Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Leviathan (1)
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“What a damn long way it is.”
The man with the distinctive five-to-five scar muttered in an annoyed tone. His droopy eyes suited his current demeanor perfectly.
“Just bear with it a little longer. It’s all for our goddess, isn’t it?”
In contrast, a middle-aged man with his hair neatly slicked back patted him on the back.
They were Airak and Filos, Holy Enforcers from the Pyro Church dispatched at the request of the Upton branch.
The scarred man, Airak, sprawled out on his horse.
“How much farther is it?”
“Let’s see.”
Filos personally unfolded the map.
They should have had attendants, but this mission was covert, so the two were traveling alone.
Filos squinted and held the map as far away as possible to read it.
Airak asked in an incredulous voice at the sight.
“Getting presbyopic already?”
“I’m not that old.”
“A Holy Enforcer of all people...”
Airak shook his head and looked up at the sky.
At that moment, Filos, who had roughly pinpointed their location, said excitedly.
“Oh! We should arrive in about two days.”
“Damn it. Two more days?”
“More importantly, get your proof of identity ready. The border’s coming up soon.”
The Pyro Church’s grand cathedral was based in the Shinsiri Kingdom, so heading to Upton meant crossing the border.
“That punk Ras. He screwed up, so why am I the one suffering like this?”
“Why bring up Ras again?”
“If that guy had handled it properly, would we be out here like this?”
“We’re not on the roadside—we’re on horseback.”
“Don’t play word games! It’s not even funny.”
“Anyway, that kid Ras did manage one success.”
They had already received the report on the events in Hayes.
There, Ras had rescued the ‘Apostle of the Goddess’ who had been kidnapped by the chimera creator and completely eradicated the remnants.
“Hmph. Any one of us could’ve done that.”
“You’re too hard on Ras.”
“It’s fine to be strict. That rookie still has a lot to learn. Look at this mess—he couldn’t handle it alone.”
“Reminds me of when you were the newbie.”
At Filos’s smiling remark, Airak cleared his throat awkwardly.
“When was that supposed to be?”
“Feels like just yesterday to me.”
“Enough!”
Airak shouted that and turned his back to Filos, lying down again.
Filos thought he sure knew how to lounge on that hard, curved saddle.
That was when it happened.
“Who goes there.”
Filos’s mild expression sharpened instantly.
Airak was already upright, hand on his sword hilt.
The presence emanating from the two blocking their path was anything but ordinary.
Filos asked again, addressing the pair in deep hoods.
“I asked who you are.”
“Unfortunately, we have no identity to share.”
It was a smooth, high-toned tenor.
Not a woman’s voice, but a man’s.
Then, the other one grumbled irritably.
“The boss is such a pain... Sending us just to buy time? Ridiculous.”
“What was that?”
“Wasn’t talking to you, so mind your own business.”
“Are you insane?”
Airak scowled and dismounted.
Filos sighed and followed suit.
They drew their swords, aiming at the unknown foes.
“I don’t know who you are, but it seems we’re the targets.”
“Do you know who we are and still dare block our path?”
A powerful divine aura began to emanate from Airak’s body.
The tenor-voiced man smiled under his hood.
“Holy Enforcers of the Pyro Goddess, aren’t you?”
“...What are you?”
“Shall we say people sent to hold you up for a bit?”
“This is such a hassle. All because of the boss!”
“Think you could say that to the boss’s face?”
“Would I?”
The tenor man chuckled at the other’s grumbling and turned back to the two Holy Enforcers.
He drew a slender rapier from within his robes.
The other had a plain sword.
“Airak. These guys are the real deal.”
“I can see that.”
“Go all out from the start. We don’t have much time.”
Two beams of holy light erupted.
The two paladins, now in ‘Sword of Judgment’ state, launched themselves at the robed figures.
Divine power began to flow from the robed men as well.
“I’ve wanted to cross blades with you someday.”
The moment Airak and Filos widened their eyes, four swords clashed, unleashing a fierce storm of light.
At that same time, a man stood atop a tall building, gazing at the quiet city.
“They should be clashing by now.”
It was Sable.
He thought of his subordinates blocking the Holy Enforcers’ path.
They were members of the Zenith Church’s elite Seven Knights—experts on par with Holy Enforcers.
‘If they can stall for just a day, that’ll be enough.’
He recalled the Bell Marquis, who wouldn’t be sleeping tonight.
He remembered their first meeting.
“It was enjoyable in its own way, Marquis.”
But now it was over.
The marquis was starting to suspect him.
From years of observation, once suspicion took root, the marquis would quietly and relentlessly uncover the truth.
He was one of the few Sable respected.
If the marquis set his mind to it, even Sable would be exposed in an instant.
So, it had to end while some trust remained.
“You won’t be able to stop the demon race’s revival.”
Beryl was worried, but he had left Upton.
He had also tied up the two incoming Holy Enforcers.
The other Holy Enforcer in Upton had skill, but not enough to face a demon alone.
The archbishop was too old.
And then there was the newly appeared Apostle of the Goddess and the Saintess.
‘The currents are flowing in our favor.’
He hadn’t expected the Pyro Goddess’s apostle to appear.
It was proof she was cornered, but bad news for the Zenith Church.
Yet she had come here of her own accord.
Sable half-drew his sword.
