Episode 1002
Chapter 246: The Battle for the Mitra Great Desert (12)
As soon as I relayed the message to Quaul, he responded with the exact same words as Jin.
{Damn it! How did a genius like me miss such a simple idea!? Boss, it’s doable! We can send the devices through the passage and even activate the liberation mechanism from inside—no problem at all!}
“Understood, Dr. Quaul. I’ll keep supplying the materials you need for the devices. If possible, speed up the work.”
{Yeah, yeah! Now this is the kind of work I like!}
“We’ll probably need to make a lot of these liberation devices.”
We tossed the devices through the passage between Laprarosa and Inse.
Even this simple solution wasn’t without its issues. The enemy wouldn’t just stand by and watch. There was a high risk the devices could be damaged by bombardments or shockwaves during battle.
{Five days… no, hmm! Four days? No, three days… One every three days! Good. If Valeria keeps assisting steadily, we can make one every three days. For now, that’s the best we can do.}
“What about the properties inside the passage? For example, could the devices be destroyed by the spatial distortion? Or could the pressure be too high? Things like that.”
{Right, the brothers said that as soon as the dimensional anomaly occurred, Laprarosa’s interior felt like it was rapidly contracting, right? It’s complicated to explain in detail… but simply put, it’s completely random. The internal pressure fluctuates unpredictably, rising and falling repeatedly.}
“Still, can the devices withstand that?”
{The legendary warriors of the Pluto race couldn’t endure it, so these delicate machines definitely can’t. Adding ancient eternal iron boxes and magical seals might help a bit, but the shocks won’t disappear completely, so the devices will break. However, the random pressure spikes will gradually lessen over time.}
“I see what you mean.”
{Exactly. And since the pressure is fluctuating randomly right now, it’s best to start immediately. We can make almost unlimited devices, so we need to try as many times as possible. Honestly, I’m more worried about something else, boss.}
“What is it?”
{Right now, Laprarosa’s defenders—the warriors and kings—are blocking the Akmyung tribe’s attacks coming through the passage. They’re probably spreading their psychic energy widely to form a kind of shield, which might actually interfere with the devices.}
“Oh, that’s right…! Even before we arrived, the warrior brothers were forming a massive psychic shield. You know as well as I do that it’s not just a simple barrier—it tears apart anything that comes near. Even if we throw the devices to avoid enemy fire, they might get caught and destroyed there.”
Beliz spoke up.
“Hmm… In that case, let’s just write something big and clear on the boxes before throwing them.”
“Oh, another simple fix.”
“If we can’t communicate directly from inside, this is the only way.”
{Not bad. Boss, what should we write on the boxes?}
“Leave that to me. I’ll carve it with my sword—that way, the brothers will recognize it best.”
{Ha, how romantic.}
“Valeria will leave immediately. Quaul, I’m counting on you.”
Valeria was already packing up and leaving the conference room.
When the communication ended, Jin exhaled deeply and looked at his comrades.
“The kids really did well. The idea came from watching them play ball outside.”
“Maybe Azmyl helped them somehow, kid.”
“Could be. Whatever it was, they deserve a proper reward. Jet, tell Latri to close the snack shop for a while and just take care of the kids.”
“Got it, boss! The kids will be thrilled. They’ve been complaining about the lack of Latri’s snacks anyway, haha.”
Jin’s gaze landed on the blueprint on the table—the design for the Laprarosa liberation device Valeria had just left behind.
“The device itself is roughly the size of Murakan’s upper torso. Weight about 50 kilograms…”
Adding the shockproof steel box and various sealing magic would roughly double the size and weight.
It was no problem for superhuman powerhouses to carry or throw. In fact, it might be better to deliberately increase the weight and size to make them easier to identify.
Just as Jet was about to find Latri, the conference room’s communicator buzzed.
{Boss, it’s Owl.}
“Owl, what’s going on in the Great Desert?”
{…Nothing serious. But that demon Marsalun is making a fuss, demanding you keep your promise. He said if you don’t keep it today, there won’t be any more chances to strike the Akmyung tribe first.}
It was the promise to let us touch Shuri.
Now was the time to get along with the three demon lords as best as possible. Especially Marsalun—he had already started pushing the floating fortresses around with his own power.
“Understood. I’m heading there now.”
The distant roar of explosions echoed.
Even after the Bamel Alliance retreated, the Akmyung tribe continued fighting in the Great Desert. More precisely, it wasn’t a battle but a continuous bombardment aimed at the Laprarosa passage, avoiding interference from the demons.
