Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 197

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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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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 197

 

131. Mountain Range Escape (2)

 

The mountain rangers that the Alteon Empire was proud of were now consumed by unprecedented rage.

 

Their colleagues had died.

 

Ten of them, no less.

 

The gruesome scene discovered by a colleague who had gone to deliver supplies to the rangers guarding near the ruins.

 

“Blood for blood.”

 

“Blood for blood!”

 

The bonds between mountain rangers were strong. And they would never stand by and watch their colleagues’ deaths go unavenged.

 

The culprit was clear.

 

Lycanthropes.

 

The long wounds alone made it obvious.

 

“The ruin entrance is open!”

 

And Alteon’s rangers discovered the opened ruin entrance.

 

Their surprise at finding the ruin entrance open, when no amount of investigation had been able to open it before, was brief.

 

“We’re going in.”

 

A ranger squad of twenty men entered without hesitation, and during their entry, they discovered numerous traces.

 

“Lycanthrope corpses. What the hell were these guys after?”

 

“Could they have been trying to resurrect the demon from the mountain range legends?”

 

“We’ll find out once we go in. Let’s proceed.”

 

The rangers had already sensed changes on their way here.

 

The sticky feeling that had covered the entire mountain range had disappeared, allowing them to move more comfortably.

 

They didn’t know why, but it was surely related to this ruin being opened.

 

“Entering now.”

 

Thus, finally reaching the end and entering the cavity, they were able to face a single lycanthrope of massive build.

 

Instantly, rage erupted from all directions.

 

That’s the one.

 

The one who killed our colleagues.

 

“You dared to slaughter our colleagues. You won’t die peacefully.”

 

Even so, the rangers remained true to their nature, staying alert in all directions while surveying the interior situation.

 

Signs of battle visible everywhere.

 

Cracked and broken ground.

 

And once again, the corpses of lycanthropes.

 

‘There was fierce fighting here.’

 

‘Could they really have summoned a demon?’

 

Amid the questions, the squad captain leading the ranger squad asked.

 

“What did you do here, you bastard?”

 

Instead of an answer, what appeared were claws growing long from the lycanthrope’s hands.

 

“…”

 

The squad captain instinctively knew.

 

That they had to fight.

 

But they needed to keep it alive to get information.

 

He would hear everything from beginning to end, even if he had to pluck out every hair from that damned lycanthrope.

 

“Subdue it quickly. Spread out.”

 

The rangers scattered in perfect coordination, all drawing their crossbows and aiming at the lycanthrope.

 

Lycanthropes’ regeneration ability was well-known. As long as they didn’t hit the head, it would survive if they just pulled out the bolts properly after subduing it.

 

But then it happened.

 

“Krwaaaaaaak!”

 

The lycanthrope suddenly let out a roar and charged at them in an instant.

 

‘Berserker rage!’

 

Everyone realized it.

 

The lycanthropes’ secret technique.

 

An ability that explosively enhanced physical capabilities for a moment.

 

But it came with severe backlash.

 

In other words, it had already used berserker rage while disregarding death to face the rangers.

 

Thwip, thwip thwip!

 

But they couldn’t hesitate because of that.

 

Several rangers reacted by shooting bolts, but—

 

“Kruaaaak!”

 

Gagon, who had already used berserker rage, charged at the squad captain regardless of the few bolts embedded in him.

 

And just as his long, sharp claws flew toward the squad captain’s neck.

 

Crack!

 

The squad captain instantly ducked to avoid the claws and drew his sword, piercing through Gagon’s heart.

 

“Krrrk!”

 

Gagon’s body, which had been twitching and struggling, soon went limp.

 

Thud!

 

And as he pulled out the sword, Gagon’s body collapsed.

 

“…Damn it.”

 

The squad captain muttered through gritted teeth.

 

This had become very troublesome.

 

This had been the only one who could tell them what had happened, but it had already used berserker rage.

 

Once berserker rage was used, there was almost no way to reverse it even if kept alive. This was something he knew from facing lycanthropes multiple times.

