NOVEL NEXT Chapter 211
Episode 211. Copenhagen Decryption (4)
Somewhere in a sea cave in northern Denmark. This was the retreat point prepared by Dr. Chae.
We sat around a campfire lit on the cave floor. Nanami stared blankly at the flames, while Hasti was grinning from ear to ear.
Dr. Chae, with a serious expression, poked at the campfire with the end of his staff.
“So, what’s the next plan?”
“An Information Blocking Barrier.”
That would be nice. Hasti and Dr. Chae set up the barrier, and only then did I start speaking.
“The Foundation Headquarters is scared. They’ve gathered their strength around Ananda-Class Supernatural Phenomena and key facilities, curling up like a hedgehog. Not just the Administrators hostile to us, but everyone.”
The cat Administrator said so.
Administrator Iris has also gone into hiding. The Eye of Enlightenment, which sees and knows all, has hidden itself. What could that mean?
“Yes.”
“They’re afraid of us. But, of course, the more they concentrate their power in one place, the easier it is to pick them off one by one. Only the Administrators who aren’t hostile to us can afford to gather their strength and hide. The others don’t have that luxury.”
Hasti tilted her head.
“Is that so?”
“Thule is clearly a trap, but we have no choice but to attack it. At least one hostile Administrator is waiting there. We have no option but to go.”
“So, the conclusion?”
“I’ll go to Thule alone. The rest of you, steal the Foundation’s Eye of Enlightenment and bring it to the Seoul Branch. I’m talking about Administrator Iris.”
“Hmm… Sorry, but why do you think capturing Administrator Iris is possible? She might be listening to this right now.”
I paused to think.
“Just think about it. Someone who knows everything wouldn’t go through the trouble of preventing something that was impossible from the start. The fact that Administrator Iris is moving now—”
“Is proof that capturing her is now possible. Got it.”
Dr. Chae nodded.
No matter what you bring, there’s always a countermeasure. As seen with Acacia and Pixel, there’s no perfect prison, no perfect fortress.
“The important thing is this: Administrator Iris is tightening the defenses of her facility. The all-knowing being has judged that her safety is under threat, and targeting Iris has now become possible.”
“Aren’t we just increasing the number of enemies?”
“Why would she be an ally?”
I shook my head. Administrator Iris is not an ally. She didn’t oppose the motion to eliminate me. I don’t know why she abstained instead of voting in that meeting.
While the Foundation’s attention is focused on Thule, we must aim for the biggest target possible.
It’s a kind of diversion tactic.
The chances of us both capturing Thule and kidnapping Administrator Iris don’t look great, but for the enemy, it means they have to stop both.
Administrator Raven let out a sigh.
The battle is approaching. This time, it’s likely to be different from the Dr. Kim we’ve seen so far. Dr. Kim, furious from the Voodoo Magic, smelling blood.
The silver lining is that it doesn’t seem like a large number of combat assets are being mobilized.
At least not towards Thule.
Even after divining and remote viewing, Dr. Kim’s hounds weren’t sniffing around Thule. It didn’t seem like they had any plans to either. Is there still time?
It didn’t seem like it, given his personality.
Dr. Kim and his team were still wandering around Europe. I’m not sure what they’re doing, but they’ll definitely come for us.
“Can we capture Dr. Kim?”
The figure sitting in front of the Administrator, face shadowed, nodded.
“It’s possible, but why are you entrusting this to me?”
“That’s the Foundation’s way. Every problem needs at least three solutions.”
“It doesn’t seem like the plan is working.”
“Our opponents are also Foundation people.”
“It’s hard to imagine. Aren’t you, Administrator, the most powerful mage in the world? You possess multiple supernatural phenomena.”
“Nothing is absolute. Over there, supernatural phenomena and magic hardly work. Even the Voodoo Magic we tried to kill them with was completely blocked.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. As long as my opponent looks human, they won’t be able to face me without a sword.”
“That was your setting, wasn’t it?”
“More importantly, Thule Fortress’s defenses look surprisingly shabby. Not many Special Forces teams, few high-level combat assets. It doesn’t look like a situation where we can kill Dr. Kim.”
