Chapter 681: A hunt in the middle of the night (4)

Alberu had a thought as soon as he saw Cale's eye through the crack in the door.

'He's gone crazy! This punk's gone completely crazy! He's about to cause some kind of incident!'

Cale going crazy was understandable, as they had no idea what had happened to Duke Deruth.

'…Something big is about to happen.'

Alberu Crossman was certain without even the smallest amount of doubt in his mind.

His heart was beating fast. This anxiety about what Cale might do made him tightly clench onto the rope that was wrapped around the White Star's fire sword.

The rope was turning slightly black, but it was not burning because of its durability.

"Long time no see? I just saw you this morning."

The White Star seemed relaxed.

Although his body was constricted by tree trunks and his fire sword was tied down by a white rope… He seemed very relaxed.

"That is true."

Cale seemed relaxed as well.

"Where is my father?"

"You don't think that I killed him?"

'Is this punk crazy?'

Alberu almost swore after hearing what the White Star said.

Nonetheless, this odd stalemate seemed peaceful.

"White Star, there is no way you would do that. You would lose a card to threaten me with if my father was dead. If anything, you would be hiding my father somewhere I can't find him."

"You truly do know me quite well."

"You're not that hard to see through."

Creeeeeak.

The door opened a little more, and Cale pushed about half of his body inside as he continued to speak.

"All evil bastards use their brains in similar ways."

"Gasp."

Alberu turned his head after hearing someone gasp. Saint Jack's face was a bit pale while he looked up at the sky.

It was understandable for this innocent Saint to be shocked by Cale Henituse's words.

The White Star who was wearing the face of Deruth Henituse… And Cale…

The two of them made eye contact and their mouths opened.

"White Star, let me make you a proposal."

"Cale Henituse, are you willing to listen to my proposal?"

The corners of both of their lips curled up, and the White Star, who had a twisted smile on his face, continued to speak.

"Are you willing to cooperate with me?"

The atmosphere in the room instantly turned odd.

"Hey! Cooperate with you?! Who the hell would cooperate with a bastard like you?!"

Sword master Hannah, who stood up with Jack supporting her, shouted in anger.

Shhhhhhh-

However, the tree trunks weakened the vines constricting the White Star.

The White Star got out of the vines and released his grip. The fire sword was floating in the air while still tied down by the white rope.

Shhhhh.

The White Star fixed his wrinkled clothes as he started to speak again.

"As you all know, I need to kill the Lion Dragon and get to the sealed god's temple. Of course, it seems as if getting to the end of that temple will be quite difficult as well."

Peek.

He peeked toward Alberu.

"Tsk."

Alberu clicked his tongue. He frowned while releasing the white rope.

The White Star, while pretending to be Deruth, heard about how it would be more difficult to get to the end of the temple than to get rid of the Lion Dragon.

"My original plan was quite simple. You guys kill the temple guardian on my behalf and I leisurely infiltrate the temple to get what I want."

The White Star shook his head as if that became much more difficult.

"That was why I spread the rumors about you, Cale Henituse, and created a situation where you would have no choice but to act. But I realized that I had to change my plans after hearing that the temple is even harder to deal with than the Lion Dragon."

The White Star's forces had received quite the damage from multiple battles until now as well.

Furthermore, the White Star did not want to waste his troops now, in case he needed them for things later on.

"Cale Henituse, you were probably aiming for this when you revealed this information in front of everybody, right?"

The White Star knew about the issues Cale's side was facing, better than ever before.

"That guardian, no, the Lion Dragon. You guys need to get rid of that anyway."

They needed to return this land to the people of Puzzle City.

The citizens of the Roan Kingdom would be scared.

"You also need to take care of the temple that would appear after the monster."

Because the citizens of the Roan Kingdom, no, the entire Western continent, would shake in fear.

The White Star smiled, still with Deruth Henituse's face.

"Of course, your final goal would be to kill me."

"And your goal is to become a god."

The White Star did not respond to the comment Alberu Crossman made in a low voice.

Alberu, who quietly observed the White Star neither agree nor disagree with it, openly frowned in annoyance.

"The start of all of these problems is the summoning ritual you did, White Star. I think the bastard who created this mess should be the one to take care of it."

