The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 262

#7 At Trident Point (1)

Trident Point was a land of the abyss, bordering the northern and western parts of the continent across the North Sea.

Despite the frigid climate, the dominant terrain consisted of swamps and wetlands that never froze, and there were even rumors that these swamps were expanding.

Merchants and sailors were reluctant to even approach it, but those seeking fortune in the name of adventure flocked there endlessly.

For it was a land of labyrinths and an ancient battlefield.

It was once the territory of the old noble, Duke Beshansidug, and the place where the Black Sun, Karenden, led his detachment to defeat him.

This meant that not only the sacred objects of the abyss but also many treasures from the age of the gods lay dormant there.

“Wow, this is quite a catch, isn’t it? I could live off this for years.”

An adventurer chuckled, holding a crimson-glowing sphere.

The super-large adventure group, Moby Dick.

They made their living by undertaking dangerous hunts in this Trident Point.

A man with a physique several times larger than even the most renowned adventurers accepted the sphere.

“Hahaha, quite a haul. I guess we can say goodbye to this wretched land for a while.”

This man, who controlled the three hundred or so thugs of the Moby Dick adventure group with just his fists, was Blake Blackheart.

Since he had been wandering this land of the abyss since childhood and remained unscathed, people had begun to call him Blackheart at some point.

It meant that his heart had already been dyed black by the evil mist that thickly enveloped Trident Point, and as such, there was no one more knowledgeable about this land.

His swordsmanship was so outstanding, even without formal training, that the Emperor had once tried to recruit him as a Sword Saint of the Hwangha Office of Military Affairs.

“You 축생 [cursing word] bastards! Let’s head back to the Extreme West Branch! This expedition is over. I’m buying big this time!”

Normally, this would have been followed by boisterous laughter and all sorts of jokes.

Like, “Not ‘this time again,’ but ‘this time,’ right?” or “He says that, but he’ll probably go into another labyrinth if he sees one.”

But no sound came. Instead, they felt a chill that sent shivers down their spines.

‘What’s with this fog……?’

The fog, which had suddenly thickened all around, was so dense that they couldn’t even see their companions right in front of them.

“What the hell is this?”

Instantly, Blake drew a large curved sword from his back and swung a powerful strike.

The wind pressure from the massive weight cleared the fog, but Blake had to doubt his eyes.

Someone was walking across the swamp located in the deepest part of Trident Point, that deep and vast swamp.

“He’s walking across the swamp?”

“That’s impossible…… how deep is it down there!”

A middle-aged man with ominous dark blue hair and beard, and a robe of unknown material that was also a dazzling dark blue.

His heart pounded like crazy, and his back was clammy with cold sweat. They didn’t know why.

They thought they didn’t know.

Because there was no way to explain that surreal…… overwhelming presence that assaulted their five senses.

No one knew the identity of this middle-aged man, but some of the newcomers were frantically kneeling and worshiping him.

“Hey, I’ve never seen your face before. Who are you? This is our territory. State your name. Which adventure group are you from?”

Blake Blackheart said insolently, pointing the tip of his curved sword, and the man sneered.

「How astonishing. Since when did my territory, which I, Beshansidug, received from the great king, fall into the hands of a worm like you?」

“What? Hah, a worm? Me?”

Those were the last words he would ever utter alive.

That day, just like in the era of the past, desperate screams and wails filled Trident Point.

The master of Trident Point had returned.

* * *

Duke Beshansidug.

The clue to the appearance of the foremost noble among the Spider Lord’s Obony [inner circle] was obtained from the Papal State.

“It’s been a while…… or should I say hello?”

Rain visited the Papal State to return the Supreme Star Sword, Shir팽, and to meet Rista’s old acquaintances.

「This is a miracle bestowed by the gods.」

Cardinal Yoshua Hwangryong, whom Rista followed more like a father than her own, wore a serene smile.

「It truly gladdens me to see you again.」

Miria was initially reserved, perhaps embarrassed by the reunion with her past ties, but soon began to chatter excitedly.

“…….”

That sight filled Rain with both heartwarming and poignant emotions.

If only I could have reunited with Headmaster Ajumma [term of respect for an older woman] while she was still alive…….

I had decided not to make meaningless assumptions anymore, but is this the only lingering regret I can’t shake off?

“You’ve come 300 years late for the formal greeting, Rain Wi-jak. Or should I call you Yonghyun Rain now?”

It was Doran Slade, the Special Task Force Chief, whom I was happy to meet again here.

“I came all the way to fix your leg, and the reward is teasing.”

