Chapter 421
Episode 421. A New World (2)
A new world.
It was the most fitting answer for the barren Prime Root.
“I’ll invite you to the fortress. Will you come?”
“Of course.”
At the Sword Demon’s invitation, Kamel accepted readily and relaxed his strength.
The blue energy flowing around him scattered into the air, and Kamel handed the orb to Rengua while gazing at one spot.
His eyes were fixed on the watchtower seated upon the northern wall.
A faint black existence.
A supporter that only Kamel could sense, the King of the Dead, was moving toward the watchtower.
The reason was unknown.
As Kamel stared in that direction for a long while, the approaching Sword Demon asked,
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t like fellows who keep too many secrets.”
Kamel silently looked up at the Sword Demon.
Meanwhile, Rengua brought a robe and gently draped it over Kamel’s body.
A moment later, four people gathered in one place.
The Sword Demon, Azolet, Rengua, and Kamel.
The instant the four gathered, silence fell over the fortress wall.
An inexplicable pressure could be felt.
The world grew quiet at the sight of them.
From a distance, a man was watching.
Arcane of Fate.
He stared at the four and heavily nodded.
Fiddling with his blue earring, he was convinced.
“The world will soon grow noisy.”
A prophecy chosen by God.
It seemed the prophecy of the Black Star had been fulfilled today.
Huff— Huff—
Arthur ran frantically.
Blinding white snow poured down like madness, and a bitterly sharp wind blew, yet he couldn’t even pay attention to the harsh cold before his eyes.
His mind was filled with turmoil at the appearance of one existence.
“Kamel Blazer.”
He was the one who had once grasped and shaken Arthur’s lifeline, so that face could never be forgotten.
That unique aura he exuded was the same.
It was definitely that Kamel bastard.
That dry atmosphere.
That heavy presence brimming with charisma.
Even from quite a distance, he recognized him at a glance.
Rengua’s attitude further strengthened that certainty.
Rengua was not the kind of man who would bow his head to anyone other than Kamel.
Once he confirmed Kamel’s existence with his own eyes, Arthur’s head swirled with questions.
How was he alive?
I clearly saw his heart pierced.
He had personally witnessed Gram of the Black Tower drive a hand through Kamel’s heart.
Even his true blood had been stolen away by Gram’s power, so no one could have saved him.
Impossible to save?
Could it be Rengua’s work??
As that thought followed, one possibility immediately came to mind: A puppet.
Rengua was a master dollmaker designated by the divine.
As the novel progressed into later parts, his dollmaking craft grew closer and closer to mimicking humans. Of course, they weren’t ordinary humans but combat weapons covered in special sorceries.
If that were the case, then the puppet’s master would be Rengua.
But he didn’t act like a master at all.
Rather, Rengua showed loyalty to Kamel.
Though Rengua was indeed a mad old man, he wasn’t deranged enough to grovel before a doll he had created.
It was confusing.
Arthur exhaled deeply and began to carefully recall Kamel’s first reappearance.
He had confirmed much from the watchtower. Among them, two points Arthur considered important.
The heart.
On Kamel’s exposed chest, Arthur saw the Heart of the Frost Lord.
Its owner was one of the Forgotten Absolutes, something a human body could never withstand.
Even Lyon Martrein, who had once been Kamel’s sword, could not withstand the Frost Lord’s heart and collapsed.
“But he seemed to have adapted.”
Arthur had seen Kamel draw upon the Frost Lord’s freezing power to face Azolet.
On top of that, he was controlling the Orb of the Dead.
In fact, the most shocking thing was seeing the cricket swarm move under Kamel’s command.
One piece of news Retonicalus had given him:
[I sense her aura from the Orb of the Dead.]
The King of the Dead.
Jess Milo’s presence was emanating from Kamel. Since Retonicalus confirmed it, it had to be true.
“What the hell is she scheming?”
With what intention had she approached Kamel?
Knowing her, perhaps it was just a whim. But the important thing was that she had entered into some kind of contract with Kamel.
Kamel’s supporter is the King of the Dead…?
The more the thoughts arranged themselves in his head, the more his grip tightened.
Dangerous.
In the early story, Kamel had been the villainous protagonist who made his presence known by using the “Regressor” position.
With his extraordinary mind alone, he took the throne of Tobaron and went on to swallow more than half of Hell Grime. The only reason he met death was because of an alliance of other villains.
Demtor, Aintrier, and Prime Root.
It took the combined strength of those three to kill him, yet he had returned alive.
And with even more threatening power at that.
“If that bastard becomes the Black Star, he’ll rise with Prime Root at his back, won’t he?”
As that thought reached him, Arthur let out a low groan.
He had thought they were almost there.
That if Demtor’s division accelerated and Demtor itself collapsed, then the World Tree Union would be able to prevent the world’s destruction.
The Forgotten Absolutes were always lurking, seeking opportunities to emerge into the world, but as long as the World Tree was well protected, that could be blocked.
Yet now, Kamel’s reappearance was a grave threat to Arthur’s plans.
Because he’s a Regressor?
Since that man knew the weighty events of this world, the chances were high that he would move with plans Arthur could not foresee.
Arthur realized there was only one way to deal with Kamel in this situation.
“In the end, it’s a battle against time?”
He must not be given time.
Arthur had to finish his own plan before Kamel began his real activities.
Whoooosh!
A sharp wind scattered Arthur’s hair.
