Chapter 51

Chapter 51
## Chapter: 51

### Chapter Title: Golden Highway (3)

—

Golden Highway, situated near the fortifications of the Eighth Gate.

The clash with the underworld forces had concluded. A lone combatant from the Catastrophe Corps stood amidst the silence, staring blankly at the wreckage.

Severed appendages were scattered across the dirt like discarded scraps of poultry. Shattered craniums and pulped gray matter leaked from mangled headgear, while jagged punctures in steel plates had spilled the inner workings of men onto the road. Not a single casualty remained whole in form or limb. In this horrific, open-air abattoir, it appeared he was the sole survivor.

However, a flicker of movement caught his eye. Another soul was clinging to the threshold of life, dragging himself out from beneath a mound of the fallen.

“Hey… *cough*… is everyone else gone…? Did we really… make it…?”

The voice belonged to a comrade he knew well—a gentle veteran who had often shared his rations during the long night watches. A glimmer of relief flickered on the young soldier’s face at the sight of his friend.

But that brief moment of hope instantly turned to ice.

The veteran’s torso terminated abruptly at the pelvis.

As he dragged himself forward, he left a glistening, dark trail of internal organs in the dust. Sensing a strange lightness, the senior looked back, his pupils dilating with primal terror.

“What… what is this… what is happening to me…?”

“……”

“Uh… please… can I survive this? I have to live… right? There is no one else to provide… I must… see my Mother again… help me, please save me…!”

“……”

His strength failed before he could finish. The soldier of the Catastrophe Corps felt his vision blur with heat; his frame shuddered as he bent double, retching uncontrollably onto the blood-soaked earth.

The most twisted of nightmares had manifested in a reality he couldn’t have predicted. No matter how hard he beat his own temples or emptied his stomach, the waking world remained unchanged.

The architect of this devastation was a single entity.

The Catastrophe Corps member clutched the wood of his spear and forced himself to stand. With eyes burning red, he advanced. Amidst the sea of human remains, he located the monstrous aberration. It possessed appendages tipped with serrated steel and heavy weights, a cranium split wide with swinging ocular nerves, and a solitary, hooked horn emerging from its brow.

Driven by a vacuum of grief and fury, the man began to lunge at the creature’s remains.

“Aaaargh! Urgh, uwaaaargh!! Uwaaaargh!!”

*Thud, thud, thud, crunch—!*

The demon was already a corpse, and no amount of steel would bring his thirty brothers back from the piles of meat. Still, he did not cease. Even when the wooden shaft snapped against the creature’s thick hide, he gripped the jagged tip like a shiv and continued his desperate, rhythmic assault.

What finally halted his manic grief was an occurrence that defied the natural order—a mystical force.

“[Eldra, Noen, Avita, Kulramad].”
A melodic, high-pitched voice rang out, a sound entirely out of place in such a tomb. A sudden wave of frost swept through the air, locking the soldier’s arm in a casing of ice before he could strike again.

*Crackle—*

“You did a fine job bringing down the beast, warrior. However, cease this mindless destruction. That specimen is far more valuable to us if it remains in one piece.”

The soldier dropped his frozen limb and turned. Standing there was a man with delicate features clad in azure fabric, followed by a line of others dressed in similar sky-blue robes.

“……Mages? From the Magic Tower?”

“Correct. The Tower Lord herself has sent us to provide aid.”

“Wh-where were you? Why show up only now…? If you had arrived just minutes sooner… we wouldn’t be standing in a graveyard…!”

“We are not all-seeing deities. We cannot pinpoint the exact moment a demon decides to strike, can we? We moved with all possible haste once the report reached us. Spare us your resentment.”

“……Deception.”

“Pardon?”

The mage’s groomed eyebrow arched slightly. The soldier spat out the bitterness that had been festering in his throat.

“Stop lying, you vultures!! We sent a courier five days ago when the neighboring gate was hit!! You’ve been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the demons to butcher us so you could stroll in safely! Why act like you just arrived?! Everyone is dead because of your delay, you goddamn—!”

The mage’s expression sharpened for a second. Then, he broke into a pleasant grin and began to mockingly applaud the soldier, whose face was a mask of grime and bloody tears.

“Gracious, you are a perceptive one. Truly impressive intuition for a common soldier. Most would simply assume we were delayed by the bureaucracy of war.”

“Urk, ugh, hngh, you disgusting cowards…!”

“But a man with your intellect should realize that voicing such truths is a death sentence.”

“Hngh…? Uh, ugh?”

“[Eldra, Xanik, Kleshia, En, Kulramad].”
A surge of intense cold erupted from the mage’s palm. It instantly solidified the blood and salt on the soldier’s face, froze his eyes in their sockets, and moved over his mouth and nostrils, encasing his entire head in a thick, translucent cage of ice.

