Episode 361
A middle-aged man with half of his brown hair dyed white walks out of a grove with a fishing net on his back.
The nettaegi was filled with chestnuts, but they were large and shiny from the shell, so they looked delicious even from the outside.
“Yes!”
A middle-aged man called someone’s name over the iron door in the middle of the stone wall.
“uh?”
Above the iron gate, the face of a young man in his twenties stood out.
“Uncle Joren. You’re here early. After all, other people take a break for the weekend.”
A young man named Neji laughed at the middle-aged man.
“I thought I had to go out to the city, so I quickly finished it. Still, it contained quite a bit.”
A middle-aged man called Joren pointed to the net on his back.
“Wow, it’s a dark night. I will be fine this year too.”
Neji smiled and nodded.
“It’s not just the night. The raspberries are also delicious because the water has risen.”
“They paid well these days, but shouldn’t they expand the village soon?”
“I am going to find out.”
“Really?”
“okay. We need a lot of workers, so we’re going to the city in advance to find workers.”
“Wow! What are you doing! Don’t come in soon!”
As soon as he heard Neji run down, the iron door split in half and opened.
“Didn’t you open it just now?”
Joren smiled and tried to go inside when he heard heavy footsteps behind him.
When I turned my head, people in jet-black robes were approaching the village.
‘They…?’
Weathers Village is famous for raspberries and chestnuts, so tourists sometimes visit, but they didn’t feel any expectations for tourism.
‘It’s dangerous…’
The sense that lived as a mercenary for over 30 years whispers to run away quickly. But he couldn’t leave his home and family behind.
Joren hurriedly closed the iron door and stood in front of it.
“Who are you all?”
“…”
There were many people, but no one answered. They approached the entrance of the village without stopping.
The man in the front raised his head. Black eyes that seemed to have been charred. The moment I saw those eyes, goose bumps ran through my whole body.
“Ah uncle! Those people…”
“Don’t come out!”
Joren shook his hand to Neji and leaned his back against the door.
“Is this Weathers?”
The black-eyed man’s mouth opened. There was an unknown dark aura permeating the voice that resonated as if it were speaking from deep underground.
“Ah…”
Just hearing his voice makes my heart sink. My body was so weak that I couldn’t do anything.
“That’s right.”
Joren bit his lip and nodded.
“How many humans live here?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“How many are there?”
“I don’t know who it is…”
“Your chance is over.”
The black-eyed man waved his hand as if to chase away flies.
“What are you talking about… Ah!”
Joren’s body was torn into four pieces by the jet-black claws that came from that gesture.
“Aaaaaagh!”
“Noisy.”
As Neji above him screamed and tried to ring the bell, the man’s hand gently descended as if conducting.
Quadruped!
The black claws nestled in that hand fell obliquely. The iron gates and stone walls were all blown out, and even Neji on top of them was bloody and poured out.
“Heh uh uh…”
“Ah…”
“What is this…”
The people of Weathers Village behind the wall sat down on the ground, unable to keep their feet together, tired of the dark-eyed man’s vicious energy.
“Gather all the humans in the village.”
“yes.”
At the direction of the black-eyed man, the monsters in black robes scattered like ghosts.
“Ah!”
“Let go!”
“Ugh…”
The monsters pierced people’s bodies with black energy hooks and dragged them to the center as if they were dealing with livestock.
“There was a rat.”
The black-eyed man waved his hand to the right. The claws of darkness extended from his hands and fell, crushing the well-built house and leaving huge scars on the ground.
Pukaaaak!
Behind the collapsing wall, someone’s shoulder and flesh flowed down to the floor along with bloody blood.
Koo Goo Goo!
The building collapsed, and the man whose arm was cut off was doomed to rubble without even screaming.
The black-eyed man looked at the collapsed house and then turned his head. The villagers stared at the ground with pale blue faces.
“Thirty-nine. It is a sufficient number to use as a sacrifice.”
He looked at the people and nodded.
“What about work?”
“It’s done. I put demonic energy into everyone.”
A short woman whose robe dragged on the ground bowed her head.
“Take them all.”
“yes.”
A short woman who heard the instructions stood in front of people. When a grotesque sound, not human language, flowed from her mouth, the villagers’ eyes widened.
They stood up, limp like zombies, and started walking toward the Zamari Mountains.
The black-eyed man looked at him and raised his mouth.
“I wonder what kind of monster he will be reborn as.”
* * *
Raon could not stand it and turned his head to Denning Rose.
“What do you mean? Why did they raid Weathers Village?”
It is true that Weathers Village is close to the Zamari Mountains, but the road to it is different.
I couldn’t understand why they went and attacked a village that had to be turned to the right for a long time.
“I don’t know either. Our agent in the village may have been attacked as well, so we only get calls saying that the Black Tower was attacked, but there is no response.”
Denning Rose lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly. Seeing her show emotion, it seems like it was an agent she cared for.
“Such…”
Dorian held his trembling hands as if he hadn’t expected this to happen.
“For now, this is just a home.”
Denning Rose slowed down and slightly averted her gaze.
“Tell me.”
