked at Ketal with a newfound expression. Thest time he had seen Ketal was when they had set out to reim the sanctuary swallowed by demons. Even then, Ketal had been well-known. While not widely recognized, those who knew, knew of him. But now, Ketal was on an entirely different level. People walking by nced at Ketal. Their eyes were full of admiration and reverence. Ketal was now like a hero. There was no one on the surface who didn''t know his name. "You''vee far." "Don''t worry. You are still my teacher." "Please, for the love of everything, don''t say that in front of others." Cain desperately pleaded, but Ketal simplyughed heartily without answering. Afterward, Ketal called Piego for the first time in a long while. [It''s been a while. I was really enjoying the peace of not being summoned. I suppose that''s over now.] "Sorry for not calling you. You wouldn''t have been much help, though." Considering the level of enemies Ketal had been facing, even a top-level superhuman spirit had been of little use. It had felt wasteful to summon him given the cost. But now, thanks to the cooperation of the Spirit God, he could summon spirits without any loss. [In that case, I guess I have no choice. Still, thank you for summoning me now. Attacking Hell, is it? I can''t miss such an opportunity.] Piego muttered in an excited voice. Ketal grinned. "I''ll call on you more often from now on. Sorry about before." [No, there''s no need for that.] Piego refused vehemently. More and more powerful warriors gathered. Elves. Dwarves. Dragons, vampires, and even surviving faeries. Every strong being on the surface began to assemble. Ketal watched them with shining eyes. But not everyone had shown up. One group was conspicuously absent. The Tower Master clenched his fists with a grinding sound. [That damn emperor.] "Is the Empire still not moving?" [No. They haven''t responded to any messages. Even when approached directly, we haven''t been able to see the emperor''s face.] Despite the enormous crisis of the Demon King''s descent, a situation that even the gods were cooperating to stop, the Empire remained silent. No, this wasn''t the first time. The Empire had also remained silent during the demon invasion of the surface and the summoning of Necronovix. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [What on earth are they thinking?] The Tower Master muttered irritably. Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. "They''re not siding with Hell, are they?" [If that were the case, they would''ve already moved to attack the surface. No, they are showing no sign of movement at all.] It was as if they didn''t care whether the surface fell into the hands of evil or not. [Whatever they''re nning, once this is over, I won¡¯t let it slide.] The Tower Master muttered in an irritated voice. Soon, all the strongest beings on the surface, except for the Empire, gathered. The number exceeded hundreds. Once sufficient forces had assembled, the devotees began to pray. Their god answered. Kiiiiing! Divine power rose, creating a path to hell. But no one stepped forward easily. Even for the sake of the surface, heading into the dreadful hell was no easy task. The Tower Master and Helia grimaced as they steeled their resolve. But there was one man. Someone who wanted to go to hell. Ketal smiled as he stepped forward. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± Led by Ketal, they ran. The surface¡¯s strongest beings began their march toward hell. * * * The beings of the surface arrived in hell. At that moment, countless attacks poured down on them. Bombardments filled the sky, and demons unleashed their powers. Helia raised her hand. ¡°Shield of Hephaestus.¡± Kiiiiing! A shield rose, covering the skies. The onught was blocked by the shield. Ketal whistled. ¡°This is quite a passionate wee, unlikest time.¡± The previous time Ketal, the Tower Master, and Helia hade here, no one had appeared. It was a trap to lure them further into hell. But this time, the attacks were fierce, as if to say they should never havee. The meaning was simple. This was an all-out war. Helia spoke with a calm yet heavy gaze. ¡°Everyone, move.¡± Kaaaaah! Dragons soared through the skies, unleashing their dragon words. Swordmasters dashed into the demons, swinging their swords. Magicians cast their spells. Kugugugung! Hell began to tremble. Amidst the chaos, Ketal stepped forward. ¡°Up we go.¡± Kuuuuuung! The ground surged like a wave. Hundreds of charging beasts were buried in the waves of earth and perished. Onlookers were stunned. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°One kick caused that much devastation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors, but¡­ his power is on another level.¡± Though Ketal had traveled the continent fighting the Necronovix, his brief time there meant many hadn¡¯t witnessed his true strength. Now, the strongest of the continent¡¯s heroes watched in awe at Ketal¡¯s power. Ketal punched forward. A storm of force swept through the front. Five named demons were shredded, unable to resist. The Tower Master approached Ketal. [Leave the small fry to us. Save your strength forter.] ¡°I¡¯ll do that. So, what¡¯s our next move?¡± [We need to find where they¡¯re summoning the Demon King and stop them. They wouldn¡¯t attempt such a ritual in an ordinary ce. It will be protected perfectly, fortified enough to resist any attack from the surface.] ¡°The Demon King¡¯s castle, then.¡± Ketal grinned, baring his teeth. The Tower Master nodded. [Finding the Demon King¡¯s castle. That¡¯s our goal.] This information was ryed to everyone. They dispersed, searching for the Demon King¡¯s castle. Demons surged to stop them, and fierce battles erupted. An hourter¡­ [The Demon King¡¯s castle has been found.] The Tower Master approached Ketal and spoke. Ketal¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Where is it?¡± [Follow me.] Ketal immediately followed the Tower Master, racing through hell. The farther they advanced, the stronger the counterattacks became. Yet they broke through with sheer strength. At the end of it all, Ketal saw it. A colossal castle, pitch-ck and ominous. It was the Demon King¡¯s castle. Other warriors broke through the opposition and arrived at the castle¡¯s front. ¡°This is¡­¡± Helia swallowed hard. Now that they were here, they could sense it¡ªa dreadful, overwhelming presence of demonic energy swirling within. That demonic energy was calling something. It could only be the Demon King. The summoning ritual was underway. [There are so many of them.] The Tower Master muttered. On the castle walls stood countless weapons and demons. [No wonder the resistance was weak. Aside from a few distractions, their forces had been gathering at the Demon King¡¯s castle.] They needed to break through and open the gates. The Tower Master turned to Ketal. [Ketal, we¡¯ll open the way. You handle the gatekeeper.] ¡°Understood.¡± The surface¡¯s heroes unleashed their powers. The demons of the castle did not sit idle¡ªwar machines and demonic powers erupted. The chaotic explosions created a deadlock of force. Through the raging sh of powers, Ketal began walking. Slowly, he approached the entrance of the castle. There, a demon awaited him. Seated on an old chair, sword nted into the ground to support himself, he rested. The demonic energy around him was minuscule, barely a flicker. One might mistake him for a nameless, weak demon. Yet he was the strongest being among all those gathered in hell. ¡°We meet again.¡± ¡°You returned sooner than I expected.¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This time, we¡¯ll truly fight to the death.¡± Ketal spoke gleefully. The demon of the sword, Caliste, one of Hell¡¯s lords, gripped his sword hilt in silence. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 338: All-Out War (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 338: All-Out War (3) Just before Ketal arrived at the Demon King¡¯s Castle, a mighty hero had already reached the ce. His name was Alejandro, a Swordmaster of the Hero ss. He turned to the mage standing behind him and asked, ¡°Have you delivered the message?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve informed the Tower Master! They should arrive soon!¡± ¡°Good. So this is... the Demon King¡¯s Castle.¡± Alejandro gazed up silently. The castle was not particrlyrge,parable in size to a regr human fortress. But from within, he could feel an overwhelming and terrifying power. Alejandro understood¡ªinside that castle, demons were waiting for them. ¡°This is ominous. We can¡¯t act rashly. Take defensive positions until the others arrive.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± They hastily arranged themselves into formation. The Demon Lord Castle showed no response to their actions. Alejandro frowned. ¡°So they¡¯re waiting for us to make the first move. How cautious.¡± ¡°They have no choice,¡± A voice suddenly responded, calm and cold. ¡°Our goal isn¡¯t to kill you.¡± ¡°...!¡± Alejandro instinctively drew his sword, infusing it with a flickering aura. Without hesitation, he swung it toward the source of the voice. An attack from a Hero-ss warrior, powerful enough to rend the world itself. ng. But it was effortlessly deflected. The immense power dissipatedpletely. ¡°Well, it seems I¡¯ll have time to deal with the early arrivals,¡± The dry voice remarkedzily. A demon swung their sword nonchntly. Alejandro felt a sharp, lethal force approaching his chest. His eyes widened. ¡°Ack¡ª!¡± ¡°Alejandro!¡± At that moment, his allies threw themselves toward the demon in desperation. The demon moved their sword again, as if bored. Swish. A single swing. With that, their heads fell, cleanly severed. Despite their superhuman strength, they couldn¡¯t even respond. But their deaths were not in vain. It gave Alejandro just enough time to retreat. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Alejandro¡¯s eyes trembled. The demon had been right next to him, yet he hadn¡¯t noticed. The demonic aura was so faint that it made detection nearly impossible. And the disy of swordsmanship¡ªlike a miracle. There was only one being who could wield such skill. ¡°The Demon of the Sword¡­ Caliste.¡± The Lord of Hell who had nearly killed the Tower Master and the Sun God¡¯s Saintess. Alejandro chuckled bitterly. ¡°Well, this is quite the honor. I guess retreat isn¡¯t an option¡­ is it!¡± Crunch. In an instant, Alejandro¡¯s body moved forward, closing the distance to Caliste. Logic dictated that he should retreat, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. The reason was simple. How could he miss the chance to fight against the pinnacle of swordsmanship? He was a Swordmaster of the Hero ss. A man consumed by the sword. Alejandro gripped his sword with both hands and struck downward. There was no trace of carelessness in his movements. He was ready to counter any action Caliste might take. But Caliste simply raised his sword. As the descending de approached, Caliste swung. Alejandro¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± His sword was cut cleanly, like a rotting branch. Caliste¡¯s sword didn¡¯t stop and continued its path. Alejandro frantically tried to respond, but Caliste took a single step forward. That single steppletely neutralized Alejandro¡¯s movements. Death loomed. ¡®What the¡ª!¡¯ Alejandro¡¯s mind raced, desperately trying to figure out how to evade. But¡ª Swish. His head soared into the air. The Hero-ss Swordmaster, who had spread his name far and wide and trained hundreds of disciples, died just like that. ¡°On my way here, I saw corpses.¡± Headless bodies with no other visible wounds. ¡°One of them was a face I recognized. Alejandro, wasn¡¯t it?¡± A Swordmaster of the Hero ss. During a journey across the continent to stop Necronovix, this person had challenged him to a duel. While busy and unable to ept at the time, they had promised to duel if they met again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my promise. Was it you who killed him?¡± ¡°Alejandro, was it? His name didn¡¯t leave much of an impression,¡± Caliste muttered indifferently. The attack of a Hero-ss Swordmaster was so insignificant to Caliste that it was barely worth remembering. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re what¡¯s important.¡± Caliste stood slowly from their chair. ¡°The Abyss blocks the interference of the gods. Meanwhile, Materia is preparing the Demon King¡¯s descent ritual.¡± At present, Caliste was the only Lord of Hell who could act. ¡°If you defeat me, the gates of the Demon King¡¯s Castle will open.¡± Caliste, the final gatekeeper of the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡°But if you fall to me, the gates will remain closed.¡± RUMBLE! Power exploded around them. The forces of Hell and the surface shed with their lives on the line. ¡°If you defeat me, we lose. But if I kill you, we win.¡± ¡°A battle for the fate of the surface and Hell.¡± And that fact thrilled Ketal. He was now standing in the climax of a fantasy. His heart raced, and his emotions were clear on his face. Gripping his axe tightly, Ketal exuded a fierce fighting spirit that seemed to envelop the surroundings. Seeing this, Caliste smiled faintly. ¡°Well then¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± BOOM! Ketalunched himself forward, far faster than Alejandro had been, swinging his axe down with immense force. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The power to cleave mountains and split oceans was in that swing. A force too great for Caliste to endure. But Caliste neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, he raised their sword toward the descending axe. When the axe and sword collided, Caliste¡¯s de moved in a strange manner, perfectly deflecting the force contained within the axe. ng! As a result, Caliste held their ground without budging an inch. Ketal quickly recovered and swung his axe upward. Caliste¡¯s sword rotated smoothly, wlessly defending again. Ketal let out an honest exmation. ¡°Your swordsmanship is still miraculous!¡± A tremendous force, neutralized with sheer skill. Ketal knew exactly what he was witnessing. ¡®Softness oveing hardness.¡¯ The epitome of this principle. Ketal had seen it in fictional stories where wooden swords deflected steel des. But experiencing it in reality was awe-inspiring. ng, ng! Ketal¡¯s axe moved fiercely, but Caliste¡¯s graceful sword movements blocked every attack. After a series of shes, Ketal noticed Caliste¡¯s intent. ¡°You¡¯re focusing on defense. I suppose it makes sense¡ªyour goal is not to kill me but to guard this entrance.¡± ¡°Our goal is the Demon King¡¯s descent,¡± Caliste replied calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t really need to risk my life fighting you. If I could, I¡¯d throw everything aside and go all in, fighting to the death... but I¡¯ve already failed. I can¡¯t afford to be stubborn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. But I can¡¯t move based solely on my personal desires, either.¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened, and aura began to gather around his axe. Caliste frowned. ¡°...The power of the Monstrosity.¡± The power of the Abomination. It annihtes all things. Unless one has some exceptional defense, like Necronovix¡¯s, surviving it is impossible. Ketal took a step forward, elerating in an instant as he swung his axe, aiming to cleave Caliste into pieces in one blow, defenses and all. But Caliste didn¡¯t retreat. As always, he raised his sword. The axe, imbued with Ketal¡¯s aura, collided with Caliste¡¯s sword. CRASH! Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. Despite shing against the aura-filled axe, Caliste¡¯s sword didn¡¯t break. With a smooth motion, Caliste diverted the force of the axe and moved to sh at Ketal¡¯s stomach. ¡°Whoops!¡± Ketal twisted his body, narrowly dodging the attack, then quickly leapt backward. Caliste raised an eyebrow, surprised. ¡°You managed to evade even in that situation. Impressive reflexes.¡± ¡°...It didn¡¯t break.¡± Caliste¡¯s sword, which had shed with the power of the Abomination, didn¡¯t have so much as a chip in its de. ¡°So that¡¯s your weapon, then.¡± ¡°My sword.¡± Caliste was the demon of the de. His power was contained in a single sword. ¡°This sword, imbued with the power of severing all things, is as strong as my will.¡± As long as Caliste¡¯s will didn¡¯t falter, neither would his sword. Even a power that could kill everything couldn¡¯t extinguish Caliste¡¯s unyielding resolve. Ketal chuckled bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re still not as useful as I thought.¡± [Shut up. If I had my original power, I¡¯d snap that sword like a twig. It¡¯s your fault for beingcking.] The Abomination spat in annoyance. Ketal let out a heartyugh and withdrew his aura. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t going to be that easy, huh? Looks like I¡¯ll have to overpower you directly.¡± ¡°Come at me.¡± ¡°Here I go!¡± Ketal took a step forward. The axe moved relentlessly, carving dozens of trajectories within a single second, aiming to rip his opponent apart.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It carried a power beyond monstrous. Even those who prided themselves on being of hero-ss strength couldn¡¯t endure it. Not even the defensive magic of the Tower Master could withstand it for long. But Caliste didn¡¯t retreat. His sword moved smoothly, redirecting and deflecting the axe¡¯s strikes, flowing with the torrent of overwhelming power as if untouched. CRACKLE! Caliste scraped his sword against the axe, dispersing its force, and turned it into a counterattack aimed at Ketal¡¯s throat. Ketal swung his axe to parry, but Caliste¡¯s sword didn¡¯t bounce away. Instead, it clung to the axe de like a ma. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened further. ¡°Oh?¡± He raised his arm to shake off the sword, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. Caliste pressed in closer, as if he had been waiting for this moment. SCRAAAAPE! The sword slid down the axe de, aiming for Ketal¡¯s hand. ¡°Whoops.¡± Ketal let go of the axe, narrowly avoiding the sh. The de grazed the axe¡¯s shaft as Ketal clenched his fist and swung it at Caliste. Caliste lowered his posture and used the t of his sword to block the blow. BOOOOM! The sheer force pushed Caliste all the way to the castle¡¯s front gate. With a flick of his wrist, he steadied himself. ¡°What monstrous strength. Even the God of Strength himself might not be able to match you.¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment!¡± Ketal grabbed his falling axe, putting strength into his shoulder. He took a step forward and hurled it with all his might. THOOM! The spinning axe flew toward Caliste. At first, Caliste prepared to dodge, but then he realized something¡ªhe was standing in front of the Demon King¡¯s castle gate. He couldn¡¯t dodge; otherwise, the gate would be destroyed. Yet blocking it head-on seemed impossible with such overwhelming power. So, Caliste extended his sword. CLANG. As the spinning axe collided with the tip of the sword, Caliste twisted his body. He slid his de inside the axe¡¯s trajectory and gently redirected its momentum. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened further. The axe, spinning violently, changed direction, flying in a new arc. Calistepleted his spin and thrust his sword forward again. The redirected axe flew toward Ketal with the same ferocity as before. Ketal extended his hand and caught the axe handle. WHIRRR! Unable to fully absorb the force, Ketal was pushed back. He paused, standing still for a moment, before letting out a dryugh. ¡°What... is this?¡± Caliste had manipted the flying axe¡¯s trajectory, preserving its immense power and sending it back at its original wielder. Even seeing it with his own eyes, it was hard to believe. Attempting to replicate it would have been impossible. Ketal couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. And at the same time, he realized: ¡°I won¡¯t be able to break through you with brute strength alone.¡± Sheer force wouldn¡¯t ovee that sword. His usual approach wouldn¡¯t work. He briefly considered using a spell, but an unfamiliar power against such a skilled opponent seemed unlikely to seed. After a moment of deliberation, Ketal looked at Caliste with an odd expression. Depending solely on a single sword, mastering technique and skill to stand against overwhelming foes... ¡®It reminds me of my old self.¡¯ Forgotten memories resurfaced. In that case... ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can go back to the basics.¡± Skill against skill. Ketal adjusted his grip, holding his axe closer to the handle. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 339: All-Out War (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 339: All-Out War (4) Ketal quietly caressed the handle of his axe. Caliste watched him intently. His purpose was defense, so there was no need to engage aggressively. Ketal, as if finding it curious, asked, ¡°You rely solely on swordsmanship? No other powers or abilities?¡± ¡°None,¡± Caliste replied calmly. ¡°All I have is this sword.¡± A sword with the power to sever all things, unbreakable as long as its wielder¡¯s will remained unshaken. It was undoubtedly extraordinary. But at the end of the day, it was just a sword. It could not overturn the heavens, shake the earth, or split the ground. An average demon wielding it might have been crushed under its power and died a meaningless death. And yet, Caliste ascended to the throne of a lord. A nameless demon honed their sword to such perfection that they reached the highest seat of power. Ketal felt genuine admiration. ¡°I admit it. Your methods cannot be broken through with my current approach. So, I¡¯ll go back to the basics for the first time in a while.