Chapter 122
Chapter 122
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 122
The night when the clash between both sides had temporarily entered a lull and quieted down.
Haizen, the Market Development Manager of Darkrock, led his hunting dogs toward the meeting point.
It was to negotiate underwater with Nova’s side, having realized that the war situation had become greatly unfavorable.
"You came."
At the meeting point, Nova was waiting alone.
Haizen removed his bowler hat and held it to his chest as he showed proper courtesy.
"I couldn't greet you properly before. It's good to see you again. I'm Haizen."
Seo-jin also nodded his head to accept the greeting.
"Right, it wasn't really a situation for exchanging pleasantries back then."
Since he had stormed into Lunaria's stronghold alone and conducted negotiations that bordered on threats.
Seo-jin waved his hand dismissively, skipping the ceremonial greetings.
"Enough small talk. I'm busy, so let's get straight to the point. What can you offer me? The war situation is already favorable to us."
Manager Haizen opened his mouth with a relaxed smile.
"I acknowledge that. We also initially predicted an easy victory, but Atlantis's underlying strength... No. We didn't expect your abilities to be at this level."
The current war situation was unexpected even from Darkrock's perspective.
Since it was already known that Nova could control skeletons, they had anticipated the appearance of a skeleton army to some degree.
But they never expected that he could control a number of skeletons that overwhelmed the Dragon-Human soldiers for three days and nights without rest.
That wasn't something that could be done with human strength.
Such things couldn't be predicted, and even if they were predicted, no business could proceed if all such special circumstances were considered.
In fact, there was also a calculation that even if they lost this war, it wouldn't be a big problem.
If they let the Sea Folk fight among themselves and significantly reduced Atlantis's military power, they could easily take root in the city by exploiting the post-war chaos.
But even that wasn't going well because of the skeleton army.
However, there was still room for negotiation.
What's important for merchants isn't perfect calculation, but flexible and quick crisis response.
Haizen continued.
"Even if you win this war, Atlantis's threat won't end. The Queen of the Sea Dragon Tribe has another move left."
"Another move?"
When Seo-jin asked, pretending not to know, Haizen chuckled.
"Don't pretend not to know at this point. The Shadowless Flying Hero already infiltrated the citadel and took away the hostages, didn't he? The sacrifices that were to be used in Leviathan's revival ritual."
"Busted."
Seo-jin spread both hands as if surprised.
Haizen continued with a smile.
"Taking away the sacrifices was a good move, but it's not enough. Lunaria will achieve Leviathan's revival even if she has to sacrifice herself."
Although Prince Kshtra and the other tribal chiefs were the most suitable sacrifices, Lunaria was prepared to sacrifice her own body to achieve the revival.
So just taking away the sacrifices wasn't enough.
The blood samples of the twelve chiefs that formed the foundation of that plan were the most important element above all else.
But there was no way Nova could know this.
Anyway, Leviathan's revival wasn't good for Nova either.
It was the biggest variable that would pour cold water on the board he had set up so far.
"So, we'll stop that for you. Even for someone like you, it would be difficult to guarantee victory once a mythical monster starts rampaging."
Seo-jin pretended to ponder and asked about the conditions.
"What do you want in return?"
Haizen presented a contract.
"Don't interfere in any way with anything that happens on the 20th floor after the war. Also, build a bridge so we can negotiate directly with the royal family of Atlantis. As long as we plan to continue doing business here, we can't leave out the Sea Folk royal family."
"At this point?"
These bastards who had tried to help rebel forces overthrow the royal family had thick skin.
"It's not something to be proud of, but we're merchants. It's natural to weigh profits and losses and side with the winning side, isn't it?"
"Sure. I'm sure you would."
These were the ones who had spread drugs among the natives to make them into easily manipulated puppets, and provided the method for making Dragon-Human soldiers to mass-produce living weapons.
For such people, changing cooperation partners would be as easy as flipping their palms.
On top of that, saying they would negotiate directly with the royal family meant.
'Once they get past this situation, they'll continue doing what they've been doing.'
Seo-jin was ultimately a tower climber and outsider.
He couldn't stay on the 20th floor continuously and take care of subsequent matters.
What meaning would having power have?
Once he climbed the tower and left for higher floors, he couldn't be of any help.
So from the company's perspective, they just needed to get past this current problem well.
In other words, after Seo-jin left, they would slowly erode the royal family and make them into puppets.
Just like they were planning to use Lunaria to the fullest and then discard her.
"It shouldn't be such a bad condition for you either. First, we'll give you all the credit for this matter. Nova, who suppressed the rebel forces threatening the royal family and brought peace to the city. We can also widely spread this heartwarming story through the media companies we support."
