How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 256 - Elf (3)

When I first saw Shahri, I had mixed feelings. It’s natural. Until now, I thought she was dead.

To be honest, I never expected Shahri to have survived in the Karantang Forest.

The last thing I saw while flying was Shahri protecting herself with all kinds of magic. After that, I just flew straight ahead.

The explosion of the glowstone erased the forest. When I looked once after the explosion, there was only an empty crater.

It would be strange to think she could have survived in that protective barrier. The fact that I acquired the title “Meticulous Planner” after the Karantang Forest incident also served as a basis for my judgment.

I thought that title was a reward for luring Shahri into a trap and dealing with her over a long period of time.

‘What was that?’

No, that’s not important. I couldn’t understand how she survived either. There’s no long-distance spatial movement magic, only short-distance spatial jumps.

Even if she repeated short-distance spatial jumps, there wouldn’t have been enough time to escape the explosion radius.

And even if that were the case, the probability of a mentally impaired elf making it here in one piece was significantly low. Only long-distance spatial movement made sense.

‘Do elves have some kind of arcane magic?’

That could be the case. Even in the game, not much information about elves or dwarves was revealed. I almost got in danger.

This could be considered fortunate. It seems that spatial movement and the explosion occurred simultaneously.

That’s why she survived but her condition isn’t intact. If Shahri’s memory or mind were intact, the elves wouldn’t have stayed quiet until now.

Anyway, after seeing Shahri, I became certain that the elves haven’t had any exchange with devil worshippers yet.

If they had, the elves would have caused trouble when we were facing the devil and his followers in the north.

‘Oh, come to think of it.’

If this reasoning is correct, it makes some sense that I gained the Meticulous Planner trait just by making Shahri an idiot.

It wasn’t wrong that I made Shahri a fool and prevented the elves from participating in the front line.

I approached carefully while hiding my presence with winds. It was to examine Shahri. Suddenly, Shahri whirled around towards me.

I wasn’t caught because I hid behind a tree trunk in time. Is an Archmage still an Archmage even when they’ve become a fool? It seems she felt the subtle air currents despite me hiding my presence.

“Oh, familiar… familiar! Devil? Eek!”

Shahri made a strange sound and then suddenly started screaming. The surrounding mana also began to fluctuate. It was a huge wave that even the elves from earlier could feel.

Oh no, should I run away? I thought, but this situation was suitable for the scenario I had drawn.

I had planned to create a negative perception of devil worshippers among the elves while coming to the southwest.

Whether the elves had allied with them or not, this was the best move for us.

Now Shahri spat out the word devil after seeing my aura. If this continues, I can utilize it even better.

I will be firmly imprinted as a definite devil worshipper to the elves through Shahri.

And I can let them know that dialogue is impossible with devil worshippers.

‘The slightly worrying part is…’

There was a chance that Shahri might regain her memory upon seeing me. It often happens that people who have lost their minds regain them due to some trigger.

It was a bit concerning. Of course, the probability is low. The choice had to be made quickly. There wasn’t much time given.

From where the elves were to here is about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Well, let’s just try it for now.

It’s enough time to check Shahri’s reaction. And even if things don’t go well, I have my thoughts all planned out.

‘Leave Moonlight behind.’

Despite the trouble, I brought two swords to this elven forest. I couldn’t use Moonlight if I was pretending to be a devil worshipper causing havoc.

After putting Moonlight in the bushes, I hold a longsword in my right hand and Ghost Blade in my left. This was the plan. I can use misdirection even during battle.

I revealed myself and walked towards Shahri. Whether her mind wasn’t sound or not, she didn’t recognize me.

I slightly revealed the aura I had been hiding. The stored mana spreads subtly.

Maybe because she was still an Archmage, as soon as the mana changed, Shahri turned her head to look at me.

Her eyes widened like saucers. Her mouth was open too. Surprise and a hint of fear. This looked closer to the surprise of seeing a person in the elven forest.

“H-human… how?”

Shahri stammered and stepped back. That’s when it happened. Shahri’s body stiffened slightly. It was a hesitation that would be missed if not observed carefully.

‘Huh?’

And for a very brief moment, I felt like I saw a spark of intelligence return to Shahri’s eyes. They quickly returned to their unsound state, but still.

Oh no, did her memory return right away? I thought the possibility was low, but my suspicion deepened. No, it was close to certainty.

The momentary hesitation and the flash of intelligence in her eyes, I had no choice but to scrap my first plan. There’s little chance this is my misconception.

I had no intention of leaving any risk based on that possibility.

“Shahri, good girl. Come here.”

I spoke in a gentle tone and then suddenly sprang forward, kicking off the ground. Perhaps she read the killing intent in my eyes.

As I advanced, Shahri also drew up mana. Her expression changed completely. Her memory had returned.

‘By the way, I don’t think my acting was lacking.’

This could be seen as the senses of Archmage Shahri, who had regained her mind, being sharper than I thought.

An Archmage’s magic. The mana in the air fluctuates. But there’s no retreat. I keep advancing without stopping.

If it were the past when I first met Shahri, it might have been different. But now I’m a Sword Master. There’s nothing to fear. The mana boiling in front of me turned into a blazing curtain of fear that enveloped me.

Moonlight settles on the sword. I had intended to refrain from using Sword Energy while in the forest, but it doesn’t matter since I plan to kill her anyway. There’s no one around yet. The moonlight cuts through the curtain of fear. It was too easy.

