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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 252: The Seaweed Head's Warning
The trap we prepared was quite complex.
First, we turned the ground into a muddy bog.
This was a well-calibrated trap that made fleeing and movement difficult by having feet sink deep into it, while not immediately making the enemy sense danger.
'Even beasts don't fall for obviously suspicious traps.'
Let alone humans.
Anyway, after making their escape difficult in the first stage, we layered explosion magic and flame magic according to my signal.
'Just by tearing scrolls and throwing sparks, explosions would overlap and trigger.'
But that wasn't the end.
At the moment of explosion, the mages from the Shadow Division that Venion sent would instantly raise earth walls in a circle.
'Like trapping the firepower to roast them thoroughly?'
Finally, when Kreutzel lay flat on the 'white stone' as promised, the defensive barrier magic we had arranged in advance would activate to protect from the explosion and flames.
'Our Shadow Division comrades aren't doing this for the first time.'
It was definitely one of the top traps I'd ever seen.
The feeling of extracting maximum power both cunningly and efficiently?
'Well, since they learned magic from Geninghen, their level couldn't be low.'
So what was the result?
Look over there.
"Wow, they flew quite spectacularly."
I clapped while watching the explosion site.
Those caught in the center of the explosion died instantly, and even those with exceptionally high levels or good luck couldn't avoid serious injuries.
"This should be enough revenge for the chaos you caused in the Bisakino Brotherhood."
I'm actually quite petty and never forget grudges.
'If there hadn't been Venion's intervention back then, Nagan would have been caught in the explosion and died for sure.'
I had returned that revenge exactly as it was.
"...Damn it all."
Gilbert, who had barely escaped outside the earth walls at the moment of explosion and avoided being caught in the blast, glared at us with bloodshot eyes.
"Karzan, you cunning bastard!"
"Oh, Gilbert. We meet again here."
I waved my hand in greeting.
"Did you sleep well? I was surprised when you suddenly fell asleep earlier."
When I picked at how he had been knocked out with just one hit, Gilbert's face turned even redder.
"Karzan! Was this all a conspiracy plotted by you and those Grunewald bastards!"
Perhaps because he had fallen beautifully into the trap, his voice was much better than before.
"When did you recruit Kreutzel? No, don't tell me you had already won Kreutzel over from the beginning? If that's true, then Venion, that snake-like bastard...!"
"What are you talking about?"
I picked my ear and replied indifferently.
He has quite an imagination.
"Anyway, even rotten fish has some value, you managed to avoid the explosion well. As expected of the lackeys of the hidden masters of the underworld, the true rulers of the night."
The forces we blew away with this one trap, roughly estimating by eye...
Probably about 30%?
That was sufficient results. It was worth causing all that commotion.
"Ha, haha."
Gilbert began laughing like a madman.
"Did you go insane? Calm down a bit."
I scolded him.
"When you were threatening Diamando earlier, you looked quite cool and composed like a mastermind, but you turned out to be weaker mentally than I thought. You should train more."
Having lost his advance guard to the trap and not knowing from where his operation had been compromised, Gilbert finally exploded after receiving even coaching.
"Attack! Don't leave a single one alive, slaughter them all!"
Then from our side, Knut stepped forward.
"I'll take the vanguard, so follow behind and respond appropriately."
"Please take care, big brother."
"Haha, you better pray for their souls."
Knut laughed.
"I'm talking about the guys who have to face me from now on."
"Ooh."
Knut's body wrapped in protective mana looked like a human made of steel.
In short, there were few vanguards more reliable than this.
"Here I go!"
CRASH!
When Knut threw his punch, the sight of the black-clad men rolling around with their limbs bent and broken at impossible angles was truly spectacular.
"Wow... Anyone would think they got charged by an ogre."
Following that, the mages from the Shadow Division and the underworld side shot deadly attack magic, and they met in mid-air, canceling each other out and drawing untimely fireworks in the night sky.
"Young master, I'll handle that man."
I gave advice to Siena, who said she would take on Gilbert.
"He uses a powerful assassination sword, so be careful with your defense."
Then Siena smiled faintly.
"How considerate. I'll remember that."
Siena blocked Gilbert as he charged toward us.
