ALL NOVEL Chapter 36
Chapter
Enok walked slowly.
Every two steps, he would glance back to see Rionne waving.
Wave once, take two steps; wave once, take two steps.
However, when the moment came that he could no longer see Rionne, Enok sighed as he looked up at the sky.
“Hah…”
What even is Heavenly Death?
Why must I leave Rionne and face the world alone?
Freedom? Liberation?
If this is what freedom and liberation feel like, I’d prefer to live my life without ever knowing.
Still, I can’t completely despise my fate as a child of Heavenly Death, for it was precisely because of this that I met Rionne.
Thinking of the weight in his body, heavy with the gifts she had given him, a faint smile crept onto his face.
“Well, honestly. Isn’t giving me a castle nearly akin to an engagement proposal?”
Enok grumbled under his breath, preparing his ki at his toes.
Within the vivid spark of ki, clusters of starlight blossomed, and soon they exploded in a unified burst.
Kuwung──────!!
Enok’s body shot forward like a beam of light.
In an instant, he surpassed the speed of sound.
The wall of air crashing against him shattered into pieces.
Kwahwahwahg──────!!!
With a thunderous sonic boom in his wake, Enok set his sights on his destination.
‘First, let’s head toward the Elf Union.’
The most important priority on this journey was his own growth.
Enok firmly felt it.
In life-threatening situations, he could grow rapidly.
Hadn’t he experienced explosive growth when he first encountered the Master of the Forest?
Thus, his destination naturally narrowed to dangerous terrain.
However, one thing: Enok wasn’t looking for a place to die.
He had no desire to die whatsoever.
Previously, he had felt no fear of death, but upon finding something he desperately wanted, his thoughts changed.
So, the conclusion he reached was a place that was risky yet offered at least a modicum of insurance.
What he had received from Rionne would likely work in his favor amid the elves, so he thought he’d head there first.
It was just then that Enok was making his way forward.
Chooch─────!!!
The sky was splitting apart.
Surprised, Enok turned his head.
A sudden occurrence.
He tensed up as he stayed alert to his surroundings.
Puddock—
Fragments of the shattered space began to fall.
The torn sky stitched itself back together.
The dawn broke with a sky of new light, midday embraced a vibrant blue, the evening sun cast shadows, and the night sky appeared jet black—all blending together like a bizarre yet wondrous puzzle.
At this unbelievable phenomenon, Enok couldn’t help but let his mouth hang open.
He instinctively knew.
If anyone on the continent looked up at the sky right now, they would all witness the same view.
To put it another way, this meant that the sky of the continent had been reduced to such a state.
All the remaining sky had been severed, and what was left was stitched together.
At that moment, when his body stiffened from the incredible sight, a familiar voice resounded across the heavens.
[Listen. The Swordmaster, Rionne Estor, proclaims.]
Unlike usual, the voice carried an air of authority.
In that cold voice devoid of any emotion, Enok sensed the feelings hidden beneath the surface.
[My disciple has set out to explore the world, so there should be no one on the continent who dares remain unaware of this.]
In that stiff tone, Rionne’s kindness could be felt.
If a stranger were to hear it, it would be utterly incomprehensible, but for Enok, her anxious heart and tender worries reached him directly.
[To those who extend a helping hand to my child, I offer grace, and to those who intend harm, I bear a grudge. If someone dares to seek revenge against my child, let them remember this: I swear by my name, my honor, my flesh, and my soul that I will chase them down and kill them, even if it means burning everything.]
As Enok stood dumbfounded, the sky that had been entwined began to unravel.
Whether it was the exertion at hand or perhaps the limits of power, it was as if time was rewinding, the stained-glass-like sky was transforming into a clear and vibrant blue.
[Always remember, you have nothing left to lose.]
With those words, the sky regained its calm as though nothing had occurred.
Then, quietly, Eri peeked her head out from somewhere.
[Wow…! It’s so utterly reckless, but it’s still impressive!]
“That’s reckless? I’m just a bit worried.”
[Hmm… I don’t think “a bit” quite fits, Dad!]
She wouldn’t back down.
With her beak poking out, Enok pressed it back down and continued on his now lighter steps.
‘I should keep my name hidden.’
Introducing myself as Enok Estor would likely lead to more trouble.
*
As the sky began to swirl with crimson hues, Enok spotted a city.
It was a first-time sighting, but that was no problem.
After showing his mercenary guild token and passing through the castle gates, Enok glanced around.
“Pretty….”
A developed city.
