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“Probably. No, without a doubt. Yes, that explains it—the barrier stone of the fortress wasn’t functioning.”

The barrier stones, masterpieces of the Pantheon, were created to protect fortresses and cities from randomly opening Outerworld gates. Unlike Ian, who, despite his regression, still doesn’t fully grasp their principles as he isn’t a mage or scholar, Garavan seemed to come to a realization and let out a hollow laugh.

“I was the catalyst fixing the coordinates, and the statue served to amplify the signal. It must have accumulated the Outer God’s power over time. But if it could bypass the barrier stone and open an Outerworld gate this way, the Empire should have fallen long ago.”

“Who knows.”

“Do you know why I’m telling you all this? I want you to pass it on. Mistakes like this shouldn’t be repeated. We need to prevent the barrier stones from becoming useless. If the first-line fortresses fall like this, there’s no way to stop it.”

“Then one more question. How did you avoid detection by the Pantheon all this time? Surely there’s a sanctuary here. And you seem to visit the magic tower regularly. Aren’t the fortress lords periodically screened for corruption?”

“I don’t know myself. If I had to guess, it’s because I only made a deal with the Outer God, without truly following it. Or perhaps the Pantheon’s screenings weren’t strict enough. There’s a hidden space beneath the main fortress. Pass that along too.”

Ian nodded.

“Alright. Then, like with the statue, kill me.”

“Kill you?”

“I don’t have the courage to end it myself.”

Garavan spoke of his impending death as if it were someone else’s fate.

“That way, no more Outerworld gates will open here, and that phenomenon in the sky will end.”

Ian looked up without thinking and was startled.

Across the fortress, blood was rising, drop by drop, as if defying gravity. Slowly…

The dark clouds above were absorbing it all.

Blood is a critical element for human sacrifice rituals. This couldn’t be taken lightly.

If it were just one person, it might be negligible. But with the blood of tens of thousands, it would be no small amount.

In the eerie atmosphere, Garavan let out a sigh.

“Ha! This is maddening, truly. All this, because of me. Because I joined forces with the Outer God….”

His expression seemed filled with unspoken regrets.

As he stroked his beard, his hand trembled, and Ian furrowed his brows.

It was pitiful. But ultimately, this was Garavan’s karmic debt for aligning with the Outer God.

There was no room for sympathy. Despite past examples of people meeting tragic ends due to corruption, he had still made such a foolish choice.

“Would you like to confess?”

Garavan twisted his lips in a bitter smile.

“No need. I’ve already said all there is. Curious about the whole story? It’s pointless. No one needs to remember the words of a failed man. Setting foot in the Outer Seas was my mistake from the start. I was foolish. I don’t want to fall any further.”

A heavy, raw surge of power erupted from Garavan, and simultaneously, the remaining golems launched an aggressive assault.

Swinging their blades relentlessly, they shattered the monsters. If they had shown this from the beginning, things might have been different, but this was the result of overloading their power cores.

They wouldn’t last long. Beyond wearing down, they’d start breaking apart and would practically need to be rebuilt.

Garavan spoke in a weary tone.

“Go to the platform. It might just pass by without stopping. So when it gets close, jump right on.”

“If you try to board without permission, especially in this situation, you’ll be intercepted.”

The Empire’s train that traversed the defensive line wasn’t just a cargo transport. It was equipped with all kinds of magic and technology to complete its missions in extreme situations.

As the prototype for a mobile fortress, it was a risky move to try boarding it by force. The chance of being thrown off was high, and it wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Garavan rummaged through his pockets, pulled something out, and placed it into Ian’s hand. The object was hard and angular, the texture unmistakable in his palm.

“This is the token that proves you’re the lord of Helrem Fortress. As long as you carry this, the train’s interception system won’t target you. I’m sorry things have come to this. And there’s one more thing I ask of you.”

“Go ahead.”

Garavan stared at Ian for a moment, then spoke.

“After you kill me, please burn me with your flame.”

“Do you seek redemption?”

“Hardly. I know well that no excuse can absolve my sins. I just want it to end. I may not have gambled my soul in the deal, but looking at the current situation, it seems like my death won’t be the end of it.”

There’s always the possibility, after all. With the Outerworld gates opening recklessly around the catalyst in the present, how easy would it be for the Outer God to snatch a lost soul?

Perhaps he might be used forever.

The thought of accumulating sins even in death was far removed from the hero he once dreamed of being.

Fortunately, there was someone here to replace the priest.

If it were Berger’s flame that purges evil, it would surely lead him to complete annihilation.

“What about the golems?”

“They’ll keep fighting the monsters until they’re destroyed. If there are no more enemies to face, they’ll self-destruct.”

Garavan closed his eyes and tilted his chin upward as he spoke the final words. He likely wanted it to end cleanly.

If only…

Would the outcome have been different if Garavan had been a mage who could twist the laws of nature?

Could he have sensed the catalyst’s presence with his incredible talent and tracked down the remnants of the Outer God to prevent this calamity?

Ian knew that wasn’t likely. It was an impossible scenario.

If Garavan had that kind of intelligence and talent, he would have already walked the path of a mage long ago.

