Ch.119Chapter 119. Battle for the Saint (5)

Chapter 119. Battle for the Saint (5)

About 30 minutes had passed since the manta ray demons carrying the Reptilians and the flying zombie army had flown away.

“What should we do now?”

Lakye looked at me, or more precisely, at Totem #3. She seemed confident that those who had flown away wouldn’t return.

– Hmm.

I was really surprised when those things suddenly appeared.

I was spying on the Evolutionist School’s headquarters with a small group when suddenly a massive monster bigger than an airplane appeared.

I was worried they might discover us, but they just whooshed past.

“It seems almost all their forces have been deployed. We won’t get a better opportunity than this.”

The Pope offered his opinion. Having seen the team leader’s memories through the Saint’s ability, he roughly knew the Evolutionist School’s military strength.

If that’s the case, then the headquarters must be left with minimal forces… but is it okay to attack with just the people we have here?

“…”

I looked at Asha the zombie, who was maintaining a gloomy silence. Though her abilities had diminished since becoming a zombie, she was still as strong as a level 6-7 Paladin.

I borrowed the power of the Gray Fog Tribe in Linea to bring this one along. Since the Evolutionist School’s headquarters was located between Quinton and Linea, we were able to stop by the tribe.

I went to the altar and used the “Transfer Totem” blessing on Asha after releasing her from zombie control, and she was successfully transferred. Zombies seemed to be treated as inanimate objects.

Well, I also went there partly to see how Siu was doing. When I saw him after several months, he had become a muscular man.

…Just like the warriors of his tribe.

‘Of course I’m doing well! Look at my biceps!’

Maybe it’s because he’s been hanging out with barbarians, but he’s become a bit stupid like Kanto.

After we finish eliminating the Evolutionist School and securing the Saint, I plan to invite Siu’s Gray Fog Tribe to join the Tribal Federation. It’s about time.

Posting a picture of Noah, Siu, and Chosun with their arms around each other’s shoulders on the community would improve the image of the Tribal Federation.

I only brought along the agile and strong Lakye, Asha, and the Pope who knew the headquarters’ location and other minor details. I didn’t bring Gray Fog Tribe warriors for the sake of mobility.

Paya and Noah aren’t here because I assigned them the task of guiding Bangguseokchosun and the Goddess Church followers to the Tribal Federation. It was my judgment that I couldn’t bring Paya, whose main body is weak, and Noah, whose combat ability is lacking, to the headquarters.

Unlike the Pope, whose abilities are focused on defense and support, Lakye and Asha could sweep through the enemy like a civilian massacre.

The Pope just needs to hide behind the two women while they fight hard at the front, sending buffs.

– Attack the Evolutionist School’s stronghold.

I gave the order after some deliberation. A situation like this won’t come again.

Might as well give it a try.

“Yes.”

Lakye nodded, drew her meteor sword, and charged toward the headquarters. Asha, following my orders, stuck close behind her.

“Huff… huff…!”

Only the Pope, a middle-aged man, was following while sweating profusely.

I already applied the enhancement tattoo earlier, so he should manage fine. The Goddess Church followers might not earn points, but they’re good at receiving blessings.

They’re bad followers who only take and never give.

“Ah, ah!”

“Shoot!”

“Argh!”

Slash!

Lakye, who approached in an instant, jumped over a wall as tall as a person and sliced through the Reptilians wearing firefighting suits in one strike.

Boom!

Asha, who followed, smashed the wall to create space for the Pope to enter comfortably. That was my consideration.

“We’re under attack!”

“Request backup… ack!”

It took less than 3 minutes for Lakye and Asha to kill all the resisting sentries. It’s almost like 3-minute curry.

I could eat ramen faster than this while gaming at an internet cafe.

“A distorted space… Indeed, I can’t sense anything behind the door. Not a single sound can be heard.”

Lakye and Asha stood in front of a massive door inscribed with magic circles. It’s a door inscribed with space-distorting magic.

If you just recklessly break the door, you won’t be able to find the space behind it. Harry said it’s a magical device that even an archmage would find difficult to create alone.

Urrrgh…

While waiting for the Pope to arrive, I immediately turned those with limbs still attached into zombies. They would serve as meat shields to protect the Pope.

“Oh my goodness…”

“Old man. Hurry up.”

“Alright, alright.”

The Pope, who arrived gasping for breath, took out his badge at Lakye’s urging, without even wiping his sweat.

