< 119. Blood wets the sand (10) >
#119
“It is certain that I will die anyway and end up in red water. “I will try to extend the time.”
“No you idiot. They said they wouldn’t go in. And by what means?”
“Wait a moment.”
Suddenly a gust of wind began to fiddle with the cube. No matter how I looked at it it seemed like I was pressing it at random but since I didn’t know anything I couldn’t do anything else. Every time he pressed a button a voice was heard.
[5 minutes left.]
[25 minutes…]
[There are 42 seconds left until the security system is activated.]
“Yum it’s decreased even more.”
“Wait. “Impatient people don’t live long.”
“You speak well.”
Despite Ronan’s urging the angry gust silently pressed the button. Soon a guidance sound with different content than before was heard.
[There are 60 minutes left until the security system is activated. Further operations are limited due to frequent changes.]
After that no voice was heard. The shaking as if I had been thrown into a storm also subsided. Ronan laughed as if he was shocked.
“her. “This is really happening.”
“sorry. “I don’t think I can increase it any further.”
“no. “At this level it was a scary save.”
Ronan nodded. I wouldn’t say it was very long but it was still enough time to do a lot more than 3 minutes. The three people who received additional healing from Sita stood up.
“Damn I think I’m going to buy something now. thanks.”
“Bye!”
“One of the best things I think I did when I came back was…not throw you in the river while you were still an egg. “At that time I really thought it was horse manure.”
“Byeolgi?”
Ronan gently stroked Sita. Sita opened her eyes round and tilted her head. Ronan who came up the stairs was the first to approach the bodies of Terranil and Yuria.
“…Is this really the white man?”
“ok. “It was a spectacular ending.”
“What on earth do you do to make a corpse look like this… wow?”
An angry gust of wind retched after seeing Terranil’s corpse. It was a terrible sight even for the warriors of Dainhar. The shock wave that exploded inside his body turned his body into the most avant-garde and disgusting vase in the world.
“Let’s see….”
“What are you doing?”
At that moment Ronan began to rummage through the pile of meat that was Terranil. The gust of wind was frightened and took a step back.
“Wait. “If you’re a bishop it’s worth carrying something around…”
It was so messed up and covered in blood that it was difficult to find anything. Ronan was eventually able to find a useful object only after Sita had absorbed all the blood traces at the scene.
“okay. “There was this.”
Squeak – Ronan ripped a piece of metal from the tattered piece of cloth. It was the seven-pointed badge that hung on Terranil’s sleeve. Of all the gang members I’ve met so far the only one wearing Terranil seemed to be an item symbolizing the bishop.
“Fuck…what on earth is it made of?”
Ronan who was examining the badge frowned. Shiny mana so rich that it gave me goosebumps was condensed inside the badge. It felt like if I mixed it with water and drank it shiny urine would come out.
‘That’s unpleasant.’
Ronan grumbled but took the badge. He had a feeling that there would definitely be something to write about.
Aside from the badge he didn’t have anything special to take from Terra Nil. Ronan picked up the dagger that was lying around along with his dismembered vertebrae. Despite the uproar there was not a single scratch on the smooth sword body.
“It’s very useful. Doron.”
Ronan who sheathed Ymir laughed. Compared to La Mancha its killing power was lower but its usability was excellent. I especially liked being able to manifest an aura copied from the position of the dagger.
When he turned his head he saw Schlieffen examining Yuria’s whip. Ronan strolled over and shrugged his eyebrows.
“What was it that you liked?”
“I was only looking at it because it seemed like it was made by a fairly skilled craftsman.”
“I thought you were going to give my sister a gift and ask her to spank you. “Look!”
“You really…!”
Ronan left the red-faced Schlieffen behind and began examining her whip. The material was definitely unusual but the build quality seemed to be of great quality. Each and every one of the hundreds of pieces of metal woven in a row had been delicately processed.
‘That’s amazing. There is no problem in tearing them off one by one and using them as weapons.’
It was like looking at a work of art rather than a weapon. He was in the middle of fiddling with the handle. Sigh! Suddenly the whip shrunk arbitrarily and transformed into the shape of a luxurious cane that nobles would use.
“…It’s really amazing.”
Ronan whistled. It was a level of sophistication that would be unrecognizable even if you carefully looked at it. It seemed unlikely that anyone other than a blacksmith of Doron’s level would be able to even attempt to reproduce it.
I don’t know who made it but it was clear that he was one of the leading blacksmiths on the continent. Suddenly what Yuria said passed through her mind.
‘Is it created by a man named Alibrihe?’
It was said that one prosthetic hand was amazing. And the magic engineering prosthetic hand which required delicate work was an item that could be called the culmination of technology.
“Tsk.”
Ronan clicked his tongue. I didn’t like the fact that such an outstanding craftsman was collaborating with such fanatics. He slowly turned around holding his whip. Contrary to expectations there was no need to rush to collect the magic stone.
