Book 17 Chapter 31
Old Rulers,
Ancient Madness Calling the Sea Wind (8)
This is the green city, <Karsiko>.
Geographically, it is located in the center of the Tersh Archipelago, politically in the heart of the Seven Great Cities, and safeguards the balance of the Republic's north-south symmetry.
And, quite naturally, as one of the Seven Great Cities, it boasts a municipal library with a magnificent collection of books.
“What, you idiot? Are you joking right now!”
A thunderous shout pierced through the interior of the library, where silence is a virtue regardless of era or region.
“This isn't the time to be reading books! I waited for you to come, but you never showed up, so I looked for you and found you sitting here reading books!”
As if mocking the [Absolute Silence] sign hanging on the arched doorway of this document information room, even the beast on the uninvited guest's shoulder cawed.
“Crazy, crazy, Rin is truly an incorrigible crazy person.”
<Karsiko>'s municipal library was a place of excellent openness, with a multi-story structure where staircases spiraled from the 1st to the 5th floor.
Thus, such a commotion echoed throughout the entire library, yet no one dared to stop the uninvited guest.
The reason is simple. It's not because this uninvited guest is a shaman holding the Speaker position in the Republic's House of Representatives. It's because there's no one available to do so.
“Right now, the Naga army is swarming in from all directions, so not only Rista and Kyes but everyone who can use their strength has been deployed for the evacuation operation. Does it make sense for you to be leisurely reading a book here at a time like this?”
Following the commands of the Blue True Dragons, citizens scattered across the island had to evacuate to this green city, <Karsiko>.
This <Karsiko> is the battlefield for the decisive battle!
If the Naga army, led by the Sea Gate Generals of the deep sea, conquers this Tersh Archipelago, the two continents will be divided, and the anti-demon front will fall into an irreversible situation.
“There is no logical disqualification whatsoever in my actions right now, so such criticism is extremely unreasonable.”
The boy, who was being dragged out by the scruff of his neck but still held a book in his hand, opened his mouth.
“What is it? Tell me. If it's nonsense, I'll immediately implement the ‘Death Fist Spin’.”
“Think about it. The more Osarius-style mudras I know, the more help I can be in combat, right? This is the process for that.”
“Ah, I see! I didn't know that? Oh dear, how silly of me. Won't you forgive me? I think I was wrong.”
“Yes, you're silly. So let go.”
“So, would you show me the title of the book you're reading right now?”
“『If You Dream of Being the Strongest』.”
“Kyahahahahahahahahat, kyahahat, kyahahahahahahahahat!”
“Kyhat, kyhat, kyhat.”
That laughter could not irreverently echo through the library. Because a scream, louder, rougher, and more terrible than that, erupted!
“……Kwaaaaaaaak!”
* * *
“Senior, the Naga army is swarming in from all over the sea!”
A witch reported.
Another witch gasped and shouted.
“When and where did such a large Naga army infiltrate? The Black Rose Society should have been almost completely subjugated by Rista's party!”
This is the western waters of Tersh Archipelago's Island #2, specifically an underwater space where Berz, one of the Sea Gate Generals (海門將), lies dormant as a stone statue.
“Calm down! This place is protected by the power of the Blue True Dragon. Those Nagas won't even be able to invade here; we'll be safe as long as we maintain the True Dragon's barrier from going out.”
What the True Dragon gave these witches was the power of a barrier!
The complex etched in light and flickering on the seabed of this underwater space can be called that barrier.
This complex contained six ritual circles, and by sitting here and reciting sacred incantations, the witches could amplify and maintain the barrier's power.
‘But what on earth happened?’
‘I can't focus, I can't focus to recite the sacred incantations.’
‘Something, something is staring, a chilling sensation, like what a predator feels when circling its prey……’
Where is the source of this fear?
The countless swarming Nagas outside the True Dragon's barrier, which pushed back the sea to create a space for humans to dwell?
No, it's not. No matter how tyrannical and cruel they are, they are ultimately demons; they couldn't possibly instill such instinctive fear.
Thud…….
That was when it happened. The sound made the witches' hearts stop, more alien and eerie than a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.
‘The sound of a falling stone, why?’
At that moment, the body of the witch who turned around was savagely torn apart in an indescribable manner!
“S-surely not…!”
“Senior, the Sea, Sea, Sea Gate General is…!”
“Don't act rashly, recite the sacred incantations prepared for this moment! To protect our bodies…!”
However, it didn't take long for that underwater space to be dyed crimson with blood and brains.
It was a saw blade…!
Not an artificially manufactured saw, but something that naturally took the form of a saw blade as the apex predator of the ecological pyramid honed it for hunting efficiency… Berz had the grotesque form of a sawshark and a human woman horrifyingly intertwined!
“Shashshshsh, you think you can stop me with just this much light? Is this all the power accumulated over a thousand years? You livestock, how arrogant and lazy have you been living?”
That saw blade, causing insane scorching as it bit into the blue True Dragon's barrier, finally severed it! All the witches inside were massacred!
The True Dragon's barrier is fading away!
The power that made this underwater space habitable for humans vanished, and Nagas swam in, kneeling low with their serpentine lower bodies to worship the ancient Sea Gate General.
“I humbly behold the great being. I am Jaeviki, the head of the 'Ra' family among the Eight Sea Star Clans (海星八族).”
Jaeviki, the head of the 'Ra' family, who offered greetings on behalf of all Nagas, had his neck severed the next moment. Just like with the witches, Berz sucked out his flesh, brains, and bone marrow!
“You lowly thing, when did I say you could open your filthy mouth?”
Not a single Naga among them was astonished!
The authority figure who succeeded Jaeviki merely stepped forward, knelt, and worshipped!
This is the kind of authority an aristocrat of an old kingdom possesses! Who could slander a master for killing a chicken or pig they raised? They naturally hold the power over life and death!
“The next one pleases me. Yes, where are the humans? I am hungry. My body isn't fully restored yet. Women and babies. I want to eat their tender flesh and hear their faint screams!”