Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Alarm (4)

#72

The joint attack was successful.

Bran took the group and headed to the spire where the archers were.

Hurriedly running he praised Arazan.

“Arazan. Earlier was amazing.”

“Thank you for the praise but it was poor skill. I tried to pierce the left eye but hit the brow.”

Arazan shook her head.

Although she achieved excellent sniping the expression was not particularly bright.

She raised the bow she was holding and showed it.

“It seems more time is needed to adapt to this bow. As of now even drawing the string is burdensome.”

It was not the short bow she originally used but the bow of the plateau’s king Rahir.

The smooth white curve is impressive no matter how many times seen.

Judging that it is better for the long-range dealer Arazan to use than himself Bran long-term rented it.

Bran let out a hollow laugh faintly.

“Of course burdensome. It is a bow the legendary king handled.”

If not hard that would be abnormal.

Because her specs still fell far short compared to Rahir.

Although she showed a ridiculous appearance, the prime Rahir was no different from a hero in myth.

There is all reason the contemporary empire emperor expressed respect.

Arazan continued in a voice without confidence.

“As expected it seems right to return this to you. It is a treasure too excessive for me.”

“Don’t say stupid words and practice more. I am full with handling the sword.”

“But···.”

“Have to handle continuously to get used to the hand. Have confidence. There is nothing excessive for the last king of the plateau anywhere in the world.”

Bran waved his hand.

Until she draws out all the power of the bow he had not even a stink bug’s down hair’s worth of intention to receive it back.

Eating end-level equipment from the beginning and saying that kind of words, there is a degree to being full.

Arazan nodded.

“...Understood. I’ll do so.”

“And if the strength of drawing the bowstring don’t worry. I’ll definitely raise it.”

Bran giggled.

Since entered Weed’s Pack physical related problems would be resolved soon.

In his head the optimal build for Arazan was already being composed tightly.

‘It would be good if the number of skills that can be absorbed increases quickly. Three is too few.’

Rather than bow proficiency or physical skill distribution was more of a headache.

Since Gale Step and Star Shadow’s unique skill were fixed the remaining slot was only one.

While pondering this and that and running he arrived at the destination at some point.

Discovering Bran Ilark waved her hand.

“Ah, came Bran!”

“Hehe. It was a sharp sniping like a hunting hawk!”

Benden also together.

The two were standing settling below the spire.

The archer man who lost consciousness was writhing at their feet.

“Geueuk...agagak···.”

On the face the hand mark of Ilark remained clearly.

Catching this at once, even thinking again it was amazing leaping power.

“Good work. Strength became stronger.”

“Heheung, this much is nothing.”

Ilark smiled while baring her teeth.

It was a humble reaction for leaping an apartment 5th floor height at once and capturing the enemy.

Red heat was wavering inside the pumped thighs.

Fortunate that she did not burst the head with grip strength.

Just as Bran was approaching the man for interrogation.

“Vito! This bastard!”

“Keueuk?!”

Urdin who rushed like lightning drove a fist into the man’s face.

Baaak-!

Along with a fierce sound white teeth popped up.

“Oiku.”

Bran blinked his eyes.

Indeed, as much as originally acquaintances the betrayal would be extreme.

Urdin who was beating the man in mount position grabbed his collar.

“Speak! What happened in Letunir!”

“C-cannot speak! Absolutely cannot!”

The man shouted.

Even though blood is pouring from the nose and mouth judging from acting like that he seemed to have been thoroughly made to keep his mouth shut.

Of course it was not his business.

Bran nodded.

“Absolutely?”

It was a tone stimulating people.

Bran pushed Urdin and approached the man.

At the unusual momentum the man flinched.

“H-hey. What are you trying to···”

The moment he was about to say something.

Crunch!

Bran’s heel drove down on his left hand.

A sound as if breaking several branches at once rang out.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

“You···.”

Urdin’s eyes widened.

When Bran removed his foot five fingers twisted in a bizarre direction revealed themselves.

Now he would not be able to play the piano for life but that was also not his business.

Bran recited calmly.

“Hey. Is it fun people dying?”

