Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 104: Myst (1)

“You look like you have a headache,” the Tower Master said, gazing at Barbosa.

“Of course I do.” Barbosa had just returned and was pressing his palm against his forehead, looking thoroughly exhausted. “I tried explaining it to the people of the Lutein Kingdom, but they wouldn’t listen. The nobles are also launching political attacks. Some people are even saying that I was the one who destroyed their capital. It’s chaos.”

“That was bound to happen,” the Tower Master said calmly.

He had expected this to happen. Even if Elene borrowed the Tower Master’s name, the nobles of Lutein wouldn’t relinquish power so easily. Accepting that their royal palace was replaced by an Anomaly from a Demon Realm was no easy feat.

Yet, in time, they would have no choice but to acknowledge the truth—that the Demon Realm’s Anomalies had begun encroaching upon their world, and they were the first victims.

“How is she holding up?” the Tower Master asked. He was referring to Elene Mavroch, the last living member of the Lutein royal family and one of the only two Anomalies remaining born from Nano.

In this chaotic situation, she was the only one who could calm the kingdom. It ultimately hinged on her resolve. If she decided to abandon everything and flee, things would get much more complicated.

Barbosa replied, “She’s doing better than I expected. The nobles try to cajole her, but she remains calm and refuses to give in. I thought she was just a naive child, but she’s surprisingly determined.” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

“She’s been through a lot,” the Tower Master remarked, “and maybe something—or someone—gave her the strength to keep going.”

The Tower Master thought of Ketal and how he could’ve impacted Elene’s life. Ketal probably served as the pillar that kept Elene from collapsing under pressure.

“What a strange relationship,” the Tower Master said with a cryptic smile. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“What do you mean?” Barbosa asked him.

“The relationship between Anomalies,” the Tower Master clarified. “The Anomaly from the White Snowfield destroyed the one born from the Forest of Nothingness. And then it helped another Anomaly live on as a human.”

“So, this is about that barbarian,” Barbosa muttered.

“It seems Anomalies from different Demon Realms do not necessarily work together,” the Tower Master went on. “That, at least, is a small relief.”

Barbosa wore a conflicted expression. “Just how powerful is that barbarian?”

The first time Barbosa witnessed the devastated palace, he had assumed the destruction was the Tower Master’s doing. After all, that kind of large-scale annihilation was beyond anything but a Hero's power.

“That’s hard to say,” the Tower Master said quietly. “How strong indeed...”

“You don’t know either, Tower Master?” Barbosa asked him.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted.

By raw strength alone, the barbarian seemed to have similar power as other Heroes, yet the Tower Master couldn’t be certain. Unlike other Heroes, Ketal did not wield Myst.

Myst wasn’t just raw strength. It was like a miracle in its purest form. Those who mastered it could impose their internal vision on reality itself. Had Nano tried to wield such power—according to the new information revealed—it might not have been so easily annihilated.

In truth, Nano never used any Myst right up to the end, whether that was due to restrictions or personal choice. And it solidified the underlying truth—those who lacked Myst could never defeat those who possessed it.

Nano’s attacks couldn’t even scratch the barrier the Tower Master had created. By that logic, Ketal, who likewise didn’t use Myst, wouldn’t fit the true definition of Hero-Class.

“Still,” the Tower Master added, “I doubt the barbarian showed us everything he’s capable of. While he may not use Myst, he destroyed Nano without getting so much as a scratch. His strength is simply on another level.”

One thing was certain; Ketal was extraordinarily strong.

“At minimum, he’s at the peak of the Transcendents,” the Tower Master mused. “Maybe even beyond that. I cannot confidently say he’s on the level of a Hero, though. That’s a different domain altogether.”

“So there’s a powerhouse of that scale staying in the Denian Kingdom. I’m not sure if we should be happy or scared.” Barbosa let out a long, uneasy breath. Then, he gave a wry laugh. “Still, he seems friendly enough toward humans, so maybe it’s not so bad.”