“I think they are using the villagers as sacrifices.”
“A sacrifice?”
“I think they’re trying to catch the people who planted the mana of darkness in Drake after feeding them to accumulate negative energy.”
“Negative vibes…”
Raon nodded, touching his lips.
‘surely.’
that’s most likely
As Denning Rose said, that seemed to be the only reason why the guys who were aiming for Drake suddenly attacked the village.
No, that way a lot of people would be alive, so I had to hope that the Black Towers would have captured people to be used as sacrifices.
-Dark mana?
Lars gnashed his teeth.
-You mean lowly things borrowing the power of demons dare to interrupt the main king’s dessert time!
The guy gritted his teeth and raised the energy of his anger, as if he was angry that he couldn’t eat the food he wanted to eat because the village was attacked.
‘It’s a little different.’
– What is the difference?
‘It’s true that the Black Tower uses the mana of darkness, but it’s not just the mana of darkness.’
-then?’
‘They absorb the mana of darkness into their energy and use it.’
The Black Tower does not simply use the mana of darkness, but uses a crazy way of combining the mana of darkness with the energy of its own life force.
Perhaps because of that, whether it was magic or martial arts, it created much stronger power than ordinary mana.
– Not a demon, but mixing dark mana with vigor? Is this a new method of suicide?
‘Unfortunately, he didn’t die.’
Raon sighed and looked at Lars.
‘If you want to eat raspberry pie or boiled chestnuts, help me.’
– Of course! Trust only the king!
Lars clenched his round ham fist tightly as if to just leave it to him. It’s usually an insectivore, but in this case, it will be a great help.
‘I’d better leave Dorian behind.’
The Black Tower moved first, and as long as there are hostages, there is no guarantee that things will go as planned.
I thought it would be better to leave the cowardly Dorian with me in case there could be bigger problems.
“Dorian. Are you… um?”
Raon looked back at Dorian and widened his eyes.
‘what?’
Dorian, who had thought he was trembling in fear, was looking this way while clutching his sword bottle.
Maybe it wasn’t scary at all, but his hands were shaking, but his eyes were shining brightly.
“I will go too.”
Dorian stepped forward.
“Surely I have something to do!”
Raon met those eyes and smiled lightly.
‘You’ve grown.’
Even though he became an expert, he didn’t feel much, but looking at his eyes now, he could feel that Dorian had definitely grown.
– You’d better take it.
‘okay.’
Raon nodded and looked at Denning Rose.
“I’m in a hurry, so I’ll go right away.”
“Since it is a remote place, there are no dimensional gates. I have prepared it so that you can change horses in the middle, so please ask.”
Denning Rose seems to have prepared the next step even in this urgent situation. He was a great person.
“thank you.”
Raon nodded and took the horse out of Lokhan City.
‘just in case.’
I approached the bushes outside the city and called for Merlin so that Dorian couldn’t hear me.
‘Merlin. Merlin!’
Unlike usual, there was no sign of anything. It seems that the saying that the work to be done is not over was true.
-Originally, mad women like that don’t exist when needed.
Lars frowned, saying that it was the hallmark of a madwoman.
‘It can’t be helped.’ I had
no choice but to go on like this,
let out a short sigh and got on my horse. It might be a bit late, but that was the only way for now.
“There is no rest until we arrive.”
“yes!”
Dorian swallowed dryly and gave a big nod.
Raon smiled at Dorian, who shivered but did not back down.
“let’s go.”
* * *
Squeak.
While Derus Robert was sitting across from a light-hearted man who looked like a nerd, the door to the office opened and Lezel entered.
“My lord.”
Rezel straightened her posture and bent over to Derus.
“Checking is over. It is true that there is a drake’s nest at the top of the Zamari Mountains.”
“It means that what Palen Sepia said is the truth.”
Derus looked at Rezel and gave a cool smile.
“yes. There is no need to relax, but it can be said that the doubts have been resolved.”
Lezel lowered her eyes and nodded.
“Roctan.”
Derus turned his gaze to the middle-aged man standing next to him.
“Yes, my lord.”
Contrary to his frivolous impression, the middle-aged man called Rocktan answered with a heavy voice and lowered his head.
“Can you get rid of Raon Sieghart?”
The end of Derus Robert’s words was interrogative, but this was not a question. It was an order to do it unconditionally.
“of course.”
Roctan nodded his head, not intimidated by the stern order.
“A child who uses a sword can kill while playing with it.”
“He’s not a guy to be ignored. Because he has the quality of being able to grasp the opponent’s martial arts at a glance.”
Derus frowned as he recalled Raon’s swordsmanship he had seen on the arena.
“You mean you’re a genius enough to be recognized by the head of household. That would be more comfortable.”
Roctan twirls his wrist and smiles.
“I’m a genius at hunting day dogs like that.”
“I believe.”
“thank you.”
“Just don’t do pointless slaughter.”
“of course. I am not a pleasure killer.”
“The flesh-loving bastards who melt the whole village down every time they carry out their mission speak well.”
“haha. That was when I was young…”
Roctan scratched his cheek in embarrassment. However, his eyes were glistening with an indelible murderous intent.
