Chapter 331
Chapter 331
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 331
>Chapter Title: Convincing the Ancestral Spirits
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Kang Seol returned to the garrison lodging with Bron and his son Burtul.
“Why did you deceive me, Father?”
“Burtul.”
“I still remember that day vividly. And yet... how could you deceive the tribe until the day you died?”
“...It was everyone’s fault.”
“Everyone’s... fault?”
“I’ll explain everything. There are probably things you don’t know.”
Burtul had not made the worst choice.
He waited for Bron’s story.
“The Seria Gui, including Bram, didn’t choose that path of their own accord.”
“Then... who wanted it?”
Bron told Burtul the truth he had kept hidden.
“The tribe.”
“......”
“The tribe made them accept the spirits’ power.”
“Was it Branka’s order?”
“Branka’s will was undoubtedly part of it. But... it was a situation we couldn’t avoid.”
The reason they had no choice but to accept the spirits.
It was deeply tied to the Glacier Fang’s circumstances at the time.
“It was long ago that we, the Waterfall Clan, settled in this glacial land. Whigeltung is still a land of death even now, but I heard it was even harsher back then.”
Kang Seol nodded.
Various ancient documents and records described Whigeltung as one of the lands of death.
That meant it had always been too perilous for life to take root.
“Our ancestors survived. And the ancestors who inherited this land from them survived as well.”
Bron’s gaze deepened.
“In that process, the ancestors formed deep bonds with the beings of this place, awakening wisdom and power from them. Some even became like them. But... their power was a dangerous force that brought them one step closer to savagery. In time, the ancestors’ power was forgotten.”
The Seria Gui’s power was borrowed from their ancestral spirits. Kang Seol thought of one troll.
‘Branka received power from them.’
Burtul listened to the story continue.
“Branka rediscovered that forgotten sorcery. Even then, the Glacier Fangs fought many wars for dominance in Whigeltung. There were many enemies. The ancient spirits’ power awakened the savagery we had forgotten, allowing us to win many wars.”
Bram was Bron’s older brother.
They were blood brothers, and Kang Seol had one lingering question.
‘Bram inherited the spirits’ power, but why didn’t Bron awaken it?’
Bron quickly resolved his doubt.
“I inherited the pure Waterfall power after many generations, so it didn’t mesh with the spirits’ power. Instead, my brother Bram delved into that dangerous force for my share as well. We were young then, and we had to do whatever it took to protect the tribe without Branka.”
“...So Bram bore all the burdens in your place, Father?”
“That’s not all. Many tribe members, including Bram, accepted the spirits’ power.”
“Why... why on earth...”
Why had they accepted such a dangerous power? The newer generation of tribe members, including Burtul, couldn’t comprehend the era when their predecessors knowingly embraced that peril.
“We had to survive.”
“......”
“Our power waned greatly after migrating to Whigeltung. There was nowhere left to retreat. We... had to create the place where we belonged through our own will.”
In other words, Bram and the Seria Gui hadn’t accepted the spirits’ power out of greed, but to protect the tribe.
“...Even so, who would forgive what they did?”
“I know. Many died that night.”
“My mother! She lost her life to Bram, the one she trusted most... And yet why did you...”
“Because it wasn’t his fault.”
Bron seemed to have already forgiven Bram.
“Not everything can be judged solely by its outcome. What was right then may not be right now. This was one such case.”
“Then you’re saying they were truly right!”
“I’m saying the tribe was wrong. Handing them a bladeless sword and telling them not to get hurt was wrong from the start.”
Since it was the tribe’s decision, the tribe should bear the responsibility. That was Bron’s point.
“Burtul. We abandoned them.”
“......”
“We pushed the dangerous power and responsibility onto them... and buried it all.”
Burtul could only steady his ragged breathing at Bron’s words.
“But what good does it do now? They can’t come back. The spirits refuse to lend us their power anymore.”
“That’s why I came. To resolve it.”
“...Give me some time to think.”
“Go ahead.”
Bron watched Burtul’s retreating back as he left the lodging for a long while.
“Haha! Fighting with that kid older than me really makes me lose face.”
“Sometimes you need to have an open talk like that.”
Kang Seol actually felt a warmth in the scene.
A father-son bond he had never experienced. No one had ever kindly shown him the way like this.
“Well, it’s just as I heard. The Seria Gui were exiles, but the reason for their exile wasn’t their sin.”
“It was the power. Because no one knew when it might run wild?”
“Exactly. And on the night the Seria Gui did rampage, many tribe members who stepped up to suppress them lost their lives... but most saw it as unavoidable.”
“Life already lost mattered less than the power.”
“We had to survive. The Glacier Fangs being crushed by that power was the tribe’s choice too.”
“So, what’s your plan? Think reconciliation will improve things?”
“Emotional rifts fade over generations. And emotions are the first things to discard before war.”
Bron looked straight at Kang Seol.
“We’ll hold a rite for the departed. To appease the spirits.”
“A sorcerer other than Branka performing the rite is dangerous, isn’t it?”
