Chapter 131: A Race Against Time

[Do you have any idea why you regressed?]

[Can I have some of your alcohol?]

‘Hmm?’

Baron Volten’s Mansion.

It was right after a certain major incident happened. Sharen’s eyes, which had been closed for a short time, opened, greeted by the darkness of the room.

Since she was completely exhausted, her body turned stiff and motionless. Perhaps that was why the other two failed to notice her being awake.

[I had no intention of denying it anymore, but after this talk, I really have no choice but to believe in your story of regression.]

[So, the knowledge of swordsmanship you possess was something that you accumulated during the time you were known as the Ink Sword?]

She noticed how the Grandmaster sounded a little excited as she said that.

But at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, so she closed her eyes again and buried her face in the pillow.

[Yes. You always called me a child chasing after the stars.]

[So that’s why they sparkled so beautifully…]

‘What are they talking about?’

She couldn’t understand what they were saying at all. It was as if they were talking about things that happened in a different world than where they were currently at.

‘Come to think of it, Isaac wrote a lot…’

‘Is he writing a novel? Is this what this is all about?’

‘I hope the novel’s going to be good!’

[I think…my future self has faced a deep disappointment.]

[Disappointment?]

[Disappointment for humanity.]

‘What are they talking about?’

‘The Grandmaster’s future self?’

‘Is she gonna appear in Isaac’s novel?’

‘What about me? Am I gonna be there too?’

‘I wanna be a cool character in the novel!’

‘Someone who’s pretty and incredibly strong!’

‘So strong that I can beat Lohengrin, and Sister!’

[I decided to believe in you.]

[And so, I chose to stand on the side of humanity.]

Hearing the Grandmaster’s words, Isaac nodded in gratitude.

‘What…?’

The more she listened, the more she had difficulties keeping up. Just because Isaac decided to put the Grandmaster in his novel, she decided to stand on humanity’s side?

It didn’t make any sense.

[So…]

At that moment, the Grandmaster, tipsy from the alcohol she just sipped, let out a faint smile as she tapped on Isaac’s shoulder.

[How does it feel to regress? Does knowing what’s going to happen make you feel omnipotent? Tell me~]

Again.

That word came out again.

‘Just what…?’

‘What does regression mean?!’

Evening.

The place that Rankelon prepared for them wasn’t actually half-bad.

It was a large warehouse, and it was well-maintained too—there wasn’t a speck of dust flying around.

Seeing how there was a faint, yet strong sweet smell, it seemed like this place was used to store alcohol.

The sight of a bunch of humans entering a warehouse wasn’t a strange thing to see here.

After all, in the Transcendent Race’s eyes, humans and alcohol were the same thing.

Merely products to be sold.

“Doesn’t matter. It’s good that we can rest for a bit.”

Isaac and Silverna sat down, untying the rope that bound their hands.

“We have to make our move as soon as possible. Sharen and Rianna can’t keep up the charade forever.”

The more they came into contact with the Transcendents, the more the risk of them getting noticed.

This was a real race against time.

They had to reach that ‘tower that reaches the sky’ as quickly as possible, and find a way to go back to the human’s world.

According to Rankelon, that was the most common way to cross over to the human’s world.

“Phew… I never expected that I’m gonna be in such a grand adventure. Standing around protecting the Malidean Wall feels better than this…”

Isaac chuckled at Silverna’s grumble.

The Malidean Wall was gone now, but fortunately the Northern soldiers were still here.

To Isaac, they were more important than the wall itself, hence why he didn’t feel much regret about this whole matter.

“Rianna and Sharen get it nice. They must be resting in a nice room, huh?”

“Most likely, yeah.”

Those two were mistaken as Primordials by Rankelon.

He would make damn sure that they’d sleep in a comfortable place, even if that meant he had to sleep on the dirt.

…Still, I’m a little worried.

More specifically, he was worried about Sharen.

Apparently, since she didn’t know what ‘regression’ meant, she assumed that his conversation with the Grandmaster was about some kind of novel he was writing.

I know she’s a little unfortunate in that regard, but that’s still a little too much, isn’t it?

Regardless, it was completely in character for her, so he ended up not dwelling on it too much.

“Someone’s coming.”

At that moment, Uldiran Cardias stood up and took out his spear that he had been keeping hidden among his luggage.

Amidst the wind that was blowing between the city building, the sound of footsteps mixed in.

There weren’t just one or two people there, and from the footsteps it was clear that they were thieves.

