Episode 1213
by CristaeHierdan paused for a moment, then nodded.
Then he quickly left to command the yakshas.
As soon as the Death Knights realized the Wardanaz family’s eldest son had left, they gasped and shouted.
-Did you really come up with a scheme without telling us!?
You needed to lower the evil god’s guard, but are you saying you should’ve explained everything to allies first? Knights with your experience wouldn’t ask such foolish things, so clearly it’s because you feel left out since you couldn’t participate in the fight…
-No, that’s not it!
The knights denied it hotly. But the Yaksha King was not one to retreat from such a reaction.
Your emotional resistance only makes me even more confident in my theory.
-……
No one could win against the Yaksha King.
If you agreed, that was the end. If you denied it, he finished with, “Judging by your denial, I must’ve been right”—an invincible king!
The Death Knights whispered among themselves.
-Heirderan wouldn’t actually attempt an assassination, right?
-No. Even if he did, he’d do it after the expedition. He knows how to separate business from personal matters.
-Then that’s fine.
The knights exchanged meaningful glances and nodded.
The Yaksha King wasn’t their master, nor their friend. Even if he was assassinated, they wouldn’t exactly be sad.
Perhaps the headmaster might be a little sad, though…
So you’ve accepted it now?
-Ah. Yes. That’s right. As expected, you are wise.
When the Yaksha King spoke, the knights quickly replied. Some even rubbed their palms together as if buttering him up.
This only made the Yaksha King even more curious.
There was surely a reason for them to be acting in such an unusual way…
-Your Highness! Come to think of it, what is the successor’s new magic?
The Death Knights shouted desperately.
It was a spur-of-the-moment excuse to change the subject, but it also wasn’t a bad question. The Yaksha King became interested.
It’s probably the Small World, Dunamis. Considering the situation, that’s the most likely.
This wise king of the yakshas could predict future events from just fragments of information.
Based on the record of learning from the Mad Clone and his guess that Osu’s disciple would reject the evil god’s offer…
The most likely magic to awaken was Small World, Dunamis.
-……
-…Uh, isn’t that spell a bit dangerous?
The Death Knights looked uneasy.
Unlike Small World, Basilios, if used carelessly, Small World, Dunamis was a deadly and dangerous spell for the mage.
A double-edged sword that forcibly drags in the possibilities of the future.
But the Yaksha King was calm.
Osu’s disciple can control it well enough.
-…There must be a reason for that, right?
The knights exchanged glances that screamed, “Please explain it so we can accept it.”
Surely he wasn’t just saying, “Because he’s Osu’s disciple, he can control it”?
Didn’t I just say the reason?
-Huh?
I said Osu’s disciple can control it.
-……
The Death Knights seriously thought Hierdan might try to assassinate the Yaksha King after this expedition.
That cantankerous old man’s finally due for his end!
The heavily armed yakshas waited with burning eyes for Hierdan’s orders.
Each one was a monster boasting immense power, but they were prepared to obey even the commands of a stranger.
Loyalty to a wise king extended to anyone who had received that king’s recognition.
“Listen, yakshas of the Seventh Gold Mountain. Before this flame dies, capture the Tower of Thirsting Heart. If you fail, you will be punished.”
Because Sanguiros had only recently awakened his ego, he showed flaws in operating his domain.
A dimensional domain should be efficiently arranged against enemy invasions, but this one seemed to have scattered his buildings randomly just to show off his power.
These buildings and the undead guarding them were all formed from the evil god’s power.
Showing off so clumsily would only lead to losses in case of attack—a sign of the evil god’s unstable mentality.
The most efficient strategy would have been to devour everything in the domain and strengthen himself.
With no useful minions, there was no point in summoning undead—he gained nothing in power.
Vanity.
The vanity from his days of worship would be this evil god’s weakness.
-Understood!
The yaksha army, having received the blue flame, set out at once.
Once commanded, these yakshas would unleash their race’s violence on the tower until it fell.
With them gone, Hierdan gave another order.
“Yakshas of the Northern Sanctuary, follow the yakshas of the Seventh Gold Mountain, but do not let yourselves be seen. If they fall into a trap, reveal yourselves and counterattack.”
-…Yes!
The newly ordered yakshas seemed flustered but obeyed nonetheless.
Because it was the loyalty they had pledged.
The remaining yakshas asked cautiously,
-Your Excellency, may we ask one thing?
“No. Yakshas of Crystal Pagoda, prepare to advance.”
Hierdan firmly refused.
He could of course explain kindly to these yakshas as well.
Among the yakshas gathered here, those from the Seventh Gold Mountain were the most arrogant and reckless, meaning there was a risk of error even after orders were given.
Thus, sending them to a key point like the Tower of Thirsting Heart, easy to counterattack if needed, and then covering them with the more seasoned army of Northern Sanctuary was wisest.
At least until the expedition ended, the yakshas from the Seventh Gold Mountain would act cautiously out of shame.
“Yakshas of Crystal Pagoda, destroy the Red Altar Hall. Much power lingers there as the evil god is obsessed with it. You must destroy it before he realizes.”
-Understood!
With the Crystal Pagoda yaksha army gone, only one group remained.
Hierdan addressed them.
“The reason I did not allow questions from the yakshas of Crystal Pagoda is that I do not trust them. But you, yakshas of Great Iron Mount, may ask questions. For you are the finest yakshas.”
-!!!
The last group of yakshas leaped with joy.
