Chapter 323
Chapter 323
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 323
>Chapter Title: The Return of Bron
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"Sharing a body with a dead troll? That's really unique. By the way, when was the last time I saw a human? Hmm..."
She was a chatterbox.
Muttering to herself, she then said this.
"Ah! I remember! Azran!"
Kang Seol smiled brightly.
"That weirdo Azran! He barely listened to me, the rascal!"
Uru, who had been listening to this story from the Void, chuckled to himself.
"Kekeke... Yeah, that sounds like Azran."
Ever since encountering the Duke of Frost's illusion, Uru acted like "Azran" was the best word in the world.
Hearing the name made him grin happily, as he was doing now.
Madria provided more details.
"He was strong! That kid. A human with a pure heart... and..."
Splash!
Water splashed up to Kang Seol's face.
Madria had approached right up to his nose and said,
"He gave off a vibe similar to yours. So, what are you?"
"I've come to help Glacier Maw."
"Really? No ulterior motives?"
"I do have one. I plan to take Dawn's Crystal as payment."
"Ah! You even know its name! How?"
Of course he did.
'Dawn's Crystal was made with your help, after all.'
"Anyway! So I don't need to thank you?"
"For now, no."
"Hmm... Still, a Great Sorcerer stepping up is something... but Glacier Maw can't defeat Emon."
Kang Seol shot back at Madria's words.
"Why not?"
"Because of Irizard!"
"...Irizard?"
He vaguely recalled that mole shouting something like "Kuakha."
'Irizard... Irizard...'
Something felt off, so he glanced at Burtul, who had his head bowed low, staying silent.
"...You didn't know?"
"No. Who is Irizard?"
"He's the original spirit of the glacier."
"......What?"
"The original spirit."
"Original spirit..."
It was such a shocking fact that Kang Seol was flustered.
"Don't tell me there's an original spirit behind Emon too? Then this is... a battle between original spirits?"
This was bad.
Things had gone very wrong.
Kang Seol, who had been grinning at the thought of just bashing some mole heads and snatching the crystal, now felt like his head had been smashed with a hammer.
"Yeah! You know you can't back out of a deal to help, right? You know what happens if you break a promise with an original spirit."
"...This is a scam."
"Everyone says that when they face something unfair. But hear me out—it might be good news for you."
Madria created something with water.
It was a doll in her own likeness.
"This is me."
Slash...
The Madria doll split in half.
She picked up one half and said,
"This is me now. The other half is Irizard."
"......"
"It's fine. Compared to other original spirits, our power has weakened endlessly. We probably can't even match half their strength. Split in two, half of half is impossible!"
Even this was too much, considering how absurd original spirits were.
Half of half of a truck was still bigger than a human.
"Haa..."
"Ah! You just grumbled that things got messed up, right?"
"Yes."
"Honest! I like that!"
"Why are you and Irizard enemies?"
"Irizard is just the condensed malice from inside me. Like a lump of evil I made easy to separate... but it got hard to control and broke free..."
"...So it was the one manipulating the moles from behind and sharing its power."
"Yeah! Irizard's looking for me now. Gives me the chills!"
She was utterly nonchalant despite the moles' frequent raids.
"Is that okay?"
"...No. I hate the future where I get absorbed by Irizard instead, awakening another evil."
As mighty beings, original spirits had basic foresight.
"But meeting you is making that future blur. Why is that? Are you hiding something from me?"
She was clearly excited at the sight of Kang Seol, who could erase her grim future.
"...Is there a way to win this fight?"
"First... we need to return to the Snow Mountain. Only then can I function at full strength."
Kang Seol shot to his feet.
"Snow Mountain... Let's do it."
"Uh... What's the plan? Got one in mind?"
"I do, roughly."
"Really? Tell me a little, just between us?"
Kang Seol whispered in her ear.
"Waiting."
Madria tilted her head.
"For who?"
Kang Seol just smiled without answering.
Adventure 33-(Special): 'Mole Hunt'
You were swept up in the Boundary Stone's explosion and flung to the far northern lands near Hwigelthung.
Here, you made contact with Glacier Maw and intervened in their long-standing war.
It's already too late.
The ice moles Emon have noticed you and will hound you until you fall.
There's only one way to escape them.
Help Glacier Maw triumph over them.
Goal: Annihilate faction Emon
Warning: This adventure is extremely dangerous.
Warning: This adventure's situation changes by the minute.
Remaining time: Unknown
"Huuu..."
The march was swift.
Hiding in this makeshift camp wouldn't improve anything.
Given the moles' habit of burrowing underground, trouble could erupt anytime.
'And this spot isn't ideal for waiting.'
Great Sorcerer (大呪).
The sorcerers upholding each attribute shone like stars.
And those stars resonated with each other.
'They're getting closer. Definitely... not much longer.'
Another Great Sorcerer was on the move.
Slowly, toward the Snow Mountain.
He'd arrive soon.
"Ugh... so cold..."
"Ishii, want some?"
"Nah, drinking before battle is a great way to die."
"This battle feels like a great way to die from the start, no?"
"...Can't argue with that."
Kang Seol asked the two humans tagging along with Glacier Maw's advance.
"Yeba, Ishii. No regrets? You can turn back."
"Trying to shake us off? No way! The scent... we can't go back because of the scent."
"Scent?"
Yeba shouted.
"The scent of adventure! Ah... it's been so long."
"...It could be dangerous."
Yeba and Ishii shook their heads together.
"We're not on the front lines, so it's fine. We'll stick to support."
