206 - 213

Chapter 206: The Girl Awakens!

Translator: Leyy3

Everyone has had their heyday.

This was true for Alfred as well, who appeared to be a mere old butler.

Very long ago, there was a vampire who contested for the title of Vampire Lord with other true vampires.

Alfred Northroad de Saedius!

As the most ferocious and vicious of the five contesters, he failed to become the Vampire Lord but was strong enough to carve fear into everyone's heart, just like how Kang Chul-In did before his return!

"Oi, maggot."

Alfred was no longer the gentle butler he previously was. Now a tyrant, he glared at Rothschild, flashing his sharp fangs.

"Do I, Alfred Northroad de Saedius, look easy to you? Huh?"

"...!"

"To be belittled by this trash..."

For a moment, Rothschild thought he saw a resemblance between Kang Chul-In and this old butler. He had the chills.

Kang Chul In had this overwhelming charisma and pride in him. It was as if he had the whole world under his control.

Alfred also had this demeanor. Like king, like subject.

Maybe it was because Alfred was once a man who strived to become the best too.

"You probably looked down upon me..."

Blood-red light radiated from Alfred's eyes, and his body simultaneously transformed at unbelievable speeds. Rothschild could not respond in time.

Crack,

Crackkkk!

His bones and muscles were twisted,

Rip Rip!

His skin turned inside out.

"Phew..."

Alfred let out a long breath and opened his eyes.

The true vampire, after transformation, had a noble-like beauty.

Pale, but spotless and wrinkle-less skin.

Red, glowing lips.

Snow white hair drooping down to his waist.

Twitching muscles that had sculpture-like definition.

And a pair of crimson-red eyes that looked almost as if blood would drip down at any moment.

This appearance was truly that of Alfred, the true vampire, in his prime.

"You mere butler...." Rothschild was about to say something, but Alfred's speed in his true form was as fast as Kang Chul In's.

Paaaanggg!!!

With a screeching sound,

"What?" Alfred, who was already behind Rothschild, whispered in his ear.

"Say that again."

"...!"

"Go on."

His movement was too quick for Rothschild to even respond.

"Hmm...." Alfred glanced over Rothschild and flicked his tongue.

"...!" Rothschild shuddered from fear.

"Let me have a taste."

Immediately, Alfred drove his fangs into Rothschild's neck without mercy.

A True Vampire like Alfred could suck blood from his victims without using his mouth, but he did that to give Rothschild a greater sense of fear and humiliation.

Chomp!

This chilling sound could be heard.

"Heuk, heuuukk...!" Rothschild let out a strange moan.

It was not a moan due to pain, but more so due to intense excitement and pleasure.

This phenomenon was due to a characteristic trait of the vampire race. In order to easily suck blood from humans, vampires could release toxins through their fangs which paralyzed the victims and made them feel good.

Choooook!!!

Alfred began to suck Rothschild's blood.

"Urghhhh!!!"

Rothschild struggled, letting out a moan comprising both pleasure and fear, but it was in vain. He was already poisoned.

Some time passed.

"What a terrible taste. Even your blood tastes disgusting." Alfred, who just finished sucking blood, glared at Rothschild in disdain. The blood must have tasted really bad.

"I will let you know your place."

Alfred grabbed Rothschild's golden hair, and

Bang!

Smashed his face onto the ground.

Alfred did not stop there.

He squashed Rothschild's face onto the ground and grinded it back and forth. His intention was to disfigure Rothschild so badly that nobody could recognize him.

"Your Majesty!"

"You evil vampire, how dare you?!"

Soldiers of Cyamodus, who witnessed Rothschild getting destroyed helplessly, hastily charged towards Alfred with their various weapons.

However,

"Get lost."

Although these were elite soldiers, they were no match for Alfred, a true vampire.

"Argh, Arrrrghhh!!!"

"Kuhuk...!!"

Roughly 20 of Rothschild's soldiers became victims of Alfred's 'psychic bloodsucking', and collapsed onto the ground as withered corpses. This happened because their magic resistance was lower than 25%.

"How dare you... make a fuss on the great grounds of Laputa? You measly trash?" Alfred snickered.

"Kuhuk..."

"I shall cut your head off and present it to my King. Hehe... How glad will he be?"

"Heuk...."

Rothschild could not retaliate at all, even after having his face pulverized and being laughed at. He was perfectly subjugated by Alfred.

"Kekeke... This is your end...."

At this very moment,

"...!"

Alfred suddenly stopped moving.

"Keuk...!"

He collapsed onto the ground, clutching onto his chest.

"Wha, what is this...?"

"Well? I wonder what happened?"

"...!"

"Nobody taught you to avoid eating anything

on the ground, Kang Chul-In's dog?"

This voice did not come from Rothschild's body on the floor.

Huik!

Alfred turned around instantly.

He saw two Rothschilds with cunning smiles on their faces.

"...!"

Alfred was shocked.

He did hear of Rothschild's secret from Kang Chul-In, but he never ever dreamed of Rothschild being able to manipulate several clones at once.

"Butler... How would Kang Chul-In react if I kill you?"

"Butler... How would Kang Chul-In react if I kill you?" The two Rothschilds spoke simultaneously.

"Will he ever lament? Like a girl? Hmm... that's unlikely, too bad. That bastard is not the type to sob just because his faithful servant died. I guess he will be furious? Raving around all mad?"

This was a pretty disgusting sight for Alfred.

Rothschild – the former archrival-cum-nemesis of Kang Chul-In in the past... was mocking him. What's more, two Rothschilds! Alfred was infuriated.

"How dare you...!?" Alfred posed himself to attack the two Rothschilds.

However,

"Kuhuk!"

He vomited blue-black blood.

"Da- Damn it! What the fuck...!?"

"I wonder why?"

Another Rothschild appeared and answered Alfred. This was the man's fourth clone.

"Keuk...!"

"The blood of these clones is made from the deadly toxin of gorgatrises, rotten blood of elves, dirty swamp water, the body fluid of a zombie, and the cerebrospinal fluid of a foetus poisoned with mercury."

"...!"

"Isn't it obvious why it tastes horrible, just like what you've said?"

Each and every single one of these ingredients was disgusting. Even a vampire could not digest these.

"Keuk!"

Alfred groaned in pain.

He struggled to get himself up but it was not easy.

He tried to use Blood Heal to clear the toxins, but in vain.

Even a True Vampire's powerful healing abilities and toxin resistance were ineffective against the clone's blood. Ironically, Alfred the true vampire got poisoned by blood.

"I shall cut you up into pieces and send you to Kang Chul-In as a gift"

The frontmost Rothschild started to move.

"I will cut you into hundreds, no, thousands of pieces."

The remaining two Rothschilds followed the main one and moved towards Alfred.

Alfred Northroad de Saedius was facing the biggest crisis of his life.

***

The main grounds of Laputa were getting destroyed, but its army continued to march.

It was definitely a wise decision.

Be it in the past or the present, Kang Chul-In faced difficulties due to Rothschild and Lee Gong-Myung's trickeries. Sometimes, the crisis was great enough for him to draw back his army.

"If I keep wavering over these small things, there will be no end."

Kang Chul-In felt that whenever he started making moves in accordance to the enemy's intentions, it was highly likely to be a loss.

Moreover, turning the army back towards Laputa was meaningless. Rothschild would already have run away.

"A sacrifice for the greater good."

If the fortress was destroyed and if his political subjects were dead, the future administration of Laputa would be extremely difficult. However, obtaining the 18 peaks was indisputably a better move.

In addition, if Kang Chul-In happened to lose the war or withdrew his army, he may end up being stranded in Ishtar.

There was a possibility that a proper alliance formed by Overlords could lynch him.

Hence, a conquest should be unwavering and proceed without hesitation!

After all, it didn't suit Kang Chul-In, the Conquest Lord, to withdraw his army while heading towards the enemy's grounds.

"Your Majesty, we searched everywhere but no signs of undead monsters can be seen. It seems like they have already escaped the underground and moved somewhere else." Podolski, who went on patrol, reported.

"Are you sure? You checked everywhere?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. 50 Mole Men searched the underground meticulously but found nothing."

"Ok. Good job." Kang Chul-In was satisfied.

These Mole Men were absorbed into his army during his past conquest of Overlord Gonzales. They were able to efficiently travel underground, and discover any ambush from undead monsters. In a sense, they were counters.

The first line of high ground defense is not that solid. It shouldn't be too hard.

Kang Chul-In was optimistic.

This was no arrogance, but a judgment made from a meticulous analysis of the geography using the Cosmic Force.

After all, from the first to third peak, there was little strategic value in obtaining them. The enemies won't struggle to defend those areas.

"Men!!" Kang Chul-In, with his gaze set on the first hill of the 18 peaks, shouted voluminously.

"Charrrrrge!!!" The soldiers of Laputa yelled.

"Waahhhhhh~!!!"

"Let's go! Let's go and destroy all of them!!!"

"Long live the great Laputa!!!"

"Long live your Majesty!!!"

"Destroy all of them!!!"

They began to charge, shouting with all their might. This announced the first of the many battles to conquer the 18 peaks!

***

While the intoxicated Alfred was still in the midst of a crisis facing Rothschild, Laputa's main ground was getting wiped out.

"Aaaahhgg!!!"

"H- Help... Kuhuk!"

The unexpected invasion of 500 of Cyamodus' elite soldiers murdered Laputa's soldiers without mercy.

Moreover, they even killed innocent subjects and chambermaids.

"No, no!"

The Goblin administrative supply officer, Timothy, despaired over this unbelievable sight.

It required at least 30 minutes for the standing army to arrive at the fortress. Meanwhile, nothing could be done.

It didn't help that all of the powerful generals that Laputa took pride in were all deployed in the war.

To add on, Rothschild didn't just bring his elite soldiers.

"A mere Goblin, acting like a human?"

The proud general of Cyamodus, Orteus the Spear Master, saw Timothy and frowned.

"Die."

Orteus shot his spear towards Timothy.

And at that very moment!

Chaeng!

A sword flew in from an unknown direction and hit Orteus' spear, deflecting it.

"How dare you?"

A chilling voice.

A knight, fully armed in white armour, was glaring at Orteus with anger evident in his eyes.

It was Mikael, the Commander of Knights, who was dispatched to Balnibarbi, a satellite city of Laputa.

***

Our Fortress... Mine and Father's house...!

Arshelly was furious.

It was already exasperating enough to witness Rothschild and Vilhelm destroy South Korea – Kang Chul-In's home nation - with their scandalous Dungeon Gate incident, but now they are even doing this to Laputa?

The Princess of Laputa could watch no longer.

"Unforgivable!"

Arshelly clenched her firsts firmly.

"Never... I'm never going to let them be!!!"

As soon as she finished talking, Arshelly was enveloped in a swirl of bright light.

Something incredible happened.

If Kang Chun-In was there, even he would have been shocked. Arshelly Berlineta Pon Aurangzeb, the Imperial Princess with unknown potential, had finally begun to show her true powers.

At the center of it all was nothing other than 'growth' itself.

