Chapter 78

The assassination of the Holy Grinia.

Most people would probably laugh it off upon hearing it. However, if it were Shu, it wasn't impossible. As a monster of the king who can manipulate even the class of divine curses, it wouldn't be strange for him to carry it out.

However, whether there is a person filled with madness to request such a thing is another matter.

"Assassinate a country... So, you're asking me to go along with your plan?"

"Yes. From now on, I will provide all information for free."

"I see. Not bad at all."

If it were 'Hawk Eye,' who has been identified as an Awakened Magic Armorer, it could be a long-term relationship.

Moreover, he is known to be an excellent information broker, so it would be a beneficial contract in the long run.

"It should be a good deal for you too. The Holy Grinia, which treats monsters as enemies, will be destroyed, right?"

"Sure."

"Of course, for someone like the King of the Underworld, it might not mean much. However, Iris is in a position where she is being pursued as a witch. Shouldn't you settle this clearly?"

"You have a point there."

The Demon God Sect has designated Iris as a witch.

Although it hasn't reached the territory of the Subarokia Empire, if she goes to a place where the influence of the Holy Grinia extends, it will be difficult to live. Since she has been identified as an immortal Magic Armorer, the warrant will never be withdrawn even after hundreds of years.

Indeed, it would be wise to plan for the long term.

Neither Shu nor Iris can die of old age.

If the Demon God Sect spreads across the entire continent, it will become an unpleasant world to live in.

(A safe haven... should be created.)

For that, information is necessary.

If the empire is to follow its path to destruction, it would be the right choice to team up with 'Hawk Eye.' Shu made this judgment.

"Alright. I'll take on the assassination of the Holy Grinia. It might take hundreds of years, though."

"The contract is established, then."

'Hawk Eye' smiled.

Then, he spoke with a touch of humor.

"By the way, I am currently an imperial Magic Armorer, so please don't destroy the capital with a spell. I don't want to be caught in it and die."

"I don't want you to die either."

"From now on, I will be a dedicated information broker for 'The Reaper.' Please use me well. I still have things to investigate in the forbidden library, so feel free to leave whenever you like, Shu. That's all I have to say."

"If that's the case, investigate a country where we can live comfortably after the empire falls."

"Consider it done."

Shu's goal, the forbidden spell book, was obtained.

Since he achieved more than his initial goal, Shu was satisfied. This way, he managed to steal forbidden and divine curse spell books before the empire fell.

◆◆◆

Upon returning home in the capital, Shu started reading the stolen forbidden spell book, of course, with Iris. Generally, forbidden spell books contain the effects of the spell, the incantation, and the author's analysis.

The analysis section, in particular, must be thoroughly read.

To understand how the spell works is essential to activate it. Magic is the art of transmitting an image through mana. In other words, if the image to be transmitted is not specific, no matter how much mana one has, the magic array will not be constructed.

Once the mechanism of the spell and its specific construction are understood, the world will handle the rest of the computation.

"I see... The simplest one is 'Dragon Fang Thunder.'"

"It's the 11th tier of wind, right?"

"Yes, it generates cumulonimbus clouds and converges the accumulated electrical energy to strike in one blow. It seems to have been used as a ritual magic in the past empire. The person who wrote the forbidden spell book also witnessed its activation."

"Wow."

"Another spell with a similar effect is 'Thunder Catastrophe Storm' at the 14th tier. This one maintains thunderclouds for a long time. It requires a large amount of mana to maintain, so it's more difficult and less powerful compared to 'Dragon Fang Thunder.' However, it's effective for sieging a city. It can gradually wear down the enemy with heavy rain and continuous lightning. It's a poor forbidden spell."

First, they selected the forbidden spells that seemed easy to use.

They read through them and came up with a few candidates. Since Iris is skilled in wind attributes, they planned to start with wind forbidden spells.

