Chapter 127

When Yuwon had defeated the River Serpent and finally caught his breath, Erzan, the Son of the Tribal Chief of the Thunder Bird Tribe, came to visit Hastings and Terrien’s quarters.

“Terrien, Hastings, you two worked hard. Thanks to you, it was much easier dealing with those Orc bastards. Ah… and I’m grateful for the help you gave us in the previous battle as well. I survived because of you.”

“It was just earning our keep. Real combat also helped with training my intuition, so you don’t need to thank us that much. A guest should earn his meals at times like this, right?”

At Terrien’s words, Hastings drew a faint smile and nodded.

“That’s right.”

Since arriving in the Great Jungle, Terrien and Hastings had spent nearly fifty days together from morning until night, and before they realized it, they had gone from speaking formally to becoming close friends.

And they were not the only ones who had become close.

With Erzan at the lead, the warriors of the Thunder Bird Tribe—who at first had looked askance at the two strangers who had suddenly appeared—had also begun to show goodwill after fighting together against the Orcs.

“Anyway, I think we won’t need to worry about those Orc bastards for a while. They should still have enough strength to continue fighting, but for some reason, they suddenly all withdrew, so we can breathe easy for now.”

At the welcome news Erzan delivered, Terrien and Hastings’ faces brightened.

“Then we return to personal training again for a while…”

“Well, that’s how it turned out. I don’t know what the Orc bastards are thinking, withdrawing so obediently like this, but at least things have wrapped up for now.”

The real reason was that Yuwon had defeated the River Serpent, claiming the summit of one of the Great Jungle’s four great axes of dominance, which in turn shook the Great Jungle into turmoil.

But Erzan had no way of knowing that.

“Ah, my mind! Before that, there was something I had to tell you.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“There will be a funeral tomorrow evening, to send off the fallen warriors and to give thanks for the blessings of the Great Thunder Bird. Normally, not a single outsider has ever participated in this ritual—but the Chief has granted permission for you two to attend. You’ll come, right?”

At Erzan’s unexpected suggestion, Terrien and Hastings readily agreed to attend.

“Of course we should. It’s courtesy to return the invitation, but more importantly, we can’t miss the farewell of comrades.”

“Yeah. I’ll make time tomorrow evening.”

“Good. Then I’ll see you then.”

None of the three realized at that moment that this simple invitation would become the beginning of a massive upheaval that would shake the entire Great Jungle.

The Thunder Bird Tribe, victorious in their war against the Orcs who had aimed for the tribe’s granary fields, held a funeral honoring the warriors and families who had died in the conflict.

“Eat and drink your fill! Today is a day of celebration for our victory!”

Perhaps because they had won the war, the funeral of the Thunder Bird Tribe felt more like a festival than a mourning ceremony.

Young and old alike gathered together, eating, drinking, crying, laughing, and praying that the fallen would find greater happiness in their next lives.

And after the noisy funeral, another ritual began.

“Now! The main ceremony will begin soon, so finish your meals and gather at the altar!”

The priest, whose long white beard was thicker than even his hair, announced that the next part of the ceremony would begin.

“This next part is the real thing. Let’s go. The altar is a bit far from the village, so this will be your first time going. I’ll guide you, so follow me closely.”

Erzan took the lead, guiding Hastings and Terrien. Terrien didn’t know what the next ritual was, but Erzan and all the other natives wore excited, anticipatory expressions.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the altar came into view. A massive triangular stone altar, built from piled stones, rising nearly fifty meters into the air.

“Wow… so something like this was here.”

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Terrien had never imagined that such a massive structure existed in the Great Jungle. While he was still marveling, the natives bustled busily as they prepared for the ritual. After about ten minutes—

Terrien suddenly noticed strange movement.

“Wait, what are they doing?”

The priest and those following him were ascending the altar with the help of warriors—while bringing children with them.

The unknowing, frightened faces of the children made Terrien jump in shock. Erzan’s answer, however, was far too casual, as if wondering why Terrien would even ask.

“Can’t you tell by looking? They’re offering a sacrifice to the Great Thunder Bird.”

“Sacrifice? The offering isn’t leftover food, but people? Those children?”

“Yeah. So what? You think we’d offer leftover food to the Great Thunder Bird? You’d get struck by lightning and die for that.”

Perhaps because he had lived his whole life proudly as a member of the Thunder Bird Tribe, Erzan didn’t even realize anything about this situation was wrong.

That oblivious reaction only fueled Terrien’s anger.

“Erzan! You call that an answer?! Those children have parents and families too. You’re telling me offering them alive as food for a monster is something you think is normal?”

Monster—aimed at the Thunder Bird they revered. Erzan could not overlook that. His expression twisted instantly with anger.

“What monster…?”

“Are you even listening, Erzan?! Stop them! Stop them right now! What are you doing?!”

“Terrien. What do you think you’re doing? Even though you’re an honored guest and my friend, I can’t just ignore what you said. Fine. I get that sacrificing living children may seem strange to a man from the continent like you. But to us, the descendants of the Thunder Bird, this is a sacred and important ritual. You’d better watch your mouth.”

As expected, the natives’ sharp gazes poured toward Terrien, whose voice had grown loud during their sacred ritual. Hastings noticed this and carefully grabbed Terrien’s shoulder to restrain him.

“Endure it, Terrien. Too many eyes are watching. And Erzan isn’t entirely wrong. It may be outrageous to us, but to them, this is an important ceremony. It isn’t our place as guests to interfere.”

