Chapter 707: An Unavoidable Trap (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 707: An Unavoidable Trap (6)
"How did you know Hister was here?"
"Another stupid question. Do you need to see a mosquito to know you've been bitten? I am a part of Mother. All the energy in Huphester is composed of her power."
The power Dipus had received from Rosa far exceeded Ilina’s expectations.
She should have given that power to me. Why the Fourth Flagbearer…? Is she implying that Runcandel blood comes first, even now?
Dipus wore a mocking smirk, as if he could see right through Ilina’s thoughts.
"When will you ever cast aside that arrogance? You're not so different from Joshua. You both have nothing but your backgrounds, yet you’re both filled with insatiable greed and get flustered the moment things don't go your way."
"Hmph. Do I look like a joke to you just because Mother gave you a sliver of her power?"
"You are a joke. The fact that you’re still obsessed with resurrecting Heluram through Mother proves it. You may revere Mother, but you offer her no loyalty. Your allegiance still lies with Heluram."
"Yes, yes. Think whatever you like."
"But listen closely, Prophet. Heluram will never awaken. Do you truly believe Mother desires the end of the world?"
"The end… that is merely an inevitable consequence of Mother’s transformation into a perfect Evil God…"
Ilina’s eyes widened.
"Are you suggesting Mother has no intention of attaining complete godhood?"
"Indeed. For the name of Runcandel to endure, there must be people to remember and worship it. A world of nothing but ash and dust is not worth ruling. You might believe that Mother’s instincts as an Evil God will eventually crave destruction, but if you continue down that path, you'll end up just like Joshua."
Slowly, Dipus rose from his seat.
The Eternal Fire clinging to his upper body still refused to be extinguished.
"If you understand, then stop wasting time and do your job. The youngest will be here soon. That brat never misses an opportunity."
"…The fact that we’ve temporarily halted the invasion because of that fire on you can hardly be called an opportunity for the Twelfth Flagbearer. Even if they come to strike this place, we still hold an overwhelming advantage."
"This is getting frustrating. This is exactly why you and Joshua are always outmaneuvered by the youngest. We are in a greater crisis now than ever before. Mother cannot move, and the fire on me likely won't go out until the youngest arrives. That means if a battle breaks out, I might actually lose to him."
"You… might lose?"
"Yes. That is why I must set the stage. A stage where Runcandel does not lose, even if I do."
*
Jin shared the information Valeria had uncovered with Veradin and Zephyrin.
"…So the reason the Garden of Swords halted its invasion of the Human World is because you landed a blow on the Fourth Flagbearer? And Hister confirmed this by reading the records of the Dimensional Gate left in the Scholl Principality."
"Correct."
"Until now, the main forces of the Garden of Swords seemed to resurrect almost immediately after dying, but the Fourth Flagbearer has suffered an injury he hasn't been able to recover from for days… That’s quite significant. Their regenerative power comes from the Evil God. Has something gone wrong?"
"Whether something went wrong or not, it’s almost certain that the Evil God is currently unable to heal the Fourth Flagbearer. I see why Sir Jin insisted on moving so quickly," Zephyrin said.
Jin nodded at their words.
"Every second counts. Once the Fourth Flagbearer recovers, they’ll resume their invasion through mass teleportation. Every other power has already taken heavy damage and failed to mount a proper response. We've only been spared because they haven't targeted Tikan yet. If they invade like this a few more times, the Human World will be finished before we even get to the final battle with the Evil God."
"So, in this counter-offensive, we must not only rescue the prisoners but also find a way to suppress their mass teleportation in the future?" Veradin asked.
"Exactly. If we don't find it this time, there is no future."
"We’ll need to mobilize forces on a scale that could be called a semi-total war. To bring back the rescued prisoners, the naval power of each faction will be essential. This will essentially be a dress rehearsal for the final battle against the Evil God…"
"We'll also need to bring special engineers and researchers along to find clues about their mass teleportation," Zephyrin added.
Zipple would send its top researchers from the Magic Tower, along with Veradin. From Kinzelo—since Cold Jo had already been captured—Bubar and Orgal would join. From Tikan, key figures like Valeria, Quaul, and Latri would have to take to the front lines.
"How about dawn, two days from now, Jin?" Zephyrin proposed.
"That sounds good to me. One of the temporary alliance’s greatest assets is my master, and she’ll need at least that much rest to unleash power worthy of her reputation. She was so exhausted she sent me to this meeting in her place."
Jin nodded.
All that remained was to finalize the details of the operation and pray that Dipus would not recover within those two days.
*
Dawn, May 22, 1803. Near the bow of the Ship Puberty.
The hour of the counter-offensive had arrived. Valeria had been monitoring the Dimensional Gate in the Scholl Principality, and fortunately, there were no records indicating that the Gate of Chaos was reopening.
