Chapter 161: Chapter 161. Going to War (1)

After forming an alliance with the barbarians, the Starling Party descended Mt. Calcarus with a light heart. Luckily, unlike when they were climbing the mountains, they were able to descend easily with Yuria’s guidance.

“This is the city you were talking about.”

The city that they arrived at per Desir’s request was Pirium, a barbarian city located below Mt. Calcarus.

It was an area open to other countries as well, which explained the numerous foreigners that mingled in the streets.

The barbarians sold goods like durable stone handicrafts and ores of high quality, so many merchants frequented the area.

“Thank you for the guidance, Yuria.” “Then I’ll see you later on the battlefield.”

Yuria bid the Starling Party farewell and went her own way.

Pram examined the city as he spoke.

“But unlike what we’ve heard, it’s not that lively.”

As he said, the mood was oddly somber. This was another side effect of the war between the Allied Forces and the Outsiders.

“Go ahead, rest at the inn. I’ll go report on the completion of our mission.”

The place Desir headed to was the embassy of the Hebrion Empire. As the only barbarian city open to other countries, each nation had their own embassy within the city walls.

At the embassy, Desir verified his identity with his gold plaque and used the embassy’s communication device to contact Hersaint-Blanc.

“Seven thousand barbarian soldiers that can be mobilized. And all of them are skilled enough to be knights?”

The news of their successful alliance with the barbarians had excited Hersaint-Blanc greatly. “That much power alone is equivalent to an entire flank of the troops provided by the Western Kingdom Union. It’s beyond my expectations.”

“How is the current situation?”

At Desir’s question, Hersaint-Blanc murmured to himself. “I can’t say it’s too good.”

He continued speaking.

After the battle between Zod Exarion and the homunculus, now known as the Battle of Lagrium, the commanders of the Allied Forces determined that the war would enter a lull. Everything seemed to point to that being the truth. That is, until the Outsiders took advantage of the situation and launched an unexpected attack on the Allied Forces.

Normally, to launch such an attack while being so severely outnumbered, would be to hand victory to your enemies. But the reason they carried out the attack was simple.

The homunculus had returned to the front lines.

“It went exactly according to your party’s observations in the Shadow World. The homunculus’s recovery was truly extraordinary. It should have been completely destroyed during its fight against the Master of the Magic Tower, yet it had already made a full recovery and rejoined the front lines.”

Desir’s face hardened. The homunculus’s extraordinary regenerative power was something he was already well aware of.

However, its speed was beyond his expectation.

“Having experienced the full brunt of its power once, the Allied Forces have established a Special Forces unit to eliminate it, but they’re already busy just trying to keep it in check.” “It would be hard to stand up to it unless we’re as strong as Zod.”

The mere presence of the homunculus was enough to force opponents to change their strategy, and it alone had the power to turn the situation upside down.

However, the homunculus was by no means an invincible creature.

The Allied Forces, composed of the strongest forces on the continent, weren’t weak enough to collapse due to a single being.

Confirming that the alliance between the Western Kingdom Union and Hebrion Empire was progressing rather smoothly, Desir determined that the current situation wasn’t too terrible. “You should hurry up and take your party and join the ranks at the Lagrium Plains as well.”

“I understand.” *Beep*

With that, their communications ended.

Having finished his report, Desir located the inn using his communication bracelet and left the embassy.

When he arrived at the inn, Pram was waiting for him outside. “How was it?”

Seeing Desir approach, Pram ran up to him like a puppy and greeted him. Seeing Pram act cutely like always, Desir let out a smile, but it was no time to be chatting casually.

“Pram, could you call the others over?”

Sensing the concern within Desir’s tone, Pram hurried to call the other party members over. Once everyone had arrived, Desir started recounting the news he had heard; that the situation wasn’t very good, and that the Starling Party would have to join the war effort.

When he finished talking, the air felt heavy with tension. Feeling anxious was only natural. Regardless of how many battles they had undertaken in the Shadow Worlds, the weight that the term ‘war’ held was something entirely different.

But no one was scared.

Riled up, Romantica spoke energetically.

“Wars disgust me, but if my opponents are the Outsiders, I’ll do whatever I need to. I won’t let them get away with something like ‘that’ again.”

Desir, Adjest, and Pram knew immediately what she was talking about.

Last summer, the Outsiders had committed an act of terrorism on a grand scale in Deltaheim, the capital of Prillecha. Romantica’s hometown.

As a result, the city had been destroyed, and many lives had been lost. The shock she must have felt at the time would be indescribable.

