episode_0022

***

The operation to delay the supply from the country of elements was planned and launched half a year ago.

To cause turmoil on the continent, not on the battlefield, under the command of the Four Heavenly Kings, Creature.

It was an operation assigned to Kuhora, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, who was directly under the command of Critique, and was an order to interfere with the Land of Elements until the Demon King’s army was victorious.

It is very far from the battlefield, but it is a vast area that is not considered a remote area, and it is rich in resources. How much trouble did they have to endure to get here?

He sets up a forward base without letting anyone know that he is part of the Demon King’s army, and he recruits talented people from foreign lands where he has no connections and lures them to his side.

This was a possible strategy because Kuhora was skilled at reading the trend and striking and running away.

It wasn’t something that could be accomplished solely by being strong.

Thanks to that, he was called the demon who treasured magic tools the most.

He was so picky that he would personally kill his subordinates who did not know the importance of information, and he was so serious about finding out the location of those who could be a threat to him that he was a demon, but he was safety-oriented.

For the Demons, who believe that strength is justice, Kuhora’s methods are somewhat out of place.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about the past I had endured for Operation Kuhora.

Because of the interference of those guys who are good at being weak, I had no choice but to hide in dirty places. I bowed my head to guys who were not even worth a punch for cooperation. And in order to relieve the stress of my subordinates, my superior, Kuhora, had to personally take charge.

However, Kuhora knew all too well the importance of this operation that he had been steadfastly pursuing.

What would it have been like if the possessed body had been male rather than female?

If that had happened, I would have pressed down on them in a strong manner, but now that I had become a woman, I was fortunate that most of them just gave in to me by giving in to me.

And so the long-awaited yesterday arrived.

Even though the war was in full swing, he checked on the city commander who was away training, and arranged for a timely attack on the village of the Elemental Tribe with a group of ignorant Chujaras.

It wasn’t just a matter of delaying supplies, but they also brought in the Ziduas to dig tunnels inside the country of the elements.

They were preparing to carry out spying on a small scale, or to invade through that on a large scale.

I prepared it.

“I can’t reach you.”

Even though I waited after leaving the barrier around lunchtime, there was no response from Bo-ok. Even though she was a newbie, she didn’t look so foolish as to miss a report.

On the contrary, haven’t you been doing well so far because you’re full of motivation?

“Did you get hit by a shaman?”

The priestess said she would contact me first if I moved, but I wonder if I would have been hit before that.

“Tsk, I was too complacent.”

It tells you the location in real time without being detected by the priestess.

Instead, Kuhora was busy running away in a hurry to avoid being caught.

“If that’s the case, it would have been better to just tell them to stay underground and keep quiet.”

It was a wrong instruction from the very beginning. I had heard that the priestess’s abilities were amazing, but I had never experienced it myself, so it was a mistake in judgment.

“I should have been honest and told them that we hadn’t even taken a single village. I should have told them to stay underground and let the Chujara group attack the city.”

When communication with friendly forces was cut off in enemy territory, Kuhora thought quickly and decided to move on to the next plan.

“Damn priestess bitch. It hasn’t even been a week since I heard you were coming from the demon world. Could it be that the nature tree intervened? But considering that, the villages that could have taken refuge in the city were all letting their guard down.”

Although he was currently working hard on site, Kuhora was the person in charge of the current operation.

“Eeeeek-! It was a really important operation, so I was really careful and put my heart and soul into it…! You idiots who don’t even understand the advantages of Mercury!”

His subordinates, who were just using their strength without thinking, were screaming that they should just charge forward, but he wanted to refute them point by point, saying that if that was the case, he, as the commander, would have been wandering around in the middle of enemy lines, enduring all this suffering. I felt like crying.

“They’re going to attack after passing through the barrier! In the first place, our demon tribe can’t invade because of the barrier created by the natural tree, so they’re using the races of the continent! Even when they first arrived here, I warned them so, but one of them thoughtlessly touched the barrier, and it only heightened the alertness of the element tribe!”

The surroundings were already glaring at us with angry eyes, talking about the guy who was already behind. The preparation period was too long to be considered the cause of the failure of the operation, as it was not simply about providing supply support, but rather about adding various things, including waiting to lower the level of alert.

“That’s fine! I’ve been giving you guys too much attention! But why on earth is a priestess from the demon world here!”

There were countermeasures in place to change plans to B or C in case something went wrong, but what happened now was nonsense.

It’s to the point where the plan can go awry just because of the priestess’s presence.

