Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Golden Generation Alliance
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Penbola led them to one of the August family's tents.
It seemed to be his personal one, as there was no one inside.
However, it was well-stocked with practical daily necessities.
"I'll brew you some tea. Please wait a moment."
Even as a direct descendant of one of the Five Great Families, he had a distinctly commoner vibe.
He wasn't ordering someone else to do it—he was brewing the tea himself.
The sight of his massive frame delicately handling the small teapot was almost comical.
'Sharp guy.'
Havel despised rudeness above all else.
Penbola had quickly picked up on that.
"Make mine coffee!"
While Havel was sizing up Penbola,
Azaris, who had tagged along for no good reason, blurted out thoughtlessly.
'In contrast, that one's far too carefree.'
Excluding the Ignor direct lineage, he seemed to have his merits.
"These are some premium tea leaves I brought along on purpose. I hope they suit your taste."
Havel took a sip of the tea Penbola had prepared.
'Huh, it's even better than I expected.'
He was genuinely surprised.
It was tea of quite a high caliber.
Not something you'd learn just by looks, that much was clear.
"What about the coffee?"
"Don't have any. I don't like the bitter stuff."
"Ah, figures. Baby taste buds."
Penbola handed Azaris some generic snacks he had on hand.
Azaris grumbled at first but soon ate them contentedly.
He even had a deft touch for handling Azaris.
"Then let's get straight to the point."
And Havel could tell Penbola wasn't the laid-back type either.
"I aim to stir up a new wind in the Tower."
Havel set down his teacup.
He'd caught the implication in those words.
"You want to usher in a new generation, is that it?"
"Exactly. The world is stagnating under the dominance of the Five Great Families."
Well, well, look at this guy.
Havel let out a hollow chuckle.
"But you're from one of those Five Great Families yourself?"
Penbola chuckled along.
"I'm part of one of the Five Great Families—not the families themselves."
Penbola laid his ambitions bare without reservation.
He was the youngest direct descendant of the August family.
The one with the largest build among them, yet still the baby of the line.
Thus, his claim to the family headship was the weakest.
But a low position didn't mean small ambitions.
His goal stretched beyond August—to become a protagonist of a new era.
He had no intention of being confined to the framework of the Five Great Families.
"Better to be the tail of a dragon than the head of a snake. That way, you get a shot at the dragon's head."
Havel stroked his chin, glimpsing Penbola's drive.
'Good instincts, and he's got big potential.'
But guys like this had one issue.
'He plans to swallow up Banpellyon too.'
Banpellyon had been making waves lately.
Penbola was trying to hide it, but
his real aim was to make Banpellyon his own.
Form an alliance, then seize control—not a tough feat.
'His dreams are so grand he's biting off more than he can chew.'
A man trying to open a new era needed that level of ambition.
'Might as well set him straight myself.'
Penbola thought he'd swallow Banpellyon to herald a new age.
But in truth, Banpellyon would be the one devouring him.
'Good thing Dante's not here for this.'
Power struggles like this were Havel's specialty.
Who had monopolized every family's leadership after the Unification War?
'Me, obviously.'
This era was one of Calamities.
In a society centered on them, factional infighting
was child's play compared to the Unification War.
Even back then, Havel had propelled Banpellyon to the top.
The ambitions of August's youngest son?
Cute, in front of Havel.
And sure enough, Penbola fell right into Havel's trap.
'He's interested in a new era too.'
Havel looked about twenty on the surface.
Climbers his age all eyed the summit.
The pinnacle everyone dreamed of, backed by power and fame.
So Penbola assumed Havel was the same.
Why else join the nameless Banpellyon?
'Spread your wings in a famed house, and the family name devours you.'
Better to build from scratch in an obscure one.
Penbola pegged Havel as an ambitious soul.
"Interesting idea."
As proof, Havel showed interest in Penbola's thoughts.
A smile crept across Penbola's lips.
'My instincts are screaming. This guy's got the potential to reshape the era.'
And that potential? Sorry, but he'd use it for himself.
But Penbola didn't know.
Even the sly, snake-like old foxes of August
would recoil from the serpent coiled inside Havel.
"I knew Havel would understand my vision!"
Penbola laughed freely, as if reuniting with a kindred spirit.
His hearty guffaw was general-like.
"Right? To aim high, you need ambitions that big."
Havel laughed along boisterously.
"Why are you two suddenly laughing? Should I laugh too?"
Azaris, munching snacks, was utterly baffled.
