novelraw Chapter 177 : Chapter 177
Chapter 177 : Chapter 177
Chapter 177: Embers (5)
In my past life.
He wasn't a hunchback, nor an old man.
He was a massive and hard Mage reminiscent of rock or iron.
That's why realizing it was late.
I only realized it after seeing him drink fire and looking at his face again.
“Kandenkel Lilldorf.”
The face of that past life was distinct in the old man’s face.
At least to Harad, it was.
It is a face I can never forget.
“You know me.”
“How could I not, when you are a King.”
Kandenkel’s white eyebrows twitched.
He seemed displeased with the eye level. Harad was looking down at the King of Meteoric Iron.
“I am Harad, 4th Rank of the Red Tower.”
“It’s a face I’m seeing for the first time, though.”
Kandenkel seemed to know the Red Tower well.
‘He drank the fire.’
The Red Tower must have provided it.
“White fire is also something I’m hearing for the first time.”
“It’s like a secret weapon.”
“Hah.”
Instead of doubting, Kandenkel was displeased.
As if implying they were in a relationship without secrets.
‘Is he conscious of or keeping the Red Tower in check?’
Meteoric Iron likes fire, but dislikes fire that is too strong.
It must mean he fears the Red Tower of the past, and likes the Red Tower of the present.
“What brings you here?”
“That’s what I want to ask.”
Harad asked with a smile.
There is the King’s Embers here. That was the Red Tower’s justification.
“What brings Meteoric Iron here?”
“Impudent.”
Kandenkel’s brow furrowed.
At the same time, his body became heavy. Something pressed down on Harad.
That weight, Harad could endure it somewhat.
‘Only this much.’
Of course, it wouldn't be his full power.
But even that was significant.
“Ugh.”
Harad sat down as if he couldn't endure it.
Looking down at him, Kandenkel’s brow relaxed.
“Yes, submit like that. That is befitting fire.”
“Is there a fire that submitted?”
Harad recalled Herbis and Aroshu.
Those eccentric ones didn't seem like they would submit to something not fire.
“I don't think so.”
“How dare you.”
His body became heavier.
Grand Duke Aratus came to mind.
‘Indeed.’
If that Grand Duke were the opponent, he would have been flattened like a frog long ago and dug into the ground.
But Harad had just barely knelt on one knee.
He has spare energy.
Because he has the Moon’s Bead.
‘He drank White Flames.’
It wasn't Manifestation fire.
However, the same goes for the opponent.
At that moment, two swords soared from behind Kandenkel’s back.
A jet-black one swung toward the left side of the neck, and a blue one toward the right.
“Knights!”
Kandenkel’s eyes widened. CLANG! A roaring sound rang twice from his neck. The two swords touching the neck bounced off. They were Ellen’s and Balbebron’s swords, respectively.
Instead of swinging their swords again, Ellen and Balbebron intervened between Kandenkel and Harad.
It was a formation protecting Harad.
“Blood.”
Ellen, having examined Harad, muttered coldly.
She reeked of alcohol, but no intoxication was felt. Balbebron was the same.
Because he gave them enough time.
When Harad implemented White Flames, the sensitive Ellen would have noticed.
“It was the best I could do.”
“Who is he.”
“Tower Master of Meteoric Iron.”
Ellen and Balbebron were staring at Kandenkel.
Harad was the same.
Kandenkel looked down at his hands that rubbed his neck. Blood smeared out. Long and thin sword wounds remained on both sides of his neck.
“Hah…….”
Balbebron seemed to find that fact hard to believe.
Because Kandenkel allowed the distance.
In a state of carelessness, he allowed a Sword Master’s sword.
Yet Kandenkel wasn't cut.
“Two evolved bugs.”
Kandenkel muttered eerily and waved both hands. Something flashed at the tips. Harad didn't see it.
However, Balbebron and Ellen saw it.
Both flinched simultaneously. They reacted, but couldn't respond. BOOM! With a roar, both figures flew past Harad’s sides.
‘Trivial.’
Harad was certain Ellen and Balbebron were fine.
They were just hit because the distance was close and the implementation was so fast.
The power of the magic itself wasn't threatening.
It was magic to secure distance.
