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"...Are the Empire's losses really that severe?"
Kashmir spoke with a trembling voice. He had just received a report from Jet.
Even Jet found it hard to believe the numbers written in the report.
Approximately 30,000 military personnel, including knights and mages, were dead.
The civilian casualties had already reached nearly 800,000, with over 50,000 commoners and nobles captured as prisoners...
Jin and his companions also touched their foreheads while examining the report.
It had been only three days since the chaos army led by Diphus attacked the temporary alliance's territory.
In just three days, so many innocent people were injured or captured as hostages.
The numbers written in the report didn't feel real at all.
"It seems that we were able to partially mitigate the situation thanks to the technology support and equipment of Dr. Qwaul and Lady Amelia. Without them... it would have been even more serious, Your Highness."
Jet spoke with a heavy voice.
Three days ago.
It wasn't just Diphus and Joshua who attacked the Lutero Magic Federation and the Empire.
Lionel, Stam, as well as the unidentified knights of the 'Mausoleum' were also attacking the human world at the same time.
The same was true for the territory of Kinzelo, the Land of the Beastmen.
Although they had relatively better defenses due to Orgal's dimensional movement through the steel gate, Cold Joe was captured along with more than 5,000 beastmen.
"We're the only ones who weren't attacked... Is it unknown why?"
Just like Lata said, among the alliance members, only Tikan wasn't attacked.
"It could be a scheme to undermine the temporary alliance."
"Attacking Tikan might have been too burdensome. When they attacked Drakka's main base in the Federation, they only lurked nearby. If their purpose is to create despair and obtain hostages, this place is not suitable."
Unlike the small island nation of Tikan, the territories of other alliance members were vast.
That was the reason why they couldn't properly respond to the sudden invasion by the evil god. They would attack near Drakka's main base, then suddenly appear in Milkun Kingdom, attacking the area near Yuka Yuka Market, and then moving to the other side of the Great Desert of Mitra in an instant.
"...Or perhaps they simply see us as the last meal to savor."
As Jin spoke, all eyes focused on him.
"Empire, Zipfel, Kinzelo. The number of prisoners captured from the territories of the temporary alliance alone exceeds 80,000. And since our Vamel alliance has no choice but to go to Huphester to rescue them, Rosa may be trying to supply despair by watching us suffer. That's what I'm thinking."
Within the magical map created by Veradin, the spots of despair were growing larger.
The content wasn't limited to the areas directly struck by the chaos army.
The fear of ordinary people that had been suppressed since the Glyek War had become uncontrollable due to this incident, spreading worldwide.
Refugees were emerging from everywhere. Even the commoners who had considered Drakka's main base the safest land were leaving, not to mention other regions.
The land they sought was Tikan.
The terrified crowds didn't believe that Tikan was a safe area, despite explanations to the contrary.
"If it's as Young master Jin predicted... then the evil god and the 4th flagbearer are likely laying an unavoidable trap for us."
The world order is crumbling.
The alliance now had to show people the fact that they had enough power to resist the evil god.
They had to go to Huphester, rescue the captives, and eliminate the invaders.
Otherwise, the fear and despair engulfing the world would continue to grow, and all of it would be used to complete the evil god.
"Oh, isn't that Zephyrin?"
"She came with Zipfel's young patriarch."
Lata pointed outside the window.
In the distant sky, a massive steel gate formed, and from within, Zephyrin and Veradin emerged. They went straight into the conference room.
While Veradin maintained his usual calm expression, Zephyrin seemed extremely fatigued.
She had been assisting Orgal throughout, protecting the entire land of the Beastmen and scouting near Rikalton until she arrived at Tikan.
"Ah, you're making a big fuss as soon as my master regains some strength... You're definitely going to hell, Sir Jin."
Rikalton's scouting was Jin's idea. Orghal had the best mobility among the alliance, possessing knowledge and power to adapt to variables, so it was only natural for him to take charge of the scouting.
"Why didn't Orgal himself come?"
"You're asking that now? He must have sent me because he was exhausted from his recent hard work, and also to ensure that Zipfel's travel time wouldn't be wasted. So, be grateful that I even brought Veradin along."
"Do convey my thanks to Orgal when you go back."
When Jin expressed his gratitude willingly, Zephyrin blinked her eyes for a moment. It seemed she expected him to respond sarcastically, thinking it wasn't something he should help with anyway.
"The sun will rise from the west."
"Did the Rikalton scouting yield any results?"
"Well, as expected, all the captured humans were gathered in Rikalton."
"How are the captives being treated?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary. They're being whipped and dragged somewhere. My master said they seem to undergo some sort of torture one by one."
"Torture... I see."
"The captives weren't all subjected to torture at the same time. The forces of Chaos took around thirty to a hundred people and went into some buildings. After a couple of hours, they took the next group."
"So, during that time, they torture and kill around thirty to a hundred people, increasing the despair factor?"
"I'm not sure about that. However, Sir Veradin seemed to pick up on something when he heard about it."
As Zephyrin finished speaking, Veradin unfolded the map.
In Tikan, it seemed that he couldn't fully harness the residual energy of the Sun God, and the map was much fainter and more unstable than when they saw it in Drakka.
"Let's all take a look at Rikalton."
Veradin pointed at Rikalton with his finger.
"Jin, I've been observing the map since that day. Especially focusing on Rikalton… As everyone can see now, the marks of despair are actually becoming smaller."
Jin and Veradin had naturally expected the marks of despair in Rikalton to grow larger and darker after the incident.
However, the initial findings by Veradin were quite the opposite. Each time the captives arrived in Rikalton, the marks actually became lighter.
"But this phenomenon changes on a daily basis. It diminishes during one day and then increases the next day, always denser than the previous day. Do you understand what this means?"
"It means they give hope and then crush it again."
