Chapter 353: The Tin Knight and the Land of Emerald (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 353: The Tin Knight and the Land of Emerald (3)
From the Heavenly Realm's perspective, the surface was a lowly place.
Not only was it in a physically lower position, but it was also psychologically and politically inferior.
The surface was merely a shield and breakwater holding back the underground, a source from which the Heavenly Realm procured talent and resources, and a colony to be sucked dry to the bone, a straw stuck deep within it.
Therefore, the Heavenly Realm had always paid meticulous attention to the surface.
To ensure the surface never felt aversion toward them. To ensure the surface’s power never surpassed their own.
To ensure the rulers of the surface were content to join hands with the Heavenly Realm and receive its benefits rather than oppose it.
To make nations and factions that developed beyond what was necessary clash with their competitors, or else self-destruct.
They used methods that were as indirect and inconspicuous as possible, as overly blatant interference would only breed resentment and discontent.
Previously, things had always gone their way.
But not this time.
Their plan to kill the Great Teacher of the Magic State and topple the magic towers, their plan to incite a rebellion to bring about the Empire’s downfall, their plan to use the eight sacred treasures to provoke conflict between nations, and even their plan to banish the major powers of each country and seize control of the surface in the ensuing vacuum—all had failed.
The Heavenly Realm now had to admit that they could no longer exist as shadow rulers.
The nations of the surface would now act while considering the Heavenly Realm a competitor, or even an outright enemy. No matter what the Heavenly Realm said, they would no longer listen.
Therefore, there was only one method left.
To erase everything.
To wipe out all the current rulers who doubted and distrusted the Heavenly Realm, and upon the ruined continent, to once again carve out a history and a faith that suited their tastes.
It wasn't a particularly difficult task. It was, after all, their specialty.
*
Whoooosh!
A colossal energy gathered in the sky, and once it reached a certain threshold, it was fired fiercely toward the surface.
Blocking its path was the strongest Wizard of the era: Glinda.
Protecting the surface from the aftershocks was the strongest Enchantress of the era: Orin.
The might of the two witches was truly immense, a power befitting their title as two of the Four Great Witches.
As long as the two witches remained, it seemed impossible for the Heavenly Realm to destroy the surface, no matter what they tried.
—That is, if one ignored the fact that this was already the seventh beam of ruin fired from the sky.
Whoooosh!
As the Heavenly Realm unfailingly began to gather the eighth beam of light, Glinda’s expression hardened.
“…They intend to drag this into a war of attrition.”
Glinda was unquestionably the strongest Wizard.
While the Witch of the East, Nesarose, was the highest in stature among the Four Great Witches, Glinda could fight her on equal footing in a direct confrontation. Considering the matchup between a Necromancer and a Wizard, Glinda might even have the upper hand. In a pure contest of firepower, she should not have been outmatched.
However, that was a matter of one-on-one combat.
The light of ruin now being fired at the surface was a weapon that used the energy of the massive island in the sky—the Kingdom is Heaven itself—as both fuel and ammunition.
The Heavenly Realm was casually blasting away with attacks so powerful that even Glinda felt she would be swept away if she didn't counter them with all her might.
Although there was a recharge time of a few minutes between shots, it was obvious that if this power-versus-power struggle continued indefinitely, Glinda's mana would eventually run out.
“Orin. Can you completely block that attack while I’m gone?”
At Glinda’s question, Orin, in her translucent form, shook her head.
It’s not difficult to block now because you’re breaking the attack apart, but taking a direct hit would be tough.
Orin had completely lost her physical body in the process of exorcising Mombi from within her.
Thanks to the help of her disciples from the magic tower, she had managed to resurrect to some extent, but displaying the same level of defensive power as in her prime was difficult.
You, on the other hand, still seem to have some leeway. How about increasing your output to completely nullify the attack?
“If you’re asking whether it’s possible, then yes, it is. But in a situation where I don’t know the enemy’s remaining mana—no, holy power—I can’t afford to waste my strength recklessly, or I won’t be able to respond to subsequent attacks. This is the best I can do for now.”
I see. It seems that way to me, too.
The two witches acknowledged that they were completely tied down.
If they abandoned the surface, they might gain an opportunity to counterattack, but for them, who loved the Empire and the Magic State, such a choice was impossible.
