Ch.118Chapter 118. Battle for the Saint (4)

# Chapter 118. Battle for the Saint (4)

An alliance of barbarians and imperial forces. They were people that Jei already knew about.

‘The Loa called Malak has descended and is growing his forces. The last time we encountered him, he was stealing the legacy of a mage named Beatrice. It seems he’s joined hands with your civilized people as well.’

That’s what Charon had said when they exchanged information before. He was an eccentric being, but not one to lie.

Thinking it might be useful in future negotiations, Jei hadn’t told Charon, but she had actually sent modified life forms she named Chimeras to scout out that force.

The Chimeras were quieter and more agile than even the Empire’s best assassins.

Since Jei could share vision with the Chimeras through magic, there was no better tool for quietly gathering information.

A few days after sending the Chimeras, she was able to directly confirm that force. They had established themselves in the castle of Symphonia.

‘They had quite a large number of people and good equipment, so I gave up on attacking. That Malak guy also gave me an uneasy feeling. …Should I have informed Charon back then?’

Jei furrowed her brow.

It was certain that Teams 4 and 6 had also been attacked by them. There were many reasons to attack.

The biggest reason was probably that the Evolutionist School was working with Charon, who was in conflict with the Loas.

“I don’t know how they found our team, or how they attacked three teams simultaneously.”

“Among those who serve Malak, there are also paladins. That person must have had a hand in it.”

Through a Chimera’s eyes, Jei had once seen a female paladin from afar.

The possessed paladins can communicate with each other using a long-distance communication method created by the goddess’s power, namely the community.

Other paladins who had become followers of Malak must have quickly exchanged information.

It was an enviable ability for her side, which lacked talented individuals who could use long-distance communication magic.

‘If only the elders of the school hadn’t been massacred…’

The terrifying image of a winged reptile came to mind. The form of that demon that spewed destructive green fire from seven mouths, destroying magic towers and burning the land.

It was the shadow of the apocalypse, the destroyer of the world.

Even if she greatly developed the Chimeras, they would never be able to win. Isn’t that why she had gone under Charon, who had a chance of winning against it?

“…For now, come back when all teams return. I’ll try to figure something out.”

Jei sent her subordinates out of the room.

“Tch.”

The three teams that had even taken Charon’s zombie army had disappeared in an instant. It would be a disaster if those guys discovered this headquarters.

Five years. For a full five years, she had been hiding in this building with members of the school, avoiding the demon’s eye. Waiting for her time to come.

It couldn’t collapse so futilely.

“It’s okay. I’m a chosen one. The leader of the new humanity.”

Jei muttered to herself.

She still remembers. The moment when doubts that had disappeared into the unconscious awakened, right after receiving the new humanity procedure and changing her species itself.

Why hadn’t she questioned until now that paladins, who only appear in times of world danger, were humans from another world who had received artificial bodies created by the goddess’s power?

The goddess had used her power to hide the true identity of the paladins. It was the deception and manipulation of a divine being trying to oppress humanity.

What’s happening now is the same.

It was clear that the god called Malak could not tolerate them, the more advanced and developed new humanity.

‘There’s too little information. Aside from the barbarian and imperial alliance, how strong is a descended god?’

In the end, she had no choice but to ask Charon for help. Jei again infused magic into the black skull. The skull gradually became enveloped in a red aura.

[Didn’t I say I was busy? If you’ve called me for something useless, you’ll pay a great price.]

There was a slight anger in Charon’s voice. Jei quickly replied.

“It seems that the god Malak you mentioned has noticed our alliance. It looks like he’s joined hands with the possessed.”

Jei confessed that her soldiers had fought and been defeated by Malak’s followers.

[Malaak…! You again…!]

Was it her imagination that Charon seemed extremely angry upon hearing that name?

“Didn’t you say Malak had descended? I can’t gauge how powerful he is.”

After Jei finished speaking, Charon, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth.

[…Malak is one of the most powerful beings among the Loas. As such, he needs a long time and many followers to interfere with the mortal world.

He probably hasn’t gained enormous power yet. At most, he would be transferring his consciousness to totems and exercising small powers.]

Charon added that manifestation and descent are clearly different, and unlike manifestation, which temporarily manifests the main deity on earth, descent can only exercise power as a spiritual being.

