Chapter 463: Fragment (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 463: Fragment (2)
Golden lightning momentarily stains the world of sunset hues.
Even though it happened in a mere heartbeat—
K-Boom—!
—the result was staggering.
[!]
The Divine Blood, clad in an ink-black helmet, looked down at his own body in disbelief.
There was a hole.
A massive cavity that was inevitably fatal, even for one of the Divine Blood.
And the moment he confirmed it.
Thud—!
The body of the Divine Blood, which had exuded an overwhelming presence, toppled straight backward.
Seeing his fallen comrade, another Divine Blood immediately shifted his massive frame back and extended his tentacle-like hands.
However.
[!]
The moment he reached out, the Divine Blood realized something.
The golden entity that had been drifting through the air after killing his comrade was no longer in his line of sight.
The instant he perceived this, the Divine Blood saw it.
A spark of lightning.
And.
That was the end.
Crunch—!
The Divine Blood’s head exploded, and his massive body fell backward, marking the conclusion of the brief struggle.
“Phew.”
Seolrang, who had dispatched the two Divine Bloods as if it were nothing, let out a light sigh and landed in the center of the crater.
“...Lord Alon.”
“What is it?”
“...I feel like my sense of scale has been completely shattered. What do you think?”
At Evan’s question, as he stared blankly at Seolrang’s divine prowess.
“...I feel the same way.”
Alon replied, his mind racing with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment.
‘...Does that even make sense?’
Of course, Alon knew well enough that Seolrang had grown stronger.
In the first place, it would have been practically impossible to defeat a Divine Blood when they first encountered one if not for her power.
Furthermore, the Seolrang Alon had seen back then was in a state where she had only just obtained her power.
In other words, he had guessed she would be even stronger now that some time had passed.
But even taking that into account, this level of power was absurd.
His surprise at her logic-defying strength lasted only a moment.
“Hmm... Let’s head down for now.”
“Oh—yes. Understood.”
Alon moved toward where Seolrang was standing.
As soon as they reached the crater, they heard her voice.
“Mentor, these guys—I don’t think they’re Divine Blood.”
Alon’s footsteps halted.
“You don’t think they’re Divine Blood?”
“Yeah, Mentor.”
“Why?”
When Alon asked back, Seolrang pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Their bodies are weak overall.”
“...Weak?”
“Yeah. There’s a clear difference compared to the Divine Blood we fought before. Besides—”
Seolrang shifted her gaze slightly toward the fallen Divine Bloods.
“....”
Alon followed her gaze.
And.
“!”
He realized why Seolrang was looking at them.
“...There’s no blood.”
“Yeah.”
Divine Blood bleed. This was true for any of them.
As he observed the bodies with a puzzled expression.
Crack—!
“!”
The bodies of the Divine Bloods began to collapse in on themselves.
Like a tin can being crushed, their frames began to shrink rapidly with a sickening crunching sound.
Before Alon or Seolrang could do anything, they shriveled up completely.
Skreeee—!
With that final sound, they turned into black spheres and vanished as if they had been compressed out of existence.
“...?”
“What just...?”
The party stood dazed by the sheer speed of the occurrence.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Alon calmly assessed the situation.
“Based on the conversation between those things that looked like Divine Blood earlier, it seems these fragments are indeed the reason suspicious bandits have appeared near the Colony.”
“I think you’re right.”
Penia expressed her agreement.
“Hmm—then I’ve finished my job and Mentor’s job too?”
When Seolrang spoke up, Alon nodded.
“It would seem so.”
Since the reason they came to the Colony was to find the fragments.
Alon stared at the spot where the Divine Bloods had vanished.
‘...What on earth were they?’
When Alon first saw those entities in black armor, he had certainly felt the same sensation as when he encountered the Divine Blood. Yet they weren't Divine Blood. Divine Blood spilled red blood, but these things didn't bleed, and their corpses turned into something black and vanished.
He pondered for a moment.
“Evan.”
“Yes.”
“Now that I think about it, didn't you mention something about Divine Blood wearing black armor before?”
“Ah—yes, I did. I was wondering if the ones we just met were them.”
Alon stroked his chin and spoke.
“...Didn't you say they were dangerous?”
“Yes, I did.”
“...For something dangerous...”
Alon recalled the black Divine Bloods from moments ago. It was true that Seolrang had become stronger. But even so, they had perished far too easily.
‘...Why were they considered dangerous?’
After thinking about it for a moment, Alon pushed the topic to the back of his mind.
“Evan. As soon as we return to the Colony, look into those Divine Bloods.”
“Understood.”
Alon then turned his gaze toward the fragment.
Though it was called a ‘fragment,’ its actual size was anything but.
“....”
If he had to describe it, it looked more like a massive piece of steel framework.
While he was thinking that.
[....]
Pop—!
Blackie, who hadn't moved an inch inside his pocket until a moment ago, suddenly poked his head out.
“...Blackie?”
Penia looked surprised by the sudden appearance. It was understandable. Normally, Blackie wouldn't show so much as a hair if Seolrang was nearby.
However, Blackie didn't pay Penia any mind. He glanced at Seolrang with an anxious look.
[Kyu—!]
Then, as if he had made up his mind, he let out a small cry and lunged straight toward the fragment.
“Wait—!”
Before Alon could stop him, Blackie dived in and began to absorb the massive fragment in an instant.
Sssssss—!
