Chapter 97

The revolutionary army lost several of its main forces due to the counterattack by the Subarokia Empire. However, the main force of the revolutionary army, where Reinvald is, remains intact.

The revolutionary army was advancing with the main force.

"Shuu, I'm bored."

"Be quiet. You were the one who said you wanted to do something, Iris."

The revolutionary army also has a mercenary unit. They have hired a guild formed by magic knights to serve as part of their forces. For the revolutionary army, which has few magic knights, they are a valuable presence. Shuu and Iris were among such mercenary units. In the large revolutionary army, a few more people wouldn't be noticed. Taking advantage of this, soldiers from the Subarokia Empire have also infiltrated, making the revolutionary army's movement routes completely exposed. It's impossible to check each individual, so the upper echelons of the revolutionary army are aware of the spies but choose to ignore them.

"Something will happen soon."

"Is that so?"

"The empire can't let this large army go unchallenged."

The main force of the revolutionary army exceeds 100,000. It's a vast army that could cover the earth. It is the ultimate force, gathered from all available troops, and if this main force is defeated, the revolutionary army will be effectively destroyed. The Subarokia Empire cannot afford to let this happen. Currently, three awakened magic knights are actively working to crush the revolutionary army. They act independently, making it difficult to pinpoint their locations. Even with the power of the 'Hawk Eye,' which has the ability to transfer, it's hard to track them. However, it's impossible to ignore this large army, so the awakened magic knights will definitely appear. In other words, Shuu's plan was to use the 100,000-strong revolutionary army as bait.

"Look, it's happening just as we were talking."

"Eh? Ah!"

"The magic power should be detectable even by you, Iris."

Magic power that no human should possess. The vast amount of magic power, accumulated over 250 years of training, could be detected from a distance. It was so obvious that even a beginner could sense it if they could use non-elemental magic.

"This is the magic power of an awakened magic knight. We've been waiting for this."

"Indeed!"

"Then, Iris, I'll leave the rest to you. I'll share my magic power with you."

Shuu said this and touched Iris, sharing his magic power. Iris was supposed to use powerful magic, so he supplemented the magic power she lacked. In exchange, Shuu lost some of his magic power, but it wasn't a problem. He had a plan to recover it with necromancy. Shuu, as a primordial spirit, had an overwhelmingly large amount of magic power. His despair-level power was not just for show. He could fire off several forbidden spells without depleting his magic power, so giving some to Iris wouldn't be an issue.

"Can you determine the coordinates with your magic power detection?"

"I'm fine with that."

"And when the job is done, I'll come to pick you up. Don't move too much. You get lost easily."

"I know that!"

"..."

Her eyes darted around at the end, but Shuu, who was short on time, didn't pursue it further.

"Alright, don't get lost. I don't expect much, but don't get lost."

"Okay, I won't!"

"Then, do your best."

Shuu disappeared. The remaining Iris, without paying attention to the agitated surroundings, searched for a place to hide. She didn't need to hide her body, but the best place would be somewhere that wouldn't draw attention. There was a large cart nearby, so she hid behind it and cast her spell. The spell she was about to cast was a modified forbidden spell. She had restructured the forbidden spell into a three-dimensional magic array, making it more compact. Of course, Shuu had confirmed that it actually worked.

(Alright, manipulating pressure and temperature, moving electrons...)

She activated the magic arrays in sequence without incantation, stacking them to form a three-dimensional structure. Unlike traditional forbidden spells, the three-dimensional magic array was very compact. There was no massive magic array covering the sky, and it was stealthy. The vast magic power was also hidden by the magic power of the Ice Princess Palace, making it hard to detect. Even when unnatural dark clouds formed, no one found it suspicious. This was convenient for Iris.

(The coordinates are... over there.)

The forbidden spell she was about to cast had a relatively narrow range, which was unusual for a forbidden spell. However, it could still destroy a one-kilometer diameter area, so it was only narrow in comparison to other forbidden spells. This spell focused all its power on a specific area, delivering concentrated destructive power that rivaled divine spells. A white flash appeared in the dark clouds, followed by a delayed boom. Inside the cumulonimbus clouds created by magic, charging occurred, and a large amount of electrons accumulated. If the potential difference with the ground was sufficient, lightning would strike. However, this forbidden spell controlled the lightning, holding the electricity inside the cloud to the limit. Then, using a movement spell, it released the electricity all at once onto the ground. This was the eleventh-tier wind magic spell, a forbidden spell—

"—*Dragon Fang Thunder*!"

Far away, a pillar of light rose from the place where Iris felt the magic power of the Ice Princess Palace. It was a fleeting moment, but it was like a flash of lightning. Ten seconds later, the sound of thunder reached the revolutionary army.

◆◆◆

After parting ways with Iris, Shuu sank into the ground through spiritualization and moved to a distant location using acceleration magic. This was where the Ice Princess Palace was creating an ice army with magic, and Shuu appeared there boldly.

(The magic power of the awakened magic knight... it's this way.)

