Chapter 100
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Thirty-Six Stratagems
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The Thirty-Six Stratagems.
An ancient art of war passed down in Odobaekryeong.
Among them was the stratagem of beating the grass to startle the snake.
This was the core stratagem Dion chose when he decided to take the lead and strike the Demon-Ghost Alliance.
But Dion, having experienced countless battlefields in the Calamity War during his second life, knew.
No matter the stratagem.
It always had its pros and cons.
Luring out the snake was good, but one could just as easily be bitten by it.
Especially if that snake was a massive organization like the Demon-Ghost Alliance.
That was why, when proposing this plan, Dion had set conditions for Pandora—or more precisely, for Urk, the Lord of Nakrang Fortress.
One was that Pandora would protect the Waryong Estate and its territory in preparation for the Demon-Ghost Alliance's counterattack.
And the other was…
“…So we were the ones caught in the trap.”
“Khahaha, to propose that I do the hunting while he acts as bait to draw out an executive of the Demon-Ghost Alliance. A truly audacious young man, isn't he?”
“That isn't audacity. It's madness.”
The twin-headed troll's faces hardened.
Lar Arga pointed out coldly.
Dion's charge against the Demon-Ghost Alliance was practically a suicide mission.
Even if Lar Arga hadn't intervened personally, Dion would have met a terrible end nine times out of ten.
Provoking a massive faction formed by numerous nobles was just that dangerous and reckless.
But at his remark.
The colossal orc, Urk, the Lord of Nakrang Fortress, only grinned more fiercely.
“But it succeeded, didn't it?”
“…”
“Though I never expected him to draw out not just some mid-level executive, but the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance himself.”
No matter how reckless.
As long as it succeeds in the end.
He would have been impressed if Dion had managed to lure out even a few well-hidden executives.
But to draw out the leader himself? That wasn't reckless; it was cunning.
He declared without hesitation.
Urk laughed.
“But what's most surprising is that the elusive Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance was you, my senior.”
“…To think a sniveling brat would call me 'senior.' You've certainly grown.”
“Khahahaha. Now that's a familiar compliment.”
Urk didn't let Lar Arga's derisive words wipe the smile from his face.
Instead, he let out an even more amused laugh and added another comment.
“The previous Lord of Nakrang Fortress, who treated you as a sworn brother, said the same thing.”
“…”
“In that regard, I have a proposal.”
“A proposal? You? To me?”
A brat who, just a hundred years ago, was starving while clinging to a small-to-mid-sized territory of miserable orcs.
As if asking if he even had the right to make a proposal to him.
To the sneering Lar Arga.
Urk smiled and made his offer.
“—Surrender.”
“What?”
“Offer me the Demon-Ghost Alliance and become my vassal.”
“…”
“If you surrender peacefully, I will ensure your family remains among the high nobility.”
This was his final mercy.
The greatest courtesy he could offer as a junior.
After a moment of silence while watching Urk speak with a wide grin.
The twin-headed troll's two heads roared furiously in unison.
“How dare a mere brat!!!”
“I'll kill you!!!”
*KRA-BOOM!*
Along with the roar.
His tattoos began to glow.
He swung a massive fist.
A fist that had knocked even Parsha, a multiple Awakened One, unconscious with just two swings, to say nothing of high-ranking Awakened Ones.
An attack imbued with transcendent power that even Dion, who had already surpassed the level of a high-ranking Awakened One with all his transcendental traits, couldn't withstand for more than a few blows.
*SWOOSH!*
“…!”
“A shame.”
But that fist.
Was blocked too easily.
Not like a windmill, but as lightly as a pencil.
With a twirl.
The poleaxe spinning between the orc's thick fingers sliced clean through the troll's thick wrist.
“Since you've refused my kind offer, I can only serve you punishment.”
Contrary to his words of regret.
Lar Arga didn't bother with petty words toward the orc, who was grinning fiercely.
Instead, he simply unleashed a dense surge of magical energy, instantly regenerating his severed wrist, and made the markings all over his body glow crimson.
And so.
The troll, emitting red magical energy.
And the orc, wreathed in blue aura.
The moment they faced each other and then moved simultaneously.
