Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: The Platinum-Ranked Adventurer
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"Rain, look at that! It's an enormously huge giant tree!"
Kasena shouted in an excited voice.
I had no idea what she found so thrilling, but she'd been full of energy like this the entire cold, grueling journey. Better than constant whining, so I kept my mouth shut...
Wearing the seal-skin coat the beastkin had given her, Kasena occasionally looked downright cute, like a seal herself.
"Don't get close."
Of course, it was always Alakishi's job to rein in the naive girl.
This time, she'd chucked a roadside pebble toward the giant tree—only for its branches to suddenly writhe like snakes and coil around the stone.
Kasena's sparkling eyes went wide, her face draining of color.
"That's called a Ghostcry Tree. It seizes and devours any living thing that draws near."
"Ugh... Got it."
"Now you know."
In this barren land, had the creatures evolved like that? Or did all life corrupted by the Abyss end up that way?
It was endlessly fascinating. If the circumstances were different, I'd have wanted to study it.
The gateway to the forbidden world, Shen Plateau, was a land steeped in darkness just like that.
Towering peaks encircled the plateau, blocking out the sun and moon—leaving it shrouded in desolate gloom unless they hung directly overhead.
The primitive beasts lurking here were brutally hostile to humanity. Even Paleozoic monsters I'd only read about in books roamed these parts.
But it wasn't all bad.
The vast plain was blanketed in thick ice, the ground firm enough for our procession to advance without hindrance.
Thanks to Alakishi's guidance and protection, we'd swiftly traversed two-thirds of the plateau southward over a fortnight. She'd said as much this morning.
"Now burn that thing."
"Why?"
"Hm, it's a suitable opponent to test how much power you've built up."
Kasena shot me a wink, as if begging me to watch over her, then drew a deep breath and began sketching runes in the air.
The journey had mostly gone like this.
Alakishi led the way, training Kasena in live combat. She'd focused mainly on fire runes at first, but now she was learning healing ones too.
"Not bad."
"Really?!"
"But not yet satisfactory. Don't get too excited."
Kasena had earned considerable favor from Alakishi—whether due to her pure heart or because she saw the shadow of her soon-to-hatch daughter in the girl, I couldn't say.
If she was going to be reborn anyway, it would've been nice if she'd been born into the Page family.
She could learn things I could only dream of.
I was green with envy.
As I let out a listless sigh, Pipi—who'd been circling overhead, scanning the distant horizon—plunged down in a hurry.
"Lin, Lin, Lin, people, people there. Lots of corpses."
The warriors, Barlzen included, were already baring their fangs and growling—having caught the scent before Pipi even reported it.
"It's the smell of our kin... But what's this?"
"What's wrong?"
"This stench of the Abyss is thicker than any I've known. What the hell is it?"
A sudden chill gust carried an indescribable reek that stabbed at my nostrils.
This smell... I knew it.
The clammy sweat of foreboding drenched my palms unbidden. It was the scent of the Old Ones, servants of the Kings.
"Barlzen, stay here and protect the tribe!"
"What?"
"Alakishi and I will check it out. The tribe's safety comes first."
Barlzen looked ready to charge off, but my words hit home. He clenched his jaw in frustration, then nodded.
"Be careful, furless whelp."
"Yeah."
To hear that from Barlzen of all people... I forced a wry smile, but tension made my lips quiver.
Sensing the ominous aura, Alakishi and Kasena had already joined us. As expected, Alakishi had pinpointed the Abyss's location.
"You stay here, Kasena Page."
"Why? I wanna go too! I can fight!"
"You can't fight yet. Rain Ludwig, follow Alakishi."
With Alakishi being so firm, even Kasena couldn't argue.
A bit worried but also to console her, I left Pipi by her side and trailed after Alakishi.
As we crept forward cautiously, Alakishi unslung the basket she always carried on her back and handed it to me. It was heavier than expected; my balance wobbled as I took it.
"If Alakishi judges this foe beyond her, flee at once."
"...?"
"And look after Alakishi's daughter."
She placed a gentle hand on my head, as if brooking no argument—and she looked somehow sorrowful.
She would be. How could she not?
I'd never borne a child, but I knew the feeling of leaving someone behind for an aimless journey.
But that wouldn't happen. I'd fight by her side to the death.
I steadied my breath, circulating the mana gathered in my solar plexus through my body.
How many cycles of mana flowing like cold blood through my veins before Alakishi finally halted?
The sight that greeted me then—gooseflesh rising—was pure madness. Crumbled earth from the shockwave, beastkin corpses reduced to bloody pulp, shattered sleds and gear.
...!
And the ancient spider, awakened after a millennium with its hundred eyes—torn apart and riddled with holes, sprawled on the ground.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, a black shadow twitched atop it. I instantly erected a magic circle on my palm.
But before it could form even two layers, the shadow landed before us.
What insane speed...!
I hastily downgraded the 3-star spell I'd prepared to 2-star for immediate cast when Alakishi raised her hand. Calm down.
"Truly, it's been ages, Lady Alakishi."
As if answering my fleeting doubt, it addressed her in a businesslike tone.
Its helmet emitted an eerie glow, turning its voice metallic.
About Seri's age in build, it wore mechanized armor where gears meshed in orderly rows at every joint, dozens or hundreds whirring away.
Such compact stature in powered armor... then...?
The answer was obvious.
Dwarves—unable to wield mana, but a millennium ahead in technology.
Click, click, click... Gears spun irritably as it turned to me.
"A human brat, eh? The White Wolf? You're awfully young. Heh, where's your uniform? Didn't even have time to grab it before fleeing?"
"Huh?"
"Heard the expedition failed—looks like you're stragglers. Heh heh heh heh, you burned your fallen comrades proper, right?"
Expedition failed?
What was this about?
"I'm not with the White Wolf Corps... But did you do this?"
It cocked its head with mechanical creaks, incredulous at my denial, then gave a bizarre reply.
"Ah, of course. My handiwork."
My eyes widened then narrowed; savoring the reaction, it paused before elaborating.
"If you're asking because of the hostility in your eyes—about the one who slew your foe."
"Then those beastkin...!"
"They were already dead when I arrived. If they'd gotten in my way, they'd have ended up the same. Heh heh heh heh."
Not only had it felled an Old One, but it spoke with intimate knowledge of Harvatonia... What was this thing?
"Alakishi, who the hell is this?"
By then, others had begun gathering—scattering to collect samples from the mangled corpses.
All clad in similar powered armor, each exuding crushing pressure.
Mysterious mechanized weapons adorned their backs and wrists. Custom jobs?
"You don't know me? Heh, that stings a bit. Guess I'm getting to the age where it matters."
It touched its helmet; steam hissed as the front plate detached.
The face revealed... was a scarred girl's, her eyes deep voids that seemed to suck you in.
I knew dwarves stopped growing physically in their mid-to-late teens, but the brutal experience clashing with her youthful frame made me swallow hard.
"The name's Frisvia. They call me the number-one Platinum-rank adventurer in the Alliance."
What nonsense was this? Doubting if it was real, I gaped and glanced at Alakishi.
Platinum rank was reserved for the top 11 rankers among countless adventurers.
Even paragons like the Bow Star were selected from that elite pool—what more needed saying? And number one?
"Enough pointless chatter. Frisvia—what did you just say? The expedition failed?"
Alakishi's question drew an even more puzzled tilt of the head from Frisvia, her expression blank.
"You really don't know? That was over twenty days ago."
"I truly don't."
"Heh, you must've gone deep and come back. The wolves' leader assembled a massive expedition beyond the Wall. About fifty days back."
White Wolves? Why? To hunt beastkin? In this day and age?
"They sent scouts that vanished one by one; eventually the main force took heavy losses. Only a few survivors fled back to the Wall. Pathetic, heh heh heh."
My hands and feet went ice-cold with tension.
Were we too late?
Had Griffion's forces already clashed? Had the spark of conflict ignited...?
Alakishi asked, faintly surprised.
"The beastkin?"
"Heh, doubtful. Even united, they're a rabble without discipline. Armies thrive on unity—in pitched battle, the wolves would've devoured them. Heh heh heh."
Frisvia flashed an inscrutable leer, nodding at two Old One corpses behind her.
"Bet these got 'em. Far craftier and stronger than dumb humans."
"Impossible. The Old Ones never leave Shen Plateau."
"Ancient history. Hordes of elder beings are awakening... and now they're moving in organized packs. Heh heh heh."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Frisvia shot me a sour glance for interrupting the adults (though she hardly looked one), but answered with mock kindness.
"Past Old Ones were wild beasts off the leash. Heh heh heh, killing each other—perfect for study."
"...?"
"But not anymore. They hunt organized. So logically, something capable of commanding them has awakened."
A pang like heartburn struck. A superior being that could control Old Ones? Never encountered one even in my Lin days.
If Frisvia's guess held... everything north of the Great Wall was doomed.
I looked up at Alakishi urgently.
"We have to hurry. We're running out of time."
"Alakishi thinks the same."
As Alakishi and I turned to rush back to the tribe, Frisvia suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Running late for what?"
Her grip was monstrous—whether from the gear or not, heavy metal dug into my wrist bone with pain.
"What happens if you're late?"
"Let go!"
"I've answered your impudent questions one by one. Time for some payback, no?"
Alakishi glared threateningly, but Frisvia ignored it, flashing a provocative smirk.
"Or we can test what happens right here."
She seemed the type to tail us unless I answered, so I vaguely explained our goal.
"Reconcile the beastkin and wolves to open the Wall's gate?"
Her lips split in a savage grin that chilled me to the bone as she shoved her face in mine.
"Heh heh heh heh heh... How do you plan to make bloodthirsty beasts reconcile? Tears from a brat? Or crush 'em with force? That last one's got some realism."
"I've got a plan. No time to explain."
The ghostly smile vanished from Frisvia's face; she released my wrist without lingering.
"Still a kid? Or human limitations? Pitiful—you can't think rationally."
She reattached her helmet's front plate; the hiss of steam was eerily ominous.
"One prophecy and a deal: You can't unite them. No matter what."
"Why not?"
"You humans are emotional beasts. Even now, you can't judge rationally—just burn with mutual hate."
"We'll see."
"Heh. And if reconciliation fails but you still wanna drag the beastkin to the Wall, come find me at the Battleship Base."
Battleship Base...?
She jerked her chin meaningfully at Alakishi to finish.
"But don't forget—you come with Lady Alakishi. Heh heh heh."