American Isekai - Chapter 291

The Fourth Princess left the Glass Desert under the watchful eyes of my Pale Horsemen after delivering her message. Although she tried to insist that she would return by her own means, I hardly allowed it. 

It would be too convenient for the Princess to get hurt during her trip back. I couldn’t leave my enemies any room for slandering my name. 

Thus, the Princess was delivered like a package. Put to sleep with some mental magic, flown to the Capital, and dropped in the Royal Palace without harm. While we got some nasty correspondence a couple days later, I paid it no mind. 

Now I just needed to get the King his pile of Crystals. 

With some calls to Sawn, we started pulling on our logistics network and moved some pieces. The Crystal Harvesters, which were already hard at work, started putting in overtime. The Brigades were also told to commit to some more battles with the Scourge. More kills meant more crystals. There was no reason we couldn’t kill our way to our quota in a month. 

After the orders were given, the warehouse filled day by day. We soon started preparing the necessary vehicles for transporting such a large mass of poisonous Black Crystals. 

During the few weeks that passed, Umara was given some time with the Desert Eagles. She couldn’t be gone for too long because there was still a set of teleportation spells that needed to be developed. While our heist was a long term project, it needed to be started as soon as possible. We already had the teams on standby. She was the last piece, and she was close to finalizing them. Prototypes and tests were already being conducted. 

The teleportation spells required to steal these Dragon and Lordbeast corpses didn’t have to be powerful. They were single use and they didn’t have to have their signature masked when they were finally activated. However, they still had to be planted near the corpses. While this by itself wasn’t difficult, making sure the planted devices weren’t noticed for at least a year would be. I had some thinkers at Wonderland debating the issue and they had come up with some good ideas, but oftentimes they made the solution too complex. Keeping them uninformed about the true nature of what was happening didn’t help the issue, but I wouldn’t go telling them about a project like this. 

All the pieces had to fit together. Umara’s spell, the form it took on, how it was deployed, how it was hidden, and how it was activated. They all had to be carefully designed and implemented. Any mistakes would blow the entire operation. 

So Umara was soon back in her study, doing what she did best, and I continued to guide the war against the Scourge. 

The Maginot Line was established. Under my supervision it was made more perfect than it otherwise would be. Tens of miles of defenses were set up, and while most of it was initially unmanned, it would soon be filled. The Brigades wouldn’t be beyond the Line for long. Once they retreated so that the defense could be mounted, the might of our magical fortifications would show itself. 

The time to pull back wasn’t far off. The Scourge was mounting more pressure, and what was a mere two million strong army back when Stronghold Charlie and the Treehouse fell had now grown. We had already killed over a million of them over the years, but they had reinforced their ranks with even more. There were four million of them marching toward us, and while a significant portion of them were still moving from the Crossing, the Nexus and Intestine networks would accommodate their swift travel. 

The Maginot Line would be mounting a defense no other army in this world had ever seen. Just fifty thousand against several million. It would be worthy of legend by itself. 

Of course the Sovereign leading them was still a problem. But I already had that solution waiting on my call. 

I continued to oversee the Maginot Line as my pieces moved. October soon came and the logistical preparations for my tribute to the King were completed. I had my propaganda machines in the Capital announce the date of the delivery. I intended to have as many eyes on those crystals as possible. The King would be given no room for excuse, and what happened after wouldn’t be my problem. 

I couldn’t show up myself though. Part of me wanted to stir the pot and march through the streets in a grand display of arrogance. The other part of me knew that it would only take one Sovereign or Marshal with no care and a little bit of hate to kill me on the spot. With the Third Claw coming after me, I couldn’t take chances. 

But others could. There was no reason I couldn’t have some soldiers and agents there parading the cold metal glory of Iron Legion. It would boost my image on top of everything else. 

The days passed with me inside the Command Hardpoint of the Maginot Line. It was only when my delivery date came that I finally stepped away from the battlefield. 

……

…

October 10th, 628

It was a beautiful day in the Capital. Cool, breezy air and sunny skies made it an especially good time to stand at the top of the Black Spider Hotel overlooking the Royal Palace. 

Iron Legion had moved in during the early morning. Four Superheavy Tanks were parked in the wide road leading straight toward the Royal Palace’s entrace. A few helicopters were in the air collecting constant video of the surroundings and several dozen Iron Legion soldiers were hanging around the tanks leisurely. Almost all of them were conversing with the citizens who had formed crowds in the area. Most were normal humans, only some being Nephilim. 

The Nephilim were intimidated by the icons of humanity’s strength. They knew they were corrupted, knew that they stood against humanity. But in their cowardice they didn’t dare approach that which they knew stood against them. 

The humans were content, however. Excited even. Every child who came across the sight begged their parents to go see the massive metal behemoths. Every adult, ordinary or Magi, took the time to go take a peek at the soldiers protecting them on the front lines. In such tumultuous times where Nephilim seemed to sow discord without anything to stand against them, they sought comfort from the image of strength. 

Beside the Iron Legion soldiers were screens displaying videos from the frontlines, videos depicting fierce combat against the Scourge and the might of our weapons. Thousands were gathered around every screen raised high into the air, thousands more trying to squeeze in from other roads and alleys. 