“Let go.”

But it was pointless. Terrien’s response was cold.

Hastings—the Shadow who could do any dirty work for Yuwon without blinking—was not the same as Terrien, born and raised as a knight. Terrien’s knightly pride did not allow him to overlook children trembling in fear as they were dragged to be sacrificed alive.

Flap, flap—!

At that moment, a powerful wingbeat echoed from afar, announcing the arrival of the Thunder Bird. A span of thirty meters.

So enormous that even in the Great Jungle, such a creature was rarely seen. A massive shadow spread across the altar.

The natives, as if seeing a god with their own eyes, cheered and prayed in overwhelming emotion.

“Ooh…! The Great Thunder Bird has arrived!”

“Ooh…! How long has it been since we last beheld the Great One! Offer your prayers quickly!”

“May our tribe and our families always be blessed!”

‘This insane…’

Terrien cursed inwardly at the monstrous sight, and Hastings’s face hardened.

“Anyway, this is our tribe’s affair. Even if you don’t like it, endure it. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you said earlier, since you said it out of ignorance.”

“That’s what you’re calling an excuse…?!”

While Terrien and Erzan clashed, the Thunder Bird descended slowly toward the children, its enormous shadow swallowing them whole.

Only thirty meters separated the children from the Thunder Bird now. Its shadow consumed their small bodies.

Death approached.

Three children, chosen as living sacrifices, clung to one another trembling violently.

“Uwaaah—! Mom!”

“Hic… We’re dead…”

“Please… please, anyone… save us…”

To the Thunder Bird Tribe, this was a sacred ceremony.

To the children chosen as living sacrifices, it was nothing but a nightmare.

Their desperate cries and sobs pushed Terrien’s hesitant feet into motion.

‘I’m the only one who can save them.’

The moment he realized this—

that none of the Thunder Bird Tribe would help the children—

Whoosh—!

“Terrien, no!”

Hastings shouted, but it was too late. A streak of light shot toward the altar. That light was Terrien himself.

“Terrien!”

Hastings tried to grab him, but Terrien was already running at full speed up the altar, placing himself between the children and the Thunder Bird. The gathered natives began murmuring in shock.

“What is that…! That damned—!”

“Those continent dwellers just had to cause trouble eventually…! Damn it!”

“I knew it! Those pig-bastards of the continent!”

The murmurs turned to furious shouting in an instant.

“Blasphemy! Kill him! Kill him!”

“How dare he raise a blade against the Great Thunder Bird! Kill him before our Great One becomes angry!”

Hearing the uproar, Chief Herran felt dizzy.

‘How could this happen…! Ah, this was my mistake. I should never have invited them here…!’

He had to stop the catastrophe from escalating. Herran quickly ordered the warriors to restrain Terrien.

“What are you waiting for! Drag him down at once!”

It was a tense, explosive moment.

Sensing Terrien’s killing intent—or simply enraged that a mere human stood in its path—the Thunder Bird opened its house-sized beak and unleashed a terrifying shriek.

Kieeeek—!

In terms of pure combat strength, the Thunder Bird ranked below the River Serpent Yuwon had fought. But it was still one of the ten greatest beasts of the Great Jungle.

Considering how Yuwon had struggled against the River Serpent, Terrien simply stood no chance.

But Terrien did not hesitate. He drew his sword and leveled it at the Thunder Bird.

‘This sword was bestowed by His Highness. As long as I do not act against His Highness’s will, I will do what I believe is right. That is the chivalry I chose and the sword path I follow.’

Terrien Calmodet, the knight who had always doubted himself, always worried that he lacked something.

But now, in his blade, there was not a trace of doubt.

As clear as a flawless mirror, Terrien’s eyes hardened as he stared at the Thunder Bird.

“…What ritual, what law? Thunder Bird? Don’t make me laugh. It’s nothing but a bigger bird.”

His muttering grew louder and louder until it became a cry that echoed for all below the altar to hear.

“What difference is there between the Orcs you call monsters and the Thunder Bird you call a god?! I see no difference! Both devour people! Both are monsters!”

Terrien’s desperate cry echoed from atop the tall altar.

Twenty years ago, a baby boy had been born to the Thunder Bird Tribe.

The shaman named the child “He Who Cuts Lightning.”

A name no child of their tribe should ever bear.

Because of that, the child was chosen as a living sacrifice before even a hundred days had passed.

But the child’s mother and father had not abandoned him.

They were not warriors—just simple farmers.

Yet they risked their lives to cross the Great Jungle and fled toward the Empire’s south, saving their baby.

Their fates were unknown, but the baby survived, left at the border between the Great Jungle and the southern Empire.

At that time, Marquis Bradman, who was conducting an investigation near the region, found the child and took him in.

Rumors spread that the Empire’s Greatest Sword had gone south for a while and strayed into scandal, but the Marquis offered no explanation and simply made the child his own illegitimate son.

The boy later grew up to adulthood and, as if led by fate, returned to his birthplace without knowing it.

And now…

“Come. I will cut you down.”

Like the name he had been given at birth—He Who Cuts Lightning—Terrien challenged the lightning itself.

The son born from Marquis Bradman’s heart, unable even to inherit his father’s surname.

The Son of the South.

Terrien Calmodet.

He had returned to the south to cut down lightning and claim his destiny.

Boom—!

Lightning fell from a clear sky.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep