The empire’s plan was simple.
An ambitious scheme to wage a conquest war by granting the Sword Saint and Leo their own castles through a siege war system only accessible to users.
In reality, this worked quite effectively for the first hour of the siege, as everyone was too busy with defense to dare strike at the empire.
[■Angel – Lily Elbrite- ▶ □Imperium I – Sword Saint-]
[The Deben Castle has been captured!]
It shouldn’t have happened.
[The Pitua Castle has been captured!]
It absolutely had to not happen.
[The Hafirt Castle has been captured!]
“Stop them! Do whatever it takes to hold them back!”
“I’m coming!”
“Wait, how do we stop a flying spear…”
Kwaaaahhh!!!
Beep beep!
[The Chapenterium Castle has been captured!]
Another castle is destroyed.
No, the castle itself wasn’t destroyed.
Only the core at the top of the castle was smashed.
The Commander of Knights of the Count’s family, responsible for the defense of the Chapenterium Castle, spat out a curse.
No matter how diligently they prepared and attacked the opponent, it was useless.
The spear shot by the elusive outsider pierced through all defenses and aimed straight for the core.
Though he had told the soldiers to do whatever it takes to block it, he knew well the weakness of those above Rank 100.
‘There’s no way to stop it.’
How could one possibly block a spear worthy of being compared to the empire’s sword?
It was impossible.
“Commander! Part of the castle has now been deemed off-limits!”
“Some soldiers have been flung outside! Except for the injured, there are no casualties…”
“Where’s the support from the Eight Swords?!”
“Th-that is…”
The soldier communicating through magical telepathy wore a troubled expression.
Even without the soldier finishing his words, the commander grasped the implication and tightly closed his eyes.
‘It can’t just be us suffering here.’
News already spread that castles were falling across the empire.
Given the empire’s priority to protect the royal family, they would be rushing to secure locations more advantageous to the royal family.
The commander looked at the fallen castle, despite no one having died, and let out a hollow laugh.
“It seems we are in for it now.”
■
[Minause Castle has been captured!]
Another core shatters, and the empire loses more territory.
So far, 16 castles of the empire have been captured.
In contrast, the empire has only captured one castle of the Angel Guild.
I quickly moved to the next castle using Naphras’s wind, recalling my conversation with Leo.
“By the way, isn’t it only the users’ castles that can be sieged? I get that we can lay siege to the Sword Saint’s castle, but how do we capture other castles?”
“It is possible!”
“Huh?”
“Hehe. It’s true that the siege war only includes the users’ castles. However, siege wars basically recommend a 1-on-1 challenge.”
“It’s true that only the castle is included. However, the Siege War fundamentally encourages one-on-one battles.”
“When both sides declare war on each other, only the opponent and their own team can break the core.”
“Other people or residents cannot attack or interfere.”
“The only method is hiring ‘mercenaries’ from the empire to strike, but that’s where the problem arises.”
“Considering the number of mercenaries…”
“‘Not enough castles?’”
“‘Exactly. Moreover, the maximum number of castles that can initiate a declaration of war is three.’”
“From the empire’s perspective, launching an all-out assault with just the Sword Saint and Leo to attack merely six castles wouldn’t fit the picture.”
“It also doesn’t align with the reputation of the Golden Empire, the continent’s overlord.”
“In the end, the empire decided to include its castles in each guild. While this increases the risk, it’s a method to finish things quickly.”
“Even knowing there’s a risk that their own core could be destroyed and occupied, the empire proceeded with the plan.”
“Of course, they thought they could handle it fine, and there were no issues until I got involved.”
“‘Until I got involved.’”
Arriving at the new castle, I unfolded the siege map.
“The northern region is almost fully occupied. We need to push through to the center.”
“The west is nearly all occupied by the empire under Leo’s efforts, and the east is just now starting to expand little by little.”
“The only peaceful area is the south, where talks with Leo are taking place.”
[Wow…]
[Is Lily a god? Is Lily a god? Is Lily a god?]
[Seeing the empire’s castles crumble is refreshing lol]
[Great Lily]
[Score 16 to 1, my heart is swelling]
[Is Lily Hong Gil-dong?]
[Breaking news) Angel Guild is totally winning lol]
[lolololol]
[Let’s hurry up and see the Eight Swords’ faces]
[Breaking news) After the Sword Saint’s resurrection, he started chasing Lily like crazy]
[This is hilarious, how can a castle fall apart in just 10 seconds after I arrive?]
[Is the empire nothing special?]
“Well… that’s true.”
I skimmed through the chat while swirling my spear.
So far, no one in the north has been able to block my spear even a little bit.
Not even the famed Golden Knight Order of the empire.
“Maybe they got destroyed before even seeing me.”
Once the castle was occupied, I immediately took to the wind and moved to my next destination.