The capital guard were naturally gathered, all of them stationed at various areas around the gathering. They simply kept an eye on everything. It seemed like the Third Claw didn’t intend to cause trouble. Yet. 

The Black Spider Hotel was on the opposite side of the main road that led to the Royal Palace, providing a clear view even from a few miles away. With my eyes, I could monitor everything going on in the light of this nice day. 

Sector 4 monitored everything else in the dark. They were actively collecting information on the Third Claw agents around the gathering. We had already found a dozen and more were being spotted every handful of minutes. 

They couldn’t hide from my tech. Programmed Magic was still without equal. 

“You’re going to stir quite the reaction, Sir Cooper. I’m honestly a bit surprised that you’re choosing to do this.”

The Key Master spoke from the side. The two of us had been standing around for an hour or so, chatting away the minutes as my Iron Legion accumulated a larger and larger crowd. The delivery had yet to happen, but I would milk this opportunity for all it was worth. 

“You mean giving them Crystals?”

“Indeed. Half a million Crystals is no small amount. You will make them incredibly wealthy overnight.”

“I consider it an investment. It’ll buy me time, which I desperately need at the moment. Pissing them off now or giving them an excuse will leave me little room in the future.”

“This is true. Being honest, if you hadn’t already proposed the grand heist to us, I would have advised you to withhold this delivery. If your plan works out, however, this paltry amount will look like a joke.”

I didn’t react to that, continuing to stare at what could be considered another showcase.

“How is the development of those spells, if I may ask?”

“It’s coming along nicely. Prototypes are already being tested. We’ve had our successes, but Umara says she feels like she’s missing something. The knowledge that the Talerria family imparted to her, complete guides to making teleportation networks, has been comprehensive enough to lay the foundation. But she’s taking it a step further while trying to combine it with my own magic. Let’s just say there’s been a certain… ceiling that she has yet to break through.”

“Her undertaking is an incredible one. I believe that success or not, the results will be enough to make the endeavor worth it.”

“I agree. But neither of us make promises we can’t keep. I’ve asked for some help. Hopefully it’ll be enough to get her past that ceiling and make rather than break our heist.”

“I see. This help of yours must be incredible.”

I didn’t respond. I had a feeling the Key Master already knew that I had asked for help. I think he already knew who was coming to help Umara despite me still being in the dark. 

Some more time passed, everything continuing as normal until I saw a large incoming helicopter in the distance. It was one of the cargo models, and below it, hanging from a metal cable, was a large metal container. 

It drew eyes as it entered the airspace above the Capital, slowing until it was over the Royal Palace. Then it lowered itself, the container touching the ground right in the middle of the central plaza. 

The helicopter flew away once the cable detached itself, leaving the container by itself. 

It was a cubical container roughly 20 long, wide, and tall. It had no defining features, not even any indications of handles, terminals, or latches. The walls were flat steel, nothing more. 

Seeing as enough attention was on it, I sent a signal from my Aerial. 

It triggered the hidden enchantment on the container, the seams splitting open and dropping each of the container’s walls. Exposed were 500 smaller transparent containers, each holding varying amounts of Crystals of various sizes. Not all Crystals were the same. Some were the size of a walnut while others could be as big as a man’s head. Most were on the smaller end, because there was no way I would hand the King half a million Authority 8 behemoth Crystals. 

The sight of the many boxes of Crystals quickly became a secondary issue, however. For as soon as the container opened, the terrible miasma of poisonous Magika flooded out. Half a million Black Crystals was no small concentration of power, and it had palpable effects on the environment around it. It’s why battlefields could become corrupted wastelands of mutated plants and beasts. Leaving behind Scourge corpses en masse was a recipe for ruin, and the distilled power cores of a half million of them were right there in the middle of the Royal Plaza. 

I chuckled as the Iron Legion soldiers dropped barriers of magic, protecting the people from the flooding miasma. Most of the guards attempted to rush toward the container, but the human ones recoiled and backed away as soon as they got too close. 

That left the Nephilim guards to stand out, for they had no issues with the miasma. In fact, most of them ended up smiling. They relished such corrupted power. 

The delivery did not go unnoticed by the higher powers. The Royal Palace soon opened one of its doors, and the Commander of the Royal Guard came out. He approached the stacks of Crystals without issue, looking over it before scanning the crowds outside. 

I’m sure he would notice me under normal circumstances, but I had my concealment devices active. Even multiple miles away, I wouldn’t expose myself in the open, not even with the Key Master beside me. 

I watched him and his futile search, his gaze eventually falling on my troops. I noticed that the Commander wasn’t a Nephilim. That or his corruption was just that easy. That was usually indicative of little to no resistance during the corruptive process. So he was either just that brainwashed, or a really, really evil bastard. 

I was inclined to believe a man so close to the darker powers wasn’t innocent. 

As soon as the Commander started eyeing my troops, the tanks shifted their cannons, pointing them straight at the container and every person around it. Those tanks were armed with some nasty shells too, their Crystals enchanted with some experimental spatial formations Umara handed off. I made sure that if the Third Claw decided to test my Iron Legion, they would be suitably satisfied with the response. 

