383 Death Mage V13 Chapter 310

Chapter 310
In the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, the Knight of Roaring Flames has fallen


For Rudel Sauron, who had become the new Duke Sauron, the biggest threat among the dangers that threatened him was the horde of powerful undead residing in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory.

He had reclaimed their territory from the Amid Empire. Among his siblings who were competing to become the duke were his two younger brothers and his younger sister. He dealt with his younger brothers by having their ‘fangs’ removed. Even if there were some of their ‘fangs’ left, there would be not a single person left in the homeland who would remain loyal to his younger brothers.

On the other hand, his illegitimate younger sister continued to resist, but she was too weak to pose a significant threat. Rudel and his subordinates deemed it better to leave her be and use her as bait to see if anyone would approach and exploit her.

The state of security, finances, and military affairs within the territory were full of problems. Regarding security, one of Rudel's subordinates argued that theirs was better than the Alcrem Duchy, where even nobles had been killed by the ‘Face-tearing Demon’, and they had difficulties capturing him. However, Rudel couldn't help but to scold that subordinate for forgetting that when the entire population of a village went missing, they couldn’t find a single clue, let alone catch the culprit.

The financial problems went without saying. They had just reclaimed the territories back from the Amid Empire, and had to repay debts to other Duke houses for assisting in the reconstruction efforts, as well as to the Elected King's territory.

Certainly, they couldn’t afford to be crushed by the problems of the Sauron Duchy, as they are already burdened with debt. If they had to cut even their defense budget as a result, it would be far from desirable, as it would make them vulnerable to being reoccupied by the Amid Empire.


Until the repayment is made, the other duchies always have to be considerate of the situation the other party is facing, which is politically challenging.

The defense situation they were facing was also challenging because Sauron Duchy was once occupied by the Amid Empire. During that battle, most of their formidable forces... such as George Bearhart, who was capable of matching the likes of the ‘Alcrem Five Knights’, were killed.

Certainly, countless ordinary knights and soldiers had also been sacrificed. Over a decade had passed since the occupation, and it had only been a few years since its liberation, making it difficult to fully regain their original military strength. They were currently managing somehow with the assistance and dispatch of forces from other duchies and the Elected King's territory.

While these problems could threaten Rudel's rule if mishandled, they were problems that could be resolved if handled correctly. Moreover, other duchies also faced similar problems, albeit to varying degrees.

Hence, the greatest threat was the issue regarding the former Scylla Autonomous Territory. The undead horde that swarmed the territory had never overflowed beyond it before. It’s an unusual situation, unlike regular Devil Nests or dungeons.

If there is no way to thin out their numbers and the monsters continue to increase, they would eventually run rampant regardless of it being in Devil Nests or dungeons. Apart from intelligent ones, the undead who only harbor hatred for the living would go on a rampage attacking nearby settlements and increasing their numbers.

Conversely, the fact that such incidents have not occurred implied that the former Scylla Autonomous Territory is not a normal Devil Nest... It is protected by a powerful army of Undead controlled by someone's will.

If it was the former, the territory's size was currently containing the monsters’ proliferation. However, it is uncertain whether it will happen in a few years or decades, but it would undoubtedly overflow and attack human settlements eventually. That included the ‘Reaper of the Former Scylla Autonomous Territory’ as well.

If it's the latter, the intentions of the person that is somehow commanding or controlling the Undead remain unclear. Though uncertain, the person doesn’t seem to be friendly towards Duke Rudel Sauron’s side.

However, Rudel had an idea regarding their existence.

They were the resistance led by the ‘Liberating Princess Knight’ who Rudel had denied their achievements and tried to erase from history, and the Scyllas, who had disappeared with no confirmation.

Additionally, there was Darcia, a dark elf who could descend upon herself Vida's familiar spirit (probably the first person in history to ever do so), who had appeared in the Alcrem Duchy. Her son, Vandalieu, was confirmed to have tamed a Scylla. Rudel and his subordinates considered whether this mother and child were related to the person controlling the undead in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory.

It is a known legend that the three Vampire leaders serving the ‘Evil God of Joyful Life’ Hihiryushukaka, could control the undead. Considering that, it seemed natural to suspect that Vandalieu, a Dhampir, was involved.

