Infinite Mage [Remake]-Chapter 154: Kergo Autonomous Region (Part 3)

Outsiders had trampled Kergo with all sorts of excuses and pretexts. Countless women had lost their purity under the guise of inspections. No matter how misguided his comrade's hatred was, siding with outsiders was impossible.

Mahatu: "We'll start the inspection now. You, come here and raise your arms."

Amy stood her ground, filled with refusal and caution.

If the man hadn't been a master, she would have struck him the moment he insulted her, but the killing intent was palpable. If a fight broke out, they'd have to prepare for chaos, and this wasn't the place for it.

Rian: "This is too much."

Rian stepped in front of Amy. While Amy was better at judging situations, if the opponent was going to trample on a woman's dignity, it was right for him to step forward.

Rian: "Even if Falcoa is dead, the Freeman organization is still intact. If you treat us like this, you won't get away with it."

Rian's strategy of invoking Freeman's influence was clever. Amy thought it was a good move.

But the Kergo people were far more hostile than expected.

Mahatu's face turned red as if a nerve had been struck.

Mahatu: "Is this a challenge? Bring it on. The Kergo don't run."

Arin (telepathically): "Everyone, step back. Mahatu's spirit is focusing."

Arin warned through the mental channel.

By the time the words ended, everyone felt it. Even the迟钝的Rian sensed the strangeness of the fighting spirit.

Amy aimed her Spirit Zone. The way Mahatu's fighting spirit surged would determine the course of the battle.

Booooom!

Then, a horn sounded from the depths of the cave.

If it could be heard deep within the winding tunnels, one could imagine how loud it was.

As the horn echoed through the cave, Mahatu looked at the entrance in shock.

His comrade's reaction was even more intense. He trembled as if he couldn't believe it.

Comrade: "Mahatu, this is the Horn of Jingok. What's going on...?"

Before his comrade could finish, Mahatu moved.

Mahatu: "Damn it! Why the Horn of Jingok? Has war broken out?"

The Horn of Jingok was the highest-level alarm set by the Kergo tribe. Upon hearing it, all tribe members had to gather at the source of the sound. No exceptions, and those who didn't attend would be punished.

As the natives disappeared, Amy's group was thrown into confusion.

Amy: "What's going on? Something must have happened outside."

Rian: "Let's go. It's dangerous to stay in a dead end."

Amy's group left the cave and arrived at the source of the sound.

It was a massive plaza where seven tunnels met.

Natives were gathering, but there were so many that it was hard to tell what was happening.

The noise made it hard to hear. They hoped for the mental channel, but Arin was just staring at the podium.

Old Man: "Kneel and worship! The divine messenger who will save us has arrived!"

An old man on the podium shouted. Then, over a thousand people knelt and spoke in unison.

Crowd: "We welcome the divine messenger."

As if the world had gone silent, the crowd knelt. The view to the podium cleared, and Shirone stood in front of the old man.

Shirone's eyes, looking around, met Amy's. Though they had only been apart for two hours, they had experienced so many absurd situations that the emotion was overwhelming.

Shirone: "Amy."

Those who had been shouting for the divine messenger fell silent. The silence spread in concentric circles, and several people looked at Amy.

Among them was Mahatu. Amy felt she would never forget the look of confusion on his face.

Amy: "Shirone."

The natives' gaze turned back to Shirone. Their attitude suggested they wouldn't miss a single word from his mouth.

Shirone's face turned miserable.

Shirone: "Amy, why are these people like this? I can't understand a word they're saying."

Seeing Shirone on the verge of tears, Amy scratched her eyebrow.

And in her heart, she said,

Amy (internally): "How would I know?"

As Shirone took a step, the crowd parted like split bamboo. Even in their kneeling posture, their precision showed they were tense.

Shirone's face was haggard. It was natural after being exposed to an unknown language for two hours.

Normally, if communication failed, people would give up, but the altar's executors didn't leave Shirone alone for a moment.

Shirone: "I was so frustrated I thought I'd die. Every time I said something, they just knelt, so I ended up not saying a word. Why are these people like this?"

Amy: "I don't know. We just got here too. Did you pass the test?"

Shirone: "Yeah, I think so, but there's a problem."

Amy: "A problem? What problem?"

Explaining the scenes from the Maze of Time would take too long. But there was no time, and the situation wasn't good.

The old man who blew the horn approached Shirone.

Mahatu followed behind the old man. His mind was a mess. If Shirone was the divine messenger, it meant he had opened all eight gates of the Maze of Time. But contrary to his expectations, Shirone was just a fluffy-haired boy.

Mahatu (internally): "Absolute obedience to the divine messenger."

A phrase he had heard since childhood.

It was different from the religious beliefs of outsiders. To the Kergo, the divine was a real, existing power, much like subjects obeying a king.

Mahatu quickened his steps to approach Shirone. If Shirone was truly the divine messenger, he had to atone for his rudeness to Amy's group before meeting the old man.

Mahatu: "Respected divine messenger, if I may be so bold, are these people your companions?"

As Jis approached to translate, Mahatu raised his hand to stop him.

Mahatu: "No, someone seems to be using a mental-type magic. If that person is here, let them communicate with the divine messenger."

Mahatu realized this when Amy's voice grew louder.

