Chapter 309 – From the Bottom (5)

"What did you need the Sun God's divine item for?"

Cale asked her another question. He could see Vice Tower Master Metelona shaking in fear as she shook her head.

"I, I don't know about that part, sir. The Tower Master-nim said that he has been looking for it for a long time because he needs it."

Metelona flinched in the middle of her response after seeing Cale's cold gaze before she quickly continued to speak in desperation.

"I am not completely certain, but I remember the Tower Master once saying that the, 'real,' lights needed to disappear."

'Real lights?'

Cale thought about the Sun God's divine item that he had with him.

The Condemnation of the Sun.
Was that compact mirror really the, 'real light?'
However, Cale had heard the Vice Tower Master clearly. He approached her a little closer and calmly asked.

"Lights?"

Not one, but multiple lights.
Metelona nodded her head. Cale started to frown again at her response.

"Yes sir. The divine item and the people the Sun God bestowed his power upon."

The Condemnation of the Sun and the half-Saint Jack.
Cale started to frown as the pieces that he had were falling into place one by one so that he could prevent himself from letting out a gasp.

He felt as if he would start laughing if he didn't do that.

However, there was a single person in this tent who got scared by that frown.
The Vice Tower Master quickly continued to speak.

"That was why we captured the Saint and the Holy Maiden in order to figure out the location of the divine item. Unfortunately, we couldn't capture them because both of them ended up escaping. Of course, Commander Cale-nim, you managed to get Saint Jack-"
"Hold on-"

Cale stopped Metelona.

'…The Saint and Holy Maiden?
It's both of them?
But one of them is a half-Saint only with healing powers while the other is a fake without any divine abilities, no?'

It was at that moment.

"Ah."

Someone let out a gasp.
Cale turned his head.
It was crown prince Alberu. He started to speak as soon as he made eye contact with Cale. He continued to speak in that extremely low voice.

"I know a bit about the Sun God."

It was because he was a quarter Dark Elf.
It was also because he was the crown prince of the Crossman royal family who was said to have received the blessings of the Sun God.
He knew quite a bit about the tenets of the Sun God that was both his enemy and the source of blessing for his family.
But he knew most about the Sun God as a Dark Elf. The Church of the Sun God was the greatest enemy for the Dark Elves to avoid.

"The Sun God always said to defeat the darkness. The church is more suited as one focused on crusades rather than healing. That was why the Sun God always told its believers to defeat the lifeforms with the darkness attribute. He also split his power to the children who could follow his will."

Cale flinched.

'Perhaps?'

"In that case, the chances of the Sun God's divine item being a weapon are very high."

The Sun God twins.
There was the half-Saint who could not handle any weapons and only had divine powers. Then there was Hannah who didn't have any divine powers but had the talent to turn herself into a sword master.
One had the Sun God's power, while the other had the talent to become a warrior.

"Ha."

Cale subconsciously let out a laugh.
He thought about the compact mirror in his pocket.

'Yes, 'Condemnation,' is a better fit for a weapon.'

Cale finally realized it.

"Both of them are real."

Hannah and Jack.
Both of the twins had been, 'real,' from the beginning.

'And the Tower Master, the Lich, tried to get rid of the divine item and the Sun God twins.'

The image was drawn in his head.
Cale stood back up. There was nothing else to discuss with Metelona anymore. He nodded his head to the ancient Dragon Eruhaben who motioned with his eyes that he would stay here a bit longer before asking Metelona one last question.

"Do you know about the plans for the Jungle?"

The Vice Tower Master flinched and shared what she knew. It was focused on conquering the Jungle.

'The current situation with the Jungle is different than the Empire's original plan.'

It was likely that the Imperial Prince or the Tower Master returned to the capital and gave a new order to the Empire's forces in the Jungle.

"That, I was responsible for the Whipper Kingdom while the Tower Master and his highness personally took control of the issues related to the Jungle. I know a bit about the operation, but not any of the specific details."

The Vice Tower Master could see Cale nod his head and turn around after hearing her response.

