Debuff Master - Chapter 1198
Chapter 1198
Irene packed her belongings.
The 8th Corps of the Marchioni Empire, which had been stationed in the Proatine Empire, also began packing up their things in preparation to return to the Marchioni Empire.
The reason was simple.
Preussen was about to be utterly destroyed by the approaching storm, so the Marchioni Empire had issued the order to return.
It was only natural, as the Marchioni Empire couldn’t afford to waste the 8th Corps, or more importantly, Irene.
“Hahaha! I am truly delighted that we can finally return home after completing our mission.”
The deputy commander of the 8th Corps politely thanked Michele before marching out.
“I personally thank Your Excellency for your consideration. Thanks to you, our men were able to be very comfortable during our stay.”
“Please, think nothing of it,” Michele replied with a smile. He forced a smile while talking to the deputy commander, but he was boiling with rage inside and barely managed to restrain himself.
He could tell that the deputy commander was aware of everything, judging by his smug face.
As always, Michele’s instincts were spot on.
‘Hehehe! Farewell! This place will soon be reduced to rubble!’
The deputy commander was fully aware that the Proatine Empire was about to be destroyed, smashed into pieces by the storm.
‘Do you think we will just fall like this? His Imperial Majesty will surely find a way to save us all,’ Michele thought, gnashing his teeth inwardly as he escorted the deputy commander out.
After escorting the deputy commander out, it was time for him to bid goodbye to the commander of the 8th Corps.
“Orders have come from the empire for me to return. And the reason is—”
“We are aware of it. Return to the Marchioni Empire and await His Imperial Majesty’s command.”
“Understood.”
Now that she had become an Irradiator, Irene was Siegfried’s loyal servant.
She would now be spying for the Proatine Empire and begin gathering intelligence the moment she returned to the Marchioni Empire. Of course, Irene only had limited access to information. Despite that, her efforts would be of great help in gauging the internal situation of the Marchioni Empire.
However, none of that would even matter if the Proatine Empire were decimated by the incoming storm. The Proatine Empire had to survive this crisis in order to make use of the things they had prepared.
***
The reconstruction of the Celestial Realm was in full swing.
‘They’re all working so hard,’ Siegfried smiled as he watched the angels working.
Even though they were laboring like construction workers at a construction site, there was something comforting at the sight of them.
After finally being released from the corruption gripping them, they regained their true form, one that was pure and gentle.
“A-Aaah!”
“It’s the Demon King!”
“The Demon King is invading us!”
As soon as Siegfried appeared, the angels scattered and ran for their lives.
He was in his human form in the Middle Realm, but he took on the form of the Demon King while in both the Celestial Realm and the Demon Realm.
“We are under attack!”
“The Demon King is attacking us!”
“T-The Demon King is here! Run for your lives!”
The angels flapped their wings frantically and flew as quickly as they could the moment they spotted Siegfried.
In mere seconds, Siegfried was left standing all alone.
The angels disappeared so quickly that he didn’t even have the time to explain himself.
“Hahaha…”
He let out an awkward laugh and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment before heading off in search of Michael.
After about five minutes of walking around the Celestial Realm…
“Siegfried!”
Michael appeared like a bolt of lightning in front of Siegfried.
“I came after hearing that the Demon King had invaded,” Michael said.
“Haha… Yeah. It seems everyone misunderstood my intentions of coming here,” Siegfried replied with an awkward laugh.
“Well, the angels instinctively fear the Demon King, so it was only natural they would flee after seeing you,” Michael explained with an embarrassed look.
“Just like when Metatron wet his pants after seeing you?” Siegfried asked with a grin.
“Hahaha! Yes, something like that. It’s a racial trait the angels and demons share.”
“Shall we talk while taking a walk?” Siegfried asked.
“Sure thing.”
“What you warned me about has finally come.”
Siegfried proceeded to explain to Michael how the Hill of Storms dungeon had run amok, and a massive storm was conjured by it. He also shared how the storm was sweeping across the continent and was heading straight for the Proatine Empire.
“In the end… he awakened,” Michael muttered.
Surprisingly, it seemed as though he had long expected this moment to come.
