Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: The Five Pillars (6)
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Coltran of the Frozen Heart murmured the incantation as he swept his hand over the desk. Following his wrinkled gesture, ice pillars like stalactites sprouted from the desk's surface.
Tszzzzzz...
Snap. With a flick of Coltran's finger, shards of ice scattered in all directions.
Crack—bang!
The ice pillar was shaved away like a sculpture, taking on a finely detailed form. A statue that perfectly resembled the hulking barbarian.
"Pfuhuhu... What an interesting fellow. A truly amusing friend. Asillus, you've brought me a very entertaining guest."
"...".
Asillus, the acting deputy leader of the Battle Mage unit, twisted his lips in an ambiguous grimace.
Elder Coltran was famous for his perpetually relaxed demeanor, always restraining his emotions and drawing firm lines. Yet ever since meeting that barbarian, his attitude had become that of a jovially slippery old man. Asillus felt a significant disconnect from this unexpected side of the elder.
"Ha, haha, I'm glad you like him... But Elder, his attitude was a bit rude, wasn't it...? If I may ask, what is it about him that pleases you so much...?"
"...".
The warmth that had spread across Coltran's face rapidly cooled once more.
"...What did we discuss yesterday, Asillus?"
"...".
"You're the type who can't even eat rice if it's spoon-fed to you."
"...!"
It was a slip of the tongue. To prove his qualifications for ascension, he shouldn't have asked—he should have figured it out himself. Asillus berated his own foolishness, while inwardly cursing the elder's twisted, foul-tempered personality.
Fortunately, Coltran added an explanation this time.
"Could you stand tall before a dragon as massive as a mountain?"
"...".
"Not many can. Even if that dragon is hibernating deep in its lair. And someone who guesses the dream of that latent dragon at first sight? In the dragon's long life, such talent is rare to encounter."
From what he heard, it was a metaphor comparing himself to a "latent dragon." In essence, the elder approved of how the barbarian hadn't cowered before him and had quickly discerned the goal of becoming the Magic Tower Lord right from the start.
Asillus gave an awkward laugh, trying to add his spoon to the pot.
"Ha, haha, then it was wise to cooperate with that barbarian after all. I'm relieved my judgment was correct. If he meets with your approval, Elder, perhaps you could entrust him with more tasks going forward...?"
"No, he's not someone you keep too close for too long."
"...Pardon?"
"He didn't hesitate to ambush another elder. From the look of it, he's already tangled with high-ranking mages several times. I don't know about Ramakren, whose head was lopped off, but Delparus, who held the Pillar of Steel... he might have died by that man's hand."
Asillus gasped as if struck by a falling boulder on his crown.
"What?! Does that even make sense? If he's that dangerous, shouldn't we dispose of him immediately, Elder?"
Disappointment darkened the gaze Coltran turned on the Battle Mage. He shook his head firmly and snapped back.
"Listen, when a capable hunting dog crawls under our feet, why slaughter it right away? At least wait until it brings back the prey."
"...".
"Well... you have a point. You can't share the table with the dog even after the hunt, when it's time to eat. Once the barbarian gathers all the Five Pillars, then we'll..."
As his fist clenched tight, a fierce burst of cold exploded outward.
Crack-crack-crack-bang!
Ice spikes mercilessly pierced the statue. The frozen barbarian shattered into unrecognizable fragments. Gazing at the pale-faced Battle Mage, Coltran murmured in a chilling voice.
"...do something like this to keep mouths shut. We can't have him baring his teeth at us or blabbing about the records of the founding Magic Tower Lord outside."
"...".
A silence descended like the icy blasts of a northern winter.
All the while the ambitious Battle Mage swallowed dryly, the elder—who called himself a latent dragon—glinted with cold murderous intent in his eyes.
*
In the inn The Whale that Swallowed Gold on Vesta's central street, the barbarian and the merchant were unexpectedly spending time reading.
"...Hoo."
Staring at the tiny print for so long had left his eyes dry and stinging. The stiff content, along with grammar and vocabulary that had changed significantly from 300 years ago, hindered smooth reading. In the end, he'd switched to skimming, memorizing only key terms.
Kadim rubbed his eyelids and glanced to the side. There was Duncan, fumbling through a recitation.
"Circulation is manifestation... and manifestation is also circulation... All things naturally cycle through multifaceted forms, and skillfully controlling the driving wheel of this change is the essence of the Arden formula... No, what the hell is this nonsense...?"
"...Skip that kind of content. Just look for parts on the Magic Tower's history or ancient mana."
"Ah, y-yes! Understood, milord...".
"Reading this long seems to sap concentration. Let's take a short break."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Duncan flopped onto the bed. His face was half-dazed, brain overloaded. No wonder—even mages scratched their heads over this stuff, and he'd been at it for nearly half a day.
But Kadim was unsatisfied. As expected from materials obtained too easily from accessible areas, truly vital information was hard to find.
To uncover secrets on ancient mana or the demons' rampage, I'll need to infiltrate the Magic Tower's restricted depths...
Still, it wasn't a total loss. One of Duncan's books was a biography of the founding Magic Tower Lord, Melissa.
At least the elder hadn't lied. The contents matched what he'd heard. Melissa was a brilliant grand mage and founder of the Magic Tower, but not a great leader. She'd hoarded magical knowledge without sharing it, and in her later years, she'd wandered outside before quietly passing away upon her return.
But no matter how he thought about it, this didn't ring true as the full story. Why would Melissa have built the Magic Tower if that were the case? It was founded purely to teach mages...