“If I just take these I can play and eat for the rest of my life.”
The floor was littered with black crystals. These were magic stones held by the monsters that Yuria controlled. It seemed that the testimony of the gust of wind swallowing the black stone was true.
“Interesting. It appears to have been moved using a magic stone as a power source.”
“I was so upset because I was eating such good food.”
Ronan took off his coat and made a bag and started picking up magic stones. Even though he chose only the best magic stones the amount was too much to handle. As long as Secret didn’t commit corruption he could have done it a thousand times.
Ronan even took off Schlieffen’s coat and wrapped the bundle. Before leaving he asked Sita to absorb all the blood shed by the natives and lay it out neatly. The purpose was to make it easier to dispose of corpses. Gust who was looking around at the bodies lined up in a row slowly opened his mouth.
“…thanks.”
“it’s okay. “Just bury it well.”
“Everyone will like it. “Thanks to you warriors smile even in death.”
Ronan twisted his lips. Everyone here chose to die rather than reveal their secret. Honorable silence. Ronan lowered his head slightly and muttered softly.
“Let’s go to a nice place.”
It sucks to let go of a colleague. Especially if they died honorably.
After a brief moment of silence the three people returned the way they came. Fortunately it didn’t take as long as it came. Ronan who was walking along the gust of wind opened his mouth.
“I am sorry. “I’d like to help find survivors but I don’t have time.”
“It’s okay. “The mind alone is enough.”
“There is a guy named Asher who is amazingly good at restoration work. Should I call him later?”
“no. We can do it ourselves. “Rocks do not disappear even if they are cut by the wind.”
The gust of wind answered bravely. Ronan smiled bitterly without saying a word. It was very obvious that he was trying hard to pretend to be strong.
Considering Yuria and Terranil’s temperament it was probably difficult to expect any more survivors. The angry gust of wind must also have been aware of it.
They walked away without saying a word. As I was getting to the entrance I saw a boy pacing around in the distance biting his nails. Ronan said touching the gust of wind.
“Isn’t that your younger brother?”
“Hmm?”
It was Dreaming Thunder the younger brother of Gust Wind. He recognized the group and jumped up from his spot.
“Oh my god brother! “Everyone!”
“How are you?”
Ronan waved his hand. After a month the thunder came and stopped in front of the gust of wind. He opened his mouth catching his breath that was welling up to his chin.
“Huh… he didn’t come back so I thought he was dead. Wow everyone was very worried…!”
“sorry. But if it weren’t for his benefactors he would really have died.”
“Anyway I’m glad I didn’t die. Come quickly. “I have something to show you brother.”
“Are you going to show me?”
“You might be surprised. Everyone follow me!”
Dreaming thunder roared ahead. The three people followed him in confusion. Everyone’s eyes widened at the panoramic view of the cave that soon unfolded.
“This is…!”
“older brother. Our tribe is not ruined. “He was still alive this much.”
Approximately two hundred indigenous people were crowded together.
Everyone had a dirty look on their face but there were no injuries. The people who discovered the gust of wind and Ronan and his group shouted in joy.
“Look over there the angry gust is back!”
“The benefactors are safe too! “Oh my god such a miracle…!”
In an instant the natives came and surrounded them. A trembling voice came out from between the lips of an angry gust of wind.
“Ronan. “Am I dreaming?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I hope I don’t wake up even if it’s just a dream. “I’m serious.”
The angry gust of wind looked at the faces of the tribesmen one by one. They were all people who were thought to be dead. There were enough people to rebuild the tribe. Thunder pointed at Sita and laughed cheerfully.
“It’s not a dream. That bird told me where people were. “As I followed the red road people came out shedding blood.”
Gust’s eyes widened. This happened while Ronan and Schlieffen were engaged in a fierce battle.
The rescue was carried out in a way that the natives would find the injured and bring them back and Sita would heal them. Wow! Sita who was curled up on Ronan’s head puffed out her feathers as if asking what was going on.
“This…really…I….”
For a moment water filled Gust’s eyes. He turned his head keeping his mouth shut. Soon his broad shoulders began to shake.
“It’s so big and distracting that it’s a drag.”
Ronan chuckled. Gust wiped his eyes roughly with the back of his hand and looked back at Ronan again. He took a deep breath and bowed to Ronan.
“thanks! “I will never forget!”
“It’s okay if you become the chief later I’ll give it a try.”
“I will definitely repay this favor. We will forever remain your friends and allies. I’ll make it like that…”
A gust of wind was about to speak. The woman’s voice which had been quiet for a while echoed in the cave.
[60 minutes have passed. Security system restarted. Please be careful of strong vibration.]
“Huh has it already become like this?”
