Chapter 384
Chapter 384
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 384
>Chapter Title: Showing Teeth and Smiling?
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Should I bolt?
The lighthearted dilemma lingered in Aster's mind for two full days.
In his hand was the Infinite Chain, and the reason his worries had deepened was the chain's reaction.
'It's getting closer.'
That meant the Fragment of Reverse Heaven was held by Otto, the patriarch of the Urbona Family.
In a way, it was the worst possible scenario.
If the patriarch possessed the fragment, he knew its value—and that made it all the harder to steal away unnoticed.
But let's think positively.
'...He'll be guarding it well, then.'
What was needed now was a shift in perspective.
Think of it this way.
'I just left the Fragment of Reverse Heaven with the Urbona Family, and I'll come pick it up when the time is right.'
What a brilliant idea.
Aster couldn't help but admire his own positive mindset. A satisfied smile crept across his lips—so satisfying, in fact—that it vanished with a single sigh.
Something was nagging at him.
'...What about the Grand Duchess?'
No, honestly, the Grand Duchess wasn't his concern. What Aster had in mind were the soldiers.
Not that he pitied them or anything...
'...I went to the trouble of keeping them alive.'
Yeah, that effort felt wasted.
To be frank, it hadn't been much effort, but still—letting the lives he'd spared get massacred by some unheard-of patriarch like Otto or whatever wasn't exactly pleasant.
So...
'...I should stick around, right?'
And just like that, Aster's mind was a mess.
If he only thought about the Fragment of Reverse Heaven, there was no reason to stay. But thinking of the soldiers meant he had to.
Rarely, it wasn't his evil selves clashing—it was his good self against his evil self. Unlike the evil sides, which quickly reached consensus, these two opposites showed no sign of settling down.
How long did the deliberation drag on?
"Whew."
With a deep sigh, Aster tucked the wooden box holding the Infinite Chain into his bosom. He gazed up at the sky and let out a faint smile.
He'd planned to agonize only until today and bolt if no answer came...
"Too late for that."
He sensed presences approaching from afar. Exactly forty-five.
Forty unremarkable ones seemed to be the mage unit, and three decent ones were probably Black Stone.
And then.
'The impressive one must be Gait.'
Finally...
Aster gave a self-deprecating smile and lowered his head. Far off, faint silhouettes shimmered. Among them, the one Aster locked onto was at the very front.
"That must be Otto."
He didn't even need to scan with his senses.
The towering build that screamed 'I'm a northerner,' the thick beard, and the majestic cloak made from some nameless beast's pelt made it obvious.
To wear the Urbona Family emblem and exude that much dignity, he had to be the patriarch.
'No way around it. If a young patriarch strutted around like that, you'd have to crack his skull.'
Picturing a young patriarch getting his head smashed just for looking too dignified, Aster chuckled.
'What else? He'd feel like a dog.'
As he snickered to himself, the Urbona mages, led by Patriarch Otto, drew near. But something rubbed him the wrong way.
"One guy?"
"The camp looks empty..."
"He got ditched, huh."
"Looks young, too?"
The mages. They were showing their teeth and grinning. At him, left alone, as if he wasn't even worth the effort.
From their mockery, Aster gleaned two facts.
First.
'No masks.'
But it didn't matter.
By the end of this fight, masks wouldn't be needed one way or another.
If they all died, no witnesses. If he died, he wouldn't need one anyway.
So what was the second?
"The world's gone soft."
Mere mages baring their teeth before a grand mage.
Normally, you'd say 'teeth' for people, but right now, 'fangs' fit better.
Things flashing fangs at a grand mage couldn't be human, and even if they were, these were the kind who could slaughter three camps' worth of soldiers and still laugh. He had no desire to treat them as people.
So, what to do?
Aster decided to watch and wait. He wouldn't mind if they charged first, but since they were getting cocky, why not let them dig their hole a bit deeper?
And it didn't take long to prove that judgment sound.
"Patriarch, may I check it out?"
Gait asked Otto politely, and Otto nodded without even glancing his way.
"Very well, then..."
With permission granted, Gait signaled the mage unit. Go check it out yourselves.
At the signal, the mages didn't hesitate and shot forward.
Soon, they soared in perfect formation toward the empty camp.
No one took Aster seriously—and strictly speaking, that was their fatal mistake.
...Krunch.
The mages' tragedy began with a faint rupture.
And then...
Boom! Bwoom-bwoom-bwoom-boom!
Simultaneous explosions. Carnage, geysers of red blood into the sky, and all the unpleasant byproducts.
Rustle-rustle-thud.
A rain of blood fell from the heavens. The chill northern wind swept the space. The sharp tang of blood froze in the icy air and wafted away.
In that blood-red world, Aster curled his lip, his face untouched by a single drop. Staring straight at Patriarch Otto.