They had to worry about whether they could escape while preserving their lives, let alone the operation.

“It’s Brigade Commander Sasa’s job to figure that out.

‘puck-!’

-.”

Kuhora broke the head of the guy who was talking back without any productivity, let alone finding any answers.

“Then shut up and do what I say!!”

There have been a lot of crossing the line recently, and it’s no surprise this time around.

He mercilessly kills those who are scheming without any sense.

“So, this guy has the same opinion as this idiot?”

No matter how stupid someone is, there’s no one you’d want to get lost with.

Kuhora wasn’t stupid enough to vent his frustrations at his subordinates for not doing things right.

This is just an example to establish discipline among his subordinates who were climbing up the ranks despite being superiors, as he occasionally rubbed his body against them to relieve stress.

“Ha-ah. I should have emphasized the importance of the operation more and brought good guys. Why did guys who should be on the battlefield come to a brain-busting operation?”

Placing the right people in the right positions was a commander’s vision and ability.

However, it was never an easy task as it was always a battle that was won, and it was up to the skill of the assigned commander to resolve the problems that arose.

“No. This is a strategy meeting. Is there anyone with a good opinion? You’re talking about someone who doesn’t know how to do anything but eat and swear.”

No matter how much they talked about here, the situation was already resolved. It was Kuhora’s job to maintain the objective and carry out the operation accordingly.

“Kreuk, attacking the city?”

“Just a bunch of Chujaras? The commander has returned to the castle walls, and there’s a priestess?”

Even if the barrier breaks and you attack, if the city commander defends you, you’ll just die.

That role can be taken care of by the Chujara group, there is no need for them to do it.

Moreover, we have not been able to capture even a few of the elements necessary for entering the barrier, so we have to at least delay the supply of supplies to save face. In order to preserve our power and harass our enemies, this is the only way, even if it is inconvenient.

“Then we can just invade

‘Bam-!’

Crook?!”

“You little punk! Did you forget that I was setting up camp here because no one else could enter because of the barrier?!”

The first guy who started a fight was just a talker, so I killed him without hesitation, but I was worried about weakening his power any further, so I just gave him a little warning.

“Haa. Mr. Critic, you’re so heartless. To give such ignorant beasts to a frail limb like me, krrr.”

I unconsciously let out a soft growl as I got annoyed.

If it was a one-on-one fight, then it might be okay, but if the subordinates came at me in a group, then honestly, there was no answer.

Although my subordinates are useful, it’s too much to take them away for other operations.

Of course, it’s not like he doesn’t have any direct subordinates at all, but most of the people deployed for operations weren’t brought there willingly, so it’s especially bad.

“Calm down, Kuhora. Your beautiful skin will be damaged.”

As Kuhora’s anger subsided a little, the humanoid male demon standing on his left clammed his shoulder.

“Huh-! Kehyo, you’re really funny too. This body is just a body of ice, and my gender is asexual, closer to male.”

“Does love have gender?”

“Ouch, that’s gross.”

Even though he knew it was flattery, he didn’t hate it, so he concluded that Kuhora had been possessing and parasitizing the woman’s body for a long time, so he felt this way.

“So, did Critic say anything?”

The appearance of the priestess was a matter of urgency, so a meeting was hastily called. The information was barely relayed to the adjutant from the Land of Elements, and there was no doubt that the adjutant would relay the urgent information to the Demon King’s army outside the barrier.

“That’s it.”

He skillfully rubbed her shoulder, trailed off, and whispered quietly into her ear.

“… Yeah.”

If it were just the two of them, he would have expressed his confusion, but Kuhora controlled his expression while thinking about the intention that his adjutant had carefully conveyed.

“That’s right? You’re so cool.”

Although it was difficult to hide my feelings about the instructions.

There is no support. Instead, they tell me to tie up the priestess at all costs.

“Did you ask Brigade Commander Sasam for help?”

With the hope that the commander who was deployed like him would be okay.

“I have already contacted you, so I will respect your opinion.”

“Damn old man… .”

Kuhora was upset because he was being picked off by talented people who were different from him and he was not of any help at all.

Especially since the concession is almost like a coercion.

“Yeah. You respect me? Ha! Then I should send a gift that suits a Brigade Commander like that?”

Then suddenly a desperate thought comes to mind and the corners of my mouth turn up sinisterly.

“Kehyo. The return scroll you had was spatial return, right?”

“Yes.”

