Episode 19/Chapter 1: Intermediate Ranked Warrior (1)

TL: Tsubak

ED:

The land of the dark fairies, Svartalfheim, had several divisions.

The shadows of the forest created by the branches covering the sky was the residence of the dark fairies. After leaving the forest a wasteland covered in gray appeared, and if you went a bit more a place called Nidavellir, that was the residence of the dwarves that were also called as dvergs, showed up.

Winter in Svartalfheim couldn’t be compared to the one in Asgard or Midgard at all.

The winter in the wastelands was especially harsh. The time the sun showed up was really short, and there were no walls to cover the winds. It was to the point that some may compare the wastelands at its coldest with Niflheim.

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However there were some that were still fine in this harsh land.

“They really are amazing.”

Tae Ho, that was wearing the stealth cloak over the hawk wing coat, was looking at a far place while standing on a branch. It was the camp of the warriors of Valhalla that Tae Ho himself was at just a few minutes ago.

The warriors of Hedmod’s and Ullr’s legion set up a big fire and were in the middle of partying. As the search operation had no results for the past month, Valkyrie Gandur had made a feast to raise their moods.

Tae Ho opened his eyes sharply. His eyesight was really at the superhuman level now that he was at the level of an intermediate ranked warrior. Tae Ho looked at the warriors that weren’t wearing any shirts even though a sharp wind that could cut you was blowing and felt cold instead of them.

The past three months.

Asgard discovered one more soul fragment of Garmr and succeeded in destroying it.

You didn’t know if it was lucky or unlucky that no soul fragments appeared in the expeditions Tae Ho participated in.

Following Heda’s words, it was estimated that there were from 12 to 14 fragments. As Asgard had already destroyed 3, there were about ten more.

How many fragments did the giants have from the remaining ones?

And how many do you need to wake up the world wolf?

What was fortunate was that both sides hadn’t started searching for a long time.

Although the giants were boldly searching for it everywhere in Asgard, they couldn’t do so before Garmr’s soul fragment appeared before the hundred days.

As they had proceeded with caution to not let their intentions be shown, the search could only become slower. Because of that, even if the giants did have some fragments, there was a high probability for them to have few of them.

‘That’s one thing.’

Tae Ho took a deep breath and then looked down on the two objects hanging on his waist.

Gae Bolg’s fragment and the Unknown sword piece.

Based on Cu Chulainn’s words, Gae Bolg was currently divided in five.

Although not even Cu Chulainn could recognize the Unknown sword piece, it was still useful like this.

Because of that Tae Ho decided to focus on Gae Bolg for now and he could finally get some progress last night.

‘I memorized the location of another fragment.’

He had met Cu Chulainn in his mind in the past month and said with a vague face. Although there were some cracks in his memories, he said that remembered something after coming to Svartalfheim and more precisely to the center of the wastelands.

The temporary base of the Red branch knights.

The Red branch knights that Cu Chulainn belonged in got destroyed along with Erin. However there were some survivors. Cu Chulainn gathered them and built a temporary base for the Red branch knights in the harsh lands of Svartalfheim.

‘I have engraved a returning magic in Gae Bolg in case of the worst. The fragment that has the magic letters engraved in it should have returned to the base.’

In addition Cu Chulainn had said that there were relics, several weapons and treasures stored in the base of the knights.

Tae Ho let out a sigh and touched his forehead after frowning. He could now feel Erin’s power perhaps for having gotten quite accustomed to the power of a God.

‘Hey, I don’t want to do this to a man either!’

Cu Chulainn had also frowned while giving a kiss blessing in his forehead.

However Tae Ho ended up smiling bitterly. Thanks to Cu Chulainn having blessed him in the forehead, Heda had changed places where she blessed him. He was thankful towards Cu Chulainn by many meanings.

“Is it regretful not being able to join the party?”

A voice was heard behind him. It was Siri, that was nice to see anytime just like Heda.

“How can that be. Thank you for going with me captain Siri.”

“That’s your task. I also have to pay back the grace I received from master.”

The master Siri talked about was none other than Ragnar. He desired Siri’s talent and character that much when they went to catch Rolo but now he had taken her as his disciple.

Thanks to that Siri visited Idun’s legion whenever she had time and received classes along with Tae Ho for the past three months.

“Anyways, why don’t we prepare to depart?”

Siri said in a low voice and started to take off her clothes. As Tae Ho turned his head hurriedly, Siri let out a laugh and activated her saga.

[Saga: The wolf witch]

He had already seen Siri’s saga several times, but the result was different from before. It was the result of Siri’s saga having developed and had the power of a God added into it.

The golden wolf standing below the blue moonlight was really beautiful. You would believe it if someone said that she was a mount of the God of hunting.

“Tae Ho.”

“I will excuse myself.”

Tae Ho placed the Beast’s saddle on Siri, that had transformed into a wolf as big as a horse, and fixed his posture. As it was troublesome to fly in Svartalfheim, Tae Ho could only ask Siri instead of using Rolo.

“Grab on tightly, I will run a bit roughly.”