A small town along the lines of Dendalo or slightly larger, what was it again?
In any case, it was a far cry from the petty lord’s city he had been to before.
Perhaps the lord here was a legitimate Master.
Such thoughts crossed his mind.
The level of development of a fief often correlates with the strength of its lord.
“Let’s just barge in!”
[I’m up for it!]
“Well, we’ll see.”
First, he needed to confirm whether he was on the right path.
After following a rough map he’d heard about, he might have come from a different direction altogether.
Enok grabbed a passing man.
“You there.”
“Y-Yes? W-What can I do for you…?”
The man, intimidated by Enok’s unordinary appearance, smiled sheepishly.
“Do you know the location of the Elf Union?”
“The Elf Union, you say…? I’ve heard that if you go west, you’ll find it, but it’s quite a distance…”
“West?”
Enok looked toward the setting sun.
The direction he had just come from.
He had been rushing toward the Elf Union, only to realize he was heading in the opposite direction.
“Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue, Enok nodded and shifted his steps.
It seemed wiser to find a map first.
He’d heard maps were once strategic resources, but by now, they weren’t difficult to acquire at all.
With some money, he could easily get a rough map.
Why had the importance of maps diminished?
It was nothing complicated.
Wars between nations were soon battles among demigods.
Maps served no purpose, and when demigods clashed, those areas had to be redrawn entirely anyway.
Trying to devise strategies held little meaning.
The scale of demigod battles was beyond what could be affected by such things.
After the fief wars, which normally concluded with duels between two lords, generally speaking.
Though there were occasions when strategies played a significant role in fief wars…, it was likely not enough to hinder map-making.
Thus, there was no reason for the upper echelons to pay attention to mere trivial skirmishes that couldn’t even be considered fief wars.
Ding—
[Oh? Mercenary Guilds are in every city, huh?]
Upon entering the Mercenary Guild’s doors, Eri climbed onto Enok’s head to see.
The interior of the guild resembled those previously encountered.
Only the building was larger, giving the impression that it wasn’t overflowing with people.
[Wow, Dad! Look at all the people! They’re all really ugly! Is this how humans are? You look fine, but everyone else looks so unique!]
With that, the spacious area was soon filled with tense silence.
Countless gazes bombarded Enok and Eri.
That silence was swiftly replaced by anger.
“Who is this…! Oh? Hmm, hoho. Indeed. They seem worth it.”
“Wow, you would believe they’re the same race as you? Unbelievable.”
“Do you think you’re any different? You look like a squashed tomato.”
“What the hell, huh!?”
Surprisingly few of the angry glares were directed at Enok himself.
Not wanting to usher in any unnecessary trouble, he purchased a map at the counter and promptly exited the Mercenary Guild.
“When you criticize, say it only to me. If you yell it out loud, things might get messy.”
[…Sorry. I thought you might enjoy it if you started trouble.]
After giving Eri a gentle pat on the head, Enok stepped out onto the street.
As he unfolded the map he had just bought and skimmed through it, it did show the general direction toward the Elf Union.
Now, he just needed to buy some hoods or something, rest for the night, and set off…
Clunk-! Vroom-!
A carriage brushed past Enok.
Pulled by two horses, the carriage looked somewhat expensive, though not overly luxurious.
It was nothing significant, but Enok’s gaze turned cold.
“Hyah!”
The human driver of the carriage, a faint stench about him—it wasn’t strong, but there was a hint of blood.
Had it ended there, it wouldn’t have bothered him at all…
[Eri: Why the long face, Dad?]
“Because of the smell.”
[Eri: Huh?]
“The smell of elves.”
Different from Rionne.
Instead of the fragrance reminiscent of her forest, there was a hint of sweet fruit mixed in.
But Enok couldn’t fail to recognize it.
Though he had never seen another elf, his instincts told him otherwise.
[Eri: The smell of elves? You can detect that in such a short moment?]
Shouldn’t the fox be more sensitive to scents?
Without the mental capacity to ponder Eri’s confused head tilt, Enok realized.
“Could it be…?”
It was unbelievable, yet his instincts whispered to him.
An occurrence that shouldn’t even be happening was unfolding here.
“Silently, follow them.”
The spell cast immediately adhered to the back of the carriage.
A spell that tracked the target’s position.
Enok’s eyes narrowed as he fixated on the carriage disappearing into the distance.
“Humans really are….”
As unbelievable as it might sound, if his thoughts proved correct…
His struggle would begin here.
A faint spark of ki flickered at the corners of Enok’s eyes.