Chapter 90: The Emperor’s Harvest

At Bagelina’s shout, Pailer said nothing.

Not because he had nothing to say.

He wanted to speak but couldn’t.

What, what is this.

Pailer was flustered.

His body wouldn’t move.

—…Why are you like that?

And Bagelina, noticing Pailer’s change, asked.

“Why what.”

The one answering Bagelina’s question wasn’t Pailer.

Soon, a man appeared beside Pailer.

A man with deep black hair—Gaon.

“My.”

Gaon exclaimed in admiration looking at Bagelina.

As expected, a face he’d never seen but extremely familiar.

“Could it be the Moshun family?”

He closely resembled Ruta Moshun, one of Abyss’s 10 Strong whom Gaon had killed in the past.

At Gaon’s words, Bagelina frowned.

—Gaon…!

“Oh, you know me?”

—How did you find this place!

Bagelina shouted through gritted teeth.

“How I found it.”

Gaon answered with a bright smile.

“Someone who extremely hates you told me.”

Of course, a lie.

Gaon found this place through the sorcerers’ main force, not because someone told him.

Bagelina probably wouldn’t believe it.

Yet Gaon lied just in case.

If by chance Bagelina believed Gaon’s words?

High chance of internal strife in Abyss.

And even if not believed, no loss.

All Gaon did was speak.

—Barking nonsense.

—You think I’d believe that nonsense?

Bagelina snorted and said.

“Whether nonsense or not, you’ll know soon.”

Gaon shrugged at Bagelina’s words.

And right then.

“…!”

Gaon’s eyes flashed.

Look at this?

Currently, the sorcerers Gaon had subdued totaled 10, including Great Sorcerer Pailer who crossed the wall.

But now, changes came to the nine except Pailer.

Their main force was rapidly strengthening.

Gaon looked at Bagelina.

A leisure not seen until just before settled on Bagelina’s lips.

—Hehe, noticed, huh.

Bagelina chuckled at Gaon’s eyes.

As expected.

The change in sorcerers now was Bagelina’s doing.

—I don’t know how you found it…

—But coming to your death on your own.

—Thought 8th Circle makes you invincible?

—Kahaha!

Bagelina laughed heartily.

And Gaon laughed along and cast magic.

SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!

Sharp wind blades flew around, and sorcerers’ heads floated up.

But the main force of the sorcerers who met death didn’t vanish.

It kept strengthening.

And Gaon understood.

Self-destruct, huh?

Thought it was ordinary rampage.

But seeing the situation, no.

Clearly planning to blow the area with self-destruct.

SWOOSH!

Gaon created a protective barrier.

—Hmph, think you can block with a hasty shield?

—Die well.

Bagelina chuckled and said.

And Gaon smirked and destroyed the crystal ball.

Then Bagelina vanished from the air, and Gaon waved his hand.

CRACK!! CRACK!!

Then the sorcerers’ bodies froze.

The reason Gaon made the barrier wasn’t to block self-destruct.

He didn’t know exactly how strong the explosion would be, but considering Gaon’s current physical ability, not a scratch.

Yet he made the barrier to show Bagelina.

Now Bagelina would misunderstand.

Didn’t kill, but became a ‘threat.’

BOOM! BOOM!

Soon the sorcerers exploded.

CRACK! CRACK!

And cracks formed in the ice.

That was all.

The explosion didn’t break through the ice.

Gaon withdrew interest from the sorcerers and looked at Pailer, still in rigid posture.

How much does he know.

Pailer is a Great Sorcerer.

Not just strong.

As leader of the exploded sorcerers, he would know much.

First, Gaon dismantled the prohibition through Pacheonki.

And after dismantling painless secret technique, added a prohibition sealing main force.

Finishing interrogation preparation, Gaon said to Pailer.

“5 minutes as a taste.”

And immediately unfolded Bone-Crushing.

“Kuueup!!!”

Pailer gritted teeth and screamed.

Gaon cast Silence to prevent the scream from echoing.

And turned his head to scan surroundings.

While Pailer tasted Bone-Crushing, Gaon planned to search inside.

Bagelina silently looked at the crystal ball.

…Someone sold information?

Gaon said.

Someone passed information.

Of course, high probability of lie.

But if not a lie?

***

If someone really passed information?

Only three know that place…!

Not many know the sorcery base in Himal Mountain Range.

Excluding Lord Murin, only two among the 10 Strong.

Not the Lord.

Murin hated Gaon more than anyone.

Yet Murin passed information to Gaon?

Nonsense.

Not Lilith either.

Gaon killed her grandson.

Not just grandson.

Many subordinates met death by Gaon.

Yet why would Lilith pass information to Gaon?

Then Bao?

Excluding Murin and Lilith, only Bao remains.

But why would Bao sell his own information?

Just a lie.

