Chapter 189
Chapter 189
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 189
Chapter Title: Link's Descendants
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Even now, when I close my eyes, it sometimes comes to mind.
Link, Link, Link....
The face of the giant uncle smiling innocently like a fool.
“Avavabat!”
Piercing through the smoke blanketing the entire lemon grove, the one who came trotting up and latched onto my leg was Aki.
Looking down at him, I found myself lost in strange musings.
Was it like this for me, too, from Link's point of view?
“You did well for your first real battle.”
“Puu.”
There's no one left to ask anymore. With no one to share those memories, all I can do now is speculate....
“Hurry.”
Half a day after entering the island sector, these islands just seemed off no matter how I looked at them.
Every village we'd passed had only elders. Their fear of outsiders was so intense I couldn't even strike up a conversation.
And beyond that, it felt like something ominous was watching us....
“You....”
That was around when I sensed the villagers' stares.
It was the first village to attempt contact, so I was fairly surprised.
Their faces mixed bewilderment, fear, and wariness, so I had to raise both hands to make my intentions clear.
“We're not here to harm you. Sorry about your village ending up like this, uh.”
“No, no.... If it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened by now....”
A stocky old man covered head to toe in blood replied on behalf of the village.
“My name is Dos... I'm the village chief... *cough*, feel free to call me Fish Slayer....”
“Slayer?”
As I edged back warily, a frail-looking woman smiled through her coughs.
“It's not like the Slayers.... It's just one of the ways we live our lives in this village....”
“...?”
“My name is Linda.... They call me Disgusting Slayer because I cook so damn well....”
With that, all wariness vanished as the villagers began introducing themselves with proud voices.
The village's strongest shepherd, Wolf Slayer. The finest seamstress, Needle Slayer....
Dos was Fish Slayer because he was uncannily good at catching fish....
“You see, when I cast my net... *cough*, fish just pile up like mountains! I'd love to show you....”
For some reason, watching their ridiculous naming convention brought Link's pure laughter bubbling up.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Had that foolish innocence of his—rather than his massive frame or battle prowess—been passed down through generations to his descendants?
“But there's no space here to tend sheep, and the cliffs make it impossible to take a boat out fishing.”
“This place... it wasn't our original village.... We're direct descendants... We used to live in Linkland....”
Direct descendants....
Fate sure plays some wild tricks. Of all people, Link's direct descendants....
Once more, a voice seemed to echo from that distant shadow of the past. Link, Link, Link.
“Normally, I'd tell you to run before the Slayers caught you. But to take down that monster Spiela... what in the world are you....”
“Rain. This guy's Aki.”
“Aki is Aki-dot!”
“Anyway, no young folks in this village either. Any idea where I might find some, hmm.”
“Young people?”
I'd planned to meet Miria before going after the Dragon Slayer.
“All the kids and young ones were dragged off by those bastards....”
“Dragged off? Why?”
“...You looking for someone?”
“Fellow named Miria. Goes by the fun nickname Goblin Slayer. Ring a bell?”
At that, the villagers' eyes went wide. Dos blinked in shock.
“Miria? Miria?”
“Yeah, that's what she said. Blonde with emerald eyes.”
“A friend?”
“Friend? Well, strictly speaking, yeah.”
“Everyone hear that? This strapping young man says he's Miria's boyfriend... hahahaha...!”
When did I say that?
Before I could object, the elders' faces lit up with smiles as they unleashed a barrage of questions.
Dazed into silence, Linda gave a gentle smile and explained the reason.
“What a coincidence.... This village is Miria's hometown....”
What surprised me even more was Dos's follow-up introduction.
“And this Linda you're talking to is Millea and Miria's mother!”
This woman... Miria's mother...?
I turned to her in astonishment, and Linda bowed politely, smiling through her pained coughs.
“Adoptive mother, though.”
At those words from somewhere, the murmuring voices fell silent in an instant.
An unfamiliar yet somehow familiar voice. Amid the hush like a bucket of cold water, the one drawing all eyes as she appeared was....
I let out a dry chuckle without thinking and called her name.
“Miria.”
Even with sweat-matted hair clinging to her face, her ethereal beauty stood out starkly.
She really does remind me of Rista. She stirs that same heart-fluttering feeling I get seeing Rista.
Though compared to Rista, her expression is far too dark and cold.
“Aung?”
Perhaps too much time had passed for recognition—Aki tilted his head quizzically as he stared at her.
“Check it out. Aki's gotten huge, right? Aki, this is Miria. Been so long you might not remem—”
Had she run a long way? Her face was a bit flushed, her breath ragged. After about five months, she blurted out:
“—Why the hell are you here?”
