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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 1 – Call of the Void, Advent of the Apostle
"Arz! Come and collect your bounty for the subjugation."
The adventurers' guild staff member at the <Miktorianus> branch handed Arzen a pouch of money.
It contained ten copper coins.
When the ragged-looking boy glanced inside, the staff member let out a sympathetic sigh.
“The original bounty was supposed to be ten silver coins. But every time a reward comes in for you, the ‘Divine Guillotine’ guild snatches it all away… I’m sorry.”
The boy, Arzen, snorted as he twirled the money pouch around his finger.
“Like those bastards would ever change? Why are you apologizing, old man?”
The boy’s temperament had grown quite harsh compared to when he was younger, when his father and mother had died.
He had spent half his life being raised under the scum of society.
It wasn’t his inherent nature, but rather the byproduct of the violent education he had endured since childhood.
Hadn't he been beaten to a pulp whenever he said anything other than "Yes"?
“What about sleep?”
“The same as usual—I'll be staying in the warehouse or the stables.”
“Arz, it’s been four, no, five years since you became an adventurer. And yet, you’re still in debt?”
Of all the guild staff, this old man was the only one who knew that Arzen was adventuring just to pay off a debt.
They shared a bond of fate.
The old man, too, was forced into silence by the ‘Divine Guillotine’s’ threats to harm his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren.
That was how they always operated.
“Those thieving bastards. How on earth does an adventurer end up with a debt of a hundred gold coins... Poor kid.”
The old man opened his desk drawer, took out four more copper coins, and discreetly handed them to Arzen.
“You know the inn at the crossroads called <Fox's Tail>, right? Tell them I sent you, and use this money to eat something. They’ll give you plenty.”
Arzen stared blankly at the money in his hand.
‘What’s this? A trap?’
Would they rat him out to the ‘Divine Guillotine’ as soon as he accepted it?
- Don't take anything. Don't accept any money other than what we give you, and don't record that you received anything else. If you spend it recklessly, you'll die.
But as the old saying goes, don’t turn down free stuff.
If they’re going to hit him, then let them hit him.
Those bastards needed the competent Arzen, so while they'd beaten him within an inch of his life, they hadn't killed him—at least not yet.
“…Thanks, old man.”
For Arzen, who had grown accustomed to hiding his sincerity beneath rough words, that was the best expression of gratitude he could muster.
His ragged appearance caused people to instinctively avoid him as he staggered out of the guild.
Slipping into a shadowy alleyway, the boy quickly looked around before finally counting his money.
‘10, 15, 22, 29, 35, 50…?’
His dull eyes lit up with happiness. Fifty copper coins in hand—it felt like a fortune.
‘With this, I can buy the new adventurer’s manual!’
Ever since printing was invented 150 years ago, novels and essays about the lives of adventurers had flooded the market.
Since being forced into the life of an adventurer, Arzen’s existence had been more hellish than anyone could imagine.
It was these very stories that had given Arzen a glimmer of hope and dreams.
‘One day... I want to have adventures like that.’
It wasn’t that he had any grand dreams.
He just wanted to know what it was like to live like a human being.
He simply wished to experience the life and adventures of an ordinary adventurer.
‘Just to live like a normal person. That’s enough.’
So, as quickly as possible…
He would repay this debt of one hundred gold coins and begin his own adventure!
‘But first, I’m starving… time to grab some food!’
He tucked the money pouch under his tattered cloak and headed toward the crossroads.
The owner of the <Fox's Tail> inn was a portly man.
When Arzen approached the counter and mentioned the name of the old man from the guild, the innkeeper burst into hearty laughter.
“Ahaha! So that old man is still kicking, huh?”
“Old man? Watch your mouth. You shouldn’t speak ill of such a great man. I respect him.”
“Ha! Even an adventurer like you has a sharp tongue! Haha! You look starved. Go on and take a seat. We got a good supply of roast goose today. I’ll even give you an extra leg.”
Actually, the innkeeper turned out to be a better person than I thought.
Sorry about that.
There are good people in the world. Someday, when I’m free from these scumbags, I’ll pay him back.
“What’s going on here?”
Just then, a group of adventurers approached the window-side table where Arzen was sitting.
Two women and one man.
A pale-skinned man, who was likely from the Empire, sat across from Arzen. The women began to speak one by one.
“You’ve got some skills, and you’re good-looking too. Bet you’ll break a lot of hearts when you’re older.”