They had already stolen all the books related to forbidden and divine curse spells from the forbidden library. However, even the great empire doesn't have detailed records of all magic. Some forbidden spells are unclear, and divine curses are mostly just names and incantations, with their effects unknown.

"Iris's next goal is to master all forbidden spells..."

"But, Shu, where will we conduct the experiments?"

"There will be plenty of places with the war coming. Besides, Iris is immortal, so there will be opportunities to try them out eventually. There's no need to rush, especially with divine curses."

"Their effects are also unclear."

"Wind 15th tier, divine curse 'Death Realm.' The incantation is absurdly long, and the details are unknown. However, the effect can be predicted from the meaning of the incantation..."

Divine curses are said to be legendary in their very existence.

It's natural that the materials are incomplete. After all, there is no demand for magic that can instantly destroy a major city or completely shut down its functions. It would also change the climate and terrain, making it difficult to use.

In Shu's mind, it's similar to nuclear weapons.

If the goal is to destroy enemy territory without question, it's a convenient spell.

"Well, there's no need for dangerous magic that creates wastelands right now. I have 'Gluttonous Black Crystal.' High-power magic is sufficient. What we need is magic theory."

"True. There are many unknown aspects of positive and negative attributes, so it might be better to research those."

"The four-element and dual-polarity magic have the same foundation, after all."

Shu categorizes magic arrays according to physical laws, while Apollis-style magic is categorized by attributes, namely the four elements and dual polarity.

Each of the fire, water, wind, and earth attributes has both positive and negative properties.

In other words, deep research into the four elements will lead to the development of positive and negative attributes. Since Iris is particularly skilled in positive magic, there is also the meaning of enhancing it.

Furthermore, Shu is interested in negative attributes. Negative attributes, in other words, curses, are intriguing for someone who lives in the shadows. Moreover, if negative attributes develop in the future, countermeasures will be necessary. There is significant value in researching them in advance.

The pinnacle of magic, forbidden and divine curse spells, have many advantages beyond just high power.

"Hmm...?"

Shu felt a slight vibration in his chest pocket.

The 'Reaper' coin was inside, meaning it was a message from the black cat.

When he took out the coin, words appeared.

"...The date and time of the meeting?"

"It says three days from now."

"It's sooner than I expected. The location... it matches the one 'Hawk Eye' mentioned."

He would visit a high-class tavern and show the coin to the master to be guided. Shu's purpose for coming to the capital Aldar was to attend the black cat's meeting, and it seemed he would finally achieve his goal.

Shu recalled the contract with 'Hawk Eye'.

(First, destroy the empire and place the continent under the influence of the Demon God Sect. Once the Holy Grinia, as the headquarters of the Demon God Sect, completes its effective control, we will find it difficult to live.)

The King of the Underworld, Arkwright, and the witch Iris are wanted by the Demon God Sect.

They won't be able to live as they do now.

(A safe base... I'll wait for 'Hawk Eye's information.)

Shu, who makes a living as an assassin, hasn't lived in the underworld for that long. Moreover, he has only killed targets as an assassin. This is his first time seriously interacting with underworld organizations.

It would be best to start moving after the meeting, as planned.

(For Iris, for me... I'll do what I can.)

His resolve was already firm.

He had sufficient power.

He paid a high price, but the contract with 'Hawk Eye' was established.

(The remaining parameter is timing. I'll wait for the right moment...)

There's no need to worry.

Shu returned his attention to the forbidden spell book.

◆◆◆

The capital of the Holy Grinia, Magia, is a planned city. Major avenues radiate from the central cathedral and parliament to the surrounding areas.

The Magia Cathedral, located at the center, is the residence of the Pope of the Demon God Sect and exudes a particularly sacred aura.

The Magia Cathedral is led by cardinals, a special position among bishops. While other major cathedrals have only one bishop, the Magia Cathedral has multiple bishops. This is because the top of the Magia Cathedral is the Pope.

"Report on the casualties? What about the situation at the Robalts Cathedral?"

