The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 123

“This way!”

Having arrived at the Central Brilliance Division, Kiran led us to a personnel lift that ascended the wall.

As Kiran pulled the lever, the lift ascended with a winding chain sound, and the Central Brilliance Division’s buildings shrank beneath us.

The wall, where twilight was settling, shimmered with a gloomy purple hue.

“Let’s part ways here. We’ll head straight to the Western Regulation Gate.”

There was one headquarters and four branches in [the organization]. The Western Regulation Gate in the west, the Backbone in the center, and the Eastern Creation Gate in the east. The Central Brilliance Division was a branch between the Western Regulation Gate and the Backbone, with Silver Horn Bay flowing beside it.

Following Silver Horn Bay upstream led to Lavenfell, where the beastmen gathered. Crossing the waterway led to the Battleship Base.

“Kiran, can’t you open the gate here?”

“I don’t think so… Too many members are around. Backbone would notice immediately if the gate opened.”

Casena bit her lip, looking disappointed.

There were two reasons for this. The closest gate to Lavenfell was here. And the Western Regulation Gate was…

“Isn’t that place almost abandoned? Even if you cross it, it’s not imperial territory but Trident Point.”

Beyond the Western Regulation Gate lay Trident Point, a barren land considered an adventurer’s mecca.

This trident-shaped cape, nearly dividing the northern empire and the North Sea, was a desolate land riddled with abyssal labyrinths.

Suddenly, Rem and Bart, my friends called to that place, flashed before my eyes, but I shook my head to dismiss the thought.

“Milady, appreciate that the wall gate has been opened at all. Kiran is doing his best to help.”

“I know, but…”

As the lift shuddered to a halt, Kiran skillfully stepped onto the wall and helped us up.

Once again, a decadent gale blew from Harbardonia, making me feel suffocated. In that cold wind, the frozen wall divided the world of light and the empire of darkness in a mystical spectacle.

It was impressive, but there was no time to admire it.

“Are you ready?”

“All done.”

The wolves who had disembarked first had securely tied sturdy planks with chains, ready to lower us over the wall.

“Kiran.”

My eye caught the trebuchet catapults regularly placed on the wall.

“Could you put the platform on top of that?”

“What?”

“I want to shorten the time as much as possible.”

The wolves looked at me questioningly, but Kiran, examining the catapult, widened his eyes as if he understood.

“Ah, you’re going to use that like that?”

“Yes.”

“Indeed, worthy of being marked as a son-in-law by Madam Madelia? Bold and clever.”

Casena, nodding along, suddenly gasped and slapped Kiran on the back.

The plan: fly through the sky with the catapult, creating tailwinds and platforms with wind magic to fly as far as possible.

While the members placed the planks on the catapult’s firing platform and secured the ponies, Kiran grabbed my arm.

“If Alakish didn’t see things, and if you didn’t hear things, remember, Rain: never fight that monster head-on, never.”

“Why?”

“Shar’kas is one of the five vassals who served the Spider Lord, Obongwi. He’s a subordinate who received divinity from the king.”

Duke Gongan, Marquis Huushingyeong, Count Baekdoryeong, Lady Jaun, Boy Namdong… Baekdoryeong’s real name was Shar’kas.

Legend said his heart was pierced by the lead warrior Alkaioz’s sword in the final battle and sealed.

How he broke free and awakened is a mystery, but…

“Rain, understand? Never fight, never. The opponent is a god.”

White breath shattered from Kiran’s mouth as he urged me to promise.

“Kiran, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kiran, patting my shoulder worriedly, flicked Casena on the forehead and gave a bitter smile.

“Even if I tell you it’s dangerous, you won’t listen. You haven’t changed.”

Rain was going to leave Casena on the wall, but her will was clear.

– I’m going to see Alakish too. Don’t stop me!

If it had been someone like Turaina, where the hierarchy was clear, I would have knocked her out and left her behind… There are some difficulties with the class system.

“Okay, it’s all done now.”

Kiran finally nodded, and we climbed onto the ponies’ saddles.

“Then, good luck.”

The wolves saluted and cut the rope with the counterweight.

As the catapult’s vertical bar struck the horizontal bar, the arm began to draw a large arc… Casena’s hand gripped my back behind the saddle.

And the next moment, feeling the acceleration of blood rushing to my head, the eternal tomb of Harbardonia unfolded far below.

‘I blocked my eardrums from the pressure difference with wind magic… Now, focus on creating tailwinds and updrafts.’

The launch angle was northwest, straight across Silver Horn Bay to the Battleship Base. Casena, looking around, suddenly shouted.

