Reincarnated Hero System

Chapter 1290: Trap and Slaughter [Monthly Bonus 1]

"You said the Demonic Hand’s Fourth Division was targeting me, didn’t you? Exactly what do you intend to do about that?"

Leoniel’s sudden question went straight to business, but although Evan was mildly surprised by the abruptness of it, he had already been half-expecting Leoniel to ask it at some point, so he already had an answer.

"Stick with you."

His answer just wasn’t what Leoniel expected.

"Stick with me?"

"Yep," Evan confirmed. "I’d stick with you and mess up their plans directly."

Evan clapped once, generating a giant hologram of the Beta Continent’s map in the 2-metre space between them, with three large areas covered in red.

"These are the three nations that the Demonic Hand plans to hit on the Beta Continent. Look familiar?"

Leoniel lowered his gaze to the map, his eyes immediately locking onto Isolon, which was glowing red. He moved his gaze north and saw the Aelum Kingdom, then, shifting slightly to the east, he saw Tharvoria.

For a moment, he stared in silence, then realisation came right after.

"We’ve been to all three of them."

"Exactly," Evan replied with a satisfied smile. "I want to confuse the Demonic Hand so they don’t know what Disaster I’m aiming for, and they split their forces across these three areas, wary of me hitting any location.

I’m sticking with you, so they know I want to mess with their plan for Isolon, but I went over to Tharvoria with you and messed up a major base there before returning to the Aelum Kingdom, where I’ve been buying real estate.

Which place is he gonna target first?—Is what they’d be thinking, leaving them unable to concentrate their forces in one location to stop me."

Evan explained his plan to Leoniel, and the man nodded lightly, understanding the core of it.

"But that doesn’t answer my question. What exactly do you plan to do to mess with their plans for Isolon?"

"Chill. I’m getting there."

Evan dismissed the hologram with a wave, then continued, "You remember what I told you before, right? That the Demonic Hand’s target is the ’Great Basilisk of Isolonian Legend’."

"Yes," Leoniel said. "I also remember you saying I’m the core of their Stone Festival."

"Indeed. The Basilisk’s Stone Festival, the Demonic Hand’s plan to turn the entire nation of Isolon to stone."

"!"

Leoniel’s eyes widened at the scale of the disaster Evan described, and Evan chuckled at his reaction.

"Those guys planned to open a Dimensional Rift in Tarse, you know? Petrifying an entire country is light work for them."

When Evan put it that way, it really did make the scale of the disaster targeting Isolon seem small compared to what the Demonic Hand had envisioned for Tarse.

"But there’s something I don’t get. Why Isolon? Haven’t they been targeting Major World Powers all this time? Why are they suddenly going after a nation like Isolon?"

Indeed, all of the Demonic Hand’s targets, just as Leoniel had said, had been Major World Powers.

The Great Western Empire, the Beast Kingdom, and the Desert Country of Tarse were the three nations targeted by the Demonic Hand on the Alpha Continent, and on the Beta Continent, the Demonic Hand had Tharvoria and the Aelum Kingdom, also Major World Powers, on their list.

So Isolon being in that mix seemed strange to Leoniel, and rightfully so.

"It’s simple," Evan said.

"There’s one time in the year when the number of people within Isolon rises to a level that some Major World Powers can’t even reach.

There’s one time of the year when the influx of visitors swells its population to a level higher than that of nations twice its size.

There’s one time of the year when several powerful existences, existences whose deaths would generate a great amount of soul power and energy for the Demonic Hand, come to Isolon."

When Evan said that, Leoniel’s expression darkened as he immediately realised the time of year Evan was referring to.

"The Founding Festival. April 29th to May 2nd."

The Demonic Hand’s Disaster was called the ’Basilisk’s Stone Festival’, and that, along with Evan’s words just now, allowed Leoniel to naturally connect the dots and arrive at the conclusion that the Demonic Hand was targeting Isolon’s Founding Festival.

The founding myth of Isolon with the Great Basilisk of Legend was a story that was fairly popular on the Beta Continent, and the activities and rituals held in honour of that founding every year were a major source of tourism revenue for the nation of Isolon.

Since the nation’s leaders took special care to make every year’s experience unique, Isolon received more and more visitors during the festival period.

In fact, right now, the number of people entering Isolon daily is increasing because of the Founding Festival that will be happening in a little over two weeks.

"You do realise this is information you could have given me a lot earlier," Leoniel said, and Evan shrugged.

"Not much would’ve changed to my plans even if I told you earlier. At most, you’d have reinforced your security, but in the grand scheme of things, that wouldn’t matter much.

Besides, I was going to tell you this today regardless of whether you asked or not."

Leoniel was about to respond, but Evan spoke before he could get the words out. "But I’m not going to lie, there’s another reason why I hesitated."

There was something about Evan’s tone that pricked at Leoniel’s instincts.

’Something tells me I’m not going to like what he’s about to say.’

Without knowing the kind of thoughts going through Leoniel’s mind, Evan continued speaking.

"The Demonic Hand targeted Isolon for two reasons. One is naturally the influx of people, and the other is because it’s where you are based, Leoniel. Like I said, you are the core of the Stone Festival, the plan to petrify over a hundred million people in Isolon."

When Evan said that, Leoniel raised a hand as he said, "You know, that’s another part I don’t really get. Unless I suddenly go mad, there’s no way I’m going to petrify my entire country."

Evan chuckled at his words and then said, "Leoniel Gilbert Franco, the Great Basilisk.

You don’t have the limitations of the Evil Eyes of Petrification that every other basilisk across the world has, and you’re capable of petrifying things simply through your magic power coming into contact with them, a terrifying ability that the Demonic Hand discovered and wants to exploit."