The higher the position or title, the more self-preservation one must have. This is also the case in the Demon King’s Army, so even if one only reached the rank of captain, one was given a return scroll.

However, because of its low rating and stability, it had to be used as a last resort.

“Let’s use that on the priestess.”

Kuhora speaks nonchalantly about the uses of such a precious scroll.

“Yes? But, isn’t this coordinate the Samsam Garrison?”

“That’s right.”

“Then wouldn’t the priestess end up going to the Samsam Garrison?”

“That’s right.”

Kuhora calmly answered the adjutant who asked if what he heard was true.

“… Kuhora?”

“Why?”

“You are really cold-hearted.”

“Oh my, thank you for the compliment.”

If it was just capturing the priestess and sending her away without her being able to resist, it would be understandable, but it wasn’t just the adjutant who was momentarily speechless at the idea of naturally sending a member of the warrior party comparable to the Four Heavenly Kings to the friendly base.

However, unless you were under Kuhora’s direct control, there was no guarantee that you wouldn’t end up like the guy who died while complaining, let alone saying anything good.

“Then, shall we move on to the topic of how to attract a priestess?”

It seemed like it was already decided, and without time to hear other opinions, they decided to pass the shaman off to another unit.

“Where, a brave male who would fly to the Samsam Garrison with a priestess?”

Kuhora didn’t expect much, but asked just in case.

“Tsk. You pathetic things. Don’t you have the confidence to step forward and do it yourself instead of just sitting around in bed?”

No matter how much Kuhora provokes him, his subordinates only flinch.

Even if you accept it and succeed and go to Garrison 43 with the Shaman, it was inevitable that you would be killed by the Shaman or be scolded by your allies after you fly away.

“Haa. Then should I only allow the priestesses to be sent? But you don’t have to do it. Is there really no one among your subordinates that you can send with the priestesses?”

The meeting was strictly for officers, and in Kuhora’s eyes, even though they were stupid, they were all clearly battalion commanders.

Of course, even though he was a general with strong military force rather than strategy, the title of commander was meaningless.

“Then I guess I’ll have to ask the most useless guy here to do it-.”

Ouch-!

“Me, it’s not me! I’m doing well these days without any accidents!”

Even though they are part of the same Demon King’s Army, there are spies among the allies, so when he was about to take aim at the suspicious one-eyed general who was a subordinate of the 43rd Brigade Commander, a stupid guy in the middle of the way reacted.

“Oh my, this is what a general is like.”

I was trying to keep an eye on him openly with the intention of keeping him in check, but the idiot got the first one.

‘Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!’

“What’s going on?”

It was noisy outside, so instead of being annoyed, his eyes turned sharp.

The 44th Garrison was located quite far from the country of elements and we were careful not to be exposed, so there had never been this much commotion, but the fact that the bell was heard meant that something very big had happened.

It’s going fast. Did they issue a camo? Who’s on duty now?

“Mu, a priestess! A single elemental tribe member, presumed to be a priestess, has appeared!”

“What the heck?! What the heck…!”

When the demon came in to report the situation, Kuhora felt that his plan was seriously going awry.

Did he get caught? No, that can’t be.

It was difficult to predict that Kuhora would have been tracking him based on his cool-headed reasoning.

I used stealth to avoid being caught, moved in the opposite direction of the base just in case, and used three location scrolls, and you chased that thing all the way here?

Since Kuhora was confident that he could run away on his own, he didn’t want to admit that he might have been caught.

No, if he had been caught, he would have caught me first. He would have definitely found me some other way.

As I bit my nails, I had a thought that maybe it was possible with the priestess’s abilities.

“Commander! What should we do?”

“Hey, what are you going to do! Isn’t this your chance to do what you guys wanted to do so badly?! You guys are the ones who should do something!”

Kuhora was surprised when his subordinates, who had been angry and asking when they would be able to attack him, asked him in a bewildered manner. However, he himself was equally surprised.

“Get out! Go out and kill or capture the priestess!”

“Ugh.”

A frown at the sight of him running away in a panic as if he was going to attack with magic power at any moment.

“Ha-! Okay. Since it’s come to this, let’s see what these guys with mouths can do.”

Although he belatedly assumed a relaxed attitude, it was difficult for Kuhora to not feel uneasy as he saw his subordinates leaving the conference room in a hurry.

“It’ll be okay. If it comes down to it, I’ll protect you, Kuhora, even if it means flying myself.”

‘Boom! Boom!’