Furthermore, although it appeared that Duke Alcrem had taken in Vandalieu and his mother Darcia, Rudel and his subordinates suspect that Duke Alcrem was not merely accommodating them but actually collaborating with them. They suspected that Duke Alcrem was granting Vandalieu and his companions a public position, supporting them openly, while Vandalieu and his companions would accumulate power in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory and eventually pose a threat to Duke Sauron’s household.

In the future, he would aim to seize control of the entire Sauron Duchy. He would do so by crushing the military forces of the Duke Sauron's household using the Undead army, and also provoking an attack from the Amid Empire's forces.

At the opportune moment, Alcrem Duchy would release a statement saying, "Under such conditions, we cannot entrust the Sauron Duchy, which serves as the defense of the Orbaume Kingdom!" and simultaneously dispatch their forces. They would push back the Amid Empire's forces and subsequently occupy the Sauron Duchy.

Was such a thing really possible? With the strength of Duke Alcrem’s forces, which were located inland and were considered to be less formidable than the Duke Sauron’s forces?

Rudel and his subordinates believed it was possible. If Vandalieu and his companions were controlling the undead army, they could let them clash with the forces of the Amid Empire, exhausting and weakening them. Then, they could make the undead army retreat and let Duke Alcrem’s forces finish them off, making it seem like the Duke Alcrem’s forces had "subjugated" them.

Certainly, it is possible, but it would be quite a reckless move. It was hard to imagine that the people of the Sauron Duchy, who would be occupied by the Duke Alcrem's forces as a result, as well as the other Duke families, and Prime Minister Telkatanis and Military Lord Dolmad of the Elected King's territory, would allow it.

Normally, if it were to happen, the Sauron Duchy would be reduced to some extent, and the Alcrem Duchy would gain a certain percentage of their territory.

However, that is where Honorary Countess Darcia Zakkart comes in. If she were to be at the forefront of Duke Alcrem’s forces, the people of Sauron Duchy might raise their hands in welcome, thinking, "We were about to be occupied by the Amid Empire for the second time under Duke Sauron’s rule, but the Goddess came to save us. She should replace the feeble Duke Sauron instead."

As for the other nobles, they could be convinced that the Alcrem Duchy was not absorbing the Sauron Duchy but rather establishing a new house.

Through generations of political marriages among the Duke families, the members of the twelve Duke families of the Orbaume Kingdom also have the blood of other Duke families flowing within them.

Therefore, they could send the second or third son of Takkard Alcrem as the new Duke Sauron, along with their retainers, under the pretext of establishing a new noble house.

If Duke Alcrem were to use Rudel’s illegitimate younger sister as his legal wife, the Duke Sauron family can still maintain its appearance even without Rudel. And if he marries Darcia Zakkart, the Honorary Countess, as his second wife, the people will likely accept it. Other Duke families and the Prime Minister are also likely to publicly acknowledge it.

Since Darcia is the second wife, Vandalieu won't be directly involved in governing the territory. However, in reality, it will be the mother and child who will wield power in the Sauron Duchy, along with the Dark Elves and the Ghoul clans.

Duke Alcrem would probably believe that he would be able to form a strong alliance partner as a result and use that to aim to win in the next Elected King election.

Fearing the existence of such a grand conspiracy (unfounded), Rudel sought to gather information about Vandalieu and Duke Alcrem while advancing the investigation of the former Scylla Autonomous Territory.

However, no information could be gathered. And after more than nine months had passed since Vandalieu appeared in the Alcrem Duchy, the situation changed.

It wasn't because there were movements from the enemy country or due to a conspiracy plotted by his political opponents. It was because of the voices of the people in Sauron Duchy ruled by Rudel, and the complaints from those who were not aware of the situation, such as temple officials, military personnel, and civil officials with lower status... It was due to public opinion.

Originally, Sauron Duchy was a country that had a strong faith in Vida. To such people, the appearance of a great saint who achieved a great feat that would remain in history by descending Vida's familiar spirit and saving the city of Morksi, as well as sealing the revived evil god in Alcrem (supposedly), caused a great commotion.

People praised Honorary Countess Darcia Zakkart as the Saintess, Vida's Incarnation, and the Great Holy Mother. They flocked to the Church of Vida more than usual and offered prayers.

