Chapter 249: The Woman Who Cried Black Tears. Ramashthu (1)
IwTCA dense cloud of suffocating smoke filled the air, as if something were burning.VajZ
JO9The cries of children could be heard on the other side of the blood-red flames.r0OIN1b
Vygq6SThose sinister presences carried by the wind wrapped around her heart, filling it with an indescribable anxiety.XnALtUN
z8bozSi“No, no…”OIC5a
JlslTA nun ran towards the black smoke in the distance.PHnX
4dHA small rosary trembled on her chest as she felt anxious and desperate.DG3
3hIrF33It was somewhat crudely polished, small and cute, as if made by a child.LRoETq
RerTiNow, the tiny hands that had intertwined it would soon be reduced to ashes by the voracious fire.w5TM6
uxr2g22“Ah, no… no…”v0SQ
4N8KDing—dong—wXUhZRg
3iSLThe sound of bells echoed as the entire village burned.NPox
gaIYCorpses were piled everywhere.TuHs
98vVAnd beneath the ringing of those distant bells, the cries of the children who sought her filled the air.pXq1
GG9XlD“No!”bLUbUA
4GUThe wind blew towards her as she hurriedly fled, pushing back the flames.YeZ3Wtu
j3MA0rMThe wind, mixed with the children’s last breaths, began to caress her tearful face and leave its mark.W1pfEVH
DtdzqxHer headscarf fluttered high in the strong wind.Mzo7i
0lvjHer burned fingers opened the door glowing red hot.Wnkx1HM
yHrIEven her tears mixed with the ashes and turned completely black.khy3I
KT6“…God. Please!”dyTBG
9BKyIHowever, despite her fervent prayers, when she opened the door, the sight before her was a scene of hell.b2kWfoI
v1lGOBecause there were images of children desperately stretching out their hands beneath the symbol of God.nMqmBpj
hBu40UrAnd in her tears, now stained black, remained only the final desperate effort of the children, abandoned even by God.FN0Sz
VvGYg95***MO6
RVGYPFThe laboratory of a sorcerer filled with strange-looking specimens.PWLiX
K9BFfuuNormally, the place would be full of gloomy voices, but now it was filled only with swords, blood, and the cries of wicked people.uW4Z
NMA[Don’t give them time to cast spells!]NSDvhsa
iMy“…!”7tA
bfBTmWith a sharp warning echoing in his mind, Vlad’s sword pierced the head of the sorcerer.YN3gGg
VsYN“Agh!”OBZPo
7tveKpVlad’s sword, which had been pulled from the sorcerer’s mouth to prevent him from casting a spell, pierced through the back of the wicked man’s head and gleamed fiercely.K8whkHx
Gl5u[Don’t let them make signs! When facing a mage, time and distance are what matter.]Nmulo
5gUV3s6“How dare you!”F13miZ
YbKsQo“Kaaaak!”0xc0p
5SMv7Vlad’s eyes began to shine at the strange hand gesture seen just in front of him.vTHOHhQ
deDWhen dealing with mages who manipulate mysteries, all you need is a quick movement.bixzybP
83IIn the flow of a lethal strike, someone’s severed wrist began to bounce noisily.jBFBCm
hIjibqW“One is enough!”U4m
ZorUC4Knights cut down sorcerers without giving them time or space.f9ioX
qJC1k6With every strike, they put the will of God and their own world first, erasing the shadows of the wicked one by one.f4qyJ
P8mZpCa“We only need one to guide us!”LA0y
bt3Ml7And even a dragon roared over the gleaming blade of a sword.H5UA
7VOS1frVlad, with his blond hair and blue eyes, appeared so fierce that even the sorcerers who had escaped death trembled in fear.NOV
ZASsGx“Repent, damned ones!”0WTQsY
6lkMB“This is vengeance for a comrade killed by you!”c6g0q
majaThere was a glimmer of madness hidden in the righteousness exercised by the knights, but today, it was justifiable.54toF
