Chapter 286: The night is not frightening (7)

Cale was certain. He hadn’t fainted or coughed up blood. Although Super Rock had warned him that it would happen if he didn’t rest.

- It will really happen soon.

But he pretended not to hear it again.

At that moment.

Raon and Choi Han were staring at him intently. Raon's already plump mouth puffed up even more.

“Hmph!”

Raon snorted.

“Human, I know everything! If you push yourself a little more, you will cough up blood! And you will faint! And you will wake up after a few days!”

“…!”

Cale’s pupils trembled for a moment.

“Cale-nim.”

Choi Han approached and offered him a handkerchief.

Upon closer inspection, Cale noticed it was the handkerchief Ron carried. He felt an inexplicable chill.

Choi Han wiped the blood from Cale's mouth with the handkerchief and then placed it in his hand as he said.

“You should stop the bleeding first and then speak sensibly; don’t you think?”

“…!”

Cale’s pupils trembled even more.

‘Now-’

That peaceful Choi Han-

‘Is he criticizing me?’

Is Choi Han saying that what I’m saying doesn’t make sense? That I should clean the blood first and then talk if I have something to say?

Cale opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

Drip~

Even so, blood continued to flow from his mouth.

At that moment, Lock approached.

“Please, rest a little.”

Lock pointed to the small blue flame on his shoulder.

“You’ve used up too much energy.”

No one doubted that statement.

The Blue Wolf.

A forgotten God had appeared.

And it did so from an almost completely corrupted Sacred Object.

No one thought that the Blue Wolf was the complete form of the God. They only considered it a part of him.

Just as the God of Chaos only showed a part of himself.

“We could say that for the forgotten God to intervene against the ancient God, he had to use a considerable amount of strength.”

The Ancient Dragon Eruhaben approached, sighing. There was a trace of irritation on his face.

“…It’s a pity.”

Choi Han could immediately identify who he was referring to.

Eruhaben was thinking about the Two-Star Dragon, Epley.

Just as Choi Han was thinking about the Dark Mage.

‘I couldn’t do anything.’

Choi Han couldn’t move properly from the moment the gray wall appeared.

The same thing happened to Eruhaben.

From the moment he faced the gray wall, his instinct warned him not to use magic. Although he didn’t tremble in fear like Cale, he knew that facing that God would only bring death.

His instinct kept warning him. That’s why he couldn’t move.

‘How did that little one do it?’

Eruhaben’s gaze towards Raon deepened.

‘Lock had the blessing and protection of the Blue Wolf God, so he was relatively free from the God of Chaos.’

Raon, who had nothing. How did he do it?

‘Because of his ability?’

He could only assume that the answer lay in Raon’s "Present" attribute.

Eruhaben looked away from Raon and turned to Cale.

‘This kid is strange too.’

He clearly showed signs of wanting to surrender to the God of Chaos. But then he recovered, acted as if he were possessed, and suddenly, as if he were scamming someone, his eyes shone. It was the expression of someone who had found a treasure.

‘What is going on?’

Eruhaben briefly looked at the two boys, Raon and Cale, whom he couldn’t understand, and then observed the blood dripping from Cale.

“Let’s go down first.”

And he pointed to Ryan’s Lair, which was still in good condition.

“We can rest there.”

Under Cale’s gaze, Eruhaben spoke calmly.

“Isn’t it ours now?”

Ignoring Cale’s gaze, Eruhaben gently cast his magic.

Whooosh-

A wind filled with platinum dust surrounded Cale’s group. And they slowly descended to the ground.

The place where the stage was. Although the stage was shattered and in ruins, the cleared space without the black liquid was better than the ruined village interior.

“…Young Master.”

Cale saw those approaching him after landing.

Tasha, Witira, Gashan, and the White Snake Wisha.

Tasha, who was in the front, opened her mouth but then closed it.

Cale opened his mouth. He wanted to ask them about the damage now that the people who had fled were returning. But the moment Cale opened his mouth, Tasha shook her head.

“This isn’t the time to talk. I’ll report to you later.”

Drip.

Blood continued to pool in his mouth, so Cale swallowed it.

And he opened his mouth.

“Human, don’t swallow the blood!”

Nyaa! Nyaa!

Just as Raon shouted, On and Hong approached.

Hong came closer and rubbed against Cale’s leg.

“Ha.”

Witira sighed.

“I wanted to ask you about the identity of that gray thing, but you should rest first.”

“No-”

He wanted to say he could talk. But they didn’t give him the chance to speak.

“Let me handle everything.”

Gashan approached and smiled to reassure him not to worry.

Cale lifted his head.

Drip.

Blood flowed.

He met the eyes of the White Snake Wisha.

‘Huh?’

There was blood on the snake’s skin.

Was it my blood?

The snake’s body was so large that probably the blood he had shed earlier had stuck to her.

“You should clean off the blood.”

