EP.207 Land Flowing Like a River - 9
The sun crashed down. That was the only way to describe it.
A giant fire covered the sky above the meta-conveyor belt like a curtain and gradually swelled in volume. A storm of flames raged as if it would bake the earth to a crisp.
"This is...!"
Tir, who glanced at the container in the back, quickly spread both hands. The lid of the coffin burst open, and a sinisterly swirling darkness flowed out.
The darkness instinctively found its enemy, rose up, and pushed back the flames.
The battle between light and darkness, which had ended since the primordial era, resumed. The rising darkness stripped the sparks of their light, and the darkness was gnawed away by the flashing flames, tangling with each other.
In the end, what remained was ashes. Ashen smoke, as if bringing the clouds themselves, drifted backward, revealing the figure hidden behind it.
It was an old woman with firm wrinkles around her eyes. Her stubborn impression and hard-set mouth made one guess her personality just by looking at her face.
The strongest magician of the military kingdom flew through the sky, fluttering a cloak that looked three times the size of her body.
"It has been a while, Progenitor Tirkanjak. Though you did not see me, I saw you sleeping in your coffin from afar."
The most foolish, yet the wisest magician. The founder of Formulaic Magic.
Like a milky way that faintly illuminates the night sky with small but countless lights, Magic General Prellviyor looked down at Tir.
"Surrender. The main force is coming."
Even though the flames were scattered by the raging wind as they vied for victory, the darkness still held its ground. Still feeling displeased, Tir answered with narrowed eyes.
"Where, acting so arrogant with a measly spell. Do you think you were the only one who could use such magic?"
"Of course not. Are you not also the Lord of Vampires? You would know better than anyone how futile it is to face an army alone."
She wasn't standing on the flowing land, but floating above it. In other words, it meant she was flying through the sky at the same speed as the meta-conveyor belt.
It might be different if it were night, but vampires dislike the open air as much as they hate the sun. Because there is no shade in the void.
Standing aloof at a distance neither humans nor vampires could easily reach, Prellviyor spoke stiffly.
"If you surrender, I will guarantee your safety. It would be advantageous for you to decide quickly. After your advantage disappears..."
Prellviyor raised her head and looked far behind the belt. At the deliberate gesture, Tir also turned her gaze in that direction.
From far away, a small number of people were leaping over the containers and running towards them like crazy. The man running at the very front, shouldering a massive spear, shouted with a booming voice.
"Daughter of the Military Kingdom! Wait a moment! Your daddies are coming--!"
Ten generals, including Absolute Spear, had left the main force and run to aid the General Staff Division.
Now time was on the military kingdom's side. Prellviyor, who had brought them halfway with wind magic, looked down at Tir and said.
"...The more desperate your situation becomes, the lower the value of your surrender naturally gets."
Shwarararak.
I, who was hiding in the dark container shuffling cards, sighed and flipped over a card I had set aside over there.
"As expected, it was the Magic General. Well, it would be meaningless if it wasn't at least that level."
The card I flipped was the Queen of Clubs, the heroine of the military kingdom who symbolizes magic itself. She is the hero who built the foundation of this country alongside Ji-seon.
The Queen of Clubs and the Queen of Hearts clashed. The Jack of Spades and the Queen were also fighting each other. Meanwhile, the King from over there was rushing in.
Three versus two. Even comparing simple numbers, they had the advantage.
"I roughly expected it, but... are they really going to start a war? What kind of gamble is this? They might have a comparative advantage, but it's not an overwhelming superiority in military strength to justify fighting on their own territory..."
Magic General Prellviyor is a national strategic force. No matter how powerful Absolute Spear or the General Commander might be, they cannot surpass being a single individual, but the Magic General's power can easily crumble mountains, twist rivers, and occasionally make cement flow like a river.
Even Ji-seon, who manipulates the earth, cannot accomplish this alone. The one who accomplished it together with her was precisely the magician of scale, Magic General Prellviyor.
"What is it? I really don't know. There's no rationality... Is there a circumstance I'm unaware of?"
Seriously, they didn't come just to catch me, did they? It feels like something they don't understand has happened on the military kingdom's side too.
Ah, it's not like I can read the military kingdom's mind. What I need to do now is come up with a countermeasure.
"In terms of compatibility, it's better for Tir to face Absolute Spear, and for Mr. Shey to face the Magic General."
Tir is a renowned knight-killer. The regressor is a glutton who has killed mysteries through her regressions.
I pushed the Queen of Hearts to block the King of their main force. At the same time, I flipped the Jack of Spades, changing it to the Ace of Spades, and pushed it towards the Queen of Clubs.
Therefore, the Queen of Spades is left over.
The daughter of the military kingdom, Historia.
