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"Baron Musou" Chapter 36: Spirit Mausoleum
🕑 Added 2023-06-05 10:57:37 +0000 UTC"...Tao Wu Tōgotsu."
A two-legged creature resembling a lion.
It wore armor and held two spears in a careless manner.
"Such immense magical power..."
"Just like the Kyūki, it's one of the Grade 1 monsters you don't want to encounter."
Even Yu, who had transformed into a tiger-man, could be seen sweating.
"Gwaaaah!"
The Tao Wu Tōgotsu let out a roar.
Its voice resonated deep in their stomachs as if it had been pounded into them.
The bird-like creatures in the vicinity took flight from the trees all at once.
"It's coming!"
With Yu's shout, the Tao Wu Tōgotsu charged forward.
Lucius and Yu evaded its charge by moving to the left and right, respectively.
The Tao Wu Tōgotsu that missed its target crashed into a nearby rock, causing a resounding explosion that reverberated through the mountains.
The boulder nearby shattered, but the sound of the Tao Wu Tōgotsu stomping on the ground remained unchanged, maintaining a steady rhythm.
When the dust settled, they caught sight of the Tao Wu Tōgotsu rotating around, seemingly unfazed by the surroundings as it continued to crush nearby boulders.
"What a forceful charge."
If it connected, a person's body would be completely shattered.
There was no guarantee they could keep evading indefinitely.
However, it could be seen as an opportunity.
A flawless Grade 1 monster.
The goal of their journey was right in front of them.
"I'll try to form a contract with the Tao Wu Tōgotsu and see if it's possible."
This time, he didn't want to take on any unnecessary vows like he did with the Evil Dragon.
He wanted to form a contract with a creature that was as compatible with him as possible.
While his intention was to contract with a creature that could use wind magic as much as possible, he didn't want to be too fixated and planned to try Grade 1 monsters as they came.
"That one is dangerous! Try another monster!"
Yu shouted, trying to stop Lucius.
However, Lucius infused his magical power into the treasured sword in his right hand.
With the radiant brilliance of the treasured sword, he chased away the shadows of the rocks.
Yu reflexively raised his hand, but it was immediately engulfed in a white world.
At the same time, a burnt smell filled the air, as if the armor and fur of the monster had been scorched.
――Did it flinch!?
However, in an instant, the sound of footsteps echoed again.
It seemed that the light from the treasured sword was not enough to stop it.
After the glow subsided, Lucius instantly switched to his trump card.
"Come!"
Black particles flew out from his left hand, and a black-silver Evil Dragon appeared.
"What...?"
Yu was astonished by the sight of the Evil Dragon.
The Tao Wu Tōgotsu flinched for a moment, but quickly regained its composure.
It seemed that its fighting spirit had won.
Once again, it held its two spears and charged forward.
Lucius gave a concise order.
"Hold back the Tao Wu Tōgotsu."
When Lucius commanded, the Evil Dragon glanced at the approaching Tao Wu Tōgotsu, seemingly uninterested.
Just as the two spears were about to pierce the dragon's chest, the Evil Dragon took a step forward.
With unexpected agility for its size, the Evil Dragon avoided the spears and swiped it away with its front claws.
There was a jarring sound as the iron balls were launched at high speed and collided.
The outcome was clear.
The Tao Wu Tōgotsu, pushed back by the Evil Dragon, tumbled along the ground.
While rolling, it tried to quickly stand up, using the spears as support, but the Evil Dragon pinned it down, pressing its limbs against the ground.
The Tao Wu Tōgotsu struggled violently to escape, but its limbs remained immobile.
It was being restrained by the dragon's claws, which held it down with the force to crush the earth.
A thunderous roar of the Tao Wu Tōgotsu resounded, almost making one want to cover their ears.
Seeing that, Lucius made a decision.
――Now!
Putting away his sword, Lucius quickly ran forward.
As he approached the Tao Wu Tōgotsu, he covered his eyes with the White Specter's Eye Root that he had on his forehead.
Bending his posture, he tried to align his forehead with that of the monster, but then he heard a dull sound.
――What was that sound just now?
He quickly lifted the White Specter's Eye Root and saw something that seemed unbelievable.
"...It's eating the Tao Wu Tōgotsu."
The Evil Dragon, which had restrained the Tao Wu Tōgotsu's limbs, had latched onto its heart.
Covered in blood all over its face, it had an expression of delight.
"I didn't give that command!"
He shouted in a raised voice, but the Evil Dragon continued to devour the flesh mass that had just a while ago broken rocks with its charge, seemingly oblivious to Lucius' voice.
Once it had finished consuming the organs, the Evil Dragon opened its mouth wide and aimed it upward.
A tremendous amount of magical power overflowed from its mouth, and black lines were unleashed into the sky.