*Crack—!*

The mage delivered a powerful kick to the frozen skull. The bridge of the nose buckled, and the icy surface splintered into shards. Dark red frost patterns bloomed across the soldier’s ruined face as he slumped over.

Brushing the crimson slush from his footwear, the mage addressed his team.

“Pack the demon into the transport containers. Be careful not to lose any of the loose appendages.”

The sky-blue-robed mages moved with clinical efficiency. The scout who had been maintaining their cloak of invisibility appeared and bowed low before the ice specialist.

“Excellent work, Lord Gayardo. We’ve managed to claim a specimen that is practically pristine.”

“What did I tell you, Dronovan? There is no reason to waste our own energy. A squad of thirty from the Catastrophe Corps is perfectly capable of exhausting a mid-rank demon. We simply wait for the dust to settle and collect the prize.”

The mages chatted with indifference, treating the mangled remains of the soldiers as if they were nothing more than stones on the road. The scout continued to flatter his superior before showing a hint of concern.

“B-but Lord Gayardo, should we proceed to the next gate immediately? The observers from the outlying village haven’t checked in—is it possible a high-rank demon is active…?”

“It matters not. If it is a high-rank entity, we will guide it toward the Ninth Gate. The authorities won’t allow the inner city to fall; either Galentana or the Catastrophe Society will intervene and finish it.”

“Brilliant! And once the smoke clears…”

“We move in first to secure the remains. If we bring back a high-rank corpse, the ‘Conqueror’ title in the upcoming assessments is as good as mine.”

Dronovan continued to heap praise upon his elder’s cunning. Gayardo, a mage of the Invoker rank, smiled softly and looked toward the horizon.

“That’s enough talk—let’s reach the next line. We can’t have anyone else scavenging our trophies.”

In their eyes, there was no lake of blood surrounding them. There was only the open sky and the promise of the Golden Highway.

—

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Kadim and Duncan navigated the checkpoint with surprising smoothness.

The sentries had initially reached for their weapons at the sight of the two strangers, but the moment they saw the seal of the Catastrophe Society on their travel documents, they stepped back.

“Our humblest apologies. We didn’t realize you were traveling under the authority of the Catastrophe Society. Please be cautious; the woods in this region are teeming with monsters and demons.”

The guard even went so far as to apologize for the delay. Duncan felt a wave of disbelief. Every previous stop had been a bureaucratic nightmare; now, a single scrap of parchment acted like a magic wand. Kadim, however, remained stoic, looking as though he would have been just as happy to use his axe to pass.

As they traveled from the perimeter of the Third Gate toward the Fourth, the surroundings remained unchanged. The stones of the road were perfectly laid, and the gardens on either side were lush and quiet. To any observer, the talk of a demonic invasion seemed like a tall tale from a faraway land.

But suddenly, Kadim stopped.

A warm breeze from the south carried a thick, metallic odor and the stench of rotting scales.

The scent was so faint that even a predatory animal might have missed it. But the barbarian, whose life had been defined by the slaughter of countless abominations, recognized it instantly. The long-absent smell of demonic energy felt almost familiar. Every nerve in his body hummed with an ancient, violent energy.

“Demons are close.”

“What was that?”

“Come.”

Without another word, Kadim cleared the roadside barrier and vanished into the brush. Duncan stood paralyzed for a heartbeat before frantically chasing after him.

“M-my lord! Wait! Where are you going?!”

“My lord! Please!”

“My lord… *huff, huff*…!”

The barbarian moved with the grace of a jungle predator, his pace far exceeding anything the merchant could manage. The distance between them grew to hundreds of meters in seconds, and soon it was kilometers.

Despite his exhaustion, Duncan couldn’t stop. If he lost Kadim now, he was a dead man. Without his protector or the pass, he would never make it through the demon-infested territories alone.

“*Huff, haaah, urgh, huff, haa*…!”

Saliva pooled at the corners of his mouth. His heart felt like a hammer against his ribs. His lungs burned with every gasp. The world began to tilt and spin as vertigo set in. Duncan closed his eyes tight, whispering his motivation like a prayer.

‘Limitless wealth, a mountain of gold, riches for ten lifetimes…’

He wasn’t sure how long the pursuit lasted.

Following the trail of broken branches and deep ruts in the earth, Duncan finally broke into a clearing.

— *Agrrrl…*

He saw the remains of black, reptilian creatures, hacked and sliced into pieces. A demon lay dead with its skull split open, dark fluids leaking onto the grass. And there was the barbarian, drinking the creature’s lifeblood.

The slaughter was finished.

“Heh-hek, kehk, kek! *Guwek, huaak*, hek…!”