“Hiiik··· hueeeuk··· wh-what···?”

“You were chatting with the friend earlier. Saying let’s make us run and shoot with arrows to death. Even while watching monsters eat your country people did you grin like that?”

“Th-that···.”

“Yes? If you were here you would have seen right.”

There is no way he didn’t see.

Honestly speaking from the time he entered Letunir the mood was not good.

Among the beads rolling on the street there would definitely be ones made of children’s blood.

“From adults to innocent kids all eaten and turned into beads, is that fun.”

Bran trampled the man’s left arm.

A bit higher than earlier near the wrist.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

Although a breaking sound was made this time too Bran continued the kicking without caring.

Like a press maintaining constant interval and speed.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

Every time his foot fell the man’s left arm was being crushed.

“Aak! Hyaaak! S-stop!”

“······.”

It seemed he became a completely different person.

Even when fighting Star Shadow he had never revealed such a murderous aspect.

Even the excited Urdin was only watching while holding his breath.

“Hya, amazing.”

“Merciless.”

Ilark and Arazan also could not hide their astonishment.

Because too fierce there was no one stopping.

Kale bit his lower lip.

“······Bran.”

The only one who had a similar experience was Kale.

In the cult village worshiping the evil god Igra Bran showed anger similar to now.

The common point of then and now is that there is an innocently sacrificed child.

Although it seemed there was some bad memory, he had never asked the circumstances.

Instantly making the man’s left arm like a mollusk Bran shrugged his shoulders.

“No more to break. This time let’s go to the legs.”

“S-stop! Please stop!”

“Why me? You said absolutely won’t speak.”

Actually if not speaking there was no reason to leave alive.

Just before Bran who raised his foot again made the man into a cripple.

“Th-the ones wearing masks! Right after two people wearing masks invaded this mess happened!”

His first usable information popped out.

“Mask?”

“Y-yes! I’ll say everything··· heuk, please only the legs···!”

“Should have done so earlier.”

The falling foot of Bran stopped.

It is the moment some person’s famous saying that there is no absolute in the world comes to mind.

Why take the penalty of becoming a cripple while bluffing.

“Hueuk! Kkeuuu, uaaaa···.”

“Cannot even speak properly. Kale. Fix this guy a bit.”

“Euung, understood!”

“In a painkiller feeling. Only to the extent can confess.”

Kale who ran over used Healing Sunlight.

Whether the pain subsided the breathing sound became much softer.

The moaning man opened his mouth.

“Th-thank you··· heuk.”

“Speak. Summarize as much as possible.”

“T-today dawn it happened··· huff, because the sortie day was not set Rain and I were in charge of city border duty. Wandering as always suddenly an explosion sound was heard from the royal castle side. Hurriedly going to the royal castle two people wearing animal masks were holding Majesty as hostage. One of them suddenly took out a strange item···”

“Don’t you know what summary is?”

“S-sorry!”

The man was startled.

Rolling his eyes left and right he continued like a machine gun.

“Mysterious people wearing masks invaded the royal palace, after catching the king as hostage they showed us a strange hallucination! Using a strange tool! At that time the people in the place all abandoned the king and came to believe the great god! From guards and expedition members to subjects too!”

“You do well if doing. Continue in this style.”

“Yep! Those guys suddenly tore the middle of the space and said put all of Letunir’s relics in there. Like bank robbers! Although we tried to do as told···”

It seemed there is some reversal.

Catching his breath the man continued.

“Suddenly the king moved. Unlike us even after seeing the hallucination his eyes did not turn!”

“Seems he was wearing a relic that protects the mind.”

“Probably so. Anyway the king activated something while the mysterious people were distracted. Suddenly golden light burst out······ all the city’s relics stopped functioning.”

“Eh?”

This was an unexpected development.

Bran’s eyes narrowed.

“Stopped the function with his own hands? Not strengthening the defense system or something?”

“Y-yes. The barrier crystal, the defense turrets the old dwarves made all of them. But we also became unable to touch the relics.”

“What kind of sound is this again.”

“It is literally. All the relics in Letunir now are in a state where touching itself is impossible. If seeing directly you will know immediately what I mean.”

