Episode 826:
The Knot (13)
Deadrise 4th Corps, a private military company.
A military unit created to tour the Eastern Continent and take advantage by intervening in disturbances in various places.
Lieutenant General Mirva Neosoto, who leads the 4th Corps, is a commander who rose to the position of corps commander after countless battles.
Except for Damus of the 7th Legion, he is a veteran whose commanding ability cannot be compared to any of the generals working in the field.
A retired soldier who led his own warlord even before being captured by Deadrise, he is one of the few generals who has been given the authority to make independent decisions.
Wasn’t the fact that she is now in Yorta the result of moving the army and stationing it in front of the Hedrein River as soon as they heard the news that the memorial tower had collapsed?
If you put pressure on the chaotic military command city, bring in troops, and take control of Yorta’s core infrastructure, you will be able to engulf the city without difficulty.
Even if you fail, you’ll get your money’s worth, and if you succeed, you’ll easily take control of one of the largest city-states on the Eastern Continent.
I thought I moved quickly and gained an advantageous position before the other competitors on the central front heard the news –
[Mirva~ Oh, right Mirva?]
I never thought that a Deadrise general like her was in Yorta. I couldn’t even do it.
What’s more, he was captured alive by some kind of witchcraft magician and was showing off his disgusting behavior in front of the heroic spirits of Yorta as if to show off.
[long time no see. What are you doing there?]
“…I guess that’s what I should ask first.”
Mirva answered, pressing her throbbing forehead with her finger.
“Why are you there, Captain?”
A white-haired young man with his entire body tightly tied is seen through the communication network screen.
There was frost on his cheeks, as if he had been stuck in a refrigerator somewhere, and his coat was frozen hard and wrinkled.
Lying down at the feet of the masked magician with his drenched body, he looks in this direction and shakes his head with an innocent expression.
However, among Mirva and the staff behind her, there was no one who did not know that face.
One of only three generals in Deadrise.
He was a prosecutor who had acquired a special position within this huge private military company with his unusually unique abilities.
However, Lennok, who had captured Songha, did not miss even the passing conversation.
[Interesting words. This idiot is one of the leaders of Deadrise?]
Wow!!
Lennok laughed, pressing down on the back of Songha’s neck with one foot.
[I knew he was a general, but I didn’t know he was a higher-ranking officer than a corps commander.]
“…Pandemonium.”
Mirva sighed with an annoyed frown on her face.
“I take back what I said earlier. So, first let go of the hostage and talk.”
[Why? At best, this is just one clone. Isn’t it normal that even if you die here, no damage should be done to the main body?]
“….”
Lennok, who had revealed Songha’s abilities without hesitation, looked at Mirva who was silent and asked.
[There would be no reason for it to appear like that unless the supernormal ability has deteriorated to the point where it is impossible to distinguish between the alter ego and the main body. Right?]
“This insolent bastard…” As
Mirva’s expression twitched, the scars on her face stood up and spewed out a hideous, murderous look.
“You know everything, so you want to play with me now?”
[You guessed it correctly.]
Tdu-duk!!
At that moment, Songha’s neck was slightly twisted in a strange direction.
[Wow!]
Songha’s limp body with a single word in her mouth, and Mirva’s reaction as she stops beyond the screen.
Lennok looked at this and spoke arrogantly to Mirva.
[I know roughly what you want, but I don’t want to be a unnecessary distraction right now.]
“….”
[Did you say they stationed troops outside the Hedrein River? Well then, that’s good. Just stay there quietly and wait until we contact you again.]
“Anyone can do as they please…!!”
[By dealing with other forces that are targeting the city like you.]
Twauk-!
The communication network is cut off on the spot, and Lennok and Songha disappear from the screen.
Mirva, who could not control her anger and was about to hit the screen, stood up and glared at the staff.
“Settle down the situation immediately. “What is happening now?”
The staff quickly responded as they looked at Mirva, whose blood was bubbling out.
“It appears that Pandemonium was involved in the incident where the memorial tower collapsed.”
“We cannot know the current situation because the specific circumstances are not known…”
“No.”
Mirva said, puffing on a cigarette.
“Captain Songha went into Yorta alone, but isn’t the most important question why no one knew about this yet?”
“…communication exchanges inside and outside the central front were frequently cut off, so it appears that orders from the Chief of Staff were not delivered properly.”
Someone from the staff explained while looking at the communication log.
“Judging by the fact that there have been several attempts by the 2nd Command to connect to the corps communication network, I guess…” “
Ha damn it…”
The corps commander, who had been silent with a frown on his face, stood up.
“For now, wait. “If you don’t come up with hostage exchange conditions within a day, we will move.”
