Chapter 181 – Darkness Over the Empire (1)
The emperor sighed with a shadowy face and placed his hand on his forehead.
“Phew… Zeon’s power has suddenly become too strong. I wonder how this happened…”
The emperor’s worries had reason.
After the Emperor and Crown Prince recognized the danger of Zeon, they infiltrated the Hero Academy with spies to obtain information. Spies sent information telling people to rest assured that nothing is going on at the academy. However, before we knew it, a strange religion called the Church of Good Luck was rampant in the academy, and it spread rapidly in Brisen City, making citizens, regardless of nobles, commoners, and beggars, believe in the Church of Good Luck. The leader of the Lucky Church is known as Zeon. If they try to capture Zeon by force, the empire could suffer great damage in the process of clashing with the Church of Fortune. Despite this, the fact that the spies are sending information to reassure people raises a reasonable suspicion that they have betrayed the people by falling for the religion of good luck. Even if a new spy is sent, correct information is sent only for the first few days, but after that, contact is cut off or only information to reassure is repeated. Therefore, the emperor did not send any more spies because he felt it was a waste to lose the spies he had trained so hard.
The emperor asked Yeruja.
“What about the information the moon spider obtained?”
Yeruza also had nothing to say. This is because Jirike, an Arachne spy who had infiltrated the Academy, only sent information that the Academy was safe. Due to recent events, Yeruza realized that Jirike had become attached to Zeon. Afterward, many Arachne agents sent familiar spiders into the academy, but no spiders came out. Because it is unknown how Zeon obtained Jirike and killed the familiar spiders, Yeruja prohibited Arachne agents from accessing the academy.
Yeruza bowed his head and apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
“Huh. “Isn’t it possible even with the moon spider’s power?”
“That’s right. “We have no idea how the opponent expanded the Fortune Church and took our spies.”
“What happened to the plan to kidnap the academy students?”
“A commoner student was kidnapped from the market. I believed in the religion of good luck.”
“Oh! So were there any signs of brainwashing?! Is it magic? Is it witchcraft? Or is there a magic machine implanted in the brain?”
Yeruza answered with a dark face.
“We could not find any traces of brainwashing…”
Lena’s brainwashing is a method of physically modifying the brain and then restoring it to hardness with Zeon’s elixir urine. Therefore, there is no trace of magic, witchcraft, or opening the head cap. Also, because the brainwashed student considers the brainwashing state normal, it cannot be reversed even with the priest’s healing magic.
“Crazy… Then how is this possible!!!! “The only explanation is brainwashing!!!”
“I’m sorry…”
The emperor held the back of his neck and lamented.
“Ha… I’m going crazy. Is Zeon that charismatic?”
At that time, Crown Prince Marcus presented his opinion to the emperor.
“Father. “We must implement two measures to stop Zeon.”
“Hmm. What is the first one?”
“Zeon’s main forces are Jazlyn, Kalere, Kasha, Lena, and Aris. We must get them away from Zeon.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wouldn’t it be okay for parents to tell them to come back home? Her father orders Jazleen to come to the imperial palace. Likewise, Knight Commander Nur’dach can invite Calere, Mage Tower Lord Ovius can invite Lena, and Count Drales can invite Aris. Beast Princess Kasha… Unfortunately, it will be difficult.”
“Good idea. Did you hear everything? “I will personally send a letter to Count Drales and give him instructions.”
Nurdach, Obius nodded. Waliya also decided to call his daughter Hulmionni home before she fell into Zeon’s clutches.
Marcus made the following comment:
“The second is to declare that the Lucky Church is a heresy. For this, we need the power of the Sun Bridge.”
The emperor’s face appeared brightly in Marcus’ tomb. The Church of the Sun is the state religion of the empire.
“That’s a very good idea! “If the Lucky Church officially becomes a heresy, the number of new believers will decrease.”
Then the emperor pointed to the second prince.
“Thorkell. Go directly as an envoy to the Sun Church headquarters in Berkon City and explain the situation. The Religion of Fortune is a very dangerous religion. Additionally, I temporarily grant you the right to conclude a contract between the Empire and the Sun Church. “Suggest contracts that are beneficial to the Sun Church and make them follow our opinions.”
“I understand!”
Thorkel answered loudly with a sense of duty upon being given a heavy mission. Marcus patted Thorkel on the back and encouraged him.
“Thorkell. The future of the empire depends on you.”
“Thank you, brother. I will make sure that the Church of the Sun declares the Church of Fortune a heresy. No. “I will bring the Inquisitors and Paladins from the Church of the Sun and attack the Church of Fortune.”
“Oh, oh! After all, he is my younger brother! “I don’t trust you!”
The meeting ended with this. The determination to drive out Zeon was rising on everyone’s faces.
**************************
Today is the day of the group competition at Zion’s Academy martial arts competition.
