Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Vaidian Mountains (7)
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Brigia whipped her head toward Sarante's magic. Lamancha, having shredded the barrier, drew a sweeping arc. Slash! Brigia's head soared into the air.
"Ah?"
Brigia, belatedly sensing the anomaly, dropped her gaze. Her eyes caught the young punk gritting his teeth as he unleashed his sword strike, with Sarante clinging to his back.
Only then did Brigia realize she felt nothing below her neck. Suddenly, the world flipped, and the sky filled her vision.
The blessing of the stars?
She tried to say something, but no voice came. Darkness swallowed her sight, and that was the end.
Thud. Her head hit the ground and rolled away. The thorns trailing her dispersed like mist. Ronan let out a sigh of relief only after seeing her body topple forward.
"Fucking bitch..."
Fortunately, the severed head didn't speak, nor did tentacles sprout from the stump to reattach it. Her convulsing body, spurting blood, soon went limp. That's when Sarante, still on his back, vomited up a glob of dark red blood.
"Kuhk!"
"Damn it, you did great, Sarante. Just hang in there a bit longer."
"...Ronan."
"Don't you dare die."
Ronan hurriedly laid Sarante on the ground. The abdominal wound was still bleeding profusely. Intestines dangled from below his waist.
He knew this kind of injury well. It was the sort that bypassed field hospitals and went straight to the mass grave.
Dumping every potion he had into the wound did nothing. Ronan cupped his hand to his mouth and shouted.
"Sita!!"
His voice echoed through the thinning rain. Soon, a black shadow sliced through the darkness. Sita flapped its four wings and flew straight to Ronan.
"Pya!"
"Heal this person. Hurry."
Good thing the group hadn't left the mountains yet. Sita's feathers were sodden, heavy with rainwater.
Shaking itself off once, Sita cast healing magic on Sarante and Ronan.
"Pyaeeee!"
"Th-this is...?"
The wound on Ronan's shoulder healed in an instant. Sarante's bleeding stopped just as quickly. Color faintly returned to his face as he squinted at Sita.
"Such a wondrous talent... I've been curious since the beginning—what kind of creature are you...?"
"Damn it, that's what you're wondering right now?"
"I'm fine. Much better... If it's not too much trouble, could you take me to the statue of Seniel...?"
Ronan twisted his lips. Without a word, he scooped Sarante up and set him before Seniel's statue. Sarante smiled softly.
"What a fine man you are. I'm glad I could see you at the end..."
"Don't talk like you're dying. Once we get off the mountain, we can ride the ghost horse—just hold on till then."
"Of course... Still, what you've done is incredible. To think you'd take down Brigia..."
"Fuck, I still don't get it. What the hell was that bitch up to, and why'd she come after you?"
Brigia had been strong. Even accounting for her underdeveloped body, she was a formidable foe. If he'd fought her at this age in his previous life, he'd have lost for sure.
If Brigia hadn't been injured from her fight with Sarante, if she hadn't let her guard down overconfident in the blessing of the stars, even this victory wasn't guaranteed. Sarante looked at Brigia's head with pity and spoke.
"Brigia Remehayim... was one of the finest magic swordsmen I knew. She even served as the knight commander of Riksoda once. Enemy soldiers trembled at the mere whisper of her shadow..."
Sarante briefly explained Brigia's background and why she'd come for him. She wasn't the only old friend to betray them.
Ronan let out a hollow laugh upon hearing she was a branch chief of Nebula Klazie.
"Fuck, no wonder she was a cut above the idiots I've met so far."
"She broke her oaths and gained some strange power... From your question that first day, I suspected as much—you're fighting the church, aren't you...?"
Ronan nodded. Sarante shared what he knew about Nebula Klazie. Their core doctrines about starlight and such matched what Ronan already knew.
What surprised him was that Nebula Klazie had existed since his childhood. They'd scouted hidden powerhouses, recruiting or killing them to grow their forces.