*KRA-KA-KA-KA-KA-BOOM!!!!!*
A Labyrinth so vast and sprawling that an average crawler would have been lost for over ten days.
—Half of the [Arid Wasteland] was blown away.
***
Unprecedented.
…is what one might say.
But it would be an overstatement.
Odobaekryeong was vast, and while such ferocious battles were rare, one couldn't declare they never happened.
But earth-shattering.
That was a fitting description.
Even if it was only a 1-star Labyrinth.
The sight of the [Arid Wasteland] practically collapsing from the sheer aftermath of their battle was enough to make even high-ranking Awakened Ones tremble in fear.
It was fortunate that it happened in the middle of a sparsely populated Labyrinth.
If such a fight had broken out in the middle of a territory, no matter how sturdy the manor…
No, even a decent castle would have been reduced to rubble.
However, the place thrown into the most chaos by the fight wasn't the [Arid Wasteland].
—It was the Deformed City.
“What? The Lord of Nakrang Fortress and the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance fought?”
“That's ridiculous. The Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance is an old monster who's been operating in the shadows of the Deformed City for over a hundred years.”
“By that logic, the Lord of Nakrang Fortress is a formidable old monster himself, isn't he?”
“Hah, he's just a guy who rode the Calamity Princess's coattails to get where he is.”
“But if the Calamity Princess helped the Lord of Nakrang Fortress, then it's entirely possible, right?”
“…!”
The people were in an uproar.
The Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance was the master of a massive faction whose influence extended throughout the entire Deformed City.
The Lord of Nakrang Fortress was also a renowned powerhouse among the high nobility.
Regardless of who won, the outcome could change the very power structure of the Deformed City.
Especially if one of them had died.
That's why the residents of the Deformed City, especially the nobles, scrambled frantically to gather information as if their feet were on fire.
If the rumors were true, the victor would become a key figure of power in the Deformed City, while the loser would face ruin.
Whether they had ties to one side.
Or no connections at all.
Or had been playing both sides.
They needed to hurry, casting aside all pride, to figure out which side to cut ties with and which to cling to.
Especially since life was first come, first served.
But fortunately.
Or perhaps, unfortunately.
In most cases.
Their efforts ended in vain.
Because before they could find out anything, the result of the battle was publicly announced throughout the Deformed City.
“Hey, the Lord of Nakrang Fortress defeated the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance!”
“Did you hear? The Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance routed the Lord of Nakrang Fortress!”
“…What?”
“What did you say…?”
“No, wait. Where did you hear such nonsense?”
“You're the one spouting nonsense!”
There was just one problem.
The information that was made public wasn't singular.
Thanks to that, the residents of the Deformed City engaged in heated debates, depending on which source of information they trusted.
“Think about it logically. You think the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance, whom even the high nobility couldn't touch, would lose to some old orc?”
“Have you forgotten that the Lord of Nakrang Fortress is the one who devoured a high noble through insubordination?”
Those who argued that the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance must have won because his faction was larger and older.
Those who claimed the Lord of Nakrang Fortress, renowned as a martial artist even among the high nobility, must have been victorious.
Their arguments ran parallel, only adding to the confusion.
The Lord of Nakrang Fortress remained secluded even after the rumors, and the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance was a mysterious figure whose identity was unknown to begin with, which only fueled the speculation.
That was why.
Different from all the rumors so far.
The official announcement from Nakrang Fortress shook the Deformed City once again.
[On the honor of Urk Cortell, Lord of Nakrang Fortress, I shall reveal to all the identity of the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance.]
[—Lar Arga, Lord of Giam Fortress.]
[He is the leader of the Demon-Ghost Alliance.]
“The Lord of Giam Fortress?”
“That old monster was still alive?”
“He hasn't been active for nearly a hundred years, so I thought he was dead… Was that because of the Demon-Ghost Alliance?”
The residents of the Deformed City were abuzz.
Lar Arga was an old monster who had lived for over 300 years, even among transcendent Awakened Ones, whose long lifespans were a consequence of the immense time needed for their training.
He was someone who had already entrusted the affairs of his territory to his successor and had been in semi-seclusion for over a century.
