I could not refuse Shizu’s request to save the children from their destined deaths, so I agreed to help her. However, unlike the situation with Shizu, things were different this time.
Normally, when crossing into another world, the body is destroyed and then regenerated, absorbing energy in the process. That energy is then converted into a skill; that is the basic principle.
But the children summoned through an unstable ritual had massive amounts of energy coalesced inside them. In other words, it was fused with their souls like gum stuck to a floor.
If I tried to force them apart, their bodies would not be able to withstand the strain. Creating and implanting an upper spirit, as I had done for Shizu, would be simple enough, but I feared the aftermath.
Unless it was a nation like Salion, where spirit worship is deeply rooted, making a contract with a spirit is rare. Furthermore, controlling such powerful magical elements is something only an upper spirit can manage—mid- or lower-ranking spirits simply aren't capable of it.
And upper spirits are few in number. If it ever became known that children who were on the brink of death had somehow contracted with upper spirits, it would lead to complications for both Shizu and the children.
As for letting a demon possess them... there was no telling what they might do.
Just as I was running out of options, my skill, Prome, offered a suggestion.
It was a method with enormous risk, but it was equally certain. It was a technique utilizing the Ultimate Skill, [Soul Reaper (Martiel)].
High risk, but is it the only way...
Following that, I called one of the children into my room—the one whose lifespan was nearly exhausted. The surgery I was about to perform was something that could cause a massive uproar if seen by others...
“Your name is...”
“...Chanocha.”
Judging by his name, he was a young boy likely from Thailand. At most, he looked ten or eleven years old, and his eyes were shaking violently. It was only natural, considering he believed he was about to die.
“Don’t worry. I will take responsibility and liberate you from that fate.”
After reassuring Chanocha, I gave him a mild sedative to put him to sleep.
And then,
Krazzzzzt!!
My right arm expanded exponentially, transforming into the massive limb of a dragon.
Invisible Snake Eyes!
Using Prometheus to perform parallel analysis and extraction, I decoded everything, including his soul, and extended my enlarged dragon arm toward the boy. Something began to seep out of Chanocha’s body, and he remained frozen in place as if paralyzed.
Astral Snatcher.
This was a blasphemous art that could only be used at point-blank range by drawing on Martiel’s power, allowing me to freely manipulate the soul of the target I touched.
This technique literally allows me to adjust a target's soul as I please—a power that transcends the physical realm. Since the energy was lodged within the children's souls, it could not be separated by ordinary means, but with this skill, I could peel the power away from the soul itself.
As mentioned, this magic grants total control over the target's soul. Consequently, I could handle the massive amount of magical elements clinging to the boy's soul exactly as I intended.
Of course, the drawback was the requirement for extreme proximity, and the fact that I could not use my right arm while the spell was active, leaving me vulnerable. However, I was confident that if it landed, it would be an unavoidable instant-kill, even for spiritual life-forms.
Therefore, while I worked, I asked Amrita to guard me and partially deactivated my attack mode. Any lifeform that tripped the sensors without her permission would be erased from existence on the spot.
With that security, I manipulated the boy's soul with the precision of a surgeon, ensuring not even a single millimeter of error.
I used my magic to adjust the magical elements so they would spread evenly throughout his body. Over time, these elements would naturally harmonize and merge with him, flowing like blood through his veins, ensuring he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the sudden change.
Of course, there were other ways to handle this, but...
While I worked, let me briefly digress. The nation with the highest number of otherworlders—and the highest success rate in summoning them—is the Kingdom of Falmuth.
It is one of the great powers among the Western Nations, situated as the gateway leading toward the Armed Nation of Dwargon and the Eastern Empire, allowing it to flourish as a center of trade.
Well, unless “someone” decided to build a nation right in the middle of the Great Forest of Jura, most of the profits would naturally flow into Falmuth.
Separately, the high proportion of otherworlders was attributed to a famous mage there named Razen.
If you're wondering why I'm suddenly mentioning this... it's because the Kingdom of Falmuth is now in my hands.
No, “in my hands” is a bit vague. To be precise, my subordinate has occupied the country. Not through war, but by absorbing the body of the king who ruled it.
I simply couldn't stand the way that king acted—shadowing me and indulging his own greed without knowing his place.
He likely intended to use me as a convenient tool to satisfy his ambitions, but he picked the wrong target.
“Kahahaha! Master! Am I really allowed to use this body however I want?!”
“Yes. He is your prey. Use him as you wish.”
The shadow that emerged behind me, possessing the traits of both dragon and demon, instantly engulfed the king's audience chamber.
“W-What is that?!”
“You don’t need to know. It’s time for you to leave the stage.”
“W-Wait! J-Just what are you doing?! Hey, are you just leaving me?!”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. But don’t worry. I will develop your country into something far more peaceful and prosperous.”
The moment I left the audience chamber, the enormous shadow opened its maw and lunged at King Edmaris of the Kingdom of Falmuth. The room echoed with the king's final scream.
***
And so, I devoured King Edmaris’s soul and seized his body. Using that position, I needed to completely overhaul the country. After all, the water must be clear at the top for it to be clear at the bottom.
Now, the nation moves according to my will. The title of King is quite convenient, as it grants the authority to scrap existing laws and establish new ones. Furthermore, I placed Baal behind the scenes.
Though a demon, Baal was exceptionally skilled in management and cunning. With her silver tongue and powerful illusion arts, she was able to rapidly accumulate wealth for the Kingdom of Falmuth.
As I reminisced, I finished adjusting Chanocha’s soul. The process had taken a little over an hour...
“An hour per person... I need to find a way to reduce that time.”
I checked Chanocha’s condition. Just as I had intended, the magical elements were gradually dispersing throughout his body. He would no longer suffer from the instability of that energy.
But it didn't end there. There were still far too many souls crying out for salvation.
“Poor, lost souls. I shall create a future for you.”
One by one, I began treating the children. They came from various nationalities and backgrounds, and some were not even ten years old.
It infuriated me that there were nations willing to use children this young as weapons, but such was the law of this world.
If a nation lacked power, they simply summoned those who possessed it. That was their choice. While there are rare cases like Shizu—someone who is a majin yet reached the realm of a sage through training—such individuals are few and far between. I understand the desire for military strength, but this was crossing the line.
From the children's perspective, they were ripped from their homes and forced to fight monsters.
With those thoughts, I finished the final treatment on a half-Japanese child.
Looking back, it seemed there were an unusually high number of otherworlders from Japan, similar to Shizu. Was it a mere coincidence? Or was there a deeper reason behind it?
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register