[Silver Ash] - Become The Strongest In Another World
CHAPTER 302: Scintillation (2)

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It was a scene that appeared only briefly. Lasts no more than two seconds. However, his appearance evokes a strange feeling in Noelle.

It was similar to hatred, but it had a deep mix of trauma. The feeling made Noelle subconsciously look at the crystal creatures with eyes full of hatred.

They are small, weak, and non-aggressive. The moves they made were only to take cover from the attack Noelle had aimed at them.

However, no matter how they tried to dodge, Noelle's sword was always on target. It stuck very smoothly, and instantly killed him.

The mud pit where the creatures came out began to shrink, and there was little liquid left.

The more Crystal Invaders that appear, the more shrinking the hole.

(Are they created by him? )

After killing the last Crystal Colonizer that appeared, Noelle walked up to the mud pit, dipped her finger there, and licked the liquid that was stuck to her fingertips.

That action made Tania and Dolum who were behind instantly shocked. Dolum was about to stop him, but Noelle had already tasted the strange taste of the mud puddle she had just licked.

It tastes bitter, and sticks to the tongue. That's how he felt at first.

However, all of that sense disappeared, as a tremendous pain began to emerge from her head, leaving Noelle unable to do anything other than hold her own head in despair.

"Ughhh …."

Tania and Dolum panicked, and ran over to her, but Noelle stopped their movements, and focused on suppressing the pain that might arise from the brain, and began to spread to every inch of his body through the nervous system and blood vessels.

The exposed skin of the arm shows signs of necrosis, and faint cracks begin to form there, radiating to other, healthier parts. His throat was hot, and his brain kept visualizing strange things to his own ears and eyes.

First, Noelle listened to an awful lot of screams. It also overlapped with the voices of Tania and Dolum who called out to him.

Second, either sight or flash of memory, but Noelle saw that there were many scenes that flashed through every time she moved her eyes.

Lastly, what made Noelle feel a sense of horror, was that she felt like she was being connected to the crystal figure lying inside the ice chest.

Signs of necrosis on his body began to spread, and little by little blackish purple crystals began to grow on the scar.

"The crystal! "

Tania and Dolum were getting panicked, they didn't know what to do. Tania began to realize that this was similar to the Crystal Plague she had heard of.

From what both of them knew, once one began to undergo a transformation into a crystal, there was no way one could be done to save it. That's why they were really confused as to what to do when the crystal began to grow on Noelle's body.

Until finally, a spiked black crown appeared by hovering above Noelle's head.

Her hair quickly turned black, and the growing crystals were reabsorbed into the skin, along with the necrosis scars that were supposed to be those permanent wounds.

"Damn …."

Noelle was breathing heavily as she felt her senses recover. The sound of screams also slowly disappeared, and the scenes he saw began to disappear.

All returned to normal. Merely, the thorny crown that floated above his head spun violently, before finally spewing out a chunk of crystal similar to the one that had grown on his body earlier.

After that, the crown disappeared. It seemed that Noir had done something to protect her this time.

Noelle combed the hair that had restored its 'original' color, then looked at the chunk of crystal spewed out by the crown at the last moment.

It was oval in shape, with a surface that was quite smooth, making it hard to believe that it was a crystal similar to the Crystal Plague.

"Luckily nothing bad happened …. I really have to cut back on such reckless experiments …."

As he heaved a sigh of relief, a suffocating feeling instantly emerged. But it was not painful, but rather had a softness sensation that made Noelle comfortable.

From behind, Tania had run to hug him.

"Don't worry me …."

"N-Miss Tania is right! You shouldn't have done that! That's crazy! "

Even the act was considered insane by the Artof tribe who had immunity to the virus to some degree. This surprised Noelle.

Noelle could not say anything, and could only pat Tania on the head a few times, before finally turning her head and looking back at the mud puddle.

The mud had almost disappeared, there was only a slight trace that gradually also returned to where it came from through the gap of the door.

(This makes it even more strange. Actually, what kind of creature is that? )

From what Noelle concluded himself, the creature came from mud containing the virus. Or perhaps more precisely, a virus that takes on a liquid form like mud.

So not only did it come from crystals, it also had a liquid form capable of creating strange creatures like the one he had just fought. And likely, the humanoid crystal figure that was in the ice chest, was also created in a similar way.

(No, rather than that ..)

"Hey, you better not come to this place too often. Because that bastard who slept in that ice chest there, is likely still alive. He's just sealed."

Noelle's announcement left Tania dumbfounded, while Dolum said nothing.

The reaction made Noelle curious. However, she did nothing to satisfy her curiosity, and instead walked closer to the gate after making Tania let go of her embrace.

Upon close inspection, it seems that this gate has a lot of abstract patterns. But, it's not really abstract. Noelle quickly noticed. All of these patterns will form a magic circle if they are arranged correctly.

However, there is no way to reorder it because it is all part of the same thing, which is the gate.

There were some questions that came to Noelle's mind, but she did not reveal them as she was not interested in getting the answer now.

Instead, Noelle chose to do some experiments first.

Noelle knocked on the gate several times, and the sound of her knocking echoed on the other side of the door.

"There's another room, and it's pretty big."

After confirming that, Noelle continued the experiment by attaching her ear to the door, and began to focus her sense of hearing.

Tania and Dolum did nothing, they were just waiting for the results of Noelle's experiment. Although actually, Dolum already has some information related to the other side of the door.

The entire room was silent, and at the same time, Noelle's hearing sharpened. His increase even made him able to hear the sound of his own heartbeat. But, Noelle barely caught the sound coming from the room behind this door.

