N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 361
(I will use Zamari mountain from now on)
A middle-aged man with half of his brown hair gray walks out of a small forest carrying a sack on his back.
The sack was full of chestnuts, which were large and shiny, and looked delicious just by looking at them.
"Neji!"
The middle-aged man called out the name of someone from above the iron gate in the center of the stone wall.
"What?"
The face of a young man in his 20s appeared from above the iron gate.
"Mr. Joren. You're here early. Well, it's the weekend, so others are resting."
Neji, the young man named, laughed at the middle-aged man.
"I had to go out to the city, so I came back quickly. I still got a lot."
Mr. Joren, who was called Joren, pointed to the sack on his back.
"Wow, the chestnuts are delicious. We'll be fine this year, right?"
Neji nodded with a smile.
"Not just chestnuts. The raspberries are also in season and they taste good."
"The price is good these days, so don't you think we should expand the village soon?"
"That's what I'm going to find out."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We need a lot of workers, so I'm going to the city to look for workers in advance."
"What are you doing! Don't come in yet!"
As soon as the sound of Neji jumping down was heard, the iron gate opened in half.
"Didn't your kid open it now?"
Mr. Joren smiled and was about to go inside when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind him.
When he turned around, people wearing black robes like pitch were approaching the village.
'Who are they?'
Weathers Village is famous for its raspberries and chestnuts, and tourists sometimes visit, but there was no expectation of tourism from them.
'Dangerous....'
The sense of being a mercenary for over 30 years whispers to run away quickly. But he couldn't retreat and leave his home and family.
Mr. Joren quickly closed the opening iron gate and stood in front of the gate.
"Who are you?"
"......"
There were many people, but no one answered. They didn't stop walking and approached the village entrance.
The man in front raised his head. Black eyes that looked like they had been burned to ashes. The moment he saw those eyes, he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Oh, uncle! What are those people?"
"Don't come out!"
Mr. Joren waved his hand at Neji and leaned against the door.
"Is this Weathers?"
The black-eyed man's mouth opened. His voice, which sounded like it was coming from the depths of the underground, was filled with a dark aura of something unknown.
"Aah...."
Just hearing his voice makes his heart sink. All his strength drained away and he couldn't do anything.
"That's right."
Mr. Joren nodded, biting his lips.
"How many humans live in this place?"
"Why are you asking that?"
"How many?"
"Whoever it is...."
"Your chance is over."
The black-eyed man waved his hand like he was chasing away a fly.
"What are you...ah!"
His body was torn into four pieces by the black claws that came out of his gesture.
"Aaaaah!"
"It's noisy."
When the man on top tried to ring the bell, the man's hand gently descended, as if conducting.
Kwadduck!
The black claws in his hand fell diagonally. The iron gate and stone wall were all torn apart, and Neji, who was on top, was spilled in blood.
"Huuuk...."
"Aaa...."
"Wh, what is this...."
The people of Weathers Village, who were behind the wall, were so disgusted by the black man's terrible aura that they couldn't hold their bodies and fell to the ground.
"Gather all the humans in the village."
"Yes."
At the command of the black man, the black-robed mages scattered like ghosts.
"Aack!"
"Let me go, let me go!"
"Ugh..."
The mages dragged people in the middle with black hooks flowing with black energy, treating them like livestock.
"There was a rat."
The black man waved his hand to the right. The dark claws that extended from his hand fell, smashing the tightly closed house and carving a giant scar on the ground.
Pukakaak!
Behind the crumbling wall, a shoulder and flesh flowed down to the ground with a brutal amount of blood.
Kugugugugu!
The person whose arm was cut off by the building collapsed into the rubble without even being able to scream.
The black man looked at the place where the house had collapsed, then turned his head. The villagers looked at the ground with their faces as pale as paper.
"Thirty-nine. That's enough numbers to use as a sacrifice."
He nodded to the people.
"How is it?"
"It's done. We've put magic into everyone."
A woman with a short stature who dragged her robe on the ground bowed her head.
"Take them all away."
"Yes."
Upon receiving the order, the short woman stood in front of the people. When a strange echo flowed from her mouth, which was not human language, the eyes of the villagers were completely dull.
They got up and started walking towards the Zamari Mountains, staggering like zombies.
The black man looked at them and curled his lips.
"I wonder what kind of monster they will be reborn as."
* * *
Raon couldn't help but turn to Dening Rose.
"What does that mean? Why did they attack Weathers Village?"
It is true that Weathers Village is close to the Zamari Mountains, but the way there is different.
I couldn't understand why they went to a village that had to go back a long way to the right and attack it.
"I don't know either. I only received a report that the black tower was attacked the village, and I don't have an answer because our agent in the village was also attacked."
Dening Rose clenched her fist tightly with her head down. It seemed that he was an agent he cherished, as she showed her emotions.
"Well, that's...."
Dorian seemed to have never thought that something like this would happen, and he clasped his trembling hands.
"For now, this is just a guess."
