Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Immortal Legion (3)
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The top of the altar.
The flat upper space was as vast as a grand hall.
At its center was a magic circle drawn in geometric patterns.
The Fake Crown Prince, dressed in black priestly robes adorned extravagantly with golden embroidery, walked toward it.
"Kkiing."
Was it sensing something ominous?
Ness, who had come along, let out a pained whine. Iriel stroked Ness's mane to soothe the wolf.
"Tch."
Halent clicked his tongue at the sight.
He disapproved of the Fake Crown Prince's habit of always bringing the wolf.
But even he couldn't forbid that much.
Even when Halent wasn't around, the Crown Prince came here to perform the ritual. He'd grown accustomed to bringing it each time, and without it, he couldn't find peace of mind.
If nothing else, for the sake of the ritual, he had no choice but to allow it.
Soon, their long wait would bear fruit.
The Crown Prince entered the center of the magic circle and sat down, pressing his left hand—engraved with strange runes—onto the circle drawn at the core.
Wuuung.
His sleeve fluttered as his left arm brimmed with black aura.
At the same time, red light began to emanate from the magic circle, which had been outlined in black lines.
Guooooo.
"Krgh."
The Fake Crown Prince grimaced in pain, swallowing a groan.
Iriel could feel the immense mana surging from the magic circle into the Crown Prince's palm.
"We've finally reached the final stage."
Halent's lips curled upward slightly.
Iriel gazed at the Crown Prince's back with a worried expression.
How much time passed like that?
Urgent footsteps echoed atop the altar.
Tadadak.
Turning toward the sound, they saw a knight with a flustered look. At Halent's nod, he got straight to the point.
"The ones who came yesterday are back."
At the knight's words, Iriel turned her gaze afar.
Dust clouds were rising in the distance. Seeing them, Iriel smiled faintly.
Genesis had come.
"They've come after all."
He had infused mana into an artifact capable of activating security magic, but it couldn't target them. Even after recharging the mana spent yesterday, it was the same.
'The work of the Umpa Umpa Tribe.'
It seemed they had encountered them.
Halent ordered the knight.
"Take the Ariat Knight Order and go."
* * *
Kwaaang!
I bulldozed through everything blocking my path.
"Not too late, I hope."
Nederman said, looking ahead.
As he said, an ominous energy was amplifying from the altar's lofty peak.
Black thunderclouds swirled in a spiral high above, slowly rotating, and though it was daytime, thick darkness like night had settled over the surroundings.
The ritual was reaching its climax.
"Halt."
Knights blocked our way.
They exuded a pressure that crushed the surrounding space.
Their numbers had increased from yesterday, nearing a hundred.
They seemed to be the ones nominally protecting the Crown Prince but actually surveilling him.
To station this many troops on an island whose existence wasn't even revealed.
What a thorough bastard.
"I'll handle them."
I said.
Nederman had already retreated some distance with Allen.
I glared at the cheeky bastard.
He grinned and gave me a thumbs-up.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
That sly fox.
I twitched my eyebrow once and turned to those blocking the front.
Not quite Special Task Force level, but still considerable experts.
Their leader spoke with a cold expression.
"To face us alone—arrogance knows no bounds."
I wasn't wearing the white lion mask right now.
My youthful face seemed to irritate them further.
They must have overheard yesterday's conversation, so they knew I was the white lion, but from their tone, they didn't know my full strength.
Halent had probably thrown them in just to buy time.
I worried for the enemies who were letting their guard down, as always.
"You'll need to go all out from the start."
Gripping the hilt, the Thundercloud Sword wrapped snugly around my hand.
"Such impudence!"
Provoked further by my words, they charged with fierce glares. I met them head-on.
Kwaaang!
"That monster."
Nederman clicked his tongue, watching the dust clouds rise with the roar from afar. Seeing that outrageous sword strike, he couldn't help but think how fortunate it was that the guy was on their side.
"This way!"
Allen gestured.
Having left the enemies to Genesis, the two were sprinting straight toward the altar.
Thanks to the Umpa Umpa Tribe, they knew the altar's structure. Instead of heading to the upper part where the ritual was underway, they reached an entrance leading inside the altar.
To reach the heart where they could stop the ritual.
"H-Halt!"
The guards who spotted them shouted in panic.
They hadn't expected anyone to come this way—only two of them.
"As if that would stop us."
Leaving a hazy afterimage, Nederman's form appeared behind them.
At the same time, the guards collapsed, spurting blood.
Having dispatched the enemies in an instant, Nederman and Allen easily opened the entrance and entered the altar's interior.
"Wow."
The moment they crossed the threshold, Allen gasped in admiration.
A vast, open space stretched out endlessly. The ceiling and width were so high and broad that the lanterns placed intermittently couldn't illuminate everything—parts remained shrouded in darkness.
Guooooo.
From deep within the enormous space came a wailing wind sound. The massive mana waves made the hairs on their skin stand on end.
At the end of this path lay the altar's heart.
"Let's go."
"Yep."
Allen gripped the vial containing the Immortal Grass tightly and nodded resolutely.
The two dashed through the darkness-shrouded space.
There seemed to be no guards inside the altar.
Moments later, a large door appeared before them.
