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Reincarnator – Chapter 167 : Test (2)

The representatives of the three races asked Clementine.

This Clementine was very impudent but her proposition itself was quite alluring.

For her to be able get rid of the human problem for them.

In a full frontal clash the Higher races would beat the humans no matter what.

But if the humans used other tactics then the story would change.

Since the ones from before had shown them already.

By giving the Makrons a fatal blow.

And so the three representatives listened in on what Clementine had to say.

Create a village.

And make everyone who came up from here gather to this point.

Then they would educate and threaten them with the system and the rules of the village and give them an idea that they would die if they left the villages.

This would allow them to create a hierarchy system as well as allowing the Higher Races to receive Offerings.

Many many birds with a single stone.

Since they would be able to implant the seed of fear from the Higher races into the humans with ease and divide them so they won't be able to trust each other.

But if they only give them fear than the humans might work up.

What else would they think about except escaping from the village which the Higher Races controlled who treated them as bugs?

So they would add the hope factor.

.

By creating a path ahead called the Green Road.

They created a path between the territorial boundaries and made all the humans head towards that way.

So that these guys won't run away into the jungle in fear.

And Clementine's plans were extremely successful.

After all this had been set up.

The three higher races had been able to control every single humans who came up with just a single Satellite Fortress.

Since they just needed to go around the hope-filled villages and manage them.

And even the villages were controlled by Clementine's followers.

And they just needed to go around the villages from time to time and have some fun.

Humans filled with thoughts of retaliation were danger factors for them.

But the trained humans were not dangerous to them at all.

A very satisfying result.

So the three races had asked.

This Clementine wasn't really that different from the three humans from before who had shaken them.

No, she might even be greater.

If Clementine had lead the humans then the three races would've had to struggle much more.

Clementine laughed coldly at those words.

And and spoke out her terms.

............…

'Damn…But why has it turned like this?'

Dakidus thought of the terms with Clementine and then made an expression of disbelief.

Booooom!

Boom!

Ekidu, Karhal and everybody else had encircled Dakidus and were attacking him without end.

Right before Dakidus had been able to kill the bug in front of him.

That Ekidu girl had lead every human around here and had ran over here in order to hunt him down.

"You bastard! Die!"

"Fucking bitch! Anton died because of you!"

Enraged people attacked Dakidus from all directions.

Every throwable weapons in the Armory had been sent towards Dakidus.

"Kuuuaaaaahhh!"

The Enraged Dakidus tried to rush up and rip the humans apart but he couldn't.

"Where are you going."

Boooom!

Since Hansoo held him down every time he tried to.

And thanks to this Dakidus had been receiving the assault of tens of bugs that he could destroy with just a single swipe.

A few wasn't really a problem but the story changed when the number increased to thousands.

There was no way he could hold on receiving these attacks that were coming down at him like rain.

Dakidus got desperate and shouted out.

"Roooaaaar! You damned Humans! Karim! What is that Karim guy doing!"

This was not a scene he had expected to happen, ever.

Since this shouldn't have happened.

"Daaammmniitt! You dumb humans! Do you even know what you guys are doing right now? Have you heard nothing from Karim!"

The people stopped at those words.

They were already quite nervous.

As to what the final words Karim had tried to say were.

Though the remaining guards were followers of Karim, there was no intel from them as if they didn't know much.

Dakidus made a bright expression after seeing this.

"Hahahahaha! Dumbasses! That's what I thought! You shouldn't be doing this if you heard the story! It seems that worthless Karim had died even before he was able to say this!"

There was a chance.

If they were doing this even after hearing the story of Karim then there was no hope left for him.

But if they hadn't heard Karim yet?

There was a chance for his survival.

Booooom!

Dakidus smashed away the incoming golden spear of Hansoo as he shouted out loudly towards the surrounding people.

"You dumb bastards! Shall I tell you a fun story? It's about that Clementine person!"

'Damn!'

Ekidu tried to shut him up but Dakidus was much more stronger than Karim who had lost his arms.

Truth started to come out from the Dakidus's mouth while he was jumping around like a wounded beast.

Loud enough to the point that everyone in the village could hear.

..........

Dakidus who had been appointed as the Harvester, and managed the humans, and Clementine, the Executor of the plan, had shared quite a large amount of stories while creating the Green Road.

Though Dakidus treated the humans as bugs, Clementine stimulated one's curiosity quite a lot.

Clementine always spoke out, as if it was a habit, even while creating the village.

Clementine made a mysterious smile at those words and then mumbled.

Though the strength of individuals were important but numbers were also an important factor in determining the strength of a group.

But there was a problem.

The battle never ended and there was always competition.

The clash with outside forces was harsh but the bigger problem was the internal dispute between the humans.

The fact that they didn't have any knowledge as to who to target was an even larger problem.

Since they didn't know when the people, whom they had entrusted their lives to, would backstab them.

At least if they hadn't been comrades for numerous years.

And this problem will continue even after they gone up.

And an environment which changed all the time made it so there was no trust between the people.

As danger and responsibility each person needed to bear increased and there were less resources, only more fights would occur.

Clementine had continued to think this way but it was not enough.

Since the power of the Helper clan or the Cross clan that had been set up by her enemies were too large.

But the moment she saw the Yellow Zone.

And as she saw the three races that didn't really like the humans.

Clementine judged that it was the right time to begin her plans.

If if was a world controlled by the humans then controlling everything wouldn't be that hard with just their own strength but this Yellow Zone was not the same.

The Green Road beginning from the villages were a test.

Something that tested the entire human race that the Higher races and Clementine's followers had set up.

The ones who passed would be sent up and the failures… would get turned into an Offering.

There wasn't a need to send up anybody who would possibly become a threat to her.

Dakidus continued to speak.

"Well. Usually you will continue to get tested as you go through the Green Road. But since this had happened. Let's start the test even faster."

"That crazy bitch…"

Everyone swirled their tongue around.

These weren't words aimed towards Dakidus.

They were just shocked at the insane plan that Clementine had set up.

Dakidus laughed coldly as he looked at the adventurers.

"Is it too hard? Let's make it simple. Stick by the Higher Races and decide to go up or side with the humans by playing around with that Ekidu and Hansoo. It's easy right?"

"Ugh…"

Everyone started to mumble.

It was clear which side they should side on.

Since they were humans.

Except the problem was that the winner and what would happen to the loser was too clear.

If they side with the humans…then they will all get massacred.

How would they be able to survive if the Higher races got serious?

'Kuuheheheh. Good, good.'

Dakidus made a content smile as he saw their reactions.

The attacks pouring towards him had been cut by half.

Which means that they were pondering.

'Dumb Karim. If you said this earlier then things wouldn't have come this far.'

If Larim had said this earlier then they would've been divided already and had ran away towards the Green Road and the great jungle.

There was only one reason why some were still attacking.

They were attacking because they thought that they crossed a line they should not have and that they wouldn't be forgiven anymore.

Since they crossed the line, they wanted to see the end of it.

'Since I am mighty. I shall forgive you.'

Since the attacks had reduced, his body felt much better.

Dakidus shouted out even louder.

"Since Hansoo and that bitch had did these stupid things, this village will get erased as a whole. Since there are a lot of other villages. Even if I die it'll be the same. But there is still a final choice for you guys! Stick with me! Then I will follow the agreement I made with Clementine when we created the village and treat you as allies! I will forgive every attack you have made until now!"

Dakidus then smiled

"I know that you guys are easily swept up by the mood you see. You aren't in the wrong. The ones who caused you to sway are the ones in the wrong."

Dakidus made a vicious smile towards Hansoo and Ekidu and then spoke out again.

"I will count to ten! Those who will stick by me! Stop the attacks! I won't even tell you to fight with me! As long as you stop…You will be forgiven. If I die…It'll become troublesome right?"

The people were split from those words.

The storm-like attacks suddenly decreased in number drastically.

And the battlefield suddenly got very quiet.

As one person stopped and pondered, everything else happened in an instant.

Like a wave, the silence ran throughout the entire village.

Of course there were still a few who were still attacking.

"Aarrrrk!"

People who had lost their precious friends and family to him.

And the people who hadn't thrown their pride of humans away were attacking in a rage.

"You dumb bastards! This is an amazing chance! A chance to kill that guy! What are you going to do if you miss this chance!"

One of the people who had stopped attacking spat back.

"We didn't say we'll join yet! You bastard! We're just thinking about it!"

"What? This fucking bitch!"

"And if you aren't going to guarantee our lives then how about shutting up?"

The already nervous and anxious battlefield's emotions swayed from Dakidus and ontop each other.

And soon chaos occurred.

Ekidu grinded her teeth as she saw this.

'This is what…Karim trusted.'

Ekidu fell into despair.

She had lived with hope.

That the village wasn't perfect but was needed.

That it was an oasis that gave strength for them to be able to go through the road of hope, the Green Road.

But for that road to be just a test arena used for testing humans.

'It's a real shitty world.'

What had she fought for until now?

At that moment.

Boooooom!

Hansoo got smashed by Dakidus's attack, flew past Ekidu and smashed into the ground.

Kuududududk

Dakidus laughed as he spoke after smashing away Hansoo.

"You brat. You shouldn't play around like that with just random information you picked up. What are you going to do now?"

Dakidus admitted that Hansoo was amazing.

But there was nowhere enough support from his surroundings.

'For him to dream about treason with just these guys.'

The humans were, in the end, just livestock they grew.

Since this entire world was under their control.

It was a bit vague before but thanks to Clementine, they had been able to gain the complete control.

