Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 462 (Part 2):

“The five rulers of the domains were suppressing the entrance to the Demon Realm,” Helmut said. “Magi is countered by demonic energy.”

“But with Naho dead, and Elaga and Igrelle gone, the rocks holding the Demon Realm’s entrance shut have been removed,” Alea added.

The two exchanged words, their assessment aligning with what they’d predicted. The situation in the north was better than expected, but—

‘The real battle will be in the central region. Before we get there, we need to regroup with the others.’

Without unity, victory was impossible. The Demon King already seemed to exert influence over most of the Forest of Roots’ demonic beasts, likely amassing a massive force. The beasts of the Forest were no pushovers.
Elaga might face them without much thought, but even the mightiest beast can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

‘And Elaga isn’t even with us.’

That was a problem. There was no guarantee Elaga was in the northern region. If he were nearby, his keen senses would have led him to Helmut by now. He was likely far away.

Elaga knew better than to act alone, so Helmut could only hope he’d joined up with someone else. That way, they could secure enough Rosetta.

Helmut turned to Kantara. “What about you? We’re heading to the central region to stop the Demon King. Are you staying here?”

Kantara was resisting the Demon King’s control, which made him a potential ally. With Alea here and a sufficient supply of Rosetta’s Root, they had leverage.

Though Helmut had once threatened him, their last parting had been amicable. Their relationship wasn’t bad, so perhaps they could recruit him, even temporarily.

[The Demon King… scares me. I don’t… want to fight. I just want… to live quietly.]

Kantara’s voice was glum.

“Some ruler of the northern domain you are, with no spine,” Luke Yeager said, clicking his tongue.

Alea, as if struck by a thought, asked, “Kantara, can you sense human presence from afar? Like traces of magic or vibrations?”

The dense magi in the Forest made long-range magical detection difficult. Even Alea had resorted to launching flames into the sky to signal allies, assuming they were nearby.

Casting magic in the Forest came with restrictions—only an archmage or someone of comparable skill could overcome the resistance of ambient magi. But Kantara was a demonic beast, and a domain ruler at that. In this magi-saturated environment, his senses and abilities would be heightened.

He might make reuniting with their allies easier.

Kantara confirmed, [I’m… among the domain rulers… with particularly sharp senses.]

Helmut and Alea nodded easily. For a cautious creature fond of hiding, heightened perception made sense.

[But… how long are you all… staying in my domain?]

Kantara’s tone betrayed his displeasure. He hadn’t forgotten being pierced by Helmut’s sword.

Helmut spoke calmly, “If you help us, we can leave sooner.”

[And yet… you came back.]

“To defeat the Demon King causing this chaos,” Helmut said.

“And for that, we need your help. Our group got scattered while moving through the Forest,” Alea added.

Kantara seemed to ponder this.

[I felt… something enter from outside. Split into… two groups. One came… to my domain. The other… went west.]

Helmut, Alea, and Luke exchanged glances. This was valuable information. Kantara was already proving useful, and the situation upon entering the Forest was better than expected.

Helmut pressed, “We’d like your help finding our companions.”

[No… why should I? You… figure it out.]

Kantara was uninterested. Helping them felt like a hassle. Coming this far was already a stretch for him.

“A domain ruler shouldn’t just hope for things to get better while freeloading,” Alea said sharply. “Help us out. That’s how we’ll restore the Forest to normal, so you can live your peaceful life.”

Of course, a Forest of Roots without the sacred barrier after defeating the Demon King wouldn’t be the same. But it was hard to imagine this timid turtle sailing south to hunt humans. He’d likely live as he always had.

Though the lifespan of demonic beasts was uncertain, a turtle like Kantara would probably live a very long time. He might quietly reside in his northern domain until the world’s end.

Kantara bristled. [You… are rude. You speak… harshly. I… can’t stay out of the water… for long. It won’t… work.]

“If you’re worried about being controlled by the Demon King, don’t be. We’ve come prepared,” Helmut said, abruptly thrusting his sword into the ice.

*Crack!*

Gray Vis pierced the ice, carving a narrow hole. Though the ice was thicker than a person’s height, Helmut breached it in one strike, reaching the sea below. Water welled up, lapping at the hole’s edges. Kantara flinched.

[What… are you doing?! An attack?!]

“No. Eat this.”

Helmut dropped a few Rosetta pellets into the hole. The pellets, floating briefly on the water’s surface, were sucked downward as if drawn by a straw.

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