The officials of the Church of Vida tried to send letters and messengers to the church in Alcrem Duchy, hoping that Darcia could visit the Sauron Duchy.

Nobles governing territories in the countryside, knights who were unaware of the situation, and bureaucrats also requested Darcia's visit. The mere presence of a hero would make the people happy and alleviate their daily dissatisfaction. It would stimulate the economy and boost the morale of the soldiers, so there was no reason for them to oppose it.

Until now, Rudel had been finding various reasons to delay such movements. However, there were limits to how much he could delay. Yet, no information about Vandalieu had been gathered, and the investigation of the former Scylla Autonomous Territory did not progress at all. Naturally, no evidence was found to prove that he was working with Duke Alcrem.

Conversely, despite several months passing since Vandalieu's appearance, there had been no movement in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, and there was no suspicious information regarding him either.

Faced with the need to make a decision, Rudel decided to request the participation of Darcia and Vandalieu in the operation to recapture the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, a plan that had been underway for some time through Duke Alcrem.

And as a result of his request, Duke Alcrem declined, but he instead dispatched two members, ‘Knight of Roaring Flames’ Bravatiyu and ‘Knight of Thousand Blades’ Baldiria, even though they were supposed to be valuable forces from the ‘Alcrem Five Knights’ who currently had only four members, along with their elite subordinates.

This made Rudel and his subordinates bewildered, thinking “Does Duke Alcrem really had nothing to do with the former Scylla Autonomous Territory after all?” However, they remained wary, considering the possibility they might be connected behind the scenes, and the battle was intended to diminish the strength of other Duke families, especially for Duke Sauron.

Yet, without being able to identify the sources of information or gather solid evidence, the battle had already begun.





Meanwhile, Bravatiyu, Baldiria, and their subordinates who were dispatched, understood the suspicions that Rudel and Duke Sauron harbored.

Because of that, they refrained from engaging in any suspicious activities such as searching for confidential information or manipulating their operation.

In the first place, Vandelieu, who was their ally, did not demand any spy-like actions from them in the first place.

"...Simply informing them of what we know is enough. I almost suspected that if they were not our allies, they would have intended to discard us."

Bravatiyu murmured, as those who joined the forces aiming to reclaim the former Scylla Autonomous Territory did nothing.

They did not investigate the intentions of Duke Sauron’s family or the other Duke families who were cooperating with the reclamation army. They made no conspicuous remarks during strategy meetings.

At most, they trained alongside knights from various Duke families and adventurers, engaging in mock battles and similar exercises.

Then, they conveyed the abilities, personalities, and fighting styles of the knights dispatched from other Duke families and the participating adventurers to Vandalieu's spy, the ‘Neck-Hunting Demon’ Sleygar.

Sleygar, the legendary assassin who was known as ‘King Slayer’  and was one of Amid Empire's ‘Fifteen Evil-Breaking Swords’ during his lifetime, had further honed his covert skills after becoming a zombie that ceased to breathe or have a pulse.

However, not a single person among the reclamation army realized their true intentions.

And thus, the battle... the plan for the farce was conveyed, leading up to the present moment.

The purpose of this farce was completely different from what Rudel Sauron suspects. It was to "inflict moderate damage on the reclamation army and prevent them from making further moves for a while." It was not about annihilating them, nor was it about significantly reducing their military power.

The reason why Vandalieu and his companions had been killing those who had invaded the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, whether it be the Amid Empire’s forces, mercenary groups, or private soldiers of nobles, was because they were enemies whose elimination would not pose a problem to the defense of the Orbaume Kingdom.

However, the reclamation army organized by Duke Sauron this time is composed mostly of the regular forces of the Orbaume Kingdom. If they were all annihilated, the military power of the Orbaume Kingdom would decrease, and the Amid Empire, which had recently changed its emperor, might start making its move.

As for Vandalieu himself, he has already given up on the Sauron Duchy and Hartner Duchy. While he has given up, he wants to avoid the Sauron Duchy, which shares a border with the Amid Empire, and the Hartner Duchy to the south from losing the war and being occupied as a result.

Besides, when the secret alliance with the Alcrem Duchy is revealed in the future, it would be inconvenient to be resented by the other Duke houses. While there is no need to build a good relationship with all the other Duke houses, it would be preferable to have a friendly or neutral relationship with about half of them.

