New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (1/3 chapters)
Azalea War
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I woke up three days after my crushing defeat at the hands of that father-son duo. It seemed that immediately after that, Irene and her two servants rushed to the forest. After being rescued, the villagers of the dwarf village also helped.
Later, two sages, Sylphid-sama and Gnome-sama, were found collapsed in the forest, and when they got up, Salamander also appeared from somewhere. As for the arrow that was embedded in my body, according to Davi-san, it had pierced an important organ, and a normal human would have died within a day. However, after the arrow was removed, my body somehow began to self-repair, and it seems that my body recovered quickly.
I’ve turned into a rather eerie body. I’ve truly become something akin to a combat weapon. But even such a combat weapon has weaknesses.
— Your power to nullify magic is merely classical.
This was the weakness exposed by Anfan Schwarzschild. The magic I had been dissipating until now was only the five basic attribute magics, fire, ice, lightning, holy, and darkness. Now that I think about it, it’s true. The ‘new magic’ that the Magic Guild is developing, that is, the Gravity Magic and Teleportation Magic that that father-son duo excels at cannot be nullified.
Indeed, I have often been caught in the traps of Teleportation Magic by Yustin. The power entrusted to me by Goddess Kea merely nullifies ancient powers. I must keep that in mind.
It seems that the labyrinth city is in terrible shape. It appears that the maid, Leona-san and the mage, Gina-san have gone to carry out rescue operations in the collapsed labyrinth city, but they are short on manpower due to dealing with the monsters crawling out from Azalea Castle.
Although things have calmed down after several days of conflict, it seems that the forces of the Azalea Kingdom were considerable. The number of the undead, Black Corpses, is said to be unimaginable. Moreover, the cockroaches in question seem to have a horrifying reproductive speed, endlessly pouring out no matter how much they are burned.
Despite such circumstances, I have been unable to regain my full strength and had been resting for a week. I am also worried about Shia. Seeing her brutally attacked by Anfan makes me realize that Shia is indeed an important person to me. She has supported me in this adventurer’s life for five years. There’s no way she wouldn’t be important to me.
She woke up two or three days later than I did. Having reunited with her parents, she now has a fighting spirit in her eyes. She is more dependable than ever, and I feel I need to pull myself together as well.
—
We were currently in a meeting. In the audience chamber of Sylphid-sama, under the roots of a great tree, everyone was sitting cross-legged or lounging in various positions, engaged in discussion. The three spirits had taken on the appearance of little girls.
For the past week, the three of them had been discussing future strategies, but it seemed that no particularly good plan had come to mind, and the conversation was gradually settling on a strategy of strong offensive.
Are these people really sages…? Or has their transformation into little girls affected their intelligence…?
“Are we really not going to think of anything?” (Jack)
Though I felt it might be the worst question to ask, I cautiously confirmed.
The one who responded was Salamander in her little girl form.
It’s a shame that the sexy aura from when we had a serious fight is absent, but well, this form is cute and nice.
“We can’t help it. We have too little fighting power.” (Salamander)
“Even so, we should think about ways to seal it again… If we rush in and fight the Schwarzschild father-son duo, nothing will be resolved.” (Jack)
Azalea Castle had floated up to the surface. Even if we defeat Anfan, Yustin, and those from the Holy Knight Order, it wouldn’t matter unless we do something about the castle itself.
“Has the seal been broken?” (Shia)
Shia interjected there.
“The liberation of Rhizomata Volga requires five Volgas, right?” (Shia)
Indeed, there are still unclear aspects. It goes without saying that they have taken possession of four of the Volga series and are eager to break the seal. However, only Azalea Castle has been liberated. It doesn’t seem they have been able to acquire Rhizomata Volga. They seem to be barricaded, and if they had obtained it, they would likely have fled immediately.
“Yes, as Shia Randall says, I believe Rhizomata Volga has not been taken yet.” (Sylphid)
Sylphid-sama answered that.
She had been sitting with her legs crossed, but she stood up and began to float in the air.
The little girl form of Sylphid-sama is also quite nice.
“Let’s talk about Rhizomata Volga.” (Sylphid)
Then, Sylphid-sama began to narrate a story about the turmoil in the Riverda continent that happened a long time ago. It was a factual story from 1000 years ago. The person who witnessed it firsthand was telling the tale.
