Chapter 610 – Even if it takes my last breath (10)

Once they were around the white castle…

Raon's eyes flashed.

– There are a lot of hidden forces around here.

Rosalyn and Lock closed their mouths.

Lock looked around before pointing to the roof of a building.

Nod.

Rosalyn nodded her head and Lock carried her before jumping onto the roof without making any noise.

Raon followed behind them while continuing to observe the white castle.

– It would be difficult to go through the main door! It would be easy if we destroy it, but the human said that we need to do things like this stealthily in order to smack people on the back even harder!

Nod nod.

Lock silently nodded while Rosalyn pointed somewhere with a calm expression.

– Oh! That's a great spot, smart Rosalyn!

It was one of the numerous windows that had a terrace.

Rosalyn confirmed that nobody was around them before she quietly started to speak.

"That should be the terrace where the White Star's bathroom is located."

– Rosalyn! Did you get some information about the layout of the castle?

"Of course."

– You really are smart!

Raon was smiling brightly as he waved his front paw.

Lock and Rosalyn shot up into the air and the three of them quickly headed toward the terrace using flight magic.

'As expected, this place is suspicious.'

Rosalyn's eyes were cold as she looked down at the ground.

'There are many enemy soldiers stealthily hiding around the castle. I see the black knights as well.'

That meant that this place was important.

'We need to find the sculptures.'

It also meant that the chances of the sculptures being here were high.

'To be more specific, we need to find the sculptures and the place they plan on conducting the ritual.'

She peeked toward Lock.

He looked calm, unlike his usual self.

'He's angry.'

She immediately noticed Lock's condition.

But she did not say anything.

She was angry as well.

Tap.

The three of them landed on the terrace without making much noise.

"There's nobody inside."

Lock peeked inside before pushing the terrace window open.

Shhhh.

It opened without making a sound.

They followed Rosalyn out of what they presumed to be the White Star's bathroom and passed through the hallway while invisible.

– All of the doors are closed!

– There's nobody inside the rooms!

– …There is nothing on this floor!

Raon's voice was delivered to their minds as they quickly moved.

– There's nobody here even though there are a lot of people guarding the palace outside. The fact that nobody was in any of the rooms here including the White Star's bathroom meant that…

– This place is very suspicious.

And where people are gathered…

Raon nonchalantly commented.

– That's where everything will be.

The three of them soon received confirmation that Raon was right.

– Stop!

Rosalyn and Lock stopped walking as soon as they heard Raon's voice.

Raon's ears twitched as he looked off in a direction.

Sniff.

Lock took a sniff before his eyes slowly turned cold and they headed down the staircase toward a place that was slowly becoming visible.

The Grand Assembly hall.

This was the location where Cale had participated in the meeting with the White Star and the Endable Kingdom's core individuals while disguised as young master Naru.

Crackle, crackle.

There were magic flames burning all around the hallway headed to the hall.

'There are a large number of them inside.'

There were tens to hundreds of individuals lining up against the walls of the hall.

They consisted of…

– It's the Bear tribe! The black knights are there too!

They consisted of humans, Bears, and black knights.

– Each and every one of them are strong. Of course, they are weaker than one of my snorts! Anyway, it's obvious that the White Star's core forces are gathered here!

Raon's chubby cheeks were twitching as his eyes sparkled.

Rosalyn started to frown.

'How do we get closer?'

Based on what she had heard from Duke Fredo, this hallway was the only path to the Grand assembly hall.

'Would all three of us be able to get past without them noticing?'

They were currently invisible, but the enemies were still tightly guarding the hallway.

A small mistake might cause a big issue.

She could see Lock looking at her.

Lock silently mouthed something to her.

'I will go take a look.'

He determined that it would be best for him to go since he was the swiftest.

However, Rosalyn shook her head.

'If someone goes, it should be me.'

Raon had to stay behind just in case something happened, leaving her as the person who could react the most fluidly regardless of the situation based on her experiences.

Lock bit down on his lips after seeing Rosalyn's gaze.

