Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 456 (Part 1): Ending at the Beginning

A month later.

A gust of wind swept over the ramparts.

Helmut stood atop the wall, his eyes fixed on the forest below where green leaves scattered in the breeze.

This was one of the few places beyond the reach of the sacred barrier—where life still lingered.

‘But when the demonic beasts come rushing in, they’ll trample it all anyway.’

The demonic energy they exuded would either rot the forest or twist it beyond recognition. The peaceful scenery would vanish, replaced by desolation.

And if all went according to plan, the corpses of demonic beasts would pile beneath the wall in layers.

Of course, their toxic blood and flesh would serve no purpose as nourishment.

Just then, a voice broke the quiet.

“What are you looking at?”

Helmut turned.

Alea was standing there with a faint smile.

“Nothing. Just thinking how impressive it is they managed to build this in such a short time.”

He tapped the wall with his fingertips.

At each edge of the structure, inscribed magic circles gleamed with metallic light. Each small sigil linked together to form the barrier.

High as mountains, solid as stone, and fortified with protective wards, this wall had risen in little more than twenty days.

For something built in haste, it wasn’t merely decent—it rivaled the finest fortifications anywhere in the world.

The wall now cut off the path from the Forest of Roots to the human realm.

“Functionally, it has everything it needs. They did well.”

Alea agreed.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the full essence of humanity had been poured into this wall.

Unimaginable wealth, the best craftsmen, the greatest minds—none were spared.

All for a single purpose: to defend humanity from the looming crisis, to hold back the demonic beasts spilling from the Forest of Roots.

Helmut spoke with cautious hope.

“With this, as long as the defenders aren’t completely incompetent, the wall should hold.”

He had little faith in how well those left behind could stand against the demonic hordes.

Alea replied,

“If we succeed, and the beasts don’t manage to gather into a proper army, they’ll be manageable. After all, they usually hunt alone.”

“Then we’d better succeed.”

Helmut pulled his hand away.

No matter how composed he was, no matter how strong his will, he couldn’t deny the tension coursing through him.

Alea shook her head gently.

“Still, we’ve had fortune on our side. Things have flowed well enough. The wall stands now, doesn’t it?”

The first matter had been choosing the location.

The Forest of Roots spread wide, and building a wall directly in front of it would have made the fortifications impossibly long. Even if that much wall could be built in such a short span, defending it would scatter the troops too thin.

Fortunately, the problem was resolved quickly.

They had found a natural choke point: a rugged mountain range standing tall on either side, like a wall carved by nature itself.

Any beast descending from the forest would have no choice but to pass through that gap.

Though the distance between the peaks was considerable, it was still manageable.

By erecting a wall between the mountains, they had created a frontline.

Every kingdom had opened its coffers, pouring in supplies. The greatest architects and craftsmen lent their skills. Every capable mage was deployed.

The result was the wall Helmut now stood upon, here for its final inspection.

“Fortunate, indeed.”

The mountains had risen like cliffs over a thousand years ago.

Perhaps the Earth Spirits had laid them there in anticipation of the Demon King’s return.

Beyond this wall, set a little away from the Forest of Roots, a few villages had stood—but their people had already been evacuated.

It was easier to think of it as surrendering a bit more land to the beasts.

Few would circle north through the sea and swim around; those that lived in the waters were like Kantara—territorial, sluggish, and unaccustomed to this climate.

Flying beasts were another matter, but Igrelle had told them their numbers were limited.

‘The sacred barrier cutting off the skies held them back. Other than me, powerful fliers are rare. Most are small fry.’

Small fry to her—but still lethal to humans.

Still, ordinary predators could be fought off.

They had taken additional precautions too.

Illusion wards had been cast so that no beast could simply wander past the wall.

This meant a brutal battle here was all but guaranteed.

But that would be left to those who remained. Helmut’s concern lay elsewhere.

“Tomorrow, then.”

The day they would enter the Forest of Roots. The Temple had prepared a great teleportation circle that would carry them deep within.

No one knew what awaited them inside, so no elaborate plan could be made.

It would all depend on how well they fought in unison.

Even Helmut could not shoulder this burden alone—especially with the Demon King as their foe.

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