"Oh ho."
"In addition to this, we'll also share some of the stakes in the Neptune mine that will be built in Atlantis afterward. It will be a tremendous source of income that you can use for a long time when you climb the tower later."
The value of the Neptune mine was beyond that of semiconductors in magic engineering, so it would become a huge market worth hundreds of trillions of won in the future.
Just a portion of those stakes would be enough to get one's name on the business world rankings.
"Good."
"You've made a rational decision."
When Seo-jin nodded, Haizen smiled while internally cheering.
'Heh, Nova is human after all. He was just an ordinary small citizen swayed by money and interests.'
No matter how great someone is, they compromise in the face of tremendous wealth and honor.
This was the maximum pleasure that someone belonging to a corporation could have.
"Then please sign."
Chiririt-.
Haizen took out a contract made of magic power and showed it.
A contract that would attach a powerful curse to the upper altar if the terms were violated, making it impossible to use black magic again.
The contract's requirements were simple.
Nova would fully cooperate with the company so that the Sea Folk royal family and the company could proceed with negotiations.
Also, he would not interfere at all in the 20th floor situation after the war. And he would keep all these conditions secret.
In return, Darkrock, with Haizen as representative, would prevent Leviathan's revival.
And afterward, they would transfer some of the Neptune mine stakes to Seo-jin, plus use media companies to heavily promote his activities on the 20th floor.
Seo-jin carefully examined the contract and modified one clause.
"Wouldn't this be better?"
[This contract takes effect immediately after Party A signs.]
⇒
[This contract takes effect immediately after Party B fulfills the aforementioned conditions.]
Party A was Seo-jin, Party B was Haizen, the company's representative.
The aforementioned conditions referred to preventing Leviathan's revival.
Looking at it this way, only the order of fulfillment had changed.
Haizen pondered for a moment and then accepted Seo-jin's proposal.
'Well, this much is fine.'
Since they were planning to prevent Leviathan's revival anyway, it wasn't a very burdensome clause.
And even Nova would find it burdensome to contract with a company as an individual out of the blue, so they should show this much consideration.
"Good."
After signing, Seo-jin, who had successfully completed the contract, said to Haizen.
"Then for smoother progress, let's talk about the staging for what's to come."
"You understand well."
Details were important. Not only the result but also the process needed to be clean without any noise.
Also, if that picture helped the company's reputation, it would be all the better.
Seo-jin said.
"If you want to cooperate with the Atlantis royal family after the war, you'd better shed your current image."
"That's right."
Currently, in the royal family's eyes, the company was just a hostile force that distributed drugs to the city's lower class and helped organize the rebels.
To shed this image.
"It would be good if all past evil deeds were revealed to be due to Lunaria's coercion and threats."
At Seo-jin's words, scenarios flowed from Haizen's mouth.
"That's right. Then it would be good if it developed like this. We're powerless outsiders, so we had to please the Queen of the Sea Dragons who ruled the underworld to gain even a small logistics network."
Seo-jin waved his hand as if to say they should handle such details themselves and said.
"Handle the details yourself. What's important is the stage to announce that fact. Just before reviving Leviathan, it would be good for you to prevent the revival while announcing that fact. The more eyes watching, the better."
"Yes, I'll design a suitable stage. Please help us as well."
With those words, Haizen left to prepare the stage that would decorate the climax of this war.
Without ever expecting that the stage would become their execution ground.
***
Lunaria's barracks.
The shadows in the corner of the room rippled smoothly, and a woman silently revealed herself.
Francesca in a black leather suit.
Although she was startled for a moment by the sudden appearance, Lunaria quickly regained her composure as if she had already expected such a situation.
"Why? Are you planning to eliminate me now?"
However, Francesca just shrugged her shoulders.
"Eliminate? I don't do such ominous things. Instead, I came to make a proposal."
"A proposal?"
Francesca slowly approached Lunaria with a relaxed smile.
She pointed to the special container Lunaria was holding.
It was the bottle said to contain the blood of the twelve tribes.
"Yeah. Before that, about that plan you consider your last hope. Sorry, but it's going to fail."
"What, what did you say?"
Could it be.
Lunaria unconsciously looked at the blood sample in her hand, and Francesca nodded.
"That's right, the company knew all about your purpose. What I got for you before was all fake. Take a closer look."
Lunaria's hand trembled finely as she carefully examined the sample.
Clearly, when she first checked it, it contained powerful magic power, but looking closely, it had somehow lost that magic power and light.
