Return of The Martial King

Chapter 243

Attila gestured behind him.

"Let us go, brothers."

About a hundred trolls began descending through a narrow path nestled between the cliffs under his guidance. They were all individuals who had been imprisoned by the alchemists' guild of Zeppelin.

The cliff they descended was several hundred meters high, a terrain as grand as five or six massive castle walls stacked together. Even for trolls, who boasted exceptional physical prowess, it took a long time to reach the bottom.

As Attila and the trolls appeared, the mixed-race slaves who had been freed looked at them with curious eyes.

"Ah, trolls."

"Right, they said there were trolls too, didn’t they?"

For those who had grown up under humans, the sight of trolls was completely unfamiliar. Among them, some were startled and even mistook them for monsters.

"T-Trolls are monsters!"

"Get a grip. Are you still believing the nonsense humans spouted? If trolls are monsters, does that mean we're still slaves?"

"Ah, I see…."

At the elf woman’s scolding, an orc man scratched his head in embarrassment. Attila chuckled as he weaved his way through the bustling crowd.

‘Things certainly have changed. In the past, not even one would have spoken in their defense.’

Attila led the rescued trolls to a corner of the canyon.

Unlike other races, trolls were so robust that they didn’t need fires or special accommodations. Simply gathering in an open space and sitting down was sufficient for them.

After letting the trolls rest, Attila called over another troll who had accompanied him.

"Take care of them, Guru Madaga."

"Understood, Guru Attila."

A wiry troll with relatively small tusks bowed politely. This was Madaga, a troll guru who had participated in the rescue operation. Among troll gurus, their shamanistic power corresponded to the size of their tusks, making it clear that Madaga’s rank was significantly lower than Attila’s.

"Then, I’ll be off to meet the White King."

Leaving the post-rescue arrangements in Madaga’s hands, Attila departed.

Pushing through the bustling crowd, Attila made his way to a large tent set up at the outskirts of the gathering. In front of the tent, a green-skinned orc warrior greeted him warmly with a wave.

"Oh, you made it back safely, Guru Attila!"

It was Kinzir, the chieftain of the Dirt Boar Clan and one of the seven orc Aura Users. Attila bared his tusks in a smile and returned the greeting.

"You made it back safe as well, Karuga Kinzir."

Kinzir was drinking with two dwarf warriors. They were Malroid and Sloytle, Aura Users from the Grand Forge.

As he looked at the orcs and dwarves sitting together amicably, Attila spoke.

“You’re safe, Malroid, Sloytle. Was everything alright with you all?”

Malroid shrugged his shoulders and glanced toward the crowd inside.

“More or less, it seems like things went as planned. That’s fortunate.”

For the Zeppelin liberation operation, the Duchy of Antares had mobilized all its forces. Not only the elite warriors of each clan but also a staggering ten Aura Users had been deployed.

Among the humans were Repenhardt and Russ. From the elves, Iniya participated, while all three of the dwarves’ Aura Users joined the mission. The orcs, too, deployed four Aura Users, Hadatoum, Tassid, Kinzir, and Kalken. On the trolls’ side, powerful troll gurus like Attila and Titima were also mobilized in full force.

It was a mission that placed the very survival of the Duchy of Antares on the line.

Sloytle exhaled deeply, running a hand over his chest.

“It’s truly a relief. If anything had gone wrong, we might have ended up ruining our nation’s reputation just after it had started gaining recognition.”

Attila clicked his tongue as he glanced at the thousands of freed mixed-race individuals.

“You all worked so hard. I can’t believe you managed to bring out that many people.”

Kinzir stroked his chin, letting out a hearty laugh.

“We just followed Karl’s instructions. That guy’s quite something.”

For Attila’s group, which focused on rescuing the trolls, their mission had been relatively less challenging. With only about a hundred individuals to rescue, it was enough to escape anywhere amidst the chaos.

However, the elves, orcs, and dwarves, who had far larger numbers to free, faced much greater difficulties.

