Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Blood Soaks the Sand (6)
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Ronan placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. The man, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, spoke without turning his head.
"Come on in. This is our first time meeting in person."
"......!"
The group froze. It was a warm, neighborly tone, like greeting someone nearby. Ronan quickly scanned the surroundings, but aside from them, there was no one else worth talking to.
'This crazy bastard. He noticed even this?'
Ronan gritted his teeth. It was absurd skill. Detecting a presence from that distance was one thing, but sensing it with such a massive concentration of mana right in front of him was no easy feat.
In fact, Ronan and Schlieffen's detection abilities were not functioning at full capacity due to the mana emanating from the Dinhar Magic Stone. Taking a deep breath, Ronan turned to the Angry Storm and said,
"Thanks for the guide. Let's go quickly."
"H-Huh, but..."
"You idiot. Didn't you say you'd keep your promise?"
"......Understood. I'm going."
The Angry Storm backed away. Ronan finally relaxed once the man rounded the corner of the entrance and disappeared. The man's voice echoed once more.
"Sending your comrades to safety first... You have some loyalty."
"Shut up. Where are the captured people?"
"So impatient. At least let's talk face-to-face. With the one still left too."
Schlieffen narrowed his eyes. The surprise attack seemed doomed. The boys exchanged glances and moved forward. Only after they were within five steps did the man turn around.
"Nice to meet you. Seeing you in person after sensing your aura is quite moving. I didn't expect you to be so young."
"Fuck off."
Ronan raised his middle finger. The man was a middle-aged figure with an ordinary face. His clean-shaven features looked as simple as a farmer's, and his height was average.
He wore the signature pure white robe of Nebula Clazier, but unlike the other followers, a small star adorned the sleeve. Watching Ronan quietly, he spoke in an intrigued tone.
"You're not attacking right away. Unexpected."
"I'm not an idiot."
"Smart. Well, the people might still be alive, after all."
The man smiled with his eyes. It was a statement bordering on a threat. Ronan had to exert considerable effort to keep his hand from the hilt. The malice contrasted sharply with his kindly tone.
'Disgusting fucker.'
But not drawing his sword the moment the distance closed wasn't solely because of the hostages. No openings were visible at all.
Schlieffen's grim glare at the man proved it. Suddenly, the man's eyes widened as they met Schlieffen's.
"My goodness. Isn't this the young Duke of Grancia? Who would have thought I'd meet you here."
Schlieffen didn't respond. The man made a fuss as if witnessing utterly unexpected fortune. Turning back to Ronan, he opened his mouth.
"Let's walk for now. I have something to show you."
Suddenly, the man stepped forward. Ronan and Schlieffen followed behind. A sudden question popped into Ronan's mind.
'He knows me.'
The man was aware of Schlieffen's presence but didn't know his identity. He had perfectly identified Ronan out of the three. The comment about sensing only by aura also bothered him. As they walked, Ronan growled,
"How do you know me?"
"I did some personal investigating. I'm very interested in you."
"Interested? You some fucking homo?"
"Not in that way. You know Brigia and Syrilla, right? Oh, and the bloodbath with Eduon and Aden."
Ronan's eyes widened. They were all Nebula Clazier followers he had killed or thrown into Rodolan. The man continued,
"They were all my people. Each failed their missions and met gruesome ends. At first, I thought it was just bad luck, but it wasn't."
"Get to the point."
"I noticed a common mana trace at every incident site. Faint but with such a distinct signature it couldn't be mistaken. Yes, your mana."
The man went on. In short, while investigating his subordinates' failures, he discovered Ronan's mana, and pursuing that led him to learn more.
"You knew I was coming here too."
"Of course. I knew before you even entered Dinhar."
The man said he could detect Ronan's mana from several kilometers away. Ronan tilted his head.
"Why didn't you stop me?"
"Because there's nothing you can do anyway."
"Confidence through the roof. Are there more idiots chasing my ass besides you?"
"None at all. The church isn't idle enough to bother with you. I brought it up at a meeting recently, but the Hierophant just scolded me."
The man smacked his lips. He explained that investigating Ronan was like a hobby. It really seemed like he was a homo, but separately, Ronan inwardly sighed in relief.
'Good.'
Killing this guy today would drastically reduce troubles. Of course, he had no confidence it was possible. The man still showed not the slightest opening.
'......Fitting to have Brigia as a subordinate. What the hell is he?'
They kept walking. The three sets of footsteps echoed. The space covered in white never grew familiar no matter how long they looked.
Not even dwarves could handle metal so fluidly. The light source shining from the impossibly high ceiling was also inexplicable. It wasn't firelight or mana glow. Suddenly, the man spoke.
"Do you know what this place is?"
"No."
"An ancient ruin. Holding secrets that mustn't be revealed to the world."
"Secrets?"
"Yes. I don't know the details, but if the Hierophant says so, it must be monumental. Our mission is to secure the magic stone and destroy this place."
Ronan frowned at the cryptic words. A fishy blood scent wafted from somewhere. The man continued,
"That's why we brought the natives. We're blowing it all up anyway, so figuring out the ruin's secret first doesn't hurt. I'm quite curious by nature, you see."
"What the fuck have you been babbling about?"
"But they wouldn't cooperate at all."
Then the man stopped. A wide, deep staircase loomed before them. The blood scent thickened. Looking down, Ronan's face hardened.
"This is......"
It resembled a battlefield corpse pit. Hundreds of natives lay massacred. Dark red blood had flowed down the stairs, pooling at the bottom.
