Chapter 329
It was, in a word, a perfect, great victory.
The Four Kings' Castle retreated, having suffered enormous damage.
The camp of the Dark Alliance was swept up in a festival-like atmosphere.
They broke out the alcohol to celebrate the victory, and the drunken magi shouted.
“All hail the Grand Duke!!”
“But how was the Grand Duke able to use the power of light?”
“Why do you ask? Don't you know our Grand Duke is a madman?”
“That's right, since he's the mad Grand Duke, he made even the power of light submit.”
“All hail the mad Grand Duke Christian!!!”
“All hail the Demonic Radiance!!!”
Through this event, Chris gained the epithet 'Demonic Radiance'.
It meant a magus who dominates even light.
“As long as the Grand Duke is with us, those bastards from the Four Kings' Castle are no problem!!”
“Let's conquer the Four Kings' Castle just like this!!!”
And so, everyone shouted, their morale soaring.
However, at that moment, in the barracks where the heads of each house were gathered.
Unexpectedly, heavy words were being exchanged.
“Although we have achieved a great victory this time, it will not be easy to continue this momentum.”
Count Khazar nodded at Nordian’s words.
“Yes, that is correct. The strength of the Four Kings' Castle is still intact.”
It was an incomprehensible story.
They had shed so much blood, and yet their strength was intact?
There was a reason.
‘When they retreated, they used their lower-ranking magi as shields, so most of the high-ranking magi and above escaped safely.’
The sacrifices in this pitched battle had been mostly concentrated among the common, low to mid-rank magi.
Count Khazar continued his explanation.
“In particular, the fact that the Four Kings and the Twelve Legion Commanders of the Necromancy Demonic House suffered no damage is a big problem. The undead legions they command can be said to be the very backbone of the Four Kings' Castle.”
Beside him, Duke Huam nodded.
“I also agree with the words of the Vice-Head.”
For reference, Count Khazar had been officially promoted from Acting Head to Vice-Head.
“I believe it would be best to propose a ceasefire agreement at this point. The Four Kings' Castle will not refuse it either.”
It was a realistic proposal.
The main forces of the Four Kings' Castle, the high-ranking magi, may be safe, but that didn't mean their losses were small, so they wouldn't want to continue the war as things stood.
“What do you think, my brothers?”
The brothers. All eyes turned to the other two house heads.
Grand Duke Vessian frowned as if displeased.
“I just want to wipe them all out, but I will leave the decision to my big brother.”
“Hmm.”
Nordian stroked his chin.
“I would like to hear the Grand Duke's opinion.”
The eyes of everyone in the barracks turned to him, and Chris said something unexpected.
“I, too, am in favor of a ceasefire.”
“…You are?”
Everyone wore surprised expressions.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Chris nodded.
‘It wouldn't be impossible to win, but our Dark Alliance would also have to suffer devastating losses. It would be a Pyrrhic victory.’
He must not forget.
The Four Kings' Castle was not the final enemy.
Considering the Mystic Demonic House behind them, the coming end of the world, and the Demon Emperor's ‘Center’, he had to preserve as much of their strength as possible.
‘The Four Kings' Castle can be brought down in other ways, anyway.’
“However, a simple ceasefire agreement will not do. We must make the Four Kings' Castle kneel before us and follow our proposals.”
“!!”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
That was an even more impossible story.
“There is no way the Four Kings' Castle would do that, is there?”
“Of course, not as things are now.”
A meaningful answer.
“…You're thinking of something else again, aren't you?”
“It's simple. We just have to create a situation where they can no longer wage war.”
A completely incomprehensible story.
Chris raised the corner of his mouth.
“Your Lordships, please hold back the forces of the Four Kings' Castle. In the meantime, I will go behind them and wring their necks.”
* * *
Chris deliberately did not go into the specific details.
‘The story absolutely must not leak to the Four Kings' Castle.’
It was a method that would be impossible at any other time, except for now, when the magi of the Four Kings' Castle had just been defeated and had not yet come to their senses.
‘I must accomplish this as quickly and decisively as possible.’
Chris briefly considered who would accompany him.
‘Kashmir, Teren, and Jupien won't be of any help this time.’
He needed a high-ranking magus of at least 7-Star.
And preferably, one close to 8-Star.
‘The problem is that I can't pull out that kind of strength right now.’
While Chris was carrying out his operation, the high-ranking magi of the Four Kings' Castle had to be held at the front line.
If a figure of the Four Kings' or Three Abysses' level were to notice Chris’s trick and try to interfere, it would be a disaster.
‘And it's not like I can just take anyone who is strong. It has to be someone I have good synergy with.’
He was contemplating the difficult conditions.
“It's been a long time, friend! Your closest friend has arrived!!”
It was ‘Lia’!
“I came to check if you were hurt! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. I'm busy, so I don't have time to play….”
Chris paused.
There was someone!
A sucker who would be of help in this matter.
Chris suddenly grabbed Lia's hand.
“It's you.”
“W-what? Why are you suddenly acting like this? We're still friends…! Isn't a confession like that too soon?!”
Lia was flustered.
“…What nonsense are you talking about. I'm saying let's do a secret mission together.”
“…Ah.”
Lia’s face turned bright red, and she shook her head.
“S-sorry. I needlessly misunderstood! We’re friends, after all! Anyway, did you say a secret mission? Just leave it to me!! I will be your strength! Because I am your friend!”
Lia shouted vigorously, and so the party was decided.
The two of them secretly slipped out of the camp.
“By the way, where are we going? Isn't this the territory of our Four Kings' Castle?”