Mhd7FjsBecause today was the only chance to rid the world of the poisons that had accumulated over hundreds of years.zD2OqTE
r4tp4prIt was truly inevitable that the Paladins, who had waited so long, harbored a little selfish desire at the tips of their swords.w18
5TnR1ud“Save me, save me…”PUd
d8mIs there anything more amusing than someone who’s already dead begging for help?VuSvqHV
jVw6But now, a voice pleading for life flowed from the mouth of the last remaining sorcerer, and the tip of Vlad’s sword trembled before that weak voice.BYS6wX
AV4q8“Where is it?”N64
cfzj2Though he was a bit late, the blade still pierced his body.7jWuv2l
IY6SAs if the sword he had just swung had punctured his lungs, the sigh he let out was filled with empty air.KFS
d4h1“Keh… ugh.”BXPiHUz
UcMJqA“Where is that damned tree?”pkY
GrwaBang!5dQt01
8vrThe sound of the wall shaking was loud and cruel.Z9QDu
6A1itdGIt was the sound made when the back of the sorcerer’s neck, held by Vlad, slammed into the wall.5OXDI3j
GdH“In the center… in the central garden…”Ldo5
ysFu89The back of his head, now completely shattered by the impact, dripped sticky blood that was hard to control.2y9qvch
a7vW4However, the sorcerer felt more terror from the sight of Vlad’s eyes right in front of him than from the unpleasant sensation soaking his neck.w4we0
GwY“Over there…”ayI3l
eWLThe fingers of the dark sorcerer, overwhelmed by Vlad’s momentum, began to point towards a location.mkjWAJd
BJ0rxBehind all the oddly dissected corpses, beside specimens that resembled people.Qv1
W33tIoZThere, a door that hadn’t been visible until a moment ago slowly began to emerge, like a mirage.5e7dt
xRMXsKuaaaaaa—!IFo
tKJSb“Keeeeeee!”vIho7
JrxRn48“What’s going on?!”2nnTNxf
mLfANaAt that moment, a strange scream came from the group that found the door.F2q7Zuk
rLtq5Upon hearing that vaguely familiar sound, the engraving of the World Tree on Vlad’s sword shone quietly.8UB2S
NZvRHP“…What the hell is that presence?!”z1Fik
czeTRumble—TYf
jhcThe Paladins covered their ears and began to suffer from the immense sound.IxZD
dbmWtWhat they heard was noise, but what followed was vibration.s0k
IGCG3QA massive roar from something shook Ramashthu’s world and spread its pain in all directions.TeJA
5Gf5ry“Vlad!”iIvQjv
9cupfl“….”SEEdsJ
1kXNCxThe men who heard that sound stood still.uL0O
wnrnGunther and Vlad exchanged glances and nodded.I8Q
LYKThey could feel that the sound they were hearing now was the same as what came from Moshiam, the fog-covered city.tUBjEK
6Lzolp“I’ll go first!”SEA
FeZtd7“Everyone, prepare! We’re moving now! Protect the bishop and the mage!”dwGst
yEd9oEBoom!wEu
JuIm62Another darkness began to creep ahead of Vlad, who kicked the door open with all his might, as if secrets were a luxury.oWNvt
nEkTThe darkness of the hallway, where nothing could be seen more than an inch ahead, resembled a black, wolf-like sea, but there was no hesitation in Vlad’s steps as he moved forward.FgfE
wzDeuw“Keeee!”wcaT
O6mWhen the Paladins, having braced themselves, charged out, all that remained was the sorcerer pinned to the wall.xaPG8
Ci1cOHe felt relieved that the will of God was not upon him, but it wasn’t just His will present here.HSX
9VHkb7vPuff!u6A31y
uCl14A“We have something left to settle, too.”PlB
V7dnFkRAn ominous sensation came with a chilling voice.yG0m
gsuKH4kBright red hair reflected in the wide-open eyes of the sorcerer.TCBB
gKfYamX“This is my reward for teaching my father to drink blood. Bastard.”5cuumq
