Chapter 706
Episode 179. An Unavoidable Trap (5)
"...Is that the extent of the damage to the empire?"
Kashimir spoke in a trembling voice. He had just received a report from Zetro.
Even Zetro found it hard to believe the numbers written in the report.
Approximately 30,000 military personnel, including knights and magicians, were
killed.
Civilian casualties were nearing 800,000 based on the current count, and over
50,000 commoners and nobles were taken prisoner...
Jin and his companions also held their heads as they checked the report.
It was only three days ago that Diffuse's army of chaos had attacked the territory
of the temporary alliance.
In just three days, so many innocent people were injured or captured by Hufester.
The numbers written in the report were hard to grasp as reality.
"It seems that we were able to hold them off a bit thanks to the technology and
equipment we provided to Lord Kwa-ul and Knight Amelia not long ago. Without
that... the situation would have been worse, Your Majesty."
Zetro spoke in a heavy voice.
Three days ago.
It wasn't just Diffuse and Joshua who attacked the Ruterou Magic Federation and
the Empire.
Lionel and Stall, as well as knights of the 'Mystery' whose identities were not yet
revealed, were attacking humans at the same time.
The land of the beasts, the territory of King KinzelloKinzelor, was no different.
In that area, they were relatively better off thanks to Orgal's response through
the Steel Gate for teleportation, but over 5,000 beasts along with Cold Jo were
captured.
"We were the only ones not attacked... because of the fog?"
As Lata said, only Tikan among the allies was not attacked.
"It could be a ploy to break up the temporary alliance."
"They might have been hesitant to attack Tikan. They only hovered nearby when
they attacked the Drakka base in the Federation. If their goal is massacre to
create despair and collect hostages, it's not suitable here."
Unlike the small island nation of Tikan, the territories of the other allies are very
vast.
This was why they were unable to respond properly to the sudden invasion of the
evil god. They appeared suddenly in the Drakka base area, then suddenly showed
up in the Kingdom of Milcoon, and one moment they were attacking near the
Yukayuka Market, the next moment they were moving to the other side of the
Mithra desert.
"…Or they might simply be saving us as the last food to eat."
As Jin opened his mouth, all eyes gathered on him.
"In the lands of the Empire, Ziple, and Kinzelor, the temporary allies, there are
nearly 80,000 prisoners taken. We in the Barmel Alliance also have no choice but
to go to Hufester to rescue them, so I wonder if Rosa is trying to harvest despair
by watching us suffer at that time. That's the thought I have."
Within the magic map created by Veradin, the spots of despair were growing.
This was not only applicable to the areas directly hit by the Army of Chaos.
The fear of ordinary people who were oppressing the world from the Gliac War
due to this incident had grown uncontrollable.
Refugees were emerging everywhere. Since even the commoners who were
leaving the Drakka base, which was considered the safest land, appeared, there
was nothing to say about other regions.
The land they are trying to reach is Tikan.
The frightened crowds did not believe the explanation that Tikan was not a safe
area either.
"If it's as Jin predicts... the evil god and the Four Horsemen are waiting for us
after setting an unavoidable trap."
The world order is collapsing.
The alliance now had to show to people. The fact that the alliance has enough
power to confront the evil god.
They had to go to Hufester to rescue the captives and eliminate the invaders.
Otherwise, the fear and despair that covered the world will continue to grow, and
all of that will be used for the completion of the evil god.
"Oh, isn't that ZJephyrin?"
"She came with Ziple's cow owner too."
Lata pointed out of the window.
A steel gate had just formed in the distant sky, and Jephyrin and Veradin came out
of it. They immediately entered the conference room.
While Veradin had hisher usual calm face, Jephyrin looked extremely haggard.
She had been protecting the land of the beasts while helping Orgal, and had just
come to Tikan after scouting near Licarten.
"Ah, as soon as our master recovers a bit of strength... you are going to hell for
sure, Sir Jin, for working himher this much..."
The Licarten scout was Jin's idea. Orgal, having the best mobility among the allies
and possessing the knowledge and power to respond to variables, it was only
natural for him to take on the scouting role.
"Why didn't Orgal come directly?"
"Are you saying that now? I'm sure he sent me instead because he was tired from
struggling until now. Still, to make sure that the travel time to Ziple is not wasted,
even took care of bringing Sir Veradin here, so please be grateful."
"I will do so. Pass my thanks to Orgal when you go back."
As Jin readily expressed his gratitude, Jephyrin blinked for a moment. Surely, she
expected him to snark back as they had to solve this together anyway.