‘It might be because I became a Sword Master and regained my body condition, but…’

The fact that Archmage Shahri’s body condition wasn’t intact also played a big role. It was a bit lacking for an Archmage’s magic.

As if anticipating my breakthrough, the surrounding mana fluctuated again, but the manifestation of magic was much delayed. I was already standing in front of Shahri.

The moonlight draws an arc. The Archmage’s head flew into the sky. Like the spraying blood, the boiling mana lost direction and scattered rapidly.

As the surrounding mana shook uneasily, I felt presences approaching from afar and erased my Sword Energy. Now it’s time to face the elves.

***

“Shahri!”

“…Who are you?”

The three elves who approached immediately drew their weapons upon seeing me. Sword, bow, and staff. Each had a different weapon.

The elf with the sword was at the front. Anger towards me was visible. I continued speaking calmly.

“Impure ones, I am not your enemy.”

In the lowest tone possible. I tried to create a slight sense of discomfort, repulsion, and fear by making my voice resonate.

The tense elf narrowed his eyes and looked at me. Those eyes were full of hostility.

“I asked who you are.”

It was visible that he wanted to attack right away but was restraining himself because I didn’t look easy to deal with. I felt mana flowing behind the elf with the staff.

It wasn’t magic to attack me. Rather, it seemed closer to magic for communication. Probably requesting support from other elves.

“You’re doing unnecessary things. Nothing will change even if more impure ones come.”

Saying that, I raised my aura. Mana fluctuates and the expressions of the three elves frown at my pressure.

Nevertheless, I didn’t bother to stop the communication. Although things got a bit complicated with Shahri regaining her memory, it’s still flowing as I want.

I waited for a moment, looking at the elf standing at the front. Just as the elf’s Adam’s apple and lips twitched slightly to speak, I opened my mouth first.

“You asked who I am.”

Except for the devil worshippers themselves, I’m probably the person who knows them best. I had encountered them countless times in the game.

I spoke in an emotionless voice, not even creating a change in expression on my face. Only a hint of arrogance was visible in my eyes.

“I’ll answer you. Listen carefully.”

The guys’ expressions frowned at my arrogant tone.

“I am the fear of existing things and the harvester of departed souls, an apostle serving the darkness of the deepest place.”

I raised my mana a bit more to match that. The three elves must have felt the pressure intensifying.

“The reason I came here today is to punish a sinner who made a foolish choice in the past, and soon to give enlightenment to you ignorant ones.”

“How dare a devil worshipper…!”

The elf with the bow couldn’t contain his anger and shouted. I glared at him. My mana pressured his body.

To me, who is a Sword Master and has regained my original body condition, this elven reconnaissance team was not even a plaything.

“Watch your words. Given the result of your resistance against us in the past, how dare you raise your voice?”

“…”

The elf couldn’t say anything. Elves are of two types. The extremists and those who are not.

Of course, both sides hate the Empire equally. However, the latter tries not to cooperate with the devil despite that, and usually, there are more of the latter.

The reason I rejoiced thinking I had dealt with Shahri in the Karantang Forest was because Shahri was the spiritual pillar and agitator of the extremist elves.

Taking this stance now is also to show the latter elves that joining hands with the devil is not a good thing.

“You, too, should know that this punishment is just. Shahri of your race couldn’t let go of her suspicion even when meeting with us.”

At this point, I showed a little anger in my voice.

“She thought the intervention of the Empire’s unbelievers was a trap we set up. As a result, we lost precious brothers in the Karantang Forest. This is a righteous retribution for that.”

And at the part about losing brothers, I showed a bit of devastation before continuing with a righteous face.

Honestly, there was a part that made me slightly hesitant.

Should I just make them hate devil worshippers like this, or should I try to persuade the elves despite this?

Persuading them was obviously a trick to lure the elves into a trap. But I thought it might be better not to do that.

Although it could greatly offset the elves’ fighting power, there was no need to go that far.

Our side would also suffer losses in power, and it seemed like just doing this would be enough to exclude the elves.

In fact, I didn’t have much hostility towards other races. Elves or dwarves, if I were them, I would hate the Empire too.

However, too many years and too much malice have accumulated to turn back, so I can’t solve that. I just don’t want to pile on another huge malice.

Of course, I’m not proud and free from malice. Even what I’m doing now might look hypocritical. I feel that way too.

I don’t think seeking happiness for the majority through the sacrifice of a minority is the right answer. This is just my best effort.

“Just for that reason, you came all the way here and killed Shahri…”

“Just that reason?”

I frowned. It was the right timing to show anger.

“The sin of not realizing the coming darkness and doubting, the sin of driving the brothers of darkness to death, is just that?”

I continued to pressure and glare at the elves. It wasn’t time yet.

And in the winds I had opened wide and naturally, I felt a group of elves approaching. Now is the time.

“I see that you too are sinners deserving punishment. I thought you knew how to argue for a greater cause, but yes, we were mistaken. Those who couldn’t see the grand intention in the past cannot see it in the present.”

I drew my sword and pointed it at the elves. Incidents rarely occur in the elven forest.

Moreover, if it’s the closed-off elves, there would be at least one Sword Master or Archmage included.

If it’s a Sword Master, it might be a bit tough, but I’m not worried. I can just use Ghost Blade to deal with them and then run away.

“Impure and weak ones, behold the darkness.”

Now, there couldn’t be a better situation if Devil’s Blood reacts. The moment I thought that, the blood in my body started to boil.

Devil’s Blood had reacted. What’s this? So suddenly? I felt a bit bewildered.