Episode 258
* * *
A massive explosion that would be believable even if it were the high-level magic of the Red Tower.
Mushroom clouds covered the night sky, and a literal storm of destruction raged.
The destructive power was absurdly similar to that of a tactical nuclear weapon, and Dale quickly raised a shield of darkness amid the explosion.
An overwhelming explosion that shook even the Shadow Lord’s shield. Those who lacked the strength to raise their shields would not even need to speak.
When the heat wave finally subsided and I looked around, I saw that I was in an empty crater.
Dale, Lize, and Sepia, who were left there, remained silent as if they could not believe it.
“What the heck is this… … .”
Entire cities were literally wiped off the map, not to mention the kidnappers and their hideouts.
There were no people groaning in pain, not even any easily recognizable ruins. There was literally nothing there.
“Just to keep my mouth shut… … ?”
Dale muttered incredulously.
Outsiders, outsiders. Their existence was so frightening that it was hard to even mention it.
“Come on, Bunny?”
Lize tilted her head, unable to even fathom what had happened in the explosion.
“What the heck… … .”
“Don’t worry, Lize.”
Before Lize could say anything, Dale quietly hugged Lize and whispered. Sepia, who had also erected a shield of cold, continued speaking.
“This is absolutely impossible.”
After hearing her words, Dale nodded absentmindedly.
“They are the ones who commit such acts just because their name is mentioned. They must be no ordinary opponents.”
“… … I thought the war was over.”
Sepia muttered bitterly. The end of the universe, even winter had retreated, and the golden empire had collapsed. I thought there would be no such thing as war. I was wrong.
“We have to follow them.”
“But the link that knew their whereabouts has disappeared. What should we do?”
“The people here are just scapegoats. If they can do something of this magnitude, they must be involved with more people.”
As he said that, Dale turned his head.
One who claims to be the monarch of this land of Valais. A duty originally stipulated to Dale as the watchman of kings.
At first, I planned to move forward by gathering evidence from the bottom up, but the situation changed.
“Where have all the people in this city gone?”
Just then, in Dale’s arms, Lize whispered. She tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand what was happening, not accepting what was happening even though she was seeing it happen right in front of her.
“… … .”
Dale didn’t answer right away. He just shook his head after thinking for a moment about what to say to Lize, who was still just a child.
“There was an explosion.”
After a moment of silence, Dale spoke.
“It’s a massive explosion that engulfs the entire city, and there’s no one here who survived except us.”
“Are they all dead?”
“okay.”
“Why… … ”
Lize mumbled as if sobbing.
“Why do you commit such a cruel act?”
“Because I have the power to do so.”
Dale answered. His voice was cold, without even a trace of emotion.
“That’s all.”
* * *
Some time after that.
Dale was walking towards the count’s castle, the capital of the county of Valais.
“Who are you!”
The knights guarding the castle asked his name as they readied their swords, and Dale answered calmly as he took off his robes.
“I came to see the count.”
“what……?”
“As head of the Grand Duchy of Saxony, to hold your sovereign accountable.”
Dale said. The knights held their breath for a moment at the name, but then asked back with an expression of utter doubt.
“The great Grand Duke of Saxony, the greatest of all the people, came to visit his country in the middle of the night without even a formality?”
“okay.”
No matter how much it claims to be a nation, it is ultimately nothing more than a moderately powerful county and its count. And the knights guarding it will not remember the face of the Black Duke, the head of the Northern Saxony Grand Duchy.
“You don’t believe me?”
Dale tilted his head and stretched out his arms. The seven circles and shadow circles in his heart each accelerated, and the darkness boasted by the continent’s greatest warlock swirled along his feet.
“I ask again. Is it so suspicious that the Grand Duke of Saxony, the greatest of the world, came to see the sovereign of a county without even the slightest formality?”
The knights’ expressions turned pale as the darkness danced around, seeming as if it would swallow the soldiers up at any moment.
“No! We, we just… … ”
“I don’t intend to speak at length. Tell Dale of Saxony that the Black Duke has come to see your lord.”
“All right!”
Dale spoke, and the knights hastily turned their backs and retreated.
“Brother… … .”
At the same time, looking at Dale who continued to speak coldly, Lize quietly called his name. It was as if she was seeing not the older brother she knew, but an extremely unfamiliar being.
“Are you afraid of me, Lize?”
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“No, that’s not true.”
Lize shook her head urgently and said.
“I was just a little surprised because it was so different from what you showed me.”
“You must have been very surprised.”
“… … .”
“That’s why I wanted Lize to join me on this journey.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to show you a side of me that you didn’t know about.”
Dale said.
