Ch.1186Unexpected Proposal

I explained the Naga’s position in detail to Turangkai, who had lost his fighting spirit.

As my explanation grew lengthy, an envoy sent by the Naga finally arrived, and from that point on, it became less about explaining and more about mediating between the two sides.

Even though I called it mediation, it took an incredibly long time because the two species had such drastically different ways of thinking and positions.

Especially these rock creatures—perhaps because they could freely control rocks with their telekinetic-like powers—they couldn’t really grasp the concept of walls.

Well, it was understandable if you thought about it.

Even walls tall and sturdy enough to reach the sky would collapse pathetically easily if they lost their foundation.

How could these rock creatures, who could extract all the foundation stones and bring down walls, see such things as defensive structures?

To them, it was just a decorative pile of food arranged nicely.

Moreover, since those stones were both food and weapons from their perspective, they didn’t even have the concept of building walls to defend against attacks from other species.

They said it’s better to eat stones or use them as weapons than to build walls with them.

With such different ways of thinking, convincing them why the Naga were so fixated on walls was the first hurdle.

After talking until my mouth hurt, I somehow managed to convince them… though honestly, I didn’t feel like they truly understood.

“So… is it because of that spell that was blocking our power? I guess they can’t use that spell without those stone walls?”

“That’s not the only reason… but you can understand it that way for now.”

The main reason Turangkai accepted that walls were necessary facilities for the Naga was because he had personally experienced the power of the spells engraved on them.

He understood—or rather, misunderstood—the walls not as defensive structures but as something like large-scale ritual altars.

Well, I was grateful if he could accept their necessity in any way. After a long discussion, the Naga priestesses had decided not to give up their walls.

If the rock creatures couldn’t accept this, war would be the only answer.

Honestly, it was a bit of a cheap move on my part. By appearing stern right after I stepped in, I made it seem like I was an ally of the Naga.

In reality, our relationship wasn’t quite that close.

“Hmmmm…. Well, if that’s the case… though it’s vexing, I suppose we can compromise.”

Whatever his reasons, Turangkai ultimately chose peace over battle.

With an unexpected demigod blocking their path, continuing to fight would likely result in their annihilation rather than recovering their food.

So he set aside his killing intent and anger toward the Naga, deciding it would be better to gain as much advantage as possible in exchange for not getting the stones back.

Despite looking like a dyed gorilla, he was surprisingly clever.

—-

In exchange for paying back in installments over several decades for the massive amount of rock creature food that could fill a couple of large cities to complete the giant wall, Turangkai made us—or rather, us—a proposal.

“An alliance?”

“Yes! Our rock monkeys, your snake people, and that balding hominid demigod—”

“Call me balding one more time and I’ll kill you.”

“…and the human demigod. The three of us should form an alliance and march west!”

Form an alliance, gather forces, and march west. If we did that, he would gladly overlook the theft of decades’ worth of food.

That was Turangkai’s proposal.

“March west…? Are you insane? Do you even know what’s happening in central Naraka right now?”

Naturally, the priestess who came in place of the Naga Raja was horrified, as if the proposal sounded like an invitation to collective suicide.

“I know! I know well! We came all the way here to escape that chaos! But now things are different!”

Of course, Turangkai was busy laying out his arguments, laughing heartily as if the priestess’s reaction didn’t matter to him.

“Now we have troops, a stronghold, and even a demigod. Isn’t this a fight worth taking on?”

Using the rock monkeys and Naga warriors as troops, plus Turangkai himself, the Naga war chief, me, and my “subordinates”—he claimed this would be enough to make an impact in the central region.

He wasn’t entirely wrong. Most of the factions fighting for control in the central region were also composed of a single demigod and their followers.

Since reconnaissance in the central region was difficult, I couldn’t call it definitive information, but they said nine out of ten factions were roughly like that.

Honestly, I thought that was probably true.

As the old saying goes, two tigers cannot coexist on one mountain—when two equals gather in one organization, they typically split up or clash.

Even if they temporarily join hands for a common purpose, it’s inevitable that they’ll separate and fight the moment that purpose is achieved.

So—

“…There’s some merit to this. I can see the possibility…”

“Lord Haschal?!”