 

So he had no choice but to kill it.

 

But he couldn’t give up here.

 

“Squad Captain, are you alri…”

 

“I’m fine. Search the surroundings thoroughly and collect every piece of evidence without leaving anything behind.”

 

“Yes, understood!”

 

Grind.

 

The squad captain gritted his teeth.

 

* * *

 

We escaped the ruins before the rangers arrived.

 

Fortunately, we had predicted their movements in advance and were able to find another passage before then.

 

Finding the other passage was thanks to Ernest.

 

“Wow, fresh air!”

 

Ernest, who had cried out in joy as soon as we came outside, quickly shut his mouth with a “hup.”

 

Because we hadn’t completely escaped yet.

 

We didn’t know when the rangers would find the new passage.

 

“Leila, could you move aside for a moment?”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

I immediately used magic and traps to seal the exit.

 

Even if it wasn’t a permanent seal, it would probably take quite a while to open from the inside.

 

“Gagon is… probably dead, right?”

 

“Probably.”

 

Also, thanks to Gagon’s self-imposed ‘sacrifice,’ we were able to buy a little more time.

 

Gagon had made us a proposal.

 

He would hold off the rangers while we escaped.

 

He would buy us even a little more time.

 

“Was he trying to atone at the end?”

 

At Priscilla’s murmur, I shook my head.

 

“I don’t know. But still… it’s true that we gained time thanks to him.”

 

I don’t know for sure, but if he can tie up the Rangers even briefly, it’s true that we’ll have more time to escape.

 

By the way, Gagon didn’t ask us to do anything in return for buying us time.

 

He just suddenly stepped forward and did it.

 

“Still, he’s got way more loyalty than that damn black bastard. Don’t you think? That bastard deserved to die. Yeah.”

 

As the dwarf chattered beside me, I asked.

 

“Do you happen to know Bulbark well?”

 

“Of course I do. Among us dwarves, he’s the one living best in human society. Well, that fellow is actually a recluse when you think about it.”

 

He spoke cynically, then suddenly asked me.

 

“By the way, did that black Bulbark make that sword?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Hmm. Impressive. Well, don’t expect anything from me. I specialize in crafting.”

 

I chuckled.

 

“Then I’ll ask you if I need crafting work later. I heard dwarves don’t forget debts.”

 

“Of course. We’re overflowing with loyalty compared to you humans who throw away promises like stones.”

 

The dwarves were abandoned by the Empire’s hand.

 

By the Empire’s hand that broke promises.

 

Of course, I wasn’t the one who abandoned them, but that didn’t mean I had anything particular to say.

 

“Anyway, thanks to you we escaped. Well, actually I was planning to secretly slip away when I saw a chance…”

 

It seems dwarves are the type who can’t say thank you even if they’re about to die.

 

“Well then, I’ll be going. Let’s meet again if we get the chance.”

 

Then he added.

 

“And absolutely don’t approach the area under the large old tree east of the mountain range! There are some nasty-tempered fellows there!”

 

So that’s where they live.

 

I nodded.

 

“I’ll definitely do that.”

 

“Well, taking a close look while passing by would be good too…”

 

The dwarf said that much and disappeared.

 

His legs are short but strangely fast.

 

We stared blankly at his figure for a moment, then immediately prepared.

 

“We should get going soon.”

 

Naturally, it would be just as difficult as climbing up had been.

 

Since Rangers had come, there wouldn’t be Rangers only in these ruins.

 

Of course, I’m not too worried.

 

Rustle.

 

I unfolded the map I had obtained from the Drenic Ranger.

 

And more reliable than the map, there’s that fellow Ernest.

 

“Hmm… we should follow this path here. It’s a bit rough, but it doesn’t overlap with the Rangers’ search routes.”

 

Ernest quickly found the solution. Then Dorian, who was beside him, showed his envy.

 

“We should be able to help like that too, Teacher Dane.”

 

I burst into laughter at those words.

 

“Why? You’re good at punching.”

