Chapter 890
Episode 223: Uneasy Encounters (Part 1)
The Middle World, the ancient city of the small folk, Pirrol.
[“Mines, huh… I was expecting to meet some of my friends from the Red-Eyed Tribe.”]
Orgal stepped out of Pirrol and faced the mines blocking his path. About a hundred of them stood silently, swords drawn and pointed at him.
The mines showed no expression. Their faces lacked any features, as if unfinished—smooth and flawless like carefully sculpted plaster.
[“And you even knew I was coming. Go tell your master there’s no need to waste these carefully crafted weapons. I came here just to talk today.”]
The mines didn’t respond. Shrugging as if resigned, Orgal drew his sword.
[“Looks like you’ve got plenty of resources to spare.”]
Swish!
The mines at the front charged at Orgal in unison, swinging their swords.
From the very first attack, Orgal understood why the royal court was so confident in sending these mines out.
‘If these were just soulless bio-weapons… they’re far too sharp. This is going to be quite a nuisance.’
Of course, no matter how advanced these bio-weapons were, and even though Orgal hadn’t fully recovered from his injuries inflicted by Faelito, he wasn’t about to feel threatened by a mere squad of mines. He cut down the first wave, scattering sword energy to prevent them from forming a proper encirclement.
As expected, even when limbs were severed or heads cut off, the mines kept throwing themselves at him as if it was no problem at all.
The battle unfolded like a one-sided massacre. The mines’ blades couldn’t even scratch Orgal’s body.
But just as he judged that he had eliminated more than half of them—
Orgal caught sight of one mine’s face changing right before him and swallowed hard. The mine’s features began to resemble a human he had known long ago.
‘…Temar!?’
Temar Runcandel.
The mine’s face, writhing and shifting, took on the exact features of Temar from back then. The long hair that had suddenly grown, the way it gripped its sword—it all mirrored Temar.
Its movements changed drastically too. The mine, now transformed into Temar’s likeness, launched an attack that sent a chill down Orgal’s spine.
[“The royal court… they used Temar’s body to create this abomination.”]
One by one, the mines began to transform into Temar’s image. Orgal had already counted over ten, and their pressure was far stronger than before.
Still, they were no match for the real Temar Runcandel.
But the mines weren’t just copying his appearance—they mimicked his fighting style as well.
A magic swordsman who barely used magic.
Though they didn’t use ‘formal’ magic, every sword strike exploded with both aura and magical power.
Sssshhh!
The mines’ blades, glowing with radiant light, began to graze Orgal’s body. All the mines had completed their transformation.
‘Do they lose their regeneration after turning into Temar?’
It seemed so. The transformed mines lost their super-regeneration. When cut, they bled dark red blood like humans, and severed limbs didn’t immediately reattach.
They even seemed to possess willpower.
A will focused solely on killing their enemy. It felt like facing a human whose determination had been amplified to the extreme.
‘If they had even used spirit energy… this wouldn’t have ended with just a little trouble.’
Though the royal court had analyzed Temar’s body and applied it to the mines, spirit energy belonged to Solderet, not Temar. Even if they had Solderet’s body, they couldn’t imitate that power.
Orgal knew exactly why the royal court could mass-produce mines like Temar. They must have analyzed Temar’s left arm, which they possessed.
‘They must have needed the Red-Eyed Tribe’s technology for that. I knew the royal court was allied with those arrogant bastards, but to the point of receiving this level of tech… looks like they’ve completely taken the upper hand.’
But there was one thing Orgal didn’t know.
Though the royal court couldn’t imitate spirit energy, they had granted the mines another ability.
Pzzzt…!
Suddenly, the sound of lightning about to explode echoed, and Orgal flinched, scanning the mines. It was the thunder technique used by the Seimei Tribe, the origin of the Mingwang Tribe. The Seimei’s distinct deep blue lightning quickly enveloped Orgal.
He was momentarily confused. He hadn’t heard any news of the Seimei Tribe’s appearance.
‘I remember the Seimei suffered far greater losses from the Red-Eyed Tribe’s great serpent… Are the survivors aiding the royal court?’
More variables kept emerging.
For now, Orgal had to eliminate all the mines and meet the royal court directly to sort everything out. He gathered his energy, wrapping his sword in even denser aura and magical power.
The more mines he cut down, the more bitter it felt.
‘No comparison to the masterwork Jo is developing… Of course, once the masterwork is complete, it’ll be an incredible weapon, but these mines are still unfinished.’
Kinzel had invested heavily in the masterwork for a long time.
But the bio-golem magic swordsman created by Ziphl was already complete, with special units like Betty, Almatia, and Koon. The royal court’s mines even surpassed the masterwork.
‘I’ll have to push Jo and Bubar harder when I get back…’
The number of mines kept dwindling. About thirty percent remained, and nearly an hour had passed since the battle began.
