Chapter 310
As Chris crooked his finger,
bzzzt, lightning spears once again appeared.
This time, there were quite a few of them.
A full ten spears appeared at once.
Of course, they were still just 3-Star spells.
“With something so pathetic, there's no way you can face my 'Abstract Parade of Distorted Shaking'...”
“Stop chattering and watch closely.”
Chris gestured.
“I'll show you what real magic is.”
Bzzzzzt!
The ten lightning spears spread out in all directions, resonating with each other and creating a powerful electric field.
He had created the phenomenon of a 4-Star Lightning Chain.
Of course, even so, it was still just that.
It was a meaningless act before Ranya's Miracle Magic, which controlled space itself.
CRASH!!
“!!”
Ranya's Space Magic began to collapse completely.
“Keuk?!”
A trickle of blood flowed from Ranya's mouth.
She had taken damage as her magic shattered.
“W-what?”
“You saw it with your own eyes and you still don't understand?”
Chris gestured arrogantly with his chin.
“This is reality interference through the rearrangement of the Phase System.”
“!!”
Simply put, it was a method of imbuing will into magic by manipulating the phase of the formula.
A technique Chris often used.
‘It's simple for me, but in truth, this is no easy feat.’
Just as a knight needs Black Steel Ki or an Aura Blade to imbue their will, the same was true for magic.
It required 'True-Form' Magic, a vessel to contain the will.
The same went for Will Magic and Miracle Magic.
But Chris had manipulated the Phase System, a high-dimensional law of magical arrangement, to artificially create a vessel that could contain his will.
“……”
Ranya, looking shocked, froze and fell silent.
“So? Looks like I won the bet. You're my slave now.”
Ranya bit her lip hard.
“…You're not looking at my beautiful face and getting any strange ideas, are you?”
“…What are you talking about? Are you crazy?”
Chris shook his head and snapped his fingers.
Fzzt.
A black, half-moon shape appeared on the nape of Ranya's neck and then vanished. It was a brand.
“…This energy, why? Why is it Demonic Energy?”
“Ah, being a Hero is just a side job. I'm actually a demonic being.”
“!!”
Chris slightly dropped his disguise and revealed his original face.
“I am Christian of the Dark Demonic House.”
“!!”
Ranya, naturally, had a dramatic reaction.
“What! Stop with this crazy talk! This is fraud…!! It's invalid!”
“I never defrauded you. It's a fact that I'm the Hero. And it's also a fact that I plan to use you as a sucker for the sake of the world.”
“Shut up! You son of a shoe!”
Just then, Evan's familiar voice was heard.
“I was wondering where you were. So you were with Ranya.”
“Brother Evan!”
Ranya's eyes filled with hope, as if she'd met reinforcements.
“Please help me! That demonic bastard did this to me…!”
“I know. He must have taken on the role of the villain for the sake of the world again.”
“What?”
Evan placed a hand on Ranya's shoulder and spoke in a firm voice.
“It's natural for you to misunderstand. He's a guy who's easily misunderstood. But you, too, will soon come to realize it. That all of Christian's actions are for the sake of the world.”
“……”
“I congratulate you on joining Christian's great cause.”
Ranya's mouth fell open.
The two of them had known each other for a long time.
Evan was one of the few great individuals she acknowledged.
But what was this reaction now?
‘Has Brother Evan lost his mind?’
Ranya turned her gaze to Christian.
“…What do you plan to do with me now? You must have some grand scheme to have made a genius among geniuses like me your vassal.”
“Not really, no.”
“…What?”
“You're too weak right now. For me to make use of.”
“!!”
Ranya's face flushed red.
But she couldn't help but shut her mouth at Chris's next words.
“You may have reached 7-Star, but your fundamentals are lacking. Otherwise, you wouldn't have crumbled so futilely before my simple technique. To think you pride yourself on being a genius with skills like these.”
Chris sneered.
“All the geniuses must have frozen to death.”
“……”
Ranya bit her lip hard.
A face showing her pride had been deeply wounded.
‘To provoke Ranya, trampling on her pride is the best way.’
She was the hot-blooded type who, when her pride was hurt, would burn with even more passion in response.
‘In my past life, too, she was shocked by my genius and would burn with incredible fervor.’
In other words, the mean-spirited way Chris was acting now was entirely for Ranya's sake. Really, truly.
“Try to make the reality interference through the rearrangement of the Phase System that I just showed you your own.”
“!!”
“I've even given you a personal demonstration, so I don't need to give you much time. Do it within half a year.”
It was an absurdly short amount of time.
However.
“It didn't even take me a month, but considering you're a dullard, I suppose you'll need half a year.”
“!!”
Ranya clenched her fists tightly.
“…I will do it. I will definitely succeed and crush your arrogance.”
Now that her pride was fired up, she would probably do it in three months.
‘After all, this secret technique was originally created by Ranya, and I just learned it from her.’
Chris nodded and turned his back.
His business was done, so he planned to leave.
But Ranya followed him.
“Why? We have no more business.”
“I cannot leave like this.”
“Hmm?”
“I must stay by your side and show you my greatness.”
Ranya gestured loftily with her chin.
“…Are you saying you'll help me?”
“It's not help, it's just that I must properly display my greatness to you! My pride will not allow you to think of me as a fool!”
As Ranya shouted with a displeased look, Chris nodded.
