Chapter 319: Ryanga (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 319: Ryanga (1)
The northern region of the Ashtalon Kingdom.
"……This is gruesome."
"You can say that again."
"What the hell even happened here?"
It was a scene of slaughter so horrific it could no longer be called a forest, drenched in mangled flesh and splattered blood.
Three men stood there.
Pamaon, the Dragon Strike Spear.
Thousand Year Ice of the Barbarians.
The Stealth User of the Cliff Sword.
Each was a figure of formidable power, known as members of the 7 Strongest within the United Kingdoms.
They shook their heads as they looked at the bits of flesh scattered everywhere.
"Sigh—I don't know, maybe we shouldn't have taken this job. This might turn into a real pain."
Pamaon spoke while gripping a long spear that looked twice as tall as he was.
"I was thinking the same thing," the Stealth User, dressed in Eastern attire, nodded in agreement.
"Didn't you both come here because there was something to gain anyway?"
At Thousand Year Ice’s pointed remark, Pamaon and the Stealth User cleared their throats and replied.
"Well, that's true."
"……If it weren't for the Strange Gate Stones."
Strange Gate Stones.
Even the Information Guild had yet to properly grasp their true nature; information about them had only been leaked secretly among the strong. They were objects similar to Abyss Bodies.
However, while their usage was similar, Strange Gate Stones were fundamentally different from Abyss Bodies.
First, Strange Gate Stones did not pollute mana. Depending on which Strange Gate they originated from, they could even grant additional abilities.
In other words, unlike Abyss Bodies, they were tools that increased power without any risk.
Furthermore, unlike Abyss Bodies—which merely tainted the mana of a user who had already surpassed a certain level of strength without granting further power—it had been confirmed that Strange Gate Stones allowed anyone to gain additional strength, regardless of their current status.
This fact had been verified by one of the strongmen who first spoke of these stones.
The three men gathered here had accepted a request from Shuhtalian V, who promised to hand over 'Strange Gate Stones' if they handled the job.
"I didn't expect Ashtalon to be secretly hoarding Strange Gate Stones. Did they already have some information on them?"
Pamaon’s musing was brief.
"Well, we just need to get what we were promised. Let's not just stand around; let's finish this quickly and leave."
"Agreed. We can't just squat here forever."
"You said it was definitely just up ahead?"
"That's right."
At the Stealth User's confirmation, Thousand Year Ice and Pamaon nodded and moved deeper into the forest.
The deeper they went, the thicker the scent of blood became, and the more frequent the signs of slaughter.
Their faces, which had been expressionless at first, began to tighten with a hint of tension.
It wasn't just because of the gruesome scene before them.
These three had seen enough horrors in their time that a mere atmosphere wouldn't make them flinch.
The reason they all looked so grim was different.
It was because they felt an ominous presence in the mana ahead.
"……It seems we've taken on a request that a single Strange Gate Stone won't nearly be enough to cover."
"We'll have to have a proper talk when we get back."
"Absolutely……."
The three strongmen moved forward, exchanging these words.
And when they finally reached the source of the mana—
"─────?"
There was nothing.
No, they couldn't see anything.
The moment they reached the source, they all closed their eyes simultaneously.
It wasn't of their own volition.
"What—"
Thuck—
The next thing they felt was the sensation of a blade piercing through their hearts.
"Guh—!"
"Mmph—!"
They couldn't open their mouths.
They couldn't open their eyes.
They couldn't move their bodies.
They couldn't even draw their weapons.
……They couldn't do anything at all.
The bodies of Pamaon and the Stealth User collapsed hollowly without even a hint of resistance.
The absurdly pathetic deaths of two of the 7 Strongest.
And the last one.
As he stood with a sword through his heart, unable to do a thing, the last thing Thousand Year Ice heard before his consciousness plummeted into the abyss was a voice.
"I'm sorry—"
A voice.
"I'm sorry—"
A voice.
"I don't want to do this either."
A very small voice.
"But, it's all for your sake."
A voice.
"So, please die."
That was the last sound Thousand Year Ice heard from the world.
* * *
Alon looked at his divine power, which had grown as massive as a planet compared to his own body, with a look of utter incomprehension.
His divinity had increased?
That should be something to be happy about.
He didn't know the exact nature of the divinity from the Divine Land since, as Line said, he had just been collecting it.
However, 'divinity' increasing was essentially synonymous with an upgrade in power.
Yet, the reason Alon was dumbfounded was that his divinity had grown far beyond his imagination.
'It's about the level of the Primordial Elf……. No, it feels like even more than that……?'
Of course, it wasn't as if Alon didn't have a history(?) of accumulating a lot of divinity, but even considering that, the divinity from the Divine Land was already slightly larger in scale than that of the Primordial Elf.
Until now, he had just shrugged it off whenever some unknown divinity cropped up, but this time was different.
'……What on earth is happening in the Divine Land……?'
All I did was try to make something small and cozy because they said it was needed…….
Of course, from the moment distorted rumors spread and knights and mercenaries started flocking there—and now that he had recruited so many soldiers and knights—that modest dream had already gone astray.
Regardless, Alon still thought that way.
"Hmm……."
As he sat there brooding, Evan, who was beside him, spoke up.
"What has been bothering you for a while now?"
"No—it's just that my divinity seems to have increased too much."
"It increased?"
"Isn't it strange?"
"……But still, isn't that a good thing?"
"Is it?"
"Actually, it's great. It's like you're getting stronger while just sitting still, isn't it?"
Evan acted impressed, as if Alon's divinity was just copy-pasting itself.
