EP.103 To the Land of Illusions
Outside the building, the sounds of the Regressor and Nabi fighting could still be heard.
The roar of beasts, the thunderous crash of swirling winds. And the surrounding objects shattering, unable to withstand the aftermath.
Tantalos suddenly vibrated violently. It seemed that the sword qi shot by the Regressor had struck the outer wall of the building.
Feeling the tremor, Lieutenant General Ebon muttered.
"Still fighting against the Cat King? Is her skill only at this level? Hmm. Should I have watched the fight directly?"
"I will go check, Lieutenant General."
The Colonel stepped forward, but Lieutenant General Ebon immediately shook his head.
"No. There's no need. If the Cat King has the upper hand, she'll just be playing around, and if she's at a disadvantage, she'll escape on her own. You just need to do your job properly."
"Yes, Lieutenant General!"
The Colonel was faithful to his assigned duty. That is, monitoring me.
Whenever we passed through areas with shadows, the Colonel stuck close to me, glaring in all directions as if ready to blow my head off at any moment. Then Tyr would give up and wait for the next opportunity.
Tyr is strong but has no aptitude for fights where something must be protected. Vampires are mostly immortal; even if their bodies are blown apart, they quickly regenerate. Also, if the Progenitor, the source of their blood control technique, is nearby, they are practically immortal. So they have no choice but to disregard defense.
However, with me here—who would die from a single poke—such a method cannot be chosen. It must be a frustrating situation for Tyr.
Sorry, Tyr. But I have things to do.
Continuing the search like that, Lieutenant General Ebon finally discovered Aji, who was curled up in a corner. For a moment, the Lieutenant General's eyes shone strangely.
'The Dog King, the existence closest to reaching our long-cherished wish... Finally obtained completely.'
Suppressing a strange sense of excitement inside, Lieutenant General Ebon shouted toward Aji.
"Finally found you, Dog King!"
"Woof?"
Aji, who sensed a presence from afar, immediately trotted over. Puzzled by the sudden increase in the number of humans, Aji cast a glance at each of them once.
"Cat smell, humans! Nice to see you! Huh?"
In the meantime, Aji discovered me tied up with rope and exclaimed.
"Woof? What's that? What game is that?"
I answered honestly.
"It's a game called SM play."
"Woof! I want to do it too!"
"No, no. Good puppies shouldn't copy this."
"Woof woof! Unfair! Me too!"
The Colonel pulled me with a dreadful expression. Oh my, so stiff. Can't even take a joke.
Ah, if the Regressor were here, she would have given quite an interesting reaction. It's annoying when she's around, but since she's not, I kind of miss her.
Lieutenant General Ebon sent the others away and faced Aji alone.
"Dog King, I demand. Come with me to the surface."
"...Woof, again? Another demand?"
Aji exhaled softly like a deflated balloon and muttered with a disappointed face.
"I'm not going."
It was an expected reaction, so Lieutenant General Ebon wasn't disappointed. Instead, he asked.
"Why?"
"Woof. I'm good. I keep promises."
"The promise with the Military Nation? The promise that if you wait here, you'll fight alongside the Wolf King when they uphold the oath someday?"
"Woof!"
Aji nodded brightly. And Lieutenant General Ebon scolded Aji.
"No matter how much of a beast you are, you're utterly foolish. Do you believe that? A promise in name only. Do you truly believe the Military Nation will keep such a promise and fight alongside you against the Wolf King?"
A foolish beast clinging to a promise with no deadline. Just as Lieutenant General Ebon was about to thoroughly ridicule that foolishness—
Aji shook his head vigorously and looked up at Ebon, speaking stoutly.
"I'll believe it! Woof! If I keep believing, someday they'll come through for me!"
Words beyond truth or falsehood, containing only firm will. A promise to believe and rely on humans forever flowed from the Dog King.
Lieutenant General Ebon, who had prepared a rebuke, lowered his voice for a moment upon hearing those words.