The sheer number of individuals to rescue made it no easy task to lead them all out. That’s why Karl had meticulously planned escape routes, calculated the number of slaves to be freed, and even factored in their movement speed, ensuring the troops were strategically distributed.

In Zeppelin’s eastern district, Aura User Hadatoum and Sloytle led the slaves. With assistance from Jalkato, Iniya’s lieutenant Serpel, and others, they emptied out the slave auction houses in the area and escaped through the eastern gate.

On the western side, Iniya and Kadamyte led the efforts, aided by Siris and Talkata, as they guided the slaves out through the western gate.

To the south, Malroid, Kalken, and Relhard took charge.

In the north, Tassid, Kinzir, and Makelin led the mission.

Since the operation required freeing individuals from all races, each rescue team had to include a mix of elves, dwarves, and orcs. They needed to work well together, possess solid leadership, and include individuals who could gain the trust of the rescued slaves. This wasn’t simply a matter of dividing teams by combat strength alone.

It wasn’t an easy task, even if Karl had laid out a simple plan. Without a thorough understanding of each race’s members, their abilities, and personalities, it would have been nearly impossible. This operation was a testament to Karl’s remarkable skill in managing people.

Of course, Kinzir, being a straightforward and somewhat reckless orc, dismissed Karl’s painstakingly detailed strategy with a single remark.

“Hmm, that guy’s sharp as ever.”

His blunt yet piercingly accurate statement brought a small smile to Attila’s face. But he soon noticed something odd.

While they were talking, the expressions on Malroid and Sloytle’s faces darkened. They were trying to maintain a cheerful demeanor, but there was an unmistakable shadow hanging over them.

“Now that I think about it… Where is Kadamyte?”

At this, the trio’s expressions became somber.

Kinzir lifted his drink pouch.

“Karuga Kadamyte has returned to the embrace of the earth. This drink is also in his honor.”

“Kadamyte has joined the flow of nature?”

Attila hadn’t assumed there would be no casualties, but he hadn’t imagined they would lose an Aura User.

Malroid let out a bitter laugh.

“The priests of Alport recovered his body. Considering the timing, his funeral will likely take place after we return to the duchy.”

“…We’ve lost a valuable person.”

The teachings of the gurus emphasized that life and death followed the flow of nature, leaving no reason to grieve in the face of death.

Yet the pain of loss was impartial, affecting trolls and dwarves alike.

Attila imbued his voice with shamanic energy as he expressed his condolences.

“Kadamyte fought honorably for his people and met a noble death. His spirit will surely find peace within the great expanse of nature.”

Attila’s calm yet powerful words seemed to lighten the dwarves’ sorrowful expressions. Listening to him, they felt as though their grief was slowly easing.

“I offer my condolences for the loss of your comrade.”

Sloytle bowed his head in gratitude.

“Thank you, Guru Attila. By the way, you’ve come to see the Savior, haven’t you? He’s inside right now.”

Attila nodded. Kinzir pointed toward the tent.

“He’s been poring over papers since earlier. Go on in.”

*         *         *

Inside the tent, Repenhardt was studying maps of the surrounding area and various documents, deep in thought about the next steps.

“You’ve returned safely. How did the operation go, Attila?”

After offering a brief bow, Attila began to report.  

"All 107 of our kin who were held captive in Zeppelin have been successfully rescued. There were no stragglers, and we sustained no casualties on our side."

"It’s fortunate, at least, that the trolls suffered no losses," Repenhardt said with a sigh.

Attila nodded inwardly as he observed the shadow cast over Repenhardt’s expression. He could easily guess the reason behind such a look.

"I heard about Kadamyte outside. Is the damage severe?"

Repenhardt let out another deep sigh.

Kadamyte was not the only loss. Even if the operation had gone flawlessly according to plan, losses were inevitable.