¡± Ketal gripped the axe differently this time, one hand near the de and the other around the middle of the handle. Caliste¡¯s face showed a flicker of puzzlement. ¡°¡­You intend to fight with skill, not strength?¡± Holding the axe short like that reduced the leverage for powerful strikes but allowed for more precise movements. It wasn¡¯t an incorrect judgment. Indeed, brute strength alone could never breach the techniques Caliste wielded. Trying another method was the right decision. But there was one condition. ¡°You think you can ovee me with skill?¡± With only a single sword, Caliste had climbed to the lord¡¯s position. Could Ketal¡¯s skill surpass that? To this question, Ketal responded with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Ketal stepped forward, closing the gap between them with quick strides. He gripped his axe in both hands and moved with precision. Ka-ka-ka-kak! Holding the axe short reduced its range, but it made close-quartersbat even more advantageous than a sword. Ketal exploited this to apply pressure on Caliste. Caliste narrowed his eyes. ¡®He¡¯s good with his weapon.¡¯ To be honest, it was surprising. Such mastery of weaponry was rare, even for Caliste. Excluding raw power, Ketal¡¯s technique alone could easily overwhelm a typical hero-ss opponent. But that was all. It wasn¡¯t enough to reach him. Ka-kak! Caliste subtly twisted his wrist, effortlessly parrying and deflecting all of Ketal¡¯s axe strikes. The force of the deflection sent Ketal¡¯s arm upward. Ketal immediately swung his arm down, aiming the butt of the axe handle at Caliste¡¯s head. Caliste met the attack with his sword, slipping the axe handle into the cross-guard of his sword to redirect its trajectory. And in that moment¡ª Ketal abruptly pulled the lower grip of the axe backward as if snapping a spring. The de of the axe suddenly rotated, aiming to cleave Caliste¡¯s head. For the first time, Caliste¡¯s expression shifted. Swiftly, he reversed his grip on the sword, using the pommel to strike the spinning de and leveraging the force to retreat backward. Ketal did not relent. He held the axe close to his body and charged forward. Caliste immediately recognized Ketal¡¯s intent. ¡®He¡¯s trying to overpower me physically.¡¯ At such close proximity, parrying would be difficult. Caliste lowered his stance, deflecting the iing axe upward and sidestepping. At that moment, Ketal mmed his foot into the ground, halting abruptly and pivoting his entire body toward Caliste in pursuit. Caliste was not one to remain passive. He used his sword to scrape the ground, using the rebound to propel himself sideways. Then Ketal¡¯s left elbow aimed straight for Caliste¡¯s chest. It was an attack with no preparation, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. Caliste hastily moved his hand. Thud! Caliste was knocked back. He managed to deflect the elbow strike, but not without consequence. His wrist throbbed, and his eyes betrayed a hint of shock. ¡°¡­You anticipated me?¡± The elbow strike wasn¡¯t a reaction to Caliste¡¯s movements¡ªit was a prediction of them. Ketal had acted preemptively, knowing what Caliste would do. Ketal grinned with delight. ¡°Ah, I finallynded a hit.¡± With a leap, Ketal closed the distance again, refusing to give Caliste any breathing room. Caliste quickly maneuvered his sword, and the two engaged in a fierce exchange. The first to gain an advantage was Ketal. Thud! Ketal shoved Caliste with his shoulder. Though the impact wasn¡¯t severe, it forced Caliste to retreat slightly. As Ketal charged again, Caliste thrust his sword forward. Ketal twisted his neck to evade and pressed forward even more. Caliste bent his wrist, swinging his sword like a scythe to sh at the back of Ketal¡¯s neck. Ketal didn¡¯t duck or block. He simply charged forward, aiming to headbutt Caliste. ¡°Hm.¡± At such force and speed, a headbutt would shatter his skull. Caliste withdrew his sword and stepped back. Ketal seized the moment to swing his axe down. Caliste dodged, only to be met with the butt of the axe handle striking toward his jaw. He blocked with his sword. Ketal closed the gap once more, wielding the axe in rapid, precise motions. Caliste tightened his grip on his sword and moved with determination. Ka-ka-ka-kak! The sh of axe and sword produced a cacophony of sharp sounds. From a distance, the Tower Master battling the demons observed their duel and let out a groan. [¡­What is that?] Ketal and Caliste¡¯s battle was eerily silent. There were no earth-shattering forces, no world-rending power. Compared to the fight against Necronovix, one might even call it mundane. Yet, the Tower Master was utterly astonished. It was because he could notprehend their movements at all. Swinging a sword, moving an axe, stepping forward and twisting one¡¯s body¡ªmotions that even a child could perform. Yet he couldn¡¯t understand. Why did they swing their weapons like that? Why did they make those choices? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Not a single one made sense. Although a magician, the Tower Master had taken an interest in weapon techniques, studying enough to possess knowledge on par with a typical hero-ss warrior. For even him to be unable toprehend meant no one in the world could fathom their movements. Ka-ka-kak! Ketal¡¯s axe moved with fierce precision. No longer relying on raw strength, heunched a series of consecutive attacks with both the de and handle. Caliste swiftly wielded his sword, deflecting and redirecting every strike. The axe alone could not break through the sword. Thus, Ketal took a step forward, intent on dominating the space. Naturally, Caliste quickly assessed the situation and moved to respond. But Ketal shifted his body. He didn¡¯t just rely on his axe; he used his knees, elbows, shoulders, even his forehead. He utilized his entire body. Caliste attempted to counter by moving, but he was purely outmatched in speed. Inevitably, Caliste¡¯s body was sent flying backward. Thud! Caliste regained his footing. Although the damage was minimal, his expression hardened. ¡°......¡± The battle so far had made one thing clear. In terms of weapon skills, he was superior. It was a decisive difference. However, when it came to the art of fighting, the opponent stood above him. ¡°How many battles have you fought, exactly?¡± Ketal had experienced countless battles, a number so overwhelming it rendered counting meaningless. Ketal let out a heartyugh. ¡°I am undoubtedly strong. My power is unmatched, even among the fiercest within those walls.¡± For Ketal, most problems could be solved by gripping his axe and swinging it with full force. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om That was who he was now. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t born with such monstrous strength.¡± He had once been an ordinary human. His strength was that of an average adult man, and his body was just as ordinary. In harsh winters, his blood froze, and sharp cold winds left cuts all over his body merely from movement. Yet, even so, he survived. He triumphed against countless monsters and barbarians who sought to kill him. ¡°To be honest, even I¡¯ve lost track of how many battles I¡¯ve fought.¡± One thing was certain¡ªthe number had surpassed five digits. The story of him acquiring his extraordinary strength came long after. ¡°......¡± Caliste said nothing, and Ketal spoke leisurely. ¡°Until now, overwhelming opponents with sheer strength has always been more effective, so I¡¯ve had no need to use technique. But with someone like you, it¡¯s different.¡± Against Caliste, techniques were more effective than raw power. Therefore, there was no reason not to use them. ¡°This is exciting!¡± Ketalughed heartily. It had been so long since he fought purely with technique. The thrill made his heart race. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡± Ketal swung his axe. Caliste twisted his sword to deflect it. Axes, swords, and bodies shed. Ketal¡¯s face was full ofughter, and Caliste too wore a faint smile. ng! ng! ng! Ketal¡¯s body fell to the ground. Caliste raised his sword to strike at the back of Ketal¡¯s neck. At that moment, Ketal mmed the butt of his axe handle into the ground. Boom! The reboundunched him away. Caliste¡¯s sword cut through empty air. Ketal countered by swinging his axe. ng! Caliste barely managed to block it but couldn¡¯t deflect the force. His body slid backward. Ketal swiftly closed the gap and shed upward. Shhhk! A wound appeared on Caliste¡¯s shoulder, and blood sttered. Caliste let out a pained grunt. It wasn¡¯t a serious injury¡ªbarely a scratch on the surface of his skin. But in a battle like this, where he matched Ketal¡¯s overwhelming strength with pure technique, even a minor wound could slow his response. ng! The axe and sword shed in a deadlock. Ketal reached out with his left hand to grab Caliste¡¯s sword. Caliste smoothly moved to pull it away, but Ketal released it first. He had only grabbed it to create an opening. He used that opening to press Caliste further. He kicked at Caliste¡¯s thigh. Although Caliste hurriedly pulled back, he couldn¡¯tpletely avoid it. The impact spread through his thigh, slowing his movements. From then on, Ketal changed his approach. He exploited Caliste¡¯s reduced mobility, moving swiftly to attack from all directions. Caliste focused intently to counter, but with one leg impaired, gaps inevitably appeared. ¡°Ugh...¡± Caliste groaned as he retreated. Unlike before, he couldn¡¯t advance or change direction and was forced to keep backing away. As a result, his back hit the door. ¡°......!¡± There was nowhere left to retreat. Caliste¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡®Even if it means my death...¡¯ He resolved to take Ketal down with him. Abandoning the thought of mere defense, he decided on mutual destruction. Ketal swung his axe. Caliste met it with his sword. ng! Their weapons shed, their movements surpassingprehension. Caliste abandoned defending his body and aimed for Ketal¡¯s. K etalughed heartily. ¡°I never nned to win against someone like you without taking a scratch. I¡¯ll dly give up some flesh!¡± Squish. Caliste¡¯s sword pierced Ketal¡¯s neck. But it barely missed his carotid artery. ¡°In exchange, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to win!¡± Ketal grabbed Caliste¡¯s arm, twisted his wrist, and kicked him. Caliste¡¯s sword began to fly out of his hand. ¡°Gah!¡± But Caliste wasn¡¯t going down so easily. He adjusted the angle of his sword as it was about to be flung and caught Ketal¡¯s axe de. Both weapons were sent flying. Now weaponless, Ketal clenched his fist, unfazed. His punch carried monstrous strength, enhanced by mystical power. Caliste, refusing to give up, reached out as well. Boom! Ketal¡¯s punch shattered Caliste¡¯s arm and mmed into his body, sending him crashing into the Demon King¡¯s castle gate. The door groaned loudly as it began to break apart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 340: The Descent of the Demon King (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 340: The Descent of the Demon King (1) Caliste didn¡¯t just stand still and take it. Twisting his body as much as possible, he redirected the force contained in Ketal¡¯s punch. But with the door pressing against his back, it was impossible topletely deflect the blow. Some of the force rocked his body violently. ¡°Cough!¡± Even that alone made him spit blood. The powerful impact churned Caliste¡¯s internal organs. As an ordinary demon in terms of physicality, there was no way Caliste could endure even a portion of Ketal¡¯s strength. Grinding his teeth, Caliste quickly drew a dagger from his chest and thrust it toward Ketal¡¯s neck. Ketal swung an arm. The wrist rotated like a pulley, perfectly deflecting the dagger. He immediately raised his fist again and drove it forward. The fist connected with Caliste¡¯s body. Boom! Unable to withstand it, the castle gate finally shattered into countless pieces. Caliste¡¯s body was flung and rolled among the debris. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Lying sprawled on the ground, Caliste spat blood. Ketal extended his arm, and a bracelet on his wrist gleamed. A battle axe flew into their hand as if summoned. But he didn¡¯t swing it. Or rather, he had no reason to. Caliste was already dying. Though he struggled to rise, his body wouldn¡¯t obey. With mangled organs, his physical form was deteriorating rapidly. Strength ebbed from his entire body, and his consciousness began to fade. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve lost.¡± Caliste had been defeated. Utterly andpletely. A bitterugh escaped his lips. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than me. Stronger than any of us.¡± The lords of hell¡ªbeings said to rival gods, or even surpass them in strength. Even they paled before Ketal. From the start, it had been a hopeless battle. ¡°The only one who could stand against you in Hell¡­ must be them.¡± It was clear who Caliste was referring to. The Demon King. Stronger than the lords, the true ruler of Hell. Ketal shook their head. ¡°Unfortunately, preventing that being¡¯s descent is my mission.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how that turns out¡­ though it¡¯s not a matter for me anymore.¡± Caliste slowly forced thimself to rise. It was more like he was moving his ruined body with sheer willpower. Ketal silently observed as Caliste staggered to pick up his sword, driving it into the ground. Taking a stance reminiscent of a knight, Caliste gazed at Ketal with unwavering eyes. ¡°Victory is yours, Ketal. It was¡­ enjoyable.¡± Crack! With those words, the sword shattered¡ªnot merely breaking into pieces but disintegrating into dust. Caliste¡¯s sword had been an embodiment of their will. Its destruction signified Caliste¡¯s death. Caliste¡¯s corpse remained standing in ce. After a moment of silent observation, Ketal spoke. ¡°I enjoyed it as well. Truly.¡± It had been a long time since Ketal had fought purely with physical skill. The battle had been a deeply fulfilling experience. Caliste¡¯s death sent ripples across all of Hell. The demons, realizing their lord had been defeated, let out groans of despair. ¡°Aah, aahhh!¡± ¡°Lord Caliste! Lord Caliste!¡± Their morale crumbled. In an instant, the once evenly matched battle tipped in favor of the surface forces. As walls were broken, the demons were driven back. [We¡¯ve won.] The Tower Master approached Ketal with a calm demeanor. Ketal nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a victory.¡± [You¡¯ve truly dealt with two lords. Hah, this is remarkable.] The barbarian before them had aplished a feat even the gods couldn¡¯t achieve. It was almost unbelievable, even after witnessing it firsthand. But there was no time to marvel at the achievement. Their goal wasn¡¯t simply to defeat the lords. [Let¡¯s move quickly. I¡¯ll guide you.] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ketal followed the Tower Master through the shattered gate, advancing rapidly into the Demon King¡¯s castle. ¡°So, this is the Demon King¡¯s castle.¡± The ce was not extravagant. There were few decorations or chandeliers. Yet, it was not unimpressive. It exuded dignity and a strange sense of intimidation. As they ventured inside, they felt it clearly¡ªsomething utterly dreadful was happening below. ¡°Underground?¡± [Wait a moment.] The Tower Master snapped their finger bones, sending waves of mana to scan the castle¡¯s interior. [There are many traps. Not ordinary ones. These are traps capable of killing even hero-ss beings. We must move carefully¡­] ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Ketal gripped his axe, an aura of mysticism gathering around it. Then, he struck the ground. Boom! The floor of the Demon King¡¯s castle copsed in an instant. Their bodies plummeted rapidly toward the underground. ¡°If it¡¯s in the way, we¡¯ll just break through.¡± [¡­I detected that even I couldn¡¯t scratch this floor, yet it means nothing to you.] The Tower Master muttered in disbelief. [Still, it¡¯s faster this way. Let¡¯s move on.] Through the broken floor, they descended to the underground. Traps triggered in a flurry, but the Tower Master¡¯s magic and Ketal¡¯s strength crushed everything as they pressed onward. Finally, they reached the deepest level, smashing through a door at the end. Crash! The room was filled with various ritual instruments. In the center, Materiay, emaciated as though she hadn¡¯t eaten for days. Weakly, Materia turned her head. ¡°¡­Ah, you¡¯vee?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. This is straining even for me.¡± Materia smiled faintly, weakly. The Tower Master gasped. [This¡­!] It was a horrific ritual. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A summoning of such a high order that even the Tower Master couldn¡¯t fullyprehend it. There was no need to ask what was being summoned. The Tower Master quickly began gathering magic. [Dispel!] He tried to forcibly cancel the ritual. Ketal, too, didn¡¯t remain idle. He poured mysticism into their axe. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to see it, unfortunately, my job is to stop it!¡± With all his might, Ketal swung his axe at the magic circle of the ritual. Boom! But the magic circle did not break. Instead, Ketal''s body was forced backward. A wless repulsion. Ketal looked at the Tower Master with a bewildered expression. "Does this mean it can¡¯t be destroyed by ordinary methods?" His question implied whether it required magic or divine power to break it. But the expression on the Tower Master''s face made it clear that this wasn¡¯t the case. Despite being a skeleton, his rigid stance conveyed his shock. [No, that¡¯s not it. It should¡¯ve been breakable without issue.] The more intricate and delicate a ritual was, the more vulnerable it was to external shocks. Rituals that took a month toplete could be ruined by something as trivial as a servant¡¯s sneeze. Yet the ritual before their eyes remained intact, even against Ketal''s power. This could only mean one thing. [The ritual... isplete?] ¡°What¡¯s the situation¡ª?¡± Helia, who had arrivedte, gasped as she saw the power surging forth.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Rumble, rumble, rumble! The ritual erupted, and an immense force pierced through the roof of the Demon King''s castle, shooting skyward. [This is insane!] The summoning ritual had seeded. Now that it wasplete, there was no stopping it. All they could do was watch as the ritual concluded. Helia widened her eyes and shouted, ¡°This can¡¯t be happening! How! How is it already finished?!¡± Her words sounded like a denial of reality, but they carried weight. ¡°There¡¯s no way the summoning ritual could bepleted this quickly!¡± The higher the rank of the being summoned, the more time the ritual required. For an entity like the Demon King, an extraordinary amount of time would have been necessary. And yet, it had beenpleted in just a week. It was an impossibility, one even Materia did not deny. ¡°Haha¡­ Even I thought it was a failure, but here we are. I suppose you could call it a miracle.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Both the Tower Master and Helia were half out of their minds. Only Ketal remainedposed, asking in a tone of curiosity, ¡°But there shouldn¡¯t have been a sacrifice.¡± Hell had consumed countless sacrifices to summon Necronovix. For a being as mighty as the Demon King, there couldn¡¯t have been any sufficient sacrifices avable. ¡°No sacrifices, you say? Aren¡¯t you looking at one?¡± Materia chuckled leisurely and pointed her finger outward. ¡°This hell. Itself.¡± Crack, crack, crack! The realm of Hell, where it was tethered to the material ne, began to shatter. A third of it was consumed like a sliced piece of cake to fuel the summoning. ¡°Every ranked demon.¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± Those who were fighting outside faltered as they noticed something strange. The bodies of all ranked demons began to blur. ¡°Oooooooh!¡± ¡°Atst! The ritual has seeded!¡± As sacrifices for the ritual, those beings vanishedpletely. Yet even in their obliteration, the demons rejoiced. ¡°Our King!¡± ¡°Please, reim the mortal world for us!¡± Crack. Every ranked demon vanished. Onlookers stood bewildered and stunned. ¡°And finally, one of Hell¡¯s Lords.¡± Materia pointed to herself. At the same time, something enveloped her¡ªa power that consumed the rank and strength she had umted. She copsed, utterly drained as a sacrifice for the ritual. The fact that she didn¡¯t entirely vanish spoke volumes about the scale of her existence. But that was the extent of it. She now stood on the brink, as fragile as a flickering candle. ¡°Looks like Abyss will die soon¡­ Necronovix and Caliste are already gone. And I¡¯ll follow shortly. Ahahaha, this is the worst.¡± All four Lords, who had survived even the Gods and Demons War, were now dead. Hell had, for all intents and purposes, lost. And yet Materia¡¯s expression was not grim. If anything, she seemed exhrated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is how it was supposed to be from the start. I just clung to pointless pride.¡± Materia spread her arms wide, as if weing her master with open arms. ¡°Now,e forth, my King. Please. Please, appear in this world.¡± And then¡ª Crack. The space shattered. From the fractured rift, a condensed power burst out. [Ah.] ¡°Oh.