Chapter 351
Chapter 351
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 351
Chapter Title: Land of Sorcery vs Land of Martial Prowess (1)
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Land of Sorcery. In that place, which should have been teeming with magic-type familiars, the ones rampaging were none other than those wielding swords and blades, axes and spears, blunt weapons—various cold arms.
An invasion from another world? No. Wielding cold arms brimming with aura were none other than the familiars themselves. Just like the ones dying left and right.
A civil war had broken out in the Familiar Demon Realm.
Land of Sorcery vs Land of Martial Prowess.
The familiars residing in the Land of Martial Prowess adjacent to the Land of Sorcery were trampling the Land of Sorcery under the command of the King of Martial Prowess.
“Hmm, interesting.”
On his way to the site of a massive explosion, he came across a small village littered with the corpses of spellcasting familiars. They had been overwhelmingly slaughtered, one-sidedly sliced apart.
But what was interesting was that most of those felled at the site of the massive explosion weren’t spellcasters.
Melted and broken weapons littered the ground, and those who hadn’t been swept up in the blast were gritting their teeth and charging forward.
“As expected, they’re strong on defense.”
Kwaaang! Kwarung! Kwarururung!
But even that wasn’t going well. The battlements atop the walls were packed with spellcasting familiars unleashing indiscriminate barrages.
Among them were master-level skills mixed in—unusual, terrifying skills that weren’t commonplace.
If one got caught in them carelessly, survival seemed unlikely unless they were the King of Martial Prowess or one of his direct subordinates.
Since Rokan had infiltrated the interior first, this was his first time witnessing the spellcasting familiars properly defending in a siege.
Their resistance was so fierce that he wondered if even he could have smashed through the gates and taken the lord’s head if they’d fought like this.
“Break through! Smash the gates and drag them out!”
But the enemy wasn’t pushovers either.
Knowing that retreating now would just pile up losses and lead to the same result next time, they were attempting a frontal breakthrough.
“Sword Veil!”
“Aura Barrage!”
“Skyward Dance!”
Swords versus magic. Magic had the advantage at range, naturally, but they were trying to force their way through with brute strength.
Most magic exploded on impact, so they were launching aura-infused skills to intercept and neutralize them in midair.
Kwarurung!
Even so, they couldn’t block everything—many spells inflicted damage just from the shockwaves of the cancellations—but the attackers pressed on stubbornly.
Having lost two major strongholds, the familiars of the Land of Sorcery calculated that they could profit even with human wave tactics.
“Hmm, I see.”
Watching them from the sky, Rokan turned Kai via their mental link.
He wanted to crash the party and wreak havoc, but just farming hunt EXP wouldn’t mean much.
Better to hunt the familiars scattered all over the hunting grounds.
That was why he headed straight for Madrichan, the stronghold of the Sorcerous King.
The familiars from the Land of Martial Prowess seemed to have the upper hand, and joining their side might be the easier path to victory in the war—but would those cocky bastards treat him right?
High risk, but siding with the underdogs always yielded juicier rewards.
“Who goes there!”
As he entered Madrichan’s gates, the guards glared at Rokan warily, eyes bulging.
He wanted to head straight to the inner castle where the Sorcerous King was, but that would spark a fight before any talk, so he’d come through the gates.
“A human?”
“A human here…?”
“He’s been sent by the King of Martial Prowess!”
Of course, entering through the gates didn’t mean a warm welcome. In wartime, suspicion ran high.
“I want to see the Sorcerous King.”
That was why Rokan came on strong. No need for him to bow and scrape, right?
The familiars guards faltered at Rokan’s boldness.
“Uh… Do you know Matulda?”
“Should I report that to him?”
No, they shouldn’t. The guards grew confused, then quickly sent someone to inform the inner castle.
“Matulda says he’ll see you.”
“This way.”
After a short wait, word came from inside. The Sorcerous King Matulda would meet Rokan.
Likely because there were no witnesses, even if traces remained—they didn’t know it was Rokan who’d obliterated their two great cities. As the first visitor to the Familiar Demon Realm, he probably sparked some curiosity.
Escorted by the guards, he entered the inner castle and stepped into Matulda’s office.
As a visitor with an inventory, he wasn’t disarmed.
“You’re Rokan?”
[Sorcerous King, Matulda][Lv 477]
As expected, a powerhouse well over level 450. An overwhelming might emanated from him, incomparable to the likes of Gomtan.
“Yes.”
Even Rokan had to be courteous in this atmosphere.
But contrary to expectations, Matulda’s eyes held no goodwill toward him.
“After smashing my cities to bits, what nerve brings you here? Shall I hear it?”
“……!”
The reason soon became clear. Whether probing or certain, he spoke as if he knew Rokan was the culprit.