Alberu Crossman shrugged his shoulders.

"But realistically speaking, it is difficult."

'The White Star had no intention of using all of his forces to defeat the monster and the temple. But we need to take care of this as quickly as possible. Ahn Roh Man said the following. 'The Lion Dragon only reacted to strong individuals for a week after it appeared, but it went into destruction mode after that.' '

This was something that the White Star, disguised as Deruth Henituse, did not know.

Only the four people who had been inside the stable…

Cale, Choi Han, Raon… The three of them, plus Alberu Crossman, were the only ones who knew about that.

That was something Alberu had heard from Ahn Roh Man through Taerang's AS connection.

'How entertaining. So, Alberu Crossman, current owner of Taerang… You are the crown prince and you need to save the world from the Lion Dragon?'

'You will be a power player not just in the Roan Kingdom, but throughout the whole world, if you can take care of all of this. Alright, listen carefully to what I have to tell you. You won't regret it.'

'…But it is quite interesting. You seem very similar to me. Are you of an impure bloodline as well?'

Alberu sighed while recalling the conversation with Ahn Roh Man.

"Yes. Cooperation sounds good."

"I agree with your opinion as well, your highness. However, I do have a condition."

Creeeeeak-.

The door opened all the way and Cale walked into the room alone to stand in front of the White Star.

"We will put the issue of the temple aside for now, since that is later. The Lion Dragon. I want you to return my father after we cooperate to get rid of that monster. I will not cooperate with you without that condition."

"Mm."

The White Star almost sounded as if he was humming before he nodded his head.

"Fine. That was the plan anyway."

Alberu had a thought at that moment.

'He's still alive.'

Cale Henituse's father, Duke Deruth Henituse, is still alive.

He was also safe.

By realizing one thing…

He realized something else as well.

"Then are we cooperating now?"

The White Star walked a little closer to Cale Henituse.

"We will, but there's no trust between us. White Star, I have no reason to trust you, you bastard."

The corners of Cale's lips twisted up.

"I can't betray you in this cooperation because my father and our allies outside are pretty much being held hostage. But that is not the case for you."

"And?"

"How about we make a vow of death?"

The White Star's pupils shook intensely for a moment.

"…That will not do."

"Really? I am that serious right now."

Cale answered back with an expression that seemed as if he wasn't disappointed at the White Star's response at all. It was as if he had expected the White Star to respond this way.

The curse from the God of Death…

The White Star was placed under that curse by touching Dragon Lord Sheritt's two eggs.

A life that continues without an end…

A life where he can't cherish anything…

There was no way that the White Star would like the God of Death.

Cale calmly added on.

"Then I just want you to answer one question."

"What is it?"

"Is my father inside Puzzle City?"

The White Star heard the question and debated for a moment. He then nodded his head.

"But I am able to send him elsewhere, even out of this world, at any moment."

The meaning behind those words was simple.

Deruth Henituse was still inside Puzzle City.

However, he could be sent somewhere else at any moment and could be killed in an instant.

'He has accomplices.'

Alberu hypothesized that the White Star had at least one subordinate by his side, no, by where Deruth Henituse was being held captive.

The White Star needed to be able to kill Deruth at any moment by giving a command.

Alberu looked toward the White Star. He looked calm.

"I am being honest. Even your Dragons would be unable to find him."

The White Star did not say anything else. Whether it was the ancient Dragon or the black Dragon… Nobody would be able to find Deruth Henituse.

"I see."

Cale nodded his head and reached his hand out.

"For the first time and the last time… For just one day… Both you and I… Neither of us will point our blades toward each other."

The White Star looked toward Cale with an expression that seemed as if he was having a hard time understanding this.

"I guess your family is really important to you."

Dragon Mila just observed the scene with her arms crossed.

Saint Jack quietly sighed while Hannah clenched her eyes closed and released the grip she had on her sword as soon as the White Star mentioned family.

Family and allies…

Those two things were enough to understand Cale's actions.

The White Star also reached his hand out.

"This is the first time. This is the first day our blades are not pointed against each other."

His hand was slowly heading toward Cale's hand.

