Chapter 115: Helmont

What would the outside look like from the towering Malidean Wall?

Uldiran wondered as he climbed the stairs from the dungeon.

When he stepped outside, he found that Silverna’s description of ‘bizarre structures’ was truly accurate.

Said structure was a statue in the shape of a Demonic Beast.

Its face was that of a lion, its body was a massive serpent with horns protruding from its head.

Its length alone seemed to be at least 50 meters.

Seeing how it overflowed with lifelike quality, one might say it as a sculptor’s painstaking work.

He could also see Winged Transcendents moving it towards the wall using ropes.

They were boldly crossing over, knowing that there were no more arrows to shoot or spears to throw from this side.

“…Dreadful.”

The moment he saw it, Uldiran could easily guess what would unfold next.

Every fight with the Transcendent Race had been tiresome, and their sorcery always produced nightmarish results.

This time would be no different.

The moment they crossed the wall, the Transcendents let go of the statue.

Then, as it fell, the statue, which identity was of a Demonic Beast that had been turned into a statue, regained its color as it exhaled.

By the time it reached the ground, it had already returned to its original form, letting out its roar inside the wall.

“Disgusting creatures.”

If there was one thing he had learned about sorcery, it was that one must pay a price for it.

Then, what was the price for turning such a massive Demonic Beast to stone?

Uldiran didn’t know, but whatever it was…

He gritted his teeth. In his eyes, the price they paid was too cheap compared to the blood of his comrades who’d close their eyes in this battle.

[Arandel’s rival? The only man who could match him?]

[Ridiculous. You know it too.]

[Far inferior.]

Even amidst the echoing roar of the Demonic Beast, Uldiran could still hear Black Dog’s voice in his ears.

[If Arandel were here…]

“…If he was here.”

He would have stepped forward silently, gripping his red greatsword.

His Crimson Essence would have covered the dark sky, making his enemy retreat.

He was a man that even the Transcendent Race acknowledged.

Uldiran knew.

Though others called him Arandel’s match, in truth, he was far inferior to Arandel.

That was something he was painfully aware of.

But…

“Hmph.”

Uldiran’s lips curled slightly upward.

In his eyes, Black Dog’s words were just childish tantrums.

“Silverna. You heard the Primordial’s words too, right?”

“…”

At that, Silverna could only open her eyes wide, unable to answer.

Indeed, she had heard it by accident.

As her mouth was sealed shut, unable to answer, it happened.

Uldiran let out a self-deprecating smile. Saying that he had reached the age where his daughter worried about him, he gripped his spear.

“The creature isn’t wrong.”

“Father, I—“

“Denying it would only make it uglier. It’s clear that I cannot match that friend’s prowess.”

“…”

Silverna could only close her mouth. After all, she had once fought Arandel directly.

Although the difference in strength between her father and him wasn’t overwhelming, if she were to be honest…

If they fought ten times, Arandel would win nine.

But who else could win even once against Arandel?

At least among those who belonged to the kingdom, there was no one except Uldiran.

“Yet I have never once thought I was inferior to him.”

“…”

“Silverna, my daughter.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Survive.”

Thud!

His spearhead struck the ground.

The Demonic Beast that had been howling around gradually regained its senses.

Even so, all the soldiers focused their gaze on the Guardian of the North.

Thud!

The ground resonated heavily.

Just the vibration created by one man’s spearhead on the ground…

Thud!

Echoed, long and heavy.

As Uldiran stepped forward, other soldiers, as if inspired by him, also began to strike the ground with their spearheads.

Soon after….

All the soldiers were holding their spears, looking only at Uldiran.

Standing at the very front, Uldiran glared at the massive Demonic Beast with his eyes wide open.

Behind it, he could see the Transcendent Race moving a few more of the Demonic Beast.

There was no retreat.

By now, numerous soldiers had gathered behind him, supporting him.

Such was the man called Uldiran Cardias.

Five days passed since the Reclamation of the North started.

The expediatery’s advance could be called rapid.

Eisenwolf changed their strategy and pushed the troop to go northward as quickly as possible.

Of course, with this change of strategy, the expected events occurred.

“The Transcendent Race appeared on the right wing!”

“Central is requesting support! Three bat-shaped Transcendents have fallen nearby!”

The further they marched, the more Transcendents they encountered, and the more fatigued the troops got.

“I’ll support them.”

“Please do.”

The Grandmaster swiftly rode her horse toward the center of the formation as she said that. Helmont was nearby, so there wouldn’t be much problem even if she left.

After she left, as Isaac was watching the main force clearing more Demonic Beasts while advancing…

“Above! In the sky!”

Whoever shouted those words was clearly startled, evidenced by how sparse the words were.

Up in the sky, the space twisted, and then a horned and tailed Transcendent appeared while wielding a hammer.

Boom!

Its massive body made the ground shake.