Chapter 207: The Imperial Princess

Translator: Leyy3

It was an ancient, long-forgotten spell.

Metamorphosis!

A spell created by magicians to overcome their weak physical status, metamorphosis was a super high-ranked skill even for the best of the ancient magicians.

It was because only those who could use metamorphosis could achieve a perfect balance of both physical and magical abilities.

Sssssss....!

The Imperial Princess, enveloped in rainbow light, started emitting an immense amount of energy.

The transformation began from her physique.

Her breasts enlarged, and her legs became long and slender.

Her waist became slim, and her arms became longer.

Her buttocks were as firm as that of a grown-up's, and her hips widened accordingly.

Arshelly, who was barely 140 centimetres before, instantly grew to 165 centimetres.

Swirl!

Arshelly's hair also changed.

Her beautiful black hair grew long enough to cover her back, forming a princess cut hairstyle.

Transformation!

Yes, that was indeed a transformation.

In order to overcome her weakness of having a child's body and to fight to 100% of her abilities, she forced her body to mature instantly.

In other words, Arshelly had awakened as an Arch knight, the final form of a magic knight!

Sararaak!

Arshelly finally completed her transformation and landed on the ground.

"My Princess...!"

"Goodness me!"

"Oh wow...."

"Oh my god!"

The maids who witnessed the whole process were flabbergasted. They directly collapsed on their knees.

The sudden transformation was indeed shocking, but the beauty of the matured Arshelly was just incomparable.

A pretty face along with a perfect body.

If Arshelly was just a cute ten year old before transformation, now she was a beautiful grown-up lady.

She was probably 17 or 18 years old... Being in Pangea, she did look more mature than her age, however.

"I will protect everyone." Arshelly the arch knight clenched her two fists.

In her ruby-like red pupils, there laid a great resolve to protect the things that mattered to her.

"I will be back. Please hide yourselves." Arshelly began to leave after saying these words.

"P-Princess!" The oldest, and the most experienced maid grabbed Arshelly.

"Please don't!"

"Huh?"

"Please do not go there!!!"

Was she worried about the Princess' safety?

The maid struggled to stop Arshelly with all her might.

She was determined to not let Arshelly go, regardless of what it took.

"I have to go!"

Arshelly raised her voice.

"If I don't go now, many more people will die! I can't just stand here watching!"

Every second was precious to her.

At this very moment, Rothschild could be killing many more people. For Arshelly who just awakened, she was feeling anxious!

"Even so, you can't go!"

The head maid stopped Arshelly once again.

"My dear Princess, the head maid is right!"

"Please heed the words of the head maid!"

"Yes, my Princess!"

The other maids also agreed to the head maid's words.

They even stretched their arms to hinder Arshelly from going forward.

"Move!" Arshelly frowned.

"I know you are worried about me, but I'm not weak! I can defeat the bad guys alone...."

"Princess!"

"...!"

"Didn't we tell you to never ever go after Rothschild!?" The head maid's thundering cry cut Arshelly's speech off abruptly.

"In that case...."

Arshelly bit her lips slightly and said, "Well then, there's no choice! Please don't resent me!"

"P-Princess!"

"When father is not around, it is my duty as the Princess to protect the Great Fortress Laputa!"

Befitting of Kang Chun-In's daughter, she had a great sense of responsibility. She was determined to even use force if the maids continued to stop her.

"Hu...." The head maid let out a big sigh.

"My dear princess... We are not stopping you out of concern for your safety."

"...?"

"Well it is certainly true that we are worried about your safety, but it is a battlefield. Why would we stop you from fulfilling your duties as the Princess?"

"T-Then why...!?"

The head maid shook her head and spoke the truth.

"My Princess...."

"Yes?"

"Armor aside... Don't you at least need to wear some clothes...?"

"What do you mean?"

Arshelly seemed confused.

"... Your rapid growth caused all your clothes to be torn apart."

The head maid closed her eyes and spoke to her.

"R-Really?" Arshelly, startled, glanced quickly at herself.

"Kyaaaaaa!" She let out a cute scream.

She was totally

naked, just like what the head maid had told her.

It turned out that metamorphosis, although it was powerful enough to upgrade the user's physical abilities to the maximum, had no effect on clothes.

***

The Laputan army managed to take over two peaks and advanced to within 2 kilometres of the final peak within a short time period of 2 hours since the first battle.

But that was no surprise.

The soldiers of Laputa received harsh training daily and were hence armed with a robust military mentality. They became bloodthirsty monsters on the battlefield, chasing away the enemy allied forces.

Part of the credit also went to the enemy's poor defense.

"Bombardment squad, ready!" Kang Chul-In ordered, with the third peak in sight. There were 12 magic engineered artillery in total, which amongst eight were Lee Chae-Rin's.

He planned to bomb the enemy's base before the battle for high ground.

"Ready!"

"Start charging!"

The soldiers began to swiftly and accurately charge the magic engineered artilleries.

There was no need to camouflage these weapons, as it has already been confirmed that there was no enemy artillery in the surroundings thanks to the satellite patrol.

"Flame Atlas, forward!"

It was a strategic positioning to melt down the Undead Monsters at the enemy frontlines using overwhelming firepower.

"Fully charged!"

"Fire!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Meanwhile the magic engineered artillery were charged, and Kang Chul-In immediately ordered them to fire at the enemy base.

"3, 2, 1! Fire!!!"

With his command, the 12 artillery simultaneously breathed fire.

Bang!

Bang Bang!

The energy projectiles made of mana landed precisely on target, with a margin of error of less than 30 centimetres.

A staggering 99% accuracy!

These artillery that were synced with cosmic force, the magic engineered satellite, could bombard the enemies more precisely than any other weapon!

"Men, charge!" Kang Chul-In raised Laputa's soul core high up in the sky.

"Waaahhhhh-!"

"Let's go!"

"Let's take over the enemy base!"

A rough estimate of six thousand Laputan soldiers rushed towards the enemy base at astonishing speed.

It was a pretty steep hill.

However, these soldiers displayed no signs of fatigue, thanks to their good fitness and Kang Chul-In's [Conquer] buff. It was truly a force to be feared.

As soon as the Laputan soldiers stepped near the enemy base, thousands of undead monsters tore open the ground to reveal themselves.

I saw this coming.

Kang Chul-In grinned as he observed from far.

Aleister would have had no idea, but Kang Chul-In always commanded his army with the undead monsters in his mind.

"Kwak Jung." Kang Chul-In turned to face him.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Kwak Jung swiftly replied and used a magic engineered loudspeaker to pass down the commands to the soldiers.

"All men, 10 steps backwards! Flame Atlas, forward! Monster troop, protect the Flame Atlases!"

Having heard the command, the Laputan soldiers immediately started to change their positions. The incredible speed at which it happened prevented the enemies from reacting.

"Flamethrowers!"

Kwak Jung gave a second command.

Flick, Flick!

The flamethrowers attached to the Flame Atlas' arms began to emit intense heat.

These were not ordinary flamethrowers. They were specially processed with both chemicals and magic, designed solely to annihilate the undead monsters.

In other words, they possessed 4 to 5 times more firepower than regular flamethrowers!

Hwaaaaakk!

The intense heat and flame swallowed the undead monsters. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Aleister's army was burnt to a crisp.

***

"Kuhuk!"

Alfred vomited blood and collapsed.

"Hey, why don't you keep talking?"

The three Rothschilds, excluding the already fallen clone, mocked Alfred with a cunning grin on their faces.

"Keu...!"

Alfred clenched his teeth.

It was an unfair scenario for him.

If he had not used Blood Heal for the whole week to treat Kim Sung-Hee previously, he would not have been this severely intoxicated by the toxin in Rothschild's clone.

"Now, it's time to shred you into pieces."

The frontmost Rothschild aimed his sharp, long sword at Alfred's neck. The other two Rothschild followed suit.

"I am going to casually escape this place after I'm done with slicing your head off. Kang Chul-In is bound to be enraged upon hearing this news. Isn't that just wonderful?"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Shut your mouth?"

"You maggot, how dare you speak of the Great King's honorable name with your filthy mouth?"

"O-hoh, seems like you are all talk. Shall we see whether you can still talk without your head?"

Rothschild swung his long sword with all his might.

"Ah, Your Majesty...!"

On the verge of his death, Alfred thought of Kang Chul-In, his only master.

"In this lifetime, I will achieve the great dream that I could not achieve in the previous life. Watch me, Alfred!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! This humble servant shall be at your side for eternity, till the day you conquer the whole of Pangea, and even till the day you see your grandchildren!"

"Excellent!"

The above conversation happened during their reunion. It was a promise between the master and the servant, to achieve success after experiencing failure.

"Your Majesty... This humble servant shall leave first. You must... you must achieve your great dream! This old butler shall watch you from the underworld!"

Alfred was loyal to Kang Chul-In, even on the verge of his death.

To Alfred, Kang Chul-In was an existence that rekindled his long-lost dream of becoming the Vampire Lord. The goal of reaching the summit that he failed to achieve, he wished to see it come true through Kang Chul-In.

This was another reason why Kang Chul-In and Alfred were very much alike.

"Your Majesty...."

Now... it was the end.

He was about to be murdered by Rothschild.

Swishhh!

The three Rothschilds swung their long swords.

"Don't you hurt Alfred!"

At that moment, a beautiful lady appeared from nowhere and obstructed the three Rothschilds.

Bang!

A deafening sound could be heard.

"Kuhuk!"

The three Rothschilds were sent flying into a wall.

"How dare you!"

Arshelly Berlineta Pon Aurangzeb, the arch knight, glared at the Rothschilds angrily.

"Not only did you invade Laputa, but you also murdered innocent people and even tried to kill Alfred!"

"...!"

"Never... Never...!"

Cheok!

Arshelly pointed her sword - an unnamed weapon she found in Laputa's treasure room - at Rothschild's head.

"In the name of my Royal Father, I will never forgive you!"

It was finally time for some revenge!

Chapter 208: The Counterattack (1)

Translator: Leyy3

"You bitch!" The Rothschilds got up while swearing at her.

"You dare interrupt me...."

However, they could not finish their sentences.

Chak!

Arshelly approached the Rothschilds at an incredible speed, and slapped their cheeks with full strength. The Rothschilds did not even see her coming.

"Argh!"

They vomited blood and tumbled about.

"It won't be pretty."

"..."

"As my Father once told me, clubs work well for mad dogs!" Arshelly shouted pithily.

"F-Father?" Rothschild sensed something peculiar from Arshelly's words.

From what he knew, Kang Chul-In's daughter was barely even a kid, not to mention a beautiful grown-up lady.

And yet, Father?

Did she just grow up exponentially in just a few months?

"I will kill you...!"

Well, it didn't matter.

Whether the beautiful lady in front of him was or was not Kang Chul-In's daughter, it changed nothing.

What mattered more was that he was now enraged, and wanted to shred the girl into pieces.

Oooohng!

Powerful mana was imbued into the long swords of the three Rothschilds.

"I will just make you explode then!"

Three massive balls of energy were fired at Arshelly. Even in one glance, it appeared to be a dangerous attack.