"How about having the kid occupy the entire Sauron Duchy instead? We can turn the Boundary Mountain Range into golems and move them, enclosing Sauron Duchy inside the Boundary Mountain Range to physically block the Amid Empire off too."

"...If we continue to face similar situations in the future, we should consider that."

While Borkus and a Demon King Familiar were having such a conversation, the battle had already begun.

"Advance! Today, we will completely eradicate the undeads in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory!"

"Do not fear! The reason those who previously advanced were annihilated was only because they lacked the strength! In front of our reclamation army, the undeads are no match for us!"

The commanders of the reclamation army shouted encouraging words and issued commands to boost the morale of their soldiers. Without such efforts, the morale of the reclamation forces would have plummeted to the extreme.

"Oooooon!"

"Oooooooooh!"

"Oooooooooon!"

Standing before them was Knochen, the sole figure guarding the multiple layers of the boundary line in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory. However, his form was that of a massive army of skeletons.

The exact number of skeletons produced by Knochen was impossible for the soldiers of the reclamation army to count. There were possibly tens or even hundreds of times more of them compared to their own forces.

And it was not an exaggeration. In preparation for this occasion, Knochen had prepared hundreds of thousands of his skeleton fissions.

"Skeletons, Bone Animals... Is that a Phantom Bird? They are all Rank 3 or below, but... I've never seen such a massive horde before."

"I've seen dungeon outbreaks where nothing but undead appeared, but even that was much smaller in scale. No matter how weak they are..."

There was tension in the voices of adventurers who joined the reclamation army for various reasons, such as fame, allegiance to a Duke's house, or for the thrill of battle.

"They’re weaklings? You idiot, look closely. Those blood-red skeletons are Blood Beasts, and those dripping with poison over there are Rotten Beasts. They're all undeads that D-Class and below can't handle."

"Not only that, there are Chimera Skeletons and Ogre Skeletons in the back... There are also Living Armors and Zombies. Don't let your guard down!"

Bravatiyu and Baldiria spoke, urging caution. While their warnings didn't directly reach the entire reclamation army of over 10,000 soldiers, their words as the ‘Alcrem Five Knights’ carried weight and were relayed by those around them, including other officers and adventurers.

Moreover, there were knights and adventurers knowledgeable about undeads who had joined the reclamation army, so similar warnings were being issued in other locations as well.

In addition, Blood Beasts were the result of Knochen's fissions coated with red ink secreted from the Demon King's ink sacs. Rotten Beasts were simply Knochen's fissions that continuously exhaled small amounts of poison. Of course, the Chimera Skeletons and Ogre Skeletons were also Knochen's fissions as well.

However, the Living Armors and Zombies...

"Ooaah!"

"Oooooon!"

Those were the Demon King Familiars. The Living Armors were controlled by small Demon King Familiars manipulating the armor with the Demon King's fur like threads, and the Zombies were Demon King Familiars that disguised themselves by decomposing using the Demon King’s scent glands and ink sacs.

"Juooo, my lords, try to be quieter or we'll be found out."

Bone Man couldn't help but give a warning as their acting skills were rather lacking.

"Is the reason why there are so few Zombies left is because no one has challenged the former Scylla Autonomous Territory for over half a year and had gathered strength?"

"...I guess so."

"Besides, the 'Reaper of the Former Scylla Autonomous Territory' hasn’t shown up yet."

There was a reason for why Vandalieu and the others were intentionally disguising the fact that there was a despairing gap in their military strength, disguising to the extent that "there is a difference in strength, but it's not to the point of despair."

If they were to demonstrate an overwhelmingly despairing difference in military strength, the humans of the Orbaume Kingdom might become overwhelmed with the thought that "If we don't deal with the undead horde in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, there is no future for our country!" So, they had done so to avoid such a situation.

As Rudel Sauron and others have thought, normal Devil Nests and dungeon monsters, including the undead, tend to run wild and overflow outside when their numbers grow too large. The Orbaume Kingdom feared that this would happen in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, engulfing not only Sauron Duchy but also other Duchies in the horde of Undead. The kingdom would be prepared to wage an all-out war to deal with such a situation, which would be quite inconvenient for Vandalieu and the others.

