Chapter 157

Chapter 158. Ogre Instead of Orc (2)

Kai from the Empire’s Special Operations Unit received an unexpected report from an ally.

“Keter appeared in the orchard?”

A week ago, Keter made a one-sided promise to Kai. He said he would lure Lord Eslow to a deserted orchard.

Kai, of course, didn’t believe it. However, he did send personnel to the orchard.

‘If Keter really lures Eslow there, it’s a win. Even if it’s a lie, I have nothing to lose.’

The next day came, but there was no news. Kai went about his business without paying much attention.

Two, three, four days passed like that.

Then, Ayrus, the missing collaborator, appeared.

“Nothing unusual, right?”

Ayrus sat next to Kai, who was drinking coffee at Cafeteras, and casually asked. Kai sipped his coffee and calmly expressed his anger.

“The operation is just around the corner. Was it necessary to break mutual trust like this?”

“Hahaha! Sorry for leaving without notice. But I had a good reason.”

“I can’t just let it slide. You’ll have to prove it.”

“You’re so picky. I borrowed something from the Grand Duke. Satisfied?”

“You’re missing the subject. What did you borrow, and why?”

“I couldn’t persuade Keter. So, I borrowed the Dark Document to deal with him.”

“…!”

Kai’s eyes widened upon hearing that.

The ‘Dark Document’ is something only a handful of people in the world know about, and it’s top secret.

While ‘Artifacts’ are known as the most powerful tools in the world, they’re not. Those who possess Artifacts can reach the pinnacle of humanity, but they fall short against divine beings.

What surpasses them are the ‘Five Great Treasures.’ They can kill gods and even possess potential beyond that.

Because of their overwhelming power, Transcendent Beings who know of the Five Great Treasures have kept them in check, preventing their completion.

As a result, unlike Artifacts, which can exert their power alone, the Five Great Treasures are divided into multiple fragments.

The Dark Document Ayrus mentioned is a fragment of the ‘Book of Darkness,’ one of the five books needed to create the Necronomicon, one of the Five Great Treasures.

‘The Necronomicon, a grimoire that can even kill death itself. So, the Grand Duke of Ruquer possessed a part of it.’

Kai rubbed his forehead.

Just knowing about the Necronomicon can corrupt one’s mind. If an ordinary person were to learn of it, they’d go mad. But Kai, a Special Operations Unit member with mental defenses, could withstand it.

“If you tell me what kind of Dark Document it is, our trust can be restored.”

Kai still didn’t trust Ayrus.

The most definitive proof would be summoning the document, but that would alert Eslow. Then, it would be an all-out war. Eslow would personally come to retrieve the document.

So, Kai asked Ayrus for the name of the document.

Each Dark Document has its own name. If Ayrus knew it, it was safe to assume he truly possessed it.

Of course, he might try to hide it. The whereabouts of the Five Great Treasures are closely watched by every nation.

“It’s the ‘Silent Dark Document.’ Do you believe me now?”

“Hmm…!”

It matched one of the Dark Document names Kai knew. But even the Special Operations Unit didn’t know its exact abilities. They only knew the name existed.

‘I’d love to ask about its abilities too, but… that’s being greedy.’

What’s important now is the assassination of Lord Eslow, not the whereabouts of the Five Great Treasures. Above all, Ayrus said he brought it to use it.

“Is Keter such a formidable enemy that you need to use the Dark Document?”

Kai had seen Keter. He confirmed his divine authority. But he could confidently say that Keter wasn’t at a level that required the Dark Document.

Ayrus smiled and said,

“You seem to have met Keter.”

“Not intentionally, but I did have a conversation with him. He knew all about our plans. Did you tell him?”

“I did. But I didn’t expect him to interfere this much. By the way, how was he when you met?”

“He was a self-centered person.”

“Don’t be fooled by that appearance.”

Ayrus didn’t think Kai would believe him. In fact, no one would believe Keter until they experienced him firsthand.

Still, Ayrus warned Kai about Keter because he was a collaborator.

“…?”

“How much of his divine authority do you think Keter showed in this tournament?”

“Just by his attitude, I could tell it wasn’t his full power. But he definitely sweated and his breathing became rough during the battle. That’s a biological sign that he used at least 70% of his power.”

“70%… Hehe!”

Click, click.

Ayrus wagged his finger side to side.

Kai frowned at the sight.

In the Lilian Kingdom, all 5-Star Masters are called the same, but in the Empire, it’s different. Even among Masters, there are ranks.

Low, Mid, High, Supreme.

The ranks of the Masters who participated in this tournament, as seen by Kai, were as follows:

Pasian – Low Master.

Henya – Mid Master.

Rajis – High Master.

Keter – High Master.