Meanwhile, the Jazlin SS team was winning game after game thanks to Jazlin’s resourcefulness, my luck, and Aris and Kalere’s overwhelming power. Jazlyn won by just rushing forward without using her brain. Today will be one of continued victories.
Me, Jazlyn, Kalere, Aris, Gopi, Joen, and four others gathered on one side of a circular stadium larger than a soccer field. At the other end is the opposing team, and there are various types of cover between us and the opposing team.
The stadium bleachers were filled with faculty, staff, students, and outside tourists, and most of them were chanting my name.
“Zion!! Zeon!! Zeon!! Zeon!!”
“Long live Zeon! Zion, win!”
As everyone’s attention is focused, a sense of elation rises.
Haha! Yes, I am Zeon! I am the true God! Haha!!!”
“Wow! Zeon! Zeon! Zeon! Zeon!”
“Aaaaah~! Jion is so cool~~!!!!”
When I glanced up and looked at the VIP seat, it was empty as expected. The emperor and his gang no longer came to watch the academy’s martial arts competitions as I took full control of the school. They notice that the school is becoming strange and take precautions.
“Hold your head tight and wait. “I’m going to brainwash you soon.”
Hehe. Honey. “I’ll do the brainwashing later and focus on the game now.”
Jazlyn massages my shoulders and relieves my tension.
The opponent is a team of 10 honor students from other academies in the province. Although it is a school inferior to Hero Academy, the honor students showed outstanding skills and made it this far.
I cracked my neck and slowly became more nervous.
“That’s right. Because trolls do their best when catching rabbits. I’m not going to lose anyway, but I have to work hard. “Giggle, giggle, giggle.”
**********************
This is where Zeon’s opposing team, ‘Bear Grip Team’ is located.
The students of the Bear Grip team took classes at a local school until yesterday, and came up to the capital via warp gate to compete in the team competition today.
Adelmo, the president of the weapons club and a rugged man, spoke in an irritated voice.
“What on earth is Zeon doing that everyone is praising Zeon?”
Barne, the bespectacled student council woman, answered, holding her glasses with one hand.
“He is said to be the leader of the Lucky Church, a new religion that is emerging in the capital these days. There is a rumor that he is Princess Jazleen’s lover.”
“Crazy! Does that make sense? A guy I don’t know very well is the princess’s lover? “I heard that Paris, the heir to the city of Maine, is the princess’s first son-in-law.”
“I don’t know the specific details.”
“What. “It must be a momentary deviation.”
Adelmo and Barne’s voices were soon drowned out by the praise for Zeon ringing from all directions.
“Zion! Zeon! Zeon! Zeon!!!!”
Silin, the cute spiritist who is ranked first in the whole school, trembles at the madness of the people.
“Ugh… I’m scared~ I want to get out of here quickly~”
“I agree too. “Let’s leave right after the game is over.”
Adel Mo nodded her head while stroking her huge warhammer.
At that moment, the host’s voice rang out.
“Today’s match is~~ Exciting~ The great Zeon has appeared!!!!”
“Aaaaa!! “I love you, Ji-on!!!”
“Oooooh! It’s Ji-on!! “I’m lucky to see Ji-on!!!”
The faces of the current Bear Grip team members look like they have ground up poop and drank it.
“And the person who will be Zeon’s entertainment!!! This is the Bear Grip team from Bear Academy!!!”
“Wow~~~”
People’s boos fill the stadium. Adel Mo was going crazy, so she thought about just abstaining and leaving, but she made up her mind.
‘I worked hard for three years to win the Warrior Academy martial arts competition. I can’t give up over something trivial like this.’
Adel Mo looked around her and saw that her team members were each holding their weapons tightly and fully prepared. The delicate ear, Yomi Silin, doesn’t let go of her wand, even with her eyes filled with tears.
“The match begins!!!!”
Adelmo shouted along with the emcee’s declaration.
“It goes as planned!!”
The Bear Grip Team already knows the power and tactics of the Jazlin SS. Zeon, who shoots mortars with 100% accuracy at long range and uses unpredictable random magic at close range, Aris, the fast sword, and Calere, the breaking sword. These days, one of Aris or Kalere guards the flag and the other goes around destroying the opposing team. Zeon, Aris, and Kalere can never be defeated by these three, and they are out the moment they encounter them. In that case, all you have to do is avoid encountering these three as much as possible and reach the Jazlin SS flag. The Beargrip team has Silin, an excellent wind elementalist. Silin can control 20 lesser wind elementals at the same time to spy on the opponent. Using Silin’s abilities, everyone on the Beargrip team will be able to safely reach the Jazzlin SS flag. Once they arrive, they rush in without sparing their lives and use their skills to capture the flag.
As planned, Silin began sending wind spirits in all directions to obtain information.
“Well, it’s okay over there~”
“Ah! There is cover 5 meters ahead!”
“Jazleen’s SS flag is guarded by Aris and Jazleen~”
**************************
I, Zion, shouted with excitement as soon as the match started.