Therefore, even if the reclamation army couldn't fully reclaim the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, they would’ve dealt a considerable amount of damage to the undead. The goal for Vandalieu and the others was to make it so that the situation would be under control for a while, hopefully for several years, so as to give the people of the kingdom a peace of mind.

After the battle, there may still be an occasional small number of intruders such as adventurers or mercenaries, but they will be dealt with by the Knochen's fissions and repelled appropriately.

Therefore, they could not afford for the enemy to escape without putting up much of a fight.

"However, we can't just retreat without fighting. Full advance! Charge!"

With that, the wish of Vandalieu and the others seemed to come true. General Polbork of the Sauron Duchy, the commander of the reclamation army, made up his mind and gave the order to commence the battle.
With a battle cry, the soldiers, who had prepared magic swords and magic spears in anticipation of a battle against the undead, held their weapons aloft. The mages activated the enhancement magic on their weapons. Bravatiyu brandished his flaming magic sword where his name was derived from, while Baldiria took out her magic axe and led the knights to the frontlines.

"Ooooon!?"

As the soldiers and knights of the reclamation army swung their weapons, the fissions of Knochen disguised as low ranking undeads such as ordinary skeletons were severed and scattered into pieces.

"Oh! We can defeat them properly!"

"Of course! They're just weaklings. Don't get too excited!"

The soldiers and knights of the reclamation army were composed of elite individuals equivalent to D-Class adventurers who could defeat Rank 4 opponents on their own. Skeletons and Bone Animals were no match for them.

In reality, they were simply shattering the fissions created by Knochen made of weak bones. The main materials used were bones from weak criminals, and animals and low-ranking monsters consumed as food in the Demon Empire of Vidal and the red-light district in the city of Morksi.

"Ooooh."

"Use fire against the Zombies! Burn them with fire!"

The Demon King Familiars disguised as zombies were coated in oil made from the Demon King's fat, making them highly flammable. Once they caught fire, they would fall and remain motionless, pretending to be dead.

As for the Demon King Familiars disguised as Living Armor, when their armor was sufficiently damaged, the small-sized Demon King Familiars inside would retreat, leaving behind only the remains of the metal armor.

In this way, they created the perception among the soldiers of the reclamation army that they were "thinning out the undead to some extent."

"Juooooh!"

However, Vandelieu and the others must not underestimate their opponents, so they should still inflict some damage to them.

"This Skeleton is strong! My sword doesn’t work against it!?"

"C-Class and below won't even be a hindrance to it! We'll surround and defeat it with B-Class adventurers or higher!"

That was Bone Man's role, mixed among the ranks of Knochen.

"Juoooooooh!"

(Juoooh, now that I think about it, I've become quite strong myself.)

The swords and spears of the upper-class adventurers were too slow. The hammers that were swung down were too fragile. Bone Man had become so strong  to the point that it was difficult to have a proper battle with adventurers below A-class.

However, Bone Man did not intentionally kill the upper-class adventurers. He inflicted injuries severe enough that they could be fatal, but they too were seasoned veterans. Their bodies were sturdier than they appeared and had plenty of vitality. Unless their hearts or heads were pierced, or their necks severed, they wouldn't die immediately.

And once they sustained serious injuries, their comrades would follow and pull them back to provide healing. Those around Bone Man were capable of such support.

"Oooooon!"

"Juuuoooh!"

Certainly, Bone Man and Knochen didn’t have the acting ability to handle them gently like comforting a baby, ensuring that no one dies or gets seriously injured. Apart from the fissions of Knochen disguised as weak enemies, Knochen doesn't hold back much. He unleashed powerful attacks that can crush the bones of the arms even from above the shield if they hit.

Bone Man, too, swung his sword with the intention of piercing the opponents’ abdomens and chests and severing their limbs.

To ensure that there weren't too many casualties or individuals rendered permanently disabled, the Demon King Familiars, who continued to play dead, made adjustments.

They adjusted the direction of the flying limbs severed from slashing attacks with Telekinesis to allow them to be retrieved, and used ‘Death Delay’ on those fatally wounded to ensure that they could be treated in time.

(Ah, that one is fine. That one doesn't matter either. As for that one... there's no particular reason to let them die, so I guess I won't have to kill them.)

