C837
"Get out of my way!"
Alice cleared a path through the martial artists and shamans, rushing towards the red-haired man bound in iron chains.
"Sif! Sif!"
She shattered the magic-imbued chains with her bare hands and called out to the red-haired man, "Sif!"
'That person...'
Raon narrowed his eyes, observing the red-haired man named Sif.
-So that's Sif.
The man had long, unkempt, red hair that hung like rags. His entire body was withered, like the bark of an old tree, and the wounds carved into his flesh reeked of repugnant magic.
"He's been through hell."
As the branch manager had said, Sif must have endured brutal magical experiments. His natural aura flow was completely undetectable.
'Still...'
He's not completely broken. Perhaps because they needed him for magical experiments, they didn't completely destroy his energy center and mana circuits. But given the prolonged and intense suffering he must have endured, it was hard to say this was fortunate.
"Come on, get up!"
After breaking the shackles binding Sif's wrists, Alice grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him.
"Damn son! I told you to get up!"
She yelled at him to open his eyes, but Sif remained motionless.
"Speak."
Raon grabbed the Iron Chain branch manager's neck and lifted him into the air.
"Why can't he wake up?"
"Urgh..."
The branch manager bit his lip, refusing to answer.
-Do you think you can withstand this?
Raon mocked, tightening his grip on the branch manager's neck.
"Ugh!!"
The branch manager groaned, as if on the verge of death. His face turned red, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"We just put him to sleep with magic!"
One of the terrified shamans who had retreated shouted that they had cast a sleep spell.
"Then wake him up."
Raon waved his left hand, telling them to awaken Sif.
"The branch manager himself cast the sleep spell to prevent him from waking up during transport. We can't undo it."
He shifted his gaze, indicating that only the branch manager could undo it. With a thud, Raon flipped the branch manager and threw him to the ground.
"Oof! Oof!"
The branch manager clutched his bruised neck and coughed up blood.
"Wake him up. Try anything funny, and I'll make you wish for death."
Raon lowered his chin, his eyes burning with rage.
-Why don't you do it yourself?
"I’m still inexperienced."
He could dispel the magic himself, but his lack of experience meant he might use too much force. Given Sif's fragile physical and mental state, Raon didn't want to risk causing further damage.
"Urgh..."
The branch manager, seemingly intimidated by Raon's aura, trembled all over before crawling on his knees towards Sif.
—Aunt, please step back for a moment.
"..."
Alice turned around, still holding Sif's hand. Her eyes flashed with a cold gaze that seemed ready to kill. Despite her mental and physical exhaustion, she exuded a chilling murderous intent towards the branch manager.
"J-just a moment!!"
The branch manager shook his head, his wrinkled forehead trembling.
"I won't wake him up unless you promise to spare my life."
He rolled his eyes, begging for his life.
"If you wake him up without any problems, I won't kill you. I'll let you go. I swear it by my name."
Raon nodded solemnly.
"Mmm..."
The branch manager hesitated, unsure whether to trust Raon, but finally decided to place his hand on Sif's chest. As the red magical energy spread from his palm, the spell lingering in Sif's body began to slowly dissipate.
"Oof..."
After absorbing the remaining magic from Sif's body, the branch manager took a step back.
"He should be able to wake up now."
He rubbed his chin, saying Sif would soon regain consciousness.
"Now, will you let me go...?"
"Vice Leader!"
Raon called out to Rimmer without even looking at the branch manager. With a bang, Rimmer burst through the iron door and turned his head.
"What now? What happened?"
"Nothing. Just subdue this guy for me."
Raon pointed at the branch manager.
"Huh...?"
The branch manager looked at Raon with wide eyes.
"W-what are you saying?! You clearly said you would spare me and let me go!"
"I wanted to let you go, but our vice leader doesn't agree."
"What kind of bullshit is that?!"
"I'll keep my promise and stay here. Don't argue."
Raon waved his hand, smiling.
-Damn scammer... Ah!
As the branch manager gnashed his teeth and tried to curse, Rimmer struck him on the back of the neck, rendering him unconscious.
-Tsk tsk. Trusting this guy is like trusting an angel.
Wrath shook his head, saying he knew this would happen.
"I don't know what's going on, but it seems you've pulled another scam."
Rimmer smiled as he looked at Raon.
"It's not a scam, it's a fair lie."
Raon shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess this time it will be."
Rimmer nodded gravely as he observed Sif's condition.
-Don't we have to kill him?
He exuded murderous intent through the blade of his sword, as if he wanted to kill the branch manager immediately.
"We have a lot to ask him."
The location of the Iron Chain's headquarters, their goals, and how to heal Sif... There was a lot to ask the branch manager. It wasn't time to kill him yet.