It was at that moment.

Tap. Tap.

A chubby paw tapped both of their shoulders.

– I truly am great and mighty!

It was Raon.

Raon pointed toward somewhere.

"Hey, Rosalyn, what room is above the Grand assembly hall?

'Perhaps?'

As Rosalyn's eyes clouded over…

Raon confidently puffed up his chubby tummy as he continued to speak.

– Let's create a small hole on the floor of that room! It should be doable without them noticing! We can look down through the hole!

We should be able to look inside the Grand assembly hall that way.

Smirk.

The corners of Raon's mouth curled up.

– I learned it from our human! Hehe!

Raon triumphantly continued to speak.

– We will then gather everything we need before destroying the ceiling! Then we don't need to do something as annoying as fighting them as we move through this hallway!

Lock started to move and all three of them quickly headed back upstairs.

They were using a different route then when they came down but Rosalyn's information helped them quickly move close to the room they believed to be above the grand assembly hall.

'…As expected.'

The room presumed to be above the Grand assembly hall…

The door to that room was wide open, unlike the other rooms.

There were some knights and Bears inside as well.

Rosalyn stealthily entered the room.

'They were more thorough than I expected.'

The White Star would not normally station soldiers here as well.

'We need to first knock them unconscious-'

Rosalyn suddenly stopped walking.

Screeeech.

It was because the door closed and the room was cut off from the outside.

– I closed it!

It was Raon's magic.

"What-?!"

A Bear was knocked unconscious as soon as it started to speak.

Lock had done it.

Red mana gathered around Rosalyn's hand as soon as she saw that. Raon started to move as well.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

Inside the silent room…

Tens of Bears and knights all fell to the ground one by one without being able to say anything.

The regular Bears and knights who were not at the Bear King's level could not stop the ambush from these three individuals.

Once Raon, Lock, and Rosalyn were the only ones left standing…

– I kept one conscious but covered his mouth!

"I guess we can talk now."

"Mmph, mmph!"

The gagged Bear looked around while looking at his fallen comrades with shaking pupils.

The Bear started to sweat.

"Well, we can ask our questions later."

He couldn't see anybody but he could hear voices as his allies fell one by one.

It must be people from Cale Henituse's side. All he could do was shake in fear as he could not see them, his mouth was covered, and his limbs were tied up.

It was at that moment.

Chhhhhhhhh.

There was a quiet noise before three holes were created on the floor.

They were very small.

The holes were only the size of a person's pinky.

'What is that?! I need to hurry up and report these things!'

The Bear slowly moved away from the three holes in fear.

Pow!

"Ugh!"

Something hit him from behind at that moment.

"Don't move. Unless you wish to die."

The Bear stopped moving after hearing a woman's vicious voice.

Swish, swish, swish.

It was because he could see the bodies of his fainted allies being thrown into a corner of the room and piling up like a mountain.

The problem was that he could not see the individual who was strong enough to throw them like that.

"All done! Someone as great and mighty as me has no problem stealthily creating holes like this!"

The woman's vicious voice and the individual throwing his allies' bodies aside all stopped after hearing an excited child's voice.

This situation made the Bear shake even more but Raon, Rosalyn, and Lock did not care.

Rosalyn slowly crouched down and looked through the hole Raon had created.

Underneath the small hole…

She could see the inside of the Grand assembly hall.

Rosalyn heard someone gasp in shock next to her.

"Gasp!"

Raon was looking inside before urgently raising his head to look at Lock.

But Rosalyn did not react.

"…As I expected."

She just started to frown while looking down.

The Grand Assembly hall.

A large number of enemies were stationed inside that room.

Warriors, swordsmen, archers, mages…

The core of the White Star's forces was all stationed here.

'The Bear King and the Lion King.'

She could see the two of them as well.

And at the center of the assembly hall…

There were eight sculptures.

They looked exactly as Alberu had described them.

There was also something else.

Raon looked toward Lock and started to shout.

"This is weird! Why are there children...?!"