Siri also laughed this time and then started to run like a White silence. Different to her words, that had said that she would run roughly, she was charging softly and gently to the point no footsteps were left behind.

Riding in the wasteland that was covered in white was like crossing a boundless ocean. But the closer they got to their destination, the fragment of Gae Bolg vibrated stronger and faster, so they didn’t lose directions.

It was when Siri rode almost for an hour with her quick feet. The vibration stopped.

It wasn’t because they got lost but because they had arrived to their destination.

Tae Ho got down of Siri and put away the Beast’s saddle. Siri removed her saga and quickly wore some clothes.

A rocky mountain was placed in front of her. Tae Ho could find the secret door easily after activating the ‘eyes of the dragon’.

He placed his forehead, that had the blessing of Cu Chulainn, to the boulder and an entrance appeared with a clunking sound. It seemed to be a passage using the natural cave.

When Erin got destroyed Cu Chulainn had mixed emotions just like rage, hatred, sadness and emptiness. The other survivors must have also felt the same that it was kind of understandable that they built a base in this desolate place.

Tae Ho made a light ball with the temporary engraving in his right hand. When the surroundings got lit up and entered tens of meters, a big cave appeared.

“Erins knights…..”

Siri exclaimed in a low voice and looked at her surroundings. There were sculptures resembling the knights of Erin and the Gods. There were also sculptures that seemed to be Gods of Tuatha De Danann.

Tae Ho approached an altar that was at the opposite side of the entrance. If it was like Cu Chulainn had explained, Gae Bolg’s fragment had to be on top of that.

However there was nothing on it. As Siri turned to look at her with a bewildered face, Tae Ho approached the altar even more instead of answering.

Erin’s power.

It was obvious. Even though it was temporary, this was still the base of the Red branch knights.

But that wasn’t all. Tae Ho felt a strong power from the altar.

Gae Bolg started to vibrate. No, Cu Chulainn’s soul that was inside of it was trembling.

Tae Ho placed his hand on the altar. Cu Chulainn’s blessing that was inside of Tae Ho reacted with the power on the altar.

A light exploded out. The cave that was filled with darkness got covered with a bright light. At the same time Tae Ho and Heda could see. The shape of a woman made with the light that appeared from the altar was formed.

“Scathach.”

Tae Ho reflexively called for her. The woman that had long and abundant black hair and cat-like eyes. The queen of the land of darkness that was located in the boundary of life and death.

She, that was wearing the fur of a black beast, spoke up. It was a hologram that was recorded tens of years ago and not a real time conversation.

“Cu Chulainn, my proud disciple.”

Her words were short and indifferent.

The day Erin got destroyed, the land of darkness also got destroyed. She, who was struggling to defend the land of darkness fell in an ambiguous flow of time and in the end could arrive in Asgard.

The first thing she did was to look for Cu Chulainn. She could discover the Red branch knights with her efforts but it was only after Cu Chulainn and the warriors had gone to the Great War.

Scathach retrieved the fragment of Gae Bolg that was placed on the altar. It seemed like a joke of fate, but Cu Chulainn’s soul almost didn’t remain in it.

“If you return one day come find me. I will be waiting for you just like I always did.”

Scathach’s welcome ended with a sad smile. A sentence made with light and drawings appeared. Although he couldn’t read Erin’s words, he felt like he knew what they meant.

The map telling him where Scathach was.

At that moment, Cu Chulainn’s emotions bursted out. He laughed and cried. His emotions were so strong it even affected Tae Ho. Tae Ho cried a bit without him noticing.

Because of that Tae Ho and Cu Chulainn couldn’t feel the change that occurred in their surroundings. But fortunately the two of them weren’t the only ones in this place.

“Who are you!”

Siri yelled sharply and turned back. Tae Ho got surprised and spread his senses. There were things that were moving in the darkness beyond the light that had started to disappear.

Cu Chulainn inside of Tae Ho got enraged.

“Fomhoraigh!”

Erin’s old enemies that were also called as Fomoires. They, that had harassed Erin with countless invasion hadn’t disappeared even after Erin got destroyed. No, inthe first place they were the ones that had brought Erin to destruction.

The Fomoires, that surged out from the seas, didn’t have a predetermined shape. They were giants that looked atrocious but there were some that didn’t have a shape and some had beautiful looks of that of a God.

The ones that had moved were the rock like Fomoires. They were waiting for someone to come to this place for tens of years. They were wondering if they could find a trace of Scathach and they had finally succeeded.

A part of the Fomoires threw themselves to the outside. And the rest charged towards Siri and Tae Ho.

It felt like the walls and ceilings were crumbling down and were pouring down. However Tae Ho thought instead of fearing.

He had to catch the ones that got outside. He had to find Scathach before the Fomoires flocked on to her.

So what he needed to do so.

Tae Ho stopped breathing. He gripped the Unknown sword piece and activated his strength.

[Saga: The immortal warrior]

[Synchro rate: 32%]

The black storm that occurred from the tip of Tae Ho’s hands sweeped up the Fomoires.

&

< Intermediate Ranked Warrior (1) > End

TL note: Thanks for reading~