"Random huh…"

Hansoo spat out some blood and then grasped onto the Forked Lightning tightly after landing with a boom.

He had told Ekidu.

That this is the last test that he is giving them.

Would it be a test if the student received help from the tester?

Ooooooong

Hansoo looked towards the golden castle up in the skies, the Atillan.

Reincarnator – Chapter 168 : Test (3)

Mackill fell into despair as she looked around.

Since they had long separated.

"Damnit! We have to hurry and kill him!"

"You bitch! What do you want us to do!"

"You think we want to die as well?"

A crossroad of choice which their lives were on the stake.

And the people had completely split up after standing in front of this crossroad.

But this was obvious.

Since the Green Road that they had a large amount of hope for was just a path towards their own destruction.

And according to that guy's words, there was only a single way for them to live.

Betraying the humans and sticking by his side.

Mackill clenched her teeth

They could not win.

The gap between them and the Higher race, Arukons, was too wide.

And they didn't even know anything about their forces.

They couldn't even deal with Dakidus who came to check on the village once every few months.

But kill Dakidus here and follow Hansoo?

The Arukons won't forgive them at all.

They would stomp them thoroughly in order to set an example.

Deciding which side had the greatest chance of survival for them was very easy.

It was just a choice between dying valiantly or surviving like dogs.

'Hansoo. What are you thinking…'

Mackill looked towards Hansoo with a confused expression.

Kwaaaaangg!

Boooooom!

While everybody was splitting up.

Kwaaang!

Clash!

The fight was getting more and more intense.

Hansoo, Ekidu and a few others were still fighting against Dakidus.

Well, they couldn't see the fight but they could hear it.

Since Dakidus and the powerhouses who could deal with him had long gotten far away from this place.

It might not have been possible if they were surrounding them but their assists had ended because of their internal disputes.

Dakidus used this and had long gotten far away from the surrounding people along with Hansoo and the others.

'Damn…We need to hurry and chase.'

Those who could go had to chase at least.

At that moment.

One of the bickering people shouted out loudly.

"Nobody can leave! Everyone stop!"

'This crazy bastard…'

For them to completely block everyone instead of having reached a neutral ground.

What kind of conversation did the have to reach a result like this?

Mackill made a dumbfounded expression.

.........…

'Pefect. Heheheheh.'

Boooom!

Boom!

Dakidus laughed towards Hansoo's spear that was flying in.

Of course Dakidus wasn't really feeling leisurely or anything.

His entire body was in a mess and the attacks that were flying into him were still vicious.

But there was no need to worry.

As long as the attacks of the weaker ones had stopped, time was on his side.

The blue light raining down from the skies was getting brighter and brighter as well.

The Satellite Fortress was radiating a huge amount of energy that couldn't even be compared to that from a single individual.

This meant that the Atillan was winning over the Sealing jade and recovering its original power.

The crown on his head started to shine a bit more and it started to slowly reactivate the internal scanning system of the Atillan.

It had started from the levitation system and slowly worked its way up.

The mana inside him was still not moving but what did that matter?

Since most of his strength actually came from the Atillan.

The moment Atillan's mana engine reactivated back to full capacity and the attack systems come back online it will all end.

'At that moment… I will kill you all.'

Dakidus grinded his teeth.

His entire body was sore and painful.

Even when he had fought with the Sages in the past he hadn't gotten injured this badly.

He would dish out all this rage and pain he felt right back at them.

'Metiron… He might say a few things but… He should understand.'

Dakidus grinded his teeth after thinking of the General of the human area that Clementine had left behind.

He had promised to let the ones standing by his side live but the more he fought the angrier he got.

There were a lot of villages anyway.

It wouldn't matter that much even if he killed them all.

Dakidus channelled this rage and smashed Hansoo in front of him.

If he tried a bit harder then he could probably beat all these guys to death.

But there were a lot of risk involved in it and wasn't that fun.

'Tsk. It's not that easy huh.'

Dakidus grinded his teeth as he saw Hansoo who had stabbed a blade into his side while receiving his own attack shouted at him after Hansoo had backed away.

"Hahaha! Everyone out there is going to die because of you! I don't know why you have started all this but… Aren't you regretting a bit now?"

Dakidus smiled.

"If you give up now at least I'll forgive you. I'm saying this to you girl, Ekidu, as well. Why do you think those guys aren't following you? It's because you have no credibility. They're seeing which side will win. Which means you are causing all those guys to die!"

At that moment

Booooom!

"Kuhuk!"

Dakidus received a tough blow while he was speaking out and then got flung out.

Hansoo, who had smashed Dakidus in the stomach, threw away the smashed hammer and mumbled.

"Well you see, your judgement is a bit premature. As to who will win."

"Heheheheheheheh."

Dakidus chuckled.

Hansoo's spirit was very good but he didn't have the strength to back it up.

That was the same as trash.

What would he do in a situation like this?

And even the Atillan was completing its preparation to activate.

The internal scanning system recovered and started to show the inner parts of the Atillan.

At that moment.

'Huh?'

Dakidus frowned as he read the information flowing into him through the crown on his head.

Something had invaded the Satellite Fortress, the Atillan.

Some beast-like organism was running through the inner parts of the Satellite Fortress.

'….It's not just some random beast.'

Though the mana barrier was gone, the inner structure of the Atillan was still extremely complex.

But this invading beast was running through the inner parts of the Satellite Fortress and was heading towards a specific location.

A normal beast wouldn't be able to do this.

"You've done something."

It was clear where the beast was heading to.

Mana engine.

The structure that was the basis of the Atillan, which activated with mana.

The mana engine was the thing that allowed the creation and movement of the Satellite Fortress.

But Dakidus just laughed at Hansoo.

"What? Are you going to smash it or something?"

Figuring things out was another story but it was impossible to break it.

Would they have kept the most important structure without any defenses?

The mana crystal was protected by three layers of metal walls.

A special location that was protected even better than the control room.

'A Kali-Crown huh. How dare he with just that…'

Even without mana, if that thing tried to get through the triple metal walls then it would take an eternity.

It didn't seem like a normal Kali-Crown.

But the result would still be the same.

That engine will start up before he would be able to destroy it.

Then he would gain back his powers.

'He was trusting in that?'

The moment Dakidus was about to smirk at Hansoo.

Roooaaarrr

The black leopard which had been completely controlled, the Kali-Crown, started to cause a ruckus.

As if something that had been controlling it had disappeared.

At the same time.

Hooooook

Something started to invade through the walls.

Through the small gaps in between the walls, through the mana wires connected to the outer engine or the small tunnels created to repair the mana engine.

The black cloud started to seep in and started to take over the core of the mana engine.

Dakidus couldn't hold back anymore.

"Ha! Hahahah! What's it going to do? Is it going to eat over the Satellite Fortress or something? Hahahaha!"

Dakidus even stopped fighting as he laughed out loudly.

Wounds opened up and pain intensified but he couldn't stop laughing.

It made no sense whatsoever that Hansoo was trying to eat over the Satellite Fortress with a trick like that.

This place, which had the entire authority of control over the Atillan, had 27 artificial intelligences systems inserted into it and each of them were all protected by 12 layers of fireproof walls.

Set up in a way that one needed to take over all 27 of them in order to control the Atillan.

This was nowhere close to enough.

"Don't worry. One's more than enough."

"What?"

Dakidus frowned.

He then checked which system the black clouds were eating up.

'…Energy Transmitter?'

The location the black cloud started to eat up was not the location that was in charge of controlling the Satellite Fortress.

It was actually the location that provided the blue barrier around his body.

Dakidus scoffed as he saw energy flowing into the location that was in controll of giving the user of the Satellite Fortress strength.

'He's taking over the most useless part huh.'

Somebody who doesn't have the authority wouldn't be able to use the power of that fragment anyway.

It was impossible unless they had the crown on his head.

But in order to receive the transmission, he needed a receiver.

At that moment.

Hansoo laughed coldly as he pulled out something.

"You see, I've picked up something interesting on the way."

Dakidus frowned as he saw what that was.

"That is…"

Blue Jade.

A toy he gave to the hunting dogs.

No, it wasn't the blue jade.

Since the blue jade couldn't get dyed black.

Hansoo, who was touching the black colored gem, laughed as he spoke.

The Satellite Fortress wasn't his target in the first place.

Since to eat up all of it, the Dark Cloud was nowhere enough.

'I can do that slowly.'

But this was more than enough.

Then.

Booooooom!

The black jade started to aggressively transmit to and receive from the infected mana engine's section.

Very ruthlessly.

Kuuuuududududu

All the intel that was being sent towards Dakidus had been cut off.

And at the same time the slowly floating Atillan started to fall back down again.

As the infected mana engine had forcibly transmitted mana, the other sections which had barely come back had lost their mana.

Boooooom!

The Sealing Jade, which wanted to suppress, and the black jade, which was radiating energy, started to aggressively clash.

And the result was that the black jade won.

It wasn't possible to suppress the volcano-like mana that came out from the black jade with the sealing jade.

Though it was but a part, it was still a part of mana that was keeping that giant castle floating.

A tremendous amount of mana, that felt like it would melt his body down, surrounded Hansoo's body.

And during a time when nobody else was able to use the mana, the mana that came out from Hansoo's body really stood out.

And Dakidus freaked out as he saw this.

"How…"

Even he couldn't control the Satellite Fortress with such skill.

Since if he could do it then he would've sent out the energy with the crown on his head already.

The energy transmitter was actually the last of the systems.

But for him to cancel the lock of the mana engine, which had been set to start up the most necessary systems in order, and to forcibly pull out the energy to use it.