The trolls, with their relatively small numbers and elite composition, emerged unscathed. However, the other races were not so fortunate. Many were left behind during the escape, while a significant number of slaves perished due to Zeppelin’s forces.

Even among the elites of each race, there were numerous casualties. Hundreds had fallen heroically, holding back Zeppelin’s soldiers during the escape.

Among those celebrating their newfound freedom, there were undoubtedly many quietly swallowing tears, mourning their lost companions.

Repenhardt reviewed the reports submitted by each race, his expression grim.

"Of course, in terms of overall numbers, the bloodshed cannot be said to be excessive…"

Attila gave him a look of understanding.

"No matter how little blood is shed, blood is still blood, and the pain of those who bleed cannot be measured in numbers."

"Exactly…"

Though Iniya had scolded him earlier, Repenhardt was not a coldhearted man. Even if these losses were just numbers on a report, they weighed heavily on him.

Sensing Repenhardt’s sorrow, Attila stepped closer.

"White King, allow me to share with you a song that has been passed down among our kind."

From between his formidable tusks, a gentle melody emerged:

The tears the heavens shed awaken seeds in the earth,

Seeds that cannot sprout become soil of great worth.

The ant devours the grasshopper; the cicada waits below,

Their lives are harsh, yet beauty they still show.

Life proves itself through living, and also through death,

What rank exists in nature’s endless breath?

Blooming and withering, living and dying,

All proceed as they will, though not always complying.

Attila’s deep, resonant voice carried the song with a weight that soothed the soul. The lyrics, simple yet profound, seemed to convey the unchanging truth of life and death. As the melody lingered in the air, a faint calm settled over Repenhardt’s troubled heart.

"And that is how it all comes together into one point."

“Do you understand, King of humans and our king?”

Having finished his song, Attila gave a meaningful smile and made his way out of the tent.

"Well then, I’ll take my leave."

Repenhardt stared blankly at Attila’s retreating figure and muttered to himself.

"…He’s at it again, that guy."

He wasn’t entirely sure what Attila meant, but it seemed to be a way of telling him to stay strong.

Letting out a wry smile, Repenhardt straightened his shoulders.

"Right, I need to stay strong. I wasn’t born to wallow in despair here."

*         *         *

A few dozen meters away from the central tent, Russ was gripping the collar of a handsome red-haired boy and shaking him furiously.

"Hey, you little punk! Where the hell have you been? Do you know how worried I was?"

"Ugh, let go, Sir Russ!"

After Sillan disappeared, Russ had parted ways with Malroid and scoured various parts of Zeppelin in search of him. However, Zeppelin was far too vast, and with the chaos that had broken out, including soldiers belatedly dispatched after realizing their bribery scheme wasn’t foolproof, searching was no easy feat.

Eventually, as dawn broke, Russ judged it too dangerous to remain in Zeppelin any longer. With great reluctance, he made his way to Koln Canyon, intending to report the situation to Repenhardt and then sneak back into Zeppelin alone to resume his search for Sillan.

But when he arrived at the canyon...

"Oh, Sir Russ! You’re late!" Sillan greeted him cheerfully, waving as if nothing had happened.

Stunned beyond belief, Russ grabbed him by the collar without even thinking.

"‘You’re late’? After driving me to the brink of despair, all you can say is ‘You’re late’?!"

Still, the fact that Sillan was safe brought a wave of relief over Russ. Letting out a deep sigh, he finally released him. Sillan rubbed his neck and grumbled.

"Jeez, do you think I did it on purpose? It wasn’t like I had a choice!"

Being caught and kidnapped by Christine had been bad enough, and now he was getting scolded on top of that? From Sillan’s perspective, it was an incredibly unfair situation.

The two glared at each other for a moment before their expressions softened.

Russ let out a small chuckle.

"I really thought something had happened to you, you idiot."

Sillan chuckled in return. Despite Russ’s harsh tone, Sillan could feel how deeply Russ had worried about him.

"Something did happen. I got kidnapped by Christine, you know!"