“Two teams of the Administrator Royal Guard, two Ninetail teams are on standby, and there are a few more Special Forces teams. Besides, I’m on Thule Island.”
“There are rumors that the Catfish Special Forces killed Administrator Pixel. I’ve heard the current morale among the Special Forces team leaders is not good. They’re soldiers, so they’ll pretend to follow orders, but…”
The shadowed figure looked at Raven, who shook his head.
It’s true that the Special Forces team leaders hold significant power within the Foundation, but not all Administrators are the same.
Raven is one of the most powerful mages on this planet. He’s not someone ordinary Special Forces like those catfish could kill.
“You’re worrying too much. That’s not the level of the problem. If Dr. Kim sets foot on Thule, he’ll be dragged into the subspace I control. Surviving will be nearly impossible.”
“Better prepare a lot of swords.”
Raven sighed. This battle is the last stand. Dr. Kim must die here. He’s already gathered too much power.
I’ll face the Thule siege alone.
All I have left is the Crystal Clock in my pocket.
[Dr. Kim. Why are you alone?]
“I sent everyone to capture Administrator Iris. I’m going to Thule Island.”
[Why are you going to Thule Island?]
“To kill another Administrator.”
My team left as ordered to find Administrator Iris. In their place, I was staring at the North Sea with Cosmos.
Cosmos said nothing.
[You’ve got a lot on your plate.]
“Yeah.”
[What’s the operation plan?]
“Starting with finding Thule Island.”
Finding the island won’t be easy. If it were near the Seoul Branch, it’d be different, but in Denmark, there aren’t many assets we can mobilize. Even if there were, the Copenhagen Branch has been turned into a wasteland.
[There’s a lot hidden.]
“That’s the Headquarters’ way. What kind of world has the Foundation created? Everything is decided in secret, and who rules how isn’t just unknown—the very existence of the Headquarters is ambiguous.”
[True.]
“I’m thinking of summoning Jörmungandr here, but I’m not sure if it’ll work. The North Sea is much wider than Superior Lake.”
[Let’s try that first.]
“Well, if Dr. Chae secures Administrator Iris, we’ll know right away… but that seems too difficult to expect.”
If it were the Seoul Branch, I’d have divined it. There aren’t many methods available in the cave right now.
Ah, right. Dr. Chae’s compass.
That would be the most efficient method.
“Dr. Chae’s compass. Thule is, in a sense, the origin of all magic. The compass will show us the way to Thule.”
[The Nazis thought so too.]
Thule is the ideological origin of Nazi occultism. Broadly speaking, it’s the ideological origin of Germanic occultism. From the Nazis’ perspective, it could be the origin of Western civilization.
Hiding something doesn’t mean it’s hidden.
“Kwaaaaaaah!”
A terrible sound.
Jörmungandr, submerged in the North Sea, roared as it looked up at the sky. Cosmos and I chased after Jörmungandr on a jet ski as fast as we could. It was much faster than expected.
Its power is erratic, that thing.
“Freedom, freedom!”
I scratched my head. I don’t know what Jörmungandr wants. What freedom?
Last time, it went wild in the lake. Or is it that it can’t come out unless someone summons it? Why is it reacting like a five-year-old or a puppy on a walk?
“Cold waves, vast sea!”
Is it an idiot, that thing?
It’s hard to say for sure. Since Jörmungandr lost to me and the Foundation has occupied the Seoul Underground Abyss Temple, Jörmungandr has no choice but to listen to me.
But it’s not just a supernatural phenomenon for nothing. It’s beyond common sense, so it’s hard to pin it down.
That thing is still bound by the leash placed on it by pre-human entities, or by the promises made to me.
[It’s because it has no physical form.]
“Is that so?”
[That’s what I think. I see Jörmungandr not as a true ancient god, but as a kind of weapon created by pre-human entities.]
“I don’t know about that.”
Why is a sea serpent the size of a subway bound by sorcery or promises? Why can it drag ships into the abyss, and why does it come out when summoned? That’s not the important part.
That’s probably the rule that allows Jörmungandr to exist. The same goes for other gods.
Well, it’s complicated to explain.
But the conclusion is one. The jet ski Cosmos and I were on chased Jörmungandr at full speed. At this rate, we’ll reach the target soon.