"Yes. The Garden of Swords takes groups of thirty to a hundred captives every couple of hours and engages in some kind of mind manipulation. They give hope first and then break it. That's how they maximize the despair they can extract from the captives."
"Zephyrin, are the suspected locations of the torture you and Orgal discovered limited to Rikalton?"
"Yes, there were no captives taken anywhere outside of Rikalton."
"Even on my map, there was no area where the total amount of chaos suddenly increased except for Rikalton. There was an overall increase, but nothing exceptional."
"It's becoming more certain. We need to quickly gather the alliance's forces and head to Rikalton."
"That's what we have to do. But when you speak quickly, when are you thinking?"
"Within two days. No, if possible, even tomorrow."
Veradin and Zephyrin both shrugged their shoulders at Jin's response.
"Two days or tomorrow? That's too fast. We need to observe a little longer. We should also prepare for traps. Even if they're predictable and obvious traps."
"I agree, Sir Jin. For now, the army of chaos has stopped the onslaught, but we don't know when they will appear again."
"Of course, as we can't predict when the Chaos army will launch a large-scale instant assault on the human world with large-scale teleportation, we can't wait indefinitely. But it seems wise to monitor the situation for at least two weeks."
Jin looked at the two of them and shook his head.
"No, the reason why the evil god stopped the invasion was confirmed right before you arrived. While you were scouting and examining the map, we weren't just sitting around..."
* * *
The top floor of Rikalton Castle.
Ilina was drenched in sweat, pressing her hands against various parts of Diphus's body as if forcibly trying to stop the bleeding.
[Damn it! What am I supposed to do if you're like this? Things are overflowing just with Joshua, that idiot.]
Ilina's angry voice made Diphus chuckle.
[Don't blame it on me, prophet. If you had known the information about this fire in advance, this disruption wouldn't have happened.]
Fire.
The eternal flame clinging to Diphus's body was still burning, corroding his flesh.
Ilina had come from the Garden of Swords to this place three days ago in an attempt to extinguish it.
But Ilina couldn't extinguish it no matter what she did.
[And besides, you came here saying you would put out the fire, but you've been futilely working for days now.]
[Hey, Diphus Runcandel. It's impossible to extinguish this fire unless the matriarch herself intervenes...]
Rosa was currently in a state where she couldn't move due to absorbing despair.
[Well, fine. Fighting with you would only be disrespecting the matriarch. Anyway, the fire is calming down a bit now, so it will be resolved soon. It's because of this that the invasion has stopped... Be more careful from now on. The despair that should have been directed to the matriarch has become smaller than expected.]
[The parasite clinging to my mother is crawling up until the end. Do you know that Hister checked the dimensional portal that remained in feudal state Shol earlier?]
Ilina's eyes widened at Diphus' words.
[What...…?]
[Hister must have found out the reason why we stopped the invasion and returned. You were completely oblivious to it... Think carefully about whether you have the right to call Joshua incompetent.]
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[How did you know that Hister had been there?]
[You're talking nonsense again. Do you think we can only find out if a mosquito bites our back? I am part of my mother. And Huphester's chaos is all composed of my mother's power.]
The power that Diphus received from Rosa was surpassing Ilina's expectations.
'Rather give it to me. Why to the 4th flagbearer... Is it because the bloodline of Runcandel takes priority? Too late now?'
Diphus contained a smirk as if he could clearly see Ilina's thoughts.
[You still have a lot in common with Joshua. You're full of greed, desiring only what you have and wavering whenever things don't go as planned.]
[Hmph, it's amusing how you, who received power from Mother, mock me.]
[Amusing indeed. You're still only thinking about reviving Helluram through my mother... You revere my mother, but you're not loyal. Your loyalty still lies with Helluram.]
"Yes, yes. Think as you please."
[But Prophet, Helluram will not awaken. Does my mother really desire the end of the world?]
[The end, that's just an inevitable event that will occur as a perfect evil god reincarnates...-]
Ilina's pupils widened.
[Could it be that the matriarch doesn't plan to attain complete divinity?]
[Yes, that's right. In order for the name Runcandel to not disappear, there needs to be people who remember and worship. A world that is only ashes and dust is not worth ruling. You may believe that my mother's instincts as a evil god will eventually desire the end, but if you continue like that, you will end up like Joshua, a miserable existence.]
Slowly, Diphus rose from his seat.
The eternal flame attached to his upper body was still not extinguished.
[If you understand, stop wasting time holding onto an uncontrollable flame and go do your work. The youngest will come soon. That kid never misses an opportunity.]
[...Because of the flame attached to you, we paused our invasion, but it's not an opportunity for the 12th flagbearer. Even if they come here to attack, we would still be overwhelmingly superior.]
[Now it's getting frustrating. That's why you and Joshua always end up being at the mercy of the youngest. This is a bigger crisis than ever before. My mother cannot operate at full power, and there is a high probability that the flame attached to me will not be extinguished until the youngest arrives. If a battle occurs, it means that I might be pushed back by the youngest.]
[You, you could be defeated?]
[Yes. That's why we need to devise a plan. Even if I were to be defeated, Runcandel will not fall.]
***
Jin shared the information Valeria had obtained with Veradin and Zephyrin.
"...So you're saying the reason the Garden of Swords has halted their invasion is because you dealt a blow to the 4th flagbearer? And Hister confirmed it by reading the records of the dimensional gate left in the feudal state of Shol."
"That's right."
"The major forces of the Garden of Swords have shown a quick revival even if they die, but the fact that the 4th flagbearer hasn't been able to recover from his injuries for several days... It's quite an extraordinary story. Their regenerative abilities come from the evil god, so something must be wrong."
"Whether there's a problem or not, it's almost certain that the evil god cannot immediately restore the 4th flagbearer. Now I understand why Jin was so insistent on moving quickly."
