Shepherd Wizard

Chapter 85

Translator: Pai_

As was often the case with divine beings, Ymir’s words contained enigmatic terms that seemed celestial in nature. However, Turan adeptly filtered them out, extracting only the clear and concrete information.

Questions like how he had managed to survive or where he had been hiding for thousands of years.

The conclusion that could be drawn from this was clear.

Night Hunter Otas was not the god currently ruling over Zahar.

No, rather, Ymir, a god who had survived into the present era, seemed to believe that Otas had perished in the distant past.

‘This is troublesome...’

Turan found himself newly grateful for the fact that he was wearing a mask.

If not, his startled and rigid expression would have been fully exposed to his opponent.

His original plan to pretend to be a subordinate of the god ruling over Zahar had now been completely scrapped.

An ordinary person would have panicked and been at a loss, but even in such a situation, Turan kept his mind working, contemplating how to utilize this newly acquired information.

Thanks to using Thought Acceleration, he was able to come up with a fairly plausible plan in just about a second.

“He has always existed. It is simply that you were unaware. The Night Hunter does not reveal himself to anyone.”

Turan’s newly devised strategy was to use the nonexistent Night Hunter as his backing.

As expected, Ymir, though appearing somewhat bewildered, did not outright refute his claim.

“That sounds just like something that bastard would say… So, what is it that Otas wants to convey? More importantly, I’m the one who wants to send a message! It’s not like we were on such bad terms before, and yet now, like this-”

“He has remained in seclusion for a long time to prepare for his resurrection. That is why he wishes to know how the world has changed.”

As Turan cut him off, Ymir narrowed his eyes, seemingly displeased.

His next words were laced with obvious sarcasm.

“He’s not asking for a history book, is he?”

“Tell me which gods have survived and which noble houses they each rule over.”

“Oh, that? It’s not exactly difficult to answer. Among us, it’s not even a big secret. But…”

Ymir spat to the side, speaking in a contemptuous tone.

"If you want to hear it, first release this, you stupid NPC bastard! How dare you act so high and mighty before a god?”

From the way he carried himself, one might mistake Turan as the one bound in chains rather than Ymir.

Perhaps it was the arrogance of a divine being who had spent ages transferring from one human body to another as if they were mere playthings. Or maybe it was the assurance that even if Renaud’s body died, his soul would remain intact.

Turan silently stared at Ymir for a few seconds before slowly opening his mouth.

“You seem to believe that when this body dies, your soul will return intact. But the Night Hunter has bestowed upon me the method of harvesting souls. If you refuse to cooperate, I have permission to take only your soul.”

Rather than displaying fear, Ymir twisted his face in anger.

“Bullshit. If such a method really existed, why haven’t you used it already instead of trying to persuade me with words? Otas never had any ability like that in the first place!”

However, despite his outward bravado, there was a faint scent of fear emanating from his body.

He was not entirely convinced, but he had at least begun to entertain the possibility.

The fact that he was still managing to feign composure was likely due to the survival skills he had honed over the centuries.

Lowering his voice, Turan spoke in a commanding tone.

“The power he has gained by traversing the boundary between life and death is beyond the comprehension of beings like you or me. However, I will tell you the warning he gave, using this method carelessly could damage the soul. It would be a shame if a valuable informant were to be lost that way. That is why I am trying to persuade you with words.”

“What….”

“But if you provide enough useful information, not only will I release you in that body, but I am also prepared to offer additional compensation. Something that will be more than satisfactory.”

“What kind of bullshit compensation?”

“The secret to true immortality.”

Of course, no such method actually existed, but Turan had no qualms about making empty promises.

After a brief silence in response to the persuasive shift from whip to carrot, Ymir asked with a suspicious expression.

“Explain in detail.”

“You wouldn’t have to pathetically cling to the bodies of mortals to prolong your existence anymore. Instead, you could reclaim your authority as a true god, just as my master has.”

A faint glimmer of desire flickered in Ymir’s eyes upon hearing those words.

