Chapter 329: And So the Desert Wept.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 329: And So the Desert Wept.
The tattoo Nicole had etched onto me seemed to be semi-permanent. It was the kind of tattoo that only appeared when I infused it with mana and remained invisible otherwise. Since I could check its detailed information, I immediately began to do so.
[Tattoo of the Blood Dagger Clan]
[A clan tattoo drawn with the ashes of Ragia by Nicole, the first child of the tribe and daughter of Najin. All stats are permanently increased. It does not normally appear, but becomes visible when infused with mana. Has a chance to activate Ragia's unique ability, 'Intuition'.]
The last line made me smile.
This was a gift from Nicole, but it was also a gift from Ragia. Beyond the permanent stat increase, her ability was exceptionally rare. I couldn't predict what might happen right away, but if her intuition was combined with my own two eyes, it seemed I might even be able to faintly foresee the future, at least in the context of battle. It was a huge advantage.
She had made me stronger as she closed her eyes, and even after closing them for good, she had left me this great gift.
The cleanup of the Brother's Land was nearly complete. The moment I rose to my feet, all the clan members began moving about busily to handle their tasks. Without a word, I took Choi Eunju’s hand.
Our destination was the Land of Glory.
In truth, it was the place I had been most worried about the moment I heard the dead had awoken. The Land of Glory, where the body of the Great Tribe Leader Agar was buried. And it wasn't just Agar. The warriors who had fought alongside him also slept in that land.
Even though Storm Shadow was protecting the Land of Glory, a considerable number of troops had been dispatched from there to the North. It was impossible not to be concerned.
"Once we arrive at the Land of Glory, make it so I can head straight to Seulgi in the North. Have the troops designated for reinforcements in each city on standby."
"Yes."
Choi Eunju nodded at my words.
"Um... darling... are you alright?"
"............................"
She seemed to be worried about me. But of course, I was fine. I took her hand and pulled her into my arms. I could see her face as she closed her eyes.
"Thank you."
"I'm always thankful for you, too."
I thought that someday, I would need to have a long talk with her. From her perspective, she had simply been swept up in my affairs. All I could do was be more considerate of her. Choi Eunju opened a portal, and as I stepped through, my vision shifted once more.
Before my eyes was the Land of Glory. Just like the Brother's Land, smoke was continuously rising into the air. The only difference was the lack of noise. I considered the possibility that things had already been dealt with, but it couldn't have been resolved that easily. After a brief farewell to Choi Eunju, I immediately entered the Land of Glory and saw the other Green Skins.
Everyone was tending to their wounds. Some were receiving healing spells from shamans, while others were burning the cold corpses of the dead. There were those who painstakingly closed the eyes of their fallen comrades and those who shed tears for their friends. The atmosphere was incredibly heavy.
While it wasn't a complete annihilation, the Land of Glory had been wounded. As I entered, the clan members placed their hands on their chests. I opened my mouth to speak, but a voice reached me first.
"Where is the Great Tribe Leader?"
"Strength, Wisdom, and Honor... The Great Tribe Leader is in his tent."
His expression was dark. Seeing him guide me to the Great Tribe Leader's location, it seemed that, thankfully, Storm Shadow was not dead. I wanted to ask for more details, but Storm Shadow would know the situation best. After all, he was the one who would have confronted the former Great Tribe Leader, Agar. The great tent had not collapsed, but it was leaning heavily to one side.
Even before I entered, a voice came from within.
"You've come."
"Strength, Wisdom, and Honor..."
"Strength, Wisdom, and Honor..."
Upon entering the tent, I saw Storm Shadow. He had a gaping hole in his chest and one arm had been severed. It was a sight that could only be described as gruesome. A short distance away, Sand Glave stood with a grim expression. Beside the Great Tribe Leader was Park Ah-jeong, whom I had seen once before.
Her eyes were brimming with tears and the rims were red; she must have been terribly worried about Storm Shadow. Her face was a mess, showing how much she had cried in such a short time. Storm Shadow gently stroked her head, a faint smile on his weary face. Despite the healing spells still being poured into him, his wounds weren't closing properly, a testament to how fierce his battle had been.
But I could see more than that. It wasn't just his arm and chest; traces of the recent battle were visible all over his body—his chest, back, side, and neck. I could begin to feel how he had clashed with Agar, and with what kind of heart he had fought.
"I cannot show such a pathetic sight."
It was, of course, Park Ah-jeong who tried to stop Storm Shadow from getting up. It seemed she had learned to speak simple words.
"N-No, you can't."
"It's fine for you to remain seated, Storm Shadow."
It was only natural to be worried that he was overexerting his injured body. But Storm Shadow straightened his posture and raised a hand to his chest.
