Chapter 464
Chapter 464
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 464
>Chapter Title: Urga's Demise
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- Urga is dead.
That single sentence, packed with countless stories and emotions, froze Kang Seol in place.
“…What?”
He could tell from the phrasing and word choice alone that the message came from Jamad.
A tone so concise it felt devoid of emotion.
The content he relayed was mainly about how the entire Federation, including the capital Servion, had been frozen over.
The explosive surge of the infected, how the frost fever had caused the problems. And… how Urga had resolved it.
“Kang Seol… are you okay? What could it say to make you like this…?”
Kang Seol glanced at Sindio for a moment. Realizing that hesitating now would only make it harder to speak later, he relayed the Federation's events to her.
“…You’re kidding, right?”
“It’s probably true.”
“A lie… it has to be a lie…. Everyone, everyone’s dead?”
“……”
Sindio staggered as if in shock and sat down on a nearby ruin fragment.
The Federation's destruction held massive significance for her. It was tantamount to being told she had nowhere left to return to.
She had become alone again.
“No… no, not anymore….”
Both Kang Seol and Sindio needed time to mourn the departed.
No, to be precise, Sindio did, but Kang Seol just needed time to organize his thoughts.
‘…Is Urga really dead?’
If there was one person in the world who would least believe Urga's death, it would be Kang Seol.
Urga's power, potential, vast knowledge, and wisdom that pierced through ages.
‘His presence definitely isn’t felt, probably because of the distance.’
But the same went for Jamad.
The only way to confirm life or death was through the messages coming and going.
“…Huh?”
Sindio cried out, looking at the sky.
“One! Another one….”
Flutter…
Flutter flutter…
A messenger bird he’d never seen before landed on Kang Seol’s shoulder.
Swoosh…
“Hm?”
The messenger vanished as soon as he untied the note from its leg.
Kang Seol hurriedly unfolded the note.
- Kang Seol, you’ve probably heard about the Federation by now.
It was a letter from Ur.
- The Federation’s situation is honestly the worst. But somehow, I’ve managed to prevent it from ending without accomplishing anything. Choosing this method means I’ll die as a result.
Kang Seol gritted his teeth.
Even he mentioned death.
- So this is the last help I can give you for this matter. What’s left is up to you. Gather your strength, and do what you can.
‘…Ur.’
- See you in the next era, Kang Seol. I look forward to our future meeting.
Kang Seol crumpled the note after reading Ur’s final words.
‘…He’s not dead.’
Kang Seol’s eyes changed.
‘He didn’t die.’
His final words.
Do what you can.
Kang Seol engraved those words in his heart.
* * *
“What? The Federation’s been wiped out?”
“Huh? For real?”
“Is that true?”
Everyone who heard the news widened their eyes in shock. An entire vast land frozen solid.
And when the news of Urga’s death was added…
“Kahaha! That’s just like him. Went out in a blaze of glory to the end. So, when’s he coming back?”
“…Huh?”
“He didn’t say when?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“When the time comes, he’ll quietly appear by your side. No need to worry too much.”
Karen and Karuna’s reactions were as light as if Urga had just gone on a short trip.
They didn’t believe it either.
No, the power of Urga they’d confirmed in Alcatron was a mysterious force that transcended belief.
A power akin to awe.
That’s why he hadn’t died.
“Hey, Sindio. You okay?”
“……”
Gian kept talking to her worriedly by her side.
“What about the expedition?”
“…We should disband.”
“And us?”
“Us….”
Sindio looked at Gian for a moment.
“What do you want to do?”
“Me? You’re asking my opinion?”
“Yes, you. Weren’t you secretly hoping something like this would happen?”
Kang Seol cut in to stop Sindio.
“Sindio.”
“You were… one of them too! You helped them….”
“Yeah, that’s right. There was a time I thought the damn Federation should just collapse.”
“……”
Gian laid bare his true feelings.
“Of course, I’m not saying that now. There’s something stronger than despair: the shallowest hope. Right now, with even a bit of extra force to stop them, it’s totally different.”
“You’re saying you want to continue this expedition?”
“I’m going on. What about you, Sindio?”
“……”
“You’ve got nowhere to go back to. I’ve been a loner first, and this place is pretty comfortable. What do you think?”
Sindio said with a straight face.
“You really are the worst. You.”
“Hahaha!”
“Since I don’t know what else you might pull, I’ll keep watching you.”
The group decided to press on. With that settled, the next topic was how to thwart the Three Giants and the council’s plans.
“Kang Seol, I found something out.”
“What? Really?”
Gian passed the baton to Konji.
“The fragments you gathered! They were part of a ring.”
“A ring?”
“Yeah. A ring split into four pieces. Look over there!”
A mural engraved in a highly visible spot.
It depicted small beings confronting the Three Giants, holding a round ring forward, the ring shining brilliantly.
Kang Seol and Konji took turns reading the inscription below.
“The Three Giants were tyrants. They trampled all life except giants beneath their feet. Those who awaited their chance forged the Ring of Aspiration to defeat the Three Giants.”
“The Ring of Aspiration sealed the Three Giants in an unfathomably deep quagmire and scattered the other masterless giants to their deaths.”
Gian stood blankly, holding his half-ring.
“This thing has that kind of power?”
“There’s more text.”
“Once the Ring of Aspiration fulfilled its mission, it split into four pieces. The pieces, distributed to the trustworthy, would one day fulfill their duty again when calamity returned.”
Gian muttered.
“Now that I look, this doesn’t seem like a hall worshiping the Three Giants….”
“Built to warn of their return?”
“Well, anyway, does this mean it’s decided?”
Kang Seol spoke.
