Book 11 Chapter 23
Spinoff Episode 3.
The Forgotten War, Extermination of the Spider Lord (3)
Harbadonia.
The eternal, pristine white world of death in the Arctic.
The harsh Arctic gust sweeps across my body with a shiver of fate.
To think the day would come when I'd return to this untouched snowy plain… and with this person, no less.
“It reminds me of the old days.”
Across the bonfire, my eyes met with Kasena Page, who was staring intently this way.
“The old days?”
“When I was with Alakish.”
Kasena then beamed a bright smile.
“It was really tough back then.”
“It was, wasn't it?”
“Still, it was really fun when we were all together. Alakish, too… it would have been nice if she could have seen Aki.”
Kasena was speaking of an impossible dream. Her voice was melancholic, as if she knew it herself.
“How's Aki? Has she grown well?”
“She's now past her girlish phase and starting to feel like a lady.”
“What?! I want to see her too!”
“I tried to say hello many times before, but you weren't around. Because you ran away from home.”
“That… don't blame me! You should have still come looking for me! You couldn't even do that? You're a Dragon Sage! You should have come looking, even if it meant using all sorts of magic!”
What stubbornness…
But wasn't this very unyielding language and temperament typical of Kasena?
I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
“Hmm… Is that guy cheating right now?”
Rem's voice was heard.
Bart merely shrugged.
The four-day journey was like that: traversing the snowy plains while avoiding the abyssal blizzard.
In truth, unlike childhood, the journey was easy as I could use Earth-elemental magic.
After all, it was simply a matter of creating roads over difficult terrain like crevasses and precipices to move. I also created a roof of flames to block the blizzard.
“We're almost there. That's Asas Valley.”
Kasena Page, walking ahead and leading the way, said, exhaling white breath.
Kasena seemed to find joy in adventure even in this perilous situation.
Such an irresponsibly positive atmosphere suited Rem very well, and the two quickly became close.
“Atas?”
“A-sas. It's 'sa', not 'tha', Rem.”
Unexpectedly, the three had some acquaintance as adventurers.
Hmm, come to think of it, this young lady was platinum rank…
The sound of the wind sweeping through the valley resembled an unusually high-pitched wind instrument performance.
In that wind blowing from the cosmic charnel house, the dim sunlight trembled, and the snow-covered trees held their breath.
Bart, whose armor surface was covered in blue frost, asked.
“Rain, can you see anything with your eyes? With Bell Sidius, I mean.”
“They've put up a barrier. But it's a bit strange.”
“In what way?”
“It seems to be telling us to come in. It doesn't seem to intend to block us. Rather, it seems to be guiding us.”
Rem shivered with a look of disgust.
“What terrible taste. This is real fear. It's toying with people.”
Kasena also had a serious look in her eyes.
As the only one among the three who had directly faced an Old Noble, her impressions would be unique.
“There's nothing to be surprised about. It might just be expressing curiosity.”
“Are they not scared of us?”
“Scared? No way. They're rulers of the old era… In their eyes, we're no different from insects.”
The barrier encircling the valley entrance led directly into a deep cave.
I carefully scanned my surroundings the entire walk, but it was hard to think of it as a trap.
Outside the barrier, numerous Necrachne and Old Ones drooled menacingly, but there was no attack.
That's how we reached the mansion of the Lady of the Underworld Lequinn.
The beautiful scenery of snow, created by carving out a rock cave and glacier into the shape of a mansion, its aesthetic beauty far surpassed the artistic standards of the human world.
「Look, who is this? The hope of humans has personally come forth.」
However, behind that beauty lurked terror.
Disgusting tumor-like cobwebs were strung everywhere, with corpses hanging from them, dripping corpse fluid.
The Old Noble, who appeared clapping her hands, behaved with terrifying composure and elegance.
「Your reputation is quite grand, I hear. Do you know what humans whisper as they are bled dry and die? That the Dragon Sage did this or that to me…」
Lady of the Underworld Lequinn.
Fourth in rank among the Spider Lord's Five Guardians.
She was a black-haired beauty embodying the intoxicating allure of spiders, wearing a shawl made of spider fur, and spider venom dripped from her fangs.
Beauty that stimulates and subjugates primal human desires is a common characteristic of Old Nobles.
「Actually, killing you would be fun, but I'm a bit more intrigued by curiosity.」
A pressure that makes cold sweat run down even in this bitter cold…
An intimidation that feels like rocks are crushing one's shoulders…
A sense of discrimination that makes one feel the innate disparity, just as a gnawed insect staggers in a person's breath…
「You can even consider it a reward for shaming that detestable Shar'kas.」
Unlike before, Kasena protected herself, but blood still trickled from her nose due to the confrontation with a transcendent being.
「Ah! Karen-den's avatar and the descendant of the vermin Karen-den used to keep are here together, how increasingly interesting!」
“We didn't come here to chat, Lequinn.”
「Yes, yes. You must be short on time. The Lord will soon awaken, after all. But leisure is important in life. Without leisure, one cannot make proper judgments.」
“I heard there's a key to the Celestial Palace. Where is it?”
「Shut that mouth! How dare a wretched vermin like you open your mouth when Lequinn is speaking!」
As Lequinn suddenly burst into a loud shriek, the Old Spiders surrounding them advanced a step.
Rem immediately drew her bowstring on Serwebon, and Kasena also tried to draw a rune in the air with her fingertip.
Lequinn raised her hand to stop the spiders, then suddenly burst into laughter.
「Yes, that's it! I truly enjoy seeing your fear. Especially those flinching expressions! Because it means you realize your life and death are in my hands.」
“This…!”
「The key to Celestial Palace? Yes, I have it. But I have a question. Why? What do you intend to do with it? If I knew your ultimate purpose, I might just grant your request, wouldn't I?」
“There's only one reason to go. You should know it well.”
「For me, of course, seeing through your base thoughts is nothing. But how well do *you* know? Aren't you just doing as that blue snake-bitch told you?」
I swallowed dryly.
This creature…
How does it know I got information from Yeriserika?
「Look at those spiders over there. They have no thoughts. They just obediently follow orders. Aren't they lovely?」
“Because they're thoughtless slaves?”
「Hmph hmph, thought is the exclusive property of rulers. Thought leads to choice, and choice leads to responsibility. Are you humans prepared to bear the responsibility of your choices?」
What?
What kind of question is that?
「Ah, the question was wrong. Do you possess the ability to bear responsibility? No! Not at all! For a thousand years, you humans haven't ‘thought’ about anything. You might have deluded yourselves into thinking you ‘thought,’ but you haven't ‘thought’ at all. That's why you're in this pathetic state.」
“…?”
「You humans imitated us and established kings and nobles, didn't you? Look, that was your singular choice! You actually know, don't you, that living without any thought under someone's rule is happiness! We don't just rule; we rule because we can bear all responsibility for this choice.」
Lequinn, who gradually approached.
Brought her face so close that her breath, warm and sticky like a potent venom permeating the soul, touched my ear.
And concluded her words with an alluring smile.
「If you understand, I'll specially let you live and send you away. Tell that blue snake-bitch that I, Lady Lequinn, will soon come to sever her lowly neck.」
A bitter laugh escaped me.
I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
When I lifted my head again, everything within my sight was being interpreted as a series of numbers.
“I wondered why you were delivering such a long-winded speech unlike Shar'kas, but the truth is, you were afraid of me.”
「?」
“Don't try to deceive my eyes. They see everything. The shadows rapidly escaping your mansion, this valley.”
Lequinn's spider fangs seemed to protrude eerily from her smile, and then, spider legs grotesquely sprouted from her back.
Bart's spear, fiercely lunged, immediately pierced the ground.
As Lequinn, who had leaped high from that spot, extended her hand, the spiders surrounding them rushed forward.
“Young lady, go with Rem and Bart. We must not lose that.”
“And you?”
“I'll handle them all, alone.”
Were old memories overlapping?
Being told to go first, and then having my heart pierced by Shar'kas and dying…
Hesitation and bewilderment intertwined in Kasena's eyes, but as soon as Rem grasped her shoulder, she nodded.
“Alright. Don't be too late!”
It's not that I'm underestimating the Old Nobles. I know better than anyone how dangerous they are.
But.
Having faced Shar'kas, Nariaduk, Zernix, and Beshansidug, my animalistic instincts had been sharpened.
「Handle them? Alone? All of them? Ha, hahahahaha! I've decided. I'll take my time and train you. I'll teach you manners and etiquette.」
That's why I know.
Lady of the Underworld Lequinn, this one is nothing compared to those monsters.
Watching Lequinn's body swell disgustingly within black cobwebs and white bubbles, I put my hands together.
“Secret Art, Elemental Manifestation.”
* * *
“Crazy, how is that thing so fast in the snow?!”
The one carrying the key to the Celestial Palace was a spider the size of a snow hare.
With its pristine white camouflage, it was difficult to spot in the snow, and above all, it was incredibly fast.
Fast.
Too fast.
Heavily armed Bart was already far behind, and Kasena, moving her legs with telekinesis, clearly showed signs of exhaustion.
If we lose it, all plans are over.
We must not lose it.
But the key spider was gradually moving out of sight. It was already hard to see because of the blizzard…
“Kasena, platforms!”
There was no time to explain.
As Rem leaped into the air without even finishing her sentence, a sudden realization struck Kasena's mind.
The secret technique of the Page family: drawing runes in the air to establish telekinesis.
She floated a dozen masses of that invisible push-and-pull force in the air.
Thanks to the swirling blizzard, it was easy to identify them. Rem leaped, stepping on each of them as if treading on pebbles.
*Ting, shhh-weeeek!*
Three arrows flew, drawing curves in various directions.
Evergreen roots sprouted from the arrows stuck at the key spider's feet, binding the spider as if to subdue it.
Rem landed on the snowfield with movements more acrobatic than an acrobat.
“Kh-hoo, got it!”
“Rem, amazing!”
“For something like this? I am Archer Rem!”
“This is no time to chat! Grab that thing quickly!”
From all directions, gigantic forms were approaching within the blizzard.
Terror.
Revulsion.
Their sizes varied, with some possessing a terrifying scale, like mountains approaching.
Kasena brushed away the cold sweat that had gathered thickly on her forehead and turned into frost, saying.
“Carcabush, a top-tier Old One.”
Bart dug his heel into the ground, braking his body.
Turning around, he transferred the braking force to his shoulder, thrusting his powerful, surging dragon-bone spear forward with a mighty sword aura.
Heavenly Zenith: In an instant, a wave of power that inverted the light and shadow of the world pierced Carcabush's dozen-plus eyeballs.
“KiaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkKK!”
The blinded Carcabush began to rampage wildly. Nearby Necrachne and Old Ones were trampled by its hairy legs.
“Incredible! You intentionally didn't defeat it but deprived it of its sight!”
“He's my partner. My partner.”
“Why is Rem gloating?”
“It's too early to be relieved.”
While Carcabush was rampaging in one direction, enemies were also swarming in from other directions like a tidal wave.
Kasena drew four runes in the air. It took a considerable amount of time to compute the mathematical equations in her head.
Once the calculations were complete, she clenched her fist, and an invisible barrier unfolded in a semicircle, pushing back the Old Ones.
“It's a telekinetic barrier.”
“This isn't good. Bart and I only have linear-type skills. Kasena isn't an offensive mage like Rain, but a support mage.”
“No, Rain isn't an offensive mage; he just uses different magic all by himself!”
“Then why are you gloating?”
“Stop chattering and think of a way to break through here.”
Yes, they had to think of a way.
Against these spiders already surrounding them and drooling…
Cold sweat ran down the backs of all three.
Even if Bart created a path, their speed running across the snowfield was too slow compared to the spiders.
Would the barrier hold until Rain arrived? No. It was already starting to crack.
And one of Rem or Kasena had to keep holding onto this key spider, which was struggling in their arms, trying to escape somehow.
‘This is the worst.’
‘It's the worst.’
‘If only Miria were here.’
All three were far from strategists.
Just then, Bart sensed something and shouted.
“Get down!”
No sooner said than done, spacetime beyond the barrier began to shimmer like heat haze.
In that instant, that dimension tore open.