"Haha. That was a foolish question. I apologize. Yes, that's the Dog King."
"Woof! It's okay! I'm good! I accept your apology!"
"Then, there's no choice but to drag you along forcibly."
"Woof?"
Hearing the sudden remark, Aji tilted his head.
"Forcibly? Even if you pull me, I won't go? I won't go?"
"No, you will go."
"Wooof?"
Leaving the puzzled Aji behind, Lieutenant General Ebon shouted to the Colonel.
"Colonel, prepare the chains."
"Yes, sir!"
The Colonel set down the leather bag and took out a coiled iron chain from inside.
It was a Level 4 Alchemical Steel chain with a dark blue luster. The essence of the Military Nation's alchemy, possessing strength greater than even the door guarding Tantalos's underground armory. It seemed that Alchemical Steel chain took up most of the bag, as the bag became loose at once when the chain was taken out.
While he untangled the chain, the Lieutenant General looked at Callis and spoke.
"Major. I clearly told you to try using the chain before the mission. How was it, did you figure out how to control the Dog King?"
Callis, suddenly singled out, retraced old memories for a moment and replied a couple of beats late.
"Ah, that, um... I apologize. I couldn't figure it out. Even when I pulled the Dog King with the chain, the Dog King didn't budge from that spot."
"How did you pull with the chain?"
"Like a leash, wrapped around the neck..."
"Whose neck?"
"Pardon?"
Callis, momentarily failing to understand the question and asking back stupidly, quickly collected herself and answered.
"I apologize. I wrapped it around the Dog King, the Dog King's neck."
"Hmm. Half the correct answer. Pity. I thought you might figure out the answer, being a Major..."
Lieutenant General Ebon trailed off and pointed at Aji with his finger. Then the Colonel nodded and approached Aji with heavy steps, carrying the chain.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Ebon continued his explanation.
"The direction was wrong. Major. What happens when you put an iron chain around the Dog King's neck? Does that make your strength as strong as the Dog King's? Or does the Dog King become a weakling like you?"
"Then what should I do?"
"I've given you enough hints, haven't I? You must do the opposite, the opposite."
It was just as the Colonel wrapped the chain around Aji. The place he wrapped the chain was neither the neck nor the waist, but Aji's right front paw.
The right front paw. It wasn't tying both sides, and visually, it didn't seem particularly problematic. Aji just stared blankly without any particular resistance.
However, from the beginning, this chain was not to restrain the Dog King's 'body'.
Lieutenant General Ebon's voice sank even deeper.
"Major. Are you still loyal to us?"
It was a question with a predetermined answer. Even if Callis's mind was in turmoil right now, the words coming out of her mouth had to be affirmative.
Callis answered immediately.
"Yes! Of course, sir!"
"Then, you must be prepared to faithfully follow our orders."
"I am! I am prepared to follow any order."
"I hold your will in high regard. Then."
Smiling coldly, Lieutenant General Ebon commanded the Colonel holding the iron chain connected to Aji.
"Colonel. Wrap the chain around the Major's neck."
"...I, beg your pardon?"
Callis doubted her ears.
To put a chain around her neck when she wasn't even a beast. And one tied to the Dog King's paw...?
Wasn't this like Aji holding Callis's leash?
'No way. The meaning of doing the opposite... means the target of use is the opposite...?'
It was an insult to her dignity. Being led by someone else with a leash around her neck. Callis wanted to deny this situation, but with the Lieutenant General watching and the Colonel approaching, she, a mere Major, couldn't pull away.
She clenched her jaw and stood still until the Colonel wrapped the chain around her neck.
The heavy weight of the chain settled on her shoulders. The chilling metallic sensation wrapped around her neck. Even though it wasn't tightening yet, Callis felt her breathing grow heavy.
However, Callis's ordeal didn't end here.