Even he couldn't do such things.

"You… How! How did you! Are you a successor of the Sages?"

Knowing the structure of the Satellite Fortress, knowing that secret and even being able to forcibly cancel the lock.

It's something that wasn't possible unless he was a successor of the Sages.

"I'm not a Sage. But why is it surprising? It shouldn't be the first."

Indeed this was not the first time.

Suddenly three people swept by Dakidus's head like lightning.

"You bastard…"

"Do you remember?"

Hansoo mumbled as he controlled the overflowing mana in his body.

His friends had done this already.

A similar event such as this.

.

Hansoo laughed coldly as he looked at Dakidus.

"A thief not being able to use it properly is obvious."

This technology, this fortress, everything from the blue jade to the crown on his head.

If these had been created by them and they could use them to their fullest potential then Hansoo wouldn't even have been able to fight against them.

The three slave races who had lived under the mercy of the Sages.

But they had stolen the which was the basis of the Sage's power and even completely annihilated them, stole their technology and civilization.

How could Hansoo not ignore them?

These were guys who hadn't done anything with their own strength.

Because they didn't have the ability to repair and create the artifacts of the Sages.

Guys who were still fighting with each other in order to gather one extra artifact of the Sages.

Even those rich fellows who received a huge inheritance would be better than this.

Since they were at least successors.

These were sinners who had sunk the Gods and replaced the God's position.

"Let's end this. There's a lot more I need to do other than you."

His senses came back as mana appeared and Demonic Dragon's Reinforcement worked again.

No, it was more.

Since the overwhelming amount of mana was a tremendous amount compared to what he usually had.

A tremendous mana that caused the Pandemic Blade, which he usually focused on the tip of the spear only, to appear like clouds.

The surrounding situation flowed into him through the enhanced perception.

And he realized why no reinforcements had come.

'…They made the worst possible decision huh.'

Hansoo mumbled as he swept his senses across where the villagers were gathered back in the distance.

Reincarnator – Chapter 169 : Test (4)

Booooom!

Booom!

Right before Hansoo was about to take control of the Atillan.

A fight had broken up between the villagers far away from where Hansoo was.

Not just a verbal fight but a fight where they held blades against each other.

A fight between those who tried to kill Dakidus and those who wanted to maintain the current situation.

"Damnit! We have to go!"

"You may not!"

"These bastards…"

Karhal grinded his teeth.

Even a neutral ground would be annoying but for them to be like this.

"We won't ask you to help so get lost!"

Boooom!

Then one of the guards who had swung their sword against Karhal shouted out.

"No way. Kang Hansoo. Blame that guy."

"What?"

"This is all because of that bastard, Kang Hansoo! That damned bastard… If he hadn't caused a problem then everything would've continued the way it was!"

And with this as the start, a few others started to shout out as well.

"Why did that bitch start all this!"

"He should've just lived the way he was!"

Mackill grinded her teeth as she saw this.

Including the guard who was shouting right now, about 10% of the people here were attacking in all directions.

Though the number was only 10%, the power was closer to 50% of what they had.

Since most of the attackers were Hunters and Guards.

Even without mana, they were still much stronger than the Farmers.

High rankers who had been stomping all over the Farmers from a safe location while gaining benefits from the village during the peace the village had been maintaining.

'Damned bastards. You were safe.'

Mackill barely dodged an attack of a Hunter who was charging at her and then grinded her teeth.

There was a reason for her anger.

Even if the village continued the way it was, there weren't that many negative points for those higher up.

They wouldn't be picked for the offerings even if they stayed still and even if Dakidus' words were right, they had a high chance of just passing through the numerous tests Clementine had set up and going up to the next zone.

It was very possible for those around the level of a guard.

But due to the recent events, they didn't know what would happen from now on.

Of course the Farmers couldn't really relate.

'Bastards. Was the peace you had made by selling us that good?'

No, it wasn't peace that was created just by selling them.

It was peace created by selling everyone who hadn't been able to pass the test created by Clementine.

Peace only for those who have passed.

But the minds of the guards swinging their blades against Mackill weren't easy either.

It wasn't from fighting against other humans.

'Damn…Fucking damnit. For things to twist and turn like this.'

Though they were leisurely fighting against the Farmers, they were feeling quite anxious.

Even if they sided with Dakidus, there was no guarantee that he would let them live.

The final state of Dakidus' body was a mess.

His skin had been shredded apart by Hansoo and his attacks, the glossing fur had all been burnt off, bones were broken and muscles were destroyed.

If they were in Dakidus' shoes?

And if the things he usually treated as bugs were the ones who attacked him?

He would not let them go.

Though he would forgive them for now, it would eternally be in his memories.

The scene he saw today.

And if this memory ticked his brain and made him feel discomfort?

It wouldn't be weird for them to suddenly get dragged away and get killed while they are on the Green Road.

The fact that in this already dangerous world, an accident caused by somebody else had made them facing great risks was the reason why they were so enraged.

'This is why… We have to be on the good side.'

It was now war.

And there was no middle ground to this war.

Everybody was their enemy if they weren't on their side.

They had to choose one side.

And they had been the winners until now.

They would be winners this time as well.

'Dumbasses, surviving is the highest priority.'

They had struggled.

For survival.

Who cared if this was all a trick or a test existed.

They just needed to win.

And Dakidus needed to live for this.

So this was why these guys cannot go attack Dakidus.

Karhal grinded his teeth as he attacked a Hunter in front of him.

"You bastards! Fuck off!"

Dakidus had lost his strength.

But humans were fighting with each other instead.

'I'm slowly feeling shittier…'

Karhal thought of a memory from the past.

When he had first come up here.

When he had been attacked by the hunting dogs that those guys had set up for fun.

Karhal couldn't handle the tremendous amount of mana supplied by the blue jade and had to run away.

While watching his sibling, whom he had spend a tremendous effort in finding and was treating very well, get transmitted by the blue light.

If those things had come out from the beginning and had swept them apart then he wouldn't have been angry anyway.

But they had instead played around with them with their superior strength.

Making the humans fight with each other and watching that scene.

'Damned bastards. I cannot miss this opportunity no matter what.'

The time for revenge had finally come.

Karhal then thought of Hansoo.

He still couldn't understand quite a lot about him.

He didn't know what Hansoo was thinking about.

But one thing was clear.

That there aren't many people who did things that didn't make sense.

He needed to follow those who did things that didn't make sense.

People whose actions did not make sense at all in this damned world where saving one's own life and raising their strength was of utmost importance.

This was why he had helped Ekidu and was why he was helping Hansoo now.

Karhal and the others who had decided to go against Dakidus were having similar thoughts as they fought.

They weren't fighting just from high spirits and belief in Hansoo.

'…At this rate, we'll get killed even if we go up.'

From the previous event, the balance that had controlled the village had been smashed apart.

They had despised Hansoo at first but the words of Dakidus had helped them resolute their minds.

The rules set up for the Higher Races and the traitors of mankind deserved to be destroyed.

'The ones who are blocking the destruction of this are the same kind.'

"Kill them! These bastards!"

If they couldn't see any hope it might've been different but as Dakidus had almost been killed, the ones appearing in front of them to block their path had enraged them greatly.

But the moment the enraged Karhal was about to smash the hunter in front of him.

Booooooooooom!

"…Huh?"

From the distance.

A pillar of light exploded out from where Hansoo and Dakidus had been fighting.

A blue, holy pillar of light.

And the moment the saw it.

"Oh no…"

Karhal and the others fell into despair.

Since that pillar of light, which came down from the Atillan, only meant one thing.

The guard who was attacking Karhal laughed out loudly.

"Uaahahahaha! See!? What could that guy do! You guys are now all dead!"

But at that moment.

Roooooaaaaarrr!

A pain filled roar rang throughout the entire vicinity.

So loud that everyone could hear clearly.

"Roooooaaaar! Get a hostage! A hostage!"

"What?"

Everyone made confused expressions at the pain-filled screams of Dakidus.

............….

"Heheheh….Did you really think that things would go your way?"

Dakidus laughed weakly towards Hansoo even whilst gasping for air.

And there was a huge hole on the belly of Dakidus.

A single strike.

His right arm had been blown apart by Hansoo, who had regained his mana, and a hole had been created in his belly.

But Dakidus had been able to barely avoid getting hit in the vital parts because Hansoo's condition wasn't at its peak.

Since the body wouldn't magically regenerate instantly even if one's mana came back.

If Hansoo was in peak condition then he would've definitely died from the previous attack.

Since Hansoo's body was overflowing with a tremendous about of mana.

'But…It's too late.'

Since Dakidus, whose body was numerous times stronger than Hansoo's, still knew about the situations of the villagers in the distance even without mana.

'Since they have chosen to follow me…they should know what to do.'

And as he expected.

They instantly realized the situation and started to follow his orders.

The other side had a lot more in number but the ones following Dakidus had higher individual strength.

They instantly figured out the situation and followed Dakidus's orders by suppressing the others one by one and grouping up.

'Good. Good.'

"Heheh. What are you going to do now? Are you going to throw them all away? What about the ones caught as hostages? No, the hostages might not matter but are you even going to kill all those who follow me?"

Dakidus blocked the slowly regenerating hole in his belly and started to laugh as if he had gained some leisure.

"Those guys are those who would've gotten to the next stage without any problems without you. But because of your deeds they have chosen such extreme measures. They are just struggling to survive but…Are you going to kill them all? Just because they didn't side with you? Hahaha! Ekidu is much better than this! What a tyrant!"

