[WN] I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan Chapter 61

Chapter 61

 ‘Why bother carrying around individual antidotes for countless physical poisons? It’s a pain. So, I just made one universal one.’

Chris ignored Marisa, who was struck dumb with shock, and diligently rummaged through her belongings until he found what he was looking for: a transparent orb.

It was a position signal magic tool, used to alert comrades to one’s location. An essential item when operating separately from the main group.

"...What are you trying to do?"

Chris grinned. "What do you think would happen if I used this to send a false signal to the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's demonic cultists?"

"!!"

Marisa snarled a warning. "Don’t even think about any tricks. The moment you mess with it, that magic tool will self-destruct."

Security was paramount for position signal magic tools. If an enemy who had subdued you sent false signals to your comrades using the tool, your comrades would be in great danger. Therefore, if even a slight error in the magic power pattern was input, it would self-destruct. Its destructive power was at least that of a 4-star destruction magic.

"You won't even leave a corpse."

Chris nodded. She was right. If such a powerful destructive magic exploded right in front of him, even Chris would have trouble escaping unscathed.

However.

"I just won't let it explode."

"...What?"

Marisa's eyes widened so much they looked like they would tear. Chris was injecting magic power into it!

"This crazy bastard?!"

Marisa tightly shut her eyes. If the magic tool self-destructed, it wasn’t just Chris who’d be in serious trouble. Marisa, standing right next to him, would be caught in it too. She gritted her teeth, bracing herself for the shock that was about to engulf her whole body, but something was off. It was quiet.

"......??"

Marisa cautiously opened her eyes, only to have them widen again in disbelief. Chris was doing something crazy once more.

Is this the pattern? What about the security of the transmitting circuit? Is the spiral at the back the core of the security?

He was injecting demonic energy into the magic tool, causing it to react, as if playing with a toy. Yet, there was no sign of rejection.

"H-how?"

It was a question she’d asked countless times since meeting Chris. Chris, once again, kindly explained.

"Nothing much. I just made sure the magic tool wouldn't recognize my magic power."

"..."

So, how exactly does that work? It was like saying you could make something invisible even when you were looking right at it.

"Ah, there we go."

Click, went the sound, and the magic tool's security was disarmed. Then, a signal rang repeatedly: a green alert. It was a query confirming Marisa's safety. If no response came back within a certain time, the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's demonic cultists would come to rescue Marisa.

"What's the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's signal encryption code?"

"...Do you really think I'd tell you?"

Disarming the magic tool's security wasn't the end of it. Typically, when sending signals with such magic tools, one combines more than ten patterns to create an encrypted message.

"Well, even if you don't tell me, there's a way to figure it out."

Marisa tensed at his nonchalant remark.

Surely, he's not going to torture me?

It was the easiest method. If she were in Chris's position, she would choose the same approach. If a false signal were sent using her magic tool, as the leader, the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's exploration team would be utterly scattered and defeated.

Damn him.

Marisa clenched her fist. But she couldn't blame him. She and Chris were enemies now. The thought of being tortured by Chris brought an inexplicable surge of emotion, and she bit down hard on her lip. It truly sucked. She didn't know exactly what sucked, but it was the worst.

Why did I ever get engaged to a guy like him?

"Hurry up."

"What?"

"If you're going to torture me, hurry up and do it!"

"...What are you talking about?"

"What?"

"I need to concentrate; could you please be quiet? Ah, got it."

Marisa blinked blankly as Chris casually sent signals through the magic tool, combining the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's unique encryption codes.

"..."

"Curious how I did it again? This... well, I just did it because I'm a genius. You wouldn't be able to replicate it even if you knew, so don't be too curious."

To be precise, he had hacked the magic tool, found the magic power traces, and deduced the code, but Chris casually brushed it off, too lazy to explain. Chris chuckled with his characteristic arrogant expression.

"Alright then, I'm off. Oh, and just so you know, don't even think about breaking free from the magical restraint. At your level, you'll never be able to break it, no matter how hard you try."

With that, he vanished without looking back. Marisa, left alone and bound, had a blank expression. After staring at the spot where he disappeared for a long time, she finally uttered a single word.

"...You bastard."

Chris moved quickly.

I’ve spent too much time.

But it wasn't without gain. For one, he’d put Marisa in his debt. She might curse him now, but once everything was over, she would realize she owed her life to Chris.

There will be many dealings with the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect in the future, so I'll use this as leverage to make them my pawns.

That wasn't all. The position signal magic tool. Marisa was the leader of the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's exploration team. With this magic tool, he could issue false commands.

First, order them to climb down a cliff and explore. Next, tell them to dig through a swamp and search the bottom. I'll make them waste their efforts endlessly so they don't interfere.

Chris smiled sinisterly. That wasn't all.

I'll keep them struggling and then use their full power at a critical moment.

Chris decided to leverage the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's forces for the grand finale of his 'operation'. The Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's exploration team would unknowingly dance in the palm of Chris's hand.

