Chapter 321

321 – The End of the Sword Lord 2 (side Tolman)

Innumerable rarans gather in a single spot of dazzling green. The surrounding vegetation withers and dies, then bathes everything in bright red light as it is consumed by the spreading blaze. The green and red light permeate into the surrounding terrain. The gathered rarans disappear from view as they are engulfed by each other’s light. The dead trees that fallen around burst into flames, sealing our escape.

I don’t know what is happening any more. Perhaps I am no longer in the real world, but the realm of the dead?

I can only watch the scene unfold with my sword held ready in blank amazement. I feel heat from my back, then shake myself to extinguish the flames that are spreading to me, bringing myself back to my senses. I look around and see dazed soldiers, causing anger to well up inside me.

“Kgh! Kill them! I don’t know why, but they’re gathered in one spot! Kill! Kill them! What are you doing!?”

Even hearing my voice, they hardly move. The most they do is exchange bewildered glances. Why that is, I understand well. The rarans are terrifying.

“Kill them! If you just stand like that, your life will be in danger! Kill! Those who contribute to killing them will get a special reward! You should know well that I am not stingy! So hurry up and kill them!”

A single soldier draws his bow upon hearing my encouragement. Just as I think this will be enough to change the flow, ten rarans immediately appear around him and leap at him. The soldiers who see that scream and drop their weapons, running in every direction. Some of them try to climb over a burning tree, causing them to burst into flames and writhe while beating their bodies to extinguish themselves.

While that happens, the clumped rarans merge into a huge mass of soft light, and more rarans pile into that mass.

“Take me with you as you run! Someone…!”

“Tolman-samaah! This way!”

I look to see Grodel pulling a single mage from by the collar. If I remember right, that mage was one who could use water magic. I hurriedly chase after him. The fire has spread back to my body somewhat, but now is not the time to panic about such a thing.

While running, I throw myself against rocks and roll, somehow managing to put out the fire by the time I catch up to Grodel’s mage. By that point, most of my clothes are charred black or lost entirely, leaving me half-naked. Using my sword as a cane, I stagger towards Grodel. Why, why must I suffer and writhe with my life in danger? I clutch Grodel’s clothes, unable to see clearly due to the blood running from my forehead.

“……”

Grodel stops walking.

“What are you doing?! Run already!”

“T-tolman-sama, that…”

“H-huh?”

The nearby soldiers cry out in despair. It seems that behind me…there’s a change in the rarans. I no longer have sleeves, so I rub my eyes on Grodel’s clothes to wipe off the blood and look back.

The mass of rarans that had been swelling ever larger has compressed, becoming the size of an elephant. It’s appearance is that of a beast with an expression of wrath. The same green light of the rarans emits from its entire body, but its eyes alone are the colour of fire.

The beast raises its face to the sky.

“UOoooooooOOOOOOOH!”

It roars deafeningly. The sound echoes throughout the forest, and as though lured by its voice, thick rain clouds gather overhead. The weather changes in the blink of an eye as gale winds howl and heavy sheets of rain lash down.

That beast is causing this natural disaster? I kneel down involuntarily. As though copying me, Grodel also sinks to the ground.

“N-no way, is that the carbuncle…?”

Indeed, the carbuncle is said to have a pelt that shines like jewels and have a jewel embedded in its forehead. The glittering beast in front of me certainly matches that description.

I hadn’t thought it would be this large, nor that it would be made of an aggregation of rarans, but then information about it was so scarce in the first place. There was no getting around the incomplete information. It might even be the case that someone who saw the aggregated rarans thought it resembled the phantom beast, and so rumours were spread. But there’s only one thing that’s important here. If I can bring its pelt back, I can become king.

“S-someone! Kill it! Kill that thing! Try not to cut it too much! I’ll give you as much money as you want! I’ll give you as much money as you want! So do itttt!”

The remaining few soldiers slash at the beast. This can work. After all, it’s only made of puny rarans. I made the mistake earlier of trying to throw people at the problem, so those that were unprepared to die tried to flee, but now that they have a single large target, they can calmly handle it…

“UOoooooooOOOOOOOH!”

Howling, the beast raises both of its forelegs high then slams them into the ground. The shock of the impact reaches even my distant position. Combining with the storm winds, the shock throws me across the muddy ground. Spitting out mud, I look up at the beast to see the ground around it cracked open, trapping the nearby soldiers. It bites down mercilessly on the head of an immobilised soldier. It crushes the blood-spurting torso under its forefoot, then moves onto the next soldier.

Caked in mud and crawling on the ground, I watch the scene unfold. The sound of gale winds and heavy rain mix with the sound of distant boulders crashing. Is there still something else coming? I hurriedly get to my feet and move near Grodel.

“G-Grodel! Defeat that thing! Grodel!”

“That’s impossible, Tolman-sama! Were we in perfect condition, it’d be one thing, but with the other idiot soldiers in such a state…”

“I am the man who will become king! Don’t talk back to me! Defeat it! Make me king! If you can’t do that, then die! Die! Diiie!”

I shout at Grodel with such force that it tears the edge of my mouth. Grodel looks at me with furrowed brows, then kicks me in my abdomen.

“Gofuh!”

Unable to react to his sudden attack, my sword flies from my hand as I flip over.

“Don’t tell me to die, you idiot! You’re annoying! Go crawl on the ground and become food for that monster!”

“You bastard! You bastard!”

He moves further and further away with the mage by his side. I can do nothing but watch. The storm, the howling of the beast, and the terrifying sound of the terrain changing… These sounds combine and trample down on my ears. I no longer know whether my shivering is due to the cold rain, or my fear of the beast.

“G-Grodel! Come back! Save me, Grodel! Grodel!”

I can’t tell if my shout is drowned out by the noise, or if they have no intention of hearing me, but no one reacts. Eventually, the beast finishes tormenting a soldier and looks at me. Then, step-by-step, it approaches.

“S-someone! Anyone! Help me! Why won’t you save me?! What are you doing!”

I grab my sword and clamber to my feet to run from the beast. I hear the sound of it’s footfalls coming closer. I don’t see anyone moving towards me. Ignoring my orders, each of them are fleeing in different directions.

“Hannibal! Lapar! Alan! Save me! Why won’t you save me!? Azalea, Azaleaah! Why aren’t you here!? Save me, Azaleaaaah! Azaleaaah!”

As I stagger and fall, I see Grodel and the mage in the distance.

“Grodelll! Only you! When I return alive, I will have you experience all the forms of torture known to the world! Fuha, fuhaha, fuhahahahahah! Hahahahahaah!”

Perhaps because of my overflowing fear and anger, laughter surges up inside me. But I don’t find my situation amusing in the slightest. What is happening to me? I don’t even understand myself.

Then, mowing down trees, a mysterious ball appears, crushing Grodel and the mage. While I’m taken aback, it suddenly slows to a stop, getting to its feet just in front of me, its two necks stretching out.

“O-ouroboros!? Azalea, you failed! That, that idiot!”

I turn to the side and scramble away from the ouroboros. In that direction, the beast glares at me through its fiery eyes. I cower as the strength fades from my body.