¡± Both the Tower Master and Helia immediately realized what was happening. The unsealing unleashed a ripple of power. What surged forth was merely a fragment of the imprisoned entity¡¯s might. Even so, it was enough to kill them. No response, no defense could withstand it. It was akin to a human attempting to resist an avnche. Their thoughts froze in that instant. Only Ketal moved, rushing forward with his axe at the ready. He infused it with his aura. BOOOOOOM! The erupting power collided with Ketal¡¯s strike, exploding in the process. Ketal slid back, his body straining to absorb the impact. Even so, he couldn¡¯t block all of it. The remaining force surged toward the Tower Master and the saintess. Ketal shouted, ¡°Defend yourselves!¡± [¡­Shield of Purity!] ¡°Hephaestus¡¯s Shield!¡± Snapping back to their senses, the two poured all their strength into shielding themselves. Crack, crack, crack! Their defenses shattered. The Tower Master and Helia were flung into the walls. [Grrrk!] ¡°Cough!¡± Helia felt her insides churn, while cracks spread throughout the Tower Master¡¯s entire body. Even for a lich, it would take months to recover from such injuries. ¡°This¡­ This is¡­¡± Even a fragment of that power was unstoppable. A being beyond ssification. A being above even the gods. Ketal whistled. ¡°It¡¯sing.¡± Creak, creak, creak! Through the fissure in space, an arm emerged. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 341: The Descent of the Demon King (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 341: The Descent of the Demon King (2) The overwhelming presence of the Demon King spilled forth. The Tower Master and Helia felt as though their breaths were stolen away. Had they not instinctively gathered their wits, they might have lost consciousness altogether. Ketal stepped forward, shielding the two from the oppressive force as he spoke. "Run. Warn the others outside. Make them return to the surface immediately." "...What about you?" "If I retreat from here, what do you think will happen?" Helia fell silent at his words. The answer wasn¡¯t difficult to deduce. Everyone would die. Heroes or superhumans, it wouldn¡¯t matter; they would all meet meaningless deaths. Ketal gripped his axe firmly. "I will do what I must. You do what you must." [Leave it to me.] "...Apologies, and thank you." Recognizing theirck of utility in this fight, the Tower Master and Helia quickly make their way out of the fortress. As they exited, they shouted toward those approaching the Demon King''s castle. "Everyone, stay back!" [Run away!] The oppressive sound of cracking space resonated through the air. At that moment, a hand rended the fabric of space, expanding the fissure. The sense of presence grew even stronger. [...Ahhh.] A voice resounded¡ªa light, shallow sound, like that of a person catching their breath atop a mountain. Yet the entire Hell quaked in response. "Aaahhhhhh!" "Urgh!" Merely hearing the voice shattered the minds of those present. Those who hadn¡¯t reached the upper echelons of superhuman ability found their consciousness disintegrating. Thosecking sufficient strength fell like puppets with their strings cut. These weren¡¯t ordinary people¡ªthey were renowned warriors, heroes who had carved their names into the annals of the surface world. [Curse this!] The Tower Master spit curses as he casted a spell, desperately attempting to send as many as possible back to the surface. Crack. Craaack. The rift in space grew wider,rge enough for a person to pass through. Correspondingly, the sense of presence became ever more overwhelming. Ketal let out a dryugh. "More than I imagined." Finally, the space shattered with a thunderous roar. From within the rift emerged a figure¡ªa man with jet-ck hair and eyes. Dressed lightly, he stepped slowly into the Hell. And with just that step, the Hell reacted. Like beasts weing their master, it stirred in fervent upheaval. The demonic energy of the earth itself surged toward the man as if to embrace him. "Hoo." Ketal utters an involuntary exmation. The Hell itself was rejoicing at its master¡¯s return. "Ah, ahhh, ahhh..." The dying Materia let out a moan of ecstasy, her glittering eyes fixed on the man. "Demon King... Demon King..." The man nced at her briefly before continuing forward, demonic energy trailing behind him like loyal vassals. Ketal silently observed. Reaching Materia, the man ced a hand gently on her head. [You¡¯ve done well.] His voice carried the tender warmth of a parent. "Ahh..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om With a smile of utmost satisfaction, as though her very being was fulfilled, Materia passed away. The man looked at her for a moment before speaking again. [Thank you for not interfering.] "I have no interest in disrupting someone¡¯s final moments," Ketal replied with a faint smile. "Nice to meet you, Demon King. The master of all evil." The Demon King. He stood before them. Ketal¡¯s first impression was that the Demon King seemed immense. Though humanoid in form, his physique was extraordinary¡ªmuscr, rivaling Ketal¡¯s own. Around that powerful body, demonic energy writhed and clung like living shadows. The Demon King straightened, his voice resonating. [Ketal, is it? I¡¯ve been watching you.] "You could see?" [My children are my eyes. Even while imprisoned, I observed everything.] The Demon King¡¯s ck eyes focused on Ketal. [You, especially.] "Quite the attention. So, what¡¯s your impression?" Ketal responded with a wry grin. [You are an existence that should not be in this world.] "That stings. Is it because of my connection to the Forbidden Lands? For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯ve been rather amodating." Ketal, a being of the Forbidden Lands, had always been rejected by the gods. He assumed the Demon King¡¯s words carried a simr sentiment. But the Demon King denied it. [That may be intolerable, but you are unique even among such beings. You do not belong to ¡®this ce.¡¯] His somber eyes bore into Ketal. The gaze alone was enough to strip life from any mortal creature. [An anomaly. A foreign substance.] [...A true Demon King, aren¡¯t you? To notice it immediately.] The abomination muttered as though impressed. In its voicey a rare note of caution¡ªsomething even the lords of Hell never elicited from it. Ketal, too, felt it. A chill ran through him. His senses screamed in warning. The being before him could kill him. The Demon King raised his head, gazing skyward. [The situation is dire. My children sacrificed themselves to summon me. It must have been difficult.] The summoning had consumed lords, high-ranking demons, and a third of the Hell itself. It was near annihtion. [But my task is simple.] For he was the Demon King. The one who would drown this world in evil. [As the first step, I must rid ournd of this foreign entity.] The Demon King raised his hand, pointing a finger at Ketal. From the tip of that finger, ck light radiated. A chill. Death loomed. Ketal instinctively twisted his neck¡ªa brilliant decision. Had he not, the ck light would have pierced his throat. Boom! The ck light shot through the Demon King¡¯s castle, extending skyward. The world split apart in its wake. Those caught in the trajectory perished, unaware of what had struck them. Sizzle. The fine hairs on Ketal¡¯s neck singed away. The Demon King swiped his finger through the air, the ck light following the motion. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®That level of power¡­ isn¡¯t just a one-time attack?¡¯ Crack. Crack! The ck light carved through the world, racing toward Ketal. Ketal raised his axe, unleashing an aura to intercept the light. Crash! The aura shed with the ck light, and Ketal was overwhelmed. Unable to withstand the force, his body was violently pushed back. ¡°This is...!¡± It felt like trying to stop a charging war chariot with his bare hands¡ªa force of unfathomable density. Boom! Ketal swung his arm wildly, barely managing to deflect the light. ¡°Hah!¡± He exhaled sharply. His entire body trembled from the impact. His arm throbbed. Strong. And the authority of the Abomination could not extinguish the ck light. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was pushed back by an overwhelming density. Rumble! A trajectory was drawn as part of Hell was carved away. Ketal let out a hollowugh. "Calling yourself the master of Hell, yet you''re so rough with your own belongings." [That''s because killing you is more important.] The Demon King spoke indifferently. [The Abomination¡­ It''s within you. You could indeed manage it. Killing you won''t be easy.] To the Demon King, the presence of the Abomination was worth no more than that simple observation. The Demon King raised an arm. Woooooom! Above it, demonic energy condensed into a massive sphere. The Demon King flung the gathered energy. Ketal swiftly nted his feet and moved. Boom! The sphere of demonic energy collided with the ground, exploding and creating a massive crater that erased the surrounding area. Ketal barely managed to escape its range, but the shockwave alone crushed part of his body. Crunch. The Demon King stepped forward, arriving before Ketal in a leap and clenching his fist. Ketal raised his axe to shield himself. The fist met the axe. With a thunderous sound, Ketal''s body was flung away. He flew at a speed too fast for the naked eye to track, only stopping after mming his axe into the ground. Shraaaaaak! His momentum left a scar several kilometers long in the earth before finally halting. ¡°¡­Just blocking that was enough to cause this,¡± Ketal muttered incredulously. "Feels like it¡¯s stronger than you." [...] The Abomination remained silent as though its pride was wounded but did not deny it. [That is the King of Demons. Born to be such, like a mechanism. Among the young, it is the strongest being.] So strong, even the oldest beings would struggle to defeat it. [Fine. I''ll cooperate. Kill that thing.] With those words, the Abomination stirred. The untamed mystery seeped into Ketal¡¯s body of its own ord. Crack. At that moment, the approaching Demon King clenched a fist and struck down toward Ketal. There was no way to dodge. But blocking it outright was an unwise approach. So he let it flow. Ketal raised his axe. At the moment the descending fist touched, he let go of the force and redirected it. The Demon King''s fist struck the ground. Boooom! A massive crater formed in the earth, revealing the mantle below. Ketal used the redirected momentum to swing his axe at the Demon King. The Demon King extended a hand to catch the axe de, but Ketal adjusted the axe''s trajectory to sh at his body. The Demon King moved a leg, sweeping upward. The kick struck the axe with such force that Ketal nearly lost his grip on it. The Demon King threw another punch. Ketal preemptively pulled back, avoiding the blow. Boom! But he couldn¡¯t fully escape. The force of the punch alone shook his body. The Demon King raised a finger. Whiiiiine! ck light, tracing a path, shot toward Ketal. Ketal raised his axe to defend. Kaboom! The ground shook violently. A chasm dividing the surface and underground was carved out in an instant. Ketal looked at his shoulder. Sizzle. He hadn¡¯tpletely blocked it. A fragment of the light had grazed his shoulder, burning it. The ck light had pierced through the mystical protection and inflicted a wound on his body. Just a small portion had done that much. "What monstrous power," Ketal muttered, shaking his head. There was no time to dwell on it. High in the sky, the Demon King sped his hands together and struck downward. Boom! Demonic energy crushed the ground. Hell was copsing. Remaining still would have buried him in the depths of the stars. Ketal quickly leapt aside and swung his axe at the Demon King. ng! The Demon King raised an arm to block. Then, he threw a punch. Ketal deflected it with his axe. The punch tore through empty space, creating a gaping hole in its wake. Rumble! As the battle continued, Ketal¡¯s thoughts raced. ¡®The power is simpler than I thought.¡¯ It was closer to mindlessly wielding a grotesque density of demonic energy. But overwhelming strength could crush skill. No matter how refined one''s technique was, it couldn¡¯t deflect the mass of an entire. The Demon King''s power was equivalent to that. With this much strength¡­ ¡®Stronger than the Elders.¡¯ The three Elders dwelling within the white snowfield. Compared to each, the Demon King was slightly superior. The difference wasn¡¯t vast, but enough to matter. If the Demon King fought one of the Elders, it was impossible to predict who would win. Yet, the Demon King was still the strongest being Ketal had encountered in this world. A twisted grin spread across Ketal¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Ha! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!¡± Ketal burst outughing. The Demon King momentarily hesitated, as if caught off guard. [Why are youughing?] "How can I notugh!" Behold! Damnable snowfield! You are not so great after all! You were defeated, were you not? What is truly remarkable lies outside! ¡®Those cursed Elders!¡¯ Ketal recalled the words of one of them. [Why do you yearn for such a feeble world? It is worthless, pathetic, and utterly wretched. Your desire will nevere to pass.] The Elder had mocked him for hoping for the outside, calling it hollow, futile, and weak. He had ridiculed Ketal, saying his desire would never be fulfilled. But look at this. Something stronger than those Elders has appeared. "Let¡¯s keep going!" Ketal gripped his axe tightly. Aura enveloped it, thicker and more intense than ever before. He drew a diagonal sh. Hell split apart. The Demon King wielded demonic energy to block. The aftermath shook the world. Their battle continued, tearing the world asunder. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 342: The Descent of the Demon King (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 342: The Descent of the Demon King (3) The heretic high elf, Arkamis, was also in hell. It was only natural¡ªshe was a transcendent-level alchemist who had regressed multiple times. And now, Arkamis was breaking out in a cold sweat. The reason was simple. The ground right in front of her feet had been sliced cleanly apart. If she had taken just one more step forward¡ªor if Serena hadn¡¯t shouted for her to stop¡ªher body would have been split in two along with the ground. ¡°Th-thank you, Serena.¡± Arkamis expressed her gratitude to Serena. However, Serena was in no condition to ept those thanks. ¡°Uh¡­ah¡­¡± Serena¡¯s face was pale and stiff, her expression frozen. She had copsed onto her knees, losing strength in her legs, her face drained of all color as if her soul had left her body. Arkamis understood why. She could feel it too¡ªa presence so terrifying that it seemed to suffocate the very air around them. ¡°The¡­ Demon King.¡± A being from the distant past, from the time of the War of Gods and Demons. The one who had in countless gods and burned half the surface of the world. That entity had descended here and now. As a Holy Sword attuned to malevolence, Serena had sensed it more keenly than anyone else. It was no wonder she looked like her mind had snapped. Clenching her teeth, Arkamis supported Serena and turned her head. RUMBLE... The earth trembled in the distance. Even beyond her field of vision, she could feel the terrifying ripples of power. The Demon King was fighting someone. There was no need to guess who. Ketal. Her special someone was facing off against the Demon King in that distant location. ¡°I want to help, but I¡¯d only get in the way. At the very least, I can pray¡­¡± Arkamis stopped herself. The Demon King was a god-ying entity. What meaning would prayer have in a battle against such a being? What Ketal needed right now wasn¡¯t prayer¡ªit was belief. ¡°Don¡¯t die, Ketal.¡± Arkamis quickly carried the dazed Serena and retreated back to the surface. * * * Ketal charged forward. The Demon King raised his arm and swung. CRACK! CRACKLE! The axe and the arm shed, sparks flying as they ground against each other. Gritting his teeth, Ketal pressed forward with all his strength. But the Demon King flexed his muscles, his body bulging with explosive power. BOOM! Both Ketal and the Demon King were forced back at the same time. But the distance differed: Ketal was pushed back ten paces, while the Demon King moved only five. The Demon King let out a heartyugh. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me I¡¯ve been overpowered?¡± Ketal was surprised, but so was the Demon King. [Even the god of strength couldn¡¯t push me back, and yet here you are, forcing me back five steps with sheer power alone.] The Demon King extended his hand, curling his fingers as if grasping an invisible cup. At that moment, the world itself seemed to seize Ketal. CREAK. CRUNCH. The pressure threatened to crush him. If he hadn¡¯t reflexively resisted with mystery, he would¡¯ve been reduced to pulp. Gritting his teeth against the oppressive force, Ketal thought quickly. Strength alone wouldn¡¯t suffice. The Demon King was monstrously strong. Relying on brute force would only lead to being overpowered. Thus, he decided to focus his power. Leaving only the minimum mystery needed to enhance his body, Ketal poured all remaining energy into his axe. The aura surrounding the weapon began to ripple andpress. SSSHHH! With the gathered aura, he swung his axe. The oppressive force bearing down on him was severed, creating a brief opening. Ketal leaped through the gap, kicking off the air itself. The Demon King raised his arm and swung it toward the approaching Ketal. ¡°That won¡¯t work anymore!¡± The Demon King¡¯s strength was overwhelming. But he wielded his power in a straightforward, almost rudimentary manner. From a technical perspective, he had weaknesses. Ketal¡¯s movements turned fluid. No longer a savage barbarian, he moved with the precision of a seasoned swordsman. The Demon King¡¯s fist connected with the t of Ketal¡¯s axe, and Ketal deflected the blow with a smooth motion. SWISH. Ketal closed the gap, stepping into the Demon King¡¯s range. The Demon King raised his other arm to strike. Ketal swung the axe handle upward, deflecting the trajectory of the descending fist. The blownded slightly off-course, smashing into the ground beside him. BOOM! A crater formed where the fistnded. Having evaded two consecutive attacks, Ketal shed diagonally. His axe sought to bury itself in the Demon King¡¯s chest. BANG! But the Demon King unleashed an explosive burst of power, sending Ketal flying. With most of his mystery focused on his axe, Ketal was left vulnerable and had no choice but to retreat. The Demon King stomped the ground, and the earth surged like waves. The very world seemed to be his weapon, aiming to crush any who opposed him. Ketal judged that standing his ground would only be detrimental and leaped back further. The Demon King raised a hand to the sky. In an instant, dark clouds gathered, and bolts of shadow lightning began raining down. Ketal let out a short breath. ¡°Work.¡± With those words, the monstrous power within him stirred and spread across the heavens, shielding him from the descending lightning. [So, that¡¯s how you wield the monstrosity. How peculiar.] The Demon King, with a hint of curiosity, lowered his outstretched hand. The dense clouds in the sky descended like mist, colliding with the monstrous power Ketal had unleashed. RUMBLE! The sh of powers caused the world to tremble. Mystery drained rapidly from Ketal as the struggle continued. ¡°Tch, what a pain,¡± Ketal muttered in frustration. He quickly assessed the situation. Could he win? The answer came immediately. It would be difficult. Ketal wasn¡¯t at full strength, having expended considerable energy battling Caliste. Even at his peak, victory would have been uncertain. ¡®I can hold my ground, but¡­¡¯ Ketal had grown stronger since his battle in the frozen wastnds. Mastering the power of the abomination and gaining new mystical abilities had made him a match for even the Demon King. But the problem was the total energy he possessed¡ªit wasn¡¯t enough. At this rate of consumption, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he reached his limits. In contrast, the Demon King''s power seemed boundless. The disparity in sheer total strength was overwhelming. ¡®Though there are some technical weaknesses I can see.¡¯ What could a skilled swordsman do against a tank? Of course, he had now be a being capable of crushing ordinary tanks with his little finger, but unfortunately, his opponent was far from ordinary. ¡®A monster, indeed.¡¯ [Of course. That is the Demon King.] The abomination muttered softly. [A being that embodies the concepts of darkness, evil, and malice in this world. Unlike the gods who divided their power among many, that entity absorbed all those concepts alone.] The number of gods was immense. In their prime, their numbers had reached three digits. In contrast, there was only one being worthy of being called the god of Hell¡ªthe Demon King. While the Demon Lords were undeniably strong, there were only four of them. The Demon King alone possessed power rivaling the entirety of the celestial realm. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [To put it bluntly, it embodies nearly all the dark concepts of the world. The other denizens of Hell only hold fragments of that power.] ¡°I get the gist. But even with all that, it¡¯s just a bit stronger than the elders?¡± ording to the abomination, the Demon King was a conglomeration of darkness, evil, and malice. And yet, it was only marginally stronger than one of the elders. And there were three elders. Ketal was genuinely curious. ¡°How did you all lose, then?¡± [We... don¡¯t get along very well.] BOOOOM! Before he could hear an answer, an explosion of power interrupted him. There was no time for leisurely conversation. Ketal quickly dodged and analyzed the situation. Defeating the Demon King seemed unlikely. But¡ª ¡®It¡¯s not impossible, is it?