“All right.”
No matter how hot-tempered Mirva is, it is impossible to move the army when the same general is taken hostage.
Regardless of Songha’s special position within Deadrise, its power should also be of great help to the corps.
At least, we cannot move until we properly understand the internal situation of Yorta.
“And research the masked master of Pandemonium and get a profile. Right Now.”
Mirva’s eyes glowed coldly as she looked at the broken screen.
“I need to know what he did in the military city.”
* * *
Lennok, who had suddenly cut off communication with Deadrise’s corps commander, turned his head.
“Okay? “This bought me some time.”
“….”
“Take care of the negotiations with that side. “You wouldn’t be so foolish as to take a general-level superhuman hostage, right?”
“…I don’t know what the situation is right now.”
Nymel said, rubbing his temples with a tired look.
“It’s okay to get help from you, but the fact that we’re on the same side and dealing with warlords…” “
I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no intention of fighting Deadrise. “That is a matter for them to take care of.”
“….”
“It was just to prevent an annoying commotion before I left Yorta.”
Lennok nodded at Nymel, who was looking at Lennok as if at a loss for words.
“I have something to talk about with this idiot, so please leave. “Once we’re done, I’ll hand over the recruits.”
“…All right.”
Naimel shook his head and slowly backed away, perhaps feeling that it would be difficult to hear a detailed explanation of the situation here.
The space on the first basement floor where Lennok was trapped was emptied, and even the military orders surrounding him were completely defeated.
Nymel, standing at the entrance to the stairs leading to the ground, looked back at Lennok and said.
“We will control the situation from outside and bring it to an end. “Please call me when you’re done talking.”
“Sure.”
“Cough, cough…!! “What are you…”
The first basement level became empty after Nymel left.
Songha, who collapsed under the shrine overflowing with water from the Headrain River, shook his head helplessly.
“How can you shake up your alter ego’s ability to maintain something like this?…”
The third improved version of Yeoreisin, the Four Deadly Poles, is a magic that increases the target’s reflexes and thinking speed.
In that case, Song Ha’s alter ego, who had even limited her own intelligence as a constraint to maintain her alter ego, would have seen it as an act of escaping the constraints.
Perhaps because of that, Songha didn’t seem to even be able to properly guess what magic was on his body.
“There is no need to know. “What’s more important than that is this.”
Lennok said that and took out a papyrus in front of a limp Songha.
Ethan Bajur’s travel journal left behind in Yorta and an artifact that is part of the series with Papyrus Argenteus.
“…That’s the journal Ethan left. “It’s something that has an owner.”
Songha seemed to recognize it immediately as well, her eyes sparkling even though she was drenched in water.
“You shouldn’t have it…!!”
Quick!!
At that moment, the block of ice imprisoning Songha cracks and slowly breaks apart.
Even the restraints of the cold spirit spell world, whose strength and restraint have been amplified by ice magic, are attempted to be broken through pure force.
However, Lennok instantly broke the cold spirit spell and raised his hand towards Songha, who was trying to jump out.
“If you move any further, I will tear this apart.”
“…!!”
“Here is Ethan Bajur’s journal. “If you damage this, you will never be able to open it again.”
Lennok looked at Songha, who had calmed down, and slowly held Papyrus in his arms.
“Let’s make a deal.”
“transaction?”
“What you want is not the papyrus, but the contents of the journal itself.”
It seems certain that Ethan forgot the contents of the record after his resurrection. There is also a reason to regain those forgotten memories.
In that case, there were a few ways to persuade Song Ha without handing over the papyrus.
“I will copy and hand over the record of the visitation log. Instead, answer a few questions.”
“….”
Surprisingly, instead of rejecting the offer, Song Ha looked quietly thinking.
This may be because Song Ha also knows that taking Papyrus away is far away at a time when the situation has changed.
It might be better to answer questions and obtain records.
Lennok looked at Songha, who was worried, and slowly put on his obsidian mask.
“I also have no intention of getting into a fight with Deadrise right now. “If you’re a general, you shouldn’t die in a place like this, right?”
“Yeah… that’s right.”
Songha’s eyes turned grim as if he had sensed something from Lennok’s question.
“Feisha left like that not long ago.”
“….”
“I must kill the guy who killed Feisha with my own hands.”
“Right.”
Lennok smiled calmly and nodded.
“If we are going to kill that wizard, we must first preserve our lives in a place like this.”
“…good.”
Songha asked, as if he had made a decision and stopped resisting his way out of the ice block.
“What are you curious about?”
“It looked like the 4th Corps had left the central front and was near Yorta.”
Lennok organized the situation in his head and chose his words.
