Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The Five Pillars (8)
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'The Lamp that Burns the Blackness'.
The effect of this holy relic, handed to Kadim by Hendark, the 'Star that Pierces Truth', was to temporarily erase all 'magi' in the surrounding area.
This relic had originally been crafted as a decisive weapon for the great war against demons. In fact, during its first use, it had burned away thick demonic energy without a trace, nearly completely neutralizing a high-ranking demon in a stunning feat.
But upon seeing it, Hendark came up with a hypothesis.
Modern mages use 'mana', infused with magi, as the power source for their spells. So what if this relic could erase the magi within 'mana', rendering mages powerless?
It was phrased as a hypothesis, but it was practically a certainty. He had chosen it without hesitation as a gift for the one who would uncover the Magic Tower's secrets. And now, Hendark's hypothesis had become reality, proven in the most brutal fashion.
The barbarian holding the lamp mercilessly granted death to the mages stripped of their magic and mana.
Splat—crunch!
"Gah!"
His fist came down, and the mage's skull caved in with a sickening crack.
A barbarian's tempered hand struck harder than any iron mace. Meanwhile, mages without their spells were weaker than goblins. No matter their numbers, they stood no chance.
Kadim first smashed the skulls of those fleeing toward the main gate. Next came those swinging their fists in resistance, those crawling in terror, those collapsing in despair... He smoothly pulverized every mage's head, leaving only one in a red robe alive.
But Kadim's expression wasn't as bright as before.
"...Something's off."
"..."
"Didn't the elders wear black robes? So why isn't there a single one here?"
"..."
"Answer me. Where did that bastard Oklamud go?"
The red-robed high mage let out a deflating sneer.
"Heh, heh heh... Tough luck. Elder Oklamud isn't here right now. He stepped out on business..."
"..."
A deep furrow formed between Kadim's brows.
'The Lamp that Burns the Blackness' was incredibly effective, but it wasn't for permanent use. Hendark had advised him that it would break after two uses, so to save it for when it was truly needed.
'I planned to use it once to wipe out these guys and save the last use for emergencies... but I ended up letting the biggest fish slip away.'
Just then, the lamp's duration ended, and it extinguished on its own.
Mana began to refill the magic stone embedded in the high mage's heart.
The high mage's eyes gleamed. It was sudden, but an opportunity he couldn't miss. He muttered the incantation as swiftly as a feeler.
But Kadim wasn't letting his guard down.
"[Lumo—] guhk! Guh... heee..."
Crack...
A hand shot out faster than the incantation. A precarious snap echoed from the neck bones, and pathetic groans leaked from the mage's mouth. His face quickly turned a rotten apple red.
Just before his last breath rattled out, Kadim loosened his grip slightly.
"Try any more tricks, and I'll snap your neck clean off."
"Kek, kehk, keheeeek..."
"Answer only what I ask. Where did that elder bastard go?"
A look of dismay crossed the mage's face.
Even with mana restored, nothing had changed. Mages couldn't cast without incantations. The barbarian's iron grip pressed his throat like a vice on a lever, teetering on the edge.
Yet the high mage, true to his rank, didn't give up and found a way.
"Kehk, keheee..."
Pretending to thrash his limbs, he swiftly drew a magic circle with his blood.
As he poured mana into it, an invisible force manifested. The 'Pillar of Fire' from the display case shattered the glass and flew toward him.
Crash!
The 'pillars' were both keys to secret passages and powerful magic tools engraved with spells. With one in hand and mana infused, he could unleash devastating magic without incantations.
However, the mage had overlooked one thing.
No matter how quickly he pulled it, it couldn't be faster than the hand already gripping his throat.
Snap!
Kadim twisted the mage's neck without hesitation.
The bones broke easier than a reed stalk. The Pillar of Fire clattered to the floor, and the mage could no longer play his tricks.
"..."
Kadim clicked his tongue and stood.
The cleanup was done, but killing the sole survivor meant he had no clue where Oklamud had gone. This was their base, though, so waiting might draw him out eventually...
The problem was whether he could suppress Oklamud as smoothly when he returned.
Using 'The Lamp that Burns the Blackness' again would solve it, but he couldn't. It had only one use left. With no telling what else lay ahead, wasting the mage-wiping nuke on that one guy was too much.
Facing him bare-handed was risky too—the elder likely wielded fire magic, and he'd already used 'Hydra's Tattoo' today. Calling on his first playthrough power or Atala's divine relic would create excessive fallout...
"..."
After much deliberation, Kadim made his choice.
Collect the 'pillars' and withdraw for now.
He grabbed the burning staff from the floor and the glowing staff from its holder. Crossing the extinguished torches, he returned to the main gate. Without a glance at the strewn corpses, he left without regret.
Darkness and silence settled coldly over the sealed space.
The mages, buzzing with excitement for a new era, had been counterattacked by a barbarian in an instant, losing their gathered 'pillars' and their lives.
Magic Tower Elder Council seat one, 'Black Rock Inferno' Oklamud despised barbarians with a passion.
There was no special trigger or incident. Some hatreds and loathings need no reason. Having spent his life in Vesta, he had naturally absorbed disdain for barbarians, which grew layer by layer as he fixated on their flaws, until it became the deepest hatred in the world.
But today, that long-standing hatred of nearly seventy years was being shaken.
Because of the meeting in the council chamber president's office just moments ago.
'Hmm... I have no intention of handing over my 'Pillar of Water' to Elder Oklamud. No, that's not it. I'll discuss it thoroughly with the other elders and arrive at the best outcome that satisfies everyone... haha...'
From this moment, Oklamud suspected he'd come to loathe that disgustingly plump politician even more than barbarians.
