March to the North Continent
Those approaching from the north. "How fares the front line at present?"
"It remains unchanged. Our Reformato continues to fight today for liberation from the outdated old regime."
"In this great war, we will break free from the shadow of the Holy Kingdom that has oppressed us for so long. We shall crush their alliance, the Holy Alliance, and change the flow of this Midplane."
The most prosperous land in the Midplane. The Second Divine-Demonic Great War reignited on the Central Continent. A kingdom alliance, centered on Magus Civitas, united to escape the shadow of the gods. The war between the Reformato and the Holy Alliance, centered on the Holy Kingdom, to preserve the existing order.
This war, which had dragged on for a full ten years, had exacted immense sacrifices from both sides. Though there had been no direct clashes between the Holy Kingdom and Magus Civitas, it had started with small-scale troop dispatches to support allied kingdoms' front lines, leading to a back-and-forth struggle along major border regions for a decade. The casualties were beyond counting.
Due to the prolonged war, the fields lay untended, their workers lost to forced conscription. Only widows, orphans, and the elderly who had lost their children remained. The dispute between Magus Civitas and the Holy Kingdom over Pladeus's legacy had become the spark that ignited this continent-shaking great war.
"Richard. How progresses the current research?"
"Since last year, we've analyzed what Pladeus researched and finally regained the thread, advancing step by step. Soon, we shall create the Chimera Legion."
Pladeus's forbidden tome. The lich who, upon becoming undead, summoned demons repeatedly and devoted his life to decades of black magic research, blending diverse magical and alchemical knowledge with biological experiments. The former lord of the Black Tower and elder of Magus Civitas. Though he had vanished from the world, his research logs and the forbidden tome he completed in his lifetime were designated national treasures by Magus Civitas—not just preserved, but now fueling new chimera experiments to end this great war.
"We must never forget the noble sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the future of us mages and the new revolution to come."
"Of course! How could we forget? They would understand. Even if life is fleeting, offering it to illuminate the true truth for us mages and this world is a glorious end."
Magus Civitas experimented by capturing conscripted soldiers who lost limbs in the war, severe patients, or wandering beggars, fusing them with monsters or magical beasts to breed a chimera legion. They viewed their actions as noble deeds leading the world to a new flow, convinced that such sacrifices were inevitable. As mages, the only ones chosen in the world, their talents and arrogant human selfishness led them to justify their deeds. They even believed the lowly masses they deemed useless would gladly accept being used as expendable test subjects.
This mindset was shared, to varying degrees, by the majority of mages in Magus Civitas.
"Then, before the next agenda... Gunter. What is Ostis doing now?"
...
"Gunter?"
"He remains the same. Since that incident, he's completely changed. He's still immersed in Pladeus's legacy, developing new black magic and conducting novel chimera experiments."
"I heard he serves as lord of both the White Tower and the Black Tower... Is his madness that severe?"
"Indeed. No matter how much he researches, he says he can't recover his face."
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"Yet thanks to that mad obsession, we've deciphered Pladeus's legacy, and the Chimera Legion project proceeds smoothly. But he says we need more diverse test samples."
"Hmm... Aren't the slaves and beggars requisitioned from other kingdoms enough?"
"Insufficient!! Far too insufficient!!— We need more test subjects!!—"
"Lord Ostis?!"
"We need more people! My face! Yes... my face! And for even more experiments!!—"
The elderly man in a steel mask burst into the conference hall. Ten years prior, he had lost the skin of his face to Actor and failed to restore it—the lord of the White Tower, also serving as lord of the Black Tower, Ostis. His bloodshot eyes visible through the mask spoke of his madness, and without facial skin, even a breeze chilled him to the bone. To restore his face, and immersed in Pladeus's forbidden tome during experiments, he had descended into insanity, far removed from the dignified sage he once was.
"Ostis! The other kingdoms are already struggling to meet our requisition quotas! Indiscriminately scraping every human resource—beggars, the disabled, severe patients, men, women, elderly, children—the alliance is starting to voice complaints about our actions!"
"That's not my concern! We need more test subjects!—"
"Ostis! Enough..."
"Gunter! Calm yourself!"
"Richard! Are you suggesting we follow Ostis's words just like that?! Before coming here, the kingdom alliance has already..."
"Hah!~ Then why not procure from another continent?"
!!!
