Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Shangrni Territory Visit
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A short while later.
The Tomoya Kingdom expeditionary force slipped quietly out of Grada Castle, avoiding people's eyes.
Arthur chose the route through the western mountains.
It was to avoid drawing attention as much as possible.
He knew the difference between his presence and absence in Grada Castle was stark.
That was why he didn't want to sow unease among the people if he could help it.
The Britannicker they rode swiftly left Grada Territory behind.
On the way to Tomoya Kingdom, Arthur decided to make a quick stop at Shangrni Territory.
Rasety's Ventarr Merchant Group had been diligently transporting Vulcan Territory's residents by ship, while Ban worked with Vulcan Territory's engineers to build the walls.
Nearly a month had passed, so he was curious about their progress.
Around sunset, they entered Shangrni Territory.
Each village was handling tasks for the wall construction, and everyone—from men to women—moved with the poise of experts.
"Those are people from Vulcan Territory."
"Looks like it."
Arthur watched them silently, and the workers, focused on their tasks, startled whenever they spotted the Britannicker.
Drawing everyone's focused attention like that, they arrived at the construction site.
A wall about two stories high stretched endlessly.
The progress was incredibly fast.
"Your Majesty!"
Ban spotted him and came rushing over.
Arthur and his group dismounted the Britannicker to greet him.
"Long time no see."
"Your Majesty, what brings you here? And everyone else, even Sir Skevin..."
Ban felt an ominous premonition at Arthur's sudden arrival with his commanders.
The defenses were still too weak against enemy attacks—what if someone came raiding?
He swallowed dryly and asked cautiously.
"Who's attacking...?"
"You're getting worried just because we dropped by."
Arthur grinned and playfully smacked Ban's arm. Then he surveyed the wall and continued.
"I was passing through and stopped to check on progress and the status of the Vulcan Territory migration."
"Oh, is that right? I had no idea and got really scared, haha!"
Ban scratched the back of his head sheepishly and laughed.
After exchanging warm greetings with the site workers, Arthur and his group headed to Ban's tent.
A large table held an even larger sheet of paper spread out.
It was the wall blueprint.
Ban explained his wall design, height, and defensive setup to Arthur.
"It'll be superior to Grada Territory's walls."
"Thanks to Vulcan Territory's engineers. Combining our techniques with theirs creates an amazing synergy."
Ban continued excitedly.
"New construction methods pop up almost every day."
"You seem thrilled."
"Meeting them has filled my life with energy."
"I'm glad to hear that. I've always felt bad for asking so much of you."
As a smile spread across Arthur's face, Rasety entered the tent.
"Your Majesty!"
She hurried over and bowed politely.
"How have you been?"
When Arthur greeted her with smiling eyes, Rasety beamed back.
"Yes, I've been busy traveling between Vulcan Territory and here. What brings Your Majesty all this way?"
"Came to see you all."
"You traveled this far to see an old timer like me? My heart's fluttering for once."
"What're you saying? Didn't you always claim your heart raced whenever you saw me?"
"You rascal!"
Rasety's face flushed beet red as she smacked Ban's back hard.
Everyone's eyes widened.
"That's not... You bring up that drunken nonsense and won't let it go..."
Rasety poked Ban's side repeatedly, urging him to say something, but he stood rigidly, pretending not to notice.
She stomped on his foot in anger.
"Aaaagh!"
With Ban's scream, Rasety grabbed his ear and dragged him outside, berating him nonstop.
The people in the tent stared at each other in stunned silence.
"Kahahaha!"
Skevin burst out laughing unwittingly, and everyone else's pent-up laughter followed.
Arthur laughed along with them.
After enjoying the pleasant time, they retired early to their lodgings for tomorrow.
Arthur, however, stayed behind.
"Come out, all of you."
At his call, Pharsia, Earth, and Salamander appeared.
-You seem in high spirits today.
-We felt good hearing human laughter too.
-Do you have something to say?
At Salamander's question, Arthur spoke gravely.
"You'll need to scout Tomoya Kingdom, just like you did for Grada Castle."
-Understood.
As Pharsia replied, Earth asked.
-We overheard the people. Are you really planning to win over Grand Duke Nartrasian?
"If possible. His forces aren't something we can brush off easily."
-Then we'll investigate him. That way, we can learn why he betrayed Emperor Ruan and sided with Marquis Valtre.
"You can do that?"
-Working together, gathering intel is easy. Unless something extraordinary blocks us.
"That would help immensely."
A smile tugged at Arthur's lips.
Earth finished talking to Arthur and glanced at Salamander.
Salamander then spoke.
-There's a problem.
"Related to the Demon King, I assume?"
-One of the Demon King's Familiars has awakened. One fully, revealing its presence.
"Which one?"
-Not human.
"A monster, then."
Arthur grimaced, imagining it leading a monster horde.
But Salamander showed no reaction.
"What's wrong?"
-Rocaus has revived.
"Rocaus...?"
Salamander replied with a serious expression.
-The most troublesome one...
Arthur's face twisted after hearing him out.
"Impossible things keep happening."
***
"It's been a while since I climbed here."
At the summit of Turest Mountain, Ruan recalled old memories.
Long ago, as a child, he'd come here with his father and heard tales of Emperor Golden Barotas's heroism.