"Then I'll clean up here."
Rimmer sighed briefly before approaching the shamans and Iron Chain martial artists cornered in the room.
—Aunt, try waking him up now. The spell is gone, so he should be able to wake up.
Raon stepped back and pointed at Sif.
"Mmm..."
Alice couldn't wake Sif immediately and simply bit her lip.
"Aunt?"
"It's just that..."
She looked at the ground and let out a long sigh.
"I'm scared."
"Scared?
Raon looked at Alice with wide eyes.
—Yes. I'm afraid he won't wake up this time and that he'll resent me for arriving too late.
Alice sobbed as she gently touched the scars etched all over Sif's body.
"Aunt..."
It was the first time Raon had seen Alice so vulnerable. Even she, who had always been as refreshing as the sea, seemed to shrink when it came to her daughter.
-You still have to wake him up.
Rimmer nodded after subduing the shamans and martial artists.
"Whether he resents you or is grateful to you, he's still your son."
"The vice leader is right."
Raon nodded as he took Alice's hand.
"He won't be angry with you for being late. He'll be grateful you saved him. If he gets angry with you, I'll slap him myself."
He smiled at Alice and told her not to worry.
"Hehe..."
Alice chuckled and nodded.
"My nephew is comforting me. I must have gotten too weak. Alright, I'll do it."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and channeled her aura to Sif. A blue light, as if containing the sea itself, spread in all directions as Sif's shoulders trembled.
"Puaj..."
With a groan, as if he were about to run out of breath, Sif opened his eyelids. The characteristic red eyes of the Zieghart family gleamed faintly.
"Sif!"
Alice shouted Sif's name, her voice filled with emotion.
"M-Mother? How are you here..."
Sif gasped as he looked at Alice, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.
"Stupid son!"
Alice gritted her teeth and hugged Sif tightly.
Why were you suffering like this here?
She cried out in distress as she hugged Sif even tighter.
"Ah..."
Sif's crusted lips trembled as he seemed to understand the situation, looking at the fallen branch manager and the shamans.
"You saved me, Mother."
He nodded with his eyes tightly closed, his emotions seemingly overwhelming him.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry..."
Sif raised his right hand to stroke Alice's back. Though his fingers trembled with weakness, it was the most comforting touch Alice could have felt at that moment. Raon stepped back, silently observing Alice and Sif's embrace.
In his past life, he might not have understood why they cried instead of rejoicing, but now he felt he could understand the color of their emotions.
"I guess I've changed a little too."
-Mmm...
-It's true, you know?
-Mmm...
* * *
"Oof..."
Sif exhaled heavily as he drank the water Dorian gave him.
"Don't drink it, spit it out first! If you suddenly drink water, your stomach will hurt!"
Alice, seemingly calmed after crying, immediately began to scold Sif.
"Ha..."
Sif chuckled as he lowered the water bottle.
"I used to find that scolding annoying, but now it's welcome."
He smiled slightly, his voice hoarse, as if he wasn't used to talking at length.
"Ah, I'm sorry."
Alice shook her head, touching the back of her hair.
"Look at me scolding you now that we've just reunited. I can't believe it."
She wrinkled her nose, apologizing.
"It's alright."
Sif looked at Alice with a gentle smile.
"I missed your voice even in my dreams. You can nag more if you want."
He gestured with his hand, saying he was happy to hear Alice's voice again.
"Are you really my son? You didn't have that kind of personality before."
Alice let out an ironic laugh as she looked at Sif.
"Back then I was in my rebellious phase. Besides, I've been here for over two years, so I'm not exactly in my right mind."
Sif ran his hand through his unkempt hair, saying he wasn't even sure of his own personality anymore.
"In any case, I'm glad and happy to see you all again now."
He said he was happy to regain his freedom, licking his lips. However, a chilling murderous intent could be felt in his eyes. It seemed that anger and resentment towards the Iron Chain were brewing intensely within him.
"Let's focus on your recovery first. We can think about revenge later."
Alice, seemingly sensing Sif's murderous intent, held his hand tightly.
"You're right. I need to recover as quickly as possible and..."
Sif glared at the shamans, gritting his teeth.
"I will erase the very existence of the Iron Chain."
He exhaled a sigh tinged with the smell of blood, vowing to eliminate every last remnant of the Iron Chain lurking in the shadows.
-Mmm...
Wrath let out a groan as if in pain as he looked at Sif.
Why have you been whining for a while now? Are you a puppy?
-I feel like I've seen that guy somewhere, but I don't remember.
'Do you mean Sif?'
-Yes. Although he might not be either.
He shook his head, saying his own state was not normal and that the magical energy embedded in Sif's body was too strong, confusing him.