A stream of magical power so powerful it could be called a torrent surged forth, causing Lucius and Yu to instinctively take a few steps back.
The jet-black breath pierced through the clouds, swallowing the surrounding clouds and air.
After a few seconds, the compressed substance that had reached its limit was released, creating a large hole in the clouds.
Yu was speechless.
The Evil Dragon, having consumed the magic and released its power, turned itself into particles and merged into Lucius' Knight Core.
Through the Knight Core, Lucius could feel the emotions of the Evil Dragon.
"Grant me power quickly, or else you'll end up like this too."
That's what it felt like it was saying.
Stunned, Lucius stood frozen until his shoulder was shaken.
"Hey, are you alright?"
It was Yu.
He was still in his tiger-man form, standing behind Lucius.
"Uh, yes. I was just surprised because I didn't anticipate that."
"...So it was you, Lucius. The child of the Quartet Quartet that defeated the Evil Dragon."
"Please, let's not talk about that. I'm sorry."
"No, I said something I shouldn't have said before you did. If it bothered you, I apologize."
"No, it's not like that."
Yu chose his words carefully, with a serious expression.
"...But I didn't expect the Evil Dragon to be like that. It might not be a presence that should exist in this world."
Lucius also had that thought in his mind.
――Is it really okay to evolve it?
Although he formed the contract with the condition of evolution, he couldn't imagine this individual giving up its power.
It was highly likely that it was trying to become an even stronger existence.
A chilling feeling passed through his body.
In its desire for life, it was trying to bring about an unimaginable threat to this world.
"What's important is that the Evil Dragon is still out of control. We should start over."
The two looked at the pitiful remains of the Grade 1 monster that had been devoured.
A few minutes ago, it emitted a burning spirit that was now completely gone, replaced by clouded eyes.
"...You're right."
Yu's gaze then turned to the treasured sword.
"And Lucius, that sword seems to be a magic sword."
"A magic sword?"
Lucius placed the sword on his hands.
"Yes, although I'm seeing it for the first time, it's a weapon that contains the formula only magical creatures can possess. There aren't many of these precious items still in existence."
"The one I received from His Majesty before was also one."
"Indeed, as a member of the royal family, you might possess it. I heard that higher-grade magic swords and spears can split mountains and pierce through seas with a swing."
"Huh? With this sword, I don't think that's possible."
Indeed, it was an excellent sword. The Griffin's light emitted by the sword was effective against magical creatures.
However, if asked whether it could split a mountain, the answer would be impossible.
"Perhaps it's not one of the higher-grade magic swords, or maybe it's broken, or perhaps its power is sealed for some reason. I don't know for sure."
"Well, there's still so much I don't know."
"You're still young, Lucius. You should travel the world and see for yourself. By the way, it's quite thought-provoking."
"What do you mean?"
"Kuron Mountain was said to be created in the battle between Chi You and Yinglong. According to the legends, Chi You wielded several magic swords and spears. And both the Evil Dragon and the dragon are closely related species that evolved from dragons. There's a sense of history repeating itself."
"Well, I think it's just a coincidence."
Lucius didn't quite grasp the meaning of Yu's words.
Even if it resembled the legend he had just heard today, honestly, it didn't evoke much emotion.
"True, it's probably just a coincidence. Anyway, let's head back today."
Thus, the purpose of obtaining Lucius' formula led to the new challenge of controlling the Evil Dragon.
To obtain the formula, they would need to undergo specialized training while blindfolded or continue the process of assimilation with the Evil Dragon's magical power.
――Can't be helped, I guess.
But Lucius was not disappointed.
He had made up his mind from the day he left home.
Obtaining the formula could take a long time.
Rather, he felt relieved that the challenge became clear on the first day.
When the sun had completely set, the two returned to the temporary headquarters together.
"We're back."
Yu and Lucius, looking tired, opened the door.
"Yu-sama, this way."
As soon as they returned, Lauren rushed to the entrance.
Her purple eyes showed signs of anxiety.
"Lauren, what's wrong?"
"My lord, the Lord suddenly arrived."
"I see. Let's hear what he has to say."
Yu hurried to the guest room.
Lucius followed him.
If the Lord was visiting, it was the duty of those who were indebted to him to at least greet him.
Although it was a temporary government office, it was essentially a place where they were indebted to the Lord.
Yu opened the door to the guest room.
Lucius followed, bowing his head as he entered the room.
"Oh, Lucius, it's you."
Suddenly, a familiar voice reached their ears.
When he looked up, he saw Olivia standing there.
"What? Why is Olivia here? Didn't she become the Lord of the Tact Territory?"
"This is the Tact Territory."
"Huh?"
"Why don't you know?"
