Chapter 602: North Sea (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 602: North Sea (4)
A pitch-black sky and a blizzard that swallowed the horizon.
Amidst the blinding snow, countless figures moved like ghosts across the frozen earth.
The man leading the group muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper against the wind.
“We’ll be there soon.”
He didn’t break his stride. His gaze remained fixed dead ahead, even though the raging storm made it impossible to see more than a few feet.
The man couldn't shake the image of what he had seen moments ago.
‘I saw a light.’
Between the swirling snow and the midnight sky, something had flashed with a conspicuous, piercing radiance.
What was happening?
The man heightened his senses, scanning the path ahead with predatory focus.
Nothing.
It was as if the light had never existed.
But he did not let his guard down.
‘I’ve lost contact with the ambush party.’
The unit waiting in the valley had gone silent. That alone was enough to keep his nerves frayed.
Could it be?
‘Did they fail?’
He had been informed that the General pursuing the escaped White Fox had also headed for the valley. The plan was simple: corner the White Fox there and join forces with the ambush party to secure the capture.
And yet…
‘They failed to hunt a single fox?’
Did that mean the critically wounded White Fox had slaughtered the General and the entire ambush party before escaping?
It was unthinkable.
‘Something happened.’
That was the only logical conclusion.
After all the effort spent cornering the White Fox, if they had truly failed, how would their superiors react?
‘Tsk….’
The man clicked his tongue, a chill running down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather. He could only hope his assumptions were wrong.
‘It would be better if the Palace Lord's warriors were the ones in the valley.’
If that were the case, he could capture them and at least offer some kind of excuse to his masters.
As he organized his thoughts, the man glanced back over his shoulder.
“Everyone, stay alert. We don’t know what—”
“Ca—Captain!”
One of the warriors following him cried out, his voice trembling with terror.
“O-over there—!”
He pointed into the distance, his face pale with alarm.
The moment the captain turned back around…
“What are you talking about all of a sud—huh?”
The man looked up, his own expression freezing into a mask of shock.
Something was ascending high into the sky in the distance.
Was it what he had seen earlier?
The man narrowed his eyes, staring intensely into the air.
Then, he realized.
‘No. That’s not what I saw before.’
The light that had briefly flickered earlier was nothing compared to this. This was fiercer, burning with a far more brilliant, violent radiance.
‘What is that?’
What in the world could it be? How could anything shine so brilliantly in this wasteland?
And more importantly…
‘Why….’
Why was he feeling such a bone-chilling dread?
He was merely looking at it, yet cold sweat began to trickle down his back.
Just as the man was reeling from this inexplicable terror…
“…!”
His eyes grew as wide as saucers.
Was he seeing things?
The thought crossed his mind for a fleeting second, but…
‘It’s no mistake.’
The light burning brilliantly in the sky…
‘It’s getting bigger.’
It was expanding.
At the same time, an unfamiliar sensation brushed against his cheek.
“…Hot…?”
The wind was hot.
It was a sensation that should have been impossible in the frozen climate of the North Sea.
Was it because of that light?
The man skidded to a halt and threw his hand up.
“Halt!”
At his command, the warriors stopped in their tracks.
He felt uneasy. Extremely uneasy.
That blue light. Just looking at it filled him with an overwhelming sense of doom. What was it? What could possibly inspire such primal terror?
For a moment, curiosity stirred within him—the natural human urge to understand the unknown.
But…
“…Warriors, listen to me.”
As if that curiosity meant nothing…
“We are retreating. Immediately!”
Fear had consumed his every thought.
“Turn around now and return to the main—!”
Just as he was about to declare a full retreat, the light in the distance changed.
The orb, which had been slowly expanding, stopped growing and began to move.
The man froze like a statue. For some reason, he felt as if the flame was searching for something.
Was it hunting?
‘Don’t tell me.’
A horrific premonition shot through him.
And, as if to confirm his worst fears, the light floating in the air stopped moving.
This time, it wasn't a guess. It was a certainty.
The light was looking directly at him.
Then.
“…!?”
A deafening roar erupted from the light as it lunged toward them.
It was coming fast. Too fast.
“Now…! Run—!”
The man screamed, but the warning was useless.
The light, traveling at an incredible speed, crashed directly into the center of their formation.
Fwoosh—!
KRA-BOOOOM—!!
A tremendous shockwave swept over the snowfield.
“Aaargh!”
The warriors screamed as the impact hit. A blast of superheated wind tore through them, and those caught in the initial gale were flung into the air like ragdolls.
“Grh…!”
The captain, who had barely managed to hold his ground, let out a pained groan. The heat mixed into the wind felt like it was scorching the skin right off his bones.
If he was in this state, what had happened to his men?
‘Dammit.’
The thought flashed through his mind, but he had no time to worry about others.
Through the shimmering heat, his eyes caught sight of something.
It was the center of the impact zone.
A deep crater had been carved into the earth. The thick layers of permafrost had vanished, melted away to reveal the raw ground beneath.
And there, in the center…
Something was burning fiercely.
As the man watched with wary, trembling eyes…
“What…?”
His jaw dropped as he identified the light’s true nature.
It wasn't just a flame.
Incredibly…
‘A person…?’
It was the silhouette of a man.
The figure was slowly rising to his feet, flames coiling and blazing around him like living serpents.
What kind of monster was this?
As bewilderment filled the captain’s eyes, the gaze of the burning figure turned toward him.
Even through the shroud of blue flames, the eyes were clearly visible.
