Chapter 497 - Successor of the North (2)
In a time when magic was not yet commercialized, when the continent had not yet stabilized───a distant past, raw and primitive compared to the present.
Among the northerners, who lived their daily lives enduring the ever-present cold, there was one man who awakened an abnormal mana circuit.
"Up until then, he was an ordinary Mage, of course, he had not even pioneered Mado. But after his mana circuit changed, he could arbitrarily emit an ice ray that did not exist in any of the existing tier spells. With that power, he ruled as the chief of a medium-sized northern tribe, and died of natural causes due to old age."
"Was it a special trait?"
"It was neither a special trait, nor one of the ancient bloodlines you know. If it had been, then some fragment of that talent would have been passed down through the chief's bloodline to his descendants.... But that chief's mana circuit reappeared only much later, in an entirely different place."
A few years after the death of the chief, a northerner who made his living chopping firewood suddenly felt a change in his body.
A man who had never been related to magic suddenly awakened to mana overnight, and a mana circuit was formed in his body, naturally enabling him to wield an innate magic that shaped cold into solid form.
"At that time, Mages were extremely rare across the continent. Even more so in the North. The woodcutter, who suddenly rose in status, showed arrogance rather than humility. Eventually, while he was sleeping, an assassin sent by a merchant he had insulted stabbed his abdomen several times and took his life."
Eres continued the tale calmly, as if reading from a history book.
Several decades after the woodcutter-turned-Mage was murdered.
In the body of a child who aspired to be a warrior, that same peculiar mana circuit settled once more.
The child gained the ability to infuse objects with frost.
Because of that, he was selected and raised as talent for the tribe... but unfortunately, before he could ever enter the battlefield, he was ambushed by a wolf-like magical beast the size of a house, and became its meal.
Years passed again, and this time, a 4th-tier Mage's mana circuit surged.
That Mage became one who could summon large-scale snowstorms, swept across countless battlefields, and left his mark in northern history.
"Thus, the unidentified mana circuit was never destroyed, but continued its lineage. Whenever its possessor died, it would someday reappear in another northerner who had no relation whatsoever, and depending on their talent, it granted them magical abilities related to frost."
Eres raised his palm upward.
Sparkling snow crystals formed, hovering in the air.
"Then, that mana circuit settled in the body of a boy. But the boy's talent was on a different level. He wielded the power more freely than any of its previous owners, and felt a strange sense never experienced before... an inexplicable pull from the far North."
The far North.
That place was none other than Frostium, where Verden and his companions now stood.
"Fortunately, even at a young age, the boy's mind was upright, and he knew self-restraint. He did not recklessly flaunt the power he had suddenly obtained, and he resisted the pull, which was akin to an impulsive desire like lust, without faltering."
At that time in the North, the strong were the law and morality, thus everyone revered and envied power.
In that sense, the boy was extraordinary.
From the violence rampant in the North, he learned compassion and empathy, and from the oppression of survival of the fittest, he pursued his own freedom, and was willing to extend a helping hand to others.
Rather than being intoxicated by his newfound power, questioning the origins of this inexplicable mana circuit was, for the boy, the natural thing to do.
"In time, the boy became a man."
Through rigorous training grounded in his talent, the man became someone who could wield magical frost along with qi, an existence unprecedented in the history of the North.
Overwhelming might.
A man who had never experienced defeat was duly recognized by the great tribes, and received the title of Grand Warrior.
"It was then that the man accepted that he was ready. Without anyone to stop him, he packed his belongings and set off northward, following the pull of the North he had struggled to ignore since childhood."
The journey was horrendously arduous.
In an era when airships had not been invented, trudging on foot through snowfields where even horses could not endure, how could it have been easy?
From his home to the icy barrier of Frostium, the journey took three whole years.
Any other would have long since starved or frozen to death.
But the man, thanks to his unique mana circuit, had exceptional resistance to frost, and with his indomitable will, he endured the tormenting hunger with only the bare minimum of food needed to sustain physical activity.
"In the end, the man demonstrated the feat of breaking through Frostium's snowstorms with his bare body. Not stopping there, he climbed the towering ice wall. Even amidst countless near-death falls, he finally conquered the summit, and pressed on, again and again..."