“Perhaps,” the Tower Master said, though he sounded less certain. “His existence does benefit us in some ways, but at the same time, it raises an important question.”

“What kind of question?”

“Anomalies from the Demon Realms are emerging into the outside world,” the Tower Master explained. “We saw how the one from the Forest of Nothingness devoured the Lutein Kingdom’s royal palace. But it’s not only that. A barbarian from the White Snowfield also came out. What do you think that implies?”

Barbosa’s face went pale. “Does it mean... monsters from the White Snowfield can come out as well?”

Long ago, there was an emperor who dominated the world—he razed the sacred lands of many gods and seized the entire continent. He eventually marched his armies into the White Snowfield to conquer it. A few years later, he returned alone with a harrowing tale.

Among the frozen peaks lurked monstrous creatures—White Serpents that devoured glaciers, White Bears that caused earthquakes, and Ugly Rats that polluted the sea.

If those legendary beasts emerged from the White Snowfield, they could plunge the entire world into chaos.

“That barbarian is strong,” the Tower Master said. “But not even he could handle those creatures from legend. If they moved beyond their territory, the balance could collapse.”

Though Ketal was powerful, it was purely brute force without Myst. He most likely wouldn’t stand a chance against the ancient horrors described in myths. The barbarian tribes in the White Snowfield probably survived by avoiding those monsters. The Tower Master was certain of it.

Barbosa gulped nervously at the mere thought.

The Tower Master spoke in a calming tone. “Don’t panic. Creatures of that level are probably rare. Since they haven’t shown themselves yet, it might mean they have no reason to leave, or maybe something keeps them contained.”

Still, even the Tower Master had to admit he was speculating. The White Snowfield remained a complete mystery.

“This could get ugly,” Barbosa said quietly.

“Yes,” the Tower Master agreed. “Maybe that’s why the Empire has been sending forces to investigate the Demon Realms. Who knows what the Emperor is thinking? I’d love to crack open his skull to find out.”

Barbosa winced reflexively at that unprecedented insult toward the Emperor. Even behind his back, few dared speak so openly.

“Is His Majesty still the same?” Barbosa ventured.

“Always,” the Tower Master replied. “Once news of this reaches him, he will probably act immediately. For now, it might be best to keep information about the barbarian under wraps. Nothing good will come from the Empire poking around.”

As the Tower Master, he had the power to enforce that. Barbosa nodded in agreement. The conversation settled, and the Tower Master waved his hand through the air.

“Are you heading out now?” Barbosa asked him.

“I have to,” the Tower Master said. “This isn’t the only place that needs attention. There’s also that missing fool I need to track down. I’m far too busy.”

He murmured to himself that he should have asked Ketal a few more questions. Then, in a more serious tone, he continued. “This world is tilting, Barbosa. Anomalies stepping outside the Demon Realms are only the beginning. And to be blunt, the Demon Realms themselves aren’t the biggest threat at the moment.”

After all, each Demon Realm was an independent place. They might be dangerous, but until they actively started taking action, that danger was still theoretical. Defensive preparations could be necessary, but there was no immediate foe to fight.

However, there was a very real threat they needed to face right now: evil forces bent on destroying the world. Those beings had once nearly wiped out all life and scorched nine-tenths of the land.

“Demons are stirring,” the Tower Master said, his voice grim. “So are the dark mages. Everything we’ve uncovered about this upheaval matches the ancient records.”

Barbosa’s eyes went wide.

“The Demon King is coming, Barbosa,” the Tower Master declared.

***

While the Tower Master and Barbosa were having their serious conversation, Ketal gazed into empty space and mulled something over.

Why did this appear? Ketal wondered.

[Quest #786 has been completed.]

[Rewards will be granted.]

It was the second time the Quest window had popped up since Ketal left the White Snowfield.

