Chapter 242

(3)

4.

The crack created by Astevan.

As Ulan stepped into the space beyond, he thought the surroundings must be enveloped in darkness.

Both the void where the crack appeared and the entrance of the crack were pitch-black. But what appeared in his sight was an unexpected landscape.

“This place is….”

The land of hot sands.

A vast expanse of sand dunes stretched out. In a barren landscape devoid of even a blade of grass, everyone murmured simultaneously.

“A desert?”

While they were dumbfounded by the unexpected sight, suddenly a gust of dry wind blew in.

Hot winds swirling with sand.

As the momentarily obscured view cleared, the sound of footsteps breaking the silence reached their ears.

Tread, tread!

Numerous presences approaching this place.

They were warriors armed with swords and shields. At the front of the group stood a man dressed in the traditional garb of desert tribes.

“That’s….”

A tall man.

With indifferent eyes, he was certainly a face Ulan had never seen before, yet strangely familiar at the same time.

Where had he seen him before?

Trying to recall, the group examined the man’s attire closely. However, they weren’t given much time to observe.

“Ack!”

“The, the wind….”

A strong sandstorm hit the group.

Ulan’s party shut their eyes tightly.

After a moment, once the wind calmed, they were faced with a shocking scene.

“……!?”

There was no other explanation.

The soldiers who had just been ordinary had turned into undead, without exception.

And the man at the forefront, who had given Ulan a peculiar sense of familiarity, had transformed into the same look as the soldiers.

Yet he felt familiar still.

In fact, even more so.

“……Astevan.”

The Lord of the Immortals, appearing in an unexpected form.

Ulan’s expression sank.

5.

A bizarre silence enveloped the area.

Noa and Laurea swallowed dryly, tense. Meanwhile, Ulan stared at Astevan with an impassive face.

【I can’t believe he chased us all the way here.】

As the stillness continued for a while, it was Astevan who spoke first.

【No, this works in my favor instead.】

The sound of metal scraping against metal.

With that signature unsettling voice, Astevan shifted his gaze from Ulan to the surroundings.

【The desert is the place where we were born and raised, and where you and I forged a bond as brothers. There’s no better place to sever our bad fate.】

With an incomprehensible narrative, Astevan began to spout strange words.

Meanwhile, Noa, who was keenly listening to this dialogue, felt a peculiar discomfort. Soon, she realized the cause of that discomfort.

‘……Something feels off.’

The original Astevan was not a talkative character. He was more like a machine, moving solely for his own goals.

Yet the Astevan before her was babbling excessively.

‘Why? What’s his purpose?’

Astevan never acted without meaning. So there had to be a reason for maintaining such trivial conversation.

Just as she pondered and pondered.

‘Wait, could it be……!’

A hypothesis suddenly struck her mind.

The reason for engaging in irrelevant, nutritious-less talk.

And so, she yelled.

“Ulan! Attack! He’s stalling for time while pretending to converse!”

The sudden shout came out of nowhere.

It was a rather abrupt content, but Ulan didn’t hesitate for a moment and expanded his domain.

However, just before his axe could touch, Astevan had already stepped back.

【Tsk, so quick to pick up on things for no reason.】

An uncomfortable glint shone in his blue eyes.

Proof that Noa’s guess had been correct.

【But it’s already too late.】

As soon as his words hung in the air.

Thud! Crunch!

A gigantic magic circle formed on the ground, and the army of the undead merged as one.

Moments later, the colossal mass split into three, shrinking rapidly before converting into shapes familiar to the group.

“……!”

Undead wearing beast masks.

The Undying Minions.

But that wasn’t all.

As Astevan swung his staff, a fierce sandstorm arose suddenly.

“Aaaah!”

“Ack! Th-this is….”

This wasn’t just an ordinary sandstorm.

With each grain of sand grazing their skin, it tore at them, causing blood to splash.

Wounds blooming all over their bodies.

Moreover, the wind was so fierce that they could hardly open their eyes. Noa and Laurea bit down screams and endured the pain.

At that moment, both girls felt their bodies suddenly lift off the ground.

A large hand gripping their waists.

It was Ulan. Having cast aside his Magic Armor, he swiftly grabbed Noa and Laurea, lifting them into the inner space of the armor.

“Stay here.”

Ulan’s Magic Armor had been custom-built for him. The internal space was spacious enough that even with the two girls inside, there was still room to spare.

Meanwhile, Laurea seemed to catch on to Ulan’s intentions and exclaimed urgently.

“B-but if that’s the case, then you…!”

“I’ll be fine. I’m used to it.”

After retorting in a gruff tone.

Ulan locked eyes with Noa.

“Noa.”

“Y-yes?”

“Leave the trouble to me and find the source.”

Ulan understood too.

To achieve victory against Astevan, they had to find the source.

“……Understood! I’ll take care of it!”

Noa nodded with a resolute expression.

Having safely placed the two girls in a secure space, Ulan positioned himself in front of the Magic Armor, as if to guard it.

Even as the sharp shards of sand tore at him, he paid no mind. After all, the wounds recovered in the blink of an eye.

‘Hero’s Enchantment.’

The mark of Kazan Rudrik engraved on his back.

With the added effect of the Elixir received from Noa, incredible recovery power activated.

With that, he was ready for battle.

Ulan swiftly drew the axe at his waist and glanced back.

‘Magic Armor.’

It was indeed a good item.

He felt as if his body had grown larger, and he could even sense the boundaries of his domain extending.

But that was as far as it went.

‘That’s not my power.’

It was merely borrowing the power of an item.

Of course, it was supremely beneficial for fighting monsters, but it became an obstacle to challenging his limits and growing.

Ulan was well aware that one could not grow accustomed to convenience and comfort. So he willingly chose to part with the Magic Armor.

“Hoo.”

Taking a deep breath, Ulan stared intently towards the diminishing sandstorm. Just then, familiar voices drifted in from beyond the hazy sight.

【Kazan Rudrik.】

At the same time, the sandstorm completely ceased.

Following that, what emerged was Astevan and the Undying Minions, along with a multitude of undead soldiers that had encircled them.

【Accept your death here, where our bad fate began. This is the only mercy a brother can bestow on a traitor.】

Astevan closed his mouth and raised his staff.

It was a signal indicating the onset of battle.

6.

The clash between Ulan and Astevan.

With a direct confrontation between the two forces, the battlefield was once again enveloped in a sandstorm. During that time, Noa gnawed at her lips.

‘Think. Think. Think!’

This was a precious time Ulan had won for them.

She couldn’t waste it. So she strained her eyes, putting all her effort into searching for where Astevan’s source might be.

But it eluded her.

No matter how much she looked, all she saw were sand dunes and the desolate desert. So if there was any possibility, it had to be below the sand.

‘But that’s a problem in itself.’

The desert was far too vast and expansive.

It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. While she was fidgeting with a worried expression.

“Aaaah!?”

Suddenly, Laurea let out a short scream.

Something had surged up from the darkness within the Magic Armor.

Did Astevan use necromancy?

That thought crossed her mind, but what appeared was something very familiar.

[Grrr!]

It was a small wolf.

The clone of the White Wolf, which had probably tagged along when Ulan came here.

Meanwhile, the White Wolf sniffed around before suddenly burying its head into Noa’s chest.

“W-wait a second!”

Taken aback by the sudden action, Noa soon shook off her surprise. The White Wolf quickly pulled its head back, holding a bright blue talisman in its mouth.

“This is….”

An all-too-familiar talisman for her.

The Communication Talisman.

The fact that it was glowing meant that someone had tried to contact her. And given the current situation, the options for who could contact Noa were very limited.

“No way!”

Her eyes widened in an instant.

A moment later, a smile blossomed on her face.

A potential was arising in her mind.

Meanwhile, outside the Magic Armor, where Noa and Laurea were sheltered, a fierce battle raged on.

Whoosh! Kwang!

The axe cleaved through space violently.

The Devouring Axe, Gula, greedily consumed the enemy’s magic power. It didn’t matter if it was the power of the Abyss.

Was that all?

In the opposite hand, the Purifying Axe, Ose, sliced through all malevolent magic that threatened its master.

It was hard to believe there was a numerical disadvantage as the battle pressed on intensely.

The resurrected Undying Minions.

Ever since earlier, they had their eye on the Magic Armor behind Ulan. Likely intending to slip by him and ambush Noa and Laurea.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

Ulan’s eyes glimmered ominously.

After exchanging blows numerous times, he purposely created an opening.

A gap of barely one step.

It was clearly bait, but the imperfectly resurrected Undying Minions took the bait.

And their bodies were split in half.

What Ulan created wasn’t a mere gap, but a Transcendent Domain. Following that, Ulan unleashed his domain on the pursuing Undying Minions.

Thunk! Crack!

The axe flew through the air, cleaving through the remaining Undying Minions. However, it didn’t reach Astevan who was behind them.

Not because the distance was short.

But because as soon as the Transcendent Domain was activated, he jerked back nimbly.

【Did you think I would be foolish enough to be caught twice by the same attack?】

Astevan wore a smirk.

Despite having seen through the Transcendent Domain, Ulan didn’t falter. Astevan wasn’t the first lord to evade his Transcendent Domain.

‘Giant King Rargtan.’

An adversary from his past life, on the last battlefield.