Eres moved forward.
His clear, ice-like transparent blue eyes gazed upon the giant.
"At last, he discovered this ice cavern within the gorge. And along with the giant frozen inside the ice... he discovered the existence of the ice chains linking it to his own mana circuit."
"..."
"In that instant, the man realized. That his existence was sealing away this monster, which looked dead, within the ice. And that he himself could not interfere with the seal."
At any rate.
"Upon learning this truth, the man was filled with questions."
Eres turned his back on the ancient creature frozen in ice.
"No matter how one looked, this giant seemed to have been sealed in ice long, long ago. Then why was it that his own existence, who had lived for but a few decades, was the one maintaining the seal? If he investigated this mana circuit that had suddenly appeared one day, perhaps he could uncover the causality? With that judgment, the man quickly left Frostium and set about his research."
Verden, who had been quietly listening along with the others, stroked his chin.
"The information he uncovered must be those earlier owners of the mana circuit you mentioned."
"Correct. But no matter how it's dressed up, it was only a historical conjecture, pieced together from the records he gathered by traveling through various tribes. People outside those records couldn't even make such guesses."
Eres shook his head.
"In the end, all the man learned was that the mana circuit he carried continued its seal by passing between northerners. Beyond that, he uncovered no origin. At the same time, he was overwhelmed by an indescribable fear."
"Fear?"
"If, after his death, someone else inherited the mana circuit, and they discovered a way to break the seal, and carried it out... he could not even imagine what kind of catastrophe would occur. He feared many people would die. That was the kind of man he was."
He tapped the ground with the tip of Nevis, then overlapped his hands on the end of the hilt.
"So the man wandered from place to place, seeking a way to protect Frostium's seal forever, to guard not only the North, but the entire world, against the day it might break. To him, it was like a duty. He believed it was a task only he could fulfill."
Eres lowered his voice.
"To such a man, it was inevitable that the Ark would make contact."
***
Though no one forced him, the man felt a sense of duty to protect the world, and the Ark was a group devoted to humanity, the frail race.
Their natures fit together like puzzle pieces.
Despite considerable effort, the man had not found even a clue of a solution, so he requested aid from the leaders of the Ark.
Naturally, they did not refuse.
Thus the man came to share the burden he carried with the Ark, and the Ark gained within their ranks a brilliant talent who would guide mankind.
"At that time, the Ark did not yet possess the sky-island, the Ark, but even so, they held knowledge and technology that defied common sense. The Ark's leadership, guided by the man, beheld the giant within Frostium's ice, and after meticulously examining the man's body over several years, they presented several possibilities."
The crucial point was the control of the mysterious mana circuit passed only among northerners.
"The man's choice boiled down to two conclusions."
One was subjugation, the other was control.
To elaborate, through bloodline subjugation, prevent the mysterious mana circuit from arbitrarily settling in some random person again.
And through a separate tool, ensure that no unworthy person could wield its power, thus enforcing control.
"The ones who played the most important role then, came to be classified in this age as the 'Gluttony' faction of the Ark. Ah, of course, those people themselves did not create Gluttony. The betrayal within the Ark occurred hundreds of years later."
"...Gluttony?"
Verden frowned.
A group of madmen who seek the evolution of humans through consumption.
He had no good feelings for those monsters, who called present-day humans the old race, and used them as material.
Eres spoke.
"Asher, in the Duchy of Riviant, you were not part of the Ark. Yet you personally slew both the Doctor and the Fang of Gluttony, which shows that you abhor human experimentation."
"So."
"I understand your feelings. The current Gluttony are indeed horrific beings. But the root of Gluttony lies in the Ark... originally, their human experimentation was conducted solely for the sake of humanity."
No matter how much the God of Light embraced humanity, He could not save everyone.
If divine miracles were granted equally and freely to all, it would only plunge the world into chaos.
For the Church of Luas to remain unswayed by external power and authority, and to uphold the doctrine of Light, differentiation by standards was inevitable.
