The Nightmare of the North
The walls of Winter Forest are thick.
What was once a mere figure of speech became literal five years ago, when the walls were completely destroyed during the war started by the Khan of the North. Turn crisis into opportunity. Do not settle for complacency the moment danger arrives—seize it and use it to grow even stronger.
“Since the wall’s already broken, why not just rebuild it even sturdier? The old one was so ancient it was falling apart anyway.”
This was the result of the current Margrave faithfully carrying out the family motto passed down through generations of the Forest County.
The Forest Margraviate was nominally part of the Empire, but because it served as the sole gateway holding back the North, even foreign nations gladly sent their finest talents to help. The walls of Winter Forest that rose from that cooperation were so sturdy that not even a superhuman could leave so much as a scratch unless they hurled their entire body against it.
“…….”
Which was why, when I saw the massive hole punched through the wall, I couldn’t say a single word.
The gaping wound looked as if a giant meteor had crashed into it. It was so enormous that I couldn’t even begin to guess what had happened to Winter Forest. Still, I could at least tell that the barbarians I had just swept away weren’t the end of it.
“It’s been a while.”
While I stared at the gaping hole, the firmly shut gates opened and someone walked out.
Long, deep-green hair cascading down her back. Blue eyes that seemed to hold an endless ocean—one you’d never see in Winter Forest. A woman carrying two colors impossible to find in this land.
I slowly opened my mouth toward her.
“Elain.”
“…….”
“Or should I call you Margrave Forest now?”
I spoke her title with the corners of my mouth slightly lifted. Of course, the mask hid my smile, but Elain must have noticed I was teasing her. She let out a long, familiar sigh.
“Call me whatever you like. It’s not as if you’d listen even if I objected. You’ve never been one to observe proper etiquette anyway.”
“That hurts my feelings a little. So you see me as the kind of person who habitually disrespects a Margrave?”
“T-that’s…”
“Ah, I was actually planning to call you Margrave Forest if you asked nicely. But since you said I could call you whatever I want…”
When I added that little jest, Elain’s eyes trembled faintly. A soft grrr sound escaped her, and her expression changed in an instant. It was completely different from the nobles and merchants I’d seen in the capital. Watching her utterly fail to control her face, I desperately held back my laughter.
And then—
“You’ll… really do that?”
The moment that pure innocence filled her eyes, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Sure, Elain.”
My laughter-filled answer made Elain’s face brighten for a split second. She hadn’t realized yet that I was messing with her. But after turning my words over in her mind, she finally caught on and scowled.
“You…!”
“Puhahahaha—!”
I burst into unrestrained laughter at the sight of her puffed-up cheeks. Compared to the Empire’s nobles who were masters of politics and scheming, looking at the woman before me felt strangely healing.
After laughing my fill for a while, I naturally moved on to the main topic.
“So, what’s with that hole? Margrave Forest.”
Right now I wasn’t Kyle Amillan—I was here as Heavenly Thunder. And Heavenly Thunder had been personally granted the rank of Count by the Emperor himself. While a Margrave technically held higher authority, that was purely a matter of jurisdiction. Our actual ranks were the same, so there was no problem calling her that.
Of course, even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t have mattered much.
“…There’s a lot to say about that hole.”
“I figured as much.”
I hadn’t participated in building the walls of Winter Forest, but I knew roughly how thick they were. At the very least, they weren’t something a 6-Ring wolf beastman like the ones I’d just wiped out could break through. Sure, if they focused all their attacks on one spot they might eventually make a hole, but that enormous breach clearly hadn’t been created that way.
‘Something flew in and punched straight through the wall in a single blow. That’s the only explanation.’
I didn’t know what exactly had flown in, but it was safe to assume something had struck the massive wall with enough force to shatter it. To create a hole of that size in one hit, even at the absolute peak of 6-Ring—or perhaps only someone who could manifest their own Image at 7-Ring—would suffice. And people at the 7-Ring level were exceedingly rare even in the North.
“The Khan’s direct subordinates… or maybe the tribal chieftains themselves came down.”
