Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 441 (Part 1): Chapter 13: The Collapsing Sacred Barrier

If Helmut were to ever approach the Forest of Roots again, he had thought it would be in the distant future.

A time when Helmut could afford to indulge in nostalgia.

Yet, that moment arrived far sooner than expected.

Having teleported near the Forest of Roots, Helmut, Alea, Elaga, Sian, and even Heike hurriedly climbed onto the back of the transformed back, Igrelle.

Charlotte, meanwhile, was set to head straight to the Deus Empire with the Grand Duke.

One crisis after another. Just when they thought they had overcome one ordeal and found peace, a new threat loomed without a moment’s reprieve.

The Temple of Lumen, which had once been Helmut’s most formidable enemy, was no longer a threat to him. But now, an entirely unforeseen danger had emerged.

Sian, who had been abruptly summoned, looked bewildered as he listened to the explanation.

“But why am I involved? Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be much help.”

For him, the very idea of returning to the Forest of Roots was unsettling.

After his last visit, Sian had sworn off adventures for good.

Helmut responded simply, “Because of the Earth Spirit. You’re from Rodril.”

Sian was connected to the Earth Spirit.

If they viewed this situation through Sian, the Earth Spirit might offer some insight.

It must have already sensed the signs of this upheaval.

The Earth Spirit had reached out to Helmut through Sian’s mother, Terra, revealing anomalies in the Sacred Barrier.

But Helmut hadn’t connected those signs to the collapse of the Sacred Barrier.

His focus had been on the more pressing issue of the Grand Duchy of Renosa. The Forest of Roots, which he had left behind, was far from his mind.

The Sacred Barrier had been an absolute wall for Helmut since his birth.

Even though he had crossed it twice, he had never once imagined it collapsing.

As a young child enduring harsh training, he might have fleetingly wished, ‘If only that barrier would fall.’

Was this a belated fulfillment of that wish?

‘The problem is, I no longer wish for that.’

Yet that wish was now becoming reality. An unstoppable reality.

He had considered fighting the Temple, but never the entity on the opposite side.

Helmut recalled what Alea had said in the Forest of Roots.

He finally voiced the words Heike had been reluctant to say.

“Is the Demon King reviving?”

Heike, who had worn a grave expression since leaving the royal castle, responded.

“The Sacred Barrier seals the Forest of Roots. The Forest of Roots, in turn, blocks the Gate of the Demon Realm. If the seal on the Forest of Roots is undone, it means the Gate of the Demon Realm will open. And if that happens, the Demon King…”

Sian seemed to recall Alea’s earlier words as well, grasping at a shred of hope.

“Demonic energy is a fragment of the Demon King, right? But the Forest of Roots is already brimming with demonic energy. Just because the Sacred Barrier falls and the Gate of the Demon Realm opens doesn’t necessarily mean the Demon King will revive, does it? I mean, maybe the gate won’t even open. Perhaps only demonic beasts will pour out. That would still be dangerous, but…”

Alea firmly countered.

“Everything is interconnected. The Sacred Barrier doesn’t serve just one function.”

“You mean it doesn’t just contain the demonic energy by sealing the Forest of Roots—it also keeps the Gate of the Demon Realm closed and prevents the Demon King’s revival. All of it?”

“Yes.”

Alea nodded with absolute certainty.

Sian’s face crumpled.

“Fine, then what changes if the Gate of the Demon Realm opens?”

“Creatures with demonic energy would gain access to an endless source of power, growing stronger. Perhaps beings far more powerful than anything in our world could pour out from the Demon Realm. Crossing worlds wouldn’t be easy, and it would consume tremendous energy, but it would still be a massive threat.”

[Still weaker than me, though.]

Elaga, still in his cat-like form, twitched his tiny brow.

He took pride in being the strongest demonic beast in existence.

The idea of a demonic beast stronger than him was unacceptable.

Alea said casually, “If the Demon Realm opens, Elaga will naturally grow stronger too. Demonic energy is your source of power, after all. It would keep replenishing and accumulating, even more than in the demonic-energy-saturated Forest of Roots.”

Elaga’s eyes widened.

[Right, I’m a demonic beast, aren’t I?]

[So, if the Demon Realm opens, isn’t that good for us?]

Igrelle, flapping its wings diligently, looked ready to turn back immediately.

For demonic beasts, growing stronger meant devouring others without hesitation. They never refused power.

“No,” Alea said. “The Demon King… dominates all beings with demonic energy. Even if it can’t control powerful beings like Elaga or Igrelle, it will likely try to absorb your power. And demonic beasts can’t defeat a stronger demonic beast. Isn’t that right?”

Elaga reluctantly agreed.

[That’s true, but…]

Sian raised a question.

“Wait, what even *is* the Demon King?”

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