After all, it was unlikely that they enjoyed having to constantly parasitize different bodies just to survive.

Especially when the current host was only at the level of a high-ranking noble.

“...If that were really possible, why would you even be doing all this? If Otas had returned while maintaining his full power, even that Nazi bastard ruling the desert right now would piss himself and kneel. World domination would be a walk in the park.”

That statement implied that even the power they had accumulated over countless years was still far inferior to the Preah God Tribe at their prime.

Even the mighty head of House Aravion, the head of House Zahar, who had once confronted him, and the god referred to as Nazi behind them, none of them would dare to challenge such power.

While inwardly feeling a chill at the realization, Turan once again adopted a pressuring stance, using forceful words to brush aside Ymir’s question.

“I’ll provide all the details in exchange for compensation as well. Now, make your choice. Will you make a deal, or will you risk the possibility of your soul being destroyed just to keep your loyalty?”

Unlike his earlier arrogance, Ymir now rolled his eyes anxiously, visibly deep in thought.

It was likely due to a mix of fear over the threat of soul harvesting and the temptation of regaining a god’s body.

Moreover, the price he had to pay for it was not even that significant, was it?

After all, the whereabouts of the remaining gods in the present era was not necessarily a secret among those in the know.

After a brief hesitation, Ymir spoke in a slightly subdued voice.

“...I can’t tell you about the side I belong to. Our leader can detect whenever someone discusses anything related to them outside.”

The moment he mentioned ‘leader’, an even greater fear appeared on Ymir’s face than when Turan had threatened his soul’s destruction.

Turan quickly inferred why the librarian had been kidnapped and who the god ruling over House Aravion and House Nagin was.

‘The Biologist…’

The Preah God Tribe who had criticized Night Hunter Otas and created the underground labyrinth.

It was likely that discussing this topic at the library had triggered a problem.

What was difficult to understand, however, was that when he had spoken about it with Meisa, Solif, and Ashiz, it had not seemed to cause any major issues.

He had not been particularly more cautious when mentioning it back then.

“In exchange, I’ll tell you everything about the other factions. How about it? Otas is only interested in the Enril Desert anyway. He never wanted to leave that place before.”

“Fine. But tell me about all the forces outside the Enril Desert as well.”

Sensing that this was the final point of negotiation, Turan immediately accepted the proposal.

Ymir fell into a brief silence, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before slowly beginning his explanation.

“First, the one currently ruling over Zahar is Nazi. They have possessed the body of the family head for generations.”

“What kind of god is Nazi? Is that their name?”

“You can just relay it as is. Otas will understand what it means.”

Turan considered pressing him for more details but decided against it.

Maintaining the façade of being the Night Hunter’s messenger made it difficult to dispute that statement.

If he pretended not to remember clearly or tried to evade the question, the ‘true immortality’ he had offered as payment would come under suspicion.

More importantly, the fact that Ymir had mentioned the Zahar faction first suggested that he still suspected Turan might be one of their associates.

Or perhaps Night Hunter Otas was expected to take an interest in that faction first.

“There are probably about three or four more under Nazi, usually possessing key figures of Zahar or members of vassal families. Otherwise, they remain dormant. Finding a perfectly compatible host isn’t easy, and creating one from scratch takes a lot of effort.”

“Creating a host… You mean manipulating their personality from a young age?”

“You even know about that?”

“More or less. Explain in detail. Do you use necromancy?"

Since this information was more critical than what had been mentioned earlier, Ymir hesitated for a moment before continuing.

It was likely because Turan had already hinted that he had some understanding of it.

"...That's right. We move bodies with the help of necromancers, and the higher the similarity in personality and habits, the higher the synchronization rate. Usually, we just find someone reasonably similar like this body and possess them, but for those with high potential or specific talents, we sometimes train them from childhood to have certain personalities or hobbies."

Turan noticed the faint tremors running through the bodies of Meisa and Solif, who stood surrounding Ymir.

What they had only suspected until now had just been confirmed through Ymir’s own words.

“Is all Soul Possession done the same way as yours?”

