The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound
chapter-412

Chapter 412: End Game (4)

Ballak.

A warrior tribe of the Red and Black Mountains.

They, along with the Iron-Blooded Sword Family Baskerville, wielded immense influence throughout the Western Territory.

Aiyen was the chieftain of Ballak and a warrior unmatched among her peers.

As the daughter of Chief Aquilla and the young blood to succeed her, she possessed the talent and skill to reach the level of a Graduator at just 17.

Normally, she would have perished when the Red Death swept through the mountains, but the butterfly effect caused by Vikir changed her fate.

‘…But still, I never expected to see her here.’

Vikir’s mouth dropped open in shock at this unexpected turn of events.

Aiyen grinned and nudged Vikir’s side with her elbow.

“I knew you’d be here.”

“…”

“Didn’t expect you’d still be wearing the necklace, though.”

She smiled brightly, looking at the old necklace around Vikir’s neck.

Meanwhile, Vikir glanced at Souaré,

Aiyen had just kicked Souaré in the head moments before.

“What happened?” Vikir asked Aiyen.

“What? You want to know why I’m here? Or how I got so strong so quickly?”

“…Both.”

When Vikir asked, Aiyen pointed her thumb behind her.

“I’ll explain on the way. Isn’t this urgent?”

“…”

Aiyen was right.

After quickly assessing the situation, Vikir left the scene.

Aiyen knocked out two guards blocking their way and took their bow and arrows.

Following Vikir, she spoke briefly.

“I was also inside the Abyss tree.”

“…!”

Vikir recalled his battle with Amdusias a few years ago.

Ahul, whom he met inside the Abyss tree, had also said the same thing.

‘I’m worried about the other tribe members. Especially my brother and the chieftain… At least we managed to survive here. If the ones who didn’t make it here met a worse fate…’

The world-devourer Amdusias had attacked Ballak’s territory and imprisoned them in the Abyss tree.

So, did this mean Aiyen was in the same Abyss tree that Vikir had entered?

But Aiyen shook her head.

“The Abyss tree I was in was a different entity. He called it a ‘prototype.’”

Vikir immediately understood what she meant.

The Abyss tree Vikir experienced was a refined version, making survival slightly easier for the challengers inside the tower.

But Aiyen had entered an earlier version of the Abyss tree.

A version was discarded due to its challengers’ extremely low survival rate, and she faced it alone!

“Inside, I survived by killing fairies and monsters and eating candy. Maybe because it was a faulty tower, it was impossible to clear. They said I’d be trapped in that tower forever. The demonic dragon I defeated on the top floor told me that.”

Vikir’s face showed genuine astonishment.

Even if it was a different version of the Abyss tree, a Demonic Dragon was no ordinary monster.

Aiyen had succeeded in hunting such a formidable creature after multiple attempts in the tower.

“So that’s the reason you’ve become such a battle-hardened warrior.”

“Heh heh heh—but I was only able to leave the tower because you defeated Amdusias.”

Aiyen had been trapped inside the tower, unable to escape despite clearing it, until one day she suddenly found herself outside.

She later learned that this was because Vikir had cleared the Abyss tree and defeated its master, Amdusias.

“After that, I left the Western Continent and came to the Central Continent. But it was already in ruins.”

Aiyen’s testimony was astonishing.

She described how numerous gates appeared in the night sky, unleashing fire and monsters.

Beasts rampaged, and fire rained down from above.

Hell Gates had opened.

Four ominous signs signaled the approaching end of the world.

“…Wait. Four signs? Not ten?”

When Vikir asked, Aiyen nodded.

“An endless darkness covers the world, fiery hail falls, and swarms of flies, and frogs plague the land. It’s four signs.”

“…Hmm. It seems that eliminating six of the Ten Corpses reduced the number of calamities to four.”

Vikir nodded.

Originally, six more disasters were supposed to occur.

Water turning to blood, a bubonic plague, livestock dying en masse, locust swarms devouring all crops, the death of the firstborn, and more.

But these events didn’t happen because Vikir had already eliminated the sources that would trigger these plagues.

‘But even with the remaining four, it’s enough to destroy the world.’

It was just a matter of time. The era of destruction came earlier due to the butterfly effect of events.

Even at this moment.

‘The Gate of Destruction will fully open soon. I need to eliminate them completely before that happens…’

As if reading Vikir’s thoughts, Aiyen spoke with a resolute voice.

“So, I went straight to CindiWendy as soon as I reached the capital.”

“…!”

Vikir’s eyes sparkled with interest.

CindiWendy was one of Vikir’s trusted subordinates, someone he could rely on no matter what happened.

Before entering Nouvellebag, Vikir had given her several directives, and if Aiyen had met her, things would progress smoothly.

“CindiWendy was trustworthy because she had traded with Ballak for a long time. She told me your story. That you were falsely accused and imprisoned.”

“It’s not exactly false, but go on.”

“So, I decided to handle the things you couldn’t finish.”

A fierce light shone in Aiyen’s eyes.

“I planned to assassinate Pedro Donquixote. Isotrope Usher. Thomas de Reviadon. And their masters: Monte, Madeline, and Hopps.”

Listening to her, Vikir finally understood the contents of the newspaper scraps he had obtained from a prisoner.