No matter how arrogant or violent, even yakshas can hardly remain calm at such praise.
It was praise from the commander trusted by their king.
-It is a great honor! The ones from Crystal Pagoda have always been cowardly and needlessly talkative.
“I agree. You yakshas of Great Iron Mount are the most trustworthy and powerful. That is why I entrust this to you. Destroy the Blood Mist Grave Basin.”
-If we are not the first to destroy it, you may call us the ones from Crystal Pagoda!
Hierdan nodded.
These yakshas were easier to handle.
The Crystal Pagoda yakshas, weak to authority, could be cowed by refusing to answer questions. In contrast, the yakshas of Great Iron Mount, with the strongest vanity, would wag their tails if you only praised them as being different from the rest.
“If all yakshas were like those of Great Iron Mount, this expedition would be much easier. Great Iron Mount is the best. Next is the Northern Sanctuary.”
-The ones from Northern Sanctuary are pretty decent too.
The yakshas of Great Iron Mount were satisfied again.
Since they didn’t dislike the ones from Northern Sanctuary, and they themselves were named best, there was no reason for anger.
Later, if they met the Northern Sanctuary yakshas who followed the Seventh Gold Mountain without explanation, he could pass along this compliment.
‘Good.’
Hierdan was certain he had completely taken hold of the four yaksha armies by making them keep each other in check and in competition.
-By the way, sir, you seem to have a younger brother. Shouldn’t we go guard him?
“My brother can take care of himself. You need not worry. Go destroy the basin.”
-Yes! Understood!
When the last yaksha army left, Hierdan paused to think.
He hadn’t never considered bringing Lee Han with him, but with the expedition underway, he couldn’t just act as he wished.
Of course, that didn’t mean he found the Yaksha King’s strategy any less detestable.
To manipulate his little brother at will.
‘I never thought he was so vulgar.’
Hierdan himself had been gentle and considerate in his “guidance”—enough to make his younger brother happy.
In comparison, the Yaksha King’s control was really…
The evil god’s wailing, echoing from afar, roused Hierdan from his thoughts.
The enemy’s screams were a good sign.
‘Time to move on to the next plan.’
Are you all right!?
“I… I’m all right.”
-He’s recovered a bit. But don’t overdo it!
Mafuda spoke words uncharacteristic of a demon.
But the circumstances didn’t allow for any other reaction. That’s how bad off his master was.
Perkuntra, however, just had to ask, still worried.
How did you recover? Did you have such a power?
-I split the damage with the spirit. And over there, with the demons…
……
Perkuntra momentarily pitied the demons trapped in the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons.
It must be bad enough being sealed away, then suddenly being forced to share in the mage’s exhaustion and agony.
When Mafuda descended again, his kind would probably viciously attack him as a traitor.
You…
-It doesn’t matter. As long as I can kill undead, I don’t care about those wormy fools’ griping.
“We… we did escape, right?”
Lee Han coughed as he asked.
The spatial magic he’d learned had been pulled forward by Small World, Dunamis and cast, but he wasn’t sure it had worked properly.
It seems we have escaped. And something seems to be happening to the foe. He can’t focus on us now.
“He’s up to something…”
Lee Han guessed that the Yaksha King was up to something.
He hadn’t realized Hierdan was also present, though.
“For now, I’ll merge with the main force—the one led by the Yaksha… uh, Yaksha King.”
Pop!
“Student Lee Han!”
The professors appeared with a pallid-faced angel. Apazragon looked even worse than Lee Han.
At first, he’d thought maybe the angel had been attacked by the evil god, but the professors’ evasive glances said otherwise…
“Professor Garcia! What happened to the angel…?”
“Nothing happened! More importantly, student Lee Han, are you all right?”
“I’m also perfectly fine.”
……
-……
Perkuntra and Mafuda were dumbfounded.
Could they really say that??
Summoning spirits and demons, with traces of Small World still rippling around…
I may not be a wizard, but you shouldn’t lie that half-heartedly.
-Agreed.
Professor Kirmin, perhaps equally incredulous, glared at Lee Han. But Lee Han acted with confidence.
What he’d endured in the fortress had helped him mature.
‘The professors lived as they pleased more than I thought.’
To be precise, it was just one professor, but regardless, it gave him courage.
I can afford to be a little more self-willed!
To Professor Garcia and Professor Kirmin, this was an unfair line of thought. Neither had been as insubordinate as Professor Voladi.
“I’ll really send you to the punishment room this time…!”
The other professors would probably stop her, but this time, Professor Garcia really wanted to threaten to send him to the punishment room.
She’d told him not to enter the fortress, and he’d ignored her and acted as he pleased.
“Doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
“?!!”
Professor Garcia stared at Professor Voladi in horror.
She couldn’t believe he would say such a thing!
Professor Kirmin and student Lee Han also stared at Professor Voladi in shock.
“You really mean to send him?!”
“I could just leave the room as soon as I go in anyway.”
“Wardanaz, why are you like this too?!”
Professor Kirmin whispered in panic.
Was it because of the Yaksha King’s unfair orders?
For Wardanaz to show such defiance…
“More importantly, what’s wrong with the angel?”
“I told you, nothing happened. Wardanaz.”
-The wizards threatened me. It’s not my fault the dimension was shaken and the space distorted by the evil god’s wrath.
The angel spoke quietly.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but there seemed to be a trace of sorrow in his voice.