If the hostages were important then Hansoo wouldn't be able to kill him.

But Hansoo didn't really react to Dakidus's words.

He didn't get angry or feel flustered.

Since there was no reason to.

Hansoo spoke towards Dakidus without any expression.

"What are you saying?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you playing around or something?"

Hansoo wouldn't kill them if they had stayed in the middle grounds at least.

Since Hansoo also agreed with Dakidus's words to some extent.

Since struggling to survive wasn't wrong.

Even he had struggled and fought against others in order to survive and beat his competitors in the Yellow Zone back in the past.

If he didn't have his trait, which started to show its might from around the Yellow Zone, he would've definitely died.

But Hansoo didn't have the leisure to care about everyone over there.

Since it would be war from now on.

'I have to pick them out. Those who I will go with and those who I won't go with.'

Hansoo understood Clementine's opinions to an extent.

People that can't be trusted will only hold him down.

There was a reason why the Emperors of the past purged dangerous generals and lieges as well as killing off traitors.

The stronger they were, the more dangerous they were.

Letting everyone in was like bringing up a bomb onto the boat.

If Hansoo had some leisure and could guarantee his win at any given moment then he would've definitely persuaded everyone there to take them.

Since just letting them die in such a situation is a waste of their lives.

But he wasn't fighting with a complete assurance and confidence that he would be able to win.

The reason for him killing Dakidus and starting the fight against the Higher Races was not because he could win.

He did it because he had to.

Him coming to the past was not because he always had the confidence to twist every event and win at every situation.

The thing he had brought back was just a possibility.

Even with the knowledge of the future, not everything was solved.

Since even the Alchemists were worried while setting up the plan.

They didn't know what Hansoo would gain.

He might be able to get something even better and he might not even be able to gain anything.

They didn't know who will come into the plan and what kind of change would occur.

Of course there wasn't any guaranteed plan.

Set up the best suited plan for every situation with the knowledge of the future as the base.

It was like dangerous tightroping.

Since the enemy was that powerful.

Even if the situation was dire for others, he couldn't allow this.

This was just the start and more extreme situations would continue to occur.

Crossroads would continue to appear.

What Hansoo needed right now was people who could follow him even in a situation like this.

'Choice is free but you should take responsibility.'

He might win and the ones who followed him might face glory.

But on the other hand, the ones who chose Dakidus and the Higher races might win and laugh instead.

They weren't in the wrong.

This was war and the ones who died in war didn't die because they were in the wrong.

It was just the one who they chose to side with, in this case Dakidus, had lost.

That was it.

Hansoo clenched onto the Forked Lightning in his hands and looked at Dakidus.

"Don't throw all the blame onto me. Do you even know the amount who have died because of you?"

The casualties caused by Clementine and the Higher Races amount to tens of millions.

If he didn't smash apart the current situation and destroy them, the amount of people who would come up to get sacrificed would be needed to counted by the hundreds of millions.

This was why he was going to do his best.

In order to destroy them.

Along with everyone who sides with them.

Everyone was clearly identified from Hansoo's enhanced perceptions.

Those who would side with him and those who would go against him.

'The test ends now.'

In an instant.

Rummblee~

The mana that had been rotating around Hansoo's body roared as it all started to get sucked in somewhere.

Towards his skill, the Pandemic blade.

Rumblee

The spores of the Pandemic blade greedily devoured the mana and started to increase in size.

As if they were trying their best to mimic the scene they had caused in order to bring ruin to an entire world.

To the point of even making the Demonic Dragon's Reinforcement disappear.

At this time Hansoo's trait activated.

Seven Stars.

The spores who had been supplied with mana to the brim started to change and get reconstructed from Hansoo's trait.

More powerful.

More vicious.

Whooosh

The yellow spores around Hansoo's body twisted and turned as even their color changed.

To a bloody red color.

And soon.

Booooom!

The bloody storm which had exploded out with Hansoo as the center started to rush towards where the villagers were in the distance.

Reincarnator – Chapter 170 : Embers (1)

"Huff…Huff."

The Hunters and the Guards who had captured hostages and had grouped up in a circle were all breathing roughly.

They had pushed themselves in order to capture the hostages in the midst of a fierce clash so they had all received a large injury.

'Damn. How did we turn out like this?'

The guard, Carlton, who had captured a hostage suddenly grinded his teeth.

They had been filled with the glory of victory as the Atillan had started back up.

But Dakidus wouldn't have made them do this if he had won and the Atillan was the way it was supposed to be.

Dakidus had lost.

Badly enough to the point he needed hostages.

'Damn.'

The others around them slowly started to surround them en masse.

From the vicious aura of those people, Carlton's hand unconsciously tightened the grip on the neck of his hostage.

They weren't attacking him as if they were mindful of the hostage but the result was clear at this rate.

'Damn! At this rate…'

The injuries he had gotten when he had pushed himself to acquire a hostage during the battle suddenly throbbed.

Danger and pain mixed with each other as it brought urgency and rage.

Carlton raised the broken blade in his right hand onto the hostage's neck and the shouted.

"You bastards! If you don't want to see this bitch losing her head then move out of the way!"

"Oh no, Mackill! You bastard let go of her!"

Carlton, who was about to already go crazy from one of the Farmers surrounding him cursing at him, was enraged.

"Bastard? You want me to show what a true bastard is you bitch?"

There were a lot of hostages anyway.

As long as they had the hostages, the surrounding people won't be attack them easily.

He had to show them now.

As to what would happen if they didn't move out of the way.

"Look well! To what happens to this bitch! If you don't move then from now on…"

But as Carlton shouted and was about to cut off the head of the girl called Mackill.

Boooooom!

A tremendously loud sound roared in from the distance.

"…!"

Carlton flinched after sending the tremendously vicious aura and looked towards there the sound was coming from.

And then freaked out.

"Uuuhkk!"

A tremendous bloody tsunami was rushing from from across the horizon where Hansoo and Dakidus were fighting.

"Uaaa…"

Everyone freaked out as they saw the giant red storm charging towards them across the ruins from the distance.

A bloody storm that made one feel fear from just a glance.

Carlton saw the tremendous amount of mana stored within that storm and almost released the neck of the hostage and backed away.

That was how much the tsunami-like storm had freaked him out.

An aura that made him feel like it would even shred his bones apart if it just grazed him.

But Carlton forcibly suppressed his instinct which was screaming at him to run away.

What would he do by running away?

He didn't know what Hansoo had done but Hansoo had won and Dakidus had lost.

Hansoo would not let them go.

Hostages were the only way for them to live.

And Carlton believed.

That Hansoo wouldn't kill off every villager here including the hostages.

The size of the red storm which didn't distinguish from friend or foe was just tremendous.

'That's all a fluke. A fluke.'

There was no way that Hansoo would massacre everyone here.

They were like this because they had no mana but once their mana came back, everyone here would be a tremendous force to be reckoned with.

It might be different for those who went against him but to kill off the huge amount of people who had decided to follow him just to gain a few more runes?

There's no way Hansoo would do such a thing if his brain was functioning properly.

'Damn…That would be the logical case.'

But the storm had made him want to ignore his logic and run away, the aura of the storm was that vicious.

But it was too late.

He couldn't run away anymore.

"Uuuaaaaaaak!"

As Carlton saw the red tsunami which had rushed all the way up to his face and crouched down while screaming.

Whooooosh.

The bloody storm just swept past them.

Past Carlton who was still holding onto the neck of Mackill despite crouching.

As well as Mackill who had been made unconscious by Carlton.

Actually, everyone had instinctively crouched their bodies down into a ball or had laid down onto the ground.

In order to defend themselves from the sudden, mysterious storm.

Whoooosh!

The red tsunami just swept past everyone's body.

And then a change occurred.

The red storm, which had ignored the ruins and was continuing to rush through, suddenly started to target lifeforms as it gathered itself.

Like fireflies being attracted to a light in the darkness.

Woooosh

It was like a storm when it was rushing through but as it sensed life, the small pieces of the storm swayed like smoke from the wind as they slowly but carefully started to shroud the people of the village.

And soon everyone's body, including Carlton's, had been shrouded by a red cloud.

'Ugh…'

Carlton really didn't like the red cloud that was swaying up and down surrounding his body but he sighed in relief for now.

Since it didn't really look like it was harming him for now.

And looking at it more closely, the powder-like red pieces that were floating around were actually quite beautiful.

'Yeah. If it's a trick then…'

As Carlton clenched his fist tightly while looking at the red cloud shrouding him and Mackill.

The small red pieces Carlton praised, the spores, were constantly communicating.

..............

'Good.'

Hansoo spread out his arms from the sensations coming into his body and then looked up into the skies.

They couldn't even be called spores anymore.

The small red pieces which had become small lifeforms of their own, integrals, were constantly communicating with electrical signals.

The trillions of spores swept throughout the entire vicinity, touched, sensed and checked over every corner of the world as they relayed and sent back the information they had gathered.

And the signals that were sent out relayed through the other spores as they were sent back to Hansoo at the speed of lightning.

And these signals that were coming in were being reconstructed within Hansoo's head.

The area the red cloud had swept past could be felt vividly, as if it was a part of his body.

A feeling of his body being extended by a huge amount.

He could feel the unconscious Mackill as well as the nervousness of the guard who was looking around in confusion while holding onto her.

He could feel the rage of the barely alive Dakidus and Ekidu who was looking around in shock.

He could feel the anxiousness and enmity the thousands of people had against each other and could clearly determine who were his allies.

