Chapter 76: Central Command (1)

“What… is that?”

The eyes of the four Central Command members, gathered to meet Sarah Harundas and the new Revelator, widened in shock.

And no wonder.

Sarah’s party arrived with a massive iron cart, pulled by twelve wheels, carrying an enormous object—23 meters long, with a 10-meter-wide circular section. Gleaming silver in the sunlight, it looked immensely heavy.

Killia Crevasse, the Illiand Grand Archmage, descended after inspecting it with flight magic, tilting her head.

“It’s shaped like a key…?”

“It is a key,” Sarah confirmed. “One that can breach the Giants’ homeland, no less.”

“The Giants’ homeland!?”

“I’ll explain everything, but let’s go inside. I’m exhausted—how long are you gonna keep us standing here?”

Sarah nudged Killia’s back. Central Command was nestled in a village surrounded by southern Illiand’s mountain valleys. Originally based in the imperial capital, it relocated here to avoid detection, evacuating the village’s few dozen residents.

Killia led them to the village’s sole inn, where a large round table dominated the first floor. Ion scanned the four Command members as he sat.

• Killia Crevasse, Illiand Grand Archmage.
• Hasa Raymond, Deand Sword Master.
• Musriolph, Somind Magical Scholar.
• Elida Rielda, Villund Spirit Summoner.

Each was a hero who’d worked for Idea’s peace before the Cataclysm, and key figures in Hunter and Hero. They either died or retired after severe injuries in SS-rank dungeons, signaling a generational shift.

Killia, with graying hair tied back, thick eyebrows, and a strong jawline, exuded a commanding presence. Her large stature reminded Ion of Teacher.

“You must be Master Ion, the aura lord of Revelation,” Killia said. “A pleasure.”

“Hello, Killia,” Ion replied.

“As Commander Minwi said, you carry a plant. That bat sleeping there must be your familiar. I heard it likes bananas—we’ve prepared plenty. Feed it when it wakes.”

“Thank you.”

Ion briefly considered mentioning the dragon but held back, wary of seeming too eager. After introductions, Killia spoke.

“Now, tell us, Commander Sarah. What’s with that giant key outside?”

“It’s a wild story, so listen up—I’m only saying it once,” Sarah said, recounting the tale she’d told Ion’s group.

“…Thanks to Master Ion, we found the key, but the next problem was moving it,” Sarah continued.

Ion had tapped the massive key and called Zieg.

‘Put it in your subspace. Mine’s full.’

‘Tried already,’ Zieg replied. ‘Won’t go in. Either it can’t be stored, or my subspace isn’t big enough.’

Semir and Sarah tried too, but even Sarah’s aura lord subspace failed, ruling out size issues.

“Then why not process it?” Killia suggested.

“We tried, old man,” Sarah said.

“Don’t call me that…”

Like the fairy elder who processed the enforcer’s ring, Sarah’s aura master mage attempted to shrink the key. But neither processing aura, miniaturization magic, nor lightweight magic worked.

“It’s not some husband’s secret stash key or a kid’s piggy bank key. It’s an ancient Giant temple key, probably enchanted to resist magic,” Sarah explained.

While magic couldn’t affect the key directly, magical transport wasn’t entirely impossible. As the saying goes, if you can’t lift it by hand, put it in a vessel.

“It took a full day to build a cart strong enough,” Sarah said. “Without Master Ion, we couldn’t have done it. He moved the cart most of the way, saving our mages from exhaustion. Everyone, give him a round of applause!”

Zieg cheered loudly, clapping. Semir joined in, stone-faced. Ion, used to similar moments during their journey, remained unfazed. Surprisingly, Command members clapped enthusiastically, saying, “Impressive,” “Worthy of an aura lord,” and “Well done.”

Ion had expected a tense, warlike atmosphere, but the mood was warm. Two bases reclaimed, fields cleared, a Giant key secured—good news lifted spirits.

Ion realized something else.

They’re all close.

The novel barely explored character relationships. Beyond Jin Seongha and Wendy’s failed romance, there were no love lines. Even their story was summed up in one line:

“Three months after Wendy Lowell joined Horizon, she and Jin Seongha developed feelings for each other.”