Leoniel was a unique basilisk, and his Petrifying Touch and Negative Sandstorm skills made a terrifying combination that could indeed achieve the scale of nationwide petrification that the Demonic Hand desired.

"But there’s no way the Demonic Hand can get you to do their bidding. For one thing, you’re too strong for them to subdue by force without taking severe losses. They don’t have that many Sovereign-level existences they can afford to throw away, after all."

A quick reminder that Leoniel’s durability was literally Transcendental. Defeating him was far more difficult than taking down a dozen other Sovereigns even higher-levelled than he was.

"They also can’t get you into any isolated spaces since you always move within the detection range of the Elven Emperor and the Smith King, who keep watch over publicly registered Sovereigns like you," Evan added.

"So how can the Demonic Hand get you to do their bidding? How can they use a poison drug that causes the magic power of certain species this world classifies as ’Monsters’ to go berserk on you? How can they make you lose control and attack everything in rage?

Even if they manage to forcefully administer this berserk drug, you’d notice its effects early because of its potency, and you’re capable of nullifying it before it can take hold of your mind.

So even if they force it into you, it would be pointless, and you’re never going to take it willingly."

Evan paused, a soft breath slipping out as he then said, "Or are you?"

Leoniel narrowed his eyes at that final remark.

The man’s mind quickly processed the information Evan had just revealed about how the Demonic Hand intended to make him the core of the Stone Festival by using a berserk drug that would send his magic power out of control and cause it to spread uncontrollably, and since his magic power, when his Unique Skill was active, carried the petrifying effect they were after, the outcome would be catastrophic for anyone nearby.

Leoniel understood that much and chose to set it aside for the moment, focusing instead on what Evan meant by his last question.

"What do you mean by that?"

Evan stood up from his seat at Leoniel’s question, sliding his hands into his pockets as he turned to look over the ruined island around them.

"You’re a good lord, Leoniel Gilbert Franco. Your rule over the Hauhull region of Isolon has made that region far more prosperous than it’s ever been. It’s also one of the most populated regions despite not having many cities within it, and it draws a fair amount of tourism, which strengthens your nation’s economy."

Evan took a few steps away from Leoniel as he spoke, then stopped before continuing.

"You’re a kind man, Leoniel Franco. You’re also a good lord who’s loved by his people, and a lord who loves his people."

He turned his gaze toward Leoniel and concluded, "And I’m most definitely not the only one who knows that."

The moment Evan said that, Leoniel’s expression crumpled into a deep frown as he muttered, "I knew I wasn’t going to like the next thing you were going to say."

His instincts earlier had been right.

Evan had seemed to be praising Leoniel, but that alone was enough for Leoniel to understand exactly how the Demonic Hand intended to make him act according to their will.

Hostages.

"They want to take my citizens hostage to force me to do their bidding," Leoniel concluded.

Evan smiled bitterly after hearing the correct conclusion.

"You’re a kind man, Leoniel. Even if, logically, you understand the idea of sacrificing the few for the many, emotionally, you can’t bring yourself to make the decision to let your people die so you don’t fall under the Demonic Hand’s control.

As such, I came up with a rather simple plan."

Leoniel doubted whatever Evan had in mind could truly be called ’simple,’ but he didn’t comment and allowed Evan to continue first.

"This is part of the reason I’ve been hiding my strength from the Demonic Hand, so they don’t know how powerful I am and would never think to expect this," Evan said.

He turned around fully as he continued explaining.

"I’m going to turn your territory into a bloodbath, Leoniel, but the only blood I intend to spill will be that of the Demonic Hand’s members."

That declaration caused Leoniel’s eyes to narrow, but Evan still wasn’t done.

"I want them to come with whatever schemes and conspiracies they have. I want them to enter your territory. I want them to begin their plans to take your citizens hostage.

And when they bare their fangs, I plan to envelop the entirety of Hauhull in a World Isolation Barrier, the same kind they used in Lacertilia, to trap all of them within and keep your innocent citizens out.

Within that barrier, I, with the aid of the Elven Emperor, plan to slaughter every last member of the Demonic Hand’s Fourth Division, just like I did the Sixth."

Evan’s voice was cold, to the point that Leoniel felt a chill from him because of the way he spoke about ending the lives of the Demonic Hand’s members.

Leoniel knew that Evan had captured the Demonic Hand’s Sixth Finger, and when he had asked Laurene about how that battle had played out, the scene she described, how hundreds of High-Rank Demons and thousands of Demonic Hand Senior Members had been wiped out by Evan, had been nothing short of carnage.

Now Evan planned to do the same thing to the Demonic Hand’s Fourth Division.

He intended to allow the Demonic Hand’s Disaster to progress to the point where the Fourth Division’s forces would begin executing their plan with the monster stampedes and the Isolonian traitors they intended to use to hold Hauhull hostage.

Evan wanted to use Leoniel’s territory as a trap to catch and eliminate the Demonic Hand’s Fourth Division.

"That is my answer to your question about what I plan to do regarding the Disaster the Demonic Hand has prepared.

So tell me, Leoniel Franco, are you with me? Or do you have better plans?"

Barely a second passed after he asked that question before Leoniel answered.

"Those bastards are trying to take my citizens hostage. Do you really need to ask if I want to slaughter them all?"

Leoniel rose from the stool he had been sitting on and then continued, "But your plan is rather...violent.

I’d very much like for my citizens not to return to homes painted with blood, so I have a few objections and a couple of suggestions."

Hearing Leoniel’s words, Evan shrugged lightly and said, "Well, I’m not one to turn away constructive criticism. Let’s hear what you have, Leoniel."