371 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 371: Amidst Rumors of Empire and Holy Nation's War As the world buzzed with news of the war between the Empire and the Holy Nation, a name suddenly surged to fame due to rumors spreading beneath the surface. “The Black Serpent? What’s that?” “I hear they're sorcerers.” “Controlling souls and commanding monsters? Sounds like demons, not sorcerers.” “Indeed.” Particularly those far from Noviens, with no direct stake in the war, showed greater interest in the sorcerers of the Black Serpent rather than the war itself. They concocted various rumors independently. Furthermore, they had become a wanted enemy in both the Empire and the Holy Nation simultaneously. As a result, the numerous rumors inevitably converged to a similar conclusion. Devil worshippers! To those involved, it was an unjust accusation, but to someone who knew their true nature, it seemed distressingly close to reality. Despite the swirling rumors, the Black Serpent remained untraceable after disappearing from the Holy Nation. At least among human societies. * * * “Grrrr.” A massive black wolf, with two heads, growled menacingly at a small creature that had intrusively appeared in its territory. Realizing that it was only threatening, rather than pouncing on its "prey" instantly, it tilted its heads in confusion, feeling a disconnect between reality and instinct. In the Forest of Beasts, where appearances and powers often differed, most rulers would heed their instincts. But not this one—having been recently ousted from another domain, it experienced the bizarre event of beasts stronger than itself making way for it in this area. It had no idea this was due to a misunderstanding, thinking the creature resembled the departed "King of the East," and possibly its offspring, rendering its instincts unreliable. Thus, dismissing its unsettling feelings, it swung a front paw. And immediately screamed. “Aaaargh!” Instead of crushing its intended prey, its own paw was shattered. In agony, its eyes rolled back, and it lunged with both mouths to tear at the prey. “Begone.” With a cold voice and a simple wave of the hand, both its heads were severed at once. Thud. The massive beast, now headless, collapsed heavily to the ground. The old man, who dispatched it in an instant, merely tilted his head in contemplation. “This creature shouldn’t be here…” – Grrrr. – Hisss. – Krekk. At the scent of fresh blood from the massive carcass, other beasts in the distance watched with gleaming red eyes. Though perilous, the old man paid them no mind. The magic he intentionally exuded served as a powerful deterrent to beasts weaker than him—a formidable presence in the forest. The one who attacked was just an odd exception. “It feels like I'm nearly there.” The image is becoming clearer. Muttering to himself, the old man closed his eyes gently. His demeanor, more akin to a leisurely stroll in a village rather than in a perilous forest, belied the fierce grey mana rising from his body, pushing back the dense evil energy of the forest as he read the recent events that transpired on this land. Though not a mage of the earth, the phenomenon he was witnessing in a forest said to lack mana was, to him, as normal and natural as breathing. However, a problem lingered—the deeper he inspected traces with magic, the more unsettling doubts crept in. He began to notice discrepancies in the vision he couldn’t fully decipher with his spells. ‘It doesn't match the description I received.’ Due to the thick magical aura in the forest, neither the color nor the shapes could be recreated perfectly. Yet, the face he glimpsed vaguely did not align with the menacing one he had been described. ‘Its cautious behavior doesn’t seem insane.’ Of course, given the vivid traces he followed, it was highly improbable it wasn’t the same creature. ‘I’ll know for sure with more tracking.’ Fortunately, the creature had battled fiercely upon entering this area, leaving increasingly intense traces of energy and intent. Thanks to this, the tracking of the Holy Sword became quicker. Though there was a chance he was devoured by the beast... “It’s a Holy Sword made of Herion Steel. No beast could digest it.” The old man assured himself, quickening his pace. However, upon passing the skeletal remains of a Twin-headed Ogre and then encountering the carcass of a giant snake, even the old man couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The trail had abruptly ended. ‘He wasn’t eaten. He tore through and escaped. Could such a madman be this powerful?’ The persistent unease started to shape a vague sense of dread. ‘There’s no choice.’ Woooom. Channeling the dimensional magic honed over his lifetime, the vast scanning spell enveloped the entire forest, centered on him. To avoid provoking the beasts, he had to retract his concealed magic, drawing the attention of the surrounding beasts with the enormous mana surge. – Hisssss!!! – Krekk!? – Kueeek! The scent of mana. Though overwhelmingly close to evil energy, it bore a distinctly different feel, compelling the great beasts to rise and converge towards the source. Thud. Thud. Thud. Even as he sensed the approaching threats, the old man was engrossed in sorting through the thoughts and data swept by his immense magic. Fortunately, he found a lead. ‘Running across the sky… It’s that way!’ The intent left by his target felt immensely strong. It was likely from shortly after being heavily pursued. Yet, even so, the feat of running across the sky exceeded all expectations. ‘It must be an artifact. It has to be an artifact.’ Suppressing his ominous hunch, the old man floated up into the air. He soared swiftly towards the traces revealed by the past’s intent. At that moment. “Rooaaaaar!” A Behemoth, with a lion's body, serpent tail, and bat wings—the kind now only found in legends—opened its cavernous maw and lunged to swallow him whole. But of course, it posed no threat to the old man. "Eating the shards of the Demon King, and yet so bold!" The foreboding premonition boiled into rage, and that rage metamorphosed into a torrent of gray magic that tore apart the Behemoth attempting to swallow the old man whole. Shrrrrip. Splat. “Eeeek…” One of the powerful beings who sought to fill the void left by the departed King of the East was reduced to fragments with a hollow cry. Other contenders halted in their steps, deterred by the cascade of black blood. “Come at me if you dare. I’ll pulverize every last one of you!” Although the beasts could not comprehend his words, the intense killing aura and chilling power laced within them caused even the ones intoxicated by the mana scent to hesitate. In that brief respite, the old man found the final trace amidst the tumultuous surroundings. A trace that seemed to leap through space and linger high above. Yet, vibrant with the sensation of a life-threatening encounter, a vivid intention was felt. “Reveal!” Though there was no need to shout, the intensifying ominous feeling compelled him to do so. The intention emitted by a target at the brink of death injected his mind with even more vivid information than any vision he’d encountered so far. Including colors more vibrant than he had ever seen before. And the results were utterly shocking. Woom. “A golden aura…?!” Impossible. There cannot exist more than one fate-altering being in a single era. Was it a mistake to identify the target? That also made no sense. So then... The old man’s mind rapidly deduced the answer. “Haha, is Gael that accursed one? Was he capable of changing his aura’s color?” Witnessing the shattering and reformation of his firmly held belief was beneficial. It served as high-quality experience, foundational for elevating one's soul. But if it also indicated being thoroughly deceived? “To think I not only had an ancestral artifact stolen from me but was also swindled with it?!” His outrage burst forth as a surge of fierce magical energy that swept the surroundings. Boom boom boom boom. Without the use of any particular spell, a gray vortex swirled in the heart of the forest. – Hissss... – Groan? – Scree... Every beast in the vicinity fixated on the vortex’s origin, holding their breath. “A mere offering dare toy with me?!” A voice resounding like thunder. Within the Demon Beast Forest, known alongside the Southern Mountains as one of two Great Demonic Grounds, a human exuded a presence more formidable than any beast. Yet, realizing the futility of this action, the old man grudgingly grounded himself. “Huff... Well, for a fate-alterer, this would be possible. Yeah, I suppose.” Grrind. Having studied and deciphered ancient findings on ‘fate-alterers’ after extensive research, the old man forced himself into acceptance. Calming himself, he reopened his steely gray eyes to survey the ground. His gaze penetrated not merely the earth but the echoes of a figure who once lay there. “If a fate-alterer, he wouldn’t have died here.” The Sacred Sword was still in his possession. Returning with such an identifiable sword as a nation's king was unlikely. This could only mean. ‘He must have hidden it somewhere within the forest.’ Or, he might have covertly carried it through to Maclaine. In any event, he would retrieve it, complete with the offering, on the day of the great plan’s fruition. For now, it was a matter of stubborn pride. “Let’s see... What trickery you employed.” If the Sacred Sword was concealed here, locating it was the priority. If not, it would serve as a clue to discern the target’s intentions. Above all, comprehending everything the target had accomplished in the forest was his first task. Yet, just as he prepared to delve deeper into the intention's memory. – Grrr. What the old man beheld was not the target but a colossal beast with twelve eyes. – Roooar! The roar within the memory should have been a mere echo of the past, yet it obliterated all remaining intent. A phenomenon beyond comprehension. Had circumstances been different, he might have reveled in the joy of unraveling such a mystery as a sorcerer. But now, it wasn’t welcome at all. “Who the hell dared!!!!!” The old man flared the fury he had managed to suppress anew. * * * “Woof!!” “What’s the matter, Tyrr?” While playing with her partner Tyrr in the royal courtyard, the young girl Stella tilted her head in curiosity. “Is there something over there?” “Woof! Woof!” Watching her friend bark while fixated in the northern direction puzzled her, yet nothing of interest was apparent to her eyes. However, her friend’s howls reached all the way to the heart of the palace, where a Beast Contract Holder received the message. – Enemy. Friend. Chasing. “Hmm?” “What troubles you, Your Majesty?” “Oh, nothing. Do continue with your report.” “...As you wish.” Though ostensibly listening to Duwane’s financial report, Logan was lost in thought, distracted by Tyrr’s message. ‘An enemy pursuing me?’ Typically, communications with Tyrr were fairly intuitive, though the simplicity sometimes rendered interpretation challenging. But in this instance, deduction was straightforward. It was a scenario already anticipated. ‘The Kassel Mage Tower... Likely the Demon Beast Forest. How far follows they Gael’s trail? Have they uncovered it?’ Recalling the mischief he’d woven through the forest, a mischievous grin spread across Logan's face. The Kassel Mage Tower wouldn’t gain anything significant from there anyway. Moreover, his attention was better focused on more pressing matters. “Should the Holy Nation and Empire's war break out, the aftermath would be…” Logan, once more alert, directed his focus back to the meeting.