Although Violet didn’t know about the three major characteristics, she managed, in her own way, to restore Edgar’s confidence in them.
After a moment of silence, the mixed-race beastman nodded thoughtfully.
“Miss Violet is right. I was too presumptuous. Ordinary people have no way of knowing about the ‘Illusionary Cloud,’ so it’s normal that you wouldn’t be aware... Yes, I did once have a battle with the ‘Southern Calamity.'”
As he spoke, a shadow of gloominess appeared on Edgar’s face.
“Or rather, I was simply crushed by that monster, toyed with, and ended up fleeing in embarrassment... Ha, it was truly pathetic.”
He gently removed an inconspicuous ring from his finger. Soon, the originally sturdy and robust figure, fitting the typical characteristics of a beastman, gradually shrank inward. It wasn’t that he became weak, but rather he transformed into a more elongated and balanced form. His facial features also underwent some changes, noticeably regaining a youthful vigor.
“Let me reintroduce myself. I am Epunia, a mixed-race beastman born in the Ironblood Empire of Nobos, currently sixty-seven years old.”
Though he looked like he was in his thirties at most, it wasn’t surprising. Tiger people had a lifespan two to three times longer than humans, and the stronger ones could live even longer. While Epunia was a mixed race, he was roughly equivalent to a human in his thirties.
“About thirty years ago, I roamed the inhospitable region, finding no worthy opponents, witnessing legends, and was given the title of ‘Battle Maniac’ by the locals. It was a time when I was filled with satisfaction.”
Violet immediately exclaimed, “Oh~,” recognizing the legendary name, ‘Battle Maniac’ Epunia, from what she had heard from the generals. Many of the experts who later died in the ‘Southern Calamity’ expedition were once defeated by him. Impressed by his strength, they were willing to follow him and challenge the 【Illusionary Cloud】 together as comrades or friends.
This was truly...
On the other side, Epunia continued to narrate his past.
“So, in my arrogance and ignorance, upon hearing about the infamous 【Southern Calamity】 and through some fortunate circumstances, I invited many experts to join me in an expedition to subjugate it.”
“At that time, many friends advised me not to act rashly, saying I underestimated the terror of the 【Southern Calamity】 and should reconsider. However, I didn’t heed their advice. Years of victories had inflated my confidence excessively.”
The subsequent results need not be elaborated. The entire expedition was annihilated, tens of thousands perished on the battlefield, corpses strewn everywhere, and ‘Battle Maniac’ Epunia was nowhere to be found.
Violet blinked curiously.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
“So, what exactly is that thing?”
In Epunia’s tiger-like eyes, deep-seated hatred and a trace of difficult-to-conceal fear appeared.
“It’s indescribable.”
“The 【Illusionary Cloud】 doesn’t have a tangible form in the true sense.”
The man paused, seemingly organizing his emotions. Coincidentally, at this moment, a knocking sound came from outside. The people in the room fell silent temporarily. After the sumptuous dozen or so dishes were served and the waitstaff withdrew, Epunia continued speaking.
“The place where we encountered the 【Illusionary Cloud】 was in a forest in the western part of the Bolt Kingdom. At that time, most of the army waited outside the forest, while I led several hundred experts to explore inside. Suddenly, in the lush forest during the daytime, a fog emerged.”
“Gray mist, so immense that it could cover everything, was the disaster.”
“Although I was overconfident, I wasn’t careless. I had already conducted thorough investigations in advance and immediately realized that we might have come into contact with the core of the 【Illusionary Cloud】.”
“I ordered my subordinates to try various methods to disperse the mist, especially utilizing the holy light power from the Temple that could effectively counter the ‘Disaster’.”
“I don’t know about the other three calamities, but the ‘Calamity Beasts’ that occasionally appear in the inhospitable region, you might have guessed, are actually magical beasts parasitized by the power split off from the ‘Illusionary Cloud.’ Only the power said to come from the gods can completely eliminate them.”