On top of the altar with the sculptures…

There were unconscious children who were chained up.

"T, they look like children of the Wolf tribe!"

Rosalyn clenched her eyes shut after hearing Raon speaking anxiously.

'I didn't inform Raon-nim because he is still young, but I will tell the two of you just in case.'

Rosalyn recalled what Alberu had told her.

'Duke Fredo told me something.'

She saw that Alberu was talking to her but his gaze had been focused on Lock who had been awkwardly sitting down.

That let her know that Lock was the focus of this conversation.

'He said that the White Star gathered seeds that have been disowned by the gods.'

Lock, who had been finding it awkward to be in the palace, had turned toward Alberu as soon as he had heard that.

Races that have been disowned by the gods.

The Wolf tribe was one of those races.

That was why they could neither use potions from the temples nor any items infused with the power of the gods.

Whether it was Vampires, Dark Elves, etc…

There was a god that opposed each of these special races.

Those races were said to be disowned or despised by those gods. That was why they were weak against that god's divine items.

But there were only a few races that were disowned by all gods.

'I heard from Cale. He said that Arm attacked the Blue Wolf tribe at one point. They killed the adults and tried to run off with the children.'

That was a memory Lock could never forget.

That was when he had lost his family and the others in his village, with Maes and around ten or so other children being the only survivors.

It was all thanks to Choi Han and Rosalyn… As well as Cale and his other new family members.

'Apparently, those attacks happened to Wolf tribes all around the Western and Eastern continents and not just to the Blue Wolf tribe. The White Star was gathering people disowned by the gods, especially children.'

Lock's complexion had turned pale after hearing that.

'Lock.'

Alberu had firmly grabbed Lock's shoulder at that moment.

That was the first time Alberu had spoken directly to Lock and been so close to him.

'Lock, there are Wolves that are still alive.'

Lock had suddenly felt his back go cold before he had snapped out of it.

'They are the ones Duke Fredo managed to secretly save. He moved independently to steal away some of these 'seeds' from the White Star. He said that there are about five tribes or so.'

Duke Fredo could not easily stash away more than that. Saving five tribes had already been his limit.

'Furthermore, Fredo modified the information they had, making it so that Arm did not know about some of the tribes. I'm sure that they are all lying low while waiting. They will come to the Endable Kingdom immediately once Duke Fredo contacts them.'

Rosalyn raised her head.

She was still thinking about what Alberu had said to Lock.

'Duke Fredo said he doesn't know why they are called seeds. It seemed like the Chief Priest knows about it, so we believe it might be related to the sculptures.'

She could see Lock in front of her.

His fists were clenched so hard that his hands had turned white.

Lock looked the same as he had looked while talking to Alberu at that time.

'I hope you can help us rescue the captured Wolf children. You know the most about Wolves among all of us.'

And now…

Bluish silver fur was growing on Lock's hands.

He was going berserk silently while being filled with anger.

Rosalyn looked at him and started to speak.

"Sculptures located."

Once Raon turned toward Rosalyn…

"I'm shooting the signal flare."

And…

"We will immediately destroy the ceiling and infiltrate before stealing the sculptures and saving the Wolf children."

Raon immediately channeled his black mana.

His shock was slowly being replaced with rage.

"I will destroy the ceiling!"

As the angry dark blue eyes looked down at the ground…

Raon could see Lock slowly starting to get up.

"Raon-nim, I will destroy it."

Raon could feel a calm but violent emotion roaring inside Lock.

"Raon-nim, please protect the children."

Lock's finger pointed down.

"Please put a shield around the altar with the sculptures and the children so that the enemies cannot get to them."

Raon happily agreed to do as Lock asked.

"Sure! Lock, we will do as you say!"

Rosalyn started to speak as soon as their conversation ended.

"Then I will shoot it now."

Red mana gathered around both of Rosalyn's hands.

"Mmph, mmph!"

The Bear curled up in fear once again after seeing the red mana that looked as if it would explode.

"Ugh. Just what-"
"When did I lose consciousness?!"

