the forcefield blocked his attack!

It wasn't very effective.

O_o suddenly a force field... .3. how that happen

He actually attacked his sister (sorta)!? What a NARK!!

Yeah, the villains are a thoroughly dishonorable bunch of scumbags in this story.

TBF, from his perspective an extremely powerful shapeshifter just murdered 4 of them and considering Sadia's temperament before this adventure started it would seem strange to him that she'd willingly help Suzocon.

It just shows how completely blind and stupid he really is. His blithe dismissal of Suzokon-kyo as a "rat with extra tails" shows he doesn't take the threat seriously at all. He completely missed the shrine defenses going up all around him, and the clearly visible, out-in-the-open, undisguised kitsune right below him. (And Suzucon only killed 3 of the scouting party, the fourth got away, which is why he's here in the first place).

His answer to everything is "Taran-ouji BLAST!!" and it's going to bite him right in his fat head before it's done.

You're thinking of how an intelligent tactician, or someone that gave a hoot about anyone but himself, would think. Taran-ouji is none of those things. He's just an idiot with a very big gun and an itchy trigger finger.

Actually ya, that's a pretty big blunder from him to just straight up not notice his target in plain view and to instead tunnel vision on his sister.

He is going to counter the lightning with more lightning!

He thinks lightning is cool. But he makes it even worse for himself.

WHOA! things just got really bad someone needs to stop this crazy kitsune :O :)

Prince Baka tries to flatten his sister with his tail?

He's also a pottymouth.

And oh, yeah. This is why fighting an arcane artificer is such a bastard. Suddenly, anti magic barrier field! And this sour winter child of an Oni is going to try blasting it.

Taran-ouji deserves exactly what he gets.

Even if he thought it WAS her, chances are she's currently Quezta non graa after stealing the eyestone.

I say this because again, he might have been surprised to see her, but he was gearing up to attack BEFORE he rationalized it was actually Suzo in disguise.

He doesn't know that she DID steal the Eyestone. Ironically he's inclined to believe that she DIDN'T... his little sister would never do such a thing!... therefore it can't be Saida-imoto, it must be Suzocon. He came to blast the bugger killing his troops.

Suzocon got the blame for the theft. But then Prince Baka decided that Quetz!Brand was Suzocon.

I really don't think he would deliberately try to smash his sister. He's just a baka yerou loose cannon and doesn't bother to see ANYTHING except what's in front of his face.

Everyone are assholes XD

Maybe it's the comic book author's worldview: all demigods are assholes 😁

I think there's a deeper story there because the true deities didn't used to BE assholes. (Except this guy). They once banded together to take out the Puppetmancer.

And afterward they all became corrupt and evil. Why? I think that's the central question of the whole comic.

I don't know, but I think the Puppetmancer made puppets out of them.

The closest thing to a godlike being in human society is a billionaire, and most billionaires are airheaded assholes, so it's not a baseless viewpoint. XD Probably because decent people tend to be generous, and so don't accumulate wealth.

Oh ho. It wasn't a trap after all, and Taran gets a second crack. I guess Brand is still being useful.

Yep! Brand is still being useful. For once, it isn't Virmir's usual pithy sarcasm, either. He bought Suzocon-sama the time to fully deploy this.

I also do not think this simple antimagic shield is the only thing in Suzocon's bag of tricks. He seems to have a habit, a tic, whatever you call it, of giving a warning before engaging in battle. Brand/Saida and the quetz soldiers both got warnings. Brand and Saida heeded that warning, so he disarmed. The soldiers attacked him anyway, and were promptly unalived.

My guess, and so far my batting average hovers somewhere around 0.100, is the deflector shield is his warning. If Taran-nīsan keeps attacking (and do you really think he won't?) then the next things out of Suzokon-kyo's bag of tricks won't be quite so passive. Or pleasant.

I don't know what more of the response will be. I have the feeling we're soon going to be switching to Saida's POV for a while as Prince Taran bashes at the shield.

I'm honestly not sure. Quetz!Brand is stuck until Suzocon and Taran/Vetra really start throwing down. And I have no doubt - silly me - that there WILL be a Thunderdome Throwdown, because bashing the shield means attacking Suzucon's shrine, and he never seems to let an attack on him or his shrine go unanswered. When the yao no kitsune joins the battle, shit gets real in a hurry.

But that is the perfect distraction for Saida to find Roko, who smartly left a bread crumb for them to find to lead them to Suzocon-sama's little Re-Animator project. I sincerely hope that on the way out, they absolutely smash the place. Miyo-chan, however she got there, deserves to finally rest in peace.

As for Suzocon, Taran and Vetra, root for injuries. Preferably fatal ones.

I feel like "Thunder-Crack" is a substitute for "F*CK"

Taran, you're overthinking it, chillax.

He doesn't think at all. He's barely above "Taran SMASH" level of intelligence.

I'm still upset he killed that guard ave near the beginning of the story for no reason. >:C

If you look closely, the one he killed was one of the majordomo's assistants. He killed that Ave to make a point to the majordomo: Tell me what to do with my little sister and pay the price.

He knew he couldn't kill Vetra's majordomo without large repercussions, but an Ave assistant? The majordomo's got two, doesn't she? In his primitive way of thinking, she could easily replace the extra. And the point was made.

He may be stupid, but he does know something about palace politics. It was a surprisingly subtle point made in an extremely unsubtle way. And it makes him not one jot less a villainous jerk. But he is very useful to Vetra as her most elite mook, so she probably puts up with his shenanigans. To a point. Killing a slave is fine. Killing the chief slave is far too wasteful. She runs the palance so Vetra doesn't have to.

*crosses out "no reason" and writes in "a selfish and haughty reason"*

This is going to shift the mirrors and free Rokko

Ooo, good thought!

Such language!

Ohh a barrier!

That's not so bad owo (was worried it'd be like some sort of electrified/energy-based cage to trap him and/or siphon off his power)

That's not outside the realm of possibility. I'm guessing the shield's his warning. He always gives a warning before he engages in battle, but if you insist on attacking him anyway, then s**t hits the fan immediately. Suzocon-sama, for all he's an honorless dog, also has a few brain cells in his head and a crude sense of etiquette. Unlike Taran-nīsan.

Ohh true, and oh yes

Mind, I could be wrong. My record of guessing how this all goes is dismal even for me! As a writer, it's a little humbling, but it also is why I love this comic. Because  Virmir is a very good writer. He's certainly had a lot of practice.

There are a lot of twists and turns when you're fighting an arcane artificer and a kitsune. Both at once would be a nightmare, and Taran-ouji is just now starting to learn that. We all know what his next move will be: "Taran BLAST!" The interesting part will be Suzocon-sama's response. He absolutely keeps you guessing, and ain't no more interesting - or fun - villain than that.

Right, of course. And oh yes, he really is and has!

Indeed o.o Oh yeah xD Very much so! People have been wondering about his goals and intentions from the start, including whether he could be considered good or evil, and even know we don't know what all he has planned

As a person who played enlisted, I can relate to that

https://youtu.be/ZpJudi7_iiw?si=14zjbkedGU3LK1po