While this might have been shocking to the priestess listening, for me, it was a proposal with practically only benefits.

Unlike the Naga who were hiding in the city waiting for the current chaos to end, I was in a position where I needed to kill other demigods and steal their divinity from the beginning.

If fighting was inevitable, the more allies the better.

That was partly why I intervened in the conflict between the Naga and rock creatures.

After experiencing it firsthand, they seemed to be trustworthy enough both in terms of strength and character to be brought in as allies.

Of course, I also had concerns about them being destroyed before I could receive the compensation they owed me.

Anyway, while I had been planning to bring in the Naga as forces, now the rock creatures of similar strength would join as well?

How could I refuse?

I had to agree unconditionally. There wouldn’t be a better opportunity than this.

—-

The alliance plan proceeded smoothly.

The Naga honestly weren’t enthusiastic about it, but they were proper debtors when you thought about it, so they had little say in the matter.

They owed me a debt of gratitude and owed stones to Turangkai.

Since neither debt was intentionally incurred, they might have felt unfairly treated… but what could they do?

Debt relationships are cold.

Having incurred such enormous debts that couldn’t be repaid normally, the Naga had no choice but to follow the proposal.

“Think about it—hiding and avoiding won’t solve anything! After the central region, they’ll come here next. What will you do to stop them then?”

The alternative was to stay holed up in the city believing this too shall pass, only to face extinction when confronted by the army of whoever emerged victorious from the central region.

“…We’ll organize an expeditionary force. The scale and organization… we’ll need to discuss with you.”

In the end, the Naga chose the former option, sighing deeply as if their future looked truly bleak.

And so, about ten days passed.

======[ Erzsebet ]======

In an abandoned underground ruin somewhere in central Naraka.

“Kuh, hnngh… damn those cursed dragons…!”

A woman with a vicious face staggered through the pitch-black underground corridor without a single torch, groaning curses.

“Huff, huuuff….”

Thud. Her slipping hand left a clear bloodstain on an old mirror hanging on the wall as she stumbled against it.

The woman silently turned her head to look at the dark red handprint, then let out a quiet bitter laugh at her own appearance reflected beyond it.

‘…I’ve become quite a sorry sight.’

Her dress, torn to shreds and burned to rags.

The hideous burn marks left unhealed due to lack of strength.

Her limbs barely held together with a handful of blood.

Long ago revered as the Empress of Blood, she had wrapped herself in noble dignity and arrogantly displayed her mighty power. Now she was reduced to little more than a half-dead invalid.

The price for her carelessness—or was it misfortune?—was steep. Either way, she had paid far too high a price.

‘Disgusting mutant lizards. Of all times, of all times, two of them at once…’

The fierce battle with Caliburn, the demigod of the werebeasts. That single fight had left her with deep wounds.

Two dragons had ambushed her so suddenly from both the ceiling and underground during the chaotic battle, completely overturning the battlefield where she had held a clear advantage.

Unable to anticipate their surprise attack, Erzsebet instantly lost about half her strength, and suffered massive damage while retreating in bitter frustration.

Thanks to the sacrifice of her minions, she barely managed to save her own life… but that meant she had lost everything else.

Her forces, annihilated to save her; the serious wounds inflicted on her body and soul by the dragons’ breath; her blood essence, depleted to the bottom with no signs of recovery.

Erzsebet had fallen miserably. It would take hundreds, no, thousands of years to gather her strength and rise again.

“Haa, haaa….”

She had barely managed to escape to a temporary hideout, but that was her limit.

After fleeing at full speed without time to tend to her injuries, her physical condition had deteriorated to the point where she could barely walk properly.

– Thud.

After staggering forward while gasping for breath, she slid down with her shoulder against the wall and collapsed.

It was around that time.

– Clink, clink.

From the dim corridor across from her came the sound of dozens of metal plates colliding and scraping against each other.

“…!”

Someone wearing metal armor was walking toward her, gripping a lightning-imbued runic sword in their right hand.

A pursuer? A helper? Or a third party unrelated to either?

Whichever it was, she couldn’t afford to appear vulnerable and be looked down upon. A beast that reveals its weakness gets devoured.

So Erzsebet gritted her teeth and struggled to her feet.