We Do Business In Full Auto [EN]: Chapter 231

231

The Archduke’s Last Stand (1)

Early morning.

The army, having rested well for a day in Marquis Kainer’s territory, marched south.

In effect, Marquis Kainer’s territory was the last fortress blocking the capital. Now that it had fallen into my hands, there was nothing to hinder our advance to the heart of the Calin Empire.

A swift march.

From here to the capital was less than a day’s march at a quick pace, so I even thought the capital might effectively fall by this evening.

Soojung was certain that the empire would fall tomorrow, and in fact, the staff’s opinion was no different.

The end of the war was finally approaching.

At this point, I became curious about news from the north.

No word had come from Jerin, who had been sent to conquer the White Lich.

Of course, that must be because the conquest was delayed.

Soojung and I were traveling in a flying carriage.

Since we were floating in the air, we didn’t feel the typical carriage ride.

“Soojung, what do you think happened in the north?”

“It seems difficult to conquer.”

“Hmm. Will I have to step in after all?”

“Shall we contact them?”

“Alright.”

I picked up the communication device.

Before long, I was connected to a communication mage, and the message went to Jerin.

About 15 minutes passed before I could talk to Jerin.

-M, Master!

“What’s the situation there?”

-I’m sorry! We haven’t conquered it yet, but I will soon take the White Lich’s head and offer it to you!

“Is the situation difficult?”

-It is not! I will definitely win!

Jerin spoke with conviction, but it seemed the White Lich had considerable power.

That was why Jerin had left the north unconquered and simply designated it as a forbidden area.

The communication was cut off, and I was lost in thought for a moment.

I thought I could leave the northern conquest to Jerin as it was, but you never know. I can’t afford to lose valuable talent.

“Soojung, I think I’ll have to go to the north.”

“Huh? We’ll arrive by evening, won’t we?”

That’s how much time it would take to advance to the capital and capture the fortresses.

But Archduke Lied’s control had completely fallen, and it would be captured in an instant.

“I have to be back by evening.”

“Okay! I’ll take care of things here!”

Normal parents wouldn’t leave an army of 500,000 to an 8-year-old child, but Soojung is no ordinary child.

“Okay. I’ll leave it to you then.”

“Okay!”

I opened the gate as it was.

Whoosh!

A tremendous cold wind leaked in, so I immediately put up a barrier to block it.

Soojung can’t catch a cold.

Northern snowfield area.

This place, also known as the forbidden area, was a complete mess.

Even though they had mobilized nearly 2 million undead, they could not break through the White Lich’s defense line.

No matter how strong the White Lich was, I thought they could push through with overwhelming numbers. But the defense line would not break.

“Kueeeek!”

“Gieeeek!”

Ice warriors and undead fought fiercely.

The ice warriors were so strong in magic that they could fight against 10 undead without being pushed back, and the ice golems, called champions, were interspersed in the middle, making it very difficult to break through.

At this rate, the subjugation might fail.

‘That can’t happen.’

Jerin gritted his teeth.

He had to kill the White Lich, who was commanding the army in the distance.

The reason they couldn’t break through was because of that one, so if they killed the main Lich, the magic would weaken, and they would be able to push through quickly.

“I have no choice. I’ll go myself.”

“Duke! We can push through with overwhelming numbers!”

“No. Overwhelming numbers alone are not enough.”

“But if we lose Your Excellency here, the empire will suffer a great loss!”

He shook his head.

The empire, which had unified the continent, would not falter just because it lost one Jerin. That was all because of the loyalty of the black magicians under his command.

Pat!

Jerin flew straight into the air.

The colder he went north, the more he felt the cold seeping into his bones.

He flew into the sky and headed straight to the top of the mountain where the White Lich was commanding, but before he even arrived, all sorts of magic began to fly at him.

A wave made of ice covered him, and he blocked it with a shield.

Kwaaaang!

Crack!

The shield splits helplessly.

The 10-layered shield was completely shattered in a matter of seconds.

In the end, he changed his course and cast Hell Fire.

‘It’s something I had to do someday.’

The reason he hadn’t attacked the White Lich until now was because of fear.

He had fought the White Lich once a long time ago, and it ended in a draw. He suffered quite a serious injury, so he sealed this place as a forbidden area ever since.

But his master wants the White Lich to be conquered.

“Hell Fire!”

When the casting was completed, hellfire fell on the mountain range.

Kuaaaang!

A tremendous flame soared up.

The undead around the White Lich were all swept away, and more than a hundred meters around were melted.

But the place where the White Lich was standing was fine.

“T, This can’t be?”

An incomprehensible sight unfolded.

No matter how strong the White Lich was, how could there be no damage at all?

Soon, a huge ice hand flew and grabbed his neck.

“Keuk!”

The mana suddenly drained as he cast Hell Fire, and he suddenly became exhausted. The White Lich did not miss the opportunity and struck.

Kwaddeudeuk!

‘So futilely…….’