However,

Paaanggg!!!

Arshelly summoned a half-transparent barrier, negating all of Rothschilds' attacks. The energy balls disintegrated completely.

"N-No way!" The Rothschilds were stunned.

"How can you even use such high-class magic without any casting...!?"

They were bound to be surprised.

Even the highest-level magician had to cast his/her spell before using magic.

"Your clones are no match for me!"

"...!"

"These dolls that are made from wicked sorcery... I will destroy all of them!" Arshelly exclaimed and charged towards the Rothschilds.

Flash!

A blinding beam of rainbow shone.

Flap!

A pair of white, angel-like wings emerged from Arshelly's back, boosting her speed.

In an instant, Arshelly's sword sliced through the Rothschilds' waists diagonally!

"Keu-akkkk!!!"

The three Rothschilds screamed simultaneously and fell onto the ground.

***

In a deep secret chamber in Esmeralda,

"Kuhuk!" The real Rothschild vomited out a ton of blood.

"Huk... Huk... Huuuuk...!" After repeated rounds of vomiting blood, he could hardly breathe.

The damage was enormous.

He did expect to lose two or three clones but to end up losing four whole clones was something he failed to see coming. Hence, It wasn't surprising for him to be heavily affected.

[A penalty of a 60% downgrade to all abilities is given due to the destruction of clones. (Remaining clones: 0)]

[500P are lost due to weakening of the Overlord.]

[Overall ranking dropped from 11th to 44th place.]

If anything, the penalty was small.

Rothschild recalled how he suffered from a 70% downgrade penalty when he lost his first clone. In comparison, a 60% penalty for four lost clones was definitely decent.

However... That wasn't even the most significant penalty.

[Clone production is unavailable for some time due to the simultaneous loss of many clones. (Cool time: 8,760 hours)]

An excruciatingly long cool time was given.

"O-One year?" Rothschild freaked out at the status screen.

In fact, he despaired.

"T-This can't be! O-One year?! This is bullshit! No, No!" His cry of despair reverberated in the secret chamber.

"N-No! S-Solution, I have to find a solution!!!" Rothschild, half-insane, mumbled to himself.

The Absolute Return Scroll had already been used, and no clones were left. Rothschild only had his own body.

He no longer had any safety net to ensure his survival.

Thus, he became anxious and started to shudder.

"F-First, I have to abandon this place. What's the time right now...?"

Rothschild was currently facing Albrecht Vilhelm after taking over the Esmeralda territory.

Vilhem was bound to notice Rothschild's drop in rank when it updates at midnight. He would definitely lead an army to attack Rothschild.

That was not all.

"Kang Chul-In... If that bastard comes to get me...?"

If he lost to Vilhelm, he could still run away after forfeiting the Esmeralda territory. However, that was not the case for Kang Chul-In. That man would definitely be eager to murder Rothschild after his war.

Rothschild shuddered at this fearful thought.

Since his plan to attack the empty Laputa had failed, all he could do was to conceal his body for at

least a year to ensure safety from Kang Chul-In.

If Kang Chul-In killed his main body, it was game over.

***

Swishhhh!

A crimson flame swallowed the entire area.

Hwaleuk, Hwaleuk!!!

A pillar of fire shot up.

Like a snake's tongue, the flames quickly wrapped around the undead monsters.

Tadak, Tadak!

The burning undead monsters could not feel pain, but they could not stop their bodies from turning into soot.

Good!

Kang Chul-In, who was observing from far, was greatly satisfied at the firepower of these Flame Atlases. He was confident of victory.

At this rate, the third peak would soon belong to him as well.

However,

"W-What!"

"My god...!"

"Unbelievable...!" The frontline soldiers could not hide their shocked expressions.

"N-No way!" Drakan's soldiers who were breathing dragon fire next to the Flame Atlases were also astonished. Something incredible was happening.

"Kelkelkelkel..."

"Keuh...!"

"We are... the immortal soldiers...! Even the flames...cannot stop us...!"

"For his Majesty Aleister..."

Shockingly, the undead monsters appeared unaffected by the enormous flame, even though they were clearly on fire.

"T-They don't burn?" Drakan wondered what was going on.

Even a kid knew that undead monsters were weak to fire, but the enemy troops steadfastly charged forward, as if they were proving that fact obsolete.

Hwaleuk, Hwaleuk!!!

Meanwhile, the flames became stronger, but the undead monsters continued to increase their movement speed. It appeared almost as if the fire was making them stronger instead of burning them into a crisp.

"Mortals... Come to the underworld..."

"We are the immortal soldiers..."

"Long live the dead!" Underworld monsters charged at the Laputan soldiers, with their whole body on fire.

"Arghh!"

"W-What even...!"

"It's hot... Hot!"

The front line of the Laputan army was engulfed in chaos.

The undead monsters of Aleister were now walking flamethrowers. Instead of being burnt to crisp, they were attacking using their burning bodies.

"Ah!"

"S-So hot!"

"Argghh!"

Screams could be heard everywhere.

There was no doubt that Laputa's army was an excellent one, but what could the soldiers do against charging bodies of fire?

Even the slightest touch could cause massive burns. The soldiers had no choice but to back off.

"Oh?" Kang Chun-In seemed interested. Despite his failed plan, he did not lose his composure.

"You created those things? Seems like you've gone all out, Aleister."

To be honest, he was surprised to some extent.

"Rather than to simply be annihilated by fire, why don't we compose an army with fire-resistant skeletons?"

Kang Chul-In recalled his past conversation with Aleister.

It was when the two of them first formed an alliance after the third Overlord meetings.

"Skeletons may be resistant to fire, but their defense is..."

"That's true."

"Just 15 levels more and I can make an undead army with full fire resistance."

"Are you saying it's possible?"

"Even making fire-type skeletons may not be impossible."

"Hmm... Is mass production possible then?"

"Well it is, but the problem lies in the cost, not the levels. I need firestones to make these skeletons, but as you know they cost...."

"..."

"Beggars like us can't be choosers. Forget about the high-class units, let's just stick to the regular ones. If they burn, they burn. Yikes!"

'Igniter'.

That was the name for these fire-type undead monsters that a level 100 Necromancer could create using firestones.

It was too extravagant a unit for Aleister, who was not even level 70, to make.

"Rothschild probably sponsored the firestones... What about the levels? Did he break through some limit?" Kang Chul-In smirked.

Out of desperation, Aleister probably spent much effort to make the Igniters, to negate the critical counter to the undead monsters. He apparently managed to break through his limit in the process.

"Overlord Kang Chul-In! Today is the day we roast you in our immortal army's hellfire!"

A voice of an undead rang across the peaks.

"Quidor."

Kang Chul-In immediately identified the origin of the voice.

Quidor was a faithful servant of Aleister who achieved great feats during the Ragnarok in the past.

"Your Majesty!" Kwak Jung exclaimed anxiously, pointing at the back of the Igniter troop.

"Enemy reinforcements! Rough estimates show at least 5000! At this rate our army may suffer extreme damage...."

"No." Kang Chul-In shook his head.

"Tell the men to move back slowly, but there is no retreat."

"Your Majesty?"

What Kang Chul-In said subsequently was even more shocking.

"Discard the Flame Atlases."

"T-Those expensive units...."

"We can retrieve them back soon, so why are you so surprised?"

"But Your Majesty, there are so many enemy soldiers and those burning Undeads...."

"Hold it there." Kang Chul-In raised his hand and stopped Kwak Jung.

"Do not be rash."

"Your Majesty?"

"In a situation like this, a commander without composure will cause his entire army to collapse."

"..."

"The best move is to take advantage of our army's composition. Our soldiers are fully capable of fighting against them."

"Y-Your Majesty...!" Kwak Jung shivered.

What composure...!? How can he be so calm in these circumstances?

Kwak Jung could never understand how this man, Kang Chul-In, appeared to be so calm even in the midst of a crisis.

"I will show you." Kang Chul-In told Kwak Jung, grabbed the loudspeaker and started commanding the army.

"Arkellon, to the frontlines!"

"Ah!" Kwak Jung came to a sudden realization.

Arkellon were water-type monsters that could sufficiently counter the fire-type Igniters. Kwak Jung failed to take his own army's composition into account.

"Nilus, unleash the water-type attacks! Blizzard, Ice Bolt, anything is fine! Just spam everything!"

"Yes, your Majesty!"

Upon hearing the command, Nilus instructed his magic troop to bombard the enemy with water-type attacks.

"I-It worked! But the enemy's firepower is still..."

"It's true that this is not enough."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Kang Chul-In turned around to look at Kwak Jung.

"You finish it up."

"...Your Majesty?"

"Since the enemy troops are using fire as their weapon, doesn't it make sense to just extinguish it? Summon the rain and tarnish their morale."

"H-Ha ha, your Majesty~! That's a nice joke. How can I summon rain in this clear sky?"

"That."

Kang Chul-In pointed at the White Rain Fan, an epic item that Kwak Jung had been holding just for show.

"No point wasting that expensive item."

"..."

"Hurry."

"Y-Your Majesty...."

Kwak Jung looked almost as if he wanted to cry.

Chapter 209: The Counterattack (2)

Translator: Leyy3

"What, you can't do it?"

"E-Erm... A-Actually... This bastard... Yeah... What happened was..."

"Don't tell me, you still haven't gained control over the item?" Kang Chul-In narrowed his eyes and glanced at Kwak Jung.

"..." Kwak Jung remained silent.

If the White Rain Fan had an ego like Kaiforce or Mitra, he could have gotten away with an excuse. Unfortunately, Kwak Jung simply lacked the skills to master the item.

"I got backstabbed."

"What?"

"Remember the fight with the bone dragon..."

Kwak Jung briefly explained how during his battle with the bone dragon, the White Rain Fan caused him a lot of trouble.

"Well, that's understandable."

"Your Majesty?"

Kang Chul-In nodded and agreed. Kwak Jung felt relieved, as he was expecting quite a scolding.

"Just do it."

"...!"

"Are you just going to give up?"

"T-That's not true...."

"I would have let you off under normal circumstances but look at the situation now."

Kang Chul-In pointed at the warzone.

"Hold!"

"Do not retreat!"

"Endure no matter what it takes!!!"

Indeed, the soldiers of Laputa were caught by surprise when they first encountered the Igniters. Nonetheless, these brave men continued to hold their ground.

However,

"Glory to Deathwin!"

"Mortals... Come to the underworld..."

Enemy reinforcements were about to arrive.

At this rate, the whole of the Laputan army could possibly be annihilated.

"Ah...."

"Well then, I'm counting on you." Kang Chul-In tapped Kwak Jung on the shoulders and walked away.

"Y-Your Majesty?"

"I will do my duty. You do yours."

"..."

"Catch you later." Kang Chul-In told Kwak Jung and hopped onto the Altaica.

It was a critical moment.

Now was the time for Kang Chul-In to join the battle and destroy the enemy forces.

***

"My proud undead soldiers!" Quidor, riding on his phantom steed, raised his halberd high up in the air.

Neighhhhhhh!!!