I don’t send my troops anywhere without being suitably prepared for the threats therein. 

The Commander remained where he was, most of the Iron Legion soldiers moving to board their tanks or APCs. 

The delivery had been completed. My Iron Legion had made its mark once more, spreading the good word of Scourge death counts and slaughter. I could see reporters everywhere, capturing every image and happening in and out of the Royal Plaza. This would be in the papers tomorrow. All the businesses under Sawn Industries would make sure of it. 

I gave another signal on my Aerial, and the soldiers finally packed up and started driving off. Some of the royal guards tried to get in their way, but it was difficult to stand in the path of hundreds of tons of enchanted steel. 

None of the big players got in their way either. The Commander stood his ground and my Pale Horsemen pulled away from their positions, no orders given to kill all the Third Claw agents where they stood. 

I took one more glance at the massive pile of Crystals, feeling a little pissed off. I hardly wanted to be giving my enemies money so directly. Not only was I giving away vast liquid wealth, but I was also sinking the cost of all the armament, ordnance, soldier salaries, and time used to acquire all those Crystals. Those Crystals were worth far more than just themselves. 

I sighed and turned, looking through some of my messages in my vision. I sent Luna a quick text before arranging transport for myself and Umara. 

The helicopter on a nearby helipad started spinning up, Erhan waiting by the hatch. 

“Well Key Master, it was good seeing you. I’ve got more work to attend to.”

“Indeed. Give my greetings and wishes of good luck to your fiancée.”

“Will do. That also reminds me, actually.”

I smiled a bit as we shook hands.

“Our wedding is going to be two days before Christmas, in the Holy See’s Sacred Chapel. I wanted to extend an invitation to you. You’ve been an important part of my life ever since I arrived and even if you can’t attend personally, I wanted to at least have you there in spirit.”

His brows raised a bit before his smile got a bit wider. I handed him a physical invitation after our handshake separated, his eyes scanning it for several seconds. 

I waited in silence for his response, which took some time to acquire.

“I would be honored to, John. Perhaps not for the entire event, but I will be there for the ceremony.”

“That sounds perfect to me. You have my thanks, Key Master.”

“And you, mine. How can I miss the wedding of the man seeking humanity’s survival? Just tell me when, and I’ll be there.”

“Of course.”

We shook hands once more, my steps soon taking me to board my helicopter.

I took off, Umara waiting for me on the other side.

……

“Ah, I see now.”

Tahg Naughtson stood nearby, watching the large man in front of him stare out of a window of the Royal Palace. 

His eyes tracked… something, in the sky. Phero Runneas usually wasn’t so eccentric, so Tahg assumed it was simply something he couldn’t see. 

Seeing that it was in the direction of the Black Spider Hotel, and how it had happened only after the Iron Legion soldiers started leaving, he had the wild guess that it was John Cooper. 

Phero gazes at a point in the sky, a point quickly creating distance between them. Still, he tracked it like distance was a mere suggestion. 

He saw the helicopter, its exterior faded, magic tampering with his sight, even with Aura. He could hardly focus on it, layers of complex illusory and coded magic preventing all manner of detection, and then preventing all manner of stealthed magical observation. 

But Aura was not magical. It superseded magic, a thing so powerful and mysterious that nobody, not even the Sovereigns, really knew what it was. 

And it pierced through the veil of all magical complexities, giving him a crystal clear view of the soul within that helicopter. 

“John Cooper. He has balls, being here.”

Tahg perked up, restraining the eagerness in his voice. 

“Can you kill him?”

“Yes.”

“...Will you?”

“No. It would be too high a price. I’m not the only power in this city.”

Tah clenched his fists, a wave of anger washing through him before fading. He surely couldn’t hope for such an easy solution to their problems. 

Phero leaned his head on his fist, swirling the glass of blood in his other hand. His eyes continued to track the helicopter. 

And he noticed John turn his head in response, looking right back at him. 

Phero smiled. From behind the Great Barrier he could see how far away John was. 

“He’s taking his first steps. It won’t be long before he breaks it.”

“Breaks what?”

Tahg asked, Phero sighing like words were too much effort. 

“The Great Barrier. He may just be the first summoner in history to break through it.”

“...We need to kill him before that.”

“Perhaps… But if we let him, then he will pave the way for all of our own summoners. We will finally be able to raise a new bloodline into the untouched Horizon.”

“If we let him, do we think we’ll be able to kill him after the fact? Will we ever get the chance?”

“Of course we will. That’s hardly an issue to think about. We always get what we want, and John Cooper cannot fathom the powers behind us, cannot fathom the extent of our reach in this world. Even if we must scry for him, he will be in our hands sooner or later.”

Tahg went silent, Phero eventually turning his eyes away, the helicopter no longer in direct line of sight. 

Not that it was necessary, but he hardly cared to stare for so long. 

He waved away Tahg. 

“Go on and count the Crystals. If they have left even one out, we will have him by the balls.”

“...Yes sir.”

Tahg bowed and left, forcing down his concerns and focusing on the task before him.

He would have his chance. It would not be long before his own pieces arrived.