But Chris did not stop walking.
Furthermore, he wasn't just heading into the territory of the Four Kings' Castle, but toward a place that was becoming more and more incomprehensible.
“We're going to the ruins.”
“…There are ruins in a place like this?”
Lia tilted her head.
She was the Grand Duchess of the Blood Sword Demonic House.
Naturally, she knew of all the ruins in the territory of the Four Kings' Castle.
“Your Blood Sword Demonic House wouldn't know about it. It's a place that no one knows of except for the Necromancy Demonic House, and among them, only the Twelve Legion Commanders and the Four Kings.”
“I see. But why are we suddenly going to some ruins?”
Chris was silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.
“Because it is one of the sources of the Necromancy Demonic House's power.”
“!!”
Lia’s eyes widened.
“…What do you mean by that?”
“You'll know soon enough. We're here.”
They arrived at their destination.
As Chris made a move, the entrance to the ruins, extending underground, was revealed, and she gulped.
“Such an intense aura of death?”
“Yes, the name of these ruins is the Tomb of Dragons. It is the place where the demon dragons that roamed in ancient times are buried.”
Chris continued.
“It is the place where the 'Life Vessels' of the Necromancy Demonic House's liches are kept.”
* * *
Originally, the lich was thought to be a being of fantasy, considered impossible.
It is not difficult to turn oneself into an undead.
But there was one problem that could not be solved.
That was, where did a lich get the energy to move?
The undead are beings who have lost their life.
Therefore, the undead move by receiving energy from the necromancers who command them.
Therein lies the lich’s dilemma.
If the necromancer himself becomes an undead, from whom does he receive energy?
But the Necromancy Demonic House found an answer.
‘It was to receive a supply of energy from an external source through a medium called a 'Life Vessel'.’
But this, too, had a problem.
Liches are all high-ranking beings of 7-Star or higher.
They require an immense amount of energy to use their power.
In particular, the Twelve Legion Commanders, who had reached High 7-Star, and other high-ranking liches close to that level were the problem.
Even if the lower-ranking liches could somehow muster the energy separately, there was no way to supply the vast amount of energy required by high-ranking liches like the Twelve Legion Commanders.
‘And in that situation, these ruins became the answer.’
Chris looked down at the cavern that spread out below.
The Tomb of Dragons is a great tomb where demon dragons were buried in ancient times and is the place with the densest aura of death in this world.
Therefore, the Life Vessels of the high-ranking liches, including the Twelve Legion Commanders, were placed here.
In other words, if they destroyed the Life Vessels placed here, they could annihilate all of the core forces of the Four Kings' Castle.
‘Although the Life Vessels of the 8-Star Four Kings are not here.’
When one becomes an 8-Star Archlich, they can create their own energy, so there is no need to gather it from an external source, and thus they do not have a separate Life Vessel.
‘Even if we only annihilate the Twelve Legion Commanders and the high-ranking liches, the Necromancy Demonic House will suffer a fatal blow. They won't even be able to dream of waging war any longer.’
Chris surveyed the area around the ruins.
He had known that the Four Kings were supposed to be guarding it in turns, but they were not to be seen, likely due to the worsening situation on the battlefield.
‘Of course, if they notice anything strange, they will immediately use a relic to return via spatial teleportation.’
Chris began to make his move.
He installed a magic circle nearby that would distort the phase of space and interfere with spatial teleportation.
It was a temporary measure, but it would buy them some time.
He then took out a communication device and contacted Count Khazar.
“Father, have you begun?”
[Yes, as you said, I will challenge the Lord of the Four Kings' Castle and the Four Kings to a duel to tie them down.]
“Good. You don't need to win. Instead, please buy as much time as possible.”
Done.
Now, even if the Four Kings became aware of the situation, there was no way for them to return at once.
‘But that doesn't mean the work is all done.’
A great obstacle remained.
“Let’s go in.”
As he and Lia entered, a large cavern, difficult to imagine for an underground space, revealed itself.
From beyond the cavern, whose end could not be guessed, a ghastly, powerful energy surged toward them.
“Friend, be careful. This is not ordinary.”
Just then, a ghastly sound began to echo.
Crack. Kiiiiiaaaaaaak. Thump. Thump.
From the other side of the large cavern, a giant shadow cast itself.
‘There they are.’
Chris raised the corner of his mouth.
A giant body, over five meters tall.
It was a 7th Demon-rank undead, a ‘Bone Dragon’.
And it wasn't just one.
There were a full ten of them.
This was the reason the Four Kings' Castle had left the Tomb of Dragons empty.
They had to take care of all those Bone Dragons before the Four Kings returned.
‘This certainly doesn't look easy.’
Just then, Lia, beside him, pounded her chest and said energetically.
“Do not worry! For I am here! I will show those bone dragons the power of friendship.”
“…Didn't I tell you to stop talking like you're in elementary school?”
“Ah, sorry. I got excited at the thought of joining forces with my friend.”
Chris let out a smirk.
“Let's make a bet on who can take down more of those bone dragons.”
“That sounds great! If I win, you have to grant any request I make, right?”
“…What kind of request are you planning to make?”
“That’s a secret! In any case, you promised to grant whatever it is! I will absolutely not lose! You just be prepared to grant my request!”
“Hey, wait a minute?”
He felt he had misspoken and tried to cancel it, but it was no use.
Paaaaaaah!
Lia leaped toward the Bone Dragons like a flash of lightning, and Chris shook his head as if he had no choice.
‘As long as I win, it’s fine.’
And so, the fight began.
Surprisingly, he lost.