Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Under the Rising Dawn
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Under the rising dawn.
Havel watched as Nachul plummeted.
Thud!
Nachul, falling headfirst, was smashed flat against the ground.
In an instant, he had become a corpse before the dawn.
At that moment, the calamity pouring out from Nachul was fully absorbed into Havel.
Compared to the master of the 5th hierarchy, the gains were definitely smaller.
It was probably because Nachul wasn't the true master of the 6th hierarchy itself.
Even accounting for that, though, the increases weren't insignificant.
Considering there were still more island masters to claim ahead.
By the time he finished the 6th hierarchy, the numbers would rise substantially.
'And above all...'
Strength, Agility, and Talent had finally broken into the four digits.
Transcendence cannot proceed simultaneously. Please select to prioritize transcendence.
[Strength] [Agility] [Talent]
Simultaneous transcendence wasn't possible, as expected.
Havel nodded in understanding.
'On top of that, transcending requires sacrificing one of the attributes gained from the Tower.'
Havel had acquired three attributes from the Tower.
First, Frost Qi had been used for Endurance's transcendence.
That left Darkness and Thunder Qi.
Meaning he could still transcend two more.
Havel pondered for a moment.
In the end, he decided to prioritize Strength first.
Havel felt the Thunder Qi fade from his body.
It was something he'd used quite usefully, so there was a twinge of regret.
Still, his main art was Dawn anyway.
It was an attribute he didn't strictly need.
'More importantly, I need to clear the 6th hierarchy to even attempt transcendence.'
Since attributes had to be offered as tribute for transcendence.
Havel felt the need to speed up his conquest.
He wasn't the type to leave things lingering.
'Better to handle it quick and be done with it.'
Havel waved his hand to dismiss the messages and descended.
Far off, the sun rose from behind the thunderclouds, spreading its light.
But below, chaos reigned regardless.
Killing Nachul hadn't stopped their advance.
Calamity beasts kept surging from the sea.
Yet they were worthy of being called the Golden Generation.
Everyone fought desperately against the calamity beasts, with no breaches in their lines.
But the calamity beasts here were far stronger than those in the 5th hierarchy.
And with them emerging endlessly from the ocean, their numbers were overwhelming.
So Havel stomped down from the sky.
A gale whipped past in an instant, his cloak billowing wildly.
With Agility now in the four digits, Havel's speed was like a raging storm.
"Aaagh! M-my leg's caught! Eric, Eric, help!"
"Meria, nooo!"
Below them.
A woman from the Golden Generation was being dragged away, her leg ensnared by a calamity beast's tentacle.
A fellow Golden Generation member reached out upon seeing it, but it was too late.
She was yanked straight off the cliff.
"Kyaaah!"
As her piercing scream rang out.
Thud!
The onrushing gale blasted the calamity beasts away.
The beasts flew far off in an instant, splashing into the distant sea.
In that gap, Meria—who had been screaming—found herself rolling on solid ground instead of the ocean.
She blinked in bewilderment before realizing she'd survived.
"H-how...?"
She hastily looked up.
There stood a lion-emblazoned cloak.
Beneath silver hair verging on white, billowing in the wind.
Havel held his sword impassively.
"Man, they're swarming."
Short words.
The moment dawn gathered on Havel's blade.
Krraaaang!
A slashing strike tore the calamity beasts to shreds.
Watching it unfold before her eyes, Meria was dumbfounded.
These were the calamity beasts she'd been struggling so hard against just moments ago.
And he'd sent them flying with a single swing.
She was plunged into indescribable shock.
"Meria!"
Meanwhile, Eric rushed over.
He too had witnessed Havel's slash.
As he helped her up, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Wh-who are you?"
Did these guys not even know their own squadmates?
'Ah, well, I never gave them time to get familiar.'
Havel had joined the Golden Generation but hadn't bothered introducing himself to the rank-and-file.
Only the Five Great Families knew him properly.
And from the first island conquest after joining, he'd operated solo.
Naturally, plenty didn't recognize him.
He'd stuck exclusively with the Five Great Families even after arriving on the island.
'Not a single one can properly sense my presence.'
He wasn't even hiding it.
The gap in level was just too vast for anyone to pick up on his aura.
'Dratein must have some special insight to sense it a bit.'
The youngest of the Glasis family, Dratein, had sharp instincts.
But recalling how he'd freaked out, Havel shook his head.
'Better if they can't sense it.'
He had no interest in everyone losing it upon seeing him.
Then Havel felt the two staring at his back.
Come to think of it, he hadn't introduced himself yet.
"Havel Banpellyon. Your squadmate, so remember it."
With that, Havel moved on.
As if brushing off dust.
He swung his sword lightly along the cliff's edge.
