Episode 986 The Gate of Death (10)
The Kingdom of Ronia… … honestly, it wasn’t a good country, not even as a formality.
In particular, the aristocratic society here was a cesspool where those who had abandoned their proper duties hid.Commoners had to pay bribes to conduct any substantial business, and no matter how hard they tried to navigate the world, if they displeased a noble even slightly, they could have everything taken away and end up on the streets.In severe cases, they might even lose their lives or suffer miserable fates worse than death.
Furthermore, even though the war between races had long been a thing of the past, the Kingdom of Ronia, founded afterward, continued to be hostile to the beastmen.
The only places on the entire continent where actual combat with the Beastmen takes place are Northern Delharun and the Kingdom of Ronia. This is because war brings in money and provides a justification.Since peace actually hinders governance and oppression, they did not go out of their way to seek peace. The Beastmen, who needed hunting grounds to unleash their wild nature, felt the same way.
As a result, most of those who are actually sacrificed come from the underprivileged.
To the upper echelons, the authority derived from class was a legitimate instrument of violence.It is the subordinates who shed blood.
The massacre disguised as disease control, which King Ronia carried out during the Blood-Crying Plague outbreak while praising it as a brilliant idea rather than giving it careful consideration, was a foreseen event.
Even if an order is unjust, it must be obeyed by any means necessary and must not be disobeyed.The power of the state is insurmountable.Even if it is merely one of many kingdoms rather than a great power, it is a weight that a mere individual cannot bear. This is because such a state is the most benevolent toward the strong.
Naturally, people are drawn to those who give to them rather than to themselves.
The same goes for the weak.The strong are no different.
No matter how much the weak gather, it is difficult to do anything against the strong who side with the state. The abilities of those classified as so-called state-level forces are akin to those of superhumans, defying the imagination of ordinary people.
… … Beings who defy the will of the state or, conversely, make the state wary of them are monsters. Revolutionaries whom an ordinary person would never meet in a lifetime.
The Kingdom of Ronia, without such a revolutionary, is a corrupt country in many ways.
Still, it is a country.
It is a place where people rub shoulders with one another, work hard with blood and sweat, build friendships, nurture dreams and love, and form families to live on for generations.
No matter how much you dislike it, it is your hometown.No matter how rotten it is, it is home.
No one will just sit by and watch foul-smelling feet dirty the living room! Whether it is the tenant or the landlord!
“Ugh! Damn undead…!”
Beep───
A heavy ringing echoed in the ears of Silphin, a Mithril-grade adventurer. The loud explosion coming from nearby sharply pierced his sensitive hearing.
I could feel how close the enemy was.
Although she was not Mithril-grade on her own, her individual capabilities were among the top of the Platinum grade. She boasted archery skills that made a name for herself in the Kingdom of Ronia.
“Because our cavalry is exhausted, we keep getting caught up with. At this rate, we will be surrounded in less than an hour. And at best, we will be annihilated before three hours have passed. If those bastards hold us back, an even larger force will come rushing in.”
Spurring on her horse at the rear of the rescue team, Silpin cast her gaze over her shoulder.
The tireless skeleton cavalry is relentlessly pursuing the tracks. We are advancing, eliminating those that have come close to engage in combat, but there are too many of them.
Twice as many undead cavalry as before were within her line of sight, ignoring most terrain features that warhorses had to avoid.
The pursuers, or rather, the pursuing undead, were not all ground forces.
The aura of death permeated the sky as well.
Kuooooh… … .
The shadows of three medium-sized seaplanes fell over the heads of the rescue team. They bore the symbol of Marquis Raunik, who had surrendered to death.Seeing the undead operating such expensive seaplanes made reality feel unreal.
They tried to buy as much time as possible by utilizing the cave at the foot of the mountain and the sloping cliff, which only the natives well-versed in the geography of the Kingdom of Ronia would know about, but they had already reached their limit.
A magical light falls.That will reach.The wizards, including Cabrel, spread out an elemental barrier to block the offensive.