“Where is…?”

For a moment there, it stood confused, but soon it grasped the situation and swung its hammer widely, sending both humans and horses flying.

“Uwaaaaah!”

It let out a fierce roar, as if in a frenzy.

But, this side also had a man who wouldn’t be outdone in terms of flashiness.

“Behold! Leian of the Reeves Family shall face you!”

Leian Reeves raised his sword, emitting a brilliant, colorful Aura as if trying to assert himself.

Seeing this, Isaac could understand how the Reeves siblings made a name for themselves in his previous life.

They were those who should be called dual swordsmen, like himself.

To be more precise…

Leian and Marlin.

They combined their swordsmanship to form a single, complete swordsmanship.

Using Leian as a cover, Marlin moved towards the Transcendent’s exposed flank, burying her sword there.

“Hmph!”

But, just like how it looked, the Transcendent’s skin was hard and tough, and it didn’t seem to mind it much.

Having fought the Transcendents several times already, Marlin didn’t get greedy and retreated. Leian, too, only drew attention without approaching.

And when both of them retreated…

Isaac’s tachi, flowing with a chilling Demonic Energy, was swiftly drawn.

“…!”

Befitting of its stature, the Transcendent tilted its massive hammer to block the trajectory of the tachi.

Screech!

But, that didn’t stop the tachi at all.

When it blinked, its hammer was already split in half.

Not only that, a long sword wound appeared across its chest.

As the Transcendent retreated with its vision turning red, the rest of the forces simultaneously charged at it.

Thud!

Even after it lost its weapon, it fought to the end, swinging its tail and fists, but it was only a matter of time before its head fell.

“Huff! Huff! Damn, I almost died.”

“Ugh! Its tail hit my arm. I think it’s broken.”

“Be more careful. The mage bastards are already complaining that they’re running out of mana for healing magic.”

Though only three days had passed, the Blue Stream Society members and the other knights had all become accustomed to facing the Transcendent Race.

Should I consider this fortunate?

The damage they took was accumulating, and the situation was changing rapidly, but they were adapting just as quickly.

Because if they didn’t, they’d die.

“Hahaha! This is what they call a friendly rivalry! A competitive relationship!”

“Good work.”

With those words, Leian and Marlin approached Isaac.

“Don’t start developing a strange rivalry complex with me.”

Seeing Isaac’s frown while saying that, Leian laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! We’re comrades, aren’t we? I may have disrespected you before, but forget about all that now!”

“…Please forgive my brother. He has a tendency to be self-centered.”

“I know.”

Isaac couldn’t help but wonder if this man just had too simple of a personality.

Regardless, Leian didn’t back down and asked.

“We’re getting close to the Malidean Wall, aren’t we?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Originally, they should be able to feel the wall’s overwhelming presence from all the way here.

But now, all that they could see were snow-covered mountains.

“…”

As he walked along the paved road, Isaac was reminded of the day when he first came to the North.

When Silverna shouted at him and mocked him from atop the wall for being a Helmont.

A memory that brought him a smile.

Silverna…

When he began to think of her again, the Grandmaster returned from the center.

“Good work. How was it over there?”

“Five knights died. One of them was a man who shared his drink with me last time. Tsk, what a shame.”

No matter how smooth things were for them, sacrifices were inevitable.

“The commander has issued an order to the left wing. Since we’re getting close to the Malidean Wall, the left wing is to go ahead and assess the situation.”

They were getting closer to their destination, and there weren’t any Demonic Beast hordes left between the wall and the troops.

Leian, who was in charge of the left wing, mounted his horse again and led the left wing.

The sound of rough and urgent hoofbeats echoed as they departed.

Please, let there be some clues there.

As he marched, Isaac prayed that they’d find something that could bring back the Malidean Wall.

If they didn’t find anything there either, then the situation would truly become hopeless.

As he was praying, he reached the vicinity of the Malidean Wall.

The first thing that greeted them was the scent of roses.

It was the same scent that Silverna called [nasty sickening sweet scent, delicate flower scent] when he first met her.

A fragrance that couldn’t be normally smelled in the North.

Though most of the Malidean Wall had disappeared, part of it still remained.

The part that remained seemed deformed, as if someone had taken a big bite of it.

But, there was a clean cross-section, indicating that this part wasn’t destroyed in an ordinary way.

And…

At its center…

A man was sitting, waiting for them.

For a moment, Isaac felt as if the scene overlapped with one he had seen before.

Roses spread on the ground, broken buildings spread around, a red-haired man.

Arandel Helmont’s last moment. The man who reminded Isaac of that moment smiled with his pale face.

He wasn’t a Helmont.

That was certain.

Because Isaac had never seen him back in the Helmont Mansion.

But…

He was a man that fit the word ‘Helmont’ the most.

Holding something that could be a sword or a staff, he greeted him with composure.

“You’ve come.”

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