Vlad was perfectly aware of the effects that isolation and sleep deprivation could have on a human’s mind, so he was prepared. The potion he was feeding the man would allow him to regain some focus and leave him in a highly susceptible state. It was a basic potion used for interrogation, not very powerful, and a strong will could easily resist its effects.
However, Vlad knew he did not need to worry about that since the man’s mind should be on the brink of shattering, and the idea that he could pose any form of resistance was laughable.
As the potion went down the man’s throat, a flash of light crossed his eyes, and he began to gain some clarity. He was confused as he looked around the room, seeing metallic walls covered in darkness and a small light illuminating a young man.
Vlad gave the man a few seconds to focus, using the A.I. Chip to monitor all his vital signs before speaking in a sharp and strong voice. "Identify yourself."
The man had presented himself as Rodrick Camel from Trigun City and had declared he worked under a powerful Level 10 Mage warlord named Fernon when he clashed with Amara and Mitchel. Of course, Vlad knew that was all a lie, so he commanded the man to utter his true name.
The man’s face was confused, and he could not help but frown as he felt something was wrong. However, his mind was simply too exhausted to resist, and the next second, he began to speak. "I am Samuel Harrier, a captain of the Azarin Empire."
Vlad and Jormungandr’s eyes immediately narrowed as they heard those words, a cold light appearing in them as they remembered the bloody sight of Cold Town. Back then, the duo had suspected the Azarin Country’s involvement due to its closeness to the border, but it was just a hypothesis. However, the man’s words made them think they were closer to the truth.
Vlad did not lose focus; his eyes were sharp as he asked his next question. "The Azarin Empire, is it the new name of the Azarin Country?"
Samuel’s face was filled with disdain and disgust as he heard those words, his gaze wandering for a few seconds before he spoke. "The Azarin Country was an aberration, our place controlled by corrupt politicians."
At this point, Samuel paused before awe and respect appeared in his eyes. "The Emperor executed them to the last one as he rose to power."
"So, a rising emperor who burned the old ways." Vlad analyzed Samuel’s words and concluded that a new figure had appeared in Azarin Country, killing the old government in a grand display before rising to power.
It was clear that the leader of the newly formed Azarin Empire was not someone mild. His brutality toward those he called corrupt was absolute.
Vlad analyzed the situation for a moment. He had many questions about the Azarin Empire, but there was one thing he needed to know first: "Was the Azarin Empire involved in the events around Cold Town?"
Samuel frowned as he heard those words. The man felt he should not answer that question, but soon a disgusting smile appeared on his face as he continued, "Hmph, stupid monkeys, they got what they deserved."
Coldness appeared in Vlad’s eyes as he heard those words full of xenophobia and sadistic pleasure. It was easy to conclude that soldiers of the Azarin Empire were responsible for the massacre of hundreds of men, women, and children from Cold Town.
Vlad’s emotions soon grew under control. He did not allow his wrath to cloud his judgment as he continued, "Where is the headquarters of the Azarin Empire? Explain to me its military force."
Samuel’s frown grew deeper as he heard those words. He did his best to resist the urge to speak, but after a minute under the young man’s intense gaze, he did not endure the pressure and began to reveal everything he knew.
"The emperor’s home is in the capital of the old Azarin Country." Samuel felt annoyed as he said those words, but soon, a small smile appeared on his face, and a feeling of pride appeared in his eyes. "The military force of the Azarin Empire is... fifteen thousand strong!"
A force of fifteen thousand strong was impressive, nearly twenty times larger than the military power of the Xaos Kingdom, but Vlad did not let himself be tricked by the illusion of mere numbers.
Disdain appeared in Vlad’s eyes as he thought of the reason for such large numbers and asked a question to confirm his suspicion. "How many of the soldiers in the military force have already become Mages or Warriors, and exactly how many have proper military training?"
Samuel seemed to be thinking for a moment before finally giving an answer, "There should be around two thousand that have become at least Level 1 Warriors or Mages, and as for those with proper training, I guess a few hundred."
Of the massive fifteen thousand soldiers, only two thousand had become Level 1 Warriors and Mages, and even fewer had military training. Clearly, the Azarin Empire had no problem packing their army with cannon fodder.
If Vlad wanted, he could classify all who had become Mages and Warriors as soldiers and push his military power to over five thousand strong. However, that was a path the Xaos Kingdom would only take if they were in danger of absolute destruction.
Under Grand Marshal Anglius’ control, only those with a strong will could enter the military. Before they could participate in a mission, they went through harsh military training. Placing ordinary people in the military was unthinkable, as it was the same as throwing them to death and endangering the rest of the soldiers.
"Where did you obtain your weapons and armor?" A solemn light appeared in Vlad’s eyes as he asked that question. He had an idea of the Azarin Empire’s power and the brutality of their Emperor, but one thing still perplexed him: their equipment.
Vlad had heard their report and Grand Marshal Anglius, and those types of armor and mage robes would require an Alchemist Master or a powerful Artificer. No one in Terra should have those abilities, and he could only give birth to those types of masters using the memories of his Second Past Life.
Samuel stared at Vlad for a few seconds before his mouth began to move. "Our Emperor creates our weapons. He is able to channel divine power into metal for the soldiers of the empire."
Vlad’s focus sharpened as he heard divine power. Unlike in the old world order, when those were mere words people used to explain things they could not understand, there were real Gods who controlled divine power in the higher dimension.
Gods were extremely powerful entities, and their soul force was so massive that it allowed their influence to easily spread among millions. They should not be able to extend their control over a New Plane like Terra, but it would be horrible news for Vlad and the Xaos Kingdom if they did.
"Divine power. What exactly do you mean by that? Where do you obtain it?" Vlad’s eyes were cold, his focus absolute as he stared at Samuel, demanding answers.
Samuel frowned as he heard those questions, just like when asked about the Emperor, but this time it was different. His frown grew deeper and deeper as a sense of fear and horror began to arise in his face.
"The Goddess.... the Goddess...she is the master of... the Empire." Samuel’s breathing grew rougher as the sense of horror in his eyes grew stronger until, under Vlad’s shocked gaze, his eyes regained their lucidity.
Vlad was stunned to see that Samuel could regain his lucidity, which should not have been possible. It was clear that the idea of revealing information about the Goddess brought so much terror to the man that it managed to wake him up.
However, while it was surprising, Vlad did not worry. Samuel could do nothing against him as the difference in power was simply too much, and he was ready to restrain the man.
Samuel’s eyes widened as he realized what he had just done, and when the man saw Vlad moving toward him, a mad expression appeared on his face as he put his tongue between his teeth and slammed his jaw into the metallic table.
Vlad and Jormungandr froze for a second as they saw how Samuel severed his own tongue, making a fountain of blood emerge from his mouth as he fell to the ground. The duo watched in absolute shock as the man bled out on the ground.
Immediately, they forced his mouth open and cauterized the wounds, stopping the bleeding, but their expressions were somber as they gazed at the unconscious Samuel. The man had chosen to bite off his own tongue rather than reveal information about the Goddess.