Episode 1213
Episode 1213
Hierdan paused briefly before nodding.
Then he abruptly left to continue commanding the yakshas.
When the Death Knights confirmed the eldest son of the Wardanaz family had disappeared, they exclaimed in shock.
"Don't tell me he's planning some scheme without telling us!?"
We need to make the Evil God lower his guard—you don't seriously expect him to explain everything to allies first, do you? Experienced knights like you shouldn't be making such foolish remarks, so clearly the reason is your frustration at being excluded from battle...
"That's not it!"
The knights bristled and denied it. Of course, the Yaksha King wasn't one to back down from such reactions.
'Seeing how emotionally they're resisting makes me even more convinced my guess is likely correct.'
"......"
No one could win against the Yaksha King.
If they agreed, he'd conclude it as agreement. If they denied, he'd conclude 'Your denial proves I'm right'—an invincible king indeed!
The Death Knights whispered among themselves.
"Lord Hierdan wouldn't attempt assassination, would he?"
"No. Even if he did, it'd be after the expedition ends. He knows how to separate public and private matters."
"Then it's fine, I suppose."
The knights exchanged meaningful glances before nodding.
Truthfully, the Yaksha King was neither their master nor their friend. Even if he were assassinated, they probably wouldn't feel particularly sad.
They might feel slightly sad if it were the Skeleton Principal though...
"Have you accepted it now?"
"Ah. Yes. You're absolutely right, as expected of your wisdom."
When the Yaksha King addressed them, the Death Knights quickly responded. Some even rubbed their palms together in flattery.
Observing this, the Yaksha King grew curious again.
'There must be a reason they're acting unlike themselves...'
"Your Majesty! Speaking of which, what's this new magic the successor has acquired?!"
The Death Knights desperately shouted.
Though it was an improvised excuse to divert attention, it turned out to be a surprisingly good question. The Yaksha King showed interest.
'It's likely Small World Dynamis. Considering the circumstances, that's the most probable.'
This wise Yaksha King possessed the insight to predict future events from fragmentary information alone.
Considering the battle records from the Crazy Doppelganger and how Os's disciple would likely refuse the Evil God's proposal...
The magic most likely to awaken would be Small World Dynamis.
"......"
"Uh, that... isn't that magic somewhat dangerous?"
The Death Knights were flustered.
Unlike Small World Basilios, Small World Dynamis was dangerously lethal to the caster if misused—a double-edged sword that forcibly dragged forth future possibilities.
But the Yaksha King remained composed.
'Os's disciple would have sufficient control over it.'
"...You must have valid reasons, right?"
The knights' eyes pleaded, 'Please convince us at least.'
Don't tell me you're just saying he can control it because he's Os's disciple?
Didn't I just state the reason?
"Huh?"
I clearly said Os's disciple would have sufficient control.
"......"
The Death Knights now seriously considered that Hierdan might assassinate the Yaksha King after this expedition.
'That eccentric old man's time to die has finally come!'
The heavily armed yakshas waited for Hierdan's orders with burning eyes.
Though each was a monster boasting formidable power, they were prepared to follow even a complete stranger's commands.
Loyalty to a wise king extends even to those who bear his authority.
"Yakshas of the Seventh Gold Mountain, listen. Before this flame extinguishes, capture the Tower of Heart Thirst. Failure will be punished."
Sanguiros, having awakened his ego relatively recently, revealed vulnerabilities in managing his domain.
A dimensional realm should be efficiently structured against enemy attacks, yet this being seemed more intent on flaunting his power, haphazardly placing numerous structures.
These buildings and the revenants guarding them were ultimately all formed from the Evil God's power.
His clumsy attempts at boasting would only lead to losses when attacked—this failure revealed the unstable psychology of the Evil God.
In truth, the most efficient strategy would have been to devour everything in the domain to amplify Sanguiros's own power.
Without any useful followers or subordinates, summoning the undead into his domain would not have strengthened Sanguiros's forces in the slightest.
Vanity.
The vanity from his days of worship would become this Evil God's fatal weakness.
-Understood!
The Yaksha legions, entrusted with the blue flames, immediately set out.
Once the order was given, they would unleash their attacks with their race's inherent brutality until the tower crumbled.
As they disappeared, Hierdan issued another command.
"Yaksha of the Northern Victory Place, listen. Follow the Yaksha of the Seventh Gold Mountain, but do not reveal yourselves. If they fall into a trap, emerge and counterattack."
-...Yes!
The newly ordered Yaksha were taken aback but obeyed nonetheless.
Such was the loyalty they had sworn.
The remaining Yaksha cautiously asked,
-Your Excellency. Might we ask one question?
"No. Yaksha of the Crystal Tower, prepare to advance."
Hierdan firmly refused.
Of course, he could have kindly explained it to these Yaksha as well.
Among the gathered Yaksha, those from the Seventh Gold Mountain were the most arrogant and unruly, making them highly likely to blunder if given direct orders.
Thus, the correct move was to send them to the Tower of Heart Thirst—a key strategic point in the domain where counterattacks would be easiest—while protecting them with the most seasoned Yaksha of the Northern Victory Place.
At the very least, until the expedition ended, the Yaksha of the Seventh Gold Mountain would act cautiously, if only out of shame.
"Yaksha of the Crystal Tower, destroy the Red Altar Hall. The Evil God is deeply attached to it, so much of his power lingers there. It must be shattered before he notices."
-Understood!
With the departure of the Yaksha from the Crystal Tower, only one legion remained.
Hierdan looked at them and spoke.
"The reason I prevented the Yaksha of the Crystal Tower from asking questions is that they were unreliable. But you, Yaksha of the Great Iron Ring Mountains, may ask freely. For you are the most exceptional of the Yaksha."
