Chapter 117: Amidst the Storm (4)
Carisia rolled the crystal in her hand. Unlike before, the relic didn’t show any visions.
It wasn’t strange, though. It would be unusual if trouble followed her every step.
But Carisia couldn’t help but feel that Orthes was like a human totem that summoned storms wherever he went. After all, wasn’t Carisia herself a storm that had shaken the entire magical society?
After adjusting Phoibos’ crystal several times to no avail, Carisia let out a sigh.
“Hopefully, this time, he’ll return without causing too much trouble.”
“?”
Kine, who was receiving a one-on-one magic lesson from Carisia, tilted her head, confused by the comment.
***
“You treacherous spies! How dare you try to deceive me with such lies!”
Gorgov activated the magic that was pre-loaded into his Enchantware. Deadly poisonous water poured down on those who had surrounded Amimone Tower.
“You crazy bastards! You sent the distress signal, didn’t you?!”
Having received strict orders from Halto, Argyrion’s rescue squad was met with fierce resistance from the very people they were sent to save.
***
Halto was a sharp individual.
If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have risen to the position of Deputy Leader in Blasphemia. He combined keen intelligence, which allowed him to adapt and apply his knowledge, with an extraordinary instinct that had saved him from countless deadly situations.
On top of that, he had accumulated vast experience from numerous real-world battles. These three elements—intellect, instinct, and experience—formed the foundation of Halto’s survival instincts.
And right now…
“I have to go personally. None of the other leaders can handle this adversary.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?! Absolutely not! You, as the leader of Argyrion, can’t take such a foolish risk!”
His closest subordinate, Nastion, was beginning to suspect that Halto’s three key traits had all vanished.
“No one in Argyrion knows this enemy better than I do. I’ve seen their handiwork ruin every situation I’ve encountered.”
Halto’s experiences and instincts were screaming that this had to be the work of their greatest foe.
Unfortunately, his keen intellect had little to offer in this case. The enemy’s tactics were too subtle and deceptive to be deduced through logic or cause-and-effect reasoning. However, Halto’s instincts and experience both pointed unmistakably to their adversary.
Nastion believed Halto had absorbed too much extradimensional energy and lost his grip on reality.
It was out of the question. Without a chosen successor, if Argyrion’s leader fell in battle while recklessly assaulting a mage tower, what would happen?
They might destroy the city and seize the tower, erasing all of the political power it held. Even then, there would be something to gain from such a victory.
But the worst-case scenario would be if the Elders of the Ten Towers intervened. Though the odds of that were low, if the Elders laid siege, even in an extradimensional incursion zone, Halto’s success could not be guaranteed.
If Argyrion’s leader were to fall without a successor, the entire organization would collapse.
Nastion desperately argued against Halto’s decision to lead the charge personally.
After a short but exhausting debate, Nastion managed to dissuade him. As Nastion sighed in relief, he couldn’t help but wonder:
‘Why…’
Why had none of Argyrion’s other leaders stopped Halto?
When Halto declared that only he could handle the situation, the other leaders had shown discomfort but offered no objections.
‘What kind of deeds has this adversary committed…?’
Nastion couldn’t believe that the collective paranoia surrounding Halto and the other leaders was rooted in any real threat.
Surely, the mysterious enemy Halto feared wouldn’t conveniently emerge right at this moment in Algoth, causing all this turmoil.
Still, he agreed that the mission to rescue their allies from the extradimensional contamination zone would be difficult.
While Argyrion was familiar with such zones, announcing their involvement so openly gave Amimone Tower time to prepare for an attack.
To handle the mission carefully, Nastion had selected a skilled plant-based mage, one capable of direct combat and swift escape. The mage had replaced his body’s biological tissues with those of plants, granting him extraordinary resilience.
“Sprigo. The priority target for rescue is Gorgov. If possible, aid him and the other comrades in capturing Amimone Tower and securing its mana core. But if that proves impossible, focus solely on the rescue.”
