Reincarnated Hero System - Chapter 1156 - 1156: Setting the Stages [Monthly Bonus 3]
Tombs of the Barbaric Morass
Fiaclus
Tharvoria (Barbarian Nation)
September 13th
Year 1055
Massive stone blocks made up the dungeon‑like walls, some cracked and overrun with moss and creeping vines, with wide, castle‑style hallways that had fallen into decay.
Walking through one of the halls was a man dressed as if attending a formal ball, wearing a three-piece black pinstriped suit complete with a pocket handkerchief, holding a tablet that looked years ahead of anything on Aidos.
If the current smartphones on Aidos could be considered first-generation, then this tablet was basically tenth-generation, clearly a device from another planet.
The tablet’s split screen displayed a list of items on one half, while the other half showed a 3D map panning around.
Suddenly, the panning stopped, and a modal popped up informing him of zero search results, making the man sigh.
Just then, the ground shook with heavy stomps, and from a corner up ahead emerged a ten-foot-tall black minotaur with five horns, its near-Legendary magic power erupting wildly as it lifted its massive axe and charged at the man in rage.
But before it could reach the man, figures dashed from the shadows behind him, moving past the minotaur, and the moment they did, its arms were severed, blood spattering, and its massive body collapsed, its head rolling off its neck to the man’s feet, where he casually pressed a foot on it to pin it.
“What a troublesome lot, these Tharvorians. Even with all their power, to think all their tribes would defer to anyone who wields a simple item, all for the sake of ‘tradition’.”
The man shook his head as he spoke, sighing. “I suppose that’s why they’re still called ‘Barbarians’ despite how advanced they are. An annoying lineage you left behind, Morass.”
He spoke of the ‘Barbarian King’ Morass, one of the ancient figures of the planet who had fought in the previous war to defend it a thousand years ago, as if he personally knew him.
Locking the screen of his tablet, he continued, “I’ve exhausted the amount of time I have to move freely before returning to my official post, and yet I’ve found nothing so far. This floor doesn’t have Morass’ Crown.”
He then turned around and commanded the people who had been hiding in the shadows behind him, “Kill everything on this floor.”
Then he began walking out, his footsteps barely audible over the screams of the monsters that soon filled the halls.
His tablet buzzed with a notification, and he raised it, narrowing his eyes at the name on the screen before answering the incoming call.
“Did I not warn you to remain inactive?”
[It’s an emergency, my Lord,] the voice on the other end replied.
[We’ve lost track of the target’s location.]
“What?” The man’s frown appeared for a moment, but he quickly composed himself and demanded, “Explain.”
[Shortly before Emperor Lloris returned from the unknown location he had gone to, Empress Cayenne summoned her on the Emperor’s orders.
When he returned, she went to the Sandfire Palace, and we weren’t allowed to follow her into the Emperor’s reception room.
Shortly after, one of the Emperor’s guards came out and told us to return to her Palace and await her return, that she’d been sent on an official assignment by the Emperor. We can’t detect her presence anymore, and the trackers on her aren’t working.]
Hearing the explanation, the man was silent for a moment, then raised his free right hand and muttered.
“Fate’s Disciple.”
Magic power and law energy flowed from his fingers, intertwining with the ambient cosmic energy of the planet to form shimmering golden threads connected to his fingers.
The threads branched out as they extended downward, and he focused on the one linked to his right pinkie, which split into several smaller threads of varying thickness.
They continued branching until he located one of the thickest threads, his eyes glowing faintly as he concentrated on it.
However, just then, his vision blurred and the thread itself glitched, making his expression darken immediately.
“A Singularity reaction… It’s not too strong, so it shouldn’t be him, but…”
The man recalled the words from the servant of the Higher Existence he had been in contact with, explaining that the greatest thorn in his side had returned with improved control over their nature, making them harder to detect due to the distortions in fate they caused.
With that information, the man quickly connected the dots.
“It’s Evan Eris. No… Evan Bourne, was it? He’s made contact with the link to Dragondune.”
