Chapter 1425: Close Your Eyes
“Honestly—I do not know.” Valkries did not look away. “This has exceeded my expectations. That is what you are actually more concerned about, isn’t it?”
Roland acknowledged this without speaking.
He had noticed early that Nightmare Lord possessed an uncanny insight into human minds. Even within the Martialist Association, she had been well received, blending in as though she had never been anything other than a fixture there. Playing dull in front of her was useless. The most effective approach was to be direct.
According to her earlier conjecture, the appearance of the Deity of Gods meant Sky Lord had already committed. Since he had persuaded the King to approve it, all possibility of collaboration had been severed. Unless the enormous floating island was destroyed, there was no reverting that choice.
“Reasonably, Hackzord’s cautious nature would keep him focused on the frontlines.” She was thinking aloud now, shaping her thoughts as she spoke. “As long as you display sufficient strength, he won’t act. Now he is acting against his nature, and with Serakkas forming some kind of understanding with him—it is natural to be wary. But…”
“But what?”
“What if the situation has changed?” She shrugged. “The world has changed. No matter how sound the original calculation, our prior assumptions may now be meaningless. I can only guess that other factors have altered Hackzord’s intent—factors I cannot name.”
“But you don’t know what they are.”
“No. And if you have no idea either, it is impossible for me to know.” She drank again. “Without asking him, nothing we say here is more than a guess.”
“So you want to write another letter?”
“That is one way—but the delay between each exchange would be too long, and conditions can shift at any moment. Each uncertainty compounds the risk.”
A moment of silence settled between them.
Roland looked at her with something close to amusement. “Are you trying to guide my thinking?”
“The decision has always been yours.” Her expression was entirely composed.
”…” Roland didn’t answer immediately. He shrugged and changed the subject. “One more thing—why do you speak only of Hackzord and rarely of Silent Disaster? Can’t she be one of the uncertain elements?”
“Because I know her.” Something moved in Valkries’s eyes. She turned and looked out the window. “To convince Hackzord requires careful reasoning, and even then it is no certainty. But Serakkas is different. As long as she knows I am alive, she will not sit idle.”
Deep below the Deity of Gods, at the bottom of the Red Mist Pond.
“Will this actually work?” Silent Disaster studied Sky Lord, who lay with eyes closed in the pool as he continued his recovery.
“Maybe, maybe not.” After days in the Mist, Hackzord had nearly mended. “But since you cannot think of a better plan, we try our luck.”
He knew what was needed to bring Silent Disaster to his side: resolve the two reasons she had refused him. He could not halt Plan B, and he dared not defy the King openly. The only avenue was the letter—or rather, what could be done through letters.
A single piece of paper with a few words was too thin. But what if the paper carried more—more words, more information? If the plan succeeded and they could establish contact with Nightmare Lord, Silent Disaster would become his most powerful card.
For this, Hackzord had dispatched Siacis, his most capable subordinate, to monitor rumors spreading through the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Dawn. He had also sent two nobles out—one to the foot of Mount Hermes, one to Everwinter’s borders—hoping for any form of reply.
The plan was a wide net cast into the sea, heavily dependent on luck. But Hackzord had no other option. He could not reveal the existence of the Witch Valkries was relying on, which would sever her connection and leave her lost in the Realm of Mind. Once that happened, no reply could ever come.
He harbored little hope.
The time a message required to travel and return was long, and the King’s second Deity of Gods was already moving toward the Fertile Plains. Once Plan B was activated, there was no path back.
“Instead of brooding over this—why not pay attention to Mask?”
“What about Mask?” Silent Disaster frowned.
“I’m not sure… His reaction seems off somehow.” Hackzord shook his head. Hackzord’s return could not have been hidden from Mask. Yet after claiming the role of Western Front Commander, Mask had made no mention of his long disappearance and offered no suggestion that he report to the King. In the past, Mask would have used exactly such an opportunity to press his advantage. This time, he had let it pass.
“Master Sky Lord!” Siacis burst into the rock cave. “The humans have made a move!”
“That fast?” Hackzord’s surprise was genuine. “What did you observe?”