Click. The sound of a lock being fastened was heard. When Callis raised her head, a heavy black lock was hanging on the chain around her neck.
Callis's eyes wavered. Now she couldn't take off the chain by herself.
Like any other animal.
"I will continue with the order, Major. Walk forward as you are. Until the chain chokes your neck."
Walking with a chain around her neck.
Aji is stopped and has no intention of moving. And the chain is not the Bottomless Pit, so it has a finite length.
So if Callis keeps walking, there will come a time when the chain chokes her neck.
Yet Lieutenant General Ebon spoke as if that were the goal.
"Lie, Lieutenant General. That means..."
"Yes. Exactly as you think. Until right before you lose consciousness from asphyxiation... keep pulling the chain. With your neck, that is."
Lieutenant General Ebon's voice echoed in the ears of the confused Callis.
"Rest assured. The Dog King cannot harm humans... under any circumstances. If you reach the brink of death from asphyxiation, the Dog King, unable to bear watching, will follow you. Because the chain connected to his paw cannot let a person die."
The infinite goodwill the dog holds toward humans.
Taking that as a hostage to control the dog.
The Lord of All Creation.
An organization that controls the kings of beasts based on their understanding of beasts.
To control the Dog King, they put a leash on a human and planned to stage a hostage situation using the goodwill the Dog King possessed.
Callis didn't like beasts. Her father had lost his life to beasts, and most perpetrators of violent crimes were beast-kin.
But now... she couldn't bear to distinguish who was the beast and who was the human.
'...Then, what about me? Having betrayed them to save my life... and now faithfully following orders to save my life again...?'
Her thoughts deepened, but the order didn't wait for her.
"The Colonel would have done it if you weren't here. I'm giving you a chance. A chance to achieve at least some merit. So follow the order, Major."
It was a final ultimatum. If she didn't accept this, it would be disobedience. Given their true nature, she would probably die with high probability.
If she didn't want to die right now, Callis had to follow the command that held her leash.
"Callis Kritz. I will, carry out the mission."
Callis made a firm resolution and began walking in the opposite direction of Aji. Step by step, slowly.
Aji, who had only been pricking his ears at first, urgently stood up as the chain clanked and lifted off the ground. He finally understood how the situation was unfolding.
"Woof. Don't!"
'I, have to live.'
To live, she had to advance until she was on the verge of death. Because that was the order. Callis took another step.
"Woof! No! Please. Woof, don't."
'I already threw everything away to save my life. I can't lose the life I gained like that here.'
Clink. Something pulled at her neck. The limit of the distance had already been reached. Feeling the heavy weight, Callis took another step.
"I, I. I'm a good puppy. I listen well! I don't want to hurt humans. Woof, please. Woof."
'At least, if I follow the order here, regain my authority, and return home... I can live like before. Or, as the Lord of All Creation said, I might even reach Level 4.'
It tightens. The small gap between her neck and the chain gradually shrinks. Her breathing becomes increasingly shallow as the leeway disappears.
"Woof! Woof woof! Stop, woof!"
'I, have to live.'
Instinct sounds a warning. Still, she can't escape. Because the Star of the Military Nation, Lieutenant General Ebon, is glaring at her with eternally cold eyes.
It's been long since her breath was cut off. Feeling her vision narrowing... Callis pulled her body even more.
"Awoooo!"
For a moment, right before Callis's consciousness faded.
Unable to watch any longer, Aji quickly dashed forward. The chain momentarily loosened, and at the same time, her forgotten breathing returned. Callis collapsed to the floor and hastily breathed roughly.
Beside her, Aji stood with an endlessly sorrowful face.
"Woof..."
'Going up to the surface with a chain around my neck, using my life as a hostage to lead the Dog King... is the only... way for me, to survive...'
Now Aji would follow Callis. Because he couldn't let her die.
Lieutenant General Ebon approached Callis and commended her.
"Well done, Major. It seems you have the ability to control the Dog King."