-!!!
The last group of Yaksha nearly jumped for joy.
No matter how arrogant or violent a Yaksha was, remaining indifferent to such praise was difficult.
This was praise from the commander entrusted by their king, after all.
-Truly an honor! Those from the Crystal Tower have always been cowardly and prone to useless chatter.
"I think so too. You, the Yaksha of the Great Iron Ring Mountains, are the most dependable and powerful. That is why I entrust this to you. Destroy the Blood Mist Grave Basin."
-If we fail to destroy it first, you may call us Yaksha of the Crystal Tower!
Hierdan nodded.
These Yaksha were quite easy to handle.
The Yaksha from the Crystal Tower, being weak to authority, could be overwhelmed simply by wielding dominance without entertaining any questions.
In contrast, the Yaksha of the Great Iron Ring Mountains, being the most vain, would wag their tails on their own if praised for being unlike the others.
"If all the other Yaksha were like those of the Great Iron Ring Mountains, this expedition would be far smoother. The Great Iron Ring Mountains are the best, followed by the Yaksha of the Northern Victory Place."
-Those from the Northern Victory Place are somewhat useful too.
The Yaksha of the Great Iron Ring Mountains swelled with satisfaction again.
They didn't have particularly bad relations with the Northern Victory Place Yaksha, and since they had been ranked first, there was no reason to be upset.
If they later met the Northern Victory Place Yaksha—who had been sent to tail the Seventh Gold Mountain Yaksha without explanation—it might be good to relay this praise.
'Good.'
Hierdan was certain he had fully secured control over the four Yaksha legions, manipulating and deceiving them as needed.
-But, Your Excellency. It seems your younger sibling is present—wouldn't it be better for us to go and provide escort?
"My sibling will handle things on their own, so your concern is unnecessary. Go and destroy the basin."
-Yes! Understood!
As the last legion of Yaksha departed, Hierdan sank briefly into thought.
He had indeed considered bringing Lee Han along as the yaksha suggested, but now that the expedition was underway, he couldn't act recklessly.
Of course, that didn't make the Yaksha King's scheming any less disgusting.
Manipulating his younger brother so brazenly.
'I had no idea he was such a vulgar bastard.'
Hierdan himself had always manipulated his brother with kindness and consideration—enough to make even his younger brother happy.
Compared to that, the Yaksha King's control was truly...
The distant howl of the Evil God snapped Hierdan out of his thoughts.
The enemy's screams were a good sign.
'Time to move on to the next plan.'
"Are you okay!?"
"I'm... I'm fine."
-You've recovered somewhat. But don't push yourself too hard!
Mahuda made a remark that was unusually considerate for a demon.
But the situation left no choice. His master's condition had been that bad.
Perkuntra, still concerned, pressed further.
How did you even recover? Did you have such Authority?
-I shared the damage with the spirits. And with those demons over there...
......
Perkuntra momentarily pitied the demons trapped inside the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons.
Being imprisoned was bad enough, but suddenly having to share the mage's exhaustion and agony?
Mahuda would likely be viciously attacked as a traitor by his own kind if he ever went back down.
You...
-I don't care. As long as I can kill the undead, I couldn't care less about the petty squabbles of those vermin.
"Did we... actually escape?"
Lee Han coughed and asked.
He had forcibly elevated the spatial teleportation spell he'd learned into Small World Dynamis to cast it, but he wasn't entirely sure it had worked properly.
We definitely escaped. And it seems something's happening to that bastard. He can't even spare attention for us.
"It looks like he's doing something."
Lee Han guessed the Yaksha King must be occupied with something.
Though he had no idea Hierdan was here too.
"For now, let's regroup with the main force led by the yaksha bast—no, the Yaksha King."
Pop!
"Lee Han!"
The professors appeared alongside the pale-faced angel. Apazragon looked even worse off than Lee Han.
At first, Lee Han wondered if the angel had been attacked by the Evil God, but the way the three professors subtly avoided his gaze suggested...
"Professor Garcia! What happened to the angel—"
"Nothing happened! More importantly, Lee Han, are you alright?"
"I'm fine too."
......
-......
Perkuntra and Mahuda were dumbfounded.
Are they seriously saying that right now?
After summoning spirits and demons, with traces of the Small World still lingering...
I'm not a mage, but even I know you shouldn't lie so blatantly.
-I agree.
Professor Kirmin, equally baffled, glared at Lee Han. But Lee Han stood his ground.
His experiences in the fortress had toughened him up.
'Professors are more reckless than I thought.'
Well, technically just one professor, but still—it gave him courage.
Maybe he could afford to act a little more freely!
From Professor Garcia and Professor Kirmin's perspective, this was an utterly unfair mindset. They weren't as unruly as Professor Voladi.
"I swear, I'll send you straight to the Punishment Room...!"
Though the other professors would stop her, Professor Garcia still wanted to threaten Lee Han with the Punishment Room this time.
She had explicitly told him not to enter the fortress, yet he'd gone ahead anyway.
"Sounds like a decent idea."
"?!!"
Professor Garcia jolted in shock, staring at Professor Voladi.
Since when did he say things like that?!
Professor Kirmin and even Lee Han looked at Professor Voladi in surprise.
"You're seriously sending him?!"
"Well, even if I go in, I can just leave right away."
"Wardanaz, what's gotten into you too?!"
Professor Kirmin whispered in panic.
Had the Yaksha King's unreasonable orders angered him?
For Wardanaz to show such defiance...
"More importantly, what's wrong with the angel?"
"Nothing happened. Wardanaz."
-The mages threatened me. The dimensional tremors from the Evil God's rage weren't my fault.
The angel spoke quietly.
It might have been his imagination, but there was a faint trace of sorrow in his voice.