1. Omen>
Rodebal clutched his throbbing head.
‘Not again… Why is this happening?’
Ever since he had arrived in Sinji, Gran-Latra, the throbbing had been getting worse.
Even so, it had been tolerable until yesterday, but for some reason the pain in his head had been gradually intensifying since then.
‘Don’t tell me… Is it because I saw that human yesterday?’
When he came out into the human world to learn about humans, the elders had impressed upon him the names of two humans.
Rian von Roman and Sian von Roman.
Those two humans were never to be touched.
Even if the elders had not said so, he had no intention of touching them. Every member of his race, himself included, had clearly witnessed how the mountain range beside Sinji had been destroyed. Even the Great Elder and the Second Elder who led them had every single supreme artifact in their possession plundered, yet the thought of revenge had not even occurred to them.
He had been so curious as to what on earth they had learned to become so strong that he studied the martial arts of humans, but there was little to be gained. They were of a fairly high level, but nowhere near enough to raise such a monster.
Whenever he thought of the human named Sian, his desire for strength grew even stronger. In the old days, hundreds of years ago when the Queen was still alive, they said no one had dared treat their race lightly. Not even the Empire.
First, they had to expand their diminished power. Their race, once mighty enough to contend with that powerful Empire, had lost Sinji and the Soul Spring, and after wandering for hundreds of years, all their strength had been broken. To the point that they had to receive the help of humans to restore Sinji.
This could not go on. To reclaim their great former glory, they first had to buy time until everyone could grow stronger with the spring as their foundation.
That was why he had come out into the human world himself. Among his now-ferocious kin, Rodebal was the mildest. To live among humans and build strength, he first had to understand humans. For now, they had formed an alliance within the balance of power between each nation, but once that balance collapsed, there was no telling when or how their attitude might change.
The only thing reliable about humans was that they were an unreliable breed. He had to learn many things quickly, become stronger, and be of help to his race.
Clutching his throbbing head, Rodebal headed toward the next classroom, where
“…
Thus, the seven kingdoms are currently in balance.”
The lecture hall was extremely quiet. Everyone was trying not to miss a single word spoken by Count Kervel, who was lecturing at the front. Count Kervel rarely left the royal court and offered counsel to the royal family, and his advice was worth more than gold. For the growing talents of the kingdom, the fact that he came out even once a week to lecture was an enormous opportunity.
“Karan is one of the countries that has maintained balance most admirably. At present, the only country bordering the Great Northern Wall is Karan. If you consider that the narrower the border area touching other nations, and the fewer such borders there are, the more advantageous it is for defense, Karan’s situation is close to the worst possible. To the east lies Kiaran, to the west Tian, to the south Broshan, and to the north the Great Northern Wall. Enemies on all sides, in other words.”
Everyone listened closely to Count Kervel’s words.
“And yet Karan maintains its borders more splendidly than any other country. In fact, aside from the distant past, the other nations have never once invaded Karan. How was Karan able to defend its borders so effectively? By stationing large forces along the borders? Or because its warriors’ forces were stronger than those of other nations?”
Everyone knew the answer. But as it was a sensitive statement, no one could bring themselves to say it, until Rodebal raised his hand and opened his mouth.
“Isn’t it… because the country called Karan gathered all of its troops toward the Great Northern Wall?”
A threat Karan had attempted against the entire continent in order to survive.
Several hundred years ago, Karan had lost a considerable amount of territory because of the countries invading from all sides. Even when it tried to form alliances and endure, the others only pretended to ally themselves outwardly; all of them constantly coveted Karan’s territory. The Kingdom of Karan, tempered by war, was made up of brave warriors one by one, but numbers could not be overcome by valor alone… With pressure coming from three directions, there was no way to withstand it.
The people cried out in suffering, national power diminished day by day, and the tyranny of the surrounding countries grew even worse.
The commander-in-chief at the time, Keldan de Ropelheim, who could no longer bear to watch the people suffer, made a decision.
He withdrew the troops from every border. Every warrior corps they prided themselves on, and even the elite soldiers who had supported Karan.
The neighboring countries, thinking this was an unexpected windfall, rushed to violate the borders. But they could only be horrified by the warning Karan issued next.