“Apart from the Legion’s individual actions, what is the immediate purpose of Deadrise as a whole?”
“To completely subdue the warlords at the central front.”
Song Ha answered calmly.
“They were large in scale but insubstantial, but their momentum changed as their commanders went crazy. “He is one of the competitors on our current front.”
“Is Damus also participating in the operation to suppress the warlords?”
“…Do you know Damus?”
“Answer the question.”
Songha tilted his head and answered.
“Lieutenant General Damus commands the fastest mobile corps in the corps, so he is rarely absent from large-scale operations.”
The answer is a lot more detailed than you might think. As a general, how much do you know about the internal situation?
“He is the busiest among the generals, so he probably has very little outside activity… “How does a suspicious guy like you know?”
“well?”
When Songha asked with a puzzled look, Lennok answered with a smile.
“If you go back and ask him, he might tell you.”
“….”
Even if I asked specifically about Deadrise’s secrets here, Songha wouldn’t tell me.
If that’s the case, then we need to go a little further than openly poking at confidentiality.
If you look at the reactions of high-ranking leaders such as Songha…
“I understand that Gileon’s activities are infrequent within Deadrise.”
Lennok asked.
“Is he dead?”
“….”
At that moment, Song Ha’s expression became infinitely cold.
This may be because the moment that name came out of Lennok’s mouth, Songha’s thoughts naturally turned in one direction.
“you. Are you involved in the project?”
Songha’s question gives off an ominous force, as if it could break the ice and jump out at any moment.
But even though Lennok knew that, he smiled calmly.
“I faced him once a long time ago. So it’s just a memory.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Gilleon must have been on the scene-”
“I broke his armored wings myself once.”
“….”
As it happened at the time of the closed area, no one remembers what happened then.
No one can find out that fact anymore, but it is certainly an answer that is close to the truth for Lennok himself.
Songha must have felt it too, as he stared at Lennok’s mask for a long time before answering.
“Gileon… is very sick. “It hurts more than me.”
“It hurts?”
“I have a long-standing illness. “It’s a disease I’ve had since before I left the Balkans.”
“….”
“I usually don’t move much unless it’s Ethan’s business. Ethan rarely even wants that.”
Was that the reason why Gileon had almost no external activities compared to his reputation and power in the past?
Looking back at the time in the closed area, the powers and abilities used by Gilleon were quite heterogeneous compared to other superhumans.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he was suffering from a chronic illness while flying above the Balkan magnetic storm-dominated sky.
‘Should I pull more…?’
Should we provoke Songha here and force him to resolve Deadrise’s internal situation, or should we leave room at an appropriate point in time?
It’s been quite a while since I left the Spire through a deal with Nymel, so if you don’t plan on escaping Yorta right away, you should return soon.
Lennok, who was silently observing the remaining time and the flow of people moving around the city, nodded.
Wow!!
The block of ice that was binding Songha’s body split into two on the spot and melted in an instant.
“Apupu!”
“good.”
Lennok turned his back as he tied Songha’s drenched body to chains located on the first basement level.
“I will copy the record of the visitation and hand it over to you right now.”
* * *
Lennok then wrote down the contents of the ghost report in a suitable notebook and handed it over to Songha.
Lennok selected the common magic used for transcription, copied it into a notebook, and handed it over to Songha.
“Hey.”
Songha, who was staring at the contents of the notebook, soon nodded as if in understanding.
“I have a feeling. “I still don’t know if it’s really Ethan’s item, but… I’m sure there will be some reaction if I show it to you.”
“Is Ethan Bajur still staying at the Deadrise base?”
“Sometimes.”
“….”
Songha scratched his cheek and said, as if he felt that the explanation was not sufficient.
“After the Legion’s command system was completed, Ethan resigned his authority. Most practical work is handled at the lieutenant general level…” “
It means that generals at the general level are busy playing and eating just like you.”
“…Why are you so understanding?”
Songha looked at Lennog blankly and suddenly spoke.
“You said you were a member of Pandemonium, right?”
“….”
“I don’t know who he is, but I’ve heard stories about an archmage who roams the continent turning cities upside down.”
Songha looked at Lennok and spoke confidently.
“I’ll definitely have to check when I get back to see why you know about Damus and Gilleon.”
“do whatever you want.”
Lennok chuckled and raised his magic power.
I think I know who Songha is mistaking Lennok for. It also turns out that the guess wasn’t wrong at all.
However, it is also true that there is no need to correct Songha’s misunderstanding here.
Therefore, Lennok did not bother to reply and left immediately.
“You’re late.”
said Nymel, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.
Lennok walked up the stairs with difficulty and gestured downwards.