“Because both my father and I, as heads of the Saxon Dukes, are powerful, and we wanted to show how our Saxon family wields that power.”
“strength…….”
“And the power I have is your power too.”
Dale said.
“I hope that when you become powerful, you will think about how you will use that power.”
“… … .”
Lize remained silent, and Dale continued walking towards the great hall of the count’s castle. Before long, Count Valina, the monarch of the county but still holding the title of count, appeared there.
In the Imperial Council, the man once remembered the face of the Black Knight.
And even if that being is alone without a single escort, and even if this is his kingdom, he will know very well that there is nothing he can do about it.
Even if all the knights, magicians, and men capable of holding weapons were combined, they would not be able to stand against him.
Because one gesture from that monster will sweep them all away.
“Now, Your Excellency the Grand Duke of Saxony… …!”
So there was only one thing he could do.
“Oh, why did you come to such a shabby place without even saying anything?”
Count Valais knelt.
“Do you remember the explosion that occurred in your territory?”
“That’s right! I’m still trying to figure out what happened… … ”
“Do you know anything about the Outsider?”
Dale asked back. The count’s expression turned cold. But as soon as Dale spoke, the whole world turned upside down.
Still, the white and dark winter night was there.
“Let me ask you again. Do you know anything about the Outsider?”
“I, I, I don’t know what you’re saying… … .”
Before he could finish his words, darkness swirled beneath Dale’s feet. Heedless of the presence of Lize and Sepia, who were still watching him.
The usual brutal and ruthless pitch-black gong was there.
The swirling darkness wrapped around his limbs like tentacles, and Dale walked calmly.
“A city has been wiped off the map, and its entire population has been reduced to ashes. Do you still think I have the luxury of engaging in your nonsense?”
Dale continued.
“Close your eyes, Lize.”
At the same time, Sepia, who had figured out the meaning, quickly covered Lize’s eyes.
Kwajik!
A scream rang out. A skewer rose from the shadows and plunged straight into the Count’s body, blood spurting out.
“I have heard that they are interested in the beings of this continent, especially the elves, and are treating them as ‘commodities’. Right here and now, tell me everything you know about the Outsiders.”
“They, they will show themselves… … .”
“You’re going to show yourself?”
“Because the outsiders have been here from the beginning!”
Count Valina cried out in agony. And as soon as he finished speaking, the world of ideas that Dale was unfolding began to distort.
In the world of ideas unfolded by the high-ranking magician, intruders were finally appearing.
“… … !”
And at the sight of those foreigners, Dale also held his breath.
The beings there were not human. They were not even living beings. They were just beings whose entire bodies were made of a smooth metallic texture.
Bipedal automatic machines, automata, were there.
“Outsider… …?”
“■■■■─.”
The Outsider opened his mouth in an incomprehensible voice, and at the same time, hot gas poured out from his body. It was steam.
─ Ah, that’s ridiculous!
Just then, Shub appeared next to Dale.
─ They’re not human! They’re completely boring beings.
“… … Count, how did you communicate with those beings?”
“It is not difficult for us to understand your inefficient and ignorant speech.”
At the same time, an outsider answered. Hearing that, Dale burst out laughing.
“Are you really the ones who came from the eastern continent?”
“Belle Epoque. That is what you call our land.”
The Outsider answered, his body again releasing steam as his voice echoed.
“What are you planning by getting your hands on the beings of this continent?”
“Make no mistake, you imperfect mortal.”
Mortal. At those words, Dale smiled bitterly again.
“We have come only to educate you.”
“Education?”
“I have come to you, who rely on imperfect organic structures, to gladly bestow upon you the baptism of ascension.”
“… … .”
“And the baptism of ascension will begin with the elves, the races with high synchronization with the atmospheric nanomachines.”
The Outsider spoke without a shred of doubt or hesitation. I couldn’t even laugh when I heard that.
“Don’t resist, just accept it. This is good for all of us.”
“That can’t be.”
“We cannot respect all the barbarians who renounce the baptism of ascension and reject education.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
Dale asked back, and at the same time the Outsider extended his arm.
The nanomachines that once covered the old Earth and the mana scattered by the goddess Sistina began to assimilate into their bodies.
It is not the way a wizard uses a circle to receive and process mana into his body. All cumbersome processes are eliminated, and the mana in the air is fused into their bodies.
“Exterminate them.”
The swirling mana coated their metallic bodies, and they began to form the shape of weapons.
It wasn’t a cold weapon like a sword or spear that you can find everywhere in this world.
Hot Weapon… … An uncountable number of guns were aimed at Dale and his group.
At the same time the trigger was pulled.