The remnants of chaos and debris in the desert’s center had already been swept away by the barrage. The sky, stained with red from the enemy’s psychic energy, was warped and shattered, filled only with spreading crimson flashes.
Beyond that, the brothers were protecting Laprarosa.
“Still, the warrior brothers are holding up, right?”
Beliz said, watching Jin’s darkened expression again.
“I’m uneasy thinking about this bombardment continuing indefinitely, Brother Beliz.”
But Beliz was also somewhat worried about the brothers. The floating fortresses were war machines beyond her imagination, and the kind of bombardment they were enduring was something you’d expect only in the gods’ battles from the Pluto race’s past.
Jin, Beliz, and Linpa were the three who had come to the Great Desert this time. Since the first liberation device wasn’t finished yet, they hoped to return without fighting if possible.
[So you’ve finally come to keep your promise, Jin Runkandel.]
Marsalun recognized Jin instantly as he appeared in the desert’s center. The three demon lords used the desert floor like an extension of their senses.
Jin recalled the sweat he had broken trying to calm Shuri just moments ago. According to Ameris’s precise translation, Shuri’s reaction was basically, “I said no, damn it!”
It wasn’t that Shuri disliked Marsalun—contact with him always caused problems—but rather that she was simply displeased.
“Marsalun. Before you let me touch Shuri, there’s something I need to say.”
[Typical orphan, always twisting words to be spiteful.]
“Those connected to witches sure love that word ‘orphan.’ It’s not anything malicious, though. Just that Shuri’s discomfort with your touch has nothing to do with our promise.”
[You must think Marsalun is an idiot. Hurry and show me Shuri.]
[Kyahaaak!]
As soon as Shuri emerged from the red jade, she showed a fierce aura toward Marsalun.
[Oh, Shuri, by abandoning you, the witch Helluram completed one thread of sorrow.]
[Kyah!]
“Cut the crap and just quietly let me touch her.”
The curse of immortality.
Suddenly, Jin realized there was a similarity between Shuri and the demons. The three demon lords and Shuri could never be killed by physical means. It was still unknown if the demons’ immortality was as absolute as Shuri’s.
‘The curse on Shuri is probably a much higher-level power. Murakan and Quikantel once said that curse requires at least a million human sacrifices, and Shuri’s curse itself is far more horrific…’
Unlike the demons, Shuri feels pain from physical damage. Even if her body is broken down to particles, she just regenerates.
So far, no one has been able to kill Shuri. She can be bound or sealed, but even after that, she cannot die.
[Jin Runkandel, and Shuri… oh, sorrowful red jade. You still don’t understand the witch’s heart when she cursed Shuri.]
“I don’t care about that. Marsalun, you seem knowledgeable about curses. Do you know about the curse of immortality?”
Shuri kept flailing at Marsalun’s hand, but he handled her as carefully as if she were porcelain, showing no sign of harm.
[Of course. Do you want to lift the curse? Shuri seems to love you very much right now.]
I can’t live forever like Shuri, Jin thought, swallowing the words as he waited for Marsalun’s next statement.
[Miyaak!]
[There are two ways to break a witch’s curse. But both are nearly impossible.]
“What are they?”
[One is to become the witch’s lover. Then you can make one request to her. The Beast King Orgal overcame death that way.]
It was unexpected information, but it didn’t seem immediately useful.
[The second is to erase the witch from this world. And even your god couldn’t do that…]
“So Solderet tried to kill the witch?”
[Not exactly murder, but close. However, sometimes a lowly mortal can do what gods cannot… so try. Whether you fail or succeed, Marsalun will savor the process. No matter what the future looks like, great sorrow will exist.]
While Jin searched for a reply, Marsalun released Shuri.
[This should be a fair reward for what Marsalun has done this time. If Marsalun wishes to continue assisting you, he must faithfully uphold the contract as he has so far…]
Jin was surprised by this, but Shuri was even more so. They had expected that, as payment for striking down the Jeokmyeong tribe, it would take hours of… personal attention.
Shuri thought to herself, If it’s only this much, maybe I should let him have a little fun? For Jin’s sake, she figured she could tolerate it.
[By the way, a new visitor has arrived in the Great Desert. Will you make a new contract with Marsalun?]
Hearing Marsalun’s words, Jin sharpened his senses and glanced back. He could feel a powerful presence slowly approaching the heart of the Great Desert.
It was Elona Ziphl.