We Are the Descendants of the Ancients
"We are the descendants of the ancients."
The first words out of Belkan's mouth were unexpected.
It was hard to wrap one's head around the idea that these savages among savages, living the wildest of lives, were heirs to the Arun Asar, who had boasted the most brilliant civilization.
"Well, fine, let's say that's true. Every soul on the continent traces back to the ancients anyway. You lot could be too."
"That's not what I mean."
Belkan shook his head.
"The descendants I speak of are those who lived in the era when the ancients walked the earth."
"What? You saying you've been alive for hundreds of years?"
"Exactly."
"……."
Adel stared at him, incredulous.
"Hard to believe, right? But you know I'm not joking."
Clang—
He tossed Adel a weathered old gauntlet. It had come from a box in the tent, and Adel recalled that all the Forbidden Zone savages used similar ancient gear.
"This is what we used before coming to the Forbidden Zone. The Mist Wall stopped time for us, but not for our gear. Look closely."
Adel picked up the gauntlet.
It's definitely an artifact from the ancient era.
Kalderet examined it and spoke.
That insignia... I remember it too. You were their slave soldiers.
"As expected of an ancient god. Correct. We were the slaves raised by the Arun Asar."
"Even their slaves were on this level back in the ancient era? Can't even imagine how strong the ancients themselves must've been."
Belkan shook his head at Adel's words.
"The ancients were nothing special. Their bodies were weaker than you humans today. That's why they needed soldiers like us."
He lifted his tunic. Rock-hard muscles gleamed like stone, but what caught Adel's eye was something else.
"No way... a demon spirit stone?"
Embedded in Belkan's chest was a small fragment. Blue veins bulged around it, as if forcibly implanted.
"Unbelievable. So that's the source of that monstrous power. Were the ancients insane? Implanting a demon spirit stone into a human body?"
"A whole stone would be dangerous, but this is just a fragment. It temporarily boosts physical abilities when drawing on its power, and depending on the demon within, grants special abilities too."
Crackle...
As he flexed, his arm wrapped in stone like a golem once more.
Now I see—it's a spirit stone from the demon rock clan of the 2nd hierarchy. One of the top-tier demons.
"Right."
And that's all the power you get from a demon? I thought you'd eaten a rock golem's heart or something, it was so pathetic.
Belkan gave a wry smile at Kalderet's words. Despite the jab, he seemed stung that his contractor—an ancient god—hadn't crushed him.
"No need for anger, ancient god. You know it too. The rift amplifies demon power. Here, we're stronger than you imagine."
He turned to Adel.
"For him to fight me on even terms here means he's one of the few humans who could."
Honestly, Belkan was the surprised one. A boy who looked barely into his teens, not only contracted to an ancient god but bold enough to battle in the Forbidden Zone.
"So what's the way to get stronger? If you're about to spout nonsense like implanting a demon spirit stone in me too, I'll answer by severing your head."
"Lucky for me, my head stays attached. The spirit stones were a means to survive inside the rift. The ancients implanted them before sending us here."
"Hmm... so rifts existed even in the ancient era?"
Of course. Rifts are byproducts of this world's creation. They've existed since before the ancient era.
Adel nodded at Kalderet's response.
The demon realm is still inside the rifts now. Demons are the strongest beings there... so their methods aren't entirely wrong.
"In short, you're like an advance guard. Soldiers sent to scout the rifts."
"Right. Whether by choice or force... we were dispatched here, initially to investigate the rift. But after losing half our forces, we gave up. And the Mist Wall blocked any return."
"So you settled here for good."
Adel could guess where this was going.
"I get the gist. Your 'holy site' is the rift itself, right? Something lives there... a monster even you with your implanted spirit stones couldn't catch."
"……."
"The path to strength is hunting it. And that breaks the chains holding you here."
"Sharp. No point lying to you. You're right. We must hunt demons."
"But isn't it ridiculous? You couldn't do it for centuries, now you want my help..."
Adel waved him off.
"If you think you can use me, forget it. Who do you take me for, a sucker...? That reward only comes after slaying the beast anyway."
He sneered.
"Meanwhile, you sit back and pick your nose. Just hand over Piz Gwahl. I'll grow stronger on my own. I don't want false power from some spirit stone like you."
"Using you? True. But I'm not proposing without basis."
"What do you mean?"
"The fragments let us survive the rift, but they prevent us from killing demons. The stones in our bodies reject it."
Belkan explained.
"Why?"
"The demon there outranks us."
A demon higher than 2nd hierarchy... Adel, no need to hear more. Spirit stones from higher demons carry potent poison. Swallowing one could wreck your body.