Jin nodded in agreement with Veradin and Zephyrin's words.
"We're short on time. Once the 4th flagbearer recovers, they will resume their large-scale instant teleportation invasion. All the factions, except for our Tikan, have already suffered a major blow due to it, and we haven't been able to respond properly. The reason we haven't been attacked is simply because they haven't invaded yet. If we are attacked a few more times like this, the human world may end before we even have a battle with an evil god."
"So in this counterattack, we not only need to rescue the prisoners but also find a way to suppress their large-scale instant teleportation in the future?"
"Exactly, Veradin. If we don't find that this time, there won't be a future."
"It will require mobilizing a considerable force, not just military strength. It's essential to have the fleet forces of each faction in order to bring back the rescued prisoners. In fact, it will be a rehearsal for the upcoming battle with the evil god ..."
"Not only military forces, but special technicians and researchers should also participate on the front lines. We need them to find clues about large-scale instant teleportation."
In Zipfel , the top researchers of Magic tower and Veradin, and since Cold Joe was already captured, so Bubare and Orgal from Kinzelo, and in Tikan, Valeria, Qwaul, and Latrie, were also required to directly participate on the front lines.
"Shall we set it for two days from now, dawn, Jin?"
"That sounds good to me. At least we need that much time for my master, who is one of the major forces in the temporary alliance, to rest and show his true strength befitting of his reputation. He's already tired and sent me to attend the meeting."
Jin nodded his head.
Now, what remained was to finalize the details of the operation and ensure that Diphus would not recover within two days.
***
In the early morning of May 22, 1803, near the forefront of the deck of the puberty ship.
The time for the counterattack had come. Valeria had been continuously inspecting the dimensional portals of the feudal state of Shol, and fortunately, there were no records indicating that the Chaos Dimensional Portal had reopened.
[See? Didn't I tell you? Your flames are special. That Diphus guy must still be suffering from terrible pain.]
Bale spoke.
Jin pondered how to respond to this oblivious former ten great knight and simply remained silent. Mary must have heard Bale's voice as well.
Mary did not react to Bale's words and kept her gaze fixed on the dark sky.
The participating members of Tikan were currently aboard the fleet of Mary and Cosmos, waiting for the arrival of Orgal.
They had decided to use his Steel Gate to swiftly move from the Rikalton center to the nearby Huphester's territorial waters.
"Youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"I just want to make sure you understand not to have any careless thoughts about somehow saving Diphus oraboni. It's different from elder sister Luntia; Diphus oraboni has already killed too many people. Even if it wasn't his will."
"...Yes."
Jin shared the same thoughts. At first, he had wanted to save Diphus by any means, just like Luntia. But now it seemed hopeless.
Above all, the current Diphus was not an opponent they could afford to take lightly. If they were to face him with half-hearted determination, their companions aboard the ship would end up dying.
The Vamel alliance had mobilized almost all its forces, just as they had when they went to support Dante at the sword emperor castle.
Starting from the survivors of Runcandel, including Mary and the Tona brothers, to the key figures who had been on standby in Tikan, and even large-scale forces from the nameless and hidden palace and empire, everyone had joined the battle.
In essence, only Kashmir and the Royal Guards remained in the Palace, while all others were en route to the battlefield.
"Ugh, Young Master Jin. Tikan won't be attacked as soon as we arrive in Rikalton, right?"
"For that, we left the Red Owl behind, Enya. Valeria has been reading the records of the dimensional portals until just now."
Cuicantelle replied to Enya's question.
"Phew, I'm still worried. Especially about Euria... Will she be okay? If something happens to her while we're not around, I'll feel terrible. His Majesty has to continue waiting for the situation, so he won't have the capacity to take care of Euria. And my teacher isn't exactly good at comforting people."
"Veris has surprisingly gotten along well with Euria, you've seen that. And there's Pinte and Kou as well. So don't worry too much, just focus on successfully completing the mission and going back safely."
"Yeah, Enya. Don't forget that you're the Commander of Tikan's Magic Corps. If you're not focused, your subordinates will be more anxious."
Ching, Alisa messed up Enya's hair while inspecting her gauntlet.
"Ugh, I understand, Commander of garrison."
"You may not have good memories of the Empire, but most of the Imperial civilians captured in Rikalton are weak and powerless, just like you were at that time. Let's rescue them and send them back to their normal lives."
"Oh, so you think it's a bother for me to rescue Empire people? I was only worried about the garrison commander's daughter. If you saw it that way, I'd be disappointed! Even if there were aristocrats among the prisoners who tormented you, it wouldn't matter to me. Hmph, it's all in the past, thanks to young master Jin."
"It's just something I said, sweetie. I know Enya is the kindest among us."
"Yeah, yeah. I bet some of our club members are mixed in with the prisoners. Since we're the club presidents, we have to rescue them."
"Stop saying strange things, lady Sandra."
"Hey, Hedo, if we happen to be where our members are, you must not address me by my real name. You must call me Nodav Sargent and preserve my aura of mystery."
"Well..."
"By the way, Orgal is late... I hope there hasn't been any disruption to the operation."
Valkas said while looking at the clock.
3:07 AM.
It was only 7 minutes late, but given the scale of the operation, he was growing anxious.
Unlike Tikan, who used Orgal's dimensional portal, Zipfel and Kinzelo were flying directly to Rikalton with their fleets.
Zipfel's fleet (including Imperial forces) reached the northern border of Rikalton, while Kinzelo's fleet (accompanied by nameless and nameless) arrived at the western side. Orgal planned to divide Tikan's forces and move them to the central area of Rikalton and the surrounding waters.
Clank, clank, rumble...!
As the scheduled time continued to be delayed, waves dyed the night sky and crashed relentlessly onto the fleet.
After more than 30 minutes had passed, the uneasiness among the entire fleet grew. But finally, the sight of a massive steel gate forming in the air appeared.
