Chapter 186 : The Race for Survival Begins
Chapter 186: The Race for Survival Begins
We spent three days inside the hideout.
It took three days before the forces from each territory gathered and the subjugation finally began.
I'd heard a rough summary of the situation from Irene, but...
Did it really have to take this long?
The only things the Great Lords needed to discuss were the battle formation, tactics, and the division of the spoils.
And that alone consumed three entire days?
-One of those days got dragged out because of the Saint situation. Isn't that your own fault, Master?
Speaking of Saint...
According to Irene, Deron Level's reaction had been quite the spectacle.
Apparently, he looked exactly like someone hearing about the matter for the first time.
The Deron Level I remembered was proud and somewhat arrogant.
People with personalities like that generally weren't very good actors.
‘Is it really possible for the Lord of New Level not to know about what New Level is doing?’
I'd naturally assumed that the mastermind behind New Level's schemes was none other than Deron Level himself.
But perhaps...
Things were a little different from what I'd imagined.
It was a question worth seriously considering.
“So it finally begins. I thought I'd die from boredom.”
The others had spent the same three days trapped inside the hideout.
The shelter itself was comfortable enough thanks to how well it had been built.
But for the energetic Lion Tribe warrior women...
It must have been pure torture.
I at least had information flowing in from every direction, giving me something to do as I pieced everything together and issued orders.
They didn't even have that.
At least the Rabbit Tribe entertained themselves by expanding tunnels in every direction.
Digging tunnels was fun for them.
The Lion Tribe, on the other hand, had little to do besides taking quiet walks around the area at night or secretly observing the Great Lords' camps.
Even that wasn't possible during the day.
Just as Leisha had said...
Now that the subjugation had finally begun, our dull underground life was finally over.
“So that's the one. Quite the majestic kitty.”
“Well... if you want to call it a kitty.”
Jupiterio could be seen in the distance.
A gigantic leopard-shaped monster.
At first glance, it was difficult to tell whether it was a Magic Beast or a Monster.
Its appearance was completely animal-like, making it seem closer to a Magic Beast.
But it was far too powerful to actually be one.
Constantly releasing electric currents in every direction...
Jupiterio was an extremely troublesome opponent.
“Is this really how humans fight?”
“Hm?”
“Doesn't it feel... completely lifeless?”
“Well...”
Just as Leisha said...
The battle was progressing painfully slowly.
No one seemed willing to fight at full strength.
As a result, the Masters holding the front line were suffering.
The longer the battle dragged on...
The greater the burden on them became.
‘It's so blatant that it's actually making me uncomfortable.’
Iron Wall, Sir Berix, was completely loyal to the Lord of Haken.
For Durek, who harbored ulterior motives...
The more severely Berix was injured, the better.
In that sense, deliberately dragging out the battle made perfect sense.
‘But why is the New Level Master doing the same thing? Are they on bad terms?’
The surprising part was the New Level Master.
Seeing him hold back just like Durek wasn't what I'd expected.
Did something happen on their side too?
The more I watched...
The more confused I became.
‘With those two refusing to commit, there's no way this hunt can progress properly.’
Since the Masters leading the front from both Great Territories remained passive...
There was no reason for the Masters from Vines to take the initiative either.
After all...
Seeing Masters from another territory get injured wasn't exactly bad news for them.
So everyone simply stalled.
Watching one another.
Waiting.
It seemed they intended to start fighting seriously only after the two defensive Masters had accumulated enough injuries.
‘Something about New Level feels wrong.’
Between Deron Level's incomprehensible reaction...
And all of this...
Maybe there really was something I still didn't know.
“Leisha.”
“What is it?”
“So... once the subjugation ends...”
“Hm, like that? But if we do that...”
“It'll be fine. Irene's there too.”
“Understood, Bear.”
Just as the sluggish battle continued...
A powerful Aura erupted from the rear.
Irene, who had been waiting together with Celine, finally drew her beloved massive War Hammer.
A silver plate engraved with a soaring crimson bird.
A crimson War Hammer engulfed in blazing flames.
Now that she'd become a Master...
The Fire-Attribute Aura surrounding her body burned even more vividly, dancing like living flames.
She looked like a fairy made of fire.
-A fairy of fire (physical).
Of course...
That enormous War Hammer was a little too terrifying to belong to a fairy.
“Irene's moving. She promised she'd hold back.”
“Then again... it'd be stranger if Irene simply stood by and watched.”
It wasn't as though Irene knew nothing about politics.
She'd deliberately withdrawn from the succession dispute.
She'd also taken every dissatisfied faction in Haken and relocated them to Johnson Territory.
Among all the knights in our territory...
Irene was probably the one most familiar with political matters.
After all...
Johnson Territory practically had no politics to begin with.
Even so...
She was an exceptionally upright person.
And she knew how to prioritize.
There was no way she'd accept humans sabotaging one another in the middle of a monster subjugation.
She might understand it logically...
But emotionally...
She'd never tolerate it.
Especially when the Master suffering the most happened to be the ally she trusted above all others.
The calculation was obvious.
Keeping her true strength hidden...
Or minimizing Berix's injuries while ensuring the subjugation succeeded.
She'd clearly decided the latter was more important.
‘Even I didn't expect things to turn out this way.’
Openly sabotaging each other during a monster hunt?
I'd believed they'd at least take the subjugation seriously.
Instead...
I'd merely discovered there was another basement beneath rock bottom.
-Doesn't this ruin everything?
‘Not completely. Berix is obviously out of commission now. Irene will simply replace him.’