kIFeZ“Kughhh.”hJEg
q9aswA cold sneer appeared on Radu’s smiling face.ZSshtQ
uGeAn indescribable rage flared in the eyes of the sorcerer staring at that smile, but it only lasted a moment, and Pedro’s blessing on Radu’s sword began to pierce the heart of the wicked man.a7Miw
wwIwY“I never said I’d spare your life.”zj8X
tOsXmRadu spat as he watched the sorcerer crumble slowly and started to leave the room.b4nM1V
vUnsvNow that even the bound dragon was gone, the only thing left in the completely disheveled room was the sorcerer, suffering from the karma he had finally faced.BELFQ
IPeW***EDag
4qjwN1VIELur
iiueOn0“There’s an intruder! There’s an intruder here!”psqS
a9BNlm“Where the hell…? Ugh!”Zkpc
vxZcc“Stop them! Don’t let them get through!”QNq
zEqwzThe spiraling corridor remained dark, and the path ahead was unknowably complex.Zn5BQ
kQyIRumble-rumble-1v6e
CpFj8EHowever, there was no hesitation in Vlad’s steps, as he could sense the presence of the World Tree through the hand that held it.0xZwU3o
C8YkAc“Get out of the way!”TzJFRw
ShgB“Aaaah!”o6uYZ
ZvfThe closer they got to the center of the world, the more malicious figures began to appear.af7Le
UHwSMany corpses had already fallen to block the Northern Allied Forces, but the ferocity of the spirits that stood in their way was still formidable.K3WmQp
MCWapIm“I suppose this is the right path!”ICGG
XnBUUot“Stop talking and do something!”95MkZxb
2wdEAs they advanced, the corridor widened.zaGNVfl
h6TThis was proof that there was a large space ahead, but it was also a warning that more enemies might be lying in wait.99glz
ScQSH2M“I was getting ready!”h4k
yqr1FMThe knights’ movements swayed back and forth amidst the black waves crashing in from all sides.83go
2zwiAs the situation grew more dangerous, Nibelun rummaged through his backpack, as if it was finally his turn to act.e5T
9GK1R“What is that!”Yg23PW
vuguH“Dandelion seeds!”NOttIs
meB769Contrary to Vlad’s expectations, what Nibelun revealed wasn’t some grand and awe-inspiring mystery.lhn9hCf
zx1ysIt was merely a tiny dandelion seed, perhaps no bigger than a fingertip.f7V
iVnuEilSeeing the cute, fluffy head of the seed, Vlad let out a sigh of exasperation without even realizing it.SB8p
NWu2Vw“What are we supposed to do with that now?”r7YnNck
ydgZTET“Please, clear the way for a moment!”vjO77z
Ux8YwBXHowever, while the dandelion seed may have seemed insignificant, the magic within it was something Nibelun had cherished greatly.VfOkX
pNl4“…Everyone, hold on tight!”Sux
iAMHs5Nibelun took a deep breath as he spoke.mfP32
oHC5rKIt looked rather ridiculous, but the determination reflected in his puffed cheeks and his eyes was unmistakably sincere.mJiXnrO
XR51T“Return home, children of the wind!”bXn2
YiGzUgWFuuuuu—VLcqOd
WB0VvlIn the gap that Vlad and the knights had opened, Nibelun exhaled a powerful breath along with an incantation.iSGRtIR
uWgA15Tiny dandelion seeds scattered into the black wolf-like sea.RMA
C1kwThe small spores, blown into the oppressive blackness with no clear hope, appeared to be a futile effort.NiTsR
KMg“Oh?”vRT
TReBIf they hadn’t been infused with magic, it would have been nothing more than an insignificant gesture.2Dat
oNBNuMBut under the blue sky, the Holssi, who had embraced all the winds of the world, now began to soar powerfully on the breeze, returning home.mGdsmt
8sUZ8Woooosh!rvkgy5
nSi“Ugh! What the…!”qiya
1H66“What is this again?”DEzMec
