Ch.239Cradle of Black Stone. Long Legs (1)

“Finally, we’ve arrived. Long Legs.”

I gazed at Long Legs, faintly visible in the distance through the ship’s observation window.

Surreal hexagonal pillars rose high into the sky, as if spears had been thrust down from the heavens. Cloud bridges connecting them and thousands upon thousands of flying devices proved that even this place had fallen to humanity’s pioneering spirit.

“Beautiful yet strange. Worthy of being counted among the 52 Wonders of the World. I’ve never seen such tall natural formations in my life.”

“If it’s high for you, it’s absolutely dizzying for us dwarves. Damn. If you fell from there, there wouldn’t even be bones to collect… How can anyone live in such high places?”

Berkman and Hawkman trembled visibly, revealing their incomprehension of those who lived in the sky.

Perhaps the reason dwarves prefer living in mountain bases or caves stems from their fear of heights.

“I’ll go in and supervise the docking. You two enjoy the view from here.”

“Simon, lift us up a bit! The view from down here isn’t that impressive.”

“Hmm… what was that levitation spell again…?”

Watching the two dwarves float gently upward, I headed back to the captain’s quarters.

The reason was that as our fully armed 230,000-ton airship approached, Long Legs’ air forces hurriedly dispatched airships to surround the Sky Warden.

*

[This is Long Legs Entry Control. To the approaching vessel: identify yourself immediately and halt.]

“This is the Sky Warden. Halting as instructed.”

[State your purpose for approach.]

“By order of Lord Victor Walker, owner and captain of the Sky Warden, his companions intend to stay in Long Legs for a pilgrimage for a certain period.”

[…Duration of stay?]

The communications officer looked at me, and I whispered “one week.”

“…About one week.”

[Acknowledged. Our inspection team will board to check for illegal items.]

“Request information on what constitutes illegal items.”

[Psychotropic drugs… pathogens. And other items prohibited by our nation’s laws. Sending information through current channel.]

“…Received. Unlocking the main hatch. Is that your vessel approaching from the right?”

[Affirmative. Open the main hatch.]

“Understood. Opening main hatch.”

Soon came the sound of air escaping, followed by a slight vibration throughout the ship.

The Long Legs border guards had boarded.

-Long Legs border guards have boarded, sir.-

A report came through the voice tube from soldiers near the main hatch.

-My lord. The border guards are requesting access to the cargo hold.-

Shortly after, another report came from the storekeepers.

The communications officer looked at me again, and I grabbed the voice tube’s mouthpiece and gave permission.

“Permission granted.”

-Understood. Opening cargo hold.-

The communication ended with the sound of the cargo hold opening, and I left the communications officers behind to head toward the Sky Warden’s cargo hold.

If others were going to rummage through my ship, I should at least be there to watch.

*

When I arrived at the cargo hold, hundreds of people in white uniforms and masks were examining the cargo one by one, poking them with what looked like rods.

Those must be inspection devices, though the way they were jabbing them was rather obscene and not a pleasant sight.

“Hey! Inspection in progress. Don’t approach!”

THWACK!

As I tried to enter the cargo hold, one of the border guards suddenly shoved me and pointed a crossbow at me.

“…”

What’s this? Does he have a death wish?

The expressions of nearby soldiers instantly turned to shock, then to rage as they began mercilessly beating the guard who had pushed me with rifle butts and fists.

“How dare you disrespect our lord!”

“Do you think the Sun’s Apostle is someone you can fuck with?!”

The guard tried to speak after hearing the soldiers’ words, his expression saying “Huh?”, but his face was caved in before he could utter a word.

In the chaos that erupted, my soldiers and the border guards entered a standoff, and sirens immediately filled the ship.

“W-what the fuck!”

“Such disrespect! You think you can be rude to our lord and get away with it?!”

-Everyone converge on the cargo hold! Our lord has been offended!-

I stood at the center of all this chaos, simply standing with my arms crossed.