“That’s why I’m telling you now.”
“......”
“You perform the rite.”
Things had come to this, after all.
“Because I inherited Branka’s power?”
“Half of it.”
“And the other half?”
“You’re the strongest sorcerer I know. If you fail, there’s no need for further attempts.”
“You’re telling me to grab the reed and jump into the flames.”
“Hahaha! I haven’t even considered the possibility of you failing. If you step up, I won’t forget this favor.”
Kang Seol asked Jamad.
‘Can you do it?’
- A rite for the departed is nothing special. It depends on how favorably the spirits respond. Accept it.
‘You sure?’
- If we don’t rack up this debt now, he might complain later. He doesn’t seem the type, though. A rite... it’s been a while.
Kang Seol nodded at Jamad’s words.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a relief. ...Truly.”
* * *
Rrrrrumble...
Trolls swarmed into the Seria Gui tribe’s garrison, their chants rising and falling unevenly.
The watch had been left to Skolla and those unconnected to the spirits, so it was effectively a gathering of all cursed by the spirits.
“Yeba! Over here!”
“Ishii!”
Yeba stood overlooking the tribe, holding something.
“What’s that?”
“To leave a record in pictures.”
“Aren’t you cold?”
“It’s bearable. After taking the medicine Kang Seol gave me.”
“Speaking of, you can paint? Didn’t know you had that talent.”
“Didn’t I say I graduated from art school?”
“What? Then that chin beard was drawn on too?”
“......This one’s real.”
“Oh... sorry.”
Awooooooo-!
The howls of snowfield wolves echoed long across the land.
Awoooo!
Awooooooo-!
“Ugh... scary.”
“Why are they howling like that?”
“Who knows...”
“By the way, getting to see a troll rite for the departed up close. Are we the lucky ones?”
“Considering this is Whigeltung, calling us the unlucky ones wouldn’t be wrong either.”
“Ah.”
Crackle...
Crackle-crackle-crackle...
The trolls sat in a circle around a massive bonfire in the center.
Kang Seol sat closest to the flames.
“Hey, Kang Seol... is he maybe a troll?”
“...Don’t be ridiculous.”
“No, but it’s amazing. How does a human fit in so well with trolls? And he’s their priest too.”
“A human performing a troll rite for the departed? Your theory gains some credence seeing this spectacle.”
“Right?”
“What happens to us if Kang Seol fails?”
“More importantly, how will this war go...”
“Will we even survive until the war ends?”
“Hahaha! We’re pretty deep in the mess, huh?”
“When we get back, I’m writing a book with this unbelievable story. I’ve already jotted down tons of notes.”
“Oh, great idea. If we survive and get back, let’s do it.”
“Hey! Don’t say it like that—you’re jinxing us!”
Their quiet conversation in the corner couldn’t reach the trolls.
While the two talked, the trolls gathered, centering their minds.
Swoosh...
Bron sat down beside Kang Seol.
“Kang Seol, ever been a leader?”
“Nope, not really.”
“Surprising. Someone with your abilities operating solo.”
“I guess. I think I’m unfit for such a role.”
“Hm? Unfit?”
“Yeah. There must be qualities for leadership, right?”
“Qualities... there’s one.”
Bron grinned and shared his tale.
“Do you know what kind of person stands at the front?”
“Someone superior to others? Or wise?”
“There are those types, sure. I don’t know them well, so I’ll tell you about Whigeltung.”
“What kind stands at the front in Whigeltung?”
“The one who goes forward.”
“......”
“No time to look back. In Whigeltung, if your heart rests, you die. You must keep pushing ahead. No time to check if the path is right or if those behind can keep up.”
It was the word of Bron, who had led Whigeltung’s golden age in the land of death, so it rang true.
“For us, it’s a matter of survival. So... right now, all I see is a future ending the Irizards. The rest is for those who follow once peace comes.”
“Bron.”
“So... we have to succeed. Only then is there a next step.”
Bron placed a hand on Kang Seol’s shoulder.
“I believe in you.”
Kang Seol smirked.
Zzzzt...
The blackened Kang Seol, having accepted Jamad, replied.
“Believe in me.”
Fwoooooosh-!
Kang Seol blew finely ground powder into the bonfire, and the flames surged high.
Rrrrrumble-!
In that moment.
Kang Seol, with the Frost Fangs, plunged into the spirits’ world.
Swooooo...
The night ultimately swallowed everything.
The surroundings, including the Frost Fangs, left nothing but the bonfire.
“Wouldn’t it have been better if I assisted from the side?”
“...Kang Seol.”
Jamad spoke up.
“I think I need to step in directly.”
“Already?”
“They’re already here.”
“...What?”
Rrrrrumble...
The bonfire illuminated the surroundings.
A soft, squishy something with something hard attached—such an appearance.
What was that massive thing by the bonfire?
‘...A sole?’
Looking closely, it resembled a footpad.
‘Bear?’
Kang Seol looked up from the sole larger than a troll’s, tracing his gaze slowly upward.
‘...My god.’
