Chapter 446
Chapter 446
Chapter 446
'Irregular.'
It refers to those who possess singularities that deviate from the laws of the world.
When Zeke first met Duke, he too was mistakenly thought to be an Irregular.
Additionally, Luther Gemben, who taught Zeke the Magic reversal technique, was actually an Irregular who could use both aura and magic simultaneously.
During the Holy Empire era, such abilities of Irregulars were considered cursed, leading to their persecution, exclusion, and even hunting.
While it's not that extreme nowadays, prejudice against them still exists.
Though discrimination persists, there are no records of the origins of Irregulars or how they came to be.
They have existed in continental history since ancient times, sometimes becoming key figures in major events that changed the continent's history, but no one could explain how they came into existence.
Zeke couldn't help but be surprised to learn that the God of Chaos was the first to create Irregulars.
He asked the Elder Dragon.
"Why did the God of Chaos make King Solomon an Irregular?"
『Irregulars are small cracks that even the God of Chaos couldn't predict, scratches in the wheel of fate. Like how a butterfly's small wing flap can later create a typhoon. No one can know what results these small cracks will bring. That is the power of chaos, and Solomon aimed for this as well.』
"A crack of chaos whose results cannot be predicted..."
The Elder Dragon continued:
『After becoming an Irregular, Solomon gained the ability to control Karma, which only the Constellations could handle. He created the Karma system using the city management system built by the Constellations, and could reach the Sephirot dimension server, the essence of the universe accessible only to Constellations. He called this the 'Akashic Code'.』
Zeke recalled the new abilities he gained after becoming the Master Administrator.
'So that's what the Akashic Code was.'
『However, no matter how special he was, Solomon was still human and had his limitations. Using the information gained through the Akashic Code, he made me a new proposal.』
Zeke's eyes widened at the Elder Dragon's words.
"Could it be...?"
『A contract to share the dragon's heart with humans. Solomon sought to transcend human limitations by making a contract with me.』
The idea of implanting a dragon's heart into humans was first proposed by King Solomon, not Jiemens Apollion.
"Did you accept that contract, Elder Dragon?"
『At the time, I thought Solomon was the only hope. The Constellations' atrocities were getting worse, and mortals had become their playthings. The same was true for dragons.』
Zeke remembered glimpsing the fate of dragons bound to the golden city of Blanca.
Hades too had to spend a long time alone, bound to that place.
『Following Solomon's words, we made the contract, and he became the first contractor with a dragon's heart. But... something unexpected happened.』
The Elder Dragon continued:
『A being both mortal and immortal.』
Zeke's gaze wavered.
『Solomon obtained the power of immortality.』
* * *
BOOM! BOOM!
A massive monster fell sideways amid powerful shockwaves.
RUMBLE RUMBLE!
Then other monsters climbed up, trampling over their fallen companions.
Nigel, who had been hunting monsters in the western Forest of the Forgotten for months, gritted her teeth.
"Damn monster bastards. They keep coming no matter how many we kill."
Adnan and Bodmir approached her side.
They were covered in monster blood from head to toe.
Adnan approached her.
"Lady Nigel. Lord Nabu is calling for you."
At the mention of Nabu's summons, Nigel spat and said:
"I'm busy as hell, why should I come and go?! If he has something to say, he should come here!"
Then Adnan told Nigel with a serious expression:
"Lord Nabu says he's found the location of the gate summoning these creatures."
Nigel's expression changed at those words.
"Hoh, that mindless bookworm finally earned his keep."
ROAAAAR!
Meanwhile, monsters were still swarming toward Nigel, Adnan, and Bodmir.
Adnan and Bodmir raised their weapons with tense expressions.
Then Nigel swung her sword without even looking at the charging monsters.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A powerful energy wave infused with soul force swept through the charging monsters.
SPLATTER! SPLATTER!
The monsters instantly turned into bloody mist scattered throughout the forest.
Adnan and Bodmir's jaws dropped at this sight.
'Wow, that's insane.'
'Is this the true might of the High Table.'
Ignoring their admiration, Nigel sheathed her sword and said to Adnan:
"I'll be back shortly, make sure this place doesn't get breached."
Adnan bowed his head at Nigel's words.
"Understood. We'll stake our lives to hold them back."
Nigel clicked her tongue at those words.
"Why stake your life on something like this? Don't talk nonsense - if you can't hold them, just run."
She spoke decisively and lifted herself into the air.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
She soon flew beyond the forest with a thunderous sound that tore through the atmosphere.
Adnan and Bodmir admired Nigel's departure before quickly taking defensive positions.
GROWL!
Monsters appeared again from beyond the forest.
Adnan shouted to the Highlanders at the nearby fortification:
"Everyone take defensive positions! Archers and mages wait until they get closer! Knights stand by and charge when their formation breaks!"
SCREECH!
The monsters charged toward them with horrific screams.
Behind the fortification's barriers, mages and archers were quietly measuring the distance.
Adnan tensely gauged the distance between the fortification and the monsters.
Then at one point, Adnan stood up.
"15 meters to the left front! Launch magic!"
At his command, the mages unleashed their ranged attacks first.
WHOOSH!
Explosion-type magic flew toward the charging monsters.
When the magic struck the monsters directly, a massive explosion occurred.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
CRASH!
The massive explosion on one side disrupted the charging monsters' formation.
Adnan shouted again.
"Archers! Attack their flanks!"