"Orgal!"
As Orgal emerged from the steel gate, he already seemed quite exhausted.
[You must have all been worried because I was late. There's no problem with the operation. In fact, something fortunate happened.]
"Fortunate?"
Jin asked, and Orgal nodded.
[I had a bad feeling, so I conducted another reconnaissance. During that process, there was a surge of evil god's energy. The delay was because the rest of our allies were waiting for the aftermath to settle down before entering.]
"And how is that fortunate?"
[That surge was like the evil god losing control, Jin. Right now, the evil god is probably... unable to manifest due to despair or some other reason. It flinched momentarily at the external stimulus of our intrusion. It means the likelihood of the evil god directly intervening in this battle has significantly diminished.]
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One of the biggest concerns before carrying out the operation with the temporary alliance was the involvement of the Evil god.
[Of course, we cannot exclude the possibility of changes in the Evil god's condition during the operation in Rikalton. However, since it has already gone through a rampage once, it will need some time to stabilize. In my opinion, we don't need to worry too much unless we are planning to fight in Rikalton for several days.]
As Orgal said, as long as Rosa did not directly participate, the success rate of the operation would significantly increase.
Diphus received some of the Evil god's powers, granting him transcendent strength, but due to the Eternal flames, he was injured.
Even in perfect condition, no one believed that he alone could withstand the combined forces of the top-level temporary alliance.
Of course, there were other powerful individuals like Padler and Lionel, as well as armies of chaos, but it seemed that they would not be a match without the Evil god.
Gradually, the steel gate began to descend.
The steel gate touched the sea surface and split into two. One side led to the Huphester Sea, where the rescue forces, including Cosmos, would head, while the other side led to the central area of Rikalton, where the puberty ship would dock.
"Cosmos, get yourself together."
"Don't worry, Captain Mary. This fleet led by Cosmos has never been captured. So, just focus on yourself, as you haven't fully recovered from your injuries."
"My lord, we will be back."
[I can't believe I'm in a position to escort these pirate scum...]
Valkas and Bale said.
Their role was to escort Cosmos's fleet until it safely landed in Rikalton and then join the main forces.
"They are not just some pirates but the most important personnel for transporting prisoners. Protect them so that not a single ship is destroyed until the allies open the way to Rikalton Harbor."
[Alright, I got it.]
"And join us safely. Bale, you too, Sir Valkas."
The puberty ship turned its bow to the right.
After exchanging words of good fortune for a while, the ships moved forward towards their respective gates.
***
4:15 AM, Rikalton Northern Border.
Approximately an hour had passed since the start of the temporary alliance's operation.
The Zipfel fleet was smoothly advancing, piercing through the aerial defenses.
Although they hadn't yet demonstrated their full power against Ram, the Zipfel fleet was undoubtedly the most powerful force humanity had.
The chaos dragons and black ships that relentlessly attacked them were mere moths that burned to ashes upon touching the flames.
To penetrate the fleet's defense barrier, they needed transcendental powerhouses like Padler.
"As Orgal said, it must be because of the rampage of the evil god. That's why Runcandel is just trying to buy time by depleting our forces...," Veradin said while spreading out a map with magic.
The desperate situation in Rikalton showed no significant changes so far.
"Dante Hairan, what do you think? Do you think they're buying time or setting a trap?" Dante turned his head to look at Veradin.
Under normal circumstances, Dante might have been momentarily lost in thought at Veradin's unfamiliar appearance, but now was not the time for that.
"I think it's the latter. It's just a hunch, but that's what it seems like," Dante replied.
"I think so too. At this rate, within 30 minutes, Orgal and Zephyrin will reach the first prisoner-of-war camp they discovered. Have they already relocated the prisoners?"
"Should we increase our speed to confirm? Even if it's a trap, we must advance to Rikalton's center beyond the prisoner-of-war camp. Our mission, as us and Zipfel, is to rescue the prisoners from the first and second camps and support the Jin and Vamel alliance," Dante suggested.
"True, if everything goes according to plan, Jin and Tikan's forces should already be advancing towards the center of Rikalton. Your suggestion seems wise. It's a situation where we can't afford to wait and carefully respond to any kind of trap. Moreover, if it's not a trap, it means that the Fourth flagbearer is still focused on recovery, which could be an opportunity," Veradin agreed.
Upon Veradin's command, the fleet increased its speed.
Kieeek, Kwaduk...!
Fragments of the black ships and the corpses of the chaos dragons shattered upon colliding with the defense barrier, constantly obscuring the view.
About 10 minutes later, the Zipfel fleet was able to confirm the first prisoner-of-war camp hidden behind the barrier of chaos.
Now, the number of advancing chaos dragons and black ships had significantly decreased, reaching a level where they posed no threat.
"I am curious whether the prison looks so grotesque because of the evil god's will or the personal taste of the Fourth flagbearer. I should ask when I meet him," Veradin remarked.
Looking down from above, the interior of the prison looked nothing like a typical detention facility.
Firstly, in the center of the inner side of the barrier, there stood a massive tree resembling a fortress.
The tree was filled with translucent black fruits, each seemingly containing around fifty prisoners.
Giant-like monsters could be seen plucking the fruits one by one, and they didn't even react when the fleet appeared.
The only ones who reacted vehemently to the fleet's arrival were the prisoners trapped inside the fruits.
Although their voices couldn't be heard, the prisoners frantically pounded and scratched the insides of the fruits with their fists upon seeing the fleet.
As a result, the fruits quickly turned red, resembling blood flowing within them.
While Veradin looked down at this scene without much excitement, Dante's fist trembled.
The majority of them were prisoners of the Empire.
"Well, this is indeed strange. The level of despair in Rikalton is intensifying the moment we arrive, Dante Hairan."
Normally, it should have been the opposite.
