Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: The Star Sword of the Night God
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As I mentioned earlier.
The Crow Tribe on the 73rd floor had split into five tribes after the chieftain's death long ago, as his children each claimed to be the rightful successor.
'One is the youngest, the minority Tendal Tribe.'
Tendal, the youngest son of the Crow Tribe.
Their numbers were the smallest, but their warriors were quite skilled—led by the exceptional Baldoran.
'The fourth, Allante.'
Allante was slightly larger than Tendal.
But their situation was far from good.
With such small numbers, they were always at risk of being invaded and wiped out.
The youngest and the fourth couldn't hold much territory.
'So, which tribe is currently the strongest on this floating island?'
The two tribes fighting most fiercely over the floating island right now were a pair of bitter enemies.
The rough first son, Bardcomon.
The swift apothecary second son, Ronir.
These two tribes were mortal foes, as expected from their positions closest to the chieftain.
That rivalry drove them to devour each other at every opportunity.
And they were the ones waging the largest war at the moment.
In truth, this war between them was a welcome sight for the fourth and youngest tribes.
Not only did it wear down their foes, but it also kept their beaks from poking into other territories.
'But that won't last forever.'
Eventually, the war would end, and those beaks would turn toward the other brother tribes.
Especially once those two largest forces merged.
'And the last one.'
The neutral third son, Gardan.
Their size was a bit smaller than the first and second.
But Gardan was no small tribe either.
Yet they showed no interest in the unification war itself.
They even urged their brother tribes to reconcile at times.
Still, they couldn't be taken lightly.
"Gardan is just waiting for the first, Bardcomon, and the second, Ronir, to weaken each other."
From the youngest son Tendal's perspective, Gardan was simply biding its time.
The moment those two faltered, they would bare their teeth.
After all, it was a chance to swallow both without expending their own strength.
"But there's a card that could end this war in an instant."
Baldoran mentioned his trump card and pulled out a map.
At the center of the map depicting the entire floating island was a single sword illustration.
"That is to be chosen by the Night God."
The legacy of the Night God, revered by all Crow Tribes.
The Star Sword.
It stood embedded proudly at the island's heart.
An ancient legend passed down through generations.
Whoever draws the Star Sword—the Lion of the Night—would be chosen, and the brother they select would unify and rule all the Crow Tribes.
In a primitive tribal society, religious legends held immense power.
"What if I pull it out?"
Havel asked, and Baldoran grinned.
"If the Lion of the Night chooses our Tendal, we'll have the greatest legitimacy for unification."
In war, legitimacy was the key to victory.
No chieftain could ignore it, and the tribesmen who believed in the Night God wouldn't fight at full strength against the chosen one.
"Of course, that's assuming the sword can be drawn."
Baldoran still pinned his hopes on Havel.
He desperately wanted that monstrous strength to pull the Star Sword free.
"Simple enough."
Once they had legitimacy, he could just beat down the chieftains and unify the tribe in a snap.
On top of advancing to the next floor, Havel could reap the benefits of Tendal's gratitude there too.
This was a no-lose situation.
"Right. From today, have your tribe members mark their clothes with a distinctive symbol each."
Havel stood, swinging his arms to loosen up.
"A symbol?"
Baldoran tilted his head.
What was this out-of-nowhere request?
"Yeah. I can't tell you all apart. If war breaks out and I can't distinguish you from the other tribes, what do you think will happen?"
To Havel, Tendal, Allante, Bardcomon—they were all just crows.
He'd slaughter them indiscriminately, friend or foe.
Baldoran's face paled.
"I'll give the orders right away."
With the discussion over, Havel rose.
"Then I should go pull that sword first."
The biggest factor in war was legitimacy.
Even if you crushed them with force, without it, internal strife would erupt.
Havel had seen it countless times in wars.
'What happens here will carry over to future generations.'
When ancestors' deeds were judged by descendants, legitimacy was always factored in.
The more legitimacy, the more glory they received.
"Naturally, no one has ever drawn the Star Sword."
It could only be pulled by one chosen by the Night God.
Countless great chieftains had tried.
Yet no one had succeeded.
So when Baldoran voiced his concern, Havel scratched his head.
"If it doesn't work, I can just rip up the ground it's buried in with the sword."
"Uh, um, i-is that... allowed?"
Baldoran panicked at the unexpected remark.
Elasia, who had been translating, let out a short sigh beside him.
"Lord Havel, shouldn't we avoid shattering Baldoran's common sense too much, even for the future?"
"Thinking too rigidly hardens the mind. This is actually a good lesson."
But Havel was shameless.
Was this really a "lesson"?
Faced with Havel's brazenness, Elasia quietly dropped the subject.
She had spent enough time with him by now.
Once he got like this, there was no stopping him.
He always did things wildly outside normal sense without a second thought.
"Alright, I'll head out. Oh, pair some decent tribe members with that guy. Or you can spar with him yourself."
Havel pointed at Phaiod.
Unlike before, Phaiod's eyes had changed.
He must have been properly stimulated by Havel's materialization display.