It was a threat too terrifying to simply scoff at and dismiss. The Great Northern Wall was barely holding back the attacks from the Outer Great Forest; it was by no means in a comfortable state.
If Karan gathered all its troops and attacked, it would inevitably be breached.
Then the entire continent would be turned into a wasteland. Their reproductive power was tremendous, and they were only holding on in the barren Great Forest by biting and tearing at one another for prey. If they crossed the Great Northern Wall, devoured humans, and began reproducing, a great disaster would occur.
That was why there was one king who scoffed.
The king of Kiaran at the time, Rozail III.
After saying that, Kiaran advanced into Karan without restraint.
But Kiaran should have listened more carefully to Karan’s warning, delivered in desperation.
Not many days later, Asital District 3 in the eastern section of the Great Northern Wall, close to the Kiaran border, was blown apart by Karan’s bombardment. That day, countless Banders lost their lives.
Since Karan had evacuated its own population in advance, the Harijans poured straight into Kiaran, and due to the great catastrophe at that time, Kiaran suffered enormous damage.
Tian and Broshan, who had been quietly watching the situation, were startled and withdrew all their troops beyond Karan’s existing borders. After that, Karan also ceased its threats, formed alliances with all three countries, and focused on strengthening itself internally. If it acted too wildly just because it held one card in its hand, the three kingdoms would not tolerate it either.
But even after that, Karan never withdrew its troops from the Great Northern Wall. In name, it trusted the alliance and stationed troops there in case the Great Northern Wall might be pushed back and require support, but its true intent was obvious.
After Commander-in-Chief Keldan’s astonishing decision, Karan grew at an incredible pace as a center of trade, and by now it had long since restored its former prosperity.
“An excellent answer, Rodebal.”
Count Kervel replied with a smile. Then he continued.
“The peace of the present is built upon a very delicate balance. If even the smallest variable is introduced, the borders of each nation may be redrawn at any time. The current borders are merely an indicator of the balance of power; they can change at any time according to shifts in influence. Just like the Lagrang region where you are currently attending this lecture.”
He could feel the talents from the Kingdom of Taran bristling, but Count Kervel paid it no mind. If he worried about the feelings of every single person, how could he conduct a lecture?
“Still, we are fortunate. For now, we need only include humans among the variables. If we also had to include the unpredictable Harijans as variables, if the Harijans had been able to cross even the Sky Mountains, international affairs would have proceeded in an even more complicated manner, would they not? It will be that much easier for you all to do your homework.”
At Count Kervel’s light joke, everyone let out a chuckle.
“Then I shall give you something to think about until next week. You are probably well aware that Margaran and Kerval have recently been reduced to ruins. The Ragaopora that connected them has also disappeared.”
At those words, everyone let out a low groan. There were still some noble talents who had not yet heard the news.
“Ragaopora…”
“Heavens… even Kerval…”
“A great change is coming.”
Watching the expected reaction, Count Kervel smiled and opened his mouth.
“Consider how the balance between each nation will change due to this incident. It will likely not be a small change, will it? That is this week’s assignment. We will end the class here.”
After leaving the lecture hall behind, the count noticed the person waiting for him and looked surprised.
“Oh, Sian. Have you already returned from your travels?”
Since he had known that Sian had left on quite a long journey, Count Kervel had not expected his appearance and hesitated, but soon greeted him with a pleased expression.
Looking at Count Kervel, Sian also smiled back and replied.
“I had some business to attend to for a while. I’m thinking of this place as part of the journey too. I’ll probably stay here for a few days and then leave again. I heard you would be coming today, so I came to greet you.”
“Haha! Good to see you. Where have your travels taken you?”
“I stopped by Renorba, Margaran, and Kerval before arriving here.”
“…
Are those perhaps the same Margaran and Kerval I know?”
“That’s right.”
“…
I beg you, please restrain yourself at least while you are here.”
The uppermost leadership, including King Narasha, knew who was responsible for the Lagrang incident, and Count Kervel was among them.
“That is a serious misunderstanding. I did not lay a hand on them.”
Sian looked extremely wronged, but Count Kervel did not dispel his doubtful expression. Common sense dictated that it was difficult for two cities to be wiped out whole within a month.
And all the more so if a Transcendent had visited those places.
“If that is so, then I am relieved, but…”
Just as Count Kervel was about to continue, a commotion broke out behind them.