He had not shared his intentions with anyone beyond Silent Disaster. His only instruction to Siacis was to report anything unusual among the humans.
“A human male has raised a flag on the hillside you asked us to watch. He is alone.”
A flag raised without occupation. Deeply unusual.
Hackzord and Silent Disaster exchanged a look.
Only five days had passed since they sent the message—far less than the half month he had estimated. The speed of the response meant only one thing: the Witch in question held not merely influence but authority close to the very top. Nothing short of that could move so quickly.
“What are the Eye Demons reporting?”
He had arranged a Symbiotic Eye Demon for Siacis as a precaution—after the last time a blonde Witch had struck him from range, he had not forgotten the lesson.
“It senses a human male with no magic power—likely a human scout. No magic-power observers detected.” Siacis hesitated. “My lord, what are you on guard against?”
“I will explain everything when this is over.” After Siacis withdrew, Hackzord looked at Silent Disaster. “Do you want to go?”
“Is there even a question?” She was already donning her helmet.
Stepping through the Distortion Door, Silent Disaster walked toward the soldier standing beneath the flag. This time, she made no effort to conceal herself—she let him see her coming.
She recognized him. He was the one who had delivered the letter before.
The scene was unusual. The human did not scream, did not run, did not raise his weapon in desperate resistance. He stood quietly and waited for her to approach. His breathing was clearly unsteady, but he did not retreat a single step.
When she reached him, he spoke first.
“I delivered the letter. Where are my companions?”
“They are alive. Return, and I will release them.”
The man nodded. Then he reached into his clothing and held out a new piece of paper.
Silent Disaster’s eyes narrowed.
Written in her own language—unmistakably Nightmare Lord’s style.
The content was brief. A single sentence.
Focus yourself, and close your eyes.
Chapter 1425 - Close your eyes
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Valkries eyes never strayed away. “This has gone beyond my expectations. That’s what you’re more concerned about, right?”
Roland tacitly agreed. He discovered that Nightmare Lord possessed an indescribable insight towards the minds of humans. Even in the Martialist Association, she was well received by everyone and blended in well. It was useless trying to act muddle-headed in front of her, and the most effective form of negotiation was to be direct.
According to her previous conjecture, the appearance of the Deity of Gods meant that the Sky Lord had made a decision. Since he had persuaded the King for the Deity of Gods, it had severed all possibilities of working together. Uness the gigantic floating island was destroyed, there was no room for regret.
“Reasonably, Hackzord’s prudent nature will always focus on the frontlines. As long as you display sufficient strength, he will not take action.” It looked as though Valkries was thinking aloud, yet at the same time figuring out the doubts in his heart. “Now that he’s being out of character, and with Serakkas forming some sort of understanding with him, it is natural that you’re wary. But…”
“But what?”
“What if the situation has changed?” She shrugged. “The world has changed, no matter how appropriate the choice, all our conditions have turned meaningless. I can only guess that there might be other factors at play that changed Hackzord’s original intent.”
“But you don’t know what that is.”
“That’s right, if even you have no clue as to what that is, It is impossible for me to know.” Valkries drank another mouthful of coffee. “If we do not ask him, nothing will come out from our guesses here.”
“So you want to write another letter?”
“That is indeed a way, but the time between the doubts and our interaction will be too long. And the conditions might change at any given moment. All of these uncertainties have brought uncertain risks.”
After a moment of silence, Roland looked at Valkries in an amused manner. “Are you trying to guide my thoughts?”
“The decision has always been in your hands.” The latter’s expression was surprisingly calm.
“…” Roland did not answer immediately and merely shrugged his shoulders and changed the topic. “Right, why do you only talk about Hackzord and rarely about Silent Disaster? Can she not be one of the ‘uncertain elements?’”
“Because I know her.” Emotions stirred within Valkries eyes. She turned and looked out of the window. “To convince Hackzord requires a great deal of reasoning, but it is impossible for her. As long as she knows that I’m alive, she will not stay idle.”
…
Deity of Gods, at the bottom of the Red Mist Pond.
“Will doing this really work?” Silent Disaster stared at Sky Lord who was recuperating with his eyes closed in the pool.
