I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#27. Narok (3)

 

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Deep underground, the prison carved from natural limestone caves looks like witnessing a cross-section of hell itself.

 

Narok was so vast that its end was invisible, and its interior was filled with cold and darkness that had continued since ancient times.

 

The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of natural limestone, with navy blue moss growing here and there.

 

…Drip!

 

Water droplets fell from the tips of stalactites that had grown like teeth, breaking the silence inside the cave.

 

The entrance to the prison was blocked by a massive iron gate, beyond which endless corridors and stairs extended.

 

On both sides of the passages that twisted high and low like ant tunnels, countless prison cells were located.

 

Rusted iron chains and shackles hung sparsely from the walls and ceiling, making one imagine what had happened here in the past.

 

Kurrrrrrr…

 

Torches burning with animal oil were placed at regular intervals along the corridor, but they were insufficient to completely illuminate the surroundings.

 

The flames swayed like living beings in the cold, damp air, and their shadows created bizarre shapes on the walls.

 

In this place, light was merely a supporting actor with a faint presence.

 

It existed only to emphasize the darkness even more.

 

Step— Step— Step— Step—

 

Featherback walked through the prison corridor.

 

‘The atmosphere isn’t bad.’

 

A brutal and ominous space.

 

To Featherback, who had lived through the era of the Demon Realm War, it felt quite familiar.

 

As he entered deeper into Narok, a place like a huge plaza appeared.

 

The ceiling was so high that its end was unknowable, and the walls were made of rough natural limestone as it was.

 

This space exuded a majestic and overwhelming atmosphere like an ancient altar.

 

Here and there, outposts made of wood were constructed, and below them, crates containing daily necessities could be seen.

 

“This is where the prison guards reside.”

 

The prison guards who had been following Featherback explained.

 

Despite being where the prison guards stayed, old bloodstains remained on the floor.

 

Except for the lack of iron bars, the guards’ quarters were also similar to the prisoners’ rooms.

 

The rooms gaped open like the maw of a beast with pulled teeth, and with no light coming in, it was impossible to confirm what was inside.

 

“So this is where I’ll be staying.”

 

Featherback nodded his head.

 

“I’ve seen enough. Let’s go back to where the prisoners are.”

 

It was a surprisingly calm reaction.

 

Most people who saw the scenery of Narok for the first time would either panic or collapse from severe nausea.

 

The prison guards had been anxiously wondering what to do if Featherback fainted.

 

But Featherback went to inspect the prisoners with an extremely calm expression.

 

The prisoners reached their hands through the iron bars trying to grab Featherback.

 

“Get me out…”

 

“I’ll tell you everything, please!”

 

“Please let me get out of here…”

 

“Just kill me! Kill me I say! Aaaaah!”

 

“Ehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe―”

 

Featherback held a torch and examined the prisoners’ wretched state.

 

What is the limit to how tragically humans can be transformed?

 

The answer to that question can be found by looking at the residents of this place, Narok.

 

The prisoners’ appearance was miserable and wretched, their human dignity completely destroyed.

 

Their skin had become damp and discolored in the cold, humid environment.

 

Their faces were darkish and stained with irregular spots, and the areas where they had lain or sat for long periods on the prison’s cold stone floor were covered with festering wounds.

 

The wounds had been left untreated, oozing pus or bleeding, and there was a rotting smell coming from various places.

 

Their bodies were gaunt like dried tree branches, with ribs showing so clearly they seemed about to pierce through the skin.

 

Due to malnutrition, their muscles had almost completely disappeared, and their limbs looked thin and frail.

 

The terrible food and water provided by the prison barely kept them alive.

 

Their hair had grown long and tangled into dirty clumps.

 

Their beards had likewise grown long, covering their faces like primitive men.

 

Eyes that were lifeless and empty in their deeply sunken sockets.

 

Their lips were cracked and swollen with blood, and their teeth were rotten and crumbling.

 

Their hoarse voices bore the naked traces of long periods of wailing and screaming.

 

Their fingernails had grown long and were broken, and their clothes were rags.

 

Featherback nodded his head.

 

“Indeed.”

 

Narok is not simply a place of confinement.

 

It’s a place that gnaws at the prisoners’ souls and amplifies their despair even deeper.

 

It’s only natural since only the most vicious and malicious criminals are imprisoned here.

 

This space itself had become one giant living organism that fed on fear and pain to grow.

 

Featherback nodded his head.

 

“There are quite a lot of guests. How are you treating them with their meals?”

 

“We’re giving them potato stew and a chunk of black bread twice a day.”

 

“Quite luxurious.”

 

After thinking for a moment, Featherback soon gave additional instructions.

 

“Soon newcomers will be coming down from the surface in large numbers. So from now on, give them one meal every two days. No bread, just stew.”

 

“I’ll do as you say.”

 

The prison guards nodded at Featherback’s command.

 

Soon after, Featherback gave orders to the prison guards.

 

“And before receiving the new prisoners, I will conduct interviews with the prison guards. I’ll have individual meetings with each one to see if there are any inconveniences and take measures accordingly.”

 

“Yes!”

 

The prison guards nodded again this time.

 

Since a new prison warden had arrived, they seemed to be planning to raise various suggestions on this occasion.

 

One prison guard asked.

 

“Are you planning to conduct the interviews in order of service number?”

 

“No. The order has already been decided.”

 

Featherback continued speaking to the prison guard.

 

“Is there a fellow named ‘Byron Hadley’ among the prison guards?”

 

“Yes, there is. He’s a 2nd Grade Prison Guard working on the lower floor.”