If it became publicly known that there were traitors within a legitimate mage tower, the magical society would face another upheaval. Though the plan wasn’t originally to expose the traitors so soon, now that it had come to this, it had to be used to its fullest advantage.
Sprigo, summoned by Nastion, nodded. However, as if something was bothering him, he glanced around before whispering.
“What should I do if I encounter the adversary?”
Sprigo’s bark-covered body trembled as he asked. Nastion felt both exasperated and angry.
‘How could this make any sense? The “adversary” who vanished during the Golden Desert operation, leaving no trace for years, reappears now, at this very moment?’
And yet, Nastion didn’t berate Sprigo or force him into the mission aggressively. There was no need to reduce his motivation.
“Remain highly flexible and adapt to the situation as needed.”
“?”
“You have full authority on the field. Do whatever you deem necessary if the adversary truly shows up.”
What else could he do? There was no manual for handling urban legends. Giving the team maximum freedom to respond as they saw fit was the best option.
Though still perplexed, Sprigo nodded, reassured that he had the freedom to retreat, request reinforcements, or make any other decision.
Of course, Sprigo wasn’t heading into the incursion zone alone. Alongside him stood an orderly squad of silver beings—silver soldiers, or “Drachma”—who looked eerily similar to Nastion but lacked distinctive features.
These silver soldiers were the next stage after “Silver Thread Hosts,” deployed to prevent the situation from escalating before the Ten Towers could intervene.
This was the rescue team that…
“I’ve come to find the comrades Argyrion sought! Those of you who have not yet awakened to the cause, join us and rise against the Ten Towers’ vile dominion—”
“You’re crazy!”
“Treacherous spies! How dare you try to deceive me with such twisted lies!”
—faced fierce resistance from their supposed rescue targets.
***
Sprigo couldn’t understand.
“Our Amimone Tower doesn’t negotiate with people like you! Leave Algoth City at once!”
Yelling from within the tower’s maximum expanded barrier was none other than Gorgov, one of Argyrion’s own.
The infiltration report from Argyrion included Gorgov’s photograph and a detailed character evaluation. Even in the brief interview Sprigo had reviewed before deployment, Gorgov had been described as “notably devout to the cause.”
“People of truth and justice! Open the doors and unite with us!”
“Shut your mouth, idiot!”
How could such a devout comrade show so little faith now?
But at the same time, Sprigo understood everything.
‘It’s the adversary.’
The very person Halto had identified from the start of the operation. Though the memories of his past life had faded after being reborn through the blessing of the cause, his soul still bore scars of malice.
If this adversary was behind the scenes, anything was possible.
***
“As you suspected, there are indeed those impersonating Argyrion to approach us.”
Gorgov abruptly shifted from informal to formal speech, his initial suspicion now turning to respect.
It seemed that he truly believed in Argyrion’s “cause.” The more I acted in Argyrion’s favor, the more favorable Gorgov became toward me.
“When the Ten Towers’ forces arrive, let them in. But if they claim to be from Argyrion, attack them immediately. I hadn’t expected such an underhanded tactic from Argyrion, especially with you here.”
“My cover is flawless. Blasphemia has protocols in place to disguise themselves as comrades and infiltrate to reclaim the tower from within in case our allies succeed.”
I smiled, adding a few more words.
“It was a brilliant plan.”
Of course, it was all a fabrication. The so-called “external force guidance” was merely a precaution in case Argyrion did indeed assault Amimone Tower.
When Argyrion actually showed up, it was nerve-wracking. Thankfully, Gorgov had taken my words to heart and turned hostile toward Argyrion.
“Blasphemia didn’t realize they were dealing with the cunning craft of the true cause.”
“The unawakened cannot possibly follow the wisdom of those who serve the true cause!”
Gorgov laughed loudly, and I thought to myself.
‘Argyrion’s forces have arrived. Simply deceiving Gorgov isn’t enough—I need to bring Danao into this.’
It was time to execute Operation “Temporary Alliance!”
TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES