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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 177
“……”
Ian silently looked down at the two men who had stopped breathing.
They were fanatics, but not particularly difficult opponents. The only thing that lingered in his mind was their mention of becoming sacrifices.
But what could the dead do? As he thought that and was about to turn away, a faint flow of mana accompanied the appearance of a man.
The moment Ian recognized the figure, his body flinched, and he nearly swung his sword on reflex. However, he soon realized that the figure was not a tangible being.
It was an illusion. The moment their eyes met, the man smirked wryly.
—Well, this is unexpected.
His tone suggested trouble, but his smiling eyes said otherwise. Rather, he looked thoroughly amused.
Ian quickly scanned him. Like the dead men, he was dressed as a mercenary.
A strange sense of déjà vu. It was just like when he defeated the Dark Dragon, White Fang, and acquired the mana stone on the Gehiel Plains.
It was likely a similar spell or perhaps the same type of artifact.
“Who are you?”
—That’s what I’d like to ask. Why did you kill them?
“They were wandering around in the middle of the night.”
—So, just because they seemed suspicious?
“Is there any other reason needed?”
The newly appeared man showed a subtle expression.
—That’s quite a dangerous way of thinking. No, it’s outright reckless. Was there truly no other way?
“What?”
—We are intelligent beings, aren’t we? Most problems can be resolved through reasonable discussion.
Ian let out a scoff. If someone overheard this, they wouldn’t know who the real fanatic was.
If the dead men hadn’t wielded dark mana, he might have at least listened.
But the very act of using dark mana meant they had made a pact with the Outer Gods.
“That’s an amusing claim.”
—What do you mean?
“Why do people call fanatics ‘fanatics’? Because they engage in madness. If they simply devoted themselves to their faith, no one would care. It’s their life. But they don’t, and that’s where the problem lies. And you wouldn’t be any different.”
—That… I can’t exactly deny.
“You admit it so easily?”
—Even if I tried to refute it… in this situation, nothing I say would be convincing.
“So, was the point of this useless conversation just to buy time?”
The man’s eyes widened in surprise.
—Oh? You knew, yet you still humored me? I should be thanking you, then.
“No need. Your face, your voice—I was making sure not to forget them. I thought you were using a magic tool, but it’s a spell formation instead. You imbued their bodies with something akin to a curse.”
—…Oh? How did you figure that out?
As Ian observed the illusion before him, he was already expanding his sensory field, searching for similar patterns of mana.
It was an absurd tracking ability, but the foreign power within his eyes made it possible.
—I thought you were a warrior, but are you a mage?
“Who knows? But one thing is certain.”
The man beamed, as if he were enjoying himself.
“You’re not far away, are you? Setting up such a large-scale magic field… there’s no way the overseer wouldn’t be nearby.”
—Shall I correct one thing for you? This isn’t magic. It’s a large-scale ritual that blends necromancy, spirit summoning, and invocation. The activation condition is simple—at least two sacrifices.
And… you just provided them.”
Woo-woong.
From the corpse of the dead, black magic surged, and a violet radiance shot up toward the sky.
An incomprehensible symbol drawn in black magic on the ground began to activate, even though it remained incomplete.
Ian frowned as he watched.
"How can such an incomplete ritual even activate?"
— Can a mere mortal's judgment determine what is incomplete?
The man continued speaking as he gazed at the two pillars of light rising before him.
— Precisely because it is incomplete, it can advance toward completion. By offering one's life and soul with unwavering faith, we open the path for the Morning Star.
Necromancy, spirit summoning, invocation.
Just hearing those three words made it seem like they were trying to summon something immense into this world.
Did this mean they were trying to bring down an Outer God here? Could that even be possible?
Ian was skeptical. Even before his regression, the Outer God that the hero Abella had defeated had required an immense price just to descend into this world.
And yet, they think offering a few fanatics as sacrifices would be enough? Absurd. However, it didn’t seem like mere bluster.
Hwooong—!
Sinister violet pillars were erupting all around, encircling the ruins at the center.
The Red Spear Knights and the priests of the Pantheon, who were stationed nearby, would soon notice and take action, but could they stop it?
There must be a focal point.
Most likely, this man was guarding it.
It was just a hunch, but Ian trusted his instincts. However, pinpointing its exact location was still difficult.