Norman – Supreme Master.

Of course, these judgments are subjective, but Kai’s discernment was rarely wrong, even among hundreds of instances.

“Keter always hides more than he shows. What I know probably isn’t everything. He’s definitely strong, but strength isn’t all there is to him.”

Feeling frustrated by Ayrus’s noncommittal answers, Kai put down his coffee cup and interlocked his fingers.

“Even if he’s at the Grandmaster level, it doesn’t matter.”

“It will matter.”

“…”

“But don’t worry. I know Keter better than you do, so I won’t let my guard down.”

“Let’s get one thing straight. Do you think Keter will interfere with our operation and become an obstacle?”

“Hmm, if you see Keter from that perspective, you won’t be able to handle him.”

Ayrus, who automatically smiles whenever Keter is mentioned.

“Keter is someone who calculates gains but also doesn’t, takes risks but also doesn’t, seems understandable but also isn’t… That’s the kind of being he is.”

* * *

Heading to the orchard, the place promised by Keter, Kai muttered to himself, recalling the conversation he had with Ayrus.

“If there’s someone who could trouble the Empire, we should nip it in the bud now.”

There was no one else around the orchard. Only two people were there.

Did Keter really lure Lord Eslow there?

No. According to the ally, Keter did come to the orchard, but he didn’t bring the Lord.

Keter broke his promise. Yet, Kai was going to the orchard now to eliminate Keter.

‘I’m confident that even one Homunculus is enough to kill him…’

A Homunculus armed with a 4-Star Magical Tool can overwhelm even a 6-Star Grandmaster.

If Kai hadn’t had that conversation with Ayrus, he would have brought only one Homunculus.

‘Ayrus. I’ll trust your nonsense.’

Thus, the Homunculi Ayrus brought totaled four.

It was a number that reflected Kai’s determination to eliminate all variables so that Keter couldn’t escape.

‘Is this the place?’

The orchard at the west gate they arrived at was desolate, and the two people there stood out with their overwhelming presence.

Swish, swish.

Keter waved his hand above his head, greeting them. Next to him was a tall man with a cold aura.

Even without the Empire’s intelligence, anyone would know who the person next to Keter was.

“Jeffrey Edmund.”

Pfft.

Kai, whose emotions had worn thin, laughed. It was his first laugh in seven years. That’s how absurd it was to him.

Step, step.

Kai approached Keter and glanced around.

“I came here as you said, but where is the Lord?”

It was a rebuke. Why didn’t you keep your promise?

Keter didn’t look apologetic at all. Instead, he spoke boldly.

“He went on a business trip. I don’t know where he went, and it’s too bothersome to find him—”

Thump.

Keter placed his hand on Jeffrey’s shoulder.

“So, I brought this guy as a substitute. An orc instead of an ogre, you could say.”

An orc instead of an ogre. The two races differ greatly in size and intelligence, but both have green skin, so from a distance, they look similar—a kind of pun-like proverb.

Jeffrey and Kai spoke almost simultaneously.

“Is this guy an enemy plotting against the Lord?”

“Can a squad leader, not even a knight commander, substitute for the Lord?”

Zing.

Their gazes tangled in mid-air.

For a conversation to happen, one side must yield a little. But neither of them had any intention of yielding.

“Jerpy Edmund. Age 32. Eldest son of Baron Standy from the western part of the Lilian Kingdom. Captain of the 22nd Squad of the Immortal Knights and a 6-Star Grandmaster. You will die here.”

“By not refuting my statement that you’re plotting against the Lord, I take it as an admission of guilt and will execute you.”

Their words tangled, making it hard to understand what each was saying. But one thing was clear.

Hostility and killing intent.

Sssk.

Jerpy drew his sword and glared at Keter.

“Prince Keter. To lure me into a trap like this. I’ll hold you accountable too.”

It was Jeffrey’s threat that he always keeps his word, but Keter just chuckled.

“Did I lie? It’s true that there’s someone plotting against the Lord, and it’s also true that you have to face him alone without any support.”

Keter walked over to Kai and continued.

“Mr. Spy. Am I right? We’re the only ones here, right? If there were others, you wouldn’t have shown up.”

Kai thought Keter was foolish. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be acting so cluelessly now.

“Prince Keter. Did you think you could deceive me and still survive? You’ll die here too.”

Snap!

Kai flicked his finger. Then, something silently fell from the sky.

The Empire’s bio-weapon, the Homunculus, designed to kill the Lord.

Its appearance was identical to that of a human boy.

Blue hair, blue eyes. Its skin was vibrant, but it exuded an eerie aura that made it clear it wasn’t human.

“Take care of it.”

As if to say there would be no further conversation, Kai issued the kill order.