"Why help?"
"Because you helped us, right?"
"Of course! We won't be much help, but better than nothing, yeah?"
"...Thanks."
Dimensional travelers occasionally surprised Kang Seol.
More precisely, some of them.
They summoned courage beyond their abilities to aid him. This time was no different.
"Don't die."
"Got it!"
"You hear that, Ishii?"
"Yeba, that's you."
"Pout."
"Squish."
"Baby?"
"Adult here?"
The emotions Kang Seol had built up while talking with them evaporated in an instant.
"Snow Mountain in sight!"
"Over there!"
They had reached the foot of the Snow Mountain before they knew it.
Just like before, time had passed, but it still boasted a majestic icy fortress.
Burtul asked Kang Seol.
"We lack proper siege weapons. How exactly...?"
"We'll set up camp here."
"H-Here, sir?"
"Yes."
"We'll be easy targets! The moles are numerous, and at night, night raids..."
"I know all that. That's why it's fine."
"......"
"Trust me."
"...We'll trust you, Great Sorcerer. Prepare the camp!"
"Yes!"
Whoooosh...
Glacier Maw, arriving at dusk, busied themselves with camp setup until nightfall.
'The moles are watching us.'
They must have expected some move upon reaching the Snow Mountain, but Glacier Maw camping in such a vulnerable spot probably made them hesitate to attack outright, forcing them to think.
Night fell, darkness settling in.
"Light the fires."
"Yes!"
It wasn't the best call, but there was no choice. Especially for Ishii and Yeba—they couldn't survive the night without fire.
Kang Seol sat in a chair adorned with skulls. Fitting for a Great Sorcerer.
Two more chairs were prepared.
Burtul sat in one; the other was empty.
"Why did you order chairs prepared?"
"Just hospitality."
"...Hospitality?"
"Watch."
Even Glacier Maw couldn't help but waver at their Great Sorcerer's command.
Pitching camp right in front of the enemy lines and acting casual? Even for one night, unease was inevitable.
Kang Seol closed his eyes, counting silently.
"Oh, right—they might mistake us for moles."
He gave Yeba an order.
"......"
Yeba nodded at Kang Seol's instruction, nocked an arrow to her bowstring.
"You're really shooting?"
"Shoot. They're here."
"Fine, whatever!"
Piuuuuuuuu—
[Yeba uses Flare Arrow.]
[Consumes arrows and mana to create illuminating light.]
[The light's size and pattern can be changed.]
Crackle...
The surroundings lit up like lightning had struck the sky.
Bright as day.
"Th-They're here!"
"The moles have us surrounded!"
Kang Seol turned toward the voices.
A swarm of rats.
The moles swarmed like rats, not only blocking the path to the Snow Mountain but half-encircling the camp.
"Grab weapons and form ranks now..."
Swish...
Kang Seol raised a hand at Burtul's shout.
A gesture to stop there.
"Eee..."
Kang Seol smiled at the sight.
"...They're here."
"What's here...?"
"Can't you hear?"
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
No doubt about it.
Drums.
Crunch...
Crunch...
Footsteps crunching snow reached them.
As the sound grew closer, even the moles held back, just watching.
"Squeak... skreeee..."
"They're... weird..."
"Dangerous... scent..."
Even with added intelligence, they were still sorely lacking.
"Huuu..."
Covered head to toe in snow, snowmen approached the camp.
Their leader boldly crossed the camp's perimeter, heading straight for Kang Seol.
"Wh-Who are you!"
"Approach and we'll fight!"
Kang Seol waved them off, calming his troops.
"B-But..."
"Let them be."
Crunch...
Crunch...
Boom...
Boom...
Drums, crunching snow.
And the procession seemed endless.
The snowman casually sat in the prepared chair.
"Now that's more like it... Guests acting like hosts."
Kang Seol grinned.
"I've been waiting."
"Isn't that Mansang?"
"Quit it."
"Well... didn't suit you anyway... kekeke..."
Burtul's face hardened.
"That voice..."
Swish...
The figure shed the rags propping up the frozen snow.
"Long time no see, Burtul."
"No way... impossible..."
Boom...
Boom...
"Warming up a bit helps. Since the long journey tired us, we can catch up inside the fortress, right?"
Kang Seol nodded.
Bron's forces swiftly reformed ranks.
"Prepare. We'll eat in the fortress."
"Uahahaahaha!"
"Back at last! To that godforsaken place!"
The flare arrow's light still burned.
Naturally, the moles could now grasp the situation fully.
"Squeak! Skreeeee! I-It's them!"
"Skreeee! Scary!"
"It's back! It's back! But it died!"
"The dead one's returned!"
"No way... Retreat! Back to the fortress!"
Whoooosh...
The last remaining—no, the final Great Sorcerer of the Waterfall Pillar.
The pillar upholding the Great Sea.
"Miss me, you rat bastards?"
"It's Bron! Bron!"
"Run! It's really Bron's scent!"
Bron of the Great Sea and his soldiers returned to Hwigelthung.
The moles fled toward the fortress in a panic.
Thud thud thud...
[A powerful ally 'Bron of the Great Sea' joins this adventure.]
[A powerful ally 'Bron of the Great Sea' allies with you in this adventure.]
[Faction: Glacier Maw gains new faction: Bron's Glacier Maw.]
[Faction: Glacier Maw reorganizes.]
The Great Sorcerers of the Great Sea and Great Earth gathered with shared purpose.
Rumble...
Vast orbs of water formed around Bron.
Whoooosh...
"I've returned from hell."