No details on how—maybe fingers brushed picking up a dropped item, or they shared an umbrella in the rain, or bonded over a pet. Who could say?

“What’s the noise?” Baba woke, rubbing its eyes with its wings.

“The familiar’s up!” Musriolph exclaimed.

“It’s awake!” Killia added, excited.

Both showed keen interest in Baba. Killia, flushed, said, “Master Ion, may I introduce my familiar? Mine’s lonely since its friends scattered with their masters.”

“Sure,” Ion said.

“Hey, Ribillong, where are you?”

Whoosh!

A sound far grander than Baba’s flapping echoed as a large bird landed on the table. Ion had noticed it earlier, perched on a stand, its sharp eyes scanning below. Killia’s familiar was an eagle with a yellow beak, dark brown feathers, and razor-sharp talons, large enough to carry a child. Baba, by contrast, was smaller than its claw.

“Ribillong, meet your new friend, Baba. Show it around Command,” Killia said.

-Yes, Master.

Baba’s voice was a handsome baritone, but Ribillong’s was deep and resonant.

…

“…”

Their gazes locked. Ribillong flapped its wings a few times, and Killia chuckled.

“This guy! I told you not to intimidate other familiars. Sorry, I raised him cocky.”

“It’s fine. He’s majestic,” Ion said, though the flapping seemed more nervous than threatening. Then—

Whoosh! Thud!

Ribillong slammed its head onto the table, wings folded behind it.

“…”

Baba plopped down in front of it. As everyone gaped, Zieg muttered, “That’s a full-on face-down salute.”

Indeed, the eagle, cowed by a bat a tenth its size, was prostrating. Killia, flustered, stroked Ribillong.

“Ribillong? What’s wrong?”

-…

It shot Killia a resentful glance, as if saying, Why’d you put me in front of this beast?

Ion sighed. “Baba, stop scaring it.”

“I didn’t do anything! It’s doing that itself.”

“Tell it to get up.”

“Fine. Get up.”

-…!

Ribillong snapped upright as swiftly as it had bowed.

“Full attention stance now. That’s some serious discipline,” Zieg muttered.

Semir elbowed his side. The eagle, visibly terrified, shrank before the puzzled bat. The hierarchy was clear even to a child.

“Ha… Ribillong never flinches, even against Giants,” Killia said. “Your familiar’s stronger than it looks. Truly an aura lord’s companion.”

Though calling Ribillong fearless against Giants seemed exaggerated, given its fear of Giant chimeras, Baba was an S-rank chimera. It was natural for animal-based familiars to cower, like frogs before snakes.

Musriolph summoned her cat familiar, which curled its tail and mimicked Ribillong’s submission.

“Just stay in here,” Ion said, scooping Baba into the bag under his chair.

“Dam Ion, bad! I did nothing! Free me!” Baba protested.

Ion peeled a banana. “Eat this.”

“Okay!” Baba chomped down, and Ion zipped the bag shut. Ribillong and the cat fled.

“Let’s continue. Where were we?” Ion asked, tossing the wriggling bag under the chair and cradling Sansevieria.

“If Earth allied with the Demonkin, we should too,” Killia said. “No reason to spurn a race fighting the Giants in our stead. We’ll guard the key. The dragon’s visiting soon—we can ask them to process it.”

Ion seized the opening. “The dragon who foresaw the Demonkin?”

“Yes. They contacted us, eager to meet the Revelation aura lord.”

To Ion, it sounded like another Breeder’s disciple coming for a showdown.

“Good timing—I wanted to meet them too. And speak casually, please.”

“Thanks. Now, our turn to share. You deserve some applause too,” Killia said.

“Something good happened?” Sarah asked, eyes sparkling.

“Very good. While you reclaimed bases, cleared fields, and found the key, we weren’t idle. Two days ago, we raided a Giant warehouse,” Killia said. “Hanju, the map.”

A subordinate spread an Idea map on the table. Unlike Earth’s holograms, it was flat paper enchanted with a 3D illusion. Killia pointed to a base east of Somind.