Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Land of Despair
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As his eyes met the child's, a voice that felt like the child's desperate cry rang intensely in his mind.
-Please save us, our king!
“……!”
Arthur's eyes snapped wide open.
Barbarians!
Their descendants.
Regardless of his own will, rage surged from his chest.
Then, a sharp *beep* sounded in his head, followed by Tehyran's voice.
-Save them! They are your warriors!
“Damn it!”
Just how far did his machinations extend?
These weren't arrangements one could easily obtain—they involved tangled interests or situations like this where he had to rescue them from danger.
It felt less like an arrangement and more like a reward earned each time he completed a mission.
“I really don't like this.”
Arthur grimaced as he searched for a way to save the children.
“As safely as possible…….”
His gaze deepened, and soon, as if he'd made a decision, he looked at Keda.
“You've pinpointed all their positions, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then while I take down the shaman, you two handle the rest.”
“What about the unaccounted-for one?”
“No idea how strong it is, but Millerph will buy us time.”
Arthur glanced back at Millerph, who was approaching.
Millerph had overheard as he walked up and nodded.
“I'll take that one.”
“If variables pop up, adapt on the fly—but no harm comes to the children. Keep that in mind.”
They bowed their heads silently.
Arthur spotted the end of the line of children entering the tower.
The ritual would begin soon.
“Everyone, get ready.”
Arthur gripped his dagger tightly and drew up his mana.
The moment golden aura enveloped the dagger, he charged forward.
“Start as soon as you're ready……!”
The shaman overseeing the ritual turned her head sharply mid-sentence.
From the darkness, something cloaked in golden light was hurtling toward her like a comet.
'What the hell?'
Sensing danger on instinct, the shaman attacked first.
A black aura shot from the head of her staff like an arrow.
Arthur casually deflected it with his dagger.
Boom!
A heavy shock jolted through his wrist.
It packed more punch than it looked.
'Before any others show up…….'
Arthur poured strength into his legs, accelerating.
“……!”
But his feet stuck to the ground as if glued.
Then, rocks came flying from all directions with ferocious momentum.
Arthur realized Keda had missed the earth spirit.
In this moment of crisis, Defense Armor activated without fail.
Boom!
Rocks surrounded Arthur.
As they closed in to crush him.
“Get lost!”
Arthur unleashed a burst of mana.
The rocks flew off him momentarily, only to rush back in.
Just as they were about to enclose him!
The rocks halted dead in midair.
Then, a powerful surge from behind shot toward 11 o'clock.
The ground erupted like a pillar, blocking the flame spear.
Kwaaang-.
The earth shook with the explosion.
At the same time, his legs were freed.
Arthur seized the moment, kicking off the ground toward the shaman.
“Not a chance!”
The shaman chanted swiftly, swinging her staff.
Over ten needle-like daggers spread out and flew at Arthur like lightning.
Not to be outdone, Arthur swung his dagger with full force.
Golden aura took the shape of a hook and launched.
Boom! Kwa-boom!
Caught in the tidal wave of momentum, the shaman was flung backward.
Arthur landed and lunged at her, but once more, his feet wouldn't lift from the ground.
And in front of the shaman appeared a burly man half her height.
He evoked a dwarf, yet something felt profoundly off.
Beside Arthur, Millerph descended from the air, aiming his staff at the dwarf-like man.
“How can a spirit possess a human?”
The man replied with venomous eyes.
“To protect me.”
“It's a disruption of the natural order.”
“Shut your mouth! How dare a pathetic human question the acts of a noble being!”
Arthur glared at the man and asked Millerph.
“A spirit?”
“A high earth spirit, Nokum.”
“Can you handle it?”
“I can manage a few defenses.”
Nokum, who had been eyeing Millerph intently, perked up upon hearing Arthur's voice, as if realizing something.
“You're the one who inherited the World Tree's essence!”
Millerph bellowed, his face twisted in sorrow and fury.
“How far have you fallen! Lady Cassandra, queen of spirits, would rage if she knew.”
“She perished when the Spirit King's sword was destroyed.”
Nokum sneered.
“Would she now?”
Nokum's face stiffened slightly as he turned to Arthur.
'What is this guy……?'
He wasn't a spirit mage.
Yet spirit energy emanated from him.
That was when it happened.
Wind energy gathered before Arthur, and Parsia appeared.
-Long time no see.
“Parsia? How are you…….”
Nokum's eyes wavered.
-Your foul mouth hasn't changed.
“You took back the traitorous Alpha Family. No pride at all, you wench.”
-That's rich coming from you.
“Shut it. I'm just doing my utmost to save a rotting world. Now get out of my sight.”
-Is that why you joined hands with the Demon King? Looks like your brain's rotted too.
“Keep provoking me, and I might just kill the brat you're protecting.”
-Don't delude yourself. You can't kill him.
“Really now?”
Nokum thrust both arms forward.
Sharp fang-like spikes erupted from the ground, lunging at Arthur.
-Don't do something pointless.
Parsia extended her arm.
A gale collided with the rising spikes.
Boom! Boom!
“You think that puny wind can stop me!”
Nokum thrust his arms again, and the ground undulated like waves crashing forward.
-You bastard!
As Parsia frowned and drew up power.
“Move.”
Parsia blinked and swiftly sidestepped.
Arthur, summoning K1 Rifles in both hands, aimed at Nokum.
“This'll sting.”
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-.