Moreover, much was omitted from the biography. What had she done in her final years? Any interactions with the Hero's party? How did she handle the depletion of ancient mana...? The only way to fill these gaps seemed to be accessing her personal records directly.
Kadim hauled his listless body upright. Duncan reflexively sat up on the bed as well.
"Ack, where are you going, milord?"
"Down for a drink. Coming along?"
"N-no, I'll rest here a bit longer...".
Kadim nodded slightly and stepped out, wearing only a single throwing axe at his waist.
As he descended to the inn's hall, the innkeeper—who looked every bit the seafaring man—greeted him boisterously.
"Ah, rested well, sir? Any inconveniences in the room or anything you need?"
He'd been standoffish at first sight due to Kadim's barbarian looks, but after receiving a hefty pouch of gold upfront, he'd turned exceedingly accommodating. The adage held true even after 300 years: no money makes you a barbarian, money makes you an Atalan.
Kadim settled at a corner table and casually asked,
"What's the best-selling drink here?"
"Rum, without a doubt! Brewed from sugarcane kissed by sea winds—it's out of this world! It's what sailors here guzzle most before heading out."
"Then bring a bottle of that."
"Right away, with some sweet side dishes that'll suit it perfectly!"
The innkeeper tossed aside his brick and hammer, darting to the kitchen. Kadim raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"What's that about? Something broken in the inn?"
"Oh, nothing like that! Haha, it's just the season! Vesta always gets typhoons from late summer into early autumn. To avoid waking up to guests all blown away, gotta prepare ahead, right?"
It wasn't a funny joke. Kadim let out a hollow laugh and waited silently for his rum and snacks.
But about a minute later...
A sudden foul stench tickled his nose.
"...!"
The scent of mana wafted down from upstairs.
His body's reaction was faster than his thoughts. Kadim sprang up like a coiled spring, charging toward the stairs. The innkeeper, emerging with rum and dates, floundered in confusion.
"Wh-what's wrong, sir? Is there a problem...?"
"Clear out. There might be a commotion. Could be worse than a typhoon."
"Pardon? What do you—gasp!"
No time for more explanation. The warrior raised his axe haft and stormed to the room.
Bam—crash!
Kicking the door open revealed the expected scene.
Roarrr!
Duncan trembled, clutching his hellfire dagger, facing off against three thugs.
"Gasp, milord! H-help! Th-they suddenly climbed through the window and intruded...!"
" ""...!"" "
The other two froze in panic, but the last one began chanting without hesitation. Kadim responded by hurling his throwing axe without a word.
Whirr-whirr-whirr-crack—boom!
The thug's head didn't explode. Instead, a shockwave ripped through the air, cracking the space itself. Kadim clicked his tongue. Damn it, he had a barrier up already.
The thug completed his incantation.
Roarrr—
Black flames rose in concentric circles from the floor. Kadim lunged toward the merchant like a beast, turning his back to the blaze and spreading his arms to shield him like a meat barrier.
―――― Rumble-roarrr!
The magic's power surged wildly, whipping into a vortex. A scorching gale heated the air, black ink-like flames filling every gap. The floor and ceiling charred pitch-black, but thanks to Kadim's blockade, Duncan barely escaped the fire.
"H-heok! A-are you alright, milord?"
"...Fine. Compared to hellfire, it's not even hot."
The thugs burst into jeers at his words.
"Kehhehe, as if. Your back's charred like coal...".
"Not hot compared to hellfire? Ha, there's a limit to bluffing...".
But Kadim wasn't bluffing.
Charred flesh sloughed off as new skin regenerated beneath. Even the burning chunks fell away, restoring his back to pristine condition in an instant. The thugs' eyes bulged wide in unison.
The source of this miracle was the Hydra's Tattoo glowing crimson across his chest.
"Damn it! Wh-what kind of monster is that...?"
"Attack again, quick! [Keruna! Grun! Agripa! En...]"
"[Keruna! Grun! Volkaris! Radum...]"
The mages hurriedly prepared a second assault. But that first chance had been their one and only.
The berserker's eyes gleamed red as he drew in his power, reclaiming his thunderstrike, and...
Whoosh, hum, hum—bam!
...hurled the axe loaded with destructive lightning without delay.
―――――― Crackle-zap-zap-crash!
One thug spotted the blue sparks and panicked, botching his spell. He shifted from summoning fire arrows to reinforcing his barrier.
But it was futile resistance.
Like patching paper over an iron mace. Empowered by the tattoo and infused with lightning, the axe's might couldn't be blocked by a mere durability boost.
Crack-crack-crack-bang—shatter!
The rampaging thunder easily shattered the barrier and buried deep into the thug's forehead. A flash erupted, bleaching the world's shadows white for a split second.
Flash—splat!
When the glare faded, the thug's head was gone. Only charred gray matter and chunks of flesh lay messily nearby.
Pssshhh...
Amid the hollow steam rising from the headless neck, a thunderous roar echoed belatedly, mirroring the surviving thugs' shock.
――――――――― Boom-rumble, boom-rumble-blast!
A tense silence followed, the gruesome sight shaking souls.
"...Eh."
"...Uh, uhh."
While the thugs stood stunned, the berserker gave no respite, granting a second bolt.
Flash—splat!
――――――――― Boom-rumble, boom-rumble-blast!
Another flash and roar reverberated.
The afterimages stung their corneas, the echoes dulled their eardrums. They couldn't collect their wits. The middle thug blinked away the blinding residue and glanced to either side.
"...Uh, uhh, uhh."
There, inexplicably, lay not his comrades, but two headless corpses with shattered skulls.