Even so, I couldn't exactly say I'd come to see her or to help her—too embarrassing, unlike with Rista or Fride.
“What? Heard it was dangerous, so I came. You look pretty lively.”
“Dangerous? Me?”
“Ain't it?”
“The dangerous one's you! You even know where this is? If the Dragon Slayer finds out you've set foot here....”
“Miria, this man's the one who saved us—”
Linda stepped forward to mediate the exchange.
That's when the bushes behind Miria rustled, and three children emerged.
All clad in uniform light armor, their faces utterly blank. They spoke in flat tones.
“Lady Miria, the Slayers executives have been called to an emergency assembly.”
Something was off.
Not just their faces—even their voices lacked any inflection. It wasn't some magic voice modulator either.
“Reports of Magic Alliance Special Task Force mages appearing across the islands. Executives, assemble at Island 3.”
The emotion that flickered briefly in Miria's eyes as she glanced at the children... was an inescapable agony.
“What're those kids?”
As I took a step toward them, Miria thrust out her hand. Her voice was frosty.
“Northeast, there's the boat I came on. Take it and get off this island now. With your skills, slipping the noose should be a breeze.”
“What?”
“I said leave now. Didn't you hear? I'm a Slayers executive. If you stick around, I'll have to fight you. So go.”
An executive...? What the hell?
Did Cora lie?
If it's true, then why that tortured look? Right before kicking off the ground to leave, when she glanced at Aki?
Linda gave a sad smile.
“She wasn't trying to be cold on purpose.... She was just worried.... She used to be such a bright girl....”
Linda, coughing harshly, buckled at the knees and collapsed. As I supported her frail frame, I narrowed my eyes.
“This is stuff I should've heard from Cora before coming here.... What the hell happened on this island?”
“Cora?”
The moment I said the name, Chief Dos hurried over with a startled look.
“You said Cora?”
“Yeah. She's the one who brought me here. We got separated midway due to some trouble.”
“Good... so she's safe.... Thank the gods.”
Dos let out a relieved sigh and plopped down. I later learned Cora was his granddaughter.
“Her parents died in a Slayers raid. Raised her like my own daughter. My thanks.”
“That's exactly what I want to hear. What happened over these ten years? What's this Slayers raid business?”
For a moment, it felt like the sea itself shook. The villagers' chatter died down. As if they'd heard something they shouldn't have.
They exchanged glances for a long while before Linda raised her hand, as if seeking the villagers' consent.
Being Miria's friend, having taken down the Location Slayer, and Cora calling me here—it seemed to fully ease their wariness.
“Since you're Miria's friend, I'll explain as her mother.... Though I don't even deserve the title anymore....”
I wonder if Miria feels the same.
There'd been no resentment or hatred on Miria's face as she gazed at her broken father's keepsake.
I raised a hand to stop Linda as she started to speak.
“We'll hear the story later. Right now, you all need to evacuate this place.”
“Y-Yes...?”
“Tell everyone on the other islands to hide too.”
Dos furrowed his brow.
“What're you saying? You need to leave like Miria said. If they find out you did that to the Location Slayer....”
“It'll save them the trouble of looking. I'm heading after Miria right now.”
“Can't make sense of it. What exactly do you plan to do...?”
Ever since entering the island, there'd been this hallucination—or whatever—like a voice coming from somewhere.
Link, Link, Link.
Maybe it's Link's soul speaking to me.
*Because I promised.*
What do I want to do?
Why did I come here?
Just to find Zernix? No.
—Ah, child, ma, have lots, Li, Lin, forever, to—gether. Teach, letters, gotta.
The words Link had said back then, the feelings behind them, seeped into my very body.
【Memory of the day I rode on Link's neck atop his pony, gazing at the dawn of the new year.】
It's late.
Far too late.
I drew a light breath, placed a hand over my heart, and conveyed my resolve.
“I'll smash the Slayers to pieces and save you all.”
As I said it.
Far off, somewhere at our promised meeting place, it felt like I was calling the name of the Link who'd waited for me all along....
“There!”
“What's that guy!”
Perhaps hearing the blasts and booms, Slayers stationed across the island came rushing—but they were incinerated beneath heavenly fire.
“Your heart's in the right place, truly grateful, but why would you....”
Because that's what Rista would do. Because that's what Fride would do. Because that's what Kies would do.
That's how I'd always justified my own heart for every good deed till now.
But in this tale, this one tied to Link—maybe I don't need excuses. It's a story I choose and bring to fruition.
