Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Eagle Spirit
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"Why the long face? Something wrong?"
"No? Nothing. Go on."
"In the end, we concluded we can't just back out of a matter tied to the fate of the world. So, the Ancient Eagles will join the Dimensional War—conditionally."
"Conditionally? What conditions?"
"We need your help, Claude."
Letep let out a sigh unbefitting an eagle. Then he began to reveal the hidden secret of the Ancient Eagles.
* * *
"We must reclaim our treasure."
"Treasure?"
"It's called the Eagle Spirit. You could say it's the very essence of the Ancient Eagles."
"Sounds incredibly valuable."
"Valuable doesn't even begin to cover it. And it's not really an object."
You just called it a treasure? How can a treasure not be an object?
"Ancient Eagles who survive past 300 years can generate a powerful crystal within their bodies every ten years."
Right. I know that. That's why I came here in the first place.
"We call it a core. Normally, we use them in rare exchanges with other ancient species, but at some point, Ancient Eagles began combining their cores in a different way."
"Combining?"
"They gather the cores they've regurgitated and fuse them together. Up to three or four, nothing happens. But starting with five, they react to each other's power and merge into a massive core."
Massive core.
Just saying the words makes my chest swell with grandeur. Who knew the cores I've eaten so far held such a secret?
"At first, we kept fusing cores for no particular reason. It started with my great-great-grandfather, the chieftain of his time, and continued through my great-grandfather, grandfather, and father—every chieftain in succession."
"...How many is that in total?"
"I don't know the exact number. But when the fused core surpassed 100, something extraordinary happened."
Letep gazed at the distant sky with a wistful expression.
"The core transformed into the form of an Ancient Eagle and began to move on its own."
"...What?"
"Exactly as I said—a new life was created. The essence of our species, born from our own hands. The great and noble Eagle Spirit."
In that instant, a bolt of lightning flashed through my mind.
—P-Please spare me! Your Highness! The rumors about the golden eagle are all lies! They're just bait to lure in idiots who fall for the stories!
...When was that again?
Right, my fifth loop. I fell for the rumor like an idiot (me) and raided the Cluster Assassins' hideout, wiping out everything there in a fit of rage.
—Somewhere in the cave region beyond the pass on the northwestern border of the Payud Empire, a massive golden eagle made of solid gold is hidden. Wingspan alone is ten meters.
A ten-meter wingspan? Melting down an eagle that size could make 100,000 imperial gold coins!
"Excuse me, Letep?"
"Why the sudden honorifics?"
"Fine, just Letep then. That Eagle Spirit you mentioned—is it golden?"
"...How did you know?"
The eagle chieftain narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Whew, this is awkward. Facing my past failed self like this.
"I heard a rumor. Something about a golden eagle statue hidden in some cave up north."
"It's not a statue—it's an Ancient Eagle."
"But it's not really alive, right? Eating and sleeping and all that?"
"Not quite. It's closer to a spirit. Without mana infusion, it barely moves at all."
"Mana?"
"The Eagle Spirit's power source is the mana of Ancient Eagles. Though any mana would work at a basic level."
With that, he gave a light flap of his wings, shooting a wind arrow into the air.
Whoosh!
These eagles can use magic? And they're flying mages with flight built-in!
"But ten years ago, a young eagle infused a massive amount of mana into the Eagle Spirit perched on the highest peak."
"And?"
"Empowered beyond measure, it suddenly went berserk and soared into the distant sky—so fast we couldn't catch up."
"Then it flew into the Cluster Assassins' cave hideout?"
"You knew that far?"
Letep bowed his head in anguish.
"It was imprisoned there. I arrived too late, and fighting them in those narrow caves was beyond me."
Makes sense—the caves are so deep and twisty. Even I spent nearly a full day lost my first time.
"The tunnels are too narrow to spread your wings. Good call not fighting in there."
"And so we lost our species' treasure—its very essence. So, Claude, if you retrieve the Eagle Spirit from that place, we'll join the Dimensional War with our warriors in the future."
Letep thumped his chest with the tip of his wing, as if swearing an oath. Yeah. Now it finally clicks what happened back then.
I got duped twice.
There really was a massive golden eagle in the Cluster Assassins' hideout.
But would they risk death and the band's annihilation just to keep it?
"The problem is, it's not just some golden eagle.... Hmm."
"What say you, Claude? Will you fulfill our species' wish?"
"Hold on. One thing to confirm first."
I held out my fist and raised fingers one by one.
"First, that Eagle Spirit—isn't actually a lump of gold, right?"
"Of course not. As I said, it's a being forged from our species' cores."
"Next—once I infuse it with mana, will it bust out of the cave on its own?"
"I believe so. It was imprisoned because its mana ran out there."
"It went berserk and flew off initially, didn't it? Any guarantee it won't do that again?"
"Hmm... If so, just drag it out."
"Me? With this body?"
Handy having a small body at times like this. Letep winked one eye and scanned me up and down.