“What?”

"From what I can see, the original body owner's consciousness seems to still be there, is that kind of coexistence method common?"

To be honest, from the outside, it seemed far milder than what he had imagined.

At this rate, it was closer to coexistence than soul theft.

Keeping a god inside one’s body might even serve as a decent defense mechanism.

However, Ymir’s next explanation shattered that naive thought entirely.

“I don’t know the details myself… but they say the soul that forms the personality is replaced, leaving only the spirit as the power source. Essentially, the original owner’s personality is nothing more than reflexes formed by the brain’s residual information. The moment I leave, this body turns into a vegetative state.”

Unaware of the slight shudder from the two people who had almost become victims, Ymir continued babbling before suddenly shutting his mouth.

He likely anticipated that Turan’s next question would be about how to reverse the process.

There was no way he would reveal anything that might jeopardize his own survival.

Reading his intent, Turan promptly changed the subject.

“So, which gods are within the Zahar family? Whose bodies have they taken over?”

“I only know about the Black One and the Gunslinger, and I have no idea whose bodies they’re in now. Our faction and theirs have only minimal cooperation, we’re not close enough to share that kind of information.”

House Aravion-Nagin and House Zahar were separate forces with little interaction, this was incredibly valuable information.

It meant that sowing discord between them when necessary could be far more effective than he had anticipated.

Turan nodded, signaling for Ymir to continue.

“Carmine is controlled by the Lawyer, and we’re outright enemies. They’ve allied with the Mermaids.”

“They allied with the Mermaids?”

“Yeah. Even in life, that bastard kept raving about marrying a mermaid princess or whatever, and now he’s living his dream. Crazy fish-fucker…”

Suddenly, Turan recalled the mermaid prince Armania, whom he had met before.

That boy who had said he wanted to ask his family why they ate humans, how was he faring now?

Anyway, if even the gods were wary and unable to carelessly confront them, it seemed the mermaids' potential was at a level that couldn't be ignored.

Could it be that someone like the Mermaid King could transform into a great sea serpent?

“Continue.”

“The head of Ruvan is the Addict. That guy has been an isolationist for ages, I haven’t seen him in nearly a thousand years. Not even sure if he’s still alive.”

Ruvan was a great noble house located in the north of Varaha, in the northeastern part of the continent.

It was the only great house specialized in close combat, having fused the Fighter Bloodline and the Guardian Bloodline.

The dueling arena that Solif had previously mentioned was also said to be within that family's territory.

“What about Varaha?”

“Their leader… was the Mechanic, I think? It might have changed, but I’m not sure. They’re not complete isolationists, but they tend to keep to themselves. Though they’re somewhat close to Nazi, so that guy might know.”

Indeed, it seemed that the perceived closeness between Varaha and Zahar was not just an illusion.

Even for the Preah God Tribe, geographical distance posed a considerable constraint, as he repeatedly gave vague answers regarding the noble houses in the eastern continent.

However, as Turan organized all the information, he realized there was one great noble house left unaccounted for.

“What about Lavitas?”

“There’s probably no one there.”

“Why?”

"Well... because controlling a house isn't as easy as it sounds? We agreed not to reveal our identities so we have to take over secretly, but that leads to a lot of annoying situations. Actually, the great houses that used to be in the wasteland or forest were discovered while trying to control them and were annihilated. Plus, obtaining a body isn't exactly free either."

Ymir did not specify the exact conditions, so Turan was unsure, but it seemed that maintaining control over a noble house and continuing their possessions required a certain level of organization on their part.

After all, someone had to assist in transferring bodies, it was unlikely to be a one-person operation.

Regardless, if what Ymir said was true, then the young head of House Lavitas was indeed a pure human, untouched by divine possession.

Of course, he could not be entirely certain based on Ymir’s word alone, but he was at least 99% sure.

"Then are there any necromancers that you don't control?"

“Nope. There weren’t many to begin with, and we made sure to round up every last one… I can’t tell you where they’re hidden, though.”

