Chapter 119: Spreading Blood on Sand (10)
“Either way, I’m certain to die and end up in the red water. I’ll try to buy you some time.”
“No way, idiot. It won’t work. And how are you going to do it anyway?”
“Just wait a moment.”
Suddenly, Raging Storm began to fiddle with the monument. Despite looking completely at random, there was no other choice but to trust it, as they had no idea what it was doing. With each press of the button, a voice echoed.
[5 minutes remaining.]
[25 minutes…]
[42 seconds remaining until Security System activation.]
“Hey, it decreased even more.”
“Wait. Impatient people don’t live long.”
“You know how to talk well.”
Despite Ronan’s urging, Raging Storm silently continued pressing the buttons. Soon, a different announcement was heard.
[60 minutes remaining until Security System activation. Due to frequent changes, additional operations are restricted.]
After that, the voice did not return. The shaking within Raging Storm, as if had been thrown, also subsided. Ronan chuckled as if amazed.
“Heh. That actually worked.”
“Sorry. I don’t think I can increase it any further.”
“No, this is impressive enough.”
Ronan nodded. It might not be very long, but it was much more time than 3 minutes. The three people who received additional healing from Cita stood up from their positions.
“Damn, I might actually live now. Thanks.”
“Beeh!”
“One of the best things I think I did since I came back was… not throwing you into the river while you were still an egg. I really thought you were a waste of space back then.”
“Beewh?”
Ronan gently stroked Cita. Cita with her eyes wide open, tilted her head. Ronan, who came up the stairs, first approached the corpses of Teranil and Yuria.
“…Is this really that white man?”
“Hmm. It was a truly spectacular end.”
“What on earth do you do that makes a corpse look like this… ugh.”
Seeing Teranil’s body, Raging Storm retched. Even to a warrior of Dainhar, it was a horrific sight. The shockwave that exploded from within him turned his body into the most avant-garde and disgusting vase in the world.
“Let’s see…”
“Wh-what are you doing?”
At that moment, Ronan started rummaging through Teranil’s remains. Raging Storm recoiled in horror.
“Just wait. If he was a Bishop, he should have something to carry around… ”
Because it was already smashed to pieces and the blood was too vigorous, it was difficult to find anything. Ronan could only find something useful after Cita had absorbed all the blood on the scene.
“Yeah. This was here.”
Creek! Ronan tore off a piece of metal from the shredded flesh. It was a hexagonal badge that had been attached to Teranil’s sleeve. Given that only Teranil among the organization members carried it, it seemed to be something symbolizing the Bishop.
“What the hell is this made of?”
Examining the badge, Ronan furrowed his brow. A chillingly dense glittering mana was condensed inside the badge. It seemed like if it were soaked in water, it would produce sparkling urine.
‘Disgusting.’
Muttering complaints, Ronan still took the badge. He had a premonition that it would come in handy.
Aside from the badge, there was nothing worth taking from Teranil. Ronan picked up the dagger that was lying around along with his dismembered vertebrae, which was entangled with a shredded piece of cloth. Despite the chaos, the sword remained flawless.
“It’s quite useful. Dolon.”
With Ymir sheathed in its scabbard, Ronan smirked. Compared to Lamancha, its killing power was low, but its versatility was excellent. The ability to invoke aura from the position of the dagger was especially appealing.
Looking around, he noticed Shullifen examining Yuria’s whip. Ronan strolled over and raised an eyebrow.
“What, you’re into that kind of thing?”
“I was just looking because it seems to have been made by a fairly skilled craftsman.”
“I thought you were going to give it to my sister as a gift and ask her to whip your ass. Look!”
“You…!”
Ignoring Shullifen, who’s face had turned blood red, Ronan began to examine the whip. Certainly, the craftsmanship seemed exceptional, from the unusual material to the delicate workmanship. Each of the hundred metal strands woven in a row was finely processed.
‘Amazing. Even if you tear them off one by one, you can still use them as weapons.’
It was like looking at an art piece rather than a weapon. While fiddling with the handle, suddenly, the whip autonomously shrank, transforming into a luxurious staff suitable for nobles.
“…Really amazing.”
Ronan whistled. It was a level of precision that he wouldn’t recognize even if he deliberately examined it. Unless it was a blacksmith of Dolon’s level, it seemed impossible to attempt to reproduce it.
Even though he didn’t know who made it, it was undoubtedly a blacksmith highly regarded on the continent. Suddenly, the words that Yuria had said crossed Ronan’s mind.
‘Was it made by that Alivrihe?’
Yuria said that they’d make Teranil amazing prosthetic hands. And the magic engineering required to make prosthetic limbs, which requires extremely delicate work, was an item that could be called the culmination of all technology.
“Tsk.”
Ronan clicked his tongue. The fact that such a skilled craftsman was collaborating with those fanatics didn’t sit well with him. He took the whip and slowly turned around. Contrary to expectations, there was no need to rush to collect the magic stone.