But he quickly joined in with the flow.
Thus, the tent erupted in laughter, each harboring different intents.
After the laughter subsided,
Havel heard out Penbola's plan.
The reason the 6th hierarchy conquest had stalled was simple.
The Five Great Families—and other clans—had divided the spoils.
6th hierarchy.
Thousand Islands region.
This area held a thousand islands,
from tiny specks
to massive landmasses beyond island scale.
Countless islands dotted the zone.
Each hosted a Calamity beast that had to be slain to advance.
'The problem's the families controlling those islands.'
One trait defined Thousand Islands:
Slay every island lord Calamity to proceed.
'The families ascended the 6th almost together.'
First dibs on a floor was a right no one yielded.
Naturally, the families split instantly.
Each claimed islands,
blocking outsiders cold.
'And that's the current deadlock.'
Conquest of the 6th hierarchy had ground to a halt.
Rather than yield climbing rights,
no one climbs at all—that was their mindset.
"Blind attacks would leave islands undefended, putting us at risk instead."
Penbola explained the families' caution.
"So the families are pulling in every knight order and mercenary they can to the Tower."
Glassis's Meteor Four Knight Orders were prime examples.
Their recent climbs were for reinforcements.
You needed defenders to launch offenses.
"But everyone's piling manpower on their islands, creating a stalemate?"
"Yes, exactly."
Havel saw through Penbola's goal.
"Us outsiders with no islands—we're the ones to shake the board?"
"Spot on."
Havel understood why Penbola had gathered forces.
In this scenario, one more strong fighter mattered.
Even Azaris was aboard for that reason.
Gutsy for a Five Great Families member.
And with big guts came thoroughness.
'Mess up, and his family beats him black and blue. So he roped in other clans as shields.'
The more families entangled, the better the cover.
Thus, Penbola formed this alliance.
'But we have nothing to lose.'
Havel tapped the table leisurely.
As Penbola said,
this alliance was perfect for raising Banpellyon's name.
All eyes would turn their way, inevitably.
"So, who are the other alliance members?"
"A few more. We'll meet soon."
He'd prepared long-term.
Havel could wait that much.
They'd help spread Banpellyon's fame.
He had time.
Srrr—
Right then, the tent flap rustled open.
Havel glanced back.
A familiar presence stood there.
"Uh."
The newcomer froze.
He recognized Havel too.
"Baria, you're late."
Jet-black hair, violet eyes.
It was none other than Baria Graiza of the Graiza family.
During Havel's friendly bout with Glassis,
he'd been Graiza's messenger.
He'd witnessed the monster called Havel that day.
A being far beyond human.
That was Havel.
And now, that monster stood before him again.
In Penbola's "Golden Generation" alliance for a new era.
Meaning?
Havel was part of the Golden Generation.
Disbelief washed over Baria's face.
Golden Generation or not,
Havel was a monster no one on the 6th could touch.
What was the point of recruiting him into an alliance?
But as their eyes met, Havel raised a hand.
As Baria's gaze followed,
Zip—
Havel mimed zipping his lips.
Then flicked his index and middle fingers across his throat.
Baria paled.
He knew exactly what that meant.
Speak, and die.
Simple as that.
"Latest 6th-floor intel's hard to come by."
So Baria obeyed instantly.
Ignoring Havel completely,
he approached Penbola casually.
"Here's the intel."
"Haha, Graiza's the best at intel-gathering. I hear your family supplies Astella too."
"Just ties to their affiliates."
Penbola played along with Baria's curt reply.
Mid-conversation, Baria sensed a stare.
Turning, he found Havel staring intently.
Baria stiffened again.
Had he slipped up?
Something wrong with his words? He panicked.
But Havel eyed him for another reason.
'The best intel guy's right here.'
Astella handled scroll intel.
Graiza, linked to their affiliates, had top access.
Maybe even dirt on the Whisperer.
"Baria."
So Havel called the name he'd just heard.
"Hm? You two know each other?"
Penbola glanced curiously between them.
Baria's face turned ashen,
but Havel smiled like reuniting with an old pal.
"Of course we're buddies. We've even climbed the Tower together."
It was the truth, technically.
"Right, my friend Baria?"
Answer him.
Moments ago, Havel had silently threatened silence.
Now he acted like they were besties.
But Baria couldn't protest.
"...Yeah. Friends."
The gap between him and Havel was that vast.
Havel just grinned, happy for his new "friend."