“Hmm··· for now understood.”

It did not seem he was lying.

It seemed there was a relic that does that kind of function but the memory was hazy.

Ah really, what was it?

He urged the man.

“So. What happened next?”

“H-hell unfolded.”

“Hell.”

“Th-I can only say so··· at the same time as the mysterious people were enraged change occurred. Suddenly a strange cloud appeared in the sky and terrible monsters began to pour out from the rift. Th-the monsters that swallow people and turn them into beads also then···!”

It was the cleaner story.

Thinking of the otherworld existences pouring out like a swarm of rats the insides felt nauseous.

Catching his breath the man continued.

“H-but the really terrible matter is separate···.”

“What else is there?”

“Those guys stole one relic before the king took measures. Incomparable to anything of Letunir, the most dangerous··· kerreuk!”

It was then.

The man suddenly closed his mouth.

The originally swollen face from being hit began to expand like a pufferfish.

Bran flinched.

Just as he who sensed the threat hurriedly tried to push the man.

“Danger!”

Benden who blocked Bran extended both arms.

At the same time as a magic circle was drawn in front of him a translucent barrier wrapped the group.

It was the moment Ilark pulled Kale with her tail.

Boooom-!

As the archer man’s head exploded blood and brain fluid scattered.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

Kale screamed.

If it was not Ilark he would have been swept by the explosion.

Kwajangchang!

Although the barrier broke immediately no one was injured.

Benden clenched his fist and called out in joy.

“Euhaha! Blocked! Somehow the feeling was strange!”

“Wo. What was just now?”

“It is a micro mana shield I invented! Because you guys are originally strong there was no opportunity to use but finally the opportunity came. Not hurt?”

“Thanks to.”

Bran swept his chest.

Judging from the explosive power he would not have been greatly hurt but the mood would have been bad all day.

The shattered skull and brain fluid were scattered in various places.

Arazan frowned.

“···Why did the head suddenly explode?”

“It seems a taboo magic was hung.”

“Taboo?”

“Yes. If mentioning specific words or leaking information one dies. Although old it is a powerful magic.”

Benden said.

Since he did the explanation he had to do instead it was comfortable for Bran.

Dumbfounded Urdin let out a lament.

“Impossible. An intruder entering the royal castle.”

“Not an ordinary one.”

Bran also agreed.

Infiltrating Letunir’s royal castle was a matter impossible with ordinary excellent skill.

However, now was the time to think as constructively as possible.

“Still what, the outline of the incident is becoming clear.”

For a guy hung with taboo he spat out considerably much information and died.

Although regrettable that he did not hear about the mysterious people’s identity or the stolen relic.

Just finding out that the otherworld rift is in the royal castle was a valuable interrogation.

Ilark asked.

“Even in my eyes it narrowed a lot. Going to the royal castle right away?”

“No. Have to confirm first.”

Bran shook his head.

The possibility that the archer man’s words were lies from the beginning could not be excluded either.

If the defense system was not nullified he could fall into great trouble.

“Everyone follow. There is a place to go.”

Fortunately Bran knew the countermeasure.

He took the group and moved his steps deep into the city.

Exiting the complex alley a building of quite large scale came out.

A temple decorated with stained glass and spires, stone statues.

Kale’s mouth opened wide.

“B-big aa··· is it a temple?”

“Hmm. The building of outsiders is really gloomy.”

“Is it words a guy who lived on ghost-possessed land says? Have to take you to Valkeros.”

The companions also said their own impressions.

It was the grand temple that exists exactly one in Letunir.

Examining various places of the temple Bran raised an eyebrow.

‘Amazing. The relics being nullified seems true.’

Because the temple was quiet.

The grand temple was originally a building that should be protected by a barrier year-round without rest.

Although a barrier that immediately repels if not a Letunir person should operate normally.

Suddenly, Arazan extended her index finger.

“Bran. Is that the barrier stone?”

“Yes?”

Bran raised his head.

Arazan’s index finger was pointing at the bell tower.

One crystal the size of a coconut was hanging right below the bell.

As her words it was one of the barrier stones protecting the grand temple.

