Seeing that Ansbach had already scouted the Tower Settlement, Leda’s interest was piqued. If he had prior experience, their own exploration would be much easier. “About the Hornsent Warriors, and the ‘Descending God’ technique...” “Could you tell us about them in detail?” Bai Shi was also curious about this “Descending God.” He had mentioned it before, back when discussing the history of the Land of Shadow and the Hornsent people with the Ancient King. The Ancient King had told Bai Shi that this was the core technique of the Hornsent people and the key to their strength. However, the Ancient King didn't elaborate at the time, and Bai Shi was more focused on understanding the bigger picture, so he didn't press for details. Ansbach stroked his beard, mentally composing his words, preparing to recount what he had seen and heard. “Hmm, since you intend to explore the Tower Settlement, I will summarize the information I've gathered.” “I could simply use concise language to describe the Hornsent Warriors, but that would provide a shallow understanding of the Hornsent people's complex social structure.” “Besides, it's a weakness of old age, I suppose—I have a strong desire to share my discoveries.” “So please, allow me to take my time. How does that sound to you all?” Seeing no objections from the others, Ansbach began to speak slowly: “The Hornsent are a rather strange race.” “Although their physical structure is similar to our own, they are, in fact, an entirely different race from us.” “And the Tower Settlement before us, known as Belurat, is the last stronghold of the Hornsent people.” “I wonder, have any of you seen the giant corpses enshrined on the platforms?” “A special ash accumulates around those bodies, possessing peculiar properties.” The others looked confused; they had not yet seen any such corpses. Bai Shi recalled the spirit ash Torrent had sought out on his own. What Ansbach was describing must be the same thing. Ansbach didn't explain further; they would see for themselves as soon as they entered anyway. “Those corpses... they are the ancestors of the Hornsent people.” “For some reason, the difference in size is simply staggering.” “The bodies of those ancestors hold a special meaning for the Hornsent.” “At first, when I saw them kneeling in groups, I didn't understand. Not until I later found the reason on a stone tablet.” Ansbach lowered his head, stared at his feet, and paused his story. It was precisely because he had delved so deeply into the truth that he felt fear. He took a deep breath before daring to voice his startling discovery: “After the Hornsent people suffered a great calamity of fire that took everything from them, they discovered a strange kind of Divine Essence within the shadows of their ancestors' remains.” Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. Everyone present stared wide-eyed, in disbelief. It's connected to an Outer God? And not just that, but a Divine Essence?! If that was the case, then this matter was indeed significant—far more important than any Hornsent Warrior. Bai Shi gritted his teeth. Why had so many things suddenly become entangled with Divine Essences recently? Mohg, who had previously accepted the Divine Essence of the Formless Mother, had completely refined his Great Rune, enhancing his strength by an unknown amount and ascending to a whole new level of power. He didn't know what effect this portion of Divine Essence the Hornsent found had, but it seemed he would have to be careful. Ansbach raised his head and sighed. “The discovery was truly staggering.” “According to the information carved on the tablets, the Hornsent people had some understanding of that Divine Essence.” “They called it ominous and terrifying, and it was clear their knowledge of it was extremely limited.” “But in their suffering, with nowhere else to turn, they sought help from the ominous, alien power.” “The Hornsent people we see now have taken on their hazy, shadow-like forms for this very reason.” “They are completely different from the Hornsent gentleman in our party. He is what a normal Hornsent person should look like.” Ansbach gave everyone a moment to think before continuing: “Next are some of my personal conclusions about the social structure of the Hornsent.” “The most common type you'll find in the Tower Settlement now are the Hornsent who have been transformed by the power of the Outer God, turned into shadows.” “Their power has also been enhanced after becoming shadows, so you must be cautious.” “Among them are some particularly large individuals, as well as those who can cast incantations.” “Besides the common shadow Hornsent, there are other types—the ones I referred to as Hornsent Warriors.” At this point, Ansbach paused for a breath. The thought of those stone-hard fellows gave Ansbach a bit of a headache. Those men were like they were rooted to the ground, unmoved by any kind of attack. Wielding ridiculously oversized weapons, every one of their strikes required extreme vigilance, or one could suffer heavy injuries. Those