“Whew, Whew, Whew.”
As flames and cold exploded near the crown of my head, my breathing quickened. The experience I had accumulated throughout my life as an adventurer heated up my body.
Fear licked the instinct.
The enemy air force was not included in the time estimate given earlier. If even a single bombing is allowed, the formation will collapse.
Silpin decided not to think anymore about how much longer she could hold out.
We are a problem, but the forces of traitors—virtually all the undead in this vicinity—are heading toward Tinfold. With Lord Cain here, it won’t fall easily, but…
Tinfold is a mining city.
Although using mines allows for accommodating many people, it lacks sustainability. It is not as sturdy as a capital city. They are currently holding out by gathering the survivors who possess some fighting power.It would not be an exaggeration to say that the reason so many survivors were able to make it to Tinfold alive was purely due to the Aspects of Eon.
Still, it’s just a matter of time.
Gathering as many survivors as possible to fight against the undead is a short-term solution. We do not have the capacity to drag this absurd civil war into a prolonged conflict.There are many wounded and frail civilians, and our stockpiled food and medicine are insufficient.
Nevertheless, the rescue of survivors must not be stopped. Survival is hope. The moment hope was crushed, traitors would have emerged one after another from within Tinfold.Had we not shown hope, the forces of the undead would have grown even larger. It was a future that would have unfolded had Lord Cain not existed.To be precise, that future was merely postponed a little.
We are relying on support from outside the kingdom, which may never come… like vagrants waiting for a shower while withering away.
Will there be welcome rain in this drought?
BANG!
The shock of the ground shaking pulled Bolip out of his gloomy thoughts. A loud, trembling voice of anxiety was heard from the front of the rescue team.
“Lord Cabrel! Ahead lies the plains…! There is no way to turn back, let alone shake off the pursuit! The south must be swarming with undead forces; what hope on earth can there be there!”
Watching for and defending against the magical bombardment that fell from above immediately after Cabrel mentioned hope.He refrained from talking as he was frantic dealing with the hordes of undead swarming from the front and attacking incessantly from the rear and both sides, but even that patience ran out.
It has gone beyond the stage of merely believing in the symbol of Eon engraved on Cabrel’s robe.
Concrete hope is needed.
Otherwise, a traitor might emerge from the rescue team. Because the human heart is fragile. Humans are not as stable as machines.
“We just need to get over that ridge.”“A ridge…?”
The ridge is right in front of us.
What on earth lies over there that makes Cabrel so confident? Is there a massive army? It would be a relief if there weren’t any undead.Silphin desperately hoped that Cabrel hadn’t lost his mind in this corner.
Whoosh.
An ominous current pressed down on Silpin’s shoulder from above. The shadow grew larger.When he looked up, an airship was descending and rushing toward him.
‘S-Surely you’re not thinking of just ramming into me because the magic isn’t working…?!’
Judging by the look of it, if things continue like this, the airship and the rescue party will collide on the ridge. The front of the rescue party will likely be crushed to a pulp under the weight.This is why she is afraid. The undead that have run rampant in the Kingdom of Ronia are completely different from the creatures she has seen during her life as an adventurer.
The undead are under command and ‘led’.They possessed tactics and strategies.In the truest sense, they were an undead ‘army’.
“Lord Cabrel! Is this right? Is this correct?!”“This is madness……!!”“Get out of the seaplane first!!”
Thump, thump!
The rescuer, frightened at the thought of being run over by the seaplane, reflexively pulled the reins. In contrast, Cabrel increased the speed even more, completely disregarding the warhorse’s stamina.
Silpin, who had suddenly moved from the back to the front, stared blankly ahead.
Two distinct circles serving as the border and an equilateral triangle nestled within.A small circle situated inside the equilateral triangle and an inverted triangle occupying its depth, and finally, unique magical formulas filling the void.
The image of the symbol of Eon engraved on Cabrel’s robe fluttering in the angry wind was imprinted on her retina.
‘Ugh!’