Stopping briefly, Arthur scanned the blurred surroundings in the snowfall to find his direction.
Catching it again, he resumed running, thinking that discovering Kamel’s existence in Reruze had been heaven’s fortune.
Had more time passed in ignorance, the cost would have been enormous.
When Arthur had first met Kamel, he was merely a nameless assassin.
But now, Arthur was the commander of the World Tree Union and the Master of Hunt.
Now, he could stand against him.
Hoo—
Exhaling a long breath, he looked around. The sight of hills large and small told him he had entered the frozen hills.
As he searched for the marker Samuel had left, Retonicalus’s warning rang.
[This won’t do. Hide.]
“Have we been discovered?”
[If you move like this, you will be. Hide until I give the signal.]
“A signal?”
[……]
As Retonicalus fell silent at his question, Arthur clicked his tongue briefly and searched the ground.
Seeing a crack between the frozen earth, Arthur quickly crawled inside.
Then he crouched, silent as a dead mouse.
He had wanted to observe Kamel further from the watchtower, but as Jess Milo approached swiftly, he had no choice but to retreat in haste.
Did she sense Retonicalus’s aura?
He could ask Retonicalus later about her movements.
For now, Arthur dug himself deeper into the icy ground filled with thin frost until Retonicalus’s signal came.
The cold was brutal.
Suddenly, Samuel came to mind. He had once said that, because of Rengua, he had been forced to crouch in a crevice for days.
He must have suffered quite a bit…
Experiencing it firsthand, Arthur realized how harsh Prime Root’s cold truly was, even for him.
Starting with his fingers, his joints began to ache.
Time passed quickly.
By the change of day to night, he knew more than a day had gone by.
As more time passed, Arthur began to worry about Samuel.
“He wouldn’t leave first, would he?”
Given how many times Samuel had suffered, Arthur thought he might leave out of spite.
Just when time had dragged on long enough for worry to take hold—
[Now! Move!]
Retonicalus’s signal came.
Arthur clenched his teeth and burst out of the crevice. Though his stiffened body screamed in pain, he ignored it and ran at full speed.
[Increase your speed before she spots you.]
“She’s still chasing?”
[Her presence feels faint, but we cannot be careless.]
Arthur nodded and raised his speed even further.
As he entered the frozen hills, Arthur no longer held back his strength and used Burst Strike.
Kwaaang!!!!!
The heart of the Undying, which had been still, began to beat violently, and Arthur’s figure dashed forward at immense speed.
Though traces of Burst Strike remained in the surroundings, they were swiftly erased by the pouring snow.
A moment later, Arthur spotted Samuel’s marker and quickly moved in that direction.
“Arthur!”
A shout rang from atop a hill.
Samuel waved his arms broadly after spotting him.
Though his expression was laced with reproach for being so late, escaping this place came first.
Arthur immediately moved toward the portal and shouted,
“We’ll talk in Aintrier! The situation is urgent!”
“What… very well.”
Sighing, Samuel gestured toward the portal.
Arthur stood before the portal glowing red.
Before leaving, he glanced back for a moment.
Beyond the darkness, there was only pouring blizzard, but Arthur thought of the Forgotten Absolute that existed beyond that storm.
The King of the Dead, Jess Milo.
“I keep crossing paths with her…”
Now entangled with Kamel, her existence had also become a huge variable.
Next time, it would not be avoidance but a proper clash.
“Hurry!”
At Samuel’s shout, Arthur hurled himself into the portal, and Samuel, after glancing around, entered as well.
A moment later—
Wooooong!
The portal, which shone between the white snowfall, trembled and swiftly contracted into nothingness.
The spatial portal disappeared completely, leaving only the white snowfield behind.
Within the sensation of being pulled into the portal, Arthur closed his eyes. When he opened them, he faced a familiar sight.
His lodging in Aintrier.
The Lord’s chamber.
Perhaps it had always been well-maintained, for the room was impeccably tidy.
In the blink of an eye, he had moved from the freezing icy land to a warm room.
Spatial portals were truly incredible powers.
As Arthur moved toward the soft sofa and sat down—
“Whoa!”
The portal spat out Samuel.
As Samuel fell into the room, the portal floating in midair quickly vanished.
Samuel groaned, pushed himself up, and picked up his hat that had rolled across the floor.
Brushing the ice off his clothes, he glared at Arthur.
“I almost froze to death twice.”
“The situation grew complicated and held me near the area. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
As Arthur apologized immediately, Samuel shook his head and sank into the sofa, asking,
“Did something happen? You looked urgent just now.”
“A tail attached.”
“A tail? I didn’t sense any pursuers.”
“It was an unexpected existence. Because of that, things have gotten troublesome.”
“Don’t tell me the plan failed?”
“The plan succeeded. Reruze won’t be able to meddle in outside affairs for a while.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Seeing Samuel’s curious look, Arthur gave a bitter smile.
His thoughts weren’t yet organized, and he judged it was too soon to mention Kamel’s existence here.
“I’ll tell you later. For now, it’s not a major issue.”
Demtor and Prime Root.
During the festival, he had successfully finished the restraining work to prevent them from being distracted.
Now, once the festival opened and he solidified the Union’s cohesion, things would proceed.
And I’ll need to swiftly finish Demtor too.
Arthur brushed himself off, stood, and prepared to head outside.
No matter how much he pondered the variable here, there was no answer.
For now, he had to move.