Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: A 13-Year-Old Faces World Erosion?
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The incident at the Star Sanctuary.
Unlike Belokin Valheim, who had thought there was no need to attend a party for kids and thus skipped the Star Sanctuary, Krash had participated this time.
He wondered what kind of embarrassment that halfwit was trying to suffer through.
But the news that came back was utterly unexpected.
Krash had fought Anix Graiza to a draw.
Though Krash had been dragged out of the arena by Darling Danphelion,
it was still a draw against Anix, who was the rowdiest troublemaker in Staron aside from Charlotte.
Belokin, upon hearing the news, naturally couldn't believe it.
The Krash he knew had zero talent—not even a speck.
The boy himself had realized that fact and wasted his days dawdling at the Green Pine Pavilion.
And yet, a draw against Anix?
It was absurd.
That was why Belokin had come to see for himself.
To determine if the ridiculous rumor clinging to that halfwit was true or false.
Somewhere in his heart, there was unease, but he pushed it aside.
"You went out of your way to find me? You're probably swamped with preparations, brother."
At the sound of Krash's voice, Belokin looked up.
Busy? What was that supposed to mean?
As if answering his doubt, Krash smiled amiably, offering kindness.
"With Raheln Academy opening up, everyone's scrambling, right? They say anyone can get in through the entrance exam, regardless of status. You should be preparing too."
It was pure provocation.
The Valheim family stood on a level far beyond other houses.
Even the world's strongest empire feared the Valheim wrath and dared not touch the Staron Kingdom, for every Valheim was born a prodigy.
Belokin might have been pushed aside by the monster Charlotte's birth,
but he was still direct Valheim blood.
No matter how much they hyped Anix as the next genius after Charlotte, his age and skill were mere greenhorn stuff compared to Belokin.
And now this fool thought he needed to prepare for some academy entrance exam? When Raheln would beg on their knees to have him?
"You say the funniest things."
Belokin's thick brows twitched wildly.
Then a slightly softened smile crept into his eyes.
"Well, through your eyes, everything might look that way. My mistake, brother. A criminal might see even Raheln Academy as lofty."
Belokin didn't rate Raheln Academy highly.
He figured no matter how much it soared, it couldn't match Valheim.
At best, it was a place to broaden one's worldview.
Truth be told, the real reason he planned to attend was Charlotte's disinterest in it.
Going there would let him avoid comparisons with her, even a little.
But Belokin never breathed a word of that.
"Right."
And Krash readily agreed with Belokin.
It irked him how too readily he agreed, but Belokin pressed on.
"The reason I sought you out today is a family order."
"An order?"
The follow-up surprised even Krash.
He'd assumed it was payback for ignoring him, tied to the Anix business.
Unexpectedly, there was a legitimate reason.
"Yes. World Erosion has broken out on Gerilak Mountain, Valheim territory. The order is to stop it."
But what came next left Krash dumbfounded from his perspective.
"Family orders start at 15, though?"
Like other noble houses, Valheim sent family members to purify World Erosions in Staron.
For direct lineage, it was mandatory—but the baseline was 15.
Krash would turn 14 next year.
He was still too young for family orders.
"Don't worry. I'll take you as your guardian."
Krash clicked his tongue at Belokin's condescending tone.
Clearly, he'd come to test Krash's strength and crush his spirit.
"My little brother, who drew with Anix—surely he's not this scared?"
Krash blinked at Belokin's sneering grin.
'Is he seriously poking at his pride right now?'
He barely stifled a laugh.
How self-centered to pick a fight over pride no halfwit would have.
That was why Krash never rated Belokin highly.
His worldview was always narrow, egocentric.
'That inability to acknowledge anything.'
It would eventually choke him.
"Fine."
For Krash, World Erosion was more familiar than this peaceful world.
If it was just a mission under Belokin, it shouldn't be too dangerous.
Even if Belokin laid a trap, Krash had plans.
"Lord Krash."
Krash turned at the voice.
There stood Bianca Hardenharts, expressionless—the one who'd fled earlier.
"Where are you going?"
She'd overheard, it seemed.
He couldn't not tell her if he was going anyway.
"Off to handle some World Erosion."
"You, Lord Krash? Why?"
Bianca looked baffled.
