Chapter 191
Chapter 191
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: The Flames That Burn the World (5)
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Remillion unleashed a roar with all his might.
"[Ka – Pel – Me – Ku – Ha - !!!]"
Kwaaang – !!
A ferocious shockwave whipped up around him. Yet it dealt no damage to the enemies. To these giants who could use volcanoes as kindling, the dragonkin's draconic incantation was no more than the chirping of some insignificant bird.
Of course, that didn't mean they would let an annoying bird buzzing right in front of them be.
One Inferno swung its arm mercilessly.
- Kuhoooo – !!
――― Fwoooosh – !
Remillion hurriedly twisted his wings into an evasion maneuver. He barely avoided being scorched to a crisp, missing it by just a few handspans. Before he could even catch his breath, another Inferno spread its palm and unleashed an explosion.
Bam – ! Booomboomboomboom – !!!
Embers sprayed wildly, blanketing everything in sight. Remillion folded his wings and dove sharply back to the starting point. He spread them again above the squad members, desperately shielding them from the sparks.
Popop – ! Popop – !
Embers to those giants, perhaps, but to ordinary creatures, they were like flaming arrows. His wing membranes tore in moments, scales peeling away.
"Kgh..."
"D-Dragon's friend!"
Thanks to him, though, Lilia and the dark elves were safe. Remillion reassured the group that he was fine and gritted his teeth against the pain.
The frontal breakthrough operation, which had been going smoothly, had turned into a complete mess in an instant. All because of those suddenly appearing flaming giants.
The Inferences, whom they'd thought were heading toward the forest outskirts, had abruptly changed course and were now bearing down on them. And not just one or two – nearly all of them.
The reclamation team had fled with every ounce of strength they had, but they couldn't escape the worst-case scenario. The core squad was already surrounded by two Inferences. Remillion's desperate struggle yielded no real results. To mortals, those things were utter disasters with no way to counter them.
- Kuhoooo – !
- Kuruk...
- Kururuk, kurururu...
"G-Good heavens, O primordial darkness..."
"R-Remillion... there are more Inferences over there..."
"..."
As if things weren't bad enough, three more appeared not far off. Remillion and the squad members turned pale, cornered like rats against a cliff.
Fortunately, this time they found a rat hole to escape through.
"Everyone! Hurry into this place!"
Ilenia suddenly appeared ahead, pointing at a black hole.
There was no time to question how she'd found them. Remillion scooped up Lilia and flew straight into the hole, while the other dark elves scrambled after him.
Vwoooong – !
Once everyone had passed through, Ilenia went last, and the hole promptly sealed shut. They'd moved to a nearby forest the Inferences hadn't yet reached.
"Hoo... that was really close. Thanks for the help, priestess of the Forgotten God."
"Truly, thank you. You saved our lives, sister... Oh, the merchant's here too."
"A-Are you alright, Remillion? Y-Your wings are a mess..."
"Ah, I'm fine. More importantly, we need to figure out what just happened."
This wasn't the time to relax. The core squad, now joined by Ilenia's group, quickly discussed the reason for the Inferences' sudden appearance and what to do about it.
Ilenia already had several plausible hypotheses in mind.
"First possibility: the grand sorceress detected our movements and ordered the Inferences to pursue us. But she's tied up dealing with the suppression team, so she shouldn't have the spare capacity. I judge the likelihood low."
"..."
"Second: the Inferences were drawn by 'mana.' Their essence is as mana-devouring spirits. Even if ordered to burn the forest, they'll instinctively prioritize a large mana source. Remillion? Just to check – this necklace, is it a mana-powered magic tool?"
Ilenia pulled out one of the blue necklaces they'd shared. Remillion produced his own, charred black from blocking flames, and shook his head with a troubled expression.
"No, surely I wouldn't make that mistake. This necklace is a relic forged by dwarves, infused with northern chill."
"...Then there's only one possibility left."
Duncan swallowed hard. He had a bad feeling that this mess was somehow due to his own suggestion. But it was just an unexpected mishap – the plan itself had no flaws. His sharp gaze fixed not on the merchant, but elsewhere.
"Lady Lilia, do you feel any mana inside you right now?"