Ronan raised his head. Coo coo coo coo! Suddenly the cave began to vibrate like crazy. The panicked natives murmured. An angry gust of wind wiped away the tears and shouted loudly.
“Everyone calm down! It’s an earthquake that will pass quickly! Gather around women and children!”
Her deep voice was full of charisma. People who had regained their senses gathered under his instructions.
I couldn’t believe that this was the guy who had been squeamish just a moment ago. His younger brother the Dreaming Thunder wandered everywhere and guided the frightened people.
“Come here. “Be careful not to fall.”
“It’s pretty good.”
Ronan laughed. The chief was just joking but I felt like I could really get my hopes up. The woman’s voice was heard again.
[Perform scanning prior to this work. Those without an identification code will be automatically expelled.]
Paang! At that moment a wave of mana erupted from an unknown source and passed through all the people in the cave. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“That’s….”
The tattoos on the bodies of the natives were shining brightly. The only ones that didn’t change were him and Schlieffen Sita. Is that an identification code? It was the moment Ronan muttered.
[3 unidentified persons have been confirmed. Expel the target.]
Ugh! A blue light suddenly appeared before my eyes and engulfed Ronan and Schlieffen. Sita who hurriedly flew up was also swallowed without a trace.
The natives whose eyes were wide open let out screams of horror. Coo coo coo coo…! The vibration was still continuing.
****
“Whoa! what?!”
“hmm…!”
Suddenly my vision became brighter. Ronan who hit his butt let out a curse. Fine sand grains were mixed like dust in the dry wind that blew back my bangs.
“This is….”
Ronan slowly got up. A high clear sky hung over his head. Reddish sand dunes stretched to the horizon. Sita who was stuck in the sand dune and writhing around barely managed to pull his head out.
“Pete! Pepppep!”
“This was unexpected. “Is it some kind of space magic?”
Schlieffen who had adjusted her clothes opened her mouth. Sita kept lashing out and spitting out his sand. They were in the middle of the red sand desert.
I could see Dainhar rising like a crown in the distance. Judging by the shimmering appearance like a mirage it was a distance that would have taken two days.
As I looked around the corpse of a huge rocbird caught my eye. On the side of the dried out monster was a piece of metal that I had seen many times before.
The harpoons fired by Yuria’s beasts. Ronan who recognized that this was the one who came with the thunder muttered quietly.
“It feels like a ghost is chewing on my earlobe…”
Although I heard the notice that I would be expelled it didn’t really feel like I was really being kicked out like this. Fortunately all the things I had packed were scattered around.
“…Well then shall we go back?”
Ronan was just about to turn his steps. Coo coo coo coo! Suddenly the desert began to tremble. It was an earthquake on a much larger scale than the one experienced just moments ago. Ronan suddenly caught sight of Dain Har and opened his eyes wide.
“What about that?”
Kwagwagwagwa! Dainhar was moving. Rock mountains with organic shapes were rising layer after layer like flames. Subterranean metals that had been dug up from the ground were wrapped around Dainhar.
It was a spectacle that could not have been created even if there were a hundred earth wizards of Jaradin’s level. Suddenly the guidance sound I heard at Dainhar passed through my mind.
“Security system…?”
Only then did Ronan realize why the shape of the rocky mountains was not natural. It was not formed naturally in the first place.
The earthquake subsided after several tens of minutes. After completing its transformation Dainhar was about three times larger in size. The cluster of rocky mountains rising with the force of tearing up the sky was reminiscent of a huge fortress. Ronan who had been dumbfounded opened his mouth.
“No one will be able to enter like that.”
“I guess so. “A shield surrounds the entire terrain.”
“what?”
“It’s also a very strong defense shield. “It will be difficult for the imperial army to break through.”
Schlieffen nodded. As Ronan narrowed his eyes he saw that a bluish mana barrier was covering the entire Dainhar.
It really looked like a fortress prepared for something. Schlieffen who was silent for a moment continued.
“Anyway Ronan. “Keep your promise.”
“promise?”
Instead of answering Schlieffen looked at Ronan. There was a subtle silence. Ronan who realized the intention after a while laughed.
“Anyway you are out of your mind.”
Ronan took out a piece of paper from the back pocket of his pants. A brightly smiling Iril was drawn on a palm-sized piece of paper. Schlieffen’s voice trembled.
“This…this….”
“Put it in a frame and keep it. “Just try doing weird things.”
Schlieffen accepted the painting with both hands as if he were receiving an imperial edict. Schlieffen who was quietly staring at the painting muttered softly.
“…I will make it an heirloom.”
“Crazy guy.”
Ronan shook his head. His reaction was about 30000 times more intense than when he awakened the Storm Sword. The wave pattern engraved on the sand dunes following the wind signaled the end of the adventure.
They walked along the way they came. The bandits’ blood stains that had been soaked in the sand had suddenly disappeared without a trace.
