Isal is experiencing an unprecedented and bizarre development that can be called a “world-saving journey” disguised as the dark machinations of the Ōni.
Conversely, the rebellion on the Magician Continent could be said to be a development that, in a way, followed the royal road.
Corpse Knight.
The Undead King’s army formed an encampment against the Aristocratic Union, which had raised the banner of rebellion against the forces opposing the Demon Lord, and was engaged in their annihilation.
“Hmm, they’re putting up quite a fight, perhaps because those guys are behind it all,” the Undead King muttered, resting a hand on his chin. His deployment of forces showed no signs of a blank after such a long time as a general, which could only be described as masterful.
However, in a fantasy world, the proper procedure would be to place a map on a desk and move pieces on it for a war council. The Undead King, having experienced the convenience of modern technology, had no intention of using such inconvenient methods. Instead, he used a mobile vehicle procured from an unknown source and drones to grasp the enemy’s encampment.
Perhaps due to the use of modern warfare encryption, the enemy could not decipher the movements of the Undead King’s army. Furthermore, beings as difficult to monitor as Ghosts were operating as spies. In terms of information warfare, the Undead King’s army held the advantage over the Aristocratic Union.
In terms of military strength, the enemy outnumbered them, but the Undead King’s army had the qualitative edge.
Although it would not be unreasonable to judge that victory or defeat was imminent, maintaining such superiority, the Undead King’s expression was not favorable.
There had been three skirmishes and one major clash so far, with both sides probing each other. However, the Undead King’s plan was to significantly reduce the enemy’s military strength in a single large-scale engagement.
But what was the outcome?
“They’re not being whittled down as much as I expected.”
While several generals of the Aristocratic Union had been eliminated, damage to their main force was minimal. In plain terms, the results lacked impact. It was far from a satisfactory outcome. It was only natural to suspect something was amiss.
“Fortunately, Jiro managed to defend against the main attack. My army’s command structure is intact, and we were able to defeat any units that overextended themselves in their carelessness. However, they regained their composure alarmingly quickly. I wouldn’t have thought they possessed such talent.”
Historically, there have always been nobles burning with ambition. Many plot to usurp the position of ruler of the continent, unwilling to be subservient. In fact, the Undead King believed that this rebellion had been orchestrated by exploiting such ambitions.
As he watched his Undead soldiers display information on the latest equipment, he pondered what strategy to employ on the next battlefield.
“Undead King, an envoy from the Giant King has arrived. What shall we do?”
“What? An envoy from the Giant King?”
A rare guest had arrived. The Undead King’s only connection to the Giant King was through their shared position as generals. They were not close enough to form personal ties, yet an envoy had been sent from the Giant King, who was apparently involved in another matter.
“Are you implying that someone from here is also involved?”
He recalled the words “someone he had in mind” that the Giant King had spoken during a meeting. Feeling a sense of unease, the Undead King decided to rise and meet the envoy, hoping it might offer a clue for breaking the current stalemate, as there had been no changes on the battlefield.
“I will meet them. Where are they?”
“Yes, they are waiting in one of the command tents.”
The Corpse Knight guided him to one of the tents prepared when they established their encampment. It was a large tent originally intended for storing weapons and other items, and it was currently empty. Fortunately, this made it suitable for receiving a large race like the Giants.
“I apologize for bothering you during your busy schedule.”
Upon arriving at the tent, the Undead King was greeted by a Giant warrior who, even while kneeling, was taller than the Undead King.
“It is no matter. I was just in a bit of a stalemate. Now, you said you were an envoy from the Giant King, what is your purpose?”
Normally, it would be customary to engage in a little small talk before getting to the main point. However, this was a battlefield a short distance from the front lines. No matter how advantageous the situation, or perhaps precisely because of it, they could not afford to waste time, as they never knew when the enemy might launch an attack. Deciding to be direct, the Undead King asked the Giant King’s envoy for his business.
“I have a letter from my king. He claims to have grasped the tail of the entity lurking behind this rebellion, along with evidence.”
The Giant King’s envoy understood, and quickly retrieved a human-sized letter, not a giant-sized one, from a sturdy satchel attached to his waist, and presented it to the Undead King. A Corpse Knight standing nearby received it, confirmed there was nothing else, and then handed it to the Undead King, while also taking another item from the envoy.
“…”
Before even reading the letter, the Undead King’s magic wavered for a moment upon seeing the object in the same satchel. The knight reacted to the display of magic from the Undead King, the ruler of the undead, but the Undead King gestured with his hand to stop him and silently proceeded to read the letter.
“I see. So that’s how it is. That would explain how they could go to such lengths. I finally understand.”
The letter, true to the Giant King’s personality, was devoid of eloquent phrases and presented the efficiency-focused content in a clear and concise manner. Therefore, it did not take the Undead King long to read it, and he folded the letter with a heavy sigh.
“Does the Demon Lord know about this?”
“He does. When our king learned of it, he reported it immediately. And he ordered me to convey this to you, Undead King.”
“I see. And how will the Giant King act?”
“War preparations are already complete. We will move in accordance with your movements, Undead King.”
The contents were by no means good. In fact, hearing the situation, the contents could only be described as terrible.
“Understood. In that case, I have no objections. Tell the Giant King: we will also move.”
“Understood.”
“I will write a letter of assent. Please wait a moment.”
“Certainly.”
