Chapter 396
Chapter 396
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 396
Chapter Title: 2-18. Great Counterattack (5)
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“...Moonlit platinum and adelite.”
“Huh?”
“Materials needed to draw the magic circle. There are a few more besides these.”
Abel muttered.
His voice, drained of strength, no longer boomed majestically.
I turned my head and saw Abel lying there with a sword plunged into his chest.
His limbs had already fully regenerated in the meantime.
“What, giving up?”
I was sitting on the edge of the cliff, taking a break.
The persuasion had dragged on so long that dusk had arrived before I knew it.
A vividly ripe orange sun was slowly melting into the horizon.
“I mean we should stop this pointless endeavor.”
His eyes, once blazing with malice, had cooled to the chill of an extinguished furnace.
I stood up and approached Abel.
This was a reaction I hadn’t seen before, so I felt a spark of anticipation.
Schluck!
Purple blood sprayed as I yanked out the sword.
“Ugh.”
Abel merely winced slightly, offering no resistance.
I held off on further persuasion and waited for his response.
He stared blankly at the sky like some loafer before finally speaking.
“Ronan, was it.”
“Yeah.”
“You... are truly strong.”
Abel staggered to his feet.
His own sword lay nearby on the ground, but he didn’t even glance at it, let alone pick it up.
It finally seemed like my words had gotten through to him sincerely.
Humans really are creatures that grow, after all.
I was reveling in the growth of my negotiating skills when...
“Cain was a fool.”
“...What?”
“That weak man’s methods were wrong.”
“I still despise the mortals of this world.”
“Creatures fated to die someday will eventually bring about their own destruction.”
“Hoo... fuck, looks like my persuasion wasn’t perfect after all.”
A vein bulged on my forehead.
I felt the back of my neck heating up.
Damn bastard—if you were gonna pull this, why act like you’d reformed?
I was about to draw my sword again for another fun round when...
“But I admit my own methods were wrong too.”
“What?”
“Neither of us had the right answer.”
“Relying on otherworldly forces, even for a moment, was a hasty judgment.”
“It might take longer, but we should have chosen our own path.”
“...Go on.”
I let go of the sword hilt.
It was clear something had shifted in his heart.
Abel continued, eyes fixed on Cain’s urn.
“I’ll cooperate with you. To take responsibility for my misguided choice, that’s the best way. I’ll reset everything to how it was and start over.”
“You crazy fuck. You’re brazenly saying you’ll play villain again. You think you’ll even be alive by then?”
“Of course.”
Abel nodded firmly.
I started to say something but stopped myself.
Pushing further here wouldn’t yield meaningful progress.
He was the type who only changed on his deathbed, even in the original world.
“Haa... fine. But if you pull any more bullshit even once, you won’t go easy. I’ll make today feel like child’s play.”
“I keep my word.”
“You’d better.”
I shook my head in exasperation.
This was our point of agreement.
Even if Abel betrayed us later, twisting into something worse, there was nothing to be done.
I’d just tear him to shreds and kill him.
Same if he pulled villainy after we succeeded.
“Alright. Wait a bit then. Let’s scatter the rest and head down.”
I picked up Cain’s urn.
It felt much lighter than before.
I’d been sprinkling it out during breaks, and now the bottom was nearly visible.
“Sprinkling it bit by bit feels like feeding crucian carp rice. Sorry about that.”
A bitter smile crossed my lips.
This was farewell to my parallel world father.
I was just about to scatter the last of the bone dust when...
I felt eyes on me and turned to see Abel staring intently.
“What, you wanna do it?”
No answer came.
Abel neither affirmed nor denied it.
What a tiring guy in every way.
I strode over and placed some bone dust in his hand.
“Do it gently. Like salting a gourmet dish.”
By now, half the sun had sunk into the sea.
Abel silently gripped the bone dust.
He slowly walked to the cliff’s edge.
His white hair, backlit by the sunset, stirred a sense of nostalgia.
My parallel world father and sister.
People I could never see again.
Finally, Abel extended his arm and opened his hand.
“Ah...”
The bones scattered into the wind.
A sigh—or perhaps admiration—escaped his lips.
Whoosh... A timely breeze tousled his bangs.
The white powder rising on the sea wind looked like my father ascending to the heavens.
I stood beside Abel, watching the scene, then tossed out a single line.
“Farewell.”
“...Foolish human.”
Suddenly, Abel gritted his teeth.
He glanced sideways, tears streaming down his face.
A single drop traced his weathered cheek, shimmering in sunset hues.
“...”
I pretended not to notice and looked ahead again.
The man beside me wasn’t the wicked cult leader of Nebula Klazie—just a brother missing his elder sibling.
At least in this moment.
The tear gathered at his chin and fell over the cliff.
Abel whispered so faintly only I could hear.
“I’ll take responsibility, brother.”
The next morning.
Deep within the resistance headquarters, repurposed from a seed vault.
I walked the corridor with the two archbishops flanking me.
“Ronan, come on, just tell us. Who’s this person we absolutely have to meet?”
Lertansie wheedled playfully.
Her lively demeanor suggested she was getting frisky right on schedule.
I waved her off like chasing a fly.
“There’s someone like that. Just follow quietly.”
“Tch, at least give a hint.”
Lertansie puffed her cheeks.
