Helmont's Knight
Thwack! The tip of Silberna's spear shaft slammed into Jonathan, sending him sprawling face-first onto the ground. Clutching his mouth, he lifted his head.
"No matter the reason, I can't just let this slide right now."
A menacing aura radiated from her. She gripped the spear shaft tightly, as if barely suppressing the urge to swing it.
"Eek! Puhaha!"
"Hey! Cut it out!"
Sharen shouted angrily too, but Jonathan clamped both hands over his mouth. His gaze, however, remained fixed on the pile of corpses. An instinctual desire to drink it all in for as long as possible.
In the end...
"You little—!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Silberna swung the spear shaft wildly, cracking it against Jonathan's temple. Smack! He passed out on the spot, but the unpleasant smile on his lips lingered, frozen like ice in the cold.
"What the hell?!"
The massacre of Andes Village's residents was burden enough, but with Jonathan causing a scene on top of it, a headache seemed to brew. Clutching her head, Silberna let out a long sigh and glanced at Sharen.
"He's Helmont's, so you watch him. The rest of us will head inside and assess the situation."
"O-okay!"
Sharen stood by, one foot pinning the fallen Jonathan. The others moved toward the corpse pile, with Isaac and Silberna taking the lead.
"What kind of lunatic...?"
"Just like Anna said—traces of specific body parts being carved out."
Maggots writhing, parasites, and flies made it hard to see clearly, but there were clear signs of eyes or thumbs being gouged.
"Urk."
Feeling queasy, Anna stepped back to scout the village perimeter, while Meladic kept his distance, staying vigilant. It was because of what Isaac had just mentioned— these deaths were recent.
"Why do something like this? Organ trafficking?"
"Then they'd have kidnapped them. No point in taking eyes or thumbs anyway."
"True... So what? Looting, then? With torture for fun on the side?"
"Possible."
Isaac glanced around subtly.
"But I doubt it."
Silberna caught his meaning immediately and bit her lip.
"Valuables are still here. So it wasn't looting."
A typical bandit raid would strip everything of value, leaving the village like a fish picked clean to the bones. But even a quick scan showed Andes Village intact—items in place, just devoid of people.
"Then what? What the hell?"
Silberna stabbed her spear into the ground in frustration. Her chest tightened with questions about these deaths.
"Damn it... If we'd come sooner, we might've saved them."
Even as he heard her sigh of regret, Isaac's mind raced. For now, he was certain.
It's shamanism.
Not bandits or organ traffickers—this targeted mutilation of specific body parts. They weren't after possessions; humans were the sacrifices.
Piled up like this... so it hasn't started yet? If it's shamanism using people, it's no ordinary ritual.
Something beyond the Subordination curse that struck Pollu.
Wait...
Suddenly, a doubt struck Isaac.
In my past life... did Pollu die?
Learning the Black Hand family's secret from the Transcendent Banbaek was Isaac's doing alone. That's why Pollu, from Black Hand, joined Reconnaissance Squad 5—and fell to the yeti, triggering the Subordination curse.
Pollu didn't die in my past life.
It was certain. Assuming the Andes Village massacre hadn't happened then...
The link between them is shamanism.
Did the Transcendent who cursed Pollu come here? Did his death change things?
His skin prickled as Isaac's hand rested on the hilt of Taedo.
"Silber—!"
The moment he urgently turned to shout, his eyes caught someone approaching from the mountainside linked to the village. The air grew heavy. The pure, white northern wind turned foul and sticky, clogging throats with disgust.
Long hair reached his ankles, his attire like a bridegroom's. The thick tome in his hand looked burdensome even for one grip. Pale skin and the pair of horns on his head marked him no human.
"That guy, right?"
Silberna's eyes were already locked on him. The others fell silent, swallowing hard under his presence.
"Ooh."
If Banbaek blatantly resembled a tiger Transcendent, this man evoked a demon from myth. Fangs protruded past his lips, fierce, yet his demeanor and speech seemed that of a gentle gentleman.
"Reconnaissance Squad 5! I've been dying to meet you!"
He even knew about Squad 5.
"You know us?"
Anna's question drew a beaming smile from him.
"Of course! You fought valiantly against my subordinate. It was a spell I labored over, too."
He pressed the book to his heart, eyes closing as if honoring Pollu.
"The Subordination activated unexpectedly—quite the surprise. That's why I came."
"You?"
"Ah, forgive my late introduction! Nortemus is my name! You could call me Pollu's master!"