"Not easy, I'd wager. In that case, just eliminate the humans inside. We'll enter after and haul it out."
"The caves are narrow—sure you'll fit? You're huge."
"Our sizes are comparable. If it fit, I will too."
Not necessarily? They might've narrowed or blocked wider passages later?
But nitpicking from the start gets nothing done. Wipe out the thieves' den first, then worry.
"Last question. Got any spare cores? If I fetch your core eagle—no, Eagle Spirit—will you spare me one?"
"Not difficult. Though I have only one."
"Just one?"
"We fused every one generated into the Eagle Spirit. Wait seven more years if you want another."
Seven years.
No big deal in the old days, but...
"Nah. One now is fine."
I extended my hand to the chieftain eagle. He hesitated, then understood and offered his wingtip.
"Deal done. I'll head out right away."
I gripped the wingtip lightly and shook it up and down. Letep—and the hundred eagles behind him—shuddered with sighs of relief.
* * *
The leader of the Cluster Assassins, Vent, was a gaunt man turning fifty this year.
"Ugh... uuuugh...."
Vent groaned, pressing his temples in the darkness.
"Ugh... No. Gotta stay sharp...."
Extinguished torches lay scattered everywhere. He could light up his chambers like daylight if he wanted.
But the only light was a single tiny candle on the corner table. Even deep in a cave, did it need to be this pitch-black?
It fueled the assassins' worries. Whispers spread easily: the boss's mental health was deteriorating rapidly.
"Gotta stay sharp... If I falter, we all crumble... Heh... hehehe...."
Vent muttered like a madman, staring at one wall.
The boss's room, deep in the ancient cave, was a treasure trove of loot and junk.
But Vent fixated on a conspicuously empty spot.
"That glow... No, no. Can't even mention it. My treasure... It's mine alone. It must slumber there eternally. So no one else can touch it...."
"Right. You did seem a bit unhinged back then."
I'd watched long enough and spoke up from behind. Vent yelped and fell on his ass.
"Wh-who's there! How did you get in?!"
"Through the door."
"What?"
"Walked right through the door? Didn't even use stealth, and you didn't notice?"
"K-kaaack!"
He scrambled up and drew his sword. But my blade pierced his solar plexus first.
Spurt!
"Gah...."
"How's that? Pretty good, huh? Lately I can move like this without magic armor."
"Ugh...."
Vent slumped, blood drooling from his mouth. I lit the room with a light spell and appraised him for kicks.
Race: Human
Current Strength: C-
Potential Strength: C+
"Oho, still got some potential left? Not that it matters. Word is you're the brains type? Explains the malcontents."
"Cough...."
"Stopped by another exec's room on the way. Got the gist from there."
"Bandits... no, we're assassins...."
"Same difference."
I perched on a nearby chair with a smile.
"Tortured 'em with fire a bit, and they spilled. Why go that far? Got a grudge against you lot."
"Urk...."
"Ten years back, big incident, right? Giant golden eagle walks right into your hideout, and execs fight over it."
"Wh-which bastard...."
"Sorry, didn't ask names. Anyway, execs at each other's throats, then you show up and settle it clean."
I glanced at the conspicuously empty wall in the vast room.
"You drag the eagle off somewhere and declare coolly: 'One lousy treasure ain't worth it! Better toss it than cause strife! Back to work!'"
"Ugh...."
"The frothing execs snap back to normal. Ta-da! Cluster Assassins restored to peace. Good for you."
"Cough...."
"Enough teasing."
I opened my Sovereign's Eye and scanned the room slowly.
"Word is, boss's room has secret compartments everywhere? Oh, wait—don't tell me. I'll find it. Ah, essence flow's concentrating over here...."
I turned, but Vent was already dead. Well... no point tormenting the doomed.
"For the record, years later you spread the rumor. Golden eagle hidden somewhere in these vast caves. Shouldn't have done that. Or at least, don't fool me twice."
No reply, naturally. I touched the empty wall with a wry smile.
"Even searched here back then... Who'd guess it'd be hidden like this?"
I spotted where the essence flow dipped then resumed. I jumped up and pressed a protruding rock near the ceiling with my palm.
The wall slid open.
Rumble rumble rumble....
Seemed like impossible magic at a glance, but it was just a simple metal mechanism inside.
Dwarf-made, probably? Should ask Gelly later.
But.
Beyond the open door—empty.
More precisely, an endless void dropping straight down.
"What, a trap to make you fall or something...."
Wind whistled up from the thousand-foot chasm below. Thought it was a secret vault—turns out it's a secret trash dump?
"Getting tired...."
Infiltrating the Cluster Assassins' lair, grabbing an exec, prying the truth, reaching the boss's room—three hours.
I'd love to crash on the floor. Flew nonstop half a day to Arrowhead Peak before, another two hours here, then three more....
Agh, stop thinking.
Job started—see it through. Eagles are probably pacing outside by now. Time to fish that core eagle out of the trash.