Episode 1206
Episode 1206
'Let's consider this as consideration.'
Though internally conflicted, Lee Han decided to accept it for now.
At the very least, it seemed this way would bring him some peace of mind.
[I sense magical energy in the swamp. Os's disciple. Don't recklessly destroy everything—check first. You might learn something.]
"Ah, yes."
Lee Han responded dismissively.
What exactly was there to learn in such a sinister dimension?
His plan was to attack first if anything moved. After seeing the undead earlier, he'd already gauged the average strength of enemies in this area.
There might not even be a need to interrogate or converse with each one...
[I also sense powerful life force. Hmm. There might be other enemies as well.]
"Ah, yes... yes?"
Lee Han paused.
That last statement wasn't something he could dismiss so easily.
Other enemies? What did that mean?
"What do you mean by that?"
[Os's disciple. Considering your family and status, you didn't truly believe visitors to this dimension would be limited to just us, did you?]
The Yaksha King was right.
Those who knew the true nature of Sanguiros—or at least those who coveted his power and domain—were numerous.
Mages, demons, evil god worshippers, and more.
Encountering other visitors here wouldn't be particularly surprising.
Still, there must be a reason you're asking this. From what I see, your reason is...
[The Successor has already departed, by the way.]
The priest with a snake emblem carved into his forehead spoke with evident suspicion.
"Something's strange... something feels off."
Currently, this sect was divided into three groups.
Ordinary devotees—less fanatical but also less tainted by madness.
Mad priests who commanded them, boasting strong faith and Authority.
And finally, the Bishop overseeing those priests—the Undead.
Of course, the Undead himself hadn't come here.
This bishop, who dreamed of eternal life, was both deeply suspicious and thorough. He wasn't the type to personally enter an unfamiliar dimension just because of a deal with the Crone.
Currently, the Undead was borrowing the body of the priest with the snake emblem to command the group.
His available power was greatly diminished, but this allowed for an easy escape if needed.
"What exactly seems strange, Your Excellency?"
A former apothecary turned devotee asked the Undead.
The priests didn't ask unnecessary questions, but the devotees were different. They kept glancing around while firing off questions.
This was because they were still at a stage of weighing faith against personal gain.
The Undead didn't bother mocking or intimidating them.
Most devotees of the Prahgal Cult were lured by the sweet dream of immortality.
Yet, among them, only a select few could truly step into the realm of eternal life.
Those half-hearted ones would soon be weeded out—worthless dregs not even worth the Undead's time to dispose of or consume.
"Did the Sanguiros Cult ever have someone capable of managing a domain of this scale?"
The Undead was puzzled.
Currently, he was tracking Sanguiros's power to uphold his deal with the Crone.
But this domain felt oddly dissonant. The source radiated far stronger power than expected.
Hadn't all of Sanguiros's former bishops been wiped out during the Empire's purge?
'Has a new bishop-level powerhouse emerged? But is that even possible?'
Given the Sanguiros Cult's nature, producing a new bishop-level powerhouse required sacrificing an entire small region.
Unless it involved the old, insular vampire families of the western territories, achieving this in the current climate seemed unlikely.
Unless there was a strategist capable of exceeding the Undead's expectations...
"Moreover, while the power is palpable, the management is sloppy. Is this someone who recently gained power?"
"Those scavengers couldn't possibly be competent! They're worthless trash!"
The devotees flattered him loudly. Concealing his disdain, the Undead commanded:
"True enough. Go! Bring me their heads. Let's see the face of this new bishop!"
At the command, the devotees moved with boisterous energy.
The Prahgal Cult's Authorities came in many forms, but if one were to point out their most common characteristic, it would be their overflowing vitality.
No matter what kind of injury they suffered, they regenerated swiftly—even severed heads could reattach. These Authorities were part of why this Evil God Cult remained consistently popular.
Wriggle—
And these Authorities didn't stop at mere regeneration.
To handle the overwhelming vitality, the cult's devotees often transformed into more complete forms. To unbelievers, they might appear grotesque and horrifying, but within them existed a flawless internal logic.
One devotee shifted into a Chimera with a frame comparable to a mid-sized Golem—a physique that wouldn't be pushed back even when clashing with a troll.
Under the devotees' charge, the undead were swept aside.
Watching the spectacle, The Undead heightened his senses to their limits. If the enemy counterattacked, now would be the moment.
Yet no counterattack came. It was as if they had abandoned this place entirely.
'What in the world...?'
Despite their advantage, The Undead's unease only grew. He couldn't fathom what the enemy was thinking.
"...If the enemy won't move, then we'll just burn them out. Harvest their heads. Let's see if they stay still even when all the minions in their territory fall!"
The Undead split the priests and devotees into separate groups.
Dispersing their forces in a place like this wasn't the wisest choice, but it was advantageous for provoking the enemy.
Surely they wouldn't stay idle even now?
"Priest!"
"!"
As expected, the enemy took the bait.
When those who had gone into the marshland came rushing back, The Undead's eyes gleamed as he demanded:
"Did the enemy appear?"
"N-no, it's not that..."
"?"
"There seems to be another mage in the territory."
"Don't spout nonsense!"
The Undead flatly denied it.
Most Evil God Worshippers established themselves in remote dimensions where the Empire's pursuers struggled to find them.
Naturally, this territory, saturated with Sanguiros' power, was no exception.
