Episode 996
Chapter 246: The Great Desert of Mitra—Battle for Supremacy (6)
Ziphl, Tower of Stories.
Kadun had just finished his report. Keliak smiled at the news that the Bamel Alliance had joined the fight.
“The outcome came sooner than expected. Well, with the Red-Eyed Tribe jumping in, Jin Runkandel couldn’t just stand idly by.”
It wasn’t only Kinzelro who needed time to prepare for the Red-Eyed Tribe’s invasion. Ziphl also had to reorganize the Tower of Stories and relocate the sanctuary.
[But Keliak, I’m still uneasy about those summoned demons.]
“The three Sribi and the two others whose names we haven’t identified?”
Kadun and the Fire Dragon Legion had left as soon as the battle between Jin and Simat intensified. Thanks to Kadun keeping his distance and observing, they discovered that demons had been summoned. Kadun only managed to confirm the name Sribi among them.
[Yes. They seemed completely immune to physical attacks. No apparent restrictions, either. They even absorbed the energy scattered across the battlefield. These creatures came from Kinzelro’s strange summoning ritual—can such beings even exist in this world?]
“If something so blatantly violates the natural order without conditions, there’s only one person who could be behind it: the witch Helluram… It must be connected to her.”
Kadun furrowed his brow.
[That dark, unknown entity probably doesn’t distinguish friend from foe very well.]
Keliak said nothing, lost in thought about the witch Helluram. Without her power, he wouldn’t have been safe from Jito.
“Let’s have Ganesto talk to her about those demons. For now, we need to focus fully on the sanctuary and the Demon God Stones. Unless another variable appears in the Great Desert.”
Kritil.
Simat sat on the throne, replaying the battle in his mind.
Until the sudden summoning of the three demons, nothing had gone wrong. Jin and Luna had shown the expected overwhelming might, but alone, they couldn’t push them back and claim the Great Desert.
The variables Yona and Eltiot were also within anticipated bounds. Even if the battle had continued, the Red-Eyed Tribe wouldn’t have lost any technology or components.
‘Those demons… they must be connected to Helluram. There’s no other explanation.’
Helluram had been active even during the ancient Solar War. Not everyone knew her name then, but those who approached the sun did.
Back then, she displayed powers that defied order. Simat recalled the first time he saw Helluram during the Solar War.
‘I never wanted to get involved with her, and now these creatures, seemingly influenced by her, have appeared. Witch Helluram is an enigma.’
Whether she sought the sun god’s resurrection, eternal death, or simply to sow chaos, no one knew. Yet her power seemed to surpass even Ameris at his prime, the guardian of the boundary. Simat couldn’t ignore that.
‘Now that I know Helluram still exists, I have to meet her. And if she poses a threat to the Red-Eyed Tribe… she must be eliminated. By any means necessary!’
Simat pressed his bracelet, summoning a spear.
“Rimagas.”
{Yes, fellow warrior.}
Through the spear’s projection, a Red-Eyed tribesman called Rimagas bowed his head. A first-class warrior without clan, Rimagas was a ‘weapon manager’ and one of Simat’s trusted subordinates.
“I’m lifting the first-class restriction on the power source of Kritil. We may need to activate the Light of Annihilation. Prepare accordingly.”
The Light of Annihilation.
A weapon that could be used only once, at the cost of Kritil’s power source and the solar sword Tetalon.
If Kritil’s power source vanished, the city of Kritil would disappear. If Tetalon was lost, the warrior’s radiant heart would stop.
Thus, the Light of Annihilation was the Red-Eyed Tribe’s last resort.
{…Understood, fellow warrior. Let’s hope we never have to use it.}
“Don’t worry too much. This is just a precaution against the worst-case scenario—direct intervention by the witch.”
{When I saw the report on the demons, I thought of the witch too.}
“Keep this quiet from the others for now.”
{Understood.}
Simat closed the spear’s projection just as a communication from Bakarun came through.
“Bakarun, what’s the situation?”
{Fellow warrior, Jin Runkandel has appeared again in the Great Desert.}
Only five hours had passed since the first battle ended.
“It makes sense they’d return quickly, given the minimal losses. But with demons involved, it’s surprising they’re this urgent… The Great Desert must be crucial. Are the numbers the same as before?”
{We haven’t confirmed exact numbers yet. The reconnaissance team has only spotted Jin Runkandel and Baekgyeong so far.}
“Then Cheongpungje will come separately, probably bringing a spatial technology expert. Increase reconnaissance—we need to find them.”
{Understood.}
“What about Kinzelro and Ziphl?”
{Ziphl seems to have fully withdrawn for now. Kinzelro is moving around the Great Desert with the summoned demons. Reports say the demons are absorbing remnants of the Red Brain left in the desert.}
“Clever bastards. We’ll head back to the Great Desert within fifteen minutes.”