But still, it was a shame. Perhaps, with his newfound eyes that could see the flow of mana, he might find something.

He tried once, but it was impossible for now. He could almost sense something, but his eyes itched too much.

It’s no use.

A pity.

Boo—

The train’s horn sounded from afar, clearer this time. It had to be close now.

Ian released the Pamael from his grip and drew the Holy Sword.

“I just had a thought.”

“…”

“You traded with the Outer God and heard its voice directly, yet you managed not to lose your mind. Was there no temptation?”

“Would there not have been? Of course, there was. Still, the reason I was able to retain my sanity might have been because I continued to dream of being a hero.”

Ian watched Garavan’s eyelids flutter as he bid him farewell.

“Thank you for the teachings.”

“…”

Schlick!

Garavan’s head slipped off his neck, and his body crumpled forward, collapsing to the ground.

The flames that began at the wound quickly engulfed his body, burning with such intensity that not even bone dust remained.

With the Holy Sword still in hand, Ian surveyed his surroundings.

The blood droplets that had been sucked into the dark clouds above began to fall, like a sudden downpour.

This time, unlike when the statue was destroyed, it seemed like the right answer.

The flames consuming Garavan also shifted to a purplish hue before returning to their original form.

Hoo…

The sound of a fierce wind and the gathering dark clouds in the sky lost their centripetal force and scattered into the air.

The Outer Gate would no longer open. The ones that were already opened could be closed later.

Though Ian wanted to roam the fortress, hunting monsters and closing the gates, encountering a monster at the wrong moment would result in certain death.

Leaving the rampaging golems behind, Ian sheathed the Holy Sword and turned his back.

Boom!

The sound of a train horn pierced through the ruined fortress, reverberating in his ears.

It was too late to reach the platform. But it wasn’t time to give up just yet.

Ian quickly recalled the layout of Helrem Fortress and ran in the direction where the train was heading.

The scenery around him blurred past. The monsters devouring corpses were startled and turned, then began chasing after him.

He ignored them, stepping over the debris and leaping high.

Ka-ka-ka-ka-kak!

He saw the locomotive, shaped like an arrowhead, from the corner of his vision.

Even though the tracks were broken and damaged, the train raced forward, surrounded by a wedge-shaped barrier, as if defying the laws of physics.

It barreled through collapsed buildings and monsters, leaving behind a trail of blood.

The turrets on the train fired relentlessly.

Bang! Bang!

Monsters standing idly were blasted apart in an instant. It was an impressive display of speed and accuracy.

The power of the train’s firepower was more than sufficient. After all, this was a mobile fortress.

Having crossed the imperial defenses before his regression, Ian had heard plenty about the reputation of the armored train.

However, he had never heard that a token proving one’s lordship could serve as a substitute for a ticket. Perhaps it was a kind of privilege.

As a noble of the empire, it might have been a simple matter of not paying for the ride.

…I hope this isn’t a lie.

The token Garavan had given him still emitted faint traces of magical power.

Ian steadied himself and leaped towards the train.

Although the turrets on the roof aimed at him, they didn’t fire as he landed lightly on the roof.

Relieved, he crouched down and moved toward the train’s connection passage.

Clank—

The metallic door was, as expected, tightly shut.

The presence he sensed from inside gave no indication of noise leaking through—likely well-soundproofed. Calling out would be useless.

Should I just break the window and get in?

There were plenty of ways to prove his identity, but he didn’t want to escalate the situation unnecessarily by damaging property.

Gripping the handrail of the rocking train, Ian politely knocked on the door.

After a moment, a small window at eye level opened, revealing the face of a paladin in full plate armor.

“State your name and affiliation.”

The voice was curt, overflowing with suspicion.

“I am Ian of the Berger family. I was entrusted with a task by Garavan, the lord of Helrem Fortress, and got caught up in this situation.”

He displayed the golden insignia on his collar.

It was the highest official decoration recognized by the temple. The mana flowing through it caused a soft glow to radiate from the emblem.

This was more than enough to gain favor with the paladin and priest.

“Wait here.”

The hostility that had been emanating from the paladin dissipated, and Ian was soon allowed entry into the train’s interior.

Unlike a typical train, the seats were positioned by the windows, making the interior feel spacious. However, armed paladins occupied the seats, giving the room a tense atmosphere.

Before Ian could properly assess the situation, a broadcast came on over the speaker.

– Prepare for impact.

There was no time to react as the train suddenly jolted. It wasn’t enough to cause a fall, but it was jarring.

It appeared that the closed fortress gates had simply been smashed open, as splinters of wood flew past the windows.

The scenery outside shifted rapidly. Ashen smoke rose into the sky as they left the ruined fortress behind, and Ian could see cracks forming in the vast open space ahead.

And beyond that, monsters began to pour out.

Typically, they would scatter, but some seemed to be fighting among themselves, as though they wanted to claim the fortress as their territory.

As Ian watched the grim scene, another broadcast interrupted.

– Ah, ah. We have a stowaway on the heavily armed train, Pankresia. We’re coming to your location, so don’t move. Whoever you are, we have a lot of questions for you.

———-