Her face glowed with health lately, confirming she was thriving.
It made sense, with the resistance’s harassment gone.
Strip away the Nebula Klazie label, and she was an incredibly powerful mage.
Plus, proactive to boot— the resistance, prioritizing ousting the giants, couldn’t hate her even if they tried.
I ignored her and glanced at the bulk on my left.
“You’re on a roll these days, Phantasion.”
“I’m merely exacting revenge.”
A heavy reply came back.
Phantasion walked with his head bowed to avoid scraping the ceiling with his horns.
His already massive frame seemed even more swollen.
The once scruffy, loofah-like fur now gleamed with luster.
This guy’s a real beast the more I look.
Like Lertansie, his condition had improved noticeably.
Gazing at the forearm exposed under his armor, it was hard to tell if this was heavy demolition equipment or a living creature.
Lertansie giggled.
“Hee hee, glad we kept him alive, right? He fights so well. He’ll break Orse’s record soon enough.”
“Seriously, you breaking it? You’re getting comfy lately—wanna starve a few days?”
“Eek!”
Smack!
I flicked her forehead, and she yelped.
At this point, she might actually enjoy it.
Truth be told, for all her bragging, Lertansie wasn’t wrong.
Archbishop Phantasion had risen as a holy threat rivaling Orse right after joining the resistance.
Wielding beastman superhuman strength to smash the bald faction, he evoked prime Zaifa.
Suddenly, Phantasion looked down at me.
“Thanks.”
“Huh? What’s that out of nowhere?”
“The weapon you gave me serves well.”
“Ah, that? It’s gotta be good.”
A massive double-headed axe was strapped to Phantasion’s back.
The 2-meter-diameter slab of iron was caked in the giants’ blue bloodstains.
He must’ve cleaved double digits, yet the blade showed no nicks.
I continued, eyeing the engraving on the axe haft.
“Picked it up from Gran Cappadocia. Some nice stuff buried there.”
“Gran Cappadocia... the place we destroyed?”
“What, you remember?”
“Yes... Eduon and Syrila oversaw it. They got my direct approval.”
Surprisingly, this deer remembered the tragedy in the capital’s underground.
Given how Gran Cappadocia was wrecked, he’d probably stamped it himself.
Silence fell.
Only our footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Phantasion muttered.
“...I regret it.”
“Obviously.”
“I’ll atone with the invaders’ blood. Not sure if it’ll suffice.”
Phantasion nodded gravely.
His solemn attitude drew a satisfied smile from me.
I’d been debating hiring him since he’d just joined, but he seemed more reliable than Lertansie.
After ten more minutes, we reached a massive iron door.
This conference room, requiring twelve security clearances, was one of the headquarters’ most secretive spots.
I punched in the keypad, beeps resounding.
Leaving the final password, I turned to the two.
“Alright, one thing first.”
“Huh? What?”
“Don’t get too excited. You might rage to the max, but no killing.”
“Huh? What do you... Fine, I get it. I don’t get mad easily anyway.”
Lertansie waved it off.
Phantasion said nothing.
With some anticipation, I entered the last code.
Beep-boop.
Mechanical clicks followed as the door swung open.
“The inside’s surprisingly normal... What?”
“Cult leader.”
The two froze upon scanning the room.
Behind the conference table stood a chillingly familiar man, arms crossed.
Abel smiled.
“Long time no see. Heard the gist— you look good.”
“...You’re alive.”
Phantasion clenched his fists.
Veins bulged over his beam-like forearms.
As Abel opened his mouth to reply...
Furious Lertansie unleashed a feral shriek.
“Abel! You filthy traitor!!”
No time to stop her.
She vaulted the table, finger thrust out.
Kaboom!
A telekinetic blob slammed into Abel like artillery.
His body flew back, crashing into the wall.
“You...!”
Lertansie’s eyes widened.
Against expectations, Abel hadn’t blocked or dodged.
He peeled from the wall, straightening his broken nose.
“Kuk... Your fiery temper’s unchanged. Feeling better?”
“Wh-what? You think one hit makes me forgive you...!”
Crack.
Something snapped in Lertansie’s mouth.
As she began another incantation...
Silent Phantasion grabbed her wrist.
“Wait, Lertansie.”
“Phantasion, let go!”
“Hear him out first. Killing can wait. The vibe’s different.”
“...Vibe?”
Lertansie frowned.
Now that she mentioned it, it did feel off.
Softer, maybe?
The murderous aura that once subdued followers had mellowed.
Abel scanned their faces and spoke.
“Not bad. So it’s just us four?”
“Probably. Orse might join.”
“Orse—the demon dragon? Handy with a winged one.”
Abel nodded.
I agreed.
A teleporting dragon would boost mobility immensely.
Though it’d require reallocating resistance personnel.
As Abel and I discussed strategy...
“Wait, Ronan. What’s going on here?”
“Ah, I didn’t mention.”
Forgetting the whole point of bringing them here—my bad.
I turned to the two archbishops with a smile.
“You two. You’re coming with us to the bald world.”
“...Pardon?”
“The giants’ home base. Takes three days to execute, so eat whatever you crave till you burst. No regrets if things go south.”
“...”
Lertansie froze solid.
Her eyes didn’t even blink—like a statue.
Phantasion listened calmly.
“We can’t just tussle forever. This time, we end it all.”