It must be more accurate than any document on the subject.
—
In fact, the actual history was nothing like the story of Emped I had known from picture books.
First of all, the era in which Emped lived was not a prosperous one. It was a time when there were still nation-states for each race on the Riverda Continent. The continent was rife with wars, and Humans, Elves, Giants, and Demon races were all exhausted. Among them, the two major powers were the Azalea Kingdom, established by humans, and the country of Creatio Exxiro, where elves and dwarves coexisted.
These two nations were said to be at odds, separated by the Ilikai River.
At first, Azalea was at a disadvantage against Creatio Exxiro.
The difference was, in essence, magic.
Elves excelled in magic, and dwarves were skilled in craftsmanship.
Furthermore, the demon race living at the foot of the Baira volcano had formed an alliance with Creatio Exiro.
By the way, Salamander comes from the Dragon race, which is a revered being among Demons; Gnome-sama comes from the Dwarf race, and Sylphid-sama comes from the Elf race, and it seems that they were once citizens of Creatio Exiro.
Faced with their powerful magic, weaponry, and the combat abilities of the demon race, the human side, that was, the Azalea Kingdom, was on the verge of defeat.
It was then that a human named Emped suddenly appeared in that exhausted nation. It was rumored that he was still in his teens. According to some rumors, he had possessed extraordinary mana since the age of five and held peculiar knowledge that no one had ever heard of. The wealthy class began to teach their children magic starting from the age of five due to this legend of Emped…
That aside, Emped suddenly sided with the Azalea Kingdom, which was on the brink of defeat. His strategic prowess from there was said to be remarkable. The Azalea Kingdom managed to survive, and Emped gained the trust of the kingdom. His origins were a mystery, but by the time he attracted attention, he was already serving as a strategist and a close aide to the king. Due to his charisma, he was treated as a member of the privileged class within the kingdom. He apparently had free access to the Lucur Great Forest and Neve Snowfield, which were governed by the Azalea Kingdom. It was also said that he met Undine around that time.
Emped had a strong intellectual curiosity. Despite being the king’s aide, he often wandered abroad, but he had such immense mana that he was relatively unguarded. In such a situation, Emped proposed to establish a peace treaty with the Elven nation of Creatio Exiro. Because a genius, hailed as a great mage, said it, the king agreed, and since Creatio also appreciated Emped’s capabilities, they decided to sign a treaty and establish a non-aggression relationship.
—
Several years later, Emped, driven by his curiosity, sought to learn about unique magic and magical workshops from the Elves and Dwarves, integrating himself with their people.
At that time, it was none other than Sylphid-sama who taught him elven magic. Sylphid-sama was said to have been unmatched in magic among the elves of that time. The unique magic of Elves and Dwarves consisted of wind magic and earth magic. However, the thing that the genius mage Emped showed the most interest in was the existence of “Volga”.
“Volga” was a mysterious power. It existed, but it was shrouded in a veil of mystery. It could only be achieved with the blessings of the gods, as it was said to be divine.
Despite that, Emped produced the magic weapon Rhizomata Volga the year after he learned of its existence. It was a compass (chakram). No matter how much of a genius mage he was, it shouldn’t have been possible to utilize the power of Volga and create magic tool from it. Even the spirits did not understand the reason why Emped was able to create Rhizomata Volga.
The first sign of trouble emerged when Undine, who lived in the Neve region despite being in the midst of war, started clamoring, “What happened to the peace treaty?”. Until that statement was made, no one had noticed that the historical fact of “a peace treaty had been established” had disappeared.
The past had been rewritten, and the Azalea Kingdom and Creatio Exiro continued their war as before. Once Sylphid-sama regained all her memories, she and the other sages joined forces, and through Timaeus’ connections, they made a contract with the gods to create what was known as the five Volga series.
The contract meant liberation from the cycle of rebirth. They would step outside the realm of life, helping to govern the Riverda Continent as spirits for eternity. As spirits, they had the ability to see through the alterations of Rhizomata Volga. Despite the numerous alterations of the past, the spirits retained their memories before the rewrites.