“Something is strange. Covered with pictures.”

“That is···!”

But the appearance was somewhat different from what Bran remembered.

Geometric golden patterns were covering the barrier stone all over.

Like a mummy wrapped in bandages.

It seemed the information he could not recall until the end would rise.

While mini Bran was diligently rummaging the library in his head.

“Heaven’s Lock.”

Suddenly Benden opened his mouth.

“What did you say now?”

“The measure the king of Letunir did. That is the function of the relic called Heaven’s Lock. To think an unused lock remained until now.”

“Ah.”

Bran’s eyes widened round.

Finally rose. Definitely that name.

AAA grade relic Heaven’s Lock.

The effect is hanging a powerful and semi-permanent seal on all possessions.

Because originally precious and no opportunity to use it was a relic he himself had seen only once or twice.

‘···Not bad?’

Bran’s expression brightened.

Although the king’s greed destroyed Letunir it might have protected the peace of the continent.

Perhaps it is not as serious a matter as thought.

“Fuck! What is all this?!”

Until Ilark opened the door of the grand temple he thought so.

The group’s gazes were drawn to one place.

She who fell from the door was standing her scales on the nape.

Looking inside the grand temple Bran spat out a curse.

“Nimi.”

The people he had been searching so much were there.

At least over a hundred. The postures are various.

Someone is gathering both hands and offering a prayer to god, someone is crying in fear.

Some kid is sucking a finger with an innocent expression.

However everyone was frozen as is.

Not even breathing, like taxidermy.

“R-really people?”

“······Dead?”

They were not dead.

Just time stopped like that.

It was a situation ambiguous whether to be glad or sad about this.

Closing his eyes tightly and opening Bran turned to Kale.

“Kale. Among good news and bad news which do you want to hear first?”

“Euung? Uum··· good news?”

“We are not as fucked as thought. Letunir’s relics except exactly one would not have been robbed. Because as long as Heaven’s Lock is activated there is no method for the enemy to move the relics.”

“Th-that is extremely well done right···?”

Extremely well done is correct.

Because it means there is no need to worry about simultaneous terror that occurs using relics.

It was avoiding the situation of having to move like a rat with fire on the tail.

The bad news was also not easy so the problem.

Kale asked back.

“The bad news is?”

“The exactly one robbed relic seems like Letunir’s national treasure.”

“...Eh?”

Kale was dumbfounded as is.

He had explained about Letunir’s national treasure to the guy once.

The giant asymmetric power that makes that powerful empire reluctant to conquer Letunir.

The people who became taxidermy while alive were proving that the national treasure was used.

“I know why the cleaners’ meal was so clean.”

Bran let out a hollow laugh.

It was the moment the question is resolved.

Even at the campsite, even in the residential area.

Since they ate people stopped without resistance traces cannot remain.

“Terrible. Cannot reverse?”

“This is not it fuck. If someone stabs they just die.”

“S-surely··· if Letunir’s national treasure that···!”

Benden gasped.

Urdin was frozen in a state no different from people from receiving too much shock.

Just as the group who witnessed the bizarre scene was shivering as a group.

『The presence of the otherworld presses you!』

A familiar message rose before Bran’s eyes.

Hands and feet tingled. Footsteps were being heard close by.

Ilark and Arazan with sharp senses turned their heads first.

The two women’s eyes narrowed thinly.

“Ha··· another strange thing came out.”

“That is.”

Pure white bizarre life forms were approaching.

The height was about 3m. The arms and legs were abnormally long compared to the body.

There were ones walking normally, and ones crawling the outer wall of the stone building like spiders.

From the movement approaching while bizarrely twisting the joints a sense of alienation was felt.

【Kiririk. Kiririk.】

On the face smooth like a mirror only a mouth like a crack was torn.

To the place those guys passed red beads emitting the smell of blood were falling.

“Prepare. Cleaners.”

“Can kill all?”

“Rather cannot leave even one.”

Bran pulled the sword hilt.

If strictly speaking this was also bad news.

Flare!

Over the axe Ilark drew flames filled.

“That is a bit to my liking.”

【Kirik?】

Not us but those guys.