NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 593
Chapter 593: Only We Remain. (1)
Step, step, step.
In the Shadow Mountain Range of the Kingdom of Turian.
An elf was climbing a mountain path teeming with countless monsters.
“Craaaak!”
Dozens of orcs roared as they charged towards the elf.
The orcs’ red eyes glinted, and drool hung from their mouths.
It was clear to anyone that something was amiss.
All the monsters in the Shadow Mountain Range were like this; they appeared tormented by an incessant desire for destruction, seeking to kill every living being in sight.
“Hmmm…”
The elf, Ereness, gazed at the approaching orcs. She had only heard rumors about this before; seeing it for herself was a first.
When monsters become this insane, they are usually too busy fighting each other. Yet, the sheer number of monsters around was astonishing.
No one could figure out the reason for this bizarre phenomenon. It was only known that, in time, these monsters would desire to break free into the world in a ‘Monster Wave’ occurrence.
Thus, the Kingdom of Turian, which encompassed the Shadow Mountain Range, had to build numerous fortresses nearby to continuously subdue the monsters.
“…Why has this happened?”
Though Ereness had never seen this phenomenon before, she was not perplexed by it. She had a hunch that someone had created this situation.
Humans would likely find it challenging to investigate this mountain range. The sheer number of monsters made it impractical, and they were too preoccupied fighting the Salvation Society and Rifts.
Snap.
Ereness snapped her fingers. Suddenly, a massive inferno erupted around her, igniting the orcs.
“Craaaak!”
Surrounded by intense spirits of fire, the orcs burned and fell.
Yet, somehow desperate to attack Ereness, they continued to rush at her. The intensity of their intent to kill was remarkable.
Having dealt with the orcs easily, Ereness looked at her hand.
“My power…”
Her powers from their peak were gradually returning.
Astonishingly, when she had fought alongside the Ruthania Army, her strength had not been at its full.
She had once been ranked second among the Seven Great Powers of the continent in Ghislaine’s past life. Despite having fought little, her powers had grown stronger with each passing day.
“The restraints… are almost all undone.”
Due to a curse cast long ago, she had been unable to move in the forest of the World Tree. Even though the restraints had finally loosened, she had not regained her peak powers.
Logically, she should have been pleased about her power returning, but Ereness wore a somber expression instead.
“Is it really you who has come back…”
The lifting of her restraints and the return of her power signified that an adversary from long ago was reappearing.
And it meant that the power he wielded in this world was growing stronger.
With a serious expression, Ereness moved. Now that she was certain an adversary had re-emerged, there was someone she needed to find here.
Craaaak!
Whenever the monsters spotted Ereness, they charged at her.
The deeper she ventured into the mountains, the more monsters there were.
While it was not as overwhelming as during the Monster Wave, it was still a problematic situation where she had to constantly fight.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The mountains trembled and collapsed all around her. The monsters dared not obstruct Ereness.
However, no matter how strong she was, she couldn’t handle all the monsters in these mountains alone.
There was a limit to how stealthily she could pass by. There were simply too many monsters around.
Due to the war, Turian’s hunters were not active, causing their numbers to swell dramatically.
Just as Ereness was starting to tire, a strange resonance echoed from deep within the mountains.
Booooo…
It sounded almost like a horn being blown, or perhaps the air itself was vibrating. It was an indescribable sound that no one could articulate.
As soon as the sound spread around, something remarkable occurred.
Krrrrr…
The monsters’ madness began to subside.
No, the madness still lingered. Their glowing red eyes and drool remained unchanged.
They simply began to ignore Ereness, treating her as if she were one of their kin.
“Phew… has someone finally found me?”
After taking a deep breath, Ereness headed toward the source of the resonance.
After some time, she arrived at the entrance of an enormous cave.
Before the cave stood a goblin, hunched over.
“Grug, grug. My master has instructed me to bring you forth. Grug.”
Ereness nodded at the goblin’s words. Such things weren’t particularly unfamiliar to her.
Deep within the cave was a vast space. Inside resided the true master of this mountain range.
The goblin that guided Ereness promptly prostrated before the figure.
“W-Wise Master has commanded that I bring you this honored guest.”
The goblin spoke in a trembling voice before quickly stepping aside.
The great master of the mountains slowly opened its mouth.
“Ereness… Guardian of the World Tree and Great Chief of the Elves. It has been a while…”
Just uttering these words filled the space with a chilling aura. The goblin instantly became encased in frost, trembling violently.
Ereness lowered her head slightly as she gazed at the master of the mountains before her.
“It has been a while. Arterion.”
The master of the mountains was no ordinary being.
Scales shining like shards of celestial glass, a massive body elegantly curving like a great arc.
Its teeth and claws were as sharp as ice crystals, and even with its wings folded, it exuded the grandeur of a colossal fortress.
Its eyes were cold and clear, like blue ice, radiating a chilling light that stood out even in the deepest darkness.
It emitted an aura as though it ruled over every winter in the world, a majestic and mysterious presence.
White Dragon Arterion.
Long ago, in war, he lost his land filled with snowstorms and became the last Dragon Lord imprisoned in the Shadow Mountain Range.
And in Ghislaine’s past life, he was known as the Radiant Dragon, having become yet another foe.