"The poison can be neutralized. And unlike implanting it, we extract and absorb only the energy—safer and more complete."
Hmph, how can you be sure?
"I'll handle the poison neutralization."
[...]
Kalderet hesitated at Belkan's claim.
You know what that implies.
"Asking someone to risk their life while fretting over my own would be absurd."
"How do I know you won't renege after we kill the demon?"
"Ragol's demon stone."
At that, Belkan drew a small black stone from his bosom. Its shape was grotesquely irregular.
Kek...! Kek...!!
A leaking wind-like whisper emanated from the black stone, as if lined with multiple lips.
"What is this?"
"Our slave soldiers' lifeline. It can destroy all the demon spirit stones in our bodies at once."
You still have one of these?
"You know it?"
Of course. I may not know everything, but this checks out. It's from the ancient era.
As Kalderet approached, Ragol's Demon Stone emitted another eerie sound, as if wary of him.
And I definitely sense the power of Ragol, 1st hierarchy demon. Wondering who came up with implanting spirit stone fragments in humans... it was Ragol, that bastard.
"Who's Ragol?"
There are three called top-tier demons in the 1st hierarchy. Each with exceptional abilities. Ragol's a madman even among demons.
Kalderet shook his head, teeth seemingly grinding at the mention of Ragol.
Loved human experimentation. Looks like this demon stone fragment is his handiwork too.
"How would a demon implant spirit stones into humans?"
In the ancient era, countless races lived together, unlike now. Demons among them.
"...Demons lived alongside humans?"
The idea didn't sit right with Adel. Every demon he'd encountered hungered to invade the human realm from the demon world.
Ragol's an oddball even among power-obsessed demons. Humans achieved much through his wisdom. Alchemy, for instance.
"Your magic systems, swordsmanship, medicine... like it or not, few fields untouched by demons."
"Really?"
Belkan revealed the hidden underbelly of history.
"But we can't say human progress came from demon aid."
"Why not?"
"It led to the ancients' downfall. You said it yourself, Kalderet. They fell challenging creation through alchemy."
Correct.
"One question. Demons now live in the Forbidden Zone, at the Forgotten Ones' Temple."
And?
"Did they live in the Forbidden Zone back in the ancient era too?"
Kalderet shook his head at Adel's question.
No. During Arun Asar's time, no one lived in the Forbidden Zone.
"As I thought."
Adel sneered the moment he heard it.
"There's your answer. Demons just used the ancients."
Belkan eyed Adel.
"The demon realm's in the Forbidden Zone now. But if they didn't originally live here, they found a way to survive inside."
Adel pointed at him—or rather, precisely at the spirit stone fragment in his chest.
"Maybe they didn't implant those for your sake. Could be they used you for their experiments."
"...Perhaps."
Surprisingly, Belkan accepted Adel's words without argument.
"You suspected as much. Makes sense why you're now trying to kill the demon here."
Belkan nodded. He'd harbored those thoughts for ages—centuries, even. Faith cracked over time, doubt seeping through the fissures.
"The spirit stone bestowed by Arun Asar's leader for our sake. As slave soldiers, investigating the Forbidden Zone felt like the greatest honor."
"But nope. Just tools. Lab rats they needed alive longer."
"Sadly, by the time we realized, the rats had no teeth left to bite the master."
"……."
Adel regarded Belkan.
That was when it happened.
"Khan! Kacha!!! Karta!!"
Commotion erupted outside the tent. Belkan looked up as the flap parted and Binraka rushed in.
"Big trouble! Jin's minion has come."
"...What? The tribute day is still far off. Why...?"
Adel didn't know what "tribute day" meant, but he caught that the demon he needed to kill was named Jin.
"Well... Jin thinks we ate the gnomes."
"And?"
"He senses everything in the Mist Wall, so he noticed new gnomes on a ship this time. Wants to taste gnome meat himself..."
"Damn it..."
"And one more thing—he demands the boy who killed Hatuk too. Wants to sample his flesh alongside the gnomes..."
Adel realized the "boy" was him and let out an incredulous chuckle.
"He wants me brought to him? That demon bastard's begging to die."
He approached Binraka.
"Binraka, take me to this minion of Jin's."
"Y-you sure?"
"Of course. Why not?"
With that, Adel tossed the demon stone back to Belkan.
"...?!"
"Keep it."
Belkan stared at Adel, baffled.
"What Binraka just said. Falsely reporting to this Jin that we ate the gnomes means Piz Gwahl's alive, right?"
"……."
"Good enough. That assurance beats some stone claiming to hold your lives."
Belkan watched Adel's retreating back with a complex expression as he pushed aside the tent flap and stepped out.