Webweaver and Chess Game

The Whispering Empress's Moon Realm domain was called the Nest of Threads. Legend had it that every mortal's conspiracy in Currere would turn into threads there before finally converging into an endless spiderweb.

The Whispering Empress entrenched herself in the center of the spiderweb, and all the threads gathered in Her hand. She felt the trembling of all the conspiracies in this world, and then ordered the Webweavers to constantly weave this net of conspiracies, allowing the conspiracies to all change according to Her will.

In the game, the Whispering Empress and her spawn always left riddles everywhere in an unfathomable manner as if everything was in their control. And when they did things, they liked to constantly introduce endless twists. All kinds of exquisite plans were interlinked, and they were as complicated and precise as the Rube Goldberg machinery. Moreover, they were gratuitous and useless.

However, what made the Whispering Empress even more famous was that Her seemingly perfect plans often collapsed at the last step due to a fatal mistake.

Therefore, many players on the game forum mused that the Whispering Empress was the perfect example of having 'a plan work from beginning to end, only to crash and burn at the last step.'

Of course, according to the Whispering Empress herself, She only cared about the complicated process of plotting. She didn't care too much about whether the conspiracy could be completed.

It could be considered an exemplary model that only cared about the plowing and not the harvest.

However, William felt that She was saying this purely to save Her reputation. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why She would fly into a rage out of humiliation every time Her plan was ruined. She would directly send more spawn to the battlefield, and sometimes, She would even personally take action.

The Webweaver in front of William didn't have the strange joy it usually felt when speaking in riddles. Although it still had a polite smile on its face, from the fact that it was willing to stand up to him with its true body, he estimated that the other party's mind was on the precipice of collapse.

After all, his appearance was definitely beyond the other party's expectations.

"Member of the 13 Judges?"

The Webweaver's expression turned slightly solemn when it heard William's words.

It wasn't strange for one to claim to be a member of the Doomsday Watchers. After all, their deeds back then had long sublimated to legend. Many organizations on the continent, including some empires' official organizations, would claim to be legacies of the Doomsday Watchers.

However, being able to name the 13 Judges that had long disappeared from history meant something completely different.

That was an existence that the 13 Moon Realm Void Sovereigns had once joined forces to wipe out Currere—even its most important quest on its trip here was to…

It immediately asked when it thought of this.

"Where did you hear this name?"

"Didn't I say? I'm a member of the 13 Judges."

Liar…

As the Webweaver that weaved a net of conspiracies for the Whispering Empress day and night, it had long understood the final outcome of the 13 audacious ones. Be it them or the heirs who were struggling to survive, it was impossible for them to come to this remote Thorn City.

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe you."

The Webweaver smiled after saying that. In the next second, it charged at the other party without any warning.

It was as fast as an afterimage. When it was less than three meters away from the other party, it suddenly leaped up and stabbed at his head from above.

Clang!

William swung Judgment 2 to block the strike. At the same time, he released the Flame Spear he had channeled on the magical medium.

The leaping Webweaver had no spot to gain leverage, so it was impossible for it to dodge the Flame Spear. However, under the reflection of the Flame Spear, its bewitching face revealed an expression that said: "You've been tricked."

Its lower body's slender and powerful spider legs tapped gently, and the spider silk intertwined in the air emitted a faint glow in the flames. The Webweaver stepped on a spiderweb that had been woven at some point in time and dodged William's Flame Spear. Then, it flipped over and circled to a blind spot in William's line of sight.

There wasn't enough time for the Webweaver to turn around. The miasma condensed into a pitch-black dagger in its other hand before it did a backhand stab. Although it couldn't confirm with its eyes, the dagger still stabbed accurately at William's neck.

The feeling of a successful stab came to its hand, but before it could savor it, an intense pain came from its back.

"Ah!"

The Webweaver turned around in surprise and couldn't help but widen its eyes.

A spatial door shimmering with lightning appeared in front of the man's neck. Its dagger didn't stab into his neck but into the spatial door.

The Webweaver looked at the spot where the pain in its back came from. That person's magical medium was also pointed there, and another spatial door was opened. Its stab had gone through the spatial door, right back at itself.

Before it could get angry, the magical medium in that person's hand blinked again, and another Flame Spear was ready.

The Webweaver immediately distanced itself before the spell took form.

Before it could run a few meters, the Flame Spear whistled at its back. It stepped on the threads and raised a huge net to block the Flame Spear. Although the threads only blocked for less than 0.1 seconds before being incinerated, it gave it some time to react and dodge the strike.

William looked at the other party's fleeing back and wasn't in a hurry to continue casting spells. Instead, he recalled the speed and strength of the other party's previous attacks.

The Webweaver was an assassin-type Elite monster that was best at speed and attacking in-game. In terms of speed and attack power, it was much faster than the Stumbling Demon he had encountered previously. Even if he wanted to keep up with the other party's attack speed, he needed to be 70% to 80% focused.

Therefore, he secretly equipped himself with many Defense spells from the beginning—Mirror Folding, White Frost, Dragon Skin, Black Iron Body, and so on.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to change into a set of equipment with high defense.

"Shouldn't you finish the chat before fighting? You give off the impression of being very rude, understand?"

After seeing that the Webweaver had distanced itself sufficiently, he spoke. His tone was so relaxed that it was as if the other party hadn't suddenly attacked him.

"You…"

The wound on the Webweaver's back was slowly healing, but the Soul Erosion curse carried by the dagger had an effect on it. The pain of being bitten by many spiders constantly spread from the wound, causing it to grit its teeth.

"I'll give you a chance. If you're willing to tell me your goal for coming to Thorn City now and explain what those three Void Sovereigns are up to, I'll only exile you back to the Moon Realm."

As William spoke, he pointed Judgment 2 at the ground.

