Morgott held little expectation for the Cuckoo Knights’ allegiance.
He had only taken them in thinking that if they remained in Liurnia, they were rely awaiting their annihilation anyway.
Because the Raya Lucaria Academy had completely sealed itself off and hadn’t participated in the Shattering, Leyndell held no direct grudge against the Cuckoos.
The Cuckoo Knights had once collaborated with forces inside the academy, striking a decisive blow that left the Carian Royal Family unable to recover.
Although it seed like an impressive military achievent, the Carian Royal Family, without Queen Rennala of the Full Moon, wasn’t much to speak of.
At that ti, Radahn and Rykard had already joined the Golden Dynasty as extended family through their connection to Radagon, and Ranni was still young.
In other words, when the academy launched its rebellion, the Carian side didn’t have a single figure of demigod strength.
If even one demigod had been able to intervene, the academy and the Cuckoos wouldn’t have been able to make a single ripple.
Still, it reflected the Cuckoos' and the academy’s remarkable ability to seize opportunities.
As for why the Cuckoos and the academy continued to thrive afterward... Morgott didn’t know.
Perhaps it was his mother’s political maneuvering to weaken the Carian Royal Family, an external power?
Regardless, the Cuckoos’ combat strength was what it was.
They wouldn't contribute much in terms of military might. Morgott had only taken them in because idly watching Bai Shi completely destroy them would have been a greater loss for Leyndell.
However, after seeing the Mimic Tear before him, Morgott finally felt a flicker of anticipation.
Because with a Mimic Tear, things were different.
When it ca to high-level combatants, a Mimic Tear was a force to be reckoned with.
If the tear before him could display its true potential, it would undoubtedly be of great use.
At that mont, the Mimic Tear before Morgott spoke.
“The Cuckoo army can be placed entirely under your command.”
“I have only one condition: information concerning the Deeproot Depths.”
“If possible, I wish to go there.”
Hearing the Mimic Tear’s words, Morgott asked,
“You’d trade the Cuckoo army for a piece of information?”
“How...”
Seeing Morgott’s lack of a direct answer, the Mimic Tear across from him misunderstood and spoke again.
“The Cuckoo army has suffered considerable losses, and a portion of its forces did not return under my orders.”
“However, most of the defensive siege equipnt and supplies have been brought to the Altus Plateau.”
“If you feel they are not worth the price, I have no greater bargaining chips.”
Morgott gave the Mimic Tear a peculiar look.
Was this how one negotiated a deal or conducted business?
To lay all one’s cards on the table from the start, and even explicitly tell the other party...
“No, it’s just... surprising.”
“A single piece of information for an entire army, even a battered one, is a surefire win.”
“I have no reason to refuse.”
Seeing Morgott’s clear agreent, the Mimic Tear nodded in satisfaction.
He felt nothing about handing over the entire Cuckoo army. He had always treated them as re tools to carry out his tasks.
Exchanging them for information was their final, ultimate purpose.
This was exactly how the Cuckoos ought to be treated.
Although a preliminary agreent had been reached, Morgott had no intention of ending the eting.
Morgott spoke to the Mimic Tear.
“I imagine that you yourself are not included in this transaction.”
The Mimic Tear shook its head.
“I am no Cuckoo.”
Understanding its aning, Morgott gave a slight nod.
“Do you have a na?”
The Mimic Tear across from him replied,
“Lopez.”
“It was a na given to
long ago by soone important.”
ryl, who had accompanied Lopez, stole a glance at it before quickly looking away again.
He had served at its side for so long, yet this was the first ti he had ever heard its na.
Morgott nodded.
“Lopez. Good.”
“How about we alter the terms of the deal?”
“I believe this would be more advantageous for both of us.”
The Mimic Tear nad Lopez nodded, gesturing for Morgott to continue.
“Then please, speak your mind.”
Morgott t Lopez’s gaze and stated calmly,
“Frankly, my interest in the Cuckoo army is limited.”
“To , the entire Cuckoo army combined is less useful than you alone.”
“I wish to exchange sothing of value for your assistance.”
“So, state your desired terms.”
“I will do my utmost to satisfy you. I am certain Leyndell can offer you far greater benefits than the Cuckoo army ever could.”
ryl silently turned his head to the side, pretending to admire the scenery.
Sigh. The Cuckoo army was actually quite capable. Why was it scorned everywhere it went?
Lopez considered for a mont, then promptly nodded in agreent with Morgott.
