Chapter 596 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

At the four corners of the continent's frontier, monsters dwell. Unlike the central continent, where the human king roams, the four border monsters were savage and violent. Armed with cruelty, they hunted and devoured their fellow humans. In these monstrous territories, humans suffered, trembled in fear, and often met their deaths while attempting to escape. As the king’s nation gradually expanded its reach, those who managed to flee the monster's realm by sheer luck sought the human king, clinging to a thread of hope. They lamented over the brutality and horror of the four monsters, pouring out their pent-up anger. And the 'Elder Sister' replied briefly. “Me? Why?” Before the first era, there was no hesitation in fighting and killing each other. Anyone outside their own group was no different from a wild beast, and if killing was necessary, extermination seemed a better option. Even as they transitioned into agricultural society and became territorial animals, reducing conflicts, such brutal rationality still lingered in the hearts of humans. Though humanity's autumn brought flourishing nations and whispers of change, the winds of transformation hadn't fully seeped in yet. “They haven’t done anything to me. They didn’t try to chase or attack my kin. I don’t even know who they are. Should I really go seek them out and kill them?” The 'Elder Sister' posed this query in sheer innocence. The king’s warriors also showed unease as they replied. “No, Your Highness. Your words are wise.” “There is no reason for Your Highness to involve yourself in trivial squabbles.” “Moreover... the frontier is far too distant.” Though the human king wandered the world, it was often by whim. If it was too hot, he’d set up a tent by the river and wade in the water; if too cold, he’d bundle up and warm himself by the fire. He’d occasionally peek into a village, provide guidance to those who visited him, and in this way, these places became the foundation of the ‘nation.’ The human king is akin to a moving capital. While the king’s warriors followed him, they themselves hailed from major villages of the ‘nation’ that had sought to serve him. To them, the frontier was a far-off, unfamiliar land as well. “It's well over a thousand miles. Even traveling lightly, it would take a year. Moreover, who knows what fierce and terrifying beasts reside in such strange lands? While it's unlikely for Your Highness to lose, there's no compelling reason to fight if the monsters are as powerful as rumored.” The king's warriors, having already experienced the loss of the former king to a mountain lord, strongly opposed sending the ‘Elder Sister’—especially the one who led the most glorious era—into such a place. “Your Majesty, please heed our plea. We implore you with utmost sincerity.” Even Nevada, who upheld the ‘Elder Sister’s’ wishes, earnestly opposed, making it seem like the matter would end there. “You must punish them.” However, the Keeper of Traditions implored that the ‘Elder Sister’ deliver punishment. “The four monsters aren’t mere beasts. They are all human. As humans, they are demons that consume, ravage, and indulge in other humans.” Kneeling before the ‘Elder Sister,’ the Keeper of Traditions revealed four dark, blood-red scrolls. Each of them inscribed with ominous taboos about the frontier monsters. He recounted the tales of these monsters. “Ankhra, devourer of a thousand. He consumes a thousand humans yearly and hunts twice as many more. To him, humans are livestock; merely fodder to fill his and his followers’ bellies, materials to satiate his hunger. The devouring taboo will extend beyond the jungles, encroaching upon this land.” Southeastern continent. Deep within the endless jungles resides the monster that feasts on humans, Ankhra, devourer of a thousand. “Bahmet, the Beast Mother. She who wields the vibrant black mud, birthing beasts never before seen. If a human and animal are thrown into her black spawning pool, a creature mixed from various beasts emerges. The grafting taboo will push animals aside and envelop the world.” Southwestern continent. Beyond the desert lies the land of black waters. Creator of creatures from a mixture of life’s remnants, Beast Mother Bahmet. “Jotun, King of the Giants. Dwelling in the snowy mountains, he violates hundreds of women and kills all but the biggest and healthiest child born. For centuries, selecting only the elite offspring has resulted in giants who are much larger and stronger. The intercourse taboo will lead others to trample and violate humanity.” Northeastern continent. The giant tribe, leaving vast footprints in the snowy mountains, kidnapping humans. Their chieftain, Jotun. “…And. The place where I first opened my eyes. In that mountain where madmen distort the world as they please and spread twisted minds. The heresy taboo will deceive us like demons.” And in the northwestern continent, on the lone mountain of Yulin, there stands the cult leader of madmen who claim to have scorched their eyes gazing at the sky. The Lucent Immortal, Beel. Having recited all four traditions, the Keeper of Traditions, with a face full of boundless sorrow, pleaded. “Your Majesty. They are extraordinarily dangerous and harmful. Should the demons perpetuating these chains of sin rule with great power, humanity will gradually turn, like paper soaked in ink. Consuming others will become common sense, boasting about who ate more will become a virtue, and the weak will become livestock, eternally writhing in torment.” A chill wind swept through. Despite the Keeper’s desperate cries, it was a solitary plea. Amid humanity’s autumn, a parched and cold breeze brushed past. “Please consider the grievances of those who walk until their feet bleed, whose hearts burst with anguish, and who spew blood in their despair. In Your name, may you punish all those taboos.” Who dares command the Sovereign? Who suggests a journey beyond a thousand miles and asks for the heads of their own kin? Who dares to use the human king as a mercenary? A bitter wind heralding winter blew. The piercing gusts, like blades, circled inside the tent. As if they might tear someone apart at any moment. The king’s warriors moved forward, and in response, the Keepers of Traditions stepped in to oppose them. The tension was palpable, like a taut string on the verge of snapping. Yet in the midst of this potential conflict, the ‘Elder Sister’ remained unfazed. “I’ll go see.” Nevada exclaimed. “Your Majesty!” “I’m curious. Even as they were dying, they came all this way to leave a single word. They