The emotions the prisoners trapped in the fruits would feel upon seeing the Zipfel fleet should be "we're saved."
However, the despair indicated on the map continued to deepen, and Dante clenched his fists, suppressing his rising anger.
When he focused his senses, he could faintly hear the voices of the people trapped inside the fruits.
Don't come. Stay away!
The voices were too faint to be certain if the prisoners were actually saying those words, but their gestures were evident.
In addition to pounding and scratching the fruits, the prisoners waved their hands haphazardly as if telling them to go back.
"...Ah, now I understand why the despair has deepened. The Fourth flagbearer informed the prisoners here in the first camp in advance, telling them that our arrival would be futile, that we would fall into a trap or that they have been brainwashed."
It was the latter.
The Prophet manipulated the minds of the prisoners in the first camp, instilling the perception that even if the joint forces of the temporary alliance arrived, it would be "useless." The alliance would fall into a trap and perish right in front of their eyes.
That was the perception they had been given.
"Young Patriarch! Mana response! Mana is spreading from the prison!"
A mage shouted.
If it was a trap, they would have expected the forces of chaos or an army to strike the fleet. But unexpectedly, mana was spreading in all directions from the prison.
"Deploy the maximum defense barrier."
Fortunately, the fleet was able to reinforce the defense barrier faster than the mana spreading from the prison could turn into magic.
'A net?'
The mana that erupted from the prison formed a massive net that enveloped the entire fleet, but it didn't pose any threat on its own.
The net attached to the defense barrier had no significant restraining power to restrict the movement of the fleet.
"A storm of chaos energy is approaching!"
"It's not at a level where the defense barrier can't hold."
According to the reports from the mages, a storm of chaos energy struck the fleet.
While the fleet staggered slightly, it wasn't powerful enough to break through the defense barrier like the mana net.
What does this mana and this chaos energy mean?'
Amidst the ever-increasing intensity of despair on the map, Veradin looked up as if he had realized something.
"Young Patriarch, we can break through sufficiently. Give the order."
"No, hold the fleet! This is an illusion magic."
"Illusion magic?"
Dante asked Veradin.
"Yes, that's right. I didn't expect to encounter the lost dark illusion magic here. Listen carefully, everyone! In the eyes of the prisoners right now, we will appear as if we have been annihilated ruthlessly. Even though we are perfectly fine, the level of despair is increasing because of that."
It was accurate.
At this moment, the prisoners were witnessing the "illusion" that everything had unfolded according to the Prophet's plan.
In their eyes, the entire fleet was already exploding and plummeting.
"In that case, all we have to do is break through the remaining chaos energy and show them that we are unharmed, right? Veradin."
"It's not that simple, Dante. If we resolve it that way, we won't be able to shatter the illusions that have enslaved the prisoners' minds. Even if we rescue all of them and assure them that they are safe, they will still be trapped by the illusions. And then the despair will continue to grow."
"...What should we do, then?"
"We need to unravel the enchantment rather than distort the magic with greater power. Each mage needs to untangle the net that covers the fleet... That's what it means."
"Is that the only way? I don't know much about magic, but it seems like it would take too much time."
"That's right, it will take at least three hours. If we want to shorten the time, we can simply kill the prisoners. Once they are dead, they will be released from the illusions, and the level of despair won't increase further."
"I cannot accept killing the prisoners."
"I thought you would say that. But you see, this is the trap we have been foreseeing all along. The intention is quite obvious. It's to buy time. To delay our entry. Perhaps it's because of the injuries of the Fourth flagbearer. We haven't received any information about his recovery until just before the operation started."
"So, do we rescue the prisoners and move according to the Fourth flagbearer's plan... or do we sacrifice the prisoners to reach the Fourth flagbearer a few hours earlier?"
"That's right. That's why I said to halt for now, but honestly, I'm torn. It might be better to kill the prisoners and move forward. To eliminate Diphus."
"I said it's unacceptable to kill prisoners with our own hands."
"So, present me with some evidence. Give me a reason why we should keep falling into Diphus's trap, even though we know about it."
Dante glared at Veradin.
Eventually, Dante regained his composure and replied.
"I am an individual, a guardian of the Empire and the descendant of the Sword Emperor. It's embarrassing to say it myself, but I can be considered a very special existence."
"I have a feeling I know what you're going to say. I'm getting a bit impatient, but go on."
"After Jin first guessed why the evil god was using Joshua, Orgal said that the despair of a special existence would strongly affect the completion of the evil god. Therefore, there is a possibility that my despair would be the same. So, if we continue to kill the prisoners and move forward, my despair will become too great."
Veradin blinked a few times as he looked at Dante, then replied.
"Fine, I'll accept it. It makes sense. There is logic. Now let's get ready to quickly unravel the enchantment. All unit commanders and top mages, gather at the flagship. I'll show you a demonstration."
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While the mages were gathering, Veradin gathered the researchers in Kozec.
"Dante, while the spell is being dispelled, you won't have anything to do. So take the researchers outside."
"There might be an ambush when you dispel the spell."
"That's possible. But why would they set up an illusion spell to buy time if they didn't expect that? Moreover, we need to find clues about large-scale teleportation no matter what. Since we're stuck, it's better to divide and conquer. We need to find not only teleportation clues but also other strongholds."
"I understand."
"After the dispelling is finished, I'll give a signal, and you can rejoin us then. If, as you said, we get separated due to an ambush, let's meet at the destination."
***
At the same time, the western border of Rikalton.
What blocked Kinzelo was an actual military force.
"There are... many enemies… Grand Duchess."
"Where did they suddenly come from? They weren't there just a moment ago."
Bianca and Ranke spoke. The previously empty sky in front of them was suddenly filled with a swarm of chaos forces.
It was impossible to estimate the number of airships and chaos dragons. Not only in the front but also on the sides and rear, it was the same.