-Or maybe not? Just ignore it.
Wrath turned his head and said he might have been wrong.
"I can call you Sif, right?"
Martha approached Sif and looked at him. She called him immediately with naturalness. She was as bold as Alice.
-Yes. You're Martha, right?
Sif nodded and said he was glad to meet her.
"How did you end up captured by these guys when you're a Grand Master?"
Martha blinked, expressing her confusion.
"Martha!"
"No, it's okay. It's right to start with that."
After moistening his throat with water, Sif turned to look at everyone.
"After my mother captured me and I had been training for so long, I was thirsty for travel. I especially wanted to see the ruins and dungeons that I had only read about in books."
He smiled slightly, as if remembering that time.
"As soon as my mother gave me permission to leave, I explored the ruins, dungeons, and legends of the continent. Even now, I don't regret that moment."
"That's why we couldn't get any news about you."
Alice nodded, as if she finally understood.
—Yes. I only traveled to remote and secluded places. Thanks to that, I was able to understand why you said I needed strength.
Sif thanked Alice, telling her that thanks to the training she had put him through, he could explore without difficulty.
"I can understand that."
Raon nodded as he looked at Sif. He could empathize with Sif's actions, as he had also wanted to escape his life as an assassin in his past life and simply live in peace.
"I came here after hearing about a dungeon where time flows differently, thinking there might be hidden secrets. But..."
Sif weakly punched the ground with his clenched fist.
"This place was a hideout for the Iron Chain. Although they were strong, I could have escaped, but the guide who was showing me the way turned out to be an Iron Chain shaman and ambushed me from behind."
He bit his lip as he pointed to the wound on his abdomen.
"More than my own pain, hearing the screams of others was harder. This place was hell where they amplified their magical power by using people as sacrifices."
Sif lowered his head, covered his face, and said it had been an incredibly difficult time.
"Brother Sif..."
"Ah..."
Burren and Dorian bit their lips tightly, seemingly empathizing with Sif's pain and anger.
"But thanks to that, I also learned something."
Sif looked at Alice and slightly shook his head.
"What did you learn?"
"Yes. It's about the blood of our family."
"Blood? What do you mean?"
Raon took another step closer to Sif.
"That is... Oof!"
Sif coughed up black blood mid-sentence. It seemed the shock that had built up in his body had finally burst.
"Sif!"
Alice grabbed Sif and screamed.
"I’m okay."
Sif lowered his trembling hand.
"This happens often because the Iron Chain's magic has seeped into my bones."
He shook his head and said he could handle it.
"Let's get out of here first."
Raon frowned as he looked at the dungeon floor where strong magical energy still persisted.
"This space itself isn't good for you, Sif. I think getting out of the dungeon should be our priority."
"Yes, that would be best."
Alice nodded and supported Sif.
"Light Wind division, take the hostages outside and the subdued shamans with you."
Raon instructed the Light Wind division while lifting the unconscious branch manager onto his shoulder.
"Understood."
"I'll handle the shamans. With my fists!"
"Leave it to me."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan immediately went out to relay the instructions to the Light Wind division members who were comforting the hostages.
"I just need to take care of these guys, right?"
Rimmer guided the shamans and Iron Chain martial artists from the room where they rescued Sif to the tunnel.
—Dorian, gather all the magical equipment and documents here, and then exit last.
"Yes, sir!"
Raon gave Dorian his final instructions and headed towards the blood-soaked tunnel they had first entered.
"No matter how I look at it, I can't get used to this place."
The overwhelming stench of blood made his head spin. If he hadn't reached his current level, even controlling his Sword Control would have been difficult.
I should consider coming back later to destroy this place.
The negative energy that lingered there seemed too strong to burn away. Perhaps it would be better to return only after everyone had left and completely destroy the place. As Raon silently paid homage to the dead as he looked into the tunnel, a commotion erupted behind him.
"You're so thin, really!"
Alice sighed deeply as she supported Sif.
"Why are you so light?"
"I'm sorry..."
Sif couldn't even lift his head, seemingly embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, my ass! Shut up! As soon as we get back with the family, you'll eat whatever I give you. Understand?"
Alice seemed to be back to her old self, cursing and pushing Sif without hesitation.
"It's good to see that."
Thinking that he and Sylvia might look like that to others, a smile naturally formed on his face.
'The Saint should be able to cure him without much difficulty.'
Just as he was thinking about calling Federick as soon as they returned to Zieghart, a chilling sound like a sword piercing flesh came from behind.
"Eh..."
Raon turned his head and gritted his teeth. A dark sword protruded from Alice's chest, and behind her, Sif wore a twisted smile.
"Thank you, Mom."
-
More Ch4pters on KoreanPlayer
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
Thanks for the support