“……”

Duncan collapsed onto the damp moss, retching as sweat and tears poured down his face. Kadim, meanwhile, looked entirely bored and untouched by the exertion. To look at them, one would think Kadim had been the spectator while Duncan had fought for his life.

Kadim filled a small container with the fluid and sealed it. Once Duncan’s breathing slowed, Kadim spoke.

“A low-level pureblood. The weakest strain. A disappointing find for such a long trek.”

“*Huff, huff*… Is the area clear now, my lord?”

“No. I left one. Follow me.”

Duncan blinked at the strange phrasing. He hadn’t said “one is left,” but “left one.” Had he spared a monster intentionally?

The reason became clear moments later.

“Look into that crevice in the rocks. There’s a shadow lizard there. It’s gorged itself on its own clutch and fallen asleep.”

“I-I see it… but why…!”

“Take this blade. This time, you will be the one to end it.”

“Yeek… *mmph*!!”

A calloused hand smothered Duncan’s cry before it could alert the beast. Kadim stood over him, his shadow looming large and his expression stern.

“Did you not ask me to train you in the ways of combat? This is your lesson. You didn’t think you could become a master without ever staining your hands, did you?”

“……”

“Erase your hesitation. It is a creature corrupted by darkness; it has no soul left. Suppress your presence. Do not draw the blade until you are ready to strike—the magic flame will wake it.”

“……”

“If you succeed, the dagger is yours to keep.”

Duncan’s eyes widened.

This wasn’t just any weapon—it was a blade crafted from the remains of a holy sword and the armor of an Arch Paladin. He had heard the legends from Ironhammer; the idea of owning such a relic made his heart race.

Furthermore, this was the first real responsibility Kadim had given him since they left Molden Keep. It was a golden opportunity to prove he wasn’t just baggage. His desire for the barbarian’s respect was overwhelming.

Determination replaced his fear. He had known he would have to face the darkness eventually. It was just happening sooner than he thought. Murmuring his mantra of wealth one last time, he began to crawl forward.

‘Limitless wealth, riches for ten lifetimes…’

He failed.

He was a mere breath away, almost close enough to touch the beast—and it sensed him.

— *Kueeek!*

The shadow lizard hissed, baring rows of needle-like teeth. Duncan panicked, falling backward without even reaching for the hilt.

“Uwak! Uwaaaargh!”

Kadim didn’t hesitate; he launched a second dagger.

*Whoosh, thuk—!*

— *Kweeeeeek!*

The enchanted flame struck the creature’s temple, ending its life in a flash of heat. The shadow lizard thrashed briefly among the ruined eggs before being reduced to a charred husk.

Kadim walked over and reclaimed his weapons with practiced ease. He looked down at Duncan, his gaze unreadable yet heavy with meaning.

“For now, just focus on being a guide.”

“……”

Duncan bowed his head, overcome with shame.

—

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Moments before Duncan had collapsed in failure.

Kadim had followed the trail of corruption into the forest. He had outpaced Duncan, knowing the man would eventually find the tracks.

“……”

He could feel the presence of monsters within the thicket. However, the dense foliage obscured his line of sight. He stepped with absolute silence, masking his aura for the hunt. He moved like a ghost to ensure a clean strike.

It was useless.

— *Kuek, kueeek!*

— *Kueeeek!*

Several black reptiles lunged at him, their eyes glowing with a malevolent red light. Kadim let out a frustrated sigh.

‘Of course, it had to be shadow lizards.’

Shadow lizards were hypersensitive to vibrations and could detect even the slightest movement in the dark. No matter how skilled Kadim was at stealth, his physical mass made it impossible to bypass their senses. In the world of the game, players rarely succeeded in ambushing these creatures.

However, they weren’t a significant threat.

*Slashslashslash—!*

— *Kweeeek!*

— *Kweeeek!*

He moved his blades in a blur of motion, hacking the lizards into ribbons. He threw his heavy axe to crush those at a distance. Before any could retreat, he closed the gap and executed the low-rank demon that was controlling them.

Mosquito hummed with satisfaction as it tasted the demon’s essence. Kadim remained alert, scouting the immediate perimeter.

‘There might be more nearby.’

A short distance away, he found it. A single shadow lizard that had cannibalized its own nest and was now curled up in a rocky hollow.

— *Grrr, grrr…*

It was still a good distance off. But Kadim’s instincts told him: one more step into its sensory range, and it would wake.

He could have ended it with a simple toss of his axe. But a thought occurred to him.

He wondered just how close the merchant could get before being discovered.

‘If he can get within ten paces, he has potential.’

He rubbed his chin in thought, then purposefully left the creature alive and headed back to the clearing to wait for Duncan.