"Pardon?"
"Try casting even the simplest spell."
"Well... I..."
Lilia hemmed and hawed, saying she couldn't. Once a grand sorceress, she had sacrificed all her magical knowledge and senses as an offering to summon Hesilia's descent.
Ilenia finally understood, her lips tightening bitterly.
"...As expected. The grand sorceress played her trick."
"W-What do you mean?"
"While you were confined, she must have secretly injected a large amount of mana into your body. To make tracking easier if you escaped. No need for ongoing mana drain, and since the target loses mana sensitivity, they wouldn't notice. Better than most tracking spells."
The group shuddered in unison. Remillion asked for confirmation.
"So the Inferences are homing in on the mana inside Lilia's body?"
"Yes, that's the most likely scenario. To shake them, Lady Lilia would need to expel all the mana... Do you think you can manage it?"
"I... I'll try, at least..."
Lilia looked far from confident. It had been over 200 years, and without any magical knowledge or senses, to boot. Predictably, every attempt failed.
- Kwoo...
- Kurururu...
Meanwhile, the Inferences drew ever closer.
They were zeroing in on this exact spot. The theory that they were after Lilia seemed even more solid.
Despair settled over everyone. It would've been better if someone else were the cause – Lilia could slip away while that person drew their attention. But with her, the core of the reclamation team, as the beacon summoning disaster... There was no way to shake all the Inferences or reach Hesiliad...
Shhhk – !
...Or so they thought, until Lilia succeeded in expelling some mana.
"Oh."
"Whoa!"
To be precise, she hadn't expelled it herself – something had absorbed it. Blue mana forcibly drawn from Lilia's chest flowed toward...
Fssshhh...
Ilenia's bag.
All eyes turned there in astonishment.
Under the bewildered stares, even the bag's owner touched her lips thoughtfully. Clearly unexpected even for her, she peered into the bag for a long moment.
"Hm... It seems we've found a way to shake off the Inferences' pursuit, at least..."
Then, with a resolute expression, she declared,
"No, perhaps... we might even wipe out every last one of those incarnations of disaster in this forest and strike back at the grand sorceress."
*
Ilenia's squad parted ways with the core squad, heading in the opposite direction from Hesiliad.
It wasn't clear if all the mana was gone from Lilia's body. But most of it had been extracted, for certain. The Inferences that had doggedly targeted the core squad were now all following only Ilenia and Duncan.
- Kuhoooo – !!
- Kuruk, kurururu – !!
Thud, thud, thud, thud – !
"Eek, h-hee..."
"..."
How long had this unfair chase gone on, the ground shaking from every direction, them advancing dozens of steps only to be closed by one of the giants' strides?
Ilenia gathered holy power from the 'Silver of the Fallen Kingdom' and opened one final warp hole. She shoved Duncan through first, then followed.
Vwoooong – !
The new spot was another nearby forest. With little holy power left and her mind and body strained, she couldn't use divine spells anymore. They had to settle things here.
Ilenia set down her bag and hurriedly prepared. Duncan, panting, asked wearily,
"Huff, huff, m-miss...? S-So how huff, are you gonna take out those monstrous giants? What's huff, in that bag anyway...?"
"A 'gift' from the church, forged by grand divine ritual. Someone dislikes its existence, so I've refrained from using it... but with things like this, no choice."
The merchant's sullen face brightened. Grand divine ritual! He didn't know details, but it sounded reassuring.
"Then couldn't ya huff, have used it right away earlier? No need to huff, sweat like dogs running to some corner...?"
"Well, this... it's tricky to get direct help from the 'existence' right away. Whether explanation or persuasion... it needs a stable environment, ample sincerity, and time to prepare properly..."
"Hoo... W-What does that mean?"
"You mentioned having one son, Duncan? If he had the power to save the world, but it suddenly faced destruction, what would you do?"
"Pardon? You mean Densen?"
After a brief fluster at the sudden question, Duncan said he'd calm his son and earnestly ask him to save the world. A satisfied nod came, as if it were the hoped-for answer.
"Yes. That's roughly the process needed."
"N-No way, is Densen in there?"
"...No, just an example. Anyway."
Ilenia narrowed her eyes. A resolute light gleamed in her pupils.
