The King of Tricks and Magic

Chapter 164: The Mystery Of South (1)

[ Name: Ren Arken

Age: 14

Race: Human

Strength: 400,000 (+4,300,000 [Mana])

Agility: 500,000 (+7,300,000 [Mana])

Vitality: 1,000,000 (+10,200,000 [Mana])

Mana: ~~~

Spiritual: ~~~

Intellect: 700, 000

Unique Skills:

-Magic cards -Appraisal -Evil gaze -Strengthen -Leap -Basic magics -Magic mastery -Grimoire of death -Real Clone [Heavenly Slime] -Eye of Wisdom -Sword God -Fenrir Arken -Reo Arken -Predator of the sky -Wild Beasts Skills -Knight’s soul -Defiler of the banished, Ataraxia -Slime Soul Diversion -Slime technique: Split -Tarot Emperor -Master of The Dragon King, Atlas]

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At the southern part of the great Tarot empire, the kingdom is filled with immortals.

The kingdom of death.

“Now, let’s see…” Muttered Lich Oz that gazes the kingdom from above.

The green land had gone even greener with some black trees grew on some points of the territory too. The rich death mana released by the undead kingdom’s people boosts the land’s rate of decomposition, making the land possess more organic matter inside it.

The increase of organic matter increases the prosperity and the growing speed of the Grandarian trees that needed lots of nutrition. So rather than killing the plants and the animals because of their death mana, they actually made the land more fertile, giving the animals and the magic beasts more food.

Because of the death mana, there are also some huge black trees that grow at some point in the undead kingdom. They usually unable even to grow to 1 meter because of the lack of death mana in nature, the increased amount of death mana made their survival rate high, and let them grow tall, giving rare fruits that never seen before.

Because of their presence, the land of the undead kingdom had become an irregular land that produces irregular products. They possess lots of valuable resources that only exist at the undead kingdom, which makes the undead kingdom ranked the top amongst the other kingdoms.

Different from the other kingdoms, the undead kingdom’s residents obviously have undead citizens. They have no need to eat or sleep. But since they could now taste foods that had been their biggest desire, the biggest amount of imported products of the undead kingdom are foods of the other kingdoms.

The hierarchy system in the undead kingdom is amongst the most unique inside the Tarot empire’s kingdoms. Since every high-ranked undead has its own summoned undead, most of the high-ranked undead have their own summoned army that could protect their residence day and night. Some of them sent some of their summoned undead as a laborer while the rest for protection and guards, while the others focus on making them their military power.

Since the undead kingdom possesses the highest military power, even normal citizens could have dozens of summoned undead if they ranked up or trained, so the biggest source of income of the undead kingdom is as mercenaries or adventurers.

Requests, missions, and quests at the mercenary guild and the adventurer guild are one of their primary source of money. Their client mostly came from the other kingdoms, such as the elf kingdom, the beastmen kingdom, and the other kingdoms. Since low-leveled summoned undead is just soulless pawn soldiers, there is no need to be scared of their safety, and they usually came with lots of numbers but at a low cost.

Low-ranked merchants that wanted to go to a faraway place that might be filled with a sudden danger usually hire these cheap but many undead mercenaries. Just with a small cost, they could have 60 undead pawn soldiers with 5 mid-ranked summoned undead soldiers to guard them day and night along the way. And the undead has the advantage when it’s come to a battle in darkness, so their safety is mostly secured.

“They’re endless…” Muttered Lich Oz as he stared at the southern gate of the undead kingdom.

There is a reason why the undead kingdom hasn’t spread and build more outer cities in their southern part.

It’s because the attack of the demonic armies never stopped.

There is a huge barrier that keeps them away from the huge walls, the undead pawn soldiers then will be summoned by the summoners and slay them from outside the barrier, while the archer guards and the magicians will kill them from inside the barrier.

The kingdom could still go on peacefully without even bothered by the attack of the demonic armies since they’re a war race, they didn’t afraid of death. But one of the reasons why the citizens didn’t bother by it is because their defense is impenetrable.

The forest of Everdeen is very vast, and the southern region is one of the most dangerous places. The reason why Slime Oz hadn’t instructed any command to explore and expand towards the southern region is that there are several unknown presences that existed in that direction.