"Hmm. Then who will take on Lia? Me? Don't tell me I have to?"
This is ridiculous. Even when I attended Hameln, I never beat her in a practical match, so how could I take her on? In the first place, I'm just a scammer who cheated by reading all the students' minds to snatch first place in the school. Compared to those two whose averages were annoyingly raised because 'Unmeasurable' popped up, I was a first-place winner with human charm, yeah right.
"It's impossible. I'll have to use myself as bait and use other cards..."
I placed my hand on the floor and swept it wide. The spread cards vanished in an instant and came into my hand.
Clack. Gathering all the cards into a single stack again, I let out a deep sigh.
"I have no choice but to stall for time... Still, we have some history together, so she won't kill me... right, Lia?"
How great would it be if the world were a card game. I would always win and sweep the pot.
But even if the world were a card game, I am not the player. Even I, the master of these cards, am at best a single card moving on its own on the board of this world.
I finished shuffling and drew nine cards from the top.
Diamond 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10. And lastly, J.
Except for a few, they were damaged Diamond cards, either split or having lost their magic power or bullets.
The cards I lost while fighting Wolven didn't return. It cost almost one Alchemy Coin to make each, but if it's damaged or lost, that's it.
"The fuel efficiency is really terrible. I'm crying. My money..."
Tap, tap. Holding back tears, I shuffled the cards neatly. Then, I flipped the top card.
Diamond J, a Diamond with a knight clad in metal drawn on it.
"I lack armament because I used up all my weapons... Well, when did I ever fight with weapons? Let's just prevent sudden death."
The moment I intervene there, my life hangs by a thread. But what can I do? If I don't intervene, I might be caught.
I just have to hope I don't get swept away and die.
Diamond J, Full Plate.
In other words, the military kingdom's Military Armor.
I plugged the entire stack of Diamond cards into the bio-terminal. Magical power flowed through the stack of cards, and I felt a stifling sensation covering my Akiaabata. Instantly, my magic power was sucked into a single point.
I felt an emptiness throughout my body, as if all the moisture had drained out.
Wow. My magic power was cut in half just from this? Even though most of the magic power is held within the cards themselves?
I want them to give me a mana pool like the Magic General's too... but then again, the path she walked was quite a thorny one. If I have to shed that much blood and sweat to live, I'd rather just live enjoying my mind-reading.
As I finished my resolve and stood up, Aji perked up her ears and approached me.
"Woof? You're going?"
"Yeah."
"No! You're frail!"
"I know, man. But what can I do. There are times when you have to go even if you know it's dangerous. This is human dignity. And."
Shoulder guards formed over my shrugging shoulders.
It was a thin and slender armor. A buckler hung seamlessly on my left hand, and iron wires and chains tightly bound the iron plates that appeared along my body.
Diamond cards mean armament. Among them, the Full Plate Armor led by the J, while not that impressive, will save my life at least once.
Humans are supposed to become brave when they wear armor. As much as the heavy weight, courage surged in my heart. The clanking sound every time I moved seemed to give me strength.
"I am a gambler by nature. The more cornered I am, the bolder I bet."
It was a remark to strengthen my resolve, but for some reason, Aji shrugged her shoulders.
"Woof, I understand! Me, bold!"
"Why are you shrugging when I'm the one talking?"
"But, me! Woof! I'll bite!"
"If you're the one biting, you bite. Who's biting you?"
"Woof woof!"
"Why are you barking at me? No matter how tactless I am, even a dog wouldn't bite me."
While we were having our unreserved conversation, the armor began to cover even my face. The steel mask wrapped around my face, and the transformation was complete.
The armor pressing down on my shoulders is heavy. I feel empty because my magic power was cut in half.
But what can I do. If I want to live, I have no choice but to wear it.
Meanwhile, Aji stood up following me.
"I hate being a piece of scrap! I'm going! I'll follow you!"
"...Really?"
Aji volunteering to help me? I thought she would avoid getting involved in a fight between humans as much as possible.
Is this the reward for treating her well normally? Well, they say even animals know gratitude. There are many old tales about animals repaying favors to humans.
"Thanks. I'll prevent sudden dea-ugh!"
I almost fell while walking. If Aji hadn't caught me with her front paws, I might have collapsed right away.
Aji looked at me with pitiful and affectionate eyes.
"Woof. Let's just hide, okay?"
"Sorry, sorry. My mistake. I just need to overcome this and move forward."
Being worried about by a dog. It's the shame of a lifetime.
Is it because I haven't worn armor in a long time? I'm just not used to it. I'll adapt!
"I just won't die, just won't die."
Making that resolution, I stepped out of the container carrying a surprise gift for Lia.
To the battlefield where a battle worthy of a legend was taking place, on the land flowing like a river.