Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Fierce Beast
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Late into the night.
"Phew... It's been ages since I last set foot in Black Forest Fortress. So much has changed in all sorts of ways compared to the old days."
A burly man with snow-white whiskers gazed in admiration at the fortress's interior.
However, his attire didn't suit the Black Forest Fortress one bit.
"Mister, did you really need to bundle up like that just to come here?"
A woman standing beside him chided him, prompting a hearty laugh from the man.
The full plate armor encasing his body clinked and rattled with the motion.
"Hahaha! A paladin must always be thoroughly prepared, no matter the time!"
The armor was as thick as an average man's forearm—just wearing it seemed like it could crush someone under its weight.
Strapped to his back was a massive hammer and a tower shield large enough to cover his entire body.
No matter how you looked at it, this gear didn't belong in Black Forest Fortress.
"Sigh... Now everyone's staring at us wherever we go."
"Those are the admiring gazes of the faithful lambs following the Lord. It's the burden we holy folk must bear!"
The woman pressed her fingers to her temple as if her head ached.
"Speaking of which, you've grown up, haven't you? Coming all the way here to find a man."
"...I told you, it's not like that. I just had something to ask."
"But you won't answer when I ask what it is?"
"That's for later—"
BOOOOM—!!!
As the woman opened her mouth to reply, a deafening roar filled the entire Black Forest Fortress.
The man grinned at the plume of black smoke rising in the distance.
"See? I told you, Eleanor. We paladins must always be ready to confront evil."
"...Let's hurry, Mister."
The two clerics from the Ariclotos Order rushed toward the explosion site.
* * *
They arrived swiftly at the Gilenoi Merchant Guild's Black Forest branch.
The building was collapsed so badly it was hard to recognize its former shape.
Who in Black Forest Fortress would carry out such terrorism?
The culprit was easy to spot.
Apparently caught in the blast's aftermath, a woman wrapped head to toe in torn bandages lay collapsed with a dagger embedded in her chest.
With no breath left, she was clearly dead.
And not far away, Jun spotted a familiar face.
"...Aiden!"
Large chunks of flesh were torn from both arms and his abdomen.
Every wound was severe.
Jun hurriedly pulled a potion from his pouch and carefully sprinkled it over Aiden's injuries.
"...Leader."
A small voice came from behind.
Turning around, he saw Maya staggering out from a pile of rubble against one wall.
"Your leg...!"
"This much is fine."
"Don't talk nonsense—stop right there!"
Confirming Aiden's wounds were closing, Jun rushed to Maya.
Maya slumped against the outer wall of the building.
"What happened?"
"The guild... was attacked."
"By that woman?"
"Yes. She was strong... Urk!"
Maya's leg was mangled just like Aiden's wounds, flesh gouged out in chunks.
Sprinkling potion over it slowly stanched the bleeding and began healing the injury.
Jun didn't stop there—he pressed a potion vial to Maya's lips.
"Drink. From the looks of your wounds, it's aura damage. Your internals are probably hurt too."
"Thank you..."
Jun cast a detection spell around them to watch for any threats.
Crowds were gathering, murmuring in the aftermath of the explosion.
There could be enemies among them. Whoever pulled this off might have more tricks up their sleeve.
"Maya, hide inside that building with Aiden."
"What about you, Leader?"
"...There's still someone to rescue."
He could sense signs of life from within the collapsed structure.
As Jun moved to head there—
BOOM—!
Something emitting blue ghostly light emerged from the debris.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"Cloi?"
"Uwaaaah! That was close!"
It was Cloi, cradled in the arms of a shattered golem that had burst from the ruins.
* * *
Black Forest Fortress was in an uproar.
Terrorism in the first layer? Of course it was.
Fortress guards swarmed in an instant, beginning their investigation.
The silver lining was that Jun and Cloi quickly cleared suspicion thanks to connections they'd built up over time.
Even so, it still took a full day.
"Sorry... I can't think straight right now, no matter what I try."
Cloi should have been the busiest right now, but she'd been badly hurt too.
Plus, so many from the guild she'd shared hardships with had died—it was only natural she needed time to process.
"Get some rest."
Leaving Cloi with her shoulders slumped, Jun headed elsewhere.
He arrived at the building Cloi had used as a warehouse.
"Never thought you'd show up at a time like this."
"You think I planned it?"
Her voice was hoarse, but the woman wore pristine white priestly robes and a black eyepatch over one eye.
It was Eleanor, the priest who'd helped out in so many ways during the Forest Guardian raid.
"Anyway, thanks. My comrades healed faster than expected because of you."
Eleanor had rushed to the explosion site and poured all her focus into treating the wounded.
She wasn't the only one who'd shone.
"Thank you. Your help was invaluable in putting out the fire."
"Not at all. Aren't we all lambs under the heavens blessed by the Lord? Helping each other is only natural!"