The two adjutants, each expressing their trust, stood next to Kuhora. However, Kuhora doubted whether all of his subordinates, like Kritik, would be able to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings even if they gathered together and attacked.

A priestess of the same level as the Four Heavenly Kings suddenly appears.

If it had been as usual, it would have been wise to retreat, but my heart and steps did not easily allow me to do so and let my base and my men, and the operation I had prepared so far, go to waste.

“Kreuk, you mean against a priestess?”

“Yes.”

Instead, when Kehyo grabbed my shoulder tightly and spoke in a determined voice, I felt my instinctive fear lessen a little.

“Tch, right. Even if she’s a priestess, she can’t do anything here alone. No, maybe it’s a trick or a deception!”

Seeing that she, a priestess of the Element Tribe with a nickname that didn’t fit her race, had appeared so noisily, Kuhora considered the possibility that it might be her. At first, he didn’t think much about it because he thought that the base had been discovered because of him, but he calmly calculated the possibility and thought about how to respond.

“Let’s go out and check it out first.”

“”Yes!””

He left the tent with his two subordinates, who answered in a firm voice, and headed to where the priestess was.

‘Kwaaang!!!’

“Ugh?!”

‘Phukk! Kwakwakwang!!’

“Catch him! Catch him!”

“How do you catch it when you can’t see it?!”

“If we don’t catch it, we all die!”

There are situations where you can somehow predict how things will go even without being informed of them through the messenger.

The traps that were set up with great effort were not doing their job as they were just making a loud noise and exploding, and instead of being able to stop the priestess, the subordinates were just screaming and making a mess.

“Ha-! So where the hell is the priestess?”

The servant horses that were left to watch over the hidden entrance and the servant horses that were left for patrol returned, but they were unable to find out the priestess’s location.

I look ahead to see if I can guess through the noise.

“There it is! There’s dinner

‘Poo poo poo!’

Kaaaak!!”

The place I was hearing now was the rear.

“Captain Krun has fallen!”

“Here it is! Here is a priestess… !”

Again, this time it was on the left, then the sound came from the right.

“Didn’t the Brigade Commander give any instructions?!”

“You just told me to stop it, huh!? We’ve already come this far.”

The sounds of people collapsing without strength.

And, that cause was gradually coming closer to Kuhora.

“Mi, crazy… !”

Is this really the power of a shaman?

“Makku! Bring the hostage and buy time! Keyo, you can find anyone, and find the guy who can use the priestess and the return scroll! ”

When he felt that there was no more time to delay, Kuhora hurriedly gave the order. The two adjutants separated, while Kuhora used stealth and prepared to use the final location movement scroll at any time.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why on earth is a priestess from the demon world here!

A gesture of trying to keep from making a sound while being nervously angry. Kuhora felt it was absurd that while they were still suffering because they had not yet entered the Land of Elements, their enemies, who were comparable to them, were running around the base without a care.

Ss …

Kuhora’s body gradually became one with nature. It didn’t just become transparent, but disappeared to the point where it seemed as if it had never existed in the first place.

Let’s first estimate how strong the priestess is and then decide. If we come all the way here and run away without even checking, we won’t have the face to face Critic.

The Demon King’s army was also frugal with human resources, and the commander’s code taught them to immediately tear up the scroll and run away when they encountered an enemy they could not deal with. However, no matter how carefully Kuhora had positioned himself, he was not a coward enough to run away tail-first to an enemy he had never seen before.

Even if she’s a shaman, she can’t kill me in one breath. I won’t just die either. If it comes down to it, I can just abandon this body and go.

Even though Kuhora’s appearance has disappeared, his existence itself has not completely disappeared, so whenever he moves carefully, traces of his past are left behind.

Kuhora, thinking that the surroundings were noisy enough that his footsteps would not be heard, moved quietly using the body of the possessed element.

What should I do when I see the priestess? I don’t think I can catch her in this state. She seems to be destroying the traps I worked so hard to set. This is driving me crazy. How did Lord Critique give the order to tie up something like that?

Before hearing the order, I was a little motivated out of curiosity, but my thoughts changed as soon as the priestess barged in.

That was stupid.

Surely, I am not a deserter? I have a scroll so I can escape, but my subordinates… .

Even the act of tying one’s feet is only possible if the opponent is someone one can handle, but a bad feeling naturally arises when one is faced with the gap between them and someone one cannot even touch. However, Kuhora did not want to believe this thought until the very end.

“It’s you.”

“… ?!!”

I was so surprised that my lips opened wide and I almost lost the scroll.