Siegfried tilted his head and asked, “Huh? What do you mean by that? It’s a storm, not a person.”
“That storm is a phenomenon created by a being known as Gricale.”
“Gricale? What’s that?”
“He is the embodiment of natural disasters, the one who carries violent winds of all kinds. He commands typhoons, storms, hurricanes, and even tornadoes. He is a terrifying creature who revels in destroying everything with his winds.”
“Oh?”
“I myself struggled immensely to capture him and seal him in Purgatory. At that time, Gricale even managed to…”
“He managed to do what?”
“…Gricale managed to destroy an entire world.”
“What? What do you mean by destroying an entire world?”
“It is exactly as I said. Gricale destroyed the first world that Father created with his winds alone.”
“What…?”
“That is why Father commanded me to capture Gricale. Once he was locked up, Father created a new world once more, and that world is the world that you live in now.”
In other words, Gricale already had the history of annihilating one world, making him a monster with an achievement so dreadful that no one else could ever match him.
“Gricale’s storms will continue to grow. He will not stop until he sweeps away the entire world.”
“Then what do we do? We have to stop it somehow, right? How did you stop him before?”
“I pierced the storm.”
“What?!”
“And I was almost torn apart by the winds.”
“T-That is crazy…”
The fact that even the Chief Archangel, Michael, was nearly shredded into pieces meant that it was nearly impossible for Siegfried to break through the storm, as he had yet to acquire the power of invincibility.
“After endless struggles, I finally pierced the storm and entered the eye of the storm. There, I subdued Gricale and sealed him away in Purgatory.”
“To defeat Gricale… I have to somehow break through the winds and reach the eye of the storm?”
“That is correct.”
“And there’s no alternative way?”
“I’m afraid there aren’t any. Only by entering the eye of the storm can you confront Gricale. You must force your way in, and there is no other solution aside from that.”
“Hahaha…”
“I truly apologize for being unable to be of help to you,” Michael said, wearing an expression of genuine regret.
He deeply wished to help Siegfried, but he couldn’t descend into the Middle Realm with his full power. In addition, he knew very well that he would only get in Siegfried’s way if he descended without his full powers.
In the end, Siegfried had to find a way to enter the eye of the storm on his own.
“Okay, I got it. I’ll find a way,” Siegfried said with a nod.
“This is all my fault. If only I had managed Purgatory better, then this would have never happened… I have caused your current suffering…”
“Hey, how could this possibly be your fault? It was destroyed in the war when you weren’t even in charge of this place,” Siegfried said, shaking his head. Then, he smiled and added, “It’s fine. I’ll figure something out, so don’t beat yourself up over it.”
“Siegfried…”
“Anyway, I’ll have to go back now. See you soon!”
With that, Siegfried waved goodbye to Michael and immediately left the Celestial Realm, returning to the Middle Realm.
‘The eye of the storm… How the hell am I supposed to get inside the eye of the storm?’
While making his way back to the Middle Realm, Siegfried couldn’t help but rack his brains in order to find a solution to his new dilemma.
***
Upon returning to the Proatine Empire, Siegfried immediately convened an emergency meeting to discuss ways of piercing the ruthless winds and reaching the eye of the storm.
Countless ideas poured out from the high-ranking officials of the Proatine Empire the moment the meeting began, but not a single one could be said to be the solution they were looking for.
The storm was so immense and terrifying that even approaching it would reduce one to dust.
The winds were so merciless that entire mountain ranges, both great and small, were swept away, turning the place where they once towered into vast plains.
The storm was so powerful that it was reshaping the very topography of the continent. It was frankly impossible to break through such a storm, as one would get shredded even before they could get anywhere near the eye of the storm.
It would be a different story if the Chief Archangel or the Demon King were here, but unfortunately, Siegfried was neither.
“Haa…”
Siegfried ordered a recess to take a breather.
Badump! Badump!
His head pulsated, as he couldn’t find a way to get past the winds, no matter how much he racked his brain. To make things worse, the fact that the storm was rushing closer to Preussen at an incredible pace, even as he searched for a solution, only made him grow even more impatient.
If he failed to find a solution, then the Proatine Empire he had built with his blood, sweat, and tears would be reduced to nothing.