Normally, when translating, the conversation becomes simpler and shorter, but some parts were surprisingly accurate in understanding Kergo.

Arin's Spirit Zone seeped into Mahatu's shadow.

Shirone was startled by the voice in his head but nodded once he realized what it was.

Understanding that preparations were complete, Mahatu repeated his earlier question.

Mahatu: "Divine messenger, are these people your companions?"

Shirone: "Yes. They're my friends."

Mahatu nodded solemnly. He wasn't afraid of death, but being rude to Shirone's friends was a mistake that endangered the tribe's fate.

The fall of Kergo wasn't due to Loop, civil war, or a volcanic eLooption. Officially, that's what was said, but hidden beneath was a truth no one knew.

The Kergo had angered the angels.

And the boy before him was a descendant of the angels.

The story passed down for five hundred years and was deeply rooted in the subconscious of the Kergo people.

Mahatu's expression changed. From frustration to fear, then to resolve, he knelt with such force it seemed he might break.

"I'm sorry! Please kill me! I have committed a grave offense against your party!"

Shirone: "An offense? What offense? Surely you didn't resort to violence, did you?"

Shirone's guard was immediately raised by their fanatical behavior. If they had laid a hand on his friends, he had no intention of forgiving them.

Amy: "Ah, it's nothing. We just had a little scuffle. You know how it is, the usual stuff."

Amy's words were almost coded. It was true that there had been a clash, but she was implying that the situation was complicated and that it would be best to let it go.

Mahatu looked up at Amy with gratitude. Relieved that he hadn't caused a crisis for his tribe, he stepped aside for the elder.

The elder, who introduced himself as Hasid, the elder of the Kergo tribe, asked Shirone a meaningful question.

Hasid: "Have you come after receiving Miro's message?"

Shirone recalled the scenes he had seen in the Chamber of Achievement and Sacrifice. Though the information had passed by quickly, each fragment was vivid.

When Shirone nodded, the elder leaned on his cane and turned around.

The natives gathered in the plaza were waiting for an answer.

Hasid: "Finally, the messenger of the gods has arrived in Kergo!"

Shirone and his companions covered their ears. As soon as Hasid finished speaking, the natives eLoopted into warrior cries.

The cave was filled with noise, as if the ceiling might burst from the sound.

Amid the cheers of joy, occasional sobs could be heard. Half-naked individuals approached Shirone and knelt before him.

Woman: "Messenger of the gods, my child is sick. Please heal them."

Thanks to Arin's telepathic channel being connected to Mahatu, Shirone could understand her words. But Shirone had no ability to heal a sick child.

An old man crawled over to the woman, clasped his hands, and begged.

Old Man: "Please give us food! My family is starving."

This was just the beginning. More people arrived one after another.

Man 1: "Grant me eternal life!"

Man 2: "Please spare my daughter! She is engaged to be married!"

Man 3: "Make me a woman!"

Arin not only covered her ears but also shut her eyes. The scene transmitted through her telepathy was entirely red, as if she were looking at boiling lava. If she absorbed any more of the people's desires, her mind might collapse.

Arin: "Canis! The voices in my mind are too loud!"

Canis: "Close the channel. You might get hurt."

Shirone was trapped in the crowd, unable to move even a step. Though Arin had canceled her telepathy, making translation impossible, the waves of emotion continued to press on his heart, tightening it. It was as if they were under a mass hypnosis. The keyword was madness.

Shirone looked to Hasid and Mahatu for help, but they were only watching their tribesmen with sad eyes.

Man's Voice: "Everyone, be quiet!"

The man's shout silenced the crowd instantly.

A young man, accompanied by burly warriors on either side, walked in from the northern tunnel. Though not tall, his balloon-like muscles overwhelmed even his bodyguards. His long hair was tied back, and his face was adorned with golden tattoos.

Arin finally opened her eyes.

Through her telepathy, she could sense the natives' emotions: awe.

But that wasn't all.

They were afraid. It was the kind of fear one feels when facing an iron-fisted ruler. The man was clearly the chieftain of Kergo.

The man approached Shirone and introduced himself.

Kadum: "I am Kadum, the chieftain of Kergo. From now on, I will be your host."

Shirone checked with his friends.

No one objected. If they wanted to gain something from the autonomous region, they would have to meet this man eventually.

And this was the end of Jis's mission.

Shirone expressed his regret.

Shirone: "We'll take it from here. It might get dangerous."

Jis nodded without showing any displeasure. His lack of unnecessary pride was one of the reasons Shirone and his companions trusted him.

As they shook hands, Jis spoke with concern.

Jis: "Be careful. The autonomous region seems very different from the Kergo I know."

Shirone: "Yeah. It should be fine. And thanks for translating."

Jis: "I'm glad I could help. When this is over, stop by our house. Yuna will have prepared a lot of delicious food."

Shirone asked Kadum to escort Jis back to the ruins. Everyone clamored to be the guide, eager to follow Shirone's instructions. Arin chose someone trustworthy.

Jis left the Kergo autonomous region, following the burly warrior.

Kadum led Shirone and his companions deeper into the cave.

Even after walking for 20 minutes, they hadn't reached their destination. If this path led to a dead end, any traveler would have collapsed by now.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

The maze wasn't just complex in design. The scale of the autonomous region's labyrinth was overwhelming.