SjZ77drAlong with the shouts of the knights, a fresh breeze began to blow through the dark corridors, where even the air had felt heavy.gTO7C
k8RkNEAnd with terrifying force, it seemed as though it might tear apart everything in its path.hmN
2xezD1X“Graaaaah!”3NsK5y
pLe“Kiiiik! Kieeeek!”qqLWr
wKT7BqIt was a gust of wind that shouldn’t have been possible in such an enclosed passageway.oguz9g5
xSQV5QBut the wind carried by the Holssi had no intention of stopping until it returned to its homeland. Soon, the wind summoned by Nibelun became a fierce gale, sweeping away the evil hordes in front of them.FKF07B9
xxN1“Now’s the time!”rFv6
GdzYoz“The path is clear! Run!”NoCDPS
M9SEYTaking advantage of the momentary gap created, Vlad began to run.cgEO6tN
5SBgQMIt was hard to even keep his eyes open in the howling wind, but this wasn’t a world where one relied on sight to make decisions.fFgb6NQ
ekRJB0“Aaaah!”32dYq88
8uSZBzz—bzz—TZPK
j7pThe further he ran, the more Vlad’s sword vibrated.S6hjZw0
NBUVlad’s sword, born of the stars, forged with a dragon’s fragment, and now inscribed with the mark of the World Tree.rTbP
H1HL0The engraving on the sword now showed Vlad the way toward another tree.L0b0
iXiwrC“Light!”u3o
qzz“Just a bit more! The end is right ahead!”jO5
AG5lynThe group charged forward, trampling over the bodies that had been swept aside.mKgPH3m
yeObGWherever they went, they were greeted by a scene very different from what they’d seen before.tVt8q
hVPyQW“…It was really a garden.”Pgxeo5
cpfS9UAs they exited the corridor, the first thing they encountered was the sky.iDDefe6
VtN3A purple sky, with soft waves rippling like the surface of a lake.mPA8BsI
JigAnd beneath that sky, a vast floating garden, like an island, awaited Vlad.lP0o7VM
hUZIe4“Kaaaa!”Y0R8
a9lA7j“We need to get there!”mij
t6LzSA picturesque landscape, entirely different from the horrid sights they’d witnessed earlier.DzJ
flXgB3However, the group couldn’t afford to be mesmerized by the view before them.0pu6Lf
eOIjzdO“To the bridge, quickly!”IocA
UIgWith Gunther’s shout, the knights began running again.ln1F
zBuctQ0Toward the bridge that led to the island.vmi
FhmaCThe most central place in Ramashthu’s world, a secret and precious location, could only be reached via several aerial bridges.2nEOsLC
ReQOEZE“This is as far as you go, humans!”31I2ErP
OSJ0“Stop disturbing Lady Ramashthu’s world!”ovjc80
Wp7ZEHowever, headless knights blocked the bridge.nw90
OewOThe aerial bridge, made of pure white marble, was already lined with black-toned headless knights.3pJ0jsx
WaJKf“Sh*t!”MVkdb
vic“We need to change bridges! Hurry!”bl7Q
DB26ddwNoticing the unusually large number of headless knights blocking the path, Gunther quickly directed the group to change course.Csod
gPGaYet even though they could avoid the knights, there seemed to be no way to avoid the endless stream of corpses emerging from everywhere.sSL
2JVnl“Don’t you have more dandelions?!”wetm9
6pD“No! That was a treasure of my tribe!”vrWI
J3yDudAs the group ran along the perimeter of the circle, another aerial bridge appeared in front of them.vyDybe
Xi2WGYEFortunately, fewer knights awaited them there than at the previous bridge, but the problem now wasn’t just those ahead.vcKVt
mrWGpGv“This is insane! Why are there so many?”eWwrCbO
R5hnKF“Oh, Lord, have mercy!”602z
8FWAn army of the dead was approaching like an enormous tidal wave.6tLmlr
a5PDO8pEven if they crossed the bridge and broke through the line of headless knights, the massive wave of enemies threatened to reach them soon.9ES