Dening Rose slowed down her pace and turned her gaze slightly.
"Tell me."
"I think they're using the villagers as sacrifices."
"Sacrifices?"
"They're probably going to feed the villagers who have been infected with dark mana to the Drake, and then attack it when it has accumulated negative energy."
"Negative energy..."
Raon nodded, stroking his lips.
'That's the most likely possibility.'
As Dening Rose said, the only reason the Drake-hunting bastards suddenly attacked the village was for that.
No, they had to hope that the Black Tower bastards took the people to use as sacrifices so that there would be many people alive.
Dark mana
Wrath gritted his teeth.
The lowly things that borrow the power of the demons have dared to disturb the king's dessert time!
Wrath seemed to be so angry that he couldn't eat the food he wanted because the village was attacked, and he gritted his teeth and raised his anger.
'It's a little different.'
What's different?
'The Black Tower does use dark mana, but it's not just dark mana.'
Then?
'They absorb dark mana into their aura and use it.'
The Black Tower doesn't just use dark mana, but uses a crazy method of combining dark mana with their life force, aura.
That's why they created much stronger power than using ordinary mana, whether it's magic or martial arts.
Not even a demon does it, mix dark mana with aura? Is this a new way to commit suicide?
'Unfortunately, they don't die.'
Raon sighed and looked at Wrath.
'If you want to eat blueberry pie or chestnut stew, help me.'
Of course! Just believe in the king!
Wrath clenched his round ham fist as if to leave it to him. He is usually a glutton, but he will be a great help in this situation.
'It would be better to leave Dorian behind.'
The Black Tower moved first, and there is no guarantee that the plan will go as planned as long as there are hostages.
It seemed that not leaving Dorian behind could lead to even bigger problems, so it would be better to leave him behind.
"Dorian. You... Hmm?"
Raon turned to Dorian and widened his eyes.
'What is it?'
Dorian, who he thought would be shaking in fear, was holding his sword and looking at him.
His hands were shaking, but his eyes were shining brightly.
"I, I'll go too."
Dorian took a step forward.
"I'm sure I'll have something to do!"
Raon met his gaze and smiled faintly.
'He's grown up.'
Even though he had become the top expert, he didn't feel anything, but now that he saw those eyes, he could feel that Dorian had definitely grown up.
It would be better to take him with you.
'Yeah.'
Raon nodded and turned to Dening Rose.
"We need to go right away, so let's go."
"There are no dimensional gates in this remote area. I've prepared horses to change horses in the middle, so please take care of them."
Dening Rose seems to have made the next preparation even in this urgent situation.
“Thank you.”
Raon nodded and took the horse and went out of the city of Rocan.
'Just in case.'
He approached the bushes outside the city and called Merlin without Dorian hearing him.
'Merlin. Merlin!'
Unlike usual, there was no sign of her. It seemed that the words that she had not finished her work were true.
Those kind of madwomen are never there when you need them.
Wrath frowned, saying that it was a trait of a madwoman.
'It can't be helped.'
There was no other way to go this way.
He took a deep breath and got on the horse. It would be a little late, but this was the only way now.
“There is no rest until we arrive.”
“Yes!”
Dorian swallowed his saliva and nodded his head vigorously.
Raon smiled at Dorian, who was shaking but didn't back down.
“Let's go.”
* * *
*Clang*
When Derus Robert was sitting across from a man with a casual impression like a loafer, the door to the office opened and Regal came in.
“Lord.”
Regal straightened up and bowed to Derus.
“The confirmation is complete. It is true that there is a Drake's nest at the top of the Zamari Mountains.”
“So, what Phalen Sepia said was true.”
Derus smiled coldly at Regal.
“Yes. There is no need to relax, but I think we can resolve the suspicious parts.”
Regal nodded, closing his eyes.
“Rocktan.”
Derus turned his gaze to the middle-aged man standing next to him.
“Yes, Lord.”
The middle-aged man named Rocktan, unlike his frivolous impression, answered in a heavy voice and bowed his head.
“Can you eliminate Raon Zieghart?”
Derus Robert's words ended in a question form, but it was not a question. It was an order to do it unconditionally.
“Of course.”
Rocktan nodded without being intimidated by the strict order.
“I can kill a child who can use a sword while playing with him.”
“Don't underestimate him. He has the ability to see through the opponent's martial arts at a glance.”
Derus frowned, recalling Raon's swordsmanship he had seen on the dueling field.
“So he is a genius that even Lord Derus recognizes. That's even easier.”
Rocktan smiled, twirling his wrist.
“I'm a genius at hunting those puppies.”
“I believe you.”
“Thank you.”
“But don't do any unnecessary massacres.”
“Of course. I'm not a pleasure killer.”
“It's funny for a man who burns down a village every time he carries out a mission to say that he is not a pleasure killer.”
“Haha. That was when I was young…”
Rocktan scratched his cheek in embarrassment. However, his eyes were filled with undying murderous intent.
