Chapter 1061: His Last Stand
As the ship soared toward the border of the sea, right over The Protection Wall, Northern’s expression darkened.
’What in the... world...’
Northern wanted to speak, but words failed him. From up in the sky, all of them could see the carnage that had been wrought upon the Protection Wall.
It was a macabre sight to behold—blood had moistened and darkened the white snow. The ground across the Wall’s landscape was decorated with a twisted and sickening palette. Northern hadn’t felt the urge to vomit like this in ages.
"Should we go down?"
Thalen asked with a soft tone.
Northern was about to shake his head when he suddenly froze and narrowed his eyes.
There—someone in a secluded area, on his knees. Northern’s brows furrowed.
’It can’t be...’
He took a powerful leap off the ship like a spring and landed on the ground with a thunderous thud that sent everything flying into the air. The entire place became a smokescreen of white snow for a moment.
As the mist settled, Northern was revealed, standing before the kneeling corpse.
The brown beard and rough hair, the weathered and bloody face. Those eyes that seemed to hold too many secrets, too much knowledge that they had lost themselves—although his eyes were now glassy, the look somehow lingered.
"Gilbert..."
Northern muttered.
It hurt... slightly, if he’d be honest. It didn’t hurt like it would have if he’d lost Annette, but that didn’t mean the small pain he felt could be neglected.
Northern heard the flutter of wings and with it, a gentle touch on the ground.
Raven slowly stepped forward and stood beside Northern, looking at Gilbert.
Her expression was blank—it was almost as if her face didn’t know or understand the concept of emotions.
"Gil... bert..."
She also muttered.
Northern sighed and gently touched the man’s forehead and muttered,
"Absolute Zero."
In an instant, before Raven could blink, the corpse transformed into a beautiful statue carved from ice, kneeling with a deep and insightful look in his eyes.
Northern exhaled.
"Even if a thousand suns burn, you will not melt. You might have been a coward... but you were a brave warrior nonetheless."
He lifted his gaze to the rest of the Wall.
"This is the last place I expected to meet you. So I’m sure... you tried your hand at redemption."
He exhaled again and turned away. Raven stared at the ice statue for a while, then bowed ninety degrees before turning away as well.
She ran quickly and caught up to Northern.
"Wasn’t that a cruel thing to say to the dead?"
Northern glanced at her blankly.
"Would you have preferred that I lied to the dead?"
Raven hesitated.
"No... but..."
Northern paused and fixed his gaze on her, tilting his head slightly.
She shook her head and swallowed back the words—whatever they were.
"Never mind... shouldn’t we search for Ayu and Myu?"
"I have... they’re not here."
She seemed relieved.
"That’s good, then."
Northern looked away from her, crouched, and launched into the sky. She followed, black wings piercing from behind her and effortlessly carrying her skyward with powerful beats.
They landed back on the Tower’s deck, and Thalen and Eli looked at Northern with concern.
"Was there someone you knew...?"
Northern nodded.
"He was like a mentor..."
Thalen’s worry deepened.
"Are you okay?"
Northern turned toward the front as the ship’s bow pierced ahead.
"Right now... all I want to do is destroy Koll..."
His voice trembled, but with effort he breathed out.
"But there are far more important matters."
Northern breathed out steadily through his mouth as he continued to glare forward.
The ship was now over the ocean, flying away from the Central Plains.
"I don’t expect that Koll wouldn’t prepare something for us. And I’m very familiar with the dangers within those waters. So if I may say, I think we should all get ready to fight..."
Eli and Thalen glanced at each other. Raven’s eyes sharpened, a viperous crimson glow emanating from them.
Silence followed Northern’s words. Everyone on the ship was waiting.
Even Bairan, Revant, Jeci, and Lynus, who had just emerged from the Tower, stood with caution and resolve—well, not Bairan quite. He was just smiling mischievously.
The silence stretched as the ship flew forward, now hurtling toward the center of the sea with tremendous speed.
All their eyes were fixed on the sea below, watching and waiting. However, to their shock, a terrifying rumble shot across the sky.
Northern flung his face upward. And there... it was too late.
The sky had darkened and was already swirling, as if preparing for the descent of a powerful hurricane. The entire sky was shrouded with dark storm clouds, spinning ominously.
Even as the Tower flew beneath the sky, it was as if a tiny speck of dust was trying to outrun the entire mass of the heavens themselves.
The Tower was flying forward with tyrannical speed, one that tore through winds, and yet it was still trapped within the massive grasp of the dark storm and didn’t look like it would be escaping anytime soon.
Eli stared up with a slightly forced grin on the right corner of his mouth.
"Ehwooo... this has to be at least a Belial."
Thalen’s face was also pale.
"You’re not mistaken."
They both glanced at Northern simultaneously, stunned to find that he was unfazed.
Northern stared forward impassively.
"It indeed is a Belial... an Apex one."
Their hearts seemed to drop into their stomachs.
Eli chuckled dryly.
"What? Another Apex Belial right off the bat? He really doesn’t want us to make it, huh."
Northern’s expression was dark, but his mind was racing.
’I can take care of an Apex Belial... but the problem is, I shouldn’t... I’ll need all the strength I can get to face Kryos... If so, would it be okay to delegate? But who...?’
Northern glanced around, searching for a suitable person... or would he have to ask everyone except himself, Bairan, and Revant to attack it?
Just when he was thinking deeply, he heard footsteps.
Northern looked back, and Bairan was walking forward with a smile.
Bairan reached the front and nonchalantly said,
"So I was thinking, I can just sit back and chill for the rest of the battle if I cut down that storm, right?"