Chapter 92: Chapter 92

"It's really nice to see you again . I almost cried. Welcome, Ran."

Tascar spoke with a teasing grin. The Northmen stood in a wide circle around him.

"These are the sworn allies of our Sabertooth Tigers. They're from different tribes, but I hear they've all been sharpening their blades for revenge, waiting for this very day."

Everyone's attention was focused solely on Ran. Some, seeing him for the first time, wore deliberately fierce expressions in an attempt to intimidate him.

Ran paid no mind and sat down cross-legged opposite Tascar.

Tascar commanded everyone's attention.

"Alright, it's time for proper introductions. This is the godslayer, Ran."

Shock spread among the Northmen like wildfire.

Ran frowned. It was his first time hearing the term 'godslayer,' but he could tell it didn't have a pleasant meaning.

In Northland, 'godslayer' carried a double meaning.

It originated as a title for the first human who deceived the gods with cunning and stabbed them in the back. Following this origin, it's now generally used for those 'humans of talent equal to the gods, but with unrivaled cunning wickedness.'

A man abruptly stepped forward.

"Tascar, do you even know what 'godslayer' means?"

Other nearby Northmen chimed in too.

"It's intolerable for an Imperial to be called a godslayer."

"Does this mean he's insulted the gods of our land?"

While Ran stayed silent, tascar soothed the group.

"Our Sabertooth Tigers may be mere humans, but we call those who dare challenge the gods or wield power on their level 'godslayer.' Truly warriors beyond mortal limits."

"Nonsense. You're saying this Imperial is a match for the gods?"

"If you don't believe it, see for yourself. Ran leads Tarok's evil spirits as if they were his minions."

Another wave of silent shock washed over the group. Their eyes grew wide with disbelief.

Tarok was a god of the demons, not just a minor deity.

The warriors glanced sideways at Ran. Tascar's claim seemed impossible. Ran looked so frail, like he would break at a touch.

Tascar watched their faces, amused. He understood their reactions—he'd thought the same once.

"Oh, one more thing—Ran also has Asriel's power—"

Ran cut Tascar off mid-sentence. Tascar admitted his own excitement.

The mood had shifted since their first meeting. Some imagined the rest of what Tascar had almost said.

Gradually, awe flickered in some of their eyes.

Of course, not everyone felt that way.

"I heard that Pontiff looks weak too. Are all Imperials built ?"

A few laughed in agreement. Ran didn't even look in their direction. Tascar spoke up.

"Hey, ketil. Watch your mouth. Ran speaks Northlandic like it's his own tongue."

Ketil's eyes widened. The laughter died instantly.

Ran let out a shallow sigh. He spoke in Northlandic.

"Tascar. What is this? What are you having us here for?"

"Heh heh, sorry. Still, these are comrades you'll fight beside. Good to get a look at them."

With that, Ran looked around the group.

Surrounding him and Tascar were Northmen with muscular builds, furs, tattoos—each with a rough aura. Even at a glance, there must have been nearly one hundred.

"They don't all seem to be from the same tribe."

"Knew you'd notice. Right. As expected, many of Dakir's warriors, who hold grudges against the Snow Leopard tribe, are here. An anti-pontiff faction had already formed in secret, centered on our surviving Sabertooth Tiger warriors."

Tascar looked back and forth at the men and women standing beside him. The two who met his gaze nodded quietly to Ran—stern types from the look of them.

"Good timing. So, are we marching straight for Ortega? What's the enemy strength?"

Instead of answering, tascar glanced at a female warrior at his right.

The woman, who introduced herself as Maya, stepped between Tascar and Ran. Black paint around her eyes made her blue irises all the more striking.

"The Ortega garrison numbers about three hundred."

Maya spoke loudly to the group. The previously excited atmosphere sobered instantly.

"That figure includes the main Snow Leopard tribe as well as some forces from other tribes that actively support them."

Ran folded his arms. That was more than twice their own numbers.

"If you add the elite Black Priests and Barbarians, known to have received the Pontiff's stigmata, the enemy's actual forces hold an overwhelming advantage. Individually, they can take on five, or even a hundred, of us at once."

Despite the despair in the situation, maya continued in an emotionless tone. Her blue eyes shone with composure.

"The important thing is the forces Lycan scattered throughout the region for his northern campaign. We must decide: do we search them out and defeat them in detail to remove threats to our rear, or attempt a direct breakthrough and target Ortega first?"

With such a disadvantage, their tactical options were limited.

Ran looked back and forth between Maya and Tascar.

Tascar nodded gravely. Even Maya's cold gaze trembled, just faintly.

"Tascar, didn't you say as long as we made it to Aburota safely, it would be an easy victory?"

"I... didn't think they'd seize Ortega and the North this quickly."

Hundreds of tribes gathered in Northland's north. While not what they'd seen under Chief Mukesh, most had been allies or, at minimum, exchanged with the Sabertooth Tigers.

