Episode 990
Chapter 245. Kinzello’s Masterstroke (3)
May 8, 1804.
Kinzello was growing increasingly anxious.
“By now, the major powers must have caught wind that we’re up to something here, yet there’s been no word at all…”
Berakt glanced around nervously. The chaotic lanterns flickered wildly, and Ranké, his face pale and drawn, continued chanting necromantic spells without rest. He hadn’t slept a wink in two days.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating. We risked our lives for this, and these bastards don’t even seem to care. Surely someone’s noticed, right, Berakt?”
Badrey clicked his tongue and looked up at the night sky.
“Even if the others haven’t, Jin Runkandel’s gotta have caught on—they’re the closest after all. I’m starting to wonder if we’re just going to have to pull out for real.”
Indeed, the Jin and Bamel Alliance already knew Kinzello was scheming something in the Mitra Great Desert.
They just had no intention of falling for his obvious tricks. Jin suspected Kinzello had made a reckless gamble to drag the Bamel Alliance and the Red-Eyed Tribe into his plans.
“If you’re so restless, why don’t you meditate, Badrey?”
“Huh? You’re the one who’s been making everyone nervous by saying there’s no news yet.”
Just as Berakt was about to sigh, Badrey suddenly pointed skyward.
“Hey! What’s that? Isn’t that a dragon!?”
Everyone except Ranké looked up at once. Naturally, they assumed it was Murakan, but the dragon’s crimson scales were unmistakable even from afar.
“The Flame Dragon Kadun…!?”
Kadun, the guardian dragon of Kelliak, had arrived leading the Flame Dragon Legion to the Mitra Great Desert.
“Huh, I didn’t expect Ziphl to be the first to show up.”
There was no reason for Ziphl to come to the desert first. Berakt thought maybe they were here to propose negotiations.
But then Kadun roared so loudly the whole sky seemed to tremble.
[Kinzello! Leave the Rulers of Lafrarosa alone! Why are you trying to drag them out into the mortal realm instead of the Bamel Alliance?]
Kinzello’s group froze, blinking in disbelief.
“What did he say? Berakt, did I hear that right?”
“Yeah.”
Whoosh!
Kadun unleashed a torrent of flames toward the ground. Kinzello’s group raised their magic shields, cutting through the fire breath, which felt more showy than threatening—like the chaotic lanterns of Bubarr, flashy and wide-ranging but ultimately ineffective.
At that moment, Berakt realized.
“Kelliak sent Kadun to help us…”
“What?”
“To make it easier for us to draw out the Red-Eyed Tribe and the Alliance.”
“No wonder the flames seemed so weak—it was all an act.”
“Berakt, so… we don’t fight?”
“We play along with their little show. Pretend to fight, buy time until the Red-Eyed Tribe and Bamel Alliance arrive. And the fact they know our plan so precisely? It’s definitely the power of the Demon Stone.”
There was no way they had a spy, and Ziphl had no one capable of infiltrating at Yonah’s level.
Berakt shuddered at the thought that Ziphl had perfectly read Kinzello’s plan just by using the Demon Stone where they sat.
‘If only we’d kept hold of that Demon Stone… the great work would be done by now, and a new world would have dawned. Someday, we’ll have to find a way to steal it back.’
Kadun continued to breathe lukewarm flames and shout.
[Hmph. What deal have you made with the Bamel Alliance? Or are you trying to use the Rulers yourselves? Either way, Ziphl won’t allow it. Leave now or be reduced to ashes by my fire—the choice is yours.]
Kritil (formerly Drakka), Constellation of the War God.
“Fellow warriors! After Kinzello’s scum appeared in the Mitra Great Desert, Ziphl’s dragons have now shown up as well.”
Lakiman knelt before the constellation’s council.
The Red-Eyed Tribe had confirmed this immediately after Ziphl’s arrival. They’d been waiting to see what desperate moves the cornered rats would make, and now Ziphl had appeared.
“Oh? Ziphl, huh?”
“Yes. Reports say they’ve deployed about forty flame dragons, including Kadun.”
“Losing Drakka must have shaken them badly. Sending that many dragons isn’t just a casual visit.”
“Indeed. Please watch this footage.”
Ziiing! Lakiman lightly pressed a bracelet, and a screen appeared, showing Kinzello’s superhumans battling Kadun.
<Trying to use the Rulers of Lafrarosa? That’s bold. Did the Bamel Alliance know?>
<Looks like losing Drakka hit hard, Kadun. Has Ziphl now become a lapdog for the Bamel Alliance? I don’t get why they’re suddenly using their name.>
<Shut up. You’re the ones who joined the Bamel Alliance. That’s why you’re trying to free the Rulers sealed in the Mitra Great Desert on their orders.>
Though the voices were clear, the image quality was poor due to interference. Even Simatra couldn’t tell if the fight was real or staged.
