Chapter 353
It wasn't just Elder Kairn.
With his overwhelming skill, Chris brought all the white mages of the Magic Tower who were present to their knees.
Later, the white mages, filled with resentment, charged at him as a group, but the result did not change.
It wasn't even very difficult.
‘It's impossible for those of the Elders' level to face me.’
It wasn't that the Elders of the Magic Tower were weak.
On the contrary, they were strong.
Minimum 6-Star.
And there were not a few 7-Stars.
In the Alliance, where those at 7-Star or above were extremely rare, this could be called an enormous force.
It was just that Chris had become that much stronger.
Now, unless they were a powerhouse whose fame resounded throughout the entire continent, they could not be Chris’s opponent.
‘Of course, if the Tower Master, the Sacred One, had come out, it would have been a different story, but there's no way he would participate in a competition like this.’
Aside from that, Chris knew that the Tower Master was in a position where he could not move right now.
“N-no way? How?”
Looking at the mages of the Magic Tower, who were reacting with utter disbelief, Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“Pathetic.”
“!!”
“At this rate, I'm worried about how you will deal with the Demonic Radiance when he comes soon.”
The mages of the Magic Tower bit their lips hard and could not give any reply.
“As we bet at the beginning, I will state what I desire. When we catch the Demonic Radiance, you are to cooperate with me, the Hero, as much as possible. I cannot leave this to you as things are.”
The people of the Magic Tower had no choice but to nod their heads.
‘Good. I've roughly put a leash on them.’
Of course, there was no way the stubborn mages of the Magic Tower would readily follow him with just a single bet like this.
It was fine.
He had a way to make them kneel completely.
“Before we prepare our countermeasures, I will first root out the traitors.”
“…Traitors, what do you mean by that?”
“Is it possible for the Demonic Radiance to make such a reckless threat alone? There must be a traitor within.”
Of course, there was no such thing as a traitor.
Because it was his own fabrication.
But it didn't matter.
He just had to frame someone.
“If we find evidence of devil worship, we'll know who the traitor is.”
“!!”
Naturally, there were devil worshippers here at the Magic Tower as well.
Because devil worshippers were mixed into every group.
And Chris already knew who at the Magic Tower was worshipping devils.
“I will consider anyone who interferes with the investigation to be a collaborator with the Demonic Radiance.”
Normally, they would not have readily accepted an investigation, but the situation was exquisite.
No one at the Magic Tower could oppose it, and Chris swept through the Magic Tower far and wide, looking for evidence of devil worship.
He investigated thoroughly, with a force as if he would shake out every last speck of dust from the mages of the Magic Tower.
‘In truth, if it were simply to secure evidence, there would be no need to investigate to this extent.’
The investigation was a pretext.
It was the groundwork for what he was about to do.
Finally, all preparations were complete.
“Apprehend those whelps.”
“N-no.”
“Kuaaaack! Let go!!!”
Evidence of devil worship was found on several mages.
The number was by no means small, and the Magic Tower fell into shock.
It seemed that since the tribe of mages was one that would offer anything for the sake of magic, they fell more easily to the temptation of devils.
“I don't know if this is the Alliance or the Magus Empire. Isn't this a Tower of Devils, not a Magic Tower?”
The mages of the Magic Tower could not say a single word and flushed red.
“There must be many more undisclosed traitors. From now on, I, the Hero, will take command of the fight against the Demonic Radiance.”
“That cannot be!!”
“Or is there someone more suitable than I, the Hero? I don’t know who would be pleased if you obstruct me in such a way.”
The mages of the Magic Tower who had been protesting quietly shut their mouths.
It was a warning.
If they ran their mouths wrongly here, they could be framed as a collaborator with the Demonic Radiance.
Just then, an urgent voice was heard.
“Urgent news!! A message has come from the Demonic Radiance!!”
“!!”
-At the full moon, I shall punish the sins of the Magic Tower.
Everyone’s face hardened.
The full moon was tomorrow.
The Demonic Radiance had even mentioned in detail who he was targeting.
-The following people are to wait for their deaths. Chief Elder Kairn, 4th Elder Moron, Executive Committee member Risak….
There were many.
The more than 10 names were, without exception, core figures of the Magic Tower.
The complexions of those who had been pointed out turned pale.
“Wh-why?”
“Why me, of all people?”
Now that they had become the Demonic Radiance’s targets, their overflowing confidence was nowhere to be seen, and they all looked pale as a sheet.
“Do not worry. I have a way.”
“…Your Highness the Hero.”
A reliable voice.
Chris raised the corner of his mouth.
“If you trust and follow me, no one will die.”
And so, everyone in the Magic Tower fell for the scam.
* * *
The strategy Chris presented was simple.
The figures of the Round Table and the mages of the Magic Tower would gather in one place and form a defensive line.
After that, when the Demonic Radiance descended, Chris, the Hero, would step forward with Evan to repel him.
“Wouldn't that be too dangerous for you, Your Highness?”
“But if we don't use this method, there will be great casualties. Once a chaotic battle breaks out, the whelp will absolutely achieve his goal.”
The faces of the Magic Tower’s mages, especially those who had been named, turned pale.
He was right.
The Demonic Radiance alone could not defeat all of them gathered here, but if his goal was assassination under the cover of a chaotic battle, it was a different story.
Considering the skill of the whelp who was called the greatest monster in the continent’s history, he could take the lives of his targets as many times as he wanted.
The best course of action was to repel him before such a situation could arise.
The problem was the risk the Hero, who would fight the Demonic Radiance directly, had to bear.
“I am the chosen Hero. A danger like this is fine. Trust me. I won't let anyone die.”
At those words, the eyes of the Magic Tower’s mages wavered.