“Kraagh! You bastard, what are you doing!”
“Guh… stop him!”
“You crazy bastard…!”
From the entrance of the lecture hall came the sounds of violent blows and shouting.
Wondering what was going on, Sian looked in that direction and saw a brawl breaking out.
No, to be precise, it was not a brawl, since a group had surrounded one person.
Moreover, that one person was mercilessly pushing back the group.
“Hmm… Isn’t that the fellow called Rodebal? Why is he acting like that?”
In one corner of the lecture hall where Count Kervel was looking, Rodebal was rampaging like a madman.
☆ ☆ ☆
As Rodebal was leaving the lecture hall, he flinched at the sudden surge of violent emotion rising from his chest.
His head had been hurting more and more since yesterday, but this was the first time such a change had occurred.
At the same time, a suspicious reverberation flowed out from somewhere in his head.
‘A mental-type… miracle?’
Rodebal was flustered. Due to the traits of his race, he had extremely strong resistance against mental-type miracles, but this reverberation was gradually gnawing its way into his mind.
It was like a sound echoing not from outside, but from somewhere deep within.
And he felt as though everything around him was hostile toward him.
‘Kugh…’
Clutching his head, Rodebal sank down at the entrance of the lecture hall.
At the same time, someone bumped lightly into him while passing by.
“What’s this… Why is this guy sitting here? Hey, get up.”
The instant someone reached a hand toward him, Rodebal felt the last of the reason he had been clinging to fly away.
Like lightning, Rodebal seized the hand that had been reaching out to help him.
Then, following the reverberation in his head, he struck the other person without hesitation and sent him flying.
“Kraaaagh!”
“This crazy bastard…!”
Recardo, who had been dispatched from Karan to observe Gron-Pillar, spat out a string of curses as he watched the fellow called Rodebal suddenly charge at him like a madman.
He had disliked the man until now, but since he had not caused any particular harm, he had left him alone. They had been ignoring each other like a cow and a chicken staring at one another, yet now he was attacking like this. And Recardo had no grudge against the man.
While he was briefly thinking of something else, the guy who had sent one of his companions flying far away charged in with ferocious force.
Crack!
“Kugh…”
Recardo, too surprised to even draw his sword, hurriedly raised his left arm to block, but as the price, his left arm broke and he was sent flying backward.
In a way, it was fortunate. In exchange, he had escaped the battlefield where a maddened beast was rampaging and gained time to view the situation somewhat objectively.
Rodebal.
Though he did not like him, the fellow who had in many ways given the impression that he truly was a species superior to humans had transformed into something like a beast. ‘Damn it... He felt savage when he fought, but I never thought it was to this extent...’ Having lived so long in the Great Forest, it was obvious his aura would be fierce, but since he was normally so docile, he had assumed it was merely a habit born from struggling to survive.
That had been a grave mistake. Seeing Rodeval run wild, this seemed far closer to the fellow’s true nature.
The expression on his face, which looked endlessly free, was proof of that. Until now, he had simply been suppressing it with powerful reason.
For whatever reason, the fellow seemed to have almost lost his rationality.
What mattered more was that he had become stronger in the process. Perhaps because the rationality that had been holding him back was gone, he was using his innate body to its fullest, weaving through the people like a single Harijan.
“Gaaah!”
“Bind that bastard’s feet first!”
“Damn bastard. If you’re going to go mad, at least go mad quietly!”
Curses flew from every direction. Fortunately, he had not drawn his sword yet, so no one had died, but at this rate that would not last long. If that fist landed cleanly, some part of the body would be crushed.
And if that place happened to be the head or the stomach, it would be death on the spot. The students, knowing that, avoided only their vital points and pressured him in rotation, driving him back.
At some point, the fellow crouched down and retreated into a corner.
Then he let out a strange sound from his mouth and assumed a defensive posture. As if he were frightened.
“...
What is this?”
They had surrounded him, but since they had been beaten so badly just moments before, no one could approach. At that moment, one person pushed through the crowd and walked out.
“Ha... What’s with this guy now...?”
As the man strode forward, Rodeval retreated one step at a time in response until he was pushed to the point where he could no longer back away. Everyone thought Rodeval would soon pounce on the man. Even a rat would bite a cat when cornered, and this fellow named Rodeval was no rat.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, however, when Rodeval found he had nowhere left to retreat, he began lowering his body more and more. Round, and rounder still.