Northern warriors were strong overall, but 7-Ring fighters weren’t exactly common. If they had been, the continent would never have had any chance of victory in the war against the North. Only warriors strong enough to lead an entire tribe, or the Khan’s personal subordinates—equivalent to the Emperor’s direct aides—could reach that realm.
Of course there were exceptions, but considering they had stepped forward as vanguard in this war, most of them probably fit that description.
“You really are like a ghost.”
As if to confirm my guess, Elain shook her head with an exhausted expression. The mere confirmation that a 7-Ring warrior was involved was more than enough reason for her to personally request reinforcements from the Empire. The gap between Rings was already vast, but the difference between those who could manifest their Image and those who couldn’t was simply insurmountable.
“Let’s continue this inside. Please, come in.”
“Alright.”
We couldn’t leave the gates open forever.
I followed Elain through the gates of Winter Forest for the first time in years.
“Waaaaaaaaah—!”
And was met with cheers so thunderous they seemed to shake the entire fortress.
“Ah…”
Elain Forest pulled her hood even lower over her head as the enormous roar threatened to overwhelm even a superhuman’s ears. The cheering had begun the moment lightning struck from a clear sky. It reached its absolute peak the instant Heavenly Thunder—the one who had called down that lightning and annihilated the barbarian vanguard—entered the fortress.
It wasn’t just the soldiers on the walls. Even the superhumans staying inside the city had joined in. The volume was far beyond what simply covering one’s ears could block.
“Waaaaaaaaah—!”
For the Margrave of Forest, whose ears were especially sensitive, such loud noise was pure stress. Still, she made no move to stop it. She knew the cheers came from sweet victory.
Ever since the walls of Winter Forest had been suddenly breached, morale had plummeted. So when their ally appeared and completely crushed the enemy vanguard, it was only natural they would react this way. In fact, if it ended with just this, she would consider herself lucky.
“Heavenly Thunder!”
“……”
“Are you truly the Heavenly Thunder?”
But the world never moved according to her wishes.
Elain let out a deep sigh as she watched a 6-Ring mage step forward, staff embedded with a mana stone in hand.
“I don’t know what meaning there is in asking a question when you already know the answer,” came Heavenly Thunder’s reply, “but if you want one anyway—yes. I am Heavenly Thunder.”
At the transcendent’s open declaration, the superhumans erupted in even louder cheers. In the North, the name Heavenly Thunder carried that much weight.
A war hero who had accomplished countless feats in the war the Khan started five years ago. A mad mage who made northern warriors flee in terror at the mere sound of thunder. The living legend known as the One-Man Army who had faced ten thousand troops alone.
That was the value of the man standing before them.
“I see. So you really are Heavenly Thunder.”
The mage’s lips curved slightly as he continued.
“However, don’t you think the trust between us is far too lacking to simply take your word for it?”
It was an obvious provocation. Why would they need “trust” to prove he was Heavenly Thunder?
Yet—
“Is that so?”
Heavenly Thunder didn’t dismiss their words. He spoke with clear interest.
“Then what would it take to fill the trust between us?”
The mage slammed his staff down as if he had been waiting for exactly that question.
“A spar!”
“A duel!”
“A fight!”
Starting with the mage, the superhumans shouted their own versions. Different words, same meaning. There was only one thing they wanted.
“These battle-crazed lunatics…”
A duel with Heavenly Thunder.
Elain sighed deeply as she watched the fired-up superhumans. The people gathered here had come to climb the ranks and seek glory. Every last one of them was at least 7-Ring. There was no way they would pass up the chance to fight a war hero and living legend like Heavenly Thunder.
“I accept.”
Heavenly Thunder knew that as well—and still accepted their challenge.
“However, I have one condition.”
But the Heavenly Thunder Elain knew wasn’t the type to simply accept a duel request. If he had been that easygoing, he would never have earned the title of mad mage.
As if to prove her prediction correct, Heavenly Thunder declared in a voice full of laughter:
“All of you. Come at me at once.”
He would fight every superhuman present here—together.