In front of it sat a man with his sword leaning nearby, eyes closed.
Nederman and Allen stopped at a distance from him.
Even sitting, his blade-sharp aura sharpened the air in the space.
"Hoh, not bad."
Nederman admired briefly upon seeing him.
He could tell without clashing swords that the man was a considerable powerhouse.
Not someone they could pass easily.
The man slowly opened his eyes.
His intense gaze fixed on Nederman.
"You're the dragon hunter."
"Do you know me? What an honor. But here's the thing—I'm a bit busy right now, so no time for chit-chat. How about you keep napping a little longer? I'll be back soon after handling my business."
"Long tongue."
Nederman laughed heartily, affirming it.
"I do love a good wordplay. Unlike me, you seem awfully taciturn. How boring would life be without it? If you want, I could teach you how to loosen that tongue."
Unfazed by Nederman's banter, the man rose, drawing his sword.
At the same time, chilling light filled his bronze pupils, and thick killing intent exploded forth.
Allen nearly buckled at the knees from that eerie, raw aura.
It felt like facing a wild predator.
Just the aura alone carried killing intent so ferocious it felt like death was imminent.
"A battlefield veteran."
Nederman twisted his lips against the savage aura. It was the kind only someone who had slain countless humans could possess.
"No wonder you reek of stray dog."
"I'll head ahead first."
Allen whispered quietly and slipped to the side. He meant to proceed alone while Nederman handled the man.
"You sure?"
Nederman asked.
He was mountain-sized but frail.
Dangerous alone.
"Time's pressing."
At Allen's resolve, Nederman nodded. The guards hadn't anticipated them here, so security was lax, and the man knew his own skill well enough not to overreach.
Nederman said.
"Don't push yourself."
"Got it. You can take him, right?"
"Of course."
"I'll wait ahead."
Allen said.
From the energy and situation outside, they had no time to waste.
He couldn't just stand by twiddling thumbs.
With a guy like this guarding the door, the defenses beyond might be lax.
He was confident handling whatever lay beyond if they were at the level of the front gate guards.
"How about I let this one pass and we have a proper go?"
At Nederman's words, the man stepped aside readily.
He lacked confidence handling Nederman while minding the other.
"A bit farther..."
Allen mumbled timidly.
Even as an enemy, the man's menacing aura drew out polite speech.
The man shook his head and moved farther away.
Thumbs-up to Nederman, Allen vanished beyond the massive door.
Nederman, glancing anxiously at the door, turned to the man.
The man said.
"You're said to be the strongest in the independence army."
At the question, Nederman thought of Genesis first but soon smirked.
"Well, among humans, maybe."
That guy's a monster. Excluding him, Nederman was confident in claiming strongest.
"Behold Francia's sword."
At the man's words, Nederman gripped his hilt tightly.
The killing intent pressing on his entire body was exquisite.
How many had he slain?
The two eyed each other sharply, gauging distance.
The auras from the two powerhouses made the surrounding air roil violently.
Nederman ground his teeth, assessing the enemy's strength.
'Definitely not easy.'
Meanwhile, Allen stealthily advanced through the spacious area beyond the door.
How far had he gone?
Another door appeared.
Allen carefully opened it without a sound, face scrunched in effort.
As the door creaked open slightly, blue light flickered through the narrow gap.
Allen peered inside through the slit-thin opening.
A vast space like a grand hall.
Soldiers on the far side shoveled mana stones into a massive brazier, stoking blue flames. Above it stretched a chimney-like pillar, long and straight.
Likely supplying mana all the way to the altar's summit.
"Kehehehelhel! Finally, the long ritual nears its end!"
Allen jolted at the familiar voice, shifting his gaze sideways.
Dr. Jurha, who had supposedly left the island, was there.
The man suddenly whipped his head toward the entrance.
Their eyes met through the narrow gap, and Allen's heart sank.
"A rat snuck in, huh. Kklklkl."
Damn it.
Allen bit his lower lip hard.
The enemy was a mage.
Running with his back exposed in this wide space was no good.
No choice but to advance.
Kkiiik.
Allen flung open the large door and stepped inside.
Guoo.
At the same time, mana flow from his dantian began swirling through his body.
A faint gust rose around him, and a blade-sharp aura bloomed centered on him.
His presence swelled in an instant.
All thanks to the Bluff Divine Art.
Allen halted, maintaining a relaxed demeanor. Jurha's face hardened at the sight.
"...Not a rat after all."
Jurha was a mage, not a knight.
Plenty of room for his aura to mislead about his power.
Meaning the Bluff Divine Art would work perfectly.
But no time to let his guard down.
He hadn't escaped danger yet.
What came next was even more crucial.
Allen inwardly cheered but spoke gravely.
"Long time no see."
"Kklklkl. Have we met?"
Jurha chuckled.
Allen added coldly.
"I have. Twice, and both times I killed you. How are you still alive?"
"You killed me twice?"
Jurha's face twisted savagely.
A powerhouse who claimed to have killed him twice, with such confident bearing—he pieced it together instantly.
He knew the white lion had come to the island.
Jurha's pupils trembled.
"Then surely you...?"
"Yeah."
A voice as cold as North Sea ice flowed from Allen's lips.
"I'm the white lion."