"That damned, filthy, pig-worse lard-ass! Talked like he'd hand it over quick when I asked, but when I got there, he washed his hands of it clean?"
The negotiations to receive the 'Pillar of Water' from the council president had failed. The president wasn't satisfied with Oklamud's offer. It was a total reversal from his initial claim that meager compensation would do. All the way back to the Magic Tower, Oklamud raged uncontrollably.
But he couldn't intimidate the president.
Vesta's council president was a laughingstock, mocked by all—a mere beast for the Magic Tower Lord, changing laws on command and surrendering budgets. Yet even lofty Tower elders wouldn't harm him to his face.
Because that beast knew how to summon its master.
The president possessed a magic tool that could call the 'Magic Tower Lord' before him.
"...Goddamn it, goddamn it, goddamn it!!"
If the president used it in a fit of anger, it would be a disaster. No matter how much Oklamud coveted the Tower Lord's seat, he had no confidence facing 'that monster' right now. He'd need to master at least an ancient grand spell...
"Hoo, hoo, hoo..."
Still, the situation wasn't that bad.
The president seemed to inwardly desire a generational change for the Tower Lord too. He'd surely grown sick of being leashed. Promise better terms and coax him, and he'd hand over the 'Pillar of Water' eventually.
Besides, the 'Pillar of Earth' and 'Pillar of Steel' were as good as his already. They were in some barbarian's hands? He'd sent an elite battlemage strike team, so that savage was surely ashes by now.
The day he reached the top of this tower was near. He couldn't afford emotional mistakes. Oklamud barely calmed his excitement. He took a deep breath and entered the Magic Tower.
But just as quickly, he was riled up again.
"E-Elder! It's bad! The 'pillars' stored on floors 6, 68... the 'pillars'..."
"Our mages are almost all—n-no, intruders in the secret chamber..."
"They're dead! A-all dead, Elder! Even Lord Serban is..."
"What the hell are you idiots babbling about..."
Pushing past the babbling subordinate mages, he rushed to the 68th floor's secret chamber. And there, Oklamud finally faced it.
Corpses with shattered skulls spilling brains, the dizzying stench of blood, and empty display cases.
"M-My god..."
"Urk, ugh..."
"..."
Fury blazed in the elder's eyes as he surveyed the devastated base.
But his excitement had exceeded its limit, fraying his nerves and oddly calming his mind instead. Ignoring the shaken subordinates, he calmly observed the scene. Soon, he found his prized disciple, Serban, at the back.
Serban's head was at least intact. His clothes were stripped for some reason, and his neck was broken, but death was death.
Yet Oklamud was an elder who had mastered unfathomable mysteries. For the freshly dead, he could temporarily defy the laws of life.
"[Keruna, Grun, Tarperan, Querein, En, Pelkanon, Apentasiok]. Wandering soul, accept the 'Ember of Resurrection' and tie up your lingering regrets..."
⟨ Ember of Resurrection ⟩
Whoosh!
As the incantation ended, sticky flames ignited at his fingertips. He shoved it into the heart, and the corpse began twitching its eyelids madly.
- Gruuuh, gruuu, grrrrk...
Grotesque groans spilled from blue-tinged lips. Oklamud pinned the trembling shoulders and demanded.
"Answer me, Serban. Who did this to you?"
- Grrrk, grrrrk... B-ba, baaarbaaaan... grrrk, hooow, hooow did iiiit...
"...I revived you briefly with the 'Ember of Resurrection'. Say a few words and rest again. Time's short—answer quickly."
- Grr, ruuuun... N-noooo, dooon't wanna die agaaaain... haaaate diiiiing...
"Damn it, shut up and answer!! I need to know who did it to retrieve the pillars!! Tell me before I toss your corpse to the fish, you brainless fuck!!"
- Grrk, baaa, baaaariii, baaarbaaaan... grrrk, puuuuh...
The flames extinguished with a hiss, and the cold body stiffened as if it had never moved.
The pronunciation was ragged like a beggar, but the last word was clear. It was what he hated most in the world, after all. Oklamud twisted his face like a vengeful ghost.
"...Keep everything that happened here completely secret."
"..."
"The culprit of this incident... I'll burn to cinders with my own hands..."
For the first time, his ancient hatred for barbarians had a reason.
Elder Coltran and acting battlemage captain Asillus.
The two mages were utterly speechless.
"..."
They could see it plainly with their own eyes, yet they couldn't believe it. Had he secretly learned illusion magic somewhere? Absurd, but this was equally impossible. They'd worn that brain-dead expression for ages.
With no response even after waiting, Kadim barked again, annoyed.
"Are you deaf? I gathered four pillars. For the last one, I want you to handle it yourselves."
The mages stared blankly at the miraculous barbarian.
But an elder was an elder. Coltran's eyes snapped back into focus. He fumbled over the staffs on the desk for a moment, then let out an awed gasp.
"Hah, hahaha... These are really the pillars. I can't believe it... What magic did you work, Kadim? Not even days—it was just two days, and you nearly collected all the 'Five Pillars'..."
"..."
"Haha, even my mages couldn't gather a single one no matter how much time I gave them..."
His kindly eyes narrowed sharply toward the mage beside him. Stung by the gaze, Asillus flinched and sheepishly changed the subject.
"B-but how on earth did you collect them all? The 'Pillar of Light' and 'Pillar of Fire' were definitely in Elder Oklamud's possession... There's no way he'd hand them over willingly. W-what deal did you make?"
It wasn't a deal.
"I found the bastard's lair, killed all his minions, and took them. Shame he wasn't there, or I'd have killed Oklamud too."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...What?"
Having just regained their senses, the two mages once again wore that brain-dead look.