¡¯ There had never been a time when he could confidently say he had defeated one of the three elders. But there had been plenty of times when he hadn¡¯t lost. Ketal¡¯s eyes hardened. The abomination seemed to recognize his thoughts and hesitated. [...Come to think of it, you do have that power.] A power unique to him, one he hadn¡¯t used since stepping out into the world. The same power he¡¯d wielded against the three elders and the guardian who had blocked his path out of the wastnd. ¡°What do you think will happen?¡± [If you use that, you could kill it. But to be honest... I hate the idea.] The abomination showed strong resistance, even more so than against the Demon King. It clearly preferred losing to the Demon King over witnessing Ketal use his power. [Using that makes me feel as though my very existence is being denied.] ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of it, either.¡± Ketal agreed with the abomination¡¯s sentiments. He was human. A being of this world. A part of this fantasy. Everything he did was driven by a near-obsessive fixation on that identity. If he hadn¡¯t been, he would have long since be something other than human¡ªa being that ruled the wastnds in an entirely different form. But that wasn¡¯t what he wanted. He desired only to be part of the fantasy. And yet, his power utterly contradicted that desire. It was a power that seemed to proim his existence as something foreign and alien. Because of that, Ketal had used it only a handful of times in his long life. ¡°Besides, my opponent is the Demon King. The embodiment of the fantasy I¡¯ve longed for. Using it is even less appealing... but it¡¯s not just my problem anymore.¡± If the Demon King wasn¡¯t defeated, the surface world would burn. The fantasy he cherished could crumble. ¡®Of course, watching that would be interesting in its own way.¡¯ But he was part of the surface world now.N?v(el)B\\jnn That wasn¡¯t an option. ¡®No choice, then.¡¯ Ketal¡¯s eyes darkened. [...Hmm?] At that moment, the Demon King sensed something amiss. Something was changing around Ketal. Ordinarily, it would have judged him to be up to something and moved to stop him, but this was different. The very idea of approaching didn¡¯t ur. It was alien, grotesque, and above all¡ªterrifying. ¡®...Fear?¡¯ The Demon King, afraid? [What are you trying to do?] ¡°Something that neither of us will like.¡± Ketal took a deep breath. He was about to unleash what he had, to taint the world. But before he could¡ªspace shattered. [PR/N: Will we ever see him use it?] * * * CRAAACK! The skies of Hell shattered all at once. Ketal hesitated, halting the power he was about to release. The cracks in the sky quickly expanded, forming a passage. [Ha! Ha! Ha!] [So, you¡¯ve finally arrived!] [To think he¡¯d truly descend to the mortal realm. This is dangerous.] Then, five figures emerged. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This...¡± An overwhelming divine presence. Ketal had felt this kind of aura before¡ªwhen facing Federica. The true gods. They had descended into Hell. The Demon King scowled. [...So, Abyss really is dead. It couldn¡¯t deliver his message. A shame.] [DEMON KING!] The gods revealed their power simultaneously, and Hell began to burn under the intensity of their divinity. With fierce hostility, they charged. They ignored Ketal entirely, aiming for the Demon King. The first to strike was a muscr god,unching a powerful punch. The Demon King stood firm and countered. BOOOOM! [...The God of Strength. Merios, is it? It¡¯s been a while.] [Your damnable face! I never thought I¡¯d see it again!] The God of Strength rained down punches while the other three gods supported him. Each strike carried the power to devastate the world. The fifth god, meanwhile, quietlynded beside Ketal. [A pleasure to meet you. It¡¯s been a long time.] ¡°A long time?¡± Ketal looked puzzled. He didn¡¯t recognize the figure. But as he sensed their aura, he soon realized. ¡°The God of Swords. Elia.¡± [My followers owe you a debt of gratitude. I apologize for the dy. The Demon King¡¯s first tool was desperately holding me back. But that¡¯s over now.] Now, the gods could intervene directly in the world. [You¡¯ve done well holding the Demon King at bay. From here, it¡¯s a matter between us and him. Please leave it to us.] ¡°Well, I don¡¯t particrly mind...¡± A battle between gods and the Demon King was certainly a spectacle. But Ketal¡¯s expression was ambiguous. ¡°You won¡¯t win, though.¡± [What?] CRACK! A wave of demonic energy radiated outward, shaking everything around. The gods were blown back by the explosive power. The Demon King clenched a fist and struck at the God of Strength. The God of Strength countered with his own punch. CRUNCH. The God of Strength¡¯s fist was crushed. The Demon King¡¯s punchnded on his face, sending the mighty god sprawling across the ground in a humiliating tumble. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 343: The Descent of the Demon King (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 343: The Descent of the Demon King (4) The God of Strength was flung away, struggling to rise but too shaken to do so quickly. Another god rapidly unleashed their power. A ck veil rose, aiming to engulf the Demon King. It was the power of Sealing ¡ª a force that isted all things from existence, banishing them into an empty void. The Demon King raised a finger, a ck light emanating from its tip. Kiieeeng! The light shattered the seal and charged toward the God of Sealing, who invoked their power to shield their body. Ketal had seeded in defending against the ck light. But the god did not. The sealing power twisted and shattered in an instant, piercing their chest. The God of Sealing staggered, groaning in pain. Rumble! Malice erupted, and power exploded. As the Demon King pressed upon the earth, everything burst apart, shaking the bodies of the gods. The Demon King stretched out a hand, grabbing one god by the head. [Die.] With a cold, detachedmand, the Demon King tightened their grip, moments away from crushing the god''s skull. Crash! A single sword flew through the air, embedding itself in the Demon King''s chest, forcing their body to recoil. The god barely escaped the grip and quickly retreated. ng! The Demon King reached out, grasping the sword embedded in their chest, and shattering it. [Sword God, Elia.] It was Elia, the Sword God, who had intervened, rushing in from beside Ketal, who had been observing the battle. [...You¡¯re as formidable as ever.] Elia¡¯s eyes, locked onto the Demon King, held a quiet sense of shock. They had misunderstood. Because Ketal alone had been holding back the Demon King, they assumed the Demon King¡¯s strength had diminished. It was inconceivable for a single being to face the Demon King at their prime, and this belief clouded their judgment. But they were wrong. The Demon King possessed the same overwhelming power as in the past. The Demon King ignored the flustered gods and fixed their gaze on Ketal. [Why aren¡¯t you attacking him?] The sudden question made Elia blink in confusion. [Do you mean Ketal? Why should we attack him? He¡¯s on our side and opposes you.] [...So that¡¯s the approach you¡¯re taking. Foolish. You¡¯ll regret this.] [That would be our regret, not yours.] [Indeed. Your regret will be that only five of you came before me.] The Demon King sped their hands together, a horrifying amount of demonic energy condensing within. [Come. I failed to kill youst time. This time, I won¡¯t make the same mistake.] The five gods leapt into action simultaneously. They were celestial beings ¡ª not avatars or incarnations, but their true forms. Their power was beyond earthlyprehension or eptance. All five attacked the Demon King at once. Logically, the Demon King should have been unable to withstand their assault. But reality was different. Crack! The Demon King, wrapped in demonic energy, moved freely. Elia¡¯s sword shattered like a rotting nk. The power of sealing disintegrated into fragments. Even as the five gods coordinated their attacks perfectly, they failed to inflict any significant damage. On the contrary, they were being pushed back. Boom! [Ugh!] Elia barely blocked the Demon King¡¯s attack but was sent flying by the force. Someone caught her mid-flight. [¡­Thank you.] ¡°No need to mention it.¡± It was Ketal who caught her, speaking lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Can you handle this?¡± [¡­Probably not.] Elia admitted it without hesitation. The Demon King was the embodiment of all concepts of darkness and malice. Five gods alone were not enough to defeat jim. ¡°Where are the other gods?¡± [There aren¡¯t any. Only those capable of descending came urgently to stop him.] ¡°So, you didn¡¯te here intending to kill the Demon King.¡± The gods had descended not to defeat the Demon King but to buy time for the heavens and earth to prepare. ¡°What exactly are you here to do?¡± [¡­To seal him.] Elia answered. [The Demon King¡¯s seal. It won¡¯tst long, but it will buy time for other gods to descend.] ¡°So that¡¯s why the God of Sealing came along.¡± Ketal nodded in understanding. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll help you.¡± [¡­Thank you.] ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who should thank you.¡± Ketal smiled faintly. Outwardly calm, his heart trembled with excitement. ¡®To fight alongside gods.¡¯ What stirring words! Ketal tightened his grip on his axe. Rumble! The Demon King unleashed his power violently, shattering the gods¡¯ defenses. Finally¡ª Crunch. One god¡¯s chest was crushed. Though their anatomy differed from humans, it was no trivial injury. The Demon King raised a foot to stomp down and finish them off. [Hmph.] The Demon King¡¯s expression changed as he abruptly swung an arm to deflect a flying axe. Boom! The Demon King was pushed back. Ketal, also forced back, grinned as he adjusted his axe. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re strong!¡± [¡­You aberration.] The Demon King frowned. [You¡¯re siding with the gods to oppose me?] ¡°That¡¯s how it turned out.¡± [Why?] The Demon King¡¯s voice carried genuine bewilderment. It was a valid question. Ketal was an outsider. Logically, he had no reason to align with either side. But Ketal answered casually. ¡°There are people I care about. Unfortunately, none of them are demons.¡± And there was one more important reason. ¡°Above all, this side seems like it¡¯ll be more fun.¡± At that response, the Demon King''s gaze darkened. [Mad being.] "If you¡¯re upset, you should have met me first!" Ketalughed boisterously and stepped forward, closing the distance to the Demon King at a speed so great even the gods could not properly react. The Demon King immediately countered, bringing his fist down. Boom! The ground shattered. Hell began to lose its original form. The Demon King and Ketal shed. The gods cooperated in the fight, lending their power to Ketal. ¡®Ooooooooh!¡¯ In the face of such a grand spectacle, Ketal trembled with exhration. He felt a deep sense of fulfillment from within. [To think I must fight alongside such immature beings. How insulting.] The Abomination was visibly displeased but did not resist Ketal''smand. Crack-crack-crack! Ketal and the Demon King collided again, and the gods sought opportunities in the gaps. Ketal was initially outmatched by the Demon King, but the difference wasn¡¯t overwhelming. With the support of the gods, the bnce evened out to some degree. As the battle continued, the God of Sealing, who had been lying in wait, finally made their move. Crash. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Demon King¡¯s fist pierced the God of Sealing¡¯s abdomen. Yet, the God of Sealing didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, they clung tightly to the Demon King. The Demon King¡¯s expression shifted. [You.] [Let¡¯s go together, Demon King. Let¡¯s have some fun for the next few days.] Rumble! With those words, the space around them distorted. A void, an empty realm where nothing existed, swallowed them both. The Demon King muttered with irritation. [A petty trick.] Snap. With that final remark, the void sealed shut. The Demon King and the God of Sealing vanished from Hell. Elia sheathed the sword she had drawn. [It is done.] "Did they sacrifice themselves?" [Without doing so, it would have been impossible to temporarily trap a being like the Demon King.] The God of Sealing had sacrificed themselves to imprison the Demon King. Their presence in this world was now gone. Perhaps they had intended this all along, as the other gods showed no particr reaction. Instead, they seemed relieved. [To be honest, I thought we would fail. What a relief.] [We owe you our thanks, Ketal. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have achieved our goal.] "I enjoyed myself, so that¡¯s fine. What do we do now?" [We must return to the surface.] Though the Demon King was sealed, the imprisonment wouldn¡¯tst long. At most, it would buy them a week. During that time, preparations had to be made. The gods needed to descend fully to the mortal realm to surround and kill the Demon King. Elia spoke up. [Let us return to the surface.] Ketal nodded. The gods and Ketal returned to the surface. The mortals who encountered the true forms of the gods held their breath. If the gods had not suppressed their divine presence, most of the mortals would have gone mad on the spot. They wept and bowed their heads in reverence. The gods addressed them: The Demon King had descended upon this world. Though they had temporarily sealed him, the seal would soon break, and he would reappear. Preparations had to be made. The surface world was thrown into chaos. The records of the Great Demons and God''s War still haunted them. The Demon King had singlehandedly killed countless gods and burned half of the mortal realm. N?v(el)B\\jnn Those records could very well be reality once more. Mortals began desperate preparations. Worshippers prayed fervently and offered sacrifices. From the heavens, gods began descending one by one. Among them was a god Ketal recognized. [It¡¯s my first time seeing your true form.] "So it seems. It¡¯s good to see you, Kalosia." Ketal sat face-to-face with Kalosia, the God of Deception and Lies. Ketal studied Kalosia with a curious expression. "So this is your true form?" It was impossible to discern whether Kalosia was a child, an adult, an elder, male, or female. Their appearance was peculiarly indistinct, a mixture of contradictions. "Strange." [You¡¯re no different. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen your true form¡­ how bizarre. So alien.] Kalosia murmured in fascination. [It¡¯s truly curious how something like you has taken on the form of a human.] Ketal shrugged silently. Leaning back in his chair, he spoke. "What do you think will happen next?" [The gods will continue descending one by one.] The mortal realm¡¯s power alone wasn¡¯t enough to face the Demon King. The gods needed to intervene directly, just as they had during the Demons and God''s War. [The Demon King¡¯s descent has broken the bnce, allowing us to descend as well. It will likely take a week for the seal to break. By then, about half of the gods should have descended.] "Will that be enough?" [No.] Kalosia answered without hesitation. [It won¡¯t be.] During the Demons and God''s War, all the gods had descended to the mortal realm. Even then, they failed to stop the Demon King outright. Only after countless gods had perished and half the world had burned were they able to seal him. The current situation was far worse than back then. [Of course, your existence is a difference from the past.] Ketal alone could stand against the Demon King. Such a being hadn¡¯t existed during the Demons and God''s War. What they had lost in numbers of gods, they had gained in Ketal. Which side held the advantage was difficult to judge. Ketal was a being who defied easyparison, tipping scales drastically. One thing was certain, however. [Victory will note easily. Even if we win, the cost will be immense.] The Demon King would fight both Ketal and the gods. In the process, countless gods would die. As in the past, half the mortal realm could burn. Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That doesn¡¯t sound very appealing." [That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been pondering how we might change the oue.] How could they achieve victory? How could they minimize the damage? [The other gods are prepared to risk their lives, but¡­ if there¡¯s a more rational approach, it¡¯s better to take that path. And I¡¯vee up with one possibility.] "Oh? What¡¯s that?" [It¡¯s a method I can¡¯t achieve on my own. Your cooperation is essential.] "My cooperation?" Ketal looked puzzled. Kalosia, their form a swirling enigma, betrayed no clear expression. Yet Ketal could sense their smile. [Ketal, have you ever considered bing a hero?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 344: The Descent of the Demon King (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 344: The Descent of the Demon King (5) ¡°Hero?¡± Ketal raised an eyebrow at the abrupt statement. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Kalosia spoke softly. [Indeed, a hero. Not a fake hero to serve as our avatar, the wielder of the Holy Sword, but a true hero.] ¡°It sounds appealing, I suppose, though I¡¯m not entirely sure what you mean.¡± [I suppose I should provide some background first. The Gods and the Demons, Heaven and Hell, were born at the exact same time.] They came into existence at the precise moment the cosmos found its order after creation. Not even a fraction of a second off¡ªa perfectly simultaneous birth. Their powers, too, were entirely equal, neither side holding an advantage over the other. A wless bnce. That was the origin of Heaven and Hell. [But as you likely know, the number of gods is immense. In their prime, there were hundreds. Even now, there arefortably more than several dozen. In contrast, Hell has far fewer powerful figures.] ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± Gods were numerous. Ketal alone had connections with nearly a dozen, and if you included the gods he hadn¡¯t met, Kalosia¡¯s words about dozens seemed urate. In contrast, Hell was extraordinarily simple. Four lords. And the Demon King. Only five entities in Hell could rival the gods. Among them, Caliste was an aberration, a demon who ascended to a lordship purely through swordsmanship, leaving just four true contenders. In sheer numbers, the disparity was vast. [Yet the power of the Gods and the Demons is equal. Neither holds the upper hand.] That could only mean one thing. The Demon King¡¯s power alone exceeded that of dozens of godsbined. [You¡¯ve seen this firsthand, haven¡¯t you?] Ketal nodded. The Demon King. That being faced the true forms of five gods simultaneously and was not overpowered. On the contrary, the Demon King overwhelmed and pressured them. A monster that even the Elders did not surpass¡ªthat was the Demon King. Kalosia spoke as if troubled. [That¡¯s exactly the problem. The power of Heaven is dispersed among many gods. In contrast, Hell¡¯s power is concentrated in the Demon King alone. A pack of foxes cannot defeat a lion.] Even if multiple packs gathered and managed to bring the lion down, more than half the foxes would perish in the process. The cost would be staggering. And even then, there was no guarantee the lion would fall. [The foxes are outmatched. To fight a lion, you need another lion.] And who was that lion? There was no need to think about it¡ªit was Ketal. Ketal stroked his chin. ¡°The theory is sound, but unfortunately, the Demon King is stronger than me. There is a way, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t distinguish between friend and foe. You wouldn¡¯t be of much help.¡± [There is a way? That¡¯s even more surprising.] Kalosia let out a wryugh. [I already asked, didn¡¯t I? So, do you want to be a hero?] ¡°...¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°You¡¯re offering me power?¡± [Do you remember the time I granted you power in the past?] ¡°I remember.¡± When battling the demon at Kalosia¡¯s sanctuary, Ketal had been unable to wield divine power. He had been able to overwhelm the demon but could not destroy it. At that time, Ketal had said to Kalosia: Why don¡¯t you stop merely watching and do something? Kalosia had listened and granted him divinity. Though temporary, the divine authority of a god had indeed imbued Ketal¡¯s body. [It will be simr, but far greater and more potent this time. Moreover, it won¡¯t just be me. The powers of the entire pantheon will converge in you.] The God of the Swords. The God of Deception and Lies. The Sun God. The Earth Mother. The God of Strength. And many more gods¡¯ powers would be channeled into Ketal. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you call it a hero.¡± [You¡¯re already strong as you are. If you can wield our powers as well, you might just be able to stand against the Demon King. That¡¯s my conclusion.] ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal stroked his chin, muttering to himself. ¡°This is going to put quite a burden on me.¡± [I won¡¯t deny that. It¡¯s a tremendous burden. This is just my personal decision¡ªI haven¡¯t even consulted the other gods yet. If you want to refuse, you¡¯re free to do so.] A god shirking their duty to protect the mortal realm and passing the responsibility to a mortal? How irresponsible. Ketal would have every right to be furious and strike Kalosia down. Indeed, the Abomination mocked Kalosia with scorn. [Passing your divine duty to an outsider? Failing to fulfill your responsibilities and obligations? How pitiful. I don¡¯t even feel like mocking you.] [Say what you will, but in the end, it¡¯s his choice.] Yet, at the same time, Kalosia was certain of one thing. Ketal wouldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Refuse? How could I!