It was like the sound of someone breathing quietly. Maybe he's asleep.

"Then …."

Noelle took a few steps back, then began to raise her right hand.

From his red glove, blood dripped, but it did not fall to the floor, but instead directly slid towards the crack of the door. Noelle intended to check the situation inside by relying on her blood.

However, just after that drop of blood entered the room, Noelle instantly lost her connection with it. This made Noelle frown uncomfortably.

"What's going on? " ask Tania.

Noelle only glanced at him for a moment, then replied with her voice filled with unease.

"Eitherway. My blood instantly vanished after coming inside. I don't know what's going on, but it's really dangerous."

So far, Noelle could count with a finger anytime she got into a situation where her blood could be neutralized. And this moment is one of them. However, this time it was not only neutralized, but completely wiped out without a remnant, as if anyone or anything inside there was strongly resisting his presence.

Starting to understand the situation, Noelle could only clench her tongue while secretly cursing the Queen of Bengal for having left this matter so troublesome. What's more, to have to lower the forecast about the pair that will solve this problem.

Now Noelle's view of the Bengis Queen has completely declined.

(I can't even peek in there using《Claorvoyance》, damn it! )

Noelle then returned her attention to Dolum. "I understand most of the cases. But, what do you really want from us? Is that security? "

Although troublesome, Noelle still chose to get involved in this matter.

Not because he likes problems, but because he has a feeling that this will result in something important. After all, he had briefly awakened a bit of memory just by staring at a crystal sleeping inside an ice chest. So, just maybe, there was a chance to evoke more memories, and Noelle did not want to waste the opportunity.

But, if the Artof tribe really expected safety, then Noelle would not be able to guarantee it. He will work together, but that does not mean he can make this problem can be finished. Because, Noelle's goal was not to solve the Artof tribe's problems, but rather to find more opportunities to answer all questions, as well as find ways to awaken more of his memory.

If the matter of the Artof tribe was finished thanks to this, Noelle would consider it a bonus. But if not, he would not suffer any losses. Might as well.

Hearing Noelel's question, Dolum fell silent for a moment.

He stared back and forth between his own hands, and the gate that stood majestically in front of him. Then—

"We really want safety. But it is not we who are to be saved, but the Queen of Bengal. It is they who need salvation. We just want him to be free from his suffering, who has to endure all our lives."

"Whatchu mean? "

Not only Noelle, but even Tania frowned at the statement.

The reason is clear. This new sentence Dolum issued, is a contradiction if juxtaposed with the sentences he issued when explaining the situation of the tribe of Artof in Noelle and Tania.

He said that the Queen of Bengal had brought down the perennial winter disaster on them, and became one of the causes of their suffering all along. However, he now explains that what he and the members of the Artof tribe hoped for was not their own safety, but the Queen of Bengal who had brought down this eternal winter.

Although Noelle didn't take it too seriously at the beginning, she was now curious again. There's no way Dolum would say that for no reason.

Indeed, sometimes the deepest desires of the heart are often opposite to the situation at hand.

(Too quick to conclude)

Noelle just realized it. Dolum has not said anything that directly explains that the tribe of Artof hates the Queen of Bengal. From the beginning, they adored him.

(Gh ..).

It was just as odd as it did not disappear from his chest. Because Noelle had just realized the meaning of that feeling.

He had been aware of this from the beginning, but he pretended not to know.

Because, the feeling that the tribe of Artof poured out for the sake of the Bengis Queen was so strange, that it made Noelle suddenly have a strong feeling of something she did not know.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding between us. Then let me correct it."

Dolum held tightly to the pendant with a light blue jewel hanging on her chest, then said, "We don't hate the Queen of Bengal at all. We loved her. Even though he dropped a painful eternal winter, we're sure he has a reason."

"The Queen of Bengal is a savior. All his relics have helped our tribe survive to this day. But, if he keeps doing that, then …."

The Bengis queen is not a mythical entity. He really exists. Therefore, no matter how much burden he had to bear to save a tribe living together with a time bomb in the form of a virus.

In addition, it can also be concluded that the Queen of Bengal has saved the outside world.

This eternal winter in the Cold Forest was like a seal, isolating the virus along with the Artof tribe in order to be far from the outer civilization.

The Artof tribe understood that, although they might not know how serious the matter regarding the Crystal Plague was. They were convinced of their own duty, as servants of the Bengis Queen.

"This is something that only the chief knows, but I am sure that without knowing it, the other inhabitants will still have the same desire."

Saying that, Dolum turned around and stared firmly at the gate that was still standing grandly.

"The Bengis Queen we love is alive, now asleep behind this gate, protecting us from the threat of a greater Crystal Invaders. But, doing so must have weighed on the Queen. He deserves to get some rest."

At this moment, Noelle felt like she was looking at another figure talking.

It was a tall young man, with bright blonde hair and a tailed white coat. He looked towards the light, turning his back to Noelle.

His white military coat and blonde hair swayed as if a strong wind was blowing, but Noelle was sure that it was all an illusion. Because after all, the one standing in front of him was an old man with a height that did not even reach half his body.

"I as the representative of the tribe of Artof will declare that our greatest desire is to bring freedom to the Queen of Bengal. We want to release the Queen from her suffering, and at the same time give her all the happiness she deserves! "

Dolum turned back, looking at Noelle and Tania with eyes filled with earnestness. That look, probably won't falter even if Noelle does brainwashing on him.

And maybe because of that, his figure felt so familiar. Like someone who had accompanied him for a long time, but also like a ghost he had never known.

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