“Rain, there!”

Perhaps thanks to the deepening twilight, the long line of torches winding to the Battleship Base caught my eye.

PiPi succeeded…

It should have been a moment to sigh in relief, but when I looked where Casena pointed, my mouth dropped open.

“It’s a blizzard…”

From the north and east, fierce blizzards obscured everything and chased the torchlight procession.

Shar’kas’s dead have smelled the living…

The north would be the army of the dead, and the east would be Baekdoryeong himself. Had Alakish joined the beastmen first? I prayed he had.

“Hold on tight!”

The white snowfield approached. Bigger, even bigger.

The landing spot was barely across Silver Horn Bay, about two or three hours from the Battleship Base, according to Kiran.

Finally, when the plank hit the ground hard and snow billowed up, the startled pony leaped forward.

“Northwest from here! Keep running!”

These ponies, raised by the white wolves using special methods, could run on snow without problems.

‘But…’

There was a limit. It only prevented feet from twisting or slipping, but the speed was slow.

I felt a fierce heat, and dragon flames brushed over my head and stretched forward.

Alakish? I looked back, surprised, but Casena was smiling proudly.

“I’ll make a way! Rain, save your magic! You’ll have to fight that bad guy!”

I smiled faintly. It felt like yesterday she was a novice mage, but after Alakish’s training, she had become reliable.

She seemed to have mastered filtering the abyss with magic to breathe…

As the snow melted in Casena’s flames, a hard dirt floor appeared, and the hooves kicked that ground, running west.

“Rain!”

How long had we been running? As starlight poured down, the forest ended, and the view opened up.

In the distance, an enormous shipwreck was stuck in the snowfield, emitting a faint light like a lighthouse.

“Wow, that’s the Battleship Base…”

And in front of it, the beastmen were passing in a long line, and two young beastmen warriors blocked our path.

“Wait a minute! Don’t attack! It’s us!”

“You are…?”

As I answered, someone waved from the other side and ran towards us, and the warriors stepped back.

A beastman with a reddish-brown fox face, Beduel, chief of the Durankus tribe.

I pulled the reins, and Beduel stretched out his hand with thick fox fur, and we grabbed hands.

“You’re both safe, I’m so glad. It’s the grace of the gods.”

It was a warm voice and touch. My heart fluttered, but there was no time to hesitate.

“Chief… Where is PiPi? Where are Griffion and Barzel?”

“They’re in the back. The dead are chasing us, so most of the warrior corps are guarding the rear. Your Sun Parrot is there too.”

Knowing the dead were chasing them, they had a solid formation… It was a relief.

“Where’s Frisvia? Is that human’s adventure party helping too?”

“No, they’re preventing them from getting close to the Battleship Base, not helping… But where’s Alakish? I thought he was coming with you.”

“Yes? Hasn’t he arrived yet?”

I thought he would have joined the beastmen first… Cold sweat broke out. Was he injured and recuperating elsewhere?

“It seems you got separated. Then it’s natural that I don’t know. With Alakish’s temperament, he would have gone straight to the rear.”

I pushed away the ominous thoughts and nodded. Casena pointed to the wall.

“We decided to open the wall gate! If you go west, towards the Western Regulation Gate, they’ll open the gate for you!”

Then, a sigh erupted from the beastmen listening.

Some were praying, some were hugging, but most were those with a strong human form who couldn’t become warriors, or the elderly or children.

Casena seemed happy to have given them joy, but bit her lip as if sorry.

“Sorry… But the land beyond there isn’t that good.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s a place called Trident Point… But Rain and I will definitely take you to imperial territory…!”

Beduel grabbed Casena’s hands and shook his head.

“Don’t worry, don’t be sorry. We are the descendants of warriors who have fought in Harbardonia. We are not afraid of such a place.”

“…!”

“Rather, you deserve thanks. Infinite thanks to the gods who sent you, and may their grace be with you.”

With Casena wiping away tears and nodding, the beastmen began to move again.

Earlier, they were walking weakly, exhausted, but this time, their pace quickened, and they began to walk as if running.

After watching that scene, I turned the horse towards the Battleship Base. Now, I had to bring the No. 1 adventurer to the battlefield.

“Heh, that little brat managed to come back alive. I thought the wolves would tear his neck off at the wall.”

Frisvia, witnessing Rain and Casena approaching from the Battleship Base’s deck, raised her eyebrows as if amused.

“Hmm.”

After stroking her chin, she ordered the adventure party, equipped with optical equipment and blocking the beastmen at the entrance.

“Let those two into the base. I’ll tear their necks off instead of the wolves.”