"The sun must be rising from the west."
"Was there any progress in the Licarten scouting?"
"Well, as you predicted, all the captured humans were gathered in Licarten."
"How were the prisoners treated?"
"It was obvious. They were whipped and dragged somewhere. My master said
they seemed to be subjected to some kind of torture in turns."
"Torture... I see."
"Not all captured prisoners were tortured at the same time. Troops of Chaos took
groups of at least thirty to about a hundred people into a building. Only after a
couple of hours would they take the next group."
"So, they are raising the level of despair by torturing and killing thirty to a hundred
people during that time?"
"I don't know about that. But when Sir Veradin here heard this story, it seemed
like she caught onto something."
As Jephyrin finished speaking, Veradin spread out the map.
In Tikan, because they couldn't properly use the residual energy of the sun god,
the map was much lighter and unstable than when viewed in Drakka.
"Let's all take a look at Licarten."
Veradin pointed to Licarten with his hier finger.
"Jin, I've been observing the map since that day. Especially focusing on Licarten...
as you all see now, the spots of despair are rather getting smaller."
Jin and Veradin naturally expected the spots of despair in Licarten to grow and
darken after the incident.
However, the first thing Veradin confirmed was rather the opposite. Each time the
prisoners arrived at Licarten, the spots actually lightened.
"But this phenomenon changes daily. It gets smaller in a day, and the next day it
gets bigger again, but it's definitely denser than the previous day. Do you
understand what this means?"
"It means they give hope and then despair again."
"Right. The Garden of Swords probably takes thirty to a hundred prisoners every
couple of hours and does something like mind manipulation. First, they give hope,
then they break it. They're maximizing the despair that can be obtained from
prisoners this way."
"Jephyrin, is Licarten the only suspected place for this torture that you and Orgal
confirmed?"
"Yes, there were no prisoners going anywhere other than Licarten."
"There were no regions where the total amount of chaos suddenly increased
other than Licarten in my map either. Although there was a general increase."
"It's more certain now. The whole alliance must gather forces as quickly as
possible and go to Licarten."
"We should. But you said 'as quickly as possible', when are you thinking?"
"Within two days. No, even tomorrow if possible."
At Jin's response, Veradin and Jephyrin simultaneously shrugged their shoulders.
"Two days, or tomorrow? That's too soon. Don't we need to observe a little more?
We also need to prepare for a trap, even if it's an obvious and inevitable one."
"I agree, Sir Jin. Right now, the Chaos Army has stopped their invasion, but we
don't know when they might appear again."
"Of course, as for us, we can't predict the cycle of the Chaos Army invading
humans with large-scale teleportation, so I'm not saying we should wait
indefinitely. But I think it would be good to observe the trends for at least about
two weeks."
Jin bowed his head to the two people.
"No, the reason the evil god stopped the invasion was confirmed just before you
arrived. While you were scouting and checking the map, we were not idle
either......"
***
Top floor of the Licarten Castle.
Irina was pressing her hands on various parts of Defus's upper body, sweating
profusely. As if forcibly stopping bleeding.
"Damn! What are you expecting from me if you're like this? Isn't it enough that only
that fool Joshua fails?"
At Irina's angry voice, Defus chuckled.
"Don't blame me, prophet. If you knew about this fire in advance, this hitch
wouldn't have happened."
Fire.
The Eternal Flame still attached to Defus's body was still not extinguished, eroding
his flesh.
Irina had come here from the Garden of Swords three days ago to put out that
fire.
Even for Irina, there was no way to put out the fire.
"Besides, you've come to put out the fire and you've been in pvain for days, haven't
you?"
"Listen, Defus Runckandel. Unless the Lordlandlord herselfhimself steps in, it's
impossible to immediately eliminate this fire......"
Rosa was currently in a state where she couldn't move because she was
absorbing despair.
"Ha, enough. Fighting with you will only offend the Lordlandlord. Anyway, the fire is
calming down a little now, so it'll be resolved soon. The invasion stopped because
of this... be careful next time. The despair that the Lordlandlord should have
absorbed has diminished more than expected."
"Crawling until the end like a parasite clinging to the mother. Do you know that
Hister checked the dimensional door left in the Shol Jehu Kingdom and went?"
At Defus's words, Irina's pupils widened.
"What does that mean...?"
"Hister would have figured out why we stopped the invasion and left. You didn't
know anything about it... really, think carefully about whether you're qualified to
insult Joshua for being incompetent."
*
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