“Enough. Cease combat.”
For the first time, a mine spoke. It had been in the rear ranks throughout the fight. The moment it gave the order, all the mines stopped moving simultaneously.
Orgal carefully examined the mine.
It was concealing its energy. But even hidden beneath its clothes, Orgal recognized it clearly.
[“A pitiful sight. A mine with Temar’s left arm and the Seimei’s luminous heart.”]
While the other mines were created by analyzing data from Temar’s left arm, this one had the actual arm grafted onto it. The Seimei’s luminous heart belonged to someone unknown, but it radiated thunder power at least on par with the current Mingwang Tribe’s Tuwang level.
“Orgal, why have you come to Pirrol without warning? His Majesty has not granted you an audience.”
[“Born without permission, I suppose? You’re far too absorbed in your emperor’s play. I originally came today to meet the Red-Eyed Tribe, not these ancient cockroaches.”]
“Ancient cockroaches… That’s an unpleasant way to put it. But if our royal court is a cockroach, aren’t you the same, Orgal Remilius?”
Remilius. It had been a long time since Orgal heard that name spoken aloud. He smiled wryly, looking at a man who had just exited the city. The man stood beside the mine with Temar’s left arm grafted on, his eyes shining.
[“To think someone still remembers that name—I had almost forgotten it myself until recently. Impressive memory. Who are you?”]
“My name is Manof Bimont now, though I’ve had many over the years.”
Manof Bimont was one of the royal family’s most important figures, alongside Bivol Bimont.
[“You showed yourself recklessly, trusting that bio-golem with Temar’s arm.”]
“That’s right. If you were at full strength, I would have avoided you.”
Full strength.
That implied Orgal was currently injured, but also that even without injuries, he wasn’t at his peak.
“Right now, even you couldn’t handle this friend. Ah, let me introduce him. This is Temar Bimont, the finest mine we’ve created. There’s still much to adjust, but he’s our best yet.”
[“Ha ha… This is getting ridiculous. Without the real Runcandel here, you’re acting far too recklessly. If the true Temar Runcandel finds out about this Temar Bimont, how do you plan to deal with the fallout?”]
“He can’t find us now, so it’s fine. You know, Orgal, we’ve always survived like this—living in the shadows, holding invisible knives to the throats of the strong. Survival is our specialty. More than anyone else…”
Ancient cockroaches.
Orgal’s words weren’t just an insult. The Bimont royal family had been treated exactly like cockroaches back then.
Numerous, repulsive, and no matter how many were killed, more would crawl out from somewhere.
[“I can’t deny it. Back when the Red-Eyed Tribe, the Seimei Tribe, and the powerful of the True Demon Realm were rampant, the only ones who survived unsealed were your Melka.”]
Melka.
That was the ancient name for the royal family. The Melka Tribe—a symbol of weakness and scorn.
But the Melka of today, the royal court, possessed a strength no faction dared to underestimate.
“Your success, coming from Remilius, the symbol of the True Demon Realm’s birth, is remarkable. You and I share some similarities, Orgal.”
[“Back then, the Melka were scorned not just because of their weakness. I’d prefer you not make such comparisons.”]
“Ha ha, you originally came here to talk with the Red-Eyed Tribe. But it’s not them you’re facing—it’s us. Don’t you understand what that means?”
[“If I didn’t?”]
“The Red-Eyed Tribe is currently under our royal court’s control. So if you want to negotiate, you don’t deal with the dog—you deal with the one holding the leash. And we’ve already given you top-tier information by showing you Temar Bimont. That alone should let you attempt some kind of deal with the real Runcandel later, right?”
[That’s possible. Telling Jin Runkandel about that mind of his is exactly what you want. Let me guess—you want an enraged Jin Runkandel to throw more imperial forces into the fray. The Balmur Alliance would have to send a record mage to find you, and then, by some means, you’d capture her.]
Manof said nothing, just exchanged a glance with Orgal.
[But you don’t know Jin Runkandel at all. Even if I told him what I saw today, do you think he’d commit more resources to the empire right now? It wouldn’t help in subduing the True Demon Realm. Jin Runkandel will quietly swallow his anger. And when it’s time to deal with you, he won’t show any mercy.]
Orgal turned his back.
“Oh? Orgal, you’re leaving without another word?”
[I don’t make deals with Melka. I haven’t forgotten the ancient wisdom. The information you showed me today—I’ll use it when the time is right. Oh, and tell Airan Biment this: if he keeps acting up, he’ll die by my hand before Jin even gets to him.]
“Kinzello has made several deals with our empire before, yet you speak so boldly.”
[Back then, you hadn’t revealed your true colors like you have now. I’ll be on my way.]
As Orgal started to walk away, Manof grinned and said,
“Rokia Ganesto. You don’t want to hear anything about him, then?”