But the truth of the battle didn’t matter. Simatra’s eyes gleamed as he focused on one word.
“Lafrarosa…”
Unlike other factions, the Red-Eyed Tribe had no knowledge of the connection between the Mitra Great Desert and the Rulers.
-They’re not the Azure Clan but the Rulers. No Rulers using red brain energy remain. They’re unknown to us. It seems they once clashed with my ancestors. As you can see, we’re the only Rulers left, and the Sun God you’re trying to resurrect remains unchanged. In other words, you’re defeated phantoms.
-Not dead yet, so not phantoms. So, human Azure Clan descendants. Your rank?
-Thirteenth War King, successor of the War God.
Suddenly, Simatra recalled his first conversation with Jin when he awoke on Earth as the First-Class War King Simatra.
“The land of the Azure Clan descendants who handed the Rulers’ power to Jin Runkandel… that must be the Mitra Great Desert.”
“Correct. What will you do, fellow warrior?”
“I smell a trap, Lakiman.”
“Huh?”
“This is likely a trap. Whether Kinzello and Ziphl are working together, I can’t say.”
“What kind of trap…?”
“The Azure Clan descendants don’t operate in the mortal realm now. Our intelligence confirms that Jin Runkandel has only summoned them in very limited situations. There must be restrictions, probably related to Lafrarosa.”
“Ah, so by threatening the Mitra Great Desert—the presumed seal of the Rulers—they’re trying to provoke Jin Runkandel and us.”
“Exactly. Jin Runkandel wants to protect his brothers’ land, and we don’t want the Bamel Alliance growing stronger. Also, Jin Runkandel claimed to be the Thirteenth War King and successor of the War God. The rest of the War Kings and the War God must be sealed in Lafrarosa.”
“If that’s true, twelve War Kings and one War God…! Perhaps the ordinary warriors number in the tens of thousands, like us.”
“And the Golden Ark is technologically far ahead of this era. That must have come from the Azure Clan descendants as well. The Bamel Alliance also got parts from Pibil thanks to that damn old man, Eltiot. If the Azure Clan descendants return, their tech will leap forward dramatically.”
Simatra frowned, recalling Eltiot’s irritating face. Lakiman shook his head, imagining the Azure Clan descendants joining the Bamel Alliance.
“So, knowing it’s a trap, we have no choice but to fall for it once. Has the Bamel Alliance shown any signs yet?”
“No.”
“Either Jin Runkandel knows it’s a trap or is confident those in the desert can’t handle Lafrarosa. Either way, we’ll find out when we intervene. Lakiman, prepare the three airborne fortresses—Pibil, Patl, and Rital—immediately.”
Three airborne fortresses.
Aside from Kritil, the War God’s fortress, that’s nearly 70% of the Red-Eyed Tribe’s total forces.
No other faction could deploy troops like that; sending so many would leave their home base vulnerable.
But the Red-Eyed Tribe alone possessed large-scale spatial jump interference devices and the best spatial jump capabilities. So even with 70% of their forces away, their base was safe from attack.
“Understood!”
It took less than five minutes for Simatra’s orders to reach the entire tribe, and within ten minutes, the fortresses and fleet began preparing for spatial jump.
“Destination: Mitra Great Desert. Chaos particles may cause slight deviations, but we expect to remain close to the battlefield.”
“Understood. Launch.”
“Red-Eyed Tribe, move out!”
Chiiiiiing!
Like a crimson curtain draping across the sky, a massive dimensional gate unfolded before the fleet. It was the gate opened by the airborne fortresses.
First, the fleet passed through the gate, followed closely by the flying fortresses. Moments later, the enemy Red-Eyed Tribe settled right above the battlefield in the heart of the Mitra Great Desert.
Below them, Kinzel and his gang, along with the fire dragon Kadun, were putting on a fierce battle display. Simat let out a short, amused chuckle at the sight.
“So they were conspiring after all. It’s a pity—these guys were close to being the world’s victors not long ago.”
Kinzel’s group and Kadun paused their act, looking up at the suddenly appearing Red-Eyed Tribe fleet.
“First, let’s secure this area. Open fire.”
At Simat’s command, the Red-Eyed Tribe fleet unleashed a barrage of fire in unison. Watching the enemy scramble to retreat, Simat added coldly,
“And start bombarding them while analyzing the desert’s wave patterns. Let’s see if there really is a subspace here in this desert.”