"Oh!! Another continent?! Yes... that's a solution! Excellent! Splendid! Where shall we go?! The rustic Western Continent still prattling about chivalry? The Antarctic Continent frozen in ice?! The Eastern Continent, roof of the world with endless cliffs and mountains?!"
"There's one more, isn't there? The land forsaken by the world. The worst exile ground. The North Continent."
!!!
The lord of the Red Tower, Richard's proposal left the other two stunned momentarily. But Ostis's eyes sparkled like a child discovering something new, delighted.
"Ahh— yes! That North... where criminals, heretics, and black mage factions steeped in demon worship fled long ago..."
"Exactly! Lord Ostis. Isn't that the perfect place to procure all the test subjects you desire without restraint? Half a year ago, I already sent mages there to establish a base."
"Richard! When did you start such a venture?! I never heard of council approval!"
"I knew of the alliance's growing discontent. Convincing the other elders would take too long, so I proceeded in secret. What do you say, Lord Ostis? Will you head north yourself? The experimental facilities and tower research setups are all ready."
"Kuhuhu... Richard. You're a man of reason, I like that. Ahh— new test subjects! Yes! Yes! This will be a great first step for the progress of magic! Thank you!— I'll depart at once!—"
"Ah! And according to recent intelligence, there's something else that might pique your interest."
"What is it?"
"A criminal organization called the Face Collector has taken root there. According to the survey team's rumors, their leader has no face..."
Kuuuung!— Crack!—
"Dantalian... yes... that bastard who stole my face!! He's on that continent?!"
"Just a rumor. But if it's someone faceless with the moniker Face Collector... perhaps..."
"Kkaduk! Thank you, Lord Richard! I'll never forget this favor! I'll lead my mage legion north at once!"
"Be careful. It's the worst land, teeming with countless demon contractors. A lone figure said to have sunk hundreds of ships. Starting with the Pirate King Samuel, contracted with the sea demon. Then the imperial kin Black Prince Gerhart, who failed a rebellion in the Western Continent but still commands tens of thousands of loyalists—a massive force. It's all common knowledge that he's a demon contractor too."
"I know. But I must go!"
With those words, Ostis departed, burning with the flames of vengeance...
**
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"For the past ten years, I have witnessed your brilliant exploits. Today, I appoint you as the new captain of the Purity Paladins. I, Pope Andre Saint Gregory, bestow divine grace upon Gloria, the servant of purity who follows God's will!—"
"I shall follow God's will! Purity Paladin Gloria! With unwavering faith and devotion, I will drive out the wicked heretics!—"
Clap! Clap! Clap!
In the heart of the Holy Kingdom, amid the gathered faithful and paladins in the papal cathedral's grand hall, Gloria received the pope's blessing and ascended as the new captain of the Purity Paladins. Ten years ago, she had barely survived the dispute triggered by Actor hurling Pladeus's forbidden tome, which ignited the conflict between the Holy Kingdom and Magus Civitas. Mourning the sisters she shared trials with, she channeled her grief into vengeance, roaming battlefields and slaying countless mages and heretics.
Since that incident, she saw all mages as heretics that must be eradicated without compromise—a pure zealot pursuing nothing but sanctity. Yet to others, she exemplified leading the charge against heretics with devout faith, never yielding an inch. To fellow believers, a fanatic was the model of piety.
"Gloria! God issued an oracle yesterday! The wicked wave of heretics flows northward! God does not tolerate it, so as a Purity Paladin, you must block that filthy torrent and purge the unclean heretics and demon worshippers entrenched in the north!—"
"God's servant, Purity Paladin Gloria! I heed the call to drive out the wicked heathens and hideous demon minions! And all mages sowing chaos in this world!—"
"Soon, your brothers and sisters of the Seven Virtues will join you! Preparations are complete, so as the vanguard, advance first to return the north—dominated by evil—to God's embrace!—"
"All shall be executed according to God's will!—"
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"Sister Gloria. Departure preparations are complete."
"Understood. Sisters! We march out immediately!— I will not repeat the mistakes of that day! The wicked demons, mages, and heretics... not one shall remain; I will judge them all in God's name!—"
"""Yes!"""
Thus, Gloria of the Holy Kingdom and Ostis of Magus Civitas led their subordinates northward to the North Continent. Each with their own goals, toward the center of a new vortex of chaos.