This was a rare occurrence in Odobaekryeong, where most held onto power until their death.
That was why there were rumors he was suffering from an illness.
Or that he had died long ago, and his family was pretending he was still alive to maintain their prestige.
To think he was the leader of the Demon-Ghost Alliance.
It was a fact that not only the commoners but also most of the nobles could never have imagined.
But the truly shocking fact was yet to come.
[Despite being a noble, the Lord of Giam Fortress has forsaken his duty to protect his territory and care for his people, instead forming the Demon-Ghost Alliance to engage in plunder.]
[This is a grave sin, unforgivable for a noble. All those with pride, gather.]
[I, Urk Cortell.]
[On behalf of the Geogwiyeokga, I will punish the Demon-Ghost Alliance and the Lord of Giam Fortress.]
“This is…!”
“…Trouble is brewing.”
“A declaration of war! The Lord of Nakrang Fortress has declared war on the Demon-Ghost Alliance!”
The Deformed City was turned completely upside down.
While rumors had circulated about the Lord of Nakrang Fortress fighting the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance, that could have been dismissed as a dispute between nobles…
But it was rare for nobles to declare war on each other, no matter how much they fought.
They couldn't help but be shocked that a declaration of war had been made between high nobles, one that even included a massive faction like the Demon-Ghost Alliance.
Especially since it was a major event that would happen maybe once every few decades, even in the most war-torn cities.
Moreover, the surprises didn't end with Urk's declaration of war.
[Urk Cortell, Lord of Nakrang Fortress, is a plunderer who despicably ambushed the Lord of Giam Fortress.]
[When his ambush failed, he became a coward who framed the Lord of Giam Fortress as the leader of the Demon-Ghost Alliance.]
[I, Lar Arga, Lord of Giam Fortress.]
[As a historic noble of the Deformed City, I will punish his indulgence on behalf of the noble alliance.]
[The families that concur are as follows…]
“…It's certain now that the rumors of the Lord of Giam Fortress's death were false.”
“Though it seems true that he was the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance.”
“No, we can't be sure. Who knows what kind of scheme the Lord of Nakrang Fortress, a man who even committed insubordination, might have cooked up.”
Even up to that point.
People were merely shaken.
They weren't greatly surprised.
Whether the Lord of Giam Fortress was truly the leader of the Demon-Ghost Alliance or not, it was only natural for him to respond after receiving such a declaration of war.
But one detail attached to the end of Lar Arga's proclamation.
No, to be precise, a list, was enough to stun every noble in the Deformed City.
“…49? Forty-nine families?”
“That many nobles have allied with the Lord of Giam Fortress?”
“My goodness…”
Forty-nine noble families.
Most of them were lower nobles or fallen nobles without territories, but on the other hand, there were over ten lordly families among them.
A rough estimate of the high-ranking Awakened Ones belonging to them would be in the hundreds.
Adding the lower-ranking Awakened vassals and regular soldiers, the number would exceed the thousands.
It was an astonishing military force, even for the populous Deformed City.
And so, they realized.
No, they couldn't help but realize.
‘Has the Demon-Ghost Alliance revealed its true form?’
‘Seeing them reveal the forces they've hidden so thoroughly until now…’
‘…It seems the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance has been cornered.’
That the Lord of Nakrang Fortress, inferior in terms of forces, could be so bold.
And that the Lord of the Demon-Ghost Alliance was in such a disadvantageous position that he had to reveal the forces he had kept hidden.
And also, where the starting point of this whole conflict was.
‘Could it be…’
‘…Did all of this happen because of the White-Masked Young Master?’
No matter how much of a commotion he caused, the White-Masked Young Master was just a promising new star, a reckless pup who had foolishly charged at the Demon-Ghost Alliance.
But even a mere butterfly becomes a boss monster if its flapping wings can cause a typhoon.
If this was all because of the White-Masked Young Master.
No, if it was something the White-Masked Young Master had intended and even intervened in…
People began to suspect.
That perhaps.
Just maybe, even if it was a one-in-a-million chance.
…the White-Masked Young Master might already be a being who shouldn't be dismissed as a mere new star.