Krash might act mature beyond his 13 years, but he was still 13.
Common sense said a 13-year-old handling World Erosion was nonsense.
"You're not thinking of following, are you...?"
"No."
"Alright."
She usually tagged along everywhere, but this time it was a flat no.
Then Bianca eyed Belokin.
"It doesn't make sense for a kid under 15 to go into World Erosion."
She slapped Belokin with cold facts.
Belokin flinched—hit a nerve—then scowled fiercely.
"Krash, that girl."
"My fiancée."
Belokin snorted derisively.
"I see. The cursed snow witch of the north..."
"As my 12-year-old fiancée said, surely broad-minded brother won't nitpick."
Krash cut him off, glaring steadily.
No more lip.
Belokin turned away, unsatisfied but silent.
Mission accomplished, after all.
As Belokin walked off, Krash turned to Bianca.
"Good job."
He patted her head in praise.
"I don't feel like I did anything right."
"That's just our perspectives differing."
Krash withdrew his hand.
"I'll be back."
"Don't collapse again."
Krash promised to remember and stepped away.
Bianca watched his back, silently fiddling with the hair he'd tousled.
World Erosion.
True to its name, World Erosion—erosion from another world—each bore unique traits.
Sometimes erosion beasts appeared.
Sometimes the surroundings warped.
Sometimes the site itself got devoured, becoming another world.
And Gerilak Mountain, where Krash, Belokin, and several mid-tier Valheim knights had arrived, was undergoing such an erosion.
'The mountain's turned to swamp.'
Where lush meadows, trees, and peaks should be sprawled sticky marshland.
Clumps of plants jutted out in grotesque shapes reminiscent of the Devonian era.
The acrid stench wafting from the bog stung the nose; without aura barriers, entry was impossible.
But the real danger was elsewhere.
For some reason, headless bugs buzzed everywhere in the marsh.
They ignored Krash outside the erosion, but one step in, and they'd swarm mercilessly.
World Erosion showed no mercy to intruders.
"Where's the purifier?"
Meanwhile, Belokin—who'd entered erosions before—asked the knights.
"We've contacted them. They'll start purification as soon as the core's handled."
Unlike pure beast-type erosions, this one had warped the environment too.
So they'd called environmental restorers as well.
"So, brother Belokin, what's this erosion's rank?"
"3-star."
3-star was easy for a mid-expert knight squad.
Belokin was upper-expert, despite appearances.
Should handle the core smoothly.
'I see why he dragged me here.'
Krash was lower-expert.
Belokin meant to flaunt the gap, put him in his place.
He must fear it—Krash, riding momentum after Charlotte, might surpass him.
"Krash, I brought you for experience. Watch and learn."
Belokin strutted ahead like a senior.
Krash shrugged lightly at the sight.
Who was schooling whom on experience?
The Valheim knights eyed Krash with concern—he had none, after all.
But Krash hid a chilling smile.
The sole reason Krash followed Belokin into World Erosion?
Extreme Blood Poison Infusion.
Not that he'd solved Madness yet, but time to test a workaround.
Valheim's halfwit.
Krash Valheim.
That's what they called him.
Belokin had dragged him here today, just as Krash thought—to crush him.
Belokin remembered well his pain at 15,
his first World Erosion—the place his lofty nose first broke.
Krash was 13—even younger, lower realm.
Just hit lower-expert, probably thought the world his oyster.
Time to shatter that.
Plus, Krash had crumbled once before.
Reality would send him plummeting again, never to look up.
Belokin smugly planned to etch the gap deep.
But moments later, bewilderment crossed his face.
The swamp bogged down the body, damp air grinding at mind and flesh without respite.
Erosion beasts kept spawning—no breather.
Such conditions wore anyone down naturally, yet Krash strolled like on a picnic.
"These erosion beasts have no heads, but teeth aplenty. Bites swell huge, ooze and itch—wrap aura tight full-body."
Krash warned the mid-knights while inspecting one lunging at him.
He seemed utterly at home; his tips proved handy.
"Lord Krash, have you... done World Erosions before?"
A knight who'd learned marsh tactics from him asked.
Krash's face twisted in absurdity.
"I'm 13 this year. Does it even make sense for me to have entered World Erosion?"