By Yuri’s hand, the era of the Overlord was complete.
He had defeated all sixteen core nations that made up the Small States Alliance and seized their banners. This was a feat no one had achieved since the Overlord who once ruled the central lands.
Rumors even spread that he had fended off the Empire’s interference and subdued the Black Knights.
Now, Yuri was indisputably one of the Ten Great Powers.
No one on the continent was unaware of his name.
Yet Yuri paid no mind to such accolades. He cared little for fame. All he wanted was to fight the Empire.
Before leaving the Small States Alliance, Yuri sent letters to the kings of all sixteen nations.
Inside were truths about the Empire and a call to unite against it. He even recounted the incident with Konzhed during the Overlord War, making it clear that the alliance’s kings would be compelled to act.
If any nation hesitated after receiving the letter, Yuri intended to use the Overlord War as leverage to enforce his will.
Next, Yuri led the Vengeance Knights toward Mount Jenel.
There, the Overlord’s traces were said to remain.
“Why are we suddenly heading to Mount Jenel?” Jared asked.
“Business.”
“Looking for new weapons?”
“No.”
The Jenel Mountain Range was famed for its high-quality steel, and Mount Jenel was its tallest peak.
It was said the Overlord had gained something at its summit.
Yuri wanted to see it with his own eyes.
“You’re not seriously going all the way to the top, are you?”
“That’s right.”
“Uh…”
Jared scratched the back of his head.
“That’s really high.”
“I’ll go alone. You can wait here.”
“Why?”
“You said it was too high earlier, right?”
“Well, yeah. But how can you go alone?”
“Then come with me.”
“Ugh…”
Mount Jenel stretched across Airman, a country not far from the Small States Alliance. It wasn’t powerful, relying mainly on exporting the Jenel River’s resources.
Since this wasn’t an official visit, Yuri crossed Airman’s border secretly and headed straight for Mount Jenel.
When they arrived, the towering mountain loomed over them.
Jared let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re really going to climb that?”
The summit was capped with perennial snow.
“There’s snow all year round.”
“That’s a risk we have to take.”
“Are you really going alone?”
“Yes.”
Yuri instructed the Vengeance Knights to set up camp and said he would return alone from the summit.
By now, Jared had caught on to something.
“What’s up there on Mount Jenel?”
“There might be the Overlord’s legacy.”
“The Overlord’s legacy?”
“I saw something during the Overlord War. I don’t know exactly what’s up there, but the Overlord hid a message in his banner. He said he gained enlightenment at the summit.”
“And you’re just going straight up?”
“We have no time to waste if we want to stop the Empire.”
“Understood. I’ll come with you.”
“No need.”
“Then I’m coming.”
In the end, Yuri and Jared climbed Mount Jenel together.
Yuri told the Vengeance Knights that if they didn’t return by a set time, they were to head straight back to Briol.
And so, the two began their ascent.
“Huff, huff…”
Each carried a backpack and a sword, using climbing gear to tackle the mountain path.
“This is tough.”
“Use the sticks.”
“Yes, sir.”
Though both were knights accustomed to training, Mount Jenel was so steep and rugged that they had bought climbing gear in the small village at the base.
Apparently, there were enough mountaineers that a general store sold climbing equipment for visitors.
Yuri and Jared gripped a stick in each hand, wore high-quality hiking boots, and pressed up the slope.
Their pace was swift.
“Slow down.”
“There’s no time!”
“Ugh…”
Surprisingly, they occasionally met other climbers.
“Hello.”
“Safe travels.”
Unaware of Yuri’s group’s identity, the climbers greeted them warmly.
Jared eyed them suspiciously.
“Why are they climbing this mountain?”
“Because it’s there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just as we train with swords, mountaineers climb mountains.”
“Hmm…”
Jared tilted his head, then approached a new group of three climbers.
“Hello. May I ask you something?”
“Hello. Yes, go ahead.”
“Why are you climbing Mount Jenel?”
“Uh…”
The climbers exchanged glances, then looked at Jared with suspicion.
“You came here without knowing anything?”
“Excuse me?”
“Coming to Mount Jenel without any knowledge? That’s suspicious…”
“Pardon?”
“No comment.”
With that, the climbers folded their arms behind their backs and resumed the steep climb.
Despite their simple attire compared to Yuri and Jared’s gear, their footing was steady.
Their posture, hands behind their backs to balance, showed experience.
“This is really strange. There must be something at the summit of Mount Jenel.”
Yuri had only heard of the Jenel River and nothing else about the mountain, so he couldn’t understand why so many climbers were here.
“I don’t know. Let’s just keep going.”
They quickened their pace.
Each time they met new climbers, Jared asked about Mount Jenel, but they all avoided the question and gave him wary looks.
Yuri sighed.
“Stop making a fuss and let’s just get to the top.”
“But I’m curious!”
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
Yuri exhaled. As the mountain grew higher, the temperature dropped. Their breath began to mist in the cold air.
They put on their coats.
“The shopkeeper had a reason for telling us to buy this gear.”
“You accused him of being a con artist.”
“No, I was just being cautious because Your Highness is too trusting.”
