Chapter 112: Each One's Purpose
Shiver.
Those who had arrogantly boasted about their own strength were nowhere to be seen anymore.
“T-The seniors in the Spirit Realm told us that beings at our level were the strongest in the world.”
“Yeah. That's what I learned too.”
“Everyone, be quiet. My head hurts.”
The spirits huddled together as they stared at Vivian.
Fear.
Terror.
And beyond that, the desperate instinct to survive.
Countless emotions swirled within them.
At that very moment—
“Now then. I'll tell you how you can survive.”
Yohan crouched down in front of the spirits.
“Really?”
“Oooof course.”
A lifeline descending into the depths of hell.
Unfortunately, it was a rotten rope.
Thud.
What Yohan tossed onto the ground was a black seed.
It was easiest to think of it as a magical bean that would grow vigorously inside the body after being eaten.
“Eat this and choose. Either listen to everything I say from now on, or get devoured by Greed right here. Oh, and you'll also have to spit out all the Skill Books you're carrying. I just happen to need all five elemental magic spells.”
He wasn't forcing anyone.
Wasn't free will the greatest right every living being possessed?
So take your time.
Just answer however your heart desires.
“I-I'd rather die with my pride than eat something that'll obviously give me food poisoning and live as a slave!”
The Salamander with the most courage shouted.
There was always one fool who stepped forward at times like these.
Someone might admire such a spirit worthy of a freedom fighter and forgive him.
But this side operated under a North Korean-style one-party dictatorship.
“Take care of him.”
Yohan nodded.
Crunch!
Greed bit straight into the Salamander's tail.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“I'll eat it!”
“We absolutely love seeds.”
“They're the perfect side dish. We eat seeds first thing every morning.”
Crunch. Crunch.
Watching the Salamander being chewed apart with the sound of crunchy cartilage, the remaining spirits immediately swallowed the seeds.
＊＊＊
[You have learned the Low-tier Skill ‘Water Cannon (Small)’!]
[You have learned the Low-tier Skill ‘Earth Spikes’!]
[You have learned the Lowest-tier Skill ‘Gentle Breeze’!]
[You have learned the Intermediate Skill ‘Wall of Fire’!]
[…You have learned a Skill!]
The status windows continued to rise.
It would've been nice if there had been more Intermediate Skills.
The spirits were still young individuals, so naturally, their pockets were rather light.
Still, being able to learn such a variety of Skills for free was an enormous gain.
It couldn't even be compared to looting all those military supplies.
As a bonus, he had also acquired some excellent slaves.
His trip underground had been more than worthwhile.
'Come to think of it, I should probably start thinking about a team name.'
Up until now, they had only moved around in small groups, assembling whichever members suited the situation.
But as things progressed, the value carried by the name of an organization could no longer be ignored.
When they entered the Beast Arena, hadn't they been treated far differently from the Horobi Guild or Black Rain Corporation?
If they had acted as a guild, they would have possessed much greater influence.
'Well, that's not urgent.'
For now, dealing with the matter right in front of him came first.
Gracia Le Eppenhaus.
He had to meet her this evening.
＊
Time passed quickly.
He spent the afternoon meeting nobles here and there, building appropriate connections while practicing the Skills he had newly acquired.
The rest of the members also trained in preparation for the next battle.
Boom! Clang!
“Kahaha! To think you'd block my axe with that parasol! As expected, you're no easy opponent!”
“Of course! The Juliard Family is also renowned for close combat!”
Not a single person tried to slack off or cut corners.
They all understood.
This time, they had simply been lucky.
If they ever faced a despair like Behemoth again...
They might lose someone precious.
To prevent that, they had to sweat now.
Before they knew it, it was six in the evening.
Yohan headed toward the promised meeting place, The Wolf and Spice.
It was quiet.
Far too quiet for a tavern in a bustling district that should have been overflowing with music and chatter.
As he pushed open the wooden door, an empty interior greeted him.
Were there no customers?
No.
Squish.
An unpleasant sensation spread beneath the sole of his shoe.
They had already been eaten.
Every last drop of blood had been drained from their bodies.
Apparently, the cleanup had been rushed, because filthy remnants of the feast still stained the floor.
“Welcome.”
A pair of crimson eyes flickered in the darkness.
She looked no older than her early twenties.
But Yohan knew.
This girl was the perfect example of why appearances should never be trusted.
“Thank you for inviting me. It's quite a cozy place.”
