Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.39 – Two Men Go All the Way (8)
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In his previous life, one group of people Lee Han had envied was those who traveled overseas without a second thought.
The leisure to journey to countries with different races and languages wasn't something to envy for no reason.
For him, struggling just to make ends meet without even dreaming of domestic travel, overseas was like another world.
In his early twenties, he'd felt both envious and resentful toward such people.
It was childish, proof that he was still young.
But after gaining a bit more maturity and experiencing domestic travel—even if not overseas—he came to realize.
'Ah, travel isn't just about fun; it's also a way to broaden your horizons and perspectives.'
With that, he set a goal.
After discharge, I'll hop on a plane and travel too.
He wanted to gain experiences, immerse himself in new cultures and environments.
Was it an adventurous spirit, or proof that he too had a thirst for exploration?
It was the moment he started making his life's bucket list.
...Or so it was supposed to be.
"...If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I would've discharged early and crossed Europe. Sigh, money's not something you take to the grave—why did I hoard it so tightly...?"
"..."
"Don't you think so too?"
"W-We don't really know..., w-what are you saying, knight...?"
"Why?"
"?"
"Why don't you get it?"
"...">
"Why don't you understand, you bandit bastards!"
Bam!
"Aaaagh!"
"P-Please forgive us!"
"M-Mother...">
Lee Han beat the bandits soundly.
They were thugs who'd been plundering the village and crossed paths with him. He systematically crippled their arms, shoulders, legs—one by one.
These bandits wouldn't be robbing anyone anymore; they'd be lucky to handle daily life.
"You punks. I explain so kindly, and you still don't get it."
"...Who'd even understand that? Mumbling to yourself out of nowhere and expecting agreement—who's gonna nod along?"
"That's not my problem."
"...You're insane."
"Ha, who's calling who insane?"
Even so, Lee Han had only crippled them; he hadn't severed limbs outright.
But that guy over there...
"You turned 'em into ground meat."
"...">
"If I'm insane, what does that make you? A maniac?"
"...That's job discrimination."
"Oh yeah?"
Anyone else, and it might've been fine, but coming from him, it felt off.
Maybe all their bickering was sharpening their tongues.
At that moment.
"Knights, we truly thank you. How can we ever repay this...?"
The village chief of the mountain folk approached to express his gratitude.
He looked to be in his early forties—relatively young—and seemed like a retired mercenary.
His muscles had sagged a bit, but he probably still had some skill.
"No need for thanks. You look like you could've handled it alone anyway."
"I might have managed, but the villagers would've suffered heavy losses. I'd have taken serious injuries too."
The chief had already witnessed the knights wipe out over a hundred bandits in an instant.
So he knew.
They were strong.
Even in his mercenary days, he'd never seen knights of that caliber.
The natural aura they exuded rivaled the great generals he'd seen on battlefields.
Grateful as he was, he couldn't help wondering why such men had come to this remote mountain hollow.
"Anyway, handle the rest yourselves. Use 'em for labor or kill 'em—I don't care."
"Thank you. But won't you stay the night before you go...?"
"We've got places to be."
"We appreciate the kindness."
The two knights shook their heads and sped off after a brief farewell.
Their speed matched horses, kicking up a gust like a whirlwind.
"...Heh, feels like I've been bewitched by fairies."
They'd clearly headed into the mountains, yet their figures had already vanished.
Even wild beasts couldn't climb that fast.
...But.
"Why the hell are they climbing that mountain?"
The chief tilted his head.
The Red Mountains.
The greatest range dividing the south from the center, also called the [Mountains of Despair], filled with endless ridges. Seeing the knights scale it left him puzzled.
And understandably so. Ahead lay...
"Nothing but cliffs... Are they trying to cross to the Central Continent?"
......No way!
"Haha, as if. What lunatic would try crossing the Red Mountains to the Central Continent? Ahaha!"
Even he found the thought absurd.
The Red Mountains—avoided even by those seeking suicide.
Crossing to the Central Continent? Ridiculous, even to him.
"Foolish idea."
"-So crossing this range really gets us to the Central Continent easily?"
"The terrain's treacherous with cliffs galore, venomous creatures, monsters, and natural mazes like mysteries of the wild—but if you want to arrive in four days, this is the shortcut."
"...Hmm, that preamble bothers me, but if it's the shortcut..."
Cliffs, venom, monsters?
Sure, possible.
Mazes from nature's [mysteries]?
Eh, like Vulcan.
In other words.
"Shortcut confirmed."
Lee Han nodded quickly.
- Do you really have to go?
The previous night at dawn.
Right after he'd handed the spellcaster to Isis and said he'd head out immediately, those were her words.
He could still picture her incredulous expression.
- The Empire? Do you even know how far the Central Continent is?
- Precisely, to the Mage Tower.
- Same difference. Even walking diligently, it'd take at least a month.
- Don't walk—run.
- ...Since when did you learn to bark from your mouth?
- ...Harsh words.
She looked displeased.
Who wouldn't react negatively to talk of crossing to the Empire?
But he had no choice.
