Chapter 129
Chapter 129
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Chapter 24 Achievements (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Ahem, I hear these outsiders are all fired up about something called contribution points.”
“I don’t approve of what you’re doing, but for Sir Bennett’s sake, I’ll lend you my strength personally.”
Having earned a gold badge, even encountering a general-grade monster wouldn’t pose as grave a threat as before.
That was why I seriously considered Shamell’s proposal to head to the 8th Division with her.
“To think the 8th Division’s commander is her disciple.”
Had I known about that connection, I would’ve sought a chance to join the battle through the 8th rather than returning to the 4th.
“It’s not too late even now.”
Compared to when I’d slipped away from the 4th Division, both the cards in my hand and the surrounding situation had changed.
I had no choice but to adjust my plans accordingly.
“Turning it down would be idiotic.”
The thought of facing Shamell day in and day out already had stress piling up.
But I couldn’t discard extra contribution points over personal likes and dislikes.
“I’d have to hunt for a new mission once the escort ends anyway.”
In the end, I accepted Shamell’s offer.
That didn’t mean I headed straight to the 8th Division, though.
“That phenomenon from earlier.”
Something that had appeared at the map’s edge just before the general-grade attacked.
It kept nagging at me.
It might’ve been a mere illusion, but knowing there were kids who’d escaped the farm made it hard to brush off.
That’s why I’d told Shamell to wait at the camp.
Of course, what I’d seen might not be survivors—it could be another general-grade.
I hadn’t made out colors clearly enough.
But it didn’t matter. With my gold badge secured on my own merits, it wouldn’t be a big issue.
“If it’s a monster, I’ll just kill it.”
My attribute mana had recovered during Purification, so I figured I could handle it.
Thus, I left the camp with only Yang Tae-ho in tow.
“So yer sayin’ it’s basically a follow-up search, huh?”
“Yeah, my gut’s not sitting right. Sorry to drag you into this—bear with me a bit.”
We exchanged brief words as we dashed along at high speed.
“It’s a matter o’ life an’ death fer those kids—I ain’t complainin’ ’bout wasted effort.”
“I think the same.”
Personally, I judged it better to do pointless work than leave a lingering unease.
Fortunately, Yang Tae-ho seemed to share my view.
He stuck close behind me without complaint, and I picked up the pace even more.
I hadn’t run far when a new dot appeared on the map.
It wasn’t far from where I’d glimpsed something earlier.
“It’s blue.”
Could be a straggler, or another rescue team that set out separately from Shamell.
Nothing was certain.
Even so, my palms grew slick with sweat unconsciously.
Because of that, my speed toward the blue dot increased.
Yang Tae-ho fell behind, but I couldn’t afford to wait.
A black dot was closing in on the six blue ones.
“The rear valley should’ve been Purified thoroughly.”
It seemed a lucky one or two survivors from the monsters had wandered back.
Curses rose unbidden. No matter how hard I ran, the monster would arrive first.
It was ridiculous—mere hours after getting my gold badge, and here I was hitting limits again.
“How far do I have to climb before you’re satisfied?”
I wanted to demand answers from the system that might be watching me even now.
But as always, no reply would come.
For the moment, all I could do was run faster.
As I spurred myself onward, hacking through the forest path, a faint sound reached me.
“Keeek, keee.”
I yanked the short spear from my back and leaped over the rock ahead.
The sight beyond it came into view at once.
“One hundred fifty? Two hundred meters, maybe?”
I hurled the short spear at the distant monster.
Faster than usual, it sliced through the air in the blink of an eye.
It pierced the head of the monster that had been climbing a massive tree far thicker than my torso.
It didn’t stop there, embedding into a tree several meters beyond.
The excessive force made the spear’s shaft quiver.
The monster, neatly skewered through the skull, toppled sideways and went limp.
“No more black dots around now.”
After resolving the emergency, I squeezed my eyes shut.
The thing in the short-lived monster’s mouth had dropped to the ground.
Even from afar, it was easy to tell what it was.
What had fallen limp to the earth was unmistakably a human arm.
The problem was its size—distinctly small.
And the traces didn’t end there.
“Fuck.”
Right below the rock where I stood lay torn clothes, mashed entrails, and scattered body parts in a gruesome mess.
The dark crimson they emitted stabbed at my eyes; I couldn’t stare long.
Would the outcome have differed if I’d hurried more?
If I’d searched the area right after handling the general-grade, could I have saved them?
If I’d leveled Detection Magic higher? Wouldn’t the range have been wider?
One thought led to another, spawning questions I hurled at myself repeatedly.
And I knew the answers to them all.
“Pointless thinking.”
