From the towering Malidan Wall, how would the outside world appear?
As Uldren ascended the stairs of the underground prison, the question crossed his mind.
Yet, when he finally stepped outside, he found that Silverna's description of it as a grotesque sculpture was startlingly accurate.
It was a statue In the shape of a monstrous beast.
Its face resembled a lion, but its body was that of a massive serpent, with horns sprouting from its head.
Even at a conservative estimate, it seemed to be at least 50 meters long.
Some might call it a work of art crafted with great care by a sculptor, but its lifelike presence was almost excessive.
Transcendents with wings were carrying it over the wall, connected by ropes.
They crossed without hesitation, knowing full well that there were no more arrows left to fire or spears to throw at them.
"…Disgusting."
The moment Uldren saw it, he could already predict what would unfold next.
Battles against the Transcendents were always exhausting, and their sorcery invariably led to nightmarish consequences.
This time was no different.
The moment they crossed the wall that radiated frost, they let go.
The colossal beast, which had been frozen like stone, gradually regained its color and exhaled.
By the time it reached the ground, it had already reverted to its true form, unleashing a deafening roar within the Malidan Wall.
"Revolting bastards."
If there was one thing he had learned about their sorcery, it was that every spell required a price to be paid.
What had been the cost of turning such a massive beast into stone?
Uldren didn't know, but whatever it was—
It was nothing compared to the blood of his comrades who would perish in this battle. He clenched his teeth in anger.
[Arandel's rival? The only man who could stand against him?]
[What a joke. You know it as well as I do.]
[You am nowhere near his level.]
Even as the monstrous roar shook his eardrums, Uldren could still hear the voice of Black Hound echoing in his mind.
[If Arandel were here—]
"…If he were here."
He would have grasped his crimson greatsword and silently stepped forward.
His descent would have covered the dark sky, forcing all to retreat in awe.
Even the Transcendents acknowledged him.
People called Uldren Arandel's equal, but deep down, he knew the truth.
He was far beneath him.
He was aware of it.
He never denied it.
But still—
"Heh."
A smirk formed on Uldren's lips.
The words of Black Hound suddenly felt childish.
"Silverna, you heard what the Primordial Bloodline said, didn't you?"
"…"
Silverna's eyes widened, unable to respond.
The timing was too perfect.
She hadn't answered yet, but at that exact moment, those words had come.
Letting out a self-deprecating laugh about how he had reached the age where he was receiving his daughter's concern, Uldren grasped his spear.
"It's not wrong."
"Father, I—"
"Denying it would only make me pathetic. It's undeniable that his skill is beyond my reach."
"…"
Silverna couldn't refute him. She had fought Arandel herself.
The difference wasn't overwhelming, but to be honest—
If they fought ten times, Arandel would win nine.
But who else could even claim that one victory against him?
At least among the kingdom's forces, no one but Uldren could.
"Yet, not once have I ever thought that I was lesser than him."
"…"
"Silverna, my daughter."
"Yes, Father."
"Survive."
Boom!
The tip of his spear struck the ground.
The monstrous beast, regaining its senses, roared louder.
And yet, all the soldiers turned their eyes toward the Guardian of the North.
Boom!
The earth trembled.
Not from the beast, but from the mere force of a single man's spear.
Thud!
The sound grew deeper and heavier, resonating through the air.
As Uldren stepped forward, the other soldiers, seemingly influenced by his presence, began striking the ground with the tips of their spears.
Soon—
Every soldier stood with their spears in hand, eyes fixed solely on Uldren.
At the very front, Uldren glared fiercely at the colossal beast before him.
Beyond it, Transcendents were seen moving a few more beasts.
Yet, there was no retreat.
Before he knew it, countless soldiers had gathered behind him, supporting him.
This was the man known as Uldren Caldias.
***
Five Days into the Northern Recapture
The advance could only be described as lightning-fast.
With a revised strategy, Eisenwolf was marching northward at maximum speed.
And as expected, various incidents unfolded along the way.
"Transcendents spotted on the right wing!"
"Requesting support from central command! Three bat-like Transcendents have descended!"
The deeper they pushed forward, the more frequently the Transcendents appeared, wearing down the troops.
"I shall check on the command center."
"Please do."
The Grand Master swiftly spurred her horse toward the center of the formation.
The right wing would be fine—Helmut was there.
As soon as the Grand Master left, the sight of the main force pressing forward, cutting down beasts, filled the battlefield.
Then—
"Above! Look to the sky!"
A warning, shouted with such urgency that only the simplest words could be uttered.
Looking up, space twisted—
And then, a Transcendent with horns and a tail, wielding a massive hammer, appeared.
Boom!
A colossal figure.
"Where is this…?"
For a brief moment, the creature seemed disoriented, but upon assessing the situation, it swung its hammer wide, sending men and horses flying.