Grrr.
At last, when he could curl up no further, he made a strange sound and fainted.
“Count, this should be fine, right?”
“Thank you, Sian.”
Ignoring the strange gazes directed at him, Sian went outside and found himself reminded of his days in Garan-Tia. ‘Ha... What is it this time...?’ In the distance, flames were rising from the residential district where the Granain lived. And from there, all the way to this distant place, Gron-Pila, a ferocious aura was spreading.
☆ ☆ ☆
The Third Elder was clutching his head, breathing hard.
The pounding in his chest that had begun after arriving in the sacred land, Gran-Latra, had now grown so violent that it was unbearable, and had even reached the point of giving him a headache. The elders, sensing that the sacred land was not the same as before, had felt something was wrong and were discussing countermeasures, but since yesterday the strange pounding in their chests had suddenly become so intense that this had happened before they could put any measures in place.
Kraaaagh!
Outside the house where he was staying, strange howls could be heard from the village as well. They were surely the howls of his people, unable to withstand the resonance in their chests. ‘At this rate... this will become disastrous.’ He was still enduring it for now, but it was difficult to suppress the strange emotions surging up from within his chest. The Third Elder did not even want to believe that such savage instincts were still latent inside him.
Killing intent, a craving for violence, appetite, indulgence...
All of them were things that normally could not stir him in the slightest, yet now they were madly urging him on from within his heart.
‘My god... This is almost... no different from a Harijan!’
It was absurd that the same instincts as the Harijan, whom their race so despised, existed within them, but now was not the time to care about that.
He had to suppress his people at once. If even he was in this state, those weaker than him had likely had their reason broken by the cries of instinct surging up inside them... and if that happened, they would naturally search for something nearby to attack.
There were human residences close by. If that happened, it would be war. War itself was one thing, but they did not yet possess the strength to fight humans and win. They had to avoid extinction at all costs.
Having thought that far, the Third Elder swiftly shot outside. When he went out, as expected, chaos had broken out.
Some were clutching their chests, others their heads, collapsed on the ground, and a few were looking around with crazed expressions, their eyes rolling wildly. They were likely searching for targets to attack. Since there was nothing nearby to attack, some were using their memories to fly toward the human city.
Together with the elders who had come outside thinking along the same lines, the Third Elder began bringing the situation under control. They knocked unconscious those who tried to run off, and helped those who had not yet lost their reason come back to their senses by sending Exar flowing through them.
Understood...>
The Fifth Elder flew toward the place where the humans lived, while the Fourth Elder quickly flew toward the Spring of Souls, Rabne. The remaining elders hurried to control the village and began searching for the cause. Whatever was causing this... there was a limit to how long they could suppress it. After all, even they themselves were finding it harder and harder to hold back.
They had to find the cause before then. If they could not... it would be war.
☆ ☆ ☆
“My god... What happened?”
Rian and Selin, feeling the ominous aura that had suddenly spread toward them, rose to their feet and rushed outside their lodgings. The source of that aura was far away, in the direction of Gran-Latra, which the Granain called their holy land.
Many people were looking toward Gran-Latra, and they saw a figure rushing fiercely from that direction.
Looking closely, it was the Fifth Elder, who had been communicating with them.
“Everyone scatter! Don’t stand around watching. Run as far away as you can!”
Rian shouted urgently. If even the Fifth Elder had gone mad and was charging toward them, those present would not be able to handle him. They would all be annihilated.
Only after hearing Rian’s words did the people realize the gravity of the situation and begin scattering in every direction. The powerful aura of the one running toward them from afar was clearly not at a level they could face. Charging in bravely here would amount to nothing but a pointless death.
Rian also tried to withdraw while assuming the worst, but fortunately, before that, his younger brother arrived first.
“Brother, are you all right?”
“Yes. But... I have no idea what is going on.”
With Sian’s arrival, Rian let out a breath of relief, stayed where he was, and watched the Fifth Elder approach.
The Fifth Elder, who had been running from far away, had already arrived nearby. Fortunately, while his aura was disturbed, he did not yet seem to have lost his reason.