Pondering what-ifs about the past is foolish.
Regret might have some value, but lingering is useless.
“Let’s do what I can now.”
I let out a long sigh and stepped away from the bloodied spot.
Then I approached a tree so thick I couldn’t encircle it with outstretched arms and looked up.
“It was definitely climbing this one.”
Sure enough, amid the thick branches and lush leaves, I found who I was looking for.
Clinging tightly to branch and trunk with tiny hands—it was clearly a child.
“One, two…”
Obscured by foliage, only two were visible to the naked eye.
But the map showed six huddled on this tree.
Watching the two kids who’d frozen upon spotting me, I noticed a broken branch.
Not a straight line, but traces extending downward at intervals.
Plus the mangled underbrush near where I stood and scratches on the tree trunk base.
From the scattered clues, I pieced together what had happened.
“They fell.”
The devoured child must’ve slipped from the tree.
Then encountered the monster prowling the ground.
“Too young to climb back up on their own.”
Or maybe injured, unable to reclimb.
“P-People…”
“Don’t come down! It might be the overseers chasing us!”
I’d just grasped the situation when—
“Ah, darn it, thought we lost ya!”
Yang Tae-ho arrived, panting.
Sliding down the rock, he alternated glances between his feet and my position.
Then he asked just one thing.
“Those up there kids?”
I nodded readily.
Yang Tae-ho crouched down, gathering the traces at his feet into one spot, whispering softly.
“Gotta clean this up ’fore the kids see, so take it slow comin’ down.”
“Plenty of time to tidy up.”
The kids were wary enough not to budge even after seeing the emblem over my head.
Unlike prior survivors who’d approached first upon spotting the Palao emblem.
“Maybe they’re extra cautious since there’s so few of them.”
Or perhaps hardened by harsher experiences than the hidden kids.
Whatever the reason, I had no intention of forcing them down.
One instance of rash action hurting their trust was enough.
Of course, I couldn’t leave them up there forever—I’d have to persuade them gently.
After messaging Kim Yul, I enclosed the area in a massive barrier.
Just in case, to keep the kids from straying.
“Can’t have them jumping and bolting.”
There were only two of us. If six scattered in different directions, we couldn’t catch them all.
While I secured the perimeter, Yang Tae-ho raised his shield.
He began digging into the earth with Kerax’s shield, and I looked up at the tree again.
“Elena’s on her way—just wait a moment.”
The kid who’d explained the escape from Baron Volvita was Elena.
Mentioning her name made the eyes of the child who’d spotted me widen round.
Soon after, Elena arrived in Kim Yul’s arms.
“Yudit!”
“Elena!”
The children’s reunion was tear-streaked.
* * *
Several days after the triumphant news of Calom Castle’s recapture spread.
In his office, Belego’s jowls began to quiver.
He was furious down to his bones.
“S-Survivors from Calom Castle are all raving about that outsider. And…”
“And?”
“That outsider killed multiple general-grades in this siege…”
The reason for Belego’s rage was simple.
He kept hearing the name of that detestable scum lately!
“So they’ve decided to award him a medal at next week’s victory ceremony…”
“Uwaaaah!”
Unable to hold back upon hearing the rest, Belego swept everything off his desk with a roar.
But his anger didn’t subside—it only mounted.
The tales from the survivors’ mouths had already turned Kay into a hero.
As Kay’s name and feats spread, his past exploits came to light too.
“To think that bastard was the first outsider.”
It was well-known that gates in temples allowed reinforcements from other worlds.
But few knew Kay had forged that gate.
Even Belego hadn’t.
Now, though, things had changed.
Everyone knew of Kay’s achievements.
Kay had crossed perilous contamination zones, visited the temple, held council with the Seven Gods, and ultimately connected a gate to bring reinforcements.
Thanks to that, it was revealed he was the outsider prophesied by Mephrosetha’s apostle.
Nearly all Ainfolk now knew Kay had shone hope on the long war.
He’d fulfilled the prophecy, found the church’s relic, rescued farm survivors, joined the battle to retake a stolen castle, and even slain those fearsome general-grade monsters.
For one outsider’s deeds in mere months, it was quite a list.
With things like this, it was natural for Ainfolk hearing the news to focus on Kay.
In their eyes, he embodied hope itself.
But Belego’s circumstances differed.
Each time Kay’s feats were praised, his gut twisted.
The idea of lauding that slippery-faced punk who’d robbed his vault like a thug!
His shoulder, still smarting from Kay’s dagger, ached.
Seeing the one who’d scarred him indelibly thriving—it churned his insides to the point of bile.
“That skirt-chasing runt…”
Everyone needed to see the punk’s vile true nature!
Damn system