There had been a similar situation back then.

The first Transcendent Domain he cast had touched the Giant King’s body, but failed to cleave through it, which led to a missed second attempt.

Like Astevan, the Giant King had also understood and seen through what a Transcendent Domain was.

‘But it doesn’t mean there’s no answer.’

In the final moments, Ulan had managed to claim victory against the Giant King. Remembering that moment, he controlled his ragged breaths.

‘But….’

This time, the situation was a little different.

The Giant King had held the source within his massive body, but the Astevan before him was merely a clone, without a source.

‘So I’ll hold out.’

Until the objective is achieved.

Protecting Noa while buying time until she discovers the source. That was the mission assigned to Ulan now.

Meanwhile, as the offensives slowed, Astevan’s blue eyes shimmered ominously.

【Why hesitate to attack?】

As if realizing something.

He soon pressed on with a piercing tone.

【Are you trying to find my source?】

Astevan was perceptive.

Just by observing Ulan’s fighting style, he could deduce what his intentions were.

In contrast, Ulan responded with silence.

He was clearly struck, yet there wasn’t an ounce of agitation on his face, which made Astevan sneer.

【What a futile endeavor. You will never be able to discern my source with your own strength. You will absolutely not win!】

A powerful assertion rang out.

At the moment Astevan attempted to instill despair in Ulan, a voice suddenly interjected into the conversation.

“Surely, that’s not entirely wrong.”

It was Noa’s voice.

Stepping out from her Magic Armor, she nodded as if agreeing with Astevan’s statement. Then, she promptly bowed her head towards Ulan.

“Sorry, Ulan. With the power I have, I can’t find Astevan’s source.”

Apologizing for not being able to fulfill a request.

At this, Astevan giggled delightfully, thinking that their hope had been crushed.

In contrast, Ulan did not fall into despair.

Because on Noa’s lips, as she apologized, a bright smile lingered.

“So I called for reinforcements.”

A brilliantly shining talisman.

As she held up the Communication Talisman, she beamed.

For some reason, Astevan felt an odd sense of anxiety from that smile. Just then, from Noa’s embrace, a small figure bounced down.

【───!?】

A small wolf.

The clone of the White Wolf, Miyu of Rudrik.

Realizing this presence, Astevan’s expression shifted to one of panic. Meanwhile, the White Wolf let out a fierce howl into the air.

[Awwooo!]

Just as the refreshing howl echoed out.

A shadowy spear shot towards the White Wolf. Astevan’s necromancy. The spear of shadow that had nearly led Noa to death.

However, there was no need to worry.

The spear of shadow that delivered death crumbled before even reaching its target. This was due to Ulan, who recognized what needed to be done.

【Don’t interfere!】

As the angry roar echoed out, a crack suddenly formed in the air.

Crack! Crash!

The space shattered like glass.

Soon, from beyond the gap, white shadows rushed in like waves. They were the clones of the White Wolf, covered in white fur.

【You! A mere hunting dog!】

But the only ones who stepped into this space were the clones of the White Wolf. The arrows that sliced sharply through the air were evidence of that.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The arrows flew and pierced Astevan’s body. Silver-plated arrows. Soon the culprit who shot them arrived by Noa’s side.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’ll hit every single one.”

The sniper, Sven Isaac.

With the appearance of a hunter specialized in tracking, a gentle melody rang out.

As soon as the fatigue that had accumulated in his body was wiped away, a lovely voice resonated in Ulan’s ear like the sound of a sweet song.

“Hehe, I finally made it.”

The bard, Fertisha.

She had appeared by Noa’s side, smiling at Ulan. At that moment, a holy sword of light soared into the battlefield.

“Hoo, it’s another mountain beyond the mountain.”

“You held on well. From now on, we fight together.”

Knight Ian.

Paladin Master Kadel.

The two looked like they had just come from a fierce battle, messily disheveled. But as if they could not take a break yet, they pointed the sword of light towards Astevan.

“Don’t worry about the rear!”

“We’ll protect it.”

Sword Maiden Ivella.

Star Witch Delia.

The last two girls to join surrounded the Magic Armor, guarding it. In the blink of an eye, the heroes had gathered in one place. Just as Ulan’s heart felt settled.

“Ulan!”

Noa called out to him.

With eyes shining with hope, she continued to speak with a cheerful smile.

“Leave finding the source to us, and you do what you need to do!”

“Then give me instructions.”

What is it that he must do.

Since Noa had decided to command this battle, he would follow that promise. Ulan’s response brought a satisfied smile to Noa’s face.

“Go wild. Make it exciting.”

It was a commanding statement he could agree with.

Ulan grinned as he stomped the ground.

Entrusting the rear to his reliable companions, he prepared to face Astevan.