Bagelina shook his head vigorously.

It would be a lie.

No, must be a lie.

Bagelina put aside thoughts of a traitor.

And left the room to head to the laboratory.

Arriving at the laboratory, Bagelina smiled brightly at the frowning elder and said.

“Sorry, urgent matter.”

“…More urgent than my time?”

“Related to you too.”

“…Related to me?”

The elder tilted his head and questioned back.

As expected, the elder wasn’t affiliated with Abyss.

No cooperation with Abyss at all.

At the elder’s reaction, Bagelina chuckled and continued.

“What was the reason you came?”

“…Because of the letter you sent me.”

“Yes, precisely to confirm if the information in the letter is true or not.”

Bagelina nodded as if he knew everything.

And stopping the nod, erased the smile and continued with an endlessly cold face.

“Just had a conversation with Gaon.”

“…!”

At the mention of Gaon, the elder’s face hardened.

“You expect me to believe that nonsense?”

“Understand. Of course hard to believe. But it’s true. I just spoke directly?”

“And does it change anything that Gaon returned? You and your disciple Blashu already left Gardion?”

“And entered 8th Circle like that Gaon, no need to fear. Rather, you know in demonic energy zones you are superior mages?”

At Bagelina’s words, the elder—no, Latun—could say nothing.

Merely looked at Bagelina with a complicated face.

Bagelina also said nothing.

Quietly waited for Latun’s thoughts to end.

And a while later.

“…”

Latun let out a groan and opened his mouth.

“So?”

Gaon returned.

But what then?

As Bagelina said, Latun already left Gardion.

And entered the same realm as Gaon.

No reason to fear.

At Latun’s words, Bagelina smiled and opened his mouth.

“Don’t you want to kill Gaon?”

Sacrificed sorcerers with self-destruct to kill Gaon.

Threatened, but wouldn’t have killed.

“At least until killing Gaon…”

Trailing off, Bagelina flashed his eyes and continued.

“How about cooperating?”

***

“Everyone back!”

At the voice in his ears, Morris turned his head to look where the sound came from.

A frozen ogre over 7m tall was falling.

Of course, Morris didn’t move.

The distance was quite far.

THUD…

Soon the ogre fell with a roar.

And the ground shook.

Then numerous workers rushed to the ogre and began dismantling.

Morris withdrew interest and looked at the huge sole before him.

A troll’s foot.

“Phew.”

Morris took a deep breath.

And extended the spear he held.

STAB!

Not an ordinary spear.

A dedicated spear made to draw troll blood.

Morris twisted the spear.

Then troll blood began flowing down the channel.

Morris brought a special pouch to the channel’s end.

And watching the troll blood fall into the pouch, recalled what happened earlier.

The numerous monsters thought to break the great barrier and reach the wall soon.

Couldn’t grasp how to block.

Thought maybe abandon the castle and retreat.

Yet all those monsters froze to death with one magic.

…Still unbelievable.

Morris shook his head.

Right then.

“Huh, what’s that?”

At the voice in his ears, Morris glanced and turned his head.

The voice’s owner looked at Himal Mountain Range with a surprised face.

Morris followed and looked at the mountain range.

And was horrified.

Huge somethings were flying.

Distance quickly closed, and Morris recognized them.

Tr-Troll King! Twin Head Ogre!

Troll King over 10m, similarly Twin Head Ogre over 10m—monsters seen in Himal Mountain Range center.

H-How?

Morris swallowed hard.

Troll King and Twin Head Ogre, all monsters flying now were known to have no flight ability.

Yet how flying?

…Huh?

But only for a moment, Morris’s eyes flashed.

A man was in front of the monsters.

A deep black-haired man.

And Morris knew the black-haired man’s identity.

H-His Majesty Emperor Gaon!

It was Gaon.

And that instant.

“Everyone, show etiquette to His Majesty Emperor Gaon!”

The voice of Knight Commander Eltion, in charge of harvest management, rang out.

And at Eltion’s shout, Morris immediately prostrated.

At the same time.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Morris could see white light enveloping his body.

Haste, Strength?

Body lightened.

And power surged.

Definitely buff magic Haste and Strength for physical enhancement.

Morris swallowed hard.

His Majesty bestowed grace!

Clearly magic cast by Gaon.

Morris glanced and turned to look left and right.

On such a large scale…

Not just Morris received buffs.

Though not certain, presumed all harvesting received buffs.

Right then.

“Everyone, good work.”

Gaon’s voice rang out.

Morris swallowed hard and focused on Gaon’s words.

“There were those artificially creating monster waves in Himal Mountain Range, and I killed them. There will be no more monster waves like now.”

“…!”

At Gaon’s words, Morris couldn’t help but be shocked.

Thought monster waves strange, but artificially created?

But at Gaon’s following words, Morris was even more shocked.