- That spellcaster's there. Gotta go kill—no, thrash him.
- Isn't killing or thrashing the same thing?
- Whatever. I'm off. Have your big sis handle the Sultan. I trust you.
- Who do you think you're talking to like that?
- Whatever. Going now.
- Sigh...
Unable to even say "come back safe," she rubbed her face...
- ...Come back quick.
- Got it. My leave's only eight days anyway, so I have to hurry.
- You and your pointless diligence...
With that encouragement (?), Lee Han left the capital and found his waiting guide.
- ...Why are you here?
- By Her Highness's order.
- Tsk, seems like bad personnel choice—
- ...Ungrateful rogue!
Whether Duke Galahad truly intended to help or knew the Mage Tower eyed the magic sword, he'd sent a spearman.
Though rivals, Lee Han respected his skill as a knight.
- If you can't keep up, I'll leave you behind. Keep pace.
- ...What an unfriendly guide.
After some bickering, they ran.
Shedding cumbersome armor, Lee Han with sword and axe, the spearman with one spear—they dashed wordlessly at full speed.
True to his word, the spearman didn't slow, even if it meant leaving him.
Through fields, mountains, cliffs—they kept pace.
The spearman scaled cliffs like flat ground, earning his arrogance; Lee Han matched him.
How to defy physics?
- Run before you fall.
- Toe strength makes it possible.
- ??
- ?
Their theories differed, but mastering cliff-running was what mattered.
After half a day of full-throttle dashing over mountains and cliffs, they entered the Red Mountains.
To reach the Empire's Central Continent normally meant circuitous roads and river crossings by boat. The Red Mountains offered the sole straight path.
Yet no one attempted it.
Especially not since the Empire's 100,000 troops perished crossing 300 years ago.
They'd chosen the killer of 100,000, forging an unmapped route.
But.
'Shortcut, so who cares!'
Fast was all that mattered.
They ran and ran.
"......">
"......">
Once in the Red Mountains, conversation ceased.
More accurately, it had to.
Monsters native to the Red Mountains poured out endlessly.
Goblins and trolls were basic; they faced plant-type monsters called Wood Ghosts too.
Common in mountains, but here they infested like weeds.
Kwachik! Puk!
No matter the monster, they slashed, tore, smashed—straight ahead.
Never stopping, butchering every one.
Monsters were easy here anyway.
Just kill them.
The real hassle was.
Kwarung!
"Earthquake again."
"Gale winds incoming. ...Rockfalls starting too."
The mountain's wrath—or prank—began.
Like Vulcan, the Red Mountains held mysteries.
Not as divine. More immature, like a brat.
And immature meant...
Kurung!!
Erratic, unpredictable.
Earthquakes, rockfalls, gales sweeping all.
Shwaaaa!
Torrential rain blinding vision was laughable; thick fog obscured paths entirely.
Hwaaak!
Sticky fog finally blocked sight, and then.
Pababak!
Hail poured.
Fist-sized chunks larger than an adult's hammered down.
Yet...
Pababat!
"We're on the right path, right?"
"Don't trust me? Go alone."
"Just asking—why so prickly?"
"Don't disrupt my focus."
"Touchy."
"!!?"
"Look ahead."
Despite the mountain's interference, they ran.
Two sleepless nights in, unyielding.
Hungry? Dried meat and fruit. Water? Gulped mid-stride.
Straight ahead.
Cliffs? Leapt. Rivers? Swum across.
No natural barrier halted them.
Earthquakes overcome.
Gales endured.
Rockfalls mere obstacles.
Fog and rain hindered slightly, but not enough.
...Irritated by them, perhaps?
Hwaaak!
The mountain's temperature spiked suddenly.
Mad heat surged, and then...
Hwaruk!
"...Guess this mountain hates us."
"Precisely, it hates humans."
"Same thing."
A massive wildfire erupted.
As if to burn them alive.
Sudden blaze, causality thin. Crossing it? Suicide.
But.
"We push through."
"......">
To them, not even an obstacle.
Kwajijik!
Lee Han uprooted a tree with bare hands.
Five thousand kilos of massive trunk, but his grown strength handled it easily.
Once needing an old spellcaster's aid, now solo.
- One-Point Spear.
Kwaaang!
Like a main gun, the tree arced skyward like a howitzer.
Infused with Lee Han's [Strength].
And...
"...It works?"
"Brute rogue—even possible from the start."
"Nah, didn't think it'd actually work."
Lee Han excused himself. Understandably.
'Whoa, riding my thrown tree to fly? It really works...'
Mimicking an old comic, but he'd never dreamed it'd succeed.
With power, technique, timing—dream realized.
Gliding skyward like on a plane,
Kwajijijik!
They crashed into a cliff.
"...Flight time too short."
"......">
One minute airborne.
Still...
'Longer than the Wright brothers' first flight?'
Even swept by the river below, Lee Han beamed with pride.
Another two days and half-day later.
"Half-day more than planned."
"...It works."
"......You weren't sure you could make it?"
"......">
"Hey!"
Four days and another half, they succeeded in crossing to the Central Continent.