"It must be a large-scale teleportation or an ambush using illusion magic. Probably the latter since we didn't observe any dimensional portals being opened."
It was as Zephyrin had predicted.
The chaos forces had been continuously building a siege line since Kinzelo's entry into Rikalton.
However, the siege line was too extensive, and their vision was deceived by illusion magic, so they didn't notice it.
The executives turned their gaze to Zephyrin. Since Orgal hadn't returned to the fleet yet, the decision was up to Zephyrin.
"Our goal is not to break through to the target area but to annihilate the entire enemy force. This land is already cursed, so if we leave any remnants, we'll meet them again. Prepare for a full fleet battle. Our gathering might be delayed, but I don't think anyone among our allies would be unprepared for unexpected circumstances."
"Understood, Ms. Zephyrin."
"Sir Owal."
Zephyrin locked eyes with Owal.
"It would be better for Nameless and Hidden Palace to go to the surface. One side should search for the stronghold and gather information about the large-scale teleportation, while the other side should rescue the Cold Joe."
"I understand what you mean."
"Cold Joe is someone we must rescue from our standpoint in Kinzelo. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, we may have to give up, but I hope you pay attention to avoid such a situation. And Sir Berakt."
"Speak, Ms. Zephyrin."
"It would be better if you participated in the rescue of Cold Joe with these people."
Berakt wanted to shout, "Are you telling me to save that guy?" But he managed to keep his mouth shut.
"...Understood."
"Sir Berakt, I am well aware that you despise Sir Joe, but he is still the most important figure for our great cause. I hope you won't let your emotions get in the way of your work."
"Our hidden palace is missing a few members, so we should infiltrate the destination first. Sir Owal, it seems we'll need to extract personnel even from the nameless."
Syris, who had been listening, opened her mouth.
"I agree with the opinion of the hidden palace's acting master. When Jin is in danger, there is no better contingency plan than toad Mort."
Zephyrin nodded in agreement.
"Very well, then."
***
Southern waters of Rikalton.
The fleet of Cosmos safely emerged from the steel gate and formed their formation on the sea.
"Well, well, now that all the global transfer gates are closed, even more advanced forms of transportation have emerged. If the spatial teleportation used by the Red Owl is mass-produced, the Black Crown Prince said he would share its benefits with us. I hope it develops quickly!"
Cosmos said as he watched the disappearing steel gate.
[Noisy pirates. And the fact that Jin is willing to share the technology must be thanks to Mary Runcandel, not you guys.]
"Heh, our one of ten great knights is angry again. Let's get along nicely. If we want to save people, we need to work together."
Pirate King Cosmos skillfully dealt with Bale who was hard to handle.
Bale didn't genuinely dislike Cosmos, although she found him annoying.
"Cosmos, I think Sir Bale has become sensitive because he can sense some energy since we arrived here."
Valkas looked at Bale, speaking in a low voice.
He had been feeling the dark aura unique to Padler Runcandel from a distant land. Of course, Bale was more aware of it than Valkas.
[That bastard is probably waiting for us as soon as we arrive... Orgal, that bastard betrayed us, didn't he? He seems to have known in advance that we would enter this way.]
"That's unlikely. Since the sea entry route is limited, they probably just deployed their forces in advance."
Usually, Bale would be eager to quickly finish off Padler.
But now there were too many targets to watch out for. It wasn't a situation where he could exclude the possibility of other enemies besides Padler.
[Hmph, when we first met, he couldn't use much power at sea. Now it's his territory. This snake-like guy... But still, I will let him know that our class is different. Valkas, you stay here and guard them while I flank and enter. It's better for me to go alone for now. If there's a problem, fire a signal flare immediately.]
"Understood."
"Cheer up, one of ten great knights. And don't worry too much about our side. We already escaped from the army of evil god last time. We are the invincible Cosmos fleet!"
Bale's golden wings began to split the dark sky. Those remaining in the fleet turned their heads to see her back.
***
Meanwhile, Jin and his companions who had exited the right steel gate were facing an unexpected darkness.
"It's a strange darkness, isn't it? You can only see the person next to you, and nothing else. Is this the center of Rikalton?"
Sandra grabbed Jin's shoulder and spoke, but Hedo grabbed her hand and pulled it away.
"It seems to be a subspace, my lady. We must not restrict the movements of our companions as we don't know what might suddenly appear."
As Hedo spoke, the others became aware of the darkness and cautiously spread out, guarding their surroundings.
"I didn't hear about this from Orgal. It seems there has been a change in the dimensional gate he opens."
As Jin said so, he wrapped his shadow force around Bradamante.
And as usual, as Jin cut through the spatial darkness, he immediately realized that this place was not composed of a single layer and that space was "reacting" to the attacks.
Shaguk-!
Each time Jin cut through a layer of darkness, chaos awls poured out from all directions. Since the strength of their group was high, it wasn't particularly threatening, but if it continued to happen, the situation would change.
To test it, Jin cut through the subspace darkness a few more times, and each time, awls shot out.
'It feels like the characteristics of boundary magic have been added to this subspace. Why would they play such a trick... It seems like a ploy to buy time.'
The awls only responded to Jin's Shadow Sword.
Although they could penetrate through each layer with attacks other than the Shadow Sword, there was a significant difference in efficiency.
Even when Hedo sincerely unfolded his swordsmanship, he couldn't cleanly cut through them.
The difference stemmed from the unique properties of the Shadow Sword, not just the magnitude of power.
"If it weren't for the Shadow Sword, it would take an eternity to break through."
"Everyone, spread out. Pay special attention to protecting non-combatants like Dr. Qwaul."
"Understood, my lord."
"Understood, young master!"
At Jin's words, the group distanced themselves. And when they swung their weapons, it was evident that the awls only veered away from Jin.