It would become nothing more than ruins for students and tourists to visit in the distant future, a cautionary tale of how ruthless nature could be.
Of course, that is if the world managed to survive Gricale’s fury.
“What do I do… How do I go about this…” Siegfried muttered, his head in his hands.
“Kyuuu… Why are you suddenly being so stupid, owner punk?” Hamchi asked in a mocking tone.
“What did you say, punk?” Siegfried growled, glaring daggers at him.
“I said, why are you suddenly being so stupid, owner punk? Kyuuu!”
“What…?”
“Owner punk is dumb as shit! Kyuuuu!”
“Why the hell am I stupid?!”
“Because you can’t even come up with a solution to something so simple! Kyuuu! Keke!”
“Why, you little!” Siegfried finally snapped at Hamchi and was about to strangle him.
“Kyuuu! It’s not even that hard!”
“Hey! Do you know how terrifying that storm is? We can’t even get anywhere near it! It sweeps mountains away, so how do you expect me to break through it?!”
“Who said you must break through it?! Kyuuu!”
“What do I do then? Just magically teleport into the eye of the storm? Magic doesn’t even work against it! The winds are so strong that magic itself is helpless against them! Also, I checked, and the magicians say that I would get ripped to shreds if I dare attempt to teleport in there!”
“Kyaaaaak! Owner punk is so dumb! A brick would be smarter than owner punk! Hamchi is frustrated!”
“Why, you little! Do you want to die today?!”
Hamchi’s nonsense only tested Siegfried’s patience, as his head was already throbbing from stress.
“I’m going to teach you a goddamn lesson today, you little punk!”
It was then.
“Kyuuuu! Why are you stubbornly insisting on breaking through the winds?! Just dig a hole and hide in it!”
“What? Dig a hole? Hey! That storm sweeps away entire mountain ranges, and you think hiding in a hole will—”
“Kyaaaak! It destroyed mountain ranges, but it didn’t dig into the ground, did it?! You’re so dumb, owner punk!”
“What…?”
“You said it yourself! The storm flattened everything, turning it into plains! Then that means the winds can’t touch you if you hide underground! Kyuuuu!”
It was then.
‘H-Hold on… This guy has a point!’
Siegfried realized that Hamchi made sense—no, he realized that Hamchi was correct.
There had been reports of the storm erasing mountains, but not one single report mentioned it gouging the ground. Now that he thought about it, the storm would have bored through the crust and reached this world’s core if it could dig into the ground.
Judging by how the winds had flattened everything it came across, it seemed entirely possible to avoid the winds and make it into the eye of the storm by digging a tunnel and hiding underground.
“I-It looks like you have a point,” Siegfried said reluctantly.
“See! Why do you keep looking down on Hamchi?! Kyuuu!”
“I-I’m sorry, man… That was my bad,” Siegfried apologized sincerely.
“Just admit that you’re dumber than a brick, owner punk! Kyuuu!”
“F-Fine… I do admit it…”
Only after apologizing repeatedly for a long while did Siegfried finally manage to appease Hamchi.
“I’ve found a way to get past the winds and reach the eye of the storm.”
Two hours later, Siegfried resumed the meeting with the officials and explained the method Hamchi had suggested.
“I will personally lead the Adventurers underground. From there, we will enter the eye of the storm and eliminate the cause of this mess.”
“What shall we call this operation, sire?” Michele asked.
“Hmm…”
Siegfried pondered for a moment before finally coming up with a response.
“We will call it the… Operation the Proatine Empire is Greater Than the Marchioni Empire.”
“…”
“Why? What’s with that look?”
“…As you wish.”
Michele shook his head at Siegfried’s pitiful naming sense, but he still approved of its name, “Operation: The Proatine Empire Is Greater than the Marchioni Empire.”
A few hours later, Siegfried led one thousand Adventurers and dug a pit one hundred meters deep. They climbed into the pit and waited for the storm to pass overhead.
To proceed with the operation, “The Proatine Empire Is Greater than the Marchioni Empire,” they had to endure underground until the eye of the storm was passing right above them.
At that exact moment, they would leap out and strike down the reason behind this catastrophe—Gricale.
