Chapter 136: The Border Zone (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 136: The Border Zone (4)
Red eyes, contrasting sharply with the blue moonlight, settled into the small cat’s body.
The cat’s tail lengthened, flowing over the Marquis’s right hand. Like a snake coiling itself, the tail wound down his arm, reached the ground in an instant, and seeped into the shadow cast by the blue moon.
Then.
The moment the monsters reached the Marquis.
Crunch—!
Black branches erupted from the Marquis’s shadow, skewering them.
They pierced the bodies of goblins clutching rusted daggers.
They shattered the heads of orcs charging with glaives.
They impaled the torsos of gnolls lunging with long halberds.
In an instant, the monsters that had swarmed the Marquis went limp, dangling from the black branches.
It was a near-instantaneous manifestation of magic, occurring without warning—a feat hardly believable for a mage.
The branches that had swept through and impaled the monsters in one fell swoop moved again.
“───”
As Marquis Palatio murmured something once more, the branches immediately attacked the surrounding monsters.
It was absolute pandemonium.
Amidst the earth-shaking commotion, soldiers who had been swinging their weapons in terror froze in their tracks.
Even the knights, who had been scowling while dealing with the swarming monsters, stared blankly into the air.
■■■■■■■—!!!
By the time the swarming monsters began to scream in terror and flee back over the walls they had just scaled, the knights and soldiers bore witness.
They saw a massive tree of shadows, grown by devouring the lives of countless monsters and absorbing the blue moonlight.
And beneath that tree stood Marquis Palatio.
“....”
As soon as the monsters had all fled, the Shadow Tree vanished.
The monsters that had been impaled on the branches fell to the ground, forming a mountain of corpses.
So this is the mage who handled an Outer God...
Kiriana couldn't help but feel a profound sense of awe as she watched Marquis Palatio stroke Blackie, who had already returned to his cute cat form.
At that moment, Alon, the one who had actually cast the magic, was thinking:
“...You disappeared suddenly and came back after several hours. How did you become able to use such magic?”
“It just happened.”
Alon shrugged lightly and looked down at Blackie.
“Blackie...”
[Kyu?]
“Next time, I’d appreciate it if you’d deploy the magic while considering my mana reserves.”
[Kyu—]
Blackie made a dejected expression.
“But you did well.”
[Kyu!]
However, he began nodding his head vigorously, clearly pleased by the follow-up praise.
...I almost died.
It was another moment where he had narrowly crossed the threshold of death.
* * *
The reason Alon was able to use the Union of Shadow and Light was that he had finally learned how to use it from Rainisius.
As expected, using the Shadow Spirit Dragon required more than just memorizing a magic circle; a specific process had to come first.
Namely, establishing a mana link with the Shadow Spirit Dragon.
Only then could one use the Shadow Spirit Dragon’s technique, ‘Shadow Tree.’
The Shadow Tree Alon had just displayed wasn't created solely by the Shadow Spirit Dragon’s power; it was a collaboration with the Multiple Manifestation he had become able to use.
While it was the Shadow Spirit Dragon that used the Shadow Tree, the one who actually manifested the magic was Alon, who had linked his mana. Thus, his Multiple Manifestation had also triggered normally.
The result was the massive tree of shadows seen moments ago.
Alon looked down at the Shadow Spirit Dragon, who was now rubbing its body against his chest.
...And this is only the 1st Stage.
According to Rainisius, the Shadow Spirit Dragon grew through five stages. It would grow gradually as Alon’s status increased or by being fed ‘Shadow Stones.’
This meant that as Alon grew, Blackie would grow alongside him.
Furthermore, it was said that as the Spirit Dragon progressed through the stages, it would become incomparably stronger than the previous stage.
Eventually, it would reach a point where it could use its abilities freely on its own, without needing its master’s power.
...Should I look for some Shadow Stones?
For now, Alon planned to grow Blackie by feeding him Shadow Stones rather than the somewhat ambiguous method of raising his own status.
If he grows well and can just pull that spear out—
Alon recalled the proposal Rainisius had made.
[As I said, the ‘Union of Shadow and Light’ you asked me about is a magic circle used by my close friend who sealed me. In other words, this seal was also placed by the Shadow Spirit Dragon that my ally commanded.]
[A seal placed by a Spirit Dragon can only be undone by a Spirit Dragon. That is why I had given up until now. My ally is dead, the magic circle was forgotten, and the Shadow Spirit Dragon vanished.]
[However, it should be possible for you, since you can use the magic circle now.]
[So, let us make a deal, Magus. If you grow the Shadow Spirit Dragon and save me, I will gladly become your servant.]
[I, the Golden Dragon Rainisius, swear it.]
It was an excellent proposal that Alon had no reason to refuse.
Therefore.
...If I can have a Gold Dragon as a subordinate, my retirement is as good as guaranteed, isn't it?
Even now, if the Five Great Sins hadn't appeared, there wouldn't have been any problems...
Regardless, this fellow Blackie could also be a key to his retirement security.
[By the way, it is a pity. From what I know, Kailas would have been much better at raising or handling the Shadow Spirit Dragon in various ways. But he is likely no longer of this world.]
Kailas... huh.
Alon knew that name well.
In fact, it was impossible for him not to know it.
He had seen it often when he played Psychedelia as a game, and he had encountered him in the Lartania Labyrinth after entering this world.
...So that goblin is the Magus who created the Union of Shadow and Light.