‘Well, it's not a bad thing. I need to cause a major incident anyway.’
“Then, follow one of my instructions. However, it might be a little difficult.”
“Tell me anything.”
Hmph, Ranya scoffed, but her eyes widened at Chris's next words.
“W-wait a minute?”
“Why? You spoke so confidently, but now you think you can't do it?”
“I-it's not that….”
Ranya said with a pale face.
“…Don't tell me you're thinking of treason?”
“Why?”
“Why do you ask? Aren't you trying to cause a terror attack on the Imperial Palace?!”
That's right.
What Chris had demanded was the manipulation of the Imperial Palace's Great Barrier.
It was a plan to overturn the Imperial Palace.
***
After the banquet that day, the political situation in the imperial capital began to swirl like a storm.
“To think one of the three princes has joined hands with a demon?”
“Do you believe that?”
“But didn't the Hero say it himself? It's not something we can ignore.”
“Just who could it be?”
“Don't tell me it's His Highness the second prince?”
“Are you crazy? His Highness the third prince is the suspicious one.”
“Watch your mouth!”
The imperial capital was turned upside down.
And then.
In a secluded, deep place within the imperial capital.
In the deep darkness, a figure wearing a robe was conversing with someone through a crystal sphere.
A ring with the imperial family crest, visible from between the folds of the robe, indicated that the man was one of the princes.
“How did this happen? To think the Hero noticed.”
[This is baffling. No matter that he's the Hero, to think he noticed the activities of our Four Kings' Castle.]
An astounding story.
There really was one among the princes who was colluding with the Four Kings' Castle!
“If the Hero were to find out about the things you've done.”
[Do not worry. Our Four Kings' Castle leaves no traces.]
“How can you be so sure?! His opponent is the Hero!”
He raised his voice in a burst of anxiety.
The person in the crystal sphere fell silent for a moment, then let out a chilling voice.
[How arrogant. To whom do you think you are raising your voice?]
“!!”
The face of the man who had raised his voice turned pale.
“K-keok?!”
Shudder, his body trembled.
He had been cursed.
“P-please. Spare me….”
[It seems you think you're something special just because you're a prince. Do not forget. Without our choosing you, you are nothing.]
“I-I will remember. P-please… keok!”
After desperately nodding his head, the man was finally able to break free.
[Do not act so arrogantly and out of line before me, the Vengeful Spirit, ever again.]
It was an astounding story.
It meant that the being on the other side of the crystal sphere was the Vengeful Spirit, the head of the Curse Demonic House and an absolute demonic being who had reached the peak of High 8-Star.
“I-I will remember.”
The man stared at the crystal sphere with a thoroughly intimidated face.
From the other side of the crystal sphere, a voice, now calm again, was heard.
[Do not worry about the Hero. There is a simple way to resolve it.]
“W-what is it?”
[Hasten your succession to the throne.]
“!!”
The man's eyes wavered.
“B-but? I have not yet received the right of succession to the throne. The Crown Prince is being stubborn.”
[Do not worry about changing the Crown Prince's mind. We will take care of it. The Crown Prince will kneel before you and offer the right of succession.]
The man's face brightened.
Until now, the man had borrowed the power of the Curse Demonic House to eliminate or subjugate numerous political enemies.
The Crown Prince would not be able to resist either.
[However, taking direct action against the Crown Prince is a great burden, even for our Four Kings' Castle. There is a condition.]
“What is it?”
[When you ascend to the throne, move the Imperial Army and strike the Dark Alliance from the rear.]
“!!”
The man's eyes hardened.
But he soon nodded.
Countless lives would be lost if he did such a thing, but it didn't matter to him how many insignificant soldiers died.
“I will follow your command.”
And so, a chilling conspiracy began to bloom.
***
Meanwhile, Christian was,
“…What are you doing?”
“Can't you tell by looking? I'm resting.”
lazing about!
Ruina had a fed-up look on her face.
“No, this isn't the time to be lazing around! Not after turning the imperial capital upside down!”
“What's the problem? I worked hard turning things upside down, so now it's time to rest. Ah, this dessert is delicious. Get me some more. By the way, is it impossible to get Bulmongju in the imperial capital?”
“That's a legendary liquor, how am I supposed to get it! No, I'm telling you, this really isn't the time to be so carefree! The princes' movements are currently unusual….”
Ruina, who had been chattering on, abruptly shut her mouth.
She had noticed Chris's underlying motive.
“Don't tell me, you're waiting for the princes to make a move?”
“Bingo.”
Chris nodded.
“I've laid the bait, so they'll struggle desperately. All I have to do is wait and then catch them.”
She didn't know what Chris was thinking.
What was certain was that no matter what conspiracy the princes were plotting, it would all be within Chris's calculations.
“By the way, how is the self-proclaimed genius of the Magic Tower doing?”
Over in the corner, Ranya, with a disheveled face, had papers spread out wide on the floor and was engrossed in calculating a magic circle.
Her initial haughty impression was nowhere to be seen; she looked like a complete wreck.
“Manipulating the Imperial Palace's Great Barrier seems to be too much for you. I think I overestimated your abilities.”
“Hmph, don't be ridiculous. It's more than possible.”
“It seems your calculation for the 8th formula of the 5th variable and 7th phase is wrong.”
“Aah, shoes. I knew that already, okay?!”