'Not a bad outcome.'
Regardless of else, the kid had good potential.
Just fill him with experience, and he'd grow on his own.
So Havel left Phaiod, Balop, and Owen behind and headed out of the village.
Someone soon followed beside him.
"Lord Havel, I'll come with you!"
It was Elasia.
"Why are you tagging along?"
Havel eyed her curiously.
She wouldn't be much help this time.
Elasia glanced around nervously before confessing honestly.
"W-well, I've been held captive by the tribesmen all this time. Staying there gives me PTSD..."
She was just scared.
Fair enough—her life had been on the line.
Seeing tribesmen probably made her want to foam at the mouth.
"Did you memorize the central map earlier?"
"Yes, I did!"
Elasia's face brightened.
"Then guide us with light magic."
Her light magic would make it easier.
Havel crouched low as he spoke.
Elasia froze, realizing what that posture meant.
"...You're not going to carry me like that again, are you?"
Her eyes filled with slight dread.
Havel stood with a bored expression.
"Fine, I'll tuck you under my arm."
"I love being carried on your back!"
"That bothers me."
Elasia hurriedly cast her spell and scampered over.
The haughty mage was nowhere in sight. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After using Elasia's pathfinding light magic.
Havel carried her on his back and dashed through the forest.
The woods were vast enough to make humans look like ants.
But to Havel, it was just a stroll.
"Eeeeeek."
Only Elasia's screams punctuated the journey now and then.
After racing through the shifting scenery for a while.
The beam of light halted abruptly at one spot.
Havel stopped, following the light, and surveyed the area.
Ruins lay scattered in disarray.
"L-Lord Havel, there!"
Elasia, snapping out of it, pointed somewhere.
Crow statues of white stone stood there.
Each held a different object.
Arranged in a circle as if guarding something.
At their center, a single sword was embedded.
"That must be the Star Sword bestowed by the Night God."
"Yeah. Even the upper-floor conquest teams never mentioned it."
The 7th hierarchy had been cleared up to the 76th floor.
But the Star Sword wasn't in the 73rd floor conquest guide.
So practically no one knew about it.
More precisely, no one had reason to come this deep.
The Crow Tribes lived far from the island's center.
Havel gazed at the sword.
The blade said to have fallen from the sky with its legend one day.
The Night Sword's edge was pitch-black, as if it held all the world's darkness.
But that was it.
"It's just a sword."
Havel felt nothing special.
He stepped forward toward it.
True to Crow Tribe fashion, the sword was enormous.
"A-are you going to pull it?"
Elasia quickly backed away.
She didn't want to get caught in anything.
Meanwhile, Havel activated Gigantification.
Growing to the sword's size in an instant, he gripped the hilt firmly.
He'd give it a tug first.
That was the moment.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Havel felt his Calamity stat being sucked away.
And it started from the sword.
He instinctively let go and clenched, then unclenched his hand.
Then he let out a slow chuckle.
"So that's why it couldn't be drawn."
As he muttered, Dawn began to gather in his hand.
Mixed with Calamity.
With that Dawn, he gripped the Star Sword again.
"What a setup."
In that instant, Dawn's light illuminated the area.
Elasia flinched and retreated further.
Havel's aura poured into the Star Sword.
Despite the massive influx of Calamity, the sword devoured it greedily.
Then, on the pitch-black blade.
Stars began embedding one by one.
Each twinkling differently, they wove across it like the Milky Way.
The stars slid down the blade.
Until they reached the tip.
Boom!
The ground where the Star Sword was embedded trembled.
Simultaneously, beams of light shot up from the earth, piercing the sky.
Within those beams, Havel kept pouring Calamity into the sword.
Eventually, as the lights faded.
Havel pulled the Star Sword free with a pop.
Its blade, once shrouded only in darkness.
Now gleamed beautifully, embroidered with galaxies.
"Wow."
Elasia, watching from afar, gasped involuntarily.
Havel stared at the Star Sword.
The moment he drew it, familiar text appeared. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ['The Moth-Eater' is peeking at you through the cracks.] Havel's eyes gleamed coldly.
Following the Whisperer, God's poison, and God's duality.
A fourth new entity had appeared.
'Do these things peek at us through their own methods when certain triggers occur?'
If they could see this side, maybe this side could see them too.
Unfortunately, Havel scanned around but learned nothing.
Just that an eerie gaze lingered.
"Elasia, don't look this way."
"O-okay!"
Havel unleashed Dawn in a single motion while gripping the Star Sword.
A flash exploded outward.
He aimed to blast the watching eyes away. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ['The Moth-Eater' is startled and flips over.] It seemed to work quite well.
As the flash faded, Havel snorted.
Whatever it was, he didn't like being spied on.
"Lord Havel!"
Elasia shouted then.
"I know."
Havel turned, having sensed it with his ki perception even before her cry.
A flock of pitch-black crows swarmed from beyond.
Undoubtedly drawn by the light from the Star Sword.
Gripping the sword tightly, Havel faced them.
"Let's see how the moths fare."
Time to show them what happens when you chase the light.
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