[Continuing…]

…Usher House, attacked…

– Usher House… mysterious attack… significant damage… authorities identify a suspect… one individual… victim Madeline… severely injured… not life-threatening…

[Exclusive] Donquixote Clan… hit by a series of attacks…

-… another mysterious attack… Monte… minor injuries… authorities identify a suspect… believed to be the same individual…

[Exclusive] Revaidon Clan, assassination suspect apprehended…

-… Leader Hobbes attacked… due to recent surge in monsters… clan territories plagued by unidentified gates and strange dungeons… empire-wide investigation initiated…

Usher, DonQuixote, and Reviadon Clan’s were attacked one after another, with a single perpetrator responsible.

That perpetrator was Aiyen.

“You could’ve just waited to meet me. I was planning to get out of here soon anyway.”

“Of course, I believed you would. But there’s no better reunion gift than the heads or livers of our enemies. I have a sense of style too, you know.”

“…”

Aiyen genuinely seemed disheartened that she hadn’t been able to eliminate the rest of the Ten Corpses.

Vikir consoled her.

“It was brave of you to go after them alone. That’s more than enough.”

“It’s nothing compared to fighting the Demonic Dragon in the Abyss tree. Or battling the entire cluster of Bloodsoaked Jade flowers on the blood River.”

“So what happened?”

“Well, to summarize, I failed. I attacked the head of Reviadon clan but… he was much stronger than I expected. So, I got captured and ended up here in Nouvellebag.”

“I figured. His true form is Phlorosya, one of the strongest demons in existance. You couldn’t have managed alone. Didn’t CindiWendy try to stop you?”

“She didn’t. I wasn’t alone.”

“…?”

Though her words left much unsaid, it was clear how much Aiyen had prepared and resolved herself for her vengeance.

“Thank you.”

“Ahem. Just know that. Treat me well.”

At that moment.

“You bastards!”

A large man blocked the path in front of Vikir and Aiyen.

Head captain Bastille. He wielded a jagged greatsword, obstructing their way down.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but you’re not getting past me!”

He knew well that he couldn’t stop the duo who had taken down D’ordume and Souaré.

So Head captain Bastille slammed his greatsword into the ground.

Boom! Crack-crack-crack-

He intended to cause an earthquake and collapse the passage, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

“…Damn.”

Vikir frowned at the unexpected obstacle.

Rocks were falling from above, and the ground was splitting open, creating a troublesome situation.

However.

Whistle—

Aiyen whistled with a meaningful smile.

Then, something amazing happened.

Aiyen’s hair ignited like flames, and soon, a giant wolf made of fire was summoned.

Recognizing the wolf’s face, Vikir smiled with joy.

“Bakira!”

Bakira, the wolf.

Aiyen smiled wryly.

“He stayed by my side, even after his time was up, without going to the afterlife. We made a summoning contract inside the Abyss tree.”

The fire wolf Aiyen summoned swiped Head captain Bastille away with a powerful paw.

Boom—

With a loud shockwave, Head captain Bastille’s body flew far away.

[Howl!]

Bakira leaped over the newly formed chasm in the ground, carrying Aiyen and Vikir on his back.

“What incredible speed.”

Vikir shivered at Bakira’s speed.

He never imagined this wolf, who lost his hind legs during the Madam’s attack, could run so fast.

At that moment, Aiyen suddenly remembered something and asked,

“Isn’t the fifth floor the gulper eel farm? Why are we heading to the tenth floor instead?”

“…That’s because.”

Vikir leaned in and whispered his plan into Aiyen’s ear.

“…Amazing. Was this all planned from the beginning? Even being imprisoned here?”

“Of course. Everything is going according to plan.”

Vikir nodded at Aiyen’s question.

So far, everything has gone smoothly.

D’ordume and Souaré were unconscious, and even head captain Bastille, who should have been controlling the guards, was down.

A few prominent prisoners from Level Nine were leading all the prisoners, and the guards seemed to be helplessly overwhelmed.

…However, life is always unpredictable. Things don’t always go as planned.

Bang!

A sudden loud noise hit the ceiling.

Crack-crack-crack—

The enormous Gate of Good and Evil suddenly began to open.

Ting— Thud! Thud! Snap! Crack! Snap!

The chains holding the gate shattered with a cacophonous noise, and an unprecedented force crushed the massive iron pulleys.

“Who, who is it? Who opened the Gate of Good and Evil!?”

Head Captain Bastille, emerging from a crack in the ground, shouted in shock, but there was no response.

Ssshhhh! Fssshhhhhh—

Cold water cascaded down from above, cooling the heated battlefield.

Every prisoner and guard, locked in a fierce struggle, looked up in surprise.

And there, they saw a single old man.

With only the strength of his arms, he had opened the Gate of Good and Evil and was slowly pushing his way into Nouvellebag.

…Thud!

The old man landed on the ground.

As the prisoners saw his wrinkled face, grimly set mouth, white stiff beard, and impeccably creased uniform, their faces began to pale.

He was the symbol and supreme ruler of Nouvellebag.

The one who reigned as the terror of all prisoners and held the ultimate authority over all guards.

Warden Orca had descended into the heart of the battlefield.