[I’ll send a high-ranking demon with good mobility as reinforcement. Use the magical tool I gave you before to control it. Then you’ll be able to annihilate Malak’s followers.]

“Will that be alright?”

[It doesn’t matter.]

Well, even when Jei saw him, Charon was dragging around two high-ranking demons as zombies. By now, he must be controlling even more high-ranking demons.

Wooooooo-!

Suddenly, a sound like a bear’s howl came from the black skull that served as a communication device. The divine energy carried in that sound reached Jei even from a distance.

“Ugh…!”

Jei trembled slightly as she felt the fragment of a god. It was a power she dared not oppose.

[Udan, you seem quite angry. Perhaps you overheard our conversation.

How does it feel to have manifested after diminishing your divine status and borrowing the divine status of other Loas? It must be miserable. Beast called a god, I shall grant you oblivion…!]

With a bang, the contact with Charon was cut off.

“…”

Was it the influence of the divine energy? Her hands and feet were trembling, and her heart was pounding. Her whole body was hot.

She was afraid of Charon, who faced such a powerful being without fear. What if he was just pretending not to know, but actually understood all of her schemes?

If he found out that the “paradise” the Evolutionist School was going to create involved exterminating the old humanity and making the new humanity prosper? Would that please Charon?

When her thoughts reached that point, Jei’s head began to ache.

“All teams have returned. They are waiting for the director’s orders.”

The voice of her direct subordinate from outside the door woke Jei from her contemplation.

“Tell them to stand by. Lord Charon has agreed to send reinforcements. We will advance to Symphonia when the reinforcements arrive.”

Anyway, what’s important now is to finish off Malak’s forces. Before they discover the location of the headquarters and how to use the badges that only team leaders have.

While the headquarters location is one thing, it would be difficult for them to figure out how to use the badges. The badges are held by team leaders, but they can only be operated by officials who come down after receiving contact from the headquarters guards. Even if they torture the team leaders, they won’t be able to find out how to use the badges.

Unless they happen to have an authority on magical device development on their side.

It’s clearly cutting-edge technology. Even with the legacy of the great mage Beatrice that they supposedly excavated, it would be difficult to figure out.

“What about the saint?”

“She hasn’t said a word. Should we torture her?”

“No. Even though she looks like an ordinary woman, she’s the goddess’s representative. The moment we harm her, we might receive the goddess’s curse. Try to persuade her as much as possible. Bring up the topic of paradise.”

“Understood.”

Several hours passed after the subordinate withdrew.

Jei, who had been lost in thought while looking out the window, realized that something large enough to slightly block the sun was approaching the headquarters.

“Ah…!”

Immediately opening the window to confirm the identity of the shadow, Jei exclaimed in admiration.

A massive zombie demon in the form of a stingray descended to the ground along with other winged zombies. On the stingray demon’s wide back were many saddles, enough to accommodate hundreds of people.

It was a high-ranking demon that enabled large-scale troop movement.

“Director!”

Her direct subordinate, having also witnessed the sight, urgently sought out Jei.

“Load all teams except the garrison team onto the back of that demon and send them to Symphonia. Don’t forget to tell them to end it quickly and decisively.”

They can’t just send unintelligent zombies. To collect spoils after the battle, living soldiers must also be sent.

“Yes!”

Jei, whose expression had brightened compared to earlier, took out the magical tool that Charon had handed over from a drawer.

It was a charred branch, and when she infused it with magical power, it vibrated.

Jei gave orders to the high-ranking demon through the magical tool. It was a simple order to carry allies to Symphonia and kill the enemies.

Since using this tool temporarily connects the user’s brain with the zombie’s, there was no need to explain where Symphonia was.

Originally, she should have entrusted the magical tool to a team leader, but she couldn’t entrust such a powerful force as a high-ranking demon to a mere team leader.

Even for maintaining power, it was right for the director herself to keep it.

Eventually, the stingray-like high-ranking demon took off with soldiers on its back. Flying zombies followed behind.

“Phew.”

Jei, who sighed in relief, sat in a chair. She was just about to take a short nap, slumping down to rest.

“There are intruders!”

“…What?”

Jei’s already snake-like vertical pupils narrowed even further.