Chapter 64 – The Job of a Hero I

7 minutes

The stillness of the night at the deep realm’s base was suddenly shattered by a thunderous roar that jolted A Zan awake from his dreams.

“Wh-what’s that?!” he cried out reflexively, his voice cracking.

The room was illuminated only by the faint blue light emanating from the dimmed moonstone lanterns. It was likely still the middle of the night.

Still in his sleepwear, A Zan shoved his feet into his slippers and shouted towards the door, “What happened?!”

Before the guards on watch could report, the urgent ringing of warning bells echoed from outside.

“C-could it be a night raid by Mukuramo?!”

A guard rushed in, his face pale, and cried out, “It’s a Rabidaemon! A Rabidaemon suddenly appeared, broke through the castle walls, and infiltrated the grounds!”

Upon hearing this news, A Zan’s face contorted as if a vortex had formed at its center.

Since ancient times, stories of the monsters collectively known as Rabidaemon invading the safe zone created by humans, called the Alabaster Road, were not uncommon. However, due to their nature of despising high-purity moonstones, it was not a frequent occurrence either. For the people who had settled in the deep realm and established their base there, the rare occurrence of a Rabidaemon attack was viewed with awe and fear, akin to a natural disaster.

“Bah! Then quickly gather the regular security forces and exterminate them!” A Zan ordered.

“Well, about that…” the guard’s face had turned ashen, indicating that resolving this situation with mere words would be difficult.

“I-is it huge…?” A Zan asked, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The guard nodded twice, swallowing hard.

“In the worst-case scenario, we may need to consider abandoning Uzumi Castle…”

A Zan’s eyes darted about as he struggled to swallow the lump in his throat.

Just recently, invigorated by their victory in the previous battle, there had been a report that the king, his father-in-law, was planning to visit soon to celebrate. If they were to lose Uzumi Castle now, it would be like smearing the face of the king, who had risen to celebrate his son-in-law’s victory, with the mud of humiliation. He could already hear the idle nobles in the royal court, using a variety of words as if composing poetry, mocking him as an upstart who had become intoxicated with an unfamiliar victory and lost a castle.

Imagining the humiliation, A Zan couldn’t stop grinding his teeth.

“Commanding General, your orders!” the guard urged.

“S-shut up! In any case, retreat is not an option,” A Zan shouted.

“Then we must immediately request reinforcements from the rear!”

The personnel gathered from various places before the previous battle had already been mostly returned due to the base’s kitchen situation. Currently, Uzumi Castle only had the minimum number of soldiers necessary to defend the castle during normal times. Even if the entire Mukuramo army from the Ode territory were to attack, they had enough personnel to repel them, but the current situation was completely unexpected.

Normally, this would be a situation where they would send out an express messenger on horseback to compete for every second. However, most of A Zan’s thoughts were focused on finding a path to self-preservation that abandoned reason.

“No, no! This matter must be kept internal… External help won’t make it in time anyway. No matter how many sacrifices we have to make, we will exterminate the invading Rabidaemon with our current forces. Wake up the soldiers warming their beds and send them to battle! Make everyone work, regardless of rank, birth, or position!”

“We just need to secure the minimum personnel for your personal guard–“

“That much is fine! We just need to get rid of the rat that got in. I’ll use this room as the headquarters to give orders. First, bring me a change of clothes–“

A Zan abruptly stopped mid-sentence as the scowling face of that old Shanoa general flashed through his mind.

“–That’s right, have Ba Ryouki cooperate! The stellar knights sent by Shanoa may be few in number, but they are undoubtedly elite. If we use them well, they’ll be useful in exterminating the Rabidaemon. That old geezer owes me, so he won’t refuse. Hurry!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Ba Ryouki and Libi sprang up without hesitation upon hearing the crashing, unfamiliar noise.

“You heard that?” Ba Ryouki asked, still groggy from sleep.

“Yes!” Libi replied instantly, his bedhead hair sticking up.