“If I just take these, I can eat and play around for the rest of my life.”
The floor was covered with mana stones. They were the mana stones that the monsters controlled by Yuria had consumed. It seemed that Raging Storm’s testimony about them swallowing the mana stones was indeed true.
“Interesting. It seems they were powered by mana stones.”
“Having something this good to eat made them act all crazy.”
Ronan, who made a makeshift bag out of his outerwear, started collecting the mana stones. Even though he chose only the best ones, the amount was still too much to handle. As long as Sekreet did not commit corruption, he would have more than he could ever need.
Ronan even took off Shullifen’s outerwear and wrapped the bag around it. Before leaving, he had asked Cita to absorb all the blood spilled by the natives, making it easier to handle the bodies. Raging Storm, who had been looking at the lined-up bodies, finally spoke.
“…Thank you.”
“It’s okay. Just bury them well.”
“Everyone will appreciate it. Thanks to you, warriors can smile even in death.”
Ronan twisted his lips. Everyone here chose death over revealing their secrets. A silent honor. Ronan, who slightly bowed his head, muttered quietly.
“Go to a good place.”
Seeing off comrades was a damn hard thing to do. Especially if they died honorably.
After a brief moment of silence, the three people returned the way they came. Fortunately, it didn’t take as long as when they came. As Ronan walked along with Raging Storm, he opened his mouth.
“Sorry it turned out like this. I wanted to help find survivors, but I’m running out of time.”
“It’s okay. Your intention is more than enough.”
“There’s a guy named Aselle who’s exceptionally good at restoration work. Should I call him later?”
“No, we can handle it ourselves. Rocks may be eroded by the wind, but they don’t disappear.”
Raging Storm replied confidently. Ronan smiled silently, trying hard to appear strong.
From the temperament of Yuria and Teranil, it was difficult to expect more survivors. Raging Storm also seemed to be aware of that.
Without saying a word, they moved on. When they reached the entrance, a boy who was nervously biting his nails stood in the distance. Ronan poked Raging Storm with his elbow and spoke.
“Isn’t that your little brother?”
“Hmm?”
It was Dreaming Thunder, Raging Storm’s younger brother. Spotting the group, he jumped up from where he was standing.
“Brother! Everyone!”
“Are you okay?”
Ronan waved. Dreaming Thunder stopped in front of Raging Storm, catching his breath. He opened his mouth, gasping for air.
“Hehe… I thought you were dead because you didn’t come back for so long. Whew, everyone was so worried!”
“Sorry. If it weren’t for our saviors, I might have really died.”
“Anyway, I’m relieved you didn’t die. Come quickly. Brother, I have something to show you.”
“Something to show?”
“It will probably be surprising. Everyone, follow me!”
Dreaming Thunder, bouncing ahead, led the way. The three followed him in bewilderment. Soon, as they unfolded the view of the cave, everyone’s eyes widened.
“What is this!”
“Brother, our tribe didn’t perish. There were still this many survivors.”
Seemingly around two hundred people had gathered, all with worn out expressions. However, there were no injured individuals in sight. The people who noticed Raging Storm with Ronan and his group shouted in joy.
“Look over there, Raging Storm has returned!”
“The saviors are unharmed too! It’s a miracle…”
In an instant, the gathered indigenous people surrounded them. The trembling voice of Raging Storm flowed through his lips.
“Ronan, am I dreaming right now?”
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
“I hope I don’t wake up, even if it’s just a dream. I sincerely mean it.”
Raging Storm looked at the faces of the tribesmen one by one. They were people he thought had all died. There were enough individuals to rebuild the tribe. Thunder pointed at Cita and laughed heartily.
“It’s not a dream. That bird led us to where people were. Following the red path, we found people bleeding.”
Raging Storm’s eyes widened. It was what had happened while Ronan and Shullifen were engaged in the conflict.
It seemed that the rescue operation was progressing as the natives brought back the wounded for Cita to heal. Fluttering above Ronan’s head, Cita seemed to puff up her feathers as if asking how it was.
“This… is really… I…”
For a moment, moisture gathered in Raging Storm’s eyes. Holding back his tears, he turned his head. Before long, his broad shoulders began to shake.
“Your size doesn’t match your sulky nature.”
Ronan chuckled. Raging Storm, wiping his eyes roughly with the back of his hand, turned to look at Ronan again. He bent his waist to Ronan.
“Thank you! I’ll never forget this!”
“It’s fine. If you become the chief later, just give me a hand if I ever need it.”
“I will definitely repay this favor. We will forever be your friends and allies. I will make sure to…”
Raging Storm was about to continue his words when that voice of the woman, which had been silent until now, echoed through the cave.
[60 minutes have passed. Security system rebooting. Please be cautious of strong vibrations.]
“Huh, has it already come to this?”