Tascar had never imagined the Snow Leopards could conquer these tribes and the whole coalition in barely half a year.

For an Imperial, maybe this seemed manageable, but Northland was unknown territory. There was nowhere to turn for help.

Ran wiped his face with a hand, then asked,

"This force here—if these are the anti-pontiff faction from the south, wouldn't there be more resistance in the north?"

"Maybe, but they're disorganized. There's no way to unite them. The south is only coordinated because Aburota's served as a loose communication hub."

Maya answered crisply, dropping any personal tone.

Ran avoided Maya's icy stare.

"A head-on rush would be suicide."

He didn't want a war of attrition, but it was better than losing all hope. It was crucial to calmly analyze the situation.

Silence hung as no one volunteered an opinion.

"... Tascar, we really have no choice but to seek out the Bloodhorn."

Maya spoke to Tascar. He put a tired hand to his forehead. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"Haah, maya. Not this again."

"If not, how do you propose we retake Ortega?"

Maya's demeanor was totally different from earlier—her proud gaze gone.

The man at Tascar's left snapped. This was Kanuk, a Sabertooth Tiger and Maya's comrade in the anti-pontiff alliance.

"Maya, give it up. The Bloodhorn doesn't exist."

"Isn't it better to cling to even a sliver of hope, rather than do nothing?"

Maya did not concede. Ran entered the conversation.

"What's the Bloodhorn?"

Tascar shook his head, bothered.

"It's a horn said to summon our clan's guardian spirit. Just one of countless legends passed down by the tribe. Don't worry about it."

"Maya! You mean to march into the Gigantes snowy mountain for a fairytale in times ? Even in the past, veteran tribesmen tried and failed to find it, you know that?"

Maya bit her lips, unable to retort. The Northmen who had pinned hopeful expectations on the Bloodhorn openly showed their disappointment.

"Maya, why can't you let go of the Bloodhorn?"

Ran asked. Tascar was sensitive to Northland's mysteries, yet even he dismissed the legend outright; Ran was curious why Maya clung to it.

Maya glanced at Tascar, then spoke with difficulty.

"... Because I believe it's real."

"My grandfather. He devoted his life to searching for the Bloodhorn."

Ran caught a glimpse of grief crossing Tascar and Kanuk's faces.

It was a famous story. Maya's grandfather had headed an expedition to the Gigantes snowy mountain in search of the Bloodhorn, never to return. It consisted of Ortega's most promising young warriors at the time.

The shock was deep. Because of it, maya's father had lived out his days in disgrace.

"Maya, you're not still holding onto that, are you?"

"No, tascar. My heart is only for the tribe. Think about it. Who would be more sick of hearing about the Bloodhorn than me?"

Ran organized the situation in his mind.

'We're outmatched in both numbers and quality.'

They might gradually overcome the numerical disadvantage by slowly uniting scattered northern resistance.

But the real concern was that the enemy's main strength derived from divine power.

Ran knew plenty about those who'd gained superhuman abilities through Dakir's mark.

'Still, morale is the real problem.'

Northmen warriors idolized the Barbarians. Fear of them was ingrained deeply.

On top of that, the presence of stigmata-blessed warriors weighed heavily on their minds.

'There's no point trying to talk down the threat.'

Ran dropped his hand from his chin to his knee.

"Maya. Let's go find the Bloodhorn together."

Maya stared at him in shock. Tascar sighed in disbelief, and Kanuk just blinked wide-eyed.

Ran declared firmly amid their startled gazes.

"We need a trump card too."

"... Ran, get real. This is a war."

"That's why we need to take whatever chance we have, however small. You know victory is impossible as things stand."

"We barely have enough people to split up."

"Maya and I are enough. As you've seen, if I mix into the group, it can backfire. When new recruits see an Imperial, they'll only breed resentment."

Ran glanced around at the Northmen.

If not for Tascar's mediation, their hostility to an Imperial would have been blatant.

Tascar acknowledged that point.

"True, it's a hassle convincing everyone of you each time."

"You said the most promising spot for the Bloodhorn was the Gigantes snowy mountain, right?"

"Yeah. The legends conflict on most details, but that part's always the same."

"Good. Then you lead the main force forward, but avoid direct engagements. All that's left is to coordinate our timing."

Even if search failed, at least a rendezvous could be scheduled to avoid confusion.

"That's not a problem."

Tascar looked up. Ran, unconsciously, followed his gaze skyward.

A hawk circled overhead. Sunlight streamed through its outspread wings.

The hawk let out a loud cry and plummeted in a vertical dive.

Barely missing the ground, it spread its wings and landed softly on Maya's shoulder.

Ran was too startled to speak. The hawk nuzzled Maya's cheek affectionately.

Tascar paused before answering.

"... She's a remarkable Barbarian able to commune with animals."

His tone was a little husky.