And as intended, Harad was isolated in front of Kandenkel.
“Where are the Embers.”
Kandenkel’s palm aimed at Harad’s face.
“I don't know.”
Harad stared at the palm as if he had been waiting.
“Die.”
The palm flashed and shot something out.
To see it, one must shed blood.
Harad had intuitively sensed it early on.
In the vision reddened by flowing blood, Harad saw something.
It was because the solar wind rising from his blackened pupils slowed down its speed.
Now it's time to react.
It’s possible. Harad sensed it. But he couldn't react. What was shot suddenly disappeared like a dream.
Space rippled.
It was the recoil of turning Kandenkel’s magic into a dream.
“Return, Meteoric Iron.”
The Witch Manoa walked out of the forest.
* * *
Harad looked at the rippling empty air.
It was recoil. It was also movement. Forest. Manoa’s Manifestation surrounding the village is moving its location.
‘As expected, there are more.’
Kandenkel didn't come alone.
He brought the Tower of Meteoric Iron, quite a few Mages.
It's just that everyone except Kandenkel fell into a dream.
……If she moves more from here, they will wake up.
“Stop.”
Harad spoke unwittingly.
Then Manoa flinched. A look of disappointment crossed Kandenkel’s face.
“Bold. As expected, I will spare you.”
Kandenkel praised Harad and disparaged Manoa.
Manoa was excessively conscious of Kandenkel.
It is natural.
Magic power kept generating and then stopping.
Manoa was sweating cold sweat. On the other hand, Kandenkel was staring into the empty air with a calm demeanor.
‘Half.’
Manoa moved about half of her manifested Origin to this space.
That is why Kandenkel’s magic power generates and disappears.
“How did you find us.”
In the end, it was Manoa who raised the white flag first.
To block more here, she has to bring the entire Manifestation.
Even so, there is no guarantee she can stop Kandenkel.
However, the Mages of Meteoric Iron will definitely wake up.
“Foolish, Witch. Is that important.”
“……Return, Meteoric Iron. Then I will not kill.”
At those words, Kandenkel looked at the village.
There are no more people. They went to the forest. In that place where the dream manifested, the sleeping Mages of Meteoric Iron and the villagers are together.
“Try killing them.”
“…….”
Kandenkel grinned.
Harad recalled the Mage of Meteoric Iron he met on the way.
4th Rank Mirenz. He said he stayed voluntarily, but he must have been abandoned.
“Hand over the Embers and I will return.”
“The Embers belong to the Red Tower.”
“Old knowledge, Witch.”
Kandenkel sneered.
Harad read his desire.
“No. The Embers have no other effect.”
“Then, Witch Manoa. How are you, who are not a Sage, alive? A Mage from 300 years ago.”
“…….”
As long as the Sun is alive, its servant does not die.
Manoa had said that about the Fireball’s lifespan. That in reality, it would be eternal.
‘Although conditional.’
Only then did Harad realize the meaning of those words.
It is not only the Fireball that is eternal. The Sun is also like that. Unless killed by someone, that Mage does not die.
“Is lifespan the goal.”
“Time. Trivial.”
True words. Time has no great meaning.
A Mage who predates is eventually eaten by the Origin someday. What matters is the rank.
“The Embers will be used for my Origin.”
Kandenkel spoke as if he could use the Embers for his Origin.
That idea bothered Harad.
“Sinner of Paradise who gave birth to a bug and tried to protect the bug.”
If the born child has no Origin, what does the Otherworld do.
In the continent, being a Mage is a sin.
In the Otherworld, not being a Mage is a sin.
The Witch Manoa was a Mage who refused that sin.
“Is that bug still in your bosom?”
Harad knew from Manoa’s expression that it wasn't.
“You lived long enough. Hand it over.”
“…….”
“Then I will not touch the bugs.”
Kandenkel pointed to the forest.
The Mages of Meteoric Iron cannot be hostages.
But the village clearly becomes a hostage.
That is the reason Manoa attempted conversation.
It was also the reason Ellen and Balbebron, who returned early, couldn't rush in.
“Witch who was once a pillar of the Moon. This is mercy. Lead the bugs and go down. I will not touch that either.”