Now I need to spirit away the relic.

Chris's eyes darkened. The relic to be discovered this time wasn't incredibly powerful on its own. However, depending on how it was utilized, it could cause enormous miracles. Marquis Langham had spent over two years researching the relic's uses, leading to a terrible tragedy in the Dark Demonic Sect. The Elder Patriarch Nordian met his end in that incident.

I absolutely cannot let that happen.

The Elder Patriarch Nordian had to survive to prepare for the future. And Chris himself absolutely had to acquire the relic.

I'm the only one who can properly use the power of this relic. The problem is, where is it?

There were two ways for relics to appear. First, if they were hidden from before. Second, if they newly fell from the sky. The phrase "fell from the sky" wasn't a metaphor. Gehenna or the Celestial Realm would just toss them onto the mortal world. After all, relics were objects imbued with the power of demons or constellations.

As if enjoying watching the lowly beings of the mortal world fight over their relics, demons and constellations periodically caused relics to appear in the world.

I heard roughly where it is.

The northwest side of the mountain range. However, this was still a vast area. Searching alone, he wouldn't find it even after days and nights.

But there’s always a way.

First, he headed towards the northwest side of the mountain range. He didn't forget to occasionally issue strange commands to the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's exploration team using Marisa's position signal magic tool.

"Why does Lady Marisa keep telling us to explore places like this?"

"It's Lady Marisa's command; surely there's a reason for it?"

"True. It is Lady Marisa, after all."

The Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's exploration team tilted their heads in confusion but still obeyed the signal commands Marisa sent.

And after arriving in the northwest, Chris performed an unexpected action. He examined the ground and the broken traces of grass in the bushes. He wasn't looking for a relic.

"Bingo."

Chris smiled faintly.

A faint, almost imperceptible, trace of someone having passed by. It was a trail that only professional trackers would recognize, but it was definite.

This is deep within a demonic realm where people wouldn't normally live, so the reason for such traces to remain is obvious.

Chris cautiously followed the traces. Using the secret arts of the Swordsmanship Family's shadows, his presence completely vanished. How long did he move like that? He came upon an astonishing sight.

"Are the Dark Demonic Sect bastards not here yet?"

"No, not yet."

"I don't know how much longer we have to wait. They're like snails. Those Dark Demonic Sect bastards need to take this relic quickly."

There were two demonic cultists wearing masks! Judging by their physiques, one seemed to be a woman and the other a man, and he could tell at a glance which sect they belonged to.

Poisonous aura. They're from the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect.

And they weren't ordinary demonic cultists. The man seemed to be 4-star. The woman, surprisingly, appeared to be 5-star. However, the man seemed to be of a higher status, as he spoke down to the woman.

"This is tiresome. That I, myself, have to be doing this mole-digging. Damn it. Because of that cursed Marisa."

His outburst revealed a lot.

The man is a direct descendant of the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect. Probably... one of their young masters.

The 5-star woman in front seemed to be his subordinate. But why were high-ranking figures from the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect in a place like this? Chris answered himself inwardly.

They must be the ones who allied with Marquis Langham.

That's right. This conspiracy wasn't solely Marquis Langham's doing. There were collaborators within the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect as well. They had likely teamed up to bring down Marisa, a competitor in the succession struggle.

As if confirming his suspicion, the man spoke in a dark, ominous voice. "Still, it can't be helped. Once this is over, I won't have to see that annoying Marisa's face again, so I suppose I'll just have to bear it."

"..."

"You've thoroughly familiarized yourself with the plan, right? When Princess Jupien of the Dark Demonic Sect takes the relic, lure them into a trap and annihilate them. And be sure to leave evidence that it was Marisa's doing."

This was the full scope of the plan orchestrated by Marquis Langham. The Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's vile scheme would lead to the annihilation of the Dark Demonic Sect's exploration team. The sacrifices included Jupien, a descendant of the Baron family, and Chris himself, so it wasn't something to take lightly. Marquis Langham would use the exploration team's sacrifice as leverage to obtain the compensation he desired. Not only the relic discovered during this expedition, the 'Emblem of the Constellation,' but also the relic the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect discovered previously, the 'Amulet of Twilight,' were demanded as compensation.

I can't let them have any of it.

He needed to spirit away the Emblem of the Constellation, which was right before his eyes, first. Just then, the masked man from the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect said, "By the way, I don't know what kind of relic this is. It seems to be a holy relic type. And I can't open the seal first."

When a relic is first discovered, it is hidden in a sealed form.

"It's not like I can have it anyway, so it doesn't matter what it is. I just need to deal with that Marisa. You should go set up the trap soon."

"Understood."

The 5-star woman vanished swiftly. With the masked man left alone, Chris lowered his body.

This is my chance.

Frankly, if the 5-star woman had stayed, Chris wouldn't have been able to pull any tricks. But the man was different. The man's realm was 4-star. And... Chris's realm was also 4-star, in the realm of 'Holy Radiance'.

Even in a head-on fight, I'd win.