“What do you mean…?”
Rokan flinched inwardly but couldn’t show it.
He feigned ignorance, but Matulda’s expression grew venomous.
“Hmph! Playing dumb? You underestimate the power of sorcery!”
Ziiing.
In that instant, a sphere of mana formed before Rokan.
“An attack?”
Rokan tensed briefly, but relaxed as images flowed from within.
Because what it showed was none other than himself.
‘A survivor?’
No. This wasn’t extracted from a survivor’s memory.
More like the space, the world itself, remembering.
Angles unfolded that no single viewpoint could capture.
“…….”
With clear evidence, Rokan had nothing to say.
An alert showed Matulda’s favor plummeting in real time, but for now, no attack came—that was a blessing.
‘Hmph, doesn’t matter, does it?’
Cowering like a criminal soured his mood.
What crime had he committed? Sure, he’d caused damage, but it was all per his contract with Azar.
The contract forbade revealing it, so no snitching, but if push came to shove, he could smash through or switch to the Land of Martial Prowess side.
“Yes. I did it.”
“You little…!”
Was it because of that? Or considering visitors didn’t permadie?
Matulda didn’t hide his rage but refrained from striking rashly.
If not an assassin, then he had some agenda. He’d hear if it helped or hurt first.
“I’m not your subordinate, Matulda. For the right price, I’ll back anyone, anytime.”
Matulda’s killing glare sharpened, but as king, he held back. He had to exploit even unwelcome situations if profitable.
Moreover, Rokan openly admitted he’d acted on someone else’s orders, not his own whim.
“So, you’d back me too?”
Matulda didn’t press on who’d sent him. Revenge later—victory now mattered more.
“Depending on the case.”
Rokan grinned. Finally, they were talking sense.
“Then join me now and stop those vile bastards. I’ll forgive your crimes.”
“No thanks?”
“You…!”
Matulda offered magnanimously, but Rokan had zero intention of working for free.
EXP bonuses alone profited, but why settle when he could squeeze more?
If he joined the Land of Martial Prowess instead and drove Matulda out, he’d gain similar—or greater—rewards without backlash.
Seeing Rokan’s brazenness after causing this mess, fury boiled in Matulda, but he couldn’t act freely. He was the desperate one.
Kill Rokan here, and if he respawned and joined the enemy? Disaster.
He didn’t know Rokan’s full power, but a lone wolf who’d razed two metropolises turning foe would be catastrophic—he knew that much.
“What do you want?”
“You tell me. Make an offer.”
Trembling with rage, Matulda sat at the negotiation table. Rokan smirked slyly in response.
***
“Heh heh heh, kill them! Trample them and bring glory to Lord Muton!”
“Kaaak!”
“Yeah, like that… Gahk!”
Land of Sorcery. The raiders sweeping through a small village like bandits widened their eyes.
They’d bypassed the fences with ambushes, then massacred the helpless spellcasters who couldn’t compete up close—their bodies exploded, blood spraying.
With the blood, familiar mana dispersed, and they dropped their weapons.
“Nothing to it.”
Moments later, only one stood armed in the village.
Rokan.
Sieges still raged at the major strongholds including the great cities, but instead of aiding them, Rokan hunted the melee familiars scattered everywhere.
Couldn’t vacuum EXP all at once, but no need for Blood Awakening—that was huge.
Per his deal with Matulda, he could enter his territory anytime, so he wouldn’t miss key battles.
“Pretty juicy.”
Income was solid, though.
Each isolated group numbered dozens to hundreds, and villages not fully fallen got spellcaster support, easing fights and boosting gains.
Spellcasters didn’t loot spoils anyway.
Part of the deal with Matulda and Rokan.
Plus, the EXP was no joke.
Level 350 familiars abounded, but level 400+ were needed for anything beyond villages.
Most grandmasters were at sieges, but plenty scattered for villages.
Now all Rokan’s EXP.
“This is way more comfortable.”
Easier opponents too.
For Rokan, melee thugs charging with weapons beat erratic mages any day.
“Looks like it’s starting.”
As he liberated villages and sniped guerrillas, the battlefield shifted. The invaders from the Land of Martial Prowess noticed anomalies.
Contact lost with scattered forces, spellcasters regrouping for guerrilla hits—they had breathing room now.
Thus, the melee familiars started clustering too. Not ideal against spellcasters, but better than piecemeal annihilation.
Instead, they chose pinpoint breakthroughs.
Concentrate force, seize key points.
-Rokan, head to Moston now! Hurry!
A message spell reached Rokan mid-hunt of unjoined familiars. Matulda’s voice.
A battle to reshape the Familiar Demon Realm was about to begin.