The man pulled back the hood of his mage’s robe, revealing a kind smile.
“Thanks to you, I survived the last subjugation mission.”
Sitting beside him was a sturdy female swordsman.
“You’ve got incredible healing skills, huh? You’re only fifteen, right?”
“So why aren’t you sitting with your adventuring party? Why are you eating here alone?”
The Pathfinder, who had two daggers crossed at her waist, tilted her head in curiosity.
“You’re with the Divine Guillotine, right? I saw your guildmates earlier—they were heading into that fancy restaurant.”
Arzen just shrugged his shoulders and remained silent.
- Don’t talk to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Especially other adventurers. If you do, I’ll break your arms and legs.
The bloody lessons he had been taught throughout his life flashed through his mind.
‘All three of them were adventurers I saw during the last subjugation… They don’t know a thing and are just casually striking up conversation.’
That’s why Arzen stood up and moved to a table farther away.
“Huh?”
The male mage, looking a bit taken aback, hesitated for a moment before smiling apologetically.
“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you. I just wanted to thank you. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve died.”
“…?”
“Innkeeper, give this boy whatever food he wants. I’ll cover the cost.”
What…?
Arzen looked at the mage with emotionless eyes, then cautiously spoke up.
“Why?”
He had said it.
And if they found out, he would get his mouth beaten for it.
“Why? Because you saved my life, that’s why! I want to repay you more, but I recently got promoted to Silver rank and spent a lot on new gear, so I don’t have much left. Mind if I sit with you? My name’s Kane. Actually, my comrades and I have been looking for you all day... just to thank you.”
Arzen felt his eyes waver for a moment.
Thank me…?
Is that even possible…?
Arzen’s divine miracles were something he was expected to perform. No one had ever thanked him for them—instead, they’d only criticized him for being too slow, or beaten him.
“You’ll have no trouble charming women when you grow up. You could even start a party with just kids. Especially with that bronze skin of yours—it’s a perfect signature mark.”
As Kane tore the goose apart to make it easier for Arzen to eat, he continued to prattle on about how to charm women.
His comrades, meanwhile, jeered at him.
“Don’t listen to him, Arz. You’ll turn into a sleazebag like him if you let him influence you. Can’t you hear that disgusting accent of his?”
“Shut your mouth. A mage only speaks the truth, Arz. There are plenty of women who love that healthy, bronzed skin that Republic folks have. There’s a real market for it.”
“A market? You selling something?”
I just listened.
I didn’t say anything.
So it should be fine, right?
‘Man, he’s quite the storyteller….’
It felt like these guys were on a real adventure.
Listening to Kane made Arzen admire the dream of being an adventurer even more—a dream that had been nurtured through reading books.
Not this life, which was worse than being a slave, but a real life filled with freedom, where one could explore the world.
‘Ah, damn, I’m so jealous….’
Arzen ate the goose leg Kane had torn for him while secretly eyeing them with envy.
He was jealous.
Jealous of the fact that they had comrades to talk with and unwind after their adventures…
“Hey.”
But then, reality's cold blade sliced through his fantasy.
His entire body froze, his heart pounding fiercely.
When Arzen barely turned his head, a massive, muscular figure loomed over him.
The man’s savage expression and pitch-black skin were unmistakable.
People called him the Black Demon, Garrison.
He was also the vice-captain of the Divine Guillotine.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Arzen looked up at him without a word. His eyes were empty, but his heart pounded violently.
“Well, look at this. He’s even ignoring me now.”
Suddenly, a burning sensation flared up on his cheek.
The sound of a slap echoed in his ears like thunder, followed by a sharp, deafening ring that blocked out everything else.
Blood trickled from his mouth as the pain caught up with him a moment later.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Kane stood up in protest, his voice shaking with anger, while others around them began to murmur.
But Garrison raised his fist, threateningly.
“Stay out of it if you don’t want to die. Kid, follow me.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Tomorrow’s another mission. Go get what you need.”
“…What’s the mission?”
It took a tremendous amount of courage just to ask that question.
“Hey! I wasn’t finished talking yet—”
Shut up, you idiot. This guy’s nothing but a thug, a street punk.
‘Do you want to get yourself killed?’
He must’ve lost his mind, thinking he could save face in front of his party by standing up to Garrison.
‘I can’t let this guy get hurt because of me.’
At the very moment Garrison glared at Kane with annoyance, Arzen wrapped his arms around his head, pretending to tremble.