Call... the one... in charge among you... Right now... something strange... has happened in the village... As allies, we request your aid...>
“What in the world is happening?”
Rian asked with a grave expression.
Suddenly, our people... cannot keep their senses... Kuh... We had been feeling something strange... but we thought there was still time. Since yesterday, however, the progression suddenly accelerated...>
“Yesterday?”
Rian tried to recall whether anything had happened yesterday, but at least in this vicinity, nothing had. This entire area, the Lagrang region, was being thoroughly monitored and controlled. It was so that they could respond quickly if any situation arose that might threaten the safety of the growing talents here.
As Rian looked around in thought, he noticed his younger brother wearing a strange expression. ‘Could it be...?’
“Sian, did you happen to see anything yesterday?”
Rian asked urgently. Even if they had not seen anything, his younger brother might have.
“Ah... Mm... It’s not that...”
“If something comes to mind, tell me quickly.”
“Yesterday... I... You know that pit I made last time.”
“Yes.”
“I practiced a bit there yesterday... and I was wondering whether it might have something to do with that...”
Sian said, looking slightly guilty. As far as he knew, the only major incident yesterday had been that.
“Practice? What practice? Sian, you’ve never practiced before, have you?”
Rian asked back with a strange expression.
“Ah... This time, I gained something new I can do... so I was experimenting with it a little... I used the pit I dug last time.”
At those words, the Fifth Elder thought for a moment, then said one thing to Sian.
“Mm... About two days ago, I think.”
The Fifth Elder shook his head.
Though this man named Sian possessed immense power, it was not to the point where it could affect them like this. Even if the power he had manifested yesterday was somehow connected, if he had arrived two days ago, that could not explain the strange resonance that had been affecting them before then.
“Still, just in case, I will organize an investigation team to inspect the pit. What is the current state of the village?”
The Fifth Elder spoke to Rian with a grave expression, and Rian, too, seemed to grasp the seriousness of the situation, for he quickly moved.
The forces of those who had rendered tremendous service in retaking the Lagrang region.
Four Gran-Banders, two La-Banders, and countless Masters.
If they went mad and rampaged... disaster would strike the northwestern region of Tian. They had to resolve the problem before then.
“Brother, if you’re going, let me come with you.”
“All right, Sian. Thank you. Please help.”
Rian also sensed the gravity of the situation, so he did not refuse Sian’s help. Gathering a few people to assist with the investigation, Rian quickly began running toward their destination.
☆ ☆ ☆
The Fourth Elder came up, clutching one side of his head, in order to see the two elders staying at Rabne.
Elders?>
The Fourth Elder felt something was strange when he saw the Grand Elder and the Second Elder staring blankly into the depths of the spring.
Finding it odd that the two elders did not react at all despite his arrival, the Fourth Elder, curious as to what the Grand Elder and the Second Elder were looking at, clutched his aching head and stepped toward the spring.
And he, too, looked into the depths of that spring.
The Fourth Elder felt the reason he had hurried here slowly fading from his mind.
But it did not particularly bother him. More than that, he had to focus on the voice speaking to him from within the spring.
Before long, the Fourth Elder also stared blankly at the spring water as if possessed by something.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Huh... Something’s strange...”
Steel, who had been resting at the lodgings after Sian said he was going to meet an acquaintance, felt the sudden aura and ran straight to Rabne.
And there, he saw a strange sight.
The two Granain fellows who had been grappling with him were blankly sticking their heads toward the spring.
On top of that, another Granain fellow who came running frantically from below seemed to sense something strange when he saw the two of them and approached cautiously, then looked into the spring.
Then he ended up in the same state, staring blankly at the spring along with the two before him.
Watching the three Granain who had, in the blink of an eye, ended up with their heads thrust toward the spring, Steel suddenly grew curious.
He knew that their souls were inside there. He had been watching them for two hundred years, after all.
But most of them were without a sense of self, and in particular, the three oldest and most powerful souls—the very ones even he had been unable to defeat—had had their reason worn away by thousands of years, leaving behind only instinct.
Since they shouldn't have been able to exert much influence on the present world, Steel had grown curious as to why those guys were burying their heads and staring at the spring. Though he wanted to look himself, he watched from afar, afraid he might end up just like them.
"Tch... I don't know."
In any case, even if those three went mad and attacked him, he was confident he could win.
