Chapter 89
Chapter 89
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Elasia and Paiod's Cooperation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Havel, who had been watching from afar, showed quite an interesting reaction.
"Acting like sworn enemies, but they sync up pretty well."
Come to think of it, both of them had served as leaders of their respective groups.
That was why they knew how to adjust to each other.
But their inexperience with wielding Calamity held them back.
It was still too soon for them to go up against lifelong Memento Mori veterans.
So Havel stepped in.
He had no intention of letting them die while they gained real combat experience.
"Let go! Let me gooo!"
In that moment, a voice reached Havel's ears.
There, gripped by the scruff of her neck, was Merimoli—one of Memento Mori's members.
She was the one who had gone berserk after her puppet doll, Orddin, was taken down.
Even her ally Barutuga had fled when she rampaged.
In that state, she lost all reason and destroyed everything in her path.
But once Havel grabbed her, she was little more than a child.
No matter how wildly she flailed her arms, Havel didn't budge an inch.
Squelch!
At that instant, threads began spilling from the cotton Havel had burst open.
Those threads slyly stretched toward him.
"Playtime with dolls is over."
But there was no way Havel wouldn't notice.
In a flash, the edge of his hand moved at a speed Merimoli couldn't follow.
Slash!
The threads aiming to bind him were severed all at once.
There must have been tens of thousands of them trying to move.
When they were all cut in an instant, Merimoli was left dumbfounded.
She was starting to get a real sense of just how monstrous the one holding her was.
And soon, her pupils slowly dilated.
Only then did the rumors she'd heard about Havel's appearance come to mind.
"No way... Havel?"
She never spoke except when rampaging.
But even she mumbled now.
She sensed danger in this situation.
"Looks like Memento Mori's been keeping close tabs on me."
As Havel confirmed it, her eyes trembled violently.
The hero who ushered in a new era, Havel.
Naturally, to Memento Mori, he was a prime target for elimination.
But seeing him up close changed her mind.
He's dangerous.
We might have chosen the wrong enemy—someone Memento Mori can't afford to make an adversary.
At least in this moment, Merimoli felt it crystal clear.
"Don't worry."
Havel spoke kindly to the terrified Merimoli.
"Whether you keep tabs on me or not, I was planning to dig through Memento Mori from top to bottom anyway."
Havel was certain.
The leader of Memento Mori was surely one who could wield Calamity, just like the Whisperer or those God's Venom bastards.
'And that "Rot-Eater" who showed up last time.'
The Memento Mori leader's probably that guy.
Until now, the Whisperer and God's Venom had been hard to track despite knowing they existed.
But the Memento Mori leader was different.
Beat the members, and he'd come crawling out for sure.
"Perfect."
Havel tucked Merimoli under his arm and assumed a stance.
"I've got a lot of questions."
With that, he kicked off the ground.
"Kyaa!"
Merimoli screamed.
The sudden acceleration pressed down on her body with overwhelming force.
Just as her consciousness was about to slip from the strain...
Havel stood before the one who had been watching from the forest.
A man who looked like a black monkey.
Barutuga, another Memento Mori member.
He flinched as Havel appeared and gripped his staff tight.
He'd been wondering what happened to Merimoli's giant puppet.
Suddenly, its heart area blew open, and a man emerged.
Silver hair, nearly white, swayed faintly.
"Urk!"
Seeing it, Barutuga felt a sudden, inexplicable headache.
His head throbbed.
As he panicked, unsure what it was, memories flashed through his mind like a panorama.
They were from the inn not long ago.
He'd been wolfing down food when the chef tried passing some to another customer.
He snatched it and ate it anyway.
Then the man approached and smashed his head down.
The plank splintered, his head buried deep in the earth, damp soil, fading consciousness... and a bump.
Finally, silver hair bordering on white.
As all the memories resurfaced, his eyes flew wide open.
"You bastard! You're that guy from back then!"
Barutuga bellowed, seething with rage.
The one who'd slammed his head into the floor was this man.
"Have we met?"
Havel eyed Barutuga curiously.
"You smashed my head into the floor and now you're playing dumb? Don't you remember what you did at the inn?!"
Havel casually tossed Merimoli aside and dug in his ear.
"Nope."
His expression was utterly bored.
"And whose fault is that? You probably just weren't memorable enough."