“So I put this in like this…”

The Pope muttered as he inserted the badge into a small hole attached to the magic door. The hole was quite deep, swallowing the Pope’s hand.

Simply inserting it isn’t enough. A complex magical procedure must be followed. That was a task even the Pope, who had glimpsed the team leader’s memories through the Saint’s ability, couldn’t easily perform.

But who am I? I’m Malak, who has Harry, the wizard grandpa who handles such devices brilliantly, as my follower.

As soon as I arrived in Linea, I immediately sent the badge to Harry, who was in the Tribal Federation, via the transfer totem.

‘Hmm… I’ve made something similar before. The principle is similar too.’

Harry, who hadn’t wasted his years, wrote down the instructions for using the badge on paper and sent it over. The Pope had a hard time memorizing it.

“There, it’s done. Phew.”

The Pope, who had been manipulating the badge after inserting it, withdrew his hand from the hole. Opening the door took longer than killing the enemies.

After a moment, the magic door opened automatically with a sliding sound. Beyond the door, Reptilian soldiers in firefighting suits were aiming various weapons at us.

These guys weren’t wearing helmets, and their posture and appearance strangely reminded me of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” from an animation I watched as a child. They just lacked shells.

Lakye, who came to kill them, would be like “Shredder,” the villain of that work.

“Atta-ack!”

Lakye’s swing of her meteor sword was faster than the enemies’ charge. The head of the Reptilian who appeared to be the commander flew into the air before he could even finish saying “attack.”

“These… these monsters…!”

“P-please spare me!”

These guys weren’t much either. The Reptilians fell like leaves as they faced Lakye’s meteor sword dance and Asha’s crab martial arts.

Just as we were about to move to the next room after killing all the soldiers in that room and turning them into zombies:

[St-stop! Stop the attack!]

A young woman’s voice flowed from the speakers attached to the ceiling.

“Her name is J, she leads the Evolutionist School.”

Said the Pope, who had seen the team leader’s memories.

J. J… a name I’ve heard somewhere before…

Ah, it’s her. The chief researcher who conducted the enhancement soldier project inside the Imperial Arena. Because of that woman, Lakye had to fight against super-soldier worshippers.

I remembered her name because I was angry at the sudden appearance of elite mobs. She seemed like the type who would survive even in a world like this.

Originally, bad people survive better. But who am I? I am Malak, the “Guardian of Earth.” I can’t let that happen.

– J. Do you know who I am?

Well, come here and take Lakye’s potential punch.

[Aren’t you Lord Malak of Roa.]

She must have heard from Charon.

[There seems to be a misunderstanding between us. Why don’t we resolve it slowly through conversation?]

– No. I have no such intention. I know you. I also know what you’ve done.

What misunderstanding? Are human experimentation, creating Atomics Rex, and killing Goddess Church followers also misunderstandings?

[I had no choice. A man named Charon threatened to kill me and the people I lead if I didn’t find the Saint.]

“That’s a lie. They are in a cooperative relationship with that necromancer.”

The Pope frowned and shook his head.

I didn’t believe her anyway. Why would Charon go through the trouble of threatening? He could just turn them into zombies and control them.

It was obvious that these guys had been licking Charon’s ass, trying to present the Saint to him.

[Lord Malak, please listen to me. I…]

– You lack eloquence. You can’t even stall for time properly.

[….!]

I’m not that stupid.

Do you think I don’t know you’re planning to destroy our Tribal Federation headquarters while keeping us in a stalemate here with your chatter?

My group with Lakye annihilated two teams, and Chief Kanto’s main force ambushed one team. They must be furious.

At this point, the only force they could attack with high-level demon zombies would be us.

Anticipating this, I contacted the Tribal Federation to prepare for war when the manta ray demon was taking off.

‘Lord Malak!’

Paya’s voice, who was in charge of reconnaissance, could be heard from afar. It seems the manta ray demon has arrived at Bluetan, the town right next to Symphonia.

I shifted my consciousness to Totem #1 and confirmed the faces of the Tribal Federation leadership gathered in front of the altar.

“All preparations are complete.”

Everyone looks tense.

It’s okay. We can do this. We have the ultimate weapon.

– Harry, get on the giant god.

I’ve always wanted to say that.

Harry, with a solemn expression, nodded and left the altar.

The chicken game has begun. I don’t intend to lose.