"See? What did I tell you? I told you your fire was special. That Dipus fellow must be suffering through terrible agony even now," Vail said.
Jin considered how to respond to the tactless former member of the Ten Great Knights but decided to remain silent. Mary must have heard Vail’s voice as well.
She didn't react, her gaze fixed on the distant, dark horizon.
Tikan’s forces were currently aboard Mary and Cosmos’s fleet, waiting for Orgal. They had decided to use his Steel Gate to move instantly to the heart of Ricalton and the nearby Huphester territorial waters.
"Youngest."
"Yes, Sister."
"I’m saying this just in case, but don't even think about trying to save Brother Dipus. He's not like Sister Luntia. He's already killed too many people, even if it wasn't by his own will."
"…I know."
Jin felt the same. Initially, he had wanted to save Dipus just as he had Luntia, but there was no hope now.
Above all, the current Dipus was not an opponent he could afford to be lenient with. If he faced him with a half-hearted resolve, the comrades on this ship would be the ones to die.
Just as when they had gone to the Land of the Sword Emperor to save Dante, the Barmul Alliance had mobilized nearly all its strength.
From Runcandel survivors like Mary and the Tona brothers to the key figures who were always on standby in Tikan, as well as large-scale forces from Nameless, the Secret Palace, and the Empire, everyone was participating.
In fact, only Casimir and the Royal Guard remained behind; everyone else was heading to the battlefield.
"Ugh, Sir Jin. Tikan won't be attacked the moment we arrive in Ricalton, will it?"
"That’s why we left the Red Owl behind, Enya. Valeria was reading the records of the Dimensional Gate until just a moment ago," Quicantel answered Enya’s question.
"Phew, I’m still worried. Especially about Yuria… She’ll be okay, right? I’m so worried she'll have a breakdown while we're gone. The King has to stay on standby, so he won't have time to look after her, and my Teacher isn't exactly the type who’s good at comforting people."
"Beris has actually been seen playing quite well with Yuria lately. Pinte and Kou are there, too. So don't worry too much, and just focus on us finishing the mission and returning safely."
"That’s right, Enya. Don't forget that you are the head of Tikan’s magic squad. If you lose focus, your subordinates will feel even more anxious."
Clank. Alisa ruffled Enya’s hair while checking her gauntlets.
"Ugh, I understand, Commander."
"You might not have many good memories of the Empire… but most of the Imperial citizens taken to Ricalton are weak and powerless people, just like you were back then. So let’s save them and send them back to their daily lives."
"Hey, do you really think I’d be reluctant to save people from the Empire? I was just worried about the Commander’s daughter. I’m hurt that you’d see me that way! Even if there are nobles who bullied me among the prisoners, it doesn't matter. Hmph, I’ve already overcome all that thanks to Sir Jin."
"I was just saying, cutie. I know better than anyone how kind our Enya is."
"Right, right. I’m sure there are members of my official fan club and your unofficial fan club among those captured. Since we’re the presidents, we have to save them."
"Please stop talking nonsense, Lady Sandra."
"Hedo, you must never call me by my real name if we’re around my members. You must refer to me as Nodab Sarsaeng, understood? So as not to damage my aura of mystery."
"Sigh."
"Regardless, Orgal is late… I hope there hasn't been a hitch in the plan already," Valkas said, looking at his pocket watch.
3:07 AM.
It was only seven minutes late, but given the scale of the operation, everyone was growing anxious.
Unlike Tikan, which was using Orgal’s Steel Gate, the Zipple and Kinzelo fleets were flying directly to Ricalton. The plan was for Orgal to split Tikan’s forces between the center of Ricalton and its territorial waters once the Zipple fleet—carrying the Imperial forces—reached the northern border and the Kinzelo fleet—carrying the Secret Palace and Nameless—reached the west.
Tick, tock, splash…!
As the scheduled time continued to slip away, the waves, dyed black by the night sky, crashed relentlessly against the fleet.
When more than thirty minutes had passed and the anxiety of the entire fleet was reaching its peak, a massive Steel Gate finally began to form in the air.
"Orgal!"
Orgal, emerging from the Steel Gate, already looked quite exhausted.
"I’m sure you were all worried because I was late. There is no problem with the operation. In fact, a stroke of good luck has occurred."
"Good luck?"
At Jin’s question, Orgal nodded.
"I had a bad feeling, so I went ahead on a solo reconnaissance mission. While I was there, the Evil God's energy surged out of control. The delay was because our allies waited for the aftermath to settle before advancing."
"How is that good luck?"
"That surge was like the Evil God talking in its sleep, Jin. For some reason—likely because it is receiving despair—the Evil God is currently in a state where it cannot move freely. It must have flinched at the external stimulus of my intrusion. This means the possibility of the Evil God personally intervening in this battle has become very low."