"Countless assassins came... It's been quiet the last few decades, so I let my guard down. Never thought they'd send Brigia..."
"Humble, aren't you? That magic you used—wouldn't be surprised if the boss came personally."
"Kuhk, just an old man's parlor tricks... Speaking of, that barrier... how did you break it...?"
"No idea. It just felt like I could."
Ronan shook his head. Brigia's barrier was unmistakably akin to Ahayute's.
It was crude and immature by comparison, but it shared the trait of deflecting or nullifying most attacks.
And Ronan could ignore it. Brigia's words flashed in his mind.
-Even incomplete, it has this much power. No wonder the executives are desperate to advance.
"Fuck."
Ronan cursed. It wasn't hard to infer some members wielded diluted giant powers.
If true, it explained why old powerhouses were vanishing. Blessings like the stars defied common sense. Then Sarante coughed up more bloody phlegm.
"Kuhk!"
Blood splattered Ronan's pant leg—far too much. Only then did Ronan notice Sarante's complexion worsening. He knelt and grasped Sarante's hand.
"Damn it, Sarante."
"Kuh... Hahk... Looks like I don't have much time..."
"Pyaaat...!"
Sita kept casting healing magic. It was straining itself to the point of losing feathers, but the wound was too deep. Sarante turned his head, spat blood, and continued.
"Time is... short, hahk. Take my ring... Show it to the librarian at the Dawn Mage Tower... You'll get useful documents..."
"Documents?"
"About your... curse..."
Ronan's eyes widened. Sarante removed the ring from his left ring finger and offered it. The gem in the center emanated mana identical to his own.
"It'll be a long... hngh, grueling fight... Forgive me for not saying to give up... I believe Seniel resides in you for a reason..."
"What're you talking about? Seniel resides in me?"
"Exactly... that."
Sarante tremblingly raised his hand and poked Ronan's chest with his index finger.
"Right... here."
With that, Sarante began muttering in an unintelligible tongue. Mana from the surroundings rushed toward him. Ronan's eyes bulged.
"What are you doing?"
"Just need... a short rest..."
Suddenly, Ronan felt Sarante's hand hardening in his grip. The spilled intestines retracted into his body, and a rocky crust spread over the stump.
Sarante was literally turning to stone. Ronan unwittingly let go. His shrunken arm retracted into his torso as if waiting. The muttering ceased.
"Sarante?"
No answer. His open-mouthed expression was frozen. The petrification climbed from the stump to his neck.
Ronan gritted his teeth and looked skyward. Seconds later, when he looked down, a lone rock sat where Sarante had been. Crunch. Something in Ronan's mouth seemed to snap.
"Damn it..."
It was a beautiful rock. No gem could match the worn pebble's allure. Polished by eons, its surface gleamed softly white like a fish's belly.
The rain had stopped. A fine drizzle lingered, moistening the ruins. Soon, the moon peeked through the clouds. Watching moonlight trace the rock's grain, Ronan murmured softly.
"Got it. I'll do it."
Ronan picked up the rock. It was lighter than expected. Then a familiar voice called from behind.
"There he is. Hey!"
"What in the world... Ronan!"
"Whoa, take it slow...!"
Ronan turned. Asel, Marya, and Braum were sprinting over, drenched. Asel, mana depleted again, was slung over Braum's shoulder. Seeing their bloodied clothes, Ronan furrowed his brow.
"Told you not to come. What's with the blood?"
"Sorry. We ran into an ogre on the way—delayed us."
Braum bowed apologetically. Ronan's eyes widened.
"An ogre? And you won?"
"Yeah. Barely. Lucky it was already badly hurt."
"Damn, anyone injured?"
Ronan quickly checked them over. Exhausted, but no visible wounds. Marya, glancing around, spoke up.
"No one's here. What happened? Where's Sarante...?"
"This is Sarante."
Ronan nodded at the rock in his hand. Marya scowled deeply. As she opened her mouth, Ronan turned away.
