Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Endless Loops of Jeremiah Mountain
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No matter how far they marched, the distance to Jeremiah Mountain refused to close.
Just in case, they tried changing the direction of their advance midway or splitting off some units to scout other paths, but the result was the same.
At this point, even they had to admit it.
That no matter what they did, they couldn't escape this place with their own power.
In the end, the allied army halted their march, hastily set up camp, and went into rest mode.
After letting the soldiers catch their breath,
the lords and generals leading the army gathered urgently to start a meeting.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on here? Why are we just going around in circles?!"
"I... I don't know either. I've never even heard of a phenomenon like this."
The mage could only scratch his head awkwardly under Commander Lot's scolding.
He was known as one of the top talents in Moabmon, but before this bizarre situation, he was utterly powerless.
This wasn't just one or two people—it was an army of 60,000.
A magic that could make so many soldiers lose their way all at once.
Not even myths had tales like that.
The only thing they could speculate was one possibility...
"Is this... the power of that Seraphim guy or whatever?"
"What else could it be? No human could pull off magic on this absurd scale."
"Damn it! That filthy evil god really screwed us over good. What the hell are we supposed to do now? If this keeps up tomorrow, we're in deep shit."
"..."
"Hmm..."
No one among the other lords and generals could respond to Lot's question.
Just as he said, if this lasted until tomorrow, it wouldn't end with just getting lost.
There was no water source in the area where they were trapped right now.
They still had plenty of food, but surviving days without water under that scorching sun was impossible.
They'd managed the first day with the water in their canteens, but those were running dry now.
Unless rain suddenly poured from the sky, tomorrow would be hell on earth—it was plain as day.
An army of 60,000 literally dying of thirst on the open road.
With no clever way out, all they could do was vent their frustrations.
Meanwhile,
watching their hopeless state,
Commander Lot cautiously began fiddling with the item in his pocket.
'Damn... I was saving this for after conquering Kanan Kingdom, to unify Moabmon... Do I have to use it now?'
The divine relic given to him by the Pope.
It was meant for facing overwhelming enemies or stubborn resistance, but Lot had planned to use it for his own ambitions.
But if things stayed like this, forget unification—they'd be wiped out before even clashing properly with Kanan Kingdom.
As the saying goes, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs. Wasn't now the time to use this power?
Yet he still couldn't make the call easily.
Besides feeling it was a waste to use divine power without even seeing the enemy,
there was a more practical reason.
Even if he used the power of the god, there was no guarantee it would get them out of this illusory trap.
One wrong move, and he'd waste it with nothing to show.
Thus, Commander Lot agonized without deciding either way.
Then...
"...How about... we do this instead?"
"Huh?"
"Lord Lute? Do you... have some kind of plan?"
Lute, the Lord of Mara, spoke up cautiously.
All eyes in the room turned to her.
In that atmosphere, Lute continued in a careful voice.
"If we stay like this, we'll be wiped out soon enough. Two days at most. In the worst case, we might see soldiers dropping from dehydration starting tomorrow. If we're doomed anyway, wouldn't admitting defeat cleanly be the way to survive?"
"Admit... what, exactly?"
From the start, it felt like something ominous.
And sure enough, words matching that premonition came from Lute's mouth.
"Surrender. To Kanan Kingdom—no, more precisely, to the being they serve, that god called Seraphim who's causing all this."
"Surrender? Lord Lute! What the hell are you saying?"
"We came here in the name of our god! How can you suggest kneeling to the heretics' false evil god?!"
"Then what, just sit here and die? Tomorrow we might really watch our soldiers get massacred!"
Lute spoke with uncharacteristic firmness.
The other lords, who had been quietly observing, began chiming in one by one.
"I agree with Lord Lute. We're getting wiped out before we even fight. And even if we escape this somehow, the troops are gripped by fear, morale in the dirt. Fighting's already impossible."
"Hmm... I heard even today, some are hallucinating from terror. Tomorrow'll be worse, not better..."
"You people... How can you call yourselves devotees of the Baal God? Flip-flopping after just one day of hardship! Is your faith that shallow?!"
"Then what's your brilliant idea? Stop bullshitting and spit it out if you have one. If it makes sense, I'll follow."
"Th-that's..."
"Hmm..."
The lords agreeing with Lute.
Originally moderates, now with the situation dire, they were ready to turn tail immediately.
The hardliners who wanted war from the start pushed back, but the mood was tilting toward compromise—or surrender, as it were.
Forget the rest; no water in midsummer was fatal.
Everyone knew one more day like today meant no hope.
At that moment,
Commander Lot, who had been watching, spoke gravely.
"Everyone, calm down. Let's call it here for today and decide in the morning. Who knows? Maybe this madness lifts by dawn."
"Hmm..."
"Sigh... Fine, whatever."
Truth be told, hardliners and moderates alike wanted to settle it now.
But they were as exhausted as the soldiers, forcing themselves awake for the meeting.
With eyelids feeling like lead weights, no one opposed pausing.
Thus, the lords and generals dispersed heavily to their tents.
Meanwhile,
watching them go, Commander Lot made his decision.
If this dragged on, not just the moderates—even his hardline allies would turn.
Then his long-awaited golden opportunity would vanish.
Before that, Lot resolved to gamble with his last card.
'Yeah... It's do or die anyway. If it's still like this tomorrow morning, no choice but to use this power...'
With that thought, Lot collapsed onto his spot like he'd been felled.
He was just as worn out as the others.
Lying there, Lot quickly fell into deep sleep.
As always, dreaming sweetly of becoming emperor of a vast empire.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Pitch-black darkness blanketed the Moabmon army's camp.
Normally, sentries would stand guard with fires lit even in the night, but tonight most were dozing off without proper lights.
The chaotic daytime march and confusion had pushed soldiers' physical and mental fatigue to the limit—sentries and supervising officers included.
In the end, guards neglected for collective naps.
Through these sleeping troops,
a group of black shadows began to move.
And then.
-Clang!!
-Crash!
"!?!?"
"Gah! Wh-what?! What's happening?!"
The clamor pierced the inky darkness.
The clashing of weapons drilled into their ears, forcing the fatigue-ridden sleepers awake.
At that moment.
"Enemies!"
"We're under attack!"
Sharp cries echoed from all directions.
Mentally foggy from accumulated exhaustion, the soldiers groped for weapons in the dark and hauled themselves up.
"Fuck! Wh-where?! Where are the enemies?!"
"Damn it! Light some fires first! Can't see shit!"
Soldiers and officers dragged heavy bodies out of tents.
However,
in this impenetrable blackness, already battered in mind and body, they floundered in thick chaos without any real response.
"Gaaack!"
"! O-over here! Enemies here!"
All they could do was rush blindly toward occasional screams.
But navigating pitch darkness by sound alone was suicidal.
Especially with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands tangled up.
"Kyaaak!"
"W-wait, st-stop! Stop!"
"E-everyone halt! Th-there's people he— Aaaagh!"
Invisible obstacles, fallen comrades, more tumbling over them.
The camp turned into pandemonium in moments,
amplifying fear and anxiety.
And then...
"! Wh-what... what is that...? What the hell is it?"
"Wh-what're you— Hngh?!"
In utmost turmoil, as mental barriers frayed,
their brains clouded by chaos,
they finally saw it.
The truth, visible at last.
It was...
the massive red eyes,
that had been gazing down from the lofty sky all along.