The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 107

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Natural Enemy of Mages Has Been Reincarnated – Episode 107
Crious, better known as the Iron-Blooded Lord, had been on edge lately.
Count Ridermond, leader of the rival faction, had declared war on Count Lacio, who belonged to Crious’s faction.
He’d been planning to sever ties with Maligore anyway, and given Crious’s naturally aggressive temperament, he didn’t shy away from the coming conflict.
‘Actually, this works out well. Since Maligore is taking to the field, I might as well end this feud once and for all.’
If he stepped forward from the start and engaged in a decisive duel, he could conclude the territorial war without needless casualties among his soldiers.
With such thoughts, Crious was preparing for tomorrow’s territorial conflict when he received unexpected news.
“What? Maligore is canceling the war?”
“Yes. That’s what he reportedly said.”
He’d heard through reports that the movements around Ridermond Lordship Castle were unusual.
Given the war preparations underway, there was nothing strange about their activity.
But this sudden cancellation was entirely unexpected.
“Is this a ploy to lower our guard before launching a surprise attack?”
“That doesn’t appear to be the case. According to our scouts, the mercenaries hired by Count Ridermond are withdrawing en masse. It seems the supply of war materials has also been cut off.”
“What in the world…?”
Since his subordinates claimed to have witnessed it firsthand, Crious couldn’t dismiss their report.
“This is perplexing. I’ll speak with Count Ridermond directly myself.”
“We found it strange as well and already attempted contact, but we cannot reach the Count.”
“Then let me try speaking with Maligore.”
Ten days passed, yet Crious could find neither Maligore nor even a trace of him.
The same was true for Count Ridermond.
No one in the surrounding area had witnessed either of them.
It was as if both men had vanished in an instant.
It was truly a mystery.

* * *
The Secret Chamber where the 12 Pioneers gathered.
As always, fewer than half of the Pioneers in attendance at the meeting.
Despite forming an organization, their unity remained lacking.
Yet today, they all stood united in purpose.
All except for one old man.
“Baluduk. Your plan has considerable flaws.”
“What do you expect? How impressive could a plan squeezed out by an old geezer possibly be?”
“What is this nonsense? Do you have any idea how much time we’ve wasted in this meeting?”
As if on cue, they all turned their criticism toward Baluduk in unison.
Even among fellow Pioneers, they were tearing into the second-ranked member.
Baluduk found it absurd, but he had no choice but to suppress his irritation.
The repeated failures of the plan were partly his own fault for his overconfidence.
Still, Baluduk had his own words to offer.
“I acknowledge that the plan had flaws. I was overconfident, and it seems my mind has grown rigid with age.”
“Why are you stating the obvious? The senile old fool should step aside now.”
Baluduk glared at the young man.
“Your mouth never learns, does it? You’re nothing but a disrespectful brat with no respect for your elders.”
“Enough already! Just lay out the plan. I’m telling you, I don’t have time for this.”
“Baluduk. What’s the plan going forward?”
As the woman and the expressionless man urged him on, Baluduk calmed his anger and spoke.
“Before I explain the plan, I must address what went wrong. How did we end up in this situation?”
Despite their criticism, the Pioneers kept their attention fixed on Baluduk.
They all understood, tacitly, that Baluduk was the only one capable of devising and adjusting their plans.
“As I mentioned in the previous meeting, it’s nearly certain that Azrahil Johnston is plotting treason. He asked Esca to create something to suppress the Pioneers, and he secured Hamilton Mine while conveniently omitting any report on Arcnium.”
“We know that. That’s why we decided to watch how he moves before we kill him.”
“Exactly. But now a new problem has emerged—the territorial war in the Baiso Kingdom.”
“The Count, and apparently everyone else, has gone silent?”
“Yes. We accelerated our plan to consume the Five Lords and opened the territorial war to strike the Iron-Blooded Lord first, but somehow Count Ridermond, the Immortal Forerunner, and the Dark Lord have all gone silent. This has thrown our entire plan behind schedule.”
“What happened? Did something occur to them?”
“My suspicion is that they’re dead.”
“Dead…?”
Shock flickered across the Pioneers’ faces.
One of the 12 Pioneers and the Dark Lord are dead?
It was difficult to believe.
“Listen, old man. Zakar Patrick is dead? Does that even make sense? He’s the Immortal Forerunner. An undead, for crying out loud.”
“I know. I resurrected him myself on the battlefield. How could I not know?”
“Then what happened?”
“Even the undead can die. If the head is severed or the soul takes catastrophic damage, no amount of regeneration will allow them to rise again.”
“No, where in this world exists a being capable of killing a Forerunner? No matter how I think about it, it makes no sense.”
“Ethan is right. Baluduk, it seems you suspect the Iron-Blooded Lord, but even the Five Lords would have an extremely low probability of killing an Immortal Forerunner.”
“I’m not suspecting the Five Lords as the culprit.”
“Then?”
“The culprit is more likely to be among the Forerunners themselves.”
“What?”
Everyone’s eyes widened at Baluduk’s words.
Baluduk chuckled as if amused by their reaction, then continued.
“As Clifford said, the Five Lords cannot defeat a Forerunner. If someone killed Zakar Patrick, it’s highly likely to be another Forerunner. I suspect the culprit is either Azrahil Johnston or Esca, one of the two.”
“One of the two?”
All the Forerunners were startled, but most soon seemed to nod in agreement.
“That’s true… As Baluduk says, to face an Immortal Forerunner, the culprit would have to be of comparable strength. The Five Lords would have a low probability.”
“Then if we interrogate those two bastards, Azrahil Johnston and Esca, we’ll get our answer.”
Baluduk nodded in agreement with the young man’s words.
“That’s right. Besides, I already have a method.”
“This time it has to succeed, Baluduk.”
“Of course. Hehe.”
Baluduk’s eyes gleamed in the darkness as he smiled.