“Maybe, maybe not.” After days of recuperation, Hackzord had almost fully recovered. “But since you can’t think of a better idea, we can only try our luck.”
He knew very well that if he wanted Silent Disaster to stand by his side, he needed to resolve the two reasons for her refusal. He was unable to stop the
order of Plan B and did not dare openly rebel against the King; therefore, the only breakthrough was the ‘letter.’
A piece of paper and a few words were far too sloppy, but what if there were more words and information? If it succeeded and they were able to communicate with the Nightmare Lord, Silent Disaster would become his greatest trump card.
For this plan, not only did Hackzord allow his capable subordinate, Siacis, to personally monitor rumors floating around the north of the Kingdom of Dawn, he also sent out two nobles, one to the foot of Mount Hermes and the other to Everwinter’s borders, in hopes of receiving a reply.
The plan was akin to casting a wide net into the sea, and it being heavily reliant heavily on luck increased the uncertainties involved. However, Hackzord had no other choice. He could not expose the existence of that witch’s existence and cause Valkries to lose her connection and become completely lost in the Realm of Mind. If that happened, they would no longer be able to obtain replies for a chance to ambush the humans.
But Hackzord did not harbor any hope for any end results.
Since the message sent required time and the King’s second Deity of Gods was moving towards the Fertile Plains. Once Plan B was activated, there was no turning back.
“Aside from that… Instead of being focused on this, why not pay attention to Mask?”
“What’s wrong with Mask?” Silent Disaster frowned.
“I don’t know… I feel that his reaction is somewhat strange.” Hackzord shook his head. It was impossible for his return to be hidden from Mask, but after earning the role as the Commander of the Western Front, Mask did not bother about his long disappearance or suggest for him to report to the King. If it were in the past, Mask would had used this opportunity to suppress Hackzord instead of letting the chance slip by.
“Master Sky Lord!” Right at this time, Siacis suddenly ran into the rock cave. “There has been activity with the humans!”
“That fast?” Hackzord was shocked. “What did you observe?”
He did not reveal his thoughts to anyone else aside from Silent Disaster and Siacis was no exception. His order to his subordinate was to report anything unusual about the humans.
“A human male has erected a flag on the hillside which you requested for us to observe, and he’s alone.”
Erecting a flag but not occupying the territory, that was extremely unusual!
Hackzord couldn’t help but exchange looks with Silent Disaster.
It had only been five days since they sent out the message, and was far from the half month that he had anticipated. This only proved one thing; not only did the Witch hold a powerful position, her authority was close to the top. Otherwise, it would had been impossible for the message to be delivered so quickly.
“Any movements on the Eye Demons?”
Although Witches were unable to enter Red Mist regions, he had prepared a Symbiotic Eye Demon for Siacis for safety reasons. After suffering the long distance attack by the blonde witch the last time, it had left a trauma in him.
“What was sensed was a human male without any magic power and should be a scout for the humans. Presently, there has been no sightings of any magic power observers.” Siacis hesitated for a moment. “My lord, what are you cautious about?”
“I will tell you everything when it’s over.” After Siacis’s departure, Hackzord turned to Silent Disaster. “Do you want to go?”
“Is there a need to ask?” The latter had already donned on her helmet.
…
After stepping through the Distortion Door, Silent Disaster slowly walked towards the soldier under the flag.
This time, she did not conceal herself intentionally, allowing the soldier to notice her.
Silent Disaster recognized him.
He was the one who had delivered the previous letter.
The scene was a rare sight. The human did not scream, run, or put up a desperate resistance; instead, he waited quietly for her to approach. Although his breathing was clearly somewhat chaotic, he did not retreat a step.
When the two came face to face, he spoke.
“I’ve delivered the letter, where are my companions?”
“They are alive. Return, I will release them.”
The man nodded, then took out a new piece of paper and handed it over.
Silent Disaster’s eyes immediately constricted.
It was the same as the first letter, written in their language with Nightmare Lord’s obvious style.
But the content was brief; it was only a single sentence.
“Focus yourself, and close your eyes.”