A Master who wielded Attribute Aura, something even more effective against humans.
That alone was enough to make Durek and New Level—who had desperately wanted Irene separated from Johnson Territory—mutter, "This is a problem," and consider abandoning their plans.
Facing Berix, a defensive Master...
And facing Irene, who had become a Master...
Were completely different matters.
If it were me...
I'd postpone the rebellion.
‘But that's impossible.’
If Durek had merely planned to assassinate the Lord of Haken alone...
He could have adjusted his plans depending on the situation.
But this wasn't that simple.
This was almost certainly a rebellion involving Gios Haken, the Lord of Haken's second son.
With everything already set in motion...
The chances of changing the plan were practically zero.
Not to mention...
New Level was involved as well.
If Durek backed down now...
New Level would simply expose the secret and throw Haken into complete chaos.
As far as New Level was concerned...
As long as Haken descended into turmoil, the outcome didn't matter.
The one cornered...
Was Durek.
He no longer had any room to choose.
He'd certainly attempt something to restrain Irene somehow.
“I'm attacking!”
Just as I was wondering how Durek intended to deal with Irene...
She entered combat mode.
Like lightning, she shot forward and smashed Jupiterio across the back of its head.
-Kung!
One strike with a War Hammer packed full of Aura.
Then she immediately retreated behind Berix.
After catching her breath for only a moment...
She charged in again for another blow.
Berix, wielding his enormous shield, protected Irene as though he'd been waiting for her.
His massive frame restricted Jupiterio's movements.
Even Stone Tower, Sudarn, actively joined in to shield Irene.
‘He probably realizes it too.’
The only person capable of breaking this miserable stalemate...
Was Irene.
There was no way Masters of their caliber wouldn't understand that.
That was why Sudarn, despite belonging to New Level, grit his teeth and protected her.
“Tch!”
The moment Irene joined the battle...
The atmosphere on the battlefield completely changed.
In a joint subjugation...
Spoils were divided according to contribution.
And when those spoils came from an Out-of-Rank Monster...
Everyone wanted them.
As long as everyone remained passive, there wasn't much of a problem.
But once someone stepped forward and carried the burden...
The others had no choice but to match that pace.
If they kept holding back until the end...
They'd walk away with nothing.
Watching Haken claim every reward alone would be unbearable.
-Krrrk... Kugh.
Seven Masters unleashed their Auras simultaneously.
Now that the battle had truly begun...
Each of them displayed their full abilities, determined to claim as much credit as possible.
Jupiterio was a Calamity-Class Monster said to rival the military strength of an entire territory.
But even it couldn't withstand seven Masters.
The only thing that puzzled me...
Was why such an intelligent Out-of-Rank Monster...
A highly agile beast-type at that...
Never attempted to flee.
Instead...
It continued fighting until the very end.
Its resistance didn't last forever.
After a desperate battle...
It finally lost its life.
Seven Masters had participated in the hunt.
Two suffered severe injuries.
Three suffered minor injuries.
Only Durek and Irene emerged completely unharmed.
With that...
The subjugation of Jupiterio came to an end.
-Now it's time for the gathering of heroes.
A race where success meant gaining everything...
And failure meant losing one's life.
The race for survival...
Had only just begun.
New Level Castle.
A luxurious residence in the northern district.
A man wearing a black half-mask was organizing the reports arriving from every direction and coordinating the operation.
Saint.
Haken.
New Level.
Vines.
And every territory throughout the Levelium region.
Most territories strictly monitored the Mana Communicators.
So information was currently being delivered through the rather primitive method of messenger pigeons.
For now...
That was more than sufficient.
Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.
“A large number of Imperials are gathering near Saint. Octosia has also escaped from Saint Castle.”
“It couldn't be helped. Quite a few Imperials will die, but...”
“We'll reclaim Saint afterward anyway.”
“As long as they attract attention, that's enough. The message was properly delivered to Sir Drake?”
“Yes. We've informed him of the revised plan.”
“Good.”
The first unexpected variable of the operation.
Their plan to assault Saint had nearly been exposed to the Great Lords.
Fortunately...
Deron Level hadn't noticed anything unusual.
And the subjugation of Jupiterio had proceeded exactly as planned.
The assault on Saint would also proceed as scheduled.
More Imperials would die than originally anticipated.
But that hardly mattered.
After all...
The assault on Saint was the least important event of the entire operation.
The Imperials merely needed to alarm everyone before quietly disappearing.
“Jupiterio has been subjugated.”
“The casualties?”
“Berix of Haken and Sir Sudarn of New Level have suffered severe injuries.”
“Just as planned. Has everything been set up?”
“Yes. All that's left is activation.”
With two Masters severely injured...
They wouldn't be returning immediately.
Even if they insisted...
The excuse of treatment and recovery would easily keep them in place for at least a day.
Everything was unfolding exactly according to plan.
“However...”
“What is it?”
“We discovered new traces on Mount Rot.”
“An uninvited guest?”
“We don't know. There are scattered signs that someone passed through the area, but we can't determine who.”
“Tch... That's irritating.”
“They're very faint traces. They could even belong to a monster.”
“Fine. That's hardly important right now.”
The operation that absolutely could not fail...
Was finally about to begin.
Compared to that...
The traces on Mount Rot were nothing more than a trivial matter.
No matter how he looked at it...
There was no way such insignificant traces could become a major variable.
“I will reclaim my rightful place as the legitimate ruler. No matter what.”
The man's greatest ambition was now only one step away from becoming reality.
His thoughts were focused solely on that.
Had he known exactly what those traces belonged to...
He never would have thought so.