The sunlight streaming down from the opposite side of the ridge blinded Silpin. Just as she had finally adjusted to the light, someone was standing on the summit of the ridge where there had clearly been no one.
‘Undead… …it’s not.’
The darkness flashed.
Amcheon
A pitch-black beam pierced the airship that was about to crush the rescue team. Boom! As if its power source had vanished completely, the powerless airship crashed to the left.High-ranking undead crawled out of the wreckage first, but at that moment, the ground beneath their feet split open.
───!
A powerful explosion shot up and completely obliterated the seaplane. Silpin, momentarily distracted by the tremendous heat wave, lost his balance.
Crunch crunch.
Having fallen from her saddle, she skillfully twisted her body and landed sliding down the slope. She quickly raised her head to look up at the ridge.Cabrel, who had arrived at the destination first, jumped off his horse and knelt on one knee.
“Cabrel looks toward the one and only sky.”“Stand up and stand by.”
sky?
Who is the sky?
It sounds nice, but it is an unfamiliar voice.
Silphin could not grasp the situation. She had no interest in news from other countries, and having never left the Kingdom of Ronia, her imagination was limited.Above all, she did not have the luxury of leisurely guessing the opponent’s identity.
Whoosh.
On the opposite side of Neungseong, a seaplane larger than a medium-sized one appeared. It was generally dark, and most of its hull was made of metal.It accelerated toward the two seaplanes occupied by the undead.
“R-Reinforcements? A seaplane fleet has arrived? But at this rate, they’re going to crash…”
A deafening crash echoed through the air. The airships sent by Marquis Raunak were half-destroyed. In contrast, the airship resembling a dark fortress remained intact.Among the undead falling with the debris, three noble corpses landed neatly on the ground.
[That’s an airship I haven’t seen before. At this point, the reinforcements would have to be from the Kingdom of Estiria. When did the Kingdom commission an airship like that from the Artisan Magic Tower?]
[To think it doesn’t have a single scratch. Its physical resistance is truly on a different level. I’ll secure it and present it to Marquis Raunik.]
[Author… … Destroyed a medium-sized airship in an instant with unknown magic. Even with the shield removed, the destructive power is dangerous. Presuming it is a top-tier mage, I respond. This is a good opportunity to test my newly acquired power.]
The nobles’ pale bodies writhed and transformed into grotesque forms.
A gaunt, massive armored knight.A lich clutching a jewel that spreads the aura of death in both hands.A translucent specter clad in antique attire, shouldering a chilling spear.
Shhhhhh.
Silpin swallowed hard and recoiled at the thick cold and deception they emitted.
She also knows what that is.
Traitors who gained power from death… … They are trash who became powerful undead by piling up ‘mountains of corpses’. The more an individual contributed to building the altar of the living, the greater the power granted to them.
There are three ‘Fallen Ones’ that even our party couldn’t defeat.
The rescue team’s strength is nowhere near enough.
however.
Suddenly, a person who had appeared from the ridge reached the Fallen. I could not see his face, but the gray surrounding him caught my eye.
“Ah, I have to help……!”
Boom!
The armored Fallen’s body exploded, sending a long trail of debris behind it.It looked as if it had been struck directly by a powerful physical force.Only the leg guards, having landed on the ground, remained unrealistically solitary as they collapsed to the floor.
[What.]
The Corrupted Lich and Specter surged from both sides, showing signs of agitation. Fierce spearheads and high-level black magic aimed simultaneously at a single target.The moment a dark red flash was felt, a portion of the distant mountain range vanished, and the Corrupted were annihilated without a trace.
And───the red disaster manifested.
“…….”
The bobby pin slowly released the tension from the bowstring it had immediately pulled. The rescue team passing by also came to a complete halt and saw the same scene as her.
The air is hot.Sweat poured down.
A massive fiery meteorite pierced through the clouds and shook the earth. The center of the mountain range turned crimson. Silpin fell on her bottom from the indescribable shockwave.A pillar of fire shot up from there, reaching the sky and raging as a fierce storm.