“We find the remaining pieces of the Ring of Aspiration. And… we crush the council.”
Konji, who had been quiet, spoke up.
“I’ll help you find the Ring of Aspiration too! I’m interested.”
“…You’ll help?”
“Yeah. Can’t I?”
“It’s not that you can’t, but….”
Gian nodded.
“Any extra manpower is good. Great! You’re welcome!”
“…Why are you acting like the leader again?”
Sindio scolded Gian, who was as chipper as ever.
Even with the Federation frozen, everything returned to normal.
The group left the ruins.
Outside the door where Gian had been leaning, a stele stood. As he departed, dust equal to his leaning mark vanished.
- To open the door, one must rival a giant….
A stele at the corner of the massive door. Its dust was gone, but no one ever learned of the hidden phrase there.
* * *
Their next destination was the strongest of the great tribes in the ungoverned zone.
The homeland of the Baldu Tribe.
True to their status as a great tribe, they had settled a large mountain with a canyon. The mountain’s name was Jorun Mountain.
And… the canyon it cradled was the legendary Wing Canyon.
Pandea’s largest and longest canyon.
Beyond its scale, Wing Canyon was famous for another reason.
The winds in Wing Canyon were not easy to fly in. The bizarre mana-laden winds suppressed ascent and could crash any flying object to the ground with the slightest lapse.
It wasn’t all disadvantages for flight. Succeed in flying through Wing Canyon, and upon exiting, the mana winds clung to your wing membranes.
The moment you left the canyon, explosive acceleration kicked in, vastly expanding your range of activity.
The Baldu Tribe trained in flight from childhood with primitive wyverns attuned to Wing Canyon. Thanks to the harsh environment, their flight skills were said to surpass even dragons.
Everyone thought it exaggeration. Just the boasts of braggarts who loved to inflate tales.
But then, an undeniable great event occurred in the past.
The sky dragon Azanik and his forces occupied Wing Canyon to expand their influence.
Naturally, conflict erupted between the sky dragon’s forces and the Baldu Tribe, with much blood spilled.
The Baldu Tribe’s defeat was predicted.
But the outcome differed.
Baldu’s great warrior Ka-zan mounted his primitive wyvern Maktus and clashed with sky dragon Azanik.
That day, Azanik suffered the worst humiliation for a winged being: his first crash.
After the legendary bloodbath in Wing Canyon, Azanik retreated from Baldu territory and settled nearby.
And Ka-zan transcended Baldu’s great warrior to earn the title Dragon Lord.
This was the most recent, most famous legend in the north.
And now, Kang Seol’s group had arrived at the foot of Jorun Mountain, the Baldu Tribe’s homeland.
“What if they spot us and sic wyverns on us right away?”
“If I get bitten by a wyvern, don’t save me.”
“Phew, I was almost gonna save you, thanks for the heads-up.”
Thwack-!
“Ugh….”
“You really won’t come save me?”
“Of course not! I’ll save you! Kang Seol will!”
“You….”
“Stop. Baldu scouts.”
A wyvern tattoo on half his face.
Only Baldu Tribe members had such tattoos.
“What if they attack?”
“The Baldu see themselves as proud warriors, so they don’t take lives lightly.”
Sure enough, the scout asked calmly.
“Where do you hail from?”
“From the Federation. We seek to speak with the Baldu Tribe.”
“The Federation… survivors, then.”
“Ugh….”
“Haha….”
Sindio and Gian’s expressions turned odd. The Federation was gone now, and its natives branded as survivors.
They’d hear it until they died, unless the era changed.
“The tribe is in disarray… You might not get what you want.”
“In disarray?”
“…Seeing you unaware, you don’t seem to have ill intent. I’ll guide you.”
It worked out in the end, but something felt off.
Rustle…
Rustle…
After climbing the mountain awhile, eternal snow came into view. Jorun Mountain’s peak was always snow-capped, and the view from there was spectacular.
“Wooow….”
“Huff… huff… What mountain’s this high….”
“Highest we’ve climbed yet.”
“Is that Wing Canyon over there?”
“…Amazing. Just looking makes my heart race.”
“How do the Baldu fly through a place like that? Are they all crazy?”
“Shh, they’ll hear.”
The scout said.
“I heard.”
“Eep….”
“W-We’ll be quiet.”
“Haha… It’s fine. Fearing the sky is natural. Look, there they are.”
“Huh?”
“The great chieftain awaits your meeting.”
“Al… already?”
Before even reaching the village, Baldu’s great chieftain had come to greet them. Truly bizarre.
‘…Something’s happened to the Baldu Tribe.’
Was it fortune or misfortune for Kang Seol’s group? They’d know after speaking with Baldu’s great chieftain.
A man of grand stature stood with his back turned, gazing at the canyon.
“That’s the great chieftain….”
“Huge… Are all Baldu that big?”
The great chieftain spoke without turning.
“Guests from the Federation at this time… What a coincidence. Truly….”
Kang Seol bowed his head and said.
“Great Chieftain of Baldu, bearer of mighty wings, it is an honor to meet you.”
“Hm? Fine speech. Raise your head.”
“Then….”
Swoosh…
As he lifted his head, the great chieftain turned to face him.
Seeing his face, Kang Seol felt a sense of incongruity.
‘…Huh?’
“My name is Ka-bu.”
Ka-bu.
A familiar name.
- Father! Someday, I’ll become a great warrior like you! Just wait a bit!
‘No way.’
That child from back then.
The boy who flew with Ka-zan for the first time.
“Descendant of the great Dragon Lord Ka-zan, great warrior of the clan, and great chieftain of the Baldu Tribe.”
The boy had kept his childhood promise.