The moment the enemies who had become conscious because of the roaring mana saw the dark red mana…

"Here I go."

The large Wolf man's fist slammed down on the ground.

Baaaaaaaaaang-!

A loud explosion that made them question if Lock had always been this strong echoed in the area.

Craaaaaaack-

"The ground, the ground is breaking!"

"Aaaaaah!"

The enemies who had returned to their senses started to scream that enemies had appeared…

Baaaaaang!

The ceiling above them broke this time as a red flame shot up.

A fancy signal flare shot out of the white castle and into the sky.

Boom! Boom!

The debris from the destroyed ceiling started to fall into the Grand assembly hall.

But they could not touch the altar with the sculptures and the children.

"My shield is the best!"

Raon's black shield was firmly covering the altar with the sculptures and the children.

"Shit! Everybody, prepare to attack!"

One of the enemies shouted as Rosalyn slowly descended.

She had stopped being invisible at some point. Her eyes focused on a middle-aged man.

He was Dorph, the Lion King.

"Cale Henituse's allies are here as we expected. I presume you are the mage, Rosalyn?"

But there was someone who landed before Rosalyn and Raon.

He also stopped being invisible.

Boom.

The individual who landed with a noise that made it seem as if he was very heavy slowly stood his tall body up straight.

"There's no need for you to look at my sister nor know her name."

Lock hand landed in front of Raon's black shield.

"You will all die here today."

He said that while looking at the Lion King and all of the enemies inside this large assembly hall.

He then reached his hand out.

A bracelet that looked similar to the white necklace on Raon's neck was around Lock's arm.

It was the present Lord Sheritt had given to her disciple who was going to a big battle and to save his race.

Swooooooosh-

They heard the sound of the wind.

Both of Lock's arms moved at the same time.

Something appeared in his two hands.

Boom!

A large shield that suddenly appeared slammed down on the grand assembly hall's floor.

Lock and his shield…

They resembled a mountain.

"That's right. This is the end."

Rosalyn elegantly landed next to Lock.

She smiled as she continued to speak quietly as if she was whispering.

"Our allies will come."

One of the enemies who had raised his head started to shout.

"I, in the sky, there are s, skeletons-!"

In between night and day…

As the short period of dawn quickly passed by…

They could see through the destroyed ceiling that there were white things that were gathering around the red signal flare that was burning like the sun.

Bones.

They were skeletons.

There were also black threads connecting all of those skeleton monsters.

The enemies thought of a single person once they saw the threads.

"…Necromancer...!"

The skeleton monsters covered the sky.

There was a black skeleton wyvern with bright black eyes at the starting point of these threads.

The master of this skeleton monster army was on top of that skeleton wyvern's back.

Mary.

She was here.

She was one of their allies who had come after seeing the signal flare.

There was a video communication device in Mary's hand.

She looked down.

She could see the spear knight in black armor.

That spear knight raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Mary could tell that he was looking at her, although the helmet prevented her from seeing his face.

There should be a video communication device inside the spear knight's armor as well.

The spear knight… Alberu started to speak.

His voice traveled through the video communication device to the video communication device in Mary's hand.

"Drag it up!"

Drag it up.

Alberu had to defend against the White Star's sword as soon as he shouted that.

"These bastards!"

The White Star started to look anxious.

He seemed to have realized the purpose of this Flying Skeleton Brigade and the black threads.

Mary's masterpiece looked like a large moving net.

The thing that this net would drag up…

There was only one thing.

Smile.

The corners of Alberu's lips went up.

He shouted once more.

"We will grab Cale Henituse and fly away!"

They were not just stealing the sculptures.

The black orb with Cale…

They would take that with them too.

Whether the sealed god made it or not, wasn't it just finders keepers?

Furthermore, why would they fight here in the enemy territory?

They would take away the important things and fight somewhere advantageous for their allies.

Mary started to speak.

"I understand. That sounds great."

The black net headed toward the black orb with the Flying Skeleton Brigade at that moment.

***

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]