At the end of the stairs, turned into a red reservoir, stood a low, wide rectangular box. Complex metal fittings and ten differently colored buttons lined its top. The man sighed and shook his head.
"I thought they'd figure out how to work it...... But no one would touch it. Who knew they'd all keep their word even in death."
No survivors were visible. They had likely refused to reveal the secret and been killed. Among the corpses were women, elders, and even children not yet ten. Circling the bodies, the man chuckled.
"Well, primitive folk, but their grit impressed me. I really wanted to show you this."
"You fucking bastard."
Ronan yanked his hilt. Almost simultaneously, Schlieffen drew his sword.
Incomprehensibly fast slashes flew toward the man. His lips parted softly, a faint smile lingering.
"......Let there be gale."
Baaaang! At that instant, Ronan and Schlieffen's bodies were flung backward. Ronan, spinning like a top, crashed into a hexagonal pillar. Bam! Metal tiles flipped, sparks flying. The room's lights flickered off and on.
"Guhk!"
Breath caught in his throat. It felt like his spine had shattered. Thick blood surged from deep in his gullet. Sliding down the pillar, Ronan collapsed.
"Kuh......!"
Ronan used Ramancha as a crutch to rise. Raising his head, nosebleed poured like a downpour. Realizing his nose was broken from the impact alone, he gritted his teeth.
"This feels...... familiar."
A sense of déjà vu. Crack. Straightening his broken nose, he glared at the man.
A pair of enormous, translucent wings sprouted from the man's back. Covered in feathers, they matched ones he'd seen before.
The wings faded gradually from view. As if entranced, Ronan murmured his rival's name.
"Ahayute."
No doubt. Identical wings. Soon, he realized their texture consisted of bizarre mana like Star's Blessing. Turning to Ronan, the man smiled.
"Belated introduction. Teranil, Bishop of Nebula Clazier's Southern Diocese."
"Bishop...... fuck."
Ronan spat on the floor. No wonder he was so damn strong. He didn't know much about their hierarchy, but clearly top twenty material.
"Fucking bastard...... Why the fuck did you blab so much then?"
"A gift before your demise...... And I just confirmed it."
Teranil chuckled wryly. Two new gashes crossed his body.
One from hand to elbow, the other thigh to shin. Fabric around the blade paths stained red. Wounds from Ronan and Schlieffen just before Gale fully activated. Teranil's relaxed face hardened savagely.
"You die here."
"Try it."
Boom! Ronan kicked off the ground. Simultaneously, Schlieffen emerged from a distant pillar.
"Strike now! Don't give him breathing room!"
Ronan shouted. If wind from wings used Star's Blessing principles, continuous activation would be tough. Schlieffen gripped his hilt with both hands and swung.
"Hup!"
A bluish blade drew an arc. A massive crescent blade aura shot toward Teranil, at least 5m wide, churning with storm energy.
"Heh, you even figured that out?"
Teranil laughed incredulously. Indeed, no wings. When the gap was five steps, Thud! A huge shadow landed before him. Ronan's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
Kwaaaang! Schlieffen's blade aura hit the shadow. An explosion, but no vortex. Then, through thick smoke, dozens of harpoon-like metal spines shot toward Ronan and Schlieffen.
"Fuck......!"
Clang! The two hastily raised swords deflected them. Sparks flew, severed spines clattering to the floor.
Ronan realized they matched those embedded in the natives' bodies. Whoosh... Smoke cleared. Seeing the giant hedgehog, Ronan scowled.
"What the fuck is this now."
"Grrr."
Larger than a whale, its body was vivid red metal. Its back bristled with thousands of identical spines rattling. More mechanical than beast, like Phileon's magitech knights.
"Hm? Blocked them all?"
Atop the hedgehog's spike-less head sat a person, legs crossed. Loose robes and a long veil obscured identity. A seductive voice emanated from behind the veil.
"Haa...... This isn't fair, Bishop Teranil."
"What isn't, Branch Chief Yuria?"
"You give me the boring task, then enjoy the fun alone."
A woman's voice. A rippling barrier separated her and the boys. The familiar Star's Blessing.
'Much bigger.'
Unlike Brigia's or the old wyvern rider's, vastly larger scale. The hemispherical blessing enveloped her, the hedgehog, and Teranil. Hearing her complaint, Teranil smiled kindly.
"Heh heh, don't be angry. We can enjoy together now. No natives left?"
"All dried up. Should've paced yourself...... Well, if any turn up, the kids will bring them."
Apparently, capturing natives to reveal secrets was her task. She chatted casually with Teranil as if the situation were over.
Tension fully relaxed. She seemed to believe Star's Blessing solved everything. Ronan gripped his hilt.
'Must take it now.'
This was the chance. In a flash, he and Schlieffen exchanged looks. Counting to three, Ronan lunged, swinging. Swoosh! Crescent blade aura followed Ramancha's path.
"Oh?"
The red aura flew straight at the woman called Yuria. Turning, she scoffed.
"Right, you don't know about this."
"Schlieffen!"
Ignoring her, Ronan yelled. Waiting Schlieffen swung. Crackle! Star's Blessing and Ronan's aura collided, vanishing together. Schlieffen's following blade aura struck the monster's chest dead-on.
-Kwajik!
"Eh?"
Yuria's eyes widened. Teranil tried to shout, but too late. Kwaaaa! A massive vortex swallowed the two figures.