“It used to be much livelier, but I got a little hungry. So I had a light snack.”
Tsk.
This was exactly why people were told to stay quietly at home after sunset.
Watching the True Ancestor wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, Yohan realized this meeting wouldn't be easy from the very beginning.
“May I ask what you wanted to discuss?”
“My, my. Getting straight to business the moment we meet? You must be rather busy.”
“The final ball begins in a few hours. I should probably make an appearance.”
Count Pedro had repeatedly insisted that he attend.
However—
“Hmm. If it's the ball, I'd recommend not going.”
Gracia gently shook her head.
“What do you mean? Not go?”
“Something terrible will happen there. If you're present, you won't survive.”
“Is it because of Count Pedro?”
“Oh my... You already knew?”
Clink.
Yohan took out an ornate ring decorated with brilliant gemstones.
It was the very ring he had received when he first met Pedro.
“At first glance, it looks like an expensive piece of jewelry. But there's a trap hidden inside.”
If a certain amount of mana was injected into it, it would become an enormous bomb.
Its Holy Power would run rampant, unleashing White Flame that burned everything in the surrounding area.
The hero of the expedition would instantly become a terrorist.
After that, they could fabricate whatever story they pleased.
That humanity had laid a trap to assassinate the Empire's important figures.
Or that they had joined forces with the moderates within the Empire to plot rebellion.
They would tailor the narrative however it suited them.
After hearing the explanation, Gracia's expression changed.
A moment ago, she had merely shown a little interest.
Now, she openly licked her lips.
“You're perceptive. Capable as well. You're exactly the kind of talent we need.”
“I'm honored by the compliment. But I already have companions.”
Not the kind who stuck straws into your neck and sucked out your blood.
Real companions.
The kind you could trust with your back.
“Mmm. By companions... would this person happen to be included?”
Gracia pulled something out from the darkness.
“Mmph...!”
Reina Blades was dragged into the light with a gag stuffed into her mouth.
...Now that, he hadn't expected.
Reina had carried out her espionage so flawlessly that he had trusted her completely.
Who would've thought her identity had been exposed?
“This girl tried to start a war between us and the Grand Witches' Assembly. Such a fearless child. No matter whose orders she received, she simply refused to speak.”
Slide.
A crimson-tinted fingernail touched Reina's neck.
Tiny beads of blood formed.
One slight flick, and her head would fall cleanly from her shoulders.
He was being cornered.
“Do you... perhaps know anything about this?”
If he admitted it, he would be confessing to being the mastermind behind everything.
If he denied it, Reina would die.
An unavoidable dilemma.
Yohan let out a long sigh.
“She tried to be clever and got caught. That's right. I was the one who ordered her.”
“Oh? You're not even going to deny it?”
“I believe in protecting my guild members.”
Reina Blades had already been included on the recruitment list for the guild he planned to establish.
A slave...
No, a guild member had remained loyal and kept silent.
How could the Guild Master cut them loose?
“Mmph! Mmmph!!!”
For some reason, Reina shook her head even more violently.
Yohan openly ignored her.
“It seems this girl disagrees.”
“She likes it so much she's about to faint.”
“Well, regardless, since you've admitted it yourself, you'll have to be punished. Of course, if you join our company, we could suspend your sentence.”
So the recruitment offer still stood?
“That's unexpected. Considering everything I've done, I would've thought you'd never forgive me.”
“I intended to demonstrate our strength by fighting someone eventually anyway. If anything, you merely provided the perfect catalyst.”
The stronger an organization became, the more often it had to display its power.
Only then would others acknowledge it and allow it to exert even greater influence.
“Besides, someone capable of surviving against Behemoth... I'm willing to overlook a little rudeness.”
She was looking at his potential.
A mere youngster still lingering at the end of the Second Moon...
Had escaped alive from the grasp of an Ancient Species regarded as a calamity.
'Looks like I've truly been caught.'
An executive of Redmoon Corporation who skillfully alternated between threats and persuasion.
He had expected as much before coming.
But this evening seemed destined to become even more difficult.
“As I told you before.
My answer is still no.”
“What... a disappointing decision.”
Crackle.
Gracia's expression turned cold.
Scarlet sparks burst in every direction.
The murderous intent was enough to make his heart go numb.
Count Kalard von Estonpia, whom he had encountered beneath the Daejeon Hi-Mart before, had also been an overwhelmingly powerful existence.
'They're not even comparable.'
