The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
Chapter 251

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 251: The Long Chain of Bitter Enmity Ends Tonight

"Young Master, do you know how deep the roots of the Black Society run?"

At Siena's question, I furrowed my brow.

"Well... At least over 30 years, perhaps?"

My death at the hands of the Dark King was 17 years ago.

And they had seized control of Flanders’s underworld even before I was born.

"30 years? That's far too short."

Siena shook her head.

"200 years."

"...?"

Shocked by such an enormous number, I asked.

"Young Lady, is that really true?"

"There's quite a long story hidden behind it. Where should I begin..."

Siena gazed up at the night sky for a moment, then seemed to gather her thoughts and spoke.

"Young Master, do you know about Ereshkigal?"

"Of course I do."

Before I learned the secret of dark mana, that thing was the only way to cure my terminal condition.

"It's the legendary elixir that can cure any incurable disease."

"I'm asking if you know the hidden story behind Ereshkigal's creation."

"!"

I thought for a moment, then answered honestly.

"I do."

"Then this story will move along more quickly."

Siena said.

"The main line of the Black Society is an ancient small kingdom."

"A small kingdom?"

I asked.

"So they were originally royal bloodlines?"

"Correct."

Siena nodded.

"You know that the emperor of that time sacrificed countless people to create Ereshkigal."

"A horrific tale."

"They were attacked and destroyed by the empire during that very process, and the entire nation was reduced to slavery."

"!"

My eyes widened at this unexpected tale from the past.

"The former royalty who lost their kingdom and subjects, their descendants became what is now the Black Society."

"...There must be an incredible story hidden there."

"Indeed, Young Master."

Siena said.

"Whether it was to obtain the phoenix feather, the flower of the abyss, or the thousand-year snow, I don't know. In any case, the emperor 'simply because it was necessary in the process' destroyed a small, powerless kingdom and offered their lives as sacrifice to save his son's life."

"...For just one human being."

I muttered.

"It's a disgusting story no matter how often I hear it."

Rulers don't see the people they govern as fellow humans.

It was only natural that Karzan's memories from living at the very bottom felt anger at such arrogance.

"Indeed. The most ironic tragedy is that the crown prince who was saved that way died pathetically from a mere snake bite."

"Tragedy or comedy. I can't tell which."

We conversed while watching the personnel preparing the trap.

"Those who were most enraged were naturally the royalty who had their homeland stolen."

I nodded quietly. Well, I'd be pissed off too.

"They've been plotting in the empire's shadows for a very long time, dreaming of revenge for their fallen nation."

Siena's explanation continued.

"People called them Exilos. In the ancient language, it means the exiled ones, or descendants of a fallen nation."

"...Exilos."

I rolled the unfamiliar pronunciation around in my mouth. It was a word I'd never heard before.

"Eventually their long machinations bore fruit. They secretly supported Oswin, the empire's greatest enemy and hero of the north, dealing a severe blow."

"Ah, Oswin appears here."

I was impressed.

"Surprising. I never knew there was yet another group behind both stories related to Ereshkigal."

A secret that had long slept in the shadows of history was now flowing from Siena's lips.

"However, if there's a group that has lived dreaming only of revenge for ages, they couldn't help but become twisted. For those who lived with betrayal, trickery, and schemes as their guiding light, things like 'royal honor' had already vanished. They waited for the aging Oswin to create Ereshkigal, then..."

I frowned.

"They stabbed him in the back."

"Exactly. The leader or mastermind of the wolves who coveted Ereshkigal was none other than Exilos."

"...Blood really can't be deceived."

Being the Dark King's ancestors, they were truly wicked bastards.

"However, the empire's checks weren't trivial either. Eventually they migrated to the Litvaleur Peninsula, which was beyond imperial control, trying to rebuild their kingdom there."

Siena looked at me.

"Do you know when this period was, Young Master?"

"The Warring States period."

"Correct. However, the two founding ancestors Grunewald and Valkenhain, who established the current Litvaleur royal family as their leader, won the war against Exilos."

"...So Grunewald's great enemy was none other than the Black Society's ancestors."

What a long bitter enmity indeed.

"The two victorious ancestors seized the treasures that Exilos had prided themselves on and put shackles on them."

I asked.

"Young Lady, one of them wouldn't happen to be...?"

"Yes. The Ebony Oath."

Siena nodded.

"So that's why they're causing all this chaos trying to retrieve it somehow."

"Correct."

Now I felt like all the puzzle pieces were fitting together.

"On the front of the Ebony Oath is an oath about a 100-year seclusion, and on the back is written a single martial art sealed within."

"A martial art?"

"I hear it's the world's greatest divine martial technique. Some say it absorbs souls, others say it burns everything. Anyway, there are various rumors, but we don't know the truth either."

And.

"What's kept in Grunewald's secret vault is none other than a Dragon Heart."

"!"

The dragon race disappeared into history's shadows long ago, but they were said to live longer than any other race and were blessed with mana.

Among the long-lived dragon race, monsters reaching the 8th or 9th tier weren't uncommon.

"Perhaps it's the only one left on the entire continent."

I frowned.

"Such a dragon's heart would naturally be a treasure among treasures."

"Yes. If someone qualified consumed it, their mana quantity and power would be unmatched across the entire continent."

"Certainly."

If the Dark King, who was undoubtedly strong in the past and still strong now, obtained those two treasures...