Hornsent Warriors fight with reckless abandon, only falling at the very last moment. It is because of these traits that their "Descending God" technique is indeed worth studying closely. Ansbach continued, explaining what he knew of the Hornsent Warriors: “The Hornsent Warriors are much larger than the other Hornsent, perhaps even twice as tall.” “They have maintained their normal forms and have not become shadows like the common Hornsent.” “From some of the texts I collected in the settlement, I've learned that ‘Descending God’ is a special art passed down among the Hornsent from ancient times.” “They fight with powerful natural beings to acquire the power of nature.” “After Sir Messmer led his army to purge them, very few of those Hornsent Warriors remain.” “So far, I have only encountered the most common type of Hornsent Warrior, but they were already extremely difficult to deal with.” “Their defining features are their full heavy armor, the metal masks on their heads, and the horns of the Crucible growing from within.” “While reviewing the records, I discovered three types of warriors who rank higher and are more powerful than the Hornsent Warriors.” “One is the ancestor of all Hornsent Warriors, known as the Divine Bird Warrior.” “Because the records are scarce and mostly consist of legends, I don't know much about them.” “However, there are plenty of records about another type of Hornsent Warrior in the Tower Settlement.” “Their armor is covered in lion pelts, and only those with superior ‘Descending God’ abilities can hold this title.” “They are called Divine Beast Warriors.” “When a Hornsent Warrior's ‘Descending God’ power reaches a level of excellence, they are granted the title of Divine Beast Warrior.” “And among the Divine Beast Warriors, the most outstanding can become the third type.” “That is the supreme champion, who wields the Dancing Lion, serving as a vessel for the ‘Descending God’ of the divine beast worshipped by the Hornsent people.” Ansbach stroked his beard, speaking as if to himself: “According to the records, it seems there is a different set of ranks for their incantation users, but I haven't found anything on it yet...” “The Hornsent people's class division is based on both status and strength. I am truly curious what kind of fighters are on par with the Divine Beast Warriors.” “If I have the chance in the future, I must investigate it thoroughly.” “In any case, that is the general situation. You need to watch out for the Hornsent Warriors and the special shadow Hornsent.” “Other than that, there should be nothing particularly dangerous for you.” Bai Shi was lost in thought. So the Hornsent's upgrade tree came with different class promotions. He'd have to see if he could swipe a weapon with a cool skill to take back and play with later. Maybe he could learn a thing or two. Ansbach took out a simple but clearly drawn map. Without a word, everyone could tell it was a diagram of the Tower Settlement's interior. After handing the map to Leda, Ansbach’s tone grew somewhat strange. “What I’m about to say has nothing to do with your exploration, but after some thought, I feel I should tell you anyway.” “There seems to be another type of... hm... I’m not sure if I should call them Hornsent, living inside the Tower Settlement.” “Those creatures have heads and wings like flies, but they are undoubtedly Hornsent, or at least they were once...” “I have marked the poisonous swamp where they live. If it’s not necessary, you don't have to go there. There are signs of them being raised in captivity, likely to harvest some special material they produce.” “I must say, the way the Hornsent people treat their own kind is truly horrifying.” “Even as a Pureblood Knight, I found it startling.” “In addition, the Hornsent also raise giant scorpions, so be careful.” After Ansbach's detailed explanation, everyone now had a considerable understanding of the Hornsent people—except for Freyja. She was currently sitting on the ground, holding her head, chewing on a slightly sweet plant stem Mur had gathered. She had tuned out halfway through. All this talk about social stratification, differences in power and status among the Hornsent—it was all too complicated for her. All she needed to know was what to fight. If Ansbach had just talked about how to kill Hornsent, she might have been more willing to listen. Freyja nudged Mur beside her with her elbow and whispered: “Hey, want to spar later?” Mur shook his head blankly. “Fighting... is bad.” “We are comrades. Should have peace...” Freyja clapped him on the shoulder. “Not a fight, a spar! S-p-a-r-r-i-n-g~” Leda cleared her throat lightly, and Freyja immediately sat up straight, no longer bothering Mur. Although they hadn't entered yet, the group already had a good idea of the enemies they would face and the general layout of the Tower Settlement. And with the detailed internal map Ansbach had drawn, the coming exploration would be even smoother. Unfortunately, the map only covered the main road for now; the unexplored areas and