NFBE Chapter 212 The Other Side of the Story
Chapter 212 The Other Side of the Story
Sumeru City, Sand Gathering Hall, Headquarters of the Thirty-Man Group.
Mishal, the former leader of the Legacy of the God-King and now the leader of the Thirty, sat in his office at the headquarters of the Hall of Gathering Sands, opened a roll of parchment, and then put it back.
He walked to the window, looking down at the Adventurers' Guild at the entrance of Sumeru City, a hint of hidden weariness in his eyes.
How long has it been since that incident?
Five years? No… to be precise, it’s been six years.
Mishal drew the curtains, blocking the sunlight from entering through the windowpanes. He sat in the darkness and lit his pipe.
The lit tobacco produced faint sparks, appearing and disappearing in the hazy darkness.
Don't worry, you'll understand when that day comes.
After speaking, the person, dressed in black and without a face, turned around and disappeared into the blazing fire.
Who exactly is he? Why did he orchestrate all of this? When will that day finally come?
Countless times I've recalled it, countless times I've questioned it, but that person's figure grows ever more blurred in my dreams.
He couldn't even remember the person's name or who he was.
He began to doubt whether such a person really existed, or if all of this was just a dream to fool the world. But his current identity told him that it was not.
Mishal stood up, his usually straight back slightly hunched over, and took out his cane to wipe it.
He wiped it very carefully, his expression filled with nostalgia.
When will that day finally come? Or will he take this secret to his grave?
Perhaps that would be better.
However, a recent series of accidents has made him uneasy.
Mishal's men suffered heavy losses, and the frequent visits from the disciplinary officer made him gradually realize that something was amiss.
He quickly realized that the attack was aimed at the remnants of the ancient god-king.
If that's the case, then we're in big trouble.
He sighed deeply and was about to get up when a clear knock sounded at the door.
Who would be knocking at this time?
Mishal put down his cane in confusion, his gaze hesitant.
However, he suddenly remembered that he had just sent a trusted confidant to the Disciplinary Committee headquarters to request information on the attack case.
So Mishal didn't think much of it, just waved casually and answered the door in a low voice.
"Come in, just put the documents on the table."
The door slowly opened, letting in the light from outside, creating a hazy, indistinct scene, but no one came in.
Several figures appeared on the ground, and Mishal was startled, instantly drawing his weapon from a hidden compartment beside the bed.
"Who is it? This is the headquarters of the Thirty-Man Group. Who dares to trespass on the important grounds of Sumeru City?"
The question seemed to make the other party hesitate for a moment. Backlit, Mishal squinted warily, and when he saw the faces of the uninvited guests outside the door, he was suddenly stunned.
Then, a fleeting hint of panic quickly crossed his face, but he disguised it well.
“Dishia? And Miss Dina Zede, what are you doing here, and…”
Mishal's gaze swept over Idris and the others behind the two girls, a hint of astonishment hidden in his eyes.
How...how did they get here?!
“Mr. Mishal, we are here to…”
Dixia keenly sensed the other person's guilty conscience and was about to speak when her gaze was drawn to the cane on the bed.
The cane looked like it had been used for a long time; its surface luster had been worn away, and the metal ring at the head of the cane was no longer shiny, just like an old man who was about to die.
This feeling is so familiar, could it be...?!
The mercenary girl's pupils suddenly contracted. As Balsa behind her cried out in alarm, Dixia's body acted before she could think, reaching out to grab the cane from the bed.
"That's...that's the commander's cane!"
Mishal was startled; the uninvited arrival of the crowd was completely unexpected, but it was too late.
No, that would be...
He immediately snatched it back, and the cane separated between the two of them. Dixia took a few steps back, but the cane in her hand was not the broken one.
A dull-colored toy sword appeared in her palm. Dixia raised the sword, and the mercenaries behind her remained silent.
"Come, the evil dragon has been defeated by the valiant Princess Dixia. Now take up your swords and hear my declaration!"
"I hereby declare victory! Rejoice! From now on, there will be no more evil dragons!"
Memories of the past gradually flooded back, and Dixia and the mercenaries remained silent, as if they could see that not-so-tall leader again.
The cane is here, which means...
Anger overwhelmed Balsa's reason; his eyes instantly turned red, and he charged forward, roaring:
"You bastard! I'll avenge the commander!"
The steel knife was drawn and slashed at Mishal. Mishal was startled and dodged to the side, but he couldn't completely avoid it. The blade narrowly grazed his left cheek, leaving a deep wound.
Strangely, no blood flowed from the wound.
A flicker of panic crossed Mishal's eyes; beneath the wound lay yet another intact sheet of skin.
Balsha took two steps back in horror. Behind her, Dixia's pupils suddenly contracted, her eyes trembling violently. An utterly absurd idea instantly rushed into her mind.
"A human skin mask?! How is that possible! You're not Mishal, who are you?"
Seeing that his secret had been exposed, "Mishal" slumped down, gave a bitter smile, and spoke with a sense of helplessness.
"Dishia, you're still as perceptive as ever."
"Just like when I was a child."
He then removed his mask, revealing a face beneath Mishal's features that no one had ever expected.
"Dad?!" "Commander?!"
……
Half an hour later, Kusera, now wearing a new mask, led the group to the basement of the Sand Gathering Hall and dismissed the guards.
Through his words, the story revealed a previously unknown side to the many who were filled with doubt.
It happened on that night when the sky was ablaze with fire.
People did die that night. The real Mishal and the confidants of the God-King were all slaughtered that night. The flames destroyed everything and buried the truth beneath the ruins.
"From now on, you are Mishal."
"You will lead the legacy of the God-King, and the duty of cleansing sinners will also be entrusted to you. What I will bring to Sumeru City is a mercenary group that is completely loyal to the God of Grass."
The man in black said this, and then he handed the commander's token, a relic of the God-King, to the brigade commander who had survived the fire.
"You will become the hero you want to be, watch the people you want to see grow up, and there is only one condition: obey the orders of..."
That person's name was omitted, and whenever the memory reached this point, the language was replaced by distorted babbling.
Whenever I think about it deeply, I get a splitting headache.
Why are you helping me? Who are you?
The man in black stopped and uttered one last sentence.
Don't worry, when that day comes...
You'll understand.
He disappeared into the darkness and vanished without a trace.
……
The story ends here, but an even bigger mystery is about to be unveiled.
Who exactly is this person who seems to have appeared out of nowhere?
……