Chapter 144 – How to Become an Alchemist
“They’re mercenaries, they have skills and equipment close to that of regular soldiers, so it’s very difficult for us to deal with them. If we continue like this, there’s a high chance that the situation will reverse.”
“Right…”
“Whoa… In that sense… Can I borrow some of the power of Young master’s family…? I also wanted to end the war with my own hands… But I don’t think it’s impossible at this rate.”
“Of course I have to help. Don’t worry. At this point, I’ll have to clear Hendrick’s and Edward’s heads at once.”
After saying that, Seong-il asked Pirina in detail about the location of Edward and Hendrick and the location of the main forces.
Of course, at Seong-il’s request, Pirina handed over the contents of her research as sincerely as possible, and after reading it carefully, Seong-il spoke to her.
“Hmm… I guess Hendrick is stuck with Edward at the base at the very end…?”
“Yes. However, the main forces are deployed in the front.”
“Hmm…”
Seong-il held his chin for a long time and thought about it. After a long silence, he opened his mouth to Pirina.
“First of all… The time I can bring the silver escort is about a day. That’s why it’s most important to finish the fight quickly.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I can use more, but if I use it for a long time, I will also take a big hit, so I think it’s best to annihilate the enemy command center with a surprise attack if possible.”
At the words of such a holy day, Pirina nodded her head and answered him.
“Hmm… Originally, I wanted you to lead an all-out war with the samurai of the family, but that would be a bit difficult.”
“Yeah. Can you help me with that?”
“…?”
Looking at her puzzled Pirinae, Seong-il quietly explains his plan. Pirina, who has been listening to his plans for a while, answers him with a frown.
“So… So reckless?”
“Well? Last time I destroyed a stronghold with more than 50 people by myself. Is it really reckless?”
“When we launch a false offensive to draw out the enemy’s main force, we assassinate the enemy command with a family warrior… Okay. It’s reckless, but it’s not a strategy that doesn’t make sense. Just…”
“But?”
“Why does Gongja-nim want to go there with you?
‘That’s because Eunwol will be forcibly summoned if the owner gets too far away from Black Ball…’
However, the existence of such a ball and its blind spots could not or should not have been explained to Pirina, so Seong-il sighed and replied to her.
“I’ll just say it’s a reason why I shouldn’t say it. Think of it as a secret skill I can use. And I won’t be in much danger.”
“…You say it’s not dangerous to run into enemy territory as two people? Do you think that makes sense?!”
Seong-il sighs lightly at Pirina’s expression, then takes out a jeweled doll and 『The Great Puppet Master’s Soul Mask』 From his bosom, puts them on, and starts making automata.
“…?”
Pirina is taken aback by the sudden appearance of him wearing a mask. Miraculous things begin to happen in front of her.
“…What!”
Soon after, the doll changes to look exactly like Seongil. Pirina is shocked by the sudden appearance of the alter ego. As she loses her words in her shock, her seong-il answers her.
“Now. This is my esoteric technique. It’s like clone magic. By the way, if I use this technique, I can reconnaissance and command safely from a distance. And that’s why I have to participate in this operation.”
“Hmm…”
“I won’t directly engage in battle, I’ll just send my clones from afar to spy and maneuver. So there’s no way I’m in danger.”
After saying that, Seong-il explained in detail to Pirina the power of automata and how to use them.
“It’s amazing… I can understand why you’re so confident that you’ll make a surprise attack on the enemy camp.”
“Yes. Being able to safely deceive the enemy and attack the inside is a terrifying advantage.”
“Yes..”
“Now you understand why I say you must participate? I have no reason to risk it. So don’t worry.”
“Whoa… I get it.”
After saying that, Pirina continued to talk to him with a very relieved expression on her face.
“First of all… The time to serve that formidable inaction escort is limited, so it would be appropriate to deal with the enemy’s leadership quickly. Then, when are you going to execute the operation?”
“The sooner the better. From what I’ve heard, the war situation seems to be going against us. I think it’s important to take an offensive quickly to prevent the alliance from leaving.”
“Um… You’re right.”
After saying that, Pirina discussed the specific operation with Seongil, and they decided to hold a rebellion two days later in the evening and began preparations for war in earnest.
Two days later.
In order to help Pirina’s surprise attack on the holy day, from the previous day, the guild’s total capacity was used to launch a surprise attack. In the meantime, Seongil was hiding alone near Hendrick’s base.
‘Whoa… I’m nervous.’
Seongil summoned Eunwol at the inn near Hendrick’s guild. He began to explain the situation to Eun-wol, who had been summoned after a long time.
“Um… This is a situation where Gongja-sama’s subordinates, whom we saw last time, took a surprise attack from yesterday and drew out their main forces, so we’re going to surprise their command center today and eliminate all the leaders, right?”
“Yes. It’s clean and the damage is low. If we go head-to-head with confidence in your skills, both enemies and allies may doubt our true identity, and the cost required to summon you is formidable, so we can start a war in a short period of time. I need to finish it.”
“Aha…!”
“In that sense, this…”
Seong-il hands over the internal maps prepared by Pirina and begins to explain in detail the location and number of enemies.
“Hmm… According to what’s written here, since it’s one-way, it’s going to be hard to sneak up and kill Edward or whatever…”
“Yeah. That’s why Pirina took a lot of damage and drew the enemy’s main force. There must be a lot of enemy elites inside… But it’s not to the extent that it’s impossible to subdue with your skills? And…”
“And?”
