Chapter 350- Severance (4)

The Jungle, the North, the central region, and the desert.
All of those were places were on the ceiling art.

It was only the spot that the current Roan Kingdom was located. Only the continent's northeast region was not drawn out separately.

'Something is weird.'

Cale definitely correctly recalled what the glutton priestess of the Indestructible Shield had told him in the past. There was no way that his memory was wrong.

The Henituse territory that was famous for having a lot of rocks, specifically marbles.
The glutton priestess who had died there had said the following.

'I can't purify it.'
'That was why I could only eat it and die after being dyed black. I couldn't just watch the ground turn black and do nothing about it.'
'I don't think I can give up on this taste even if I get fat. It's so unfair that I had to die while eating dirt!'

The Henituse territory's slums. The glutton priestess had died there while eating the dirt that had turned black.

"According to the glutton, the Henituse territory area was dyed black as well."

The Henituse territory, and therefore the Roan Kingdom as well, was supposed to have turned black like the Jungle and the North.
But that area was not shown in the art at all.

'Why is that the case?'

He could not figure out the reason behind it.

He heard a different voice other than the thief at that moment.
The Scary Giant Cobblestone started to chime in.

– The current Roan was a land of boulders in the past.

Cale's eyes clouded over for a moment.

The land of boulders.

He was familiar with this phrase.
He thought about someone.

'Taylor Stan!'

Crazy priestess Cage's close friend and the leader of the Marquis household that led the Roan Kingdom's Northwest region nobles.
The man who had once lost his position as heir.

Cale thought about the first time he had headed to the Roan Kingdom's capital with the crazy priestess Cage and Taylor Stan.

Taylor Stan had said the following as they chatted.

'The Roan Kingdom is the land of 'boulders.' '

That was related to an ancient myth.
It was something that Cale, who had only read < The Birth of a Hero > until volume 5, had heard for the first time at that moment.

'If you look into ancient texts, there are a lot of stories about this land being connected to, 'boulders,' even before the Roan Kingdom came into existence. One of those stories is about how there is a boulder-like guardian over this land.'

A boulder-like guardian.

'They say that this guardian was able to protect everything no matter what attacked. He was said to be the person who defended against the darkness in the front when the continent descended into darkness.'

The myth Taylor described and the missing land in the ceiling art started to come together in Cale's mind.

'The guardian is said to have stood as firm as a boulder even when his entire body was breaking down. That is how he protected this northeast region's lands and its people.'

Cale started to speak.

"…Was it you?"

The Super Rock responded back.

– I died with my entire body breaking down.

Cale closed his eyes and then reopened them.

"… Fuck."

The man who always told him not to sacrifice himself had sacrificed himself and died.
Cale's insides were starting to boil.

'Why are there so many unlucky people like them?'

He called out the name of the person in his memories.

"…Taylor Stan."

Taylor Stan had said something about the boulder guardian.

'He is probably not well-known. I only found out while investigating ancient texts for information on ancient powers.'

Cale subconsciously started to frown.

"Why didn't I think about him?"

He had forgotten about Taylor even though he remembered the things Taylor had told him.

Taylor Stan was probably the person around Cale with the most information about ancient powers and ancient myths.
He had gained this information while desperately searching for a power that would heal his legs.

'I need to meet with Taylor.'

The things he needed to do were starting to get organized in his mind.
However, Cale still had a question he needed to ask.

It was related to the results of the past.

"How did you defeat the person with the sky attribute if he was so strong?"

Oooooong- oooooong-

Cale could feel the gold top's whip vibrating at that moment.

Swoooooooooooosh- Swoooooooosh-

Neither the people outside the island nor Cale inside the temple could tell what was going on. However, the wind inside Wind Island was starting to roar even wilder than normal.

Cale did not know about this as he heard the Super Rock's voice.

– A large number of people with ancient powers gathered together to fight against that man. Of course, there were some people with ancient powers who chose to be on his side.

Power versus power. A large-scale battle had occurred.

– The majority of the people with the powers now called ancient powers were a part of that battle. A large number of people fought against him.

We fought and fought again.

– That battle took over twenty years. We died as a result of that battle while barely managing to kill him as well. My body was destroyed as well.

The Super Rock calmly continued.

– You could say that it was a draw because we defeated him in the end, however, the sacrifices were too large.

Everybody had died in that battle.

– The ancient times ended after that.

Cale could not imagine this ancient battle that would have continued for tens of years.
Would their battle against the White Star be similar?

Cale started to think about the Western continent.
The citizens of the Western continent were already suffering from many wars, starting with the War against the North that had happened at the beginning of the year.
But they needed to fight for tens of years more?

"Haa, that crazy bastard."

He could not help but curse at the White Star as he sighed.
However, Cale quickly clenched his fists.

– The past is different than right now.

He could hear the Super Rock's voice.

– That person had gathered the sky attribute, as well as all five natural attributes as well.

'What?'

Cale could not believe that the ancient villain did not only have the sky attribute.
Wind, water, fire, earth, wood, and sky. He really would have been no different than nature if he controlled all six of those.

'That's probably why he was able to fight against so many people.'

However, an odd expression soon appeared on Cale's face.

The White Star currently did not have an earth attribute power.

He could hear some laughter in the Super Rock's voice.

– He and I were the only ones with earth attribute powers during ancient times.

Cale realized what the White Star was looking for.
He opened his mouth to speak.

"Guess I need to find that person's earth power?"

The Super Rock chuckled as he responded back.

– You really are smart.

He then sternly added on.

– And then you need to destroy it.

The difficult path.
That path came with two things.

– You also need to find that bastard White Star who has the sky attribute and defeat him.

