Chapter 328
Chapter 328
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 328
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Yeva and Ishii were waiting for Kang Seol in the ice fortress of Glacierjaw.
"Yeva, what do you think is going to happen to us?"
"Shouldn't we be thinking about what we need to do?"
"Yeah, should we just run away?"
"Think we could pull that off?"
"Haa..."
They sighed as if the ground might cave in beneath them.
"Who knew things would get this complicated and blow up like this... We never should've brought Kang Seol to the outpost."
"If Kang Seol hadn't been here, we'd have died ages ago, so what are you talking about... We just got caught up in some rotten luck."
"You know what Kang Seol said, right? That he's a reincarnator?"
"Yeah? You think so too? It's suspicious... Could a reincarnator really be that strong?"
"You ever seen a reincarnator who speaks Troll?"
"No..."
"Me neither..."
The more they thought about it, the deeper their worries grew. They suspected something about Kang Seol's true nature, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask outright.
After all, Yeva and Ishii were just bystanders in this war—and weak ones at that.
"What... what do you think will happen if things keep going like this?"
"Emon and Glacierjaw will clash head-on."
"The fight's gonna blow up big time, right?"
"You kidding? Of course! One of them's getting wiped out completely this time..."
"Who do you think will win?"
"Obviously... Emon..."
"Y-yeah?"
"You saw it too... that swarm of them. No way we could even dream of taking them on."
Bron and his forces had joined up, but the mole army that had seized the fortress was just a fraction of Emon's strength.
In other words, the longer the all-out war dragged on, the worse it would be for Glacierjaw.
"...So, who would you want to win?"
"Anyone but Emon, for starters."
"Yeah... So, as members of the Federation, what are we supposed to do in a situation like this?"
"A proper Federation member would escape this place and report the current military situation in Whigelthung to the higher-ups."
"But why aren't we doing that?"
"Because we're not proper members!"
"Spot on."
"They probably wouldn't believe us anyway... Let's at least keep some records. We might get branded as traitors later."
"Good idea!"
Yeva grumbled.
"But... if I say I'd rather Glacierjaw win, does that make me weird?"
"Eh... We've at least exchanged words with the trolls, so maybe they're the lesser evil? Doesn't seem that weird..."
That was when it happened.
"Open the gates! Hurry!"
The fortress suddenly grew noisy.
"Shall we go check it out, Ishii?"
"What are you waiting for?"
Pop-!
They climbed to the top of the walls and gazed at the figures ascending the snow mountain toward the fortress.
"...My god."
"W-what the hell is that..."
Even when they'd retaken the fortress before, it had felt like a triumphant return march.
But true triumphal grandeur like this? It only radiated in a moment like this.
Not only was the number of approaching Glacierjaw troops staggering, but the aura they exuded was utterly chilling.
"This is... Glacierjaw... the hegemon of Whigelthung..."
"...Ishii."
"Yeah?"
"If the Federation hears about the sight we're seeing right now, you think they'll believe it?"
"They'd probably smash Yeva's head with a stack of paperwork."
"Yeah, probably."
Crunch... crunch...
The massive troll at the lead bellowed.
"Skolla has returned! Open the gates!"
They couldn't understand a single word he said, but Yeva and Ishii shuddered at the voice.
"Ishii... maybe this fight..."
"I just thought the same thing."
A war for the hegemony of Whigelthung loomed.
And with every passing moment, the outcome grew murkier.
* * *
Bron, seated on his throne, surveyed the gathered warriors in the great hall. They were split into two sides, debating a single agenda.
"Now's the time to strike! We hit them before they can prepare and march straight to Irizard's position to finish this!"
"That's a sigh-worthy judgment. It's not that simple. The moles' numbers have swelled to unprecedented levels, and there are powerhouses among them we can't ignore."
"If dragging this out changes anything, then what you're saying..."
As the argument heated up, Bron raised his hand to silence them.
"......"
He turned to Burtul and posed a question.