'It seems like the situation is not favorable enough to waste time, elder brother Diphus. Besides, Rosa is unable to move..."
Normally, Jin would choose to proceed cautiously, adjusting more variables as time passed.
But now they needed to break through quickly. Every moment they delayed, the number of potential prisoners they could rescue would decrease, and Diphus could recover.
Even if Diphus had already fully recovered and this subspace was simply a means to confuse them, breaking through was still the only option.
"Let's break through swiftly. The rest of you, maintain a distance where the awls cannot reach you and follow me closely, ensuring that you don't lose sight of me."
"Understood, my lord."
"If their intention is to buy time for recovery, they will undoubtedly try to separate us at some point. They have created this subspace to face us alone since they find it burdensome. When that happens, even if I am separated from you, the prearranged members must stay together at all costs."
Regardless, once the party entered the central part of Rikalton, their plan was to disperse at a certain point, even without such traps.
Valeria and Qwaul had to find clues to teleportation, and the rest had to rescue the prisoners.
Only Jin and Hedo were scheduled to directly confront Diphus.
However, Jin decided to send Hedo towards Qwaul.
"Sir Hedo, if you have to be separated from me, please protect Dr. Qwaul. Until someone like Bale or Orgal comes to support, I believe you should take care of Dr. Qwaul for his safety."
"Understood."
Jin began to move forward, cutting through the subspace.
Countless awls poured forth, but not a single one touched even the hem of Jin's clothes.
After cutting through about three hundred layers of subspace, Jin began to feel that he was nearing the end.
The counterforce transmitted from beyond the subspace was rapidly weakening.
Finally, when he cut through the last layer, the bizarre darkness vanished, revealing the towering form of Rikalton Castle...
And surrounding it, just as massive as Rikalton Castle, were the towering trees that Zipfel and the Empire had confirmed at the northern border.
Moreover, the trees were violently shaking and dispersing the fruits containing the captured prisoners in all directions as soon as the party emerged from the subspace.
Even Jin couldn't help but be momentarily startled by the horrifying sight.
'My companions! I must confirm my companions...!'
Luckily, because it was Ji
Of course, if the subspace trapped his companions, Jin could simply cut through it with the Shadow Sword.
However, Jin couldn't swing the Shadow Sword in that direction. It was because a greatsword was falling like lightning toward Jin's head.
[Welcome, youngest.]
It was Diphus's greatsword, Volgar.
710
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Volgar and Bradamante collided in mid-air, leaving a black crescent in the void. The shockwaves spread from the two of them, causing the cracked ground to erupt with a black haze, resembling lava.
Jin clenched his teeth and looked up at Diphus.
Sharp horns, black eyes that could not be considered human, and even a sinister smile as if enjoying this horrifying situation.
Nowhere could he find the appearance of his second eldest brother, whom he had known.
Although it was the same when they met in the Empire before, now that fact haunted him even more.
Today, he had to finish him off no matter what.
"4th flagbearer... your sword seems lighter than I expected."
Jin's gaze fell on Diphus's left wing and chest, which were covered by his clothes.
Although concealed by his attire, Jin could still sense the lingering fire within.
[It's the result of underestimating you in the Empire last time. That's why I have prepared a lot...]
Behind Diphus, on the other side, fruits containing captured prisoners were constantly falling without respite.
Each fruit contained fifty people trapped inside. Whenever a fruit landed on the ground, it meant that at least dozens of people died or were injured.
[Let's enjoy this slowly, my youngest brother.]
There might still be Diphus inside that monster.
However, Jin decided to discard such thoughts. As Mary said, if he approached the situation with a half-hearted mind, it would only become more gruesome.
'Even if there is an injury from eternal flame, the fourth flagbearer is still a transcendent powerhouse. I have to fight calmly, even if it's for the sake of my brother.'
Determination filled Jin's eyes.
"Let's see if you can maintain that composure even after the battle is over, Fourth flagbearer. No... you monster who devoured my elder brother."
[You've been hiding the torment you've endured all this time, but it seems you're capable of such frightening words.]
Clang!
The two crossed swords, which had remained still, began to move again.
Jin pushed Diphus back and unleashed a lightspeed thrust, while Diphus flew backwards and swung the Volgar.
In an instant, a massive black aura engulfed the ground, threatening to swallow everything in sight.
Jin slashed Diphus' aura and charged forward, preventing him from creating more distance between them.
He couldn't afford to get his companions out of subspace.
However, even if it wasn't a shadow sword, people like Hedo could cut subspaces, so they would eventually escape.
'When my companions escape the subspace, I need to completely restrain elder brother Diphus so that they can focus on rescuing the prisoners.'
To do that, he had to address Diphus's mobility first.
He had to disable his wings to deal a fatal blow with eternal flame.
Since eternal flames couldn't be unleashed in the form of swordsmanship, the battle had to be brought into close quarters by any means necessary.
"You keep fighting as if you're running away. Don't you have the confidence to face me head-on, despite receiving the authority of the Evil God?"
[I told you to enjoy it slowly. Don't worry; one side will definitely meet its end today.]
As Jin pursued Diphus, he continued to catch glimpses of the prisoners.
Some fruits were already filled with corpses, while others contained survivors who were screaming for help.
If Diphus were to take them hostage and start threatening, Jin would have no way to stop him.
'The 4th flagbearer can't just take hostages recklessly. He must be aware that once he starts killing the prisoners, there will be no constraints on me and our alliance. If his plan from the beginning was to consume the prisoners like that, he would have done so from the start.'
If that's the case, then why is Diphus leaving the prisoners in such a state of abandonment?
He wasn't hiding them somewhere, and he wasn't maintaining a state that would make them easier to use as hostages.
Instead, the fruits containing the prisoners were scattered haphazardly near the vicinity of Rikalton Castle, as if beckoning someone to pick them up.