The White Star was still cautiously observing Cale at that moment. He looked at Cale's sharp gaze and his face that looked calm, despite being full of anger.

But the moment the two of them shook hands…

The moment he realized that there was no power or magic in Cale's hand he was shaking…

The White Star smiled.

At that instant…

"It truly is a meaningful day."

Cale opened his mouth to speak, and the White Star saw that Cale was smiling just like him.

In that moment…

The White Star saw it. He saw Cale Henituse's left hand moving and Cale's right hand, that was shaking his hand, pulled him forward with extreme force.

In that short moment of letting his guard down…

Slaaaaap-!

The White Star's head jerked to the left.

'What the…?'

He could not figure out what was going on for a moment.

'What is going on?'

The White Star saw Cale Henituse's foot heading toward his stomach as he had that thought while being pulled forward.

Tap!

The White Star quickly regained his balance and kicked Cale's foot with his own foot before stepping back.

All of it had happened in a few seconds, and it seemed extremely natural.

"Ha!"

The White Star couldn't help but scoff.

It was blood.

He could taste blood in his mouth.

He must have unintentionally bitten down on his cheek with his teeth when he was slapped.

"…You hit me? …YOU hit ME?"

His gaze turned back toward Cale.

"Ah. It's really red. Man, I really am weak."

Cale was waving his red palm around while snickering. He then nonchalantly commented after raising his head and making eye contact with the White Star.

"Doesn't it feel worse to get slapped than to be hit? Hmm? I slapped you so that you would feel even worse."

"…You son of a bitch..."

He couldn't believe it.

The White Star never imagined that he would be slapped in this situation.

The crown prince, whose pupils were shaking as he had the same thought, was thinking internally.

'I knew this guy's eyes had gone crazy! I didn't see wrong!'

Cale nonchalantly commented at the White Star, who was looking back and forth at the blood dripping down his face and Cale.

"What's wrong? Is it fucking wrong to slap a terrible bastard?"

"…Do you understand the meaning behind your actions?"

The White Star was full of contempt.

The fact that a single moment of letting his guard down led to being slapped in the face was what made him feel the worst.

His finger pointed toward the broken window that Choi Han had been sent flying out of earlier.

"Your allies out there who are willing to put their lives on the line to fight! Duke Deruth! Do you want all of them to meet their ends?!"

The moment the White Star releases his powers and Alberu releases his to defend against it… The Lion Dragon would launch an attack toward the Puzzle City City Hall.

Duke Deruth was hidden away somewhere very secretive. Only the White Star could find him. But Cale dared to do something like this?

"Huh? Pffft."

Cale chuckled. He nonchalantly commented as if he wasn't worried at all.

"Who said I wanted all of them to meet their ends?"

At that moment…

Cale pulled a video communication device out of his pocket and dropped it.

Clang!

The moment the orb shattered…

Oooooong– oooooong–

The City Hall building started shaking.

The vibration that seemed to come up from underground quickly spread through the City Hall building and out.

"...!!!"

The White Star's eyes opened wide.

This vibration…

He had used something like this once before.

"…The mana disturbance tool!"

In the desert, the Land of Death, that is one of the Western continent's Forbidden Regions…

At the Dubori territory of the Caro Kingdom…

The White Star had installed a mana disturbance tool there to make Raon unable to use his magic as he pleases and to separate Cale and Raon.

That same mana disturbance tool was spreading out from the City Hall building and quickly surrounding all of Puzzle City, following its walls.

And inside City Hall…

Duchess Violan fixed the one or two strands of hair that had fallen out and nonchalantly commented.

"If the enemies frequently use it, we should make use of it too. It was worth purchasing mass quantities of the ingredients through the Flynn Merchant Guild."

And then…

"It is impossible to use teleportation spells in this state of mana disturbance."

It would be impossible to teleport Deruth Henituse out of Puzzle City.

In addition…

"They cannot contact each other either."

It was impossible for the White Star to order his subordinates to kill Deruth. He would need to personally go over to kill Deruth Henituse. They could not use video communication devices right now.

If he personally gave the order, Cale would not miss the subordinate's movements.

She looked around at the mages from the territory activating the tool before turning around.

