Chapter 346
Chapter 346
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 346
Chapter Title: Ka■■ (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"As I said, there are two objectives."
"The first is rescuing Raniel van Trias. Though calling it a rescue might be a stretch. She'll be lying on the altar in the church at the heart of the colorless forest. Getting her into the carriage is goal number one."
"And the second..."
"Saintess Sara."
"No new Blessed One has been confirmed. That means the current Saintess hasn't died. Given that the Church is still searching for her, I expect she's here too."
"Above all, he said she'll 'be alive.' I don't know what variable came into play, but secure the Saintess if possible."
"Got it up to here?"
"Next, a warning."
Kardi let out a short breath.
After a brief silence, Kardi spoke.
"One, never provoke Kyle Toben."
He raised his index finger.
"He's not yet fully formed as a calamity. An unbloomed calamity. But that doesn't change the fact that he's a calamity-level existence."
Death's Sword, Ganikalt.
Apostate, Gletus.
Black Storm, Black Dragon Belial.
"Among the calamities you know... exclude Skeval, and treat him as equal to the other three. Of course, he won't attack you on sight. Right now, he's like a sleepwalker lost in dreams."
But, Kardi said.
"Provoke him, and that changes everything."
I trust you know that without me saying it.
Muttering that, Kardi extended his middle finger. With index and middle fingers raised, Kardi said curtly.
"The second warning is an extension of the first."
"...Extension?"
"Yes. I said don't provoke him if you encounter him? That means make 'no presence' at all. I can't predict how he'll react. That's why I brought you lot."
Experts in infiltration.
Those who can erase their presence to the limit.
Not to mention Kalt, who's performed countless infiltration missions over the years and become a superhuman, Remia is also a top-tier ranger with the senses and blessings of a born elf.
"Best not to encounter him at all... but if you do, erase your presence. Never think of engaging. You'll die."
"...One question."
Kalt said.
"You said he's become a calamity, but isn't Kyle Toben the Hero and a swordsman?"
The strongest Hero, Kyle Toben.
Humanity's sharpest blade... and the pinnacle of human might.
"It's already hard to believe such a figure has turned traitor, but if it's true..."
Kalt touched his sword hilt.
"Before he's complete. While he's unstable as a calamity. Shouldn't we subjugate him now?"
"You're right."
Kardi smiled bitterly.
"If it were possible."
That hunting dog's words are correct.
If we're subjugating him, now is the only chance. Before he fully blooms as a calamity. But the ones gathered here can't seize that chance.
Raniel van Trias.
It's a chance permitted only to her.
Kardi knew that. No one else could face a Hero turned calamity.
That's what makes it tragic.
Kardi let out a short breath.
"Explanation ends here. Move out."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
Remia headed to find the church, while Kalt moved to scout beyond the forest. Erasing his presence, Kalt swiftly traversed the colorless forest.
Ruins of the Seleph Kingdom.
Kalt knew about this place.
A kingdom destroyed by the Demon King centuries ago, and just a few years back, confirmed as the site of the Demon King's emergence—a cursed land.
...But.
That ancient elf warned him about the calamity but not the Demon King. This was the Demon King's domain before a calamity's. Why?
Kardi's explanation had many gaps.
Kalt speculated on what filled those gaps, what happened here. Pure conjecture for now. Laughable nonsense even in his mind.
But the moment he exited the forest.
The moment he saw the wasteland beyond.
"......"
Kalt swallowed dryly.
A vast wasteland.
Scattered chaotically across it were sword scars. Filling the area, messy. Not from one strike, but hundreds, thousands intertwined.
...Can't see it.
As a superhuman of the sword, Kalt.
Tracing sword paths from scars was child's play, but he couldn't read those.
Swallowing, Kalt walked.
Sword scars are like a swordsman's footprints.
Following Kyle's prints, Kalt walked and walked. How far? At some point, the scars cut off abruptly.
...Final strike.
Where the scars ended.
Cracked earth and boulders precisely bisected lay scattered. Standing there, Kalt looked ahead.
Space was sliced.
Horizontally warped space, unhealing.
Insane.
Even seeing it, incomprehensible.
A strike beyond common sense.
Facing the incomprehensible sword trace, Kalt surveyed around. Not far off, a limp woman lay.
Saintess Sara.
Listening, her heart beat.
Checking pulse, heartbeat and breath normal. Like deep sleep, eyes closed. Hoisting her, Kalt moved again.
...What happened here, unknown. Why Kyle Toben became calamity, unknown.
Just conjecture.
Drawing info from surrounding traces, Kalt guessed. Hero Kyle Toben fought the Demon King here. Outcome? From words heard before arriving.
"Kyle Toben became a calamity."
Kalt walked, feeling bitter.
Observed facts, heard words.
Understanding context from info was Kalt's specialty. Still conjecture, but if right...
Even for the senior, this is...
No matter how tough.
