I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 338

Chapter 338

The fine, ash-like snow, which had been lightly falling, gradually tapered off without growing heavier.

For travelers crossing the snowfields in the depths of winter, this was a stroke of good fortune. Had the snowfall intensified, their journey would have faced significant delays. Of course, even the intermittent flurries had piled up enough to cover their boots.

Crunch, crunch—

The caravan trudged forward across the snow, unfazed and unwavering.

It’s clear...

At the rear of the procession, Ian sat astride the white horse, Nila, wearing a disinterested expression as he looked up at the sky.

... A major storm will hit soon.

Both Ian’s group and the migrants from Red Rock Village moved with little rest. Time was of the essence, not just because the erosion loomed closer with each passing day, but because a blizzard was expected to descend from the Ahigorn Mountains.

While these storms were an almost annual event, this year, with the erosion coming up, predicting its timing had become nearly impossible. The villagers had to secure a new settlement before it struck.

Even the warriors would soon leave to follow Ian, giving the Red Rock villagers even less time to prepare. As the last group to join, they had no room for delays.

Mobilizing everyone to get the work done would help foster unity, too.

Ian had already devised a simple plan to manage this. He hadn’t voiced it aloud, but the urgency was partly his fault.

Distracted by the looming erosion, Ian had paid little attention to the natural order of the snowfields, assuming that gathering the villagers into a safe space would be enough.

What kind of Great Warrior drags everyone into danger...

Ian’s gaze lowered from the overcast skies to the long caravan stretching out before him.

Despite the abrupt arrival of a stranger who defeated their leader and forced them to abandon their home, the villagers followed without a word of complaint. No grumbling, no resistance—just unquestioning obedience to the orders of their Great Warrior.

... Lately, I’ve been having too many useless thoughts.

A faint smirk tugged at one corner of Ian’s mouth.

Perhaps it was because he had gathered these people out of necessity. While he justified it as a way to prevent greater sacrifices and tragedies, that was only half true. The Emperor’s push had been a factor, but ultimately, this was all for Ian’s own survival—and to grow stronger. In this cursed world, Ian was willing to do whatever it took.

... So feeling unwarranted guilt would just be hypocrisy.

With that conclusion, Ian cast aside his idle thoughts. He didn’t have the luxury to dwell on such matters—there were too many practical concerns to address.

He also had to anticipate the unknown—such as the nature of the monsters that would soon invade from beyond the Black Wall.

"Great Warrior!"

The shout came from the front of the caravan.

Ian looked toward the head of the procession, where Volber stood on a ridgeline along a gentle incline, the path curving ahead. The area seemed oddly open, the forest thinning out.

"I can see the village!"

Already? But the area ahead should still be forested.

Ian tilted his head slightly, skeptical. The area ahead was supposed to be forested.

Still, he grabbed Nila’s reins. "Let’s go see."

Nila moved swiftly to the side of the caravan, kicking up snow as she broke into a brisk run. As she galloped past the front of the procession, the incline quickly came into view.

"Whoa, easy," Ian murmured, pulling the reins to slow Nila down.

As the horse steadied, Ian took in the scene before him.

The clearing Volber had spotted wasn’t an illusion. There truly were no trees left in the area—only stumps protruded through the snow, their tops covered in frost.

In the distance, where the land flattened, lay a sprawling village far larger than anything Ian had seen before in the region. The gray expanse of the settlement stretched far, with houses scattered like layers of rooftops, surrounded by a fortified palisade that was both taller and denser than before.

Closer to the village, patches of dark, exposed soil stood out starkly against the snow—clear evidence that the sanctified fires were still burning effectively, keeping the area safe.

Ian’s gaze lingered on the widened palisade, the scattered watchtowers, and the various heights of the rooftops beyond.

"Looks like everyone else made it here ahead of us," Volber commented as he caught up beside Ian. Behind them, the migration caravan had naturally followed their lead.

"They should be," Ian replied with a nod.

The scale of the transformation was impressive. Even with additional manpower, accomplishing this in such a short period was no small feat. Only a group as stubborn and determined as the barbarians could have managed it.

Volber allowed himself a satisfied smile. "It seems everyone has blended well. The arrangements you made before leaving appear to have worked perfectly."