Two thousand phantom steeds cried and huffed simultaneously.

The Immortal Cavalry!

Comprising of undead monsters and the phantom Steeds, the Cavalry boasted an unbelievable amount of mobility and power. It dominated the battlefield.

"Let's carve fear into the hearts of those foolish mortals!!" The Immortal Cavalry's cry signaled the beginning of its charge.

Sssss...!!!

Two thousand undead soldiers on phantom steeds slid down the steep slope, rushing straight towards the Laputan soldiers. A mere mortal could never achieve that mobility.

At that instant,

Flash!

A brilliant white light shone across the battlefield.

-Roar!!!

An enormous tiger leaped out from the Laputa's base, obstructing the Immortal Cavalry's path.

"Come, you trash." Kang Chul-In, riding on the Godbeast Altaica, gave a chilling smile. He was holding firmly his Holy Light Sword, Mitra.

"Y-Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty has arrived!"

"Hold your grounds! His Majesty has arrived!"

"We shall emerge victorious!"

The morale of the Laputan soldiers were at an all-time high, almost as if it could pierce through the sky.

To the soldiers of Laputa, Kang Chul-In was none other than the unbeatable God of War himself. The level of idolization was almost akin to a religion.

"Kang Chul-In!"

Quidor identified Kang Chul-In in one glance and bellowed.

"To fight the Immortal Cavalry all by yourself!? Do you really think you can survive with that audacity!? Now, my undead soldiers, show that foolish man the power of the immortals!"

Immediately, the Immortal Cavalry rushed straight towards Kang Chul-In. The soldiers planned to trample on him to the point where he became unrecognizable.

Oi, you narrow-minded bitch.

Kang Chul-In spoke to Mitra.

-N-Narrow-minded! Isn't that a bit too harsh?

Mitra protested as her ego was insulted.

Work.

Kang Chul-In couldn't care less about Mitra's feelings. He just wanted her to use her Holy Sword powers.

It didn't matter whether those skeletons were fire-type or not. Mitra's Extreme Light-Element could give them a taste of hell.

-I can't do that!

Mitra, however, seemed unwilling to simply follow Kang Chul-In's commands.

What?

-My Master, you may be an ambitious tyrant, but you are certainly no altruist. I can't lend my light powers to such a person!

You still plan to go by the book even in a situation like this?

-Those words won't change my mind. This war exists solely for your own ambition after all.

Mitra was adamant.

You stubborn bitch.

Kang Chul-In also had something to say.

-S-Stubborn?

Remember the battle with Kaiforce?

-...

You removed the penalties and used my strength to the fullest, and now you are pretending that nothing happened? Talk about double standards... If you plan to be so calculative, I don't see the point of that saint cosplay of yours.

-T-That was...!

Mitra couldn't let out a word of excuse.

He was right.

Didn't Mitra push him to the extreme during their battle with Kaiforce?

You wouldn't have been half as annoying without that façade of yours...

Kang Chul-In decided to toss a powerful comment to Mitra.

Kaiforce was better after all.

-...!

He may have been

an arrogant and rude bastard, but at least he was genuine. He was no hypocrite like...

-Master!

The response was immediate.

-Please withdraw your statement!

Why should I? I'm just speaking the truth.

-I'm vastly different from Kaiforce, that evil existence!

Not true, Kaiforce is better.

-Why?!

Mitra-screamed.

Although Kaiforce had already vanished, Mitra could not stand being rated so poorly against her rival.

Look at the enemy.

Kang Chul-In smiled inwardly and pointed at the battlefield.

Aren't they undead monsters? If you proudly hold that Holy Sword title of yours, isn't it your duty to fight against them? Worst come to worst, if the undead monsters take over the whole of Pangaea, are you going to take responsibility?

-...!

A Holy Sword that leaves the dark and evil existences alone... Neglection of duty indeed. What a lazy Holy Sword.

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

-My duty... I will do it.

Mitra replied in a solemn voice.

Took you long enough?

-I-It's not that I was shaken by your words! I just want to pay off the debt from last time!

Seems like you have a bit of conscience remaining after all.

-Hmph! I won't reply to that!

With that, Mitra could no longer be heard. Instead,

[The penalty, Refusal of Malice, has been removed!]

Mitra's body began to be wrapped around in flames, just like when she faced the bone dragon last time. It was as if she was shouting, "I'm stronger than Kaiforce!"

"Excellent." Kang Chul-In let out a satisfied expression.

"Attack!"

Meanwhile, Quidor's Immortal Cavalry was on the brink of reaching Kang Chul-In.

Charaaak!!!

Mitra's special move, 'Sword Wind of the Light Sword', rained down on the incoming enemy soldiers.

Kyaaaaak!!!

The five undead soldiers on the frontline collapsed with a sharp screech. The impact was tremendous.

"No way..."

Quidor, who witnessed, or to be exact, felt Mitra's power, was shaken to the core.

That was just unbalanced.

A sword with not only a light attribute, but also an epic rank to top it off? That was one of the rarest of items.

The fact that Kang Chul-In yielded that kind of item was already a death sentence to the Quidor and the undead soldiers.

"Dead people should know their place."

Kang Chul-In said with a grin.

"Get lost in your graves!"

Immediately, Kang Chul-In started to cut down the Immortal Cavalry at an explosive speed.

"Ignore everything else, just stop that man!"

The anxious Quidor ordered his men to focus their attacks onto Kang Chul-In. He planned to suppress him with numbers.

Kang Chul-In, however, was not alone.

He possessed an army of undead knights who were stronger than the Immortal Cavalry.

"Summon the ghosts!" Kang Chul-In activated the bracelet, Owner of the Ghosts, on his wrist.

Swish!

A dark silhouette started to whirl.

Chul!

Ghost knights, who were higher level units than death knights, made their appearance.

"S-specter knights?"

Quidor was shocked for the second time in a row.

It was impossible.

How could a non-necromancer even get hold of high-class undead monsters like the specter knights?

Or was Kang Chul-In secretly a necromancer?

"Annihilate those low-class bastards!"

Kang Chul-In used the specter knights to demolish the Immortal Cavalry.

"Steal the phantom steeds, too!"

He even looted them of war trophies.

Kang Chul-In needed the phantom steeds anyways, so he was thankful that the enemy flocked in the battlefield with what he wanted.

Poook!

A specter knight's sword slashed through the armor of a soldier from the Immortal Cavalry.

Thump!

The soldier collapsed, and the specter knight snatched the ownerless phantom steed's rein.

[Phantom Steed acquired!]

[+40% mobility and +30% attack for Specter Knight No.007!]

"Oho." Kang Chul-In grinned from ear to ear.

Even he himself never expected the combination of a specter knight and a phantom steed to be so powerful.

[+40% mobility and +30% attack for Specter Knight No.031!]

[+40% mobility and +30% attack for Specter Knight No.016!]

[+40% mobility and +30% attack for Specter Knight No.010!]

The other specter knights also enjoyed the increased benefits from stealing the phantom steeds.

"This is preposterous!" Quidor shouted in disbelief.

The Light Sword Mitra.

Specter knights.

He could not comprehend the situation happening before his very eyes.

What if it rained now, to top everything off?

What would happen if the Igniters on the frontline had their fire extinguished?

That would never happen.

Quidor shook his head.

There was no chance for rain to fall.

If it actually did rain, it only meant that God was not on Deathwin's side.

If the Immortal Cavalry manages to stop Kang Chul-In, the Igniters will take care of the re-

Quidor's train of thought was interrupted.

Drip.

Drip, drip!

Raindrops started to fall on Quidor's armor, drenching him.

"..." Quidor stared blankly at the sky.

"Is it actually...raining?"

Black thunder clouds were gathering in the sky at a tremendous speed.

***

5 minutes ago,

"Arrrggggghh!" Kwak Jung screamed.

Pzzt, Pzzzztt!

An incredible amount of electricity was being released from the White Rain Fan.

It was a clear sign of rejection, proving that Kwak Jung and the White Rain Fan were not a good combination together.

"Tactician Kwak!"

"Are you alright?"

Several surprised soldiers rushed to help Kwak Jung, but he did not want any help.

"Move aside!" Kwak Jung barked, stopping the soldiers.

"D-Don't come... Near..." Kwak Jung clenched his teeth.

Let's see who wins... Who indeed....

He was fighting with the White Rain Fan.

It wasn't an easy battle.

The White Rain Fan dared to continue unleashing electricity to attack its master. Kwak Jung had to use all his might to subjugate this item.

Oooongg!

Kwak Jung forced his own mana into the White Rain Fan.

Pzzt, Pzzztttt!

That only caused the item to release a higher voltage of electricity than before to electrocute Kwak Jung.

"Hueh... Hueh Hueh Hueh...!" Kwak Jung did not succumb.

"You think... you think I will lose to this? Huh? You cheeky bastard? It's no use, so how about you be a good fan and summon the rain for me?"

He let out a mad man's laughter.

It showed his firm will to take control of the White Ran Fain.

"Summon... the rain...! You damn... damn bastarddddd!" Kwak Jung screamed and injected all his mana into the White Rain Fan. He wanted this to end.

A bit of time passed.

Kuoohhhhh!

Finally, a greyish air current swirled around the White Rain Fan and shot up into the sky.

Drip.

Drip!

Raindrops began to fall from the black thunderclouds.

Flash!

Bolts of lightning lit up the sky.

Crack, Boom!

Roars of thunder could also be heard.

Swisshh!

A heavy rain began to fall with strong winds.

This was the true power of the White Rain Fan, an epic item!

"Huk... Huk..."

Kwak Jung's shoulders bounced up and down as he gasped for air.

"S-Success... Hehehe..."

Kwak Jung smiled faintly and mumbled.

Thump!

He then collapsed onto the floor.

He was extremely fatigued.

Chapter 210: The Counterattack (3)

Translator: Leyy3

Swish~!

Heavy rain continued to fall.

Raindrops the size of an adult's finger fell relentlessly, almost like a squall in a tropical region.

Chik, Chik!

With a sizzling sound, white steam arose from the Igniters' bodies. The raindrops were turning into steam due to the heat.

Soon, the whole battlefield was covered in white.

It was hence very difficult to see far, with over three thousand Igniters steaming away.

"Proud soldiers of Laputa! Retreat!" Lucia immediately ordered the troops to retreat.

This tremendous rain would render the Igniters useless anyway, so there was no reason to fight in a place with limited vision.

The Laputan soldiers began to back off instantly.

"Nice!" Nilus, who was leading the magic troop on the frontline, exclaimed in joy.

It wasn't easy to extinguish the Igniters' fire, but Kwak Jung essentially solved his problem by summoning rain.

"Men of the magic troop, listen!" Nilus roared.

"Yes, sir!"

"Install an ice wall at the front to obstruct the enemy's path!"

Making an ice wall required quite some mana, but it wasn't the time to dilly dally. Delaying the enemy's advancement for even one or two minutes was good enough for them.

That was because the Laputan soldiers would be capable of finishing up the fire-less Igniters. There was no reason to save mana!

Chuk, Chuk!