To be honest, there were several parts that didn't make sense.
The Kailas Alon knew did recite Phrases, but they were related to wind magic, not the Union of Shadow and Light.
Most importantly, his appearance was different. His appearance was clearly that of a goblin, not a human.
Furthermore, Alon knew Kailas not as a human or a Magus, but as an Outer God, and as expected, he had appeared as an Avatar.
He had questioned Rainisius about this as well.
[...I do not know if the goblin you speak of is my friend or not. I know nothing of what happened after I was sealed.]
Even the Golden Dragon wasn't certain about that part.
Nevertheless, the fact continued to bother Alon.
Although the time wasn't right yet, he knew a way to meet Kailas again—the one who had already been extinguished at this point in time.
If he really is the person who created the magic circle...
Naturally, he would be able to learn more about the magic from him, as well as any additional ways to strengthen the Shadow Spirit Dragon.
While he was lost in thought.
“Thank you so much, Marquis. I am in your debt once again.”
Kiriana approached him. She bowed her head politely.
Alon waved his hand naturally.
“I only did what had to be done.”
...In truth, if the monsters hadn't fled out of fear of the Shadow Spirit Dragon’s status, he might have been in some danger himself.
However, he didn't let that show. After a brief conversation.
“...The wall, you say?”
“Yes. It was clearly being protected by magic continuously.”
Alon followed Kiriana’s gaze to the wall.
The wall, which had never been broken once in the original story, was now a scene of wretched destruction.
As Alon stared at it for a while, he noticed black slime dripping from the site.
“...!”
He approached it, his eyes widening involuntarily, but the black slime began to vanish slowly, as if evaporating.
“....”
The slime soon disappeared completely.
Only then did Alon realize why the wall, which was supposed to be indestructible, had been destroyed.
No, he had no choice but to realize it. He knew the entity that spat out that black slime.
Why on earth is it here?
There were suspicious aspects, but in a way, this was for the best.
Now that Alon knew for certain that the Five Great Sins were descending, this was an entity he had to deal with before leaving this border.
“...What is the matter?”
Kiriana, who had followed Alon as he moved suddenly, asked.
Alon replied as he slowly scanned the wall.
“I think I know who did this.”
And the next day.
Alon gathered Yuman and Yutia, who had returned after finishing the repairs on the gate, along with Kiriana.
“We must eliminate Rikrakakmur.”
He spoke the name of the Abomination that possessed a Discarded Object of the Five Great Sins, which had settled in the north of the border.
* * *
Gillan Merkillan was curious about Deus Macallian and Philian Merkillan.
More accurately, he was curious about what they were talking about.
His secretary, Cullan, had reported it.
Those two had been having a pleasant conversation in front of the Marquis’s statue for a full six hours.
He had even said that they were so absorbed that he couldn't even call them to the evening banquet, so Gillan couldn't help but be curious.
Besides, hadn't Deus and his brother Philian been on rather bad terms since the United Kingdoms Conference?
Gillan invited the two to a late banquet and was soon able to resolve his doubts.
“It brings back memories. The Marquis was truly majestic back then. He created light in a gray sky, and then he brought low the god of a tribe that was receiving human sacrifices in the jungle. Hooo—I still get chills thinking about that sight.”
“Ooh—! I see. It is truly a regret of my life that I did not see it in person...”
“No, didn't you see something that I didn't?”
“That is true... Hooo—my body still tingles when I think of that time. When the Marquis appeared as those hideous Outer Gods were rushing to destroy the territory, his appearance was truly—”
As if they had planned it, they began praising Marquis Palatio as soon as they sat down after a brief greeting.
After a moment of absurdity, Gillan smiled as he watched the two converse intimately.
There was nothing to be gained from having a bad relationship with Deus Macallian, the First Sword of Calliban.
Thus, Gillan enjoyed the dinner, occasionally joining their conversation.
At some point, he realized one thing.
He had made a grave mistake.
“...Hooo—I wish I could have seen it too. It’s such a shame.”
“Indeed. His appearance then... was truly something I wanted to show the whole world.”
The dinner had ended long ago.
They were still continuing their praise of Marquis Palatio.
For over three hours.
...How long are they going to keep this up?
Gillan looked at Philian and Deus with a fed-up expression, but the two seemed to have no intention of ending their story.
In fact, they didn't even seem to care about Gillan’s expression.
“....”
Of course, he also felt grateful to Marquis Palatio.
If it hadn't been for him, the Merkillan Ducal House would have vanished from the history of this world, and he would have lost his precious brother.
But even so.
Isn't this a bit... excessive?
After thinking carefully, Gillan spoke.
“...First, I think I shall head out.”
Unable to endure it any longer, he finally stood up. He had been holding back because it wasn't polite to leave before the invited guests, but he couldn't take it anymore.
His head was spinning.
Listening to stories that had been adapted and embellished several times in the minds of Deus and Philian for hours.
He had reached a point where he could almost mistake Marquis Palatio for a half-god.
And so.
Gillan eventually chose to flee, and it was yesterday that he had sought sleep as if collapsing.
Yes, yesterday.
Yesterday.
Meaning, it was one night ago.
It should have been.
“...What did you say?”
“The two of them are still talking.”
The next morning.
Upon hearing Cullan’s report as soon as he woke up, Gillan began to feel a sense of dread toward the two men.
...Are they insane?
A reasonable suspicion flashed through his mind.
...It was exactly 17 hours since Deus had met Philian.