Level 0 Master

Zakiya smiled, reminiscing the old days. "He took me under him and became my guardian when I lost my family."

"Hmm. He did?" Eustasia asked in disbelief.

"Maybe he was a nice person to his entourage, but he was cruel to his people in general," Ereka said in conclusion. "It wasn't something to be called mercy." It was not a bad thing to take care of an orphan and it was not a strange thing, because there were many people who took care of children. Although Kapitle was a cruel king, but it was not an impossible thing.

"Yes. He was quite strict, but I was grateful that he saved me."

"He was strict?"

"He told me only the fittest can survive and raised me as an illusionist and a spy."

"Since he was the one who saved you, you worked hard to meet his expectations," Sungjin said, and Zakiya agreed right away.

"Yes. I was desperate to survive and to get approval from him…" She grew up as the Golden Wise King Kapitle molded her to be, in fear of being abandoned. "I was scared that I would be abandoned, but I tried my best to please him because he saved my life." Her heartwarming story started to become sad. "Until I found out that the accident was caused by Kapitle."

"What?" Ereka's eyes became big with surprise. "The accident was…caused by Kapitle?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Greenland was his, and those habitants were his people." Ereka's question asking why a king would make his people suffer wasn't naive; it was rather a reasonable question. Kapitle could have collected more taxes or exploited more labor rather than burn his land and his people.

"Haha. You are right. He didn't mean to cause the accident because he didn't want to lose any labor force."

"Then…"

"He was experimenting with my secret family heirloom "The Eye of Ra." My parents tried to stop him to unseal it but Kapitle's greed used the The Eye of Ra."

Ra was the God of sun in Egyptian Pantheon and the strongest God. His eye meant the Sun itself, and it was too strong to activate on the battlefield. But Kapitle wanted its potential and played with The Eye of Ra.

"Like that, he burned everyone in my family and people who lived in the area." Zakiya's face looked terrible when she said it. She didn't look like a seductive dancer but a revengeful spirit. "The worst part was that I followed him… without knowing the truth."

People could feel her sorrow. She was following her enemy, who had taken everything away from her and had played her.

"He was not taking care of me to make atonement for his sins. He kept me because only my family bloodline could use the talisman of the sun to control The Eye of Ra. He just wanted to use me." The shock I got when I found out the truth. "He was… the true reason why I became myself." Then everyone realized what she meant by "the kindness." She was being ironic. "But I also knew he would kill me with a snap of his fingers if I tried to have my revenge, so… I stayed. I stayed pretending I didn't know anything and stayed loyal to him."

"Were you looking for a chance?"

"Yes. I was expecting the final battle between the Holy Pope Pedrian and Kapitle to seize the opportunity to betray him at the fatal moment." She didn't care who would become the conqueror of the continent, even if it was a devil, who was worse than Kapitle. All she cared about was a revenge. So she waited and waited, pretending she was a loyal servant to Kapitle. "But you came in unexpectedly. My offer is the same. If you give me Kapitle's head, I will give you everything I've got." She made an oath, showing her cleavage.

"Good." Sungjin accepted her offer.

"I want to defeat him for my ambition, but you deserve a chance to cut his throat."

With a common enemy, they could become a team, although one was planning to save everyone while the other had a more personal reason: a family revenge.

"Thank you." They looked at each other and laughed to seal the pact.

Zakiya kneeled and kissed Sungjin's hand. "I will offer you the biggest secret, my family heirloom, to prove my loyalty."

"The biggest secret?"

"The method to control The Eye of Ra."

"Hmm, isn't it something only you can handle?"

"But If you prepare a few things, I can do as you wish."

"Don't you have to get into the enemy's territory?"

"It wouldn't be easy to sneak in, but as soon as I get in and set the key, the Pyramid in the Sky will activate the protection, then there's nothing Kapitle could do."

"So, if I can provide the chance to set the key, you can do whatever and whenever?"

"You are right. Once you have it, you can destroy Kapitle's capital, then you won't even have to fight a battle to win the war."

Zakiya showed a gentle smile, and Sungjin's brain started to quickly calculate things. "The real power of The Eye of Ra…"

"Here's my report to help you understand it." Zakiya showed the illusion stone. Pillars of light started to rain from the sky. The heated air expanded, and a white light globe covered the ground. A piece of the sun came down to the ground. It was a disaster from God. A gigantic cloud that looked like a mushroom exploded toward the sky, and the heat storm wiped up the ground.

It reminded Sungjin of something similar from Earth. "So it is not a tactical weapon but… a strategic weapon." It was not a weapon to bring on the battlefield. It's a nuclear bomb—not a tactical one but a strategic one.

There was a reason why The Eye of Ra burned Zakiya's hometown and created a desert out of it.

"Those pillars of light came from The Eye of Ra?"

"Yes. When you activate The Eye of Ra in the center of the Pyramid of the Sky, you can punish the area you want to punish."

"That is way too powerful… " It was not a weapon just for fighting against Kapitle. "But Kapitle can't use it now, correct?"

"Correct. Because he can't use it without the talisman of the sun that I have. He tried to use it without the talisman and lost his territory. I'm sure once was enough for such a mistake."