Epunia pointed to the ground beneath him.
“Forcibly killing the ‘Calamity Beasts’ would only cause those parasitic entities to switch targets, just like before.”
“But what I didn’t expect was that the power of the 【Illusionary Cloud】 itself, compared to those lingering ‘Disasters,’ is not even on the same level. It’s too powerful... It far exceeded my expectations, a true existence that can be called a 【Calamity】”
“Hundreds of priests, at least at the level of bishops, almost gathered half of the non-temple forces in the inhospitable region, but...”
“The light emitted by the priests I brought was like fireflies in the dark, completely swallowed up in less than a few minutes. The 【Calamity】 could actually counteract the holy light! We were like being swallowed into the belly of the 【Illusionary Cloud】. No matter where we went, the surrounding mist only grew thicker.”
“Lost direction, decreasing visibility, and companions around me rapidly diminishing. In that environment, unless you held hands, you would soon find yourself alone!”
Epunia’s breathing gradually became rapid, as if he had truly returned to that helpless and powerless past.
“The most frightening part is that even when gathered together, those mists are far more terrifying than ordinary 【Calamity】. They permeate every opening, corroding each one of us every moment.”
“I saw my like-minded friends gradually unable to resist, each one wailing in front of me, growing vine-like branches, transforming into monsters. And all I could do was to kill them with my own hands!”
“Can you imagine that kind of despair? Surrounded by the thick mist, where you couldn’t see your own hand, we, who came to subjugate the calamity, were forced to kill each other! Throughout, I never managed to harm the 【Illusionary Cloud】 even in the slightest! My proud martial skills were utterly useless! I’m just a failure!!!”
Roaring and howling, a faint gray mist continuously overflowed from Epunia’s skin pores. Even his eyes, like those parasites, began to take on a hint of gray, looking extremely abnormal.
Violet furrowed her brow, and Leila and the others subconsciously placed their hands on the weapons by their sides, ready to respond at any moment.
“Alright, calm down.”
Without even using her staff, the priestess waved her hand, and a purification spell emanated from her fingertips, enveloping Epunia. Before the gray mist could spread, it was instantly wiped away, and the emotionally agitated mixed-race beastman gradually calmed down with her assistance.
“Sorry... Although I managed to escape with my life back then, I was heavily contaminated by the 【Illusionary Cloud】s’ power. It’s not just that my strength has been reduced to almost nothing, I’m constantly being eroded at all times. If I’m not careful, I might...”
Epunia smiled bitterly.
“For over thirty years, I changed my name and identity, fled to the far north, became an adventurer in Criv Kingdom, and step by step, reached the position I’m in today. My physical condition had mostly stabilized, perhaps due to inhaling a considerable amount of the 【Calamity】 before. It’s just that, just now, my emotions were too agitated, and I couldn’t control it for a moment. Thanks for your help.”
“It’s okay, just a small favor.”
Brushing the black strands of hair hanging down from her temple, the priestess casually picked up a piece of relatively bland vegetable and put it into her mouth. If she hadn’t intervened earlier, these carefully cooked dishes might have been ruined.
After taking a few more bites of the delicious food, she looked back at the half-beast man, who had now regained his composure.
“So, what are the three major characteristics of the 【Illusionary Cloud】 that you mentioned? And how can I find it?”
Seeing that even when Violet heard such details, she remained fearless, Epunia could only sigh lightly and nod.
“Firstly, the 【Illusionary Cloud】 doesn’t have a fixed form. Conventional physical attacks and most magic have no effect on it whatsoever. This is its first characteristic, which I call ‘Illusionary.’
“Additionally, based on my judgment, the essence of the 【Illusionary Cloud】 should be the aggregation of countless high-concentration 【Calamity】. It is both a sum and can split into countless individuals.
“Each individual possesses the ability to act independently, such as parasitism and erosion. At present, it has probably spread throughout the inhospitable region, making it almost impossible to eradicate. This is its second characteristic, which I call ‘Infinite.'”