This was one of the tricks Arzen often used when there were too many eyes watching—acting pitiful.
More often than not, it prevented further beatings and ended the situation quickly.
Just like now.
“It’s an expedition to the <Flowing Desert>. Succeed, and you’ll be able to pay off three gold coins in one go.”
The name of the place made Kane gasp in horror.
“The <Flowing Desert>? You’re heading to a Fallen Zone? Do you realize how dangerous that is? Hasn’t it recently been declared a forbidden area?”
“Listen, Imperial brat, if you interfere again, I’ll make sure your head and body are separated.”
I’d rather just wait at the bookstore until the new Adventurer’s Guide comes out...
Saying something like that would get him beaten so badly he couldn’t recover. There was no choice but to obey.
Holding his now throbbing, swollen cheek, Arzen stood up. Kane grabbed his wrist.
“The Fallen Zone is no joke. Even Platinum-ranked adventurers have a high failure and death rate. You could die out there.”
Kane, you’re a good person.
Or maybe not. You never know; he might actually be a bad person.
But at the very least, he’s better than these bastards.
‘That’s why I can’t answer you. If I say anything now, it’ll only get you hurt.’
Parting ways here is for the best.
Just like it had been with every other connection he’d ever had.
“Hey, Arz! I’m telling you to wait!”
Arzen ignored Kane and followed Garrison outside.
There was no point in sticking around and talking when Garrison was involved.
“Is he your friend?”
Arzen shook his head expressionlessly. When was the last time he had worn a real expression?
“I told you not to talk to other adventurers. I’ll let it slide just this once.”
If Arzen were to confide in the Light Dragon Church or the Red Pilgrims about his current situation, even the Divine Guillotine wouldn’t be able to escape the bloodbath that would follow.
That’s why they had branded him with the ‘Mark of Obedience,’ ensuring that he would die if he ever tried to reveal any secrets.
On top of that, they made sure he never had proper conversations with anyone, keeping their secrets well hidden.
Arzen returned to the Divine Guillotine’s quartermaster, where he received a pony, a saddle, a water container, and some jerky before heading back.
Watching the boy’s slouched figure as he left, the female swordsman asked,
“Is it really okay to treat him so harshly? I mean, we’re in the city. Shouldn’t you be more discreet with everyone watching?”
Garrison snorted.
“Don’t worry. If someone tries to help him, he’ll be unable to speak properly and will end up coughing up blood and dying.”
It was already evening.
As usual, Arzen returned to the stable where the members of his party stayed and began to prepare for sleep.
However, for some reason, sleep wouldn’t come tonight, so he pulled out his worn-out scripture book and opened it.
It was the [Holy Scripture of the Seven Lights.]
The book was tattered and discolored from the countless times he had read and recited it, hoping to master the use of his divine miracles.
…The gods, out of love for the world, shared their light with all beings, and thus, we are all children of that light. Ah, let it be known, for the world is full of light, and so we must give thanks for all things…
If the world was so full of light, then why was there no light in his life?
‘This feeling of emptiness, this hollow sensation... it’s nothing but pure void.’
The boy fell asleep clutching the scripture, a single tear frozen to his cheek by the morning frost.
* * *
“Halt!”
The captain of the ‘Divine Guillotine,’ Olrat, shouted out.
“Stop, you bastards, the captain says stop.”
“Ah, we better listen to our dear captain.”
The long column of adventurers, noisily chatting and laughing, came to a halt.
Olrat jumped down from his horse.
“Basilisk tracks. And there’s melted sand over there.”
“Hm... the nest must be nearby.”
“Judging by the size of the tracks, it’s a full-grown adult. Everyone, stay alert. We’ll hide the horses and carts here and proceed on foot.”
Aside from six members who were sent on separate missions, all 107 members of the Divine Guillotine were participating in this operation.
“Goddamn, this heat is driving me crazy. Did we really have to come here?”
“You idiot. The ‘Red Pilgrims’ recently declared this area forbidden. You know what that means, right? It’s a chance to snatch up ancient kingdom treasures.”
“And even if a few basilisks show up, we can handle them with this kind of firepower.”
This desert at the edge of the world was filled with a murderous, sweltering heat, due to the bizarre climate.
It was a place where life shouldn’t exist, yet the air echoed with terrifying howls.
Eerie cries, carried by the wind.