deeper sections were not drawn. Even so, it was more than enough. After silently listening to Ansbach's account, Mur turned around and took a few things from his pack. He brought out a good number of antidotes, some throwing knives that might be useful, and a few Stonesword Keys. “Take these, use them.” For more chapters visıt 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝓷𝓮𝓽 “Collected items are meant to be used by comrades.” Leda smiled, accepting all the items Mur handed her. “Thank you, Mur. You are very reliable.” Hearing the praise, Mur smiled as well. Standing to the side, Bai Shi watched their interaction, suddenly feeling that this cobbled-together team of theirs was actually quite harmonious. Aside from that strange Hornsent fellow, everyone he'd met so far seemed relatively normal. The preparations were about done. It was time to begin the exploration. Standing before the magnificent gates of the Tower Settlement, Bai Shi was about to step forward when he realized Melina had grabbed his clothes at some point. Turning his head, he saw Melina looking down, lost in thought. Bai Shi walked over and hugged her. Melina rested her head on Bai Shi's shoulder and whispered: “I... I’m not going in.” “The moment those Hornsent see me, they will surely charge forward again, only to be killed.” “I don't know what Mother’s reasons were, but seeing the tragic scene after they were slaughtered... I still can't bear it.” “And when faced with their deep-seated hatred, I feel at a loss...” “I... I’m still too weak, aren't I?” Bai Shi stroked Melina’s head, feeling the soft strands of hair glide through his palm. “This isn’t weakness. You’re just too kind to ignore their suffering.” “If you don't want to go in, then don't.” It was only natural to feel uncomfortable being the focus of so much hatred. Their hatred was pointed directly at Melina. And it wasn’t baseless hatred; it was the mess his mother, Queen Marika, had left behind. Bai Shi couldn't help but think that it would have been better if his big brother-in-law had done a cleaner job wiping out the Hornsent back then. Then Melina wouldn't have to feel so distressed now. “Should we go somewhere else, then?” Melina shook her head. “No need, I’ll be fine out here by myself.” “From the looks of the cross marker, this place must be very important to Miquella.” Melina lifted her face, her melancholic eyes gazing at Bai Shi. “Bai Shi, can you help me find out the truth of what happened back then?” “I want to know... what was Mother’s reason?” “Please, this is very important to me...” It was rare for Melina to ask anything of Bai Shi. But faced with her request, Bai Shi did not immediately agree. Gazing into her eyes, Bai Shi said softly: “If the investigation reveals that Queen Marika’s slaughter had a reason you could accept, that would be wonderful.” “But the truth can be cruel. It's possible Queen Marika had no reason at all back then.” “When that time comes, how much pain will seeing the truth bring you?” “If you want peace of mind, it’s better to look away.” Melina shook her head. “Looking away... that isn't true... peace of mind.” “Even if the truth is unexpected, this is my choice.” With things having come to this, Bai Shi said no more about Melina's choice. If worse came to worst, he could always step in and exterminate the Hornsent himself later. Because of their different species, Bai Shi couldn't empathize with their anger and hatred. At Castle Morne, because humans were being slaughtered, Bai Shi felt anger and a desire for revenge. But the Hornsent here? Bai Shi really didn't know them, nor could he see them as the same species, so his feelings weren't strong. He wasn't entirely without pity or sympathy for them at the very beginning. But when they had charged at him, those unnecessary emotions had all but vanished. Bai Shi thought for a moment, then blew the whistle in his hand, summoning Torrent. He then took the ring from his own finger and placed it back on Melina's. “Let Torrent keep you company.” “Stay nearby. I’ll find you when I come out.” Although Melina wasn't accustomed to combat, she was still quite powerful. And with Torrent at her side, she could escape from any enemy; she wouldn't be in danger. Seeing the whistle back on her finger, Melina's mood brightened considerably. Melina nodded, mounted Torrent's back, and watched as Bai Shi entered the gates of the Tower Settlement. Only after Bai Shi’s figure had completely disappeared did Melina stroke Torrent’s fur and guide him toward a nearby cliff. According to the marker on the map, there should be a church nearby. Despite some unexpected encounters along the way—strange-looking creatures and a giant, lightning-wielding goat— Thanks to Torrent’s nimble leaps, Melina arrived smoothly at the hidden church on the cliffside. The church was remarkably well-preserved, but the statue inside was the complete opposite of the exterior, having been utterly destroyed. Looking at the decapitated statue of Marika, Melina stood in silence. School has started, sigh.