“Because that's what Great Mage Lin would do.”
In that moment, leaping across three centuries of time, it felt like I grasped the hand of the Link who'd been waiting for me.
* * *
Miria didn't head for Island 3. Instead, she raced across the long suspension bridge linking island to island, bound for Island 6.
—Lin, coming.
The suspension bridges—said to have been hand-carved from stone and wood by the Demon Slayer himself, woven from dozens of layers of rope—famously webbed together all eighteen islands.
—Lin, when you come, I'll show you around the islands.
Tourists used to flock here in droves....
*They've built four golden pyramids across the archipelago.*
Her sister was being held in one of them....
The control artifact was probably nearby too. With all the executives summoned, this was the only chance to locate it.
*Somehow seize control of sis, then... negotiate with them.*
Sis had become indispensable to their plans now—they'd have no choice but to listen.
* * *
At the heart of Island 3 loomed a massive golden pyramid, casting an oppressive shadow over the landscape.
*That thing...?*
Valencidis pursed her lips.
The islands around Linkland were supposed to be thick with wild nature—when had this artificial monstrosity gone up?
“Run! Anyone who falls and damages their gear gets no mercy!”
Burly instructors stood everywhere, while boy soldiers in full kit carried out drills under their reckless whip lashes.
“Every piece of gear you're wearing is worth more than your miserable lives! Got it?!”
That pyramid looked more than suspicious. Any way to infiltrate the interior?
The Trickster Slayer had drawn a hard line early, saying it was impossible to guide anyone inside due to the organization's secrets.
If she could just divert attention somewhere for a moment, she could slip in via spatial interference.
As if the gods themselves were scrutinizing the absurdity, the opportunity arrived swiftly.
A merchant caravan that had arrived early to observe the Slayers' trainee program was there—and suddenly, their leader spouted something odd.
“I never imagined such atrocities could happen under the dragons' watch.”
“...?”
“By Papal Court charter Article 3 Paragraph 2 and Article 7 Paragraph 8, we will arrest and interrogate the perpetrators of these inhuman acts.”
A nearby master-rank Slayer was abruptly slammed into the ground, spewing blood.
Some kind of martial art? Undeniably pinned at eye-blurring speed.
That was the signal—over twenty mages disguised as merchants threw on their robes in a flash.
Pocket watches dangled from each robe, their faces engraved with the Magic Alliance emblem and the special task force term *Dirutus*.
“We're from the Magic Alliance Special Task Force.”
The man who'd one-shotted the master-rank Slayer placed an old fedora on his head and grinned.
*Doran Slade...!*
What a pain in the ass.
Seizing the chaos as all eyes turned there, Valencidis swiftly tore open a dimension leading into the pyramid's depths.
The internal corridors were lit by dim lantern light.
Unlike the suffocating heat outside, an ominous silence and chill dominated the pyramid's interior.
“No need to fight together?”
Valencidis shrugged lightly at Cora's question.
“We're not close enough for that.”
It'd just turn into a three-way melee. Zero upside.
No idea how the Special Task Force sniffed it out, but....
Actually, with a freak like Doran—head of the group with that nose—not catching wind till now would be the real surprise.
“Right now, we check the interior while they buy us time.”
Admin staff were rushing out due to the commotion outside.
Valencidis ducked into the shadows for a moment.
Once the footsteps faded, she opened a dimension and warped straight to the room at the corridor's end.
“Paper, paper, paper. Nothing but paper.”
“Paper, paper, paper, paper.”
“Perfect spot for digging up intel.”
The room was a mess of papers everywhere.
Piles covered desks and shelves—it looked like some kind of archive.
Most documents were written not in common human tongue, but in the demihumans' language. She picked one up and read the title.
“Demon Slayer Cultivation Plan?”
This smelled fishy.
Cultivating Demon Slayers? How?
“Biological fusion Evol-6 success. Adjust fusion sites based on individual variance.... No clue what that means.”
She was reading a report with graphic depictions of human anatomy when a child's scream echoed from somewhere.
She held her breath briefly, then turned back to the report—only for Cora to speak up.
Her face was expressionless, but her voice was low and hoarse.
“You saw those kids regenerating their bodies earlier? That's it. They implant Demon Slayer body parts to gain that power.”
“Cassel Linkan's body? Impressive it hasn't rotted to mush yet.”
Had Zernix revived even that Demon Slayer? Cora shook her head bitterly at the question.
“No, seems the ancestor revival failed for whatever reason.... So they made substitutes to inherit the power.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Hard to explain in words. Head to the pyramid's apex—you'll see.”