That alone pulverized every calamity beast.
Meria and Eric stared blankly.
"What the hell is that guy...?"
"Havel... wasn't that the name Penbola mentioned for the new guy this time?"
At Eric's question, Meria belatedly recalled Banpellyon.
"Banpellyon—that's where Dante is, right?"
"That super rookie Dante? Y-yeah! The mercenary who moves with Dante is named Havel, isn't he?"
Realizing who Havel was, the two panicked.
And with it came a realization.
Banpellyon's problem wasn't just the super rookie called Dante.
The real monster was someone else.
"...What the hell is Banpellyon?"
Meria's question echoed quietly.
Unfortunately, no one there could answer.
After Havel went around providing aid.
The situation wrapped up in no time.
The calamity beasts seemed to give up on conquering the island.
They stopped trying to climb altogether.
Thanks to that, the Golden Generation and Valtua Alliance were utterly exhausted.
They'd been battling calamity beasts nonstop for nearly a full day.
It was only natural.
Yet amid it all, one person showed no fatigue whatsoever.
None other than Havel.
"Baria."
At Havel's call, Baria flinched.
He'd been catching his breath after the calamity beast fight.
But Havel's voice tensed him right back up.
"Think it's about time to head to the next island."
"A-already?"
Baria was stunned.
He'd glimpsed Havel battling Nachul from above.
It was the brightest sky he'd ever seen.
And knowing that sky was born from Havel's swordsmanship left him in awe yet again.
Havel had bloomed the dawn and even handled the calamity beasts.
Yet somehow, his stamina was bottomless.
He was already pushing for the next island.
"We've rested enough. What's with the whining? Dante wouldn't complain over this much."
I'm not Dante.
Baria wanted to say it but clamped his mouth shut.
Protests wouldn't work on him.
"I'll head out first. Tell me the next island's location."
He'd already made up his mind.
So Baria simply gave in and shared the position.
"Hold on, Baria."
It was then.
Penbola August stepped in, covering Baria's mouth.
This island conquest had essentially been all Havel.
So he probably couldn't stand by any longer.
"Havel, may I have a word?"
Havel, sensing it, turned to Penbola.
"Speak."
"From the next island on, it might be more efficient to operate separately."
Hearing that, Havel smirked.
The conquest achievements were basically all his.
Plus, during the calamity beast cleanup, plenty of Golden Generation members had barely survived thanks to him.
Those guys were now looking at Havel with eyes full of admiration.
Just from that, the Golden Generation was already shifting around him.
The group that should have centered on Penbola.
He couldn't just let that slide.
"And?"
"I'll select Golden Generation members who won't get in your way. Let's form a separate team."
A clever move.
A way to keep Havel in the Golden Generation while pulling him aside.
By creating an extra team.
"Hmm."
Havel crossed his arms, eyeing Penbola.
He stood tense, and Havel soon nodded.
"Fine. Let's do it that way."
Havel could let that much slide.
It even gave him some benefits he could claim.
"Then I'll assemble the team right away. Baria."
"What?"
Baria whipped around to Penbola.
As his eyes widened, Penbola gave an apologetic look.
"You and Havel are friends, right?"
Rotten friend my ass. Don't spout nonsense.
Baria glared at Penbola, but he just looked away.
"I'll go too!"
Then Azaris Ignor appeared, red hair flying.
If he joined, two of the Five Great Families would be with Havel.
"Go ahead."
But Penbola approved.
Better to solidify himself as the sole Five Great Families rep in the remaining Golden Generation.
"The rest."
"I'll go."
Someone raised a hand.
Clothes near-white, golden blond hair.
Eyes curled in a way that screamed deep faith.
Edler from the Holy Church.
The guy always asked if he actually kept his eyes open.
But his healing was the real deal.
"The feat Havel showed earlier... I truly believe God's will is with you. I want to help no matter what."
Penbola nodded.
One healer was invaluable.
Havel aside.
Baria or Azaris could get hurt.
"Then the team is set. We'll prepare the ship."
"No need. I could just walk."
Baria looked queasy.
"That's only possible for you, Havel."
Havel turned to Azaris.
"Azaris, got a question."
"Whoa, Havel talking to me first? First time ever!"
Have I been ignoring him too much?
Azaris bounded over excitedly.
Havel whispered something, and his eyes lit up.
"Yeah, that should work."
"Good."
Havel turned to Baria and Edler.
Baria instinctively stepped back.
Too late.
"Setting sail."
"Yay! This'll be fun!"
"As God's will leads."
Havel, Azaris, and Edler were already moving.
"Baria, sorry. No one else fits."
Hearing Penbola's apology from behind.
Baria trudged along dejectedly.