……Since he wasn't wrong, Alon sat back down.
"Still, it seems like something is happening in the Divine Land, so I should investigate."
"Understood. I'll look into it as soon as we reach the next town."
Alon resumed his journey toward the Ronobelli Jungle.
About a week later, before reaching the jungle, they arrived at Caslot, a territory in the Luxible Grand Duchy that they had to pass through.
'Come to think of it, I should go see Sirkal at some point.'
He hadn't visited her since he mentioned he would stop by last time.
However, since meeting Ryanga was the priority, Alon moved immediately.
As he stepped out of the carriage and walked through Caslot, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.
'……Why does it feel like everyone is staring at me?'
It felt as though the residents of the territory couldn't take their eyes off him.
When Alon turned his gaze toward them, the residents looked away but began whispering among themselves.
"……?"
Just as Alon realized it wasn't just a feeling and that they were indeed staring at him, a merchant selling fruit in the plaza suddenly approached him with a look of recognition.
"Oh my—hello there, Marquis Palatio!"
Evan instinctively tried to block the merchant's path.
However, Alon lightly waved his hand, and a path was made. The merchant, stepping in front of him, bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much—!"
"……?"
Alon was bewildered by the sudden expression of gratitude.
But before his confusion could be resolved—
"Thank you so much, Marquis!"
"Life has become so much better thanks to you, Marquis."
"Thank you, Marquis!"
The residents began to speak up as if they had been waiting for this moment.
"???"
……Alon couldn't help but feel another wave of confusion.
As the residents gathered and began to clap, Evan asked, looking at the street that had turned into a parade route.
"Marquis."
"What."
"Did you do something again……?"
"What do you mean by 'something'?"
"No, well……. Haven't you been doing all sorts of things whenever I'm not around?"
"……I've been with you for months, though?"
"Then…… what is this?"
Alon could only give one answer.
"……I don't know either……."
* * *
Ever since the appearance of the weak knight who could use the power of Kalanon with the help of Silli Macallian, the atmosphere in the Divine Land had been changing significantly.
And for Roman, the weak knight who had received Silli Macallian's help, that change was monumental.
He still couldn't properly control Kalanon's power.
Even when he did use it, it was only for a fleeting moment, and the power of the lightning was absurdly weak.
But he was satisfied with just that.
The power of Kalanon had brought him 'growth,' something he had forgotten long ago.
He had never had talent for the sword.
As an illegitimate child of a knightly family, he had worked so hard that he would collapse into sleep after swinging his sword all day without rest.
But talent allowed him to be nothing more than an average knight.
To put it bluntly: he was weak, stagnant, and frail.
His meager talent had robbed Rohan of the joy of growth.
Until he began to serve Kalanon.
From the moment he started serving Kalanon, Rohan rediscovered growth.
As if mocking the talent that had placed limits on him, Kalanon granted him strength proportional to his effort.
Of course, that power was very slight, but even that was enough.
The fact that his efforts and his faith had not been betrayed was a fruit far too sweet to pass up.
In addition to that—
Crackle—!
"Whoa—"
"I wonder when I'll be able to—"
Rohan was now receiving the admiration of those who, like him, were reading the scriptures to gain Kalanon's power.
"Please tell us, Sir Knight. How exactly are we supposed to believe?"
"Do we have to believe with absolute desperation?"
"Please give us even a hint of the method……!"
Rohan looked at the people crowding around him.
Among them were wandering knights in humble attire and mercenaries.
In their eyes was clear awe and a faint trace of jealousy that anyone could see.
These were emotions he could never have received back when he was just a weak knight.
That was why Rohan was grateful to Kalanon—
No, he was grateful to Marquis Palatio.
He was grateful to Marquis Palatio, who had given him the hope of growth—the one who had bestowed this power upon him.
If it weren't for him, he would never have experienced such a thing in his entire life.
Therefore.
"Everyone, believe. If you do, Lord Kalanon will surely answer our faith."
"Is that so?"
"Look at the scriptures. Chapter 1, Verse 15: To those who believe, He shall give power equal to their faith; but those who doubt shall gain nothing—"
Rohan came to trust Kalanon more fervently than anyone else.
At that moment.
"……Mm, things are going well."
"Are they?"
Watching the scene, Silli nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Yes. Look at that."
"……."
Following Silli's finger, Deus turned his gaze toward them.
Ever since Rohan became able to use Kalanon's power, the atmosphere in the Divine Land had begun to shift in earnest.
Knights and mercenaries in need of power vied with one another to memorize the scriptures and offer prayers.
Thanks to Silli's help, a few were already able to use Kalanon's power, however weakly.
Because of that, even more people clung to the scriptures.
It reached a point where minor scuffles broke out over the holy texts.
"Everyone wants to read the Marquis's scriptures, don't they?"
"Is this the 'time' you were waiting for?"
"Yes. From now on, I'm going to release the scriptures bit by bit. So that everyone becomes desperate to read the Marquis's words."
"I see. Is there anything else to be done?"
At Deus's question, Silli smiled.
"Of course. Now that we have followers, shouldn't we start making statues again?"
"I suppose so."
"And—we must make an official proclamation."
"……A proclamation?"
"Yes."
She tilted her head to the side.
"Because it makes no sense for a god to be beneath a mere human."
"I see—"
As if he understood Silli's words, Deus gave a firm nod.
And.
'……What on earth are they talking about?'
Kalanon, in her cat form, having heard the reality(?) of this Divine Land from Alon, could only watch the siblings laughing sinisterly with a look of utter confusion.