Yet, if they simply continued to defend, it was clear they would eventually reach their limit.
They needed a blade for a counterattack.
And those on the surface were surely more aware of that fact than anyone.
“…I hope they make their move before we reach our limit.”
Muttering this, Glinda turned her attention upward again.
Holding off the Heavenly Realm’s offensive for as long as possible was the best she could do.
*
The western part of the continent. The Federation.
“Move it, move it! If those two can’t hold out, we’re next! If you want to live, you’d better move your hands faster!”
“B-but Lady Franka! If you take all our catalysts like this, we’ll have no way to fight!”
“That’s right! The other families, besides the Aglaias, are already grinding their teeth, vowing to kill us members of the Alchemists’ Association. We know the crisis from the sky is important, but what if they attack while you’re all up there!”
“You know we helped protect the Aglaia family! Please, show us some consideration!”
To the Alchemists’ Association members’ begging and pleading, Franka answered with just two words.
“Load.”
Clack!
“Fire.”
Fwoooooosh!
A dozen super-large ballistae created by Franka.
Loaded with extra-large arrows made from the very soil of the ground during their reconstruction, they fired in unison toward the sky at Franka’s single command.
The arrows disappeared, tracing a parabola into the far distance.
Before the Alchemists’ Association could even decipher the meaning of this, the white-winged golden monkey beside Franka spoke.
Erinika, Veloria, Celestio, Neptune, and others. We have destroyed the manors of the prominent families and major city lords who participated in the ousting of Aglaia.
“Next coordinates.”
Target 82, bearing 128 degrees, 80 meters. Target 21, bearing 66 degrees, 40 meters. Target 141, bearing 90 degrees, 130 meters.
“Load, fire.”
Clack! Fwoooooosh!
The moment Franka stomped her foot, another huge pit formed in the ground next to the ballistae, and a giant arrow was loaded and fired.
After repeating this process about four times, Franka spoke.
“I’ve crushed all the big shots along with their strongholds. As for the remaining rabble, you have homunculi, so use them to defend, even without catalysts. If you get it, then hurry up! We don’t have time to waste on this crap!”
“……”
The members of the Alchemists’ Association were at a loss for words.
No one was unaware that Franka, who had inherited the skills of the Witch of the West, was an outstanding alchemist. But to see her shoot down major factions that had been preparing for a civil war from a single spot and then speak as if she’d just swatted a fruit fly—it was utterly inhuman.
To them, Franka seemed to be the most powerful person on the entire continent.
Of course, from Franka’s perspective, this was an absurd misunderstanding.
Just a few days ago, she had faced off against a one-man-army dwarf who had been on the verge of single-handedly destroying a city, and she had seen the army of the underground, where even a common soldier was as strong as a knight who used mana.
Compared to them, the Federation’s forces—which hadn’t even properly conscripted soldiers, had few skilled knights, and lacked a unified command—were literally nothing more or less than rabble.
Having grown accustomed to the high-powered individuals surrounding the Tin Knight’s party, she had long since become someone who felt no sense of crisis from the low-powered forces of the Federation.
Not wanting to get on Franka’s bad side any further by protesting, the alchemists quickly complied with her demands, pouring out catalysts to create two types of items.
One was a large quantity of potions for Franka’s golden monkeys to drink, and the other was a multitude of nets.
Snap!
When Franka snapped her fingers, the golden monkeys that had been spread out to assess the situation gathered, each taking a potion and a net before soaring into the air.
Many of the homunculi had died in the battle against the dwarf Haider, but hundreds of monkeys still surrounded Franka.
This was the result of bringing out every last monkey that had remained inside her barrier.
Are you truly going to war? There is also the option of finding a ship and fleeing the continent.
“……”
At the white-winged monkey’s words, Franka paused for a moment.
She still possessed a massive force and more than enough money.
Fleeing might be the wiser choice than getting involved in a dangerous fight.
“Forget it. It’s pathetic to abandon the foundation I’ve built and flee in the middle of the night. Besides, there’s no guarantee that the Heavenly Realm’s reach doesn’t extend to other continents.”
Whether she truly thought so, whether it was simple pride, or whether there was another reason, was unknown.
However, it was clear that Franka had chosen to fight.
At their master’s choice, the homunculus bowed its head, and the successor to the Witch of the West and her army began to converge on the center of the continent.