w0foSO“Vlad, you go first!”9jm2j
2elV6Gunther, seeing the scene, showed a determined look in his eyes.fPZR98
n21XThe Holy Knights of the Northern Orthodox Church, having confirmed the resolve in his gaze, exchanged signals and nodded.hHBjt
fko“You need to run and don’t look back!”Uip7d
uVp5mUA“…Gunther!”uQr2Es
HbYTVlad, realizing their decision, turned back in surprise, but the swords that followed God’s will had already made their choice.m19
jvvD“Please, cut down that tree, as you did last time, knight who protected the children’s breath.”HmJ6H5P
PsaxWith a barely audible voice, Gunther turned around.Eq9avnb
xlVWith the other paladins on the bridge.sdWs
qDvsEO“Graaah!”eiw3G3h
YkR“Argh!”AYFLUp
Nc3Mn7sThe knights had resolved to become the prey that blocked the black tide.F3Cm
MUNkWith the recitation of God’s words, they began to form a protective stance that only the Holy Knights could perform.p4z
QluWV3“Sh*t! Damn it all!”17Jk2z
r3zVlad heard the cries of the corpses behind him.YwmA
mWCBut he and his group had to run across the white bridge, leaving those cries behind.N50mC
WFKbb“Aaaah!”Ehc0
E1iJDZDestroying the headless knights that stood in their way.9vanPa
lJKdjThe roar of a golden dragon echoed, its power insufficient to change the fate of those left behind.qQIKcn
tdDN0“I’ll kill you! Every last one of you!”WjC
QAHHA dragon roared with rising fury, alongside an old heretical inquisitor and a mage with a backpack.J6Z
aaRLOThey were running toward the enormous tree ahead of them.ELHS
HrgdE***ClI
OpArHS“Huff… huff…”5GOR
BK93WrxWith its roots stretching toward the sky and its branches hanging toward the ground, a completely twisted tree stood alone on the island, forming its own world.TddXU
WoSYxj“Huuuaah…”JvQjgS2
b7i4XAnd right in front of that black tree, a woman with her feet on the ground was dancing.VKtmxL
IPOEShe was shedding dark tears that she couldn’t control.YZj0B9
wIPbu9“I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them all.”yPqCz
89fgaRamashthu twisted from side to side, as though she were dancing.nnx
oYfBut now, instead of dancing, she was merely contorting her entire body in agonizing pain.ucr
9dFVTO“My children, again…”BncB
K5Lem3A black smoke rose before her as she continued to weep.iTVBlKU
6n6The magic of the dwarves, which purifies everything.rDbKXX
KbMcSteRamashthu was going mad again as she watched the flames, created by the fragments, purify the evil tree.dZN1
JkONSx“It’s burning!”XvbnT1D
zs24SBRumble—tMy
6h1At her cry, the purple sky began to tremble.rbMR0RA
aLHIBut despite her wails, the flames that would never extinguish continued to incinerate the inverted tree little by little.8gG5U
kla“Kyaaaaa!”jrwAf
oCyAoHer children, whom she couldn’t save when they were alive, and whom she couldn’t save when they were dead.XyC4v
UVPtjJhA root rose toward the sky above the head of the woman who wept for her children.iuLMLI4
neCqIt was like the black wolf-like handprints of children who had cried out beneath the symbol of God in the church.i7Tl
xOT“…”osbze
qe6V2And at the end of that root hung a man, lifeless.c5nmv
NnW49qHis black hair fluttered weakly, his heart pierced.IpThC
f63Wr6The color of his hair, gently swaying, was the black of Bayezid that Vlad had been searching for, his heart now impaled.AdyiWi
2SgtmQUnder the purple sky, where both had sworn to kill each other, Joseph’s black hair floated silently.kvcuTqe
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