 

“Fists that are still weaker than a horse’s headbutt need more training.”

 

That’s because of what happened on Atalia Island.

 

Well, they’ll have a chance to shine soon enough.

 

Actually, it’s just that the things that happened during vacation were all big events, but these kids aren’t lacking anywhere either.

 

Anyway, we’re going back now.

 

And before going back, I briefly looked at the ruins entrance I had sealed.

 

Gagon.

 

I don’t have any particular feelings, but still, we might have gained time thanks to his sacrifice.

 

Of course, I’m not sure if that sacrifice was for himself or for us.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Nevertheless, I nodded to show my gratitude and finally began descending the mountain.

 

It’s time to go cure the Duchess’s illness.

 

* * *

 

This place, commonly called the ‘Mountain Foot Village,’ is peaceful enough that nothing major happens.

 

Even though it’s below the notorious Habarosk Mountain Range, monster attacks are rare thanks to the Rangers.

 

Thanks to the advantage of being at the foot of the mountain, there are no particular bandit attacks either.

 

Rather, the residents have such tough personalities that even if bandits attacked, they wouldn’t say ‘Oh please spare our lives.’

 

Therefore, it was a peaceful village where days just flowed by without any particularly interesting events…

 

“Who’s challenging next? Oh! He just fell!”

 

“What a temper! Hahaha!”

 

“How many is that now? Twenty? Twenty-one?”

 

“Twenty-one my foot! It’s already the fiftieth person!”

 

It’s been very noisy for the past day or two.

 

“Neighhhing!”

 

This is all because of a particularly large, fierce, and mischievous fellow among the horses left by some group of travelers.

 

“Oh my! He fell again! That landing posture is artistic!”

 

“He landed right on his butt! Haha! That guy’s going to sleep on his stomach tonight!”

 

It started with some drunk village resident.

 

In the middle of the night, seeing some horse wandering around the village, he tried to mount it and failed dozens of times.

 

Later, even after sobering up, he kept challenging out of stubbornness until dawn broke, and the residents who came out one by one in the morning witnessed it.

 

From then until today, the next day, it became a source of vitality for the boring, dull village.

 

The funny thing is that the large horse fellow is also enjoying this.

 

“Neigh! Neighing!”

 

As if saying ‘come and try to ride if you want,’ he wiggles his rear and doesn’t even avoid them.

 

Horses are usually timid and often only let their owners ride them.

 

Normally it wouldn’t be strange if he ran away, but this fellow gets more excited when a show is set up.

 

“That’s really a curious fellow. Is there another horse like that in the world?”

 

“Wait. Isn’t that the one the travelers left behind? Then what kind of person rides that horse?”

 

“I don’t know, but maybe someone as troublesome as that horse? Or some amazing person!”

 

While various speculations were going around and people trying to mount Chiron’s back and falling on their butts were approaching three digits—

 

“Excuse me.”

 

A boy appeared, pushing through the crowd of people.

 

Though he’s rather tall and has a considerable build to be called a boy.

 

Someone chuckled at the sight.

 

“Every man in this village has come out.”

 

“But I’ve never seen that friend before, who is he?”

 

It was then that murmuring arose.

 

“Neighing.”

 

The horse that saw the boy shook his head as if happy to see him.

 

And the boy lightly kicked off the ground and settled on the horse.

 

“Huh, what?”

 

“Wh-what was that just now?”

 

People finally vaguely realized.

 

That the boy they’d never seen in this village was the owner of that horse.

 

“Did you have fun playing while I was gone?”

 

“Neighing.”

 

“You didn’t bother the Stable Keeper, did you?”

 

“Neigh!”

 

“I hope you only bothered him moderately.”

 

The boy spoke affectionately, and the horse seemed to understand him, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

 

“Let’s go home.”

 

“Neighhhh!”

 

And so the boy, Dane Sogress, passed through the bewildered people and disappeared with his horse.

 

Leaving behind a story that would probably serve as tavern talk among the villagers for days to come.

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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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