After all, my purpose isn’t to rule over a part of the empire, but to create as much chaos as possible to draw out the Magic Lord.
I got all the locations of the castles from Arne, but I hadn’t received the location of the Magic Lord’s residence.
“Karia always changes the ‘entrance’ of her dwelling. While I know the previous coordinates, I don’t know the current ones. It’s a place where Naphras’s wind cannot reach, so moving directly will be difficult.”
A place even Arne, the Eight Swords like Naphras, the Spirit King, couldn’t find.
I took a stance with my spear, recalling that fact.
If I can’t find it…
‘Then I’ll just make it come out.’
The spear flew toward the core of the last castle in the northern region.
“Ugh!”
Kakakalang!
With the sound of clashing swords, the spear twisted and barely grazed the core.
Feeling a surge of confidence for blocking it, the nobility suddenly appeared before me.
“We finally meet!”
“…Who?”
“Have you forgotten me!!”
The man who looked like a typical noble, with a silver sword bent like moonlight, snarled fiercely.
[So who are you?]
[Oh, you blocked it.]
[Isn’t that the guy?]
[That pair of something?]
[Lily has a good memory, right?]
[That guy is a charity angel.]
[So, not worth remembering, huh? LOL]
I chuckled as I glanced between the chat window and the man in front of me.
“I’m just kidding. It’s the Twin Moon Sword, Besk Ronhadia. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Hmph! I see your brain is still working. About my strength—”
“How could I forget the person who brought me a gift?”
Thanks to that, I’m using this White Guardian so well.
As I smiled and said that, Besk’s expression twisted into that of an evil spirit.
“You’re… haughty, aren’t you? But this time will be different.”
Woosh! Woosh!
The shining silver weapons in Besk’s hands.
They looked similar to the Twin Moon Sword I saw then but had subtle differences.
“Did you acquire more weapons?”
“…Since then, I’ve only been training. It was a tough life, but I endured.”
Suddenly?
Suddenly, Besk started reminiscing, raising his weapon and mumbling.
“I was ambushed, but on the other hand, I felt disgust toward myself. No matter how careless I was, to be knocked down in one blow with the name of the Eight Swords… Yes, I was the fool who relied on the weapons everyone praises.”
[Not curious at all.]
[Why are you babbling alone? LOL]
[Suddenly grasping the topic…]
[Just end it quickly, go on!]
Grasp!
“But under Lady Karia’s guidance, I have changed! From now on, I’ll put everything on the line to face you!”
“So, what are those weapons made of?”
“Of course, the Empire’s great material, Metamo…”
Pfft.
Besk, who got hit on the back of his head, collapsed right there.
Clang! Clang!
Dropping his weapons.
Before I knew it, I was behind Besk, picked up the weapon, and muttered softly.
“What should I make with this…”
[That’s definitely a charity angel.]
[Is he a golden goblin?]
[LOL.]
[This is just too funny! LOL]
[The Ronhadia Castle has been conquered!]
“…Idiot 3 has fallen.”
Somewhere, countless violet experiment chambers stretched endlessly.
Clack. Clack.
The woman walking down the illuminated corridor filled only with the light of the experiment chambers pressed her forehead, feeling the disconnection of the signal linked to her, and let out a deep sigh.
“Tsk. I put in so much, and it’s useless.”
Clack. Clack.
She continued walking through the dark corridor.
The experiment chambers, connected not by wires but by flowing mana, housed many unidentified creatures, each contained within.
From creatures so small they were nearly invisible to ones large enough to fill the entire chamber.
One of the creatures looked up at its creator and banged on the transparent glass wall, bang! bang!
Swish. The creator turned her head.
‘Cough cough.’
In the dark space, the more brilliant violet eyes tightened around it, making it hard to breathe.
The creature desperately pleaded.
‘Please, save me.’
Kieeeeeee…!
Fwooooooosh!!!
But the creator did not listen.
The one who was both creator and killer casually turned away.
And like recording something, she opened the violet spear.
“D -297C is discarded. Reason: Insolent.”
Zzt.
The magical hologram, much like a user’s system window, recorded the inputted information and then vanished.
Clack. Clack.
After walking for a while, she arrived at a space covered with magical security devices.
She placed her hand on the crystal sphere entwined with mana lines in the center.
Dozens of magic circles flowed down her hand as one by one, the security systems of the device were unlocked.
The chamber inside was several times larger than the other experiment chambers.
A gigantic experiment chamber, with dozens of mana lines connecting it.
Clack.
She took a step closer and gazed at her masterpiece.
Vrrroooom…
Two horns and dark black wings. And above all, a spirit with ‘magic’…
Admiring it by caressing the wall of the experiment chamber, she smiled.
“The experiment was not a failure. A new door will soon open.”
The beginning will be the corruption of the Spirit King of Darkness and all spirits.
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