Chapter 168
The underground chamber was enormous—large enough to hold a gigantic dragon without any trouble.
"Damn it, that almost scared me to death."
Inside that vast space, Frederick's curse echoed quietly.
There was not a single person in the group who wasn't surprised. Even Erich, who had anticipated this situation, was no exception.
'... To think Karkas was here all along.'
Before the regression, the only time Erich had seen Karkas was when the creature had absorbed the power of the Lord of the Dead and become a bone dragon.
In other words, this living, breathing dragon Karkas was something even Erich was seeing for the first time.
Erich slowly approached and placed his hand on the green barrier surrounding Karkas.
He could feel its formidable power, but the state of the barrier was unstable, as if it could shatter at any moment.
Had they arrived even slightly later, the seal on Karkas would have been broken. A strange sense of relief washed over him.
Then Ceres spoke up.
"... So, the reason these dead have come to Haratakan is because of this dragon."
"That must be it. I wonder if the shamans already knew about this."
At that moment, the eldest shaman, Aung-ga, stepped forward.
[It was something only a select few knew of. We never intended to purposely hide it.]
[... Is the reason why the shamans gathered here in Haratakan, perhaps, because you were preventing this dragon from leaving?]
[That is so.]
Aung-ga continued to explain to Erich.
The existence of Karkas was not known to all shamans; rather, it was only the older ones like Aung-ga who were privy to such knowledge.
Shamans who swore to guard the temple their whole lives.
But the reason this temple had been built in the first place was because Karkas was sealed here—a fact not known by 'all' the shamans.
Upon hearing this, Hrung-ga spoke.
[... So that's why the shamans stayed in Haratakan despite Ungrim's suggestion.]
[Indeed, wolf guardian.]
[Then why didn't you just kill the thing? If Karkas was gone, wouldn't the shamans be free?]
Aung-ga let out a rough chuckle in response to Hrung-ga's words, almost like a snort.
[Take a look at Karkas's scales. Does that seem like something you can kill on a whim?]
[Hmm, that's true.]
Erich continued the train of thought from Aung-ga's words.
'The shamans, unable to kill Karkas, instead trapped themselves here.'
Aung-ga then added,
[But Erich, I have seen your power. I wonder... perhaps you are strong enough to kill Karkas.]
[It's not impossible, but....]
Erich gazed at Karkas with narrowed eyes.
The reason Karkas had ended up sealed here, the background behind all of these events—he wanted to know.
If he simply killed Karkas here and now, wouldn't that mystery be lost forever?
In truth, this wasn't quite what Erich had hoped to find on his way here.
'I was hoping for something related to Ungrim's past.'
Something, at least, that could persuade him.
If that existed here, he believed he could alter the mind of Ungrim's forces.
But here, there was only the dragon.
It was quite contrary to Erich's expectations.
Aung-ga inquired about the cause of Erich's hesitation, and upon hearing it, gave him a meaningful smile.
[That's fine. If that's the reason, then I can be of help.]
[... How so?]
[Haratakan is often called the "beginning of all things". Some ancient tribes called this place "Mother's Land". I will tell you the reason.]
The beginning of all things?
Mother's Land?
Erich couldn't quite follow what Aung-ga meant, but he could sense that Aung-ga had prepared something.
'Regardless, this Karkas would become an immense power for the Lord of the Dead. It's best to eliminate it now, if possible.'
As if echoing Erich's deliberation, the barrier quivered subtly.
The high priest of the dying Haratakan—the fiend had to be dealt with before the last light of his life flickered out.
Erich spoke to Aung-ga.
[It reminds me of something you said before.]
[What do you mean?]
[The reason you all were hostile toward me. Didn't you say I would bring down Haratakan?]
[... Indeed.]
Then, as if realizing something, Aung-ga's eyes widened. Erich flashed them a gentle smile.
[Perhaps that had a somewhat different meaning. The reason you're all here is because of Karkas. Yet the moment I kill this creature, there is no reason left for you to stay.]
[... That's true. I never thought the prophecy was a lie. But prophecy always surpasses our expectations. If it didn't, it would never be fulfilled.]
Erich lifted the corners of his mouth.
A prophesied future must come to pass.
But seeing the future means trying to change it so that it never arrives.
And if it changes this way, doesn't it mean the original prophecy was wrong?
The paradox of prophecy.
Erich slowly nodded.
He had his men recover the bodies of the fallen within the temple and had the remaining shamans maintain the barrier until the dying high priest drew his last breath.