Based on the information from Bravatiyu and Baldiria, they selected adventurers, knights, and unruly mercenaries who were enthusiastic about hunting Vida's new races and abandoned them.

Vandalieu and the others didn't want to weaken the defense of the Orbaume Kingdom too much, or incur unnecessary grudges, so that’s why they were performing this farce. They didn’t intend to help even those they judged would have little impact on the defense or wouldn't cause significant resentment.

What was currently taking place was a deadly battle where Vandalieu and his companions, being overwhelmingly powerful, were arbitrarily holding back. Consequently, they could also choose not to hesitate to abandon others.

That being said however, they weren’t actively seeking to kill. Vandalieu and the others simply do nothing. If fortunate enough and possessing the wit to navigate out their predicament, one would probably survive.

"The quality is one thing, but there's no way to deal with such an overwhelming difference in numbers... I never imagined there were this many undeads infesting the former Scylla Autonomous Territory!"

General Polbork lamented the lack of information when a messenger informed him that not only Bone Man but also the soldiers who were surrounded and overwhelmed by Knochen's fissions, were desperately retreating.

"However, General Polbork, thanks to the efforts of the reclamation army, we have successfully defeated undeads in numbers several times greater than ours!"

At that moment, a mage dispatched from the Alcrem Duchy... a subordinate of the ‘Knight of Keen Insight’ Ralmeia, spoke up.

"Indeed... We should consider this successful thinning of the undeads as an achievement and strategically plan a retreat."

Subsequently, other officers and commanders dispatched from various Duchies also agreed.

While they were dispatched by each Duke in response to Duke Sauron's request, they had no intention of accompanying the reclamation army until death. If they had a chance of winning, they would fight with their lives on the line, but they had no desire to perish in a battle with no chance of success.

And within the few seconds of General Polbork wondering whether to retreat or not, the three individuals and a few others made their move.

"Uooooh! Come at me, you wretches who want death!"

With a roar that reverberated throughout the Boundary Mountain Range, exuding a bloodthirst that would make even the fearless tremble, the 'Reaper of the Former Scylla Autonomous Territory' appeared.

"I-it’s the Reaper! The 'Reaper of the Former Scylla Autonomous Territory' has appeared!"

"Don't panic! Maintain formation and respond with long-range attacks using arrows and magic while the heavily armored knights hold their ground!"

"It won't work! His black armor cannot be pierced by half-baked magic!"

For Borkus, who had emerged victorious in battles against demi-gods equivalent to Rank 13 and above, enemies equivalent to B-Class adventurers or lower were no match for him. They were fragile beings that would be blown away like pebbles with a casual swing of his arms and legs.

Ordinary arrows and offensive magic would not penetrate the armor made from the Demon King fragments. Even if, by some stroke of luck, they managed to pierce through a gap in the armor, for Borkus, it would be akin to being lightly poked by a needle. It would be more itchy than painful.

And with a mere charge, the heavily armored knights were repelled and sent tumbling like balls.

"Messenger! The Knight of Roaring Flames, Bravatiyu-sama, has been slain!"

"What!?"

Adding another blow to the retreating reclamation army was the news that Bravatiyu, one of the 'Alcrem Five Knights' and a skilled fighter equivalent to an A-Class adventurer, had fallen in battle.

"He valiantly sacrificed himself to buy time for the adventurers to retreat from that particularly powerful Skeleton... In the end, he was pierced through the center of his chest, meeting a magnificent demise!"

"No way... the 'Knight of Roaring Flames' is...!"

Ralmeia's subordinate mage showcased their acting skills to the fullest, their expression filled with a mixture of grief and anger.

"The Reaper is currently engaged with Baldiria-sama, who has activated her Transformation Equipment, and is somehow managing to hold him back!"

"...General, we implore you to make a decision!"

Upon receiving the report from the messenger who rushed in and the advice from Ralmeia's subordinate mage, General Polbork finally made a decision.

"All troops retreat! The rearguard will be composed of the criminal slaves, accompanied by Duke Sauron forces! Head over to rescue Baldiria-sama!"