Enormously huge, to the point one wanted to scream immediately.
A colossal white bear sat there.
- It smells of Branka, yet it’s a first-timer.
As the bear spoke, the space reverberated greatly.
Jamad responded.
“Spirits. Ancestors of the Glacier Fangs, the tribe now faces a grave crisis. We need your aid.”
- The one speaking doesn’t even seem Glacier Fang.
“If even I, not of the Glacier Fangs, have stepped forward for them, why do their ancestors remain silent?”
Rumble-rumble-rumble...
Beside the massive bear, a giant wolf appeared.
- Seeing you is like seeing Branka, that child.
“...Branka?”
- Yes, he had that same reckless streak.
“The tribe of that Branka is in peril—why turn away?”
Swoooo...
This time, an owl arrived.
Each one the size of a hill.
- It’s futile.
“...What?”
The owl glared fiercely and said.
- You resist endlessly, but you can never break the submission etched in your blood.
“......”
- We have lived through long ages. Watching, clashing, lending power. But... it was pointless. Watching you only shatters the peace within us.
Jamad protested.
“As ancestors, do you lack even that much patience?”
- There is one way to break the Yuan Gods’ dominion.
“...Really?”
Breaking the Yuan Gods’ dominion.
It might be one of Jamad’s ultimate goals.
Freeing the trolls from them.
But the owl’s words hardened Jamad’s expression.
- Abandon being trolls. Abandon being living beings.
“...What do you mean?”
- My existence defies definition. Free of blood and form, a perceiving entity.
“You mean... become something other than trolls?”
They meant becoming like them—entities of a wholly different dimension, not trolls.
- Yes. Like a pupa emerging transformed into something entirely new, you become something better...
Crunch...
Jamad, who had been listening silently, scowled and replied.
“Then... what’s the point?”
- ...What?
Kang Seol knew from the start that their persuasion wouldn’t sway Jamad. Everything they said was what Jamad despised.
“If nothing remains, if everything changes except that I am me...”
Whooooosh...
Earthly energy swirled around the night raven’s body.
“What’s the point?”
- Without it, the day trolls escape the Yuan Gods will never come.
“...Look. I’m a troll.”
Jamad rebuked the spirits instead.
“We’re savage and belligerent. We reject any power beyond our primal sorcery and bodily strength.”
Smirk...
He smiled.
“I like that. The purity is good. That’s me, Jamad.”
Thud...
Thud...
A massive snow leopard approached.
- If you abandon being trolls, the reason to fight vanishes too. Not fighting—isn’t that the future you desire?
“No, it’s changed.”
Jamad corrected their error.
“It’s not about remaining trolls to fight. It’s about fighting to remain trolls. Conflict is inevitable. I understand that.”
- A life of nothing but strife. You and Branka are so alike.
At that moment.
A frost storm raged through the space.
Whiiiiiiiiiiii...
Heh heh...
Heh heh heh...
Someone’s laughter.
The spirits stared down at the night raven without twitching an eye.
Soon, something bluish emerged from the night raven.
“That’s right! Exactly! Still the same, I see.”
- ...Branka!
- I caught your scent, as expected.
- Didn’t you depart for the spirit world?
Branka’s lower body was formless mist, only his upper body and face clear—proof he was a spirit, not corporeal.
“Ah, of course. After all sorts of troubles... I’m currently in this guy’s debt.”
- That form... did you lose?
- Branka lost?
- Branka doesn’t lose! He who accepted our power...
The spirits seemed stunned by Branka’s defeat.
Branka persuaded them in Jamad’s stead.
“Spirits. The Glacier Fangs need your power.”
- Didn’t you say the same long ago, Branka?
“Did I? My memory’s not great.”
- Fool! You resisted so much, yet nothing changed! Generation after generation, resisting the Irizards. Pouring power into unchanging futility—what could be more meaningless?
“You’re right. We might fight until our dying day.”
The silent bear spirit asked.
- Then... why fight despite endless defeat?
Branka laughed.
“Kahaha! What can we do? That’s how we were born. We’ve realized that’s our life.”
- You’ll lose. The Irizards have already surpassed Madría.
“That’s no reason to avoid fighting.”
- Emon’s forces aren’t something we can easily face, even with our aid. Already...
“That’s no reason to avoid fighting either.”
Rustle...
A fragrance brushing the nose.
A pure white fox arrived.
- Branka, your role is done. I’ll ask the young troll.
As the fox appeared, the spirits stepped back and bowed their heads.
- Young troll. What reason compels you to strive beyond all these obstacles?
Jamad replied with conviction.
“Because we were born to this land.”
- ...I see.
Ssshh...
The spirits’ forms gradually shifted.
Into massive trolls.
Their original shapes.
Countless shimmering lights rippled behind them.
All were spirits.
- Well said.
The giant trolls looked down at Jamad.
- Then, nothing for it but to fight.
Crack-crack-craaaack-!
The night shattered as the spirits dispersed.
Whoooooooosh...
Their souls were sucked into the Seria Gui’s bodies.