Ten ice walls that were four meters in height erupted from the ground, obstructing the Igniters.

Next was Nilus' turn.

" ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ,??????? ????? ????? ???? ?????...?? ??? ?? ???????? ?"

The child-looking old magician chanted the most powerful ice-element spell he knew: Arctic Blizzard, a magic that could simulate the brutal coldness of the North Pole!

-Roarrr...!

Ten arkellons were also firing water cannons over the ice wall.

Chiiiik!

The sizzling sound filled up the entire region and steam rose in large quantities.

Kwak Jung's rain.

Nilus' Arctic Blizzard.

The ten arkellons' water cannon.

These three things produced a fantastic combination play to extinguish the flames of the Igniters.

Crack, Crack!

The battlefield started to freeze.

"C-Cold...!"

"What the hell...? It was hot moments ago, but now it's cold... ha..."

"Argh... feels like I'm doing winter military drills..."

The sudden change in temperature caused the Laputan soldiers to grumble. They could even see their breath.

A while later, the curtain of steam dissipated.

No response could be detected from over the ice wall.

Only the sound of Kang Chul-In battling with the Immortal Cavalry could be heard from afar.

"I will go and check!" Lucia headed towards the wall.

Klang!

Aegis, the Shield of God, was slammed heavily against the wall.

Crack, crack, crack!

The ice wall was fractured into pieces and fell, revealing the Igniters beyond it.

"...!"

Those who witnessed the scene froze in place.

"I-Incredible!" Drakan was surprised.

"All frozen? Those flaming Undead Monsters...?"

It was indeed hard to believe.

Just five minutes ago, two thousand Igniters were flaming brightly. Now they were frozen in place, unable to make a single move.

Lucia walked forward and inspected one of the frozen Igniters carefully.

The Igniter showed no signs of movement, even as its enemy approached it.

"Is it really... frozen?" Lucia, half skeptical, smashed the frozen Igniter with her shield.

Craaackk!

The Igniter broke down into a hundred pieces.

"I-It broke...!"

"A fire-type Undead in just one shot?"

"Frozen to the core?"

The soldiers of Laputa found it hard to believe what had happened before their very eyes. They were dumbfounded to see those horrifying Igniters become completely powerless.

Now!

Only Lucia was alert.

"Men!" Lucia held Zenith, the Sky Sword, high up in the air.

"Charge! The enemy is nothing but a scarecrow!"

If they attacked now, they could annihilate the enemy without shedding a single drop of blood.

"Waaahh!"

"Let's destroy the enemy!"

"Destroy everything!"

The Laputan soldiers charged.

Bang! Crack!

The Igniters were wiped out without a trace. They were no longer the undead monsters to be feared!

***

"T-This is a lie. It's a lie...!"

Quidor suffered in agony as he tried to deny the reality laid in front of him.

From far away, he could see the Igniters exploding into pieces.

These Igniters were made with expensive firestones, along with Aleister's blood, tears and sweat. Now they were being helplessly destroyed.

That wasn't all.

Neigghhh!

The spectre knights, now riding on the backs of the phantom steeds, were bringing chaos upon the Immortal Cavalry's base.

Moreover, Chararak!

The great Overlord Kang Chul-In was swinging Mitra around, slicing the soldiers of the Immortal Cavalry apart.

Kang Chul-In, though surrounded by enemy soldiers, showed no sign of fear. His courage and power were indeed that of a one-man army.

We have to retreat!

Only now then did Quidor realize that there was no chance of victory.

Not only were his Igniters completely destroyed, but he also would have to face Kang Chul-In, his Spectre Knights and the well-trained soldiers of Laputa.

For any possibility of future revenge, retreat was the only option.

"Retreat, I said retreat!"

Quidor steered his phantom steed away without hesitation. He was the first to run.

That was a good call.

He may lose the Immortal Cavalry, but wasn't that still better than losing himself, its commander-in-chief?

It would be troublesome if you lived.

Kang Chul-In, however, had no intention of letting Quidor escape.

According to his memory, Quidor was an SSS-rank soldier who had enormous potential to even become a Death Lord, the commander of the undead, in the future.

Kang Chul-In wanted to kill Quidor no matter what, just like how he eliminated Minerva, a potential source of danger.

"Let's go!"

-Roar!

Kang Chul-In steered the Altaica and chased after Quidor.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Kang Chul-In, who were already only inches away from Quidor, shouted voluminously.

"Run faster, faster!" Quidor kept running without looking back.

He instinctively knew that words were no use to Kang Chul-In.

You think I will let you go?

Kang Chul-In clenched his teeth as his eyes focused intently on Quidor's back.

Swish!

Mitra changed its form to a whip.

Swirl!

The whip stretched at an astonishing speed, wrapping itself around Quidor's upper body.

-Kuhuk!

Quidor let out a scream in pain.

What followed was his fall off the phantom steed.

Quidor's body started to swerve and disengaged from the phantom steed, crashing onto the ground.

"Didn't I ask?" Kang Chul-In grinned cunningly as he circled the fallen Quidor.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"...!"

"Trash like you can never escape from my grasp. Isn't that obvious?"

"P-Please don't kill me!"

"...Don't kill you?" Kang Chul-In frowned, as if he heard something he shouldn't have heard.

An undead asking for mercy?

What was that even?

"That's right!" Quidor replied.

"I'm one of the most valued subjects of his Majesty Aleister. If you hold me hostage to negotiate with him..."

"Why should I?"

"...!"

"Just die."

Mitra's blade swung.

Thump.

Quidor was sliced into eight pieces, which rolled onto the ground.

"I guess I managed to get rid of Aleister's right-hand man."

Kang Chul-In turned around.

Yes! Go, please! Get lost already, you vicious bastard!

Quidor, or more precisely his head lying next to his right stomach, glanced at Kang Chul-In, praying for him to leave the scene.

He was a dullahan.

Being sliced to even ten pieces did not kill Quidor. As long as the head, which served as a sort of life vessel, was in one piece, he could reincarnate at any time.

"Ah?" Kang Chul-In suddenly remembered something and turned around again.

"Playing dead, aren't we?"

-...!

"Well then, return to where you're supposed to belong."

For the undead Quidor, the only place he was supposed to belong to was none other than the underworld or hell.

"N-No way!"

"Yes, way." Kang Chul-In smashed down Quidor's head with his feet without mercy.

Puk!

The Dullahan's life vessel shattered into pieces. As the old saying went - better safe than sorry.

***

Vilhelm seemed to be lost in deep thought.

The reason was simple.

-Rank 44th Alex Rothschild (-33)

Rothschild, the current ruler of Esmeralda, suddenly dropped in rank by a huge margin.

Why?

There was no question as to why Vilhem was this confused.

For an Overlord previously on a roll to suddenly come crashing down the ranks, it signaled either a critical problem within his territory, or a danger to his life. In other words, Rothschild was weakened in some sort of manner, which revealed truthfully on the ranking page.

"Your Majesty, a dispatch has arrived. Esmeralda is currently in flames." Yulrgent, the director of the Intelligence Bureau of Bifrost, approached Vilhelm and whispered into his ear.

"Esmeralda?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"The cause?"

"As for that... according to our intelligence, it seems that Rothschild himself is setting fire to his own territory."

"...!"

"And seeing that he's preparing to withdraw his army, I believe he's burning off the infrastructure to leave Esmeralda."

"Why in the world? There's no reason to abandon that strategic location..." At that moment, Vilhelm recalled what he saw previously.

The drop in ranks?

If that was the reason, Rothschild's actions were understandable.

Since the ranking page would sooner or later reveal that he had weakened, there was no reason for him to put on a full swagger and remain in Esmeralda.

Something detrimental must have happened to Rothschild!

At this point it was no longer a deduction, but almost a fact. Vilhelm started to put on his thinking cap.

He could be the biggest beneficiary from this turn of events!

"Yulrgent." Vilhelm spoke.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Between Deathwin and Esmeralda, which one is more important to conquer?"

"Regarding that..."

It was an unnecessary question.

Deathwin was a barrier to stop Kang Chul-In, but Esmeralda was none other than Pangaea's core. When compared, Esmeralda obviously had greater importance.

"Isn't our army's 9th division about to pass through Esmeralda now?"

"...!"

"How does it sound if we merge the frontline forces with the 9th division, which is heading to Deathwin?"

"In that case... Your Majesty would be able to conquer Esmeralda before the other Overlords do. However, the situation at Deathwin would be unfavorable..."

"So, I have to choose one."

"Yes, your Majesty."

It would be perfect to stop Kang Chul-In and also take control of Esmeralda, but things were never so easy. Vilhelm had to make a tough decision. It was a dilemma between aiding Aleister and conquering Esmeralda.

"Your Majesty!"

Vilhelm was still in the middle of his thought.

"There's a call from the Overlord Aleister of Deathwin."

"Accept it."

"Yes, your Majesty."

The call connected.

-Overlord Vilhelm!

Aleister anxiously exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Overlord Aleister?"

-Emergency! Our army got destroyed by Kang Chul-In's army! Send help immediately!

"Damn!"

-When will the reinforcements arrive? Things are looking rough...

"Latest by next week, so don't worry too much."

-I-Is that so?

"Trust me. Our army's 9th division is now heading towards Deathwin to aid you. It may be tough but endure for a while more and victory shall be ours."

-A-Alright... I will hold somehow!

"Oh, and excuse me, can I call you back in an hour? I have an urgent matter to address."

-Will do. I'm under your care.

"Fret not."

Vilhelm calmed Aleister down, then pretended to be busy and ended the call. He started to hand out commands.

"Signaller."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Make a call to the 9th division, and tell them to join the frontline troop. Instruct them to take over Esmeralda."

"Your Majesty?"

"We are abandoning Deathwin."

Vilhelm was about to stab Aleister in the back.

Chapter 211: Good News Incoming

Translator: Leyy3

"Urgh... Urghhhhhh!" Aleister shivered with rage and agony after his call with Vilhelm.

Clatter, clatter...!

Aleister's thin body, which was literally skin-and-bones, shook relentlessly.

His anger was indeed justified.

The loss at the third peak was just too grievous.

Two thousand Igniters which he spent enormous fortune and effort on froze to death, while the Immortal Cavalry lost 50 phantom steeds before getting annihilated.

Losing Quidor, his faithful right-hand man, was heartbreaking as well.

But to top it all off... he learned something new which infuriated him.

"Spectre knights! What the hell! That damn evil bastard!" He came to realize that the masked commander who burned his undead army to a crisp during the Fox Valley siege was none other than Kang Chul-In himself.

"Since then... Why! What in the world!? What did I even do to you Kang Chul-In!?" The cry of the infuriated half-lich shook the whole hall.

Aleister, who had no idea of the past, could never comprehend why Kang Chul-In disturbed him so much. He found it extremely unfair.

Kang Chul-In, of course, paid no attention to Aleister's stressful situation.

"Alright then... let's see who wins...! I promise to kill you and make you my slave... grrr!" Aleister gritted his teeth in anger.

It was too early to give up.

He still had a few cards to play. Until then, he was still in the game.

"Y, your Majesty!"

