Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Where the Sky Thins (1)
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Navardoje snapped her fingers, and flames swallowed the two of them. Ronan's vision went black, and the nauseating sensation unique to spatial magic washed over him.
'This is something I'll never get used to.'
It felt like his guts were being stuffed into a sack and swung around. Before long, light returned to his eyes. Puffy cumulus clouds drifted lazily before him. Ronan's eyes widened.
"Ah?"
There was nothing beneath his feet where the ground should have been. It didn't take long for him to realize his body was floating in midair.
"Damn it, what the hell?!"
He gasped and spat out a curse. His body immediately began plummeting downward. He frantically looked around and spotted Navardoje falling right beside him. She turned to him and said,
"Ah, I forgot to explain. It's a bit far to go in one jump. Spatial transfers have a range limit, you see."
"Got it, so can you do something about this? Honestly, I'm scared to death right now."
Ronan desperately maintained his composure as he spoke. Navardoje's face was infuriatingly calm. If she weren't a dragon he needed to stay on good terms with, he would've unleashed a torrent of curses or screamed like a little girl. Suddenly, she extended her arm and grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward her.
"Navardoje...?"
"Don't be so scared, child. Who do you think you're with?"
She smiled with her eyes and gently embraced him. Ronan was at a loss for words at the way she handled him like a baby. Even though he was much taller, it felt like being cradled by a giant.
'Holy shit.'
Not even a crude joke came to mind. If he had to sum up his impressions of being held by the Mother of Flames in two short lines: a dragon's body temperature was far hotter than a human's, and Itargand was absolutely someone who deserved to be beaten to death.
Yeah, long-distance spatial jumps aren't so bad after all. He was thinking such nonsense when—whoosh! Flames erupted once more, engulfing them both.
Unfortunately, the journey didn't last long. They arrived at their destination after seven spatial jumps in total. Ronan raised an eyebrow at the sight of the grand fortress towering before him.
"A castle...?"
"Yes. Dreemure Fortress. Our forward base."
"Where the hell are we right now?"
Ronan asked in a dazed voice. Having lived two lives and seen all sorts of wonders, even he couldn't hide his bewilderment this time. He could understand why they called it the place where the sky thinned.
The fortress was built right in the middle of the sky. It gave off a vibe similar to Rodolan's aerial prison, but it dwarfed that place in every way imaginable.
For starters, the sky here wasn't the ordinary sky people pictured. Far above the heights invisible to the naked eye from the ground stretched the sky beyond the sky, one he'd only heard of in tales.
'There are... this many stars?'
It was on another level from what he saw on the ground. Even though it wasn't night, the pitch-black heavens blazed with countless stars, lighting up the void.
Ronan looked down toward the cliff's edge. Far, far below, the continent where he was born and raised stood firm. It was hard to believe that everything he'd ever experienced fit inside that blotch of land.
A slight tilt of his head revealed the gentle curve of the horizon. Ronan easily deduced that arc marked the edge of the planet he'd lived on.
As they walked along the main road toward the fortress, Ronan gawked around like a child on his first stroll. Navardoje chuckled.
"It's fascinating, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Honestly, it feels like a dream. And this fortress doesn't look like your average building either."
The materials forming the outer walls were anything but ordinary. Mithril was the most common building material in the blue-tinged Dreemure Fortress. Orichalcum and Dazzum Stone—rarer precious metals—were scattered about plentifully. All were specialized in deflecting physical and magical damage.
'Damn, did they scrape everything together to build this and drive up the prices?'
If they got serious about defense, not even the entire Imperial Army could breach it. As Ronan examined the fortress, he spoke up.
"This wasn't built to fight humans."
"Correct. Sharp eyes."
"What the hell do you fight that requires a fortress like this?"
"You'll see soon enough. That's why we're here—to drive them out."
Navardoje arrived at the gates and gestured lightly. The meteor-proof doors parted smoothly. Ronan tilted his head at the fortress interior unfolding before him.
"Smaller than I expected?"
"It's built purely for durability. We can talk about your father after this is over, alright?"
"Sure. As long as I get to hear it today."
The walls and ceiling were so thick that the interior felt narrower than anticipated. Of course, it was only narrow compared to the exterior—it was spacious enough for an unpolymorphed Itargand to roam.
There was hardly any decoration, giving it a somewhat drab feel. But since it was built for war, that hardly mattered.
