Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 241

‘I need to handle this matter quickly and move on to the next task.’

Throughout their conversation, Bedok’s sharp, gleaming eyes darted constantly, searching for any crack in Theo’s defenses. If he had found a weakness, he would have attacked without hesitation. Negotiating with someone like him for an extended period was a losing game. Treating him as a negotiation partner was tantamount to bowing down.

“It’s fine. Even if we show weakness, they’re nothing more than scavengers, hyenas waiting to sink their teeth into our throats.”

Theo scoffed lightly as he spoke.

“And in a long-term game, it’s not them but us who hold the advantage. They need to know their place before attempting to make any deals.”

Considering the current state of the Eight Eunuchs of the Wolf Fang Sect, secretly manipulated by the Mad Dragon, it was clear they were in dire straits and likely sought an alliance with Ragnar. If not that, they might want to mediate or intervene in the coming disputes between the prince-electors to secure their own interests.

However, Theo had no intention of giving them anything. His priority was to tame them first, making it crystal clear who held the power and who didn’t.

“Well, if that’s what the Young Patriarch thinks,” Lezé said with a shrug, letting the matter drop. She had no particular desire to side with their enemies either.

“More importantly, we’re nearing the Forest of Naga. Let’s hear the current situation. Scout, what have you learned?”

The scout, who had been silently waiting for his chance to report, bowed deeply before speaking.

“Currently, there are four factions that have already entered the Forest of Naga, with six others monitoring the situation from the periphery.”

“Already inside?” Theo’s expression darkened.

“Yes. The Tower, the Beastfolk Vanguard, the Priestly Union, and Mulligan.”

Theo’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“Familiar names.”

“They were the ones who sided with Troyban during the Northern War,” Julius said with a shrug.

Theo nodded. He hadn’t asked because he didn’t know; the sheer audacity of their presence had left him incredulous.

“They must be desperate to recover what they lost back then. Or perhaps... they intend to obstruct our plans.”

During the Northern War, the prince-electors who had allied with Troyban to suppress Ragnar had been driven into ruin. Under the mediation of the Sea Trade Union, they had been forced to relinquish significant assets before withdrawing from the North. Further resistance would have only branded them eternal enemies of Ragnar, which had already consolidated its dominance over the North and East.

Yet here they were, once again.

Theo couldn’t let their proactive interference slide. What’s more, Mulligan had familial ties to the Narcio clan. As Wellington’s maternal relatives, their involvement was impossible to interpret as anything but hostile.

“How far have they advanced?”

“They’ve deployed specialized units, but none have penetrated deeply yet.”

“Are the Naga resisting fiercely?”

“No. The Naga, under Hilda’s coercion, seem to be waiting eagerly for the liberation army to arrive.”

“Then what’s the hold-up?”

“The entire forest has been cursed.”

“A curse...?” Theo’s eyes widened.

The Maehwa Palace Lord interjected. “Explain in detail.”

The scout delivered a succinct explanation.

The Sublimation Ritual was performed once already.However, the ritual failed, resulting in a curse that has spread throughout the forest.Now, the dead rise, wandering the forest freely. Even in the ancestral burial grounds maintained by the Naga, undead armies have emerged, causing chaos.The prince-electors who initially engaged in combat have since forbidden further fighting after witnessing their fallen comrades rise as undead.

In short, the failed Sublimation Ritual had drastically altered the forest’s environment.

No one could predict the direction this rampant phenomenon would take—not even Theo, despite his knowledge from a previous life. This was something he had never encountered.

‘Could it be...?’

Theo had a suspicion.

“What about the whereabouts of the former clan head... no, Hilda Ragnar?”

“Still, it’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to work in the field, and it’s a refreshing change,” added the Maehwa Palace Lord with a light smile.

They had agreed to Theo’s request to join the vanguard for this mission. This small-scale operation now involved no less than four of the Nine Dragons. Rey, Erika, and Holcus looked visibly pale, wondering how they could possibly keep up with such legendary figures.

「You never mentioned that they’d be joining us!」 Erika hissed telepathically.

「I’m mentioning it now, aren’t I?」 Theo replied with a sly grin.

「You lunatic!!」

Erika shut her eyes tightly in frustration, while Holcus, in contrast, could barely contain his excitement. He radiated enthusiasm, unable to hide his exhilaration.

“You should’ve seen how devastated the Black Dragon was when he realized he couldn’t participate in this mission,” Holcus said, his voice brimming with admiration.

Unlike Julius and the Maehwa Palace Lord, who both had capable deputies to act in their stead, the Black Dragon did not. As the head of Ragnar’s intelligence agency, he had no successor due to fears of internal corruption, which left him sidelined. It seemed to be a sore point for him.

“I should bring back a gift to console him on the way back,” Theo said with a small chuckle.

And with that, the operation began.

***

“Acting based on vague information from my past life could lead to disaster.”

The moment Theo stepped into the Forest of Naga, he came to this conclusion.

A dense aura of death pervaded the forest, pricking his skin like countless needles. Even breathing felt suffocating. To make matters worse, the mana stream connected to Theo wavered unsteadily in this oppressive environment.

It was a place where ordinary people could never survive—a realm of death. Whatever had run rampant here, it had transformed the area into something so alien that understanding the cause seemed impossible.

“This... doesn’t feel like a simple curse. Hard to believe this was once the home of the wise Naga.”

Even Kincarnon, who had been mostly silent, frowned deeply as he muttered those words. If even someone like him felt uneasy, it was clear this mission would not be easy.

“Something’s coming.”

It was then that Theo turned his head, following the vibration of the mana stream. The rest of the vanguard instinctively held their breath.

But...

‘It’s not just one or two.’

Theo quickly signaled the group to retreat into the shadows. Just as their concealment techniques took effect, they appeared.

Rustle!

Clatter, clatter—

With the sound of footsteps crunching through the grass, skeleton soldiers began to emerge one by one. But these were no ordinary undead.

Among them were skeletons bearing shields, others armed with spears and swords, and even some beating war drums on either side of the formation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of bone striking drumskin wasn’t particularly loud, yet the dark energy it emanated resonated powerfully through the forest.

A legion.

A full battalion made entirely of skeletal soldiers was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl just at the sight.

Yet, the vanguard’s attention wasn’t focused on the skeletal soldiers themselves.

What caught their eyes were the tattered banners fluttering above the undead formation.

Covered in grime and decay, the banners bore a symbol all too familiar to Theo and his companions.

Mulligan.

It was the insignia of a prominent noble family from the southern regions.