“Please accept it as the playful antics of a cute junior.”

“Stop with the creepy stuff. What junior? A man with a patchy beard.”

After exchanging greetings, they were able to hear about the situation in the Arkrad Continent over the past year.

“The symptoms of the Light Dragon are gradually worsening, so no True Dragon can leave the Papal State now.”

“Because they have to protect it?”

“That too, but it’s because only the power of the True Dragon can stop the encroachment of the abyss. Two of them take turns tending to the sickbed.”

“I can’t even cure it with my power…….”

“There’s no need to feel powerless. It’s not a normal abyss, but the abyss of the king. It’s just that the age of dragons is coming to an end as a matter of course.”

The atmosphere of the conversation gradually becomes heavy.

Rain looked up at the three dragon siblings playing in the Papal State’s golden courtyard.

Aki was forcibly giving Mir a piggyback ride, and even though he didn’t show it, Mir seemed to be enjoying it.

“Sometimes I wonder if everything I’m doing is meaningless. When the kings wake up one by one someday, who can stop them?”

“The hero party of that era will appear, won’t they?”

“If it were that easy, there would have been no need for you to be active in this era. It was a miracle of miracles that the four members of Rista’s party were born in the same era 300 years ago.”

That’s…….

There’s no room for rebuttal.

“Karenden said there’s nothing I can do anymore, but is that really true?”

If I can’t face the king, I want to at least eliminate the first pillar, but even that’s not allowed.

“If you’re willing to lend your strength, there’s information that’s secretly passed down only to the Imperial Family and the Papal State.”

“What is it?”

“That’s…… a secret. Ho ho ho.”

“Mind Construction.”

“You can’t even take a joke. Do you know Trident Point?”

“How could I not? It’s the mecca of adventurers.”

And it was also where Aki’s first journey began and ended.

“There have been a series of disappearances of adventurers there.”

“……?”

“It started with the Moby Dick adventure group led by Blake Blackheart…… they were ranked 3rd among adventure groups.”

Moby Dick, huh.

That’s where Rem and Bart used to belong.

“That adventure group disappeared?”

“Yes, isn’t it strange? So the Imperial Family and the Magic Society dispatched an investigation team led by the Magic Star, but we haven’t heard from them yet.”

Seigan Wolf Blado…….

He was a mage known as the strongest in the Empire, and they’ve lost contact with him?

“Where exactly is that location?”

This is how they came to revisit Trident Point.

The group left the Papal State and crossed the Red Mountains. They passed through the famous trading city of in the west and crossed the North Sea.

The Extreme West Branch of the Adventurer’s Guild, rising majestically before their eyes again…… a place filled with big and small memories.

“How is it, Aki? Do you remember this place?”

When Rain asked, Aki tilted her head, and Nene narrowed her eyes.

“Forgetting memories with Father is evil! Why does Sister try to do only evil things!”

Nene always feels like she’s asking for it…….

Mir shook his head as he watched Aki punch Nene in the head.

“Acknowledging the justification of violence.”

It was around that time that Miria smiled with deep emotion.

“Come to think of it, Nils seemed to be more proactive than any of us. Should I say he was the most realistic?”

On her back was the large and heavy Holy Sword, Shir팽, wrapped in bandages and emitting a faint light.

With Yoshua’s permission, they were able to borrow Shir팽 until the end of their journey.

Once they returned it, they wouldn’t be able to borrow it again due to public scrutiny.

“That Ajusshi [older man]?”

“He said he was looking for the relics of the gods, artifacts. So he said he would wake you up, to wait…….”

“Really?”

Chief Tinker, Nils Blantz.

The memories of those days with that Ajusshi will never be forgotten.

And I don’t even need to read a letter to know what Nils thought of me.

‘He probably didn’t even leave one, given his personality.’

Because that structure, now rising elaborately above the horizon, was like a manifestation of that gruff but affectionate Ajusshi’s heart.

“How nice it would have been if we could have come 300 years ago.”

“Nils would have been very embarrassed, I think.”

“Yeah, but he wouldn’t have shown it.”

Definitely, he would have.

The sight of a scene that warms the heart just by thinking about it makes the pain of its disappearance even more excruciating.

“But Miria.”

“Yeah?”

“Your hair has gotten quite long? It’s already down to your shoulders.”

“…….”

“Did you not have time to take care of it because you came too quickly? I don’t think you were in such a hurry.”

It was only after saying that that he noticed something strange.

Even during the journey to , Miria always maintained a bob cut by trimming her hair with a dagger. Because it was cumbersome.