After exposing all of Emped’s schemes, they, along with the citizens of Creatio Exiro, invaded the Azalea Kingdom and sealed him, who had become a “tyrant” under the guise of a strategist, along with Azalea Castle. The beautiful pink-hued kingdom of Azalea, which had been in full bloom, was buried deep underground due to the seal. All that remained was a desolate and barren land. The victorious Creatio Exiro also faced desertification due to resource depletion from the war, which eventually transitioned into the current Nihilo Desert over time.
This war is referred to as the “Azalea War”. Even after being concluded once, it was an unending war that continues to repeat itself. The perpetrator of this war was said to be the great mage Emped, who created the compass of fate, Rhizomata Volga.
By the way, the seal was locked with the five Volgas as keys. In Azalea Castle, statues of the wise ones guarding each Volga were built in their honor. However, even after the seal, that ominous mana continued to overflow, and a vast underground labyrinth began to form, branching out from Azalea Castle.
The so-called Azarigrad (the ruins of Azalea).
This was how the labyrinth city was born. Because the labyrinth attracted unique mana stones and powerful monster materials, it had transformed into a place for adventurers to challenge themselves.
—
“Our seal was placed against Emped. Azalea Castle was sealed as a set, so when four keys were removed and it became unstable, the castle surfaced from underground.” (Sylphid)
So, the seal that was securely locked with five keys has been unlocked by four of them. In other words, if we insert the remaining key, Volcanic Volga, Emped’s own seal will be broken.
“Is there no way to seal it again?” (Irene)
Irene, the black-haired young lady, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.
“Once it is inserted, the seal is rendered invalid. Even if it is pulled out again, the key will remain unlocked.” (Sylphid)
“So, we have no choice but to re-seal everything from the start.” (Gnome)
Sylphid-sama continued to explain while taking the lead in the conversation, and Gnome-sama added further details.
The three spirits here seem to be friendly, perhaps they get along because they come from historically allied nations.
“What do you mean by ‘starting over’?” (Shia)
Shia was quite proactive about this matter.
“Umm… well…” (Sylphid)
In response, Sylphid-sama hesitated to find the right words.
“That means we have to unlock everything again and pull out Emped, with your fake Volga, right?” (Salamander)
The little girl Salamander spoke to me without restraint. Her expression was combative, a typical Salamander grin.
“If that’s the case, why not just take him down instead of sealing him?” (Jack)
—
So, one day after the strategy meeting, we quickly returned to the labyrinth city of Azarigrad.
Putting aside Salamander’s last explosive statement, we had at least devised a strategy for dealing with the Schwarzschild parent-child duo and the forces of the Holy Knight Order. Azarigrad was no longer the city we once knew. Previously, the Adventurer Guild had established a base in the center of the city, but now a massive castle can be seen. That was Azalea Castle, which we had seen multiple times near the 30th layer of the underground labyrinth.
Now that it crawled above ground, it looked even larger. The city itself no longer had its former peace. We passed through the city gates and proceeded down the dust-filled main street. Up to this point, it was the same as before, but the lively hustle and bustle of adventurers had vanished. Thus, a lonely crosswind blew mercilessly, creating an atmosphere of melancholy.
“What is this…? It’s changed too much.” (Irene)
Irene grabbed my upper arm and leaned against me.
“This is all because of those Magic Guild bastards.” (Jack)
My irritation was growing stronger.
I recalled the incident in the Paradise Cyans. I had felt similar frustration when I headed to the decisive battle with Alfred and Dwayne. But in their case, they were only kidnapping children in pursuit of peace and compassion. They were a group that opposed conflict and harming others. But this devastation…
—
Afterward, I headed to the inn I had always relied on, but it was completely empty, including the guests and the landlady. I had no idea where the landlady or the regulars I always greeted had gone. From what I heard, they might have fallen victim to the Black Corpses that flooded the city. If that were the case, it would leave a very bitter aftertaste, considering how long I had relied on them.
When I visited my usual Simnon Tavern, it had turned into an emergency shelter. Tables were haphazardly thrown around near the counter, and if something could be used as a bed, they were laying injured people on tablecloths. Instead of meals, first aid kits like bandages were lined up on the counter tables. What seemed to be the adventurers of this city were bustling about, taking turns as healers, preparing gear, and inspecting weapons.