As the two walked side by side down the corridor and rounded a corner, a hulking giant a head taller than Ronan popped out. He was a rugged man with a mustache connected to his sideburns that looked rather dashing. Spotting Navardoje, he stopped in his tracks.
"You're here, Navardoje. A bit late."
"Had some business. The situation?"
"Under control for now, but they'll swarm again soon. We'll need you to step in."
"Got it. The 'passage' isn't damaged, is it?"
"That's what I was guarding. That's why I'm banged up. Damn it."
The man grumbled and showed the gash on his forearm. A bit of blood oozed out, but it was barely worth calling a scratch. He suddenly looked down at Ronan and smacked his lips.
"So, is this a snack you brought for a hungry me?"
Before Ronan could respond, Navardoje's voice deepened. Taklamakan shrugged. A forced smile crept onto his lips to defuse the situation.
"Haha... why so serious? It's been ages since I saw a mortal, so I couldn't resist a little tease."
"Later."
"Right, right... later. And you, tasty-looking human—keep your wits about you and don't die."
The man patted Ronan's shoulder and brushed past. Guessing his identity wasn't hard. Ronan said,
"A dragon, right?"
"Yes. He may not look it, but he's a fairly famous Earth Dragon. A thousand years ago, there weren't many who didn't know his name. He's the one who wiped out the Galasia Kingdom overnight."
"Not easy."
Ronan shook his head. It was ancient history not even in the books, but the word "annihilated" spoke volumes of his prowess.
Along the corridor, they encountered a few more figures. All were immortal races like elves or dragons. A woman with sky-blue hair bowed to her in greeting.
"Ah, you've arrived, Lady Navardoje. Sorry for bothering you so much."
"No matter. Who's on the front line now?"
"Brunihar and Iraniel Remation."
"Good pairing. Get some rest."
Most greeted Navardoje respectfully. Even the sleazy Taklamakan had quailed, confirming she stood head and shoulders above the elite immortals.
Soon, they reached another gate. Navardoje flung it open and pointed ahead.
"Here we are."
"This is..."
Ronan's mind went blank for a moment. The sight surpassed his wildest imaginings. The sea of stars he'd only gazed up at now spread before him.
There was no clear boundary between sky and earth. He'd seen something like this once before—the night landscape of a salt desert after rain, where sand was replaced by crystals.
About three hundred paces ahead hung a translucent curtain stretching endlessly in all directions. It seemed to be some kind of barrier.
Right in its center was a hole like a rock shattered by impact. Roughly ten meters in diameter, that had to be the "passage" Navardoje mentioned. Ronan stared at the starry cluster glowing beneath his feet and spoke.
"This isn't just a cliff, is it?"
"It's the material making it look that way. The ground continues beyond the barrier, so step forward without worry."
Ronan did. Sure enough, solid ground was there. It felt sturdy enough to jump around on without issue. Navardoje, glancing sideways, looked like she was walking on air. She said,
"They come straight ahead, from beyond that curtain we're seeing now. It used to be positioned to block them pouring from above, but Rorhon restructured the space. This setup's much better."
"Rorhon? The Rorhon I know?"
"Yes. Didn't I mention? He's part of our front line. The only mortal among us."
Ronan's eyes widened. This was unexpected intel. Then, voices of a man and woman conversing drifted from nearby.
"Pathetic. Relying on Mother should have its limits."
"No choice. It takes too long if we handle it ourselves."
"Why don't you go convince Orse? No potential, but that kid could be a big asset."
"Ha, it'd be faster to make you breathe hotter flames than Navardoje. You think Orse listens to anyone?"
Ronan turned toward the voices. A red dragon and an elf man of indeterminate age were talking. The elf spotted Navardoje and bowed.
"Ah, Lady Navardoje. You've come."
"Mother."
The dragon beside him bowed too. Hearing "mother," Ronan raised an eyebrow. No wonder the scales matched—family.
Smaller than her but still twice Itargand's size, he seemed fairly ancient. Navardoje said,
"Brunihar. How long since you repelled them?"
"A bit under thirty minutes."
"They'll be back soon. Good work."
Navardoje gently stroked the dragon's snout. Unable to hold back his curiosity, Ronan asked her,
"So, uh, what exactly are these 'guys' you've been talking about?"
"Beings from the sky beyond the sky. They vary in form, but they all share the same goal... the most loathsome scum in the world."