"Do you need anything?"
Derus looked down at Rocktan with cold eyes.
"Yes, there is one thing."
"What is it?"
"I may be delayed gathering information, so I might not arrive until it's all over. Can you please help me with transportation?"
Rocktan scratched the back of his head, muttering that even walking was a pain.
"Regal."
Derus Robert looked at Regal, not Rocktan, and nodded.
"Tell him to prepare."
"Yes."
Regal bowed and left the office.
"It's impossible to get to the front of the mountain, but it should be possible to get close."
"Thank you. I will show you that I am worthy of your trust."
Rocktan smiled and raised his hand. Different colored auras began to rise from his fingertips.
"The next continent's number one genius will die without even knowing why."
His body will be melted, and I will bring the Drake's heart as a gift.
* * *
Raon continued to change horses and even ran with the footwork to reach the outskirts of Weathers Village.
"It's creepy."
The Weathers Village that he had seen before had a thick wall but a warm view.
However, the village that could be seen from afar was in ruins and collapsed. It looked like a Drake had struck with its claws.
"Let's go."
"Yes..."
Raon took a deep breath to calm himself down and entered Weathers Village.
"Ugh..."
As soon as he entered the village, Dorian covered his mouth and groaned.
It couldn't be helped. Human corpses were torn to shreds like paper, and the torn flesh was rotting and decaying.
A foul odor like manure and a sinister aura enveloped the entire village.
Raon looked at the blackened corpses and clenched his teeth.
"Dark mana."
The condition of being rotten like he had been dead for months was the mark of being attacked by dark mana.
It smells dirty. The mana is mixed with something, as you said.
Wrath also frowned as if he didn't like it.
"Hu..."
Raon didn't turn his eyes away from the brutality or the stench, and he checked the village.
"The number of corpses is small."
Based on the size of the village, there should have been at least 30 to 50 people, but the visible corpses were less than 10.
In other words, the other people did not die here.
"Then they were really taken away... Hmm?"
Breath?
When he thought that Dening Rose's prediction was correct, he heard the sound of a human's breath coming from a collapsed building. It was a thin and thin sound that seemed to be about to break off.
Raon ran with the footwork and lifted the rubble of the collapsed building. A man with his arm severed and a hole in his abdomen looked up with difficulty from under a huge boulder.
"This is... Carbon Pranayama!"
"This is a technique used when someone is seriously injured but has something they must say. They hold their breath and pretend to be dead.
However, if they end the breathing technique, they will die immediately, and they must endure excruciating pain during the wait. This is why they rarely use it.
This man seems to have been enduring the pain of wanting to die immediately while waiting for someone to come.
"Are you from the black market?"
"Y-yes."
As expected, this man was an agent from the black market sent by Dening Rose.
"R-Raon, is that you?"
The agent's voice trembled. He was about to die.
"Yes. Is there anything you want to say?"
"T-the Black Tower's Black Water came and took the villagers. T-they said they were sacrifices for the Drake and injected them with dark mana into their bodies."
The agent continued speaking, holding his own neck with his remaining left hand.
"I-if they eat people who are addicted to dark mana, the Drake will gain dark mana, th-they said. It looks like they're going to feed the Drake the people on the nest and then catch them..."
"First, have some water."
Dorian offered the agent water, but he smiled lightly and refused.
"B-Black Water's claws are made of mana beasts. Even with defense, I couldn't stop them. T-there's also a small mage, but he has a very powerful mana."
The agent provided information on Black Water's attack methods and the level of his subordinates.
"P-please."
He didn't say his name, or ask to be saved. He just asked for help to save the people, holding his hand and smiling wryly, shaking his head. The thin thread of breath was cut off.
Raon held the agent's hand tightly, which was cooling down.
This agent was sent here on a mission.
He probably didn't know the villagers well, or even be friendly with them.
It was a request from a human.
It was the last request of a man who had endured in order to live as a human.
"I will accept that request."
Raon bowed his head to the nameless agent.
"Dorian."
"Yes, sir!"
Dorian wiped his eyes with his sleeve and ran forward. He was cowardly, and he cried more than most, but now he was a trustworthy man.
"I have something for you to do."
"I'll do anything."
Raon listened to his answer and opened a map. He pointed to the back of the highest peak, where the Drake's nest was located.
"Climb the cliff on the back without being noticed by the Black Tower bastards."
"Y-you want me to climb the mountain?"
"Yes. Protect the villagers from the Drake and the Black Tower."
"That... Oh, I understand!"
Dorian, who usually shook his head in fear, bit his lip and nodded vigorously.
"You can do it. Put on all the artifacts that kill your presence."
"I will."
Dorian took out various equipment from his belly pocket and put it on his body.
"What will you do?"
"I..."
Raon covered the map and looked up at the highest peak of the Zamari Mountains. A scarlet lightning flashed in his eyes, which were staring directly into the darkness.
"I have to clean up the trash there."
Not leaving a single one behind.