"Gasp."

She felt the pressure disappear as he did that, allowing her to breathe again.

"Huff, huff."

Metelona clearly realized her situation and felt fear as she watched Cale leave the tent with the Dark Elf and Choi Han even though she no longer felt that suffocating pressure.

On the other hand, Cale headed to the edge of Section 8 with the others. He could see a large number of warriors standing there while glaring at the golems.

"They said that we might get noticed by the Empire if we head any closer to Section 7."

Cale nodded at Choi Han's report and turned toward Alberu.

"Is this enough?"
"Your tone with me gets worse and worse you damn foal." ( It's a Korean thing that doesn't really make sense in English… Basically saying there's no respect in the way that Cale is talking to him. )

Alberu let Cale's disrespect brush past him as he jumped up on a tree and observed a golem. Cale observed Alberu who climbed that tree so easily with an odd expression.

'He really is like a Dark Elf.'

He looked like an Elf while doing something that Cale knew he couldn't do.

'I guess I can use him for battle in the future.'

Cale, who was thinking something anybody else would think was extremely disrespectful, made eye contact with Alberu.

"What is it?"
"Cale, you- how the hell did you destroy that?"

Alberu could see Cale smirking at his question.
It made him recall what his aunt, the Dark Elf Tasha, had said to him earlier.

'…The black despair. I didn't think that terrible thing would appear in the world again. It is said that we can purify that but… I'm not confident because I've never done it myself, as it is just recorded in our history.'

Tasha had hesitated before looking at Alberu and continuing on.

'Did young master Cale really purify that along with the dead mana? Is that something a human can do?'

Tasha was serious as she asked that question.
Alberu also recalled what some nobles had said to him before he came here. Everything about the Empire and black magic had been revealed to them before Alberu made the declaration.

'Your highness, aren't you putting too many responsibilities on Commander Cale Henituse?'
'If it is as you say and young master Cale truly did reveal all of this and is currently fighting in the vanguard of that war, then is it okay to leave him alone to do all that?'

The Roan Kingdom's nobles were finally able to see that the flow of war was changing because of Cale along with the foundations of the continent.
This was especially the case for what they heard about how Cale had figured out it was black magic and started to respond to it. All of it seemed almost impossible to be true.

That was why the number of concerned nobles was growing. It was their wariness at something special that Cale had that they didn't have.
You were bound to be scared about something that was extremely overwhelming.

The crown prince looked at the golem as everything Tasha and the nobles said floated through his mind.

'He got rid of that alone?'

He knew about the terrible powers of the golem because of his identity as a Dark Elf.
He could only say a single thing toward Cale who had gone up against these monsters.

"Stupid idiot."
"What?"

Cale couldn't help but ask.

'What the hell?'

However, Raon chimed in at that moment as well. The invisible Dragon who had been quiet was speaking again.

– The crown prince is right!

'What?'

"You fucking moron."
"…Excuse me?"

It was a two-hit combo.
Cale had a baffled expression on his face but the crown prince was being serious.

What was the thing that people who wanted power valued most above all else?
It was their lives.
They wanted to live a long life in power.

The crown prince shared his honest sentiments with the pale Cale.

"You are the craziest of all."
"Excuse me? Hyung?"

Alberu just ignored Cale and turned away.

"Choi Han."
"Yes sir."
"You've suffered quite a bit."
"Thank you very much."

Choi Han respectfully bowed his head.

'What the hell?
What kind of conversation are they having without me?'

Cale looked toward them with a shocked expression, but Alberu jumped off the tree and patted Cale's shoulder as he continued on.

"Work hard. Otherwise, I will make you a Prime Minister or the Chairman of the Nobles Meeting."

'What terrible things to say!'

His life as a slacker in his thirties to fifties would turn to dust if he became the Prime Minister.
And he would have to work until he died of old age if he became the Chairman.

'How could there be such an evil prince?!'

Cale looked toward the crown prince as if he was ready to silently shout. However, Alberu continued to speak as if he understood what Cale was thinking.