The Pope, with a serious expression, asked one of the bishops, who answered with a respectful attitude.

"The damage is severe. Bishop Alba is in critical condition, unconscious. 'Rampant Dragon,' who is wanted for the destruction of the cathedral and the massacre of priests, has not left any trace. It is likely that he has fled the country. The scene is filled with dismembered bodies, and the number of casualties has not been accurately determined."

Currently, the Holy Grinia is grappling with the cathedral attack.

The culprit is known, but they cannot be caught. The deployed Holy Knights were cut down, and the culprit left after carrying out the massacre.

The black cat's executive 'Rampant Dragon' was toying with the Holy Grinia.

The Pope wore a bitter expression.

"Is the client known?"

The answer to that question was no.

The bishop shook his head.

However, a guess could be made.

"While not confirmed, it is likely the Subarokia Empire. The black cat's base is in that country. Moreover, it is an action in response to our support for the revolutionary army. It should be seen as a threat."

"Is there any other possibility besides the empire?"

"We considered it to be the work of evil magicians, but they would act with their own hands. They wouldn't use the hands of an underworld organization to destroy a cathedral."

The Pope thought it made sense.

In fact, evil magicians are a group that has delved into illegal magic research. They vary in scale, from individuals to societies, but the problems they cause are significant.

In particular, magicians who study immortality are in clear opposition to the Demon God Sect.

The Demon God Sect and illegal magicians have long been in conflict, seeing each other as polar opposites.

However, it seemed they were not involved in this cathedral attack.

"Perhaps a prophecy is necessary..."

The Pope muttered and turned his gaze to a priest standing by.

The priest left the room and returned with a woman. She is the Seer Princess, a trump card with the ability to predict the future.

She would make a prophecy about the empire and decide on a response.

This is the usual way of the Holy Grinia.

"How is the preparation?"

"The necessary materials have been read. Everything is ready."

"Then let's begin."

Predicting the future is a form of prediction based on information selection. It is merely an extension of the human ability to predict. In other words, the more information given to the Seer Princess, the more accurate the prediction can be.

The Seer Princess took a deep breath in front of the Pope and over ten bishops.

She infused mana and manifested her magic armor.

After a brief tremor, her pupils dilated, and her lips twitched.

Then she began to speak.

"A small fang reaches the throat of a great beast."

The Seer Princess, gazing into the void, saw an ambiguous scene.

"However, the great beast transforms into a dragon."

The distance from Magia to the capital Aldar is considerable.

Even with a large amount of material read, the ambiguity of the prophecy cannot be eliminated. This is inevitable.

"The dragon crushes and burns the small fangs—"

The Seer Princess, eyes wide open, delivered her final words.

"Black flames scorched even itself."

The Seer Princess collapsed and was caught by the priest.

The magic armor is a heavy burden, so it cannot be frequently activated or used for long periods. Moreover, it causes the user to faint after activation.

However, the Holy Grinia valued it.

As the Seer Princess was carried to her resting place, the Pope and bishops discussed the prophecy.

"The great beast is the empire, and the small fangs are the revolutionary army. This is clear."

"Indeed, the empire cannot be underestimated. If the prophecy is true, they still have considerable strength."

"It is natural to assume there are multiple Awakened Magic Armorers."

"The revolutionary army cannot win with support alone... Should we send our Awakened Magic Armorers as well?"

"What good will one or two do! The empire has at least three Awakened Magic Armorers. We will definitely be outnumbered!"

If the empire is destroyed, the Demon God Sect will spread across the continent.

After all, the support for the revolutionary army is given in exchange for the promise of evangelization. If the revolutionary army wins, the goal will be almost achieved.

However, that victory is far off.

The continent's top military nation is not a title given lightly.

Another bishop expressed a different concern.

"The transformation into a dragon is also concerning. Is there something they are hiding?"

"Magic that is illegal in our country is legal in the empire. It is related to that. The black flames scorching even themselves suggest the use of heretical magic with risks."

"Extreme