And thus the battle of the reclamation army for the former Scylla Autonomous Territory came to an end. The number of casualties and missing persons was surprisingly low, with just over a hundred, considering that an army of over ten thousand was defeated. However, there were thousands severely wounded, and hundreds with their limbs severed and were unable to recover unless expensive potions and intricate healing magic are used to reattach them.

Additionally, the news that the ‘Knight of Roaring Flames’ Bravatiyu had fallen in battle shook the various Duke households.

While some praised General Polbork for suppressing the dead and bringing back valuable information from the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, others attributed the success to the competence of the soldiers and believed it wasn't solely due to General Polbork's abilities.

As a result of this battle, Duke Sauron obtained a small amount of (albeit disguised) information about the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, and was able to thin out tens of thousands of Undead (albeit it was meaningless). However, the cost came in the form of further debts owed to the various Duke households, which diminished General Polbork's reputation.

Duke Alcrem had lost Bravatiyu, and Baldiria had both arms severed and was forced to undergo long-term medical treatment before returning to duty. Nevertheless, their valiant efforts were lauded by the officers and soldiers who participated in the reclamation army, completely changing the perception of the Duke Alcrem’s forces, which had previously been mocked as a gathering of weaklings skilled only in financial matters.

Additionally, the performance of Baldiria's Transformation Equipment in her battle with the Reaper became known among the various Duchies.





“...Being impaled through the heart is indeed a painfully excruciating experience," Bravatiyu expressed his thoughts as he placed his hand over the left hole in his armor where Bone Man's sword had pierced his chest.

"Decapitation would have been less painful, but even my lord’s magic would only last for about an hour. So, I chose the heart," Bone Man explained.

"Your ‘Death Delay’ magic... It's more formidable than mediocre healing magic. However, is it necessary for you to keep the sword stuck in me after impaling me? It feels like my bones are being scraped, and that was the most painful moment."

"Juu, I had to appeal to the fact that I killed you. Please don’t complain."

Bravatiyu, who was officially recorded as having died in battle, was, of course, not dead. A nearby Demon King Familiar casted 'Death Delay' on him, and Bone Man subsequently pierced his heart with his sword while he remained in that condition.

From an outsider's perspective, it would seem like a fatal wound, and seeing Bravatiyu motionless, it would be natural to assume that he had been slain. But in reality, things were different.

Now all that remained was waiting for the reclamation army to complete their retreat, and then treating Bravatiyu with a Blood Potion to restore him back to normal.

"With this, our Duke Alcrem has a valid excuse to decline any further requests for reinforcements from Duke Sauron. I am grateful. However, to see Baldiria dress up in such a peculiar attire..."

"I, who designed the Equipment that you call ‘peculiar’, will now  cast a spell on you, okay?"

"Ugh! My apologies! But Baldiria also resisted, saying that she shouldn't be dressing like a young girl, especially in front of her subordinate knights!"

"But she changed her mind when Mom recommended it."

While saying so, the Demon King Familiar moved closer toward Brabatieu. From the shadows spreading at its feet, Vandalieu’s main body emerged. rising from the ground, while a chunk of meat floating in midair… Legion appeared alongside him.

"Now, it's time for the Youth Transformation and the plastic surgery we discussed."

"From now on, you will be reborn as Bravatiyu's secret child, Bravatiyu Jr., as agreed before."

As Bravatiyu was officially declared deceased, in the event of an emergency in the Alcrem Duchy, assuming his true identity again would not allow him to act. Thus, he would undergo a rejuvenation, transforming from a man in his sixties to a young man in his twenties, and return to Alcrem Duchy and carry on his role as the supposed offspring of the previous Knight of Roaring Flames.

Duke Takkard Alcrem, the other Five Knights, their direct subordinates, and even his family are aware of this matter.

"But are you really able to make me younger? You're not planning to deceive me, are you... Ahhh!"

"Yeah yeah. The time for my examination is soon, so I'll make it quick."

"If you doubt me too much, shall I give you extra eyes or noses?"

And so, Bravatiyu regained his youthful twenty-year old body with the help of Vandalieu and Legion's Isis.

"Being alive is harder than I thought."

"Juu. We are glad to have died."

"Oooon."





Some time had passed since the battle in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory and Bravatiyu's surgery. In the territory of the Elected King of the Orbaume Kingdom, located in Orbaume, the capital city, an examination was taking place at the gate.