Before the words even finished, aura explosively erupted from the Homunculus’s entire body. In an instant, the dense aura waves dominated the space. The amount of aura the Homunculus emitted surpassed that of a Master, rivaling a Grandmaster.

Seeing this, Keter and Jeffrey fell silent for a moment.

“…”

Humans are instinctively designed to feel fear when faced with the unknown. It’s a natural phenomenon and an excellent survival strategy.

But there are also humans in the world who are broken in this regard. Keter and Jeffrey were exactly that. Even in this situation, they remained unfazed.

“Do you see the confident face of the Empire’s spy? Sir Jeffrey. Please teach him a lesson.”

“…I can only apologize to the Lord for not noticing such a monster entering the city.”

Whoosh!

Aura flames erupted from Jeffrey’s entire body. His sword also formed a 2-meter aura blade.

On the other hand, the Homunculus didn’t create a sword. It didn’t need one. The aura enveloping its entire body was weapon enough.

Boom, crash!

In the blink of an eye, Jeffrey and the Homunculus clashed.

Jeffrey was the one being pushed back.

Sssk.

Jeffrey was being pushed back helplessly.

The Homunculus, wearing a human form, showed no change in expression as it continued to push Jeffrey back.

Crash, crash, boom!

Simple movements of swinging its arms. But what was attached to its arms was an aura laser capable of cutting through even the strongest metal, Orichalcon. It was what was called a ‘sword beam.’

Jeffrey, a Grandmaster, could also use sword beams, but he responded with an aura blade as part of the probing phase. He compensated for his lack of strength and speed with technique.

No matter how powerful an attack is, without technique, it’s meaningless. That’s the theory of martial arts. Following that theory, Jeffrey was indeed blocking all of the Homunculus’s attacks with ease, but—

Sssk!

The Homunculus’s nails, which had been doing simple attacks, suddenly tore a chunk out of Jeffrey’s shoulder. Without realizing it, the Homunculus had unleashed martial arts.

Jeffrey, with flesh falling off, deployed an aura sword in his left hand, trying to counter by aiming for the Homunculus’s wrist, but—

Clang, clang, clang!

“…!”

Unlike the Homunculus’s nails, which easily pierced Jeffrey’s aura armor, Jeffrey’s aura sword couldn’t do the same.

The aura sword, capable of cutting through steel like butter, couldn’t even scratch the Homunculus’s seemingly fragile human-like skin. All it did was make a sawing sound with the chipped sword.

Thud!

Jeffrey kicked the Homunculus away. Blood dripped from his shoulder.

On the other hand, the Homunculus was fine. There was only a tiny scratch on the wrist that had been attacked.

Watching this, the corner of Kai’s mouth twitched upward.

‘As expected of the Homunculus. It can overwhelm a Grandmaster even without a Magical Tool.’

There are seven more Homunculi like this. It was a moment of certainty that there would be no shortage of means to kill the Lord.

‘He must be feeling despair by now.’

Kai glanced at Keter. He thought it was admirable that Keter hadn’t run away yet, but—

“What?”

Keter was leisurely watching the spectacle while eating a biscuit, as if he had brought it from somewhere.

‘What the hell? That composure? It’s not a bluff at all.’

The composure Keter showed was not a bluff at all. From his face to his gestures, everything exuded genuine calmness, as if he was certain Jeffrey would win no matter what!

But the situation was overwhelmingly in favor of the Homunculus. Above all, the Homunculus wasn’t just one. There were still three more.

Even if Jeffrey had a hidden trump card, he couldn’t win against two or more.

Then, Keter spoke.

“I’ve been thinking a lot too.”

“…”

Kai didn’t respond. He focused on the ongoing battle between the Homunculus and Jeffrey.

But Keter, just like before, started talking without caring.

“When I heard Eslow was away, I thought there was no choice. I didn’t know where he went, and it was too bothersome to find him. I thought I’d just have to deal with it myself.”

Swish.

Keter pointed at Jeffrey with his finger.

“That guy turned out to be more useful than I thought. I figured he could show you the Lord’s power. If your prized bio-weapon can’t even beat Jeffrey, you’d have to admit it can’t beat the Lord either, right?”

Kai didn’t respond. The Homunculus was still overwhelming Jeffrey. It wouldn’t be surprising if Jeffrey’s head fell off at any moment.

Then—

Whoosh!

Something round shot up into the sky.

The only round part of a human body is the head.

The sunlight obscured whose head it was, but Kai was certain. It must be Jeffrey’s head.

On the other hand, Keter, thinking it was the Homunculus’s head, remained completely at ease.

Thud!

The falling head rolled on the ground.

It was indeed Jeffrey’s head.

Keter scratched the back of his head.

“Well, that’s dead.”