The booming reply came from a middle-aged man.
'A crusader. And a high-rank one at that.'
His build was so massive it was hard to believe he was human.
All his gear was Tier 2 equipment, no less.
He seemed to hold a significant position in the church.
"By the way, did you seduce Eleanor or something?"
"Pardon?"
As Jun wondered what nonsense this was, Eleanor punched the middle-aged man in the side.
Protected by heavy armor, it was her fist that hurt instead.
"Damn, you're tough as nails."
"Now, now, Eleanor. Swing like that and you might hurt yourself."
"My hand?"
"Exactly! Hahaha!"
"Whatever. You're just in the way, Mister, so get out for now."
"Fair enough. Nothing uglier than interrupting young love!"
As the giant man lumbered out, Eleanor massaged her temples wearily.
"Sorry. He can be a bit loud."
"Caught me off guard. Anyway... as someone you helped, I hate to ask, but how'd you end up here?"
"I had some questions."
Jun could already guess what Eleanor wanted to ask him about.
"About this staff."
"Hm."
Jun let out a low hum.
During his duel with the Fairy Queen, he'd borrowed Eleanor's staff out of necessity.
What should he say?
The staff dropped from defeating the boss monster of a World Quest—'Calamity of Lament'.
'Not through normal subjugation, though. It required clearing an insanely tough linked quest chain.'
In the game's story, you had to hustle like mad to obtain it.
"Never heard it held such secrets in all my life."
"Figures. It looks like an ordinary staff."
Jun ran his fingers over the staff Eleanor held out.
"Not sure if it's still called that, but... it was known as [End of Lament]."
"That's a heavy name. Does it live up to it?"
"If you know how to use it, blowing up a city is child's play."
"..."
"The [Conversion] ability I mentioned before is handy enough, but the staff's true power is its limitless capacity to absorb energy. Like that holy power that's such a headache for you."
"...!!"
Eleanor.
In the game <Blackout>, she was known by the alias 'Calamity of Lament'—a world boss.
'Maybe the biggest wildcard and risk I ever created.'
No telling how her presence might play out. He knew the broad strokes of <Blackout>'s story, but not every detail.
"My holy power...?"
"That's why you wear the eyepatch, right?"
"..."
That said, he had no intention of just sitting back and watching Eleanor's story unfold.
If their paths hadn't crossed, maybe—but they had, up to this point.
If needed, he was willing to intervene in her life more directly.
"If you want to uncover the staff's secrets... head to the 'City of Stilled Breath' on the third layer."
"That's..."
"A place with deep ties to your order, right?"
"How do you know that?"
"I'm a mage."
"...So you're not telling."
Eleanor eyed him suspiciously.
Jun just shrugged.
"One bit of advice, though."
"..."
"Don't trust your church folk too much."
With that, Jun turned to leave.
He needed to check on Aiden and Maya.
From behind, Eleanor murmured softly.
"...I already knew that."
* * *
Thanks to Eleanor's help, Aiden and Maya recovered from their injuries without major complications.
"Still, stay in bed. Internal aura damage doesn't heal quickly, even with potions or holy power."
"Sorry for worrying you, Senior."
"Worry? Anyway, glad you're safe."
"Leader, embarrassed?"
Jun shot back incredulously at Maya's remark.
"Embarrassed about what?"
"Thanks for helping."
Awkward, he averted his gaze—then Aiden spoke up.
"Senior, what about Lady Cloi...?"
"She's out of danger, thankfully. But she's struggling mentally."
"Ah..."
Aiden bowed his head gravely.
He was thinking of all the guild members who'd died.
He couldn't claim to know them well, but they'd spent days together.
Jun didn't call Aiden weak for it.
That sensitivity was both his flaw and his strength.
As leader, Jun's job was to stand by him so he wouldn't waver.
"Must be tough for you too. But don't dwell on it. Focus on recovering."
"...Thank you, Senior."
"Now, to business. About the culprit behind this mess."
"You know who they are?"
"Yeah. But this one's on me alone."
"Pardon...?"
"Why?"
They still didn't know Jun had fought—and beaten—a mage from Volcatornic Mage Tower.
Jun explained briefly, and they stared at him in shock.
He'd only recently reached 4th circle, yet he'd triumphed over a 5th-circle battle mage.
"The mastermind is Volcatornic."
"Volcatornic... That's a pretty big Mage Tower, isn't it?"
Not ancient, but Volcatornic had rapidly expanded its influence in Blackout lately.
They wielded considerable power.
"...If I can't help, I'll sit this out."
Maya showed little interest, as usual, unless it involved her.
Unexpectedly, though, someone tugged at Jun's hem.
"Senior..."
"Aiden, you don't look on board."
Clear fear etched Aiden's face as he gazed at Jun.