March of the Fools
The next day, we headed northeast toward the area where the unidentified monster had appeared, accompanied by the Rendal territory forces under Knight Tys's command. We weren't starting the hunt right away—it was just reconnaissance. We had to confirm first if it really was a Sky Despair.
As I strolled along the rice paddy path, I asked Armida sis in a sly tone.
"By the way, sis. Why aren't those guys over there going? After getting humiliated like that yesterday, they'd normally charge right in. If it were me, I'd go just to save face."
Armida sis lifted one corner of her mouth.
"Simple. They can't go because they got humiliated."
"Huh?"
"If they leave just like that, it'd mean they lost to me. Katrinah's probably boiling inside right now, even if she doesn't show it. Hohoho."
"No way they're planning to hunt the monster first and restore their honor, right?"
"Maybe that's possible. That's why I'm saying—should we just take it out now?"
I waved my hands frantically.
"If it's really a Sky Despair, absolutely not."
"I'll catch it, so don't worry."
"Even you couldn't take it down easily, sis."
"What if Katrinah beats us to it?"
"Then good for her."
Armida sis snapped.
"No way. How could I watch that redhead strut around?"
I eyed Armida sis with narrowed eyes.
"You really hate that redhead that much, sis?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"There are two creation gods, right? Lumenox and Meteria. I follow Lumenox, and she follows Meteria."
With that easy example, I got it right away and chuckled. In the end, it was faction beef. But there was something odd. Sis was close with Euroa, the Water Valkyrie—and Water Valkyries were on Meteria's side.
"But you're buddies with Euroa sis, right?"
"That's why I hate Katrinah even more."
"Why?"
"Just like Water aligns with Darkness, Fire aligns with Light."
In other words, even within the same faction, they split into sub-factions and hated on each other—and Katrinah was at odds with both sides. Darkness opposed Light, and Fire was close to Light.
"Ah, got it. Yeah, you two wouldn't get along."
Sis glanced at me slyly.
"That's fine for me, but why do you always growl whenever you meet those types?"
I answered immediately.
"I don't like goody-two-shoes much."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Especially the ones who do 'good deeds' while screwing over the world. Come on, even good deeds need some thought, right? They mess up the world big time, then act all noble and righteous like they're sacrificing for it. Makes my blood boil."
Armida sis nodded vigorously.
"Exactly. That's how the Light followers are."
"But those guys take it too far. They hurt themselves and others. Every time I see it, I wanna curse them out—but if I do, I end up the bad guy. What can you do?"
"True, Katrinah's got that vibe. Drives me nuts too."
As we chatted away, we reached the area near our destination. A village was visible in the distance, completely deserted. Everyone had evacuated out of fear, it seemed.
I led the group deeper into the monster's territory.
That village got hit.
I halted in front of one village. Corpses littered the entrance and surrounding fields—it looked like they'd been properly wiped out. Checking this place might reveal something.
I hurried over and examined the bodies.
"Left chest completely blown out."
The victim had crawled for a while after, leaving a long trail of blood. I followed the bloodstains on the ground to the initial strike site.
The blood had splattered pretty far. But the spray angle was narrower and straighter than normal—definitely hit by something fast-moving.
Armida sis approached me, seeing my serious expression.
"What do you think? Sky Despair?"
"Need to look more."
I moved to the shredded corpse pieces at the entrance. Looked like slashes from something sharp, but the flesh around the wounds was burned.
"Aura Claw marks."
At my mutter, Armida sis's eyes widened.
Aura Claw was the invisible aura talons used by top-tier monsters. Like an Aura Blade, it could slice through iron in one go—extremely dangerous.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Check it out, sis. Same traces as an Aura Blade."
She nodded calmly after seeing the wound I pointed out.
"Yeah, it is."
I stood and called Knight Tys.
"Tys. Come here."
"Yes, sir."
He rushed over. I pointed at the corpse.
"Look at the wounds."
Tys's eyes bulged, and he shuddered.
"Isn't this an Aura Blade wound? Does that mean the culprit's a Master swordsman?"
"Better if it was a Master. At least they're slow on foot."
"Then? What do we do?"
"We go in like this, we get wrecked. Pull back immediately. Order a full retreat."
"Yes, sir!"
Tys ran to the soldiers and started the withdrawal.
I stood and looked at Armida sis.
"It's that guy. Ninety-nine percent sure. Can't rule it out completely, but the risk's the same. Stay sharp."
"Come on, bro. Don't worry. Who do you think I am?"
"Don't get cocky. This thing's no joke. I barely survived it myself."
Back then, I hadn't outrun the Sky Despair or been a master escapist. Pure luck.
There'd been a river at the base of a cliff nearby, with an air-filled underwater cave below the surface. I'd hidden there for days and barely escaped its pursuit.
"Still, a Sky Sword could take it down..."
Sky Sword was a Mind Master's telekinetic sword throw. I waved it off.
"No good. Way faster than that."
"What about pinning it with telekinesis?"
"Might slow it a tiny bit. Tiny."
"Huh. Then lock-on magic and hit it with lightning?"
"Nope. Magic resistance is cheat-level."
"Then how do you catch it?"