¡± Ketal immediately epted. His eyes sparkled like a child¡¯s. To receive the powers of all the gods and fight the Demon King¡ªwhat could this be but the stuff of myths, a story worthy of a fairy-tale hero? He had no intention of missing such an opportunity. Kalosia chuckled, unsurprised. [I knew you¡¯d react that way. Thank you. When all of this is over, I¡¯ll grant you whatever you desire. I swear on the very concepts of my lies and deceit.] ¡°That just makes it sound even more like a lie.¡± The God of Lies and Deceit swearing on his own essence? No matter how you looked at it, it sounded untrustworthy. Kalosia muttered reluctantly, seemingly understanding this irony. [¡­I suppose it might seem that way. But it is my truth.] ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care either way.¡± Ketal epted Kalosia¡¯s proposal. However, there was a problem. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you haven¡¯t asked the other gods yet? Who knows how they¡¯ll react?¡± [They won¡¯t be able to refuse. We all stand to lose far too much otherwise. They¡¯ll be reluctant to give you their power, but¡­ in the end, they¡¯ll agree.] ¡°Well, as long as that¡¯s the case. So, should I just wait until you return?¡± [For now, yes. But before that, there¡¯s something I need to confirm.] ¡°Confirm?¡± [Indeed.] Kalosia¡¯s gaze fixed on Ketal. [It¡¯s about you.] [To gather all the gods¡¯ powers and merge them into a celestial force. It¡¯s the most rational way to face the Demon King. But there¡¯s a reason why it hasn¡¯t been done until now.] The reason was simple. When all the gods¡¯ powers werebined, there was no one who could withstand it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Even a single divine power could shake the entire world. Containing multiple such powers and remaining intact was impossible. Even the gods couldn¡¯t endure it, and mortals were no different. [Even the Sun God, said to be the mightiest among us, would copse and break if they took on even one more power. But what about you?] Despite containing a monstrous presence within himself, Ketal showed no signs of strain. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just ack of strain¡ªthere was no external indication of the presence at all. This meant Ketal had perfect control. [You seem capable, but¡­ it must be verified. I¡¯ll enter your body myself and examine your inner structure.] Whaty within? What exactly existed inside Ketal? Kalosia would find out firsthand. Ketal agreed without hesitation. ¡°Go ahead. It¡¯s not like Cain or Arkamis left anything unexamined. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± [Then, with your permission, I¡¯ll proceed.] Kalosia slowly extended a hand. Ketal didn¡¯t resist. His fingertips touched Ketal¡¯s chest. In that instant, Kalosia¡¯s consciousness entered Ketal¡¯s body. [So, this is his interior.] Kalosia had always been curious. Where had this being, Ketal,e from? What was he made of? Simply calling him a barbarian of the White Snow ins felt far too alien. This was the time to resolve that curiosity. Kalosia¡¯s consciousness roamed through Ketal¡¯s interior. [It¡¯s vast.] Ketal¡¯s inner world was extraordinarily vast. Kalosia, a god with immense consciousness, found himself dwarfed by its expansiveness. Even his monumental presence was easily amodated, with room to spare. [It seems I can exist here without issue. So, this is where the monstrosity resides.] Kalosia sought the monstrosity, intending to determine how much space it upied and whether Ketal could absorb the gods¡¯ powers. But there was a problem. No matter where he looked, he couldn¡¯t find it. The being that had once ughtered countless entities, even gods, was nowhere to be found within Ketal. [¡­What?] Kalosia, bewildered, continued his search. Atst, he found something. [This is¡­?] Something existed within Ketal. But it was minuscule. It didn¡¯t even upy enough space to be called significant¡ªlike a single painting hanging on the wall of a vast room. What was it? As Kalosia examined it, he froze. He had identified it. [¡­The monstrosity?] The thing before him was indeed the monstrosity. The very entity that had once killed countless gods and devastated the world. Yet Kalosia hadn¡¯t recognized it at first, even when it was right before him, because it was so smallpared to Ketal¡¯s inner space. [¡­The reason I never sensed the monstrosity¡¯s presence¡­] It was simply because it was tiny. That was all. Kalosia was horrified. Even the monstrosity was reduced to something so insignificant within this ce? In that moment, Kalosia realized. Even he, within this domain, was nothing. Merely a painting hung on a vast, infinite wall. The silent monstrosity chuckled. [So, you¡¯ve seen it now, little one. Do you finally understand who it is you¡¯ve been speaking to?] [¡­This is¡­] This wasn¡¯t just vastness. It transcended such concepts. It was entirely different. No matter how grand a world you painted on a t canvas, it was still just a t ne. From the perspective of spatial dimensions, it was but one of countless stacked canvases. Ketal¡¯s interior was akin to that. What was this? This wasn¡¯t human. It wasn¡¯t of the mortal world. It wasn¡¯t of the celestial realm. It wasn¡¯t demonic. But it wasn¡¯t one of the oldest beings either. It was something entirely other. For the first time in thousands of years, Kalosia felt fear. [¡­Gah!] Kalosia jerked back, withdrawing from Ketal¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re back. Did you examine everything? Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± Ketal asked with a curious expression. His face resembled that of an ordinary human, someone you¡¯d see anywhere. And that made him all the more alien to Kalosia, who had seen his interior. [¡­What are you? Where do youe from?] Kalosia asked, his voice trembling. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 345: Hero (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 345: Hero (1) "Where I came from? The White Wastnd, of course." Ketal spoke as if it was obvious, wondering why such a question was even asked. Kalosia didn¡¯t reply but remained silent. More urately,he wasn¡¯t in the mental state to answer. "K-Kalosia?" Ketal¡¯s voice, tinged with curiosity, brought Kalosia back to her senses. [Are you... a being of the White Wastnd? Truly one of its barbarians?] "...Ah, so that''s what you''re asking." Ketal realized the meaning behind Kalosia¡¯s question. A god-level entity entering my being¡ªof course, they¡¯d notice. Even the Abomination had noticed it; there was no reason why a god wouldn¡¯t. After a brief moment of thought, Ketal opened his mouth. "What do you think?" He didn¡¯t deny it. Kalosia quietly swallowed her breath. Her gaze rested upon him, steady and contemtive. For a moment, her mind became a whirlwind of thoughts. But she quickly made her judgment. [No. That¡¯s not important. You¡¯re still on our side, right?] "Why are you asking such a thing now? If I weren¡¯t on your side, we wouldn¡¯t even be having this conversation." Ketal spoke lightly. His response cleared Kalosia¡¯s thoughts. [Then that¡¯s enough.] No problems. No abnormalities. Everything was resolved without issue. Kalosia came to that conclusion on his own. [You¡¯ll be able to bear all the powers of the Pantheon without any problem. I¡¯ll speak with the gods. There will be resistance, but they¡¯ll eventually ept it.] "I¡¯ll wait," Ketal replied cheerfully. Kalosia departed from the surface. Ketal, now alone, gazed up at the sky and waited leisurely. [To bear the powers of the young gods within you... doesn¡¯t sit well with me.] The Abomination muttered, sounding displeased. Ketal joked back. "Are you throwing a tantrum because you got in first?" [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. It¡¯s just unpleasant to be lumped in with them. But it¡¯s as I expected. The powers of the young gods¡ªthose won¡¯t fill your being.] "You seem to know me very well." Ketal, curious about the Abomination¡¯s words, wondered how his insides appeared to beings like this one or the gods. To Ketal himself, his body was just an ordinary vessel. He could observe himself all he wanted, but that wouldn¡¯t change the fact. The Abomination responded dismissively. [To you, perhaps. But to us, your insides are a peculiar ce. Not a god, not a magician, nor one of us. Alien. That one seems intent on pretending he saw nothing. A wise choice.] With those words, the Abomination muttered softly. [Well... I can¡¯t say I have no idea, though.] "You have an idea?" [How long do you think I''ve been inside you?] The Abomination had been inside Ketal since not long after he had entered the white snowfield. That time was a considerably long time, even for the creature who had lived since the birth of the universe. During that time, it hadn''t been able to do anything but nkly think, let alone have a conversation or even make its presence known to anyone. As such, it had thought a lot about Ketal¡¯s identity and the reason it was trapped inside him. "Oh ho. Then can I hear about it?" Ketal asked, intrigued. How would they perceive him? Why couldn¡¯t he sense anything despite harboring this Abomination? He was curious. He had suspicions but never dwelled on them deeply. [Do you think I¡¯m some convenient device that gives answers when asked? I¡¯m the Monstrosity¡ªthe being that once killed the most in the world, you know.] "Yeah, yeah. I know that." [Doesn¡¯t seem like you do.] The Abomination grumbled but opened up, seemingly eager to talk. [Before I exin, let me outline the order of this world. Gods and demons cannot easily intervene on the surface.] For them to descend, a significant number of sacrifices was required. Furthermore, entities that managed to descend were nearly impossible to kill on the surface. [And demons that descend can only be dealt with using divinity.] Though one could use arcane arts to banish them, if a demon had established dominion, even that became impossible. Only the celestial power of divinity could vanquish a demon. [Mortals have never opposed gods, so they wouldn¡¯t know¡ªbut killing a god who descends with their true form also requires demonic energy.] Mortal beings could hardly affect celestial or infernal entities. [Why do you think that is?] "Because they¡¯re higher beings," Ketal answered. Celestial and infernal entities were beings superior to mortals. That was why they required sacrifices to descend and why mortals couldn¡¯t defeat them. Ketal understood this much. [Correct. But it¡¯s not just an issue for heaven, hell, and the surface. The same applies to us.] The oldest beings hold superiority over the three realms. For example, even though the marine apex creatures couldn¡¯t hold their own in the White Wastnd, they were powerful enough to ruin worlds. [We already exist on the surface, so there¡¯s no need for sacrifices to descend. But if we didn¡¯t, a tremendous number of sacrifices would be required. And mortals wouldn¡¯t be able to kill us.] "Sounds like a hierarchy." Ketal murmured as he listened. The oldest beings at the top. Heaven and hell next. And the surface at the bottom. From the exnation alone, that was how it seemed. The Abomination didn¡¯t deny it. [You could say that.] The oldest beings were above heaven and hell. Heaven and hell were above the surface. That was one of the universal orders. [As for why there¡¯s such a disparity¡ªI don¡¯t know. But I have my guesses.] "And what might they be?" [It might have to do with the time of creation.] "Ah, that kind of thing." Ketal grasped the meaning behind the Abomination¡¯s words. The oldest beings were born at the inception of the universe. Heaven and hell emerged after order was established. And mortals appeared only after order was fully formed. The difference in the timing of their creation was clear. That perspective made it understandable. [It¡¯s just my spection. Possible, but not certain.] "It sounds usible enough. So that¡¯s the kind of concept it is." Ketal enjoyed the conversation, likening it to reading a lorebook with hidden details. "But the Demon King seems stronger than the oldest beings." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [That¡¯s because he inherited nearly everything from his domain. In contrast, the oldest beings didn¡¯t. Even if one is a superior entity, there¡¯s no absolute advantage. Just look at how demons lose to mortals sometimes.] The Abomination¡¯s voice grew livelier, perhaps from the excitement of speaking after so long. Ketal stroked his chin. "Still, the gap is quiterge. Why exactly did you lose?" The Demon King was stronger than the Elders. But not by much. It was to the point where it was impossible to predict which side would win. And the Elders weren¡¯t just one¡ªthey were three. No matter how much the gods and demons joined forces, there seemed to be no chance of victory. [As I said, we didn¡¯t get along very well.] The Abomination exined in a low voice. [Even when the younger ones united to try and oust us, we didn¡¯t band together. Instead, we saw it as an opportunity to kill off the ones we couldn¡¯t stand. The Elders were the same. Rather than dealing with the gods and demons, they fought even more fiercely to kill one another.] At the end of that battle, weakened beyond measure, they were ultimately sealed by both gods and demons. Ketal chuckled. "Foolish." [In hindsight, unbelievably so. But even if we were to return to that time, the Elders still wouldn¡¯t unite. They cannot tolerate one another.] The Abomination finished its exnation and then posed a question. [Now, let me ask you something. You can contain gods, demons, even the oldest beings, without any issue. Why is that?] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ketal¡¯s expression turned peculiar. The Abomination continued. [It¡¯s simple. It means you are a being above them.] A being greater than the earth, the underworld, the heavens¡ªeven the oldest entities that had existed since the birth of the universe. That was the Abomination¡¯s judgment of Ketal. [I don¡¯t know what you are, but you¡¯re far above us. Divine powers or demonic authorities are like mere illustrations within you.] ¡°Hm.¡± [That fact itself isn¡¯t surprising. We never considered ourselves the ultimate existence.] The Abomination felt no particr awe in this realization. It understood better than anyone that there is always something greater. What puzzled ity elsewhere. [But why would such a beinge to this ce?] Why was Ketal here? [Why did you end up with such a frail and feeble body?] And¡ª [What exactly did you sacrifice in the process of descending to this ce?] When a higher being descends to a lower realm, a sacrifice is required¡ªa massive and extraordinary one. What, then, had Ketal sacrificed to arrive here? To this, Ketal simply shrugged.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Even if you ask me, I don¡¯t know." All he had done was pray. Please, please. Take me to a fantasy world. Take me out of this hell, devoid of wonder or mystery. At the end of that prayer, he had arrived here. ¡°Perhaps someone granted my wish.¡± [Who would that be?] ¡°Who knows.¡± Ketal didn¡¯t know who it was. When he first came to this world, he thought it might be a god or demon king. But after venturing beyond, he realized it wasn¡¯t. They were too weak to have summoned him. More than that, they couldn¡¯t even properly grasp what he was. So, who was it that granted his wish? No¡ªthat wasn¡¯t the question. ¡®Was it truly someone else?¡¯ A quest came to mind. The quest that helped him escape the outside world. It only appeared when matters were connected to the Forbidden Lands and instructed him to act. Even when evil ravaged the earth or when the Demon King descended, it wouldn¡¯t appear unless the Forbidden Lands was involved. As if dering that such events were not its concern. ¡®Authority, is it?¡¯ Ketal¡¯s eyes turned cold. The Abomination remained silent. After a moment of stillness, Ketal stretched. "Let¡¯s think about it slowly. Time is the one thing we have in abundance." [Unfortunately, that¡¯s true. Damn it. How much longer must I stay inside you?] The Abominationmented. Ketal listened to its grumbles as he headed to find the Tower Master. He needed to inform the world of what he had discussed with Kalosia. After hearing Ketal¡¯s story, the Tower Master was silent for a long time before finally speaking. [That¡¯s possible¡ªso you¡¯re saying.] Ketal could withstand even thebined power of the pantheon. The Tower Master couldn¡¯t hide his awe and muttered with genuine curiosity. [How is it that someone like you can exist in this world?] Ketal avoided the question with a grin. ¡°The gods haven¡¯t responded yet, but it seems like they¡¯ll agree. Take it easy until I¡¯m back.¡± [Understood. ¡­Truly, you are a hero.] Not a fake hero¡ªa true one. The Tower Master, gazing at Ketal for a moment, bowed respectfully. [Ketal, as an outsider, thank you sincerely for standing up for this world.] ¡°Then teach me magicter. That¡¯s all I need.¡± [Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll teach you my most secretive spells.] ¡°Ooh, I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Ketalughed in delight. A few hourster, Kalosia came to Ketal once more. [The response has arrived.] * * * ¡°How did it go?¡± [There were opposing gods, but ultimately, they epted. One god, however, resisted until the very end but eventually relented.] ¡°Who¡­ No, I think I know. Federica, right?¡± [Correct.] Federica had once tried to exclude Ketal, only to fail. Naturally, she was reluctant to grant him any authority. [But for the greater good, she agreed. No one cares for the world more than she does. She couldn¡¯t let it be defiled by the Demon King.] ¡°So what now? Do I go to the heavens?¡± Ketal¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. But Kalosia dashed his hopes. [Unfortunately, there¡¯s no time. The Demon King¡¯s seal will soon break. We must act before then.] ¡°I see¡­ So, what do I do?¡± [We will connect a path to this ce.] ¡°Hm?¡± Before Ketal could grasp the meaning, Kalosia murmured softly. [Come forth, path. Gate to the lofty heights.] Wooooong. The divine power manifested, distorting the world and space itself. The distant Tower Master and Helia sprang to their feet instinctively. [Open the way to this ce.] With the quietmand, a path to the heavens was opened. A road in the sky. The gate beyond it. And that gate was open. From beyond, countless gazes could be felt. Ketal couldn¡¯t discern their owners. The Pantheon. All the gods seated there. They were now gazing down at Ketal. ¡°Magnificent.¡± Ketal grinned. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 346: Hero (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 346: Hero (2) The gazes descending from the heavens¡ª The emotions emanating from them were varied: concern, discontent, expectation, anxiety, and more. Every emotion imaginable to a living being was visible. All the gods of the pantheon were staring down at Ketal. A single god''s gaze alone would be enough to crush a being of the earth. Now, dozens of such divine eyes were focused on Ketal. The pressure would overwhelm even those called heroes, breaking thempletely. Indeed, Ketal''s body trembled faintly. But it wasn¡¯t due to the weight of the pressure. It was the opposite. What consumed Ketal was ecstasy. "Ah..." The pantheon was watching him. These celestial beings, who observed the world, protected it, and cherished its children¡ªthe gods themselves were looking at him. The overwhelming sense of awe made his mind feel like it was on fire. His head spun, and he forced strength into his legs to keep them from giving out. [You¡¯re pleased, I see.] Kalosia muttered knowingly. At that voice, Ketal barely regained hisposure. The lofty gods were watching him from above. In that case, the first thing he should do was greet them. Ketal straightened his posture and bowed respectfully. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, gods. I am Ketal, the Barbarian of the White Snowfield.¡± With a faint smile, Ketal gave a slight bow. ¡°I look forward to working with you for a long time toe.¡± It was a polite and reasonable gesture. The gods¡¯ emotions shifted once more. A wave of confusion and doubt rippled among them. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Ketal asked. [There are many gods here seeing you for the first time. It must be disorienting for them to see the so-called ¡®monster¡¯ behaving like a civilized person and lowering himself in greeting.] Kalosia spoke nonchntly, but even he had been momentarily stunned by Ketal¡¯s actions. For someone capable of opposing the Demon King to bow slightly before the gods¡ªit was a shocking sight. If even Kalosia, ustomed to Ketal, felt this way, it was needless to say how the other gods must feel. Kalosia addressed the gods. [You now have an idea of what Ketal is. That being the case, let¡¯s leave it at this for now.] ¡°Hm? We¡¯re not going to talk? I¡¯d like to converse with each god individually.¡± [Unfortunately, there isn¡¯t enough time. We don¡¯t know when the Demon King might break free from his seal.] ¡°I see. It sounds urgent. Very well. I¡¯ll handle the rest when I ascend to the heavens myself,¡± Ketal replied, clicking his tongue in disappointment. Kalosia gave a faint chuckle and said, [Suit yourself. Then let¡¯s begin. Be prepared.] ¡°No ceremonial preparation needed?¡± [Such preparations are only necessary if the subject of the ritual is likely to be overwhelmed by the power. They¡¯re a kind of safety measure. But for you, there¡¯s no need.] ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it works. Understood.