"Worked perfectly might be an understatement..." Ian thought, his lips curling into a faint smirk. It seemed things had gone even better than he’d expected.

A hulking figure pushed his way through the crowd and came running. It was Alder, the Great Warrior of Red Rock, who had given Ian so much trouble in their duel.

Now, however, there wasn’t a hint of defiance in his expression. Like the other Great Warriors Ian had bested, Alder had come to genuinely respect and follow him.

"I return this to you, Great Warrior," Alder said, bowing deeply as he extended a necklace with a small leather pouch attached—Della Lu’s Grace.

"I told you to return it once you were fully healed," Ian remarked.

"Miraculously, I’ve already recovered. The artifact’s power is even greater than I imagined. Though, of course, it pales compared to the blessing granted by the Superhuman of the North," Alder replied with a smile.

The necklace clearly hadn’t regrown the teeth he had lost—several gaps still remained in his smile.

"Thanks to it, I believe I’m ready to follow you to the frontlines, Great Warrior."

"I’m not sure if that’s a good thing for you," Ian replied, taking back the necklace and slipping it over his head. With a nod, he signaled Alder to step aside.

"Great Warriors from other villages will arrive soon. They'll be your peers. I'm appointing you as a Centurion in my legion."

"Centurion...!" Alder's eyes widened before he lowered his head in respect. "I will fight with my life, Great Warrior!"

"Try not to throw your life away so recklessly," Ian replied with a faint smirk, continuing, "Also, pass on a message to Elder Aiba. Tell him to join the Council of Elders."

"Understood. And where will you be going, Great Warrior?"

"The square," Ian answered, turning to walk away. "They’ve probably already heard that I’m here. I imagine they’ll find me soon enough."

Whether Alder heard this clearly over the bustling noise was unclear. But Ian’s prediction came true in less than ten steps.

"Great Warrior!"

A figure with a raised hand pushed through the crowd, running toward Ian.

Ian halted, a smile spreading across his face as he recognized the familiar figure. It wasn’t just a known face—it was a welcome one.

"You’ve finally returned! I’ve been waiting for you!"

The warrior standing before him, catching his breath, was Askel. Once a sharp-witted young hunter who had guided Ian’s group through the mountains, he had now grown into something far more.

"You’ve gotten taller," Ian said, forgoing a typical greeting. "At this rate, you might even outgrow me."

Askel smiled. "That’s possible. My father was quite tall, and even though the old man’s hunched now, he wasn’t small either."

The boy Ian remembered was now a young man, his height reaching just below Ian’s chin. His shoulders had broadened, and his frame was solid. Though his features retained the calm composure typical of Northerners, his aura was sharper, more commanding.

Northern folks really grow fast.

At this rate, the next time they met, Askel might sport a full beard and look every bit the rugged warrior. That mental image drew a wry chuckle from Ian.

"Judging by the way you look, I don’t need to ask if you’ve been doing well," Ian remarked.

"I owe it all to you. And it seems you’ve been doing well yourself, Great Warrior. They said you hadn’t changed a bit, and it seems they were right."

"Well, what you see on the surface isn’t always the whole story."

If anything, I’ve become more of a ruined character.

Shaking the thought, Ian studied Askel. "It’s a surprise to see you here. I expected your group to stay behind in the settlement."

"How could we not follow, after you opened the way for us? Our village is now under my leadership—though, of course, we’ve all merged into one now."

Askel’s confident reply made Ian raise an eyebrow.

"You’re already the Great Warrior of your village?"

"Not on my own, of course."

Smiling, Askel lightly thumped his chest with a fist. "I have this role thanks to you, Great Warrior. For everything I lack, I’ve been relying on Valeri, the old man, and many others for support."

A cooperative leader, huh?

Ian thought with an amused smile. It was clear Askel’s maturity wasn’t just physical; his demeanor had ripened into something far more fitting for his position.

He had always been composed for his age, but stepping into a leadership role had allowed his potential to flourish.

He and Lucia would make an interesting pair to watch.

"So, you’re officially a member of the Assembly of Warriors now. I take it you’ve fully adapted?"

"Yes, thanks to the regulations you established. It made the transition much easier."

"Good," Ian said, nodding.

He resumed walking and added, "Then I’ll hear the reports of what happened while I was away—from you."