 

“Let’s start with that fellow. Bring him here.”

 

“Yes. Understood.”

 

The other prison guards answered while tilting their heads in confusion.

 

They turned around and whispered in low voices.

 

“Why is Prince Featherback looking for Hadley first?”

 

“No way. There’s no way that crazy bastard has backing. How could he possibly know someone as high-ranking as Young Master Featherback.”

 

“No. Hadley’s great-grandfather was fallen nobility, and even that was just a baronet family. They said that guy spent his childhood no different from a commoner. It’s like heaven and earth compared to a current count family like Mörsolt.”

 

They couldn’t know why Featherback was looking for such an utterly ordinary 2nd Grade Prison Guard.

 

“….”

 

Only Featherback himself, being a Returner, knew the reason.

 

‘This place brings back memories too.’

 

Featherback took in the scenery of Narok while recalling his memories.

 

…Blazing torches.

 

…Cold groundwater flowing down the walls.

 

…a blazing torch.

 

…chains and shackles reeking of blood.

 

…cold groundwater flowing down the wall.

 

…stalactites and stalagmites as sharp and pointed as teeth.

 

Federbeck had once lived practically in the depths of this hell.

 

‘I didn’t see sunlight for almost half a year while suppressing the rebellion that arose in the underworld.’

 

About eight years from now, a large-scale rebellion will break out in Naraku.

 

Most of the guards are killed in a prisoner riot, and the knights and soldiers sent down to suppress it also suffer tremendous casualties.

 

The event that essentially triggered Meursault’s downfall.

 

Feedback had killed countless prisoners over and over again to suppress that rebellion.

 

And in the end, they succeeded in beheading the ringleader who had led the rebels.

 

‘…I could truly feel how dangerous a single individual could make an entire group.’

 

A pride of lions led by a single deer is not to be feared.

 

But a herd of deer led by a single lion is to be feared.

 

Featherback recalled the one person who had led the prisoners’ riot.

 

By a single person, the Prisoners of Narok had united and through terrifying demonic strategy and tactics, they were able to deal tremendous damage to Mörsolt.

 

‘This time, to prevent such a thing from happening, I must eliminate it from the source.’

 

Featherback had come down here to eliminate early the spark of the great turmoil that would arise in Narok.

 

* * *

 

The Deep Section of Narok.

 

Here, a Prison Guard was beating the prisoners.

 

…Thud! …Thud! …Thud! …Thud! …Thud!

 

A Prison Guard with a massive build, cold eyes, and one eye covered by a black eyepatch trampled the prisoners with his military boots.

 

“What? Your comrade is sick? Send him to the Medical Station? What’s with this pathetic loyalty talk when you’re just prisoners? Vermin like you couldn’t possibly have such things.”

 

His name was Byron Hadley.

 

He was a 2nd Grade Prison Guard working here in Narok.

 

Then, Fellow Prison Guards called out to him from behind.

 

“Hey— Viper Hadley!”

 

“Come on, don’t be so hard on kids who haven’t even done anything wrong.”

 

Hadley answered with his one eye narrowed.

 

“I’m sick to death of these prisoner bastards pretending to be human. Aren’t all the guys locked up here trash? When I see those bastards acting all proper, I can’t stand it without beating them.”

 

“Don’t be like that. You specifically pick on guys who had good education and decent jobs to torment. That’s all just an inferiority complex.”

 

“What? Inferiority complex? Me, toward these prisoner bastards? You’re joking, right friends?”

 

Hadley growled toward his comrades.

 

When the massive Hadley emanated killing intent, even his comrades flinched.

 

One of the Prison Guards forced a smile.

 

“No, what I mean is, don’t go too far. You know, didn’t you cause an incident once before, over ten years ago?”

 

“…”

 

At that, Hadley shut his mouth.

 

The other comrades chimed in as well.

 

“When was it? You accidentally killed that Administrator Couple who came in on false charges while torturing them.”

 

“Because of that manslaughter incident, Hadley here couldn’t get promoted to 1st grade and is still stuck as 2nd grade.”

 

Right then, Hadley burst out shouting.

 

“Shut up! Who says those bastards were innocent!”

 

“Well, later at the trial… it was revealed that Political Enemies had framed them…”

 

“Don’t mess with me! Once a prisoner, always a prisoner! As long as they’re locked up here, they’re definitely criminals! False charges my ass! Those bastards definitely committed crimes!”

 

“Don’t mess around! Once a prisoner, always a prisoner! As long as you’re locked up in here, you’re definitely a criminal! False accusations my ass! Those bastards were definitely guilty!”

 

At his comrades’ words, Hadley continued speaking with growing irritation.

 

“I still remember it vividly. Those damn bastards. No matter how much I tortured them, tortured them again and again, they kept babbling about being innocent and wronged. Even when I separated them, starved them, beat them, and made them suspicious of each other, they didn’t sell each other out. Hypocritical bastards. How dare they act noble in this place, Narok?”

 

His eyes were bloodshot and foam bubbled at the corners of his mouth.

 

His comrades shook their heads at Hadley’s reaction.

 

Just then.

 

Other Prison Guards who had come down from the Upper Stairs gestured toward Hadley.

 

“Hey, Hadley! Come up to the upper level!”

 

“What? Can’t you see I’m busy right now?”

 

“Is beating up prisoners important? Prince Featherback is looking for you right now!”

 

“What? The new Prison Warden? Why me?”

 

“How would I know? Did you do something wrong?”

 

“No way.”

 

At his comrades’ words, Hadley just shrugged his shoulders.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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