Thus, unless in exceptional cases, neither kings of nations nor beggars of alleys could receive healing from Luas's archbishop-level priests if their bodies were broken or they suffered serious illnesses.
Not to mention the saintess's transcendent miracle of resurrecting the dead.
"That is why, at one time, the Ark's biological research was believed to be another hope for humanity. For it could directly treat those who could not receive miracles... but in the end, they coveted Gluttony's power, smuggled their organs, and fell into heresy, proclaiming a new humanity."
Eres's eyes dimmed with a heavy look as he exhaled.
"Anyway, returning to the original story. The man volunteered as a test subject. The Ark studied the properties of his mana circuit for years. And at last, through a grand surgery, they succeeded in splitting the form of the mana circuit into two."
He lifted his chin slightly.
"One was transplanted into a sword, which is now considered an ancient artifact in this era, becoming the Sword of Prohas, Nevis, which I possess. The other was completely fused into the man's bloodline, paving the way for it to pass on to his descendants."
Control through Nevis.
Subjugation through bloodline.
"With the sacrifices of many, the man achieved his purpose. What's more, his power did not diminish, but grew even stronger. All that remained for him to do was preserve his bloodline forever, to safeguard Frostium's seal."
Eres gazed at his reflection in the ice below.
Gleaming golden hair and blue eyes, proof of the northern king's bloodline, stared back.
"That was the beginning of Prohas, the kingdom that alone rules the northernmost edge of the continent."
The man ascended as the great king who first unified the North.
And within the Ark, he rose to the rank of captain, becoming the first Watcher of the North.
***
'As I expected.'
Unlike the Ark's method of selecting candidates across the continent, Eres belonged to the Ark by lineage.
Setting aside the other clues, Lienje's words, that only the kings of Prohas across generations could find the path in Frostium, were proof enough.
Then, Verden asked.
"So the Watcher of the North is a position inherited by blood, from predecessor to successor. But the process seems unstable. What if the descendants cannot prove their worth to Nevis, or if the previous king dies first and the line is broken?"
"A reasonable question. The Ark also considered such side effects. The solution they presented was the ancient artifact that became the prototype of Nevis."
Eres rested Nevis on his shoulder.
"The one who owns this sword will never die of old age. Only by passing Nevis's ownership to a successor can one fulfill their duty, and then, after enjoying their natural lifespan, enter into deep rest."
"If they cannot find an heir, does that mean they must live forever? And if they are killed in the meantime?"
"Of course, if that happens, the bloodline will be cut off. But upon this cold land, there are almost none on the entire continent who could kill the King of the North, who could kill me. Even if they were a transcendent."
The firm tone that Eres uttered was brimming with confidence.
Yet the question still remained.
What if a King of the North, who had proven their worth to Nevis, someday had a change of heart, and chose to break Frostium's seal or harm humanity?
To that, Eres asked in return.
"Asher, could you ever act against your own ideals?"
To this question, every transcendent would, without exception, give the same answer.
"No."
"The same goes for me. Becoming the owner of Nevis means exactly that. People may change, but just as a part of one's foundation can never be defiled, this ultimate will is guaranteed to be upheld. Until the duty as Watcher of the North is fulfilled."
Eres's resolve was harder than the massive ice boulder sealing the giant.
Verden muttered.
"Stubborn. Like a transcendent."
"I'll take that as a compliment, though... perhaps it's not entirely different."
Eres shrugged.
"They say so-called transcendents are chosen beings, don't they? In that sense, one could say my bloodline, and the first possessors of Nevis's original mana circuit, were also chosen in a way... well, of course, nothing has ever been revealed about that. Ahaha, just a jest, don't take it seriously."
Chosen.
As Verden's thoughts lingered on those words, Eres continued speaking.
"You asked me earlier, didn't you. Whether a transcendent is, by the Ark's standards, still human. Before I answer that, let me first ask you. What am I?"
Eres placed a hand on his chest.
The beat of his heart spread through skin, muscle, and nerves.
"Whatever the purpose, my bloodline is the product of human experimentation. Unnatural. So am I human, or not human?"
Before Verden could reply, Eres gave his own answer.
"I am human. Always."
Unshakable.