What is this?
Have you ever seen a firestorm larger than a city?Silpin has never seen one.No one has.
“That just now…… Me,
One of the rescue team members, an old wizard, collapsed as his legs gave way.
“Could it be… surely not the hope Sir Cabrel spoke of…?”“That is the sure thing.”
Cabrel asserted.
The superior has returned.
Whoosh.
The flames that had incinerated all the surrounding undead vanished in an instant. The lush nature regained its original beautiful colors.
and.
Verden was next to Silpin.
“Cabrel, where is the survivor you were supposed to rescue?”“Yes! He is to the northwest of here. However, due to Marquis Raunik’s betrayal, the number of the undead has surged, and his fate is uncertain.”“We will find out once we check. Since we are on our way, we will secure the survivor and head to Tinfold. In the meantime, I will hear what happened in the Kingdom of Ronia. Everyone, board the Arsis.”“I obey your command.”
A ruthless airship that had destroyed the Kingdom of Ronia’s airship head-on landed. Cabrel immediately boarded with a dazed rescue team.
Silpin looked up at Verden, still slumped over. She still hadn’t been able to deduce Verden’s true identity.
Verden said.
“You don’t look like you need to be supported.”“Um, by any chance…”
Shirpin asked.
Are you… Shin?
Verden inwardly flinched, struck by the nail on the head, but he did not show it. He looked down with interest at Silpin, who had suddenly mentioned God.
“Does it look that way?”“Ah, isn’t it?”
Silpin shook her head as if she didn’t know what she was talking about. Then, she hurriedly stood up, repeatedly expressed her gratitude, and followed the rescue team member.
Verden concealed his divinity.
However, faith cannot be stopped. When many faiths come together, one would generally just be praised as a hero, but he was an exception.
Substantial changes occur.
This is because no matter how thoroughly it is concealed, Verden is ultimately a god.
* * *
Amidst the undead outbreak, Tinfold became a stronghold for refugees. They even utilized the mines to secure a place for them to live.
Although conflicts frequently arose between the residents of Tinfold and the refugees, those in power worked hard to mediate whenever that happened.
Stability is the top priority.
If dissatisfaction erupts and leads to distrust, the undead will appear in Tinfold. We must prevent their misguided choices. There had to be hope that would keep humanity from being abandoned.
Strong hope… … .
In Tinfold, Cain was a symbol of hope.
Cain rested inside a building overlooking the street, clutching the magic sword [Cretima]. He had to sleep whenever he could,as he didn’t know what kind of incident might break out, whether outside or inside.
Talk.
A bug sat on the window.
Cain’s sword moved reflexively and split the flying insect in half. Part of the windowpane split open.Waking from sleep over such a trivial matter, his expression contorted nervously.
That’s right.
Cain was wearing out.
Leading countless people as the head was not easy at all. Much less showing them hope so they would not betray me.I wanted to return with only the members of Eon, but I could not.
Do not seek comfort.Abandon desire.
Cain firmly steeled his resolve, repeating it to himself. Choosing to abandon people would disappoint his seniors, Yunia, and the Sages alike.This was not for the sake of others’ judgments; it was the path Cain had chosen.
“You’ve worked hard, Cain.”“I…….”
Cain clutched the magic sword for a moment, but ultimately did not swing it.Because it was a familiar voice.
“Are you… my senior?”“Yes.”
Verden patted his shoulder.
“The rescue team is coming this way to Arsir with survivors. I arrived first.”“This isn’t… a dream, is it?”“It is reality.”
Verden snapped his fingers, briefly waking Cain up.
I heard the whole story from Cabrel.
As expected, it wasn’t a dream.
Guide Rateon.
* * *
Tinfold has a separate area for critically ill patients. In the deepest part of that area… …the Ruler Rateon was lying.
Whoosh… … Whoosh… … .
Rateon, with a blade surging with malice embedded in his neck, was letting out a shallow breath.Rateon was hovering between life and death.