But Hansoo, who had been standing with his arms open out wide, grasped onto his throbbing head as he fell onto his knees.

'…Can't handle it anymore.'

This was well past the information any human being could handle.

No, the amount of integrals was not something he could handle with his current abilities.

He had forcibly evolved the pandemic blade with the amount of mana that would've easily melted his body down if not for the body enhancement given to him by the Atillan.

He couldn't even create these integrals with his original mana.

Well, he may be able to use them but he wouldn't be able to cover such a vast area.

An effect that he couldn't handle which was created from a tremendous amount of mana.

'End it.'

He already had distinguished between his allies and enemies.

Clench

The moment Hansoo, who was kneeling, clenched.

Hansoo's will spread through the red cloud and spread in every direction.

.............

Whoooosh.

"Huh? Huhhh?"

Carlton unconsciously screamed out loud as he saw the red clouds that were suddenly going hectic.

The red clouds that were shrouding Mackill just ignored her and were instead all rushing into him.

No, not just the cloud around Mackill but every bit of red pieces around him were all rushing to him.

Like fire ants charging onto a prety.

'Hostage…'

Carlton, who had unconsciously clenched the hand which was holding onto the neck of Mackill, stopped suddenly.

Because the idea was so stupid.

'What would I do with the hostage.'

Was he going to threaten the red cloud or something?

That he would twist the neck of the hostage if it didn't get off him?

"Fucking hell!"

Hostages weren't important anymore.

Carlton felt anxious at the red clouds surrounding his body and then subconsciously tried to escape out from them.

But it was already too late.

Whoooosh

The surrounding integrals floating around Carlton madly rushed towards Carlton.

Like dust being attracted by static.

In just a moment Carlton had been surrounded from head to toe by them as if he was covered by a red burlap bag.

At the same time.

"Uuaaaaaak! Aaaak!"

Carlton started to scream.

Not jut Carlton but everyone else around him who had sided with Dakidus.

There wasn't one person who was excluded.

Everybody who had fought for Dakidus and hurt or held the Farmers hostage all screamed out like Carlton as they rolled around on the ground.

And everyone who had come out from the red cloud just watched this scene in daze.

"Aaaaaak!"

"Damn! Why isn't it coming off!"

The people screamed out in agony as they rolled around on the ground.

As if they were trying to shake off any bit of the red powder they can.

But their efforts were futile.

The red powder covering their entire body had no intentions of dropping off.

And everyone who was watching this made an expression which had a hint of fear within.

"Uaaaa…."

A human was being gnawed upon whole.

By the red powders.

Well, it might not necessarily be eating them up.

Since such small powders wouldn't have any mouth.

But no other words but eat or devouring fit what was going on.

The people weren't rolling from some random pain.

They were actually being erased.

Very slowly from the outside.

Skin disappeared as muscles were shown.

Veins disappeared as the bones beneath came out.

An entire person was being melted down from the outside.

It would be normal if blood came out but even that blood was getting devoured.

Actually, even if it came out they wouldn't notice.

Since the red powder that was eating up the human was red like blood anyway.

"Kuhuuh….Uhhhuh."

The screams coming out from all around slowly reduced in number.

Since even the vocal chords to scream had been eaten.

And as the disaster-like change had stopped.

Swooosh

The red powders which had devoured thousands of people all got sucked into the ground…

And the area where the people had been rolling was empty like a ballroom after a party.

There were traces of people but no actual people.

The ownerless artifacts and dropped runes were the only things proving that the recent incident wasn't a dream.

"…"

The people who had been held as hostages felt those artifacts as they reminded them of the guards who existed right next to them just a while ago.

And then washed away the chill they felt running down their body.

This was a good thing.

All the traitors had been dealt with and everyone who was held captive had been released safely.

Dakidus should've died and since they've even gained the Atillan, they just needed to get to the next level.

Nothing could be better.

But despite this, another emotion sprang up from the deepest parts of their mind and swept past them.

As rage disappeared, fear filled the empty space.

Karhal made a complex expression as he looked at Hansoo who was walking through the silent ruins as he tried to wash away the fear he felt.

Reincarnator – Chapter 171 : Embers (2)

'…As I expected.'

Ekidu, who was walking alongside Hansoo, made a worried expression while watching the expressions of the others.

Fear was something the leader had to inspire to a degree but the amount here was too much.

Since every time Hansoo walked by, people flinched.

'Well. They did see something like that…'

Ekidu shook her head.

She had seen a lot of things while roaming the Otherworld for 8 years.

But she had never even heard of a skill that could erase the lives thousands of people with one man's own power in an instant.

'Such a reaction when we need to group up tightly for the upcoming days…'

It might've been different if there was leisure but in a situation like this where they had to soon face a powerful enemy, this type of emotion could blow up at any moment that became a spark.

"What are you going to do? Will it be okay like this?"

Hansoo nodded at the question which had a lot of underlying meanings.

If the people fearing him were going to become a problem then he would need to explain.

That it was not a skill he could use however he wanted and that he needed the help of the Atillan to perform it.

But Hansoo did not explain it.

Because he needed the fear right now.

Well, he needed power that could make even his allies fear him.

A kind and benevolent leader wasn't needed right now.

The people needed somebody with power who could give them assurance.

And as he expected, the expressions of fear did come up on the people's faces but an expression of relief also existed within.

Relief of not standing against somebody with such powers.

At that moment.

Craack

The sealing jade in Hansoo's hand made a sound as it cracked open.

'It's done huh.'

It made sense.

While suppressing the tremendous mana of the Atillan, it had also been suppressing the mana of thousands of people at the same time.

Even if it was the sealing jade, it couldn't handle all of that.

Whoooosh

"Uhh? The mana?"

Everyone made joyous remarks as they felt the mana returning back to their bodies.

Their regeneration speed increased as strength poured into the muscles that had been fatigued by the battle and supplied them with energy.

The people, who had been feeling empty due to the disappearance of mana that had been sustaining their body, suddenly made vigorous expressions.

But at the same time they made worried expressions.

Mana came back and they were filled with energy.

And the reality of the fact that they would need to fight now had gotten even closer to them.

They had gotten rid of Clementine's control and killed Dakidus.

If the Higher races found out about this they would definitely not stand idle.

"What will you do now?"

Everyone woke up from Ekidu's question and started to gather around Hansoo.

What happened from now on was very important.

Since they hadn't done all this just because of the hatred they had for Dakidus.

Their goals, in the end, was survival and they had only judged that this side had a higher chance.

'And…This guy has the key.'

A person who had dragged down the god-like Dakidus onto the ground and had even killed him.

There wasn't any foundation for it but they still had this belief.

Since Hansoo wouldn't have done all this without any plans.

Hansoo lifted something around his waist after seeing the expressions of those people.

"That is…"

Everyone frowned a bit as they looked at the item.

A blue-colored crown that seemed like it would fit perfectly onto the head of a person.

It looked so ordinary that they hadn't been able to discover it despite it being attached to Hansoo's waist.

But as mana came back and it gained its original luster, everyone realized the identity of the crown.

It was the blue crown that Dakidus had been wearing.

Whatever it was made of, the hoola-hoop-sized giant crown had been shrunk down to fit the head of a human.

But the people shook their heads as they saw the blue crown that was shining brightly.

"We can't win with just that."

Karhal spoke with a worried expressions after approaching Hansoo.

Satellite Fortress, Atillan.

Its might was indeed absolute.

It would indeed be able to protect the ten thousand of them safely.

At least from the beasts and humans.

But fighting against the Higher Races, such as the Arukon, was impossible.

Since those guys had tens of such things.

Hansoo nodded at Karhal's words.

Since they had no chances of winning a full frontal clash.

No matter how many of them attack the Higher race, who had the powerful Satellite Fortresses, it would simply be smashing a rock with eggs.

A single Satellite Fortress can erase tens of villages.

But then he couldn't use the sealing jade to beat down every one of them one by one.

Since the Higher Races would figure it out and be wary of it.

The reason why he had attacked Dakidus was because he needed a single Satellite Fortress to start all this, actually getting all the Satellite Fortresses powerless and fighting head on would be the best method.

The reason why the death of Dakidus and the Satellite Fortress being stolen not having been caught already was because Dakidus's one Satellite Fortress controlled this vast human area.

One rotation took months, not having any communications wasn't that weird.

They probably would have emergency contact information just in case they got hit by the humans but he wouldn't really need to worry about that.

But the other areas were different.

As the Satellite Fortresses were set in locations where an attack from the enemy could come at any time, once any of them got destroyed they would know instantly.

So he needed to wipe them all off instantly.

And he knew how to.

Since he came from the future.

'But I cannot say it.'

If there wasn't any information then he wouldn't be able to give them any reassurance.

But then to persuade the people he needed to pull out the information from the future.

An ironic situation.

But there was still a method.

The moment Hansoo wore the crown on his head.

Kiiiiiiiiiiiinggggg

The Satellite Fortress went into the process of accepting its new owner.

It wasn't that hard.

Since there wasn't a lock or anything.

These were all things the Arukons had stolen from the Sages. In order to use it for themselves they had to get rid of all the locks

They probably wouldn't have worried much as they got rid of them anyway.

Since they wouldn't ever have thought they would be taken over by humans.

"Go up. The rest organize the Armory and gather up the runes and artifacts. I'll go with a few people who will relay the message later."

The people nodded as they heard the words that told them not everyone had to go.

Since those words were very welcome to them who were extremely tired.

Since their mana came back, they needed time to heal and regenerate their stamina.

And soon the bright light that came down from the Satellite Fortress started to pull the people upwards.