Come to think of it, Lord Strauss had said that this was the place where the Lord was killed during the rebellion.
The town hall in the foothills was burned down by the people in a riot, as Yu had mentioned.
The situation matched.
"I see."
Lucius clapped his hands.
"I had a feeling about it. With the clue to evolve the Evil Dragon and the likelihood of Lucius coming to Kuron Mountain, the habitat of Grade 1 monsters."
Yu and Lauren seemed surprised by the fact that Lucius and Olivia knew each other.
"If that's the case, you should have told me earlier."
"I did tell you, 'See you later.' Besides, Lucius, that's just being spoiled. I've said it many times, but information is valuable to nobles. Waiting for someone to tell you won't do."
It was an irrefutable argument.
Olivia looked pleased with herself.
"Now, to the point, I have a favor to ask of former Captain Yu, so I came here."
Former Captain Yu?
Olivia straightened her back while sitting.
Yu bowed and took a seat in front of her.
"I would like to ask for your help. Can you cooperate with me once again in governing the Tact Territory?"
Yu's face showed a hint of guilt.
"My Lord, I have no intention of involving myself in the politics of the territory anymore. I just want to pray for the late Lord in this small town."
Olivia maintained her gaze without flinching, as if she had anticipated Yu's response.
"But there are many problems in the Tact Territory. The nobles have lost the trust of the people due to the massacres by the former Lord. We also need to accept refugees from the neighboring Honogyla Territory."
Yu's expression grew stern.
And Lauren, standing beside Lucius, shared the same expression.
"Massacres..."
Yu muttered under his breath, seemingly dissatisfied with the way it was put.
"Is that not accurate?"
"No, there's no mistake in those words. The former Lord... Lord Clark mandated the 'Ritual of Bestowal' multiple times to all the people of the territory. As a result, all we got was a mountain of dead infant bodies."
Yu clenched his fist tightly.
"It was a terrible time. Lord Clark was demanded to create a stronger territory than anyone else. Everywhere in the territory, you could hear the cries and screams of parents who had lost their children."
"But he didn't stop, did he? I heard that he killed all his own children with the 'Ritual of Bestowal' as well."
In the end, the family line was extinguished.
This became the opportunity for Olivia to be assigned to the Tact Territory.
Lauren cast her gaze downward.
"He was a harsh man. To himself and to others. It's only natural for a noble to expect the same things from his children as the common people."
Olivia's voice escaped from her heart.
"It's terrible."
"...Even though I was nearby, I couldn't stop him before it started. I'm equally guilty."
"But in the end, you were the one who stopped him, right?"
Yu looked at his right hand with a gaze filled with regret.
"Yes. I defeated Lord Clark with my own hands."
◆ ◆ ◆
Meanwhile, inside the mausoleum in the Honogyla Territory, a man let out a strange cry.
"Oh, it's happening! It's finally happening!"
The man, in his forties, had hollow cheeks and was abnormally thin.
"It finally... finally moved!"
Excitedly, the man grabbed a bottle of sake from the messy room and poured it into his mouth.
Several servants who were present in the room stared intently at the same thing as the emaciated man.
In front of the man was a huge tank that could fit a whale, filled with purple liquid.
Inside the liquid was a pitch-black suit of armor.
The armor was connected to multiple tubes, and from time to time, the fingers of the armor moved.
Several soldiers entered the mausoleum, apparently hearing the man's voice.
"Count O'Malley, what's the matter?"
The emaciated man, called Count O'Malley, looked displeased as he glanced at the soldiers.
But he didn't respond.
Instead, a female knight who had dueled with Yu before spoke up in his place.
"Congratulations. The ancient creature has finally awakened."
"Yes, that's right. It took a long time since its excavation."
The surrounding servants who had been watching nervously connected words of explanation.
"According to the legends, it suffered a fatal injury and fell into a deep sleep. It can't be helped."
Angrily, Count O'Malley threw the sake bottle he held in his hand at the nearby servants.
As the bottle shattered and the scent of alcohol filled the mausoleum.
"You fools! If you were useful, it could have been done much earlier!"
"I apologize. However, the required elements were the Demon Sword and the dragon's magic power. Those are not easily obtainable."
"Shut up! Even without such things, it would have awakened eventually! You're fired! Get out!"
Count O'Malley, unable to control his anger, ordered the soldiers to remove the servants who had been involved in the research.
The female knight, observing the entire scene, calmly asked Count O'Malley.
"What do we do next?"
"It's decided. Hurry up and complete the people of the mausoleum. Crush as many of the commoners as you need. This embodiment of power will become the guardian of the mausoleum after I die. No one should enter the mausoleum."
"Understood."
The female knight bowed deeply.
Her lips curled into a smile as she watched the scene unfold.