¡± Ketal nodded, stepping forward before the gods. Anxiety, concern, expectation¡ª He stood before all these emotions as Kalosia spoke softly. [Let us begin.] At those words, the air grew heavy. The voices of the gods resonated, forming a harmony. We are the lords of the heavens, A part of order. Krrrkk. Space distorted. From the other side of the rift, power began to seep through¡ªa concentrated and condensed divine energy that stood opposed to the Demon King. The power shall unite, And descend upon this ce. With those words, a pir of light descended from the heavens, striking Ketal. Boom! It was night, yet the sky was brighter than the noonday sun. The pir of light carried an intensity surpassing the sun itself. If the gods had not perfectly controlled their power, this alone would have devastated the continent. The earth trembled. The very world seemed to quake in a way even infants could perceive. ¡°Eeeek!¡± ¡°O gods!¡± People knelt, bowing their heads, closing their eyes, and sping their hands in prayer. They assumed this position because the gods had issued a warning to the earth. When the light descends, bow your heads. Should you raise your eyes to gaze upon it, your body will burn to ashes. Following these instructions, all earthly beings bowed their heads and closed their eyes. But not Helia. Seated in her spot, Helia gazed at the descending light. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± Staring at the light, Helia let out a faintugh. She carried the blood of the gods. Helia was the sole bearer of the sacred bloodline the Sun God had sent to the earth as a contingency. Thus, she had been granted permission from the Sun God: You may look. And so she saw it. The pir of light descending from the heavens¡ª A force so overwhelming it could pierce the world. It was a power so blinding it seemed impossible to merely gaze upon it without losing one¡¯s sight. One thing was certain: no one on this earth could contain that power. No, not just the earth. Not gods, not demons¡ªno one. If there was anyone who could contain it, it would be only one being: A being from a ce unknown to them, someone who loved this world¡ªthis fantasy¡ªmore than life itself. The pir of light bore down on Ketal, engulfing his bodypletely in its radiance. [¡­Is he truly alright?] The God of Swords, Elia, who had been silently observing, asked Kalosia with concern. [I know his strength. But I find it hard to believe he can withstand the power of the entire pantheon.] Even if Ketal were on par with the Demon King, enduring such concentrated force was no easy feat. No matter how exceptional Ketal was, it seemed imusible to believe he could endure this. [I refrained from objecting because I trust you, but¡­ isn¡¯t this dangerous?] [Dangerous?] Kalosia chuckled as if he had heard something amusing. [You¡¯re underestimating him far too much.] [And I think you¡¯re overestimating him far too much.] [We¡¯ll see soon enough.] [If you say so¡­] Though the God of Swords replied, she wasn¡¯t convinced. She was prepared to intervene if the situation turned perilous. But as she watched, the God of Swords realized something. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Rumble! The pir of light was shrinking. The power was being absorbed into Ketal. As a result, Ketal¡¯s figure became visible. [¡­Wait a moment.] [Is that¡­?] Ketal was smiling. He showed no signs of strain or difort from the divine power filling him. Nor was he overexcited. He was simply enjoying it. That was all. [¡­Hold on.] [That can¡¯t be.] The other gods realized btedly. To an existence like Ketal, there was no bottom. More precisely, their power couldn¡¯t even reach the bottom. In shock, Kalosia murmured softly. [No matter how brilliant or valuable a painting is, in the end, it''s just a t surface.] From the perspective of spatial concepts, it was nothing more than a mere painting. To Ketal, the divine powers of the gods were just that¡ªinsignificant. Even if dozens of paintings were stacked within a room, it would hold no meaning. The dimensions were purely different. Kalosia wasn¡¯t the only one to realize this; the other gods came to understand one by one. The gods were horrified, showing disbelief and trying to deny it. But even as they struggled, the power of the Pantheon was slowly being absorbed into Ketal. And finally¡ª RUMBLE¡­ Thest fragment of light was drawn into Ketal. In the ensuing silence, Kalosia asked, [How do you feel?] ¡°¡­Pleasant.¡± Ketal murmured softly. His voice, except for a slight tremor of excitement, was the same as usual. And that fact made the gods shudder all the more. For it meant the power of the Pantheon had little effect on Ketal as an entity. Ketal smirked. ¡°Thank you, gods. You ced your faith in me. Now, it¡¯s time to show you the result of that faith.¡± Ketal gripped his axe. * * * HELL. The site of the half-ruined Demon King''s castle. There was no one there. Every demon of rank had been sacrificed, and the surviving demons had hidden themselves within Hell. The once-radiant Demon King''s castle was now a deste sight. CRACK! Amidst the silence, the space began to shatter. Cracks spread in an instant, and soon, a hand burst forth. KAANG! The hand violently tore through space. A man, as dark as night, emerged, breaking through the fabric of reality. The man murmured softly, [Well done, God of Sealing. You sealed me for four days. Be satisfied and die.] He was the Demon King. The god who had given his life to perform the seal had managed to hold him for only four days. [Now then.] The Demon King immediately drew upon his power. During those four days he had been sealed, the gods would not have sat idly by. Surely, they had descended one by one to the mortal realm, surrounded his location, and prepared traps. [Come, gods. I am here.] The Demon King dered boldly, his posture fitting for a ruler of demons. But no response came to his deration. Hell remained silent. For the first time, the Demon King''s gaze wavered. [¡­What is this?] Did the gods do nothing while he was sealed? That made no sense.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If so, the God of Sealing would have died in vain. The gods must have prepared something. Yet here, he could feel nothing. [¡­Are they waiting on the mortal realm?] For a moment, the thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. If he and the gods fought on the mortal realm, it would result in half the world burning, as in the past during the Great War of Gods and Demons. The gods, whose purpose was to protect the world, had no reason to allow such destruction. So why were they nowhere to be seen? Perplexed, the Demon King extended his senses. In an instant, all of Hell became clear to him. And as a result, he realized one thing. [Something¡¯s here.] Something imbued with divinity was slowly approaching him. The Demon King couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. The divine power emanating from this entity wasn¡¯t particrly impressive. For someone like him to notice only after extending his senses meant it was merely akin to a follower of a god. [¡­No.] But as he continued to sense it, he realized that wasn¡¯t the case. The divine power was weak, akin to that of a believer. But within it, countless divine authorities were intertwined. The Demon King''s expression twisted. [No way!] And finally, the entity revealed itself before him. ¡°We meet again, Demon King.¡± Ketal greeted him with a smirk, radiance shining above his head. The Demon King, his face contorted, growled, [The divinity I sense from you¡­ No way. The gods granted you their power!] ¡°It seems I¡¯ve received quite a bit. No one could sense the monstrousness within me, yet they immediately recognize the divinity bestowed upon me. It¡¯s magnificent power, truly.¡± [Gods! Have you fallen so far? Rather than face me yourselves in the end, you hand over your strength to an outsider!] ¡°That¡¯s how it turned out! Demon King! Tough luck!¡± As the Demon Kingmented, Ketal ignored him, grinning brightly as he stepped forward. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s have some fun!¡± Ketal raised his axe high. The Demon King, filled with rage, thrust his fist forward. Axe and fist collided. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 347: Hero (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 347: Hero (3) BOOOOOM! A sh of power erupted. The Demon King¡¯s body was pushed back, his face contorted in rage. He roared furiously. [Have you fallen so far? Gods! I am the Demon King! You are gods! Should you not stake your very lives to take me down?] And yet! [Why? Why did you grant your power to such a foreign entity?] The Demon King swung his fist violently. Ketal met it with his axe. Whenever the two shed before, the Demon King would step back five paces, while Ketal would be thrown back ten. The disparity in their strength was undeniable. But not anymore. Their collision sent tremors through the earth, distorting and breaking it. Ketal held his ground, countering the Demon King''s attacks head-on without retreating. CRACK! Ketal twisted the arm holding his axe, deflecting the iing fist, and spun his body in a fluid motion. He stepped forward, gaining momentum, and swung his axe. BOOOOOM! The Demon King pulled back¡ªhe dodged, unmistakably avoiding the blow. Ketal grinned. "Dodging means you fear being hurt, doesn¡¯t it?" Empowered by the gods, Ketal now had the strength to injure the Demon King. Realizing this, Ketal chuckled in exhration. In contrast, the Demon King¡¯s face twisted with anger and disbelief. [Gods! Why¡­ Why did you make such a choice? To shift all responsibility onto this foreigner... And yet, you still dare call yourselves gods?] The Demon King looked deeply shaken by the gods¡¯ decision to bestow power upon Ketal. Hemented endlessly to the heavens, unable to focus on the battle before him. Ketal tilted his head quizzically. "Is it really that shocking?" Thinking it over, he couldn¡¯t entirely me the Demon King. Heaven and Hell had been created as equals and spent their existence attempting to destroy and exclude one another. For the Demon King, the sudden appearance of someone like Ketal was akin to an outsider barging into the final showdown. It made sense for him to feel indignant. "Still, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could focus a bit." The one standing before the Demon King wasn¡¯t the gods, but Ketal himself. His gaze sharpened. "Shall I make you focus?" The Demon King continued his cries to the heavens. In that case, Ketal thought, he¡¯d simply have to show him a god. Ketal stepped forward, his body darting at blinding speed. The Demon King, full of wrath, swung his fist. Ketal didn¡¯t defend. CRAAACK! Ketal¡¯s head was smashed to pieces. The Demon King¡¯s expression shifted in an instant. [You?] Swish! Before he could process the situation, Ketal was already behind him, shing at his nape. The Demon King instinctively ducked to evade and countered with a punch. BOOOOOM! His fist tore through Ketal¡¯s abdomen, shattering his body into fragments that scattered everywhere. And then¡ª The scattered pieces began to transform, each one taking on Ketal¡¯s shape. Illusions of deceit and lies, hundreds of them, surged toward the Demon King all at once. As their axe des closed in, ready to strike¡ª The Demon King stomped the ground. BOOOOOM! Waves of energy rippled outward, obliterating all the illusions. "Ah, so that¡¯s how you counter it." Ketal, now at a safe distance, admired the Demon King¡¯s reaction. Despite having his head smashed and his abdomen pierced, Ketal remainedpletely nonchnt, even impressed. The Demon King¡¯s face hardened as he spoke. [That ability¡­ That was Kalosia¡¯s¡­] "The power of deceit and lies." Ketal grinned brightly as he replied. He hadn¡¯t simply borrowed raw strength from the pantheon of gods. What he received were divine authorities. He was, in essence, a proxy of the heavens. The implications were simple: Ketal could now wield the powers of the gods. "It was my first time using it, but it turned out smoother than I expected. Quite amusing." Ketal¡¯s expression was one of genuine delight. The Demon King murmured darkly. [Gods¡­ How could you¡­] "I told you, I¡¯m not a god standing before you." Ketal casually waved his hand. From the sky, something hurtled down at great speed. The Demon King extended his arm hastily. BOOOOM! A massive golden sword descended, crashing into the Demon King. He grabbed its tip and grit his teeth. [The authority of the God of Swords¡­!] The Demon King exerted his strength, shattering the golden sword. Ketal seized the opening, charging in with his fist clenched tightly, infused with the power of the God of Strength. Ketal¡¯s full mightbined with the authority of strength. The Demon King clenched his own fist in response. BOOOOOM! The air itself seemed to copse under the impact. For the first time, both Ketal and the Demon King were pushed back an equal five paces. Ketal¡¯s eyes widened with awe. "You¡¯re holding out even against this. Truly monstrous." The Demon King advanced with a heavy step. Space itselfpressed, the distance between them closing instantly as he threw a punch. BOOOOOM! The punch tore through the air. Ketal barely evaded and ced his hand on the Demon King¡¯s chest. BOOOOOM! A violent shock rippled through the Demon King¡¯s body. As the Demon King raised his elbow to crush Ketal clinging to him, Ketal didn¡¯t retreat but pressed closer to avoid the blow. [What are you¡­] The Demon King¡¯s annoyance turned to realization. His presence, his very essence, was trembling, as though being dragged downward. The Demon King immediately recognized what was happening. The power of the God of Hunger, Federica. It was her authority. Ketal spoke cheerfully. "I don¡¯t have the best rtionship with her, but I wanted to try using her power!" [You!] The Demon King thrashed violently, creating shockwaves that forcibly pushed Ketal away. Ketal waved a hand dismissively. ¡°But it¡¯s not going well. It¡¯s hard to make someone of that caliber fall. You¡¯re not as useful as I thought, Federica.¡± BOOM! The Demon King charged forward, closing the distance. His movements were aimed to hurl his opponent away, leveraging sheer speed and weight. Ketal, however, firmly nted his feet on the ground.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Hoo.¡± With a short breath, the earth resonated. The authority of the Earth Mother forced even the hellish terrain to harmonize with Ketal, lending him strength. BOOOOM! The Demon King¡¯s shoulder collided with Ketal. Yet Ketal didn¡¯t take a single step back. Like a towering tree rooted deeply in the ground, he held his position unwaveringly. Seizing the moment, Ketal gripped his axe with both hands and swung it downward. The Demon King swiftly retreated but couldn¡¯t avoid itpletely, leaving a fine line across his chest. SPLAT. Blood spattered. Not red, but ck. Ketal murmured curiously, ¡°Even blood is ck for a Demon King, huh.¡± [¡­] The Demon King¡¯s expression hardened. In the distant past, even during the war of Gods and Demons, his body had never been wounded. The gods¡¯ powers were incapable of harming him. It had been eons since he wasst injured. The war against the oldest beings. This was his first wound since then. The Demon King raised his arm roughly, gathering a sphere of dark magic in his hand. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [Be crushed to death.] With a menacing voice, the sphere flew toward Ketal. Ketal didn¡¯t evade. He reached out his hand instead. BOOOOM! The sphere touched Ketal but didn¡¯t explode. Instead, it shrank as though being sucked in. When the sphere finally disappeared, Ketal was holding a long artifact in his hand. It was a relic forged by the cksmith god, Hephaestus. A relic that absorbed and nullified dark magic. Though it shattered under the strain of excess power, it seeded in blocking the attack. CRAAASH! Ketal took advantage of the opening and swung his axe. The Demon King raised his arm to defend himself, but his body was forced back. Stretching out a finger, he conjured a dark light at its tip. WHIRRR. It was a ck light that pierced through all things, one that even Ketal couldn¡¯t fully block. But Ketal neither dodged nor defended. He simply extended his own finger toward the Demon King. Light of the sun god began to gather at Ketal¡¯s fingertip. WHIIIIIRRR! The ck light and the light of the sun collided, scattering gray radiance in all directions. RUMBLE¡­ Two-thirds of hell crumbled under the overwhelming force, unable to withstand it. The hellish world was no longer a but resembled a cluster of asteroids. RUMBLE¡­ The light subsided. Ketal whistled as he casually waved his finger. ¡°As expected, the mightiest among the gods. This is quite useful.¡± [¡­] The Demon King did not move. The fury toward the gods that had dominated him had vanished. Now, he merely gazed at Ketal with sunken eyes. [The gods have granted you all their powers.] ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± [It seems to me they abandoned their responsibilities and fled. But¡­] The Demon King gradually collected his strength. [Either way, my opponent is now you.] ¡°You¡¯ve finally decided to acknowledge me.¡± Ketal grinned with satisfaction. The Demon King spoke in a low voice. [The fact that they entrusted you with such power means they can no longer intervene in the mortal world.] In other words, if Ketal were to die, there would be no one left to stop the Demon King. Ketal nodded cheerfully. ¡°Correct.¡± [Then, as the Demon King, I shall kill you. Punishment for the gods wille afterward.] The atmosphere shifted. The once rampaging power, driven by emotion, now became perfectly controlled. ¡°I suppose I should get serious too.¡± Ketal began to control the powers of the gods he had received. The divine authorities. They were indeed formidable powers, and manipting them was exhrating. But ultimately, to Ketal, they weren¡¯t particrly valuable. The reason was simple. He was stronger than the gods. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s someone else¡¯s power.¡± Rather than wielding it as a borrowed authority, it was far more advantageous to merge it with his own strength. Be mine. Hemanded the divine authorities within him,pressing, dismantling, and making them part of himself. RUMBLE¡­ The powers of dozens of gods, entities of immense might that existed since the cosmos first found order, were toyed with as if they were mere ythings. Thepressed powers transformed into Ketal¡¯s own with ease, causing him no strain. ¡°So this is how it feels.¡± Ketal chuckled in delight as he hefted his axe. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s do this properly.¡± The gods didn¡¯t matter. The battle now was between Ketal and the Demon King. ¡°I¡¯m a hero now.¡± A hero¡¯s task is singr: To y the Demon King and bring peace to the world. ¡°We¡¯vee a long way.¡± Ketal murmured with a hint of nostalgia. He was once a barbarian of the white snowfield. An outsider rejected by fantasy itself. But he had dedicated his life to escaping that prison. At the end of that journey, he finally broke free and reached the realm of fantasy. After countless adventures, he now stood as the representative of fantasy, facing the Demon King. It was deeply moving. Suppressing the trembling in his body, he spoke. ¡°Your task is to kill the hero and destroy the world. Let¡¯s stick to our roles!¡± Ketal charged. The Demon King roared and clenched his fist. BOOOOM! Their forces shed. Neither yielded, attacking once more. BOOM! And shed again, resembling a fierce brawl. A battle of strength and strength. Neither side gave an inch, each striving to kill the other with axes and fists. CRAAASH! The ground copsed. The air tore apart, and the sky twisted. Hell itself, unable to withstand the battle¡¯s force, began to crumble. Amidst the destruction, Ketalughed and stepped forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 348: Hero (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 348: Hero (4) The Demon King swung his fist fiercely, the sheer force threatening to tear the ground apart. Ketal caught the fist. BOOOOM! The shockwave spread, and Ketal''s hair scattered wildly. With his other hand gripping an axe, Ketal swung downward. The Demon King grabbed Ketal''s wrist, and the impact shook the world. Locked in each other''s grips, they exerted their strength. A quiet yet ferocious sh of power ensued. Crack. Crrrrrack. The earth, unable to withstand the pressure, began to sink. Both their bodies suddenly plunged downward. Thud. The Demon King, trying to shake off Ketal''s grip on his arm, exerted force but couldn''t easily free himself. Instead of continuing to struggle, the Demon King raised his knee, aiming for Ketal''s sr plexus. Ketal didn''t stand idly by. Anticipating the move, he quickly lifted his leg and stomped on the rising knee. BAAAAANG! The force exploded outward. Hell itself began to crumble. Both Ketal and the Demon King were blown away, hurtling through the air. Whoosh. Ketal immediately stabilized his posture and gripped his axe tightly. The energy around it¡ªthe aura, the grotesque power, and divine force¡ªmerged into something so intense it was almost unbearable. The Demon King, too, gathered power in his arms and charged forward. THUUUUM! The axe collided with the Demon King¡¯s arms, and the world seemed to shatter. Ketal wasn¡¯t the type to wield power delicately. He used it with instinct and precision. The Demon King was no different. Born with overwhelming strength, he preferred to crush his foes with sheer force rather than finesse. Thus, their battle was exceedingly simple. It was a sh of raw strength against raw strength. BOOOOM! Hell, exposed to such power, could no longer endure. [¡­Remarkable.] From the mortal ne, the Tower Master gazed at the sky, watching the hellish world crumble, and murmured in awe. Hell was a copsing realm. The stars lost their form, shattering into countless asteroids. Even if the fight ended, Hell would never regain its original state. [In the past, half the world burned, didn¡¯t it? That was a rtively small loss.] The Demon King''s power was something the mortal world could not contain. Back then, the gods had desperately shielded the world, managing to limit the damage to only half its surface being scorched. Now, Ketal was standing against that same power. [Which one of them is the bigger monster, I can¡¯t tell.] The Tower Master muttered softly. Meanwhile, in Hell, the battle raged on. The axe shed with the Demon King''s fist, and both Ketal and the Demon King were pushed back by equal distances. Ketal eximed with a grin, ¡°Even now, it''s bnced!