Chapter 1169 – #278_Skirmish (3)
#1163
1.
Siwoo, having set foot on the battlefield, had captured five witches from Hexennacht.
He had also seized all the multiple rocket launchers located 80km east of the temporary branch.
In effect, he had single-handedly cleared the battlefield within five minutes of his appearance.
Alice, upon seeing Siwoo return, clicked her tongue with a dumbfounded expression.
“So, you really did kill Lydia.”
“No, were you just eating popcorn while I was running my feet off? You could have helped a little.”
“Tsk, I was busy blocking the bombardment and protecting things too, you know? You can’t even praise me for not running away.”
Alice had fought Siwoo in the ‘Labyrinth’ before.
Of course, she had lost then too, but the power Siwoo displayed today was incomparable to that time.
Appearing in the middle of the enemy lines like a wolf slaughtering a flock of sheep, and capturing five people in an instant.
Even this was because the fourth bombardment had started, which was why he had missed some.
Siwoo had even intercepted all of the fourth bombardment in mid-air, then instantly penetrated to the rear of the front lines, and while neutralizing twenty BM-30s that were providing support fire, many of the enemy had escaped.
“If you’re above the 20th level, you’re called a Great Witch… It doesn’t seem fair that you and I are called the same thing.”
“My achievements are nothing to brag about.”
But Siwoo was not satisfied.
Those that Alice had thought were scouts of the Eastern Army were just throwaways.
Even in the support fire line he had managed to subdue, there were only a few soldiers who had been turned into familiars by having their egos removed, along with modern weapons.
“No, Lord Hessed. You have achieved a great feat.”
“I am sorry for the loss of the fallen. I heard they were a librarian from the Secretariat.”
“It is my fault. If it weren’t for Lord Hessed, it would have turned into a greater tragedy. I express my deepest gratitude.”
The Head Librarian, Count Metis Gremory, who had arrived late after receiving the report and was now cleaning up the scene, bowed his head in gratitude, and Siwoo also offered his condolences.
He was not in his usual witch subjugation attire, but in hunter’s garb.
In the hands of Count Gremory, who had a large bow on his back, were the spoils that Siwoo had personally confiscated.
“The analysis lab has released its findings. This object is presumed to be an artifact created by the Green Witch. The black flames that Alice saw interfering with the magic ritual also came from this fruit.”
The spoils, separated from the warheads of the rocket launchers, were bizarre objects that resembled quinces.
The outer surface was transparent like glass, and the inside contained a crimson liquid, making them look like high-grade potions from an RPG game.
But their actual use was closer to that of a Molotov cocktail.
“Would it be alright if I took a look?”
“Of course. Thanks to Lord Hessed’s efforts, we have many samples.”
Siwoo, after deploying a suitable barrier to ensure safety, threw the fruit-like artifact with all his might.
Even though it looked like it would break easily, it was quite sturdy, so he used telekinesis and the element of fire to throw it again.
-Whoosh!
Black flames burst out with a fierce momentum inside the barrier he had created in a spherical shape.
“I hate the sight of it. I almost died because of that thing, you know?”
“Understood. I’ll make sure you get an incentive.”
“Oh.”
It didn’t look like much on the surface.
In terms of physical aspects, the firepower itself was ordinary.
He took off his eyepatch and analyzed the composition of the black flames, taking in their characteristics.
“Huh, this is a very nasty thing.”
“Is it a dispel type, as reported?”
“Yes, it emits endless noise in sync with the timing of the flames. In particular, it shows a pattern of persistently trying to break through magic that performs defense.”
The waves emitted by the black flames were literally melting the barrier from the inside.
To put it simply, it was like a constantly activated EMP that stripped away energy shields?
The flames quickly died out, but Siwoo was able to understand the purpose of the artifact in the meantime.
“They’ll neutralize magical defenses with flames and then crush with the firepower of modern weapons… How many of these things can the Green Witch make?”
“There’s no way to confirm that. But if they’re at a level where they can be used for consumption so lightly, I think it’s likely that mass production is possible to a considerable extent.”
Hexennacht had already completely taken over Russia.
Even though they had declined a bit after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they had been a military power since ancient times.
What if they armed that army with ‘quinces’ like this, mass-produced them, and then started a war?
It wouldn’t be much of a threat to a Great Witch, but it would be a tricky bombardment for other witches.
The Green Witch was a witch optimized for war in a completely different sense.
“The purpose of this attack must be to confirm new technology.”
“That’s right.”
To test how effective modern weapons combined with witches are in actual combat.
So far, it was obvious.
“…And to induce political chaos on the Gehenna side.”
“Pardon?”
Only now did it become a bit more meaningful information.
From what he could see, Hexennacht had no intention of starting an all-out war.
If they did, they would have selected higher-quality witches to attack.
There wasn’t a single Great Witch in the scouting party.
“And yet, the fact that they specifically targeted Anchorage means they want us to pay attention to this battlefield, right?”