At the sa ti, Morgott learned of its condition.
“I must go to the lowest levels of the capital, deep within the roots of the Erdtree.”
“I need to reach the Eternal City there and find sothing of crucial importance to .”
“If you agree, I will fight for you.”
“Your strength is imnse. If I were to mimic you, we should no longer be at a disadvantage in numbers or power against Bai Shi.”
Seeing that Lopez understood his intentions, Morgott nodded slightly.
To confront Bai Shi, he needed more high-level combatants.
This Mimic Tear before him could dominate the Cuckoos and suppress any hint of rebellion; its strength was undoubtedly formidable.
“Access to the Deeproot Depths is granted.”
“Whatever you are searching for, I will have my n assist you.”
Lopez didn’t hesitate, the object of his long search spilling from his lips.
“The Teardrop Chalice.”
“It is the origin of all Mimic Tears.”
“Possessing the Teardrop Chalice allows one to reinforce their origin, gradually evolving toward their ultimate form.”
“It is essential for a Mimic Tear’s empowernt.”
Hearing this, Morgott looked Lopez over with a hint of confusion.
“You an you haven’t been empowered until now?”
Lopez shook his head, then nodded.
“I simply have never obtained a Teardrop Chalice. That does not an I have remained at my previous level.”
Morgott’s interest was piqued. He inquired,
“Then, aside from that chalice, how else can a Mimic Tear beco stronger?”
Lopez stated faintly,
“Without the Teardrop Chalice, a qualitative transformation is impossible, but one can still increase in quantity.”
“I have absorbed several Mimic Tears that road the Lands Between, increasing my own mass.”
Morgott’s eyes widened slightly.
“Mimic Tears can even do that?”
In response to Morgott’s question, Lopez answered,
“A Mimic Tear's power is finite, and so opponents are too powerful to imitate.”
“rging is a fundantal instinct for Mimic Tears, triggered when encountering a powerful entity that cannot be mimicked.”
“However, I am likely the only one who actively consus my own kind.” “They had not yet developed consciousness, so there were no negative repercussions after the fusion.”
“If the other party were a sentient Mimic Tear, then even I cannot predict the consequences.”
Having received his answer, Morgott didn’t press the topic further, instead shifting back to the Teardrop Chalice.
“Why have you only started searching for the Teardrop Chalice now?”
“There is more than one Eternal City, after all.”
Lopez shook his head.
“I have been searching for the Teardrop Chalice all along.”
“But it is not so simple. Ti alone cannot solve this.”
“Throughout the long ages, I had no way of returning to the Eternal Cities.”
“After Radahn halted the stars, all fates tied to the cosmos were sealed along with them.”
“The Carian Royal Family and the sorcerers were most notably affected, but beyond them, the Eternal Cities were influenced as well.”
“It was only for a period after Radahn’s recent death that I was able to piece together clues to the locations of the various Eternal Cities.”
“Fate is a strange thing, to think it could constrain even a being like ...”
Understanding the reason, Morgott inquired no further.
There would be plenty of ti to learn more later on.
Morgott extended a large hand toward Lopez, who grasped it in turn.
As their hands clasped, the partnership was sealed.
Morgott allowed himself a slight smile.
“So be it.”
“Welco to Leyndell.”
——
For an ordinary Mimic Tear, finding the Teardrop Chalice is an incredibly difficult task.
The Eternal Cities have all fallen to ruin, making them nearly impossible to reach, their paths long erased.
If one can’t even find the way, it’s even more ludicrous to think of delving deep into an Eternal City, exploring its every corner in search of the Teardrop Chalice.
Even this tear, Lopez, who controlled the Cuckoo army and had countless underlings searching far and wide, had failed to find it after countless years.
Fortunately, progress was finally being made underground, with the location of Nokstella, Eternal City, discovered.
Although they had lost their foothold in Liurnia now that Stormveil Castle had complete control of the region, they had managed to send a large number of troops underground before the full withdrawal.
He placed great hope in that detachnt.
That was the closest Teardrop Chalice to him.
Lopez would probably never imagine that so Mimic Tears get picked up the mont they crawl out of an Eternal City and can casually obtain a Teardrop Chalice from soone else.
One has to wonder what his reaction would be if he learned of this fact.
——
Bai Shi sat inside a Cuckoo tent, resting his head in his hand.
Before him were the leaders of the Cuckoo Knights, their heads lowered like a flock of quail.
“So what you’re saying is...”