“……I refuse.”
“Do you trust the evolved bugs.”
Kandenkel snorted.
“Mere.”
Space shook.
Manoa vomited blood. Half of the Manifestation broke. A stone the size of a hill manifested in the reality vomited by the dream.
“This is the last time, Witch. Where are the Embers.”
Kandenkel looked down from above it.
“It’s a secret.”
Harad was glad about that.
* * *
The village’s combat power is bound to be significant.
Because all asylum seekers who couldn't endure the Boundary or couldn't shake off the Otherworld’s pursuit died.
This village is a gathering of survivors.
Not just strong because they survived, but surviving until they reached the village because they were strong.
Plus, there is a Witch who lived 300 years.
‘Insufficient.’
But Harad felt insufficiency.
It is not enough to handle Kandenkel’s Origin manifested before his eyes.
Just by Kandenkel manifesting his Origin, Manoa’s Manifestation broke.
It was half that broke, but if Kandenkel moves, it is only a matter of time before the remaining half breaks too.
‘What about Balbebron?’
Did Balbebron and Alena of the past life escape from Avery Aquins?
And did they settle in this village?
Harad decided to assume they did.
Because it is still insufficient.
‘Mere.’
That sneer of Kandenkel is correct.
Balbebron. And Manoa, who is not suitable for combat and is holding down the Mages of Meteoric Iron, cannot be Kandenkel’s opponent.
Kandenkel shows no sign of backing down.
Leaving it like this means the people might live, but the village will disappear.
‘But in the past life, the village existed.’
This village had to live for 8 more years before being discovered.
‘Not now.’
Meaning, this didn't happen in the past life.
The Dreamlike Place was not discovered at this time in the past life.
‘What changed. Me?’
Or Ellen.
‘That can’t be.’
I killed Mirenz.
I left no trace on the way here.
We definitely walked a different path from the Tower of Meteoric Iron.
There is another variable.
That variable made Kandenkel come here.
“You can’t eat the Embers.”
I was curious, but it’s a variable meaningless to think about now.
It changed from the past life.
There is no reason to watch anymore.
“If you’re going to do that, I might as well eat it.”
Also, Harad was rejoicing at the variable before his eyes.
Just because the rank is the same doesn't mean the level is the same.
Manoa received back the words she said to Cassion from Kandenkel.
Psina, Avery Aquins, Manoa…… The level is different from ordinary 5th Ranks.
Kandenkel’s manifested Origin was making him realize that difference in class.
He deserves to call himself King.
He is a Mage close to 6th Rank.
“Not yet.”
But…… The Tower Master of Meteoric Iron of the past life, Kandenkel Lilldorf, was 6th Rank.
“Still 5th Rank.”
The Tower Master of Meteoric Iron before my eyes is not.
He almost melted slightly in White Flames.
His weight was lighter than Grand Duke Aratus. Ellen and Balbebron’s swords dug into his skin.
Crucially…… the manifested Origin is different.
Kandenkel of the past life stood in the sky.
Because his Origin is a falling meteorite.
“It is on the ground. Not in the sky.”
But the meteorite manifested by Kandenkel before my eyes is on the ground, not in the sky.
Not falling, but already fallen.
Because the rank is different?
That can’t be. Rank is only related to the size of the Origin.
The concept of the Origin itself does not change.
“So the goal was the Embers.”
Kandenkel’s Origin in the past life must have changed through the Embers.
And before long, he must have become 6th Rank.
“……You bastard, you are not the Red Tower.”
Kandenkel, who was watching Harad silently, frowned.
It was a wrinkled old man’s face.
Right, not yet.
“I am Harad of Serzila.”
Above the fallen meteorite, above Kandenkel standing on it, a jet-black sun rose.
Insufficient. Projection won't do.
Time was needed. Kandenkel, of course, noticed that.
“Sun!”
Kandenkel’s eyes, looking up at the sky and then lowering his gaze to Harad, shone like the surface of iron.
“I must kill you now.”
It was a kind of realization that he must kill before the sun grows.
“Stating the obvious.”
For the regressed Harad, it was a realization he had experienced early on.
I must kill him now.
Before his meteorite falls from Serzila's sky.