Chapter 89

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 89

Chapter Title: Sulfur Skeletons

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Thud.

A man who looked like one of the relic hunters died just like that. It was a somewhat futile death.

"…It seems their pursuit was discovered. The Sulfur Skeletons must have noticed and tried to shake them off."

Mael gently closed the man's eyes with a somber expression.

"Wasn't Yumira's hunting party nearly twenty strong? They fell apart this easily?"

"We don't know what happened to them."

Jamad said to Kang Seol.

"Hmm… If it's the Sulfur Skeletons, it's no surprise they were crushed."

"What?"

"The Sulfur Skeletons are a belligerent tribe, and each individual's combat prowess is exceptionally high. Especially the leadership—you can't underestimate their strength."

"So they stepped in?"

"Probably. They wouldn't have all come out, and sorry as this is to say about him, the fact that he hadn't breathed his last yet suggests only a small fraction of their forces were involved."

His face darkened.

"Either way, losing allies isn't welcome news."

Kang Seol stared at the man's corpse, lost in thought.

'Strong enough to slaughter a group of twenty… The Sulfur Skeletons won't be pushovers.'

What had happened to this now-dead man could have befallen Yumira's entire group.

In the worst case, there might not be a single survivor among the pursuers.

'Are they all dead? Hmm…'

There was Mael, Karen, and Jamad.

But the enemy was equivalent to a decent-sized unit.

The situation of four people needing to turn Yog'natun upside down hadn't changed.

Kang Seol brushed himself off and stood.

"Let's go. To Yog'natun."

Karen shot her hand up.

"Yeah, no point wasting time on the roadside. Whatever's going on, we can figure it out at Yog'natun!"

"Simpleton."

"Clear-headed, you mean. Scared with the big event coming up, troll?"

"Hmph. Trifles like Sulfur Skeletons are beneath me. At the grand tribal council, whenever I appeared…"

"Enough! I don't wanna hear about your old arm!"

"Your Montara stories weren't exactly music to my ears either."

"Huh? Fair enough. Then let's be good friends and listen to each other's tales."

"You can't let go of that Montara bit?"

"Nope."

Kang Seol's group kept heading toward Yog'natun, chatting idly along the way.

They were already too far to turn back. Yog'natun felt closer than the border now.

Whoooosh…

Even entering the sulfur zone, they felt refreshingly comfortable—likely thanks to Mael's sorcery.

"Mael, who taught you that sorcery?"

"My only teachers are these ancient tomes."

"Impressive. Ancient texts are full of metaphors, making it hard for even the eager learner to grasp…"

"Keeping the books close every day, their meanings revealed themselves naturally. Doesn't Jamad ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠read sorcery tomes?"

Jamad gazed at Yog'natun as he spoke.

"There was nothing in them I needed. No spells to slay past sorcerers, no solutions to the tribe's food shortages."

"A ruler's path and a sorcerer's differ in what they must accumulate. You must have sacrificed much along the way."

"Heh heh… Now I can devote myself fully to sorcery. Being a shadow isn't all bad."

Karen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠laughed.

"I'm with you on that! When I'm hungry, the master cooks tasty stuff, and sightseeing's a blast."

Conversation and silence alternated as the group pressed on, until at last they arrived.

At the volcano, Yog'natun.

The party stared in awe at its majestic form.

"It's been a while, Yog'natun."

"We're finally here? Where are the trolls?"

Mael scanned the surroundings.

"Probably gathered at the crater."

"That makes sense. Their plans all revolve around the altar in the crater."

Kang Seol nodded.

"Let's climb."

Yog'natun volcano claimed a vast expanse just from the mountain itself. Scaling it without gear was grueling.

"Haa… ha…"

"Quite high."

"It's Yog'natun."

Another reason for their exhaustion: they were taking an unmarked route, not the trolls' path.

'Gotta be careful from here.'

If their tracks were spotted, they could be ambushed like Yumira's group at any moment. That couldn't happen.

'We need the initiative.'

Strike the fatal blow into the Sulfur Skeletons' heart at their most unguarded instant.

That would offset their numerical disadvantage.

"Finally… we… made it."

Even Mael's gentle breeze sorcery couldn't fully dispel the immense heat pouring from the crater. Everyone but Karen looked strained.

Kang Seol stood at the crater's edge, surveying the scene.

"That's… the altar."

"First time seeing it in person, but it's enormous."

Odd iron chains dangled across the entire crater.