Aung-ga broke the necklace from the dying high priest's neck.
The blue-glowing crystal he wore sparkled.
Lost in thought for a moment, Aung-ga glanced at the high priest.
― Whoosh.
That was the high priest's last breath. With that, he ceased to stir, to move at all.
Closing his eyes gently, Aung-ga nodded at Erich.
― Click, click.
Erich drew his sword. Now only one use of the Sword of Light remained for today.
'How ironic. Even the number of times I can use the Sword of Light matches perfectly.'
Erich extended his senses widely, waiting for everyone to descend from Haratakan.
This was to avoid a disaster befalling any caught up in this surge of power.
When he judged most had descended the mountain, golden light began to flow from Erich's hand.
Upon seeing this, karkas glared blearily at Erich.
The dragon's mouth, which looked as if it might open at any moment, was incredibly intimidating.
Yet, not fully awake, the beast could not even move.
Erich's hand moved slowly.
Following his motion, radiant bands of light gathered, forming the image of a golden-shimmering sword.
He raised the Sword of Light toward the sky.
It was the moment when half the journey to destroy the Lord of the Dead was drawing to a close.
***
Having passed Haratakan's mid-slope, all save for Erich halted their steps.
Simultaneously, with a tremendous explosion, an intense beam of light surged up from Haratakan's summit.
― KWAA-UUUNG!
A massive power erupted, blowing apart the peak of Haratakan, which had stood firm for untold ages.
The shamans, witnessing this, seemed caught in subtle emotions.
[... Haratakan....]
But Aung-ga spoke to them casually.
[Isn't this something you've all already seen? There's nothing to be surprised about.]
They had tried so hard to avoid Haratakan's destruction, but now saw once more the outcome they had foreseen.
Countless thoughts flickered across their faces.
― Click, click.
Soon, something gleaming golden and moving at great speed darted beyond the crumbling peak.
When the onlookers could finally recognize the source of that light, they saw Erich calmly approaching with steady steps.
A crumbling Haratakan peak, and beneath it, a lone man walking.
The shamans had already witnessed this sight.
The one prophesied to bring Haratakan's downfall, Erich, indeed, had destroyed Haratakan.
Yet no one blamed Erich.
The shamans were already on the verge of extinction, and it was Erich who had saved them.
Only those who didn't know the story behind this sight could fail to appreciate the irony the shamans felt.
Erich offered no words to the shamans. Instead, he nodded.
[... Didn't you say you had something to show me?]
[I promised you, did I not? I said I would tell you why Haratakan is called the "beginning". Follow me.]
Aung-ga pushed the other shamans aside and led Erich somewhere.
The place Aung-ga led Erich's party was at the eastern entrance of Haratakan.
The reason why he'd brought them here was unclear, but ahead was a giant boulder blocking the way.
Yet Erich, placing his hand on it, slowly nodded.
[It's hollow inside.]
[That's right. Even with your power, opening it won't be easy.]
[... Is this, perhaps, auramite?]
Erich looked somewhat shocked.
To seal the entrance with such a massive chunk of auramite—a mineral so precious that making just one sword out of it was difficult—using so much for a barrier was amazing, and having this much auramite in itself was astounding.
But what happened next was even more remarkable.
Aung-ga brought the necklace he had retrieved from the high priest to the boulder.
With a bizarre mechanical sound, the stone door began to open.
― DRRRRRRRR
Everyone, including Erich, looked startled.
Who would have thought such a facility existed beneath Haratakan? Then Frederick chimed in.
"... The summit has collapsed; won't this place collapse, too?"
"Should we run?"
"W-who said anything about running?"
Although Frederick tried to gloss over it, he, too, seemed uneasy.
In any case, following Aung-ga's guidance, Erich moved inside.
At the end of the passage stood a thick iron door. Aung-ga spoke.
[This is why Haratakan is called Mother's Land.]
After a short, calming breath, Erich slowly opened the door.
In the next instant, shock washed over everyone's faces at the sight within.
"... What is this?"
"My God...."
A facility hidden beneath Haratakan.
Inside, there was a research lab of massive scale.
Not only that, but anatomical models and taxidermied specimens were scattered everywhere.
Erich wondered just what kind of research had been done here. At that moment, his gaze landed on something.
A scene as if the process had been preserved step by step—humans, transitioning into barbarians, depicted as a gradual transformation, unfolded before his eyes.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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