"Uwoooaaaargh!"
A ferocious battle cry, as if it were raging against the world.
But there was one man who matched its intensity without faltering.
"Behold! Reian of House Leviath shall be your opponent!"
With a brilliant, multicolored aura bursting forth, Reian Leviath raised his sword.
At that moment, Isaac finally understood how the Leviath siblings had made their names in their past lives.
Like himself, they were warriors who wielded dual swords.
Or, to be more precise—
Reian and Marlin.
Two individuals, but together, they formed a single sword style.
While Reian's dazzling light distracted their foe, Marlin moved in the shadows.
With incredible speed, she slipped behind and drove her blade into the Transcendent's side.
"Tch."
Yet, as expected from its tough, leathery skin, the Transcendent barely reacted to the wound.
Having fought these creatures before, Marlin didn't push her attack and swiftly retreated.
Reian, too, merely held its attention, not recklessly closing the distance.
And in that brief moment—
A chilling killing intent filled the air as Isaac's sword was drawn.
"…!"
But this was no ordinary foe.
The Transcendent instinctively tilted its massive hammer, blocking the trajectory of the sword.
Slash!
A smooth, effortless cut.
Blinking in disbelief, the Transcendent looked again—
Its hammer had been sliced cleanly in half.
A long sword wound ran across his chest.
As his vision turned red and the transcendents retreated, the remaining troops moved as one, charging at the enemy.
Boom!
Having lost its weapon, the creature fought back with its tail and fists until the inevitable came—its head would soon fall.
"Haa… Haa… Damn, that was close."
"Ugh… My arm's swollen from getting hit by that tail. I think it's broken."
"Be more careful. The mages are already losing their minds over running out of mana for healing magic."
Though only three days had passed, the members of the Blue Wave Society and other knights had already become accustomed to fighting transcendents.
Should I consider this a blessing or a curse?
Casualties were piling up, and the tides of battle were shifting rapidly.
But they had to adapt.
Because if they didn't, they would die.
"Haha! This must be what they call a rivalry! A competitive bond, no?"
"You've done well."
Reian and Marlin approached.
"Don't develop some weird sense of rivalry," Isaac frowned.
Reian let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! We are comrades, are we not? I may have looked down on you before, but let's put that all behind us!"
"…I apologize for my brother. He has a rather self-centered nature," Marlin added.
"I'm well aware."
At this point, Isaac wondered if Reian was just a simple-minded person.
But Reian wasn't done.
"We're nearing the Malidan Wall, aren't we?"
"Yes, that's right."
By now, the overwhelming sight of the wall should have been visible.
But beyond the horizon, all that could be seen was a snow-covered mountain range.
"..."
Walking along the paved road, Isaac was reminded of the day he first arrived in the North.
Silverna had stood atop the wall, shouting at him, mocking him.
Simply because he was a Helmut.
A memory that now only brought a wry smile.
'Silverna…'
As he recalled her once more, the Grandmaster returned from the command post.
"You've done well. How is it on your side?"
"Five knights have died. Tsk, one of them was the man who shared a drink with me the other day. What a shame."
There was no way they could have come through this unscathed.
"The commander has issued orders to the left flank. Now that we're close to the Malidan Wall, we're to scout ahead and assess the situation."
The distance had narrowed, and there were no visible signs of beasts between the army and the wall.
Reian, leading the left flank, mounted his horse once more and led his forces forward.
Only the rough and urgent sounds of galloping hooves echoed.
Please… let there be a clue there.
Isaac desperately wished for something at the Malidan Wall—something that could turn the tide.
If there was nothing there either, their situation would truly become dire.
With that hope, Isaac pressed forward toward the Malidan Wall.
The first thing that greeted them was the scent of roses.
That same scent Silverna had once described as a sickly sweet honey fragrance mixed with a delicate floral aroma.
A fragrance that didn't belong in the North.
Some parts of the Malidan Wall remained, but most of it had been obliterated.
As if something had taken a massive bite out of it, leaving behind a grotesque and irregularly severed structure.
The clean, sharp edges made it clear—it hadn't been destroyed through ordinary means.
And there, at the heart of it all—
A man sat waiting for them.
For a moment, Isaac felt as though he had seen this scene before.
Roses scattered across the ground, buildings in ruins, a red-haired man.
It was reminiscent of the last moments of Arandel Helmut.
Amidst that hauntingly familiar sight, the man offered a faint smile.
He was not a Helmut.
That much was certain.
Because Isaac had never once seen such a man at the Helmut estate.
And yet—
He seemed more fitting to be called a Helmut than anyone else.
Holding something in his hand—something that could be a sword or a staff—he exuded an air of composure as he greeted them.
"You have arrived."
[Image]