Pollu's death, absent in his past life. The disaster it summoned.
This is insane.
Hand on Taedo, but doubting if he should draw—Isaac hesitated. Last time with Banbaek, he trusted Uldiran Kaldias at Mallidan Wall. But here? No force to fell a Transcendent.
Can we even...?
No matter how he pondered, impossible.
Even with Silberna's growth, a shamanic Transcendent was too much.
"Hoo."
Aware of the gap, Nortemus oozed leisure. His gaze shifted oddly—to Sharen.
"Helmont's lady? Pardon, but could you move your foot?"
"Huh? M-me?"
"Yes. He looks like precious kin, even if half-breed."
Flustered by the request, Sharen glanced down at Jonathan but didn't budge. Felt like losing somehow.
"N-no way!"
"Haha, this is awkward."
Nortemus closed his eyes briefly, then smiled and proposed.
"How about this? Leave your kin, and I'll pretend I didn't see you. You do the same for me."
"Bullsh—!"
"Mind your tongue, Kaldias."
Nortemus's killing intent crushed Silberna's pent-up retort.
"I'm offering to let you pass undisturbed. No begging needed—be grateful for the mercy."
No bluff or lie in his tsking. Pure confidence he could kill them all. He turned from Silberna to Sharen with a grin.
"Helmont's lady must grant my request. Or I'll have to kill your comrades."
"Uh, u-uhm..."
Overpowered, Sharen cautiously lifted her foot. Black stickiness gathered at Nortemus's fingertips, fouling the wind as it reached Jonathan—embracing the unconscious man and drawing him close.
"Half-breed or not, you're kin to me."
Nortemus caressed Jonathan's cheek lovingly. Jonathan's skin flushed red, veins bulging.
"There—deal's done. Ah! What a glorious day for us all?"
Nortemus threw his arms wide, laughing brightly.
"I gain kin, you gain your lives! A time of grace and blessing! Praise the divine!"
His thick book fluttered in the wind. Silberna whispered to Isaac beside her.
"If we fight...?"
"We die. Guaranteed."
More dangerous than Banbaek.
"Farewell, then. Especially Helmont's lady—stay safe."
Nortemus bowed deeply. Meladic and Anna edged back slyly, but Silberna stood frozen.
"Hm?"
Because Isaac hadn't moved.
"The wisest among you has surprising stubbornness?"
Nortemus smiled at Isaac.
"Didn't you just say we can't win?"
He'd heard their whisper from this distance. Marveling again at Transcendent physique, Isaac replied.
"Turning our backs now means death."
"..."
Nortemus's gaze chilled. Gentlemanly poise vanished as he rolled his shoulders, book to chest.
"How'd you know?"
"Transcendents don't leave humans alive."
"Hm, you know us well. But like humans vary, so do we."
"Maybe."
But not this one.
"I doubt a psycho like you would let us go nicely."
"Psycho? Never seen a psycho this kind?"
Muscles stiff from tension and cold, Isaac held firm.
"You don't believe in gods."
"..."
"Yet you dress like a saint, clutching a holy book. Fakers without faith are usually psychos. Or con artists."
"Heh, hehehe."
Nortemus tilted his head creepily, chuckling.
"Quite."
His gleaming eyes fixed on Isaac.
"Wise, indeed."
The low voice like an orchestra's prelude. Tension built—heavy with impending doom.
"Guh, ugh!"
A groan—Jonathan stirred. Black patterns spread across his body from some unknown start. His whites blackened, merging with his pupils.
"Ah, my kin."
Nortemus welcomed him with a bright smile.
"How's the reborn world? For you to sever ties with humanity, I've prepared the rite!"
Book to chest, his other hand elegantly indicated Squad 5—like a waiter seating diners.
"Devour them. Claim them. Prove you're one of us, kin!"
Jonathan raised his greatsword. Neat teeth gnashed, elongating like a vampire's from legend.
"Come! Together we resist the world, kin—!"
Squish!
The greatsword pierced the book, soaring skyward. Crimson-black blood dripped from the blade. Pierced with it, Nortemus creaked his head to glare at Jonathan.
"K-kin...!"
"I'm—not."
Tears welled in Jonathan's blackened eyes.
"Your—kin... no."
"Kin!"
"I am—"
Choking sobs, Jonathan thrashed, mumbling.
"A proud and noble... knight of Helmont."
Nortemus's face twisted viciously at Jonathan's words.