{Yes, preparing now… Wait, fellow warrior, a new report just came in.}
“Connect me to the reporter.”
{Right away.}
Tiring! Another video call window popped up before Simat. The face of a second-class warrior from the reconnaissance team looked urgent.
{Fellow warrior, I bring grave news! Anomalous activity has been detected in the center of the Great Desert!}
“Anomalous activity?”
{Suddenly, a blue lightning energy is surging near the presumed location of Laprarosa’s center. We’re approaching to observe, but our reconnaissance ship can’t get closer than two thousand steps. The energy’s scale rivals half the output of our fortress’s main cannons…!}
Simat’s eyes widened.
‘Could it be… the descendants of the Cheongmyeong Tribe already…!?’
Instinctively, Simat was about to order them to hold position and wait for his arrival.
But just as he opened his mouth, the video feed with the second-class warrior suddenly turned a deep blue.
{Guhk!}
Pzzt! Crackle!
It was the lightning energy. Even from over two thousand steps away, it engulfed the reconnaissance ship.
{Kuweli, comrade! What is this…!?}
Bakarun, listening in, shouted the name of the second-class warrior who had just been struck. But the screen flickered with static for about five seconds before going dark.
Simat hurriedly pressed his bracelet, trying to contact all reconnaissance ships in the Great Desert.
There were over fifty ships, but no one responded. Just as he feared they’d all been wiped out, a new window appeared.
{Huff, gasp! Fellow warrior…!}
Blood poured thickly from the Red-Eyed tribesman’s head and mouth on the screen. Behind him, the landscape was utterly devastated. He was barely alive, trapped inside a ship struck by the lightning energy, yet still managing to communicate with Simat.
He was the sole survivor of the reconnaissance team.
{They… they’re descendants of the Cheongmyeong Tribe. They spread the lightning energy and wiped out the entire reconnaissance team…!}
“I’m coming immediately. Until then, hide and focus on survival.”
{Understood… Guhk!}
Crack!
Suddenly, the survivor’s neck snapped like a sickle. Someone stomped on his head.
Simat and Bakarun flinched as a new face appeared on the screen.
{Ah, so you’re those bio-weapons of Kinzelro’s so-called master, right? I’ve heard about you from the Jin brothers… Did you really summon us? You even implanted a radiant heart in your chest—quite the effort, disgusting vermin.}
Beliz, the seventh-class warrior of the Myungwang Tribe.
She stared at the screen with murderous intent. Soon after, Linpa, the fourth-class warrior of the Myungwang Tribe, appeared.
{Master… technological progress… quite impressive… To dare imitate the Myungwang Tribe… and not just imitate, but summon? Trying to perfect it… insane, utterly insane…}
Beliz and Linpa mistook the Red-Eyed Tribe for Kinzelro’s masters.
Understandably so—the Myungwang Tribe of Laprarosa had yet to hear about the aftermath of the Dark God War from Jin.
Thus, they assumed the Red-Eyed Tribe, who resembled them closely, were the masters Jin had mentioned. They couldn’t fathom that a forgotten ancient Myungwang Tribe had appeared in the mortal realm.
Nor could they believe Jin had performed the summoning.
The Myungwang Tribe hadn’t heard Jin’s voice during the summoning—only the unpleasant demonic energy and Red Brain seeping into Laprarosa.
Simat was speechless, staring at Beliz and Linpa. He saw the prime Cheongmyeong Tribe warriors in them.
No, he had a gut feeling they were even stronger. Even through the video, the energy they radiated was clearly beyond that.
“Judging by the atmosphere, this wasn’t summoned by Jin Runkandel’s will. Could it be that the demons Kinzello summoned caused some kind of distortion in the subspace called Laprarosa…?”
Grit!
Simat clenched his teeth as he thought of the three demon lords.
“Don’t you dare compare those crude synthetic creatures to the great Lord of the Underworld and the Red-Eyed Tribe. They’ll pay for killing our kin. Whether you wait there or run, do as you please.”
At his words, Beliz and Linpa both shrugged their shoulders.
{Well, in that case, we’ll pull back for now. There are more important things than killing those crude synthetic creatures.}
Of course, that meant meeting Jin to inform him about what was happening in Laprarosa. Sweeping away the Red-Eyed Tribe’s scouting fleet was simply because they assumed those were Jin’s enemies.
{But next time, we’ll be the ones to find them and kill them all. Just wait and see, you arrogant fools.}
Bang!
Beliz slammed his fist down, shattering the video communication screen.
“Hah! It’s ridiculous. Looks like outside-world technology has improved unbelievably, Linpa. Those arrogant fools aren’t as strong as us, but they’re tough enough. The one we were just talking to looked genuinely dangerous. I even got a vibe like they were from Changseong. Can synthetic creatures really be like Changseong? Is that even possible?”
“I’m not sure… For now… let’s find Brother Jin. We have to let him know we’ve come out.”