After completing the greeting, Storm Shadow sat back down, and I glanced at Sand Glave, a silent request for an explanation. His voice came immediately.
"The Great Tribe Leader and the former Great Tribe Leader clashed, and the former Great Tribe Leader was victorious. Countless warriors and old friends rose to their feet and fought the warriors of the Land of Glory. We managed to reduce their numbers, but... as you can see... Agar inflicted a fatal wound on Storm Shadow and moved on to another location. I tried to stop him, but I was dealing with my own former comrades at the time."
"Hmm..."
Though his words were brief, I could grasp how the situation had unfolded. It wasn't just the Great Tribe Leader who had risen. The warriors who had once fought for him had risen as well. The Land of Glory had instantly gone into a state of battle, clashing with the risen dead.
Storm Shadow had faced Agar, while the other warriors were handled by the clan members and Sand Glave. The ones Sand Glave fought were likely his old companions who had helped build the Land of Glory with him. They had succeeded in subduing the other warriors, but they had failed to stop the former Great Tribe Leader, Agar. This is what had happened in the Land of Glory in my absence.
"Agar..."
"It seemed he possessed nearly all of his original power... Not completely, but he also appeared to have his old memories. I did my best to face him... but it wasn't enough. As expected, Agar is strong."
"Did he say anything else?"
"I think I heard him say... 'It seems my choice was a mistake'..."
Storm Shadow spoke with considerable bitterness, and silence fell once more. It was hard to understand what choice he was referring to, but he must have been thinking about the values he had once protected. The dead I had seen were like that. They remembered the lingering regrets of their past lives with even greater intensity. It was Sand Glave who broke the heavy silence.
"Do you know where he went?"
"The trackers... were they not sent?"
"We haven't heard back from them..."
They were most likely dead. I spoke again.
"I can't say for certain. He could have gone into hiding, or he might still be in the South. But assuming he is being controlled by the enemy, it's highly probable that he is heading for the Eastern Front."
"The Eastern Front..."
"The place where the Southwest Alliance and the Northeast Alliance waged war. Countless dead must have risen there. The dead from other regions might be gathering there as well. He could be heading north, or he might be trying to conquer the East."
To be precise, the choice was theirs. From their perspective, they could simply stall for time, or they could gather their forces and push toward the North. A defensive war against the undead is a battle of attrition. Green Skins and humans would grow fatigued in a prolonged siege, and if that fatigue continued, the enemy would start climbing over the walls one by one. Naturally, if we wasted too much time fighting the dead here, our supply lines would also be compromised.
Although we had supplies stockpiled in the North, there was a limit. The number of troops currently fighting there was immense.
Having a lot of mana doesn't mean you have infinite stamina. Humans and Green Skins get tired; the undead do not. Right now, it could be called a simple numbers phase, but there was no guarantee it would stay that way. My assumption that it would take them a long time to recover all their mana was, in the end, just a guess.
The problem wouldn't disappear even if the dead chose to march north together. The defenders would be surrounded, and the sudden appearance of new forces could cut off their retreat, leaving them trapped.
Personally, I guessed that the enemy would focus on throwing the continent into chaos rather than immediately advancing on the North. With the penalty of being unable to use magic for a while, an all-out war was likely not what they wanted. Their goal was to disrupt our side as much as possible. I thought that if it weren't for Choi Eunju, we might have just faltered until the war was over.
"Can you track him?"
I nodded. With these eyes, I could trace the path of even a high-level assassin. If a Green Skin with a presence as strong as Agar's had moved, tracking him was certainly possible. This was especially true for the undead. Sand Glave had probably been waiting for me.
As if my guess was correct, Sand Glave began to look at me, and Storm Shadow's expression grew heavier.
"I will go with you."
"In your state, you would only be a burden, Storm Shadow. We don't need other troops either. Blood Dagger and I will move alone. You should stay seated and recover."
".........................."
He was right. Moving with others would be a liability. The same went for the injured Storm Shadow. The Great Tribe Leader was strong. Stronger than any warrior I had ever seen. In my personal judgment, he was likely stronger than the former Sword Saint, Ha Yuri, or the current Queen of the North, Han So-Hye.
If we sent trackers, they would be caught. Any half-hearted reinforcements would just be sacrifices. The only ones here who could put up a fight were myself and Sand Glave. I gave a slight nod.
"....................."
Despite this, the wounded Troll's expression was grim. Sand Glave spoke to him.
"Great Tribe Leader Storm Shadow, what you could not convey, I will convey for you. I swear it on my honor."
His expression was incredibly complex. Nevertheless, Storm Shadow spoke.
"I'm... counting on you."
I left the Great Tribe Leader's tent first. A short while later, Sand Glave also began to exit. For a brief moment, his eyes were blazing. What reflected in them was determination. After seeing Sand Glave, I frowned.