Having experienced only the slightest fragment of her strength, he could already tell she existed on an entirely different level.
“So even now, you won't change your mind? There's no way you'll leave this place alive on your own.”
She wasn't wrong.
“If I were alone, you'd be right.”
However.
He had brought a reliable reinforcement just in case.
[Vivian activates ‘Greed of the Apocalypse’!]
Rumbleeeee!
“Kieeeek!”
“Keeeeh!”
The Greeds spread through the shadows cast across the floor.
Like a black storm sweeping through, the surroundings instantly descended into chaos.
“Gaaah!”
“Aaagh!”
The hidden vampires were torn apart by the Greeds.
They had apparently brought elite forces, because not a single one of them died.
Watching them rapidly regenerate their injuries while maintaining distance was rather impressive.
But this was enough.
He had successfully rescued Reina amidst the confusion.
“You're safe now, Guild Member No. 5.”
“Safe, my ass! J-Just take me back! You there, pretty lady! I was perfectly satisfied being a prisoner!”
Unfortunately.
It seemed she'd developed Stockholm Syndrome.
Judging by the nonsense she was spouting, there was little doubt.
Grab!
He should strangle her a little to calm her down.
“D-Don't...”
Reina's struggling body went limp.
“That mana... Could it be you're working together with the Grand Witches' Assembly?!”
Gracia's fury exploded at Vivian's intervention.
Crimson crescent-shaped mana sliced through the air.
“Keeeeh!”
“Kyaak!”
The Greeds that had dominated the battlefield until now—
Were ripped apart by Gracia's Authority.
“You've already done enough by speaking carelessly to Lord Yohan...
And now you've even hurt my children....”
Violet light poured from Vivian's eyes as she confronted Gracia head-on.
Craaaack!
A maple tree with black leaves burst through the ground.
Through [Nest Formation], she transformed the tavern into her own domain.
The collision of rage and madness.
'This is where it has to stop.'
If things escalated any further, the purpose of coming here would be lost.
As far as dramatic presentation went, this was already more than enough.
“I think you're misunderstanding something.
We aren't allied with the Grand Witches' Assembly.
If anything, we're enemies.”
Yohan quickly interrupted.
“Hah? You're working with a witch, and you expect me to believe that?”
“She is an exile.”
“An... exile?”
Gracia paused at Yohan's words.
Then she slowly examined Vivian.
It wasn't there.
The witches' insignia that every member of the Grand Witches' Assembly treasured as dearly as their lives.
“You don't seem to be lying entirely. Then if that's true, why reject my offer? Why resist?”
“Working under someone doesn't suit my personality.
But forming a partnership is another matter.”
“A partnership? How dare you utter such nonsense before Her Excellency the Marquis?”
“You insignificant Second Moon Divine Throne. Have you lost your mind?!”
The vampires watching nearby also bared their fangs at Yohan's audacious proposal.
“Cooperation instead of submission...
How amusing.”
Even Gracia laughed scornfully.
Naturally.
Cooperation existed only between equals.
“I acknowledge that witch has reached a remarkably high Divine Throne. But if you think that's enough to place yourselves on equal footing with us, you're gravely mistaken.”
A refusal that left no room for negotiation.
Well.
Such a reaction was only natural.
He understood.
However—
“You're still misunderstanding one thing...”
Yohan slowly infused mana into the item hidden inside his pocket.
“Vivian is the one supporting me.”
Inside the temple, its use had been restricted because of Rabbit Foot.
But not now.
So he would show them.
Exactly what kind of realm lay at the end of the future.
[You activate the Collector's Sacred Relic ‘Fate of the Falling Star’!]
[100,000 Durability has been consumed!]
Crackle!
Black flames flickered.
Crimson flower petals bloomed.
[Bloodline Synchronization – ‘Red Spider Lily (彼岸花)’ has been activated!]
[Void Magic ‘Black Flame’ has been activated!]
The maple tree gradually returned to its original crimson color.
At the same time.
The crescent moon floating behind Gracia transformed into a Black Moon.
“L-Lord... Yohan?”
“This is...”
Vivian's and Gracia's eyes shook violently.
The center where [Nest Formation] had ended—
And the Marquis's domain standing opposite it—
Both began to crack.
The existing laws were being shattered by the power of a third party.
This was truly the realm of ‘Domination.’
The sight of Pure Blood that had reached its absolute pinnacle overflowing before them inspired nothing but awe.