"But you can handle it?"

"Yes. I told Kapitle that I didn't know how, but I was just pretending. I found out the way to use it."

The beauty was offering a weapon that was equivalent to a strategic nuclear weapon. It was an attractive offer for Sungjin: the power and the beauty. Having the chance to conquer both at once, Sungjin smiled like a beast and looked at Zakiya. With her eyes, Zakiya asked him if he wanted her seductive body, and Sungjin enjoyed her body with his eyes. "Great. That is a powerful weapon."

"Let me start finding a way to sneak in."

"No. I wouldn't use that way."

Sungjin chilled the heated mood in a second with his answer, and Zakiya became confused. "Why?"

"Because this weapon wouldn't only kill Kapitle but everyone around him."

"But it is the way to conquer the continent. It would be wiser to make a few sacrifices to for sure get the victory." There were only a few people living there compared to the whole continent, and Sungjin had more things to win than lose if he used the weapon. "Although you have the upper hand now, Kapitle has been accumulating a lot of secret treasures and secret weapons for a long time. If this becomes a long war, we don't know what could happen. A victory is a victory with or without sacrifices. Won't you reconsider?"

"You are right. People who would do anything to win have a better chance at victory." Sungjin nodded. He knew that giving Kapitle a chance to strike back was a stupid idea if the victory was the only thing of Sungjin's concern.

"Then why not do it?"

"For me, the victory is not the end goal but a means to an end. If I win by killing innocent people, that would be meaningless for me."

"Hmph. That is your way. Is that it? Just as people said." Zakiya sighed. Rumors could be lies; she expected him to be more ruthless because he was an ambitious conqueror.

He wasn't worried about losing a territory. Sungjin didn't want to use the forbidden power to protect his people. "It can be risky to pursue perfection."

"Taking that risk is the real strength."

Standing next to Sungjin, Ereka and Eustasia were happy with his choice and smiled brightly. The fact that Sungjin was such an honorable man was their pride and why they chose to stay with him. He was a guy who picked difficult yet noble choices and overcome obstacles with his abilities. With him, they were able to expect this world to be changed in a better way.

Zakiya bowed down politely. "Haha. You are already a conqueror. I shouldn't argue with you. Your will is my command." This guy is way too soft. Kapitle wouldn't fight like this. He would do anything to win. The victory was everything for Kapitle.

He would have used The Eye of Ra if he could.

Kapitle and Sungjin both talked about victory but in completely different ways. One was willing to do everything to win, while the other was willing to win despite everything.

That's it. That's why Kapitle is called the Wise King, not a conqueror, despite all the power he has.

On the other hand, Sungjin fought with his intelligent brain and was still called "the conqueror," but people named him and Kapitle differently for different reasons. Their names reflected their characters more than their powers.

Your confident… But that is a weakness in this world, where winning is more important than any other virtues.

He was young and innocent. With his innocence, it would be difficult to fight against the cold and cruel Kapitle.

But if I fill that lack and lead him, I'm sure he can defeat Kapitle, and then I can take my revenge. Haha. I will cover up the weaknesses you have from your innocence, because I'm more experienced. I know this world better.

Sungjin smiled, looking at Zakiya. Haha. I can see what you are thinking. He also knew that she could see what he was thinking as well. Let's see who will lead who at the end.

He admitted her abilities as an illusionist and understood her feelings against Kapitle. He would end the tyranny of The Golden Wise King, but he would finish it on his terms. Although Sungjin had decided to take her in his team, he didn't mean to let her lead him.

You've only half approved me so far, thinking that I'm powerful but still soft and innocent, which makes everything risky. But I will make you accept me fully.

His laughter was that of a competitive beast.

Chapter 8

Unlike Sungjin's side where everyone was celebrating, The Golden Wise King's side was quite different. The air in the king's castle Falcantier was more than just heavy; it was almost deadly.

"Useless things," said the Golden Wise King Kapitle to make the generals from each battlefield bow down in fear.

"Please give us a second chance."

"Next time we will stop him for sure."

"Next time? There's no next time," Kapitle answered back sharply.

"Urgh." Super gravity pushed down the generals. "Your Highness… forgive us…"

"You don't deserve it."

"Please give us another chance…" They begged, but the pressure, which was almost crushing them, didn't stop.

It seemed like Kapitle was taking his anger out on them, but Kapitle was calm. He was punishing his generals only to make an example. Whoever I had there, the result would have been the same.

Sungjin hadn't been bluffing. Sungjin understood the situation and knew what his chances were. Kapitle was invincible, but to win he had to be on the battlefield. My power can only cover one battlefield, while his plans cover all the battlefields. If he keeps fighting in multiple battlefields, soon he will be standing on his final battlefield. Is there any possible counterplan?

Kapitle made a decision. "Sure. I will give you another chance."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I will stop that arrogant little thing this time…"

But Kapitle stopped everyone with one command: "Don't bother."

"Then…?"

"I will leave only one path to attack."

"Your Highness?" But how?

Nobody in front of him understood what he meant. Sungjin had taken three territories away, and new territories were exposed to make five potential paths that Sungjin could use to attack. There was no way Kapitle could only leave one.

"I will make four territories into deserts."