"Get out of the way, Valkenhain's bitch!"
"Your mouth is filthy. Then I don't need to respect you either."
Dozens of exchanges of offense and defense occurred in an instant.
'Wow, look at this?'
Gilbert's deadly sword strikes began to be neutralized before Siena's calm and solid responses.
How should I put it, it felt like she had gained another enlightenment from our duel and gotten stronger.
She's a genius in her own right too.
'At this rate, are their skills almost equal? Gilbert clearly has more experience, but Siena is far superior in natural talent.'
It wasn't a fight that would be decided quickly. Above all, with Siena's defensive techniques, I wasn't too worried.
'Even I would have had trouble breaking through if it weren't for Soul-Penetrating Black Moon. Your level isn't nearly enough.'
Looking around, Knut was crossing through enemy lines like a buffalo, while Rudgarda and Turnak were each blocking enemy retreat routes while maintaining battle formation.
'Wow, flawless.'
Perhaps because they had long served in the military?
The tactical movements shown by the two didn't greatly emphasize individual martial prowess, yet they were making the overall battle situation favorable to our side.
'They look more like soldiers than warriors.'
Am I stating the obvious?
Meanwhile, Knut's role of focusing only on breakthrough with support from his comrades was also tactically very appropriate.
"Y-Young master."
"Kreutzel, you worked hard."
I patted the shoulder of Kreutzel, who appeared among the remaining flames.
"You performed your mission perfectly. Fall back to the rear and rest."
"Thank you."
"I won't forget this service. Leave the rest to us."
A faint smile spread across Kreutzel's weary face.
"Yes!"
"I like how refreshing your answer is."
I turned my head again to survey the front where the chaotic battle was taking place.
Having lost significant forces to the trap, with Siena and Knut plus Rudgarda's forces joining in, victory seemed clear if things continued this way.
Moreover, if Reinholdt, who had deliberately lagged behind in the rear, joined in, they would have no chance of winning at all.
'However.'
...I know.
"Hey there, what are you doing? If you don't intervene soon, it'll be a massacre."
There remains one military force watching us from high above, beyond the clouds covering the night sky.
"Oh, here they come."
Screeeech!
With a roar like meteors falling, over ten griffin riders revealed themselves from below the clouds.
"The Black Wind Squadron!"
Knut, who recognized their identity, leaped up from the middle of the enemy formation and landed beside me.
"Big brother, do you know them?"
I asked.
"Yes, I heard they're the elite unit that the Grunewald underworld is proud of. Each one is said to be a 5th tier or higher expert."
"Wow, that doesn't make sense."
If true, their individual skills would surpass even an entire battalion of the Special Operations Division.
It meant each one was at least on par with Jeffrey or Olivier.
'Well, if it's a major branch-level of the underworld, it's not wrong to say the organization's rank is second rate.'
Anyway.
The appearance of enemies riding griffins with lion bodies and eagle heads, looking down at the battlefield, was an event significant enough to completely reverse the atmosphere so far.
"Wow, an aerial cavalry unit. Magnificent."
I was impressed.
"I should make a unit like that later too. It would be quite cool."
By the way, there was no such thing in my time, so which bastard thought of creating a cavalry unit riding griffins?
Could it be you, Ivan?
"Interesting. Let's see what level their skills are."
As Knut burned with fighting spirit, his mane-like coarse hair began to stand upright.
'Wow. What's that.'
How strong must his fighting spirit be for even his hair to become stiff?
I newly realized how powerful Knut's martial prowess was.
"Allen, your opponent is the enemy commander, so don't act rashly."
"Yes."
Knut, who had yielded command to me, shot a wind blast toward the sky.
Whoosh!
Then a gust powerful enough to push a large sailing ship forward entangled an unlucky griffin and brought it crashing down.
"Wow."
Is that human strength? A wind pressure created by a punch...
Just as I was marveling, the rider who dismounted with mysterious horsemanship like performing tricks landed with a strong impact.
CRASH!
The power was extraordinary.
As Knut said, he had definitely crossed the wall of the 5th tier.
That wasn't all.
I was amazed watching the griffin fold its wings, do a somersault in mid-air, then spread its wings again to land gracefully.
"Did those guys do nothing but eat and train in mounted combat?"
