< 88. Seeds of Heroes >
*
“Chief!! Chief, the skeletons are coming!!”
“Yeah, I know. It’s about time.”
Batras scratched his chin and quickly tidied up as he watched the young tribesman rush into the tent. The elders gathered in the chief’s meeting room all stiffened their expressions.
No, they stiffened their tails. Like scared little pups. Batras was annoyed by the sight. These ambitious folks, who only cared about their own gain even during the great war between the Emperor and the Sultan, were suddenly scared stiff by the bigger picture.
“What should we serve the skeletons? Do those guys even eat anything?”
“Uh…”
“Never mind. Don’t answer.”
Batras clicked his tongue at the flustered young man. This guy, that guy, they all lacked spirit. The Great Wilderness had been a battlefield where ancestors created swamps with blood and sweat, and the Federation of Beastmen Nobles were heroes who preferred swords over laws and logic.
But as time passed, only these weaklings remained. Batras blamed his weakening muscles as he rolled up the tent.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
-Clang!
-I told you to move it over there, over there!
-Move! You damn cats!
The tribesmen were busy building a platform and compacting the ground. The sky was annoyingly clear, and the sun was blazing as usual. Batras didn’t like any of it.
A thousand tails, huh.
Some of the young ones were actually curling their tails as they watched the white dust cloud rising beyond the wasteland horizon. Pathetic.
“Chief!!”
“Yeah.”
“There are too many of them coming! Are we all going to die?”
“Did you forget what their envoy said? They’re open to negotiation. Prepare a feast.”
Batras clicked his tongue and slowly moved forward. The elders followed behind him like sheep being led to slaughter. Batras couldn’t contain his boiling anger.
“You damn fools! Are you even Beastmen of the Great Wilderness? Huh?”
“Ch-chief.”
“Scared of a bunch of boneheads, hiding away! I’m ashamed of you idiots!”
The young men all flinched at Batras’ fierce tone. Far away, still on the horizon, they seemed afraid that the wraith army might have heard the chief’s words.
As Batras clicked his tongue at the sight, an elder tapped his shoulder. Batras’ sharp eyes turned quickly.
“What is it?”
“Look at the military flags, chief. Are they really coming for a peace agreement?”
“What kind of peace agreement? It’s a deal.”
Batras clicked his tongue. The elder was right. The colorful military flags filling the horizon were shaking threateningly.
One, two, three… Batras quickly counted the rising flagpoles but soon gave up. It was clearly a threat. More like a display to secure a better position in the deal.
They must know. If they mess with Batras, who’s on the frontlines of the border, the entire Federation of Beastmen Nobles would turn against them. That’s not what they want.
Tutankhamun Gartep. The greatest Pharaoh of the Ashit Empire’s second dynasty. He’s no fool. With Kirzat right next door, they wouldn’t dare to fight the Beastmen Nobles at the same time.
So, they must want to join hands without shedding blood. With very good terms, in a very threatening tone. That massive army is a move in that direction.
-Whooo…
-Whooo…
From afar, the sound of a horn echoed. A chilling sound that seemed to gnaw at the chest and spine. Soon, a group of chariots emerged from their ranks, kicking up white dust as they approached.
“Pray, elders.”
“…What?”
“Pray that someone of proper rank comes. Damn it! If they just send some lowly servant, it’ll be the worst for us!”
Batras shouted, gripping his sword hilt threateningly. How much Tutankhamun Gartep values them, and how long the tribe’s peace will last, depends on the status of those dazzling skeleton envoys approaching now.
*
The wilderness tent was heated until noon, and inside, it was humid. Two people sat in a tightly sealed warehouse with no light.
-Whooo…
The sound of a horn echoed from afar. At that chilling tone, the woman’s fine eyebrows twitched. The young man chuckled at the sight.
“Just bear with it a little longer.”
“Captain, are we really digging our graves here?”
“Luckily, if you crawl into a grave, they say they’ll resurrect you.”
“Ugh, I can’t stand that. If I rise as a corpse, please cut my neck.”
“How could I cut off our cute right-hand’s head?”
The young man laughed cheerfully. He held a long pole wrapped in cloth and crossed his arms. Despite the tension and dry fear outside, he closed his eyes and hummed a cheerful tune.
“Hey, isn’t this nice?”
“Of course. It’s almost time.”
“His Majesty, really, every time. Just throws us two, plop, right into this mess.”
“His Majesty is generous, so let’s just expect some rewards.”
The woman let out a laugh at the young man’s words.
“Honorable burden of the…”
“Sword-wielders! Just one word, huh? You must be thrilled, sacrificing your lives to fight for a better world, right?”
“Yeah, sure. Absolutely.”
-Thud thud thud thud…
The sound of galloping hooves, which had been distant, was now much closer. The young man quickly calculated as he listened. Based on the rhythm and speed of the hooves, twelve horses. The sound of their hooves hitting the ground was oddly light. Was it because of the skeleton horses?
Interesting.