When the demon awakened, Upton would erupt in chaos. In that moment, assassinating the Apostle of the Goddess would be easy.
Sable gazed at his reflection in the blade.
A familiar boy’s face flickered over it.
‘Jamie Welton.’
A seven-year-old who didn’t act or wield magic like one.
He knew the boy’s talent was terrifying, but at his current level, blocking a demon was impossible.
So why was that kid on his mind?
‘Ridiculous thought. Unless the Welton Count shows up, no variables will arise.’
Unusual, sure, but still just a child.
At his current power, he wouldn’t even be an obstacle if the demon revived.
The heart was prepared. The moment the freak returned to the forest, the hatching would be ready.
Sable brushed aside the faint unease and leaped from the building.
However, Sable shouldn’t have ignored that unease.
Before heading toward where he sensed his power, Jamie stopped Bena.
“Why?”
“Take this.”
Jamie tossed her a ring.
Bena blinked at it, staring at Jamie.
Then her cheeks flushed, and she stammered in panic.
“W-w-w-w-what is th-this?!”
“Why are you freaking out?”
“N-n-no, we’re too young. Especially you, Master—you’re so... young...”
“What the hell misunderstanding is this?”
Jamie frowned and explained how he got the ring.
“I picked it up in the ruins. Seemed like a good weapon for you.”
“A weapon?”
Bena tilted her head, examining the ring.
It was a plain gold band.
To check if it was real gold, she lightly bit it.
“Ow! It’s fake!”
“...Shut up and put it on.”
Bena slipped the ring onto her middle finger.
It was a bit loose on her slender finger, but the ring shrank to fit perfectly, like magic.
“An artifact?”
“Infuse it with mana.”
“Got it.”
As Bena poured mana into the ring, it elongated into a slender rod.
Her eyes widened as she gripped the rod tightly with both hands. The tip blunted, forming a cylinder.
Paht-!
Mana particles dissipated, revealing its sleek form.
“...A hammer?”
Tinted pink overall, it was a cute hammer. Similar in length to a brutish construction mallet, but much more compact.
“It’s super light.”
Bena swung it around.
For a solid metal lump, it should’ve been heavy, but lightweight magic made it easy to wield.
“I love it!”
Pleased, Bena grinned happily.
The hammer artifact had been stored in a warehouse deep in the ruins.
He didn’t know why it was the only one there, but it seemed perfect for Bena, so he took it.
‘No ordinary hammer.’
It surely hid some secret.
Uncovering it was Bena’s job.
“Thanks, Master!”
As Bena tried to hug him, Jamie extended his hand, shoving her face back.
“Let’s go.”
Preparations to head there were complete.
The wounds from Teberon had fully healed.
But from now on, he couldn’t rely on the Orb of Life. He’d used too much life force today; even minor wounds wouldn’t heal properly.
The Orb of Recovery would recharge in time, but not today.
‘Good thing I can use the ruins’ power.’
It was a shame he couldn’t use the most useful ‘sealing ability’ on the surface, but the other functions had plenty of value.
“Let’s move.”
“Yes.”
Jamie headed toward where he and Bena’s energies pulsed, with her in tow.
The closer he got, the darker Jamie’s expression grew.
Bena swallowed dryly, sticking close behind him.
How long had they walked?
Jamie halted.
“Wh-why?”
“It’s just ahead.”
Hidden by foliage, the demon egg lay right before them.
Jamie pushed through the thick bushes, face tense.
And there it was.
A massive, grotesque apricot-colored egg with writhing veins.
The horrific, repulsive aura emanating from within.
“Urk!”
Bena couldn’t hold back a retch.
Even as a forest kin and black sorceress, she couldn’t withstand the demonic miasma.
But Jamie wasn’t looking at the demon egg.
“...Unbelievable.”
A translucent purple veil enveloped the egg.
Ancient runes floated above it in the air.
He’d sensed it from afar, but up close, it was undeniable.
Just as Teberon said—truly his power.
“Why is my black mana...?”
He approached the veil.
Ancient runes flowed across it like waves, disorganized and drifting aimlessly.
He read them one by one.
“The dead reaches out over the seawater. One moonlight in the dark sky. The surging black sea, falling starlight.”
Other letters drifted by, but these stood out to Jamie.
Clearly the key phrases among the runes.
Jamie slowly raised his hand toward the veil.
Black mana rippled over his trembling fingertips. The moment he cautiously touched it.
"The surging black sea. Falling starlight. The dead reaches out over the seawater. One moonlight in the dark sky." "The old man raises his arm and sinks into darkness. It becomes a monster and eventually devours even the darkness. A monster that covets everything."
⟨ Leviathan ⟩
The two black manas resonated.
And a memory surfaced.
What he saw was a single book. Its first page bore the phrase he had just recited.
“Hngh!”
His head throbbed as if splitting open.
Jamie clutched his head, staggering.
“Master?!”
Bena, eyes bloodshot from retching, reached out to him.
But her voice didn’t reach him.
Countless scenes flashed by like a panorama.
Turning pages, ripping them out himself.
His fist crumpling the torn paper trembled.
He was shouting something, but no sound came. Yet somehow, he knew.
‘I vow for a distant future. A very distant future.’
He tore the entire book and cast it into the night sea.
The memory cut off there, and Jamie recalled what he had forgotten.
It was a powerful ‘grimoire’ created long ago by Diablo Volpir.