"While I prepare, Duncan, you must keep anything from approaching this area. Inferences, forest beasts, other reclamation squads – even yourself."
"...Pardon?"
"Guard the perimeter with the resolve that letting anyone through costs lives. Any disruption in preparation might make this 'existence' defy our control."
"Uh... B-But, even if others are one thing, th-those enormous giants, h-how could someone like me...?"
"Don't worry too much. I'm just saying that – the odds of an Inference showing up here are low. Didn't we lure away all the ones in the area earlier?"
"..."
"If you're still anxious... here, take this as a talisman. You like it, Duncan."
Duncan received a heavy coin pouch.
He trudged off reluctantly to secure the perimeter.
And soon spotted an Inference.
- Kurururu, kurururu...
"..."
He felt like an ant facing a wildfire. Staring blankly at the giant wreathed in hellfire, Duncan glanced higher up and thought,
'If I die like this... I'll end up in that horrifying 'hell,' won't I...?'
Ah... I really, really don't want to die.
*
A land stained red with blood and flame.
Fwoooosh, fwoooosh – !!
Duncan's description had been quite vivid. The hellish scene matched what he'd heard before.
Beyond the archway gate amid pits of fire stretched an endless line. The waiters were all impaled on hooks, writhing until their turn dropped them to the ground. Those resisting entry collapsed as black maggots poured from every orifice – noses, ears, eyes, mouths.
'Gweeeek, gweeeek...'
'Grrruk, gruk, gweeeek...'
The entrance was still the better part.
Inside was equal or worse carnage everywhere. Necks snapped, limbs torn off, bodies dunked in fire pits, humans and beasts scrambling to stuff spilled guts back in. Screams never ceased for an instant. Even fatal wounds led not to merciful death, but endless cycles of pain and despair.
'Kya啊啊啊啊啊!!'
'Uwa啊啊啊啊!! Uwa啊啊啊啊!!'
'Kuuoooor...'
Even the air was toxically foul.
Oxygen was scant; only demonic energy and heat filled the lungs. Breathing alone felt like blades shredding throats and searing lungs. A deep-sea fish on land would breathe easier.
Above all, the demons upheld this nightmare.
Primal, spectral, fission, parasitic, mystical, seductive, plague – horned, hornless, and utterly alien kinds... Demons of every shape swarmed like fire ants. They squeezed agony and despair from undying prey in a frenzied festival.
- Save me? Hahaha, save you? You're already dead – how? Hahahahaha...
- Gigigik, fingernail for breakfast, gigik, four limbs for lunch, spine and heart for snack, kkigigigiki...
- Matum, Gehenna, Matum, Gehenna, Matum, Gehenna...
Duncan's seizure and blackout made sense now. A sight to drive any normal person mad on sight alone – inhuman suffering.
But Kadim's impression differed slightly. Despite it being his first time, he felt an uncanny familiarity.
'As expected, no different from the Demon Realm.'
...No, that was inaccurate.
He hastily retracted the thought. Close call on a huge blunder. Good grief – with such vast differences, comparing it to the Demon Realm?
- Ah, meat, fresh meat... succulent meat over there too...
- Kehehehek, kehehehe...
"..."
The repulsive stench was milder fishiness here.
Fresh 'blood' straight from the source, from those damnable demon spawn who deserved slaughter.
Not stale blood from the mortal world rampages – fresh, new blood. Slaughter dozens, hundreds, thousands; pile corpses into mountains – it wouldn't run out. Indulge freely.
His heart pounded fiercely for the first time in ages. Not from fear or tension, but feverish excitement. And wasn't that the whole point of coming here? Later, he'd investigate what broke Melissa... but until he'd gathered enough blood vitality, he could drain demons dry without issue.
Even the acrid air felt refreshing. Trembling with thrill, Kadim raised Judgment of Atala, a mad grin forming.
- Kehek, meat! A chunk of meat charging in...
- Kkigik, w-wait, that guy's weird...
"Haaaargh!!"
Whoosh – vrrrng, crrrunchcrack – !!!
- Keheeeek – !!
- Kkuuugh – !!!
And so he began mercilessly butchering every demon in sight.