Azure eyes with vertical, slit-like pupils.
Shudder!
A violent chill ran down the man’s spine the moment their eyes met.
Just then.
Flicker.
The flames the man was watching exploded outward and vanished.
“It’s gone…?”
The man started to speak, but…
“Gack.”
A single, choked sound came from right beside him.
He jerked his head toward the noise.
What he saw was a spray of hot blood, and…
Crr-unch!
The head of his subordinate being ripped clean from his body, neck and all, by a bare hand.
The captain tried to spin away, but…
Whoosh!
All he saw was a palm rushing toward his face.
WHAM!
“Guhp!”
A hand clamped roughly over the man’s mouth.
Fwoosh!
An impossible heat emanated from that palm.
“Mmmph!”
The man tried to scream, to beg, but with his mouth sealed, no words could escape.
Immediately after.
KRA-BOOOOOOOOM—!!!!
A massive burst of flame erupted from the hand, swallowing the man’s body whole.
* * *
For some reason, my ears are muffled.
It feels like they’re full of water. Or like they’ve been stuffed with thick cotton.
It’s frustrating. Annoying.
That’s how it feels.
And yet, it isn't completely silent.
[Aaargh!]
[Help… me!]
Strange sounds filter into my ears. Screaming. Crying.
It’s an unpleasant noise. It would be better if it were quiet.
‘What a disgusting sound.’
How can they be so repulsive? The voices of these insignificant creatures are grating to the soul.
As that thought occurs to me, my hands move on their own.
I grab something.
A neck?
I tear it off.
[Gurgle—!]
Crunch!
[P-please, spare me…!!]
Fwoosh!
If there is a noisy one wailing, I cover its mouth and burn it.
A stench brushes past my nose. The smell of charring meat fills the air. Even the smell of these disgusting creatures burning is vile.
The thought angers me.
A maddening, white-hot rage wells up inside.
Why? Why am I so angry?
I can’t remember. All I know is that I need to release this fury.
[Guwaaaah!]
As I grab and dispose of another insignificant creature, I realize the source of my anger.
‘Ah. I see.’
Insignificant, filthy beings. Inferior, lowly wretches abandoned by the heavens.
The mere fact that I am breathing the same air, standing in the same place as such creatures…
That must be why I’m so angry. Yes, that must be it.
I can’t bear it.
Fwoosh!
My rage manifests as flames and spreads outward. I burn everything I can reach.
[Gyaaaaah!!]
I must erase them all. So that I no longer have to see them.
I have to clean them all up. Make everything pristine again.
That is what I must do. I am certain of it.
‘Where? Where are the rest?’
I look around. The white snowfield is marred by the marks of burning and tearing.
It isn't enough.
‘Still. More.’
To quell this anger, I need to clean more. I’ll kill every insignificant creature in this world. Only then will this anger subside.
Crunch!
I turn my head at the sound. In the distance, one of them is running away.
I take a single step.
That is enough to reach it.
[Guhk.]
I grab the creature by the neck. Its eyes are filled with terror and desperation.
[P-please… please spare me…!! I’ll do, I’ll do anything—!!]
The droning sound is deafening.
[Sob… guhhh….]
It’s crying. I don’t want to hear it anymore. Just listening to it makes me feel like my ears are rotting.
I am about to tear this one apart as well, when…
Tap.
I feel a touch on my wrist.
I shift my gaze and see someone holding me.
“That’s enough.”
It is another insignificant creature. Unlike the others, this one has an indifferent gaze and a strange aura.
But that doesn't matter.
“I don’t know what has you so worked up, but shouldn’t you at least leave one alive?”
An insignificant creature has no right to stop me.
“You’re not even in good shape. What do you think you’re doing, expending all your energy like this….”
“Let go.”
“Hm?”
The creature pauses. Its face clearly shows it thinks it misheard me.
As expected of an inferior being. It cannot comprehend the words of a vastly superior species like myself.
“…What did you just….”
“I said, let go. You insignificant mongrel.”
“...”
After I speak, a strange sense of wrongness washes over me. For some reason, I feel as if I’ve just said something I absolutely should not have.
It’s likely just a ridiculous delusion. What words could I possibly not say to such a lowly creature?
“Heh heh. Well now.”
Freeze.
At the sound of that laughter, I unknowingly let go of the creature I was holding.
My hand moved on its own. What is this?
“Yes. When a person gets angry, their vision can get a little blurry.”
Next, my legs move. One step back.
What? What am I doing?
“I was like that in my youth, so I understand. Therefore, as your master, I feel it is my duty to help you.”
Am I trying to run away? Is my body retreating?
‘Impossible.’
How could I be afraid of such a creature?
“My disciple. Do you know the easiest way to cool your head in times like these?”
I unleash my fighting spirit and thrust my hand forward. I’ll grab its neck and tear it off.
“Usually…”
I will show this lowly wretch the absolute difference between us.
THUD!
“Gak—!”
My feet leave the ground. At the same time, a massive impact caves in my chest.
“A good beating until you cool off does the trick.”
I try to regain control of my airborne body, but it’s too late. Through my grimacing eyes, I see it.
A foot. A foot is right in front of my face.
WHAM!
“Keok!”
The impact snaps my head to the side. Pain flares through me.
I have to twist away. I try to move on instinct, but…
Whoosh!
I feel energy gathering in front of me.
“Don’t take this the wrong way.”
A fist slams into my abdomen.
“This is merely discipline.”
K-BOOM!
The very ground shakes with the impact.