If so, why did they want attention?
The current conflict between Gehenna and Hexennacht is ultimately deeply intertwined with humans.
Hexennacht is centered on the idea that humans are dangerous and that they should be conquered to cut off the bud in advance.
Gehenna is united around the idea that the public enemy is far more dangerous than humans.
What this means is that unlike Hexennacht, who stepped forward shouting ‘Kill humans!’, Gehenna did not step forward saying ‘We must protect humans!’
If the public enemy’s atrocities over the past few hundred years had been just a little less, Gehenna and Hexennacht might have joined hands.
There are still many witches who, like the orthodox witches, feel a sense of humiliation and unease about the Neo Daejeon vlog of the future city.
But it was shown that witches were struggling against modern weapons.
Of course, this was possible because of the artifact.
Conversely, it was proven that if magical defenses could be limited to some extent, modern weapons could also inflict damage on witches.
Among the Gehenna witches who heard this news, wouldn’t there be any witches who would feel a sense of crisis towards humans?
Especially when distrust towards humans is already sky-high?
“Hexennacht is trying to poison the well. They’re saying, ‘Are you still going to side with humans after seeing this?’”
Count Gremory nodded, seemingly slightly impressed.
“I see. I was so focused on what was in front of me that I didn’t think of that.”
Then Alice suddenly interjected and asked.
“By the way, how did you know to come?”
“I was always keeping a close eye. It had been too quiet for a while, so I expected them to come and poke us at least once.”
“Really? Haa…. Anyway, thanks to you, I’m alive. You’re amazing as always.”
“First, I will reorganize the site and reinforce the temporary branch with a standing force led by a senior librarian.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
The Anchorage attack had been settled for the time being, so Siwoo returned to Gehenna.
A meeting would be held again soon.
It had been confirmed that Hexennacht had a power that had not been anticipated.
The fatigue from using magic for the first time in a while made his head throb.
He brewed a strong cup of coffee and operated the ‘Round Table Conference’.
He hadn’t revealed it in front of Alice and Count Gremory earlier, but the reason Siwoo was able to notice the attack first wasn’t because his intuition was extraordinary, nor was it because his strategic sense was amazingly outstanding.
It was because Frau had contacted him directly.
Apart from Welfanas, who had secretly surrendered, he had left 12 Great Daughters, including Frau, on the Hexennacht side.
They had become Siwoo’s eyes and ears.
“Thanks to you, I’m alive.”
[I am sorry. I should have found out sooner and informed you, Great Father….]
However, this operation had been arranged by the Qliphoth side.
The Great Daughters, who originally belonged to Solidus, were being subtly ostracized, so they couldn’t immediately relay intelligence about operations that were being conducted in secret.
That was why he hadn’t received information in advance and had rushed out in a hurry.
“Even if you had found out sooner, it would have been difficult to move right away. If we had, they would have noticed the existence of the spy. I hope you will focus on safety as much as possible in your future activities.”
[Warm concern. I will engrave it in my heart. Then, I will be going now….]
“Take care.”
Siwoo leaned back in his chair and drank his coffee.
He removed the security barrier that had been layered several times and ended the Round Table Conference.
At this point, the Las Welfanas that Lydia had left behind were a great asset.
They were Siwoo’s own intelligence agents that no one else had detected.
The Welfanas, who were now secretly hiding at their location points, would also become excellent surprise variables in the future.
That was why they had to be used carefully at such an important time.
There were bound to be enemy spies within Gehenna as well.
“I don’t want to fight.”
Lydia had threatened that a war would break out because of Siwoo, who had killed her, but in conclusion, it wasn’t a war that Siwoo had triggered.
Rather, it was a combination of Lydia’s vlog being leaked without permission and the magic experiment being revealed in the United States at an unexpected time.
But he wouldn’t run away.
It wasn’t a decision based on extraordinary courage like a superhuman or a grand ambition to protect the world like a hero.
It was just that the reason to fight was a little heavier than the reason not to fight.
He simply wanted to protect the peace of his family.
“Siwoo. Are you inside?”
“Yes, would you like some coffee?”
Then, Periwinkle entered without knocking.
Siwoo, who was about to face her nonchalantly, was taken aback.
Periwinkle’s flustered, bewildered, and anxiousness was something rarely seen outside of the bedroom.
“What’s wrong?”
Sensing bad news, he braced himself, and Periwinkle spoke.
“Shall we run away?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m not talking about eloping for love. Let’s hide for a while with your lover and important people. With my abilities, it’s definitely a possible option.”
It was so unlike her that he was dumbfounded.
She, who never lost her composure in any situation except in bed, was suddenly acting like this.
He couldn’t understand it.
“That’s not like you, Periwinkle. Please tell me what’s going on.”
In front of Siwoo, who calmly asked again, Periwinkle closed her eyes tightly and revealed the source of her weakness, the truth.
“Duke Errelim has betrayed Gehenna.”
