Although the houses obscure the view of the large bonfire, Milcar can still use his Qi to sense who is around it. The Qi of some elderly Crimson Mages is entirely perceptible; Milcar can feel these Qi of the people gathered around the bonfire. One of them is the village chief of the Crimson Mages.
Slightly confused by this nocturnal gathering, Milcar moves stealthily to get closer, his body blending with the darkness. Soon, he can see what these Crimson Mages are doing around the large bonfire. Several Crimson Mages in red robes are murmuring words that are difficult to understand in low voices. A bonfire made of several logs burns vigorously, and a thick, solid wooden cross burns at the center of the fire.
Nailed through his hands and shoulders, with a kind of wire binding his neck to the wood, covered in multiple wounds, and with stakes piercing his body and securing him to the wooden cross to prevent him from falling, Milcar sees Hyoozaburo in a nightmarish state. Hyoozaburo appears to have undergone medieval torture. From the tips of his toes to his head, there is no part of his body that isn't deformed. The skin covering his muscles is completely bruised and painted with blood. His eye sockets are empty, his bones are entirely broken with some protruding from his battered skin, and his face reflects unbearable pain.
Milcar narrows his eyes at this scene, trying to comprehend what is happening here. However, before Milcar can continue wondering what is happening, the village chief and father of Yunyun approaches the bonfire where Hyozabuuro's crucified body is beginning to burn and turn to ash.
"Lord God, Lord Hideki Tojo, please... accept this offering that your humble followers are providing", the man says, dropping a pile of gold coins onto the hot embers. His eyes seem to reflect an invisible sun, and his mind appears to be in complete peace. The village chief moves with rhythmic movements, each one well calculated, and each breath in sync with the movement of the flames.
He dances around the bonfire with strange and difficult movements for an ordinary man. The village chief emits some guttural sounds from his throat. His arm moves entirely in an inhuman position to encircle his head, and then his neck does a complete turn before everything returns to normal. More anomalies occur as the village chief dances with joy and vigor.
However, this dance by the village chief makes Milcar open his eyes in slight surprise. Although part of the surprise is due to the unnatural dance of the village chief, what Milcar considers a revelation at this moment are the words spoken by the village chief, "Hideki Tojo".
Although Milcar believes all Japanese names sound similar, this marvelous world should be a difficult one to reincarnate into, especially for people who are not part of this world like Milcar. Now, Milcar can perfectly remember this name; he read it in the history books of Japan during World War II.
If Milcar recalls correctly, Hideki Tojo should be one of the trusted men of the former Japanese Empire led by Hirohito. Narrowing his eyes in some confusion, Milcar begins to piece together the loose ends.
In fact, it makes sense to Milcar at this moment. Nodding to himself, Milcar thinks quickly. Hideki Tojo was known as a vile and ruthless man, one of the worst men to have walked the earth after an Austrian painter. If Hideki had reincarnated in this world, then he would be the creator of these Crimson Demons and the reason these types of rituals exist.
Milcar sighs with some understanding. His eyes light up with a gleam of wisdom, and his mind seems to have reached a conclusion. What would be Hideki Tojo's reason for founding this race?
Milcar still cannot understand this, nor does he want to understand it for now. Although Milcar has observed everything these Crimson Mages did, the most important thing in Milcar's mind is to know why this is happening right after he lost control of his body for what seems to be a few hours.
Milcar continues to watch from the darkness. Soon, the bright yellow fire of the bonfire turns a blood-red color. The lifeless body of Hyoozaburo begins to disintegrate, or rather, begins to turn into a viscous black liquid that drips onto the red fire, making it sizzle.
"Praise be to the Lord, our God Hideki Tojo!"
"Praise be to the Lord, our God Hideki Tojo!"
"Praise be to the Lord, our God Hideki Tojo!"
Several synchronized shouts from elderly Crimson Mages can be heard. The village chief dances with more vigor and joy, his eyes distorted and pupil-less in their sockets. Gradually, Hyozabuuro's body melts away until nothing remains. For a moment, the praises to Hideki Tojo continue, the fire burns more intensely as if pleased with the sacrifice, just for a moment before all the elders start undressing.
Their well-embroidered red silk robes are thrown aside, revealing their wrinkled and battered bodies completely naked. As if they had no consciousness, these men stop shouting and start walking toward the red fire.
The fire grew in intensity. The village chief quickly moved several meters away from the fire and watched with joyous eyes as the elders disappeared upon touching the red fire. The lament of a thousand tortured souls is clearly audible from the depths of the red fire. However, the elders surrendered to the red fire as if they were surrendering, longing to be embraced by their mothers.
For a moment, a fantasy scene where a fire begins to consume the bodies of several elders upon contact happens, just for a moment before the village chief stops dancing, and his body returns to its natural form. The village chief quickly kneels on one knee before the furious fire that now seems to reach several meters high.
A guttural voice, like that of a caged beast, can be heard emanating from the depths of the red fire, communicating something Milcar cannot understand but that the village chief easily comprehends. "Wonderful!", the village chief shouts with excitement after a few moments.
"Excellent!!!, Then, soon we will have the Kingdom of Belzerg under control...", The guttural voice speaks with an almost inaudible tone, difficult to differentiate those words from babbling, the fire began to burn more intensely.
"You must do it, Lord Hideki, the demon king is nothing more than an emperor without a throne, a man without pride, an existence that has lost its power...", The village chief's words made the red fire grow in size as if it were pleased.