Shuu materialized and moved in the direction of the magic power. Of course, the ice soldiers attacked him, but Shuu ignored them and activated necromancy, draining their magic power and eliminating them. Without magic power, the magic knights disappeared, becoming nothing more than Shuu's sustenance. He planned to recover the magic power he gave to Iris through necromancy and continued to eliminate the ice soldiers one by one. With each step, dozens of soldiers disappeared. On the second step, even ice knights were eliminated. On the third and fourth steps, ice giants were eliminated.

(About time.)

Looking up, the sky was covered in dark clouds. The sunlight was replaced by the light of lightning, and it seemed like a thunderstorm was imminent. It was probably just before activation. Shuu spiritualized again. At the same time, *Dragon Fang Thunder* was activated. The destructive lightning, with the power of a forbidden spell, ravaged the ground centered around Shuu's path. *Dragon Fang Thunder* first struck a concentrated lightning bolt, and then the aftereffects spread over about a kilometer, capable of killing people even with the residual lightning. The center of the lightning strike produced joule heat that could vaporize parts of the ground.

This was the power of a forbidden spell, intentionally triggering and enhancing a natural phenomenon. Since it utilized natural phenomena, it was ineffective against spiritual creatures that had spiritualized. However, since forbidden spells were designed for human warfare, this was not a disadvantage. For Shuu, it meant the possibility of a self-destruct attack without injury.

(Despite using my magic power, Iris did a good job. I'll praise her later.)

He reminisced about the time they were chased by monsters in the Eldera Forest. Iris, who was once a failure, had grown to the point of casting forbidden spells. With her immortality and forbidden spell-level magic skills, she had the appropriate strength to be Shuu's partner.

(However, there are many mysterious aspects to Iris's magic knight abilities. She automatically recovers from injuries, doesn't age, and doesn't get sick. It's more like a regenerative ability than immortality...)

The abilities of a magic knight become clearer with use, but Shuu couldn't understand this feeling. Iris recognized her magic knight as immortal, but there was a regenerative ability that couldn't be explained by that alone. Perhaps there was a hidden essence to Iris that he suspected.

(Well, we'll see.)

The lightning was still on the ground, so he didn't materialize. He maintained his spiritual form and moved toward the center of *Dragon Fang Thunder*. As he approached the center, the ground changed. Trees were burning, causing a forest fire, and the grass was scorched and cleared away. Parts of the ground were glassified or melted, emitting a deep red light. This was an example of the power of lightning when mastered. Of course, the ice soldiers, which resembled a large army, were all shattered. From the fact that no new ice soldiers were being created, the state of the Ice Princess Palace could be inferred.

(There it is.)

The center was beautifully glassified. The ground probably melted from the lightning strike and was rapidly cooled by the ice from the Ice Princess Palace. Otherwise, it wouldn't have cooled and solidified in such a short time. At one spot on the ground, which emitted an eerie luster, a black, charred human-shaped mass lay.

Shuu approached and looked down.

(This is the awakened magic knight I was looking for. Still alive.)

"Ko... hyu..."

(What a waste of magic power. I'll take it and kill him.)

Even if left alone, the Ice Princess Palace would die. The ice palace and the Ice Princess Palace inside it were on the brink of death from the forbidden spell. They probably thought the attack wouldn't reach them. The carelessness of the Ice Princess Palace led to this result. Shuu materialized and crushed the charred body of the Ice Princess Palace. With that act, the oldest awakened magic knight of the Subarokia Empire breathed his last.

"Trivial."

The lightning had been absorbed into the ground. The remaining scene was a burning forest, scorched and melted ground, and one dead body. The Ice Princess Palace probably didn't expect the revolutionary army to use a forbidden spell, let alone on a single target. This was both carelessness and a lack of understanding. The revolutionary army, and especially the faction allied with the Death King, were underestimated.

The information-gathering ability of 'Hawk Eye,' the magic of Iris, and the combat ability of the Death King Shuu Arkwright. Despite being only three, they were agile and powerful. Whether against individuals or nations, these three could destroy them in various ways. Their weakness in control could be mitigated by manipulating others through 'Hawk Eye's' information manipulation.

The 'King' of monsters, the witch who manipulates forbidden spells, and the awakened magic knight skilled in information gathering. With these three, nothing was impossible.

"The magic power from the forbidden spell was recovered without issue. As expected of an awakened magic knight... the magic power gained is on a different level."

I feel like I'm close to evolving, but it's still not enough. At this level, evolution is still far away.

"Well..."

Shuu looked behind him. There, a black knight oozing darkness had appeared.

"There are two more, right?"

The awakened magic knights in this battlefield were not just the Ice Princess Palace. The Truth of All Things and the Black Blade of Yama were also present. If the main force of the revolutionary army were eliminated, this historic rebellion would come to an end. It makes sense that the three awakened magic knights are together. And by easily slaying the Ice Princess Palace, Shuu has probably raised their guard.

"Let's start with you... or rather, a puppet created by a servant-type magic knight?"

The black knight, resembling a demon, silently attacked Shuu.