Seong-il takes out her over six dolls from her arms and shows them to her.
“Now… I’ll support you through the doll like last time. If you distract them with this, you and I will sneak into the command center.”
“Puhuh… Yes~ But are you sure you won’t be my burden?”
At her words, Seong-il silently takes out a ring from her arms and shows it to her.
“…That?”
Since Seong-il didn’t have anything out of the ordinary for me to see, she hardened her expression and asked Eun-wol. Seong-il begins to explain her ring to her.
“Ah… This is called the 『Advanced Invisibility Ring』. It is a ring that allows you to become invisible for 30 minutes three times a month. It even has a silent function, so no footsteps are heard.”
“!!”
“First, I will cause a commotion on the outside with the doll, and then I will infiltrate deep inside by myself with the ring. Will be able to.”
“Great!”
Seong-il looks satisfied with Eun-wol’s cool answer. After he tells her that he will summon her again if he has a little bit of her, he unsummons her and puts her ring on her.
‘Hey… Shall we go to pick up the two cubs?’
Thinking so, Seong-il creates automata and orders them to cause a commotion in Hendrick’s guild.
‘I should be good to you… Do you know how hard it was for me to recharge your jewels with magic…?’
And, as if Seong-Il’s heart was conveyed to the automata, they smiled wide at Seong-Il after leaving only the mouth of the mask visible.
“…You mean trust me?”
Then, Seongil’s alter egos all nodded their heads in unison and smiled brightly.
‘Later, when the level of application increases, you will be able to speak…
Seong-il, who was thinking such a useless thought, sighed lightly and began to order them.
“Go at once!”
At the command of such a holy day, the alter egos completely covered their faces with masks, turned their backs, and rushed into Hendrick’s stronghold. Not long after they charge, enemy shouts begin to be heard in the vicinity.
‘Now!!’
Seong-il, who thought so, immediately uses the ring’s transparency magic to become invisible, and then goes inside.
“Enemy!!”
Although it is an invasion by a small number of enemies, the vigilance of the enemies is high due to the recent defeat. They shoot out from within and charge at the automata with their weapons.
“Nyah!”
Then, after sticking out their tongues and taunting them, the automata turn their backs and start running away in all directions. At the same time as they run away, they explode the Molotov cocktail Seong-il gave them and start setting fires here and there.
“These bastards!!”
Hendrick’s guild members were enraged at the sight of the enemy openly provoking them. As they try to follow the automata, a rough-looking man stops the guild members.
“Stop!! You stupid bastards! Stay where you are! Turn off the lights and that’s it! Remember your mission!! Stay inside so the defense doesn’t collapse!!”
A man with a rough impression, probably a commander. Looking at him like that, Seong-il thought.
‘Hmm… He looks more like a soldier than a thief…? That means he must be the subordinate Edward brought.’
Seong-il sighs in relief at the appearance of the enemy, who seems to be the mercenary captain Edward brought, rather than worrying, and penetrates the inside.
‘The fact that the commander was left here even after a fierce battle… I don’t know about Hendrick, but Edward is definitely here!!’
Seong-il, with a fishy smile, secretly hides in a shady place inside, then creates two automata once again and scatters them inside.
‘Well, how are you going to come out now?’
After thinking so, Seong-il hands the Molotov cocktail to the automata and prepares to infiltrate.
‘Jeop… I really like the high-level invisibility ring, but it’s a bit disappointing that the invisibility is broken when I get a strong shock or take a magical action…’
Thinking so, Seong-il turns on the invisibility once again and starts to search for Edward while walking inside.
“Enemy!! The enemy has invaded inside!!”
“What?! Obviously, all places that could be invaded were blocked and only the entrance was left open!!”
“I don’t know! They’re trying to start a fire inside anyway!!”
Internal turmoil heard shortly after Seongil released the automata. Then, at the place where the commotion took place, the lines Seong-il wanted began to be heard.
“Damn it!! First of all, stop those bastards!! And you!! Take the escorts and go to the boss right now!!”
“Yes!!”
Seong-il, who heard the sound, quickly ran in the direction of the shout. When I ran to the location, I was able to confirm that about 10 armed guards were running somewhere.
‘Whew… It was quite a big and complicated inside, so it was a headache to find the head, but I guess I can just follow them!’
Armed thieves frantically running somewhere. They went up to the third floor and started shouting at someone in front of the blocked wall.
“Boss! Boss!! Assassins have invaded inside! Are you okay?!”
The voice of an extremely urgent subordinate. Not long after he shouted that, the wall split in half and a door appeared.
Bang!!
“What? What bullshit is that!!”
When the door opened, a middle-aged man appeared with long knife marks on his face. And behind him sat an arrogant man with a rather fat body and a nasty look.
“Knives on their faces…! And freckles and red hair…! Hendrick and Edward!!”
Seong-il feels his heart beat loudly at the appearance of his goal. While they are talking, he quietly moves to the corner of the room in an invisible state and takes out a black ball.
‘Now…!’
Seong-il, who thought so, entered Hendrick’s panic room by digging between his men in a state of invisibility and quietly hid in the corner of the room.
“That… Five or six enemies set fire to the outside, and it looks like three have invaded the inside as well!!”
“Then it’s okay to keep it, what’s the problem? You stupid bastards!! Are you guys going to spread the word about me here?!”