They suspended an altar resembling a blunt-topped pyramid.

The massive structure could hold a large force at a glance.

As Kang Seol eyed the scattered Sulfur Skeleton sentries near the crater, a message appeared.

No sooner had Kang Seol's group reached the crater than they dove into analyzing the enemy forces, barely catching their breath.

"The perimeter's full of holes. That's how we got this close, but are they that confident?"

"From what I see, these are just a fraction of the Sulfur Skeletons."

"Right. As one of the major tribes around here, they boast massive numbers. The altar's impressive, but only some are here. Otherwise, this sloppy guard makes no sense."

"Then we can't delay. Even a moment's hesitation could decide the hostages' fate."

Kang Seol moderated as Mael and Jamad spoke.

"They've prepared for the primal god ritual, right?"

"Likely. They've been drawing Purgar's attention in advance, so at the right moment, they'll sacrifice the humans."

Jamad scratched his chin.

"Hard to gauge the time left. They'll keep the sacrifices alive, but I can't be sure they won't use mind sorcery or torture. Snowman, got any ideas?"

Kang Seol closed his eyes and murmured softly.

"I do."

"Figured you'd need time to… What? You do?"

Jamad stared at Kang Seol in surprise.

How had he come up with a plan so quickly after arriving?

In truth, Kang Seol had a method in mind since Jamad first mentioned the primal god ritual.

He knew about the ritual from the start but little about the primal god Purgar, so verification was needed.

"Mael."

"Yes?"

"If they're prepped, how long until the actual primal god ritual concludes?"

"The preparations are elaborate, but the rite itself is brief. Primal gods are fickle and hate boredom, so it's just offering the sacrifice and making demands."

"Could… we perform this primal god ritual?"

"Pardon? What do you…"

Jamad's eyes widened at Kang Seol's words, then he burst into laughter.

"Kahaha! Brilliant idea. Knew you'd think of something like that. But… not easy."

"Agreed. Purgar won't mind who leads the rite, but no sacrifice? He'd take it as an insult and incinerate us."

"Sacrifice… I recall it doesn't have to be lives."

"True. Humans are easiest, but treasures or artifacts primal gods fancy work too."

"Then… how about this?"

Kang Seol pulled something from his inventory.

Mael adjusted his glasses, examined it, and said,

"This… Even Purgar couldn't resist."

With that, the plan took shape. Discussions flew, and soon it was complete.

'It's over.'

So thought Yumira.

Had she overestimated her relic hunters' strength?

Two trolls sent by the Sulfur ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Skeletons had decimated their twenty like wolves tearing into sheep.

The huddled group was ripped apart, fates unknown.

'That monster… killed them all.'

One troll with claw-like weapons, the other swinging a massive axe.

Both were monstrously skilled.

One alone might've been manageable, but two? Agony. And with Yumira the only real fighter, impossible.

Thus, the situation had deteriorated this far.

'Even their leader-looking troll didn't join…'

And still they lost.

No hope.

But that didn't mean surrender.

As long as a one-in-a-thousand miracle existed, Yumira had to enter the altar, lives be damned.

For Kibo was surely still alive in there.

"What now, Mira?"

"Jirmo… you go back."

"Gonna die? Heading for the altar?"

"……"

"Take me too."

Jirmo.

A man from Kibo's crew who got along well with her.

The group scattered, but luckily he was with her.

After a long scuffle near the crater, they resolved to enter together.

Methods? Tactics? Wisdom?

None left. Only frontal assault remained.

As they gripped weapons and rose, footsteps approached.

Thinking lost comrades, Yumira didn't swing her handaxe immediately—and regretted it. Trolls stood there.

"You bastards!"

"Mira! No!"

Whoooosh—!

Yumira charged alone.

Reasonable move. Just a few ordinary-sized trolls, unremarkable aura.

Seemed like a patrol; she could handle quickly.

Thwack—!

But reality shattered expectations.

'…Huh?'

Her vision flipped; sky filled it.

Subdued effortlessly, without realizing how or when.

"Mira!"

"Shh… wanna die?"

"…Speaks human?"

Trolls so far had yowled gibberish; this one spoke clearly.

As Yumira reeled in confusion, one troll approached.

"Yumira, long time no see."

"…Who?"

The troll's eyes gleamed gold, like someone she knew.

"No way… Snowman?"

The troll made an awkward expression.

Probably a smile.

"Fancy meeting like this."

What a bizarre man, what a bizarre reunion.