“A long ti ago, a Mimic Tear suddenly gained self-awareness and has ruled the Cuckoo army ever since?”
The Cuckoo leaders before him nodded.
“It’s a monster!”
“A long ti ago, we tried to resist.”
“But even after gathering all the forces we could muster, we couldn’t defeat it even by giving our all.”
“It can transform into all sorts of creatures, and it isn’t made of flesh and blood.”
“It can even turn into a dragon!”
Listening to the Cuckoo leaders’ agitated words, Bai Shi nodded.
A Mimic Tear that could turn into a dragon. Interesting.
However, an ordinary dragon couldn’t withstand a siege from so many Cuckoo leaders. From their description, it was hard to tell what really happened.
In any case, it was enough to know that such a hidden enemy existed.
Now that he knew the other party's identity, the reason for the Cuckoos’ presence here was easy to guess.
They were undoubtedly ordered to find the Teardrop Chalice within Nokstella, Eternal City.
For a Mimic Tear, that was the most important thing.
Recalling the information the Cuckoos had just shared, Bai Shi asked again,
“You just said that the main force of the Cuckoo army has already used the Grand Lift of Dectus to reach the Altus Plateau, correct?”
“Is the Cuckoo army now allied with the Royal Capital, Leyndell?”
The leaders exchanged glances. None of them had accompanied the main force, so they weren’t very clear on the situation there.
However, seeing as the army had been moving up in batches without issue, they must have received Leyndell’s permission.
Thus, one of the Cuckoo leaders braced himself and answered Bai Shi.
“Yes... the Cuckoo army is now under Leyndell’s command.”
“It’s just that our rank is too low to know what terms were agreed upon.”
Bai Shi raised an eyebrow.
Though not unexpected, it was still sowhat surprising.
After all, the Cuckoos’ reputation throughout the Lands Between had never been particularly good.
But it didn’t matter.
Even if the Cuckoos and the Royal Capital of Leyndell joined forces, it was no longer a problem for Bai Shi.
No matter how hard they tried to muster their forces, how many could they gather?
Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands?
Bai Shi was imnsely more powerful now than he was before.
His current self was stronger than any demigod during the Shattering.
In the face of Bai Shi, an army had beco a re number he could erase with a single stroke.
A pathetic joint force of tens of thousands? Watch him annihilate them in one blow!
If they dare to invade, I will ensure their utter defeat!
When he faces their grand army, he could even farm so runes on the side.
Now, even opponents at the demigod level were barely qualified to face him.
The army he had assembled for war was now completely unnecessary. He could sweep through legions all by himself.
From now on, the army’s role would likely be reduced to occupying territory and taking control of regions.
Just then, one of the Cuckoo leaders spoke up obsequiously to Bai Shi.
“My lord, why don’t you let us clear the path for you to that Eternal City?”
“That Eternal City is truly sothing else, a relic left behind by the Nox Dynasty...”
Bai Shi waved his hand, cutting him off.
“Unnecessary.”
He knew far more about the Eternal City than they did, even knowing what was inside and where to find it.
Bai Shi silently rose to his feet and began walking out of the tent, lost in thought.
Seeing this terrifying figure depart, the Cuckoo leaders in the tent collectively sighed in relief.
They survived...
But had they really survived?
The Cuckoos’ consciousness ended with that final thought, their bodies turning to ash in a scorching fla.
In the past, Bai Shi probably wouldn't have bothered with these Cuckoos.
But since they had already allied themselves with Leyndell, there was no need for rcy.
Even if they had no plans to explore the Eternal City, they would be enemies once they returned to the surface.
Since it was convenient, he might as well solve the problem once and for all right here.
After a wave of fire incinerated the entire Cuckoo camp, leaving not even dregs behind, Bai Shi stretched his arms.
The Teardrop Chalice here in Nokstella was as good as his.
But the last naless Eternal City was located beneath the Royal Capital, in the Deeproot Depths.
That other Mimic Tear was quite close to the Deeproot Depths; he didn't know if it would manage to get the chalice.
Next, he would see the effects after Ashmi absorbed this Teardrop Chalice.
It would be best if it was enough to complete her transformation. Otherwise, he would have to make a trip to the Deeproot Depths.
Putting those thoughts aside, Bai Shi traveled through the ant tunnels and arrived at Nokstella, Eternal City.
Gazing at the magnificent yet silent city of Nokstella under the night sky, Bai Shi slowly walked into its depths.
Reviews
All reviews (0)