The Undead could track them precisely because he was an Evil God Worshipper himself and had clashed with Sanguiros' faction before—but a mere mage couldn't possibly do the same.
Unless they had received an invitation from a Bishop, how could anyone find this place?
"It's true. Others saw them too."
Yet the devotees all insisted. The Undead considered carefully before asking:
"Could they just be lost and wandered in by accident?"
That, at least, was plausible.
Occasionally, among foolish mages, there were those who, blinded by greed and unaware of their own limits, became lost between dimensions.
"No. They were sweeping through the undead."
But the devotees denied it again.
If they were truly lost, they should be fleeing and searching for an escape rather than engaging in combat—yet the mage they saw was excessively aggressive and combative.
"...Follow me."
The Undead lifted the priest's body and stepped forward.
Whether they were friend or foe remained unclear, but he intended to see for himself.
'Were they telling the truth?!'
The Undead's pupils dilated in shock as he spotted the mage in the distance.
Just as the devotees had reported, there was indeed a single mage in the marshland.
This was no lost wanderer—they were far too belligerent for that.
Judging by how they wielded Water Element Magic with precision, they were likely well-trained in it. Even with the relatively low destructive power of Water Element Magic, they were seen clearing out the undead before they could even get close.
'A dangerous one. Who the hell is this?'
A powerful mage was a threat to Evil God Worshippers by their very existence.
Even if they weren't an enemy now, there was no telling when they might become one.
The Undead observed the mage carefully once more.
The opponent wasn't using high-tier magic, but that didn't confirm their level. They might simply have no need to cast it yet.
And that possibility was high. The fact that they had found this place at all suggested they were no ordinary mage.
'Their mana... What in the—?!'
The Undead belatedly realized the opponent's mana capacity and was astonished.
He had been too preoccupied with pondering the mage's identity to notice—this mage hadn't paused for even a single moment, continuously fighting without rest!
"!"
The mage finished the battle and turned his gaze. It seemed he had noticed their approach.
Well, he must have sensed it the moment the cultists spotted him earlier. A mage of that caliber wouldn't have missed something like that.
Instead of a reckless ambush or attack, the Undead spoke with a hint of respect—a rare sight from this arrogant bishop.
"Pleasure to meet you, mage."
"Aren't those the Prahgal Cult members?"
-Judging by the marks carved into their foreheads, they are. Seeing multiple priests here means they've put in considerable effort.
"...We should be fine since we have a contract."
Lee Han recalled his contract with The Crone.
She had clearly stepped in to broker a temporary alliance with Prahgal.
Hamster squeaked in agreement.
-A powerhouse like The Crone doesn't spout nonsense lightly. If she said the deal was done, then it's done.
"Phew."
-But are those guys down there actually aware of it?
Hamster's observation was sharp.
Even if the higher-ups had formed a temporary alliance, the lower ranks might not know. At that remark, Lee Han grimaced.
"Shouldn't you have mentioned that first?"
-......
Hamster twitched in irritation at Lee Han's nitpicking over a few seconds' delay.
-If they don't know, they're probably not high-ranking enough to matter. No need to worry.
"You can say that even after seeing their numbers?"
Lee Han was deeply skeptical.
The memory of Prahgal Cult priests sacrificing themselves to summon powerful undead monstrosities was still vivid—
Surely they wouldn't try summoning something like that again here...?
"Pleasure to meet you, mage."
The priest who appeared to be the leader greeted him. The polite demeanor made Lee Han exhale in relief.
It was possible they were trying to lull him into complacency, but at least they didn't seem intent on attacking for now.
"It seems you're aware of The Crone's contract."
-Seems that way.
"May I ask your name?"
At the priest's question, Lee Han was about to use his usual alias. He wasn't foolish enough to give his real name to an Evil God Worshipper.
"St..."
Just as Lee Han was about to say "Stedal Nago," a chill ran down his spine.
Come to think of it, wasn't that the alias he'd used while raiding the Prahgal Cult?!
"St...?"
"Just a passing acquaintance. No need to exchange names."
Lee Han swiftly deflected. A strange glint flickered in the priest's eyes.
'Something's off.'
It was as if this priest was himself—and yet not. Lee Han focused his mind, strengthening his soul vision.
What he saw then was astonishing. The priest's body housed two souls.
"Two souls in one body? How is that possible?"
-What? Ah... typical Evil God Worshipper tactics. Too afraid to risk their own lives, so they implant soul fragments into subordinates and control them.
Hamster clicked his tongue in distaste.
He wasn't fond of such methods due to their side effects and aftermath, but given his current hamster form, maybe that would've been preferable...
Lost in thought, Hamster shuddered at the ominous surge of mana.
-Watch out! He's invoking a vile Authority!
"What kind of Authority?!"
A sinister force erupted from the snake-marked priest's eyes, attempting to coil around Lee Han—
A power meant to pierce his defenses and probe his innermost self.
Yet the force was effortlessly deflected, dissipating into nothingness. Blood trickled from the snake-marked priest's eyes and nose.
-...Well, that worked out.
"Could you say things a little faster? Focus, please!"
Hamster gnashed his teeth.
Ever since leaving Einrogard, this brat had become especially sharp-tongued.
-I am focusing. That was a sneak attack just now...
While the two muttered, the Undead stopped the bleeding from his body—a side effect of the failed Authority.
The deflection of his Authority was shocking enough, but the mage's utterly unfazed reaction was even more startling.
To remain so composed even after being attacked—!