novelraw Chapter 80 : Return to the North (2)
Chapter 80 : Return to the North (2)
Chapter 80: Return to the North (2)
Three hours later—
Count Reinhardt Withers finished preparing to leave.
“Let’s go.”
“I’ll be gone for at least a year. Did you inform your household?”
“They’ve endured the harsh cold of the North. Even if I disappear for ten years, it won’t be a problem.”
“Good. Then let’s depart.”
With that—
Three streaks of light shot across the frozen land.
The terrain of the North was steep.
Even those who had spent their entire lives in the mountains slowed to a crawl here.
But who was I?
The sole successor to the Martial God’s legacy.
No matter how steep the terrain—
My speed did not decrease.
Watching me, Zeke Fritz spoke.
“That’s an interesting way of moving. There’s a peculiar insight mixed into your steps. Where did you learn it?”
“From a book. I felt I was slow, so I studied it.”
“A book…”
Zeke narrowed his eyes.
He had seen through my lie.
“If you don’t want to say, you could just refuse. Yet you lie to me.”
“…My apologies.”
“Forget it.”
I looked at him.
His expression was stiff—almost sulking.
Was he… disappointed?
‘That can’t be.’
This was the man called the Conqueror.
Did he even understand such emotions?
It must’ve been my imagination.
Meanwhile, Reinhardt thought—
‘Why does Leon keep his distance from Zeke?’
Zeke always boasted about his son.
Was Leon burdened by that attention?
‘Well, that age is bound to be sensitive. Zeke must feel a bit hurt.’
Reinhardt clicked his tongue inwardly.
Soon—
Zeke stopped.
Before us—
Was a cliff.
An abyss so deep its bottom couldn’t be seen.
Even with enhanced vision—
Nothing.
“We’ve arrived.”
He spoke calmly.
“Go down. My man is there. He will help you. I’ll return in a year, so listen well.”
“…Down there?”
Reinhardt frowned.
He could see it.
The bottom—
Was like hell.
A vast lake.
No land.
Corpses of animals floated on its surface—
As if the water itself were poisoned.
And bubbles—
Endlessly rising.
A sinister sight.
Reinhardt was about to question Zeke—
But—
“How do we go down?”
I asked.
Unlike him—
I couldn’t see what lay below.
But ignorance often breeds fear.
Yet—
I spoke calmly.
“Do we just jump?”
“There’s a lake below. As long as your posture is correct, you won’t be harmed.”
“I understand.”
Without hesitation—
I jumped.
Reinhardt froze in shock.
Splash—!
The sound echoed from below.
“My son is braver than you.”
Zeke smirked.
“He hasn’t even lived half your life, yet he shows more courage. Do you feel nothing?”
“…Ha.”
Reinhardt laughed.
What was he hesitating for?
Hadn’t he already known this wouldn’t be easy?
“We’ll meet again in a year.”
Splash—!
With that—
He jumped as well.
Zeke watched silently—
Then turned away.
“…I hope he takes a liking to them.”
---
At the bottom—
I surfaced from the lake.
“Haah—!!”
It was freezing.
Even I—
Who could endure the North’s winter—
Felt the cold.
‘And… this lake has poison.’
If not for my resistance—
It could’ve been fatal.
Splash—!
Reinhardt followed.
“Damn it, it’s cold!!”
He cursed.
Not all Northerners were the same.
True Northerners—
Were those raised in Elphrel.
“Land ahead. Follow me.”
He quickly regained composure.
His swimming was skilled—
Fast.
I followed.
Though I had never swum in this life—
My body moved naturally.
Thanks to memories from my previous life.
Soon—
We reached land.
“But it’s not just land.”
A hut stood nearby.
Small—
Barely enough for one person.
“So someone lives here.”
“Likely the one Zeke mentioned. Be careful, Leon.”
“Is that necessary? He’s Father’s man.”
“Does someone who lives here seem normal to you?”
He pointed at the floating corpses.
“…I see.”
No presence inside the hut.
The owner was absent.
So—
I began doing push-ups.
I had missed my training.
Then—
Thump. Thump.
A vibration.
From the ground.
‘What is this…?’
I pressed my ear closer.
Rhythmic.
Like something striking repeatedly.
“Do you feel that?”
Reinhardt said.
“Let’s check. There might be someone.”
I nodded.
As we approached—
The tremors grew stronger.
Like an earthquake.
‘We barely walked ten steps… yet the intensity changed drastically.’
I remained on guard.
Then—
I saw him.
A man.
A warrior—
Like those of Elphrel.
Bare upper body.
Neatly kept hair.
Eyes covered with a bandage.
“Hmm? Guests?”
He spoke.
His blindfolded gaze turned toward us.
“A young one… and a strong one. Did Zeke send you?”
“Yes.”
Reinhardt answered.
“I am Reinhardt. We came for your guidance.”
“Reinhardt… the Sword Saint of Withers. And the boy?”
“I am Leon.”
“Leon?”
The man tilted his head—
Then laughed.
“Haha! I thought you were a warrior. So you’re Zeke’s youngest. Yes… it’s about time you came.”
“You knew I would come?”
“All of Zeke’s children are talented. Your siblings, Adam and Elsa, came here as well.”
“…They did?”
My surprise showed.
My guard—
Melted away.
“Welcome. I am Indra. A warrior training here to reach the ultimate essence of power.”
“The ultimate essence…?”
“Yes. Zeke likely wants you to learn it as well…”
He looked at Reinhardt.
“…But you’re already nearly complete. Ah, I see.”
He clapped.
“You’re here to spar. Fighting equals is rare.”
“Equals?”
Reinhardt’s gaze sharpened.
“Who decided that?”
“You can’t sense me either, can you?”
“….”
Silence.
Indra smirked.
“You’re below Zeke. So you’re my equal.”
A vein bulged on Reinhardt’s forehead.
Recently—
His pride had suffered.
The Emperor.
The evolving Demon Beasts.
And now—
This man.
“I’ll show you how vast the world is.”
Reinhardt raised his hand.
Slow—
Almost lazily.
Yet—
I felt terror.
Thousands—
No, tens of thousands—
Of principles—
Contained in that single motion.
My vision blurred.
Blood tears streamed down.
It felt like I would be consumed by enlightenment itself.
How deep must one’s understanding be—
To reach such a level?
Then—
Tap.
Indra brushed his hand aside.
As if swatting a fly.
“……!!”
Reinhardt’s eyes widened.
He understood.
Indra’s level—
Matched his own.
‘Incredible…’
Zeke’s recommendation—
Was no exaggeration.
Reinhardt lowered his gaze.
He had tried to teach—
But instead—
He learned.
“…My apologies. I was rude.”
He spoke calmly.
No need for pointless conflict.
Indra waved it off.
“Good. Then let me explain this place.”
“As you wish.”
“You felt the tremors, right?”
“They’ve stopped now. What was that?”
“Simple. I was hitting this.”
He pointed—
At a brick embedded in a tree.
“A rare mineral. It disperses all impact.”
“All impact…?”
“More precisely, it distributes the force elsewhere.”
“…So the tremors—”
“Were from me.”
He grinned.
“Leon. What you must learn here… is what power truly is.”
He pointed at the brick.
“Strike it with the intent to destroy it.”