Ronan raised his head. Thudududud! Suddenly, the cave began to vibrate like mad. The startled natives exclaimed in confusion. Raging Storm, wiping away his tears, shouted loudly.
“Everyone, calm down! It’s an earthquake that will pass quickly! Gather the women and children at the center!”
His commanding voice overflowed with charisma. People who had regained their composure followed his instructions.
It was hard to believe he was the same guy whimpering just a while ago. Dreaming Thunder, Raging Storm’s younger brother, guided the frightened people.
“Come this way. Be careful not to fall.”
“He’s pretty good.”
Ronan laughed. He was just joking about Raging Storm becoming the Chief, but now it felt like something he could really look forward to. Once again, the voice of the woman was heard.
[Performing a scan prior to the main operation. Subjects without identification codes will be automatically expelled.]
Bang! At that moment, a surge of mana erupted from an unknown source, passing through everyone in the cave. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“What is that…?”
Bright light emitted from the tribal tattoos on the bodies of the natives. Ronan and Shullifen were the only ones unaffected. Was that the identification code? Ronan mumbled.
[Three unidentified subjects confirmed. Commencing expulsion.]
Whoosh! Suddenly, a blue light appeared, engulfing Ronan and Shullifen. Even the frantically flying Cita was swallowed without resistance.
The natives, whose eyes were wide open, let out screams of horror. Thudududud! The vibration continued.
***
“Ugh! What the hell?!”
“Hmm…!”
Suddenly, everything became bright. Ronan, who hit his butt, let out a curse. Fine sand grains were mixed like dust in the dry wind that blew back his hair.
“Where is this…?”
Ronan got up slowly. The clear sky stretched above his head, and reddish deserts spread to the horizon. Cita, who was perched on Ronan’s head, managed to pull her head out.
“Beeh! Beeewhh!”
“What a surprise. Is this some kind of spatial magic?”
Fixing his disheveled clothes, Shullifen spoke up. Cita continued to spit out sand as they found themselves in the midst of the red sand desert.
In the distance, the towering silhouette of Dainhar, like a crown, came into view. Judging by its elusive appearance, they had at least two days of travel ahead.
Surveying the surroundings, the colossal corpse of a Roc Bird caught their attention. Impaled on the emaciated side of the withered monster was a piece of metal that they had seen many times before.
These were the same spikes that Yuria’s monsters launched. Ronan, who recognized that Roc Bird was the one which came with the thunder, muttered quietly.
“It feels like being gnawed on by a ghost…”
They had heard the notice that they would be expelled, but experiencing it firsthand left them somewhat numb. Fortunately, the belongings they had brought were scattered nearby.
“…Well, shall we go back?”
Ronan was about to turn around when, Thudududud! It was an earthquake on a much larger scale than the one they had experienced just moments ago. Ronan suddenly caught sight of Dainhar and opened his eyes wide.
“Uhh, what is that?”
Kwagwagwagwa! Dainhar was moving. Rock formations that looked like organic shapes were rising layer by layer. Metal structures emerged, wrapping around Dainhar.
Even with a hundred earth mages of Jhordin’s level, they couldn’t create such a spectacle. Suddenly, the artificial voice he heard at Dainhar passed through his mind.
“Security system…?”
Only then did Ronan realize why the shape of the rocky mountains was not natural. It was not naturally formed in the first place.
The earthquake lasted for tens of minutes before finally calming down. After completing its transformation, Dainhar was about three times larger in size. The cluster of rocky mountains rising with the force of tearing up the sky was reminiscent of a huge fortress. Ronan, who was left dumbfounded, opened his mouth.
“Now no one can get in there.”
“That seems likely. The entire terrain is now covered by a powerful force field.”
“What?”
“It’s a very powerful force field. Even the Imperial Army might have trouble breaking through.”
Shullifen nodded. Ronan narrowed his eyes and, upon closer inspection, saw a bluish mana barrier covering the entire terrain of Dainhar.
It really looked like a fortress prepared for anything. After a moment of silence, Shullifen spoke.
“Anyway, Ronan. Keep your promise.”
“Promise?”
Instead of answering, Shullifen just looked at Ronan with a subtle silence. It took a while for Ronan to understand his intention, and he chuckled dryly.
“You’re not in your right mind.”
Ronan pulled out a piece of paper from the back pocket of his pants. On the palm-sized paper, a cheerful image of Iril was depicted. Shullifen’s voice trembled.
“This… this is…”
“Put it in a frame and keep it. Just don’t do anything weird with it.”
Shullifen accepted the drawing with both hands, as if receiving an imperial decree. He stared at the picture in silence for a moment and murmured softly.
“…I will keep it as an heirloom.”
“Crazy bastard.”
Ronan shook his head. His reaction was about 30,000 times more intense than when he awakened the Storm Sword. The wave patterns engraved on the sand dunes following the wind signaled the end of their adventure.
They retraced their steps, and the bloody imprints of the bandits, once vividly marked in the sand, had disappeared without a trace.
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