Turning Chapter 718

Chapter 718

"What have you done? Speak," demanded Nathan Zuckerman, thrusting his sword into Aton's shoulder without hesitation. Blood splattered, soaking the earth a dark crimson. Aton's body instinctively twisted in agony, yet instead of screaming, he returned a chilling gaze to the two men.

"This land harbors all the conditions for endless imbalance. Those targeting you are not only us, and what we did was merely add to the inevitable repercussions of imbalance that would have occurred someday with them. Today was the day it all came together, earning the right to be called the land of the black moon. If you're curious, go see for yourself what has become of it!"

Before he could finish, Aton's head was violently smashed into the ground as if trampled by someone. Unsurprisingly, it was Yuder, his hands wrapped in the force of the wind.

"Augh...!" Aton struggled desperately to lift his head buried in the dirt. No matter how much he pushed with his limbs, the invisible pressure of the wind was overpowering, feeling like being crushed under the foot of a giant. The sensation of the earth mangling his face, filling his nose and mouth, was no less intense than the pain of the sword biting into his shoulder blade. His consciousness began to blur.

"Huh...!" Moments later, Aton finally escaped the crushing pressure on the back of his head. Yuder Aile, wearing a glowing ring, appeared in his blurred vision. Blood streaming from Aton’s broken nose and injured eyes.

Contrary to what Aton expected, Yuder's face was expressionless, not showing any sign of the tremendous power he had just exerted. It was all the more unnerving how inhumanly impassive he seemed, as if he had no heart at all. Slowly, Yuder opened his mouth.

"This is too uninteresting for me to indulge. Don't even think about using such rhetoric to deceive anyone again. I would never fall for it."

Thump. Once again, a tremendous pressure crushed Aton's entire body. He felt his limbs shatter and lost consciousness.

Nathan Zuckerman spoke up beside Yuder, who had just subdued Aton.

"I've just twisted my bracelet to send a signal from our side. There's no significant change yet, but you should try as well, Sir Aile."

"Understood."

Yuder removed his ring. During the time he listened to Aton's nonsense, the ring's vibration had ceased, now as quiet as if its previous response had been a dream. He studied the tiny magic circle inside for a moment and then brushed it with his fingertip.

Once, twice, and then a third time.

Gold light briefly flared from the magic circle on the ring, then faded. Nathan Zuckerman, having observed Yuder's actions, began to tend to the unconscious Aton.

"You know, the Duke has the power to surpass us both if he so wishes. So, there's no need to make hasty assumptions just because our two magic tools reacted simultaneously."

"Yes. I share the same thought."

Despite his heart still racing with unease, Yuder knew just how formidable a person Kishiar was.

Kishiar had told Yuder to use the ring as a means of rescue, but that didn't necessarily mean Yuder had to use it for that purpose.

"It seems certain something has happened at the Cavalry branch, but such a situation might also pose a threat to us. So, we chose the quickest way to assess our situation, considering it might be the same here."

The fact that both Yuder's ring and Nathan Zuckerman's bracelet, two magic tools, had reacted simultaneously bolstered their speculation. It was a distinct possibility. Nathan Zuckerman nodded silently in agreement and responded.

"Or, it could be due to the use of magic. Magic tools are designed to respond to the innate magic power inherent in all humans, however slight, making them extremely sensitive to magic forces. I have heard it's quite common for magic tools to malfunction in the presence of large concentrations of magic power."

"I see. I wasn't aware of that..."

"In that case, I will follow after taking care of things here. Sir Aile, please go ahead."

Yuder hesitated for a moment.

"Is that alright?"

"You possess the power to move faster than me, don't you? And if it's related to the Cavalry, it would be better if Sir Aile goes."

Nathan Zuckerman, too, must have been eager to rush to Kishiar's side. Yet his words carried a clear intention of consideration, beyond a cold assessment of the situation.

Perhaps he had stepped back to allow Yuder to go first, even though their lord, Kishiar, might be in danger. The significance of this gesture struck Yuder with an intense and unfamiliar force.

"..."

It was a trust different from what he shared with his comrades. Yet, in matters concerning Kishiar, it felt even more profound and weighty.

Yuder looked intently at Nathan Zuckerman and then bowed his head.

"Understood."

"I'll follow shortly."

Yuder stepped onto the wind and leaped from the ground. In just two or three bounds, he soared over the high walls of the Conche estate, disappearing onto distant rooftops. Nathan Zuckerman watched his retreating figure and then turned around.

—

Without taking a breath, Yuder leaped twice into the air, bounding towards the temple spire. Chimneys that blocked his path were leaped over effortlessly, and he ignored the screams of someone hanging laundry on a rooftop. Even when his foot nearly slipped on the broken edge of a roof, he kept his eyes fixed forward.

Having arrived at the Conche estate by carriage, he wasn't exactly sure how far or in which direction the Cavalry branch was located, but he didn't need to ponder. The moment he started running wildly, stepping on the wind as if mad, a thin thread appeared before him, just like that time.

That thing that always appeared whenever Yuder Aile wished to find Kishiar La Orr.

The thread, wrapping around Yuder's body and extending into the distance, seemed fragile enough to break with a breath. Yet, it was more distinct than when he first saw it, and instead of a single strand, there were now several.

The existence of this thread meant Kishiar was still alive.

At the end of it, Kishiar would surely be there.

'No matter what has happened, as long as he is there... I can handle it.'

That was enough. He thought so, but while his mind tried to remain calm and rational, his heart continued to race with unease. His nerves felt unbearably sharp, as if wringing his brain.

Thus, Yuder decided to contemplate Aton's words while running.

‘This land harbors all the conditions for endless imbalance. Those targeting you are not only us, and what we did was merely add to the inevitable repercussions of imbalance that would have occurred someday with them.’

Then there was the mention of the 'Land of the Black Moon'.

The southern people were known to still hold the belief in the Black Moon, chased away by the Sun God. But this was the first time he had directly heard that name from them.

‘Imbalance... What does it mean for the land to have been imbalanced from the beginning? Does adding an aftereffect imply making the already unbalanced land even more so? And then, what happens?’

Finally, the distinctive, worn rooftop of the Cavalry's Southern Branch came into view, not too far away. Yuder, following the swaying threads as if they were leading him, ran faster. Suddenly, he halted, noticing something.

"There it is..."

The sounds akin to explosions near the Cavalry's branch didn't bother him.

Neither the sight of people gathering nor those fleeing was of concern. After all, he had no great fear when it came to dealing with humans.

But,

What was that jet-black line hanging in the sky?

It looked like a cracked vessel, its endlessly split mouth agape.

Yuder had seen something like this before.

"...A crack in the sky."

It was akin to the crack he had witnessed in the Great Sarain Forest in the West, now floating in front of the Cavalry's branch.

In his previous life, a crack was often seen just before a great calamity struck. And the first time it was noticed by people, in Yuder's memory, was...

‘The Great Southern Earthquake.’

Suddenly, Aton's words about the aftermath of an imbalance flashed through Yuder's mind.

A chill ran down his spine, feeling as if his blood had turned cold.

Yuder, who had paused momentarily, started running again. With more speed and greater force, responding to his desire to exert more power, the energy surged like a small whirlwind.

With the whirlwind lifting him from below, Yuder finally reached near the top of the Cavalry's branch. Up close, the rift seemed even more vast and ominous.

And then, the figure standing below it.

The very person he had been searching for was there.

A man with golden hair, holding a long sword, seemed to notice Yuder's approach and lifted his head, meeting his gaze precisely. The threads that had led Yuder ended right above his red irises.