The remnants of an ancient lizard kingdom, buried by the sands and uncovered by the wind.
Quick-sands that could swallow a person up to their thighs in moments.
“Hey, Captain, how much farther do we have to go?”
Garrison asked.
After half a day of sweating profusely, the adventurers had ventured deep into the desert.
Since Arzen was a healer, he walked in the safest part of the formation, right in the middle.
‘Why is it so hot?’
It wasn’t even summer anymore—it was fall. But no matter how far south this place was, it shouldn’t be this unbearably hot…
“Enemy attack!”
Suddenly, the desert in the distance erupted like an explosion, and a massive creature shot up, charging the front ranks.
‘A mummified lizard, its skin scales rotting under this abnormal climate…!’
It was a basilisk, a monster with a threat level of A according to the Adventurer’s Guild’s ranking system.
“It’s here! Basilisk!”
The creature had wings attached to its front legs, giving it the ability to fly.
And from its maw, it could spew molten lava hot enough to melt stone.
“Hold formation! Warriors to the front! Everyone else, fall back!”
Arzen clasped his hands in prayer and then spread them wide.
A golden halo of light manifested in the air where his hands had been clasped.
“《Shield of Radiance》”
Amid the bloodstorm, where screams and battle cries mingled, Arzen’s miracle cast a golden barrier between the casualties and the basilisk.
The light healed grievous wounds while simultaneously blocking the incoming streams of molten lava.
“Damn it! Couldn’t you have cast it sooner? Ugh, that useless brat.”
As usual, instead of words of thanks, Garrison’s reprimands hit Arzen like a punch.
It wasn’t unusual. It was the same as always.
‘But what is this?’
Basilisks were highly intelligent creatures.
They wouldn’t attack a group of adventurers as strong as the Divine Guillotine without a reason...
‘Why? Could they be following some kind of order…?’
Just then, with a loud boom, a dozen more basilisks burst forth from the desert sands all around.
“Huh?”
There wasn’t even time to be shocked by the overwhelming fear that gripped his heart.
Beyond the horde of basilisks, the horizon itself seemed to rise.
No, it wasn’t the horizon rising.
‘What…?’
It was the appearance of something so colossal that it made the world itself seem smaller, as though it was swallowing the very light of the sky.
In that moment, a primal terror gripped Arzen’s spine, freezing him in place as the monstrous figure loomed over the Divine Guillotine.
“What the…”
“No way…”
“A Hydra…?”
A Hydra was an SS-ranked monster, its exact strength impossible to quantify.
It was one of the ‘Ancient Ones,’ an ancient being that had existed since the age of the Ancient Kingdoms—a primordial abyss.
Even the Divine Guillotine would have to risk their lives to fight a creature of such power.
Even with thorough preparation, the Hydra would still be a nightmare, but being ambushed like this...
“Fall back, warriors!”
Olrat’s frantic shout came too late.
The Hydra had already begun to move.
Its body, which resembled that of a lizard but was many times larger, carried five writhing heads upon its colossal form.
“SyaaaaaaaaaaaaaKKKKK!”
With a horrifying screech, one of the Hydra’s mouths gaped wide, releasing a flood of molten lava.
The sheer volume of the molten liquid was so immense, it felt like a tidal wave rather than an attack.
“AAAAAAAGH!”
“AHHHHHHHH!”
“Help, help me!”
It was pandemonium. Pure chaos.
Adventurers engulfed by the lava screamed as their bodies, skin, bones, and organs melted away in seconds.
“You idiot, what are you staring at?”
Garrison slapped Arzen on the back of the head, snapping him out of his daze. He hastily began casting his healing miracle.
But it was useless.
Completely useless.
The adventurers consumed by the Hydra’s lava were beyond the help of Arzen’s power.
‘Die… We’re all going to die. Everyone here is going to die.’
With death’s icy grip wrapping around his entire body, Arzen turned and ran.
“Hey, you bastard, where the hell do you think you’re going? Get back here!”
The smell of sulfur and the rising heat distorted the air, making Arzen’s eyes burn and tear up as he fled.
“Catch that little bastard!”
The corpses of adventurers, already liquefied by the lava, were being sucked into the shifting sands beneath his feet.
The desert itself was swallowing the dead.
At that moment, Arzen’s mind was dominated by one primal instinct—the will to survive.
“How are we supposed to catch him? Ahhhhhhh!”