"That's why we're retreating."
"Oh..."
I turned immediately.
"Let's go. We've confirmed—better head back before it shows."
"Right."
Armida sis followed without argument. Even as a Valkyrie, she had no surefire way to take it if I was right.
Still, history feels... twisted somehow.
I gazed at the distant sky with a complicated look.
Truth was, Sky Despair shouldn't appear yet. It first showed up in the era of ruin.
Valkyries might've hunted it secretly, but unlikely. In my past life, Katrinah shared all Chronos monster intel with humanity—no Sky Despair. Meaning even Valkyries hadn't faced it.
Yet here it was.
Human actions changing? Could be my influence—no big deal. But monster spawns came from rifts between Chaos/Void and our world. Hard for me to affect.
Still connected to me somehow, but I couldn't figure how yet.
Back at Rendal Castle, we saw a group rushing to prepare for departure: Katrinah, Sierra Princess, Ignes Princess, and the fresh noble youths on their pilgrimage.
I tossed a line at Sierra Princess as I passed.
"Heh. Gonna go catch it after all? What to do with these blockheads."
She reacted to my jab.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't stir up trouble. You can't take that thing."
"Worried we'll snag it first and cut into your profits?"
"Heh. What's wrong with earning what you work for?"
"The problem's the ten thousand riff price tag. Think this backwater territory can pay that?"
"Yeah. I'll make sure they do."
Sierra Princess trembled. She saw me as some extortionist.
"Baekmyeon. We're chosen by the gods. Our good deeds bring blessings; our sins, curses. Choose your actions wisely."
"Sorry, never been chosen. Not a cleric or Guardian. Don't lump me in with your weird crowd. And from what I see, you're the sinners. Claiming to save the world while blocking my business. Huh?"
"Exploiting this poor territory saves the world?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. In the end, it does."
"What? God doesn't exploit the weak for the world. He loves all humanity equally and justly."
I sighed deeply. No clue what god she meant. I knew tons of gods, but hers didn't ring any bells.
She was clueless, so I held back—but in seven years, if she spouted this crap again, I'd spank her publicly to shut her up.
"Guess the World-End Prophecy's all lies then. Sorry—never imagined the Codex of Creation had BS in it."
"......"
Sierra Princess was speechless. The prophecy clearly said sacrificing some via rifts was needed to stop the great universe's collapse.
"So quit yapping. Stay home and sleep it off. That's the only 'help' you can give humanity. Why volunteer for a massacre? You'll all die there. Wait—no, maybe one survives."
I glanced over; Katrinah glared back. She knew who I meant.
"Hey, kid."
"What?"
"You know who I am, right?"
"Yeah. But I know who Armida sis is too. And she's just scouting and bailing. Why? 'Cause you'll all die. Won't stop you, but remember: if they all die, it's on you."
"What?"
Katrinah glared murderously; I shrugged.
"That's your problem since forever. Charging around all 'righteous,' ruining yourself and everyone around."
Her eyes twitched.
"You—you?"
Ignes Princess jumped in, blocking us.
"Baekmyeon. Enough."
"Didn't wanna, but Sierra Princess said 'help the world.' Felt nostalgic, so I tried."
Ignes narrowed her eyes.
"You know what's coming?"
"Yep. You all die. Probably... her first?"
I pointed at a young female Guardian with a staff relic—weakest mana aura.
Sky Despair always picked off the weakest first. That's partly how I'd survived: fresh Master, stronger than the rest.
"How do you know?"
"Fought it. Well, escaped its one-sided slaughter. Know how it kills. Strong and sly."
"That strong?"
"Yeah. Go find out. See you next life if you survive. Bye. Oh, we'll recover your bodies properly—rest easy. And no vengeful ghosts; it's your choice."
Chuckling, I passed Ignes and stopped at Milton. He bowed respectfully on eye contact.
"Baekmyeon. Well?"
"Yeah. You going too?"
"Yes."
"Get out."
"Pardon?"
"Went through trouble making you a Guardian—just to die like a dog? Pisses me off. Bail now."
Milton's eyes shook. When he'd despaired at the Holy Hall and left Silver Hall, I gave him 'Aida, the Ice God's Coldblood Sword.'
Plus, his Friedman family was hardcore conservatives. Hard to defy Shura's lover.
"Understood."
Milton immediately dropped out.
As a male Guardian rep, it shook the group. A few close to him followed.
Ignes approached Katrinah with advice.
"Katrinah. Better sit this out."
"Listen to that kid? Obvious lies."
"You know it's not."
Katrinah eyed Ignes.
"What're you saying?"
"Armida just scouted and left. Would she act that chill if it didn't concern you?"
Katrinah sighed reluctantly.
"No."
"Then Baekmyeon might be right."
"Maybe..."
"Stop here. These kids are fresh out—lambs to slaughter, per him. Responsibility's ours."
Katrinah closed her eyes tight.
Ignes was right. These were clueless lambs. If the monster needed Valkyrie caution, halt now.
"Whew~ Fine. Disband 'em, watch the situation."
"Yes."
Ignes dismissed them all. I eyed her steadily. Good to have one rational head.
March of the Fools. End