"Patriarch Ron."

"Please call me as usual, madam."

"I cannot do that."

She said that but still started addressing him informally, as she usually did. She then looked at Ron, who was slightly bowing.

The golden top's whip that Cale had asked to give to Ron was in his hand. The wind, the Wind Elementals, would let him know. That was what her son had said.

Cale had said the following when Choi Han and Raon had been suspecting Hilsman.

'Choi Han. Inform my father to get it started. And deliver a message to mother. And Raon, you have my top's whip, right? Give it to me. There is someone I need to find.'

While Choi Han and Raon were each completing their tasks… Cale, who was left alone, had done something while looking at the video communication devices. It was to give the order to find an extra Hilsman, Deruth, and the Mogoru twins.

Violan did not know about that, but she asked Ron a question without any hesitation.

"Thoroughly search and find my husband. How long will it take?"

'Can you bring him here? Can you find him?'

She didn't ask questions like that.

She just wanted an answer with certainty.

Ron answered without any hesitation as well.

"Madam, I made a promise to the young master-nim. I will find him before dawn."

"Then I guess we just need to maintain the tool until dawn."

All video communication had been cut off because of the mana disturbance tool.

Actually, there was just one place where it was still possible to use video communication devices. The location of the young Dragon… The room Violan had just been in had a giant magic circle with large quantities of mana roaring inside it.

Everywhere other than that room could not use any spells right now.

The only thing left in such a situation where they could not contact each other…

"Get going."

Was faith that they would each do their part properly.

"Yes, ma'am."

The person at the center of that faith… Cale Henituse was laughing.

"Ha!"

On the other hand, the White Star could only scoff in disbelief.

"…Crazy bastard."

'He changed things up like this?'

The White Star glared at Cale with a burning gaze.

Cale shrugged his shoulders and smiled even bigger.

"There is an unchanging fact in the world."

His voice was calm.

"Do you know what that is?"

The unchanging fact Cale was thinking about…

"The gods? A secret of the world?"

He shook his head regarding the examples he had just given.

"It isn't some crap like that."

For him, the unchanging fact did not have to do with the crappy gods or some secret of the world.

The smile disappeared from Cale's face. His eyes that were burning even stronger than the White Star's eyes, flashed.

"You don't mess with family."

You must not mess with my family, with my people.

That was an unchanging fact for Cale Henituse.

Boom–!

The ground shook.

Back in the plaza… Rosalyn, who was with the allies, grabbed her hand that was slightly shaking because of the mana disturbance and subconsciously looked down at the ground.

"This is...!"

It was not magic.

However, it was a power she knew.

This power that was shooting up from the ground…

She subconsciously opened her mouth. Her shout was full of both joy and realization.

"…Young master Cale!"

She raised her voice once more after seeing the location the power was gathering.

"Back! Everybody, please move back!"

The space between the allies and the monster, the Lion Dragon…

The empty area that the allies were just about to charge forward into…

Craaaaaaack-

That area started to split.

Baaaaaaaaaang-!

The ground shook with a loud noise that sounded like thunder.

"Huff."

"Duck!"

Anxious people ducked or grabbed onto their horses and crouched down.

They then saw it.

"That is...!"

They saw rocks shooting up from the cracked ground.

Tens, no, hundreds of rocks.

People were able to realize who made these rocks shoot up at that moment.

Cale Henituse.

He was here. He was awake.

He would soon stand on this battlefield again.

The rocks started to move as they realized that fact.

"…A w, wall-"

In the empty area between the allies and the Lion Dragon… The rocks and boulders started to pile up.

They were creating a giant wall.

Tap.

Someone landed on top of that wall.

"Choi Han!"

Rosalyn could see Choi Han look down and smile after hearing her shout.

Cale was smiling and saying something to the White Star at that time as well.

"White Star, it was so much easier to create this barrier with you gathering everyone in one spot."

Barrier.

A wall created to block against anything trying to get in from the outside.

Cale had no intention of giving up on his allies or his father.

Now that the sun had set and night had arrived…

A night without magic had started and a breeze that came in through the window made Cale's red hair flutter, as if it was a fire lighting up the night.

***

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]