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Steel sprang up to take a look inside the spring, but the moment he tried, a change occurred.
The three Granains who had been blankly staring at the spring began slowly moving their steps toward its interior.
"...What is this? Are they committing mass suicide?"
At that bizarre sight, Steel momentarily forgot to move and slowly watched them.
The ones who had been slowly walking in soon submerged even their heads, and only the tiny bubbles rising from where they had entered proved that the three people had gone in just moments before.
The time during which Rabeune remained calm was not long. The three who had entered seemed to have changed their minds and slowly walked back out of the spring.
It was such a short time that anyone watching would have thought they were practicing holding their breath.
But the moment he saw them, Steel's expression violently contorted.
"Damn it... why are there so many things to run from these days... This is humiliating...."
The moment he confirmed the gazes of those guys looking at him, Steel quickly leaped away. If he, who was on the slower side even among superhumans, wanted to escape, he had to run fast.
He could have beaten the three from before, but he couldn't beat the three now. He needed to find Sian and join up with him quickly.
The moment his mind was made up, Steel quickly fled, and the Great Elder, the Second Elder, and the Fourth Elder, who had been looking at each other, swiftly gave chase.
In the place where everyone had disappeared, only Rabeune, the spring that sustained their sanctuary, remained in its small form.
No, even the spring now looked as though it would disappear.
The water was gradually receding, as if a hole had opened in the bottom.
☆ ☆ ☆
"Hmm... I suddenly have a bad feeling...."
"What's wrong, Sian?"
"Hmm... it's nothing, Hyung. I just suddenly have an intense feeling...."
Rian made a grave expression.
"If you feel that way... could there be something dangerous where we're heading?"
"Hmm... I don't think it's because of that...."
I have to hurry... the pain... is growing worse....>
Rian, Sian, the Fifth Elder, and several others were heading toward the traces of the battlefield Sian had created.
The Fifth Elder thought it might not be the case, but since there was no clear cause, he left the investigation of the city interior to others and decided to examine the crater first.
It wasn't far, so the investigation team arrived quickly and shuddered once more at the massive trace. It was unbelievable that this was a mark made by humans clashing with one another.
The ground was hollowed out deeply, as if a meteor had struck from the sky.
The surface was cracked wide open as if an earthquake had occurred. The fissures were like bottomless abysses with no visible end.
Not to mention the mountain ranges that looked carved out, as if something had bitten deeply into them.
A bizarre terrain that seemed inexplicable unless by the caprice of Mother Nature.
But Rian, who was observing this, quietly narrowed his eyes.
"...
That's a trace I've never seen before...."
"...
Hehe."
"You had yourself quite the practice session. How did I not sense something like this happening...."
Sian scratched his head as he looked at Rian sighing.
Having gotten excited and used his new power, perhaps more strength had gone into it than he thought, for the terrain had changed even more than when he first fought Lady Steel. Still, since he almost never leaked power, it was nearly impossible for anyone besides himself and Lady Steel to sense it.
"How is this... Fifth Elder, can you discern anything different?"
I'm not sure... but... I feel as if something is here....>
The Fifth Elder furrowed his brow, as if his head was hurting more and more, and surveyed the surroundings.
"Still, just in case, let us examine the surroundings. Everyone, inspect the surrounding terrain in pairs! If you find anything suspicious along the way, do not touch it and report it immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
While the investigation team scattered and swept the area, Sian looked far beyond the mountain ranges and let out a deep sigh.
"Huu... Hyung, don't go anywhere and stay here."
"Hm? Sian? Where are you going?"
"Just... I think I need to look after a colleague. If something dangerous happens, don't think about fighting and make sure to run."
"Alright. Thanks for worrying, Sian. Be careful."
Rian smiled proudly, as if pleased by Sian's concern for him, and disappeared to proceed with the investigation, while Sian quickly shot off. If they clashed here, his brother would be swept away one hundred percent. He had to move as far away as possible.
'Phew... still, I feel at ease. Unlike Kerubal or Mareugaran, even if a fight breaks out here, there won't be any loss of life.'
☆ ☆ ☆
Kwaaang!
"Kugh...."
Caught from behind, Steel felt his body get sent flying and gritted his teeth.
'Damn it... hold on a little longer.'