"Goal?"
"Yes. The world we live in..."
Navardoje was about to continue when her horns began glowing red again. Brunihar and the elf's eyes widened simultaneously.
"Right on time."
Navardoje gave a wry smile. A chill like ice water poured into his guts swept over Ronan. He'd felt something like this only once before.
'This is...!'
All four heads snapped in the same direction. While the other three remained relatively calm, Ronan froze in place. Navardoje pointed beyond the curtain with her index finger.
"Look closely, child. That's the true enemy your father taught you to fight."
"True... enemy."
Ronan muttered like a man entranced. Hundreds of pitch-black blobs swarmed toward the curtain. Crawling, running, flying, swimming—their grotesque forms were unlike anything from the surface world.
Like rotting, bloated meat chunks with tentacles and mouths slapped on. Iraniel grimaced.
"Ugh. Tough hides on those. We had to call you anyway, Lady Navardoje."
"Seems so. I'll help, Mother."
"No need. Protect the child; I'll be right back."
Navardoje waved them off and stepped forward. At her gesture, the barrier blocking the passage vanished. Now Brunihar looked down at Ronan.
"Speaking of, what are you, human? What's your deal with Mother?"
"I've been wondering too. Doesn't seem like a mage like Rorhon."
Ronan didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on Navardoje's back. As she exited the passage, the barrier reformed.
'Is she gonna be okay?'
He knew she was strong better than anyone, but seeing her head out alone against that horde made him anxious. Against the monster swarm blotting out his view, her polymorphed form looked as fragile as a candle in the wind.
"...Rude human. Scared?"
"Can't blame him for that sight."
"Eh, we'll keep you safe, so stick close and don't do anything stupid. Mortals can't even scratch these things."
Brunihar spoke arrogantly. Ronan shot her a glare.
"Can't even scratch them?"
"Oh, you can talk."
"Yes, that's their common trait. Precisely, no mortal powerhouse can really harm them. They have a protective barrier fundamentally incompatible with mana."
Iraniel explained instead. The words "incompatible barrier" echoed in Ronan's mind. Like the Star's Blessing those baldies used? As he pondered, Navardoje finally acted.
-Kyaaaaack!
Her voice boomed majestically. The oncoming monsters screeched in unison. Ronan's brow furrowed. He'd expected them to be silent, but their cries shook the heavens.
The gap between Navardoje and the monsters was now less than two hundred paces. She quietly raised her right arm. Mana currents in the area gathered around her palm. Iraniel said,
"Better cover your eyes."
"Huh?"
He was already shielding his own with his palms. As Ronan opened his mouth—flash! Crimson light burst forth, and flames erupted from Navardoje's palm. Kwaaaa! A scarlet torrent engulfed the monsters.
-Kyaaaaack!
-Kieek! Keeeek!
Grotesque death cries echoed. Most turned to ash on the spot, but a few larger ones writhed, slowly burning like fish pulled from boiling water.
Ronan understood why the elf had warned him. Heat and blinding light seeped through the barrier, impossible to face head-on.
Navardoje slowly turned, incinerating the horde. Her radial flames formed a crimson wall matching the curtain's span. Brunihar burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! That's my mother! That much even in human form!"
"The fire's weaker than usual today. Must be fatigue from this morning."
Ronan let out a hollow chuckle at Iraniel's words. This was her weakened state? As the fiery curtain began to fade, a faint cracking sound came from one corner of the barrier.
"Hm?"
Ronan whipped his head around. No one else seemed to notice. Squinting toward the source, he saw a needle-thin, pointed monster charging straight at them.
"What the fu—!"
Ronan gasped. It was insanely fast. Burning in Navardoje's flames, its body streaked like a red meteor. The monster belatedly shrieked in agony.
-Kiaaaack!
"What?!"
Only then did the other two turn. But the monster was already upon Brunihar. Ronan kicked off the ground and leaped. Screw the no-damage talk—that wasn't his problem now.
"Damn it...!"
Too late. Sensing the danger, Brunihar gritted her teeth. The helical monster's body thrust toward her throat. Ronan arrived just in time and swung his sword. Slash! A white line slashed across the flaming meat chunk.
"...Huh?"
Brunihar's eyes widened. Ronan landed and flicked the blood from his blade. The bisected monster carcass hit the ground.