"However little bro, I promise on my name that I will let you live your life as a slacker if you successfully complete everything."
"Hyung, you really know how to say something so strong and wise as the sun in the sky."

Alberu shook his head after hearing Cale immediately turn to flattery. He recalled one of his subordinate's question.

'Your highness, aren't you afraid of Commander Cale Henituse's strength?'
'Why should I?'

The corners of Alberu's lips that were covered by the cloth were going up.
He was not that kind of person.

"Looks like I need to head back now."

Alberu calmly added on after seeing Cale looking at him.

"I need to land a punch as well."
"…Travel safely, I suppose."
"You really talk like a drunk foal."

Alberu shook his head and used teleportation magic in order to head to where he originally needed to go.
He was headed to the Whipper Kingdom's Maple Castle.
Tonight. The declaration from Alberu and the respective leaders of the other kingdoms would rattle the Western continent tonight.

* * *

It was a dark night.
Neither the moonlight nor the starlight could make it through the trees of the Jungle.

A person's voice could be heard through a small video communication device.

– The Roan Kingdom, Breck Kingdom, Whipper Kingdom, and the three Northern Kingdoms all declare that black magic has resurfaced on the Western continent and that we will do everything we can to destroy it once again.

Cale turned the video communication device off as soon as Alberu finished speaking. Raon's voice could be heard in Cale's mind.

– Human! Is it our turn now?

He looked around.

He did not see that many warriors.
He only saw Tasha, a few Dark Elves who were as dark as the night, Rosalyn, Queen Litana, Choi Han, Eruhaben, and Mary.

Shaaaaaaa- shaaaaaaaaa-

Cale started to speak while the river that cut through the Jungle was next to him.

"Let's get started."

It was at that moment.
The Dark Elves and Litana all turned toward Eruhaben.
It was someone that Cale had suddenly brought with him.

The Dark Elves had their fists clenched and were looking at him with shaking pupils while Litana was full of questions.
He had been introduced to her in the past during the meeting of the four kingdoms and one tribe as Cale's guard knight. However, Cale introduced him differently this time.

'He is an archmage.'

He was someone who was beyond the level of Rosalyn, a highest-grade mage.
His white gold hair was shining even in the darkness.
Eruhaben moved his hand.

Gold dust quickly surrounded the group.
They all disappeared into the darkness once that happened.

Rosalyn had a relaxed expression on her face as she started to speak.

"I will be waiting for you."

She could hear the sound of the wind once she said goodbye to them.

Rustle-

It was the sound of the group starting to run.

There was no reason to use the difficult path under the water now that Eruhaben was here.
They were all running next to the river toward Section 7 while being invisible thanks to Eruhaben's magic.

Shaaaaa- shaaaaa-

The Sound of the Wind surrounded Cale's feet.

* * *

– Human! They're all so fast!

'Right?'

Cale lifted his head up.
They had quickly arrived right outside the range of the Empire's surveillance.

However, they could not see the castle walls of Section 7.

There were no walls around the river that cut through Section 7 from north to south.

Instead, they saw a large number of the Empire's soldiers. Soldiers were stationed on both sides of the river without leaving any gaps.
They would crash into them if they tried to run by, even if they were invisible. Of course, they had enough skills to stealthily jump past them, however, they needed to get to the center of Section 7 as quietly as possible without leaving anything to chance.

Snap. Snap.

It was the moment Cale snapped his fingers.

– Alright. Human!
– We will get started.

He heard Raon and Eruhaben's voices.
Cale jumped into the river after hearing their voices.

They were still far enough away not to be seen.

Splash-
Shaaaaaaa- Shaaaaaaaa-

He could hear the sound of people walking through the water.

They were now underwater.
They were surrounded by transparent orbs.

Cale started to speak. A speck of gold dust moved by his neck.
He was able to breathe normally and speak in this orb that the Dark Elves and Litana thought Eruhaben had created on his own but was actually the work of two Dragons.
His group could hear his voice clearly even though they were underwater thanks to the magic spell.