"Burtul."
"Yes."
"You know it best, don't you? How do Emon's forces compare to ours right now?"
"Even, or they hold a slight edge."
"Be honest."
"...Emon still has the advantage."
Burtul had clashed with the moles even after Bron's death. He had a grasp of Emon's scale.
"What? Even with this Skolla here, those mole bastards still have the edge?"
"Skolla, calm down. Our forces were evenly matched even on the last expedition. And since that failed, what more is there to say? Emon's grown massive without any checks."
"Urgh..."
Just as Burtul had assessed frankly, Bron diagnosed the situation accurately.
"If we clash, it's mutual destruction."
"Hey..."
"No, I'm not talking about Glacierjaw's destruction. Both sides will be annihilated."
"......"
"Emon and Glacierjaw, both reduced to scraps without a single intact corner."
"We won't know until we fight..."
"No, there's barely any variables. They're a race with numbers but no proper strongholds, so the battle will inevitably unfold on the snowfields."
"......"
"Neither side will charge into such an obvious bloodbath lightly."
Burtul asked.
"Father, do you have something in mind?"
"We need overwhelming power."
"...Pardon?"
"Only by crushing them with overwhelming force can we minimize war casualties."
It was obvious.
But easier said than done.
Burtul frowned as he replied.
"But increasing our forces that much in such a short time..."
"We'll meet the Seriajaws."
Kang Seol, who had been listening quietly, glanced around at Bron's words.
'I figured it'd come to this... The reaction's explosive, as expected.'
Skolla was the first to erupt.
"Bron! Are you insane? The Seriajaws?!"
As Skolla spoke up, the other trolls piled on, pressing Bron.
"You exiled the Seriajaws, Bron. They won't help us."
"They must harbor grudges against us. They might be waiting for us to mutual-destruct with Emon, then swoop in for hegemony."
"Have you forgotten why we cast them out in the first place?!"
Kang Seol waited silently until Bron spoke. Once the trolls' complaints died down, Bron opened his mouth.
"There are those here who've experienced death. They should understand. You there."
"Yes..."
"What lay beyond death?"
The pointed-out warrior shook his head.
"...Nothing."
"Yes, exactly. Nothing. At least in the deaths I've experienced..."
He continued slowly.
"We've taken root in this frozen land. We don't fear death, but we should fear meaningless death."
The value Bron spoke of was survival.
"Survive—that's the only true value. Everything else is secondary."
Skolla laughed.
"Kuhahaha! Survive, huh... Bron, do you think they'll just follow your lead? We all know this fight decides our future, but from the start, the Seriajaws and us..."
"That's why we'll clash and see."
"...What?"
"How they feel, if they can shake off the spirits' curse, and if they can look toward the same goal as us."
Burtul shouted.
"Father! Those are blood-mad killers! The ones who murdered my mother—your mate!"
"......"
"How can you even say that..."
Kang Seol let out a groan.
'So that's the backstory... Is that why the Seriajaws were exiled?'
Burtul had every reason to rage.
But Bron, who had experienced death, thought differently.
"Burtul, no one hated the Seriajaws more than I did."
"...Then why?"
"Just as time was given to change my mind, equal time was given to them. So this time..."
Bron closed his eyes.
"They might reach a different conclusion."
"...I'll go too."
"...You?"
"Yes. I won't accept the outcome until I see it with my own eyes."
"...Fine. Me, Skolla, and Burtul."
Swoosh...
Bron looked at Kang Seol.
"The chieftain and the humans as well."
Yeva and Ishii, seeing Bron's finger point at them, asked Kang Seol.
"What'd he say?"
"You're coming along on this trip too?"
"Oh... Got it... Huh? Us too?"
Gulp...
Ishii and Yeva swallowed hard and froze solid.
"We'll negotiate with the Seriajaws."
Skolla laughed at the tense Yeva and Ishii.
"What? Kuhahaha! The humans are as good as dead!"
