Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 284
Chapter Title: Advance (2)
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"Come to think of it, I've got a question."
Ronan said. He had stood up carelessly, only to sit back down on the ice floor so cold it felt like it would peel the skin off his ass, waiting for the Haju ritual. The Savior, who had been gathering power, shrugged.
"Hm? What is it?"
"This guy. Who do you think killed him?"
Ronan's gaze had been fixed on the giant trapped in the ice. No matter how many times he looked, the sheer presence was overwhelming. The eight wings and a body comparable to a decent-sized dragon made it clear this giant was on a whole different level from the likes of Ahayute or Duaru.
"What's that out of the blue?"
"I mean... uh, hold on. This is fucking gross."
Ronan grimaced as he tried to continue. His stomach had been unsettled ever since drinking the giant's blood. It felt like his guts were doing a jig. His senses were gradually sharpening overall.
"It's weird, right? This thing looks like it could be the king of the baldies, but no way it got hurt just from crashing into the ground."
"That's true."
The Savior's eyes narrowed. Ronan certainly had a point. Most of the giant's body was buried in the ice, and since it had been sealed away in ancient times and forgotten, he hadn't considered it before. Ronan, raising his index finger, continued.
"And the wounds don't look like they came from a fall either. You don't get injuries like that without fighting something. And fucking intensely at that."
His finger pointed to the scars etched across the giant's body. The marks scattered evenly over its entire form lacked any consistency.
There were bites and stabs, even burns from fire. The fatal wound appeared to be the massive hole in its abdomen, the edges cleanly cut as if struck by the beams fired by the Dragon Lord.
"Did it get hurt coming from space? Or is there something protecting this planet?"
"Who knows... I've never thought about that before."
"That's strange."
Ronan smacked his lips. It wouldn't change anything to figure it out now, but it nagged at him oddly. Suddenly, incomprehensible experiences and phenomena he'd encountered so far flashed through his mind.
The massive barrier enveloping the planet with no apparent installer, or things like the 'Seniel' that the elf Sarante, turned to stone in the past, had mentioned. Even that bizarre entity lodged in his heart without his knowledge remained unidentified.
Of course, the most mysterious thing was something else entirely. Stroking his chin, Ronan posed another question.
"Hey, just to be sure, I'm asking..."
"Hm?"
"Is there any treasure that can turn back time?"
The Savior furrowed his brow. His expression suggested he was wondering what kind of stupid question this was. Scratching his chin, he shook his head.
"...I can't say for certain, but probably not. If something like that existed, I wouldn't have lived a life full of regrets like this."
"Fair enough."
Ronan twisted his lips. He'd thought someone like the Savior might know, but it was disappointing. Three years into his second life, he still didn't know the identity of the bead Adeshan had passed to him orally.
'It's all over anyway.'
At this point, with things progressed this far, it didn't matter. All he wished was that if there was a guardian deity protecting the planet, it would chase away all those damn baldies. Suddenly snapping his fingers as if remembering something, the Savior said,
"Oh, right. Once the Haju is finished, let's go somewhere."
"Go? Where?"
"The Red Desert. Been there?"
"Huh?"
Ronan raised an eyebrow. He knew the name. It housed one of the continent's premier demonic realms, Dainhar.
He'd gone there about three years ago with Schlieffen. The memory of slicing up Nebula Klazi, who had massacred the natives, was still vivid. Come to think of it, that place was covered in strange machinery just like here.
"I know it, but why there all of a sudden?"
"The best-preserved Dainhar Empire ruins are there. It'll help stop Abel's plan."
"Whoa."
Only then did Ronan realize that the empire that had sent humanity to the stars shared a name with the demonic realm. With preparations finally complete, the Savior let out a sigh.
"Phew... It's done. Ready to start?"
"Whenever. But you're making it sound like you're dragging it out because you're scared of me."
"Wasn't it? I thought that's why you were asking weird questions."
The Savior's lips curled up. Ronan couldn't help but chuckle at the unfamiliar playful smile. In the Savior's hands, spheres of sparkling mana churned so brightly it was hard to look directly at them.
"Will it hurt?"
"Immensely."
"Fuck, I knew it."
Letting out a deep sigh, Ronan looked forward again. No more conversation followed. The Savior placed a hand on Ronan's back.
"If you can't take it... uh, never mind. Just endure."
"Damn. If you can't even..."
Ronan, losing his composure, started to say something. The Savior thrust the mana sphere he had gathered into his back.
"......!"
Ronan's vision went white. It didn't take long to realize his father hadn't lied. A beastly roar echoed from deep within the star.
****
"Yes. Certain."
Adeshan nodded vigorously at Navardoje's question. Both women's gazes were fixed on the giant Basagia, its face split in half.
The giant's corpse lay alone in the middle of the battlefield, looking like a whale washed ashore on a beach. Zaifa, who had delivered the finishing blow, was still perched on its shoulder. Adeshan called to him.
"Zaifa."
Meeting her eyes, Zaifa nodded. Suddenly gripping his crescent blade in reverse grip, he plunged the blade into the giant's neck.
Squelch! Blue blood sprayed as flesh parted, but there was no reaction. Seeing this, Navardoje finally sighed in relief.
"Everyone fought hard."
Adeshan bowed deeply. The setting sun scattered summer light from the western sky. The allied forces, battle over, were busily recovering their fallen comrades' bodies.
Navardoje had returned about an hour after the giant Basagia's death. She came back with Rorhon, the Shadow Archduke, and Orse—the alliance's top forces.
"Please don't say that."
It was later than expected for an emergency, but no one blamed them. After all, the four had just finished off two other descending giants elsewhere.
"The second one was really close. We fought with Ronan's blood nearly depleted. We barely won."
Rorhon said. It was a battle so chaotic he never wanted to recall it again. He guaranteed it would take at least centuries for the site to recover its original form.
As proof of the fierce fight, the four looked even more disheveled and exhausted than before. Looking around, Orse muttered in surprise.
"Still, impressive. Hardly any dead."
It was genuine admiration. Hundreds had died and nearly a thousand wounded, but compared to the Adren massacre, casualties were negligible.
Everyone had fulfilled their roles perfectly. If singling out the greatest contributor, it would be Adeshan, who had taken command after the commander fell midway.
Using shadow mana efficiently, she issued orders and positioned troops optimally, minimizing losses. For a student on the verge of graduating Phileon Academy, not even an Imperial officer, it was miraculous—but she wasn't satisfied.
Innocent lives had still been lost. Biting her lower lip, Adeshan shook her head.
"...I could have saved more."
"So ambitious. Why are that kid's friends all like this?"
Orse let out a hollow laugh at her response. 'That kid' naturally referred to Ronan.
The mage Asel was the same—why were they all so excessively humble relative to their abilities? Suddenly, Schlieffen, returning after moving a fallen soldier's body, asked Navardoje.
"Speaking of which, what about Dreamoor? The giants descending means the sky front was breached, right?"
Navardoje explained. Since they couldn't be killed conventionally, the strategy was to conserve strength by letting them pass.
"Descend meaning..."
Navardoje smiled faintly. Adeshan did so. Soon after sending telepathic messages, the alliance's key figures gathered.
With all tents destroyed, the meeting was held right in the ruins. Navardoje spoke, surveying the attendees.
"...Pardon?"
【I've been thinking since hearing we found their base. These three battles confirmed it. We have no chance like