He was the master of all the monsters that resided in this mountain range.
As Ereness carefully observed Arterion, she asked:
“Your restraints haven’t completely lifted, have they?”
“Indeed… but it won’t be long now…”
Arterion replied slowly. Strangely, black energy chains were binding his body.
The chains emerged from the void, intertwining endlessly around the dragon’s form.
Yet the chains were cracking and fraying. At this rate, it would not be long before they broke entirely.
The stronger the subject, the longer the restraints held firm. Thus, unlike Ereness, Arterion was still unable to move.
Arterion inquired of Ereness.
“The lifting of your restraints means… the Salvation Society has resurrected, and that wretch has appeared again… Have you found him?”
“No, I have not.”
“I know that the Salvation Society has reemerged… What is the situation now?”
“The humans are doing well to fend them off. They are fiercely fighting, but the situation is significantly favorable.”
“The Rifts in the Kingdom of Turian were battling the monsters of this mountain range… What of the Rifts in other places…”
“Most of those have also been kept from expanding. It’s just a temporary measure, though.”
At those words, Arterion showed a hint of surprise.
“Truly remarkable are the humans of this age… How could they achieve such things…”
A sudden thought of Ghislaine flashed in Ereness’s mind. With astonishing abilities, he had led Ruthania to victory in the civil war.
Thinking of him, an unbidden smile crept onto her face.
“There is an exceptionally capable lord among the humans. He prepared and acted as if he anticipated everything.”
“Impressive… If we only find and eliminate that ‘traitor’, everything will be resolved…”
As Arterion spoke those words, a glint of malice began to gleam in his eyes.
Ereness hesitated for a moment before saying.
“I’m not certain he has truly resurrected… The Salvation Society has maintained its lineage for a long time.”
Krrrr…
Arterion growled lowly, his voice tinged with displeasure.
“Are you still harboring such thoughts even after witnessing the lifting of our restraints? You too are trapped in that curse, living beyond your natural lifespan.”
“…”
“The ‘traitor’ has already been resurrected. I can feel it. He has returned to exact revenge upon us! He has manifested as he declared long ago!”
Bang!
As Arterion suddenly unleashed his fury, parts of the cave crumbled and shook. The goblin, hemorrhaging, had already fainted.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Arterion attempted to move, but the black chains held him fast. He spoke in a voice filled with wrath.
“The Goddess even abandoned us! We protect humanity with our lives! According to that wretched curse, you’ve become slaves, and we have gone extinct! Is this what justice looks like?”
“…”
“I cannot allow this! This time, I will surely obliterate that soul!”
Before long, Arterion’s blue eyes flickered with murder, glowing red.
Ereness did not respond. She knew just how immense the wrath that dragon harbored was.
Arterion continued to growl. It was as if he were warning Ereness.
“That wretch is merely a traitor who has forsaken humanity. So do not harbor any hopes or regrets. Just wait a little longer. I will certainly find and kill him.”
“…”
“We have to fight anyway. Have you forgotten? He will never forgive us.”
“…”
Ereness shut her eyes and took a deep breath.
Those words were true. The adversary would never forgive her. No, he would never forgive anything alive in this world.
He desired to destroy everything in existence.
How many sacrifices did humanity endure to eliminate the adversary and the Salvation Society? Even now, the entire continent was engulfed in turmoil because of the Salvation Society.
Thus, the adversary must be found and eradicated.
Arterion spoke with intense chill emanating from him.
“Sacred Relic. Find the Sacred Relic left by the Saint. That relic will surely guide us to him.”
“…”
Ereness did not reply. She already knew that Ghislaine possessed the relic.
After all, she had aided in the theft of it.
If the relic truly helped in meeting the adversary, she only needed to stay by Ghislaine’s side.
But for now, she didn’t want to disclose this fact to Arterion.
Something about it made her uneasy.
Instead, she asked about something else that intrigued her.
“Why… have you unleashed the monsters in such a mad state?”
“Did I not say? For just a moment, I felt his resurrection. He has been reborn in the Kingdom of Turian. I clearly sensed that cursed energy.”
“So… towards the Kingdom of Turian…”
With Arterion’s eyes gleaming with malice once again.
“Yes, I have been continuously sending monsters to kill him.”
Ereness was in disbelief. It meant he had been sending mad monsters purely on instinct.
For more than twenty years, no less.
Because of this, the Kingdom of Turian had been reduced to ruins, constantly at war with monsters.
She could hardly believe it. Arterion was a wise dragon.
“Why would you do such a thing? Innocent humans are suffering in the struggle against monsters.”
Arterion cast a scornful glance at Ereness.
“What’s the problem with a few insignificant bugs dying? They are the ones we have protected. Thus, we have no need to answer for taking their lives.”
“…”
“The Goddess has already abandoned us. I cannot move. Therefore, monsters must be sent to capture that wretch!”
“Still, do you have to involve other humans…”
“If all the humans in the Kingdom of Turian are killed, so too shall that wretch die!”
Krrrrr!
At Arterion’s rage, cracks appeared in the cave walls. The goblin had already perished with its head shattered.
This was the secret behind why the Kingdom of Turian had to perpetually fight monsters.
And if his words were true…
It meant the ‘Adversary’ had indeed been reborn in the Kingdom of Turian.