Stonebridge, the new commander-in-chief who replaced Quidor, rushed into the Overlord's hall and reported in.

He was a skeleton knight, a rank higher than the skeleton soldiers.

"...What is it?" Aleister knew instinctively that it wasn't good news. He bit on his withered lips and replied.

"The Laputan army has conquered all the areas from the 7th peak to the 14th..."

"..."

"Forgive me, your Majesty...!"

Clang!

Stonebridge slammed his skull onto the floor of the Overlord's hall.

"..." Aleister did not say anything.

It was all to be expected.

The loss at the 3rd peak cost Deathwin 40% of its force. It wasn't surprising that even the 14th peak was conquered in just two days.

"Huuu..." Aleister let out a deep sigh.

Kang Chul-In was just too powerful.

He yielded Mitra, an epic item with the extreme light element, a ghost cavalry comprising spectre knights, courageous Laputan generals, and well-trained soldiers.

Moreover, Kang Chul-In himself was incredibly strong. Unless Aleister deployed some special strategy or flooded him with tremendous numbers, it was hard to achieve victory.

"So... what about the enemy's movements?" Aleister asked in a calm voice.

Becoming angry did not solve any problems, hence he wished to react to the situation in a composed and cool manner.

"They currently control the 14th peak and are setting up base. Their plan probably entails establishing a supply route and then attacking the 15th peak immediately afterwards".

"Those cunning bastards...!" Aleister, who planned to cut off Laputa's supply route, exclaimed in frustration.

"How about the battlefield? The corpses?"

Excitement sparked in Aleister's eyes.

"A-As for that... I also considered that method but..." The 'method' that Stonebridge mentioned was to turn all the dead soldiers on the battlefield into undead monsters. In a sense, it was making soldiers out of thin air.

"The enemy cleaned up the battlefield perfectly... they either burned the dead soldiers or buried them at least 20 metres underground."

Laputa's actions were flawless.

"..."

"There wasn't a single corpse to make use of..."

At this point, it was similar to cutting off the electricity, gas and water for an extremely poor family.

Kang Chul-In was pressuring Aleister without any room for escape. He was attacking the weak points in the undead army.

"So... how many soldiers do we have left?"

"Including the defense forces, about 20,000."

"So few..."

"..."

"Position all men at the 18th peak." Aleister made a decision.

"Do you plan to leave Deathwin empty?"

"Yes. Deathwin is not favorable for defense anyway. It's different for the 18th peak."

"Y-You're right."

The last peak was indeed the most strategic location out of all eighteen peaks. It was a sacred fortress that was much more favorable for defense than Deathwin.

"We hold onto the 18th peak no matter what it takes. And...." Aleister's eyes glimmered.

"Once the reinforcements arrive, we put out a counterattack."

The plan was to attack the Laputan soldiers when they tire out together with the ten thousand soldiers sent by Albrecht Vilhelm and Ao Xin.

"A wise decision, your

Majesty!" Stonebridge agreed.

"I shall position all men at the 18th peak immediately!"

"And!" Aleister rose from his seat.

"I shall personally command the army for this battle."

"...!"

"Get ready!"

Finally, Overlord Aleister, the necromancer, decided to fight against Laputa's army, led by Kang Chul-In.

Of course, these brave words were spoken without any knowledge of Vilhelm's betrayal.

***

After conquering the 14th peak, the 'F' word could be heard everywhere in Laputa's base.

"Oh, fuck!"

"Fuck, fuck!"

"Fuuuuck!"

The Laputan soldiers gritted their teeth and shuddered, while spitting out these coarse words.

There was a simple reason.

They did emerge victorious in every battle so far, but the war had been too straining on everyone.

"This damn hill... after this conquest, I shall not even pee in this direction!"

"I'm sick of this!"

"Those damn corpses! They dare to fight on this rough terrain? Uncultured undead monsters!"

Everything went according to Kang Chul-In's words.

The 18 peaks.

Its harsh terrains truly deserved some F words, befitting of the name.

"After acquiring the supply route, immediately prepare to conquer the 15th, 16th and 17th peaks." Kang Chul-In briefed his subordinates in the tent.

"Yes, your Majesty." The commanding officers of Laputa replied to him simultaneously.

"Podolski, any updates on the bodies of our fallen soldiers?"

"Yes, your Majesty. They are well-taken care of and were sent to Laputa."

"I assume nothing's wrong? Any soldiers who turned into undead monsters?"

"Not at all, your Majesty! If any of the Laputan soldiers became an Undead, I, Podolski, shall relinquish my life to your Majesty!" Podolski was confident that he did a flawless job.

"Good." Kang Chul-In showed a satisfied expression.

"They are soldiers who fought for their nation. Their loyalty and patriotism should be honored to the highest degree. Moreover, we can't let our soldiers fight against their former comrades who have turned into undead monsters. That is just tragedy."

"Wise words indeed, your Majesty!" Podolski bowed his head and venerated Kang Chul-In.

"Wise words, your Majesty!"

Everyone agreed to Podolski.

"That aside..."

Kang Chul-In was about to say something.

"Your Majesty!"

It was at that very moment.

"A message has arrived from Laputa's main base!"

The signaller shouted.

"...!"

Exciting news.

It was getting slightly worrisome, as they could not establish a connection with the main base for four whole days.

Hence, the restoration in communication was delightful, even for Kang Chul-In.

"A message?"

"Yes, your Majesty!"

"Any chance of corruption by the enemy?"

"The codes match 100%."

"Alright, let's take a look." Kang Chul-In rose from his chair and received two pieces of parchment.

The message was as follows:

Addressed to the ruler of the Great Laputa, the sun to all people, an honorable soldier, the mighty Conquest Overlord, his Majesty Kang Chun-In.

Your Majesty!

It's Mikael, your humble servant.

First, I will report the current situation!

"Hmm..." Kang Chul-In nodded his head.

Mikael knew his style well, going straight to the point instead of giving trivial explanations. To any Overlord, such a subordinate was extremely praiseworthy.

The enemy troops that dared to invade Laputa have all been annihilated!

"O-hoh!" Kang Chul-In smiled at this fantastic news.

The situation has been handled!

50 Cyamodus adventurers, 3 generals and 500 soldiers were either killed or captured!

In addition, we managed to acquire the enemy's airship! It's an extremely old model so I doubt it's useful, but it is still a formidable achievement!

Great results, but the damage was still there.

Unfortunately, 189 of our soldiers have fallen in their line of duty, and the architectural director Kimura suffered light injuries.

Other than that, 561 people were wounded. The damage is not trivial, but the essential manpower of Laputa thankfully remained safe.

"How dare they...." Kang Chul-In gritted his teeth.

Regardless of the damage, he was furious due to the fact that Laputa's main base got attacked when he wasn't around.

But, your Majesty,

The bad news only had a brief mention.

The rest of the message was filled with good news.

The enemy's damage was much greater.

I, your humble servant, defeated Orteus of Cyamodus, and the white knights managed to cut down Godfrey and capture Smith alive!

The Spear Master, Orteus.

The Dark Magician, Godfrey.

And Smith, who would claim the title of Sword Master in the future.

These three were faithful subordinates of Rothschild, and also great generals who made countless accomplishments during the Ragnarök in the past.

To have captured or killed them...

Kang Chul-In couldn't be happier.

And... Please maintain your composure, your Majesty!

The Imperial Princess has done it big time!

She revealed her powers and destroyed four of Alex Rothschild's clones! Isn't that just wonderful?

"...!" Kang Chul-In was taken aback.

Arshelly's accomplishments aside, to have destroyed four whole clones was extremely formidable.

You went all out huh, Rothschild?

Kang Chul-In scoffed at Rothschild inwardly.

Not only did he attack Laputa when it was empty, but he also sent four of his clones. It was indeed true that Rothschild was desperately hoping for Laputa to perish.

"Check overall rank." Kang Chul-In immediately ordered.

Five thousand gold was needed to check the ranks. However, that sum was trivial after reading that Rothschild had lost four clones.

-Rank 44th. Alex Rothschild (-33)

A clear fall in ranks.

A year ago, Rothschild was placed out of the top 100 ranks when one of his clones got destroyed. Compared to that, this drop was smaller than expected but still significant enough.

"Hahahahahaha!" Kang Chul-In laughed like a mad man.

"...!" The officers were surprised, but they weren't anxious.

They knew that he was laughing crazily to some good news.

Your Majesty, the Imperial Princess was really formidable, just like you.

I wish to report further, but the communication device is not fully repaired yet so forgive me for ending my message here. Sending this message gave us a lot of trouble as well.

P.S. For video-calling to resume with the current state of the network communication device, at least 1 week is required. We will try our best to repair it as soon as possible.

P.S.S. The queen of demi-humans, Ninetails, has visited Laputa with a thousand demi-humans, and an incredible amount of treasure and supplies.

"...Damn."

The last portion of the report caused Kang Chul-In's face to stiffen.

By the way, your Majesty,

Queen Ninetails has been referring to you as her 'hubby'.

I sincerely hope to see your explanation to this in your reply.

From your Majesty's faithful servant,

The governor of Balnibarbi,

The leader of the White Lion Knights

Mikael

"Huuuuu." Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh.

He was placed in a tricky situation.

The day had finally come.

"..." Kang Chul-In didn't move an inch after reading the last portion of Mikael's report.

Chuaakk!

He then proceeded to tear the parchment into two.

Chapter 212: Kwak Jung's Insight

Translator: Leyy3

"Y-Your Majesty?" The surprised Lucia carefully asked Kang Chul-In.

"I don't understand why you tore...."

"Security reasons."

Kang Chul-In gave her an absurd reason to justify his actions.

"This may indeed be our own base, but we can never afford to be neglectful of security if we aim to conquer the whole of Pangea!"

"..."

"This applies to all of you as well. Make security protection a daily activity, you hear me?"

The officers of Laputa were confused, but they replied to him nonetheless.

"Y-yes, your Majesty..."

No matter the explanation Kang Chul-In was giving them, for him to tear the message was something out of ordinary.

Ninetails, at this time... I shall keep quiet for now.

Kang Chul-In decided not to reveal the existence of Ninetails, regardless of how confused his subordinates were.

It was definitely not an act to avoid her.

He had already made up his mind to have an arranged marriage to achieve his goals. He thus had no intention of avoiding Ninetails.

However, now was not the time to distract his soldiers with such a topic.

If this fact somehow happened to leak, then the meeting would deviate from strategizing to win the war and become a discussion on his marriage.

Therefore, he made a call to keep things hidden until the war was over.

"Ahem." Kang Chul-In cleared his throat.

"In summary, there has been some damage but Arshelly and Mikael have successfully defended Laputa against the enemy forces. Also, they have killed two key generals of Cyamodus, and captured one alive." He relayed the information to his subordinates, without any mention on Ninetails of course.

"Moreover... It seems that Arshelly has managed to destroy four of Rothschild's clones in a single attack. As proof, Rothschild's rank has dropped to 44th."

The officers were sent into a frenzy.

"Wah...!"

"Haha! A befitting end for those losers!"