“Deadrise’s general was tied up underground. “Take me with you before they escape.”
Naimel responded by ordering other military commanders to go down to the basement.
“It looks like you got what you wanted from the crematorium ruins.”
She quietly looked at Lennok and asked.
“Was the arrangement he left behind there?”
“…well.”
Lennok, who looked back at Nymel, answered.
“It was full of corpses like you who had been sacrificed and thrown away.”
“….”
“I just found the fundamental reason why the church carried out this transaction. And, if I had to ask,….”
The body of arrival prepared for Kaise Bajur. And the map that Ethan, who visited Yorta first, left in his ghost report.
If you go back and examine the topography of the map engraved on the papyrus, you will be able to figure out where to head next.
Although we have not yet uncovered all of the secrets left in this city, we have achieved almost all of the goals we initially envisioned for Yorta.
“The ancient heroic spirits who were sleeping in the underground layer like you. “What are you doing now?”
“We are waiting for you at the festival. “This is to hear the story about this situation and make a decision.”
That’s not surprising.
It was obvious that if the heroic spirits expelled from the night tour tried to regain power in Yorta, they would one day find Lennok.
Didn’t Lennok know that too, so he stayed in this city and took care of other business?
“If you are ready, I will personally guide you.”
Kugugoogung!!
At that moment, the stairs where Lennok was standing began to shake violently.
The canals and ground that formed each level of the city were shaking, moving the level where Lennok was standing.
“The memorial tower was the center that maintained the foundation of the city, but on the other hand, it was also a wedge driven into the stairs.”
“….”
“Originally, Yorta was a floating city built on a river. So to speak, there is no central point that binds the city….”
“What you mean is that all the stair sections of the city can be moved freely.”
thud!!
A staircase, tightly bound with chains of fog, is dragged out into the middle of Yorta’s main street.
The strong men of Yorta’s shadow are keeping an eye on Lennok while secretly emitting an eerie spirit.
Are those who disobeyed Jinhonjeong’s reign but accepted the cause advocated by Yahaeng trying to witness the end of this turmoil?
At the end of the wide open street, I could see a huge temple shining white.
A beautiful and eerie scene where countless souls seem to have woven themselves into a structure.
Whioooo!!
A sharp wind echoed through the wide halls of the temple like a silent scream.
As soon as you enter the temple, the sight of a huge altar fills your eyes.
Beyond the altar, five antique thrones were placed in a row.
On the throne, heroic spirits with different forms and auras were looking down at Lennok.
“Nymel, you’re very late.”
A muscular old man sitting on a throne in the center opened his mouth.
“Did it take that much time to convince this guy?”
Lennok turned his gaze towards the old man and frowned behind his mask with a strong sense of intimidation.
‘The size…’
The appearance itself did not give a threatening impression, but its size was the largest among the military orders gathered here.
Wide shoulders and a height of dozens of meters. The size of the throne was also incredibly large.
It seemed certain that the spirit of a giant race, not a human, had become the military leader.
“I’m sorry, Falloons.”
Nymel, who had suddenly followed behind Lennok, slightly lowered his head.
“Because the matter is a private matter, it was thought that it could not be carried out without the person’s consent.”
“Hmm…”
The old man called Falunze slowly wriggled his shoulders while leaning on the throne.
That alone is enough to make you feel as if you are being sucked into the center of Falunj by the fog billowing heavily.
Coo coo coo!!!
I had guessed it when I heard that ancient heroic spirits were expelled from their nocturnal journey, but did such powerful beings still remain in the city?
If you think about it, it wasn’t a strange thing.
This military city is located on the border between life and death and is a city of ghosts that embraces even the dead.
It is not strange for extraordinary people from all over the continent to die and become military commanders and wander this city.
Wasn’t Naimel, who was standing next to Lennok right now, a candidate for priestess of the church during her lifetime?
The moment Lennok was thinking like that and looking around.
“That obsidian mask.”
A heroic spirit whose entire body was covered in pitch-black shadow, sitting on the far right of the throne, spoke to Lennok.
“It’s from a familiar family.”
“…Who is it?”
Instead of answering Lennok’s words, the black hero slowly tilted his head and muttered.
“You use manipulation techniques and wear that mask proudly…are you the one who tramples and insults old pride?”
“….”
“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now.”
The moment Lennok calmed his gaze at the incomprehensible monologue, the heroic spirit stood up from the throne and snapped his fingers.
“Come closer.”
Cheesy…!!
At that moment, a dark black magician stretched out between the dark, submerged fingers of the heroic spirit.
“If you are a nobleman who has reached the destruction of Arsnova, I have something to give you as a fellow noble.”