“You’re a terrible person for calling a good man a con artist…”
Yuri looked back.
Below, the slope they had climbed and the landscape stretched out like a miniature toy world. A faint unease came with the height.
At the same time, a vast spirit welled up inside him.
“Good.”
Yuri looked ahead and resumed walking.
“Let’s move faster!”
Suddenly, a commotion broke out. Someone screamed, and when they rushed over, a group of climbers was facing off against a pack of dire wolves.
The climbers had weapons and stood ready, but the dire wolves’ numbers were overwhelming, and no one dared attack.
Most were trembling with fear.
“The dire wolves never showed up before…”
“Damn it…”
“Where did they come from?”
“If we stay still, they’ll leave.”
Among the climbers were many who had earlier treated Yuri and Jared with suspicion.
Jared crossed his arms and nodded.
“They don’t know anything. Dire wolves never leave. Seeing this, they know that if they stall, they’ll win.”
“Exactly.”
Yuri slapped Jared on the back.
“Go save those innocent climbers.”
“Huh?”
Jared shrugged, then put on a mock sinister grin.
“You want me to save the people who ignored me as suspicious? Do I look like a nice guy? Heh heh heh…”
“Jared, beware the darkness growing in your heart.”
“You sound like a priest. Heh heh…”
“Cast away evil thoughts and listen to the good. Darkness can never overcome light.”
“Yes, yes.”
Jared shrugged again, set down his pack, drew his sword, and swaggered forward.
“Suspicious character approaching!”
At Jared’s sudden appearance, all eyes from both sides turned to him.
One climber shouted,
“That guy brought the wolves! No wonder he seemed suspicious!”
“…”
“You, you, bad guy!”
The atmosphere turned strange. Jared, who had stepped forward cheerfully, lowered his sword and sighed.
“Not very mountain-like to be so cruel…”
Of course, their accusations were false. The dire wolves immediately charged Jared, seeing him alone as easy prey. They were intelligent beasts, but not clever enough to gauge their opponent’s skill.
With a single swing, Jared cut down several dire wolves, who collapsed bleeding onto the ground.
Seeing the blood, the other dire wolves yelped like dogs and quickly retreated.
The climbers’ eyes widened.
“I’m Jared.”
He announced his name, raising his sword.
A fiery aura flared around the blade.
“I’m a friendly climber. I can’t let you dire wolves threaten the trail. Sorry, but you have to die.”
The dire wolf pack’s leader growled low and heavy.
The wolves moved as one, circling Jared, baring fangs and snarling fiercely as they lunged.
Jared whistled.
“Cute little things.”
The dire wolves posed no real threat. The slaughter was one-sided. Realizing the difference in strength, the wolves tucked their tails and fled in panic.
Jared then strode toward the leader.
The dire wolf pack scattered.
Watching Jared swagger with his hands on his hips, Yuri felt a strange emotion stirring within him.
“You’ve grown a lot…”
When Jared climbed the mountain to find Erich Briole’s legacy, he had to face a pack of dire wolves just like now.
Back then, he struggled to handle even a few wolves and ended up shouting at the top of his lungs. That’s why Hernando had to step in with magic to help him.
But now, Jared easily overwhelms a much larger and stronger pack of dire wolves than before.
“It’s thanks to me.”
Yuri brushed past Jared without a word and approached the hikers.
They lowered their heads with softened expressions.
“Ah, thank you…”
“No need to thank me. Mountain folk help each other out.”
“We didn’t expect you to be so strong. Are you knights?”
“No.”
Yuri shook her head.
“Whatever we were down in the valley, up here on the mountain, we’re just hikers. Guests. What does any of that matter to those invited by the mountain itself? I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”
“Ah…”
The hikers exchanged glances and nodded.
“We’re sorry for being so wary earlier. It’s just that being up here is… well…”
He chose his words carefully.
“It’s precious to us.”
“I see.”
Yuri didn’t press to know what exactly they meant.
She would find out naturally once they reached the summit.
“Well then, shall we continue together?”
“Together?”
“We don’t know when that wolf pack might show up again. And there could be other dangers as well. The harder it gets, the more we should stick together.”
“Thank you.”
The hikers seemed to fully trust Yuri now, smiling brightly.
And so, they began climbing the mountain together, chatting quietly.
Only Jared trailed behind, grumbling from a distance.
“I’m the one who fought…”
As they neared the peak of Mount Jenel, the world below truly looked small. The troubles tied to the mundane world felt trivial.
Compared to this mountain, even the empire seemed like no big deal.
Gradually, the group fell silent.
They simply walked toward the summit in quiet determination.
The journey was far from easy. Some slipped and tumbled down the steep slopes, others limped with twisted ankles. Faces turned pale from the cold, teeth chattering tightly.
But no one stopped moving forward.
Yuri couldn’t understand what drove them to keep going like that.
“There it is.”
At last, a tall peak came into view.
A few figures were already faintly visible at the top.
“Let’s go.”
The hikers climbed the summit with solemn expressions.
And there, Yuri found something that should never have been there.
“The devil’s grimoire…?”