Cale needed to find and destroy the earth ancient power that belonged to the person who wanted to become nature and defeat the White Star.
The Super Rock continued on about the White Star.

– It is possible because his plate is incomplete.

The White Star had multiple ancient powers, but his plate was incomplete because he did not have all five natural attributes.
That was how he was different from Cale.

– Cale, 'we,' can capture him. Of course, it may be difficult and painful.

The corners of Cale's lips curled up as he asked.

"Will my body be destroyed?"

The Super Rock laughed loudly as he responded back.
But his voice was serious.

– I will not sacrifice anyone this time.

Cale started to laugh at that response as well. However, he quickly stopped laughing.

– The person with the sky attribute's body was destroyed the day I died.

The day that the Super Rock's body broke down.
The same day that many of his friends had left this world as well.

– There was just one child who survived that final battle. He was the only person I was able to save.

The boy was able to live because he was standing behind the Super Rock.

– Cale, you have a power that is similar to the power that that child had.

'There was someone who survived?
A power similar to mine?'

A piece of information quickly flashed in Cale's mind.

"…Dragon Slayer?"

The Dominating Aura. That was the only thing that came to mind.
The Super Rock continued in a sad voice.

– Now that I think about it, it looks like that child went on to become the first ever Dragon Slayer.

The child that the Super Rock had protected became the Dragon Slayer.

– I had asked that child to do something. I told him to protect this land if someone else with the sky attribute appeared in the future. I told him to train new strong individuals.

Cale's arm became covered in goosebumps.

The first Dragon Slayer. The village that he created. The strong individuals of the continent were said to gather at that village in order to make themselves stronger.

He also could not believe what was going on.

"…Can you believe it? The White Star is the final Dragon Slayer."
– It is ironic indeed.

'Ho.'

Cale could not say what he wanted to say.
The ancient times. A long time had passed since then.
Many fates had changed during that time.

– That child.

The first Dragon Slayer.

– I'm certain that he built his home in the Castle of Light, one of the Three Restricted Areas.

'The Dragon Slayer village is on the Eastern continent and not the Western continent?
I guess there's no reason it had to be on the Western continent.'

Cale let out a chuckle.

"I guess I'll be off to the Castle of Light after Wind Island."

The Castle of Light.

Cale did not know anything about that place, however, that place might have information about the White Star or the Dragon Slayers and their village.

Cale made sure to remember this new information as he turned his head toward what he needed to do.

Oooooong- oooooong-

The top's whip was starting to vibrate stronger and stronger. Cale looked down at his hand that was not holding the jar.

Swoooooosh- Swooooooosh-

A small whirlwind appeared on his palm.
It was the Sound of the Wind.

"Will I hear the voices of the wind Elementals if I grab this top's whip?"

He heard the thief's response.

– You are right. However, you won't hear it right away. It will be a bit difficult.
"…A bit difficult?"

'It doesn't come to me right away?'

Cale started to frown.

'She talked as if I just needed to go find it, but that's not the case!'

The corners of Cale's lips slowly curled down.

However, the thief did not say anything else. He could hear the cheapskate chime in.

– The thief seems to be scared to say it! Let's just turn everything into a sea of fire! Kahahahahah!

'…Isn't he slowly turning crazy?'

Cale ignored the cheapskate. The thief started to speak again at that moment.

– I never imagined you would come in possession of this.

The thief was talking as if she was making excuses for herself.

– Mm, at that time. I had a need to test the person who would come in possession of this item because that person would end up gaining some strong allies.

Cale agreed with that.

"And…?"

But his voice sounded annoyed as he asked.

– And… Ahem, mm. I thought that the most important test would be about a person's character. But I was kind of desperate, angry at the world, and slightly crazy at the time…
"…And?"
– A, and…

Cale slowly started to get a bad feeling.

A test of a person's character.
That itself gave himself a bad feeling, however… The fact that she was saying that she created this test while she was crazy gave him the chills.

– Mm, I was thinking that someone who had similar experiences that I did would live a similar life to me and use this power for good.
"Enough with the useless explanations."

Cale wanted the thief to get to the point.

"The contents of the test?"
– …I'm sorry. I can't tell you that. That is the rules.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"Damn it."

The thief could not say anything.
However, Cale thought about the things that the thief had just told him, thought about her character, as well as the situation that forced her to go crazy.

That was probably the contents of the test.
Cale put the jar down to one side.
He then brushed his face with both hands. He could anticipate the contents of the test.

– We will be with you. Just remember that.

Cale reached his hand toward the top's whip as he heard the Super Rock's voice. The thief started to speak again.

– The test will start as soon as you grab the top's whip.

Cale hand touched the top's whip.

Paaaat!

A gold light covered Cale's view. He still clenched onto the top's whip as that happened.

His world soon became dark.
He could hear the thief's emotionless voice at that moment. It was not the voice of the thief in his mind.

"The test will now begin."

The test had started.

"The moment you fear the most will greet you."

Cale Henituse.
The moment he feared the most.
Cale couldn't help but scowl.

The Sound of the Wind. The owner of that voice had lost her family, friends, and neighbors before becoming a thief.

She had then left the ancient artifact made from their lives at this dead mana storage facility where they died.

It was a test created by that person when she was in a crazed state.
It was understandable.

However, Cale could not help but shout.

"Damn it, how is this a test of a person's character?!"

Cale flinched as he shouted out.

'Hmm?'

The warmth shining down on Cale's face tickled his eyes. It felt like the morning sun.

'Sunlight?'

It was at that moment.
He heard someone's voice.

"My lord, it is morning."

'Lord? Who? Me?'

Cale opened his eyes.
He could see the ceiling of his room at the Henituse Estate. He had opened his eyes while on his bed.

***

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]