Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 94
>Chapter Title: Can't Hold Back Your Cocky Attitude and Climb Up?
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A space filled only with silence.
Whoooosh—
As a chilling gust swept across the wasteland, Solion's head, rolling along the slanted ground, caught on a rock and stopped.
“…….”
Obern stared wide-eyed at the scene.
‘What... did I just see?’
Shine stood motionless, gazing down at Solion.
His back wasn't particularly broad, but in this moment, it felt impossibly massive—like a towering mountain.
An utterly overwhelming presence.
That pressure choked the air from his lungs, and just then, Shine's eyes met his.
‘……!’
Obern flinched.
He stumbled back without thinking under that piercing gaze.
It was like a tidal wave crashing down, a suffocating intimidation. In the face of this unfamiliar awe, Obern thought:
‘...A monster.’
Yes, a monster.
Even without a hint of killing intent in his eyes, how could it feel so vicious?
A voice echoed in his mind right then.
[Scared?]
“…….”
[Hah, yeah. You should be. This is transcendence. Well, only half of it, anyway.]
Shine chuckled and turned his gaze away.
But Obern, watching him, couldn't find it in himself to laugh.
'How...'
Consistent? No, "consistent" didn't fit—insane was more like it.
Just moments ago he'd been spewing boiling rage, and now he was acting so nonchalant?
It was an emotional flow no sane person could have.
—Obern, remember this. The politely crazy ones are the most dangerous.
His master's warning flashed through his mind!
Regardless, Shine picked up the Helm of the Departed and handed it to Aster.
[Here, you sneaky bastard. This is what you wanted.]
“…….”
Aster silently took in the sight of Shine.
[What? Not taking it?]
The swaggering build. The slouched posture. The way he looked down despite his short stature—everything was just like the usual Shine.
And yet...
‘...Idiot. All that posturing.’
Half transcendence? Scared, are you?
He strutted and cackled like always, but could roiling emotions really settle that easily?
No.
Emotions were harder to suppress after unleashing them than to hold back in the first place.
Better not to erupt at all, but once you did, you had to vent it completely.
Just like Aster had in the Trial's Coffin. You had to drain every festering bit, or it would build up again.
But Shine... how was he pretending to be so calm?
He probably didn't even know how.
He'd never reflected on his feelings or taken care of himself. Just endured, endured, endured—constantly squeezing and berating himself to stay unshaken.
So, stupid. What other word fit?
“You...”
[You...]
He tried to say something, but their voices overlapped.
“...You first.”
Aster awkwardly yielded, feeling oddly embarrassed. Shine didn't refuse.
But the words that came out were infuriating.
[You scared too, by any chance?]
“…….”
Aster clamped his mouth shut. Or tried to, but couldn't.
“Ha.”
A smirk tugged at his lips. An uncontrollable, hollow laugh escaped.
[No need to act tough. Come on? If you're scared, just say it. After all we've been through, I wouldn't... Koff!]
“You fucking—”
Clang!
A sharp metallic ring echoed everywhere.
Louder than usual. Shine's vision reeled, and he couldn't steady himself—the humiliation was just beginning.
“You little shit... Think a bit, and you can't hold back that cocky attitude and climb up, huh?”
Clang clang clang clang.
Unceasing metallic clangs rang out. Shine curled into a ball, arms over his head.
[He-Helmet! The helmet's denting, you bastard—Koff!]
For a brief moment.
The wails of the departed echoed through the Hamern Great Forest.
* * *
After the commotion died down.
I stuffed the groaning Shine into the Subjugation Bracelet and turned to Obern.
For some reason.
“Junior.”
“Y-Yes? Senior?”
He jolted at my call.
“Contact the 4th Base Camp.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
He seemed more fired up than usual.
Maybe spooked by how I'd laid into Shine? Possible.
You know how it is.
When there's a tough guy around, and someone casually smacks him down, that someone looks even tougher.
Looking at Obern like this—what to call it?
‘Good kid? Idiot? Dig deeper, and he's the top dog here.’
Think about it.
Shine's bound by the Subjugation Bracelet, so that's fine. But me and Obern?
Senior and junior.
On the surface, I'm above. But let's dig deeper.
Who's my senior?
‘Rihaym senior.’
And Rihaym senior has Obern as his disciple.
If I'd been the headmaster's disciple, I wouldn't pale next to Obern, but...
‘That's a nightmare.’
Anyway, with Rihaym senior as backup, Obern was arguably the highest authority here!
Sure, someone hearing this might say, "Nah."
They've probably never felt grievance.
Either they've got solid backing without envy, or a peaceful life free of trouble.