A deep smile spread across the young man’s face. He organized every sound he heard outside the tent in order, allowing him to understand exactly what was happening without even seeing it.
This was less of a talent and more of a power. The young man slowly opened his eyes. In the shadows of the dark warehouse, his icy blue eyes gleamed. Interest, amusement, joy, and righteousness.
In these times when goodwill is worth less than roadside weeds, such a gaze was hard to find.
“Sayri, do you know what my favorite thing to hear is?”
*
“Don’t be scared! He’s alone!!”
Faijashi clenched his teeth and waved his hands repeatedly. In an instant, magic formed, and his loyal minions were imbued with new strength and power.
The Calmburg Magic Academy was one of his life’s greatest achievements. As an ambitious mage who had just passed forty, how much effort had he poured into founding this academy and maintaining his position as its chairman!
“Ah, good. Say it again.”
“You damn bastard!!”
“Thank you!”
-Whoosh!!
His spear sliced through the air. Boldly, cutting through the void. With each stroke of the spear, his minions were split in two and sent flying through the air.
Magic, traps, temptations, schemes… The damn fool just charged in stubbornly, ruining, destroying, and twisting all his plans!
With that damn refreshing smile. Faijashi glared at the man who was laughing so cheerfully, as if he wanted to kill him, and gritted his teeth.
“Faijashi Wildcast. Haha, why are you everywhere I go? You’re from the Dane Kingdom, so why did you cross all the way to this distant empire?”
“I didn’t do anything this time! You damn bastard!!”
“You should say you haven’t done anything yet. It’s been almost ten years since I first saw you.”
“This is the last year. You shouldn’t have come alone. My ultimate magic is almost complete!!”
“Oh! I’m looking forward to it!”
“Shut up!”
-Boom!!!
The empire’s strongest. The Divine Spear, the Emperor’s Eye… Faijashi proudly smiled as he watched the man swinging his spear. That damn hero with countless titles.
In this era, not just in the empire but across civilized society, if you were to count the strong who wielded considerable power, he would definitely be one of the top.
The problem was that this guy always showed up at the most critical moments.
Faijashi felt the massive surge of magical energy filling the hall. His hands moved swiftly. If he couldn’t kill him in one strike, he might as well dig his own grave.
But with this much magical energy, maybe this time…
*
“Hah.”
Fernandez opened his eyes and let out a sigh. It was a dream from long ago. A dream from his weak days when he was constantly chased by heroes from somewhere. Calmburg… A place full of memories.
Fernandez stirred under the old blanket and opened his eyes. It was still early dawn, and the deep blue sky was slowly brightening from the distant east.
Looking at the far horizon of the wilderness, Fernandez washed his face. It was a disturbing dream he wanted to shake off.
“Are you awake?”
“…Did you sleep well?”
“No, I didn’t sleep.”
Half-covered by the blanket, Abel smiled as she looked at Fernandez. Saruk, whenever the lukewarm wind blew, her golden hair swayed.
Abel turned her gaze to the sky. The desert night was beautiful. White, red, yellow, blue. All sorts of stars twinkled like pearls.
“The night sky here is like a jewel box, always new every time I see it. How could anyone sleep seeing this sight?”
“Ah, dragons love jewels…”
“Why did that rumor spread so widely?”
Abel chuckled and stroked her hair.
“Is there anyone in this world who dislikes jewels? Humans love gold, prefer meat, enjoy strong spices, and fear nocturnal beasts. How’s that? Did I summarize humans well?”
“…I have nothing to say.”
“And I simply love beautiful things. Fernandez. Preferably living, and burning ones.”
Abel smiled deeply as she looked straight into Fernandez’s eyes. She turned her gaze to the horizon stretching behind Fernandez.
The dawn-lit desert shone silver. Moonlight and starlight poured down, and the distant dawn burned brightly. Abel poked the dying campfire with a firestarter to rekindle the flames.
Black smoke rose and danced into the sky.
“So, is that child remembering correctly? I can’t seem to find my way in this vast land.”
“Fortunately, it seems we’re on the right path.”
Looking at Kirhas, who was curled up and snoring, Fernandez smiled warmly. He pulled the blanket up to cover Kirhas’s shoulders.
Kirhas let out a groan, flailed for a moment, and then fell back asleep. Abel watched Kirhas’s swaying tail.
“…Poor thing. It couldn’t have been easy. Coming back to the place where her family died.”
“I know. It must be heartbreaking to still remember the exact location.”
Fernandez looked at the burning eastern horizon. Far away, as if a corner of the desert had been forcibly cut out and replaced with another image. A distinctly different sight.
In the middle of the desert, a lush forest grew. Imagining the ancient temple that must lie beyond, Fernandez slowly opened his mouth.
“She will rise.”
It wasn’t just a hope or a promise, but a certainty. Fernandez knew what kind of person she would become. Even if she seemed like just a beastkin girl whining in the cold night wind, she would stand firm.
The shield of the western Great Wilderness. The undefeated hero produced by the Federation of Beastmen Nobles, Kirhas Hearttaker of the Kalani Clan.
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
