Chapter 316: The Demon Race's Old Genius (Patreon)

"I wonder if the King will be all right, facing several hundred thousand troops all by himself."

Then Qual shook his head. The King's magic had nearly reached the realm of the divine. Qual prided himself on being the Demon Race's magical genius, yet the moment he had laid eyes on the King, he'd been left feeling dim by comparison.

"Lord Qual, this weapon can only be used six times per person? What happens if I use it once more?"

A young soldier stepped up boldly.

This staff-like weapon let ordinary people with scant Mana unleash Killing Magic, strong enough to pierce armor with ease and kill in a single blow.

As for mages who knew Defensive Magic, one hit might not kill them, but a few more could well finish the job.

The magic weapon also cast at tremendous speed, no slower than a first-rate mage.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"No. There are things more terrifying than death. I want to protect Gaderia!"

Looking into the young man's shining eyes, Qual slowly closed his sharp-fanged mouth. He had meant to scare the young human, but the answer caught him off guard.

"I've killed countless humans in the past. Human lives aren't worth mentioning in my eyes. This weapon is something this old one handed you for the sake of an experiment. Aren't you afraid of me?"

He narrowed his eyes, and a naturally savage aura poured off him.

"I don't know what Lord Qual was like before, but in your decades here in Gaderia, you've invented so many useful magic tools and done great service protecting it. You're a good man worthy of respect... uh, no, a good Demon?"

The young man scratched his head. He'd loved playing in the Demon Special Zone since he was a boy and had watched Qual many times. In his mind, Qual was a venerable but strict old elder.

"Heh... hahahahahahaha!"

Qual usually laughed out loud only when his magic research bore fruit. Now this human had made him laugh.

Macht hadn't been wrong. Humans really were interesting.

"Um, Lord Qual, I'm afraid of dying. If I use this weapon seven or eight times, will it affect my body?"

Another young soldier stepped up, and the first one shot him a dirty look.

"When a human body uses this weapon, it dies from blood loss in the end. Past six uses, every additional shot is dangerous, depending on your constitution. The lucky ones who stop in time just lie in bed for a few months. The unlucky ones die on the spot."

Qual wasn't exaggerating.

Jane's Immortality Magic was unusual. Only Jane's special constitution could use it. Qual had tried to analyze and replicate it, but his body couldn't withstand the regenerative force of Immortality Magic, and he'd nearly been blown apart by his own swelling Mana.

This weapon was modeled on Jane's Immortality Magic. It drew Mana out of the user's body and blood and output it as Killing Magic.

Can't use magic? No problem. No Hero's physique? No problem. No Holy Power? Also no problem. Pick up this newly invented magic weapon, and anyone can unleash Killing Magic.

The price was merely a small withdrawal from one's lifespan.

"Enough. Know your limits. All you need to do is make sure you don't die, and we win. Because this old one will kill every last enemy. Not one will be left alive!"

Having said his piece, Qual led the troops forward.

Once more his mouth split into a grin full of sharp fangs, and his narrowed eyes curved into crescent moons.

He couldn't say why, but Qual was especially eager for this magic experiment.

Behind him marched one thousand veteran soldiers of Gaderia, one thousand elite knights, and one thousand Demon Race soldiers. A good part of Gaderia's entire strength was gathered here.

They advanced with solemn resolve.

*

"Lord Earl, we won't run into that scourge Qual on the eastern front, will we? I can't imagine how he broke the seal and then hid himself away in a backwater like this."

A young noble spoke to the old man beside him.

"Qual really is terrifying. In barely a year, he smashed through the central region and fought all the way to the border of the Southern Kingdom, killing countless people. No unit, however elite, could stand against his magic. I remember the country next to ours was destroyed because it tried to block him."

A noble dressed in the style of a different country nodded. He had witnessed that great battle, and that devil, with his own eyes.

"Don't worry, Baron. Qual is Gaderia's main fighting force. He's sure to appear on the southern front. Let 'Lord Hero' worry about him."

The old Earl waved a hand.

"Right. Gaderia probably has some elite fighters on the eastern front too, maybe even Demon Race, but our four hundred thousand troops are all elite. There's nothing to fear. With Gaderia's strength, they can field a few tens of thousands at the very most. We could bury them just by piling on bodies, and there'd be credit enough for everyone. Even if Gaderia proves too fierce, we can pull back in time. The blame for losing the war will land on that commoner Hero anyway."

Another middle-aged noble chimed in, his words brimming with the confidence of a man who had everything under control.

"Relax. It's absolutely impossible. If we really do run into him, I'll swallow this sword right here."

The last noble, the one in command, patted the jewel-studded sword at his waist.

"My lords, disaster! Something terrible has happened!"

A knight pushed through the crowd to the four nobles. His face was twisted with panic, and sweat kept rolling down his temples.

"What is it? Stop babbling and report!"

The middle-aged noble frowned. He had a bad feeling.

"It's... Q-Qual... Qual! The Sage of Corruption! Qual is here!"

The knight had barely finished speaking when turmoil broke out at the front of the column. Battle cries rang out all at once.

"What?! How is that possible? Isn't he supposed to be on the southern front? What about Gaderia's main force?"

The noble glanced at the sword in his hand and swallowed.

"Prepare to meet them! Don't be afraid! Send the mages forward! The mages of every nation have already analyzed and cracked Qual's Killing Magic. As long as we have Defensive Magic, his spells are nothing to fear. The Sage of Corruption is just a legend this age has left behind!"

The old Earl's words settled everyone's nerves at once. To deal with the Demon Race, they had brought plenty of mages along with the army.

Of the mages who had been guarding the nobles, only about a dozen stayed behind. The rest rode off at a gallop toward the front.

"Qual broke the seal so many years ago... there won't be any surprises, will there?"

The Baron let his worry slip out and hurriedly clapped a hand over his own jinxing mouth.

Luckily the other nobles were busy giving orders, and no one noticed.