* * *
The moment the Forerunners’ meeting ended.
Esca remained absorbed in his personal research.
Though it was only temporary.
‘I want to miniaturize the mana gun further to increase its practicality, but there’s been no progress for months now.’
Faced with an unresolved obstacle, I hit a wall and could advance no further.
My mind filled only with frustration and resentment.
The mechanical device Baluduk had asked me to create showed equally little progress.
‘Since there’s been no word to rush its completion, I’ve left it alone… but I should finish that soon too.’
Once Azrahil Johnston’s betrayal was confirmed, I was promised a position among the Forerunners.
Unless something unexpected happened, becoming a Forerunner was a foregone conclusion.
Therefore, to avoid falling out of Baluduk’s favor, I needed to complete the assigned work and demonstrate my capabilities.
Only then would I gain recognition from the other Forerunners and establish a foundation for advancement.
I had no intention of remaining a subordinate like Azrahil Johnston forever.
‘My goal is at least rank 7 among the Forerunners. I killed Nox Venomayer, the famous Poison Pioneer, after all.’
Though it was a snipe, the fact remained undeniable that my developed mana gun took him down in a single shot.
If I were to rank myself, rank 7 would be fair.
Though I’m uncertain whether I could have survived a direct confrontation.
‘I wonder if Zakar Patrick handled things well.’
I understood he was tasked with assassinating Zeke McLafflin, so results should have come by now.
‘Being rank 10, he must have done it well.’
Just then, the light of a communication device on the desk began to flicker.
It was a call from Baluduk.
“Yes, Baluduk.”
-Esca. How far along is that device I asked you to create?
“Ah, well….”
I hadn’t expected him to inquire about the device’s progress so soon.
Esca’s voice trailed off with an uncomfortable feeling.
“The framework is nearly complete, but we’re missing the most critical component—Arcnium….”
-So you’re saying it can operate if we just have the Arcnium?
“It’s possible, yes. Since it’s only 80% complete, it will only function once or twice, but….”
-That’s enough. I’ll secure the Arcnium, so prepare it for operation.
“What? You’re activating it already? It’s still incomplete….”
-Didn’t you say it can be used once or twice? I need to use it immediately. Not me—you.
“Me?”
Esca was startled by the sudden statement.
“Didn’t you say that was meant for a greater purpose in the future? How can you ask me to operate something like that? I don’t understand what you’re saying….”
-The Immortal Forerunner is dead.
“…Zakar Patrick?”
Esca’s eyes widened in renewed shock.
“How did that happen?”
-I’m not certain. But given that there’s been no contact for ten days now, I have to assume he’s dead. The same goes for the Dark Lord.
“…That’s hard to believe.”
-I feel the same way.
“Who’s the culprit?”
-We suspect Azrahil. As you know, he’s plotting a rebellion.
“Ah….”
Certainly, if he used that mana-interfering device I’d been asked to create, he might well be capable of assassinating Zakar Patrick.
-So if Azrahil contacts you, lure him in and kill him using the device.
“You mean I should activate the device….”
-Yes. You won’t be able to defeat him alone, so lure him to where the device is and activate it. Operating it once won’t destroy it, will it?
“Of course not. Since I’m operating it in an incomplete state, it will take a few more months to finish, but….”
-I don’t care. You were already stuck on it anyway, weren’t you? Leaving it idle.
“Ah, you knew….”
-That’s why I didn’t push you about it.
“I’m, I’m sorry.”
-If you’re sorry, then handle this well and dispose of him. Do that, and that position will be yours immediately.
“Really? You’ll recognize me as a Forerunner right away?”
-Yes. On the condition that you kill Azrahil and bring me his head.
Esca practically leaped with joy.
An opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream was now within reach.
“Ha! Don’t worry, sir. He’s already as good as dead. With the device, it will be simple.”
-Then when Azrahil Johnston contacts you, set up a meeting and report it to me.
“Understood!”
After ending the call, Esca’s lips curved upward in a smile that lingered for quite some time.

* * *
‘Hmm. So Esca wasn’t the culprit after all?’
Baluduk, who had just finished communicating with Esca, was honestly suspicious himself.
There was no way someone who had even assassinated the Poison Pioneer, ranked seventh in the hierarchy, couldn’t kill Zakar Patrick.
Yet from that recent call, it seemed Esca didn’t even know Zakar was dead.
Of course, it could have been an act.
‘In any case, it’s certain that the culprit is either Esca or Azrahil Johnston. So the best choice is to make them fight and destroy each other.’
Since he needed the technician Esca more than Azrahil Johnston for now, he had given him the assassination order.
Of course, he could have given the order to someone else besides Esca, but the situation was short on personnel.
‘If I had my way, I’d entrust the job to Terion in the Baiso Kingdom, but I haven’t heard from him in years….’
Rita the Wind God had work to handle in Decan, so he had no choice but to give the directive to Esca.
In that process, Azrahil Johnston might survive, but it didn’t matter.
‘Either way, both of them are just chess pieces to be used and discarded.’
For him, it was simply a matter of using them as needed and then disposing of them.
The only inconvenience was that this timing had come sooner than planned.
‘For now, I should assume Azrahil Johnston is the culprit.’
As he was thinking this, light suddenly flashed from the communication device.
That was when Baluduk’s wrinkled eyes widened.
The person connecting through the communication device was Zakar Patrick, whom he had believed dead all this time.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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