Adjest agreed with her opinion.

“The Outsiders’ indiscriminative terrorism is unforgivable.”

The Outsiders had also manipulated the Hebrion Academy’s Party Competition, aiming to eliminate as many parties as possible, each filled with all of the young promising talent in the Empire. Through that incident, several students had lost their lives.

They were more than likely to continue carrying out such indiscriminate acts of terrorism. Pram too had something to add.

“If we’re able to prevent future damage by stopping them, I think that we must fight too.” Everyone was in agreement. Then there was no reason to hesitate.

Desir nodded.

“Let’s end this war as soon as possible.”

* * *

A bathtub filled to the brim with red blood.

Walls of black blood, blood that had long since dried and lost its original color.

In the room decorated with splattered red and black blood, a man sat in the corner.

He had a gag in his mouth, and his limbs were tied down with ropes to prevent him from moving.

His eyes were full of fear.

And next to him stood a woman wearing a mask embellished with feathers and jewels. The mask covered more than half of her face, yet her beauty still spilled out.

Unlike the man who was frozen in terror, she was far too calm. Despite being in a room that would scare anyone, she looked comfortable, as if she were at home.

Feather Mask smiled lightly as she approached the man. Her smiling lips overflowed with sensuality.

“How long will you hold out?” *Splatter*

Blood gushed out from the slit drawn on the man’s throat. He widened his eyes in agony. “Mmph! MMMHPHH!”

“Don’t get too scared. I won’t kill you that easily.”

In Feather Mask’s hand was a dagger dripping with fresh blood. She laughed as the man struggled.

“No need to think of it as a waste. Your blood will be valued greatly.”

Feather Mask bent down and licked the blood that flowed down the man’s throat.

“MMMMPH!”

Her lips, once very captivating, terrified him as they were stained with blood.

The man only stopped breathing once he had bled so much that the carpet couldn’t soak up any more.

Her eyes that had been filled with so much excitement just moments ago went dull. As she wallowed in disappointment, someone opened the door and entered.

It was a man with a muscular body.

He was Mountain King Raden, the leader of a group of bandits that had conquered the five mountains in the central area of the continent. A man who had reached Bishop Class.

The moment he saw the state of the room, he frowned. “I got a call from Crow Mask.”

“You did?”

Feather Mask followed Raden to the hallway.

They were located in an ancient castle that was originally built by the previous kingdom to fight against the barbarians.

As the war ended, the castle became useless and was now being used as the Outsiders’ base.

It was when they had been walking for some time, Raden looked at the bloodstain on Feather Mask’s shoulder as he spoke.

“How about you stop that disgusting hobby of yours?”

“Why? It’s just some light entertainment before the battle begins. Can’t I even do that?” “You’re going too far. I’m tired of sacrificing my men for that perverted hobby of yours.” Forty-five people.

That was the number of people Feather Mask had sacrificed in the past week.

In order to satisfy her needs, Raden had handed her captives, deserted underlings, and even innocent men when that wasn’t enough.

Feather Mask’s brutal indulgences were enough to make even her allies sick. “Don’t you dare insult my artwork.”

“Art? Please, give me-”

In an instant, the nigh-unbearable thick scent of bloodlust wafted off from Feather Mask. Raden felt as though his whole body was being squeezed.

Beneath the mask decorated with feathers and jewels, an alluring smile blossomed.

“You should be grateful I’m not feasting on you. If I didn’t restrain myself to these small-scale splurges, I would’ve woven your intestines into ribbons and decorated this castle weeks ago.” Feather Mask turned back to the front.

*Thud*

Once the pressure around his body ceased, he subconsciously fell to his knees.

Feather Mask ignored Raden and climbed the stairs as he still lay on the floor in shock, his body unresponsive after experiencing the skill difference between them first-hand.

A communication came through, connecting to one of the top rooms of the castle. [-How’s life in that place?]

It was Crow Mask’s voice.

“How much longer do we have to do this? Holding the fort is suffocating. This job doesn’t suit me at all.”

[-It’ll be over soon. Are things going as planned?]

“They’re all moving like you said. There’s nothing that will interfere with the plan.”

Crow Mask’s plan was extensive yet detailed. Feather Mask admitted that his resourcefulness was a trait that required acknowledgement.

“But you wouldn’t call just to tell me that, so why did you call me this time?” [-To tell you that now that the time is ripe, you’re free to run wild.]

At those words, Feather Mask’s lips drew into a thin line. “I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”