.............

"Woah."

The people started to exclaim out as they walked into the control room for the first time.

Blue light, which they often saw in Sci-Fi movies of the past, filled up all the space around htem.

Tidik Tididididik

While they were admiring the view.

Hansoo greedily collected all the information from the Atillan after he came up.

Starting from the most useless information to some that could not be leaked out no matter what.

'…That easily?'

Karhal let out a dry laugh as he saw information constantly coming up on the screens.

It seemed like there was a lock but from the codes Hansoo inputted, all those locks instantly disappeared.

'He doesn't seem like he would be good at such things… It's as if he knows the passwords.'

As Karhal looked at Hansoo in wonder.

Hansoo, as if he had read Karhal's mind, replied.

"Don't be so surprised by it, it's what I heard from Dakidus."

"Oh…"

Everyone nodded at those words.

Since their questions had been answered to a point.

'He didn't die in peace huh.'

Ekidu clicked her tongue.

She wondered where Hansoo had taken him at the very end but it seems he had retrieved some intel.

At that moment.

Tiiiririrk

A map appeared on the screen they were looking at.

A map which clearly showed hundreds of other villages with tremendous detail.

Not just the territory of the Arukons but even the villages of the other two races.

'…Damn. It's really a farm huh.'

Karhal made a bitter expression as he looked at the red line connecting between the villages.

It wasn't that only the location of the villages were written on this map.

The map, which even listed the military information of each village, was clearly a very precious tool for war.

To the point that Hansoo taking over the Satellite Fortress was because of this.

And would there only be a single map in this giant Satellite Fortress?

Hansoo went past the countless amount of information and suddenly opened up a file.

A document that was marked as black unlike the others which were all marked blue.

"This is it."

"Hmm?"

Karhal and Ekidu, who had been standing next to Hansoo, heard those words and focused on the screen.

Hansoo didn't really focus.

Since he knew what was in here to some degree.

A legacy of the Sages which his friends had found at the end of the Green Road.

An item that was dimensions apart from the item that had turned into dust in his hands, the Sealing jade.

A final weapon that the Sages had created and had been left behind due to them being ambushed by the Higher Races before they could even use it.

Hansoo continued his speech.

"If we use that then all the mana within the Yellow zone will get suppressed"

"…All the mana?"

Hansoo nodded.

It would suppress all the mana in the Zone.

The Satellite Fortresses flying in the sky will fall and the blue shields defending their body would get taken off.

Something that his friends had started up in a dangerous situation and used it to freeze an entire race in the past.

'This is why you guys had been reduced to three races from four.'

The fourth race, who had their mana tied down and had powerless Satellite Fortresses, had been trampled by the other three races, the Arukon, Akalachias and the Rebeloongs.

This was why the job this time around was very important.

If he could activate it properly, all the mana in this zone will get tied down.

But Ekidu frowned as she read over the information.

"…It doesn't show us the location. Where is it?"

Ekidu spoke with a slight excitement.

It was to be expected.

Hansoo had turned the Satellite Fortress powerless from one Sealing Jade.

But an item that could instantly freeze up every Satellite Fortress the enemy had.

The damage they would receive would also be great but compared to the damage their opponents would receive, what they themselves would have to deal with was miniscule.

'We can actually win'

It wasn't that they would win by freezing up the Satellite Fortresses.

It was just that their chances to win would increase tremendously.

But for the most important part, the location, to be missing.

'It marked all the other information but why this…'

Hansoo spoke simply.

This isn't in the hands of these guys.

It was not something that the Higher Races had.

It was something that those guys were fervently looking for.

"Then where…"

"End of the Green Road."

"…What?"

Hansoo replied again at Ekidu's question.

"End of the Green Road. In the center of the battlefield Clementine made."

Ekidu's expression froze up as she heard Hansoo's words.

Green Road.

According to the information on the map, this place was true hell.

Though it had been marked as the sole escape route for the humans, it was actually swarming with Clementine's underlings who managed the Green Road.

And Clementine's underlings weren't weaklings.

People who had been chosen from the strongest of the Hunters and Guards.

They had been able to get rid of Karim with an ambush when there wasn't any mana but if there was mana then they would've received tremendous injuries.

Karim's abilities were that great.

But in Clementine's forces, there were tons of people who were around Karim's level.

And that wasn't all.

'If we only had that…We might be able to do something.'

Ekidu frowned as she checked the map.

The entire Green Road was being surveilled by three Satellite Fortresses.

Hidden from the normal adventurers.

'This is bad.'

There were only three Satellite Fortresses that managed over a hundred villages.

While taking turns.

But the entire Green Road was always being surveilled by each one of the three Satellite Fortresses that each race had sent.

No matter how vicious the Green Road which cut across the great jungle was, something at the calibre of killing Dakidus would get them caught instantly.

Using the Sealing jade like now was dangerous and taking their own Satellite Fortress to smash them apart was impossible.

Since they would sink instantly from the focused fire of three Satellite Fortresses.

'…We need to use the Destruction Jade in order to fell the Satellite Fortresses but we need to fell those Satellite Fortresses in order to use the Destruction Jade?'

It was not something they could solve with just numbers.

They would get massacred by the Satellite Fortresses.

"…That Clementine person. Is quite amazing. How did she even obtain such a thing…"

As she had heard, it was something that was fatal against the Higher races.

Without this, an alliance wouldn't have been created.

Since they weren't equals in their eyes.

Hansoo nodded at Ekidu's mumbles.

'Clementine was indeed lucky.'

Reincarnator – Chapter 172 : Embers (3)

"…What's going to happen to us?"

The people who were talking about numerous things while collecting the runes and artifacts from below, whispered as they looked up.

They had said they would follow but as the fight calmed down and reality hit them, they started to get worried.

'They wouldn't throw us all away…'

Even if they don't throw them away, a large amount of people might still die.

Mackill sighed as she looked at the calmy floating Satellite Fortress in the sky, the Atillan.

......…

Hansoo thought of the words of his friends of the past while looking at the information about the Destruction Jade.

His three friends had left behind clues about the Destruction Jade as they went up.

Though they were running away because of lack of strength, they had hoped that the people coming after them would use it for the humans.

So that those people would finish what they couldn't and save the humankind.

They had belief in the humankind then.

Though they fought with each other, they believed that they would combine their forces and fight together when a powerful race, such as the Higher Race, existed.

And so they had hidden the clues to getting to the Destruction Jade where the Higher races could not find it.

But sadly the one who had found it was Clementine.

The Destruction Jade had landed in the hands of the craziest person.

Well, it was meant to be in some way.

Since Clementine had as much skill as she was insane.

As she had covered the Great Jungle at an extreme speed and created a tremendous force which remained behind in the Great Jungle, her discovery was going to happen sooner or later.

And with this, Clementine's plan had been completed perfectly.

Well, the discovery of the Destruction Jade was the reason why she had been able to stand up against the Higher Races to give the proposition.

'Even if it was a proposition that benefitted both sides…If the difference of strength between the two groups is too large then such contracts wouldn't be able to get created.'

The thing which had greeted Clementine when she had first went to the Higher Races was not curiosity but sneers and contempt.

But they could only accept the proposition eventually.

From the words of Clementine which told them that if they didn't made the contract the or attacked the humans that she would use the Destruction Jade they had.

It might be different if all three races all lose mana together but if it only happens to one side then the same thing as in the past would happen.

They would get destroyed by the attacks of the two other races.

Clementine, who had gained a weapon against the Higher races, hid this in the deepest parts.

And the Higher Races pulled out one Satellite Fortress each in order to watch over Clementine's forces in case of them doing something.

And so the contract had been made.

'Well. No need to tell them all the way up to this.'

If one knew too much it would only bring harm to them.

And even if they didn't know this, the goal had been set already.

Reclaiming the Destruction Jade after getting to the end of the Green Road.

But the difficulty of this mission was quite a problem.

Ekidu looked at Hansoo and asked.

"What are you going to do now? The Satellite Fortresses will be our biggest issue."

Saying it was always easier, they had to constantly beat down Clementine's followers while they searched for the Destruction Jade.

Even if they were going to go through the Green Road, the Satellite Fortresses would be a problem.

They wouldn't even be able to do anything.

Since just a simple call for reinforcements will bring down a blue laser down from the Satellite Fortresses.

'Though we have one as well…'

It was very easy to see the result.

Three against one.

They could not beat three with just one of these.

No, winning would be a problem as well.

Since the other Satellite Fortresses would swarm in.

'Are we going to leave the Satellite Fortress? And go through the Great Jungle?'

But Ekidu shook her head.

It might've been different if they had a small amount of people but with so many people, trying to move anywhere would eventually get them caught somewhere.

They couldn't go through the Green Road either.

They know it's the mouth of the tiger, why would they go in?

And most of the Farmers were too weak for the Green Road anyway.

Those Farmers would get massacred by Clementine's followers, who were self-announced Examiners, and get sent as offerings.

'But then we can't really leave them here either…'

It was calm now but once they see that Dakidus wasn't returning despite it being time for him to come back, they would get suspicious.

'Damn. I can really see that we're at a huge disadvantage.'

Ekidu clenched her teeth.

They would get caught whatever they would do and all other roads were blocked.

If one's group had the advantage and was strong then there was no need for worry.

Since they could just group up and kick away everything no matter what their enemies did.

This is all because they were weak.

To an extreme degree in comparison.

Something like this would only occur when they couldn't even lift the fingers of the enemy.

Having a large amount of people wasn't that advantageous either.

No, it was actually disadvantageous.