"Wha—what...!"
"...!"
As Gait and the Black Stone mages reeled in shock at the sudden turn, Aster's voice drilled into their ears.
"You..."
The 'you' meant Patriarch Otto.
"...knew, didn't you?"
Aster was certain. Unlike the Black Stone mages, Otto had sensed his level.
But Patriarch Otto didn't answer.
He simply stared at Aster with cold eyes.
* * *
The silence stretched a bit longer.
The midday sun scorched the ground as the blood soaking the earth fully seeped in. Northern crows circling overhead cried 'caw, caw.'
They'd come for the blood scent but found nothing to peck at—a complaint of dissatisfaction.
As the crows circled grumpily, a shadow fell over them right then.
Whoosh—
Startled by the fierce wind, the crow jerked its gaze upward. Its black eyes reflected a massive black shape.
Realizing it, the crow flapped in panic, but the giant's dive was a touch faster.
Flutter, crunch!
The enormous thing tore the crow apart irritably and slammed into the ground. And then...
Thud!
The black wyvern settled beside Aster. It thrust its head forward threateningly, scanning Patriarch Otto and the Black Stone mages.
"..."
The Black Stone mages narrowed their eyes, faces stiff. Unbelievable.
A wyvern that huge?
It was then that Aster's voice drilled into their ears.
"Let's make a choice."
A choice? What?
"Set aside the small fry. You and me, head to head. Clean and fair. How about it?"
"What's the reason I'd agree?"
To Otto, who had maintained silence throughout, Aster reached out to pat Yongyong's head. Or tried to—too short, so he just tapped wherever he could reach and continued.
"I'm gonna run."
"Hah."
Otto let out an incredulous laugh.
Run away.
It wouldn't be funny if he didn't know the opponent's level, but Otto already knew this foe was transcendent—or close to it.
Yet, run away?
"Quite the joke."
"Not a joke. Guess you don't grasp the gravity. Listen up—I'll explain my plan. First."
Aster extended his index finger.
"I'll hop on this guy and fly off. But where to? That way."
He said 'that way,' but those who followed his gesture realized exactly where.
"...Back to your main estate?"
"Smart. Second."
Aster folded his index and raised his middle finger. He turned his hand palm-up toward Otto and spoke.
"What'll I do when I get there?"
"..."
"Not hard to imagine. Just like what your goons did a few days ago. Burn every village in Urbona territory. But is that all? ...Third."
This time, no folding or extending—just kept the middle finger up as he went on.
"The mines."
Meaning he'd collapse the mines, one of Urbona's main funding sources. True, Urbona's skilled earth mages could repair them quickly, but Otto's face hardened slightly.
A mage of that caliber wouldn't act without countermeasures.
But Aster's words didn't end there.
"The manor."
He'd hit the main stronghold too.
...By now, Otto's face was visibly twisting.
Even a mutt guards its turf fiercely—what made Otto any different? Yet Aster's silver tongue wasn't just poking Otto's sore spot; it was ripping it out.
From mines and manors to everything Urbona owned—it poured from his mouth. By the end, Aster beamed brightly while Otto's face was noticeably warped.
"How's that? Reason enough?"
"...Ridiculous."
Otto meant it.
Because.
Separate from his rising anger, he could see the opponent's true nature clear as day.
A guy who stayed behind alone for the duchy capable of that? If he could, Urbona would already be ashes.
Of course, Aster acknowledged it.
'I'm a bit too nice.'
Even has a friendly face.
But.
"Remember this: Great power comes with great responsibility—but I'm the type with none. But..."
A gaze like 'And you?'
Meeting it, Otto curled his lip slyly. He swept back his fallen hair and tilted his head skyward. The blue sky and blazing sun dazzled his eyes, but he stared straight up.
How long since he'd felt such rage?
Right now, Otto truly felt murderous intent.
"Fine... agreed."
"You're trash? Like watching your family burn?"
"I'll give you exactly what you want. Then rip that mouth off you. Make you cough up every secret you hold, and slaughter everyone connected to you."
The ground around them trembled. Mana swirled wildly around Otto. When he lowered his head to fix Aster in his gaze.
Boom—!
An immense pressure crushed the space.
"Go on, then. Do your worst."
Creak, grind—!
An unknown friction echoed. The body-constricting pain was unbearable even for Aster. But Aster only smiled wider.
'Plan's on track.'
Still, he wanted to bolt.
But wanting to bolt was one thing...
"Now, small fry out."
Snap!
An explosion burst with the finger snap. The Black Stone mages leaped away in haste. Yongyong took to the air, snatching them with magic and soaring off. By the time Yongyong was far away.
"Let's play."
Zing...!
Accelerated thought shredded time.
Finer... finer than ever before.