The level of horsemanship was high enough to remind one of northern nomadic warriors who supposedly mount horses from when they start walking.
The griffins also seemed properly trained.
'With more than ten such guys, there wouldn't be many organizations in this underworld that could handle them.'
The rider who remounted his griffin charged at Knut while picking up speed.
'Indeed, a kind of mounted charge.'
Roaaar!
The griffin roared fiercely and swung its lion forepaws, while the rider brought his sword down to the lower right, carrying the momentum of the charge.
CRASH!
Knut received that attack with his forearm wrapped in protective mana, then...
Smack!
Absurdly, he headbutted the griffin's head.
"What the fuck is that."
What was even more surprising was that the griffin staggered and stepped back from that headbutt.
"Truly the world's strongest headbutt. Excellent."
To overwhelm a 5th tier griffin rider head-on with bare hands, if this continued for just ten more years, the future Fist King title would definitely belong to Knut.
"Knut of Haglandere. Your brute strength is as rumored."
Then a green-haired man who seemed to be the leader spoke coldly.
"Piork, Dernheim."
"Yes."
"Join in. Three of you surround Knut, and handle Rudgarda and Turnak each with 2-on-1."
Instructions continued from the man who seemed to be the branch chief.
"You four surround Reinholdt from behind and deploy wheel tactics, but one of you attack Zizek to disrupt Reinholdt's coordination."
"Wow. Appropriate instructions."
I nodded.
Judging by the aura I felt, the many-against-one structure, and their tactical attitude that seemed familiar, they wouldn't be easily pushed back either.
"...Karzan."
The green-haired man who finished giving instructions pointed at me.
"We finally meet."
A griffin that seemed 1.5 times larger than the other griffins slowly descended in front of me.
But why did this man's presence, who wasn't particularly large, feel more massive than even the griffin's?
'I'm certain. This is a man with the dignity of the 7th tier.'
In other words...
Here was a strong man who had crossed the wall that Karzan from my previous life could never overcome.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Schelde, in charge of the Grunewald branch."
Schelde said.
"Karzan. So you really were a Shadow Division agent of Grunewald after all. Did you receive secret orders to clean up the underworld?"
I shrugged my shoulders casually.
"Since you're figuring everything out yourself, I don't need to explain anything. How convenient."
"But you know, Karzan."
Schelde, who had dismounted from his griffin, slowly walked toward me.
...Then the air trembled and the earth vibrated.
It was truly fearsome fighting spirit.
The 7th tier wasn't called superhuman for nothing.
"There's something that's been bothering me all along. Just who are you?"
"I don't know what kind of absurd question that is. Didn't you just call me Karzan?"
"Don't dodge the question. That's not what I mean."
A fierce killing intent mixed with Schelde's smile.
"You resemble someone I know far too much. Your face, your way of speaking, your actions."
"..."
I kept my mouth shut for a moment.
Not because I felt caught off guard by hitting the mark.
Rather...
'Finally, I get to meet a bastard who remembers me.'
I was simply happy that the moment had come to reveal the truth I had long awaited.
'Bow, lackey of the underworld. Karzan, who died 17 years ago, has returned.'
The man who will become the underworld's most powerful enemy.
'...But you're not worthy enough to hear that declaration.'
The reason I could dare call even a 7th tier expert ‘lacking in dignity’ was because the purpose I held in my heart, the dignity of the enemy I had to break, was that high.
'Unless Ivan comes, I have no intention of revealing my identity.'
Therefore, I said this:
"You said I resemble someone you know? What an absurd coincidence. This is my first time meeting you."
"Is that so?"
Schelde smirked as if he had expected that response.
"Venion, that bastard must have played a nasty prank."
Just how much chaos had our Grunewald Intelligence Director caused that even in this situation, he was blaming Venion?
"Karzan, where is Venion?"
I shrugged my shoulders.
"Don't know. He's probably watching from somewhere."
"Haha. You never give a straight answer to any question."
Schelde leisurely drew his sword.
It was an even more chilling and cold sword than Houten's, as gloomy as one drawn by a messenger of the underworld.
"Then I'll hear the answer directly from your torn mouth."
I replied.
"What violent language, you seaweed-headed bastard."
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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