When he realized that, Miria was subtly covering her reddened cheeks with her lengthened hair.

“It’s just that, I was wondering which style would look better in your eyes, the old one or the new one…….”

Rain’s mind momentarily froze, and he wore an expression of bewilderment.

What looks better in my eyes…….

When their eyes met at that moment, his face flushed, so he had to turn away.

A strange and embarrassing silence was about to fall, but then an emotionless voice came from over his shoulder.

“Physiological reaction detected, rapid increase in heart rate and body temperature. This is what primates exhibit in a state of excitement…….”

“Be quiet, Mir.”

The two of them simultaneously covered Mir’s mouth.

That was about the last time they could talk leisurely.

They decided to stop by the Extreme West Branch building first to pick up expedition supplies and maps, but even that was not easy.

“You’re going inside?”

Even the guide at the Extreme West Branch wasn’t a refreshing handsome man or a courteous beauty, but a middle-aged man with a spirited beard who glanced at them insolently.

Trident Point, a land ruled by power.

It was only natural to treat the roughnecks in this harsh frontier like this.

The branch members of the Extreme West Branch were selected only from adventurers of at least Gold rank or higher.

‘He doesn’t recognize me…… good.’

The effect of the cloak covering his whole body and the hood pulled down seemed to be good.

Communication at the Extreme West Branch was entirely entrusted to Miria.

Aki, like Rain, had pulled down her hood, and Nene and Mir were peeking out from Seresia’s subspace pocket.

Just keeping these troublemakers quiet was a chore.

“I don’t recognize your face, Gold rank 2nd? Did you come from the Republic?”

“Yeah. Got a problem with that?”

“For a person from the Republic, your Imperial language accent is so 고급스러워 [high-class/elegant] like the great nobles, so I just wanted to check.”

“Whatever, just give me the map.”

“I guess you smelled money and came here, but you better just go back. The days of finding artifacts here and hitting the jackpot are long gone. Now it’s the source of ominous rumors.”

Those who explore this land of the abyss are commonly called Striders.

To pass through this land tangled with bizarre swamps, you had to be able to stride around.

Only Silver rank adventurers who were known as ‘skilled’ could enter. At least Silver rank. The recommended entry rank was Gold rank.

“They say ‘Flowing Desert’ is so lucrative these days, I don’t know why you’d leave that and come here.”

“I didn’t come here to make money.”

“Hmm?”

“I heard there’s a big incident happening without anyone knowing, so I came out of curiosity. Where is the point where the Moby Dick adventure group disappeared?”

Curiosity, huh.

Most strong adventurers are drawn to adventure by curiosity about the world rather than money.

The receptionist, who knew that well, snorted and took out a map with a displeased expression.

“I can’t stop you if you’re going to die without listening to an old man. Well, then, here we go.”

The map only showed simple symbols for <설령 Great Wall> [hypothetical Great Wall] and each major city, but it contained detailed terrain of Trident Point.

“The disappearance point is here. The Magic Star went to the same place a month ago, but his whereabouts are still unclear.”

The receptionist marked a cross on one point in the swamp with a fountain pen, and Rain’s eyes narrowed.

‘Huh, that place is…….’

When they passed through here, the Aein guide Eldvi had told them never to enter.

– It is the place where Duke Beshansidug is sealed deep in the swamp, and it is still teeming with old things.

Perhaps because of the simultaneous disappearance of high-ranking adventurers, even a desolate atmosphere lingered in the Extreme West Branch.

“Hey, newbies. Give up if you don’t want to die. Do you know how many adventure groups have packed their bags and left in the last month?”

Someone who was drinking at the table warned them like that, but it sounded more like a sincere warning than a bluff and youthful bravado.

“Miria, something’s definitely strange.”

“That’s right. The atmosphere that is usually formed where there are adventurers who are good with their strength is gone. The arrogance is so overflowing that it’s noisy.”

Signs of ill omen were appearing everywhere even before they began to explore Trident Point in earnest.

This place, the swamp of eternity, was a dangerous place that most people avoided, but it had been regarded as a forbidden fruit that high-ranking adventurers found difficult to give up.

This is because Trident Point has historically been a battlefield during the wars of the gods in the past, and artifacts, the sacred objects of the gods and the abyss, are often found.

If you sell one high-ranking artifact, you can live off it for the rest of your life. If you use it directly, your power is greatly enhanced.

This Trident Point was where those who wanted to strike it rich and those who pursued their own strength mixed.

But the atmosphere is so powerless…….

“We need to hurry.”