This examination was conducted to ensure that tamers entering the city for the first time had properly trained their tamed monsters. Even if they are a renowned tamer with achievements in other Duchies and had a parent who was an Honorary Noble, they cannot be exempted.

"A-are you really sure about this?"

The guard was about to lightly hit what appeared to be a half-naked beautiful woman that is actually a monster. At first glance, it was hard to believe that they were monsters.

Her appearance looked like it had been just a few years since she had entered their thirties. Some might consider her to be old, but as a guard, it was the age he preferred. She possessed a radiance that teenage girls lacked, a voluptuous figure without being overweight or saggy. Her facial features were of top class beauty among all the women he has ever seen.

If he had seen her in a brothel, he might have cut back on his living expenses to go for her.

"You can do ittt."

However, her skin was neither white nor black, but green. And instead of wearing clothes, she covered their body with leaves of plants. Additionally, there were tree branches growing from her back.

She was Eisen, a plant-type monster.

When it came to plant-type monsters, unlike insect-type or undead monsters, it was possible for tamers to tame them, but the difficulty level was significantly higher compared to other types of monsters. This was especially true even for monsters of high intelligence.

However, that tamer insisted that he was ‘taming’ her, and in fact, Eisen obediently followed his instructions.

Even while waiting in line for the examination, she did not cause any trouble. She did not frighten other merchants or travelers... Perhaps they simply believed that Eisen was not a monster, but a human with an unusual appearance.

Besides, even if the tamer is a young child of an honorary noble, he would still have to undergo the examination. However, on the contrary, there is no law stating that the guards can refuse a request for an examination, saying, "We won't conduct the examination because taming plant-type monsters is commonly considered extremely difficult!"

In the first place, what is commonly considered "common sense" is not always necessarily correct. In the Alcrem Duchy, it seems that there have been reforms progressing where Ghouls, commonly considered monsters, are now recognized as part of Vida's new races.

Therefore, as a guard, he didn't have any objections to conducting this examination.

However, the problem was...

"Are you really really sure about this?"

Behind him, there was a young tamer boy exuding a tremendous amount of bloodthirst.

"It's okay! We'll hold him down, so hurry!"

"Uooooh! Take this! My strength!"

"Don't worry about us! Just hurry!"

In response to the desperate pleas of Darcia, Simon, and Miriam, who were restraining the boy, Vandalieu, the guard, lightly, very lightly, jabbed Eisen.

It should be noted that all the other guards, except for him, had fainted due to the bloodthirst emitted by Vandalieu. Although he wished he had fainted as well, his punch did not inflict any pain on Eisen, and the examination was successfully completed.





Name: Bone Man
Rank: 14
Race: Skeleton Blade High Kaiser
Level: 85
Title: Roaring Flame Slayer (NEW!)

Passive Skills:
Dark Vision
Monstrous Strength: Level 5 (UP!)
Augmented Attribute Values: Loyalty: Level 5 (UP!)
Spirit Form: Level 10
Strengthened Attribute Values: Mounted: Level 8 (UP!)
Self-Enhancement: Creator: Level 10 (UP!)
Self-Enhancement: Guidance: Level 10 (UP!)
Physical Resistance: Level 4 (UP!)
Murder Healing: Level 5 (UP!)
Strengthened Attribute Values: Ruling: Level 5 (UP!)
Strengthened Body Part: Bone: Level 5 (UP!)

Active Skills:
Hollow Bone Swordsmanship: Level 7 (UP!)
Bone Shield Technique: Level 1 (Awakened from Shield Technique!)
Archery: Level 9 (UP!)
Silent Steps: Level 4 (UP!)
Coordination: Level 10
Commander: Level 7 (UP!)
Bone Armor Technique: Level 2 (Awakened from Armor Technique!)
Mounting: Level 7
Long-distance Control: Level 10
Aura of Fear: Level 8 (UP!)
Parallel Thought Processing: Level 7 (UP!)
Surpass Limits: Level 10 (UP!)
Familiar Spirit Demonfall: Level 3 (UP!)
Surpass Limits: Magic Sword: Level 3 (NEW!)

Unique Skills:
Bone Blades
Xerx's Divine Protection
Vandalieu's Divine Protection
Rojefifi's Divine Protection (NEW!)