With a rushing sound, the fragment was absorbed into Blackie’s body.
“Wait, Lord Alon? Shouldn't we stop that?”
Evan, who usually spent his time snickering at Blackie, sounded urgent.
“I think so too, but—it might actually be more dangerous to pull him away now—”
Penia countered from the side. Her point was valid. Usually, when something is being absorbed, forcing it to stop tends to cause side effects.
So, just as Alon’s party was debating what to do.
[Kyu—!]
Blackie had absorbed the entire massive fragment in less than a minute.
With an expression that seemed to say, ‘Ah, that was so sweet,’ he licked his lips before looking back at Seolrang with a tense face.
And.
“Wow—! Blackie—!”
As if she had been waiting, Seolrang picked Blackie up and stuffed him into her embrace.
[Kyuuuu—!!]
“...Phew.”
“Fortunately, there don't seem to be any particular problems.”
Evan and Penia breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Blackie suffer in Seolrang’s arms as usual.
“Huh?”
Penia’s gaze stopped on Alon.
“Lord Alon?”
“...Hmm? What is it?”
“Well—you seemed a bit dazed...”
“...Was it that obvious?”
“Not your face, but your posture gave it away...”
At those words, Alon recalled the moment Seolrang had looked at Blackie earlier.
“....”
It had been a split second. So brief that no one but Alon, who had been focusing his attention on Seolrang, would have noticed.
Only Alon saw it.
The way her gaze toward Blackie had been void of emotion, before her expression brightened as if she had realized something.
“....”
Alon stared silently at Seolrang.
* * *
After the work was finished.
Alon decided to return to the Colony, even though it was late.
The sun had almost completely set, but since he had recorded the entire path, he judged they could arrive before late night if they moved diligently.
Alon moved immediately. They arrived at the Colony after night had fallen.
As soon as they stepped inside.
“...Huh?”
Evan’s puzzled voice reached them.
“What’s wrong?”
When Alon asked, Evan snapped out of it and replied.
“No, it’s just that an Information Guild member seems to be calling for me urgently.”
“...A guild member?”
When Alon turned his gaze toward where Evan was looking, a man with inverted eyes and a mask over his face was standing there.
“I’ll be right back.”
“...I’ll wait.”
Alon decided to wait for Evan.
After some time had passed, Evan emerged from the secluded alleyway he had entered following the man with inverted eyes.
“...Um, Lord Alon.”
“What is it?”
“Well, I’ve received an unexpected invitation.”
When Alon looked puzzled, Evan elaborated.
“Didn't I tell you before? That there’s a Divine Blood who sells information to the Information Guild.”
“You did.”
“That Divine Blood... apparently wants to meet you, Lord Alon, to talk about the black-armored Divine Blood... ‘Astaroth.’”
“A Divine Blood wants to meet me?”
“Yes.”
“...For what reason?”
“They didn't specify a reason, only that they wanted to discuss Astaroth... I didn't give an answer just in case, but what should we do?”
Alon pondered for a moment.
“...Let’s meet them once.”
He decided to accept the offer. Alon needed information right now, and a Divine Blood cooperating with the Information Guild didn't seem likely to be hostile. Even if they were, he was confident enough to handle it to some extent.
“I’m coming too, Mentor!”
“I appreciate it.”
Following Seolrang’s exclamation, the party headed toward Seolrang’s guild house.
And.
“Ugh—I’m beat.”
As soon as they stepped inside, Evan let out a groan of exhaustion.
“Mentor! I have somewhere I need to stop by for a second, so go on in first!”
“Alright, I understand.”
Seolrang left, and Alon went up to the house with Penia.
Just then.
“Huh?”
Penia made a confused sound.
“What is it?”
“No... well, don't you hear a strange noise?”
“A noise?”
“Yes. Like—a muffled sound?”
At Penia’s words, Alon used his mana to enhance his hearing.
Then.
Mmph—mmph—mmph!
Indeed, he could hear a voice that sounded like someone struggling to speak while their mouth was blocked.
“...You’re right.”
“...The building itself is made with magic stones mixed in, so auditory expansion doesn't work well, but you can hear it faintly, right?”
“It’s coming from the basement.”
Alon and Penia’s gazes simultaneously turned toward the hidden basement stairs.
“...Let’s go check it out.”
“Alright.”
The two cautiously headed toward the basement. In such peaceful times, it was highly unlikely that someone would kidnap one of the Golden Mane Tribe members who followed Seolrang, but they went just in case.
“It’s getting closer!”
The voice grew louder as they descended.
And as Alon approached the door visible in the distance.
“...?”
He realized that this wasn't just any ordinary sound.
If he had to put it a certain way, this was—
Mmph—♥— a sound that comes from a situation one shouldn't witness.
“Penia, wait—”
Alon tried to stop Penia as she reached the door.
“I’m opening it!”
But she opened the door without listening to him.
“....”
“....”
And then, they saw.
“B-Brother?”
Karsem, looking at Alon with trembling pupils and his clothes half-off.
“Eh...?”
And beneath him, Seolrang’s secretary, Lime, lying there in a state not much different from Karsem’s.
And.
The moment he saw that.
Alon recalled a single, incomprehensible thing Karsem had said to him yesterday.
‘Yes, and actually, I often come back and forth here during the night even when you aren't around, Brother.’
Now—
...He understood those words.
““....””
A heavy silence enveloped the four of them.