However, there was a high probability that things would turn out this way. In fact, this situation should have been anticipated. Turning on his heel, he left the tent to write the letter. His subordinate knight followed silently, his mind shrouded in unspoken thoughts.
“Even in death, some things remain beyond one’s control.”
The knight followed, unresponsive even to the Undead King’s muttered words.
“But perhaps it is precisely because things are beyond our control that life can be interesting.”
The knight knew that the Undead King was not lamenting but rather enjoying the situation. The Undead King’s magic, which he had suppressed in front of his guest, flared up.
“Kukakakaka! They were blinded by ambition. If they gambled on a slim chance, they were foolish, truly foolish beings!”
Now that he knew his enemy, the Undead King harbored clear hostility towards them. Knowing them allowed him to calmly feel anger and to swear in his heart that he would never permit such actions.
“Ah, I was careless. Thinking about it calmly, it was understandable. There’s no way a general like myself would die from something so trivial. When it comes to survival, that being is second only to me in his skill, yet they were swallowed and corrupted, and I completely overlooked the fact of their transformation.”
Reflecting on it, there had been many unnatural aspects. Could an intruder into a dungeon go undetected and be swallowed whole, even if caught by surprise? Would they be powerless and have their strength drained without being able to resist? Furthermore, despite the protection of a Divine Beast, could their strength be so easily drained and their forces destroyed, yet their army remain quiescent and not seek to regain their former glory? The Undead King chuckled, his jaw rattling, realizing his own foolishness in accepting their demise as the inevitable end of the weak. His laughter mingled pleasure with anger.
“They’ve been sharpening their fangs this whole time. Were they waiting for the right moment to turn their fangs on the Demon Lord?” After laughing to his heart’s content, not as young as to be consumed by emotion, the Undead King calmed his turbulent magic and gazed at the moon shining in the sky, speaking the name of the being who had been secretly pulling the strings in this rebellion.
“Hmph, Kuzuri.”
The Giant King’s “someone he had in mind” was a former colleague, someone presumed dead. Their body had not been confirmed. If consumed by an Evo eater, no corpse would remain. Only fragments, the remnants of the Evo eater, would be left behind. But conversely, that was the only evidence of their death, and nothing else. With such incomplete evidence, the matter had to be settled. There was no other evidence of survival, nor any reports of them being alive. Considering the detriment of having their general rank revoked due to their supposed death, they had not considered the option of not reporting their survival. The convergence of various common assumptions and circumstances had resulted in a powerful force like Kuzuri being left unchecked, and because they had done nothing, they had always been assumed to be an ally. He had arbitrarily assumed that a general would take command when necessary. What negligence, what laziness! The conclusion was that Kuzuri, a force exceeding Kiō among the generals, had become an enemy at this precise timing.
“What a formidable enemy has appeared.” Having identified them, there was only one thing to do. The Undead King’s magic dispersed throughout the area, and countless small lives were extinguished.
“Notification to all troops: use magic for pest extermination. Do not miss even a single small insect.”
“As you command.” If Kuzuri had become an enemy, it could be said that the Insect Tribe had become an enemy. The characteristic of the general Kuzuri was their numbers. They wielded the advantage of easy reproduction to prepare vast quantities. Furthermore, their ability to infiltrate using their small bodies, which could penetrate even the finest gaps, was a high level of espionage skill.
“Perhaps it was them who aided Isal and leaked information to that so-called Hero… If it were them, they could have leaked information without us noticing.” With the simple act of fitting the piece of a supposedly dead general being alive and turned enemy, answers began to emerge one after another. The opaque parts became clear, and he understood why areas not covered by Isal alone were now being accounted for.
“Reporting!”
“Did the enemy move?”
“Yes! And the enemy’s combat strength has been joined by members of the Insect Tribe!!”
And if they proceeded with extermination, the enemy would likely realize there was no need to conceal their forces. Instead of holding back, they had deployed their forces. There had been sufficient time for their numbers to grow.
“Now, how many have they prepared?” The number was beyond imagination. In contrast, the Undead King’s army, due to repeated troubles, had neither decreased nor increased. While they had held an advantage through information warfare in their current state of numerical inferiority, the enemy had countered with brute force.
“Kahakakakaka! Do they think they can win with mere numbers? I am truly underestimated.” Did the enemy believe they could win with that, or was there another intention? At the very least, the Undead King surmised that the nobles would be emboldened.
“Send an escort with the Giant King’s envoy. I’m afraid I don’t have time to write a letter, so just tell them ‘Understood’ and hand them this.” The battles to come would be fierce. He had always known it would be impossible to leave the scene, but now, heading into battle, he could not afford to waste even a moment writing. The enemy had made their move, and he needed to reach the front lines as soon as possible. Handing a pendant he wore to his subordinate, the Undead King changed direction.
“As you command. May good fortune be with you.”
“Hah, I’m just going to discard the notion of leniency. They should realize they were being spared.” To betrayal, death. That is the iron rule of the Demon Lord’s Army. The Undead King’s judgment would fall upon the ambitious pests.
Today’s Words: It is good to be adept at concealing your intentions, but if you remain silent for too long, you will regret it.
Thank you for your usual feedback and reports of typos. If you find this interesting, please leave comments, ratings, bookmarks, etc. I am currently serializing another work: *Pandora Pandemic Panic*. In it, Pandora’s box has been reopened, but we are fighting back with various activities in secret bases! Please check that one out as well!!