It’s unknown whether they are demons or something else, but Slime Oz could feel their hostility towards the empire. Slime Oz had once embarked towards the southern region with Brad and the others and destroyed all of the Hell’s gate they encountered, but it still didn’t stop the coming of the demonic army.

“Letting those unknown presences there will only leave us unsure all the time, it’ll be best to check on who are they and what do they want. If they’re friendly then we negotiate with them, if they’re hostile then we’ll kill them, what a perfect task for me,” Lich Oz chuckled.

Everyone at the Tarot empire knows all of Oz’s clone forms, except the Slime clone since the Slime clone is used to substitute the real Oz. In the undead kingdom, Oz’s figure is similar to a god as Gareth often overpraises him too much in front of his people.

“Your imperial majesty, your orders,” Gareth asked as he kneeled towards Lich Oz, and the others behind him follow suit.

“We’re going to advance and look at what kind of creatures keep on spawning those demons to attack us. Give me some of your lowest rank soldiers, and some summoners, Gareth,” (Lich Oz)

“Yes, your imperial majesty. But why the lowest rank? Are you going to sacrifice them?” Asked Gareth.

“What do you think I am, Gareth? Do you think I will sacrifice them just because they’re at the lowest rank?” (Lich Oz)

“F-Forgive me, your imperial majesty,” (Gareth)

“I’m just going to help them rank up a little bit, gather all from the royal guards, the royal soldiers, and the royal knights, this will help them grow,” (Lich Oz)

“I see… As you wish, your imperial majesty,” Gareth immediately instructed his generals to gather the low-ranked soldiers.

The Tarot undead kingdom has 5 strong generals under Gareth, their strength is similar to the undead kings of Gravendath. The undead kings had now become undead dukes, but their authority and power didn’t decrease, it got increased instead.

There is only one trouble amongst the new undead dukes.

“Whoa~ The king of the Gravendath kingdom is sure formal and stiff, huh~” Ursula leisurely comment about her king as she stretched her arms in her human form.

Ursula’s human form is gorgeous. Her hair became orange-colored, her skin is glowingly white, and she is about 188 cm tall. She persistently insists that she’s going to follow wherever Lich Oz goes despite already knowing that he is just a clone. Since it seems that they can’t convince her to stay in the undead world, Lich Oz finally surrendered and let her accompany him.

“Ursula, he’s your king. The lower ranks will imitate you if you behave like that,” Lich Oz warned Ursula.

“It’s fine, Your imperial majesty~ They won’t hear me~” Replied Ursula as she doesn’t even bothered by Lich Oz’s warning.

(S-Since when did she became like this…) (Lich Oz)

(I will definitely take your heart, your imperial majesty~ If I could follow you wherever you go, then it’s just a matter of time~) (Ursula)

After several minutes, Gareth returned and reported to Lich Oz, “Your imperial majesty, the soldiers are ready,” (Gareth)

Lich Oz and Ursula followed Gareth towards the royal barrack of the undead kingdom and saw the army they’re going to use to advance towards the south.

“Is this them?” Asked Lich Oz.

“Yes, your imperial majesty. They’re 32,000 in number. They’re all the lowest rank soldiers. 8,000 archers, 3,000 cavalries, 14,000 light-armored soldiers, 5,000 heavy-armored soldiers, and 2,000 summoners,” (Gareth)

“Hm…” Lich Oz approached the soldiers as he observes them with his sharp eyes.

Even though they’re called the lowest rank of the undead kingdom, they’re by no weak. To be able to enter and accepted as a royal knight, royal guard, or royal soldier itself is a great feat.

But the royal ranks have numerous ranks. To be ranked at the lowest rank must put them under pressure and frustration even if they’re undead. If Lich Oz made them ascend from their current strength and skill, they’ll ascend in their ranks amongst the royal ranks, and will also give those who ranked below and above them a motivation to improve themselves.

(But to think that even the lowest rank is at these level, no wonder the undead kingdom is the most powerful military kingdom amongst the others) (Lich Oz)

“Now, soldiers. Ready to spread fear?”