Hearing Uldiran’s words, everyone stood up and prepared themselves.

Meanwhile, Isaac cautiously approached the door, followed by Silverna.

I’m the only one who has proper weapons here.

What the Northerners were holding were closer to sticks and clubs than normal weapons.

The long and arduous battles wore those weapons out, to the point that they could barely function as one.

Antonio tried his best to take care of them, but without proper tools and materials, there wasn’t much that he could do.

At that moment.

Bang!

The door was opened, and a horse-headed Transcendent carrying a butcher knife and a sack entered.

Isaac immediately sent an Iai and cut its throat in one single swoop.

The creature couldn’t even react properly as its head fell down from its neck.

Then, its body followed and collapsed.

Isaac stared at the tip of his blade with wide eyes.

It got…faster?

“That was clean.”

Silverna, who was watching from the sides, said in admiration.

The spars with Rianna, Uldiran and Nameless’ teachings.

Nameless had been preventing him from using Iai, so this was the first time he had used it in a long while and he noticed that it felt different from before.

Seeing how a Transcendent was cut in a single blow, the result spoke for itself.

“W-What?”

“Malcolm is dead! You bastards!”

Seeing this, the other horse-headed Transcendents shouted in anger.

They were each carrying different weapons, but all of them had a sack in their hands.

Are these the kidnappers Nameless was talking about?

The woman had warned them that there might be some people who’d kidnap and sell them for money, but he didn’t expect them to appear so quickly.

One could catch a glimpse of how the Transcendent Race’s lives were from this situation.

Considering that this was the Primordials’ Land, it should be the richest place in Naraka.

Yet, thieves like these guys were running rampant. It hadn’t been a day since they got here, but there were already those who tried to pull this kind of stunt.

That was how desperate those Transcendents were to make a living. They couldn’t even wait for a single day to pass.

The fight didn’t last long.

Those guys weren’t their matches in the first place.

Isaac’s surprise attack had weakened them enough, not to mention that Uldiran was also there.

They were just petty thieves.

Compared to the Transcendents who went to the human’s world and fought, these guys were nothing.

“Aaagggh!”

“Heeelp!”

They let out their death cries before finally dying.

Thankfully, they were deep in an alley, so their death throes wouldn’t alarm anyone else in the city.

“What is this?!”

Well, save for the Transcendents who were the closest to them.

Rankelon shouted as he emerged from the building next door.

What greeted him were the humans who were supposed to be used as sacrifices for sorcery killing his kins.

“You crazy bastards! I brought you here alive, and now you—!”

Immediately, he went back to the building.

“Lady Rianna! Lady Rianna! The humans are free! They’re starting a revolt!”

“…”

After a while.

Thud!

Rankelon’s head rolled on the ground, staining it with blood.

His surprised expression with his tongue coming out indicated that he hadn’t expected to be cut down.

“…That must’ve felt refreshing.”

Isaac stared at Rianna’s face as he said that, and she immediately averted her gaze.

She had been holding herself back not to kill him, so she was probably the one who had been looking forward to this moment the most.

“Did you see something from her face?”

Beside him, Silverna asked in a mutter.

To her, Rianna was wearing the same blank face as always.

“W-What’s happening?!”

Soon after, Sharen came running.

Seeing how she was wearing her pajamas, she was probably about to go to sleep.

Isaac told her to get dressed before looking around.

This place was pretty much deserted, but with all the ruckus they made, there was bound to be someone who’d notice the commotion.

It can’t be helped.

“Let’s go to the tower right away.”

No one objected to Isaac’s words. None of them wanted to linger around this place any longer, after all.

“I’ll contact the other villagers. I won’t tell them about Rankelon. For now.”

Rianna’s plan was to get the villagers to make a huge commotion in the city.

“See you in the tower.”

Isaac followed Rianna’s departing back until it disappeared. Then, he turned his head.

“Let’s go. We’re racing against time.”

The soldiers armed themselves with the weapons carried by the horse-headed Transcendents. Among them, Uldiran, with a spear in his hand, looked extremely reliable.

“Stay behind me.”

“I will, Dear.”

Silverna, who overheard the conversation between her parents, quickly approached Isaac.

“Stay behind me.”

“…”

Isaac just raised his head without saying anything.

The stars in the sky were shining unusually brightly.

From where they were at, he could see the supposedly top of the tower.

Above it, the Silver Clock shone brilliantly, catching his eyes.

“Let’s go.”

The Primordials’ Land, the place where the Primordials resided.

With that, the unexpected race against time began.