The fear of death looms.

He was barely holding on now, but if he lost even a little bit of strength, he would immediately cross the River Lethe [the river of forgetfulness in the underworld].

“Kkeueueueuk.”

His consciousness was fading.

Was I too arrogant?

I should have waited a little longer, as the black magicians under my command said.

If I had pushed through with overwhelming numbers, the White Lich would have exhausted his strength and collapsed.

In any case, this side had an overwhelming number of undead.

“Jerin-nim!”

“Master!”

Old titles popped out because of the urgent situation.

It was the moment when his consciousness was fading.

Kwajik!

Suddenly, a person popped out from somewhere and cut off the ice hand.

“Heoeok! Heoeok!”

He grabbed his neck while floating in the air.

He looks up at the man who saved Jerin.

“M, Master!”

“Tsk tsk. You should have accurately assessed your skills before taking action.”

“I, I’m sorry.”

Kwang! Kwakwakwang!

All sorts of ice-type magic flew in.

But it could not break through the Master’s shield.

‘This is the power of the 8th Circle [a high level of magic mastery]…….’

I truly realize that there are no rivals on the continent.

His master flew like lightning towards the White Lich.

Kuaaaang!

He mixes divine power and black magic and unleashes them in succession.

The mountain range began to be devastated in an instant.

He hadn’t used his full strength properly since reaching the 8th Circle.

He had already far surpassed the limits of humans and was in a demigod state, so he didn’t know what would happen if he used all his power.

But not here.

It looked like the vast Arctic, and what was laid out below was the undead.

Since I was planning to dispose of the undead anyway, I didn’t care much even if they died.

The mountain range flew away, and a huge crater was dug.

Around me, people were staring at me with their mouths wide open.

I didn’t think that I would be able to destroy a mountain range like this.

Swaeaeaeek!

Kwang!

“Oh ho.”

The White Lich was still alive.

To be exact, it was collapsing and being restored.

“Hmm.”

I remember.

The existence of a Lich continues to revive unless its life vessel [a phylactery, an object containing a portion of the Lich’s soul] is shattered.

So, the body was shattered, but it was reviving because the vessel was not broken.

Where is that guy’s vessel?

I don’t know.

It may not be in this mountain range, but in a completely different area.

“Then I have no choice but to smash it until it dies.”

That doesn’t mean that the life vessel is omnipotent.

If the body continues to die, it will eventually collapse.

That was the weakness I was aiming for.

Kwang! Kwakwakwang!

Northern Army camp.

Jerin was barely rescued and was intently watching his master fight.

He foolishly used magic bullets to collapse the entire mountain range, and the Lich’s body collapsed. Of course, it was restored again and repeated collapsing again.

“Could it be that Master…….”

“Yes. He intends to crush the Lich until it dies.”

The Lich was collapsing and being restored, but the cycle was getting longer and longer. It was evidence that the Lich’s magic was running out.

Kwaaaang!

The mountain range, which had become a bare mountain, was gradually digging deeper into the bottom and was becoming a cliff. I was worried that a tectonic shift might occur.

Before long, their master brought the Lich’s recovering remains.

Now the Lich was really recovering slowly. That meant that the master had crushed the Lich that much.

“I see, Master!”

“Can you handle the rest now that I’ve done this much?”

“O, Of course!”

Jerin and the black magicians under his command knelt down and shouted.

As the Lich’s magic weakened, the undead were pushing back the ice warriors.

The ice warriors were shattered, and the golems began to collapse.

Is it possible to smash a Lich so foolishly?

The black magicians took turns destroying the Lich’s body.

The recovery became slower and slower, and I even thought that he would die soon.

Kuaaaang!

A red aura soared from the distance, and the Lich’s body was completely decomposed and disappeared.

After killing him dozens of times, the Lich’s magic could no longer withstand it and disappeared.

‘I should have escaped before it broke down.’

I almost felt sorry for the notorious White Lich.

This is the power of the 8th Circle.

It was a true strength that transcended the human body by several stages.

“Kueeeek!”

“Kkieeeek!”

The forbidden area of the north, where noisy screams were exchanged.

This place was once called the land of fear, but now that the Lich is dead, there is no need to worry.

The undead were quickly pushing back the enemies, so it was safe to say that they had won.

“Hmm. It’s finally over.”

“Everything was thanks to Master’s power! Thank you for saving us!”

When Jerin knelt down, all the black magicians knelt down together.

I was their master and held the power of life and death. In that situation, there was no need to waste valuable talent, so I came here.

Even though he was a White Lich, he had not reached the 8th Circle.

It was at the very end.

If the White Lich had reached the 8th Circle, he would not have been in a Lich state and would have worn the body he wanted.

Since he didn’t, I was sure that he wasn’t in the 8th Circle.

If the White Lich had reached the 8th Circle, I wouldn’t have bothered to fight.

But the conquest is not completely over yet.

“North! Advance to the end of the world!”

I intend to see it through.