must have fled not wanting to die, yet they came only to die. I want to know what they wanted to say.” What does a beast live for? It’s the most foolish question. Life is not a means but an end. Every creature struggles, moment by moment, to prolong its existence. Thus, the human king, recalling the human who died before them, felt a curiosity. “I’m going and coming back!” The journey could be as short as a few years, or as long as over a decade. Even the warriors who had sworn to serve the king couldn't easily commit to such a long cross-continental journey. A procession of stragglers would stretch long, like shadows greeting the twilight. Merely at the behest of the Keeper of Traditions, the ‘nation’ lost both a king and a tradition keeper. While some cast contemptuous eyes at the Keeper of Traditions, Nevada and the other young, sturdy warriors prepared to accompany the ‘Elder Sister’ on her lengthy journey. “I shall serve You, Your Majesty.” “Do as you wish!” The ‘Elder Sister’ neither refused nor wholly accepted the offer, but responded indifferently. It was a long and arduous path. Strange beasts they had never seen bounded before their eyes, and magnificent sights never before witnessed humbled humanity. The Keepers of Traditions penned scrolls to capture even a fraction of their emotions. As they saw, heard, and touched new wonders, the ‘Elder Sister’ and her warriors steadily advanced toward the distant snowy mountains. The ‘Elder Sister’ and the king's warriors were among the finest of humanity. For the moment, they had the leisure to enjoy the journey itself. Until they approached the giants' territory. It became immediately evident why the giant tribe was named as such. They were three heads taller than an ordinary human, their hands and feet as thick as cauldron lids, carrying clubs as they roamed. True to the image of giants, they dragged bound humans with coarse, thick ropes. Upon seeing the ‘Elder Sister,’ they muttered. “Female.” “Small.” “Pretty.” “Looks sturdy.” “Let’s take her.” The giants’ language was primitive and foreign. None among the king’s warriors understood their words. However, as the giants approached, reaching out with their hands, there was no mistaking their menacing demeanor. “Kill the males.” “Take the females.” In response, the king's warriors unsheathed their weapons. Despite their exceptional skills, the giants were too immense and powerful. Their mighty strength pushed the king's warriors back. “Hm?” Yet the ‘Elder Sister’ reached out her hand, facing the incoming hands. “Uoooooo!” The giant’s wrist snapped effortlessly. The giant, whose hand was as large as a cauldron lid, was forced to his knees by the ‘Elder Sister,’ who barely reached his waist, groveling on the ground. Despite reigning over the snowy mountains, the giants succumbed to a mere small girl. The king's warriors, gaining leverage, brought down the giants using their beast-hunting tactics. The captives, witnesses to this spectacle, approached bound, bowing their heads. “Please spare us! We cannot be taken like this!” “Please, at least let us live...!” Though they spoke a different language, the human king understood their pleas. The ‘Elder Sister’ understood and answered. “Huh? I’m not going to kill you.” The human king needed no one’s recognition. Regardless of meeting another nation or tribe, the human king was their sovereign. The ‘nation’ was able to unite as one because of this truth. Words have weight. Instinctively realizing this truth, the prisoners entrusted their safety to her. As they tended to the starving and weary, the ‘Elder Sister’ and her warriors learned the customs of the giant tribe. On the flanks of the world’s tallest mountain, Bulaksan, the giants roamed the snowy mountains in small groups. Occasionally, they would descend to the plains to raid villages. Men were devoured on the spot, and women were kidnapped and brought to their hideout. Awaiting them was the ceaseless role of childbearers. Until they perished from exhaustion, they would conceive, give birth, and witness the execution of ‘failed’ offspring right before their eyes. Life and death cultivated within their own womb. In this way, countless births and discards occurred, leaving only those children who grew bigger and stronger. This brutal selection was the reason the giants grew so large and powerful. “Oh my….” Even the king’s warriors, who had initially questioned the Keeper, now found sympathy with her words, retching at the revolting and barbaric reality before them. The captives, observing her reaction, prostrated themselves before the ‘Elder Sister’ with a glimmer of hope. “…Wandering traveler. Could you perhaps rescue those taken captive…?” However, the ‘Elder Sister’s’ response was slightly different. “No.” “…What?” “They’re humans too, aren’t they?” The ‘Elder Sister,’ acknowledged by all as the human king, viewed some humans’ atrocities as mere ripples upon the ocean’s surface. No matter how fierce the storm, the ocean's height remains unwavering. As the sovereign of all humanity, it was all too natural for other humans to attack and capture, requiring no reasoning or necessity to intervene. “Abandoning newborns is quite common, too. If that justified killing them, I would have to kill other humans every time they abandon a child.” Giants may have been more intense and brutal, but similar occurrences were undoubtedly happening across the world. The human king is unique. While this uniqueness unified everyone, it also encompassed the barbaric and savage giants. This was a matter of essence—a grand thesis that remained unalterable as long as ‘Elder Sister’ was the human king. The Keeper of Traditions had no words to offer. Instead, she sat by the head of the apprehended giant, murmuring something in the language of the giants. "Hahahahahaha! The human king has come, and she's a woman!" Not long after, as the ‘Elder Sister’ prepared to depart, hundreds of giants approached with the earth shaking beneath their feet. At their forefront was Jotun, the chieftain of the giant tribe, taller than the rest by a full head. "Just in time! The soil for my seed has been dry for too long! If she is the human king, then surely we can bear healthier fruits!" Jotun's gaze fixated on the ‘Elder Sister’ with lewd and primal intent. It was so blatant that there was no room for misconstruing his meaning. "I shall make the king bear my seed and bring forth the supreme fruit!" As Jotun advanced, the ‘Elder Sister’ did not shy away from the challenge, gripping her hand axe firmly. The eternal snows, which had never lost their pure white, were stained crimson.