The emperor had single-handedly subdued a Black Dragon—one of the Demon King's Familiars—right here.
His father had swung his sword as if he were Emperor Golden Barotas battling the Black Dragon.
Ruan still vividly remembered clapping and feeling pure joy.
Shaking off the nostalgia, Ruan looked ahead.
"Show yourself."
But nothing appeared.
"Doing pointless tricks again."
Thinking it was testing him like Mangblo, Ruan drew on his power.
Nightmare emerged, plunging the area into darkness.
Still, it didn't appear.
"Starting to get annoyed."
Ruan smirked faintly and glanced at Mangblo and Hera.
Mangblo spoke.
-He was here before you arrived, Lord Ruan.
"...?"
As Ruan tilted his head, a intense dark power stabbed into his crown like a spike.
He jerked his head back to look.
Something massive floated in the pitch-black sky.
He first thought it was a thundercloud, but clouds didn't exude dark power.
Long, enormous shapes extended from both sides.
"Th-this is..."
A Black Dragon.
The one called the guardian deity of the mortal realm...
Even Nightmare's appearance hadn't shocked Ruan this much.
He knew a dark spirit was sealed in the crystal orb.
But dragons had nearly vanished before the war with the Demon King.
The last ones were Gold Dragon Rumakas, the Julius Family's guardian deity, and the Black Dragon allied with the Demon King.
One of them had revived.
"Impossible."
It was too shocking and bewildering.
The Black Dragon floating in the sky descended, shrinking in size.
The moon hidden behind it gradually emerged, illuminating the area.
The colossal Black Dragon, large enough to blot out the sky, stopped at about three times a horse's size. Its muscular body withered to bare bones.
"What?"
Ruan was shocked again.
He'd thought it was a revived Black Dragon, but it was undead.
The dragon landed on all fours before Ruan and bowed its head.
-Rocaus greets his new master.
"Explain what happened."
Ruan's face filled with questions.
-I am a necromancer.
"A necromancer among the Demon King's subordinates?"
It was truly shocking.
Necromancers were considered equal to elite mage corps in strength.
But their soul-summoning magic was seen as black magic, punishable by death if discovered.
"So you awakened in a Black Dragon corpse?"
-In the battle with Teheran, I realized something painful. No matter how many weak monsters I revived, they couldn't handle them, and if I became their target, it was over. So this time, I chose to become a powerful undead myself.
"Hmm."
Ruan nodded at the brilliant idea.
"How powerful is the Black Dragon now?"
-Only a tenth now, but accumulating dark power should restore my original strength.
"Impressive."
A smile formed on Ruan's lips.
-I poured everything into awakening this body, so I can't move for a while.
"Fine. You'll be my final bastion, so stockpile power."
-Thank you.
"You can stay here. But can't you revert to that initial form?"
-If I regain my power, I can return to how the Black Dragon was when alive.
"I'll be the first emperor to tour the five continents on dragonback."
As Ruan beamed in satisfaction,
Mangblo, Hera, and Rocaus whipped their heads around, eyes flashing.
Ruan followed their gazes.
An intense aura approached.
Dark energy, but different from theirs.
It was wrapped in killing intent and rage.
"What is that?"
-I'll check.
Rocaus spread its wings and flew swiftly toward the source.
Shortly after descending toward the base of the mountain.
Boom!
With a roar, Rocaus tumbled head over heels into the sky and crashed before Mangblo and Hera.
"...!"
Mangblo and Hera spread their wings, hovering to shield Ruan like a barrier.
They glared ahead with chilling eyes.
"Grrooo..."
Something massive emerged.
A giant evoking a monster, cloaked in killing intent and rage, approached.
Fierce light gleamed in its eyes, black aura pouring from its nose and mouth with every breath.
It emanated a suffocatingly intense presence.
"No way...?"
Mangblo reeled at the appearance of something stronger than Jangjarban.
Hera felt the same.
No matter how weak Rocaus was, he was a Demon King's Guardian.
Not someone to fall easily.
Yet it had crushed him effortlessly.
Hera shrieked sharply.
"Kyaaaaah-!"
One of her main attacks.
The intense sonic wave not only ruptured eardrums but scrambled brains, rendering foes combat-ineffective.
But it had no effect.
Instead, it seemed to boil its rage, killing intent manifesting like an aura.
"Roooaaar!"
It bellowed.
Amid the roar, another cry echoed.
-Me! Collepton!
"...!"
Mangblo and Hera's eyes widened as they looked at Ruan.
"It's a Demon King's Guardian! Seems its mind isn't fully subjugated."
Ruan stared at the giant in disbelief.
"You brought quite the monster."
The giant roared again, as if understanding.
Ruan extended his hand toward it and continued.
"Even the gods wouldn't have imagined reuniting like this. Right, Artisan Sharmen?"
Dark energy swirled from his palm like a vortex, shooting forth.
Boom!
It slammed into the giant's chest center, sending it flying back.
Blood erupted like a fountain from its mouth, dark energy deeply embedded, crushing Artisan.
Ruan approached its head and gazed down at its wildly shaking eyes with icy coldness.
"Don't forget our level difference."
In that instant, Artisan's eyes flashed, then its head lolled limply to the side.