As if sucking in everything standing on the torn dimension, the invisible barrier was severed, and numerous spiders' bodies were marked with identical cuts.
“Time-Space Annihilation.”
As if to fill the sudden void in providence, two people walked into the swirling gale.
They were truly contrasting figures.
A heroine with the holy sword Shirphang slung over her shoulder, and a man holding a fan imbued with the unholy power of the abyss.
Seeing that, Rem and Kasena dazedly cried out.
“Valcirendis!”
“Chairman Valendisis?!”
“My name is Valensidis…”
“Valensidis, Miria, how did you get here?”
“The Great Dragon Sage pleaded and begged for our help, so we came reluctantly.”
Just then, Pipi, who had been sitting on Miria's head, flew over with a light flutter of wings and landed on Kasena's shoulder.
“Kasena, Kasena, Kasena.”
“Pipi!”
How long has it been since this reunion? Ten years? Tears welled up in Kasena's eyes.
Though it was clearly their first meeting, Miria, who was embracing Rem, felt an emergency signal in her female intuition.
With a slight jerk of her chin, she asked Bart about his identity. Valensidis shrugged playfully.
“You could say he's a husk Rain Ludwig left behind in the past.”
“Hmm, really?”
For some reason, Miria's calm voice, as she replied, was colder than this bitter blizzard.
“…A bloodbath is coming.”
“What did you say?”
“I didn't say anything.”
* * *
“Secret Art, Elemental Manifestation.”
Eight rings, each with its own color, spread out grandly behind my back.
Fire.
Water.
Earth.
Wind.
Lightning.
Ice.
Iron.
Poison.
Wielding all eight elements is a dream-like ideal for an Elemental Master.
The initiation of this secret art was researched and perfected by Zernix, one of the Six Great Mages.
There's no need to inscribe elemental runes for magic use. Such initial actions are unnecessary.
All that's needed is mathematical calculation.
In this case, it makes it possible to unleash multi-elemental magic of 4-stars or higher in an incredibly short time.
The number of mathematical equations I'm calculating mentally is five; in short, I'll set the power to 5-stars or higher.
「Wha—!」
Fire and Iron.
Countless fiercely burning steel spikes surged up, piercing the bodies of the Old Spiders.
Lightning and Poison.
Spreading a mist of potent poison and making it act as a conductor, instantly electrocuting Old Ones over a wide area.
And the next moment.
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Poison, Lightning, Ice, Iron.
All rings combined into one, flickering with brilliant rainbow light. Power correction by Bell Quilius, 7-stars.
Yin-Yang Landscape Transmutation.
The explosive flames, the torrent of water, the winds of a typhoon, the earth-shattering ground, the ice stones of a snowstorm, the corrosive poison, the heavenly lightning, the curving steel.
Manifesting to transform the eternal permafrost, it altered the geographical configuration of a 500-meter radius.
And at the center of all that power, the epicenter, was Lequinn, the ancient man-eating spider.
Her gigantic body, which was on the verge of engulfing me, was struck by lightning-fire, burned, dissolved by poison-water, torn by ice-wind, and crushed by earth-iron.
「Paru… you… you fiend…」
But Lequinn was one of the Five Guardians, a being who had drunk the blood of eternity.
Possessing an immortal soul and an undead body, she had the ability to quickly regenerate from this damage.
Therefore, killing them is impossible, but banishing them to a distant era is possible.
“Rune Combination, Light.”
As the eight runes combined into a rune of creation, pouring out a light more dazzling than sunlight, Lequinn began to seize.
It's not that rune she fears.
It is only the power of this seal originating from that rune, specifically the power of the Light Binding Formation, that she fears.
“Good children should still be sleeping. You shouldn't wake up yet.”
「This lowly… thing, worse than a mere worm on the roadside, dares…!」
The moment Lequinn extended her pale, regenerated legs from within countless bubbles.
*Chachachachachachang*, light wedges pierced her sixteen pairs of legs, pinning them to the ground.
Subsequently, two wedges rapidly descended from the sky, piercing her heart and head. They were about twice as large and more dazzling than those that had pinned her legs.
“Yes, it would be good for you to sleep for about another thousand years. So you can grow big and strong.”
Not you, my children.