"Not a kingdom, but an empire would be born. Strong and overwhelming enough to surpass the old empire."

"Their reign would surely begin."

Siena said.

"Let me continue the story. Defeated in the unification war, they migrated to Flanders and spent 100 years in seclusion building their strength."

"100 years."

That was long enough for a young boy who wept at his clan's defeat to become a father, then a grandfather sitting his grandson down to remind him of the clan's resentment.

"Another 100 years later, they seized control of Flanders's underworld, infiltrated noble clans, and finally took control of the royal family."

In other words, they had thoroughly prepared through six whole generations before finally blooming in the Dark King's generation.

"Tenaciously persistent to a sickening degree."

"During all that time, they never forgot their resentment, constantly scheming against and disrupting the empire. Their downfall wasn't just a natural consequence."

"Then."

I said.

"The hollow shell of an empire is now just a target they can take revenge on anytime..."

"Now they're thinking of taking revenge on Grunewald and Valkenhain, who defeated them and even put shackles on them."

I found it strange and peculiar that the end of this long, grand tale ultimately led to tonight's battle for supremacy.

'More than strange, it's bewildering.'

Who would have thought Grunewald and the Black Society's enmity stretched back that far.

'...And I, Karzan, who was used as the Black Society's blade then discarded, was eventually born as Grunewald's young master and am now preparing revenge against them.'

Is this fate?

I felt Kreutzel's presence in the distance engaging in a chase with Black Society forces and said.

"The ways of the world are truly unpredictable. To think such a grand turning point in history rests in the hands of an orphan thief who grew up in a circus troupe."

I closed my eyes.

Before long, Reinholdt and Zizek began falling behind, and I could feel the Black Society pursuers closing in on Kreutzel.

'They have a mage on their side too.'

When they set their minds to pursuit, they were truly fierce.

'I know their tracking abilities well.'

From their perspective, imagine...

'If we catch Kreutzel and retrieve the Ebony Oath, they planned to appear then and snatch it away.

But what to do? Kreutzel escaped safely even from our grasp.

'So they have no choice but to step forward themselves.'

Unless they're gods...

They couldn't possibly know that all this is a trap and lure.

"Young Master, preparations are complete."

Rudgarda, who had commanded the trap installation, approached.

"Good, it proceeded faster than expected."

"The Shadow Division personnel are quite capable."

Rudgarda replied.

"...By the way, you were having quite an interesting conversation."

Then Siena said somewhat guardedly.

"I can trust this conversation won't leak out, right?"

"Of course, Young Lady Siena. The Young Master and I have sworn a blood oath."

"!"

Then Siena looked at us with a strange expression.

"A blood oath, that's..."

"It means we've formed an alliance against a common enemy, so don't read too much into it."

Rudgarda chuckled.

"But stay alert. As you know, the Black Society's regular members, even the lowest ranks, are each as strong as decent knights or guards."

"...Of course."

I interjected, sensing the strange current between the two.

"Now we should gradually take our positions and wait in ambush."

Confirming that Reinholdt had 'deliberately' let Kreutzel escape, I said.

"Kreutzel will soon lure the enemy this way."

Crackle!

The lightning flashing in the darkness was dazzling.

Kreutzel somersaulted to dodge the lightning, soared up as if flying, then continued his escape leaving behind illusions that were mercilessly torn apart by incoming sword energy.

'Wow, I really almost died several times.'

Kreutzel felt his spine tingle as he continued his high-speed movement.

'They're too familiar with pursuit. Plus they have numbers and meticulous tactics, making them impossible to shake off easily.'

If his goal had been complete escape rather than luring, he was certain it wouldn't have been achieved.

'Without the potion, I would have been caught long ago.'

Actually, even now was precarious.

No matter how much mana he replenished, exhausted stamina and declining concentration inevitably held him back.

'Damn it, this is my limit.'

Kreutzel, who had felt Reinholdt withdraw from the pursuit but still dragged things out for some time, pulled out the smoke bomb and scroll he'd prepared as a last resort.

Whoooooosh!

Smoke spread instantly, and Kreutzel, who tore the scroll to surround himself with a protective barrier, began fleeing to the promised location.

"He's running!"

"Catch him! This is his last struggle!"

Barely evading the venomous Black Society pursuit, Kreutzel ran toward a desolate clearing on the outskirts of Grunewald City.

"Is he insane? Running to an open field like this instead of the city."

Gilbert, who was commanding the pursuit team, sneered.

"Whether his judgment is clouded from exhaustion or he's making meaningless struggles."

Something was strange.

However, Gilbert's imagination wasn't rich enough to reach the truth that 'all this was a lure operation promised between Karzan and Kreutzel.'

"What are you doing? Your speed is slowing down."

"We'll capture him alive."

It was just when the pursuit team's main force was closely following behind the advance guard.

"Hmm?"

"Wait, why is there suddenly a swamp here?"

In terrain where no swamp should exist, the pursuit team's feet suddenly began sinking deep.

"...?!"

Just as the black-clad figures who noticed something strange stopped to assess the situation.

"Sorry, but it's already too late."

Along with Karzan's voice, seemingly suppressing laughter, the prepared trap magic exploded all at once.

"Let's all hold hands and go to hell together."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Massive light, explosions, and sticky flames engulfed the Black Society members.

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]