"Hey, where you going?"
"Everyone, come dig a hole. Asel, how long till your mana recovers?"
"Uh, huh?"
"Lie somewhere comfy till it's back. Lots to do."
Ronan headed to Brigia's corpse. Marya, locking eyes with it, screamed.
"Kyaaah! What the hell?! That woman from before?!"
"Yeah. Total bitch."
"Wh-what happened? And what're you gonna do with that...?"
"Shut up and dig."
Ronan buried Brigia's body—a tribute to a worthy foe and Sarante's friend. The group cleared debris and salvaged Sarante's belongings underneath. Hearing the story, Asel sniffled.
"S-so... Sarante's dead...?"
"Who knows."
Ronan lit his pipe. Unlike Brigia, Sarante's body hadn't turned to stone permanently. Maybe he'd literally stoned himself to heal. Gazing at the glittering rock tied to his pack, Ronan said.
"Hope not."
By the time they finished, dawn was breaking. The cloudless sky shone pristine azure.
With debris cleared, only Seniel's statue stood tall. Ronan patted it once, then turned to his exhausted companions.
"Good work, everyone."
"You too."
"Unforgettable club activity..."
They nodded, encouraging each other. Wind shook raindrops from leaves onto their faces. Despite the night's chaos, the Vaidian Mountains stretched peacefully in the morning light.
The day after the club activity.
"Aaaah!!"
A scream echoed in Professor Baren Phanasir's office. In his hand was a paper titled [Club Activity Report].
With each line of Ronan's handwriting, Baren's mane bristled strand by strand.
"What's wrong, Baren? I submitted it as asked. We followed rules and timing perfectly."
Ronan sat brazenly, legs crossed, sipping tea. Baren clutched his mane and continued.
"Rules and timing aren't the issue! Is all this true? Unauthorized ghost horse rental, ogre subjugation, mass orc slaughter with siege weapons...!"
"Of course. I don't lie."
"Aaah... Aaaah!"
Baren collapsed onto the sofa, groaning in despair. Ronan was glad he'd omitted some details—like Sarante's petrification or decapitating a Nebula Klazie executive.
"Anyway, it's all true, so report it up top. I'll submit the next activity plan soon."
"N-next activity? You think that's possible?"
"Obviously. Already talked it over with Principal Kratir. Just sit back and read our fun adventure tales, Professor."
Baren was speechless. He still remembered the shock of the ghost horse rental bill.
Draining his third cup, Ronan stood and placed a bundle on the table.
"Gotta go. This is a gift—open it later."
"W-wait!"
"Class time. Thanks a ton, and thanks in advance, Baren!"
Ronan fled the office. Baren stared blankly at the door like a soldier who'd watched a comrade die.
-Pi?
Marfez, preening its feathers, pecked the bundle Ronan left. The loose knot unraveled, revealing exotic herbs and mushrooms. Baren's eyes bulged.
"This is...?"
The bundle brimmed with unfamiliar plants and fungi, each radiating extraordinary aura. Some roots still twitched, viable for planting.
Leaving Baren's office, Ronan headed to the club area, Nest. He pictured Marya buried in settlement work.
"She's in for it this time."
The haul from Vaidian Mountains was beyond imagination. After discussion, they'd sorted items to sell from those to keep. Ronan recalled Marya's estimated profits.
'Could buy a house for real.'
Time to bring Iril from Numbton. Lost in thought, he arrived at the tavern-like club building. Opening the door revealed a dusty interior.
"What, no one's here yet?"
Silence. Everyone must be catching up on backlog.
Maybe training? As he stepped forward, the stairs from the second floor creaked. Someone descended slowly. Seeing the boy after nearly a month, Ronan scowled.
"What're you doing here?"
"You're back. Ronan."
Still an annoying face. His unkempt ponytail had grown longer. Schlieffen eyed him sharply and spoke.
"Let's talk."