"A hefty price to pay for invading Laputa. How dare they!?"

"Your Majesty, that's like the 5th time we've killed Rothschild!"

Everyone was delighted.

The officers were also worried about the situation back at home, hence why they were twice as excited upon hearing this good news.

"Therefore." Kang Chul-In spoke, visibly satisfied.

"Focus solely on the battle laid in front of you. Understood?"

"Yes, your Majesty!" The officers replied loudly in a simultaneous manner.

***

After the meeting, Kang Chul-In visited Kwak Jung in his tent.

Kwak Jung was half-dead after using the White Rain Fan.

The mental and physical stress, along with an extreme loss of mana, have caused him to be sick in bed.

"Y-You came, your Majesty? Urk...!" Kwak Jung struggled to get up.

"Lie down."

"How could I, your Majesty...."

"Since when were you so well-behaved towards your superiors?"

"T-That's true, but...."

"I said lie down." Kang Chul-In pushed Kwak Jung's forehead down with his finger.

"T-Thank you, your Majesty..."

"What kind of leader doesn't even let his unwell subordinate rest?"

"Ah, yes..." Kwak Jung answered rather hesitantly. He actually had a different thought in his mind.

Your Majesty, you ordered me to do it! You are the reason why I'm sick!

He could not mutter a single word of it of course.

"How's your body?"

"To be honest...I feel like dying... Urk..."

"You did well." Kang Chul-In praised Kwak Jung.

"We could win the battle at the 3rd peak thanks to you. If it wasn't for you, I would have had to withdraw my men. You did a fantastic job. I was very surprised and thankful."

"...!"

"As expected from the man I chose to be my tactician. I'm proud of you."

"Y-Your Majesty...!"

Kwak Jung's facial expressions changed 180 degrees after listening to Kang Chul-In's series of praises.

Kang Chul-In did reward a meritorious service and didn't let a fault go unpunished normally, but it was unordinary for him to praise someone to this extent. It showed how high Kang Chul-In's standards were.

"When this war is over, I plan to reward you."

"R-Reward, your Majesty?"

"That's right. This time I will get you something you will like."

"Hmm... for instance?"

"Ferrari."

"W-What?!"

"Any model you've been eyeing..."

"Enzo Ferrari!"

Kwak Jung immediately shouted the name of the legendary supercar, manufactured by Ferrari in 2002 to commemorate its 60th anniversary.

"...That was fast."

"Hehe... I've actually wanted to own it since before...."

"Don't tell me, did the previous reckless driving incident happen due to your jealousy towards the Ferrari owner?"

"Ahem...."

"Seems like you really have been longing to have one."

"Isn't it a man's dream?"

"You are right." Kang Chul-In agreed with Kwak Jung and nodded his head.

Enzo Ferrari!

Any man would want to have that hot-red supercar at least once in his lifetime.

"Alright. I will get you the Enzo Ferrari as your reward."

"T-Thank you!"

"No problem." Kang Chul-In chuckled.

"Oh right, I had some matters to discuss with you."

"Like what, your Majesty?"

"A message arrived from Laputa."

"Is that so?"

"In summary..."

Kang Chul-In told him the details of the report, excluding the part about Ninetails, then asked for his opinion.

"What do you think? Can Rothschild's sudden

downfall become a huge factor in this war?"

"Hmm... If that's the case... Err... So..."

Kwak Jung frowned and sank into deep thought.

Then out of the blue, he suddenly congratulated Kang Chul-In.

"It looks like even the Gods are on your side, your Majesty. You are in luck!"

"In luck? Me?"

"Yes. Very lucky indeed."

"Why is that so?"

"Take a look at the map here." Kwak Jung pointed at the map and explained.

"By the time the ranking page refreshed and Rothschild's downfall became known to everyone, Vilhelm's army would have likely been crossing this region."

"...!"

"If Vilhelm's army was marching slightly faster, then the timing's just right." Kwak Jung's finger landed exactly on the land of Esmeralda, the heart of Pangea, on the map.

"Vilhelm would have been stuck in a dilemma between saving Aleister from your Majesty and conquering Esmeralda."

"You are saying, Vilhelm will choose to take over Esmeralda over stopping me?"

"Don't you think so? Vilhelm definitely has to choose between the two options. Since Rothschild has fallen, it's much easier and beneficial for him to take over Esmeralda now." Kwak Jung's words were persuasive.

"It's also possible for Rothschild to have burned away all of Esmeralda's infrastructures and ran away the moment his plan to attack Laputa's backdoor had failed. Actually, it's 100% possible. I'll bet my life on it."

"In that case..."

"There will be no reinforcements for Aleister."

"...!"

"Aleister would have no doubt that Vilhelm's reinforcements would arrive, but there's no way that that cunning Vilhelm would have been honest with him. He probably made up some lie that reinforcements were on the way."

Incredible insight... Kwak Jung understood the politics in Pangea like the back of his hand. It indicated that his insight was sharpening every moment.

"Now it's just a 1v1. Ao Xin probably sent some reinforcements too, but the army would likely have retreated to acquire a share of the pie with Vilhelm."

"You are right." Kang Chul-In nodded.

Atal Ramanujan's forces were wiped out. Rothschild suffered from a massive downfall, and Vilhelm and Ao Xin betrayed Aleister for Esmeralda.

There were no Lords left to help Aleister. Just like what Kwak Jung said, it was now a 1v1 between Laputa and Deathwin.

"Excellent. Insight to be expected from my tactician."

"Hehe... it was nothing... hehe..."

"Rest well."

"Yes, your Majesty."

Kang Chul-In praised Kwak Jung once again and left his tent.

A 1v1... victory's mine as long as I look out for Death Calling.

Kang Chul-In's eyes gleamed.

***

The next morning.

"This place is the key location that determines the fate of this war."

Kang Chul-In pointed at a point on the map with his baton.

It was where Overlord Aleister was sending his entire army to.

"It's the 18th peak. Aleister is definitely stationing his troops here to defend against our soldiers. He will struggle to defend this place with all of his men, waiting for reinforcements to arrive. However, there will not be any reinforcements. That's because..."

Kang Chul-In briefly told his officers the conversation he held with Kwak Jung. The Laputan generals nodded their heads and admired Kwak Jung's insight.

"Therefore, for us..."

"How about we surround the peak to cut off the enemy's supply?" Drakan spoke hastily.

"The 18th peak is too high and steep. It's difficult to obtain water, so won't it be a good plan? There's no reason for our soldiers to rush if there are no reinforcements..."

"Drakan." Kang Chul-In cut Drakan off.

"Yes, your Majesty!"

"Cutting off supplies for an undead army is meaningless."

"Oh shit!"

"Seems like a good plan, but maybe for another time."

"Y-Yes, your Majesty." Drakan's red face turned even redder.

Kang Chul-In was right.

The enemy they were facing was an undead army.

Its soldiers did not require any food or water.

Dragging the battle on was only disadvantageous for the Laputan army, as the undead monsters had almost infinite stamina.

"Exactly 8 days from now, I plan to launch an all-out attack." Kang Chul-In explained his strategy.

"Can I ask why 8 days from now, your Majesty?" Lucia questioned.

"The enemy soldiers do not tire. On the other hand, our soldiers are considerably fatigued. How about we launch an all-out attack just two days from now?"

"Your logic is right, but we won't attack so soon."

"Are you planning to request for reinforcements from Laputa?"

"No." Kang Chul-In shook his head.

"I won't be needing reinforcements for this war."

"If that's the case, what's the reason...."

"According to my spies, Overlord Aleister has a scary weapon that even I may need to risk my life to fight against. In order to avoid dying instantly, I need a solution."

"I-Is that really true?"

Lucia was shocked.

"Positive."

"..."

"Aleister owns a powerful, single-target item called Death Calling."

Death Calling was used in the past to hunt down even a blue dragon, the mightiest of monsters. It was Aleister's ultimate move that even Kang Chun-In could not simply ignore.

"Ha...!"

"What kind of item is that...!"

"For even his Majesty to risk his life..."

Everyone was shocked.

For Kang Chul-In, the unbeatable icon, to say that he himself may die instantly against this weapon... It must be an incredible item beyond imagination.

"However, there are solutions. I always emphasize this, but a threat already established can no longer be a threat. For the remaining 8 days, we shall prepare to face Aleister's Death Calling, and finally emerge from this war as victors."

Kang Chul-In displayed strong confidence.

Since he already knew what Death Calling was, he was cautious but not intimidated.

"Signaller!"

"Yes, your Majesty!"

"Relay this message to Laputa."

Kang Chul-In tossed him a parchment with some sort of instructions written on it, then faced the generals.

"The all-out attack will be launched 8 days from now, when the full moon rises!"

Kang Chul-In's eyes shone brightly with anger towards the man who betrayed the Ishtar Coalition and sucked up to Rothschild in the past.

Revenge.

Aleister was his first target.

***

Laputa's hangar.

"Listen everyone! His Majesty has relayed some special instructions!" Previously a genius magic-technician of Mechan Dome and now Laputa's chief magic-technician, Randolph Von Stroheim, read out Kang Chul-In's message.

"His Majesty wishes for the completion of the Full Metal Project in exactly 197 hours and 32 minutes!"

The magic engineers and technicians were astonished.

That was just too insane a task.

The Full Metal Project required the full use of Laputa's magic engineering technology. Completing it within 197 hours and 32 minutes was almost impossible.

"I know it seems impossible! His Majesty also knows!" Randolph Von Stroheim shouted.

"But now is war time! Our soldiers are battling every day on the harsh terrains of the 18th peak! Risking their lives! How can we just relax? His Majesty needs our help urgently!"

His speech had some impact.

Just two days ago, Rothschild's special forces created havoc on Laputa's land. The magic engineers and technicians could not hide at the back anymore.

It was time for them to contribute back to the nation.

"And... His Majesty also promised a 500% bonus and two weeks of leave to all engineers and technicians if we successfully pull it off!"

Having heard this,

"We can do it!"

"Let's even have second shifts!"

"I will do it!"

"Waaahh!"

The people went crazy.

Not only did they feel responsible to make a contribution to this war, but they were also promised a huge reward. This motivated the engineers and technicians greatly.

"Excellent!" Randolph Von Stroheim nodded his head.

"We shall start right now!"

"Yes, chief!" Laputa's magic technicians and engineers responded in a loud voice.

Behind them, a monstrous silhouette of the framework of the Full Metal Project was drawn out.

Chapter 213: A real man pays in full!

Translator: Leyy3

The following afternoon,

Kang Chul-In ordered all soldiers that were capable of long-range attack to bombard the 18th peak.

Bang!

Twelve magic-engineered artilleries breathed fire.

"!???? ?????? ????? ???????"

Nilus and his magic troop also cast spells and attacked.

-Kuahhhhh!

Ten Arkellons were also showering the enemy base with water cannons.

"Drakan." Kang Chul-In called the general over.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Once the bombing is over, lead five thousand men and pretend to attack the enemy base for about two hours. It's a 'pretend' attack, not an actual attack. Understood?" Kang Chul-In issued an incomprehensible command.