At Cale’s comment, the White Snake suddenly lifted her head.

And she slowly opened her mouth. Her voice trembled.

“…I don’t have the courage to clean this blood.”

What is this crazy woman saying?

Someone like her is afraid of blood.

Cale looked at the White Snake with an incredulous expression, but the children, averaging 10 years old, kept insisting.

“You should go in and rest.”

“Yes!”

“Human, let’s rest!”

In the end, Cale decided to rest while listening to the report, and they moved to Ryan’s Lair. Of course, the transfer was very comfortable using magic.

‘I’m fine.’

Cale really thought he was fine. And many people watched Cale as he moved away.

The White Snake lowered her head again.

Savior.

A Human who wasn’t just a Human. She believed he was someone who would save this world. That’s why she trembled at his great power and, to be honest, she felt an irresistible urge to revere him.

But the White Snake saw everything.

‘That person is also human.’

A living being like me.

The gray wall. She didn’t know what it was. She could at least feel it was a terrifying entity, a God or something equivalent.

She saw his fear towards that entity. And she saw how he bled continuously.

‘But he was holding on.’

That person, that Human, was holding on. A burden that even she couldn’t bear.

‘He held on throughout the battle, but after it ended, the blood he’d been suppressing finally burst forth.’

Suddenly, the White Snake understood why powerful Dragons like Eruhaben or Mila trusted and followed Cale.

‘They follow him because of his willpower.’

The White Snake stopped trembling before Cale Henituse. She now wanted to respect him.

And in that moment, she understood why they followed him—and she, too, wanted to help him.

‘Is that the role of a leader?’

The White Snake looked up.

“Wisha-nim.”

“Is this over?”

The Beast People were approaching. Among them were some who had survived and responded to her call.

‘What is my role?’

Many thoughts filled the White Snake’s mind. That’s why she looked at the back of another person besides Cale.

And she wasn’t the only one.

All the gazes of the Beast People were directed at one person.

Lock.

The young wolf Lock.

When the White Snake thought of him, her heart pounded. And the Blue Wolf that appeared at the end.

Undoubtedly, that existence was a God.

Our Blue Wolf God.

At first, she wondered why the God had shared his power with a young man from another world instead of with the Beast People of Aipotu.

But when Lock faced the Dragon in Rage State and stood before the fearsome gray wall...

Ah.

In that moment, she understood.
It was his courage. That was why the White Snake placed her faith in the young man.

That thought naturally arose.

Courage does not always come with strength.

The young man acted bravely despite lacking strength.

Swoosh~

In the embrace of a gentle breeze, the beasts continued to watch silently within the castle.

And the Beast People, who were following Cale, stopped when they saw Lock halt after conversing with someone.

Lock stepped away from the group and paused for a moment. Then, he slowly turned around.

He deactivated his Berserk Transformation. His enormous figure shrank. The shining silver fur and blue glints at its ends disappeared.

Though he was still tall, Lock now had a slender body that wavered under the watching gazes.

But he began to walk towards them with determined steps.

Swoosh~

The wind blew again. His gray hair fluttered in the wind, exposing his face completely. His blue eyes, reminiscent of the sky, shone intensely and clearly. That gaze was the only thing that allowed people to believe this young man was the same great wolf from before. But that gaze also said it all.

There was still a blue glow on his shoulders.

"I have something to say."

Lock approached the White Snake and her group and spoke to them.

The White Snake involuntarily lowered her head and opened her mouth.

"Yes. I’m listening."

Involuntarily, formal words came out of her mouth. But she didn't realize it. It was the most natural thing.

Lock took a deep breath.

The Beast People awaited his explanation. The God they so longed for had appeared before Lock.

Thump. Thump.

His heart beat again. Lock could see Gashan, Witira, and Archie looking at him. They nodded silently with a smile. Of course, Archie, the killer whale, was giving him two thumbs up in admiration.

Lock straightened his shoulders and stood tall. With courage, he could clearly see everyone’s gazes.

Among them, he recognized the Wolf Tribe Chief, Nia, and the Hunter Koukan.

Lock opened his mouth.

"I heard the voice of the Sacred Object."

He began his story.

‘How should I say it?’

‘Say it however you want.’

‘...I’m worried I might say something inappropriate.’

‘There’s nothing inappropriate.’

Remembering his conversation with Cale, Lock calmly continued his story.

The night remained quiet.

***

However, there was no peace around Cale.

Ting!

Tiririring, ting!

Uuuuung-

Uuung- uuung-

The Sacred Object given by the God of Death constantly emitted tones and vibrations.

"So noisy."

Cale sighed deeply and turned on the Mirror’s screen.