That's the world.
It belongs to noble houses bound by blood, academic factions by school ties, alliances by region.
No matter how tight me and Rihaym senior are as senior-junior—school ties—they can't match master-disciple bonds.
So, point is.
‘Obern... he'll probably never have to bow to me his whole life.’
I'm a Troubleshooter.
I yield to authority.
I smash through if it fits, but I respect it otherwise.
Especially if it's stronger than me.
In that sense, Obern deserved respect.
Anyway.
“Take it easy, easy.”
“Y-Yes, sir...!”
I watched the amped-up Obern while fiddling with my fist.
Thinking I'd never get to hit him made me oddly wistful.
Whatever.
‘They handled the Gold Mage faster than expected.’
Good situation? Maybe.
I'd figured a short fight would take an hour, long one three or four.
Minus travel, it hadn't been long.
So, spare time?
‘Tch, not really.’
Not time spare—manpower spare.
‘That rotten bastard... pulling out transcendence there?’
Why had I fed him precious elixirs during the fight?
Because of this artifact in my hand.
The Helm of the Departed.
My plan: burn some elixirs, waste mana, but snag the helm and make Shine combat-ready.
Look at him now.
Regaining power from the meager dark mana the Gold Mage infused!
I didn't know the helm's dark mana recharge rate exactly, but it seemed feasible.
But.
‘Pushing it right to the brink of death.’
From a sorcerer's view, his body was like porcelain about to shatter.
The cost of manifesting even half transcendence in a half-baked Death Knight frame.
His chest burned with rage so fierce it consumed his own body.
Who wouldn't go mad?
The early end minimized mana loss and fatigue, but.
“Hoo...”
A sigh escaped.
“Hoo...”
Second one.
Didn't reach three.
“Uh, senior. Communication's done.”
“Yeah? What'd they say?”
“Well... didn't catch details. But Commander Plenn seemed to say things are fine. No need to rush.”
“...?”
Nonsense.
Why fine?
‘About to croak?’
You know the one.
Two friends poisoned. One antidote. While bickering, one says:
‘Actually, I had one too. I'm fine, so take it.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yeah, totally!’
The trusting friend takes it.
Turns out, the "fine" one wasn't—faking it to yield to his buddy!
Beautiful story.
‘Lacks realism. Can't believe it.’
If my friend... assuming I have one worth it.
Offers the antidote like that?
‘I'd deck him.’
Suspicious, right?
Pure intent? World's not that pure.
Nothing purer than two fists.
That's why.
“Not bullshit?”
“Uh... why do you ask?”
My glare too obvious?
Obern's face turned serious too. I shook my head with a wry smile.
“Nah. So, things are okay?”
“Yes. Didn't seem fabricated. He said more, but comms cut mid-way...”
“Hmm, got it.”
Truly baffling.
I'd love to rush and check if they're bluffing, but circumstances restrained me.
Anyway...
‘The 4th Base Camp's holding up well...’
“Plenty of time to recover mana, then.”
“Yes.”
“So... what to do...”
“...?”
I crossed my arms, eyeing Obern.
For a moment.
“Gimme the comm crystal.”
“...Sure.”
Obern handed over the comm crystal readily. I took it and gave him what I held.
“You take this.”
“This is...”
“The Helm of the Departed. Infuse it with mana. And... here, equip this too.”
“...?”
Fsssh—
Absorbing Obern's mana, the helm changed color.
‘Owner recognition done. Now left is...’
I slipped off the Subjugation Bracelet and offered it to Obern.
But why?
“......”
He stared blankly at me, ignoring the bracelet.
“Why this...? Isn't this tied to the Death Knight? Why me?”
“Ah, worried I'm passing it without his say? It's fine. All specified in the contract. He'll prefer it.”
Shine, surprisingly thorough with the contract for a brute swordsman.
One clause from our agreed terms on the Subjugation Bracelet vassal contract:
If Party A transfers the bracelet without Party B's consent, Party B may unilaterally sever vassal ties with the new owner (hereinafter "Party C"). This applies to Party C as well.
Here, Obern's Party C. Not disease or idiot—C.
For Shine, not a bad deal.
“But... still...”
“Tch.”
“...Whatever the reason, you have a plan.”
I scowled lightly, and he snatched the bracelet quick.
I confirmed Obern's owner recognition on it, then slyly turned away.
Rustle—
Withered leaves and undead corpses drifting in the Hamern Great Forest. That ominous aura from within.
Distracted by the chill for a second.
A voice rang out.
[You bastard, what's your scheme? Again? You haven't forgotten our contract, have you?]