The man immediately reached that conclusion, turning his gaze to the tablet as he spoke.
“Stand by and make no further moves. You’re under scrutiny.”
He cut the call without waiting for a response, then slid his hand across the screen to start a group call to two others who answered almost instantly.
Without letting them greet him, he began issuing orders.
“Seith, gather your forces and move inland. Don’t scatter as much as originally planned. Split into three and congregate at Locations 4, 5, and 6.”
[! Yes, my Lord.]
Once he got confirmation, he spoke to the second person.
“Deram. Any news on the ones disrupting us? Is it Cayenne again?”
[It’s not Cayenne. That’s certain.
The Paladins we caught came from the Holy Kingdom, and they worked with Kasteblum’s mages. There’s some secret coalition between the Holy Kingdom, Kasteblum, and Tarse that we weren’t aware of.]
“I thought so,” the man replied.
“Plans have been moved up. The moment Seith’s first fleet makes landfall, begin the final preparations. Tell Xolgren to have his Trump Card ready. You WILL need to use it.”
He spoke with certainty that the Agriker Demon would be forced to the point of using his Trump Card, but Deram simply replied with words of affirmation.
After ending the call, the man opened a map of the Alpha Continent, zooming in on Tarse and marking several locations with small ‘X’ marks.
Just then, a flash of light appeared at the end of the hallway, followed by echoing footsteps as a brown-skinned, red-haired, muscular dwarf with a warhammer strapped to his back stepped forward.
“My Lord, I’ve eliminated all witnesses.”
“Good work, Kranul,” the man replied without raising his gaze.
The dwarf then asked, “Should we not consider sending ‘Second’ to eliminate Dragondune now? That would feed the World Formation well, wouldn’t it?”
Kranul’s question made the man in the suit lift his gaze to him briefly, but he held it for only a second before returning his eyes to the tablet as he responded.
“I’ve told you before, Kranul. Second would distort the World Formation if they stayed there long enough to wipe out all of Dragondune.
Besides, I only have a limited number of ‘Commands’ to make the Second move as we wish. Even if we wipe out Dragondune, its Master would remain a threat, and dealing with that would require another ‘Command’.
We’ll keep that as a last resort.
Besides, Evan Eris is planning something, and he intends to involve other nations’ forces in his attempt to stop us.
I want him to bring them all into Tarse, increasing the amount of suitable fuel for the World Formation, so with Xolgren’s ‘monster’, we’ll wipe them all out in one fell swoop.”
He revealed his plan to eliminate the bulk of Evan’s international support, fully aware that whatever Evan had plotted would push the situation to the point where Xolgren would have to use his trump card.
After saying that, the man started another call, and when the other side picked up, he asked, “Cellica. Have you located the Basilisk?”
[Yes, My Lord. Given its attachment to its citizens, subjugating it won’t cost much effort.]
At that response, the man nodded in satisfaction and said,
“Do not change the order of our plans, Cellica. Focus on preparing that dungeon trap for that nuisance of a Hero.”
[But, my Lord…] Cellica trailed off, then, after a moment, asked,
[Are you certain Evan Eris would come here? I’ve personally researched and confirmed that he has minimal contact or influence on the Beta Continent. He can’t expe—]
“Cellica,” the man said, cutting her off.
“Regardless of Tarse’s outcome, Evan Eris will head to the Beta Continent next with full intention of stopping the ‘Stone Festival.'”
A memory came unbidden to his mind, making him frown as he continued,
“The Fallen Celestial Deities weren’t enough, so I know Tarse won’t be enough to kill that tenacious brat.
Prepare both the ‘Backup Disaster’ and the ‘Dungeon Trap’. One of them will surely get him.”
[As you wish, My Lord.]
The man cut the call, then turned to Kranul and ordered,
“Continue your efforts to reel in more of Tharvoria’s Chiefs. Increase the surveillance on the Lusos Tribe. Agnes is making a lot of suspicious movements lately.”
Kranul bowed in response, and the man walked away, stepping into the teleportation circle at the end of the hallway and vanishing in a flash of light.