“Do you need anything?”
Derus looked down at Roctan with cold eyes.
“There is one.”
“what?”
“I’m a bit delayed because I’m gathering information, so I think I can arrive after it’s all over. Can I ask you to move me?”
Roktan scratched the back of his head muttering that it was too much trouble to walk.
“Rezel.”
Derus Robert nodded, not looking at Roctan, but at Rezel.
“Tell him to get ready.”
“yes.”
Lezel bent down and left the office.
“It’s impossible to reach the front of the mountain range, but you should be able to get close to it.”
“thank you. Since you trust me this far, I will take care of it for sure.”
Rocktan smiled and raised his hand. Energy of a different color slowly rose above his fingers.
“The genius called the next best person on the continent will die without even knowing why he is dying.”
Melt down his corpse and bring back a Drake Heart as a gift.
* * *
Raon continued to change horses and step on foot with all his might until he arrived near Weathers Village.
‘You’re a bit of a bitch.’
Weathers Village, which I had seen before, had thick walls, but had a warm view.
However, the village now visible from afar was in ruins and collapsed. It looked like a dragon slashed down with its claws.
“let’s go.”
“Yes…”
Raon let out a deep sigh and made up his mind before entering Weathers Village.
“Ugh…”
Dorian gasped and moaned as soon as he entered the village.
It has to be. The human body was torn like paper, and the split flesh was rotten as if it were rotten.
A foul stench like manure and an aura of resentment enveloped the entire village.
Raon chewed his molars as he looked at the black rotting corpses.
‘Dark mana.’
It hadn’t been long since he had been hit, but that state, which seemed to have been rotten for several months, was a trace of the mana of darkness.
-It’s a dirty smell. As you said, something was mixed with Magi.
Lars frowned as if he didn’t like it.
“Huh…”
Raon checked the village without turning a blind eye to the cruelty and stench.
‘There are few corpses.’
Considering the size of the village, there should be at least 30 to 50 people, but fewer than 10 corpses were visible.
That is, other people did not die here.
‘Then he was really dragged…um?’
breath?
Just when I thought Denning Rose’s prediction was correct, I heard people breathing from the collapsed building. It was a thin, thin sound as if it would break at any moment.
Raon stepped on his feet and ran and lifted the wreckage of the collapsed building. Beneath a huge boulder, the man with his arms cut off and his stomach punctured struggled to raise his eyes.
‘This is….’
Carbon practice method!
It is a method of holding your breath and pretending to be dead when you are seriously injured but have something to say.
However, I did not use it even though I knew it because the moment I finished the breathing method, I would die unconditionally and I had to endure severe pain while enduring it.
It seems that this man was waiting for someone to come, enduring the pain of wanting to die right away.
“Are you part of the black market?”
“That’s right.”
As expected, this man was a black market agent sent here by Denning Rose.
“This is La Raon.”
The agent’s voice trembles. It was just before I stopped breathing.
“you’re right. If you have something to say…”
“Heh, the black chief of the Black Tower came and took the villagers. Saying that it was a sacrifice to feed the Drake, he imbued the mana of darkness into the body.”
The agent continued talking while holding his neck with his left hand.
“Uh, they say that if you eat people poisoned by Dark Mana, Drake will accumulate Dark Mana. It looks like they’re trying to catch people after they put people in the nest to feed the drake…”
“First, drink some water.”
Dorian offered the agent water, but he declined with a thin smile.
“Huh, nails made of demonic energy come out of the hands of the black beast. Even if I defended myself, I couldn’t stop it. There is also a wizard who is short in stature, but has very strong magical powers.”
The agent grasped the Black Water Field’s attack method and even the level of his subordinates, and delivered the information.
“Wealth, please.”
He didn’t say his name or ask for help. He just asked to save people, holding hands and shaking his head with a forced smile. The thin thread of breath suddenly snapped.
Raon tightly held the agent’s hand as the warmth cooled down.
This agent was dispatched and came here.
You won’t know or be close to the villagers.
A request for being human.
It was the last request of a man who endured to live as a human being.
‘I’ll take that request.’
Raon bowed his head to the unknown agent.
“Dorian.”
“Yes!”
Dorian ran forward, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. He has a lot of fear and a lot of tears, but now he’s a trustworthy guy.
“I have something for you.”
“I will do anything.”
Raon opened the map while listening to his answer. He pointed to the back of the highest peak where Drake’s nest was located.
“Climb the cliff behind here and go up to the nest without being noticed by the Black Tower.”
“You mean to ride the Four Mountains?”
“okay. Protect the villagers from Drake and Black Tower.”
“That’s… oh I see!”
Dorian, who was about to shake his head in fright as usual, bit his lip and nodded vigorously.
“You can do it. Wear all the artifacts that kill your presence and go.”
“Okay.”
Dorian took out some equipment from his belly pocket and put it on.
“What are you going to do, Vice Lord?”
“I…”
Raon covered the map and looked up at the highest peak in the Zamari Mountains. Red lightning flashed in his eyes as he stared into the darkness.
“I have to clean up the garbage there.”
without leaving a single one behind.