At his command, the archers shot arrows into the sky.
SWISH!
The Highlander archers each fired four arrows at once.
The arrows rained down on the monsters from above like rain.
SCREECH!
Seeing the monsters falter, Bodmir leaped outside the fortification with his bastard sword.
"Now it's my turn!"
Other knights followed behind him.
Bodmir charged forward with his sword.
"Let's go!"
The sword-wielding Highlanders charged forward and swept away the monsters whose formation had broken.
When Bodmir swung his massive bastard sword, the monsters' bodies were torn apart as if crushed.
SCREECH!
While Bodmir and the other knights blocked the monsters at the front, the regrouped mages and archers provided cover from behind.
"HAAAAAH!"
The Highlanders dispatched the monsters while swinging their swords like ghosts.
The charging monsters couldn't break through the barrier the Highlanders had set up.
CRACK!
Bodmir raised his head after taking down the last remaining monster.
His face and hair were completely stained with monster blood.
Then more monsters could be seen gathering from behind.
Adnan shouted.
"Everyone return to the barrier! Mages and archers prepare to attack again!"
An endless battle with monsters.
Such fierce battles were taking place every day, unknown to the rest of the continent.
* * *
BOOM! BOOM!
Flying through the air, Nigel arrived at the central headquarters in an instant and went straight to Nabu's tent.
She shouted at Nabu, the Hermit of Stories, who was frantically searching for something amidst floating books, documents, and maps all around him.
"Where's the gate?! Tell me quickly!"
Nabu poked his head out from between books to look at Nigel and gestured for her to sit down for a moment.
Then he conveyed instructions through a crystal ball beside him.
"Right, since that area is swampland, you need to be more careful. Take mages who specialize in ice elements. Freeze the swamp completely. That will make it easier to move around."
After explaining how to deal with each terrain and situation, Nabu finally seemed to finish his transmission as he put down the crystal ball and sighed.
"AHHH! I want to rest! I want to rest!"
Watching Nabu, Nigel clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"You never change no matter how old you get."
At Nigel's words, Nabu pouted and said:
"I can't believe I'm hearing this from an old hag like Nigel."
At the ‘old hag’ comment, Nigel drew her sword while emanating killing intent.
"It seems your tongue is the root of all problems. Today I'll definitely cut it off and feed it to the monsters."
Seeing Nigel approach with her sword, Nabu panicked.
"EEEEK! The High Table is ignoring the oath of mediation and swinging swords around! UGHH!"
Just then, someone else entered the noisy tent. A Naga in old monk's robes saw Nigel emanating killing intent and put his palms together.
"My, the two devotees are fighting again."
Nabu looked at the monk Manna and said.
"UGHHH! Manna! Stop Nigel!"
The monk called Manna shook his head.
"This too shall pass."
"ARGH! You useless monk!"
In the end, Nabu was only released after Nigel caught him and beat him until his eyes were swollen.
Manna barely managed to calm down Nigel who continued fuming for a while after.
While treating his swollen eyes with Karma, Nabu floated a map in the air.
"You both know why I called you here, right?"
Manna spoke with clasped hands.
"I heard that devotee Nabu found the gate summoning the monsters."
Nabu nodded at those words and waved his hand, causing the map to zoom in with red dots flickering in various places.
He pointed at them and began explaining:
"To be precise, these aren't the gate locations."
At those words, Nigel glared and shouted:
"You bastard! Why call busy people here when you haven't even found the gates?!"
Nabu spoke toward the shouting Nigel:
"What a temper. Can't you at least listen to everything before cursing?"
He pointed at the red dots marked on the map and said:
"These places don't have gates, but they have things necessary for opening the gates."
Hearing Nabu's words, Manna nodded.
"So destroying those places will close the gates."
Nabu shook his head at those words.
"Ah, that's not exactly right."
Nigel flared up again at his words and shouted:
"Do you want to die?"
When Nigel threatened him, Nabu waved his hands and made excuses:
"I want to pinpoint the exact locations too, but how can I when I don't know what those bastards did! Just finding these was hard enough! This is why field agents don't understand the difficulties of desk work."
Watching Nabu grumble and complain, Manna said,
"In any case, wouldn't it work if we go and sweep all those places?"
At those words, Nigel stood up.
"Everything you do is like that. Anyway, if that's the case, I'll go sweep them all clean, so just stay here and guard this place with the kids."
As Nigel tried to dash out of the tent, Nabu hurriedly blocked her.
"W-wait! I haven't even told you the important part yet."
Looking at Nabu blocking her way, Nigel said with an irritated expression,
"You're annoying, so summarize it briefly and speak quickly."
Nabu scratched his head with a troubled expression and said:
"Umm, so... to summarize, you can't attack those places, Nigel."
WHOOSH!
Powerful killing intent erupted from her body again.
"How dare you say such things?! Explain properly!"
Nabu shouted as if wronged:
"You told me to summarize!"
Avoiding Nigel's murderous glare, Nabu continued his explanation:
"It's complicated to explain... anyway, those places are difficult for us High Table members to approach. To borrow Manna's words, we need help from the mortal realm to attack those places."
Nigel's face distorted at his explanation.
"Are you saying we need to join forces with the Central Continent kingdoms?"
He nodded.
"That's right. And you and I know one person suitable for this."
Nabu opened his fan and spoke,
"Zeke Draker, we need him to attack those places."