Humans have limits. And Kalt guessed. This exceeded what Raniel van Trias could endure.
"...What a shitshow."
Kalt muttered, sighing.
Hoping not to meet the calamity-ified Kyle—once his superior—Kalt walked. Didn't want to see that sight.
Crossing wasteland back into forest.
Just reach the carriage, mission done. Focusing, Kalt shook off stray thoughts. How far?
Rustle.
A gust blew.
The wind carried rot.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Kalt's body stiffened.
Frozen in place, unable to step. Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Wind bearing rot.
Kalt knew this wind.
Etched in his brain, memory of death. Vivid even years later. Rot, foul death wind.
...Death's Sword, Ganikalt.
Wind blowing with every step he took. Why here? Death appeared? No.
Slightly different.
Similar, but not.
Chilling, sharp wind. Felt like a blade brushing Kalt. Then, crackle. Dry branch snapped, echoing in forest.
Thud.
Footstep.
Creak, grind.
Something twisting.
Scrape, drag.
Sounds came.
Kalt stiffly turned to the source. Massive presence. Shadowy forest corner rippled.
■, ■■■■. ■■■■■■■■.
With eerie sounds, it appeared.
From rippling shadow, one human. Hole through heart, grotesquely twisted arm dangling.
Dangling arm gripped a sword.
The sword symbolizing the Hero, humanity's hope. Black-crusted holy sword no longer points skyward. Blade buried in earth, scraping dirt piles.
Human gripping holy sword.
Human wore Hero's uniform.
Blood-and-dirt-stained Hero's garb. Seeing the face, Kalt's expression twisted.
Kyle Toben.
The Hero turned calamity stood there.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 3.
Facing the calamity, Kalt realized.
How stupid his question to Kardi in the carriage. Meaning of Kardi's smile then.
"If it were possible."
Impossible.
No way possible.
With trembling eyes, Kalt watched the calamity. Watched Kyle Toben. Arms limp like sleepwalking through forest, full of openings. To ordinary eyes, at least.
But close eyes, open.
Superhuman sight saw different Kyle.
Death.
Standing there was death.
Swing sword any way, instant counter. Before one path, body shredded. Alarm bells showed countless futures.
Myriad futures.
All pointing to death.
Hostility means death. Forgetting to breathe, Kalt waited for calamity to pass.
Scrape, drag.
Fortunately, calamity ignored Kalt.
Just blank pupils staring void, stepping. Each step, blade scraped softly.
Slowly distancing.
As Kalt slowly backpedaled watching retreating back—suddenly, Kyle halted. Unbent his hunched body.
Crack, pop.
Bones creaking.
Straightening, Kyle slowly raised arm. Half-buried holy sword bared its edge. In darkness, it gleamed ominously.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Chase the ashes.
Kill the ashes.
Trample, defile, kill.
Such voices kept coming.
Ka■■ wandered darkness. Forgetting something. Missing something. Must find it, but endless dark showed no end.
How much further to walk.
How much more to think.
Unknown. Yet Ka■■ kept walking. Wandering dark, seeking answers.
Rustle.
Swirling ashes danced before Ka■■'s eyes. Even in dark, ash alone didn't lose light. Ka■■ welcomed the ash. But joy faded quickly.
Elements forming human Ka■■■■ began crumbling. Beliefs held, oaths to keep, final regrets—all slowly disintegrating.
Corrosion continued in dark.
【The ashes.】
【Kill the ashes.】
【The ashes.】
Ka■■ saw rising ash before eyes.
Once-welcomed ash dust.
Now, Ka■■ felt hatred from it. Unknowable rage halted Ka■■'s steps. Staring at shaking dust...
Ka■■ gripped sword.
Yes, ash-gray always made him grip sword. Why grip sword?
【To cut.】
What?
【The ashes.】
Ka■■ raised sword.
Reason not to drop sword didn't surface, but linked to ash-gray, Ka■■ recalled.
Cut the ashes.
Someone whispered.
Following whisper, Ka■■ swung.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Calamity raised sword.
Form terrible. Sword arm twisted, useless. Yet, when blade leveled with ground...
It became superhuman sword.
Sword superhumans show best strike any situation, state. Kyle lightly swung gripped sword.
Shing.
Blade cleaved air.
No longer trailing light. Instead of glow, one sword(？) severs flow. Along swung arc, space rippled. Darkness shook.
Slice.
Quiet cleaving sound.
Moment it rang, Kalt bolted without looking back. Instinct warned. Escape now.
And instinct was right.
Kraka-kaka-kaka-kaka!
Gale rampaged.
Onrushing flow swept all.
Trees uprooted skyward.
Earth flipped, dirt piles surged.
Everything visible inverted.
Heaven-earth boundary lost.
Earth things flowed against current, reverse(？).
Finally touched sky, heaven(？).
Heaven-Reversing(？？) Sword, Kyle Toben.
New calamity opened eyes.