"Impressive. To give up everything just to open a path."
— Give up? It seems you're mistaken. They will be saved. Faith must come with reward. If one were merely used, who would abandon everything and follow? Now, look to the sky. The Morning Star will send down its vanguard along the path.
A particular star in the night sky, which had seemed unusually bright, now appeared to be growing larger.
It wasn't just an illusion. Something from a vast distance was gradually approaching.
The clouds that had blanketed the sky were now silently gathering toward that star.
A bizarre sight. Just watching it felt as if one might be drawn in.
Crunch—
The sound of bones shifting.
Turning his head, Ian saw the corpses beginning to mutate.
Their muscles swelled until their garments tore, and their bones expanded.
The daggers that had been embedded in their bodies were being pushed out, and their wounds were healing at an astonishing rate.
It was an unbelievable sight, yet Ian remained unfazed.
Fwoosh—
Two fireballs ignited in midair and shot forward.
The moment they struck the corpses, they expanded, becoming massive flames.
Fwoooosh!!!
The roaring blaze consumed the black magic, burning even fiercer.
"I see. The first to descend are the Morning Star's subordinates, is that it? Good. It looks like there's still time."
— Is that what you think?
"I also know where you are now."
Ian said this as he slowly shifted his gaze away from the man, looking to his right. A forest shrouded in darkness came into view. There were no violet pillars there.
"Seems like no one there seeks salvation."
— ……
"I’ll be there soon."
-Oh. It sounds as if you believe you can catch me if I were right in front of you. Is that right? You seem confident in your skills. It’s a little... unpleasant. I’m not someone to be taken lightly. Very well. I’ll be waiting, so why don’t you try and find me?
Ian moved the flames to surround the man.
The spell powered by dark mana began to collapse helplessly before the properties of Bane of Evil. The man’s body grew faint before disappearing entirely.
Without waiting to confirm the end, Ian leapt into the forest.
With each push off the ground, his body accelerated terrifyingly, shooting forward. He was faster than an arrow.
Swoosh!
At times, he had to momentarily reduce speed due to the trees and dense undergrowth blocking his path. However, rather than slowing down, he simply leapt onto the trees, dashing forward by stepping on thin branches.
Since he was detecting his surroundings even beyond his line of sight, he did not lose his way or head in the wrong direction. Once he had closed the distance enough—
[Bane of Evil: Second Form, Comet]
Stepping off a branch, he activated Bane of Evil.
Flames engulfed his body, cutting through the darkness as he shot upward. From high above, he looked down.
A group of mercenaries stood below. As if they had arranged it in advance, they were all looking up at him.
'Once more.'
Using Bane of Evil, he shot toward them.
“Shit, he’s coming this way!”
“Dodge!”
The mercenaries, who had been gathered in one place, scattered in panic. Ian instantly closed the distance, charging into their midst.
The moment his feet touched the ground, the flames surrounding him spread violently outward.
Fwoooosh!!!
But they weren’t fools. Rather than standing around dumbfounded by the sudden intrusion, they immediately drew their weapons and rushed at him.
“Kill him!”
“He’s the one the Siruan brothers were talking about!”
Three mercenaries pushed through the flames, swinging their swords.
One of them charged forward with a shield, seemingly intent on knocking Ian down. Ian drew his platinum sword.
[Bane of Evil: Fifth Form]
[Judgment: Execution]
Raising his sword overhead, he brought it down at explosive speed toward the shield-bearing mercenary.
The moment a line seemed to be drawn through the air, the man’s body was split in two along with his shield.
Squelch!
Not even a death cry was heard. It was a gruesome sight, but Ian remained unfazed, merely shifting his gaze to his next target.
Pulling a dagger from his waist, he reversed his grip and deflected an oncoming sword strike. With his longsword in his right hand, he stabbed it into his opponent’s side.
Squish—
The leather armor, clearly recently acquired, couldn’t withstand the keen edge of the platinum blade.
Like a piece of thin cloth, it was pierced and torn apart.
Organs spilled from the gaping wound, rendering the opponent powerless. Without hesitation, Ian turned and cut down the last remaining enemy.
In an instant, three men had been dealt with. Ian straightened his posture.
Drip— Drip—
The sound of blood trickling down his blade echoed clearly in the now silent surroundings.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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