<Cale, Cale! Do you know what it means that the World of the Gods has split in two?>

<Wow, this is crazy. It’s a separation, a rupture! Not even the Ancient Gods can easily cross into the domain of chaos!>

<Wow, it’s a disaster! A disaster!>

<Kuhaha, the God of Balance even took off her shoes and is now running barefoot! Kuhaha!>

(TL Note: This phrase is an example of absurd humor, using the image of the God of Balance running barefoot as a metaphor for something unexpected and funny. The repetition of the word "Kuhaha" emphasizes the humor of the phrase. It doesn’t mean she literally took off her shoes and is running barefoot.)

"I'll ignore the God of Death first."

The matter of the Gods is not something that concerns me at the moment.

Uuuung-

Uuung-

Next, it was Central Plains' turn.

Cale remembered the previous message he had received from Central Plains.

‘Sichuan was devastated! The Dragon Lord destroyed everything! I’m running away right now! -Central Plains’

‘That guy is almost a God; he’s practically one already! -Central Plains’

‘If he just passes the Gods’ Trial, he will become one! -Central Plains’

And the current message was short.

‘Successfully escaped! This Central Plains did well! I completely ignored the proposal for conversation!’

‘Why talk to a bad guy?’

This guy.

‘I had so many questions that I ignored everything!’

He’s an interesting fellow, isn’t he?

The Dragon Lord was looking for the Crown, the Wooden Sword, and the Ring that belonged to Cale, Choi Han, and Raon respectively.

‘Of course, he’ll probably give the Wooden Sword to Clopeh.’

The Dragon Lord had traveled to Central Plains to recover the items the seer Dragon, Maxillienne, had stolen.

‘Kuhuhu. That guy will return empty-handed. Kuhuhu.’

Exactly.

‘Anyway, he will return soon.’

‘Ah, by the way, I’m hiding in the Demonic Cult.’

Huh?

‘The Demonic Cult, the Murim Alliance, and the Evil Alliance are teaming up to attack the Dragon Lord. Shouldn’t I help them too? So, I came to talk with the Heavenly Demon. At least he knows me a bit.’

‘Anyway, this Central Plains is working hard! Hehe. –Central Plains’

Cale spoke out loud.

“This guy is better than the God of Death.”

He meant it.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Cale gently tapped the table as he thought.

After a moment, he raised his head at the sound of a ringtone.

Beeep--

The visual communicator lit up and showed a message.

<There was a summons from the Three-Star Dragon. -Casillia>

It was a message from the Pope.

The Three-Star Dragon.

He had summoned the Pope.

Cale assessed the strength he had left:
The unwavering loyalty of his companions in the Black Castle.
The newly forged alliances with the Beast People and the Har Kingdom.
The brief but critical pact with the Temple and the Empire.

But against them stood an overwhelming force:
10 Dragon Gods, the fearsome Two and Three-Star Dragons, and dozens of their kin.
Elves, Dwarves, and Humans who had sworn allegiance to their cause.
Finally, Dragon Lord.

And in the shadows, perhaps, the God of Chaos— an unknown factor.

Too many enemies to count.

“It seems we can no longer surprise them.”

With Ryan’s fall, the only thing left was a frontal battle.

“The Dragon Lord will probably return soon too.”

With Central Plains successfully escaping, the Dragon Lord had no reason to stay in Central Plains. Besides, the events here might have been transmitted to the Dragon Lord.

Although the One-Star Dragon Ryan had been killed, the Two and Three-Star Dragons were still alive.

(TL Note: Exactly, it seems Epley is still alive, I’m not sure.)

“…”

Cale finished thinking. He looked at his companions and spoke.

“Tomorrow, at dawn, we will move towards the Three-Star Dragon’s Lair.”

He sent a message to the Pope.

<Do you need an assistant?>

Can I visit the Three-Star Dragon’s Lair as the Pope’s assistant?

With this role, I could gain access to the Three-Star Dragon’s Lair.

And in the process, I will meet the World Tree.

To stop the energy flow from the Source of the World.

Then, I will go to the Dragon Lord’s Lair and destroy the ‘reference point.’

I will return the energy flow to the world.

Yes, easy.

“Ha.”

Cale was speechless. But after sending the message, he asked Central Plains.

There was something he couldn’t ignore.

‘That guy is almost a God; he’s practically one already! -Central Plains’

‘If he just passes the Gods’ Trial, he will become one! -Central Plains’

“What is the Gods’ Trial? Does such a thing exist?”

Ting!

‘Yes, it exists! It’s a secret, but I’ll let you in on it—just between us! Hehe. –Central Plains is on Cale’s side.’

I like this guy more and more.

Cale waited with a smile for Central Plains’s message.

Of course, he ignored the God of Death.

***

“These priest robes are quite comfortable.”

Cale smiled at Casillia while wearing the priest’s robe.

“It’s excellent. It reminds me of our first meeting.”

But soon, at the praise of Sword Master Clopeh Sekka, Cale’s face turned grim.

Cale and Clopeh were going to be together as the Pope’s assistants.

***

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]