No matter how much resentment they held toward the Hero, they couldn't help but be in awe after hearing such words.
‘I just thought he was an insufferable whelp, but I guess a Hero is a Hero.’
‘How shameful. We were thinking wrongly.’
Just then, a loud roar echoed!
Someone had breached the floating island’s barrier.
“I-is it the Demonic Radiance? Check with remote magic!”
“It’s Dark Demonic Energy! It is presumed to be the Demonic Radiance! His exact appearance cannot be confirmed due to the Dark Demonic Energy that has spread in the area!”
“Such a powerful Dark Demonic Energy? Are you saying the Demonic Radiance’s power was this great?”
Everyone swallowed hard, and Chris, too, wore a slightly flustered expression.
‘…Why is the aura of Dark Demonic Energy so powerful?’
Chris had called for someone from the Dark Demonic House to play his double, but the level of Dark Demonic Energy was beyond his imagination.
‘…Don’t tell me?’
Chris shook his head with a bewildered expression, swallowing his own guess, then said.
“It’s our turn. Let’s go, Evan.”
Before leaving, he gave a warning.
“Everyone, no matter what commotion there is outside, do not ever leave this defensive formation. You will only become a sacrifice for the Demonic Radiance.”
Everyone nodded their heads.
Even without Chris’s warning, no one was about to volunteer to step out and become prey.
When they arrived at their destination as if on wings, he could see the Dark Demonic Energy that had spread thickly in the area.
It was a familiar aura.
Chris raised the corner of his mouth in a pleased welcome.
“It’s been a while.”
The master of the Dark Demonic Energy looked up at him.
The form of a cute little kid with a sullen expression.
“Grandfather.”
It was Nordian.
* * *
“For you to come in person, Grandfather, what happened?”
Originally, Chris had considered Count Khazar or Marquis Schpen, the second-in-command of the Dark Demonic House, as the actor for his scam.
They were at just the right level.
But, unexpectedly, Nordian had volunteered to step forward himself.
“It’s because of you, isn’t it, you good-for-nothing whelp.”
Nordian said with a frown.
Before, it would have been a look overflowing with pressure, but thanks to his reversion to youth, he didn't feel dignified at all.
“Still, to pull such a crazy stunt in the middle of the Alliance. There’s a limit to how reckless you can be.”
He was saying that he had come in person in case Chris was in any danger.
‘I would have been fine. You worried for nothing.’
In any case, thanks to Nordian’s arrival, he could now perform an even more realistic act.
Because there would be no one who could embody the power of the Demonic Radiance better than Nordian.
“Did you hear the details of the strategy?”
“I heard. I’m supposed to pretend to be you and have a go with that whelp over there, right?”
Nordian pointed at Evan.
Evan, too, was a wielder of the mana of radiance, just like Chris. The way he used his sword was also similar.
He was a perfect fit to be Chris’s double.
‘I’ll cover their vision with Dark Demonic Energy, so they won't find out who is actually fighting.’
While the two of them were causing a ruckus, Chris planned to slip away separately to achieve his goal.
“Hmm, but since it’s come to this, how about we just destroy the Magic Tower? I think it would be possible if you and I joined forces.”
“…That’s a bit much.”
Chris had an awkward expression.
As expected, Nordian, too, was an infamous magus.
Coming to an important stronghold of the Alliance, it seemed his fighting spirit was soaring.
‘If Grandfather were to step in himself, he could even take care of the Sacred One, Heperlman, but that would lead to an all-out war with the Alliance.’
Of course, Chris planned to take down the Sacred One, Heperlman, this time. But he had to do it as the Hero.
“In any case, I’m counting on you. Evan, I’m counting on you, too.”
Evan nodded his head, then stepped forward.
“I greet the Head of the Dark Demonic House.”
A polite greeting.
Nordian had an unexpected expression on his face.
“You’re the Sword Emperor’s kid, right? I thought you’d be cocky, but you’re a whelp who knows his manners.”
“I am only showing my courtesy because you are Christian’s blood relative.”
As one would know from having seen him until now, Evan was not a particularly polite person.
But Nordian was the blood relative who had allowed Christian, who would save this world, to exist in this world.
That alone was worth his respect.
“Haha, so you know a thing or two. I like you. Fine. Since it’s come to this, I will bestow upon you a proper lesson.”
Clang.
A sword appeared in the empty air before Nordian.
Perhaps because of his shrunken body, it was a short sword, about half the length of a normal sword.
Aiming the sword at Evan, Nordian gave a wry smile.
“So that you can become a being who is at least a little bit worthy of standing by my grandson’s side.”
* * *
Kwaaaang!!
Leaving the loud roar behind him, Chris made his move.
Chris thought with a reluctant expression.
‘Hmm, that’s a bit too intense. He’s not actually going to take Evan down, is he?’
In any case, it was according to plan.
All he had to do was obtain his target while Nordian and Evan were causing a ruckus.
‘Since everyone is gathered in the defensive formation, there’s no one to interfere.’
That wasn't all.
A short while ago, when he had been searching the floating island far and wide, pretending to look for evidence of devil worship, he had also perfectly grasped the composition of the various magical defense barriers.
That was the reason.
That he had been able to arrive at this place so easily.
‘Bingo.’
Chris raised the corner of his mouth.
It was the holy ground of the Magic Tower.
It wasn't a holy ground that possessed a special energy, but it was important in a different sense.
It was the place where the ‘Tome of the Sage’ was kept.
“The beginning and the end of white magic.”
Chris muttered, looking at the old book placed in the center of the holy ground.
Just as the story went, the Tome of the Sage was a grimoire that contained all the true essence of white magic.
Exactly what Christian needed right now.