So firm that even if the world declared him not human, he would not accept it.
Next, Eres answered the question Verden had once asked him in Chilstead.
"And in the Ark, if someone of humanity becomes transcendent, they are considered a branch of mankind. Like a special individual, as demi-humans or heteromorphs sometimes are."
A special individual.
Verden nodded.
"Not an unreasonable idea. But saying that transcendence is a branch, not the next stage of humanity... does that mean there are other paths?"
"As you know, transcendents differ from humans in many ways. Their true strength built upon a new realm, their bodies and minds, those are prime examples."
"Yes, and among them, the most notable difference is the means to affect parts of the world itself, like transcendental arts or transcendent-tier magic."
"That is why awakening to transcendence is undoubtedly the proper path. But surpassing the limits of one's race is not the only method."
Eres lifted his sword.
From the dusky blade, frost trickled down.
"Like this Nevis."
"And for example, among the five current captains of the Ark, there is one transcendent, but assuming full strength, his power ranks only second place, tied."
"You mean... there is someone who is not a transcendent, yet can confront a transcendent's power head-on, and win?"
"Exactly. In particular, the captain called the Slayer of Calamity is beyond standard even within the Ark. And the one ranked on the same level as the transcendent is someone you also know well... the Seeker of the Unknown, Legrit."
Verden tilted his head.
The might of War Lord Legrit, which he had witnessed in the Ark's exchange battle, was indeed formidable... but never to the degree of being comparable to a transcendent.
Eres smiled.
"Every captain conceals one decisive card. Among them, Legrit is exceptional. Too dangerous to use even in an exchange battle. In any case, as for the question of whether transcendents are human, does this suffice as an answer?"
"I understand the Ark's view of transcendents now. But I must ask."
"Please."
"Why are you so freely telling us so much?"
The information Eres revealed was, in short, excessive.
Setting Verden aside, it was not something Adrian and Isabella should have been hearing. Beyond the question of accountability for keeping secrets.
"Because if you become the next captain, you'll learn these things anyway."
"...!"
Verden flinched inwardly.
He already held the will to become an Ark captain, in order to uncover the link between the sky-island Ark and the First Demon King.
But he had never revealed such thoughts outwardly.
So why was Eres so certain?
"What's your basis?"
"That's a secret."
There was no need to answer every question.
Just as Verden had not told Eres the detailed reasons for coming north, so too did Eres declare he would keep his silence.
"..."
Verden had nothing more to say.
Eres stretched and loosened his body.
"Phew, then I've shown you what I wanted to show, and told you what I wanted to tell. Let's rest a bit, then head back to Chillstead."
"You've gone through a lot to explain all this, Your Majesty."
"It does feel like I've sat through another endless Ark conference. Prepare some drinks. Something cold."
Eres entered the airship with Lienje.
Verden glanced at their retreating figures, then turned to gaze upon the giant sealed in ice, alongside Alpha.
Silence fell.
Nearby, Isabella and Adrian, who had overheard Verden and Eres's conversation, whispered.
"What... what in the world did we just hear?"
"Mm, whatever it was, it's clear it's beyond what we can handle."
"There were so many parts I didn't understand. Should we ask the head later?"
"...Let's."
Adrian too was curious, so he accepted Isabella's suggestion.
Time passed, and the Pewyngla departed the ice cavern by spatial travel.
***
The fate that fixes the world's direction, repeating eternally... those who rejected it as free beings chose to resist.
And they were defeated.
But the outcomes they faced differed.
The World Tree───one was forced, as the price of defeat, to become a being of contemplation.
The Great Demon───one fled the battlefield, to continue existing.
The First Demon King, Oldarc Ruin Arkenad───one refused to admit defeat, and never ceased resisting.
But these were exceptions.
Most of the defeated bent their knees before the victors, and accepted fate.
The giant in the ice.
He was one of those who had submitted, and when the day came that the seal was undone and fate called once more, he would gladly offer his body and soul for it.
***
The convalescent days in Chillstead continued.
[His Majesty Verden has returned.]
Thanks to Isabella's potion, Verden's mana circuit had recovered to some degree, and his artifact began to function once more.
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