If he kept getting hit like this, Sian would come running soon. But Steel was gradually losing confidence.
The ones who had gone into the spring and come out were not those feeble fellows. Steel could tell at a glance. The ones who had driven them out and newly taken over those bodies were beings familiar to him.
"Ah, really... how did they snatch bodies and come out, those guys in the spring!"
Three superhumans he couldn't defeat. Somehow, they had crawled out. Though they still hadn't adapted to their new bodies, so he had been holding out while running, their attacks were growing more refined by the moment. It meant new souls were gradually settling into the bodies. With their numbers and each one growing stronger, running was becoming difficult.
The bigger problem was that he didn't know their limits.
"Hoo... I do like Sian, but this is the first time I've wanted to see him this badly... they say the one who likes more is at a disadvantage...."
Even as he clashed without rest, Steel sensed an energy running from afar and smiled.
"He's here!"
A familiar energy was approaching at tremendous speed. It must be Sian.
As Steel smiled, Sian came running at tremendous speed and soon arrived right before him.
"Little brother! Good to see—huk?"
"We can't fight here. Come this way."
Without slowing down in the slightest, Sian snatched Steel up and began running straight toward the opposite direction of the battlefield.
"Oh my, little brother, you're quite bold. A princess carry, no less. Huhu."
"...It's because I'm in a hurry. By the way, where did you pick up those things?"
Sian clicked his tongue as he changed direction, looking at the three Granains chasing him fiercely. Others said it was hard to see even one superhuman or monster in their entire lives, so he couldn't understand why they kept getting tangled up with him like this.
"Huhu. I told you, little brother. This body is incredibly popular. This beauty transcends even race."
"You must have grown leisure enough to crack jokes."
"Because you'll protect me. Right?"
"Goodness...."
There was no backing out now. He couldn't leave Lady Steel behind, and those approaching would sweep the city clean. And within it would be his brother and Sir Sellin.
He had to finish this here.
"By the way... they didn't seem that strong before. Did they perhaps take some kind of tonic?"
He had thought the change in the souls' constitution might be due to their racial traits, but he couldn't understand that sudden amplification of strength, so Sian asked while running.
"Hmm... I'm not sure either... they just came out like that after bathing in the spring?"
"Because they bathed?"
"Yeah."
"Where is that spring? I should take a bath this time myself and punch through another wall or so. A few more times and maybe I'll become a super-super-superhuman this time."
"Little brother, I'm not joking. I'm serious."
"...I know. You wouldn't joke about something like this. I'm just frustrated."
"There were other beings inside the Spring of Souls; it seems they snatched those guys' bodies and came out."
"Huh... I thought one needed bones to come back to life?"
"I thought so too... but since they didn't revive, they hijacked bodies, so I suppose it's possible...."
"Hmm... what a fraudulent race. To think they can mass-produce Rabandeo like that...."
"Right... why are those who should be dead wandering around like this... I'll have to stuff them back in."
Having put some distance between them, Sian and Steel took their positions on the mountainside. And they looked at the three Granains who had followed.
"Hmm... I suppose there's no intention of resolving this through conversation?"
"It'd be meaningless. Their souls are thousands of years old; their reason is long gone, and only instinct remains."
Rabandeo didn't fight with reason but with instinct, so there was no problem with their strength. No, rather, because nothing tethered them, their combat power itself was even higher.
"Lady Steel, please take the far left. I'll handle the other two."
"Alright. Huhu. One of them is no problem."
Finished speaking, Sian drew his Keuronapon and charged, and Steel rushed in, unwilling to lose.
Soon, a colossal roar and light erupted at the edge of the mountain range, as if a meteor had fallen.
☆ ☆ ☆
"Hm? What's this?"
Reynold of the investigation team, who had been staring at the battlefield riddled with destruction in amazement, spotted something glowing red among the dirt and approached it curiously.
Kuaaaaang!
Suddenly, an enormous roar erupted from afar, and the startled Reynold stopped his approaching steps and looked far toward the source of the sound.
From where the enormous sound had come, a blinding, brilliant light was spewing forth.
Enchanted by that beautiful yet sublime light, Reynold forgot what he had been approaching to inspect and could only stare blankly at the spectacle.
Because of that, Reynold failed to notice in time that the object he had been inspecting was moving with a clattering sound.