Does it show up whenever something involves the Demon Realm? he thought.

The first time it appeared was when he escorted Elene to the Denian Kingdom. The second time was when he was preparing to deal with the Anomaly there.

Both instances were related to Nano, an Anomaly from a Demon Realm—and the White Snowfield, in hindsight, was also part of the Demon Realm. Ketal had no concrete knowledge about the Quest window, so this was the only guess he could make.

Who knows, he thought as he shook his head. There was no point dwelling on it. Even if he tried, it wasn’t something he could unravel right now. What mattered was what he could do at the moment—and how much fun he could have.

Time to enjoy a bit of fantasy again, he thought with a grin.

In the end, Nano was just another Anomaly of the Demon Realm. Although it was interesting, it wasn’t the kind of adventure Ketal usually found captivating. Humming to himself, he knocked on a door.

“You’re back already?” came the surprised voice of Arkemis as she opened the door. “I thought it’d take a while since you were summoned to the palace.”

“It wasn’t much,” Ketal replied.

“Really? Well, come in,” Arkemis said, stepping aside.

Ketal walked into the house.

“Why did they call you in the first place?” she asked. “Was there anything at the palace that needed your attention?”

She seemed unusually excited, enough that Ketal picked up on it.

He smiled and said, “You look like you’re in a good mood. Something happened?”

Arkemis flinched at the comment. “I... do I really look that happy?”

Truthfully, she had been bored out of her mind while Ketal was away. Until he showed up, she had lived perfectly fine on her own, barricaded in her house, solely focused on her research. But ever since Ketal arrived, she hadn’t spent a single day alone—he stuck around until just before bedtime and reappeared the moment she woke up.

Except for when he went to that Raid Dungeon, the two were practically inseparable. Arkemis had never felt lonely before, but once Ketal left, she noticed his absence immediately. Now that he was back, her mood soared without her even realizing it.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, she cleared her throat. “It’s well, I’m just glad you’re back.”

“I see,” Ketal replied, sounding amused. Moving with practiced ease, he headed straight to the kitchen. “It’s lunchtime, right? Give me a moment—I’ll whip something up.”

Arkemis made no attempt to stop him. After a pleasant meal, they relaxed together.

Finally, she brought up what she really wanted to ask. “So, why exactly were you called to the palace?”

“It was nothing big,” Ketal said, sipping some tea. “I once did a mercenary job that involved escorting someone, and they called me in because of that connection. I took care of a small task and came back.”

“R-right,” Arkemis mumbled.

Is it even possible for some random mercenary to receive a summons from the palace just for an escort job? she wondered, confused. Still, Ketal spoke so matter-of-factly. She was an elf, not too familiar with human affairs, so she figured this was normal in the human world.

“Well, putting that aside,” Arkemis continued, “I’ve been researching those iridescent particles while you were gone. It’s unbelievable—like they can do almost anything! They can serve as any catalyst and substitute for almost any component.”

Her eyes gleamed with excitement. “Where exactly did you get these?”

Last time, Ketal had refused to say. He’d also joked that he had no intention of killing her to keep the secret. Although she backed off then, she was now ready to risk her life if it meant getting more of these miraculous particles.

Ketal shook his head. “Unfortunately, they’re no longer obtainable.”

“You don’t have to worry about my safety—just tell me,” Arkemis insisted.

“That’s not what I meant,” he replied. “I really mean they can’t be acquired anymore.”

“Huh? All of a sudden?” Arkemis asked him, baffled. It had only been a few days since their previous conversation. She wondered why it had become impossible to get more.

As she struggled to make sense of this, Ketal pulled a pouch from his bag. “But I did manage to bring these.”

Thud.

He plopped it onto the table with enough weight that the surface shook. The bag was so large it was practically twice the size of a person’s torso.

“Ketal, this is—”

“You think this is enough for me to figure out how to grasp Myst?” Ketal asked with a broad grin.