"We will move straight forward."

The transparent orbs started to move on the bottom of the river.
They were now within the range of the Empire's surveillance, but nobody could see them.

Shaaaaaaaa- shaaaaaaaaaaaa-

Cale and the others were walking up the river.
They would go from the bottom to the top.

Cale's group finally made it to the center of Section 7 through the calm river water under the night sky.
It was at that moment.

Cale could hear Raon's voice.
It was the voice of the only one who had been moving above the river instead of underneath the water.

– Human! Humaaaaan!

Cale flinched.
The Dragon sounded worried.

Cale noticed something odd at that moment.
He was not the only one to stop moving.
A couple of the other transparent orbs had stopped moving even though he had not given any type of signal.

– Human! The Empire is crazy!

Cale raised his head after hearing Raon's voice.
He could see the water swaying. Raon's voice was swaying just as much.

– Inside Section 7, human, there are many large bombs inside Section 7!
'What? Bombs?'

– They are all dead mana bombs! They are huge in size as well! They all located all throughout the residences! There are hundreds of them!

Cale heard a snap as everyone became visible.
The ancient Dragon Eruhaben had removed the invisibility magic.

Cale could now tell who it was that had stopped once he had stopped.

The Dark Elves, Mary, and Eruhaben. All of them had stopped. They all had serious expressions on their faces. They could not see above the river as Raon was doing, however, they had all felt the presence of dead mana.

They had felt an extremely large and terrible presence.

– These hundreds of bombs … Everyone in Section 7 will die if they blow up! No, Section 7 will just become a land of death! Nothing will be able to live here anymore!

'These trash bastards.'

Cale finally figured out what the Empire was thinking.

'They weren't done with just taking hostages.'

Their plan was to completely destroy Section 7.

They might even be planning to kill the Jungle warriors who would come to rescue the hostages as well.

– Human! The entire Section 7 is pretty much an enormous dead mana bomb! This is bad!

The golems and soldiers on guard were all there in order to hide this from being noticed.
They were not to prevent Jungle warriors from charging in, but so that nobody could see what they were doing inside Section 7.

"Ha, haha-"

Cale was shocked.

– It is not something Mary and the Dark Elves can handle! Someone will die if all of these exploded at once!

That someone would most likely be the innocent Jungle citizens.
Anger could be seen in Cale's eyes. His mind became complicated as well.

– But it will be even worse if gramps or I destroy them all! We can't leave them alone either!

Cale was about to respond after hearing the urgency in Raon's voice before stopping himself.

– Human?

He ignored Raon's voice. It was because he heard a different voice through the young Dragon's urgent voice.

– I'm hungry.

'Hmm?'

The voice was coming from the glutton priestess, the owner of the Indestructible Shield.

'Why is she popping out now?'

The glutton added on before Cale could even ask the question.

– I can eat it.

'What?
Eat what?
The dead mana?'

– Don't you remember?

The glutton asked.

– Remember where we first met. Remember the tree where you fed me bread. Don't you remember?

He remembered it.
He remembered the, 'Man-Eating Tree,' at the top of the slums in the Henituse territory.
He remembered that black tree. It was the spot where he got the Indestructible Shield and started on this odd journey.

'…Hold on. Black?'

Cale recalled how the tree turned from black to white once he earned the Indestructible Shield.

'Perhaps?
Was the glutton not the reason the tree turned black?'

The people of the slums said that everything underneath the black tree was desolate and avoided that area in fear. Cale had been moving alone at that time without Raon.

He then thought about how the ground becomes desolate from dead mana.

The Super Rock chimed in at that moment.

– Living beings were able to live and breathe underneath the shield when the black rain came down in the past. Although it still couldn't be purified.

The glutton's Indestructible Shield which had the wood attribute added on. It was a slow but sure voice.

– I'm good at eating everything.

'What a cool glutton!'

Cale started to smile.

'This is the Jungle.'

It was the place with the largest number of trees.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]