Before me lay one border guard with a caved-in face, now dead, and the remaining guards and inspectors trapped in the cargo hold, awkwardly standing with expressions that said “What the hell is happening?”

Behind me were my loyal soldiers, pointing submachine guns, shotguns, and bayonets, waiting only for my command.

WHIRRR…

The turrets began to rotate, and soon the violent 460mm caliber ship cannons were aimed at the Long Legs patrol ship that was docked with us.

“P-please spare us!”

Finally, the trapped border guards surrendered, and I ordered my soldiers to lower their weapons and sent the guards back to their patrol ship.

Of course, they had to take their colleague who had become a corpse with a caved-in face.

I still can’t believe it. I wasn’t dressed shabbily, nor am I short, so why did they treat me with such disrespect?

Surely they weren’t jealous because my wife was clinging tightly to my side?

*

“This is the Sky Warden. If there is no response, we will take it as permission to enter.”

[Wait. The situation has not been fully resolved yet.]

“It’s been four hours and it’s still not resolved? Why are you delaying when all fault lies with your side?”

[The detailed reasons are classified and cannot be disclosed. If you leave your position without permission, it will be considered a hostile act.]

Ah… fuck…

They’re really making me want to curse.

The communications officer is doing the talking, but it’s my blood pressure that’s rising.

Is this really necessary just because one lowly person died?

“The Sun’s Apostle is aboard this vessel! Do you dare turn away an army led by God’s apostle?!”

After another four hours, the communications officer, who couldn’t even change shifts because of the ongoing communication, finally lost patience and shouted.

Sigh… I was trying to keep that quiet… If it becomes known that I’m the Sun’s Apostle, the apostles of the Four Great Gods will come flocking.

[The Sun’s Apostle…?]

As expected, once the word “apostle” was revealed, the tone of the control station noticeably changed.

Sigh… these bastards. Religion truly is supreme. Always thrilling!

[What nonsense is this? Didn’t the Sun die 350,000 years ago?]

“What.”

The communications officers hastily cut the transmission and began watching my reaction.

I calmly went up to the captain’s quarters and ordered battle stations.

*

“These fucking bastards!!! How dare they insult humanity’s master!”

“All personnel in position! Awaiting your orders!”

“Load nuclear shells! Open anti-ship missile launchers! Activate the CIWS system!”

“Yes, sir!”

CLICK! WHIRRR!

The drooping gun barrels straightened up again, and power was supplied to the previously dormant CIWS, their sensors emitting red light.

The hull armor opened to reveal missile launchers, and anti-ship missiles capable of sinking cruisers and smaller vessels with a single hit were loaded in sequence.

[Sky Warden! What are you doing! Lower your weapons immediately!]

“Silence!!! You ignorant fools! You dare mock the Sun’s sacrifice and treat his apostle as nonexistent! You vermin! You don’t deserve to live under the Sun’s radiance!”

[No…! Alright! We understand there are differences in religious perspectives, but lower your weapons! We can resolve this issue rationally!]

“HA!!! You think you can quell the Sun’s wrath with your deceitful words! Bring your leader here immediately to kneel before me, the Sun’s representative, the spokesperson of Radiance, the master above the heavens! If you don’t, I will turn this tiny country into a sea of fire with the flash of nuclear fission and the light of nuclear fusion!!!!”

To lose faith is to embrace death!!!

To utter such blasphemy against the Sun’s rightful apostle! They truly deserve annihilation!

[That’s impossible. Don’t you know the principle of separation of church and state?]

“Everything under the sky was given by Him! I have nothing more to say to those who don’t understand this! As of this moment, I declare unlimited hostilities between the government of Long Legs and Victor Walker, the Sun’s Apostle!!!”

With that declaration, I opened all the voice tubes in the captain’s quarters and shouted:

“Commence battle!!!! Let them feel the Sun’s divine wrath!!!!”

“””Long live the Sun!”””