"If you're unwilling to say it, say goodbye to your eternal life."

Only then did the Webweaver notice the ordinary-looking straight sword in his hand. Then, it looked in the direction the sword was pointing at—the corpses of the two Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons.

That's right, corpses.

After all, when the Lunar Monsters died in Currere, they should've turned into black salt crystals and dissipated. How could their corpses be left behind?

Unless…

Judgment gear?

What kind of joke was this?

How could there be such a coincidence? Two Judgment gear appeared in the small city of Thorn?

Could this person really be a member of the 13 Judges?

But which Judge's heir could he be? Or could he be a Judge himself?

Could it be that he came to Thorn City for another set of Judgment gear?

However, the Whispering Empress had spent a lot of effort adjusting and weaving the entire net of conspiracies, ensuring that no variables could appear in this city.

Looking at the sword in the other party's hand that could truly kill it, the Webweaver gritted its teeth and made a decision.

It would first use half-truths to calm the other party down before taking the opportunity to escape. Even if it had to commit suicide, he had to return to the Moon Realm and inform the empress of the appearance of a new set of Judgment gear.

As long as it told Her this information, the Whispering Empress would forgive it even if it had violated the confidentiality oath.

Having made up its mind, the Webweaver spoke.

"We are here because…"

Unfortunately, before it could finish speaking, a bright silver nexus appeared under its feet, and a powerful whirlwind appeared out of thin air and blew it into the air.

At the same time, four glacier spikes stabbed out from all directions, pinning it in midair and preventing it from moving.

"You…"

It looked at William in panic. At this moment, seven or eight nexus of different colors appeared around him.

"Wait… Wait!"

Wind Blade, Thunderstorm, Fire, Ice Spike…

Seven or eight spells with different elements smashed into the Webweaver, causing it to explode.

"W-why?"

On its deathbed, the Webweaver looked at the magic chanter walking in front of it and asked in confusion and indignation.

"Didn't you say that as long as I told you…"

"Trusting a Lunar Monster that symbolizes conspiracy and betrayal to tell me the truth? Do you think I'm that stupid?"

With that said, William stabbed the dying Webweaver.

"Can't I just ask your contractor about your goal?"

The glacier spike turned into mana and dissipated, causing the Webweaver's corpse to collapse.

William looked back at the completely stunned Sigmonds and Colt.

"I want to hire you and those miners to help me dig up a fortress. I'll pay you enough. Are you willing?"

…

In the reception hall of Rose Palace.

Duke Simon was playing a game of chess—King and Rebel—with a middle-aged man. He held 'King' while the other party held 'Invader.'

"Are you giving up the castle just like that?"

The man removed the pawn chess pieces from the castle and replaced them with defectors.

"But your refugees were cut off by my knights."

Duke Simon calmly pushed the knight two steps forward and blocked the other party's refugee.

"This way, even if your traitors occupy the castle, it will only be an isolated city. My Forbidden Guard will be able to snatch it back in the next round."

The middle-aged man shook his head when he saw this.

"It was a dangerous move."

"Sometimes, we have to take risks," Duke Simon replied.

"Like now?"

Duke Simon put down the chess piece in his hand and asked the person,

"Do you know why I always choose 'King' every time I play chess?"

The middle-aged man replied, "Because you're the king?"

"As there are always winners and losers in this world, I hope to stand on the side of the successful and accept the challenges of others from the perspective of a king," the duke replied.

"You're already a king, the king of Blackwater Province," the middle-aged man reminded.

"A king with a collar?"

Duke Simon shook his head and continued, "I won't stop until I get back the authority of the Blackwater Kingdom."

The middle-aged man sighed and stopped discussing this with him.

He looked at the situation on the chessboard and thought for a long time. In the end, he could only shake his head helplessly.

"I'm afraid I've already lost this match. Duke, please allow me to take my leave."

"Please wait a moment. Vincent, you can't be here today just to lose a game of chess to me, right?"

Vincent von Bergman was a Master-level Sage from the Astrology Constellations and the Chief Palace Mage of the Rose Palace's Mage Hall. He had been assisting Duke Simon before he ascended the throne and was his most trusted advisor.

"Your Highness, you understand what I want to ask. I also understand your answer through that game of chess," Vincent lowered his head and said.

"Still harping on the Holy Sepulchre?"

"You and I have been to the depths of the Holy Sepulchre together and have seen the warnings above. You should know that that's not a power we can use."

"But that's our only chance. Vincent, when did the warrior who once dared to fight the Empire's Platinum Ring become so… cautious?"

"Retaking the Elementium Silver industry and using the Holy Sepulchre's legacy are two completely different things."

Vincent took a deep breath.

"You should remember that to stop that existence from awakening, the corpses of two Judges were buried there."

"Then, you should also remember that it's written on the Holy Sepulchre that the remnant will of that person is about to be obliterated. Why do you think I waited 20 years to carry out this plan?"

"Your Highness, please allow me to take my leave."

At this point, Vincent didn't say anything else. Instead, he bade farewell and turned to leave.

He was halfway there when the duke suddenly asked, "Is your daughter alright? I heard that she almost lost her life on an archeological expedition."

Vincent paused slightly.

"She has already returned to Arcana University after her confinement. Previously, I transferred her away from the archeology department. She can forget about coming into contact with ancient tombs and ruins for the rest of her life."

"Have you found the mage who saved her?" the duke asked.

"No, she hasn't been willing to say who he is, but that child has always been soft-hearted. I suspect that person is a heretical mage."

Speaking of his daughter, Vincent's usually serious voice became less tense.

The duke nodded and sighed slowly.

"Sigh, Vincent, so all of this is because of your daughter?"

Vincent didn't say another word and left the Rose Palace without looking back.