Aura embedded in the wall-height earthen barrier, rendering the shots ineffective.
“What!”
Arthur's face hardened.
As the barrier became a massive tidal wave about to swallow him.
-Stop!
With a deep voice, a swarm of firefly-like pure white lights gathered before Arthur.
It blazed blindingly bright, and Nigras appeared.
The tidal wave of earth poised to engulf Arthur froze as if time had stopped.
Nokum, beyond the wave, spotted Nigras and gaped.
“Y-You, how…….”
-I illuminate darkness with light as my calling, but purging fallen spirits falls to me as well. In Lady Cassandra's stead, queen of spirits, I shall judge you.
Nigras extended an arm toward Nokum.
Pure white light streaked like lightning.
Upon hitting the earthen wave, the barrier that even golden aura couldn't pierce crumbled like a sandcastle.
It then pierced Nokum's heart.
“Gah! I was just…… protecting the earth…….”
Nokum's body blackened and burned, vanishing like smoke.
Parsia, watching the scene, hardened her expression.
A fallen Nokum deserved punishment, but witnessing a natural spirit judge a material one felt deeply unsettling.
To her, another material spirit, his effortless defeat without resistance was humiliating.
But she couldn't challenge the light spirit's authority.
Better to withdraw from the discomfort.
-See you next time.
Parsia bid Arthur farewell and vanished.
Arthur, who had been watching where Nokum stood, shifted his gaze to the shaman.
She had collapsed in a daze, her expression vacant.
“Two of them…… light spirits, no less…….”
Arthur crouched before her head.
He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at the child squatting before the altar and toward the tower.
“What were you planning to do with those kids?”
“……Who are you?”
“Answer the damn question!”
Golden aura rose from Arthur's eyes.
'Golden!'
Instantly, the figure of Arthur Julius from the Oscar Empire's Julius Family came to mind.
Tehyran's true successor had appeared here.
“Why are you…….”
“Last chance. What are those kids?”
Irresistible power flowed from Arthur, crushing her.
If she didn't answer, her body felt like it would burst.
“It's for everyone's sake…….”
“Bullshit.”
Arthur turned her head to meet his eyes.
“Artisan's orders?”
“……A choice for the Empire.”
“Listen up—you're the real demon here.”
“I'm the demon? Heh heh heh.”
Suddenly, the shaman laughed incredulously and continued.
“Then this must be a den of demons.”
“What do you mean?”
“You'll find out soon enough.”
Anticipation and zeal filled the shaman's face.
As Arthur stared piercingly, his eyes deepening.
“Your Majesty!”
Keda rushed over in panic.
An ominous premonition struck Arthur's mind.
Conversely, spotting Keda, the shaman smiled delightedly.
“You're alive. But the grand plan has begun.”
Keda shouted to Arthur.
“The territory is burning!”
“What?”
Arthur leaped onto the altar and up to the tower's peak.
He surveyed the surroundings.
“What the hell is this…….”
Flames blazed everywhere—too many to count.
The Namshar Empire was ablaze.
At the same moment, realization dawned in Arthur's eyes.
“I got it wrong. This is the River of Blood……. So what is this?”
He looked down at the base of the tower he stood upon.
Countless children came into view.
What about that child's cry and Tehyran's voice echoing in his head?
He felt like he was missing something crucial.
“Your Majesty.”
Millerph floated up beside him.
Arthur looked at him with a complex expression.
“Something's wrong with the children.”
“……?”
“Some of their eyes…….”
“They're blood-red?”
“How did you……?”
“Damn it!”
Arthur jumped down swiftly.
Upon landing, he checked the children rescued from the tower.
About a third had eyes turning blood-red. Identical to those of Tagrum and his crew.
Undoubtedly Barbarian descendants.
But why were the children suddenly reacting like this? He couldn't fathom it.
Blizan returned after eliminating the sentries, approaching with a grim look.
“Your Majesty.”
“The sentries?”
“All eliminated. But something's off. Every one of them died shouting, 'For the day of glory.'”
“I see.”
Arthur glanced at the shaman.
Bound, she cackled and muttered.
“The world will change now. The Namshar Empire will dominate it, and all will bow and worship Lord Artisan.”
“Shut up!”
Arthur kicked her stomach mercilessly.
Thud-.
“Urk!”
She curled up like a shrimp, writhing in agony.
Arthur seized her hair tightly and demanded.
“What exactly were you doing?”
“Ugh…… I said it's the grand plan…….”
“What is it!”
Arthur bellowed.
The shaman smiled faintly and replied.
“You called me a demon. But the true demons are those kids. We should have offered the demon spawn to the gods for salvation…….”
She pointed at the children.
The blood-eyed ones showed strange signs.
They growled like beasts, shuddering.
An eerie aura emanated from them.
Colder and more chilling than Tagrum's group.
Their faces twisted with despair, frustration, and rage.
'What?'
Emotions unfit for children of seven or eight.
An unsettling atmosphere built, then they screeched, baring murderous intent.
They broke from the tower and raced madly down the mountain.
Seeing this, the shaman shouted.
“Destroy everything! Kill it all! And start anew!”
In that instant, Arthur and Millerph's eyes flashed.
The Demon King's revival—second gateway.
River of Blood!
He had viewed it only through the lens of war.
But broadening the perspective, it might not be all.
What the Demon King truly sought……!
Arthur and Millerph's eyes flashed simultaneously.
“No.”