Since it got caught in the eye more…

'We can just leave them to spread out and only collect the elites…'

Once the Arukons and the other two Higher Races figure out that the village had been destroyed and the culprits had run into the Great Jungle then they would start to chase them madly.

Since they couldn't stand idle when the humans, who had the possibility of killing them, aimed for them while hiding in the Great Jungle.

But then a gap will be created.

Ekidu was shocked whilst she was mumbling to herself.

Shocked at herself for thinking of such a method.

The thought she just had was only possible if she thought of those guys below as just baggage.

And even if the Higher Races didn't chase them, what would happen to them would be the same.

Though there were quite a bit of Hunters and Guards, most of them were Farmers.

What would happen to them once they spread out in the Jungle which had much stronger beasts than the level 1 beasts?

'…Is this my limit?'

While Ekidu was in despair.

Hansoo spoke to Ekidu:

"Here. Let's go down now. There's a lot to do. There's also a lot to tell the people below."

"…?"

A lot to say?

Ekidu's expression turned into one of confusion from Hansoo's words.

Having a lot of confidence was good but the difference in powers was reality.

What would those Farmers be able to do for them?'

'Did he think of the same thing as me?'

That was the best choice of action she could think of.

"Are you going to send those guys up to the front?"

Hansoo shook his head at these words.

That would just be a useless death.

"It's too wasteful to do that."

Since they had a goal, they just needed to get stronger.

Once they were given time and a good environment, everyone below had the potential to become as strong as Karim or Ekidu.

If each and every one of them can survive, grow and reach all the way to the Violet Zone then a large quantity of amazing warriors would have been born to fight the Abyss.

"Then what…"

"We need to hide first. Inside the forest."

A tree should be hidden inside a forest.

Ekidu made a confused expression at Hansoo's words as he continued to speak.

"Loosen up. I'll take care of it all."

"…"

Despite there not being any guarantees, Ekidu felt her mind feeling at ease as she unconsciously nodded at Hansoo's words.

.........…

Papapapapapak!

Tens of people were running through the Great Jungle.

A group of Hunters, Farmers and Guards who had stood on the side of the humans.

And of course Mackill was part of this group.

'Phew…I hope it goes well.'

There was only one thing they had been ordered to do.

At that time Mackill felt something tapping her.

"Wake up. We're almost there."

"Ah…"

They had been evenly separated so they could get to every village.

Though they had maps, it was still hard to go through the giant Great Jungle and reach the other villages.

That was why Hunters and Guards were evenly distributed amongst the Farmers.

Mackill woke up from the words of a Hunter in her group as she looked at the distance where she could barely make up a village.

Unlike their village, this one seemed to have been made by digging into the side of a cliff, it was a cave city.

'It's really a different city huh.'

Mackill gulped down her saliva.

And then organized her thoughts.

Since she would need to focus in order to get in and join the village.

And to do this, they would need to now start acting as .

People who didn't like the governing system of the villages and roamed around the Great Jungle.

Of course there weren't that many of them.

But they did exist.

Not just the weak Farmers but there also existed Hunters and Guards who didn't like the rules of the villages which suppressed them.

Since there wasn't a need for them to like the village just from the fact that it was easy to live there.

But then sometimes these Refugees returned to the villages.

While regretting ever leaving the village.

Since the Great Jungle was not an easy place which they could live in after leaving the village because of how it was governed.

The people who left the villages usually roamed around the Great Jungle, felt the cruelty of the environment with their entire body and returned.

The villages they used to be at accepted them back and there were quite a few cases of them arriving at another village while roaming the jungle.

The composition of their groups was trying its best to mimic the sensation.

'Though the size is a bit large.'

Over ten thousand people would separate and all go into different villages.

But there wasn't any problems with this.

Since the villages had been isolated from each other in order to have a strong grasp over the villages so the villages wouldn't join together.

But this would become poison for them as well.

Nobody knew that the village Dakidus maintained had been destroyed whole.

Well, they wouldn't even have dared to imagine.

That Dakidus had died, that the traitors had all been killed and the fact that all the villagers had spread out, acted as Refugees and joined other villages.

And there was only one thing they needed to do after they got in.

'Separate and join up. And…Look for an open gap.'

Prepare to smash apart the traitors and gather people who would help them.

While waiting until the Satellite Fortresses fell.

Waiting until the day of retribution when the invincible armors of the Higher Races fall apart and an open slot for their blades to enter appear.

It wasn't hard.

They were hidden but their enemies were out in the open.

They themselves knew their opponents but their opponents did not know of them at all.

And in Dakidus' possession, a list of all the traitors had existed.

Just in case they needed to deal with a huge alliance of humans.

Everything will work out slowly within the village.

An invisible blade slowly digging into the flesh of their neck.

'But if Hansoo fails… Nothing can be done.'

Mackill decided to think realistically.

If Hansoo won then there wasn't even a need to worry.

They would become the sparks of the counterattack and light the fuse.

And all the villages they were hiding in would explode out.

Since they were all extremely determined.

And they had seen it.

The scene of all the traitors hiding in the village being found out and Dakidus losing his life after falling down onto the ground.

With their own eyes.

This was why they stood on Hansoo's side.

Since Hansoo showed them hope, a possibility.

But if Hansoo failed?

If the Satellite Fortresses didn't fall?

'Integrate with the village and continue to live.'

Try their best to not become an offering like they had in the village ruled by Dakidus and risk their lives in order to get through the Green Road.

They would return to being slaves, livestock.

They would just return to how they were.

Just that.

If Hansoo failed and the Satellite Fortresses didn't fall then there was nothing they could do.

If a choice of life and death appeared and one side had no hope of life then the answer was chosen already.

Since it would just be a useless death if they tried to resist.

Hansoo probably sent them this way after thinking up to this point as well.

'Well. The others accepted all this because it was only this much.'

The image of Hansoo in the villagers' minds had was already set.

He was fearsomely powerful.

He had succeeded in the job that seemed impossible and saved the entire village.

He was amazing.

To the point that he gave hope to them that this revolution might actually succeed.

But Hansoo wasn't here right now.

There was nobody who could control even those whom they couldn't see.

If Hansoo asked them to put their lives on the line and fight, half of them would've probably left already.

And they wouldn't really follow such harsh orders either.

This was as far as they could handle.

'…Damn.'

She felt embarrassed after thinking about Hansoo who had entered into the most dangerous area.

So she wished.

'Please, for the love of god, succeed.'

So that they would be able to raise their blades.

So that a hope for victory for which they would fight for despite the risks would be given to them.

.............

Hansoo nodded after sending away the people.

The 1st stage was now complete.

They wouldn't just win because the Satellite Fortress had fallen.

As he saw from Dakidus, their bodies were powerful just by themselves.

Those people were the second spear.

The weapon he would need to fight against the Higher Race once they fell onto the ground.

"They'll be safe for now. Since the villages will protect them."

They would grow and wait for a chance.

"So we'll retrieve the Destruction Jade during that time?"

"Yes."

Ekidu made a bitter expression as she looked around.

'…With just three of us?'

"Damn. So we just need to kill around a thousand people like Karim? Quite simple huh. The Satellite Fortresses will have a fun time watching us."

For just the three of them to run into the middle of the enemy's territory.

A place where a laser beam may fall if they made a mistake.

Karhal, who had been standing next to Ekidu and Hansoo, complained out loudly.

Reincarnator – Chapter 173 : Embers (4)

Everyone else had left, only two remained.

'Ekidu and Karhal, only two huh.'

Hansoo nodded as he looked at the two who had voluntarily remained behind.

He would take these two and go up through the Green Road.

Towards the Destruction Jade.

And they would need to create an opportunity for those villagers who had hidden in wait for that chance.

Though there was only two allies, it didn't matter.

Since he didn't need a tremendously large number or anything.

No, it would only get caught in one's eye if there were that many people.

It was better to have a small group of elites.

And Ekidu and Karhal clearly had the qualifications.

Ekidu obviously had them and Karhal's Quintuple Laser was powerful enough to even kill him if he were to get hit properly.

'Even with the Racial Metamorphosis.'

Karhal complained while looking at Hansoo.

"Aren't we doing the most dangerous job then?"

"Yeah we are."

Hansoo nodded.

Since the risk they had was much higher than those who had gone to the villages.

"Then don't you need more runes? Will you be okay without any?"

Karhal made a depressed face while thinking of the Artifacts and runes whom they had sent away along with those who left.

Runes and gears which came out after they killed the traitors.

And the weapons that were hidden inside the Armory of the village.

Why did Hansoo evenly distribute all of these things?

Of course Hansoo, Ekidu and Karhal had received the runes and artifacts as well.

The problem was it was fair.

According to how much they had contributed.

Of course Hansoo received the most amount of runes because he did most of the work but it was still a small amount.

There weren't that many runes that dropped from killing people anyway and there was a lot more who had fought with them instead.

'Hmm… Would he be around 50% now?'

The runes of Hansoo, which should've been around 10%, would now be around 50%

But Karhal was depressed from this.

Since people who would go with him being stronger was always the best.

'It would've been a lot of help if he took everything.'

Karhal made a sulky expression and complained.

Even if Hansoo had said he would take everything, there wasn't anyone who would have said otherwise.

But Hansoo shook his heads.

"Strength is a necessity for those who have left."

They didn't treat Refugees well anyway.

And if they were people who came from other villages, they would be extremely pressured.

If they were weak in such a situation as well then what would they be able to do?

They would be busy even saving their own lives.

The runes were secondary but there was a need for them to be armed well with the powerful artifacts.