This too was a question with a predetermined answer. Breathing heavily, Callis lied.
"Thank... you."
"My eye wasn't wrong after all. The Major is truly an outstanding talent! Good! We just need to go up like this!"
Now they had both the Dog King and the means to move the Dog King. All that remained was to return to the surface.
Just as Lieutenant General Ebon rejoiced and clapped his hands.
"Nya-!"
At that moment, Nabi hurriedly ran inside the building. Nabi, hopping around as if scorched, immediately clung to Lieutenant General Ebon and whined.
"Nya nya nyang! Nya nya! It hurts nya! It stings nya!"
The state of the crying Nabi was terrible. Her hair was uneven in length, perhaps cut in several places, and her arms and legs were covered in scratches. Though the amount wasn't much, blood was also flowing.
Nabi licked the wound on her hand repeatedly while crying.
"Nabi. What happened?"
"Nya, I hate that thing nya! I can't see it and it just keeps stinging nya!"
That thing undoubtedly referred to the Regressor she had been fighting until just now. What on earth did she do to make the Cat King run away in distress?
Lieutenant General Ebon examined Nabi's wounds and fell into thought.
'...Attacks aimed at inflicting pain rather than landing fatal blows. Since it's a cat who hates pain, they only attacked the painful spots to make her run away...?'
The King of Beasts is powerful, but its essence is still a beast. And beasts that faithfully follow their life instincts don't take risks.
Since ancient times, the best way to deal with beasts was to intimidate them. Except for special cases like the Wolf King, survival instinct was higher than hunting instinct, so humans used to drive away the Kings of Beasts by preparing sharp thorn traps or lighting fires.
'Has she had experience dealing with the King of Beasts? She's skilled. Since the Cat King has lost her hostile intent, I must step in.'
Having reached a conclusion, Ebon picked up his weapon, the Claw, and stood up.
"That must hurt, Nabi."
"Nya nya! I hate it nya. It's like a stinging thornbush nya!"
"Understood. Then I will take care of him instead."
"Nyak! Give him a beating nya! Nya could have won! Almost killed him nya! But! Nya left him for you nya!"
Whether those words were bluff or not, the state of the Regressor who followed Nabi in was also terrible. A stream of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, and three scratches marked her face. Her tattered sleeve was soaked red with blood.
'She's half-dead. Well, a King of Beasts isn't an easy opponent.'
It seemed he only needed to finish her off.
Lieutenant General Ebon held the Claws and put them on both hands.
One on the right hand, and one on the left. Click, the sound of the device locking into his body was heard.
The Lieutenant General, having finished his battle stance, issued an order.
"Nabi, please lead them to the rooftop with the Colonel. And Colonel. With Nabi here, there's nothing to fear from the Progenitor either. Don't take your eyes off the hostages and head to the rooftop."
"Understood!"
A vigorous answer came from the Colonel. Lieutenant General Ebon, enjoying the feel of steel in his grip, faced the Regressor.
Meanwhile, the Regressor.
"Hey! I'm fighting with my life on the line, so why are you still dawdling around?!"
was shouting nervously toward me. She must have been quite excited, her face was completely red.
Dawdling around. Can't you see my hands are tied?
When I briefly raised both hands, the Regressor's eyes rolled back and she screamed.
"Stop joking around and quickly do something! If we miss this...!"
"Who are you talking to, dangerous element?"
Ebon, who had instantly closed in on the Regressor. The Regressor noticed it a beat late and hastily defended with Cheon-aeng.
"Haap!"
Cha-chang. The Claws shook dizzyingly and assailed the Regressor from all directions. The Regressor clenched her teeth and wielded Cheon-aeng to receive the slashes. And as she deflected the final attack, she simultaneously switched from defense to offense, drawing Cheon-aeng horizontally.