¡± The Demon King was strong. Even Ketal, empowered by the gods, couldn¡¯t overwhelm him. His earlier assessment¡ªthat he was above the old ones¡ªhadn¡¯t been wrong. While Ketal marveled at the Demon King¡¯s power, the Demon King, too, was in awe of Ketal. [¡­The Pantheon¡¯s power. He¡¯s absorbed all of it.] The Demon King understood Ketal¡¯s current state perfectly, and because of that, he couldn¡¯t help but feel incredulous. [And yet, he¡¯spletely fine.] Dozens of gods. Ketal had absorbed all their divine power, yet he appeared unaffected. Even the Demon King would have felt the burden, but Ketal showed no signs of strain. Narrowing his eyes, the Demon King thought, [Your essence must far surpass mine.] Perhaps, long ago, Ketal even exceeded those old ones the Demon King had fought. Instinctively, the Demon King knew this. [Though you have countless ws¡­ you''re strong.] Against the current Ketal, the Demon King couldn¡¯t guarantee victory. But he dered boldly, [I will win.] Simply being a higher existence didn¡¯t mean one couldn¡¯t be defeated by a lower one. After all, even demons often fell to mortal beings. The Demon King spoke with conviction, [Your power, after all, is borrowed from the gods. It isn¡¯t truly your own.] Even if Ketal had absorbed and refined the power into his own, it was not entirely his by nature. Borrowed power was quick to deplete. In fact, Ketal¡¯s strength had visibly diminished since their first encounter. [In the end, you will lose to me.] ¡°If things continue as they are, yes,¡± Ketal admitted without objection. It wasn¡¯t a false statement. The Demon King gazed at Ketal with cold eyes. [Then bring out what you truly possess.] ¡°Oh? You noticed?¡± [Only a fool wouldn¡¯t have.] During their first fight, Ketal had attempted to unleash something. At that moment, the Demon King had felt fear¡ªan unfamiliar sensation even to him. Despite having fought and killed countless gods and old ones, the Demon King had never known fear. But Ketal possessed something that instinctively frightened even him. The Demon King spoke with unwavering confidence, [What I¡¯m fighting now isn¡¯t the gods. It¡¯s you¡ªa foreign being from somewhere else. Don¡¯t rely on divine power. Bring out what¡¯s truly yours, and I¡¯ll crush itpletely.] ¡°¡­That¡¯s quite a considerate suggestion,¡± Ketal replied with faint admiration. The Demon King wasn¡¯t focusing on the gods but on him. His earlier disy of divine authority had indeed made an impression. But Ketal shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t do that.¡± [Are you underestimating me?] ¡°No, it¡¯s quite the opposite. I¡¯m respecting you. What I possess is far more insignificant than you think.¡± The opponent was the Demon King of fantasy. In that case, Ketal thought, he must respond in kind. He had no intention of using his special ability. The Demon King scowled. [You think you can beat me while sealing your power? Arrogant. Then die here and now.] ¡°I don¡¯t n to,¡± Ketal said, smiling faintly. ¡°As you said, my power is borrowed and depletes quickly.¡± The solution was simple: make his opponent run out of power faster. And there was a way to do so. Bam! Ketal kicked off the ground. Seeing Ketal charging, the Demon King clenched his fist. It was filled with power, malice, and might. This was the Demon King¡¯s full strength. The Demon King swung his fist, and Ketal countered with his axe. Boom! Ketal''s body was pushed back. He had lost in a contest of strength. At the sight, the Demon King''s brow twitched. ¡®¡­He held back his strength on purpose?¡¯ Ketal had deliberately softened his stance to minimize the impact. The Demon King immediately lunged forward, clenching his fist. Malice and energy began to gather within it. Crack. But before that, Ketal tightened his grip on his axe and swung it at the charging Demon King. The axe collided with the fist. ng! And it was the Demon King who was pushed back. The Demon King groaned as he was forced backward. He hadn¡¯t been able to transition to defense in time due to attacking Ketal with full force just moments earlier, and thus lost in the sh of strength. Step. Ketal charged forward again, raising his axe. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Demon King quickly lifted his arms. The Demon King was using his body to simultaneously attack and defend. Of course, he wasn¡¯t doing this with just his bare flesh. He infused his body with malice and energy, strengthening himself momentarily. The Demon King poured everything into his arms for defense. Considering the intensity of their exchanges so far, this was a natural response. But then¡ª Thud! The axe that struck his arm rebounded surprisingly lightly. [¡­¡­!] The Demon King realized his opponent had deliberately reduced his power. He tried to summon his strength again, but havingmitted to full defense earlier, there was a dy. Ketal didn¡¯t miss that opening. Boom! The Demon King¡¯s body was once again pushed back. As he barely regained his footing, his pupils quivered. [Why?] ¡°Your strength is too simplistic.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Demon Kingcked any sense of restraint. Every attack he made was full power. The reason wasn¡¯t hard to guess. ¡°You¡¯ve never needed to fight differently.¡± The Demon King was born strong. He was stronger than the old ones. Even thebined strength of dozens of gods couldn¡¯t match him. In other words, he had never fought anyone weaker or equal to himself. Simply striking with full power was enough to obliterate his foes; there was no need to conserve his strength. The Demon King¡¯s near-limitless demonic energy furtherpounded this. ¡°But I¡¯m different.¡± Ketal had once been weak. He had fought desperately against stronger opponents in his frail state. That never changed, even as time passed. He knew better than anyone how to manage strength to secure victory. ¡°You¡¯ve never fought anyone equal to you.¡± [¡­¡­!] The Demon King swung his fist fiercely. It was infused with his full power. Until now, every opponent had been forced to use all their strength merely to block or evade that blow. But not Ketal. ng! He used only a fraction of his power to respond to the Demon King¡¯s strike. Then, he poured the strength he had conserved into his next attack. When one uses overwhelming strength, gaps inevitably appear. This applied even to the Demon King. The dy following his full-power attack left him vulnerable, and Ketal capitalized on it. Crash! [Urgh!] The Demon King groaned as the skin on his arm was slightly torn. ng! ng! Ketal pressed his advantage relentlessly. The Demon King stomped his foot, unleashing a massive wave of demonic energy that shook the surroundings. But Ketal didn¡¯t back down. He poured everything into his axe and struck downward. The wave of demonic energy split, creating a gap through which Ketal maneuvered his body. Crash! The Demon King was forced back again. He quickly analyzed the situation. Should he fight like Ketal? No, that was impossible. He had spent his entire life crushing everything in his path. Now wasn¡¯t the time to learn such precise control. Even if he could, he¡¯d still lose to Ketal in this method. The solution was simple. He would use even greater power. He would crush him without pause. Boom! The Demon King¡¯s power exploded, eliminating any openings. Ketal gave a knowing look. ¡°As expected.¡± Against strength, even greater strength. By pushing his power to the extreme, he could maintain relentless attacks without gaps, albeit at the cost of immense energy. He had sessfully drawn Ketal into a short, decisive battle. What remained was a pure contest of power and skill. Crack. Ketal pushed off the ground, swinging his axe downward. The Demon King countered with a fierce punch. Boom! The impact neutralized both attacks. The Demon King immediately stepped forward and threw another punch. Now, the Demon King could deliver full-powered blows without dy. Ketal swallowed hard and matched him. ng! Axe and fist collided. The Demon King followed up with a kick, powerful enough to rupture Ketal¡¯s insides if it connected. Ketal twisted his body narrowly to evade it, countering with a punch that struck the Demon King. Boom! The Demon King didn¡¯t retreat. Ignoring the impact, he lunged at Ketal, throwing another full-powered punch. Ketal¡¯s instincts screamed at him to evade. But he ignored them, stepping forward and meeting the punch head-on with his own. Boom! Fist collided with fist, creating a deafening roar that pulverized the ground beneath them. The immense shock reverberated through their bodies. ¡°Ha! Hahaha!¡± [Come!] Neither backed down. Ketal locked eyes with the Demon King, whose gaze was filled with hostility and determination aimed solely at Ketal. Seeing this, Ketal¡¯s face broke into a wide grin. Yes. This was what he had always sought. Laughing wildly, he kicked off the ground. The Demon King responded with another ferocious punch. The fierce battle raged on without pause. And finally¡ª Crack. Ketal¡¯s fist struck the Demon King square in the face. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 349: Hero (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 349: Hero (5) Boom! A violent impact shook the Demon King''s head. The Demon King nearly lost consciousness for a moment. That was how tremendous the blow was. However, gritting his teeth, the Demon King endured and threw a punch. The power within it was enough to kill gods and pierce through all things. Even Ketal wouldn''t survive if it hit directly¡ªit would bore a hole right through his body. There was no room for mistakes. But for Ketal, this was just another day. Boom! He narrowly dodged the thrusting punch, his nape tingling. Enjoying the thrill, he swung his axe downward. Crash! The Demon King raised his other arm and grabbed the descending axe. He exerted force to break it, but Ketal retaliated by headbutting him. ng! With a deafening roar, the Demon King''s body was pushed back. It was a crude, brutish fight, akin to a street brawl, but the force behind it could tear the world apart. ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Ketal burst outughing as he charged forward again. His head throbbed from the collision, but it didn¡¯t matter. He hadn¡¯t expected to win without getting hurt anyway. Whoosh! The Demon King swung his fist once more. Ketal raised his axe. Technically speaking, Ketal¡¯sbat skills surpassed those of the Demon King. This very fact gave him the upper hand in the battle. ¡°With physical skill alone, I can¡¯t beat you,¡± the Demon King admitted. ¡°But when ites to wielding demonic energy, I am superior.¡± Ketal hadn¡¯t been wielding mystical forces for even a year. In contrast, the Demon King had spent his entire existence mastering demonic energy. In this area, the Demon King held overwhelming dominance. Demonic energy burst from the Demon King¡¯s fist, twisting into a vortex that forcibly altered the axe''s trajectory. Crack! The axe was deflected, but Ketal forced it back into position with sheer strength. The Demon King threw another punch. There was no time to dodge or deflect. So Ketal blocked. He shielded his body with his arm. Crunch. The Demon King¡¯s fist struck Ketal¡¯s forearm. An ominous creak echoed as the bones splintered under the impact. In a single blow, fractures appeared in Ketal¡¯s forearm bones. But Ketal didn¡¯t merely endure. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He swung his axe with all his might. sh! The axe sunk into the Demon King''s shoulder. It didn¡¯t cut to the bone, but it was no minor injury. The Demon King moved swiftly, retreating before Ketal could kick him. Squelch. As the axe was pulled free, ck blood gushed out. Ketal grinned. ¡°Your blood is ck, huh? How fitting for a Demon King!¡± Ketal immediately closed the distance, raising his axe high and swinging it down. The Demon King twisted away, dodging the de. Boom! The axe mmed into the ground of hell, splitting it apart. A massive asteroid fragment was literally cleaved in two. Although the Demon King avoided the axe de, the lingering aura from the strike left a scar on his chest. Blood sprayed as his chest split open, but the Demon King paid no mind and stepped forward to kick Ketal. Ketal quickly rolled backward, dispersing some of the impact, but not entirely. The blow churned his insides, and he swallowed the blood threatening to spew out. ¡°Hahaha! Hahahahaha!¡± Ketal burst intoughter repeatedly. How long had it been since he had suffered injuries like these? How long had it been since he had fought so fiercely? And this opponent¡ªa being of fantasy. The Demon King. If he didn¡¯tugh at this, what would heugh at? Ketal howled withughter and swung his axe again. Boom! Power collided with power. Wounds umted on both sides. Gradually, Ketal¡¯s body began to creak. No matter how strong his body was, relentlessly exerting near-limitless strength couldn¡¯t be without consequence. But the Demon King was no exception. It was a contest of endurance¡ªwho would falter under the strain first? And that limit was approaching for the Demon King before Ketal. [Ugh...] The Demon King groaned. Never before had he reached his limits. There had never been an opponent who demanded his full strength. For him, this burden was an unprecedented experience. Unlike Ketal, who was well-versed in such things, the Demon King struggled. The Demon King made a decision: to end this before wasting more time. His eyes sharpened with resolve. [Kill the enemy.] The Demon King muttered. The hellish fragments of countless shattereds obeyed their master¡¯smand. Rumble! Asteroids surged toward Ketal en masse. ¡°What a spectacle!¡± Ketal eximed in awe. A scene where entires seemed to aim for his destruction was truly a marvel. And at the same time, Ketal realized¡ªthe Demon King had reached his limit. He was squeezing out everyst ounce of strength to finish this fight. If Ketal could just endure this, he would win. nting his feet firmly, Ketal charged forward. Crash! He smashed through the iing asteroids. Fragments flew, targeting every part of his body. With no time to counter each one, Ketal simply pushed through. Shards lodged themselves in his body. Crash! Wounded and battered, Ketal finally reached the Demon King. The Demon King, as if waiting for this moment, raised a finger. [Die.] A deep, ck line shot toward Ketal at the speed of light. Reflexively, Ketal raised his axe. The axe collided with the ck line. In that instant, Ketal¡¯s body quaked under the impact. This force was entirely different from the previous demonic energy the Demon King wielded. Screech! The axe de ground away. The power was so dense it began to melt even the monstrous axe. But Ketal didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, he nted his feet firmly, enduring the blow. Pouring all his strength into his arms, he twisted the axe de. Screech! The ck line deflects, cutting through hell and streaking toward the ground. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°What...?¡± Fortunately, no one stood in its path. Even the Tower Master or the Saintess of the Sun God wouldn¡¯t have reacted in time and would have been pierced straight through. Boom! A ck line touched the ground, piercing through it like a pir, emerging on the opposite side of the. A force capable of impaling stars. The Demon King, having narrowly dodged that power, charged forward. Having exhausted all his strength, the Demon King was left defenseless. CRUNCH. Ketal¡¯s axe embedded itself in the Demon King¡¯s chest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w At that moment, the Demon King¡¯s foot struck Ketal¡¯s abdomen. The unexpected attack shook Ketal¡¯s body. Though he managed to hold his ground and avoid being blown away, he lost his grip on the axe. Ketal quickly calcted his next move. ¡®Can I retrieve it with the bracelet?¡¯ No. Impossible. The axe was already deeply embedded in the Demon King¡¯s chest. It was toote to use an artifact for retrieval, nor was there any reason to do so. If that¡¯s the case, forward. Even further forward. BOOM! The Demon King swung a fist with the axe still lodged in his chest. Ketal raised his fractured arm to block. CRACK. Unable to withstand the force, the bone finally broke. But it didn¡¯t matter. This was the end, after all. Ketal moved his broken arm to deflect the Demon King¡¯s punch and then struck the back of the axe. THUD. The axe drove deeper into the Demon King¡¯s chest. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Thus, Ketal poured all his strength into his uninjured arm and struck the back of the axe again, using the broken arm as support, like hammering a nail into ce. CRACKLE! The axe¡¯s de pierced through the Demon King¡¯s chest and emerged from his back. Simultaneously, the demonic energy within the Demon King could no longer sustain his body and burst forth. The energy soared into the sky and exploded. BOOM! Like fireworks, the explosion painted the hellish sky even darker. Every being on the ground witnessed the st, and they all understood: The battle in hell had reached its conclusion. "Hah." Ketal let out augh. His body was in shambles. His head throbbed, and hell¡¯s fragments embedded in his body left him in a wretched state. One of his arms waspletely broken. It had been a long time since he¡¯d been pushed this far, not since escaping the snowy ins and facing another formidable foe. But it didn¡¯t matter. Then, as now, he had won. "It was a good fight," Ketal said cheerfully. The axe had pierced through the Demon King¡¯s chest, and the immense demonic energy within him had drainedpletely. The Demon King was dying. "It seems you grew impatient as your strength waned." The Demon King had never before been pushed to his limits. From birth, he had been a powerful being. In contrast, Ketal had risen from being a weakling. He had faced countless desperate situations. The difference between one born strong and one who wasn¡¯t had decided the oue. [¡­I¡¯ve lost.] The Demon King acknowledged his defeat calmly. [A perfect defeat. No room for excuses. You didn¡¯t even use whatever power you possess.] Even in his final moments, Ketal had refrained from using his authority. It was a clean and decisive ending. [I always thought this day woulde, but I imagined it would be by a god or one of the beings of the mortal world. I never expected... an anomaly like you to be the one to kill me.] The Demon King¡¯s voice was filled withment, oddly tinged with concern for the world. [For the sake of the world, I should have killed you. But I failed. An anomaly from somewhere... You have killed me, destroyed hell, and in the end, what will you do?] "Don¡¯t worry," Ketal replied, pulling the fragments from his body. "My wish is very different from what you¡¯re concerned about." [¡­You seek to dominate the world? How horrifying.] "No, that¡¯s not it," Ketal said, shaking his head. "I just want to travel through this world." All he wanted was to smash anything that hindered his journey. That was Ketal¡¯s true desire. "So, you can die in peace. I have no intention of ruining the world you fear for." [¡­I cannot trust you. But I am the defeated. Begging for mercy would only be pathetic.] As he slowly faded away, the Demon King spoke softly. [You are the victor. Corrupt and ruin the world as you see fit, anomaly.] With those final words, the Demon King¡¯s body crumbled into ashes. The Demon King, who had existed since the establishment of universal order, who had embodied evil, demonic energy, and darkness, was no more. Ketal stared at the remains for a moment and murmured, "Even until the end, you refused to ept me." The Demon King had never acknowledged Ketal¡¯s existence. After a brief pause, Ketal shook his head. "Well. It doesn¡¯t matter." [¡­He really won.] An observer, marveling at the scene, muttered in disbelief. [He truly defeated the Demon King.] Ketal had triumphed over a being stronger than even the oldest of gods, the most powerful entity in the current universe. "It wasn¡¯t easy. I want to rest, but for now, I need to return." Ketal walked back to the mortal world, stepping over the shattered fragments of hell. People awaited him with bated breath. When Ketal returned, their eyes widened. "...W-what happened?" "I won," Ketal replied inly. "The Demon King has been vanquished." "...Ah." "A-ah¡­" Their voices trembled. At first, they seemed too shocked to understand, but soon, their faces lit up with joy. A cheer that shook the continent erupted. The great battle had finally ended. And it wasn¡¯t just on the mortal ne. In a ce far removed and sealed away, where an eternal battle had raged, that, too, was nearing its end. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 350: Peace (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 350: Peace (1) The Lord of Hell. The King of All Demons. The enemy of the gods and the one who scorched the earth. The Demon King had fallen. They had won the war. ¡°Woooooaaahhh!