And in reality, the Artifacts of the guards, the Hunters and the Farmers had been risen by an average of two to three levels.

Since as strong as the traitors were, their artifacts were amazing as well.

Not much to say for the weapons stored in the Armory as well.

And with the runes, they wouldn't have much of a problem acting around in the villages.

"Ugh. If you take away 50% of your runes and spread it among thousands of people, would it even make a difference for them?"

Hansoo nodded at Karhal's words.

The second attack was always the most important one.

'I cannot leave behind any embers of trouble.'

It wasn't a problem at the percentage of distribution but rather the importance of priority.

Hansoo filling up his runes to 100% and then distributing it.

Or distributing it fairy from the very beginning.

There was a huge difference between the two.

There was a reason why the leaders of a animal pack ate last.

'Such an issue will grow inside their minds and become cancerous.'

The reason for the dams falling wasn't because of a giant boulder or the flow of the river.

Just a small crack that appeared on the dam.

It was all because of this crack.

As this crack got bigger the dam fell.

Once the people left, they would constantly remember while enduring the harsh environments of the village.

The unfair treatment they had received before they had left.

Depending on how well they were able to fool the traitors by hiding the villagers in the other villages, the people living in over a hundred villages may become allies or enemies when they start fighting against the Higher Race.

Since the traitors had a large amount of power in those villages.

Look at Karim, nobody suspected him being the manager of the village.

If those villagers who had left were agitated like this then the humans, who should've become allies, would become enemies instead during the war against the Higher Race.

This was why he had to treat those people who had left well.

Hansoo didn't want to risk such a thing for just 50% of his runes.

'I can always earn more runes later.'

There were plenty of chances on the path towards the Green Road.

But Karhal continued to make a sulky expression, as if something was on his mind, as he spoke out:

"…One important thing hasn't been solved yet. What are you going to do with the Satellite Fortress?"

Ekidu nodded at Karhal's words

Since it was a clear problem that was extremely important and one that needed to be dealt with.

And they didn't know where the Destruction Jade was hidden anyway.

They would need to go through all the forces of Clementine and search for the hints.

But as a clash was inevitable, it would definitely get caught in the eye.

They might've been able to do something if it was a human being but the Satellite Fortress was a bit too much.

Once the assault of light approaches from above, everything would end.

"You aren't thinking that it wouldn't take that long right."

This was a reckless plan no matter how they saw it.

How did they even think that they wouldn't get caught in the territory of their enemies?

Hansoo shook his head at Karhal's words.

"Don't worry. I'll make it so they won't even care about us."

"How?"

Hansoo pointed towards the Satellite Fortress floating up above, the Atillan.

Karhal made an uneasy expression while watching Hansoo.

"Hey… You aren't thinking of playing a 1945 arcade game while riding that thing right?"

Fighting against tens of Satellite Fortresses with just a single Satellite Fortress?

No matter how amazing Hansoo was, it was pushing it a bit too far.

"I don't know what game it is but it isnt that."

Hansoo hadn't taken over the Atillan in order to do something with it anyway.

But would he have gotten it for no reason?

It was now time to use it.

"I'm going to the mana crystal refinery depository.

"…What?"

Karhal and Ekidu surprisingly knew what the mana crystal depository was.

Since it was very clearly marked on Dakidus' map.

Marked as a special military facility.

"What the… Are you just going to commit suicide ?'

Hansoo shook his heads at Karhal's words.

'I need to deal with the Examiners no matter what happens.'

.........….

Rumble

At one side of the giant jungle.

A giant power-plant-looking building which towered over a kilometer was standing in this location.

It was located in a rather rural location far from the cities where the Arukons lived in but it wasn't placed in this isolated location because its importance was low.

Mana crystal refinery and storage.

Probably one of the top three most important structures/locations that were needed to sustain the race.

A tremendous amount of fuel, mana crystals, were needed in order to activate the Atillan.

And the mana crystals were a very important material for the three races as well.

Since the reason for them fighting each other was to try to gain just a bit more of this mana crystal out of the limited amount that existed so they could continue their civilization.

The mana crystals came out from the spring which existed in each of the three race's capital, , and got supplied all over the battlefield.

The capital was obvious but the four mana crystal refinery depository were also being protected tightly.

And the tens of Satellite Fortresses that patrolled their boundaries got supplied with the mana crystals from these refinery depositories as they were constantly on guard against the other races.

And this refinery depository was even more important out of all four.

It was a very important structure which supplied the Satellite Fortresses which were in charge of the area which bordered both Akalachias and Rebeloongs.

Of course the Defenders who were in charge of this place needed to stay alert all the time as well.

And one of these Defenders, Ortanion, looked at the Satellite Fortresses in the distance as he started to frown.

'For the damn bird and rat bastards to come.'

The Satellite Fortresses he could see were not those of the Arukons.

It was the opposite.

They were the Satellite Fortresses of those who constantly longed after their resources, the Rebeloongs and Akalanchias.

Though four Satellite Fortresses were protecting them, there was no time for a break.

No, the fact that four Satellite Fortresses had been sent over to this location out of the vast border simply described how important and dangerous this place was.

'Damn… It' would've been better to get chosen as a Harvester. Or even an Inspector.''

Captain of the Satellite Fortress, the Atillan.

Out of the tens of thousands of Arukons, it was an honorable position that only a few tens could reach.

Not everyone could own these positions and being able to hold these positions signified tremendous honor and power.

A rank that every Arukon wanted.

But of course there was a difference wherever one went and not every captain of the Atillan was the same.

The position which was sought after the most was the Harvester.

It was good.

It was too good.

Since they don't do anything.

They just needed to rotate around the livestock, eat up some snacks as they pleased and even watch the amusing games that occur in those farms.

A position of their dreams that every Arukon wanted.

And this position had been taken over by Dakidus.

'Damned bastard.'

He suddenly felt annoyed as he thought of Dakidus laughing as if he had gained everything in the world after being nominated as a Harvester.

'I hope he becomes a cripple.'

Of course he knew that wouldn't happen.

To get hurt by livestock.

A captain of the Satellite Fortress?

If one went through such humiliation then they would get ignored even among their own race.

The next best one was being an Inspector.

It wasn't as good as the Harvester but it was still good.

Since the only thing they did was inspect the Green Road.

Finding the Destruction Jade also a part of their tasks but they had long given up on that.

Since the humans might use it the moment they detect suspicious movements from the Higher races.

At least the Green Road was their land.

It wasn't easy to do anything they wanted in that part where quite powerful livestock existed.

And that actually made it more favorable.

Since there wasn't much to do.

It was a bit annoying from the fact that they had to deal with Clementine's underlings and their captain, Metion, but it was still very comfortable.

And Merutt had been nominated for this.

That guy was probably roaming around the Green Road in the distance as well.

Since it wasn't that far from here.

'Damn. The Harvester and the Inspector… they need to get abolished.

Sadly there were only one spot for each of those positions.

So naturally everyone else would become Defenders.

He had been nominated to do the least favorable Defender position at the furthest border away from the capital.

There wasn't a single time to rest either.

The Satellite Fortresses had to even take turns in order to resupply their mana crystals.

Since they didn't know what the enemy would do the moment a gap was created.

Though there wasn't a single Arukon Warrior in the Satellite Fortress of the Harvester or that of the Inspector, there were anywhere from a few tens to hundreds of Arukons in a Satellite Fortress operated by a Defender.

In case something happened.

And it was the same for their enemies.

Which meant that the situation here was that tense.

'Rumblee'

Booooooom

Ortanion frowned as he heard the loud noise coming from below.

Which meant that the recharging of the mana crystal for the Satellite Fortress from the mana crystal refinery depository had almost finished.

It was now time to return to the battlefield.

'Merutt, shall I go have a look at what he's doing?'

It would be quite boring until he would comeback.

But there was a good thing about being in an area of constant clash.

Because there were a lot of Satellite Fortresses gathered, he could see what was going on with the others in other Satellite Fortresses.

Chaararararak

As the detection system of the Satellite Fortress got amplified, he started to zoom in to the Satellite Fortress of the Inspector, Merutt.

'Hoh? So is that the soccer those humans play?'

Booom!

Boom!

That Merutt was kicking something into a goal in a part of the Fortress.

But if people saw this, they would think that the Arukons were hugely mistaken.

Since it was completely different from the normal soccer.

Soccer was not something someone played alone and it wasn't just about kicking the ball into the goal.

And they did not, under no circumstances no matter what, used a person instead of a ball.

A person whose limbs had been cut off.

Booooom!

Screams and shouts came out from the mouths of the livestock whose limbs had been cut off and only their body and head had been left.

These people, who were being kicked by the powerful Arukon, were smashing into the walls of the Satellite Fortress which was covered in a blue light and were getting smashed apart.

Crushed and blown apart.

There were over 50 that had blown apart under Merutt's feet already.

Ortanion was envious as he looked at this scene.

'This envy is going to be the death of me.'

Since Merutt always pulled up toys from the Green Road, the number of Offerings was quite high.

The same with the Harvester, Dakidus.

They didn't really have enough to play around like that since they were only supplied a small amount as snacks.

But while Ortanion was watching this scene in jealousy.

Whoooosh

'Huh? Why has he come already…'

Dakidus's Satellite Fortress.

Why did his Satellite Fortress come here already when he should be going around the farms right now?

There still should be a few more days worth of mana crystals.

'Suspicious.'

Ortanion made a confused expression at the single Satellite Fortress approaching slowly from the distance as he started up the communications network.

So they could begin an exchange.