They covered the faintly glowing moonstone lamp with a cloth to conceal its light. Tying their shoelaces, donning Shanoa’s traditional lightweight armor, and securing their swords, they silently finished their battle preparations. In the dimly lit room, Libi broke the silence.

“Could it be a night attack?”

“Well–“

The alarm bell rang out. Its sound continued incessantly at a rapid, intense interval.

“–There’s no doubt something is amiss.”

Hurried footsteps could be heard from the corridor outside. The owner of those footsteps, carried by their momentum, flung open the door to Ba Ryouki’s lodging room.

“How rude!” Libi shouted in rebuke.

The man who burst in, breathing heavily, was a familiar face – one of the attendants in service to A Zan.

“M-my apologies!”

The attendant hastily prostrated himself, his breathing erratic. To calm him, Ba Ryouki cleared his throat slowly.

“What happened?”

“Y-yes! A Rabidaemon! A Rabidaemon has infiltrated the base!”

Ba Ryouki furrowed his brow.

“Rabidaemons, you say?”

A Zan’s attendant swallowed and nodded deeply.

“The Commander-in-Chief seeks Shanoa’s aid! Please, lend us your strength, Lord Ba Ryouki, to eradicate it!”

For a moment, Ba Ryouki lowered his gaze. Libi stared intently at his uncle’s profile.

“…Of course. In this time of crisis for the alliance, I, Ba Ryouki, shall take command and lend my assistance. Please convey this to Lord A Zan.”

“Th-thank you! Thank you so much! I will inform him at once!”

Expressing his gratitude effusively, the attendant’s face shone with genuine joy and relief as he ran off, leaving the door wide open.

“Uncle!” The young Libi’s eyes burned with a warrior’s spirit, his blood running hot.

“Very well, the chance to repay our debt has come knocking. We join the battle – I trust you are prepared.”

“Yes!”

Libi smacked his palm and fist together forcefully.

“First, we must see the enemy with our own eyes.”

Libi nodded and together they stepped out onto the small balcony connected to the corridor. The sight that greeted Ba Ryouki’s eyes was that of a large insect pacing about the wide courtyard, roaring. It bore a black, huge, serpentine shell on its back, from which extended long, numerous legs. Raising its sharp, heavy scythe-like arms, it trampled the Coral soldiers gathered at its feet with their spears.

“That is our opponent…”

Seeing the insect, unexpectedly large, strong and rampaging nimbly, Libi paled slightly, seemingly losing some nerve.

“…Troublesome indeed– hm?”

Something caught Ba Ryouki’s eye amidst the scene unfolding below, a sense of incongruity. In the darkness, a distinctly noticeable silver-haired man dashed through the corner of the courtyard. Unconsciously, Ba Ryouki swallowed the saliva that had pooled in his mouth.

Perhaps following his gaze, Libi too noticed the man and let out a cry.

“That man?!”

Ba Ryouki wet his parched lips and smiled.

“He’s returned under cover of the commotion, I see. His purpose is unclear, but this is no ordinary man’s course of action. Indeed, a worthy opponent for I, Ba Ryouki, to cross swords with.”

Sweat seeped into his palms. An inexpressible sense of elation, blood surging through his entire body. That feeling, pure and childish, like a young boy delighting in a festival, permeated his aged form.

–The guidance of the demonic gods, perhaps.

The scar on his neck that he unconsciously stroked throbbed hotly.

“Uncle, surely you can’t– now is not the time to fixate on a single man! It is time to aid our troubled allies and regain our lost credibility!”

His nephew’s words, spoken as if he knew better, reached his ears and doused his untainted thoughts like cold water.

Ba Ryouki glared at Libi with a desperate look on his face.

“Watch your tongue! I will head to the scene first. You assemble your unit, brief them on the situation and follow shortly after–“

“What?!”

Letting his nephew’s words calling out to stop him pass in one ear and out the other, Ba Ryouki dashed down the corridor with all his might.


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