¡± A victory festival erupted across thend. The aftermath of the war was not small. The dead were countless, including those hailed as superhumans or heroes. The damage was such that recovery would take decades. But for now, no one cared about the damage. Everyone set aside their worries andughed, reveling in the joy of immediate victory and happiness. And they all cried out in unison. Ketal¡¯s name. The existence of Ketal. People began approaching Ketal to express their gratitude. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Ketal, it¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± ¡°You may not remember, but I was a soldier on the frontlines you saved. You are my savior!¡± Ketal epted their words with a smile. Among those who came to thank him were familiar faces. ¡°Ketal.¡± ¡°Oh, Cain! You survived!¡± ¡°Barely, but yes.¡± In a war where even hero-ss fighters were dying, the life of a superhuman was as fragile as a fly¡¯s. Cain had survived by sheer luck. Cain muttered in amazement. ¡°¡­We won. Truly. Against the Demon King.¡± Ketal had defeated the being who had killed gods and burned half the world. ¡°Incredible¡­ truly incredible.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just my strength. It was possible because of the gods¡¯ cooperation.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Ketal humbly shook his head, but Cain didn¡¯t believe him. After all, the fact that the gods chose to assist Ketal instead of intervening directly meant victory wouldn¡¯t have been possible without him. An achievement like that of a god. No, perhaps even greater than that of a god. Indeed, the number of those who worshiped Ketal had noticeably grown. Staring at Ketal for a moment, Cain quietly said, ¡°On behalf of all beings on earth, I thank you. Without you, the world wouldn¡¯t have known peace.¡± Though the damage was significant,pared to the Demon King¡¯s potential, it was practically negligible. That was undoubtedly thanks to Ketal. Ketal grinned. ¡°No need for thanks. I¡¯m the one who should always be grateful to you.¡± His words were no empty sentiment. Cain had been the first superhuman swordmaster Ketal had met. He had inspired him, taught him about mysteries, and showed him how to harness them. It wasn¡¯t wrong to call Cain his teacher. ¡°Let¡¯s continue supporting each other.¡± ¡°It would be my honor. But I have one request.¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t call me your teacher. I beg you sincerely.¡± There was more earnestness in his voice than when he expressed his gratitude. Ketal chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Cain departed. The next to visit Ketal was Arkamis. ¡°Ketal!¡± ¡°Oh, Arkamis! You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Barely made it.¡± If Serena hadn¡¯t caught her in time, her body would have been pierced by the ck light of the Demon King¡¯s sword. The mere memory sent shivers down her spine. ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡­¡± Arkamis murmured, as if in disbelief. ¡°I can finally leave the sanctuary and return to Milena.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s true.¡± Arkamis had been one of the people most affected by the demon invasion. Originally from the Kingdom of Denian, she had been forced to return to the sanctuary after bing a target of the demons. Now, she had regained her freedom. Ketal asked, ¡°What about your goal?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to think about it recently. This was a war for the entire world, after all. There was no room for personal ambition. But¡­ now it¡¯s all over.¡± Arkamis clenched her fist. ¡°It¡¯s time to move toward my goal again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Ketal smiled warmly. After Arkamis left, the next toe was the holy sword, Serena. ¡°You¡¯ve truly won¡­¡± ¡°It seems so. What do you n to do now?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Serena muttered with a vacant expression. She was a holy sword. Born to confront evil. But now that evil had disappeared from the world, her purpose no longer existed. ¡°¡­What should I do?¡± ¡°Why not travel the world at your leisure? In the process, you might find a new purpose.¡± ¡°Travel¡­ That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡± Serena looked at Ketal. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, may I continue to follow you for a little while?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Ketal replied casually. The next to visit him was the ancient dragon, Ignisia. ¡°Wahahaha! Ketal!¡± ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡± ¡°Of course, I am!¡± Ignisia¡¯s face was flushed as if drunk. ¡°You killed the Demon King! Not anyone else, but you¡ªthe one I gave mystic power and dragon¡¯s speech to! Damn those elders! They can¡¯t nag me anymore!¡± It seemed the stress from that issue had been considerable, as Ignisia gulped down her drink. Ketal smiled and humored her. One by one, many others came to see him. Familiar faces, unfamiliar ones¡ªall came to express their gratitude to him with utmost respect. This gave Ketal a peculiar sensation. He was now recognized by all beings of the fantasy world. They came to him, spoke of their thanks, and acknowledged his existence. It felt as if what he had longed for was being steadily fulfilled. It was immensely satisfying. [You seem to be enjoying yourself.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°I am, Tower Master.¡± The Tower Master¡ªthe Lich, made entirely of bones¡ªcame to see Ketal. [How is your body holding up?] ¡°I have some wounds, but they¡¯re not severe enough to be a problem. I¡¯ll recover in a few days.¡± [Wounds from a battle with the Demon King will heal in mere days? That¡¯s incredible.] ¡°And what about you?¡± The Master of the Magic Tower had taken a direct hit from the residual power of the Demon King. Although Ketal had protected him, allowing only a fragment to reach him, even that caused considerable injury. [There¡¯s a crack in my Life Vessel. It¡¯ll take months to repair it. But it¡¯s not fatal¡ªI¡¯ll recover eventually.] The war was over. There was plenty of time to heal. The Magic Tower Master murmured, as though still in disbelief: [Even so... the war is truly over. I can hardly believe it.] ¡°What do you think will happen now?¡± [For the time being, the gods won¡¯t be able to interfere.] The pantheon had granted Ketal their powers. In the process, they must have lost a significant amount of their strength. At least for now, theycked the ability to intervene on the surface. [The beings of the surface will have to repair the damage themselves. But it shouldn¡¯t be a major issue. Slowly but surely, the surface will regain its original form. And one day, the gods will return to the surface.] When that dayes, they will unleash their powers to restore the world, separate the hell that descended upon the surface, and deal with the remaining demons. [When that happens, everything will finallye to an end.] The war will be over in the truest sense. [Of course, the surface won¡¯t remain peaceful forever. Humans, when left without enemies, tend to create their own and wage wars among themselves. But that would only be a conflict of the surface.] Not a battle against external forces like hell, but their own wars. And that was no issue at all. [This is all thanks to you, Ketal. As the Master of the Magic Tower and an old mage who has lived on this surface for centuries, I thank you.] ¡°Thank you. And I¡¯ll continue to count on you.¡± Ketal replied cheerfully. The celebrations continued for days afterward. The people, unbothered by exhaustion, stayed awake for several nights and days, rejoicing in eternal peace and celebrating again and again. They firmly believed this happiness wouldst forever. And then¡ª Crack. A fissure spread across the world. * * * ¡°Hmm.¡± Ketal chewed on his meat with a slightly dissatisfied expression. Sitting across from him, Serena tilted her head in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ve seemed troubled for the past few days. Is there something on your mind?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± The Demon King had fallen. The demons had retreated to the shattered hell and weren¡¯t appearing on the surface. There was nothing that should be weighing on Ketal¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­But something feels off. Strange, even.¡± Something. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but there was a deeply unsettling sensation creeping toward him. Like fighting an invisible cockroach, he felt uneasy. Frowning, Ketal stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and shoved it into his mouth. Watching his expression, Serena asked cautiously: ¡°Do you need rest? Come to think of it, you haven¡¯t rested since the battle with the Demon King. Perhaps now is a good time for a proper break?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not the problem.¡± Ketal answered lightly. A month had passed since the war ended. During that time, Ketal had been traveling across the continent with Serena. The reason was simple. Though the war was over, the damage was immense. Countless buildings and regions were destroyed. Since the gods couldn¡¯t descend to the surface, the inhabitants had no choice but to rebuild on their own. Ketal was helping with the reconstruction. Though partly for his own enjoyment of exploring the continent, his efforts were undoubtedly a great help to the people. After finishing his meal, Ketal got back to work. ¡°Alright.¡± Rumble. Ketal lifted a massive building pir and moved it. The onlookers gaped in astonishment. He casually carried several pirs that dozens of people together couldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s truly the hero who defeated the Demon King¡­¡± Thanks to Ketal¡¯s help, the sanctuary was being restored at an astonishing pace. At this rate, the restoration would beplete within days. Then, one day¡ª The Saintess of the Sun God sought out Ketal. ¡°Oh, Helia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. It¡¯s been a while since Ist greeted you.¡± Helia had also expressed her gratitude to Ketal after the Demon King¡¯s defeat. This was their first meeting in a month. With a curious expression, Ketal asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡± The sanctuary he was helping restore was quite far from the Sun God¡¯s holy sanctuary. Helia calmly replied: ¡°I came to meet you.¡± ¡°Me? Do you need my help?¡± ¡°No. I received a revtion.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A revtion. Ketal¡¯s eyes gleamed as Helia spoke quietly. ¡°The great Sun God has invited you to the heavens.¡± In this peaceful world, different events were unfolding for different people. And at the same time¡ª [Uhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh!] In the white snowfield¡ª Within it, three ancient beings were locked in a battle that hadsted since the dawn of the universe, a fight as long as eternity itself. And now, atst, a victor had emerged. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 351 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 351: Peace (2) "Ooh, is this finally the Celestial Realm?" Ketal''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. He had guessed that he would be invited to the Celestial Realm after defeating the Demon King. He was curious when it would happen, but it came sooner than expected. "There¡¯s no time to descend to the surface, but the gods have said they can invite you to the Celestial Realm and host you there," Helia exined calmly. "How do I get there? Do I have to fly directly toward the lofty heavens myself?" "That won''t be necessary. Everything is already prepared," Helia replied nonchntly. Helia was the bearer of divine blood, the only being on Earth who carried the lineage of the gods. Her divinity allowed her to create a path to the Celestial Realm, though such an act was a profound sphemy, and no one on Earth was deemed worthy of setting foot there. "But for you, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem." Ketal, who had remained unharmed even after receiving the power of the Pantheon, would surely be fine in the Celestial Realm. Helia asked, "What do you wish to do?" "Are you asking for my answer?" "...No. That was foolish of me." Ketal''s eyes shone like a child¡¯s; there was no chance he would refuse. Helia shook her head, realizing her question was unnecessary. "Then let¡¯s prepare right away. Please wait a moment." "Understood," Ketal replied,ughing heartily as he stepped back. Serena, who had been quietly listening beside them, murmured, "The Celestial Realm¡­ So Master is going there." "Indeed. Would you like to follow?" "No," Serena replied, shaking her head in rm. "I like it here. I have no desire to go to the Celestial Realm and risk being captured and reimed by the gods." "I doubt that would happen, but suit yourself." A littleter, Helia called for him, and they headed to the sacred church. "From here, we¡¯ll send you to the Celestial Realm." "Is it alright for you, a saintess of the Sun God, to handle matters in another god''s church?" "The gods aren¡¯t that petty," Helia replied lightly, kneeling and folding her hands in prayer. "Then, let¡¯s begin." "Alright." Helia began her prayer slowly. Kiiiiing! Intense divinity gathered, so powerful that those outside restoring the sanctuary paused in awe. The divinity took shape, encircling Ketal. "Creating a path to the Celestial Realm, for a being of Earth to ascend," Helia intoned softly. With her words, the divine power formed a pir, piercing through the church¡¯s ceiling and ascending to the sky. Kiiiiiiing! The heavens were breached. Beyond the opening, a dimension entirely different from Earth came into view. "Ah¡­" Earthly beings realized what it was¡ªthe Celestial Realm. Instinctively, they bowed, their foreheads touching the ground, assuming a posture of absolute reverence toward the gods. "Oho! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such a sight," Ketal remarked, entirely unaffected,ughing as he looked at the Celestial Realm. Helia, slightly fatigued, spoke. "I said I would send you there, but achieving this is beyond my power. The rest is up to you." "Understood," Ketal replied, nting his foot firmly. Crunch! The ground beneath him cracked and twisted. Boom! Ketalunched himself skyward, shattering the carefully restored church. Using the pir of light as his foothold, he climbed higher toward the opening in the heavens. Finally, he grasped the edges of the breach and forced his body through. At the end of his climb, Ketal arrived. The dwelling of the great gods. The Celestial Realm. "So, this is the Celestial Realm," Ketal murmured, unable to suppress his amazement. The Celestial Realm was a space of mirrored dimensions, a world cloaked in shimmering reflections. Something akin to clouds illuminated the realm, but it did not obstruct visibility. Everything shimmered and yet did not, a chaotic mix of light and rainbows, yet each object remained distinctly visible. "Fascinating," Ketal remarked, finding it difficult to describe in words. If hell was akin to an inferior version of a white snowfield, then the Celestial Realm felt like an entirely different existence. One thing was certain. "It¡¯s magnificent," Ketal dered, utterly satisfied. As he reveled in the splendor, a voice called out to him. [Is that your impression of the Celestial Realm?] "To think you¡¯ve kept such a beautiful sight all to yourselves. How selfish." [That¡¯s a first. The monster within you cursed this ce, calling it a garish, chaotic mess.] [Gaudy, vulgar, and irritatingly bright. If this isn¡¯t chaos, what is?] The monstrosity within him mocked. Ketalughed, looking toward the source of the voice. It radiated an overwhelming brightness. The Celestial Realm was already brilliant, but this being outshone everything. It was like the sun itself. To gaze directly upon it would mean blindness¡ªa sensory overload upon the world. Of course, none of this affected Ketal. [You already know who I am, I presume.] "Naturally," Ketal replied, smiling. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Sun God." * * * The mighty and exalted Sun God. The most dominant deity on Earth. Ketal had encountered his influence more than once. The Sun God spoke softly. [This is not our first meeting.] "Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true." The Sun God had first observed him in the Barkan territory when his inquisitor, Aquaz, sought to confirm Ketal¡¯s identity. Back then, the Sun God¡¯s feelings toward Ketal had been a mix of curiosity and bewilderment. [Back then, I contemted whether to destroy your existence or not. To seal and confine you, ensuring you''d never interfere with this world again.] "Is that what it was?" [But in the end, I chose not to interfere. You were acting as if you were merely a human in disguise. I decided to observe instead.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "And? How did that turn out?" Ketal asked with a beaming smile. [It was the right decision. It was the best judgment I¡¯ve made since my inception.] "Thank you for saying so." [I¡¯vee to see you to express my gratitude. Thank you for helping my child. As a god, I offer my respect.] With those words, the Sun God withdrew. [That concludes my business. The rest is up to Kalosia. I¡¯m counting on you moving forward.] "I¡¯ll do my best as well." Ketal replied lightly. The presence of the Sun God receded, while Kalosia¡¯s presence drew near. [You¡¯ve arrived.] "Nice to see you. So, it¡¯s you again? Aren¡¯t the other godsing?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [It¡¯d only cause confusion if too many of us showed up. Since I¡¯ve spoken with you the most, I¡¯ve been chosen to represent the heavens in this matter.] "I see." Ketal clicked his tongue in disappointment. He had hoped to see a variety of gods, but learning that wouldn¡¯t happen left him feeling a bit let down. [Well, to be honest, they just shoved the responsibility onto me.] "Shoved it onto you?" [Even the gods are unsure how to handle someone like you. Normally, something as ancient as you would be excluded, sealed, and cast into a Forrbiddennd. But you¡¯re different.] "So they dumped it on the one who has met with me the most." [I¡¯ll be collecting a steep price for this favor.] Kalosia chuckled. Ketal matched hisughter and nced toward the heavens. "So this is the celestial realm." [You said it was marvelous, but from our perspective, it¡¯s nothing special. Just a dazzlingly shiny ce, and that¡¯s all.] "Aren¡¯t there angelic beings here?" [There were such beings in the past, but they all perished during the war of Gods and Demons. The only ones left here now are the gods.] "Then how do you handle things like meals?" [We don¡¯t. Our sole duty is to watch over the world.] Ketal was surprised by that response. It implied that the gods did nothing other than observing the mortal realm. "That¡¯s quite a devotion." [It¡¯s the reason we exist in this world.] Kalosia spoke calmly. [Protecting the world, maintaining order, and excluding demons¡ªnothing more, nothing less.] The gods were akin to a set of universalws, existing eternally in the heavens with that sense of duty. [That¡¯s why we¡¯re all grateful to you.] Without Ketal, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to fulfill their responsibilities. [I told them to thank you personally, but aside from the Sun God, no one wanted to move. Those who know you said they¡¯d thank youter. They¡¯re an irritating bunch.] "Shy individuals, I see." Ketal chuckled softly and asked, "What do you n to do now?" [First, we need to recover our strength.] The gods had lost much of their power protecting the world and aiding Ketal. They needed to restore it. [Once we regain enough strength, we¡¯ll seal the hell that descended upon the world. There shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.] The Demon King was dead. The lords and hierarchical demons were also all gone. What remained were, at best, named demons of superhuman level. They couldn¡¯t hope to stop the gods. Ketal muttered in wonder, "You¡¯re not going to annihte them?" [We¡¯d like to, but we can¡¯t. They, too, are part of the world¡¯s order.] "Order?" Kalosia began to exin, [The heavens and hell were born simultaneously with the establishment of the universe''s order, in perfect bnce. They each represent their own order and concept. While one side can be weakened significantly, they must never bepletely annihted.] "Like how light cannot exist without darkness. That kind of story." [Something like that. Even if the Demon King had won the war, he wouldn¡¯t have exterminated uspletely. He would¡¯ve left at least one or two gods alive.] Weakened significantly, perhaps, but even a trace was enough to maintain the order. The gods nned to push hell to the brink of extinction during this opportunity. [Hell won¡¯t be able to do anything for as long as the universe has existed up to now and beyond. It¡¯s a very good oue.] Speaking cheerfully, Kalosia suddenly seemed to recall something and opened his mouth. [As I said earlier, gods and demons were born equal after the universe''s order was established. Thus, they can¡¯t destroy each other entirely. However, there are beings that fall outside this order.] Beings that contributed nothing to the world¡¯s bnce. Those that existed before the concept of order. Ketal nodded in understanding. "The Forbbiden Lands." [That¡¯s right.] The beings of the Forbbiden Lands were the oldest of the old. Born before the establishment of order, they offered nothing to the current universe and only caused harm. [They must be erased. Their existence needs to be wiped from this world. That¡¯s why, in the distant past, we joined forces to expel them.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!