Barutuga ground his teeth.
"You little..."
Rage dripped from his eyes.
Havel cracked his neck lightly at the sight.
"You're Memento Mori too, right?"
Havel crooked a finger at him.
"Come on. Let me see what you've got."
He was treating him like a complete stranger.
Seeing that, fury boiled up to Barutuga's scalp.
He'd make him pay for the insult.
This time, unlike before, he had his Calamity armament.
His body leaned forward in an instant.
Boom!
Smoke rose from the ground.
His tilted form reached Havel in a blink.
"Ba-Barutuga!"
Merimoli, who had passed out, came to and shouted belatedly.
"Run away!"
But before her words could reach him...
Barutuga was already thrusting his staff at Havel.
Clang!
The strike held enough power to pierce flesh and shatter any obstacle.
Yet the sound that rang out was one of something blocking it.
Barutuga's eyes locked onto the tip.
There, his staff pressed against Havel's index finger.
"Urghhh!"
This was wrong.
He was just prodding with a finger.
Yet his staff wouldn't budge forward an inch.
Barutuga's fearless eyes shook wildly.
He couldn't comprehend the scene.
The Calamity infused in his staff, Octagon, far exceeded ordinary levels.
For it to be stopped by a mere finger?
Impossible.
But the thrust was already committed.
No turning back now.
"Shit!"
Barutuga spat curses as his staff began to spin.
The added rotation whipped up winds fierce enough to blow everything away.
At the same time, his staff grew endlessly larger.
Trees were uprooted wholesale, the area reduced to rubble.
"Urk!"
Elasia, watching the spectacle, cast a defensive spell and swallowed hard.
Behind her stood Paiod, drained of strength.
Incredible power.
A little less force, and they'd be swept away.
Yet amid the storm, Havel stood unharmed.
His hair merely fluttered.
He still blocked it with his index finger.
Barutuga wondered if he'd failed to ramp up the power.
But the devastated surroundings proved it was growing.
He felt the Calamity in his staff depleting rapidly.
Grrrrrind!
"You damn monster!"
Clenching his teeth, Barutuga poured out even more Calamity.
The forest began shattering further.
Crack!
Then, a change appeared on Havel's side.
His finger was slowly being pushed back.
Strength gleamed in Barutuga's eyes.
Finally, his efforts were paying off.
He'd snap that finger clean off.
That was his thought—
'What the hell am I doing?'
Suddenly, the idea crossed his mind.
Pathetic, getting worked up over breaking one finger.
He started pitying himself.
And realized.
If Havel moved even slightly here, he'd be the one smashed.
Shhh...
His Calamity began to fade.
His will to fight had broken.
His Octagon drooped downward.
Once he saw the fight was pointless, it all felt meaningless.
"That it?"
Havel didn't care if his spirit broke.
He'd only been testing, after all.
"Rotten... monster."
His will might be gone, but his eyes still burned fierce.
Havel cracked his neck again.
"Too bad, though."
In that instant, a chilling aura poured from Havel.
As Barutuga flinched reflexively, a shock slammed into his face.
Crash!
With a harsh noise, Barutuga tumbled across the ground.
"Argh! Ack!"
Havel advanced as Barutuga rolled, clutching his face.
"I'm not done yet."
A smile curled Havel's lips, turning Barutuga's face deathly pale.
A bratty monkey fears the rod.
"W-Wait!"
"Wait, my ass."
Havel was already in front of him.
He raised his leg high, making Barutuga freak out.
"I-I was wrong!"
Havel ignored him.
Boom!
He stomped down, and Barutuga screamed.
But it landed beside his head.
The footprint cratered the earth.
If that hit him, his face would've been gone.
Barutuga panted in terror.
Havel ground the footprint underfoot as he eyed him.
"How much can you tell me about Memento Mori?"
This was a warning.
Die here, or die by Memento Mori's hand.
Barutuga gulped, eyes shaking as he hesitated.
"Still thinking?"
Havel decided not to give him more time.
"Everything!"
Barutuga screamed like it was his last breath.
"I'll tell you everything!"
The answer was perfect.
"Good."
The smile on Havel's face looked demonic to Barutuga.
"Well, go on. Spill it."
Hope it's worth the time.
That was all Havel hoped for.