The greatest advantage of the weightless sword, Cheon-aeng, was speed. It could instantly switch between offense and defense without being constrained by posture. A super-fast slash that transitions from defense to attack without delay.
However, it didn't work on Ebon.
Lieutenant General Ebon, who evaded the horizontal slash with astonishing flexibility, charged while scraping the ground with his Claws. A leap just like a four-legged beast. The Regressor had allowed him to close in in an instant. Lieutenant General Ebon rammed her body with his shoulder. A painful groan flowed into his ear.
"Now, it's crowded here, let's fight in a more spacious place."
Words with a clear intention to buy time. The Regressor, having grasped the opponent's intention, gritted her teeth.
"Tch...!'
'At this crucial moment... to have no choice but to... trust that guy...!'
Like that, the Star of the Military Nation and the Regressor bounced outward.
Intentions intersect.
Wishes, desires, hopes, wills. Transmitted through people.
The stage is set. Now, all that remains is the performance.
I pulled out a finger. The thumb, the largest of the pieces the undead's right arm had when I secretly collected it as it was shattered earlier. It was slipped in quietly.
At this moment, I had six fingers on my right hand.
Now, let's think. Just now, the Colonel tied my wrists with rope.
But in my hand was the right arm of the undead, specifically the largest thumb among it. The fingers I showed when being tied weren't mine.
What does this mean?
Why, it means a most delightful magic trick is about to begin!
"We're moving! Major, depart...!"
It was when the Colonel, having received the Lieutenant General's order, hastily picked up the leather bag.
Plop.
A rectangular paper packet fell from a gap in the leather bag. The paper packet that hit the ground opened wide, scattering magic grass made of dog mint in all directions.
"Ah!"
The Colonel panicked. Not because the magic grass was an important item, but because he foresaw what situation would follow as it fell.
At that moment, Nabi, who had been groaning in pain, lit up her eyes.
"Nya-!"
It was an instinctive movement. Nabi, who threw her body toward the magic grass, swept them all together with her front paws.
A mat made of ten stalks of magic grass was created. Nabi, taking her place on it, began to roll around with her whole body.
The Colonel shouted in panic.
"Please hold on, Nabi!"
"Nyaa-! Nya, nyaha, haht..."
"Tch! Why did this fall?"
Why, you ask.
Because you used the leather bag. I'll have you know, I can slit the belly of a leather bag even with my feet.
I sliced the belly open telling you not to use it, but you ended up using it anyway. Tsk tsk. Don't you read the news?
No matter how much they cultivate the World Tree, the magic grass used to control the Cat King was an extremely precious item. The Colonel quickly bent down to retrieve the precious magic grass.
At this very moment, I wasn't in his consciousness. Meaning, he wouldn't notice whatever I did.
From above the Colonel's head, I wore a magician's smile.
"Ta-da."
Starting with the left hand.
"Ta-da-da."
And then the right hand.
"Ta-da-da-da."
Slipping them out from the rope. Elegantly and naturally.
The seemingly tight knots melted like water. The knot, which was misaligned in its design—no, the knot I had misaligned—came undone in an instant.
Escape magic is a magician's basic skill. It's not even worth bragging about.
But when the target is an officer, it's different, right?
This is why, when tying someone's wrists, you should check if all those fingers belong to them.
Or else, they might distract your attention with fake fingers while slipping their thumb into the gap of the inner knot.
My eyes met Callis's. Thank goodness. It's more fun having an audience for this historical moment, isn't it? I bowed to her and, while I was at it, tossed her the finger from the undead's right arm.
Alright. Escape successful, now let's move on to the next step.
I've escaped, Colonel. Now it's your turn to try escaping.
I held the untied rope in both hands. Military Nation special rope, a specialty product resistant to high heat and blades. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't break.
Holding both ends of the rope firmly.
Walking softly to the back of the Colonel who was picking up magic grass from the ground.
Flowing naturally like water, I looped the rope around his neck and strangled him.