Even when his body was battered and torn as he tumbled through the sand, even when he fell and got back up only to fall again, Arzen kept running.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and Arzen was sent rolling across the sand. His ankle twisted, making it impossible to get up.
‘Get up.’
The Hydra was dragging its enormous body through the quicksand, advancing steadily.
One of its heads snatched up Garrison and another adventurer, their bodies dissolving in its molten maw.
Meanwhile, another head that had been idle until now turned its gaze toward Arzen.
‘Get up. Get up. Get up.’
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
The Hydra extended its long tongue and slowly opened its jaws wide, dripping with molten lava.
“SIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik.”
Arzen didn’t even think to cast a miracle.
All that escaped him was a flood of tears.
He sobbed aloud, crying out the tears he had held back for so long—tears from when his father had disappeared, his mother had died, and he’d been taken in by the ‘Divine Guillotine.’
‘Why… Why does it have to be like this?’
Why was his life nothing but an endless struggle to repay his father’s debt? Why was the world so cruel to him?
‘All I ever wanted was to live a normal life.’
He had never sought wealth or glory.
He had simply wanted to make friends.
To occasionally enjoy good food.
To live the life of an adventurer, traveling the world in freedom.
‘Just… like that.’
All he wanted was a modest, meaningful life.
That was all.
That was all.
「You have been chosen.」
Tears and snot poured from his face as he heard it.
Where was it coming from?
A voice seemed to echo from deep within the earth, from the very depths of a hollowed-out void.
And then, he saw it.
And in a state of awe and terror, he witnessed it.
The fabric of reality ripped apart with a piercing scream, and from that rupture, countless demons emerged in a nightmarish spectacle.
These demons had no faces. No voices.
Yet their overwhelming strength was unmistakable.
‘What…?’
The demons twisted the necks of the basilisks and tore open their bellies, spilling their innards.
That alone was enough to hint at their terrifying power.
Even the enormous Hydra was soon completely engulfed by the black horde of demons.
They gouged out the Hydra’s eyes and forced their way inside its body through the hollowed eye sockets.
The Hydra screamed, a sound so shrill it felt as though his eardrums would burst, accompanied by a stench so foul it was like the stench of death itself.
Before long, the Hydra’s massive body was torn apart and shredded into pieces.
‘What… what is this…?’
He was so stunned he had forgotten to breathe. All he could do was stand there, watching in awe as that unimaginable force slaughtered everything in its path.
And then, it happened.
The faceless demons, all at once, turned to face Arzen.
A wave of fear so intense it nearly knocked him unconscious washed over him.
‘Are they going to kill me, too? Am I going to end up like that?’
But the demons…
In the next moment, they knelt before Arzen.
As if they were paying homage to some great, revered being.
「This power… you will… learn to control it… before it is… too late.」
Then, another voice echoed, one filled with distortion, as if fluctuating between high and low frequencies.
And with that voice, along with the dark green demons that had dominated the scene, they vanished.
“What the hell…”
But unlike the others, one demon didn’t disappear into the green mist.
It beat its wings menacingly as it flew toward Arzen, reaching out a hand.
In a panic, Arzen shut his eyes tight, bracing himself for the worst.
“?”
But no matter how long he kept his eyes shut, nothing happened.
“…Huh?”
When he finally mustered the courage to open his eyes, the first thing that caught his gaze was the familiar sight of his scripture.
The [Holy Scripture of the Seven Lights].
It was the very one Arzen had always carried with him.
‘I thought I lost it when I dropped it while running earlier….’
The faceless demon was holding the scripture in both hands, offering it to Arzen with a solemn gesture.
“You… picked this up for me?”
The faceless demon nodded.
Arzen took the scripture from it.
And in a slightly calmer voice, he asked,
“Are you… a good demon or something?”
But shouldn’t that make you an angel instead?
The demon shook its head slowly.
And then, in an instant, its body began to dissolve into mist, merging into the leather cover of the scripture.
“Huh? What…?”
The green mist bubbled on the surface of the worn leather, leaving behind an engraved symbol that looked almost like an etching.
[Paketur]
At that moment, Arzen didn’t understand the meaning of the word. But in the language of light, it meant void.
‘The scripture’s twice as thick now… Why?’
Cautiously, he opened the book to find new pages filled with scriptures and miracles he had never seen before.
‘Were these miracles always here?’
At that moment, Arzen was still unaware.
He hadn’t realized that this very moment was when the Apostle of the Void first descended upon this land.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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