'Even what I thought was my last resort... was already in their grasp.'
While Lunaria was in shock.
"But look here, ta-da!"
Francesca opened the suitcase she had brought and showed it to Lunaria.
"This is the real thing."
Unlike Francesca, who confidently showed the samples, Lunaria just frowned.
"How can I believe this is real?"
Having been deceived once, there was no guarantee she wouldn't be deceived twice...
"I also brought the divine power and blood samples from Leila. Compare them."
Francesca placed a flask emitting a gentle blue light on the table.
And when she placed the blood collection tubes of the seven tribal chiefs she had newly collected next to it.
Parrr-.
The blood in the tubes gathered toward the blue flask as if drawn to it.
The ability of the royal bloodline. The power to unite the twelve tribes that Pontos had bestowed.
"Put what you have there too."
"......"
Instead of the fake blood samples, Lunaria put down the samples she had directly collected from the five tribal chiefs of the rebels.
Then.
Parrr-.
The blood in the samples also gathered toward Leila's flask.
"The blood of tribal chiefs who inherited the pure bloodline of the twelve tribes. And Leila's divine power and blood to fuse them into one. With just these, you can safely complete your plan."
At this, Lunaria glared at Francesca and asked.
"......What do you want from me? No, whose orders are you following in the first place?"
She wouldn't hand this over without any price. What scheme had she come with?
Why was this woman, who was originally the company's dog, telling her such truth?
Francesca answered matter-of-factly.
"That outsider you tried to kill. I came on his orders. To help with Leviathan's revival."
"......"
So it was that man after all.
Francesca picked up the divine power flask that Lunaria's gaze was directed at and said.
"Instead, you have to testify in front of everyone."
"Testify?"
"Yeah, all your evil deeds were actually due to Darkrock's threats and coercion, and you had no choice but to play their puppet role to protect Atlantis. The purpose of trying to revive Leviathan was also your last resistance to drive the evil company from this sea."
At Francesca's proposal, Lunaria quietly bit her lip.
'That's... not true.'
Although the outsider corporate people had spread drugs to addict the Sea Folk and taught them how to make Dragon-Human soldiers, it was Lunaria herself who made the decisions and carried them out.
Blaming all of this on the company might not be a lie, but it was cowardly to avoid responsibility.
Also, Leviathan's revival was for peace through absolute order and to fulfill the Sea Dragon Tribe's wish.
Driving out the company was a secondary issue.
To bury all of this underwater and testify that everything was due to the outsiders' threats?
'No.'
Lunaria clenched her fist and bit her lip.
This wasn't simply a matter of pride.
This was the evil karma accomplished through countless sacrifices.
It was a betrayal of herself, who had resolved to bear that evil karma.
It was also betraying those who had believed in and followed her when she declared she would open a new era.
While Lunaria was lost in thought, Francesca approached her and said quietly.
"Look here, Your Majesty. At this rate, you'll only be recorded as a defeated traitor who was used and then discarded by foreigners. As a notorious villainess who fell for outsiders' tricks, addicted innocent Sea Folk to drugs, and transformed them into Dragon-Human soldiers to cause a racial war."
"......"
"But if you accept this proposal......"
Click-.
Francesca opened the divine power sample and said.
"Your long-cherished wish, Leviathan, will return to this sea, and you'll be eternally remembered as a tragic hero who died gloriously trying to save your people. The chain of hatred that has long tormented the marine races will also be directed toward the common enemy called Darkrock."
At Francesca's last words, Lunaria's eyes widened.
"......!"
"There's nothing to lose. Although the method was wrong, you'll ultimately become the foundation for creating the world you truly wanted. The choice is yours."
Lunaria looked at the outsider before her for a moment, then closed her eyes.
'That's right, the choice is mine.'
Planning His revival in the first place. Accepting the group of outsiders who came to this sea.
Staining her hands with blood that could never be washed clean by borrowing their power.
And as a result, even being placed at such a crossroads now.
The result brought about by the judgments and wrong choices made so far.
Taking responsibility for those choices was also the Queen's role.
Lunaria let out a deep sigh.
'I was prepared for death from the beginning.'
From when she started this work, she hadn't considered her own life.
What was important was seeing His revival with her own eyes.
And as a result, seeing her suffering subordinate races escape the chain of hatred and live peacefully.
Even if it wasn't accomplished by her own hands, if such a world came...
After a long silence, Lunaria finally looked at Francesca with determination.
"Good. I'll accept that proposal."
Queen Lunaria of the Sea Dragons.
She decided to take the leading role in the cruel play that would be her final stage.