Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 283 (Part 1):
“Well then, it’s time to go.”
It was time to depart.
Sian, after saying goodbye, walked towards the sacred barrier in front of everyone.
He intended to wait at a location where no demonic beasts would approach before activating the Adamantium.
The remaining three humans and one demonic beast now had to disperse in their own directions.
Helmut asked Elaga.
“Elaga, do you know anything about Kantara of the north?”
It would be good to gather information about a potential opponent they might have to face.
Frowning, Elaga searched its memories.
[Well, I’ve only seen that one once, so I know even less about it than Baharek. It was when we were confirming each other’s existence and setting boundaries. That one is… how should I put it… completely opposite to Igrelle.]
“What do you mean by that?”
[Igrelle is an active one. Talkative and curious. But as you can see, it’s also quite bright in temperament.
On the contrary, Kantara is gloomy. Very quiet and heavy. Extremely territorial and rigid, so even if it were me, if someone invaded Kantara’s territory, that beast would probably fight to the death.
Well, from its perspective, you humans are like gnats, so it might not care much.]
Elaga added this, almost dismissively, naturally downplaying the importance of humans.
[I’m not sure how Kantara fights either. Igrelle is a bird, but that one…]
Helmut and Alea exchanged glances as they listened.
Alea spoke up.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of creature it is. We’ll choose not to encounter it. Elaga, usually even a regional ruler wouldn’t approach the sacred barrier, right?”
[Unless they’re as curious as Igrelle? Holy power is extremely unpleasant. It feels like it’s eating away at my power.]
“That’s fortunate then.”
Alea turned to Helmut.
“We’ll stick close to the sacred barrier and move along its edge. It’ll be a more gradual curve toward the northern end, so it might be a longer distance, but I believe it’s the safest route to avoid demonic beasts.
Helmut, that won’t be too much for you, right?”
She was considering the Seed of Darkness within him.
Helmut shook his head.
“As long as we’re not too close, it’s not a problem.”
In fact, it was better this way. Just being close to the sacred barrier would cause his Seed of Darkness to lose demonic energy.
The Seed of Darkness had already experienced something like awakening once. It was best to drain its power as much as possible before leaving.
That Helmut who went berserk, controlled by the Seed of Darkness four years ago.
That wasn’t something he could ignore.
[Well, enough chatting. It’s time to go. You, blue-haired human. Hurry up and get on my back.]
Asuka stared for a moment at Elaga, who didn’t think to lower its posture.
Elaga’s back was far higher than Asuka’s own height.
Asuka had seen how Elaga ran.
It was a dynamic movement completely unsuitable as a mount.
“This is crazy.”
He finally sighed and jumped from the nearby tree onto Elaga’s back.
As he firmly grasped the mane, Elaga said indifferently:
[Hold on tight by yourself. I won’t be responsible if you fall off.]
If he were thrown off while running at Elaga’s speed, he might crack his head open. It would truly be a life-risking ride.
‘Damn it.’
Asuka muttered a curse.
He had expected to face dangerous moments in the Forest of Roots, but he never imagined the danger would be of this kind.
Alea spoke as if giving a reminder.
“Please join Sian over there as quickly as possible after finishing your task. Will you be able to find him?”
[I’m a leopard. I can track his scent. Don’t worry about me, just do your part well. In my opinion, you’re the ones most likely to fail.]
Elaga, who spat this out like a curse, flexibly turned its back.
The giant leopard kicked off the ground and leaped. It was an agile movement that didn’t match its size.
Soon, a boom! echoed from the other side. The sound of trees breaking mixed in.
Boom boom boom.
Leaving only vibrations as if an earthquake had occurred, Elaga disappeared into the distance.
They could almost hear Asuka’s screams, who would have to endure pain for the next few days.
“Let’s go too.”
Helmut, who had been staring blankly at their retreating figure, turned his head towards Alea.
Alea was staring at him intently. As if looking at something unfamiliar.
Helmut asked.
“What?”
“Nothing, just… realizing how much time has passed.”
Alea smiled faintly.
Four years ago, Helmut didn’t have a remarkable physique in the Swordsmanship Department, nor was his growth rate particularly fast.
Even though he had matured after returning from Basor, he still had a boyish air about him.
But now, Helmut was fully a man.
His skin was still pale white, but he had grown taller, and his voice had deepened.
His face, which used to have a youthful air, had now matured to the point where ‘handsome’ was a more fitting description than ‘pretty’.
His unique intimidating aura, which made him difficult to approach, had strengthened, but strangely, it seemed to soften in front of her.
He was both the same and different from the Helmut she remembered.
“Let’s go.”