“That’s fine.”

Turan was curious, but he knew he would not receive a meaningful answer.

After a few more rounds of questioning, Ymir finally lost his patience and cut in.

“Look, I think I’ve told you more than enough. Isn’t it about time you shared that so-called secret of immortality?”

When Turan did not immediately respond, Ymir, perhaps feeling uneasy, quickly added,

“If you try to cheat me, I’ll tell my leader everything. That per... god wasn't on good terms with Otas originally either? If he finds out you know such a secret, things won't end well."

It was a threat, if Turan did not reveal the secret, he would expose Otas’s return.

Hearing this, Turan let out a small laugh and replied,

“Do you really think he’ll just let you be? If I were him, I wouldn’t take kindly to a subordinate blabbering my secrets to an enemy. Besides, my master never intended to keep it a secret in the first place.”

At Turan’s counter-threat, Ymir’s face hardened.

Before he could respond, Turan pulled out the dagger at his waist.

“What…?”

“I’ll make sure Otas-nim receives all the information you provided. As for your reward, he’ll deliver it personally later, so just wait. Whether you inform your leader or not is up to you.”

“Wait! You said you’d spare this body-”

Before Ymir could finish, Turan swung his dagger, cleanly severing his- no, Renaud’s, neck.

From what had been said earlier, it seemed that finding a suitable host was no easy task, so this would likely restrict Ymir’s movements for some time.

Perhaps it would even prevent him from relaying what he had learned to their ‘leader’ until he found a new body.

As the head rolled to the ground, its face contorted with a mix of shock and betrayal. Not long after, a mass of magic power shot out from the lifeless body.

‘Is that the soul of a god?’

Turan briefly considered whether he could glimpse the symbol of its bloodline within, but he had no time to verify it, the magic mass immediately attempted to dart toward the northwest.

At this, Turan immediately took out the jewel box from his chest and infused it with magic power.

Since he had already taken out the librarian and placed it beside Bije, the previously empty jewel box had been activated. However, Ymir’s soul, or whatever it was, flew away without any interference.

Turan clicked his tongue and put the box away after making a final attempt to restrain it using Telekinesis Magic and Taming Magic.

Watching from the side, Meisa asked,

“It didn’t work?”

“No. Looks like this thing can only capture spirits. It would have been nice if it had worked.”

He had wanted to learn more about the Biologist, who was likely the leader of the Aravion-Nagin faction, as well as the mysterious abilities he wielded.

Unfortunately, asking about the powers used by the gods might have raised suspicion about whether he was truly Otas’s messenger, so he had refrained.

*

After properly handling Renaud’s corpse and erasing any traces, Turan’s group moved toward the place where Bije had hidden herself.

As they walked, Solif, who had remained silent until then, muttered in a somewhat dazed tone.

“I never imagined so many gods were still lingering in this world… And some of them are even cozying up to other races? Damn, I didn’t think I’d ever feel this small.”

“Well, just realizing that they’re not all on the same side is already a valuable gain. Who knows, maybe we’ll end up borrowing one god’s power to fight another.”

Of course, they would have to take into account the loose bonds between the gods, but if Turan’s group could attain power on par with at least one faction of them, they could directly intervene in this vast struggle.

To do so, the most urgent task now was to build that strength.

When the three of them arrived, Bije let out a cry of welcome, and Turan patted her head.

“Now, it’s time to start gathering real power.”

“Where are we headed?”

“First, let’s go to the North Sea. I still have to show Solif what I promised… and the sea has stronger magical beasts than the land.”

Given that larger and stronger creatures were generally more likely to be powerful magical beasts, it was only natural that the massive sea creatures would possess even greater strength than those on land.

In fact, while sailing the North Sea and wandering the South Sea, Turan had sensed the presence of immensely powerful magical beasts more than once.

He had only withdrawn because it seemed either too difficult to find them without abandoning the ship and diving or too dangerous to defeat them.

But with three high-ranking nobles capable of overpowering even mythical-class magical beasts, the situation would be entirely different.