Yeva asked Kang Seol.
"What'd he say?"
"He says look forward to working with him. If anything happens, trust only him."
"What? I thought..."
Yeva gave an awkward smile.
"Th-thanks, troll! You're reliable!"
Skolla eyed Kang Seol.
"Hm? What'd he say?"
"That mere death won't stop them."
"Kukukuk! Indeed! These are no ordinary folk!"
Bron and the expedition set out the next day toward the Seriajaws' territory, carrying a minor misunderstanding they didn't need to clear up.
* * *
Crunch...
Crunch munch...
"Skolla, ease up on the eating. If you devour all the rations yourself, what'll we do on the way back?"
"We're not charging in to fight the Seriajaws? Gotta fill the belly to fight."
"Going in expecting a fight guarantees one."
"Going in not expecting a fight leaves you defenseless if one happens."
Skolla and Bron stared at each other for a moment.
"Pfft..."
"Kuk..."
"...Still the same, huh."
"Yeah, even with you reeking of milk like some greenhorn, we still click. Guess we meshed pretty well."
Skolla clapped Yeva and Ishii on the shoulders.
Thud thud...
"Eeek!"
"J-just now, a steel bar dropped on my shoulder!"
Ignoring their fuss, Skolla said.
"If the Seriajaws pull any tricks, this Skolla will avenge you."
The repeated journey was tiring, but with Kang Seol—experienced in long expeditions—among them, all potential mishaps were averted.
Aside from being trapped in an abandoned cave to avoid a blizzard, which cost them time, they finally reached the Seriajaws' outpost deep in Whigelthung.
Grrrrr...
A massive white wolf tied to a slender post growled at them.
"I-is that post really holding up okay?"
"It'd rip right out if it charged us..."
"Hey! Don't jinx it."
It wasn't just the wolf.
Snowfield eagles, bears, and snow leopards too.
It felt like a zoo.
And then.
"Ugh... What the hell is that?"
"Skins and... meat..."
Monster hides and flesh were strewn about separately. The air reeked of death.
Yeva and Ishii froze stiff, but the others casually headed inward.
"Halt..."
A huge troll looked down at Bron.
"Bron... Is that you, Bron?"
"Yes. I've come to see Bram."
"Heh heh heh... I'll inform Bram."
The gate troll flicked his tongue and vanished. Moments later, he returned with a gesture to follow, leading the group inside the outpost.
Sniff...
Kang Seol inhaled and sensed something off.
'This is...'
His expression hardened as he whispered to Bron.
"Bron, there's another guest already here."
"...Yeah. I smell it too."
The outpost was enormous.
He'd thought it might be a village at best, but it rivaled the Glacierjaw forces garrisoned in their fortress.
A voice greeted them from deeper in.
"Ah... Bron, my brother. I've been waiting. I knew you'd come."
"Bram... For someone who expected me, the welcome's a bit lacking... Especially with another guest here besides me."
"Kekekeke... Let it be. You're the one who barged in on your own whim."
The first arrivals.
They turned, and their eyes fell on Kang Seol's group.
Kang Seol had anticipated it, but Yeva and Ishii looked shocked to encounter these people here.
"M-moles..."
Bram looked just like Branca.
Equally massive and grotesque.
He grinned and said.
"Greetings. This one's called Zakcha."
Burtul clenched his fists.
Kang Seol recalled his conversation with Burtul.
- One of their generals, a guy named Zakcha, attacked the fortress alongside the great sorcerer Krom. We were at a disadvantage, but I thought we'd repel them easily using the terrain...
Mole general, Zakcha.
'Not your average guy. That power...'
He emanated an aura suggesting he inherited Irizard's strength most potently—the strongest among the moles.
'And the one next to him...'
Must be the great sorcerer Krom.
Kang Seol examined the staff in Krom's hand closely.
Sure enough, a blue gem engraved with a white bird adorned the head.
'Found it.'
Kang Seol grinned, locking eyes with Krom.