As that thought occurred to Jin, he felt that Diphus wasn't abandoning the prisoners, but rather "deploying" them.
'For what purpose are they being deployed?'
Swish!
Diphus's sword brushed Jin's cheek. His sword had a power that could transmit chaos like Rosa, causing Jin's illuminating heart to tremble as he repelled its energy.
At the same time, Diphus detonated one of the nearby fruits, making eye contact with Jin.
The people trapped inside the fruit shattered into pieces along with the fragments of the fruit, scattering in all directions.
[You shouldn't keep diverting your attention elsewhere when I'm right in front of you. If you're hoping for all the prisoners to explode and die like that, then feel free to continue...]
Diphus couldn't finish his sentence.
Jin suddenly surged forward and sliced through his left wing.
Diphus couldn't evade Jin's sword, which was much faster than he had anticipated during his pursuit.
[Kuu!]
If they were engaging in close-quarters combat on the ground, Diphus wouldn't have fallen victim to such an attack. His sword would have reacted before his head.
However, despite the speed of flight, there were many constraints on movement, and it hadn't been long since Diphus acquired the ability to fly.
Jin deliberately adjusted his speed to be dangerously close, as if barely catching up.
Of course, it wasn't a situation where he could narrow the distance instantly whenever he desired. He had merely used one of his reserved moves.
"You're the one who should stop your useless tricks. Threatening me with hostages? Go ahead and try it, let's see who dies first. Do you think we came to Rikalton without preparing for that?"
The final agreement among their allies in the operation was that even in the worst-case scenario where all hostages died, Diphus had to be eliminated.
[Hmph, I see. You're indeed good at lying and using deception. But to think you would resort to your hidden move just for one group of hostages.]
Diphus' left wing began to regenerate. It wasn't entirely untouched. Just before the blade made contact, Eternal flames briefly seeped into Bradamante.
However, unlike when it was severed by the Empire, the energy of eternal flame didn't penetrate deeply this time. It was hastily unleashed, and the cut was shallower than before.
[Just now, it was revealed that you need some time to fully utilize that flame of yours. I will respond more cautiously. So, get your act together, little brother, if you want to win. With such humane sentiments, you can't bring down both me and Mother.]
"That remains to be seen. But all those who spoke to me like that are all in the afterlife, Fourth flagbearer. Do you think you and the evil god expect a different outcome?"
Diphus was creating distance between them once again.
Flying was slower than before due to the eternal flame clinging to his left wing.
However, the constraint on Jin was also greater, making the pursuit still not easy.
As the chase progressed, for some reason, the two of them were gradually moving away from Rikalton Castle.
As they reached the vicinity of the dark forest engulfed in chaos, Jin realized that there weren't many fruits containing prisoners around.
'Now is the right time to rescue the prisoners. It seems that my companions have escaped the subspace, but what about the allied fleet?'
At that moment, a tremendous energy was felt from the direction of Rikalton Castle.
It was Hedo and his companions. They had finally pierced through the subspace and escaped to Rikalton Castle. As soon as Jin confirmed his energy, he detonated an orange signal flare.
It was a signal flare meaning that he was safe and rescued the prisoners first.
Diphus immediately understood the meaning of the signal flare.
Despite briefly dyeing the sky orange, he couldn't sense anyone approaching from that direction.
[It seems you lightly heeded my advice to get your act together. Wouldn't it be better for you to abandon the prisoners and join forces with your companions against me?]
"That's not your judgment to make."
The main reason why Diphus deliberately lured Jin further away from Rikalton Castle was Hedo and his companions.
In his current state, Diphus believed he couldn't handle both Jin and all of them attacking together alone.
Although Jin vaguely understood Diphus's intentions, moving away from Rikalton was not an entirely bad choice for him either. He could avoid the situation where Diphus was using the prisoners' lives as leverage.
Above all, Jin had confidence that even if he were to face Diphus in a one-on-one battle, he wouldn't lose. Even if Diphus were hiding a significant amount of power.
[I expected that response. After all, you knowingly walked into this trap. Anyway, this should be enough.]
Suddenly, Diphus stopped flying. Towering black trees stood between Jin and Diphus like pillars.
[There's one last thing I want to ask. The youngest,...… between the companions you brought and the prisoners, which side do you hope will survive and safely return to Tikan?]
-[It's frustrating at this point. No wonder you and Joshua always got beaten by the youngest. This is a bigger crisis than ever. Mother can't intervene, and the fire clinging to me is likely to remain until the youngest arrives. If a battle ensues, it means I could be overwhelmed by the youngest.]
-[You... you might be defeated?]
-[Yes, so we need to strategize. Even if I lose, Runcandel won't.]
A conversation between Ilina and Diphus before the operation began.
The plan that Diphus devised at that time was now complete.
Whoa!
The black trees dispersed into particles, and in an instant, the surroundings were engulfed in a black mist. Even when Jin stirred up the wind, the mist didn't dissipate.
'I don't think it's a sub-space. What is this?'
Although Jin couldn't visually confirm Diphus's presence, he aimed his sword in his direction without missing his energy.
After a moment, the mist suddenly cleared.
And as Jin surveyed the surroundings, he realized that the place where he was standing right now was not the center of Rikalton.
Even when he looked back, he couldn't see Rikalton Castle or the trees that trapped the prisoners.
'... Teleportation? Could it be that the mist was a dimensional portal?'
It was correct. Just now, Diphus unreasonably used the Authority of the Evil God to open the dimensional gate and teleport. He had his feet on the ground, not in the air. The left wing, which was cut by Jin and regenerated earlier, was seen falling to the floor.
[It seems you're finding it difficult to answer. However, regardless of which side you want to save more, you can't go to rescue them right now. This place is quite far from Rikalton Castle...….]
Diphus spoke while gripping his greatsword, Volgar.