Our Family Has Fallen

Upon entering, Beggby saw a uniquely styled man sitting cross-legged in the hall.

"This is Scholar Alhazred; he may be able to help you."

Lance briefly explained Beggby’s situation, and after examining him, the scholar gestured for him to come closer and handed him the Purification Coral he was holding.

"Take it."

Uncertain of its purpose, Beggby nonetheless accepted the coral with hopes of healing. At that moment, the restlessness in his heart seemed to lessen, and the noises at his ears disappeared.

Instantly, a smile of surprise appeared on his weary face. Could the problem that had plagued him for so long be this straightforward?

However, before he could revel in his joy for long, the scholar noticed his reaction and added a comment.

"This is no different from the chains upon you—mere useless objects. Relying on these things will only make you more fragile. By the time you realize this, it might be too late. It’s your will that can truly cage the beast."

It’s like a painkiller—not healing the pain but merely masking it.

Taking it for too long will numb you, making you unaware of the disease’s progression until it’s beyond remedy. Alhazred had suffered from this mistake before.

This made Beggby’s smile turn rigid again, prompting him to ask.

"Is there really no possibility of a cure?"

"No, the monster’s power is beyond our means to combat. Haven’t you noticed you’re different from ordinary people?

Your body and soul are intertwined with that beast. The power and curse flow in your blood, and to rid yourself of it is akin to killing a part of you."

Alhazred slowly shook his head but still gave guidance.

"I can only teach you how to control it. Success depends on you."

This was a heavy blow to Beggby. Hope vanished in an instant, and the curse that felt like fate still entangled him in nightmares.

Lance, however, understood Alhazred’s words, which essentially meant that something dark had its sights on Beggby, hoping to manifest in the real world through his body.

"It’s not necessarily like that. If it wants to come out, we can just let it come out, and then continuously beat it until it doesn’t dare come out anymore.

If we can catch the creature behind it and eliminate it directly, we might resolve this thing entirely."

Lance’s straightforward suggestion left the other two in silence.

I thought you were talking about precise soul separation or some clever surgery, but I didn’t expect this.

"Is it not viable?" Lance asked when he saw the two were stunned.

"It’s not that it’s not viable, just very difficult..." Alhazred didn’t know how to respond since, theoretically, if the demon’s true form were dead, it couldn’t continue to corrode Beggby.

"So, we must hold on to hope for the future. Once I finish my current tasks, I’ll have time to study this. Beggby’s condition might give us some experience in handling similar cases."

Lance knew he was blabbering nonsense, but sometimes these abstract jokes add a glimmer of hope to a future shrouded in darkness.

Alhazred seemed to have understood the Lord’s hint; he himself was under a curse...

For a large spell cast previously to save someone, when well-prepared, he didn’t need to cut his hand for a sacrificial ritual.

However, the massive spell still plunged him into trouble, stabilizing only with the Purification Coral’s aid.

Just moments ago, it was the Lord’s entry that expelled the abnormality. If given the chance, he, too, wished to break free from the Torna curse...

Leaving Beggby with Alhazred to learn self-control, Lance began to move about the town.

Regardless of what he heard from his people, nothing beats seeing it firsthand. He had long changed out of his worn clothes, now wearing a set of very ordinary garments, becoming inconspicuous among the crowd.

Precisely because of this, he sensed the increasingly chaotic rumors among adventurers and identified not a few hidden figures within.

The number of Transcendents here was noticeably higher than in the city, clearly drawn by those rumors, unable to resist coming over.

Indeed, no one can resist power and wealth, even at the risk of danger.

But unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.

Due to military deployments, Hamlet’s control over the town weakened. He could only settle the original Hamlet workers in the wilderness development zone behind the outpost.

Moreover, he gathered the police to control the most vital sections, restricting supplies, leaving little room for chaos.

"Sigh..."

Lance let out a sigh. If not for the ancestors, this should have been a land thriving with vitality.

After understanding the situation, Lance emerged to meet with his people, his presence instantly dispelling everyone’s fears and rekindling the light in their eyes.

Loyalty!

"Sir, here’s the detailed consumption and casualty report."

Barton reported, and Lance looked at the numbers with some helplessness.

Mobilizing the military during the descent of Extreme Darkness was very timely, but there remained significant casualties, which also indicated a severe consumption of resources.

Due to the new town’s peculiar situation, Lance hadn’t developed manufacturing here, with only some blacksmith workshops for equipment repairs. Consumables like grain had to be imported.

It’s now clear why Barton didn’t recommend an outright assault.

"I’ll quickly make up for the resource shortage, reorganize the army, and commence training."

"Sir, there’s still the matter of the legion."

Barton reminded, other issues were manageable, but if that legion had any problems, it would cause more trouble.

"I’ll handle it."

Lance was also eager to see the ancient empire’s fabled Taboo Legion. If they’ve truly survived this long, they surely held many secrets.

Before that, Lance appeared at the wounded camp and promptly assembled a group of fervent soldiers.

Under Lance’s orders, the troops quickly gathered, and on that makeshift field, Lance met with the Honor Guard members, praising their resilience and fighting spirit during the action, deeming it worthy of army-wide emulation.

Of course, the cavalry brigade’s performance also warranted recognition. Their bravery in tackling "tough nuts" penetrated enemy encirclement, effectively assisting the withdrawal of their comrades.

Lance directly awarded them the title [Blades], and the flags and other items were being expedited. But this assembly had to take place first.

Circling among the troops, a few words cleared away the unease brought by the descent of Extreme Darkness, reaffirming their resolve.

For Hamlet!

Lance took a special interest in the Barbarian Tribes. Those barbarian mercenaries brought by Boslake were dismantled and strategically integrated into the army based on their skills.

These men, having served as mercenaries within the empire and understanding the common language, were not as wild in personality. After being outfitted with standard gear, distinguishing them was tough without their battle tattoos or unique trinkets.

Since differently colored hair isn’t unusual among commoners, the Barbarian Tribes often raided for slaves amongst the mountains, while the Slave Catchers equally liked capturing barbarians. To some degree, the differences lay more in habits and mindset.

The environment can shape a person; throw an Imperial into the mountains, and if they survive, they’ll undoubtedly become a robust warrior. Conversely, a barbarian serving years as a serf in agriculture will lose muscle and become numb.

Similarly, Hamlet’s environment reformed them. Within this timeframe, they experienced rules distinct from those of the empire or the mountains. They were no longer rootless, scorned mercenaries but members of Hamlet.

Under the banner of unity and solidarity, they easily succumbed to the army’s spirit, fervently chanting the names of the Lord and Hamlet.

They were all human, and for Lance, that was enough.

As the army established itself, the hero’s role grew increasingly nuanced, yet the horrific events in the city demonstrated that dealing with a Transcendent required a Transcendent; ordinary people couldn’t operate on the same level.

Nurturing individual strength was crucial, but with more Transcendents emerging, a way to manage them needed to be devised.

Difficult, so difficult indeed...