Barbarian Quest

Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Trikee's disciples knew their way around the structure of the sewers. They navigated through the complex network without much difficulty.

'They've left marks at every corner.'Fôll0w current novÊls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

Urich observed the actions of Trikee's disciples closely. They had left their own marks throughout the sewers to help them navigate through the maze.

"I'll go up first."

Disciple Bahan was the first to climb the ladder. After reaching the top, he pushed aside a stone cover and emerged above the ground.

"Trikee the Ark has arrived."

Bahan announced to the Serpentists on the surface. They widened their eyes and hurriedly moved.

"You've managed this place well without me, Bahan."

Trikee came to the surface as he grasped Bahan's hand.

"There is nothing we can do without the Ark."

Bahan humbly replied and guided Trikee and Urich.

Urich rolled his eyes, looking around at his surroundings. They were still in the city, but the atmosphere was grim, with many rag-wearing vagrants wandering about.

'This is where the lower classes live.'

The greater the metropolis, the darker its shadow is. Hamel was no exception. The marginalized lower classes lived like ghosts in the dark corners of the city.

"Follow me, Kylios."

Bahan spoke cautiously to Urich, eyeing him. Bahan was a robust man.

"I know, I know."

They wound through the labyrinth-like streets. The haphazardly built shanty houses made it difficult for outsiders to find their way around them.

'He's also deliberately taking a bunch of detours. Probably because hes wary of me.'

Bahan didn't fully trust Urich. Although he was a benefactor of Trikee, an outsider always had to be treated with caution. That was how the heretics of Serpentism survived this long.

'The problem with Trikee is that he is too trusting. I need to stay alert to make up for that.'

Bahan entered a red-light district. Messy, half-naked women were calling for their potential customers.

"Get your hands off me."

Urich swatted away the hands of the women, showing his annoyance.

Creak.

Bahan quickly turned a corner in an alley and pushed a stone wall. What appeared to be a mere wall slid aside, revealing an interior space.

"Come in, Trikee the Ark."

Bahan allowed Trikee to enter first. Urich was the last to enter.

"The Ark!"

"I knew it wouldn't end like this."

Men who appeared to be Trikees disciples knelt before him with their voices trembling. Trikee embraced them one by one.

"And who might this be?"

The disciples looked at the unfamiliar Urich with rather unfriendly eyes.

"This man saved me from the empires prison. Treat him as well as you would treat me."

"Ahh!"

Upon hearing this, a few disciples looked at Urich with eyes now filled with warmth.

'Serpentism.'

The disciples bore snake tattoos on their bodies, which Urich had seen several times before.

'This is strange.'

Urich stroked his chin, observing the Serpentists gathered here. They were delighted that Trikee had returned safely.

'This is different from the Serpentism I know.'

Urich closed his eyes, deep in thought. The Serpentism he knew was rough and aggressive. Their warriors were as strong as the average mercenaries, and their shamans had a sensual wildness.

'These people are very orderly, almost closer to Solarism than the Serpentism Ive seen. They don't seem like heretics who would kidnap babies.'

Urich slowly opened his eyes. Without the snake tattoos, he wouldn't have believed they were Serpentists.

"A room has been prepared for you, Kylios," Bahan called out to Urich. His gaze was still sharp.

'Bahan seems to be the highest ranked among Trikee's disciples.'

Urich followed Bahan.

"Youre a warrior, arent you?" Urich suddenly asked. Bahan halted.

"I wielded a sword in the past."

"In the past? So, not anymore?"

Bahan said, standing beside Urich as if he was keeping watch.

Trikee led about twenty disciples. They moved between hiding places set up all over the corners of the city, preaching their doctrine. Serpentism was already rooted deeply in the cities. Those dissatisfied with the current world yearned for another.

"Bahan, where to next?" Trikee asked as he adjusted his sleeve.

"It might be best to stop for today, Ark."

"No, there are many waiting for me. Thanks to Kylios, I have more time now. I cannot afford to waste it."

Trikee glanced at Urich and smiled.

"If that is your will..."

Bahan found the way to the sewers, the usual path for the followers of Serpentism. It was dirty and smelly, but it was the safest option.

"Would you like to come with us, Kylios?"

Trikee asked as he extended his hand toward Urich. Urich was intrigued by Trikee.

"Of course."

Urich followed Trikee down into the sewers, along with Bahan and three disciples.

'Serpentism is meticulous. They rule the city's underground.'

Even the emperor, with his absolute power, was troubled by Serpentism.

Whoosh.

Bahan led the way with a torch in his hand. They moved along the edges of the pathway to avoid the filth.

The emperor was right. Im the only one who could have taken up this task.'

If Urich had been a civilized person, he would have been chased away long ago. A Sun Warrior couldnt have tolerated Serpentism's doctrines and would have caused a commotion.

Bahan, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped. He extended the torch forward to illuminate the path.

"Its a corpse."

A body floated in the sewage. In the sewers, finding bodies was common. Bodies dumped in the sewers were hard to find, often resulting in a few floating around at all times.

No one in the group was startled by the sight of the body. They continued walking calmly.

Sssss.

Urich looked back. He felt his hair standing all over his body.

"Hmm?"

Urich narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.

Twitch.

Urich grinned. He walked back toward the body that had just floated past.

Crrrrunch!

The sound of a spine breaking echoed throughout the sewer. Urich stepped right on the floating body's waist, crushing the spine. The sewage splashed noisily.

"W-what's wrong?"

Bahan looked back at Urich. Urich lifted the body that everyone thought was a dead one. The man, with his spine shattered, looked at Urich with disbelief, foaming at the mouth.

"G-guuuuuugh."

'How did he know?'

It was a perfect disguise. The man had pretended to be dead, not even breathing. But Urich sensed that the supposed corpse was a living person. It was simply a warrior's intuition built on experience.

Crack.

Urich twisted the man's neck with his bare hands, ending his life.

"There should be more of them. Be on guard."

Urich spoke calmly. His warning was correct. The walls of the sewer rippled. Men holding torches and weapons emerged stealthily.

'They're not Imperial soldiers.'

One of the attackers, shirtless, bore snake tattoos on his body.

'I dont know whats happening, but Serpentists are attacking fellow Serpentists. This is unexpected.'

Urich, dropping the now truly dead body, looked up at the attackers.

Bahan and the disciples positioned themselves protectively around Trikee. They looked perplexed, facing the attackers.

There were six experienced-looking enemies. Unlike them, Trikee and his disciples seemed vulnerable in combat. Only Bahan, who was only physically strong, picked up a club, ready to fight.

'This is serious. We must protect Ark Trikee at all costs.'

Bahan, once a warrior, was not confident against six seasoned fighters.

"This is the end of your lies, charlatan Trikee."

An enemy spoke. Urich, standing at the back, responded instead of the sweating Trikee.

"Maybe if I wasnt here."