“You there, get healing done! We need to prepare the next formation quickly, or they’ll come for us!” (Lizbeth)
In the center of this chaos at Simnon Tavern, Lizbeth was commanding. Though she was wearing the robe of the magic guild, her bravado reminded me of the Libertad days and its leader, Alfred.
“Liz!” (Jack)
“Jack! You woke up!” (Lizbeth)
I had heard about it.
Lizbeth had severed ties with the Magic Guild. To protect me and Shia, she had cared for us together with Irene and others in the Lucur Great Forest. And now she was lending a hand for the defense of the city.
“Thank you, Liz. I feel like I’m causing you trouble… I’m fine now, as you can see.” (me)
I exaggeratedly flexed my right arm.
Though it was the arm that had shown weakness, it still felt reliable.
“Jack, you’re still trying to show off.” (Lizbeth)
The warm smile from Liz was unchanged. No matter what organization she belonged to, the essence from the Libertad days remained. Her refusal to bend her principles was truly Libertad-like.
“It’s my responsibility that the city has come to this… I helped obtain the Volga series… So, I have to do something about it. It’s a matter of accountability.” (Jack)
Understanding my resolve, Lizbeth nodded and guided me further inside.
Shia, Irene, and Sylphid-sama began treating the injured, while I, along with Gnome-sama and Salamander, would listen to the overview.
—
The back area was the kitchen of Simnon Tavern. On the spacious preparation table, a large map was spread out. It appeared to be a map of all Azarigrad. It was roughly scribbled on, with a large circle marking the previous location of the Adventurer Guild, and three smaller circles surrounding it. Gnome-sama, Salamander, and I circled around the preparation table, while Lizbeth informed us of the current situation.
Perhaps due to their height, both Gnome-sama and Salamander are leaning over the preparation table, their short thighs flailing about…! It is inappropriate, but cute…!
“This large circle is the wall of Azalea Castle.” (Lizbeth)
Liz traced her finger around the large circle.
“A large ravine has formed around this wall. It’s likely that a massive uplift caused it to collapse into the underground labyrinth… However, it connects with the land at the three small circles.” (Lizbeth)
According to the map, there was one connection on the southern side near Azalea Castle’s gate and two distant connections on the western side. Thus, monster attacks were particularly severe from the south and west, while residents from the east and north seemed to have suffered less. It was fortunate that the monsters crawling on the ground were mostly of that type. And if we were to cross to the land from here, we would have to enter the surrounding forest (though its area seemed quite small) and, after crossing that forest, reach the castle walls.
It appeared there were castle gates in both the north and south, and if we proceeded straight from the south, we could directly enter the castle. However, the number of monsters pouring in from within was also tremendous. If we attacked from the west, it would also be possible to circle around the forest and enter through the north gate.
“We are currently holding the southern bridge, but Gina and Leona-san have gone to the west.” (Lizbeth)
It seemed that even the monster hordes had waves. They suddenly surged and charged into the city, taking a break after being held off, and this cycle was repeating, but it seemed to be accelerating, and the forces were running low.
“I see. So, we have to choose between charging straight in or sneaking around, either south or west?” (Salamander)
Salamander crossed her arms and looked at the map with an amused expression.
Her proud red tail thrashed against the floor.
Is she enjoying this situation?
“Wait a minute. What are we going to do after we charge in?” (Jack)
“We’ll break the seal on Volga!” (Salamander)
“Are you stupid?!” (Lizbeth)
“What do you mean by stupid? I am the chief of the Dragon race and a Sage of Fire! Bow down to me more!” (Salamander)
If you’re a sage, at least explain it more clearly.
“Salamander, let’s put the seal issue aside for now. First, we need to stop Anfan and retrieve Volga, that’s the priority.” (Jack)
I restrained Salamander and added to Lizbeth that we would be attacking those who had barricaded themselves in Azalea Castle.
“We have to infiltrate the castle regardless. It’s more efficient to split up and go in. Let’s gather a few more people and attack from both the south and west. If monsters are pouring in, having more forces is better.” (Jack)
As I quickly spoke what I had thought of, the other three were left dumbfounded, their mouths agape.
“Uh… did I say something strange?” (Jack)
“No, no, somehow Jack feels like Alfred. You’ve become a leader!” (Lizbeth)
“R-really?” (Jack)
Well, Alfred is my ideal leader. I don’t feel bad being told that.
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