"You mean to fake our attacks?"

"That's right."

"Kehem..." Drakan tilted his head, as if questioning Kang Chul-In's intent. Kang Chul-In grinned and asked,

"Why, you think it's ineffective?"

"T-To be honest, yes. In order to launch an all-out attack, we should let our soldiers rest... Isn't it advantageous for us to remain at status quo? Furthermore, don't we still lack the solution for that horrifying item, Death Calling?" The soldiers of Laputa were indeed well-trained, but they were tired from the continuous marching through the past 17 peaks. It would be a wise move to let them rest for the all-out attack.

"I agree that it's inefficient." Kang Chul-In nodded.

"However, it's still necessary for us."

"May I ask why, your Majesty? Enlighten this humble servant of yours!" Drakan was a great soldier but he lacked a tactical mind. He wanted to hear the answer.

"Aleister thinks that our army is anxious to conquer the 18th peak. He assumes that we will have to move fast before the reinforcements arrive."

"I agree, your Majesty."

"So, if we take our own sweet time at the 17th peak, what do you think Aleister will think?"

"...!"

"He will start to become skeptical. There's a slight but real chance that he may deduce Vilhelm's betrayal just from observing our army's movement."

"Hoh...!"

Kang Chul-In was extremely meticulous.

He knew that Aleister lacked the insight and intelligence to analyze the battlefield, but he was being extra cautious.

"How do you think Aleister will respond?"

"Won't he try to escape?"

"I will never let him escape. I won't even let him use the Absolute Return Scroll."

"...!"

"Overlord Aleister shall die under the full moon."

It was almost like a prophecy.

Kang Chul-In was determined to destroy Aleister once and for all.

"A perfect strategy indeed!" Drakan admired Kang Chul-In's wisdom.

"That's to be given. As the old saying goes, a lion puts in its 100% to chase down even a rabbit. The enemy is not just a rabbit, but an Overlord. Isn't it better to attack relentlessly and deprive him of any space to breathe?"

"Yes, your Majesty! You are certainly right!" Drakan kneeled in front of Kang Chul-In.

"I, Drakan, shall heed your Majesty's order to deceive the evil undead army! Do watch me, your Majesty!"

"Good! I'm counting on you."

"Yes, your Majesty!" Drakan answered him and left the tent.

"Lucia."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"You are next. Same orders. Six hours after Drakan has returned, lead five thousand men and pretend to attack the enemy base."

"Yes, your Majesty!"

The feared double-shift system!

If they pretended to attack every six hours, Aleister would believe wholeheartedly that the Laputan army was running out of time.

It would be hell for the Laputan soldiers carrying out the mission, of course.

"Right, I shall formulate my plan to address the Death Calling then. Let me know if there's any problem."

"Yes, your Majesty!"

Kang Chul-In left the tent after handing out his instructions.

***

'Omega' was a small fortress on the summit of the 18th peak.

"Those vicious bastards!" Aleister grit his teeth as he glared at the Laputan army positioned at the 17th peak.The Laputan army was extremely offensive.

It was bombing the 18th peak relentlessly, while also attacking the base every six hours. For four whole days without rest! This almost gave Aleister a headache.

"You sly bastards... keep attacking all you want! Think I will let you find any opening?" Aleister snickered.

He deduced that Laputa was not attacking with 100% of its power yet.

He believed the Laputan army was making strategic movements to find any aperture in Aleister's defense. Otherwise, it would not have divided its forces and attack and retreat at regular intervals.

"Stonebridge!"

"Yes, your Majesty!"

"Those sly bastards are going to continue provoking and retreating for some time. It's most likely an effort to sniff out our weakness like a hyena."

"Do you wish to strengthen our defense?"

"That's precisely right."

"Yes, your Majesty. We shall maintain our ironclad defense!" Stonebridge bowed to Aleister's command.

"Huehue... Kang Chul-In... You must be feeling anxious right now, eager to destroy me before the reinforcements arrive... Am I right?" A despicable grin spread across Aleister's thin face.

"Try your best to find an opening, Kang Chul-In! No matter how vigorously you attack,

I shall not step a single foot out of this fortress before the reinforcements arrive... Watch me...! I shall destroy you when your soldiers finally begin to tire out... huehuehue..."

As Kang Chul-In had expected, Aleister was focused solely on defending, taking advantage of the undead monsters' unlimited stamina. In other words, he was activating 'Galaxy Defense' mode.

Aleister, however, didn't have the slightest clue that everything was going according to Kang Chul-In's plan.

He did reveal some insight and made a logical judgment, but Kang Chul-In unfortunately had Aleister in the palm of his hand.

***

Kang Chul-In summoned Nilus into his tent after successfully tricking Aleister.

"You've called, your Majesty!"

Nilus, an old magician with the appearance of an elementary school kid, bowed to Kang Chul-In.

"I need your help, Nilus."

"Anything, your Majesty!"

"Can you make me disappear from all dimensions for just 5 minutes?"

"...I beg your pardon?" Nilus gave Kang Chul-In a puzzled response.

Indeed, it was absurd for someone to request to disappear from all dimensions for 5 minutes.

"Just like what I have said. Can you make me non-existent for 5 minutes?"

"W-Well, it's certainly not possible."

"Hmm..."

"I, your humble servant, may be a good magician, but I am no God. How could I cast such a high-level magic? Even an ancient dragon that had mastered the art of magic would refrain from trying it."

"Is that so..."

"...?"

"I guess there's no choice."

Kang Chul-In frowned slightly and muttered to himself, then commanded Nilus.

"Hear, Nilus the Grand Mage."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Starting now, you and the magic troop shall cease all attacks and focus on one task."

"May I ask what that task is?"

"Here." Kang Chul-In handed a scroll over to Nilus.

"What is this?"

"Open it and you will know. In fact, open it now."

"Yes, your Majesty." Nilus opened the scroll.

Some time passed.

"W-What?!" Nilus was flabbergasted, to the point where he almost dropped the scroll.

"Possible?"

"Y-your Majesty...!"

"Why, can't do it?"

"Haha...." Nilus could not respond immediately. It showed just how difficult Kang Chul-In's task was.

"If this goes unsettled... there's a high chance for me to die instantly. In fact, I'm guaranteed to die. It's written there for you to read, but the weapon Death Calling can even defeat a mighty dragon."

"Y-your Majesty!"

"If you can't accomplish this mission, I have to withdraw my army. That's the only solution I have for Death Calling."

"Kehem...!" Nilus cleared his throat.

"Just speak honestly. Can you do it?"

"As for that..." Nilus contemplated for a moment and cautiously opened his mouth.

"If there's an enormous amount of magic gems, it might be possible."

"Magic gems?"

"Yes, your Majesty. Cost wise, about...a hundred thousand gold's worth of magic gem may possibly let you disappear for 5 minutes."

"A hundred thousand gold..."

Kang Chul-In was visibly concerned.

A hundred thousand gold was a hefty cost, especially since Laputa's finance situation had only just started to stabilize.

"Alright."

Kang Chul-In, however, was willing to bear through this enormous cost.

It was understandable.

Two years have passed since the second Great Summoning.

Kang Chul-In had been holding it in since. As Rothschild had already escaped, he could only be satisfied by killing Aleister.

"I shall sponsor the hundred thousand gold."

"...!"

"In return, it must work without fail. Otherwise... I'm a dead man."

"Your Majesty...!"

"I trust you, Nilus. From this moment onwards, till the end of the war, I shall entrust my life to you."

"What!?"

Nilus' eyes widened exponentially.

"Your Majestyyyyy!"

Thump!

Nilus bowed in front of Kang Chul-In and smacked his forehead onto the floor.

"I, Nilus, shall take your Majesty's orders and exert myself to the fullest to accomplish my mission!"

His voice reverberated in the tent.

"Sob..." Then, he started to cry.

"Why are you crying?"

"I am deeply moved, your Majesty."

"...?"

"For your Majesty to entrust your life to me, a humble servant, what greater honor can there be? This shall be my family's pride and honor for generations to come. Leave the work to me!" Nilus clenched both of his fists, while bleeding from his forehead.

"Excellent." Kang Chul-In nodded in great delight.

He even got Nilus up himself and wiped his tears.

"I feel assured after witnessing your resolve."

"It's my honor, your Majesty!!!" Nilus bowed his head once again.

What a lad.

Kang Chul-In smiled with content.

A Lord's role was to manage his people.

Thus, for a leader to have such a loyal subordinate was nothing but a great delight.

"You may leave to prepare for your duties. I shall send the magic gems over in about two hours."

"Yes, your Majesty!"

Nilus left Kang Chul-In's tent hurriedly.

"Signaller!"

"Yes, your Majesty!"

"Give a call to Dorado."

Within five minutes, Lee Chae Rin's hologram appeared in front of Kang Chul-In.

"Lee Chae-Rin."

-Yes, Mr. Chul-In. What's up?

"Do you happen to have some magic gems in your storage?"

-I do indeed. I won't say there's many but there should be quite a number.

"How much is it cost wise?"

-A rough estimate would be 120 thousand gold.

"That's more than enough."

-Sorry?

"Those magic gems, can you sell all of them to me?"

He needed the magic gems anyways, so he even bought an extra 20 thousand gold's worth of magic gems. If Timothy knew this, he would have collapsed onto the floor.

-That's not too hard. But the price may be too high...

"Ahem..."

You know what, just take them for a hundred thousand gold.

Lee Chae Rin was feeling benevolent.

"...!"

-This discount is only for you, Mr Chul-In!

It was an incredible discount indeed.

"Thank you." Kang Chul-In valued Lee Chae Rin's altruism. It was a good thing he saved her previously.

"Ah, also," Kang Chul-In added.

"I will pay you immediately after the war ends."

-No problem. Do you wish to pay in installments?

Lee Chae Rin reached out a helping hand again, as she knew exactly what kind of rough situation Kang Chul-In was in.

-36 months installment shall be easier....

"No." Kang Chul-In rejected Lee Chae Rin's proposal.

"I do not want that."

-I-Is that so?

"A man pays in full. In cash."

-...

"Alright then, send me the gems within two hours."

Kang Chul-In ended the call.

Yes, it was a matter of pride.

A real man couldn't care less about installments.

***

Meanwhile in Laputa,

"Hmm?"

Timothy, Laputa's administrative supply officer, had shuddered in anxiety.

Shiver, shiver...!

His body trembled for no reason.

It was as if the country's finances which he worked so hard to stabilize was going to collapse.

"D-Don't tell me?" Timothy suddenly pictured his master's face.

Whenever he felt a similar feeling, it always had to do something with Kang Chul-In.

"N-No way. No way..." Timothy shook his head vigorously.

Flap, flap!

The goblin's long ears flapped up and down.

"Your Majesty, you can't do that... Timothy, your humble servant, believes in you..." Timothy tried his best to rid this ominous feeling.

What did it take to stabilize Laputa's finances?

They literally started from the bottom and struggled hard to finally become an affluent nation. It would be a disaster for Timothy if the nation's finance suddenly went back to square one.

The problem was that... it actually happened.

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